DEFROST

...or is it only beginning? 

Behan & Smith were assisted by Detective Clif Barlow and Officer Katlynn Slonaker, who journeyed to Maryland to talk to a named suspect in the cold case homicide of Lenna Robinson. Then an unexpected phone call left our hosts in shock. 

The podcast may be over for now - but Lenna, we will continue to search for answers, and we are determined to bring your family peace and justice. 

Behan & Smith tracked down a possible witness in the Robinson case in Fort Worth Texas. Strangely, at the time of their call, the Fort Worth detectives were working a cold case homicide from 1974. That case ended in an arrest, and Behan & Smith hope for the same outcome and justice for Lenna Robinson. Don't miss this emotional penultimate episode. 

At sometime in the few weeks before Thanksgiving 1975, Lenna Robinson jotted down a poetic and eerily prophetic note describing what she was thankful for. Little did she know, she would not live to see Thanksgiving that year. Hear these words spoken to life in the first couple minutes of this episode, and stay engaged for an intriguing interview with a potential witness. Behan & Smith are ever closer to thawing out this cold case in this can't-miss episode packed with important details.  

DISCLAIMER: Names have been changed and voices have been altered to protect the identities of potential witnesses. This episode contains content that some listeners may find upsetting, so listener discretion is advised. 

Behan & Smith have conducted various interviews in the past few weeks and attempted to track down potential witnesses listed in the case file. Those interviews have led them places that they didn't expect. 

The cold case homicide of Lenna Robinson has taken an insane turn, and there are many more curves ahead. This is a can't-miss episode in the series! Be sure to listen all the way until the end for an exclusive interview clip. 

You won't want to miss this installment of DEFROST. First, we wish a "Happy Birthday" to Lenna Robinson, born on July 11, 1904. 

Remember that tall stack of suspect information pulled together by Crime Analyst Melodie Repass? Lt. Behan and Detective Smith have narrowed down the pile and reconcile the reports with their gut feelings about which suspects may have been responsible.  

By the end of the episode, Behan & Smith decide it's time to hit the road in search of answers. 

LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED: This episode contains details about the victim's autopsy report that some listeners may find upsetting.

71-year old Winchester resident Lenna Robinson was found outside her Peyton Street apartment with a head wound described by medical personnel as "squash-like." She would succumb to that head injury just days later. What was the weapon that ended her life? And who wielded that weapon? Retired WPD Detective Craig Smith dove into Lenna's autopsy report in search of clues while WPD Crime Analyst Melodie Repass delivered a stack of suspect information compiled from a modern database to the Defrost team.

451 North Cameron Street

Winchester, VA 22601 

Trying to find that address? We'll save you the trouble - it technically doesn't exist anymore. But it did in 1976 - and that's where the slain Lenna Robinson's stolen purse was located three months after she was assaulted and robbed. 

In this episode, our hosts Lt. Amanda Behan and retired Detective Craig Smith of the Winchester Police Department are joined in the studio by the City of Winchester's Planning Director Tim Youmans to discuss the known history of the address where Lenna's purse was found. Hear Behan & Smith theorize how the purse ended up at that address, plus Craig's take on today's forensic processes versus the processes of yesteryear. 

The murder of Lenna Robinson on November 11, 1975 didn't make local newspaper headlines. The Winchester Evening Star did, however, feature a small article in one of its editions that would help lead to the discovery of a key piece of evidence in the investigation. That piece of evidence still exists in the Winchester Police Department's Property & Evidence room and was recently uncovered. Will it help Behan & Smith solve the case today?  

Don't miss this DEFROST episode 2 teaser - in it, you'll hear a snippet of audio from one of our next guests who helped Behan & Smith research the case. Plus, you'll find out what evidence still exists and why the number "11" is so important to the DEFROST crew. 

Episode 1: D-002188

On November 11, 1975, a crime that would remain unsolved for 45 years was committed in a quiet neighborhood of Winchester, Virginia. Join Lt. Amanda Behan and retired Detective Craig Smith as they delve into a binder marked D-002188 HOMICIDE. 

Citations: 

Virginia Woolen Mill: https://historicalmarkerproject.com/markers/HM1T8L_the-virginia-woolen-company-and-lewis-jones-knitting-mill-historical_Winchester-VA.html