The Deck

It seems like more than just a coincidence that this couple is on that particular face of cards, because by all accounts, Debbie was Alfonso’s queen. They’d only been together a few years or so, but according to both families, Alfonso always took care of his people. When he did choose to settle down, he was loyal to that one person. He was Debbie’s protector. But in the darkness of winter more than twenty years ago… not even he could save them.

Randa was last seen on February 10th, 2009 at her apartment complex. By the next morning, she had disappeared without a trace, leaving a close-knit family of ten to unravel the mystery. Fifteen years later, detectives are still trying to find her and figure out what happened that fateful night… and who might be responsible.

When duck hunters discovered human remains in an area called Saltair near The Great Salt Lake in Utah in the fall of 2000, investigators began the difficult task of trying to learn the real name of the woman they called “Saltair Sally". It took 12 years for the remains to be identified as those of Nikole “Niki” Bakoles, a 20-year-old mom originally from Washington state. Now, nearly another 12 years have passed, and investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to Niki and who left her by that lake.

At just 30 years old, Elisa had already lived a lifetime of ups and downs. She often found herself experiencing homelessness while battling her own personal demons. All the while struggling to be a mother to five children. Despite her difficulties, Elisa’s family felt she would come out on the other side. The problem is she never got that chance.

When 23-year-old Anne Paetz went out for cigarettes after midnight on July 2nd, 1999, no one in her family thought much of it. But while out, she crossed paths with the wrong person, and never made it back home. The next morning, Anne was found dead on the side of the highway. Nearly 25 years later, her family is still desperate for answers.

When Patricia “Patti” Barrett got on a bus from Dallas to Salt Lake City in 1978, her family had no way of knowing they’d never see her again. For over 30 years they were left wondering what happened to Patti, until 2012, when, with the help of Patti’s daughter and DNA testing, Salt Lake County detectives were able to connect her to the remains of a 1978 Jane Doe. Nearly 12 years have passed since that identification, and investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to Patti, and who’s responsible for her death.

Our card this season is Ada Haradine, the 3 of Clubs from Indiana.

Jay Durnil, 11, was last seen on April 29th, 1976 biking to the Elkhorn River in his family’s neighborhood near Waterloo, Nebraska. Jay’s dog Tex returned home that night but Jay was never seen alive again. Jay’s case was handled as an accidental drowning until his body surfaced in a different river 21 days later, with clear signs that he’d been murdered.

Back in October of 2023, we were contacted by one of Alice Griego’s son, Frankie, about covering his mother’s case. He was a listener of The Deck and had previously heard us cover cases in Utah. Unknown to him, our reporting team had already flagged his mother’s case as one we needed to take a closer look at. Not just because it was unsolved, but because we felt it had never received the full coverage it deserved. And we are confident someone out there knows the truth. Maybe it’s time for that someone to come forward…

In the summer of 2017, Brianna was at a crossroads in her life. At the young age of 24, she was recently divorced from her husband and now living with an allegedly abusive boyfriend, all while battling some personal demons. So, on July 15th, when Brianna mysteriously disappeared, some people might assume she just walked away from it all and left her troubles behind. The Flint Township Police in Michigan are not those people. And seven years on, they’re still looking for Brianna and whoever took her…

When an 11-year-old went missing from a quiet Nebraska suburb in 1986, an entire task force got to work searching for him. But as days passed by, their hopes for a safe return dwindled, and the unimaginable was confirmed a week after the disappearance. It’s been 38 years since Richard Chadek III was taken in broad daylight… but that doesn’t mean the leads have all dried up.

This is The Deck Investigates Season One, episodes 13-18.

This is The Deck Investigates Season One, episodes 7-12.

This is The Deck Investigates Season One, episodes 1-6.

When 19-year-old Jeannette left the little rented house she shared with her husband Matt in Odessa, Texas on the evening of September 13th, 1982, he had every reason to believe she’d be back in no time. What he couldn’t have known was that a silent countdown started the moment she walked out the door... and that every passing minute brought him one step closer to a life he never planned. One where he would be left to raise their 11-day-old daughter all on his own.

For 18 years, no one has been able to figure out who killed Mary Cooper and her daughter Susanna Stodden while they were out for a scenic mother-daughter hike in the beautiful mountains of Washington state. No one understands why either. Their deaths and the evidence left behind continue to perplex detectives in Snohomish County.

For 13-year-old Becca, the summer break before her freshman year of high school was supposed to be a time for a fresh start. Gaining some new-found independence… maturing into a young woman… But because of the brutal actions of a predator, Becca will forever remain a girl, frozen in time… stuck in the summer of 2003.

26-year-old Eula, who most people knew as Kay, was a strong and independent woman. She lived her life to the fullest – working hard and playing harder. But in the summer of 1970, that would all change when someone took her life,  and that someone is still out there…

The stories we cover on this show have made me more aware than ever how even the smallest of choices and chance encounters can change the course of a person’s life. A last-minute decision, or even a shift in schedule, can have a positive impact… or… result in dire consequences. And in the wee morning hours on June 24th, 1983… something out of Tina Milford’s control placed the young mother on the same path as a predator…

I’ve been telling victims’ stories for 6½ years now. I’ve been a consumer of them for even longer. And in all that time, few stories have haunted me the way Dana’s has. Her killer was bold, so confident police would never catch him, that he taunted them. And for nearly 30 years, he’s been able to get away with it. But I think that’s coming to an end. Because even though it seems like he tried to do everything he could to erase himself from Dana’s apartment and her life, it looks like he didn’t cover all his tracks. He may have just left something behind that could finally give him away.

Almost 30 years ago, Ana Bell Juarez disappeared in January 1997. But the exact details about her vanishing have never been fully divulged with detectives. Even today, as Detective Gonzales gets closer to finding out the truth… there’s still so many questions swirling around Odessa, Texas.

Maria was spending what seemed like an average day with her two children when a masked intruder burst through the door and changed everyone in that home’s life. In just a matter of minutes, Maria, a single mom, was abducted and left for dead less than a mile from where her children were still hiding. It’s been two years, so the evidence is fresh and the leads are hot. But it’s going to take the right person coming forward to solve this case.

16-year-old Sarah was not your typical teen. She was a multisport high school athlete who participated in basketball, softball, and track. She was a pretty darn good chess player, too. But in June of 2005, somebody took all that Sarah loved away from her. And they took Sarah away from everyone who loved her. 19 years later, the police are still trying to catch her killer, and they need your help.

If you look at a picture of 25-year-old Domaine Richards, one thing stands out – his smile. A smile that could be infectious, but all the light Domaine had to bring to the world was taken away in November of 2007, and almost 17 years later, while police have at least one suspect they've been circling, they still need help bringing Domaine's case to a close.

54-year-old Joe was a true “country guy", living a simple life in Anderson, South Carolina in 2012. He was a husband, father, provider, and handyman. It didn’t take much to make him happy. All he needed in life was his family, his work shed, and an ice-cold beer. Why someone would want to gun him down inside his own home remains a mystery, even over a decade after his death. To this day, Joe’s widow has never remarried. She’s still living at their same little house, with Joe’s picture hanging up on the wall, waiting for the day when justice will finally prevail.

Bobby Ray Jones had just moved back to Walton County, Florida, in the late summer of 1971. It was a rebirth-of-sorts for this 33-year-old man. After getting caught up in a love affair and running off to Alabama, he had only recently returned to the sunshine state to try and reconcile with his wife. And seemingly, he was on track to do just that. He had already found a new job and a place to stay. Things were starting to turn around. So much so, that on September 29th, he even told his “mama” she had no reason to worry about him… and that he didn’t have “an enemy in the world.” But the very next morning, Bobby Ray was murdered…

Linda "Lulu Ree" Ceasar's story is not all that different from so many others. She was a victim of her circumstances, and then she was a victim again when, in the summer of 1983, her life was taken in the most brutal of ways. Over 40 years later, the police still need help to close her case.

33 years after Douglas Wagg, Jr. turned up on a lone stretch of railroad tracks in the middle of the night in rural Martin County, and over a year since Delia took on the case, the scope of what was really going on in the area during the 1990s has come into view. Who was Doug? How did he end up so far from home? Who was he last seen with? Was the train really what killed him? Why was his case never investigated?

Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken was just a toddler when 12-year-old Dee Scofield disappeared from a local department store. When he was a teenager, he remembers his parents bringing up the missing little girl from his hometown. Later, as a dad, it would cause him to lie awake at night, worrying about his own daughter. And down the line, as a new detective, it would continue to haunt him when he began investigating the case for himself. And today… even as a Chief of the entire department… he won’t rest until he knows what happened to Dee Scofield.

Debra was a woman who deserved better than what she got in the last year of her life. Every day she woke up, she was a survivor of something or someone. Over 20 years after she was brutally murdered, no one has been held accountable.

Anna Hliaras was a vigilant fixture in her Dayton, Ohio, neighborhood. She was essentially neighborhood watch before it was even a thing. And her mission was to make sure any and all disturbances in her community were called out. But investigators fear her tenacious behavior could’ve led to her demise…

30-year-old JaQuan had a lot going for him in the spring of 2021. He had a good job and a tight crew of friends that he performed with as part of a local rap group. But most important to him – his close-knit family: a devoted mom, little nieces and nephews who called him “Uncle Quan,” and a big brother he admired. But police believe that brother is holding a secret…

At 93, Alexander Winspeare had been through a lot in his long life. He was a veteran of World War I, proudly serving his country. If anyone had earned the right to die with dignity and grace, it was him. But instead, he was murdered in 1987. And 37 years later, police are still on the hunt for his killer.

Timothy Zimmerman, an active member of his community and property owner in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was violently murdered at one of his properties in 2007. Despite several clues being left behind at the messy crime scene, Timothy’s homicide has never been solved.

Loni Kai Okaruru made several stops on the morning of August 26, 2001, and interacted with several people, before she was beaten to death, her body left on a farm in Washington County, Oregon. Loni Kai’s murder was quickly labeled by police as a hate crime, but decades later her killer is still unknown.

A while back, our team at audiochuck received an email from Kirsten Leonard’s family asking us if we would cover her case. Specifically, the email was sent by her nephew, Karsten, who’s named in memory of his aunt… an aunt he never got the chance to meet. That’s because in June 1986, at just 22 years old, Kirsten was murdered in what can only be described as a senseless and brutal crime.

In the spring of 2000, a 24-year-old woman was found floating in a Citrus County, Florida canal. Though answers have eluded authorities for more than two decades, a present-day sergeant is hoping that putting her story in the spotlight may help reveal the truth.

When Twana Smith’s body was discovered behind an abandoned building in Hartford in October 1997, she joined a growing list of the city’s vulnerable locals who fell victim to violent predators. And for decades, her case sat unsolved, gathering dust… even as detectives found the keys to unlock mysteries from the same era. But after years of dead ends, investigators now believe they're on the brink of a breakthrough… they just need a final push over the finish line.

A college campus in broad daylight in a town literally called “Niceville” might be one of the last places you’d expect a young collegiate to disappear from, but in March 1973, that’s exactly what happened. Debra Espey’s case spans more than 50 years, includes a primary suspect from the beginning, and has long been thought to have connection to other unsolved cases in the Florida panhandle. But for all the twists and misdirections, detectives are hopeful they can close this case soon.

28-year-old Lola, AKA Kathy, Kat, or Lolabee, as her family lovingly called her, was excited for a fresh start just before the holidays in 1993. She’d just left her job at an Indianapolis nightclub and was wrapping up the process of moving two hours northeast of Fort Wayne to live with her older sister. Kathy was planning to take her life down a new road and go back to school, maybe start a family. But before she could ever make good on those plans… something happened. Though, the specifics of what exactly that something was is still something we are trying to piece together today.

In 1997, 17-year-old Kemberly Ramer had big goals of getting out of her small town. She made great grades, was a star athlete, and was well-liked by her peers. Heading into her senior year, she already had plans to go to college to become a physical therapist, and there was no question, she had the brains and the talent to do just that. It would take a thief, a monster in the middle of the night, to take that away from her. But that’s exactly what happened one August evening, and her mother thinks she knows the true identity of this so-far untraceable culprit.

When 23-year-old Rose Gayhart left Dansville, New York with her boyfriend for Cape Coral, Florida in December of 1984, she was looking for a fresh start. But as Rose hugged her sister goodbye on that cold December day, neither of them could have imagined that it would be the last hug they’d ever share… or that within 3 short months, Rose would be gone.

Dubbed “the most famous missing man in Nevada” by local press, Roy Frisch was a bright light during an otherwise dark, lawless time in 1930s Reno. Yes, you read that right…1930s. This is the oldest case we’ve covered so far on this show. Roy disappeared almost 90 years ago, so while it’s not possible to punish those responsible for his death, thanks to newfound permission from a property owner, there is now serious potential his remains could be recovered, and just maybe, Roy can finally rest in peace.

When three women are ambushed by a gunman in the early morning hours of a cold November Indiana night, investigators are left to sort through the complicated relationships of one, asking themselves who would want to hurt these women, and why.

Charles and Jennifer Chia could see their apartment complex from their school bus stop – that’s how close to their building it was. Such a small distance for something to go so terribly wrong. But a couple hundred feet is all it took for someone to stop the Chia siblings from making it home safely. That person has gone undetected for more than 34 years. But present-day detectives say their days are now numbered, as new technology could soon expose this nameless predator.

Revisiting a place that holds bad memories isn’t for the faint of heart. Just pulling up to a specific location can bring on anxiety about the past trauma that once took place there. Even decades later, that sinking feeling doesn’t go away. Until recently, Ashyea Durham Pugh hadn’t been back to the scene since that mostly blocked-out memory was her cruel reality. That night she and her mom returned home to their apartment to find that her little sister had vanished without a trace. And as the anniversary of that fateful February passes, her uneasiness grows. Because February 1st, 2024 has come and gone. No one has seen Andrea Durham in 34 years. And whoever took her could still be out there.

Last week we walked through the initial investigation into the nearly 5-decade-old missing person case of 17-year-old Belinda VanLith. Despite her disappearance essentially being considered a runaway case by police initially, they had quickly come around to the possibility that perhaps Belinda had been met with foul play – and there were some people close to the cabin she was last known to be at that were looking like promising suspects, but police never had enough evidence to move forward, and her case went cold for almost 3 decades. Where we left off, investigators were 28 years into their investigation with little to show for it, when suddenly, in 2002, a relative came forward to police with a story they hadn’t heard before. And that’s where we’re picking up…

Belinda’s story has held a special place in our hearts for a very long time. Back in August of 2022, her family reached out to the team here at audiochuck requesting we cover her case. We told Belinda’s family we’d try, and for months we did try – we reached out to the investigating agency on multiple occasions, but we’ve still never heard back about an interview. Thankfully, through a records request, we were eventually able to obtain hundreds and hundreds of pages of reports spanning the nearly 50 years since Belinda’s disappearance. Hopefully, by bringing her story to you, we can bring her some justice that she very much deserves.

Deshawna was a bright, recent high-school graduate who was so excited for her future in nursing. She loved helping others, and she wanted to make it her career. But late one night in October 2001, someone saw to it that Deshawna would never have a chance to help anyone ever again.

Lo que comenzó como una búsqueda del sueño americano terminó siendo una tragedia. Manuel trabajaba en trabajos de construcción en Atlanta, GA, y Freeport, FL, hasta que fue encontrado tirado a lo largo de un camino de tierra en Freeport el 16 de agosto del 2004. Después de 20 años de preguntas sin respuestas, los detectives finalmente han conseguido la pista que estaban esperando. Este nuevo descubrimiento más los últimos avances en la tecnología de ADN, les dan seguridad a los investigadores de que finalmente están muy cerca de resolver este caso, y más que nada, poder dar a la esposa y a los hijos de Manuel la justicia que han estado buscando.

What began as a pursuit of the American dream ended in tragedy on August 16th, 2004. Manuel was working construction jobs in Atlanta, GA, and Freeport, FL – until he was murdered and dumped along a dirt road in Freeport. After 20 years of only questions and no answers… detectives finally got the tip they’d been waiting on. Add that to the latest advancements in DNA technology, and detectives feel confident they’re close to finally solving this case and giving Manuel’s wife and children the justice they’ve been seeking.

Dark Downeast digs into the decades-old and modern day cases that prickle the history of Vacationland and beyond – the unsolved homicides, undetermined deaths, unexplained disappearances and other dark stories of New England. Investigative journalist and storyteller Kylie Low gets straight to the story with a mix of narrated episodes and documentary style production featuring interviews with surviving family and friends and insight on the investigations from detectives and sources who know these cases best. This is heart-centered, ethical true crime, bringing light to stories you’re not hearing on other podcasts. It is Dark Downeast's mission to honor the legacy of the humans at the heart of each story and bring new attention to the cases still awaiting justice.

In 1999, 76-year-old Georgia had plans to spend the Fourth of July with her family at her lakeside cabin over in Wisconsin. But a few days before they were all set to leave, Georgia said she needed to go there early… on her own. When her family eventually showed up to celebrate, they quickly realized this holiday wouldn’t be anything like they had planned.

Jacqueline Brown and her coworkers went out on July 12th, 1985 to cash their paychecks and celebrate payday with some drinks. Instead, the night ended in tragedy when residents in another part of town were awoken to find Jacqueline shot and begging for help. And while first responders may not have been able to save her, detectives are dedicated to finding her killer... who may have been someone she knew.

October 9th, 2015, was supposed to be a normal, routine Friday for 80-year-old Stanley. But what unfolded in his home that night was anything but ordinary – and it set in motion a chilling mystery that still stumps detectives all these years later.

When 50-year-old Ruth Carter was found murdered in her home in Dayton, Ohio, suspicions immediately turned to her former roommate. But no physical evidence could tie him to the scene, and years started to tick by without any leads to point investigators to her killer, until 2005, when a young man came forward with information that took detectives to the people who may have been responsible.

One fall day in 1991, 14-year-old Clarissa vanished into thin air after a night of hanging out with friends. Years later, the mystery of where she disappeared to would be solved, but that discovery would open up a whole new world of unknowns.

The afternoon of July 1st, 1985, was supposed to be a mundane Monday for Tira Snyder. The 19-year-old wife and mother was going to run some errands and make dinner before her husband got home from work. Nothing that day went as planned. And Dave Snyder would never get another mundane day with his wife again.

Jennifer “Moonbeam” Hammond and Christina White, both young women, disappeared from trailer parks in the quiet town of Milton, New York. Both were ultimately found in nearby remote woodlands. And even though they didn’t know each other, police believe that both likely crossed paths with the same someone… who led them to the same cruel fate. And that potential connection might be the key to unraveling the mysteries that have surrounded these cases for way too long.

This is a case I’d bet money you haven’t heard of… Because when you google her name, only her cold case card pops up. Nothing else. The story of 62-year-old Your Honorable Honor, better known as Honor, has more than been forgotten… it’s never been told. Until now.

31-year-old Eden and her boyfriend were new to the North Star state. They had only lived there about three months, when, in September 1992, Eden was seen riding away in a mysterious blue van never to be seen again. Now, more than three decades later, present-day detectives are traveling down some winding roads previous investigators never explored in hopes it will lead them to the truth.

One September day in 1973, 13-year-old Sharon left her home to run a quick errand, an errand she’s run dozens of times before. But that day would be different. And for the last 50 years her family and investigators have put all their hope and energy into trying to determine what happened in just a 90 second window after she walked out the door.

Kathy was a 22-year-old newlywed living in Salt Lake City in 1976, forging her own path in a town that often seemed to value conformity over individuality. By all accounts Kathy had a reputation for being tough – definitely no shrinking violet. So no one was particularly worried about her fending for herself when her husband Dave left town on his rig for his most recent long-haul trek through the rugged Mountain West. And besides, Kathy had a solid group of friends to look out for her, including her roommate Vickie. But Vickie couldn’t stay with Kathy 24/7 – and on the evening of March 2nd, when Kathy was left alone, something was set into motion that remains a mystery to this day.

None of Brenda’s friends or family could’ve guessed that Thanksgiving 1990 would be the last time they’d see the sweet 33-year-old mother of three. For weeks, it seemed like Brenda had vanished into thin air… but eventually finding her just lead to more questions that are still unanswered to this day.

When 18-year-old Valaine left her Salt Lake City apartment and walked to class one spring morning in 1977, her carefully planned future was full of promise. And though she was in a time of transition and had recently ended an engagement, Valaine knew even this temporary disappointment just brought her closer to the life she dreamed of…a life full of family and rooted in faith…a life her ex-fiancé couldn’t give her.

May 29th, 2010 was supposed to be a normal Saturday for 34-year-old, single dad Corey and his 11-year-old twins, but a brazen masked gunman had other plans. Authorities in Dayton, Ohio, have spent the last 13 years trying to figure out who was behind that mask.

Twenty-seven-year-old Susan, better known as Su, was the kind of woman most people would describe as a breath of fresh air or a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. But late one night in 1992, Su’s brightness was suddenly and brutally put out. For the past three decades, law enforcement has spent countless hours unraveling the tangled web of mysteries and dark secrets that laid behind Su’s warm smile.

The night was still young when 20-year-old Darlene left her friends at a local Daytona Beach bar to go get some shut-eye before work the following morning… but little did they know, as she walked out into the darkness of the night, that’d be the last time they’d ever see her. Today, detectives are still as baffled as they were back in 1983.

In 1996, 34-year-old Diane was preparing to welcome her fourth child when one spring day she was ambushed and brutally murdered in the privacy of her own home. The investigation into her slaying was quick to go cold, but a recent breakthrough in the case has police more confident than ever that they’re hot on the killer’s trail.

In 1978, Corazon was just 26 and a widow after losing her husband from cancer five years earlier. And Corazon was still mourning the loss of her husband when she herself became a victim of a horrifically brutal attack in the parking lot of her seemingly safe apartment complex.

One August day in 1999, Nyesha was spending her Saturday afternoon like so many other 19-year-olds: playing video games. But when her gaming was interrupted by a knock on the apartment door, a sinister plan was set into motion that ended her game and her future.

In May 2013, 40-year-old Booda was gunned down in his quiet South Carolina neighborhood. For years, investigators have tried to bring his killer to justice, but rumors surrounding his life have muddied the waters.

In 2001, 50-year-old Rachel was going about her nightly routine, closing the small-town liquor store, when she suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving behind no clues. A gruesome discovery 6 weeks later would answer some of the questions she left behind, but not the most pressing: who did it and why?

Craig Frear seemed to have everything a teenage boy could want — a loving family, lots of friends and girlfriends, and skills on the soccer field. But after he vanished in broad daylight from a small village in upstate New York in 2004, police learned that he had been keeping secrets. And like Craig... this story is filled with contradictions.

In 1995, 24-year-old Gina Cyphers was found dead in the trailer she shared with her boyfriend and young son, just a couple of hours after dropping him off at daycare one winter morning. The viciousness of the crime shocked the Salina, Kansas, community. And after nearly three decades of grief, her family is still searching for the answers to who killed Gina, and why?

In part 1 of the Reker case, four agencies were two years into the homicide investigation with little to show for it. Little did they know, the twists and turns in their investigation were just beginning.

On Labor Day of 1974, less than 24 hours before 15-year-old Mary was to start her sophomore year of high school, she told her parents she needed to make a quick shopping trip to pick up some last-minute school supplies and a winter coat. Her younger sister, 12-year-old Susanne, tagged along and they waved goodbye to their father, who was painting the exterior of the house when they left. On a day so ordinary, it never crossed his mind that that would be the last time he’d see his two daughters alive.

In 1988, 21-year-old Christine was found murdered in Hartford, Connecticut. Almost immediately, rumors started swirling about who could be responsible for her death. But most rumors always have a source — and if you look hard enough, sometimes, you can find a thread of truth. Follow that thread, and you might find the killer.

When Renee was 22 years old, her main goal was to provide a good life for her son Caleb. But in September 1992, Renee was attacked in her Jacksonville, Florida, home after hosting Caleb’s 3rd birthday party. While Renee’s killer spared Caleb’s life, their actions took away the person who loved him most and shattered his sense of safety and belonging for years to come. Today, a cold case detective is renewing the push for answers in Renee’s murder, hoping to finally repair some of the damage that was done over 30 years ago.

In the summer of 1994, Elizabeth’s body was found outside of an abandoned building in an area rife with crime. As the years went by, investigators never uncovered any solid leads… until a pattern of brutal murders began to emerge in the area, leading them to suspect there’s more to her story than meets the eye.

Late one night in September 2001, Amber Hoopes walked out to her grandparents’ auto body shop in Idaho Falls, Idaho to use the computer. After sending an email and logging off the computer around 1am, Amber vanished. Police have evidence that shows she was abducted and killed, and while they have two viable suspects, Amber’s body has never been found.

In the early morning hours of December 12, 1981, 81-year-old Myrtle Cole was fast asleep in her securely locked, small-town Minnesota home when someone broke in and brutally murdered her. For more than 40 years, the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office has dedicated countless man hours to finding out who killed her, and the answer may no longer be far out of reach.

It was a normal, warm Virginia day in April 2021 for a group of friends mingling outside a convenience store when out of the blue they were shot up by someone driving by, and 18-year-old James was killed. Over the past two years, Richmond police have uncovered evidence they think points toward the killer — but they’re still waiting for the missing piece to prove it.

What began as a normal April day in 2021 ended in heartache for the family of 20-year-old Cody Woodson when the college student was gunned down in the streets just outside of his apartment in an attack that police now believe was not meant for him.

Tonya Teske was a free-spirited 18-year-old who chose to live her life on the open road by hitchhiking around the mountain west. On August 13, 1997, she was last seen in Montana at a truck stop before her body was discovered two days later on the side of a highway in Idaho.

When 16-year-old Gregory vanished from a bus stop in September 2005, his family immediately knew something wasn’t right. A few days later, a terrifying discovery would prove that their worst fears were right and send police on a desperate search for answers that now, even 18 years later, has yet to end.

It was a warm Saturday evening in 1984 when 39-year-old Barbara disappeared from the streets of Washington, D.C. Almost 40 years later, the blatant missteps in the early days of the investigation still haunt her case… and may be what stands in the way of it being solved.

Sheree Allen was last seen alive at the (former) Colonial Motel in downtown Salt Lake City on January 23, 2005. The next night, her body was found in a dumpster in West Valley City, Utah wrapped in trash bags. There have been several viable leads in the case, but none have ever resulted in charges or arrests.

Ivory was just 17 years old when she vanished while on her way home in Utica, New York. Despite a slow start to the investigation, investigators have tried to make up for lost time, spending years putting together the pieces that point toward the people responsible — people who refuse to talk, even 19 years later.

Sylvia Baker, 28, went downstairs on July 17th, 1982 to take out the trash. Sylvia never returned to her apartment, where her two young kids were watching TV. When she was found the next day, nude and bound with pieces of her own clothing, her family remained in a state of shock as police worked to track down her killers. Over 40 years later, no one’s been held accountable for Sylvia’s murder, but a DNA match and other clues have investigators closer than ever to the truth.

One Friday afternoon in 1994, 35-year-old Lawrence O’Connell seemingly vanished into thin air after leaving his workplace, and a disturbing discovery the following day left everyone with more questions than answers.

Aaron Lamont Smalls, also known as Peanut, was only 25 years old when his body was found in York County, Virginia, in 2001. In the search for his killer, investigators uncovered several key pieces of evidence and received a mountain of tips. But despite their efforts, the case slowly turned cold.

Keyru was a kindhearted, family-oriented 24-year-old who was visiting relatives in Denver, Colorado, when he was brutally gunned down for seemingly no reason. For more than a decade, Keyru’s friends and family have waited in agony for the monster who snuffed out his bright light to be brought to justice.

When James Walker III is shot to death at a house party in 2017, investigators kicked off a search for the people responsible. But despite a large number of witnesses, no one would talk and with a lack of physical evidence the case quickly hit a dead end.

After Sherry Black’s vicious murder, police had her killer’s DNA, but no suspects or motive. It would take nearly a decade – and a dogged investigator – to crack this unsolved case.

In November of 2010, the community of South Salt Lake was shocked by the vicious murder of Sherry Black, a beloved great-grandmother. Investigators chased leads and interviewed suspects, utilizing every resource at their disposal to learn who could have committed such a brutal crime – and why. But those answers...and justice...would remain elusive for nearly a decade.

In 1982, Deana Patnode, a vibrant 23-year-old, disappeared from a Minnesota bar without a trace. Decades later, a deck of cold case playing cards would ultimately lead to some closure in her case — but leave everyone with far more questions than answers.

Joseph Pellicci was a father of three and a successful restaurateur when he was abducted and shot to death in 1973. Everyone in Stamford, Connecticut seems to know who’s responsible. The real mystery is...why hasn’t anyone ever been charged with his murder?

In December 1998, 20-year-old Cassandra disappeared from Wichita, Kansas, only for her body to be found months later on the side of a dirt road in rural Sedgwick County. For more than 20 years, investigators have struggled to make movement in the case, as the one person they think has the answers refuses to cooperate.