Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"The odds of randomly having a single double initial victim are 7%, but the odds of three separate random victims, which having double initials is 0.03%, 300% of 1%, which is minuscule." — Milkiadas (User comment discussed by speakers)
This episode continues the exploration of the "Double Initial Murders" of Carmen Cologne, Wanda Walcoitz, and Michelle Mayenza, focusing on the investigative efforts to identify a perpetrator. A key witness described a light-colored car and a concerning man during Michelle's abduction, an account corroborated by others, though the driver's identity remained elusive. Another witness provided a description and later a composite sketch of a man seen near where Michelle's body was found, noting confrontational behavior and an attempt to shield a young girl. Further witness accounts and a more detailed sketch emerged after the first composite was released, including a security guard who observed a nervous man matching the description fleeing towards a Ford Pinto. The narrative then explores a woman's sighting of Michelle with a man at a fast-food restaurant, with a subsequent sketch offering a more life-like depiction, and restaurant staff recalling the man's distinctive long fingernails.
The investigation considered multiple suspects, including Dennis Termini, a firefighter whose attacks occurred within the timeframe of the murders, and whose vehicle and personal effects showed potential, though inconclusive, links. Another suspect, James Barber, with a history of sex offenses, was investigated for Carmen's murder due to his suspicious departure from town shortly after the crime, but was deemed to have lacked the opportunity for the other two. Kenneth Bianchi, the "Hillside Strangler," was also considered, particularly after a serology test indicated the killer was a non-secreter, a characteristic Bianchi shared. However, wrist print comparisons and further DNA analysis ultimately ruled out both Termini and Bianchi. The possibility of Carmen's uncle, Miguel, being involved in her death was revisited after a violent domestic incident, but investigators doubted his connection to the other murders.
The episode highlights the evolving nature of forensic science, from early composite sketches to modern DNA analysis. While a DNA profile was developed from Wanda's case, it did not match known suspects, and efforts to utilize genealogy databases are ongoing but face legal and funding hurdles. The podcast discusses the statistical significance of the "double initial" pattern, with a user-generated analysis suggesting the odds of three such victims are statistically improbable, yet investigators officially dismiss this as a coincidence. The possibility of other interconnected cases, such as the Oakland County Child Killer and abductions in Connecticut, are briefly explored but not definitively linked. The episode concludes by acknowledging the case remains open, with investigators continuing to pursue leads, and the potential of advanced genealogical DNA testing offering a renewed hope for resolution.