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The Trail Went Cold

Author: Robin Warder

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The Trail Went Cold is a weekly true crime podcast which explores baffling unsolved mysteries and cold cases. On each episode, host Robin Warder examines a new murder or missing persons case, tackling a wide variety of mysteries from different countries and time periods. After sharing all the details about each case, Robin offers his own personal analysis and theories about what happened. The podcast is produced and edited by Magill Foote and the music composed and performed by Vince Nitro.
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Since “The Trail Went Cold” originally launched in February 2016, we have featured nearly 500 cold cases on the podcast, a number of which have wound up being solved or have experienced major developments. As a result, we have now released a total of six special “update” episodes and this is our second episode about updates which took place in 2024. This time around, we’ll share major developments in such cases as the 1996 murders of Julie Williams and Lollie Winans, the 2000 disappearance of Asha Degree and the 1995 disappearance of Morgan Nick. These are just some of the cases we’ll be discussing on our sixth “update” episode of “The Trail Went Cold”. Here are the links to our three previous “update” episodes:  https://trailwentcold.podbean.com/e/the-trail-went-cold-episode-155-update/  https://trailwentcold.podbean.com/e/the-trail-went-cold-episode-257-update-part-2/  https://trailwentcold.podbean.com/e/the-trail-went-cold-episode-310-update-part-3/  https://trailwentcold.podbean.com/e/the-trail-went-cold-episode-359-update-part-4/ https://trailwentcold.podbean.com/e/the-trail-went-cold-episode-369-update-part-5/ “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
On this special holiday bonus episode titled “True Crime Convos”, “The Trail Went Cold” has been teamed up with two other fellow true crime podcasters to converse about our various experiences in the medium. Join me as I chat with Melissa of the “Navigating Advocacy Podcast” and Robert Parmer of “The Broken System Podcast” about such topics as researching cold cases, working with victims’ families, and even some of the more bizarre things we’ve experienced as podcasters. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
Over the past six years, “The Trail Went Cold” has released three special Q&A episodes in which Robin Warder answered a number of questions that were sent in by our audience. We have decided to put together another episode like this and received some interesting new questions from listeners. Which cases from the podcast do you believe will eventually be solved? Do you intend to cover every unsolved case that was featured on “Unsolved Mysteries”? Are there any cases that you will never cover? What are your thoughts on the JonBenet Ramsey murder and the recent Netflix documentary about the case? These questions and many others will be answered as we close out 2024 with our fourth Q&A episode of “The Trail Went Cold”. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
December 18, 1979. Moline, Illinois. 30-year old Cody James and 30-year old Gary Harker leave Gary’s woodcarving shop in Cody’s pick-up truck in order to make a delivery and collect some money, but they never return and the truck is later found abandoned across the state line in Davenport, Iowa. Four months after the disappearances, the pick-up is sold off at a police auction, but the new owners are shocked to discover Cody and Gary’s bodies concealed beneath some debris in the truck bed and it turns out both men have been bludgeoned to death. It is theorized that the crime was drug-related and even though photographs of two potential suspects are provided to investigators decades later, no one is ever charged with the murders. For our final holiday-themed episode of 2024, “The Trail Went Cold” chronicles a shocking double homicide which has remained unsolved for 45 years. Additional Reading: https://www.newspapers.com/image/338695963/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/132294466/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/305885059/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/338686918/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/305875824/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/306038136/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308122207/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308122229/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308435558/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308435566/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/548370305/ “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
December 23, 1988. Orange County, North Carolina. A quartet of friends – 19-year old Kenneth Dungee, 17-year old Kenneth Newkirk, 17-year old Levern Allen and 17-year old Darius Bannerman – leave their homes in Greensboro in order to drive to Raleigh to go Christmas shopping. While travelling down Interstate 40, their car is violently run off the road by a blue Monte Carlo containing a white man and a white woman. Kenneth Dungee is killed in the crash and while his three friends survive, Levern has his right leg amputated. Since the four young men were black, it is speculated that the occupants of the Monte Carlo may have committed a hate crime, but they cannot be identified. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a shocking hit-and-run murder was has remained unsolved for 36 years. In addition, we will also be covering the unsolved 1990 abduction, assault and attempted murder of a woman known only as “Debbie”, another crime which took place along the interstates of North Carolina and was committed by an assailant who has never been identified. Join us on Saturday, December 14 at 8:00pm ET for an online streaming marathon where we will be watching classic segments from “Unsolved Mysteries”. You can enter our screening room by clicking on this link. Additional Reading: https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Kenneth_Dungee https://unsolved.com/gallery/greensboro-hit-and-run https://greensboro.com/unsolved-mysteries-generates-300-calls/article_73f2546a-b7e2-5d91-baea-2057e5539e12.html https://greensboro.com/highway-ramming-death-still-unsolved/article_ca088d5c-8526-55a2-8ef9-c34e255089ae.html https://greensboro.com/hit-and-run-still-lingers-for-victims/article_98dcb974-a1fe-5152-b28d-82dc81c18a21.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/655391766/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/655996666/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/655985511/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/625632837/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Debbie https://unsolved.com/gallery/shotgun-survivor/ https://greensboro.com/officers-search-for-rapist/article_d2e03e5e-35ad-56a4-a14b-013cc1ec1646.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/655996954/ https://greensboro.com/family-boosts-reward-in-kidnap-case/article_3c7615dc-413f-56bf-849f-0d884b5fb26f.html https://greensboro.com/first-survival-then-success-it-s-like-god-gave-me/article_5de2143b-73c7-5e33-8533-3bfb79950b28.html “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
May 18, 2024. Redding, California. 39-year old Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain texts her sister from a hospital and says she is planning to drive to her mother-in-law’s house, but she soon cuts off all contact with her family and disappears. One week later, Nikki’s abandoned truck is discovered 50 miles away in a remote section of Tehama County, but searches of the area fail to find her. Prior to her disappearance, Nikki had filed domestic violence charges against her estranged husband, Tyler McCain, and they were scheduled to go to trial in the near-future. Even though Tyler and his family display suspicious behavior and provide constantly-changing and conflicting stories about the last time they saw Nikki, there is no direct evidence of foul play and Nikki cannot be found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we cover a recent missing persons case where the victim’s family is desperately searching for answers.  If you happen to have any information about this case, please contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (530) 245-6135. You can also E-mail them at MCU@shastacounty.gov or submit tips at www.scsecretwitness.com/submit-a-tip Additional Reading:  https://www.newspapers.com/image/1092055923/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1093905298/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1100104152/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1102064689/ https://krcrtv.com/news/local/community-unites-in-first-large-scale-search-for-mother-of-four-nikki-saelee-mccain?fbclid=IwY2xjawFid0dleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfaKr6DjCiKnnDNDWD5yB7CMOPaCc1YCzsrxatoU983yM-MDlj3NUB-hfA_aem_O8hCrrMGyWLD8P02bLNauA https://krcrtv.com/news/local/olinda-fire-started-one-person-individual-cited-by-cal-fire-happy-valley-anderson-shasta-county-identity-law-enforcement?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0PQFG2Rl3S482BojIv5x6TX-w-nGe_x29QmJu0HmN0xQDMMMq91Wig-mw_aem_0K63BDFK36hnyaGZ9ZIOnw https://anewscafe.com/2024/07/13/redding/new-witness-sheds-light-on-allegations-of-domestic-violence-endured-by-missing-shasta-county-woman-nikki-saelee-mccain/ https://anewscafe.com/2024/08/09/redding/new-information-emerges-in-missing-nikki-saelee-mccain-case-as-law-enforcement-reveals-few-details/ https://nypost.com/2024/08/17/us-news/missing-mom-who-vanished-in-may-had-texted-family-to-say-she-was-leaving-abusive-husband-report/ https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/no-clues-may-disappearance-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain-domestic-violence-rcna163307 https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/no-clues-may-disappearance-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain-domestic-violence-rcna163307 https://shastascout.org/tyler-mccains-felony-dv-charges-dismissed-as-search-for-missing-wife-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain-continues/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
August 22, 1965. South Bend, Indiana. 49-year old Edward Banish is murdered inside his home after being stabbed seven times. Over two months earlier, Edward’s 18-year old son, Scott Banish, had gone missing after an apparent drowning accident in Lake Michigan, but eight days after his father’s murder, Scott is discovered to be alive and admits to having faked his own death. Even though Scott seems to have a solid alibi placing him over 2,500 miles away on the night of the crime, he eventually admits to killing Edward and is arrested and charged with second-degree murder. However, after Scott recants his confession, a grand jury rules that there is insufficient evidence to indict him, so the murder charges are dropped. Was Edward Banish actually stabbed to death by his son? If not, then who was actually responsible and what could their motive have been? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the bizarre story of a missing persons case which eventually evolved into an unsolved murder. Special thanks to listener Holly Dodson for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/opinion/2017/10/01/colwell-st-joseph-county-murder-case-remains-a-mystery/45809981/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516195400/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516199513/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515531517/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515768233/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515760968/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515761266/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515763176/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515763640/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515733969/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515384338/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.  
Listen to Murder, She Told: an award-winning true-crime podcast created by victim’s advocate, Kristen Seavey that mostly covers lesser-known unsolved cases.  This is a preview of the episode about Ludger Belanger on “Murder, She Told”, which was originally published on November 19, 2024.  Ludger Belanger went missing while hunting in rural Washington, Maine in 1975. Though on the surface, it seemed like he vanished without a trace, tracks in the snow led detectives to a crucial piece of evidence and into a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with two men who might know exactly where to find him  Listen to the full episodes on Ludger Belanger:  Apple: https://apple.co/3Oh2eJS Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/Ludgerbelanger Other: https://www.murdershetold.com/connect Sources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/ludger-belanger  Quick links to find Murder, She Told:  Apple: https://apple.co/42Zmd5X Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/MSTSpotify All others and social media: https://www.murdershetold.com/connect Link to Reeves Johnson: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/reeves-johnson-2
January 12, 1994. Albuquerque, New Mexico. After dropping off a friend at a restaurant, 16-year old Jonathan Francia is carjacked and abducted from the parking lot in his mother’s Chevrolet Camaro. Five days later, the burned-out vehicle is discovered in the Arizona desert nearly 300 miles away and Jonathan’s charred remains are inside the trunk. A suspect named Paul Richardson is soon arrested and confesses that he committed the crime alongside an unidentified drifter known only as “Jason”. Paul fatally hangs himself in his jail cell and while his wife, Trena Richardson, is later indicted after admitting to involvement in the murder, the charges wind up being dismissed after her confession is thrown out. Since the mysterious “Jason” is never identified or tracked down, no one is ever convicted of Jonathan’s murder and the truth about what happened remains murky. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a brutal and frustrating crime which has yet to receive a conclusive resolution after three decades. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/jonathan-francia/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Jonathan_Francia https://www.newspapers.com/image/157704267/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157723443/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157723595/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/504605131/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157829019/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157832047/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157832212/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157917634/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157917832/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157920346/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157920713/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/505068207/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157836617/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516292794/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516292833/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516297713/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/158560131/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516315982/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516316009/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/158405516/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
August 30, 2013. Castaic, California. An overturned abandoned SUV belonging to 19-year old Bryce Laspisa is discovered at the bottom of a steep embankment near Castaic Lake, but even though most of his personal possessions have been left behind, Bryce himself is nowhere to be found. While beginning his sophomore year at Sierra College in Rocklin, Bryce had been displaying erratic behaviour and seemed to be experiencing issues with drugs and alcohol before he made the inexplicable decision to drive hundreds of miles away. During his trip, Bryce seemingly spent long periods of time just sitting inside his parked SUV, but even though he assured his parents he would eventually join them at their home in Laguna Niguel, he vanishes before he arrives. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unsolved disappearance of Bryce Laspisa, who went missing under very bizarre circumstances. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (323) 890-5500. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/bryce-david-laspisa https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/bryce-laspisa-missing-person-castaic-lake/1959070/ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/09/05/mystery-over-burning-body-found-where-naperville-central-grad-disappeared-2/ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2015/08/28/search-continues-2-years-after-central-grad-vanished-2/ https://scvnews.com/oct-19-20-organized-search-planned-for-missing-teen/ https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/one-year-after-bryce-laspisas-disappearance-parents-ask-for-acts-of-kindness/ https://www.kcra.com/article/site-being-searched-for-missing-sierra-college-student-turns-up-body/6407433 https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/bryce-david-laspisa https://www.hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/crime/bryce-laspisa-still-missing-one-decade-after-unexplained-disappearance-480422 https://i.iheart.com/v3/re/new_assets/63054d863f34185e925fcc8d/?passthrough=1 “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
August 30, 1990. Westerville, Ohio. The mother of 22-year old Tony Lombardi returns home, assuming her son is at work. Forty-five minutes later, she claims that she hears the sound of a door closing followed by footsteps and she soon discovers Tony’s body on his bed. He has been shot through the head and a gun is lying on the floor next to him, but police rule Tony’s death to be a suicide. However, Tony’s family discovers injuries on his body to make them believe he was the victim of foul play and was possibly murdered by another man who was angry that Tony was dating his girlfriend, but his death is never reclassified. June 30, 1991. Galesburg, Illinois. After not hearing from him for a day-and-a-half, the parents of 23-year old Danny Williams discover his dead body on a couch inside his house. He has been shot through the forehead and since a gun Danny owned is found in his lap, the police believe that his death was a suicide. Danny’s family uncover a number of suspicious discrepancies to make them believe he was murdered, including the possible presence of small traces of blood at the scene which do not match Danny’s blood type. A coroner’s jury officially list Danny’s cause of death as “uncertain”, but no conclusive evidence of foul play can be found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we cover two suspicious suicide cases featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” involving young men who supposedly died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, but their families felt differently. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/tony-lombardi/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Tony_Lombardi https://unsolved.com/gallery/danny-williams/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Danny_Williams https://www.newspapers.com/image/306495856/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/299581538/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/300115062/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
On December 23rd, 1974, three girls from Fort Worth, Texas vanished: Rachel Trlica, Renee Wilson, and Julie Mosely. After almost 50 years, the case has become steeped in misinformation and sensationalized mythos. In their series on the Fort Worth Missing Trio, Gone Cold attempts to cut through the misconceptions and confusion surrounding Julie, Renee, and Rachel’s disappearances. This is a preview of Gone Cold’s coverage of the case, and you can find the rest of the story by subscribing to Gone Cold – Texas True Crime wherever you listen to podcasts. https://linknbio.com/gonecoldpodcast
November 29, 1980. Duncan, British Columbia. 32-year old Granger Taylor drives away from his family’s farm in his pick-up truck, but never returns. Granger had developed an obsession with UFOs and claimed he started communicating with them and he leaves behind a note in which he states that he is going away on a 42-month interstellar voyage on an alien spacecraft. Five-and-half years later, human bones which are believed to belong to Granger and wreckage from his truck are found inside a crater on a nearby mountain. While it’s suspected that Granger travelled there and was killed in an explosion, there are no conclusive answers about what happened. For our final Halloween-themed episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we will be tackling a UFO-themed story about the disappearance and presumed death of Granger Taylor. Additional Reading: https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-man-who-went-to-space-and-disappeared-the-story-of-granger-taylor/ https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/features/bcs-granger-taylor-left-a-note-saying-he-was-boarding-an-alien-spaceship https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/episodes/spaceman https://www.cbc.ca/cbcdocspov/features/mechanic-genius-restores-a-vintage-kittyhawk-plane-in-his-backyard https://www.timescolonist.com/islander/what-happened-to-granger-taylor-4669648 https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Granger_Taylor https://www.newspapers.com/image/508870222 https://www.newspapers.com/image/508064460/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
December 12, 2014. Beaver County, Pennsylvania. A severed head belonging to an elderly woman is discovered in a rural wooded area about thirty feet from the nearest road, but the rest of her remains cannot be found. The head has rubber balls inside its eye sockets and since it has been embalmed, investigators are unable to extract any DNA to make an identification, so the victim becomes known as “The Beaver County Jane Doe”. While the authorities do not believe that foul play took place, a local resident named Jay Grabner starts displaying suspicious behaviour to indicate he might have some knowledge about the head. However, all attempts to determine the Beaver County Jane Doe’s identity and the circumstances of her death are unsuccessful. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore an incredibly bizarre mystery about the discovery of a severed head. Join us on Saturday, October 26 at 8:00pm ET for an online streaming marathon where we will be watching classic segments from “Unsolved Mysteries”. You can enter our screening room by clicking on this link. Additional Reading: https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Beaver_County_Jane_Doe https://unsolved.com/gallery/the-severed-head/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/12/15/the-strange-sad-quest-to-match-a-severed-embalmed-head-with-its-body/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.bb82266a0128 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-bodies-head-specialreport/special-report-a-womans-severed-head-was-found-in-the-woods-who-is-she-idUSKBN1D21B4/ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pennsylvania-head-idUSKBN0TX2F120151214/ https://www.goerie.com/story/news/education/2015/12/12/edinboro-university-artist-creates-new/25015300007/ https://www.timesonline.com/story/news/local/2015/12/06/mysterious-case-embalmed-head-found/989358007/ https://www.timesonline.com/story/news/local/2022/12/08/increased-reward-offered-for-information-on-embalmed-head-found-in-economy-beaver-county/69708414007/ https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Beaver_County_Jane_Doe https://www.distractify.com/p/beaver-county-severed-head “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
November 1, 1974. North Adams, Massachusetts. After leaving a dance at a local lodge, 18-year old Kim Benoit goes missing. Two weeks later, Kim’s body is discovered at the bottom of an embankment in a remote area twelve miles away and it is determined that she was the victim of strangulation. In October 1976, 17-year old Cynthia “Rocky” Krizack goes missing after leaving her home in the nearby town of Williamstown and her body is also eventually found at the bottom of a remote embankment. Since Rocky has been strangled to death and there are similarities between the two cases, investigators look into the possibility that she was killed by the same person who murdered Kim, but both crimes remain unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a pair of cold cases from the Berkshires. If you have any information about the featured cases, please contact the Berkshire County State Police Detective Unit at (413) 499-1112. That’s (413) 499-1112. For Kim Benoit’s murder, you can also contact the North Adams Police Department at (413) 664-4944 and for Cynthia “Rocky” Krizack’s murder, you can also contact the Williamstown Police Department at (413) 458-5733. Additional Reading: https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/author-and-former-prosecutor-links-convicted-killer-to-kim-benoit-murder/article_d942ac81-a54f-5fb4-bd9c-ea9f1a5d95bb.html https://www.iberkshires.com/story/66509/Reward-Offered-in-Renewed-Search-for-Kim-Benoit-s-Killer.html https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/cold-case-reward-information-kim-benoit-death-1974/ https://www.greylockglass.com/top-left-corner-170-investigating-cold-cases-of-murder-time-can-be-your-friend/ https://www.westernmassnews.com/2022/02/22/true-crime-cynthia-krizack/ https://www.iberkshires.com/story/47000/Cold-Case-Expert-Offers-Thoughts-on-Unsolved-Local-Murders.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/544888238/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/545933562/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/545034519/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1072387675 https://www.newspapers.com/image/470976091/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/532271900/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the Berkshire Podcast Festival, taking place in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 18-20, 2024. To get a 30 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD2024”, by visiting https://www.berkshirepodcastfestival.com/. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
September 12, 1983. Wyoming, Ohio. 59-year old Dorothea Irwin is found stabbed to death inside her residence. Since she was in the midst of selling the house and said she was meeting an interested buyer, it is theorized that this person murdered her as part of an elaborate set-up. Suspicion turns towards Dorothea’s son, John “Jay” Irwin, who had previously spent time in prison for fraud and encouraged his mother to put her home up for sale. Jay eventually commits some additional fraud schemes and becomes a wanted fugitive until he is captured in 1991, but no conclusive evidence links him or anyone else to Dorothea’s murder. Who was responsible for killing Dorothea Irwin and what could their motive have been? We shall attempt to answer that question on this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”. Additional Reading: https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Dorothea_Irwin https://www.newspapers.com/image/103324432/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/103324378/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/103324343/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/764445101/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/103324688/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/103324693/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/103325205/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/101855002/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/101855023/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/764780734/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/164897155/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/101239293/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/101040575/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/763917774/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/100898478/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/801358948/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the Berkshire Podcast Festival, taking place in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 18-20, 2024. To get a 30 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD2024”, by visiting https://www.berkshirepodcastfestival.com/. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
March 10, 2005. Foley, Missouri. 13-year old Bianca Piper is reported missing by her mother, Shannon Tanner, who claims that she dropped Bianca off on a rural road about a mile from their residence. Bianca struggled with numerous mental health issues, included attention deficit hyperactive disorder and bipolar disorder, and had just gotten into a dispute with her mother. According to Shannon, she followed the recommendation of one of Bianca’s therapists and drove her daughter down the road, so that she could walk back home alone and deal with her aggression, but Bianca never arrived. Since investigators are unable to find her, they start believing that Bianca was abducted and became the victim of foul play. Was Bianca Piper harmed by a stranger or did something else happen to her? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a missing children’s case which remained unsolved for two decades. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at (636) 528-8546. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Bianca_Piper https://charleyproject.org/case/bianca-noel-piper https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/family-marking-th-anniversary-of-missing-foley-girl-with-fading/article_ccdad198-3191-5041-a01c-75cd283629fa.html https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/you-think-about-it-every-day-13-years-since-bianca-piper-disappeared/63-527561353 https://fox2now.com/news/after-14-years-mother-has-renewed-hope-missing-daughter-could-be-found/ https://www.firstalert4.com/2023/02/07/lincoln-county-cold-case-gets-renewed-hope/ https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/porchlightusa/2005-piper-bianca-noel-200https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/porchlightusa/2005-piper-bianca-noel-2005-t11840.html5-t11840.html https://www.bnd.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/answer-man/article202897184.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/151984830/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/151984920/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/151780322/ https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/pimps-luring-suburban-high-school-girls-into-sex-slavery/ https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/stcharles/st-peters-woman-sentenced-for-running-prostitution-operation-out-of-hotel-room/article_948fbfb3-fe67-56cd-bed4-4eb5a5e7067f.html https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/sister-of-missing-girl-admits-trafficking-high-school-girls/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the Berkshire Podcast Festival, taking place in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 18-20, 2024. To get a 30 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD2024”, by visiting https://www.berkshirepodcastfestival.com/. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
August 10, 1994. Vancouver, British Columbia. 55-year old Nick Masee and his 39-year old wife, Lisa Masee, tell people they are planning to meet a potential investor about a $10 million business deal, but after Nick makes a reservation at a local restaurant, no one shows up. The following morning, Lisa makes a pair of phone calls to say that she and Nick are leaving town for a few days, but the couple is never heard from again. A pair of plastic zip ties are found near the front door of the Masee residence to suggest that a kidnapping may have taken place, but there is also speculation that Nick and Lisa disappeared voluntarily. Were the Masees actually the victims of foul play? If so, what was the motive? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a Canadian cold case involving a missing couple which has gone unsolved for 30 years. Special thanks to listener Maria Gabriella for narrating the opening of this episode. If you have any information about this case, please contact the North Vancouver detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at (604) 985-1311 Additional Reading: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-mystery-of-a-quiet-banker-and-his-chic-wife/article4154929/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/nick-and-lisa-masee-looking-back-on-the-mysterious-disappearance-1.2738150 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/25-years-still-missing-disappearance-nick-lisa-masee-1.5231001 https://www.newspapers.com/image/495149600/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/495149604/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/495192622/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/495192938/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/495151346/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/504623040/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/495192938/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/496624172/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/495901857/ https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1088dmbc.html https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1225dfbc.html “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the Berkshire Podcast Festival, taking place in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 18-20, 2024. To get a 30 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD2024”, by visiting https://www.berkshirepodcastfestival.com/. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
August 23, 2010. London, England. After he is not heard from for a week, the nude decomposed body of 31-year old Gareth Williams, a junior analyst who had been working with MI6, is found inside a padlocked holdall bag in the bathtub of his flat. While his cause of death cannot be determined, there are differing opinions about whether Gareth could have locked himself in the bag on his own and suffocated, or if he was murdered by an unknown third party. A number of different theories are pushed forward, such as Gareth being killed by Russian agents or becoming the victim of a sex game gone wrong, but there are no conclusive answers about how he died.  Did Gareth Williams somehow manage to trap himself inside the bag and die in a tragic accident, or did something else take place? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore of the most bizarre unexplained deaths in the history of the United Kingdom. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Gareth_Williams https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/sep/06/mi6-death-gareth-williams-cctv https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-11095158 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/20/gareth-williams-spy-mi6 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12059910 https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/may/02/gareth-williams-key-unanswered-questions https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/23/spy-in-bag-death-coroners-inquest https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/may/02/gareth-williams-death-mi6 https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/may/02/gareth-williams-coroner-never-solved https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24927078 https://www.businessinsider.com/kgb-defector-russia-killed-the-british-spy-found-in-a-duffel-bag-2015-9 https://nowthenmagazine.com/articles/murder-the-likely-story-of-gareth-williams https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tomwarren/secrets-of-the-spy-in-the-bag https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/gareth-williams-mi6-bag-bath-b2490768.html https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-68202900 “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at Crimecon UK” in London on September 21-22, 2024. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD24”, by visiting Crimecon.com or Crimecon.co.uk. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the Berkshire Podcast Festival, taking place in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 18-20, 2024. To get a 30 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD2024”, by visiting https://www.berkshirepodcastfestival.com/. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
November 6, 2021. Orlando, Florida. 22-year old Bryan “Vladek” Hasel shows up at a coffee shop he often frequents, but after police are called and Vladek is issued a trespass warning for a prior incident with a pocket knife, he walks off and vanishes without a trace. Nine days later, Vladek’s father returns from a family trip and discovers that his son is missing and has left most of his personal belongings behind in their apartment. There is speculation that Vladek may have suffered some sort of a mental health crisis and disappeared voluntarily, but no trace of him can be found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we are covering the unsolved disappearance of Bryan “Vladek” Hasel at the direct request of his family, who are doing whatever they can to spread awareness about his story and are hoping he is still alive somewhere and can be found safely. If you have any information about Vladek’s disappearance, please contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at (407) 254-7000. His case number is 21-83864. You can also reach out to the family directly at FindBryanVladekHasel@gmail.com or visit their website about the case at findvladekhasel.wixsite.com/find-vladek. Please visit FACTORMEALS.com/cold50 and use code cold50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next month while your subscription is active! “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at Crimecon UK” in London on September 21-22, 2024. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD24”, by visiting Crimecon.com or Crimecon.co.uk. “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the Berkshire Podcast Festival, taking place in North Adams, Massachusetts on October 18-20, 2024. To get a 30 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD2024”, by visiting https://www.berkshirepodcastfestival.com/. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.
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Comments (181)

Chante Harris

ehhh the odometer lies was odd tho...and his excuse was definitely a lie bc he said he got ready for work anyway bc he wasn't worried about Tommy...but then he worried enough to drive to 2 different rest stops to look for him...that's sus for sure.

Oct 26th
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Chante Harris

hmm...not buying this one. too many inconsistencies in EVERYONES stories to believe dad is guilty. even the prosecutions story's are entirely different....doesn't make sense. and mom had no doubts in dad despite supposed abuse... if he was truly abusive and even specifically to Tommy she should have had a lot of doubt right off! PLUS, dad called UM and a started a website to keep his case out there...seems weird if he was truly guilty.

Oct 25th
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Megan

There is so much incompetence and just plain bad decision making in this case that I am suspicious and skeptical. No one is this incompetent. The lost evidence, the mis-burial, the sending of evidence to another state to a non-law enforcement party..... Also, far too many kids are being killed, dismembered and scattered in pieces during this time period.

Jan 25th
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rupexo

oh man, i’ve been waiting for robin to cover this for a long time!! such a fascinating case

Dec 7th
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rupexo

awful story because the dad obviously murdered his daughter and the mum died early but the sentencing by the judges all throughout this case was fucking great

Nov 9th
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rupexo

30:35 patrick star

Sep 14th
Reply

rupexo

robin practically roasting this guy in this breakdown is the best part of this episode 😂

Aug 12th
Reply

Michelle Sawall-Kneale

already done between the voice and the annoying music

Jul 29th
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Megan

glad the possibility that more than one person could be involved in this disappearance has been considered.

Jul 27th
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Megan

I think "Robert" did witness something, and that he has misrememembered quite a lot. I believe he witnessed a different crime, with a different victim, that was never reported, where the victim was assaulted and hurt, but not killed - and the crime was never reported. I think he and his brother were used as bait to lure a different female hitch hiker to her fate. Maybe the perp used his own car too. I don't want to discount him completely because some of these "impossibly vivid" childhood recollections of terrible things have turned out to be true and have led to other horrible crimes being solved.

Jul 27th
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Full Metal Jackalope

Idk how anyone doesn’t love this guys voice.

Jun 30th
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Amy Lapratt

Stuff like this makes me hate people! He's just kid. IF it was an accident why not call for help instead of moving him and leaving him somewhere alone??? People are just gross. I hope this is solved and soon. The truth needs to come out. Accountability needs to be taken. May he rest in peace 🕊️

Jun 13th
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rupexo

any credibility john varney may have had is lost since he left it literally 40 years before saying anything - this happens in too many cases!

Jun 9th
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GD2021

Nez Perce = Nay perSAY

Jun 8th
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rupexo

demayo needs to stick to the hellmann's factory tbh. what a load of rubbish actually thinking that shue bound himself, stabbed himself in the stomach, cut his own nipples and a finger off and then got into his car to commit suicide via crashing

Jun 2nd
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zimby zimbabwe

its not that she deserved to die but no one feels bad for her because she was unfaithful

Mar 21st
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Barbara Kilman

her husband could have hired someone since he had an alibi

Mar 18th
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Conklin

Everything about this episode is disgusting....

Mar 9th
Reply

zimby zimbabwe

these intros are really awful maan, adjust the levels, do it better!

Feb 20th
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Karmic Hustle Entertainment

Thank you for covering this case. I have lived in FL all my adult life and can tell you there are more of these cases that you can possibly imagine. The Southern States seem to have many of these stories buried in the mud. I would suggest looking into a possible White Supremacist/KKK connection. there are many places in the State of FL where it's a known fact that no person of color shall pass thru and come out alive. Could it be possible that the Starlight Tour given to these men ended in such a place?. The Corporal would still be responsible for their death if he knowingly dropped these men off there, with full knowledge of what was going to happen to them. That he could be a willing participant who may have done this is not as implausible as one may think. on.

Feb 17th
Reply