Cold Case Files: REOPENED – Written In Blood

A&E / PodcastOne • April 9, 2026
Host: Narrated by Marisa Pinson

Episode Overview

This episode revisits the tragic 1970 murder of 23-year-old Loretta Jones in Price, Utah—a crime that would haunt her four-year-old daughter, Heidi, and remain unsolved for 46 years. Through personal persistence, family determination, and breakthroughs in cold case investigation techniques, Loretta’s killer, Tom Egly, is finally brought to justice. The episode explores the enduring pain of loss, the failings and redemptions of law enforcement, and the power of hope in the face of overwhelming odds.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Night of the Crime & Initial Investigation

[01:34] – [08:39]

• Loretta’s Heroism: Young Heidi recalls her mother's courage in protecting her during the attack.

  • "My mom was my hero that night. I owed it to her to do something about this. If I could become her hero by solving this, I was going to do it." – Heidi Jones [01:34]

• Discovery of the Body: Early morning, Heidi finds Loretta murdered. The neighbor finds Loretta’s semi-nude body in a pool of blood.

• Details of the Crime:

  • Loretta was sexually assaulted, stabbed twice in the chest, 17 times in the back, and her throat attempted to be slit.
  • No signs of forced entry or a struggle.

• Heidi Names 'Tom':

  • "I remember telling my grandma ... Tom did it. Tom killed my mom." – Heidi Jones [07:58]
  • This clue is written down by her grandmother but leads nowhere, as 'Tom' is initially unknown.

2. Struggle for Leads and the First Suspect

[08:55] – [18:43]

• Nearby Abduction Attempt: The same night, 10-year-old Lori Kulo Fenner is nearly abducted by a man, believed to be the same perpetrator. Police investigate a hitchhiker but clear him [10:14].

• Tom Egly Becomes a Suspect:

  • Tip leads police to local railroad worker Tom Egly, who had a prior date with Loretta.
  • Egly’s story is inconsistent; he claims he was at a bar, “painting” explaining red speckles on his shirt, but fibers from Loretta’s home are found on his clothes.

• Weak Evidence, No Charges: The physical evidence is circumstantial, as Egly had been in Loretta's home before. He is released and the case grows cold.

3. The Case Turns Cold—Family Aftermath

[19:05] – [22:42]

• Impact on the Family:

  • Heidi is adopted by her grandparents; the loss deeply impacts the entire family, particularly her grandfather.
  • "It was just kind of accepted, for lack of a better word, that my mom's murder wasn't going to be solved." – Heidi Jones [20:30]

• Heidi’s Determination:

  • As a young adult, Heidi campaigns for justice, writing to police and the FBI but meets with constant brick walls.
  • "If I didn't do it, nobody else was going to do it." – Heidi Jones [21:17]

4. New Investigative Efforts

[22:42] – [29:12]

• 2006 – 36 Years Later:

  • Heidi moves home and begins pushing authorities for renewed investigation.
  • Detective David Brewer becomes emotionally invested upon seeing Loretta’s family photos.
  • Massive setback: the case file and physical evidence are missing—possibly thrown out during a move.
    • "It's sad to say, but I think that's how it was." – Detective David Brewer [23:51]

• Vital Discovery:

  • Brewer locates the original medical examiner's report in 2009, confirming a semen sample had existed but was now gone.
  • "Had I just had that swab...I could have this guy in 10 minutes." – Detective David Brewer [27:00]

• Handwritten Clue:

  • A former family housemate recalls Loretta wrote the letters “T” and “O” in her own blood—a dying attempt to identify her killer as “Tom.”
    • "Loretta was trying to tell the story herself...last thing she did on this earth was write the letter O and she couldn't get the M in there." – Detective David Brewer [28:35]

5. Focusing Back on Tom Egly

[29:12] – [33:39]

• Speaking to Old Witnesses:
  • Brewer tracks down Egly's ex-girlfriend, Marsha, who shares alarming behavior: Egly bathed in his clothes the night of the murder and then burned them [30:10].
• Confronting Egly:
  • In 2010, Brewer interviews Egly, who sticks to his decades-old story but is vague and ambivalent about justice.

6. DNA, Exhumation, and Undercover Work

[33:12] – [37:09]

• Exhuming the Body:

  • Inspired by a cold case seminar, Loretta’s body is exhumed in hopes of retrieving DNA, but the grave is waterlogged and yields nothing.

• Creative Tactics:

  • Brewer and team bluff public DNA recovery via the press, hoping it will pressure Egly.
  • Lisa Carter, Egly’s neighbor, steps forward, recounting a violent episode and offering to help as an undercover contact.

7. The Confession

[37:09] – [41:14]

• Lisa Carter Goes Undercover:

  • Gains Egly’s trust, then gets him to describe the night:
    • Admits he went to Loretta’s home after being refused sex, stabbed her, and had sex with her—claiming it was consensual [38:14].
    • "I stabbed her...Yeah, of course I had sex with her. He said it was consensual." – Tom Egly via Lisa Carter [38:14-38:54]
    • Lisa, shaken: "He never changed his voice...as if I was telling you about Sunday dinner." [38:16]

• Detectives Confront Egly:

  • Egly admits again, this time on record, to murder but maintains he did not rape Loretta [39:56–40:10].

8. Justice and Aftermath

[41:14] – [42:53]

• Egly Arrested and Sentenced:

  • Egly is arrested, confesses to the murder in court but not rape, and is sentenced to 10 years to life (the 1970 maximum penalty).
  • "He will be 96 years old when he goes out before the parole board, and I will make sure he doesn't get out." – Heidi Jones [41:14]
  • When sentenced:
    • "I'm sorry I killed her. And I'm surprised you're doing something about it after 46 years." – Tom Egly [41:20]

• Family Response:

  • Carolyn Kendall: "It doesn't matter if it was 46 minutes, 46 days, 46 years. The fact of the matter is you killed our sister." [41:38]
  • For Heidi, it was justice–not closure: "This wasn't about closure. This was all about getting justice." [42:15]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Heidi’s resolve:
  “As long as you have hope, you have a chance.” – Heidi Jones [42:53]
• Discovery of Loretta’s dying act:
  “She only got the T and the O out. We pulled the photo up, blew it up, and there it was, definite T and an O written in blood.” – Detective David Brewer [28:14]
• Confession, chillingly calm:
  “I stabbed her.” – Tom Egly (to Lisa Carter, via narration) [38:14]
  “He never changed his voice, and I think that's what got me.” – Lisa Carter [38:16]
• On the power of perseverance:
  “I learned to believe in the impossible, and as long as you have hope, you have a chance.” – Heidi Jones [42:53]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Loretta’s death and Heidi’s memory: [01:34–08:39]
• Interviewing suspect Tom Egly: [14:16–18:43], [29:12–31:34]
• Family struggle and Heidi’s campaign: [19:40–22:42]
• Case missing evidence; finding the handwritten ‘TO’ in blood: [23:43–28:35]
• Confession to Lisa Carter, on wire: [37:09–39:02]
• Egly’s arrest, sentencing, and family reactions: [41:14–42:53]

Episode’s Tone and Takeaways

The episode is emotionally charged, blending sorrow, resilience, and, finally, quiet triumph. The rage and heartbreak of family members, the dedication of Detective Brewer, and Heidi’s lifelong quest are presented in their own sincere voices. The tone never sensationalizes but rather honors the victim, the struggle for justice, and the rare success of solving a cold case.

For listeners looking for a story about the long arc of justice, unyielding hope, and the cost of perseverance, “REOPENED: Written In Blood” delivers a gripping, humane tale of a family forever changed and a community made just a little more whole.