"The contents of those calls pretty much destroy any defense he could have come up with." — Ashley Flowers
"But without the call, there's not much physical evidence to suggest that Deanna was murdered, like she didn't look like she'd been beaten, there's no bruising. So without that, he states that her death would have only been a mysterious death." — Britt
"The defense tries to pull some real shit. They claim that Diana wasn't murdered. Rather, she died from a combination of PCP and stress. Stress?" — Ashley Flowers
This episode of Crime Junkie delves into the devastating case of Deanna Cook, a victim of domestic violence whose death was tragically compounded by significant failures in the justice and emergency response systems. The narrative begins with Deanna's mother, Vicki, reporting her missing, which leads to the discovery of Deanna's body in her bathtub. The initial response from the Dallas Police is criticized for its lack of urgency and procedural missteps, including directing the family to check local jails and hospitals before dispatching officers for a welfare check.
The investigation into Deanna's death uncovers a disturbing pattern of abuse and prior incidents involving her ex-husband, Delvequeo. Crucially, Deanna had made two 911 calls in the days leading up to her death, one reporting Delvequeo's presence near her home and another, a harrowing plea for help, during which her attacker's threats and sounds of a struggle were audible. Despite the urgency of the second call, responding officers were delayed due to seemingly trivial stops, arriving at Deanna's house long after the critical events had transpired. The autopsy later revealed Deanna died from drowning and other homicidal violence, with the 911 call being instrumental in classifying the death as a homicide.
The episode also highlights systemic issues, including staffing shortages at the 911 call center and outdated technology for locating cell phone calls. Following Deanna's death, legal action was taken against various entities, including the city of Dallas and the police department, alleging negligence and violations of constitutional rights. While Delvequeo was eventually found guilty of murder and sentenced, the lawsuit brought by Deanna's family faced numerous legal battles and was ultimately dismissed, leaving the family feeling that true justice remained elusive. The podcast concludes by emphasizing the broader issue of domestic violence and promoting resources for survivors.