Pod Insights True Crime with Kendall Rae From Applebee’s to a Fatal Car Crash… the Chilling Case of Morgan Patten About this episode On November 8, 2019, 24-year-old Morgan Patten made the long trip from her home down to Jacksonville, NC to visit her fiancé, Phil Brandon, a Marine training at Camp Geiger. After she arrived at her hotel that night, she decided to go out to the nearby Applebee’s for a quick dinner before turning in for the night. When she was in the restaurant, she quickly became the target of two predatory Marines who were prowling the area for a victim. They drugged and put her into their truck to assault her, and then got into a horrible car accident which ended up being fatal for Morgan.
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Transcript 14,550 words · 12 speakers
Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:00 Speaker 00 ChatGPT for Teens is designed to help teens learn, think critically, and grow their skills. ChatGPT for Teens supports active learning by breaking concepts down rather than giving teens the answer. Study mode helps teens work through problems, and interactive quizzes test their knowledge and provide immediate feedback. Safety protections are on by default, and parental controls offer families additional options like setting study hours and quiet hours. Visit chatgpt.com/parents to learn more.
0:27 Speaker 01 OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of 5-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.
0:55 Kendall Rae? Hi, everyone. It's Kendall.
0:57 Speaker 03 And Josh from MileHire Media.
0:58 Kendall Rae? And as most of you guys know, last September, we launched our foundation, the Higher Hope Foundation. And honestly, it's been pleasantly surprising how much we have been able to do in our first year, thanks to all of you, the amount of grants that we have been able to offer to victims, families of victims, as well as similar-minded nonprofits in the advocacy space. It's just been an amazing first year.
1:20 Speaker 03 Yeah, we just wanted to thank you so much for all of your support out there, whether you've given a donation, whether you've purchased merch, which again, all merchandise at milehiremerch.com. 100% of proceeds goes to the Higher Hope Foundation, so that's been absolutely huge for the foundation since we've made that change. But also, just by viewing our content, listening to our content, or supporting any of our sponsors, all of that goes into funding the grants that the Higher Hope Foundation is able to give.
1:50 Kendall Rae? And so far in 2025, we've dispersed over $210,000 in grants, scholarships, and projects, and we've also processed over 25 grants.
1:59 Speaker 03 And right now, we are in our season of giving and we're only $40,000 shy of reaching our full impact goal. So obviously, we'd love to meet this goal and we intend to meet this goal. Closing this gap means helping eight more families or organizations that are still waiting for the help that they deserve.
2:18 Kendall Rae? And so every gift, no matter the size, and by the way, every single cent that you donate goes directly to grants, 100% of that. And every little bit of it makes a huge difference for us and will help people who are still waiting.
2:30 Speaker 03 And during our season of giving, we're going to be matching every dollar, up to $50,000 of donations that are made during this time. And if we reach our goal, we'll also reach our year-end impact goal, which will be huge for the foundation and huge for all of those out there who need help.
2:47 Kendall Rae? Yeah, and it will allow us to start 2026 strong.
2:50 Speaker 03 You can get involved directly and place a donation over at hirehope.org/donate, or you can start your own fundraiser and get your family, your friends, your coworkers involved over at hirehope.org/getinvolved.
3:04 Kendall Rae? Thank you and happy holidays.
3:13 Kendall Rae? Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of True Crime with Kendall, right? This is actually, I think, the last upload. Yes, the last upload of 2025. That's just absurd to say, but I'll be back in 2026. Anyway, though, thank you for joining me. As always, if you're new to the show, then welcome. You guys, today I have a special case for you all. It is a family-involved episode, and I just have so much to say. I don't even know where to start. This case is so truly frustrating and puzzling with so many different complexities that by the end of this episode, you probably will have
3:55 Kendall Rae? more questions than answers, which is where I'm at, too. I think everyone is. That's just how this case is. I've looked into it extensively at this point, and I still just struggle to make sense of it all. But I have the honor today of Steve and Renee Patton joining me, Morgan Patton's parents. And I spoke with them yesterday. And these two, they're just so amazing.
4:20 Kendall Rae? I just was so moved emotionally talking to them and have been during this entire experience because they love their daughter so much. I mean, they are the definition of incredible parents. And yeah, I just, their love for their daughter just transcends everything. Now, you may have heard of this case previously on other podcasts that's been covered a few times, but there is actually new information out now that I'm able to share with you today that in my opinion is white compelling. So if you've already heard of this case, you've got to listen to what I've got to tell you today. Like I said,
5:02 Kendall Rae? I am just really itching to get into this one. I have so much to say. So let me start, of course, by telling you about Morgan and what an amazing person she was. I mean, wow, salt of the earth individual, just a massive loss. So she was born on October 1, 1995 in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Her full name is Morgan Renee Patton, and she grew up just a few towns over from Lebanon in Bradford with her two loving parents, Steve and Renee, and she was their only child. Renee actually had some health problems right after Morgan's birth when it was discovered that her body was rejecting Morgan's twins' placenta, who was lost in the early stages of the pregnancy. She was able to recover,
5:47 Kendall Rae? and then she did get pregnant again a few years later, but then unfortunately had a miscarriage. And while she was at the hospital being treated for that, a doctor told them that the likelihood of her being able to carry a baby to full term was one in a million. And when Renee said they already had a child, the doctor responded, well, there's your one in a million. And that is exactly how Steve and Renee treated her. They were incredibly devoted parents and just determined to raise her in a home that was loving, supportive, and kind. And in my opinion, they did an amazing job. I even told them on the phone yesterday that I'm going to steal a couple of ideas that they used for Morgan when she
6:31 Kendall Rae? was growing up because I think, I don't know, the way they raised her, I think, really reflects in the young woman that she was. But before I tell you more about her, I'd like you to hear from the people who knew her best, Stephen Renee.
6:45 Speaker 04 My name is Steve Patton, and I'm Morgan's dad.
6:47 Speaker 05 I'm Renee Kat and I'm Morgan's mom.
6:50 Speaker 04 As Morgan's parents, we tried to provide her with as many opportunities as possible, especially opportunities that we didn't have when we were kids growing up. And taught her that the world was her oyster and that she could make her life anything that she wanted to make it. And what surprised us is, is the, the way she excelled at that. She took it to a level way beyond anything we ever imagined.
7:22 Speaker 04 When she was little, she was very curious. And it wasn't a surprise to find her with a frog in the pocket of her dress.
7:33 Speaker 04 She was reading, Renee actually taught her how to read at three years old and she never stopped. She would read until we told her she had to put her book down to eat or to go to sleep.
7:48 Speaker 04 She played the piano beautifully.
7:54 Speaker 05 She loved to hike and write.
7:56 Speaker 04 And yeah, I think her, her favorite spots were on the top of a mountain or on a beach with the ocean. That was where she was certainly at peace. And she had a tremendous way of making those around her be their best selves. She just instilled that in that people around Morgan just wanted to be better.
8:26 Speaker 04 She was a miracle child and we were fortunate to be her parents.
8:32 Kendall Rae? So my biggest takeaway about Morgan is, like I said, the fact that she was a very just down to earth type of person who I feel like I would have loved to be around. And also she was a very Truly unique person with so many different interesting facets to her. Like, for instance, she was a really talented athlete who played soccer and loved doing outdoor activities like hiking and skiing. And she actually started skiing at just four years old. And she was so good at it that when she was just in second grade, she taught her dad how to ski. But at the same time, she was a gifted musician who played the trumpet and took piano lessons every week for most of her life. She also had a beautiful voice and Steven Renee sent me a clip of her playing piano
9:17 Kendall Rae? and singing. So I wanted to share that with you guys so you can hear it for yourselves.
9:46 Kendall Rae? I also learned that she was ambidextrous, which was a trait that she inherited from her mom. So that could have played a role in some of the skills she had. But anyway, not only was Morgan talented at so many things, she was also incredibly intelligent. Renee explained that when she was younger, she was really just observant of everything and was like a little sponge when it came to learning. And one thing that she loved from a very early age, like as soon as she could, was reading. She always had a book in her hand. Steve told me that when she was about eight or nine-ish, he had found an old edition of To Kill a Mockingbird at a garage sale and he bought it for her. Which To Kill a Mockingbird, which when I was in middle school, I thought it was Tequila Mockingbird.
10:30 Kendall Rae? So I was not quite as intelligent as Morgan, but I did read that in middle school. And that's like the age I feel most people read it is middle school, maybe high school. But at her young age of eight or nine-ish, she devoured that book. She even wrote out her thoughts in the margins and would reread that same copy every single year, even into her twenties.
10:56 Speaker 06 Hi, I'm Jenna Oshkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.
11:11 Speaker 07 People would always think I was lactose intolerant, so I just kind of shortened my explanation to I'm deathly allergic in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.
11:22 Speaker 06 And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.
11:27 Speaker 08 One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.
11:33 Speaker 06 So join us and hear their stories and more, because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat. It's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At the Table, the food allergy podcast, on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At the Table and start listening on the free iHeart Radio app today.
11:53 Speaker 09 OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 help make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.
12:26 Kendall Rae? But her intelligence wasn't just in her academics. Morgan was also very clever, just in her personal life. And Stephen Renee said that anytime she had to make any sort of decision from a very young age, she was a very careful person about it and would really think through everything. She had a whiteboard in her room where she would put down the pros and cons for her choices that she had to make, like going to a friend's house or signing up for a class that she was interested in. And once she was done with that, she would sometimes write Stephen Renee a whole letter about her decisions and why she made them. And Morgan wasn't just in tune with herself. She seemed to be very aware emotionally of People around her and cared for them. And a great example of this is a story that her friend Sofia told.
13:12 Kendall Rae? And her father retold it to me yesterday, and I'm going to try my best to tell you the way that he told it to me. But basically Morgan was picking up Sofia for school one morning. And as Sofia was walking to her car, she slipped and fell on the ice. And when she first fell down, she just kind of laid there. And Morgan, you know, from far away, picked up on the fact that she something had to have been going on for her to just like lay there kind of defeated, you know, and knowing that something was wrong, she got out of the car. And instead of just helping her up or asking her what was wrong, she just laid down next to her and eventually asked her what was going on.
13:53 Kendall Rae? And Sofia explained that her cat had just passed away, her cat Skittles. And so she just laid on the ground with Sofia for a while and let her talk about her grief until eventually she said, okay, let's go to school. And I love that story because I really think it shows how in tune Morgan was with her surroundings. And how caring and careful she was, which I think is important to remember. And, you know, she used her comprehension of the world around her in all areas of her life. And as she grew into an adult, she decided that she wanted to use that intellect to pursue a career in science.
14:38 Kendall Rae? So in 2014, after graduating from high school, she got an academic scholarship to Colby Sawyer College, which was about 15 miles away from Bradford. But after her freshman year, she decided she didn't want to go there anymore because she felt like the college environment was distracting her from her academics. So she decided to move back home and attend online courses through Southern New Hampshire University. Then in 2015, Morgan went through a big life change. That year, she visited her cousin who lived on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. And after coming back, she told Steve and Renee that she wanted to move out there. And shortly after that, she did it, and she seemed to really flourish out there. She kept working on her bachelor's degree, got a job, had her own place, and got involved with the oceanic scientific community.
15:21 Kendall Rae? And she adopted an eight-year-old cat named Gigi. And apparently, she had actually gone to the animal shelter with the plan to adopt a kitten. But when she met Gigi, she just fell in love with her and felt like she needed to give her the home that she needed. And I feel like this happens to so many people with cats. You go there thinking you want to get a kitten, and then you just fall in love with an older one. The older ones are so sweet. So everything was going really great for her. And then something even better happened. And that was meeting the love of her life, a guy named Phil. Now, the two of them met over a dating app. But because Morgan was generally cautious, she sort of wanted to, you know, suss him out before meeting in person. And Phil was willing to be patient, so they messaged for about a month before their first date.
16:06 Kendall Rae? But once they met, the connection was immediately there. And everyone in their lives could see that they were perfect for each other, especially Steve and Renee. So as their relationship grew and they got more serious about each other, Morgan and Gigi moved into Phil's home on Martha's Vineyard. It was also around this time that Morgan obtained her bachelor's in geoscience with a focus on energy. And even more exciting, she had been accepted into the Coastal Environment Law Program at Roger Williams University. Now, Phil was well aware that Morgan had strong career ambitions, and he was very supportive of it. And he had a goal of his own. He wanted to join the Marines, but he was 28 years old, which is the maximum age. So if he was going to enlist, he would have to do it soon.
16:50 Kendall Rae? Now, her father, Steve, had also served in the Marines for six years. So Morgan understood the type of commitment it was and the lifestyle that it brought. And she wanted his dreams to come true as well. So the two of them made the decision together. Phil was Enlist in the reserves, allowing him to keep his current job and serve in the Marines part-time, following six months of full-time training. And once he was in a reserve unit, Morgan would follow her dreams of practicing environment law. And she actually deferred her acceptance into Roger Williams University by a year so that she could wait for him. And once he left for basic training, it was really tough on both of them because they could only
17:32 Kendall Rae? communicate through letters. And obviously, that was a challenge. But even with that strain, they were super committed to one another. Every single morning at the start of her day, Morgan would write him a letter. And whenever he was able to mail one back to her, she was just over the moon to get it. Then, on October 19, 2019, Phil graduated from basic training and was stationed at Camp Geiger, a substation of Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina. And with this change, that meant they could finally communicate over calls and text again, which can you imagine how good that would feel? And Phil wasted no time with that. So
18:12 Kendall Rae? much so that on October 19, 2019, while on the phone, Phil told her that he couldn't wait to spend his life with her. And that's when he proposed. Morgan happily said yes, and she could not wait to marry him.
18:26 Speaker 05 When Morgan brought Phil home, and we met him, you could see the magic, the comfort, the happiness, the joy. And we were over the moon.
18:42 Speaker 04 I tried to be the stern and protective dad when Morgan brought Phil to us. And throughout that first evening, I just softened into a puddled. There was nothing more that I could want from Morgan than to.
19:03 Speaker 04 See her that happy and that loved and protected. And it was magical. Like you said, epic is the word that we've used. Renee and I were driving home from a weekend work event. When Morgan called us and said that Phil needed to speak to us about something. And we wondered all the way home what it was that Phil could possibly want to talk to us about. And he was actually stationed at Camp Geiger in North Carolina then.
19:38 Speaker 04 So when we arrived home, we, we called Phil and said that Morgan had told us there was something that he needed to speak to us about it. She insinuated it was something about his training in the Marine Corps. And he said, well, that's not, not actually the truth. I wanted to ask your permission to ask for Morgan's hand in marriage. And Renee and I were silent for maybe 10 seconds. On the other end of the line, and it probably seemed like a week to Phil waiting for our response. But then we told him how we felt about seeing him and Morgan together and, and how we felt about their relationship.
20:23 Speaker 04 Then welcomed him into the family.
20:27 Kendall Rae? This was really such an exciting time in Morgan's life. I mean, she had a wedding on the horizon and her dream of studying coastal law was just right around the corner. But tragically, Morgan never got the chance to live out her dream that was coming true because her life was unexpectedly cut short in such a horrific way. And her loved ones are still just trying to make sense of it, trying to figure out why. And I think when you hear what happened, you are going to be as shocked as I was when I first heard. So let me tell you about what led up to it. About two weeks after their engagement, Phil was given a four day weekend with limited liberty for Veterans Day, which basically means he was
21:12 Kendall Rae? Free to do whatever he wanted the entire day before he had to report back to Camp Geiger at night. And of course, he and Morgan wanted to take advantage of the time that they could finally have together. So she made the trek out to Jacksonville on November 8th, 2019, which really was quite the journey for her. Just to get there, she had to take a ferry, a bus to Boston, to then catch a flight to New York, and then another plane to Charlotte, and then another small commuter plane to Jacksonville, and finally, an Uber to her hotel. All of this took her about 13 hours of travel by herself. And so by the time that she checked into the Baymount Hotel, she was exhausted. And since Phil wasn't able to leave the base
21:55 Kendall Rae? that evening that she got in, they were going to meet the next day at 8:00 a.m. first thing. And so Morgan planned to just have a quiet night that night. When she got to her room, she, you know, unwinded by taking a shower, she checked her emails. And that's when she got this exciting news that Island Energy Company wanted to interview her for a job on the day that she returned to Massachusetts. And then she needed something to eat, and she decided the easiest and most cost-effective option was to just walk across the street to Applebee's. It was in the same parking lot as the hotel, and that was definitely the most convenient. And throughout the day, she had been texting Phil, of course, but also Steven Renee. They pretty much kept in constant contact with her, it seems like.
22:40 Kendall Rae? And she actually told Phil that she didn't care for Applebee's, which same. But she decided to go because it was right there.
22:50 Speaker 06 Hi, I'm Jenna Oshkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.
23:04 Speaker 07 People would always think I was lactose intolerant. So I just kind of shortened my explanation to I'm deathly allergic, in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.
23:15 Speaker 06 And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.
23:20 Speaker 08 One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.
23:26 Speaker 06 So join us and hear their stories and more. Because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat. It's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At The Table, the food allergy podcast on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At The Table and start listening on the free iHeart Radio app today.
23:46 Speaker 09 OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 help make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.
24:19 Kendall Rae? So shortly after 7:00 PM, she left her hotel to walk over there. And at this point, it was dark. So when she went over to the restaurant, she walked under the streetlights instead of taking the more direct route, which would be straight through the dark parking lot. And I think that alone just shows you how thoughtful Morgan was to take that extra step to go out of her way, walk under the lights. She was safe. She was careful. And that's what makes what happened to her that night all the more mind-boggling. Because shortly after 10:45 PM, a resident in Mayesville, North Carolina, called 911 to report a horrible car accident across the street from their home.
25:02 Kendall Rae? A truck had been driving 88 miles per hour in a 55 zone down a dark rural road when it suddenly turned to the right off the road. Then the driver turned the wheel to the left, but overcorrected and ended up driving right past the lanes of traffic off the road, hitting a tree, mailbox, and telephone box before flipping on its side and landing in front of a fence. And when first responders arrived, they came across a horrific scene. The truck was on its Passenger side with the cab almost completely off the frame. Chunks of the vehicle were torn apart and three of its tires had been ripped off. There was a debris field surrounding the crash that was nearly the size of a football field.
25:45 Kendall Rae? You guys with things scattered around like empty beer cans and a cowboy hat, vehicle pieces, multiple different IDs belonging to different people, a broken gun and even bullets. Now, the driver of the truck, 22-year-old Hunter Wells, was found pacing around in circles at the site, saying that he didn't mean to hurt anyone, but he had in a really horrific way. A passenger who was Hunter's roommate and friend, 20-year-old Charles Cornwall, was partially ejected with his legs sticking out of the back window. He was unconscious and horribly injured, so much so that first responders didn't think he was actually going to make it, but he was airlifted to the hospital.
26:28 Kendall Rae? But the absolute worst part of it all is that Morgan Patton was found lying face down near the front of the vehicle with a part of it pinning down her ankles. And based on how she landed, it seemed like she was possibly ejected through the passenger side window. It was also believed that she wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Now EMS workers lifted that piece to free her. And while at first she was showing signs of labored breathing, it was in fact too late. At 11:07 PM, Morgan Patton was declared dead at the scene at just 24 years old. No ID was found for her though, so she was tagged Jane Doe until the next morning, when she was identified through her cellphone.
27:11 Kendall Rae? And if you haven't heard of this case, I'm sure you are totally shocked and confused because Morgan was supposed to just go grab a quick dinner at Applebee's, right? Then go to sleep and meet up with Phil first thing in the morning. So what happened? How did she end up there? How in the world did she end up in this horrific crash with two guys that she didn't even know? Well, that's still a question that all of her loved ones are trying to answer. But before I try my best to explain and go over all of the just bizarre and suspicious things that surround this case, I want you to hear from Steve and Renee about their experience at this time.
27:53 Speaker 04 The initial shock, hearing the, our Bradford police officer, who was also a friend, um, at four forty in the morning of November ninth, two thousand nineteen, tell us that, or tell me first that Morgan was dead. It was so intense that I can remember wanting to punch him and I'm thankful that I didn't. He's still a friend. And, um, my very next thought was that I needed to protect Renee from that information. I, in that crazy moment, I just thought somehow she can't learn about this because this will kill her.
28:38 Speaker 05 I had to hear Steve say it several times before I could really process it. And I just remember being like, that's impossible. Morgan wasn't driving down there. She-
28:57 Speaker 04 There was no vehicles involved in the weekend that she had planned. Phil didn't have a vehicle and Morgan obviously didn't have a vehicle there. And Phil was the only one that she knew in Onslow County, North Carolina.
29:11 Speaker 05 So I just convinced myself it had, it had to have been a mistake or we're going to find out what happened. And, uh, we hooked a flight and we went down immediately and in complete shock the entire time.
29:33 Speaker 04 Shock and disbelief. We, we did, honestly, we, we had a feeling that this is a terrible mistake, you know, all the way to North Carolina and it took us, you know-
29:48 Speaker 04 Eight hours, nine hours to get to Onslow County and all the way we were
29:55 Speaker 04 just kept thinking this has to be a horrible mistake. And when we get there, Morgan will meet up with Morgan and she'll explain it all. And
30:07 Speaker 04 once we arrived and met with a sergeant from North Carolina Highway Patrol and we learned more information from him about the crash and the scene and anything that he had learned about the facts leading up to it.
30:24 Speaker 04 It, nothing added up. It, it's, it just didn't make sense. This, these things were impossible. Morgan not wearing a seatbelt and the rate of speed that they were traveling at and the location, the remote location 13 miles away from where the hotel she was staying. And it just, it all seemed impossible, but at the same time was, was very heavy and very real.
30:54 Kendall Rae? So as you heard right away, Steve and Renee start making their way to Jacksonville. And while that's happening, authorities are, I guess, trying to figure out what exactly happened. After Charles was airlifted, Hunter was taken for medical care. Morgan's body was sent to the morgue and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol began processing the scene. And here's where things get weird. So at around 11:15 PM, which was only about five minutes after Hunter had been transported, two Marines in civilian clothes came to the crash site. Now, both Hunter and Charles were serving as Marines at Camp Lejeune. And just to clarify, in case you're wondering, Phil did not know these guys at all. So that's not a reason why she would be with them.
31:36 Kendall Rae? But anyway, these two random Marines, not Hunter and Charles, not Phil, some random guys.
31:43 Kendall Rae? They approached the scene and they approached a firefighter who was blocking the scene. And one of them says that he is the driver's brother. Then the firefighter relays this to the highway patrol agents who tell him that it's okay to let them onto the scene and they walked right on. But here's the thing, okay? Hunter Wells doesn't have a brother. So we have no idea to this day who these two guys were, what they may have done at the scene, why they were at the scene, if they took or tampered with anything and what their motive for being there actually was, especially because Hunter wasn't even there anymore. And not to mention, the crash had just happened and not many people knew about it. So how did they even know to go there?
32:27 Kendall Rae? And I'll tell you now, this is just one of the first of many odd things that happened in this case. And another was how the scene was processed. While processing it, agents found a broken rifle and a few mixed caliber bullets. But it seems like they didn't consider this to be very important because one of the officers just threw it right back in the truck. And then, after only about an hour, the sergeant decided that he wanted the whole scene cleaned up by morning. So he called a local auto body shop to tow the car and it was never officially processed for evidence.
33:05 Speaker 06 Hi, I'm Jenna Ashkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.
33:20 Speaker 07 People would always think I was lactose intolerant, so I just kind of shortened my explanation to I'm deathly allergic, in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.
33:31 Speaker 06 And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.
33:36 Speaker 08 One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.
33:42 Speaker 06 So join us and hear their stories and more, because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat, it's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At the Table, the food allergy podcast on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At the Table and start listening on the free iHeart radio app today.
34:02 Speaker 09 Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds, up to $200,000, right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently. Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.
34:36 Kendall Rae? Then things got even more strange when a trooper was sent to the naval hospital to interview Hunter about why Morgan was even with them. And as soon as he started talking, everything was all over the place. One of the first things that he said was that he was supposed to be the designated safe driver of the night, the sober driver, but he did have one drink. The hospital staff, however, said that his eyes were red and he smelled of alcohol. And then he was given two breathalyzer tests, and both of those came back at .06, which points to more than one beer, right? And also, keep in mind, this is hours after the crash occurred, so it probably wasn't even accurate
35:18 Kendall Rae? to how drunk he could have been at the time of the actual crash. And then when he starts to explain why Morgan was with them, which is what everyone wants to know, his story doesn't make a lot of sense. He states that he and Charles were at the local Applebee's when they met her, and after chatting and drinking together, they invited her to go shoot guns with them. He goes on to claim that the three of them left the restaurant, stopped to buy beer, went to his house to pick up a gun, and then were on their way to go shoot. And there are a lot of things that don't add up with his story, so let's break it down. First of all, the police were never able to verify that they stopped anywhere for beer. There is a circle K that was between the Applebee's and the crash site,
36:01 Kendall Rae? which police believe would be the most likely place they would have gone. But when they checked the surveillance cameras, none of them were seen. And then Morgan's phone GPS doesn't show anywhere that they would have stopped. Either. So that's a major hole in the story, but there's more. It turns out Hunter had a roommate living at that house. So you would think it would be easy for them to confirm if they went there, right? But they've told different stories about this. And Steve actually talked to that roommate and he told him that they didn't stop there. However, when he talked to the police nearly four years later, he changed his story and said that Hunter and Charles did come to the house with a girl who was outside waiting in the car,
36:45 Kendall Rae? which is obviously a massive detail to be giving conflicting accounts about. But those aren't the only confusing things about this shooting story. So like I mentioned, at the scene of the crash, they found a broken rifle and mixed caliber ammunition. And after hearing that, you might think, oh, well, maybe that does point to them going shooting that night. However, just like everything else in this case, it's not that simple. Because first of all, the police never verified if the rifle had been previously broken or if the crash destroyed it because it wasn't properly processed. Awesome job, guys. But that aside, there were only about five bullets for that type of gun at the scene. Yeah, five. That means if they were all gonna go shooting that night,
37:29 Kendall Rae? they would all get to shoot the gun maybe once or twice. Wasn't even enough for them all to do it twice. And maybe I'm crazy and to be honest, I don't know anything about shooting guns. I've never been to a shooting range, so I guess I can't completely speak from experience. But I think it's just common sense that that sounds like a huge waste of time. Plus, Hunter never explained where they were going to go shooting. There is a government shooting range just about seven miles up the road from the crash site, but that's not open to the public and anyone going there at night needs authorized permission. It's not something you just roll up to. And maybe you could argue that they were going to just find some open space to go shoot around.
38:10 Kendall Rae? Um, but they didn't even have a target and they, like I said, had five bullets. And of course, none of that explains why Hunter was driving so fast. Remember, he was driving 88 miles an hour. And while there are just so many things that don't add up about this story, the thing that stands out to me the most is Morgan's character. This just doesn't make sense for her and the type of person she was. We know how much she calculated every decision she made in her life from a young age. Remember I told you guys she was using a whiteboard for pros and cons, even for little things, so much as going to a friend's house. And her mom said one of the most impulsive decisions she ever made was adopting an older cat.
38:54 Kendall Rae? She just was not an impulsive person. She did not live life that way. Plus, she was getting up in the morning to see the love of her life. She was so excited. Do you think she's gonna just get in the car with these two random guys to go shooting? Not to mention, I just don't believe she would ever get in the car with, I mean, two strangers, let alone people who had been drinking. All of this is just so extremely out of character for her. And nothing at all in her history points to this type of behavior. And it's not like Morgan was some big gun enthusiast that would jump at the chance to go shooting with these random two dudes at Applebee's in the middle of the night. Stephen Rene explained that she had only been shooting a few times in her life,
39:39 Kendall Rae? but it was always with people that she knew and trusted, like Steve or Phil or her uncle. And it seemed like she really just went with them to learn how to do it, not because she was passionate about it or loved doing it. She wasn't the type of person to just throw caution at the wind and live on the edge. So why would she decide to do something so radically impulsive? Just to do something that she doesn't even really care for that much? Hunter's story just doesn't make any sense. And what's so frustrating about this case, I mean, everything about this case is frustrating, but the fact that police did not do their due diligence when investigating. And mind you, this is the only official narrative that Hunter ever gave police. Because later that evening, at around 5:45 PM,
40:24 Kendall Rae? Hunter was arrested and charged with felony death by motor vehicle, felony serious injury by motor vehicle, and several Misdemeanors as well. And when he was arrested, he stated, I want to tell you what happened, but I need to speak to my lawyer first. But then after that, he never gave another statement. And look, of course, it's well within his rights to wait for an attorney, but I just think the first half of that statement, what is it exactly? I want to tell you what happened. Just says a whole lot. It's very odd considering at this point he had already told them the whole story. So what is it that he wanted to tell them, but he never said anything else?
41:05 Kendall Rae? And so the questions that her loved ones have only have grown. Now, just a couple hours after the arrest, Steve, Renee and Phil's parents arrive in Jacksonville, and they go to pick up Phil. And together, they went to speak with authorities about what happened to Morgan.
41:23 Speaker 04 So our initial meetings with investigators in North Carolina were just gathering facts, learning information as they were learning it in real time. It was all still new. It was an active investigation. We were still trying to process what they were telling us and
41:48 Speaker 04 realized that this was our new reality.
41:54 Speaker 04 I notify, you know, we left home so quickly that we barely anybody knew what had happened or why we left. So we were talking with friends and family back home. We didn't feel that anything was being withheld
42:12 Speaker 04 as far as information in those early meetings. It's, it just was frustrating that
42:20 Speaker 04 there was so much missing and we trusted that investigators were looking for all the answers. The more concern we shared with them, it seemed, they seemed very responsive and actively pursuing answers to our questions.
42:38 Speaker 04 And on Tuesday, November 12th, as we were leaving North Carolina, both of us
42:46 Speaker 04 nearly sick to our stomachs, feeling that we were leaving Morgan behind in a horrible place.
42:55 Speaker 04 We also felt comforted that we were going to get the answers that we needed. You know, we were assured by the sergeant with North Carolina State Highway Patrol that by the end of that week, more than 100 officers from 10 different agencies, those were his words, 100 officers from 10 different agencies would be on that case. And then the communication became difficult immediately after we arrived home. You know, emails would go unanswered and phone calls weren't returned. And a family friend, who is a great attorney here in New Hampshire,
43:38 Speaker 04 suggested that we hire a representation in Onslow County just to, if for nothing else, to bridge that communication gap that was created just from geography.
43:51 Speaker 04 So we acted on that suggestion and we found an attorney in North Carolina who had a staff private investigator who immediately started digging into the case as well.
44:05 Kendall Rae? So as you heard them say, at first, it seemed like the investigation would be treated with care, but after going back to New Hampshire, they felt like they needed to take matters into their own hands. And this is when they were able to gather more information. Now, I'm going to be honest with you. There is just a lot of complex details and also conflicting information in this case. And so I'm going to do my best to explain everything that the patents were able to gather.
44:39 Speaker 06 Hi, I'm Jenna Oshkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.
44:54 Speaker 07 People would always think I was lactose intolerant. So I just kind of shortened my explanation to I'm deathly allergic in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.
45:05 Speaker 06 And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.
45:10 Speaker 08 One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.
45:16 Speaker 06 So join us and hear their stories and more. Because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat. It's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At The Table, the food allergy podcast, on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At The Table and start listening on the free iHeart Radio app today.
45:36 Speaker 09 Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds, up to $200,000, right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently. Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.
46:10 Kendall Rae? And I want to start out here by talking about what happened at the Applebee's when Morgan first met Hunter and Charles. So like I said before, at around 7:05 PM, Morgan left her hotel room, took the longer route to walk under the streetlights, and then entered Applebee's. When she gets there, she takes a seat at the bar, in between a couple and a group of friends, and then orders a Sam Adams Oktoberfest beer and a crispy chicken salad. And while she's waiting to get her food, she ends up chatting with one of the bartenders and she tells them that she had just gotten into town and that she was there to see her fiance. Then around 8:24 PM, Hunter Wells and Charles Cornwall entered the Applebee's wearing cowboy hats and flannel shirts, which made the staff there refer to them as the cowboys.
46:55 Kendall Rae? So they take their seats across the bar from Morgan. And based on text messages, we know that they noticed her pretty much right away. And these text messages, in my opinion, tell you a whole lot. And this is one of those bits of information that has not previously been out in any podcast or media. And the patents just got ahold of these in the Sometime over the summer. So anyway, at 8:51, Hunter texted Charles and said, "She's interested. Keep talking." Then a few minutes later, she keeps looking over. Then sometime between 9:00 and 9:30, the couple sitting next to Morgan leaves,
47:36 Kendall Rae? and that's when Charles and Hunter swoop in to approach her and take those seats. Now, this is just my opinion, but those text messages right off the bat, again, this is my opinion, but to me, it's giving predator. Now, two bartenders that were there that night spoke to the Pattons P I. And gave their account of what they witnessed between the three of them. And one of them said they were having a polite conversation that seemed casual. And then the other said that the two guys were pushing Morgan into having a conversation. And to that bartender, it looked like she was trying to be polite, even though she didn't seem interested in engaging much with them.
48:19 Kendall Rae? And what's really interesting to me is this second bartender was a woman. And it makes me wonder if she was picking up on something different than the male bartender was, because I don't know, I think as a woman, maybe she had experiences, her own lived experiences that made her sense how Morgan was possibly feeling. Because it's interesting that she notes that, but the other one doesn't. But even so, both bartenders, the man and the woman, were shocked to find out that Morgan would have ever been in a car with the two of them afterwards. They both did say that the guys offered to buy Morgan shots and another beer, and they remembered serving her the shot.
49:03 Kendall Rae? However, they can't confirm if she actually drank it. Now, around this time, at 9:14 PM, Hunter texted his other roommate. And he said, "If she comes back with us, the house is yours. Yours and Cornwall's room is mine and his." So it's pretty obvious what their intentions were here, right? To me, it seems like Hunter wanted him and Charles to take her into the bedroom. Alone with them and do who knows what. Now, at the very least, it does show us that he was planning on getting Morgan out of that Applebee's. Then, after that text was sent at 9:41 PM, Charles paid for his and Hunter's tab, which
49:47 Kendall Rae? included two double shots and three single shots of Jack Daniels, as well as four 20 ounce beers and then another 16 ounce beer. And it's believed that one of the single shots and the 16 ounce beer was for Morgan. Now, here's where things get weird, okay? So at 9:42 PM, Morgan texted Steve and Renee and said, "Okay, going to sleep," followed by "I'll text you in the morning," which made them assume that she was back in her hotel room, but she wasn't. It turns out that she kept texting with Phil while after that. At around 10:24 PM, she said she couldn't wait to see him, and then about a minute later, she texted him, "Also, people bring cocaine onto base through pizza, just by the way."
50:31 Kendall Rae? And he responded, "Do they really?" And at 10:40 PM, she responded with, "Yes, they do." And that last text was sent from her phone, and mind you, this was only about 10 minutes before the crash, which is crazy, and there was really no context at all as to why she said that. And it's actually unclear when Morgan even left the Applebee's because no one saw her leave, and there was no surveillance footage. One of the bartenders stated that when he last saw any of them, one of the guys exited through the front door, and one of them was still at the bar. And that's also when Morgan went to the bathroom. But what's interesting is no one witnessed Morgan or the remaining guy leave.
51:13 Kendall Rae? And to make things even more bizarre, Morgan did not pay for her tab that night, which is incredibly unlike her. She had never done that before. She had actually worked as a server for years, and she understood what a problem it would be for someone to not pay their bill, how messed up that is to do. She just would never do that. So, this has made people wonder, myself included, if someone stopped her from getting back to the bar. And this would have been possible because it turns out that the bathroom is near a side exit that leads to the parking lot, which could be a potential spot for someone to
51:55 Kendall Rae? force her out without anybody seeing. And like we know, one of the bartenders said that one of the guys wasn't in the restaurant at this time. The other one still was. So what's incredibly frustrating, though, is that, like I said, Applebee's has no surveillance footage inside or outside in the parking lot. Nothing. It also appears that police didn't look at any of the surrounding businesses' cameras either, which is just maddening. They did try to eventually look at traffic cameras, but by the time they did, all of the footage had been erased. So that's awesome. And as for what happened after the crash, the Pattons learned some key information there, too, specifically about what Morgan's autopsy
52:37 Kendall Rae? revealed. Her autopsy was conducted on Monday, November 11th, and her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma, as well as crush injury to her organs that caused internal bleeding. During the examination, her blood and a sexual assault kit were taken and sent off for further testing. And while waiting for the result, the sergeant gave Steve and Renee the weirdest warning. He told them that if Morgan's blood alcohol content was above the legal limit, then he would assume that she got into Hunter's truck willingly, which is such a bizarre and wildly unfair assumption that makes no
53:20 Kendall Rae? sense. Obviously, just because someone is drunk doesn't mean they can't be taken against their will or coerced into doing something. In some cases, it makes it easier for the perpetrator to do that, right? I mean, we all know this, and this is coming from a sergeant. I just don't see why he thought that her blood alcohol content should even be a factor in determining how she ended up. In that car, but honestly, at the time, her parents weren't worried about it because they were confident it wasn't going to come back high, considering that she had one, maybe two beers and maybe a single shot. But when the results came back, her BAC was .13, which is extremely high.
54:03 Kendall Rae? So law enforcement seemed to have pretty much taken that to mean that she willingly got into the car without questioning it, which is beyond problematic. And another discussion that we could just go into, but here's the thing. Her BAC might not have actually been an accurate reading for how much she had to drink that night because, and I'm sure a lot of you know this, especially if you consume true crime content on a regular basis, but during decomposition, the body can produce ethanol. And Morgan's autopsy was not done until days after the crash, giving the body more time to produce ethanol, which is why it could have appeared higher than it was.
54:48 Kendall Rae? And the patents also noticed something strange when they got a copy of the autopsy report. The vitreous fluid had been tested. Now that is fluid that comes from the vitreous humor in the eyeball and importantly, isn't affected by alcohol formed during decomposition. So that means it's a much more accurate way to tell someone's BAC if their autopsy is done days after they passed. And the alcohol content from that test was only .02. And this is obviously a huge discrepancy from the BAC gathered from her blood. And it makes law enforcement's whole idea of, oh, if she was drunk enough, she got
55:33 Kendall Rae? in that car willingly, make no sense because clearly she wasn't, even if that idea made any sense to begin with. But anyway.
55:46 Speaker 06 Hi, I'm Jenna Oshkowitz. You might know me from Glee. This is At the Table, the food allergy podcast, a show about food, connection, and what it really looks like to live with food allergies. Each episode, we hear stories from real people like Daniel.
56:01 Speaker 07 People would always think I was lactose intolerant, so I just kind of shortened my explanation to I'm deathly allergic, in a big way that defined a lot of my childhood.
56:12 Speaker 06 And while there are challenges, there are moments that remind you you're not alone.
56:17 Speaker 08 One of the best guys that I dated, he made a point to memorize all my food allergies.
56:23 Speaker 06 So join us and hear their stories and more, because living with food allergies isn't just about what you can't eat. It's about still having your seat at the table. Brought to you by Genentech and Novartis. Listen to At the Table, the food allergy podcast, on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow At the Table and start listening on the free iHeart Radio app today.
56:43 Speaker 01 OnDeck is built to back small businesses like yours. Whether you're buying equipment, expanding your team, or bridging cash flow gaps, OnDeck's loans up to $400,000 make it happen fast. Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau and earning thousands of five-star TrustPilot reviews, OnDeck delivers funding you can count on. Apply in minutes at ondeck.com. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.
57:15 Kendall Rae? When the patents brought this to the assistant district attorney, they said, we'll just have to assume that it was somewhere between 0.02 and 0.13, which is such a maddening statement to hear. That is, in what world does that make any sense? And to get a response like that, especially when the sergeant told them that that number was going to determine how much investigative work they were going to put into figuring out how she got in the car. And as far as her toxicology report, nothing else came back detected in her system, but it wasn't exactly extensive, okay? They only tested for benzodiazepines, cocaine, gabapentin slash pregabalin, and opiates slash opioids.
58:00 Kendall Rae? There were no tests done for synthetic drugs like GHB. And if you don't know, GHB... Is the date rape drug, or roofies. And that means that if her drinks were spiked at Applebee's, it wouldn't be in the report. And around this time, Stephen Renee learned even more about the condition Morgan was in. Their lawyer was able to obtain photos of Morgan at the crash site, and they show that Morgan's belt on her pants was still buckled and intact, but her pants were unzipped and had been horizontally cut under the zipper. So, hearing that, you may think that her clothes could have been torn during the crash, but none of her other clothes had been ripped or damaged whatsoever.
58:43 Kendall Rae? And investigators also didn't seem to have any answers as to how this actually happened. That being said, I'm sure you're thinking maybe the answers will be in the results of that sexual assault kit. Now, when that came back, there were no signs of trauma, but there was a small amount of male DNA present. Unfortunately, not surprisingly, investigators said they didn't have enough probable cause to request DNA from Hunter or Charles. Keep in mind, though, Morgan had yet to see Phil, so it's very unlikely, pretty much impossible, that it would have been his. And that's not the only place that DNA was found. There was also foreign DNA found in her fingernail scraping from three contributors. One of them was from Morgan.
59:26 Kendall Rae? The other two profiles were too small and difficult to separate, but it was determined that at least one was male. And that, of course, makes us wonder if it was from Hunter or Charles. Now, speaking of Charles, the patents were also able to learn some interesting things about him. So, his injuries were extensive, and that included a broken wrist, tailbone, breastbone, and four ribs. He also had a ruptured diaphragm, lacerated spleen, a collapsed lung, and more. Now, Stephen Renee didn't know this at the time, but the Marines were actually conducting a line-of-duty investigation into Charles's conduct, specifically his underage drinking, because it might affect his disability compensation.
1:00:08 Kendall Rae? Like I said earlier, IDs belonging to random people were found at the crash site, including in Charles's pockets. And it seems like he may have been using at least some of them to get alcohol. So, for this inquiry, which happened after he was released from the hospital, Charles had to do a phone interview. And during it, he tells them that he doesn't remember Anything about the accident or anything leading up to it. Convenience, especially when you think about the fact that out of all the injuries he had, out of all the injuries that were listed, traumatic brain injury isn't one of them. But even though he says he doesn't remember anything about the accident or anything leading up to it, he somehow does remember that he was wearing a seatbelt
1:00:53 Kendall Rae? and that he was sitting in the passenger seat. But even though an official reconstruction of the accident never actually was done, emergency workers believe that he was not wearing a seatbelt. He also said that he didn't think he drank that night because, he claims, the hospital told him that he didn't have any alcohol in his system. Wow, dude, what a load of shit. We know this isn't true because his BAC was .13. And even with these discrepancies, the line of duty inquiry report was submitted and stated, "There is no evidence to suggest Lance Corporal Cornwall consumed alcohol prior to the crash." And it's hard to accept that that is the result they came to,
1:01:35 Kendall Rae? considering there was clearly evidence that he had been drinking. Just such a load of shit. It is infuriating. And when Steve informed the Marine Command Staff, they told him, "There's nothing we can do about it because Charles had already been discharged." But this actually wasn't the only time he gave statements. In October of 2020, the ADA's office finally interviews Charles, but of course, he's claiming he can't remember anything. Ugh, what a shame. In this interview, though, he does say that he lived in Hunter's house and that he knows he had a history of speeding. And he also told them that he knew that Hunter had previously driven drunk and crashed his car on his own wedding day
1:02:20 Kendall Rae? in April of 2019. Sounds like a real stand-up guy. But one of the most significant and infuriating things he told them was about the first time he saw Hunter after the crash. Turns out that after Charles got out of the hospital, he went over to Hunter's to grab his things. And when he showed up, Hunter was having a party. Yes, that is right. It is just beyond disgusting, thinking about how he could do this after taking someone's life. He could throw down with his buddies, have a party. It's just...
1:02:59 Kendall Rae? Some people are just so fucking horrible. It's hard to even wrap your mind around how you could operate like that. But it gets worse. Apparently Hunter was so excited to see him that he said to Charles, "You owe me. I saved your life." And he said that Hunter told him that the reason Morgan was with them was so that he and Charles could hook up in the backseat while Hunter drove them around. Now, this is obviously a news story and very different from the shooting story. I mean, if the two of them wanted to hook up, if it was consensual on Morgan's part, which I don't believe, why not go to their house or to Morgan's hotel room? Why would they do it in the back of a speeding car with some guy driving them?
1:03:44 Kendall Rae? And aside from how illogical that is, it doesn't align with Morgan's character at all. Although I'm not dismissing the idea that something was being done to Morgan in the back, that she was being assaulted. But there is just no reality in my mind where Morgan would be consensually hooking up with this loser in the back of this truck. There is just no way. I mean, she was in town to see Phil for the first time after getting engaged, and she was not going to throw all that away just for some guy that she met at Applebee's. Now, Charles said that this didn't align with his character either because he told the P I. that this story didn't make sense to him
1:04:28 Kendall Rae? because he wasn't the type to hook up with strangers. He said he previously just had one girlfriend and he'd only had a one-night-stand one time. So it just didn't sound like something he would do. And he felt like Hunter didn't feel remorseful and that the two of them haven't talked since. So that's interesting. But when the Pattons P I. spoke with him in August of 2021, He told them that he and Hunter hadn't actually talked about the crash at all. And at that point, he distanced himself from Hunter even more. He said that he doesn't remember Hunter very well. And he just knows he didn't have the best character. And he claimed he didn't actually live with him.
1:05:08 Kendall Rae? Yet, in the same conversation, he said that Hunter was known for speeding while driving. And that's not all that changed in his statement. He now claimed that he was having trouble remembering the day of the crash. But he also forgets things that happened in the months before and months after the crash. Yet, some interesting things still came out of that conversation. The P I asked Charles if he knew anything about drugs being smuggled into the base in pizza boxes, specifically drugs in pizza boxes. And you probably remember that one of Morgan's last texts was about that, specifically about cocaine in the pizza boxes. And when this is brought up, Charles said that he had heard that that was a thing.
1:05:51 Kendall Rae? And when he was asked if he had ever talked about it with anyone, he said he wouldn't have. Now, something crazy, the P I was actually able to track down an interview that Charles had done for his brother's student newspaper, which he talked about drugs being smuggled in pizza boxes. So, the P I informs Charles about Morgan's text and the newspaper interview. And Charles read the article before saying, "Not to be anal, but I don't see anywhere in here, I told him that we were finding cocaine in Domino's pizza boxes." Which is really interesting because the P I never specifically mentioned cocaine. He just said drugs.
1:06:36 Kendall Rae? But Morgan's text, like I said, did specifically say cocaine. So that has raised some questions about whether or not Charles knows more than he says he does. Now, the P I also asked him how he thought Morgan ended up with them. And he gave an interesting answer. He said that he wondered if he and Hunter might have offered to sneak Morgan into Camp Geiger to see Phil. And it's unclear. Why he thought this was possible. I mean, aside from Morgan being in the car and then the two of them uh being stationed at the same camp, there isn't anything else that points to this theory. And there's a pretty big flaw in the theory as well.
1:07:17 Kendall Rae? The fact that the car was headed in the opposite direction from the camp. So once again, it's just another story from these guys that makes no sense. And then at the end of the conversation, the P I asked Charles if he would be willing to take a polygraph test. Now, two weeks later, he did take one, but afterwards, the examiner wrote, "In my opinion, the tracings were too erratic and inconsistent to evaluate, and it appeared the examiner's physiology was being intentionally distorted. And the reason for this was that Charles didn't listen to any of the instructions he was given beforehand. Or maybe he was and he purposely didn't follow them. That's my opinion. But he was told to get plenty of sleep, to not drink 24 hours beforehand and to have something to eat before coming in.
1:08:02 Kendall Rae? But he took absolute trash care of himself leading up to the polygraph test. Turns out he only got about two hours of sleep, and this is what he admitted, by the way. Uh, he also drank the night before and hadn't eaten anything since dinner. The examiner also stated his intentional disregard for the instructions could have added to the problem of collecting his data. So it seems that the polygraph examiner has the same opinion that I do, that he purposely didn't follow these instructions. And Charles wasn't the only one to give inconsistent stories. Hunter did too, of course. The patents P I was able to speak with Hunter's ex-wife, and she told him that he had actually called her the night of the crash. He was crying and he said that he and Charles were driving somewhere
1:08:47 Kendall Rae? and that he hit a vehicle head on and that he thinks the other driver is dead. And on this call, there was no mention of Morgan or her even being in the car with them, which is interesting because why would he want to tell her that, right? But then, when he talked to her in person, the story changed again. And this time, he said that the girl who died, the other person who died, was actually in his car. She was in the back making out with Charles, which seems like the same story he told other people. According to the P I who spoke with someone at the tow yard the car was taken to, Hunter said something similar. So it sounds like Hunter came to pick up the car with either his dad or his granddad. The worker wasn't exactly sure who it was.
1:09:32 Kendall Rae? But either way, they made a comment to this guy that he got into an accident because he was helping a friend, but quote, "No good deed goes unpunished." So if you've lost count at this point, this would be the fourth version of the story that he has told people. But there is something that has stuck out to me. In every different story, Hunter has never once explained what caused him to turn right off the road, which has made people speculate if something happened in the car, like maybe Morgan fighting someone off her, which in my opinion seems like a strong theory. Yet even with all these conflicting stories and unanswered questions, the investigation came to a close. In November of 2023,
1:10:17 Kendall Rae? Stephen Renee learned that Hunter was offered a plea deal. He pled guilty to felony death by motor vehicle and felony serious injury in exchange for 38 months in prison and one year of probation following his release, which will be in January of 2027. Now, obviously, this was not the resolution that Steve and Renee were hoping for.
1:10:38 Speaker 04 We were vehemently opposed to any plea deal in this case. And we, we made that well known. Not just us, but everybody that knew and loved Morgan Patton
1:10:52 Speaker 04 was vocal about not accepting a plea deal, especially one that did not require Hunter Wells to disclose verifiable facts about what happened on November 8, 2019. And
1:11:08 Speaker 04 We were assured,
1:11:12 Speaker 04 we were reminded at every meeting with the district attorney and the assistant district attorneys that Morgan's case would result in a jury trial, at very least. And then, days, a few days before the trial was finally scheduled to begin, on the eve of Thanksgiving in 2023, we got an email stating that Hunter Wells had accepted a deal offered by the district attorney's office. And it was absolutely sickening. We felt defeated.
1:11:55 Speaker 04 We felt like nothing that we had shared mattered. We felt like Morgan patents, life didn't matter to them. We felt like they just wanted to clear this off their desk, and that's all that mattered. Then there's nothing we could do about it.
1:12:13 Speaker 04 Aside from speaking out at the sentencing hearing, which eight of us,
1:12:22 Speaker 04 friends and family, delivered victim impact statements in person at the sentencing hearing, and there were six others read privately by the judge that were delivered as written statements.
1:12:39 Speaker 04 And one of the unfortunate parts about our impact statements is the judge informed us that we were not allowed to make any negative comments about law enforcement or the investigators in Morgan's case. And the few people that did read verbatim any negative comments in their statement were shut down immediately by the judge. So we didn't even have that opportunity to share our disappointment in the lack of investigation.
1:13:19 Speaker 04 The whole experience, it's when it seemed like it all culminated with
1:13:25 Speaker 04 that type of a disappointment. It just soured the, the justice system in our minds. It's, it just, it's not what we were taught to believe the justice system represents.
1:13:40 Speaker 05 It was heartbreaking being in the courtroom and not being able to speak the way we wanted to speak and say what we wanted and needed to say.
1:13:53 Speaker 05 And hopes that it would help Morgan find better justice than what they were giving. And
1:14:05 Speaker 05 it was, it was just horrible.
1:14:08 Speaker 04 And
1:14:11 Speaker 04 disturbing the way that we were treated at the Onslow County Superior Court in the room, in the courtroom that day. When the defendant who was responsible for Morgan's death, one of the two responsible for Morgan's death was surrounded by sheriff's deputies whose duty was to protect him from us. As though we were the criminals.
1:14:37 Kendall Rae? But what's even more upsetting is how the DA treated them. During the months leading up to it, Steve and Renee were told over and over again that Hunter's case would be going through to a jury trial, which is what they wanted, of course. But that changed when he was offered a plea deal. And when they expressed to the DA that they were upset by this, my gosh, this is going to piss you off. And this is, you know, coming from them. I don't have record that he said this, but I believe Stephen Renee and I, does not shock me that this guy said this. He allegedly said, "You don't want his fate to be in the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough." To get out of jury duty.
1:15:21 Kendall Rae? A statement like that just shows you that the people in charge of this case didn't treat it with the care and urgency that it deserved. And speaking of that, Charles never faced any charges or was even seriously questioned by investigators. And he currently, I swear you guys, he works as a sheriff's deputy in Montana, which is pretty concerning for many reasons, but also the fact that he openly says that he has struggled with memory issues and impulse control. Now, even though this case is closed for investigators, is not closed for Stephen Renee. They have not given up hope that one day they will learn what exactly happened to Morgan before that crash.
1:16:05 Kendall Rae? After the sentencing hearing, they retained a civil rights attorney. Steve recently got his PI license because he's incredible, and they plan on having further testing done on the DNA samples. And I'm really excited to tell you guys that they are recent recipients of Higher Hope's Hope Grant to help reimburse them for some of the expenses that they've had to put towards getting answers. And Steve and Renee are the exact type of people that I had in mind when starting the Higher Hope Foundation, that they were the type of parents that I wanted to help. They are just so inspiring to me as a new parent myself, the way that they have continued
1:16:46 Kendall Rae? to show up as Morgan's parent and will continue for the rest of their lives. They have done such a great job representing her, getting to the bottom of things, never giving up, and they've also worked really hard to maintain Morgan's legacy and honor her memory. In August of 2023, they established their foundation, Miles to Go, in honor of her. And what they've been able to do is truly amazing. They told me a lot about it when we talked on the phone, but I think it's best that you hear it from them.
1:17:17 Speaker 04 Morgan's Miles to Go Foundation was started by Renee and I out of necessity when we found ourselves in a really dark place after years of being...
1:17:30 Speaker 04 Enthralled in an investigation, constantly searching for answers and constantly hitting walls and hurdles. And we just needed some positivity in our lives that we had some control over. So we started the foundation in August of 2023 with the mission of perpetuating the life of Morgan Renee Patton by empowering youth and young adults through opportunity. In short, we want to provide opportunities for kids similar to what Morgan experienced
1:18:09 Speaker 04 as a child because we wholeheartedly believe that the incredible adult that Morgan grew into was shaped by her experiences as a child.
1:18:21 Speaker 05 So the foundation has done many fundraisers. We do 5K every year. We also did a fall ball, which was amazing. And we've been able to use what we've raised for scholarships at Kersarch High School, which Steve, Maureen, and myself have all graduated from. And this year, we'd like to extend the scholarship to another school. And then from there, hopefully
1:18:58 Speaker 05 grow and be able to do scholarships for many schools, for many kids. And I think that we have many more goals that we'd like to achieve and many more things we'd like to contribute. And we've also done the fishing derby.
1:19:26 Speaker 04 We sponsored a youth fishing derby in Bradford in 2025. Just it's
1:19:35 Speaker 04 Pretty awesome experience just watching kids catch their first fish. So uh, that was well worth the effort. And we partnered with the youth sports organization to help fund program scholarships there. And um, we created the Morgan's Miles to Go Memorial Bench, which we donated one to the elementary school which Morgan attended. And we have one here at home and we auctioned one off at the Fall Ball, which is now at the Hyannis Marina, uh, where Morgan lived and worked for the years that she was on Cape Cod. Um, it's beautiful to visit the Marina and see the bench.
1:20:21 Speaker 04 That's a little piece of us and of Morgan, where she thrived and really became an adult. Um, Renee has a long-term goal for the foundation that we are inching towards.
1:20:38 Speaker 05 Yes, it's just a goal at this point, uh, maybe just a vision of maybe someday having our home and our property part of
1:20:52 Speaker 05 a retreat or something like that for families and like situativeness like ourselves.
1:20:59 Speaker 04 Self-care retreat for families of missing or murdered children. It's uh, we know that the need is there.
1:21:10 Speaker 04 Self-care is important.
1:21:12 Kendall Rae? While I was going through everything in this case, the one word that just kept coming up to me was unfair. You know, how unfair it is that these two incredible dedicated parents have lost their only daughter in such a shocking and horrific way. How unfair it is that the investigation didn't answer every single one of their questions and that they've had to put in so much effort to find answers. How unfair it is that, in my opinion, justice has not been served here. And how especially unfair it is that Morgan, who was such a kind Beautiful soul who was diligent about planning for her future, who was careful and
1:21:57 Kendall Rae? calculated, lost her life at such a young age and it still just doesn't make any sense. And when so many unfair things happen to people, we want to understand the details to try and make sense of why this could have happened. But Morgan's loved ones weren't given that by the people who are responsible for finding answers. I could sit here and continue to list everything that is unfair about this case and it would just go on and on and on. But like I've said to this day, Steve and Renee are committed to their daughter and they put it this way, I love this.
1:22:37 Kendall Rae? They just want absolute truth and justice, which is why they could use support. And you guys have been incredible about supporting all the families that we have worked with over the years on this show. And so if you would like to give them some support, you can follow their Facebook page, Miles for Morgan, or visit the Miles to Go website, both of which I'll have linked below in the show notes. That's where you can follow any progress that they've made to continue Morgan's fight and they will give you updates when those come. You can also make a donation through the Morgan's Miles to Go website or a GoFundMe that I'll also link in the show notes. And before I go, I want you to hear from Steve and Renee one last time as they talk about what they want people to take away from hearing Morgan's story.
1:23:22 Speaker 04 What happened to Morgan Patton honestly could have happened to anyone.
1:23:27 Speaker 04 I'll never understand why her, why us, but it could have been anyone in that situation. And the way that the North Carolina authorities swept this under the rug and the way that the United States Marine Corps acted as though Morgan Patton never existed is wrong. I wish there was a stronger word for it, but it's just wrong. That shouldn't happen to anyone. And you know, part of our, our goal, part of our personal mission is to try to make
1:24:10 Speaker 04 sure it never happens again.
1:24:16 Speaker 05 Morgan was a big deal.
1:24:19 Speaker 05 And she still is.
1:24:25 Speaker 04 Her story is not over. Morgan's story is not over.
1:24:29 Kendall Rae? I really want to thank Stephen Renee for taking the time to come on this show and tell Morgan's story for all the amazing work that they have put in to her case and getting justice over the years. And I know that it can be really overwhelming to come on a show like this to speak about the worst thing that's ever happened to you. But they know how important it is. And I was just so impressed with the way that they were able to compose themselves and speak so gracefully in our interview clips. I have so much admiration and respect for the way that they have fought for their daughter. And this case, I have to say, was just so upsetting to learn about. It was
1:25:13 Kendall Rae? just so, it's so horrific. I'm sure you feel the same way after learning about it. But I'm, at the end of the day, just really grateful that I got the chance to get to know these two wonderful people a little bit. And I told them yesterday, I hope maybe one day in the future, we can have the chance to have a conversation in person. I would love that.
1:25:36 Kendall Rae? And I would love to, I know that they're gonna, you know, keep going. And I'm excited to see where their work takes them, because I know it's going to take them further. But that is gonna be it for me, you guys. That is it for me for 2025. Crazy. I cannot believe that. Oh, I will be back in January of 2026, of course, for a little while before I have this baby. I don't know if I've mentioned it here. I think I have, that it's a boy. Yeah, I have. But I'm very excited. I'm so excited going into 2026 for what that year is going to hold.
1:26:19 Kendall Rae? It just sounds so crazy. 2026. Here we go, guys. What is next? But yeah, I'll see you after my two-week holiday break. Have a safe holiday season, if you celebrate anything. And stay safe out there.
1:26:42 Kendall Rae? That is going to be it for me today, guys. Thank you for joining me for another episode. And make sure you follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. It really does help me out. If you want to watch the video version of this show, you can find it on my YouTube channel, which will be linked, or you can just search Kendall Rae. I will be back with another episode soon, but until then, stay safe out there.
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