Going West: True Crime – Tracy Gilpin // 542 (Sept 30, 2025)

Hosted by Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman
Case: The Murder of Tracy Gilpin, Massachusetts, 1986

Overview & Main Theme

This episode centers on the unsolved 1986 murder of Tracy "Ashtray" Gilpin, a 15-year-old from Kingston, Massachusetts. The hosts, Daphne and Heath, explore Tracy's mysterious disappearance, the discovery of her body weeks later, subsequent investigation twists (including a suspected serial connection and a bizarre confession decades afterward), and the lasting impact on her family and the community. The narrative highlights the enduring quest for justice, the complexities of cold cases, and the failures of law enforcement in missing teen cases.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tracy’s Early Life and Family Dynamics

• Tracy was born in 1971, the second of three children.
• Following her parents’ divorce, Tracy and her sister Carrie lived with their mother in Kingston, while their brother stayed with their dad nearby in Manomet.
• "Tracy specifically was very outgoing. She had a great sense of humor. She was silly, sweet, often a little bit mischievous." (Daphne, 06:37)

The Night of Tracy's Disappearance

[10:10]

• On October 1, 1986, after babysitting, Tracy left for a neighborhood party.
• Although only 15, Tracy attended social gatherings that sometimes included older individuals (“I actually read one source that said the person whose party it was was 26 years old….” Daphne, 10:10).
• Tracy was known for staying out late, sometimes forgetting to notify her family or even “running away” for short stints, causing her mom considerable worry—but always returning until that night.

[11:50]

• She left the party at 10:30PM to accompany friends home, then set off alone to buy cigarettes from Cumberland Farms, a local convenience store.
• Tracy earned the nickname “Ashtray” for her smoking habit; notably, even her obituary listed it (“In her, like on her online obituary, it says Tracy ‘Ashtray’ Gilpin…” Daphne, 12:23).

[14:33]

• After buying cigarettes, she declined a ride from a woman at the store, opting to walk back alone at 11:30PM.
• She phoned the party for a lift but was refused.
• This was the last confirmed sighting of Tracy.

Initial Investigation & Community Response

[16:01 – 20:46]

• Tracy’s absence wasn’t immediately alarming given her past behaviors, but as time stretched and she missed school, alarm grew.
• Police were dismissive, attributing her absence to “another runaway episode,” failing to begin a search for days.
• "It feels like laziness, honestly. Like, what else do you guys have to do tonight?" (Daphne, 19:35)

[20:11]

• Tracy’s mother, Kathleen, and family organized their own search and flyers.
• Police finally joined after four days, with crucial early evidence and leads lost.

Discovery of Tracy’s Body & Scene Details

[21:30 – 25:56]

• Three weeks later, on Oct 22, 1986, a woman found Tracy’s decomposed body in Myles Standish State Forest, partially clothed and with fatal head wounds from a 73-pound boulder—a crime likely committed the night she disappeared.
• Investigators determined the killer brought her to this remote spot and murdered her there.
• “The killer would have needed to be able to comfortably pick up that boulder and smash it over her head before she was able to get away.” (Daphne, 24:21)
• Severe decomposition and trauma made it difficult to ascertain full details; while sexual assault was suspected, it couldn’t be confirmed.

Early Theories & Dead-Ends

[26:18 – 29:34]

• Little evidence survived due to rain, and no suspects emerged from Tracy’s inner circle.
• The family believed she might have known her killer or at least wasn’t snatched by a stranger—hitchhiking or willingly getting into a stranger’s car felt unlikely.

The Melissa Benoit Case & Suspected Serial Connection

[31:12 – 38:41]

• In 1990, four years after Tracy’s murder, 13-year-old Melissa Benoit disappeared in a similar manner in Kingston.

• FBI polygraphed neighbors, leading them to Henry Meinholtz, Melissa's 52-year-old Bible school teacher neighbor, who failed the test and confessed to disturbing sexual fantasies and behaviors.

• Melissa’s body was found in Meinholtz’s basement; he was convicted and sentenced to life.

• “I truly regret that option is not open to me in this case [the death penalty].” – Judge at Meinholtz’s sentencing [37:24]

• Public and investigators speculated whether Meinholtz also killed Tracy due to similarities:

  • Both victims: young brunette, last seen walking alone, found partially nude.
  • Meinholtz admitted to picking up hitchhikers for abuse.

• However, evidence did not concretely tie him to Tracy.

Cold Case, New Tips, and the Michael Hand Confession

[45:01–62:27]

• Decades passed with no movement in Tracy's case. In 2017, the family doubled the reward, prompting renewed media attention and a vital tip.
• The tip shared details of a different party on the night Tracy vanished, hosted by Michael Hand, then 29 years old.
• Michael Hand lived locally, hosted parties attended by teens, and knew Tracy. He never told police she’d been at his house that night.

[49:13–55:33]

• In 2018, investigators tracked him to North Carolina. His stories changed multiple times:
  • First, he denied seeing Tracy.
  • Then, he said he saw her in a car with Meinholtz (the later-convicted killer), and he & a friend chased Meinholtz to the state forest where Tracy’s body would be found—claiming to see Meinholtz emerge with a tarp and shovel. (“It almost feels like he’s trying to paint himself as some sort of hero here.” – Heath, 53:22)
  • In yet another version, he helped move a boulder at Meinholtz’s direction, explaining away possible DNA.
• When asked for a DNA sample, Hand became evasive—and called his pastor. In a private confession, he admitted to dropping a rock on Tracy’s head “trying to help her,” but claimed to be scared to ever confess.

Legal Challenges & The Mystery Remains

[58:59–66:40]

• Michael Hand was arrested, tried, and his pastor testified to the confession.
• Defense argued the confession was coerced or made under distress; the judge ultimately ruled most statements and the pastor's testimony inadmissible.
• Modern DNA testing revealed no match to Michael Hand or Henry Meinholtz with samples from the scene.
• Another unnamed man claimed to have been with Tracy that night but refused DNA testing.
• The case has stalled; Hand remains in custody, with trial perpetually delayed due to frequent admissibility rulings and Covid-era court backlogs.
• "It's just kind of weird to me that, like, why would you make up this entire bullshit story if it wasn't... if you didn't have anything to do with it? Why would you insert yourself into that crime?" (Heath, 67:20)

The Family’s Enduring Impact and Hope for Justice

• Tracy’s loss, though devastating, resulted in her parents remarrying and having another child together.
• Sister Carrie became a Massachusetts State Police trooper, ultimately reaching the rank of superintendent, inspired by Tracy.
• “I know it’s solvable. In my heart of hearts, I know that that person is still out there.” —Carrie Gilpin [66:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It feels like laziness, honestly. Like, what else do you guys have to do tonight?” – Daphne [19:35], critiquing police inaction.
• “The judge stated, ‘It is said that my predecessors in colonial times had gallows erected on the green…and summarily sent defendants…to be hanged — I truly regret that option is not open to me in this case.’” [37:24]
• “It almost feels like he’s trying to paint himself as some sort of hero here, but as we’re gonna get into this story even changes a few more times.” – Heath [53:22]
• “If you’re innocent, you say, sure, here's a sample, and then you leave and go back on. Carry on with your life.” – Daphne [55:57]
• “Let us know your thoughts…and we will see you guys next week.” – Daphne ([68:52] – closing call to action)

Key Timeline & Timestamps

• [02:39] – Case Introduction: Tracy’s disappearance in October 1986.
• [10:10] – Details of the party Tracy attended.
• [13:12–15:44] – Cumberland Farms stop; last sighting.
• [16:01–20:46] – Family’s frantic search, police inaction.
• [21:30] – Body of Tracy Gilpin found; crime scene analysis.
• [31:12] – Four years later: Melissa Benoit case, serial suspicion.
• [38:41] – Meinholtz’s arrest and sentence.
• [45:01] – Family re-ignites cold case with reward; key tip received.
• [49:13–55:33] – Michael Hand’s evolving stories; the pastor confession.
• [62:27–65:18] – Legal challenges, DNA revelations, Hand’s custodial status, and family aftermath.
• [66:19] – Carrie’s quote on the case’s solvability.
• [67:20–68:52] – Final host thoughts and unresolved questions.

Tone & Style

Daphne and Heath balance straightforward true crime analysis with relatable, conversational asides (e.g., Dewey the bulldog’s weight matches the murder weapon, skepticism about '80s small-town social norms). They offer compassion for the victim and family and righteous indignation over law enforcement's failures. The tone is engaged, occasionally irreverent, but always sensitive to the gravity of events.

Useful Summary for the Uninitiated

• Tracy Gilpin’s 1986 murder remains unsolved; key suspect Michael Hand confessed but later denied involvement, and DNA evidence is inconclusive.
• Law enforcement originally mishandled the case, losing precious time and leads.
• Another Kingston child, Melissa Benoit, was murdered four years later by neighbor Henry Meinholtz, who was suspected in Tracy's murder but never charged.
• The case is hampered by muddled confessions, legal technicalities, unclear DNA evidence, and a series of unreliable witnesses.
• The Gilpin family never stopped seeking justice, with Tracy’s sister Carrie reaching the highest levels of law enforcement in Massachusetts.
• As of 2025, the case is cold but not closed, with the hope that advancements in evidence or new tips will finally bring closure.

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Stay tuned for future updates on this case as trials (finally) proceed.