48 Hours Mystery: No Way Out

(Photos courtesy of Louise Bashi, press contact, CBS News: Top-Mabel and Sal Mangano decide not to evacuate the nursing home, leading to the deaths of 35 residents; Bottom-a lone wheelchair sits in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at St. Rita's Nursing Home.)

Everyone remembers the numerous tragedies that resulted from Hurricane Katrina. This week on 48 Hours Mystery, they take a deeper look into the case of Mabel and Sal Mangano, caregivers at St. Rita's Nursing Home and their decision to not evacuate their residents.

COUPLE WHO FAILED TO EVACUATE ST. RITA’S NURSING HOME WHERE 35 DIED AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT THEIR DECISION ON "48 HOURS MYSTERY" SATURDAY, FEB. 2, 2008 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT)

“WE LOST PEOPLE THAT WE LOVED, BUT THE DECISION IS MADE AND WE CAN’T GO BACK AND CHANGE IT,” SAYS MABEL MANGANO.

“WE HAVE A STIGMA THAT’S GOING TO FOLLOW US FOR A LONG TIME.”

Among the countless stories of catastrophe from Hurricane Katrina, perhaps one of the most horrific was that of St. Rita’s Nursing Home in St. Bernard Parish, where 35 elderly residents drowned because their caregivers decided not to evacuate the home.

In the days before Katrina hit, numerous evacuation warnings were issued in the New Orleans area, but over the years many residents had grown accustomed to storm warnings and were reluctant to leave. Among those who chose to stay were Sal and Mabel Mangano, who ran St. Rita’s. Their failure to evacuate resulted in the death of over half their patients. Subsequently, the Manganos were charged with 35 counts of negligent homicide for those that perished and 24 counts of cruelty to the infirm for those who survived. They faced over 200 years in prison if convicted.

“We lost people that we loved, but the decision is made and we can’t go back and change it,” says Mabel. “We have a stigma that’s going to follow us for a long time.”

The couple did not testify at their trial and until now, has refused to speak publicly about why they didn’t evacuate. In their first and only interview, Sal, 67, and Mabel, 65, tell 48 HOURS MYSTERY that, at the time, they believed they were doing the right thing by staying. In the absence of a direct evacuation order of St. Bernard Parish, the Manganos claim they considered the warnings to be just that – warnings.

“If it was mandatory, we felt like they would have come to help us, and we would have evacuated,” says Mabel.

“We don’t know how many would pass away by doing an evacuation. For 20 years we’ve never lost a resident during a hurricane,” says Sal.

The couple also claims that it was the breakage of the levees that killed their residents and not the actual hurricane. “The hurricane came that night and it was windy,” explains Mabel. “The parking lot didn’t have any water in it…So we felt real good the morning of the hurricane. We felt like, ‘God, it’s gone. We have made it. All of our residents are safe.’” Then, she says, “I heard them say, ‘The water is coming.’”

“Everything just happened so fast. Whoever was right there, you try and grab them,” Sal describes. “If they was in a wheelchair or the wheelchair turned over, as fast as it came in the building, they drowned within a matter of just a bit. It was horrible.”

Prosecutors maintain that the absence of a mandatory evacuation order was merely a technicality and that the Manganos were to blame for the deaths, a sentiment shared by the family members of those lost. “What’s sad is it could’ve been avoided,“ says Joe Galladoro, son of one of the victims. “We placed our faith and our trust in them...They betrayed that trust that we had.”

Now, two years after Katrina and five months after the trial many find it hard to forgive the Manganos. Others question whether the couple should still be held accountable for what was ultimately a larger breakdown among government officials and design mistakes by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, who built the failed levee system.

Harold Dow reports on the Manganos and their trial on 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "No Way Out," on Saturday, Feb. 2 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. This broadcast is produced by Paul Ryan and Sara Rodriguez. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer and Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

For a video preview of this episode, click here.

48 Hours Mystery: Trigger Point

Drew and Jenny Eisenman, in happier days.
(photo courtesy of Louise Bashi, press contact for CBS News)







This week's 48 Hours Mystery is on a special night with an all new episode. The episode highlights the case of Jenny Eisenman and her side of the story regarding the murder of her husband, Drew. Thanks to Louise Bashi once again for sending all the details. The episode airs Tuesday, January 29th. Check broadcast times in your area.

A SWEET, SOFT-SPOKEN WIFE AND TEACHER KILLS HER HUSBAND – WAS IT SELF DEFENSE OR MURDER?

"48 HOURS MYSTERY" ON TUESDAY, JAN. 29, 2008

In May 2004, Jenny Eisenman shot her husband Drew six times, killing him instantly, an act she claimed was self-defense. Drew was handsome, athletic and fun, while Jenny was slender, pretty and sweet. Living in Houston , both shared an interest in children and education – Jenny was an elementary school teacher, while Drew was a high school basketball coach. But behind the scenes, their fairytale relationship was quickly deteriorating. Jenny discovered that Drew was having an affair while she was pregnant with their first child. Worse, when their son was born, Drew brought his mistress to Jenny’s hospital room to hold the baby. Jenny and Drew separated a few months later.

Both Drew and Jenny attempted to maintain a civil relationship for the sake of their son, but all that changed one night in May 2004 when police were summoned to Jenny’s apartment after a frantic 911 call in which she admitted to shooting Drew. Expecting to find a homicide scene, police were in for two surprises – a pristine apartment with no sign of struggle or blood and the discovery of Drew’s body outside on the curb stuffed into a storage tub, the same one used to store the family Christmas tree.

Jenny claimed the shooting was an act of self defense against a brutal beating, and told police that Drew had abused her repeatedly in the past. Despite numerous bruises on her legs, police were convinced otherwise. They discovered there was something Jenny didn’t tell them: about an hour after the shooting she had gone to Wal-Mart to pick up spackle and paint to hide the bullet holes. But it was a series of provocative and sexual emails that Jenny sent Drew during the time that he was allegedly abusing her that helped convince a jury that this was not an act of self defense.

Although it would seem that this would be the end of the story, it is far from it. Did Jenny kill Drew in self defense or was it a calculated murder? Jenny Eisenman speaks on camera for the first time and tells her story to 48 HOURS MYSTERY.

Richard Schlesinger reports 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Trigger Point," on Tuesday, Jan. 29 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. This broadcast is produced by Marcelena Spencer and Jenna Jackson. Judy Tygard is the senior producer and Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

For a preview of the broadcast, please click here.

48 Hours Mystery: "Secrets In Palm Beach"

Top- Linda Fishman

Bottom- Michael Jamrock, Linda's nephew and suspect in her murder.







Once again, I am pleased to present this preview of another episode of 48 Hours Mystery. This week's episode highlights the case of murdered Florida socialite Linda Fishman. All preview information, photos, and video provided by Louise Bashi, press contact for CBS News-unless otherwise noted.

A FLORIDA SOCIALITE IS FOUND STANGLED UNVEILING A SECRET LIFE OF DANGEROUS LOVERS AND A BOMBSHELL NO ONE WAS EXPECTING.

"48 HOURS MYSTERY" ON SATURDAY, JAN. 19, 2008

Palm Beach, Fl invokes images of wealth, sun and beauty, but on February 7, 2003 a sinister side of this town exposed itself when Linda Fishman, a beloved socialite known for her kindness, generosity and outgoing personality – who spent a lot of time there – was found murdered in her nearby home.

After working for years as the chief court administrator in Hartford , CT , where she met her husband Judge Milton Fishman, Linda moved to Boca Raton when he died unexpectedly of heart failure. Determined to make a fresh start Linda inserted herself in to the Palm Beach social scene, where the vivacious socialite developed a reputation as a caregiver to everyone from her nephew to her hairdresser.

It was this benevolence that police believed was the ultimate cause of her death. But who would want Linda dead? At first, they suspected her nephew, Michael Jamrock, a popular DJ at local radio stations. With a shaky alibi and questionable financial situation compounded with his odd behavior in the wake of his aunt’s death and a failed lie detector test, authorities had a powerful case. So powerful in fact that Michael’s own family began to question his involvement too.

As police dug deeper, however, they discovered that this socialite had a secret life – one filled with dubious younger men. But Linda’s murder remained unsolved until investigators received a bombshell anonymous letter that would turn this case on its head.

Troy Roberts reports 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Secrets in Palm Beach ," on Saturday, Jan. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. This broadcast is produced by Mary Noonan. Anthony Batson is the senior broadcast producer and Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

This Week's "48 Hours Mystery": Castro Valley's Jane Doe

Once again, I would like to bring your attention to a case featured on "48 Hours Mystery". You may remember seeing the recontruction of the young girl who was found brutally murdered in 2003. This 48 Hours Mystery episode takes you through the process of the reconstruction, highlights the determination of a cop who was haunted by this case from the beginning, the outrage of a community, and finally the identification of the victim. Please check your local listings for broadcast times. The show is on an hour earlier this week!!







Left to Right: Reconstruction of "Jane Doe"; Yesenia Nungaray/"Jane Doe"; Miguel Castaneda, potential suspect.
(Thanks to Louise Bashi, CBS News press contact, for providing the photos.)

A COP’S OBSESSION, A COMMUNITY’S RESOLVE, A FORENSIC SCULPTOR AND A 48 HOURS BROADCAST HELP IDENTIFY A MURDERED GIRL THEY CALLED JANE DOE­­--- BUT WILL POLICE FIND HER KILLER?




"48 HOURS MYSTERY" ON SATURDAY, DEC. 15



On the night of May 1, 2003, a teenage girl’s body was found in a trash bag left behind a restaurant in peaceful Castro Valley , Calif. The gruesome discovery became one detective’s obsession and touched the entire community, which came to call the young girl “ Castro Valley ’s Jane Doe.”



With no identity, the chances of tracking down Jane Doe’s killer were slim. Following countless leads, police eventually turned to forensic sculptor Gloria Nusse who embarked on an incredible effort over several weeks, to recreate Jane Doe’s face. Armed with this lifelike construction, police hoped to track down the victim’s identity, an effort that was fruitless, until suddenly the tide turned.



After the relentless efforts of the authorities and the local community, and a tip after a 48 Hours broadcast, police finally caught a break that led them to Yahualica , Mexico , a bereaved mother and a potential suspect.



Now, knowing the identity of their beloved Jane Doe, will police find their killer, and close the case that has haunted them for five years?



Harold Dow reports 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "The Girl Next Door," on Saturday, Dec. 15 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT)** on the CBS Television Network. This broadcast is produced by Clare Friedland. Judy Tygard is the senior producer, Al Briganti is the executive editor and Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

To preview this week's episode, please click here.

Tonight on 48 Hours Mystery: Fugitive Esther Reed

Top: Esther Reed, using Brooke Henson's identity; Bottom: The real Brooke Henson, still missing. (Photos provided by Louise Bashi, press contact for CBS news)

I apologize for being so late on this, as many projects and other life "goings-ons" have taken up a large portion of my week. So, for those interested in watching this week's episode of 48 Hours Mystery (CBS), here are the highlights of the episode sent to me via email from Louise Bashi. Thanks, Louise :)

INVESTIGATORS THOUGHT THEY TRACKED DOWN A MISSING SOUTH CAROLINA GIRL TO AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL , BUT DISCOVERED INSTEAD, A YOUNG CON WOMAN WHO IS OUTSMARTING THEM ALL

"48 HOURS MYSTERY" ON SATURDAY, DEC. 1

In the summer of 2006, Lisa Henson received the call that she patiently waited seven years for - police had found her missing niece, Brooke, enrolled at Columbia University and were on their way to meet her. But just as Henson's greatest hope was realized, it was quickly dashed when police discovered that the woman they had found was not Brooke. In fact, they had stumbled onto the trail of Esther Reed, a young woman who is still outsmarting them all.

Esther Elizabeth Reed disappeared from her Seattle home in the summer of 1999, right around the time of Brooke Henson's disappearance from her home in Travelers Rest, S.C. While Brooke was a free spirit, Esther was a sullen teen, a gifted chess player whose intelligence far exceeded her age and, as police would uncover, one whose life became a cross-country con of fake identities and frustrated dreams.

From Seattle to Arizona to California , Chicago , Boston and New York , among others, Reed has reinvented herself as a career chess player, a debate champion and even an Ivy League student attending Columbia and Harvard Universities . Over the course of her journey, Reed has used at least four different names, seduced military personnel, and allegedly stolen over $100,000 in student loans.

With a federal indictment and the Secret Service on the hunt, Reed, a high school dropout remains one step ahead, giving authorities a run for their money. "She is not Esther Reed. She is not Brooke Henson," says John Urquhardt a Sergeant with the King County Sheriff's Office in Seattle , Washington , "but she is somewhere and she is somebody."

Now, 48 HOURS MYSTERY launches its own investigation in conjunction with local police, private investigators, friends and family, and obtains exclusive interviews with one of Esther Reed's victims, a number of former lovers, an ex-con in Chicago, and a medical student who remained best friends with Reed for years, never suspecting what she was really up to. Additionally FBI consultant Frank Abagnale, whose exploits as a phony pilot, lawyer, and doctor inspired the motion picture "Catch Me If You Can," weighs in on the case.

Peter Van Sant reports 48 HOURS MYSTERY: "Capture the Queen," on Saturday, Dec. 1 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The broadcast is produced by Miguel Sancho. Chris O'Connell is the associate producer. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

You can find the video preview here.

This Week's "48 Hours Mystery": The Madeleine McCann

First, a personal note to everyone. My apologies for the light amount of blogging lately. I've had really crazy work hours lately, and I'm also trying to work on a couple other projects as well.

Left to Right:
Jane Tanner, McCann family, composite of alleged kidnapper.
(Courtesy of Louise Bashi, CBS News)

I received an email from Louise Bashi, the press contact for CBS News about an exclusive episode of "48 Hours Mystery". This week's episode covers the Madeleine McCann case. While I haven't blogged about the case before this time, I thought you all would be interested in this episode.

48 HOURS EXCLUSIVE

“I MIGHT HAVE SEEN MADELEINE BEING ABDUCTED,”
SAYS JANE TANNER, ONE OF THE McCANN DINNER COMPANIONS THE NIGHT OF MADELEINE’S DISAPPEARANCE

Private Investigator Says He is 100% Sure Maddie is Alive

“I never in a million years thought it could have been Madeleine…It was just complete shock and complete horror that I might have seen Madeleine being abducted,” says Jane Tanner in her first public interview to be broadcast on 48 HOURS MYSTERY reported by Peter Van Sant on Saturday, Nov. 17 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

In this exclusive interview, Tanner, one of the McCanns’ friends and dinner companions at The Tapas Restaurant the night of Maddie’s disappearance, describes catching a glimpse of an oddly dressed man carrying a child. “I just saw somebody walking across the top of the road…that person was carrying a child,” she recounts. “I could tell it was a child…I could see the pajamas and the feet.” Tanner initially thought nothing of it, but is now certain that she saw the abduction in progress.

Tanner goes on to say that she told police what she saw that same night. “As soon as the police arrived, they were brought to the apartment and I told them what I’d seen…And then the CID (Criminal Investigative Department) people arrived a little later I again told them exactly what I’d seen.” Her description even led to an artist’s rendering distributed by the family a month ago.

Tanner strongly supports the McCanns, saying they had nothing to do with Madeleine’s disappearance, “We know Kate and Gerry well. We know that there’s no way that what the media are saying is true. It’s just madness.”

Francisco Marco, a Spanish private investigator hired by a supporter of the McCanns, expresses a similar sentiment, claiming to have answers the whole world has been waiting for. “We’re 100% sure that she is alive. We are sure she was abducted. We are very, very close to finding the kidnapper.”

In addition to these explosive revelations, 48 HOURS has acquired information from a highly placed source in the investigation who discloses that Portuguese police are now not investigating homicide by Kate and Gerry McCann as a possibility. 48 Hours has also learned from police sources that the DNA is inconclusive and will not solve this case. 48 Hours also went undercover, hiring top US private investigator Joseph Moura, who has handled cases in Portugal . Moura unearthed eyewitness accounts that contradict both the local investigators’ and the McCanns’ versions of the events of May 3.

What really happened the night Madeleine McCann vanished? Are the McCanns and their friends telling the entire truth? Are authorities close to catching someone?

48 HOURS MYSTERY: WHERE’S MADDIE? is produced by Doug Longhini, Joe Halderman, Liza Finley, Avi Cohen, Patti Aronofsky and Peter Henderson. Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

This 48 HOURS report was prepared in cooperation with the BBC and Sociedade Independente de Comunicaco Sa/TV of Portugal . CBS’ 48 HOURS program and BBC’s Panorama are prepared independently.

There is also a video preview of the episode. It's an episode you won't want to miss with never before seen footage of Kate and Gerry McCann.

48 Hours Mystery Highlights Dr. Stidham Murder Case

I first found out when the 48 Hours Mystery show highlighting the Dr. Stidham murder case from reading Tucson Citizen reporter A.J. Flick's blog about the Stidham case.

I also received an email with a profile of the upcoming episode, which I would like to share.

Dr. Brian Stidham with his son

Dr. Brian Stidham with Dr. Bradley Schwartz(R)

(Logo and Photos provided by Louise Bashi, press contact for CBS News)

A BELOVED CHILDREN’S EYE DOCTOR IS BRUTALLY MURDERED IN TUCSON REVEALING A SHOCKING WEB OF SEX, DRUGS AND REVENGE ON "48 HOURS MYSTERY" ON SATURDAY, OCT. 27

Brian Stidham was a beloved family man and a talented eye surgeon who graduated with honors from Harvard Medical School. The 37 year-old doctor’s career was taking off when he moved his family from Texas to Tucson for a position alongside a renowned surgeon named Dr. Bradley Schwartz. But Stidham’s promising life was cut short in October of 2004 when he was found murdered in the parking lot outside his office. Stabbed 15 times, Stidham’s death shook the town to its core. The results of the subsequent investigation contained shocking revelations about Dr. Schwartz, involving sex, drugs and an insatiable hatred of Dr. Stidham. Schwartz had been living a secret life that included extramarital affairs, and an addiction to Vicodin. When he was indicted on drug charges, his new partner, Dr. Brian Stidham, decided to launch his own successful practice. Schwartz became enraged and blamed Stidham for stealing his patients and staff. For years, Schwartz was consumed by rage and a desire for revenge. Detectives believe Schwartz hired a hitman to kill his former partner on the night of October 5, 2004, but he cunningly established an alibi by going on a date at the time of the murder. Lead investigator Jill Murphy recalls “some of the witnesses that came forward had told us that Dr. Schwartz had said that he would not have committed the murder himself, that he would have someone do it for him.” This story of an unquenchable hatred and obsession for revenge that ends in murder is reported by Peter Van Sant, on 48 HOURS MYSTERY, this Saturday, Oct. 27 ( 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

“An Eye for an Eye” is produced by Ian Paisley, Joe Halderman, and Lourdes Aguiar. Anthony Batson is senior producer and Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.

For a video preview, go to the following link 48 Hours Mystery: Eye For An Eye.

Many of you already know that Dr. Brian Stidham was my daughter's eye doctor. He performed her first eye surgery in June 4, 2004, four months before his brutal murder.