48 Hours Death in the Parsonage
Dec 23, 2025
A pastor’s tragic tale takes a dark turn when a parishioner is found dead from a gunshot at his church. The investigation uncovers a web of suspicious deaths linked to the pastor, including two wives who died under questionable circumstances. Family members reveal shocking evidence of affairs and inconsistencies in accident reports. As detectives delve deeper, forensic findings suggest murder rather than accident. Tensions rise as a trial unfolds, leading to a shocking guilty verdict and life sentence for the pastor.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Discovery That Sparked The Investigation
- Rose Cobb discovered her brother Joe dead at the pastor's desk and uncovered texts proving an affair between his wife Cindy and Reverend A.B. Shermer.
- Rose's suspicions about the pastor's past losses of two wives set off the broader investigation.
Crash Scene Forensics Raised Doubts
- Detective Jim Wagner reexamined Betty Shermer's crash and found inconsistencies like no skid marks and minimal front-end damage.
- Those forensic gaps suggested the crash didn't match Shermer's account and merited deeper inquiry.
Hidden Blood Trail Tied Victim To Parsonage
- Luminol testing in the Shermer garage revealed a blood trail leading to the passenger door and saturated blood on the car seat.
- Forensic results indicated Betty was bleeding before being placed in the car, implying assault prior to the crash.