Cold Case Files: REOPENED – Deadly Lies
Podcast Information:
- Title: Cold Case Files
- Host: Paula Barros
- Episode: REOPENED: Deadly Lies
- Release Date: December 5, 2024
1. Case Background
In July 1986, Frank Ross traveled from Stilwell to Claremore, Oklahoma, to visit relatives. After returning home, Frank failed to return, sparking immediate concern. Two days after his departure, Teddy Ross, Frank’s brother and roommate, contacted his sister Pam Charles, reporting Frank as missing. As Paula Barros narrates, “Frank Ross never showed up and was never seen alive again” [00:23].
2. Initial Investigation
Detective John Cummings of the Claremore Police Department was assigned to the case. He began by retracing Frank’s steps on the evening he disappeared. One significant lead took him to the Tack Room Lounge, a local bar where witnesses placed Frank playing pool with a man named James Kent Hill. According to witness accounts, Frank was carrying cash and generously buying drinks, typical behavior for two men socializing at a bar [02:08].
3. Main Suspect: Kent Hill
Kent Hill emerged as the primary suspect due to several red flags:
- Criminal Background: Kent was no stranger to the police, with multiple run-ins recorded.
- Inconsistent Statements: Initially, Kent denied knowing Frank but later admitted to giving him a ride to a convenience store to buy beer before dropping him off at his car [02:49].
- Physical Evidence: Discrepancies arose when witnesses reported that Frank and Kent left the bar around 2:20 AM in a Plymouth Duster registered in Kentucky. However, Kent claimed he dropped Frank off at his car around 3 AM. Additionally, Kent’s car showed damage inconsistent with his account, including a dented bumper and a missing side mirror [03:11].
Detective Cummings noted, “Kent was certainly a strong suspect. There wasn't any indication that there was anybody else involved” [03:30].
4. Physical Evidence and Suspect’s Inconsistencies
Further investigation revealed that Kent had purportedly damaged his car two weeks prior by losing control while playing "Dukes of Hazzard." However, witnesses at the time of Frank's disappearance insisted the car was in pristine condition when Frank and Kent left the lounge [03:38].
Detective Cummings emphasized the significance of these findings: “It's a very insignificant thing taken by itself, but when you combine it with the other facts of the case, it becomes a point that we want to clarify” [04:14].
Despite these suspicions, without concrete evidence, the case began to grow cold, leading to its classification among the rare 1% of cold cases that are ever solved.
5. Discovery of the Body
Four months post-disappearance, a breakthrough occurred when divers, initially searching for an antique Model T Ford at Claremore Lake, discovered human remains. Diver John Belding found bones dressed in blue jeans and cowboy boots, raising suspicions about their identity [05:29]. Detective Cummings promptly identified the body as likely Frank Ross based on visual similarities and family-provided photographs.
However, without DNA technology available in 1986, a definitive identification was impossible at the time, resulting in the body being buried in an unmarked grave and the case remaining unresolved [06:30].
6. DNA Evidence and Legal Proceedings
Years later, advancements in forensic technology provided an opportunity to reopen the case. In February 1992, Kent Hill’s ex-girlfriend, Liz Humphrey, approached Detective Cummings with new information, alleging that Kent had confessed to Frank’s murder. Liz described a scenario where Kent, fearing Frank would harm him, strangled him in self-defense and subsequently disposed of the body in Claremore Lake [09:05].
Despite the compelling narrative, Assistant District Attorney Ray Hasselman expressed concerns over the admissibility of Liz’s statement due to Oklahoma’s recognition of common law marriages, which could render such private admissions inadmissible in court [11:04].
Determined to find tangible evidence, investigators exhumed the remains from the grave. Utilizing mitochondrial DNA testing—a method typically reserved for paternity cases—they confirmed the remains were indeed Frank Ross [12:20]. Pam Charles, Frank’s sister, expressed relief: “In our hearts we knew it was Frank. But just to finally say for sure, yes, it was a better feeling” [12:45].
7. Challenges in Prosecution and Plea Deal
With DNA evidence linking Kent Hill to the murder, Detective Cummings sought to bring Kent to justice. Trusting the strength of the case, ADA Hasselman was optimistic: “If you can put it together by this person was here, this person was here... jurors... will find the case. It's a much stronger case” [13:10].
Kent Hill was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. During interrogation, Hill initially maintained his narrative of self-defense but faltered under pressure, exhibiting aggressive behavior and inconsistencies in his story [14:21]. Despite the accumulating evidence and admissions from informants, the defense challenged the reliability of the mitochondrial DNA testing, leading to its exclusion from the trial.
Facing the statute of limitations on the murder charge, Kent Hill accepted a plea deal for manslaughter, resulting in a 20-year sentence with a 10-year suspended period. Consequently, Hill did not serve prison time unless he violated probation [16:09].
8. Conclusion and Reflections
Detective Cummings reflected on the complexities of the case, highlighting the challenges posed by evolving forensic technologies and legal standards. He remarked, “The divers never found the Model T car in Claremore Lake, but what they did find was far more valuable, especially to Frank's sister Pam” [18:08]. The resolution brought closure to Frank Ross’s family, affirming that persistence and advancements in forensic science can breathe new life into even the coldest cases.
Notable Quotes:
- Pam Charles: “After Frank's body was discovered... it did make us feel better that they did finally catch him and he did admit to it.” [17:26]
- ADA Ray Hasselman: “If you can put it together... jurors... will find the case. It's a much stronger case.” [13:10]
- Detective Cummings: “Empathy is our best policy.” [00:23]
Production Credits:
- Host: Brooke Giddings
- Producers: McKamey Lynn and Steve Delamater
- Associate Producer: Julie Magruder
- Executive Producer: Ted Butler
- Music: Blake Maples
- Distributed by: PodcastOne
For more information on this case and others like it, visit ColdCaseFiles@aetv.com or explore the A&E Real Crime blog at A&E Real Crime.