Bob moved to Minot, North Dakota to take a lucrative job at a hospital and start a new life with his new fiancée, Janet.
The cause of Gail's death was listed as 'undetermined,' with 'torso with homicide' written and circled underneath.
The community in Minot, North Dakota saw Bob as a highly skilled doctor and a valued member of both the medical and Jewish communities. He was known for his multilingual abilities and his homemade bagels.
The Manhattan DA's cold case unit, led by Daniel Bibb and Stephen Sirocco, agreed to review Gail's case after being convinced by Andy Rosenzweig that Bob was likely responsible for her death.
The passing of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, which allocated $1.6 billion towards investigating and prosecuting violent crimes against women, helped shift attitudes and improve the handling of domestic violence cases.
While Bob was highly regarded as a doctor, some patients and colleagues described him as unpredictable and overly judgmental, with a tendency to become angry quickly.
The Tarasov letter was written by Bob's psychiatrist, Dr. Michael Stone, warning Gail that she was in danger and should leave the house, indicating concerns about Bob's behavior.
In the 1980s, domestic violence was not taken as seriously as it is today, and there were no dedicated domestic violence units within the police or DA's office to follow up on complaints like Gail's.
Bob gained local fame in Minot for performing emergency surgery on a young boy who was attacked by a tiger at the North Dakota State Fair, showcasing his medical skills.
The cold case unit, led by Dan and Steve, started by reviewing all past files, contacting key witnesses, and traveling extensively to gather new evidence, focusing on the changing attitudes towards domestic violence.
Relisten to Season 1 of The Girlfriends.
Bob moves again, but this time to the sleepy midwestern town of Minot, North Dakota. For Carole and Mindy it seems like Bob might be getting away with it, until some prosecutors from the Manhattan DA’s cold case unit turn up in Vegas.
If you are affected by any of our topics please reach out to NO MORE at https://nomore.org/girlfriends), a domestic violence charity we’ve partnered with.
The Girlfriends is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio.
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