Throughout this yearlong journey of learning all that I could about Cheryll, I've noticed that whenever I choose a day to meet someone involved in her case or when I travel to a location important to the story, the weather outside is beautiful. Perhaps it's … Continue reading 15. Billy Joe
14. Behind Closed Doors
Do we really know what goes on behind the closed doors of anyone's home? We think we do and we can guess, but we don't always really know. And for some households, the answer to the question is even more elusive. I am not sure … Continue reading 14. Behind Closed Doors
13. Twenty-six
This blog post describes the method of murder of a child. The content may be disturbing to some readers. So much about Cheryll's case is horrific-- the circumstances, the sad back story, the fact that is was her birthday, how long it took to find … Continue reading 13. Twenty-six
12. The Location
Throughout this past year of researching Cheryll's case, I also read books about other true crimes, listen to true crime podcasts, and watch true crime TV shows. Yes, I do this because I've been true crime obsessed since the late 1980s-- my middle school years-- … Continue reading 12. The Location
11. Putting Pieces Together
Before reading this blog post, please read "10. The Shoe". This is a continuation of the last blog post detailing our session with Moira Reed. After discussing the murder and the evidence, Moira, Bridget, and I moved on to discuss possible suspects more. Bridget asked … Continue reading 11. Putting Pieces Together
10. The Shoe
I have to admit that I've always been fascinated by the idea of psychic mediums. Might there be people who have a way of knowing things the rest of us cannot know? Do some people possess an intuition about people who have passed away? Is … Continue reading 10. The Shoe
9. The Cardinal
On Saturday, November 6, 1971, a funeral service was held for Cheryll at a funeral home in nearby Covington, Kentucky. Her obituary is remarkably simple and brief. The only two adjectives used in the whole thing are "beloved" and "dear". This death notice in no … Continue reading 9. The Cardinal
8. 11th Birthday
November 2, 1971-- This was the day that the Spegal family learned that a girl's body had been found in rural Pendleton County and that they should prepare themselves for the worst. November 2, 1971 was important for another reason-- it was Cheryll's brother Mark's … Continue reading 8. 11th Birthday
7. No Hope Road
This blog post describes the horrific murder of a child. The content may be disturbing to readers. As the sun set on the evening of Sunday, October 31, 1971, the children of Rose Avenue eventually fell asleep after a day of Halloween excitement. The next … Continue reading 7. No Hope Road
6. The Rabbit Hole
Police were working hard throughout those 13 days when Cheryll was missing, and while theories and speculation abounded, nothing substantial manifested. The police and newspapers were well-intentioned in their sharing of information, but I believe that by printing so many theories, people didn't know what … Continue reading 6. The Rabbit Hole
Gone in the Fog 