Episode 601: The Strange Death of Cindy James
Episode 601: The Strange Death of Cindy James
6Digest
The episode begins with the hosts, Ash and Elena, discussing their recent experience at a Something Corporate concert and their excitement for spooky season. They then introduce the case of Cindy James, a Canadian woman who died under mysterious circumstances in 1989. The episode explores Cindy's early life, highlighting the challenges she faced growing up in a military family with a strict father and a history of moving. Her marriage to Roy Makepiece, a man almost 20 years her senior, was marked by financial struggles, conflicting interests, and growing tension. The episode details the escalating harassment and abuse Cindy experienced, including obscene phone calls, threatening notes, and a violent assault. The police investigation is introduced, highlighting the lack of evidence and the skepticism surrounding Cindy's claims. The episode explores the potential suspects in Cindy's case, focusing on her ex-husband Roy Makepiece and the possibility of a stalker. The episode concludes with a cliffhanger, leaving the audience eager for the next part. The episode also includes a segment promoting Wundery Plus, a premium subscription service for the Wundery app, offering early access to content and an ad-free listening experience.
Outlines
The Mysterious Death of Cindy James
This episode delves into the mysterious death of Cindy James, exploring her troubled childhood, tumultuous marriage, and the escalating harassment she faced before her demise, leaving listeners with unanswered questions and a cliffhanger.
Cindy James' Early Life and Family Dynamics
The episode explores Cindy's early life, highlighting the challenges she faced growing up in a military family with a strict father and a history of moving. Her marriage to Roy Makepiece, a man almost 20 years her senior, was marked by financial struggles, conflicting interests, and growing tension.
The Escalation of Harassment and Abuse
The episode details the escalating harassment and abuse Cindy experienced, including obscene phone calls, threatening notes, and a violent assault. The police investigation is introduced, highlighting the lack of evidence and the skepticism surrounding Cindy's claims.
The Suspects and the Unanswered Questions
The episode explores the potential suspects in Cindy's case, focusing on her ex-husband Roy Makepiece and the possibility of a stalker. The episode concludes with a cliffhanger, leaving the audience eager for the next part.
Wundery Plus Subscription Offer
This segment promotes Wundery Plus, a premium subscription service for the Wundery app. Listeners are encouraged to join for early access and ad-free content.
Keywords
Cindy James
A Canadian woman who died under mysterious circumstances in 1989. Her death sparked a long-running investigation and remains a subject of debate and speculation.
Obscene Phone Calls
A form of harassment involving sexually explicit or offensive phone calls, often used to intimidate or threaten the recipient.
Stalker
An individual who obsessively pursues or harasses another person, often causing fear and distress.
Domestic Violence
A pattern of abusive behavior in an intimate relationship, including physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse.
Unsolved Mystery
A crime or event that remains unexplained, despite investigation and speculation.
True Crime
A genre of media that focuses on real-life crimes, often exploring the details of the crime, the victims, and the perpetrators.
Wundery Plus
A premium subscription service for the Wundery app, offering early access to content and an ad-free listening experience.
Wundery App
A mobile application that provides access to various audio content, including podcasts and other audio formats.
Q&A
What are the main theories surrounding Cindy James' death?
The main theories surrounding Cindy James' death include the possibility of her ex-husband Roy Makepiece being the perpetrator, a stalker targeting her, or even a combination of both. The lack of evidence and the conflicting accounts make it difficult to determine the truth.
How did Cindy James' childhood experiences influence her adult life?
Cindy James' childhood experiences, marked by her father's drinking, the constant moving, and the lack of parental supervision, contributed to her feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and a tendency to take on responsibility for others. These experiences likely shaped her relationships and her ability to cope with stress.
What are the ethical considerations surrounding the police investigation into Cindy James' case?
The police investigation into Cindy James' case raises ethical concerns about the handling of domestic violence cases, the skepticism surrounding victims' claims, and the potential for bias in the investigation. The lack of evidence and the focus on Cindy's past relationships raise questions about whether the police adequately investigated all potential suspects.
How can I access early content and listen ad-free on Wundery?
You can join Wundery Plus by subscribing through the Wundery app or Apple Podcasts.
Where can I find more information about Wundery Plus?
Visit the Wundery website at Wundery.com/survey for more details.
Show Notes
On June 8, 1989, a municipal worker discovered the body of forty-four-year-old Cindy James in the backyard of an abandoned home in Richmond, British Columbia, hogtied and with a woman’s stocking wrapped around her neck. Two weeks earlier, friends had reported Cindy missing when she failed to show up for a game of cards and when the authorities searched Cindy’s car, they discovered blood and other signs that indicated she may have met with foul play.
After opening an investigation into Cindy’s death, investigators learned that, for nearly a decade leading up to her death, Cindy James had repeatedly reported to Richmond Police that she was a victim of harassment, stalking, and assault, and had even turned over threatening letters and answering machine messages as evidence of the harassment; yet local police were unable to verify her story or intervene to protect her.
At first, Cindy’s death appeared to be the inevitable and tragic conclusion of a years’-long campaign of harassment and terror by an unknown stalker; however, when investigators began digging into Cindy’s personal history, they discovered evidence that contradicted their initial assumptions and pointed towards a far stranger explanation for her death.
Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support!
References
Graham, Patracia. 1989. "We could have done better for Cindy." The Province, June 16: 37.
Hall, Neal. 1989. "Body believed to be missing nurse's." Vancouver Sun, June 9: 1.
—. 1990. "Ex-spouse angrily denied woman's lurid charge." Vancouver Sun, March 7: A12.
—. 1990. "James' ex-husband tells of fear police would frame him." Vancouver Sun, March 8: 19.
—. 1990. "James felt abandoned, ex-husband testifies ." Vancouver Sun, May 8: 16.
—. 1990. "James inquest hears of 1984 kidnap claim." Vancouver Sun, March 2: 15.
—. 1990. "James recalled bloody tale." Vancouver Sun, March 6: 19.
—. 1990. "Under siege." Vancouver Sun, March 24: A9.
Horwood, Holly. 1990. "James inquest a strain for jurors." The Province, May 31: 4.
—. 1990. "Nurse changed her story." The Province, February 28: 6.
—. 1990. "Threats, attacks preceded death." The Province, February 27: 2.
Jiwa, Salim. 1989. "Body is nurse's." The Province , June 9: 5.
—. 1989. "Somebody tailed Cindy." The Province, June 1: 4.
Mulgrew, Ian. 1991. Who Killed Cindy James? Seal Press: New York, NY.
Pemberton, Kim. 1989. "Strange ordeal of Cindy James." Vancouver Sun, July 13: 17.
Vancouver Sun. 1989. "Abduction feared by nurse's dad." Vancouver Sun, June 2: 37.
—. 1990. "Conflicting evidence fabricated tangled puzzle for inquest." Vancouver Sun, May 29: 9.
—. 1990. "Coroner's jury to hear of mysterious incidents." Vancouver Sun, February 26: 21.
—. 1989. "Police ask help in locating missing nurse." Vancouver Sun, May 30: 33.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Table of contents
United States
