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True crime podcaster attempts to solve father’s 'strange' murder: ‘He did not deserve to die in this way’
Madison McGhee always believed that her father died from a heart attack – but that all changed in 2012.
The Charleston, Virginia, native, who was 16 at the time, was visiting her family at her grandmother’s house. She suddenly had a strange feeling that she couldn’t breathe. The patriarch was on her mind.
“I remember after saying goodbye, I got in the car and asked my mom a very weird question,” McGhee recalled to Fox News Digital. “I wasn’t even sure I understood what I was asking at the time. I asked her if my cousin Omar was with my dad when he died, thinking that he had died of a heart attack.”
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Madison McGhee is determined to solve her father’s murder and has launched a true-crime podcast, “Ice Cold Case.” (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
“That’s when my mom told me the truth,” said McGhee. “The truth was my dad was murdered, and it’s still unsolved.”
McGhee, who now resides in Los Angeles, is on a quest to find out what happened to her father. She’s the host of the true-crime podcast, “Ice Cold Case,” where she interviews those who may lead her to answers.
“For 10 years, my dad in my mind had died of a heart attack,” said McGhee. “But to then find out he died a completely different way? I had to start the process completely over. I had to grieve him all over again. I’ve had to grapple with the truth of what happened to him.”
For years, Madison McGhee thought her father, J.C., died from a heart attack. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
On July 11, 2002, John Cornelius McGhee, also known as “J.C.,” was shot in the head in the doorway of his home in Belmont County, Ohio. He was 45.
McGhee was six years old at the time.
“My most vivid memories of him are almost like a movie,” said McGhee. “I remember being in the car listening to music with him. The song ‘Hot in Here’ by Nelly had just dropped. My dad also loved playing the ‘Space Jam’ soundtrack. Nothing special happened on those days. I don’t remember birthday parties or anything like that. I just remember those little moments listening to music with him in the car. I remember being loved by my dad.”
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“Ice Cold Case” is available for streaming now. (Beck Media)
It wouldn’t be until 2020 that McGhee was compelled to find out what happened to J.C. and why his death remains unsolved. The coronavirus pandemic was ongoing, and work had slowed down.
“I knew I needed to do something big if I wanted answers,” said McGhee. “I was furiously making phone calls, trying to get these case files, trying to put in requests, just trying to get any access to any records. I started talking to people and making connections. It was a tough journey.”
McGhee said the popularity of true-crime podcasts inspired her to launch “Ice Cold Case.” She believed it would raise awareness and encourage anyone with information to come forward.
Madison McGhee hopes anyone with information about J.C.’s death will come forward. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
“I feel pretty confident that I will get to the bottom of this,” she said. “The podcast has already opened up a conversation that no one has had for 22 years. It’s shaken people up a bit, but I also think it opened their eyes to this unsolved case. The locals are talking about it. People who remember this happening are now having epiphanies. . . . It’s shaken up the community and people are wondering why this case isn’t solved. . . . The impact is undeniable. And I don’t want anyone to get away with this.”
The podcast revealed that J.C. had been a drug dealer-turned-informant. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
According to the podcast, J.C. had been a drug dealer-turned-informant. He helped police arrest several people, including one of his nephews, who was sentenced to life in prison. While the police concluded that J.C.’s murder had been a home invasion gone wrong, McGhee had her doubts.
“This investigation was very inconclusive and incomplete in my opinion,” McGhee explained. “. . . And I think people who have information are afraid to talk. If the person who killed my dad isn’t in prison for something else, then that means there’s a killer on the loose. That element makes people afraid to talk. They don’t know if my dad got killed potentially because he was a snitch. What message does that send to people who would want to come forward with information?”
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Madison McGhee said it was her mother who revealed the truth. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
That hasn’t deterred McGhee.
“I’ve heard from family members that they are less than thrilled about this show,” she admitted. “I think they’re upset about the skeletons coming out of the closet. Some of them, I think… are worried about how they would be implicated in this. So, they are sending crazy messages. And I think that’s also interesting. It’s a bit telling when someone is feeling so openly defensive. It almost sheds a light on them that maybe they didn’t want.”
McGhee said that after being in the dark for so long, she didn’t think twice about putting the spotlight on those who may have answers.
“I want people to see my father as human. He was a victim, regardless of the circumstances. My dad was a drug dealer, but he was also my dad,” Madison McGhee said. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
“My dad used to talk to my mom quite a bit about thinking that someone was going to kill him,” McGhee claimed. “I think he knew and dealt with the weight of his decisions and his lifestyle. My mom used to say, ‘Oh stop, you’re going to be OK. Don’t say that.’ It’s very easy to brush it off, like, ‘You’re a little paranoid. You’re being a little dramatic.’ I think my dad just had a very strong intuition that something was going to happen to him. And it did.”
Madison McGhee said her father J.C. feared for his life shortly before he was killed. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
When McGhee heard the 911 call for the first time, she was left with more questions than answers.
“It didn’t make a lot of sense,” she said. “When I think of a home invasion, I think of a robbery. . . . Nothing was stolen. . . .You would have also heard the gunshot. My dad’s house was on this small hill, but the hill kept going. Then there’s a highway. It echoes. . . . But nothing was brought up about a gunshot. It just seemed strange for a home invasion. It’s all strange.”
McGhee said that since “Ice Cold Case” launched, she has gotten tips and is exploring new leads. She is hopeful that, eventually, she will discover the identity of the person who shot J.C.
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Madison McGhee was six years old when she lost her father. (Courtesy of Madison McGhee)
“Everyone deserves justice – there’s no such thing as the perfect victim,” said McGhee. “I dealt with a lot of uphill battles to get this show out into the world because no one wanted to help me. They just saw a drug dealer-turned-informant from Ohio. But my dad was so much more than that.”
“I want people to see my father as human,” she continued. “He was a victim, regardless of the circumstances. My dad was a drug dealer, but he was also my dad. He did not deserve to die in this way. It’s very easy to say, ‘That’s what he signed up for,’ but no one deserves to be murdered.”
Through the grief, McGhee has gained a deeper appreciation for the man she only knew for six years.
Madison McGhee is determined to find out what happened to J.C. (Beck Media)
“My dad was a good dad,” she said. “He was dynamic and a good person. I’m now learning from people how he was so generous and helped the people he loved. When you needed help, he was there. . . . Now I’m there for him.”
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Southeast
Smiling anti-ICE agitator accused of punching Florida trooper as DeSantis asserts, ‘This is not Minneapolis’
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An anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agitator in Florida was arrested after allegedly punching a trooper in the face during an immigration enforcement operation.
“This is Jennifer Cruz of Jacksonville,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote in an X post, sharing an image of the woman, who appeared to smile as law enforcement restrained her.
Moments before she cracked a grin, video shows Cruz kicking toward a female officer while other law enforcement members had already placed her hands behind her back.
“Jennifer disagrees with immigration enforcement and decided to commit a few felonies by getting out of her car and punching a Trooper in the face. But unlike Minnesota, we don’t put up with this nonsense. Not today, Jennifer,” Uthmeier wrote.
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Authorities were seen restraining Jennifer Cruz, who allegedly punched a Florida trooper during an immigration enforcement operation. (@AGJamesUthmeier on X)
Footage shows a chaotic scene as authorities attempted to detain Cruz. As several officers placed her hands behind her back and walked her toward one of their vehicles, Cruz is seen attempting to kick another female officer nearby. Cruz then smirks as the officers detaining her place her on the hood of a vehicle. Once placed in the back of the vehicle, she is seen flailing her legs and continuing to shout at officers until the doors are shut.
A News4JAX reporter spoke to Juan Alvarez, the owner of the Mi Pueblo grocery store which was near where the incident occurred. He said he witnessed a traffic stop involving a state trooper.
“ICE agents showed up with the state trooper. They detained the driver,” he said.
“And so yeah, they had an operation going on. And after that, they had detained another person. But it seems they got into an altercation with that person. It turned violent,” he said, noting that more law enforcement showed up.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared Uthmeier’s post and wrote, “Really bad decision to attack one of our troopers. This isn’t Minneapolis…”
DeSantis also mentioned the incident at an unrelated press conference on Thursday.
“I do know that there was a woman who came out and assaulted one of our troopers,” DeSantis said. “Let me just tell you guys this is not Minneapolis. That is not going to end well for you in Florida.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., quipped in a post, “Never go full Jennifer.”
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speaks at the National Conservative Convention in Washington D.C., Sept. 3, 2025. (Domonic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)
“This is how it’s done. In Florida, we respect law enforcement and have no patience for far-left extremists who choose to defend dangerous criminals instead of their fellow Americans. This isn’t Minneapolis. In Florida, if you break the law, you will pay the consequences,” Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., asserted on X.
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Southeast
DeSantis addresses Jacksonville official who warned public of ICE presence, says Florida respects rule of law
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Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday after a Jacksonville official was placed on administrative leave for warning people about their presence in the city.
The City of Jacksonville’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Yanira “Yaya” Cardona, was placed on administrative leave, after she said on an Instagram livestream Wednesday that ICE was placing “speed traps” around the city and named specific roads to watch out for.
When Fox News Digital reached DeSantis’ office for comment, it referred to a press conference the governor held on Thursday, where he vowed to uphold the rule of law.
The City of Jacksonville’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, Yanira “Yaya” Cardona, who was appointed by Mayor Donna Deegan, right, was placed on administrative leave. (Bob Self/Florida Times-Union/USA Today Network)
“I know you had that one woman in the city of Jacksonville government putting out information. Look, that’s not the way we roll here in the state of Florida. You know, we’re going to respect law enforcement, respect the rule of law,” DeSantis said Thursday.
DeSantis added that Jennifer Cruz, a woman accused of assaulting ICE agents while on duty, would face “consequences.”
“I do know there was a woman who came out and assaulted one of our troopers. Let me just tell you guys, this is not Minneapolis. That is not going to end well for you in Florida,” he said.
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Cardona added that “ICE is out and about” and is targeting lawn care and A/C companies while checking for paperwork.
She said that “unfortunately, this isn’t the time to fight” and advised her viewers to comply if addressed by authorities.
“The best advice that I could give you guys is if you don’t need to go out, stay home,” Cardona said. “Just comply, have a plan in place, and rely on the universe ’cause we’re here.”
ICE officer uniform. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
In the same Instagram post, Cardona wrote additional guidance on how to handle increased immigration enforcement.
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“We are living in very difficult times but my best advice is 1. Have a plan in place with your lawyers 2. Give someone you trust legal power for your business and your children 3. If you get pulled over, please pay attention and follow the instructions/orders.”
The City of Jacksonville told Fox News Digital that the “general locations shared in her video were common knowledge from community sightings already reported on news stories and social media.” City officials also referred to comments made by Deegan at a press conference discussing the matter on Thursday night.
“We are a city of immigrants. We probably have more immigrants than most cities in the country. And a lot of them are frightened right now. They’re having a very difficult time. They’re seeing what’s happening around the country. They’ve seen American citizens sometimes being detained and arrested. They are seeing some violence. They’re worried. They’re scared,” Deegan said.
Deegan explained further that Cardona being placed on administrative leave had nothing to do with the “content of what came out of her mouth.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. (AP/Rebecca Blackwell)
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“I don’t have any problem. We checked with the general counsel’s office. Nothing that she shared said anything about anyone who was here illegally. It was simply giving the community information that was freely available and also giving information about their legal rights,” Deegan said. She continued, “Get representation. Make sure you have a plan. She said a dozen times, if you are stopped, comply. So, it wasn’t the content of what she said that I took issue with. The reason that she was put on administrative leave is because we have a policy in this city.”
“We’ve got a mayor who is the spokesperson for the city, and we have people who follow the policy that if you are going to create any sort of social media content, if you are going to make any sort of commentary, especially in this office, that would be construed as coming from the mayor—That has to come through me or through our communications office. Period.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Cardona for comment.
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Southeast
Florida GOP candidate wants 50% ‘sin tax’ on OnlyFans creators to fight ‘cultural degeneracy’
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A Republican candidate for governor in Florida recently proposed a hefty “sin tax” on OnlyFans content creators if he is elected.
“Young women once aspired to be devoted mothers, doctors, lawyers, and nurses,” James Fishback told Fox News Digital in a statement on Friday.
Fishback continued, “Today, young women are told by an online platform called OnlyFans that it’s morally right to sell nude photos of themselves to strangers on the internet. I will not tolerate this cultural degeneracy as Florida’s next Republican Governor.”
He has estimated the income tax would raise around $200 million, according to FOX 35, which he said would be put into the state’s education system.
James Fishback said he would be open to a possible tax on OnlyFans customers as well. (Fishback2026.com)
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The money would also go toward crisis pregnancy centers and to fund the “first-of-its-kind mental health czar for men in particular because men have been told for far too long that they are guilty of masculinity,” he told podcaster Joel Webbon this week. “That they are guilty for all of society’s ills. I’m not going to stand for that slanderous lie.”
He told Webbon: “As Florida’s governor, I don’t want young women who could otherwise be mothers raising families, rearing children, I don’t want them to be selling their bodies to sick men online. And I don’t want young, impressionable men who have strayed from Christ, who have strayed from our lord and savior to be told and drawn in to lust.”
Fishback told FOX 35 he would be open to a possible tax on OnlyFans customers as well.
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OnlyFans content creator Sophie Rain told People magazine she thought the proposal was the “dumbest thing” she had ever heard.
“No one ever forced me to start an OnlyFans, it was MY decision, so I don’t need a 31-year-old man telling me I can’t sell my body online,” she explained to the magazine. “I am a Christian, God knows what I am doing, and I know he is happy with me, that’s the only validation I need.”
Piper Fawn, another OnlyFans creator, told FOX 35 she felt Fishback was trying to push his religious beliefs with the proposal.
Sophie Rain, center, with content creators Aishah Sofey and Alina Rose. (Wilbert Roberts/Getty Images for Main Character)
“He’s saying, you know, it’s a sin, it’s wrong, that’s true, that’s fair,” she told the station. “But sin is a biblical term, it’s not a legal term. If he’s really trying to make the state a safer spot or making changes for the better, I feel like there are other things that can be worked on and putting our attention towards versus taxing creators.”
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Fox News Digital has reached out to OnlyFans for comment.
“If you are a man or woman selling your body on the internet, you can either have two options: The first of which, you can pay the state of Florida 50% so we can raise teacher pay, or you can quit doing that and do something morally rigorous,” Fishback added to FOX 35.
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