Hello, my name is Justin. I am a criminal justice masters degree seeking student at Florida Atlantic University and a long time fan of the reality television series Unsolved Mysteries . I am currently looking for episodes of Unsolved Mysteries as well as episodes of a short lived spinoff titled Final Appeal: From the Files of Unsolved Mysteries that aired in September and October 1992 on NBC.
The premise of Final Appeal was to profile cases in which men or women in prison or on death row may have been wrongfully convicted.
If you have any episodes of either Unsolved Mysteries or Final Appeal from original NBC broadcasts, please contact me. What follows is a list of the episodes I need. I would be happy to trade Unsolved Mysteries episodes or the two episodes of Final Appeal that I do have in exchange for any others. I am also willing to pay for copies of episodes I need. My email address is justin_iso_episodes@yahoo.com
Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald / Port Chicago Mutiny (aired September 18, 1992)
Jeffrey MacDonald is serving a life sentence for the brutal 1970 slayings of his pregnant wife Colette and two young daughters, Kimberley and Kristin. MacDoanld says he is innocent. He claims the real killers were a group of drug crazed hippies who broke into his home.
MacDonald remains incarcerated.
A second story shown during the program concerned the fate of 33 African American seamen who were convicted of mutiny at the height of WWII. They maintain that the mutiny charges were bogus, and they want their names cleared.
Interviews: Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, Sgt. Kenneth Mica - former SP4 military police, William Ivory - former army investigator, James Blackburn - former prosecutor, Bernie Segal - defense attorney, Harvey Silverglate - MacDonald defense attorney, Prince Beasley - former narcotics investigator, Jimmy Friar, Bryant Lane.
Jack Crittenden - Port
Chicago Seaman, Jospeh Small - Port Chicago Seaman, Freddie Meeks - Port Chicago
Seaman, Robert Allen - Author/Historian, Gerald E. Veltmann - Port Chicago
Defense Attorney.
Paul Ferrell (aired September 25, 1992) -located
Former police officer Paul Ferrell was serving a life sentence in a Virginia prison for the murder of his 19-year-old mistress, Cathy Ford in 1988. Ford's body was never recovered, and some believe that she may still be alive, despite Ferrell's conviction.
Ferrell received a pardon from a departing governor and was paroled in 2004.
Steve Shores (aired October 2, 1992)
Shores was serving a life sentence for the 1982 shooting death of a security guard, Garrison Hester. Two members of a notrious Chicago street gang known as the El Rukns testified that Shores pulled the trigger. However, Shores maintains that the two witnesses were the real killers and lied in court to frame him for the crime.
After new evidence came to light, Shores agreed to enter an Alford plea and was released from prison in 1996.
Interviews: Steve Shores, Wayne Meyer - assistant state prosecutor, Phyllis Shores - Steve's sister, Andrea Lyon - Steve's defense attorney, Eugene Pincham - retired appellate judge.
Tony Miller (aired October 9, 1992)
Tony Miller was serving a 20 year term for the 1983 armed robbery of a Toledo, Ohio fast food restaurant. Miller was also convicted of the attempted murder of a police officer whom he allegedly shot after fleeing the scene. Witnesses identified Miller as the robber. Miller acknowledged being in the restaurant, but says he left before the robbery occurred. Another man had also confessed to the robbery and shooting but later recanted.
Miller was exonerated and released from prison in December 1992.
Dan Montecalvo (aired October 16, 1992) -located
Montecalvo is currently serving a life sentence for the 1988 murder of his wife, Carol. Montecalvo claims he and his wife arrived home after a walk and interrupted a burglary - Monteclavo was shot in the back, his wife was shot in the neck. The police believe he staged the incident to collect life insurance. Montecalvo also had a shady past including convictions for robbery. He was also, by all accunts, an alcoholic and a gambler. A former neighbor would later confess that she and another individual were responsible for the shootings, but her confession came too late as Montecalvo had already been convicted and sentenced.
Montecalvo remains incarcerated.
Thomas Drake (aired October 23, 1992 - may not have aired)
Drake is serving a life term for the attempted murder of his wife, Nancy in 1983. Nancy was assaulted with a hammer in the office of the church where she worked part time. In addition, $3,800 in checks and cash was stolen from the church safe. Nancy would later claim to have no memory of the attack. Thomas was having an extramarital affair and asked his mistress and her son to move in with him after Nancy was attacked. He believes these actions made him a suspect and ultimately led to his arrest and wrongful conviction for the crime.
Drake remains incarcerated.
Interviews: Thomas Drake, Nancy Drake Marshall - Drake's ex-wife, Lawrence Shearer - Drake's trial attorney.