The Trail Went Cold

Christmas Day 1996. La Vernia, Texas. Patty Vaughan, a 32-year old mother of three, vanishes without a trace and her van is found abandoned by the side of the road the following day. According to her estranged husband, J.R. Vaughan, Patty had stormed out of their house following a heated argument. Traces of Patty’s blood are found inside the house and her van and seem to indicate she was a victim of foul play. At the time, Patty was in the midst of a trial separation from her husband and recently started a relationship with another man. J.R. becomes the primary person of interest by filing for divorce the day after Patty went missing, but investigators lack enough evidence to file charges. This week’s holiday-themed episode of “The Trail Went Cold” covers a Christmas Day spousal disappearance which has yet to be solved. Additional Reading: http://charleyproject.org/case/patty-inez-brightwell-vaughan https://www.ksat.com/news/new-dna-findings-in-patty-vaughns-1996-disappearance https://foxsanantonio.com/news/l

December 26, 1985. Fayetteville, North Carolina. 28-year old nurse Debbie Wolfe leaves at the end of her shift at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, but does not show up for work the following morning. When Debbie’s mother checks her cabin, she discovers that Debbie is missing. Six days later, one of Debbie’s friends finds her at the bottom of a nearby pond, but even though he claims her body was inside a barrel, the local sheriff’s department rule that Debbie drowned accidentally and that the barrel never existed. However, Debbie’s loved ones uncover a lot of odd discrepancies to suggest she was a victim of foul play and point the finger at two potential suspects. This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” chronicles a bizarre unexplained death surrounded with controversy which has never been solved. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/debbie-wolfe/ http://www.drmauricegodwin.com/murderofdebbiewolfe.html “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon! Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to be

October 8, 1976. Knoxville, Tennessee. 16-year old Trenny Gibson leaves on a high school field trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park alongside nearly 40 classmates. The students spend the day hiking through the park, but after Trenny is last seen turning off the trail at around 3:00 PM, she vanishes without explanation. During a search of the park, dogs would track Trenny’s scent to a spot next to the roadside, creating speculation that she was abducted. Did Trenny simply wander off and die of exposure, or was she a victim of foul play? And if she was harmed, could other students have been involved? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we chronicle one of the most mysterious unsolved disappearances of the Smoky Mountains. Special thanks to listener Laura for requesting this case. Be sure to visit her blog about Trenny Gibson at https://www.canadiangurl77.com. Additional Reading: http://charleyproject.org/case/teresa-lynn-gibson https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/appalachian-unsolved

May 31, 1975. Hamilton, New Zealand. 18-year old Mona Blades leaves to hitchhike hundreds of kilometres in order to attend her nephew’s birthday in Hastings, but never arrives. After Mona is reported missing, witnesses would recall seeing her inside an orange Datsun station wagon with an unidentified man. Over the years, investigators examine a number of different suspects, including a man who committed suicide only weeks after Mona went missing, a former traffic officer, and a biker gang. Who was actually responsible for Mona Blades’ disappearance? This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” covers our first unsolved mystery from New Zealand, which happens to be one of the country’s famous missing persons cases. Special thanks to listener Loquin Britton for providing the opening narration for this episode. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mona_Blades_case https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12099766 http://www.police.govt.nz/stolenwanted/coldcase/2018/mona-eli

August 28, 2008. Laurel, Maryland. While returning to her apartment after running errands, 28-year old Army veteran and government employee Kanika Powell is shot to death inside the building’s hallway. In the preceding days, Kanika claimed that separate men impersonating an FBI agent and a deliveryman had knocked on her apartment door, but she refused to let them inside. Two-and-half-months later, Sean Nicholas Green, a 31-year old government employee living in Oxon Hill 30 miles away, is shot to death by a masked gunman while parked in traffic. Could the two crimes be connected? Were Kanika and Sean both murdered because they happened to work government jobs requiring top secret clearance? This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” examines a pair of baffling, seemingly motiveless unsolved murders which have left investigators stumped for the past decade. Additional Reading: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/03/AR2008090304010_2.html?noredirect=on https://truecrimedaily.com/2015/

August 14, 1986. Myrtle Point, Oregon. 14-year old Jeremy Bright attends a county fair with his younger sister, but after promising to meet her at a scheduled time, he does not show up and is never heard from again. After Jeremy is reported missing, it isn’t long before rumours start circulating throughout the community and many of them involve a group of local troublemakers causing Jeremy’s death and disposing of his body. Two years later, one of these alleged suspects would go to prison for an unrelated murder, but it still fails to turn up any answers about Jeremy’s disappearance. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we cover a frustrating missing persons case which has gone unsolved for three decades, even though there are people out there who might still know the truth about what happened. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Jeremy_Bright https://unsolved.com/gallery/jeremy-bright/ http://charleyproject.org/case/jeremy-doland-bright https://theworldlink.com/news

April 12, 1981. Keddie, California. 36-year old Sue Sharp, her 15-year old son John Sharp, and John’s 17-year old friend, Dana Wingate, are found brutally murdered inside Cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort. Sue’s 12-year old daughter, Tina Sharp, is missing and her skeletal remains would be discovered in a remote area three years later. Sue’s two youngest sons, along with a 12-year old family friend named Justin Smartt spent the night in a separate bedroom and were left unharmed. Over the years, the investigation would uncover two promising suspects who happened to live in another cabin at the resort. Were these two men responsible for the Keddie Cabin murders? Was there was a cover-up by law enforcement which allowed them to escape justice? Did Justin Smartt witness the murders and block the event from his memory? Were other suspects involved in the crime? For our special Halloween episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we will be examining an infamous case which was voted on by our listeners. Special thanks to listen

Five years ago, Molly Weaver, Bryan Anderson, and Nathan Howell started a podcast focused on the local legend of a monster called The Blackwood Bugman. Quickly, the investigation grows out of their control, as they discover that, not only are the legends seemingly true, many people in Blackwood have turned up dead or disappeared without a trace. Worse, there may be a reason why no one has ever uncovered the truth before. Someone is watching them, willing to do whatever it takes to keep the secret. Their recordings have finally been released. In this bonus episode, Robin introduces Blackwood and offers up a preview of the show. Click here to subscribe to Blackwood.

October 31, 2002. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 21-year old university student Chris Jenkins celebrates Halloween by going to a local bar with friends. After he is ejected from the establishment, Chris vanishes without a trace and his body is found in the Mississippi River four months later. While police initially believe that Chris’ death was an accidental drowning, his family uncovers disturbing discrepancies to suggest his body was not in the river the entire time he was missing and that he was a victim of foul play. After four years, the Minneapolis police chief reopens the investigation, reclassifies Chris’ death as a homicide, and issues an apology to the Jenkins family. What actually happened to Chris Jenkins after he left the bar? Could his death somehow be connected to the infamous “Smiley face murder theory”? This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” examines a truly baffling Halloween night mystery. Additional Reading: http://www.startribune.com/strange-case-of-son-s-death-propels-mom-on-tireless-ques

October 24, 1953. La Crosse, Wisconsin. The father of 15-year old Evelyn Hartley attempts to phone her while she is babysitting an infant child, but there is no answer at the house. After travelling there to check on her, he discovers that Evelyn has disappeared and the evidence suggests she was the victim of a violent abduction by an intruder. Days later, pieces of blood-stained clothing are found outside of town which are believed to belong to Evelyn and her abductor. Over the next several decades, there would be a number of developments, including a possible connection to notorious murderer Ed Gein and the discovery of a tape-recorded confession implicating multiple suspects in the crime, but Evelyn is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we examine what is considered to be one of the most terrifying unsolved missing persons cases of all time. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Evelyn_Hartley http://charleyproject.org/case/evelyn-grace-hartley http://jg-tc.com/

October 31, 1979. Williamson County, Texas. The nude body of a young woman is discovered in a concrete culvert next to Interstate 35. She has been strangled to death and is only clad in a pair of orange socks, but since she cannot be identified, “Orange Socks” becomes her nickname. Notorious serial killer Henry Lee […]

The courtroom can be a battlefield over money, people’s rights, and even their lives. For some cases, the consequences can affect us long after the verdict is read. Based on extensive interviews and court transcripts, Wondery’s new podcast LEGAL WARS puts you inside the jury box of some of the most famous court cases in American history, including Hulk Hogan’s courtroom wrestling match with Gawker, the battle for free speech on the internet, and the Rodney King trial that set off the LA Riots. Host Hill Harper, actor and Harvard Law School graduate, brings you the drama, the larger-than-life characters, and the real-world impact these cases had on our society. In this bonus episode, Robin introduces Legal Wars and offers up a preview of the show. To subscribe to Legal Wars on Apple Podcasts, click here.

November 1, 2001. State College, Pennsylvania. After spending Halloween night partying at a club with friends, 21-year old Penn State student Cindy Song is dropped off at her apartment complex at 4:00 AM. She is never heard from again, but some of her personal items and a piece of her Halloween costume are found inside […]

June 14, 2000. Jonesboro, Arkansas. 20-year old Amanda Tusing leaves her fiancee’s apartment to drive home to her parents’ house, but never arrives. Her abandoned car is soon discovered by the side of the highway, but there is no sign of Amanda. Days later, her body is found in a waterlogged ditch over 12 miles […]

April 16, 1987. Union City, Tennessee. Four-year old Marlena Childress vanishes from her front yard after her mother, Pamela Bailey, claims she saw a red car driving away from their house. Two months later, Pam confesses that she accidentally killed Marlena and tossed her body into the Obion River. Pam soon recants her confession and […]

August 16, 1983. Idaho Springs, Colorado. 14-year old Beth Miller leaves her home to go jogging, but never returns. The investigation uncovers some promising leads, including eyewitness accounts of a man in a red pick-up truck who was seen flirting with Beth in the days prior to her disappearance. Ten years later, the former girlfriend […]

October 12, 1982. Los Angeles, California. 35-year old Sol Salomon, his 39-year old wife Elaine, his 15-year old stepdaughter Michelle, and their 9-year old son Mitchell all vanish without explanation from their home. Evidence suggests they were victims of foul play and pieces of their identification are found scattered alongside a freeway. The investigation leads to Harvey Rader, a business acquaintance of Sol’s who is accused of killing the entire family and burying their bodies in the desert, and is also considered a potential suspect in the unsolved disappearance of a California couple named Peter and Joan Davis. Rader is eventually charged with murdering the Salomons, but after two mistrials, he is acquitted at his third trial in 1992. Did Harvey Rader get away with the murders of the Salomon family, or was someone else responsible? This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” chronicles the harrowing unsolved disappearance of an entire family who have still never been found. Additional Reading: http://w

November 6, 1976. Rome, New York. 59-year old Stanley Gryziec and his wife, Esther, are attacked in their home by two masked intruders, who tie up Esther, ransack the place, and murder Stanley. Even though the original autopsy report states that Stanley was stabbed to death, his son finds a shell casing inside the house which was overlooked by police, and an exhumation of Stanley’s body reveals that he was actually shot through the chest. Over a decade later, a new investigation uncovers evidence that the two perpetrators were hired to break into Stanley’s house and that his death may have been connected to illegal activities at a local bar and a secret confession Stanley heard from his dying brother. This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” chronicles a baffling unsolved home invasion murder and an alleged cover-up. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/stanley-gryziec/ http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Stanley_Gryziec “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon! Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwe

March 24, 1991. Victoria, British Columbia. Four-year old Michael Dunahee accompanies his family to a football game at a local elementary school and after they park their car, Michael asks if he can go to a nearby playground. Within minutes, Michael’s parents notice that he is not at the playground and has vanished without a trace, leading to speculation that he was abducted during a very narrow timeframe. Over the next two decades, there would be reported sightings of Michael, the surprising discovery of his missing poster in a deceased individual’s home, and a couple of young adults who were briefly suspected of being Michael himself, but he is never found. August 5, 1989. North Delta, British Columbia. After spending the night in the same bedroom as her baby sister, three-year old Casey Bohun vanishes without explanation from her home. Casey is last seen playing on the front porch by a neighbour and police dogs are able to track her scent down the street to a nearby park, but there is no sign of the missin

August 18, 1949. Los Angeles, California. After finishing a phone call with a friend, 48-year old widowed socialite Mimi Boomhower is not heard from for days. When police eventually check Mimi’s house, they discover that her lights are still on, an uneaten salad is sitting on the table, and her car is still parked in […]