Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Tell me a true crime
story.
Hey there, welcome to Tell Me aTrue Crime Story Podcast.
(00:21):
I'm your host, holly.
Thank you so much for spendingthis time with me and for taking
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(00:41):
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(01:04):
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And on Spotify, I got severalmore five-star ratings, so I'm
(01:28):
up to 50 on Apple and 30 onSpotify, and it's thanks to you
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You guys are really comingthrough for me.
Thanks a ton and big, big hugsto you guys for doing that for
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Some of you guys may know thisand some of you may not, but the
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(01:51):
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(02:12):
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(02:32):
I mean, we see and hear adseverywhere these days.
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So if you hate ads on yourfavorite podcast, please
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(03:18):
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(03:42):
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So so far me I've been doingthis one for over a year without
(04:03):
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(04:23):
Actually it costs me money todo this podcast, but that's okay
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So I thank you guys for yoursupport and your understanding
(04:45):
when I'm asking you guys forreviews, and I just wanted to
let you know, like why I askedfor that and other podcasters
asked for reviews.
And one more thing I met theseawesome young ladies a couple
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They're from Canada and theirnames are Brie and Michelle.
(05:07):
So, yeah, I just wanted to sayhi to them and it was nice
meeting you guys and I hope thatyou become regular listeners of
the podcast.
Now let me tell you a truecrime story.
Cody Lee Johnson was born onApril 8th 1988 in California to
his parents, david and Sherry.
(05:28):
In 2002, he moved fromCalifornia to Montana with his
mom.
In the summer of 2013, cody was25 years old and worked at
Nomad Global CommunicationsSolutions.
He enjoyed the work he didthere and the people he worked
with.
On June 22nd 2013, he movedinto a home he'd just bought in
(05:48):
Calispell, montana.
These family and friends say hewas hardworking, outgoing and
always willing to help people.
He loved life and he loved hisnew wife, jordan Graham.
Cody Johnson knew soon aftermeeting Jordan Graham that he
wanted to marry her one day.
Cody was 24 and Jordan was 21when they first met at Taco Bell
(06:09):
after church one Sunday night,but some that knew the couple
worried that they weremismatched.
As I mentioned, cody wasoutgoing and he was friendly too
.
He enjoyed playing softball,going for a willing, spending
time with his friends anddrinking beer.
He loved cars, fixing them upand driving them fast.
Jordan, on the other hand, wasquirky and quiet.
(06:31):
She attended church regularlyand worked at a daycare center.
She was religious and didn'tbelieve in sex before marriage.
She hadn't been allowed to dateuntil the age of 18.
But despite the differences intheir personalities, they both
shared a strong desire to havechildren and start a family.
People familiar with Cody andJordan's relationship said that
(06:53):
the relationship seemed to beone-sided.
Friends of both Jordan and Codysaid things like Cody did
everything for Jordan,everything he could, to make her
happy, but they didn't see mucheffort from Jordan to
reciprocate any of the love andattention that Cody bestowed
upon her.
Cody put a lot into therelationship and Jordan didn't.
(07:14):
Cody always wanted to hang outwith Jordan, but she was always
making excuses not to hang outwith him.
Cody was in love with Jordanbut she was distant towards him.
One friend said it was likeJordan didn't want to be alone
with Cody.
They'd go out on dates butJordan would often bring someone
along with her.
It was like they didn't havemany one-on-one dates.
(07:34):
A friend of Jordan said shenever saw the two flirt with
each other, hold hands or kissat get-togethers.
A friend of Cody said he toldCody not to marry Jordan.
He said that he hadreservations about the
relationship between Cody andJordan.
He said it didn't seem healthybecause Cody was giving his all
and he wasn't getting much back.
(07:55):
So, as you can imagine, many ofthe couple's friends were
surprised when Cody proposed andJordan accepted after a little
over a year of dating.
Kimberly Martinez was Jordan'smatron of honor at her wedding.
She said Jordan was excited forthe planning part of the
wedding, but not so much aboutthe actual wedding.
(08:16):
In fact, sometimes Jordan wouldget irritated when the subject
of the wedding came up.
According to Kimberly, sheended up doing a lot of the
wedding preparation by herselfand even with Cody, but not with
Jordan.
Kimberly said she ended upspending more time with Cody
picking out a venue than she didwith her friend, the
bride-to-be Jordan.
(08:36):
Jordan didn't spend much timeplanning the wedding with her
future husband, cody, either.
Kimberly Martinez said thatbefore the wedding.
There were a couple of timesthat Jordan asked her if she was
making the right decision aboutmarrying Cody.
Kimberly told her that shecould not answer that question
for her and that if she washaving second thoughts about it,
(08:56):
she needed to talk to Codyabout it.
On Saturday, june 29, 2013,jordan and Cody tied the knot.
They got married at WoodlandPark in Calispell in front of 90
guests.
According to some friends ofthe couple and some of the
wedding guests, it was not asjoyous an occasion as the
wedding photos might suggest.
Jordan's friend, hannah saidquote she was kind of shaking
(09:20):
her head, like just bawlinghysterically down the aisle.
It wasn't pretty at all.
Like a bride would be reallyhappy, like having tears go down
her face with a smile lookingat Cody, and when she got up
there, she didn't look at him inthe eyes.
She was standing there holdinghis hands and she was looking
down at the ground the wholetime.
End.
Quote.
However, others have said thatthe couple locked eyes with one
(09:43):
another during the ceremony andnervously smiled at each other.
At their reception, jordan andCody danced together to a custom
song that Jordan had writtenespecially for Cody.
For their wedding, jordan paidsongwriter Elizabeth Shea to
write a song for them.
Some of the words in the songcalled your Mind Go Like this
(10:04):
Everyone wants a safe place tofall, and your mind.
After the wedding, jordan andCody had a one-night honeymoon
in Big Fork, montana.
To surprise Jordan and to dosomething extra special for her,
cody had one of the bridesmaidsbuy flowers for their room.
The very next day after herwedding, jordan began texting
her friend Kimberly.
(10:25):
She sounded very regretfulabout having married Cody.
She said that the wedding nighthad been miserable and they
didn't really enjoy it.
The message from June 30th at10.31pm said quote totally just
had a meltdown.
I'm completely second guessingeverything.
I don't know if all of this wasthe right thing to do.
So much happened last night.
(10:46):
I just don't know.
End.
Quote.
The next night, july 1st, jordansent more texts to Kimberly.
She said quote.
I cannot freaking pull myselftogether.
I haven't stopped crying sinceI was married.
I wish someone would have stoodup and asked me what I wanted,
but I can't go back and changeanything.
I should be happy and I'm justnot.
I don't feel like myself.
(11:08):
End quote.
Jordan's texts to Kimberlycontinued for the next week.
In some of them she expressedher less than enthusiastic
attitude about the prospect ofhaving sex with her new husband.
Jordan wrote in one text, quoteI just know he is going to want
to do stuff and I'm not reallywanting to end quote.
In another text message shesaid quote using the my period
(11:33):
started spiel tonight.
I freaking hope it works,because if I'm forced to do
something I'm going to freak out.
End quote.
Kimberly said that, according toJordan, jordan and Cody didn't
consummate their marriage.
Jordan had told Kimberly thatshe didn't want to and that she
was too nervous about it.
Here's another despondentsounding text that she sent to
(11:54):
Kimberly, quote it's just sofreaking hard.
I want my happy self back, butI'm a loser who can't open my
mouth and say how I feel.
End quote.
Kimberly encouraged Jordan totalk to Cody about everything,
but Jordan said that she wasscared to because she didn't
want to hurt him, because heseemed so happy.
Cody's friend, jeremiah, alsodoesn't think that Jordan and
(12:16):
Cody had sex on their weddingnight or that they ever
consummated their marriage atall.
Cody didn't go to church muchbefore meeting Jordan, but she'd
gotten him to start going withher regularly after they started
dating.
So, as was typical for a Sunday, on July 7th 2013, the
newlyweds of only eight daysattended church together at
(12:36):
Faith Baptist Church.
After the morning churchservice, jordan's stepdad Steve
asked Cody if he and Jordan hadplans to go kayaking that day,
but Cody said no, that Jordanhad a surprise for him.
So later, when Jordan's stepdadSteve saw Cody before the
evening church service started,he asked him what the surprise
had been and Cody told him thatit hadn't happened yet.
(12:59):
Around 7.15 pm, after the 6 pmchurch service let out, jordan
and Cody went to Dairy Queen fordinner, as did other church
members.
They sat in a booth and talkedwith some fellow church goers,
but Cody, as usual, was moretalkative than Jordan.
Jordan was being Jordan, quietand reserved, but people who
(13:20):
knew Jordan described her as shyand standoffish and they said
that she often answeredquestions with one word answers.
Meanwhile, jordan was stilltexting Kimberly about her
misgivings regarding her newmarriage to Cody, but she did
text Kimberly that she was quotegoing to talk to him tonight.
End quote.
Kimberly said that she wouldpray for them and Jordan
(13:42):
responded quote but dead seriousif you don't hear from me.
Something happened end quote.
A little after 8 pm thatevening, jordan and Cody left
Dairy Queen and headed for home.
About two hours later,25-year-old Cody Johnson would
be dead at the bottom of a300-foot cliff in a nearby
national park.
(14:04):
Sometime before 11 pm that night, kimberly received text from
Jordan that said now I'mfreaking out and I don't even
know what to do right now.
Around 11 pm, jordan received atext from a 17 year old girl
from church named Blake.
Blake wanted to let Jordan knowthat a couponing event at
church had been rescheduled.
Then the two exchanged somelighthearted text about dancing
(14:27):
at an upcoming luau.
Jordan texted quote dude, youbetter work on those sweet moves
, although you are prettyamazing already.
End quote.
Jordan called her youngerbrother, michael, around 11 pm
and told him that she and Codyhad gotten into a fight.
She said she wanted him to comeover so that she wasn't alone.
He came over and they sattogether in the living room.
(14:49):
She told her brother that sheand Cody had argued and then he
left to go on a joy ride withfriends from Washington State.
Meanwhile Jordan was stilltexting back and forth with
Kimberly and she'd told the samestory to Kimberly.
Kimberly pressed her for moredetails and information, but
Jordan just texted quote.
I talked to him and all it didwas cause me to get scratched
(15:10):
and him to leave.
There's no way I'm gonna beable to fall asleep.
If I do, I won't wake up.
End quote.
Kimberly asked her if theyshould go out and look for Cody.
Jordan responded quote.
I really don't want anyone totalk to him today.
It all happened so fast it'lljust backfire on me.
I'd rather wait and see if heshows up to work in the morning.
End quote.
(15:30):
When Jordan's brothereventually fell asleep on the
couch, jordan drove toKimberly's house.
It was after 1 am.
When she got there, jordan wasshaking and seemed more nervous
than upset.
According to Kimberly, when Codyuncharacteristically didn't
show up for work the nextmorning, monday July 8th 2013,
his supervisor and close friend,cameron, was perplexed because
(15:54):
Cody was never late for work.
Cameron texted Cody at 8 30 ambut got no response.
At 10 30 am, two hours afterCameron texted Cody, he tried
calling him, but it wentstraight to voicemail.
During lunch, cameron calledaround asking friends if they'd
heard from Cody, but no one had.
At 4 30 pm, cameron received atext from Jordan asking if Cody
(16:17):
had shown up to work that day.
She told him that they'd gotteninto a fight the night before
and then he'd gone off in ablack car with quote-unquote car
buddies from Washington.
Then Cameron heard that Jordanhad told someone else the same
thing, but added that she'dfollowed the mysterious black
car to Hungry Horse Dam beforeshe'd lost track of it.
(16:37):
Cameron called the local policeand the Montana Highway Patrol.
He also contacted manyhospitals in several different
states to see if Cody had beenin an accident Sometime on this
day, monday July 8th 2013,.
Cody was reported missing to thepolice by his uncle and Cameron
.
They told Callispell policethat Jordan said Cody went out
(17:01):
for a joy ride with some friendson Sunday night but never
returned.
Cameron was suspicious ofJordan in her contradictory
stories.
He went to Jordan and Cody'shouse the next day, tuesday July
9th 2013.
No one was home and the backdoor was unlocked, so he went in
and looked around to see if hecould see anything that would
give him insight as to whatmight have happened to his
(17:23):
friend Cody.
He found nothing.
Jordan's friend Hannah said thatduring this time, jordan was
not worried about her husbandCody's mysterious disappearance.
In fact, she said Jordan wascarefree and happy, the happiest
that Hannah had ever seen her.
According to Hannah, jordantold her that she and Cody had
not been fighting the night hewent missing.
(17:44):
She said she'd gone to theirgarage to see Cody but he wasn't
there.
She then saw him leave withsome friends in a black car that
had Washington license plates.
She said the black cardisappeared around the corner
and she never heard from herhusband again after that.
But Jordan's story keptchanging depending on who she
talked to.
She told her friend Kimberlythat she and Cody did have a
(18:07):
fight the night he disappeared.
She said that Cody had held herdown while they were arguing,
but she got away from him.
She said that he grabbed hiskeys and scratched her, but,
like she told Hannah, she toldpolice that she and Cody had not
been fighting.
The hours ticked by and therewas still no sign of Cody.
Johnson, like Cameron, kimberlybegan to get suspicious of
(18:30):
Jordan too, because of hernonchalant attitude and her odd
behavior that wasn't in linewith the circumstances.
Jordan wasn't distressed overher missing husband.
She wasn't sad or worried, andthe inconsistencies in her
stories were unsettling.
After Cody had been missing foralmost 48 hours, jordan's
friends and family gathered ather house to discuss where Cody
(18:51):
could be.
Jordan was being askedquestions by the people there
and she seemed veryuncomfortable, kimberly said.
At one point Jordan becameupset and took off her wedding
ring and flung it across theroom.
Jordan and some of her friendsdrove around Flathead County and
went to the Hungry Horse Damsearching for Cody or any sign
of him.
A friend that was with Jordanon that trip said that she
(19:14):
didn't seem very upset orinterested in looking for Cody.
She was texting and giggling.
While Jordan and her friendswere making their way back to
Callus Spell, jordan's phonerang and it was Sergeant Chad
Zimmerman of the Callus SpellPolice Department.
He asked Cody to come into thestation for an interview.
Jordan agreed to go in andarrived at the Callus Spell
(19:35):
Police Station a little after 7pm.
She spoke with SergeantZimmerman in a recorded
interview for about 30 minutes.
Sergeant Zimmerman told Jordanthat there were inconsistencies
in what she was saying and hefelt like she was not being
honest with him.
Then there was a strangedevelopment in Cody's
disappearance.
Jordan showed her friend Hannahan email she'd received from a
(19:57):
man she didn't know.
The email came from the emailaddress TonyCarMan607 at
gmailcom and read Hello Jordan,my name is Tony.
There is no bother in lookingfor Cody anymore.
He is gone.
I saw your post on Twitter andthought I would email you.
He had come with some buddiesand met up with me on Sunday
(20:18):
night in Columbia Falls.
He was saying he needed to bewith buddies for a bit and take
them for a joy ride before theyhad to go.
So he said bye to me and theytook off in a black car for a
ride.
Three of the other guys cameback saying they had gone for a
ride in the woods somewhere andCody got out of the car and went
for a little hike and they arepositive.
He fell and he is dead, jordan.
(20:38):
I don't know who the guys were,but they took off.
So call off the missing personreport.
Cody is for sure gone, tony.
After reading the email, hannahbegan to shake, while Jordan
remained calm and unflustered.
She wasn't crying or upset.
Hannah said quote I told her togo to the cops and she did go,
(20:59):
but I was rushing it.
Go move.
What are you doing?
Don't just stand here lookingat me.
End, quote.
Jordan and her mom, lindy, wentto the Calispell Police
Department to show them theemail.
They spoke to Detective CoreyClark and Detective Melissa
Smith.
Jordan was informed of herMiranda rights and waived her
right to remain silent and spoketo the detectives.
(21:20):
Detectives asked her to see hercell phone and text messages
from Cody, but she said that sheand her husband always erased
their messages at the end ofevery day.
Detectives sent a subpoena toGoogle for information regarding
the Tony Carman 607 at gmailcomaccount.
It was determined that theemail was a fake and that Jordan
(21:41):
had sent the email to herself.
The email account was createdon an IP address that traced
back to a computer at Jordan'smom and stepdad's house.
The email account was createdon the morning of July 10, 2013.
Then, shortly after the accountwas established, the mysterious
email from Tony was sent toJordan Graham Detectives had
(22:02):
already been suspicious ofJordan because her story had
changed several times andbecause of her total lack of
emotion.
However, after she gaveauthorities the email from the
so-called Tony, they became evenmore suspicious of her.
They were also surprised thatJordan actually believed that
the fake email would stop themfrom investigating Cody's
disappearance.
(22:23):
On July 10, 2013, jordan tookfriends and family with her to
Glacier National Park to lookfor Cody, hannah said.
On the way there, jordanexhibited more bizarre, uncaring
behavior.
She was waving her hand out thewindow in the wind, dancing and
laughing, acting like nothinghad happened.
When they arrived at the park,the search party, made up of
(22:45):
Jordan's family and friends, putup missing posters and looked
for places that Cody could havefallen from or gotten hurt.
Hannah said she did most of thework, while Jordan did nothing.
In the evening they stopped atan overlook called the Loop.
There at the Loop is a sheer300-foot drop off a cliff and,
just for reference, 300 feet isapproximately equivalent to a
(23:07):
30-story tall building.
Jordan wandered around theparking lot near the Loop, then
went to the safety retainingwall that overlooks the gorge.
She announced that she wantedto go down past the wall, but
her brother stopped her.
He said it was too dark and toodangerous.
The next day, which was July 11,2013, they went back to the
park to continue the search forCody.
(23:29):
Hannah saw many roads andtrails that she suggested they
search for Cody on, but Jordanwould have none of it.
Jordan said she was sure sheknew where Cody was, so they
drove to the area known as theLoop.
Again, she went to the overlook.
That's protected by a safetywall and Jordan said I think
he's down there.
Then Jordan suddenly jumps overthe safety wall and goes to a
(23:52):
rock landing so she can see tothe bottom of the ravine.
Hannah said that Jordan knewjust how to get down there and
did it just like a pro.
And then Jordan proclaimed thatshe saw Cody.
Around 8.30 pm a park ranger wasnotified that someone had found
a dead body below the Loop.
The park ranger responded tothe Lake McDonald camp store and
(24:14):
met with the person who'd foundthe body.
That person was Jordan Graham.
The ranger thought it was quitea coincidence that the wife of
the missing man was the one tofind his body, especially
considering that it was in aplace where it was out of sight
to anyone that was standing atthe overlook at the Loop.
When the ranger mentioned theseemingly huge coincidence to
(24:34):
Jordan, she replied that itquote was a place he wanted to
see before he died end quote.
Jordan later told DetectiveClark that the Holy Spirit had
led her to know where Cody wasand that's how she'd located him
.
Cody's body was below the Loopthere, a big switchback on going
to the Sun Road in GlacierNational Park.
(24:56):
It was a long, difficultjourney to the bottom of the
ravine to recover Cody's brokenand badly damaged body.
It was located at the base of awaterfall floating face down in
a shallow creek.
A massive cliff loomed abovehis body.
Authorities said that itappeared that he'd landed
head-first.
He had significant injuries tohis arms and head.
(25:19):
Cody's tungsten wedding ringwas not on his finger.
One of his shoes and a blackrag were a little downstream
from his body.
His other shoe was later foundon a rock outcropping that Cody
had hit on the way down.
A wallet was found too, and theitems contained within it
allowed for the officialidentification of the body it
(25:39):
was Cody Lee Johnson.
Pictures were taken and thescene was carefully recorded.
Then Cody's body was taken outof the gorge by a special
short-haul rescue team fromParks Canada.
This team used a special lifthelicopter that had also been
retained from Parks Canada.
The date was July 12th.
(26:00):
Twenty-five-year-old Cody LeeJohnson had moved into his new
home just twenty days before andhad married a woman he was
madly in love with just thirteendays before.
Now his battered body was beingtransported to a local funeral
home.
State medical examiner GaryDale performed an autopsy on
Cody.
(26:21):
His right eye socket had beencrushed in the impact and he'd
sustained a seven-inch skullfracture.
He'd also sustained multiplerib fractures and his legs were
badly bruised.
It was determined that Cody'scause of death was blunt force
trauma.
The injuries to his body weresimilar to those suffered by
(26:41):
someone who'd been in a severecar crash.
Family and friends of both Codyand Jordan were shocked and
devastated, not only by the factthat Cody was gone and how
they'd lost him, but by the cold, callous, emotionless Jordan.
The young widow didn't shed atear and instead appeared to be
relieved.
Hannah said that Jordanmentioned Now that we have the
(27:04):
body, we can have the funeraland the cops can be out of it.
Just 16 days after Cody'sfamily and friends attended his
wedding, they attended hisfuneral.
At the funeral, jordandisplayed more shocking behavior
.
According to witnesses, she wastexting while her parents were
in tears.
As Cody's friends and lovedones spoke about him, jordan was
(27:27):
on her phone At a potluck mealafter the service.
People said Jordan laughed andsocialized.
Jordan's conduct at the funeralmade her friend Kimberly furious
.
It was then that she becamepositively sure that Jordan had
been the one that killed Cody.
And Kimberly wasn't the onlyone.
There were many that began tobelieve that Jordan had killed
(27:48):
Cody.
Up until this point, jordanconsistently denied ever being
at the National Park with Codyon the night he died.
However, she was easily caughtin that lie because there was a
surveillance camera at theentrance to the park.
On July 16th, an FBIinvestigator confronted Jordan
with a still image taken fromfootage from that surveillance
(28:09):
camera.
It showed Cody Johnson's outiearriving at the west entrance of
the park at 9.17 pm and therewere two occupants inside that
looked like Cody and Jordan.
Furthermore, cell phone recordsindicated that both Cody and
Jordan were in Glacier NationalPark that night.
Jordan then admitted toauthorities that she'd lied
(28:30):
about Cody's disappearance.
Jordan said that he didn'treally leave with buddies to go
on a joy ride.
According to Jordan'sconfession and court documents,
this is what purportedlyhappened the night Cody was
killed.
After they left Dairy Queen,they went home At home.
Jordan began opening up to Codyabout her feelings.
This led to an argument andthey decided to go for a drive
(28:53):
to Glacier National Park to talkthings out.
They parked at the area calledthe Loop on going to the Sun
Road.
They left their cell phones inthe car, as was allegedly their
routine.
Even though Cody had driven,jordan took the car keys.
It was almost dark as Jordanand Cody walked on the Loop
hiking trail for a bit and werearguing.
Then they walked to the otherside of the trail, to an area
(29:15):
that was very steep.
They walked off trail thenproceeded down the rocks.
Near a stump, jordan Grahamstated that at this point their
argument intensified.
She said that she tried to walkaway, but Cody grabbed her by
her arm.
After removing Cody's hand fromher arm, jordan stated that she
could have just walked away,but due to her anger she pushed
Cody with both hands in the backand as a result, he fell face
(29:40):
first off the cliff.
Two months later, fbi agentsarrested Jordan Graham on
September 9th and she was takento the Calispell Police
Department.
When she was informed byfederal agents that she was
under arrest for the murder ofher husband, she didn't even
flinch, said FBI Special AgentStephen Liss.
She only broke down and criedwhen she was confronted with the
(30:00):
overwhelming amount of evidencethat authorities had compiled
against her.
Jordan told FBI agents on audiotape her version of what
happened that night.
It was a similar version of thestory she'd told on July 16th
when she was confronted with thepicture of her and Cody
entering the park the night Codydisappeared.
She admitted that she and Codyhad been arguing the night he
(30:21):
died.
They argued at home, but atsome point they decided to go to
Glacier National Park.
They went to the park, walkedup the loop and once at the top
they walked across the road andwalked down the loop trail.
On the recording, jordan said,quote I didn't want to do that
trail because I was afraid thathe could fall.
And he said he could do it witha blindfold on.
I could take a step out and Iwouldn't even fall.
(30:43):
I said you are going to falland we started to get into an
argument and he grabbed my armand my jacket and I said no, I
want to defend myself.
Then he let go and I pushed andthen he went over and, quote
she said he'd turned his back toher and he was facing the cliff
.
And that's when she went up tohim and, with both hands, pushed
him in the back off the cliff.
(31:05):
She said that the act had notbeen premeditated, but did say
that it was not an accident.
She said she'd been unhappy inher eight day marriage.
She said she just wasn'tfeeling like she was on quote
unquote cloud nine and she kindof felt like they should have
waited a little bit longerbefore they married.
But authorities weren't so surethat Cody's murder wasn't
(31:25):
premeditated.
Detective Corey Clarkspeculated that Jordan may have
lured Cody to Glacier NationalPark as part of a sex game in
which she'd blindfolded him.
Remember, cody had told peoplethat Jordan had a surprise for
him, and those people toldinvestigators about the supposed
surprise and how much Cody hadbeen looking forward to it.
(31:46):
Some witnesses described Codyas having been in a euphoric
mood, beaming and super happythe day he died.
However, the theory that Codyhad been blindfolded could never
be proven, though.
Two days after Jordan's arrest,a hearing was held to determine
if Jordan would be released fromjail and instead placed on
house arrest.
Us attorneys said that Jordanshould not be released and
(32:08):
should be held in jail becauseof the seriousness of the crime,
public safety concerns,potential harm to herself and
the spread of misinformation.
Regarding the argument thatJordan was a potential harm to
herself, the prosecution citedemails in which Jordan said I
want to kill myself and I mightas well be dead.
And concerning the spread ofmisinformation, prosecutors
(32:31):
referred to her repeated falsestatements and to the email that
Jordan had sent about Codybeing dead in order to mislead
investigators and the publicfrom the fabricated Tony the
Carman.
The defense argued that Jordanhad no criminal history and no
evidence of violent tendencies.
The defense also argued that ifthe prosecution felt that
Jordan posed a public safetyrisk, that they would not have
(32:54):
waited two months to arrest her.
The next day, on September 12,2013, it was ordered that Jordan
be released on her ownrecognizance and placed on house
arrest pending trial.
Us magistrate Judge JeremiahLynch wrote in his nine-page
decision that Jordan Graham wasnot a safety risk to the
community, nor a flight risk.
Judge Lynch also said in thatdecision quote the Ninth Circuit
(33:18):
has repeatedly reminded thedistrict courts of the
presumption of innocence and itscorollary, that the right to
bail should be denied only forthe strongest of reasons.
End quote.
Jordan was required to wear anelectronic monitoring device and
was ordered to undergo a mentalhealth evaluation.
Jordan was on house arrest ather mother's house in Kalispell
(33:39):
and was only permitted to leavehome for religious services,
medical treatment, substanceabuse treatment, mental health
treatment, attorney visits andcourt appearances.
Jordan was not allowed to haveany contact with the family of
Cody Johnson or with anypotential witnesses in the case.
On October 3, jordan Graham wasindicted by a grand jury on
charges of first-degree murder,a lesser included charge of
(34:02):
second-degree murder and acharge of making false
statements to law enforcement.
She pleaded not guilty.
Three months later, on Monday,december 9, 2013, the trial of
22-year-old Jordan Lynn Grahambegan in a Missoula Montana
federal courtroom.
Senior US District Judge DonaldMalloy had barred prosecutors
from presenting quote-unquote,highly prejudicial evidence that
(34:24):
, they say, shows that JordanGraham made comments the summer
prior about killing her parentsor that she fabricated
allegations of abuse in previousrelationships.
Prosecutors were also notallowed to reference DNA
evidence in their openingstatement that was determined to
be on the black cloth foundnear Cody's body that may have
been used as a blindfold.
On the fourth day of Jordan'strial, just as the jury was
(34:48):
about to hear closing arguments,there was news that a plea
agreement had been made.
Jordan Graham pleaded guilty tosecond-degree murder.
District Judge Donald Malloyaccepted her guilty plea but
said that he was unwilling toaccept some kind of fabrication
from her.
This is what Jordan told JudgeMalloy in court.
She said that she and Cody wereon the loop trail in Glacier
(35:11):
National Park on July 7th of2013.
Arguing over her qualms abouttheir eight-day marriage, jordan
said she wasn't feeling likeshe thought she should after you
get married.
She said.
They walked down a rockyembankment off the trail and
during their argument Codygrabbed her arm and that's why
she got angry.
She wasn't sure if he was goingto pull her.
(35:31):
After she told him to let go,she brushed him away and then
pushed him because she wasafraid he would restrain her or
hold her down.
She said both had been facingthe cliff at the time of the
shove and he went over the edgeof the steep cliff.
She then fled instead of goingfor help.
She said she ran back to thecar and left.
She said she was so scared shedidn't know what to do.
(35:52):
She said that before she pushedher husband, she already had
the car key, so she quickly leftthe scene without checking to
see if Cody had survived thefall or not.
She said they'd both left theircell phones in the car.
Shortly after, jordan said sheexchanged text messages with a
friend from church about dancemoves at an upcoming luau.
About that text, she said quotethat was my personal way of
(36:14):
maybe just trying to make myselfcalm down.
End quote.
Under the plea agreement,prosecutors would drop charges
of first-degree murder andmaking a false statement to law
enforcement officers.
Jordan faced a maximum sentenceof life in prison, as well as
up to $250,000 in fines and thepossibility of five years of
supervised release.
(36:34):
Judge Malloy said he would takethe severity of the crime, as
well as Jordan Graham's cleanrecord, into consideration at
sentencing, based on federalsentencing guidelines.
The judge warned Jordan thatshe could easily be sentenced to
19 to 25 years in prison.
The prosecution asked that shebe given 50 years to life and
(36:54):
Jordan's defense asked for only10 years.
Then, on March 26, 2014, jordanGraham, through her attorneys,
filed a motion to withdraw herguilty plea because prosecutors
had sought life in prison aspunishment.
The next day, judge Malloydenied that request.
On March 27, 2014,.
In a federal court session heldin Missoula, montana, senior US
(37:18):
District Judge Donald Malloyhanded down Jordan Graham's
sentence for the murder of herhusband, cody Lee Johnson.
In Judge Malloy'spre-sentencing remarks, he had
this to say about Jordan Graham.
Quote I just don't find Grahamcredible.
End quote.
He said she'd lied from thebeginning.
He said that Jordan Graham is adishonest person who showed
(37:39):
little remorse for killing herhusband.
According to an article inMissoulacom, judge Malloy said
he concluded that Jordan Grahamis, quote unquote very strange.
Judge Malloy then sentenced herto 365 months, which is 30
years in federal prison withoutthe possibility of parole.
Judge Malloy also stated thatduring her incarceration she is
(38:03):
prohibited from profitingdirectly or indirectly from
disclosing information about themurder.
Following her sentence, shewill have five years of
supervised release.
Judge Malloy ordered thatJordan Graham pay nearly $17,000
in restitution to cover thecost of the recovery of Cody's
body.
She must also undergo mentalhealth treatment.
(38:24):
It was probably a good ideathat Judge Malloy ordered Jordan
Graham undergo mental healthtreatment to determine if she
was just a heartless, strangeduck or if she had some mental
illness.
Even her defense attorneys hadthis to say about Jordan's
personality in court documents.
Quote witnesses will talk abouttaking Jordan with them on
out-of-town trips and how theirfriends wondered aloud what was
(38:47):
wrong with her.
She wouldn't talk, end quote.
And they also said quote JordanGraham is naive, immature,
socially inept, shy, quiet andunable to relate well to adults
end quote Jordan, it seemed, wasmore comfortable around the
young children she took care ofat her job at the daycare than
she was around adults.
(39:07):
In a press release dated thesame day Jordan Graham was
sentenced.
United States Attorney MichaelCotter wrote quote the
investigation was a cooperativeeffort between the Federal
Bureau of Investigation,national Park Service, kalispell
Police Department, flatheadCounty Sheriff's Office and
Parks Canada.
These agencies worked as oneand are to be commended for
(39:30):
their tireless efforts to bringjustice to this case, to Cody
Johnson and to his family andfriends.
End quote In 2015, jordanGraham appealed her conviction
and her sentence to the 9th USCircuit Court of Appeals, and it
was rejected.
So then she took it to theSupreme Court and asked the
justices to review her case.
Her appeal was rejected by theSupreme Court in 2016.
(39:54):
Because the murder of Cody LeeJohnson was committed in a
national park, it is a federalcrime and Jordan Graham will
remain in federal prison withoutthe possibility of parole.
According to the Federal Bureauof Prisons website, jordan Lynn
Graham is register number12764-046.
At the Bureau of Prisons, theycall it a register number
(40:18):
instead of an inmate number.
The first five numbers areunique to the prisoner and the
last three numbers, after thedash, indicate the court
district where the inmate wasarrested and processed into the
federal correctional system.
Jordan Graham is serving hersentence at Aliceville Federal
Correctional Institution inAliceville, alabama, which is in
West Central Alabama near theMississippi State Line.
(40:40):
The prison is all female andthe Federal Bureau of Prisons
website states it is quote alow-security federal
correctional institution with anadjacent minimum security
satellite camp.
End quote.
Jordan Graham is now 32 yearsold and her release date is
November 10th of 2039, at whichtime she will be 48 years old.
(41:02):
Sherri Cody's mom said that thequestion still on her mind is
why, why did she do it?
And if Jordan didn't love Cody,why did she say yes to the
proposal About Cody?
His mom said quote Cody Johnsonwas a kind, wonderful young man
that I miss a lot.
He was a wonderful person andhe did not deserve this kind of
life.
(41:22):
End quote.
Cody's best friend, jeremiah,said of Cody quote I really wish
Cody was here.
He did so much for everybody.
I never realized what heactually did for me until he was
gone.
I really miss him.
End quote.
Thank you so much for listeningto this episode of Tell Me a
True Crime Story.
(41:43):
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(42:25):
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