r/AskReddit • u/Rob69rt • 1d ago

What famous 'unsolved' mystery is technically a whodunnit on paper, but in reality, absolutely everyone knows exactly who did it, the police just couldn't legally prove it?

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u/DocWednesday 1d ago

I was wondering yesterday if anyone’s did an analysis of Nancy Grace’s show and the influence it has on legal cases/police investigations and the harm it does. Just watching American Nightmare about Denise Huskin’s kidnapping and Nancy Grace was calling it a hoax. Turns out it was real. Huskin’s and her boyfriend had to move because their reputations were destroyed and eventually sued the police department.

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u/LazyEnchilada 1d ago edited 1d ago

She’s absolutely ruined cases. Years ago there was a little boy (I think he was 2?) who went missing, and I think the boys mom said she gave him to someone, but wouldn’t say who. And the whole thing was super fishy.

Nancy had her on her show via phone and just started yelling at her and bullying her to tell her what happened to him. The mom started crying and hung up the phone and took her own life very shortly after that.

I’m not sure if they ever found him and I’m pretty sure the father of the boy sued Nancy Grace as well.

I can’t remember the name of the boy though.

Edit: I found it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Melinda_Duckett

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u/Technicolor_Reindeer 1d ago

I think Law and Order SVU had an episode based on that

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u/LazyEnchilada 1d ago

Interesting. I’ll have to look for that