What is the most convoluted cold case?

[Lurker Steve]

Not the biggest mystery. Just the sheer volume of information, leads, and overall confusion.

I think Sharon Marshall (I still don't understand it!) and Johnny Gosch (if you toss in Jeff Gannon and the whole pedophile conspiracy) definitely are at the top of the list.

Does anything else come close?

 

[LionRun]

I haven't gotten into the Sharon or Johnny cases yet; but, so far it is the who and the why and the how of the murder of JonBenet Ramsey.

 

[CaliKid]

Sharon Marshall and the (I-94) (Mississippi River-Lake Michigan-area) College drownings.

 

[LisainWV]

Gotta chime in with my pet case - the 5 missing Sodder kids in WV.

Sharon Marshall, as mentioned, kinda blows my mind - she's gonna be id'ed at some point (gut feeling).

Boy in the Box mystery.

 

[outofthedark]

Precious Doe was for sometime- she was finally ID'd in 2005

My pet case is, but I have a feeling he'll go UID'd for 15-25 years because of how much he did to cover his tracks

Any Doe Network case dating to the 1800s

 

[Mr. E]

I agree with Sharon Marshall and Johnny Gosch. Also Nyleen Kay Marshall. So many leads and innuendos in that case.

 

[laini]

Also, Zodiac and BTK (BTK is now solved, of course).

and missing Anna Waters.

 

[Nocgirl]

Johnny Gosch. Of course his cookoo mother Noreen is partly the reason why it is so convoluted. It's gets more confusing every month it seems.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Sharon Marshall because of the frustrating nature of it and Johhny Gosch because of all of the lunatics that have attached themselves to it (Gunderson, Patricia Johnson-Holm, et al).

The Anna Waters case is too close to me to fairly judge.

 

[michelle]

I am reading "Without a Trace" about Amy Billig and I swear, the hell her mom went through, and the loonies she encountered and never found her daughter baffles me. Nothing, just vanished. So sad. Also Carrie Culberson.

 

[outofthedark]

Also, Zodiac and BTK (BTK is now solved, of course).

and missing Anna Waters.

I say the Zodiac's hard too

 

[Kellee]

The Sharon Marshall case! All of the aliases, the possible matches, the associated murders, the question of the blood sample's validity. VERY convoluted!

 

[Jenn35]

Sharon Marshall DEFINTELY!! Nyleen and the brother and sister one. Can't remember their name now.The one in Alaska.

 

[Gozgals]

The Johnny Gosch Case and the Zodiac Killer would be the ones that seem to be very baffling and hard to solve.

Gozgals

 

[outofthedark]

Sharon Marshall DEFINTELY!! Nyleen and the brother and sister one. Can't remember their name now.The one in Alaska.

You're probably thinking of Scott and Amy Fandel

 

[LisainWV]

I am reading "Without a Trace" about Amy Billig and I swear, the hell her mom went through, and the loonies she encountered and never found her daughter baffles me. Nothing, just vanished. So sad. Also Carrie Culberson.

Michelle, just finished that book. Doesn't your heart just ache for her mother?

Sorry, for the sidetrack....

I'll redeem myself by saying, Dr. Doogie, Anna's case ranks up there with the strangest. You and your supersleuths are gonna crack that one (fingers crossed).

 

[Lurker Steve]

Oh, Jack the Ripper. There are dozens of suspects, from obscure sailors to Prince Albert. Someone even accused Lewis Carroll.

 

[outofthedark]

Oh, Jack the Ripper. There are dozens of suspects, from obscure sailors to Prince Albert. Someone even accused Lewis Carroll.

I think some guy admitted to being JTR but I'm not sure though...

 

[Lurker Steve]

I think some guy admitted to being JTR but I'm not sure though...

Yes, someone claimed to have the diary of one James Maybrick, which had a confession. It turned out to be a hoax.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notorious/ripper/diaries_13.html

 

[meggilyweggily]

Several people have confessed to being JTR. Dozens more have been implicated.

I think probably if Jack the Ripper identified himself (not gonna happen cause he's dead by now, but if it did) by name, everyone would look at one another and say, "Who's that?"

It's not that convoluted a case though. Just standard sex-murders that wouldn't make much headlines today.