Cold Case Files Classic Season 1 Episode 22 Frozen in Time; Little Girl Lost
- September 4, 2001
In Cold Case Files Classic season 1 episode 22, "Frozen in Time; Little Girl Lost," viewers are taken on a journey through two chilling and heartbreaking cold cases that had remained unsolved for decades. The first case, "Frozen in Time," centers on the brutal murder of a young woman named Wanda Jean Mays in 1978. Mays was found dead on the side of the road in the middle of winter, and the case had gone unsolved for over 20 years before investigators were able to finally bring justice for her.
The episode starts with the discovery of Mays' body by a passing truck driver in a remote part of Oklahoma. Her body was found partially naked, and her head had been bashed in with a rock. Despite extensive efforts by the police at the time, no leads were found, and the case went cold. However, years later, the case was reopened when a retired detective decided to take another look at the evidence.
One of the critical pieces of evidence was a fingerprint they had found on Mays' clothing. Despite repeated attempts to identify it, the police had been unable to match it to anyone. However, with advances in technology, the fingerprint was sent to the FBI, where it was finally matched to a man named William Lee Neal. Neal had been on the police's radar for years, but they had never been able to pin anything on him until now.
The episode delves into Neal's troubled past and how he had become a serial rapist and killer. The police were finally able to put him behind bars for good, and justice was served for Wanda Jean Mays. Her family, who had lived with the pain of her loss for over 20 years, finally had closure.
The second case, "Little Girl Lost," is equally harrowing. It involves the disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz in 1979. Etan was walking to his school bus stop alone for the first time when he vanished off the streets of New York City. The case had remained unsolved for over three decades until a breakthrough in technology allowed for a confession from the man responsible.
The episode details the search for Etan and how his case became one of the most high-profile missing children cases in American history. Despite massive media attention and the largest missing child search in NYC history, Etan was never found. For years, the case remained unsolved until new technology allowed investigators to reexamine the evidence.
A man named Pedro Hernandez eventually confessed to the murder of Etan, and the episode touches on his confession and the subsequent trial. Hernandez was an unsuspecting employee of a bodega near where Etan was last seen. He claimed that on the day Etan disappeared, he lured him into the store's basement with the promise of a soda and then choked him to death.
The episode covers the trial and how the investigators built their case against Hernandez. It also delves into the psychological impact that Etan's case had on his family and the nation as a whole. The story concludes with the sentencing of Hernandez and the closure that the Patz family finally received.
In all, "Frozen in Time; Little Girl Lost" is a heart-wrenching episode that showcases the power of forensic science, perseverance, and determination to solve cold cases. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the people who work tirelessly to bring closure to families and justice to victims.