Today, Lifetime reran a segment about the 1981 murder of Rhonda Hinson. The murder in question occured in North Carolina. The segment, which aired in 1989, had no updates, so this case is officially unsolved.

Rhonda Hinson was murdered while en route home from a Christmas party. A motive was never established, but as mentioned in the segment, there were some things about Hinson that seemed odd. For example: according to her mother, Rhonda sometimes took showers late at night (which is typical for a woman who had been sexually abused). In addition, she once asked her mother whether or not it was okay to be involved with a married man.

If you ask me, I'd say that I personally think one or both of these factors may have, in some way, led to her death. My theory is that she either had an affair with someone or knew of someone who was having an affair.

The segment also mentioned that someone was apparently stalking Rhonda on the night of her murder, as well as the idea that she would never stop for a stranger. These details lead me to believe that she knew her killer.

Here's the link: http://www.burkesheriff.org/hinson.htm

I saw the segment today as well. (the only other time I saw it was in 1989 when it first aired)

A murder case like this confuses many people. Rhonda was a well liked person who, to everyone's knowledge, never did anything wrong. Apparently, her strange behavior in the weeks prior to her murder is probably the only thing to go on.

Maybe she was just planning on having an affair with some guy, but decided it was wrong and was planning on telling the wife, so she was "shut up" before got the chance, who knows?

It saddens me to hear that the case still hasn't been solved.

Originally posted by dynoguy88
A murder case like this confuses many people. Rhonda was a well liked person who, to everyone's knowledge, never did anything wrong. Apparently, her strange behavior in the weeks prior to her murder is probably the only thing to go on.

Maybe she was just planning on having an affair with some guy, but decided it was wrong and was planning on telling the wife, so she was "shut up" before got the chance, who knows?

It saddens me to hear that the case still hasn't been solved.

It really is sad that no one has ever been charged with the murder of Rhonda Hinson. It's been a little over 20 years, and that's way too long. She shouldn't have been taken so soon in the first place.

That's an interesting theory, Dyno. Maybe she was about to get involved with a married man, but decided against it, only to be killed before she could rat on the wife. But whatever really happened that tragic night in December of 1981, it is apparent to me that Rhonda Hinson's murder had something to do with her odd behavior. It just can't be coincidental.

I saw this case recently and I would probably say that Rhonda did know her killer. It makes a lot of sense with the odd behavior, and the fact she was found less than a mile away from her home. It appeared she may have been stalked and she did get shot from behind through the trunk of her car. I doubt that some person she didn't know, some stranger would just kill her for no apparent reason. In the UM episode, Robert Stack said there were a couple of white males spotted as well as a blue car, so who knows. There was also a guy who went under hypnosis and he saw a guy, not very big, 5'10 to 6'0 tall beside Rhonda's car moving her body around.

have there been any updates on this case?
at least one characteristic of the killer to go on would undoubtedly be expert marksmanship due to the path of the bullet.

According to an article posted in the Morganton, NC newspaper in June, 2005, investigators have developed some new suspects in the Rhonda Hinson murder.

http://www.morganton.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MNH/MGArticle/MNH_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783370510&path=!frontpage

"Morganton - The Rhonda Hinson murder case has frustrated investigators for nearly 24 years. The Burke County Sheriff's Office may be getting closer to solving it.
"In the last couple of years we've developed some suspects," said Sheriff John T. McDevitt. "We've been looking at the case from a new angle.""

Gad, after looking at that sheriff's department link this case will be more memorable to me. That car she was driving is almost identical to my first car, a white Datsun 210. Hers was beige but in that night time picture it can easily pass as white.

That wasn't much of an increase in reward, a few thousand bucks.

A spooky tidbit to the story was that her mother woke up around 1 AM feeling something had happened and than both parents turned on the scanner to hear about a homicide.

According to an article posted in the Morganton, NC newspaper in June, 2005, investigators have developed some new suspects in the Rhonda Hinson murder.

http://www.morganton.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MNH/MGArticle/MNH_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031783370510&path=!frontpage

"Morganton - The Rhonda Hinson murder case has frustrated investigators for nearly 24 years. The Burke County Sheriff's Office may be getting closer to solving it.
"In the last couple of years we've developed some suspects," said Sheriff John T. McDevitt. "We've been looking at the case from a new angle.""

Hopefully Spike will have some sort of update on this case.

I don't think Spike will be able to update this case anymore than Lifetime was able to during its over a decade long run on that channel.

The problem with a lot of the UM cases that remain unsolved is that although the authorities in a lot of the cases you mentioned in your recent posts (Nyleen Kay Marshall, this one) probably have more information or have even developed new leads since the original UM broadcast, they would be unable to share that information with us because it may involve sensitive information about the case that they don't want to make public.

The Rhonda Hinson case is a perfect example of UM viewers not having all the pieces of the jigsaw. One question that always comes to mind regarding Hinson's murder is obviously why was she murdered in the first place? - There have been some suspicions regarding Rhonda may have been having an affair with an older man but is there any concrete evidence that this may have been happening besides Rhonda's one-off comment to her mother that was documented in the segment.

A few years ago, an article about the case mentioned that the authorities have several file cabinets full of information on the Hinson case and it is likely only a small portion of the infortmation they have on this case is detailed in the UM segment. Like all of the unsolved cases on UM, until the case is solved I don't think the general public will ever know any more information on these cases than what they already know at this time, for obvious reasons.

Just saw this segment. It's been over 30 years since she was murdered.. This case baffles me.

This played last week again. I think she knew her killer as well.

Definitely a sad one. It's been 10 years since the sheriff's office announced there was new information.

I never bought the affair theory. I can name a lot of UM cases where the friends or parents brought up conversations or incidents they thought had something to do with the murder and when it was solved...had nothing to do with it.

First off, for not one single person in her life to know about the affair or have had a conversation with her about this "mystery man" is pretty telling. She was 19 years old. Even quiet and introverted 19 years old girls will confide in at least one person or have had more than one sentence inquiring about the morality of seeing a married man. I'm sure the police thoroughly over the last 30 years have investigated everyone in her life and they never could find this supposed married man.

I think it was random. Murders that are random or lack a particular motive are usually much harder to solve (unless the person talks) and that's why I believe 30 years later this still isn't solve. I don't know if this person or persons intent was to kill or just be an idiot but either way I don't think she knew her murderer.

I never bought the affair theory. I can name a lot of UM cases where the friends or parents brought up conversations or incidents they thought had something to do with the murder and when it was solved...had nothing to do with it.

First off, for not one single person in her life to know about the affair or have had a conversation with her about this "mystery man" is pretty telling. She was 19 years old. Even quiet and introverted 19 years old girls will confide in at least one person or have had more than one sentence inquiring about the morality of seeing a married man. I'm sure the police thoroughly over the last 30 years have investigated everyone in her life and they never could find this supposed married man.

It is possible that they interviewed her friends, found out who she was having an affair with, but found no evidence that he did anything to her.

This could've happened back when she was murdered, or maybe they finally said what they knew as adults 10 years ago and that's why the "new suspects" came about.

It is entirely possible that you're right about it being random though.

I never bought the affair theory. I can name a lot of UM cases where the friends or parents brought up conversations or incidents they thought had something to do with the murder and when it was solved...had nothing to do with it.

I think that's comparing apples and oranges though. Unless said UM cases had to do with a friend or loved one suggesting an affair was a possible motive and it turning not to be, I'm not sure it would fully apply here. Plus we really don't know why she was killed, so the affair angle is still possible.

First off, for not one single person in her life to know about the affair or have had a conversation with her about this "mystery man" is pretty telling. She was 19 years old. Even quiet and introverted 19 years old girls will confide in at least one person or have had more than one sentence inquiring about the morality of seeing a married man. I'm sure the police thoroughly over the last 30 years have investigated everyone in her life and they never could find this supposed married man.

I think that when Rhonda posed the question to her mom about seeing a married man, she was testing the waters. When her mother said "The only thing that comes from seeing a married man is people getting hurt" that signaled to Rhonda that it wasn't an ok thing to do, and she decided to not to reveal any further info to anyone. This was 35 years ago, and in the south, so townsfolk may not have reacted in a positive way if they found out Rhonda was seeing a married man. Of course, it pure conjecture that she was seeing a married man. But I think *something* was on her mind. There's also the possibility she was being raped or blackmailed into having sex with someone, which might explain the middle of the night showers.

I think it was random. Murders that are random or lack a particular motive are usually much harder to solve (unless the person talks) and that's why I believe 30 years later this still isn't solve. I don't know if this person or persons intent was to kill or just be an idiot but either way I don't think she knew her murderer.

The car parked with its headlights off suggested to me someone was waiting for Rhonda. Plus, she was acting very differently right before her murder. I think someone had a motive.

I understand the points made but I still think its jumping to conclusions.. at least for me in this case. Showers in the middle of night could mean sexual assault but that is one of many signs. I take showers in the middle of the time when I'm stressed, upset or have insomnia. I just know how UM is with not telling the whole story or focusing in on the parents theory. There just isn't enough for me to assume she must have been sexually exploded either by an affair or by assault.

My first post. I just watched this segment. The witness was put under hypnosis to get better details. A better description of a man who was seen talking to her at the murder scene.
My thought is maybe she was going to or had a small fling with someone she worked with. Maybe she was leaving the Christmas party due to a tension. My thought is she knew the killer. An aurgument went to far.
The police just do the have enough. Maybe a friend did know but never came forward

Murdering someone with a hunting rifle from hundreds of yards away as the car moves strikes me as either really good luck for the murderer or extremely bad luck for Rhonda.

There simply isn't enough information to say one way or the other, but I would not rule out a stray bullet theory. Was this area of NC known for hunting?

Another possibility is a random thrill killer. Perhaps a teenager. For instance, maybe some teens were out looking for mischief. One of the teens says "Watch this, I am going to shoot this car and scare the driver." And then things go wrong and they realize the driver was actually hit. I can envision something like this happening. The shot, to me, looks more like luck than being the work of a marksman (though it could be a bit of both -- the shooter meant to hit the car but not the driver).

Either way, I suspect this was either an accidental one-in-a-million stray bullet or a random act of violence. I am not sure I buy the married man scenario. A sniper shot from behind a moving vehicle just seems like a strange way to murder someone, even for a professional hit. No, I think it was either a stray bullet (accident) or a random thrill seeker who got very lucky (malice).

Interestingly enough, I was recently watching the movie, "Babel", and started having flashbacks to the Rhonda Hinson case. In the film, two Moroccan kids are playing with a hunting rifle on top of a cliff and fire off a shot. By pure dumb luck, the bullet winds up striking a tour bus hundreds of yards below them and seriously wounds a woman in the leg.

I still lean towards murder in Rhonda's case, but the fact that the bullet passed through the trunk and driver's seat before killing her still makes me wonder if the whole thing was an accident, as it would have taken the world's most skilled or lucky sniper to make a successful shot like that intentionally. Maybe someone was simply firing off a shot from a rifle in a nearby area for completely unrelated reasons and against all odds, their bullet just happened to travel through a passing car and kill an innocent woman.

Interestingly enough, I was recently watching the movie, "Babel", and started having flashbacks to the Rhonda Hinson case. In the film, two Moroccan kids are playing with a hunting rifle on top of a cliff and fire off a shot. By pure dumb luck, the bullet winds up striking a tour bus hundreds of yards below them and seriously wounds a woman in the leg.

I still lean towards murder in Rhonda's case, but the fact that the bullet passed through the trunk and driver's seat before killing her still makes me wonder if the whole thing was an accident, as it would have taken the world's most skilled or lucky sniper to make a successful shot like that intentionally. Maybe someone was simply firing off a shot from a rifle in a nearby area for completely unrelated reasons and against all odds, their bullet just happened to travel through a passing car and kill an innocent woman.

Hhhmmm, not a bad theory, really. Honestly, if anyone is murdered, people could come up with stories/motives/reasons for someone to want them dead. I always felt like in Rhonda's case, if she was murdered, it was completely unnecessary based on the reasons UM gave for her death.

Another possibility is a random thrill killer. Perhaps a teenager. For instance, maybe some teens were out looking for mischief. One of the teens says "Watch this, I am going to shoot this car and scare the driver." And then things go wrong and they realize the driver was actually hit. I can envision something like this happening. The shot, to me, looks more like luck than being the work of a marksman (though it could be a bit of both -- the shooter meant to hit the car but not the driver).


I could envision a scenario where someone wanted to terrorize a passing driver, but the perpetrator's behavior in the aftermath doesn't strike me as that of a prank or hunting gone wrong. Even if they wanted to see what happened after they observed her car going off the road, their behavior after the fact seemed pretty calm and collected. In approaching the car, they couldn't be certain if the driver was injured or not, thus opening the possibility of being witnessed. At the least, I'd expect some random a**hole to panic and flee, especially when they saw the other driver approaching. It seems that after that driver/witness passed, the shooter pulled Hinson out of the car and carefully positioned her body. That last aspect has always bothered me.

Dependent on someone's experience and the speed of her car, this really wasn't that lucky of a shot. Even if it hadn't struck anyone in the car, that shot alone would have terrified most drivers into slamming on the brakes or losing control of the vehicle, giving the perpetrator enough time to go up to the car.

Murdering someone with a hunting rifle from hundreds of yards away as the car moves strikes me as either really good luck for the murderer or extremely bad luck for Rhonda.

Both actually.

There simply isn't enough information to say one way or the other, but I would not rule out a stray bullet theory. Was this area of NC known for hunting?

Another possibility is a random thrill killer. Perhaps a teenager. For instance, maybe some teens were out looking for mischief. One of the teens says "Watch this, I am going to shoot this car and scare the driver." And then things go wrong and they realize the driver was actually hit. I can envision something like this happening. The shot, to me, looks more like luck than being the work of a marksman (though it could be a bit of both -- the shooter meant to hit the car but not the driver).

Either way, I suspect this was either an accidental one-in-a-million stray bullet or a random act of violence. I am not sure I buy the married man scenario. A sniper shot from behind a moving vehicle just seems like a strange way to murder someone, even for a professional hit. No, I think it was either a stray bullet (accident) or a random thrill seeker who got very lucky (malice).

I can't say this enough, Rhonda was being followed. The car that was parked with its headlights off and started following Rhonda as soon as she passed is the guilty party. I really don't care if they intended to hit her or not, the fact that he shot at a moving vehicle is enough to make him a cold-blooded murderer in my eyes. Stray bullets are more like if somebody shoots a gun in the air to celebrate and it happens to hit a neighbor, or something like that.

Both actually.



I can't say this enough, Rhonda was being followed. The car that was parked with its headlights off and started following Rhonda as soon as she passed is the guilty party. I really don't care if they intended to hit her or not, the fact that he shot at a moving vehicle is enough to make him a cold-blooded murderer in my eyes. Stray bullets are more like if somebody shoots a gun in the air to celebrate and it happens to hit a neighbor, or something like that.

I looked the crime scene up on google earth. The witness said the car was parked under the I-40 overpass. Rhonda's body was found "about 200 yards away" from where that car was parked.

The road from that off-ramp is on a relatively steep incline and she was going north up the hill. Based on the trajectory of the bullet (through the trunk and into her chest) this means that whoever made the shot likely did it from ground level down the hill a way (which means they were aiming upwards slightly). If they were on top of the overpass, the trajectory just wouldn't work. If they were off the road to the side somewhere, well, that wouldn't be possible either. So, it seems likely to me that they were indeed sitting under the overpass just as the segment speculates. It's really the only position that makes sense as there is nowhere else behind her that would provide much cover.

Then question then becomes when did the shooter fire the shot and how far did her car travel after she was hit? Well, I did some measurements on google earth. The off-ramp is about 40 yards north of the overpass. This means she would need to travel another 160 yards before she ended up where her car was found. If her car was traveling at 35 MPH, it would take her around 9 seconds to travel the extra 160 yards. This means the shooter had to identify her car within a couple of seconds after it exited the ramp, then he had to get out of his car, take aim, and fire within about a 8 or 9 second window. Such a shot may sound "easy" on paper, but hitting a moving car from that far isn't easy, much less aiming so accurately as to put a perfect shot into her chest through the trunk.

So, I guess we are left with a "whodunnit." I think we know about where the shooter was positioned, the only question that remains is were they targeting Rhonda specifically or did she just happen to be the unlucky victim of a random shooting? If someone really wanted her dead, I just don't think shooting a moving car from 150 to 200 yards is that "reliable" of a way to get the job done. This is why I favor the "thrill killer" scenario. Or perhaps a "thrill shooter" because we don't know if he actually meant to kill the driver or not (if he did, then he's a damn good shot).

That's a rural area of NC. Lots of guys out there with their hunting rifles and deer spotlights. Get a little alcohol in the wrong guy and who knows what might happen.

Even if it was a hunting accident. You are to be away from roads. I firgot about wgaf time she would have been on this road. It probaly be too late to be hunting for deer. the witness saw a person around her car . He probaly thought ok she has help. Why not come foward if it was a accidental hunting trip gone bad.
She was fallowed or waited for. They knew it would be deserted or near deserted. It is near where people hunt.
Its been a long time since someone has info and i really think they should come forward.

So, I guess we are left with a "whodunnit." I think we know about where the shooter was positioned, the only question that remains is were they targeting Rhonda specifically or did she just happen to be the unlucky victim of a random shooting? If someone really wanted her dead, I just don't think shooting a moving car from 150 to 200 yards is that "reliable" of a way to get the job done. This is why I favor the "thrill killer" scenario. Or perhaps a "thrill shooter" because we don't know if he actually meant to kill the driver or not (if he did, then he's a damn good shot).

The biggest problem I have with the "thrill killer" theory is this: If it were just a random shot, the perp(s) most likely would have fled immediately, and not went up to Rhonda's car where they could have been spotted (and in fact, someone *did* see them). That they went up to the car suggests to me that they were making sure the job was done, because they knew there was a possibility she was shot but still living.

I remember this

Such a sad story

The biggest problem I have with the "thrill killer" theory is this: If it were just a random shot, the perp(s) most likely would have fled immediately, and not went up to Rhonda's car where they could have been spotted (and in fact, someone *did* see them). That they went up to the car suggests to me that they were making sure the job was done, because they knew there was a possibility she was shot but still living.

Not only did this person go up to the car, but he made no effort to hide when the witness (who was put under hypnosis) drove by. The witness saw the guy shaking Rhonda while she was slumped over the steering wheel and assumed they were a drunk couple so he drove off.

I've never been able to wrap my head around why the man at Rhonda's car let himself be seen. That guy is in big trouble if the witness decides to stop and see if he can help out the situation.

Exactly! Thus person who shot her was making sure she was in fact dead. If the witness had stopped we probably wouldn't have a witness.
I I wonder if forensics has retested any of it again.

It really isn't that rural in that spot. I live in a bigger city near Valdese. Sure there are parts that were rural back in 1980 but in terms of hunting I don't see anyone that would be hunting deer off a interstate exit.

We don't know if Rhonda stopped for someone. The man that made a deathbed confession was a police officer. If Rhonda was having a affair with a police officer it would make alot of sense. But it is just a theory nothing came of the confession but I remember seeing it on the late night news clear as day because I'd seen the original segment when it aired plus I have a very good memory.

But a officer would be a pretty good shot IMO.

The segment seemed to suggest that Rhonda had stopped her car to speak to someone and was in the process of driving away when she was shot. I'm curious to know if they were able to determine roughly how fast she was driving at the time. It was stated she wouldn't have pulled over for someone she didn't know, but a police officer could have. Someone said a police officer is suspected?

But considering everything, Rhonda asking her dad to accompany her to trips into town, the insomnia, the late-night showers, etc, I definitely think this was pre-meditated murder and no accident.

Btw, I know I've said this before, but I just love Judy Hinson. You could just tell she had a real close bond with Rhonda, and keeping her room the way it was after all those years. As sad as the segment is, I always enjoy her parts.

It really isn't that rural in that spot. I live in a bigger city near Valdese. Sure there are parts that were rural back in 1980 but in terms of hunting I don't see anyone that would be hunting deer off a interstate exit.

We don't know if Rhonda stopped for someone. The man that made a deathbed confession was a police officer. If Rhonda was having a affair with a police officer it would make alot of sense. But it is just a theory nothing came of the confession but I remember seeing it on the late night news clear as day because I'd seen the original segment when it aired plus I have a very good memory.

But a officer would be a pretty good shot IMO.

Do you have a source for this deathbed confession? I would be interested in reading about it.

An afair with a police officer? I guess that woukd put a person on edge.
I thinking of someone that she worked with. Possibly just something that made her uncomfortable. Possibly a few rumors were tossed about at wotk or somewhere she frequented. Perhaps she witnessed something at work. That she became a target of.
A mother knows when there is something up with their kids. A father would make you feel safer. Theses things make sense. I'm hoping that if she did confide in someone that they have come forward.
Going to search for more info.

This link is interesting. http://burkesheriff.org/hinson.htm
She picked her Datsun up and called her "boyfriend".

I reread up on this case after someone said they lived near the site and thought the case was intriguing. The segment on Unsolved was not that great because it spent most of the time talking about what was bothering the victim (something they don't know) and little on the actual crime. The reenactment was done at night (as was the crime) but this gave little perspective for the viewer as to what actually happened.

After parsing all the available info several things seem apparent. First, the shot came from directly behind the car. The distance was not point blank but it wasn't that far either- at most a quarter of a mile. Since high powered rifles shoot in a straight trajectory and the round had enough energy to rip through three surfaces (trunk, seat, victim) before stopping, it had to have been a relatively close shot. If you Google Map the site the road from I-40 north gradually rose to a small summit after which the car would not be visible from the south except at real close range. The shot was apparently taken right before the cat peaked this summit. Looking southward the road crosses under I-40 at the interchange and there is no line of sight beyond the interstate. Since the shot had to be fired from directly behind, it had to have been fired from the underpass or a little closer. Given where the shot hit the car, however, it seems the person had to have been along the roadside or even in the road.
The car was immediately disabled and then rolled at a southwesterly angle across the road being stopped by a ditch on the opposite side of the road. Since the road was relatively narrow, this left the car in the southbound lane facing north at a slight angle. This was shown on the segment.

If someone was trying to kill Rhonda, this was a very odd way to do so. First from where the shot was apparently fired (somewhere near the underpass of I-40), she would have had to stop at the end of the exit ramp before turning right (north). This would have given the shooter a much more likely kill shot given the distance. But they let her pass and only fired at the last possible point where her car was still visible.

Accordingly I think the shooter did not intend to kill Rhonda. The actions afterwards where someone (probably the shooter or his buddy) checked on Rhonda tends to make this apparent. They must have seen the car stop then slide across the road. Finding her dead, they got out of there.

To me, then, there are three possibilities: an accidental shot, a prank shot or a shot meant as a warning. In the first case maybe the shot went off by accident. However, this seems unlikely given the accuracy of the shot. The second and third choices seem more likely. IMO the shooter was aiming at the left rear taillight and was trying to shoot it out either for sport or a warning. The shot missed going a little to the right and was a freakishly unlucky shot. Were there instances of random taillights getting shot out in the area?
It also could have been meant as a warning. Maybe the brothers of the unknown wife of the man being dated (or some other unknown situation) wanted to warn Rhonda to keep away from him and wanted to shoot out her taillight to get her attention. After the car stopped they came up and if she was ok might have just pretended to be bystanders. But she was dead in a freak occurrence.
How did they know she'd be passing by if it was intentional? This adds complexity to the case. Someone must have told them of the party and her rough timetable. This would imply that maybe the wife too was at the party. They set up early because they did not know she was stopping off on her way home.

Just some thoughts.

Do you have a source for this deathbed confession? I would be interested in reading about it.

No I don't. I don't remember the time of the confession but it was on the late night news before I moved out of my mothers home. I know it was a Charlotte news station but this would have been way before the days of the internet.
I once saw another person comment about it on a video on the forbidden site but of course that video is no longer up for viewing.

And yes Rhonda did have a boyfriend that was mentioned in the segment.

>>>>But a officer would be a pretty good shot IMO<<<<<

I don't think it took a good shot (and most cops are armed with hand guns, not high powered rifles so being a cop does not indicate a good shooter one way or another) given the distance (like 150 yards with the target moving in a direct line from the shooter making its movement away from the shooter not a factor) and the ability of the firer to use the car's tail lights as aiming points. I don't even think he needed a scope.

It was not a dififcult shot but it surely was a lucky shot. Since the shooter undoubtedly would not be depending upon a lucky shot, it would seem his intent was to shoot at the car, not to kill the driver.

In my opinion her actions prior to her death are related to her death. Think about it. She asks her mom about if it were okay to have an affair. She's 19, just started working in an office and she's rather pretty. She would have had offers, I guarantee it. Then she showers late at night. That could be a sign that she felt dirty if she was having an affair. The insomnia makes sense too. Asking her dad to accompany her. Someone could have easily been after her.

I hadn't see this episode for awhile so I watched it again and I'm convinced someone was waiting for her. What are the odds of this happening to her at random when she obviously knew he life was in danger? The signs were definitely there. She should have reached out more than she did to her parents and at the same time maybe they should have asked more questions.

I think the police should have reinterviewed some people that may be tied to this case and reopen it with a team of cold-case detectives.

This link is interesting. http://burkesheriff.org/hinson.htm
She picked her Datsun up and called her "boyfriend".

"psychics have been called in to assist".....

Post #79 in this other thread (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=242172&highlight=rhonda+hinson&page=6) does it for me

I’m for the teenagers or other delinquents taking lot shots at cars. One gets “lucky” and manages a hit. It’s just to much to assume that someone would try making a shot like that through the body of the car. It would be way too much of a variable as to the trajectory of the bullet if they tried to shoot through the car intentionally. Now if they were trying to kill her and missed but got “lucky” and the bullet went on through and got her, that’s too much for me. I think it has to be random.

They shoot from the overpass and realize that they actually hit the person and not just the car. They panic, rush up to check and see she is seriously wounded. They are in a panic and don’t think to hide from anyone passing by at first. After a few moments of trying to revive her, they leave her figuring “she is already dead and reporting it won’t bring her back”, so they stay quiet.

That’s my theory. The other things are just red herrings IMO.

An investigative reporter, originally from Valdese, is working this story.
Rhonda Hinson was my first cousin. Let me enlighten a few of you. She was not having an affair. She was not pregnant. She was an enthusiastic athlete that excelled in track, tennis, and basketball. She was well liked. She loved life and her family. She had a future! She didn't date until she met Greg McDowell, whom was never interviewed about his whereabouts at the time of her murder. He drove a blue car with a messed up front end. He was home from college that holiday season. Rhonda tried desperately to break up with him due to his jealous streak, physical abuse, and emotional instability. He showed up to Rhonda's house two hours after Rhonda's mother called him and he only lived 15 minutes away. When he showed up that night, he was freshly showered. He went straight to Rhonda's parents bedroom and sat on the bed for several hours, periodically vomiting, but never speaking to anyone. Greg's father, Charles McDowell, was a preacher that "touched" Rhonda in inappropriate ways. (He is now located in Barney GA.) Rhonda dodged him every chance she could. Charles McDowell was an avid hunter with a nice collection of hunting rifles and shotguns. He was a pilot. In the wee morning hours of December 23rd, he suddenly scheduled a flight "out of the area." Greg did not go to Rhonda's funeral, nor has he ever spoken to the family since that day. Now, you have a few more facts. Revise your thinking...

News Feature about Rhonda Hinson published 4.2.19

http://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/183916678890/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-ii?fbclid=IwAR2msmptBzCLpO8DcH-x903i3AcQ__4OHKtxDJZOxJl9eQz0KZrq7BCuMe0

An investigative reporter, originally from Valdese, is working this story.
Rhonda Hinson was my first cousin. Let me enlighten a few of you. She was not having an affair. She was not pregnant. She was an enthusiastic athlete that excelled in track, tennis, and basketball. She was well liked. She loved life and her family. She had a future! She didn't date until she met Greg McDowell, whom was never interviewed about his whereabouts at the time of her murder. He drove a blue car with a messed up front end. He was home from college that holiday season. Rhonda tried desperately to break up with him due to his jealous streak, physical abuse, and emotional instability. He showed up to Rhonda's house two hours after Rhonda's mother called him and he only lived 15 minutes away. When he showed up that night, he was freshly showered. He went straight to Rhonda's parents bedroom and sat on the bed for several hours, periodically vomiting, but never speaking to anyone. Greg's father, Charles McDowell, was a preacher that "touched" Rhonda in inappropriate ways. (He is now located in Barney GA.) Rhonda dodged him every chance she could. Charles McDowell was an avid hunter with a nice collection of hunting rifles and shotguns. He was a pilot. In the wee morning hours of December 23rd, he suddenly scheduled a flight "out of the area." Greg did not go to Rhonda's funeral, nor has he ever spoken to the family since that day. Now, you have a few more facts. Revise your thinking...

News Feature about Rhonda Hinson published 4.2.19

http://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/183916678890/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-ii?fbclid=IwAR2msmptBzCLpO8DcH-x903i3AcQ__4OHKtxDJZOxJl9eQz0KZrq7BCuMe0Wow! Thanks for the information.

This right here seems to put everything about this case in a whole new light.

If this information is accurate, it certainly does. I am amazed to find that I posted this 12 years ago in this (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=166193&highlight=Hinson&page=2) thread:

It's difficult to parse this, because it seems so rampantly illogical (and that in itself may be reason enough to discount some of the witness testimony here), but this scenaio, reconstructed from eyewitness testimony, leans heavily, at least to me, in the direction of either an ex-boyfriend of Rhonda's getting together with a buddy after a party or just a night of drinking together to go wait for her underneath the interstate, with a gun ready to shoot at her car and scare her, OR a random yet accidental killing, the result of a couple of drunk or high or just plain stupid kids thinking it would be funny to shoot at cars coming off the interstate, to test their marksmanship. In this case, the two don't quite realize that, for example, a bullet to the trunk could eventually pass through the cabin of the car and eventually kill someone. In either case, once the fatal shot is fired and the car has swerved off the road, one of the two, likely the gunman in my scenario (in the first cae, almost certainly the ex), rushes up to the car to see if she is alright, while the other bolts. When he sees she is dead, he leaves too, knowing his culpability in the matter.

Interesting new facts. But I'd like to know how it was revealed that the preacher, Greg's father, had touched Rhonda in inappropriate ways. That would explain all the excessive showers and her saying, "I can't sleep, I feel dirty." But that is quite a bombshell that apparently wasn't known to the Hinsons by the time the UM segment aired. And several years had already passed by then since the murder.

The majority of that write up gives the impression of a VERY overly clingy teenage boyfriend but not exactly to the extreme of a Richard Church. It sounds like he had major issues but it's quite a leap from pushing her to hunting her down in the middle of the night with a rifle. I think I need to know a little more about just how bad their apparent blowup fights had became. Although going to the parents bedroom instead of Rhonda's to have his several hour emotional breakdown is a little...odd. And no contact with the Hinsons since that day, not going to the funeral, taking two hours to get to the house despite living 15 minutes away and being freshly showered.

I'm very intrigued and would like to know more.

An investigative reporter, originally from Valdese, is working this story.
Rhonda Hinson was my first cousin. Let me enlighten a few of you. She was not having an affair. She was not pregnant. She was an enthusiastic athlete that excelled in track, tennis, and basketball. She was well liked. She loved life and her family. She had a future! She didn't date until she met Greg McDowell, whom was never interviewed about his whereabouts at the time of her murder. He drove a blue car with a messed up front end. He was home from college that holiday season. Rhonda tried desperately to break up with him due to his jealous streak, physical abuse, and emotional instability. He showed up to Rhonda's house two hours after Rhonda's mother called him and he only lived 15 minutes away. When he showed up that night, he was freshly showered. He went straight to Rhonda's parents bedroom and sat on the bed for several hours, periodically vomiting, but never speaking to anyone. Greg's father, Charles McDowell, was a preacher that "touched" Rhonda in inappropriate ways. (He is now located in Barney GA.) Rhonda dodged him every chance she could. Charles McDowell was an avid hunter with a nice collection of hunting rifles and shotguns. He was a pilot. In the wee morning hours of December 23rd, he suddenly scheduled a flight "out of the area." Greg did not go to Rhonda's funeral, nor has he ever spoken to the family since that day. Now, you have a few more facts. Revise your thinking...

News Feature about Rhonda Hinson published 4.2.19

http://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/183916678890/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-ii?fbclid=IwAR2msmptBzCLpO8DcH-x903i3AcQ__4OHKtxDJZOxJl9eQz0KZrq7BCuMe0


So the elder McDowell did it then (fearful Rhonda would eventually rat him out) and forced his son/her boyfriend to help him (which would explain the sightings of more than one car + his bizarre behavior after the fact).....??

An investigative reporter, originally from Valdese, is working this story.
Rhonda Hinson was my first cousin. Let me enlighten a few of you. She was not having an affair. She was not pregnant. She was an enthusiastic athlete that excelled in track, tennis, and basketball. She was well liked. She loved life and her family. She had a future! She didn't date until she met Greg McDowell, whom was never interviewed about his whereabouts at the time of her murder. He drove a blue car with a messed up front end. He was home from college that holiday season. Rhonda tried desperately to break up with him due to his jealous streak, physical abuse, and emotional instability. He showed up to Rhonda's house two hours after Rhonda's mother called him and he only lived 15 minutes away. When he showed up that night, he was freshly showered. He went straight to Rhonda's parents bedroom and sat on the bed for several hours, periodically vomiting, but never speaking to anyone. Greg's father, Charles McDowell, was a preacher that "touched" Rhonda in inappropriate ways. (He is now located in Barney GA.) Rhonda dodged him every chance she could. Charles McDowell was an avid hunter with a nice collection of hunting rifles and shotguns. He was a pilot. In the wee morning hours of December 23rd, he suddenly scheduled a flight "out of the area." Greg did not go to Rhonda's funeral, nor has he ever spoken to the family since that day. Now, you have a few more facts. Revise your thinking...

News Feature about Rhonda Hinson published 4.2.19

http://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/183916678890/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-ii?fbclid=IwAR2msmptBzCLpO8DcH-x903i3AcQ__4OHKtxDJZOxJl9eQz0KZrq7BCuMe0

Thank you for posting. We're all sorry for the loss.

I'm a bit confused though. Rhonda "dodged him every chance she could" because of the "jealous streak, physical abuse, and emotional instability" - but he was still welcomed into the home by the parents, including the night of the murder?

Also, Rhonda was knowingly dating the unstable, abusive son of her sexual abuser?

Very interesting information! ...and seems to actually make total sense and be the most plausible. About to dive into the 10 part news article on this. Already skimming through, it's very nice to see additional photographs of Rhonda (real-life photos are great, as I always hate only seeing school type portraits, as even mine never seem to really give a sense of what a person actually looked like or was really like.)

Just finished reading through the whole series.

If anything, it seems the question of the Trans Am is resolved: this was the vehicle belonging to a couple of passersby (named in one of the articles) who stopped to check on the car, but apparently did not come near enough to chance on Rhonda's body in the ditch. They did, however, go into Valdese to try to flag down a police officer and ended up bringing one to the scene.

Greg McDowell fits the sketchy description of the man seen standing by Rhonda's car that night. Although the blue 1976 Nova he was driving at the time doesn't exactly fit the description provided by one of the eyewitnesses, the eyewitness was able to correctly identify the make, with a "messed up" front end (as McDowell's had at the time), and described it as gray, which a blue car might appear to be in low light conditions. The question here would be the sequence of events: if this particular driver (who described both the car and the male seen at Rhonda's car) were traveling away from Valdese on MSM Road toward the I-40 ramp as depicted in the segment, it cannot be that the car was McDowell's and that he was also the man seen with Rhonda.

I think McDowell is probably as good a suspect as any, especially provided having the most solid motive of anybody else we've discussed over the years in addition to his breaking off contact with the Hinson family virtually on the night Rhonda was killed. But I don't understand the logistics of how it might have gone down. Did he wait for her under the bridge? Did he follow her from some other location, like near Sherry Pittman's house in Hickory? Did she realize she was being followed by someone she knew and stop? Did he argue with her and it escalated? Did he approach from the outset with the intention of shooting her? Or did he snipe at her from a distance? Did he even own such a weapon? Did his daddy? I guess my questions mainly center on that small chunk of time just prior to, and just after the shooting.

The series of articles definitely set up Greg McDowell and/or his father being involved in Rhonda's murder, but the most recent article (or maybe it was part 9) also sets up Rhonda's friend's boyfriend (Mark Turner) as a potential suspect. I'm confused as to which way this is going, because I don't see Greg & Mark working together to do this. Especially since Greg got a phone call from Rhonda after midnight (at his house), meaning he wouldn't have had time to contact Mark and then get together to commit the murder. I did see this comment for the first time over at the UM website from someone named Christine:

I went to high school with Rhonda and remember this case well. I pray her killer will be found. One thing I remember is all guys in the area that drove black Trans Ams or Camaros were questioned. I also remember rumors about the father (a preacher) of her boyfriend being questioned. I believe he moved away to another state with another woman. I am not too sure what clues the police have that point to someone stalking her. The area where this happened is very secluded and does have a lot of random gunfire especially at night by drunks. It would probably help solve the case if more details were released to the public or if the case were highlighted more. Keep in mind at the same time this happened a man in the same town was killed for driving too slow. I cannot remember what Rhonda’s boyfriend drove, sad because he drove me home from school one day but I am sure it was not a Trans Am. He was a super guy and would not do such a terrible thing. I can’t imagine any of her friends doing this either. If it was someone stalking her it had to be related to her job or someone she met post high school.

Greg seems like the most logical suspect, but I don't know if he would fly into a rage over Rhonda going to a Christmas party without him to the point where he would hunt her down and shoot her with a rifle. By all accounts he was a jealous guy with a temper. But no one recounted something of that magnitude. I'm interested to see how Mark Turner fits into all of this.

From what I have pieced together after reading the entire series, it seems to me that it may have happened in this sequence:

1. Rhonda is supposed to spend night at friends house. Once there, she calls Greg. He is very upset, so for some reason, she decides to go home instead of spend the night.

2. Greg knows she is going home, so he goes to wait under the bridge to approach her before she gets home.

3. Once she stops, maybe he gives her back her jacket?

4. Either they argued or the accomplice gave her the jacket and then she drove off.

5. Greg wants to possibly shoot out one of her tires, so that he can come to her rescue.

6. The shot misses and goes through the trunk instead.

7. Greg then goes to the car to check on her and realizes she is dead.

From what I have pieced together after reading the entire series, it seems to me that it may have happened in this sequence:

1. Rhonda is supposed to spend night at friends house. Once there, she calls Greg. He is very upset, so for some reason, she decides to go home instead of spend the night.

2. Greg knows she is going home, so he goes to wait under the bridge to approach her before she gets home.

3. Once she stops, maybe he gives her back her jacket?

4. Either they argued or the accomplice gave her the jacket and then she drove off.

5. Greg wants to possibly shoot out one of her tires, so that he can come to her rescue.

6. The shot misses and goes through the trunk instead.

7. Greg then goes to the car to check on her and realizes she is dead.

Mark Turner was the one who had her jacket. Greg McDowell had an alibi of sorts (his parents, not exactly impartial). Mark Turner, however, dropped his girlfriend off at approximately 12:40 a.m. Rhonda was pulling up off of the interstate to merge onto Eldred Street mere minutes later. You can see where Turner dropped his girlfriend off and where Rhonda was shot here (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/35.7305062,-81.5466768/5278-5336+Hazel+St,+Valdese,+NC+28690/@35.7288122,-81.5494771,17z/data=!4m8!4m7!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x8850d667eced611b:0x4cf4054455b5e84d!2m2!1d-81.5499476!2d35.7261615). That's too much of a coincidence if you ask me.

Both McDowell and Turner had an article of Rhonda's outerwear, leaving her without something warm to wear outside at least as early as the 21st, because Judy Hinson reported Rhonda telling her as much and attempting to take her brother Robbie's coat on that morning. McDowell had her letter jacket, and Turner had her gray sweatshirt because she had gone Christmas shopping with him several days prior and had worn the sweatshirt during the trip. Both of those clothing items were found in Rhonda's Datsun the night she was shot and I'm not sure if it was established how each found its way back to her.

I can't find these articles about Rhonda's murder online? Can someone please post a link? Thanks.

Both McDowell and Turner had an article of Rhonda's outerwear, leaving her without something warm to wear outside at least as early as the 21st, because Judy Hinson reported Rhonda telling her as much and attempting to take her brother Robbie's coat on that morning. McDowell had her letter jacket, and Turner had her gray sweatshirt because she had gone Christmas shopping with him several days prior and had worn the sweatshirt during the trip. Both of those clothing items were found in Rhonda's Datsun the night she was shot and I'm not sure if it was established how each found its way back to her.

I forgot that McDowell had her lettered jacket. And I must have missed that tidbit about both jackets being found in her car! I know when she left for work that morning she didn't have either jacket (according to her mother and neighbors who saw her wearing a multi-colored jacket), but Greg did meet with Rhonda that day (of the Christmas party) to take her out to lunch. So it's possible that he gave her the jacket at this time. Mark Turner has no logical explanation as to how the jacket he had got back into her car. Turner's girlfriend at the time, Jill (Rhonda's friend) saw Rhonda's jacket in the back of Turner's car when he was dropping her off on Hazel Street, and he told her her would give it back to Greg when he saw him again. I just don't see any time when Turner could have bumped into Greg within that small window. Unless of course he saw Greg parked on the side of the road (under the overpass), made some small talk with him, and then gave him Rhonda's jacket. I don't see why he wouldn't have told the police that though.

I can't find these articles about Rhonda's murder online? Can someone please post a link? Thanks.

https://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/archive

It's currently a 10 part series.

This case makes me so angry...words cannot justify.

Two thinks stick out to me about these articles aside from the fact that they rather neatly portray Greg as the most logical suspect.

1 - From Part VII: "Tonya looked across the parking lot and notice Greg waiting for his girlfriend in a blue Chevy Nova. She also observed that the front of the car had apparently sustained damage at some juncture." - This ties into the description of both the vehicle seen by witnesses facing in an inordinate direction on MSM Road and the one recalled under hypnosis as seen fleeing the seen of the accident complete w/notation that the front end of the vehicle was "messed up". This to me is particularly riveting and causes me to wonder exactly when the witness was put under hypnosis and the memories of seeing the Chevy with front-end damage were recalled? Because this obviously there is a direct link between the vehicle recalled by the witness and one owned by someone who knew Rhonda intimately. I truthfully wonder if this link was ever seriously followed up?

2 - The gray sweatshirt was probably given back to Greg by Mark Turner when they met at Turner's house subsequent to Greg being sprung buying condoms by Turner's mother.

As a postscript it somewhat frustrates me that the UM segment took viewers down a rather crooked road in how they reported this case. While it was very possible in my opinion that Rhonda Hinson may have been sexually assaulted by an older man, I'm not sure if this actually played a part in why she was murdered. Also the fact the segment clearly insinuated that Rhonda Hinson may have been seeing a married man on the sly, for years had most of us believing that she was murdered by a jealous spouse or potentially the married man she was having an affair with. *sigh*

The gray sweatshirt was probably given back to Greg by Mark Turner when they met at Turner's house subsequent to Greg being sprung buying condoms by Turner's mother.

This couldn't have happened because when Turner was dropping his girlfriend off at her house (at 12:30-12:40 a.m. on the night that Rhonda was murdered), she went around the car to give him a goodbye kiss and noticed the jacket in the back of his car. That's when he said he was going to give it back to Greg whenever he saw him again. And that was minutes away from Rhonda pulling up and merging onto Eldred Street. From Part 9:

Mark pulled up in front of my house to let me out; he didn’t like to drive down our steep driveway; there had been some ice that day. I got out of his car, walked around to the driver’s side to kiss him goodnight. It was then that I glanced into Mark’s backseat and noticed Rhonda’s hooded sweatjacket with the HH WTC lettering on it. I asked him why he had Rhonda’s jacket in his car. He said that she left it when the two of them went Christmas shopping to buy me a present. I told him if he would give it to me, I would make certain that Rhonda got it back. He replied that he would just give it to Greg when he saw him next.

Mark left the Turner’s Valdese residence, traveled down sloping Hazel Street, and paused at the stop sign prior to making a left-hand turn onto Mineral Springs Mountain Road toward the interstate. It was approximately 12:30 AM.

It was approaching 12:40 a.m. when the headlights of Rhonda’s 210 Datsun illuminated the Mineral Springs Mountain exit sign. She slowed to take the exit, about a half-mile from her Hillcrest home.

The article says that a couple heard a gunshot at 12:55 a.m. Rhonda's driver side window was down. I think someone flagged her down and talked to her before she took off and they fired the rifle at her car and murdered her. What's also interesting is that in one of the articles they mention that Mark Turner had suffered a back injury 2 days prior to Rhonda's murder. That could account for the eyewitness (who was hypnotized) who says he saw a man standing at the door of Rhonda's car, while Rhonda was slumped over the wheel. When the police arrived, Rhonda was lying next to her car with her head resting on the rear wheel. This could indicate someone tried to move her body from the vehicle, but couldn't move it far, so they just left her next to the car.

It's also weird that the hypnotized witness says he saw a car (with the front end damaged) speeding away from the scene, but after this car leaves is when he claims to have seen the man at Rhonda's vehicle. The UM segment says that latent prints were found on the driver's door but that they couldn't match them to anyone.

Wow, that is a close area from where Mark was dropping off his GF to the off-ramp. I really wonder if he and Greg were both involved. The only thing that confuses me, is there were no cell phones or way of communication for them to know where one another were at that point. Unless, as mentioned above, Mark saw Greg waiting under the overpass, and got out to talk to him. From there, Greg may have told him that he was waiting for Rhonda because they had an argument, etc..., who knows. Just very strange, but I definitely think they were both involved. Very odd that Mark refuses to talk to any reporters...why? You would think this happened so long ago and is unsolved, that if you had nothing to do w/ this, you would have no issue speaking to someone.

On a side note, this is one of the best, most in-depth article series I have ever read on a UM case that I have followed closely. It is amazing to get a more in depth look at Rhonda's life prior to her death, what type of person/personality she was, and so on. It's always hard to only see 1-2 pictures of a person in a segment, and really know how they look, or what they are like. Really amazing read, I am on my second time through the series.

Wow, that is a close area from where Mark was dropping off his GF to the off-ramp. I really wonder if he and Greg were both involved. The only thing that confuses me, is there were no cell phones or way of communication for them to know where one another were at that point. Unless, as mentioned above, Mark saw Greg waiting under the overpass, and got out to talk to him. From there, Greg may have told him that he was waiting for Rhonda because they had an argument, etc..., who knows. Just very strange, but I definitely think they were both involved. Very odd that Mark refuses to talk to any reporters...why? You would think this happened so long ago and is unsolved, that if you had nothing to do w/ this, you would have no issue speaking to someone.

If Mark saw Greg sitting near the off ramp and pulled over to give him Rhonda's jacket back, why wouldn't Mark have simply told the police that? I can't fathom how, in the span of less than 10 minutes or so, Greg could have coerced (or coaxed) Mark into helping him murder and/or intimidate Rhonda. Plus I don't know how pleased Greg would have been after Mark gave him Rhonda's jacket, knowing how jealous Greg was.

If Mark saw Greg sitting near the off ramp and pulled over to give him Rhonda's jacket back, why wouldn't Mark have simply told the police that? I can't fathom how, in the span of less than 10 minutes or so, Greg could have coerced (or coaxed) Mark into helping him murder and/or intimidate Rhonda. Plus I don't know how pleased Greg would have been after Mark gave him Rhonda's jacket, knowing how jealous Greg was.

Hard to say. But either man doesn't seem willing to cooperate w/ police, so makes sense as to why he wouldn't report that. And, if Greg did have a gun on him, he could have threatened Mark as well, as we know from the article he threatened to beat the a** of someone that Rhonda was excited to play tennis w/ over the summer. I also don't trust any "immediate family" of the boyfriend as far as an alibi goes. If it was a completely unrelated third party verifying an alibi, it's more legitimate, but family I always take with a grain of salt.

Was thinking about this driving home from work last night: could it possible that one of the two witnesses in the Trans Am in fact did attempt to provide aid to Rhonda after seeing her slumped over her steering wheel, ran to get the police upon noticing she was dead, and fudged the story to the cops about the scene, i.e., they saw only a running vehicle with its driver's door open rolled partway into the ditch? I could see a couple of dudes panicking they might be pinned as suspects if they mentioned chancing upon a body instead of merely a car.

Significantly, it would explain the man seen with Rhonda at her car at virtually the same moment the parked Trans Am was spotted a short distance down the road.

On another point, I agree Rhonda most likely stopped for someone she knew before being shot. That's the best reason I can surmise for her driver's window being rolled down in the middle of what was by all accounts an icy period of weather.

I don't have a lot of time to comb through the articles at the moment, but I thought I read something about the two in the Trans Am pulling into some kind of dirt driveway not far from where Rhonda's car was found. If that's true and things haven't changed significantly since 1981, I think I know exactly where that is because I remember visiting back in 2009 and considering pulling into it myself just to get my car off the road. It's just north of the I-40 on-ramp and I felt like at the time it was at least graveled, if not paved. It would've been perhaps not even a hundred feet from where the Datsun would've been.

Also, just to clear any confusion, Mineral Springs Mountain Rd turns into Eldred St about as the road passes north under the I-40 bridge.

The garden center turned antique store mentioned a few times was also still there. It would've been just north of the scene as the hill crests on the right side of the road.

Was thinking about this driving home from work last night: could it possible that one of the two witnesses in the Trans Am in fact did attempt to provide aid to Rhonda after seeing her slumped over her steering wheel, ran to get the police upon noticing she was dead, and fudged the story to the cops about the scene, i.e., they saw only a running vehicle with its driver's door open rolled partway into the ditch? I could see a couple of dudes panicking they might be pinned as suspects if they mentioned chancing upon a body instead of merely a car.

I think this is possible and was what the one eyewitness saw. He says he saw a car speeding out of the area and another car parked on the side of the road near Rhonda's car with the man standing at the driver's side of Rhonda's car. That matches up with what the 2 guys in the Trans Am said happened. They said they stopped, went to Rhonda's car, and 2 other guys pulled up to see what was going on. The 2 Trans Am guys left and tried to get a police officer.

https://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/185223579170/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-10

Just a bit of detail-sorting from the article:

1. Reggie Smart is the name of the eyewitness who provided the information under hypnosis featured in the UM segment. He is the only witness to have seen Rhonda in her vehicle. He had been working on his truck in a garage located at 1975 Laurel St NE in Valdese prior to driving by the scene.

2. Tim Pons and Mark Micol are the "Trans Am" guys; the blue Trans Am was Micol's.

3. Jerry Baker and Todd Garrou are friends of Pons and Micol that allegedly passed by the scene as Pons and Micol were preparing to leave. Baker and Garrou stopped at Valdese Home and Garden Center (1201 E Eldred St SE, Valdese), got out of their vehicle, and called out to Pons and Micol to ask what happened. Micol says he told the two that they didn't know, and that they were on their way to get the police. According to Pons, Baker and Garrou then left.

4. Lt. Harry Feimster was the first responding officer, having been flagged down somewhere in downtown Valdese by Pons and Micol. Micol claims it took Feimster "a long time" to get back to the scene. Feimster ran the license plate check on the Datsun at 1:14 AM.

2. Tim Pons and Mark Micol are the "Trans Am" guys; the blue Trans Am was Micol's.

3. Jerry Baker and Todd Garrou are friends of Pons and Micol that allegedly passed by the scene as Pons and Micol were preparing to leave. Baker and Garrou stopped at Valdese Home and Garden Center (1201 E Eldred St SE, Valdese), got out of their vehicle, and called out to Pons and Micol to ask what happened. Micol says he told the two that they didn't know, and that they were on their way to get the police. According to Pons, Baker and Garrou then left.

Reggie Smart, the hypnotized witness, says he saw a dark blue or black Trans-Am parked "down the road" from Rhonda's car. This was also during the time that he saw the man standing near Rhonda's driver side. If this information provided under hypnosis is accurate, that means that either Pons or Micol was the man seen standing near Rhonda's car. Because if it wasn't them, they would have had to have seen a strange man standing around and not mention it to anyone. It's also possible that the car he saw speeding away was that of Baker and Garrou.

Reggie Smart, the hypnotized witness, says he saw a dark blue or black Trans-Am parked "down the road" from Rhonda's car. This was also during the time that he saw the man standing near Rhonda's driver side. If this information provided under hypnosis is accurate, that means that either Pons or Micol was the man seen standing near Rhonda's car. Because if it wasn't them, they would have had to have seen a strange man standing around and not mention it to anyone. It's also possible that the car he saw speeding away was that of Baker and Garrou.

This is exactly what I think happened.

What I'm leaning toward based on the new information is this:

1. Greg McDowell was a clingy, controlling young man who was apparently upset that Rhonda went to that Christmas party on the night of December 23, 1981. If he was responsible for her death, I do not think he premeditated it. I think it's more likely he made contact with her somewhere along the drive from Sherry Pittman's house. Rhonda may have pulled over for him, and the two may have had an argument from which she opted to drive away. What I don't know, if McDowell "did it", is when he would've presented the rifle. Did he walk up to her car with it in hand? Did he become angry when she drove off, and he grabbed for it in the car and shot at the back of Rhonda's car in a fit of rage? Whatever the case, I don't get the impression that he actively sought to murder her that night. I think it's more likely he became angry and acted irrationally, resulting in her death.

As McDowell's father was a hunter, Greg may have had access to such a weapon as the one used to kill Rhonda.

Furthermore, although Reggie Smart recounted a 1970 Chevelle with a "messed up" front end and single male at the wheel speeding north in the opposite direction from the crime scene on Eldred St the night of the murder, Greg McDowell was driving a blue 1976 Nova with a damaged front end at the time. The two vehicles aren't especially dissimilar from one another when viewed from the front, and with damage it may have been even more difficult to discern the two within the span of several seconds, passing in the night.

2. I think Rhonda was raped, otherwise sexually, and/or physically assaulted during the summer trip to Myrtle Beach and that this is the reason for her late night showers, reluctance to run errands alone, telling her father she had a concern "but was afraid to tell him", insomnia, and hesitation to sleep in her own room. There isn't really a shadow of a doubt in my mind that something happened to her on that trip. However, it may or may not be related to her murder.

3. Clearly, Pons and Micol were in the Trans Am described by Reggie Smart. I think the man seen at Rhonda's car was either Pons or Micol, and that one of these men removed Rhonda from the car. It was then that they discovered she was dead, panicked, and ran off to find a police officer. I think they did not tell Lt. Feimster that they'd seen or moved anyone in the vehicle, only that they'd seen blood on the front seat. They allowed Feimster to discover Rhonda by the car for himself, perhaps worried that they'd be implicated if they mentioned anything about a dead woman.

What I can't come to terms with in the theory that Greg killed Rhonda would be his father's and mother's involvement in either helping him by lying about an alibi, or in the active cover up of the murder. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I know that people say that Greg's father was a creep towards Rhonda, but I don't see why Greg's mother (especially after her husband left her) would willingly continue to lie and help cover up the murder of her son's girlfriend. Now if the theory was that Greg's father was the one who murdered Rhonda, and that Greg being fearful/intimidated of/by his father kept quiet after all of these years, I could see that being plausible.

It just seems like there is a ton of focus being placed on setting up Greg as the killer and his parents as accessories after the fact. I do agree with Meg in that I think whoever killed Rhonda did not plan to do so. I also think they became enraged after conversing with her and shot at her car (to either scare her or to get her to stop from driving away) and that they didn't intend on killing her. I still want to know more about Mark Turner. His proximity to the murder site within the time frame of Rhonda's murder has, Greg's controlling and sometimes abusive behavior aside, been the most suspicious thing about the case to me thus far.

What I can't come to terms with in the theory that Greg killed Rhonda would be his father's and mother's involvement in either helping him by lying about an alibi, or in the active cover up of the murder. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

It is believed by many that the Ramseys covered for Burke murdering JonBenet.

It is believed by the majority of Frederick, Maryland that Don Barnes Jr.'s father and ex-girlfriend covered for him murdering Tracey Kirkpatrick.

It is believed by the residents of Belen, New Mexico and one of the lead investigators that four teenage boys, who have all been named online, were responsible for the abduction, rape and murder of Tara Calico. The investigator going so far as to claim that all four sets of parents covered up the crime including burying the bicycle.

Parents and/or loved ones cover for their kids when it comes to murder a lot more often than our minds can probably comprehend. And they get away with it a lot. It just happens. I struggle with it, like you do.

Parents and/or loved ones cover for their kids when it comes to murder a lot more often than our minds can probably comprehend. And they get away with it a lot. It just happens. I struggle with it, like you do.

Rhonda's parents called Greg McDowell's house at roughly 2:19 a.m. to ask if he knew where Rhonda was. Shortly after that phone call, according to Greg's mother, Greg's father (Charles McDowell) left to go look for Rhonda. Charles came across the crime scene and spoke to the police officers present. When the police officers wouldn't answer his questions about what happened to Rhonda (her body was already taken from the scene at that point), Charles accompanied 2 detectives back to the Hinson family home to find out what was going on. According to Charles, this was when he found out that Rhonda was dead and how she had been killed. Roughly 30 minutes later, one of the detectives called Greg to tell him that Rhonda had been killed. About 10 minutes later, Charles called his family and said that Greg and his mother should come up to the Hinson home.

All of these actions do not strike me as a person who was trying to cover something up. If he was, he wouldn't have introduced himself at the crime scene full of police officers (almost immediately after he got the phone call from Rhonda's father asking if they had seen or heard from Rhonda), nor would he have agreed to accompany the detectives back to the Hinson home. And to top it all off, I doubt he would have invited the killer, Greg, over to the Hinson home. I'm not saying that Greg isn't suspicious, or that his family and their actions leading up to the murder aren't either. But I don't find their immediate response after finding out about Rhonda's death suspicious. If anything, Charles's story about going to look for Rhonda after getting the phone call and finding her car and the crime scene are actually believable, IMO.

Next part is out:

https://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/185386290270/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-11

Next part is out:

https://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/185386290270/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-11

This part seems more of like a build-up and getting us facts for future parts...so it made me more anxious for the next part to come out to get to more meat.

What I'm leaning toward based on the new information is this:

1. Greg McDowell was a clingy, controlling young man who was apparently upset that Rhonda went to that Christmas party on the night of December 23, 1981. If he was responsible for her death, I do not think he premeditated it. I think it's more likely he made contact with her somewhere along the drive from Sherry Pittman's house. Rhonda may have pulled over for him, and the two may have had an argument from which she opted to drive away. What I don't know, if McDowell "did it", is when he would've presented the rifle. Did he walk up to her car with it in hand? Did he become angry when she drove off, and he grabbed for it in the car and shot at the back of Rhonda's car in a fit of rage? Whatever the case, I don't get the impression that he actively sought to murder her that night. I think it's more likely he became angry and acted irrationally, resulting in her death.

As McDowell's father was a hunter, Greg may have had access to such a weapon as the one used to kill Rhonda.

Furthermore, although Reggie Smart recounted a 1970 Chevelle with a "messed up" front end and single male at the wheel speeding north in the opposite direction from the crime scene on Eldred St the night of the murder, Greg McDowell was driving a blue 1976 Nova with a damaged front end at the time. The two vehicles aren't especially dissimilar from one another when viewed from the front, and with damage it may have been even more difficult to discern the two within the span of several seconds, passing in the night.

2. I think Rhonda was raped, otherwise sexually, and/or physically assaulted during the summer trip to Myrtle Beach and that this is the reason for her late night showers, reluctance to run errands alone, telling her father she had a concern "but was afraid to tell him", insomnia, and hesitation to sleep in her own room. There isn't really a shadow of a doubt in my mind that something happened to her on that trip. However, it may or may not be related to her murder.

3. Clearly, Pons and Micol were in the Trans Am described by Reggie Smart. I think the man seen at Rhonda's car was either Pons or Micol, and that one of these men removed Rhonda from the car. It was then that they discovered she was dead, panicked, and ran off to find a police officer. I think they did not tell Lt. Feimster that they'd seen or moved anyone in the vehicle, only that they'd seen blood on the front seat. They allowed Feimster to discover Rhonda by the car for himself, perhaps worried that they'd be implicated if they mentioned anything about a dead woman.

Next part is out:

https://the-record-newspaper.tumblr.com/post/185386290270/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-part-11

"Let me put it to you this way—if I had been asleep and had just gotten a phone call that my girlfriend had been killed, I don’t think that I would have taken the time to shower and shave—I would have thrown on whatever I could find and out the door I would go. I would not have cared about how I looked.”

My thoughts exactly.

Also, I am thinking that he had already showered and shaved prior to being informed of her death. I think, it's obvious, he wanted to remove any evidence by showering. I just wonder if the clothes he was wearing earlier in the evening were still in existence, or if he discarded those. I would assume, had he carried her out of the car, there would be blood on his clothing.

Parts 12-14 have been posted. According to the articles, Greg McDowell did go to Rhonda's funeral and was in contact with her family afterwards. His behavior changed dramatically. He wouldn't sleep unless all of the lights were on and doors were open, and would sleep in the bed that his sister and brother-in-law shared. He also vowed to never drive at night time ever again. 4 days after Rhonda's murder, Greg's father resigned from the church. Can't wait for the next part.

“Charles McDowell preached the shortest funeral I have ever heard and did not say one thing about Rhonda, except she ate with them a few times, and he remembered her beautiful smile.”

“Of course I knew that he was Greg’s father; however, I had never met Charles McDowell until the day of Rhonda’s funeral,” Jill Turner-Mull maintained. “But as I sat and listened to him talk about Rhonda, I thought to myself, ‘this guy must not like her."

That on top of saying he doesn't know whether or not Rhonda went to hell. Charming guy. Even his wife made zero eye contact with the family and didn't say a single word to the Hinsons any time before and after the service.

Then he immediately resigns from the church.

Parts 12-14 have been posted. Anyone have a link to parts 12 -14? Can't seem to locate these.

Anyone have a link to parts 12 -14? Can't seem to locate these.

The "Remembering Rhonda Hinson" Facebook page is the easiest way to read all of these, and all are posted.

Greg McDowell was a clingy, controlling young man who was apparently upset that Rhonda went to that Christmas party on the night of December 23, 1981. If he was responsible for her death, I do not think he premeditated it. I think it's more likely he made contact with her somewhere along the drive from Sherry Pittman's house. Rhonda may have pulled over for him, and the two may have had an argument from which she opted to drive away. What I don't know, if McDowell "did it", is when he would've presented the rifle. Did he walk up to her car with it in hand? Did he become angry when she drove off, and he grabbed for it in the car and shot at the back of Rhonda's car in a fit of rage? Whatever the case, I don't get the impression that he actively sought to murder her that night. I think it's more likely he became angry and acted irrationally, resulting in her death.

As McDowell's father was a hunter, Greg may have had access to such a weapon as the one used to kill Rhonda.

I agree with EVERYTHING. Rhonda called Greg from the Pittman home after getting back from the Christmas party. And she told Sherri and her mother that Greg was extremely angry. This is the reason her plans changed and she didn't end up spending the night like originally planned. During that short phone call, Rhonda must have told Greg that she was coming home, probably with the intentions of talking, fighting or maybe just breaking up with Greg once and for all. If this is the case, only Greg would know she was coming home at that time as nobody else knew but the Pittmans.

Greg must have waited for her near the murder site, knowing she would drive by soon, with the intentions of stopping her. He probably wanted to hash it out with her there instead of at the Hinson home so they could argue in private without Rhonda's parents hearing. It explains the rolled down drivers side window and the fact that she never would have pulled over for a stranger. How the conversation went exactly is anyone's guess. But if Rhonda finally ended the relationship, I could see his anger causing him to do something drastic, but the actual shot may have been a tragic accident. Like you, I don't think it was his intention to kill her but he ended up doing it anyway.

And I realize that many people grieve in different ways but Greg and his parents did themselves no favor by completely cutting everyone off like they did. It just doesn't look right. And Betty McDowell appearing irritated when Jill and Mark showed up on her front door to console Greg is another red flag. I think any other mother would have gladly welcomed their visit to comfort her grieving son who's girlfriend had just been tragically murdered.

Really would have been nice if the UM segment had mentioned the McDowells.

Really would have been nice if the UM segment had mentioned the McDowells.

I wonder if there was concern about litigation...perhaps there was an offer for an interview and UM was told they didn't want to and didn't want to be mentioned at all? If not, I also find it troubling that we don't even hear about Rhonda's boyfriend's existence but we do hear about the showers and "married man" possibility.

I wonder if there was concern about litigation...perhaps there was an offer for an interview and UM was told they didn't want to and didn't want to be mentioned at all? If not, I also find it troubling that we don't even hear about Rhonda's boyfriend's existence but we do hear about the showers and "married man" possibility.

I can't fault UM for including the showers and married man talk. The Hinsons did what most people in their shoes probably would have done. They went back in their memories to find any semblance of instances that were out of the ordinary that might have been a puzzle piece to figuring out why their daughter was murdered. It was only natural from them to wonder.

I can't fault UM for including the showers and married man talk. The Hinsons did what most people in their shoes probably would have done. They went back in their memories to find any semblance of instances that were out of the ordinary that might have been a puzzle piece to figuring out why their daughter was murdered. It was only natural from them to wonder.

That's a good point. And I think there's a high probability the Hinsons DID mention Greg in their interviews and the disturbing events we've been reading about in this series of articles. Unfortunately, we just didn't see any of that footage because UM declined to include that information.

That's a good point. And I think there's a high probability the Hinsons DID mention Greg in their interviews and the disturbing events we've been reading about in this series of articles. Unfortunately, we just didn't see any of that footage because UM declined to include that information.

I suspect the multiple allusions such as "someone she knew, closely" and "would've never stopped for a stranger" could indicate UM had the McDowell story from Rhonda's family, but didn't tell that particular story explicitly for legal or investigatory reasons, or both. However, by throwing those small bits of information into the segment, perhaps the hope was that someone might be able to call in and collaborate/elaborate.

That's a good point. And I think there's a high probability the Hinsons DID mention Greg in their interviews and the disturbing events we've been reading about in this series of articles. Unfortunately, we just didn't see any of that footage because UM declined to include that information.

It's interesting to read the comment section on the Facebook page. Those guys are very angry and rightfully so. A few wondered if the police ever investigated the Rev. McDowell's gun collection. But they also brought up that he was probably disposing of the rifle when Betty McDowell claimed he was "picking up relatives."

Recently saw the RH segment (UM S02) for the first time. This is definitely one of the more disturbing segments from the show. Too bad it's still unsolved.

I agree that RH may have been having an affair with a married guy (possibly @ work) due to her comment/question to her mother. As far as her getting up in the middle of the night & taking showers....I'm no psychologist, but I don't necessarily think this means she was being abused/assaulted. If she was indeed having an affair with a married man, these actions could mean that she felt guilty and "unclean", hence the showers.

That being said, I don't think these things necessarily have anything to do with why/how she died.

Re: the most recent posts, I agree that the soon-to-be?! ex-bf sounds like a plausible suspect, but without proof I also agree there's nothing that can be done here.

Apparently, the authorities have uncovered new information (unrelated to DNA)

https://morganton.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/40-years-later-detectives-running-down-new-data-in-hinson-slaying/article_b8294a86-6365-11ec-880f-636c467e0de5.html

It wants me to disable my adblocker and pay for a subscription.

It wants me to disable my adblocker and pay for a subscription.

Try this

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/detectives-investigate-new-information-40-year-old-cold-case-burke-county-sheriff-says/FOTAXL7STZCLHBLBLTOKTE4G3I/

Any chance these possible new leads will focus on the McDowell family?

Any non-DNA related evidence after 40 years would be pretty amazing.

Poor Judy Hinson. That dream she had where she finally feels the satisfaction of knowing someone has been charged with Rhonda’s murder only to wake up and be back at square one.

I cannot stand when law enforcement does this without making an arrest. Seems clear to me that the series of articles written about the case has stirred some interest back into it. Unless this announcement was made with the intention of getting a confession, I don't see the reason why they would do that (unless, hopefully, an arrest is imminent).

That one worked.

I cannot stand when law enforcement does this without making an arrest. Seems clear to me that the series of articles written about the case has stirred some interest back into it. Unless this announcement was made with the intention of getting a confession, I don't see the reason why they would do that (unless, hopefully, an arrest is imminent).

Indeed - from the tone of those articles (the way certain subjects came off - as very shady, or outright guilty), I'm betting they struck a chord with LE and an investigator decided to gamble on this.

Indeed - from the tone of those articles (the way certain subjects came off - as very shady, or outright guilty), I'm betting they struck a chord with LE and an investigator decided to gamble on this.

If so, this makes me wonder why it took 38 years to publish those articles in the first place. The internet has been around for a long time. It shouldn't have taken until 2019 to release that info. I refuse to believe it took the Hinsons that long to feel suspicious over how the McDowells acted in regards to everything involving the murder.

The McDowells cut off all contact with the Hinsons after the murder (sure, nothing suspicious about that) so it's not like they were owed any loyalty.

Wow, I had no idea that there was a podcast covering this case and that it has apparently renewed interested within local LE to solving this case. Let's hope something comes of this.

https://thewilkesrecord.com/rhonda-hinson-%E2%80%94-40-years-gone-p3556-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/hinson-killing-interview-with-rev-mcdowell,-new-leads-p3579-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-additional-data-p3611-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/hinson-case-'additional-data'-still-not-released-p3979-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-parents'-disappointments-continue-p5097-149.htm

I've lost count on how many "The Killing of Rhonda Hinson" installments there was, but Larry J. Griffin is doing excellent work at keeping this case alive for the last 3 years or so. There is zero doubt in my mind that Greg McDowell murdered her and this is what happened to Rhonda:

After leaving her company Christmas party, she went over to a friend and coworkers house named Sherry Pittman. She called her soon to be ex-boyfriend Greg from this residence at around midnight. Sherry and Sherry's mother Birdell both overheard Rhonda arguing with Greg over the phone. They also heard her tell him that she was leaving the Pittman residence. After the phone call, she went to the bathroom and emerged crying. She told them that she was breaking up with Greg. Rhonda left the Pittman residence at 12:20 a.m. and was due to make the 20 minute drive back to her house. Several eyewitnesses recall hearing a shot ring out at 12:55 a.m.

IMO, Rhonda agreed to meet up with Greg that night to finally once and for all break up. They argued, and as Rhonda attempted to drive away, Greg fired a rifle into the back of Rhonda's car, fatally striking her. Both his father and his mother helped lie for him about Greg receiving a phone call from Rhonda at 12:30 a.m. on the night she was killed. There were 3 items found in Rhonda's car which, IMO, conclusively link Greg to the murder:

-A grey hooded sweatshirt which belonged to Rhonda, which was observed by Rhonda's best friend Jill Turner-Mull in the backseat of her boyfriend's (Mark Turner) car at 12:25 a.m. on the night of Rhonda's murder. Jill asked Mark if he wanted her to give the sweatshirt back to Rhonda, and Mark said he would just give the sweatshirt back to Greg when he saw him. This sweatshirt was found on the sundeck of Rhonda's car.

-Rhonda's East Burke letter jacket was found in her backseat. She specifically told her mother that morning that Greg was in possession of this jacket.

-A stuffed pink snake was also found in the backseat. Evidently the snake was some sort of souvenir from a trip that Greg and Rhonda had taken to Myrtle Beach. Rhonda had given it to Greg. Greg told detectives that he always kept this on his dresser in his bedroom. But it was found in Rhonda's car on the night of her murder.

Also of note, the eyewitness who was hypnotized and featured on Unsolved Mysteries was a man by the name of Reggie Smart. Reggie had told investigators that he saw a blue Chevy with the front end being "messed up" speeding away from the scene as well as a dark blue Trans-Am as well as a small blue Toyota (not mentioned on UM) parked down the road from Rhonda's vehicle. He also saw a man, 5'10" - 6', with "sort of dark brown hair" standing at the driver's side door of Rhonda's vehicle. By 1:00 a.m., just 5 minutes after several witnesses heard the gunshot, there were 5 people present at the crime scene: Mark Micol, Tim Pons, Todd Garrou, Jerry Baker, and Brent Smith. Mark Micol owned a dark blue Trans-Am. Tim Pons was driving with Mark Micol. Todd Garrou owned a small blue Toyota pickup truck, and Jerry Baker and Brent Smith were passengers in the truck. Todd Garrou recounted to investigators that he and Brent Smith were too scared to get out of their vehicle, but Jerry Baker did and went and conversed with Mark Micol and Tim Pons. IMO, Reggie Smart saw either Mark Micol or Tim Pons outside of Rhonda's car that night, and the damaged blue Chevy he saw speeding away was being driven by Greg McDowell. A coworker of Rhonda's remembered Greg coming to pick her up for lunch on the 22nd and remembered seeing damage to the front end of the driver's side of his car. A blue Chevy Nova was registered in Greg's father's name at the time of Rhonda's murder.

Wow. This begs the question…why wasn’t Greg McDowell considered the main suspect since day one? He should have been investigated long before this was ever featured on Unsolved Mysteries.

This blows my mind that it took 38 years just to reveal his name. And UM was right when they mentioned that Rhonda would not have pulled over for a stranger at 12:50 a.m. But she would have pulled over for Greg.

Wow. This begs the question…why wasn’t Greg McDowell considered the main suspect since day one? He should have been investigated long before this was ever featured on Unsolved Mysteries.

I think it was two reasons:

1. His parents gave him an alibi and said that Greg was home all night and they remember him receiving a phone call from Rhonda at 12:30 a.m., meaning he wouldn't have had the time to drive to the spot to kill her.

2. Just 3 months after Rhonda's murder, at approximately 10:30 p.m. on March 26th, 1982, a man named Dennis Moose came upon a car being driven by 62 year old Ransom Connelly, and Moose began to ram the back of Connelly's car because he felt he was driving too slow. Connelly and his passenger gave multiple opportunities for Moose to pass but he never did. Eventually, Connelly pulled into a drug store parking lot. Moose followed in and pulled a shotgun out and shot Connelly at point blank range. Killed him instantly. This all took place in relative proximity to the spot where Rhonda was shot. (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/State+Rd+1744,+Valdese,+NC+28690/Drexel+Discount+Drug,+2728+US-70,+Morganton,+NC+28655/@35.7379818,-81.6242392,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x8850d644cc3db2f1:0x95b796862368c96f!2m2!1d-81.5489378!2d35.7343573!1m5!1m1!1s0x8850ca1409a64005:0xd72ba3313f4c7159!2m2!1d-81.617789!2d35.7440147!3e0)

The current episode of the podcast "Criminology" covers Rhonda's case and does a good job going through the evidence Larry Griffin unearthed. They also suggest that the evidence shows that Greg McDowell shot Rhonda.

I was reading a Facebook anniversary mention of the 43rd anniversary of Rhonda’s murder. The reward money for information on the murder is now past $97,000. With it now being 6 years since that extensive article series came out involving Rhonda’s complicated history with Greg McDowell, I’m wondering if the police know McDowell is the killer and they are just lacking that key piece of evidence to arrest him.

Those articles came out in 2019 and I was finally getting some hope that this would be resolved. But we seem to be no closer now than we were then. That’s frustrating because those articles fill the biggest holes in my mind that nagged me before their release.

-Rhonda would not pull to the side of the road at 1:00 in the morning for a stranger. But she would have pulled over to speak to Greg.

-Greg waiting at that spot would make more sense if they were about to have an argument instead of Rhonda’s house because he wouldn’t have to worry about her parents getting involved.

-Seeing that he had just gotten off the phone with her, Greg would have known Rhonda would be driving past that spot at that time. Nobody else knew she was coming home.

-Nothing about Greg’s actions after the shooting make sense. Him and both his parents cutting off all contact with the entire Hinson family after one day (not to mention the father’s bizarre eulogy) has never sat right with me. The father was a pastor who had known Rhonda for years and the mother worked with Rhonda at Hickory Steel. None of these people made themselves look any less suspicious through their actions.

This just seems to be another cold case where everyone knows who did it but the killer remains free after 4+ decades.

Not sure some of these points are that meaningful, I could interpret them multiple ways.


-Rhonda would not pull to the side of the road at 1:00 in the morning for a stranger.

If a stranger had a high powered rifle pointed at her that might have been enough persuasion to pull over. Also, I'm still not entirely sure that she was pulled over when she was shot, the wiki says the bullet went through the trunk. That could have been done with the vehicle in motion.


-Nothing about Greg’s actions after the shooting make sense. Him and both his parents cutting off all contact with the entire Hinson family after one day (not to mention the father’s bizarre eulogy) has never sat right with me. The father was a pastor who had known Rhonda for years and the mother worked with Rhonda at Hickory Steel. None of these people made themselves look any less suspicious through their actions.

He was the ex-boyfriend. Any lawyer worth their salt would have told them to distance themselves from the family after a murder like that, as the ex is always a top suspect.

I still do not understand why Mark Turner would remain quiet (or lie) about giving Rhonda's gray sweatshirt back to Greg McDowell. Mark's girlfriend saw it in his car roughly 30 minutes before Rhonda was shot. If he admits to giving the sweatshirt to Greg that night in the approximate area of where Rhonda was shot....then I think an arrest would be made.

I still do not understand why Mark Turner would remain quiet (or lie) about giving Rhonda's gray sweatshirt back to Greg McDowell. Mark's girlfriend saw it in his car roughly 30 minutes before Rhonda was shot. If he admits to giving the sweatshirt to Greg that night in the approximate area of where Rhonda was shot....then I think an arrest would be made.

There was an article written last March about Mark’s selective memory. I also find it interesting that investigators didn’t talk to him until a full 15 years after the murder. WTF?

https://thewilkesrecord.com/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-the-selective-memory-of-mark-turner-p8052-149.htm

I'm coming in hot here on this. The more I've learned about this case over the years I'm convinced that law enforcement knows who did this. However, they lack the evidence to formally bring charges against that person.

This is one of the earliest UM segments I recall seeing as it originally aired. And, like so many UM segments (then and now), crucial details were left out to make it way more ambivalent and nuanced to the viewer. UM did a lot of good work, however there are a good amount of cases where they did a disservice to the victims and the victims advocates and family.

Rhonda's ex-boyfriend is really the prime and only suspect. Just because he has never been charged with her murder doesn't mean he isn't, in reality, responsible.

He owned the same type of car that was seen leaving the area moments after the murder would have happened. He matched the physical description of the person that was seen speeding away from the area, as well. His only alibi is that he was home with his parents. He had been physically and verbally abusive towards Rhonda.

This case should have been solved in 1981. Instead, because of the lack of intestinal fortitude of a certain individual (or two) that called themselves Rhonda's friends, they have chosen to remain silent. That's really sad because Rhonda's parents and sibling have lived with this grief stricken milieu for 43 years. Meanwhile, Rhonda's murderer is still very much living his life and seems like he will be allowed to continue to do so unless Rhonda's "friend" grows a pair and tells the cops what he knows.

This was not an accident. This was not some stranger murder. There is no mystery.

Rhonda Hinson was murdered by someone she had trusted and once loved. Someone that could not handle the thought of not having her in his life anymore.

The only consolation is that I hope that person walks around every single solitary day wondering if the person he is bumping into knows who he is and what he did some 43 years ago. That "personal prison" is likely the only incarceration he will ever have on this earth. And, that's pathetic.

This (https://www.wbtv.com/2025/03/25/1981-case-teen-killed-by-bullet-that-went-through-her-car-remains-unsolved-burke-county/) article was written back in March and has this interesting tidbit:

Judy Hinson believes her daughter’s death should have been solved the night she was killed.

“I don’t think anyone has ever really worked the case like they should,” she said. “I think if Larry Griffin had been a police officer, the case would have been solved a long time ago.”

Griffin, who is originally from Burke County, has been writing about Rhonda’s murder since 2019. He’s developed a thorough storyline and a theory about what he believes happened based on documents given to him by a former investigator who has since passed away. Some current and former law enforcement officers have told WBTV they disagree with him.

Griffin shared one of those documents with WBTV -- a 1995 report written by former Burke County Sheriff’s Office investigator Gene Franklin. In the report, Franklin said, “Due to negligent mishandling of physical evidence in this case, further investigation would be futile, nonproductive, and a waste of good investigative time.”

I wonder what the working theory is for these officers who disagree with Larry Griffin's theory (Greg McDowell killed Rhonda after she broke up with him). It's also sad that evidence is either missing or has been lost over the years, making this case borderline unsolvable (without a confession).

I've been reading the Griffin articles ever since he started the series. I too am convinced Greg McDowell murdered Rhonda, and I think the people who were close to the couple at the time are simply more comfortable with convincing themselves Greg couldn't have done it, hence the bobbing and weaving around law enforcement questions over the past four decades. I don't think Mark Turner is lying about anything willfully; I think his own mind just won't let him go there.

The bigger question for me is why law enforcement has historically seemed very lukewarm around the idea of applying any real pressure on the McDowells. However, as a southerner myself, I have to imagine it's that rather annoying southern tendency toward assuming a Christian minister and his family couldn't have been caught up in anything untoward, much less the cold-blooded murder of a beloved teenage girl. Especially in the rural mountain south in the early 1980s.

That series of articles answered every question I ever had about this case after viewing the UM segment. I naively thought 6 years ago that this would be the catalyst to getting it solved.

I understand not wanting to believe a pastor would cover for his son MURDERING someone but police are supposed to take feelings out and work with the facts at hand....cover ALL your bases. Them making no attempt to interview Mark Turner for over 15 years just shows me that they probably didn't care to solve the case.

I thought this was interesting. About a year ago, the writer of those series of articles mentioned that he had reached out to Greg McDowell for comment about the series. Somewhere along the way, Greg made Rhonda's picture his profile picture on his cell phone. :confused:

I thought this was interesting. About a year ago, the writer of those series of articles mentioned that he had reached out to Greg McDowell for comment about the series. Somewhere along the way, Greg made Rhonda's picture his profile picture on his cell phone. :confused:

I am tempted to say indelicate things here about such a subhuman as Greg McDowell.

What's never made any sense to me is Mark Turner, Greg McDowell's friend, and his selective amnesia about when he gave Rhonda's jacket back to Greg, because according to Mark's girlfriend at the time, when he dropped her off on the morning that Rhonda was killed, Rhonda's jacket was in the backseat of Mark's car. Mark told her he would give it to Greg the next time he saw him. Since Rhonda was killed roughly twenty minutes after Mark dropped his girlfriend off, this means he had to have encountered Greg shortly after dropping off his girlfriend. But why wouldn't he tell the cops this, if he simply saw Greg on the side of the road, made some small chit chat and gave him Rhonda's jacket before driving back home? I do not think Mark had anything to do with Rhonda's death, but am baffled as to why he cannot remember when he gave Greg the jacket back.

What's never made any sense to me is Mark Turner, Greg McDowell's friend, and his selective amnesia about when he gave Rhonda's jacket back to Greg, because according to Mark's girlfriend at the time, when he dropped her off on the morning that Rhonda was killed, Rhonda's jacket was in the backseat of Mark's car. Mark told her he would give it to Greg the next time he saw him. Since Rhonda was killed roughly twenty minutes after Mark dropped his girlfriend off, this means he had to have encountered Greg shortly after dropping off his girlfriend. But why wouldn't he tell the cops this, if he simply saw Greg on the side of the road, made some small chit chat and gave him Rhonda's jacket before driving back home? I do not think Mark had anything to do with Rhonda's death, but am baffled as to why he cannot remember when he gave Greg the jacket back.

He remembers giving it to Greg. (In my humble opinion). I think Greg essentially told Mark the truth. He didn't INTEND to kill Rhonda. He wanted to scare her by shooting the gun during their argument. But he ended up striking her, which killed her. Since he didn't MEAN to kill her, Mark decided to help Greg keep his secret. He was just extremely fortunate that the Valdese Police were so inept that they waited a full 15 years before even trying to interview him.

I listened to the 5-episode series of the Southern Un-Hospitality True Crime Podcast, which covered this case. So many people are interviewed, including Judy Hinson and Jill Turner. Jill talks about the immediate aftermath of the murder, mentioning how she was sobbing to both Greg and Mark and she was completely dumbfounded that neither boy was even acting upset. Just quiet and almost annoyed that they even had to discuss it. This was a major reason Jill broke up with Mark two days later. At the time, she had convinced herself that neither of them having any reaction was just a "boy thing," but she obviously feels different about that now.

It's not actual justice but I do take some comfort knowing that 45 years later, everyone in that area knows Greg is the killer. And Greg knows they know. But him using Rhonda's prom picture as his cell phone profile photo just shows arrogance that he got away with it...so...there's that too. :mad:

https://thewilkesrecord.com/rhonda-hinson-%E2%80%94-40-years-gone-p3556-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/hinson-killing-interview-with-rev-mcdowell,-new-leads-p3579-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-additional-data-p3611-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/hinson-case-'additional-data'-still-not-released-p3979-149.htm

https://thewilkesrecord.com/the-killing-of-rhonda-hinson-parents'-disappointments-continue-p5097-149.htm

I've lost count on how many "The Killing of Rhonda Hinson" installments there was, but Larry J. Griffin is doing excellent work at keeping this case alive for the last 3 years or so. There is zero doubt in my mind that Greg McDowell murdered her and this is what happened to Rhonda:

After leaving her company Christmas party, she went over to a friend and coworkers house named Sherry Pittman. She called her soon to be ex-boyfriend Greg from this residence at around midnight. Sherry and Sherry's mother Birdell both overheard Rhonda arguing with Greg over the phone. They also heard her tell him that she was leaving the Pittman residence. After the phone call, she went to the bathroom and emerged crying. She told them that she was breaking up with Greg. Rhonda left the Pittman residence at 12:20 a.m. and was due to make the 20 minute drive back to her house. Several eyewitnesses recall hearing a shot ring out at 12:55 a.m.

IMO, Rhonda agreed to meet up with Greg that night to finally once and for all break up. They argued, and as Rhonda attempted to drive away, Greg fired a rifle into the back of Rhonda's car, fatally striking her. Both his father and his mother helped lie for him about Greg receiving a phone call from Rhonda at 12:30 a.m. on the night she was killed. There were 3 items found in Rhonda's car which, IMO, conclusively link Greg to the murder:

-A grey hooded sweatshirt which belonged to Rhonda, which was observed by Rhonda's best friend Jill Turner-Mull in the backseat of her boyfriend's (Mark Turner) car at 12:25 a.m. on the night of Rhonda's murder. Jill asked Mark if he wanted her to give the sweatshirt back to Rhonda, and Mark said he would just give the sweatshirt back to Greg when he saw him. This sweatshirt was found on the sundeck of Rhonda's car.

-Rhonda's East Burke letter jacket was found in her backseat. She specifically told her mother that morning that Greg was in possession of this jacket.

-A stuffed pink snake was also found in the backseat. Evidently the snake was some sort of souvenir from a trip that Greg and Rhonda had taken to Myrtle Beach. Rhonda had given it to Greg. Greg told detectives that he always kept this on his dresser in his bedroom. But it was found in Rhonda's car on the night of her murder.

Also of note, the eyewitness who was hypnotized and featured on Unsolved Mysteries was a man by the name of Reggie Smart. Reggie had told investigators that he saw a blue Chevy with the front end being "messed up" speeding away from the scene as well as a dark blue Trans-Am as well as a small blue Toyota (not mentioned on UM) parked down the road from Rhonda's vehicle. He also saw a man, 5'10" - 6', with "sort of dark brown hair" standing at the driver's side door of Rhonda's vehicle. By 1:00 a.m., just 5 minutes after several witnesses heard the gunshot, there were 5 people present at the crime scene: Mark Micol, Tim Pons, Todd Garrou, Jerry Baker, and Brent Smith. Mark Micol owned a dark blue Trans-Am. Tim Pons was driving with Mark Micol. Todd Garrou owned a small blue Toyota pickup truck, and Jerry Baker and Brent Smith were passengers in the truck. Todd Garrou recounted to investigators that he and Brent Smith were too scared to get out of their vehicle, but Jerry Baker did and went and conversed with Mark Micol and Tim Pons. IMO, Reggie Smart saw either Mark Micol or Tim Pons outside of Rhonda's car that night, and the damaged blue Chevy he saw speeding away was being driven by Greg McDowell. A coworker of Rhonda's remembered Greg coming to pick her up for lunch on the 22nd and remembered seeing damage to the front end of the driver's side of his car. A blue Chevy Nova was registered in Greg's father's name at the time of Rhonda's murder.

Much as I would like to see Rhonda's killer brought to justice, if this the sum total of all there is againt him, I can see why McDowell has never been arrested. No weapon, no admitted witness, no direct physical evidence, nothing to really corroborate substantively the story that McDowell is the killer. Even though I agree he very likely is.

Much as I would like to see Rhonda's killer brought to justice, if this the sum total of all there is againt him, I can see why McDowell has never been arrested. No weapon, no admitted witness, no direct physical evidence, nothing to really corroborate substantively the story that McDowell is the killer. Even though I agree he very likely is.

I also think the bit about the "mysterious man" seen near Rhonda's car that night would be used by a good defense attorney as "the real killer". But I think that person was one of the 5 men who pulled up to the crime scene that night.