Ep 5. A Shot in the Dark

Accident, Suicide or Murder is a true crime documentary series that explores mysterious deaths and attempts to determine whether they were truly accidents, suicides, or murders. Season 2 episode 5, titled "A Shot in the Dark," is an episode that dives into a case involving a young woman whose death by gunshot is ruled a suicide, but her family and friends suspect foul play.

The episode begins with a reconstruction of the night in question. On the evening of January 22, 2006, 25-year-old Melissa Gosule was at her boyfriend's house in Norwell, Massachusetts. After a few hours, she left the house to go to her car, which was parked nearby. A few minutes later, her boyfriend heard a loud bang and found Melissa lying on the ground near her car with a gunshot wound to the head. She was pronounced dead at the hospital a few hours later.

The police initially ruled Melissa's death a suicide, based on a gunshot residue test that showed she had fired the gun that killed her. However, Melissa's family and friends didn't believe she would take her own life. They described her as a happy and outgoing person who had a lot to live for, including plans to go back to school and start a new job.

As the episode unfolds, we hear from Melissa's loved ones as they recount their memories of her and their suspicions about the circumstances of her death. We also hear from the investigators who worked on the case, as well as from experts who offer their opinions on the evidence.

One major piece of evidence is the gun itself, which was found near Melissa's body. The gun belonged to her boyfriend, but he claimed that it was in a locked case in his house at the time of the shooting. The episode explores the possibility that someone else took the gun and used it to kill Melissa.

Another key piece of evidence is the gunshot residue test. While the test showed that Melissa had fired the gun, some experts point out that gunshot residue can be transferred to someone who is near a gun when it is fired. This raises the possibility that someone else fired the gun and Melissa was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The episode also looks at the investigation itself, raising questions about whether the police were too quick to jump to the conclusion that Melissa's death was a suicide. The family and friends of the victim claim that they were not taken seriously by the investigators and that important evidence was not properly considered.

Overall, "A Shot in the Dark" is a gripping episode that raises important questions about the circumstances of Melissa Gosule's death and the investigative process that followed. It is a reminder that even when a case seems cut and dry, there may be more to the story than what meets the eye.