REOPENED: A Child Remembers

Summary

Cold Case Files – REOPENED: A Child Remembers

A&E / PodcastOne | Original Air Date: October 16, 2025
Host: Paula Barros (with narration by Brooke Giddings and classic segments featuring Bill Curtis)

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Episode Overview

This episode reopens and ultimately solves the 1990 murder of Jane Thompson, a devoted single mother from Fort Worth, Texas. The case went cold for 16 years until Jane’s son, Josh—just two years old at the time of her death—offered key eyewitness testimony that reignited the investigation. Detective Manny Reyes tracks the story from its original investigation through new forensic scrutiny, persistent family advocacy, and ultimately, the arrest and conviction of the primary suspect: Jane’s ex, Bobby Woods. The episode also follows another developing cold case involving a suspected serial killer, offering gripping insight into the tireless work behind closing cold cases.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Reopening the Case: Persistent Family Advocacy

• Jane Thompson's Disappearance and Discovery ([01:01]–[02:55])
  • Jane vanished after sending her older son, Vol, to her parents’ house; she was later found beaten to death near a grocery store dumpster.
  • Jane was described as responsible, loving, and dependable; her family's suspicions were immediately raised.
• Family Pushes for Answers ([03:10])
  • Vol and Josh, Jane’s sons, reach out to Detective Manny Reyes, urging the case be reopened.
  • Reyes describes the case file: “It just seems to be falling in place as I’m reading the case itself.” ([03:25], Reyes)
• Josh’s Eyewitness Memory ([03:40]–[08:49])
  • As a two-year-old, Josh had been questioned at the time but his information was overlooked.
  • Now grown, Josh’s account remains unchanged from his childhood and becomes instrumental.

2. The Power—and Limits—of Memory

• Josh’s Account of the Murder ([07:28]–[08:49])

  • Josh recalls arguing between his parents, his father striking his mother, and then beating her with an object (“the first time I saw my dad hit my mom, and she fell... he started beating her in the head with it.” – Josh, [08:12]).

• Impact on Family

  • “We felt like we’ve grown up now and we had to take care of something that should have been taken care of a long time ago.” ([06:02], Josh)

• Detective’s Assessment ([09:30])

  • Reyes trusts the consistency and emotional authenticity of Josh’s memory, affirming that trauma at a young age can create unshakeable memories: “Can a 2-year-old remember something traumatic like that? Of course, they can.” ([10:11], Reyes)

3. New Evidence and Old Suspicions

• Re-examining Physical Evidence ([11:02]–[21:03])

  • An old towel with blood and wood chips—recovered from Bobby Woods’ vehicle after an arrest days after the murder—gets a second look.
  • The wood chips are consistent with the stock of a shotgun, matching witness statements that Jane was struck with a gun.
  • Hair samples, never previously tested, are now considered.

• Connecting Testimonies and Suspect Behaviors

  • Interview with a former associate provides confirmation: Woods boasted about the crime and the use of his shotgun ([17:04]).
  • Absence of Bobby Woods from his son’s life is noted as telling: “Too much of a coincidence that the last day your father saw you was that Friday afternoon.” ([09:30], Reyes)

4. Arrest and Confrontation

• Building the Case ([21:17]–[37:33])

  • “There’s no more investigation to be done. It’s time to arrest my suspect.” ([21:17], Reyes)
  • Reyes prepares the family for the arrest, arranges a confrontation at the station.
  • Bobby Woods is brought in; he changes his story from original police statements, a clear sign of deception ([38:07]).
  • Reyes: “If I’m ever arrested, if I’m ever questioned again in regards to Jane Thompson, this is the story that I gave, and this is the story I’m going to stick to. And it turned out that he changed it all.” ([38:07])

• Family’s Response

  • Josh on meeting his father: “I want to bust his head to the white meat, but that ain’t always the right way. I’m gonna let the people handle it like they supposed to.” ([36:17])
  • Emotional turmoil is evident as Josh recognizes his father for the first time in 16 years: “It was self-evidence to me that it was him. When I saw that, I knew it was him. I know that was the guy that I see in my head.” ([43:30])

5. Exploring the Suspect's Past

• Pattern of Violence ([46:07]–[50:17])
  • Interviews with Woods’ ex-girlfriends reveal a consistent pattern of physical abuse, previously unseen in court.
  • Ex: “He broke my collarbone... he just started choking me out.” ([48:59], Cheryl)
  • Cheryl: “When we read that in the paper, the first thing my mother said: ‘You know, that could have been you.’” ([50:17], Cheryl)

6. Family Reconnection

• Josh Meets His Half-Sister ([50:47]–[52:41])
  • Through the investigation, Josh meets his half-sister, Babette, for the first time—both children of Bobby Woods, but previously strangers.
  • “It’s a blessing. I mean, to have more people that you can care about, somebody that can care about you and somebody you can lean on.” ([52:28], Josh)
  • The emotional reunion offers a small measure of healing amid the tragedy.

7. Epilogue: Justice and Closure

• Conviction and Aftermath ([53:07]–end)
  • Woods is convicted of Jane Thompson’s murder and sentenced to 50 years.
  • During sentencing, the family addresses Woods. Josh: “I want you to know I forgive you.” ([53:07])
  • Detective Reyes: “It does make you feel good to be able to end this whole ordeal by seeing them together ... you really couldn’t ask for anything more in a case like this.” ([52:41])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Memory:

  • “Can a 2-year-old remember something traumatic like that? Of course, they can.”
    — Detective Manny Reyes ([10:11])

• On Persistent Grief:

  • “We felt like we’ve grown up now and we had to take care of something that should have been taken care of a long time ago.”
    — Josh Thompson ([06:02])

• Facing His Father:

  • “I want to bust his head to the white meat, but that ain’t always the right way. I’m gonna let the people handle it like they supposed to.”
    — Josh Thompson ([36:17])

• The Pain of Neglect:

  • “The last day your father saw you was that Friday afternoon. A blind man can see there’s something going on here.”
    — Detective Manny Reyes ([09:30])

• Forgiveness at Closure:

  • “I want you to know I forgive you.”
    — Josh Thompson ([53:07])

• Healing Through Reconnection:

  • “It’s a blessing. I mean, to have more people that you can care about, somebody that can care about you and somebody you can lean on.”
    — Josh Thompson ([52:28])

• The Detective’s Satisfaction:

  • “It does make you feel good to be able to end this whole ordeal by seeing them together... you really couldn’t ask for anything more in a case like this.”
    — Detective Manny Reyes ([52:41])

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Supporting Story: The Segundo Serial Killer Case

Briefly, the episode cuts to another cold case heating up:

• Detective Reyes works on the Juan Segundo serial killer investigation, tracking down possible new victims via a photo found in Segundo’s cell ([23:03]–[31:54]).
• After publicizing a mysterious photo, relief comes when the pictured girls are identified as safe.

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Segment Timestamps

• Jane Thompson Case Introduction: [01:01]
• Brothers Contact Detective Reyes: [03:10]
• Josh’s Eyewitness Account: [07:28]
• Evidence Re-examined (Towel and Wood Chips): [11:02], [19:01]
• Suspect Bobby Woods’ Past and Interview: [35:31]–[44:51]
• Emotional Family Reunion: [50:47]–[52:41]
• Conviction, Sentencing, and Forgiveness: [53:07]

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Tone and Style Notes

The episode balances the determined, empathetic tone of Detective Reyes with the raw, sometimes darkly humorous directness of Jane’s sons, particularly Josh. The storytelling is compassionate yet unflinching—allowing survivors to voice hurt, hope, and resolution while underscoring both the emotional and procedural complexity of cold case investigations.

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Conclusion

REOPENED: A Child Remembers is a powerful testament to the importance of persistence, both from bereaved families and those investigating cold cases. It illustrates how even the faintest surviving memories can lead to long-overdue justice, shattering the isolation of lingering grief with the support of community, family, and dedicated law enforcement. The episode ends not with total healing, but with new beginnings—proof that closure in the face of unspeakable loss is possible.

Transcript

[Ali Jackson]

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[Detective Manny Reyes]

An A and E original podcast.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

This episode contains descriptions of violence. Use your best judgment. In 1990, Jane Thompson was 30 years old and a single mother of two young boys, Vol, age 14 and Josh, age 2. She'd recently graduated from the American Trade Institute and and was working as a lab technician in Fort Worth, Texas. In 2006, on Vol's last day of school, Jane instructed him to take the bus to his grandparents house and wait for her to pick him up there. Then Jane, Josh and Josh's father, Bobby woods, left together to run some errands. Jane and woods were no longer a couple but kept in touch because of Josh and also because of the fact that that Jane didn't drive. When Jane didn't arrive at her parents home to pick up Vol, Daisy Thompson, Jane's mother, reported her missing. Daisy said that Jane was very dependable and a devoted mother. So she suspected that something bad had happened. And she was right. On June 9, a man looking for aluminum cans found Jane's body behind a grocery store dumpster in Fort Worth. From A and E, this is Cold Case Files. I'm Brooke and here's the legend Bill Curtis with a classic case a child remembers.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Let me see if I got you some invoice numbers in there.

[Narrator/Investigator]

I might from a pile under his desk Fort Worth detective Manny Reyes pulls out a murder file.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It starts small, with just a simple police report, maybe a few pictures, and it just Snowballs. Yeah, it's 90C.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Charles Reyes Cold file bears the name of Jane Thompson. Sixteen years ago, she was beaten to death, leaving behind her two sons, who now want the case reopened.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Cold case, Reyes. The oldest brother called and just wanted to know the status of the case. I didn't know anything about it. We hadn't even considered looking at that case whatsoever. So after putting them off for a while, I went and got the case, opened it up. It should be under service number 815. Last one. The more I read. Everything's here. What's wrong here? You know, it just seems to be falling in place as I'm reading the case itself.

[Narrator/Investigator]

One witness statement in particular catches Reyes eye. It is from Jane's son, Josh Thompson, 2 years old at the time of his mom's murder and an apparent eyewitness to the crime.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

He wasn't being told what to say. Like, Josh, this is what happened, right? The line of questioning was what happened. Where is she? You know? And he answered those questions. What I'm gonna do is we're gonna head towards the location. He said that his mom was hit. Left out by some brush and. Brushes and stuff. And the other part was that it was his dad. Body was found right here. They've closed this street down since then. And then when I looked at the crime scene reports and I saw the crime scene photos, what he was saying was making sense. The body was a few feet away from the actual curb. Obviously, that's where she was killed. There was no signs of her being dragged and, you know, killed elsewhere. Hello, Beau. Detective Ray is here. So I called him up, said, hey, look, you know this. I read the case. I'm opening it. Hey, is it possible for your brother to be there, or do you just want to be us for now? I need to meet with you. Both of you. And I like to do it face to face. That way I know who I'm talking to. And at least you'll know you can put a face to a name whenever you call. And so that's when I set up the first interviews.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Manny agrees to meet with Josh Thompson and his older half brother Val, at Val's house.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I'm Manny Reyes. Take it again, Josh. Josh. What's your middle name? Josh Earl. Well, I wanted to hear their version as to what they remembered, and I wanted to see what their attitudes were. You know he did it. I know he did It. And you guys aren't gonna do anything about it? You know, we get that a lot. Just a question, out of curiosity. What made you decide to contact us?

[Josh Thompson]

Oh, man. Cause it never was closed wide open, man. I mean, it's. My little brother was there.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

They're like, hey, we know you guys are busy and all, and we're just wondering what the status on our mom's case was.

[Josh Thompson]

We felt like we've grown up now and we had to take care of something that should have been taken care of a long time ago.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Do you know what her plans were for that Friday?

[Josh Thompson]

Well, that day she was going to get a car and she had cash. And from what I understand, what kind.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Of cash are we talking about?

[Josh Thompson]

There was maybe 1500 bucks.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

So she was gonna buy a car. There was no mention of that before.

[Josh Thompson]

Yeah, she was gonna buy a car that day. And from what I understand, the gentleman that she was with, his father was using drugs at that particular time.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Everything was leading to one suspect from the very start. And there was no indication of anybody else other than Bobby Woods.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Bobby woods is Josh Thompson's biological father. And according to the two brothers, the man who killed their mother.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Other than the feeling that you have, give me the reasons that you think of or know of that this guy is the one that did this to your mom.

[Josh Thompson]

Well, number one and foremost is my little brother. His story never changed from the time we was little kids to this day.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Josh.

[Narrator/Investigator]

For Reyes, the credibility of this case rests with Josh Thompson. What did he see as a 2 year old? What does he actually remember? For the first time in almost 20 years, Josh tells his story to police.

[Josh Thompson]

I remember as soon as we got out the car, they was arguing and I was in the back seat, of course. So when she let me out the car, she sat me down and they just kept arguing. They kept arguing and he swung and hit her with his hand, just breath, fierce.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Do you by chance remember what the argument was about? No. And the thing is, he didn't come out and tell us. Okay, this is the conversation my mom and dad were having that night. This is the location we were at. It wasn't like that at all. He just remembered a certain event that was extremely unusual for a two year old to see. And he hadn't seen it before. And he was real dramatic and that's what he told us. The reason I remember is because it's the first time I saw my dad.

[Josh Thompson]

Hit my mom and she fell. She got up and put her hand in his face. And then he Hit her again. And once that happened, he took an object and he started beating her in the head with it. And then the next thing I know, I'm back in the car. And for me, I remember it was a purse sitting in my lap. It was my mom's purse and it was blood on it. And I asked, where's mom? And he was like, oh, she's fine. She'll be okay. I'm gonna take to your granny house. And that was it.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

She never got back in the car? Nah.

[Josh Thompson]

I remember she was surrounded by a whole lot of leaves. I saw her laying on the ground.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

And the one shocker of all that I got out of that first meeting was that the day that this happened, when Bobby woods dropped off his son at the grandmother's, from that on, he had never made contact with him. He just left and abandoned him that one day and never turned back. When did you next see him again?

[Josh Thompson]

Never again. Never. Never seen him again after that day. He came and brought my.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

He never came back to the grandmother's house.

[Josh Thompson]

Never seen him. Didn't see him at the funeral, didn't see him at any wakes, didn't see him at any gatherings. Nothing. I mean, it's apparent he disappeared for a while. Disappeared forever.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Forever. It is unusual, too much of a coincidence that the last day your father saw you was that Friday afternoon. A blind man can see there's something going on here. For the guy to drop off his two year old and never look back. So I realized there's a lot more here. What we know and what we can prove are two different things.

[Josh Thompson]

Correct?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

And can we prove this? We just started today. Give me time to see what I can come up with on this. Anything else comes up, call me. Guys.

[Josh Thompson]

I appreciate you coming out.

[Narrator/Investigator]

No problem.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

No problem.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Y' all be careful, man. We'll do this, you know. Can a 2 year old remember something traumatic like that? Of course they can. And the thing is, on his part, he was asked back then what it is that he saw, because he is the last known person to see his mom alive. And what he told us now, it's what he told us back then. He saw his father hit his mother, and then he never saw his mother again. After hearing Tim talk and after looking and seeing what I had in regards to the case file, it left no doubt that Josh's dad is one that had done this. Monday be okay.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Detective Reyes suspects he might know who killed Jane Thompson. Proving it, however, is another matter.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It's a towel. Yeah, I need to look at that.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Inside the Fort Worth evidence locker, he finds an old towel and perhaps the smoking gun he's been looking for.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

What's that look like to you?

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[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

Josh and Val Thompson the Sons of Jane Thompson contacted Detective Manny Reyes about their mother's unsolved murder case 16 years after the case had gone cold. Though Josh had only been two at the time of the murder, he believed he had a clear memory that could help the investigation. Detective Reyes talked with the brothers, whose stories led him to re examine the evidence collected from the crime scene. And he uncovered a new lead.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It's almost as traumatic as if you cut your finger off. You gotta remember that even at an early age, you gotta remember that.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Walking along an empty stretch of Texas highway, Manny Reyes shows two sons the spot where their mother, Jane Thompson was murdered 16 years ago.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Back in 1990, we found a female partially nude and thrown on the side of the road. Looked like someone had hit her over the head a couple of times.

[Josh Thompson]

It was strange for the summer factory drive past the idle time. That's why it was strange. It was like, oh, it's right there.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

The car was parked right here. This right here is strictly for the family. Them coming over here and looking and stuff. It doesn't help in any way. This was just for the family. It's always good to know. I mean, you may not be able to do much about. May not help, it might hurt, but you know, all right, guys, anything else, you just let me know and I'll be in contact with both of them later on. You know, when you have really good families like this that are really, they really want something done and stuff, you know, I mean, you gotta try just as hard, but when you do finish it off, it's a little better feeling.

[Josh Thompson]

I'm feeling optimistic, but I'm pretty sure it's gonna be taken care of. I know it's gonna be taken care of because he seems like a straightforward guy. He gets the job done. He's very persistent.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Persistence is a trait many Reyes grew up with. His parents were migrant workers and wanted a better life for their children.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Just like in the movie the Grapes of Wrath, they put a canvas over my dad's truck and the younger kids in the back and the baby in the front, which either me or my sister. And they'd load up and we'd take off to Colorado in a truck. You know, they never pushed us as to I want you to do this or try to do that. The one thing they always stress was education. Finish high school, move on, go to college. And they never would tell us or even hint as to what they wanted us to do. They just wanted us to keep going to school.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Twenty years later, Detective Reyes has inherited his parents persistence now he uses it to help two boys find their mom's killer.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Hello, Noela, this is Detective Manny Reyes, Fort Worth Cold Case. I needed to get a 1990 autopsy report.

[Narrator/Investigator]

@ the top of Reyes suspect list is Jane Thompson's boyfriend at the time and Josh's biological father, an ex convict named Bobby Woods.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It turns out she was last seen on June 5th. Depositions were taken.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes zeroes in on depositions taken between the time of Jane's disappearance and the discovery of her body.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Again, just tell me what you remember from back then. Me and Bobby, really, we had a close relationship at one time.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes unearths a former associate of Bobby woods, one who claims Bobby confided in him about the murder.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

He. He's critical because he's pretty much a witness to what he said. You know, you go out there and you tell people what you did or what happened, you know, you just. You do that, it's gonna come back. Let's get to the part of Jane's disappearance. He told her to turn around or something, like he saw a rabbit or something. He went and got the shotgun. He come back, he told her to turn around, and that's when he hit her in the back of the head with the shotgun. And the shotgun broke, which is consistent with what the autopsy showed. Blunt force trauma to the head. And the best part here for me is, you know, the reason I never said anything about this in the past was I did not want to get him in trouble. I was being true to the gang. Now, in regards to that shotgun, you had also told me a little bit more in regards to. I believe it was your. Your aunt or your mom. My aunt. She remembers. Or she saw that shotgun at one time in her house. In her house. And she didn't know exactly where it come from. She asked me about it because, you know, I was in the streets, and I was like, well, it ain't mine. And she mentioned that it was her and stuff in the stock of the gun. And the stock was broke. There was hair on the stock, and the stock was broken. Any idea whatever happened to that shotgun? I have no idea.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Detective Reyes picks through old records looking for the shotgun. He finds an arrest report with Bobby Wood's name on it.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

He was arrested for robbery during that arrest. His car got towed in, and the detective at that time went ahead and conducted a search on the vehicle and collected some pictures. Plus, he found a white towel that had some blood on it. It's a towel.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

That's what you want?

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yeah.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I need to look at that Reyes.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Next stop, the police evidence locker.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Act like you own this place. This may not fit me. I got fat fingers. Ten days after the homicide, they arrested our suspect, Mr. Woods. During that arrest, they confiscated his vehicle and they did a search of his vehicle. And they found this towel in the trunk of the car. By looking at it back then, they saw something that looked like blood, appeared to be blood on it. So they had it, they tagged it in. And what's that look like to you? Skin or something? A wood chip. That wood's little piece of wood, ain't it?

[Narrator/Investigator]

Looks like a little piece of wood.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

This is wood chips. I mean, just from the bare eye, you can tell that they were little wood chips. And if you look closely at one, it has, like a little varnish finish on one side of the chip. Chip that's consistent with the stock of a gun. We do not have the shotgun, but that is wood, so that kind of matches up. You know, they told us that when she got hit over the head with it, it broke, the stock broke. So if that's the case, this would match up. I think what they're going to be able to tell me is first off, it is wood and it does have some varnish on it, which would, to me, that would be more than enough right there. Plus, another thing I just found out, and it's not listed here, and it's not listed in our evidence report, but it was in here is they removed some hair from the towel. The hair, they just collected it. They didn't do any work on it. So we'll get that looked at, see if they can even tell us if it's a female's hair or something. This is ready to go back. I might leave this out if I was you guys, because I'm going to get the crime lab as soon as I get a chance to do some more work on it. Okay?

[Narrator/Investigator]

The blood is human, but it does not belong to Jane Thompson. Reyes, however, believes the wood chips to be consistent with the stock of a shotgun. And another possible link between the murder and Bobby Woods.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I'll still ruin his weekend. There's no more investigation to be done. It's time to arrest my suspect. What am I gonna do? Do I just walk up there and arrest him? Do I call him to come downtown and talk to me? What kind of arrest am I gonna do? I'm trying to talk to somebody to verify if you have a certain person employed there. I'm just gonna go to his job and pick him up there. Those are his hours. 6:00 clock to 2:30. He's off on Fridays. He'll know it's a little more serious when a detective shows up at your place of work and says, I need to talk to you. Can you still be there tomorrow? Tomorrow?

[Josh Thompson]

What time? Oh, about the same time.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

3 o'.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Clock. 3 o'.

[Josh Thompson]

Clock? 3 o' clock's fine.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

You can do that?

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes meets with Jane Thompson's sons and tells them of the pending arrest.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

But we'll talk tomorrow. I'll give you a call. I'll tell you exactly how to get to the office and all that.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

Okay.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

And we'll shoot. If you can be there by between 2:30 and 3, it'll work out really good.

[Josh Thompson]

That's a deal. I'm not nervous. I'm pretty excited. I want to see it happen. I want to see him go down for what he did. I mean, I'll be able to see who my father is because basically, I don't know if he walking beside me every day. I don't even know what he looks like.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Sixteen years ago, he just dropped his son and never came back. Is he gonna cry or acknowledge him? Chances are the father doesn't even know what the son looks like either. So what's gonna be the reaction when they meet? No telling.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes prepares to arrest Bobby Woods. Meanwhile, a second cold case heats up. This one involves a suspected serial killer and the secrets he keeps underneath his mattress.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

We got problems. We got two little girls. We have no idea who they are at this time. And their picture was found underneath the bed of a guy that we know has killed three women, one of which was a child. We had a guy, Juan Segundo, he's already good for two. We're looking at several other cases on him.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Juan Segundo is a suspected serial killer. Three months ago he was arrested and charged in connection with a rape and homicide. A month later he was linked to a second murder by DNA.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Well, just an hour ago, we were advised by our crime lab that we have another DNA hit on him and another unsolved murder.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes worked one of the original Segundo cases and remembers it well. The Victim was an 11 year old named Vanessa Villa.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

He showed up to the 11 year old girl's funeral, the one he killed. And was number five to sign in on the book. That's his signature up there. He signed in Mr. And Mrs. J. Segundo. I met the guy there at the funeral home. Didn't even know it. That was the weird part of it all.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Now with a third DNA hit The list of potential Segundo victims grows.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

So what we're doing is we're going back now and trying to see how many unsolved female cases we have that match a little bit of his M.O. we thought he was just going to be responsible for Hispanic females. Sure enough, this third victim was a black female. And now we have to start looking not only at black females, females, but we're gonna have to start looking at white females also. See, you know this guy's capable of anything on the timeline we just find out when he was actually out and about and during the time that he was out. This is a list of females that we have. You know, knowing and proving are two different things. We know he did more, we just have to prove. Mr. Segundo, how did you know him?

[Narrator/Investigator]

Well, Reyes works a timeline on Segundo. Word filters in from the jail where the suspect sits. A fellow inmate wants to talk to Reyes about some pictures in Segundo's possession.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Me and was talking one day, man, he's drawing a picture of that girl, man. Which girl was that? The little 11 year old? Yeah, little 11 year old man. I asked him, I said, who's that? He said it was a friend of mine. He goes, she's dead now. I said, yeah, what happened to her? And he goes, I don't want to talk about it. To me he's a pedophile, man.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Narrator/Investigator]

You know what I'm saying?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

What gave you that impression about him? I told you, your pictures of his little kids, man. How many? Man, that dude had a folder of pictures. He's got a bunch in there. He did, yeah. Do you got any kids? I got daughters. She's 20 years old, man. I got nieces and nephews, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, that could have been one of mine, you know what I'm saying? At least he hates pedophiles. Juan Segundo is a very good artist and was actually making portraits of, he said told me between 15 and 20 different females, young females. So we're gonna find out what I need to do and get those photos. I'm doing a search warrant for something that's inside his cell right now. Ms. Reyes? Yes sir. Okay, he is in 26L0202. Okay, give me about an hour and a half or so and I'll be over there. It's all facts, simple, simple, simple. There's nothing hard about an arrest warrant. There's nothing hard about a search warrant. You put them down on paper, you give them to the judge. He says yes or no on a Friday afternoon. Physically finding a judge is tough. Try the sixth floor. Floor number six. Let's look. Auxiliary trial room.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Just before five o', clock, Reyes finds a judge to sign off on the search warrant for Segundo's cell.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Thank you sir. Let's go. Go over to that building. Building right there. Go in there with the jailer and look through his entire little pod area. And any and all photos of females will be confiscated. We found one of two young girls.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Here hidden beneath a mattress in Segundo cell. Detective Reyes uncovers a photograph of two adolescent females.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Looks like once in the front seat of a car and the other one's on the back seat of a car. And then whatever reason, there was another face over here and that got cut out. So he just kept the faces of the two young girls. Now I just need to find out who they are. He has no daughters so they're not his.

[Narrator/Investigator]

We'll see.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

We'll see where they come back to. Hopefully it's nothing serious. Strange thing about this. This is found under the mattress in a cell of a capital murder suspect who has already killed three females, one of which was 11 years old. And then we find this photo of two young girls under his mattress. It just doesn't quite look good. I'm going to go out to his current wife and try to identify who those two girls are in that photo. We have to eliminate the possibility that they're relatives. Which could be easily explained by his wife. Like Manny was saying. Segundo's wife still live there as far as you know? Yeah. I just contacted Johnson county and they verified that she's still there. Same phone number, same place of work as before. You know, I can't call her ahead of time and let her know that I'm coming out and I want to talk to her. I can't do that. It's like a salesman saying, hey, I'm selling encyclopedias. I'll be there in 30 minutes. You know, they'll either not open the door or leave. That's his house right there. That gray two story house. What I need to do is get that picture ready.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes knocks but gets no answer. So the detective tries a different tech.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

She still lives here. They just put out mail. So she was here earlier. This is country life. He cut out the photo of his head where he took the picture. That's kind of strange. No kidding.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Detective Reyes meets with the local cops and enlists a little help.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I'll let you know if you can go. You Know, tomorrow, if she's at work tomorrow or something, and just, you know, just like you are right now, just walk up to her and say, do you know who those two girls are, by chance? All righty. We'll get after it. All right, man. Thanks a lot. See you.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Less than 24 hours later, Detective Reyes has his answer.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

We have a tape.

[Narrator/Investigator]

On the tape is a recording of the conversation between the local police department and Juan Segundo's wife.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

No, we got problems. We got two little girls, have no idea who they are at this time. You know, if they were adults, it'd be easy. We could just, you know, put that out. But they're juveniles, and even if that picture is four or five years old, the girls are still juveniles.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The picture is sent to missing persons where it's compared against thousands of missing females one face at a time. All to no avail.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

We ran out of options. We had checked with family members. We had checked with missing persons. We were not getting any kind of information. Really don't want to, but this is what I need to do. I need to get this picture out in the media.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

Fort Worth police hope someone will recognize two girls in a picture found in the jail cell of an accused serial rapist and killer. Most of the background has been cropped out, but police say the girls were in a car and believe a man was cut out of the picture.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Cold case Reyes.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The next morning, a woman calls Reyes claiming to be the girl's mother.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

We found this in his cell, and we just needed to know why it was there. Is this the only picture they found? That's it. And I'm the one that went in there and looked in his cell.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The woman tells Reyes her husband once shared a cell with Segundo and apparently a photo of his two daughters, both of whom are alive and well.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Is this guy getting out or no? No, no. This guy's never going to get out of jail. Thank God. Yeah, he will never get out of jail whatsoever. So you don't have to worry about that also.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Okay.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Couldn't have asked for a better ending on this story. In regards to the pictures, it's good to know that they're safe and they had nothing to do with him whatsoever. His last name is Woods. W O O D S.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Meanwhile, Detective Reyes continues to work the Jane Thompson case and prepares to arrest his suspect.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

When you pick him up at work, he knows it's serious. It's just serious stuff.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

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[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

Josh Thompson shared information with Detective Manny Reyes claiming that his father, Bobby woods, had murdered his mother. The case had gone unsolved for 16 years until a memory Josh had from childhood provided a new lead. Woods was no stranger to the legal system, and after talking to the wife of his former cellmate, the detective had enough information to arrest Bobby woods for the murder of his former girlfriend, Jane Thompson.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

His last name is Woods. W O O D S On a.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Wednesday afternoon, Detective Manny Reyes prepares to arrest Bobby woods for murder. The victim is woods old girlfriend, Jane Thompson. Reyes best piece of evidence, the couple's only child, Josh Thompson, just 2 years old at the time and an alleged eyewitness to the crime.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

You know, there's no telling on this. On a guy like this. It could range everything from being super nice and polite to it wouldn't surprise me if he takes off running when you pick him up at work. He knows it's serious. It's a little more serious when somebody shows up at your work than they show up at your home. It's just serious stuff.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Detectives transport the suspect downtown where Josh is waiting with half brother Val and Vol's fiance.

[Josh Thompson]

I want to bust his head to the white meat, but that ain't always the right way. Nah, man, I'm not gonna mess with this dude. I'm gonna let the people handle it like they supposed to. I just don't want this guy to end up beating the case. It wasn't much anger. It was more like anxious. You know what I mean? Wanting to see. I know I wanted to see. Cause I ain't never seen him like, you know, what, four, 16 years.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Just have a seat right here. I'll be right back. And stick with Jack. You wanna take yours? I'll be right back.

[Narrator/Investigator]

As the boys wait, the questioning begins. And the first question is thrown out by woods himself. Sir, what am I here for, please?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Bobby, you're in custody like we've told you before because of something that happened a long time ago. As a matter of fact, the offense was in 1990. We'll get to more details on that in a little bit. But we are investigating the death of Jane Thompson. What is it that you remember about that? How much I love.

[Josh Thompson]

And.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Let me get you some. Some tissue. You don't have to do that. We'll get you some tissue. I should have stated the fashion boutique with it at the. Where? It's a fashion boutique.

[Josh Thompson]

She.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Fashion boutique. Boutique. Okay.

[Narrator/Investigator]

That's what?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

She came up missing it at the fashion boutique?

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yes.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

Okay.

[Narrator/Investigator]

In 1990, Wood's statement made no mention of a fashion boutique. Instead, he told police that Jane had disappeared when he took her to get food stamps.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It really surprised me. I would have expected him to have rehearsed his story in his mind at least a thousand times. If I'm ever arrested, if I'm ever questioned again in regards to Jane Thompson, this is the story that I gave and this is the story I'm going to stick to. And it turned out that he changed it all. What'd you do the rest of that afternoon once you couldn't find her? One second by went back across the street with Joshua. We sit there. His new story turned out now that he spent hours there where he had dropped her off at the boutique. He spent hours there looking for her, walking up and down, checking all the locations. Then all of a sudden, another shop was closing. And I asked the guy, I said, did you see a black woman wearing a brown shirt and yellow shorts? He said, yeah. He said she was talking with two guys. And I said, two guys? I said, where did he go? She said, he said, they were sitting in the car down here. I said, how long ago? Oh, he said, hours ago. The thing is, if that had really happened, you would have at least brought that up. If not to the family, but to the police back then said, hey, you need to look for two guys in a car because that's where she was last seen. That would have been brought up back in 1990. That would have been investigated in 1990. And of course he didn't bring any of that up. In 1990, my nephew robbed the place.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes turns the questioning to woods criminal past, including his conviction for armed robbery. Woods lays blame for the crime on his nephew.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

What kind of weapon did your nephew have then? He had a short sawed off shotgun. So it was just a sawed off shotgun, what I took from him. So that was good to know that we could actually put the possession of a shotgun on him a week prior to the murder and that the day of the murder, we believe the shotgun is what was used to hit her. And you never were told or you have no idea how she died? You don't know if she was shot or strangled, drowned, anything like that? No, tell me. Nothing. It's a good show, the crying part, it's a good show. I think he was doing it more to get me away, get me to believe him. And that's what people do, you know, when they cry. Believe me. Look, I'm crying. How can you not believe someone that's crying their eyes out in front of you? Do you ever remember coming to this office here at this building that we're in and giving a. What we call a deposition to a detective who was working on Jane's case? We had reached the point where I was going to start telling him, okay, now wait a minute. You know, you said this, now it's this. You said this, now it's this. And everything that he had told me was going to be contradicted. Okay, let me go get that statement that you gave back then, and I'll show it to you, see if we can see if it'll refresh your memory a little bit. Can I have an attorney or somebody? Because though this is going through and I don't know if I'm going home or what's going on, and you want to show me statements and I don't know what's. No, it's your statement. I want to show you the one that belongs to you. Can I have a trust look at it with me? Because right now, I don't know what I'm getting into. So I think he realized, well, what I just said, I don't think is what I said back then what I'm being charged with. It's murder. So he realized that it wasn't gonna be very good after that. I definitely need an attorney if you think that I killed my wife. Yes. He's gonna get what he deserves.

[Narrator/Investigator]

In a room down the hall, Jane Thompson's sons have been joined by more family members. All hope for a confession and an end to 16 years of waiting.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

And I'd always even read Star Telegram and Dallas newspaper, and I'd see cases closed for years. And I often wondered, what's wrong? That this is not happening for my family. So I didn't know. I didn't know if this day would ever come or not.

[Narrator/Investigator]

With the interview at an end, Detective Reyes agrees to let Josh and Val get a look at Bobby Woods.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It's a small room, so just once we get everybody in here, it's kind of hard, and it's hard for people to imagine. You walk into a room, you look at a window, and for the first time in 16 years, you see a man that you're being told is your father, and you see a man that you know killed your mom. You okay, Josh? Yeah.

[Josh Thompson]

I'm sorry. It was self evidence to me that it was him. When I saw that, I knew it was him. I know that was the Guy that see in my head. We can't say anything to him now.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

What do you want to say?

[Josh Thompson]

I just want to say something to him. I won't strike him.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I promise. You sure? I don't have a problem with that. He's. I can't talk to him anymore. So he's. Like I said, he does for lawyers. So me and him. Conversation's over with.

[Narrator/Investigator]

VOL Is eager to speak to Bobby woods while Josh declines.

[Josh Thompson]

I don't want to talk to him. I didn't even want him to see me. Cause he doesn't desire to see me.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Bobby.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yes, sir.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I'm not gonna talk to you anymore. I got nothing more to say. Since you requested a lawyer.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Yes, sir.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

But this young man here would like to say a word for you. You remember him?

[Josh Thompson]

You know who I am? Come on. You gotta know who I am.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

You know his name.

[Josh Thompson]

Gotta know me, man.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

For him.

[Josh Thompson]

Exactly. It's not Vol Ball V O L?

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

Yeah.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Just one fiance.

[Josh Thompson]

Tried to leap over that table and.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Rip his face apart.

[Josh Thompson]

For real. I think the anger came afterwards. When we found out he was denying it and he was making up stories and stuff like that. That's when the anger came.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

He's lying. He's a dirty sucker.

[Josh Thompson]

You lying.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

See, he's a weakling.

[Josh Thompson]

Any weak man won't beat up on a woman.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Let's see what you gonna. I ain't no one. Let's work this now.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Come on.

[Josh Thompson]

I think I was kind of angered when he was like. He forgot my name. He didn't even know who I was. Just special for the simple fact. Like the officer told me. He said he don't know who I am. He'll know who I am in court.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I hope this helps you a little bit. One way or the other.

[Josh Thompson]

Not a bit. This is a good day come to surface. It's a good day for our family. Yeah, Half of our family's gone. And they were looking forward to this day. They didn't get to see it, but we will.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

But we did. That case is considered filed. I already talked to the DJ. Thank you, Mr. Holt.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

That's a good point.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

All right, I can sleep now. I can go home and go to bed now.

[Narrator/Investigator]

At day's end, Bobby woods sits in a jail cell. But the investigation is far from over as Detective Reyes digs deeper and discovers the women in his suspect's past.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

You know, there were times. I remember. I remember one time he choked me in the bedroom. You know, he just. He just started choking me out.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

What can you tell Me about this.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Bobby woods in this case. Do you know anything about it yet?

[Narrator/Investigator]

24 hours after Bobby woods is arrested for the murder of his former girlfriend, Jane Thompson, Detective Reyes spends his day fielding calls from the press.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Hello. It's something you need to do. I mean, the public needs to know that we're working. We're actually getting things done.

[Josh Thompson]

So what are all these cases?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Unsolved murders. We had enough probable cause to arrest him, so, yes.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Press coverage on woods generates a buzz about the case. And Detective Reyes cultivates new leads, hoping to strengthen his case.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Uh oh, attack dog. I'm Detective Reyes with the Fort Worth Police Department. How you doing today?

[Narrator/Investigator]

Reyes tracks down an old girlfriend of Bobby Woods, One whose name Reyes unearthed on a police report dated 1985.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It showed where Bobby had been arrested for some outstanding warrants that he had. And the passenger to the vehicle was a black female. So I started checking around, and she has a different last name. Now, sometimes you get a real really lucky and find who you're looking for in the case file. From old police reports.

[Narrator/Investigator]

The ex, it turns out, is eager to talk about Woods.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Let me ask you this. Did Bobby ever. Yes, he was. Oh, that's a good way of putting it. Yes, he was abusive. Can I ask what it was that he did? He beat you? He was like, just say something to.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

Him, and he'd get upset.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Bam. You know, and I'd be cooking or something, would be everywhere. So he would lose his temper with you? Let me ask you, how bad was it between you and Bobby when he got abusive? Real bad. He punched you in the eye?

[Narrator/Investigator]

The ex tells Detective Reyes that Bobby once threatened her with a.357 and provides details on a shotgun Reyes suspects might have been used in the Thompson murder.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I said it was a 14 side. Did you ever see that? Yeah, you seen it? Yeah, he had it back. Then I took it. He stole it from me because I had to take it from my brother to keep my brother out of. This is really good information. Beat her up, assaulted her numerous times.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Bobby Wood's past has come back to bite him. There is, however, even more past to come.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

Bobby's in the paper. They arrested him for murdering his ex girlfriend. And I said, oh, my gosh, that could have been me.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Nice house. It happened. Yeah. Have a seat. Have a seat right here. I'll sit next to you here. I got. I got another call from another female, and she just wanted me to know that she, too, had dealings with him.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

And, you know, he broke my collarbone one morning Because I had left and gone to Fort Worth in the car to see my kids.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Okay.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

You know, there were times, I remember, I remember one time he choked me in the bedroom. We were in the bathroom part and he said, you know, he just, he just started choking me out.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

From my understanding on Jane Thompson, no one had ever seen black eyes or bruises or broken bones or anything. So a defense attorney would probably do the old, you know, hey, there's no history here of abuse. That right there was eliminated. So there is. They can use that. There is a history.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

But the last time was the last straw. When he threw this weight at me, it was that moment I said, I can't do that. He had pulled all the hair out of my head. And when I took off running, he reached for my. He reached for me and he grabbed my hair and there was a handful of hair. Then he threw the weight at me and knocked this big hole in the door. And I just couldn't. I couldn't do it anymore.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

People write books about stuff like that where first it's just an argument, then it's a shove, then it's a push, then it's a knockdown.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

It's just terrible to think, you know, when we read that in the paper, the first thing my mother says, you know, that could have been you.

[Narrator/Investigator]

Cheryl left Bobby woods in 1996 and never looked back. She does, however, have one reminder of their relationship. A 10 year old girl named Babette, who also happens to be half sister to Josh Thompson.

[Josh Thompson]

Asher Ray has called me. He's like, you want to meet your little sister?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

No one had thought about that before. I'm sure they would have eventually gotten together, but I just asked, hey, you want to meet your little sister?

[Josh Thompson]

I was like, sure. He was like, okay, I'll be over there in 30 minutes. I was like, more like, oh, I thought it was gonna be like next week or a couple days.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

Hello.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Hello, Cheryl. Hello.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

How are you?

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Cheryl, this is Josh. Hello, Josh.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

It's very nice to meet you.

[Podcast Host/Advertiser]

It's very nice to meet you.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

I'm Josh.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

This is Bobette.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

That's your sister. I love so.

[Josh Thompson]

She is so cute.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Oh my God.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

It's great. It's like very exciting.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It was like, wow, I have a big brother. It's like, first it's just me and then I'm like, wow, yay.

[Josh Thompson]

I got a baby picture.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

You got a baby picture?

[Josh Thompson]

I think I got a baby pitch. You can call me every day. Somebody try to pick on you.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

You.

[Cheryl (Bobby Woods' ex-girlfriend)]

Know, first she read the part about Bobby. And she just kind of dropped the paper. And I said, no, keep reading, because there's something really wonderful in there you need to know. And she read it and she just said, I have a brother. That was a great day to see them together. And they just hit it off. I mean, they. It's like they've never been apart.

[Josh Thompson]

That's so sharp, too.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

Wow.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

Dang, you are so tired.

[Josh Thompson]

It's a blessing. I mean, to have more people that you can care about, somebody that can care about you and somebody you can lean on. It's just. It's better. It lets you know that you have someone you can always turn to.

[Detective Manny Reyes]

It does make you feel good to be able to end this whole ordeal by, you know, seeing them together and they're both really happy. Yeah. You really couldn't ask for anything more in a case like this.

[Narrator (Brooke Giddings)]

On June 15, the jurors deliberated for around five hours before finding woods guilty of murder at a sentencing hearing. Bobby woods was given a 50 year term, which he is still serving. It's customary for family members to be allowed to address the defendant during a sentencing hearing, and several of Jane's family members told woods how he had altered their lives. When it was Josh's turn, he asked woods to look at him. And when he was looking into the face of his father, Josh only said one sentence. I want you to know I forgive you. Cold Case Files, the podcast is hosted by Brooke giddings, produced by McKamey, Lynn and Steve Delamater. Our executive producers are Jesse Katz and Ted Butler. Our music was created by Blake Maples. This podcast is distributed by Podcast One. The Cold Case Files TV series was produced by Curtis Productions and is hosted by Bill Curtis. You can find me BrookeGiddings on Twitter and Brooke the podcaster on Instagram. I'm also active in the Facebook group Podcast for Justice. Check out more Cold case [e-mail] or learn more about cases like this one by visiting the AE Real Crime blog at aetv.com realcrime.