The Trail Went Cold

February 26, 2010. Broome, Australia. After spending the night out drinking with friends, 21-year old Josh Warneke starts to walk home, but he is soon found dead by the side of the road with a fatal head injury. Two-and-a-half years later, a young Aboriginal man named Gene Gibson is charged with Josh’s murder after confessing that he bludgeoned him to death with a metal pole, but since his confession is thrown out before trial, Gene winds up pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and is sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison. However, since the police used a number of questionable tactics, the Western Australia Court of Appeal quashes Gene’s conviction in 2017 and he is released from prison, but there are no conclusive answers about who was responsible for Josh’s death. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we travel down under to Australia to explore one of their most controversial cases in recent memory. Special thanks to listener Kristy Ward for narrating the opening of this

March 14, 1988. Union Township, Ohio. 18-year old Scott Hilbert leaves a note on his parents’ refrigerator to say that he is borrowing the family car to go visit a friend at Ohio State University, but he never returns and vanishes without a trace. Three-and-a-half weeks later, the abandoned car is discovered 1,700 miles away on the slope of a remote canyon in Mohave County, Arizona and while some of Scott’s belongings are missing, others are scattered outside the vehicle. The odometer shows an additional 2,000 miles which cannot be accounted for and while it seems apparent that someone made a failed attempt to dispose of the car, no one knows why it wound up at this location and Scott is never found.  February 13, 1998. Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. 20-year old Steven Mylan drives away from his family’s residence and never returns, but while there is a record of his car crossing the border into New York state the following day, no one can be certain if Steven was actually driving it. Nearly four months later,

June 4, 2019. Fairview Park, Ohio. 40-year old Carnell Sledge and his 33-year old friend, Kate Brown, agree to meet up at the Rocky River Reservation in the Cleveland Metroparks and they each drive there in their respective vehicles. Within 15 minutes of their arrival, Carnell and Kate are both fatally shot in the head near a park bench and the perpetrator manages to flee the scene without anyone seeing or hearing anything. Investigators look into the backgrounds of both victims to see if anyone had a motive to harm them, but are unable to turn up any evidence to implicate anyone and the crime remains unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a baffling double homicide known as the “Park Bench Murders”. Additional Reading: https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Kate_Brown_and_Nell_Sledge https://unsolved.com/gallery/park-bench-murders/ https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/06/parents-of-homicide-victim-carnell-sledge-did-not-know-woman-killed-with-him.html https://www.cleveland.co

July 11, 2006. Snohomish County, Washington. 56-year old Mary Cooper and her 27-year old daughter, Susanna Stodden, leave their homes in Seattle in order to go hiking on the Pinnacle Lake Trail over 60 miles away. Later that day, Mary and Susanna’s bodies are found alongside the trail after they have both been shot in the head and even though some of their clothing was removed, neither of them were sexually assaulted. For years, Mary’s husband is looked at as a potential suspect before he is officially ruled out, but even though a partial male DNA profile is eventually found under Susanna’s fingernails, it has not been matched to anyone. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a double homicide known as the “Pinnacle Lake Murders” which has gone unsolved for nearly 20 years. In addition, we’ll also discuss the unsolved murders of 25-year old Patricia Dixon and her five-year old daughter, Amanda Dixon, who also lived in the Seattle area and were both shot to death inside their motel room in

July 26, 1988. Jackson, Mississippi. After getting into an argument with her mother, seven-year old Daffany Tullos leaves her grandparents’ residence and is last seen walking down the street by neighbours before she disappears. Suspicion turns towards Ernest Lee Epps, the boyfriend of Daffany’s mother, who was charged with sexual battery for allegedly molesting Daffany and released from jail on bond the same day she went missing. However, there is no evidence to implicate Ernest and even though a shirt belonging to Daffany is found in a neighbour’s yard a year-and-a-half later, no trace of her is ever found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a missing children’s case which has gone unsolved for nearly 38 years. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Jackson Police Department at (601) 960-1234. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/daffany-sherika-tullos https://www.newspapers.com/image/184041774/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/184088100/ https

December 13, 1976. Fairfield, Maine. The daughter of 31-year old Pauline Rourke kisses her sleeping mother goodbye before leaving for school, but when she returns home later that day, Pauline has vanished without a trace. Suspicion turns towards Pauline’s live-in friend, Albert Pat Cochran, who frequently fought with her and had developed an odd obsession with the recent murder of another woman from the area named Janet Baxter. Two decades later, Pat is charged and convicted of Janet’s murder, but even though he is suspected of being responsible for Pauline’s disappearance, there is not enough evidence to implicate him and Pauline is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore an unsolved missing persons case involving a victim who has not been seen in nearly 50 years. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/pauline-rourke https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/investigation-traffic/major-crime-units/unsolved/missing-persons/rourke-pauline https://www.newspapers.com/image/84937

July 29, 1965. Gothenburg, Sweden. After meeting together at a café, 21-year old Jan Olof Dahlsjo, 22-year old Gay Roger Karlsson and 16-year old Kjell-Ake Johansson all climb into a Volvo belonging to Jan Olof’s brother, but the three men and the car soon vanish without a trace. That very same day, 18-year old Hubner “Hymme” Lundquist also disappears after travelling from his family’s cottage in Torekov to Gothenburg Central Station. There is speculation that the two cases might be connected to each other, as well as a bank robbery which also took place in Gothenburg that same afternoon, but this is never conclusively proven and none of the four missing victims are ever found. For the first time ever, “The Trail Went Cold” will be travelling to Sweden to explore a mystery known as “The Dahlsjo Case”. Be sure to check out the podcast, "Global True Crime", on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahlsj%C3%B6_Case https://www.sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/589089 https://www.sv

May 29, 2011. Florence, Kentucky. After missing their morning church service, 74-year old Bill Stephenson and his 74-year old wife, Peggy Stephenson, are found murdered inside their condo. Their causes of death are listed as blunt force trauma and sharp force trauma and while few details about the crime scene are released to the public, it’s reported that the victims’ bodies and a number of items in the condo were moved around and staged in a specific fashion in order to send some sort of message. It’s believed that the killer remained at the scene for hours after committing the murders and even though an unidentified DNA profile is found there, it is never matched to anyone and the crime remains unsolved. July 30, 2011. Norwalk, Iowa. A fire breaks out at the rural home of 79-year old Bill Wood and his 72-year old wife, Kay Wood, and burns their residence to the ground. After the fire is put out, Bill’s charred body is found at the scene and it turned out he was shot to death, but there is no sign of Kay any

August 7, 1973. Fontana, California. A CB radio operator hears a broadcast from a crying boy calling himself “Larry”, who claims that his father is dead and he needs help. Other CB operators throughout the United States start receiving broadcasts from Larry on their radios and he eventually reveals that he was involved in an accident in a remote part of New Mexico and is trapped inside an overturned pick-up truck alongside his father’s body. While Larry claims that he is using the truck’s CB radio to communicate, he fails to provide many specific details about his location or his background. Even though a massive search operation is launched, no trace of Larry or his truck can be found, leading to speculation that the whole incident was an elaborate hoax, but the mysterious broadcaster known only as “Lost Boy Larry” is never identified. To commemorate our episode’s release date of April 1, we will be doing something a little differently from the norm this week by chronicling the saga of “Lost Boy Larry”. Addi

December 14, 2000. Callahan, Florida. After picking up a prescription from a pharmacy, 51-year old Jackie Markham returns home from work, but she soon vanishes without a trace and the prescription is found on the front seat of her car inside the garage. Jackie’s boyfriend, Archie Carroll, claims she phoned him to say that a drunk man named “Richard” had unexpectedly shown up at her house, but by the time Archie drove over there to check on her, Jackie was gone. Investigators explore a number of different leads, including the possibility that Jackie was harmed by a suspected serial killer or that Archie himself could have been responsible for her disappearance, but there is no evidence of what happened. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the disappearance of Jackie Markham, which has gone unsolved for 25 years. Special thanks to listener Ryan Sheesley for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/jacquelyn-lorraine-markham https://disapp

March 16, 1990. San Francisco County, California. 17-year old Toni Clark, who happens to be two months pregnant, leaves her cousin’s residence in Oakland to drive back to her apartment in San Bruno in her boyfriend’s Chevrolet Camaro. Shortly thereafter, the stalled Camaro is discovered on the Bay Bridge and after another motorist crashes into it, investigators conclude that Toni was likely propelled off the bridge into San Francisco Bay. However, Toni’s body is never recovered and there are a number of odd discrepancies, such as reported sightings of a black male next to the Camaro shortly before the accident and a bizarre anonymous phone call to Toni’s mother, which cause speculation that Toni was abducted. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we will explore whether Toni Clark was actually the victim of a tragic accident or if something much more sinister happened. In addition, we’ll also discuss the unsolved disappearances of 28-year old Diego Garcia, 41-year old Carmen Burhans Garcia and eigh

March 1, 1932. East Amwell Township, New Jersey. 20-month old Charles Lindbergh Jr., the son of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh, is abducted from his crib in the nursery of his home and a note is left behind demanding a $50,000 ransom for the baby’s safe return. Even though the ransom is eventually paid out to an unidentified man at a cemetery in the Bronx, the child is not returned and his body is found in a wooded area located just over four miles from the Lindbergh residence. His cause of death is a fractured skull and it is believed that he was killed on the very same night he was kidnapped. Over two years later, a suspect named Bruno Richard Hauptmann is charged, convicted and executed for the child’s murder. However, some people believe that Hauptmann was railroaded and even though nearly a century has passed, there is still a lot of controversy and debate surrounding one of the most famous cases of all time. To commemorate the milestone of our ten-year anniversary as a podcast, “The Trail Went Cold”

March 1, 1932. East Amwell Township, New Jersey. 20-month old Charles Lindbergh Jr., the son of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh, is abducted from his crib in the nursery of his home and a note is left behind demanding a $50,000 ransom for the baby’s safe return. Even though the ransom is eventually paid out to an unidentified man at a cemetery in the Bronx, the child is not returned and his body is found in a wooded area located just over four miles from the Lindbergh residence. His cause of death is a fractured skull and it is believed that he was killed on the very same night he was kidnapped. Over two years later, a suspect named Bruno Richard Hauptmann is charged, convicted and executed for the child’s murder. However, some people believe that Hauptmann was railroaded and even though nearly a century has passed, there is still a lot of controversy and debate surrounding one of the most famous cases of all time. To commemorate the milestone of our ten-year anniversary as a podcast, “The Trail Went Cold”

March 1, 1932. East Amwell Township, New Jersey. 20-month old Charles Lindbergh Jr., the son of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh, is abducted from his crib in the nursery of his home and a note is left behind demanding a $50,000 ransom for the baby’s safe return. Even though the ransom is eventually paid out to an unidentified man at a cemetery in the Bronx, the child is not returned and his body is found in a wooded area located just over four miles from the Lindbergh residence. His cause of death is a fractured skull and it is believed that he was killed on the very same night he was kidnapped. Over two years later, a suspect named Bruno Richard Hauptmann is charged, convicted and executed for the child’s murder. However, some people believe that Hauptmann was railroaded and even though nearly a century has passed, there is still a lot of controversy and debate surrounding one of the most famous cases of all time. To commemorate the milestone of our ten-year anniversary as a podcast, “The Trail Went Cold”

March 1, 1932. East Amwell Township, New Jersey. 20-month old Charles Lindbergh Jr., the son of renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh, is abducted from his crib in the nursery of his home and a note is left behind demanding a $50,000 ransom for the baby’s safe return. Even though the ransom is eventually paid out to an unidentified man at a cemetery in the Bronx, the child is not returned and his body is found in a wooded area located just over four miles from the Lindbergh residence. His cause of death is a fractured skull and it is believed that he was killed on the very same night he was kidnapped. Over two years later, a suspect named Bruno Richard Hauptmann is charged, convicted and executed for the child’s murder. However, some people believe that Hauptmann was railroaded and even though nearly a century has passed, there is still a lot of controversy and debate surrounding one of the most famous cases of all time. To commemorate the milestone of our ten-year anniversary as a podcast, “The Trail Went Cold”

September 23, 2012. Unionville, Tennessee. A fire breaks out at the farmhouse of 69-year old Molli McClaran and her 72-year old husband, Leon “Bubba” McClaran, which burns the whole residence to the ground. At the time, the couple had been taking care of two of their grandchildren - nine-year old Chloie Leverette and seven-year old Gage Daniel - but even though the burnt remains of Molli, Bubba and their two pets are recovered from the rubble, the children’s remains cannot found. While the authorities are unable to conclusively determine what started the fire, there is speculation that it was an act of arson and Chloie and Gage could have been abducted by an unknown party. Were the two children the tragic victims of an accidental fire or did something more nefarious happen? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a bizarre missing children’s case which does not have any definitive answers. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/chloie-rhianna-leverette https://charleyproject.o

January 15, 1991. Kingston, Tennessee. 35-year old Karen Farmer Beard, who happens to be seven-and-a-half months pregnant, drops off her two daughters at the residence of the parents of her ex-husband, Reece Beard. Hours later, Karen’s abandoned car is found next to a bridge located a quarter-mile away and while a woman claiming to be Karen had phoned a towing service and asked them to pick up her car, investigators believe the caller may have been an impostor. Since Karen was engaged in a heated child custody battle with Reece and alleged that he was the father of her unborn child, there is speculation that this may have been connected to her disappearance and multiple people were involved in covering the whole thing up, but no trace of Karen is ever found. November 12, 1987. Phillips, Wisconsin. After finishing her shift at a factory, 23-year old Marchelle “Shelly” Hansen vanishes without a trace and her abandoned car is found in the parking lot of a resort over ten miles away. Shelly had recently told her

September 24, 1963. Opa-locka, Florida. 29-year old pilot Geoffrey Sullivan takes off in a twin-engine Beechcraft Travel Air plane from Opa-locka Airport and is accompanied by 37-year old freelance journalist Alex Rorke, as well as a passenger believed to be a Cuban exile named Enrique Molina Garcia. Over the next several hours, Sullivan flies through the Caribbean and changes his flight plan several times, but after stopping to refuel on the island of Cozumel, the plane and its passengers vanish without a trace. Since Sullivan and Rorke were heavily involved in anti-communist missions against Fidel Castro, it is rumoured that they may have been captured and held prisoner in Cuba for years. Even though Sullivan’s daughter eventually files a wrongful death lawsuit against the Cuban government, she receives no conclusive answers about what happened. On this week’s episode, we explore a Cold War era mystery about a missing aircraft and two American men. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/geoffrey-s

June 27, 2000. Warren, Massachusetts. After showing up at Comins Pond to work her shift as a lifeguard, 16-year old Molly Bish vanishes without a trace and leaves all of her personal belongings behind on the beach. The previous day, Molly’s mother had dropped her off and noticed a suspicious-looking man inside a white car in the beach’s parking lot and numerous witnesses report seeing a white car in the area on the morning of Molly’s disappearance. Nearly three years later, Molly’s remains are discovered in a wooded area five miles from Comins Pond and it is believed that she was the victim of an abduction and a homicide. Over the years, a number of different individuals are looked at as persons of interest, but there is not enough conclusive evidence to implicate any of them, so the crime remains unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the disappearance and murder of Molly Bish, as well as its potential connections to the case featured on last week’s episode: the 1993 murder of

August 5, 1993. Sturbridge, Massachusetts. After leaving her grandparents’ cottage to view some puppies at a neighbour’s farm, ten-year old Holly Piirainen disappears and one of her shoes is found next to the road. Over two months later, Holly’s skeletal remains are discovered in a wooded area five miles away and it is believed that she was the victim of an abduction and a homicide. Over the years, investigators look at a number of different persons of interest, including a man in a pick-up truck who was supposedly seen in the area right before Holly went missing. They also explore the possibility that the case might be connected to the 2000 disappearance and murder of 16-year old Molly Bish, which took place in the nearby town of Warren, but neither crime is ever solved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the tragic abduction and murder of Holly Piirainen. if you have any information about this case, please call a tip line which has been set up at (413) 426-3507. Additional Reading: