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48 Hours

Death Without Mercy

48 Hours

CBS News

True Crime, News, News Commentary, Tv & Film

3.97K Ratings

🗓️ 27 November 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On November 29, 2005, a fire struck the West Virginia home of Jimmy and Shelly Michael. Jimmy's charred remains were found by firefighters and his death was suspicious to police from the get-go. Was evidence of a murder lost in the blaze? “48 Hours" Correspondent Susan Spencer reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 4/18/2009. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:35.8

Nine one, why is your emergency? Hey, we have smoke coming out of the house at Calarney and Eastern.

0:42.3

It was Tuesday, November 29th, 2005, 1027 a.m. in the morning when the call came out.

0:55.0

Heavy smoke on the second floor.

0:56.0

Okay.

0:57.0

We got the fire department on the way.

1:00.0

My name is Shelly Michael. I'm 35 years old.

1:04.0

I am a registered nurse.

1:07.0

When I arrived, the fire was venting through the roof. There was a hole burn through the roof.

1:12.6

I pick up the phone and my friend Kelly is on the line and she says,

1:15.6

Shelly, your house is on fire.

1:18.6

And I just threw the phone down and said, I have to go.

1:24.6

It was a very intense fire and it was very difficult to extinguish.

1:31.3

As I'm driving to the house, I'm shaking, I'm nervous, I'm calling Jimmy on the phone saying,

1:40.3

hey, where are you, our house is on fire. Call me back.

1:46.0

My name is Dennis Michael.

1:48.0

I'm the father of James Michael.

1:50.0

And when they contacted, they said it was a fire

...

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