Candyman: The True Story Behind The Bathroom Mirror Murder

4.4 (565)
TRUE CRIME
WEEKLY SERIES

On April 22, 1987, 52-year-old Ruthie Mae McCoy called 911 to report that someone was trying to enter her Chicago housing project apartment through the bathroom medicine cabinet. Police thought she was imagining things, but when authorities finally checked on McCoy two days later, they found her dead with four gunshot wounds. Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder, revisits the real-life account of McCoy's strange death – one of the inspirations for the Candyman horror film. Hosted by journalist and Chicago native Dometi Pongo, this 6-episode limited series – produced by 48 Hours and CBS News – explores why McCoy's desperate calls for help were ignored, the surprising outcome of her murder trial, and the broader systemic issues of racial injustice, housing inequality, and the stigma of mental illness that surround this tragic event. Candyman is a Webby nominee! Show your support for the series and vote for Candyman for best Crime & Justice - Limited Series & Specials here: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/limited-series-specials/crime-justice

TRAILER

The Strange Death of Ruthie Mae McCoy

52-year-old Ruthie Mae McCoy’s frantic 911 call stated, “They want to come through the bathroom.” Nearly three days later, police found her shot to death, her apartment breached through her bathroom medicine cabinet. In Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder, Chicago native and journalist Dometi Pongo uncovers the terrifying reality of McCoy’s murder, which was one of the inspirations for the “Candyman” horror franchise. Get early, ad-free access to episodes of Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder by subscribing to 48 Hours+ on Apple Podcasts or Wondery+ on the Wondery app. Subscribe to 48 Hours+: https://apple.co/4aEgENo Subscribe to Wondery+: https://wondery.com/plus/ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

09/18/2024

•

3 min

“48 Hours” uncovers the narrative behind crime and justice cases that have left a lasting mark on society. Award-winning CBS News correspondents thoughtfully examine the complexities of each crime by transporting you to the heart of the investigation through key evidence and gripping interviews with critical figures from the case. The unmatched reporting has made a tangible difference in countless lives, leading to the exoneration of wrongly convicted individuals and the reopening — and resolution — of previously closed cold cases. Listen to a new “48 Hours” episode every Monday and then go deeper into the case on Tuesdays with the immersive “Post Mortem” series — producers and correspondents join host Anne-Marie Green to discuss key evidence, dead ends, mishaps, and stranger-than-fiction twists they faced in the field. Also available on the 48 Hours YouTube channel. Plus, every Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll revisit a classic “48 Hours” episode. Get ad-free access to "48 Hours" podcasts by subscribing to 48 Hours+ on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4aEgENo.

4.1 (7288)

TRUE CRIME
Claudia and Chip fell in love in their golden years, surrounded by children and grandchildren. But in the early morning hours of April 14, 2013, their 17 years of marriage came to a brutal end: stabbed to death inside their Davis, California home. Police had no physical evidence, and spent months searching for leads, even within the family itself. But two months later, a tip led them to an unlikely and terrifying suspect – a fifteen-year-old boy. Join “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty for "Fifteen: Inside the Daniel Marsh Murders," a six-episode podcast that explores one of California's most chilling and notorious crimes.

4.3 (303)

TRUE CRIME
“48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty takes you inside true-crime investigations like no one else, taking on killers and those accused of crimes. This season she delves into the labyrinth of crime within families and the secrets that kept them together or tore them apart. Moriarty brings almost three decades of experience as a lawyer and reporter involved in murder cases — she brushes past the speculation to the evidence and talks to the people directly involved, including investigators and the families of victims. Follow along Erin's journey as she goes beyond the scene of each crime, behind prison walls, and into the killers' inner thoughts. It’s all on this season of “My Life of Crime”.

4.4 (1198)

TRUE CRIME
Marine wife Erin Corwin was just 19 years old when she disappeared in California’s Joshua Tree National Park. Nearly two months later, her body was found in an abandoned mine in the unforgiving desert, and suspicions quickly fell on a fellow Marine. “48 Hours” and “NCIS” join forces, merging the award-winning journalism of one of the most celebrated true crime news programs with the world’s #1 TV franchise, to bring you the real-life cases that NCIS agents will never forget. This 6-episode premiere season of “48 Hours: NCIS”, hosted by CBS News correspondent Natalie Morales, untangles this twisted story of infidelity and betrayal that led to Erin’s tragic end. Listen early and ad-free by subscribing to 48 Hours+ on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4aEgENo.

4.6 (268)

TRUE CRIME
Mark Stover was a talented dog trainer, better known as the dog whisperer of the Pacific Northwest. He was charismatic and attracted the attention of wealthy blonde heiress Linda Opdyke. They built a business together, along with a marriage. But Linda said Mark also had a dark side and when she tried to leave the marriage, he obsessively followed. She sought the protection of a security expert Michiel Oakes who soon became the new love of her life, her knight in shining armor. But when blood was found in Mark’s home and he was reported missing, detectives went looking for Michiel. In this dark love triangle, just who was the hunter and who was the hunted? Join 48 Hours correspondent Peter Van Sant for Trained to Kill: The Dog Trainer, the Heiress, and the Bodyguard, a gripping six-episode podcast that unravels this dark story.

4.2 (1078)

TRUE CRIME
When someone survives a violent attack, their story isn’t just about what happened—it's about how they lived to tell it. It Could’ve Been Me is a limited series from 48 Hours, hosted by Natalie Morales. In each episode, Morales sits down with survivors to revisit the crime that nearly took their lives. Through in-depth interviews and the trusted reporting of 48 Hours, the series offers a thoughtful look at these extraordinary cases—and the haunting realization that the same could happen to any of us.

4.5 (20)

TRUE CRIME

View Subscription FAQs

Dometi Pongo

Host

4.4

out of 5

565 Ratings

Well done!

Dec 20

colleen33333

Well written and well presented. Enlightening, especially for those of us born into circumstances that protect us from understanding intentional systemic failures that serve to promote racial, criminal & economic stereotypes
An avoidable tragedy

Aug 6

MelaninGoodness

This is a great podcast! Ruthie Mae’s story is certainly tragic and it would be remiss to ignore the circumstances that contributed to her demise.
Voice actors are horrible…

Aug 7

yer_ol_boy

Completely ruined it for me. Makes the whole thing sound cheaply produced.
Truth told

Aug 6

🐾micah6:8🐾

This podcast and the stories within were engaging, well researched with fact based reporting and very well told. I am as sickened by the comments in the bad reviews as I am by the realities many in this story have and still face .

On April 22, 1987, 52-year-old Ruthie Mae McCoy called 911 to report that someone was trying to enter her Chicago housing project apartment through the bathroom medicine cabinet. Police thought she was imagining things, but when authorities finally checked on McCoy two days later, they found her dead with four gunshot wounds. Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder, revisits the real-life account of McCoy's strange death – one of the inspirations for the Candyman horror film. Hosted by journalist and Chicago native Dometi Pongo, this 6-episode limited series – produced by 48 Hours and CBS News – explores why McCoy's desperate calls for help were ignored, the surprising outcome of her murder trial, and the broader systemic issues of racial injustice, housing inequality, and the stigma of mental illness that surround this tragic event. Candyman is a Webby nominee! Show your support for the series and vote for Candyman for best Crime & Justice - Limited Series & Specials here: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/limited-series-specials/crime-justice