Tag: true crime
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Who Killed Jean Cook?
In this episode, we revisit a painful local cold case: the murder of Georgia "Jean" Cook. On October 6, 2005, Jean, a 56-year-old mother of two, was working her shift as a manager at the former Busler's gas station on Highway 41 North in Evansville, Indiana. Three hours before the end of her shift, an armed intruder walked into the store, shot Jean twice, and fled after taking money from the register. Despite being mortally wounded, Jean managed to use her phone to call for help before passing away, leaving behind a family still searching for answers two decades later.
The investigation was plagued by complications right from the start. The store surveillance system was not recording that day, leaving police without video footage of the killer. The primary lead comes from a customer pumping gas outside who reported seeing a white woman with bushy gray hair wearing dark clothing leave the store and drive away north on Highway 41 in a bluish-gray domestic sedan. However, there has been long-standing confusion over whether the shooter was actually a woman or a man wearing a wig or disguise, creating a major obstacle for investigators.
This episode features conversations with two people close to the case. First, Jean's former coworker Andy Hinton shares his memory of the day, including receiving the distressing calls from Jean right after the shooting, and offers his perspective on what might have been happening at the store. Later, Jean's son Fred Cook talks about the toll the unsolved investigation has taken on their family, how quick access to major highways allowed the killer to vanish, and why he holds out hope that advancing technology or a lingering conscience might finally bring the truth to light.
Someone out there knows what happened that morning on Highway 41. Take a listen to the episode, check out the composite sketch materials linked in the show notes, and jump into the Discord server to join the conversation and help keep Jean's memory alive. -
The Murder of Troy DeWayne Smith
On May 24, 2020, 50-year-old Troy DeWayne Smith was found dead inside his apartment on South New York Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. Troy was a quiet guy who had studied mechanical engineering at ITT Tech and was working locally at Tri-State Resource Recovery.
Initially, authorities treated his death as an overdose or natural causes. Because of that initial call, weeks went by before an autopsy revealed the truth: Troy had actually been shot in the back of the head while sitting on his couch. By the time the case was reclassified as a homicide, the apartment had already been cleared out by family, contaminating potential evidence. On top of that, the story broke during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning it barely received any media coverage and quickly slipped through the cracks.
In this episode, Troy’s brother, TaRon, steps up to share what happened from his perspective as the person who found Troy that day. TaRon opens up about the suspicious circumstances surrounding how he was called to the apartment, the strange details about the locked door, and the rumors circulating in the community about who might have been in the apartment that night. He also addresses the struggles the family has faced over the years trying to keep investigators focused on finding answers.
Even though Troy fell into the wrong crowd and struggled with substance abuse near the end of his life, his family wants to make sure his story isn't forgotten and that the person responsible is brought to justice.
Troy's family is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction in this case. If you know anything about what happened to Troy DeWayne Smith, please contact the Evansville Police Department at 812-436-7979 or leave an anonymous tip at 800-78-CRIME.