The disappearance
What warning did Lydia give her husband before the call was cut off?
Her brother was threatening her with an axe.
What did police assume when they found no one at home?
That the family went on vacation.
What was Kenneth’s relationship to Lydia?
He was her brother.
What crime did Kenneth actually get arrested for?
Bank fraud.
“Thin air” means…
Disappear completely / vanish without a trace.
Why couldn’t Herman file a missing person report right away?
Chicago PD refused to take reports from out-of-state callers.
What major call did Lydia make two days before going missing?
She called police saying Kenneth chased her with an axe.
What inheritance issue caused resentment?
He thought Lydia “held out” $4,000 from his share.
What forensic evidence was found in his trailer?
Bloody sneakers and a blood-soaked child’s sock.
“My gut says” means…
My instinct tells me.
Who did police speak to during the welfare check?
Kenneth — Lydia’s brother.
Why is this case an example of “police inaction”?
Officers ignored early warning signs and delayed investigation for months.
What emotion besides greed may have driven Kenneth?
Hatred, jealousy, or revenge.
What did DNA testing reveal?
It matched one of the Thompson boys.
“Walls closing in on him” means…
He’s running out of time / trapped.
What false story did Kenneth tell police about the family’s whereabouts?
That they had already left for Philadelphia in their van.
What phrase describes racism built into the justice system?
“Baked into the system.”
What did Kenneth’s letters to his aunt reveal?
He planned to kill Lydia after getting out of prison.
What did Kenneth do after being confronted in court?
He took his own life in prison.
“Corroborate” means…
Confirm or support a statement with evidence.
What detail about the van becomes suspicious later?
Kenneth was seen driving it, though Everett said “If you ever see Kenny driving my car, you’ll know I’m dead.”
What items showed that the police missed obvious evidence?
The cleared-out house, missing furniture, and Kenneth’s bloodstained shoes.
How did Kenneth manipulate house property after the family vanished?
He forged Lydia’s signature to sell their house and kept her share.
What final items did police discover after Kenneth’s death?
Bone fragments and fibers possibly human.
“Collateral damage” means…
Unintended victims harmed by someone’s action.