Chapter 9: SUSPICIOUS

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER_15]: Missing in Hush Town Season 1 is proudly sponsored by the following

[00:00:03] [SPEAKER_15]: Relive Studio, Andy B's Boutique, 615 Real Estate Advisors and Hometown Connect

[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_15]: Thank you to our sponsors

[00:00:13] [SPEAKER_15]: This episode is sponsored by Barnyard Academy, a nature-based school on a small working farm in Robertson County, Tennessee

[00:00:22] [SPEAKER_15]: Welcome to Missing in Hush Town Season 1 Chapter 9 titled, Suspicious

[00:00:26] [SPEAKER_15]: Now I want to invite everyone to open the folder I placed before them titled, Suspicious

[00:00:32] [SPEAKER_15]: And if you'll kindly turn your attention to the first item, Concrete Pads, then we can begin

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_15]: Cindy Benton, Joe Benton, Joey Benton, Jennifer Wicks and Adriana Wicks

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_15]: All lived in the brick ranch-style home on the Benton property on March 24th, 2004

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_15]: On March 25th, 2004, Cindy Benton, Joe Benton and Joey Benton were the only three remaining in that home at the time

[00:01:02] [SPEAKER_15]: Jennifer Wicks and Adriana Wicks would never be heard from again

[00:01:06] [SPEAKER_15]: Shortly after the girls went missing, a concrete slab was poured next to the home on the Benton property

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_15]: We're going to dive into this a little bit deeper. This is Missing in Hush Town Season 1 Chapter 9

[00:01:45] [SPEAKER_15]: Here we go. Here's T.C. Collins who helped build this home in 2004, just one month after the girls went missing

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: You know, I helped them build their house. That's another thing. You know, the rumors about, oh, they're buried in the concrete or under the floor

[00:02:04] [SPEAKER_01]: I pulled up when Joey was mixing bag cement in a mixer and pouring the foundation around the house

[00:02:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And so I know for a fact that there's about 70 feet right there that ain't got anything in it. It's like 3 feet

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a 3 by 3. It's a, like a, it's a, you know, it's a shape of the house. It's a rectangle

[00:02:32] [SPEAKER_01]: But it's a 3 by 3 foundation solid concrete

[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Is that typical for what they needed it for?

[00:02:38] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not, but there's not anything typical in what they needed it for

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_01]: What do you mean?

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, they overhauled every single thing that I say they but me and Joey built it and and big job

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_01]: He mainly just, you know, drug logs with tractor, but they got a portable sawmill and cut their own timber, dried it

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_01]: And then we built the house

[00:03:02] [SPEAKER_01]: But they went overhauled on everything. They went to the house to stand 400 years is what Big Joe said

[00:03:09] [SPEAKER_02]: So everything not just the concrete

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Everything's overhauled. They have steel, you know, the storage rack beams that they're having like loaves and Home Depot

[00:03:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Those things are rated for like 4,000 pounds, but if they're rated for 4,000 pounds, they hold 8

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_01]: So they use that to make their floor and then put wood over top of it

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_01]: And you could drive a Sherman tank on it, you know, and and all the bit the timbers are all 2 by 2 timbers, you know, and

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_01]: You know up to 20 foot long. I mean they had some nice timber on their property and and they use it

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_01]: So everything's big. They wanted it to look like outdoor world

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_01]: That's what that's the scheme they're going for

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_01]: The only thing that was weird to me is how much foundation was pulled with with bag crete because that would kill a man

[00:04:08] [SPEAKER_01]: After knowing what I know now about concrete

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I have no idea why I mean I do. I guess it had to do with price but it's a lot cheaper

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_01]: But it's because you got to mix it bag by bag and it was a lot of work. I remember when he was doing it

[00:04:25] [SPEAKER_01]: That's one part I got out of, you know, I pulled up he was doing that. I'm like, well, you're busy and we'll go

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_01]: I hope to build everything else. I didn't want none of that. It was it was awful looking

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_02]: He was sweating a desk but so the rumors about the girls remains being in the concrete of I don't believe

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_01]: If I mean if they were just makes everything I'm saying is speculation, you know, just like everybody else is

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't have any more valuable and opinion than anybody else but as a concrete man

[00:04:57] [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't make sense to put them inside of the form in the concrete

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_01]: It would make more sense to put them underneath concrete where it's not going to be x-rayed

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_15]: Is it suspicious that a concrete pad was poured very soon on the Benton property after the girls disappeared?

[00:05:16] [SPEAKER_15]: Okay, I can see it argued both ways one. It's just coincidental timing

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_15]: Is there evidence that this structure was planned before April of 2004 when construction began?

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_15]: This could give credibility to the Benton's they could say hey look we have purchase orders of concrete and other materials from before the girls went missing

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_15]: We have receipts to show you that this was a plan in motion or two was it purposeful?

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_15]: The added factor that the Benton family never joined in any searches along with the construction of this overly poured concrete slab

[00:05:57] [SPEAKER_15]: Now recall the amount of concrete used was said to be astronomical and they hand poured it all the hand mixed all of it

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_15]: Now we do know that saves quite a bit of money but still why so much overkill on the concrete?

[00:06:12] [SPEAKER_15]: I was able to find that the typical depth of a concrete foundation for a house let alone a barn is six inches maximum for this barn or later house

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_15]: Is it possible that the construction of this house was a project to distract the Benton family from everything going on in the background?

[00:06:31] [SPEAKER_15]: I'm not insinuating they are guilty of anything in the situation except avoiding facing rumors accusations and speculation

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_15]: Was this a busy body project while they navigated through Hushed Hands rumor mill about them?

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_15]: Or are the girls' remains under that concrete slab under that house?

[00:06:55] [SPEAKER_15]: Was this building ever searched? Well according to Casey's recollection the columns were searched by law enforcement

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_15]: Let's listen to what was done in the past Casey, Buddy and myself sat down to talk

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_05]: Now law enforcement has told me in the last couple of years they've told me not that's when the search because I don't know when exactly this search was done

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_05]: Buddy and I were trying to figure that out but they told me that they did bring out GPR equipment and search the columns underneath the new cabin that was built

[00:07:26] [SPEAKER_05]: Certain foundations in this particular house like there's the footings or whatever the concrete footings and then there's like big three by three like cinder block concrete columns under there

[00:07:39] [SPEAKER_05]: So to my knowledge that is what they search air quotes because I can't confirm that when they went out there

[00:07:47] [SPEAKER_15]: Each anniversary the Wicks family and friends do something in remembrance of Jennifer and Adriana

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_15]: Kathy's late husband Larry started a bike ride he called Chain of Hope

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_15]: It garnered a lot of support over the years with the family leading a caravan of both motorcycles and cars through cross planes

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_15]: Down the side roads and in front of the Benton home

[00:08:07] [SPEAKER_15]: Each chain of hope Jennifer sister Casey pulls out her sister's folder of CDs

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_15]: This is one of the few items that Joey dropped off in trash bags at Kathy's house

[00:08:17] [SPEAKER_11]: In fact I remember he returned her things in large black garbage bags

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_11]: And most of the stuff that was in those garbage bags didn't belong to Jennifer

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER_11]: Or Adriana

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_11]: Most of it was trash and other people's clothing

[00:08:35] [SPEAKER_11]: And it was as if they had just scooped stuff up off of a nasty floor

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_11]: And throw it in this these trash bags and brought it over to my house

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_11]: And whatever was in there that was Jennifer's was Jennifer's and whatever was in there with somebody else

[00:08:54] [SPEAKER_11]: But I can remember going through every one of those trash bags

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_11]: I had this large sunroom at my house and emptied them all out on the floor in the sunroom

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_11]: And just started going through every little piece and collecting hairs off of stuffed animals

[00:09:13] [SPEAKER_11]: And stuff and putting it in baggies

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_11]: And of course the toothbrushes and just everything like that

[00:09:21] [SPEAKER_11]: Turned all that stuff over to the police

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_11]: Found a t-shirt of Jennifer's and they're her favorite t-shirt

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_11]: That had actually belonged to her high school sweetheart

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_11]: And she used to wear it all the time

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_11]: Just a baggy old t-shirt but it was her favorite short all the time

[00:09:40] [SPEAKER_11]: And I found it and it was ripped from the top of the shoulder on the sleeve

[00:09:48] [SPEAKER_11]: All the way down the back, ripped off

[00:09:52] [SPEAKER_11]: And it had some stains on it

[00:09:54] [SPEAKER_11]: And of course I bagged that up

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_11]: Turned that into him, found that alarming

[00:10:02] [SPEAKER_11]: And I remember just, I remember my husband found me out there in the middle of the night

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_11]: Just laying in the middle of their stuff

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_11]: Just sobbing

[00:10:15] [SPEAKER_11]: But I just wanted to smell him, you know

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_11]: I just wanted to be close to him as close as I could

[00:10:22] [SPEAKER_11]: And that was as close as I could be

[00:10:24] [SPEAKER_15]: Casey plays her sister's music

[00:10:26] [SPEAKER_15]: She turns it up and drifts through her memories

[00:10:30] [SPEAKER_15]: What she can remember, the ones PTSD hasn't robbed her of

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_15]: And her mind continues to spin with questions of

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_15]: Am I doing enough?

[00:10:39] [SPEAKER_15]: Where are you guiding me to you Jennifer?

[00:10:41] [SPEAKER_15]: Or what do I do next?

[00:10:44] [SPEAKER_15]: It's the one time a year that Casey will take these CDs out of the cases

[00:10:48] [SPEAKER_15]: Ever so carefully as she is with all the items that Jennifer left behind for them

[00:10:55] [SPEAKER_15]: And the family has vigils

[00:10:57] [SPEAKER_15]: One vigil in particular was devastating and contentious

[00:11:01] [SPEAKER_15]: All let friends and family tell the story

[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_15]: Here's Shawnee's Jennifer's childhood best friend

[00:11:06] [SPEAKER_12]: We used to release blooms next to the cemetery

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_12]: We used to gather

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_12]: It was great, they were so big

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_12]: The community came out and was so supportive in the beginning

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_12]: Some of our high school friends came

[00:11:25] [SPEAKER_12]: And they were big

[00:11:26] [SPEAKER_12]: And then I guess when Larry came and he started trying to hope they just grew

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_12]: They've been out there for so long but then it seemed like

[00:11:34] [SPEAKER_12]: In the beginning and then it just seemed like it dropped quicker than it should have

[00:11:40] [SPEAKER_12]: I'm thrilled that we are opening it back up

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_12]: And I'm hoping that we're closer now than we've ever been

[00:11:47] [SPEAKER_12]: Because it's 20 years, that's so long

[00:11:50] [SPEAKER_12]: You are

[00:11:53] [SPEAKER_12]: It's so long

[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_12]: Closer than it's ever been

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_15]: There is hope there

[00:12:02] [SPEAKER_15]: Here's Heather, Jennifer's sister

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_04]: That was scary

[00:12:06] [SPEAKER_04]: The day that we finished out there with one of our

[00:12:12] [SPEAKER_04]: I can't remember if we had started doing rides at that point or not

[00:12:16] [SPEAKER_04]: I don't know but we were out there and all of a sudden

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_04]: There were like multiple gunshots that couldn't go on off

[00:12:23] [SPEAKER_04]: And it was absolutely terrifying because I had my children there

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_04]: And clearly you're messing with a family who is

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_04]: You know

[00:12:35] [SPEAKER_04]: I'd like to say possible for your sister Anise's disappearance

[00:12:39] [SPEAKER_04]: But I don't like to say that

[00:12:41] [SPEAKER_04]: I like to say 100% because that's just how sure I am inside me

[00:12:47] [SPEAKER_04]: But that's absolutely terrifying

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_04]: Like to hear a bunch of gunshots going off

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER_04]: You're like who's next

[00:12:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Like get my own babies out of here before something happens to one of them

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_04]: You know what I mean

[00:13:01] [SPEAKER_04]: It was pretty scary

[00:13:04] [SPEAKER_04]: And then the way they came over to the fence

[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_04]: And they just seemed like there was no empathy

[00:13:14] [SPEAKER_04]: And no sadness

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_04]: Who is it?

[00:13:17] [SPEAKER_04]: It was Joey Benton and Joe Benton, his father

[00:13:20] [SPEAKER_04]: And they came over to the fence together

[00:13:23] [SPEAKER_04]: And they were basically laughing

[00:13:26] [SPEAKER_04]: Because everyone was scared

[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_04]: And they had like smirks on their faces

[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_04]: There was no

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_04]: Just I guess the best word to use is empathy

[00:13:38] [SPEAKER_04]: For watching this family

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_04]: You know

[00:13:42] [SPEAKER_04]: Go through what they're going through

[00:13:45] [SPEAKER_04]: And there was absolutely zero support from them at all

[00:13:50] [SPEAKER_14]: You'd ever saw a Benton at any of the vigils?

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_04]: No

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_14]: Or at any of the searches?

[00:13:56] [SPEAKER_04]: Nope

[00:13:56] [SPEAKER_14]: Has Joey Benton ever reached out to you in the last 20 years?

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_04]: Absolutely not

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_14]: Anybody from the family?

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_04]: Nobody

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_15]: And here's Joe Welles and Jennifer Sren

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_09]: So I remember we used to have the vigils at the church across the street from the Benton home

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_09]: And one year specifically I remember we got our balloons together

[00:14:16] [SPEAKER_09]: We said our prayers and we were going to walk by the Benton home

[00:14:20] [SPEAKER_09]: And make it even more known that we're there obviously

[00:14:25] [SPEAKER_09]: And they did, they went out on the property and shot their guns in the air

[00:14:28] [SPEAKER_09]: And we're really trying to intimidate us like we shouldn't be there

[00:14:32] [SPEAKER_09]: Did you see them?

[00:14:34] [SPEAKER_09]: They didn't come out on the porch as far as I could tell

[00:14:39] [SPEAKER_09]: But you could hear, I mean you obviously knew where it was coming from

[00:14:42] [SPEAKER_09]: And I know another year, I don't remember if it was the same year or if it was a different year

[00:14:47] [SPEAKER_09]: I think it was the year before that maybe

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER_09]: Where Joey actually drove by in his car when we were doing our thing

[00:14:55] [SPEAKER_09]: Like we saw him back out of the driveway and drive right past us

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_09]: As we're there, you know, just to escape the situation to not have to deal with it

[00:15:03] [SPEAKER_02]: You guys were in that Owens Chapel graveyard right next to their property?

[00:15:08] [SPEAKER_09]: Yeah, we were walking right in front of their house, yeah, so he pulled out

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_09]: And just left, he wasn't going to be a part

[00:15:13] [SPEAKER_09]: And that's to me, the way that that family has handled this speaks volumes to me

[00:15:24] [SPEAKER_09]: If you have nothing to do with it

[00:15:29] [SPEAKER_09]: Why are you so secretive and so sheltered and so defensive?

[00:15:34] [SPEAKER_09]: If someone went missing at my house and I know I had nothing to do with it

[00:15:38] [SPEAKER_09]: That was the last place they were seen, please tear this place apart

[00:15:43] [SPEAKER_09]: For that family and to clear my name

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_09]: But that's not happened with them at all and I think that's crazy

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[00:17:53] [SPEAKER_15]: Hometown Connect

[00:18:28] [SPEAKER_15]: Amy advised that earlier she had heard one or two gunshots that came from the side of the house

[00:18:33] [SPEAKER_15]: Where the cemetery is located

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_15]: Amy then called her brother Joey Benton to the residence

[00:18:39] [SPEAKER_15]: Amy advised that when Joey was at the residence

[00:18:41] [SPEAKER_15]: He went to the fence line separating the yard and the cemetery

[00:18:44] [SPEAKER_15]: And was yelled at by one female in the crowd

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_15]: That quote, she was going to get him one way or another

[00:18:49] [SPEAKER_15]: End quote

[00:18:50] [SPEAKER_15]: Joey advised responding officer that he did not know the female's name

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_15]: But he believed it was possibly Jennifer Wicks' grandmother

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_15]: Joey also advised that several TV news cameras were present when this incident occurred

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_15]: Joey advised responding officer that he was in fear for his life because of these statements

[00:19:07] [SPEAKER_15]: After advising responding officer of this

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER_15]: Joey walked away and went back to the fence row

[00:19:13] [SPEAKER_15]: Where the female he was in fear for his life of

[00:19:16] [SPEAKER_15]: Was located and continued to talk to the news cameras

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_15]: Responding officer did request that Joey, Amy and their family attempt to stay inside the residence

[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_15]: Or at least away from the fence while the service was being held

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_15]: All parties refused this stating that it was their property and they would go anywhere they wanted to go

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_15]: Before leaving responding officer was also advised by the Benton's

[00:19:39] [SPEAKER_15]: That the gunshots came from the opposite side of the property

[00:19:42] [SPEAKER_15]: In the woods behind the house

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER_15]: Not on the side where the cemetery is located as was originally stated

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER_15]: While trying to talk to Joey and his father Joe Benton

[00:19:52] [SPEAKER_15]: Both parties became agitated and started to argue with responding officer

[00:19:56] [SPEAKER_15]: At which point responding officer advised he was not going to argue with them and left the residence

[00:20:02] [SPEAKER_15]: Responding officer advised Amy and Joey of how to obtain a copy of this report and of warrant procedures

[00:20:08] [SPEAKER_15]: Okay, now we have a written statement from Kathy to the Robertson County Sheriff's Office

[00:20:15] [SPEAKER_15]: It's on file with them. I have a copy of it and this is about the same incident

[00:20:20] [SPEAKER_15]: And I am going to read that for you now so per Kathy's handwriting

[00:20:25] [SPEAKER_15]: Here we go

[00:20:28] [SPEAKER_15]: On 3308 family friends and supporters gathered at Owens Chapel Cemetery to hold a memorial vigil

[00:20:33] [SPEAKER_15]: Marking the fourth year since my daughter and granddaughter Jennifer and Adriana Wicks

[00:20:37] [SPEAKER_15]: Vanished from the home that is next to the cemetery belonging to Joseph F. Benton

[00:20:42] [SPEAKER_15]: As we walked from the church to the cemetery, we witnessed Joey Benton jump the fence from the cemetery to his yard

[00:20:48] [SPEAKER_15]: As I was speaking to the guests, totally and approximately 75 people gunshots

[00:20:54] [SPEAKER_15]: Two sounded from behind the Benton house

[00:20:56] [SPEAKER_15]: Everyone immediately turned toward the sound of the gunfire including the news cameras

[00:21:00] [SPEAKER_15]: And people seek shelter with their children behind vehicles

[00:21:03] [SPEAKER_15]: I continued to talk to the crowd while Joey and Joey Benton approached the fence line

[00:21:08] [SPEAKER_15]: And began to try to incite and intimidate members of my family

[00:21:13] [SPEAKER_15]: A peaceful memorial for my children was ruined by the desire to intimidate and frighten their family and friends

[00:21:19] [SPEAKER_15]: There was at least one witness in the crowd that seen the second shot fired

[00:21:24] [SPEAKER_15]: His name is Robert Jones

[00:21:25] [SPEAKER_15]: This site is where my children were last seen and the only place where we can take flowers in their memory

[00:21:31] [SPEAKER_15]: And it was ruined and disrespected by Joey and Joey Benton's actions

[00:21:35] [SPEAKER_15]: Witnesses to follow

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_15]: Kathy Casey Holloway

[00:21:38] [SPEAKER_15]: Here's an article about it from the Tennessee Inn by reporter Jim Bellis in 2008

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_15]: Tombstones defaced with Justice for Jen day after gunshots disrupt vigil

[00:21:49] [SPEAKER_15]: Monday, a day after gunfire interrupted a vigil in remembrance of Jennifer Wicks and her daughter Adriana

[00:21:56] [SPEAKER_15]: Robertson County Sheriff's deputies were called out again when three tombstones in the Owens Chapel Cemetery were painted to read Justice for Jen

[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_15]: The two girls have been missing since March of 2004

[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_15]: The vigil held for the third year at Owens Chapel United Methodist Church was reportedly attended by upwards of 50 people

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_15]: During a speech by Kathy Holloway Jennifer's mother, two shots were heard

[00:22:21] [SPEAKER_15]: This occurred while the vigil participants were in a cemetery adjacent to property owned by the Benton family

[00:22:27] [SPEAKER_15]: Joey Benton Jr. was Jennifer's former boyfriend and last known contact

[00:22:32] [SPEAKER_15]: Robertson County Sheriff's deputies were called and investigated the incident

[00:22:36] [SPEAKER_15]: According to their report they concluded the shots originated from property owned by the Benton family

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_15]: But were unable to determine who fired them

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_15]: Holloway and Peggy Calvert, Wicks' grandmother have long speculated that the Benton family knows more about the missing two than they have revealed

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_15]: We just don't know what else we can do, Joe Benton Sr. said

[00:22:58] [SPEAKER_00]: We've done everything we could for a year to try to help find Jennifer

[00:23:03] [SPEAKER_00]: And we just don't know where Jennifer is

[00:23:05] [SPEAKER_15]: He describes the searches, tests, investigations they submitted to quote

[00:23:10] [SPEAKER_15]: We've let the TBI search that, the Sheriff's Department search that

[00:23:14] [SPEAKER_15]: The CSI has come out and looked at everything out there and quote said Carol Benton, Joe Sr.'s mother

[00:23:20] [SPEAKER_15]: They brought stuff out that would find a body in concrete and we let them do all that

[00:23:27] [SPEAKER_15]: Mother and daughter have not been seen since March 24th 2004

[00:23:31] [SPEAKER_15]: When they were first reported missing by their family

[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_15]: Since then the police have continued to follow all leads and to date nothing has surfaced to indicate the whereabouts of the two

[00:23:41] [SPEAKER_15]: Holloway said their family continues to miss them and pray for closure for this tragedy

[00:23:47] [SPEAKER_15]: Grief, anger, desperation it all plays a part in this journey

[00:23:50] [SPEAKER_15]: Sometimes it makes you do things you wouldn't typically do

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_15]: But of course since I cannot get through to the Benton three, Cindy, Joey or Joe

[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_15]: I cannot ask them directly about this

[00:24:01] [SPEAKER_15]: Did you guys spray this and try to pin it on the Wix family make them look bad

[00:24:06] [SPEAKER_15]: But you know this did stand out to me, Jen, J-E-N-N

[00:24:10] [SPEAKER_15]: It was spelled with two N's, Jen

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_15]: I asked the family what Jennifer's nickname was and they told me she called herself Jen

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_15]: Mostly with two N's

[00:24:20] [SPEAKER_15]: Who close to her called her Jen?

[00:24:22] [SPEAKER_15]: Was it just shortened because her full name wouldn't fit on a tombstone

[00:24:25] [SPEAKER_15]: And Jen with one N would have been easier

[00:24:29] [SPEAKER_15]: I'm led to believe was it somebody who knew her well and intimate

[00:24:33] [SPEAKER_15]: The article brings up a great point

[00:24:35] [SPEAKER_15]: The Benton's have always said they took lie detector tests and passed

[00:24:39] [SPEAKER_15]: That they've always been fully cooperative and have done everything asked of them which by now we know is untrue

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_15]: Joe Benton called on that initial search Mr. Edwards was trying to do

[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_15]: He tried to get in between Buddy's search and his own father

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_15]: So when it comes to lie detector tests we have to wonder what the truth is

[00:24:56] [SPEAKER_15]: There's no confirmation in whether Cindy Benton ever took a lie detector test

[00:25:00] [SPEAKER_15]: And listen to Casey and Buddy the PI discuss Joey and the lie detector test

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_08]: Search department in the original when this happened a couple of weeks later after it happened

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_08]: Asked Joey to take a polygraph test which is actually a voice test

[00:25:18] [SPEAKER_08]: Polygraph kind of

[00:25:20] [SPEAKER_08]: And he told people on topic in other places that I've talked to other witnesses

[00:25:27] [SPEAKER_08]: That he took the test and passed it and that's not a true statement

[00:25:31] [SPEAKER_08]: Because the person that came up from Metro to Springfield to do the test works for me

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_08]: As a licensed private investigator and he said that once he read him the instruction

[00:25:44] [SPEAKER_08]: He stood up and laughed and walked out the room

[00:25:48] [SPEAKER_08]: So yeah like

[00:25:50] [SPEAKER_08]: You got to make some kind of statement he didn't remember that statement

[00:25:54] [SPEAKER_08]: Like you know just kind of brushed it off and walked out of the room

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_02]: That senior

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_05]: No that's Joey

[00:26:01] [SPEAKER_08]: No Joey I'm sorry Joey

[00:26:02] [SPEAKER_05]: Joey was actually there that day

[00:26:05] [SPEAKER_05]: And they had him in a separate room in the sheriff's office

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER_05]: And from what I believe y'all have told me that

[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_05]: Joe started like making a ruckus about something started like getting loud in the other room

[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_05]: And Joey heard him kind of doing that

[00:26:24] [SPEAKER_05]: Right

[00:26:25] [SPEAKER_05]: And then he got up and walked out but he Joey did take his original

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_05]: Polygraph test which is where it's like the one that everyone knows and sees

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_05]: Like on movies and whatnot you know

[00:26:37] [SPEAKER_05]: Like you hook them up and you know it's not based on your voice

[00:26:41] [SPEAKER_05]: I guess it's based on your heart rate

[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_05]: But he took that one and passed but law enforcement has told me directly that they

[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_05]: Feel like the questions that were asked at that time were probably

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_05]: Not the right questions that they were asked in a way that would not really give us

[00:26:59] [SPEAKER_05]: Any results

[00:27:01] [SPEAKER_10]: That is

[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_10]: Joe

[00:27:04] [SPEAKER_10]: That did that

[00:27:06] [SPEAKER_10]: Joey

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_05]: Joey okay

[00:27:08] [SPEAKER_05]: Joey yeah Joey's the only one who's taken polygraph

[00:27:11] [SPEAKER_08]: That's correct

[00:27:13] [SPEAKER_05]: Joe to my knowledge

[00:27:14] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah to our knowledge

[00:27:16] [SPEAKER_05]: Joe and Cindy have not ever

[00:27:18] [SPEAKER_05]: And I think that they had Cindy lined up to take one

[00:27:21] [SPEAKER_05]: And I don't believe that she ever did just with things that I've read in the old topics for them

[00:27:28] [SPEAKER_13]: Now did Joey was he

[00:27:30] [SPEAKER_13]: Was it a court ordered one or volunteer

[00:27:33] [SPEAKER_08]: Volunteer

[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_08]: You can't court order it because it can be used in court

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_08]: A lot of times you take to views it just to see if they need to put a lot of effort into it or not

[00:27:44] [SPEAKER_08]: But it's not admissible at all

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_08]: No

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_15]: Don't go anywhere we'll be right back

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_15]: 615 real estate advisors people over profit

[00:28:02] [SPEAKER_15]: 615 real estate advisors are committed to bringing people in our community home every single day

[00:28:08] [SPEAKER_15]: This includes Jennifer and Adriana Wicks

[00:28:11] [SPEAKER_15]: Located in Robertson County, Tennessee 615 real estate advisors proudly serve all of middle Tennessee

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[00:28:31] [SPEAKER_15]: Andy B's boutique will donate profits from each Wicks shirt back to the Wicks family to fight for justice

[00:28:37] [SPEAKER_15]: That website is shopandybees

[00:28:40] [SPEAKER_15]: A-N-D-I-B-S.com

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[00:29:15] [SPEAKER_10]: Unlock the story your brand deserves

[00:29:56] [SPEAKER_05]: Yeah and I mean I've heard all kinds of things like people can pass those yes that's why they're not admissible is people can pass them even if they aren't telling the truth

[00:30:07] [SPEAKER_05]: So I wonder what calls them to walk out that day

[00:30:12] [SPEAKER_08]: Well if you go and like you cooperate and then you leave then you can tell people hey I passed it because the only people in there is Joey and the examiner

[00:30:25] [SPEAKER_08]: So and that's what he did hey I passed the test

[00:30:30] [SPEAKER_02]: There's no chance he took another one in pass

[00:30:33] [SPEAKER_08]: To my knowledge no not that we know of no

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_08]: They did not have a technique a person that gives this type of test that's read metro was called in

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_05]: And I want to tell you they don't have a lot of the resources like I've even been told like they don't have dogs like sent dogs could ever dogs they have to pull those in from like Tennessee Highway Patrol and Metro

[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_05]: And like pool from other agencies so they have told me that so this was pulled in from Metro and and the guy works for buddy and private investigations and for several years and he's like no he he did not take that he walked out

[00:31:14] [SPEAKER_15]: Full disclosure I started the season by sharing that I'm currently behind the scenes on many developments in this case there have been searches both law enforcement headed and family headed that have occurred since March 27

[00:31:27] [SPEAKER_15]: 2024 now I say this because I've been rolling my camera and the microphone has been on the entire time and I will take you through it once we can

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_15]: I've personally taken an axe to cut away roots to search for Jennifer and Adriana's remains

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER_15]: I've taken sharp shovels and pounded them into the deep layer of the Tennessee mud into the deep layer of the clay based off of leads we've been given

[00:31:50] [SPEAKER_15]: I've watched this family frantically search for the girls not as if they're finding bones and maybe articles of clothing but as if the girls went missing yesterday as if they could still save the girls

[00:32:07] [SPEAKER_15]: And although we're saving what we've been doing in the efforts of the search for the sequel to this podcast

[00:32:15] [SPEAKER_15]: I will share a few clips from some of our searches just to give you an idea of how devastating this journey has been and how it continues to be devastating for family who refuses to give up

[00:32:26] [SPEAKER_05]: I don't know what they're waiting on I mean in that in that when I just zoomed in or in your video like you go like this just like wait for what you know

[00:32:37] [SPEAKER_05]: Like for what I hope they're out I hope they got them like that's what I hope they got Casey they would not be here today

[00:32:50] [SPEAKER_05]: You don't think so I know they would not waste let's just drive past there and find like another spot that one won't go back and forth that's not too far

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_15]: And we're just out for a country drive I live down here this is my neighborhood

[00:33:08] [SPEAKER_06]: It's okay you're allowed to it's the world

[00:33:12] [SPEAKER_15]: It's the world

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_05]: I will always rationalize your choices

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_05]: I have a little bit of relief of like it was getting towards the end of the day and I was like there's nothing

[00:33:23] [SPEAKER_05]: We made the right choice this was the right choice

[00:33:27] [SPEAKER_03]: Intuition is a great thing for you

[00:33:30] [SPEAKER_03]: They hate me so much I know they do

[00:33:31] [SPEAKER_03]: They don't hate you

[00:33:32] [SPEAKER_03]: If they had a missing sister and daughter their asses would go rogue

[00:33:42] [SPEAKER_03]: You're not interfering in my opinion

[00:33:48] [SPEAKER_05]: We're not going public we're not telling you

[00:33:50] [SPEAKER_05]: We're just going to drive on a little bit more and find like a no don't go down there go down

[00:33:55] [SPEAKER_05]: Hey there's no orange jumpsuit it's like a dude wearing like an orange red shirt

[00:34:01] [SPEAKER_05]: How dare him wear the same color that jailers wear

[00:34:10] [SPEAKER_03]: Inmates yeah

[00:34:18] [SPEAKER_05]: He wouldn't be standing there

[00:34:21] [SPEAKER_05]: You know what I bet they're already back there because I was telling Jules I was like

[00:34:27] [SPEAKER_05]: He's standing there like swinging his arms like doing the thing like he's like just swinging his arms

[00:34:33] [SPEAKER_05]: Like he's bored you know waiting on something and I bet like they're either they're probably waiting on transport

[00:34:40] [SPEAKER_05]: For Joe to come out here either that or

[00:34:46] [SPEAKER_05]: I don't know what they're waiting on but they're waiting on something because they hadn't got the ATVs down or the whatever's out of the trailers

[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_05]: Or they're already back there and then these people are like the like the okay yeah we found something y'all come back here

[00:35:03] [SPEAKER_05]: And just like a few of them went back there with him

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_03]: And these people are waiting

[00:35:12] [SPEAKER_03]: I want to know where they were digging

[00:35:16] [SPEAKER_03]: Get that drone up there

[00:35:18] [SPEAKER_03]: What spot

[00:35:21] [SPEAKER_03]: Said they're gonna come back and take a look at one more spot

[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_07]: Sorry son

[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_07]: Yeah

[00:35:27] [SPEAKER_07]: Maybe tomorrow we'll go back and take one more spot

[00:35:30] [SPEAKER_03]: Interesting because there was no equipment

[00:35:34] [SPEAKER_07]: That's my like yeah you guys are in hand up forever

[00:35:37] [SPEAKER_03]: Your devices were able to fit in the toolbox on your 4x4

[00:35:43] [SPEAKER_03]: That makes me really concerned about

[00:35:49] [SPEAKER_07]: What did he say when you asked about Joe Casey?

[00:35:52] [SPEAKER_03]: They had they don't have anything with him

[00:35:55] [SPEAKER_03]: You should text them just so it's on record

[00:35:57] [SPEAKER_03]: If they don't find the bodies they don't have a deal

[00:36:00] [SPEAKER_03]: Just so it's on record I'm gonna ask if they had bugs

[00:36:05] [SPEAKER_03]: We're talking 20 years since that event built up

[00:36:08] [SPEAKER_03]: Just even a zoo

[00:36:14] [SPEAKER_03]: Did the cadaver dogs hit on any spots today?

[00:36:18] [SPEAKER_03]: They're still coming back and I want to screw it up

[00:36:22] [SPEAKER_03]: If to go out I got there I think you'd have to wait another

[00:36:26] [SPEAKER_03]: When they're done you know

[00:36:29] [SPEAKER_03]: Because then it might be interfering

[00:36:50] [SPEAKER_06]: Okay

[00:36:55] [SPEAKER_05]: That's a day

[00:37:01] [SPEAKER_03]: Why did you not bring out cadaver dogs?

[00:37:04] [SPEAKER_03]: Because why did they get busy with other bones if they're everywhere

[00:37:08] [SPEAKER_07]: Or you could even sit out there and say that you said one more possible location tomorrow

[00:37:13] [SPEAKER_07]: Where are you going to sit out there?

[00:37:19] [SPEAKER_03]: You're in my...

[00:37:21] [SPEAKER_03]: I have four spots that means Joey's

[00:37:24] [SPEAKER_03]: He said eight

[00:37:27] [SPEAKER_03]: How deep and how close to the water

[00:37:29] [SPEAKER_03]: And how high is that river right now

[00:37:30] [SPEAKER_03]: Is it pretty close to the water over there? Where you guys at?

[00:37:33] [SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, it's not very high

[00:37:34] [SPEAKER_03]: The river's pretty high

[00:37:35] [SPEAKER_05]: It doesn't have been raining

[00:37:50] [SPEAKER_00]: I think it should be documented that they are not taking the appropriate steps

[00:37:59] [SPEAKER_00]: At least we know this is the exact location

[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_06]: I'm gonna get out

[00:38:07] [SPEAKER_03]: Oh no

[00:38:08] [SPEAKER_03]: It breaks my heart

[00:38:10] [SPEAKER_03]: It's been a roller coaster day for any of them

[00:38:14] [SPEAKER_15]: In my room

[00:38:17] [SPEAKER_15]: There have been many days I have gone home from a day of interviews or searches and have just cried

[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_15]: And I wondered if I was the right one for the job

[00:38:25] [SPEAKER_15]: Am I too sensitive?

[00:38:26] [SPEAKER_15]: And then there's a side of me, the tiger side that fears nothing because my desire to find these girls

[00:38:32] [SPEAKER_15]: So this family can have peace

[00:38:35] [SPEAKER_15]: Superseeds any logical fear I probably should have

[00:38:38] [SPEAKER_15]: And Casey often jokingly tells me to lock it up Jules

[00:38:41] [SPEAKER_15]: I need you to stay tough with me here

[00:38:43] [SPEAKER_15]: And we laugh and she's right

[00:38:45] [SPEAKER_15]: It's made me tougher

[00:38:46] [SPEAKER_15]: But it's not made me immune to how absolutely unreal this situation is

[00:38:52] [SPEAKER_15]: Things that this family deals with daily

[00:38:54] [SPEAKER_15]: Getting lied to

[00:38:55] [SPEAKER_15]: Getting dead-end leads

[00:38:57] [SPEAKER_15]: Keeping shovels, boots, binoculars in their car

[00:39:00] [SPEAKER_15]: In case they get called in a moment's notice with a new location

[00:39:04] [SPEAKER_15]: It's not normal

[00:39:05] [SPEAKER_15]: It's not normal but to them it's their life

[00:39:09] [SPEAKER_15]: And they cannot stop to feel it because if they do they may never get back up again

[00:39:14] [SPEAKER_15]: So they push on and stay angry

[00:39:17] [SPEAKER_15]: They use it as fuel to run through cornfields to check locations to be on their hands and knees in fields

[00:39:23] [SPEAKER_15]: They use it for good

[00:39:26] [SPEAKER_15]: And we've still not found the girls

[00:39:27] [SPEAKER_15]: But I'll tell you the family is the closest they've ever been

[00:39:31] [SPEAKER_15]: And those responsible for taking the lives of the Wix girls should feel afraid

[00:39:37] [SPEAKER_15]: If this family finds the girls

[00:39:41] [SPEAKER_15]: Before those responsible reveal where they are

[00:39:45] [SPEAKER_15]: There will be nothing left for the devil to bargain with

[00:40:31] [SPEAKER_15]: Thank you to Barnyard Academy, this sponsor for this episode

[00:40:34] [SPEAKER_15]: A middle Tennessee nature-based curriculum set on a small working farm

[00:40:39] [SPEAKER_15]: Hey, Jules here, I sent my own son to this school in Greenbrier

[00:40:43] [SPEAKER_15]: And it will forever be our favorite place filled with love and adventure

[00:40:47] [SPEAKER_15]: Children ages 3 to 5 are welcome

[00:40:49] [SPEAKER_15]: Tell them Jules sent you

[00:40:51] [SPEAKER_15]: Missing in Hushtown was executive produced and written by me

[00:40:54] [SPEAKER_15]: Your host Jules with Anley Audio House LLC

[00:40:57] [SPEAKER_15]: Casey Robinson was co-producer

[00:40:59] [SPEAKER_15]: Special thanks to John Thorpe, Patrick Robinson, my parents, and Jen Rivera

[00:41:04] [SPEAKER_15]: And to our children

[00:41:06] [SPEAKER_15]: To follow our continued efforts on Justice for Jennifer and Adriana Wix

[00:41:09] [SPEAKER_15]: You can find us on Facebook at justiceforjenniferandadrianawix

[00:41:13] [SPEAKER_15]: This page is personally managed by Casey herself

[00:41:16] [SPEAKER_15]: And you can find me, Jules, hi on Instagram at yourhostjules

[00:41:21] [SPEAKER_15]: Notes and updates can be found on our website

[00:41:23] [SPEAKER_15]: www.missinginhushtown.com

[00:41:26] [SPEAKER_15]: Please help us continue to grow by considering leaving a 5-star review and rating wherever you're listening

[00:41:32] [SPEAKER_15]: If you have a tip for this case, please, please call 1-800-TBI-FIND

[00:41:37] [SPEAKER_15]: Or dial the anonymous tip line at 615-562-0819

[00:41:44] [SPEAKER_15]: Help us bring the Wix Girls home to donate to this family's continued fight for justice

[00:41:49] [SPEAKER_15]: Please visit gofundme.com-jenniferandadrianawix

[00:41:55] [SPEAKER_15]: And to support the podcast and to help us continue this production

[00:41:58] [SPEAKER_15]: You may click support the show in the show notes and donate a Wix kiss

[00:42:03] [SPEAKER_15]: 10% of all profits from Season 1 of Missing in Hushtown will be given to the Wix family indefinitely

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_15]: As always, you're wanted, you are loved, and you deserve to be found

[00:42:16] [SPEAKER_15]: Don't you forget it. I'll see you next time

[00:42:18] [SPEAKER_06]: Bye bye