Sleuths Unveil: Underbelly Mysteries
A true-crime podcast that explores mysteries hidden within the criminal underworld. Detectives and amateur sleuths investigate unsolved disappearances, cryptic messages, and other perplexing cases. Each episode uncovers the clues and motives behind crimes, revealing complex relationships and hidden agendas. The show looks at how understanding these cases sheds light on the human condition at the intersection of crime and justice.
Episodes
Casefile Presents: Julie's Gone
Julie Ann Garciacelay was not quite 20 when she vanished from her inner-city apartment in Melbourne 50 years ago.Three men who were with her that night in July 1975 told police the young American left to make a phone call and didn’t return. One would be linked to the infamous Easey Street murders 18 months later.Julie has never been seen since, nor has her body been found. Her disappearance is one
Case 322: William Tyrrell (Part 2)
[Part 2 of 2] *** Content Warning: child victims, child sexual assault, child abuse***As the search into the disappearance of three-year-old William Tyrrell reaches its third fruitless year, the investigation takes turn after turn until a coronial inquest is eventually called. The inquest aims to figure out what happened to William once and for all, but will it succeed or raise more questions than
Case 322: William Tyrrell (Part 1)
[Part 1 of 2]*** Content Warning: child victims, child sexual assault ***It was a peaceful morning on Friday, September 12 2014, as three-year-old William Tyrrell played happily in the backyard of his grandmother’s home in the small New South Wales town of Kendall. One minute, William roared like a tiger, posing for a photo in his favourite Spider-Man costume. Moments later, he vanished, sparking
Troubled Waters - Episode 1
With Casefile on a short break, we thought this would be a great time to shine a light on some of the shows that may have flown under the radar for many of you. These are shows we've put our hearts into and are really proud of.Today, we’re showcasing Troubled Waters – a powerful, deeply moving series that brings Louisa Ioannidis’s life and the unanswered questions surrounding her death into full f
The Frankston Murders - Episode 1
With Casefile on a short break, we thought this would be a great time to shine a light on some of the shows that may have flown under the radar for many of you. These are shows we've put our hearts into and are really proud of.Today, we’re showcasing The Frankston Murders. When Vikki Petraitis and I found out that Paul Denyer, the man convicted of the Frankston serial murders, had applied for paro
The Bakersfield Three - Episode 1
With Casefile on a short break, we thought this would be a great time to shine a light on some of the shows that may have flown under the radar for many of you. These are shows we've put our hearts into and are really proud of.Today, we’re showcasing The Bakersfield Three. The Bakersfield Three is our most successful limited-run series to date. The series reached number one on the overall podcast
Missing Niamh - Episode 1
With Casefile on a short break, we thought this would be a great time to shine a light on some of the shows that may have flown under the radar for many of you. These are shows we've put our hearts into and are really proud of.First up is Missing Niamh—a story that’s very close to me personally. I spent years researching the case and working directly with Niamh’s family to shape the series, which
Case 321: Vincent Viafore
When 46-year-old Vincent Viafore disappeared while kayaking on the Hudson River with his fiancée, 35-year-old Angelika Graswald, it was initially believed to be a tragic accident. However, Angelika’s story and behaviour soon raised troubling questions about what really happened.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Milly RasoCreative direction – Milly RasoProduction & music – M
Case 320: Veronica Abouchuk & Kathleen Henry
In late September 2019, a woman reported that she had discovered evidence of a brutal crime. A discarded memory card she’d found on a street in Downtown Anchorage, Alaska had video and image files depicting the torture and murder of an Alaska Native woman. The investigation that followed revealed the stories of three women – Kathleen Henry, Veronica Abouchuk and Cassandra Boskofsky – who had all f
Case 319: Theresa Feury
*** Content warnings: child abuse, sexual assault, child victims, stalking ***In Paterson, New Jersey, during the early 1980s, Marie Moore was seen as the neighbourhood’s ‘cool mum’. The 35-year-old allowed her 12-year-old daughter Tammy to have friends over as often as she liked, and would even take the pre-teen and her friends out on fun excursions. But the tide turned one day when Marie made a
Case 318: Tay Chow Lyang & Tony Tan Poh Chuan
On September 15 2003, Singaporean student Ram Tiwary awoke in his Sydney apartment to find his two flatmates, Tony Tan Poh Chuan and Tay Chow Lyang, had been brutally murdered. A suspicious car seen in the area leads police on a hunt for the killers, until another suspect emerges closer to home.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Elsha McGillCreative direction – Milly RasoProduct
Case 317: Thomas Perez
When 71-year-old Thomas Perez Senior failed to return home after a short walk to his mailbox in Fontana, California, his son Tom wasn’t overly concerned. He suspected his father had just gone to visit friends or family and would return home of his own accord. But when police arrived at the Perez home to complete a missing person’s report, they came to suspect something else entirely.---Narration –
Case 316: Gilbert Bogle & Margaret Chandler
When the bodies of Doctor Gilbert Bogle and Margaret Chandler were found along the banks of Sydney’s Lane Cove River on New Year’s Day 1963, scandal and suspicion erupted. The two were married – but not to each other – raising immediate questions of foul play. Yet as investigators peeled back the layers of this bizarre case, they found themselves tangled in a mystery far stranger than anyone had i
Case 315: Operation Cacam
*** Content warnings: child victims, child abuse, child sexual assault, child exploitation ***In 2013, a forum appeared on the dark web called Hurt2theCore. Run by an anonymous user known only as Lux, it was a digital cesspool dedicated to one of the most vile subgenres of illicit pornography. It quickly became Lux’s most notorious creation and drew the attention of global law enforcement.As inves
Case 314: Yarmila Falater
On a January night in 1997, Yarmila Falater was brutally stabbed and drowned in the family’s backyard pool. Her husband, Scott Falater, was caught red-handed, but claimed he had no memory of the crime. What followed was a high-profile trial that pitted science against suspicion, as experts debated whether Yarmila’s death was a tragic accident or deliberate murder. ---Narration – Anonymous HostRese
Case 313: Keith Hibbins
*** Content warnings: Sexual assault, homophobia***On Anzac Day of 1999, life partners Keith Hibbins and David Campbell were walking through the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne when they were approached by two agitated young men, John Whiteside and Kristian Dieber. The young men claimed they were on the lookout for a pair of rapists who had just sexually assaulted a young woman nearby, but were they
Case 312: Dustin Wehde
*** Content warnings: Sexual assault ***When first responders arrived at the Roberts family home in the small town of Early, Iowa, on December 13 2001, they found 20-year-old Dustin Wehde lying in a pool of his own blood. The homeowner, Tracey Roberts, claimed she’d shot Dustin in an act of self-defence after he and another unknown assailant broke in and threatened to kill her and her children. As
Case 311: Russell Hill & Carol Clay
*** Content warnings: Gun violence, animal cruelty ***When 74-year-old Russell Hill and 73-year-old Carol Clay vanished while camping in Victoria’s rugged High Country, their disappearance brought many hidden secrets to light. People theorised that the pair had run away together, were the victims of a murder-suicide, or had accidentally been killed by hunters. But there was only one person out the
Case 310: Kalinka Bamberski
*** Content warnings: Sexual assault, child victims ***After 14-year-old Kalinka Bamberski is found dead in her own bed in the German town of Lindau, her French father, André Bamberski, refuses to accept that she died of natural causes. The further he digs, he starts to suspect that foul play was involved and that the person responsible was none other than Kalinka’s stepfather, Doctor Dieter Kromb
Case 309: Lindsay Jellett
When 41-year-old Lindsay Jellett failed to return home from his evening walk around the Victorian town of Ararat in May 1994, staff at his residential care unit were immediately worried. As well as being intellectually disabled, Lindsay had epilepsy, which required nightly medication, and it wasn’t like him to lose track of time. As daybreak emerged, a grim discovery led to the question – who woul
Case 308: Ruth Finley
*** Content warnings: Sexual abuse ***In the late 1970s, Wichita secretary Ruth Finley began to receive cryptic letters and chilling threats from a mysterious figure known only as ‘The Poet.’ For years, The Poet tormented Ruth and her husband, Ed, leaving them in a constant state of confusion and fear. Despite relentless efforts from the police, The Poet continued to evade detection. But as the in
Case 307: The Night Caller (Part 2)
[Part 2 of 2]*** Content Warning: Sexual assault, gun violence, child victims ***By mid-1963, The Night Caller’s reign of terror had altered Perth forever, and he still remained at large and unidentified. Following another execution-style slaying in Perth’s wealthy western suburbs, investigators set a trap that would expose his identity as Eric Edgar Cooke. Cooke’s capture would ultimately lead to
Case 307: The Night Caller (Part 1)
[Part 1 of 2]*** Content Warning: Sexual assault, gun violence, child victims ***The city of Perth in Western Australia is sometimes described as the most isolated city in the world. During the late 1950s, Perth’s idyllic beaches, laidback lifestyle and small town atmosphere made it feel like a safe, protected place to live. But that sense of safety would be abruptly shattered by a man who would c
Case 306: Ina & David Steiner
In 1999, Ina and David Steiner founded an online newsletter called eCommerceBytes. The couple worked hard to establish themselves as knowledgeable, trustworthy and unbiased reporters in the e-commerce industry and were well respected by their niche community. Then in 2019, eCommerceBytes received a scathing message from a Twitter user who took issue with how Ina Steiner reported on the U.S multina
Case 305: Marshall Street
*** Content warnings: Extreme sexual violence, torture, captivity, racism, domestic violence ***When 25-year-old Josefina Rivera accepted a ride with North Philadelphia local Gary Heidnik on the night of November 26 1986, she could never have anticipated the events that were about to unfold. Josefina, along with five other women – Sandra Lindsay, Lisa Thomas, Deborah Dudley, Jackie Askins and Agne
Case 304: The Staudte Family
*** Content warnings: Self-harm ***When 60-year-old Mark Staudte of Springfield, Missouri, fell ill in early April of 2012, he suspected he just had a bad case of the flu. But the situation quickly turned critical, and Mark was soon found dead in his bed. A medical examiner concluded Mark had died from “natural causes”. Yet, when other members of the Staudte family started experiencing the same sy
Case 303: Duncan MacPherson
When 23-year-old Canadian ice hockey player Duncan MacPherson accepted a coaching job in Scotland, he was ready for his next adventure. But when Duncan failed to show up for the first day of his new job, serious concerns were raised about his well being. A desperate search led his parents Bob and Lynda to the Austrian Alps, kicking off a series of events they could never see coming. ---Narration –
Case 302: The De Gruchy Family
*** Content warnings: Child victims ***Wayne and Jennifer De Gruchy lived a comfortable life in the New South Wales suburb of Albion Park Rail with their three teenage children, Matthew, Adrian and Sarah. But on the morning of Wednesday March 13 1996, detectives arrived at a scene that would shake the local community to the core. ---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Vikki Petraiti
Case 301: Michella Welch & Jennifer Bastian
*** Content warnings: Child sexual assault, child murder ***In 1986, two pre-teen girls from Tacoma, Washington, were abducted and murdered mere months apart. Both Michella Welch and Jennifer Bastian were attacked, sexually assaulted and killed after cycling to a public park. Their crime scenes were eerily similar; both bodies were hidden in wooded areas, and the girls even looked alike. Investiga
Case 300: Tegan Lane (Part 2)
*** Content Warning: Child victim ***[Part 2 of 2]When Keli Lane is charged with the murder of her newborn baby Tegan in 2009, the circumstantial case sparks debate around the country. Was this star athlete a cold blooded killer or a woman unfairly judged on her poor decision making?---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Elsha McGillCreative direction – Milly RasoProduction and musi
Case 300: Tegan Lane (Part 1)
*** Content Warning: Child victim ***[Part 1 of 2]After 24-year-old Keli Lane gave birth in 1999, she began the process of placing her newborn son for adoption. It was soon revealed that Keli had also given birth in September 1996, to a baby girl named Tegan Lee Lane who couldn’t be located.Keli claimed Tegan was with her biological father, Andrew Norris, but was she telling the truth or had somet
Case 299: Olga Chardymova
*** Content warnings: Child victims ***In 2002, 10-year-old Russian girl, Olga Chardymova was allowed to walk to her grandmother’s house unaccompanied for the very first time. Her journey barely began before she met a monster. For years after her death, Olga’s parents were continually tormented by another kind.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Holly BoydCreative direction – Mil
Case 298: Bonnie Hood
On August 19 1990, the tiny mountain town of Camp Nelson, California was stunned when the owner of the Camp Nelson Lodge, Bonnie Hood, was found shot to death in her private cabin. Her handyman, Rudy Manuel, was also shot in the head during the attack. While various suspects and theories emerged, it wasn’t until a separate shooting took place a little over a year later that the truth unravelled be
Case 297: Bluebelle
*** Content warnings: Mass murder, suicide ***When the crew of an oil tanker discover a man lost at sea on November 13 1961, he tells them a harrowing tale. His name is Captain Julian Harvey, and he’s the sole survivor of a yachting disaster: his wife Mary and the Duperraults, a family of five who had chartered the yacht, were all lost when their boat, the Bluebelle, caught on fire and sank. But s
Case 296: Aaron Bacon
*** Content warnings: Child abuse, sexual assault ***On an early morning in March 1994, two strange men entered 16-year-old Aaron Bacon’s bedroom and told him they were there to take him away. Aaron’s parents had signed him up for a 63-day wilderness therapy program called North Star Expeditions in the hopes that some time following a disciplined routine in the natural world would help Aaron kick
Case 295: Nadia Kajouji & Mark Drybrough
*** Content warnings: Suicide, self-harm, pregnancy loss ***When retired schoolteacher Celia Blay stumbled across an online forum where suicidal individuals shared their innermost thoughts, she had no idea that she was about to encounter a serial predator. Li Dao was a young nurse who trawled the forum, looking for people to push over the edge. She encouraged other posters to take their own lives
Case 294: Ray & Jennie Kehlet
When married couple Ray and Jennie Kehlet went on a prospecting trip to the Western Australian outback in March 2015, they had one thing on their minds and that was to find gold. But when the couple suddenly disappeared without a trace, one of the biggest searches in WA history ensued, prompting the question – were Ray and Jennie lost or had they fallen victim to foul play?---Narration – Anonymous
Case 293: Jamie Faith (Part 2)
[Part 2 of 2]After arresting Darrin Lopez for the murder of Jamie Faith, detectives were confident they had solved the case – but the biggest revelation was yet to come.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Milly RasoCreative direction – Milly RasoProduction and music – Mike MigasMusic – Andrew D.B. JoslynSign up for Casefile Premium:Apple PremiumSpotify PremiumPatreonFor all credi
Case 293: Jamie Faith (Part 1)
[Part 1 of 2]Married couple Jamie and Jennifer Faith lived a comfortable and happy life together in Oak Cliff, Texas. That all changed on the morning of Friday, October 9 2020, when a masked assailant confronted the couple as they took their dog on her daily walk.Jamie was gunned down, and Jennifer barely escaped with her life. Jamie Faith was well-liked in all areas of his life, so investigators
Case 292: Monster of the Andes
*** Content warnings: Child abuse, child victims, sexual assault ***In the late 1970s, young girls along the Andes mountain range in Ecuador began to disappear. By 1980, the number of missing girls had reached national crisis proportions. Police feared the girls had been abducted by international child traffickers and sold into domestic and sexual slavery. That was until a vigilant market vendor s
Case 291: David Pauley, Ralph Geiger & Timothy Kern
In October of 2011, an advertisement was posted on the website Craigslist. It read: Wanted: Caretaker For Farm. Simply watch over a 688 acre patch of hilly farmland and feed a few cows. You get 300 a week and a nice 2 bedroom trailer. Someone older and single preferred but will consider all. Relocation a must. You must have a clean record and be trustworthy—this is a permanent position.---Narratio
Case 290: The Crawford Family
** Content warnings: Child victims ***When a Holden belonging to Glenroy man Elmer Crawford was found at the bottom of the Loch Ard Gorge in July 1970, immediate concerns were raised for the safety of Elmer, his wife Theresa and their three children, Katherine, James and Karen. But when rescue workers gained access to the vehicle, the true extent of the mystery really unfolded.---Narration – Anony
Case 289: Stephen & Carol Baxter
When Mersea Island couple Stephen and Carol Baxter were found dead in their favourite recliner chairs in April 2023, there were no visible injuries or an obvious cause of death. Their house was immaculate, and nothing appeared to be missing. The case was initially ruled “unexplained, but not suspicious” until a few unusual discoveries were made.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing –
Case 288: Mark Van Dongen
*** Content warnings: Domestic violence, suicide ***Dutch national Mark van Dongen met South African Berlinah Wallace in 2010 in Bristol, England. After 5 years together, Mark decided he wanted to end the relationship. He finally broke it off in August 2015 when he met someone new. When Berlinah Wallace refused to accept Mark’s decision, she became so consumed with anger and jealousy that she did
Case 287: Half & Susanne Zantop
When Half and Susanne Zantop were found brutally stabbed to death in their Etna, New Hampshire home, friends, colleagues and investigators were all at a loss to understand it.The married couple were both beloved professors at Dartmouth College, and no one could think of a reason why someone would want to harm them. But a crucial clue left at the crime scene would lead investigators directly to som
Case 286: The Survivors' Network
After two planes struck New York City’s World Trade Center on September 11 2001, Tania Head was one of the lucky few who managed to escape from above the impact zone of the South Tower. Saved by lauded 9/11 hero Welles Crowther, Tania’s incredible and heartbreaking story of survival became an inspiration. Triumphing through trauma, she became the face of a support group called The Survivors’ Netwo
Case 285: Louise Ellis
*** Content warnings: Domestic violence ***When freelance writer Louise Ellis disappeared after leaving her Ottawa home on April 22 1995, the person leading the search for her was her devoted partner, Brett Morgan. But Brett’s criminal background made investigators suspicious and he found himself feeling more like a suspect than a victim.When he was approached by an aspiring private investigator n
Case 284: Widden Hill Farm
*** Content warnings: Animal cruelty, gun violence ***43-year-old Graham Backhouse lived a peaceful life with his wife and children on Widden Hill Farm in Horton, England. But in 1984, a campaign of harassment directed at Graham left him fearing for his safety. When his wife Margaret Backhouse becomes the victim of a targeted attack, investigators consider who could have a motive to hurt the lovin
Case 283: Kris Kremers & Lisanne Froon
When Dutch friends Kris Kremers and Lisanne Froon set out for a six-week adventure in Panama in 2014, they were ready for the trip of a lifetime. But after failing to show up for a planned tour in the mountain town of Boquete, search parties sprung into action.Had the two young women gotten lost while hiking the popular Pianista trail, or was something more sinister at play?---Narration – Anonymou
Case 282: April Tinsley
*** Content warnings: Child victim, sexual assault ***In 2004, several young girls around Fort Wayne, Indiana received handwritten letters threatening that they would be the next victim of a child killer.Authorities were immediately concerned. DNA from the letters matched samples they had stored from an unsolved crime that was committed more than a decade earlier – the murder of eight-year-old Apr
Case 281: Bibaa Henry & Nicole Smallman
*** Content warnings: Racial violence, sexual assault ***In June of 2020, London social worker Bibaa Henry decided to celebrate her 46th birthday with a picnic at scenic Fryent Country Park. Celebrations continued late into the night, until Bibaa and her younger sister Nicole Smallman were the only partygoers remaining. When both failed to return home the following day, their family was quick to r
Case 280: The Stockton Arsonist
*** Content warnings: Animal cruelty ***On a hot summer’s day in 1989, a father and son travelling through Stockton, California, discover a VHS tape left by the side of a road. When they take it home and decide to watch it, they make a disturbing discovery. The tape contains footage of a house burning to the ground and was apparently filmed by the arsonist who lit the fire.When investigators looki
Case 279: Zebb Quinn
In early January 2000, residents of Asheville, North Carolina were told to be on the lookout for 18-year-old Zebb Quinn after he failed to return home after finishing his shift at Wal-Mart. A co-worker of Zebb’s, Robert Jason Owens, claimed that Zebb had sped off after receiving a mysterious message on his pager. Two weeks later, an unexpected breakthrough in the case presents some bizarre clues.
Case 278: Alma Tirtschke (Part 2)
*** Content warnings: Child victim, sexual assault ***[Part 2 of 2]Colin Ross maintained his innocence for the murder of Alma Tirtschke right up until his execution. Could he have been telling the truth?---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Milly RasoCreative direction – Milly RasoProduction and music – Mike MigasMusic – Andrew D.B. JoslynSign up for Casefile Premium:Apple PremiumS
Case 278: Alma Tirtschke (Part 1)
*** Content warnings: Child victim, sexual assault ***[Part 1 of 2]When 12-year-old Alma Tirtschke failed to return home after running an errand for her family, they were immediately concerned. Alma was a dutiful child who did what she was told and respected her elders.Alma’s final movements were retraced to an infamous saloon in the heart of Melbourne and its problematic owner, a man named Colin
Case 277: Linda Slaten
*** Content warnings: Sexual assault, domestic violence ***Jeff and Tim Slaten woke on the morning of Friday, September 4 1981, to find their home teeming with police. Their mother, Linda, had been raped and murdered during the night. Neither brother heard a thing, and despite the killer having left pivotal evidence behind, it quickly became clear that this wasn’t an open-and-shut case.---Narratio
Case 276: Claire Acocks & Margaret Penny
May 3 1991, was a typical Friday for 58-year-old Margaret Penny. In the afternoon, she visited the Old London Coiffure in the heart of Portland, Victoria, for her weekly hair appointment with 49-year-old Claire Acocks. But when the two women are found stabbed to death in the salon’s shampoo room, the Portland rumour mill goes into overdrive. Who could be motivated to commit such a brazen and vicio
Case 275: Michelle Hadley
*** Content warnings: Sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking ***When Angela Connell met Ian Diaz, the pair began a whirlwind romance that quickly led to marriage and a growing family. But their newfound happiness was soon disturbed by a cyberstalking campaign with real world consequences.Angela and Ian told detectives from the Anaheim Police Department that they knew exactly who was behind th
Case 274: Benjamin Amato
*** Content warning: Child victim ***On November 16 2001, two state troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police arrived to conduct a welfare check at the Poconos Mountains home of 52-year-old Benjamin Amato. Friends and neighbours had reported their concerns after noticing Ben’s car in his driveway for several days, but no sign of Ben himself. ---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing –
Case 273: The Beast of Mława
*** Content warning: Child victims, serial rapist, stalking ***When the Koneva family fled to England to escape the war-torn Balkans, their hopes for a peaceful new beginning were soon shattered. In May 1997, an unknown intruder entered their London home and claimed the life of 12-year-old Katerina Koneva. The subsequent investigation spanned multiple countries and unravelled a frightening and pro
Case 272: The Annecy Shootings
On September 5 2012, a cyclist driving through the French Alps came upon a shocking scene. Married couple Saad and Iqbal al-Hilli, along with Iqbal’s elderly mother Suhaila al-Allaf, were shot execution-style while sitting in their BMW in a secluded parking spot in the woods surrounding Chevaline. 7-year-old Zainab al-Hilli clung to life on the ground nearby, while 4-year-old Zeena al-Hilli was no
Case 271: Bonnie Clarke
*** Content warning: Child victim, child sexual assault, sexual assault/rape ***When six-year-old Bonnie Clarke is murdered in her bed in the middle of the night just four nights before Christmas in 1982, Melbourne detectives are certain they know who’s responsible: Bonnie’s mother, Marion.Yet Marion insists an intruder must have broken into their home while she was sleeping. It would take 20 year
Case 270: Meredith Kercher
*** Content warning: Sexual assault ***For 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, spending a year studying in Italy was a dream come true. But within months of arriving in the medieval town of Perugia, that dream quickly turned into a nightmare.What unravelled next was one of the most polarising murder cases in Italy’s history, with one young American woman at the centre of it all – 22-year
Case 269: Caroline Crouch
*** Content warning: Animal cruelty ***In May 2021, residents of the affluent Athens suburb of Glyka Nera were left shaken by news of a violent home invasion. Three masked intruders had killed 19-year-old Caroline Crouch as she slept beside her 11-month-old daughter before ransacking the house. Caroline’s husband, Babis Anagnostopoulos, was the only witness, but he’d been bound and blindfolded dur
Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 2)
*** Content warning: Extreme sexual violence, captivity ***[Part 2 of 2]As the years of abuse, torture and confinement to the bed box continued for Colleen Stan, she remained paralysed by her fear of The Company. But one thing changed. Her captors Cameron and Janice Hooker slowly started granting Colleen small privileges, including time outside of their Red Bluff trailer. Did this mean they were f
Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 1)
*** Content warning: Extreme sexual violence, captivity ***[Part 1 of 2]When Colleen Stan’s family received an unexpected phone call from Colleen in June 1980, they were stunned. No one had seen or spoken to Colleen since she hitched a ride to California from her home in Oregon three years earlier. Colleen assured her family that all was well, but they could tell something wasn’t right. What exact
Case 267: Brian Barrett
In the spring of 2005, two 18-year-olds met in an online chat room and immediately hit it off. Jessi went by the username TalHotBlond, while her new friend Tommy called himself MarineSniper. It wasn’t long before the two had fallen in love and gotten engaged… But less than a year into their relationship, the romance would be destroyed by a shocking revelation that ultimately led to devastating con
Case 266: Circleville Letter Writer
In March 1977, school bus driver Mary Gillespie started receiving threatening letters delivered to her home in Circleville, Ohio. It wasn’t long before her husband, Ron Gillespie, also received the letters which accused Mary of having an affair with the local school superintendent, Gordon Massie.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Jessica ForsayethCreative direction – Milly RasoP
Case 265: Marea Yann
For Marea Yann, two things mattered most in life - family and community. When the 69-year-old was found violently bludgeoned to death in her Healesville home, the small Victorian town was left shaken. It seemed impossible that anyone would want to hurt this doting grandmother and dedicated volunteer worker. But as investigators learned more about Marea’s life, it quickly became clear that Marea ha
Case 264: Andrew Gosden
*** Content warning: Child victim, child abuse, suicide, grooming ***When 14-year-old Andrew Gosden mysteriously disappeared from his home in the UK suburb of Doncaster, evidence emerged to indicate that he’d left of his own free will. But Andrew was a gifted, intellectual teenager who came from a loving and supportive family – not your typical teenage runaway.---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch
Case 263: Kim Barry
When Brian and Beverly Barry returned from a weekend away to discover their 19-year-old daughter Kim was gone, they initially assumed she was out with friends. Then news broke that a body had been found in some bushland south of their home in Wollongong, New South Wales, and it wasn’t long before the truth came out...---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Erin MunroCreative directio
Case 262: Samia Shahid
*** Content warning: Domestic violence, sexual assault ***In Pakistani culture, arranged marriages are common. So when the parents of Samia Shahid chose a husband for her, Samia agreed to the marriage. Despite being raised in England, Samia took her Pakistani heritage very seriously and would do anything to make her family proud. But Samia’s arranged marriage to her first cousin, Choudhry Shakeel
Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 2)
*** Content warning: Sexual assault ***[Part 2 of 2]When nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was abducted from the front of her family’s trailer in Richland County, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns that her kidnapping could be linked to the recent murder of Lexington teenager, Shari Smith. Those fears were confirmed when Shari’s sister Dawn received a chilling phone call directing authori
Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 1)
*** Content warning: Sexual assault ***[Part 1 of 2]When 17-year-old Shari Smith disappeared from the end of her family's driveway in Lexington, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns for her wellbeing. Shari had a rare medical condition that could turn fatal without her medication. But any concerns that Shari’s illness could have caused her disappearance were quickly quashed after the Smit
Case 260: The Alpine Manor Murders
*** Content warning: Elder abuse ***The Director of Nursing at the Alpine Manor Nursing Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was thrilled when Catherine Wood and Gwen Graham joined their team of nursing aides in the mid-1980s. They were hard-working, enthusiastic and well-liked. But soon after they started, some residents of Alpine Manor began telling the staff that their lives were in peril. When thos
Case 259: Jamie Lavis
*** Content warning: Child victim, child sexual abuse ***When eight-year-old Jamie Lavis failed to return home on Monday, May 5 1997, his family quickly raised the alarm. Soon, it seemed as though all of Greater Manchester was searching for the missing boy – including a bus driver named Darren Vickers...---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Erin MunroCreative direction – Milly Raso
Case 258: Kay Mortensen
On November 16 2009, a 911 call was placed to the Utah County Sheriff’s Department by 34-year-old Pamela Mortensen. According to Pamela, her father-in-law Kay Mortensen was brutally murdered in his own home...---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Erin MunroCreative direction – Milly RasoProduction and music – Mike MigasMusic – Andrew D.B. JoslynSign up for Casefile Premium:Apple Pr
Case 257: Joe Gliniewicz
After a routine check on suspicious activity turns to tragedy for Illinois Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz, Fox Lake locals struggle to come to grips with the loss of their hero cop. A statewide manhunt ensues, but when the perpetrators aren’t immediately apprehended, the question is raised - could this have been a targeted attack?---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Elsha McGill
Case 256: Jill Rosenthal
*** Content warning: Crimes against children, child abuse, domestic abuse, alcoholism ***On April 27 1964, young mother Dora Fronczak was in her hospital bed feeding her one-day-old son, Paul, when a nurse entered the room and said she had to take Paul back to the nursery. Dora handed her baby over, and the nurse hurried out of the room. Still carrying baby Paul, the nurse fled the hospital throug
Case 255: Rudolf Rupp
When 52-year-old German farmer Rudolf Rupp failed to return home from a night out drinking in the town of Neuburg an der Donau, several questions were raised. Had Rudolf accidentally driven into the nearby Donau River? Had he taken his own life? Or was he the victim of something more sinister? ---Narration – Anonymous HostResearch & writing – Elsha McGillCreative direction – Milly RasoProduct
