Ep 4. The Baiting Game

Cold Case Files is a renowned true-crime documentary series that revisits some of America's most notorious, unsolved criminal cases. The second season of the show dives deeper into cold cases that have remained open for several years, exploring new evidence and investigative techniques that bring police closer to cracking the cases.

Episode four of season two titled "The Baiting Game" is an intense episode that delves into a particularly gruesome crime. The episode details the murder of Ed Post, a man from Louisville, Kentucky, who vanished without a trace in October of 1993. Post was a popular businessman who owned a thriving architecture firm, but his fate was unknown for over two decades until his killers were eventually brought to justice.

We learn that Ed Post disappeared on his way back home from a meeting with a client. Despite a widespread search, no trace of him was found. For years, his loved ones had to live in uncertainty and grief, never getting to know what had happened to him. Things took a drastic turn when a journal was found in the home of Jeffrey Mundt – a man who lived with his friend Joseph Satterly. The journal contained inconsistent and cryptic entries involving a murder that appeared to match Post's disappearance.

This discovery led police to suspect Mundt and Satterly in Post's murder, resulting in a thorough investigation and trial. The episode details the meticulous work the police did, scouring homes, poring over evidence, and tracking the movements of the accused. It offers an insight into how investigators pieced together the breadcrumb trail of clues that would eventually lead them to the truth.

The episode is narrated by Bill Kurtis, who interviews the detectives, family members, and witnesses involved in this case. The interviewees often come out movingly, sharing their experiences and emotions during a time of uncertainty and loss. The interviews offer a human touch to the episode, making it not just a rehash of gruesome events but a story of how people's lives were impacted by the crime.

As the episode progresses, viewers are taken on a chilling journey – one that begins when the accused suspects are lured into confessing their crime using an elaborate ruse. It is here that the title of the episode, The Baiting Game, becomes relevant. The police put together a complicated scheme to get the truth out of the accused, testing their limits and revealing their deception in the process.

But, despite the obstacles the police face, they remain undeterred in their pursuit of justice. And in the end, justice is served. Mundt and Satterly are arrested and tried for their crimes, finally being held accountable for their horrific actions.

Overall, the episode is an inspiring story of how dogged determination, innovation, and collaboration can help solve even the most complicated and long-standing crimes. It also highlights the importance of never giving up hope, as this case proves it is possible for law enforcement to solve cold cases when given the right resources and methodology.

With its expertly executed reenactments, interviews, and compelling narration, "The Baiting Game" is an episode that is sure to captivate true-crime enthusiasts and fans of the Cold Case Files series. It is an investigation into a heinous crime that ultimately delivers a sense of catharsis and closure to those affected.