‘Unsolved Mysteries’ Season 2: Everything You Need to Know About the Curious Death of JoAnn Romain

By Josh Sorokach @joshsorokach
Published Oct. 20, 2020, 1:45 p.m. ET

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Unsolved Mysteries (2020)

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Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries has finally returned for Season 2! Earlier this week, Decider covered the confounding story of Washington insider Jack Wheeler. Today, we tackle the perplexing death of JoAnn Romain from the Season 2 episode “The Lady in the Lake.”

The official synopsis of “The Lady in the Lake” offers a preview of all the twists and turns from this curious case:

“When JoAnn Romain’s car was found outside her church in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, police were quick to say she walked into the nearby freezing lake and drowned herself, despite the fact that an intense search did not recover her body. Seventy days later, when JoAnn’s body was found in the Detroit River, 35 miles away, her children were convinced their mother was a victim of foul play. They have a list of suspects and continue to search for the truth.”

If you already streamed the episode, you’re well aware of the complexities of this case. Here’s a brief summary of “The Lady in the Lake,” followed by a variety of links to various articles, threads, and podcasts about the puzzling death of JoAnn Romain.

What We Know About The Death Of JoAnn Romain:

On a frigid night in January of 2010, JoAnn Romain went to St. Paul Catholic Church in Grosse Pointe Farms to attend the 7:00 p.m. prayer service. At 9:20 p.m., a police officer arrived at JoAnn’s house to inform her daughter, Michelle Romain, that JoAnn’s car was abandoned in the church parking lot. The vehicle was locked and no keys could be found at that time. JoAnn’s cell phone was missing and her purse was on the front seat of the car.

There were no signs of struggle in or around the car, so the police believed that Romain walked into the nearby lake, drowning by suicide. The family vehemently disagreed for a variety of reasons: The water was only one to two feet deep; JoAnn was wearing high heels; the embankment, which was located behind a median separating a four-lane highway, was very steep and icy; JoAnn was a devout Catholic; and although there appeared to be footprints leading to the water, there was no concrete evidence that a person went into the lake.

After a thorough multi-day search, no body was found.

Witnesses saw JoAnn at the church service and noted that she left around 7:15-7:20 p.m. A witness heard JoAnn’s car alarm going off at around 7:20 p.m. At 7:35 p.m., a witness said the church parking lot was empty. When the cops found Romain’s car, it was positioned in a different spot than when JoAnn arrived at church, indicating it had exited the parking lot at some point.

Seventy days after her disappearance, JoAnn’s body was found by two fishermen on Boblo Island in Ontario, Canada, 30-35 miles from where she allegedly entered the water. Since JoAnn’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition, the manner of her death was indeterminate. There were two bruises on the left upper portion of JoAnn’s arm, which could have been the result of an assault.

Michelle Romain initially told police there were a number of potential suspects, including her father, her uncle (John Matouk), and another relative, police officer Tim Matouk. Michelle didn’t believe her Uncle John was directly involved. But due to his past, she thought there could be people out to get John since he was extremely close with JoAnn. Michelle told police that her number one suspect was JoAnn’s first cousin Tim Matouk.

A family dispute led to estrangement between JoAnn and Tim. In the weeks before Romain’s disappearance, Tim and JoAnn got into an argument over the phone. Michelle remembers her mom screaming at him saying, “How did you get my number? ” and “Never call me again.” After JoAnn hung up on Tim she turned to Michelle and said, “If something happens to me, look to Tim.”

The episode ends with this additional piece of information: “Michelle Romain and her family sued the City of Grosse Pointe Farms and additional defendants for conspiracy to cover up JoAnn’s murder. The lawsuit and subsequent appeal were dismissed by the courts. The US District Court judge also stipulated: ‘There are disputed facts in this matter that are very disturbing and to this day remain unresolved.”‘

Puzzling Details Surrounding The Case:

  • Police never attempted to obtain fingerprints from JoAnn’s purse.
  • JoAnn filled her car with gas less than an hour before going to church, which would be an odd move for someone who’s about to commit suicide.
  • A week prior to her disappearance, JoAnn left a voicemail with a security company. Retired FBI agent Bill Randall asserts that JoAnn believed she was being followed.
  • JoAnn’s family said she was acting “more nervous, more cautious” in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. A coworker revealed that JoAnn was receiving more calls than usual days before her death. JoAnn also believed that her phone was being tapped.
  • When Romain’s family got JoAnn’s purse back from the police, they noticed it was ripped. JoAnn always carried her purse on her left shoulder. JoAnn had contusions on her upper left arm.

After watching “Lady in the Lake,” true crime fanatics are on the hunt for any additional information about the death of JoAnn Romain. Here are a few links to help get you started:

If you have any information regarding the mysterious death of JoAnn Romain, please visit Unsolved.com.

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