Case 120
Bill McGuire
On May 5 2004, the first of three suitcases containing dismembered human remains washed up on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. Detectives had two difficult tasks ahead of them. First, they needed to identify who the remains belonged to. Secondly, they had to figure out who was responsible for the murder and why.
The crime had all the trappings of a gangland-style hit, but as investigators worked to solve the case, something unexpected and far more sinister began to emerge.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research – Flossie Arend
Writing – Flossie Arend, Elsha McGill, and Milly Raso
Narration – Anonymous Host
MUSIC:
‘Flatline intro’ and ‘Come play with me’ intro and outro – www.dl-sounds.com
Audio production – Mike Migas
Scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn
OTHER:
Logo and website design – Paulina Szymanska
RESOURCES
BOOK:
ONLINE ARTICLES:
Inside cheating wife’s gruesome ‘suitcase murder– The New York Post
Wife arrested in gory dismemberment murder – The Sentinel
Murder stirs surrogacy network – The New York Times
“17 miles of scary”: Chesapeake Bay bridge-tunnel is notorious among truckers – The Virginian-Pilot
This mesmerizing bridge that transforms into a tunnel is an ‘engineering wonder’ – Business Insider
How safe is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel? Questions arise after driver’s death – The Virginian-Pilot
Suitcase murder was learning example for CSIs – The Virginian-Pilot
Beneath your tunnel drive is a vast safety system – The Virginian-Pilot
Sex, Lies, and Secret Lives – ABC News
Pathologist: McGuire was dead before being dismembered – Sentinel-EDM News
Gruesome Discover – People.com
Cell phone and E-ZPass records shown to jury – Sentinel-EDM News
Light Is Shed On Victim, But No Clues In Murder – The New York Times
A strangely silent BlackBerry tells of husband’s disappearance – Court TV
McGuire timeline – The Star-Ledger
McGuire found guilty of ‘suitcase murder’ – The Star-Ledger
Atlantic City’s infamous Flamingo Motel gets $2M makeover – The Star-Ledger
What happens to a body that decomposes underwater – Ranker
The McGuire Diaries – CBS News
McGuire sentenced to life in prison for suitcase murder – NJ.com
Nurse who killed, dismembered husband sentenced to life in prison – Court TV
NEWSPAPERS ARCHIVES:
‘Suitcase corpse traced’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Dead man was NJIT specialist’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Authorities locate dead man’s car at motel in A.C.’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Clues sought in man’s death’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Ex: man found dismembered drank, gambled’ – The Courier-News
‘Homicide detectives face challenges’ – The News Leader
‘Accounts vary on slay victim’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Conflicting portrait of a murder victim’ – The Daily Record
‘Who was the man found dead in suitcases?’ – The Daily Times
‘Murder victim’s sis pushing Virginia Beach cops on case’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Va. stops inquiry into body’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Task force takes on suitcase death’ – The Courier-News
‘State ratchets up probe of man’s death’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Cops comb apartment of victim’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Clues developing in murder case’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire slaying probe deepens’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Police arrest wife in McGuire killing’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Wife free on bail in dismember case’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Deceit, infidelity, murder’ – The Asbury Park Press
‘Accused wife to give DNA’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Woman indicted in dismemberment killing of husband’ – The Courier-News
‘McGuire indicted’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Top lawyer hired in murder trial’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Judge delays change in slay-case lawyers’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Spouse-killer suspect free after bail posted’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘State weighing McGuire options’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Lawyers looking to monitor wife’ – The Courier-News
‘Murder suspect can confer with lawyer in N.Y.’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
”Human sawdust’ traced to victim William McGuire’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Human tissue in car proven to be victim’s’ – The Courier-News
‘State admits gaps in scenario’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Wiretap evidence allowed in trial’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Murder planned, says State’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Woman accused of killing, dismembering husband charged with deceiving police’ – The Courier-News
‘Lawyers haggle over wiretapped conversations’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Jury selected in suitcase killing’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Body parts case goes to trial Monday’ – The Asbury Park Press
‘Brick woman stands trial’ – The Asbury Park Press
‘McGuire trial offers hard fight’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Detective admits lack of evidence’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
“Searching for a murder plan’ – The Courier-News
‘Bullets, bodies, and blankets in McGuire case’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire defense cites husband’s ‘other side” – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Murder trial logs into files on computer – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Poisoning debated in suitcase murder trial’ – The Courier-News
‘Melanie McGuire, friend discussed gun during call’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Suspect’s ex-lover testifies in N.J. suitcase murder trial’ – The Courier-News
‘Daily activity is trial focus’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘State focuses on package’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘FBI expert: Letter fits pattern of ‘post-offense manipulation” – The Asbury Park Press
‘FBI forensic linguist testifies’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Your daily digital footprint can unwittingly trip you up in the future’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Court hears betting habits of McGuire’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Victim’s sister testifies in McGuire trial’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Judge rejects polygraph’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘State case lacks solid proof’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire defense gets under way’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Defense prepares to attack’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Closing arguments ready in McGuire’s trial’ – The Daily Record
‘State proved nothing, defense says in finale’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Jury to begin deciding Melanie McGuire’s fate’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire jury requests evidence on lesser charges’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Hearing set for McGuire’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire defense lawyer claims proof of mob ties’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘No new trial in suitcase murder’ – The Courier-News
‘McGuire professed innocence’ – The Asbury Park Press
‘McGuire breaks silence’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire informant ID kept secret’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire may never go free’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire witness ID’d’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Inmate misled McGuire defense’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Life behind bars’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘McGuire to appeal murder verdict to N.J. high court’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Melanie McGuire case to be featured on ‘Deadly Affairs” – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Did star lawyer botch McGuire suitcase murder case?’ – The Asbury Park Press
”Suitcase killer’ back in court’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
”Suitcase killer’ fighting sentence’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
‘Appeals over for ‘suitcase killer’ in N.J.’ – New Jersey Home News Tribune
VIDEOS:
Did Melanie McGuire dismember her husband? – Dateline NBC (transcript)
The Suitcase Murder – 20/20 ABC
The McGuire Diaries – 48 Hours Mystery
Broken Vows – Solved
The Murders of Bill McGuire and Rosemary Christensen – Deadly Affairs