Ice Cold Case, a new podcast started by Madison McGhee seeks to unravel the unsolved mystery of her father’s murder that happened two decades ago. The tragic event took place in 2002 in Bridgeport, Ohio when John McGhee, then 45, was killed in his home doorway, presumably a result of a botched home invasion according to Belmont County Sheriff’s Office. However, Madison counters this theory, indicating its inconsistency with the fact that her father was a former drug dealer turned confidential informant for local law enforcement.
Ice Cold Case discusses varying theories and potential suspects behind the killing. The podcast highlights the narrative around a group of about four men dressed in black who allegedly invaded John McGhee’s sister’s house, demanded drugs or money, and later moved to John’s house, resulting in the fatal shot.
Madison McGhee, who was informed about her father’s murder ten years after his death, initiated the investigation amidst the Covid pandemic, interviewing multiple people connected to her father. Throughout the series, Madison introduces various characters from her father’s past and insinuates that her father was in the middle of a custody battle at the time of his death.
Despite the various leads and theories, no dominant suspect has emerged from the investigations. Immediately after the murder, one individual, Daryl Smith, was considered a potential suspect by the Belmont County Sheriff’s department and the prosecutor’s office based on information from eyewitnesses, but his case was dismissed by a Grand Jury.
McGhee plans to continue Ice Cold Case beyond the initially planned eight episodes, hoping that public exposure might lead to new information.
