James Keene has had a remarkable journey that audiences are eagerly awaiting to see on the big screen.
Born in Kankakee, Illinois, to a police chief, he attended the University of Arizona and then pursued his master’s degree in anti-aging medicine.
This is when his personal story takes an unexpected turn – drawn into a world of money, glamor, and corruption involving the mafia; he eventually makes a deal with a dangerous serial killer that eventually leads to his freedom.
“In With The Devil”
The story of James Keene was documented in the acclaimed memoir “In With The Devil” by St. Martin’s Press which has been adapted into a film starring Brad Pitt as James. His incredible journey is surely one that deserves recognition and admiration.
When he’s not busy creating, producing and writing gripping dramas for Paramount such as “Buried,” James Keene is also working in front of the camera.
With TV appearances on every major news network and a feature on Oprah already secured, this multi-talented creative enjoys dividing his time between Los Angeles and Chicago to also pursue his passion for acting.
Apple TV+’s Black Bird is sure to tantalize viewers with Keene’s real-life story portrayed by the talented Taron Egerton and the late Ray Liotta in what would be his final television role.
All about the book
The non-fiction book In With the Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption, upon which the film Black Bird is based, provides a riveting insight into Keene’s life.
Written by Keene himself, the story recounts his experiences of trying to coax a confession out of notorious serial killer Larry Hall.
It also details his transformation from a star athlete in Kankakee, Illinois – where he excelled at football – to an illegal drug dealer with operations in Chicago.
Despite being just 17 years old, he was already working hard to expand his criminal empire and underlining the dangerous choices that many young people can make.
Bypassing college to become a millionaire
Bypassing college to become a millionaire came at a steep cost for Keene, who had to serve 10 years in a maximum-security prison with no chance of parole.
As it turns out, there might have been a way out after all when Assistant US Attorney Lawrence Beaumont approached him with an unusual offer while he served time.
He was given the chance to become an undercover operation targeting criminal mastermind Hall if he agreed.
Although this operation was dangerous and required considerable risks, Keene unsurprisingly accepted the opportunity as a way of getting out of prison early.
Despite withdrawing his confession, investigators thought they had enough evidence to firmly link Hall to the death of Jessica Roach and several other young girls.
Thanks to the efforts of Beaumont, the so-called ‘man in the van’ was arrested and subsequently given a life sentence.
His crimes had caused shock and tragedy throughout Illinois, but now thanks to Beaumont’s impressive dedication and dedication Hall would no longer be able to harm anyone else.
Getting a confession from hall
As he faced the daunting task of getting a confession from Hall, Beaumont needed Keene’s help in obtaining information on alleged crimes, including the 1993 disappearance of Tricia Reitler.
Despite his initial reluctance, Keene decided to take part with motivation largely stemming from his father, Big Jim (Liotta), suffering a major stroke.
Once his undercover mission began, it took five months for Hall to grow trusting of Keene.
Slowly, Hall revealed details about possible crimes, made more comfortable by what he believed to be a lasting friendship between himself and Keene.
In order to make the successful mission come together, Keene had to remain figuratively in character throughout this time of listening and pretending to be Hall’s friend.
Reflecting back on these events, Keene noted that such a strategy was “the hardest thing [he’s] ever done,” speaking for the inner strength required during such a scenario.
After obtaining Hall’s confession with regard to Roach, Keene took a pause before inquiring further about Reitler.
It is believed that Hall confessed to kidnapping and murdering the victim upon Keene’s probing.
In addition, Keene attempted to acquire more information from Hall about the supposed burial ground of Reitler, and it was there that he saw Hall with a map revealing the supposed whereabouts of several of his presumptive victims.
Assuming he had successfully completed the investigation, Chief Detective Keene left a message for his FBI contact and quickly went on to berate Hall, under the belief that he would be discharged from the prison within the next 24 hours.
What is James Keene doing nowadays?
After being placed in solitary confinement during his time in prison, Keene was only freed after his contact within the jail -the psychiatrist- returned from holiday days later.
Despite Hall’s map with the potential locations of his alleged victims having never been found, this experience for Keene did lead to a fortunate outcome – he was released from prison early in 1999, with his criminal record removed.
This meant justice could not be served for Reitler, whose body has still not been located, leaving her family feeling frustrated that there had been no resolution to their presumed loss.
Nowadays, Keene is an author who shares his thoughts on the matter through media outlets such as Dateline and works successfully in real estate.
His book “God’s Warrior and Me: The Five Year Mission to Take Down a Serial Killer”
In his book, “God’s Warrior and Me: The Five Year Mission to Take Down a Serial Killer,” Brian Keene laid out details of his incredible mission to help the FBI apprehend Larry Swearingen, a notorious serial killer who terrorized Texas in the 1990s.
Keene explained that taking part in the operation allowed him to spend five years with his father, who passed away in 2004.
As Keene put it in his book, “The five years I had with my father meant more to me than all the money in the world.”
Even though they would often disagree on certain things, these precious moments brought them closer together and made it easier for Keene to find acceptance when it mattered most.
Moreover, he recognized that protecting lives is far more valuable and meaningful than any amount of money.
His willingness to believe otherwise and join this daring mission was heroic and inspirational – a reminder of what true fearlessness looks like.
Keene had a difficult upbringing; as the eldest child in a single-parent household situated on the south side of Chicago ― one of the most blighted areas in the nation.
His mother’s part-time waitressing salary was meager, and his father had gone on to remarry and start a second family.
Despite his impoverished circumstances, Keene managed to maintain his determination and a sense of purpose. “We had nothing,” he said. “I was a decent-looking guy, but that doesn’t really give me automatic privileges.”
Through his drive and ambition, he was able to power through adversity and succeed despite the limited options available in such an area.
While it took hard work to achieve success under such restricted conditions, his story proves that anything is possible with perseverance.
James Keene Early Life
At 17, Keene was already making a serious income from his involvement in the marijuana business.
Despite being offered scholarships to universities in other states, he decided to remain in the Chicago area and attend a junior college playing both football and wrestling, continuing to build on his business success.
Keene admitted that the thought never even crossed his mind that it would be wiser to walk away from his current salary of half a million or more a year when he could simply continue what he was doing while also attending school close by.
He described his college experience as one filled with fun and adventure that allowed his weed business to grow even further.
Through it all, Keene is adamant about supporting personal freedoms and embracing individualism but chooses to abstain from any drug use himself.
His involvement in sports
Despite his extensive involvement in sports – football, wrestling, martial arts, track and field, and hockey – Keene remained staunchly opposed to smoking weed.
However, his business subsequently began to flourish and eventually led to the establishment of a string of other legal ventures such as a real estate firm, high-end car dealerships, a restaurant and Italian food company, and a strip club.
As his success continued to grow, Keene was able to purchase a mansion overlooking Lake Michigan at only 20 years of age – an impressive feat that enabled him to host star-studded events.
“I was a very entrepreneurial guy, a businessman by nature. I was making millions and millions as a 20-year-old,” he said.
