The Officer's Wife
This unusual “who done it” asks the question was this a suicide or a devious plan of a husband to be rid of his wife?
The answers don’t come easily as narrator Brendan Keefe guides listeners through a complicated story via first-person and police interviews and statements. The series is well-researched and presented. Brendan Keefe has won many awards in journalism, including a Peabody Award, a duPont-Columbia Award, and five National Edward R. Murrow Awards.
Produced by TEGNA Inc. VAULT Studios and 11Alive (WXIA), TEGNA’s NBC affiliate in Atlanta which originally investigated the case, The Officer’s Wife is told over seven episodes. The only fault I found with the podcast was that I started listening too late in the day for a full binge-watch. If this were a book, it would certainly be a page turner.
The Officer’s Wife tells the story of young married couple Matthew and Jessica Boynton. It takes place in a small Georgia town where Matthew is a police officer and Jessica a stay-at-home mom.
Late one night, in April, 2016 Matthew calls a colleague for assistance when he hears two gunshots coming from inside of his home. His wife is inside, possibly suicidal along with her two young sons. Matthew is told to wait outside.
When the law arrives they find Jessica inside a closet, locked from the inside, unconscious and bleeding from her head. Her husband’s service pistol is underneath Jessica’s body. She is still alive and rushed to the hospital where she remains in a medically induced coma.
As the story progresses the couple’s “dirty laundry” is revealed. Matthew was having an affair. Jessica’s son was the result of a one-night-stand during a short break-up with Matthew. The couple had not been getting along and would be separating.
Was Jessica suicidal because of the impending break-up. Did Matthew discover that Jessica had been gathering evidence to use against him in a divorce? Would he shoot her and take the chance that her death would be deemed a suicide and the matter closed?
The podcast quickly carried me along with many more questions, surprises, and theories to what actually happened.
I found myself binge-listening over two days wondering if the police were protecting one of their own, or if they had botched the investigation from the start. I wanted to know if Jessica deserved justice and if she would have it in the end.
But there was no end! I kept wondering and needed to learn more about the case. The podcast had originally been aired in early 2020. Perhaps in the months since there would be answers.
I have provided the resources that I found following the podcast. Don’t skip ahead though. Listen to The Officer’s Wife in its entirety first!
The producers plan on future updates and podcasts should circumstances change.
Listen to The Officer’s Wide on Apple Podcastsor Spotify.
About VAULT Studios
VAULT Studios is an in-house production and distribution studio that combines TEGNA’s vast archive of investigative reporting with modern digital storytelling to develop new, original, cross-platform content offerings. Created in 2019, VAULT’s initial slate of programming focuses on true crime, cold cases and unsolved mysteries from TEGNA’s 62 television stations in 51 markets. VAULT’s offerings are distributed on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, and on TEGNA’s owned-and-operated digital platforms.
About TEGNA
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. With 62 television stations in 51 markets, TEGNA is the largest owner of top 4 affiliates in the top 25 markets among independent station groups, reaching approximately 39 percent of all television households nationwide. TEGNA also owns leading multicast networks Justice Network and Quest. TEGNA Marketing Solutions(TMS) offers innovative solutions to help businesses reach consumers across television, email, social and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Premion, TEGNA’s OTT advertising service. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com.
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SOURCE: TEGNA Inc.
