Dec. 21, 2022
Introducing Season 2 of Suspect: Vanished in the Snow, by Wondery & Campside Media
For more than three and a half decades, the disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews was a mystery – a riddle neither authorities nor her family members could solve. The residents of her cloistered Colorado hometown had scoured every inch of...
For more than three and a half decades, the disappearance of 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews was a mystery – a riddle neither authorities nor her family members could solve. The residents of her cloistered Colorado hometown had scoured every inch of prairie. Jonelle’s face had been on milk cartons nationwide. Even the President of the United States had appealed to the public for help. Still, every lead had fizzled. Every person of interest had turned out to be a dead end. Then, in 2019, Jonelle’s remains were unearthed near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. With the discovery came a troubling new question: Had the truth been hiding in plain sight the entire time? Was the man who couldn’t stop obsessing over Jonelle’s disappearance also the person who took her? From Campside Media and Wondery comes season two of SUSPECT.
Former CNN reporter Ashley Fantz and executive producers Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson (Suspect, Over My Dead Body) dig into one of the most mind-bending cold cases in modern history, in an attempt to separate fact and fiction, compulsion from guilt, and true-crime fandom from a motive for murder.
Listen to SUSPECT: Vanished in the Snow early and ad- free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app. Unique Url: https://wondery.app.link/suspect-sftc
This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2975465/advertisement
Former CNN reporter Ashley Fantz and executive producers Matthew Shaer and Eric Benson (Suspect, Over My Dead Body) dig into one of the most mind-bending cold cases in modern history, in an attempt to separate fact and fiction, compulsion from guilt, and true-crime fandom from a motive for murder.
Listen to SUSPECT: Vanished in the Snow early and ad- free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app. Unique Url: https://wondery.app.link/suspect-sftc
This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/2975465/advertisement
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.599
On a winter night in a small
community near Denver, Colorado, Jim Matthews
2
00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:10.359
arrived home late. He expected to
find his twelve year old daughter, who
3
00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:14.560
had been dropped off after a Christmas
concert, but when he called out,
4
00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:20.399
hey, Joanel, the house was
eirily quiet. His daughter's shoes were on
5
00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:24.960
the floor, but she was gone, and it would be thirty five years
6
00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:31.000
before she would be found dead.
After the discovery of Joanell Matthews's body in
7
00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.840
two thousand nineteen, the police turned
their attention to a man who had told
8
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:42.520
law enforcement years ago that he knew
something, but they dismissed him. The
9
00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:47.000
man did seem obsessed with the case, but is that all he was?
10
00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:53.960
A true crime fanatic or a killer? Wondery and camp Side Media's shocking true
11
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:59.039
crime podcast, Suspect, is back
for a second season with a story that
12
00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:03.920
attempts to step rate fact from fiction, compulsion from guilt, and one man's
13
00:01:03.959 --> 00:01:10.280
true crime obsession from a motive for
murder. I'm about to play a clip
14
00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:17.560
from Suspect Vanished in the Snow while
you're listening. Follow Suspect on Amazon Music
15
00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:23.120
or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can start listening to suspect vanished in
16
00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:29.560
the snow early and ad free by
subscribing to Wondery plus an Apple Podcasts or
17
00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:38.680
the Wondery app. Well County is
a desert, relatively warm outside for Colorado
18
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:47.079
in December, and the sky is
just this Caribbean blue. It's winter,
19
00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:52.280
but it's hot out, dry and
dusty. The snow capped rocky mountains are
20
00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:57.359
all behind us. Ahead, it's
flat. The horizon goes on forever.
21
00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:01.840
I feel like we're on the Wikipedia
tumbleweeds. Don't you feel rich in tomb
22
00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:07.760
rich and umbweits? Yeah? Oh
shit, people tear ass down this road.
23
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:12.280
A few of the trucks passing us
are souped up, brand new tires,
24
00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:17.479
jacked high oil and gas workers apparently
unbothered by speed limits. If there
25
00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:23.280
is a speed limit out here,
we're relieved to turn into a dirt driveway
26
00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:31.919
of a lone rambling house. Hi
guys, Hello again, Hello, nice
27
00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:38.400
to meet you. Vans and Jody
Gillilin lives so far from most of their
28
00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:43.240
neighbors that it's easier to drive to
see them. Across from their house is
29
00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:47.479
a field that stretches about a thousand
acres. It's full of brush and weeds,
30
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:53.240
the kind of place where people often
well abandoned things, old mattresses,
31
00:02:53.360 --> 00:03:00.280
washers and dryers, even boats.
It's like, wow, almost deaded hook
32
00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:04.080
that up to day at home,
see what I can do. But no,
33
00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.240
I mean, people still still do
dump things out here, but it's
34
00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:09.479
usually quick and right, and quick
and right. I mean what they can
35
00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:14.960
show up the back of truck in
two seconds. In the summer of twenty
36
00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.560
nineteen, Vance and Jody were in
their kitchen when they saw blue and red
37
00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:23.280
lights flashing across the perimeter of their
property. All of a sudden, there
38
00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.639
was cop cars going by, and
I was like, oh, until it
39
00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:31.840
was dark. Actually they were out
there, and they were out there forever.
40
00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:38.199
Vans and Jody soon learned those oil
and gas workers and their fancy pickups.
41
00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:44.039
They'd unearthed a small human skull with
a single bullet hole in it,
42
00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:50.120
and authorities new exactly who the remains
belong to. It is a cold case
43
00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:53.080
that has baffled the Greeley community for
nearly thirty five years, but to night
44
00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.719
police may be closer to figuring out
what happened to Janelle Matthews. The twelve
45
00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:02.240
year old disappeared from her home in
late nineteen eighty four. Our remains were
46
00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:08.599
discovered this week by a construction per
in rural World County. Gone for thirty
47
00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.479
five years. Today, human remains
founded an oil and gas fighting Greeley give
48
00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:18.040
investigators new leads on a decades old
cold case. Like a lot of Colorado
49
00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:24.480
residents who had been following Janelle's case
since the nineteen eighties, Vance and Jody
50
00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:29.920
watched the news reports with fascination.
They waited to hear what would happen next,
51
00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:34.439
hoping that the remains in the field
would finally lead investigators to the killer.
52
00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:42.720
As it turned out, it wouldn't
be nearly so simple. This is
53
00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:48.240
a story about obsession my own.
Sure, so I am working on a
54
00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:54.279
podcast about the Janelle Matthews case.
I know you know about that case,
55
00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.120
right, I assume you're probably well
versed. I thought i'd try you one
56
00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.839
last time. But also the obsession
of a community that kept pushing to find
57
00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:09.199
Janelle, to get her name into
the national spotlight and all the way to
58
00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.560
the White House. For example,
I learned about Joanelle Matthews of Greeley,
59
00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:18.720
Colorado, who would have celebrated a
happy thirteenth birthday with her family just last
60
00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:24.680
month, and it's about the obsessions
of a self described true crime junkie,
61
00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:30.560
a man who had started talking about
the Janelle Matthews case just a few days
62
00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:34.839
after police responded to a distress call
from her home, and over the next
63
00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:42.879
thirty five years he kept talking and
talking. It was just me trying to
64
00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:47.160
be a big man in the case. He's a busybody. He gets himself
65
00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:51.720
in the middle of murder cases,
but that doesn't necessarily mean he actually was
66
00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:55.360
involved in them. People are like, Oh, he's just crazy, and
67
00:05:55.399 --> 00:06:00.079
he's just he's just a ding batter
or whatever else, and he's harmless.
68
00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:03.600
He wouldn't hurt anybody. He sets
a good liar that he can convince the
69
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:09.639
juror that he wasn't involved, So
you know he's a liar. He is,
70
00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.920
he's a good one. I turned
around and I said, you're going
71
00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:16.000
to be arrested for obstructing if you
don't get back in your car, and
72
00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:21.040
he says, don't fuck with me. Officer Edgerton, I've buried more people
73
00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:25.600
than you'll know. When you shot
Janelle Matthews on the forehead, was she
74
00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:33.680
begging for her life? She never
Happened. Listen to Suspect Vanished in the
75
00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:39.120
Snow early and add free by subscribing
to Wondering Plus, an Apple podcast,
76
00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:40.240
or the wonder Y app.
1
00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.599
On a winter night in a small
community near Denver, Colorado, Jim Matthews
2
00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:10.359
arrived home late. He expected to
find his twelve year old daughter, who
3
00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:14.560
had been dropped off after a Christmas
concert, but when he called out,
4
00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:20.399
hey, Joanel, the house was
eirily quiet. His daughter's shoes were on
5
00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:24.960
the floor, but she was gone, and it would be thirty five years
6
00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:31.000
before she would be found dead.
After the discovery of Joanell Matthews's body in
7
00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:35.840
two thousand nineteen, the police turned
their attention to a man who had told
8
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:42.520
law enforcement years ago that he knew
something, but they dismissed him. The
9
00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:47.000
man did seem obsessed with the case, but is that all he was?
10
00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:53.960
A true crime fanatic or a killer? Wondery and camp Side Media's shocking true
11
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:59.039
crime podcast, Suspect, is back
for a second season with a story that
12
00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:03.920
attempts to step rate fact from fiction, compulsion from guilt, and one man's
13
00:01:03.959 --> 00:01:10.280
true crime obsession from a motive for
murder. I'm about to play a clip
14
00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:17.560
from Suspect Vanished in the Snow while
you're listening. Follow Suspect on Amazon Music
15
00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:23.120
or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can start listening to suspect vanished in
16
00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:29.560
the snow early and ad free by
subscribing to Wondery plus an Apple Podcasts or
17
00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:38.680
the Wondery app. Well County is
a desert, relatively warm outside for Colorado
18
00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:47.079
in December, and the sky is
just this Caribbean blue. It's winter,
19
00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:52.280
but it's hot out, dry and
dusty. The snow capped rocky mountains are
20
00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:57.359
all behind us. Ahead, it's
flat. The horizon goes on forever.
21
00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:01.840
I feel like we're on the Wikipedia
tumbleweeds. Don't you feel rich in tomb
22
00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:07.760
rich and umbweits? Yeah? Oh
shit, people tear ass down this road.
23
00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:12.280
A few of the trucks passing us
are souped up, brand new tires,
24
00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:17.479
jacked high oil and gas workers apparently
unbothered by speed limits. If there
25
00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:23.280
is a speed limit out here,
we're relieved to turn into a dirt driveway
26
00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:31.919
of a lone rambling house. Hi
guys, Hello again, Hello, nice
27
00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:38.400
to meet you. Vans and Jody
Gillilin lives so far from most of their
28
00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:43.240
neighbors that it's easier to drive to
see them. Across from their house is
29
00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:47.479
a field that stretches about a thousand
acres. It's full of brush and weeds,
30
00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:53.240
the kind of place where people often
well abandoned things, old mattresses,
31
00:02:53.360 --> 00:03:00.280
washers and dryers, even boats.
It's like, wow, almost deaded hook
32
00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:04.080
that up to day at home,
see what I can do. But no,
33
00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.240
I mean, people still still do
dump things out here, but it's
34
00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:09.479
usually quick and right, and quick
and right. I mean what they can
35
00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:14.960
show up the back of truck in
two seconds. In the summer of twenty
36
00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.560
nineteen, Vance and Jody were in
their kitchen when they saw blue and red
37
00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:23.280
lights flashing across the perimeter of their
property. All of a sudden, there
38
00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.639
was cop cars going by, and
I was like, oh, until it
39
00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:31.840
was dark. Actually they were out
there, and they were out there forever.
40
00:03:32.599 --> 00:03:38.199
Vans and Jody soon learned those oil
and gas workers and their fancy pickups.
41
00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:44.039
They'd unearthed a small human skull with
a single bullet hole in it,
42
00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:50.120
and authorities new exactly who the remains
belong to. It is a cold case
43
00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:53.080
that has baffled the Greeley community for
nearly thirty five years, but to night
44
00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.719
police may be closer to figuring out
what happened to Janelle Matthews. The twelve
45
00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:02.240
year old disappeared from her home in
late nineteen eighty four. Our remains were
46
00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:08.599
discovered this week by a construction per
in rural World County. Gone for thirty
47
00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.479
five years. Today, human remains
founded an oil and gas fighting Greeley give
48
00:04:12.520 --> 00:04:18.040
investigators new leads on a decades old
cold case. Like a lot of Colorado
49
00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:24.480
residents who had been following Janelle's case
since the nineteen eighties, Vance and Jody
50
00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:29.920
watched the news reports with fascination.
They waited to hear what would happen next,
51
00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:34.439
hoping that the remains in the field
would finally lead investigators to the killer.
52
00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:42.720
As it turned out, it wouldn't
be nearly so simple. This is
53
00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:48.240
a story about obsession my own.
Sure, so I am working on a
54
00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:54.279
podcast about the Janelle Matthews case.
I know you know about that case,
55
00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.120
right, I assume you're probably well
versed. I thought i'd try you one
56
00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.839
last time. But also the obsession
of a community that kept pushing to find
57
00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:09.199
Janelle, to get her name into
the national spotlight and all the way to
58
00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:13.560
the White House. For example,
I learned about Joanelle Matthews of Greeley,
59
00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:18.720
Colorado, who would have celebrated a
happy thirteenth birthday with her family just last
60
00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:24.680
month, and it's about the obsessions
of a self described true crime junkie,
61
00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:30.560
a man who had started talking about
the Janelle Matthews case just a few days
62
00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:34.839
after police responded to a distress call
from her home, and over the next
63
00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:42.879
thirty five years he kept talking and
talking. It was just me trying to
64
00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:47.160
be a big man in the case. He's a busybody. He gets himself
65
00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:51.720
in the middle of murder cases,
but that doesn't necessarily mean he actually was
66
00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:55.360
involved in them. People are like, Oh, he's just crazy, and
67
00:05:55.399 --> 00:06:00.079
he's just he's just a ding batter
or whatever else, and he's harmless.
68
00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:03.600
He wouldn't hurt anybody. He sets
a good liar that he can convince the
69
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:09.639
juror that he wasn't involved, So
you know he's a liar. He is,
70
00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.920
he's a good one. I turned
around and I said, you're going
71
00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:16.000
to be arrested for obstructing if you
don't get back in your car, and
72
00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:21.040
he says, don't fuck with me. Officer Edgerton, I've buried more people
73
00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:25.600
than you'll know. When you shot
Janelle Matthews on the forehead, was she
74
00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:33.680
begging for her life? She never
Happened. Listen to Suspect Vanished in the
75
00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:39.120
Snow early and add free by subscribing
to Wondering Plus, an Apple podcast,
76
00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:40.240
or the wonder Y app.
