On November 17, 1990, Doug Estes and Jim Bennett, who were separately out hunting, were found together, shot and killed at the Fulton State Game Area in Kalamazoo, MI. 38-year-old Jeff Titus had a farm near the scene and found one of the hunter’s missing weapons. Because of this, Jeff soon came under suspicion. However, Jeff had a solid alibi and was immediately cleared as a suspect – the case went cold for ten years. In 2000, Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit reopened the case and focused on Jeff. By trial, Jeff’s alibi witnesses were unable to testify on his behalf, and the prosecution’s circumstantial evidence was enough to persuade the jury. Despite significant evidence of another, more viable suspect, Jeff was convicted and sentenced to two concurrent life without parole sentences. Susan Simpson talks to Jeff Titus and Dave Moran, Jeff's attorney.
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The Wrongful Conviction podcast, hosted by Jason Flom and Khaliah Ali (daughter of Muhammad Ali), has featured over 500 cases of men and women who spent years — sometimes decades — in prison for crimes they did not commit. The podcast has been downloaded over 70 million times and has directly influenced exonerations, clemencies, and criminal justice reform legislation across the country.