48 Hours: "Unmasking The Mastermind"

CBS News – October 29, 2025
Summary by [Assistant]

Episode Overview

"Unmasking The Mastermind" investigates the chilling case of Garrett Wilson—a charismatic family man whose seemingly ordinary life concealed greed, deception, and allegations of double infanticide for financial gain. Episode correspondent Peter Van Sant, host Leslie Stahl, and award-winning CBS correspondents trace Wilson's decades-long web of relationships, suspicious child deaths, and the subsequent investigations that led to his conviction and its dramatic reversal in court. This episode examines not only the facts of the case but also the emotional and psychological complexities surrounding Wilson, his ex-wives, and the legal team determined to uncover the truth.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Public Image vs. Hidden Reality of Garrett Wilson

• Garrett Wilson is described as a "magnetic" and loving father, admired by both women and men for his charisma (00:40, 03:34).
  • Quote, Missy Anastasi: "He put you under his bell." (00:42, 15:08)
  • Quote, Narrator: "He was a father who adored his little girl." (00:47, 02:47)
• Duality: Friends and family debate if Wilson could be both a devoted father and a cold-blooded killer, with close ones insisting, “You can’t be a murderer one day and a loving father the next day.” (01:25, 08:02)

The First Suspicious Death: Garrett Michael

• Birth of Garrett Michael: Missy Anastasi, Wilson’s third wife, recalls Wilson’s initial excitement about their son, but notes his distance at home (09:16–09:45).
  • Red Flag: “Garrett, you seem really withdrawn from the baby lately... He said, well, I want to make sure he's going to be around a while before I get close to him." (09:45)
• The Night of the Death:
  • Missy: "I jumped up like I always did... Garrett literally dissuaded me... He said, I'll do it." (10:06)
  • Missy remembers odd noises, then finds her son unresponsive (10:35–10:57).
  • Garrett’s Reaction: “He opened the door and his face was as white as a sheet... he never moved.” (11:03)
• Aftermath:
  • Insurance Money: Weeks later, Wilson drops off a bag of cash. “He said, it’s some insurance money.” (12:01)
  • Missy: “I bought life insurance on the baby today. But never in a million years...would I have ever thought that Garrett was planning to kill his child.” (12:18)

Initial Conclusion: SIDS, Not Foul Play

• Autopsy: Dr. Charles Kokus rules Garrett Michael’s death as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) despite brain swelling (13:05, 13:24).
  • “There were no other issues or findings... that indicated this was anything other than a natural death.” (13:45)
• Missy's Acceptance: Initially, Missy trusts the experts and stays with Wilson for years (14:05).

A Pattern Emerges: The Second Suspicious Baby Death

• Breakup and Renewed Suspicions: After Wilson divorces Missy and marries Vicki Wampler in secret (15:08–16:28), Missy recalls and re-examines her baby’s death, now suspecting foul play.
  • Threatening Call: "Now that I see what you're capable of doing to me, I know you killed my baby. And he said, 'Missy, you'd be dead if you were here.'" (17:56)
• Relentless Pursuit: Missy spends years writing letters to authorities, finally pressuring a new investigation (18:41–18:49).

Garrett Wilson's Manipulation of Women

• History of Deception: Interviews with Liz Balman, another of Wilson’s exes, reveal a pattern of infidelity, charm, and manipulation (19:52–21:58).
• Con Artist Profile:
  • Prosecutor Doug Gansler: "Garrett Wilson is a con artist. He is motivated by greed. And the vehicle to get his greed is women." (22:41)
  • Missy Anastasi: "He treated you like a queen, like you were the only person on earth that mattered." (22:54)

Motivation for Murder: Greed and Insurance

• Discoveries: Investigators find not one but two life insurance policies on both Garrett Michael and a previous child, Brandi Jean, from an earlier marriage (25:47, 29:30).
  • In each case, Wilson collected tens of thousands of dollars (i.e., $150,000 for Garrett Michael; two policies for Brandi Jean).
  • Quote, George Smith (insurance agent): "When we first wrote this, I don’t think Debbie even knew this was being written...After Brandi Jean dies, one of the first phone calls Garrett reportedly makes is not to you, his best friend. It’s to his life insurance agent." (30:28–31:15)

The 1981 Death of Brandi Jean

• Details: Wilson’s daughter with Debbie Oliver, Brandi Jean, dies at two months, also officially ruled SIDS (29:54–30:11).
• Multiple policies, similar situations—investigators draw disturbing parallels and doubt both could be natural (30:19–32:15).
  • Expert, Dr. Linda Norton: "The chance of that would be 1 in 4 million." (35:33, 40:28)

The Legal Battle and Reversal

• Case Reopened: The medical examiner changes the cause of death from SIDS to homicide after considering two infant deaths in the same family, leading to Wilson’s arrest and conviction (34:09–36:01).
  • Key Evidence: Two deaths, similar circumstances, life insurance policies, lack of emotional reaction, and testimony from Missy and other women.
• Trial Outcome: Jury finds Wilson guilty after two hours of deliberation (38:15), largely swayed by Missy’s testimony.
  • Quote, Juror Cheryl Frizzell: "After we found him guilty, I slept like a baby." (38:23)
• Sentence: Life in prison without parole (38:57).

Dramatic Post-Conviction Developments

• Appeal and Overturning Conviction: In 2002, Maryland Appeals Court overturns Wilson’s conviction, citing improper testimony about SIDS odds and new genetic findings regarding SIDS (39:49–40:30).
  • “The appeals court ruled that prosecution experts should not have been allowed to testify on the odds of two SIDS deaths occurring in the same family.”
• Retrial and Final Verdict: In 2004, Wilson is retried, found guilty again, and re-sentenced to life in prison (41:30).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Missy Anastasi (on getting justice):
  "Because I couldn't bring the baby back, but the least I could do was the person responsible put him where he belonged." (38:46)
• Prosecutor Doug Gansler:
  "This was blood money. And he went out, bought cars and furniture and paid off some debts." (28:00)
• Dr. Linda Norton (on SIDS probability):
  "The chance of that would be 1 in 4 million." (35:33)
• On the double tragedy:
  "Not one baby died, but two babies died." (29:17)
• Peter Van Sant (on friends' doubts):
  "Look at that face. He would tell other people that he hated the baby. He wished the baby wasn't born. This is a man who was willing to kill his own flesh and blood, his own infant." (06:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Garrett Wilson's Persona & Family Life: 00:40–04:45
• Death of Garrett Michael (Missy Anastasi's account): 09:00–12:36
• Insurance Motive & Initial SIDS Ruling: 12:36–15:00
• Missy's Renewed Suspicions and Long Fight for Re-investigation: 15:08–19:00
• Wilson's Pattern of Manipulation & Financial Gain: 19:52–22:41
• Investigators Link Two Suspicious Infant Deaths: 24:00–29:30
• Life Insurance Evidence & Previous Death (Brandi Jean): 30:11–32:15
• Medical Testimony and Probabilities: 34:09–36:01, 35:33, 40:28
• The Trial & Missy’s Testimony: 36:06–38:46
• Conviction, Appeal, and Retrial: 39:49–41:30

Tone and Language

The episode maintains a somber, inquisitive, and suspenseful tone throughout, with emotionally charged reflections from the women in Wilson's life and a measured, evidence-driven approach by the correspondents and prosecutor. The narrative flows between heartfelt personal testimony and the methodical unraveling of a criminal case, never losing sight of the human tragedy at its core.

For listeners seeking to understand a harrowingly complex criminal case—involving charm, duplicity, grief, and dogged pursuit of justice—this episode methodically reconstructs how a "mastermind" almost got away, and how relentless investigation shed light on the truth.