Digest

The podcast delves into the case of Jane Newman, a 30-year-old woman found dead in her home in Hudson, Wisconsin. Her husband, Jim, reported her death and the disappearance of their son, Jonathan. The crime scene revealed a broken front door but no signs of a struggle or forced entry. Initial investigations focused on a potential break-in, but no evidence supported this theory. Jonathan was found safe at daycare, and Jim provided an alibi, claiming he was at work and spoke to Jane several times that day. However, inconsistencies in his timeline and actions raised questions about his involvement. The autopsy revealed Jane's death was likely caused by a gunshot to the face, with her hand on the gun barrel, suggesting a possible suicide. Jim's story changed, claiming Jane committed suicide and he covered it up. He detailed his actions after finding Jane's body, including hiding the shotgun, staging a break-in, and burning a suicide note. The podcast examines the feasibility of Jim's actions within the 30-minute window between discovering Jane's body and calling 911. Jane's family expressed skepticism about Jim's story, citing her plans for the future and her normal day before her death. They pressed for a reexamination of the case, leading to a DCI investigation. However, the investigation was hampered by the original investigators' mishandling of evidence. Jane's family filed a civil suit against Jim, revealing new details about his history of lying and fabricating stories. The jury found Jim liable for Jane's death, ruling it a homicide and awarding damages to her family. The district attorney declined to file criminal charges due to insufficient evidence. The podcast concludes by highlighting the unanswered questions surrounding Jane's death and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Jim's involvement. The case remains open, but the likelihood of a resolution without new evidence is slim.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Mysterious Death of Jane Newman

The podcast introduces the case of Jane Newman, a 30-year-old woman found dead in her home in Hudson, Wisconsin. Her husband, Jim, reported her death and the disappearance of their son, Jonathan. The crime scene revealed a broken front door but no signs of a struggle or forced entry. Initial investigations focused on a potential break-in, but no evidence supported this theory.

00:00:44

Jim's Alibi and Inconsistencies

Jonathan was found safe at daycare, and Jim provided an alibi, claiming he was at work and spoke to Jane several times that day. However, inconsistencies in his timeline and actions raised questions about his involvement. The autopsy revealed Jane's death was likely caused by a gunshot to the face, with her hand on the gun barrel, suggesting a possible suicide.

00:08:32

Jim's Changing Story and the Cover-Up

Jim's story changed, claiming Jane committed suicide and he covered it up. He detailed his actions after finding Jane's body, including hiding the shotgun, staging a break-in, and burning a suicide note. The podcast examines the feasibility of Jim's actions within the 30-minute window between discovering Jane's body and calling 911.

00:16:30

The Family's Fight for Justice and the DCI Investigation

Jane's family expressed skepticism about Jim's story, citing her plans for the future and her normal day before her death. They pressed for a reexamination of the case, leading to a DCI investigation. However, the investigation was hampered by the original investigators' mishandling of evidence.

00:32:43

The Verdict and Unanswered Questions

The jury found Jim liable for Jane's death, ruling it a homicide and awarding damages to her family. The district attorney declined to file criminal charges due to insufficient evidence. The podcast concludes by highlighting the unanswered questions surrounding Jane's death and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Jim's involvement. The case remains open, but the likelihood of a resolution without new evidence is slim.

Keywords

Q&A

• What were the initial signs of a struggle at the crime scene?

  Despite the broken front door, investigators found no signs of a struggle, including missing items or defensive wounds on Jane's body.

• What was the significance of the hole in the wall and the position of Jane's body?

  The hole in the wall, combined with Jane's position facing the wall, suggested a unique and unusual scenario, leading investigators to believe she was shot from the laundry room through the wall.

• What was Jim's initial alibi, and how did it change?

  Jim initially claimed he was at work and spoke to Jane several times that day. He later changed his story, admitting to covering up Jane's suicide.

• What were the key findings of the autopsy, and how did they impact the investigation?

  The autopsy revealed Jane's death was likely caused by a gunshot to the face, with her hand on the gun barrel. This finding raised questions about the possibility of suicide and led to further scrutiny of Jim's involvement.

• What was the significance of the civil suit filed by Jane's family?

  The civil suit brought to light new details about Jim's history of lying and fabricating stories, including his claims of a bomb on the door and his speculation about Jane being forced to commit suicide.

• What was the jury's verdict in the civil suit, and what were the consequences?

  The jury found Jim liable for Jane's death, ruling it a homicide and awarding damages to her family. The district attorney declined to file criminal charges due to insufficient evidence.

• What are some of the unanswered questions surrounding Jane's death?

  The podcast highlights several unanswered questions, including the origin of the shotgun, the lack of a mark on Jane's hand from pulling the fishing line, and the possibility of an accomplice.

Show Notes