Black Candle Murder Party - West Liberty, Iowa - Part 2
Summary
This episode details the 1992 murder of Corey Winicki in West Liberty, Iowa, and the subsequent investigation into his multiple romantic partners. The case remained cold for decades until a 2017 chance encounter led an investigator to Jessica Becker, who revealed she witnessed Annette Cahill confessing to the killing as a child. After corroborating Becker’s account and re-interviewing Cahill, authorities arrested her in 2018 for first-degree murder, ending a 26-year search for justice.
Topics discussed
Intro, live show tour dates, and Patreon promotion
Case recap: Corey Wenke murder in West Liberty, Iowa
Reviewing suspects: Jody, Bob Morrison, and Annette Cahill
The cold case goes dormant due to lack of funding
Jessica Becker's accidental tip to Agent Valletta
Jessica's childhood connection to the Hazen family
The black candle confession heard by Jessica in 1992
Why Jessica and her mother stayed silent for 25 years
Corroborating the confession with the mother's testimony
Diagram discrepancies and the failure to interview Kayla
Agent Turritt interviews Annette Cahill in 2018
Annette's interview: 'He deserved to be beaten'
Annette's shifting alibi and arrest for first-degree murder
Family and community reactions to the arrest
Defense motions: Prejudice, delay, and witness exclusion
First trial: Opening statements and mistrial
Discovery of witness Scott Payne
Scott Payne's testimony: Burning bloodstained clothing
Second trial: DNA evidence and defense arguments
Verdict: Guilty of first-degree murder and sentencing
Appeals, wrongful conviction reviews, and DNA re-testing
Ongoing fight for exoneration and case closure
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