20/20: True Crime Vault - "The Accused"

Date: December 16, 2025
Podcast Host: ABC News

Episode Overview

This gripping episode of ABC News' 20/20 True Crime Vault revisits the heartbreaking case of three-year-old Riley Fox, who was abducted and murdered in Wilmington, Illinois in 2004. What begins as a parent's worst nightmare—her unexplained disappearance—quickly spirals into a nightmarish ordeal for her father, Kevin Fox, who is wrongfully accused and nearly convicted, only to be exonerated years later through DNA evidence and dogged legal work. The episode explores both the devastating impact of the crime and the systemic failures of law enforcement, culminating in the eventual identification and conviction of the true killer, Scott Eby.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Fox Family: A Portrait of Normalcy Before Tragedy

• Kevin and Melissa Fox are depicted as high school sweethearts, raising their two young children, Tyler and Riley, in a close-knit, small-town heartland setting.
• Riley is lovingly remembered as a "spunky, sassy little girl"—inseparable from her father, described as a "pocket rocket" (03:12).

2. The Night of the Disappearance

• Timeline:
  • June 5-6, 2004: Melissa is away for a breast cancer walk; Kevin cares for the children, puts them to sleep in the living room due to unmade beds (14:56).
• Early next morning, Tyler awakens Kevin: "Dad, Riley's gone." Kevin frantically searches before calling the police (18:30).

3. Community Mobilization

• The entire community mobilizes to search for Riley, demonstrating an outpouring of support and unity. Volunteers, police, and neighbors search woods and ditches (23:25).
• Tragically, Riley’s body is found the same day in Forsyth Woods—her mouth duct-taped, evidence of assault, and drowning (28:05).

4. The Investigation and the Rush to Judgment

• Police find no forced entry. Kevin notes the broken back door lock but this is dismissed (29:30).
• Grief is compounded when police suspicion quickly turns toward Kevin, despite the family’s assertion of his innocence.
• Notably, the house across the street experienced a burglary the same night Riley disappeared, a lead largely ignored initially (38:10).

5. Faulty Interrogation and a False Confession

• Tyler's Interrogation:
  • Tyler, Riley’s brother, is questioned extensively in a distressing manner and repeatedly denies his father’s involvement (46:49).
  • "168 times he says his father had nothing to do with Riley's disappearance" (47:44).
• Kevin Fox's Interrogation:
  • Undergoes a 14.5-hour, psychologically brutal interrogation, with threats and misleading polygraph results (59:05).
  • Eventually, exhausted and desperate, Kevin confesses: "It was my only way out" (01:02:34).
  • The police publicize his confession; Kevin is arrested and charged with capital murder.

6. The Role of Politics and Public Opinion

• The investigation unfolds amid a contentious prosecutor's election, raising suspicions of political motivation.
• Community opinion, initially sympathetic, shifts toward condemnation after Kevin’s arrest (01:12:51).

7. Defense, DNA, and Exoneration

• Attorney Kathleen Zellner steps in, doubts the confession, and pushes to analyze DNA recovered from the crime (01:21:02).
• Zellner’s independent investigation reveals key inconsistencies:
  • The current of the creek could not have carried Riley's body as police theorized.
  • The confession’s narrative is physically impossible (e.g., a hollow core bathroom door could not inflict the “fatal” head injury).
• DNA testing exonerates Kevin: "The DNA did not match Kevin Fox's" (01:37:42).
• Charges are dropped; Kevin is released after eight months in jail (01:40:15).

8. Continued Failures and Systemic Flaws

• Investigation overlooked critical evidence:
  • The suspicious red Chevy Beretta reported in the area.
  • A pair of shoes recovered from the crime scene, marked with "E B Y" on the tongue (02:05:55).
• Police had fixated on Kevin, disregarding viable alternate leads.

9. Civil Lawsuit and Vindication

• Zellner files a federal civil rights lawsuit, leading to an $8 million award for the Fox family due to wrongful arrest and investigative failures (02:14:22).

10. A Breakthrough: The Real Killer

• FBI Re-examination:
  • In 2009, the FBI revitalizes the cold case. An interview with a local woman points them to Scott Eby, a convicted burglar and sexual offender (02:28:50).
  • Eby confesses after an initial denial, revealing chilling details:
    • Entered the Fox home during a burglary spree.
    • Abducted and assaulted Riley; drowned her after she recognized him (02:46:55).
    • Left behind his shoes—bearing his own name—at the scene.

11. Aftermath and Legacy

• Scott Eby is sentenced to life without parole.
• The Fox family, despite personal loss and prolonged public suspicion, persevered in their quest for justice.
• Reflection on the enduring loss of Riley, resilience of her parents, and calls for lasting reforms in police investigations and prosecutorial conduct.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Melissa Fox (on learning Riley was gone):
  "He just said, Riley's gone. And I immediately hit the ground. The phone fell out of my hand." (21:32)
• Investigator on Tyler’s interrogation:
  "168 times he says his father had nothing to do with Riley's disappearance." (47:44)
• Kevin Fox (on how false confessions happen):
  "Say you were trapped in a burning room and, and there was only one door and the fire was just flaming around you, so you looked at this as your only way out." (01:02:44)
• Kathleen Zellner (on confessions):
  "I would never in a million years prosecute a case with only one piece of evidence, and that one piece of evidence being a confession." (01:47:05)
• Scott Eby (confession):
  "I just… I fixated on that little girl. Once I decided that I was gonna go through with her, whatever, I went and got my car...” (02:52:15)
• Melissa Fox (impact of the truth):
  "I needed to know what happened to her and what she went through, but now it's kind of like torture. Now it's like I'm torturing myself with those details." (03:00:20)
• Kevin Fox (on Riley):
  "She had an unmistakable bond with her father, whose family never gave up on him, and a family that will never forget its little girl." (03:19:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Family and Riley’s personality: 03:12 – 08:40
• Disappearance and initial panic: 14:56 – 21:40
• Community search and discovery of Riley’s body: 23:25 – 28:05
• Police focus on Kevin, early investigative missteps: 29:30 – 38:10
• Faulty interrogations (Tyler and Kevin): 46:49 – 01:03:00
• Political context and community reaction: 01:10:20 – 01:14:51
• Zellner’s defense and DNA evidence: 01:21:02 – 01:40:15
• Civil suit, system critique: 02:03:00 – 02:17:40
• FBI cold case break and Scott Eby confession: 02:28:50 – 03:04:33
• Aftermath, reflection, closure: 03:11:30 – 03:20:18

Podcast Tone & Style

The tone throughout the episode is earnest, empathetic, and investigative. The narration weaves together interviews with family, legal counsel, and investigators, mixing poignant emotional recollections with analytical discussion of law enforcement failures. The storytelling is marked by first-person reflections and moments of raw grief and relief.

Summary Table: Investigation Timeline

| Event | Approx. Timestamp | Key Takeaway | |------------------------------|------------------|--------------| | Riley disappears | 14:56 | Fast police focus on father Kevin Fox | | Riley found murdered | 23:25 | Trauma for family, small-town mobilizes | | Faulty interrogation | 46:49 – 01:03:00 | Kevin Fox coerced into a false confession | | DNA evidence sought | 01:21:02 | Attorney Zellner initiates | | Kevin Fox exonerated | 01:37:42 | DNA does not match | | Civil suit won | 02:14:22 | $8M settlement for Fox family | | FBI solves the case | 02:28:50 – 03:04:33 | Scott Eby confesses, sentenced to life |

Final Reflection

This episode stands as a powerful reminder of the dangers of tunnel vision in criminal investigations and the devastating ripple effects of wrongful accusations. It also is a testament to family perseverance, legal advocacy, and the transformative power of forensic science—ensuring, after years of uncertainty, the truth behind a child’s death is finally brought to light.