Casefile Archives 8: The Tunstall Family
Podcast: Casefile True Crime
Host: Casefile Presents
Release Date: February 28, 2026
Episode Overview
In this harrowing episode, Casefile revisits the shocking 2006 crimes perpetrated by Tiffany Hall in East St. Louis, Illinois. This is a story of a “fetal abduction” and the ensuing tragedy that wiped out nearly an entire family—the Tunstalls. The episode methodically follows the investigation, unpacking the deprivation, betrayal, and rare type of crime that sent shockwaves through a community already accustomed to hardship.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Setting: East St. Louis’ Troubled Backdrop
- (03:15) The city, once an industrial hub, had fallen into economic decline, plagued by rampant poverty and violence.
- Frank Holton State Park is introduced as both a rare respite and the site where this case unfolds.
The 911 Call and Unfolding Mystery
- (04:50) On September 15, 2006, paramedics respond to a call at the state park, where a distressed Tiffany Hall presents them with a deceased newborn.
- Tiffany tells detectives a convoluted story: assaulted and going into premature labor at a man’s house, with the baby not surviving. Details remain vague and suspicions arise.
Tiffany Hall’s Troubled History
- (06:10) Background check reveals a life marked by instability: violence as a teen, troubled relationships, arson investigations, and ongoing scrutiny by child services.
Memorable Quote
“By the age of seventeen, Tiffany had given birth to two daughters. The second was dropped on her head as a baby, resulting in irreversible brain damage.” – Narrator, (07:06)
Investigation Stalled and Shocking Admission
- (09:40) Under pressure, Tiffany resists further questioning, refusing a rape kit and shutting down the investigation.
- At her baby’s funeral, Tiffany makes a chilling confession to her boyfriend, Keith Horne: “In fact, it wasn't even her baby.” (11:15)
Discovery at Tiffany’s House
- (12:00) Police, tipped off by Keith, search Tiffany’s property and discover the body of Jamella Tunstall—a young woman who’d been pregnant, her body mutilated in an apparent fetal abduction.
The Backstory: Tiffany & Jamella’s Relationship
- (14:30) The two women, close friends since youth, call each other cousins and have parallel histories of hardship.
- Jamella, despite adversity and a stint in foster care, is determined to give her children a better life.
Double Pregnancies and Deception
- (16:40) Utilizing her friend’s pregnancy, Tiffany fakes her own pregnancy to keep her boyfriend’s attention, buying supplies and spreading the news in her community.
Memorable Quote
“Tiffany confessed to the detectives that she had, quote, contemplated taking Jamella’s unborn baby for quite some time.” – Narrator, (18:56)
The Crime: Fetal Abduction and Murder
- (18:50) Reconciliation between friends leads to the deadly encounter. Tiffany beats, restrains, and ultimately kills Jamella, performing an at-home cesarean to steal her baby, who does not survive.
- Tiffany stages her own “trauma” to explain the baby’s death.
Notable Segment
- The Crime and confession: (18:40–21:30)
The Children Go Missing
- (22:40) The focus intensifies: Where are Jamella’s three living children? Ivan Collins (Jamella’s partner) reveals Tiffany had picked them up days before, with the implication of routine familial care.
Notable Quote
“Four days prior, he’d answered a knock at his door. It was Tiffany Hall. She said that Jamilla had sent her to pick up the kids.” – Narrator, (23:54)
Heartbreaking Discovery
- (27:10) After repeated denials, Tiffany finally admits to killing the children. Police find their bodies hidden in a washing machine and dryer at Jamella’s apartment.
Powerful Moment
“Police officers wept openly as they lifted the children out and covered them in sheets… Many of the officers were so traumatised that they later needed counselling.” – Narrator, (27:58)
Psychological Evaluation and Trial
- (31:40) Tiffany is found fit to stand trial, despite a troubled mental health profile.
- Initially pleads not guilty; faces potential death penalty.
Key Fact
- This was only the 12th recorded fetal abduction in US history, a crime overwhelmingly perpetrated by women trying to pass off another’s baby as their own. (32:50)
Plea Deal and Sentencing
- (34:20) In June 2008, Tiffany pleads guilty in exchange for the death penalty being taken off the table. She receives four life sentences and an additional 60 years for the homicide of Jamella’s unborn child.
Notable Quotes
“I just think she should be imprisoned the rest of her life to think about what she did. God’s gonna have the upper hand.” – Jamella’s cousin, (35:13)
“We want to heal. We thought everything was in closure. I believe Tiffany did it and we need to put this behind us. I love Tiffany as though she were my blood niece. I still love her, but Jamella can't speak, so I have to speak for her.” – Jamella’s aunt, (36:30)
“Tiffany massacred a whole family. Before I would see that woman walk free, I will go to prison myself.” – Ivan Collins’ mother, (36:57)
Community Response and Aftermath
- (37:05) The East St. Louis community rallies, raising $35,000 for funeral costs. Over 700 attend the service as calls for healing, not revenge, resound.
- Ivan Collins, devastated by guilt, eventually has his daughter Harmony (initially buried as Tiffany’s child) reinterred beside her mother and siblings for closure.
Emotional Close
“It’s very tough. I am happy though, that my family is all together.” – Ivan Collins, (38:51)
Important Timestamps
- 03:15: Overview of East St. Louis and context for the case
- 04:50: Paramedics find Tiffany Hall and the deceased newborn
- 09:40: Tiffany’s story begins to unravel; funeral revelation
- 12:00: Police discover Jamella’s mutilated body
- 18:50–21:30: Tiffany’s confession and details of the crime
- 22:40: Children reported missing; timeline of their disappearance
- 27:10: Discovery of children’s bodies; emotional reaction of first responders
- 31:40: Trial preparation, psychological evaluation
- 34:20–36:00: Plea deal, sentencing, and victim impact statements
- 37:05: Community mourning and funeral
- 38:51: Ivan Collins discusses closure following reburial of baby Harmony
Notable Quotes
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On trauma and crime:
“Many of the officers were so traumatised that they later needed counselling, with one being put on medical leave.” (27:58)
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On closure and faith:
“I have to forgive her. I believe in putting justice in God’s hands.” – Jamella’s mother (35:34)
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On the rarity of the crime:
“This type of crime is exceedingly rare, with Tiffany’s case marking only the 12th recorded foetal abduction in US history.” (32:50)
Tone and Delivery
The episode maintains Casefile’s signature, composed, detailed, and somber narrative tone. It eschews sensationalism, centering the victims, exploration of motive, and the community’s pain and resilience. The language is precise and sensitive, matched to the grave content.
Conclusion
Casefile Archives 8: The Tunstall Family covers a traumatic chapter in East St. Louis, illuminating not only the horror of the crimes but the context of poverty, the rare nature of fetal abduction, and the process of communal grief and recovery. The episode is deeply researched, emotionally heavy, and delivered with respect for both victims and a community haunted by tragedy.