48 Hours – "Secrets in the Canal"

CBS News | October 23, 2025

Episode Overview

"Secrets in the Canal" explores the decades-long mystery surrounding the disappearance and death of 18-year-old Jeff Klee of Coral Springs, Florida, in 1977. Through gripping interviews with family, detectives, and witnesses, the episode dissects the stalled investigation, theories of murder and cover-up, and the emotional toll on the Klee family. Ultimately, the truth emerges only decades later, but justice remains elusive due to legal technicalities and the limits of evidence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Disappearance of Jeff Klee

• Immediate Aftermath
  • Jeff Klee, eldest of four and beloved son, vanished after a night out with friends at the Crown Lounge on June 21, 1977.
  • His mother, Flossy Klee, reported him missing the next morning but felt dismissed by police due to her son's age and the era's less sophisticated investigative tools.

    “When your child goes missing like that, you don't know how could this happen?” — Flossy Klee (03:14)

  • The Klee family, left without support or answers, suspected foul play.

The 1970s Context and Initial Investigation

• Law Enforcement Limitations
  • Coral Springs was a quiet suburb with scant violent crime and limited resources.
  • Technology and methods at the time made disappearances easier; no surveillance, cell phones, or interconnected databases.
• Family and Social Tensions
  • The police scrutinized Klee’s family due to aspects like his father's gambling and a large life insurance policy, which Flossy dismissed as irrelevant family practice.
  • The family also grew suspicious of Jeff’s best friend, David Cucinelli, who was the last known person to see Jeff and suddenly quit working at the family business after Jeff disappeared.

Rumors, Dead Ends, and False Hope

• In 1981, high school acquaintance Michael Collister told Jeff’s sister Laurel that Jeff was alive and living under a new identity due to a drug deal gone bad, a claim he later denied to detectives.
• Detective Bob Vernon took over the case in 1982 and was frustrated by a nearly empty case file.

  "It was basically an empty folder." — Detective Bob Vernon (12:59)

• An odd letter from Attica State Prison was received, from an inmate named Scott Rango, who was living nearby at the time of Jeff's disappearance and convicted of violent crimes. Vernon briefly became convinced Rango was the perpetrator until Rango’s suicide ruled out further investigation.

New Evidence and Breakthrough (2008)

• Discovery of the Van
  • In 2008, during canal dredging, police found Jeff's long-lost black van submerged and deteriorated, with his scuba license and personal effects inside and Jeff's skeletal remains (19:53).
  • The van was only a few miles from the family home, discrediting theories that Jeff had run away or moved far away.

    "It's incredible to think that... about three and a half, four miles from our house, this is where my son's resting place was." — Flossy Klee (20:41)

• New Witness: Dana Holmes
  • In 2008, Dana Holmes came forward with a crucial statement: eight years prior, Jeff’s best friend David Cucinelli had drunkenly confessed to “killing his best friend… but it was an accident.”
  • Holmes identified David Cucinelli in a photo lineup (24:13).

Re-Opening the Case: Police Interviews and New Suspicions

• The Motive Uncovered

  • Ginny Healy, Jeff’s high school girlfriend, admitted for the first time that she had been with David Cucinelli on David’s birthday, prompting an argument and breakup with Jeff (25:31).

    “Well, he was pretty mad. So we broke up.” — Ginny Healy (25:53)

  • Police saw this as a possible motive for confrontation.

• Police Interrogations: Cucinelli Brothers

  • David and his brother Carl both agreed to police interviews. Inconsistencies emerged regarding their presence on the night in question.
  • Carl eventually admitted to helping dispose of the van but denied seeing Jeff’s body or knowing the details (31:19).

    “David called me up and told me that there was a problem. I guess I went out and met him. I must have helped him dispose of the vehicle. I helped him push it in.” — Carl Cucinelli (31:56)

• David Cucinelli's Partial Confession

  • Confronted with his brother's admission, David’s story wavered. He suggested Jeff might have tripped, or there was an altercation involving a rock, admitting to seeing a gash on Jeff’s forehead (34:39, 35:04).

    "Threw a rock at him? Maybe? ... If it hit him in the body and then he tripped and fell. ... How big of an injury? I think it was split wide open." — David Cucinelli (34:39–35:04)

  • But David denied striking Jeff intentionally or knowing whether Jeff was alive before the van was submerged.

    "If he was breathing, I wouldn't have put him in the canal. ... If I thought there was [a chance to save him], I would have." — David Cucinelli (35:38–35:52)

Resolution, Legal Limbo, and Family Aftermath

• Legal Obstacles

  • Despite the apparent admissions, the statute of limitations on manslaughter (only three years in 1977) had expired; there was insufficient evidence for homicide or concealment charges (41:54).

    “You have to apply the law that existed in 1977.” — Assistant State’s Attorney Sherri Tate Jenkins (41:54)

  • No charges were ever filed.

    “They'll never pay for the crime. Which is frustrating to the police department, frustrating for the Klee family.” — Detective Bob Vernon (42:28)

• Emotional Closure and Reflection

  • The Klee family felt some sense of closure in knowing the truth but remained frustrated by the lack of accountability.

    "It's over with... Are they going to go get justice? They probably won't. But they have to live with themselves. As far as I'm concerned, that's the end of the story." — Flossy Klee (43:47)

  • The family retrieved keepsakes, including Jeff’s dive card and scraps of his favorite shirt, as his van was towed away for good (43:09–43:27).
  • Flossy’s final words expressed a weary acceptance and hope that living with the truth would be its own form of justice.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It was just like the earth just opened up and swallowed him." — Flossy Klee (03:32)
• "I chased every black van in Broward County. ... I never changed my phone number, thinking that if something did happen to him, he'd know the phone number." — Flossy Klee (13:55, 14:14)
• "All these years we have driven over that bridge..." — Flossy Klee (20:41)
• "Maybe it was an accident, but why did they have to cover it up? ... So there's always going to be a question in all of our minds." — Flossy Klee (37:45)
• "We are burdened by knowing that someone who we believe put our brother in his van and pushed him into the canal will not be held legally accountable." — Flossy Klee (42:36)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Jeff Klee’s Disappearance and Family Initial Reactions: 01:56–04:43
• Rumors of Jeff’s Fate & Early Investigative Dead Ends: 10:31–12:59
• Detective Vernon Takes Over; Suspects Scott Rango: 12:59–17:34
• Discovery of Van and Remains: 19:04–20:41
• Dana Holmes’ Confession Statement: 21:40–24:13
• Interviews with David and Carl Cucinelli: 28:22–36:11
• No Charges—Legal Explanation: 40:04–42:28
• Emotional Closure for Klee Family: 43:04–43:47

Conclusion

This powerful episode reveals the emotional and investigative complexity of a cold case that spanned more than three decades. The mystery of Jeff Klee’s disappearance was finally resolved, but the lack of legal closure highlights both the evolution and the limitations of justice. The Klee family's pain and perseverance are palpable, making "Secrets in the Canal" not just a tale about a singular crime, but about the lasting impact of unanswered questions and the quest for truth.