Truer Crime – Jeanie Childs Part 2 (Nov 10, 2025)
Host: Celisia Stanton
Episode Overview
In Part 2 of the Jeanie Childs case, Celisia Stanton explores the break in the 25-year-old Minneapolis murder case, focusing on the use of genetic genealogy to identify and convict Jerry Westrom. This episode examines the tension between privacy and justice, the painstaking investigative efforts, the courtroom drama, and the lingering questions and pain for Jeanie’s family. Through it all, Stanton maintains the show's trademark thoughtfulness and nuance, highlighting the real people impacted by crime and its investigation.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Role of Genetic Genealogy
- Background: The Jeanie Childs murder was unsolved for decades, despite investigators having a full DNA profile from the crime scene.
- Breakthrough Inspiration: In 2018, the arrest of the Golden State Killer—Joseph DeAngelo—using genetic genealogy prompts Minnesota investigators to try uploading Jeanie’s case DNA to a genealogy database.
- “A full profile. It showed up again and again on items inside Jeannie’s apartment. But without a name... the profile was useless. Until April 2018...” [03:25]
- Discovery: The match is not to the actual suspect but to a first cousin, leading genealogists to two brothers, one of whom is Jerry Westrom.
- Privacy Concerns: Stanton openly grapples with the ethics of using familial DNA.
- “Genetic genealogy raises really hard questions... My DNA is literally right now in Ancestry.com’s database. What if one day it’s used to track down a relative of mine?... Do I trust law enforcement? Honestly, no.” [08:17]
2. The Stakeout and Collection of DNA
- The Challenge: To make an arrest, police need fresh, surreptitiously collected DNA from Jerry Westrom.
- The Stakeout: Detectives trail Westrom, a hockey dad, from rinks to his job, hoping he discards an item with his DNA.
- “Eyes on the ice but attention fixed on Jerry...What they were watching for wasn’t a goal or a penalty. It was something different. A discarded cup, a food wrapper, a napkin.” [06:00]
- Breakthrough: In Wisconsin, during his daughter’s hockey trip, Westrom discards a napkin.
- “A kid... walked up, maybe 10 or 12, carrying this giant, massive red Slurpee. You can picture the panic. All it would take was one splash of melted ice to ruin the napkin completely. But before the kid could toss it, Agent Chris Bokers acted. He darted forward, reached in, and grabbed the container.” [13:08]
- Result: Lab testing confirms the DNA on the napkin matches the original crime scene profile.
3. The Arrest and Family Reactions
- The Arrest: Done quietly, Westrom doesn’t resist or display strong emotion.
- “When officers came for Jerry Westrom, he didn’t resist...He just went with them, silent. And that silence kind of struck investigators...” [18:03]
- Informing Jeanie’s Family: Jeanie’s mother, Betty, reacts with disbelief and deep emotion.
- “Are you sure you’re calling me up and giving me information I really have been waiting 26 years for? I really need to know this is the truth. He said, Betty, it is 100 percent sure.” [19:20]
- The Shock of the Suspect’s Identity: Westrom is a suburban dad, local business owner, and hockey parent—someone even Jeanie's sister recognizes from her town.
4. The Interrogation and Charges
- Police Interview: Westrom denies knowing Jeanie or ever visiting her apartment, but quickly requests a lawyer.
- “After just 11 minutes, Jerry asked for a lawyer, and then he was officially charged with Jeannie’s murder.” [22:26]
- Community Impact: Westrom’s family and friends are stunned; he maintains innocence and pleads not guilty.
5. The Trial (August 2022)
- Evidence for Prosecution:
- Multiple DNA matches found in Jeanie’s apartment.
- Fresh DNA from hockey napkin confirms the link.
- A set of bloody, barefoot prints at the scene matches Westrom’s footprints.
- Explanation of unique friction ridge skin on soles used as identifier.
- Prosecution Quote:
- “For prosecutors, that bloody print was the signature they needed. In their telling, it placed Jerry Westrom inside Jeannie’s apartment at the time of her murder.” [27:45]
- Forensic Issues:
- Minneapolis forensic supervisor Mark Ulrich had little prior experience with footprints; made a procedural error during independent verification (partially exposing suspect identity).
- Defense analyst unexpectedly corroborated prosecution’s print match.
- Defense Strategy:
- Attempts to introduce alternative suspects (limited by the judge).
- Five alternative suspects considered, but only Jeanie’s boyfriend allowed in court.
- Argues DNA can’t prove time or intent; points out DNA from other men was found in the apartment.
- “They claim there’s DNA, but there’s a lot of DNA...And it’s not exact as to time.” [36:10]
- Attempts to introduce alternative suspects (limited by the judge).
6. The Verdict and Its Aftermath
- Outcome: Guilty on first-degree premeditated and second-degree murder; sentenced to life in prison.
- “For the jurors, it was the footprint that did it...Not those bloody prints beside Jeannie’s bed. That was the piece that stuck.” [42:58]
- Enduring Pain and Questions:
- Jeannie’s family feels both closure and lingering loss.
- “People don’t realize what a mother goes through. I mean, I cried a lot. I prayed a lot. It’s been a really hard road. We miss her. She missed it all...” —Betty, Jeannie’s mother [46:40]
- Westrom continues to appeal his conviction and seeks support from innocence organizations.
- Jeannie’s family feels both closure and lingering loss.
- Stanton’s Reflection: Balances the finality of the verdict with the remaining uncertainties about evidence and process.
- “There are unanswered questions in this case, things that give me pause. Could someone else’s DNA have mattered more than we know? Was that footprint truly definitive?... The fact remains Jeannie was taken and the people who loved her are still left carrying that weight.” [48:10]
7. Action Items & Legacy
- From Jeannie’s Mother, Betty:
- Urges listeners to “listen” to young girls and children, especially in cases of abuse—“Be someone others know they can talk to. Be a safe person. Community care starts with showing up, paying attention, and supporting one another in meaningful ways.” [52:20]
- Charity Highlight: Alexandra House, a nonprofit in Blaine, Minnesota, supporting victims of violence, is recommended for listener support (https://alexandrahouse.org).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On privacy and justice:
“That’s the tension between privacy and justice, between idealism and pragmatism, between what we want the system to be and what can deliver answers to grieving families right now.” —Celisia Stanton [09:41]
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On the detective’s difficulty collecting DNA:
“Game after game, there was nothing usable for investigators. They even trailed him to his job, like hoping that they could catch a tossed cup or cigarette. But still nothing.” [11:13]
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On the emotional burden for Jeannie’s mother:
“People don’t realize what a mother goes through. I mean, I cried a lot. I prayed a lot. It’s been a really hard road. We miss her. She missed it all. She missed my kids growing up. And I know she would have been such a good aunt to them.” —Betty Childs [46:40]
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On the ambiguous legacy of the conviction:
“The truth is, we may never know exactly what happened in that apartment, but we know what shouldn’t have happened. Jeannie should be alive today. She should have grown old.” —Celisia Stanton [48:49]
Key Timestamps
- 03:25 — Genetic genealogy comes to Jeannie’s case
- 06:00 — Detectives begin surveillance on Jerry Westrom
- 08:17 — Stanton’s personal privacy concerns about DNA
- 13:08 — The high-stakes collection of the crucial napkin
- 18:03 — Jerry Westrom’s silent arrest
- 19:20 — Detective's call to Jeannie’s mother, Betty
- 27:45 — Prosecution’s case: DNA and footprints
- 36:10 — Defense’s argument: DNA’s limitations
- 42:58 — Juror explains verdict hinges on the footprint evidence
- 46:40 — Betty on the emotional cost of loss
- 48:10 — Stanton’s reflections on lingering questions
- 52:20 — Action item: listen to young people, support Alexandra House
Takeaway
The episode encapsulates the complex intersection of advancing forensic science, enduring emotional trauma, and the continuing questions that surround cold case justice. Celisia Stanton’s empathetic, meticulous retelling honors both the power and the limits of our justice system, challenging listeners to remain vigilant, compassionate, and active in supporting victims and families.
Links
- Alexandra House
- Truer Crime Podcast
- Host: Celisia Stanton, Instagram/TikTok @celisiastanton
- Newsletter: sincerelycelisia.substack.com