A Killer's Skin - Where's Peggy

Summary

Cold Case Files: "A Killer's Skin – Where's Peggy"

Episode Date: November 11, 2025
Host: Paula Barros (A&E / PodcastOne)

---

Overview

This episode of Cold Case Files presents two haunting cases—a series of brutal crimes committed in Albany, New York, where advanced forensic DNA analysis finally identified a serial offender, and the tragic disappearance and eventual discovery of Margaret “Peggy” Riome, whose fate remained a mystery for over a decade. The episode explores the persistence of detectives, the role of forensic breakthroughs, and the devastating impact on families left behind.

---

Case 1: Serial Attacks and Murders in Albany, NY

[01:40] Revisiting the Evidence

• Detectives open decades-old evidence from past crimes (bedspread, jeans, steel bar), explaining their forensic significance.
  • "The killer actually would have wiped his hands on this comforter as he left." (A, 01:48)
  • "You can actually see there is blood all over her jeans." (A, 01:55)
  • "Someone had stood over him and repeatedly thrust down and beat him, beat him repeatedly with this." (A, 02:00)
• Sergeant PJ McKenna recounts the difficulty of solving these cases.

[02:20] The First Attack: January 20, 2000

• 85-year-old woman found wandering, suffering from dementia; evidence inside points to assault and attempted rape.
  • "Nothing was taken but the phone cords were pulled out." (A, 02:56)
• A DNA profile is developed but with no immediate suspect, the case goes cold.

[03:25] The Murder of Martha Montalvo: March 6, 2000

• 50-year-old Martha is found stabbed to death, partially naked, scene suggests a forensic rather than witness-led case.
  • "She was decomposed. Advanced stages decomposition. Her buttocks was propped up on some pillows. She was partially naked. There was a towel draped on her face." (A, 04:09)
  • No semen found; focus shifts to blood evidence.

[05:05] First Suspect: Adam Scope

• Adam Scope, a mentally ill acquaintance with a history of sexual violence, contacts police offering help.
  • "They were like playing good cop, bad cop with me..." (A, 05:36)
  • Scope later goes to the press, appearing erratic and inconsistent.
  • "At one point he did tell us that he didn’t know Martha very well. However, in the next breath he told us that he loved her." (B, 07:20)
• Despite odd behavior, Scope is eventually ruled out by DNA.

[09:00] Two Cases, One DNA Link

• Forensic analyst Dr. Allison Eastman notes an anomalous blood drop on Martha’s jeans—not hers.
  • "What I thought what might have happened is that someone leaned over her body and the blood fell from that individual." (A, 08:40)
• No match is found at first, but two years later, it’s linked to the rape of the elderly woman six weeks earlier, five blocks away.
  • "In the first case it was someone who was clearly stalking an individual for the purpose of sex. And six weeks later he sees some more prey..." (A, 09:57)

[10:32] Third Crime: The Murder of George Young (January 26, 2004)

• 69-year-old George Young is found beaten and shot, likely by more than one assailant.
  • "He had to stand up to open the door. And he was laying here almost like in a fetal position." (A, 10:51)
• No forced entry; robbery suspected.
• Safe left behind, bloody steel rebar used as weapon.
• A handyman known to the victim arouses suspicion but refuses polygraph, wants his mother present during questioning.

[13:45] Breakthrough with "Killer's Skin"

• Forensics investigate the steel rebar for skin or sweat cells.
  • Nicole Zavotech: "That’s the swab, DNA-wise, that ended up yielding a mixture profile." (A, 14:22)
• DNA produces a partial profile, matching both previous crimes (rape and Martha’s murder).
  • "DNA has connected the dots for detectives. Three crimes, one person." (B, 15:20)

[19:05] Identifying Ramon Magill

• Forensics matches the DNA to Ramon Magill, a young man in state prison for an unrelated robbery.
  • "We had no idea who he was...never come up in any crimes." (A, 19:11)
• Magill has only petty crimes in his history, no direct connections to the victims.

[20:23] The Interrogation & Confession

• Detectives confront Magill in prison; initially he denies everything.
  • "His shoulders just seemed to...they went down like, you know, now it's time. You know, it’s time to tell us what actually happened." (A, 20:55)
• Confesses to beating George Young, states an accomplice (the handyman) shot him.
• Confesses to Martha Montalvo’s murder and the assault on Myrtle Avenue.
  • "He told us that he had followed her into the house...he stabbed her 16 times in the chest." (A, 22:28)
• Eventually admits to all three crimes.

[23:35] Sentencing & Victims’ Families

• Families express loss and tentative relief in court.
  • "Perhaps now we can begin to heal, knowing that this, his rampage of lawlessness, his campaign of death, has come to an end." (Virginia Young, 23:35)
  • "Her light was put out when Ramon...came into our lives." (Wanda Flores, Martha's daughter, 23:55)
• Magill shows neither remorse nor accountability.
  • "Justice is not served here today because the killer madman still runs free, and I'm being punished for it." (Ramon Magill in court, 24:27)
• Accomplice remains at large; police continue the investigation.

[25:14] Reflection on DNA Laws

• Detectives argue, had DNA been required for misdemeanor convictions, the killer may have been caught much sooner.
  • "If you look at the facts of this case, it just cries out to...include all offenders." (A, 25:29)

---

Case 2: The Disappearance and Murder of Peggy Reom

[26:44] The Case Reopens

• Det. Keith Hall reexamines the 12-year-old missing persons case of Margaret "Peggy" Riome.
  • "Spring of 2002, I was assigned the Peggy Reom case. At that time, it was classified as a missing person investigation." (A, 26:50)
• Peggy vanished in 1990 after her daughter Jerilyn reported sexual abuse by Peggy’s boyfriend, George Geddes.
  • "George was sexually abusing me repeatedly..." (A, 27:33)

[28:15] Initial Investigation and Red Flags

• Peggy never turns up after the report; landlord suspects something but discards key evidence (mattress with bloodstains).

  • "It almost looked like that time of the month for a woman. So I just didn't. I never gave it another thought." (A, 30:03)

• Neighbor describes seeing Geddes struggling to get a heavy trunk down the stairs soon after Peggy disappears.

  • "He had a steamer trunk, like a blue steamer trunk...and put into the back of his truck." (A, 30:36)

[31:17] The Trunk and Cold Trail

• Geddes says trunk was full of tools, claims he sold it in a bar, but can't provide details.

[31:41] Aftermath

• Geddes is convicted of raping Jerilyn but Peggy’s disappearance remains unsolved.
• Family is left in anguish, hoping for answers.

[32:29] Breakthrough via Storage Shed

• Investigator Hall learns Geddes maintained a storage unit since Peggy’s disappearance in 1990—a red flag.
  • "George has been running a storage shed since 1990. At some point, I'm going to need to obtain a statement from her." (A, 38:04)
• Federal probation agent discovers Geddes lied about renting the shed—a violation used for probable cause and to secure a search warrant.

[39:19] Discovery of Peggy Reom’s Body

• Detectives open the unit in 2004, discover the trunk, and inside, Peggy’s remains.
  • "I could see a stained blanket with two decomposed feet sticking out from underneath." (A, 39:35)
• Geddes breaks down in interrogation and admits to hiding the body, claims her death was accidental.

[41:14] Medical and Legal Proceedings

• Medical examiner refutes "accidental death," noting a forceful, instrument-induced skull fracture.
  • "This is a forceful blow probably with an instrument to the skull to cause this type of type of damage." (A, 42:03)
• Geddes is found guilty of second-degree murder.

[43:53] Family’s Relief and Lingering Pain

• Jerilyn, finally able to bury her mother, describes the complex emotions and gratitude toward Detective Hall.
  • "He did find my mother. He gave his 110% and you know, always have a place for him in my heart. I love him." (A, 43:53)
• Case is remembered as deeply personal for the investigators.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We were informed that she was in the early stages, at the very least, of dementia and really couldn't provide much, only to say that he had hurt her." (A, 02:40)
• "His comments were at times very unpredictable, borderline strange and bizarre." (A, 07:25) — On suspect Adam Scope
• "It was an unbelievable revelation when it came back from the lab. Scary. These people just they had no connection to each other. They had none." (A, 15:11)
• "If the only proof we had was that we found his DNA at the scene, I mean, that's really compelling proof. But...without a statement from him, we wouldn't be able to fill in those blanks." (A, 19:45) — ADA Michael McDermott on the importance of confession.
• "She was a very beautiful light, like at sunrise. Her light was put out when Ramon Miguel came into our lives." (B/A, 23:53)
• "There's been an odor in this courtroom all week and it's the smell of death. And it's Margaret Riom. And I pointed to him and said and he brought her in here." (A, 43:02)
• "I would best describe George Geddes as a waste of humanity. I think there were dregs left over that God had nothing to do with and he dumped them in George Geddes body." (A, 43:30)
• "This is a case I'll never forget. I took this case personal because I like a challenge. And this type of case certainly was a challenge." (A, 43:53)

---

Key Timestamps

• [01:40] Evidence review and intro to the first case
• [03:25] Discovery of Martha Montalvo’s body
• [07:25] Adam Scope's inconsistent interviews
• [09:00] Forensic breakthrough and DNA profile linking
• [10:32] George Young’s murder: forensic and behavioral investigation
• [15:11] DNA links all three crimes
• [19:05] DNA match to Ramon Magill
• [20:23] Magill’s confession and statements on each crime
• [23:35] Victims’ families respond at sentencing
• [25:29] Discussion on expanding DNA law to misdemeanors
• [26:50] Reopening Peggy Reom's cold case
• [30:36] Witness sees Geddes with a trunk
• [38:04] Discovery of Geddes’s long-term storage unit
• [39:35] Finding Peggy’s remains in the trunk
• [41:14] Medical examiner refutes accidental death claim
• [43:02] The murder trial and conviction
• [43:53] Family reactions and case closure

---

Tone and Language

The tone of the episode is deeply empathetic but methodical, emphasizing both emotional responses (victim families, detectives) and the technical detail of investigations. Speakers maintain candid, at times graphic, honesty about the realities of violent crime, with occasionally raw language from victims' families and detectives.

---

The episode stands as a testament to the perseverance of investigators, the power of forensic science, and the enduring impact of violence—reminding listeners that cold cases are not truly forgotten until they're solved.

Transcript

[A]

Do you have what it takes to finish first? The App Store is packed with super fast, super fun racing games for every driver. From battling with your favorite characters in Disney Speedstorm to piloting one of over 400 different cars on officially licensed tracks in real racing 3. It's all right here. Blast down the track with no limit drag racing 2. Race and collect the latest and greatest cars in CSR2 realistic drag racing or even take over the International Car Racing arena with Asphalt Legends and take on the toughest drivers from around the world with NASCAR Manager. Just visit the App Store to find these racing games and more and get ready to start your engines. Leave boredom in the dust on the.

[B]

App Store Hi Cold Case listeners. I'm Marissa Pinson and if you're enjoying this show, I just want to remind you that episodes of Cold Case Files as well as the A and E classic podcast, I Survived, American justice and City Confidential are all available ad free on the new A and E Crime and Investigation channel on Apple Podcasts and Apple plus for just $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year. And now onto the show. This program contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories inside a police evidence room. These men are collecting items from a cold case.

[A]

Each of these items have significant DNA.

[B]

Evidence, among them a bedspread.

[A]

The killer actually would have wiped his hands on this comforter as he left.

[B]

A pair of jeans.

[A]

You can actually see there is blood.

[B]

All over her jeans and a steel bar.

[A]

Someone had stood over him and repeatedly thrust down and beat him, beat him repeatedly with this.

[B]

For Sergeant PJ McKenna, unwrapping the evidence is easy. Unwrapping this investigation, however, is another story, one that takes him back to the cold night of January 20, 2000 in Albany, New York.

[A]

Went out to the patrol division for a woman in the area and there was a complaint of a potential assault.

[B]

At 8:30pm Albany Police Detective P.J. mcKenna pulls up to 799 Myrtle Avenue where an 85 year old woman has been found wandering the neighborhood.

[A]

We were informed that she was in the early stages, at the very least of dementia and really couldn't provide much, only to say that he had hurt her.

[B]

Inside the old woman's house, McKenna finds blood and evidence of a possible rape.

[A]

Nothing was taken but the phone cords were pulled out. It was the phone cord that was actually tied up in a knot as if used for holding something, tying someone up.

[B]

With no identified suspects, the case is not a priority for DNA testing. Eventually, a DNA profile is extracted from semen found on the victim's body and entered into the state's data bank as an unsolved case.

[A]

With no one in the neighborhood being able to know anything. Nothing off canvas, nothing off registered or known sex offenders. It went cold. We had no leads in this case. 50 year old Martha Montalvo was discovered stabbed to death by her landlord, who looked through a rear window and saw Martha laying in a pool of blood. As we went into the house, this you passed through a living room.

[B]

On March 6, less than two months later, Detectives McKenna and Tim Carroll arrive at the apartment of Martha Montalvo, a 50 year old woman with a history of mental illness. Inside, they find a dead body and a crime scene already several days old.

[A]

There was no forced entry. There was no struggle by the doors. She was decomposed. Advanced stages decomposition. Her buttocks was propped up on some pillows. She was partially naked. There was a towel draped on her face. She was blood soaked. And we had both said, after speaking to dozens of people in the area and seeing the scene, that this was going to be a forensic case. It was going to be something where we were going to need a forensic break.

[B]

An autopsy reveals no evidence of semen in the body. The victim's blood stained genes and bedding are sent for DNA testing. Meanwhile, the story gets a lot of coverage in the press.

[A]

A quiet Albany neighborhood filled with families has been plunged into concern and fear by the murder of a woman who lived alone at 1071. Mad.

[B]

The news coverage generates attention. Then a phone call and Detective McKenna's first solid lead.

[A]

And a phone call came in from a person who identified himself as Adam Scope. He told us that he was a friend of hers and that he was concerned about what had happened and he'd known her for a long time and he wanted to offer his assistance in any way to the investigation. We were just acquaintances. We saw each other once in a while.

[B]

Like Montalvo, Adam Scope has a history of mental illness along with a history of sexual violence towards women. McKenna decides to pay him a visit.

[A]

When we went to speak to him, it was very difficult to keep him on point on any question. He would go off on tangents. They were like playing good cop, bad cop with me, you know, we could attribute some of that to. To his telling us that he was on medication and that may affect his thought process, but it was difficult to tell if he was Avoiding questions and being evasive in his answers or if he was actually having a problem coming up with clear thoughts. They were pressuring me to admit to killing Martha and I didn't. I wouldn't and couldn't. And I just felt like. Like I was being arrested without being told I was being arrested.

[B]

After two interviews with police, Scope realizes he has become a suspect in the murder and decides to approach the media with his side of the story.

[A]

Adam Scope lives just a few doors away from what was once the home of 50 year old Martha Montalvo.

[B]

We interviewed Adam Scope after he contacted.

[A]

Us here at News 10. He said that he was very interested.

[B]

In trying to figure out who killed Martha Montalvo. TV reporter Sarah Welch interviewed Scope. Like detectives, she finds his story has some holes.

[A]

When we interviewed him said that he clearly had an alibi for the night that Martha Montalvo was murdered. However, at the time, police had not yet released a specific date as to when Martha was killed. While you and your girlfriend saw Martha on Sunday and her body was found on Monday, the coroner says that Martha had been dead from at least a couple of days. No. At one point he did tell us that he didn't know Martha very well.

[B]

However, in the next breath he told us that he loved her or he thought that he loved her.

[A]

His comments were at times very unpredictable, borderline strange and bizarre.

[B]

Bizarre maybe. But to detectives, Scopes performance on the evening news is something they've seen before.

[A]

My first thought was Wayne Williams from the Atlanta child killings. He was very close with the police, very close to the investigation and very close to the media at the same time. I mean, that was a classic scenario. So here we have a person doing the same thing and you have to ask is this person following that same pattern? Is he directly involved?

[B]

Police suspect Adam Scope might be their killer. The problem is a lack of proof.

[A]

Well, I remember that I was called upstairs and told that this was a high priority case.

[B]

On March 24, Dr. Allison Eastman of the New York State crime Lab takes possession of a pair of blood stained jeans. They once belonged to Martha Montalvo.

[A]

On the front side, there was a single drop of blood located right near the pocket that looked like it was totally unrelated to the other blood.

[B]

It was assumed all the blood on the jeans belonged to the victim. Eastman sees the small round drop and thinks otherwise.

[A]

What I thought what might have happened is that someone leaned over her body and the blood fell from that individual. And it appeared like this, as though the individual was leaning over her body and blood fell Possibly from a cut and deposited like that, forming a small circle.

[B]

Eastman's suspicions are well founded as a male DNA profile is developed from the stain.

[A]

This is a vial of Adam Scopes blood which we obtained via search warrant.

[B]

Detective P.J. mcKenna has one good suspect in the case. An acquaintance of the victim named Adam Scope.

[A]

Scope, he looked good in the beginning. He did. He, he fit a lot of the criteria that we were looking at. And when it came back negative it was just. Okay, well let's move on.

[B]

Scope is not a match for the mysterious blood stain. An initial run through the state's DNA data bank also fails to generate a suspect.

[A]

104 Farge and Krug.

[B]

Two years later, however, detectives get a hit. Not to an individual, but to the unsolved rape of an 85 year old woman committed just six weeks before the Montalvo homicide and only five blocks away.

[A]

In the first case it was someone who was clearly stalking an individual for the purpose of sex. And six weeks later he sees some more prey, follows her into her house, attempts to take sex and when she defends herself, he is not afraid to turn in a moment and turn it into a homicide and kill her to put her down.

[B]

Detective McKenna believes he is looking for a sexual predator. One who targets older or vulnerable women. Detective McKenna, however, is wrong.

[A]

We have apparent homicide of a 68 year old Alexander street resident. George Young, an army veteran, lived alone in his Alexander street home. It was so violent right here when they came through the door. He had to stand up to open the door. And he was laying here almost like in a fetal position.

[B]

On January 26, 2004, just after 12 noon, PJ McKenna and Detective Jack Grogan respond to the home of 69 year old George Young. Inside they find Mr. Young's beaten and bloody body and the pool of blood.

[A]

That Mr. Young was laying. And you could see that there was an extremely violent crime that happened here. And when forensics got here, as you looked up to the ceiling, you could tell that whoever was doing it was lifting and striking and lifting and striking and moving around him as they hit him over and over again. And you'd have blood spatter all the way back in an outward pattern away in every direction.

[B]

Detectives find an unlocked safe near the body, indicating robbery to be the likely motive. Also near the body, a bloody piece of steel rebar.

[A]

Just looking at the position of George Young and the way his head looked, to me that looked pretty obvious that that was probably the murder weapon.

[B]

An autopsy determines that George Young was both beaten and shot. While detectives don't recover a gun, this news bolsters their theory that this was a two man operation.

[A]

When one of them brought the safe down, they stopped right about here and they put the safe on the floor. While this was going on, the other one was beating George. Still. He beat him numerous times in his head about the body. From the injuries that we could see from the autopsy photos, it was numerous to count.

[B]

Detectives question people in the neighborhood who, hoping to find out who knew about George Young's money.

[A]

Everyone in that part of town which is economically depressed said that George had money. He wouldn't let people in his house unless he knew who they were. And that's one of the things that piqued our interest when we found Mr. Young. How did somebody get into his house? By not forcing a door. He had a lot of men, so he had to know who they were.

[B]

Detectives learn of a handyman who did odd jobs for the victim. Someone George Young would have allowed into his home. Someone already familiar to the police.

[A]

This was someone who had a checkered history. His name had come up in a previous investigation, a previous homicide investigation. His name was on a short list of possibilities amongst street people.

[B]

The handyman is brought in for questioning and denies killing Young.

[A]

We also asked him to take a polygraph, which he. He initially agreed to. And then, as hard as it is to imagine for a person who was in his 40s, refused to cooperate any further unless his mother could be in the interview room with him at all times. He didn't want a lawyer, he wanted his mom.

[B]

The handyman ultimately refuses to take a polygraph. Meanwhile, evidence from the crime scene is examined for possible clues. Of particular interest is the probable murder weapon.

[A]

Ultimately, the decision was made by our forensics unit to send it out for identification in the hopes that whoever had taken this, I mean, when you use this with such force, if you're not wearing gloves, you can cut your hand on the metal, or as it twists in your hand, you can leave skin scrapings behind. The actual piece of rebar in the case was longer.

[B]

On February 11, 2004, criminalist Nicole Zavotech examines the piece of rebar used to kill George Young. She focuses on the end with very little blood, believing it to be the end most likely handled by the killer.

[A]

I took another swab towards the very end, and that's the swab, DNA wise, that ended up yielding a mixture profile.

[B]

It's a mixture of blood from the victim and a small amount of something from the killer.

[A]

Most likely it's skin cells. Shed skin cells or from sweat.

[B]

The partial profile is plugged into codis. It doesn't match any offenders in the system or to a voluntary DNA sample taken from George Young's handyman. But investigators do get a match, one that takes them by surprise.

[A]

And we got a case to case hit on this case with two other previous cases.

[B]

A hit to two crimes that have already been linked. The sexual assault of an 85 year old Albany woman and the murder of 50 year old Martha Montalvo.

[A]

It was an unbelievable revelation when it came back from the lab. Scary. These people just they had no connection to each other. They had none.

[B]

DNA has connected the dots for detectives. Three crimes, one person. Now the hunt is on to find.

[A]

Out who it was. Someone who was very much alive. Someone who was still very much active, unfortunately, and had expanded not only their area but but there Ammo.

[B]

As the air turns crisp and the holidays draw near, comfort really does become the best gift of all. Quince delivers layers that last. Sweaters, outerwear and everyday essentials that feel luxurious, look timeless and make dressing for the season effortless. Whether you're heading to a holiday party or curling up by the fire, Quint's has it all feeling $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters made for everyday wear, denim that never goes out of style, silk tops and skirts that elevate any outfit, and down outerwear that actually keeps you warm. I have to say their Italian wool coats are at the top of my list this year. The cuts feel like designer pieces and the quality is outstanding, but the price tags stay refreshingly down to earth. That's because Quince works directly with ethical top tier factories, skipping all the middlemen and offering prices of about 50% lower than similar brands. My personal go to this season has been their cashmere crew neck. Soft, simple and easy to pair with anything. Whether you're checking off your gift list or just treating yourself to a little comfort, Quince makes it easy to look good and feel even better. Step into the holiday season with layers made to feel good, look polished and last. From Quince. Perfect for gifting or keeping for yourself. Go to quince.comcoldcase for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I-N C-E.com cold case to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com cold case cold case Files is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car Insurance to Progressive and save hundreds of. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus you can count on their great customer service to help you when you need it. So your dollar goes a long way. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations.

[A]

It hurt, you know, to know that someone who had eluded us, eluded me initially for two and a half years, had gone out and killed somebody else. And you know, there's a sense of responsibility there. Okay. Tonight in 111 is Farge.

[B]

Albany police have a problem. DNA has linked three crimes to one man. The rape of an 85 year old Albany woman in 2000, the murder of 50 year old Martha Montalvo that same year, and the murder of 69 year old George Young in 2004.

[A]

The first two had a sexual nature to them. There was a rape and then there was a murder in the middle of an attempted sexual attack. And there were females, both with some form of mental illness. And now you have a 65 year old male in the complete opposite end of town who's bludgeoned to death. I mean, it took a right hand turn. It made no sense initially.

[B]

The lack of any identifiable pattern makes the investigation difficult. Then McKenna takes yet another call from the forensics lab.

[A]

You know, that day when DCJS told us all three cases had a name to it, I mean, Jack and I wanted to run out the door.

[B]

Forensics has matched the unknown profile to a convicted felon named Ramon Magill.

[A]

We had no idea who he was. He was no one that was on our radar. His name would never come up. Never come up in any crimes.

[B]

Miguel is sitting in a New York state prison on an unrelated robbery conviction from earlier in the year.

[A]

Going through his criminal history, very petty stuff. I mean, some drug arrests and that attempted robbery, but other than that, nothing. Nothing major.

[B]

Nothing major and no substantial ties to any of the victims. A DNA match, however, would seem to be enough for the conviction. Assistant DA Michael McDermott disagrees.

[A]

If the only proof we had was that we found his DNA at the scene, I mean, that's really compelling proof. But I think the jury's gonna want more. Like how did he get there? You know, who was he, why was he there, how did he get in, you know, what happened after the fact. And without a statement from him, we wouldn't be able to fill in those blanks. You know, if you have a skilled defense attorney, they could come up With a million cockamamie reasons why their client's DNA was, you know, found at a crime scene.

[B]

You know, the order from the District Attorney's office is simple. Get a confession. Detectives McKenna and Grogan pack their bags and head upstate to speak to McGill.

[A]

PJ and I were expecting to see a monster, and we didn't see that. We saw what appeared to be a very scared 20, 20, 22 year old kid.

[B]

Detectives sit McGill down and begin by asking about the most recent murder.

[A]

We just started with, you know, did you ever know George Young? First, he denied it. Asked him if he'd ever been in this house, old George's house, and he said no.

[B]

Detectives know they've caught McGill in a lie and begin to unpack their evidence for support.

[A]

Well, let me show you some paperwork. This is your DNA, and this says that the odds of another person having the same DNA are one in something like 26 billion. So do you want to tell me how it is that your DNA is in this house? You want to tell me the truth now? His shoulders just seemed to. They went down like, you know, now it's time. You know, it's time to tell us what actually happened.

[B]

Ramon Magill confesses to beating George Young to death. But he says he didn't do it alone. He names another person as the one who shot Young, the same handyman who refused to take a polygraph at the time of the murder.

[A]

Once old George opens the door, Ramon starts to hit him. They demanded where the safe was because they knew there was a safe in the house. When the safe was brought down, he asked him the combination. The combination was wrong. And he started striking again and again. And with George's dying breath, he gave the correct numbers to the combination to stop the beating.

[B]

Magill says his accomplice then shot George Young in the head, and they took off with about $1200 in cash. Detectives next pressed Magill about Martha Montalvo.

[A]

He was confronted again with the DNA, and he was told. You told us what you did on Alexander Street. You told us that the DNA down there was yours. So how do you explain your DNA? And there was this pause, and he looks out the window, he looks back, and he said, okay, that was me. I was there. I killed her.

[B]

McGill again takes detectives back to the night he murdered Martha Montalvo.

[A]

He told us that he had followed her into the house. He told us that he attempted to engage her in kissing and petting, and he started to get her clothes off when he said she freaked out. There was a Little bit of a struggle. Ramon stated to us that Martha grabbed a grand grab the knife and he took it away. He stabbed her 16 times in the chest.

[B]

Detectives now have two confessions and go for the third.

[A]

PJ said to Ramon, he said, we need to discuss one more incident. Is there any place else you think we might find your DNA? And that's when he brought up Myrtle Avenue. PJ said, what happened on Myrtle Avenue? He said, the old lady in a question form. He was asked, what about the old lady? And he said, yeah, we had sex.

[B]

Ramon Magill pleads guilty to the murders of Martha Montalvo and George Young and to the sexual assault on Myrtle Avenue. All that's left is sentencing. On January 23, 2006. In an Albany courtroom, Ramon Magill faces the families of his victims. Virginia Young is George Young's sister.

[A]

But today there is a sense of relief. Perhaps now we can begin to heal, knowing that this, his rampage of lawlessness, his campaign of death, has come to an end.

[B]

Wanda Flores is Martha Montalvo's daughter. My mother was a very beautiful light, like at sunrise.

[A]

Her light was put out when Ramon.

[B]

Miguel came into our lives. Frederick Young is George Young's brother.

[A]

And I want you to think about how I felt after seeing this new scooter parked in his house, blood spattered all over it. Ramon, why did you kill my brother George? What did he do to you to cause you to be so brutal?

[B]

When it's the killer's turn to speak, Ramon Magill fails to muster up an apology or take responsibility.

[A]

I would like to say my prayers go out to the victims families and also that justice is not served here today because the killer madman still runs free, and I'm being punished for it.

[B]

The killer Magill refers to is the accomplice he says shot George Young, a handyman police had looked at in 2004 and continue looking at today.

[A]

The challenge now is to develop sufficient evidence, Apart from what McGill has told us, to prosecute this other person. Because under New York law, we cannot use a codefendant statement as a basis for a prosecution. We need some evidence, whether it's testimonial or whether it's physical evidence linking this other person to the commission of the crime. And the police are working on that now.

[B]

Ramon Magill will serve 40 years to life for his crimes. Investigators say two of those crimes might have been prevented had the killer been forced to provide a DNA sample for a 1999 misdemeanor conviction.

[A]

Right now, if you're convicted of a misdemeanor you have to give up your fingerprints. That's 19th century technology. That's the way they identified people back at the turn of the century. Why not include their DNA, which is, you know, cutting edge technology. If you look at the facts of this case, it just cries out to extreme the group of people included in the database to include all offenders.

[B]

It's an idea supported by Sergeant PJ McKenna, who six years later finally gets to see his suspect sent to prison.

[A]

It was mission accomplished. 2 out of 3. 2 of the cases are completely closed. One of the people involved in the most recent homicide will be eligible for parole when I'm in my mid-80s. So I don't think that he's going to be a threat to society anymore. And in the back of my mind, there's still a little bit of work to be done.

[B]

Albany police are still working to bring Ramon Magill's alleged accomplice in the George Young murder to justice.

[A]

We're here at the sheriff's office. Inactive records file. We're heading down to the case file where Peggy Reom case was kept.

[B]

Detective Keith hall works cold cases for the Onondaga County Sheriff's office.

[A]

Spring of 2002, I was assigned the Peggy Reom case. At that time, it was classified as a missing person investigation. This is a picture of Margaret Peggy riohm. She was 31 when she disappeared without a trace.

[B]

Margaret Peggy Riome has been missing and presumed dead for 12 years. Her story begins with her daughter Jerilyn.

[A]

1990, I was in the sixth grade. I was living with my mother and George Geddes and was in a happy time.

[B]

In 1990, Jerilyn Reum is 13 years old and living in fear of her mother's boyfriend, George Geddes.

[A]

George was sexually abusing me repeatedly. There was a time that he got caught by another adult and that's when I told. So I knew that somebody was there behind me to say, yes, I seen this.

[B]

Jerilynn runs away to her biological father, Jerry Reum, and reports the abuse.

[A]

First thing I did was call the police. I told all of us, don't let Peggy or George know what you just told because George would have probably skipped.

[B]

Police arrest George Geddes in early February. A few weeks after that, Jerilyn turns 14 and expects a visit from her mom.

[A]

She didn't come around. No phone call, no nothing. So February 26th, I was calling, reporting her missing.

[B]

Detective Lenny Stordo picks up the missing person's case.

[A]

She basically came out and told me she knew George did It. It's a long time, a long time to go without knowing what happened to your, you know, to a loved one.

[B]

Stordo visits George Geddes in the county jail and asks about Margaret. Geddes claims he last saw her the day before he was arrested.

[A]

George said that they got into an argument. It got heated, and he left and went to get a pack of cigarettes. Upon his return to the apartment, he saw one set of prints leading out in the snow to the road, and that's the last he saw of Margaret.

[B]

Stordo doesn't believe Geddes and suspects Margaret Riohm might have somehow caught wind of her daughter's alleged rape.

[A]

I knew from talking to Geralyn and talking to her grandmother, Margaret's mother, that she was very protective of her children. And I knew that when she found out about the abuse with Geralynn that she was going to confront George. It probably got physical, and that was always in the back of my head.

[B]

Stordo has a murder suspect but no evidence or even a body to examine. He returns to Geddes apartment hoping to catch a break.

[A]

When he asked me where things were and what was in the apartment and what I had done with it, he wasn't too happy with when I told him that I'd disposed of almost everything.

[B]

Bill Waltos is Peggy Riohomme's landlord. With her apartment vacant more than a month, Waltos tells Detective Stordo he threw everything out of the unit, including a mattress stained with blood, maybe six, eight inches.

[A]

It almost looked like that time of the month for a woman. So I just didn't. I never gave it another thought. Very frustrating when you're trying to determine what happened to somebody who's missing and kind of just like dropped off the face of the earth. So try to start back where the last person saw her. And then she had her car here. Did he come back and get her car?

[B]

Stordo knocks on a few more doors and finds a downstairs neighbor named Butch Oka. He tells the story about George Geddes and a large and heavy trunk.

[A]

And we heard this big banging coming down the stairs, like, bang, bang, bang. I came out the door to see what it was. He was coming down these stairs here. And he had a steamer trunk, like a blue steamer trunk coming down, all the way down. And his truck was parked out here. And he came down and he put into the back of his truck.

[B]

Oka asked George Geddes if he needed help carrying the trunk, but Geddes seemed to be in a hurry.

[A]

Normally he would talk, but he didn't even talk. He just went and got there as fast as he could and he left as fast as he could.

[B]

George Geddes trunk appeared around the time Margaret Riome disappeared, a coincidence that is not lost on Detective Stordo.

[A]

George was asked about the trunk and he was a contractor and said that the trunk was heavy because he had his tools saw blades as tools of trade. When I asked him what he did with the trunk, he said he sold it to some guy in a bar and couldn't give us any of the information on who the recipient was or what bar it was. And he said he was pretty wasted.

[B]

Geddes is convicted of raping Geralyn Riohm. The investigation into Peggy Reum's disappearance, however, goes cold. Meanwhile, Geralyn Riohm faces life without a mother.

[A]

This is my mother's wedding day. I wrote back on here Mom, I hope you're happy. Wherever you're at, remember I'll always love you. I hope you come back real soon. Love, Jerry Lynn. My mother knew where we were living and then we moved. And then when we moved, I remember sitting in my bedroom crying because if my mother came back, she wouldn't know.

[B]

Where we moved to for 12 years. Neither Peggy Riom nor nor the mysterious steamer trunk can be located until a cold case detective happens upon a woman with a story about George.

[A]

So I said, what is the one thing you've always scratched your head wondering about George? And that's when she looked at me and said, oh, I don't know. Oh, there's that storage shed.

[B]

When I first started my podcast, I had no clue what I was doing because between figuring out recording equipment, editing software, scheduling guests, and trying to make a halfway decent logo, my to do list grew faster than my downloads. It can feel lonely and overwhelming trying to wear every hat at once when you're building something from scratch. That's why I wish I'd had Shopify in my corner from day one to simplify the business side so I could focus on the creative side. Shopify is the commerce platform powering millions of businesses around the world and accounts for 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to small brands just finding their rhythm, Shopify helps creators and entrepreneurs get their ideas out there. You can build a beautiful online store using hundreds of ready to use templates, all tailored to fit your style. It even comes packed with clever AI tools that write product descriptions, polish your photos, and help you create social media and email Campaigns, basically doing the work of an entire marketing team. And behind it all is Shopify's world class expertise, helping you manage inventory, shipping, returns and more with zero stress. So if you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com cold case go to shopify.com cold case shopify.com cold case homes.com knows that when it comes to home shopping, it's never just about the house or condo. It's about the home. And what makes a home is more than just the house or property. It's the location and neighborhood. If you have kids, it's also schools, nearby, parks and transportation options. That's why homes.com goes above and beyond to bring home shoppers the in depth information they need to find the right home. And when I say in depth, I'm talking deep. Each listing features comprehensive information about the neighborhood, complete with a video guide. They also have details about local schools with test scores, state rankings, and student to teacher ratio. They even have an agent directory with the sales history of each agent. So when it comes to finding a home, not just a house, this is everything you need to know, all in one place. Homes.com, we've done your homework.

[A]

This is where Peggy was last seen. She lived in the upstairs apartment.

[B]

Keith hall is a cold case detective. In 2002, he walks a street in Mattydale, New York, where Margaret Peggy Riohomme disappeared 12 years earlier. Riohm is presumed dead and the main suspect is her ex boyfriend, George Geddes.

[A]

Witnesses saw George Geddes dragging a trunk down a flight of stairs. They actually were drawn to this action by hearing the loud banging noise of the trunk bouncing off the steps.

[B]

Original detectives thought the trunk might contain the body of Peggy Riohm.

[A]

I was motivated. Getting the case was a challenge. I knew it when I was assigned the case. From that point on, it became personal.

[B]

Detective hall meets with the victim's daughter.

[A]

Jeralyn after it fell on Keith's lap. From day one, he was telling me he's given his 110%. I still remember the look that I saw in Jerilyn's eye. She wanted to believe me, but it had been so long since her mother had disappeared that, you know, she looked like a little hopeless.

[B]

In 1990, George Geddes went to prison for raping Geralynn. He's now out, his conviction reversed on appeal.

[A]

I talked with his ex wives. I was able to develop his personality. He was a violent individual. He would punch him, strike him, choke him.

[B]

George Geddes most recent abuse victim is a woman named Alicia Geddes. The two have recently divorced. Hall calls her to see what she knows.

[A]

He was very controlling. He was. He had a very bad temper. Possessive even. Yes, very possessive. He got violent a couple of times. And on domestic violence, he hit me.

[B]

Alicia provides valuable background on George Geddes. Then hall steers the conversation toward Peggy Riohm.

[A]

You had just told me little differences of what George had said that Peggy had taken off to, I believe it was Arizona. With a cab driver. With a cab driver, right. Keith was very easy to talk to. He got me thinking way back, you know, bringing out things that I started to forget. And the last question I asked Alicia before, you know, walking her to the door was, what is the one thing you've got scratched your head wondering about George? Alicia thought for a few moments, said, geez, well, there is that storage shed he's always rented. He had a storage unit that he had, and he would call me from jail to make sure that the payments were made all the time.

[B]

Alicia once asked what was in the storage shed. George said it was tools.

[A]

And if you push the issue about it, he would get angry. He would get very angry. It's like, you know, we really have to skip this payment. No, we can't do that. It would mean that I could get a lot of time in jail.

[B]

Alicia tells detectives Geddes has rented the shed since 1990.

[A]

Now I'm able to piece together the timeframe. Peggy's missing since 1990. George has been running a storage shed since 1990. At some point, I'm going to need to obtain a statement from her.

[B]

But Detective hall tries to obtain a search warrant for the shed. The county prosecutor, however, says hall lacks probable cause. Then the cold case detective tries a different approach.

[A]

And initially, I wanted to know if you had the authority to go in there and search the storage shed.

[B]

Laurie Albright is a federal probation agent supervising George Geddes on a recent firearms violation. As part of his probation, Geddes must file a report with Albright every month.

[A]

There is one question on the front here where it asks, do you rent or have access to a post office box, a safety deposit box, or storage space? And on this report, Mr. Geddes had checked no for all three of these things. And that's when I said, we need to get into that storage shed. That's right. There's a reason why he's lying about this. He doesn't want you to know. Doesn't want anybody to know he's running the storage yard.

[B]

Geddes lie constitutes probable cause for a search. The order is issued, and hall heads out to the shed.

[A]

This is the storage unit that George Geddes rented and number B32. That's the storage shed that we opened up on April 1, 2004.

[B]

Armed with a federal search warrant and a pair of bolt cutters, detectives opened the storage unit B32.

[A]

Upon doing that, I could see the bottom of a green metal steamer type trunk, the same trunk that was described by witnesses in 1990. I looked at Detective Doyle and I said, peggy's gonna be in there. Agent Bragg unclipped the hasp blocks, picked up the lid. At that point, I could see a stained blanket with two decomposed feet sticking out from underneath. Within about six seconds, you could smell a strong odor, distinct odor of death. It was time to go find George Geddes and bring this case to a close. I said, george, tell me about the storage shed out in Cicero.

[B]

In an interview room at the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, Detective hall gets right down to business with George Geddes.

[A]

George looked at me for approximately 10 seconds. Didn't say a word, just staring. At that point, he broke down, started crying, started flailing his fists, pounding on the table, saying he'd been keeping a secret for such a long time.

[B]

George admits his ex girlfriend, Peggy Riohomme, is in the shed. Geddes claims her death was an accident.

[A]

His final version of what happened to Peggy was that they got in an argument, he punched her, she fell down, hit her head on a wood buffet, and died. Not knowing what to do with Peggy, he went into Geralyn's room. The trunk that Peggy was entombed in was actually Geralyn's toy chest. He put her inside the chest and transported her out to the storage shed. The story didn't make sense from the beginning.

[B]

Joe o' Donnell is an assistant DA for Onondaga County.

[A]

Here's a guy who accidentally kills his girlfriend, stuffs her in a trunk, puts her in a storage shed for 14 years. He drives past the police station, he drives past the fire department, he drives past the ambulance corps. It just. It was preposterous from the beginning. We're looking at the skull of the decedent. This is her skull.

[B]

Mary Jambelic is the chief medical examiner for Onondaga County.

[A]

This is the mastoid pro. Process portion of the temporal bone is.

[B]

A very thick, hard portion of skull. And you can see a very distinct.

[A]

And dramatic fracture through the mastoid.

[B]

Jambelick rules out Geddes contention that Peggy Riome hit her head on a table.

[A]

It was our conclusion that this is a forceful blow probably with an instrument to the skull to cause this type of type of damage. It's not a simple fall from a standing height or a fist. One of the lead suspects into the disappearance of Peggy Riome has been her former boyfriend, 52 year old George Geddes. Arrested Friday afternoon on charges of violating his federal parole. Charged in 1993 for raping a 13 year old girl. I am the 13 year old that George raped.

[B]

After George Geddes arrest, Geralyn goes public with the tragedy that was her childhood.

[A]

I got out of that situation and somehow my mother found out and that's what led to her being gone.

[B]

At Geddes murder trial, prosecutor Joe o' Donnell brings in a green steamer trunk and places it before the jury.

[A]

There's been an odor in this courtroom all week and it's the smell of death. And it's Margaret Riom. And I pointed to him and said and he brought her in here. He did not intentionally cause the death of Peggy Reum.

[B]

Geddes sticks to his story. Peggy Riohm's death was an accident. It's a theory the jury dismisses. They find geddes guilty of second degree murder and he is sentenced to the maximum 25 years to life.

[A]

I would best describe George Geddes as a waste of humanity. I think there were dregs left over that God had nothing to do with and he dumped them in George Geddes body. Here's one of my mom and my dad and the three of us.

[B]

After the trial and sentencing, Jerry Lynn Reom is finally able to grieve for the mother she lost at age 13.

[A]

It was weird. Like we even had a service for her. It's not like I was, you know, really crying and everything. I was happy and then there came anger, just all this emotion. This is a case I'll never forget. I took this case personal because I like a challenge. And this type of case certainly was a challenge. He did find my mother. He gave his 110% and you know, always have a place for him in my heart. I love him. This November action is free on Pluto TV Go on the run with Jack Reacher Every suspect was a train killer Then buckle up for drive World War Z Every human being we save is one less fight and Charlie, Charlie's Angels.

[B]

Damn, I hate to fly.

[A]

Launch into sci fi adventure with the Fifth Element and laugh through the mayhem in Tropic Thunder. What is going on here? All the thrills, all for free. Pluto TV stream now pay never.