Cold Case Files – REOPENED: The Heartland Killer

Podcast: Cold Case Files
Host: Paula Barros/A&E
Episode Date: January 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Cold Case Files delves into the chilling story of Timothy Wayne Kreicher, a serial predator whose crimes went unsolved for decades across multiple states in America’s heartland. It chronicles the rape and murder of Deborah Shepherd in 1982, connecting it to a broader pattern of killings and assaults that spanned Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Through the voices of investigators, family members, and journalists, the episode reveals the heartbreak of cold cases, the dogged determination of loved ones, the evolution of forensic technology, and the eventual unmasking of a killer with the help of DNA evidence.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Deborah Shepherd’s Murder: The Cold Case Begins

• Setting the Scene:
  April 8, 1982, Carbondale, Illinois. Deborah Shepherd, a Southern Illinois University student, is brutally murdered in her apartment.

  • [00:43] Bridget Shepherd: “I had unanswered questions. Even though I knew she was gone, I didn't believe it.”

• Initial Investigation and Family’s Distress:

  • Police are confused by the lack of obvious injuries or struggle.
  • The initial autopsy fails to find evidence of foul play, leading police to rule the death “natural.”
    • [08:05] Lt. Paul Echols: “There were no marks or wounds on Deborah's body… a little bit of bloody froth that had come from Deborah's mouth.”
  • Her family, especially her father Bernie, refuses to believe this and pushes for further investigation.
    • [09:46] Bridget Shepherd, on her father’s suspicions: “He was extremely angry. He most definitely felt that they were sweeping it under the rug, possibly because of her being African American as well as they didn't want the publicity.”

• Breakthrough via a Second Autopsy:

  • Bernie brings Deborah’s body to Chicago for a second autopsy, revealing evidence of strangulation and sexual assault.
    • [12:17] Bridget Shepherd: “My father was adamant about finding out what happened to her. How did this happen? Who did this? And he wanted justice.”

2. Dead Ends and New Leads

• Suspects Cleared:

  • Both Deborah’s boyfriend Randy and her new roommate Anthony are investigated and cleared via strong alibis.
  • Investigators fixate for a time on a friend of Deborah’s linked to a similar sexual assault, but evidence dispels this suspicion.
    • [19:15] Lt. Paul Echols: “No fingerprints were ever identified. No other physical evidence was ever linked to this friend.”

• Case Goes Cold:

  • [19:52] Bridget Shepherd: “I just couldn't accept that she was no longer with us. It was the most painful thing in my life I had to go through.”

3. Pattern of Violence: Linked Cases Across States

• Murders in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

  • 10 weeks before Deborah’s murder, 55-year-old Margie Call is found murdered, and six months later, 65-year-old Mildred Wallace is killed, both in eerily similar circumstances—window entry, binding, sexual assault, and strangulation or shooting.
    • [24:58] Det. Jimmy Smith: “Both were found deceased in their bedrooms with hands tied behind her back. But one particular thing stood out. Mrs. Call was strangled to death, and Mildred Wallace was shot in the head with a .38 caliber handgun.”

• Community Gripped by Fear:

  • [25:38] Carly O’Keefe: “Husbands were afraid to let their wives go anywhere without them. They were afraid they'd come home from work and find their wife was the next victim.”

• Difficulty in Solving:

  • Despite some forensic evidence (hair, blood typing, partial palm print), DNA testing is unavailable in the early 80s and both cases go cold.

4. Decades Later: Forensic Breakthrough

• Restart of Investigation (2006):

  • Lt. Paul Echols, newly promoted and emboldened by recent case successes, pushes to reopen Deborah’s case using new DNA techniques.
    • [28:51] Lt. Paul Echols: “I explained... I had some things I'd like for her [Suzanne, DNA expert] to look at. So she suggested that I bring that over and she would take a look at it.”
  • A long-preserved shirt yields a viable DNA sample, linking crimes across states.

• The Moment of Match:

  • [31:02] Carly O’Keefe: “Oh my gosh. We can finally put a face to this case and finally bring justice to Deborah Shepherd.”

5. Identification of Timothy Wayne Kreicher

• Profile and Background:
  • Kreicher, an EMT with a history of sexual assaults, spent time in multiple states, was a registered sexually dangerous person, and worked in positions of trust.
    • [32:11] Lt. Paul Echols: “In 1963, he had committed several rapes. He had stabbed one lady and had been sentenced to 40 years in prison... by 1972, he became part of a group that was trained to be paramedics.”
  • He is matched to DNA at other crime scenes (Margie Call and Mildred Wallace) and a palm print at another.

6. Confessions and Scope of Crimes

• Confession and Interrogation:

  • Initially defensive, Kreicher eventually confesses after being confronted with DNA evidence and offered a deal to avoid the death penalty—provided the families agree.
    • [35:05] Timothy Wayne Kreicher (on Deborah's murder): “He was sexually insult[ing her].”
    • [39:35] Timothy Wayne Kreicher (on Margie Call’s murder): “I killed her. How’d you do that? Strangled her.”

• Victimology and Hunting:

  • Kreicher’s method involved stalking, peeping, breaking in, and lying in wait.
    • [39:07] Narrator: “He did this to establish whether they lived alone and what their daily routine was.”

• Extent of the Crimes:

  • Kreicher confesses to at least nine murders, dozens of sexual assaults, and home burglaries over decades.
    • [41:22] Lt. Paul Echols: “You realize that you finally have resolved what so many people have worked so hard to resolve. But yet, you know, there's still the devastation that one person has done to so many people.”

7. Justice Delivered

• Sentencing:

  • In 2008, Kreicher receives 13 consecutive life sentences.
    • [41:46] Narrator: “The victims families are in attendance to finally see the man who turned their lives upside down. Kreicher speaks to them and says, I don't know if I would have been so generous if I were in the same situation. Thank you for sparing my life.”

• Family Reflections:

  • [42:27] Bridget Shepherd: “So when she passed away, I lost not only a sister, I lost a mother. … In my dream, we were looking for her and we found her in a church and we brought her home … Then after a while, she tapped me on my shoulder and said, bridget, I have to go now. And then she was gone.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Painful Wait:

  • [05:00] Bridget Shepherd: “Bridget, your sister Deborah passed away. She died. He just fell out crying. It was just devastating.”

• On the Mistakes of Early Investigation:

  • [09:46] Bridget Shepherd: “They were sweeping it under the rug, possibly because of her being African American.”

• Forensic Milestone:

  • [30:16] Narrator (on the discovered DNA evidence): “The T shirt with the semen stain has been sitting in the evidence drawer for the past 25 years.”

• Confession and Closure:

  • [35:05] Timothy Kreicher (finally admitting): “Yes [I killed Deborah].”
  • [41:22] Lt. Paul Echols: “At least we can make sure he never gets out of prison and can never victimize anybody else.”

• Family’s Grief and Relief:

  • [36:01] Bridget Shepherd (on Kreicher's conviction): “When they found the person who killed Deborah, we hugged each other, justice was gonna be served and peace came over us.”

Timeline & Timestamps

• [00:43] Deborah’s family speaks about the last time they expected to see her.
• [02:18] Randy finds Deborah’s body.
• [08:05] Initial autopsy reveals little.
• [12:00–13:30] Second autopsy and reclassification as murder.
• [17:32] Potential suspect in friend is investigated and ruled out.
• [20:01–26:47] Parallel murders in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; investigations go cold.
• [27:14] Shepherd family describes living under the shadow of an unsolved crime.
• [28:00] DNA reopens the case decades later.
• [31:02] The DNA match is found.
• [32:11–33:38] Kreicher’s criminal history revealed.
• [35:05] Kreicher confesses.
• [39:35] Kreicher confesses to more murders.
• [41:46] Kreicher is sentenced and addresses the families.
• [42:27] Bridget Shepherd reflects on loss and closure.

Tone

The episode is marked by quiet sorrow, steadfast perseverance, and eventual catharsis. The voices of investigators are resolute but weary. Family members vacillate between heartbreak and relief. The tone never strays far from the gravity and respect demanded by the stories of the victims and their loved ones.

Conclusion

This landmark episode paints a complete picture: a family’s tenacity for justice, the importance of technological progress in forensics, and the emotional release that comes with closure. It also sharply criticizes early investigative failures due to bias and limited forensic tools—emphasizing that, for the rare one percent of cold cases that get solved, it is only through relentless advocacy, scientific innovation, and luck that justice can finally be served.