Jack Boyle murder of wife Noreen Boyle

Several elements make this a memorable episode, even among such a large catalog. Son Collier's articulation and maturity as he presented his recollection in court speaks to the affection he had for his mother. Also, the graphic video of investigators as they pulled Noreen's body from the makeshift grave in the basement of the Erie home is chilling. As Forensic Files uses a 22-minute format to share each case's details, one is left to question specific details.

The episode implied that as soon as Noreen didn't meet her best friend for lunch, the friend notified police. I wondered if this occurred as rapidly as described. Did the friend suspect foul play? Or was extra suspicion raised knowing that Noreen would not abandon her children? And how fast did police really react? A common belief is that someone needs to be missing for 24 hours before police will consider filing a report. This is sometimes a rule of thumb for self-sufficient adults, but it really depends on the potential victim's vulnerability.

Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files

Once known to be missing, police questioned a neighbor who was not only home, but apparently awake from midnight to 4am on the night in question. Being New Year's Eve, this was understandable, but I find it impossible to believe the neighbor had eyes on the Boyle home the entire night. It seems realistic that if Noreen had left as Jack stated, she could have while the neighbor was momentarily not monitoring the home.

Collier Boyle supposedly noticed his father's mistress Sherri Campbell wearing a ring belonging to Noreen. I couldn't tell you what a single one of my mom's rings looks like today, let alone when I was 11 years old. Then again, I've never been party to a situation remotely like what Collier was dealing with. It's entirely possible that a previous conversation Noreen shared with her son about the ring in question made it stand out in his mind. Then seeing the ring on the woman who young Collier had confirmed being his father's girlfriend could have been memorable. I also imagine that Jack would've given this ring to Sherri after he murdered Noreen. This just adds insult to injury for Collier, who hoped his mother was merely missing at this time.

Jack Boyle's successes and failures

It was suspected that Jack Boyle had his mother stay with the family on the night of New Year's Eve, 1989, to act as a babysitter for Collier and Elizabeth while Jack executed his plan to dispose of Noreen's body. But adding a potential witness to his murder plot was a dangerous move on Jack's part. Collier heard the assault – likely the blow to Noreen's head – committed by his father that night. Jack's mother could have just as easily. Perhaps she did? And Jack had surveyed his son as the young man pretended to be asleep. What might Jack have done if he found Collier awake and believed he'd heard the attack?

Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files

For the extensive planning Jack Boyle had done in murdering Noreen, he should have considered a better cover story to explain where Noreen might have gone. To say she'd simply ‘walked' out was laughably unbelievable. Anyone in Noreen's inner circle knew the loving mother would not abandon her children. Rational people do not act irrationally – behavior is mostly consistent. Any number of alternate stories might have misdirected investigators, at least giving them a plausible lead or two to track down.

But in other areas, Jack was partially successful in covering his tracks. Recall detectives were unable to find evidence of a crime in the Boyle home, nor in Jack's vehicle. A blow to the head might not break the skin and apparently did not cause bloodshed. It's more likely evidence that Noreen's body had been transported in Jack's truck would be available, but Jack either prevented this or did a thorough job cleaning. Even the plastic bag covering Noreen's head, usually a plentiful source of fingerprints, was unhelpful.

But for all the choices Jack made to thwart police, he made several others that aided them. He failed to cover his tracks in the purchase of the indoor/outdoor carpeting and in renting the jackhammer. And despite hours of labor in the basement of the Erie home, it seems investigators were easily able to identify the newly poured concrete over Noreen's grave. Finally, 2000+ pounds of concrete rubble from the Erie basement could have been left in a less obviously location. His mistress' uncle's remote property in his own hometown shouldn't have been Jack's first choice.

The case against Jack Boyle

As stated earlier, it was hard to not be impressed by young Collier Boyle. He was quite aware that his testimony at his father's trial would strengthen the prosecution's case and likely lead to Jack's imprisonment. When this occurred, Collier became a subject of Ohio's foster care system for nearly a year, before he was adopted by a caring family. The murder of a spouse is the ultimate selfish act when kids are involved. Minimally, you're depriving your children of one of their parents. But in the case you're caught, the child(ren) now have neither parent. Recall the callousness of Richard Crafts in the murder of his wife Helle Crafts. The couple's three children were forever stripped of the opportunity for the semblance of a "normal" life.

Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files

On New Year's Day, 1990, Collier was questioned by police with his grandmother. But it was later described that investigators visited Collier at school and questioned him again, this time without a family member (or even an adult) present. This seems unlawful and potentially harmful to the prosecutor's case. Police have an obligation to not exploit the vulnerability of a minor – a voluntary police interrogation can be stopped at any time, and the subject has every right to have an attorney present. It seems all of these protocols had been violated.

It always surprises me that someone could be coerced into make patently false statements to police, even when that someone is a family member. Jack Boyle's brother had falsely informed police that Noreen had called him on January 2, 1990. This lie had emerged after Jack's trial, further indicating its dishonesty. His lame excuse of having "wanted to testify at trial but hadn't been called" was absurd. Had this information been remotely true, it would've emerged far sooner. The brother himself should have been charged in the case with providing a false statement to police.

Additional points to ponder

A small portion of my faith in humanity is restored each time I learn of a family who chooses adoption, especially a child from a less fortunate country. Two-year-old Elizabeth was the Boyle's adopted daughter from Taiwan. We know that Jack was not averse to having more children (Sherri Campbell was pregnant at the time of Noreen Boyle's murder). But I wondered why the Boyles chose adoption after Collier was nearly 10 years old.

Image credit: Episode screen capture from Forensic Files

One should wonder what Jack Boyle had told his mistress Sherri Campbell about his wife Noreen. Is it possible Sherri knew of Jack's intentions to murder his wife? Or had he simply convinced Sherri that Noreen was "moving on". Sherri Campbell was complicit in at least some of Jack's crimes – recall that she misrepresented herself when meeting with the real estate agent. Sherri used a fake name when signing the documents to purchase the house in Erie. But I can't think she truly knew that she'd be living with Jack and their new family just feet above his murdered wife's grave site. But one never knows.

The collection of errors in the autopsy report likely caused investigators to have to work harder, and cost tax-payers more in managing unnecessary appeals. The inconsistencies gave reasonable cause to have Jack Boyle's case reexamined. Thankfully, Noreen's exhumation and additional evidence led to the same conclusion – Jack's guilt in his wife's murder. I'm not sure how an examiner can misrepresent eye color, height, weight, and multiple organs all in the same report

Where is Collier Landry Boyle now?

After his father's incarceration, Collier replaced "Boyle" with his middle name "Landry". He was adopted by the Zeigler family in Ontario, Canada. Collier went on to become a successful cinematographer in Los Angeles. He teamed up with an award-winning filmmaker, and created A Murder in Mansfield in 2018. The documentary film follows Collier more than 25 years after his mother's murder in pursuit of the truth in his father's role.

Where is Jack Boyle now in 2024?

On July 6, 1990, Jack Boyle was incarcerated in Ohio for the murder of Noreen. Five years later, both Jack and his son Collier requested an exhumation of Noreen Boyle's body. Given the number of inconsistencies in the autopsy report, they wanted to verify that the victim was in fact Noreen. Mitochondrial DNA proved it was.

In 2010, Jack Boyle was denied parole. He changed his story for his 2020 parole review hearing. After denying his role in Noreen's murder for 30 years, Jack finally took some responsibility. But his actions were still only self-serving. Instead of the truth indicated by his premeditated actions (renting the jackhammer, taking early ownership of the Erie home, and others), Jack claimed he "pushed" Noreen, "causing her to hit her head." Boyle was again denied parole and is eligible for another review in October 2025.