Cold Case Files – "The Killer's Tattoo" Episode Summary
Podcast: Cold Case Files
Host: Paula Barros
Episode Title: The Killer’s Tattoo
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Overview
This episode of "Cold Case Files" delves into the decades-spanning investigation of the 1988 murder of John Dobbs in Saginaw, Texas—the town’s first-ever homicide. The story unravels a chilling web of identity theft, cross-state evasion, and relentless detective work, exploring how a mysterious suspect known only by borrowed names—and a distinctive rose tattoo—managed to evade capture for nearly a decade. Ultimately, the episode demonstrates the power of modern forensic science, inter-agency cooperation, and persistence in closing cold cases.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Murder of John Dobbs (02:12 – 07:41)
- On February 3, 1988, police discover the nude, beaten, and strangled body of 73-year-old John Dobbs in his Saginaw apartment.
- Rookie Detective Nancy Wright is assigned the case, and forensic examiner Tom Eakes processes the scene, collecting hundreds of fingerprints.
- The killer writes “DIE” on the bathroom mirror with hydrocortisone cream, leaving a key piece of evidence.
Quote:
“There was a writing found on the bathroom mirror that read ‘die.’ It appeared to have been written with a type of ointment or cream...” – Detective Nancy Wright [03:09]
- Neighbors and Dobbs’s family share that Dobbs was openly gay, and the presence of beer cans and fingerprints suggest the killer likely knew the victim and had spent considerable time in the apartment.
2. The Elusive Roommate and False Identity (05:05 – 11:22)
- Investigators learn Dobbs recently had an unknown man staying with him. A job application in the name “Terry Greene” with Dobbs’s number is traced to a local restaurant.
- When police contact the real Terry Greene, a long-haul trucker, discrepancies in appearance and timeline surface, confirming an impostor has been using Greene’s identity.
- Greene recalls hiring a hitchhiker called “Walter,” who had access to Greene’s wallet and sensitive information and had previously expressed hatred for homosexuals.
Quote:
“He said, ‘They’re better off dead than be around me,’ but I never connected that with it...especially if he’d had a little Jack Daniels helping him.” – Terry Greene [10:19]
- Through more interviews, Wright accesses new leads: “Walter” is also remembered for a rose tattoo with the name “Phyllis.”
3. A Phantom Across the States: Identity Theft Trail (12:18 – 21:32)
- In 1989, Louisiana resident Michael Bertineau becomes the new victim: someone uses his name and Social Security number, leading to years of IRS trouble and financial ruin.
- Bertineau, recovering from a heart attack in 1996, investigates on his own, contacting previous employers of the impostor. He discovers “Walter”—the same drifter—had stayed with his family and may have stolen his ID.
- The impostor, “Mike Bertineau,” works at Yellowstone National Park, but always vanishes before authorities arrive.
- Eventually, the IRS gathers witness testimony, including photos and the key detail: a rose tattoo with the name “Phyllis.”
Quote:
“The only thing that I could remember that really made him stand out is that he had a tattoo on his arm with the name Phyllis in it.” – Patricia Hackett [21:32]
4. Connecting the Dots: Agencies Link the Cases (21:39 – 27:14)
- IRS agents uncover the impostor had allegedly bragged about killing a man in Texas.
- Texas Ranger Dusty McCord issues a statewide teletype seeking a murderer matching the tattooed identity thief.
- Detective Wright in Saginaw instantly connects the teletype to the unsolved Dobbs case.
- Using a California driver’s license thumbprint, Cheryl Hubbard at APHIS matches the suspect’s prints to a career criminal: Robert Greer.
Quote:
“When I first saw it, I just had a gut reaction that this was gonna be him. This was going to be the key that was gonna open the doors...” – Detective Nancy Wright [24:07]
5. Forensic Breakthrough: Confirmation and Hunt for Greer (27:15 – 29:04)
- Forensic examiner Eakes compares preserved Dobbs crime scene prints to Greer’s—finding matches from beer cans and the tube of hydrocortisone cream.
- Evidence unequivocally places Greer at Dobbs’s apartment at the time of the murder.
- Detectives circulate Greer’s photo nationwide, but he remains at large.
Quote:
“I was able to identify his right thumb on a beer can from the trash can in the kitchen.” – Tom Eakes [28:09]
6. The National Manhunt and Capture (32:35 – 35:18)
- Las Vegas PD and the National Park Service are alerted to Greer's possible presence. His ex-roommate suggests he may be hiding at Lake Mead.
- A break comes when campers report Greer boasting about being featured in a newspaper fugitive story.
- Within hours of the new tip, Greer is found camping in a ravine outside Las Vegas. He surrenders without resistance.
Quote:
“Within five minutes he was spotted on the ground...he saw us. He basically just put his hands up and gave up. He knew he was caught.” – Sgt. George Headley [34:56]
7. Confrontation, Motive, and Justice (35:33 – 40:17)
- Detective Wright interviews Greer, who never confesses but hints at his troubled prison past and bias against homosexuals.
- Wright theorizes the murder motive was triggered by homophobic rage, possibly fueled by past sexual trauma in prison.
Quote:
“He clearly wanted to talk to me, but he was reluctant to talk specifically about the murder.” – Detective Nancy Wright [36:03]
Quote:
“I believed that when he’d been in prison before, he probably had been the victim of sexual assault...So I believe that our victim made a sexual advance...He became enraged over it and killed him in that fit of rage.” – Detective Nancy Wright [36:52]
- Massive forensic evidence compels Greer to plead guilty before trial. His sole demand: remain in county jail until after the Super Bowl, so he could watch his beloved Minnesota Vikings play.
Quote:
“The ironic thing about that agreement is that Minnesota got beat the very next week.” – Ranger Dusty McCord [39:05]
- Greer receives an 18-year sentence. Michael Bertineau expresses anger that Greer never paid for his years of tax and identity theft torment.
Quote:
“He should have got 11 years for what he did to me, for the 11 years he put me through.” – Michael Bertineau [39:24]
- Ranger McCord is satisfied:
“Yes, I think that justice was done...Mr. Greer is right where he needs to be, which is in the penitentiary.” [39:55]
Important Timestamps
- 02:12: Detectives arrive at Dobbs’s crime scene
- 05:14: Greer’s alias discovered via job application
- 07:41: The real Terry Greene provides crucial background on “Walter”
- 11:22: Identification of the rose tattoo “Phyllis”
- 14:44, 19:42: Bertineau’s battle with IRS and hunt for identity thief
- 21:32: First physical description and photo evidence of suspect
- 24:07: Saginaw PD connects teletype to Dobbs case
- 26:49: Cheryl Hubbard identifies the suspect as Robert Greer
- 28:09: Forensic print match places Greer at crime scene
- 34:56: Greer’s capture at Lake Mead after ten years on the run
- 36:52: Detective Wright explains motive theory
- 39:05: Plea deal and Super Bowl irony
- 39:55: Justice, as viewed by law enforcement
Notable Quotes
- “There was a writing found on the bathroom mirror that read ‘die.’ It appeared to have been written with a type of ointment or cream...” – Detective Nancy Wright [03:09]
- “He said, ‘They’re better off dead than be around me,’ but I never connected that with it...especially if he’d had a little Jack Daniels helping him.” – Terry Greene [10:19]
- “The only thing that I could remember that really made him stand out is that he had a tattoo on his arm with the name Phyllis in it.” – Patricia Hackett [21:32]
- “When I first saw it, I just had a gut reaction that this was gonna be him. This was going to be the key that was gonna open the doors...” – Detective Nancy Wright [24:07]
- “I was able to identify his right thumb on a beer can from the trash can in the kitchen.” – Tom Eakes [28:09]
- “He clearly wanted to talk to me, but he was reluctant to talk specifically about the murder.” – Detective Nancy Wright [36:03]
- “I believed that when he’d been in prison before, he probably had been the victim of sexual assault... So I believe that our victim made a sexual advance... He became enraged over it and killed him in that fit of rage.” – Detective Nancy Wright [36:52]
- “The ironic thing about that agreement is that Minnesota got beat the very next week.” – Ranger Dusty McCord [39:05]
- “He should have got 11 years for what he did to me, for the 11 years he put me through.” – Michael Bertineau [39:24]
- “Yes, I think that justice was done... Mr. Greer is right where he needs to be, which is in the penitentiary.” – Texas Ranger Dusty McCord [39:55]
Tone and Presentation
The episode maintains a chilling, methodical, and matter-of-fact tone, marked by the haunted, dogged persistence of law enforcement and the devastation wrought by the criminal’s manipulations. Personal accounts from investigators and victims’ families bring humanity and emotional depth to the story, while technical forensic breakthroughs and inter-agency effort underscore hope even in long-cold cases.
This summary captures the essential developments, emotional arcs, and procedural milestones of “The Killer’s Tattoo.” It provides a clear path through the complexities of the case for listeners—and the uninitiated—alike.