Crime Junkie WANTED: A Christmas Killer
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Dec 23, 2019 In this podcast, the hosts discuss the unsolved case of Janelle Matthews, a young girl who went missing just days before Christmas in 1984. They explore the events leading up to her disappearance, speculate on the identity of a person in a video, and discuss the troubled past of a witness. They also share a heartwarming story about Cortana, a dog who found a forever home after experiencing multiple adoptions.
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Last Known Whereabouts And Home Scene
- Jonelle Matthews insisted on attending a Christmas concert despite recent illness and was dropped home between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. on Dec 20, 1984, where witnesses saw the garage door open and she answered a phone call.
- Her father returned around 9:30 p.m. to find the house quiet, slippers missing, shoes present, and the space heater still on, marking the start of the missing-person investigation.
Voluntary Disappearance Was Deemed Unlikely
- Early investigators quickly ruled out voluntary disappearance because everyone said Jonelle would not have left alone in slippers with the heater on.
- That early consensus shifted the case toward abduction and focused law enforcement on local persons of interest.
Scalp Found Months Later Led To Inconclusive Tests
- In 1985 a farm dog brought a small piece of human scalp to a farmer who waited two months before alerting authorities.
- FBI hair analysis in October 1985 was inconclusive and Jonelle's mother, Gloria, said the hair didn't feel like her daughter's.