transcript
show notes
A purple African violet found in a frozen ditch by a woman hints at a missing plant and a neighbor who counted the night; how did that expose them?
The Missing Violet That Marked Her Killer
In this episode, we follow the small details that framed a decades-long case: a body in a drainage ditch, a missing African violet, and a child's careful diary entry. How did a nine-year-old’s count and two photographs finally shift the investigation?
Person: Donna Hunter
Date: January 11, 1997
Location: Kettle Creek drainage ditch, near Sycamore Bend, Carver Falls
Person: Patrice Odom
Evidence: Photographs showing 12 violets in December and 11 in January
- A man named Dean Pruitt found a purple African violet six inches from the ice the morning he discovered Donna Hunter’s body.
- Donna kept twelve African violets on her kitchen windowsill; a December photo shows all twelve labeled “My girls - D.H.”
- A crime-scene photograph taken in early January shows only eleven violets on that same windowsill; no one compared the photos then.
- Nine-year-old Patrice Odom stood near a gap in the fence on Jan 9, watched a tan Buick LeSabre arrive at 9:15 p.m., and counted the minutes until she reached one thousand, then wrote it in her diary.
- Donna’s son, Kevin Hunter, was treated as a primary suspect for years due to an estate dispute, but investigators never connected him to the ditch evidence at the time.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
The Missing Violet That Marked Her Killer
In this episode, we follow the small details that framed a decades-long case: a body in a drainage ditch, a missing African violet, and a child's careful diary entry. How did a nine-year-old’s count and two photographs finally shift the investigation?
Person: Donna Hunter
Date: January 11, 1997
Location: Kettle Creek drainage ditch, near Sycamore Bend, Carver Falls
Person: Patrice Odom
Evidence: Photographs showing 12 violets in December and 11 in January
- A man named Dean Pruitt found a purple African violet six inches from the ice the morning he discovered Donna Hunter’s body.
- Donna kept twelve African violets on her kitchen windowsill; a December photo shows all twelve labeled “My girls - D.H.”
- A crime-scene photograph taken in early January shows only eleven violets on that same windowsill; no one compared the photos then.
- Nine-year-old Patrice Odom stood near a gap in the fence on Jan 9, watched a tan Buick LeSabre arrive at 9:15 p.m., and counted the minutes until she reached one thousand, then wrote it in her diary.
- Donna’s son, Kevin Hunter, was treated as a primary suspect for years due to an estate dispute, but investigators never connected him to the ditch evidence at the time.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
