Case 215
The One-Man Crime Wave
*** Warning: This case involves a child victim ***
On May 26 1978, four-year-old Eric Christgen suddenly disappeared while playing in a park in St Joseph, Missouri. The next day, his body was discovered near the Missouri River, sparking a manhunt like the small town had never seen before. It wasn’t long before a prime suspect emerged – 25-year-old Melvin Lee Reynolds – but some authorities weren’t convinced of his involvement.
Just over a year later, the body of 11-year-old Michelle Steele was found in St Joseph under similar circumstances, and a man named Charles Ray Hatcher became a person of interest. What unravelled was a horrific tale of sexual assault, murder, deceit and false identities.
CREDITS
EPISODE:
Research & writing – Jessica Forsayeth
Creative direction – 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
WEBSITES
Tony Coone Murder: Is Robert Hayes Alive or Dead?
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
City searched for boy, 4 – St. Joseph News-Press
Body of boy is found after St. Joseph search – The Kansas City Star
Body of Christgen boy found on bluff – St. Joseph News-Press
Videotape may hold murder clues – The Kansas City Star
Mayor lauds public response to search for missing boy – St. Joseph News-Press
Hunt for boy’s slayer continues – St. Joseph News-Press
Complete alibi was given for Harry Fox – St. Joseph News-Press
No drugs found in body of Chrisgen boy – St. Joseph News-Press
Murder suspect charged – St. Joseph Gazette
Suspect may have helped look for boy – Associated Press
Jury finds Reynolds guilty of murder – St. Joseph News-Press
Body of girl is found on river bank – St. Joseph News-Press
Murder suspect still refusing to cooperate – St. Joseph News-Press
Mystery deepens in boy’s death – Contra Costa Times
Vanished boy’s body identified – Oakland Tribune
Boy’s death mysterious – Concord Transcript
Mystery still surrounds death of Antioch boy, 12 – Oakland Tribune
Freeman mystery enters third week – Contra Costa Times
The violent trail of Charles Hatcher (4 part series) – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Charlie Hatcher’s trail of death – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Charge filed in murder of girl, 11 – Associated Press
Hatcher hangs self in prison – St. Joseph News-Press
Authorities blame confession for 4 lost years – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Saw suspect mile away – St. Joseph News-Press
Child-killer discovered dead in cell – St. Louis Post-Dispatch
BOOKS
Innocent Blood: a true story of terror and justice – Terry Ganey
OTHER
State v. Reynolds 619 S.W.2d 741 (1981), Supreme Court of Missouri