Jim Madonna, also known as James V. Madonna, was shot and killed by his best friend, Timothy Cassidy, the day before Thanksgiving after a night of poker almost a decade ago. The Taunton, Massachusetts, story has captured the attention of the documentary show Killer Instinct With Chris Hansen , which will feature the case in the episode titled “Deadly Thanksgiving.” Investigators will reveal how the disappearance case turned into a full-blown murder investigation, which ended up revealing the dead man’s best friend as the killer. Timothy Cassidy is currently serving a life sentence in prison for the murder. In addition to Killer Instinct ‘s coverage, the Jim Madonna murder case was also featured on an episode of On The Case With Paula Zhan : “A Deadly Betrayal.”
At 10, On #KillerInstinct with Chris Hansen, Uni researcher Annie is due to get married, but mysteriously vanishes! pic.twitter.com/2GTTzx5T9O
— ID UK (@DiscoveryIDUK) September 6, 2016
Thanksgiving, Poker, And A Loan: A Recipe For Murder
According to South Coast Today , in November 2007, just before Thanksgiving, James “Jim” Madonna wanted to go out for a night of poker at the local Holiday Inn. His wife and son expected him to come back home as usual. When he didn’t return at the expected hour, his wife became worried. However, when night turned to morning, sheer panic set in, leading Jim Madonna’s son to go out looking for him.
Aiding in the search was Jim Madonna’s best friend, Timothy Cassidy, who directed Jim Madonna’s son where to search. Tim Cassidy led them directly to Jim Madonna’s car, where his dead body was found.
Jim’s son and friend contacted police, who later arrived at the Myles Standish Industrial Park, where Jim Madonna was found slumped inside. There was blood in the car, and it appeared that the victim had been shot in the head execution style. At a glance, it could have been a robbery, but that theory was quickly thrown out when Jim Madonna’s cell phone and wallet was found inside the car.
It was also strange that the car’s engine was still running when Jim Madonna was discovered, and his window was rolled down. By then, detectives knew that Jim Madonna had arrived at the scene for a quick stop, rolled down his window for someone he knew, and was shot and killed on the spot.
Jury finds Timothy Cassidy guilty of murder in Fall River District Court; gets life in prison:
— The Taunton Gazette (@TauntonToGo) January 28, 2012
But who had done it? Had Jim Madonna started drinking again and cheating on his wife? Or was this a drug deal gone bad?
A search for James Madonna’s financial records showed that he had loaned his best friend, Timothy Cassidy, $30,000– a loan that was due to be paid on the day of the murder. When questioned by police, Cassidy denied owing Madonna money, stating that the loan had already been paid. He also denied killing Jim Madonna. However, police were able to match the shell casings found at the scene to ammunition found at Tim Cassidy’s home. They also eventually located the murder weapon.
After a few weeks on the run, Timothy Cassidy was tracked to a motel in Georgia after he placed an order for pizza. Instead of the pizza man, the knock on the door was from the police. Cassidy was arrested, charged, and finally convicted of murder.
Timothy Cassidy ended up admitting to being present when Jim Madonna was murdered during a drug transaction but blamed it on a man named Kevin Hayes. Here is how it was explained, according to the Taunton Gazette.
“Hayes and Madonna drove their individual vehicles into the darkened parking lot after the poker game. Cassidy said he saw the two other men pass what appeared to be bags of drugs and that Hayes then opened fire on Madonna. He claims he began running toward his friend but that Hayes pointed the murder weapon toward him, warning him to “get the hell out of here or you’re next.”
At trial, the prosecution said it was all lies. Kevin Hayes wasn’t present at the murder scene, and Timothy Cassidy had killed his friend in cold blood. No one could believe it was Timothy Cassidy who had done this. Tim and Jim were best friends. Plus, Timothy Cassidy didn’t seem like the type of person who could commit such a terrible act.
Did you know that most murders are committed by someone you know?
According to the Department of Justice , you stand a greater chance of being killed by someone you know than by a stranger on the street. And the numbers are staggering.
“ Between 73% and 79% of homicides were committed by offenders known to the victims.”
To go more in depth, watch Killer Instinct With Chris Hansen this Monday night at 9/8 p.m. Central on Investigation Discovery (ID).
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