Beaten, Strangled, Dragged Behind a Car: Who Killed Melonie White?

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan

On a hot August day in the Nevada desert, two hikers find the body of a young woman about 20 miles east of Las Vegas near the Gypsum Wash in Clark County. The next day, August 28, the Clark County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 27-year-old Melonie White. Her death is listed as homicide due to strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head and police say she was also dragged behind a car before her body was left in the desert. Melonie and her infant son moved to Las Vegas with her boyfriend four months earlier from Phoenix, Arizona. But the boyfriend doesn't get a job and leaves Melonie alone with her baby in Las Vegas. Police investigate the case but fail to develope a viable suspect and the case turns cold. Joseph Scott Morgan will explain how the case that went unsolved for 30 years has finally been solved with DNA, gentic genealogy, and Othram.

Transcript Highlights

00:00.00 Introduction - First trip to Las Vegas

02:21.07 Death of Melonie White, 30 year mystery
05:06.81 Melonie White beaten, strangled, dragged by car into desert

10:12.12 Brothers report Melonie missing

16:26.41 Police say Melonie was tied to back of car and dragged

21:11.46 Las Vegas is an Oasis surrounded by nothingness

26:05.98 Joe describes other evidence needed

31:22.50 No Lack of trauma

35:19.83. Very personal attack

40:16.59 Describing solving cold case

41:34.76 Genetic Genealogy solves murder

44:27.92 Conclusion: Case solved after 30 years

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