The Strange Circumstances Around JoAnn Matouk Romain's 'Unsolved Mysteries' Disappearance
Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries is back with a second volume of cold cases and unanswered questions. During episode 5, we learn of the mysterious circumstances surrounding JoAnn Matouk Romain's apparent suicide. She was a mother of four and worked at a local boutique in the Detroit area. The day of her disappearance in January 2010, we learn Romain went to a gas station, dropped off her son Michael at home, and attended a church service.
That night, police would discover her car abandoned in the church's driveway (with her purse inside) and footprints in the nearby snow. After an extensive 70-day search, they would find her body in the icy Detroit River, roughly 30 miles away from the location of the church. Here's what we know so far about JoAnn Matouk Romain's disappearance:
What happened to JoAnn Matouk Romain?
While some detectives at the time alleged that Romain exited her car and entered the water to commit suicide, the episode indicates insufficient evidence to support that idea. During the episode, we learn William Robinette, a member of the recovery team, was unable to find Romain's body during a 6-day search of the water where police alleged Romain entered, immediately after her disappearance. (There was no evidence to suggest that someone had actually entered the water.) An expert crime scene investigator hired by the Romain family also pointed out that there was little evidence to suggest that the footprints found in the snow belonged to Romain.
Her family alleges foul play, and that Romain was abducted and the footprints and car placed to look like she'd entered the water. Witnesses who attended the same church service as Romain the night of her disappearance noted two unusual things: One claims they'd heard a car alarm go off from what might have been Romain's car, and another claims the church driveway was empty when they left (calling into question the presence of Romain's car later that night). A professor of forensic pathology at the University of Michigan alleges her death was due to drowning, and also indicated two bruises on her arm may have occurred before her death.
Are there any suspects?
There are no official suspects surrounding Romain's death at present. However, during the episode, Romain's daughter, Michelle, had at one point expressed concerns to police about her father, her uncle (John Matouk, Romain's brother), and her first cousin, once removed (Tim Matouk). According to Michelle, issues around her grandmother's inheritance caused Tim and Romain to remain estranged since 1994.
Are there any updates on her disappearance?
While Michelle and her family attempted to sue the city of Grosse Pointe Farm for allegedly covering up their mother's murder, the case would be dismissed in 2018. In 2019, an appeals court would uphold the dismissal. The case is no longer an active investigation.
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