The Truck Driver's Wife
“Perry Mikell admits he was a
serial cheater incapable of
monogamy, but he insists that
doesn’t mean he killed his wife
in a seedy motel room.
Now, Mikell’s sister and fiancee
have called in Chris Anderson
and Fatima Silva to see if they
got the wrong man.”
serial cheater incapable of
monogamy, but he insists that
doesn’t mean he killed his wife
in a seedy motel room.
Now, Mikell’s sister and fiancee
have called in Chris Anderson
and Fatima Silva to see if they
got the wrong man.”
Chris and Fatima are called
to Lithonia, Georgia, by
Mikell’s sister, Lydia, and
Mikell’s fiancee, also named
Barbara, to look into
Perry Mikell’s case.
Barbara says Perry is guilty
of having affairs not committing
murder, and he was forgiven for them.
to Lithonia, Georgia, by
Mikell’s sister, Lydia, and
Mikell’s fiancee, also named
Barbara, to look into
Perry Mikell’s case.
Barbara says Perry is guilty
of having affairs not committing
murder, and he was forgiven for them.
Lydia said Perry didn’t have
enough time to commit the crime.
In an hour and 15 minutes he
would have had to leave work,
dive to the hotel, commit the crime,
drive to his next job., load his truck,
drive within 6 miles of his boss
to pick him up on the radio.
Barbara claims there was evidence
at the crime scene that was never
followed up on. There were cigarette
butts, but neither Perry nor Barbara
smoked. Her shoes had bloodstains
and q-tips in the trash.
None if it was tested. 2 witnesses
who said they saw Perry’s truck at
the motel. One said he didn’t read
the police written statement before
he signed it and recanted.
The other witness couldn’t
identify the truck. The bullets didn’t
match Perry’s gun. It as said that Perry
swapped out the barrels, but that can’t
be done with his type of gun.
They said there was no motive,
suppositively he wanted an instant
divorce and her insurance money.
enough time to commit the crime.
In an hour and 15 minutes he
would have had to leave work,
dive to the hotel, commit the crime,
drive to his next job., load his truck,
drive within 6 miles of his boss
to pick him up on the radio.
Barbara claims there was evidence
at the crime scene that was never
followed up on. There were cigarette
butts, but neither Perry nor Barbara
smoked. Her shoes had bloodstains
and q-tips in the trash.
None if it was tested. 2 witnesses
who said they saw Perry’s truck at
the motel. One said he didn’t read
the police written statement before
he signed it and recanted.
The other witness couldn’t
identify the truck. The bullets didn’t
match Perry’s gun. It as said that Perry
swapped out the barrels, but that can’t
be done with his type of gun.
They said there was no motive,
suppositively he wanted an instant
divorce and her insurance money.
Fatima and Chris divide up the
investigation.
Chris focuses on the police work,
while Fatima looks into the legal issues.
investigation.
Chris focuses on the police work,
while Fatima looks into the legal issues.
Fatima tracked down one of the
witnesses to ask what he really
saw that day.
George is a truck driver and
knows his trucks, he said he never
saw Perry’s truck there.
Perry’s truck was about 65 feet,
but the truck George saw was only
19-20 feet and a different kind of truck.
George said he felt frustrated, like
they were getting him mad enough
to say what they wanted him to say.
He was shown pictures of possible
drivers, Perry’s picture among them.
He said Perry might have looked
familiar, but then again they all
looked familiar. 80% of the truckers
have beards. He never met Perry Mikells.
He says the police wrote his statement,
“twisted my words so good”,
and he signed it.
He figured the officer was writing
what he was saying,
so he just signed it without reading it.
Fatima asks, “Do you regret signing
that statement and not reading it?”
George says, “You’re damn right I do.”
witnesses to ask what he really
saw that day.
George is a truck driver and
knows his trucks, he said he never
saw Perry’s truck there.
Perry’s truck was about 65 feet,
but the truck George saw was only
19-20 feet and a different kind of truck.
George said he felt frustrated, like
they were getting him mad enough
to say what they wanted him to say.
He was shown pictures of possible
drivers, Perry’s picture among them.
He said Perry might have looked
familiar, but then again they all
looked familiar. 80% of the truckers
have beards. He never met Perry Mikells.
He says the police wrote his statement,
“twisted my words so good”,
and he signed it.
He figured the officer was writing
what he was saying,
so he just signed it without reading it.
Fatima asks, “Do you regret signing
that statement and not reading it?”
George says, “You’re damn right I do.”
Lydia says there wasn’t enough time for
Perry to commit the murder.
So, once again, Chris puts it to the test.
Chris drove to get from the golf course
to the hotel, then he gives about another
10 minutes for the crime.
hen Chris processed to the next job site
about 7 miles away in the traffic.
Giving about 10 minutes for loading
the truck, Proceeding to the closest
Perry would’ve had to go to receive
adio contact from his boss.
erry would have had to do the entire
trip and commit the murder in 1 hour
and 15 minutes, it took Chris
approximately an hour and a 22 minutes
to do the trip. Chris says,
“The timeline doesn’t stand.”
Perry to commit the murder.
So, once again, Chris puts it to the test.
Chris drove to get from the golf course
to the hotel, then he gives about another
10 minutes for the crime.
hen Chris processed to the next job site
about 7 miles away in the traffic.
Giving about 10 minutes for loading
the truck, Proceeding to the closest
Perry would’ve had to go to receive
adio contact from his boss.
erry would have had to do the entire
trip and commit the murder in 1 hour
and 15 minutes, it took Chris
approximately an hour and a 22 minutes
to do the trip. Chris says,
“The timeline doesn’t stand.”
Fatima looks into Lydia’s claim
that junk science was used to
convict Perry. She speaks with
Chris Robinson, a firearms expert.
He said the bullets came from either
a .22 revolver or a derringer,
Perry owned a revolver.
Robinson says, “No two gun
barrels are alike, they’re like
the fingerprints on your hand.
Every time a bullet is fired from
a barrel, it can be matched to that
barrel and that barrel only.”
Fatima said that Perry’s guns
didn’t have a barrel that matched
those bullets and said the theory
was he switched out the barrel.
Robinson says for a revolver
“You would have to be a gunsmith
or a machinist to be able to replace
that barrel.” Other than that, it’s not
possible to switch the barrels.
that junk science was used to
convict Perry. She speaks with
Chris Robinson, a firearms expert.
He said the bullets came from either
a .22 revolver or a derringer,
Perry owned a revolver.
Robinson says, “No two gun
barrels are alike, they’re like
the fingerprints on your hand.
Every time a bullet is fired from
a barrel, it can be matched to that
barrel and that barrel only.”
Fatima said that Perry’s guns
didn’t have a barrel that matched
those bullets and said the theory
was he switched out the barrel.
Robinson says for a revolver
“You would have to be a gunsmith
or a machinist to be able to replace
that barrel.” Other than that, it’s not
possible to switch the barrels.
Chris talks to Retired Lead Detective
Sam Buice about the Perry’s family’s
concern about how the evidence was handled.
Sam admits to being a rookie detective
when he conducted the investigation
on Barbara Mikell’s murder.
He said he could tell how the shots
were fired under and not over the
pillow indicated that the suspect didn’t
want to watch the victim while he did it.
Buice said they didn’t have the cigarette
butts tested, because they were
outside and old.
They could have come from anybody.
Chris asked about the q-tip
that was never tested. He said it was tested,
it contained a female’s DNA,
but he doesn’t know if it was the victim’s.
Chris asked about the family’s concern
about the blood on the shoes,
Sam said there was no blood on the shoes
or near them.
He said before Perry was notified of
Barbara’s murder, he came to the
police station. Sam and another detective
talked to him and gave him a death notification.
He said they did that to get his reaction,
and there wasn’t one.
Sam remembers Perry just staring at
the ground but no reaction.
He didn’t ask any questions about his
wife’s murder. Sam doesn’t believe the
evidence alone was enough to convict
Perry of murder. “The totality of the
investigation, absolutely, without a doubt”.
Sam Buice about the Perry’s family’s
concern about how the evidence was handled.
Sam admits to being a rookie detective
when he conducted the investigation
on Barbara Mikell’s murder.
He said he could tell how the shots
were fired under and not over the
pillow indicated that the suspect didn’t
want to watch the victim while he did it.
Buice said they didn’t have the cigarette
butts tested, because they were
outside and old.
They could have come from anybody.
Chris asked about the q-tip
that was never tested. He said it was tested,
it contained a female’s DNA,
but he doesn’t know if it was the victim’s.
Chris asked about the family’s concern
about the blood on the shoes,
Sam said there was no blood on the shoes
or near them.
He said before Perry was notified of
Barbara’s murder, he came to the
police station. Sam and another detective
talked to him and gave him a death notification.
He said they did that to get his reaction,
and there wasn’t one.
Sam remembers Perry just staring at
the ground but no reaction.
He didn’t ask any questions about his
wife’s murder. Sam doesn’t believe the
evidence alone was enough to convict
Perry of murder. “The totality of the
investigation, absolutely, without a doubt”.
Fatima and Chris come together to
compare notes. Chris says there’s no
way Perry commited the murder during
that time frame.
Fatima says she spoke to one of the
witnesses, and he was describing a
totally different kind of truck.
Chris says he’ll be talking to Perry
himself, while Fatima plans to talk
to the victim’s family.
compare notes. Chris says there’s no
way Perry commited the murder during
that time frame.
Fatima says she spoke to one of the
witnesses, and he was describing a
totally different kind of truck.
Chris says he’ll be talking to Perry
himself, while Fatima plans to talk
to the victim’s family.
Chris says Perry would have to be
pretty brazen to drive up to a motel,
park his 65 foot truck in broad daylight,
and kill his wife. Chris gets his phone
call from Perry. Perry says it was a
good marriage, but it wasn’t perfect.
He said Barbara was cute, but
communication wasn’t the best.
He admits that the lack of communication
pushed him into cheating.
He stayed in the marriage,
because he didn’t want to lose his
nice house and property.
Perry regrets what happened.
Perry admits to committing 5 affairs,
and said Barbara knew about one of them.
Instead of fighting, they talked about it.
He said he didn’t want a divorce.
As far as he knows, Barbara didn’t
have any affairs even though Perry
believes she had a right to. Perry says
the day of the murder, he tells Barbara
that he’ll be home late don’t expect him
for dinner. She said that she was going
to visit Kathy (daughter) and Abby
(granddaughter). Looking back,
Perry thinks she may have been
having an affair. Perry says he was in
shock when he found out about
Barbara’s murder. He also says he’s
not an emotional person, which why
he didn’t cry. Perry said it was 6
months after Barbara’s (wife) murder
when he started seeing Barbara (fiancee).
Chris gave Perry a chance to confess to
his wife’s murder, but he didn’t.
pretty brazen to drive up to a motel,
park his 65 foot truck in broad daylight,
and kill his wife. Chris gets his phone
call from Perry. Perry says it was a
good marriage, but it wasn’t perfect.
He said Barbara was cute, but
communication wasn’t the best.
He admits that the lack of communication
pushed him into cheating.
He stayed in the marriage,
because he didn’t want to lose his
nice house and property.
Perry regrets what happened.
Perry admits to committing 5 affairs,
and said Barbara knew about one of them.
Instead of fighting, they talked about it.
He said he didn’t want a divorce.
As far as he knows, Barbara didn’t
have any affairs even though Perry
believes she had a right to. Perry says
the day of the murder, he tells Barbara
that he’ll be home late don’t expect him
for dinner. She said that she was going
to visit Kathy (daughter) and Abby
(granddaughter). Looking back,
Perry thinks she may have been
having an affair. Perry says he was in
shock when he found out about
Barbara’s murder. He also says he’s
not an emotional person, which why
he didn’t cry. Perry said it was 6
months after Barbara’s (wife) murder
when he started seeing Barbara (fiancee).
Chris gave Perry a chance to confess to
his wife’s murder, but he didn’t.
Fatima talks about how Lydia and
Barbara (fiancee) claim Perry had no
motive to kill Barbara (wife).
Fatima goes to talk to Barbara’s (wife)
son Leslie, his wife Faye, and her best
friend Mary to find out what they
think their marriage was really like.
Her son adored her. Mary claims she
saw no love between Barbara and Perry.
Leslie didn’t like him, he felt he couldn’t
do anything right in his eyes.
Neither Leslie nor Faye knew about
the affairs until the trial. Fatima
mentioned the motel manager claims
Barbara has been there before with
other men, but they don’t believe it.
Faye said that Perry was cold when
he was told about the murder.
They believe he killed her for the
insurance money, and they believe
he’s where he needs to be.
Barbara (fiancee) claim Perry had no
motive to kill Barbara (wife).
Fatima goes to talk to Barbara’s (wife)
son Leslie, his wife Faye, and her best
friend Mary to find out what they
think their marriage was really like.
Her son adored her. Mary claims she
saw no love between Barbara and Perry.
Leslie didn’t like him, he felt he couldn’t
do anything right in his eyes.
Neither Leslie nor Faye knew about
the affairs until the trial. Fatima
mentioned the motel manager claims
Barbara has been there before with
other men, but they don’t believe it.
Faye said that Perry was cold when
he was told about the murder.
They believe he killed her for the
insurance money, and they believe
he’s where he needs to be.
Fatima and Chris return to Barbara
(fiancee) and Lydia to discuss their findings.
Chris said that the route that should
have taken Perry 1 hour and 15 minutes
took him 1 hour and 22 minutes,
so the timeline doesn’t match up.
Fatima says one of the witnesses died,
so she talked to the other.
He said the police twisted his words,
and he signed the statement without
reading it. Det Buice said he took
George’s statement as he said it,
but Fatima says she believes George.
Chris explains what Sam said about
the evidence. Chris says Buice was a
rookie and didn’t collect and test the
evidence correctly, but he did a decent
job. Fatima mentions how the expert
said it would have been too difficult
for Perry to switch the barrel on his gun.
She said that the insurance policy could
have been a motive, but then everyone
would have a motive to kill their spouse.
Chris said, “If this was my case,
I would have never taken it to the DA.”
The police did not have a single piece
of evidence. Fatima said, “I can’t look
you in the eyes and tell you that Perry’s
innocent, because I don’t know, but
what I do know is that the system let
him down. We believe he was wrongfully
convicted, and we want to help you.”
Chris and Fatima are going to hire a
private investigator to help on the case,
because there was a rush to judgement.
(fiancee) and Lydia to discuss their findings.
Chris said that the route that should
have taken Perry 1 hour and 15 minutes
took him 1 hour and 22 minutes,
so the timeline doesn’t match up.
Fatima says one of the witnesses died,
so she talked to the other.
He said the police twisted his words,
and he signed the statement without
reading it. Det Buice said he took
George’s statement as he said it,
but Fatima says she believes George.
Chris explains what Sam said about
the evidence. Chris says Buice was a
rookie and didn’t collect and test the
evidence correctly, but he did a decent
job. Fatima mentions how the expert
said it would have been too difficult
for Perry to switch the barrel on his gun.
She said that the insurance policy could
have been a motive, but then everyone
would have a motive to kill their spouse.
Chris said, “If this was my case,
I would have never taken it to the DA.”
The police did not have a single piece
of evidence. Fatima said, “I can’t look
you in the eyes and tell you that Perry’s
innocent, because I don’t know, but
what I do know is that the system let
him down. We believe he was wrongfully
convicted, and we want to help you.”
Chris and Fatima are going to hire a
private investigator to help on the case,
because there was a rush to judgement.
Chris says to the fiancee, “Barbara,
I want to caution you. Perry admitted
to me that before he went to prison,
he was not a good man. He was a liar,
and he was a cheater. He says he’s a
changed man now, and that he’s found God.
And for your sake, I honestly hope that’s
true, because even though Perry may
not be a murderer, he has never been able
to give the woman in his life the love and
faithfulness that you deserve.”
I want to caution you. Perry admitted
to me that before he went to prison,
he was not a good man. He was a liar,
and he was a cheater. He says he’s a
changed man now, and that he’s found God.
And for your sake, I honestly hope that’s
true, because even though Perry may
not be a murderer, he has never been able
to give the woman in his life the love and
faithfulness that you deserve.”
Thank you for reading. Please join us next
week for another episode.
week for another episode.
Tweets to follow:
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@DiscoveryID
@Det_CAnderson
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@UnofficialRD
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