Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"The stories were becoming intertwined but no one could see exactly how." — Ashley Flowers
"I know who did the Michigan snow killings." — Unidentified individual in a transcribed interview
"The DNA from the hair on Chris Maholek did not match Chris Bush, but they did find a DNA match." — Ashley Flowers
This episode continues the investigation into the Oakland County Child Killings, exploring the deepening connections between this case and a child pornography and sex trafficking ring uncovered in Northern Michigan. Early in the investigation, the families of the victims were kept largely unaware of key suspects, including Chris Bush. It is revealed that Gerald Richards, already involved in the pornography ring, had provided client names, including Chris Bush, to authorities. Despite a lead in 1993 involving a child pornography distributor, the connection to the Oakland County murders remained elusive. Decades later, a crucial breakthrough occurred when a Wayne County Prosecutor's Office investigator reviewing unrelated case transcripts encountered a statement: "I know who did the Michigan snow killings." This led to an interview with Richard Lawson, who described associates like Bob Moore, involved in filming children and drug distribution, and Ted Orr (Theodore Lambergene), a known pedophile. Lawson also mentioned that Bob Moore sold films to Frank, the owner of North Fox Island, suggesting a direct link to the pornography operation.
Further investigation focused on Theodore Lambergene, who failed a polygraph when confronted with evidence and confessed to molestation but denied involvement in the killings. A significant development arose when an independent examiner re-evaluated polygraph results for Chris Bush and Greg Green, indicating that both had failed, contrary to previous findings. This discrepancy raised questions about the integrity of the original polygraph examinations and suggested a potential oversight or cover-up. The narrative then shifts to DNA evidence, where hair found on victim Chris Maholek did not match Chris Bush but instead matched James Vince Gunnels. Gunnels, a victim of Bush and Green, admitted to being in Chris's car frequently, providing a potential explanation for his hair's presence but not directly implicating himself in the murders. Later, hair found on victims Mark and Tim matched each other, providing the first concrete evidence that investigators were looking for one perpetrator. Unexpectedly, this hair also matched debris found in the car of Arch Sloan, a previously identified person of interest.
The investigation then encountered further complexities. While hair from Sloan's car matched hair on victims Mark and Tim, his own head hair did not. Sloan, serving a life sentence, refused to identify the actual killer, even when offered immunity and relocation. The situation became murkier when Arch Sloan revealed he had sold the car containing the evidence to the son of a state police lieutenant. Conflicting accounts emerged regarding DNA found on Chris Maholek's jacket, with one retired detective suggesting it matched the hair found on Mark and Tim, and a DNA match to the lieutenant's son, while the current lead detective stated there was no useful DNA from the jacket. This discrepancy fueled speculation of a massive cover-up involving individuals within law enforcement or political power. The episode concludes by emphasizing the interconnectedness of the crimes with a larger pedophile community and a potential conspiracy, suggesting that the Oakland County Child Killer case may have been part of a much larger operation that was deliberately kept under wraps.