Melissa Lamesch // 558

Summary

Going West: True Crime

Episode 558 – Melissa Lamesch
Release Date: November 28, 2025
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman
Production: Dark West Productions

---

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, Daphne and Heath explore the tragic case of Melissa Lamesch, a 27-year-old pregnant paramedic found dead in her home after a suspicious fire in Mount Morris, Illinois, in 2020. The hosts unravel the disturbing investigation that followed, focusing on Melissa's relationship with firefighter Matthew Plody—who became the prime suspect—and the devastating aftermath for Melissa's family.

---

Main Theme

The episode investigates Melissa Lamesch's murder, highlighting the complexities of her personal life, the shocking involvement of a first responder, and how methodical police work brought her killer—someone devoted to saving others professionally—to justice. The case is presented as both an intimate family tragedy and a chilling example of betrayal by someone in a position of public trust.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Introducing Melissa Lamesch (02:57–06:59)

• Melissa, a loving daughter and sister from Rockford, Illinois, dreamed of a fulfilling life and dedicated herself to helping others as a paramedic.
• Quote:
  “She was known for her tremendously unique smile, always arriving fashionably late and her love of eating and napping. Everything was done in her perfectionist ways and always in true Melissa fashion.” —Melissa’s family

Melissa’s Life & Relationships (06:59–14:07)

• After high school, Melissa worked varied jobs before pursuing paramedicine, graduating in early 2020.
• Met Matthew Plody at a trivia night; their on-and-off, mostly casual relationship lasted about seven years.
• When Melissa accidentally became pregnant in late winter 2020, Matt was not interested in parenting and distanced himself, leaving Melissa to approach motherhood as a single parent.
• Melissa’s family was supportive; she moved back in with her father and prepared joyfully for her baby’s arrival, naming him Barrett.

The Day of the Crime (16:05–19:08)

• On November 25, 2020, Melissa was at home on maternity leave, resting before labor induction scheduled in two days.
• Her last known activity: a phone call with her sister Cassie, which ended abruptly when Matt arrived unannounced.
  Quote:
  “She said she would make the conversation quick and that she would call me right back. But sadly that call would never come.” —Cassie (16:26)
• Hours later, neighbors report a house fire; Melissa, her unborn son, and her beloved cat are found dead in the kitchen.

Investigation Unfolds (19:08–31:34)

• Initial confusion over the cause: accident, medical emergency, or something more sinister?
• Early suspicion on Matt (last person to see her), supported by a neighbor’s report of a man entering the home before the fire.
• Matt’s reaction to Melissa’s death during questioning is strikingly flat:
  Quote:
  “He paused for about 10 seconds and then said flatly, ‘Oh, okay.’” —Daphne, referencing Matt (25:00)
• Forensic examination reveals:
  • Fire was arson, confined to the kitchen, with no accelerants or electrical cause.
  • Melissa had no ash or elevated carbon monoxide in her lungs, minimal burns—meaning she died before the fire.
  • Significant bruising and hemorrhaging, especially to the neck, indicating violent strangulation.

Evidence and Motive Build (31:34–40:19)

• Melissa’s autopsy points to physical struggle, possible sexual assault, and DNA of a single male found under fingernails and on her body.
• Matt’s own actions: absence from work on the day of the murder, secretive behavior, and living with another woman who was unaware of Melissa or the pregnancy.
• Quote:
  “Not only had Matt been seeing other women in addition to Melissa, but he was actually living with another woman during Melissa's pregnancy.” —Daphne (39:23)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Content | |---------------|-------------| | 02:57–06:59 | Melissa’s background, family, and ambitions | | 08:21–14:07 | Relationship with Matt, family support, preparing for the baby | | 16:05–19:08 | Timeline of the murder: phone call, Matt’s visit, discovery of house fire | | 24:15–26:46 | Police question Matt; his suspicious reaction and attempt to distance himself | | 28:07–31:34 | Fire marshal’s findings: arson, not a survivable fire, but Melissa was already dead | | 33:00–34:22 | Matt’s pattern of avoiding responsibility and not telling friends/family about the baby | | 35:42–36:59 | Police grilling Matt; inconsistencies in his statements about relationship and involvement | | 37:07–39:08 | DNA evidence, details of assault and struggle | | 43:19–46:36 | Matt’s lack of emotion during photographic evidence, police collect DNA, and attempt to confront Matt with his chief’s help | | 47:47–48:58 | Defense’s attempt to blame Melissa’s supportive father and neighbors | | 49:58–51:12 | Prosecutors’ reflections on Matt’s hypocrisy and the brutality of the crime | | 51:12–53:03 | Guilty verdict, sentencing, emotional courtroom statements | | 53:03–53:33 | Appeal attempt denied |

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Melissa’s Personality & Hope

• “She was a strong woman. She could do it.” —Cassie, Melissa’s sister (12:47)
• “We're going to get through this, just us.” —Melissa to her family (11:57)

On Matt’s Detachment and Motive

• “He paused for about 10 seconds and then said flatly, ‘Oh, okay.’” —Daphne, quoting Matt (25:00)
• “I had no intention of hurting Melissa.” —Matt during interrogation (44:09)
• “Just because you did all those things does not mean that you can't be a monster, which Matt is.” —Heath (53:27)

On the Crime’s Brutality and Irony

• “It is honestly so tragically ironic given the fact that Matt was a firefighter.” —Heath (50:18)
• “Her injuries were consistent with her fighting back—the terror she must have felt while she was fighting for her life and her baby's life.” —Assistant State’s Attorney Allison Huntley (50:23)

---

Case Resolution (51:12–53:33)

• Verdict: March 22, 2024
  Matt Plody convicted on all counts—murder, arson, concealment, homicide of an unborn child, and aggravated battery.
• Sentence: Life in prison plus 60 years for the unborn child and 15 years for arson.
• Courtroom Impact: Family delivered emotional statements; the judge emphasized Melissa’s struggle and Matt’s betrayal of his professional oath.
• Appeal: Denied in July 2024.

---

Episode Tone & Reflections

Daphne and Heath’s style remains empathetic but sharply critical, especially towards Matt’s actions and the failures of defense strategies. They highlight the cruel irony of a firefighter (someone sworn to protect others) committing the crime, alongside reflections on trust, parenthood, and family.

• “This case is just such a slap in the face…he swore to help people in his job, but ended up destroying so many lives instead.” —Heath (54:13)
• Both hosts express outrage at the defense’s attempts to cast suspicion elsewhere, and admiration for Melissa’s resilience and her family’s enduring love.

---

For Further Information

• The hosts encourage listeners to view photos and follow updates on their social channels: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok @GoingWestPodcast.

---

Closing

The Melissa Lamesch case is a harrowing example of betrayal, loss, and the limitations of character when faced with personal responsibility. Daphne and Heath honor Melissa’s memory, stress the importance of justice, and remind listeners of the lasting impact on the families left behind.

---

This summary is a faithful, rich depiction of the episode’s investigative narrative, emotional moments, and key takeaways suitable for both regular listeners and those approaching this chilling case for the first time.

Transcript

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Oh, hey, welcome to gift wrapping.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 2]

Whoa.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

So is Saldana.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Hey, can you wrap these please?

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Wow, iPhone 17s.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

You splurged at T Mobile. You can get four iPhone 17s on them. The new center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. It's the perfect gift for everyone.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

I'm the worst. I only got my mom a robe.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Well, it's better than socks.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

So I have to trade in my old phone, right?

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

No AT T Mobile. There's no trade ins needed when you switch. Keep your old phone or give it as a gift.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Incredible.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

In fact, wrap up my old phone too for my aunt Rosa.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

Forget that.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Aunt Liz will be jealous.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Like my family drama.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Oh, I got it. I'll give it to my abuela. I'll take reindeer paper with. Hey, where are you going?

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

To T Mobile.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

The holidays are better. AT T Mobile get four iPhone 17s on us. No trade in needed when you switch plus four lines for just 25 bucks a line. And now T mobile is available in US cellular stores with 24 monthly bill.

[T-Mobile Legal/Disclaimer Voice]

Credits and four eligible port ins on essentials for well qualified customers. Auto pay + taxes fees and $35 device connection charge credits ended balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel contact US Finance Agreement 256GB$830 required.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Visit T mobile.com VRBO helps you swap gift wrap time for quality time. Go to VRBO now and book a last minute week long stay and save over $390 this holiday season. Book your next vacation rental home on VRBO. Average savings $396. Select homes only.

[State Farm Advertiser]

Insurance may all seem the same on the surface, but having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. It's like getting a granola bar with a candle in it. When you wanted a three layer birthday cake, you wouldn't settle for just any dessert on your birthday. So don't settle for just any insurance. When it comes to getting the help you need, State Farm is the real deal. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

What is going on? True crime fans, I'm your host Teeth.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

And I'm your host Daphne.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

And you're listening to Going West.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Hello everybody. Thank you for tuning in. Hope you guys had a really great holiday. If you're here in the US and you celebrate Thanksgiving, hope you got to spend some time with family. But if not, fear not. Keith and I are here with you.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yes, we are here with another story for you guys today. And also big shout out and thank you to Abby for recommending today's case.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yes, thank you Abby, this is just like such a frustrating story. The turn that this case takes, the person responsible, what they did for a job, like, you're just going to be so pissed.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, it is one of the most tragic stories I think we've covered on this show.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

It truly is. So thank you guys so much for tuning in. And without further ado.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

All right, guys, this is episode 558 of Going West. So let's get into it.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

SAM. In November of 2020, police in Mount Morris, Illinois responded to a report of a house fire where firefighters would make a grim discovery. The body of a 27 year old pregnant woman. But as investigators learned that the fire had been an arson and that neighbors saw a man enter the home shortly before the blaze, a disturbing and shocking suspect came into the pict picture. This is the murder of Melissa Lamish. Melissa Lamish was born to parents Deanna and Gus on May 10, 1993 in Rockford, Illinois, joining two older siblings, a sister named Cassie and a brother named Carl. And the family later welcomed Melissa and of course Carl and Cassie's younger brother Brian as well. So we've got four kids. But Deanna and Gus did eventually divorce, though I will say Melissa and her whole family remained super tight knit. Like, she was very close with all of her siblings and her mom and her dad. And with the divorce and new marriages, Melissa later gained a half sister named Julia. So that would total to five across the board. Now, her sister Cassie describes Melissa as a powerful and strong presence. But towards others, Melissa was gentle and empathetic and sensitive. She loved animals, especially the rescue cat she adopted in her 20s, Antonio, whom her family jokes she was obsessed with. In the aftermath of her death, Melissa's family wrote of her quote, she was known for her tremendously unique smile, always arriving fashionably late and her love of eating and napping. Everything was done in her perfectionist ways and always in true Melissa fashion. She was unapologetically herself. She's described by her dad Gus as a kind hearted romantic who would do anything for anybody and who wanted a fairy tale ending. After graduating from Oregon high school in 2011, but not in Oregon.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

This is, this is Oregon High School in Illinois.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

In Illinois, Melissa, like many people out of high school, let's be honest, kind of struggled to pin down what she wanted to do and decided to complete stints at various universities, actually Northern Illinois University, Elgin Community College, Roosevelt University, and Rock Valley College. Obviously I just told you guys a lot about Melissa's personality, but mostly because she was described as selfless, warm, and caring. This kind of naturally motivated her to go back to school one more time to become a paramedic. In January of 2020, Melissa officially graduated from the Swedish American EMS Paramedic Program. And of course, this is early 2020. So with the impending pandemic, it was a perilous time to be in healthcare. I'm sure there are many of our listeners out there who had to work through that. Melissa's mom, Deanna, actually recalls that Melissa was on the ambulance when the first COVID patient in Chicago was transported to the hospital, which is pretty crazy.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

That is pretty wild. Well, shortly after graduating high school, but before deciding that she was going to become a paramedic, Melissa was working as a host for a pub trivia company.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Maith and I love pub trivia.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Oh, we do. Yeah.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

We go to.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

We go to pub trivia as much as we can. And it was there while she was hosting a trivia night at a bar that she met a firefighter and paramedic named Matthew Plody, who worked in Carroll Stream, Illinois, which is about 35 miles, or 56 kilometers west of Chicago. And this is when Melissa was around 18 years old and Matt was about 25 at this time. So they hit it off and became friends at first, but were also intermittently romantic for the next seven years. But basically, things were pretty casual. And according to Matt, they were both seeing other people, but they enjoyed each other's company. Melissa was pretty quiet on the details to everybody that she knew, like, even to her closest friends and family, only admitting that she didn't believe he was boyfriend material and describing him as a player. But when she became pregnant by accident in the late winter of 2020, they were forced to have this really sobering conversation about their future and also the nature of their relationship. And by the way, at this point, they've been kind of on again, off again seeing each other for about seven years.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. So probably to Melissa, I would guess, the fact that she is saying, he's not boyfriend material, he's a player, but she is still seeing him. They are friends with benefits. I would say not super close friends, but enough to. It's kind of like, oh, while I'm not seeing anybody else, we hook up sometimes.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

But then, of course. Sorry. One of those resulted in a pregnancy.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Exactly. So Matt recalls that Melissa told him the news of this pregnancy in either April or May of that year. And he later divulged that he hoped that, you know, she would terminate this pregnancy. But that Melissa, though initially hesitant, had become too excited about the prospect of becoming a parent and just really wanted to keep this baby. So with her career now in place and her income quite stable, she felt that she was ready for motherhood, even if she knew that she would be navigating the next phase without Matthew's help. And she even actually told him this. And though she hoped that he would step up and maybe become an active participant in the life of their child, he unfortunately seemed incapable of doing so.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Which is kind of interesting because at this point, she's 27 and he's like 32, but he was just not ready to settle down.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, seriously. And in fact, after a disagreement about this, he wound up pulling away from her completely and didn't talk to her for months during her pregnancy. She did, however, continue to send him updates and sonogram pictures anyway, but he rarely responded. Still, Melissa openly hoped that he would be a positive presence in their son's life in whatever capacity that he was willing to do that. Now, after he let that argument go and they started kind of talking again, every so often, Matt would check in, but for the majority of Melissa's pregnancy, he was absent from her life, just kinda, you know, enjoying his freedom and apparently dating multiple other women at the time. And to give you guys kind of some more context about how involved Matt was in her pregnancy, his parents didn't even know about the baby until Melissa told them herself. You know, kind of feeling like they had the right to know about this, which allegedly Matt was very furious about. He did not want his parents knowing about this.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah, he. I mean, the fact that he didn't even tell his parents, I think, shows how much he didn't want to be a part of the child's life, and he just wanted her to deal with it, and he didn't want it to affect him at all. But, yeah, for him to get really mad about that says a lot. Well, Melissa's sister Cassie remembered, quote, to that point, she thought he was a pretty nice guy, but then she saw a different side of him and that really upset her. So Melissa was honest with her family and friends from the beginning of the pregnancy that the father of the baby did not want to be involved and her friends and family didn't even know him since, like I said, she kept things with him super private over the seven years that they were kind of on and off again hooking up, but she told them that she didn't want them to know him and that it didn't matter whether they had a connection to him because he wasn't going to be a part of her baby's life anyway. She was going to be a single mom again.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

She said, you know, he's kind of a player. I don't. I don't really think he's boyfriend material.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Exactly.

[State Farm Advertiser]

So.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

And obviously this was an accidental pregnancy. She didn't expect to have a child with this person that she didn't want to be in a serious relationship anyway.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Sure.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

But she's trying to make the most of it and be the mom that she wants to be. And she's just telling her family like it is what it is. And this is our baby.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

You know, we're going to get through this, just us.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. But her sister Cassie was, of course, curious, so she's kind of sleuthing. She looks him up on Facebook, even though the only details that she was given was that he was bald and a firefighter.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. So crazy work.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. It sounds like us. Melissa's dad, Gus, however, specifically did not want to know the father's identity. He didn't want to know anything about this guy because I'm sure in his mind, he's like, damn, he's not even stepping up to the plate. Like, fuck that guy. I'm going to be there for my daughter.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. And as we're going to talk about, you know, she eventually does move back in with her dad, and it's like, so he's. He sees her going through the entirety of this pregnancy and Matt just not being there whatsoever. So he's like, fuck this guy. I don't. Who cares who he is? We're gonna do this together as a family.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. And it was really sweet because her dad was so supportive. He was so excited for his grandchild to arrive. Like, he was looking at the baby as an extension of his daughter. Matt did not matter to him. And her family really had the utmost faith in her ability as a single mom. And if anything, Cassie said, quote, I thought Melissa was better off. She was a strong woman. She could do it. But I think the reason why Melissa was sending the sonogram pictures in the updates is because she's like, well, maybe he does want to be a part of the child's life. And if he does, then he deserves to have these updates because this is his baby, too.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. She's at least giving him some of some sort of an option here. Like, hey, if you do want to be involved, you can be. And if you don't, that's okay, too.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. Because she did have such an incredible support system all on her own. Obviously, this is very clear with what her dad is saying and her sister. But all of them, her entire family, who is all local to her in Illinois, wanted to be there for her and help step up and, and help her take care of this baby and raise this baby like a village, you know. So like Keith mentioned, she even moved back into her childhood home in Mount Morris, Illinois, which is a hundred miles or 160 kilometers northwest of Chicago. So she's leaving Chicago behind and she.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

By the way, this, this is where her dad lives.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yes, I was literally about to say that she moved in with her dad, which was a lovely arrangement. Her mom, Deanna later told 48 HOURS, quote, if Matt doesn't want to be a part of the baby's life, you know, don't push. The baby is your child, you know, Talking about Melissa. So her dad Gus helped Melissa fix up her bedroom to prepare for her son to come home. And she planned on naming him Barrett Carl Roy Lamish, which her family actually didn't even know until they found a note she left behind after her death that confirmed her choice. Gus remembered, we refinished all the walls. We set up everything for her to move back and had everything really, really nice in there and we were excited for the baby to come. Her family also threw her a lavish outdoor baby shower that summer, just fully supporting her and she was gifted with everything she could possibly need. Now, Melissa's pregnancy was quite smooth until about the eighth month. So the very end of her pregnancy she was starting to experience like dizzy spells, arrhythmia and high blood pressure, and also struggled with morning sickness and aggressive fatigue. But thankfully the baby was very healthy. So toward the final stretch of her pregnancy, she took her maternity leave and spent most of her time resting and just preparing to bring the baby home, which again was something that was so nice about living with her dad, is that he was there to help her. He was kind of like the partner that she needed during that time. But because of the problems that she was experiencing, she was set to be induced on Friday, November 27, 2020, which happened to be the day after Thanksgiving for the holiday, she and her dad planned to have a low key Thanksgiving, just the two of them, and then of course, preparing for Barrett's arrival the very next day.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

So on the day that 27 year old Melissa died, which was Wednesday, November 25, 2020, she was enjoying another restful day at home while her dad Gus was out running errands and just picking up groceries for their holiday meal. The next day day, Melissa spent about two and a half hours on the phone with her sister Cassie. But the conversation ended abruptly when Melissa told her sister with an air of annoyance that Matt had stopped by the house unannounced while she was alone. According to Cassy, she said she would make the conversation quick and that she would call me right back. But sadly that call would never come. And 32 year old Matt was the last known person to have seen her alive. Cassie explained, after I didn't hear from her, I sent her a Snapchat that I knew she would have responded to and I kept looking. I didn't think anything bad had happened at that point until I got the phone call. So Matt later told police that he and Melissa had chatted briefly, but that he had left in the afternoon while she was making lunch. He claimed that he had only been there for an hour or so to discuss finances and his possible presence at the hospital while Melissa was being induced in two days time. And that he then left her behind safe and alone at home, awaiting her dad to come home with their Thanksgiving haul. So again he's saying, you know, I was only there for a short while, we talked very briefly and then I left. And she was completely safe and seemingly.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Had like a fairly positive normal conversation.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Exactly. Well, around 4:30pm that day, a neighbor of Melissa and gus's frantically called 911 to report there's a house smoking on South Hannah. She told the operator that she didn't think anybody was home, but didn't notice that Melissa's car was still parked out front. The fire chief then called Gus, Melissa's father, who was still out shopping, and asked him if anybody was home. Very confused by this, he told them that Melissa should be home because she was supposed to be resting until the baby came. So he raced back while the firefighters managed to get the blaze under control. But it had quickly ravaged the kitchen. Now, this fire was so powerful and fast that Melissa didn't stand a chance if she were still alive. So devastatingly, she and her unborn child died inside that home along with her beloved cat Antonio, never making it out of that kitchen. And this is where she was found, recumbent on the floor. Melissa was less than 48 hours from being induced and it also happened to be her sister's birthday. So you can imagine just how really devastating this is. You know, it's the day before Thanksgiving, it's her sister's birthday, she's about to give birth to two days later and this tragic thing occurred.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

And so confusing, like her dad went out for. For groceries. She's just home by herself. And. What do you mean she died in a fire in the kitchen? Like, it doesn't make any sense.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, just. It felt so random. Well, as her family was notified of the horrific turn of events and raced to the house, Melissa's body was removed from the home. Everybody at the scene was just absolutely blindsided by the sudden and tragic development, and they couldn't wrap their heads around how it even happened. I mean, even police were cautious about saying how they believed the fire had started and wanted the home as well as Melissa's body to be fully processed in hopes of getting more answers. They're like, how did this fire even start? How did she end up on the floor? What happened here? So this is when Cassie told police that the father of Melissa's baby had gotten to the house when they had been talking on the phone earlier that afternoon and that he was likely the last person to see her alive. Then a neighbor also tipped off investigators about seeing a man approach the home shortly before that fire broke out.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

When you finally take a break from diving into some of these intense cases, there's nothing better than relaxing with a glass of wine that you can count on. That's why we want to share Riva de la Rosa, an Italian white wine brand that's elegant, refreshing, and easy to enjoy.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Each glass of Riva della Rosa feels like being transported to Italy. Bright, refreshing, and completely effortless.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

They have two standout wines that we think you guys will Vermentino, which is crisp, vibrant, and smooth, and Gavi, which is bright, kind of flirty, and just the right touch of elegance.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

And the best part is that every bottle has a screw cap, so it's easy to open anywhere, anytime, no corkscrew required.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Enjoy quality wine that pairs perfectly with a quiet dinner this fall or winter time with friends or simply winding down after a long day. Which is exactly what Heath and I did this weekend with a bottle of Vermentino. We made this beautiful fall fettuccine. It paired so well. It was so delicious. We had the whole bottle over dinner, and we had just great conversation. You guys would love this wine.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Bring a little taste of Italy to your next wine night. Check out rivadellarosawine.com to find a bottle near you.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Disclaimer must be 21 plus. Please drink responsibly. Your home should show off who you are. And Ashley has styles that balance timeless appeal and modern trends to bring your personal look home. Me and Heath's house is so us. It's filled with books and horror movie posters and chic furniture. It's so cozy. You will find us curled up on our sectional couch any night of the week. I mean it's an extension style and.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Ashley offers well crafted affordable pieces for any style. Built to stand up to real life with great looks that are made to last.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

More than just eye catching design. Get style with substance like stain resistant performance fabric options which is perfect if you're like us and you have a dog or a child. I mean they are incredibly durable and stain resistant with machine washable cushion covers. What more could you ask for?

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Ashley.com is easy to shop with so many stylish options to choose from and the ordering process is smooth from start to finish. Plus Ashley provides fast reliable white glove delivery right to your door.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Visit your local Ashley store or head to Ashley.com to find your style.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

Oh hey.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Welcome to gift wrapping.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

Whoa.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

So we Saldana hey, can you wrap these please?

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Wow. IPhone 17 you splurged at T Mobile.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

You can get four iPhone 17s on them. The new center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. It's the perfect gift for everyone.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

I'm the worst. I only got my mom a robe.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Well it's better than socks.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

So I have to trade in my old phone, right?

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

No AT T Mobile. There's no trade ins needed when you switch. Keep your old phone or give it as a gift.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Incredible.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

In fact, wrap up my old phone too for my Aunt Rosa.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

Forget that.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Aunt Liz will be jealous.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Sounds like my family drama.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Oh I got it. I'll give it to my abuela. I'll take reindeer paper with hey where are you going?

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

T Mobile.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

The holidays are better. AT T Mobile get four iPhone 17s on us. No trade in needed when you switch plus four lines for just 25 bucks a line. And now T Mobile is available in US cellular stores with 24 monthly bill.

[T-Mobile Legal/Disclaimer Voice]

Credits and 4 eligible board ins on essentials for well qualified customers bought on PAMPAS taxes, fees and 35 device connection charge credits ended balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Contact Us Finance Agreement 256 gigabytes $830 required Visit T mobile.com.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

So now this is all painting a potentially disturbing picture here. More disturbing than before that someone started this fire on purpose. But first, Melissa's brother Carl was the one to call Matt and tell him that a fire had ravaged the house. But the detectives were the ones to break the news to him that it had claimed the lives of Melissa and their unborn child. As the father Of Melissa's baby, of course. And the last known person to see her, he was brought in for questioning that very evening. And when they sat him down and told him that Melissa and the baby were deceased, he paused for about 10 seconds and then said flatly, quote, oh, okay.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

I mean, that's just not really the response you want to see from somebody who literally, you know, this is, this is a person that you're about to have a child with and you don't really care.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yes, but especially because he didn't want to be a part of it. I guess I could look at this as like, it's shock. Like, oh, okay, like, hold on, let me process. But that's how it comes across, I think, you know, looking at it on paper. But this was absolutely suspicious to them. Even if he and Melissa weren't in a serious relationship, he wasn't going to be a part of the child's life. So they're kind of, they're taking note of this.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Well, when you also consider Matt's personality, this is just kind of how he is. He's very, like, stoic. He's very quiet. He doesn't really, he doesn't really talk much.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

That is exactly how police described him. And also during their entire conversation, by the way, Matt is totally downplaying their relationship and told the investigator that after they met at the trivia night like seven years earlier, they dated casually, but that they were both aware that the other person was dating and sleeping with other people, which was true, but they still had a seven year relationship in some regard. He has known this woman for like a fourth of his life.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, almost a decade.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

And also he said that after 2014, so six years earlier, they didn't really see each other nearly as often as they had when they first met a year or two before that, which might be true, but it seems like he's kind of getting defensive from the jump. Like, oh, well, we weren't really serious and we didn't see each other that often. Like, yeah, he's putting that out. He's, he's, he's painting his own picture.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

It's, it's definitely an attempt to dense. Distance himself from Melissa in some way.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Right. So again, they are thinking at first, is this weird? Is it not weird? Does this totally make sense that he's having this reaction? Is the simplest explanation to blame, you know, was Melissa cooking as Matt said she was, and accidentally started a fire that spread so quickly that she was not able to get herself out of there? Well, investigators are also entertaining the Possibility that she had fallen victim to a medical emergency, which had maybe rendered her unable to attempt to extinguish the fire. Maybe she had inhaled too much smoke after being knocked unconscious and then obviously still couldn't get out.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

I mean, they. Yeah, they do have to look at all the angles here, because they do know that she was having dizzy spells, she was feeling fatigued. She was, you know, in the third trimester of her pregnancy. She was about to give birth. So she. She. They're thinking, well, maybe. Maybe that did happen. Maybe she just fell. Fell down, and a fire started, and she really couldn't get out, which is.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Totally possible, by the way, of course. And, yeah, like you're saying, they also were aware that because of those difficulties that she was having in her third trimester, that she was really just staying at home all the time, and that was why she was home all the time. Also, you know, this is the pandemic. It was safer for her and her baby to be home and not around a bunch of people.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Right? Yeah. They didn't want her out there anyway.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah, but it was that. Plus she could experience a medical emergency in public when she's by herself. So they're taking all of this into account. But as the scene was investigated a little bit more delicately, detectives began to question whether Melissa had actually been killed by the fire after all, due to the lack of burns on her body. And get this. When the scene was evaluated by a fire marshal, he concluded that the fire had been set intentionally and that the blaze, especially because it was confined to the kitchen, showed clear signs of being the product of an arsonist. But whether the fire was set in an effort to kill Melissa or whether she was collateral damage kind of remained unknown at this point. However, it seemed to be a striking coincidence that most of the damage was restricted to the kitchen, which was where Melissa's body had been found.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

I mean, it's kind of crazy here, because, you know, now we're having to consider the fact that Matt was a firefighter, literally. And the fire marshal is coming in there saying, hey, this. This fucking fire was started intentionally. So it's like if Matt was trying to pull a fast one. Well, guess what? Apparently, you were not smart enough if you thought you were gonna get away with something like this.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Well, the guy knows his fires, so it's really interesting that this is a part of the equation, but it does.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Appear that this fire was started, you know, a little bit sneakily here, because while searching the home for evidence of arson, scent dogs were brought in to Sniff for accelerant, but they couldn't find Any definitive evidence that a fire had been started with the help of one. Now, an arson expert believed that the fire was started near the oven, but that neither the stove nor the burners had been the actual source of the flames. In fact, it was determined that the stove hadn't even been turned on at the time. The stainless steel switches for the stovetop burners Were all turned off, and there was no damage to the inside of the oven at all. The stove was also probed for electrical or wiring problems that could be blamed for the sudden onset of the fire, but was found to be in pristine condition. However, the cabinets atop the stove Sustained significant damage and were believed to have been the source of the outbreak. Inside were both cookbooks and alcohol, which may have served as possible tender for the growing flames. Though what sparked the fire still remains unknown, Investigators were also wondering why Melissa hadn't been able to get herself out of the house in time, Deeming the fire a survivable one and concluding that if she had been conscious at the time it broke out, she should have been able to get herself out, Especially because the door to the garage Was actually connected to the kitchen and located Just feet away from where her body was found. So it would have been very easy, had she been conscious, to get out of there.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah, it's not like she was in an upstairs bedroom, and the fire had engulfed the entire house before she realized the house was on fire and there was no way to exit.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, the door's right there to the garage.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. And it's not like the entire house was aflame. It was just the kitchen.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. So, as the scene of the fire Was poured over and more information came out, the medical examiner performed an extensive examination On Melissa's remains. And the most damning revelation of all Was that melissa had no ash in her lungs, which obviously means that she died before the fire broke out. She also had normal levels of carbon monoxide, which means that she couldn't have died from smoke inhalation. There were lacerations and bruises all over her body, the worst of which was around her neck, Leading the coroner to believe that she had been strangled. Now, according to one forensic pathologist who examined her body, it was the most hemorrhaging she had ever seen In a strangulation case. Now, strangely, Melissa suffered minimal burns, as we mentioned, Though, she had been covered with debris and also soot. And with matt being their only person of interest at this time, you, know, a firefighter who knows a lot about fires The Ogle County Sheriff's office began questioning his friends, coworkers, and any women who were known to be dating Matt around the time of Melissa's death. So as they made their way through the people who knew Matt the best, one thing became very clear. Most people had not even known that he was about to become a father.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Wild. Well, nine months had passed since the fire and Melissa's shocking and sudden death. And Matt, as we know, he was known for being a quiet and calm presence on the force, as well as, you know, a little bit of a team player, I will say that. Who did seem to care deeply about his job. That is what people said about him. But here's the thing. When the Ogle County Sheriff's department reached out to the Carroll Stream Fire Department, where Matt worked as a paramedic and a firefighter, they were informed that that Matthew had declined to show up for work on the day that Melissa was killed. Because if they really did just have a casual conversation and he left, he should have showed up for work after that, but he didn't. Like most people in Matt's life, Carol Stream's fire chief, Robert Schultz, had been unaware of the fact that Matt was about to become a father. But Melissa's family had been eyeing Matt from the beginning, believing that he may have panicked and killed her because he didn't want to become a father, even though she was literally giving him the out. She was saying, you don't have to be a part of this, but I'm gonna go forth with it because it's my choice. Now, because, of course, of his background in fighting fires, Matt would have likely known how to set a fire and make it look like an accident, hence the lack of accelerant. He would know that that would make it look like an arson.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, because any dumb, dumb who sets a fire, they're probably going to find an accelerant, especially with having those scent dogs in there. But it didn't appear that anything was found. So, yeah, Matt was kind of trying to pull a fast one here.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. And he's 32 years old. He has been a firefighter for a decade at this point. So he's. He's been on a lot of fires. So. On August 28, 2021, detectives again brought him in for questioning, hoping to get a little bit more information out of him this time. This interrogation lasted seven hours. Despite Matt's reluctance to offer up any information at all, whether incriminating or exculpatory. When grilled about the nature of their relationship, he continued to downplay their connection and the length of it, saying that they had dated casually close to a decade ago, but telling the detectives candidly, quote, we didn't have a good relationship. When asked if they were on and off, Matthew said, quote, more off. However, to kind of sweeten his position in the eyes of investigators, he told them that he was prepared to help out with the baby after all, saying, quote, previously, I wasn't really on board, but today, the last couple of weeks, I wanted to be involved, which we.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Know is complete bullshit.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah. If you. I won't even go into it, but her family would call this a lie, just like we would. But unfortunately, Melissa wasn't there to give her side of the story or to explain herself, because that's another thing. As we know, their relationship was very private to all the people in both of their lives. So there was nobody to. To really say, oh, well, she or he told me this conversation that they had. Yeah, they didn't really talk about it. So we. We don't really know exactly how Matt felt and how Melissa felt about that, because she didn't go into it a lot. We know what we discussed about him icing her out for a few months during her pregnancy and him not really responding to text, because we have the physical evidence of that in the phone records. But regarding their conversations or their relationship, just in general. Yeah. Particularly their final conversation, were all very much in the dark. Well, by Matt's account, on the day that she died, he and Melissa talked about whether or not he should be present for the induction, and they also discussed how much Matt should be expected to give financially in order to support Melissa and Barrett, which.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah, I'm sure he was not excited about that.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. And that could be a potential motivation for what happened that day.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Oh, 100% scent. So I do want to mention now that there was male DNA found on her genitals. So this is being brought into the discussion, and police were shocked to hear Matt explain that the conversation they had on the day she died had evolved into what he described as consensual sex between the two, which is not something that he said before. He's saying he went over there just to talk and that he left. She's two days away from birth, and they're not dating anymore, yet they're having consensual sex.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. And obviously, this feels really weird to investigators because they're like, hey, she. She was known to be fatigued. She was, you know, not feeling too good. She was two days away, as you said, from Giving birth. So why would she consensually have sex with Matt when it just didn't. It just didn't seem very likely to investigators?

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

No, all of that was so. Made it so eerie for investigators because, yeah, they knew how she was feeling so down. She wasn't really eating. She was sleeping so much. Like, even the fact that she would have agreed to have this conversation in the first place, which we know she technically didn't because he showed up unannounced.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. And Cassie said that she sounded annoyed that Matt was there.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Yeah, she didn't have the energy for any of this. But Melissa's autopsy determined that either consensual sex or sexual assault had taken place shortly before her remains were found. Due to the presence of both seminal fluid and lacerations on her genitals, a rape kit was performed on Melissa's body in hopes of matching the DNA of the guilty party to the seminal fluid left behind on her body. So that was tested. It's taking a very long time, so they didn't have it up at this point. But there were also scrapings under her fingernails, which also pointed to a single male contributor, which is why all of this is so suspicious. It looked like she was attacked.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. I mean, if you look at everything between the scrapings underneath her fingernails and just the fact that it appeared that she was sexually assaulted, you're like, okay, now that's painting the picture of what really happened that day.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Well, get this. Police subpoenaed Matt's phone records and uncovered even more damning evidence. Not only had Matt been seeing other women in addition to Melissa, but he was actually living with another woman during Melissa's pregnancy. And this woman believed that they were in an exclusive relationship. So she didn't know he was having a baby with another woman.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, and so it appears that Matt was keeping things hidden from even this girl that he's seeing.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Tack another motive on, right?

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Actually, the very day that Melissa died, he was exchanging text messages with one of the many women that he was seeing. One of whom he was planning on seeing that very night.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

Support for Unwell comes from Google Pixel. Okay, daddy gang, listen to me. Let me set the scene. You are on a girls trip. Everyone's dressed up. It's the perfect golden hour lighting. And somehow, it is impossible to get a group photo where everyone looks good. Okay? One person's blinking, another hates their angle. And of course, the one where you look amazing is the one that your friends absolutely hate. So relatable. That is where The Google Pixel 10 Pro's camera comes in the this thing is wild. Let me explain it to you. Okay? It has auto Best Take that automatically finds and combines similar photos into one where everyone looks great. I know this is literally a dream. So all of those blinks and look aways are replaced with picture perfect smiles. And you know how you always take great photos of your friends but they can't seem to take a decent picture of you? Well, the Google Pixel has a feature called Camera Coach that literally coaches you on how to take the best photo. Left, right, zoom in, step back. It maps it all out so when you ask someone to take a photo of you, you know it's going to look good. It's the girls trip essential I didn't know I needed but now I've got it. So yeah, get outside of your comfort phone and try the Google Pixel 10 Pro. Check it out at google store.com camera coach results may vary oh hey.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Welcome to gift wrapping.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Whoa.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

So Saldana hey, can you wrap these please?

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Wow. IPhone 17 you splurged at T Mobile.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

You can get four iPhone 17s on them. The new center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. It's the perfect gift for everyone.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

I'm the worst. I only got my mom a robe.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Well it's better than socks.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

So I have to trade in my old phone, right?

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

No AT T Mobile there's no trade ins needed when you switch. Keep your old phone or give it as a gift.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Incredible.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

In fact, wrap up my old phone too for my Aunt Rosa.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 3]

Forget that.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Aunt Liz will be jealous.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 1]

Sounds like my family drama.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Oh I got it. I'll give it to my abuela. I'll take reindeer paper with hey where are you going?

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

T Mobile the holidays are better. AT T Mobile get four iPhone 17s on us. No trade in needed when you switch plus four lines for just 25 bucks a line. And now T Mobile is available in US cellular stores with 24 monthly bill.

[T-Mobile Legal/Disclaimer Voice]

Credits and 4 eligible board ins on essentials for well qualified customers. Photo Pay + taxes, fees and $35 device connection charge credits and imbalance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Contact Us Finance Agreement 256 GB $830 required Visit T mobile.com Insurance may.

[State Farm Advertiser]

All seem the same on the surface, but having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. It's like getting a granola bar with a candle in it. When you wanted a three layer birthday cake, you wouldn't settle for just any dessert on your birthday. So don't settle for just any Insurance. When it comes to getting the help you need, State Farm is the real deal. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

So at this point, police are fully investigating Matt. And in an attempt to jar him, investigators showed him a picture of baby Barrett as he was being prepared for he and Melissa's open casket funeral, as well as photos from Melissa's autopsy. But this didn't seem to have any effect whatsoever on Matt's conscience.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

I can't imagine having to look at those pictures, especially if you know in your head that you did that.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. And then show zero emotion. That's crazy. Crazy work. While Ogle County Lt. Brian Keter described Matt's demeanor that day as, quote, quiet, soft spoken and very non verbal. So at this point, the line of questioning got very heated, and Matt, who had been avoidant and cagey from the beginning, asked to see an attorney, as, of course, you guys could probably guess. So with that, the interrogation was over, but detectives were able to execute a warrant to collect his DNA. While he continued to deny any involvement. He made several statements that were questionable at best and seemed to point to his involvement, including saying, I had no intention of hurting Melissa and that he was sorry he stopped by her house that day. So with this information and the intensifying suspicion that he was obviously involved in her murder, he was placed on administrative leave from the Carroll Stream Fire Department. But Matt continued to staunchly deny his involvement and claimed that his secrecy was simply born from a desire to keep his personal life separate from his work. But without a confession, and while still awaiting the results of the DNA testing, the sheriff's department had little information that was going to be helpful to the investigation. So they approached Carol Stream's fire chief again, Robert Schultz, to see if he would be willing to record a conversation with Matt. And guess what? Robert agreed to do so. He asked Matt to come in to speak with him, placing a recording device on his desk. But just like the interrogation, this yielded very few results. So Robert pressed him, asking about the details of his conversation with Melissa that day, which was likely the last she ever had, and wondering why he had declined to tell anybody about the child that was going to be due two days later. And Matthew was yet again mute and subdued, continuing to deny everything, but also offering very little explanation about his whereabouts, his movements, and his motivation in turn.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Which is like, okay, if you're saying you didn't do it, fine. Where were you then? Why didn't you go to work that day? Like, if you didn't do it, you did something else. What Was it?

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah. And that. That's exactly what Robert is trying to press him on at this point. And Robert even asked him outright, quote, so when you left, she was fine, and then Matt just said, yes, ridiculous.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Give us something, especially because your own life is on the line. Like, don't you want defend yourself? Tell us what you were doing.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

I think Matt's idea of his defense here is just deny, deny, deny, like just don't say anything at all. And then you can't incriminate yourself, which.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Unfortunately works in a lot of cases. But we have DNA here. And guess what? Because they were able to collect Matt's DNA 16 months after Melissa's murder, that sample that Matt had offered up, not voluntarily, but that they had the warrant to collect, finally came back from testing as a match to the DNA found under Melissa's fingernails and on her genitals. So on March 9, 2022, nearly a year and a half after her murder, Matt was finally arrested. His trial began two years later with his defense attorneys harping on their perceived failures of the police's investigation, saying that the Ogle County Sheriff's Office zeroed in on Matt far too early without examining other possible culprits and without a full fledged investigation. To the disgust of Melissa's family, the defense team alleged that her dad Gus should have been considered more seriously, despite the fact that he was cleared quickly and never considered a suspect, because why would he be?

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

I mean, this is just an insane cope by the defense.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Such a slap in the face.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, Just to, Just to say, just to even consider. I mean, there's seminal fluid on Melissa's body and there's scrapings under her fingernails. And you think that her dad did that?

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Well, and we know he didn't because of the DNA, but they're kind of trying to say, well, they had consensual sex and then Matt left and then her dad came back and murdered her.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

What? What? Yeah. That's so stupid that just.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

I mean, there's. He has no motivation. He was. He loved his daughter. He was so excited to have a grandbaby and he was at the store. But Matt's attorney, John cup, was basically maintaining his belief that neighbors who were home at the time when the fire broke out should have been investigated further as well. So they're not even fully saying, well, it had to be Gus. They're saying, maybe it was Gus, maybe it was a neighbor. They don't have a solid answer either, because it was Matt.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

I mean, the DNA really speaks for itself, honestly. But of Course, of course they're gonna twist it and say, oh, well, maybe she scratched him during consensual sex. And, you know, that's how she got the scrapings under her fingernails or whatever.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

But also to answer some questions you guys might have right now about, well, how could they even suggest that Gus did it if he was at the store? John cup, again, Matt's defense attorney was saying that he thinks that Gus could have gone to the store, Matt could have gone there, had consensual sex with Melissa, Gus came back, murdered his daughter, and then went back to the store to establish an alibi.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

It just doesn't make any sense.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Well, thankfully, this incredibly flimsy attempt to sow reasonable doubt among the jury members was unsuccessful, and the prosecutors did not have a hard time convincing the courtroom that Matt was guilty. Assistant State's Attorney Allison Huntley called the murder especially depraved because Matt had spent his whole adult life in a profession devoted to helping people. Which is why I said in the beginning of this episode, like, this guy was a firefighter. That's what he did for a living. He helped people.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

And to think that he had this in him, this horrific callousness to not only murder an innocent woman, but a just almost born, almost just negative two day old baby, like your baby was about to be born. You also killed the cat in this fire. Like, this was really bad.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

It is honestly so tragically ironic given that the fact that Matt was a.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Firefighter and as well, because he was so violent with her, all the bruises and lacerations. We discussed, the likely rape that occurred, he did all of that, plus set her on fire and the kitchen on fire to cover up his own horrific acts. She went on to tell the court, quote, her injuries were consistent with her fighting back the terror she must have felt while she was fighting for her life and her baby's life. This defendant should never be free again. This is a just sentence for this man's action in wiping out these two lives. We also have to remember as well, this was not a quick murder with him strangling her. That would have gone on for several minutes. He had multiple chances to stop himself.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yes, he did. So with that, the jury deliberated for just two hours. And on March 22nd of 2024, Matt was found guilty on all 10 charges stacked against him, including three counts of first degree murder, one count of concealment of a homicidal death, one count of residential arson, one count of premeditated first degree murder, three counts of intentional homicide of an unborn child and one count of aggravated domestic battery. On June 27th, 2024, then 36 years old, he was handed a sentence of life in prison for that first degree murder, plus 60 years for the intentional homicide of an unborn child and 15 years for residential arson. At his sentencing, he offered up a very short statement saying, I share the pain and the sadness and the loss of Melissa and Barrett, which was obviously just a total slap in the face to Melissa's grieving family. I mean, all of whom were in attendance to support her and Barrett. Her parents and sister both offered up tearful victim impact statements to a predictably stoic Matt ploty with her sister Cassie, telling the court of the joy in her sister's voice in their final phone conversation, which was likely only an hour or so before her brain brutal murder and described how giddy she was at the prospect of bringing her baby home in just two days. Judge Ben Rowe acknowledged the heinous and brutal overkill of the crime and called his sentence an appropriate and just punishment for Matt, saying that Melissa was, quote, fighting for her life in her baby boy's life for as long as six minutes before her beloved childhood home was set ablaze.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Just four months after his conviction on July 16, 2024, Matt and his legal team filed a notion for an appeal, hoping to overturn his conviction and conduct another trial alleging that he had no criminal history, had been an Eagle scout member as a teenager, who gives a shit, and had devoted his career to saving people.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yeah, just because you did all those things does not mean that you can't be a monster, which Matt is.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

But thankfully, this motion was denied, sadly, because Matt has never admitted any involvement and has remained tight lipped on any details that may be viewed as incriminating. Her family may never know what really happened to Melissa and Barrett that fate. Thank you so much everybody for listening to this episode of Going West.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Yes, thank you guys so much for listening to this episode. Again, thank you to. Let's see who it was.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Abby.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

Abby. Yes, thank you, Abby, for recommending this case. I mean, I had never heard of this before, but I mean, how tragic and again, how ironic the fact that this firefighter, this person who swore to help people in his job, ended up killing somebody, or I should say multiple people in that way.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

It's just such a horrible story. Thank you guys so much for tuning into this one. If you want to see photos of Melissa, please head on over to our socials. We're on Instagram oingwestpodcast and we are also also on Facebook. We're on TikTok at Going west podcast, so check it out again. Hope you guys are having a great week with your family and we will see you on Tuesday.

[Teeth (Going West Host)]

All right guys. So for everybody out there in the.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

World, don't be a stranger. Sam.

[Oregon Lottery Advertiser]

Looking for a last minute gift for your people? You know, your people, that weird bunch of friends and family that you love dearly. Well, here's an easy idea. Oregon Lottery Holiday Scratch. It's because your people, they're the ones that, amidst all the holiday crowds and endless notifications, help you find the fun. Which calls for a little gift that brings big cheer. Oregon Lottery Holiday Scratchets. You know where to find them. Grab some today. Must be 18 or older to play Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only.

[Gift Wrapping Customer 2]

Another negative pregnancy test. But this Black Friday, you can feel in control of your conception journey again and get pregnant 10 times faster. It's Mira's biggest sale and it could help you to stop feeling lost. Even if your cycles are long and ovulation has felt impossible to find. Mira measures four key hormones with clinical accuracy so you can finally see what your body is doing and time things right to get pregnant. Get 30% off Mira for Black Friday. Check out MiraCare.com Insurance may all seem.

[State Farm Advertiser]

The same on the surface, but having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. It's like getting a granola bar with a candle in it. When you wanted a three layer birthday cake, you wouldn't settle for just any dessert item on your birthday. So don't settle for just any insurance. When it comes to getting the help you need, State Farm is the real deal. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

Ever since switching to T Mobile, something weird has been happening. I get to cut lines.

[Oregon Lottery Advertiser]

Oh, right this way.

[Daphne (Going West Co-host)]

Who me?

[T-Mobile Salesperson]

I can stream shows at 30,000ft and I was able to buy reserve tickets for my favorite band.

[T-Mobile Advertiser]

It's not just you. With T Mobile, everyone can get VIP status. That means access to exclusive events and experiences just for being a customer At T Mobile, VIP means y ou check out the VIP treatment at T mobile.com benefits.