S2 Episode 31, The Thief/ The Rope Murders: The Investigation

A small detail revealed in a recent  interview connects back to information from season one, bridging the gap between two criminals. The Eddie Wells case continues to be the nexus in every leg of the investigation. 

In this episode Anna focuses on two of the men convicted in Troop 137. More information comes to the surface that leads to implications of a cover-up , conspiracy or blackmail on a much larger scale. You'll also hear from an individual that witnessed the theft of an important recurring item. 

This is the second half of episode 29. After you listen I think you'll understand why I had to break this up into two parts. Out of all the information I've received during this six year investigation, this is the most shocking so far. Every time I think it can't get worse, it does.  

This is a two part episode. The second part will come out tomorrow night at midnight. "A secret is a kind of promise ... It can also be a prison." –Jennifer Lee Carrell

In this bonus investigation episode, "This is just way way too much, I mean its unfolding, from what you are telling me its unfolding."

New Orleans Unsolved began as a deep dive into one mysterious death. But in the six years Anna dedicated to investigate the cases that eventually became the basis for both seasons of the podcast, she discovered that rarely were the details isolated. They were part of a web consisting of cops, corruption and cruelty. In the season finale of The Rope Murders, Anna's investigation comes full circle. 

The path of Anna's investigation takes her back to Pass Christian, Mississippi for a second look at the location where Mark Richardson's body was discovered. We also hear about a more sinister undercurrent of what ties these cases together and the shocking news that brings us to the present day. 

The Rope Murders took place at a time which preceded what we've all come to know as forensic science. The murders of Dennis Turcotte, Mark Richardson and Daniel Dewey were also comitted before the internet age . Anna's investigation of the murders has never revolved around web-sleuthing. Much of it has revolved around making contact and connections. It has led her on a path to retrace the trail of a suspected serial killer. In this episode, Anna explains why taking the long way home revealed more than she expected. 

Dead end roads don't always lead to dead ends, sometimes they lead to answers. Anna takes a trip to meet a listener that helps connect the dots to a location she has been searching for for years. 

From digging into old records and newspaper archives to tracing faded genealogy lines, Anna has used different investigative techniques and tools. But the one tool that perhaps produced the most revelatory information has been a map that became available through a cab company. In this episode, Anna details what she placed on this map, and in turn, what she learned from it. She also makes a shocking discovery when she examines a document related to one of the Rope Murders.