Podcast Summary

Episode Overview

Podcast: Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Episode: The Tinley Park Five: Lane Bryant Massacre UNSOLVED Nearly Two Decades Later
Date: October 3, 2025
Host: Ashleigh Banfield
Guest: Charlie Minn (documentary filmmaker, "Who Killed These Women? The Tinley Park Five")

Ashleigh Banfield revisits the horrifying 2008 mass killing at a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park, Illinois, where five women were executed and a sixth miraculously survived. Seventeen and a half years later, the case remains unsolved, baffling experts and the victims’ families. Banfield and guest Charlie Minn, a filmmaker investigating the case, dissect the failures of the investigation, discuss theories, and highlight the shocking lack of closure for this tragic event.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Incident: A Shocking, Chaotic Crime

• Timeline and Events:
  • On February 2, 2008, just after 10 a.m., at Lane Bryant in Tinley Park (near Chicago).
  • Four women (manager, clerk, two customers) present when a man claiming to be a delivery driver entered.
  • The suspect produced a .40 caliber Glock, forced the four into the back room, duct-taped their hands, and ordered them down.
  • Two more customers walked in and were similarly restrained.
  • The killer covered their heads with store undergarments.
  • Rhoda McFarland, the manager, dialed 911 secretly at 10:44 a.m. and can be heard whispering “Lane Bryant” on the call.
  • Officer arrived within two minutes, but by then, all six women had been shot execution-style.
    • Five died instantly; a sixth (identified as Martha, a store worker) survived by turning her head in the final moment.
  • [00:00–07:09]

Notable Quote

Banfield (opening):
"This case today threw me for a hell of a hula hoop because I had not heard of it... I was absolutely gobsmacked that 17 and a half years after this quintuple murder, which was supposed to be six murders, one went wrong. It's not solved, and there's no suspect."
[00:00]

The Investigation: Missed Opportunities and Open Questions

• Description & Suspect:

  • Surviving victim described suspect as an African-American male, 5'9"–6'0", stocky, black ski cap, and braids/cornrows visible.
  • 3D composite sketch was widely circulated.
  • Despite this, the case remains unsolved nearly two decades later.

• Police Response & Issues:

  • The 911 call initially misrouted to Will County, causing a potential 30-60 second delay.
  • Store had no internal surveillance cameras despite 2008 being “modern” in security terms.
  • Only surveillance footage available was from a Target store across the street - too distant for useful detail.
  • Duct tape and other physical evidence left behind, but unclear if DNA/genealogical techniques have been applied.
  • Police have been extremely tight-lipped, frustrating families and independent investigators.
  • $100,000 reward has not flushed out new leads; tips reached around 7,000 but with no breakthrough suspects.

Notable Quotes

Charlie Minn on the witness:
"This surviving witness holds the key to everything... and that is the sketch which many people believe is not accurate."
[07:56]

Banfield on frustration:
"How on earth could this not be solved? Who would do this? What possibly could a motive be?"
[36:48]

Theories and Speculation

Survivor’s Role and Trauma

• The identity of the survivor ("Martha" from Kentucky, then 33) has been protected. Her own parents were interviewed by media shortly after.
• Survivor's testimony crucial but the public has little access; debate over maintaining her privacy versus potentially advancing the case through public appeals.

Was It a Robbery, Personal Vendetta, or Something Else?

• Only ~$200 stolen; Lane Bryant primarily used credit cards, and cash was low.
• Length of time (40 minutes) in the store is highly unusual for a robbery.
• Possibilities considered:
  • Intended target (possibly an employee or customer there or scheduled).
  • Random violence or personal gratification (“getting off” on killing).
  • Drug-related, though theories about drugs (including bath salts) seem inconsistent with the time frame of the crime.
  • Possible inside job suggested, but colleagues doubted staff involvement.
  • The use of torture/psychological terror as a motive, suggested by sexual assault and pistol-whipping.

Evidence and Forensics

• Physical evidence: Duct tape (potential for DNA and fibers), blood under victims’ fingernails.
• No DNA breakthroughs have been publicly reported. It’s unclear if genetic genealogy has been employed.
• Parallel to other cases (e.g., Golden State Killer, Brown’s Chicken Massacre) discussed for perspective on how “cold” cases do get solved — often through witness tips, genetic matches, or technological updates.

Societal Impact & Media Neglect

• Notable lack of documentaries or persistent media coverage given the crime’s scale and brutality.
• Charlie Minn is producing a film ("Who Killed These Women?") to bring renewed attention.
• Banfield expresses disbelief at the case’s obscurity given its magnitude and circumstances.

Notable Quote:

Charlie Minn:
"This is Chicago. It's the third largest market. I mean, I'm looking at this and saying, is it me? I mean, how come a documentary hasn't been done on this? How come we're not talking about this more? It's the largest unsolved crime in the nation."
[36:05]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the 911 call delay:
  "When the 911 call was made, it went to Will County. It didn't go to Tinley Park. So what happened was they had to transfer the call. So you may have lost 30 seconds to a minute there. That might have been the difference right there in this killer getting caught or not caught."
  – Charlie Minn [11:26]

• On the survivor’s experience:
  "She sat there with some kind of covering over her head while five women were murdered execution style... she survives one of the most traumatic things in the world, being shot. It was in the neck, right?"
  – Ashleigh Banfield [27:33]

• On the enduring mystery:
  "Does Tinley Park Police Department want that distinction? Would any PD want that distinction?"
  – Ashleigh Banfield [36:36]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–06:53: Setting the scene—Ashleigh Banfield recounts the Lane Bryant murders, survivor’s escape, and initial police response.
• 07:09–09:47: Charlie Minn joins, describes the survivor and outlines police secrecy.
• 12:23–14:07: Discussion on surveillance, store security, and the lack of physical evidence capture.
• 15:17–23:22: Examination of possible motives, timeline oddities, and speculation on targeted victims.
• 24:42–25:51: Discussion of sexual assault, evidence (DNA, blood, duct tape), and police silence.
• 27:07–28:56: Examination of reasons for survivor anonymity; trauma aftermath.
• 30:57–33:29: The case as a “cold case,” obstacles to DNA/genealogy approaches.
• 36:05–36:39: Social/media impact and the need for continued coverage.
• 36:48–end: Concluding thoughts and call to action.

Final Thoughts & Resources

Banfield’s Closing Message:
"How on earth could this not be solved? Who would do this? What possibly could a motive be? Mark my words, we're going to stay on this case." [36:48]

Call to Action:

• Visit thetinley5.com for more information or to provide tips.
• Charlie Minn’s documentary "Who Killed These Women?" coming in February.

Overall Tone:
Serious, investigative, frustrated, empathetic to survivors and victims’ families; a call to public vigilance and renewed interest in an unsolved tragedy.

This episode is essential listening for those interested in unsolved crimes, investigative setbacks, and the ongoing search for justice nearly two decades after a chilling mass murder.