The sad murder of Rita Politte, age 40, in December 1998 stunned Hopeville, Missouri, a small town. Her adolescent son Michael and his buddy Josh SanSoucie had been there when she passed away, the police learned as they began their inquiry. The documentary “48 Hours: The Case Against Michael Politte” looks at what happened after the murder and how the police identified Michael as the perpetrator. Additionally, the show follows the thoughts of his family and friends, including Josh, who was present that night at the murder site. We can provide you with information if you want to learn more about him or his whereabouts right now.
Who is Josh SanSoucie?
15-year-old Josh SanSoucie was a typical adolescent who resided in Hopewell, Missouri, with his family. He had a close friendship with Michael Politte, a classmate of his who was 14 years old. Although the two of them occasionally got into mischief, they rarely got into severe problems. After meeting at a local shop on December 4, 1998, Michael offered Josh to spend the night in his mother Rita’s trailer house. They to the nearby railway tracks, where Michael made a fire for amusement, and played chess and video games there with the teenagers.
The two adolescents arrived back at Rita’s house around midnight, and Rita arrived home from work shortly after. When Rita went to bed in her room and the boys slept in Michael’s, everything was good. On December 5, 1998, however, the adolescents were abruptly awoken at 6:30 AM when they realised that the mobile home was completely filled with smoke. Josh sprinted to grab the neighbours when he saw the fire, while Michael tried to put out the flames with a garden hose. He also discovered Rita had been beaten and set ablaze when he went to check on her in her room.
The 40-year-old had intentionally been set on fire and had sustained blunt force damage to the head, according to the au topsy. Josh and Michael were the only persons in the house besides the victim, so while the police investigated the murder, they were subjected to hours of in-depth questioning. On the broadcast, Josh described how the cops continually put pressure on them and doubted their innocence. They keep claiming that I’m lying, he said. Even today, I’m not sure if I’m telling the truth.
In the end, the police asserted to possess a confession on videotape from Josh, in which he claimed to have discovered his companion missing from the room on December 4, 1998, when he woke up in the middle of the night. Despite his protests of innocence, Michael was detained and charged with his mother’s murder on the basis of this and the fact that petrol had been found on his shoes. He was found guilty of the same crime three years later, in 2002, and was given a life sentence.
Interesting enough, during a deposition taken prior to Michael’s trial, Josh clarified his earlier assertion. He claimed he was dozing off on the floor and never got up to look for his missing pal. It’s not that I didn’t see him in his bed, he continued. He was hidden from view in his bed. Josh’s video interview was never shown in court, yet Michael was still found guilty.
Where is Josh SanSoucie Today?
Josh SanSoucie preferred to live a normal life after Michael was convicted and went back to his old routine for about 20 years. He made his first public statement during the programme and talked about how his friend had been falsely accused of killing his mother and how this guilt had consumed him. Josh reaffirmed his position over the statement he made on camera, adding, “I don’t remember ever saying that…And if I said it, I feel like I might have said it when I was feeling vulnerable or something.
Josh also revealed that on the fateful night, Michael had asked him if he would prefer to sleep on the couch in the living room over the floor of his bedroom. He expressed regret for making the latter decision and feels that if he had slept in the living room, he could have been able to stop any invaders and save Rita. Josh also talked about how Michael’s innocence has never wavered in his mind, despite the what-ifs that have plagued him for years. “He did not do it…I’m not sure who did it, but I’m certain it wasn’t him.
Josh continues by saying that he hasn’t spoken to Michael in a while and that he hopes to do so in the future. He currently resides in Missouri and, as far as we can determine, prefers a quiet existence. Michael, on the other side, spoke to Josh on the programme and said he didn’t think Josh done anything improper.
