Morbid - Episode 297: James Rodney Hicks Part 2

Episode Date: February 5, 2022

We know you have been waiting for the conclusion to this horrific tale, and here it is. James Rodney Hicks destroyed the lives of everyone he came in contact with, but unfortunately he was ...slipping through the cracks at every turn. Now, armed with decades worth of information and a thirst for justice, Detective Ricker joins forces with a new investigator to take Hicks down once and for all. But not before gruesome details are revealed that would disturb even the most seasoned of detectives. Check out this amazing book on the case: Tragedy In The North Woods by Trudy Irene Also, this is an amazing podcast series on this case, including a discussion with Detective Ricker. Murder She Told (Also this pod is just really great in general!) As always, thank you to our sponsors: Curology: Get a free 30-day trial at Curology.com/MORBID. Just pay $5 for shipping and handling.  Daily Harvest: Go to DAILYHARVEST.com/morbid to get up to forty dollars off your first box! ThirdLove: Right now, you can get 20% off your first order at THIRDLOVE.com/MORBID BetterHelp: This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp and Morbid listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/morbid. Jordan Harbinger Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jordan-harbinger-show/id1344999619 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Starting point is 00:01:23 of your home. Download the free Angie mobile app today or visit Angie.com. That's ANGI.com. Hey, Weirdo's, I'm Ash. And I'm Alena and it's morbid. I'm excited. This is going to be like jumping right into it today. We're not going to do a whole lot of like, we're not going to go into crime news. We're not going to like go, blah, blah, blah, blah. How is your day? Because do we ever go, blah, blah, blah, blah, literally
Starting point is 00:02:15 all the time. Ask anybody. That's what we do. Okay. And you, we, I am looking at 14 pages of a part two right now, which is like a pretty hefty part two. Yeah. So I figure why waste a lot of time. I know people want to know. I left you on a cliffhanger. I apologize for that. My apologies.
Starting point is 00:02:33 I just like, you know, I love to build up that anticipation. You did. Because on Twitter, people are losing their shit. I love that. I've seen so many people like, excuse me. Don't need to bother you. But when the fuck is part two coming What is it? I felt the same. Well, you know, I wouldn't do it to you if I didn't think I had something to really like
Starting point is 00:02:53 Go live a boom in part two. Alright, so go booboo. Let's go. If I didn't have it, I wouldn't do it to you So you know what I appreciate you. I love you. Here we are I want to leave you last two left you we're talking about James Rodney Hicks. douchebag extraordinaire. Yes, that is his given name. So that is the name on his birthday. Not runway coach extraordinaire. No douchebag extraordinaire. So yeah, so James Rodney Hicks, he's terrible. He's from Maine, what up New England. Hey, not a feather in our cap by any stretch of the imagination. But when we left you, we had James being convicted in 1984 after nine hours of deliberation for the death of his wife, Jenny Seer.
Starting point is 00:03:39 Now they convicted him on fourth degree murder, or fourth degree homicide, which is like current manslaughter charge kind of thing. And they convicted him for the first time in main history without a body. Nobody. Big deal. And that's a big deal because now he's been, you know, he's been convicted, he's going to jail, but everybody lost their minds.
Starting point is 00:04:03 Because this, like a lot of people thought it was ridiculous that he was convicted without a body and to which I say, like, are you kidding me? Like he was very clumped. He did it, but people were really angry and they were like, how can this happen? How can he get that charge without even having a body to say that she's dead?
Starting point is 00:04:21 Like you guys are determining she's dead and you don't even know that. Right. Which I understand that it's like hard. It's hard for me to grasp. Like it's hard for anybody to grasp. Like you don't have a body or a murder weapon or even a murder scene technically, but we're declaring her dead. Right. Like that's tough because it's like are you gonna put out a certificate of death then? Like are you really gonna, you have to legally declare her dead? It feels, you know?
Starting point is 00:04:48 That is true, of course. But, of course, his defense felt the exact same way. They were like, this is ridiculous. We're not gonna let this stand, we are appealing. So they started the appeals process on the day of sensing. And one thing they harped on was those damn subjective neighbor accounts of whether Jimmy and Jenny's fights were really all that bad
Starting point is 00:05:07 We talked about it in part one that one person's knockdown dragout fight is another person's every day argument with their spouse So like In vice versa, it's like they you can't I don't know if you really can rely on those that much especially I feel like when it's a I don't know if you really can rely on those that much, especially, I feel like when it's a consensus among neighbors, like if all the neighbors said these fights were crazy, they weren't normal, we all agree that this is one. Yeah, but the varying accounts of like,
Starting point is 00:05:37 yeah, I didn't really hear him fight that often. And when they did, it was just like normal arguing. And then somebody else saying like, oh no, it's terrible. And I thought something horrible was happening at the time. else saying like, oh no, it's terrible and I thought something horrible was happening at the time. When it's that varied, it's like, I understand why they didn't really wanna take that into account.
Starting point is 00:05:52 But they also of course said, nobody, this is an easy way to appeal this. So they were able to appeal on the basis of all that. And they threw in the idea that they believe the state did not really prove that Jenny's sear-hicks was even dead. So I mean, they did have a little bit of a leg to stand on here. Now the final thing they took issue with, the defense, which I think is infuriating, and
Starting point is 00:06:17 makes you want to punch them on the face, they said the jury should not have been allowed to hear testimony about Jenny's love for her children or how amazing of a mother she was. Why? They said that. Why? Because they were like, well, you just made it seem like that part, because they were using that,
Starting point is 00:06:35 the prosecution to be like, she wouldn't leave her children. She was an amazing mother and she was a, that was her main priority. There's, this is the biggest thing that says she would never have run away, that this has to be foul play.
Starting point is 00:06:46 And they were like, you shouldn't have been allowed to say that. That's just ridiculous though, because I feel like the first thing they usually do is like try to attack the person's character. Like, so it's like, okay, so you can attack it, but you can't lift them up and actually say exactly who they were.
Starting point is 00:07:00 Exactly. No. I'm like, I'm sorry. No, that's who she was. That was her character. If it made the jury Feel sympathy for her and feel like yes, she would not have left. Then so be it. That's the truth. She wouldn't have left. Right. These are people's opinions. This is literally fact. She was an amazing mother. Right. 100% of people said it. There was not Not even James Hicks could say she was not an amazing mother like she was an an amazing mother. And then like she just woke up one day and was like,
Starting point is 00:07:26 never gonna abandon my children. Fuck it. Sounds fine. No, no. So J. Hillary Billings was for the defense. And Charles Ledbetter was for the state in the appeals process. December 19th, 1984, Hicks was released on bail. He couldn't speak to any of the witnesses. He had to check in weekly for parole,
Starting point is 00:07:44 and he couldn't leave the state while the witnesses. He had to check in weekly for parole, and he couldn't leave the state while he was awaiting this appeals trial. But still, I'm like, was he really? Like we just let him wander off. He may have murdered someone, but okay. Now, he and Linda Marquis, because remember, Linda Marquis is his girlfriend at the time.
Starting point is 00:07:58 Linda's the one that interrupted the police interview with James Ricker, who he said, if she hadn't walked in and kicked us out of the house, I think he would have confessed. So he and Linda Markey wanted to get married. Okay. Because while your man is on trial for the murder of his previous wife
Starting point is 00:08:14 and mother of his first children, that should be a priority for sure. Yeah, romance. Right. Yeah, let's get married. Sounds good. Go on a honeymoon, fucking idiots. So unfortunately for those two dimwits,
Starting point is 00:08:24 they couldn't get married until Jimmy admitted that Jenny was dead. Because you can't get married when you're married to someone else. Correct. And she's not there to divorce him. And so they were like, okay, Jimmy, you wanna get married so bad?
Starting point is 00:08:37 It meant she's dead. Right. I thought she was off with some other dude. Yeah. Is that what it was? Because you know, he's, that's what he said. That's a story. Now, he is it's hilarious because he's still trying to run around saying Jenny still lives. So they're like, you can't go back on this now. And if you do, you're admitting it.
Starting point is 00:08:55 So he had to deal with the fact that he was still married, couldn't marry his new girlfriend and was now being pressured into saying that Jenny was dead to try to get him to admit it to further these charges. What a situation at hand. Exactly. So the Boston Globe reported that Linda Marquis, by the way, said that she would marry Jimmy Hicks even if he went to prison for the murder of his wife. Wow. What a stand up gal.
Starting point is 00:09:17 Now Linda luckily comes around at some point. But at that time, I'm sure she regrets a lot of these statements. Was she very young at the time? I think yes she was young but like I think he just he had a way man. Said he was a charm. He had a way of there's a lot of women that we're going to come across that stand by him for a little while and then eventually go what the fuck was I doing? Right well then of course I'm she said like she would still be with him even if he went to jail for the murder that means like she probably still didn't believe it exactly. She's like not like she was those to prison I would say with them because I don't believe he did it. Yeah, she's not like I'd still date him if he murdered his wife
Starting point is 00:09:54 Exactly. She's saying if you went to prison for it now July 9th 1985 Jimmy's conviction was upheld by the appeals court He was immediately transported to Maine State Prison in Thomas Sten, Maine. And right when this happened, Jimi and Linda decided it was another great time to get married. They were like this, you know what?
Starting point is 00:10:13 So they can. This is the time to get married. So of course, they ran into the same issue. Right. Because the issue was not gone. They had dropped it a little bit. They were going through this whole thing. When this happened, they were like,
Starting point is 00:10:22 no, now. Now is the time to get married. And they were like, okay, well, now is the time to get married. And they were like, okay, well, same issue is still here. Your wife is still presumably like, I think what they thought was when this whole appeals process was over, he was going to be going to prison for the murder of Jenny.
Starting point is 00:10:37 So they were like, oh, well, you guys think she's dead. So that issue is gone now. He doesn't have to admit it. It's just you think he is, but they're like, no, no, no. We're doing this without a body. We're not, we're saying that it is likely that he committed this crime. Right.
Starting point is 00:10:52 So of course, the deputy attorney general said he wasn't going to issue a death certificate for Jenny. And he said, that's actually the medical examiner's job. So talk to him. So the medical examiner, Henry Afriens, said, it was actually the office of vital records who needed to do this. So everybody's like, not me, I'm not doing it. It's the old runaround.
Starting point is 00:11:11 Because he was like, we don't have a physical body. I'm an in medical examiner. I'm giving you any time. I give death records for physical bodies that I can look at. And nobody wants everybody doesn't know what to do because this doesn't happen a lot. Well, it's very unprecedented.
Starting point is 00:11:22 So this was completely new territory to everybody. And eventually, they were granted the death certificate for Jenny Sear and allowed to get a marriage license because they did have to eventually say, she's dead, especially if he's in prison. Exactly. Now, Jimmy was pissed. What?
Starting point is 00:11:39 Here goes Lindahl, excited to tell him about this in prison. She runs to prison and is like, they granted the death certificate. Like can get married like yippie And he's like you idiot this ruins my case because it makes me look it makes it look like Jenny really is dead You didn't realize that this whole time sir like what you just so when she was like but we have been working on this Like what and he's like I thought they were just gonna issue some kind of waiver of some kind to like override the whole thing. Like just to be like, maybe she's dead, but he doesn't admit it. You should not think that like you should like research that first.
Starting point is 00:12:15 And she was like, no, they, they issued a real death certificate like they're saying she's dead. My bad. And apparently they were in love. so whatever. Now after this whole debacle, Linda went on a real spree of speaking to the press. It seems like Jimmy's anger about the state issuing Jenny's death certificate may Linda try to pivot to police him because he was pissed at her now. And he had a way of making the women in his life
Starting point is 00:12:39 feel like they had to police him. He was a manipulator. Oh, 100%. She started saying to anyone who would listen about how she was sure that Jenny was alive. She said she felt the members of the court would feel pretty dumb when Jenny just walked back into everybody's lives. She said, quote, I'm sure they'll feel a little awkward
Starting point is 00:12:58 when Jenny is found, a little embarrassed, maybe. Hmm. Yeah, I don't think anybody's gonna feel awkward or embarrassed when a missing woman and mother of two children. I think they'll just feel a little relieved. I think anybody's going to feel awkward or embarrassed when a missing woman and mother of two children. I think they'll just feel a little live. I think it's going to be relief. Yeah, I don't know if they're going to really think about their own egos there. It's a human being. So thank you for that. You might feel a little awkward being married to a woman's that's going to be awkward. But she told the morning Sentinel, quote, deep down inside, I know that
Starting point is 00:13:23 he's innocent. I have no doubts whatsoever. We've been waiting to marry for a long time. He's my man. Oh gosh. It's my man. I love the deep down part of this. Like she's like, you know what? On the surface, I think that motherfucker is guilty
Starting point is 00:13:38 to deep down somewhere. I feel like, I feel like a innocent. Like somewhere in there somewhere you did the like deep like like that wasn't the love flex that you thought it was Linda it was not it rarely is it was not a love flex that was literally like somewhere somewhere in there I
Starting point is 00:13:59 feel like he's like really deep in there I feel like you're here he's not so very guilty but like in there no I feel like it's innocent. Out here? He's got so much. He's very guilty. But like in there or no. What if you were trafficked into a cult over shot nine times, or fell in love with a vampire, or went into a minor surgery and woke up one week later, paralyzed? What would you do?
Starting point is 00:14:21 I'm Whit Missildine, the creator of this is actually happening, a podcast from Wondry that brings you extraordinary true stories of life-changing events, told by the people who lived them. From a young man that dunes his entire future with one choice, to a woman who survived a notorious serial killer, you'll hear their first-person account of how they overcame remarkable circumstances. Each episode is an exploration of the human spirit and personal discovery. These haunting accounts sound like Hollywood movies, but I assure you this is actually happening. Follow this is actually happening wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:14:59 You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Lundery app. and add free on the Amazon Music or Wonder App. Hey there, fellow podcast listener, it's Elena. And Ash! And we're taking you back to the days before streaming services. Whoa! You know, when you would come home from high school, and it was only a few hours until that TV show,
Starting point is 00:15:22 everyone was watching was about to come on. Well, in 1999, that show was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In our podcast with Wondery, the rewatcher Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we take it back to 1999. So get out your knee high boots and paste that poster of Angel on the wall. It's time to enter the Buffyverse. Some of you avid morbid listeners already know what we've gotten store.
Starting point is 00:15:46 Hey, my nose. Join us as we sway our way through Buffy's drama, action, and romance, episode by episode. Slacy, follow the rewatcher, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and add free on the Amazon music or Wondery app But in August 1985 they were married in prison and Linda became legal parent of Holly and Rob who are the names I chose for Jenny's children. Yes. Now which is like it just and I'm not saying it about Jelinda
Starting point is 00:16:26 because I think Linda really was like swept away in this whole thing and I think he had a way of convincing a lot of people of a lot of things so I'm not even gonna say anything about her. But it's like they don't even really know this woman necessarily. Look, that's it's like she's been taking care of them so I guess like I hope it was a she was a good I can't say anything about it. Yeah, they were never taken out of her care. It's like a negative way. But I'm not going to say anything about that
Starting point is 00:16:49 because only they know how that went. But what bothers me is that they are now forced to live with the woman that their person who married their mother is now dating. Yeah. You know, like it's just like what a weird, yeah, it's traumatic. You're still being put in this weird place where like this guy murdered your mother.
Starting point is 00:17:08 Like we all know it. Right. And now your force still lived with this woman that is like backing him no matter what. Yeah. Even if she's doing it out of not like a malicious way. It's just not a healthy situation. Very unhealthy. You know, their marriage shockingly did not thrive. Well, yeah, he's in prison,
Starting point is 00:17:27 remember? Yeah. And eventually it was just a shattered mess while he were made in prison, like it was just nothing. So while married to Linda and while in prison, he started dating another woman. Because that's also his MO. Of course. He dates multiple women. He marries multiple women. He always has overlap. That's just what he thinks because as we'll see He wants everybody to think he's like a real like a real dude. Mm-hmm. He's like real man real man's mom, but in reality He's like a sniveling little coward weasel faced Poo but like that's what he is. Yeah, that's exactly what the girls say Like that's what he is. Yeah, that's exactly what the girls say.
Starting point is 00:18:04 He's a poop butt. You're poop butt. I love that. Such an insult. It's such a burn. It's like this. Poop butt. Poop butt.
Starting point is 00:18:12 Oh, yeah. What's a poop butt? I'm not going to tell you. Sometimes you get poop on a butt. Yeah, poop on a butt. That's, you know, that's toddler's for you guys. That's kids. But that's neither here nor there.
Starting point is 00:18:22 So their marriage fell apart. He starts dating another woman while he's in prison. Her name is Karen Gom. They had met because her sister was married to his brother. Mm-hmm. Just keep it all in the family. Yeah. So he divorced Linda and immediately married Karen.
Starting point is 00:18:39 Cause let's go. Why? Let's go. Yeah. Remember Linda took custody of the children. Right. But Linda is the legal guardian now. And he doesn't have to go to raising them.
Starting point is 00:18:49 Yeah, he doesn't have to go to raising them. No, 1990, after six years in prison, six years, that's not the full sentence. Well, can you remember what it was to get at least 10? Okay. Jimmy Hicks was released early from prison for murdering his wife Jenny Sear. For why?
Starting point is 00:19:07 Apparently he was a model prisoner. Ash. They usually are, obviously. And what's crazy about this is a lot of the police officers on this case later talked about it. And they were like, oh yeah, I'm sure he was a model prisoner. They usually are when they're around other men. And he was like, it's women that they're dangerous to.
Starting point is 00:19:22 Right. So they had nobody to hurt in prison. They had nobody to put their anger on in prison. They get out of here. They're just going to do the same damn thing to the women that they did it to before. Of course. That doesn't prove that they're not a threat to women. It's called a pattern.
Starting point is 00:19:35 Come on, guys. So right out of prison, he got a job at the brewer, the brewer, the brewer, the brewer, twin city motel as a maintenance supervisor. Okay. There, he started a fair in 1990 with a coworker named Louise Robinson. Robertson, excuse me. Louise had a daughter during this time that was his. Oh.
Starting point is 00:19:57 So he got a woman pregnant during this time. Okay. He had to be forced to take responsibility for that child, be a DNA test because he refused to acknowledge that child, be a DNA test because you refused to acknowledge that child. Nice of him. He told Louise what had happened to Jenny Seer was between him and God. He wouldn't say anything else about it. And maybe her family. But everybody that loved her. Yeah, you know, because of course, Louise was like, hey, like what happened with that? And he was like, you know what,
Starting point is 00:20:25 it was blown out of proportion, you know, those cops like that detective Ricker, especially which he gets him. A bug up his butt about James Ricker, and it is hilarious. Because James Ricker had his fucking number from the jump. Like from the jump.
Starting point is 00:20:41 But so he just told her, you know what? What happened between us? It's between me and God. And it's like, okay, well, no. So, and again, Louise later came out and said, because at this time he's married to Karen. So, and he's dating this person from his work now. And Louise was like, he told me that he was separated
Starting point is 00:21:02 from his wife. Like, I did not. And she was like, I also didn't know he had kids. Right. And he had several kids at this point. Is he still seeing like his original kids like him and Jenny's kids? Or no.
Starting point is 00:21:12 I don't think he's really see, I don't think he really gave a shit about any of his kids. Yeah. I'm not sure how often he was seeing them or what that whole thing was. But I don't think he was a very present father for anybody really. Now they dated, Louise and him dated for four years on and off.
Starting point is 00:21:30 Literally. I'll bet like that's I think that's the entire time you and droop and together. Yeah. And that's a good amount of time. It's a long time. And they and it was on and off. It wasn't completely all the way through. They'd have a long period of being broken up.
Starting point is 00:21:42 Like, wait a sec. And they broke up when she found out that he was actually already dating another woman. Ooh. Yeah. And another woman working at the motel as well. And she worked at the hotel too. Yes.
Starting point is 00:21:56 Come on. Exactly. And he's married as well. And this woman was 39-year-old Lynn Willett. And this was in 1994. Now Lynn Wollett was born to Jane and Vincent Hanks on August 29th, 1955 in Bangor, Maine. Now, I am telling you this because she is victim number three.
Starting point is 00:22:16 Yes, usually I, whenever we start to talk about, like, so we just go really real back to it. Yeah, okay. She sounded like a really cool check. She was, she served in the army, the United States Army for a while. She had medical experience. She had worked as like a paramedic and taken classes for a while. I almost said classes. I don't know where that would have come from, but she seemed like a really cool like bohemian check. She had lots of tattoos. She loved how to
Starting point is 00:22:41 have adventures and travel. She had a lot of dogs and she adored her dogs, like treated them like kids. She was way too good for him. Yeah, I mean everybody was. Like it's way too good for him. They all were. Like when you look at these women, you're like, you're so much better than him. But this is what happens. It's like these kind of people are able to manipulate their way into anyone's life.
Starting point is 00:23:04 Now like I said, she was a very kindhearted, very intelligent person. In 1995, she was actually taking classes at the local college to continue that paramedic path that she had taken prior years because she wanted to like really further herself in the medical field, which like good for her. Yeah. And she was 39 and she was doing that, like get it, right? Like good for her. Now she met Jimmy Hicks when she applied for the position at the motel while she was
Starting point is 00:23:31 taking glasses and they started an affair pretty soon after. And at this point, he was dating Louise, he was married to Karen. He's literally dating like the payroll of the motel. Literally. Now Karen and Jimmy separated at least three times and then finally divorced around this time. Yeah, I wonder why. So at least one of them is being taken out of the picture here. He was violent, he was aggressive,
Starting point is 00:23:52 he was arrogant according to Karen. She later said that he would say to her during their marriage, quote, I'm not going to tell you if I did kill Jenny, but I'm not gonna tell you if I didn't either. Oh. He would say that when he would get mad at her. Like, I'm not gonna tell you I did kill her, but I'm not telling you I didn't.
Starting point is 00:24:11 Like, let me just use that as a threat against you. Like, you could end up like my first wife did. Yeah. And Karen had two children by a different person when they started dating. And those two children were almost immediately taken away from her when this relationship began because of him, which like not worth it girl, not worth it at all.
Starting point is 00:24:29 Not worth it. Never is. You break up with the man, you do not, come on. Now after Louise and him broke up and he divorced his wife, he moved in with Lynn Willett. Now during this time, essays and journal entries from Lynn indicate that she was like going through a little bit of like depression.
Starting point is 00:24:48 She would kind of have a moment. She was very insecure with herself, which when you see her, you're like, man, I wish like somebody would tell you. I was just looking. She was gorgeous. You were gorgeous. She just seemed so cool. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:24:59 Very honest. Very kind, hard and hard. And like how all these dogs that she took care of and like adopted, like, just like hopes and dreams yeah her dog actually she was really still grieving the loss of a dog that she had three years prior to this her name was like I think it was Calla the dog and she had been hit by a car in front of her oh and she just wasn't able to process it yet which you know you might know and it's hard and she and Hicks had got a pit bull together and they named it felon.
Starting point is 00:25:28 Felon. And he often got out, which is kind of funny. It was like, Fologna. Yes, he was like, get out. Felon is Fologna. And police in the area, I guess, would just like became like, they like loved felon. And would just like pick him up
Starting point is 00:25:40 and like let him ride in the car with them. I love this. And like didn't bring him to the pounder. Anything, they would just drop him. And they also liked Lynn. So with them. I love this. And didn't bring him to the pound or anything. They would just drop him. And they also liked Lynn. So they brought, and they knew that it wasn't her who was letting Felon out.
Starting point is 00:25:50 Right. Because she took care of her dogs. Right. But so they would just bring Felon back and be like, you got out again. And I guess Lynn was, they all said that Lynn was super friendly, super sweet. Like clearly someone who took care of these animals.
Starting point is 00:26:03 So they appreciated that about her. And even now, all of these new officers that were on the force since Jimmy had been like in his real legal trouble before, all the new ones were even like, Jimmy's like a dick. Like they were slagging with him. When he would answer the door, he would just be like a dick about it and they were like, why? Like, she's so cool. Why? Right. People like, what is this? Now meanwhile, through all this, detectives are now focused on moving forward the case of Jarlyn Towers, the missing woman
Starting point is 00:26:31 who they were still trying to find. Right. And they knew was connected to Jimmy Hicks. Of course. They knew he was still involved. So behind the scenes here, he's dating Lynn. He thinks he's in the clear. They're still moving forward on this
Starting point is 00:26:43 because Detective Rer was like, I'm not letting this go. Like, I'm gonna getcha. I'm getting justice for these women. Good. So October, 1996, Richard Reikle, a detective from the main state police, wrote that he recommended the file for Jarrell and Towers
Starting point is 00:26:59 be closed at least temporarily. He said, quote, although this case appears to be a homicide, the body of Geraldine Towers has not been located. And he said, and they also wrote that they believed that the investigation, quote, would lead one to believe that James Hicks is most certainly responsible for Geraldine Towers' death. But he said, we have no evidence. Nothing that we can pin on him. Literally nothing. Like everyone kind of just agrees that he probably did it, but we have nothing that we can say about it. So we have to close it for now and we have to work on newer cases.
Starting point is 00:27:37 But they basically said unless new information comes out, it's got to be shelved. Okay, so but we will open it up. Which is really sad that you can just like, yeah's gotta be shelved. Okay, so but we will open it up. Which is really sad that you can just like, yeah, I understand logistically in like a very cold way, like that like certain things need to be placed priority for the time frames and stuff like that. I understand like in the completely cold logistical way.
Starting point is 00:28:02 But in the human way, nobody should be shelved. You know, like it doesn't matter. And I understand, it's just sucks. I think it's the terminology too. It's like closing the case for now or like, and it's because it's the case. The case. And it's like, that's a person who has a whole aslo
Starting point is 00:28:18 to people who love them and are just, just wanna know what happened. And like lived a whole life and would have continued to. Exactly. And not for one person. So it's just like it's tough because like you see both sides of you understand there's like so many but you just gotta be a better way to to put more focus on everybody. Yeah, absolutely. To be able to put focus on each and every one of these people that are missing. Of course. But during this whole thing, Karen, the now ex-wife, and Louise, the girlfriend, they just broke up and who has a child by him now. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:28:54 They were both interviewed a ton during their times with Jimmy and after, because the police were keeping really close tabs on all of his relationships. That must have been so nerve-wracking for them to be interviewed. Yeah. They were still dating him. Because imagine if he found out he'd be his. Absolutely. And Detective Ricker, who was now the chief of police, also didn't stop.
Starting point is 00:29:13 He was dead set on proving what he knew about Jimmy Hicks. He searched his property. He searched grave sites given to him by tipsters. And he followed up on every single lead that came through that tip line himself He would drive out to different parts of the state like he would dig himself He was doing everything like all the legwork. That's why he became the chief of police. That's what I'm saying This is the police work. We love to see this is the one because you love to see those This is how it should be yeah, they should be doing this this. This should be, and oh, and before I get too much further
Starting point is 00:29:46 with this, there is a podcast called Murder, she told, which is a great name for a podcast also. I've come across. It's such a well done podcast. She's great, her voice is great. She does a great job, great, great, great. And she covered this case in a couple of episodes, I wanna say. And she spoke
Starting point is 00:30:06 to Detective Ricker and has clips of it in her podcast episode. And I'm telling you got to go listen to that because he, first of all, you can hear right from his voice. How much he gave a shit about this. Like, sure, he still cares about this. It still affects him. You can just hear it. And he just talks about it. Like he doesn't understand how this slipped through the cracks and it just needs to not ever happen again. But I highly recommend this,
Starting point is 00:30:36 her podcast that she does on this particular case. But I recommend her podcast in general. She just, she covers like main, in like New Englandy kind of cases. Which I know we love one of those. And like cold cases missing persons. Yeah, and I had never heard this podcast before. So now I can't wait to listen to them because I love listening to like New England cases.
Starting point is 00:30:56 Oh, yeah. And then cold cases. So like, she does a great job. Yeah, I just wanted to show her out. Kristen C.V. I think is how you say the last name. She's great. I'm telling you. You're awesome. So go listen to out. Kristen C.V. I think is how you say the last name. She's great, I'm telling you. You're awesome. So go listen to Murder, she told. But you'll get a lot, like when she listened to this episode, I think it'll give you some
Starting point is 00:31:12 more too because she does talk with James Ricker. Yeah. And I didn't want to like, you know, take from their conversations. So, but it's fascinating to listen to. So I really recommend it's a really good like, oh, you listen to us. No, go listen to her. The cherry on top. really good like oh you listen to us no go listen Erick the cherry on top just say it's the whipped cream so So yeah, he James Riker was everywhere. He was not gonna stop on this and Linda Marquis the girlfriend that turned wife to that
Starting point is 00:31:40 Be divorced yes, there's a lot here to try to follow. So many women. A lot of time, unfortunately. Like, yeah, their lives were touched by this monster. Yeah. Well, she finally now had come around to the idea that he was definitely a horrific murderer. I'm sure. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:57 So Jarell and Jenny's families were more convinced than ever that he had something to do with their loved ones' deaths completely convinced. But again, he really didn't get any justice. than ever that he had something to do with their loved ones' deaths. Yeah. Completely convinced. But again, he really didn't get any justice. Even for Jenny, sure, he went to prison for six years. For like a minute. Like, that's not justice.
Starting point is 00:32:14 No, she knew what? She knew what 23 when she died. And he served six years for taking her life. And he's still not telling anyone what happened. Right. So they still don't know if she's dead, how she died, where is she? What is, they have nothing. What happened?
Starting point is 00:32:28 Nothing. Because he was literally released after he spit full of years. Yeah. And then they had to go through this whole harrowing appeals process, which they got to have like where it got picked apart that, you know, whether they were allowed to say whether she was a good mom or not. It's just ridiculous. So in 1991, Linda spoke with James Ricker, and she said, you know what? You know what, Ricker? I'm ready to tell the whole truth here.
Starting point is 00:32:58 What? And he was like, excuse me? Like what? You weren't? And she's like, okay. So she said he forced her to lie for him during the original investigation into Jarlyn and Jenny's cases.
Starting point is 00:33:11 She said he told her to lie and say that he had come home at 1 a.m. on the evening of Jarlyn's disappearance. But the truth was, she said, he didn't come home until sometime after 4 a.m. And she said, and I do not know where he was during those hours. And at the time, I assumed he was drinking or with another woman. Because that's just what he does.
Starting point is 00:33:34 Like he's just a terrible slimy pig. So, she was like, I just didn't, she's like immediately. I did not obviously think that he was out murdering someone. That's not the first thing that you think of. No, the person you're in a relationship with. And she's like, I should have told the truth. But she was like, I was terrified of him. And he told me to lie, so I lied.
Starting point is 00:33:55 Which one, you're like, wow, that's really sad that you were in that position. But the second one is, you're like, that is someone's child. That's someone's sister. That's someone's mother. To the police. You lied. And to someone's mother to the police. You lied and it's for something terrible, man. Like this isn't you lying because you like stole a stick of gum at the convenience store.
Starting point is 00:34:12 Like our speeding ticket or like one of them. Like you're lying and somebody's dead here. Like you got to feel bad about that, man. Like that's not cool. But she came clean. So at least she came clean. Now she also came clean and said, by the way, he completely stripped the car.
Starting point is 00:34:26 He drove home the night of Jarrell and his disappearance. And she said, it was a totally fine car that worked completely well. What? She said, took it out, back, took all the carpets out of it, for absolutely no reason at all. And you thought he was innocent, your friend?
Starting point is 00:34:41 Yep. I was like, I feel like you knew, but you just didn't want to admit it to yourself. I think that's exactly what it was. Now, she said that stripped car was still on the property. So she was like, you know what? She was like, if you want to come and you want to take that car, you have complete permission to take that car
Starting point is 00:34:58 and do whatever you want to. And it's on my property right now. Yeah. And so, Riker was like, great. So in 1994, he attempted to do that, but the forensics team was like, it's been years. Right. Like, in many years.
Starting point is 00:35:11 It's 1994. He's like, don't have a lot. And it's been sitting out in the elements. It's like, yeah. Yeah. And unfortunately, he did strip a lot of it. It sounds like, so it sounds like, what are we going to get? Yeah, there was nothing to really attempt to even take at this point. Like, you know, good for Linda for being like lot of it. It sounds like what are we going to get? Yeah, there was nothing to really attempt to even take
Starting point is 00:35:26 at this point. Like, good for Linda for being like take it and at least try. They wouldn't even get. But it really wasn't going to do anything. So that same year in 1994, Vance Tibbets, who is Jarlyn's brother, told the Newport Police Department that he had been in the same prison as James Hicks at one point. And he said he had requested by the, like the warden.
Starting point is 00:35:47 He said he wanted to speak to James Hicks about his sister when he was in prison. He was like, oh, he's in here. Like, I want to talk to him. That's crazy. So he did so. The warden set up a meeting because he was like, you over I task.
Starting point is 00:35:59 Absolutely. This is just a warden. I know it was like, go for you. It was like, I could have been like a big problem. I could have been a scary thing, but like, I'm glad to happen. And it was reported that when Vance asked what happened to his sister, Jimmy said he had seen her leave with a truck driver from the Gateway Lounge that night.
Starting point is 00:36:15 What does he have against truck drivers? What is this truck driver thing? And don't worry, he's not done with truck drivers to all the truck drivers out there. I'm sorry, because what did somebody do to you? What the fuck do you have against truck drivers? What truck driver pissed in your weedies? Like, dude, they're just, just making a living.
Starting point is 00:36:33 They're just driving trucks. They're just truck driving. They're not picking up your wife. And then, honestly, every truck driver I have ever met is a great person. Yeah, I've had nothing but great experiences meeting truck. We have a lot of listeners who are truck drivers.
Starting point is 00:36:45 We have a ton of listeners who are truck drivers. And the fuck it also is, they're always the sweetest people. So like, fuck you, James. You only passed when I know of his Ben Rhodes. I was just going to say the only we covered it. And we even said in that episode we were like, this is not truck drivers. It's not represent the truck driver. No, it is not.
Starting point is 00:37:01 So I don't understand what his thing, a truck driver definitely likes stole his lady at some point in his life or something like, or his lady just like dumped him for a truck driver and then he just had this thing against them forever. That's actually a country song. Yeah, a truck driver stole my lady and I had something I got at the forever. I also made a dog guide. And my dog died about truck dad. That truck. I don't know. So yeah, so again, she left with a dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, I dug, were like, yeah, he refused. He was like, I'm not taking a lie detector. Like a few, and that's shady. Even the lie detectors are like hot dogs and trash dogs and trench coats. When you flat out refuse to take one, it doesn't look good.
Starting point is 00:37:54 Because when you have to lose, really? Yeah, the whole thing is kind of messy because it's like, yeah, I think you do have something to lose. Yeah, I'm gonna lose. But when your James Hicks, like, fuck off. When your James Hicks, like, nothing applies to him that applies to everyone else in my mind. I'm like, you're dumb, I hate you. Like, right.
Starting point is 00:38:10 Everyone else I'd be like, don't take that. And we know he did all of this. He did, right. Now, when Vance Tibbett's got out of prison, his he and his sister, Gene and Jenny's family started talking. Oh wow. And they started sharing their stories and information. I was probably cathartic.
Starting point is 00:38:25 We are going to see these families of these missing women. They come together in the most beautiful way from these tragedies. It's just like, I love that. It's like a wonderful thing that came out of it. Because it's like how many people share that same trauma or a club. Nobody wants to be a part of it.
Starting point is 00:38:42 But they found themselves a part of it and they did something good with it good So they also connected together with Linda Markey and other ex-wife Karen and tried to share as much information as possible So now Karen and Linda started sharing their stuff with the families So they were working with those Hicks must die. It's true. It's a job talker must die. Truly. Then the whole gang got together with James Ricker and helped narrow down some facts and straighten up some facts. Yes. So all the families are now coming together
Starting point is 00:39:14 being like, OK, we're going to straighten, we're going to separate fact from fiction for you. We're going to narrow down these stories. We're going to try to get some witnesses together. We're going to tell you who you should talk to, who you shouldn't, and Ricker was like, cool. He was like, let's do this. Let's go.
Starting point is 00:39:29 And like where we should search. I should look at what's going on. I wish you guys could see Ash's face when she does. Let's go. It's like, because I just picture like an older detective just being like, let's go. You gotta like headbop to this. So perfect. But I love it, because they just all got together
Starting point is 00:39:49 and were like, fuck this guy. Honestly. Let's all get them together. And I was like, hell yeah. Now, in 1995, Jimmy, who was still dating Lin-Willette at this time and living with her, actually filed a complaint with the Brewer police department against advanced Tibbets. Jimmy did. Yeah, Jimmy did.
Starting point is 00:40:10 Jarlins brother. Yeah, yeah, saying he was stalking him. He's a lot to it. It's like, honey, you definitely killed his sister. Like you are, that's not stalking. That's just catching you. Like that's just being a brother. Yeah, that's just a battle. That's what that is actually. Now people came forward to say that they were scared to talk. All of a sudden people are coming forward and being like, yeah. He like intimidates witnesses.
Starting point is 00:40:34 Of course. Like we were scared to talk. And he had three people threaten us and shit. So people are now coming forward being like, well, I know this. And I know that more and more women started talking to law enforcement and sharing what they could about their relationships with Hicks.
Starting point is 00:40:50 He's a monster. Of course. Multiple women said he sexually abused them during their time together. A lot of them said he was unnecessarily aggressive during sex. And they were like, it was said before. Which many people had said before. So this is a very clear pattern with him. And they were like, this isn before. Which many people had said before. So this is a very clear pattern with him.
Starting point is 00:41:05 And they were like, this isn't like, like a kink we have. Like this wasn't like, consensual, like rough sex. This is like, he was abusive. He was hurting me. Yeah. And he was abusive to almost every child he came across and killed and abused animals. Like, all of them said this.
Starting point is 00:41:21 Now, so the Brewer Police Department Detective Joseph W. Zamboni of the Main State Police, he's going to become a big part in this. Now, so the Brewer Police Department, Detective Joseph W. Zamboni of the main state police, he's going to become a big part in this. It's like Zamboni and Rick are like the two guys. So the Brewer Police talked to him and they were like, hey, like this is getting kind of crazy. And when he talked to Vance Tibbets, he told him that he would, Vance was like, I'm not going to stop harassing Jimmy Hicks.
Starting point is 00:41:45 Like he was just like, oh my God, that's so nice that you think that I'm ever gonna stop. He was like, you're not gonna do anything to make me stop. He killed my sister and I know it. And he was like, not until the day I die or he dies, am I gonna stop this?
Starting point is 00:41:57 Sorry, not sorry. Like, brother shit right there. On some brother shit. Now, so now Zimboni is into this. They've now got the state police involved. So, February 1996, Zimboni interviewed Jimmy Hicks at his place of work, the motel. He asked him to take a polygraph.
Starting point is 00:42:13 He was like, just take a polygraph and prove your innocence if you're so innocent. And Hicks was like, no, I don't have to. Like, I don't, there's nothing to prove. And he was like, well, if there's nothing to prove, then just take the polygraph and it will prove that there's nothing to prove. Right. And he was like, well, if there's nothing to prove, then just take the polygraph, and it will prove that there's nothing to prove. Right.
Starting point is 00:42:26 And he was like, no. He refused, and after several more interviews with police about Geraldine's disappearance, Lynn, his girlfriend, had had enough. She told her friends, this is getting to be too much. Like, I think some weird shit is going, like he's being interviewed by police for killing women.
Starting point is 00:42:43 And she was like, you know what, he's possessive as well. He's an asshole, like he's being interviewed by police, killing women. And she was like, you know, what? He's possessive as well. He's an asshole. Like, he's not nice to the dogs. I don't like him. Oh, so she dumped him. And she moved into with her parents at her parents home. And she was in the process of it. She was taking her stuff out of the apartment, bring her to parents time, the most dangerous time. So May 26, 1996, Jimmy Hicks reported Lynn Willett as a missing person. She had not come to a family barbecue and was unable to be contacted according to him. The previous day was Saturday the 25th and Jimmy said, you know, we did spend the day together. So now he's being like, I am the last person to be seen with her, which wow, that never happens. He said they were together. He said, yes, we slept together because sometimes in the midst of a breakup, that happens.
Starting point is 00:43:30 Yeah. But he said, you know, we ate some food at this place called the Big Apple store. We went shopping to several places together and then we went for a drive together and we ended up at the apartment. When we got to the apartment, she got in her car to go back to her parents' house. That's the last time I saw her. Doubt it. And her car was missing with her. They didn't know what the car was.
Starting point is 00:43:52 So shocking three women have gone missing after last being seen with Jimmy Hicks. Totally normal. He was able to give a very detailed description of her tattoos and distinguishing marks, which they were dating, so okay, but like He was very descriptive about the tattoos. Yeah, and they were like, I don't know like seems a little like he's focusing on them a little bit And we'll remember that. Oh, no and apparently she had
Starting point is 00:44:18 She had a few tattoos that were green like cut the color green. Yeah one was a heart on her shoulder She had a thistle on her left wrist and like a flower that was green in pink. She had I think it was like a green necklace almost thing that went from her shoulder to her chest. Oh cool. Yeah. Now weirdly too, he's giving you a very detailed and very here's my alibi of what I was doing that day which always should be suspicious when someone's going Well, we ate here and then we went to several stores and we're seen by several people and then we went here We're several people probably saw us right. Okay. It's like a buddy. Melignato over there. Exactly. It's it's it reeks of
Starting point is 00:44:59 I'm trying to set this up because I watch a lot of law and order. Mm-hmm kind of thing set this up because I watch a lot of Law and Order. Mm-hmm. Kind of thing. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Now, unfortunately, for Jimmy, he was a really shitty liar, and police just checked this overly detailed alibi and the sequence of events, and it really didn't add up. Of course not.
Starting point is 00:45:16 Because again, it rarely does. He's one of those guys who just thinks he's above it all. He got away with it the first time around when the police came to look for Jenny, and he said, oh, she ran off with a truck driver. I saw it and they were like, well, case closed, I guess. Like, he got away with it then. So why would he think that now he could just give some overly detailed? Because remember with Jenny, he was like, well, I went to the bar that night and I had this to drink and then I saw her outside in a car. The car was this. She was in the passenger seat. There was a man in the passenger seat. He was a truck driver. I just know it. And then she looked
Starting point is 00:45:47 at me and she said, how's the kids? I'm not coming home and going to Florida with this truck driver. Here he is. Have you met him? Yeah. And then they left. And sometimes she sends her like he went on this big detail thing and no one bothered to look it up. So he's trying it again. Right. Might as well. Didn't work this time because this new police officer is that actually give a shit. And because now at this point, this is the third woman who's gone missing and you come on. And like come on. But how overly like the cojones on this man to try this, the cojones like come on in general. Just to give this one a shot again, it's like come on. But luckily, luckily, we have some good police work here and they went and checked on everything and they said no
Starting point is 00:46:31 Nothing is matching for them the big Apple store said no they never came in and had food and they didn't have a receipt to match You would also think that like you would take into account that most stores have surveillance of some kind Well at this point, what is it? Like the 90s? I think it wasn't like it was now. That's true. So that's a little different. But you would think like people are gonna... But again, remember, he got away with it the first time.
Starting point is 00:46:53 He does not think that he thinks this police department is the same police department in the 70s. Who didn't look up shit and wasn't worried about it and just took him out his word and was like growing out with him. Can you imagine thinking that you can just like kill all the women you want for as long as you want. And that people are just going to let you do it.
Starting point is 00:47:11 It's never going to catch up to you. It almost didn't with him to be honest. So nuts. But so the big Apple store said, nope, didn't come in. They didn't have a seat or any kind of like order that matched what he said that they had. They went to some of the stores. He had claimed they went to
Starting point is 00:47:25 all those stores were like, no, never saw that. Nope, definitely didn't, neighbors said they saw Jimmy arrive, but they never saw Lynn that day. And they were like, she didn't, I didn't see your car, I didn't see her. No, didn't happen. When questioned again, Jimmy said he had seen Lynn with another man the day before,
Starting point is 00:47:45 that before the she wouldn't missing. And he said he was pissed about it. And had talked about her, about it the next day with her. And also was sure to throw in the fact that Lin had struggled with depression in the past. Oh, of course. Police were not buying it.
Starting point is 00:47:59 They were like, no, because now he's trying to throw in, well, she was cheating on me, so she probably just ran off with that guy. Yeah, just like Jimmy. And we gotta set it up Between his bullshit version of how the day with Lynn when when she went missing and his past with Jenny and Jarlyn They knew he was a fucking serial killer, but they just needed the evidence right now Friday May 31st
Starting point is 00:48:19 Lynn's car was found Not so not too long after she went missing. It was parked in a parking lot at the at a truck stop in Herman. I wonder why it was at a truck stop. And that's just off of I-95 if you're in New England. So Zamboni and Rickers just decided they were going to fuck with them, which is really funny. What they did was I guess you also make sure you read that book, Tragedy in the North Woods that I recommend in the first part It's just like really good. I just have like a lot of detailed stuff about this. So I really recommend it I'll definitely source it in here, but in that book they talk about how
Starting point is 00:48:58 Like Ricker's really went for like the hard I don't give shit. You're an asshole. I know you're an asshole I know you're a murderer. Kind of thing. Good cop bad cop. Like he didn't put on any heirs of like, where friends or anything, or I think you're innocent. It was like, you're a murderer. I'm going to prove it. Right. And then Zamboni decided to counteract that by doing the buddy thing where he was like, listen, bud, I'm on your side. I'm just trying to get this, you know, just trying to make it go away, but like, you're not helping me out. Like kind of thing. Right, right. And they worked really well together that way
Starting point is 00:49:26 because it was a perfect, because then it made Hicks hate Ricker. Yup. And like, like, Zamboone. So he started giving up a little more to Zamboone and he would be angry at Ricker so he'd be bitching about Ricker and things would slip out.
Starting point is 00:49:41 Yeah. So it really worked out genius. So when they found the car, Zamboone was like, well, we just showed up at his door at 1 a.m. Like banging on his door and they were like, Jimmy, we found the car, aren't you so happy? And he's like, he had parked the fucking car there.
Starting point is 00:49:57 Of course. I knew he thought we would never find it. And we knew that when we told him, we found it only days later. He was gonna shut it up. He was gonna shit his pants. And it was a funny, he was going to shit his pants and it was a lot of water on himself. They were like and he was like it was even funnier to act like we're bros like we're friends and we're helping you out. What's up bro? We found the car. Now it's and
Starting point is 00:50:16 remember Jimmy is only good when he has time to think about stuff before he does it and what he thinks are backups and alibis to help him out. When he's caught off guard or when he's bested in a situation like this, like I'm just out of the blue, he shits his pants. Like he can't, it's like when he was on the stand. Yep. He was cool, common collecting. What was going to happen? But when he was interviewed out of the blue by Rick or he should his pants. Right. He's lame. Now, his idea?
Starting point is 00:50:47 Well, then definitely ran off with a truck driver, just like Jarelin and Jenny. Isn't it crazy how everybody just always does that to me? All three women, according to Jimmy Rodney Hicks, ran off with truck drivers. Like, does that happen a lot? That's all he had. That's how dumb this man is.
Starting point is 00:51:04 He can't even come up with a different excuse. For another woman. Does that happen a lot? That's all he had. That's how dumb this man is. He can't even come up with a different excuse. For another woman, for an entirely different human. You couldn't even say he, like, sure. Like you're even staying with the she ran off with, they don't all run off with, they're just gonna break up with your dumb ass and leave you. That's right.
Starting point is 00:51:20 Like, in fact, Jenny left you. She was having you move out of the place. Like, it wasn't running off with anybody. She was picking you out. Exactly. And so did Lynn. Lynn was leaving. Jarellyn didn't even know you're asked.
Starting point is 00:51:30 And then it's like, and Lynn was dumping you. So it's like, you were being, you were a loser. And the only thing you can come up with is something negative. Like these women like ran off with someone. So stupid. Behind your back, like, no, you're the loser, not them. Oh, it's just so insane. So it's so irritating.
Starting point is 00:51:47 And of course, that was bullshit because they just checked on Lin's bank account and all her cards and none of them had been used. No. It's very obvious that she's not around. It's like, come on. But just so sad. And her family knew it, which is even sadder.
Starting point is 00:52:01 It was just another cycle like Jenny and Jenner Gerlens families. They knew it, and you all miss listening to them. Luckily this time, they had some cops that were on it. But her mother Jane actually said, and this breaks my heart. Her mother Jane said, quote,
Starting point is 00:52:16 she was my baby, you know, she's gone. I'm her mother, I can feel it. About Lynn. That's horrible. Yeah. So she was literally like, I know she's gone. Like she's not alive. And it's like, mother's now. Absolutely. Now, this was a whole operation. So Zamboni was working tirelessly to pin this on him. He had no
Starting point is 00:52:34 tangible evidence, but everyone knew this was the guy. He worked along with Rick or on the Jarlin case now as well. So now they're both working on the Lynn case and their Zamboni went back and was like, now I'm going to help you with the Jaira Lynn one two. Because they figured if they could get one, then the other one might just fall into place. And if they could get him to confess to one or nail him on it, he might just confess to all of them. Yeah. So the Jackass was already moved on within four months of Lynn
Starting point is 00:53:01 going missing. He was already moving on to another woman. So far in September 1996, he moved in with an 18 year old, within four months of Lynn going missing. He was already moving on to another woman. So far so far. In September 1996, he moved in with an 18 year old, named Brandi Mayo. He was 45. God, what do you do, dude? When cops found this out, they immediately spoke to Brandi's parents and her mother
Starting point is 00:53:17 because remember, they're very clear, like they are focused on monitoring his release. Yeah. Because they know he's very dangerous to women. So her mother Anne said that Brandi had met Jimmy working when she was working as a chamber maid at the motel. Of course, and they said she's a good kid, but she had a lot of insecurities
Starting point is 00:53:36 and they said Jimmy seemed to be grooming her and just praying on that. And they were like, we don't like him because one, of course not. We're not comfortable with her dating a 45 year old man No, who has been involved with a lot of weird shit in the past and also The mom was like she gets he yells at her on the phone like we can hear her like him like verbally abusing her And she's been not allowed to leave the house unless she's going to work all like he's starting his whole possessive thing over again
Starting point is 00:54:03 So fucked up now soon friends of Brandy's came forward and told Zamboni and Ricker that Jimmy was physically abusing Brandy as well. Of course. And he had also taken her to locations, like certain locations, and told her that this is where he had taken the other missing women, and she was next. What? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:54:23 And the thing was Brandy didn't, wasn't told any details. She wasn't hiding anything. Yeah. He was basically just, she thought he was doing this as like a threat, tech, tech, like just to be like, well, you know that in my past, like people have accused me of this, like, this is where I took him in your next. Right. Like, she didn't actually like know that that's where the bodies were.
Starting point is 00:54:43 Of course. Or anything like that, because I don't want to put that on her. No. Like he was an abusive prick and she figured this was just another 18 year old girl. Exactly. Now the couple actually had a daughter the following year and that daughter was immediately taken away by the main department of human
Starting point is 00:54:57 services in placed in foster care. That's horrible. So in 1998 they got married. Yep. This is when the this is when the files in the case on Hicks were actually brought in front of the FBI. Oh, so during all of this, they've been gathering all this, you know, all the families are involved, all the ex-girlfriends and the ex-wives are involved. The people he has dated, the people he has worked with, they've all come together with Rick or with Zimboni, they write, just got this huge file. And now they feel like we've got
Starting point is 00:55:28 enough, we got to bring this to the FBI and see what they say. We do. So after review, the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, which is part of the FBI, determined that they said, quote, James Hicks is likely responsible for the disappearance of both Jarelin Towers and Lynn Willett. And they said, quote, James Hicks is likely responsible for the disappearance of both Jarrellyn Towers and Lynne Wollett. And they said, quote, James Hicks has been involved in at least three incidences in which females who were he was associated with at the time of their mysterious disappearances have never been seen nor heard from since.
Starting point is 00:55:59 They ended the report by saying, quote, James Hicks will continue to pose a genuine threat to a variety of female acquaintances until he is stopped by law enforcement or otherwise. Yup, that's pretty clear. So while this is happening, Jimmy and Brandy decided to move to Texas, because he wanted to get the fuck out of Maine. And they had another baby. Oh no.
Starting point is 00:56:23 Oh boy, who was immediately removed from them as well and placed in foster care? Now are these kids being immediately removed because Jimmy's like under, because like Jimmy is very clearly not fit for parent. These women are not leaving him. So he began working for a contractor while he was out there named Danny Hines.
Starting point is 00:56:43 And he was doing painting and like other contract work Just on homes and stuff and the FBI and C.A.V.C. that National what is it national center for the analysis of violent crime? They told main state police and new port police who they were working with that they said you guys need to put him under surveillance And you need to gather as much intel as possible. And they said, you know, we're going to aid with like you guys and working with the Texas authorities in order for you to do that so that everybody can be connected. And they literally said he should be classified as a serial killer who is on the loose even
Starting point is 00:57:20 though we don't have bodies. Okay. Like this is wild. This is crazy. And also the main authorities were which this doesn't have bodies. Okay. Like, this is wild. The fact that they're... This is crazy. And also, the main authorities were... Which, this doesn't happen all the time. Like, the main authorities were very willing to share everything they had with the Texas authorities.
Starting point is 00:57:34 Yeah, that, like, that definitely... Because sometimes egos come into play here and nobody wants to share shit and that's when stuff happens. Mm-hmm. And so, they were... Ricker, well, they were like, we'll give you everything.
Starting point is 00:57:44 Like, and you give us whatever you can, it worked. So James Ricker actually wrote a long letter to the level in Texas police chief where they were staying. His name is Ted Holder. This was on June 20th, 1999. And James Ricker wrote that he was apologizing for sending his worst citizen to them. Oh my god.
Starting point is 00:58:08 That's how we begin. He said like a very sorry that that made us sending our worst citizen over to you. That's hilarious. And then he said quote, and it was a big long thing where he outlined all three of the disappearances, how what they had against him, what had happened. And he wrote quote, we sincerely feel that Mr. Hicks will kill again in almost any female confol victim. So in April 2000, some real shit happened.
Starting point is 00:58:34 You think real shit has already happened? I do. Yes, I do. This is when it gets wild. It's so wild. It's gonna just get wilder. It's gonna get even more wild. Now April 2000, a woman who was 68 years old named Jun Elizabeth Moss called Danny Hines to do some work for her on her house
Starting point is 00:58:53 Okay, Jimmy Hicks was one of the workers. They'll be doing this and he offered to do some side work for her outside of the contractor job Jimmy Hicks did again. No, thank you He was going to do some indoor painting and tile work for her. They like talked about a price, all that fun stuff. On April 8th, he went to get paint for the job for her. Okay. And she'd given him a check. And then he brought it back to the house. And she said when he arrived, he was like, he was drinking beer. And she told them like, you can drink it outside, but you can't drink it in my house.
Starting point is 00:59:26 Yeah, that's rude. You're on a job. And so she went inside, and she's like, I just went inside to sit down. Suddenly he walked into the house, stuck a gun in her face. Oh God. The 68 year old woman, and said, this is real,
Starting point is 00:59:39 and I'm not fucking working for you anymore. What? And she was like, what? She said, and she was quoted as saying, quote, Jim's whole personality had changed. He was red in the face and angry. Jim made me give him my glasses. Jim was talking very loud, and usually he's very soft spoken. I tried to stand up and Jim pushed me back down in the chair.
Starting point is 01:00:01 After this, he went on a whole tie raid about the world being against him. And, you know, the Department of Social Services was taking his son away. They had taken his daughter away. He was so angry. He's like, they're trying to pin me with all this shit and like, blah, blah, blah, blah. He just went on this whole rampage. He then shot the gun at the wall and then ripped the phone out of the wall when she tried to grab it to call for help. Oh, literally whipped it out of her hand and ripped the wires out of the wall.
Starting point is 01:00:30 And then he ripped every other phone wire out of the wall. Oh, but this is every other one. And then locked all the doors. And she's just sitting there like, what the fuck? She's literally like, I told you, couldn't drink a beer in my house. Like, he then admitted to her, he said, I killed my wife. And then he told her he didn't want to kill her because he liked her.
Starting point is 01:00:50 He was like, I really don't want to kill you because I actually kind of like you. I'd be like, I love you so much. And then he said, and we're in Texas and they'll put me to death. So he's literally telling her like, the only reason I'm not, I don't want to kill you right now is because they'll give me the death penalty if they's literally telling her like the only reason I'm not, I don't wanna kill you right now is cause they'll give me the death penalty if they catch me. And I kind of like you. He then grabbed her arm and tried to force her
Starting point is 01:01:11 into the bedroom, but she didn't wanna go obviously. No. And she said quote, she finally just like gave in cause she was like, I don't know what to do here. So she said quote, we walked to the bedroom and he told me to sit down. So I sat down on the side of the bed. Jim wanted to know if I had any money and I told him I didn't have very much money. Then he
Starting point is 01:01:28 asked me about my jewelry and I told him he could have whatever he wanted. Just please don't kill me. Oh, that's so sad. So then he made her go back into the living room and he asked her, do you have any guns? And she figured he would find them anyways. So she just wanted to comply to live. Yeah. So she told them she had rifles in the closet. So he left to get them. He took them out. Then he made her go back into the living room and demanded she write a check for him after asking how much money was in her account. Yeah. She had told them she had 1500 in her checking
Starting point is 01:02:00 and he said for her to write him a check for Jim Hicks for $1,250 and he said, I don't want to take everything that's in your account. Oh yeah, let me just leave you in the couple hundred. Thanks so much. That's, you know, that's Jimmy. I'm going to rob you, but I'm going to be like pretty nice about it. That's Jimmy.
Starting point is 01:02:17 Cool. Good old Jimmy. Just so nice. So yeah, he's like, yeah, so I don't want to take everything, so write me that. Then he stole $200 in cash from her purse. Then he told her he wanted the title of her car. What? So she was nervous, but she said she just went with it.
Starting point is 01:02:32 She's like, cool, take my car and get the car out of here. She led him to where the title is. And, you know, he took the title. He even led her outside to make sure the mileage was correct. Yeah. And then brought her back inside. The title was officially written over to him by her. And then he told her she had to write a note
Starting point is 01:02:50 for her children saying he had turned the title over, she'd turned the title over to Jimmy. Yeah. She'd given him all the money and whatever else he wanted to take and she had done it out of her own prerogative. Okay. It was essentially a suicide note.
Starting point is 01:03:03 Yeah. What he had at her right. Yeah. And it's so fucking scary. Yeah, and he had her right. Yeah, that's so fucking scary Yeah, and he dictated it to her and then forced her to sign it But she's smart as a mother fucking whip what she do and she was like well, he's an idiot So I'm gonna try this so she signed it June e Moss and not mom So it would be obvious that it wasn't her doing it out of her own volition She did that to be like this is this is me not doing this of her own volition. She did that to be like, this is me not doing this.
Starting point is 01:03:25 I'm my own volition. He didn't catch it. Like, are you that's good? I didn't have fucking. You made it right. You straight into her kids. He also made her write a second identical note so that they could be compared. What?
Starting point is 01:03:38 Now, we will find out later, Jimmy likes crime shows. And he gets a lot of his things from crime shows. And this is a perfect example of something stupid, you would see on a fucking crime show. And he also compared her signature with her driver's license, so he really wanted to make sure it looked real. He was like anxious, like yelling, like she said, he was red and spitting and just crazy.
Starting point is 01:04:03 And he was scaring the shit out of June. And he then brought her into or he brought her into the room, this bag that he had like shown up with when he arrived earlier. And he pulled out a beer. He were a couple of beers out of there. And then a 33 ounce bottle of Coca-Cola. And he gave her the bottle of Coke and said drink the entire thing. What? And she kept asking him if it was poison. And he insisted it the bottle of Coke and said drink the entire thing. What? And she kept asking him if it was poison. And he insisted it was, he said it wasn't. And he took a sip of it and was like, it's not.
Starting point is 01:04:32 She's like, why are you making me do this? And then he started, he just kept screaming at her to drink the entire thing while she was like gagging on it and like spitting it out. And he's chugging beers while she, she's doing this by the way. What the fuck? And he's screaming drink at her every now and then. He told her and then finally he tells her, which I'm like, what is going on? So she says, Jim gave me the bottle and said, drink. I asked him again if it was poison. Jim said no. It's cherry cough syrup and I put a bottle of regular in it. I asked him again if it was poison and he said no, I got it at the dollar store.
Starting point is 01:05:10 So he gave her a bottle of cough syrup and is telling you to drink the entire thing. Right. So he left her in the room drinking cough syrup and started running the bath. What? So this is cough syrup mixed with Coca-Cola. Okay. So now what he's doing is he's running the bath and like he's gonna fuck around her.
Starting point is 01:05:30 Like he's gonna fuck around her. What he's going to do is drown her and make it look like a suicide. What? Yup. And he keeps coming back and forth into the room and like forcing her to drink, threatening her with the gun, going back to check the water level, like going back in.
Starting point is 01:05:44 And one of the times he went in the bathroom, June just got the fuck up out of there. Good. She was like, you idiot. Like he left her alone and she was like, buy bitch. Like she just like ran out the front door and she ran to a neighbor's house for help. And he just saw that she was gone and escaped in his van. Well, two neighbors saw him leave and seeing June run out of there. They jumped in their car and followed him. This is just so random.
Starting point is 01:06:07 So random. One of them called police. Yeah. And one of them called police and an ambulance for June because she had just been drinking cough syrup. Yeah. Of course, she was brought to the hospital. The neighbors chasing him saw him throw shit in a dumpster on the way.
Starting point is 01:06:22 So they told police, police later came and found that he had thrown in a dumpster on the way. So they told police, police later came and found that he had thrown in the dumpster. They found the car title ripped up. Why is he trying to get rid of the evidence? Yep. Yep. A photo of her daughter, June's daughter, and a BB gun. Okay. So then they go back to June's house and they find that all the doors are locked. He locked her in there. He had shot a bullet into the wall, and the bath was filled almost all the way up. So he was definitely gonna drown. He was definitely gonna drown here.
Starting point is 01:06:50 They immediately went to Jimmy Hicks' house, where he was sitting in his van in front of his house, immediately arrested him in front of his house. You're arrested for the strangest fucking crime. The most fucked up, weird crime. Yeah. So he was charged with aggravated assaults of an elderly person, for the strangest fucking crime. The most fucked up weird crime. Yeah. So he was charged with aggravated assault
Starting point is 01:07:07 of an elderly person. And he was facing life in prison for it because he was already a convicted felon and he had used a gun in this whole thing. Yeah. So like, okay. What? And what's weird is this isn't him wanting to be caught
Starting point is 01:07:20 because he did not want to go to prison in Texas. As we all see, he did not want to be in prison in Texas. Right. So like, what are you doing? So he's now facing life in a Texas prison. He didn't want to do that. So he contacted press outlets in Maine and basically said if they paid him enough,
Starting point is 01:07:36 they could get, he'll give him a story, like the whole story. But all these press outlets are like, yeah, we don't pay felons for stories. So like, no. And you're in prison, like you're not going to get the money. And they immediately contacted Zamboni in the police department. And we're like, this is what he really say.
Starting point is 01:07:51 Hey, what's up? Hello. So Zamboni got in contact with Steve Hicks. Steve Hicks is Jimmy's brother. How many brothers does Jimmy have? He has a lot. He's like one of the like six or seven kids. But Steve Hicks was like, all right, we can, we can cut a deal here.
Starting point is 01:08:06 Like, I'll talk through Jimmy. I'll tell, I'll try to make this happen for you. Okay. So he said, you know, Jimmy will give you some information as long as he is brought to Maine to serve prison time and does not serve prison time. I hate how they get to like, like, swindle these little fucking deals.
Starting point is 01:08:26 Like, I'm like, oh, you want to be comfy in prison for murder and assaults? It's their last little slice roll. The power and control that they have. But it's so fucking irritating. Which sucks. So he finally, so they were like, all right, we'll do what we can do.
Starting point is 01:08:40 But he began communicating through Steve with Zamboni, and also he started finally contacting Zamboni directly So finally Zamboni and Jimmy are speaking directly again from prison. Yeah, and Zamboni was dead set on getting everything out of him He could he's like this is it this is my time to shine. This is the leverage we needed. We got to nail this now So Hicks complained to him about James Ricker and was saying he stalked him. It was his fault that he never talked all these years. I would have told you this story a long time ago. Like start making sure James Ricker's fault. Like okay for doing his job. Exactly. Basically, James Ricker had done a bang up job as a cop on this case and it pissed Hicks off because he
Starting point is 01:09:22 didn't act like his friend. Right. So Zimboni was still playing that I'm on your side, Angle. And at this point, Brandy had finally come to terms with the idea that her husband was very clearly a serial killer. Yeah. She also found herself pregnant with her third child. And she knew it was going to be taken away immediately. Oh, God. Especially if she kept backing the scary mother fuckers.
Starting point is 01:09:45 So April 13th, the same day that he was taken in, she filed for divorce and she filed for protection order against him. Okay. Because she was like, you know, she got to keep her child. She did get and she actually gained custody of the son too. I think the daughter might have gone to a family as well, but I think she was able to get control a little bit more of that whole situation Now August that's the thing he didn't just Kill three women and destroy their lives and all the lives of everyone who cared about those women
Starting point is 01:10:16 He also destroyed countless other lives just from the shit he did and all these children That he destroyed their lives just by being their father That's so sad. It sucks. Now, August of that year, he wrote a letter to Zamboanie telling him again, I will give you everything, just bring me to Maine and Zamboanie's like, I'm fucking trying. You had trust me. But Zamboanie also wanted to act a little stupid here and he was like,
Starting point is 01:10:40 he was like, yeah, I don't know, like, I don't know if I can even pull this off because like, I don't even know what you have to tell I can even pull this off because I don't even know what you have to tell me. What do you even have to tell me? That's like really gonna get something like that. That's a big ask. I just don't feel like you have anything to tell me. And Hicks answered, you know exactly what I'm gonna tell you.
Starting point is 01:10:57 So he was like, okay, so that tells me exactly what I was gonna tell him. He was like, if he had answered me like, well you know, I don't know. Maybe I don't have anything. He was like, I know that would have sucked, well, you know, I don't know. I don't think, maybe I don't have anything. Like, you know, like cool. I know that would have sucked and I would have left him there for a while, but he needs to know what's gonna happen. So in September 28th, Zimboni flew to Texas
Starting point is 01:11:13 and interviewed Jimmy Hicks. He confessed. But he only confessed to a little bit. Okay. Of course, he's gonna mention here. So this is how part of the interview went. James Hicks said, all I'm going to say is that I'll admit to a crime in Maine,
Starting point is 01:11:33 the missing person case on Lin-Walette, that I do know where she is and stuff like that. But as for giving physical or any evidence at all, or anything at this time, I'm not giving any. So now he's just saying, I know where she is. Okay. So Zimboanie says, okay, so I take it to mean from what you just told me that you are responsible for the death of Lynn Willett. Yeah. And Jimmy said, do I have to use the word death? And Zimboanie said yes. What? Now, Zamboni said, you're not doing this because of the goodness of your heart. You're doing this because you want to go to Maine to do your time. Hicks said, yeah, I want to do my, be sentenced in Maine and do my whole, do my time in Maine.
Starting point is 01:12:23 Not come back to Texas at all. And when I get to Maine, I'll cooperate and show you evidence and everything to give you closure on the cases that we talked about or you know about. So he's like, so you graced. No, I'm not doing this out of the good of my heart. I don't give a fuck. I just don't want to do my time in this Texas prison. Yeah, this is all about me. So right away, he's like, oh, I'm literally the biggest piece of shit you can imagine. Yeah, like straight up Narcensis. Yes. Now Zimboni tried to get more, but he wouldn't give anything else, but that's they like they got what they need it for.
Starting point is 01:12:52 I saw all the way out here. And when he was like, at least I got that. So he said, listen, Maine isn't going to agree to bring you back unless you give me a little more here." And he responded, quote, well, why don't I just say that she's dead? And he said, he would cop now to causing the death. So he's like, I will say I caused to the death. And he said, I also dumped her car at the truck stop. I'll admit to all that. Yeah, we know. And he said, you know what, I'll bring everyone to the remains. If I'm brought back to mean, okay. And he said, quote, what? I'll bring everyone to the remains if I'm brought back to Maine. Okay. And he said, quote, I can show you anything and everything that I know about the cases.
Starting point is 01:13:31 You've investigated some of these cases for over 20 years on no evidence. I've learned by watching television and reading detective magazines while I was a kid and talking to people. If you're going to do a crime, you do it alone. That's what he told the detective. So scary. Then Zamboni did an amazing piece of detective work. He was like, okay, thank you for giving me that information.
Starting point is 01:13:54 I appreciate it. And he was like, but the thing is here, like aside from Lin-Walette, we have four other missing women in Maine that we need you to give information about. Four. Four. And Hicks goes, wait, no, there was only three. I only did three. He literally said it.
Starting point is 01:14:13 No, there's only three on me. Boom. Confession. And he was like three. You mean, Jarelin and Jenny as well. That's what you're talking about, right? Because you just like, oh my God. I thought, I thought, totally casual.
Starting point is 01:14:24 Just like, well, there's four. No, there's only three. That's hilarious, because even I was like four just like well there's four no there's only three that's hilarious Because even I was like four like four this up for three. Yeah So immediately Zimboni was like so let's talk about what you have just admitted to me Like to think on your feet like that also the fucking noise that my mouth just made I just went Well, and so he was like okay, so like that like cool. Why don't we talk about what you just Three murders and Hicks was like I don't know what you're talking about like three like no I don't you just you know what I don't know what numbers are like it's three a town in Maine. What is three? I don't know what three is like it's three a town in Maine. What is three? I don't know what three is Oh, okay. Excuse me
Starting point is 01:15:06 And he's like okay, so let me ask you this he said you know after you start cooperating Is it likely that the remains of the other two will also be found? He's like let me put it to you that way yeah and Jimmy said what other two I don't even know what you're talking about what do you mean? What do you mean what other two? I don't even know what you're talking about. What do you mean? What do you mean the other two? Oh, you son of a bitch. So, Zamboni said, when you come to Maine, we expect that you're going to cooperate
Starting point is 01:15:32 on everything you've done. And Hicks said, yeah. And so Zamboni said, not just the Lynn Willett case. And Hicks said, yeah. I'd be like, I'll send your ass back to Texas. And Zamboni said, you're gonna cooperate on Jenny and Towers. And he said, yeah, I'd be like, I'll send your ass back to Texas. And Zamboni said, you're gonna cooperate on Jenny and towers. And he said, yeah, and then he said, once you get to Maine, he said, yeah, I'll cooperate on all three of them.
Starting point is 01:15:55 So like, Zamboni just saying they're being like, you're gonna cooperate. He was just like, at first, she's like, I don't know what do you mean? What are the other two? And he's like, you're gonna come to Maine and cooperate with me. And he was like, okay, if you want to go to Maine. So Zimboni said, the question is, is it likely there would be remains left on the other two cases? Right. And Hick said, now see, that's where you're losing me, right there.
Starting point is 01:16:19 What a fucking. That's what he said. Asshole. Yep. So Zimboni said he talked through a lot of the day with him and asked at the end of the interview, how did Lynn die? And Hicks said, supplication. Oh. Yeah. Now, they were able to get an arrest warrant from Maine for James Hicks for the murder of
Starting point is 01:16:38 Lynn Willett. He was extradited back. And remember, by this time, Lynnollette had been dead for four years. Jaryl and Towers had been dead for 18 years, and Jenny Sierra was dead for 23 years. And these poor families. These four families have gone through that loss of nothing. Like that's almost my entire life.
Starting point is 01:16:57 Yeah, some of those. Now October 10th, he was charged with murder and agreed to share whatever he could and lead detectives to remains. With the condition that he, again, that he was able to serve all main sentences before ever having to serve a Texas sentence because he assumed he was going to get life-a-main. So they drove him to where he said he discarded Lin-Wilette's remains. He had taken her body parts to Haynesville Woods in Hulten, Maine, right off Route 2 and I-95. Her body parts to Haynesville Woods in Hulton, Maine, right off Route 2 and I-95.
Starting point is 01:17:25 Her body parts? Yep. So while trying to describe to these law enforcement officers where he had dumped the body parts of the woman that he had told people he loved, by the way, he said, quote, where I figured the town or he took her, where I figured the town or somebody has took and made a place where they made a dump For salt and everything you know dirt from winter. It's a place where they dump the stuff and like that That's where he took her. That's where you took the people you were supposed to love and he said when you get there He said quote you'll find a five gallon bucket with cement in it and it should have her two hands and her head in it
Starting point is 01:18:02 Oh my God. They asked where the rest of her was, and he said he scattered the mother places, and would try to take her, then to find the rest. The detectives were horrified, rightfully. Of course. And when they asked what the hell he had done to her, he said that he had indeed cut her into pieces, and he said, quote, well, her legs cut at the joint at the torso. What do you call it?
Starting point is 01:18:25 He was basically saying that he cut off her arms and legs at the joints of her hips and her shoulders. Oh my God. He said this torso and her arms and legs would be near Jenkins Beach on Green Lake. He told them he actually didn't even bury them there. He had put them in parts, her parts in garbage bags
Starting point is 01:18:41 and then dropped them between rocks on the beach. What the fuck is wrong with him? Yep. And so, Zamboanie said, you had a confrontation with her and strangled her? Correct? And he said, yeah. And then he said, with your hands.
Starting point is 01:18:56 And he said, no, I used, what did I use? Huh. You got me on that one. Oh my god, just so cavalier. And so, Zamboanie said, you don't remember, but you did strangle her? And so Zamboni said, you don't remember, but you did strangle her. And Hicks said, yeah, yeah. I think it was something in my pocket, I'm not sure.
Starting point is 01:19:10 What? And Zamboni said, something like what? A cord, a rope? Like, what are you talking about? And he said rope or something like that. Because I was always playing with ropes and stuff. Oh, okay. Cool.
Starting point is 01:19:22 After he had murdered her, he stuffed her into a closet in the apartment they shared wrapped in a blanket for two days. He just lived with her in the closet. Oh my God. They obviously had to keep him talking on this car ride and not show how absolutely horrified they were and how cavalierly he was admitting to this shit. Right. So he went on and said she was dead three to four days before she was dismembered. And he said, he said something like her blood hadn't even dried up yet. No. What?
Starting point is 01:19:52 What are you talking about? You fucking idiot. Blood starts coagulating very quickly after deaths. In fact, even in rapida topsy's, we would get done within like two hours of death. We sometimes couldn't get a blood sample out of the heart or anywhere else because it would just turn to gelatinous slop like you couldn't get it out. He said he had kept her dead body in the wall
Starting point is 01:20:14 in the maintenance office of the motel he worked at for a day and then dismembered her in the maintenance office. What? Yep. Yep. Dismembred her in the maintenance office. Yes. And like nobody walked in. Apparently no one walked in. He did it out. I don't know if he didn't in the middle of the night or what. What? So now they started asking about Jarrell and Towers. And he admitted that he bought
Starting point is 01:20:37 her some drinks the night she went missing and that he offered her ride at closing time, but she said she was going to walk. That doesn't sound right, because remember her stepfather was waiting up for her to call, because he was going to give her ride home, so she was not going to walk. So he said he drove away. Then he realized you need a gas, so he had to turn around and go back again, and he saw her at the gas station. And that's when she said, sure, I'll take that ride. Don't believe this for a second. No. Apparently, he drove her to the new port area and they parked out like near like a lake or something. And then he said they just chatted for a bit. And somehow he said, quote, the next thing I remembered, well, I knew that she was strangled, that she was dead. I don't remember doing it. Classic. Yeah, like I don't remember. The classic,
Starting point is 01:21:22 I blacked out and somebody just ended up dead next to me. It's so weird. And he was asked again if it was hands or something else that was used. And he said, quote, I think it was a piece of cloth or rag or something. Don't know exactly. It wasn't done with a rope or anything like that. But then he said, Oh, you know what? No, it wasn't, it wasn't no cloth must have been with my hands like that.
Starting point is 01:21:43 Because there wasn't no cloth or nothing. Okay. hands like that because there wasn't no cloth or nothing Okay sounds like you're a bullshedder sir. Yeah now He said the then said when I realized what happened I just like froze for a few minutes and just like that And I don't know how long it was and then I got back in the front seat because he did it from the back seat Which when they asked him like why you were in the back seat? he was like, oh, I jumped into the back seat to get something. Yeah. And he said, he made sure she was dead and like that, and I drove, actually drove through Newport and got on the Ridge Road. Well, I stopped there because I thought she was making a noise or something like gurgling or something. Thought she might have been alive. So I checked to see if she was alive and I couldn't find any pulse,
Starting point is 01:22:24 pulse or nothing like that. So I put her in the back seat then later down in the back seat and I just drove from there. And then all of a sudden he said, no wait a minute, I got a backup here. After the night it happened on the road there in Newport, I put her in the back in the trunk and drove her home and left the next morning and went to work down in peasant's island or Seabrook. Can't remember which one I was working at. And I go through the security guard gate and come back again without them checking me. And she was in there in the trunk. Then when I got home that night, that's when I took her down to the field and left her. So what was the driving into her, the exhaust and everything? He never explained that.
Starting point is 01:23:09 What? He never explained it. They don't believe that the way he says most of these happened are how they happen. I don't really think so either. Because as you will see, he changes the story a lot, he conflicts stories a lot. He has a lot of information that goes against each other. Well, it seems like he, like, he, I don't even know. He removes himself from it.
Starting point is 01:23:27 Yeah. He did it. And he says he did it, but he says I don't remember doing it. And then later he'll say, we weren't even fighting. None of these women, we weren't fighting nothing. I don't remember when it happened. It's like something took over me and I just, I don't remember any of it.
Starting point is 01:23:41 So it's him bullshitting. Yeah. So I'm sure there was a lot more to this, but he just wasn't gonna. Yeah. I'm so bummed that that is like not something you remember. I was thinking that I really want to know what happened there too. It's just such a strange detail. I don't know what he was planning to do. I don't know what it was. You wonder if she was still alive when that happened. If he was trying to be like, well, look, I'm driving you home. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:24:02 And then like fuck with her. And he might have, I mean, he's evil. So you haven't even heard the most. To say it. To say it. The least. Now, when he got home that night, that night that he had killed Geraldine, remember he was dating Linda Markey at the time. So when he got home, Linda, his girlfriend was awake.
Starting point is 01:24:20 And he was like, oops, I got to grab something else outside. And she was like, what the fuck? Yeah, she's like, it's four AMR? Yeah, she's like, it's for Amber. Yeah, she's like, it's for Amber. Yeah, she's like, it's for Amber. So he went out and said he took Jarelin out of the back seat of his car. And he said, quote, so I laid her body down on the ground beside the woods and laid a bunch of cardboard and wood and stuff like that over her. He left her there for like a week before
Starting point is 01:24:41 dismembering her. He put the different parts of her body in grain bags, like each in a separate grain bag, and buried her in a field on his property. And he didn't just bury her in like an open field on his property, he buried her in an abandoned pig shed on his property. Now finally, he admitted about Jenny Sear as well. Okay. But like the other
Starting point is 01:25:05 ones, he completely removed himself from being an active participant, and instead he was just a passive entity that happened to be there and happened to cause these women's deaths. But he would never use active forms of speech to this effect. He just said the night Jenny died, quote, Jenny was standing. I'm going to say probably three feet away from me, like at the foot of the bed or the side of the bed. And I was standing on the other side of the or the foot of it. And she was standing back to me like that, like with her back to him. Yeah. And then we he was she said he said and then we was talking. Like I said, we was talking like that. And the next thing I know she was lying on the bed. She was strangled
Starting point is 01:25:46 No, I don't believe that you don't remember yeah, she was strangled So he'll never say I strangled her. Yeah, just he happened to look down and Jenny found herself strangled I don't know and then I love that it's always the next thing I know. Yeah, the famous that should be chiseled on his Fucking tombstone the next thing I knew right thing I knew, that's all it is. You just black out. No. He did say that he believed it was a belt that he had been wearing that he used to strangle Jenny,
Starting point is 01:26:14 and he just took it off and did it. What the fuck? He said he had wrapped Jenny's body in a blanket and drove to work with her in the trunk. He had worked all day with her body in the trunk of his car. And then what's wild is he said he stopped on the way home and opened the trunk off the side of the road and just sat and stared at her body and tried to figure out what to do.
Starting point is 01:26:34 What? And he said he was stumped on what to do so he just left her in the trunk. And she was like that all fucking weekend. Well, her whole family and he were driving around looking for her. She was in the trunk of his car. That's so I wouldn't even want to know that when he was pulling into her family's house, saying where's Jenny? She was in the trunk of his fucking car. That's so just sick.
Starting point is 01:26:58 And how did you even, this isn't even the worst of it? When is it going to be like I want to tell you that we hit the worst of it, we have not hit the fucking worst of it. It gets worse. He kept the keys to the car, so he wouldn't let anyone drive it that weekend. And he said, he finally just figured that he had to cut her into pieces
Starting point is 01:27:17 and dump her to get rid of the evidence. The mother of his children. Unreal. So he said, quote, she was the first one, and I done the same thing anyway. Cut off her legs and her arms off and her hands and her head. After that, her hands and head was in a cement container. It's like a chest, like a cooler. Now, when asked where he cut her up because it definitely wasn't in the trailer, they determined he said he brought her to a gravel pit and cut her up outside.
Starting point is 01:27:46 determined, he said he brought her to a gravel pit and cut her up outside. And then he said, and now backing up, like the gravel pit thing, when the police interviewed all of Hicks' former girlfriends and like, you know, flings and all that, many of them talked about how aggressive abusive he was and the whole like rough sex thing, several of them, not one or two, but several of them said they found it really weird, but he liked to have sex at gravel pits. What? He had dismembered the mother of his children, at a gravel pit, and then later liked to bring his new girlfriends and wives to have sex at the gravel pits. That's like, that's beyond. He is next level. Tell me that's the worst of it. Nope. What?
Starting point is 01:28:32 Nope. So he buried every piece of Jenny in different areas. Her arm, another arm, a leg, another like every single one. He said about the head. So Zamboni said now the head. What'd you do with the head and hands? And he said, put it in a kind of ice box with cement in it. And he said, what do you mean ice box? And he said ice box like a cooler you lug around. Uh-huh. And Zamboni said, Coleman cooler? And he said, yeah, big one, chess cooler.
Starting point is 01:29:00 So, he put her head in a cooler. The mother of his children in his high school sweetheart, he put her fucking head in a cooler. Now you think this is bad, but it gets fucking worse. He told the police he definitely could take them to where the head was buried, because he buried it under rocks, and he said, I can definitely take you to where it is, because I only did it recently. And they were like, what? And he's like, I only buried it recently. She died 23 years before this. He kept her head in the fucking cooler in his possession and in his houses for years.
Starting point is 01:29:34 He kept her head in a cooler where her children would brush against it to get ice cream out of the freezer. He would move it into places where her family was near it and be around it. His new girlfriends, his new wives, all of his children were around this cooler at one time or another. He placed it on the ground as a seat where his children would sit on it to eat their dinner. His children would sit on the head of their murdered mother to eat their fucking dinner. That's how bad this gets.
Starting point is 01:30:06 I don't even like, what? For decades, he kept Jenny sears head in a fucking cooler in his possession around his children. And like did anybody take note of the, like where they like, yeah, like that cooler was always there. I think it's just like, that's a cooler.
Starting point is 01:30:28 Like some people just, you know, have that cooler, use it as a seat, use it as this, like whatever. I just think no one could have ever even questioned it because why would you ever think something? And did they say like, why did you keep it so long? Obviously he was getting like shits and giggles out of it because he had no answer for it.
Starting point is 01:30:47 No answer for it. And when Detective Ricker was talked to on that murder she told podcast, which again, go listen to it, I'm telling you, he said, can you imagine how traumatic that is to these now adult children who know that? Oh, no. And then he said, when I think about what he did
Starting point is 01:31:03 to these women and these children, hell isn't deep enough for this guy. No. And I got to agree. Yeah, something deeper, please. Like, that when I got to that part, I was like, what? He placed it as a seat for them to eat their dinner on.
Starting point is 01:31:21 Like, it's, my brain like literally doesn't even know unreal. Absolutely. This guy's a fucking monster. And he showed them where the cooler was buried under an apple tree on his property in Etna. And he also showed them where Jarlins remains or buried in the old pig shed on his property. Her complete skeleton was found there just in pieces and different green bags, but they did find her complete body there. So she was able to be like, we just completely.
Starting point is 01:31:49 Now Jenny's head was found in the cement block where he said it was. So they had parts of Jenny and all of Jerrolyn, but still no Lynn. They used excavators in the area where he said he thought she was, and they were looking for buckets because he described that her parts were in buckets. And according to the book, the tragedy in the North Woods, they said, quote, the police were there for a couple of days. And I believe it was the attorney general that said this. And they said there was a neighbor there, a local just watching. He never said anything.
Starting point is 01:32:21 After everyone left, he wandered over, found two buckets and called the police and said, I think I found what you were looking for. So he like stumbled upon them. It was like, I think they're right here. Dr. Edward David from the Medical Examiner's Office found in those buckets, in cement according to the book, a head, two hands, two feet,
Starting point is 01:32:40 and a tattoo on an excised piece of skin. That's so fun. So when I said he was very familiar with those tattoos, he had cut the tattoos off of her. That's so sad. After he was brought in for a formal interview and to really get his confession like recorded, he was smiling and laughing,
Starting point is 01:32:57 showing absolutely no remorse for what he had done, and admitted to dude, a three innocent woman. He also admitted he had strangled all three women with different things, accord, a rope, a belt, his hands. You know, it had done all three of these strangulations when their backs were turned to him. Of course, because he's a coward.
Starting point is 01:33:14 Exactly, a coward. And he said he had no real motive. He said there really wasn't really a massive fight that preceded any of the murders. And he said he really just, you know, whatever. And he said, and actually at one point, he was quoted as saying, it's like I did it for no reason. Yeah, usually murder doesn't have a reason. Which I think he did that just a further fuck with the family. Just like, I don't even think there was a reason in my mind. Yeah, like, just felt like it. I think I just did it for no reason. Like such a dick. He then admitted to the detective Zamboni that when he came to the motel, so when detectives
Starting point is 01:33:48 Zamboni had interviewed him at the motel in the beginning of this whole thing, he said, you came into the maintenance area, this speak to me during the investigation. And he said, I had placed Lins remains in one of the buckets that was there in front of you. And he said it was lined up with other buckets with them. And he was like, you were right there with them. So you literally told them like you were standing there. Sting them names. With Lins remains right behind me in a bucket. And you didn't know. And he's just like, ha ha. Yeah. I'm just, and then when they tried to see, because they were like, we're going
Starting point is 01:34:18 to talk to you about some more missing women in the area, because who the fuck knows what you've done. He answered them with quote, I've done three. I've made my quota. I'm not gonna do anymore. I've made my quota. Nobody gave you a quota, sir. Like a quota for murder, for like taking the lives of these women. And see, Zamboni, like I said, like they don't believe that he was telling the truth about really any of the way that our name these occurred. No. He thinks like he he gave definitely gave a little bit of truth, but he intertwined it with a lot of false shishmin. And and delt embellishment and also a lot of like underplaying what probably happened. I'm sure. And Zamboni said and he said it from the beginning that he when he got into that maintenance room, he goes, I know that he killed her here, Lynn.
Starting point is 01:35:05 He was like, I just have a feeling. And he said he felt the second he was there that it happened, he still believes he did it there. He just, they just really couldn't prove it. Wow. But each of the three women's families were able to provide victim impact statements. Good.
Starting point is 01:35:19 Even Jennies who initially were really not going to be able to because they had already been connected of that. But December 4th, Superior Court Chief Justice Andrew Mead decided not to allow impact statements from the Seer family in court. They were able to release them to the press, but that's still bullshit in my opinion. But also, Geraldine's daughter, Tammy, who still had the penny from Geraldine's shoe that she used to keep in it. She brought Jenny's sister to stand next to her in court when she read hers, so that the Sear family could be seen in court. Good. And like, and he would have to look at her. I loved that they like, I hate that they were all had to all be brought together that way,
Starting point is 01:36:01 but I love that they had each other that they support each other so intensely. I love that. And Denise said, I wanted to look him in the eye and say that finally, finally, everyone will know the truth. Yeah. And these families seriously, like separated by years of tragedy, like 23 years, 18 years, four years, like unanswered questions, just decades of trauma. And still unanswered questions. And they, but this like, like amazing
Starting point is 01:36:27 testaments to them as people that they were able to like support each other. They really come together that way. It really is. They spoke that day about how he had deprived them of their daughters, children's mothers, their sisters, their friends, Jenny's family release statement talking about he had even taken their grandchildren away from him and that he had taken everything.
Starting point is 01:36:47 He was sentenced to two life sentences for the murders of Lynn Willett and Jarrelland Towers in Maine. He also had to pay restitution to Jarrelland's and Lynn's families for the funeral expenses. Good. January 5th, 2001, he went back to Texas for sentencing in the June Moss case. Yup. And in court, she said, quote,
Starting point is 01:37:09 for over 20 years, you murdered, molested, and terrorized innocent people in their families. You committed your crimes without shame and now face the consequences without remorse. And she said, people will no longer hide from you and fear. But for you, there is no hiding place. And then she said, God will judge your soul. I love it. I love that June was like bitch, literally excited off of them.
Starting point is 01:37:31 Like fuck. Good for you. He got 55 years in a Texas prison for for the aggravated assault on an elderly person, but unfortunately he won't serve. He won't serve there. He's going to serve it after he serves his two life sentences. Yeah. But all three families were finally able to lay their loved ones to rest with private ceremonies.
Starting point is 01:37:50 James Hicks is still serving time at Main State Prison in Tomiston, Maine. Good. And he will remain there. No parole. Nothing. He's gonna die there. Rotten right. Rotten right. Can't wait. We'll throw a party on that day for real. But that is the horrific and almost unbelievable story of James Rodney Hicks. That's just, I mean, the fact that you had her head in a cooler for all those years.
Starting point is 01:38:18 Jenny's head is just, no, and that really rocked me. Because you kept saying it's gonna get worse and I was like, how? How does it get worse? How does it get worse? And I was like, oh, that's how I could get worse and I was like, how? How does it get worse? How does it get worse? And I was like, oh, that's how. I could not just, I was like, I don't even know how to like, how to say that. How to, like, I just, I can't, I don't even know how to prepare you.
Starting point is 01:38:35 No, you can't, you can never prepare anybody for receiving that information. And for Jenny Sears family to have to away from 1977, all the way to 2001 to really see it happen. I mean, these people waited forever. Jeraldyn's family, like they waited so long for justice. Yeah, it's just so sad. Thank goodness these new police officers
Starting point is 01:38:54 like really did the damn thing. Like James Ricker, Joseph Shamboni, were like, hell yeah. Yeah, they stayed committed. They did it. They really did. They did the damn thing. Wow that was unbelievable. I would love to talk to James Riker. I really want to talk to him.
Starting point is 01:39:09 Manifest it. Maybe we should just try to talk to James Riker and do like a little update episode because he was fascinating to me. I would love that. I just like seeing when like detectives really care, do everything they can. Yeah, you know. But yeah, that there's part two guys. There it is. Wow, wow, wow, wow. And I hope that all three of these women's families are thriving. They're children. I hope they're thriving. I hope everybody, I know closure is not never a thing that can really happen, but I hope his kids are like all doing okay. I think they're doing fucking awesome. Yeah. Yeah. And we hope you keep listening. And we hope you keep it weird. I feel like I don't have to tell you not to keep it that weird at all. So definitely don't keep it this weird ever.
Starting point is 01:39:58 Don't at all. Bye. Set all light. Hey, Prime Members! You can listen to Morvid, Early, and Add Free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen Add Free with Wondery Plus and Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at Wondery.com slash survey. plus an Apple Podcast. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at
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