Rob Nuckols moved to Riggins in 1975 in order to fulfill his lifelong dream. He eventually purchased a 159-acre plot, right in the middle of the government-owned Nez Perce National Forest.

A cable car stretching across the river was all that connected Nuckols to the rest of civilisation. Like fish stories swapped during the annual steelhead run, everyone in town had whispers to share about the modern day Grisly Adams, who had more or less managed to stay out of trouble in Riggins.

On 19th November, 1991, Rob Nuckols powered his cable car across the river and drove into town to do a favour for a friend. A few weeks earlier, Rob had received a call from a Grangeville woman named Tammie Kay. Tammie told Rob she had run into some financial trouble and needed him to sell some drugs for her so she could feed her children.

Rob reluctantly agreed. What he did not know, however, was that Tammie Kay was acting as a government informant for the Idaho Bureau of Narcotics. Rob would not find out about Tammie's secret job until 26th August 1992.