1 00:00:11,345 --> 00:00:14,847 She was beautiful. Jannette johnson was beautiful. 2 00:00:16,216 --> 00:00:18,883 This was my world. 3 00:00:18,885 --> 00:00:21,720 She was my world. [sniffles] 4 00:00:21,788 --> 00:00:24,556 She lit up any room. 5 00:00:24,624 --> 00:00:27,059 She brought so much love. 6 00:00:28,428 --> 00:00:31,730 This is a 38-year-old case. 7 00:00:33,099 --> 00:00:34,466 But I have faith. 8 00:00:36,002 --> 00:00:38,337 Anything and everything is possible. 9 00:00:40,674 --> 00:00:45,243 ♪ I will drink my trail of tears ♪ 10 00:00:45,312 --> 00:00:49,981 ♪ I will tell my tale of woe ♪ 11 00:00:50,050 --> 00:00:52,251 ♪ I will grow old ♪ 12 00:00:52,319 --> 00:00:54,686 ♪ I will walk somehow ♪ 13 00:00:54,688 --> 00:00:59,691 ♪ then I'm crawling from the cold ♪ 14 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:01,360 ♪ no more waiting ♪ 15 00:01:01,428 --> 00:01:03,027 I know you've met joretha before, 16 00:01:03,097 --> 00:01:06,197 But how often do y'all stay in touch? 17 00:01:06,267 --> 00:01:08,433 Since I started reinvestigating this, 18 00:01:08,501 --> 00:01:10,402 At least once a week we're in contact. 19 00:01:10,470 --> 00:01:13,071 And it all started because of a facebook post, right? 20 00:01:13,140 --> 00:01:16,875 Yes. Back in 2017, I was pretty new to the bureau. 21 00:01:16,943 --> 00:01:21,045 We had a facebook account, and a post came up by joretha. 22 00:01:21,047 --> 00:01:25,083 She indicates in the post that her mom went missing in 1985 23 00:01:25,152 --> 00:01:27,285 And the kankakee police department 24 00:01:27,354 --> 00:01:29,187 Hadn't done anything about it. 25 00:01:29,256 --> 00:01:31,356 So I took that personally. 26 00:01:31,425 --> 00:01:33,392 They told her I was going to follow up on the case 27 00:01:33,460 --> 00:01:36,395 And see what we can do with it. 28 00:01:36,463 --> 00:01:37,896 Siegler: I'm here with detective logan andersen 29 00:01:37,965 --> 00:01:40,098 With the kankakee police department 30 00:01:40,167 --> 00:01:42,901 Because they've asked for "cold justice's" help 31 00:01:42,969 --> 00:01:46,071 Looking into one of their very challenging cases, 32 00:01:46,139 --> 00:01:50,709 The 1985 murder of a 29-year-old mother named jannette johnson. 33 00:01:50,777 --> 00:01:53,378 The crazy and haunting thing about this case 34 00:01:53,446 --> 00:01:57,182 Is that jannette johnson's then 11-year-old daughter 35 00:01:57,251 --> 00:02:00,819 Just barely missed being able to see the person who killed her. 36 00:02:00,821 --> 00:02:04,123 Andersen: August 2, 1985, 37 00:02:04,191 --> 00:02:06,258 Jannette johnson goes to the birthday party. 38 00:02:06,326 --> 00:02:09,895 She does return home early in the morning--2:30, 3:00. 39 00:02:09,963 --> 00:02:12,931 The kids are still up when they're not supposed to be. 40 00:02:12,999 --> 00:02:16,868 Joretha sees her go up to the front door. 41 00:02:16,937 --> 00:02:18,737 Hears the keys at the door. 42 00:02:18,805 --> 00:02:21,206 She apparently never made it into the house. 43 00:02:21,274 --> 00:02:23,475 The circumstances are kind of unclear 44 00:02:23,543 --> 00:02:27,211 Of whether she drives away or somebody else drives her away. 45 00:02:27,213 --> 00:02:28,747 But then she's gone. 46 00:02:31,252 --> 00:02:32,984 Fast forward. 47 00:02:32,986 --> 00:02:37,489 November 24th of '85, a body was located by hunters. 48 00:02:37,557 --> 00:02:40,225 Siegler: Jannette's skeletal remains were discovered 49 00:02:40,293 --> 00:02:42,360 Within months of her going missing. 50 00:02:42,429 --> 00:02:44,896 But she wasn't positively identified 51 00:02:44,898 --> 00:02:48,867 Until just a few years ago with dna analysis. 52 00:02:48,869 --> 00:02:51,102 That's when her case became a homicide case. 53 00:02:51,171 --> 00:02:53,305 But because of that lag, 54 00:02:53,373 --> 00:02:56,708 It ended up putting the investigation decades behind, 55 00:02:56,777 --> 00:02:59,945 Which made it harder for them to find clues to who did this 56 00:03:00,013 --> 00:03:02,314 And hard to get answers for her daughter. 57 00:03:02,382 --> 00:03:03,515 Andersen: She's been dealing with this 58 00:03:03,584 --> 00:03:05,817 For approximately 38 years. 59 00:03:05,886 --> 00:03:07,953 I just want closure, not only for her, 60 00:03:08,021 --> 00:03:11,055 But for her family and her friends. 61 00:03:11,057 --> 00:03:13,225 You see your mom walking up to the house 62 00:03:13,293 --> 00:03:15,093 And she never gets in the house. 63 00:03:15,162 --> 00:03:17,629 What could have happened? That's got to make her crazy. 64 00:03:23,937 --> 00:03:25,704 There's my favorite. 65 00:03:25,706 --> 00:03:29,774 Hello, detective a. 66 00:03:29,843 --> 00:03:31,409 You feel my nervous heart? 67 00:03:31,478 --> 00:03:33,945 Yeah, I do. Thousand miles an hour. 68 00:03:34,014 --> 00:03:35,947 You're feeling nervous. You're feeling nervous. 69 00:03:36,016 --> 00:03:38,149 We're excited to see you. 70 00:03:38,218 --> 00:03:40,919 And I'm excited to see you guys as well. 71 00:03:40,987 --> 00:03:43,288 While steve waits for us back at the station, 72 00:03:43,357 --> 00:03:45,457 Detective andersen and I 73 00:03:45,525 --> 00:03:47,191 Are going to meet jeanette's daughter joretha 74 00:03:47,261 --> 00:03:50,062 Who spent 35 years not knowing anything 75 00:03:50,130 --> 00:03:51,829 About her mother's disappearance, 76 00:03:51,899 --> 00:03:54,199 Only to learn just three years ago 77 00:03:54,267 --> 00:03:55,900 That she really had been murdered. 78 00:03:55,969 --> 00:03:58,036 As a little girl, I couldn't understand it. 79 00:04:00,341 --> 00:04:01,873 I always asked, "where was my mom?" 80 00:04:01,942 --> 00:04:03,408 No one had the answer. 81 00:04:03,476 --> 00:04:07,579 So I vowed to my grandmother... 82 00:04:10,817 --> 00:04:12,917 That I was gonna find her 83 00:04:12,986 --> 00:04:15,020 And I was gonna bring her back home to us. 84 00:04:16,589 --> 00:04:18,457 I miss the hugs. 85 00:04:20,293 --> 00:04:24,229 I miss her telling us how she love us. 86 00:04:25,999 --> 00:04:29,034 I miss everything about her. 87 00:04:29,102 --> 00:04:34,639 When detective andersen called me November of 2020, 88 00:04:34,708 --> 00:04:37,509 I walked into that conference room. 89 00:04:37,577 --> 00:04:39,343 He broke it down. 90 00:04:39,345 --> 00:04:41,646 "we found jannette johnson." 91 00:04:41,714 --> 00:04:44,248 Then he decided to start showing me 92 00:04:44,250 --> 00:04:46,251 My mom's remains on the pictures. 93 00:04:49,155 --> 00:04:50,756 All I kept saying was, "yes, lord." 94 00:04:53,193 --> 00:04:55,360 All I kept saying was, "yes, lord." 95 00:04:55,429 --> 00:04:57,896 Somebody did this to her? 96 00:04:57,964 --> 00:05:01,433 She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve that. 97 00:05:06,039 --> 00:05:08,073 August 2, 1985. 98 00:05:08,141 --> 00:05:09,941 My mom was going to the party house. 99 00:05:10,010 --> 00:05:11,743 Mercedes's birthday party. 100 00:05:11,812 --> 00:05:14,011 My auntie and my cousin's at the house. 101 00:05:14,013 --> 00:05:16,281 My auntie told us to go upstairs and go to bed. 102 00:05:16,349 --> 00:05:18,850 It had to be after 11, 12:00. 103 00:05:18,852 --> 00:05:22,454 There was a knock at the door. Lionel thomas was at the door. 104 00:05:22,522 --> 00:05:24,323 He asked me was my mom home. 105 00:05:24,391 --> 00:05:26,825 And I told him no, she was at the party. 106 00:05:26,893 --> 00:05:29,126 He said, okay, he'll be back. He left. 107 00:05:29,128 --> 00:05:32,964 Lionel thomas was jannette's on-again, off-again boyfriend 108 00:05:33,033 --> 00:05:34,465 For about three years. 109 00:05:34,535 --> 00:05:36,068 It's kind of unclear exactly 110 00:05:36,136 --> 00:05:37,969 What state their relationship was in 111 00:05:38,038 --> 00:05:39,304 The night she went missing. 112 00:05:39,372 --> 00:05:41,339 But we do know that they had plans 113 00:05:41,408 --> 00:05:44,042 To go to a concert together that following night. 114 00:05:44,111 --> 00:05:47,111 Not even an hour went by and he came back again. 115 00:05:47,180 --> 00:05:49,648 And I let him know again she wasn't at home. 116 00:05:49,716 --> 00:05:54,252 Now, the last time he came and he knocked, I opened the door. 117 00:05:54,321 --> 00:05:56,788 He asked me has she made it home yet, and I told him no. 118 00:05:56,857 --> 00:05:59,591 He was like, "okay, I'll come back and check." 119 00:05:59,659 --> 00:06:01,960 No more lionel. Never came back to the house. 120 00:06:02,028 --> 00:06:05,363 So now we was upstairs playing as we heard her car pull up. 121 00:06:05,431 --> 00:06:07,766 Almost 03:00 or after 3:00 in the morning. 122 00:06:07,834 --> 00:06:11,069 So as we're looking out the window, we see her. 123 00:06:11,137 --> 00:06:12,671 Like, she's coming to the house. 124 00:06:12,739 --> 00:06:14,473 The girls took off running into my brother and I room. 125 00:06:14,475 --> 00:06:16,308 I dived in her bed. 126 00:06:16,376 --> 00:06:19,878 Joretha pretended to be asleep until she really fell asleep, 127 00:06:19,946 --> 00:06:23,181 Not knowing that she had just seen her mom alive 128 00:06:23,183 --> 00:06:25,049 For the very last time. 129 00:06:25,118 --> 00:06:27,251 So when I woke up that morning, 130 00:06:27,253 --> 00:06:28,987 I'm walking around the house and I'm looking for her. 131 00:06:29,055 --> 00:06:30,922 That's when we noticed her car. 132 00:06:30,924 --> 00:06:33,024 When we went to bed, her car was on the side of the house. 133 00:06:33,093 --> 00:06:34,959 - And now? - The car was parked in front. 134 00:06:35,028 --> 00:06:36,495 And she don't park in front of the house. 135 00:06:36,497 --> 00:06:38,763 Her wallet was on the passenger seat. 136 00:06:38,832 --> 00:06:40,899 Her keys were still in the ignition. 137 00:06:40,967 --> 00:06:44,402 My mom smoked cigarettes. And in the ashtray, 138 00:06:44,471 --> 00:06:46,638 The cigarette looked like it just burned all the way out. 139 00:06:46,706 --> 00:06:48,139 It was just a long ash. 140 00:06:48,208 --> 00:06:50,041 Siegler: The fact that jannette's car 141 00:06:50,110 --> 00:06:51,910 Was parked in a different spot the next morning 142 00:06:51,978 --> 00:06:53,511 When everybody woke up 143 00:06:53,580 --> 00:06:56,314 Suggests that somebody brought the car back 144 00:06:56,383 --> 00:06:59,083 After she was probably killed and disposed of. 145 00:06:59,152 --> 00:07:02,887 But who would do that? And why would they do that? 146 00:07:02,889 --> 00:07:05,523 We're hoping that witnesses and testing the dna 147 00:07:05,592 --> 00:07:07,359 Underneath jannette's fingernails 148 00:07:07,427 --> 00:07:08,827 Will provide an answer. 149 00:07:08,895 --> 00:07:11,696 Did lionel ever come to your house that day-- 150 00:07:11,765 --> 00:07:14,332 The day of the third-- saying, "where's your mom?" 151 00:07:14,401 --> 00:07:16,267 Nope. I can't tell you why, 152 00:07:16,336 --> 00:07:18,503 But my grandmother always said it from day one, 153 00:07:18,572 --> 00:07:20,738 And she would say he was strange to her. 154 00:07:20,807 --> 00:07:23,174 She wouldn't allow me to have contact with lionel 155 00:07:23,243 --> 00:07:24,910 When I was 18. 156 00:07:24,912 --> 00:07:26,845 I don't know if she's dead or alive. 157 00:07:26,913 --> 00:07:30,582 And I came back into the folds of lionel's life, 158 00:07:30,650 --> 00:07:32,250 And he's been there since. 159 00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:34,486 Like, he played the role of my dad. 160 00:07:34,554 --> 00:07:36,154 I call him my dad. 161 00:07:36,222 --> 00:07:38,089 Right. Did you do all that 162 00:07:38,158 --> 00:07:41,193 'cause you thought maybe you could--you could kind him 163 00:07:41,261 --> 00:07:42,727 Into telling you the truth? 164 00:07:46,633 --> 00:07:50,735 I allowed myself to get so caught up into this man, 165 00:07:50,803 --> 00:07:52,137 I lost focus, 166 00:07:52,205 --> 00:07:55,539 And I just accepted him still in my life. 167 00:07:55,541 --> 00:07:58,342 It's hard to imagine what all joretha has gone through 168 00:07:58,412 --> 00:07:59,845 For the last 38 years, 169 00:07:59,913 --> 00:08:02,146 Wondering what happened to her mother, 170 00:08:02,148 --> 00:08:04,115 And then in that same time period 171 00:08:04,117 --> 00:08:07,551 Ending up getting close to a man, like a father figure, 172 00:08:07,553 --> 00:08:11,222 That turns out to be a suspect in her mom's murder. 173 00:08:11,291 --> 00:08:14,559 But all we can do now is just try and figure out the truth. 174 00:08:14,627 --> 00:08:19,397 I want that same man that kept me in his life-- 175 00:08:19,466 --> 00:08:22,767 If he truly is the suspect-- - right. 176 00:08:22,835 --> 00:08:26,571 Why did you take her from us? 177 00:08:26,639 --> 00:08:30,375 Why did you keep me as a souvenir all these years? Why? 178 00:08:44,758 --> 00:08:46,625 - Hey, man. Good to see you. - You, too. 179 00:08:46,627 --> 00:08:48,893 We just met joretha. 180 00:08:48,962 --> 00:08:52,864 And you should see how much she already loves logan. 181 00:08:52,932 --> 00:08:54,232 It's pretty clear 182 00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:56,934 That jannette johnson's daughter joretha 183 00:08:57,003 --> 00:09:00,271 Is conflicted about whether or not lionel thomas 184 00:09:00,340 --> 00:09:03,007 Is involved in her mother's murder or somebody else is. 185 00:09:03,009 --> 00:09:05,610 Steve is joining us now as we all try to sit down 186 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:07,778 And start working together to figure this out. 187 00:09:07,848 --> 00:09:11,582 Logan, we talked a little bit about jannette's case, 188 00:09:11,652 --> 00:09:14,518 But we didn't go into all of the details of it. 189 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,888 You want to start from the front of the story? 190 00:09:16,956 --> 00:09:18,423 Yeah, absolutely. 191 00:09:18,491 --> 00:09:23,227 Jannette johnson went missing in August of '85. 192 00:09:23,229 --> 00:09:25,997 She was put into the missing person's database. 193 00:09:26,066 --> 00:09:28,299 There was a flyer that was put out. 194 00:09:28,301 --> 00:09:30,968 We've got some decent reports from the time, 195 00:09:31,037 --> 00:09:34,772 But the people that they talked to was pretty minimal. 196 00:09:34,774 --> 00:09:35,940 So this case really isn't like 197 00:09:36,009 --> 00:09:37,408 Any other case that we've worked on. 198 00:09:37,477 --> 00:09:39,844 Jannette was killed in 1985. 199 00:09:39,912 --> 00:09:42,880 Yet her remains were not identified until 2020. 200 00:09:42,949 --> 00:09:44,782 So this case didn't get the same depth of investigation 201 00:09:44,851 --> 00:09:46,384 As it would have 202 00:09:46,452 --> 00:09:48,920 If it had been identified as a homicide immediately. 203 00:09:48,988 --> 00:09:50,322 It doesn't mean we can't solve this case, 204 00:09:50,390 --> 00:09:51,856 But there's a lot we don't know. 205 00:09:51,925 --> 00:09:56,594 So let's start our suspect board with lionel thomas. 206 00:09:56,663 --> 00:09:58,196 He's a local photographer. 207 00:09:58,264 --> 00:10:00,398 Andersen: He lived five, six blocks away. 208 00:10:00,467 --> 00:10:01,966 Lionel was in love with jannette. 209 00:10:02,035 --> 00:10:05,636 However, their relationship had ended, 210 00:10:05,706 --> 00:10:07,672 And he wasn't happy about it. 211 00:10:07,740 --> 00:10:11,476 Anything at all about lionel ever being abusive to jannette? 212 00:10:11,544 --> 00:10:12,611 No. Nothing. 213 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:14,946 How about overbearing or jealous? 214 00:10:15,015 --> 00:10:18,149 Jealousy is clear in the letters that he was writing to her. 215 00:10:18,218 --> 00:10:21,419 When I started working the case, joretha, her daughter, 216 00:10:21,487 --> 00:10:24,956 Was looking through some old things in the house. 217 00:10:25,025 --> 00:10:29,527 Found several letters from lionel thomas to jannette. 218 00:10:29,596 --> 00:10:32,463 From the letters, it gives the impression 219 00:10:32,465 --> 00:10:34,365 That he's kind of watching her house. 220 00:10:34,434 --> 00:10:36,768 He knows when she's coming and going. 221 00:10:36,836 --> 00:10:39,303 Would you say it's borderline stalking, these letters? 222 00:10:39,372 --> 00:10:40,372 Yes. 223 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,574 "to jette. A line or two to say 224 00:10:42,642 --> 00:10:46,277 How I really feel about you was hard to find." 225 00:10:46,346 --> 00:10:48,980 I underlined this. "I love you. 226 00:10:49,048 --> 00:10:52,116 I love you now and always." 227 00:10:52,185 --> 00:10:54,052 Siegler: Probably the biggest insight 228 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,655 We have into jannette and lionel's relationship 229 00:10:57,724 --> 00:11:00,658 Are those letters that lionel wrote to her 230 00:11:00,727 --> 00:11:03,595 That joretha happened to find several years later 231 00:11:03,663 --> 00:11:05,163 Hidden in a suitcase. 232 00:11:05,231 --> 00:11:09,066 They range anywhere from showing real love 233 00:11:09,135 --> 00:11:11,069 To being confused about the breakup. 234 00:11:11,137 --> 00:11:13,304 "I still can't believe you just up and left me. 235 00:11:13,373 --> 00:11:16,641 You had little reason, if any, to dissolve our relationship." 236 00:11:16,709 --> 00:11:19,043 To show him that he's jealous, that she might be moving on. 237 00:11:19,112 --> 00:11:22,113 "while I was out front of your house, 238 00:11:22,181 --> 00:11:24,348 A burning feeling ran through me." 239 00:11:24,350 --> 00:11:25,750 To real anger. 240 00:11:25,819 --> 00:11:28,853 "you are an evil woman with a cold heart." 241 00:11:28,922 --> 00:11:30,755 It all sounds very desperate. 242 00:11:30,823 --> 00:11:33,525 There is a letter that says something to the effect 243 00:11:33,593 --> 00:11:36,628 Of "I'm sorry if I offended you by coming by your house." 244 00:11:36,696 --> 00:11:38,496 That's right. Which is kind of weird. 245 00:11:38,564 --> 00:11:40,531 You're thinking that's a cya letter. 246 00:11:40,533 --> 00:11:42,000 Yes. 247 00:11:42,068 --> 00:11:43,801 Siegler: There's even a letter in here 248 00:11:43,870 --> 00:11:47,405 That feels like it was written after jannette went missing. 249 00:11:47,473 --> 00:11:50,140 We can't tell. Is that because he really is innocent, 250 00:11:50,142 --> 00:11:53,177 Or did he write that letter trying to throw off suspicion 251 00:11:53,179 --> 00:11:54,813 For whoever might find that later? 252 00:11:54,815 --> 00:11:58,216 Then we get to the Friday night. 253 00:11:58,284 --> 00:12:01,419 Altogether three times he goes up to the house 254 00:12:01,487 --> 00:12:03,854 Saying, "is your mom home yet?" 255 00:12:03,856 --> 00:12:06,490 He's waiting at the house for her. 256 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,160 He says that he sees a vehicle pull up. 257 00:12:10,162 --> 00:12:11,763 He thinks that she's in it. 258 00:12:11,831 --> 00:12:14,365 - What kind of car? - I think it was a blue car. 259 00:12:14,434 --> 00:12:15,667 Light blue. Yeah. 260 00:12:15,735 --> 00:12:17,702 The vehicle drives away, 261 00:12:17,770 --> 00:12:20,538 And he tries to follow it but loses it. 262 00:12:20,607 --> 00:12:22,674 Well, that also might just be his paranoia 263 00:12:22,742 --> 00:12:25,376 Of her being with other men. 264 00:12:25,378 --> 00:12:27,545 Either that or the car never existed. 265 00:12:27,614 --> 00:12:29,681 He's just trying to throw a suspect out there. 266 00:12:29,749 --> 00:12:32,150 - Right. - Yeah. 267 00:12:32,218 --> 00:12:36,554 Siegler: Okay, so now let's put up "unknown suspect." 268 00:12:36,622 --> 00:12:39,957 In '85, some friends went up to chicago one time. 269 00:12:40,026 --> 00:12:42,660 And we're looking around. Didn't really discover anything. 270 00:12:42,729 --> 00:12:45,162 But they said that there was a blue granada 271 00:12:45,231 --> 00:12:46,564 Circling the block watching them. 272 00:12:46,632 --> 00:12:48,065 They thought that was weird. 273 00:12:48,134 --> 00:12:50,001 Spingola: Shortly after jannette was reported missing, 274 00:12:50,069 --> 00:12:52,103 There were rumors that she was observed in chicago. 275 00:12:52,172 --> 00:12:54,239 And when her friends went to investigate that, 276 00:12:54,307 --> 00:12:55,840 They observed a blue granada 277 00:12:55,909 --> 00:12:58,008 Suspiciously circling around the block. 278 00:12:58,010 --> 00:12:59,743 We don't have much more information about this vehicle, 279 00:12:59,745 --> 00:13:01,479 But it does sound similar to the one 280 00:13:01,547 --> 00:13:03,714 Lionel reports the night that jeanette actually went missing. 281 00:13:03,783 --> 00:13:05,249 Let me ask you this. 282 00:13:05,251 --> 00:13:06,885 When you guys find this garbage bag, 283 00:13:06,887 --> 00:13:08,719 It's in the grave, right, with her? 284 00:13:08,721 --> 00:13:09,987 - Yes. - And it's got the sweater. 285 00:13:10,056 --> 00:13:11,756 Is that her sweater? 286 00:13:12,525 --> 00:13:13,858 - We don't know. - Okay. 287 00:13:13,927 --> 00:13:16,394 Because the sweater wasn't retained 288 00:13:16,462 --> 00:13:19,263 And nobody was shown the sweater to identify it. 289 00:13:19,332 --> 00:13:21,165 So now on this one here, 290 00:13:21,167 --> 00:13:23,934 One caucasian head hair, brown in color. 291 00:13:23,936 --> 00:13:26,404 A portion of this hair shows that it has been burned. 292 00:13:26,472 --> 00:13:29,974 So I-- why is the hair burned? 293 00:13:30,042 --> 00:13:32,010 We don't know if it's got anything to do with her. 294 00:13:32,078 --> 00:13:33,877 But if it's in the grave... 295 00:13:33,879 --> 00:13:36,614 Siegler: I don't know what to think about those other items 296 00:13:36,682 --> 00:13:39,283 That were also found in jannette's shallow grave. 297 00:13:39,285 --> 00:13:42,520 Is all that just random, unrelated trash, 298 00:13:42,588 --> 00:13:45,657 Or is it maybe a clue to jannette's real killer? 299 00:13:45,725 --> 00:13:47,691 Okay, so as we start talking to all these people, 300 00:13:47,761 --> 00:13:51,629 Let's try to address all these ideas or thoughts or concerns 301 00:13:51,698 --> 00:13:53,631 To see if we can clear up or eliminate any of them. 302 00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:54,632 Sounds good. 303 00:13:57,403 --> 00:14:00,304 - Hello, dr. Pinneri. - Hello. How are y'all? 304 00:14:00,373 --> 00:14:01,839 Everybody's excited to see you again. 305 00:14:01,908 --> 00:14:03,574 - Remember everybody? - Yes. Yes. 306 00:14:03,643 --> 00:14:05,643 Siegler: We sent off jannette's fingernails 307 00:14:05,712 --> 00:14:08,813 In the hopes of getting a dna match to our killer. 308 00:14:08,881 --> 00:14:11,182 While we wait for the dna results, 309 00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:14,786 Our forensic pathologist is here to share her insight 310 00:14:14,854 --> 00:14:16,988 And hopefully give us a better understanding 311 00:14:17,056 --> 00:14:18,756 Of jannette's cause of death. 312 00:14:18,825 --> 00:14:22,059 Pinneri: In November of 1985, skeletal remains 313 00:14:22,128 --> 00:14:25,096 Were found both scattered and in a shallow grave. 314 00:14:25,164 --> 00:14:28,066 On the surface, they found a partial skull, 315 00:14:28,134 --> 00:14:30,401 No upper or lower jaw. 316 00:14:30,470 --> 00:14:33,838 And then in the shallow grave, they found ribs, long bones, 317 00:14:33,906 --> 00:14:36,641 A right hand that still had some tissues attached. 318 00:14:36,709 --> 00:14:38,342 For the cause and manner of death, 319 00:14:38,411 --> 00:14:41,980 It's described as a probable gunshot wound, 320 00:14:42,048 --> 00:14:44,515 An entrance wound in the posterior left parietal 321 00:14:44,584 --> 00:14:46,450 And an exit in the right temporal. 322 00:14:46,519 --> 00:14:50,921 That's going to be going in here and coming out right here. 323 00:14:50,991 --> 00:14:53,524 Unfortunately, the skull is not intact. 324 00:14:53,593 --> 00:14:56,594 The black are the areas that are not recovered, 325 00:14:56,662 --> 00:14:58,762 And that would be entirely consistent 326 00:14:58,832 --> 00:15:00,798 With some sort of trauma to that area. 327 00:15:00,867 --> 00:15:05,136 So certainly it's possible that this could be a gunshot wound. 328 00:15:05,204 --> 00:15:07,238 We don't have any kind of bullet or casing 329 00:15:07,307 --> 00:15:10,942 Or anything like that in her car out there 330 00:15:11,010 --> 00:15:12,743 By the grave that they found. 331 00:15:12,812 --> 00:15:14,779 What are the chances that you think 332 00:15:14,847 --> 00:15:16,947 It could have been a strangulation or a smothering? 333 00:15:17,017 --> 00:15:18,882 Could there have been a component of that? 334 00:15:18,952 --> 00:15:20,652 Yes, but that's not going to cause your skull 335 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:22,486 To be fragmented like that. 336 00:15:22,555 --> 00:15:24,923 I don't think she's there dead in that car either. 337 00:15:24,991 --> 00:15:26,957 - You don't? - Probably shot on site. 338 00:15:27,027 --> 00:15:28,526 Yeah. I mean, there's no blood in the car. 339 00:15:28,594 --> 00:15:31,095 I think they go park out there, they get out of the car, 340 00:15:31,164 --> 00:15:33,797 They're having conversation, and at some point he's-- 341 00:15:33,867 --> 00:15:35,433 - Shoots her out there? - Yeah. 342 00:15:35,501 --> 00:15:37,035 He's had enough and he shoots her out there. 343 00:15:37,037 --> 00:15:38,937 And the bullet was just never recovered. 344 00:15:39,005 --> 00:15:41,172 - Yeah. - Right. 345 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,541 Siegler: With jannette's car having moved 346 00:15:43,609 --> 00:15:45,877 From where joretha saw it the night before, 347 00:15:45,879 --> 00:15:47,344 It's safe to assume 348 00:15:47,413 --> 00:15:50,180 That jannette rode in it with her attacker 349 00:15:50,250 --> 00:15:52,583 To that field where her body was found. 350 00:15:52,652 --> 00:15:56,087 The question is, did she get forced at gunpoint 351 00:15:56,155 --> 00:15:57,955 At her front doorstep 352 00:15:58,024 --> 00:16:01,392 And complied to protect her kids inside the house, 353 00:16:01,461 --> 00:16:03,995 Or was she lured away by somebody she knew? 354 00:16:12,806 --> 00:16:17,641 Well, it's about this many names for "go sees" and calls. 355 00:16:17,710 --> 00:16:20,078 The party people, the "night of" people, and all that. 356 00:16:20,146 --> 00:16:22,713 We could split 'em up and divide and conquer. 357 00:16:22,715 --> 00:16:25,049 - Okay. - All right. You ready to go? 358 00:16:25,117 --> 00:16:28,285 Siegler: This case happened back in 1985, 359 00:16:28,354 --> 00:16:31,355 And it wasn't even looked at as a homicide initially. 360 00:16:31,424 --> 00:16:35,860 So if the real killer is a completely unknown suspect, 361 00:16:35,928 --> 00:16:38,562 We're going to need to find a brand-new witness, 362 00:16:38,631 --> 00:16:41,198 Either at the party house or in the time right after that 363 00:16:41,267 --> 00:16:43,734 That gives us some huge new piece of information. 364 00:16:43,803 --> 00:16:46,437 And the person that they were looking at the hardest, 365 00:16:46,506 --> 00:16:47,805 Lionel thomas, 366 00:16:47,873 --> 00:16:50,708 His statement from back then is one paragraph, 367 00:16:50,776 --> 00:16:53,044 So it's not like you have a whole lot to question him about 368 00:16:53,112 --> 00:16:55,913 To try and see if there are any inconsistencies. 369 00:16:55,982 --> 00:16:58,115 Then we're going to need some brand-new information 370 00:16:58,184 --> 00:17:00,218 To compare with what he tells us. 371 00:17:20,606 --> 00:17:22,005 Was she talking to anybody 372 00:17:22,075 --> 00:17:23,074 When you guys were getting ready to pull off? 373 00:17:25,811 --> 00:17:28,412 When you are picturing in your head 374 00:17:28,481 --> 00:17:32,917 Seeing jannette walk to her car, did she talk to any other man? 375 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:34,886 Okay. 376 00:17:43,195 --> 00:17:45,863 You were one of the children in the house that night, correct? 377 00:18:08,254 --> 00:18:10,555 Does the name lionel thomas ring any bells for you? 378 00:18:13,526 --> 00:18:16,193 In the days where y'all realized jannette was missing, 379 00:18:16,262 --> 00:18:18,629 Did lionel come around wondering where she was? 380 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,134 Was he around pretty regularly before that? 381 00:18:34,580 --> 00:18:36,814 Were they on at that point, or was it kind of an on-and-off? 382 00:18:41,187 --> 00:18:42,386 - Yeah. - Weird how? 383 00:18:42,388 --> 00:18:43,855 - Like, is he-- - he's, uh-- 384 00:18:49,261 --> 00:18:51,595 We have not found a lot of people 385 00:18:51,664 --> 00:18:53,664 That have any kind of big, extra information 386 00:18:53,733 --> 00:18:55,899 That we can use to confront lionel with. 387 00:18:55,969 --> 00:18:58,168 That's not great. But on the other hand, 388 00:18:58,170 --> 00:19:00,437 We also have run into nobody who can say 389 00:19:00,506 --> 00:19:03,707 That they saw jannette leave with anybody else 390 00:19:03,776 --> 00:19:06,477 Or anything else that would give us some clue 391 00:19:06,546 --> 00:19:08,946 That there's an unknown suspect involved in all this. 392 00:19:11,917 --> 00:19:14,085 Andersen: So we're going to be meeting with joretha 393 00:19:14,153 --> 00:19:17,488 At the location, the house no longer standing, 394 00:19:17,556 --> 00:19:20,758 So she can lay out the house for us, where the window was, 395 00:19:20,826 --> 00:19:23,694 Where she's stating that she saw her mom from. 396 00:19:23,763 --> 00:19:27,131 Now that we believe that jannette was shot to death 397 00:19:27,199 --> 00:19:30,768 And her assailant was likely waiting for her at home, 398 00:19:30,836 --> 00:19:33,003 We want to reexamine what we know 399 00:19:33,005 --> 00:19:34,872 Of her final minutes firsthand. 400 00:19:34,940 --> 00:19:37,008 So we've asked her daughter joretha, 401 00:19:37,076 --> 00:19:38,709 Who was there, to help us do that. 402 00:19:38,778 --> 00:19:41,979 - Hello, miss joretha. - Good morning, everyone. 403 00:19:42,047 --> 00:19:44,982 You know you got to get the first hug. [laughs] 404 00:19:45,050 --> 00:19:46,617 My heart is racing. If I can put your hand 405 00:19:46,686 --> 00:19:48,319 On top of my heart, 406 00:19:48,387 --> 00:19:50,454 It's beating hard, 407 00:19:50,456 --> 00:19:53,124 Because I have not been in this area 408 00:19:53,192 --> 00:19:54,858 In almost 20 years. 409 00:19:54,927 --> 00:19:57,795 That area right there is the living room. Big picture window. 410 00:19:57,863 --> 00:20:01,232 So it had to have been, I would say, after 3:00. 411 00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:04,402 We here. My mom's car pull up. 412 00:20:04,470 --> 00:20:07,405 Us girls run to the bathroom window. 413 00:20:07,407 --> 00:20:10,207 We see her. She gets out her car. 414 00:20:10,276 --> 00:20:13,311 As she walked away, we could still see her. 415 00:20:13,313 --> 00:20:15,112 Now we can't see her. 416 00:20:15,181 --> 00:20:16,580 Andersen: 'cause of the corner of the house. 417 00:20:16,649 --> 00:20:18,849 Joretha: Because of the corner and all that. 418 00:20:18,918 --> 00:20:20,885 - So now we can hear the keys. - You hear the keys 419 00:20:20,953 --> 00:20:23,553 Going in the lock over here, right? You hear the keys. 420 00:20:23,623 --> 00:20:26,257 I thought he had to catch her right here, 421 00:20:26,325 --> 00:20:28,658 But he could've caught her over there, right? 422 00:20:28,660 --> 00:20:30,227 I think he wants to catch her off guard. 423 00:20:30,295 --> 00:20:32,029 - I do, too. - He, if this is lionel, 424 00:20:32,097 --> 00:20:34,131 Has at some point coming up and making contact with her 425 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:35,967 But she continues on to the front porch. 426 00:20:36,035 --> 00:20:38,569 Maybe he's trying to talk to her as they're walking up. 427 00:20:38,571 --> 00:20:39,670 That's exactly what she would have done. 428 00:20:39,739 --> 00:20:41,672 How does she go quietly 429 00:20:41,741 --> 00:20:44,342 Without an argument or a loud voice 430 00:20:44,410 --> 00:20:46,210 Or a protest getting in the car? 431 00:20:46,278 --> 00:20:48,145 I guess just more talking to her. 432 00:20:48,147 --> 00:20:50,514 "let's talk it out. Let's go for a drive." 433 00:20:50,583 --> 00:20:51,849 Siegler: You don't think with a gun? 434 00:20:51,917 --> 00:20:53,316 If she's got keys in the door, 435 00:20:53,318 --> 00:20:54,918 Even with a gun in your face, 436 00:20:54,987 --> 00:20:57,821 You might try to make that quick-in to the house. 437 00:20:57,890 --> 00:21:00,091 Or voices will be raised a little bit. 438 00:21:00,159 --> 00:21:01,825 - Did you see his car at all? - Joretha: No. 439 00:21:01,894 --> 00:21:03,761 I just don't think he drove here. 440 00:21:03,829 --> 00:21:05,729 I think he walked down here and then took her car. 441 00:21:05,798 --> 00:21:07,164 - Straight shot. - Yeah, I think he did. 442 00:21:07,232 --> 00:21:09,366 - How far is it? - Five, six blocks up. 443 00:21:09,435 --> 00:21:10,968 Six blocks straight up? 444 00:21:11,036 --> 00:21:12,936 Spingola: So our main suspect, lionel, in theory, 445 00:21:13,005 --> 00:21:15,405 Could have easily walked from his house to jannette's 446 00:21:15,475 --> 00:21:17,407 Because he only lived a few blocks away, 447 00:21:17,477 --> 00:21:19,409 Talked to her, got her into the car, 448 00:21:19,479 --> 00:21:21,279 Drove her to the field, killed her, 449 00:21:21,347 --> 00:21:23,347 And then drove the vehicle back to jannette's house 450 00:21:23,415 --> 00:21:25,149 And simply walked home. 451 00:21:25,217 --> 00:21:27,118 And that would account for why jannette's car had been moved 452 00:21:27,186 --> 00:21:29,119 From the alley where the kids initially saw it 453 00:21:29,188 --> 00:21:30,954 To where it was found the next morning 454 00:21:30,956 --> 00:21:31,789 Parked in front of the house. 455 00:21:31,857 --> 00:21:34,124 Her car was parked here. 456 00:21:34,193 --> 00:21:36,426 Along right here. 457 00:21:36,496 --> 00:21:38,095 And her keys was still in the ignition. 458 00:21:38,163 --> 00:21:40,564 If it's a random person, why are they even bringing the car back? 459 00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:43,166 - They don't care. - Not at all. 460 00:21:43,168 --> 00:21:46,270 So then the drive from here to the location is... 461 00:21:46,338 --> 00:21:48,639 - It's like 18 miles. - Okay. Can we go do that now? 462 00:21:48,708 --> 00:21:51,041 Get an appreciation of that. 463 00:21:51,043 --> 00:21:54,244 With joretha's help today in seeing the house, 464 00:21:54,313 --> 00:21:55,946 I think the way it had to have happen 465 00:21:56,014 --> 00:21:58,015 So quickly, so voluntarily, 466 00:21:58,083 --> 00:22:01,118 There's no way that it's gonna be a random person 467 00:22:01,186 --> 00:22:02,987 Stalking her then abducts her. 468 00:22:03,055 --> 00:22:04,822 It doesn't make any sense. 469 00:22:04,890 --> 00:22:06,457 Because why would they bring her car back? 470 00:22:12,331 --> 00:22:14,832 This is a long drive 471 00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:17,334 To wait and get her to have a chitchat, right? 472 00:22:17,336 --> 00:22:19,503 It looks like the chitchat should have already happened. 473 00:22:19,572 --> 00:22:22,673 Almost makes me feel like it happened before now 474 00:22:22,742 --> 00:22:25,376 When you're driving out here just to dump her. 475 00:22:28,648 --> 00:22:31,182 Okay, we get here and her remains are where? 476 00:22:31,250 --> 00:22:33,250 Down this path and out to an open field. 477 00:22:33,319 --> 00:22:35,352 - We still got a ways to walk? - Little bit. 478 00:22:35,354 --> 00:22:37,621 Siegler: Let's go look. 479 00:22:37,690 --> 00:22:41,158 So it's deer hunters out here that found her two months later. 480 00:22:41,226 --> 00:22:43,627 Andersen: Yeah. Based on the reports, 481 00:22:43,696 --> 00:22:46,230 When they located the body, it's right here. 482 00:22:48,367 --> 00:22:50,267 Spingola: It was just in a shallow grave, right? 483 00:22:50,335 --> 00:22:51,902 Andersen: Yeah. 484 00:22:51,971 --> 00:22:53,837 Siegler: And if the killing is with a gun, 485 00:22:53,906 --> 00:22:55,573 The passenger could be holding the gun 486 00:22:55,575 --> 00:22:58,008 To force her to drive this far deep back here. 487 00:22:58,077 --> 00:23:00,111 And then they get out of the car and then it happened? 488 00:23:00,179 --> 00:23:02,546 Yeah. If you shoot somebody in the head inside of the car, 489 00:23:02,615 --> 00:23:03,881 You're gonna get splatter. 490 00:23:03,949 --> 00:23:06,384 Probably right where she was laying down 491 00:23:06,452 --> 00:23:10,221 Is where at least the gunshots happened close to there. 492 00:23:10,289 --> 00:23:13,924 Siegler: I don't see that woman who was pretty feisty and tough 493 00:23:13,993 --> 00:23:16,193 Just driving out here in the middle of nowhere 494 00:23:16,261 --> 00:23:18,128 Or in the middle of the night to have a chitchat 495 00:23:18,197 --> 00:23:20,364 With a man she's already broken up with, 496 00:23:20,432 --> 00:23:23,434 Several times probably, and she's tired of his [bleep]. 497 00:23:23,502 --> 00:23:25,669 We don't know 100% know for sure 498 00:23:25,738 --> 00:23:27,204 That the gunshots are what killed her. 499 00:23:27,273 --> 00:23:29,507 The gunshots could be just to be sure. 500 00:23:29,509 --> 00:23:31,475 - Yeah. - Dr. Pinneri said 501 00:23:31,543 --> 00:23:34,211 That you could still have a strangulation. 502 00:23:34,279 --> 00:23:36,747 So if you were pleading this case, you would plead it 503 00:23:36,749 --> 00:23:39,550 Gunshot wounds, strangulation, unknown manner and means. 504 00:23:39,618 --> 00:23:41,419 You put 'em all three in there. 505 00:23:41,487 --> 00:23:44,755 It makes sense that lionel could have coaxed jannette 506 00:23:44,824 --> 00:23:46,924 Into going for a ride with him in her car. 507 00:23:46,992 --> 00:23:49,760 That would explain that cigarette that's burned up 508 00:23:49,828 --> 00:23:52,162 That joretha found in the ashtray the next day. 509 00:23:52,231 --> 00:23:54,365 But all the way out here? 510 00:23:54,433 --> 00:23:56,800 And sure, lionel could have returned jannette's car 511 00:23:56,869 --> 00:23:58,502 And then walked home, 512 00:23:58,571 --> 00:24:01,338 But we don't have any evidence putting him with a gun. 513 00:24:01,406 --> 00:24:03,240 If lionel killed jannette, 514 00:24:03,308 --> 00:24:05,910 We're not feeling strong enough yet in what we have. 515 00:24:18,457 --> 00:24:21,425 - She's here. - Okay. 516 00:24:21,427 --> 00:24:23,560 Spingola: Two years ago, detective andersen 517 00:24:23,562 --> 00:24:24,795 Actually asked for the public's help 518 00:24:24,864 --> 00:24:26,797 In searching the field where jannette was found. 519 00:24:26,866 --> 00:24:28,766 But the actual reason for that search was to see 520 00:24:28,834 --> 00:24:30,301 If any of the people at the police department 521 00:24:30,369 --> 00:24:32,535 Identified as suspects would show up 522 00:24:32,537 --> 00:24:34,504 And what the reactions would be to that search. 523 00:24:34,574 --> 00:24:36,173 You just want to have a seat in the far chair? 524 00:24:36,241 --> 00:24:37,341 Woman: Sure. 525 00:24:37,409 --> 00:24:39,109 The woman who helped plan the search 526 00:24:39,178 --> 00:24:42,079 Actually saw lionel thomas at the scene and talked to him. 527 00:24:42,147 --> 00:24:44,014 So it's important for us to interview her 528 00:24:44,083 --> 00:24:45,382 To see what she observed. 529 00:24:45,451 --> 00:24:46,884 Were you talking before the searching? 530 00:24:46,952 --> 00:24:49,786 - Or was it like a ruse search? - Oh, yes. 531 00:24:49,855 --> 00:24:53,590 You actually had conversation with one of our suspects. 532 00:24:53,659 --> 00:24:57,694 Yeah. So, we went to the site, 533 00:24:57,763 --> 00:25:01,465 And I remember pulling up and there was a lot of family. 534 00:25:01,533 --> 00:25:03,633 Joretha was there. 535 00:25:03,703 --> 00:25:06,737 And there was some non-family people in the community 536 00:25:06,805 --> 00:25:08,772 That had come to join. 537 00:25:08,774 --> 00:25:12,743 And then there was a guy who was walking really slow. 538 00:25:12,811 --> 00:25:15,846 He was an older guy. He ended up walking with me. 539 00:25:15,915 --> 00:25:19,550 And I said, "have you been here before?" 540 00:25:19,618 --> 00:25:22,419 He said, "yeah. I've been here many times." 541 00:25:22,421 --> 00:25:25,655 He said he was a photographer back then 542 00:25:25,725 --> 00:25:27,625 And that there was weddings back there 543 00:25:27,627 --> 00:25:29,126 And they would do pictures. 544 00:25:29,194 --> 00:25:31,294 All of a sudden, I'm getting alerted. 545 00:25:31,363 --> 00:25:34,197 Like, we knew that one of the suspects 546 00:25:34,266 --> 00:25:35,999 Might actually be there, 547 00:25:36,068 --> 00:25:38,469 That might have actually done something to jannette johnson. 548 00:25:38,537 --> 00:25:40,270 It's all kind of hitting me. 549 00:25:40,339 --> 00:25:42,739 And he turned around and pointed, you know, 550 00:25:42,741 --> 00:25:45,609 Back towards the area that I knew that you had told me 551 00:25:45,677 --> 00:25:47,478 That she had been somewhere back there. 552 00:25:47,546 --> 00:25:48,946 He placed himself there, 553 00:25:49,014 --> 00:25:51,382 And it was almost like he was remembering. 554 00:25:51,450 --> 00:25:53,484 - Remembering? - Yeah, yeah. 555 00:25:53,552 --> 00:25:55,318 One of the things that law enforcement looks it 556 00:25:55,387 --> 00:25:56,954 Any time they find a victim's body 557 00:25:57,022 --> 00:25:59,456 Is is this the comfort zone for the suspect. 558 00:25:59,525 --> 00:26:01,792 So we wanna do in this case is talk to lionel 559 00:26:01,794 --> 00:26:03,293 To see if he's ever been there before. 560 00:26:03,362 --> 00:26:05,328 And if he contradicts that, 561 00:26:05,330 --> 00:26:07,430 That's clearly something we want to confront him about. 562 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:09,633 Andersen: Thank you so much for coming in. 563 00:26:18,544 --> 00:26:21,311 And right now we got our dna results? 564 00:26:21,380 --> 00:26:22,612 Yes. Sounds like it. 565 00:26:22,682 --> 00:26:24,815 We always try to find evidence 566 00:26:24,883 --> 00:26:28,618 That where remains are found connects back to the suspect. 567 00:26:28,688 --> 00:26:31,154 Familiarity with the area of the remains, 568 00:26:31,223 --> 00:26:33,657 Which gia does beautifully here. 569 00:26:33,726 --> 00:26:36,559 But we can't put in there the "night of." 570 00:26:36,561 --> 00:26:38,729 Maybe dna can help us do that. 571 00:26:38,797 --> 00:26:41,798 We're hoping that at some point, 572 00:26:41,867 --> 00:26:44,467 She reached up and scratched who killed her. 573 00:26:44,537 --> 00:26:46,803 - Mm-hmm. - And if they strangled her, 574 00:26:46,872 --> 00:26:49,873 The likelihood of that goes up. But, dang, her fingernails 575 00:26:49,875 --> 00:26:52,476 Were sitting out there in the woods for two months. 576 00:26:52,544 --> 00:26:54,311 All those years ago. 577 00:26:54,379 --> 00:26:56,646 - Yeah. - [phone beeps] 578 00:26:56,716 --> 00:26:59,249 [line ringing] 579 00:27:01,620 --> 00:27:03,120 Hi, katelin. This is logan andersen, 580 00:27:03,188 --> 00:27:05,088 Kankakee city police department. 581 00:27:05,157 --> 00:27:08,726 We're just calling for a update on the dna analysis. 582 00:27:31,049 --> 00:27:32,249 Okay. 583 00:27:32,317 --> 00:27:33,417 Thank you for trying. 584 00:27:37,556 --> 00:27:40,357 Yeah. They were out in the elements for a couple months. 585 00:27:40,425 --> 00:27:43,193 It's not surprising they're negative on dna. 586 00:27:43,261 --> 00:27:44,795 Thank you, katelin. 587 00:27:47,166 --> 00:27:50,100 Okay. Everybody probably thought 588 00:27:50,169 --> 00:27:52,002 That was going to happen that way, right? 589 00:27:52,071 --> 00:27:54,271 - Yeah. - So, keeping it real, 590 00:27:54,339 --> 00:27:57,007 What we know right now and can prove 591 00:27:57,075 --> 00:28:00,076 Is that on the night jannette was last seen alive, 592 00:28:00,078 --> 00:28:02,079 She leaves the party house, 593 00:28:02,147 --> 00:28:05,315 And our witnesses to those events right there, 594 00:28:05,384 --> 00:28:07,150 Which is the meat of the case, 595 00:28:07,219 --> 00:28:10,054 Are charleen sessions... 596 00:28:15,427 --> 00:28:16,927 ...Patricia prude... 597 00:28:24,870 --> 00:28:26,669 ...And joretha. That's it. 598 00:28:26,739 --> 00:28:28,538 The last time he came, 599 00:28:28,607 --> 00:28:30,607 And I told him, "no, she hadn't made it home yet. 600 00:28:30,675 --> 00:28:32,108 Nobody made it from the party yet." 601 00:28:32,177 --> 00:28:34,411 And he was like, "okay, I'll come back and check." 602 00:28:34,479 --> 00:28:36,680 No more lionel. Never came back to the house. 603 00:28:36,748 --> 00:28:40,116 And then whatever lionel thomas says, 604 00:28:40,185 --> 00:28:41,652 Please let him talk. 605 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,188 It's not just huge but critically necessary. 606 00:28:45,257 --> 00:28:47,291 Yeah. Absolutely. 607 00:28:57,970 --> 00:28:59,803 I don't want to put any pressure on you, 608 00:28:59,871 --> 00:29:02,573 But we need some help on this case. 609 00:29:02,641 --> 00:29:04,942 - We're fine. Just... - You can't possibly think 610 00:29:05,010 --> 00:29:07,510 That sitting here right now we're fine on this case. 611 00:29:07,512 --> 00:29:09,312 The homicide gods. I can feel it. 612 00:29:09,381 --> 00:29:10,780 They're on our side. 613 00:29:10,850 --> 00:29:13,583 You can pray to your homicide gods a lot, 614 00:29:13,585 --> 00:29:14,751 'cause you need some help this morning 615 00:29:14,753 --> 00:29:16,787 When y'all go knock on lionel's door. 616 00:29:16,855 --> 00:29:18,321 Spingola: This case basically rests 617 00:29:18,390 --> 00:29:19,856 On what lionel's going to tell us. 618 00:29:19,925 --> 00:29:21,324 We don't have enough to indict him right now 619 00:29:21,393 --> 00:29:23,026 Or charge him with a crime, let's face it. 620 00:29:23,028 --> 00:29:25,328 A lot of evidence here points to him, 621 00:29:25,397 --> 00:29:27,531 But it doesn't exactly eliminate other suspects. 622 00:29:27,599 --> 00:29:29,098 Good morning. 623 00:29:29,168 --> 00:29:31,467 I don't think he's ever been gone after hard, 624 00:29:31,537 --> 00:29:32,703 And we're going to try that now 625 00:29:32,771 --> 00:29:34,104 And see what his reaction is. 626 00:29:34,173 --> 00:29:35,605 If lionel killed jannette, 627 00:29:35,674 --> 00:29:38,308 We need him to make a slip-up, an admission, 628 00:29:38,377 --> 00:29:40,644 Hopefully a confession, which is very difficult to get. 629 00:29:40,712 --> 00:29:44,147 The gameplan and the scope of the questions. 630 00:29:44,216 --> 00:29:46,583 "what do you think happened?" "what do you remember?" 631 00:29:46,651 --> 00:29:50,320 And then get into the details of the case. 632 00:29:50,322 --> 00:29:52,923 Do you care if we park a block or so away and listen? 633 00:29:52,991 --> 00:29:54,357 No. That's perfect. 634 00:29:54,426 --> 00:29:55,859 - All right. We'll follow you. - All right. 635 00:30:04,970 --> 00:30:07,204 - Hey, mr. Thomas. - Hey, how you doing? 636 00:30:07,272 --> 00:30:09,472 We can talk out here if you want. That's fine. 637 00:30:09,541 --> 00:30:12,409 You don't think he'll look out and see us sitting here, do you? 638 00:30:12,477 --> 00:30:14,311 Appreciate ya. 639 00:30:17,917 --> 00:30:20,250 So, the reason I wanted to talk to you 640 00:30:20,319 --> 00:30:22,852 Is because, I mean, you were-- 641 00:30:22,922 --> 00:30:24,788 You know this is about jannette, right? 642 00:30:26,592 --> 00:30:30,827 Oh, okay. You were kind of central in her life 643 00:30:30,896 --> 00:30:32,429 During the time that she went missing. 644 00:30:32,497 --> 00:30:35,232 So, you guys were dating during that time period? 645 00:30:37,102 --> 00:30:39,036 Off and on? 646 00:30:39,104 --> 00:30:40,938 So, you still had a lot of feelings for her, right? 647 00:30:42,974 --> 00:30:45,275 She apparently didn't just want to move on 648 00:30:45,344 --> 00:30:47,411 Or didn't want to get married or hook up, right? 649 00:30:52,618 --> 00:30:55,485 What can you remember from when she went missing? 650 00:31:02,327 --> 00:31:05,028 Which bar are you talking about? The party house? 651 00:31:09,868 --> 00:31:11,534 What do you think? 652 00:31:11,536 --> 00:31:13,103 He was at the party house with all them. 653 00:31:13,105 --> 00:31:14,905 Anyway, that family would've said they'd seen him there. 654 00:31:14,973 --> 00:31:16,573 Nobody has. 655 00:31:16,642 --> 00:31:18,609 Andersen: What time do you think you went back down to her house? 656 00:31:21,180 --> 00:31:24,281 How many times did you go over to that house looking for her? 657 00:31:25,784 --> 00:31:28,485 Just once? You were at that house not one time that night 658 00:31:28,487 --> 00:31:29,586 But at least three times that night. 659 00:31:29,655 --> 00:31:32,689 People saw you there. Is that true? 660 00:31:32,757 --> 00:31:34,391 Not at all? And you're going over there 661 00:31:34,459 --> 00:31:36,059 To talk to her about what? 662 00:31:37,929 --> 00:31:39,963 Okay. You couldn't have called her? 663 00:31:42,367 --> 00:31:44,200 You did? And? 664 00:31:44,269 --> 00:31:46,203 You mean that she walked over there. 665 00:31:47,406 --> 00:31:49,206 She walked over there. That's good. 666 00:31:54,245 --> 00:31:55,679 And then when you were walking off? 667 00:32:00,018 --> 00:32:03,220 Did you pull up into the front? Did it stop? 668 00:32:03,288 --> 00:32:06,623 Pulled up in the alley. Where were you standing, sir? 669 00:32:06,692 --> 00:32:09,159 Did you try to follow that car that night? No? 670 00:32:13,665 --> 00:32:15,599 Did he just say he walked over? 671 00:32:21,006 --> 00:32:22,772 And she wasn't there? 672 00:32:22,774 --> 00:32:24,608 Did you ever go out and look for her? 673 00:32:27,612 --> 00:32:29,546 At some point, they got to bring up the search 674 00:32:29,614 --> 00:32:31,481 And what he said and all that. 675 00:32:31,550 --> 00:32:32,883 And you took pictures, right? 676 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,422 How many of the weddings ever happens park area? 677 00:32:43,261 --> 00:32:45,328 When you went out for the search, 678 00:32:45,330 --> 00:32:46,964 Was it close to where the search was at? 679 00:32:49,201 --> 00:32:51,000 It was on the other side? 680 00:32:51,002 --> 00:32:53,302 Had you ever been out to that area where we did the search 681 00:32:53,372 --> 00:32:55,839 Prior to us going out there? 682 00:32:55,907 --> 00:32:58,041 They meant after being with gia? 683 00:32:58,110 --> 00:32:59,976 Well, yeah. 684 00:33:00,044 --> 00:33:02,011 The day of the search you had a conversation 685 00:33:02,013 --> 00:33:04,647 With an individual, and during that conversation, 686 00:33:04,649 --> 00:33:06,783 You said that you were very familiar with the area 687 00:33:06,851 --> 00:33:08,185 And that you'd been out there before, 688 00:33:08,253 --> 00:33:11,154 Out in that field behind the bible witness camp. 689 00:33:14,259 --> 00:33:15,692 Well, why would some random person 690 00:33:15,761 --> 00:33:18,828 Who doesn't know anything about the case... 691 00:33:18,830 --> 00:33:20,296 ...Tell me that you said that? 692 00:33:20,298 --> 00:33:22,165 Were you angry with her, sir? 693 00:33:24,302 --> 00:33:25,735 You wrote her some letters. 694 00:33:25,804 --> 00:33:27,270 Do you remember writing her those lessons? 695 00:33:27,338 --> 00:33:29,639 - Yeah. - You remember these? 696 00:33:31,243 --> 00:33:33,243 This one's in '82, 697 00:33:33,311 --> 00:33:35,412 Talking about her being with other guys. 698 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:37,547 He's turning it down. 699 00:33:37,549 --> 00:33:39,816 "you're an evil woman with a cold heart 700 00:33:39,884 --> 00:33:42,052 If you meant half of what you said." 701 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,988 - You remember writing that? - No. 702 00:33:45,056 --> 00:33:47,957 We believe that something happened that night. 703 00:33:48,026 --> 00:33:50,960 Argument. She doesn't wanna see you anymore at all. 704 00:33:50,962 --> 00:33:54,264 You go down there at least three times to check in on her. 705 00:33:57,436 --> 00:33:59,436 Now you don't know if you were there three times. 706 00:33:59,504 --> 00:34:01,138 You said before that you were there once. 707 00:34:04,042 --> 00:34:07,411 I'm not saying it. The family's saying it. 708 00:34:07,479 --> 00:34:10,046 So, the last time you go over there, 709 00:34:10,114 --> 00:34:11,714 What happens then? 710 00:34:11,783 --> 00:34:13,583 Do you finally meet up with her? 711 00:34:13,652 --> 00:34:17,120 You guys have a conversation, maybe go for a drive? 712 00:34:17,189 --> 00:34:19,589 Who else in the world would have taken her out to kill her 713 00:34:19,658 --> 00:34:21,892 And then parked her car back in front of their house? 714 00:34:35,674 --> 00:34:38,141 What you thinking? 715 00:34:38,209 --> 00:34:40,643 He's fuzzy on some details. 716 00:34:40,712 --> 00:34:43,580 But 30 years later, we're going on the words of kids. 717 00:34:43,582 --> 00:34:46,349 - He's not stupid either. - No. He's smart. 718 00:34:46,351 --> 00:34:48,151 But right now sitting here and listening to him 719 00:34:48,220 --> 00:34:51,354 Trying to be a victim, he sounds pretty dang good. 720 00:34:51,423 --> 00:34:53,790 He hasn't made any huge mistakes at all. 721 00:34:53,859 --> 00:34:56,993 You understand why we're looking at you, though. 722 00:35:01,132 --> 00:35:02,566 We are. 723 00:35:07,071 --> 00:35:08,504 Spingola: Lionel's whole story 724 00:35:08,573 --> 00:35:10,840 Has basically got small contradictions in 'em, 725 00:35:10,909 --> 00:35:13,543 But there's no major shifts in his story, 726 00:35:13,612 --> 00:35:15,778 Which is problematic from a prosecution's standpoint. 727 00:35:15,847 --> 00:35:18,081 Andersen: Never got angry. Not one time. 728 00:35:18,149 --> 00:35:20,049 Oh. Never even raised his voice. 729 00:35:20,051 --> 00:35:22,385 When we accused lionel of the homicide itself, 730 00:35:22,454 --> 00:35:23,886 He's just a flatline. 731 00:35:23,955 --> 00:35:25,155 Think about this. We've all been accused 732 00:35:25,223 --> 00:35:26,656 Of doing something we didn't do in life 733 00:35:26,725 --> 00:35:28,424 And you get angry about it at some point. 734 00:35:28,493 --> 00:35:30,693 Killing somebody and staying at that flatline? 735 00:35:30,762 --> 00:35:33,429 Come on, we're not asking if you backed into your neighbor's car. 736 00:35:33,498 --> 00:35:34,731 We're talking to you about killing somebody you love. 737 00:35:40,238 --> 00:35:42,772 Y'all threw everything at him. What do you think? 738 00:35:42,841 --> 00:35:44,341 His story just doesn't add up 739 00:35:44,343 --> 00:35:46,276 With everything that everybody else is saying. 740 00:35:46,344 --> 00:35:50,880 My problem is you have "I went there one time," 741 00:35:50,949 --> 00:35:53,049 And we got a 10-year-old kid, her daughter, 742 00:35:53,118 --> 00:35:54,717 Saying three times and that's it. 743 00:35:54,786 --> 00:35:57,420 Something happens that night that sets him off. 744 00:35:57,489 --> 00:36:00,556 Whether she doesn't want to go to the concert, something. 745 00:36:00,625 --> 00:36:03,593 He even writes her a letter. That's his goodbye to her. 746 00:36:03,661 --> 00:36:06,796 And you think he writes it after it's done, that letter. 747 00:36:06,865 --> 00:36:09,266 Let's go look at that letter again. Is that okay? 748 00:36:09,334 --> 00:36:10,833 - Yeah, absolutely. - Let's go to that now 749 00:36:10,902 --> 00:36:12,536 - If that's okay. - All right. 750 00:36:12,604 --> 00:36:18,341 We know that whatever happened to jannette happened in minutes. 751 00:36:18,410 --> 00:36:20,443 And in the whole wide world, 752 00:36:20,512 --> 00:36:22,912 The only human being on this planet 753 00:36:22,981 --> 00:36:25,815 That was looking for her that very night 754 00:36:25,817 --> 00:36:27,850 Was lionel thomas. 755 00:36:27,919 --> 00:36:30,820 But when he talked today and he didn't lawyer up 756 00:36:30,889 --> 00:36:32,422 And he didn't get upset, 757 00:36:32,490 --> 00:36:34,524 He represented himself very well. 758 00:36:34,593 --> 00:36:37,794 So what do we do with all that right now? I don't know. 759 00:36:37,862 --> 00:36:39,195 There's one of those letters in particular 760 00:36:39,264 --> 00:36:41,530 That y'all are thinking he wrote 761 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:44,433 Right close to when she went missing, huh? 762 00:36:44,503 --> 00:36:46,269 Read that one again, logan. 763 00:36:46,337 --> 00:36:49,005 "dear jannette, sorry if I offended you last night 764 00:36:49,073 --> 00:36:50,940 By showing up at your house. 765 00:36:51,009 --> 00:36:52,875 I came by to take you to the concert, 766 00:36:52,944 --> 00:36:54,610 But you weren't at home. 767 00:36:54,679 --> 00:36:58,481 I went by several other places, but no one's seen you. 768 00:36:58,550 --> 00:37:02,419 I guess this is a message to me to get lost. 769 00:37:02,421 --> 00:37:06,088 Once again, sorry for invading your privacy. Lionel." 770 00:37:06,158 --> 00:37:07,590 He wrote that then on Sunday, 771 00:37:07,659 --> 00:37:08,791 'cause if he came back to the concert, 772 00:37:08,860 --> 00:37:11,127 That would have been Saturday, right? 773 00:37:11,196 --> 00:37:12,762 So you're thinking he wrote that Sunday 774 00:37:12,831 --> 00:37:14,263 As a "cover-up" letter. 775 00:37:14,333 --> 00:37:15,832 Almost every single person in the family 776 00:37:15,900 --> 00:37:17,334 Said he never came back the next day. 777 00:37:17,402 --> 00:37:20,437 He never came back to see if she could go to the concert. 778 00:37:20,439 --> 00:37:23,373 He could've gone back over there on Saturday 779 00:37:23,441 --> 00:37:26,209 And the mother answers the door and she's dead. 780 00:37:26,277 --> 00:37:27,744 He didn't say that. 781 00:37:27,812 --> 00:37:29,179 Well, he doesn't have to say that. 782 00:37:29,247 --> 00:37:31,781 I mean, we all know that he's creeping around 783 00:37:31,850 --> 00:37:33,550 'cause he's jealous and he wants to make sure 784 00:37:33,618 --> 00:37:35,518 She's still going to go out with him Saturday night. 785 00:37:35,586 --> 00:37:37,187 That's what works with our timing 786 00:37:37,255 --> 00:37:40,990 Of her being snatched up so quickly and quietly and easily 787 00:37:41,059 --> 00:37:42,692 Right there on the front steps of her house. 788 00:37:42,694 --> 00:37:44,694 All that works and points at lionel. 789 00:37:44,763 --> 00:37:46,663 But why would he go knocking on her door? 790 00:37:46,731 --> 00:37:49,432 If her car's not there, he knows she's not home. 791 00:37:49,501 --> 00:37:51,234 - It makes no sense. - Yeah, I don't know. 792 00:38:04,315 --> 00:38:05,648 - Good morning. - Good morning, guys. 793 00:38:05,717 --> 00:38:07,417 - How y'all feeling? - Good. 794 00:38:07,485 --> 00:38:09,185 Let's see what everybody thinks 795 00:38:09,253 --> 00:38:12,889 About where jannette's case stands and what we have. 796 00:38:12,957 --> 00:38:16,293 As a cold-case investigator and prosecutor, 797 00:38:16,361 --> 00:38:18,561 The most important thing y'all gotta remember 798 00:38:18,563 --> 00:38:20,496 Is it's not what you think. 799 00:38:20,565 --> 00:38:22,799 It's what you can prove in the courtroom. 800 00:38:22,867 --> 00:38:26,068 We've spoken to every living witness we can find, 801 00:38:26,137 --> 00:38:29,038 And we've spoken to our suspect, lionel thomas. 802 00:38:29,107 --> 00:38:32,909 But do we have enough evidence to establish probable cause 803 00:38:32,977 --> 00:38:34,577 To move forward with an arrest? 804 00:38:34,579 --> 00:38:36,879 The whole state of their relationship? 805 00:38:36,948 --> 00:38:40,383 How was it really going between jannette and lionel? 806 00:38:40,452 --> 00:38:43,253 I think it was on-and-off. On that night I think it was off. 807 00:38:43,255 --> 00:38:45,554 Did we find anybody that disagrees with that? 808 00:38:45,556 --> 00:38:46,790 Not even lionel. 809 00:38:51,930 --> 00:38:54,296 What did we find out as far as his jealousy? 810 00:38:54,298 --> 00:38:56,566 He shows up when she's out places. 811 00:39:03,241 --> 00:39:06,242 And on this night, she's at her party with her people 812 00:39:06,311 --> 00:39:07,744 And he's not invited. 813 00:39:07,812 --> 00:39:09,646 What does joretha say he does that night? 814 00:39:09,714 --> 00:39:11,480 He comes by the place three times. 815 00:39:11,482 --> 00:39:13,115 He's so desperate. At 2:00 in the morning, 816 00:39:13,184 --> 00:39:16,318 He's still knocking on the door, wanting to know where she is. 817 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:18,721 Yeah. He's losing her. It's ending. 818 00:39:18,723 --> 00:39:20,289 And I don't know what happens at night. 819 00:39:20,291 --> 00:39:21,557 If she finally decides 820 00:39:21,626 --> 00:39:24,193 This is the line in the sand and it goes bad. 821 00:39:24,195 --> 00:39:26,863 He's the one that can get her into a car without a struggle. 822 00:39:26,931 --> 00:39:30,166 If it's a random stranger that abducts her, 823 00:39:30,235 --> 00:39:32,969 Why are they bringing her car back home? 824 00:39:33,037 --> 00:39:36,506 Her car was parked here, along right here, 825 00:39:36,574 --> 00:39:38,608 And her keys were still in the ignition. 826 00:39:38,676 --> 00:39:41,711 It's a straight shot from his house to hers down one road, 827 00:39:41,780 --> 00:39:44,847 Five to six blocks, and it would be nothing for him 828 00:39:44,849 --> 00:39:46,883 To walk right back home after he's done bringing the car back. 829 00:39:46,951 --> 00:39:48,551 But he forgot the fact that everybody knows 830 00:39:48,620 --> 00:39:50,419 She always parks in the alley. 831 00:39:50,489 --> 00:39:52,755 And then you have the little odd things that happen 832 00:39:52,824 --> 00:39:55,224 When you do your "mock search" in 2021. 833 00:39:55,293 --> 00:39:57,493 Lionel tells gia marie wright 834 00:39:57,562 --> 00:39:59,728 That he's familiar with that area. 835 00:39:59,798 --> 00:40:01,398 He said he was a photographer 836 00:40:01,466 --> 00:40:03,299 And that there was weddings back there 837 00:40:03,368 --> 00:40:05,434 And they would do pictures. 838 00:40:05,504 --> 00:40:07,970 [sighs] 839 00:40:08,039 --> 00:40:10,172 It's a 38-year-old case, 840 00:40:10,241 --> 00:40:13,142 So we always knew it was going to be a hard one. 841 00:40:13,211 --> 00:40:15,144 Do you believe that you have enough 842 00:40:15,213 --> 00:40:17,613 To try and convince your prosecutor 843 00:40:17,682 --> 00:40:20,716 To move forward with prosecuting this case? 844 00:40:20,785 --> 00:40:22,485 I... 845 00:40:22,553 --> 00:40:25,255 I think as far as probable cause, 846 00:40:25,323 --> 00:40:27,656 I think it falls short of the threshold. 847 00:40:27,726 --> 00:40:29,725 I don't think we can prove it yet. 848 00:40:29,794 --> 00:40:31,493 I agree with you. It is awfully thin. 849 00:40:31,495 --> 00:40:33,162 I mean, there's circumstantial evidence there. 850 00:40:33,231 --> 00:40:34,430 I don't think you're going to get over 851 00:40:34,499 --> 00:40:37,333 The guilt beyond a reasonable doubt right now. 852 00:40:37,401 --> 00:40:39,435 It's really hard in a case like this 853 00:40:39,504 --> 00:40:42,438 Where you don't have enough for probable cause 854 00:40:42,507 --> 00:40:44,974 Or to try and get a da to want to move forward. 855 00:40:45,043 --> 00:40:46,742 We can still keep working it. 856 00:40:46,811 --> 00:40:51,581 There's always that slim chance of somebody calling in 857 00:40:51,649 --> 00:40:53,349 After hearing about us knocking on doors. 858 00:40:53,418 --> 00:40:55,117 You never know. You never know. 859 00:40:55,186 --> 00:40:57,754 One day something could come along 860 00:40:57,822 --> 00:40:59,489 To make this case a whole lot better. 861 00:40:59,557 --> 00:41:01,123 That's what we all hope for. 862 00:41:01,192 --> 00:41:04,360 We're just very frustrated that today we did not get there. 863 00:41:04,429 --> 00:41:07,363 And now we have to break that to her daughter. 864 00:41:12,737 --> 00:41:15,004 - Hey, joretha. - Hello, detective andersen. 865 00:41:16,908 --> 00:41:19,309 You're the whole reason that this thing kicked off. 866 00:41:19,377 --> 00:41:23,179 You made that post on facebook. I didn't like it. 867 00:41:23,247 --> 00:41:25,648 I knew. Well, it wasn't for you to like. 868 00:41:25,716 --> 00:41:30,286 I get it. And I think there's a whole lot more dedicated people 869 00:41:30,354 --> 00:41:32,388 At the kankakee police department today 870 00:41:32,390 --> 00:41:34,090 Than there ever has been. 871 00:41:34,092 --> 00:41:35,892 We made a lot of headway this week. 872 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:38,894 We were able to talk to lionel, 873 00:41:38,963 --> 00:41:42,298 And some of the things that he said 874 00:41:42,366 --> 00:41:47,703 Just don't coincide with everyone else's story. 875 00:41:47,772 --> 00:41:50,106 Unfortunately, I don't think we've met the threshold 876 00:41:50,174 --> 00:41:52,742 To file charges against him at this time. 877 00:41:52,810 --> 00:41:54,377 - Okay. - But that does not mean 878 00:41:54,445 --> 00:41:55,845 Anything is over. 879 00:41:55,913 --> 00:41:59,115 And circumstantially, a lot points to lionel. 880 00:41:59,183 --> 00:42:01,851 [exhales] 881 00:42:01,919 --> 00:42:04,754 Joretha: We will not be having any arrests at this moment. 882 00:42:06,791 --> 00:42:10,493 I'm--that's okay. No, that's okay. 883 00:42:10,562 --> 00:42:13,095 My mother wouldn't have gave up on us, 884 00:42:13,097 --> 00:42:14,797 So I couldn't give up on her. 885 00:42:14,865 --> 00:42:18,167 But my journey here has stopped. 886 00:42:18,236 --> 00:42:21,037 We will always have memories of my mom. 887 00:42:21,105 --> 00:42:24,306 Her candlelight will never be blown out, 888 00:42:24,375 --> 00:42:27,009 But it will be not a heavy weight. 889 00:42:27,078 --> 00:42:28,744 It won't be a heavy burden. 890 00:42:28,813 --> 00:42:31,281 Wherever we went and all the doors that we knocked on 891 00:42:31,349 --> 00:42:32,682 For your mom's case, 892 00:42:32,750 --> 00:42:36,753 Everybody was so excited that that was happening. 893 00:42:36,821 --> 00:42:39,489 Now they're all going to know that it was all because of you. 894 00:42:40,825 --> 00:42:42,692 ♪ hanging on tight by a string ♪ 895 00:42:42,760 --> 00:42:46,428 You've lived with this your whole life. 896 00:42:46,498 --> 00:42:48,597 It's time for you to live your life. 897 00:42:48,667 --> 00:42:50,532 - Yes, ma'am. - Quit carrying this burden 898 00:42:50,534 --> 00:42:53,235 And this responsibility and this worry. 899 00:42:53,237 --> 00:42:54,370 Let it go to him. 900 00:42:54,372 --> 00:42:56,272 - My storm is over. - Good. 901 00:42:56,340 --> 00:42:58,474 My grandmother prayed. We pray. 902 00:42:58,476 --> 00:43:00,076 And our last prayers was 903 00:43:00,144 --> 00:43:03,946 If they will bring someone in on this case 904 00:43:04,014 --> 00:43:07,249 And that had fresh eyes and all that. 905 00:43:07,318 --> 00:43:08,684 And they brought detective-- 906 00:43:08,686 --> 00:43:10,319 God blessed us with detective andersen. 907 00:43:10,388 --> 00:43:12,455 I can't thank you enough, detective andersen. 908 00:43:13,691 --> 00:43:17,159 You have a friend in me for life, and I thank you. 909 00:43:17,228 --> 00:43:18,828 I love this end. I love this end. 910 00:43:18,896 --> 00:43:21,764 I'm not walking away crying. 911 00:43:21,833 --> 00:43:23,866 Thank you, detective andersen. 912 00:43:23,868 --> 00:43:25,968 It's because of joretha 913 00:43:26,036 --> 00:43:29,472 That we came to kankakee and got all this stirred up again 914 00:43:29,474 --> 00:43:32,275 And got her mom's murder case closer 915 00:43:32,343 --> 00:43:34,010 To being solved than ever. 916 00:43:41,485 --> 00:43:43,186 Joretha: Thank you.