Cold Case Files: "Deadly Stroll / Unholy Secret"

Podcast Date: February 24, 2026
Host/Narrator: Marisa Pinson
Episode Focus: The episode explores two chilling cold case investigations: the serial killings of street women in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and the ritualistic murder of a nun in Toledo, Ohio. Both cases showcase the painstaking perseverance of investigators, the advancements of forensic science, and the emotional toll on victims' families.

Episode Overview

This episode of Cold Case Files tackles two separate, complex cases:

1. The murders of three women in Woonsocket, R.I., whose disappearances went unsolved for years until breakthroughs led to the capture of serial killer Jeff Mailhot.
2. The 1980 murder of Sister Margaret Ann Paul, a Catholic nun in Toledo, Ohio, a case entwined with religious scandal and covered up for over two decades before a priest was finally convicted.

Case One: The Deadly Stroll – The Woonsocket Serial Murders

The Victims and the Investigation Begins

• Victims: Audrey Harris, Christine Dumont, and Stacy Goulet — all women who worked the streets and lived high-risk lifestyles.
• Initial Challenges: Detectives describe the difficulties of tracing missing persons within transient populations vulnerable to violence and addiction.
  • “The lifespan for a prostitute working a street corner in Woonsocket is typically five years.” (B, 04:10)
  • “No matter what leads we got ... it always came up empty handed.” (A, 04:21)

Detectives Piece Together a Pattern

• Serial Killer Suspicions: After the third disappearance, investigators begin to suspect a serial killer preying on local women.
  • “Could this be a serial killer? ... You never think it could happen in a community like this." (A, 07:44)
• Sweep for Suspects: Undercover operations to catch ‘Johns’ prove fruitless until a crucial anonymous tip provides a lead.

Surviving Victims Come Forward

• Jocelyn Martell's Attack: Her harrowing description of escaping from an attempted strangulation:
  • “He put his arm around my neck and started choking me...I stuck my thumb in his eye and he let me go and I ran out the door.” (A, 10:10)
  • Martell never reported the assault initially due to her own criminalized lifestyle.
• Tis Morris' Story: Another survivor recounts an eerily similar attack.
  • “I don’t know why he didn’t kill me. I don't know why he let me go. He just said, 'Get the [expletive] out of here. I don't want to see you around here.'" (A, 12:56)

Closing In: The Interrogation and Confession

• Identification of Jeff Mailhot: Both survivors lead detectives to 33-year-old Jeff Mailhot’s address.
• Mailhot's Arrest: The tense interrogation leads to a dramatic confession:
  • “[You] pushed it too far one night, right?...Yes. All of them. All three.” (A, 17:05)
  • “I just dumped them in trash containers...cut them up.” (A, 17:47)
  • Detectives’ relief and horror are palpable. “You’re working so hard, and then when it finally comes, it’s like, ‘Oh my God, he’s really done this.’” (A, 17:47)

Forensic Search and the Landfill Needle-in-a-Haystack

• No Bodies, No Case: The DA requires physical proof. The team spends seven grueling days sifting through landfill.
  • “It was a tedious task. And it was hot, dirty, it smelled...the worst of working conditions.” (A, 24:16)
  • The remains of only one victim, Stacy Goulet, are ultimately found. “It’s a somber thing...but we were happy. We celebrated because we knew we were bringing closure to this case.” (A, 25:13)

The Aftermath and Sentencing

• Mailhot’s Sentence: Pleads guilty to three counts of murder, sentenced to life plus life plus 10 years.
  • “There's nothing I can do that’s gonna take away the pain of the action that I’ve done.” (A, 25:58)
• Survivors’ Reflections:
  • Jocelyn Martell: “I think I got away so I could put a stop to it...I believe God spared my life so I could be here today and testify against Mr. Mealhart.” (A, 26:40)
• Family Statements:
  • Debbie Berger: “Who made you God and decide that you’re going to take someone’s life? ...What he did was horrendous to me...I was satisfied for what he received.” (A, 27:43)

Case Two: Unholy Secret – The Murder of Sister Margaret Ann Paul

The Shocking Murder

• Overview: In 1980, Sister Margaret Ann Paul is found stabbed 31 times, her body hidden under an altar cloth at the hospital where she worked, suggesting a level of ritual or symbolic violence.
  • “She was stabbed 31 times in the chest and in the neck and face area, even in the ear.” (A, 30:30)

The Cover-up and Lost Years

• Early Suspect: Father Gerald Robinson, found with a dagger-like letter opener. Polygraph indicates deception, but the Catholic Church intervenes:
  • “The deputy chief ... was standing there and behind him was a monsignor from the Catholic Church diocese...All of them walk out...[and] you'll never see him again.” (A, 31:45)

Reopening the Case: Forensic Breakthroughs

• New Investigation: In 2003, cold case detectives revisit the evidence.
• Crucial Clues:
  • Altar cloth puncture marks fit the letter opener. “This blood transfer pattern...appeared to be consistent with this letter opener.” (A, 33:20)
  • The cross-shaped pattern of wounds points to ritualistic intent. “Not only are we talking about no longer being random, but ... something was used as a template...appears to be a cross type pattern.” (A, 34:25-35:02)
  • Motive suggested to be humiliation: an upside down cross “to degrade her, to mock her, to humiliate her...” (A, 45:54)

Exhumation and the Smoking Gun

• Sister Paul's Remains: Exhumed after 24 years.
  • “You could actually still see some of the stab wounds...there was a characteristic almost triangular type stab wound...a stellate diamond shaped defect right here in the mandible.” (A, 39:52–40:39)
  • The letter opener fits the wound perfectly: “I very gently placed the letter opener into the defect. It was a perfect fit.” (A, 40:55)

Interrogations and Trial

• Father Robinson’s Statements: He repeatedly denies involvement, offering vague explanations, seen by detectives as evasions.
  • “He’s a hard person to explain because he’s never fully, really showed himself...I think he’s a secret.” (A, 43:14)
• Defense Argument: “All you need is a pair of eyes, a pattern, an object, and a vivid imagination...They can’t make their case beyond a reasonable doubt.” (A, 45:02)
• Prosecution’s Argument: Emphasizes anger and humiliation as the motive and the symbolism used in the killing. (A, 45:54)

Outcome

• Verdict: After six hours of deliberation, Robinson is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life.
  • “Later is better than never.” (A, 48:22)
• Robinson’s Death: He died in prison in 2014.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Perils and Sorrow of Cold Cases:
  • “Only 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories.” (B, 02:09)
• On Street Realities:
  • “They were somebody’s daughter. They were somebody’s mother. They had family. They had friends.” (A, 18:21)
• On Ritualized Violence:
  • “It was a startling find...that an object was used as a template.” (A, 35:02)
• On Perseverance:
  • “You always want people to be held accountable for their criminal conduct...later is better than never.” (A, 48:22)
• On Closure:
  • “We knew we were bringing closure to this case.” (A, 25:13)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:24–07:44: The Woonsocket disappearances and initial investigation
• 09:31–10:46: Jocelyn Martell’s survival story
• 11:09–13:46: Connecting Mailhot to multiple assaults and missed chances
• 14:07–18:21: Mailhot’s confession and case breakthrough
• 21:33–25:13: The forensic search, landfill ordeal, and emotional aftermath
• 27:31–28:48: Families and survivors address the court, closure
• 28:48–34:57: Introduction of the Sister Margaret Ann Paul case, original cover-up, forensic re-examination
• 35:02–41:07: Discovery of ritual patterns, exhumation findings, weapon match
• 41:19–44:13: Suspect interviews, ambiguous denials, and arrest
• 44:50–48:22: Trial arguments, guilty verdict, sentencing

Tone & Style

The episode maintains the signature Cold Case Files approach: methodical, emotionally resonant, and grounded in the voices of detectives, survivors, and family members. The narration remains matter-of-fact but empathetic, allowing the gravity of each case to speak through testimony and forensic detail.

Summary

“Deadly Stroll / Unholy Secret” demonstrates both the heartbreak and hard-won hope that define cold case investigations. From the vulnerability of marginalized victims and the cunning of predators, through botched early police investigations and institutional cover-ups, to the dogged pursuit of justice decades later, the episode is a powerful study in both the darkness of unresolved crime and the light of perseverance. Detectives, forensic experts, survivors, and families all share in the narrative of closure and the staggering human cost that comes with it.