Episode 2: “The Evidence of Things Not Seen:”
In this episode of Paper Ghosts: The Ozarks, authorities pursued several suspects in the 1989 disappearance of Dana Winburn, including a fired Phillips grocery employee, Orville Mitch Goodwin, and Dana's friend Mike McMillan. After her remains were found scattered in a creek bed, Lieutenant Petre recounted the challenges posed by lack of physical evidence, inconsistent witness accounts, and limited technology at the time.
The investigation delved into key suspects, the grim discovery of Dana's remains, and the difficulties faced by law enforcement in revisiting this cold case years later. While conflicting details clouded the timeline, the search for answers in Dana's disappearance continued to unravel an unsettling mystery.
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1-Page Summary
Key Suspects in Dana's Disappearance
Authorities pursued several leads, including a Phillips grocery employee fired shortly after Dana vanished whose vehicle matched a description seen nearby. Orville Mitch Goodwin, spotted with Dana before she went missing and later convicted of unrelated violence, also drew scrutiny. Lastly, Mike McMillan, Dana's friend harboring affection for her, raised questions with his truck's movements that night.
Discovery of Dana's Remains
Dana's brother Larry found her clothing near where her car was located. Her remains, along with duct tape and possibly clothing, were scattered in a creek bed about a mile from where a key suspect worked. The shallow grave suggested the scattering.
Investigation Challenges
Lieutenant Petre cited lack of physical evidence from Dana's staged car, no surveillance or cell tracking in 1989, and conflicting witness accounts placing her car and potential suspects at different locations as major obstacles. Witnesses' inconsistencies on details like gunshot timing compounded difficulties in revisiting the cold case years later.
1-Page Summary
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Larry finding Dana's clothing near her car is significant because it potentially indicates a connection between the location of the clothing and Dana's disappearance. It suggests a possible starting point for the investigation, providing clues about where Dana may have been or what might have happened to her. Larry's discovery could also help establish a timeline of events leading up to Dana's disappearance. Additionally, the proximity of the clothing to her car could be crucial in understanding the circumstances surrounding her vanishing.
- Dana's remains being found in a creek bed suggests that her body was placed there intentionally. The presence of duct tape and possibly clothing near her remains could indicate efforts to conceal evidence. The location of the shallow grave near where a key suspect worked may suggest a connection to the crime. The scattering of her remains in the creek bed implies a deliberate attempt to hide or dispose of the body.
- The challenges in the investigation stem from the absence of concrete physical evidence, such as fingerprints or DNA, that could directly link suspects to the crime scene. The lack of surveillance technology in 1989 limited the ability to track movements or interactions that could provide crucial insights into the case. Conflicting witness accounts create confusion by offering different versions of events, making it difficult to establish a clear timeline or sequence of actions. These factors combined make it challenging for investigators to piece together a coherent narrative and identify the perpetrator definitively.
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Key Suspects in Dana's Disappearance
Following the unsettling disappearance of Dana Stidham, authorities have pursued multiple leads. Among the suspects are individuals closely connected to Dana's routine life and one with a history of violence.
Phillips Grocery Employee
This suspect piqued the interest of investigators for several reasons.
- The employee was terminated from his job at the Phillips grocery store just two days after Dana's disappearance, suggesting a possible link.
- He resided just off Wellington Road, near where Dana's clothing was discovered.
- His work shifts at Phillips Grocery were aligned with the timing of Dana's last known movements.
- Known to drive a Toyota pickup with a camper shell, the vehicle closely fits the description of one seen in the area of Dana's disappearance.
Orville Mitch Goodwin
Orville Mitch Goodwin emerges as a troubling figure in the examination of Dana's case.
- A 16-year-old witness reported seeing Dana at Blowing Springs Park on the night she vanished, in the company of Goodwin.
- Goodwin was familiar to Dana, as she had seen him picking up trash at the Phillips store where she worked.
- Despite his claim of not knowing Dana, the described actions and witness threats suggest otherwise.
- Following his suspected involvement in Dana's case, Goodwin was later convicted for violent criminal activity unrelated to Dana's case, indicating a capacity for harm.
Mike McMillan
Lastly, focus was d ...
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Key Suspects in Dana's Disappearance
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- The suspects mentioned in the text are connected to Dana through various circumstances: the Phillips Grocery Employee was linked due to proximity and timing, Orville Mitch Goodwin was seen with Dana before her disappearance and had a known connection to her workplace, and Mike ...
Counterarguments
- The termination of the Phillips Grocery employee could be coincidental and unrelated to Dana's disappearance.
- Living near where Dana's clothing was found does not necessarily implicate the Phillips Grocery employee, as others live in the area as well.
- The fact that the employee's work shifts aligned with Dana's movements could be a routine occurrence given her frequent visits to the store.
- A vehicle description matching that of the Phillips Grocery employee's truck is not conclusive evidence without more specific identifiers linking it to the scene.
- Being seen with Dana does not confirm Orville Mitch Goodwin's involvement in her disappearance; it could have been a benign encounter.
- Goodwin's later conviction for violent crimes does not retroactively prove his involvement in Dana's case without direct evidence.
- ...
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Discovery of Dana's Remains
A grim discovery concludes the long search for Dana, as her remains are found scattered in a remote area connected to a key suspect.
Found about a mile from where a key suspect worked
Following the report of Dana missing, her brother, Larry Stidham, uncovers some of her clothing at Ealing Circle off Wellington Road, a significant clue given the proximity—just a half-mile away from where Dana's car had been located. The site of the remains, discovered in a dry creek bed behind a liquor store, lies just over the state line from where an individual identified only as Steven (not his real name) was hunting. Crucially, this location is about a mile from where a key suspect was employed.
Remains scattered in a shallow creek bed
Steven finds what he identifies as human remains—a skull and some rib bones—scattered across approximately 15 or 20 feet in the dry creek bed behind the liquor store. Indications show that Dana was buried in a shallow grave, which possibly allowed for the scattering of her re ...
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Discovery of Dana's Remains
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Ealing Circle off Wellington Road is a specific location mentioned in the text where some of Dana's clothing was found. It is a street or area near where Dana's car had been located, providing a significant clue in the investigation. This location is crucial in understanding the proximity of different pieces of evidence related to Dana's disappearance and subsequent discovery.
- A dry creek bed is a channel or depression in the ground where water flows during periods of rain or snowmelt but is currently devoid of water. It is typically characterized by a lack of flowing water and may contain rocks, gravel, or sediment. Dry creek beds are natural features that can be found in various landscapes and are formed by the erosion caused by intermittent water flow. They can serve as pathways for water during rainy seasons and may indicate past or potential water flow in the area.
- A state line is a boundary that separates two different states within a country. In this context, it indicates that the location where the remains were found is close to the border between two states. This detail is significant as it helps to geographically pinpoint the area where the discovery took place.
- A shallow grave is a burial site that is not deep underground, typically only a few feet deep. It is often used by perpetrators trying to quickly conceal a body without digging a deep hole. The shallowness of the grave can lead to the remains being more easily disturbed or exposed, as seen in this case. In forensic investigations, the condition of a body found in a shallow grave can provide important clues about the circumstances of the death.
- Duct tape attached to a piece of skin is a significant detail in forensic investigations. In cases like this, duct tape can be used to bind or cover a victim's body, indicating potential foul play or attempts to conceal evidence. The prese ...
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Investigation Challenges
The investigation into Dana's disappearance and the subsequent cold case has been fraught with challenges due to the lack of physical evidence, the absence of modern surveillance technology at the time of the crime, and conflicting eyewitness reports.
Lack of physical evidence from Dana's car
Lieutenant Petre from the Benton County Sheriff's Office had Dana's car as the primary crime scene. The scene showed signs of being staged, with certain items deliberately placed, and others potentially taken. However, the specifics regarding the lack of physical evidence from Dana's car were not detailed in the podcast transcript. Another obstacle mentioned is the advancement of DNA technology which, while beneficial, also underscores the limitations of the evidence collected and the capabilities available at the time of the original investigation.
No security cameras or cell phone tracking
In 1989, the absence of widespread cell phone use meant that tracking Dana’s movements via cell phone was not an option for law enforcement. Similarly, security cameras were not commonly used, negating the possibility of video surveillance capturing Dana’s car traveling along any particular route.
Conflicting eyewitness reports
The case is further complicated by eyewitness accounts. A witness described seeing what seemed to be Dana's car driven by a large man with dark hair and a girl who may have been Dana. This same witness later saw the car parked on Route 71 with the driver’s side window down and the man, ostensibly preparing to change the tire. However, these statements conflict with the reports of a state trooper, who did not see Dana's vehicle at the location on Route 71 at approximately 11:30 p.m.
Additionally, a witness's account added a person with red hair, matching the desc ...
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Investigation Challenges
Additional Materials
Clarifications
- Staging a crime scene involves manipulating or altering the scene to mislead investigators or cover up the true events that occurred. This can include placing or removing items, changing the positioning of objects, or creating a false narrative to divert attention from the actual sequence of events. Staging is often done to confuse investigators, create false leads, or protect the perpetrator by making the crime appear different from what actually took place. Detectives must carefully analyze the scene to differentiate between what is genuine evidence and what has been deliberately staged.
- DNA technology limitations in the context of the investigation into Dana's disappearance highlight the challenges posed by the lack of advanced forensic techniques available at the time of the original crime. The reference to DNA technology underscores the constraints faced by investigators in analyzing genetic evidence from the crime scene due to the less sophisticated DNA testing methods prevalent in 1989. This limitation implies that crucial DNA evidence that could potentially identify suspects or provide leads may not have been effectively utilized or even collected during the initial investigation. The advancement of DNA technology over the years has significantly enhanced forensic capabilities, allowing for more precise analysis and potentially reopening avenues for solving cold cases like Dana's disappearance.
- In 1989, surveillance technology was not as advanced as it is today. Security cameras were not as commonly used in public spaces, and cell phones were not widespread, limiting the ability to track individuals' movements. This lack of modern surveillance technology made it challenging for law enforcement to gather real-time visual evidence or track a person's location through electronic means.
- Witness reliability issues in investigations like Dana's case arise when different witnesses provide conflicting or inconsistent testimonies, making it challenging to determine the accurate sequence of events. Discrepancies in details such as physical descriptions, timelines, and locations can complicate the investigation and lead to uncertainty in identifying suspects. Fa ...
Counterarguments
- The lack of physical evidence from Dana's car does not necessarily mean the case cannot be solved; other investigative techniques and evidence types, such as circumstantial evidence or new witness testimonies, could potentially lead to a breakthrough.
- While the crime scene appeared to be staged, alternative explanations could exist for the placement of items, such as them being moved by someone unconnected to the crime or by Dana herself for reasons unknown.
- Advancements in DNA technology, even if they highlight limitations of past evidence collection, could still provide new leads if partial or degraded samples can now be analyzed with more sensitive modern techniques.
- The absence of security cameras and cell phone tracking in 1989 is a challenge, but it could also mean that the perpetrator(s) were less cautious, potentially leaving other types of evidence that modern criminals might avoid leaving.
- Conflicting eyewitness reports, while challenging, could indicate that there were multiple events or actors involved, which might open up new lines of inquiry if properly re-examined.
- Eyewitness unreliability is a well-known issue in criminal investigations, but this does not invalidate all eyewitness testimony; some reports might still contain kernels of truth or lead to corroborative evidence.
- Inconsistent witness testimonies could be a resu ...
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