Podcasts > Paper Ghosts: The Ozarks > Episode 4: “The Cave:”

Episode 4: “The Cave:”

By iHeartPodcasts

In this episode of Paper Ghosts: The Ozarks, a deeper exploration is made into the investigation surrounding Dana Stidham's murder. An unsettling witness account emerges of Dana's potential involvement in a violent altercation at a party. The spotlight shifts to Jack Linney, a local man with a history of harassing and stalking women, as a key suspect following the discovery of a body near an elderly couple's home.

The investigation intensifies as Linney's alibi and recorded interviews arouse suspicion of his involvement in Dana's disappearance. This pivotal episode examines the investigation's refocused efforts and provides a chilling glimpse into the disturbing evidence surrounding this tragic case.

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Episode 4: “The Cave:”

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Episode 4: “The Cave:”

1-Page Summary

Jack Linney - Key Suspect

Jack Linney, an older local man, has become a primary suspect in the investigation due to Margo Sanger-Katz's reporting on his extensive history of sexually harassing and stalking women, which has escalated to dangerous encounters like following them on highways and even groping them. Sanger-Katz notes that Linney suffered a brain injury that may have diminished his self-control, contributing to his unchecked behavior.

Witness Account of Dana at Fateful Party

An unnamed witness provides a disturbing account, detailing being threatened by a blondish girl on "the hill" for inquiring about the missing Dana Stidham. The witness believes Dana attended a party where a fight broke out involving swapping girlfriends, leading to Dana potentially being stabbed. Georgia Stidham, likely related to Dana, referenced someone from Dana's workplace being present that night.

Body Found Near Elderly Couple's Home

Linda and Randy Groeller, while walking near their Missouri home to collect cans, made a grisly discovery - a human body near a deserted house, lying on a concrete slab. Sanger-Katz highlights the location's proximity, just 20 minutes from where Dana's body was previously found in Bella Vista.

Investigation Refocused on Linney

As Mike McMillan's suspect status diminished, investigators re-interviewing witnesses uncovered Jack Linney's name and troubling history for the first time. Linney, who struggled maintaining employment likely due to harassment incidents, initially provided an alibi but was later placed in Bella Vista when Dana disappeared. Recorded interviews suggested Linney's potential involvement, prompting a shift in the investigation's focus toward him as the likelier suspect behind Dana's murder.

1-Page Summary

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Bella Vista is a city in Arkansas, known for its scenic beauty and outdoor recreational activities. Missouri is a neighboring state to Arkansas, located to the north. Bella Vista and Missouri are separate locations, with Bella Vista being in Arkansas and Missouri being a different state altogether.

Counterarguments

  • Jack Linney's history of harassment, while concerning, does not necessarily make him guilty of murder; correlation does not imply causation.
  • The brain injury Linney suffered might be mentioned to evoke sympathy or explain behavior, but it should not be used to stigmatize individuals with brain injuries as being prone to criminal behavior.
  • The witness account of being threatened by a blondish girl is second-hand information and could be unreliable or misinterpreted.
  • The details of the party and the fight involving swapping girlfriends are not substantiated and could be based on rumors or hearsay.
  • The reference to someone from Dana's workplace being at the party does not provide direct evidence of involvement in any potential crime.
  • The proximity of the body found by the Groellers to the previous discovery site of Dana's body is circumstantial and does not establish a direct link to Linney.
  • The refocusing of the investigation on Linney based on re-interviewed witnesses could be subject to confirmation bias or tunnel vision by the investigators.
  • Linney's struggle to maintain employment could be due to a variety of factors unrelated to his alleged harassment incidents.
  • An alibi that is later contradicted does not automatically prove guilt; it could be due to faulty memory or other innocent reasons.
  • Recorded interviews suggesting Linney's potential involvement need to be corroborated with physical evidence and should not be taken as conclusive proof of guilt.

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Episode 4: “The Cave:”

Key suspect: Jack Linney

Jack Linney, a local older individual, has become a key suspect due to his egregious pattern of sexual harassment.

Long history of sexually harassing and stalking women

Linney's history of harassing behavior is extensive and troubling. He has a documented trail of serial sexual harassment, including picking up hitchhikers and harassing women in stores. His actions have escalated to more dangerous encounters, such as following women on the highway.

Harassed women at grocery store and followed them on highways, groping them

Specifically, Linney has been seen following women on the highway, and there have been multiple reports of harassment in other stores in the Bella Vista area. He has not only attempted to pull women over on highways but also groped them.

He exhibits a consistent pattern of stalking behaviors, which involve wearing a hood over his face in stores, ogling women, circling stores, sneaking up ...

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Key suspect: Jack Linney

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • The brain injury suffered by Jack Linney may have affected his self-control and decision-making abilities. In some cases, brain injuries can lead to changes in behavior, including impulsivity and reduced inhibition. This c ...

Counterarguments

...

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Episode 4: “The Cave:”

Witness claims Dana was at sex party where fight occurred

Girl on the hill threatened witness if she kept asking questions

An unnamed woman provides a harrowing account of being threatened when she went seeking answers about her missing friend, Dana Stidham. After being directed to a location known as the hill, the witness encountered four individuals, including a man identified as Mike, who had a questionable reputation. Upon inquiring about Dana, the woman received a chilling warning from a blondish girl who was there—imply that harm could come to the witness if she continued to probe into Dana's disappearance, much like what allegedly happened to Dana.

Witness believes Dana was stabbed at party

The witness has recounted a disturbing series of events involving Dana Stidham attending a man cave in Bella Vista, where a sex party took place and men purportedly decided to swap girlfriends. According to the unna ...

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Witness claims Dana was at sex party where fight occurred

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • The "hill" mentioned in the text is a location where the witness went seeking information about her missing friend, Dana Stidham. It appears to be a significant spot where individuals related to Dana's disappearance were encountered. The hill seems to be a place where unsettling events unfolded, including threats and warnings given to those inquiring about Dana's whereabouts. It is a key setting in the narrative that connects various characters and incidents in the story.
  • Mike is a man mentioned in the text who has a questionable reputation. He was present at the location where the witness sought information about Dana. The witness encountered Mike along with three other individuals on the hill. Mike's relevance lies in the fact that he was one of the people the witness interacted with while trying to gather information about Dana's disappearance.
  • The connection between Dana and the girl from her workplace suggests that the girl may have information related to Dana's disappearance or the events surrounding it. Georgia Stidham hinted at the girl's presence on the hill the night Dana went missing, indicating a potential link between the two. This connection implies that th ...

Counterarguments

  • The witness's account is not corroborated by other evidence or witnesses, which could call into question the reliability of the testimony.
  • The identity of the witness is not revealed, which may affect the credibility of the account.
  • The term "sex party" carries a strong connotation and may not accurately represent the nature of the gathering.
  • The use of the phrase "man cave" could be a biased or subjective description of the location.
  • The claim that men decided to swap girlfriends is a serious accusation that requires substantiation.
  • The term "lover's quarrel" may not accurately describe the nature of the altercation, and without further context, it could be an oversimplification.
  • The reference to the "stardom girl" is vague and does not provide clear evidence of her identity or involvement.
  • The imp ...

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Episode 4: “The Cave:”

Body discovered near elderly couple's home

An unsettling find has occurred near the home of an elderly Missouri couple, who stumbled upon a human body under shocking circumstances.

Couple collecting cans found body while walking near home

Linda and Randy Groeller, residing near Indian Creek in Anderson, Missouri, were engaged in a seemingly innocuous activity when they made a gruesome discovery. The couple, devoted to their church, was walking along Oscar Talley Road to collect cans when curiosity led them to investigate a deserted house's grassy surrounds.

During their search, Randy was taken aback to find a human skull among the grass. The couple's investigation came to a chilling conclusion when they uncovered the rest of the body resting on a concrete slab, braced against the decrepit structure.

Body was just 20 minutes from where Dana' ...

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Body discovered near elderly couple's home

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • The connection between the Groellers' discovery and Dana's body is based on geographical proximity. The location where the Groellers found the body is close to where Dana's body was previously discovered. This p ...

Counterarguments

...

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Episode 4: “The Cave:”

Case takes remarkable turn with new suspect

In a surprising development, the focus of an ongoing investigation has shifted as a new suspect, Jack Linney, with a history of sexual harassment, has emerged.

Jack Linney emerges as suspect with history of sexual harassment

While re-evaluating the Phillips Grocery case, investigators uncovered a new lead as they re-interviewed co-workers and employees. Jack Linney's name came up for the first time in connection with the case. He had not been previously mentioned publicly concerning the crime. It was uncovered that Linney had a troubling past, specifically in 1993—four years after Dana's murder—when he was known for sexual harassment.

Linney, who was employed in miscellaneous construction jobs, seemed overqualified for his positions and had difficulty maintaining employment, likely due to his history of harassment incidents.

Investigation shifts focus to Linney as potentially responsible

With Mike McMillan's status as a suspect diminishing, Jack Linney became the primary focus of law enforcement. They began to see him as a much better fit for the profile of Dana's murderer and started to investigate whether he could be connected to other homicides in the Ozarks.

Initially, Linney had provi ...

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Case takes remarkable turn with new suspect

Additional Materials

Clarifications

  • Mike McMillan was initially considered a suspect in the investigation before Jack Linney emerged as a new suspect. As the focus shifted to Linney, McMillan's status as a suspect diminished, and law enforcement began to concentrate their efforts on investigating Linney's potential involvement in the case.
  • Bella Vista is a city in Arkansas, USA, known for its scenic beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. It is located in the Ozarks region and is a popular destination for retirees and vacationers. The city offers amenities such as golf courses, lakes, and trails for outdoor enthusiasts. Bella Vista is a growing community with a mix of residential neighborhoods and natural landscapes.
  • The Benton County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) is a law enforcement agency responsible for mai ...

Counterarguments

  • The emergence of Jack Linney as a suspect based on a history of sexual harassment does not necessarily imply guilt in this specific case; past behavior does not automatically equate to current or related criminal activity.
  • The fact that Linney was not previously mentioned could indicate either a thorough re-examination of the case or an oversight in the initial investigation, rather than a direct connection to the crime.
  • Being overqualified for a job and having difficulty maintaining employment could be due to a variety of factors unrelated to criminal tendencies.
  • A shift in focus from one suspect to another could be premature or based on circumstantial evidence; it is important to ensure that the investigation is not biased or tunnel-visioned.
  • Fitting a profile does not prove guilt; profiles are general and can sometimes lead to confirmation bias in investigations.
  • The possibility of Linney being connected to other homicides in the Ozarks is speculative without concrete evidence linking him to those crimes.
  • An alibi being disproven does not automatically mean that Li ...

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