On another beautiful spring day, while parked in my car waiting for my children to exit their school building for the day, my cell phone rang and a number I did not recognize appeared on the screen. On that day, I felt compelled to answer … Continue reading 17. A Tale of Two Mothers
Tag: 1971
16. The Brothers
Bridget and I hearing about the brothers on the same night at the same time felt like more than a coincidence. What were Tom and Cheryll trying to tell us by moving those pieces of the puzzle? Yes, an obvious thought would be that maybe … Continue reading 16. The Brothers
15. Billy Joe
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
Gone in the Fog 