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On January seventh, nineteen ninety five, at around twelve fifty pm, two women, Monica Jones and her girlfriend Cheryl Edwards. We're driving down Highway fifty six near Brockwell, Arkansas, when Cheryl saw smoke coming from a trailer. It was coming from the residence of forty three year old Connie Townsend. The two women pulled over and ran up to the trailer to try to help. At around that same time, another woman,
Billy Brownie, arrived. Monica and Cheryl both desperately tried to get inside the trailer, but the heat was too intense. The trailer was already engulfed in flames. By the time the first officer from the Izard County Sheriff's Office and personnel from the Calico Rock Fire Department arrived on the scene, it was chaos. Monica told the responding officer that she and Cheryl were trying to check to see if anyone was alive in the trailer, but there was so much
smoke that Cheryl was having trouble breathing. There was a lot of confusion at that scene, but all three women told the officer that they had seen a man. They said that he had arrived right before them and that he was driving a blue Forward Ranger. All three said he was a medium billed with blonde, curly hair, and that he was wearing a baseball cap. According to the police support, Monica said that while she was trying to break in, the mystery man was saying there wasn't anyone
inside the trailer. But this mystery man had left the scene. No one saw him again. Monica said that they heard something inside the trailer, something that sounded like a baby crying. They could hear a high pitched voice someone screaming helped me. They were desperately trying to pry the door open, but the fire shot out the window and they had to back off. Cheryl said in her statement quote black smoke was boiling, and I could see a few feet inside
the door end quote. She said that at some point the sound of what she described as the baby crying stopped.
Cheryl was gasping for.
Breath, and then Monica saw Dale Townsend, the owner of the trailer and the father of Connie's estranged husband, David Townsend, arrive. According to the police report, by the time police arrived, the officer noted there were about twenty to twenty five people.
Standing in Connie's yard.
Connie town burned to death while it seemed like half the town stood outside, and multiple people told police about threats she had received earlier that day, and yet thirty years later, no one has ever been arrested or charged in connection with her death.
I'm Catherine Townsend.
Over the past seven years of making my true crime podcast Helen Gone, I've learned that there is no such thing as a small town where murder never happens. I've received hundreds of messages from people all around the country asking for help with an unsolved murder that's affected them, their families, and their communities.
If you have a.
Case you'd like me and my team to look into, you can reach out to us at our Helen Gone Murder Line at six seven eight seven four four six one four five. That's six seven eight seven four four six' one four, five or you can send us a message On instagram At helen. Gonepod this Is Helen Gone Murder. Line Connie townshend's murder is very well known In, Brockwell. Arkansas even though it's been thirty, years people still talk about it all the. Time in, FACT i found out
About Connie townshend's murder in twenty. EIGHTEEN i was in the Guy on area Investigating Rebecca goulds murder for season one Of Helen, gone AND i remember it. VI i was at The Possum trot gas station AND i was talking to the clerk. THERE i asked him About Rebecca gould's.
CASE i told.
Him my name Was Catherine townsend and the first thing he asked me was IF i was any kin To Connie. TOWNSEND i, Said i'm not related to. Her we just happened to have the same last. Name it's a complete. Coincidence he told me that she had burned to death and that everybody knew who did, it but that no one had ever been arrested or, charged and he believed no one ever would. Be we were able to do a foyer request and got some copies of the police
report from The Arkansas State. Police at the, Scene Billy, browning one of the, witnesses told the officer that she had Moved connie's red car so the fire department vehicles could get in closer to the. Trailer she told the officer that when she got into the car to move, it she noticed that there was a purse sitting on the passenger, seat so the officer took the purse and looked through. It police noted in their report that when they went inside the, car it was undamaged in the.
Fire all Of connie's things were inside, it including her black purse with black and brown, wallet all of her credit, cards some checks made out to her for small amounts of, money and two hundred and eleven dollars in. Cash so if the fire was not an, accident if it was, arson robbery was probably not the motive. Here connie's sister and brother in, Law delores And John, brown both later told police That Connie townshend was divorcing her estranged, Husband.
David delores said that she had talked To connie several times that day and That connie had said she was planning on moving. Out delores said That connie was scared of her husband and That david had Threatened connie in the. Past david And connie had two, Daughters Stacy lane And amber. Want david also had a son from another. Relationship his name Was David. Lynn connie was his. Stepmother amber had
been staying With connie in the residence that burned. Down connie's, Daughter stacey lived In, salem which is about eighteen miles down the road From. Well stacey told detectives that her father had threatened her mother's. Life in, fact she Said david had Threatened connie the same day the trailer burned.
Down we talked To Stacy.
Namber they said they Remember david verbally abusing their mother since they were.
Young it seemed like all the time when we were, little EVEN i remember listening to it from our. Bedroom don't you Use Stacy.
WELL i remember on fighting all the.
Time frighten all the.
Time.
Yeah living with him was like walking on. EGGSHELLS i mean he drank from the time he got up he hits the vodka bottle until the time he went to, bed and we all walked on. Eggshells if the dirty dishes were, there he saw at, it or if you left your curling iron on too, long he fought in the.
TRASH i remember the dish has been in the in the trash when we got home one day Because mom wasn't washing when we left or.
SOMETHING i don't remember the physical threats as far as that. Goes it's because when we were, little we just went to our. Bedroom now that, morning WHEN i talked to her because me And amber we had to work that, morning it backed. You lafeb was the only reason we didn't help her. Move and WHEN i called, her she said That david had already been, there AND i, said, oh and she, said, yeah he's already been here and threatened me with bodily. Harm of, course you don't ever think it'll happen to.
YOU i remember him telling, her if you Believe i'm going to burn the house and everything in, it he, said you had her grandpa that had died in a house fire and they never found out, why and he, SAID i KNOW i can do this thing to.
You connie And david's marriage had been rocky for quite some. Time according to police, records they had been separated for around four, years but from reading through the incident, report the timeline is a bit confusing Because david said he lived full time in the home With connie until around a year before the, fire but he also said he And connie had not been intimate on a regular basis for around eighteen.
Months it seems like things were.
Complicated and that even Though david And connie were, separated he had a habit of dropping by whenever he. Wanted connie's daughters told Us david would stop by even after he And connie were, separated and That connie knew that she was on a deadline to move, out because they said she had recently found out the home was not in their, name hers And, david's but actually owned By david's, Father Dale. Townsend, stacy And amber said that money was tight and That david had a drinking.
Problem when me And ambers first moved in with, him he had a good, job he worked At Colors, hall and he always took a thermos of vodka with. Him ever not he finally got, fired and THEN i don't.
Think he worked after.
That he just depended on mom's chick from the shirt.
Factory at the time of the, fire conn had been living in the trailer on her, own While david stayed with his mother and. Father evidence found at the scene seemed to confirm What connie's daughters told police That connie had been packing up her stuff and planning to move out that. Day the trailer burned all the way to the. Ground all that remained were some beams and the bricks
that were around the. Fireplace we will be sharing parts of the case file on Our instagram BECAUSE i do need some help and detective work from people who live in the. Community i'll explain more about that. Later once the fire department put out the smoldering remains of the, Trailer connie's body was found lying face down on the floor of a bedroom that.
Was being used as a utility.
Room connie's daughters questioned that they say that was a junk room That connie rarely went, into so they wondered why was she in there and why couldn't she get? Out and there was something else strange found With. Connie there was a pair of scissors found underneath her. Body why Was, connie in the words of the Fire marshal's, report.
Trapped in that.
Room why couldn't she crawl out a window or get out the? Door and why were there scissors found underneath her? Body connie's daughters provided us with a copy of her autopsy. Report this has never been made. Public in that report Were connie's autopsy, photos which are. Heartbreaking her daughters say they have not looked at the photos and they don't plan, to and looking through, THEM i can definitely understand WHY i am studying these photos thoroughly to look for any potential.
Clues it's especially jarring to see the photos Of connie from the crime scene juxtaposed with other pictures that were part of the case, file mainly polaroids of her hanging out inside her home with her daughters and. Pets according to the, Report connie's entire body was burned beyond. Recognition her skin was. Black the autopsy described her organs as. Cooked i'm not an arson, expert But i've actually never seen a.
Fire victim described like. That those are the words in the autopsy, report not.
Mine whatever happened in there must have happened very, fast fast enough to engulf the trailer Before connie was able to get. Out the report said there was complete charring Of connie's chest and abdominal, walls and that they could not find other evidence of injury like blunt force, trauma for. Example but after looking at these photos and how completely she was, BURNED i wonder if with that much tissue, damage if it would even be possible to tell if
there was evidence of. Trauma the cause of death was listed as smoke and soot. Inhalation the manner of death was, undetermined and if that was the cause of. Death Was connie alive when the fire hit or is it possible
that she was dead or injured before the fire. Started so now we have a woman dead and multiple, people including the victim's own, children telling police that her relationship with her husband had been volatile and that he had threatened, her including threats on the same day when she was moving out of their home the day of the. Fire police Interviewed David townsend at The Izard County sheriff's office
On january, thirteenth nineteen ninety. Five david told police that on the morning of the, Fire, Saturday january, seventh nineteen ninety, five that he woke up at his parents' house around five.
Am he ate breakfast between.
Six and, seven and then he was supposed to go to the farm with his, father But david said he was having a problem with his.
Car it was iced, up so he de iced the car with a portable.
Heater, then at around eight to nine, am he left his parents residence and went over to the trailer Where connie was. Living david admitted that he argued With connie while he was. There he said that they were were arguing over who was supposed to help her move. Out david said that he offered to Help, connie but she told him she didn't want his. Help she wanted her two brothers in, Law John brown And Arnie hutchinson to help, her and for some, Reason david didn't want those guys
to help. Her david said that after having words With, connie he. Left he wasn't exactly sure what time he, left but he estimated it was around nine thirty. Am he said he got back to his parents' residence at around ten. Am david said that after that he talked to his parents About connie moving out and explained that she didn't want him around while she was. Moving david said that his Son David lynn arrived at his parents house sometime that. Afternoon he said he got the times mixed.
Up at, first he said he Thought David lynn got there at around, eleven but he later told police he realized he had been wrong about that. Time david stated that he his, son his, mother and father had. Lunch they had a, sandwich and that sometime between twelve forty and one, pm his Son David lynne suggested they go. Fishing david said that he said, Okay David lynn picked up some, tackle and they took their rods and reels and headed. Out david said their plan was to go fishing at The White.
River.
Now police asked him at that point if they were going to go out there without a, boat And david said. Yes he said that before, leaving he went back into the house and told his mom and dad where they were. Going david said that his mom and dad asked when they would be, back And david made a joke and said probably in a. Week then he Said he And David lynn left the home sometime after one pm and they started driving Toward Calico.
Rock he said that along the way they stopped at a.
Harps david bought a can of corn and a can opener and got a coke from a machine. There from, there he, said they went to fish off a river. Bank he said he wasn't sure how long they were out, there but that it was after THREE pm by the time they got back to his parents'. House police Asked david if there had been any witnesses who could confirm this.
Story david did mention seeing a couple of people at harps and out in the, field but he said that these people couldn't see, him so in the end there was no one other Than David lynn who could verify the fishing trip all. By David lynn did verify his father's. Story he said they were out fishing that. Day david said that when he and his son were heading back, home and we're in the area Of Spring creek off the main, highway they saw his Father dale coming toward.
Them he said that it was just his father driving the, vehicle a nineteen ninety FOUR gmc maroon and.
Silver four wheel drive pickup.
TRUCK i mention everyone's vehicle making models here by the, way because there are several unidentified vehicles seen At connie's, trailer and we're trying to figure out who owned those. Vehicles david said he glanced down at a clock in the. Truck he believed it read either three fourteen or three SIXTEEN. Pm he said his father hit the brakes and signaled For david to pull over to the side of the, road which he said he. Did at that, Point david told police that his Father, dale said he had bad
news for. Him david said he asked what. Happened his dad told him the trailer had burned. Down he had said his father was shaking at the time and it seemed like he was. Distraught david said that's when his father told, him that's not the.
Worst they think someone's in.
There, then he said that he And David lynne followed his father and all went back to their. Residence after, that he said they all went to the trailer Where connie had been. Living david said that when they got, there a crowd had formed, outside and that while he was talking to, police someone called him over to the side and told him they had found something in the trailer and for him to get out of, there so he said he got into his truck and drove back
to his parents'. House david told police that after getting back to his parents', house he never returned to the. Scene he said he never left his father's house until he got woken up at around eleven. Pm we did try to reach out To David, lynne but we learned that, he as well As david's, parents have all passed. Away police Asked david about his relationship With. Connie he said that he And connie had separated around four years. Earlier he said he had not lived with her at her
residence for the past. Year, again he admitted to police that he was there on the day of the, fire but he said he And connie never had a big. Argument he said the only disagreement they had was about what he'd already told. Police david said that he found Out connie had filed for divorce three days, earlier and he found that out after his father told him he
had a registered letter at the post. Office but he said the divorce had not been a total shock Because connie had said she was going to file for, Divorce david said because he had gotten A. Dwi Apparently connie was afraid that because of that charge that her car insurance rates could go. Up because of, that she wanted
to get the divorce paperwork, processed and he knew. That connie's Daughter stacy And, amber And connie's mother all told police they were very suspicious Of david because he had made. Threats connie's mother said in a sworn statement That david had been threatening her daughter for a, while but she Said connie had not really taken the threat seriously up
until the months leading up to her. Death david was there on the day of the, fire on the day When connie was moving, out and shortly after he left the, residence her house burned to the. Ground and there were other things that were odd at that, scene including the family. Dog connie And david had a black dog Named, bobo and the dog was normally kept chained On connie's. Property when he wasn't, inside he was chained to the carport, outside but on the day of the, fire the dog
was nowhere to be. Found did someone unchain the? Dog if, so who did it and? Why when detectives Searched Connie townsend's, vehicle they found evidence that she and her daughter had been packing to. Leave one thing detectives found was children's baby clothing in plastic, bags and there was something, else
a black overnight bag with clothing as in it and. Condoms, now investigating a murder puts you in a weird position of feeling like you're invading someone's privacy at the same, time it's necessary to ask these types of invasive questions in order to help solve.
Cases so one natural.
Question that came up for me was Was connie planning on going to see?
Someone was she dating anyone at that? Time but that question was quickly.
Answered connie's, Daughter amber told us, that to her, knowledge her mother was not dating. Anyone amber also said the condoms and overnight bag were. Hers she said that her mom's stuff and her stuff was mixed up because.
They were moving.
Together On january, thirteenth nineteen ninety, Five David townshend consented to taking a voice stress test at The Baxter County Sheriff's. Office voice stress, tests also known as voice stress, analysis measure very subtle differences in a person's voice while they're being questioned in an attempt to detect, deception but like hoolygraph, test they are not admissible in, court and their usefulness
and effectiveness has been questioned. Extensively in two thousand and, eight The National institute Of justice did a study that found THAT bsa was only accurate about fifty percent of the time in a field, Setting so, basically the study found THAT vsa was no more reliable than flipping a. Coin, now the investigator notes indicated that the stress test results would be part of the case, file but they.
Weren't there were remarks in.
The case file that indicated that police believed That david was, susceptive but a lot of parts of this case file appear to be missing or cut. Off investigators also talked To David. Lynn David lynn confirmed that he and his father were fishing at the time of the house, Fire so if this was, arson and If david was, elsewhere who else could have been. Involved there are handwritten notes in the police case. File some of them involved Joe Anne, ellis a woman Who Davevid townsend was dating at the
time Of connie's. Death according to the police, report they had been together for a. While Joe anne And david had actually been dating for around three years. Now it would seem as Though david's girlfriend would be a natural person to talk, to and yet there's no record of any law enforcement interview with her in this case. File maybe that part of the case file was. Lost maybe she was never. Questioned we just don't know for. Sure but one of the most cryptic notes in the case
file is on the handwritten notes. Page at the, bottom it, reads, quote talk To eddie About Joeanne.
Ellis Was joanne With David townsend at the? Time end.
Quote we are trying to figure out Who eddie is and when we, do hopefully we'll find. Him there's another interesting thing about Joe Anne. Ellis back in nineteen ninety she was involved in allegations of another. FIRE a trailer that she had been living at caught fire and burned to the. Ground and then in nineteen ninety, two Both joanne and an acquaintance of hers Name, ronnie were charged in connection with the. Fire Joe anne was charged with
solicitation to commit, arson which she pleaded guilty. To ronnie was charged with arson and theft of. Property he pleaded guilty to the theft of, property but the arson charges against him were. Dismissed in the, end both Joe anne And ronnie got, probation but there was nothing more About joanne's previous charges In Connie townsend's case. File it seemed
to be just another lead that went. Nowhere Joe Anne ellis passed away several years, ago about a year after she And David townshend were, married so we can't ask. Her Was connie's trailer burning down an accident or a homicide and potential arson. Investigation there is a report from the fire marshal and an electrician went in with law enforcement and looked at the service, box the fuse, box and the dryer's electrical. Cord Now i'm going to read
directly from this because i am not an. Electrician they found that the service box had been, shorted and that there was arching on the hot wire caused by the, short and also that one breaker switch was off and one was. On the electrician stated that in their, opinion the short could have contributed to or caused the fire that destroyed the. Trailer so the trailer fire could have been an, accident but a lot of people believed that the evidence pointed to. Arson there are other potential clues
buried in the case, fall including some other handwritten. Notes they were written by someone with The Arkansas State, police and they indicate that at one point police suspected that an accelerant like gasoline had been, used because while the fire report said they didn't find any signs of. Accelerant one of the handwritten, notes which frustratingly was one of the hardest to, Decipher reid's quote they started at the living room and went to kitchen throwing diesel gas end.
Quote just because accelerant is not found to the scene doesn't mean that accelerant wasn't. Used it might have all burned. Up we need to get more details on that note and on other handwritten, notes including one that reads Blue chevy later seventies was parked on road Behind connie's. Trailer this probably refers to the vehicle that the three women who arrived at the scene first said they, saw the one that was driven by the curly haired man, who
to my, knowledge has never been. Identified police were building a case Against David, townsend but they had some, roadblocks including the fact that the manner of death was still. Undetermined the prosecuting attorney at the time WAS. Tj, hovey and in nineteen ninety, six his office filed a subpoena in order to get a complete copy Of connie.
And david's divorce case.
File just a few months After connie's, death On august twenty, first nineteen ninety, Five David townshend remarried to Joe Anne. Ellis one natural question That i'm sure occurred to investigators was, who if, anyone stood to profit From connie's, Death and there's evidence in the case file that investigators did try to follow the. Money In january of nineteen ninety, Six Izard county issued a subpoena for all insurance records pertaining To Connie, Townsend and there was something else in the
case file related To connie's work insurance. Policy connie worked At White RIVER T shirts factory for many, years she would be eligible for life insurance payouts from her. Job there's something called A. CSOP i learned that this is a type of work insurance. Policy Since connie had worked At White RIVER T shirts factory for many, years she was eligible for life insurance payouts from her. Job police
talked To Arlene. Martz arlene said that sometime In october of nineteen ninety, four That connie had come in and wanted to talk to. Her arlene told Police connie was asking questions about Getting david removed as the primary beneficiary of her life insurance. Policy arlene Said connie apparently wanted to name her daughters as primary beneficiaries and to Take
david off the. Policy arlene said that she explained To connie that Because connie And david were legally, married that making a change like that would Require david's, signature And arlene Said connie told Her david would never sign that. Form arlene said that she Gave connie a new life insurance enrollment, form but That connie never returned that. Form police also talked to Joe Anne ellis's, Son Michael Wade.
Bailey michael told investigators On january sixteenth that he had just moved back To arkansas From tennessee and that he had been staying With david and his, mother Joe.
Anne he told.
Police that once When david was, drunk That david Told michael that he Killed, connie But michael Said david didn't provide any additional details beyond that one, statement and there's no record that police ever Interviewed michael. Again there were other leads that were apparently never ruled.
Out on the.
Day of the, fire a witness Named Jackie stacy said she was driving On highway fifty. Six she said she Passed connie's house and noticed a black truck with multicolored stripes and chrome rims parked outside at around ten thirty or eleven am on the Morning connie. Died who was driving this truck and were they ever found or. Questioned there was another witness Named Peggy. Would she said that on the night after the, fire That David townsend showed
up at her house in a Black. Chevy she said it was approximately eight THIRTY pm and That david was with a friend of his and That david quote wanted to come in and.
Let his friend get acquainted with me end.
Quote she Said david hung out there in her yard for about ten to fifteen minutes and said he was saying she, burned and then. Left peggy said that she assumed That david wasn't her, words drunk or. High peggy, said according to the, report Quote connie told me just a few days before the fire that she was scared Of David. Townsend and that he had told her that she was not going to divorce, him and, Said i'll kill you or make sure nobody gets you except me if you divorce.
Me end.
Quote connie's, Daughter, stacey told police that at approximately ten am On january, seventh she called her. Mother she said that she was planning on helping her move out of the house that. Day stacy, said, QUOTE i asked her If David townsend had been. There she said, yes and then he threatened to call the law if she tried to take anything out of the. House she also, said repeatedly he threatened her with bodily. Harm she didn't sound. Right her voice was shaky and sounded kind of.
Edgy end.
Quote stacy, said quote while me and my sister were living at the, house on numerous, occasions he had threatened to burn the house.
Down end.
Quote at some, Point Izard county turned the case over to The Arkansas State.
Police in nineteen ninety.
Five a status report made by an investigator Named Robert hicks indicated that the case was still active at the. Time the prosecuting attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial district Of arkansas Was Thomas James, hively known AS. Tj but On Friday april twenty, sixth nineteen ninety, six INVESTIGATOR. T. H brown of The Arkansas State police had a conference With, tjhvely and according to the investigator's, report after reviewing the, EVIDENCE.
Tj hively determined there was not enough evidence at that point to charge a suspect and concluded that the case file should be carried forward as an inactive. Investigation the report read quote all investigative leads have been. Exhausted end. Quote there's something. Else one other thing to note ABOUT.
Tj.
Hively he was the cousin Of David.
Townsend if you're not From, arkansas you may not have heard the Name, Tjhively but.
In the state Of, arkansas the name is pretty.
Notorious tjhively was the prosecuting attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial, district which Includes Isra, county until nineteen ninety, eight five years After connie's trailer. Fire in two, THOUSAND. Tj and his law partner and deputy prosecuting, Attorney Wesley John, kettz were convicted of mail, fraud money, laundering and. Racketeering this was a huge news. Story they were charged with sixty four accounts in, Total many of the charges were related
to two schemes to obtain federal and state grant. Money there were also other. Charges according to court, Documents tjhvely and a colleague extorted several people during his time as a prosecuting, attorney including a man who was charged with, molestation a woman whose husband was charged with, murder and another man who was charged with drunk.
DRIVING.
Tj hively was accused of extorting all three of these. People after a federal jury, Trial tjhvely was eventually acquitted of money laundering, charges but he was convicted of mail fraud and the deputy prosecutor was convicted of aiding and a. Betting they were also both convicted of. Racketeering tjhively was sentenced to concurrent five year sentences for each count and ordered to repay the almost four hundred and thirty thousand dollars he received from the.
Grants, now nothing ABOUT.
Tj hively's trial and charges mentioned anything About Connie townsend's.
Case, HOWEVER. Tj hively was a cousin Of David.
Townsend And i'm bringing this up because we have a situation where the person responsible for deciding whether charges were brought against one of his own relatives was convicted of serious charges later that related to alleged misuse of his.
Office did the fact THAT.
Tj hovey was a cousin Of David townsend's affect the investigation in any? WAY i think it's a question that's worth. Asking with the, caveat of, course we don't know if they were. Close we don't know If david was a distant. Cousin these are small, towns and, honestly it often seems like everyone.
Is related in one way or.
Another after the prosecutors declined to pursue charges Against david in nineteen ninety, Six Connie townshend's case went. Cold eleven years, later in two thousand and, Seven connie's Daughter stacy reached out to The Arkansas State police to try and get a copy of her mother's case. File in two thousand and, nine she tried. Again both times she was.
Unsuccessful Ezrad county really didn't say anything The State police. Die he told me that he really really felt That david done, it but he just did not have enough. Proof he was six and a retire he, said and he, SAID i would love to solve this case BEFORE i. RETIREMENT i just don't have enough proof at. All if we took him the court and he set free and
there's nothing we can do about. It we went to the prosecute an attorney to see if he would sussecute, him and he said, NO i just do not have enough. Evidence there's NOTHING i can do about. It it ended.
There WHICH i really can't understand because at the, time as we, said the case file had been labeled. INACTIVE i get that police are in a hard. Position obviously they don't want to turn over information that would only be known to the. Killer but it does seem Like connie's case, was like so many other cases we've, seen in an investigative dead, zone not officially, closed so the files can't be released a family or the general, public
but also no one is working on. Them we've seen the emails sent by members of The Arkansas State police where they're talking About stacy reaching out and about her wanting a copy of the case, File and from those, emails it's clear that the police's prime suspect Was David. Townsend so what really happened To Connie? Townsend is there a way of figuring that out?
Out after? All this. Time in my, opinion if there is.
Ever going to be justice in this, case it's going to come from a piece of information from someone in the, community someone who was around at the, time not from physical. EVIDENCE i say that partially because we learn. That In august of twenty twenty, one another, Officer Jackie, stinnett asked about the status of evidence that had been seized by The State police investigators and sent to The Arkansas State Crime.
Lab it turned out that the ORIGINAL asp investigator had kept some of the, evidence including some burned photos and an electrical, plug but it was noted in the report that almost all the other items in this case were, missing which means tragically that they are almost certainly lost. Forever there were only two pieces of evidence, left the frames to a pair of, glasses Which connie's daughters say were almost certainly hers because she wore, glasses and the
pair of scissors that were found Under connie's. Body in twenty twenty, two a case master report by The Arkansas State police indicates that the arson and homicide investigation Into Connie townsend's death was officially. Closed Arkansas State police Investigator Dennis simons met With. Stacy he told her he had reviewed the initial case file and he did not believe that there was enough information to change the manner of death from pending to. HOMICIDE i believe that there are
other potential clues in this case. File next week we're going to release never before seen pages of this case. File we're going to try to figure out If connie's house fire could have been an, accident or if there are other clues buried in the file that point to. Arson and Was David townshend the police's only suspect or could other people have been? Involved who was the curly haired mystery man at the crime scene and who was
driving the black truck with the bright colored. Stripes remember WHEN i said back at the, beginning we were going to be sharing parts of this case file On, instagram and THEN i SAID i needed help and detective work.
From people who lived in the.
Community we are going to be posting images of this case.
File i'm going to post them on My.
Instagram the handle is At Love detective and also at Helen. Gonpod there are a lot of case file notes that are kind of these cryptic. Scribblings they have partial names and a few, details but a lot of them are cut. Off i'm hoping there's someone out there who can help fill in some of these. Blanks there were twenty to twenty five people Outside Connie townsend's. House i'm asking everyone to please look at these notes and if you can
help solve this, mystery please reach. Out even though most of the people who were questioned or who were in any way involved in this case are, DEAD i believe we can still help get justice For connie's.
FAMILY i know that justice will never be so AND i know no one will ever go to, jail old, prison be. Arrested that's. Fine i've accepted. THAT i can get by with. That BUT i just WISH i knew
what happened that day and what happened to. Her they done something to her that day that she didn't get out of that, House AND i just wish somebody would just tell me SO i could just get on with, it get on with my life and kind of put it to the closure and just get mom a boys and so like she really never got a, Voice she just got. Forgotten ye pushed under the, rug and somebody knows.
Something I'm Catherine.
Townsend this Is Helen Gone Murder. Line Helen Gone Murder line is a production Of school Of humans And iHeart. Podcasts it's written and narrated by Me Catherine townsend and produced By Gabby. Watts special thanks To Amy tubbs for her research assistance And.
James wheaton for legal.
Review Noah camera mixed and scored this. Episode our theme song is By Ben. Salek executive producers Are Virginia, Prescott Brandon, barr And Else. Crowley listen To Helen gone ad free by subscribing to The iHeart True Crime plus channel On Apple. Podcasts if you're interested in seeing documents and materials from the, case you can follow the show On instagram At helen.
Gonpod if you have a case you'd like me and my team to look, into you can reach out to us at Our Helen Gone Murder line at six seven eight seven four four six one four.
Five that's six seven eight seven four four six one four.
Five school Of humans