Hi, Cold Case listeners. I'm Marissa Pinson. And before we get into this week's episode,

I just wanted to remind you that episodes of Cold Case Files, as well as the A&E Classic Podcast,

I Survived, American Justice, and City Confidential, are all available ad-free on the new

A&E Crime and Investigation Channel on Apple Podcasts and Apple Plus for just $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year.

And now on to the show.

The following episode contains disturbing accounts of physical and sexual violence.

Listener discretion is advised.

My mom had this great life.

She was just gregarious and joyful and fun.

It was hard for me to believe that anyone who knew my mom could do this.

Not a day goes by and I don't think about Helen and what she suffered.

The killer was still out there. We had no suspects. It was a whodunit case.

When there's a fire involved,

fingerprints are destroyed, DNA evidence is destroyed.

You feel like you are fighting this impossible battle.

When you're going through something like this,

you don't even know what to ask.

And everything you do ask makes you realize how little we know.

This case has to be solved. Helen Gale did not deserve to die the way she did.

There are over 100,000 cold cases in America. Only about 1% are ever solved. This is one of those rare stories.

It's November 26, 2011 in Southfield, Michigan. Nate Irwin is a fire investigator for the Highland Park Fire Department.

I was off duty. I was called in to investigate a car fire burning in the alley in the rear of 196 West Point of Vista.

...