Arrest made in the Roger Dean case - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Todd Mueller · 04-09-2021, 04:46 PM

WOW!

An arrest has been made in the Roger Dean case. You can read about it here.

I cannot wait to hear all of the details on how this came about and (hopefully) what really happened.

(Thank you, RobinW for posting this first on Twitter.)

dynoguy88 · 04-09-2021, 05:21 PM

Holy crap!

Another cold case solved through genetic genealogy? I love it!!!!

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/04/...ger-dean-1985/

I'm pretty sure DJ is still alive. I'd love to hear a quote from her or Tammy.

RobinW · 04-09-2021, 05:23 PM

Yes, this is great news, but this is one case in which I really want to learn the full details about what actually happened. I can only assume this arrest was made possible by DNA from the ski mask the killer left behind at the scene.

However, I'm quite surprised to see that the arrested suspect, Michael Jefferson, is black since Robert Stack specifically described the gunman as being white during the UM segment!

dynoguy88 · 04-09-2021, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinW

However, I'm quite surprised to see that the arrested suspect, Michael Jefferson, is black since Robert Stack specifically described the gunman as being white during the UM segment!

That confused me as well. Maybe that was a reported error on UM's part? DJ was blindfolded immediately. After that, it was only Roger who had any interaction with the shooter.

Whatever the case, thank goodness the killer was stupid enough to take his mask off and leave it behind.

Latka Gravas · 04-09-2021, 06:01 PM

Very interesting. I still think RD himself was in on this whole "kidnapping", and it somehow back-fired on him. I wonder if the truth will come out now.

drew790 · 04-09-2021, 07:27 PM

Interesting. Weren't they suspecting the son of a woman he was having an affair with at one point?

WishfulDreamer · 04-09-2021, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

I'm pretty sure DJ is still alive. I'd love to hear a quote from her or Tammy.

Sadly, it looks like she passed away last year.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/na...?pid=196708489

ScaryFog · 04-10-2021, 03:05 AM

Excellent news. Definitely optimistic that more cold cases are going to continue to get solved.

XCalibur · 04-10-2021, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynoguy88

That confused me as well. Maybe that was a reported error on UM's part? DJ was blindfolded immediately. After that, it was only Roger who had any interaction with the shooter.

Whatever the case, thank goodness the killer was stupid enough to take his mask off and leave it behind.

Several neighborhood people apparently saw the man as well. No word about him being a black man. So I'm not sure what to make of this update or what led to this guy's arrest.

I never understood why he threw down his mask and left it behind either. The only thing I can figure is he did because he wanted to lose himself and blend into a crowd wherever he was headed and obviously couldn't do so wearing a ski mask. Probably didn't see much danger of it having evidence in it to identify him in 1985. That's how a lot of cold cases have been solved, the perps didn't know how DNA would advance at the time of their crimes so they were a lot more careless back in the day.

JC1957 · 04-10-2021, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCalibur

I never understood why he threw down his mask and left it behind either. The only thing I can figure is he did because he wanted to lose himself and blend into a crowd wherever he was headed and obviously couldn't do so wearing a ski mask. Probably didn't see much danger of it having evidence in it to identify him in 1985. That's how a lot of cold cases have been solved, the perps didn't know how DNA would advance at the time of their crimes so they were a lot more careless back in the day.

Agreed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScaryFog

Excellent news. Definitely optimistic that more cold cases are going to continue to get solved.

Agreed as long as the manpower on the police forces is there.

drew790 · 04-10-2021, 01:18 PM

Given all of the witnesses saying it was a white man how this plays out will be interesting to watch. There seems to be reasonable doubt in abundance.

Like, what if he just tried the mask on in a store and put it back?

mozartpc27 · 04-10-2021, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew790

Given all of the witnesses saying it was a white man how this plays out will be interesting to watch. There seems to be reasonable doubt in abundance.

Like, what if he just tried the mask on in a store and put it back?

Exactly my thought. So far all I think they have proved is that a ski cap once worn by the suspect was left by the killer. I understand there is a voice message that "sounds similar" to the suspect, but I'd need to hear a lot more before I'd be ready to convict.

RobinW · 04-10-2021, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew790

Given all of the witnesses saying it was a white man how this plays out will be interesting to watch. There seems to be reasonable doubt in abundance.

Like, what if he just tried the mask on in a store and put it back?

Good point. It reminds of the controversy about the male DNA on JonBenet Ramsey's underwear which does match anyone in her family, but some people think it's meaningless as evidence since it could belong to one of the factory workers who manufactured or handled the underwear.

However, I'd like to think that investigators found other corroborating evidence to build up a case against Jefferson before they arrested him.

RobinW · 04-10-2021, 06:30 PM

Okay, I'd completely forgotten about a key detail from this article...

Quote:

The little girl across the street thought she saw a black man, but another witness insisted man who sped away was white. Investigators positioned an officer where the girl saw the killer, and in the bright white snow the white officer appeared to be dark-skinned.

So yes, it looks like the investigators' hunch on this one may have been completely wrong.

1990 UM fan · 04-10-2021, 08:28 PM

This is wild. Time will tell what the motive was and whether Roger played a role in his own murder. I'm also saddened to hear that Doris "D. J." Dean died last August before seeing resolution in her husband's murder. May they both be at peace.

04-09-2021, 04:46 PM	#1
Todd Mueller Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,626	Arrest made in the Roger Dean case WOW! An arrest has been made in the Roger Dean case. You can read about it here. I cannot wait to hear all of the details on how this came about and (hopefully) what really happened. (Thank you, RobinW for posting this first on Twitter.)

04-10-2021, 08:28 PM	#15
1990 UM fan Unsolved Mysteries fanatic Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2011 Location: United States Posts: 2,510	This is wild. Time will tell what the motive was and whether Roger played a role in his own murder. I'm also saddened to hear that Doris "D. J." Dean died last August before seeing resolution in her husband's murder. May they both be at peace.
	__________________ Join my Unsolved Mysteries page (Facebook): http://www.facebook.com/pages/Unsolv...899616?sk=wall

04-09-2021, 05:21 PM	#2
dynoguy88 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2000 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 3,674	Holy crap! Another cold case solved through genetic genealogy? I love it!!!! https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/04/...ger-dean-1985/ I'm pretty sure DJ is still alive. I'd love to hear a quote from her or Tammy.

04-09-2021, 05:23 PM	#3
RobinW Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2010 Posts: 1,874	Yes, this is great news, but this is one case in which I really want to learn the full details about what actually happened. I can only assume this arrest was made possible by DNA from the ski mask the killer left behind at the scene. However, I'm quite surprised to see that the arrested suspect, Michael Jefferson, is black since Robert Stack specifically described the gunman as being white during the UM segment!

04-09-2021, 06:01 PM	#5
Latka Gravas Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 27, 2019 Location: United States Posts: 396	Very interesting. I still think RD himself was in on this whole "kidnapping", and it somehow back-fired on him. I wonder if the truth will come out now.

04-09-2021, 07:27 PM	#6
drew790 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 17, 2017 Posts: 847	Interesting. Weren't they suspecting the son of a woman he was having an affair with at one point?

04-10-2021, 03:05 AM	#8
ScaryFog Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 25, 2009 Posts: 222	Excellent news. Definitely optimistic that more cold cases are going to continue to get solved.

04-10-2021, 01:18 PM	#11
drew790 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 17, 2017 Posts: 847	Given all of the witnesses saying it was a white man how this plays out will be interesting to watch. There seems to be reasonable doubt in abundance. Like, what if he just tried the mask on in a store and put it back?