The unsolved murder of Rhonda Hinson

[dynoguy88]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

Next part is out:

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

[hostedbyrobertstack]

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.

[TheCars1986]

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.

[dynoguy88]

“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.

[JC1957]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

Parts 12-14 have been posted.

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

[hostedbyrobertstack]

Originally Posted by JC1957

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.

[dynoguy88]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

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.

[WishfulDreamer]

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

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.

[dynoguy88]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

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.

[WishfulDreamer]

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

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.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

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.

[dynoguy88]

Originally Posted by WishfulDreamer

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."

[Latka Gravas]

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.

[Huskerz85]

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

https://morganton.com/news/local/cri...c467e0de5.html

[Killarney Rose]

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