True crime show explores the harrowing disappearance of Jonelle Matthews

The Girl On The Milk Carton will be available to stream on Hayu from August 26…

The two-part series travels back to 1984 when the dairy industry began the sombre task of posting missing children on product packaging, which was ubiquitous in homes across America.

The Girl on the Milk Carton delves into the story of one the first faces to be featured, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews, who vanished and left behind a cold case that would echo through decades until an unlikely hero brought forth evidence crucial to solve it. The new show features exclusive interviews from the victim’s family, local police who investigated for almost 40 years, and the woman whose story became the key to solving the case.

Five days before Christmas 1984, Jonelle Matthews disappeared from her family home in the small town of Greeley, Colo. With her family devastated and the community shaken by fear, Greeley police turned to the FBI for help. As leads ran cold, a determined grassroots movement emerged, refusing to let Jonelle be forgotten. Their tireless efforts caught the attention of the White House, prompting President Ronald Reagan to shine a national spotlight on Jonelle’s fate and champion the missing children’s national milk carton campaign in the hope that one day Jonelle would find her way home.

For 35 years Jonelle’s disappearance remained one of Colorado’s unrivalled cold cases. In 2019, a grim discovery 20 miles from her home changed everything: Jonelle’s remains were unearthed, transforming a missing person case into a murder investigation. While this development finally offered answers, it also confirmed the heart-breaking truth the family had long feared but never wanted to face.

Two decades before Jonelle’s remains were found, Angela Hicks was living with a dark suspicion.

Her then-husband, a true-crime enthusiast and Idaho gubernatorial candidate, had exhibited behaviour that made her believe he was involved in Jonelle’s disappearance. Despite Angela’s efforts to prove her suspicions, her story went unheard for years. It wasn’t until a former classmate of Jonelle’s sister, now a detective, was assigned to the cold case and vowed to solve it that Angela’s secret came to light.

In a reckoning like no other, Angela bravely came forward to share her story, breaking free from 20 years of silence and fear. As the Matthews family’s quest for justice hung in the balance, Angela’s testimony proved crucial in uncovering the long-hidden truth.

The first episode, entitled, A Devastating Disappearance, looks at how, just days before Christmas 1984, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews vanishes from her home. As shock grips Greeley, Colo., local detectives turn to the FBI, President Reagan and a national milk carton campaign for answers. All along, the truth lies closer to home.

A Monster Revealed is the second and final edition that begins nearly 35 years after Jonelle Matthews’ disappearance and takes a look at a chilling discovery that reignites the hunt for her killer, whose secrets are finally unmasked. An unlikely hero comes forward and a historic trial forces a reckoning.

Stream The Girl on the Milk Carton on Hayu from August 26, the same day as the USA.