'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABYAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAEDBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAxEABAUSBgcTFCEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM23XN7TGXeUHpPeC0fYGjbuinEPFRUJOwTMifhmKrkd8YdlCWxwLCKCAEyoSTFKUH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
24-year-old Michelle Witherell fell from the third floor balcony of her apartment building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on December 19, 1992. She died a few hours later in the hospital.
The death was initially termed an accident, but following a series of suspicious statements and evidence, the case was reopened as a homicide and her husband, Jeremy Witherell, was charged in 1999.
However, two years later, he was acquitted of all the charges.
The murder mystery will be uncovered in Investigation Discovery's true-crime series Crime Scene Confidential. The episode, titled Justice for Michelle, will air on January 7.
A short synopsis of the episode reads:
"Alina Burroughs is eager to determine whether Michelle Witherell accidentally fell from her balcony, committed suicide, or was murdered; searching for the truth, she navigates a maze of conflicting pathology reports."
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of murder. Discretion is advised.
The Michelle Witherell murder case: Why she fell from the balcony, why her husband was suspected, and more
Who was Michelle Witherell?
Michelle was originally from Denver, Colorado. She married Jeremy Witherell in 1992. The couple moved to Pittsburgh when Jeremy got a job in the city. This was a few months before things took a horrible turn for the family.
Neighbors and close ones described Michelle as caring and fun-loving. According to them, she could always make anyone smile.
Jeremy called the police to inform them about her falling
It was Jeremy who called 911 first and informed the police that his wife had fallen off the balcony. When the police arrived, Michelle was still alive. She was immediately taken to the hospital.
She suffered multiple injuries, including in her head, jaw, and wrists. She had also sustained a blunt force injury, a broken jaw, and had fractured both wrists.
Different versions of the story raised suspicion
The incident was initially ruled as an accidental fall as there was no solid proof to indict anyone. However, the victim's family believed that it was a homicide and her husband was behind the murder.
Following a number of evidence and statements that did not add up, the police reopened the case. Resultantly, Jeremy was placed on the suspect's list. He was eventually charged with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Jeremy insisted that he was not guilty
Jeremy was charged with the murder but he insisted on pleading not guilty. However, he was incriminated by several conflicting statements by him and others close to the couple.
During the trial, their family and friends testified that the couple were having marital problems. They even stated that Witherell was physically and emotionally abused by her husband. Michelle's mother also revealed that her daughter often said she wanted to divorce him.
How Jeremy was finally charged by authorities
Jeremy took the polygraph test and passed it both times. However, there were inconsistencies in his version of the story.
When Michelle's body was found, her palms were unscratched even though her wrists were broken. This did not add up because an accidental fall from the balcony would have injured both her wrists and her palms.
Furthermore, one of her shoes was found quite far from where she fell. The other pair was never found.
Lastly, Jeremy claimed that he was in another room when he heard a thud sound and rushed to the balcony to see what had happened. When he saw his wife fall to the ground, he claimed he hurriedly went downstairs.
However, when investigators arrived at the scene, they saw that his apartment door was properly double locked and the balcony door was also locked.
Investigators questioned how someone who was so anxious at the time could pause to double check if the door was locked properly. Jeremy's friend also testified in court that he had confessed to killing her.
While he was charged in 1999, he was ultimately acquitted of all charges in 2001.
