Episode Summary
When the body of a man is found in the burned remains of the Roberts home, the family assumes it’s 52-year-old Clarence. But the question surrounding his identity remains for years… until another fire 10 years later leaves everyone with more questions than answers.
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Episode Info
Clarence & Geneva Roberts.
Nashville, Indiana.
Example of a masonic ring.
A young Clarence Roberts.
A young Geneva Roberts.
Morgantown, IN, where John Kupselaitis was found.
Newspaper article on Geneva’s second house fire.
Episode Source Material
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Man’s Body Found In Burning Garage.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Victim’s Identity In Doubt.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): ‘Mystery Man’ Sought in Fatal Brown County Fire.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Authorities say Nashville fire victim is ‘mystery man’ by Steve Wilson.
- Rushville Republican (Rushville, IN): Fire Death Mystery Increases.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Police Say Ex-Banker Not Victim by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Mystery still in Nashville by Steve Wilson.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Small town mystery ‘it just doesn’t make any sense at all’ by Steve Wilson.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Son Charges Cop Car At Roberts’ Prior To Fire by Larry Incollingo.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Man in Photos Like Roberts, According to FBI.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Mystery Corpse In Brown County To Be Exhumed By State Police by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Whatever Happened To Clarence Roberts? By Carolyn Pickering.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Recover mystery corpse from grave at Nashville by Steve Wilson.
- The Herald (Bloomington, IN): Fire Victim’s Body Exhumed.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Identification Of Body In Garage Fire As Roberts Appears Imminent.
- The Columbus Herald (Columbus, IN): Sheriff Says ‘No Rift’ in Fire Victim Investigation.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Roberts Suicide in Doubt, But He’s Likely Victim.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Lie Test Reveals ‘No Deception’.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Police Deny Roberts Case Disagreement.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Is Bandit Missing Businessman? By Carolyn Pickering.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Brown Coroner Files ‘John Doe’ Death Certificate In Garage Fire.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): In Roberts Fire Case Police To Keep Mum.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): One Of Many Mysteries: Who Died In Roberts Fire? By Larry Incollingo.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Coroner Rules He Can’t Identify Victim of Fire.
- Evansville Press (Evansville, IN): The case of the missing Hoosier by Bill Gerdes.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Roberts Probe Snagged On ‘Poor Cooperation by Larry Incollingo.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Ex-Sheriff Passes Police Lie Test.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): VanValer confirms Nashville mystery case remains unsolved by Steve Wilson.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Cadaver Case Called ‘Nightmare’.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Legal maze: Roberts case lingers on in court.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): To File Four Suits In Clarence Roberts Case.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Clarence Roberts case remains official mystery.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Tests Prove Roberts Not Victim Of Blaze by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Resolving Of Mystery Sought By Family, Police, Insurers by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Tribune (Seymour, IN): Wife Of Missing Man Drops Suit.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Coroner Didn’t Have X-Rays For Autopsy by Larry Incollingo.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Geneva Roberts seeks inquest by coroner’s jury.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): The Coroner does not plan to reopen Clarence Roberts case.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Roberts Case Investigation Renewed by State Police.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): State authorities to reopen probe into Roberts death case by United Press International.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): New Death Certificate Coming in Roberts’ Case? by Parker Sams.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Roberts Deposit Box To Be Opened by Parker Sams.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Belated disclosures made in Roberts case.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): ‘Ghost’ Of Roberts Stirs Dispute Over ‘New’ Police Findings by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Coroner nixes revised death certificate in Clarence Roberts case.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Identification Of ‘Mystery Man’ In Clarence Roberts Case Refuted by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): “Mystery man” deepens confusion in Roberts’ fire.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Mrs. Roberts Seeks New Investigation.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Five years later—Brown County grand jury may be asked to revive the Clarence Roberts case; prosecutor reviews evidence.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Jurors Hear Testimony In Roberts Fire Case.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): ‘Breakthrough’ is expected in Clarence Roberts case, 6 subpoenaed to testify by Dick Reed.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Clarence Roberts File Given Grand Jury By State Police by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Terre Haute Tribune (Terre Haute, IN): Mystery Man Probed By Grand Jury.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Clarence Roberts case inquiry widens with call for additional witnesses by Dick Reed.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Jury’s Report On Roberts’ Case Is Sealed by Bruce C. Smith.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): After five years of mystery and confusion, the grand jury gives us—more mystery and confusion by Greg Temple.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Indict Missing Clarence Roberts On Murder Charge by Carolyn Pickering.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Is Roberts in Germany?
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Roberts Probe Report May Be Made Public.
- The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY): Is Indiana man dead or has he assumed some other identity? by Glenn Rutherford.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Grand Jury Confirms Indictment Of Missing Clarence Roberts.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Investigator Says Leads To Find Roberts Pursued.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Man says Clarence Roberts in Mexico in 1975.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): One more ‘saw’ Roberts after fire.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Ex-State Police Detective Tells Court He Believes Roberts Died by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Opposing Testimony In Roberts Trial by John Beach.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): ‘Brother Doubted Victim Was Roberts’ by Bill Pittman.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Tooth No Help in Roberts Case by John Beach.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Pathologist Testifies Bone Probably Roberts’ by John Beach.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Pathologist Under Cross-Examination.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Pathologist Fails to Change Testimony in Roberts Case by John Beach.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Did Roberts Have Swiss Account?
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Mrs. Roberts Tells of Being ‘Watched’ by Investigators by John Beach.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Saw Roberts In ’72: Ex-Tavern Owner by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Body In Garage Dismembered, Expert Claims by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Judge Speeds Up Roberts Trial, Now In Fourth Week by Bill Pittman.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): Roberts Decision Now Up To Judge.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Clarence Roberts, Wife Identified As Victims in Brown Fire Sunday by David Baumann.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): 2 charred bodies add to 10-year-old mystery by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): ‘Pretty Sure’ Fire Victim Is Clarence Roberts by Bill Pittman.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): Bodies found in fire may be Clarence and Geneva Roberts by Masha Hamilton.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Roberts Family Skeptical It Was Clarence by David Baumann.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Police trying to trace Roberts’ whereabouts.
- Evansville Courier and Press (Evansville, IN): Body found in fire believed husband missing 10 years by Nancy Shulins.
- The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN): Pathologists to hold press conference by Mike Lewis.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Arson fire claims life of Geneva Roberts; second victim ‘looks like’ Clarence by Helen Ayers.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Relatives disclaim mystery man was missing Roberts by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Official Thinks 3rd Person Set Roberts Fire by David Baumann.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Experts confirm Roberts died in fire with wife by Bruce C. Smith.
- The Columbus Herald (Columbus, IN): Alcohol Level in Bodies Called High by David Baumann.
- The Times-Mail (Bedford, IN): The Clarence Roberts’ puzzle still has two missing pieces by Kathy Harsh.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Roberts case leaves many tough questions by Helen Ayers.
- The Columbus Herald (Columbus, IN): Roberts Investigators Close To Solving Case by David Baumann.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): Roberts insurance case dismissed.
- The Indianapolis News (Indianapolis, IN): May Present Evidence In Roberts Fire.
- Brown County Democrat (Nashville, IN): Authorities prepare Roberts case for grand jury by Helen Ayers.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Victim of ’70 Fire At Roberts Garage May Be Identified by David Baumann.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Roberts Fire Victim Not James Hatcher by David Baumann.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Police Check ‘Long Shot’: Roberts Victim Identified? by David Baumann.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Policemen Testify In Roberts Case.
- The Republic (Columbus, IN): Police Criticized in Roberts Case by David Baumann.
- The Indianapolis Star (Indianapolis, IN): 20-year-old murder yields new clues by Bruce C. Smith.
- Notorious 92: Indiana’s Most Heinous Murders In All 92 Counties, by Andrew E. Stoner. 2007. Rooftop Publishing.
- YouTube: Unsolved Mysteries, Season 14 Episode 156. Directed by Kabir Akhtar.
- Detection of blood and DNA traces after thermal exposure.