True Crime Campfire - Introducing: The Generation Why Podcast

Episode Date: October 17, 2022

The Generation Why Podcast released its first episode in 2012 and pioneered the true crime genre in the podcasting world. Two friends, Aaron & Justin, break down theories and give their opinions on unsolved murders, controversies, mysteries and conspiracies. One of the longest running true crime podcasts out there, Generation Why has a little something for every true crime listener. Follow The Generation Why Podcast on Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Or you can listen ad-free by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app. wondery.fm/TCC_GenWhyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-campfire--4251960/support.

For true fans of true crime, the Generation Y podcast is essential listening. Hosts Aaron and Justin started the podcast in 2012 to dissect some of the craziest and most notable murders, crimes, and conspiracy theories together. And 10 years later, they're still at it, unraveling a new case each week. Aaron and Justin take on infamous cases like the evil genius bank robbery, the Zodiac Killer, and the Tylenol murders, and they also cover lesser-known cases, like the case of Kimberly Rico, aka the Valentine Murder, where Kim takes her husband on a romantic weekend that includes a murder mystery play, that she, of course, uses a cover to murder him for insurance money.

Actually, we're about to play you a clip of the Generation Y podcast. While you're listening, follow the Generation Y podcast on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts. Or you can listen early and add free by joining Wondry Plus on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app. Well, tonight we're talking about a mysterious death that happened April 14th, 2022 in Lynchburg, Virginia. And the mysterious death was of a young man named Johnny Cashman. I say young man because he's younger than me. He was 38.

This was in Lynchburg, Virginia. I've never been there. But looking at photos and talking to people. It looks, Virginia looks beautiful, and that town is, you know, it's population of around 80,000. So I think it's a quaint town where you can still have a small town feel and know people around you. People help each other out. But like any town, there is crime and other elements that happen. So really, this case starts off, Justin, because Johnny's mother, Kim, she hadn't heard from since.

that day. So she spoke to him on April 14th, which was in 2022, but then she hadn't heard from him for a few days. And that worried her because she was used to getting a text from him or a call every day, if not more than one. Now, with his having depression, that's always a fear, right? That maybe he's not wanting to talk to anyone or we could imagine something worse happening. Yeah. And his parents and sister, they all live in Maine, which is hundreds of miles away. So they can't just jump in their car and go visit him. It's a long distance. So their only communication is via phone or text. And when they don't hear from them, it's a little bothersome. Yeah, it's five days later on April 19th when Kim called the Lynchburg Police Department. And she said, you know, I talked to my son. five days ago, but I haven't heard from him since. That is out of the ordinary. Is there any way you could check on him? And as we all know, that means if the police agree to it, that means

they'll conduct a welfare check. And at 545 a.m., officers go to his apartment and they knock, but no one answers the door. Now, Aaron, at 545 or any time before 6 a.m., I don't know if anyone's answering the door. I think a lot of us are going to be asleep. So that makes sense. Right. Yeah. But credit to them, they do conduct this welfare check. And then they come back several more times knocking and trying to get contact made with Johnny Cashman. Now, at 8 a.m., they get a key to the apartment. There is some concern here that because he's not answering that maybe something has happened where he can't answer, right? We don't know if he's on. unconscious or if he's not willing to answer the door or if there has been a suicide attempt,

and we hope not. But they gain access to his apartment. What do they find inside? Well, according to the police, they find Johnny lying on his back on the floor. He's obviously dead. They see blood, puddles of blood, but they determine that there isn't any foul play. The officers do speak with Johnny's family, and they say it looked like this was an apparent medical condition that preceded his death. In other words, they don't think anyone attacked him or murdered him.

His family's obviously concerned. His father is asking, was there any signs of violence? Was it a suicide or anything like that? that and this is john cashman yeah and law enforcement saying no it looks very natural and they go on to ask if they think he suffered and the police will say no it looks like this was pretty instantaneous which i don't know how they would know that but they're saying that he probably didn't suffer and this was all natural.

So Johnny's body is obviously removed from the home and the family is asking about an autopsy if an autopsy is going to be done. And what do the police and law enforcement say to that? Well, their response is, know the case is closed, meaning they don't think one is necessary. And that is a thing, Aaron.

I had to go look that up because I just assumed that autopsies were always done but it's not generally necessary as the internet says if the cause of death is known meaning if somebody's old and has a heart attack or somebody you know obviously has cancer or something to that effect they say well there's no need for an autopsy we can just take the body and go ahead and cremate or whatever you want to do. And the family takes law enforcement's word that there is no need for an autopsy. This was very straightforward.

And it was obviously a medical issue or medical emergency type of deal. So they make arrangements with a funeral home, which is located in Lynchburg, to have Johnny Cashman Jr. cremated. so that they can bring his remains back to Maine, his ashes. They're having to do this all from afar because they live in Maine, so they're just making phone calls and arranging this to be done. At no point has anyone stepped foot into Johnny Cashman Jr.'s apartment. Not until April 29th.

That's when Johnny's ex-girlfriend and her mother go to the apartment to get a few things. We don't know her name. She has requested to remain anonymous. But she has spoken to the media, and this is what she said. Well, we open the door, and the first thing you see is an abundant amount of blood in the bathroom, which is not at all what they were expecting to see, of course, right? They say that the whole floor is just covered in blood. There's blood on the counters, the sinks, the walls, and the toilet.

And there's even in other parts of the apartment, there's blood on door frames, floors, walls, windowsill, and even on a chair. And there are streaks of blood, including some that look like they were left by fingers. You've just heard a clip of the Generation Y podcast. To hear the rest of this episode, follow the Generation Y podcast on Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.