New Podcast Offers $100K Reward For Solving Mystery Of 2014 Death Of Mississippi Man
Was it suicide or murder?
Handout The 2014 suicide case of Christian Andreacchio has resurfaced due to a recent controversial podcast released by Dennis Cooper. According to the Clarion Ledger, “Dennis Cooper, the host of the podcast that started on June 17, has conducted interviews that uncover evidence and facts surrounding Andreacchio's death as a premeditated homicide.” In 2014, police found Christian Andreacchio, 21, slumped over the bathtub of his apartment in Meridian, Mississippi with a single gunshot wound to his head. After 45 minutes of investigating, authorities determined the incident was a suicide.
The 20-episode podcast acknowledges how poorly the case was handled by authorities and how quickly it was dismissed as a suicide when there was a multitude of questionable evidence that should have been investigated. “Cooper spoke with friends of Andreacchio, witnesses, family members, members of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Meridian police department and private investigators associated with the case,” according to the Clarion Ledger.
Family members insist Andreacchio was a happy man and do not believe that his death was a result of suicide. After the podcast gained significant popularity from the case, the Culpable podcast "has remained in the top 20 on Apple podcast charts. Produced by Tenderfoot TV and Black Mountain Media, the producers of the podcast are offering a $100,000 reward for additional information that could lead to the arrest of the person responsible for Andreacchio's death,” according to the Clarion Ledger.
Read on to find out more details on this mysterious case. How did Christian Andreacchio die?
1. Allegedly, the evidence from the crime scene did not match the description of a suicide.
According to the Clarion Ledger, “Forensic experts concluded that the blood splatters in the bathroom and the location of the bullet hole by the sink did not line up with the official explanation that Andreacchio had shot himself while kneeling over the tub.”
Additionally, according to People, “Andreacchio was right handed, but the pistol was found by his left leg. It was also uncocked, with a live round in the chamber.”
2. Two people were in Andreacchio’s apartment.
One of the biggest controversies in the case is that Andreacchio was not alone in his apartment during the incident. According to People, “Two individuals were with him and both of them were originally named in arrest warrants that were never fulfilled by law enforcement. Both of the people in the apartment allegedly had gunshot residue on their hands.”
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3. Before he was found dead, he went to confront his girlfriend for allegedly cheating.
According to the Clarion Ledger, “Andreacchio left his job on a tugboat and was picked up by Dylan Swearingen, one of his friends. Andreacchio was driven home to confront his girlfriend Whitley Goodman about her alleged cheating.”
4. The investigation by Meridian authorities took a total of 45 minutes.
According to Crime Online, the investigation lasted only 45 minutes and following an autopsy, they labeled Christian’s death as a suicide.
5. District Attorney Kassie Coleman of the 10th Judicial District said she would reopen the case if she received new evidence.
Coleman said, “As with all cases, the District Attorney’s Office is ready to receive and review any new evidence. Because a grand jury has heard the evidence and declined to indict this case, the District Attorney will only resubmit it to a grand jury if and when new evidence is received. The District Attorney takes all credible evidence seriously no matter how much time has passed.”
6. A Q&A podcast is set to air on Sept. 26.
According to the Clarion Ledger, the podcast will release a question and answer podcast on Sept. 26 where questions from listeners will be answered and discussed.
Elizabeth Ward is a writing student finishing her bachelor’s at the University of Louisville. She covers topics in news, entertainment, relationships and everything in between.