Mary & Bill: An Ohio Cold Case cover art

Mary & Bill: An Ohio Cold Case

Mary & Bill: An Ohio Cold Case

Written by: Ideastream Public Media
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 In 1970, Mary Petry and Bill Sproat, two university students in love, were murdered in a Columbus, Ohio apartment. The crime was so brutal it drew comparisons to the Manson murders of the previous year. The case has never been solved. Host/Producer Justin Glanville and the sisters of the two victims track down friends, witnesses to the original investigation and the Columbus police to understand why the case remains unsolved, despite the existence of solid DNA evidence and the fact that police say they have a person of interest. Along the way, the three explore who really owns DNA collected at crime scenes – families or police? – and what it takes to bring new attention to a 53-year-old cold case in an era when police departments are struggling to attract new recruits.Ideastream Public Media 2023 True Crime
Episodes
  • 7. The Time to Live

    7. The Time to Live
    Sep 6 2023
    The approvals process for submitting DNA evidence proves time-consuming, as Columbus Police ready samples for “familial searches” of offender databases. A woman whose sister was murdered in the 1980s explains how forensic genealogy led to answers and reflects on the idea of closure. Martha Petry and Pat Sproat Loeliger reunite more than 50 years after the murder of their siblings and discuss their current thinking about the case’s solvability. A breakthrough occurs that leads to new hope for resolution.
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    47 mins
  • 6. Behind the “Blue Wall” (Sort Of)

    6. Behind the “Blue Wall” (Sort Of)
    Aug 30 2023
    Columbus Police agree to speak with Mary's identical twin sister, Martha Petry, and reveal they are waiting to submit DNA evidence for forensic genealogy analysis. First, they're working to rule out two other suspects. James Renner, a true crime author and founder of the nonprofit Porchlight Project, says a window for solving the case may be closing as forensic genealogy becomes increasingly regulated.
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    35 mins
  • 5. And She Was Gone

    5. And She Was Gone
    Aug 23 2023
    A woman who shared a ride to Columbus with Mary recalls Mary was adamant about waiting for Bill to pick her up from a hotel lobby, which Mary's brother finds puzzling. Podcast host Justin Glanville explores a possible connection between the crime and Mary's travels to France. Justin and Martha Petry struggle to make contact with the Columbus police.
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    37 mins
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