Lance Morrow

You'll notice that about me. I don't lurk. I'm out there. I'm an action kind of girl.

You'll notice that about me. I don't lurk. I'm out there. I'm an action kind of girl.

It was October 12th, 1964. Lance Morrow was listening to the Metro Police scanner. He was fresh out of Harvard, working as a cub reporter for a D.C. newspaper. He happened to be at police headquarters that day, just filling in for a co-worker. I know that feeling, when you're just sitting there waiting for something newsworthy to happen. He didn't wait long.

It was October 12th, 1964. Lance Morrow was listening to the Metro Police scanner. He was fresh out of Harvard, working as a cub reporter for a D.C. newspaper. He happened to be at police headquarters that day, just filling in for a co-worker. I know that feeling, when you're just sitting there waiting for something newsworthy to happen. He didn't wait long.

The cruisers racing to the scene weren't just any police cars.

The cruisers racing to the scene weren't just any police cars.

They were responding to a murder.

They were responding to a murder.

Lance grew up in Georgetown. He knew the streets like a local cab driver, and he knew the people just as well.

Lance grew up in Georgetown. He knew the streets like a local cab driver, and he knew the people just as well.

He was used to living in the background of history. Rarely had he been caught in the crossfires of it. But a murder? In Georgetown? At midday? Now that was unheard of.

He was used to living in the background of history. Rarely had he been caught in the crossfires of it. But a murder? In Georgetown? At midday? Now that was unheard of.

Lance parked his car on Canal Road. Just below it, there was the canal itself, and running beside that canal was a dirt road called a towpath. He spotted two African-American men fixing a stalled car on the road in front of him. The guys were mechanics from the local ESSO station. They'd called the police. And they told Lance they heard the whole thing go down.

Lance parked his car on Canal Road. Just below it, there was the canal itself, and running beside that canal was a dirt road called a towpath. He spotted two African-American men fixing a stalled car on the road in front of him. The guys were mechanics from the local ESSO station. They'd called the police. And they told Lance they heard the whole thing go down.

This is Murder on the Towpath, and I'm your host, Soledad O'Brien. I've been a journalist for over three decades. I've covered politics. I've reported on crime, justice, and race in America. And I'm really interested in the way they can all intersect. That's one of the things that drew me to this story. It weaves together all those things around a single event. A murder.

This is Murder on the Towpath, and I'm your host, Soledad O'Brien. I've been a journalist for over three decades. I've covered politics. I've reported on crime, justice, and race in America. And I'm really interested in the way they can all intersect. That's one of the things that drew me to this story. It weaves together all those things around a single event. A murder.

A murder that would become emblematic of the 1960s. A time of political and cultural upheaval. A story that ruffled feathers even back then. A legendary newspaper man, a CIA director, and even JFK himself play a part. What's fascinating is that this tale has never really gone away. Decades later, people argue about what happened. Relatives of the victim hesitate to speak about her publicly.

A murder that would become emblematic of the 1960s. A time of political and cultural upheaval. A story that ruffled feathers even back then. A legendary newspaper man, a CIA director, and even JFK himself play a part. What's fascinating is that this tale has never really gone away. Decades later, people argue about what happened. Relatives of the victim hesitate to speak about her publicly.

Relatives of the alleged killer do too. It's a story so complex and mysterious that conspiracy theorists have come out of the woodwork. Even to this day, people still ask, who killed this woman in broad daylight? Over the next eight episodes, I'll introduce you to the two women at the heart of the story.

Relatives of the alleged killer do too. It's a story so complex and mysterious that conspiracy theorists have come out of the woodwork. Even to this day, people still ask, who killed this woman in broad daylight? Over the next eight episodes, I'll introduce you to the two women at the heart of the story.