Summary
Overview
This episode examines the suspicious deaths of Stephen Altman in 1984 and his mother Marianne Hayes in 1996, both ruled suicides in Chicago area. Decades later, Stephen's sister Robin Altman launches her own investigation after discovering troubling inconsistencies in police reports and evidence. With help from Alliance for Hope International and forensic experts, Robin uncovers evidence suggesting both deaths may have been staged homicides, with their stepfather Don Hayes emerging as a potential suspect with means, motive, and opportunity in both cases.
Robin's Discovery and Rachel's Revelations
In 2013, Robin Altman begins researching her family history on Ancestry.com while recovering from surgery. She discovers a family tree created by Rachel Kunin, her brother Stephen's high school friend, which leads to a conversation that reveals crucial information never shared with Robin before. Rachel discloses that Stephen told friends he was running an errand for their stepdad Don the night before his death and planned to return in an hour, contradicting the suicide ruling and raising immediate red flags about the circumstances of his death.
- Robin Altman's brother Stephen died by apparent suicide in 1984 at age 21, and her mother Marianne died similarly in 1996
- Rachel reveals Stephen told friends he was running an errand for stepdad Don and would return in an hour, but never came back
- Stephen was found dead at 7:15 AM hanging from a crane hoist at Don's workshop in Chicago
- Rachel's mother, a former sheriff's deputy, called Chicago PD urging investigation but was told to stop calling
" What if these weren't suicides at all, but murders staged to look like suicides? And if that's true, who would want both her brother and her mother dead? "
The Missing Stephen Altman Files
Robin files FOIA requests in 2013 for both her brother's and mother's case files. Shockingly, Chicago PD claims they have no records whatsoever for Stephen's death, despite it being an official death investigation. This complete absence of documentation is highly suspicious, especially given that police never interviewed family members and only spoke with Don and a few employees. The lack of any paperwork for a death investigation raises serious questions about whether a proper investigation ever occurred.
- Chicago PD responds to FOIA request claiming they have no records at all for Stephen's case
- Police never interviewed Robin or her mother about Stephen's death, only Don and some employees
- The night before his death, Stephen told friends he'd be right back after running an errand, showing no suicidal intent
" Please stop calling us. "
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