Ep 9. The Calling Card/Carol's Diary

Airing on June 9, 2002, the ninth episode of the fourth season of Cold Case Files Classic is titled "The Calling Card/Carol's Diary." This episode showcases the harrowing story of a young girl who was brutally murdered and left in a swamp in 1974. Despite countless efforts from the police force to catch the killer, the case remained cold until modern technology and old-fashioned detective work led investigators to the perpetrator.

The episode begins with a quick rundown of the facts surrounding the case. Carol Anne Cole, a bright and ambitious 17-year-old, was found dead in the Big Cypress Swamp in Florida. Her body was discovered by a man who had been hunting in the area. Due to the state of the body, it was difficult to determine the cause of death apart from obvious damage to her skull. Deeper investigation revealed that Carol had been strangled with a belt and sexually assaulted before being left for dead in the swamp.

From the get-go, the investigation into Carol's murder was plagued by complications. There were no witnesses to the crime, no leads on potential suspects, and no particular motive that stood out. The case quickly grew cold, and police were forced to move on to other crimes.

Fast forward to the 1990s, and the case is still on the books as unsolved. A new development emerges when a retired police officer named Tom Gregory decides to take a closer look at the files. He is stunned by the amount of information that has gone overlooked, and begins digging deeper into some of the more obscure details.

One such detail is the fact that a series of obscene phone calls had been made to Carol's family in the weeks leading up to her death. Investigators had always assumed that Carol was part of the "wrong place, wrong time" phenomenon and that the murder had been a random act of violence. But Gregory has a hunch that the killer may have been someone who knew Carol personally.

As it turns out, there was one person who could have had a motive to harm Carol. According to Carol's diary, she had been having an affair with a married man who worked at the same place she did. The man's name was James Anderson, and although he had been questioned at the time of the murder, he had always claimed that he had nothing to do with it.

With this new information, Gregory seeks out Anderson and begins to grill him in the hopes of extracting a confession. The man is predictably evasive, but as Gregory continues to apply pressure, he begins to break down. Suddenly, Anderson confesses to the crime, citing feelings of rage and jealousy as his reasons for killing Carol.

The rest of the episode delves into the specifics of the investigation that eventually led to Anderson's arrest and conviction. Viewers are offered a glimpse into the extensive forensic testing that was performed on evidence, as well as interviews with family members and witnesses who were involved in the case at the time. There are also recreations of the crime scene and the moments leading up to Carol's death.

Overall, "The Calling Card/Carol's Diary" is a gripping and emotional episode that demonstrates how perseverance and dedication on the part of investigators can sometimes be the key to solving even the most baffling and seemingly hopeless of cases. It's a testament to the power of good investigative work and a moving tribute to a young life that was taken far too soon.