Madison McGhee always believed that her father died from a heart attack – but that all changed in 2012.
The Charleston, Virginia, native, who was 16 at the time, was visiting her family at her grandmother’s house. She suddenly had a strange feeling that she couldn’t breathe. The patriarch was on her mind.
“I remember after saying goodbye, I got in the car and asked my mom a very weird question,” McGhee recalled to Fox News Digital. “I wasn’t even sure I understood what I was asking at the time. I asked her if my cousin Omar was with my dad when he died, thinking that he had died of a heart attack.”
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Madison McGhee is determined to solve her father’s murder and has launched a true-crime podcast, “Ice Cold Case.” (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
“That’s when my mom told me the truth,” said McGhee. “The truth was my dad was murdered, and it’s still unsolved.”
McGhee, who now resides in Los Angeles, is on a quest to find out what happened to her father. She’s the host of the true-crime podcast, “Ice Cold Case,” where she interviews those who may lead her to answers.
“For 10 years, my dad in my mind had died of a heart attack,” said McGhee. “But to then find out he died a completely different way? I had to start the process completely over. I had to grieve him all over again. I’ve had to grapple with the truth of what happened to him.”
For years, Madison McGhee thought her father, J.C., died from a heart attack. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
On July 11, 2002, John Cornelius McGhee, also known as “J.C.,” was shot in the head in the doorway of his home in Belmont County, Ohio. He was 45.
McGhee was six years old at the time.
“My most vivid memories of him are almost like a movie,” said McGhee. “I remember being in the car listening to music with him. The song ‘Hot in Here’ by Nelly had just dropped. My dad also loved playing the ‘Space Jam’ soundtrack. Nothing special happened on those days. I don’t remember birthday parties or anything like that. I just remember those little moments listening to music with him in the car. I remember being loved by my dad.”
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“Ice Cold Case” is available for streaming now. (Beck Media)
“It wouldn’t be until 2020 that McGhee was compelled to find out what happened to J.C. and why his death remains unsolved. The coronavirus pandemic was ongoing, and work had slowed down.
“I knew I needed to do something big if I wanted answers,” said McGhee. “I was furiously making phone calls, trying to get these case files, trying to put in requests, just trying to get any access to any records. I started talking to people and making connections. It was a tough journey.”
McGhee said the popularity of true-crime podcasts inspired her to launch “Ice Cold Case.” She believed it would raise awareness and encourage anyone with information to come forward.
Madison McGhee hopes anyone with information about J.C.’s death will come forward. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
“I feel pretty confident that I will get to the bottom of this,” she said. “The podcast has already opened up a conversation that no one has had for 22 years. It’s shaken people up a bit, but I also think it opened their eyes to this unsolved case. The locals are talking about it. People who remember this happening are now having epiphanies. . . . It’s shaken up the community and people are wondering why this case isn’t solved. . . . The impact is undeniable. And I don’t want anyone to get away with this.”
