“Getting Away with Murder” — 48 Hours Podcast Summary

Podcast: 48 Hours
Host: CBS News
Episode: Getting Away with Murder
Date: December 10, 2025

Overview

This episode dives into two emotional and confounding true crime stories where families are haunted by the possibility that killers have never been brought to justice. The first story centers on the 1998 disappearance (and suspected murder) of Christine Kupka in Brooklyn, New York. The second covers the suspicious 1982 car fire deaths of Janet and Stephen Dow in New Hampshire, where official investigations failed to provide closure or accountability. Through moving interviews and dogged investigation, 48 Hours explores the limitations of the justice system, the heartbreak of families left behind, and the relentless pursuit for answers and justice—even when the system falls short.

Case 1: The Disappearance of Christine Kupka

The Story

Christine Kupka, a vibrant 28-year-old college student and aspiring attorney, went missing in 1998. Her family, led by her determined sister Kathy, firmly believes Christine was murdered by her ex-boyfriend and former chemistry instructor, Rudy (Darshanand) Persaud—Christine was pregnant with his child at the time of her disappearance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• The Support Group

  • Christine’s sister Kathy formed a support group for families of the missing, reflecting the community's pain and unresolved grief.
    • "When you have someone who's missing in your life, there is no answer." — Unnamed Family Member [01:16]

• Christine's Personality and Relationship with Rudy

  • Christine was described as caring, forthright, and family-oriented with a strong moral center.
  • Friends and family were immediately uneasy about Rudy Persaud.
    • “He’s good looking, but his eyes… his eyes are really cold.” — Uzlam (friend/roommate) [04:18]
  • The relationship became complicated when Christine revealed she was pregnant with Rudy’s baby. Rudy’s response was negative and distant.
    • “He just went crazy and said, ‘No, it’s going to ruin my family. I want nothing more to do with you.’” — Kathy [05:34]
  • Christine learned Rudy was married only after she was pregnant. Rudy pushed for an abortion; Christine refused.

• Warning Signs

  • Christine confided in friends, warning: “If anything happens to me, it was Rudy who did it. Just go to the police, because Rudy did it to me.” — Kathy [06:32]
  • Despite fears, Christine agreed to meet Rudy to help him clean his apartment on October 24, 1998. She was never seen again.

• Immediate Aftermath and Frustrations with Police

  • Kathy reported Christine missing within 24 hours, naming Rudy as the prime suspect.
    • “I mean, hello, is anything getting through?” — Kathy [08:18]
  • Police lacked physical evidence—no body, eyewitnesses, or proof of a crime—and initially made little progress.
    • “They said, ‘I don’t know... Go find the guy. Ask him what happened.’” — Kathy recalls police response [08:34]

• Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

  • Christine’s circle, desperate for justice, confronted Rudy directly, protested outside his house, and plastered his dental school with posters accusing him of murder.
    • “You have a suspected murderer that lives on your block. I think you should know.” — Nick (friend) [08:49, 17:00]

• Rudy Persaud’s Reaction

  • Rudy retained a lawyer immediately and largely refused to engage with police or the Kupka family. His only alibi was that he dropped Christine at a mall and never saw her again, which police could not confirm nor refute.
    • “He got a lawyer. That was his concern. His concern was with himself after Christine’s disappearance.” — Kathy [13:24]

• Ongoing Search and Private Investigation

  • Kathy and private investigator Gil Alba searched for evidence, contacted Rudy’s acquaintances, and campaigned to keep Christine’s case public.
    • “He got rid of the girl. He got rid of the baby. He got rid of what he wanted to.” — Gil Alba [14:41]
  • Despite their efforts, there was “nothing definitive.” [15:37]

• Kathy’s Testimony and Law Enforcement’s Limits

  • Kathy testified at a public hearing to advocate for more action in missing persons cases.
  • Frustration over police inaction and the inability to prosecute without hard evidence was palpable.
    • “It’s not illegal to be the last person seen with somebody. It’s not illegal to have an affair.” — Police [20:01]

• Unanswered Questions and Lasting Pain

  • Rudy Persaud refused to grant interviews to 48 Hours or any outlet. He ultimately moved on with his life as a dentist in Florida.
  • Christine’s family remains tormented by the lack of justice.

Notable Quotes

• “If he sues us, he’s gonna have to talk and he doesn’t want to talk.” — Kathy [17:54]
• “My sister’s gone and her baby, and you’re telling me that you can’t go talk to Rudy? Wait, that does not make sense.” — Kathy [19:46]
• “Only three people know what happened that night. Two of them are dead and one of them isn’t talking.” [42:04]

Timestamps for Case 1:

• Family Group and Christine’s Background : [01:16]–[03:30]
• Christine & Rudy’s Relationship : [03:38]–[06:04]
• Disappearance and Aftermath : [06:14]–[09:05]
• Family’s Search for Justice : [09:05]–[21:59]

Case 2: The Dow Car Fire Deaths

The Story

In 1982, Janet and her 18-year-old son, Stephen Dow, were found dead in a burned car near their home in Grafton County, New Hampshire. The official story: a tragic accident. Yet over a decade later, allegations—backed by forensic doubts—emerged, accusing Janet’s husband and local police chief, Dick Dow, of orchestrating their murders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Family and Background

  • Stephen Dow was a well-liked high schooler; Janet was a beloved mom who remarried local police chief Dick Dow after divorcing Stephen’s father.
  • “She was a very good mother. She loved Stephen and so did his father.” — Wally Medeiros, Stephen’s biological father [24:07]

• The Fatal Car Fire

  • In the early hours of December 10, 1982, Janet and Stephen died in a fiery car crash just 500 feet from home. The response was odd: police didn’t interview witnesses, conduct autopsies, or preserve the car.
    • “There was essentially no meaningful investigation done. People thought of this as an accident, so they didn’t investigate it as a crime.” — Attorney General Philip McLaughlin [39:45]
  • Dick Dow’s reaction and swift dating life afterward raised suspicions for Stephen’s girlfriend, Kelly Sutherland.

• A Shocking Confession Emerges

  • Years later, Dow’s ex-girlfriend Karen Safian revealed Dow had confessed to her: he claimed Stephen shot his mother Janet, and Dow killed Stephen in self-defense, then staged the car accident to cover it up.
    • “If you ever tell anyone what I just told you, then I will—” [Dow pauses] “I’ll just deny it.” — Karen Safian recalling Dow’s words [31:59]

• Forensic Review

  • Accident and fire experts recreated the crash scene and determined it was impossible for the gasoline to ignite as described in the original investigation.
    • “The gasoline did not ignite. There is nothing inside that car that could have set the gasoline off.” — Thomas Bohan, accident specialist [34:19]
    • “When you look at this, based on your experience, do you say this was no accident?” — Interviewer
    • “That’s right. I do say that. I did say that.” — Bohan [35:05]
    • “You say it was what then?”
    • “Murder.” — Bohan [35:16]

• Barriers to Justice

  • Despite the second investigation, New Hampshire’s Attorney General did not believe there was enough hard evidence for charges.
    • “My critics have the right to believe something. I have the obligation to prove something.” — Attorney General McLaughlin [40:17]
  • Efforts by Stephen’s family to sue Dick Dow, or get the case in front of a grand jury, all failed for lack of direct evidence.

• Dow’s Final Years and the Unresolved Case

  • Dick Dow refused interviews, offered only chilling responses—never outright denying the crimes.
    • “He didn’t say, ‘I didn’t do this.’” — Kelly Sutherland [41:59]
  • Dow died in 2012; the murders remain officially unsolved.

Notable Quotes

• “Who engages in an act of self-defense and then burns the bodies?” — Interviewer [41:33]
• “Three people know what happened that night. Two of them are dead. One isn’t talking.” — Kelly Sutherland [42:04]

Timestamps for Case 2:

• Dow Family and Fatal Crash : [22:16]–[27:17]
• Karen Safian’s Account : [29:13]–[32:17]
• Forensic Reenactment & Aftermath : [33:17]–[40:41]
• Attorney General and Final Reflections : [40:54]–[42:09]

Memorable Moments & Emotional Testimony

• The Unending Agony:

  • Kathy, on her lost sister:
    • “This is so horrible that… people try to understand, but it’s so horrible that people can’t understand. I think the hardest part is that someone could take someone away from me that meant so much to me and she didn’t mean anything to him.” [02:31]
  • Kelly, on unresolved grief:
    • “The toughest thing for me in all of this is the fact that I was still walking around talking and breathing and eating and sleeping and watching TV and so on and so forth, and two people I love very much… aren’t.” [42:20]

• Community Action:

  • Families refusing to accept inaction, rallying around their own investigations and public protests, driven by raw, consuming need for answers and justice.

Conclusion

This episode of "48 Hours" presents a sobering portrait of two families devastated by murder and the failures of the justice system. In both stories, loved ones become investigators, advocates, and public campaigners—fueled by pain, suspicion, and refusal to let their victims’ stories fade away. Authorities cite a lack of hard evidence as their standard; families are left with certainty in their hearts but nowhere to turn. The episode ultimately challenges listeners to contemplate: How many have truly gotten away with murder?

Key Timestamps

• Christine Kupka’s Story: [01:16]–[22:02]
• Janet and Stephen Dow’s Story: [22:16]–[42:09]

For those seeking in-depth analysis, poignant testimony, and a real-world look at the complexities—and heartbreak—of unsolved murder cases and imperfect justice, this episode is essential listening.