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00:00:08,308 --> 00:00:10,944
[Narrator] A long-buried
secret unearthed.
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00:00:12,112 --> 00:00:16,016
[Amy] They were clearing
the roadside and some debris
3
00:00:16,049 --> 00:00:19,085
and discovered some bones.
4
00:00:19,119 --> 00:00:22,422
There was a bullet
lodged in her skull.
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00:00:22,455 --> 00:00:26,793
[Narrator] A decade-old
mystery comes back to life.
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My mom was kind
of a free spirit.
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She was wild.
8
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She was working as
a dancer in New York City.
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We would look out
the window constantly
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00:00:37,203 --> 00:00:41,174
and just pray that
she would come back.
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[Narrator] But the deeper
investigators dig,
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00:00:43,410 --> 00:00:47,080
the more family
secrets they find.
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[Tim] She started
signing checks.
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There was approximately
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00:00:51,184 --> 00:00:54,287
nineteen thousand dollars
cashed.
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00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:58,458
She was money hungry.
She was getting checks monthly.
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[Michael] Witnesses
implicated her
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in the death of her own son.
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[Jasmine] She looked
innocent, but underneath,
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she was the devil.
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[theme music]
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[Narrator] March 30, 2011.
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It's just after 1:30 PM in
Summers County, West Virginia.
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Employees with the
Department of Highways
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are working along
a steep hillside
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near Walker Mountain Road.
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[Tim] A Department
of Highways worker
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was in a remote area down
near Hinton, West Virginia,
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located in the southern part
of West Virginia.
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Very mountainous,
a lot of rural areas.
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It was up the side
of a hill, literally,
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right below the road.
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They were clearing the
roadside and some debris
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00:02:03,056 --> 00:02:05,392
and discovered some bones.
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[siren wailing]
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[Narrator] The workers
immediately contact
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West Virginia State Police.
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Investigators
arrive on the scene,
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along with a team from the
state medical examiner's office
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[Michael] The remains
that were located,
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it was 13 bones and the skull.
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Based on the clothing that
was found on the body,
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you know you have a female.
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The idea that someone
would leave you out to,
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to rot in the woods is
just a horrifying concept.
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[Narrator] There's nothing to
immediately identify the victim
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00:02:44,097 --> 00:02:48,101
at the scene,
but one thing is clear,
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Jane Doe's death
was no accident.
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There was a bullet
lodged in her skull.
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00:02:57,777 --> 00:03:00,213
[Michael] Just because there
is a bullet hole in a person
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00:03:00,246 --> 00:03:03,850
doesn't mean this is a homicide.
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You need to make sure
you establish very clearly
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what the evidence is
and where it is.
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[Narrator] Over the
next couple of days,
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as forensic experts
continue to comb the scene
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and examine the remains,
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they discover something
unique about their Jane Doe.
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Two of the vertebrae
were, in fact, fused,
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which was a great lead.
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[Daniel] If a
person's been involved
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in some sort of an accident,
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the doctor will actually use
these metal plates
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to fuse together
the injured vertebrae,
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and hospitals have
records of those plates.
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The investigators
shipped those bones
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to a forensic anthropologist.
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[Narrator] Within a few weeks,
they finally have some answers.
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[Michael] They
were able to trace
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that serial number on the plate
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00:04:01,141 --> 00:04:06,112
and determine the victim
was Cathy Jo McCoy,
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00:04:06,146 --> 00:04:08,314
a local woman living in the are
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who had been reported
missing in 2003.
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[Amy] There was so
many years that lapsed
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00:04:15,055 --> 00:04:20,126
from the time Cathy went missing
to the time we found her bones.
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When you find the
remains of someone,
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there's only one question,
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how'd they get there
and who put them there?
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And in any kind of
criminal case,
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time is your enemy.
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The weather and the
animals and the time
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00:04:35,709 --> 00:04:38,678
deteriorate that
kind of evidence.
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[Narrator]
Cathy Jo Lukach McCoy
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00:04:48,121 --> 00:04:50,156
was born in Beckley,
West Virginia
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00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:53,093
on December 26th, 1970,
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00:04:53,126 --> 00:04:56,896
to parents Mary and Bill Lukach
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00:04:56,930 --> 00:04:58,398
Mary had four children,
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Matthew, Mark,
Johnny and Cathy Jo.
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00:05:03,203 --> 00:05:06,539
My siblings and I had
a great time growing up.
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00:05:06,573 --> 00:05:11,077
We, uh, done all kinds of stuff,
climb trees, go swimming.
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00:05:11,111 --> 00:05:14,481
My favorite memory was
always going out camping,
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00:05:14,514 --> 00:05:19,085
going down to Sandstone,
toward New River.
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00:05:19,119 --> 00:05:20,787
They were always getting
into some type of
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00:05:20,820 --> 00:05:22,188
shenanigan or trouble.
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My mom loved her brothers.
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[Narrator] But Cathy Jo's
relationship
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00:05:29,496 --> 00:05:34,634
with her mother, Mary,
was far more complicated.
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00:05:34,668 --> 00:05:36,836
[Carl] There was always
an argument of some kind
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00:05:36,870 --> 00:05:38,171
over something petty,
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00:05:38,204 --> 00:05:41,141
but they would fight
like cats and dogs.
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00:05:41,174 --> 00:05:43,209
[Narrator] Born in 1944,
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00:05:43,243 --> 00:05:46,079
Cathy Jo's mother,
Mary Louise Barley,
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00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:51,317
was an independent woman with
a no-nonsense approach to life.
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She grew up behind a
Dr Pepper plant in Beckley.
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She did not have any siblings.
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00:05:57,257 --> 00:06:00,026
My mom never, uh,
talked about her past.
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If we tried to talk
about stuff like that,
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00:06:02,162 --> 00:06:04,130
she'd change the subject.
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00:06:04,164 --> 00:06:05,665
Mary was stubborn.
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[Narrator] Her
family says Cathy Jo
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was just as strong willed
as her mother.
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More than anything,
she wanted out
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00:06:15,709 --> 00:06:17,744
from under her parents' roof.
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In 1985, the opportunity came.
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[Carl] My mom, Cathy Jo, married
my dad, Carl Willard McCoy,
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00:06:26,953 --> 00:06:30,423
at the age of,
I want to say sixteen.
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She was pretty young.
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I have no idea how they met,
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how they fell in love,
all of that.
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[Narrator] The marriage
was short lived,
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00:06:38,865 --> 00:06:42,268
and in 1988,
when Cathy Jo was 17,
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00:06:42,302 --> 00:06:45,839
the couple divorced after
the birth of their son, Carl.
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00:06:48,775 --> 00:06:52,846
Two years later, love
found Cathy Jo once more.
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00:06:54,314 --> 00:06:56,616
[Jasmine] My mother
met my father,
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and then I came
along July 9, 1990.
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00:07:01,221 --> 00:07:06,292
[Vicki] I first met Cathy Jo
when she was in her late teens.
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She became friends
with my daughter first,
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and then became
involved with my son,
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00:07:12,265 --> 00:07:15,035
who is Jasmine's father.
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[Narrator] After giving
birth to Jasmine at age 19,
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00:07:19,205 --> 00:07:23,276
Cathy Jo continued from
one relationship to the next.
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None lasted, but
by the age of 26,
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she had two more children.
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My mom was kind
of a free spirit.
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She was wild.
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00:07:34,954 --> 00:07:36,756
But very nurturing.
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Every part of her
being she loved us.
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[Narrator] In her mid-20's,
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Cathy Jo attended
cosmetology school
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and started her own business.
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00:07:49,235 --> 00:07:53,473
She had her own little shop
going on inside of her house.
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00:07:53,506 --> 00:07:55,108
[Narrator] In the end,
the beauty shop
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00:07:55,141 --> 00:07:58,712
wasn't everything
she'd hoped it would be.
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She wasn't really getting by
on that, and she, uh,
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00:08:02,515 --> 00:08:08,355
went from being a
hairstylist to a stripper.
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00:08:08,388 --> 00:08:13,660
Her dancing was to provide.
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00:08:13,693 --> 00:08:15,261
[Matthew] She didn't really
like the line of work,
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00:08:15,295 --> 00:08:18,698
but she wanted to get her
kids everything they wanted.
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Them kids got treated like gold
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00:08:21,768 --> 00:08:23,503
[Carl] I mean, those
were the best Christmases
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00:08:23,536 --> 00:08:25,305
we probably had.
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00:08:25,338 --> 00:08:28,041
I mean, she had
three kids at that time.
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You know, she tried
to provide for us
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00:08:30,543 --> 00:08:32,212
as much as she could.
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00:08:34,948 --> 00:08:38,752
[Narrator] In 1995, tragedy
struck the McCoy family
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00:08:38,785 --> 00:08:41,254
when Cathy Jo's
older brother Mark
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00:08:41,287 --> 00:08:44,224
was in a serious car accident.
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00:08:44,257 --> 00:08:47,394
My little brother, after
he got in that car accident
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00:08:47,427 --> 00:08:51,364
in Tennessee, he died.
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00:08:51,398 --> 00:08:55,402
My mother, she saw
Mark as her baby.
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So, when he passed,
you know, it broke her.
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00:08:59,706 --> 00:09:02,909
[Narrator] Three years
later, in September 1998,
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00:09:03,009 --> 00:09:06,312
Cathy Jo's world was turned
upside down yet again
163
00:09:06,346 --> 00:09:09,282
by another horrific car crash,
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00:09:09,315 --> 00:09:15,288
this time leaving 27-year-old
Cathy Jo clinging to life.
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00:09:15,321 --> 00:09:18,558
She had flipped a Geo-Tracker...
166
00:09:18,591 --> 00:09:21,428
I think it was,
like, eight times.
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00:09:21,461 --> 00:09:23,329
[Jasmine] She broke her arm
168
00:09:23,363 --> 00:09:26,032
and hurt both of her legs,
169
00:09:26,032 --> 00:09:28,034
which kind of messed
her up for a while,
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00:09:28,034 --> 00:09:30,570
so she wasn't able to walk or
really take care of herself
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00:09:30,603 --> 00:09:32,572
for a while.
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00:09:32,605 --> 00:09:35,809
[Vicki] One of her arms
had almost been severed.
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00:09:35,842 --> 00:09:38,445
They had done, uh,
surgery to stabilize neck
174
00:09:38,478 --> 00:09:42,649
and to try to re-attach her arm.
175
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And she said,
"I'm going to fight
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00:09:44,217 --> 00:09:46,720
because I have to get
back to my babies."
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00:09:47,721 --> 00:09:51,057
One surgery was to perform
a fusion on her vertebrae
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00:09:51,091 --> 00:09:54,561
to fuse those two together
with a metal plate.
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00:09:59,232 --> 00:10:01,368
[Narrator] After
3 months in the hospital,
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00:10:01,401 --> 00:10:03,436
Cathy Jo was released.
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00:10:03,470 --> 00:10:07,107
But her dancing career was over
182
00:10:07,140 --> 00:10:10,710
Her arm was always upright
in a stuck position,
183
00:10:10,744 --> 00:10:13,646
uh, against her chest.
184
00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:16,483
Uh, she couldn't straighten
it out completely.
185
00:10:16,516 --> 00:10:17,884
[Narrator] She was
forced to rely on
186
00:10:17,917 --> 00:10:20,687
those around her for help.
187
00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,491
She had gotten back with
a prior boyfriend, Jake.
188
00:10:24,524 --> 00:10:26,292
He knew the family pretty well.
189
00:10:26,326 --> 00:10:27,761
He would help provide.
190
00:10:27,794 --> 00:10:29,963
He really loved Mom.
191
00:10:29,996 --> 00:10:31,498
[Narrator] Cathy Jo's
mother, Mary,
192
00:10:31,531 --> 00:10:33,400
and her new husband, Jack,
193
00:10:33,433 --> 00:10:36,036
also offered to help out.
194
00:10:36,069 --> 00:10:39,639
Every now and then,
Mary would watch them kids.
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00:10:39,673 --> 00:10:41,775
[Vicki] Mary helped
her to get signed up
196
00:10:41,808 --> 00:10:46,680
to get some type of
compensation from the accident.
197
00:10:46,713 --> 00:10:48,648
[Taylor] The injuries that,
that Cathy Jo sustained
198
00:10:48,682 --> 00:10:50,817
in this car wreck
were so severe,
199
00:10:50,850 --> 00:10:53,453
it left her pretty much
unable to, to work,
200
00:10:53,486 --> 00:10:56,690
so she was very much dependent
on these Social Security checks
201
00:10:56,723 --> 00:10:58,124
that were coming in.
202
00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:02,862
[Narrator] After two
years of recovery,
203
00:11:02,896 --> 00:11:05,331
Cathy Jo hoped to drive again.
204
00:11:05,365 --> 00:11:08,268
But her injuries prevented
her from getting a license
205
00:11:08,301 --> 00:11:10,337
in West Virginia.
206
00:11:10,370 --> 00:11:13,873
Her disability prevented
her from driving, uh,
207
00:11:13,907 --> 00:11:17,377
because again, she could only
operate one hand, one arm.
208
00:11:17,410 --> 00:11:20,080
She couldn't drive, but she
had to be able to drive.
209
00:11:21,147 --> 00:11:22,949
[Narrator] While
things remained tense
210
00:11:22,982 --> 00:11:25,318
between Cathy Jo and Mary,
211
00:11:25,352 --> 00:11:27,253
on June 5th, 2000,
212
00:11:27,287 --> 00:11:30,256
Mary offered to drive
her daughter to Tennessee
213
00:11:30,290 --> 00:11:33,793
with the hope of
getting a license there.
214
00:11:33,827 --> 00:11:35,995
[Carl] So, I guess in her mind,
215
00:11:36,096 --> 00:11:38,798
if I go out of state and attempt
to get an out-of-state license,
216
00:11:38,832 --> 00:11:42,102
maybe she could get one
to be able to drive.
217
00:11:42,102 --> 00:11:45,105
Mary was supposed to
help her with this.
218
00:11:45,105 --> 00:11:50,577
They instructed me to keep
an eye on my sister Jasmine.
219
00:11:50,610 --> 00:11:53,146
My mom even took a
suitcase with her.
220
00:11:53,179 --> 00:11:57,584
She was expecting to be back I
guess the end of that weekend.
221
00:11:57,617 --> 00:11:58,985
She seemed normal.
222
00:11:59,019 --> 00:12:01,955
"I love you.
See you Monday."
223
00:12:04,624 --> 00:12:06,359
[Narrator] Mary
surprised everyone
224
00:12:06,393 --> 00:12:09,863
when she returned home
alone 9 hours later
225
00:12:09,896 --> 00:12:13,333
saying there had been
a change of plans.
226
00:12:13,366 --> 00:12:17,103
Mary said, "Your mother saw some
friends on the corner in Hinton,
227
00:12:17,137 --> 00:12:18,605
so I dropped her off with them,
228
00:12:18,638 --> 00:12:21,541
and she'll be home
later on this evening."
229
00:12:21,574 --> 00:12:23,076
[Narrator] But the
evening passed,
230
00:12:23,076 --> 00:12:26,780
and Cathy Jo never returned.
231
00:12:26,813 --> 00:12:28,982
[Jasmine] Mary said she ran off.
232
00:12:29,082 --> 00:12:31,818
It was really weird to us,
even as children.
233
00:12:31,851 --> 00:12:34,821
We would look out
the window constantly
234
00:12:34,854 --> 00:12:37,090
and just pray that
she would come back.
235
00:12:42,662 --> 00:12:47,100
[Narrator] Now, in 2011,
11 years later,
236
00:12:47,100 --> 00:12:51,004
West Virginia State Police have
identified Cathy Jo's remains
237
00:12:51,104 --> 00:12:54,974
along a rural
West Virginia roadside.
238
00:12:55,008 --> 00:12:57,977
Examination by a
medical examiner
239
00:12:58,011 --> 00:13:03,516
determined a .22 caliber round
was lodged in Cathy's skull.
240
00:13:03,550 --> 00:13:05,652
[Amy] Once the state police
was able to determine
241
00:13:05,685 --> 00:13:07,354
that they were Cathy's bones,
242
00:13:07,387 --> 00:13:10,557
and that she had been
missing for some time,
243
00:13:10,590 --> 00:13:13,226
then the investigation started.
244
00:13:14,494 --> 00:13:16,796
[Narrator] As police
dig into Cathy Jo's
245
00:13:16,830 --> 00:13:18,431
missing persons file,
246
00:13:18,465 --> 00:13:22,168
something strikes
them as suspicious.
247
00:13:22,202 --> 00:13:25,672
[Daniel] Cathy Jo McCoy
was last seen
248
00:13:25,705 --> 00:13:28,808
on June the 5th of 2000,
249
00:13:28,842 --> 00:13:33,646
but no one filed a
police report until 2003.
250
00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:35,215
It's hard to imagine the idea
251
00:13:35,248 --> 00:13:37,217
that someone would be
missing for three years,
252
00:13:37,250 --> 00:13:39,285
and nobody has
gone to the police.
253
00:13:42,288 --> 00:13:43,790
[Narrator] Coming up,
254
00:13:43,823 --> 00:13:46,426
a fraud investigation
leads detectives
255
00:13:46,459 --> 00:13:49,596
to their first suspect.
256
00:13:49,629 --> 00:13:54,100
She had a criminal history
spanning in the '80s and '90s.
257
00:13:54,100 --> 00:13:55,702
[Carl] I was just a kid myself,
258
00:13:55,735 --> 00:13:57,404
but I knew something
was very wrong,
259
00:13:57,437 --> 00:13:58,938
very, very wrong.
260
00:14:14,053 --> 00:14:18,057
[Narrator] Summers County,
West Virginia. 2011.
261
00:14:18,090 --> 00:14:21,527
After discovering the
remains of Cathy Jo McCoy,
262
00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:25,230
a mother who went missing
in June of 2000,
263
00:14:25,264 --> 00:14:28,200
investigators are questioning
why her disappearance
264
00:14:28,233 --> 00:14:31,870
was not reported until 2003.
265
00:14:33,739 --> 00:14:36,208
[Amy] Certainly,
after so many years,
266
00:14:36,241 --> 00:14:38,944
I think it was very
odd that family
267
00:14:38,977 --> 00:14:42,214
would not file a
missing persons report.
268
00:14:42,247 --> 00:14:44,983
So, I think that's
the first red flag.
269
00:14:48,954 --> 00:14:51,256
[Narrator] Investigators
discover that Cathy Jo
270
00:14:51,290 --> 00:14:57,429
was ultimately reported missing
under strange circumstances.
271
00:14:57,463 --> 00:14:58,997
[Michael] So, in 2003
272
00:14:59,098 --> 00:15:03,268
the bank where, uh, Cathy Jo
McCoy, uh, had her account
273
00:15:03,302 --> 00:15:05,037
notified the Social
Security Administration,
274
00:15:05,070 --> 00:15:06,472
and they believed
275
00:15:06,505 --> 00:15:10,209
there'd been fraudulent
activity on that account.
276
00:15:10,242 --> 00:15:14,680
We determined that Cathy McCoy's
mother, Mary Bowles,
277
00:15:14,713 --> 00:15:19,385
had been cashing checks that
were sent to Cathy McCoy
278
00:15:19,418 --> 00:15:21,587
from the Social Security
Administration.
279
00:15:24,323 --> 00:15:27,659
I interviewed several
of the bank employees.
280
00:15:27,693 --> 00:15:32,064
No one had seen Cathy McCoy
in about three years.
281
00:15:37,069 --> 00:15:38,904
All the bank employees confirme
282
00:15:38,937 --> 00:15:43,609
that Mary would cash
Cathy McCoy's checks
283
00:15:43,642 --> 00:15:46,278
and explain to them that
the reason she was doing that
284
00:15:46,311 --> 00:15:50,883
was because Cathy was too ill to
come in and do it for herself.
285
00:15:50,916 --> 00:15:54,586
So, Mary would bring in
Cathy's driver's license
286
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:59,558
and would also be a second
endorser on the check
287
00:15:59,591 --> 00:16:01,794
to get the check cashed.
288
00:16:01,827 --> 00:16:06,331
There was approximately ninetee
thousand dollars cashed.
289
00:16:06,365 --> 00:16:09,601
I ordered photocopies
of all of the checks
290
00:16:09,635 --> 00:16:13,038
that were cashed and deposited
over the entitlement period
291
00:16:13,038 --> 00:16:14,340
for Cathy McCoy
292
00:16:14,373 --> 00:16:17,276
from the Treasury Department.
293
00:16:17,309 --> 00:16:19,912
[Narrator] As Agent Morton
examines the checks,
294
00:16:19,945 --> 00:16:24,516
a disturbing detail
catches his eye.
295
00:16:24,550 --> 00:16:27,619
I was able to
determine very quickly
296
00:16:27,653 --> 00:16:31,890
that sometime in mid 2000,
297
00:16:31,924 --> 00:16:36,161
Cathy's signature
changed on the checks.
298
00:16:36,195 --> 00:16:38,597
This lady had been
missing for three years.
299
00:16:38,630 --> 00:16:41,867
At this point, I believe that
her mother, Mary Bowles,
300
00:16:41,900 --> 00:16:44,536
was forging Cathy's
name on the checks.
301
00:16:48,207 --> 00:16:50,309
[Narrator] With his
suspicions growing,
302
00:16:50,342 --> 00:16:54,913
Agent Morton runs a background
check on Mary Bowles.
303
00:16:54,947 --> 00:16:56,682
[Tim] In any investigation,
304
00:16:56,715 --> 00:16:59,551
we're pulling records
for everyone involved.
305
00:16:59,585 --> 00:17:02,287
It appeared that she
had a criminal history
306
00:17:02,321 --> 00:17:04,490
spanning the '80s and '90s,
307
00:17:04,523 --> 00:17:09,495
with charges of various
types of fraud, forgery.
308
00:17:13,065 --> 00:17:15,367
[Narrator] After looking
into Mary's past,
309
00:17:15,401 --> 00:17:20,606
fraud agents confront her
in October 2003.
310
00:17:20,639 --> 00:17:25,144
To their surprise, she doesn't
put up much of a fight.
311
00:17:25,177 --> 00:17:27,713
[Tim] She was very quick
to admit everything.
312
00:17:27,746 --> 00:17:31,550
She admitted she knew
that it was wrong to do that.
313
00:17:31,583 --> 00:17:35,187
[Narrator] But she says
she had a good reason...
314
00:17:35,220 --> 00:17:37,122
[Michael] Mary indicated
that she was in fact
315
00:17:37,156 --> 00:17:40,459
utilizing that money
from Cathy's checks
316
00:17:40,492 --> 00:17:42,895
in order to take care
of Cathy's children,
317
00:17:42,928 --> 00:17:45,064
who were currently
residing with her.
318
00:17:49,201 --> 00:17:51,403
[Narrator] Mary claims
someone needed to step in
319
00:17:51,437 --> 00:17:53,205
and support her grandchildren
320
00:17:53,238 --> 00:17:57,576
after her daughter
took off in 2000.
321
00:17:57,609 --> 00:18:01,013
Mary Bowles did not paint
a very favorable picture
322
00:18:01,013 --> 00:18:03,782
of her daughter, Cathy.
323
00:18:03,816 --> 00:18:06,085
She basically told investigator
324
00:18:06,118 --> 00:18:11,290
that she would be prone to
run off with random men.
325
00:18:11,323 --> 00:18:14,026
[Tim] She told me
the story of how
326
00:18:14,026 --> 00:18:17,196
she hadn't seen
Cathy in three years.
327
00:18:17,229 --> 00:18:19,098
She had taken Cathy out,
328
00:18:19,131 --> 00:18:22,034
and they ran into
some acquaintances.
329
00:18:22,067 --> 00:18:26,472
So Mary left her, and that was
the last she'd ever seen her.
330
00:18:26,505 --> 00:18:31,076
And I just found that
very hard to believe.
331
00:18:31,110 --> 00:18:32,378
I said, "That's your daughter.
332
00:18:32,411 --> 00:18:36,281
Why would you not file a
missing person's report?"
333
00:18:36,315 --> 00:18:39,218
She said, "Well, she's an adult,
she can do what she wants."
334
00:18:44,189 --> 00:18:46,392
[Narrator] In October 2003,
335
00:18:46,425 --> 00:18:52,231
Social Security investigators
arrest Mary on forgery charges.
336
00:18:52,264 --> 00:18:55,401
We were in foster care maybe...
337
00:18:55,434 --> 00:18:57,336
six months to a year,
I can't remember.
338
00:18:57,369 --> 00:19:00,105
But I was aware that
she was arrested.
339
00:19:00,139 --> 00:19:03,042
Then finally, my brother
went to live with
340
00:19:03,075 --> 00:19:04,510
Carl McCoy's side of the family
341
00:19:04,543 --> 00:19:09,381
And then I went to live
with my nana, Vicki Caul,
342
00:19:09,415 --> 00:19:12,418
and my granddaddy, and then
Jessica went with her dad.
343
00:19:15,387 --> 00:19:18,624
[Narrator] Still, Tim Morton
can't help but wonder,
344
00:19:18,657 --> 00:19:22,127
if Mary was involved in
defrauding Cathy Jo,
345
00:19:22,161 --> 00:19:26,265
could she be capable of worse?
346
00:19:26,298 --> 00:19:28,300
[Tim] There was that
lingering feeling
347
00:19:28,334 --> 00:19:30,035
that I couldn't
let go that, ya know,
348
00:19:30,035 --> 00:19:33,372
that's the least of her worries
is this check fraud.
349
00:19:33,405 --> 00:19:35,908
It was a couple months
into my investigation
350
00:19:35,941 --> 00:19:37,409
that I contacted west--
351
00:19:37,443 --> 00:19:40,546
the West Virginia State Police
and voiced my concerns
352
00:19:40,579 --> 00:19:43,549
and told 'em what I'd found.
353
00:19:43,582 --> 00:19:45,551
[Michael] So at that point,
the West Virginia State Police
354
00:19:45,584 --> 00:19:49,121
made this an official
missing persons case.
355
00:19:52,624 --> 00:19:54,526
[Narrator] With
Mary Bowles in jail,
356
00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,796
West Virginia State Police
launch their own investigation
357
00:19:57,830 --> 00:20:03,502
into Cathy Jo's disappearance
in November 2003.
358
00:20:03,535 --> 00:20:05,571
There was so many
years that lapsed
359
00:20:05,604 --> 00:20:08,574
from the time
Cathy went missing.
360
00:20:08,607 --> 00:20:14,279
Time is your enemy because
people's memories fade,
361
00:20:14,313 --> 00:20:18,550
people die, um,
they move away, uh,
362
00:20:18,584 --> 00:20:21,653
and so, it makes
it very difficult.
363
00:20:26,658 --> 00:20:28,327
[Narrator] Police
start by interviewing
364
00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:30,596
Cathy Jo's eldest kids,
365
00:20:30,629 --> 00:20:34,867
16-year-old Carl and
13-year-old Jasmine.
366
00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:36,602
[Carl] I mean, I was
just a kid myself,
367
00:20:36,635 --> 00:20:38,604
but I knew something
was very wrong,
368
00:20:38,637 --> 00:20:39,638
very, very wrong.
369
00:20:39,672 --> 00:20:42,274
My mom would not just
up and leave like that.
370
00:20:43,509 --> 00:20:46,078
[Narrator] Three days
after Cathy Jo left,
371
00:20:46,111 --> 00:20:49,181
the children say they were take
to their grandmother Mary's
372
00:20:49,214 --> 00:20:52,818
by Cathy Jo's boyfriend, Jake.
373
00:20:52,851 --> 00:20:56,155
I believe it was on a Monday or
something after the weekend,
374
00:20:56,188 --> 00:20:58,390
but Jake had dropped us
off with Mary.
375
00:20:58,424 --> 00:21:00,526
A couple days go by,
"Well, I guess, you know,
376
00:21:00,559 --> 00:21:03,395
your mom, she just
abandoned you all."
377
00:21:03,429 --> 00:21:06,632
[Matthew] I did try
to contact Cathy Jo,
378
00:21:06,665 --> 00:21:09,868
but my momma had said
that she had moved
379
00:21:09,902 --> 00:21:12,971
and she didn't want nothing
to do with the family.
380
00:21:13,072 --> 00:21:15,174
That's, that's what I heard.
381
00:21:15,207 --> 00:21:17,343
And that's, so I
just went with it.
382
00:21:20,412 --> 00:21:22,648
[Jessica] At that point
in time living with Mary,
383
00:21:22,681 --> 00:21:24,650
we weren't allowed
to go outside.
384
00:21:24,683 --> 00:21:26,652
We weren't allowed
to go to school.
385
00:21:26,685 --> 00:21:29,088
We basically had to
stay inside all the time!
386
00:21:29,088 --> 00:21:31,757
Mary wouldn't let us eat a lot.
387
00:21:31,790 --> 00:21:35,961
I remember, we'd ask for food,
and she'd tell us no.
388
00:21:35,994 --> 00:21:38,831
[Carl] This has been probably
two and a half years of,
389
00:21:38,864 --> 00:21:41,600
you know, Mom being gone.
390
00:21:41,633 --> 00:21:45,104
The living conditions
with Mary were terrible.
391
00:21:45,104 --> 00:21:49,408
Padlocking refrigerators,
you know, the verbal abuse.
392
00:21:52,711 --> 00:21:54,980
[Narrator] Investigators
immediately track down
393
00:21:55,014 --> 00:21:58,684
Cathy Jo's former
boyfriend for questioning.
394
00:21:58,717 --> 00:22:00,853
[Michael] Jake provided
an alibi for himself,
395
00:22:00,886 --> 00:22:03,889
indicating he was at
work, uh, works in a mine.
396
00:22:03,922 --> 00:22:07,559
He was in that mine from 5 AM
until late into the evening
397
00:22:07,593 --> 00:22:10,295
on the day that
Cathy was last seen.
398
00:22:11,730 --> 00:22:14,700
[Narrator] Not only does
Jake's alibi check out,
399
00:22:14,733 --> 00:22:18,570
he passes a polygraph
with flying colors.
400
00:22:22,441 --> 00:22:24,076
The missing persons
investigation
401
00:22:24,076 --> 00:22:27,913
is just getting underway
in December 2003,
402
00:22:27,946 --> 00:22:32,718
when Mary Bowles pleads
guilty to forgery.
403
00:22:32,751 --> 00:22:37,456
Mary Bowles received an
eighteen-month prison sentence.
404
00:22:37,489 --> 00:22:38,891
[Tim] I think Mary
thought, you know,
405
00:22:38,924 --> 00:22:41,694
she admits to the
Social Security fraud,
406
00:22:41,727 --> 00:22:44,863
and that, you know, she'll
plead guilty, do her time,
407
00:22:44,897 --> 00:22:47,733
pay back the money,
and I'll go away.
408
00:22:47,766 --> 00:22:50,102
But from the beginning,
I was convinced
409
00:22:50,102 --> 00:22:53,639
that there was something
much more disturbing going on.
410
00:22:57,142 --> 00:22:58,444
[Narrator] Coming up,
411
00:22:58,477 --> 00:23:01,413
more details of Mary's
questionable past
412
00:23:01,447 --> 00:23:03,749
come to light...
413
00:23:03,782 --> 00:23:06,218
She told me that
she did feel like
414
00:23:06,251 --> 00:23:09,355
Mary did something with Cathy.
415
00:23:09,388 --> 00:23:13,058
[Narrator] Could Cathy Jo
still be alive?
416
00:23:13,058 --> 00:23:16,662
Mary Bowles, she indicated
that she had made contact
417
00:23:16,695 --> 00:23:18,530
with her daughter, Cathy.
418
00:23:33,479 --> 00:23:35,614
[Narrator] In December 2003,
419
00:23:35,647 --> 00:23:38,317
Mary Bowles pleads
guilty to forgery
420
00:23:38,350 --> 00:23:41,520
and finds herself at the
center of her own daughter's
421
00:23:41,553 --> 00:23:44,089
missing persons investigation.
422
00:23:44,089 --> 00:23:46,592
However, when detectives
interview Mary
423
00:23:46,625 --> 00:23:48,594
in a West Virginia jail,
424
00:23:48,627 --> 00:23:51,163
she makes a bold claim.
425
00:23:51,196 --> 00:23:54,733
Mary Bowles indicated that
she had made contact, uh,
426
00:23:54,767 --> 00:23:56,502
with her daughter, Cathy,
427
00:23:56,535 --> 00:23:59,605
while she was in custody
on federal charges,
428
00:23:59,638 --> 00:24:01,840
and that, uh, Cathy
appeared to be fine,
429
00:24:01,874 --> 00:24:05,044
and she was working as a
dancer in New York City.
430
00:24:06,211 --> 00:24:09,248
[Narrator] But investigators
aren't buying it.
431
00:24:09,281 --> 00:24:12,751
[Michael] She required a cane
to walk from her car accident.
432
00:24:12,785 --> 00:24:15,587
It was impossible to
believe that Cathy Jo
433
00:24:15,621 --> 00:24:18,457
would be working as
a dancer anywhere.
434
00:24:22,828 --> 00:24:25,164
[Narrator] Shortly after
Mary's guilty plea,
435
00:24:25,197 --> 00:24:28,467
her friend and former
roommate, Geraldine Tincher,
436
00:24:28,500 --> 00:24:31,303
contacts Agent Morton.
437
00:24:31,337 --> 00:24:33,872
[Tim] Mary lived with a lady
named Geraldine Tincher.
438
00:24:33,906 --> 00:24:36,075
And I'm not sure of
their relationship,
439
00:24:36,108 --> 00:24:39,078
but they lived together
on and off for years.
440
00:24:39,111 --> 00:24:42,114
Initially her story
was that basically
441
00:24:42,147 --> 00:24:46,085
she didn't have any
reason not to believe Mary
442
00:24:46,118 --> 00:24:49,321
about the story of Cathy.
443
00:24:49,355 --> 00:24:52,324
[Narrator] Geraldine says
after Mary went to prison,
444
00:24:52,358 --> 00:24:55,461
she went through Mary's safe.
445
00:24:55,494 --> 00:24:57,396
[Tim] Geraldine finds
a letter from
446
00:24:57,429 --> 00:24:59,498
the Social Security
Administration
447
00:24:59,531 --> 00:25:01,233
addressed to herself,
448
00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:05,838
and she realizes that she
had been awarded benefits.
449
00:25:05,871 --> 00:25:10,175
Geraldine had applied
for widow's benefits,
450
00:25:10,209 --> 00:25:13,912
but she thought that
she was just denied that.
451
00:25:13,946 --> 00:25:18,417
What happened was, Mary
intercepted the award letter.
452
00:25:18,450 --> 00:25:20,819
So, that's when
Geraldine called me.
453
00:25:20,853 --> 00:25:22,788
I did an investigation
on that and found out
454
00:25:22,821 --> 00:25:24,523
it was a little
over 10,000 dollars
455
00:25:24,556 --> 00:25:28,394
that Mary had stolen
from Geraldine.
456
00:25:28,427 --> 00:25:30,262
So we went back
to the grand jury
457
00:25:30,295 --> 00:25:33,198
and we got those charges added.
458
00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:39,371
While Mary Bowles is on
the radar of the police,
459
00:25:39,405 --> 00:25:41,306
there really wasn't
anything to concretely say
460
00:25:41,340 --> 00:25:44,143
she was responsible
for Cathy Jo's death.
461
00:25:46,445 --> 00:25:50,783
In '05, Mary Bowles is released,
uh, from federal custody.
462
00:25:50,816 --> 00:25:54,219
She returns to her residence
and reassumes her life.
463
00:25:57,156 --> 00:25:59,692
[Narrator] In fact,
six years pass
464
00:25:59,725 --> 00:26:03,028
with no movement on the
missing persons case...
465
00:26:03,028 --> 00:26:09,034
until the discovery of
Cathy Jo's remains in 2011.
466
00:26:09,034 --> 00:26:12,237
The normal procedure is
to notify next of kin
467
00:26:12,271 --> 00:26:14,273
of the death.
468
00:26:14,306 --> 00:26:15,808
In this case, uh, next of kin
469
00:26:15,841 --> 00:26:19,311
was determined to be
her mother, Mary Bowles.
470
00:26:19,345 --> 00:26:22,648
[Narrator] And yet, when
officers attempt to locate Mary
471
00:26:22,681 --> 00:26:25,184
they come up empty handed.
472
00:26:25,217 --> 00:26:28,687
Investigators were not
able to track down Mary.
473
00:26:30,255 --> 00:26:32,925
[Daniel] They're contacting
her family members.
474
00:26:32,958 --> 00:26:35,561
Every attempt that
they made at that point
475
00:26:35,594 --> 00:26:38,330
to locate Mary Bowles,
476
00:26:38,364 --> 00:26:41,100
the troopers came up
empty each and every time.
477
00:26:42,835 --> 00:26:45,871
Once investigators
exhaust all attempts
478
00:26:45,904 --> 00:26:47,940
to contact Mary Bowles,
479
00:26:47,973 --> 00:26:51,210
they decided to go ahead and
go to Cathy Jo McCoy's children
480
00:26:51,243 --> 00:26:54,880
and advise them their
mother has been found.
481
00:26:58,884 --> 00:27:02,021
[Narrator] On April 26, 2011,
482
00:27:02,054 --> 00:27:06,458
investigators locate Cathy Jo's
20-year-old daughter, Jasmine,
483
00:27:06,492 --> 00:27:11,430
who was raised by her father an
paternal grandmother, Vicki.
484
00:27:11,463 --> 00:27:17,302
[Vicki] They first came by and
asked Jasmine for a DNA sample.
485
00:27:17,336 --> 00:27:22,241
I was praying that it
wasn't going to be a match,
486
00:27:22,274 --> 00:27:27,212
because I could see how
heartbroken my baby was.
487
00:27:27,246 --> 00:27:30,315
But then when they came
back, they told us.
488
00:27:31,650 --> 00:27:33,352
[Jasmine] I was mostly in shock,
489
00:27:33,385 --> 00:27:37,056
because in my mind, I
just thought and hoped
490
00:27:37,089 --> 00:27:39,425
that she was
somewhere out there.
491
00:27:43,696 --> 00:27:45,631
[Narrator] Investigators
learn from Jasmine
492
00:27:45,664 --> 00:27:48,834
that her grandmother Mary
didn't seem all that concerned
493
00:27:48,867 --> 00:27:52,738
when Cathy Jo disappeared.
494
00:27:52,771 --> 00:27:54,206
[Jasmine] Mary hurried up
to go and get
495
00:27:54,239 --> 00:27:58,544
Medicaid and food stamps
in her name,
496
00:27:58,577 --> 00:28:03,015
and to switch
custody of us to her.
497
00:28:03,015 --> 00:28:05,017
[Narrator] Jasmine's
grandmother Vicki
498
00:28:05,017 --> 00:28:08,854
tells investigators that a mont
after Cathy Jo disappeared,
499
00:28:08,887 --> 00:28:13,792
in July 2000, she received
an invitation from Mary.
500
00:28:15,394 --> 00:28:17,563
[Vicki] The day of
Jasmine's birthday,
501
00:28:17,596 --> 00:28:23,035
Mary invited us to her trailer
in Pikeston, West Virginia
502
00:28:23,068 --> 00:28:26,405
to celebrate with
Jasmine and the kids.
503
00:28:26,438 --> 00:28:31,643
She told us that Cathy Jo
had left with three guys.
504
00:28:31,677 --> 00:28:33,112
[Narrator] Vicki
tells investigators
505
00:28:33,145 --> 00:28:38,083
that what happened next
was absolutely chilling.
506
00:28:38,117 --> 00:28:41,053
Mary says, "I want to
show you something."
507
00:28:41,053 --> 00:28:43,455
And I'm thinking, well,
maybe she's going to show me
508
00:28:43,489 --> 00:28:46,291
a gift that she bought for
the little girl or whatever.
509
00:28:46,325 --> 00:28:48,727
And she goes in, and she
pulls out this twenty-two
510
00:28:48,761 --> 00:28:50,729
and shows it to me.
511
00:28:50,763 --> 00:28:52,931
And I said, "Aren't you afraid
to have that in the house
512
00:28:52,965 --> 00:28:55,067
when you've got kids?"
513
00:28:55,100 --> 00:28:56,735
And she said, "Oh, they
don't pay any attention
514
00:28:56,769 --> 00:28:59,905
to anything I do."
And she put it away.
515
00:29:00,005 --> 00:29:03,842
But I wondered that day
why she would do that.
516
00:29:08,647 --> 00:29:12,017
[Narrator] The story rings
a bell for investigators.
517
00:29:12,017 --> 00:29:16,055
The caliber gun Mary showed
Vicki all those years ago
518
00:29:16,088 --> 00:29:18,157
is the same caliber
as the bullet
519
00:29:18,190 --> 00:29:22,127
recovered from Cathy Jo's skull
520
00:29:22,161 --> 00:29:26,031
The victim died as a result
of a .22 caliber gunshot wound.
521
00:29:27,366 --> 00:29:31,136
At this point, investigators
have bumped up, uh,
522
00:29:31,170 --> 00:29:33,172
the pursuit for Mary Bowles.
523
00:29:33,205 --> 00:29:35,307
It's gone into multiple states.
524
00:29:38,811 --> 00:29:41,647
[Narrator] On April 27, 2011,
525
00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,183
three weeks into
the search for Mary,
526
00:29:44,216 --> 00:29:48,854
homicide investigators talk to
Cathy Jo's son, Carl McCoy,
527
00:29:48,887 --> 00:29:52,624
who was only 12 when
his mother went missing.
528
00:29:52,658 --> 00:29:55,060
[Carl] When Mom's
remains were found,
529
00:29:55,060 --> 00:29:57,963
I mean, I completely went
downhill from there.
530
00:29:58,063 --> 00:30:00,866
You know what happened,
you suspected,
531
00:30:00,899 --> 00:30:03,002
but there's still that
little glimmer of hope
532
00:30:03,035 --> 00:30:04,703
that she may come back.
533
00:30:04,737 --> 00:30:10,709
Maybe there's some merit to
what Mary is trying to tell us,
534
00:30:10,743 --> 00:30:12,144
because she's your
grandmother, right?
535
00:30:12,177 --> 00:30:13,946
She wouldn't lie to you
about something like that.
536
00:30:13,979 --> 00:30:15,581
This is her daughter.
537
00:30:18,150 --> 00:30:20,185
[Narrator] Carl points out
that Cathy Jo
538
00:30:20,219 --> 00:30:22,121
isn't the first family member
539
00:30:22,154 --> 00:30:26,959
to die under suspicious
circumstances.
540
00:30:26,992 --> 00:30:28,861
[Michael] Carl related
a story to investigators
541
00:30:28,894 --> 00:30:32,364
about his uncle Mark,
who, at age 17,
542
00:30:32,398 --> 00:30:34,500
was in a very
serious car accident
543
00:30:34,533 --> 00:30:36,168
in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
544
00:30:37,836 --> 00:30:39,705
[Daniel] Mary Bowles,
she decides
545
00:30:39,738 --> 00:30:43,242
to yank him out of the hospital
546
00:30:43,275 --> 00:30:46,845
She proceeds to
take Mark to a hotel
547
00:30:46,879 --> 00:30:49,314
not too far from that location.
548
00:30:51,250 --> 00:30:56,789
[Vicki] His mom signed him out
against medical advice.
549
00:30:56,822 --> 00:31:00,192
Mark screamed in pain
most of the night.
550
00:31:00,225 --> 00:31:03,328
And Mary wouldn't let
anybody in to help him.
551
00:31:04,596 --> 00:31:09,268
Only one that was in that room
was him and Mark's girlfriend.
552
00:31:09,301 --> 00:31:12,571
She, uh, just told us Mary
took and laid the mattress
553
00:31:12,604 --> 00:31:16,575
against the door, where
they couldn't get out.
554
00:31:16,608 --> 00:31:19,078
He died right there
in the motel room.
555
00:31:19,111 --> 00:31:21,747
Died from a lower
punctured intestine.
556
00:31:21,780 --> 00:31:23,449
Drowned in his own fluids.
557
00:31:27,486 --> 00:31:29,088
No remorse.
558
00:31:30,155 --> 00:31:32,191
It's like it didn't faze her.
559
00:31:35,794 --> 00:31:36,995
[Narrator] According
to the family,
560
00:31:37,096 --> 00:31:41,900
once back home, Mary started
looking for an attorney.
561
00:31:41,934 --> 00:31:44,703
Then she turns around
and sues the hospital.
562
00:31:44,737 --> 00:31:48,107
[Michael] Mary Bowles filed
action against the hospital.
563
00:31:48,140 --> 00:31:52,311
She successfully sued them
for the amount of $24,000.
564
00:31:52,344 --> 00:31:55,214
[Daniel] Based on all
of her past behavior,
565
00:31:55,247 --> 00:31:57,549
she, yes,
has shown a propensity
566
00:31:57,583 --> 00:32:00,319
to take advantage of
even her loved ones
567
00:32:00,352 --> 00:32:03,922
if it meant some money
going into her pocket.
568
00:32:05,257 --> 00:32:08,060
She's had a lotta people
leave out with her
569
00:32:08,093 --> 00:32:09,962
and not come back.
570
00:32:13,198 --> 00:32:14,733
[Narrator] Coming up,
571
00:32:14,767 --> 00:32:17,069
the hunt is on.
572
00:32:17,069 --> 00:32:20,773
They discover her white
full-sized pickup truck
573
00:32:20,806 --> 00:32:22,608
parked in the yard.
574
00:32:22,641 --> 00:32:25,678
[Narrator] And a former
friend is no longer afraid
575
00:32:25,711 --> 00:32:28,480
to share what she knows...
576
00:32:28,514 --> 00:32:32,151
Mary had been traipsing
around in the woods all day,
577
00:32:32,184 --> 00:32:33,819
and she was sopping wet
from her hair
578
00:32:33,852 --> 00:32:35,954
all the way down to her feet.
579
00:32:50,770 --> 00:32:54,207
[Narrator] After years spent
under a cloud of suspicion,
580
00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,277
Mary Bowles is now
suspect number one
581
00:32:57,310 --> 00:33:01,514
in the murder of her
daughter, Cathy Jo McCoy.
582
00:33:01,548 --> 00:33:05,151
Family, as well as other
witnesses, have, uh,
583
00:33:05,185 --> 00:33:09,189
implicated her in the death of
her own son and her daughter.
584
00:33:13,259 --> 00:33:16,096
Investigators have
bumped up the pursuit.
585
00:33:16,129 --> 00:33:18,698
It's gone into multiple states.
586
00:33:18,732 --> 00:33:22,202
She appears to be eluding,
uh, law enforcement,
587
00:33:22,235 --> 00:33:24,337
but that hasn't
stopped investigators.
588
00:33:26,106 --> 00:33:27,507
[Narrator] They
continue to reach out
589
00:33:27,540 --> 00:33:28,975
to potential witnesses
590
00:33:29,075 --> 00:33:31,244
who might help
bolster their case,
591
00:33:31,277 --> 00:33:34,681
including Mary's former
friend and roommate,
592
00:33:34,714 --> 00:33:37,250
Geraldine Tincher.
593
00:33:37,283 --> 00:33:38,451
[Michael] Shortly
after Mary Bowles
594
00:33:38,485 --> 00:33:41,788
went to prison
for fraud in 2003,
595
00:33:41,821 --> 00:33:44,290
her roommate, Geraldine Tincher
596
00:33:44,324 --> 00:33:48,194
discovered that she in
fact was a victim of fraud.
597
00:33:50,463 --> 00:33:53,233
Geraldine was not a fan
of Mary Bowles anymore
598
00:33:53,266 --> 00:33:56,102
because she stole from her.
599
00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:01,508
[Narrator] When
state investigators
600
00:34:01,541 --> 00:34:07,113
circle back to Geraldine,
she doesn't hold back.
601
00:34:07,147 --> 00:34:09,315
[Daniel] Geraldine Tincher
was able to say that,
602
00:34:09,349 --> 00:34:11,217
about the night of June the 5th
603
00:34:11,251 --> 00:34:13,119
when Mary came into the house,
604
00:34:13,153 --> 00:34:16,122
it appeared as if Mary had been
605
00:34:16,156 --> 00:34:18,124
traipsing around in
the woods all day
606
00:34:18,158 --> 00:34:20,126
just by the way her,
her clothes were,
607
00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:21,795
and that she was sopping wet
from her hair
608
00:34:21,828 --> 00:34:23,530
all the way down to her feet.
609
00:34:25,765 --> 00:34:28,601
[Tim] Geraldine asked
Mary what was going on.
610
00:34:28,635 --> 00:34:31,237
She said, "Oh, I just,
uh, dropped Cathy off
611
00:34:31,271 --> 00:34:33,740
with some friends, and she's
gonna get her own ride home."
612
00:34:37,177 --> 00:34:40,380
Geraldine thought it was odd
that Cathy's purse
613
00:34:40,413 --> 00:34:44,484
was still in the, the
front seat of the van.
614
00:34:44,517 --> 00:34:48,154
She sees Mary getting
in Cathy's purse
615
00:34:48,188 --> 00:34:51,958
and getting her driver's
license out of her purse.
616
00:34:51,991 --> 00:34:53,860
She said, "I'm getting
her driver's license
617
00:34:53,893 --> 00:34:55,362
'cause I'm going
to the State Police
618
00:34:55,395 --> 00:34:58,198
and file a missing
person's report."
619
00:34:58,231 --> 00:35:00,734
One was never filed with
the West Virginia State Police.
620
00:35:05,071 --> 00:35:06,239
[Narrator] But
investigators know
621
00:35:06,272 --> 00:35:11,344
that's not the real reason
she wanted Cathy Jo's ID.
622
00:35:11,378 --> 00:35:13,346
She was getting that
driver's license
623
00:35:13,380 --> 00:35:16,783
to cash Cathy's
checks at the bank.
624
00:35:16,816 --> 00:35:18,852
Geraldine said, the children.
625
00:35:18,885 --> 00:35:22,188
She said, she wanted
custody of those children.
626
00:35:22,222 --> 00:35:24,424
There had been a feud
between the two of them
627
00:35:24,457 --> 00:35:27,927
over the children
since the accident.
628
00:35:27,961 --> 00:35:29,462
Mary wanted custody,
629
00:35:29,496 --> 00:35:31,598
and Cathy would not give up
custody of those children.
630
00:35:38,271 --> 00:35:40,940
[Narrator] On April 28, 2011,
631
00:35:40,974 --> 00:35:44,844
detectives speak with Cathy Jo'
brother, Matthew Lukach,
632
00:35:44,878 --> 00:35:46,646
and get an unexpected break
633
00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:50,517
after weeks of searching
for Mary Bowles.
634
00:35:50,550 --> 00:35:52,318
[Michael] Matthew
told investigators
635
00:35:52,352 --> 00:35:55,655
he recently received a
phone call from his mother.
636
00:35:55,689 --> 00:35:56,890
And the Caller ID showed
637
00:35:56,923 --> 00:36:00,226
that she was actually in the
local area, in West Virginia.
638
00:36:04,297 --> 00:36:05,532
[Narrator]
West Virginia State Police
639
00:36:05,565 --> 00:36:08,702
immediately go looking for Mary
640
00:36:08,735 --> 00:36:11,371
[Michael] When investigators
get to the address
641
00:36:11,404 --> 00:36:13,907
based on tracking
of the phone number,
642
00:36:13,940 --> 00:36:17,043
they discover Mary's white
full-sized pickup truck
643
00:36:17,077 --> 00:36:18,678
parked in the yard.
644
00:36:18,712 --> 00:36:20,714
When investigators
attempted to notify
645
00:36:20,747 --> 00:36:24,718
that Cathy in fact was deceased
and her remains were recovered,
646
00:36:24,751 --> 00:36:27,287
Mary indicated she already
was aware of the fact.
647
00:36:28,288 --> 00:36:29,723
[Narrator] Mary
tells investigators
648
00:36:29,756 --> 00:36:33,660
she saw the story
on the local news.
649
00:36:33,693 --> 00:36:38,531
Investigators ask her to go back
to the station for a statement.
650
00:36:43,336 --> 00:36:45,905
[Narrator] State troopers
immediately bring Mary in
651
00:36:45,939 --> 00:36:47,607
for questioning.
652
00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:52,445
She insists she knows nothing
about her daughter's murder.
653
00:36:52,479 --> 00:36:56,816
Mary Bowles was the
last person who saw Cathy.
654
00:36:58,418 --> 00:37:02,322
And Mary Bowles benefited
from Cathy's disappearance
655
00:37:02,355 --> 00:37:04,858
and ultimate death.
656
00:37:04,891 --> 00:37:07,460
When you put all those
little pieces together,
657
00:37:07,494 --> 00:37:09,496
coming home wet and muddy,
658
00:37:09,529 --> 00:37:14,200
all of that behavior
added up to someone
659
00:37:14,234 --> 00:37:16,503
that you have to believe is,
660
00:37:16,536 --> 00:37:19,205
is very culpable of this crime.
661
00:37:22,676 --> 00:37:25,745
[Narrator] But Mary
stands her ground.
662
00:37:25,779 --> 00:37:30,483
[Michael] Mary Bowles does agree
to take a polygraph examination
663
00:37:30,517 --> 00:37:32,686
And she ends up failing
the polygraph, uh,
664
00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:35,321
with deception noted.
665
00:37:35,355 --> 00:37:37,490
[Narrator] Authorities
arrest Mary Bowles
666
00:37:37,524 --> 00:37:41,594
for the shooting death
of her daughter, Cathy Jo.
667
00:37:41,628 --> 00:37:43,830
[Michael] The fact that
she failed the polygraph,
668
00:37:43,863 --> 00:37:46,066
her track record on
committing fraud,
669
00:37:46,099 --> 00:37:49,369
and a life full of lies,
670
00:37:49,402 --> 00:37:51,971
coupled with possession
of a firearm,
671
00:37:52,072 --> 00:37:54,507
it's painting a picture
to the investigators.
672
00:37:55,475 --> 00:37:57,510
We charged her with
first degree murder.
673
00:38:00,814 --> 00:38:02,182
[Narrator] Coming up,
674
00:38:02,215 --> 00:38:05,819
will Mary finally face justice?
675
00:38:05,852 --> 00:38:08,154
An eleven-year crime
676
00:38:08,188 --> 00:38:12,392
is just a very
difficult crime to pursue.
677
00:38:12,425 --> 00:38:15,795
[Narrator] Or will
she escape yet again?
678
00:38:15,829 --> 00:38:18,264
A trial was just
not going to happen.
679
00:38:33,513 --> 00:38:35,815
[Narrator] Following
Mary Bowles' arrest,
680
00:38:35,849 --> 00:38:39,552
prosecutors present
their case to a grand jury--
681
00:38:39,586 --> 00:38:44,724
11 years after her daughter,
Cathy Jo, disappeared.
682
00:38:44,758 --> 00:38:47,660
With the help of Geraldine
Tincher's testimony,
683
00:38:47,694 --> 00:38:51,765
prosecutors secure
what they need.
684
00:38:51,798 --> 00:38:55,135
Geraldine testified
at the preliminary, uh,
685
00:38:55,168 --> 00:38:57,437
she was a wonderful witness.
686
00:38:57,470 --> 00:39:00,640
Mary Bowles was indicted
for first degree murder.
687
00:39:02,142 --> 00:39:04,811
It was an uphill battle after
the preliminary hearing.
688
00:39:04,844 --> 00:39:07,280
An eleven-year crime
689
00:39:07,313 --> 00:39:10,784
is just a very
difficult crime to pursue.
690
00:39:12,052 --> 00:39:14,387
[Michael] Number one, you
don't have a murder weapon,
691
00:39:14,421 --> 00:39:15,689
uh, and number two,
692
00:39:15,722 --> 00:39:19,626
a lack of forensic evidence
because of the amount of time.
693
00:39:19,659 --> 00:39:23,463
There's not an ability to get
anything DNA-wise on clothing,
694
00:39:23,496 --> 00:39:27,033
or the crime scene
with drag marks.
695
00:39:27,033 --> 00:39:29,436
There's none of that
evidence that exists.
696
00:39:29,469 --> 00:39:32,138
And the age of the case
is going against you,
697
00:39:32,172 --> 00:39:34,140
the memories of witnesses.
698
00:39:34,174 --> 00:39:36,843
They are at a disadvantage
in a number of areas.
699
00:39:40,914 --> 00:39:44,184
[Narrator] Prosecutors face
the lingering questions,
700
00:39:44,217 --> 00:39:48,588
including exactly what went
down between Mary and Cathy Jo
701
00:39:48,621 --> 00:39:53,426
when they left home
on June 5, 2000.
702
00:39:53,460 --> 00:39:55,929
We believed there was
some premeditation.
703
00:39:55,962 --> 00:40:00,567
That Mary planned for
some period of time.
704
00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:02,335
[Narrator] Though they
can't prove exactly
705
00:40:02,369 --> 00:40:04,904
how Mary killed Cathy Jo,
706
00:40:04,938 --> 00:40:08,775
prosecutors are
confident about why.
707
00:40:08,808 --> 00:40:14,514
The one theme that seems to be
constant in this case is greed.
708
00:40:14,547 --> 00:40:17,083
Mary Bowles is a prolific liar,
709
00:40:17,117 --> 00:40:21,154
someone that's committed
fraud her entire life.
710
00:40:21,187 --> 00:40:22,889
[Jasmine] Mary looked innocent,
711
00:40:22,922 --> 00:40:27,093
but underneath,
she was the devil.
712
00:40:27,127 --> 00:40:29,529
Mary was money hungry.
713
00:40:29,562 --> 00:40:32,465
My mother was getting
Social Security checks monthly.
714
00:40:32,499 --> 00:40:34,934
She was getting
food stamps for us kids
715
00:40:34,968 --> 00:40:38,505
because she didn't have a
job, where she was disabled.
716
00:40:38,538 --> 00:40:42,776
So Mary thought that
if she had us children,
717
00:40:42,809 --> 00:40:45,879
then she would get
those benefits,
718
00:40:45,912 --> 00:40:48,515
and my mother stood
in the way of that.
719
00:40:52,786 --> 00:40:54,754
[Narrator] While the
family eagerly awaits
720
00:40:54,788 --> 00:40:58,825
Mary's day in court,
they are dealt a setback.
721
00:40:58,858 --> 00:41:01,695
Mary was indicted
on murder charges.
722
00:41:01,728 --> 00:41:05,165
And the trial was set to go,
723
00:41:05,198 --> 00:41:10,904
and then she had received
a terminal cancer diagnosis.
724
00:41:10,937 --> 00:41:15,842
You could see the
decline in her health.
725
00:41:15,875 --> 00:41:19,679
We would have hearings,
and it got to the point
726
00:41:19,713 --> 00:41:23,850
where the ambulance
had to actually get her
727
00:41:23,883 --> 00:41:27,387
and bring her up
to the courtroom
728
00:41:27,420 --> 00:41:29,622
in either a wheelchair,
or at,
729
00:41:29,656 --> 00:41:32,992
I think, the last
hearing, a stretcher.
730
00:41:33,093 --> 00:41:37,764
What happened during our case is
Ms. Bowles' health deteriorated
731
00:41:37,797 --> 00:41:40,734
to the point that I
knew that having a trial
732
00:41:40,767 --> 00:41:42,869
was just not going to happen.
733
00:41:47,273 --> 00:41:51,544
[Narrator] In 2016, Mary Bowles
is released from jail
734
00:41:51,578 --> 00:41:53,980
and placed in hospice care.
735
00:41:54,014 --> 00:41:59,152
The prosecution dismisses
their case against her.
736
00:41:59,185 --> 00:42:01,054
[Amy] I left the prosecuting
attorney's office
737
00:42:01,054 --> 00:42:02,856
in December 2016.
738
00:42:02,889 --> 00:42:05,925
I dismissed it
before I left because
739
00:42:05,959 --> 00:42:10,463
I didn't wanna leave a case
like that to my next in line.
740
00:42:12,665 --> 00:42:17,971
[Narrator] Mary Bowles
dies on July 5, 2017.
741
00:42:18,071 --> 00:42:20,774
[Amy] When I got the notice
that Mary Bowles was dead,
742
00:42:20,807 --> 00:42:22,676
I took a deep breath.
743
00:42:22,709 --> 00:42:27,213
Mary Bowles was not
going to hurt anyone again.
744
00:42:31,818 --> 00:42:33,753
[Narrator] But for
Cathy Jo's family,
745
00:42:33,787 --> 00:42:37,624
the news brings mixed emotions.
746
00:42:37,657 --> 00:42:40,660
[Jasmine] I was mad
when I found out
747
00:42:40,694 --> 00:42:44,531
my mom will never get
justice like she deserves.
748
00:42:44,564 --> 00:42:49,102
My mother was kind, beautiful.
749
00:42:49,102 --> 00:42:51,204
She would do anything
for her kids.
750
00:42:51,237 --> 00:42:53,506
I just want people to know that
751
00:42:53,540 --> 00:42:56,276
my mother just didn't deserve it
752
00:42:56,309 --> 00:42:59,112
and that she was a good person.
753
00:43:01,815 --> 00:43:03,717
[Matthew] Justice wasn't served.
754
00:43:03,750 --> 00:43:05,819
It was not served at all.
755
00:43:05,852 --> 00:43:08,688
That woman never had
remorse about anything.
756
00:43:10,490 --> 00:43:12,459
[Jessica] What I want them
to remember about Cathy Jo,
757
00:43:12,492 --> 00:43:14,094
my mother,
758
00:43:14,127 --> 00:43:17,230
is that she was one of the
most loving, free-spirited,
759
00:43:17,263 --> 00:43:20,066
outgoing, beautiful people.
760
00:43:20,066 --> 00:43:23,336
And she, she was human.
She had a voice.
761
00:43:23,370 --> 00:43:25,939
And though she ain't here
to say it right now, we are.
762
00:43:25,972 --> 00:43:27,741
And her voice will be heard.
763
00:43:31,478 --> 00:43:43,623
[music]