Smooth Talker

Archival Summary & Scope

In 1974, bartender Anita Andrews was brutally murdered in Napa, California. Just a month later, Michele Wallace vanished in Colorado after giving a ride to a stranger. Fourteen years later, Charlotte Sauerwin was found raped and tortured in Louisiana. For decades, these three horrific murders remained unsolved cold cases, haunting families and communities.

**SMOOTH TALKER: Trail of Death** unearths the chilling truth behind these seemingly unrelated crimes, revealing a terrifying connection: serial rapist and killer Roy Melanson. Follow the tenacious efforts of rookie investigator Kathy Young, whose 1990s inquiry into the Wallace case finally identified Melanson. This gripping true crime account details Melanson's trail of depredation, the groundbreaking forensic science—including NecroSearch International's work locating Wallace's remains—and the exemplary police work that ultimately brought a remorseless predator to justice.