Soledad O'Brien

So every time Hantman examined a new witness about the crime scene, he'd clumsily put the map back up like a 10th grade geography teacher. The map itself covered a substantial area, everything between Key Bridge and Chain Bridge. It wasn't just the crime scene where Mary died. It included potential exits, too, where the killer could have escaped after the murder.

So every time Hantman examined a new witness about the crime scene, he'd clumsily put the map back up like a 10th grade geography teacher. The map itself covered a substantial area, everything between Key Bridge and Chain Bridge. It wasn't just the crime scene where Mary died. It included potential exits, too, where the killer could have escaped after the murder.

The mapmaker was a lifelong government employee. His name was Joseph Roncesvalle, and he was an engineer. He testified that there were multiple official exits to the towpath, including Key Bridge, Chain Bridge, Foundry Tunnel, and Fletcher's Boathouse. Remember, the police caught Ray within 45 minutes of the murder.

The mapmaker was a lifelong government employee. His name was Joseph Roncesvalle, and he was an engineer. He testified that there were multiple official exits to the towpath, including Key Bridge, Chain Bridge, Foundry Tunnel, and Fletcher's Boathouse. Remember, the police caught Ray within 45 minutes of the murder.

The police had probably been manning those exits within 10 to 15 minutes of Mary's body being found. So essentially, the mapmaker was saying the murderer was trapped in the area. There was no way he could have escaped. So the killer had to be Ray. That's what the prosecution argued. Dovey quickly seized on the mapmaker's argument in her cross-examination.

The police had probably been manning those exits within 10 to 15 minutes of Mary's body being found. So essentially, the mapmaker was saying the murderer was trapped in the area. There was no way he could have escaped. So the killer had to be Ray. That's what the prosecution argued. Dovey quickly seized on the mapmaker's argument in her cross-examination.

She asked him if he had ever walked the towpath area. He hadn't. Dovey's long days traversing the towpath were about to pay off. Unlike the mapmaker, she had been to the towpath. A lot. By this point, she had memorized its pathways. She listed off all the numerous small and unofficial entry and exit points in the area.

She asked him if he had ever walked the towpath area. He hadn't. Dovey's long days traversing the towpath were about to pay off. Unlike the mapmaker, she had been to the towpath. A lot. By this point, she had memorized its pathways. She listed off all the numerous small and unofficial entry and exit points in the area.

And it was clear to me the killer didn't have to leave the towpath through an official exit. Natalie and I noticed that immediately when we walked there. I mean, you're so close to roads on both sides, so sure, there's not an official exit. But if you walk over here, right, if we head kind of toward the Potomac and we walk through this bramble... There's a path right here.

And it was clear to me the killer didn't have to leave the towpath through an official exit. Natalie and I noticed that immediately when we walked there. I mean, you're so close to roads on both sides, so sure, there's not an official exit. But if you walk over here, right, if we head kind of toward the Potomac and we walk through this bramble... There's a path right here.

I'm sure that's not an official path, but clearly somebody else has come down here, and you can see where they've tucked through there, and they could make their way. I mean, it's a 30-foot drop, but you could see how you could scoot down there, not easily. You can also see sort of a tunnel that brings you somewhere other than... Oh, yeah, yeah. Try not to fall off this edge here.

I'm sure that's not an official path, but clearly somebody else has come down here, and you can see where they've tucked through there, and they could make their way. I mean, it's a 30-foot drop, but you could see how you could scoot down there, not easily. You can also see sort of a tunnel that brings you somewhere other than... Oh, yeah, yeah. Try not to fall off this edge here.

But yeah, look at that. There's a little tunnel that you can see pretty clearly. That's not an official exit by any stretch of the imagination, but could you get out? You could. Could you go down these stairs, maybe run over that way? Could you jump into the water? I mean, those aren't official exits, but they're ways out. You could run across the marsh. You and I, if we go to the other side...

But yeah, look at that. There's a little tunnel that you can see pretty clearly. That's not an official exit by any stretch of the imagination, but could you get out? You could. Could you go down these stairs, maybe run over that way? Could you jump into the water? I mean, those aren't official exits, but they're ways out. You could run across the marsh. You and I, if we go to the other side...

But look, I mean, you and I could just jump right into this. It's mucky, but it's not full of water like it is down further. You could run across that and scale up over that wall. I mean, I could hop that. Yeah. I mean, truly, anybody could do that. So this idea that, yes, it's not an official exit, but if you're asking, could someone in fact exit? Yes, they could.

But look, I mean, you and I could just jump right into this. It's mucky, but it's not full of water like it is down further. You could run across that and scale up over that wall. I mean, I could hop that. Yeah. I mean, truly, anybody could do that. So this idea that, yes, it's not an official exit, but if you're asking, could someone in fact exit? Yes, they could.

It seems as though Dovey came to the same conclusion. Back in 1965, the mapmaker was no contest for Dovey. After she listed all the potential unofficial exits, he relented. He couldn't counter her argument. He hadn't been to the towpath. So in open court, he had to admit he wasn't sure there were a fixed number of escape routes. The implications were huge.

It seems as though Dovey came to the same conclusion. Back in 1965, the mapmaker was no contest for Dovey. After she listed all the potential unofficial exits, he relented. He couldn't counter her argument. He hadn't been to the towpath. So in open court, he had to admit he wasn't sure there were a fixed number of escape routes. The implications were huge.

I'm Soledad O'Brien, and on my podcast, Murder on the Towpath, I'm taking you back to the 1960s. Mary Pinchot Meyer was a painter who lived in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Every day, she took a daily walk along the towpath near the E&O Canal.

I'm Soledad O'Brien, and on my podcast, Murder on the Towpath, I'm taking you back to the 1960s. Mary Pinchot Meyer was a painter who lived in Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Every day, she took a daily walk along the towpath near the E&O Canal.