"I really have nothing to lose. What are they gonna do? Give me another life sentence." — Michael Townsend
"I know the term snapped is kind of a trope in a true crime world, but Michael actually tries to explain this switch that flips inside him." — Fred
"This is a horrific discovery, the fact that multiple investigators in William looked at that pile of clothes and had no idea she was underneath is just shocking and terrible, but she was well concealed, so there's no way they would have been able to tell just by looking at it that there was a whole person under there." — Fred
The episode chronicles the disappearance and subsequent murder of Sherry Carman, a young mother in Titusville, Florida. Her boyfriend, William Stoffer, reported her missing after she failed to return home and her car was absent. An initial search of the house revealed signs of a struggle, including bloodstains and suspicious items. The investigation took a turn with the discovery of Sherry's body concealed within a pile of laundry, leading authorities to treat her disappearance as a homicide. The focus quickly shifted to Michael Townsend, a recent house guest with a criminal past, who was also missing.
Townsend was eventually apprehended in Orlando, driving Sherry's car. Initially claiming to be a witness to Sherry's murder, his story evolved and was contradicted by other accounts, particularly that of Donald Hill, another individual who had been staying at the house. Townsend's alibi proved false, and a polygraph test indicated deception. Under intense questioning, Townsend confessed to murdering Sherry, attributing the act to a dispute over her alleged HIV status, though this claim was later questioned. His confession was marked by shifting narratives, including accusations against other individuals and unsubstantiated claims of child exploitation.
Beyond Sherry's murder, Townsend's confession opened a Pandora's Box, as he admitted to a string of other murders spanning several states and decades. He detailed a pattern of violence often linked to his substance abuse, beginning in the late 1980s. While some of his confessions, like the murder of Alene Michele Branch, have been corroborated, many of his alleged victims remain unidentified, leaving families in uncertainty. The episode concludes by highlighting the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to identify additional victims and the plea for public assistance in solving these cold cases.