True crime podcaster attempts to solve father’s 'strange' murder: ‘He did not deserve to die in this way’
On July 11, 2002, John Cornelius McGhee, also known as “J.C.," was shot in the head in the doorway of his home in Belmont County, Ohio. He was 45.
Madison McGhee always believed that her father died from a heart attack – but that all changed in 2012.
The Charleston, Virginia, native, who was 16 at the time, was visiting her family at her grandmother’s house. She suddenly had a strange feeling that she couldn’t breathe. The patriarch was on her mind.
"I remember after saying goodbye, I got in the car and asked my mom a very weird question," McGhee recalled to Fox News Digital. "I wasn’t even sure I understood what I was asking at the time. I asked her if my cousin Omar was with my dad when he died, thinking that he had died of a heart attack."
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"That’s when my mom told me the truth," said McGhee. "The truth was my dad was murdered, and it’s still unsolved."
McGhee, who now resides in Los Angeles, is on a quest to find out what happened to her father. She’s the host of the true-crime podcast, "Ice Cold Case," where she interviews those who may lead her to answers.
"For 10 years, my dad in my mind had died of a heart attack," said McGhee. "But to then find out he died a completely different way? I had to start the process completely over. I had to grieve him all over again. I’ve had to grapple with the truth of what happened to him."
On July 11, 2002, John Cornelius McGhee, also known as "J.C.," was shot in the head in the doorway of his home in Belmont County, Ohio. He was 45.
McGhee was six years old at the time.
"My most vivid memories of him are almost like a movie," said McGhee. "I remember being in the car listening to music with him. The song ‘Hot in Here’ by Nelly had just dropped. My dad also loved playing the ‘Space Jam’ soundtrack. Nothing special happened on those days. I don’t remember birthday parties or anything like that. I just remember those little moments listening to music with him in the car. I remember being loved by my dad."
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It wouldn’t be until 2020 that McGhee was compelled to find out what happened to J.C. and why his death remains unsolved. The coronavirus pandemic was ongoing, and work had slowed down.
"I knew I needed to do something big if I wanted answers," said McGhee. "I was furiously making phone calls, trying to get these case files, trying to put in requests, just trying to get any access to any records. I started talking to people and making connections. It was a tough journey."
McGhee said the popularity of true-crime podcasts inspired her to launch "Ice Cold Case." She believed it would raise awareness and encourage anyone with information to come forward.
"I feel pretty confident that I will get to the bottom of this," she said. "The podcast has already opened up a conversation that no one has had for 22 years. It’s shaken people up a bit, but I also think it opened their eyes to this unsolved case. The locals are talking about it. People who remember this happening are now having epiphanies. . . . It’s shaken up the community and people are wondering why this case isn’t solved. . . . The impact is undeniable. And I don’t want anyone to get away with this."
According to the podcast, J.C. had been a drug dealer-turned-informant. He helped police arrest several people, including one of his nephews, who was sentenced to life in prison. While the police concluded that J.C.’s murder had been a home invasion gone wrong, McGhee had her doubts.
"This investigation was very inconclusive and incomplete in my opinion," McGhee explained. ". . . And I think people who have information are afraid to talk. If the person who killed my dad isn’t in prison for something else, then that means there’s a killer on the loose. That element makes people afraid to talk. They don’t know if my dad got killed potentially because he was a snitch. What message does that send to people who would want to come forward with information?"
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That hasn’t deterred McGhee.
"I’ve heard from family members that they are less than thrilled about this show," she admitted. "I think they’re upset about the skeletons coming out of the closet. Some of them, I think… are worried about how they would be implicated in this. So, they are sending crazy messages. And I think that’s also interesting. It’s a bit telling when someone is feeling so openly defensive. It almost sheds a light on them that maybe they didn’t want."
McGhee said that after being in the dark for so long, she didn’t think twice about putting the spotlight on those who may have answers.
"My dad used to talk to my mom quite a bit about thinking that someone was going to kill him," McGhee claimed. "I think he knew and dealt with the weight of his decisions and his lifestyle. My mom used to say, ‘Oh stop, you’re going to be OK. Don’t say that.’ It’s very easy to brush it off, like, ‘You’re a little paranoid. You’re being a little dramatic.’ I think my dad just had a very strong intuition that something was going to happen to him. And it did."
When McGhee heard the 911 call for the first time, she was left with more questions than answers.
"It didn’t make a lot of sense," she said. "When I think of a home invasion, I think of a robbery. . . . Nothing was stolen. . . .You would have also heard the gunshot. My dad’s house was on this small hill, but the hill kept going. Then there’s a highway. It echoes. . . . But nothing was brought up about a gunshot. It just seemed strange for a home invasion. It’s all strange."
McGhee said that since "Ice Cold Case" launched, she has gotten tips and is exploring new leads. She is hopeful that, eventually, she will discover the identity of the person who shot J.C.
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"Everyone deserves justice – there’s no such thing as the perfect victim," said McGhee. "I dealt with a lot of uphill battles to get this show out into the world because no one wanted to help me. They just saw a drug dealer-turned-informant from Ohio. But my dad was so much more than that."
"I want people to see my father as human," she continued. "He was a victim, regardless of the circumstances. My dad was a drug dealer, but he was also my dad. He did not deserve to die in this way. It’s very easy to say, ‘That’s what he signed up for,’ but no one deserves to be murdered."
Through the grief, McGhee has gained a deeper appreciation for the man she only knew for six years.
"My dad was a good dad," she said. "He was dynamic and a good person. I’m now learning from people how he was so generous and helped the people he loved. When you needed help, he was there. . . . Now I’m there for him."