Richard Hall
Acting
Biography
Richard O. Hall (1935/36 — May 20, 2022) was an Indianapolis mortgage broker and president of Meridian Mortgage Company who was famously taken hostage for 63 hours on February 8, 1977, by Tony Kiritsis. Kiritsis wired a sawed-off shotgun to Hall’s neck over a disputed loan, creating a dramatic, televised standoff. Hall survived, later struggling with alcoholism following the ordeal. The event was adapted into Gus Van Sant's 2025 film Dead Man's Wire, with Dacre Montgomery as Hall.
Known For
In 1977, former real estate developer Tony Kiritsis puts a dead man's switch on himself and the mortgage banker who did him wrong, demanding $5 million and a personal apology.
Dead Man's Wire
A documentary of the decline of America, composed of archival material and exclusive footage, carnage, madness, and mayhem with an unapologetic sincerity on the factual depiction of violence in the industrialized nation of the United States. Featuring a juxtaposition of detailed accounts of terrible acts, brutal behavior, and interviews from experts and convicted killers alike.
The Killing of America
On the morning of February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis walked into an office on East Market Street and wired a shotgun to mortgage broker Richard Hall’s head. After making a 40-minute 911 call that ran the emotional gamut from polite respect to seething rants and tearful breakdowns, Kiritsis then paraded Hall along the streets of downtown Indianapolis followed by a cadre of police and media who were unable to do anything other than watch the event unfold. Kiritsis went on to hold Hall captive for three days as SWAT snipers, the bomb squad, and FBI looked for a way to disarm him without Hall being shot. The crisis culminated in a shocking press conference broadcast live on TV