UM cases that should be featured on "Cold Justice"

[crystaldawn]

I have really been enjoying watching the new show "Cold Justice" on TNT. It airs on Tuesday nights at 9 pm central if anyone is interested. They have a team that includes a Prosecutor, CSI expert and usually some veteran police officers and re-open cold cases that have had no resolution. They re-interview witnesses and analyze crime scene photos and send, if they have anything to be tested, to the dna lab. They usually end up taking the information they obtain to the DA to see if they think its enough to go before a grand jury. I thought it would be interesting to discuss what UM cases you guys think would be good for them to cover.

The first case that came to my mind was Tony Lombardi. Since it has been so many years it might be worthwhile to re-interview people he was close to as to any information they know or may have heard and were afraid to come forward with at the time. Also if there is anything they came across in his bedroom that could be tested for dna to see if they could prove there was someone else in the room with him that night.

[SPD Yellow]

I don't know if it's quite in the venue of what the show does but it'd be nice if they'd broadcast the Sharon/Michael Hughes case simply because that's the case that's haunted me the most from UM. Hopefully the more they broadcast that story, the greater the chance we can finally figure out Sharon's identity.

[MegtheEgg86]

I think Tony Lombardi would be a good one, too. I think I'd also like to see:

-Raeann Mossor
-Steve Sandlin
-Charles Morgan
-Tim McClure....eh, guess we can't do that one.
-Christi Nichols...who knows how much evidence is left in that case.

[Steve W.]

I watched an episode of that for the first time recently as well. It was the one about the 1982 murder in attorney/co-host Kelly Siegler's hometown/county.

Anyway, that first case that popped in my head that they could try to solve is Jeremy Bright's: I think it would be great if they could do it and find ways to get in contact with some of the people of interest regarding his disappearance (Dennis David Steinhoff, Hoyt Richardson, and Richardson's father). However, I'm not sure if the Richardson father is still alive.

I forget where it was, but someone told me they believe what happened is that the Steinhoff's, Richardson's and one or two other acquaintances took Jeremy and Johnny Fish into the woods sometime within the timeline of Bright's disappearance and Dennis David and maybe one other person sexually assaulted or did something sexual in nature to them. Then at some point, Jeremy made clear that they weren't going to get away with it but was then shot by one of the guys. This is just what someone told me, but it seems like a plausible theory since Dennis David is a registered sex offender (his info. on that is available online) and because it would better explain why Johnny had such a breakdown and never came to terms with what had happened to him before he died from years of alcohol and other drug abuse.

Anyway, I think they could solve it except it has to be a murder (instead of a missing persons) case, doesn't it? (just thought of that, damn)

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by Steve W.

I watched an episode of that for the first time recently as well. It was the one about the 1982 murder in attorney/co-host Kelly Siegler's hometown/county.

Anyway, that first case that popped in my head that they could try to solve is Jeremy Bright's: I think it would be great if they could do it and find ways to get in contact with some of the people of interest regarding his disappearance (Dennis David Steinhoff, Hoyt Richardson, and Richardson's father). However, I'm not sure if the Richardson father is still alive.

I forget where it was, but someone told me they believe what happened is that the Steinhoff's, Richardson's and one or two other acquaintances took Jeremy and Johnny Fish into the woods sometime within the timeline of Bright's disappearance and Dennis David and maybe one other person sexually assaulted or did something sexual in nature to them. Then at some point, Jeremy made clear that they weren't going to get away with it but was then shot by one of the guys. This is just what someone told me, but it seems like a plausible theory since Dennis David is a registered sex offender (his info. on that is available online) and because it would better explain why Johnny had such a breakdown and never came to terms with what had happened to him before he died from years of alcohol and other drug abuse.

Anyway, I think they could solve it except it has to be a murder (instead of a missing persons) case, doesn't it? (just thought of that, damn)

I think that's a really good one, too. I'm sure a pretty good case could be made for Jeremy's disappearance being the result of a murder as well.

[RobinW]

Monika Rizzo. I still can't believe that after finding her bone fragments in his backyard, they've never been able to charge her husband.

Mark Groezinger. I have a feeling that if this murder hadn't occurred in the mid-1980s, they might have been able to find enough forensics evidence to charge his wife.

Eric Tamiyasu. Let's put this one in the hands of some experts who won't set the evidence on fire.

Debbie Wolfe. Another murder case that deserves revisiting after being handled by incompetent LE.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Keith Warren
Norman Ladner
Kurt Sova
The boys on the tracks

There are quite a few choices.

[Kane]

David Cox. Besides UM, that murder case has gotten little national attention, although the victim was involved in an incident that inspired the movie A Few Good Men.

[TheCars1986]

I'd like to see another show do a story on Dale Kerstetter. There is absolutely nothing about him online, and the only show that ever did a feature on him (to my knowledge) was UM.

[isotope]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

I'd like to see another show do a story on Dale Kerstetter. There is absolutely nothing about him online, and the only show that ever did a feature on him (to my knowledge) was UM.

What fascinates me about the Kerstetter case is not that he "looks at the camera" (that's neither here nor there IMO), but that his former employer speaks SO disparagingly of him, despite the fact that he may be dead.

[flytrapp]

I agree about Jeremy Bright! They should definitely look into that one!

The case that first popped into my head was Kurt Sova. I've never seen Cold Justice, just previews and promos for it, but I immediately thought how they should track down that "Susan" chick and hammer her for information....find out who was at that party and just start grilling everyone. The party-attenders would all be between at least 45 and 55 by now, someone is likely to admit what they saw/heard after all this time....either out of maturity, guilt, nothing to fear any more, or simply because it's the right thing to do. I feel the same about Jeremy Bright - someone knows/saw/heard something, so it's just a matter of getting back in their faces and grilling everyone until someone gives up some sort of information.

[TheCars1986]

Originally Posted by isotope

What fascinates me about the Kerstetter case is not that he "looks at the camera" (that's neither here nor there IMO), but that his former employer speaks SO disparagingly of him, despite the fact that he may be dead.

What's really strange is that I can't find a Charley Project or DOE network profile on Kerstetter. Yes it's strange about the supervisor who outright accuses him of being involved. But then again the segment aired 2 years after the theft, so people probably thought that he was still alive at that time.

[crystaldawn]

I did just read an article online that said the police are considering turning in the Joyce McLain case to hopefully be considered for "Cold Justice".

[Dogface82]

Originally Posted by RobinW

Monika Rizzo. I still can't believe that after finding her bone fragments in his backyard, they've never been able to charge her husband.

Mark Groezinger. I have a feeling that if this murder hadn't occurred in the mid-1980s, they might have been able to find enough forensics evidence to charge his wife.

Eric Tamiyasu. Let's put this one in the hands of some experts who won't set the evidence on fire.

Debbie Wolfe. Another murder case that deserves revisiting after being handled by incompetent LE.

Late 2023, before I found this site I attempted to contact Cold Justice reference Debbie Wolfe. I was having problems with the online procedure. I called the phone number and was rerouted to a hospital or clinic. The person who answered informed me it was Kelly Siegels husbands office and referred me back to the website. I did get some info through a Reddit source. There was a lot going on with Kelly Siegler and her two series legal matters and scheduling. The representative I finally connected with said Debbie's case did not meet the criteria for either program. The case was closed and local law enforcement were not seeking assistance.

I think an investigative TV program with resources like Cold Justice could make headway in Debbie's case.

[tvscript124]

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

I did just read an article online that said the police are considering turning in the Joyce McLain case to hopefully be considered for "Cold Justice".

For real? That's amazing.