Victims, Families and America’s Thirst for True- …...Crime Stories For Bill Thomas, his sister Cathy’s murder is a deeply personal tragedy. For millions of true-crime fans, it’s

TheWashingtonPost

Victims,FamiliesandAmerica’sThirstforTrue-

CrimeStoriesForBillThomas,hissisterCathy’smurderisadeeplypersonaltragedy.Formillionsof

true-crimefans,it’sentertainment.

StorybyBrittPeterson PhotosbyMollieWaltonCorbett

IllustratedbyAnkeGladnick

JULY30,2019

C B X

hadbeenwithBillThomasforonlyafewhourswhenawomancameuptousintears.ShehadheardhimrecentlyonapodcasttalkingabouthissisterCathy’sstill-unsolved

1986killingandrecognizedhisfacefromthesocialmediaaccountsheusestopushoutupdatesandthoughtsonthecase.Coincidentally,shewasabouttogocampingnearthesiteofthemurder,theColonialParkwayinWilliamsburg,Va.“It’sbeensoheavyonmymind,”shesaidinachokedvoice.Shewantedtoknowifanythingbadhadhappenedontheparkwaysincetheso-calledColonialParkwayMurders—apotentialserialkillercaseinvolvingthedeathsoffouryoungcouples,includingCathyandhergirlfriend,RebeccaDowski.

Thomasspokeinacomfortingvoice.“Well,themurdershappenedfrom’86to’89,andthey’veimprovedthingsquiteabit.…It’sabeautifulcorneroftheworld,”hesaidoftheareawherehisonlysisterwasfoundbrutallyattackedinherHondaalmost33yearsago.

ItwasaFridayinJune,thefirstdayofCrimeCon,anannualtrue-crimefestivalsponsoredbytheTVchannelOxygen.Thomas,whois62,hadbeenonhisfeetallafternoonbutseemedenergizedratherthanexhausted,occasionallybreaking

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intoalittledancestepasmusicblaredfromacrossthehallway.He’satall,slightlystoopedmanwithblondhaircombedbackfromhisforehead,verythicktortoiseshellglasses,andpaleeyebrowsandeyelashesthatgivehimavulnerablelook.ThelargeconferenceroomwherewewerestandingattheHiltonNewOrleansRiversidehotelhadbeenconvertedintoPodcastRow,aseriesofboothsdedicatedtotrue-crimepodcasts,from“Wine&Crime”to“CrimeStoriesWithNancyGrace”to“CrimeAfterCrime.”PodcastRowalsohostedaboothsellingnovena-stylecandlesof“truecrimeicons,”including“Dateline”hostKeithMorrison,andaboothsellingstungunsinturquoise,pinkandpurple.AllofmyconversationsonPodcastRowwerepunctuatedbythe“fzzzt”soundofpeopletryingoutthegunsonastackofcardboardboxeswithTedBundy’sfacegluedtothetop.

JustasThomasfinishedtalkingwiththewomanwhowasabouttovisittheColonialParkway,heturnedtoseeanotherwomanwearingawhitetankdressthatwasprintedwithmugshotsofvariousserialkillers:Bundy,DavidBerkowitz,AileenWuornos.Thomas’sfaceimmediatelyhardened.“Ithinkthere’sanobsessionwiththedarkandourdarkestimpulses.Peopleliketostandupandlookovertheedgeofthatprecipice,”hesaid,speakingslowlyashesearchedforgenerouswords.“But…Ijustthrowmyhandsupintheair,like,whydoyouwanttowearadresswithserialkillersonit?”ThewomanhadlongsincewanderedoffinthedirectionoftheCrimeConmerchandisebooth,withits“BasicallyaDetective”and“I’mOnlyHereforanAlibi”T-shirts.

ForThomasandotherfamilymembersofmurdervictims,CrimeCon—nowinitsthirdyearandhostingasold-outcrowdof3,600(upfrom1,000itsfirstyear)—representsamajorandunprecedentedopportunity.Twentyyearsago,ifvictims’familymemberswantedtodrawmediaattentiontoacrimeinhopesofshakingloosenewleadsandmotivatinglawenforcement,therewerejustafewoptions—showslike“America’sMost

Wanted”andNBC’s“Dateline.”Today,therearethousands.Entirenetworks—namely,OxygenandaDiscoveryChannel

Related

Decades’worthofrapekitsarefinallybeingtested.Noonecanagreeonwhattodonext.

TheLyonsistershadvanished40yearsearlier.Butthiscoldcaseteamdidn’tgiveuponthem.

IsitokaytolaughatFloridaman?

offshootcalledInvestigationDiscovery—aredevotedtoround-the-clocktrue-crimecoverage.WriterslikeAnnRuleandMichelleMcNamarahavepioneereda“citizensleuth”approachtocrime,writingbooksthatrecountanactive,oftenhighlypersonalparticipationintheinvestigationofamurder.Andthenthere’sthepodcastuniverse,whichafterthemassivesuccessof“Serial”(“#FreeAdnan”T-shirtswereeverywhereatCrimeCon)hasexplodedwithshowsfocusedontruecrime.Themostpopular—“MyFavoriteMurder,”acomedy-crimeseries,or“CrimeJunkie”or“UpandVanished”—aredownloadedhundredsofthousandsorevenmillionsoftimesandfrequentlyrankinApplePodcasts’top-25chart.

WhenIspoketoThomasbeforetheconference,hesaidhehadasingulargoalinattending,asineverythinghedoesrelatedtoCathy’scase(including,hemadeclearmanytimes,speakingtome):“IamtryingtousemediapressuretokeeppushingtheFBItoputresourcesintotheColonialParkwayMurders,acasethatmostexpertstellmeisasolvablecase.”(TheFBIhasworkedCathy’skillingfromthebeginningbecauseitoccurredonNationalParkServiceland.)Thomasfeelsthathisonlyhopetokeepthecasealiveaftersomanyyearsistodrumupmediaattention.“IonlyhavealimitednumberofcardsIcanplay,”hetoldme.

Yetdespitealltheopportunitiesitoffers,thetrue-crimeboom—andCrimeConitself—hasputThomasandothervictims’relativesinsomeawkwardpositions.There’stheveryrealriskofusingthesenewoutletstooaggressivelyandalienatinglawenforcement.Andthenthere’sthefactthatthrill-seekingtrue-crimefans(andthemediaservingthem)cansometimesforgetthatCathyThomasandothervictimswererealpeople,notjustcharactersinatitillatingnarrative.“Somepeopleareapproachingthisasentertainment.Whichisfine!”Thomastoldme.“Andthensomeofusaretryingtousethoseavenuesofnewsandentertainmentwithanobjectivetowardssolvingunsolvedcases.Occasionally,theseworldskindofcollide.”

BillThomasholdsaportraitofhissister,Cathy,offVirginia’sColonialParkway,nearwhereshewaskilledin1986.(AlexaWelch

Edlund/RichmondTimes-Dispatch)

nthefirstdayofCrimeCon,themassivelineofticketholderssnakedthroughthefirstflooroftheHilton,pastajewelryshopandtheelevatorsandalmostallthe

waytothelobby.CrimeConguests—liketrue-crimefansgenerally—aredemographicallysimilartothevictimsmostfeaturedintrue-crimeshowsandbooks:80percentfemale,accordingtoorganizers,andlargelywhite.TheCrimeConlinewasdominatedbywhitewomen:whitewomeninlarge,laughinggroups,whitewomentuggingahusbandorboyfriendbythehand,whitewomenin“Stressed,BlessedandTrueCrimeObsessed”or“TalkMurdertoMe”or“It’sAlwaystheHusband”T-shirts.

Ifollowedthelineintothehotel’sconventionspace—alargeballroomandseveralsmallerrooms—withThomasandhisfriendandfrequentcollaboratorKristinDilley,atrue-crimewriterwhoco-managestheColonialParkwayMurdersFacebookpage.Wenavigatedpastastallwherepeoplecouldposeforphotosinorangejumpsuitsandanotherallowingyoutomakejailbird“phonecalls”torecordedvoicesfromOxygenshows—

O

andthenheadedintoPodcastRow.There,Thomaswentintothemodehe’dtoldmewashisplanforCrimeCon:“tryingtonetworkmybuttoff.”Hetalkedtonumerouspodcasthosts,somefromshowshe’sappearedon,othersfromoneshe’dliketobeon.HeposedforphotosthatDilleywouldlaterposttotheirFacebookpage,grinningandstoopinggamelyovershorterpeople.“Ihaveanagenda,”Thomassaidaswestrolledthroughthecrowd.“Ifthere’sanoverlapofatleast60or70percentofwhateversomeoneelseistryingtoachieveandwhatwe’retryingtoachieve,I’mactuallyprettycomfortablewiththat.”

Itwasn’tclearimmediatelythatThomaswouldbecomethepublicfaceoftheeightfamilieswholostpeopleintheColonialParkwayMurders.(Oneofthemanyunknownsaboutthecaseiswhetherthedeathsareconnected,buttheirsimilarities—fouryoungcoupleskilledorpresumedkilledneartheircarsinthesameregionofVirginiaoverthreeyears—havecausedfamilymembersandotherobserverstotagthemcollectively.)CathyThomaswasaboldandbrilliantNavalAcademygrad,oneofthefirstfemalesurfacewarfareofficersdespitereceivingmorethanhershareofdiscriminationbasedonhergenderandsexuality.ShewaskilledafewweeksbeforeBillThomas’s30thbirthday.Billspentafewaimless,grief-doggedyearsspiralingthroughjobsandabriefmarriage,beforestartingapublicaffairsjobwiththeAmericanSocietyofComposers,AuthorsandPublishers.Hemarriedagain,hadasonwhoisnow21,divorcedagain.In2006hemovedtoLosAngelestodosimilarworkatahigherlevelfortheAmericanFederationofTelevisionandRadioArtists(AFTRA,nowSAG-AFTRAaftermergingwiththeScreenActorsGuild).

OnenightinSeptember2009,afewweeksbeforethe23rdanniversaryofCathy’sdeath,ThomasdecidedsomewhatatrandomtosearchonGoogleforinformationabouthissister.From7untilmidnight,sittinginhisofficeoverlookingtheHollywoodsign,hereadeverysinglearticlehecouldfindaboutthekillings.Atsomepointhestumbledonastoryabouthorrificcrime-scenephotosfromhissister’smurderthathadbeenreleasedapparentlyaccidentally.Thisappalledandinfuriatedhim.Itfeltlikeaninsultontopofinjuryafterthelong,slowprocessofthecase.So,Thomasbeganadvocatingforhissisterthewayhehadadvocatedforentertainmentprofessionalsmostofhiscareer:bygettingloud.HesecuredinterviewsblastingtheFBI’streatmentofthekillings—andthebureau,hesays,eventuallypromisedhimthatitwouldputmoreresourcesintotheinvestigation.

Still,adecadelater,Cathy’scase,andallofthedeathsanddisappearancesdescribedastheColonialParkwayMurders,remainunsolved.Thomasnowtreatsthecaselikeafull-timejob,retiringfromSAG-AFTRAlastyearandmovingtotheEastCoastinparttofocusmoreonCathy.Duringtreatmentsfororalcancerin2014,hepulledback,buteventhenhe“keptfollowingup.”Hisfriendsandfamilyworryabouttheamountoftimehespendsonit,hesays.“Peoplestartthrowingoutwordslike‘obsessed’and‘stuck,’”hetoldmewithalaugh.Thomashimselfworriesaboutgoingtoofar.Whatkeepshimupatnight,hesays,isanxietyoverkeepingabalance“betweenaggressivepursuitofmovingthecaseforwardandp—ingoffouralliessotheythrowtheirhandsupandaren’twillingtohelpus.”

It’snotclearThomascouldquitpursuingCathy’scaseevenifhetried.Heislessconcernedaboutthe“who”ofthecaseandmoreaboutthe“why”:WhatreasoncouldtherebeforsomeonetokillCathy?Theunbearablewrongnessofherdeathjustcannotstand;it’sasifaterribleflawhasopenedupintheuniverse.Ajumpy,high-energypersonwithdeepreservesofrighteousfury,Thomasseemsliterallyunabletorestuntilhefindsthetruth.

BoothsofferingmerchandiseandphotooppsatCrimeCon.Thetrue-crimeconventioninNewOrleansattracted3,600attendeesthisyear.

(PhotosbyBrittPetersonforTheWashingtonPost)

ThisrestlessnesscouldwellbetheenginethathelpspropelCathy’scasetoaclose.Butattimesithasalsoseemedlikealiability.AsofCrimeCon,theFBIhadnotspokentoanyofthefamiliesinoverayear,Thomassays—because,hebelieves,agentsdon’ttrusthim.(ChristinaPullen,aspokeswomanfortheFBI’sNorfolkoffice,toldme:“TheFBIisactivelyengagedinthisinvestigationandpursuinganumberofnewleads.Wearemakingprogressandwanttoensurethemomentumcontinues,sowearenotabletosharemuchinformationoutsidetheinvestigativeteamatthistime.”)

RestlessnesshasalsodrivenThomasintosomedecisionsheremainsconflictedover.Intheearly2010s,ThomasandotherParkwayfamiliesbeganapproachingtrue-crimetelevisionshows.In2013,producersofthenow-defunctInvestigationDiscoveryseries“DarkMinds”agreedtofilmanepisodeontheColonialParkwayMurders.AlthoughThomaswasexcitedaboutgettingCathy’sstoryonInvestigationDiscovery(withits82 millionsubscribers,mostlyadultwomen),hesquirmedwatching.LikemanyIDshows,“DarkMinds”leanedheavilyonreenactments,withactorsplayingthevictims.“Thosereenactmentsarejustawful,”Thomastoldme,describingthemascheesyandpainfullygruesome.

Morerecently,Oxygen—achannelownedbyNBCUniversalthatrelaunchedin2017withafocusontrue-crimedramastargetingwomen—hasbeendevelopingaseriesontheColonialParkwayMurders,hiringThomasasaconsultingproducer.Again,heisenthusiasticabouttheprojectbutconcernedaboutlosingcontroloverCathy’sstory.“WeunderstandthatIDandOxygen…needtotellastory.Theyprovidesomethingthatcanbeveryvaluableforusasfamilymemberswhoaretryingtoincreasevisibility,”hesays.“ButtherearetimeswhenIthinktomyself:HowmuchmoredoIneedtocompromisetogetCathyandtheotherColonialParkwayMurdersvictims’storiesoutthere?”

PaulHoles,whohelpedcapturetheGoldenStateKiller,speaksatCrimeCon.

rimeConcanoccasionallyfeellikeanothercompromisewiththeseamiersideoftruecrime.There’sthe“Dahmer&Bundy&Gacy&Berkowitz”T-shirts,the

womenwearingleggingsorsilkcravatsorshirtswithblood-spatterpatterns.(Thomascringedafterseeingoneofthese:“I’ve

C

seenpicturesofblood-spatteredT-shirtsthatIwouldprefernottohaveseen.”)

Andyet,CrimeConprovidesalegitimateserviceforvictimsandtheirfamilymembers.Overtheweekend,IspoketoanumberofwomenwhohadcometoNewOrleanstodoexactlywhatThomaswastryingtodo:usethetrue-crimemediasphereeithertoadvancetheircasesorpreventothercrimes.KathyKleinerRubin,attackedbyTedBundyover40yearsago,iswritingabookaboutsurvival;sheshowedmehernewlarge-formatbusinesscards,withherfaceandBundy’satoppositecorners.DebraNewell—whoseviolentformerhusbandJohnMeehanwasthecentralfigureoftheLosAngelesTimesseriesofarticlesandpodcast“DirtyJohn,”aswellasaBravoTVshowandOxygendocumentary—talkedabouttheimportanceofeducatingwomenonthesignsofpsychopathy.KelsiGerman,sisterofLibertyGerman,killedalongwithherfriendAbigailWilliamsinDelphi,Ind.,in2017,saidshehopedtheconnectionsshemadeatCrimeConwouldhelpkeepLibbyandAbby’scaseinthenews.

AllofthewomenImetspokeenthusiasticallyaboutthevalueofhavingtheirstoriesamplifiedviatrue-crimemedia—afunctionthatCrimeConembraces.“It’snotabouttabloidsensationalism,”KevinBalfe,CrimeCon’sfounderandexecutiveproducer,toldmeaftertheconvention.“It’saboutconstantrecognitionthatwearealwaysdealingwiththeworstdayofsomeoneelse’slife.Howcanweprovidethemhealing?Oranoutlet?Or,bestcase,thejusticetheyseekanddeserve?”

Attimes,however,thisjusticecanfeelselective.ThomashimselfnotedthatCathy,likethemajorityoftrue-crimefansandon-screenvictims,waswhiteandfemale—whereasfarmorereportedhomicidevictimsareblackandmale.“There’snoquestionthatvictimswhoarefemale,whiteandmiddleclassget

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OfferendsonorbeforeAug1,2019

significantlymoreplayinthemediathandopeoplethatdon’tfitthatprofile,”hetoldme.“Allyouhavetodoistuneupanddownthedialandwatchthesetrue-crimeshowsandlookatwhothevictimsare.”

LateronFridayafternoon,ImetAmandaShirley.I’dfirstnoticedherearlierthatday:awomaninanorangetanktopstandingjustinsidetheCrimeConentrancehandingoutorangerubberbraceletsandafliertitled“JusticeforDJ.”Shehadlongbrown-and-tanstreakedhairandasortofpost-concussivesoftnessthatIlearnedtoassociatewithfamilymembersoftheslainandmissing.WhenIfoundherthatafternoononPodcastRow,shetoldmeherstory,speakingintheabstractedwayofsomeonewhohasnarratedatraumatictalethousandsoftimesandacceptsthatshestillmusttellitmanymore.

In2016,DJFickey,Shirley’sbrother,diedofagunshotwound,andamedicalexaminerinWalkerCounty,Ga.,ruledhisdeathasuicide.Shirleyissurethatherbrotherdidnotkillhimselfbutwaskilled.ShehaslaunchedanimpassionedcampaigntopersuadetheGeorgiaBureauofInvestigationtoreopenherbrother’scase.Butit’sbeenanuphillbattletoattractmediaattention—inpart,Shirleybelieves,becauseherbrotherwasnotawoman.“Awoman’sbodywasfoundinthissamecountytwoweeksagoandpeoplecan’tstoptalkingaboutit,”shetoldmelater.“Theyhavetalkedmoreaboutherinthelasttwoweeksthantheyhavemybrotherinthelastthreeyears.”

Shirley,inhertanktopandstreakedhair,lookeduneasyamongtheprofessionallydressedandwell-coifedpodcasthostsstaffingthebooths.Ononearm,shehadaphoto-realistictattooofherbrother’sface,smilingpeacefully.HershirtwasprintedwithanoldphotoofDJhugginghisthreeyoungkids.Iaskedhowshewasdoing.“It’shard,”shesaid,andstartedcrying.“ButaslongasI’mbeingproductiveandkeepingmymindoff—it’shard.Howcanyoukeepyourmindoffsomethingwhenthat’swhatyou’redoing?”

Thenextmorning,Saturday,ImetBillThomasforcoffeeandwereturnedtoPodcastRow.Shirleywassittingoutside,nexttoagiantplasticbinofrubberorangebracelets—shehadordered3,000fortheweekend—wearinganeworangeshirt.IstoppedtosayhiwhileThomaswentonahead.

Shirleyseemedmorecheerfulthatday.“It’sgoingreallygood,”shesaid.“I’vegotprobably300newfollowersonTwitter.…Peoplewanttohelp,they’reconcerned,theycare,andthat’shardtocomebythesedays.”NancyGracehadrecognizedher,shesaid,andtheyweretalkingaboutdoingapodcastepisodetogether.Sheseemedtobeaccomplishingwhatshehadcomefor.

ShementionedthatThomashadbeenintouchoveremail,andItoldherIwaswritingabouthim—wouldsheliketomeethim?Immediatelyshegottoherfeet.“Itwouldkillme,”shesaid,tobe30yearsinthefutureandnothaveanswersinDJ’scase.“So,Iwanttohughim.”

WefoundThomasonPodcastRow,schmoozingwithapodcasthost.Shirleygavehimabighug,andtheywentoffintogrimshoptalk.Shirleywasvisiblytremblingasshedescribedherfamily’sbattleswiththecoroner,howthesheriff’sofficewouldn’tevenspeaktothem.“Boy,thatsoundsfamiliar,”Thomassaid.“Allyoucandoisstaywithit.”Hisvoicewascalm,avuncular,thesametoneshe’dusedtoreassurethewomanonFridaywhowasworriedaboutcampingontheparkway.Hetold

Theconvention’sattendeesaredemographicallysimilartothevictimsmostfeatured

intrue-crimeshowsandbooks:80percentfemale,accordingtoorganizers,and

largelywhite—whereasfarmorereportedhomicidevictimsareblackandmale.

Shirleytotakecareofherself,getsomesleep,makesureshehadalifeoutsideofDJ’scase.

Asshewassayinggoodbye,ShirleyaskedThomas,“Doesitgeteasier?”Thomasgaveherasteadylookandsaid:“Itdoes.Passageoftime,that’stheonlythingIcansay.Ittakestheedgesoff.”Shirleynodded,thecornersofhermouthandhereyesdrawnpermanentlydown.

KathyKleinerRubin,whosurvivedanattackbyTedBundy,seeninaphotoinback,atCrimeCon.

nlikeShirley,Thomashasdecadesofexperience,professionalaswellaspersonal,infindingawaytotellstoriespeoplewanttohear.Hehasfrequentlyput

thoseskillstouseforotherfamilymembersofvictims,oftenreachingoutassoonasacasehitsthenews.InmanyhoursofconversationovertheCrimeConweekend,theonlytimesIsawhimgetteary-eyedwerewhenhewasdiscussingwomenlikeKelsiGermanandAmandaShirley.ButThomas’ssupernalabilitytocrafttraumaintonarrativedoesn’tcomewithoutcost.

U

OnSaturdayafternoon,afterhoursspentwanderingPodcastRowandabriefstopatapanelshowcasingthe“Dateline”hosts,ThomasandIstoppedforcoffeeagainandIbroughtupsomethingI’dbeenwantingtoaskallweekend.Asajournalist,I’veinterviewedmanyfamilymembersofpeoplewhowerekilled.ButI’veneverhadasself-consciousandadeptaninterviewsubjectasThomas.Atthatpointwehadspokenfordozensofhours,bothonthephoneandasItrailedhimthroughtheconference.Muchofourconversationwasofftherecord(meaningIcouldn’tusehisquotesatall,evenanonymously,inmystory).Off-the-recordBillThomaswasfunny,profaneandcracklingwithwhathecalledhis“Irishtemper.”On-the-recordBillThomaswasallofthesethings,butdialeddownatleasttwonotches,andwithacloseattentiontodrivinghomecertainmessagesthathebroughtupagainandagain.

Idon’tknowthisfrompersonalexperience,butIcanguessthatitisextremelydifficulttostayon-messagewhentalkingaboutyoursisterandhergirlfriend’s33-year-oldunsolvedkilling.So,onSaturdayafternoonaswedrankcoffeeintheHiltonlobbyunderagiantpottedplant,ItoldThomasthatI’dnoticedhistacticsandthatIwasimpressed.“It’sagoodobservation,”hesaid.“I’vethoughttomyselfthathastobethefourthorfifthtimeI’vemadethatpointina10-hourconversation.…Ican’tsayIdidn’tgiveitthecollegetrytoworkthatintoBritt’sstory.”

Thenhesaid,“You’renotunlikeNBCUniversal.”HehadjustbeendiscussingtheupcomingOxygenshow,sayingthatalthoughheknewhewouldn’tbefullysatisfiedwiththeresult,hestillfeltitwasworthittokeeptheColonialParkwayMurders

inthepubliceye.LikeOxygen,heknew,TheWashingtonPostMagazinewasinterestedinCathy’sstoryinpartbecauseourreaders—likeOxygen’sviewers,likeCrimeConattendees—derivesomecomplexpleasurefromreadingaboutserialkillers.Thomasunderstoodthisanddidn’tcare,becauseofwhathefelthecouldgetfromtalkingtome:“TheWashingtonPostistheFBI’shometownnewspaper.SomebodyintheFBI’sgoingtoreadthisstory.”

I’dbeenexperiencingtheconferenceasanoutsider—notavictimorrelative,notamemberofthetrue-crimeuniversewithitsoccasionalvoyeurismandschlockiness,itsmoralgrayareas.NowIrealizedI’dalsobeenthinkingaboutCathyasacharacter—acharacterinthestoryImyselfwaswriting.

Later,IaskedThomaswhatthiswaslike,engagingwithCathysooftennotasalivinghumanbeing—thefirecracker,theloyalfriend,thesharp-as-nailsyoungwomanwhotoldwhinersto“suckitup,buttercup”—butasacharacterintrue-crimenarratives,liketheInvestigationDiscoveryshoworthisarticle.“It’ssosadthatIenduptalkingaboutthepainfullastminuteofCathy’slifesometimeswhenit’ssomuchmorefuntotalkaboutalltherestofher27yearswithusontheplanet,”hesaid.Toacertainextent,hetoldme,hefeltstuckinthatfinalminute—usingeverytoolathisdisposal,hispressexperience,hisIrishtemper,tolearnexactlywhatCathyexperiencedonthenightofOct.9,1986.IfCathyknew,hespeculated,she“wouldjustbesop—edatme.”“MaybeI,we,shouldn’tbekickingupsuchafuss,”hesaid.“ButIdon’tknowanyotherwaytodothis.”

coupleofweeksafterCrimeCon,IcalledThomastocheckin.Hewasdoingwell,hesaid.He’djustheardfromtheFBIforthefirsttimeafterthelongfreeze-out,

andwhilehewashesitanttodiscusswhattheysaid,hesoundedpleasedtobebackintouch.AlthoughhesaidtheFBIclearlyremaineddispleasedwithhismediatactics,theyhadnotentirelyshutdowntherelationship.

Thatsameweek,IcalledAmandaShirley.ShetoldmeshewashappyaboutherCrimeConexperience.Ithadbeenenormouslymeaningfultoconnectwithotherpeoplewho’dlostfamilytoviolentcrime.Iaskedifshe’dgottenwhatshewantedoutofCrimeConintermsofpropellingDJ’sstoryintothenationalmedia.“Yes,”shesaid.Shelaughed.“Forone,there’syou.”

Shestillworried,though,aboutDJ’scasenotprovidingastrongenoughplotlinetoreachpeopleandeventuallybringaboutjustice.Recentlyshefiledawrongful-deathsuit,hopingtousethecourtsystemtodowhatlawenforcementwouldn’t:holdanallegedperpetratorresponsible.Ontopofthat,shebelievedthataddinganewchapterwouldkeepthepublic,andmediaoutlets,interestedinthecase.“Peoplewanttoseeprogressisbeingmade,”shesaid.Shesoundedresignedtoherrole:keepingDJalivenotasapersonanymore,butasasortofnarrativeelement.“Iftheydon’tseeprogress,”shetoldme,“theyjustfallbackoffthestory.”

ThomasandwriterKristinDilley,center,withLisaZambetti,co-hostofthepodcast

“RealCrimeProfile.”

A

BrittPetersonisawriterinWashington.

Credits:StorybyBrittPeterson.PhotosbyMollieWaltonCorbett.DesignedbyTwila

Waddy.IllustratedbyAnkeGladnick.