January 11, 1984. Ypsilanti, Michigan. Two armed men enter a real estate and insurance office before one of them fires a shot into the neck of the 47-year old owner, Jack Brown. The assailants then lock the office’s other employees inside the bathroom before fleeing the scene and Jack dies in the hospital several hours later. Prior to his death, Jack had hinted that he might be involved in something which led to him being murdered, but the two perpetrators are not identified and the motive for the crime remains unclear. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a baffling murder which resembled a professional hit and has remained unsolved for 40 years. In addition, we will also be discussing the unsolved murders of 54-year old Elizabeth Shumate, 60-year old Frances Ivey and 46-year old JoAnn Brown, a trio of real estate agents who were shot to death inside their office in Houston, Texas in August 1983.
Additional Reading:
https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Jack_Brown
https://unsolved.com/gallery/jack-brown/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/99060743/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/99426108/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/99810146/
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/08/30/Priest-denied-access-to-crime-scene-for-last-rites/4372431064000/
https://www.click2houston.com/news/2019/05/29/questions-remain-in-1983-triple-homicide-police-ask-for-publics-help/
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/slideshow/Houston-s-infamous-crimes-in-August-194965.php
https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/missing-pieces/murders-of-3-realtors-still-unsolved-37-years-later/285-3d493018-69d6-447f-bb43-2fc49163dcd9
https://torontosun.com/news/world/crime-hunter-hurricane-and-homicide-a-deadly-cocktail
If you have any information about the murder of Jack Brown, please contact the Ypsilanti Police Department at (734) 483-9510. If you have any information on the murders of Elizabeth Shumate, Frances Ivey & JoAnn Brown please contact the Houston Police Cold Case Unit at (713) 308-3618 or the Crime Stoppers of Houston tip line at (713) 222-TIPS (8477).
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” in London on September 21-22, 2024. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to the event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD24”, by visiting their website.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 289 – Justin Burgwinkel
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 288 – Dorothy Forstein
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 287 – Danny Casolaro
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 286 – Tracey Ann Patient
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 285 – Dana Bradley
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 284 – Earlene Barksdale
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 283 – Gordon Page Jr. & Kristi Krebs
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 282 – Mark Himebaugh
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 281 – Byron Carr
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 280 – Peter Watts
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 279 – Colonel Philip Shue
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 278 – Alexis Patterson
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 277 – Wil Hendrick
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 276 – Paul Armstrong, Steven Lombard & Karen Wright
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 275 – Leonard Dirickson
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 274 – Cary Sayegh
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 273 – Laurie Murninghan
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 272 – Kimberly McAndrew
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 271 – The Feeney Family Murders
The Trail Went Cold – Episode 270 – Andre Jones
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