This is I Fear You, Babe. Before we talk about how Michelle O’Connell died, we talk about how she lived.

Michelle O’Connell was twenty four years old when she was found dead from a gunshot wound in her boyfriend’s home in Florida. Authorities ruled her death a suicide. The case was closed quickly.

Years later, a group of mothers driving their children to school began asking questions no one else seemed interested in answering. They noticed inconsistencies in the investigation. They noticed gaps in the record. And they noticed how fast the system stopped looking.

They didn’t have badges or jurisdiction. They had carpools, notebooks, and persistence.

In this mini episode, we examine the Michelle O’Connell case through the women who refused to let it disappear. We trace the timeline, the procedural failures, the conflicts of interest, and the legal limits that shaped the outcome. We center Michelle and her family, not speculation — and we ask why ordinary women so often become the last line of accountability when institutions step back.

Show Notes

Case Overview

Michelle O’Connell died on September 2, 2010, in St. Johns County, Florida.

Her death was ruled a suicide despite objections from her family.

Her boyfriend at the time, Jeremy Banks, was a deputy with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

Key Themes

Conflict of interest in law enforcement investigations

Domestic violence indicators that go undocumented

How suicide rulings can prematurely end accountability

The emotional and investigative labor taken on by private citizens

Sources & Further Reading

CNN reporting on the Michelle O’Connell case

https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/15/justice/florida-michelle-oconnell

Florida Department of Law Enforcement case materials

https://www.fdle.state.fl.us

Coverage of the Carpool Detectives by local Florida outlets

https://www.jacksonville.com

National Domestic Violence Hotline (for resources and education)

https://www.thehotline.org

If You or Someone You Know Needs Help

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1 800 799 SAFE

Text START to 88788

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