Hands Tied – Episode 3: Homecoming

Podcast: Hands Tied
Host: Maggie Robinson Katz
Date: August 20, 2025

Episode Overview

"Homecoming," the third episode of Hands Tied, immerses listeners in the aftermath of Jim Melgar’s brutal murder and the traumatic experience his wife Sandy and daughter Liz endure. The story unfolds through first-hand accounts of the day following the crime—a family upended, suspicion falling on a grieving widow, and a daughter forced to channel her true crime curiosity into a personal investigation. The episode centers on the emotional fallout, the investigation's early missteps, and the complicated dynamics of grief, suspicion, and resilience.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Immediate Aftermath and Family Shock

• Discovery Through the News (02:40–03:39):
  Tammy and Tom, close friends of Sandy and Jim, recount learning about Jim’s murder through a news broadcast, unable to reach Sandy, and facing agonizing uncertainty about her wellbeing.

  “I just start screaming, where's Sandy? They're not saying a thing about Sandy. Where's Sandy? What happened to her?”
  — Tammy Armstrong (03:55)

• Sandy’s Police Detainment (04:16–05:26):
  Sandy is unreachable because her phone is seized for evidence as police question her, leading to frantic calls to hospitals and police stations by her friends.

2. Reuniting and the Crime Scene’s Emotional Toll

• Return Home and Initial Response (05:26–09:31):
  After being released by the police in the early hours of Christmas Eve, Sandy is collected by Tammy and Tom, who describe the scene—the press, the blood, Sandy’s disoriented state, and her physical trauma.

  “She was just sitting on the couch with hardly anything on, freezing, just sitting there shaking.”
  — Tammy Armstrong (06:50)

• Sandy’s Condition (07:19–09:29):
  Sandy is missing her anti-seizure medication, has a large bump on her head, and is overwhelmed by the “smell of blood.” Tammy comforts her, giving her medication, a shower, and shelter for the night.

  “She kept saying, I still smell it. I still smell it... the blood. So much blood, Tammy. So much blood.”
  — Sandy (as recounted by Tammy, 09:04)

3. The Wrongful Suspicion

• Early Suspicion by Police (09:31–10:22):
  While at Tammy’s, Sandy reveals that police are treating her as a suspect despite her being found tied up.

  “At one point, all of a sudden, she goes, Tammy, they think I did this… I said, that's ridiculous. You were tied up. I said, no one would ever think that you did this.”
  — Tammy Armstrong (09:31)

4. Liz Melgar's Arrival and Her Analytical Approach

• Liz and Anthony’s Arrival (13:46–14:36):
  Liz describes arriving in Houston on Christmas Day and the feeling of shock and emotional overload.

  “I think I was completely in shock the whole time… I feel like I was in shock for years.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (14:00)

• Learning the Details (15:03–16:03):
  Liz gently questions Sandy, learning about the deprivation she faced during the police interrogation, the lack of medical evaluation, and police pressure to take a lie detector test.

• Coping Through Logic and Knowledge (16:39–17:13):
  Drawing on her true crime knowledge and neuroscience background, Liz cites her father’s influence to remain calm and start her own investigation.

  “My dad was always telling me how important it is not to get too emotional… to step back and separate yourself and try and look at things from this perspective that isn't emotional or biased.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (16:39)

5. Mistrust of Police and the Recorded Interview

• Skepticism About Police Objectivity (17:13–18:06):
  Liz’s prior distrust of police tactics reinforces her determination to protect her family and document everything.

  “I was definitely already cynical about the police. I already was very distrusting of them… sometimes the police have released victims back into their killer's custody…”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (17:13)

• Liz Records Police Interview (19:00–20:03):
  Liz records the police interview using a tablet, aware that she may not remember all details later.

  “I really don't know what made me do it. I guess just like mistrust and making sure that I remembered what we'd said…”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (20:03)

6. The Interview Transcript Breakdown (20:20–25:40)

• Key points from the detective-Liz interview:

  • Liz outlines Sandy’s medical fragility and the lack of proper care after the incident.
  • She stresses police deception—Sandy was not taken to a hospital despite claims to family.
  • Liz asserts Sandy was in no fit state to be interviewed and was denied legal counsel.
  • Police maintain they’re not pointing fingers, but the line of questioning zeroes in on potential marital conflict or motives (affairs, abuse), angering Liz.

  “It was so insulting. It was so insulting. It just felt like adding insult to injury.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (22:23)

  “We have to know if somebody was out to hurt your father… we have to figure out who killed him.”
  — Detective Sean Kerris (23:28)

  “She was. I mean, she said the police were basically just saying, 'We know you did it. Was he abusive?'”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (23:03)

7. Revisiting the House and New Discoveries

• Processing the Crime Scene (35:40–37:13):
  Liz returns to her family’s home to help the police list missing items, describing a smell she can’t forget and the house’s state of chaotic disarray, unlike anything before.

  “There's still a smell… sometimes I still smell it and it takes me back there... this house just had this smell that wasn't the smell my house had.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (35:40)

• The Green and Black Backpack (38:46–39:27):
  Liz discovers her old backpack in the garage, containing an Xbox and over 20 pieces of jewelry. She refrains from touching anything, instead alerting the police to its potential evidentiary value.

  “I could see that there was an Xbox in there, but I didn't want to touch any of it.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (39:03)

• Evidence Handling (39:27–40:00):
  The backpack is taken by police for forensic examination, raising questions—was a burglary interrupted, or is this evidence being overlooked?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My dad was always telling me how important it is not to get too emotional about things and to like, step back and separate yourself and try and look at things from this perspective that isn't emotional or biased.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (16:39)

• “I was definitely already cynical about the police… you’re taught to believe that they're going to help you… but I've seen how they've treated other people.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (17:13)

• “It was so insulting. It just felt like adding insult to injury.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (22:23)

• “Questions are asked. Okay? But you have to remember, and it's how somebody perceives the question. We have to know if somebody was out to hurt your father.”
  — Detective Sean Kerris (23:28)

• “She goes, Tammy, they think I did this. And I thought she was just babbling, you know, shock… that's ridiculous. You were tied up. No one would ever think that you did this.”
  — Tammy Armstrong (09:31)

• “I feel like I was in shock for years.”
  — Elizabeth Melgar (14:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:40–03:39] – Tammy and Tom describe learning of the crime via news broadcast.
• [05:26–06:50] – Sandy is found at home, traumatized, missing medication.
• [09:31–10:22] – Sandy reveals suspicion is falling on her.
• [13:46–14:36] – Liz and Anthony arrive to chaos and grief.
• [17:13–18:06] – Liz discusses her skepticism of the police.
• [19:00–20:03] – Liz explains recording her police interview.
• [20:20–25:40] – Police interview with Liz; tension and mistrust.
• [35:40–36:52] – Liz returns to the chaotic house, details emotional impact.
• [38:46–39:27] – Discovery of backpack with valuables, possible break-in indicator.

Host’s Reflections and Parallels

• Personal Connection (29:42–34:30):
  Maggie shares her own family tragedy and the urge to seek answers, paralleling Liz’s journey—highlighting the burdens carried by those left searching for justice, and the sometimes surprising ways people respond to trauma.

Final Takeaways

• Emotional Fallout: The episode captures the rawness and vulnerability of a family devastated by violence and the immediate suspicion cast by authorities.
• Mistrust of Institutions: Liz’s wariness toward police is echoed in her actions and confirmed by the handling of her mother, whose fragile condition is overlooked in the rush to establish culpability.
• Personal Resilience: Liz transforms her early-life obsession with true crime into practical skills for her own investigation, stepping into a role she never imagined she’d need.
• Ongoing Mystery: Suspicious evidence, like the backpack with valuables, deepens the mystery around Jim Melgar’s murder and suggests leads that authorities may have missed or misinterpreted.

Hands Tied continues to peel back the layers of a case marked by trauma, doubt, and determination, as Liz Melgar refuses to accept the easy narrative, fighting for her family's truth.