True Crime Campfire - Introducing: Over My Dead Body

Episode Date: October 11, 2021

A small town cop known as “GI Joe” is gunned down in a swamp in the summer of 2015 and quickly becomes a martyr in the national media. But when a dogged investigator and his team set out to get justice, they uncover unsettling secrets about Joe, the local police department, and the village of Fox Lake. From Wondery, the makers of The Shrink Next Door and Dr. Death comes the third season of Over My Dead Body: Fox Lake. Hosted by Matt Baglio.Listen to Over My Dead Body: https://wondery.com/shows/over-my-dead-body/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

Hey, campers, if you're looking for a new one-case true crime mini-series to binge, we've got one for you. It's season three of Wonderry's hit podcast Over My Dead Body, and it's going to have you on the edge of your seat. Set in this small town of Fox Lake, Illinois, it's the shocking true story of Officer Joe Glennowitz. Joe was a hometown hero and a 30-year veteran of the local police department. On September 1st, 2015, just one month from retirement, he was found dead outside of an abandoned cement plant. shot in the chest twice at close range. While the town and Joe's family mourned his passing, hundreds of police officers launched a manhunt to find his killer.

After weeks of searching, the lead investigator discovered chilling secrets about Joe, the local police department, and the village of Fox Lake. Secrets that once uncovered would put the town in the national spotlight and haunt them for years to come. Over My Dead Body's third season is a story about corruption, betrayal, and the secrets of a fallen hero. I'm about to play you a preview of Over My Dead Body's new season, Fox Lake. While you're listening, be sure to follow Over My Dead Body Season 3 Fox Lake on Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening right now. Or you can listen early and add free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in the

Wondery app. On any other Labor Day, the town of Fox Lake, Illinois would be filled with people out for a good time, fishing, boating, and drinking in the bars. But on Labor Day 2015, the streets were lined with thousands of mourners, all here to pay tribute to a fallen hero, a local police officer, the 25th cop nationwide, to be shot dead in the line of duty that year. It had been one of the hottest summers on record, and inside the crowded high school theater where the funeral was taking place, the temperature was almost unbearable.

I'm the patrol division commander for the Fox Lake Police Department. At the front of the theater was the officer's casket draped in an American flag. With great honor that I make this presentation, Sitting in the back was a gray-haired man in his late 50s with a silver goatee and a thick pair of glasses. When I got there, it kind of took me back and it was like, wow, this is unbelievable. Medal of honor.

George Falenko was a police chief in a neighboring town. He'd been to officer funerals before, but nothing like this. It was just incredible how many officers were there from how many departments from all over the country. George was dressed in his one good suit. He watched as the other Fox Lake officers took the stage to speak. Joe was a friend of mine for 30 years. His saying, embrace the sock. Well, we're doing it today.

When we were growing up, we all knew Joe was a hero. But now the nation knows he's a hero. We are Glenwood Strong. I love you, brother. George sat in the cushion seat, sweating from too many bodies crowded into the theater. He gazed forward, trying to focus on the speakers. Joe was a father to those boys. But his mind was elsewhere,

because George had been tasked with leading the investigation into the officer's death. I was just thinking, let's get back to the station. All eyes in the room were focused on the stage. But for the last week, they'd been on George. It was up to him to bring Joe's killers to justice. I was focused on where we were. where we were going, what we had, what our next steps are going to be, you know, constantly thinking. When you're so absorbed in these cases and especially something like this, your mind

just runs at a thousand miles an hour. George thought about all the people in the room who loved Lieutenant Joe Glynowitz. He couldn't let them down. I'm here to tell you, broke the mold with Joe. George and the other cops still had a lot to uncover about what it happened. to their fallen brother. But there was one big thing George didn't know that day. The killer was right there in the room. From Wondery, the makers of Joe Exotic and the shrink next door, comes a story about how the hunt for a killer.

He said when you find these motherfuckers, motherfuckers, take your safeties off, shoot to kill. Revealed secrets hidden just below the surface. I was told in a very strong voice, it's none of your business. You don't need to know that, doctor. Secrets that everyone in Fox Lake would rather forget. Fox Lake had that reputation, a little bit on the dark side. We saw that the packet of the powder, which later turned out to be, you know, cocaine.

I wouldn't shock me if you try to plant something on her, but to kill her, no. I got the hell out of that town because small towns are just no good for anybody. Follow over My Dead Body Season 3 Fox Lake on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Or you can listen early and ad free by subscribing to Wondery Plus and the Wondery app. I don't think we ever knew what was behind that closed door with G.I. Joe Glenowitz.