Summary
Overview
This Crime Junkie episode details the 100-day investigation into the double murder of Patrick Shun and Monique Patinot in Oso, Washington. The case involves a neighbor dispute that escalated to murder, a massive evidence collection effort, and a manhunt that extended to Mexico. Through meticulous investigative work combining traditional methods with modern forensic evidence, detectives solved the case and brought the killer to justice.
The Disappearance and Initial Investigation
On April 13, 2016, Detective Dave Fontenot received a missing persons report about Patrick Shun and Monique Patinot, who failed to show up for an Iron Maiden concert. Their neighbor Mike found their dog Cairo running loose and both cars missing, prompting a welfare check. Cell phone data revealed the couple's phones stopped transmitting at 8:32 a.m. on April 12th, but showed strange activity at 3:26 a.m. when both phones traveled up an old logging road near the historic Oso landslide area.
- Detective Fontenot receives missing persons notice after couple no-shows Iron Maiden concert on April 11th
- Neighbor Mike finds their beloved dog Cairo running loose - major red flag
- Cell phone data shows both phones stopped transmitting at 8:32 a.m. on April 12th
- Phones traveled up old logging road near Oso landslide site at 3:26 a.m.
- Trail camera SD card was full and stopped recording before the incident
" It's like, how? I had gotten my hopes up. I thought maybe we could, like, trust trail cams more than, like, business security cameras. "
Discovery of the Vehicles and Crime Scene Evidence
By day three, searchers using helicopters spotted Patrick's Land Rover stuck nose-down on a stump, covered with brush and camouflage tarps. Monique's Jeep was found 268 feet further down the hillside. Both vehicles appeared to have been pushed over a cliff. Inside the vehicles, investigators found suspicious items including rope, plastic sheeting, blood, shell casings, and a McDonald's receipt matching Monique's last known errands, suggesting she never made it inside her house after arriving home.
- Helicopter crew spots Patrick's Land Rover stuck nose-down on a stump at 90 degrees
- Monique's Jeep found 268 feet below, laying on its side
- Both cars covered with brush and camouflage tarps, indicating cover-up attempt
- Blood found in Land Rover along with rope, plastic sheeting, and tarps
- McDonald's receipt and shopping items confirm Monique never made it inside house
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