REOPENED: Eyes at the Window

Summary

Cold Case Files: REOPENED - "Eyes at the Window"

Hosted by Brooke Giddings and Bill Curtis

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Eyes at the Window," Cold Case Files delves into the harrowing 1988 murder of Jana Reynolds in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Hosted by Brooke Giddings and Bill Curtis, the episode explores the relentless pursuit of justice by Detective Ken McElroy, whose dedication eventually leads to the conviction of Joe Tucker—a case that had remained unsolved for over a decade.

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The Crime

Background of the Victim and Victim’s Life

Jana Reynolds was a 22-year-old nursing student, recently married to her high school sweetheart, Jeff Reynolds. Friends and family described the couple as impeccably happy, with no visible signs of discord.

The Night of the Murder

On the night of May 5, 1988, Jeff worked a late shift, leaving Jana alone at home. A neighbor reported hearing unsettling noises from the Reynolds residence—sounds resembling doors being kicked in or slammed.

“When I walked to the bedroom doorway... Her throat had been cut a number of times. Her right wrist had almost been amputated.”
— Ken McElroy [03:02]

Upon Jeff’s return early morning, he discovered the gruesome scene: Jana was found mutilated and brutally murdered.

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Initial Investigation

Immediate Response

Crime scene technician Frank Cooper was among the first responders, who meticulously collected evidence from Jana's belongings.

“We were looking for anything that might have any kind of implications of being involved in this.”
— Ken McElroy [04:05]

Despite extensive neighborhood searches and multiple interviews, including questioning of Joe Tucker—a local with a presence near the crime scene—the investigation initially yielded no leads. By the year's end, the case was officially declared cold.

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Case Goes Cold

For 13 years, the murder of Jana Reynolds remained unsolved, casting a long shadow over the Mount Vernon community. Detective Ken McElroy, however, remained unconvinced that the perpetrator had never been caught.

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Reopening the Case

Renewed Investigation in 2001

In the summer of 2001, Detective McElroy, alongside crime scene technician Roger Hayes, decided to revisit the cold case. Their focus shifted to re-examining available evidence with advancements in forensic technology.

“We wanted to make sure that the illuminating stains... was seminal fluid.”
— Ken McElroy [05:52]

Cordoning off the thermal bottoms and panniers, they identified 23 different stains, which were subjected to DNA profiling. The results were groundbreaking—a DNA profile was obtained that pointed to a suspect beyond reasonable doubt.

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New Evidence and Investigation

Linking Evidence to Joe Tucker

With Jeff Reynolds and other long-standing suspects eliminated, the detectives scoured old crime reports for similar cases. Their search led them to Dina Dahl's account of being attacked and threatened by Joe Tucker, a local man with a prior acquaintance with Jana.

“Jenna Reynolds and Joe had worked together a few years prior...“
— Ken McElroy [12:05]

This connection provided a solid motive, justifying the renewed focus on Tucker. The DNA match between Tucker and the evidence from Jana's murder sealed the case against him.

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Arrest and Trial

Pulling Tucker from Springfield

On May 8, 2002, Detective McElroy traveled to Springfield, Missouri, where Joe Tucker was residing, to execute the arrest warrant.

“Joe Tucker, you're under arrest for Jana Reynolds.”
— Ken McElroy [13:36]

Upon his arrest, Tucker maintained his innocence despite the overwhelming DNA evidence. However, as the investigation intensified, Tucker’s pressure led him to confess his crimes through written statements orchestrated by a jailhouse lawyer.

Conviction

The trial culminated on April 11, 2006, with Joe Tucker being found guilty of Jana Reynolds' murder after less than four hours of jury deliberation. Tucker received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

“It was probably the most rewarding day I've had during my career as a law enforcement officer. It was very rewarding and overdue.”
— Ken McElroy [20:23]

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Impact and Conclusion

Closure for the Reynolds Family

The conviction of Joe Tucker provided much-needed closure to Jana Reynolds' family, allowing them to finally lay the tragic event to rest. Jeff Reynolds expressed deep gratitude towards Detective McElroy for his unwavering commitment.

“Jeff Reynolds hugged me, and I thought he was going to break a rib.”
— Ken McElroy [20:23]

Enduring Legacy

Joe Tucker's case underscores the critical role of perseverance in cold case investigations. Detective McElroy's dedication exemplifies how advancements in forensic science and relentless determination can bring justice, even years after a crime has been committed.

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Key Takeaways

• Persistence Pays Off: Despite the case going cold for over a decade, relentless investigation and new forensic technologies were pivotal in solving the murder.

• Advancements in DNA Technology: The ability to extract and analyze DNA from degraded samples was crucial in identifying Joe Tucker as the perpetrator.

• Impact on Victims’ Families: Solving cold cases provides essential closure for families, highlighting the human aspect behind criminal investigations.

• Importance of Re-examining Cold Cases: Detective McElroy's decision to reopen the case serves as a testament to the importance of revisiting unsolved crimes with fresh perspectives and new technologies.

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Notable Quotes

“Once we were familiar with the case file, then Detective Hayes started pulling out the evidence a piece at a time...”
— Ken McElroy [04:28]

“This beautiful young lady laying there on her back with severe cuts.”
— Ken McElroy [03:02]

“We're watching this from another room and we're wondering... is he really praying about this case...”
— Ken McElroy [17:08]

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Conclusion

"Eyes at the Window" is a compelling narrative of tragedy, perseverance, and justice. Through meticulous investigation and the unwavering dedication of Detective McElroy, a decade-old crime was solved, bringing closure to a heart-wrenching case. This episode serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring quest for truth and the profound impact it has on all involved.

Transcript

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[Brooke Giddings]

Jana Reynolds was 22 years old in 1988. She was a newlywed. Her husband, Jeff had been her high school sweetheart. The couple lived in Mount Vernon, Illinois, where Jana was attending nursing school to become a registered nurse and she was working part time as a licensed practical nurse. Jeff worked full time at the bindery department at a printing company. Friends and family of the couple described them as really happy. They had never seen Jana and Jeff argue. On the night of May 5, Jeff worked the late shift, meaning Jana was on her own for the night. A little after midnight on May 6, a neighbor reported hearing noises coming from the Reynolds home. They said it sounded like a door being kicked in or doors being slammed around. When Jeff arrived home at around 7.30am on the morning of the 6th, Jana's car was in the carport. She hadn't left for school. Jeff walked into the house and then ran back out and the neighbors reported hearing a different sound, Jeff screaming hysterically because Jana had been murdered. From A and E, this is Cold CASE Files. I'm Brooke and here's the prestigious Bill Curtis with a classic case. Eyes at the window.

[Ken McElroy]

Stopped by my parents place, picked up a boat and a buddy of mine was with me and we went by my house because I wanted to change change shoes.

[Bill Curtis]

In 1988, Jeff Reynolds is 24, newly married to his high school sweetheart Jenna.

[Ken McElroy]

And her car was under the carport, thought nothing of it and walked in, noticed the back door had been broken into and walked in and hollered for her and I found her.

[Bill Curtis]

Jeff finds his wife lying naked on their bed in a pool of blood.

[Ken McElroy]

He was very shaken, upset, almost Screaming in the phone, if I can remember his nature. And that's all he said to me. I came home from work, I found my wife mutilated. I need officers and paramedics here. First thing I see when I walk to the bedroom doorway is this beautiful young lady laying there on her back with severe cuts. Her throat had been cut a number of times. Her right wrist had almost been amputated.

[Bill Curtis]

Frank Cooper is a crime scene technician and one of the first investigators on scene.

[Ken McElroy]

The last few minutes of her life, in my opinion, was in total fear. And she fought valiantly for her life until she couldn't fight anymore.

[Bill Curtis]

Cooper collects the victim's clothes and bedding and tags them for forensic analysis. Meanwhile, Mount Vernon officers combed the neighborhood looking for any trace of a killer.

[Ken McElroy]

We'd go down the street and down the alleys. We were looking in trash cans, and we were just basically looking for anything that might have any kind of implications of being involved in this.

[Bill Curtis]

The neighborhood search turns up nothing. By the end of the year, detectives are unable to charge anyone with the crime and the case goes cold.

[Ken McElroy]

First thing that we did was pull the case file out and read everything that we could find in it. And it was in. It was in disarray.

[Bill Curtis]

Ken McElroy is a detective with the Mount Vernon Police Department. In the summer of 2001, he and crime scene technician Roger Hayes are asked to reopen one of the town's most famous unsolved homicides, the rape and murder of Jenna Reynolds 13 years earlier.

[Ken McElroy]

Once we were familiar with the case file, then Detective Hayes started pulling out the evidence a piece at a time, re examining it, looking at it with an alternate light source. In the back of my mind, I was hopeful that I could find something that either was missed or was not available at the time. Back in 1988. From the knee area of the left leg of the thermal bottom, it's got a stain here, a bigger stain in here, and one here. Up around the crotch area, you got a stain here, here. And moving down to the right leg area, down past the knee, you got a stain here, here, here, and here.

[Bill Curtis]

Hayes IDs 23 different stains on Jana Reynolds clothing, all possible sources of DNA. The clothing is sent to a lab for additional testing.

[Ken McElroy]

We asked for presumptive tests first. We wanted to make sure that the illuminating stains that Detective Hayes had detected was seminal fluid. They came back and said, yes, it is. Seminal fluid seems to be not degraded, and we probably can get you a profile from that. And within probably two weeks, we had a profile of the person who had left the stains on the thermal bottoms and the panniers.

[Bill Curtis]

Jeff Reynolds is eliminated as a source of the seminal fluid, as are several long standing suspects. With nowhere else to turn, detectives dig into old crime reports looking for any similar types of attacks.

[Ken McElroy]

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[Dina Dahl]

It was good. I mean, I was married to my high school sweetheart, the person I thought I would be married to the rest of my life. I enjoyed my life at that point.

[Bill Curtis]

It was the night of October 22nd and Dina Dahl was alone in her.

[Dina Dahl]

Trailer home laying on my couch listening to Bon Jovi trying to go to sleep. I heard a forceful push on my door and looked up from the couch and he was standing there.

[Bill Curtis]

Dena struggled with her attacker.

[Dina Dahl]

That's when he pushed me back down on the couch and proceeded to attempt to rape me. He wanted me to do oral sex on him and I just kept my mouth clamped down. After a while he finally left and he told me if I told anyone or if I went to the police, he would kill me.

[Bill Curtis]

Dina filed a report, but no arrest was made. A couple months later, she saw a set of eyes outside her window I.

[Dina Dahl]

Just looked up from doing dishes and saw his eyes and he was standing there and I screamed and I screamed for my husband. And by the time he got out there, he was gone.

[Bill Curtis]

Dahl called the police and several squad cars began to patrol the area.

[Ken McElroy]

As I was driving east on Westcott, I saw a black male walking a pretty good clip, walking down the street, a pretty good pace. And I stopped the car and got out, approached him, and as I did, I recognized him as Joe Tucker. Asked him what he was doing and he just told me that he was out for a walk at that time of night. It was a cool evening and really he should not have been sweating like he was. We're just out for a walk.

[Bill Curtis]

Tucker was questioned at the time. However, detectives could not connect him to the Peeping Tom report and Tucker was released. A couple months later, Dina Dahl found yet another strange man in her home.

[Ken McElroy]

Dina was coming from her neighbor's home, which is this trailer right here, and she was coming across to her trailer, which was parked right along this area here. Dina heard the front door open and she asked who it was.

[Dina Dahl]

I said, well, I said, who is it? And he said, it's me. And I knew it was him and I hit the back door. He chased me around all the way around, down to the road and up into the neighbor's backyard before he caught me. And then he pushed me to the ground and attempted to rape me. And the whole time I was just fighting him. I was fighting for my life.

[Bill Curtis]

The suspect fled on foot as Dahl called police. The investigation, however, went nowhere. A decade later, McElroy reviews the Dina Dahl case and sees an MO that closely tracks the attack on Jana Reynolds. Playing a long shot, he asks the crime lab to run the Peeping Tom Joe Tucker against evidence from the Dahl rape and his unknown profile in the Reynolds case. Tucker proves to be a match in both.

[Ken McElroy]

Basically, I got a call from a scientist that was working on this and I remember where I was at. We had a bomb threat called into our high school. We knew what phone it would payphone had been called from and I was dusting the payphone for Prince when I got a call on my cell phone and basically, basically Kristen told me that we got a match.

[Bill Curtis]

McElroy digs into Tucker's personal history and discovers a connection between his suspect and the murder victim.

[Ken McElroy]

Jenna Reynolds and Joe had worked together a few years prior to that at a local fast food establishment here in town, and Jana only worked there a couple of months. It was the only job she had through high school. She was 16 when she worked there. Joe Tucker was a cook. And Jenna Reynolds waited on, you know, took orders, and so their paths had crossed.

[Bill Curtis]

The connection between Tucker and Jana Reynolds provides McElroy with ample motive for the murder. He puts a call in to Jana's husband to tell him of the impending arrest.

[Ken McElroy]

He called me on the phone and told me that he was going to go make an arrest. They were going after him. It could be over, you know, finally, after all these years, you know, we finally got somebody who they think has done it.

[Bill Curtis]

Detectives pull a warrant for the arrest of Joe Tucker. But will their suspect talk? And if so, what will he say?

[Ken McElroy]

We knew Joe Tucker was going to be at work Monday morning or was supposed to be. So we went to his place of employment and they called him into the main office of the business he was working at.

[Bill Curtis]

On May 8, 2002, Detective Ken McElroy travels 300 miles to Springfield, Missouri. His mission arrest the man suspected of raping and murdering Jana Reynolds 14 years earlier.

[Ken McElroy]

And once he came through the door, he seen me and his head kind of dropped and I called him. Joe Tucker, you're under arrest for Jannah Reynolds. Once we arrested Joe and had him back at the Springfield Police Department. Took him into an interview room. I read him his rights. Watch his foot. Should or should not talk with him. Do you want to talk to me with honorable present? You put yes or no right there. He decides he's going to, so he signs his name. Okay, so you understand your rights? Uh huh. Okay.

[Bill Curtis]

Joe Tucker decides he can talk his way out of his handcuffs. The suspect soon realizes he might have made a mistake.

[Ken McElroy]

All that hair was enough root material for the lab do DNA on you. They compared it to the DNA they found on her bedding and clothes. It was a 1 in 17 trillion match. If you noticed his head was down. There was a pause. And I thought that, you know, he may actually tell us about it there for a few minutes. Somebody got to be playing games. Okay, Because? Because y' all are trying to tell me that I murdered a girl that I only knew for a short period of time. He goes back to denying it right to the end. He just denies everything. I'm saying I didn't murder nobody and I truly don't know that girl. Okay. Is that your DNA at that house? It shouldn't be.

[Bill Curtis]

No, but is it?

[Ken McElroy]

Is it? I don't know. I was trying to overwhelm him with some evidence here. If you did this, let's talk about it and let's avoid this having to go in front of a jury because you're going to lose with the amount of evidence that we have. Let's just talk about it.

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[Ken McElroy]

Joe. Ain't no wiggle room in this man. None wouldn't me. It wasn't me. You won't take your chances with the jury. You damn right because that was not me. If you okay, your heart would. God's forgiven you. God don't need to forgive me because I done no murder. One of the things he'd said to me right before I left was, you know, God will point out who did this. And I told him, you know, I just kind of looked at him and said, joe, I think he already has.

[Bill Curtis]

McElroy and Hayes leave the room and give Tucker a chance to think on closed circuit camera. They watch as their suspect starts to pray.

[Ken McElroy]

We're watching this from another room and we're wondering at this point in time is he really praying about this case or but. Or is he wondering how many other cases is he going to get tagged with since they have my DNA? We've always thought Joe has done more than one homicide and a couple of rapes. We think that Joe has done many more than that.

[Bill Curtis]

Tucker waves extradition, goes back to Illinois and is sent to Menard Prison on a parole violation. While he awaits trial in the Reynolds murder, Tucker finds himself a lawyer. Unfortunately for Tucker, it's of the jailhouse variety.

[Ken McElroy]

He sought out a, a person in Menard who had a reputation for having legal knowledge and he asked this person to help him prepare a defense for this case. Jenna Reynolds case. So he told Joe, write down everything you did in this case. So Joe writes down Basically, how he kills Jenna Reynolds. It's on one page.

[Bill Curtis]

Tucker's jailhouse lawyer tells Joe one page is insufficient. So Tucker goes back to his cell and writes some more.

[Ken McElroy]

So Joe goes back and writes several more pages. Five or six more pages. Even draws a diagram of the house of Jenna Reynolds. House.

[Bill Curtis]

The jailhouse lawyer takes Tucker's letter and quickly turns into a jailhouse snitch, offering up the handwritten confession to detectives.

[Ken McElroy]

He showed them to me, and I was a little skeptical at first, but as I read the letters, I seen that knowing the evidence and knowing the case like I knew it, I knew that the person that wrote these letters probably was the killer.

[Bill Curtis]

On April 11, 2006, a jury deliberates for less than four hours before finding Joe Tucker guilty of murdering Jenna Reynolds. The only real courtroom trauma was, would Tucker ever be eligible for parole, or would he die inside an Illinois jail cell?

[Dina Dahl]

She was like me, she was terrified.

[Bill Curtis]

At Joe Tucker's sentencing hearing, the state brings out its star witness, Dina Dahl. Even though the statute of limitations has run on her case, Dahl wants to tell the court about the night she claims Joe Tucker attacked her.

[Dina Dahl]

You're trying to go to sleep. You wake up and you realize it's not your husband. You're blocked in. I mean, you're. There's nowhere to run, really. And the only thing you think about is survival and maybe just let it get over real quick and he'll go away. Unfortunately for her, he didn't.

[Bill Curtis]

Dina Dole has the desired effect on the jury. They return with a sentence of life without parole. Detective Ken McElroy is in the courtroom with the Reynolds family, including Jenna's husband, Jeff.

[Ken McElroy]

Jeff Reynolds hugged me, and I thought he was going to break a rib. And the whole family is very appreciative. It was probably the most rewarding day I've had during my career as a law enforcement officer. It was very rewarding and overdue.

[Bill Curtis]

For Jeff Reynolds, the verdict means he can lay to rest a piece of his past and give thanks to a detective who did more than just a day's work.

[Ken McElroy]

I think of him as a friend. I mean, he's just been very strong for me, been a good friend.

[Brooke Giddings]

In 2011, Tucker appealed his conviction based on ineffective assistance of counsel, funds being denied to hire an expert witness, and his lack of remorse being portrayed as a sign of guilt. All three arguments failed, and his conviction was affirmed. Joe Tucker is now 56 years old and carrying out his sentence in an Illinois prison. Cold Case Files. The podcast is hosted by Brooke giddings. Produced by McKamey, Lynn and Steve Delamater. Our associate producer is Julie McGruder. Our executive producer is 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 Rook Giddings on Twitter and rookthepodcaster on Instagram. 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.

[Bill Curtis]

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[Ken McElroy]

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[Bill Curtis]

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[Lily Chiu]

Oh what you eating?

[Bill Curtis]

The new banana split cookie from AM pm. All freshly baked with real butter with banana, chocolate and strawberry flavors.

[Lily Chiu]

Wow, that sounds amazing. Can I have a bite?

[Bill Curtis]

I'm sorry but no. But you can't split the banana split.

[Ken McElroy]

Not even a little.

[Bill Curtis]

Not even a crumb. What if no please mine when it's too legit to split? That's cravinience. Get a 3 pack for 99 cents with our app ampm. Too much good stuff plus tax where applicable. Prices and participation may vary. Terms and conditions apply.

[Lily Chiu]

Oh what you eating?

[Bill Curtis]

The new banana split cookie from AM pm. All freshly baked with real butter with banana, chocolate and strawberry flavors.

[Ken McElroy]

Ah, that sounds amazing.

[Lily Chiu]

Can I a bite?

[Bill Curtis]

I'm sorry but no but you can't split the banana split.

[Ken McElroy]

Not even a little.

[Bill Curtis]

Not even a crumb. What if no please mine when it's too legit to split? That's cravinience. Get a 3 pack for 99 cents with our app AM PM too much good stuff plus tax where applicable. Prices and participation may vary. Terms and conditions apply.