Truer Crime – Jeanie Childs Part 1

Host: Celisia Stanton
Podcast: Truer Crime
Episode Air Date: November 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Truer Crime, hosted by Celisia Stanton, revisits the unsolved 1993 murder of Jeanie Childs in Minneapolis. Stanton takes a deep, compassionate look at the case, exploring not only the crime but the life of the victim, the impact on her family, and the challenges and developments in forensic investigation over nearly three decades. Through family interviews, archival material, and recent advances in DNA technology, Stanton brings new context and questions to a case that haunted Minneapolis for over 25 years.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Minneapolis in 1993: A City on Edge

• Minneapolis, summer 1993, was in the midst of a surge of violence, setting an ominous backdrop for Jeanie Childs’s story.
• Celisia Stanton (02:44): “Murders seemed to be stacking up one after the other, blurring together on the nightly news.”

Discovery of the Crime

• Jeanie Childs was discovered brutally murdered in her apartment at Horn Towers after a neighbor reported water leaking into their unit.
• The scene was harrowing: Jeanie was found dead, with 65 stab wounds, partially under her bed, and only wearing socks (06:02–07:23).
• Investigators found a significant clue: a bloody, barefoot print, clearly not Jeanie’s (since she wore socks), indicating the perpetrator's bare foot (08:14).

Humanizing Jeanie Childs

• Stanton and Jeanie’s family work to reclaim Jeanie’s humanity from tabloid coverage: She’s described as lively, loving Lionel Richie, and deeply caring to children and family (06:29–07:16).
• Memorable image: Jeanie on a motorcycle, exuding confidence and life.

Impact on Loved Ones

• Jeanie’s mother, Betty Ekman, recounts learning of her daughter’s death, her devastation, and Jeanie’s struggles from childhood abuse, family instability, and subsequent challenges with drugs and sex work.
• Quote – Betty Ekman (11:38): “The gentleman on the phone said, are you all alone?... I said, jeannie Childs. And he says, I'm sorry, ma'am, but that was your daughter.”
• Jeanie’s sister, Cindy, shares a heartfelt letter Jeanie had written her from a time when Jeanie was trying to steer her sibling toward a better path (14:52–15:45).

The Investigation: Early Challenges

• The initial crime scene yielded little: no forced entry, a potential murder weapon left uncollected due to lack of blood evidence, and scattered DNA evidence (17:43–20:18).
• Investigators found two blood types in the stairwell: Jeanie’s and an unidentified male, believed to be the attacker who was potentially injured during the assault.
• Importance of timeline: 1993 predated DNA databases and robust DNA forensics, making identification extremely difficult (20:37).

The Suspects and Dead Ends

• Early focus fell on Jeanie’s boyfriend, Art, whose hair was found in her hand—but his footprints did not match the killer’s, and he had a well-corroborated alibi (22:27–22:45).
• Other suspects, including a client and an unidentified tall man in a trench coat seen with Jeanie prior to her death, were investigated, but leads fell through (22:45–24:53).

Betty’s Decades of Advocacy

• For 26 years, Jeanie’s mother refused to let the case be forgotten—regularly calling police, writing to Jeannie, and keeping her memory alive (26:15–27:44).
• Betty Ekman (27:08): “Without you here, my days are gray. I miss seeing you and talking to you… I have so many questions. They all begin with why.”

The Cold Case Reopens

• In 2015, a dedicated cold case team re-examined the evidence with new DNA tools. They first identified John Eswine as a possible lead via DNA in the stairwell, but his connection to the murder could not be established—his DNA and footprints did not match what was found inside Jeanie's apartment (27:44–30:27).

The Genetic Genealogy Breakthrough

• Following the Golden State Killer’s capture (2018) via forensic genetic genealogy, Minneapolis investigators adopted the same approach.
• A full male DNA profile from the Jeanie Childs crime scene was uploaded to a public genealogy database, guided by an expert genealogist (34:31).
• This process produced a significant breakthrough: a name and a fresh investigative direction, offering hope for closure after decades (34:31–35:00).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the scene’s horror:
  • Celisia Stanton (07:23): “She was completely nude, except for a pair of socks, now dark with blood. Her name was Jeannie Childs, and honestly, it's pretty impossible to reconcile that image with the woman her family remembered.”
• On foot evidence:
  • Detective (08:14, via WCCO): “Felt like a good, an aha... my gosh, that. That could be incredible.”
• On familial grief:
  • Betty Ekman (11:38): “The gentleman on the phone said, are you all alone?...I said, Jeannie Childs. And he says, I'm sorry, ma'am, but that was your daughter.”
  • Betty Ekman (17:29): “That'll never leave. Never leave me. You try to protect them, no matter how old they are. I can't ever forget that.”
• Jeanie’s letter to Cindy:
  • Cindy (reading, 14:52): “Cindy, you're growing up so fast. Sometimes I wish I could have been there to watch you grow. But my thoughts are always with you, and don't ever forget it… I just love you.”
• On breakthroughs in investigation:
  • Detective/Investigator (30:11): “Do you have any idea why your DNA would be in that building?”
    Eswine: “All I can think of is that I must have fallen down somewhere.”
  • Celisia Stanton (34:31): “And the answer he got came without… If you use our method, you're going to identify who did this.”

Important Timestamps by Segment

• Minneapolis 1993 context: 01:09–02:44
• Discovery of the crime scene: 05:30–08:14
• Bloody footprint clue: 08:14
• Jeanie’s personal history: 11:38–16:53
• Family letters & relationships: 14:52–15:45
• Initial forensic investigation: 17:43–20:18
• Suspect focus on Art and others: 22:27–24:53
• Betty Ekman’s persistence: 26:15–27:44
• 2015 cold case reopening: 27:44–30:11
• Eswine investigative dead end: 30:11–32:15
• Genetic genealogy breakthrough: 34:31–end

Episode Tone & Style

• Stanton’s narration is empathetic and reflective, always foregrounding Jeanie’s personhood and the family’s pain while thoughtfully considering the limitations of criminal justice and forensic science at the time.
• Family members’ voices and personal artifacts, like Jeanie’s letters, add emotional depth and authenticity.

Concluding Notes & Advocacy

• Stanton closes by promoting Thistle Farms, a nonprofit for survivors of trafficking, prostitution, and addiction, framing Jeanie’s story within a larger context of violence and survival (35:00–end).
• Special acknowledgment is given to WCCO reporter Jennifer Mayerle and the importance of thorough, local journalism in keeping cold cases alive.

Additional Resources

• Documentary: Footprint to Murder (WCCO, available on YouTube)
• Nonprofit highlight: Thistle Farms
• Further references and case updates: truercrimepodcast.com

For anyone seeking a nuanced, detailed, and compassionate retelling of the Jeanie Childs case—with hope for justice on the horizon—this episode of Truer Crime stands out both for its investigative depth and its deep respect for those left grieving.