On October 3rd, 48 Hours premiered its highly anticipated six-episode limited audio series, Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder, delving into one of the most chilling chapters in Chicago’s history. The story centers on the 1987 murder of Ruthie Mae McCoy, a 52-year-old resident of Chicago’s South Side public housing. Her tragic death, following a desperate 911 call reporting an intruder entering through her bathroom mirror, has haunted Chicago for decades, even inspiring the 1992 horror film Candyman. But behind the spine-chilling details lies a deeper narrative of systemic failures in housing, law enforcement, and mental health support for the city’s most vulnerable.
Dometi Pongo, a Chicago native and experienced storyteller, hosts the series. With his intimate knowledge of the city and its history, Pongo brings to light the broader implications of Ruthie Mae McCoy’s story, exploring how her murder reflects larger societal issues that persist to this day.
The Tragic Death of Ruthie Mae McCoy
Ruthie Mae McCoy lived in Cabrini Green, a notorious public housing project on Chicago’s South Side. On April 22, 1987, McCoy made a frantic 911 call, reporting that someone was breaking into her apartment—through her bathroom mirror. The chilling reality was that her killers had gained access to her apartment through a crawl space behind the mirror, a design flaw in the building’s structure that made residents more vulnerable to intrusions.
When police arrived at McCoy’s apartment, they found the door locked and assumed it was a false alarm. They left without further investigation, leaving McCoy’s body undiscovered until two days later. She had been killed in her own home—a victim of both her attackers and the systemic failures that allowed such a tragedy to occur. Her death quickly became a cautionary tale, one that transcended into urban legend, eventually inspiring the Candyman horror film. Yet, McCoy’s real-life story is more complex and horrifying than any fiction.
Unveiling the Systemic Failures
Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder sheds light on the circumstances surrounding McCoy’s death, offering a deeper exploration of the systemic issues at play. From the dangerous living conditions in Chicago’s public housing to the failure of law enforcement to respond adequately to her 911 call, McCoy’s murder was the result of multiple layers of neglect.
In an interview, Pongo shared his thoughts on the significance of revisiting McCoy’s story.
“I’m hoping that this story can not only shed light on Ruthie May story”
Dometi Pongo
“I was drawn to this story because this actually was three years in the making – it was first pitched in 2021,” Pongo explained. “A producer over at 48 hours by the name of Morgan Canty presented this idea. She mentioned that there’s this really interesting podcast and sent me this story by a journalist named, Steve Bogira. He written a really long piece around this case back in 1987. He followed the initial murder, followed the case, and the reporting was so rich, so deep, and so detailed that it drew me into the story. And then you have this connection to this Chicago cult classic that I didn’t even realize had any connection to anything real aside from the fact that it was set in Cabrini Green. And just being a Chicago kid, who’s hungry to get back in the true crime space after being in entertainment reporting for so long, I was just really excited to get back to this kind of storytelling.”
A Chicago Native’s Perspective
Pongo brings a unique perspective to this project. Having grown up in the city, he understands the nuances of Chicago’s neighborhoods, its culture, and the challenges that continue to plague its most underserved communities. When discussing his personal connection to the series, Pongo shared how his roots in the city influenced his approach to telling McCoy’s story.
“One of the things that helped being from the city is the cultural nuance,” Pongo said. “When you’re talking to writers, it could be as simple as explaining what 26th and California is, the Cook County Jail. If you grew up in Chicago, you kind of understand gang culture and what ends up happening and how you become accustomed to things that folks who aren’t from the city might not be privy to.”
He added, “Just those city connections made sure that the show was authentic to the city, was accurate to the city, and that we made sure it had the historical context.”
The Podcast’s Impact
The 48 Hours series does more than recount the harrowing details of McCoy’s death—it examines the legacy of public housing and the systemic failures that persist to this day. As Pongo notes, McCoy’s story is not unique. Many other residents of Chicago’s public housing have faced similar challenges, from unsafe living conditions to lack of access to mental health services.
“The most haunting part about it was the fact that you can call the police, say that somebody’s trying to get into my home, neighbors can report hearing gunshots. The police can come to your door, leave after 30 minutes, and then it would take them two days later to discover your body. That hurt.” Pongo reflected. “It’s one thing to not be safe in your own home. It’s a whole other thing when you’re neglected by the authorities that you call to protect you. I can name a million cases where something similar has happened, where there was apathy and disregard for our folks. I think that’s what stood out to me the most, the fact that it took them days to get her body.”
For Pongo, telling McCoy’s story isn’t just about revisiting the past—it’s about drawing attention to ongoing issues that affect vulnerable communities.
“I’m hoping that this story can not only shed light on Ruthie May story,” Pongo said. “….But inspire empathy for people who don’t understand what goes on in communities like the one that Ruthie May came from.”
Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder is more than just a true crime podcast—it’s a reflection on the systemic failures that allowed Ruthie Mae McCoy’s death to happen and continue to impact communities today. With Dometi Pongo at the helm, the series offers a thoughtful and nuanced exploration of a story that has haunted Chicago for decades.
For Pongo, the goal of the series is not just to recount the chilling details of McCoy’s death but to spark conversations about how we can address the systemic issues that led to it. As he puts it, “This isn’t just a story about one woman’s death—it’s about a system that continues to fail the most vulnerable among us.”
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