The Unforgotten – Season 1, Episode 1: "The River"

Podcast by Free Range Productions | Original Air Date: July 1, 2024

Episode Overview

The premiere episode of Season 1, "The Labor Day Ghost," delves into the chilling unsolved 1993 murder of Shelly Salter Watkins—a young mother found wrapped in plastic and weighed down in the Trinity River, Texas. Host Wes Ferguson and author Carol Dawson reexamine the three-decades-old mystery, unraveling layers of small-town dynamics, corruption, and the lingering trauma left on family, friends, and the community of Corsicana.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Discovery of Shelly Watkins' Body

• Haunting First Impressions

  • Carol Dawson recounts the harrowing image of Shelly’s body as found by fishermen:
    • “I see these guys fishing and I keep seeing through their eyes... this large mummy shaped package wrapped in black plastic and bound all around with duct tape, with chains and rope connecting the package to two concrete cinder blocks … there is this long blonde hair flowing out across the surface of the water like, like a hank of corn silk.” – Carol Dawson [00:05]
  • The method of concealment suggests the perpetrator expected her body to remain hidden forever.

• Community Shock

  • The violent crime shatters Corsicana’s sense of security.
    • “That kind of thing doesn't happen in Corsicana, you know.” – Teresa Weidman Darby [03:52]
    • “I was just so shocked and numb. Somebody had done something really bad to my friend. Somebody had murdered Shelly.” – Janet Bailey Gummelt [04:00]

Shelly’s Life & Circumstances

• A Vibrant Outsider

  • Shelly is described as outspoken, loving, and nonconforming.
    • “She didn't put up with any bullshit… in Texas, a pistol.” – Carol Dawson [01:43]
  • Her rapid rise in Corsicana society as an outsider stirred jealousy and notice.

• Marriage and Family Dynamics

  • Married to Jerry Mack Watkins, the head of a prosperous business.
    • “They were like very, very much in love. It was kind of fairytale.” – Sandy Salter Cripps [02:36]

The Murder Investigation & Fallout

• Initial Suspicions and Family Shock

  • Jerry’s explanation that Shelly simply “walked out” is met with disbelief.
    • “I said, Jerry, I don’t think she would do that. He goes, well, she did.” – Sandy Salter Cripps [02:47, 24:46]
  • Close friends and family attest Shelly would never leave her daughters voluntarily.
    • “She would have never left those girls.” – Janet Bailey Gummelt [26:05]

• Case Mishandling and Corruption

  • Jerry Mack was indicted for murder but charges were abruptly dropped due to a political corruption scandal—nothing to do with evidence or innocence.
    • “When Carol told me why the judge dismissed Jerry Mack's case, I was shocked. It had nothing to do with Jerry Mack's innocence or guilt and everything to do with an act of political corruption so brazen even the FBI stepped in...” – Wes Ferguson [06:47]
  • Locals fear speaking out, and silence has become the town’s code.

• Lingering Effects

  • The murder and lack of closure continue to haunt the community.
    • “The ripple effect just does not end. She does not go away. She haunts Corsicana itself.” – Carol Dawson [08:28]

On-the-Ground Reporting

• Visiting the River [09:14–10:12]

  • Carol and Wes visit the bridge near where Shelly was found. Carol reflects on the calculated circumstances of the dumping site and the ongoing injustice.

• Courage and Intimidation

  • Family expresses continued fear, but also exhaustion at the secrecy.
    • “They do intimidate me for sure... but also, 30 years later, I'm getting freaking tired. We're still hoping and praying we get some sort of closure. Don't we want to find out who killed Shelly?” – Sandy Salter Cripps [10:54]

Interviews with Key Figures

Larry Warrick – Original Investigator

• Warrick, now battling dementia, invites Carol and Wes in and shares his haunting memories of the case. His wife, Christy, was also the dispatcher who took the urgent 911 call.
  • “That's one of them that just haunts me. My wife actually took the 911 call.” – Larry Warrick [13:46]
• Christy, reached briefly by phone, promises to aid the investigation further: “I know he'd love to help y’all figure this out. I mean, it was kind of figured out, but it just wasn't handled correctly by anybody.” – Christy Warrick [15:34]

Christy Warrick – 911 Dispatcher

• Recalls receiving the fishermen’s call and their bizarre calmness as they tied the body to a tree to prevent it drifting.
  • “It was in the evening time. It was... darker... They just said that it was in a bag and they said they were going to tie it up... which blows my mind while I'm hearing this.” – Christy Warrick [16:59]

Rick Thomas – Retired Game Warden

• Describes mobilizing to the scene and the logistics of recovering Shelly’s body from the river.
  • “She was in the middle of the river. And evidently there was some debris underwater that stopped her from floating down… She was face down in the water and her hair was just floating on the surface.” – Rick Thomas [19:30, 20:19]

J.D. Jennings – Funeral Director

• Remembers transporting the body to Dallas for autopsy and identification.

Family Testimony

• Sandy Salter Cripps (Sister)

  • Details the gut-wrenching timeline, including Jerry’s delayed notification and his suspicious behavior.
    • “She technically died that Monday… and I think Wednesday is when Jerry called me.” – Sandy Salter Cripps [24:26]

• Dr. Courtney Cripps (Niece)

  • Recalls the family’s devastation.
    • “It was the most guttural and visceral reaction that one could have. Like it came from just the deepest, deepest of places…” – Dr. Courtney Cripps [29:04]

• Delivery of the News

  • “God damn, they found the body. Verbatim. God damn, they found the body.” – Sandy Salter Cripps, quoting Jerry’s father-in-law Carmack [30:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They assumed that she was going to be underneath the Trinity River for eternity.” – Carol Dawson [00:23]
• “Silence is often the unwritten code in small towns.” – Wes Ferguson [08:23]
• “They regard it as a cold case, but in fact, it's still hot.” – Carol Dawson [08:55]
• “Somebody that knows her and wants to get rid of a body does what they did.” – Gary (brother-in-law) [10:39]
• “That went so much better than I feared it would. He [Larry] does remember some things... I don't think his dementia disqualifies the more important things he had to say.” – Carol Dawson [16:08]
• “She would have never left those girls. I do know that.” – Janet Bailey Gummelt [26:05]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Shelly’s body found; first impressions – [00:05–01:22]
• Shelly’s background and character – [01:31–02:05]
• Family and town’s initial reactions – [03:17–04:06]
• Details of the investigation and arrest/dismissal – [06:47–08:28]
• Family’s suspicions about Jerry – [24:26–27:10]
• Confronting former investigators – [13:21–16:00]
• Dispatcher's account of the 911 call – [16:26–18:09]
• Discovery and recovery details (Game Warden, Funeral Director) – [19:00–22:44]
• Family’s emotional response to news – [29:04–30:38]

Tone & Atmosphere

The narration throughout is intimate, direct, and candid—juxtaposing the horror of the crime with the tenderness of family recollections and the frustration of thwarted justice. Carol Dawson’s personal investment and the honesty of those interviewed add weight to an investigation burdened by grief, suspicion, and the chilling persistence of silence.

Conclusion

Episode 1 of "The Unforgotten" sets a compelling, atmospheric tone for the re-examination of Shelly Salter Watkins’ murder. The team promises to pursue leads with both sensitivity and rigor, intent on unraveling the corruption and silence that have stymied justice for more than thirty years. The story is as much about the personal and communal trauma left in the wake of violence as it is about solving a crime.

For more information and supporting materials, listeners are encouraged to visit:
unforgottenpod.com