48 Hours: Post Mortem | Help Find Molly Bish's Killer

Host: Anne-Marie Green (CBS News)
Guest: Erin Moriarty (48 Hours Correspondent)
Date: December 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This compelling "Post Mortem" episode revisits the haunting disappearance and murder of Molly Bish, a 16-year-old lifeguard from Warren, Massachusetts, whose 2000 case remains unsolved. CBS News host Anne-Marie Green and veteran correspondent Erin Moriarty delve into the investigation's developments, the family’s search for answers, the community’s ongoing heartbreak, and recent advances that could finally bring justice. The conversation highlights key events, obstacles faced by law enforcement, and the remarkable resilience and advocacy shown by Molly’s family—especially her sister, Heather.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Revisit Molly Bish’s Case Now?

• Unresolved Justice: The killer hasn’t been identified, and recent developments including a new person of interest and detective bring renewed hope.
• Anniversary Effect: Twenty-five years on, hope persists that anniversaries spark new leads as memories resurface.
  • Erin Moriarty [02:56]: "There's a person of interest... a new detective... and it's the 25th anniversary... when there's an anniversary, there's always a chance that you'll get new tips. This story is worth pursuing."

The Day Molly Disappeared

• Molly’s Last Morning: Dropped off by her mother at Cummins Pond, where she worked as the sole lifeguard.
• Lag in Alerting Family: Police didn’t notify the family until Molly had been missing for three hours, reflecting small-town assumptions and lack of procedures.
  • Anne-Marie Green [04:16]: "Why did they wait so long to tell her family that she was missing?"
  • Erin Moriarty [04:21]: "I think they didn't want to overly alarm her family... Warren is a small town. I think a lot of people kid themselves, but they think these things don't happen in a small town."
• Safety Oversights: Erin expresses shock Molly was lifeguarding alone—a risky policy surprising to both hosts.

The Search & the Mysterious Man

• Immediate Investigation: Once missing, an extensive search commenced and hundreds of tips followed.
• Police Sketch: Based on Maggie Bish’s memory of a man in a white car, smoking with his left hand, seen the day before Molly vanished.
  • Erin Moriarty [06:31]: "It was a little bit of mother's instinct... she tried to put it out of her head, but it just kept bugging her."

The Breakthrough—Discovery of Evidence

• The Bathing Suit Found: Three years later, Molly’s blue bathing suit was found five miles away—a grim turning point for the Bish family.
  • Kathy Curran’s Role: A trusted local reporter, Curran gave the family the devastating news police withheld.
  • Erin Moriarty [09:03]: "That is one of the most moving parts of the hour, when we realize that a mother is about to face reality... that bathing suit meant there was no more hope."

Forensic Anthropology & Search for Remains

• Dr. Ann Marie Myers: Forensic anthropologist with the Boston Medical Examiner played a critical role in the search for Molly's remains.
  • Search Methods: Grid, rake, and line searches across 35 acres, looking for bones and evidence.
  • Dr. Myers’ Expertise: Provided insight into location of remains (Molly was five miles from the pond, matching statistical predictions for rural disappearances).
  • Significance of Decomposition: Molly’s body was not buried but placed, as revealed by a burn mark in the foliage from decomposition fluids.
    • Erin Moriarty [11:51]: "You could actually see an imprint of her body. You could see an imprint three years later."
  • Animal Scavenging: Dr. Myers noted an animal likely scattered bones, complicating recovery and investigation.

The Family’s Grief and Faith

• Funeral as Closure: Maggie Bish found bittersweet solace in being able to hold a funeral—a privilege denied to many families of the missing.
  • Erin Moriarty [13:16]: "They are religious and... relied on their faith to get through this... There's nothing worse for a family than when someone disappears and they are not found."

The Investigation—Grand Jury and Lack of Answers

• Grand Jury (2004–2006): Convened for two years, mostly questioned Molly’s friends, resulting in no indictments—unusual and frustrating for the family.
  • Erin Moriarty [16:12]: "Two years is a long time and very expensive. But because all the testimony is sealed, we really can't tell exactly what happened. But we do know that it is unusual and no indictments came out of it."
• Family Frustration: Heather Bish, Molly’s sister, became increasingly frustrated by the silence and lack of closure.
  • Erin Moriarty [17:47]: "They really get no answers. And not only do they not get answers from the grand jury... investigators aren't telling them much either."

Heather Bish—A Relentless Advocate

• Social Media Efforts: Heather turned to TikTok, creating over 250 videos and gathering 12,000 followers to keep Molly’s case alive—a significant leap beyond her comfort zone.
  • Erin Moriarty [18:41]: "She so much believes that she might be able to keep this case alive and get tips..."
• Following Up Leads: Heather brought suspects like Rodney Stanger and Gerald Battistoni to police attention—but no charges ever arose.

The First Named Person of Interest: Frank Sumner

• Details on Sumner:
  • Local auto repair shop owner
  • Resembled the composite police sketch
  • Drove a white car
  • Left-handed smoker
  • Previously convicted of aggravated rape and kidnapping (1982)
  • Died before DNA could confirm or rule out his involvement
• DNA Challenges: Sumner was cremated, no sample in database; police tested his son’s DNA, results are “inconclusive.”
  • Erin Moriarty [21:55]: "They sent investigators to Ohio... took the DNA of his son. And then after a year or so, they announced that it's inconclusive, but won't explain what that means."
  • Anne-Marie Green [22:32]: "That is so disappointing... you would think somebody convicted of rape, it would be guaranteed that his DNA would be on file somewhere."

Ongoing Hope—The Role of New Technology and New Eyes

• Testing Old Evidence: Advances in DNA analysis keep hope alive, but a crucial question remains—do police have the killer’s DNA? The contaminated crime scene remains a challenge.
• A New Investigator: Detective Chelsea Safford brings new energy and optimism to the investigation, reviewing 8,000 tips and cold evidence.
  • Erin Moriarty [24:46]: "She is going to add fresh eyes. And I have seen that where young investigators... might find something... maybe now, 25 years later you look at and you go, oh my god."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the search’s emotional toll:

  • "That bathing suit meant there was no more hope."
    — Erin Moriarty [09:03]

• On the white car suspect:

  • "He’s just sitting there smoking a cigarette with his left hand… It just kept bugging [Maggie]."
    — Erin Moriarty [06:31]

• On evidence recovery:

  • "You could actually see an imprint of her body. You could see an imprint three years later."
    — Erin Moriarty (quoting Dr. Myers) [11:51]

• On hope, despite years:

  • "She believes that she will find, they will find Molly's killer. I appreciate the confidence."
    — Anne-Marie Green [24:17]

• On family advocacy:

  • "Heather... would get tips from people and bring them to the police."
    — Erin Moriarty [19:15]

Key Timestamps

• 01:14 – Episode intro & summary of Molly Bish's disappearance
• 02:56 – Why revisit the case; anniversary significance; new developments
• 04:16 – Delay in alerting Molly’s family & small-town limitations
• 05:25 – Discussion on Molly lifeguarding alone
• 06:31 – Maggie’s memory of the suspicious man in a white car
• 07:24 – Finding Molly’s bathing suit after three years
• 09:03 – Kathy Curran gives the bad news to the family
• 09:42 – Role and techniques of forensic anthropologists, Dr. Ann Marie Myers
• 11:51 – Finding the body's imprint; evidence of placement (not burial)
• 16:12 – Grand jury process and frustration
• 18:41 – Heather Bish takes to TikTok for advocacy
• 20:45 – Naming Frank Sumner as a person of interest
• 21:55 – DNA challenges after Sumner’s death
• 23:50 – Inside the state crime lab’s DNA cold storage facility
• 24:46 – New investigator Chelsea Safford’s confidence and approach
• 25:41 – Closing reflections and tip line information

Final Thoughts

The case of Molly Bish remains painfully unresolved, but her family’s perseverance, the evolving tools of investigation, and renewed public attention keep hope alive. As advances in DNA technology and renewed investigation efforts emerge, “48 Hours” commits to following the case—sustaining hope that the truth and justice, at last, will be found.

If you have any information that could help authorities find Molly's killer, please contact the tip line at: 508-453-7575.