Cold Case Files Podcast Episode Summary
Episode Title: REOPENED: The Slide
Release Date: May 29, 2025
1. Introduction to the Case
The podcast "Cold Case Files," hosted by Paula Barros and produced by A&E and PodcastOne, delves into one of the most challenging unsolved murders in Minneapolis from the year 1984. The episode titled "Reopened: The Slide" explores the tragic case of Agnes Wifrovich, a 69-year-old widow whose life was brutally taken during a home invasion intended for robbery and sexual assault.
Notable Quote:
- Brooke Giddings [00:00]: “In 1984, 69-year-old Agnes Wifrovich lived alone. She'd gotten divorced 15 years earlier. She had two children, a daughter and a son. They were grown and had moved away to start their own families.”
2. The Initial Crime and Investigation
Agnes Wifrovich was attacked in her Minneapolis home in the early hours of the morning. Though the intruder's intent was to rape and rob her, the assault led to Agnes suffering a fatal heart attack. When Sergeant Jim Heimerl arrived at the crime scene, he noted the disarray and signs of forced entry, indicative of a possible sexual assault.
Notable Quotes:
- Bill Curtis [01:07]: “Lay down on the ground. It's just past 5 am in the city of Minneapolis and Lt. Jim Heimerl is in pursuit of a drive-by shooter.”
- Jim Heimerl [01:22]: “They've got two weapons in a car recently fired. They hit him in a car. They tried to walk away from the vehicle.”
- Jim Heimerl [02:11]: “The victim's underwear had been pulled down around her ankles and her shoes off. I mean that's not a natural position and automatically that just tells you right then and there, more than likely a sexual assault of some kind.”
Sergeant Bob Nelson took the lead on the case, meticulously examining the ransacked home. Evidence such as smoking-related items and Agnes's missing checkbook became pivotal in understanding the motive and tracking down the perpetrator.
Notable Quotes:
- Bob Nelson [03:04]: “Her purse was dumped out and there was contents of her purse in the bathroom and that wasn't right. Doors were open and drawers were open in the kitchen like somebody was looking for something that wasn't normal.”
- Bill Curtis [05:36]: “The size of this A compared to this A. There's a different size, there's a different angle. And this letter R does not match with this letter R.”
3. Arrest and Wrongful Conviction
The critical breakthrough came when a forged check from Agnes’s account was traced to a local liquor store. The handwriting analysis revealed discrepancies, indicating that the check was not written by Agnes but was a simulated signature. This evidence led Nelson and his team to Bill Volmar Bailey, an ex-convict with a dubious alibi.
Bailey was apprehended and interrogated, but inconsistencies in his statements and his inability to provide a credible alibi raised suspicions. Despite the mounting evidence, Bailey was initially convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, due to a Miranda rights violation during the interrogation, his conviction was overturned two years later.
Notable Quotes:
- Bob Nelson [06:09]: “This was not written by Agnes. This is a simulated signature of Agnes by the person doing it."
- Bob Nelson [10:04]: “Everything he told us just was wrong... he did not want to give us a written statement.”
- Bob Nelson [20:33]: “I feel he's a psychotic personality. He's a very violent person.”
4. The Case Goes Cold
After Bailey's release from jail, the case slipped into obscurity for over fifteen years. During this period, Agnes’s granddaughter, Barb Koob, remained determined to seek justice for her grandmother. The case’s cold status was further solidified when key pieces of evidence, including the rape kit and victim's clothing, were inadvertently destroyed in 1992 during an evidence storage purge.
Notable Quotes:
- Barb Moe [12:37]: “This was a woman that was in her home living alone and a total innocent victim. So it's a case that you would like to see something come of somebody held accountable for it.”
- Barb Koob [16:59]: “I knew from looking at his criminal history that he was a very dangerous person that deserved a lengthy sentence.”
5. Reopening the Case
In May 2000, driven by a call from Virginia Golden—Agnes’s daughter seeking closure—Sergeant Barb Moe decided to reopen the case. Upon revisiting the evidence storage records, Barb Moe discovered that the physical evidence had been destroyed, presenting a significant hurdle in re-establishing the murder charges.
Notable Quotes:
- Barb Moe [12:04]: “She was still emotional about it and is still bothered enough to make a phone call, you know, to ask for help.”
- Barb Moe [13:05]: “It was upsetting because this was a woman that was in her home living alone and a total innocent victim.”
6. Breakthrough Evidence: The DNA Slide
Undeterred by the loss of physical evidence, Barb Moe hypothesized that the Medical Examiner might have retained separate DNA samples. This led to a meticulous search in the underground storage facilities of a downtown Minneapolis hospital. In a stroke of luck, DNA analyst Kathy Knudsen discovered two slides from the original autopsy.
Using advanced forensic techniques, Knudsen successfully extracted a partial DNA profile from the slides. This DNA matched Bill Bailey with a high degree of certainty, confirming his involvement in Agnes's murder.
Notable Quotes:
- Mike Furnstahl [15:09]: “It's like sandwiched in between two pieces of glass with some sticky glue in between.”
- Kathy Knudsen [16:14]: “I guess that's what DNA does.”
- Mike Furnstahl [16:14]: “You wouldn't expect to see this particular 5 locus DNA type more than once in 15 million individuals.”
7. Trial and Conviction
Armed with the DNA evidence, Nelson re-arrested Bailey in December 2000. The prosecution built a strong case combining DNA evidence, handwriting analysis, possession of a stolen check, and Bailey’s inconsistent statements. The first trial in February 2002 resulted in a guilty verdict. However, the conviction was overturned due to the aforementioned Miranda rights violation.
A second trial was held on September 21, 2005, where Bailey was found guilty once again. The reinforced case, now compliant with legal standards, solidified Bailey's conviction, ensuring he would serve a life sentence.
Notable Quotes:
- Barb Koob [16:59]: “We had, obviously the DNA evidence was very important to us, the handwriting evidence was important. We had Bailey being in possession of a stolen check and we had him giving a story that we could prove was not true.”
- Bob Nelson [20:46]: “He's the type of person that should be in prison the rest of his life and I think now he will be.”
- Kathy Knudsen [20:51]: “I don't think he's got emotion. I don't think he's got a conscience.”
8. Reflections and Closure
The resolution of Agnes Wifrovich's case brought immense relief and a sense of justice to her family and the investigators involved. Barb Koob expressed profound gratitude and emphasized the personal loss her family endured. The case underscores the significance of forensic advancements and relentless investigative efforts in solving crimes that once seemed insurmountable.
Notable Quotes:
- Barb Koob [21:08]: “Throughout the trial. I think everybody thinks of her as the victim and forgets she was a person. So I can't express what she was to our family, that she had a lot of friends.”
- Kathy Knudsen [19:35]: “All the cousins were holding hands and we all just yes. So yeah, crying and yeah, we were. It was done, it was over and he was going to get punished for it. Yeah. So it was a relief.”
Conclusion
"Reopened: The Slide" serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring quest for justice and the critical role of forensic science in solving cold cases. Through dedication and the emergence of new technologies, Agnes Wifrovich's murder was finally brought to light, providing closure to her family and reinforcing the importance of never giving up on seeking truth.