20/20: True Crime Vault – "Murder and Scandal in Chicagoland"

Date: September 9, 2025
Podcast: 20/20 by ABC News

Overview

This gripping episode from ABC News’ 20/20 True Crime Vault dives deep into the tragic murder of Ronnie Reuter, the pregnant girlfriend of former Chicago Bears player Shaun Gale, in 2007. It explores the ensuing investigation, the media frenzy around celebrity involvement, the unraveling of complex relationships, and the ultimate conviction of Marnie Yang—a case now mired in fresh controversy and appeals.

Every twist is detailed, from the chaos of the crime scene and the city’s collective shock, through police missteps and cunning undercover stings, to the heated debate over Yang’s guilt that endures today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Murder and Its Immediate Aftermath

• The Crime: On October 4, 2007, Ronnie Reuter is gunned down in her Deerfield, Illinois home, seven months pregnant with Gale’s child.
  • “She's dead. This was an execution. A pregnant 42-year-old woman gunned down as she was going to work.” (Investigator, 02:45)
• The murder chills the city and immediately puts Gale, a member of the legendary 1985 Bears, under the harsh glare of public suspicion and police investigation.

2. Spotlight on Shaun Gale: Football Fame and Personal Life

• Gale’s Star Power: An '85 Bears legend, “Chicago royalty,” portrayed as charismatic but elusive, especially regarding his private life.
• Relationship with Ronnie:
  • Together for 18 years, never lived together or married—a source of familial questions.
    • "I know Ronnie wanted to be married. I'm thinking it was probably because Sean wasn't ready, truthfully." (Investigator, 09:59)
  • Discovery that Ronnie was pregnant at 41 was a “happy surprise,” but their relationship was not where either hoped it would be.

3. Crime Scene Clues and Early Investigation

• No sign of forced entry or robbery, pointing to a personal motive.
• First Suspects:
  • Gale is initially the primary suspect, as expected in intimate-partner cases, but his timeline and emotional affect during the 10-hour interview seem off to investigators.
    • “He was very reserved, very calm...something doesn't seem right.” (Investigator, 22:21)
  • Discovery of a letter in Ronnie’s purse—part of a wider pattern of harassing correspondence sent to women in Gale’s life.

4. The Web of Jealousy: Secondary Suspects

• Monica Kurowska:
  • Personal trainer and model with a tempestuous past with Gale, subject of restraining order, suspected of sending the harassing letters (written in broken English).
  • Police clear her with a solid alibi and deny any involvement.
• Emergence of Marnie Yang:
  • New tips point to Marnie, another woman in Gale’s orbit—single mother, real estate broker.
  • Seen as obsessed; frequently boasted to acquaintances that she was Gale’s girlfriend, which he later firmly denied.

5. Undercover Stings and Breakthroughs

• Police bug Gale’s home with his cooperation in attempt to get Marnie to incriminate herself.
  • "When you hit the gun, did you hide it real well?" (Narrator, 43:27)
• Marnie’s denial continues, but police find damning evidence:
  • Purchases of “How to Make a Disposable Silencer” books, Home Depot receipts for silencer materials, 9mm Beretta ownership (gun used in the murder).

6. The Role of Christy Pashtian ("The Psychic")

• Christy, a former close friend, becomes a key informant.
• Code Words: Christy recalls Marnie telling her she would “call you at work after I have done it, and ask you out to dinner.” This phrase becomes a key indicator:
  • "Do you want to go to dinner? That statement bothered me for a year because it just didn't make sense." (Investigator/Reporter, 52:17)
• Christy secretly records Marnie at Denny’s:
  • “We dumped the wig, we dumped the lights, we dumped that stuff for the gun.” (Narrator, 58:23)
  • Marnie explicitly describes the murder: “She started screaming. I took the first shot...I started emptying.” (Narrator, 59:19--59:41)

7. Marnie Yang’s Arrest, Trial, and Conviction

• Armed with physical evidence, recorded confessions, and corroboration from Christy, police arrest Marnie.
• Trial Highlights:
  • Gale testifies, revealing he slept with Marnie the night before the murder.
  • Marnie's daughter testifies about the harassing letters.
  • Christy’s recordings and testimony are pivotal despite some questions about her credibility.
    • “But as Ari Fizz said, she may be goofy, but she knows how to press record.” (Narrator, 63:51)
  • Jury finds Marnie Yang guilty of first-degree murder and intentional homicide of an unborn child; sentenced to two life terms.

8. The Case Reopens: Fresh Appeals & Ongoing Controversy

• Marnie Maintains Innocence:
  • Claims confession was to protect her son, under police coercion.
  • "I wasn't confessing to her. I was confessing directly to law enforcement." (Narrator, 71:38)
  • Alleges evidence issues (gun not in possession, exculpatory witness, forensic doubts about silencer/gun/barrel, question over car in surveillance footage).
• Children allege police intimidation and coercion during their own interrogations.
  • “The only way that I got out of that situation was to write down a statement that my mother wasn't home the morning of the murder. But she was home.” (Investigator/Reporter, 68:28)
  • “I had a nervous breakdown…I was hospitalized. I was put on a psychiatric unit for...a month and a half.” (Narrator/Investigator, 69:28–69:37)
• Defense’s Arguments:
  • No DNA/fingerprint evidence
  • Ballistics experts question shooter’s height.
  • Rental car and disguise details contested.
• State responds that appeals echo claims already rejected at trial.

9. Emotional Fallout and Final Reflections

• Ronnie’s family believes her memory should rest; reopening the case reopens wounds.
  • "You're my sister. Ronnie was kind of the hub, but the family. She brought us all together." (Investigator/Reporter, 84:44)
• Shaun Gale reflects on the tragedy:
  • “It's the fact that I have to live with knowing that Ronnie and the baby died because I knew this morning.” (Narrator, 84:52)
• The episode closes with the uncertainty of whether Marnie Yang will get a new trial and underscores the devastating ripple effects on all families involved.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the nature of the crime:
  "You have to be a sociopath in its purest form in order to be able to take another person's life." – Narrator (00:00, 39:37)

• Investigative turning point:
  "She started screaming. I took the first shot. I just started emptying." – Marnie, as recorded by Christy (59:19-59:41)

• On Gale’s reputation and suspicion:
  "Sean Gale has been subject to rumors and watched his reputation become blemished in the months following the murder." – Investigator/Reporter (45:07)

• Marnie’s denial:
  "I did not. And I am not capable of doing anything. Like I'm a mother myself. Like that's unconscionable to me. Absolutely not." – Marnie Yang (Narrator, 83:27)

• Christy on confession tape:
  "You basically described the perfect crime. I knew perfectly well that I was being recorded. I saw the wire." – Marnie (71:34, 71:38)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:01–03:51] – Introduction to the murder and Gale’s background
• [09:41–11:07] – 18-year relationship, pregnancy, family insights
• [13:37–14:29] – Police arrive; citywide panic; crime scene analysis
• [19:12–21:23] – Gale’s police interviews and initial suspicions
• [24:35–25:05] – Gale admits to other women and multiple relationships
• [31:07–32:15] – Crime scene forensics, neighbors’ reports, search for a suspect
• [37:31–38:19] – Yang suspected of hacking, sending threatening letters
• [40:20–41:50] – Sting operation setup; evidence gathering
• [52:17–54:59] – Christy’s breakthrough, code phrase “dinner,” recording Marnie
• [56:02–59:41] – Denny’s confession details, chilling tone
• [62:08–64:52] – Verdict, sentencing, impact on families
• [65:53–69:37] – Children’s interrogation experiences and defense claims
• [71:00–73:05] – Marnie’s prison interview and defense arguments
• [77:42–80:59] – Forensic/ballistics debates and defense’s case
• [82:27–84:04] – Final reflections, emotional fallout, open questions

Conclusion

This 20/20 episode exposes not only the layers of one of Chicago’s most sensational true crime cases, but also the ache left behind for every family. It poses troubling questions about the limits of the justice system, the influence of celebrity, and the ongoing dilemma of wrongful conviction—leaving listeners with haunting uncertainty about where the truth, at last, resides.