S03.E04: Mother Daughter Tragedy (Fort Wayne, IN)

[maraleia]

 

In 1993, a 29-year-old mother and her six-year-old daughter were found strangled to death in their home. In this episode, Kelly and Yolanda head to Fort Wayne, Ind., and put all of their efforts into seeking out the person responsible for this tragic and heartbreaking double murder.

 

[friendperidot]

so sad for the family. 

[cooksdelight]

That was the hardest episode to watch, ever. I know one of those guys did it. Or maybe two. But the DNA was really all over the place.

[Megan]

Actually seeing the family learn that the case was dead was so heartbreaking.

When the sister burst into tears? Ouch.

[hypnotoad]

Not going to lie, the episode made me cry.

[SandyToes]

Just heartbreaking. I kept thinking, surely they won't show this episode if they can't solve it!, but no.

I DID appreciate how Kelly stepped in and made them face that there won't be any resolution to this, ever,  and even had to convince the officer of that.  Hard to hear, but what they all needed.  And the police officer looked just as devastated as the family, I thought.

[Galloway Cave]

Very interesting, showing how the advances in technology can actually prevent cold cases from ever being prosecuted. As soon as the technician started saying the number of male contributions on all the evidence, I knew they were screwed.  It was also a little embarrassing to hear there were numerous contributions on the sheets. Eek.

 

That little girl was a cutie-pie.

[Matryoshka]

That was just gut-wrenching.

[KHenry14]

Wow, I'm sure Kelly and Yolanda thought they'd be able to get usable DNA, probably really threw them when those incredible results came in. They are pretty careful about the cases they take, and this one had all the earmarks of one that they could solve. Yet the DNA is bad, and they really couldn't put anything significant other than a busted alibi on D.

 

Can't help but feel horrible for the Mother and Sister. And kudos to Kelly for making sure that they understood this case was never going to be solved.

[cooksdelight]

My thoughts ran to what will the mother and sister think when they hear about all the DNA in the woman's bedroom? I wish there was a way that part could have been left out of the episode, for their sake. Just say the DNA was compromised and unusable.

[Sile]

Just heartbreaking. I kept thinking, surely they won't show this episode if they can't solve it!, but no.

 

 

That's one thing I like about this show, they show the failures as well as the successes.  Because it's real life, and that's what happens in real life.

 

With the two male profiles on the oral swab, it made me wonder if Frank took the other guy (Garrett?) over there with him.  His friend (Duane?) said he went home after they got high and left him at Garrett's house.  It's possible that Garrett left before the murders and never put it together.

 

Or he just thought he was going over there to get some (sex or more drugs), freaked out when everything went down and managed to convince himself that it was just a bad trip and block it out.  He seemed sincere that he didn't recognize the guy and, if that's the only time he ever saw him and his brain was smoked, that's entirely possible. 

Edited January 31, 2015 by Sile

[walnutqueen]

Collecting evidence back in the day meant that a lot of it was corrupted, because nobody knew about DNA, much less touch DNA and transfer.  The resulting contamination creates a lot of problems for many very old cases.

 

I'm glad Kelly laid it all out on the table for the family, and urged them not to hope for new breakthroughs in DNA evidence.  I felt bad for the investigator, who didn't want to let the case go, even though it was a dead end.  I understand the frustration and desire for jjustice; sometimes that just isn't possible.

 

Gotta hope for some sort of Karma, eh.  :-(

[SandyToes]

 

My thoughts ran to what will the mother and sister think when they hear about all the DNA in the woman's bedroom?

I thought about that, too, but Kelly and Yolanda made some comment that made me think there MIGHT be other reasons, at least for part of it. As mentioned, collection procedures were different then, and some of the DNA/fingerprints were probably from officers, family, etc. I choose to hope that. Her family may have had an inkling, if that makes sense.

 

I admired the grandmother's courage and peace about having not let the little girl spend the night. I can't imagine ever being able to let that go, but she seemed to have made peace with it. No sense playing "What if." So very sad all the way around.

[Mrs. P.]

This show keeps getting better.

I've watched it from the beginning, since I'm from the Houston area and have long admired Kelly Sigler's work as a prosecutor. That experience gives her a unique perspective in determing what each cold case will need in order to be successfully prosecuted.

The chemistry between Kelly and Yolanda has developed so well that it informs the whole show. They have become real women to the viewer, especially seen in this episode with both of them so obviously moved by their 'failure' to close this case. Very well done.

[attica]

So heartbreaking for everybody. Even Kelly's suggestion that the family reframe the murders from 'crime somebody got away with' to 'tragedy' just so they can move on was crushing, even as it makes perfect, kind sense. With so much stuff to retest, it must have looked like it would be slam dunky. Rats.

 

Kelly's reminding us that both she and Yolanda are moms has been marinating with me since last night. For this reason: she had to remind us! It's kind of amazing that we get to see these women work, week after week, without being pounded over the head with their roles as wife/mother, whatever shape that takes or doesn't. We don't have to be told about their homelives to appreciate the work! Just like we do with men! They don't actually need whatever softening people seem to think audiences require when faced with lady people. (Like in this rocket-scientist's obit from a couple of years ago.)

 

I don't know that this isn't revolutionary, kind of. 

 

On a shallow (and probably sexist) note, I like Yolanda's hair with the curls in it. :)

Edited January 31, 2015 by attica

[Galloway Cave]

 

Kelly's reminding us that both she and Yolanda are moms has been marinating with me since last night. For this reason: she had to remind us!

I wonder if the show did this because Kelly and Yo broke down and cried repeatedly. If they did that, without context, the general viewing public may just apply the "typical weak female" stamp to them. I know, it's sexist and horrible but it still happens. I was a female game warden at a time when there weren't any and I had to battle many, many stereotypical labels, not only from the public but also from fellow game wardens. It was always for the stupidest stuff too, like my appearance or a comment ("that time of the month?") or just my audacity at being a female in a "man's job". You notice the male detective was holding back his anguish and even then, Kelly had the TH and talked to the family about how hard he put his heart and soul into the case and could not let it go. Nothing about it being related to his being a family man.

 

Times are changing and I know many young women have an easier time at it in LE than I did. But Kelly has been in the business a long time and as a producer of the show maybe she wanted to make sure her reactions were understood.

[attica]

I take your point, Galloway Cave, but part of me still wants to think that people in the audience would see that it's painful for anyone to have to navigate other people's pain. If you're in a room where somebody you're telling difficult information to starts crying, it's natural to respond in kind if not in degree. (Or it is for me; I cry at commercials with regularity.) Humans are social creatures; most of us are empathetic that way, right?

[mbutterfly]

It was an outstanding show. It was pretty close to home for me (geographically) so that added to my emotional response, but it was hard for anyone to watch,  i think. The poor grandmother! Any of us who are grandmothers to little granddaughters were just experiencing it with her. I can hardly imagine any tragedy worse than she experienced. I hope she has had a strong support group in place even beyond her immediate family. 

[Galloway Cave]

 

Humans are social creatures; most of us are empathetic that way, right?

You would hope so, but there are still a lot out there who would say "damn wimmin crying". I know I'm a bit more sensitive to it, due to my situation. I'm the kind of person who cries from frustration or anger, so there were many times I had to hide tears in my eyes. Didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea. I guess I'm just seeing it from the side of making sure the audience sees they are professionals. YMMV and all that ;)

[imjagain]

Collecting evidence back in the day meant that a lot of it was corrupted, because nobody knew about DNA, much less touch DNA and transfer. The resulting contamination creates a lot of problems for many very old cases.

I'm glad Kelly laid it all out on the table for the family, and urged them not to hope for new breakthroughs in DNA evidence. I felt bad for the investigator, who didn't want to let the case go, even though it was a dead end. I understand the frustration and desire for jjustice; sometimes that just isn't possible.

Gotta hope for some sort of Karma, eh. :-(

That's how I took "all the DNA". I don't know if the woman was with multiple men. I do know that things were very different in collecting DNA so, it could very easily be sloppy collection and cross contamination.

The case was really so hard to watch. Very sad.

Edited January 31, 2015 by imjagain

[Lizzing]

I took all the male positive DNA as a cluster F of contamination more than anything on the lady victim's activities.  Hell, just yesterday I was watching an early ep of L&O and Briscoe picked up the murder weapon with his bare hands and I was all "WHERE ARE THE GLOVES, LENNIE!?!?" but such was the early 90s.  A half dozen cops could have come through the victims' house without proper gloves/booties for shoes/etc. and transferred DNA.  Of course this screws the prosecution because if there could be transfer from LEOs, there could possibly be cross contamination from other sources, thus reasonable doubt.

 

I fruitlessly hoped they would have turned up a witness as to who was in and out of the house the night of the murder.  I also wondered why there wasn't more investigation as to the people the victim worked with; maybe that was a nonstarter, but that's a usual avenue of investigation.

[friendperidot]

 

I was watching an early ep of L&O and Briscoe picked up the murder weapon with his bare hands and I was all "WHERE ARE THE GLOVES, LENNIE!?!?"

I do that too with old cop shows - I'll be yelling at the screen about cross-contamination and handling evidence. I watched Murder Book about the killing of 2 LEOs in El Segundo, CA in 1957 - lots of changes in the handling of crime scenes since then.

 

I think the local officer was struggling at the end, but it was such a human thing for Kelly and Yolanda to break down and for Kelly to reach out physically to the family. I think it may have helped them accept such difficult news.

[jsbt]

The minute they had that long prologue pre-credits I knew they didn't have him. That was very rough. And absolutely gutwrenching, both for Kelly and the family and the local dude and to watch them go through it.

[SandyToes]

I feel like I need a strong dose of "Yeah! Got 'em! On to the electric chair" to deal with the frustration after watching this episode.

 

On second thought, maybe an episode ( or three)  of The Care Bears...

 

But I think one of the reasons Kelly brought up the "we are moms" thing was because we see them as fierce crime fighters. They DO sometimes express glee for finding evidence, and cheer and laugh when they get the goods on the suspect, and often there is lots of high-fiving. Some may find it troubling that they are so HAPPY in what they do.  The reminder that they are moms, with babies (even grown) of their own, helps put in perspective the WHY behind the high fives. They can clearly see themselves in the spot, of say, the grandmother this week, and than resonates. It's far more than just doing a job.  My mom was on a jury of Kelly's, and she said Kelly is beyond fierce.  She DOES take every case personally, I think. But just my two cents.

[Rosieroo]

I love this show and it has fast become my favorite in part because of the authenticity.  This episode just broke my heart and I was crying right along with Kelly and sister. I have always appreciated how Kelly and Yolanda's gender has been a non issue throughout the series.  I like not being beat over the head with knowing looks and pointed comments which would surely be encouraged in a lesser reality show even if it had to be manufactured.  They are just two professionals there to do a job and I enjoy everyone just getting on with it with no fuss over lady parts. 

[BW Manilowe]

It was an outstanding show. It was pretty close to home for me (geographically) so that added to my emotional response, but it was hard for anyone to watch, i think. The poor grandmother! Any of us who are grandmothers to little granddaughters were just experiencing it with her. I can hardly imagine any tragedy worse than she experienced. I hope she has had a strong support group in place even beyond her immediate family.

It actually happened in my hometown. But I didn't remember anything about the case.

I was totally surprised when the episode description said it took place here. And I was glued to the TV, during the ep, to see if I remembered the case or recognized any of the places they filmed in/around.

Our papers normally mention when celebrities are coming to town, or TV shows (or movies) will be filming here for some reason. There was absolutely no publicity for Kelly & Yolanda coming to town to reopen/

Investigate this case, which is why I was surprised when they had an ep taking place here.

On the other hand, when John Walsh was here to do a segment on another local cold case (the molestation/murder of a local child back in the late 1980s) for either the Fox or Lifetime version (I forget which) of America's Most Wanted, that visit made the papers. They mentioned when he'd be in town & that he'd be filming at our police department, & where he'd be doing some outdoor "standups" (the parts between the interviews on/re-enactments of the case/the discussions of the fugitive being sought, where he talks about the case in locations other than the ones which actually are connected to the case) for the segment on our cold case.

[Xanthippian]

You may not like to hear this interpretation, but the first thing that occurred to me when I heard about the multiple male DNA traces on everything, along with the used douches, was a question of whether she might not be prostituting?  I hate to even suggest it, but it is another scenario that fits the evidence.  I'd be surprised if the investigators didn't discuss that among themselves, but didn't want to include it on the episode for obvious reasons.

[Tigershoes]

The real victim is the little girl. Sorry but the mom was trash. Letting ghetto men into her home. Having sex with her daughter in the living room. Let’s be real she set her daughter up in front of the tv with snacks and coloring books so she could screw whoever killed her, which was probably franklin. You are the company you keep. Unfortunately she was a whore and kept terrible company around that innocent child and she paid the price for her moms stupidity. Obviously  nobody deserves to be murdered but she was clearly not mother of the year. She did her baby wrong. 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Tigershoes