1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,160 Mountain State Mysteries contains adult content that may not be suitable for all audiences. 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,160 Listener discretion is advised. 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:10,680 I'm your host Marc. 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:12,040 And I'm Courtney. 5 00:00:12,040 --> 00:00:41,880 And this is Mountain State Mysteries. 6 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:57,520 The case we have for you today is about a 78 year old cattle rancher from Sismville, 7 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,440 West Virginia. 8 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,920 This is the story of Cleo Bredette. 9 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,360 Cleo never married and he didn't have any children. 10 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:12,080 He lived in the family homestead in Sismville on Ciceroen Road. 11 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:18,080 According to Cleo's niece, her uncle was a master of his trade, a well-known farmer, 12 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,600 quote, that was his life, end quote. 13 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:29,600 Cleo's love of farming horses and raising cattle, quote, he did a wonderful job at it 14 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:37,600 and he usually got top dollar for his cattle at market, end quote. 15 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:44,320 On August 12, 2004, Cleo went to a cattle auction to sell some of his cattle. 16 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:52,240 What happened on the day of August 13 is unclear due to the lack of articles on Cleo. 17 00:01:52,240 --> 00:02:00,680 On August 13, 2004, 78 year old Cleo Bredette was found murdered in his home by his sister, 18 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:01,680 Gwen Wines. 19 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:08,240 Cleo's home had been ransacked, windows broken, and the telephone line cut. 20 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:13,600 Due to this being an ongoing investigation, we sadly do not have many details about this 21 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:15,320 case. 22 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:21,280 In an article from August 14, 2004, it says the Canal County Sheriff's Department is 23 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:26,960 investigating the discovery of a dead body early Friday morning. 24 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:33,440 Sheriff's deputies discovered the body of a man in his 70s around 9.30 am. 25 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:38,640 After a family member who discovered the body called 911, said Lieutenant J.S. 26 00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:46,400 Bales, spokesman for the Canal County Sheriff's Department, quote, we are treating it as suspicious 27 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,440 circumstances, Bales said. 28 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:54,280 Bales would not comment on how the man died pending an autopsy. 29 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,440 Deputies reported the man's home smelled strongly of natural gas. 30 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:04,960 A Canal County dispatcher said deputies remained at the scene throughout the day, investigating 31 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:06,000 the incident. 32 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:11,360 The man's name and address were not available Friday, end quote. 33 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:17,640 To me, it sounds like the murderer or murderers tried to use gas in hope that it may catch 34 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:23,640 fire and start a house fire to hide potential evidence. 35 00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:34,360 Cleo's sister said in an interview with WCHS TV, quote, everybody was shocked to death. 36 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,560 When this happened, that was the biggest shock that had ever happened to the community, 37 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:40,560 end quote. 38 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:45,040 Her family said she eventually moved out of state, partially due to the pain and fear 39 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,560 she felt over her brother's death. 40 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:52,080 What we do know about this case is that Gwen went to check on her brother on the morning 41 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:57,480 of August 13 after not being able to reach him after he left her home for dinner the 42 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,560 previous evening. 43 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,560 Her family said that Cleo would always call her to let her know he was home. 44 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:11,400 Loretta Scherke, Cleo's niece said, quote, it traumatized her, end quote. 45 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,080 Gwen and Loretta used to talk about it. 46 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,960 And she said, quote, it was a constant on her mind. 47 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,760 She couldn't understand why they couldn't find out who did it, why they couldn't make 48 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:28,880 an arrest, why they couldn't do something that was conclusive, end quote. 49 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:34,200 Loretta said that she painfully remembers the day that changed her family forever. 50 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:41,360 Her uncle had been tied up, beaten, and forced to drink weed killer. 51 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:48,240 The Nod County Sheriff's Office detective Lieutenant Dean Snuffer said it was an apparent 52 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:53,360 from the condition of the home that whomever was there was in search of something. 53 00:04:53,360 --> 00:05:00,360 Quote, it appeared to us that somebody has really ransacked the house, went through everything. 54 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:04,160 It looked to us like they were looking for something. 55 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:08,920 Investigators would soon find out that Cleo had received a large sum of money the previous 56 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,400 day from the cattle sale. 57 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:16,440 Quote, he had gone to market the day before and sold a bunch of cattle. 58 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,120 Some may must have been at the market. 59 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:24,760 Seeing him with all the cash, knew he lived alone, knew his house was isolated. 60 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,720 He would be an easy target, end quote. 61 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:34,800 Quote, some individuals in the area that live here and went to church in the area, they came 62 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:41,200 forward and said they spotted what appeared to be, they thought, a reddish colored Toyota 63 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,080 that had been parked near Mr. Bradette's house, end quote. 64 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:53,920 In another article from August 18, 2004, it said Bales had labeled the incident as suspicious 65 00:05:53,920 --> 00:06:00,680 and said detectives are treating it as a homicide, at least until the medical examiner gives 66 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:02,680 them a case of death. 67 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:09,840 There were some abrasions on Bradette's body, but no sign of a gunshot wound or other contusions. 68 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:16,960 Bradette's home was, quote, in a state of disarray, end quote, Bales said, though investigators 69 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:21,000 could find no sign of force entry. 70 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:26,400 During my research in a few different articles, I saw quotes of people saying that the house 71 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,120 didn't have force entry. 72 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:33,440 This had me wondering if Cleo knew who the murderer or murderers were. 73 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:39,760 If so, they knew that cash would be in the house, however, it wasn't there. 74 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:45,480 Loretta said, quote, I don't think the day he thought he had a chance to go to the bank, 75 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:50,120 but I guess he immediately went to the bank the next morning. 76 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:57,040 In November of 2004, Gwen told Eyewitness News that, quote, I hope I get to look them 77 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,680 in the eye and ask why they did it, end quote. 78 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,920 Sadly, she never got the chance. 79 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:09,320 In 2019, she passed away not knowing what happened to her brother. 80 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:13,320 Snuffer said, quote, Mr. Bradette's case. 81 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:20,680 We still get information on it frequently, and we follow it up until that lead is exhausted. 82 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,600 Somebody out there has to know something. 83 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,120 There was somebody at Mr. Bradette's house. 84 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,400 We want them to know that he has a family. 85 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,840 They did care for him, and they want to know what happened. 86 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:42,440 We want anybody with information, no matter how small they think it is or how irrelevant 87 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:46,440 they might think it is to call us. 88 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:52,600 Because that could be the last piece in this case that we need to solve, end quote. 89 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:57,800 For Loretta and her family, it's just a matter of dignity and justice. 90 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:03,480 Loretta said, quote, if you can beat, torture someone, kill them in the manner, you should 91 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,680 be human enough just to come forward. 92 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:12,720 And if you're not the person or persons who did it, then if you know something, you should 93 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,120 do it. 94 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:21,600 The family, they deserve it after all these years, end quote. 95 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:29,160 After 19 years of unanswered questions, investigators remain hopeful that this case could be solved. 96 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:33,000 Snuffer said they have had suspects in the case. 97 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,600 Some have been cleared. 98 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,480 He said, but there are others they are still looking at. 99 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:49,560 They are asking for anyone who may have any information to call 304-357-0169. 100 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:57,720 You can also email them at tips at canal sheriffs.us or submit a tip on their website. 101 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:03,360 Courtney, do you have any thoughts on this case? 102 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:07,000 I just felt like any of our other cases. 103 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,920 You have a family out here that deserves justice to know what happened to their loved one and 104 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:20,920 for someone to be prosecuted for the crimes that they have enforced, that they have done. 105 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,320 There's a lot of things with this case, like any of our other cases that just do not make 106 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:29,520 any type of sense whatsoever. 107 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:36,080 And I wish that there was more info about this case out there, but of course, being 108 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:44,400 a ongoing investigation, there's a lot of stuff that they just can't provide to us and 109 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:45,400 everything. 110 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:51,040 I mean, do I feel it could be somebody he knew? 111 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,200 I kind of do, you know? 112 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:55,880 I really honestly kind of do. 113 00:09:55,880 --> 00:10:01,720 I mean, I just hope in the long run that they finally get answers and one day this family 114 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:03,720 will get justice. 115 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,040 Mark, do you have any questions? 116 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:07,040 Any final thoughts? 117 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:14,520 I just want to know if they tracked down the red Toyota that everyone said they saw that 118 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,480 day. 119 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:22,920 If the people knew that he had the money, they would have either knew him personally, 120 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:28,880 knew he was at the cattle sale, or they could have been at the cattle sale and really followed 121 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:34,960 him home and away and just watched him. 122 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,600 But somehow missed him going to the bank on the way home. 123 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:44,240 I feel awful for his sister having to walk in and see that and just how it still impacts 124 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,680 the family to this day. 125 00:10:46,680 --> 00:10:52,680 The interview I saw with his niece, like you could tell it still bothers her and affects 126 00:10:52,680 --> 00:10:53,960 her. 127 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,880 This isn't just something that stops affecting the family after all these years. 128 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,960 Yeah, the pain just amplifies over time. 129 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:12,200 I just, I hate that the family still to this day does not have answers. 130 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:16,880 Stay tuned for our next episode where we will tell you the story of a 16 year old girl who 131 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,480 had her entire life ahead of her. 132 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:25,000 If you find yourself enjoying Mountain State Mysteries, leave us a five star review and 133 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,320 a comment on Apple and Spotify podcast. 134 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:32,000 It helps others find good West Virginia true crime. 135 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:39,480 Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, all at Mountain State Mysteries. 136 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:47,960 If you have a case you want us to cover, email us at MountainStateMysteries304 at gmail.com. 137 00:11:47,960 --> 00:12:00,840 For the show notes, check out our website, MountainStateMysteriesPodcast.com.