The Path Went Chilly

April 13, 1986. Aurora, Missouri. The charred body of 79-year old Pauline Martz is found inside her burning home. Within days, Johnny Lee Wilson, a 20-year old local resident with a mental disability, confesses to the crime and is charged with murder, and after entering an Alford plea, he receives a life sentence. However, Johnny’s supporters argue that his confession was coerced by police and a convicted criminal named Chris Brownfield eventually claims that he and an accomplice were the real perpetrators of the crime. After serving nine years in prison, Johnny receives a pardon from the governor of Missouri and is finally released, but no one else is ever charged with Pauline Martz’s murder. For our next series on “The Path Went Chilly”, Jules and Robin discuss an horrific case of injustice which was featured as a “Final Appeal” segment on “Unsolved Mysteries”.

September 11, 2001. Tioga County, New York. 35-year old Michele Harris finishes her evening shift at her workplace, but never returns home. The following morning, Michele’s abandoned minivan is discovered on a road next to the driveway of her family’s rural property. Suspicion turns towards Michele’s estranged husband, Cal Harris, as the couple are in the midst of a heated divorce and tiny specks of blood are soon found inside their residence. Years later, Cal is charged with Michele’s murder and found guilty, but the case would undergo four trials and two overturned convictions while the defence points the finger at alternate suspects. Cal is finally acquitted of the crime in 2016, but Michele’s body is never found. Was Cal Harris actually responsible for his wife’s disappearance, or did someone else murder Michele? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” is one of the most convoluted cases we’ve ever covered, chronicling a disappearance which just happened to take place only 200 miles from New York City on one of the most infamous dates in history.


Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/4...

https://www.pressconnects.com/...

https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/24...

https://www.pressconnects.com/...

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

September 11, 2001. Tioga County, New York. 35-year old Michele Harris finishes her evening shift at her workplace, but never returns home. The following morning, Michele’s abandoned minivan is discovered on a road next to the driveway of her family’s rural property. Suspicion turns towards Michele’s estranged husband, Cal Harris, as the couple are in the midst of a heated divorce and tiny specks of blood are soon found inside their residence. Years later, Cal is charged with Michele’s murder and found guilty, but the case would undergo four trials and two overturned convictions while the defence points the finger at alternate suspects. Cal is finally acquitted of the crime in 2016, but Michele’s body is never found. Was Cal Harris actually responsible for his wife’s disappearance, or did someone else murder Michele? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” is one of the most convoluted cases we’ve ever covered, chronicling a disappearance which just happened to take place only 200 miles from New York City on one of the most infamous dates in history.


Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/michele-anne-harris

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/48-hours-presents-cal-harris-the-final-verdict/

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2016/05/27/cal-harris-timeline/85036744/

https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/24/us/cal-harris-murder-trial-verdict/index.html

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/crime/cal-harris/2017/02/14/cal-harris-accused-menacing-harassment-oneonta/97891914/

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

September 11, 2001. Tioga County, New York. 35-year old Michele Harris finishes her evening shift at her workplace, but never returns home. The following morning, Michele’s abandoned minivan is discovered on a road next to the driveway of her family’s rural property. Suspicion turns towards Michele’s estranged husband, Cal Harris, as the couple are in the midst of a heated divorce and tiny specks of blood are soon found inside their residence. Years later, Cal is charged with Michele’s murder and found guilty, but the case would undergo four trials and two overturned convictions while the defence points the finger at alternate suspects. Cal is finally acquitted of the crime in 2016, but Michele’s body is never found. Was Cal Harris actually responsible for his wife’s disappearance, or did someone else murder Michele? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” is one of the most convoluted cases we’ve ever covered, chronicling a disappearance which just happened to take place only 200 miles from New York City on one of the most infamous dates in history.


Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/michele-anne-harris

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/48-hours-presents-cal-harris-the-final-verdict/

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/local/2016/05/27/cal-harris-timeline/85036744/

https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/24/us/cal-harris-murder-trial-verdict/index.html

https://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/crime/cal-harris/2017/02/14/cal-harris-accused-menacing-harassment-oneonta/97891914/

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

December 20, 1984. Greeley, Colorado. After singing in a choir at a Christmas concert, 12-year old Jonelle Matthews is dropped off at her family’s residence by a friend. When Jonelle’s father returns home one hour later, he discovers that Jonelle is missing and the evidence indicates she was abducted by an intruder. In July 2019, a construction crew winds up excavating Jonelle’s skeletal remains in a remote area 15 miles outside of Greeley and it turns out she has been shot in the head. The authorities soon name a person of interest: Steve Pankey, a former Greeley resident who has constantly inserted himself into the investigation over the past three decades. In October 2020, Pankey is indicted for Jonelle’s murder, but since the evidence against him is very circumstantial, he winds up going on trial on two separate occasions before there is a resolution. On this series of episodes, “The Path Went Chilly” will be doing something a little different from the norm, as Jules and Robin discuss a case that has recently been solved and has a shocking and unlikely connection to Robin.

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

December 20, 1984. Greeley, Colorado. After singing in a choir at a Christmas concert, 12-year old Jonelle Matthews is dropped off at her family’s residence by a friend. When Jonelle’s father returns home one hour later, he discovers that Jonelle is missing and the evidence indicates she was abducted by an intruder. In July 2019, a construction crew winds up excavating Jonelle’s skeletal remains in a remote area 15 miles outside of Greeley and it turns out she has been shot in the head. The authorities soon name a person of interest: Steve Pankey, a former Greeley resident who has constantly inserted himself into the investigation over the past three decades. In October 2020, Pankey is indicted for Jonelle’s murder, but since the evidence against him is very circumstantial, he winds up going on trial on two separate occasions before there is a resolution. On this series of episodes, “The Path Went Chilly” will be doing something a little different from the norm, as Jules and Robin discuss a case that has recently been solved and has a shocking and unlikely connection to Robin.

patreon.com/julesandashley

patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

August 4, 1981. Toledo, Ohio. 20-year old Cindy Anderson shows up for her job as a legal secretary at a law firm. Later that morning, Cindy’s co-workers arrive at the locked office and are surprised to discover that she has vanished. A romance novel is lying on Cindy’s desk and is open to a page describing a scene where a woman is abducted. This would only be one of many bizarre clues in a missing persons case which includes some haunting graffiti, a pair of chilling anonymous phone calls describing Cindy’s abduction, and a drug trafficking ring involving one of the lawyers at the firm. In this week’s episode of “The path went chilly”, we chronicle the baffling unsolved disappearance of Cindy Anderson.



Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

http://www.unsolved.com/gallery/cynthia-anderson/

http://charleyproject.org/case/cynthia-jane-anderson

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2011/08/04/Woman-s-disappearance-a-mystery-after-30-years.html

August 4, 1981. Toledo, Ohio. 20-year old Cindy Anderson shows up for her job as a legal secretary at a law firm. Later that morning, Cindy’s co-workers arrive at the locked office and are surprised to discover that she has vanished. A romance novel is lying on Cindy’s desk and is open to a page describing a scene where a woman is abducted. This would only be one of many bizarre clues in a missing persons case which includes some haunting graffiti, a pair of chilling anonymous phone calls describing Cindy’s abduction, and a drug trafficking ring involving one of the lawyers at the firm. In this week’s episode of “The path went chilly”, we chronicle the baffling unsolved disappearance of Cindy Anderson.



Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

http://www.unsolved.com/gallery/cynthia-anderson/

http://charleyproject.org/case/cynthia-jane-anderson

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2011/08/04/Woman-s-disappearance-a-mystery-after-30-years.html

January 12, 1984. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Seven-year old Gary Grant Jr., the son of a local police detective, leaves his home after telling his mother he is meeting someone for an appointment. Two days later, Gary’s body is discovered in a vacant lot after he has been bludgeoned to death with a pipe. A 12-year old friend of Gary’s named Carl “Boo” Mason soon confesses to the murder and is charged with the crime, but since Boo has a mental disability and a low IQ, his confession is thrown out and the charges are dropped. Over the next three decades, Gary’s father would be taunted by cryptic graffiti and also uncover a recording of an anonymous 911 caller confessing to the crime. Was Boo Mason involved in the murder of Gary Grant Jr. or was someone else responsible? On this week’s episode of “The The Path Went Chilly”, we examine the incredibly tragic unsolved murder of a police officer’s son.



Additional Reading:

https://unsolved.com/gallery/gary-grant-jr/

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/audiotape-offers-clue-in-gary-grant-jr-s-atlantic-city/article_284556fe-adc6-11e5-b17b-7b445d3715ea.html

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/retired-a-c-officer-goes-online-to-find-son-s/article_a8b09dfc-93c8-5552-a1ce-bd7d2d5887f6.html

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/30/long-forgotten-tape-could-provide-clue-in-1984-cold-case-murder-new-jersey-boy.html

January 12, 1984. Atlantic City, New Jersey. Seven-year old Gary Grant Jr., the son of a local police detective, leaves his home after telling his mother he is meeting someone for an appointment. Two days later, Gary’s body is discovered in a vacant lot after he has been bludgeoned to death with a pipe. A 12-year old friend of Gary’s named Carl “Boo” Mason soon confesses to the murder and is charged with the crime, but since Boo has a mental disability and a low IQ, his confession is thrown out and the charges are dropped. Over the next three decades, Gary’s father would be taunted by cryptic graffiti and also uncover a recording of an anonymous 911 caller confessing to the crime. Was Boo Mason involved in the murder of Gary Grant Jr. or was someone else responsible? On this week’s episode of “The The Path Went Chilly”, we examine the incredibly tragic unsolved murder of a police officer’s son.



Additional Reading:

https://unsolved.com/gallery/gary-grant-jr/

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/audiotape-offers-clue-in-gary-grant-jr-s-atlantic-city/article_284556fe-adc6-11e5-b17b-7b445d3715ea.html

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/retired-a-c-officer-goes-online-to-find-son-s/article_a8b09dfc-93c8-5552-a1ce-bd7d2d5887f6.html

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/30/long-forgotten-tape-could-provide-clue-in-1984-cold-case-murder-new-jersey-boy.html