20/20: "Lost in the Night: Who Murdered Jessica Currin?"

Original Air Date: October 25, 2025
Podcast Host: ABC News | Contributors: Deborah Roberts, David Muir
Focus: An in-depth look at the 2000 murder of 18-year-old Jessica Curran in Mayfield, Kentucky—a small-town case that spiraled into chaos, controversy, community trauma, and ultimately a fight for justice and truth.

Episode Overview

This episode unravels the tragic mystery of Jessica Curran’s murder, following her disappearance, the discovery of her burned body, and the tangled decades-long investigation that ensnared numerous suspects and devastated the small town of Mayfield, KY. At its core, the episode examines flawed investigations, questionable testimony, and how the relentless pursuit of justice has led unlikely allies—Jessica's father and the convicted killer’s father—to unite in seeking the truth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jessica Curran: Her Life and Disappearance (10:43–22:35)

• Jessica’s Background:

  • Described as outgoing, friendly, and a devoted young mother to her baby Zion.
  • Recently moved into her own apartment, finishing her GED, and planning to go to college.

• Night of Disappearance:

  • July 29, 2000: Jessica goes out for a “ladies night” with friends, leaves her baby with her father, and is last seen walking alone late at night.
  • "[Jessica] was happy that she got to get out for a little bit and enjoy the weather... She kept straight ahead down that road and down that hill. That's the last time I saw Jessica." – Venetia Stubblefield, Jessica’s cousin (17:33)

• Immediate Aftermath:

  • Parents grow suspicious when Jessica doesn’t check on her son.
  • "She would never leave her son. She was in love with her son." – Jessica’s cousin (21:05)

2. The Crime Scene and Early Investigation (22:36–37:50)

• Discovery:

  • August 1, 2000: Burned body found behind the Mayfield Middle School, identified as Jessica.
  • "The body had been burned. I mean, it was a horrible sight to see." – Tina Slusser, teacher/discoverer (23:25)

• Autopsy and Evidence:

  • Signs of blunt head trauma, strangulation (with a braided belt found near the body), sexual assault possible.
  • Major procedural missteps: crucial evidence, such as Jessica's dress, was not preserved.

• Community Rumors, Law Enforcement Challenges:

  • Rookie detective Tim Fortner assigned to lead the case, admits being unprepared.
  • "He had absolutely no experience and he didn't know what he was doing." – Joe Curran, Jessica’s father (35:15)
  • The town becomes rife with suspicion, stoked by rumors and racial tensions.

3. The Suspects and the Fractured Investigation (38:00–1:07:30)

• Initial Suspects:

  • Jessica’s ex Jeremy Adams (baby’s father), her boyfriend Carlos “Lolo” Saxton, and Quincy Cross are early focus points.
  • Adams and Saxton indicted largely on jailhouse confessions, but charges dropped due to withheld evidence.

• Emergence of Key Witnesses:

  • Two teenagers, Venetia Stubblefield (Jessica’s cousin) and Victoria Caldwell, are central—each accused of lying, recanting, changing stories under law enforcement pressure.
  • Quotes:
    • "I would describe it as being very traumatic… There was a lot of sexual abuse, physical abuse, mental. It was just a lot." – Victoria Caldwell, describing her life (39:20)
    • "I never skipped a beat. I never switched it up. I've never changed anything out of my story." – Venetia, under pressure from detectives (48:55)

• Citizen Sleuth Steps In:

  • Susan Galbraith, local crusader, investigates when police seem stalled; uses MySpace/social media to pursue new leads and push authorities.

4. Renewed Probes & Prosecution (1:07:31–1:36:00)

• New Theory of the Crime:

  • Authorities shift focus to a group including Quincy Cross, Tamara Caldwell, and Jeffrey Burton.
  • Testimonies from Victoria Caldwell evolve, implicating others (including family), but are riddled with inconsistencies and claims of police coercion.

• Allegations Against Authorities:

  • Victoria at one point suggests a Mayfield PD assistant chief was involved due to an alleged affair with Jessica—later retracted.

• Prosecution’s Case:

  • Based mostly on recanted eyewitness accounts, with no physical evidence linking the accused (no DNA/fingerprint evidence).

5. Trials, Convictions, and Recantations (1:36:01–2:14:20)

• Trial Outcomes:

  • Quincy Cross convicted of murder; continues to maintain innocence.
  • Jeffrey Burton and Tamara Caldwell take Alford pleas (accepting punishment without admitting guilt) to avoid harsher sentences.

• Key Witnesses Admit They Lied:

  • On tape, Victoria Caldwell: "How much of what you testified under oath was true?...None of it was true. Zero. Zero. Nothing was true." (2:06:14)
  • Recantations include confessions to having fabricated entire stories at the insistence of investigators, including graphic details of sexual assault.

• Defense Highlights:

  • “There’s nothing physical that puts him [Quincy] there. There’s no DNA.” – Kentucky Innocence Project advocate (2:05:38)
  • The only evidence was witness testimony, now recanted.

6. The Fight for Post-Conviction Relief (2:14:21–2:29:00)

• Kentucky Innocence Project Takes On the Case:

  • Argues Quincy's conviction is a wrongful one; “...multiple witnesses and co-defendants gave perjured testimony that they have now recanted.” (2:15:23)

• Hearing for a New Trial:

  • Significant new evidence and recantations prompt a hearing to present these findings; possibility of exoneration for Quincy Cross.

• Fathers United for Justice:

  • Exceptionally, Jessica’s and Quincy’s fathers join forces:
    • “He wants justice for his daughter. I want justice for my son…Tragedy brought us together. And it's gonna keep us together until we get what we need. Justice.” (2:26:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I am 99% sure I know exactly what happened the night that Jesse died. Okay? I know who killed her.” — Susan Galbraith, citizen investigator (58:00)

• “Why should we believe you now after all the lies you told?” – Host to Victoria Caldwell, as she recants (2:09:22)

• “We believe we have the evidence to exonerate him and walk him out of prison. So that's our goal.” — Kentucky Innocence Project (2:16:07)

• “You're doing this because I'm tired, and I think it's time for the truth to come out.” – Victoria Caldwell, about recanting her false trial testimony (2:12:40)

• On Community Trauma:

  • “The tornado ripped through this town and destroyed Mayfield. What it did to people was so similar to the tornado of Jessica's death that came into this town.” (1:37:15)

Major Timelines & Timestamps

| Time | Segment Highlights | |--------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 10:43–22:35 | Background on Jessica Curran, last night seen alive, family’s response | | 22:36–37:50 | Body discovery, autopsy details, investigation errors | | 38:00–1:07:30| Suspects, rumors, interrogations, emergence of key witnesses (Venetia, Victoria, Quincy) | | 1:07:31–1:36:00| New suspect theories, Susan Galbraith’s investigation, DAs shift case focus | | 1:36:01–2:14:20| Trials, convictions of Quincy, Tamara, Jeffrey; witness recantations, pleas, family impact| | 2:14:21–2:29:00| Innocence Project involvement, recantation hearing, Jessica’s and Quincy’s fathers unite |

Conclusions & Themes

• Systemic Failures:
  Flawed police work, lost/destroyed evidence, and unreliable witness testimony led to years of uncertainty and potential injustice.

• Community Divisions:
  Mayfield’s racial and social divisions complicated the investigation, inflaming rumor and suspicion—amplified by the media and social media.

• Search for Truth:
  Persistent advocacy by family and outsiders alike (notably Susan Galbraith and the Kentucky Innocence Project) became the driving force to revisit the case.

• Enduring Grief and Unlikely Solidarity:
  The toll of the case resonates decades later, uniting individuals who once stood on opposite sides in a common purpose: true justice.

Closing

This episode remains a testament to the complexity and human cost of seeking justice in the face of tragedy. As the fight for Quincy Cross’s exoneration moves forward, the community—and two grieving fathers—remain bound in their hope that the truth will finally emerge.

Full episode available on 20/20's official feed.