Ep 5. Ticket to Nowhere/The Paper Route

In the second season of Cold Case Files, episode 5 is titled "Ticket to Nowhere/The Paper Route." The episode features two cases that were once cold but ultimately solved by diligent investigators years after they were initially opened.

The first case, "Ticket to Nowhere," involves the 1991 murder of young mother Tammy Zywicki. Tammy was traveling from her home in Iowa to college in Illinois when her car broke down on the side of the highway. She was last seen with a truck driver who offered to help her. Her body was discovered days later in Missouri, and despite extensive investigations and media coverage, the case went cold for over a decade.

In 2004, nearly 13 years after Tammy's death, investigators received a tip that led them to a man named Clark Perry Baldwin. A DNA match confirmed that he was the killer, and he was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The episode explores the investigation and what led to Baldwin's eventual arrest and conviction.

The second case, "The Paper Route," is the murder of 11-year-old Stacie Madison in 1985. Stacie was delivering newspapers in her neighborhood when she was abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered. Despite numerous leads and suspects, the case went unsolved for over 20 years.

In 2006, advances in forensic science led investigators to the killer, a man named Kenneth McDuff. McDuff had been on death row for previous murders and was linked to Stacie's murder through DNA evidence. The episode delves into the investigation that led to McDuff's identification and conviction.

Overall, "Ticket to Nowhere/The Paper Route" highlights the tireless efforts of law enforcement and the power of advancements in forensic science to bring justice to victims of cold cases.