An elderly couple, Wilbur and Ellie Weiss, who had escaped the concentration camps under the Nazi regime during World War 11 were headed for home when they were accidentally forced off the road on a treacherous snowy New Year's Eve night in 1980 and killed instantly when their car landed sideways in a ditch. Six months later, the couple involved in running them off the road, Andy and Marisa Janzen, bought the Weiss' Victorian London home when they moved from Joplin Mo to Charleston Mo when Andy took the job as a hospital administrator. Wilburn then concocts a variety of methods to try and scare the Janzan family out of their house with the blessing of his wife. That also included the family of Hank, Cindy, Mary, and Joseph Pritchard. Hank and Cindy were also in the car with Andy and Marisa when Andy accidentally clipped the rear of Weiss' car who had been drinking to celebrate his new job. Much to the dismay of Ellie, Wilbur's attempts to get rid of the Janzan family also included putting the children from both families at risk-something Ellie wanted Wilbur to promise he would try and not do, but a promise Wilbur said he may not be able to keep, but assured his late wife he would do everything he could to keep the innocence of the kids out of harm's way which would not be an easy task. After a tragic accident that involved Janzen's close friends, Hank and Cindy, Andy and Marisa were determined to stay in their new home until Wilbur had no choice but to try and force the Janzen family out through the most extreme measures.