TraceEvidence

On October 3rd, 1984, nine year old Christine Jessop vanished from the streets of Queensville, Ontario. For months searchers looked everywhere, but no trace could be found. Sadly, on New Years Eve, they made the horrifying discovery of her remains. While police zeroed in on a suspect, a lot of questions were being ignored. When that suspect was officially charged, police told the public they had caught the killer. After years of legal wrangling, DNA evidence finally exonerated their suspect. A decade after Christine’s murder, the first real investigation began. However, so much time had passed and so much information had been ignored, it was almost too insurmountable to overcome. Now, thirty-five years later, Christine’s killer still walks free while a smile of his DNA is in the hands of police. Will the killer ever be caught or will Christine’s family perpetually wonder who took the beautiful nine year old from them? For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sources: https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?timeframe=2&Prov=&StationID=1865&Year=1984&Month=10&Day=19&MeasTypeID=windspd | https://www.forensicmag.com/article/2005/01/evolution-dna-evidence-crime-solving-judicial-and-legislative-history | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/128366702/christine-marion-jessop | https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/9100395-ontario-cold-case-christine-jessop-series-garners-6-tips-for-police/ | https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/8770748-ontario-cold-case-steady-stream-of-tips-continues-for-christine-jessop/ | https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/canada-christine-jessop-9-queensville-ont-3-oct-1984-2.192096/ | https://innocencecanada.com/exonerations/ | https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/cold-cases-christine-jessop-queensville-ont-1984 | https://truecrimediva.com/who-killed-christine-jessop-in-1984/ | https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/10/02/christine_jessop_killing_10_things_that_were_learned_from_the_case.html | http://kidnappingmurderandmayhem.blogspot.com/2010/03/murder-of-christine-jessop.html | http://netk.net.au/Canada/Morin29.asp | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/trail-to-christines-killer-20-years-old-and-cold/article18273957/ | https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/guy-paul-morin-case | https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/morin-inquiry-revelations | http://archive.macleans.ca/article/1993/1/18/morin-fights-back

On February 28th, 1983, two men made a grisly discovery in the basement of an abandoned building in St. Louis, Missouri. There, beneath some debris, they discovered the lifeless body of a young black female. The victim had been bound, assaulted, strangled and decapitated post-mortem. Due to the absence of a head, identifying the victim would prove challenging and any connections that could be made to a possible suspect based on that ID was impossible. The child was given the name of Little Jane Doe, and for nearly forty years, her murder has haunted the St. Louis Police Department. Who is Little Jane Doe, who murdered her and will she ever receive justice? Visit: Himalaya.com/TraceEvidence and use Promo Code: Evidence for one free month of premium access to Trace Evidence ad free episodes. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Sources: http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/brown967.htm | http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Sells,%20Tommy%20Lynn%20-%202005.pdf | https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/who-is-little-jane-doe-a-headless-body-a-haunting-cold-case | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Jane_Doe#cite_note-cbyers-1 | https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g44881-d3396451-r249771352-Calvary_Cemetery-Saint_Louis_Missouri.html#REVIEWS | https://www.gardenofinnocents.org/ | https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/child-killed-in-laid-to-rest-in-garden-of-innocents/article_a1a32eb1-16e0-5c01-b520-85805989b01b.html | https://www.foxnews.com/us/who-was-she-new-technology-brings-hope-to-identifying-headless-girl-killed-30-years-ago | https://www.newspapers.com/search/#query=little+jane+doe&dr_year=1982-2019&offset=3&p_place=MO | https://www.newspapers.com/image/140845091/?terms=little%2Bjane%2Bdoe | http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/54ufmo.html | https://truecrimearticles.com/2018/02/18/the-st-louis-jane-doe-of-1983/ | https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Jane_Doe_(1983) | https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/research-unlocks-some-secrets-about-decapitated-girl-for-st-louis/article_36de5a5c-b615-5292-b5aa-abb99a888a6c.html | https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/new-hope-in-cold-case-of-decapitated-girl-found-in/article_ef7aca67-2f9f-5c76-9516-4285802f338f.html | https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/30-years-later-unsolved-case-young-jane-doe-still-haunts-police#stream/0 | https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/the-case-that-haunts/Content?oid=2460475 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Lynn_Sells | https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b1/brown-vernon.htm | http://www.robertkellerauthor.com/2015/09/serial-killers-vernon-brown.html | https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/school-segregation-continuing-tragedy-ferguson-0#stream/0 | https://psmag.com/social-justice/taking-freedom-school-segregation | https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spina-bifida/symptoms-causes/syc-20377860 | https://www.instantstreetview.com/@38.656164,-90.282665,4.12h,-8.85p,1z | https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/bill-mcclellan/mcclellan-a-little-girl-nobody-knew/article_b03bd7f0-baf3-53cf-94c9-63766cdbdee7.html | https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/vicap/unidentified-persons/jane-doe-44 | https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/KCPS/date/1983-2-28?req_city=Saint%20Louis&req_state=MO&req_statename=Missouri&reqdb.zip=63101&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999

On March 10th, 1976 a concerned neighbor contacted local authorities. She hadn't seen the Bishop family for more than a week and mail was piling up. It was unlike them to just up and leave without saying anything, and so police sent a detective over to perform a welfare check. Upon entering the home, the detective found a grisly bloodbath. There was evidence of a brutal and violent crime, but no bodies were found. At first, police believed the entire Bishop family had been murdered but then they learned the horrible truth. Police in Columbia, North Carolina had discovered five brutally battered bodies dumped in a ditch and set on fire. It would turn out to be Annette Bishop, he three sons and her mother-in-law, Lobelia. Anette's husband, and the father of her children, William Bradford Bishop was missing. While it was initially believed that Bradford might be a victim as well, evidence would soon begin telling a far more sinister story and a massive manhunt was launched. Recorded in part Live at the True Crime Podcast festival, alongside Nina Innsted from Already Gone comes Trace Evidence - Episode 86 - The Murder of the Bishop Family. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nine year old Anthonette Cayedito heard a knock on the door in the middle of the night. Dressed in her pink nightgown, she approached the door and vanished. When her mother woke up the next morning, she discovered that Anthonette was missing. Police had little to work with other than reports of a mysterious vehicle seen at the home in the early morning hours. The case grew cold almost immediately, but a year later a disturbing phone call reignited the search. Unfortunately, little if anything could be found. Several years later, a waitress called in a report of having seen the missing child, who at this time would have been fourteen. While the story was compelling, authorities could not confirm that it had been Anthonette. For thirty-three years, Anthonette Cayedito has been missing. Some believe she was abducted by a stranger, others by someone she knew and trusted. Then there are those who believe that Anthonette's mother knew much more than she told. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On December 20th, 1976, a fourteen year old boy made a horrifying discovery along the banks of the Lehigh River in Pennsylvania. The body of an unidentified woman was found, severely mutilated and stuffed into three separate suit cases which had been thrown from the i80 interstate, some three hundred feet above. For the past forty-three years, the victim, known only as Carbon County Beth Doe, has remained unidentified and her killer has never been located. Making it even more horrifying was the discovery that, at the time of her death, Beth Doe was nine months pregnant. The crime was committed in an atrocious manner, and for many, the case will forever haunt them. Who killed and mutilated Beth, and for what reason? Was it a chance encounter, someone she knew or perhaps even a member of her own family? For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Four year old Nyleen Kay Marshall was excited to attend a multi-family picnic with her family in the Helena National Forest on Saturday, June 25th, 1983. She had no way of knowing she wouldn’t be coming home. Sometime that afternoon, Nyleen was separated from the children she was playing with and witnessed speaking to an unidentified male. She then vanished without a trace. For the next forty years, investigators and family worked the case trying to discover what became of the child. In the mid 1980s a man alleged to have taken Nyleen and to be raising her as his own child, but his identity was never discovered. What happened to Nyleen Marshall and is it possible she is still out there somewhere unaware of her true identity? Visit this week's sponsor: www.ohmygut.info/PODCAST Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty-eight year old Kristine Kupka was following her dreams. A firm supporter of women's rights, Kristine was just months from graduating with a degree in philosophy from which she planned to move into law school. Then she got a life changing surprise -- she was pregnant. Excited by the opportunity to be a mother, Kristine immediately began planning for the future. While she wasn't sure how the father would receive the news she couldn't be prepared for how he reacted. He begged Kristine to get an abortion and explained that he had lied to her; he was married and this pregnancy would destroy his life. Kristine empathized but she had no plans of aborting her child. Months later, Kristine vanished after being picked up by the child's father. While he argues he dropped Kristine off after several hours, others believe he played a direct role in the young mother to be's disappearance. FB: https://www.facebook.com/TraceEvidencePod/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ TW: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod Visit https://www.trace-evidence.com for more information, case photos, contact information and more. Merch: https://traceevidence.threadless.com/ GetVokl: https://getvokl.com/channel/trace-evidence-1 (Weekly livestreams 7pm-8pm Eastern) Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Christian Ferguson was born with a life threatening disorder and nearly died in his first three days. Once the doctors were able to diagnose him, treatment was assigned and it was believed Christian could live a normal, healthy life. Following his parents divorce, and a bitter dispute in court, Christian's father, Dawan T. Ferguson was granted full custody while his mother, Theda, has visitation. Theda filed multiple claims against Dawan for neglect and child abuse, though these were never proven and the court did not accept them. In 2001, Christian suffered a setback in which his condition worsened and he seized and fell into a coma. He suffered severe brain damage which inhibited his abilities and required full time supervision and care. While multiple nurses noted poor conditions at his home, Christian remained with his father. In June of 2003, Theda won a court case in which she proved Dawan was denying her visitation. Dawan was ordered to give Theda back visitation starting on June 14th, but sadly, Christian would be gone by then. On June 11th, Dawan called 911 to report that his vehicle had been stolen with Christian inside. Two hours later the vehicle was discovered, but Christian was nowhere to be seen. Over the course of the next sixteen years, investigators would uncover an avalanche of evidence suggesting Christian had been neglected, abused and possibly, murdered. What happened to Christian Ferguson and what secrets remain in the mind of the man who was charged with taking care of him? Official Police Report: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/media-archive/3190198.0.pdf Theda's NonProfit: https://www.lookingforanangel.org Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty-seven year old David Cox had served four years in the Marine Corps and was now living with his girlfriend back in his home state of Massachusetts. While the transition had been a struggle, things were beginning to look up. The release of the film "A Few Good Men" impacted David strongly as it was closely based on an incident in which he had been involved during his time as a Marine stationed at Guantanamo Bay. David was angry, feeling that he and his fellow Marines had been mis-represented. On the morning of January 5th, David was eagerly awaiting a call about a job. When his girlfriend called home at noon, there was no answer. She called again an hour later, but again there was no answer. Upon arriving home she found David gone, his keys in the ignition of his truck and no sign or indication of where he could have went. A tragic discovery three months later would change everything. Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Thirty-five year old Deanne Hastings was finally putting her life back together. After a long battle with bi-polar, a divorce and time spent in an in-patient treatment facility she was back on the rise. She was in love, enrolled in school, looking forward to the future and excited to establish stronger relationships with her children. Living with her fiance, Mike Tibbets, in Spokane, Washington, life just seemed to be back on the right track. However, on the night of November 3rd, 2015, Mike returned home to an empty house. He found a note from Deanne explaining that she'd be running to the store and she'd be back soon. She didn't return and as hours passed, Mike began trying to track her down. Deanne's car was found in a parking lot, locked up. He purse and cell phone were inside, though her license and credit cards were not. Over the course of the next thirty-six hours, Mike will stake out the car, print up fliers, try to track his fiancee down and run into multiple people who believe they'd seen her. When all else fails, Mike files a report with the Spokane Police Department and the search begins. The investigation raises many questions about Deanne's mental state at the time of her disappearance, but also the people she was known to have spent her last known hours with, including two men who tell a bizarre story about where they last saw Deanne, and how they came into possession of her credit cards and license. Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this heartbreaking story. Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Fifty-nine year old Ray Gricar had worked as the Centre County District Attorney for nearly twenty years. Having given most of his life to law, he decided that this would be his last term and in January of 2006 he was set to retire... but Ray would go missing nine months before his last day in office. On April 15th, 2005 Ray decided to skip work and to go for a drive down to Lewisburg, a quiet little town some fifty miles away. He had been there often, and enjoyed visiting the local antique stores. On this particular day, though, Ray never came back. After being out of contact for twelve hours, Ray's girlfriend, Patty, contacted police who immediately began searching for Ray. Nothing would be found until the next day when his vehicle was discovered in a parking lot in Lewisburg. The car smelled of smoke, and there were cigarette butts outside, but Ray was not a smoker. The deeper law enforcement probed into the case, the more questions they had. When they discovered that Ray's county issued laptop was missing, and he'd been google searching on how to destroy a hard drive, their interest was piqued. When his laptop was discovered in the Susquehanna river, without its hard drive, investigators were baffled. What was so important that the drive needed to be destroyed? In the years following, many theories came forward. Could Ray have taken his own life? Was it murder, either by someone he'd sent to prison or perhaps a trusted friend? Or, did Ray choose to leave his life behind, fleeing the country in hopes of avoiding some yet to be discovered issue? Join host Steven Pacheco as he explores all of the chaos and confusion surrounding this sad and confounding disappearance. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty-six year old Paula Sladewski was making plans. After several attempts at a modeling career, leading to some success, she wanted to get back in the game and see what could happen. She hoped to start moving on her plan after she returned from her New Years Eve trip, but unfortunately, Paula would never make it back. Along with her boyfriend, Kevin, Paula flew to Miami, Florida to see a New Year's Eve concert, after which the couple planned to spend a few days on south beach before heading home. They'd had their problems in the past, but somehow, the couple had always found their way through it. The concert went well, and things were moving smoothly until the morning of January 3rd, 2010. Paula and Kevin attended Club Space, a nightlife hotspot in North Miami. After a few hours of drinking and dancing, Kevin tried to get Paula to leave but she wanted to stay. Kevin was ultimately thrown out of the club and took a cab back to their hotel room. Paula exited shortly after, was engaged in conversation by a man and disappeared. When Kevin awoke and found Paula missing, he began trying to find her, spoke to police and even hired a private investigator. Police didn't seem overly concerned about a young woman who had been missing for only a few hours. When Sunday night came, police had their hands full with a terrible crime scene: someone had been placed in a dumpster and burned so severely that the individual was completely unrecognizable. While police tried to solve their murder case, and Kevin tried to locate Paula, neither side knew that they were working on the same case. Who murdered Paula Sladewski and burned the beautiful young woman beyond recognition? Join host Steven Pacheco as he explores this disturbing and haunting case. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty-eight Niqui McCown was a loving mother and sister. She was eagerly anticipating her upcoming wedding in August of 2001. However, just three weeks before she was to be married, on July 22nd, Niqui went to a local laundromat and was never seen again. In the weeks following her disappearance, Niqui's fiance became a person of interest, and then the father of her daughter and, finally a former co-worker with a violent streak. Despite theories and suspicions, no evidence could be found to pin the crime on any particular person. Three months later, Niqui's vehicle was discovered abandoned in a parking lot and through investigation, law enforcement was able to make connections between her disappearance and one of the person's of interest, who would later become the subject of an unrelated homicide investigation. However, before police can move in, a shocking twist brings the entire investigation to a halt. What happened to Niqui McCown and will we ever know the truth? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this heartbreaking case and tries to sort through all of the chaos and confusion. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Thirty-two year old Brandy Hanna had recently gotten out of a six year long relationship. Having lived with her fiance, Ray McAdams, she couldn't help but develop feelings for a friend, Zeke Lankford. The situation became complicated and ultimately Brandy moved out, choosing to find an apartment to rent with Zeke. Just weeks after leaving Ray, Zeke told Brandy that he was leaving her. The young woman was now living alone, in an apartment in a bad part of town that her mother, Donna, didn't want her staying in. Brandy decided to use this alone time to put her head straight and figure out what she wanted to do. On Friday, May 20th, 2005, Brandy worked the morning shift at Alex's restaurant. When her mother arrived that afternoon, she headed home and planned to go out to the beach for the weekend. Brandy would never make it to the beach and instead would vanish under bizarre circumstances. The investigation would find a witness who described the man and vehicle who had arrived to pick up Brandy the night she disappeared. The only problem was the vehicle and description fit two men: Zeke Lankford and Ray McAdams. For the next fourteen years, the investigation will grow cold and heat up. Lies will be uncovered and alibis destroyed. A suspect will die prematurely and another will admit to trying to frame him. A dedicated investigator will uncover a shoe believed to have belonged to Brandy and charges will be filed for obstruction of justice, and yet, all these years later, the truth of what happened to Brandy remains concealed. Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this difficult and heartbreaking case. Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Social Media: https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty-four year old Amy Wroe Bechtel was putting the future together. Along with her husband, Steve, they had moved to the picturesque town of Lander, Wyoming and in the Summer of 1997, they had just closed on the purchase of their first house. On July 24th, both had the day off from work and while Steve planned to go rock climbing, Amy was going to run errands and then go running, her favorite activity. This day though, it was partially work as she was mapping out the path of a 10k she was organizing. Amy drove up into the Shoshone National Park and never returned. Steve returned home and after waiting for hours, grew worried and called the Sheriff's Department. Amy's car was discovered parked on the side of the road but there was no sign of the young woman. Amy's disappearance kicked off a massive search and rescue effort but after days of searching and yielding no results, investigators began looking at her husband. Over the next twenty-two years many theories would develop, Steve's connection to investigators and his in-laws would be severed and a convicted killer would become a possible suspect. Join host Steven Pacheco as he asks what happened to Amy Wroe Bechtel on July 24th, 1997? For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty-four year old Mitrice Richardson wasn't making sense. She was sending cryptic text messages and indecipherable social media posts. Her mother was concerned, and on September 16th, 2009, she received a call explaining that Mitrice had been arrested in Malibu. After speaking with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Mitrice's mother was told her daughter wouldn't be released until the morning. With plans of picking her up the next day, her mother went to sleep. When she awoke, she was startled to discover Mitrice had been released and now, no one knew where she was. Over the course of the next year the anger between the family and Sheriff's department continued to grow as lies were uncovered and Mitrice's family felt the Sheriff's department was conducting a coverup. On August 9th, 2010, eleven months after she disappeared, Mitrice's body was recovered down a remote Canyon some six miles from the Sheriff's station. The discovery sadly confirmed that Mitrice had died, but the question of how would become the center of a firestorm of controversy. Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines the details of this deeply tragic and confusing case. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nineteen year old Brandon Swanson had just completed his first year of college. Planning to spend his evening celebrating with friends, Brandon drove from his home in Marshall, MN to two separate gatherings. After leaving the second, near midnight, Brandon made the choice to take back roads rather than the faster and easier route of Highway 68. While driving on gravel back roads, Brandon got his car stuck in a ditch. Calling his parents for help, Brandon gave them directions to come and pick him up but when they arrived, neither Brandon nor his car were anywhere to be found. It wouldn't be until later that Brandon's parents would learn their son was actually twenty-five miles away from where he had thought. During a 47 minute phone call with his father, Brandon explained that he saw lights and was going to walk toward them. At some point, during the call, Brandon screamed out an expletive and the phone went dead. Neither Brandon, his phone or any shred of evidence has ever been found to explain what may have happened. What happened to Brandon Swanson? Did the young man die of exposure due to the cold Minnesota night? Did he fall into the Yellow Medicine River, unable to escape its surging waters? Or, did Brandon come upon someone who had malicious intentions? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this haunting and disturbing story. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Nineteen year old Rachel Cooke had been attending college in San Diego. There, she met and fell in love with a man with whom she hoped to create a brilliant and beautiful future. Rachel was pursuing a career in fashion, and she had completely fallen in love with California, which was entirely different from her small hometown of Georgetown, Texas. In December of 2001, Rachel returned home for the holidays. Her boyfriend came along, though he would return back to California before New Years. He had work to attend to, and the two of them had recently decided to move in together in the new year. Rachel decided to stay in Georgetown a little longer, so she could attend her cousin’s wedding. Everything was going well, until the morning of January 10th, 2002. Rachel went out for her usual morning run, but she never came home. When her parents realized she was missing, the Sheriff’s department was contacted. Despite exhaustive searches, media coverage and endless missing person’s fliers, Rachel was nowhere to be found. Over the course of the next sixteen years, multiple eyewitnesses would come forward telling different stories, including a confession, later recanted by a convicted killer. What happened to Rachel Cooke and who is responsible for this atrocious crime? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this heartbreaking and baffling case.For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Seventeen year old Norman Ladner loved spending his free time on his family's land. He would walk through the 122 acre plot, exploring the open pastures and dense forestry. Fishing and hunting were two of his favorite activities, but on the night of August 21st, 1989, Norman didn't come home. After searching for over an hour, Norman's father made the terrible discovery of his son's body. Norman had died from a single gunshot wound to the head, and while investigators initially considered it an accidental shooting, the final ruling was suicide. Unable to accept this, Norman's parents began an investigation of their own. Over the next several weeks, the Ladner's discovered a blood stained bullet, too large for their son's rifle, a radio transmitter they were told was often used by drug smugglers and were even threatened by an unknown individual not to reopen the case. What happened to Norman Ladner, was this a tragic case of a teenager taking his own life, a terrible accident or a case of homicide either covered up, or poorly investigated? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines the details of this disturbing and complex case. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

It was a hot summer afternoon in Newark, New Jersey in 1978. Five close friends, Melvin "Ricky" Pittman (17), Ernest Taylor (17), Alvin Turner (16), Randy Johnson (16) and Michael McDowell (16) had all gotten together to play basketball at West Side Park. As the afternoon turned to evening, the friends went their separate ways, planning to meet up again later. They were going to help a local business owner move boxes in preparation for his purchase of a new home, grab a few extra bucks for their trouble, and then see what this summer night had to offer. Sadly, none of them would ever return home. Over the next thirty-three years, theories and rumors would run rampant. Psychics would claim to hold the answers, tipsters would call in with leads that led to nowhere and eventually, a confession would result in a trial that would end with unsatisfying results. What happened to the young men, since then referred to as the Clinton Avenue Five and who may hold the answers to this haunting mystery? For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence https://www.facebook.com/groups/232601153862937/ Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty year old Angela Hammond was living in rural Clinton, Missouri. Everything in her life seemed to be coming together: she'd fallen in love, gotten engaged and was pregnant with her first child. The bright, sweet and beautiful young woman was excited for the days ahead and the future she was building. On April 4th, 1991, she had plans to meet her fiance, Rob, downtown for a night out. As the evening wore on, she found herself getting tired and decided she'd rather just go home. She stopped at a payphone at the edge of a supermarket parking lot and called Rob to cancel their plans. In the midst of this conversation, Angie was abducted by a man in a green pickup truck. Angie screamed into the phone. Rob sped over to the scene and caught sight of the truck. As it passed him, Rob saw Angie struggling with the driver and heard her screaming his name. He spun his own truck around and gave chase, but in doing so he had severely damaged his transmission and the last thing he saw were the abductor's tail lights vanishing into the darkness. Who abducted Angie Hammond twenty-seven years ago, and what became of her? Join Host Steven Pacheco as he examines this haunting story. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence https://www.facebook.com/groups/232601153862937/ Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Twenty year old Karina Holmer wanted to see more of the world beyond her Swedish home town. In the Spring of 1996, she decided to go to America, working as an Au Pair for a well to do family in the Boston suburb of Dover. At first, everything was going great, but soon problems began to rear their head. In letters home, the young woman went from positive and excited to negative and eventually, frightened. Karina promised to explain it all when she got home, but unfortunately, she would not return home alive or in one piece. In a case which has become the Boston Black Dahlia case, the young nanny was found murdered in a dumpster not far from the club she was last seen dancing at. Her dismembered remains were discovered by a homeless man, kicking off a massive investigation in which everyone was a suspect. Despite all of the media attention at the time, this terrible incident has been mostly forgotten over time, and Karina herself has become a name most no longer recall. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In her early twenties, April Pitzer found herself on the wrong side of the law. In order to wipe the slate clean, she agreed to become a confidential informant. She had no idea the dangerous world she was entering, and ultimately had to flee Arkansas when her identity was compromised. Years later, she was brought back to testify in a trial which sent over twenty members of a major drug ring to federal prison. April was never the same after that, scared and paranoid she began to fall into alcoholism and was diagnosed with bi-polar. After losing her marriage and having her children taken away, April decided to go to California in search of perspective and to put her life back together. Unfortunately, she would never make it back. In a terrifying twist of fate, a chance encounter with a woman from Arkansas revealed April's history as a drug informant and many of the people she found herself surrounded by had been involved in the very drug ring that she had testified against. Frightened and desperate, April wanted to come back home. Before she could, she would mysteriously vanish and rumors spread rapidly that she had been murdered and dumped in one of the 20,000 mines in the area. What became of April Pitzer and who took her life? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this heartbreaking case of deception, arrests, undercover work and murder. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Jeramy Burt was last seen on February 11th, 2007. Ninety six days later, the vehicle he had driven off in, his ex-wife's Mercury Cougar, was discovered abandoned and torched in the Bruneau desert in Southwest Idaho. The discovery of the car caused the Boise Police Department to officially launch an investigation into his disappearance. During the course of the investigation they examined his bank and phone records, revealing details about his final moments and the days after he vanished. His ex-wife, Kim, who he had been dating again at the time, married another man shortly after Jeramy disappeared, raising many suspicions. His former girlfriend, and ex-lawyer, Jeannie Braun, became a person of interest for almost everyone associated with the case, but was there more to the story? In the conclusion to this story, host Steven Pacheco examines the investigation, missing audio files, polygraph tests, suspects and a possible link between Jeramy's disappearance and that of another Idaho man, Ahren Barnard. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Thirty-three year old Jeramy Burt was putting his life back together. After an affair with his lawyer, his wife, Kim, filed for divorce and the two went their separate ways, though they were forever bonded through their young daughter. Jeramy regretted his mistakes and worked hard to make amends and regain Kim's trust. After his lawyer tried to coerce him into lying under oath in an attempt to frame her assistant, Jeramy recorded their conversations and testified against her in front of the grand jury. While his ex-lawyer, and former girlfriend, served a year in prison, Jeramy and Kim reconnected and began to repair the damage to their relationship. In February of 2007, they were living together and talking about future possibilities. Unfortunately, his old girlfriend had gotten out of prison and was pressuring Jeramy to come back to her. While Kim was in Las Vegas, for a work seminar, Jeramy spent the weekend with family back in his hometown of American Falls, Idaho. Upon returning, on Sunday evening, Jeramy spoke with Kim and then told his father he was going to meet a friend. He never came back. A series of bizarre texts were sent to Kim's cell phone, from Jeramy's phone. They alleged that he was moving on with his life, leaving town and planning to start a new life under a new identity. It made no sense, and Jeramy might leave Kim, but he would never leave his family, or his beloved daughter. Unfortunately, since the texts were from Jeramy's phone, and he was an adult, there was little police could do. However, when Kim reported that he'd left in her car, they did file reports about her missing vehicle. After several strange events, Kim's car was discovered three months later. It had been abandoned in the desolate Bruneau desert, one hundred miles south of Boise and it had been set ablaze. Little evidence could be recovered from the scene, but this disturbing find finally caused the Boise Police Department to launch an official investigation. What happened to Jeramy Burt and how could his disappearance possibly be connected to that of another Idaho man, with whom he was acquainted, three years earlier? Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this disturbing disappearance and highly complicated case in the first of this two-part episode. For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence Music courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/