EPISODE 3: A Bloody Fingerprint, A Bent Fire Poker, and Mystery DNA

05/03/22 • 32 min

4 Listeners

Dead End: A New Jersey Political Murder Mystery

The knife used to kill John Sheridan is just the first of many clues casting doubt on law enforcement’s conclusion of murder suicide. A newspaper crime reporter, a veteran homicide detective out of Philly, and a whistleblower point to significant pieces of evidence that have been disregarded—even thrown into a dumpster. Although Mark has the state attorney general and the county prosecutor on direct dial, he still gets stonewalled. The authorities assure the political insider that his parents had a dark secret, which will eventually come to light. Mark isn’t convinced. Instead, as he goes through his parent’s papers, he stumbles into a different fight.

New voices interviewed in episode:

• Barbara Boyer, reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer

• Eddie Rocks, veteran homicide detective, retired from the Philadelphia police.

• Lawrence Kobilinski, professor emeritus, department of sciences at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York

• Professor Keith Taylor, professor, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (and a former NYPD detective)

New voices interviewed in episode:

• Barbara Boyer, reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer

• Eddie Rocks, veteran homicide detective, retired from the Philadelphia police.

• Lawrence Kobilinski, professor emeritus, department of sciences at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York

• Professor Keith Taylor, professor, Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (and a former NYPD detective)

Previous Episode

EPISODE 2: Not Your “Typical” Murder Suicide

The Sheridans’ eldest son Mark is consumed with getting to the bottom of what happened to his parents. As the lawyer for Governor Chris Christie’s election campaign, Mark is in a unique position to uncover answers. Instead, he’s met with roadblock after roadblock. The questions really pile up when he learns that detectives haven’t even interviewed several key witnesses or completed a thorough investigation of the crime scene. Not only that, a key piece of evidence is missing.

New voices interviewed in episode:

Barry Jansen, retired forensic technician for the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Tom Draper, Sheridans’ neighbor Michael Baden, medical examiner hired by the Sheridan brothers

Next Episode

EPISODE 4: The Dirt on the Garden State

After it becomes clear the Somerset county prosecutor’s office couldn’t have done a worse job (unless their goal was to destroy the crime scene), some 200 prominent citizens send a letter to the state attorney general asking for his office to intervene in the investigation. Despite the letter signed by the biggest names in New Jersey legal circles—including two former attorneys general and three former governors—the attorney general never gets involved. The quest to find out why takes us through a brief history of problems in New Jersey's criminal justice system.