I'm sure most of you have seen the "update" which showed a videotape of a New Kids on the Block concert in which it was believed that Kari Lynn Nixon can be spotted in the audience. Of course, we now know that the girl in the audience could not have possibly been Kari Lynn Nixon since Robert Jones confessed to her murder in 1994 and led police to her buried remains. A few questions though...

Did this update make it to Lifetime? It's obvious that it wouldn't have been shown in recent years, but consider this: Lifetime began showing reruns of UM in 1992 sometime. Jones confessed in January of 1994. So, for a period of time (probably a little over a year), Nixon's fate was still a mystery when Lifetime began showing UM. Which leads to my second question...

Did anyone ever come forward to identify the girl in the video?

Finally - and this may be a good candidate for a "WTF moment" - but who "found" her in the audience anyway? Were her parents New Kids fans? Did some New Kids fans who happened to also be UM fans "find" her?

very curious...

one more question...does anyone recall what concert video this was? I'm not a New Kids fan by any stretch but it might be interesting to find this video for the "collection".

Well I can answer your first question for you. Unless the update aired independently on "Lifetime" from the original segment (which is a possibility since thats the way it aired on NBC) it WAS NOT broadcasted ever on Lifetime. I am 100% sure of that because the Keri Lynn Nixon segment I first saw on Lifetime in 1992 and it scared the crap out of me and there was no update at that time. I had forgotten about the writer from Flint, Michigan who sent the letters to the UM people but when I saw the original broadcast again a few years ago via a tape trade I remembered seeing that on Lifetime back in the early 90s.

So here is what happened - once Nixon was found they obviously cut the update about Robert Anthony Jones into the original segment (Stack is neither in the same room nor in the same dress so its a rather obvious edit) and then the original update about the letter writer in Flint, Michigan was never seen again. The "odd segment out" here is the NKOTB update which I don't believe ever was attached to the original segment on Lifetime.

As for the song title - I'm not a New Kids fan either but judging by the lyrics and the type of songs these bands write I wouldn't be surprised if it was called "My Favorite Girl"...crystaldawn might know more, she was a totally stoned gone NKOTB fan back in the early 90s.

Well I can answer your first question for you. Unless the update aired independently on "Lifetime" from the original segment (which is a possibility since thats the way it aired on NBC) it WAS NOT broadcasted ever on Lifetime.

Old age may be creeping up on me but I really want to say this mis-identification was cleared up before UM was syndicated on Lifetime. So, either the girl came forward, or someone recognized her, and I thought I remembered a report to that effect (hence the question) but it could just be a false memory.


I had forgotten about the writer from Flint, Michigan who sent the letters to the UM people but when I saw the original broadcast again a few years ago via a tape trade I remembered seeing that on Lifetime back in the early 90s.


Yeah, that was strange. I wonder if Jones could have written those letters to throw off the authorities. Of course, it could have just been a "kook" (probably more likely).


So here is what happened - once Nixon was found they obviously cut the update about Robert Anthony Jones into the original segment (Stack is neither in the same room nor in the same dress so its a rather obvious edit)


Really? I thought the update was just an RS voice over with a long freeze frame on Jones' mugshot. Again, I may be mis-remembering.

I don't think anything was changed on this segment on Lifetime until Nixon's remains were found. It might have been but there was no "alternate update" where they clipped that Flint, Michigan thing before Nixon was found. After Nixon was found that was gone. In the update about Robert Anthony Jones Stack can been seen standing in what looks like a study of some sort while in the original segment he's in the dark hall that was used for many segments including Kathy Hobbs and the Gail DeLano update.

Whomever wrote those letters obviously put some time into them. I mean yeah a prank is one thing but to do it twice and handwriting experts confirmed it was the same author...I dunno someone was certainly fixated on this case.

I don't think anything was changed on this segment on Lifetime until Nixon's remains were found. It might have been but there was no "alternate update" where they clipped that Flint, Michigan thing before Nixon was found. After Nixon was found that was gone.

Oh yeah, I agree with that. I doubt they changed anything on Lifetime until after she was found. I was just wondering if perhaps there was an update in the NBC days saying that the girl in the NKOTB video had been positively identified as someone other than Nixon.

If the NKOTB bit never made it to Lifetime at all, than I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that this mis-identification issue was cleared before Lifetime acquired the series, yet before Jones confessed and Nixon's remains found.


Whomever wrote those letters obviously put some time into them. I mean yeah a prank is one thing but to do it twice and handwriting experts confirmed it was the same author...I dunno someone was certainly fixated on this case.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't a letter sent to UM before the story was broadcast? If so, whoever wrote them must have known UM was going to profile the case in the near future. I'm not sure how UM was with public relations back then, but this is weird that someone had this knowledge in advance.

On the other hand, the Circleville Writer knew before the broadcast that UM was doing a story on him/her, so who knows.

As for the name of the NKOTB video...it's called "Hangin' Tough". I was a HUGE New Kids fan during that time and I used to have this video, I watched that video over & over again. Looking back on it, I remember seeing that girl with the hat in the video.

I'm not sure how Keri's parents came across this video, maybe a relative or friend of theirs owned the video and brought it to their attention. Or maybe the Keri's parents have other daughters & they happened to be New Kids fans. That's my guess.

As for the name of the NKOTB video...it's called "Hangin' Tough". I was a HUGE New Kids fan during that time and I used to have this video, I watched that video over & over again. Looking back on it, I remember seeing that girl with the hat in the video.

Thanks.

It even has an IMDB entry... :)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192105/

Yes, that was a very popular video at the time.

It does seem in a lot of these cases that the most unlikely sightings get taken highly seriously and hopes get built up beyond what they should- with the family and witnesses saying for sure it is that person, but imagine having to keep watching New Kids over and over just to try to see a face- certainly one for the mute button.

I was wondering after recently watching this update...do you think the girl in the NKOTB video could be the same one that was seen in Eutawville and the same one that woman swears she had seen at the campground? That would be a logical reason why all those people, nowhere near where Keri came from, claimed to have seen her. The older lady seemed pretty credible to me and I'm sure girls from all over the US could have been at that concert. Just a thought...what does everyone else think?

I was wondering after recently watching this update...do you think the girl in the NKOTB video could be the same one that was seen in Eutawville and the same one that woman swears she had seen at the campground? That would be a logical reason why all those people, nowhere near where Keri came from, claimed to have seen her. The older lady seemed pretty credible to me and I'm sure girls from all over the US could have been at that concert. Just a thought...what does everyone else think?

Well, after reading Sheila Kimmell's book and watching the Lil miss segment, Gail Delano and many others, I've realized eyewitness reports are not as reliable as you would hope :(.

I think that South Carolina woman really wanted to believe she had seen Keri, so she made up her mind - she HAD seen her! I think that's quite common and very human to act that way. For example, look at the Tara Calico segment, Michael Henley's mother wanted so desperatly for that boy on the photo to be her son to the point she actually convinced herself it was him, but now we all know she was wrong.

Werent those letters that anonymous writer in Flint, Michigan were sending very cryptic? I remember reading somewhere that someone said the letters were creepy but I dont know how they would know that. It does seem creepy though some anonymous person would send three different letters to UM about this case.

Well, I think the woman did seem credible, I think she did genuinely believe she saw Kari, but she didnt of course. Somehow these kids found out about Kari being missing and decided to pull a prank and then when the cops went asking around suddenly the 12 year old girl that was with "Kari" develops a "memory lapse" and cant recall the incident.

I think the 12 year old girl and a friend of hers were pulling a prank there in South Carolina and didnt think it would get that big. That also tells me the person in Flint was either in South Carolina when this was all going on or knew the people in South Carolina or something.

If I remember right, didn't the lady at the campground say the girl said her name was "Kari Lynn Nixon"? If that's true, the lady is either a REALLY bad witness or it was a prank.

I may be recalling that wrong, but I swore the girl said that was her name to the witness.

And I agree: Eyewitness accounts are far from accurate many times. Hard to know if people see what they think/want to see, or if they are just making it up to sound important. :confused:




Edit: "Counts" fixed to "accounts."

If I remember right, didn't the lady at the campground say the girl said her name was "Kari Lynn Nixon"? If that's true, the lady is either a REALLY bad witness or it was a prank.

I may be recalling that wrong, but I swore the girl said that was her name to the witness.

And I agree: Eyewitness counts are far from accurate many times. Hard to know if people see what they think/want to see, or if they are just making it up to sound important. :confused:

I agree. The other possibility they were mulling around (besides foul play) was willful disappearance, so I doubt Keri (Kari?) would have voluntarily mentioned her name like that. It could have been traced.

So here is what happened - once Nixon was found they obviously cut the update about Robert Anthony Jones into the original segment (Stack is neither in the same room nor in the same dress so its a rather obvious edit) and then the original update about the letter writer in Flint, Michigan was never seen again. The "odd segment out" here is the NKOTB update which I don't believe ever was attached to the original segment on Lifetime.

Is the Stack update about Robert Anthony Jones still around? The only update I saw was a text update.

Since they determined it was not Kari, I've been wondering exactly who the mystery girl was in the video and if she ever came forward. As well as I can remember, she had not.

Is the Stack update about Robert Anthony Jones still around? The only update I saw was a text update.

In so much that the Robert Stack broadcasts are no longer syndicated on "Lifetime", that update is as lost to time as the rest of the Stack broadcasts.

That girl was such a ringer. Hair, piercing, face. Just wow. It's really too bad because the family's hopes got up and dashed

Since they determined it was not Kari, I've been wondering exactly who the mystery girl was in the video and if she ever came forward. As well as I can remember, she had not.

I knew that I had read that LE had found the other girl before and I'm happy I found my source again since it is an "official" source:

http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=5707579

Like the disappearance and presumed murder of Sara Anne Wood of Herkimer County, like the case of missing University at Albany student Karen Wilson, Kari Lynn Nixon's disappearance had triggered a high-profile national search. Her case has been featured twice on the television program "Unsolved Mysteries." At one point, state troopers checked out a tip that she was spotted in a music video by the band New Kids on The Block. Police interviewed all the members of the band as well the band's crew, and eventually found the girl in the video was a Kari Lynn Nixon lookalike who lived in California.

I knew that I had read that LE had found the other girl before and I'm happy I found my source again since it is an "official" source:

http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=5707579
That article made my stomach turn, particularly when the burial site and cabin were mentioned. Jones is a sick, sick human being. He should never walk the streets again.

That article made my stomach turn, particularly when the burial site and cabin were mentioned. Jones is a sick, sick human being. He should never walk the streets again.

I agree. I find this part to be particularly disturbing:

Officials said Jones had taken his wife and children to the area of the grave every year for a picnic and he would check to see if the grave had been disturbed. The cabin where Kari Lynn Nixon was raped, apparently in the hours immediately following her abduction, has since burned to the ground, officials said.

Thankfully, Jones was denied parole last September:

http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x397274771/Parole-denied-for-Kari-Lynn-Nixon-killer

I agree. I find this part to be particularly disturbing:



Thankfully, Jones was denied parole last September:

http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x397274771/Parole-denied-for-Kari-Lynn-Nixon-killer

Jones is...a number of expletives I can't write here. He didn't just kill a girl, he raped and tortured her for hours and blames it on being mad at his wife? :mad: All he has to say in response to the victim's fear is "no doubt"? Makes me so angry. The picnicking is also just brutal to hear about. No true remorse from this guy; he just wanted parole. I would honestly be surprised if he didn't commit violence against another person in the seven years he was free. I have to wonder if he raped or killed at all in that time and just did a good job covering it up.

Thankfully, this parole board had the sanity and good sense to keep this threat in prison.

I didn't see this case until after it was resolved, but I've always been intrigued by the NKOTB video "sighting" that turned out to be false.

I watched the "Hangin' Tough" video (not an easy undertaking for yours truly, trust me!) a few times and captured these stills. Does anyone who saw the update know which one was mistakenly identified as Kari Lynn? Or did I miss her?

None of those girls. Check the "bad site" and you will find the update on there. The girl is a dead ringer. I can't blame the parents for being swayed.

None of those girls. Check the "bad site" and you will find the update on there. The girl is a dead ringer. I can't blame the parents for being swayed.

What was really spooky was that the authorities were able to enhance the video captures of the NKOTB video to where they were able to determine that the mystery girl had a number of earrings in her left ear I believe, a style that Kari herself preferred. So that had her parents even more convinced that it was their daughter in the music video.

You really have to feel for the Nixon family. This was one case that although we now know the outcome of, for years it remained unsolved and there was a very real possibility given some of the misidentification of girls believed to be Kari during those years that the Nixons may have come to believe their daughter had run away.

Obviously nobody wants to learn that their child had been murdered but the years in between Kari's abduction and identification of her remains had to be a harrowing time as well. Someone else mentioned the possibility of Robert Anthony Jones being the anonymous writer from Flint, Michigan and I too have wondered about that. In addition I've wondered whether or not Shirley Kannapel was just herself suffering from a memory lapse as to her encounter with the girl at the campgrounds or whether or not some kids who had seen Kari's poster in the Eutaville area were playing a cruel prank? I guess we'll never know the answer to that either.

Anyhow in regards to the NKOTB video I'm glad that the Nixons were able to get closure on that so they didn't waste too much time wondering if their daughter had run away to California. I remember in the UM segment one of the investigators mentioning that Kari had a preference to live in California so I'm sure at the time that NKOTB lead surfaced, it was probably taken as a pretty viable lead.

She's the girl with white cap on and she DOES look very much like Kari.

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/KNix1.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/KNix2.jpg

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad64/andy80_bucket/KNix3.jpg

I guess she did come forward after all...but this is a sad case.

I just happened to see the Nightmare Next Door episode on this case and ran to the board to see if this had been discussed. I have never commented on this case but after the update of her possibly being at a NKOTB concert, I thought for sure she was alive. The girl in the crowd looked exactly like Kari Lynn!

I guess she did come forward after all...but this is a sad case.

Who came forward after all?

Who came forward after all?

There was a newspaper article online that indicated the girl in the NKOTB video was identified. It was very shortly after the UM segment aired in November 1990. In fact, it might have even been that same month.

That being the case, I now suspect the UM update from 11/90 never made it into syndication in any form.

There was a newspaper article online that indicated the girl in the NKOTB video was identified. It was very shortly after the UM segment aired in November 1990. In fact, it might have even been that same month.

That being the case, I now suspect the UM update from 11/90 never made it into syndication in any form.

Thanks Justin. I never saw that update or knew that the girl at the concert was identified.

Of all the composite look a likes or possible sightings in the history of Unsolved Mysteries, I thought this one was the most credible when I first saw it.

Thanks Justin. I never saw that update or knew that the girl at the concert was identified.

Of all the composite look a likes or possible sightings in the history of Unsolved Mysteries, I thought this one was the most credible when I first saw it.

One of the things that was most striking to me was how much Kari's mom aged between the two shows in 89 and 90. I don't mean that in a negative or mean-spirited way. I can only imagine the grief and worries took their toll and that was why her appearance changed as markedly as it did.

The girl from the video looked ridiculously like Kari Lynn Nixon, not hard to see why even the parents were confused.

The girl from the video looked ridiculously like Kari Lynn Nixon, not hard to see why even the parents were confused.


Completely agree. That girl looked exactly like her.

On a related note, I had a cousin who always refused to watch UM because it was too scary, but was a HUGE New Kids on the Block fan and decided to tune in to this particular episode just to see them. She was amazed that UM could even make a NKOTB video eerie.

Random thought triggered by the above post. Having been involved in VHS and DVDR trading for several years now I know there are subgroups of traders who deal heavily in concerts and music videos. I have seen the NKOTB appearance from UM on quite a few lists. Of course, that is usually the only UM related content such traders have.

That girl looked so much like Kari. I know in my heart it is her. You don't suppose she was in that video and then killed by that Jones guy?

That girl looked so much like Kari. I know in my heart it is her. You don't suppose she was in that video and then killed by that Jones guy?

You mean, dragged halfway across the country to a concert in Los Angeles then dragged back to her own neighborhood, raped, murdered and buried within a few miles from where she originally disappeared? Yes, I'd say that is extremely unlikely.

That girl looked so much like Kari. I know in my heart it is her. You don't suppose she was in that video and then killed by that Jones guy?

I'm pretty sure Jones confessed to killing Kari on the night she disappeared.

Not to mention the girl in the NKOTB video was eventually traced.

Completely agree. That girl looked exactly like her.

I have no idea where it is now but a couple years ago, I watched a video on the forbidden site where that girl was interviewed (it was only about a minute or two long) and she looks amazingly like the real Kari.

The fact that this girl was eventually located speaks to surprisingly good investigative work by police. But Unsolved Mysteries chose never to give another update to state that the girl was not Kari. Instead, they must have decided to no longer air the NKOTB update because I don't recall seeing it on Lifetime. Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong.

The fact that this girl was eventually located speaks to surprisingly good investigative work by police. But Unsolved Mysteries chose never to give another update to state that the girl was not Kari. Instead, they must have decided to no longer air the NKOTB update because I don't recall seeing it on Lifetime. Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong.

To the best of my knowledge, that update never made it to Lifetime. It was replaced with the Dan Wilson story in repeats on Lifetime back in the day.

I have no idea where it is now but a couple years ago, I watched a video on the forbidden site where that girl was interviewed (it was only about a minute or two long) and she looks amazingly like the real Kari.

The fact that this girl was eventually located speaks to surprisingly good investigative work by police. But Unsolved Mysteries chose never to give another update to state that the girl was not Kari. Instead, they must have decided to no longer air the NKOTB update because I don't recall seeing it on Lifetime. Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong.

I would love to see that update. I agree. Excellent police work done in that segment.

I agree. The girl DID look a lot like Keri. How heartwrenching for the parents to have a glimmer of hope that she may be out there... only to find that she had been deceased the entire time they were looking.

I guess it's true what they say: Everyone has a doppelganger.

Didn't they show an interview with the look-a-like on another show? I don't think it was UM. Nightmare next door perhaps?

Didn't they show an interview with the look-a-like on another show? I don't think it was UM. Nightmare next door perhaps?

That's what I was talking about. It wasn't UM, but some news feature covering the story in the early 90's. Kari was still considered a missing person at the time. It was pretty amazing. At a blurry distance, she already looked like Kari. But during that interview, she looks like she could have been her twin. Same facial features, same hair color and hair length, same age group (I believe the girl was a year older than Kari) same number of piercings in her ears.

It might still be on the forbidden site.

Nightmare Next Door was a very recent, like within the last couple years.

But Unsolved Mysteries chose never to give another update to state that the girl was not Kari. Instead, they must have decided to no longer air the NKOTB update because I don't recall seeing it on Lifetime. Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong.

The cynic in me wonders if they never re-aired NKOTB because it would have involved paying royalties every time they showed footage from the music video.

That's what I was talking about. It wasn't UM, but some news feature covering the story in the early 90's. Kari was still considered a missing person at the time. It was pretty amazing. At a blurry distance, she already looked like Kari. But during that interview, she looks like she could have been her twin. Same facial features, same hair color and hair length, same age group (I believe the girl was a year older than Kari) same number of piercings in her ears.

It might still be on the forbidden site.

Nightmare Next Door was a very recent, like within the last couple years.
You are right. I rewatched the Nightmare next door and it wasn't there. I remember seeing it as well. Kari's mother mentioned that the girl was from Washington.

The cynic in me wonders if they never re-aired NKOTB because it would have involved paying royalties every time they showed footage from the music video.

OMG. I wish these boards had a "like" button we could push. I have totally thought the same thing with regard to NKOTB. I kinda got the sense that UM only really featured them as an attempt to possibly pull in viewers. Granted, the alleged sighting was pretty noteworthy, but I didn't think it was necessary for the Knight brothers to make a personal plea to Keri.

Good PR for them, though.

OMG. I wish these boards had a "like" button we could push. I have totally thought the same thing with regard to NKOTB. I kinda got the sense that UM only really featured them as an attempt to possibly pull in viewers. Granted, the alleged sighting was pretty noteworthy, but I didn't think it was necessary for the Knight brothers to make a personal plea to Keri.

Good PR for them, though.

Wow...surely even the greediest grinch of an 80's record exec couldn't have been sitting there saying "we need to get some cash outta Unsolved Mysteries for tryin to find this dame on our dime!" <-- yes that's how I imagine those guys talk. I bet it was Tommy Matolla in charge at the time.

There was an Inside Edition segment about Kari Lynn's disappearance in 1991 where they interviewed the girl from the NKOTB video. Up close, she does not look very much like Kari, in my opinion.

Here is that segment: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf14xh_inside-edition-kari-nixon_shortfilms

Great find! Thank you.

There was an Inside Edition segment about Kari Lynn's disappearance in 1991 where they interviewed the girl from the NKOTB video. Up close, she does not look very much like Kari, in my opinion.

Here is that segment: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf14xh_inside-edition-kari-nixon_shortfilms

Wow!! Awesome find!

Great find! Thank you.


no problem

Her father said at about 2:13 in the video that when he woke up in the morning and she wasn't there, he had a gut feeling that "somebody picked her up and did something to her". Unfortunately, his gut feeling was correct.

I would say she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but there's no such thing as long as people don't decide to be scumbags and do such horrendous things to another. There was no reason whatsoever for that Robert Jones guy to abduct, rape, and murder her. He just decided for some reason that he wanted to do that.

I believe in the death penalty being made for people like him when all of the evidence (in this case a confession where he led authorities to his burial site for her as part of a plea bargain) is against them. I get sick and tired of finding out about people doing stuff like this just because they want to do it. Kill them and get them out of the world. If the executions happen often enough to those where all of the evidence points to them (i.e. substantial DNA, confession, etc.), maybe some of these sub-humans will have second thoughts about doing things like this.

I know there are some that will say, "that's being just as bad as they are" or something to that effect. You are probably correct BUT I don't think some people are willing to accept that there are other criminals in the world like this and nothing you say or do (peace is the answer and/or spare them by taking the moral high-road) is going to change them. People always think that they can "fix" or "rehabilitate" people like this. For most of them, you simply can't! IMO, people need to learn how to accept that.

Okay, I'm done ranting. Cases like this with perps like this just tick me off to the point where I don't think they should be spared in any way.

OMG. I wish these boards had a "like" button we could push. I have totally thought the same thing with regard to NKOTB. I kinda got the sense that UM only really featured them as an attempt to possibly pull in viewers. Granted, the alleged sighting was pretty noteworthy, but I didn't think it was necessary for the Knight brothers to make a personal plea to Keri.

Good PR for them, though.

Just saw The Nightmare Next Door segment on Kari. It mentioned the case being on a national TV program, and said her family was sure they recognized her in concert footage of a boy group but did not name the show or the group. The concert footage was a recreation of some kids in dim light as if at a concert, with no recognizable music playing.

I had not realized the Unsolved Mysteries appearance brought in 600 tips! As for that woman who claimed Kari introduced herself by name, I always thought she was delusional/faking, but wonder if it was ever looked into, whether some runaway looked at missing child posters and chose a name to use! ohno:

There was no reason whatsoever for that Robert Jones guy to abduct, rape, and murder her. He just decided for some reason that he wanted to do that.

Unbelievably, according to the Nightmare Next Door program, the reason he gave was he thought his wife was cheating and decided to take it out on someone! He confessed years later only because he and his wife were wanted for bank robbery and he figured if he copped to the murder he could get his wife off jail time. After many leads resulting in dead ends, the case was completely cold and would never have been solved otherwise. So wrong in so many ways!

There was an Inside Edition segment about Kari Lynn's disappearance in 1991 where they interviewed the girl from the NKOTB video. Up close, she does not look very much like Kari, in my opinion.

Here is that segment: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xf14xh_inside-edition-kari-nixon_shortfilms

Yeah, and if she had been Kari, what was a girl with amnesia doing running around at a concert and if she didn't have amnesia why would she not call home?

just an all around sad case. this case also proves that eye witness and reported sightings of missing people have to be taken with a grain of salt. how many times have we seen witnesses claim to be 100% sure of something only to be completely wrong? I know the NKOB is the main part everyone remembers, but wasn't there a sighting at a park on the mid east coast somewhere too?

no problem

Her father said at about 2:13 in the video that when he woke up in the morning and she wasn't there, he had a gut feeling that "somebody picked her up and did something to her". Unfortunately, his gut feeling was correct.

I would say she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, but there's no such thing as long as people don't decide to be scumbags and do such horrendous things to another. There was no reason whatsoever for that Robert Jones guy to abduct, rape, and murder her. He just decided for some reason that he wanted to do that.

I believe in the death penalty being made for people like him when all of the evidence (in this case a confession where he led authorities to his burial site for her as part of a plea bargain) is against them. I get sick and tired of finding out about people doing stuff like this just because they want to do it. Kill them and get them out of the world. If the executions happen often enough to those where all of the evidence points to them (i.e. substantial DNA, confession, etc.), maybe some of these sub-humans will have second thoughts about doing things like this.

I know there are some that will say, "that's being just as bad as they are" or something to that effect. You are probably correct BUT I don't think some people are willing to accept that there are other criminals in the world like this and nothing you say or do (peace is the answer and/or spare them by taking the moral high-road) is going to change them. People always think that they can "fix" or "rehabilitate" people like this. For most of them, you simply can't! IMO, people need to learn how to accept that.

Okay, I'm done ranting. Cases like this with perps like this just tick me off to the point where I don't think they should be spared in any way.i totally understand your frustration. The death penalty is a tough topic. Certainly I'm for it in same cases but against it in others. What I will say is that if someone is low enough to take another human life they have to be ready to face the consequences of their actions!

This is not geared towards you in any way your post just got me thinking. I feel like no matter what we do you will always have that small sector of folks that just can't be reached. They don't value life for anyone out there maybe not even themselves. What can we do? The justice system..It's not perfect and in some ways it's a struggle because we all see things differently, but there are a lot of good people in this country that work long hours toward getting justice for victims and doing their best to prevent violent crime. aside from putting them on blast for the few times they mess up we should also thank and support them for all the good things they've done! It seems like we sort of take them for granted and only bring them up when something goes wrong. For the most part IIRC..Unsolved mysteries was always fair to show the good, the bad, and the questionable...

just an all around sad case. this case also proves that eye witness and reported sightings of missing people have to be taken with a grain of salt. how many times have we seen witnesses claim to be 100% sure of something only to be completely wrong? I know the NKOB is the main part everyone remembers, but wasn't there a sighting at a park on the mid east coast somewhere too?

I mentioned above they received over 600 tips following just the one TV segment.

I mentioned above they received over 600 tips following just the one TV segment.
Yeah. I feel like UM interviewed two women that claimed they met her at a park? I can't remember if it was in the original Seg or the update.

"This is not geared towards you in any way your post just got me thinking. I feel like no matter what we do you will always have that small sector of folks that just can't be reached. They don't value life for anyone out there maybe not even themselves. What can we do? The justice system..It's not perfect and in some ways it's a struggle because we all see things differently, but there are a lot of good people in this country that work long hours toward getting justice for victims and doing their best to prevent violent crime."

exactly

In this case, after Robert Jones confessed, he kept making excuses for doing what he did. There IS no excuse. He did it because he wanted to do it. I hope he dies in prison, since he got off the death penalty hook with the plea bargain.

"This is not geared towards you in any way your post just got me thinking. I feel like no matter what we do you will always have that small sector of folks that just can't be reached. They don't value life for anyone out there maybe not even themselves. What can we do? The justice system..It's not perfect and in some ways it's a struggle because we all see things differently, but there are a lot of good people in this country that work long hours toward getting justice for victims and doing their best to prevent violent crime."

exactly

In this case, after Robert Jones confessed, he kept making excuses for doing what he did. There IS no excuse. He did it because he wanted to do it. I hope he dies in prison, since he got off the death penalty hook with the plea bargain.
Yeah what gets me are the people that kill and get released like Kenneth mcduff. I'm all for second chances but the person that was killed doesn't get a second chance and there is always the risk they will kill again. Obviously not every case is the same. People that kill in cold blood need to be punished to the highest extent that will impact them the worst.

To the best of my knowledge, that update never made it to Lifetime. It was replaced with the Dan Wilson story in repeats on Lifetime back in the day.
I caught this on Lifetime this week and was really surprised to see the video. I don't recall ever seeing the video in the past but vividly remember when they showed the girl using her name to introduce herself. I imagine I only saw one of the earliest airings on NBC before the video clue came up.

Yet it was interesting that the Dennis Farina version of the Kari Lynn Nixon segment DID reinstate the N.K.O.T.B. update (unlike the Stack reruns on Lifetime), but were obviously able to state the girl at the concert was not her. I also just watched the Inside Edition interview with Lynette Melancon/"Doppelganger Kari", which was a great find! As much as she may have looked like her from afar, I didn't really see much of a major resemblance between her, and the real Kari from up close. I also still wonder how the old woman in South Carolina was so adamant that she saw Kari there, which obviously could not have been possible?

That, unless she was somehow lying, but am not sure what she'd have to gain from doing so in anyway, nor did she seem like the type of person who'd knowingly do such a thing, or so I hope. Wasn't the first time this was the case on U.M. though, since people claimed they saw Matthew Chase and Dan Wilson at shelters when they were missing for example(s), but not yet found to be dead. Neither of course was true either in both situations for that matter. There were also a few supposed sightings of Angela Hammond in various locations after she vanished/was abducted as well, but highly doubt any of them were actually real.

Yet it was interesting that the Dennis Farina version of the Kari Lynn Nixon segment DID reinstate the N.K.O.T.B. update (unlike the Stack reruns on Lifetime), but were obviously able to state the girl at the concert was not her. I also just watched the Inside Edition interview with Lynette Melancon/"Doppelganger Kari", which was a great find! As much as she may have looked like her from afar, I didn't really see much of a major resemblance between her, and the real Kari from up close. I also still wonder how the old woman in South Carolina was so adamant that she saw Kari there, which obviously could not have been possible?

That, unless she was somehow lying, but am not sure what she'd have to gain from doing so in anyway, nor did she seem like the type of person who'd knowingly do such a thing, or so I hope. Wasn't the first time this was the case on U.M. though, since people claimed they saw Matthew Chase and Dan Wilson at shelters when they were missing for example(s), but not yet found to be dead. Neither of course was true either in both situations for that matter. There were also a few supposed sightings of Angela Hammond in various locations after she vanished/was abducted as well, but highly doubt any of them were actually real.

I could never understand why the NKOTB sighting was so overrated. It was like a dot in a sea of people.

Theresa Dahl was a little naïve when she stated that she believed Matt was at the homeless shelter because someone had seen his drivers license photo and got that he was tall based from that "little picture". The thing is though is that drivers licenses list people's height.

That's not to say I blame either the Nixons or Theresa Dahl. They were all undoubtedly heartbroken and understandably so, but I also think they were clinging onto any sliver of hope when the outcomes of their cases were obviously not going to be good.

That being said, 99% of the eyewitness accounts on UM and true crime cases don't add up to a warm bucket of camel spit IMO.

I could never understand why the NKOTB sighting was so overrated. It was like a dot in a sea of people.

Theresa Dahl was a little naïve when she stated that she believed Matt was at the homeless shelter because someone had seen his drivers license photo and got that he was tall based from that "little picture". The thing is though is that drivers licenses list people's height.

That's not to say I blame either the Nixons or Theresa Dahl. They were all undoubtedly heartbroken and understandably so, but I also think they were clinging onto any sliver of hope when the outcomes of their cases were obviously not going to be good.

That being said, 99% of the eyewitness accounts on UM and true crime cases don't add up to a warm bucket of camel spit IMO.

That is true, as the friends and family members will of course always cling to hope that their friends/loved ones are still alive, no matter how unlikely it is they are. They have to though, as you never want to give up on finding them, if there's just a chance, (albeit slim one) that they're still alive somehow There have been times when that has been the case, with a long missing person finally found, when you think they're long dead, but sadly seems to be pretty rare.

One good example I can think of was when Jaycee Lee Dugard was finally located after all those years, which truly was a miracle at the time. The only times others can at least be mostly assured their kid(s) are still alive when they're missing is when they're taken away by fellow loved ones, such as Khristophe Day, Nicholas Koropolous, and the Baskin kids for example.

That being said, 99% of the eyewitness accounts on UM and true crime cases don't add up to a warm bucket of camel spit IMO.

Sad but sometimes true, wiseguy182. Remember how many people thought they saw Lisa Marie Kimmell after her disappearance? I'm sure there are many more examples out there.

Sad but sometimes true, wiseguy182. Remember how many people thought they saw Lisa Marie Kimmell after her disappearance? I'm sure there are many more examples out there.

That case also really puzzled me, which I forgot to mention. It also makes you wonder how, or why some people claimed they apparently saw her after her last confirmed sighting, but also could not have been possible? That being the case, since she was confirmed to be dead beforehand, nor anywhere near those areas when Lisa was "seen" by the people who obviously were wrong about that. Wonder who that girl may have been, who was thought to be Lisa, and supposedly bore the striking resemblance to her?

That case also really puzzled me, which I forgot to mention. It also makes you wonder how, or why some people claimed they apparently saw her after her last confirmed sighting, but also could not have been possible? That being the case, since she was confirmed to be dead beforehand, nor anywhere near those areas when Lisa was "seen" by the people who obviously were wrong about that. Wonder who that girl may have been, who was thought to be Lisa, and supposedly bore the striking resemblance to her?

Not only that, but also claimed to have seen her car with the distinctive license plate. There would have only been one car in the world that would have fit that description.

That case also really puzzled me, which I forgot to mention. It also makes you wonder how, or why some people claimed they apparently saw her after her last confirmed sighting, but also could not have been possible? That being the case, since she was confirmed to be dead beforehand, nor anywhere near those areas when Lisa was "seen" by the people who obviously were wrong about that. Wonder who that girl may have been, who was thought to be Lisa, and supposedly bore the striking resemblance to her?

I think those witnesses just got mixed up about the dates. Lisa apparently drove through that particular town on numerous occasions during her long road trips. Lisa's mother has always theorized that those witnesses probably did see Lisa at some point, just not on the weekend she disappeared.

I think those witnesses just got mixed up about the dates. Lisa apparently drove through that particular town on numerous occasions during her long road trips. Lisa's mother has always theorized that those witnesses probably did see Lisa at some point, just not on the weekend she disappeared.

Yep. Agree on that. I believe the witness saw Lisa's car, just not on the date she thought.

So...does everyone agree that the kids who introduced a girl as Kari Lynn Nixon were pulling a prank on that lady after one of them thought they looked like her after seeing the missing poster? That would explain the "memory lapse".

So...does everyone agree that the kids who introduced a girl as Kari Lynn Nixon were pulling a prank on that lady after one of them thought they looked like her after seeing the missing poster? That would explain the "memory lapse".

I never thought about it that way, but you've got a point!

I never thought about it that way, but you've got a point!

Yeah. That makes much more sense to me than Shirley Kannapel just making the whole thing up for the hell of it.

The memory lapse was probably just an excuse the girl gave to avoid getting in trouble once police tracked her down.

Yeah. That makes much more sense to me than Shirley Kannapel just making the whole thing up for the hell of it.

The memory lapse was probably just an excuse the girl gave to avoid getting in trouble once police tracked her down.

That makes me wonder if someone staying in the Eutawville area saw this same girl and mistook her for Kari, which would be the origins of the letter that originated from Flint, Michigan.

That makes me wonder if someone staying in the Eutawville area saw this same girl and mistook her for Kari, which would be the origins of the letter that originated from Flint, Michigan.

That seems quite possible. This is such a sad case. Disgusting that she was killed because Jones is a sick man who claimed to feel dejected after a fight with his wife.

I didn't see this case until after it was resolved, but I've always been intrigued by the NKOTB video "sighting" that turned out to be false.

I watched the "Hangin' Tough" video (not an easy undertaking for yours truly, trust me!) a few times and captured these stills. Does anyone who saw the update know which one was mistakenly identified as Kari Lynn? Or did I miss her?

What's up with the girl in the picture on the left? is she crying?

Joey looked in her direction.

This segment was rerun on Pluto yesterday, they've completely scrubbed the old woman's false sighting in North Carolina, but kept the New Kids on the Block telling Kari to call home.

This segment was rerun on Pluto yesterday, they've completely scrubbed the old woman's false sighting in North Carolina, but kept the New Kids on the Block telling Kari to call home.

I think that was the update version. I saw the old woman not too long ago on Pluto.

Old woman sighting was still included on the Prime version as well.

I just saw them both on the Prime version.

I find it interesting that they did not completely butcher this story like most of them. The actual updates intact and in place.

I wish they'd picked a lane when it came to handling the updates, honestly. Either updating the end of each segment, or presenting updates in later episodes as they occurred in the original run. The combo they ended up doing just wastes episode time, which is frustrating when you hear things like Orange Socks was omitted because they didn't have any episodes to fit it into.

I wish they'd picked a lane when it came to handling the updates, honestly. Either updating the end of each segment, or presenting updates in later episodes as they occurred in the original run. The combo they ended up doing just wastes episode time, which is frustrating when you hear things like Orange Socks was omitted because they didn't have any episodes to fit it into.

Agreed, the poor handling of the updates in the re-release is irritating. The re-releases were butchered in so many ways it is hard to consider them valid as episodes at all.
Updates happening right after the segment would make some sense in the age of the internet and instant gratification, but then adding them as a duplicate later in the series as filler is unneeded, unless of course they are filling in for all the good material that was cut out.

Unfortunately the day for a definitive re-release has not come yet.

I wish they'd picked a lane when it came to handling the updates, honestly. Either updating the end of each segment, or presenting updates in later episodes as they occurred in the original run. The combo they ended up doing just wastes episode time, which is frustrating when you hear things like Orange Socks was omitted because they didn't have any episodes to fit it into.

I know this is 2 years later, but I came here to post something similar. Kari's segment is featured on the same episode as Dexter Stefonek...and they have now edited the Stefonek statement and cut it off (before Stack goes over a description of the truck and maybe a snippet of an interview with the sheriff) to dissolve into the update about police believe Charles Sullivan was responsible and the case is now closed. Yet they still show the entire NKOTB appeal to the girl in the concert in Kari's segment. I don't get it.

I know this is 2 years later, but I came here to post something similar. Kari's segment is featured on the same episode as Dexter Stefonek...and they have now edited the Stefonek statement and cut it off (before Stack goes over a description of the truck and maybe a snippet of an interview with the sheriff) to dissolve into the update about police believe Charles Sullivan was responsible and the case is now closed. Yet they still show the entire NKOTB appeal to the girl in the concert in Kari's segment. I don't get it.
I get the feeling that UM wanted NKOTB recirculating because they are a famous band. My wife was just watching this segment with me the other night. it caught her eye because she is a NKOTB fan. and she blurted out that the girl at the concert doesn't look like Kari.

I noticed a similar thing in the David Hurley segment as the Stefonek segment. the description of the Honda Prelude is completely cutout. It actually helps further perpetuate the rumors and theories that Hurley was not being honest about how he was shot. not sure that I have a difference of opinion one way or the other, but I lean towards giving the benefit of the doubt. But I do think taking out the description and visual of the vehicle is a vital detail and it takes away credibility from the segment.

I had to go to UM Wiki to verify this :

"In November 1990, investigators located the girl in the video, alive and living in California. However, she was not Kari; her name was Lynette Melancon. She was interviewed on Inside Edition about this case."

I thought I remembered and was correct the actual girl in video was IDed and interviewed.

I had to go to UM Wiki to verify this :

"In November 1990, investigators located the girl in the video, alive and living in California. However, she was not Kari; her name was Lynette Melancon. She was interviewed on Inside Edition about this case."

I thought I remembered and was correct the actual girl in video was IDed and interviewed.

I'm not sure if it's still up, but the Inside Edition segment about Kari where they interview NKOTB girl was/is on YT if you want to watch it.

I remember being struck by the fact that up close, she actually really didn't resemble Kari very strongly.