True Crime with Kendall Rae

Episode: From Applebee’s to a Fatal Car Crash… the Chilling Case of Morgan Patten

Date: December 18, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae (Mile Higher Media & Audioboom Studios)
Guests: Steve and Renee Patton (parents of Morgan Patton)

Overview

This deeply empathetic and investigative episode explores the life and tragic death of Morgan Patten, a promising young woman who died in a mysterious car crash after visiting an Applebee’s in North Carolina. Host Kendall Rae, unwaveringly victim-focused, recounts Morgan’s vibrant life, the suspicious and confusing circumstances leading to her death, and the immense efforts of her parents to uncover the truth and honor her memory. The episode features powerful contributions from Morgan’s parents and never-before-heard evidence, painting both a moving family portrait and an infuriating portrait of investigative failures.

Episode Structure & Main Segments

• Introduction & Main Theme [03:15 – 06:55]
• Morgan Patten: Her Life and Character [06:55 – 20:49]
  • Parental insights and anecdotes
  • Morgan’s achievements, interests, and personality
• Life with Phil and Future Plans [18:48 – 20:49]
  • Her relationship, ambitions, and engagement
• Events Leading to the Crash [20:49 – 28:31]
  • Timeline of Morgan’s travel and evening
  • Discovery of the crash and Morgan’s death
• Immediate Aftermath & Family Reaction [28:31 – 31:31]
• Investigation, Oddities, and Failures [31:31 – 56:34]
  • Bizarre crash site events and police decisions
  • Hunter’s and Charles’ conflicting accounts
  • Debates about evidence, BAC, and possible coercion
• New Details, Timeline, and Witness Accounts [44:27 – 56:34]
  • Applebee’s bartenders
  • Text messages and intentions of Hunter and Charles
  • Autopsy findings and gaps
• Legal Outcomes and the (Lack of) Justice [71:38 – 77:07]
  • Plea deal and courtroom experience
  • Systemic failures and comments from the DA
• The Morgan’s Miles To Go Foundation [78:17 – 82:12]
  • How the Pattons are turning grief into hope for youth
• Final Reflections & Call for Justice [84:22 – 85:30]
  • Family’s concluding thoughts

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Morgan’s Upbringing and Character

• Steve and Renee Patton describe raising Morgan as their “one in a million,” a child full of curiosity, compassion, and determination.
  • Steve: “She was a miracle child, and we were fortunate to be her parents.” [08:43]
• Morgan excelled academically and in extracurriculars—music, sports, hiking—always displaying a nurturing character, intelligence, and deep thoughtfulness.
• Anecdote from Steve (about Morgan comforting a grieving friend): “Instead of just helping her up… she just laid down next to her and eventually asked her what was going on.” [around 15:00]
• She meticulously weighed decisions from a young age, sometimes writing her parents letters about her choices.

2. Morgan’s Young Adulthood and Love Story

• Earned academic scholarships, shifted focus to online learning for more rigorous studies, and pursued a career in geoscience with ambitions in environmental law.
• Developed an enriching relationship with her fiancé, Phil, an aspiring Marine; they maintained their relationship despite periods of long distance and limited communication.
• Steve recalls Phil’s proposal request: “Renee and I were silent for maybe 10 seconds… But then we told him how we felt about seeing him and Morgan together and how we felt about their relationship and welcomed him into the family.” [19:04]

3. The Night of the Crash: Timeline of Events

• Morgan traveled for 13 hours to visit Phil in Jacksonville, NC for a long-awaited weekend.
• She checked into her hotel, received an exciting job interview email, and went to Applebee’s for a simple meal.
• Critical turn: By 10:45pm, Morgan was involved in a fatal car crash—passenger in a pickup with two strangers, Marines Hunter Wells and Charles Cornwall.
• Discovery was traumatic, no ID was found on her; she was labeled a Jane Doe until the next morning.

4. Family’s Shock and Initial Investigation

• Steve describes his reaction to the news: “The initial shock… was so intense… I can remember wanting to punch him… In that crazy moment, I just thought, somehow she can’t learn about this because this will kill her.” [28:31]
• The family rushed from New Hampshire to North Carolina, hoping against reason there’d been a mistake.

5. Immediate Red Flags and Investigation Mishaps

• Strange crash scene activity: Two Marines, unrelated to those involved, accessed the site claiming to be the driver’s brother. Hunter Wells has no brother. Motive or intent unknown. [31:31]
• The crash scene was cleared hastily, the towed truck was not officially processed for evidence, a rifle and bullets were simply tossed back into the vehicle.
• Incoherent, shifting stories from both Hunter and Charles about why Morgan was with them and where they were headed (“…said they invited her to go shooting guns with them…” [35:00]), with gaps and contradictions (e.g., no confirmed beer purchase, roommate stories changing).

6. Hunter’s Story Unravels & Character Inconsistencies

• Narrative of Morgan going “shooting” with near strangers is doubted. Morgan was known as careful and never impulsive.
• Kendall: “There is just no reality in my mind where Morgan would be consensually hooking up with this loser in the back of this truck, there is just no way. …she was not going to throw all that away just for some guy she met at Applebee’s.” [Approx. 68:00]

7. Critical New Evidence and Timeline Details (Exclusive)

• New text messages reveal Hunter and Charles were plotting to take Morgan home (“if she comes back with us, the house is yours” [44:27]).
• Bartender witnesses recall the men buying shots for Morgan; opinions differ about whether she seemed interested or was being pressured.
• Morgan never paid her tab (uncharacteristic); may have been prevented from returning to the bar.
• Morgan’s weird last text to Phil: “Also people bring cocaine onto base through pizza just by the way.” [Approx. 53:00] – no prior context; possible connection with Charles’ statements about “drugs in pizza boxes.”

8. Autopsy, BAC Discrepancies & Forensics Gaps

• BAC in blood sample: 0.13; BAC in vitreous fluid: 0.02. Law enforcement leaned on the higher number to suggest voluntary entry, yet forensic realities of decomposition likely skewed this finding.
• Sergeant’s problematic logic: “If Morgan’s BAC was above the legal limit… he would assume that she got into Hunter’s truck willingly, which is such a bizarre and wildly unfair assumption.” [approximately 54:00]
• The sexual assault kit was inconclusive; some male DNA found, but insufficient police follow-up.

9. Legal Outcomes: A Failure of Justice

• Hunter Wells pled guilty to felony death by motor vehicle and felony serious injury, receiving only 38 months in prison (release in January 2027), via a plea deal.
• Steve Patton laments: “We were vehemently opposed to any plea deal… It was absolutely sickening. We felt defeated. We felt like Morgan Patton’s life didn’t matter to them. …They just wanted to clear this off their desk.” [71:38]
• The family was not allowed to criticize law enforcement during victim impact statements; they describe the experience as disempowering and heartbreaking.
• Charles Cornwall was never charged, not properly questioned, and today works as a sheriff’s deputy in Montana, despite admitted memory and impulse issues.

10. Legacy and Advocacy: Morgan’s Miles To Go Foundation

• Steve and Renee, channeling their pain into action, established a foundation to support youth and empower kids, honoring Morgan’s legacy of achievement and kindness.
  • “We started the foundation in August of 2023 with the mission of perpetuating the life of Morgan Renee Patton by empowering youth and young adults through opportunity.” [78:17]
  • Initiatives: scholarships, youth fishing derbies, memorial benches, and ambitions for future victim-family retreats.

11. Final Reflections

• Morgan’s family’s enduring pursuit: “Her story’s not over. Morgan’s story is not over.” [85:25]
• Steve: “What happened to Morgan Patton honestly could have happened to anyone. …The way that North Carolina authorities swept this under the rug… is wrong. That shouldn’t happen to anyone.” [84:22]
• Renee: “Morgan was a big deal, and she still is.” [85:16]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Morgan’s character:
  • “She was reading. Renee actually taught her how to read at 3 years old, and she never stopped… She played the piano beautifully.” – Steve Patton [07:01]
  • “She just laid on the ground with Sophia for a while and let her talk about her grief…” – Kendall paraphrasing a friend’s story [~15:00]
• On investigative failures:
  • “Officers just threw it [a rifle] right back in the truck. And after only about an hour, the sergeant decided he wanted the whole scene cleaned up by morning… The car was never officially processed for evidence.” – Kendall [~32:00]
• On the plea deal:
  • “We were vehemently opposed to any plea deal in this case… We felt like Morgan Patton’s life didn’t matter to them.” – Steve Patton [71:38]
  • “You don’t want his fate to be in the hands of 12 people. People who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.” – DA (per Pattons) [~75:37]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction to the Case: 03:15 – 06:55
• Morgan’s Life & Family Interview: 06:55 – 20:49
• Crash Details & Discovery: 20:49 – 28:31
• Family Receives the News: 28:31 – 31:31
• Crash Scene Investigation Oddities: 31:31 – 35:00
• Hunter’s Story & Inconsistencies: 35:00 – 44:27
• Applebee’s Timeline & Exclusive Texts: 44:27 – 56:34
• Autopsy Results & Downplay by Police: 54:00 – 58:15
• Legal Proceedings & Plea Deal: 71:38 – 77:07
• Foundation, Memorial, and Moving Forward: 78:17 – 82:12
• Final Reflections (What Listeners Should Take Away): 84:22 – 85:30

Final Thoughts & Call to Action

Kendall Rae’s coverage provides a compassionate, rigorous look at the heartbreak and injustice faced by the Pattons. The episode is as much about Morgan’s extraordinary life as it is about the heartbreak of flawed investigations and broken systems. The Pattons’ resilience, advocacy, and call for “absolute truth and justice” remain unwavering.

Listeners are encouraged to support Morgan’s legacy through the Miles To Go Foundation and stay informed about ongoing developments. As Steve and Renee emphasize, Morgan’s story is far from finished—justice and answers remain to be fought for.

Links for Further Support:

• [Morgan’s Miles To Go Foundation (Website & Facebook page)](show notes)
• [Donate or share: GoFundMe](show notes)