Dark Downeast – The Murder of James Cassidy, Part 1 (Maine)

Podcast: Dark Downeast
Host: Kylie Low
Episode Date: April 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, investigative journalist Kylie Low explores the mysterious 1976 death of James Cassidy—a Massachusetts bank vice president, devoted family man, and, shortly before his murder, the subject of a federal embezzlement investigation. Found burned in his car on a remote Maine logging road, Cassidy’s case is thick with contradictions: Was he running from the law, the target of organized crime, or a casualty of secrets hidden in small town New England? Mixing narration with interviews from family and friends, Low unspools a tale of loss, suspicion, and unanswered questions that remain unresolved nearly 50 years later.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Discovery of the Crime (00:01–08:00)

• Anonymous Tip: On April 7, 1976, a man calls Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department to report a burning station wagon with a body inside (00:01–01:30). The caller hangs up before giving details.
• Search Efforts: Police initially find nothing despite a focused search on the area described. A public plea leads the caller to phone again, providing more specific directions (02:00–03:00).
• Scene Evidence:
  • Wreckage is found near Debeck Point Pond, off a discontinued section of Route 9 (03:10).
  • A gutted, burned-out 1971 Chrysler station wagon; body inside front seat (not back as per caller's report).
  • Gas can nearby; the right front door is open; melted windshield glass described as “thick drops.”
  • Personal effects: orthopedic shoe device, a watch nearby. Notably, no money recovered. (05:00)
• Victim ID: Registration identifies owner as James Cassidy III of Brookline, MA. Dental records confirm identity due to the condition of the remains (06:00–06:30).
• Autopsy Findings:
  • Conducted by Dr. Rudolph Eyrer.
  • No gunshot or stab wounds. Bruising and brittle blood—uncertain if from trauma or fire.
  • Death by burning, not strangulation (as early media misreported).
  • "Jim had suffered burns over 95% of his body, and his remains were heavily charred…" (07:30).

Notable Quote:
"[The fire] was so hot it melted the windshield glass. It ran down the dashboard in thick drops." – Reporting via Robert J. Anglin, Boston Globe (05:20)

2. Family Perspective & The Impact of Loss (09:27–10:40)

• Son’s Memories: Ken Cassidy recalls the last time he saw his father, a simple goodbye before Jim disappeared (09:27).
• Grief: Ken describes confusion, worry, and the moment he learned of his father's death (09:59).
• Emotional Fallout: Ken's emotional crisis and interaction with a teacher who misjudged his behavior (10:18).

Notable Quote:
"That was the last time I saw my father." – Ken Cassidy (09:44)

3. The Missing Person & Troubling Timeline (10:40–16:00)

• Reported Missing: Within 24 hours, Jim’s wife Alice reports him missing.
• Unclear Movements: Conflicting accounts about his dentist appointment and work schedule. Possible sightings:
  • Portland Airport: Seen looking depressed, discussing bank’s sale and job worries.
  • Bangor & Brewer, Maine: Sighted with two unidentified men at a gas station (12:00–13:00).
• Possible Motives: Family speculates trip could be to family in New Brunswick, Canada, but timelines do not add up.

Notable Quotes: "The last man to see my father alive was John Heddy. I remember that name." – Ken Cassidy (13:02) "[Jim] was anxious to come see it [new family house], but he couldn't come immediately..." – Evelyn Cassidy, sister-in-law (14:45)

4. Financial Troubles & Allegations (16:01–25:00)

• Bank Context: James was VP of Brookline Trust Company, known as “a computer genius.” His brother, Arthur, was also in bank leadership (18:10).
• Audit & Merger: A surprise audit intersects with news of a pending bank merger with United States Trust Corporation. Jim disappears after telling coworkers about a dentist appointment.
• Embezzlement Charges:
  • On April 7, a federal warrant is issued for embezzling nearly $20,000 via a treasurer's check, with speculation the loss may be up to $1.9 million (20:00–22:00).
  • Allegations link embezzlement to Jim's rare stamp and coin side business.
• Records Mystery:
  • All charges dismissed after his death, but the paper trail vanishes—no FBI or court records found during requests, adding to the sense of conspiracy or misdirection (22:00–24:00).
• Family’s Doubt: Jim’s relatives insist he wasn’t the type to embezzle, lived modestly, and suggest he may have been coerced.

Notable Quotes: "It was unbelievable. It didn't fit his life or his personality or anybody he was involved with that we knew of." – Evelyn Cassidy (21:58) "There's no why, there's no reason for him to take it unless he was forced to." – Evelyn Cassidy (25:02)

5. Parallels to Other Cases & Organized Crime (25:21–31:23)

• James Morse Jr. Case:
  • Another Massachusetts bank VP killed in similar fashion in 1973; suspected organized crime connections (25:21–28:50).
  • “Two vice presidents at banks found dead in their cars within three years of each other. There has never been any evidence publicly linking the two cases. But the face value parallels raise plenty of questions.” (30:15)
• Speculation: Similarities in the deaths feed theories about organized crime, particularly with the United States Trust Corporation connection.

Notable Quote:
"We couldn't imagine Jim be involved in anything like that voluntarily. But see, that word voluntarily was in there. We don't know." – Evelyn Cassidy (31:23)

6. The Stamp Business – Another Layer of Mystery (31:33–34:50)

• High-Value Stamps: New revelations surface—Jim allegedly carried $350,000 in rare stamps when he disappeared, never found with the body.
• Stamps & Crime: The rare collectibles trade in the 1970s had ties to the underworld. Boston’s Winter Hill Gang had previously stolen and fenced a $500,000 stamp collection.
• Side Hustle: Jim’s mail-order stamp and coin business may have introduced criminal associations beyond banking.

Notable Quotes:
"Jim never talked about having valuable stamps or anything like that… But they were valuable." – Evelyn Cassidy (33:40–33:54)

7. Lingering Questions & Unanswered Mysteries (34:50–35:02)

• Ongoing Theories:
  • Break-ins at family homes during the funeral.
  • The last-known meeting with John Heddy, which family members found odd.
• Family’s Search for Truth:
  • Was Jim forced into crime? Could his side business have ensnared him in something deadly?
  • Emotional and practical toll on surviving family.

Notable Quote:
"You wonder, you know, if it would make a difference knowing that my father had really nothing to do with this and he was forced to do it." – Ken Cassidy (34:55)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 05:20 | Narrator (Kylie)| "The fire was so hot it melted the windshield glass. It ran down the dashboard in thick drops."| | 09:44 | Ken Cassidy | "That was the last time I saw my father." | | 13:02 | Ken Cassidy | "The last man to see my father alive was John Heddy. I remember that name." | | 21:58 | Evelyn Cassidy | "It was unbelievable. It didn't fit his life or his personality or anybody he was involved with that we knew of."| | 25:02 | Evelyn Cassidy | "There's no why, there's no reason for him to take it unless he was forced to." | | 31:23 | Evelyn Cassidy | "We couldn't imagine Jim be involved in anything like that voluntarily. But see, that word voluntarily was in there. We don't know."| | 33:40 | Evelyn Cassidy | "Jim never talked about having valuable stamps or anything like that." | | 34:55 | Ken Cassidy | "You wonder, you know, if it would make a difference knowing that my father had really nothing to do with this and he was forced to do it." |

Key Timestamps for Episode Segments

• 00:01–03:00 – Discovery of burning car, first & second anonymous calls
• 03:10–06:30 – Crime scene details, early investigation
• 06:30–09:00 – Confirmation of victim’s ID, autopsy results
• 09:27–10:40 – Ken Cassidy’s emotional memories
• 12:00–13:30 – Timeline of last sightings, trip north, “friend at the airport”
• 18:10–25:00 – Bank audit, embezzlement allegations, lost records
• 25:21–31:23 – Parallels to Morse murder, organized crime context
• 31:33–34:50 – Stamp business and its criminal connections
• 34:50–35:02 – Lingering questions, family’s grief, unanswered mysteries

Tone & Storytelling

Kylie Low’s tone is measured, compassionate, and quietly suspenseful, reflecting the podcast’s “heart-centered, ethical true crime” mission. The episode balances detailed narration with the raw, personal voices of the Cassidy family, highlighting the lasting impacts of violence and the pain of unresolved grief. Listeners are drawn not just into a whodunit, but into the ongoing wounds left by an unsolved crime.

Conclusion & Next Episode Preview

The episode closes by highlighting the mysteries still surrounding the case: missing stamps, possible links to organized crime, and the possibility Jim Cassidy was not a criminal, but a victim ensnared by forces far outside his control. Kylie teases Part 2 with promises to follow the trail of the missing stamps, explore new suspects, and unravel the tangled relationship between banking, rare collectibles, and violence in 1970s New England.

If you have information on the case: Contact Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit North at 207-973-3750 or anonymously using the form linked in the episode description.