Ep 16. Far from Spider Lake

Far from Spider Lake is an episode from season 29 of the Emmy award-winning news magazine show, Dateline. This episode takes viewers to the northern forests of Wisconsin where a cold case murder investigation is unfolding.

The episode begins with the case of a beautiful young woman named Vicki DeRoche who lived in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. She was a straight-A student, an aspiring veterinarian, and a star athlete in high school. One summer day in 1984, Vicki went to a friend's cabin on Spider Lake, a remote and heavily wooded area in the northern part of the state. She went to have a good time, swim, and enjoy the outdoors, but she never came back.

The case went cold for over three decades until a local detective named John Shilts, who was also a neighbor of Vicki's family, decided to take a closer look at it. Detective Shilts' investigation leads him to a man named Raymond Vannieuwenhoven, a retired paper mill worker living alone in Suamico, Wisconsin. Vannieuwenhoven was known as a quiet and unsuspecting member of the community, but as Detective Shilts digs deeper into his past, he uncovers a disturbing history of violence and criminal behavior.

Dateline takes us on a journey through the investigation, interviewing key players such as Detective Shilts, Vicki's family, and even Vannieuwenhoven himself. Through their interviews, a picture of Vannieuwenhoven as a troubled and violent man begins to emerge. In fact, he had already been convicted twice for violent crimes before Vicki's murder.

But despite this history, Vannieuwenhoven has always maintained his innocence in the Vicki DeRoche case. Dateline explores the evidence that Detective Shilts has gathered against Vannieuwenhoven, including the discovery of DNA on a cigarette butt found at the crime scene. It seems that the case may finally be solved, but with Vannieuwenhoven still proclaiming his innocence, the road to justice is not an easy one.

In addition to the investigation, the episode sheds light on the effects that Vicki's murder had on her family and the community as a whole. Her parents and siblings describe how the tragedy changed their lives forever and still resonates with them to this day. Interviews with other residents of St. Croix Falls also reveal how the case affected the small town, bringing both fear and a sense of solidarity to the community.

Overall, Far from Spider Lake is a gripping episode that seamlessly blends both the details of the murder investigation and the human story behind it. With its beautiful footage of the Wisconsin forests, haunting interviews with Vicki's family and friends, and suspenseful investigation, Dateline Season 29 Episode 16 captures the essence of true crime storytelling and will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.