Stranger Danger

The 'Stranger Danger' episode of the 'Anatomy of Murder' podcast, hosted by Scott Weinberger and Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi, delves into the harrowing case of Corey Jones, a 12-year-old girl from a tight-knit community in northwest Wisconsin. Corey, despite facing serious medical challenges from a young age, including a life-threatening kidney infection and subsequent surgeries, was a joyful child who loved life. Her family, Vicky and Ricky Jones, describe her as a girl who never felt sorry for herself and was full of spirit. However, Corey had a recurring fear of being kidnapped, which was heightened by a local case two years prior, where a 10-year-old girl, Ronnie Ished, was abducted and murdered. This fear tragically foreshadowed Corey's fate.

On Labor Day, September 5th, 1994, Corey went missing after telling her grandmother she was going to meet a boy while riding her bike. When she failed to return, a massive search ensued, involving family, neighbors, and eventually the authorities. The discovery of her abandoned bike on a road indicated that she had been taken. The search expanded, drawing in community volunteers and gaining media attention. Despite the efforts, the worst fears were realized when Corey's body was discovered by hunters five days later, 70 miles from where she disappeared. She had been sexually assaulted and murdered, her hands bound and life taken by multiple stab wounds.

Investigators immediately drew parallels between Corey's case and the earlier abduction and murder of Ronnie Ished. As they dug deeper, they also connected an attempted assault on a young-looking woman two months before Corey's abduction. The assailant in that case was described as a man in his 50s with a scruffy mustache, driving a maroon car. This description matched a composite sketch from the attempted assault survivor. The breakthrough came when a man named David Spanbauer, fitting the description and driving a maroon car, was caught as a peeping Tom in Appleton, Wisconsin. Spanbauer's extensive criminal history, including past sexual assaults and murders, made him a prime suspect.

Spanbauer's arrest led to a chilling confession where he detailed his crimes, including the abduction and murder of Corey Jones. His matter-of-fact recounting of the events was a stark contrast to the devastation felt by Corey's family and the community. Spanbauer was ultimately charged and pled guilty to Corey's murder, as well as to other crimes, receiving multiple life sentences and hundreds of years in prison. He died in custody in 2002.