A note to listeners before we begin. Today's story includes language that may be
offensive to non neurotypical individuals. This is for the purpose of historical accuracy and
does not reflect mine, the cast or the crew's opinions. Listener discretion is
advised. Summer may long be over, but I can't help but think about
the State Fair. Being from Ohio, do you think my family would have
gone every single summer? But nope. I didn't go to the Fair for
the first time until I was in third grade. That first time was phenomenal
for me. I wasn't intered in any contests, nor did I really go
on any rides. You know, looking back now, I can safely say
that my first time at the fair was done wrong. Still, like we
talked about in the Rocky Point Amusement Park episode, I loved seeing the clean
lights come on in the evenings, adding the aromas of deep fried everything and
cute little animals, and Skyler was hooked. My boyfriend has never been to
the fair, and it astounded him when I talked about how everyone goes to
see the butter Cow, which is literally a cow sculpture made of more than
two thousand pounds of butter. How Ohio is that? The other memorable time
at the fair for me was around my junior maybe senior year of high school,
when I went with three lovely lady friends from work. This time around,
we did the damn thing right. Deep fried oreos. Check admiring the
prize winning pig, check roller coasters, check it e check, mechanical bull
ride check times four. I don't only remember what the deep fried oreo tasted
like, but at the time my taste buds and arteries were more than satisfied.
The piggies were super adorable, and I learned that day that there is
no such thing as a teacup pig. The roller coaster made me question how
on earth employees construct these rides within hours and whether or not they're truly safe.
Finally, the mechanical bull My friends did great on it, mostly because
the horny guy running the thing shook it gently enough to well get them to
shake, if you know what I'm saying, and when I got on,
he made it a wild ride because he didn't care for my shimmying show.
I think I lasted fifteen seconds, if I'm being super generous. I never
did the fair again after that. We do have a fair here in Los
Angeles, but not once have I ever gone, because it simply wouldn't do
my childhood fair justice. In my mind, everything would be overpriced and served
solely as Instagram opportunities, and quite frankly, I'm just not into that.
The Ohio State Fair will live on in my memory, and maybe one day
I'll travel home for it again, probably, but you never know. Today's
story we'll briefly take me back to the Ohio Fairgrounds, but in a time
long before I was born. Welcome to the original Deadtime Stories, a podcast
where I Skyler, Fastenell go beyond the crime to investigate human psychology and history.
So maybe we don't make the same mistakes of our ancestors. If you're
a fan of the show and you want to support us even more, check
out patreon dot com slash og Deadtime. We'll begin our next story after this
short break. Welcome back to our show. It's August twenty third, nineteen
seventy five. In some neighborhood, wholigans are playing with firecrackers outside the home
of Henry and Pam newall fucking kids draving me. I thought I told you
a little ship to set rolling home by fire, Junior, why don't you
take a break from hooton and holleran and come with us to Wolco's. Mary
wants to look at puppies and Bobby wants to go for a walk through the
woods. Fine, fine, kids, we're right here. Junior. Oh,
get your shoes on and come on around a quarter to two Henry Park
to the family car at Graceland's Shopping Center. All right, let's go.
Mary, grab your this here and we'll walk down to the fourth path across
the way and then we'll look at them puppies. Junior, I can't get
over this garbrail jumping. You're the one wanted to take this highway. What
that hell is that? That daylight something? Hey? You a scriggly man
looked up for a split second, then sprinted away once he saw the family.
Damn, he was hitting that little girl. Stay here, kids,
Shit, the whole girl's face is smashed in. Go get that man,
Junior. Hang on. She's got blood bubbling from her nose. She's trying
to fight to stay alive. Come on, honey, come on, oh
Junior, she's dead. They're ain't a pulse in her wrist. Fuck here,
cover her face with my shirt so the kids don't see. We'll call
the police for wilcost. That's when we called you, officers. Detective Robert
Litzinger nodded as he finished writing notes. And this man you solve a little
girl, Christy Newell. What did he look like? I'd say he was
in his late teens or early twenties, bout six foot, one hundred and
fifty pounds, long, black hair, real scragging face, clothes, no
shirt and cut off jeans. Copy. We'll make a sketch. And if
we find the guy, you and the wife, could I d him in
a lineup? Sure? Kid? Thank you for your help, miss Newell.
Three days went by and every officer with the Columbus Police Department was made
aware of their suspect. With the Ohio State Fair going on nearby, everyone
was on high alert. Thomas Stroud was patrolling near a Greyhound bus station on
foot when he noticed a man matching the police sketch. Excuse me, son,
Hi, Hi, you've heard about that Christy mullins a girl? Right?
Sure? Can you come with me? I have some fellows who want
to talk with you. Okay, Hello, I'm Detective Ron Price. What's
your name? Jack Kerman? You don't mind talking to me, do you,
Jack? I don't mind? Good. Good. Now, I'm going
to start this tape recorder. And while I do that, can you sign
this waiver of your rights? Sure? All right? Now about Christy Mullins.
Did you see her that day? Huh? You did? On a
guardrail Graceland? Yep? Did you take her into the woods? You're not
embarrassed telling me this, are you, Jack? Because I'm not embarrassed if
you're not. I grabbed her by the rest and took her into the woods,
okay, and then what I hit her with my fist, and then
I took her leaves off. Then I took her bra off. I see,
did you rape her? Yeah? I fucked her. She said she
was gonna run, said she was gonna tell her mama. So you grabbed
a board and beat her. Sorry, I don't want to put words in
your mouth. Yeah, I beat her. Are you sure everything you said
is true? Yeah? Do you believe in God? What's God due to
someone who kills someone? He puts you in a chair. Calm down,
We'll get you a lawyer one Until then you'll be sleeping water. Go to
the old chick chair. Stop that boo hooing. I needed to sign another
form acknowledging you're waiving your rights here. The following day of the municipal court,
Jack pleaded not guilty. Thus a hearing was scheduled for September third.
Got a new client for you, mister Schwartz. I'm busy this week,
Shirley. The Division of Mental Retardation asked for you specifically. SA attorney Myron
Schwartz looked up from his paperwork. What are we doing with He's waiting for
you down at the station. Apparently he's got the mind of a kid between
nineteen, confessed to Matary Christie Mullet. It's like they want me to lose.
All right, cancel my afternoon meeting. I'll go meet this kid.
There's our Jackie Geez, who looks lost. Does he even know we're here?
Yeah? He stares in space like that a lot, but he'll warm
up to you. Hi, Jack, I'm your attorney. I hear you
killed a girl. Huh. I'll be quick about this because you ain't gonna
understand it. You got friskey with a little girl. She threatened to tell
her mama, and you bashed her in the head with a board. Right,
Uh huh, great, we'll skip this preliminary ship and go straight to
a grand jury. I might be able to get you life instead of the
electric chair. I don't want to go to the electric chair. I said,
you won't fry jeez a little. In the early days of September nineteen
seventy five, Myron met with the prosecuting attorney, Ron O'Brien in court.
Thanks for meeting with me, mister O'Brien. I don't doubt Jack murdered that
girl. He confessed, and the nuels chose him from a lineup. Let's
make this easy on both of us. My client pleads guilty on the condition
you lower the charges from rape, kidnapping, and three counts of murder to
aggravate and murder. Death is off the table and replaced with life. Deal.
All rise be seated, Your honor, I would like award, please.
Myron watched with intensity as Ron whispered to the judge, gentleman, the
grand jury charges Jack Carmen with aggravated murder. How do you plead? My
client pleads guilty, Your honor, Jack Carmen, you have hereby been sentenced
to life in prison all rise. Just eleven days after the murder of Christie
Mullins, a man was being placed behind bars, a man with the mental
capacity of a child, A man the community didn't think was capable of murder.
Petitions circulated demanding that the case be reexam amend, and surprisingly, the
loudest demands were coming from Norman and Phyllis Mullins, Christie's parents. Pressure mounted
until the police decided to hold a conference about their investigation at the Sharon Township
Hall, where over seventy concerned citizens showed up. This man couldn't have killed
my little girl on his own. You need to find out who he was
working with or I'll sue you. Please, mister Mullins, shouting won't get
us anywhere. We understand the community is outraged, but you need to understand
mister Common admitted that he alone committed the crime. Then show us the darned
transcripts. With the meeting going nowhere, the town created the Justice for Jack
Committee with the goal of finding out who either helped Jack kill Christie or who
was framing him. Meanwhile, at Ohio State University, this guy is innocent
and the police are fucking ignoring the facts seniors, James, you have or
Chick and Rick Kelly. We're hard at work becoming the next Woodward and Bernstein.
What's up, James. I interviewed the folks at the Volunteers of America
where Jack was living. Right. They said he didn't drive, so he
had to take a bus to Graceland. VOA employees were getting their paychecks around
one thirty the day Christie died, and several of them say they saw Jack
within the hour of getting their paycheck. The Newells said they saw the murder
around two fifteen, which means Jack would need to be on a bus by
one thirty. The bus drive I interviewed said the trip takes thirty five minutes.
Yes, and from the High Street stop it would take about five to
ten minutes to walk to Graceland. So being generous with time, Jack raped
and killed Christie in five minutes. I have the whole story right here.
Who did kill Christy Mullins? Too bad college students can't change it. Huh.
Our story is great. We show picks can do their job, but
perhaps a few college students can make a big difference. Columbus Monthly found out
about their article and picked it up as their cover story. On December twenty
ninth, nineteen seventy five, the journal hit news stands and set the stage
for a wild nineteen seventy six. Stick with us after the break for a
crazy trial. Welcome back to our show. Right now, we're in the
home of sixteen year old Carol Reeves on the day Christie was murdered. Hello,
hey, baby, I'm glad I got to hold he said. Just
stop calling. This is like the fifth time this week. It might be
a kidding, but listen to this deal. Graceland is having a cheerleader competition
today at one five. Bring your girlfriends because the winner gets free tickets to
the fair. That's pretty groovy. I'll go love to hear that. You
know, the wooded area next to the mall. Cheer due great. Make
sure to wait over the area because that's where the competition is. Good.
Look, mom, I'm going out. Christy perfect timing. I just before
that radio DJ. He says, there's a contest at Graceland and we can
win tickets to the fair. Gee, Carol, I don't know. I'm
not very good at cheerleading. Come on, it'll be fun. I'll race
you. Carol, are you sure the contest was today. We've been waiting
forever, That's what the man said. I'll go into Wilco's and ask for
the time. Wait here on this guardrail, and when you came back.
And when I came back, Christie was gone, but her shoes were still
there. I waited like five minutes, then walked into the woods to see
if she was there. I sat by the creek for fifteen minutes, and
when she didn't show, I left. I didn't hear she died till that
night. The prosecution rests your honor. It was now Tuesday, December thirteenth,
nineteen seventy seven. In Courtroom nine B was relatively quiet on the second
day of Jack Carmen's retrial after a friend helped him write a letter to fire
Myron. Jack was given two cocky but smart lawyers by the names of Tom
Tayak and Davy Rebell. Davy tossed a peppermint towards the press box and sauntered
to the stand. Carol, did you I d this radio DJ? No,
Honestly, I thought the cheerleading thing was a scam. Interesting. Did
you know Henry Knewell? Nope? Thank you sweetheart, We're done, your
honor. For the remainder of the day, Pam Newell rehashed how she and
her husband had found Christie. Then doctor Nobuhisa Baba testified how he did not
find any evidence that Christie had been raped something that they were accusing Jackov.
Things got interesting the following day when Henry testified see that blue uniform. Boys,
make sure your articles talk about Henry's time at the Chili Cothee Correctional Institute.
He burned his home down last year for insurance money. Mister rebel,
please stop fraternizing with the press. Sorry, your honor. Mister Newell,
could you walk us through how you found Christie? Henry recited his story before
the defense made their cross. What were you wearing that day? Cut off
jeans and I love my shoes in the car? Facial hair yep, hadn't
shaved in a few days, so you looked like the killer you described to
the police. Oh, well, did you and your brother Tommy pretend to
be DJs and call Carroll no? And did police show you Jack Carmen at
Graceland before taking you downtown for his lineup? Oh? Your wife's aid difference?
But okay, the testimony damaged Henriessa witness, and he was soon excused.
Over the next couple of days, the community was growing more and more
interested in the trial, and the courtroom filled up. It was still anyone's
game until the fifth day, when the defense entered grinning, you tell your
papers. We found a gem of witness fellas in walked Pam's now twelve year
old son, Bobby. Hey, kiddo, let's talk about the day Christy
Mullins died. Okay, sure, Junior chased the kids playing with firecrackers off,
but he didn't come back for half an hour. When he did,
he didn't have any shoes or shirt on, and scratches covered his whole body.
He talked with Mom in the other room for a while. Then Mom
said we were going to Graceland. What were you buying? Nothing. We
went into the woods and Mom said she found junior sandals. We kept walking,
and Junior suddenly got angry and said it isn't here. So we kept
on and Mom said to stop. We did while her and Junior went behind
a tree for five minutes. Mom came back crying because the body was there.
We went to Wilco's to call the police. Mom said not to tell
anyone, did you. I told my daddy as soon as mom dropped me
off with them. And I told you, mister O'Brien, because that's the
law. It sure is. Bobby witness is yours, mister O'Brien. You
kept that secret for a while. Two years is a long time. Well,
the police didn't really ask me much, so I didn't tell him.
I understand your mom called last night to see if you told mister Malls or
the lawyers what you saw. What did you say? I told her no,
So you led to your mom. Yeah, because my father told me
not to talk to anyone about this unless he told me too. Junior is
a real mean man, mister O'Brien. He might have killed me next if
I told. The courtroom was literally overflowing the following Monday as the defense brought
in their final witness, Mister Alvin Cardill, you and Henry were drinking buddies.
We should were. Thank god he didn't try to pin this murder on
me. Jack was also one of his drinking buddy. He knew that Reid's
hard couldn't defend himself. All right, All right, let's hold off on
that for a second. What did he tell you at the bar in nineteen
seventy six? He said he killed her, but he didn't mean it.
He said he only meant to knock her out. Thank you, gentlemen.
Let's get the final statements in and send the jury on their way. Four
and a half hours later, the jury returned with their verdict not guilty.
It was a victory for Jack Carmen, who had more or less disappeared from
everyone's minds during the last few days of the trial, as he had stared
down at the floor in silence. Now he was all smiles as people hugged
and congratulated him. Graham was Sturgeon, the director of the Volunteers of America,
gave him the biggest hug. Well, Jack, you're a free guy
again. How would you like to come and live with me and the wife
until we find you a permanent home. Yeah, Jack, Hey, Jack,
smile, this is gonna be front page news. Every reporter was eager
to get a word with the now freeman, and he willingly spoke on and
on until the bailiff tapped him on the shoulder. Come out, Jack,
say Merry Christmas to these folks, and let's go Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas,
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas. No no no, no
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no
no no no no no no no no no no. Hello. Oh John,
I wasn't expecting to read you just finish your latest book. I couldn't
put it down. Figure when the Greatest Author of twenty thirteen award. I
don't think that's a real award. We'll make it one. But Pal,
I gotta know what's your next best seller? Oh, I don't know.
I want to find another story one of the most people have forgotten about way
James. This is probably a long shot. But do you still have anything
about that Christy Mullins girl? What boy do I? I'm a pack rat.
I kept all my notes from the lantern, have all my contacts numbers
two. They're probably dead and moved now, but I can send you what
I have. You're gonna finally solve a case. Yeah, I remember her
parents were looking at that Henry Mullins guy. I think he meant Henry Knewell.
Whatever happened to that? Police kind of fell silent, of course they
did. Hopefully you'll change their minds like my article did. I got Jack
free, you get Henry behind bars? Good luck. A man named John
Oler received all of James you afore Chicks's notes from his days as a student
reporter. I guess sometimes being a hoarder does payoff. Hello, Hi,
is this Beam Brown? Who's my Name's John Oller. I'm writing a book
about Christy Mullins, and I think your uncle Henry was a pretty big part
of it. Uncle Junior recently passed from kids. I don't want to talk.
Pam Brown threw her phone across the room as if it would bite her.
Then tears walled up in her eyes. Junior's dead, sweetie. He
can't hurt you now. You know what he did. I know what he
did. We all know what he did. Maybe it's time we went to
the police. Obviously people are interested in this story. Yeah. Would it
freaked me out the other night when ten TV ran that story about the cops
looking into it. If they knew what we knew, they could close the
case. But seeing how that girl's sisters were accused me. Maybe we'll feel
better if we tell decades had passed since Christy Mullins's death. When John Aler's
ebook, An All American Murder was published in twenty fourteen. Norman Mullins had
been determined to find out who really killed his daughter before he had lost a
battle with cancer in two thousand and six. Now, with this ebook re
examining the case, the public's interest was renewed. As they always say,
someone usually knows something about what happened, but for one reason or another they're
too afraid to say. In this case, it was Henry Newell's niece,
Pam Brown. She called officers to tell them what she knew and agreed to
Allie detector test in May twenty fourteen. Uncle Jr. Was real scary man.
I loved him book. He was evil. What did he tell you?
Remember when you was little and you heard about the Christy Moon's girl.
What I'm gonna tell you? My shot here? And then point blank said
he killed her? Why? He drove up to Grace Land and saw her
sitting on the guardrail, and he decided to talk to her. In event
shei He led her into the woods. He tried to rape her, but
she fought back. He was he was a strong guy, so he tied
up her wrists and she started screaming, and she she didn't stop, so
he he picked up a board and then and he and beat her face in.
He said, he said, if I ever told anyone on what he
told me, he killed me. I came home from school and I learned
he bought bought me a car to buy your silence. Yeah, but he
didn't need you out. I was scared to cross him. He raped a
girl and my car wasn't and killed a woman at Alabama. I don't think
he wants regretted killing Christie Lord. I just wish the Mullins can forgive me
for not saying anything. And I was just a sixteen year old kids scared
for my life. On November sixth, twenty fifteen, Columbus Police closed the
case of Christy Mullins. Sergeant Eric Pilli had nervously stood before the news cameras
the Columbus Division of Police which just to formally and publicly offer an apology to
the family and close friends of Christy Mullins for the lack of action taken in
pursuit of Henrynewell as a suspect by investigators forty years ago. In any hardship
that may have resulted from those actions. Though it is satisfying to close the
chapter of a long unsolved murder, this one just didn't feel right. Henry
Knewell would never go to trial nor spend time in prison for the murder of
Christie Mullins since he passed away before police officially called him the killer, and
this genuinely shocks me too after researching this crime, since literally everything pointed to
him during the trial. The Mullins did pursue justice for a time after Jack
Carmen was released, but for one reason or another, the case quietly fell
to the wayside until a writer started to get curious. Not to make this
about me, but the story does give me hope that my own writing can
one day renew interest in an unsolved crime and maybe bring justice to a victim's
family. That would be an episode truly worthy of the Blue Ribbon Prize at
the Fair. Affair to Remember was written and narrated by me Skyler fastenew An
executive produced by Daniel Jones. Voice talent was provided by Taylor Shirty, Daniel
Jones, Jordan Catcher, Tamra Perry, Jeremy Staple, Jeanette Zosh and Gabriel
Rivers. Our theme music was performed by Tracy Zails, editing and sound designed
by Brian Campbell, and cover artwork by Catherine Faston. Now, we hope
you enjoyed today's chapter and would like to invite you to leave a five star
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that we just didn't have time to cover today. True fans of our show
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Our road trip across America continues in one week, and trust me when I
say we have something deep getting fried up for you. Until then, stay
safe out there. I don't want you to become the next chapter's topic.
On the original Deadtime Stories