The Deck

In June 2010, 50-year-old Blanca Acevedo was navigating a life of quiet chaos when she was found murdered in a building set aflame. The brutal case of overkill quickly went cold for the detectives on the case… But could a letter found on Blanca’s bedside table have held the key to finding her killer all along? It’s one of several clues new investigators are chasing down to solve this 15-year-old murder.

On a mild spring night in 1991, Luther’s teenage son found him lying dead on his bedroom floor next to his overturned wheelchair and a knife. With a locked door and no signs of forced entry, police believe his killer could have been someone he knew and trusted… but when they zoom out, investigators notice a series of other crimes with eerie similarities… and they begin to consider whether a serial killer could be to blame.

When a man stopped to get gas in the middle of the night in 1985, he had no idea he was walking into the scene of a murder. The 23-year-old gas station attendant, Carmen “CJ” DeLuca, had been shot to death for seemingly no reason. But with no witnesses and no clear motive, police had no idea who killed him. He was a good guy with no known enemies, engaged to the love of his life, and planning a wedding that would never happen. It wasn’t until another customer walked into another gas station to get his morning coffee…and found another attendant shot that investigators were able to hone in on some suspects. Because their second victim was alive, he got a clear look at the man who shot him. But 40 years later, investigators haven’t been able to identify the shooter. They think they’re close, but time is running out as evidence, suspects, and memories are lost to time. They need someone to come forward and confirm their suspicions to get justice for CJ, his fiancé, and the life they never got to have together.

In the dead of winter, a fire consumed a home in Rochester, New York — but what firefighters discovered inside wasn’t an accident. Four bodies, bound, shot, and left in a scene so brutal it stunned even experienced detectives. Nearly a decade later, with no arrests and few answers, the question still haunts everyone left behind: Who could commit such a massacre – and why?

Early on November 14, 1993, just two weeks before Thanksgiving, Sharon Glover was found viciously stabbed to death on a rural backroad in northwest Louisiana. Rumors led Sharon’s family to believe the killer was someone close to them. But detectives are now releasing new information in this case for the first time, and they believe there’s been a different prime suspect lurking in the background of this investigation for decades.

From the outside, 43-year-old George was a family man: a former greeting card salesman turned restaurant owner who loved his kids, the outdoors, and working hard. But after George was shot three times and left for dead in his restaurant’s parking lot, details of his life began to emerge that painted a rather different picture... And the surprising twists that detectives uncovered led them to suspect that George had been targeted by a hitman. For nearly forty years they’ve been looking for the shooter and, more importantly, the person who hired them.

Recently divorced and living on her own in a new city, 27-year-old Owachige Osceola’s life was in a season of transition before she was killed in the bedroom of her Norman, Oklahoma apartment in September 2013. While the medical examiner who performed her autopsy concluded her cause and manner of death were “undetermined,” a detective who remains on the case today insists a killer has been allowed to walk free for nearly a decade.

On a hot summer night in 2005, Sandra Burris and her best friend went clubbing in their small Louisiana town. The night started out like any other, but the friends went separate ways later in the evening, and sometime after that, Sandra vanished—and there’s been no trace of her since. As the 20th anniversary of Sandra’s disappearance approaches, her oldest daughter, Kelly Melancon, is still looking for answers. But it turns out, you get the right reporter dusting things off, asking questions… and you just might uncover new avenues of investigation.

From the outside, Greenacres seemed like a picture-perfect place to grow up, with a park, school, and corner store stocked with sugary sweets and arcade games all within walking distance. For Christy Luna and her friends, weekends were spent roaming the neighborhood and playing outside barefoot. But this storybook community had darkness lurking just under the surface, and it reared its ugly head one May night in 1984. More than 40 years later, Christy’s friends are peeling back the layers and piecing together memories from their childhood, finding that what actually lay beneath was much darker than they ever could’ve imagined.

In the winter of 1976, Lisa Staes was trying to figure out what exactly she wanted to do with her life. Like so many 20-year-olds, she’d just moved out of her parents’ house and started classes at a community college. She was embracing her independence as a young adult. But no one ever got to see how Lisa’s life would unfold. Because that same year she disappeared. It took nearly two years for investigators to figure out that Lisa had been murdered. But in the 49 years since, they’re still trying to uncover why, and, most importantly… who. And now more than ever, it’s a race against time.

Donna Martin was stabbed and killed in her own home in south Florida back in 1999. And police believed that the man who may have killed her was the very same man who had turned Boca Raton into a hunting ground. But police have been unable to pin Donna’s murder on him. That suspect even went to prison for other crimes, but now he’s a free man. And police believe solving Donna’s murder could help save other women in Florida.

In the Fall of 1977, Bob was just weeks into his freshman year at UW-Madison. He was a math whiz with a knack for computers and a big heart. At 18-years-old, there was no telling how far he’d go. But no one ever expected to be asking the question… Where did he go? Yet here we are almost half a century later, with that burning question and just a string of bizarre clues that leads many to believe an infamous serial killer could be to blame for his disappearance.

If you’ve ever been alone and felt like you might be in trouble, maybe you called someone… made it known you were on the phone… made it clear someone else was listening. But chatting on her cell while walking up to her apartment in sunny South Florida during broad daylight, Gwen couldn’t have sensed her life was in danger. And even the friend on the other end of the line had no way of stopping the evil that was lurking just behind Gwen’s front door…

Kyle Seidel was a 34-year-old dad to three young kids when he went to pick up Chinese takeout the Friday night before Christmas in 2012. His wife expected him to be gone for only about 20 minutes… but Kyle never came home again. A violent encounter on his way to the restaurant cut his life short. For 12 years, Kyle’s family has been left to wonder why Kyle pulled into a bowling alley parking lot on the way to the restaurant, who he encountered there, and why they shot him. Investigators think they know who pulled the trigger, but they don’t know the why… they’re hoping that just one new piece of evidence could help them find answers and bring his killer, or killers, to justice.

When George, Asia, and Lindsay were all fatally shot in the same house on a stormy Mississippi night in 2019, nobody in the area heard or saw anything. But in the days after the attack, rumors and conspiracy theories went wild. And more than five years later… detectives are still working to untangle them all.

The last known people to see Sharon Jones alive around Thanksgiving weekend in 1987 have something in common. They all attended the same apartment party. And when the young woman showed up dead several days later…stories started swirling about what actually went down that night. More than 37 years later, her family’s still hearing remnants of these rumors…rumors they’re hoping someone out there can help them put to rest once and for all…

Dashaun “Dae Dae” Lawson was 26-years-old when he was fatally shot outside his mother’s apartment in the Hockanum Park apartment complex in East Hartford, Connecticut. Dae Dae was killed  just a few days before Christmas in 2017 and  left behind three children, all under the age of five. His family and the detectives working his case are confident that someone in their neighborhood must have seen or heard something that could help investigators figure out who killed Dae Dae, they just need them to finally come forward.

When 29-year-old Susie went to a house party on her reservation, surrounded by friends and so close to home, she should’ve been safe. But when the mother of two left the party in a car with some younger men, things took a turn for the worse. Susie never made it home, and six months later, her remains were found in a nearby forest. The men Susie was last seen with became immediate suspects, but to this day, there just isn’t enough evidence to charge them with her murder… Or is there?

When 37-year-old Tessie went more than a month without contacting any of her six children, her mom had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. Her loved ones never thought over five years would go by without hearing from her. But here they are ... still in the same stagnant spot. Still wondering what really happened... still waiting for Tessie to come home.

When a beloved mother and grandmother is found stabbed to death inside her own home in an affluent seaside community, detectives are immediately suspicious of her soon-to-be ex-husband. But when his alibi seemed to check out, they were compelled to look at less obvious alternatives. Was this a murder-for-hire plot, or could the killer be someone much closer to Carole than they’d previously assumed?

On July 2nd 2018, Jeff West, a 46-year-old father of four, got into an argument with his mom in the backyard of her house. In the heat of the moment, he apparently stormed off into the woods surrounding her property… and has never been seen again.

Agustin Chacon, 25, and Marshall McCarthy, 37, were both shot to death in their homes in the same Odessa, Texas, neighborhood on the same winter night in 1982. While Marshall’s case nearly had too many leads for investigators to chase, Agustin’s hardly had any. A language barrier between police and Agustin’s roommates made things even harder. Now, more than 40 years later, one cold case detective is working through the different challenges in each case as she tries to solve both of these men’s murders.

Thirty-eight-year-old, LaQuandra “Shavonne” Slater was known for being independent. Everyone who knew her said she was outspoken, knew how to take care of herself, and wasn’t one to be pushed around. So, it was all the more shocking when, in December of 2016, she disappeared without a trace.

On September 27th 2008, 51-year-old My-Dung Tran boarded a bus from her home in Pensacola, Florida to Biloxi, Mississippi for a trip to the casinos. She planned to stay for a couple of weeks to gamble with friends in the area. But on October 4th, 2008, My-Dung got into a cab outside of a casino and was never seen or heard from again. In the 16 years since then, her case has remained a mystery to Biloxi police.

William Alvarado was 73 years old when he was found stabbed to death in his living room in Willimantic, Connecticut in 2016. For years, his case was ice cold. But just recently, it started heating up– all thanks to a tip that came in from a deck of cold case playing cards. Now, detectives are working around the clock to finally solve William’s murder – and they’re the closest they’ve ever been.

After a night out with a new love interest in May 1986, 25-year-old Debra Sue Moore was fatally stabbed steps outside her date’s apartment door. Police quickly zeroed in on her estranged husband as a suspect, but a string of attacks on several other women in the same area during the same week forced them to consider whether a serial predator could be to blame for Debra’s death.

When 32-year-old Javed Akhtar was fatally shot outside his convenience store in East Windsor, Connecticut, on a cold winter night in 2007, his wife, their two young children, and a community of loyal customers were desperate for answers. Police soon found the murder weapon, but solving the case wouldn’t be simple, and the investigation stalled for years. Now, after reviewing case files for this episode of The Deck, investigators are pursuing new leads on three suspects, including one man with a direct link to that gun.

Three decades have passed since 29-year-old Deborah Perry was found shot to death on a rural cul-de-sac outside Columbia, South Carolina, and her killer has never been caught. As cold case investigators follow new leads, Deborah’s daughter wonders if a pair of flowered pants and men’s underwear her mother was found holding could be the key to cracking the case.

On its face, this missing person’s case might appear to be a tragic tale of a young man experiencing some sort of mental break. But there are a lot of loose ends and strange occurrences that can’t fully be explained away by a young college grad simply taking off on his own.

There had been many times that Mark Marino hugged his oldest son goodbye and feared he might never see him again. After all, Dominic was an Air Force vet who’d been deployed overseas more than a few times. But this wasn’t one of those moments. 30-year-old Dominic was just heading home after a short visit with his dad, both sure they would see each other again soon. Now that hug is a scene Mark will play on a loop in his mind for the rest of his life.

Nineteen-year-old John Phillips was found dead and surrounded by dozens of weapons in a Rhode Island parking lot on October 28, 1986. His death was ruled a suicide, and for 15 years, the case was considered closed. But in 2001, after taking a closer look at the case files, detectives realized something didn’t quite add up… Today, they’re still working to uncover exactly what… or who… brought John to his death that October day.

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.

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.