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E261: Megan Drumhiller
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When 31-year-old Megan Drumhiller hugged her parents goodbye in January 2022, no one could have guessed it would be the last time they’d see her. She had dreams of moving, a tight-knit family who adored her, and a love for music that connected her deeply with her father. But when Megan suddenly stopped responding to messages, concern grew into fear—and that fear was justified. What happened to Megan in those final days, and who might know more than they’re saying?
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Transcript
Parental Concerns and Milestones
00:00:00
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As parents, that protective instinct never truly fades. From the moment our children take their first wobbly steps, a quiet hum of worry begins.
00:00:12
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We fret over playground tumbles, childhood illnesses, and the unknown challenges lurking just around the corner. As they grow, those concerns evolve, morphing into anxieties that keep us awake at night.
00:00:27
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Will they be safe walking home from school? Are they making the right friends? That constant underlying current of parental vigilance remains, a testament to the fierce love we hold for our offspring.
00:00:41
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Then come the bigger milestones, the ones that signify a step further into independence, and with them, a fresh wave of parental unease. The shaky hands gripping the steering wheel for the first time, the tearful goodbye as they head off to college in a new city.
00:00:59
Speaker
the keys to their very first apartment, each of these moments, while celebrated, is also laced with apprehension. We trust they'll be careful, hope they'll make sound decisions, but the reality is they are now navigating the world on their own, beyond our direct gaze.
00:01:20
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The roads are unpredictable. New environments hold unknown risks, and the choices they make are increasingly their own. Even as our children reach adulthood, establish careers, and create their own lives, that inherent parental concern lingers.
00:01:38
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We might not see them every day, but the questions persist. Are they safe in their own home? Are they surrounded by trustworthy people? Are they happy and healthy? We hope with every fiber of our being that they're making wise choices and that the world is treating them kindly.
00:01:57
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That vulnerability, the understanding that even as adults, our children face potential dangers, never entirely disappears. We do trust in their strength and resilience, but the what-ifs can still cast long shadows.
Introduction to Megan Drumhiller's Case
00:02:14
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However, those shadows solidified into reality for the family at the center of our case this week. This is the case of Megan Drumhiller.
00:02:58
Speaker
Welcome to Coffee and Cases, where we like our coffee hot and our cases cold. My name is Allison Williams. And my name is Maggie Dameron. We will be telling stories each week in the hopes that someone out there with any information concerning the cases will take those tips to law enforcement so justice and closure can be brought to these families.
Megan's Life and Personality
00:03:17
Speaker
With each case, we encourage you to continue in the conversation on our Facebook page, Coffee in Cases Podcast, because, as we all know, conversation helps to keep the missing person in the public consciousness, helping keep their memories alive.
00:03:31
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So sit back, sip your coffee, and listen to what's brewing this week. Megan Lynn Drumhiller was born on April 17, 1990, to her parents Tim and Lynette Drumhiller.
00:03:45
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She was the eldest of four children and had three younger brothers. She was the only girl. Her family described themselves as extremely tight-knit, enjoying traveling and doing many activities together, including trips to Disney.
00:04:02
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Mom Lynette, in an interview with Dateline, described Megan as, quote, vivacious and had a great sense of humor. She had the best laugh of anyone, end quote, and also noted that her daughter was creative and that Megan was extremely smart.
00:04:21
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Dad Tim shared in that same interview that Megan was, quote, definitely a daddy's girl, end quote, and that they shared a special bond through their love of music.
00:04:32
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He shared his favorite artists from his youth with Megan, and she grew to love those artists, too. This resonated a lot with me because I do this with my daughter, and while she loves modern artists like Leve and Beba Doobie, she also loves artists like The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Holland Oates.
00:04:54
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As a young adult, Megan developed that passion for music and was fascinated with David Bowie. Megan decided to attend college after high school, and I didn't read a reason why she transferred, but I did read in several sources in my research that Megan attended several colleges, seeming to be happiest when she was where her friends were.
00:05:18
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She also enjoyed working in fashion, apparel, and fitness, so she was definitely a busy girl. As a resident of Michigan, Megan was a member of Saginaw's Boaty School of Dance and participated in regional and national competitions.
00:05:37
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There's actually Megan Drumheller Dance Scholarship. I found when sleuthing on Facebook, and I also found a video of Megan dancing to Eleanor Rigby.
00:05:50
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The performance is beautiful, and Megan is poised, graceful, and confident. But despite being able to perform in front of large audiences, she was described by her mother as being very shy and relying on her brothers for support as a child, as stated in the YouTube coverage of this case by Law & Crime Sidebar with Jesse Weber.
00:06:16
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She was also considered very loyal to a small group of longtime friends. Fast forwarding to the time period centered in our case this week, the Christmas holidays of 2021 were a precious time for the Drumhiller family, as Megan, then 31 years old, joined her parents, Tim and Lynette, and her three brothers at their family home.
Megan's Move to Michigan and Communication Breakdown
00:06:42
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This three-week period was filled with the warmth of family connection, ah tradition the tight-knit Drumhillers cherished. They enjoyed their time together until January 10, 2022, when Tim and Lynette returned to their winter home in Florida.
00:06:59
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At that time, again, this is according to Jesse Weber's interview with Tim and Lynette Drumhiller on Law and Crime Sidebar, Megan was renting a home in Michigan, about a 45-minute drive from the Drumhiller family home, but was contemplating a move to Florida.
00:07:17
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Megan's lease was month to month, so nothing was really holding her back other than a bit of indecisiveness due to a fear of change that Megan had always had. Lynette fondly remembered their last hug before she would return to Florida.
00:07:32
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Megan's simple, love you mom, and her own reciprocal, love you and see you soon. Tim remembered specifically dropping Megan off at home, telling her he loved her, and that he would see her again in a couple of weeks.
00:07:47
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The plan was for Lynette to come back to Michigan to help Megan prepare for a move to Florida. You see, she would need her parents' help because Megan didn't own a car.
00:07:59
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So while her parents were in town for the Christmas holidays, they had helped give her rides to various doctor's appointments and other errands, and looking ahead would provide help for Megan to move.
00:08:11
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Following their departure, Lynette and Megan continued to communicate via text message. This regular contact persisted for about 10 days. However, around January 20th, the texting suddenly stopped.
00:08:27
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Initially, Lynette wasn't overly concerned by the silence, attributing it to Megan being busy with her own life as a 31-year-old adult. Plus, nothing had happened over the three-week visit that ended just days earlier that had caused any alarm for her parents, nor anything that had even given them pause in hindsight.
00:08:49
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However, the time for Lynette's return to Michigan drew nearer. With her scheduled arrival on January 28th, she likely anticipated reconnecting with her daughter and, as I just mentioned, assisting her with her plans to move to the Sarasota area.
00:09:05
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However, as January 28th arrived, Lynette arrived safely in Michigan, yet she still hadn't heard from Megan. The lack of response to her calls and texts became increasingly unsettling, especially since they had plans for Lynette to pick Megan up and go out to dinner.
Discovery and Initial Investigation
00:09:25
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Despite Megan being an adult, her silence carried a weight of unease for Lynette. She knew Megan relied on them for certain things, and the silence, knowing her mother would be back in town and with their previously arranged plans for dinner, wasn't like her.
00:09:42
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The initial mental justifications for the silence likely began to erode for Lynette, replaced by a gnawing fear that something was wrong.
00:09:53
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It was at this point, driven by the growing sense of dread, that Lynette Drumhiller reached out to Megan's on-again-off-again boyfriend, inquiring if he had heard from her.
00:10:06
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Her text was simple, laced with a mother's rising panic. Quote, "'Hey, I can't reach Megan. Have you heard from her?' End quote." The response she received only amplified her fears.
00:10:21
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The boyfriend replied that he hadn't heard from Megan in a few days either. However, he offered to go to Megan's home and check on her. Every minute that passed likely felt like an eternity for Lynette, the silence on the other end of the digital connection heavy with unspoken anxieties.
00:10:40
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Then came the call that would forever shatter Lynette's world. Her voice trembling, she recounted the devastating words, quote, he calls back and he says he can see her through the door, through the window, and she's lying on the floor, unconscious, end quote.
00:10:59
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The image painted by his words was instantly horrifying, a mother's worst nightmare beginning to unfold. She asked him, did you call 911? And he said yes. A sliver of hope, the thought of paramedics rushing to her daughter's aid flickered within Lynette as she immediately jumped into her car, her heart pounding with a frantic urgency, and made her way over to her daughter's house.
00:11:25
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Prayers likely filled the desperate moments of her drive, each mile feeling both agonizingly slow and terrifyingly fast. As Lynette approached Megan's street, the scene that greeted her was far from the reassurance of an ambulance.
00:11:42
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Because even as scary as an ambulance is, it at least represents doctors and medicine, help and hope. Instead, her breath caught in her throat at the sign of yellow police tape stretched all around the entire property.
00:12:00
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Police cars were everywhere, their flashing lights casting an eerie glow on the unfolding tragedy. The sight alone was a brutal confirmation that her fears had materialized in the most devastating way imaginable.
00:12:15
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Overcome with emotion, Lynette ran towards the house, desperate to reach her daughter. And listeners, we know this. Parents are fixers. We kiss skinned knees and help soothe heartbreaks.
00:12:29
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We talk through issues and untangle things. Even when our children grow and the complexities of their problems grow with them, there is some part of all of us that believes that if we can just get to our children and hold them,
00:12:46
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Everything will be okay again. But Lynette's path was immediately blocked. Quote, police come running at me and they they won't let me get anywhere closer and I'm shaking so hard.
00:13:00
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End quote. She tearfully recalled on Dateline. In those chaotic and heartbreaking moments, as Lynette stood just steps away from her daughter's home but unable to reach her, officers approached her.
00:13:15
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The questions came quickly, a blur of official inquiries in the face of a mother's raw agony. Then came the question that confirmed her deepest fear.
00:13:26
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As she told Dateline, quote, they asked me for a photo of our daughter. and they confirmed that it's her, end quote. Lynette recounted, her voice thick with grief, quote, and they tell me she's deceased, end quote.
00:13:45
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The officer's words that followed were like a physical blow. Quote, an officer says to me that
00:13:57
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Quote,
00:14:00
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tilted on its axis disbelief and denial washing over her as she struggled to comprehend the unimaginable quote I didn't want to hear it. I was in such denial because who would kill Megan? End quote.
00:14:19
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By all accounts, Megan was a bright light in the lives of those who knew her. Her mother, Lynette, in that same Dateline interview stated, quote, she had no enemies.
00:14:30
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She was such a light. End quote. This sentiment echoed the deep shock and disbelief that rippled through her tight-knit family and close circle of friends.
00:14:44
Speaker
The very idea that someone harbored such malice toward the vivacious and beloved 31-year-old seemed incomprehensible. Adding to the mystery, there were no signs of forced entry into Megan's Carlton Township home.
00:15:03
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This crucial detail immediately suggested a chilling possibility. Megan likely knew and trusted her killer, willingly letting that person into her residence because, according to her family, she would have never let in ah stranger.
00:15:34
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Further complicating the initial understanding of the crime was the location where Megan's body was discovered. She was found unresponsive in her living room near the front door.
00:15:46
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remember that her on-again, off-again boyfriend could see her through the window in the door of her home. As one expert noted on the Law & Crime Sidebar podcast, this detail could suggest that if the crime arose out of emotion, especially if sexually motivated, it was likely not consensual, as such acts might typically occur in a more intimate setting, like a bedroom.
00:16:11
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so the placement might be a clue to the comfortability she felt with her killer. Megan's official cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation.
00:16:22
Speaker
While multiple sources confirm this, specific details about how the asphyxiation occurred are somewhat varied. One source mentions her death certificate listed strangulation.
00:16:36
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and additional information provided by the Drumhillers to Jesse Weber after their interview for Law and Crime Sidebar on YouTube indicated that she had been strangled with her purse straps.
00:16:49
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This detail, if accurate, could offer insight into the impulse or personal nature of the attack, aligning with the theory that she knew her assailant.
Investigation Challenges and Family Frustration
00:17:01
Speaker
They also informed Weber that Megan was so cautious that she used blackout curtains for privacy. Again, this shows whoever came into her home seems to be someone known to her.
00:17:16
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The manner of death was quickly deemed suspicious, and law enforcement informed Lynette at the scene that based on what they observed, it was, quote, 99.9% homicide, end quote.
00:17:29
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ah homicide end quote The Drumhiller family spokesperson, in an interview with WNEM.com, later stated unequivocally, quote, her life was violently taken and her killer is still walking free, end quote.
00:17:48
Speaker
However, the initial pursuit of justice for Megan was fraught with significant problems and alleged missteps in the investigation. The investigation initially fell under the jurisdiction of Carleton Township Police Department, with assistance from the Michigan State Police.
00:18:08
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From the outset, the Drumhillers felt a lack of progress and a lack of attention to critical details. They claimed that investigators failed to interview all possible eyewitnesses in the immediate aftermath of Megan's death, and that they overlooked or ignored potential camera evidence in the neighborhood that could have provided crucial leads.
00:18:33
Speaker
This inaction in those oh-so-important early hours and days was a source of deep frustration for the family, as you can imagine. Adding to their distress, as reported by Fox News, the lead detective on the case reportedly worked remotely for a significant period, quote, four or five months, end quote, due to COVID-19, rarely visiting the actual crime scene in person.
00:19:02
Speaker
Lynette poignantly questioned, quote, I don't know how you investigate from home, end quote. And that's the thing. You can't.
00:19:14
Speaker
The handling of potential DNA evidence was another major point of contention and anguish for the Drumhillers. The family stated that crucial items collected from Megan's home were not tested for DNA for many months.
00:19:29
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Tim Drumheeler revealed to Terry Camp from ABC 12 the devastating news that evidence had been, quote, sitting in Bridgeport for eight months, end quote, without being processed.
00:19:44
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Furthermore, the family endured the emotional rollercoaster of being mistakenly informed about the discovery of a second woman's DNA at the crime scene, only to later learn it was a misdiagnosis of Megan's own DNA that had not been properly isolated.
00:20:04
Speaker
Yes, law enforcement called them initially to say they had a break in the case and that they had found DNA at the crime scene from an unidentified female.
00:20:16
Speaker
This error gave the Drumhiller family a fleeting moment of hope for answers, but also confusion again as to who would have done this to Megan.
00:20:27
Speaker
Then the hope of resolution was cruelly snatched away when they found that the DNA had come back as female because Megan's DNA was mixed with that of the perpetrator, with more of Megan's DNA present, and it it had only appeared as an unidentified female because Megan's own DNA had not been isolated from the sample.
00:20:54
Speaker
As you can predict, finding out the truth, that they were no closer to answers than before, only further eroded their trust in the investigation.
Renewed Investigation Efforts
00:21:05
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When the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office took over the case in June 2022, they reportedly discovered numerous samples at the local crime lab in Bridgeport that had never been sent for testing.
00:21:19
Speaker
The cumulative effect of these alleged missteps and delays had a profound and deeply painful impact on Megan's family and friends. The initial shock and grief was compounded with frustration, anger, and a growing sense of helplessness.
00:21:35
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Lynette expressed feeling like she was constantly, quote, nagging or bothering, end quote, authorities just to try and get answers and action. In an interview with Audrey Conklin for Fox News, Tim Drumhiller described the initial investigation as, quote, wrought with so many missteps and so many errors, end quote.
00:21:57
Speaker
This lack of perceived progress and the apparent mishandling of crucial aspects of the investigation led the drumhillers to feel that they had to become their own advocates, their own investigators, with Lynette stating to Dateline, quote, I never dreamed I'd become a part-time detective.
00:22:15
Speaker
If we're not constantly nagging and pushing, nothing seems to happen, end quote. The emotional toll of this prolonged uncertainty, coupled with the feeling that justice for Megan was being delayed, created a deep and lasting wound for all who loved her.
00:22:33
Speaker
The initial promise of a swift resolution based on the belief that Megan knew her killer dissolved into a frustrating and agonizing wait for answers that seemed perpetually out of reach.
00:22:46
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It is perhaps from a place of removed objectivity that one might attempt to understand the immense pressure and limitations that can plague local law enforcement agencies, particularly those in smaller jurisdictions like Carrollton Township Police Department.
00:23:02
Speaker
Could it be that the apparent missteps in the initial investigation, the overlooked camera footage, the delayed DNA testing, and the remote work of the lead detective stemmed not from negligence, but from the harsh realities of limited resources, understaffing, and the sheer volume of cases that can overwhelm a small department?
00:23:23
Speaker
Yes, it could be. Perhaps the Michigan State Police, who took over hours after first responders, were also stretched thin, their resources allocated across a wide geographical area, leading to a slower pace than the Drumhillers desperately needed.
00:23:40
Speaker
Yet while acknowledging these potential constraints, it is impossible to dismiss the profound and justifiable pain and frustration of Lynette and Tim Drumhiller.
00:23:53
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Their world was irrevocably shattered on January 28, 2022, and in the face of such unimaginable loss, the need for answers, for justice, becomes all-consuming.
00:24:06
Speaker
To feel that the initial efforts to uncover the truth behind their daughter Megan's death were inadequate, that crucial leads were missed, and vital evidence lay untested for months is an agony that no parent should have to bear.
00:24:20
Speaker
Their decision in June 2022 to request that Megan's case be turned over to the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office speaks volumes about their desperation, but also about their belief that a fresh perspective and perhaps greater resources were needed to move the investigation forward.
00:24:38
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With the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office now at the helm, the Drumhillers have more recently reported a sense of renewed momentum, a feeling that their daughter's case is finally receiving the attention it deserves.
00:24:51
Speaker
They noted, according to J.P. Isbell from Michigan News Source, that the new agency seemed to, quote, start the case over again from scratch, end quote. revisiting neighborhoods, asking questions, and uncovering previously missed details, such as the existence of neighborhood cameras and willing eyewitnesses.
DNA Match and New Leads
00:25:11
Speaker
Lieutenant Russell Kolb of the Sheriff's Office confirmed that multiple items from Megan's home were collected, Items, according to Michigan News Source, like clothing, cups, couch cushions, and, quote, various digital media platforms, end quote, meaning cell phone, laptop, wireless routers, etc.,
00:25:32
Speaker
The department also noted that multiple electronic search warrants have been conducted. These efforts have yielded a significant development, the identification of a, quote, possible person of interest, end quote, though this individual has not yet been publicly named.
00:25:53
Speaker
You see also in a discussion with Jesse Weber on Law and Crime Sidebar YouTube, Tim and Lynette Drumhiller told Weber that in the new investigation, it was discovered that Megan had been in daily communication with someone, and that communication came to a sudden end days before her body was discovered, and presumably on the day on which her murder happened.
00:26:20
Speaker
Perhaps another of the more promising developments is also a reported CODIS hit on one of the DNA samples from Megan's case. This hit matched another sample submitted by a different agency in Michigan, though it too was unidentified DNA.
00:26:38
Speaker
While this connection does not yet provide a name of the perpetrator in both cases, it is a powerful link between two potentially related unsolved crimes.
00:26:49
Speaker
It suggests that the perpetrator in Megan's case may have been involved in another criminal act, and with continued investigation into this match, the net may be closing in.
00:27:02
Speaker
After all, now there are details from two crimes that can be compared.
Family's Quest for Justice
00:27:08
Speaker
Driven by their unwavering love for Megan and their relentless pursuit of justice, the Drumhillers took the courageous step in June 2023 of offering a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person or persons responsible for their daughter Megan's death.
00:27:30
Speaker
This substantial sum is a testament to their commitment and a plea to the community, hoping that someone one with crucial knowledge will finally come forward. For Lynette and Tim, each new lead, each piece of information uncovered by the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office offers a glimmer of hope in the long and arduous journey toward finding answers and holding Megan's killer accountable.
00:27:57
Speaker
They cling to the belief that despite the initial setbacks, justice for their daughter may finally be within reach.
00:28:07
Speaker
The weight of grief for Lynette and Tim Drumhiller is a burden compounded by the frustrating and protracted investigation into Megan's murder. Their sorrow is not simply the absence of their beloved daughter, but also the constant reliving of the trauma through what they perceive as mistakes and delays in the pursuit of justice.
00:28:28
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Tim poignantly described to Dateline how the initial investigation had, quote, hijacked our normal grieving, end quote, making it difficult to solely focus on the cherished memories of Megan.
00:28:41
Speaker
The pain of their loss is intensified by the feeling that opportunities to find Megan's killer may have been squandered due to what they felt were initial investigative shortcomings.
00:28:53
Speaker
Beyond their personal anguish, the Drumhillers have voiced a profound concern for other families who might be enduring similar struggles with unsolved homicides. Tim noted to Audrey Conklin of Fox News the nationwide issue of low homicide clearance rates, highlighting the unsettling reality that, quote, more than half of U.S. murder cases go unsolved, end quote.
00:29:18
Speaker
Lynette passionately questioned Conklin, quote, how many other families is this happening to, end quote, expressing her fear that, quote, people are walking around committing more crimes because they can, end quote.
00:29:36
Speaker
the Drumheller's experience has illuminated a broader systemic issue, fueling their determination to not only find justice for Megan, but also raise awareness of the challenges faced by families of homicide victims.
00:29:50
Speaker
In the midst of their pain and frustration in that interview with Conklin, Lynette had a direct and powerful message for the person responsible for taking Megan's life, quote, To the person who did this to Megan, you know who you are.
00:30:06
Speaker
and I hope your nightmares far exceed ours." end quote This raw and emotional statement encapsulates the depth of their suffering and their desire for accountability.
00:30:22
Speaker
While the perpetrator remains unidentified, the drumhillers, along with investigators, hold on to hope for a breakthrough. As I previously mentioned, the CODIS hit, linking DNA from Megan's case to another unsolved case in Michigan, offers a significant avenue for progress.
00:30:40
Speaker
Even though a name has not yet been identified, this connection provides additional crime scene details to compare and narrows the focus of the investigation. Importantly, the perpetrator does not necessarily have to commit another violent crime to be identified.
00:30:56
Speaker
DNA can be collected in various other circumstances, including during investigations of nonviolent felonies like burglary. And if that DNA matches the unknown profile in CODIS, it could finally bring answers in both Megan's case and the other linked case.
Call to Action for Listeners
00:31:16
Speaker
If you have any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, about the death of Megan Drumhiller, please contact the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office, Lt. Russell Colt, at 989-790-5448.
00:31:31
Speaker
seven nine zero five four four eight You can also contact the Saginaw County Sheriff's Office hotline at 989-790-5423 or Crimestoppers Anonymously at 1-800-422-JAIL. That's 1-800-422-JAIL.
00:31:44
Speaker
five four two three or crime stoppers anonymously at one eight hundred four two two jail that's one eight hundred four two two j a i l We stand in unwavering solidarity with Lynette and Tim Drumhiller and all who love Megan.
00:32:09
Speaker
We share their fervent hope that any piece of information can help bring closure and justice for Megan. Again, please like and join our Facebook page, Coffee in Cases Podcast, to continue the conversation and see images related to this episode.
00:32:26
Speaker
As always, follow us on Twitter at Cases Coffee, on Instagram at Coffee Cases Podcast, or you can always email us suggestions to coffeeincasespodcast at gmail.com.
00:32:37
Speaker
Please tell your friends about our podcast so more people can be reached to possibly help bring some closure to these families. Don't forget to rate our show and leave us a comment as well. We hope to hear from you soon. Stay together.
00:32:49
Speaker
Stay safe. We'll see you next week.