I recently dug out my Sammy Wheeler segment to watch over, and wound up watching it twice since yesterday (some social life I have). I did this in part for amusement at the absurdness of these characters, but came up with some new thoughts on this segment. The story itself of Sammy's murder was cut and dry, but Bob Bean, Pat Snead and Danny Wheeler turned this segment into Jerry Springer meets Unsolved Mysteries.

For starters, I can't believe Bob, Pat and Danny didn't all know the other ones had solid-to-airtight alibis during the murder before filming this segment. That, and they had to know that the FBI, America's top law enforcement agency, already believed it was a senseless robbery, so why go forth and blame each other? I think this crew of three already had so much dysfunction, they automatically jumped at the chance to get on UM to air the dirty laundry.

Since I'd first seen this segment in April 2003, I also noticed how cold these three folks seemed. I have seen so many UM stories of lost loves, lost heirs, missing persons and unexplained deaths where people became teary-eyed, upset, concerned or otherwise emotional, sometimes over friends or strangers! But I didn't notice a shred of emotion from Bob, Pat or Danny, and the closest was when Pat Snead said Sammy Wheeler and her kids were her life. Even that wasn't convincing.

It's also clear how these three used others to keep their dysfunction going. I think Bob Bean trained his sons to speak on camera about how Sammy Wheeler died, just to get Pat Snead in trouble. Then, Danny Wheeler tried to sound sympathetic to Bob Bean's kids, but I think it was just more throwing stones at Bob Bean. Then, think about how all the children of Bob Bean or Pat Snead feel, now that they're teenagers or older and this silliness has been on television. Those kids had to have heard a comment from a classmate or friend about the family on television in the last 16 years.

Finally, the Danny Wheeler/Pat Snead love connection is truly bizarre. Part of me thinks Danny and Pat did have interest for each other deep down, as why on earth would each of them bring up such bizarre comments about infatuation and incest on national television? Wouldn't it be better to not mention it?

While this segment will always be good for a laugh because of the trailer trash hurling snot at each other, it is sad it had to happen because Sammy Wheeler was brutally murdered. Imagine what Sammy had to put up with while he was alive with these characters. I think the parents of Sammy Wheeler (who we never saw on UM, by the way) were the kindest, sanest people in this horrible event by putting up a reward for their son. May this segment also be a lesson (as with the Dexter Stefonek case) that you should never sleep in your car when you're in a remote area.

Has this case been solved? I have never seen an update.

Has this case been solved? I have never seen an update.

Yes, thankfully the case was solved. It ended up being a random act of violence. I'm not sure who the assailant was or his sentence but maybe CD knows.

I actually felt for the brother when he was saying what the crime did to him, though he did go out of line with some of his statements. Bob Bean, however, I found to be very arrogant and that little smirk was quite amusing. It was quite a mudslinging segment.

Is Sammy the one who says "My family doesn't do incest"? I saw that case on the new Unsolved Mysteries and those people actually made a murder case seem funny. All that bickering and it was just a random act of violence.

Even though they were obviously all wrong in there opinions, I think these people honestly did believe what they were saying. The problem is they seemed so certain from the get go that this person or that person was involved, I don't think they even gave it a thought that the police and FBI might know what they were talking about. The whole segment just turned into a mudslinging circus. Glad they finally caught the real killer though.

If Bob Bean was my commanding officer, I would have fragged him for that stupid smirk.:mad:

Could there be a more unlikeable person in the history of UM?:mad:

I'm surprised Bob Bean wasn't found dead, himself.

If Bob Bean was my commanding officer, I would have fragged him for that stupid smirk.:mad:

Could there be a more unlikeable person in the history of UM?:mad:

I'm surprised Bob Bean wasn't found dead, himself.

Bob Bean was an NCO, a sergeant. You can tell from his Class A uniform in that picture shown of him.

The "U.S." insignia pins worn on the top lapel are circular; an officer's are open "U.S"'s not set on a medallion. Same thing with his branch insignia: the crossed rifles are set on a circular medallion--an officer's would simply be two crossed rifles.

We do know from that picture that Bob Bean was in the Infantry, though, from the aforementioned crossed rifles, the light blue ring around his branch insignia, and the matching cord he's wearing (light blue is the Infantry's color--we often just call it "Infantry blue").

If he was anything in the Virginia National Guard like he was in the interview, I'd be surprised if Sergeant Bean ever got favorable remarks on his NCOER. :lol:

Can you imagine "charging the hill" with Bean by your side? :lol: I guess the trick would be to get in good with him..

Can you imagine "charging the hill" with Bean by your side? :lol: I guess the trick would be to get in good with him..

I would charge up the hill with him in front of me. He might stop a bullet from hitting me. Of course if one did hit me, he would be quick to blame Pat for doing it. Then he would video tape his kids saying that they were there when it happened...

I would charge up the hill with him in front of me. He might stop a bullet from hitting me. Of course if one did hit me, he would be quick to blame Pat for doing it. Then he would video tape his kids saying that they were there when it happened...

:rofl:

You know what's sad about this case.

People watching the Spike version of this case, won;t understand Mr. Wheeler's statement "I'm Michael Jordan, I used play for the Chicago Bulls.

Perhaps, Spike will edit it to say " Sure it was, And I'm Kobe Bryant..I play for the Los Angeles Lakers. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

This case needs a where are they now segment.

The feeling I got from Bob Bean is that he loved being on TV and that with his smirk and the way he acted, I think he wanted people to think he did it. He had already been cleared as a suspect, so he had nothing to worry about by that point. So in his mind he probably thought it'd be fun to put on a show.

And Danny Wheeler was just a freakin' riot.

By coincidence of course....by coincidence....or he ain't Michael Jordan and plays for the Chicago Bulls!

I'm glad Danny clarified that point for us all about him not being Michael Jordan, because I was really starting to wonder...

This case needs a where are they now segment.

That probably wouldn't be too hard to supply. You can find almost anyone on facebook etc...

Would be interesting to see what all involved look like now.

The Sammy Wheeler segment was both sad & comical. It was horrible that SW was killed, but at the same time the interviews with the three at-one-time suspects, the finger-pointing, etc. were unintentionally humorous. It was especially funny when SW's twin brother stated that he didn't think PS was attractive, etc. - LOL. And BB's smirks, innuendos, etc. were also comical.

I know the case was solved, and it sounds like they proved that SW was killed by a random act of violence. It's obvious that someone sleeping in their car out in the open (as SW was doing at the time) would be vulnerable to criminal elements due to their exposure, etc.