S2 Episode 10: Cleo’s letters

Summary of S2 Episode 10: Cleo’s letters

by CBC

55m•April 2, 2018
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Summary — S2 Episode 10: “Cleo’s letters” (CBC)

Overview

This episode investigates the 1978 death of 13-year-old Cleopatra “Cleo” Madonia of Marlton, New Jersey. Using police reports, dramatizations and the teenage letters Cleo wrote to her best friend Lori, the episode reconstructs Cleo’s last weeks to humanize her and to probe the circumstances around her sudden death on December 22, 1978. The episode contains dramatizations and strong language.

Key points & main takeaways

  • Victim & scene
    • Cleopatra Madonia, age 13, was found dead in an upstairs bedroom on Dec 22, 1978.
    • Police noted a head wound, a revolver (appeared to be .38 caliber) under a chair, and a note on top of a bookcase. The room showed no obvious signs of struggle.
  • Primary source material
    • The show relies heavily on Cleo’s handwritten letters to her best friend Lori Montgomery (they use nicknames “Queen Co.” and “Speed”) which were included in the police report. Those letters make Cleo feel like a real, ordinary 1970s teenager.
  • What the letters reveal about Cleo
    • Typical teen interests: music (The Who, Andy Gibb, Bruce Springsteen), school, crushes, plans for the future (running away, living on the West Coast).
    • Personal circumstances: she lived with parents and an older brother in a new subdivision; was bright (A’s, Advanced Math) but placed in a special classroom; was suspended for the final week before Christmas and was alone the last day before the holiday.
    • Social life: close friendship with Lori, a fast-moving and increasingly intimate relationship with a boy named Barry (including suggestions that they had sex), plans to meet Barry and party rather than attend a roller-skating outing with family permission.
    • Emotional tone: a mix of teen bravado and vulnerability—anger at her mother, fantasies of running away, excitement about holidays, and worry about being protected (references to knives/guns among teenagers’ banter).
  • Investigation context
    • Detective Edward Brown and local police investigated. The episode includes the mother’s (Leonor Madonia) police statement describing the last calls, her discovery that Cleo was not answering, and the events leading to finding her daughter.
  • Tone of the episode
    • The letters are used to contrast the mundane, hopeful life of a young girl with the abrupt, unresolved facts of her death—creating a deeper emotional and investigative puzzle.

Notable quotes / insights (from letters and report)

  • From police report: “A revolver, which appeared to be a .38 caliber, lying on the floor under a chair... A note was noticed on top of the bookcase.”
  • Letter excerpts that humanize Cleo:
    • “Hi! How’s it going?” (captures her voice)
    • “Your friend forever, Queen Co.”
    • “I love The Who... I have to get all their albums.”
    • “I hope Barry has some.” (referring to drugs; shows desire to party)
    • “I ain't going to listen to her anymore. She could go to hell.” (about her mother)
    • Song lyric she wrote: “Oh wild beautiful child… Don’t you know what you’re doing? Don’t you care?”
  • Lori’s letter that hints at what Cleo confided: “Remember what you told me about Barry? What you did with him? That’s true, isn’t it?... I don’t care.”

Topics discussed

  • Teen life and friendships in late-1970s America (music, fashion, slang, aspirations)
  • Teenage risk behaviors: substance use, sex, plans to run away
  • Family dynamics: parental discipline, suspension, being home alone
  • Police investigation basics: crime scene observations (body, note, firearm), witness/interview statements
  • How archival documents (letters) change the understanding of a cold or contested death

Action items & recommendations

  • If you want full context: listen to the full episode for the complete narrative, interviews, and for how the producers interpret the letters and investigation.
  • For researchers or listeners interested in the case: consult the original police reports, and local archival sources from Burlington County (if accessible) to follow leads or verify details.
  • For those affected by the episode’s topics (suicide, sexual assault, teen substance use): consider reaching out to local emergency services or trusted support organizations; if you’re in immediate danger call emergency services.
  • For journalists or podcasters: this episode is a model of using personal archival material (letters) to humanize victims and add nuance to cold-case reporting—note ethical considerations around consent and family wishes.

If you’d like, I can:

  • Pull together a timeline of events from the transcript (dates/calls/last sightings).
  • Extract and format all letter excerpts in chronological order.
  • Provide suggested questions to ask if you plan to follow up on the case or produce your own piece.