Bone Valley Season 3 | Graves County

Episode: "My Girl Susan"
Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Maggie Freleng

Overview

In "My Girl Susan," Maggie Freleng continues to unravel the tangled web of the Jessica Curran murder case in Graves County, Kentucky. This episode spotlights the pivotal and polarizing role of Susan Galbraith, a self-styled citizen investigator whose involvement deeply influenced who was blamed—and who was exonerated—in the case. Through testimony, interviews, and newly uncovered evidence, the episode probes Susan's motives, her relationships, and the ways her actions redirected the course of justice, potentially sending innocent people to prison and shielding others from scrutiny.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Susan Galbraith: From Citizen Investigator to Power Broker

• Susan’s Courtroom Presence

  • Susan Galbraith is depicted as scattered and evasive when on the stand, chewing gum and providing incomplete answers ([02:01-02:23]).
  • Attorneys on both sides complain to the judge:
    • “This witness is not being responsive. She’s meandering.” ([02:23])

• Her Stated and Actual Motives

  • Publicly portrays herself as an ordinary citizen called by “divine forces” to seek justice for Jessica ([25:29])
  • Evidence suggests her main goal was to clear Jeremy Adams, her neighbor and friend ([22:07], [25:11])

• Relationship to Key Players

  • Maintained a friendship with Donna Adams (Jeremy’s mother) and sometimes worked with Jeremy’s girlfriend, Net, on her investigation ([22:07-22:40], [29:04])
  • A witness statement says, “Susan Galbraith was friends with Donna Adams... Donna was under the impression that Susan was going to help get Jeremy out of trouble.” ([26:02])

2. Early Suspects: Jeremy Adams and Carlos Saxton

• The Initial Police Theory

  • Jeremy Adams (Jessica’s child’s father) and Carlos Saxton (her boyfriend) were indicted for her murder, largely due to hearsay and alleged confessions to jailhouse informants ([06:25-13:30])

• Unreliable Evidence

  • Case against Jeremy and Carlos built overwhelmingly on prisoner informant testimony, without substantive physical evidence ([14:09-14:40])

• Grand Jury Proceedings

  • Magistrate’s frustration:
    • “I have never seen a case so encumbered with problems, and I hope I never see another one.” ([15:26])

• Case Dismissal and Shift of Focus

  • Charges were dropped due to missing evidence and prosecution errors ([15:26-16:33])
  • With Susan’s involvement, focus shifted away from Jeremy and back toward other suspects—especially Quincy Cross.

3. Shaping the Case Against Quincy Cross

• How Susan’s Investigation Shifted Blame

  • Through working relationships with law enforcement and journalists (particularly Tom Mangold), Susan promoted the narrative that Quincy Cross was the true perpetrator ([27:30-29:04])

  • Attorney Miranda Hellman (Kentucky Innocence Project) explains:

    • “Welcome to Susan Galbraith world, whose main goal was always to get Jeremy Adams out of this.” ([21:53])

  • “If you look at the record, the prosecution used a story that was developed by Susan Galbraith. And Susan…her goal was to save Jeremy Adams.” – John Poole, Private Investigator ([25:11])

• Hiding Evidence and Manipulating the Narrative

  • Susan shared emails with KBI agents but tried to avoid subpoenas and withheld documents from defense ([30:51])
  • Her emails and records are now key evidence in the latest bid to overturn Quincy’s conviction.

4. The Aftermath and Jeremy Adams’s Continuing Shadow

• Jeremy as a Suspected (and Self-Proclaimed) Informant

  • Jeremy routinely offered to be a wire-wearing informant to get himself out of unrelated charges ([32:13-32:30])
  • He name-drops his “girl Susan” as a critical source of information ([33:02-33:19])
  • “A whole lot of information that’s been found out now came through my girl Susan…” – Jeremy ([33:06​])

• “My Girl Susan” Was Actively Defending & Covering for Jeremy

  • Susan often trailed Jeremy to encourage people not to repeat his incriminating stories; when he said he was with Jessica the night of the murder, Susan called police to correct him ([39:13])

• Testimony from Jessica’s Family & Friends

  • Joe Curran (Jessica's father) describes how Jeremy would repeatedly offer to reveal the killer’s identity in exchange for family information, or would alternately claim responsibility to others ([39:55-40:35])
  • The community remains divided and unsure who to believe ([40:35])

5. The Ripple Effects: Perjury, Coercion, and the Search for Truth

• Other Witnesses Recant Under Pressure

  • Rosie Kreiss, who was convicted of perjury for recanting her original testimony, claims she lied under police threat ([46:54-48:31])
  • Victoria Caldwell (a key prosecution witness) is said to have been paid to fabricate testimony ([48:36-48:52])
  • “Victoria told me she got paid to make up a whole story just to get rid of this case. …She got paid to do this case.” – Rosie Kreiss ([48:36-48:52])

• Rosie’s Justification for Telling the Truth

  • “Telling the truth. It’s what God wants you to do. I know that. I know Jesus name is truth.” ([48:55])

• Crucial Insight:

  • The episode notes that Rosie was the first but not the last to reveal coerced, possibly false testimony had helped convict Quincy, Jeff, and Tamara.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Susan’s Influence:

  • “She was the person who put Quincy Cross in prison. She’s the person who handed the police their theory, their investigation and their star witnesses.” – Maggie ([34:46])

• On Investigation Misconduct:

  • “You couldn’t cross examine someone who was actively hiding information from the prosecutors and the defense attorneys and not giving them a fair shot.” – Miranda Hellman ([31:24])

• On False Confession Risks:

  • “A lot of wrongful conviction cases I’ve covered involve the false testimony of jailhouse informants. They often lie to get a better sentencing deal from the prosecution or to get even with another prisoner.” – Maggie ([37:44])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Susan Galbraith's Court Testimony: 01:53–02:23
• Initial Suspicions: Jeremy & Carlos: 06:25–13:30
• Informants and Theories: 13:30–16:33
• Case Dismissal & Focus Shift: 15:26–16:33
• Miranda Hellman on Motives and Evidence: 19:15–22:07
• John Poole Details Susan’s Role: 24:08–25:29
• Shift to Quincy Cross: 27:30–29:04
• Emails and Withholding of Evidence: 30:51–31:24
• Jeremy Adams’s Informant Proposals: 32:13–33:41
• Jeremy's Perspective & Public Statements: 44:20–45:51
• Family Impact & Jeremy’s Background: 41:03–43:55
• Rosie’s Recantation of Testimony: 46:54–48:52
• Rosie on Truth and Faith: 48:55–49:15

Tone and Style

Maggie Freleng’s narration is probing, empathetic, yet unflinching—balancing skepticism towards official narratives with a compassionate ear for the marginalized. Key characters, such as John Poole and Rosie Kreiss, add color, candor, and sometimes moments of dark humor to the otherwise grave proceedings. The presence of community gossip, personal grievances, and family heartbreak is palpable throughout.

Conclusion / Looking Ahead

This episode reveals how Susan Galbraith’s personal agenda may have tipped the scales of justice in Graves County, possibly damning innocent people while never truly answering who murdered Jessica Curran. As wrongful conviction challenges unfold and more witnesses reclaim their stories, Maggie promises further unmasking of the network of lies, half-truths, and coercion underpinning this small-town tragedy.

Next time: More revelations from recanting witnesses and a deeper examination of the holes in the state’s case.