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Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode

May 23, 2019 / 43:55

This episode covers unsolved mysteries involving the murder of J Givens in East Chicago, Indiana, the disappearance of Melissa Joe Sermons, and the story of Sandra Lee Nelson, the "smoker car baby."

In East Chicago, J Givens was shot at a fundraiser in 1981, with Deputy Chief John Cardona as a prime suspect. Despite evidence linking Cardona to the crime, including a rare handgun, the case went unsolved due to lack of witnesses and prosecutorial caution.

The episode also discusses the murder of Larry Kosta in Florida and the mysterious disappearance of his girlfriend, Melissa Joe Sermons. Kosta was found dead in his trailer, and Sermons' whereabouts remain unknown, leading to speculation about her involvement in the case.

Finally, the story of Sandra Lee Nelson, who was adopted after her mother entrusted her to a stranger on a train in 1945, is highlighted. After years of searching for her birth mother, Sandra learns of her family's history and finds relatives who had longed to meet her.

The episode concludes with a call for viewers to help solve these mysteries and reunite families.

TL;DR

The episode covers J Givens' murder, Melissa Joe Sermons' disappearance, and Sandra Lee Nelson's search for her birth mother.

Episode

43:55
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[Music]
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this program is about unsolved mysteries
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whenever possible the actual family
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members and police officials have
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participated in recreating the events
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what you are about to see is not a news
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broadcast at the close of the second
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world war a young woman entrusted her
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daughter to a safe returning home from
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service overseas now 49 years later the
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smoker car baby has grown up and needs
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your help to find the mother's lectin
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tea gave her away East Chicago Indiana
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1981 it was politics as usual at a
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fundraiser from leading candidate for
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mayor then a local mover and shaker
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named J Givens gunned down in the lobby
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of the Elks Club and the prime suspect
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turned out to be a deputy police chief
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in 1982 Larry Kosta is gunned down at
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his ranch in Florida as same night his
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girlfriend Melissa Joe sermons
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mysteriously vanished Joe's family fears
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that she too may have met with foul play
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but police believe she may have been
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involved in Larry's death join breviary
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mister there is some knows the truth
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perhaps you
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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[Music]
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East Chicago Indiana is a classic
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industrial blue-collar community like
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his famous namesake in Illinois everyday
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life in East Chicago was four years
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controlled by the local political
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machine for two decades
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one of the city's power brokers was an
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attorney named J given given was a
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master fundraiser clever
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behind-the-scenes operator who traded on
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favors to create strong political
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alliances my father was very powerful he
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understood how to win elections he was
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intimately familiar with the politicians
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the people in power knew all the
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skeletons in their closet and that makes
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you very powerful in a town like this
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but by the 1970s the political machines
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in the Midwest were beginning to come
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apart in 1970 given it helped elect Bob
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passed me the city controller as mayor
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of East Chicago but within two years
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they were on the outs and no longer
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allies on a number of issues my father
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and mr. pastor and split obviously my
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father's attentions were starting to
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turn towards electing somebody else
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other than Bob pastor because mayor
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la-15 1981 the local Elks Club was a
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scene of a Las Vegas style fundraiser
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for county commissioner and aderson
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spanned expand the city's foremost black
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politician was considering a run for
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mayor J Givens appears at the fundraiser
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was regarded by many as an attempt to
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solidify East Chicago's white and black
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power blocks against the growing
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political strength of Hispanic Americans
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were backing Bob pass brick for
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reelection
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John it's a pleasure to meet you Kevin
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worked the room for two hours shortly
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after 11:00 p.m.
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he said his goodbyes and headed out of
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the club he never made it through the
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front door
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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J given was shot once in the back of the
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head at point-blank range he died in the
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entryway of the Elks Club with an
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earshot of 400 people incredibly no one
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ever admitted to witnessing the shooting
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and 12 years later he said yet to charge
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a suspect but on the night of the murder
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detectives thought the case might be
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wrapped up quickly especially after they
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found a shell casing in the fourier of
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the club and a spent 45 caliber bullet
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in the street I was astonished at the
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remarkable condition that this evidence
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was David forget to come through the
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front part of his forehead went through
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the glass doors hit the building across
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the street
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brick building and bounced back into the
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street it was in perfect condition
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with the exception of the nose of the
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projectile inspector did Shara marked
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the evidence and locked it in his desk
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drawer
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rather than check it into the vault and
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which is not uncommon I've done what
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other evidence My partner has done uh
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without their evidence
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I just wanted the other teams to look at
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what we had as far as evidence I said
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this is unbelievable
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four days later inspector did Shara was
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shocked when he opened his drawer and
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discovered that someone had tampered
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with the evidence in an apparent attempt
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to prevent investigators from matching
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the bullet to a gun
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[Music]
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on the shell casing a hole was punched
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through the primer the projectile
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someone had taken a sharp instrument and
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tried to cut the lands and grooves where
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you could indentify the only people with
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access to the evidence drawer worked in
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the police department the tampering had
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all the earmarks of an inside job the
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Charis have the altered bullet and shell
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casing to the FBI for analysis despite
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the damage they identified the murder
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weapon as a rare handgun called it at
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onyx the casing was eventually linked to
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one of only 58 de tonics with a
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specially modified ejecting mechanism
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incredibly one of those guns was traced
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back to the East Chicago Police
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Department the weapon was once owned by
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Deputy Chief John Cardona who was a
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prime suspect in the case Cardona had
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been a member of a Latino political club
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that was at odds with J given and
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several eyewitnesses placed him at the
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Elks Club on the night of the shooting
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mr. Cardona was very active in the
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Spanish organization and they were not
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welcome at this event I think he gave at
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two or three different reasons why was
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there based on different conversations
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he at some point in time acknowledged
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that he was there to watch J given
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according to investigators a witness
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claims the Cardona seemed to be
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following given at one point during the
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evening given had made it clear that his
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people came in power in the city there's
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gonna be some changes and Cardona was
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one of those changes a matter family
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comment that was used that if he got in
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Cardona be walking the beat none of the
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witnesses saw Cardona when given made
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his way towards the exit however one
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party goer says it shortly before the
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shooting he saw given engaged in a
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discussion with a man in the lobby
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investigators believe the man could have
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been John Cardona just he described a
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man that was talking with mister given
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as approximately 6 1 black wavy hair and
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a bluish gray suit that could have been
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consistent with what mr. Cardona was
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wired at the time and his size he went
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into the washroom and as he was in the
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washroom he heard a gunshot when he came
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out of the washroom immediately he saw
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mr. given lying face down on the floor
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and the other person was gone Cardona
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said that he was in the bar when given
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was gunned down however according to
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investigators several people said they
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did not remember seeing him there at the
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time witnesses who were seated at the
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bar who know him could buy place on
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there the only person that puts John and
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the bar at the time of the shooting is
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John himself did you tell the
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investigator to truth about this case
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yes over the next few weeks everyone in
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the police department was asked to take
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a polygraph exam including deputy chief
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Cardona Cardona failed a test and later
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he refused to take a second exam
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investigators believe the three key
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pieces of evidence pointed to John
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Cardona he apparently fit the
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description of the man seen talking with
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given he own data tonics handgun even
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though he said it had been stolen six
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months earlier and Cardona did have
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access to the drawer where the evidence
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had been kept
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but when viewed in a different light
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what appears to be overwhelming
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circumstantial evidence actually makes
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John Cardona an unlikely suspect why
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would a man as prominent as a Deputy
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Police Chief make a very visible
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appearance at a fundraiser attended by
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400 people why would he then shadow the
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mootness unknown political rival for at
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least part of the evening is alleged by
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one witness and why would he murder that
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rival with an ear shot of every guest at
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the party perhaps it was these very
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questions that kept prosecutors from
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pressing charges in fact the case was
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never even brought before the grand jury
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I think the concern that the local
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prosecutor had was that he could not
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afford to lose this case he wanted
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basically a case that was a locked tight
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case and he'd think this case was tight
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enough I would like to see an indictment
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I'd like to see a trial and if John
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Cardona didn't do it then fine let's
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let's put it to a jury and if he didn't
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do it
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in the in the eyes of the jury beyond a
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reasonable doubt
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there you have it let's go after the
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neck you know who else whoever did do it
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it's very frustrating to not have some
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closure on this who murdered J given at
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this point police believe there are
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witnesses who may be able to help answer
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that question just prior to the shooting
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five people were descending the stairway
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of the Elks Club three of them all lived
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were approaching the foot of the steps
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at the precise moment that J if it was
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gunned down the three men have never
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been identified the police hoped that
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one of them saw the killer and will now
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come forward with information
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when we return a Florida rancher is
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murdered and his girl's 40 mysteriously
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vanishes Larry Castine was a southern
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cowboy just before the turn of the
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century is great-great-grandfather at
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homestead at a stretch of harsh land in
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Central Florida and near the city of
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Lakeland Larry took his ranching
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Heritage seriously he had spent his
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entire 31 years working with horses and
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cattle Larry was riding a horse sometime
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he was 2 years old
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he loved to work left rodeo
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he was stout husky stronger than you he
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wasn't the type of person to get into
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trouble he stayed away from trouble
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become along he knows I'll take care of
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himself
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Larry's Uncle Earl was the burn manager
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for the Cattlemen's livestock auction
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market
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buona verlos employees was Melissa Joe
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sermon assume everyone called Joe
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unbeknownst even to Earl Oh Joe and
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Larry were romantically involved they
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kept their relationship a secret because
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Larry had just split up with his wife
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and Joe were their boyfriend the
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boyfriend often worked at the auction
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market - by all accounts he wasn't
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taking the break-up well different
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occasions I've called him he would be
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following her watching her he was just
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very upset at the fact that she had was
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left his house and and he wasn't a
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little by self again he fired her
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continuously Joe and my other daughter
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went to the store he would follow them
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midnight she'd say we even caught him
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sneaking down under the kitchen window
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listening to their conversation one
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night we asked him what he's done he
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said oh I just I thought I heard
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something out here and I was just
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looking but he was eavesdropping on
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Saturday May 2nd 1992 Larry and Joe were
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in Dade City Florida for the weekly
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rodeo the events got underway around
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10:00 p.m.
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Larry and Joe never missed the rodeo
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Larry was one of the local stars and his
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favorite event was teamwork ooh
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that night Joe stuck by Larry sign right
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up to the minute he and his partner were
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called into the box
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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[Music]
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[Applause]
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Larry and his partners put a 350 dollar
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purse the rodeo finished late that night
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around 2:00 a.m. Larry and Joe adopt a
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breakfast with a friend they dropped him
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off at 4:00 a.m. it is believed Joe and
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Larry arrived back at his trailer around
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4:15 Sunday morning no one knows exactly
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what happened after that
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[Music]
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when Joe didn't come home that night her
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mother called her locusts time for the
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first time you learned of Joan Larry's
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relationship her loco Larry's trailer
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but Larry didn't answer the next morning
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when Joe didn't show up for work her
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load drove to Larry's trailer he found
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Larry's truck in the driveway and heard
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a radio on inside the trailer Earl's
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frantic knocks at the door went
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unanswered
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as soon as I got to the trailer and
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seemed a situation I immediately called
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back to my wife and told her to call the
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Sheriff's Department get them out there
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and I just a feeling came to me that I
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knew in my mind that something bad was
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wrong I really appreciate this
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I'm Merlo cos time pleasures worry death
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not my my my nephew Larry have you tried
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to go inside the house yet no no I
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haven't I
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I'm afraid to be honest about it um does
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anybody have a key to it and I got heat
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Sheriff's Office is anybody home
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[Music]
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mr. Coston is anybody home
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protector but I got
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[Music]
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when the deputy put the key in and open
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a door here for me the smell was unreal
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and I knew then that Larry was dead but
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I felt like that both of them would be
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there when we opened the door being both
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of them was missing at a time as soon as
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they told earlier there was only one
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body he called us and told us at that
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time my daughter was missing they did
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not know where she's at
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[Music]
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Larry Caston had been found nude on his
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bedroom floor shot through their head
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four times with a handgun
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his bed had not been slept in there was
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no sign of a struggle or robbery and one
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of Larry's guns was missing the Polk
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County Sheriff's Department launched an
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all-out investigation at first suspicion
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focused on Jo's ex-boyfriend we
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interviewed him he was able to give us
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an alibi for his particular time and
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location when the actual murder occurred
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I don't feel that the ex-boyfriend at
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this time has any involvement I have no
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evidence to indicate that soon Joel
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herself became a suspect but Erlich
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Osteen is convinced that Joe's sermons
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did not murder his nephew I feel like
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that somebody watch Larry knew Larry was
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that are open knew Joe was with Larry
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followed Larry home or knew when he was
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coming home and we're waiting for word
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[Music]
00:18:34
just personally I feel like it was
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somebody real jealous of his actions
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that particular night
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being with jokes better than I would
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joke Joe was probably taken at gunpoint
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and and at a later time murdered I think
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Jose did if we want to look at Jo's
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ex-boyfriend as a suspect in this case I
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think that he would have probably
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committed the offense in a different
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situation I don't think that it would
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have happened in the residence I don't
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think he would have allowed Joe and
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Larry to spend time in a residence alone
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and also the fact that of course there's
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no struggle the authorities believe Joe
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sermons may be the only person who could
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have gotten close enough to Larry Costin
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to kill him without a struggle
00:19:37
is it possible as something happened in
00:19:39
the trailer that night something that
00:19:41
provoked Joe to violence I think Larry
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could have made her mad he can make
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anybody mad in a split second he'll push
00:19:54
and push and push until he does make you
00:19:56
mad they might have got in an argument
00:19:59
and it led into one thing or another
00:20:04
I mean she could have been joking but it
00:20:08
just led to
00:20:27
in my heart I strongly believe that she
00:20:31
is life and that she is hiding based on
00:20:42
everything that I've learned at this
00:20:44
time I feel that Jo is in some way
00:20:47
involved in the murder Either actually
00:20:51
committing the murder or possibly a
00:20:53
witness to it but she has some type of
00:20:58
involvement and/or knowledge about it
00:21:00
I think her ex-boyfriends kidnapped her
00:21:04
I hope she I would like to think she's
00:21:07
still alive but I really don't believe
00:21:10
that they can hold her this long
00:21:12
I believe she's dead I've come to terms
00:21:15
with God I just want him to help me
00:21:16
settle this case to find out who did it
00:21:18
and let them pay the penalty that they
00:21:21
should pay ever since the night Larry
00:21:25
Kos teen was murdered there have been
00:21:27
sightings of Melissa Jo sermons at
00:21:29
truckstops in Florida Texas and Kansas
00:21:32
the authorities believe the sightings
00:21:34
are reliable early locust tine does not
00:21:40
feel like you by now that she made us I
00:21:46
moved to come back or see her mother and
00:21:49
her sisters I just I can't believe that
00:21:53
anybody's ever really seen her they've
00:21:57
seen people that they thought maybe it
00:21:59
was her
00:22:02
the authorities continue to investigate
00:22:04
this case on the assumption that Jo's
00:22:06
sermons are still alive
00:22:08
Joe holds a license to operate a
00:22:10
tractor-trailer two witnesses have
00:22:12
claimed they saw her behind the wheel of
00:22:14
a big rig hauling livestock
00:22:17
[Music]
00:22:22
nearly 50 years ago a young mother
00:22:25
barely able to support herself
00:22:27
electively gave up her baby perhaps you
00:22:30
could help reunite them next
00:22:35
[Music]
00:22:40
[Applause]
00:22:43
August 14th 1945 the end of the Second
00:22:48
World War all across the country people
00:22:51
spontaneously took to the streets joyous
00:22:53
celebration there would be no more
00:22:56
fighting the troops were coming home
00:22:58
life would return to home in November of
00:23:06
that year seaman first class Donald
00:23:08
Caffrey boarded a train in Seattle
00:23:10
heading home to his wife in Omaha
00:23:12
Nebraska after almost two years at sea
00:23:16
in the smoker car Donal ran into a young
00:23:19
woman named Dorothy Johnson separated
00:23:23
from her husband in just 17 Northy was
00:23:26
traveling to Utica New York with her 11
00:23:28
month old daughter Yvonne no no not at
00:23:33
all
00:23:35
Donald was delighted to hold Yvonne and
00:23:37
before long he became her unofficial
00:23:40
babysitter that evening as a train
00:23:46
proceeded east
00:23:47
Dorothy sat with Donald and slowly
00:23:49
revealed the details of her life Dorothy
00:23:57
was in dire financial straits and had no
00:23:59
way of supporting her baby
00:24:03
I'm sorry I talked quite a bit to her
00:24:09
yeah as we started getting closer to him
00:24:12
how I I asked if she'd like to have me
00:24:15
take the baby home with me until she got
00:24:19
settled and could send for the baby or
00:24:21
maybe I could bring it to her and she
00:24:24
agreed on that I thought I'd better get
00:24:30
something on paper to prove that I
00:24:33
wasn't kidnapping the child so I thought
00:24:37
of this idea of writing up this
00:24:39
agreement
00:24:43
the agreement stated that Dorothy had
00:24:45
willingly entrusted Yvonne to Donald's
00:24:47
care and that if she did not call for
00:24:49
the child within 60 days Donald and his
00:24:52
wife could begin adoption proceedings I
00:24:57
feel at that time she was at her last
00:25:00
rope she didn't know what to do with
00:25:03
this child I think that she picked him
00:25:07
because she could see that he cared and
00:25:12
he has compassion for people and he has
00:25:17
a very good heart and I I feel like she
00:25:20
knew that she knew that when she said
00:25:24
will you take this child that she could
00:25:30
trust him at 2:00 p.m. on November 16th
00:25:36
the train pulled into Omaha
00:25:38
Donald's wife Barbara and his parents
00:25:40
were there to give him a hero's welcome
00:25:42
I got off the train and hugged and
00:25:47
kissed and then I told her the good news
00:25:51
well a woman on the train asked me to
00:25:56
keep her that kind of shocked her set
00:25:59
her back on her heels I tried to explain
00:26:03
this you know the whole thing to my wife
00:26:04
and she didn't really believe it at
00:26:08
first
00:26:09
she thought it was probably some of my
00:26:13
scouting around Barbara soon got over
00:26:20
her initial shock within days both of
00:26:23
the Caffrey's were completely in love
00:26:24
with Yvonne
00:26:27
however when county officials caught
00:26:29
wind of the unusual arrangement Donald
00:26:31
and Barbara became fearful that Yvonne
00:26:33
would be taken from them
00:26:36
they decided to file for legal custody
00:26:39
before they agreed upon 60 days a few
00:26:44
days later Donald received a wire from
00:26:46
Dorothy Johnson arrived home Tuesday and
00:26:51
I want Yvonne very much
00:26:53
how is she anyway Dorothy Johnson
00:26:57
Donnell was Anna quandary a very next
00:27:00
day he and Barbara were due in court for
00:27:02
the custody hearing Donnell decided to
00:27:05
proceed believing it was an Yvonne's
00:27:07
best interests what is the word from the
00:27:10
child's natural mother Dorothy Johnson
00:27:13
she has not appeared on the judge said
00:27:16
that before making a decision he would
00:27:18
need to speak personally with Dorothy
00:27:19
Johnson the Chavez Hall a new court date
00:27:23
was scheduled Yvonne was placed in
00:27:25
temporary foster care and became an
00:27:27
overnight syllabi newspapers throughout
00:27:31
the country seized upon the story they
00:27:36
dubbed Eve on the smoker car baby
00:27:40
Dorothy Johnson was summoned to Omaha to
00:27:42
explain her actions otherwise she might
00:27:45
be charged with parental neglect Dorothy
00:27:48
never appeared in court but a witness
00:27:50
did show him to challenge the Caffrey's
00:27:52
custody suit your honor
00:27:55
Dorothy is afraid to come to Omaha
00:27:57
herself as she faces charges of neglect
00:27:59
she fears going to jail I'm Dorothy
00:28:03
Johnson's sister I've come from New York
00:28:05
in hopes of adopting the baby myself
00:28:07
I feel I can provide a good and decent
00:28:10
home for the child and I'm sure in time
00:28:12
the baby would respond to me as her own
00:28:14
mother request denied I never seen
00:28:21
anybody nobody ever showed up on my
00:28:23
doorstep or called me or asked me for
00:28:27
the baby back or a thing so we just go
00:28:30
in ahead and decided after in light of
00:28:33
your ongoing commitment to the child in
00:28:36
June of 1947 hundred after a two-year
00:28:38
struggle a juvenile court judge awarded
00:28:41
the Caffrey sole custody custody of the
00:28:43
child to Donald and Barb
00:28:44
Capri by now Yvonne had been renamed
00:28:50
sand relieved the smoker car baby ceased
00:28:55
to be headline material when Sandra was
00:28:59
9 prepared separate she spent most of
00:29:02
her time with her grandmother when
00:29:06
Sandra was 18 her adopted mother finally
00:29:08
told her the truth about her past
00:29:11
when I found out that I was adopted I
00:29:16
was really surprised I came back home
00:29:21
and I said grandmother was I adopted and
00:29:23
my grandmother said yes with tears in
00:29:28
her eyes because I really don't think
00:29:31
she ever really wanted me to know
00:29:34
a few months later sandra received an
00:29:38
unusual letter in the mail or the first
00:29:42
time she saw the face of her natural
00:29:44
mother when that picture came in this
00:29:48
envelope
00:29:49
there was no address no note it could
00:29:54
have been my mother that sent the
00:29:56
article and maybe she was afraid to come
00:30:00
out maybe she just wanted to be in the
00:30:03
background but let me be able to see it
00:30:08
it's a mystery it's a mystery
00:30:13
the letter was postmarked Omaha Nebraska
00:30:16
only later did Sandra discover that an
00:30:19
anonymous woman had phoned her
00:30:20
grandmother and asked if she could send
00:30:22
Sandra clippings about the smoker car
00:30:25
baby today armed little more than faded
00:30:30
clippings on a single photograph of
00:30:32
Dorothy Johnson Sandra is more
00:30:34
determined than ever to reunite with a
00:30:36
mother who reluctantly gave her away
00:30:38
nearly 50 years ago I think she got
00:30:43
scared I think she wanted me but I don't
00:30:50
think she had any help
00:30:52
maybe from her family to help her try to
00:30:56
get get back to me
00:31:02
there's a void in my life I know in her
00:31:06
life there's that void too and there's
00:31:09
lots of hurt on the night of our
00:31:13
broadcast Sandra Lee Nelson's long
00:31:16
search came to a bittersweet end a
00:31:18
viewer called our phone center with a
00:31:20
sad news at Dorothy Johnson had passed
00:31:22
away in 1968 however Sandra was
00:31:25
overjoyed to learn that she had an uncle
00:31:27
Mickey and two aunts Jan and Alice who
00:31:30
had always wondered about Sandra and
00:31:31
were anxious to meet her a month later
00:31:36
on December 28th 1993 Sandra and her
00:31:40
husband Chet arrived in Syracuse New
00:31:42
York to receive a most remarkable
00:31:44
Christmas gift a house full of relatives
00:31:47
waiting to meet Sondra for the very
00:31:49
first time
00:31:50
[Music]
00:31:55
I didn't think I'd ever find anyone it
00:32:03
just gave me chills it just it just made
00:32:06
me feel real warm like all gee what a
00:32:09
nice family
00:32:10
this is dirty Sandra a new family began
00:32:17
to compare notes on Dorothy Johnson's
00:32:19
life although Sandra was unable to learn
00:32:22
the identity of her birth father she did
00:32:24
discover that in the early 1950s Dorothy
00:32:27
had married a man named Wayne Rogers
00:32:29
Sandra now would like to find Wayne
00:32:31
Rogers in the hope that she can fill in
00:32:33
the remaining gaps in her past I'm
00:32:40
getting little bits and pieces from
00:32:42
friends you know it is telling me a
00:32:46
little bit about her and which you know
00:32:48
these little things mean a great deal to
00:32:50
me I have found a family a wonderful
00:32:55
family that I never thought I'd ever
00:32:56
have this is the best holiday this time
00:33:06
in my life when we return authorities
00:33:13
need your help in the case of a vicious
00:33:15
unknown assailant who targets young
00:33:17
girls
00:33:26
the neighborhood Park in a perfect world
00:33:29
refuge from the realities of urban life
00:33:32
filled with the sounds of children at
00:33:34
play but on May 26 1992 a park in
00:33:39
Edmonton Alberta Canada
00:33:40
became the backdrop for a Paris worst
00:33:43
nightmare across the street from the
00:33:51
park a three year old girl named Mandy
00:33:53
lived with her aunt Mandy had spent most
00:33:56
of the afternoon in the playground which
00:33:58
was almost like her own backyard as 6:00
00:34:01
p.m. she returned to retrieve her shoes
00:34:15
[Music]
00:34:20
[Music]
00:34:26
okay
00:34:30
[Music]
00:34:45
I got worried and I went out to go and
00:34:48
find her and when I did get out to the
00:34:51
park there was a guy out there playing
00:34:53
ball hockey with his kids he said he had
00:35:02
just seen Mandy about five minutes
00:35:04
earlier getting her shoes but he didn't
00:35:07
see what's waiting Mandy went Audrey
00:35:15
combed the neighborhood for two solid
00:35:17
hours finally she called the police they
00:35:19
launched their own search but also came
00:35:21
up empty-handed
00:35:22
[Applause]
00:35:26
19 hours later a group of horseback
00:35:29
riders came across mandy in a remote
00:35:31
field nine miles from her home daryl
00:35:36
just a minute mr. MacMurray
00:35:38
she had a one-inch welt on her neck from
00:35:40
being choked and had been sexually
00:35:42
assaulted she was partially clothed both
00:35:45
of her shoes were missing but amazing
00:35:47
Mandy was still alive it was quite
00:35:52
obvious to everyone involved that she
00:35:54
had been left for dead she was injured
00:35:56
to such an extent that that the
00:35:58
perpetrator definitely wanted her to be
00:36:00
dead I wouldn't have believed that she
00:36:04
could have made it out there where they
00:36:06
found her but then when when I thought
00:36:10
about it after I she's she's she was a
00:36:12
miracle
00:36:13
it wasn't miracle that she lived through
00:36:15
that apparently the assailant had driven
00:36:20
into the field and thrown Mandy from the
00:36:22
car without stopping but he had left
00:36:24
nothing in the way of evidence Mandy
00:36:27
initially wasn't able to tell us an
00:36:29
awful lot the sheet was only three and a
00:36:31
half years old however as time
00:36:34
progresses she is giving us more and
00:36:36
more information she is actually a very
00:36:39
bright young girl in my opinion she sees
00:36:43
the person or persons responsible she
00:36:45
will be able to identify them I think we
00:36:50
have something over here
00:36:51
[Music]
00:36:52
within five miles of the spot for Mandy
00:36:55
was found the police chanced upon
00:36:57
tattered pieces of her skirt and one of
00:36:59
her sneakers the police believed the
00:37:01
items were discarded by the assailant
00:37:03
shortly after adult Mandy by the sight
00:37:05
of the remember by dint of their
00:37:06
location the shoe is - the laces were
00:37:09
still missing at this time her left shoe
00:37:12
the person responsible may be saving
00:37:16
these items as a bit of a trophy
00:37:18
keepsake and were hopeful as well that
00:37:21
perhaps somebody may have seen the shoe
00:37:24
or perhaps a part of that jeans Kirk in
00:37:26
the init persons vehicle the
00:37:30
investigation soon stalled four months
00:37:33
later on September 4th a local newspaper
00:37:35
reported that the police had uncovered
00:37:37
no further clues essentially the case
00:37:40
was at a dead end two days later a
00:37:47
six-year-old girl and her 5 year old
00:37:49
friend were playing outside their
00:37:51
apartment building just four miles from
00:37:53
where Mandy live
00:37:55
[Music]
00:38:20
minutes later an eleven-year-old boy
00:38:23
looked out his window and saw a man
00:38:25
getting into a blue van the little girl
00:38:31
the abducted girl was six year old
00:38:33
Corinne Gustafson who was nicknamed
00:38:35
punky the police immediately set up a
00:38:38
command post and aided by dozens of
00:38:40
volunteers launched the widespread
00:38:42
search
00:38:43
Punky's parents Karen and Raymond could
00:38:45
do little more they'll sit at home wait
00:38:49
wait was this family sick and worried
00:38:53
what could happen to her and what can
00:39:01
you be doing turned her ever find her
00:39:11
three days passed then on September 8th
00:39:14
at a truck yard in the southeast section
00:39:16
of Edmonton the driver noticed what he
00:39:18
thought was a rag doll punky Gustafson
00:39:23
had been murdered
00:39:24
[Music]
00:39:27
Punkie had been raped and smothered her
00:39:31
death bought Mandy's assault back into
00:39:33
the public eye
00:39:34
however unlike Mandy's case clues had
00:39:37
been left at the scene we were able to
00:39:41
obtain footprints and tire prints tire
00:39:44
prints indicated that the suspect drove
00:39:46
a mid-sized North American front-wheel
00:39:49
drive vehicle with Goodyear Invicta GL's
00:39:51
on the back with approximately 20% wear
00:39:54
and ball tires on the front the
00:39:58
footprints indicated that he wore a
00:40:01
mitre type baseball cleat size five and
00:40:04
a half to seven this is a patented tread
00:40:06
design manufactured in Canada we were
00:40:10
able to determine that Kareem was in
00:40:12
fact killed in another location and
00:40:14
dumped in the truck yard much the same
00:40:16
as what happened to Mandy being dumped
00:40:19
in the field the distance the victims
00:40:22
were transported after abduction what
00:40:25
was done to the victims by the offender
00:40:29
all facts of the case lead me to believe
00:40:32
that both crimes were committed by the
00:40:35
same individual Ron Mackay is Canada's
00:40:40
foremost criminal profiler he has
00:40:43
developed a detailed personality
00:40:45
portrait of the assailant in my opinion
00:40:48
this offender is in his late teens to
00:40:51
early 20s it probably doesn't have a
00:40:53
girlfriend there's somewhat of a loner
00:40:56
he's a fantasy motivated individual and
00:41:01
his fantasy is only satisfied
00:41:03
temporarily so therefore after he
00:41:07
regains some confidence and if the
00:41:10
fantasy continues untreated then the
00:41:14
probability of him reoffending in a
00:41:16
similar fashion is a very real
00:41:19
probability since Punky's death the
00:41:23
Edmonton Police have launched their
00:41:25
largest media campaign ever someone out
00:41:29
there knows this guy be it their
00:41:32
next-door neighbor
00:41:34
their schoolmate their fellow employee
00:41:37
or the little paper boy that lived down
00:41:39
the block our bad guy doesn't have to
00:41:43
look like any kind of a monster he could
00:41:46
just look like your boy next-door gotta
00:41:56
be seven to do this trick yeah seven
00:41:58
seven hallelujah this whole video was
00:42:03
taken two months before Corrine died the
00:42:06
police have not ruled out the
00:42:07
possibility that the same man who
00:42:09
murdered Corrine may have also attacked
00:42:12
Mandy I know it would give our family a
00:42:15
sense of relief knowing that he's he's
00:42:18
behind bars and they're not somebody
00:42:21
else isn't gonna have to go through it
00:42:22
what we're going through and some poor
00:42:24
little kid isn't gonna have to suffer
00:42:27
like like Corrine must've and as long as
00:42:30
he's out on the streets every little kid
00:42:32
is in jeopardy
00:42:33
[Music]
00:42:44
[Music]
00:42:53
[Music]
00:42:59
join me next time for another intriguing
00:43:03
edition unsolved mysteries
00:43:05
[Music]
00:43:31
[Applause]
00:43:35
[Music]
00:43:43
you
00:43:44
[Music]

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 70
    Most shocking
  • 65
    Most heartbreaking
  • 60
    Most dramatic
  • 60
    Most intense

Episode Highlights

  • The Murder of J Givens
    J Givens was shot at a fundraiser, with no witnesses coming forward.
    “Incredibly, no one ever admitted to witnessing the shooting.”
    @ 04m 41s
    May 23, 2019
  • Larry Castine's Mysterious Death
    Larry Castine was found murdered, and his girlfriend Jo vanished.
    “Larry was shot four times with a handgun.”
    @ 17m 21s
    May 23, 2019
  • A Mother's Heartbreaking Decision
    Dorothy Johnson entrusted her baby to Donald Caffrey during tough times.
    “She was at her last rope; she didn’t know what to do with this child.”
    @ 25m 03s
    May 23, 2019
  • Sandra's Search for Family
    After years of searching, Sandra learns about her birth mother and family.
    “I think she got scared. I think she wanted me but...”
    @ 30m 43s
    May 23, 2019
  • Bittersweet Reunion
    Sandra discovers her birth mother has passed but finds relatives eager to meet her.
    “I was overjoyed to learn that I had an uncle and two aunts.”
    @ 31m 25s
    May 23, 2019
  • Mandy's Abduction
    A park outing turns tragic when three-year-old Mandy goes missing, leading to a frantic search.
    “Mandy was still alive; it was quite obvious she had been left for dead.”
    @ 35m 52s
    May 23, 2019

Episode Quotes

  • What you are about to see is not a news broadcast.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode
  • I just wanted the other teams to look at what we had.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode
  • I feel like she is hiding.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode
  • I feel I can provide a good and decent home for the child.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode
  • There's a void in my life I know in her life there's that void too.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode
  • I didn't think I'd ever find anyone, it just gave me chills.
    Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack - Season 6, Episode 10 - Full Episode

Key Moments

  • Unsolved Mysteries00:03
  • Political Turmoil02:20
  • Murder Investigation17:40
  • Heartfelt Reunion22:25
  • Adoption Hopes28:05
  • Family Reunion31:42
  • Search Efforts35:15
  • Tragic Discovery39:23

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown

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