Ep 5. Cabin 28: Horror in the Woods

In People Magazine Investigates season 1 episode 5, titled Cabin 28: Horror in the Woods, viewers are taken on a journey into a chilling case that has haunted a California community for decades. The episode delves into the mysterious and gruesome murders of a family and their friends who were staying in a secluded cabin in the woods.

On the night of April 11, 1981, Sue Sharp and her five children, along with their friend Dana Wingate and his girlfriend, were staying in Cabin 28 in Keddie, California. The next morning, Sue's youngest daughter, Tina, was missing, and the bodies of Sue, John, and Dana were found brutally murdered in the cabin. The investigation that followed was flawed, and despite renewed efforts over the past few decades to solve the case, the identity of the killer or killers remains unknown.

The episode starts with an introduction to the Keddie Cabin Murders and the details of the night that led to the discovery of the victims. Viewers then get an insight into the initial investigation and the controversies surrounding it. The case was mishandled right from the start, with critical evidence destroyed and misplaced, and only a few suspects were questioned, none of whom have been charged to this day.

The episode presents interviews with those closest to the case, including family members of the victims and law enforcement officers who worked on the case. The families share their intense feelings of grief and frustration with the slow progress of the investigation. The episode also features reenactments of the night of the murders and the following chaotic investigation.

The episode explores the multiple theories and suspects that have come up over the years. One of the theories suggests that the murders were carried out by drug cartels, while another puts forward the possibility of a serial killer being involved. There were also accusations of a cover-up and a conspiracy linking prominent individuals in the community to the crime.

The investigators assigned to the case over the years are scrutinized and re-questioned, as the episode highlights some of the significant findings and missed opportunities for evidence. The forensics team focusing on different DNA samples several decades after the incident is also briefly shown.

The impact of the murders on the surviving affected family members is emotionally depicted in the episode. Notably that of Sheila Sharp, the oldest daughter of Sue who found her mother's murdered body, and survived the traumatic event. She returns to Keddie to be interviewed about her memories, thoughts, and feelings about the case for the show.

The episode concludes without solving the case, but with a renewed hope that the evidence in the case will someday be reexamined with new technologies breaking down the traditional analysis and providing a new perspective on the murders in Cabin 28. People Magazine Investigates season 1 episode 5, Cabin 28: Horror in the Woods, is a haunting tale full of chilling twists and turns that continues to resonate with those familiar with the case.