Catch my Killer

Latest Episodes:

Episode 172: Sylvia Salinas Mar 26, 2023

Show notes

Sylvia Salinas, a 30-year-old woman, was born on January 7, 1959, in Galveston, Texas. As a child, she came from a family of devout Catholics and attended Mass regularly. In the late 1970’s, Sylvia became the owner of a Salinas Food store. The small store was in the same Galveston neighborhood as the one she was raised in. She was known as valued member of her community who was friendly and welcomed new customers to her store.
On October 31, 1989, Sylvia Salinas was working at her grocery store located at the corner of 31st Street and Avenue Q in Galveston. Her parents, had stopped by the store for a visit. When they left the store, their daughter was alive. This would be the last time they would ever see their daughter alive.
At 1:22 pm, a private alarm was triggered and sent Galveston Police officers to the Salinas grocery store. Four minutes later, law enforcement arrived to a horrific scene. Sylvia Salinas was found dead behind the counter. She was slumped over in a pool of blood. Her killer had stabbed her to death with her own butcher knife. The knife was sitting next to her on the counter. For protection, Sylvia kept a loaded revolver and a machete. Neither was touched. Law enforcement believe she must have been taken by surprise. This would explain why she wasn’t able to use her revolver or machete. The killer had pried open the register and stolen the cash but left behind the coins. And since the register had blood on it, law enforcement speculated that the killer used the butcher knife to open the register after stabbing Sylvia to death.
Law enforcement has since taken a second look at the case with fresh eyes to see if they possibly overlooked something. Unfortunately, some evidence may have been lost after Hurricane Ike rolled through back in 2008. The only evidence that remains is the knife and an old video tape of the crime scene. For this episode, I spoke to Amanda Upton, who is Sylvia’s great niece. She is trying to get answers for her family and find out who killed her aunt over 30 years ago.
Unfortunately, the case has gone cold and law enforcement hasn’t made any arrests. Were you living in this part of Galveston 30 years ago? Perhaps you shopped at Sylvia’s store? It’s possibly you may have seen something that didn’t seem significant at the time. If you know what happened to Sylvia, please call the Galveston Crime Stoppers at 409-763-8477.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 171: Brandon Mitchener (Part 2 of 2) Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

Brandon Mitchener was a 22-year-old man who lived in Lansing, Michigan with his parents. He had big dreams. He earned his Associates Degree from Lansing Community College. He had studied Business and started his own clothing line called (M.I.Y.M) Make It Your Mission to do the right thing.
Unfortunately, he would never live to see his dreams come true because he would be found dead in the Grand River in Lansing, Michigan. Law enforcement ruled Brandon’s death as an accident, but his family and closest friends don’t believe this. They believe his death was the result of something more sinister.
Back in late June 2014, Brandon had plans that evening. He was going to meet with his business partner to celebrate another friend’s 21st birthday on a party bus. The young men planned to take the party bus to different bars and have some fun and drinks. According to police reports, after the party bus returned from its round of hitting several local bars in downtime Lansing, Brandon began feeling sick. According to security footage, Brandon was seen walking down the road on June 29th with his business partner following him.
Law enforcement said Brandon stumbled down the end of South Street, fell into an embankment and into the river and drowned. Brandon’s business partner told the police he lost sight of Brandon and assumed he had gotten home okay. He would then return to his friends and continue socializing with them. He never called 911 or any of Brandon’s family to let them know something may have happened to Brandon. After Brandon disappeared, his siblings and friends began searching for Brandon. One of his relative’s found a shoe and hat belonging to Brandon.
During an interview on Dateline, Shirley Mitchener said she has theories about Brandon’s death. One is that he was thrown into the river by the friends he met up with on the party bus. A second theory is that Brandon was pushed into the river. The police theory is that he was intoxicated and fell into the river.
For this story, I spoke to Shirley Mitchener about her relationship with her son and how she continues to grieve for him over eight years later.
If you know anything about this case, you can provide tips to the Lansing Police Department by calling them at 517-483-4600. For additional information about this case, please visit the Justice for Brandon Mitchener Facebook page. And if you would like to purchase anything from Brandon’s clothing line, there is a link to the shop on the page or click here to access the site: https://www.miymshop.com/shop. The family has also offered a reward for information about this case leading to a break in this case.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 170: Brandon Mitchener (Part 1 of 2) Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

Brandon Mitchener was a 22-year-old man who lived in Lansing, Michigan with his parents. He had big dreams. He earned his Associates Degree from Lansing Community College. He had studied Business and started his own clothing line called (M.I.Y.M) Make It Your Mission to do the right thing.
Unfortunately, he would never live to see his dreams come true because he would be found dead in the Grand River in Lansing, Michigan. Law enforcement ruled Brandon’s death as an accident, but his family and closest friends don’t believe this. They believe his death was the result of something more sinister.
Back in late June 2014, Brandon had plans that evening. He was going to meet with his business partner to celebrate another friend’s 21st birthday on a party bus. The young men planned to take the party bus to different bars and have some fun and drinks. According to police reports, after the party bus returned from its round of hitting several local bars in downtime Lansing, Brandon began feeling sick. According to security footage, Brandon was seen walking down the road on June 29th with his business partner following him.
Law enforcement said Brandon stumbled down the end of South Street, fell into an embankment and into the river and drowned. Brandon’s business partner told the police he lost sight of Brandon and assumed he had gotten home okay. He would then return to his friends and continue socializing with them. He never called 911 or any of Brandon’s family to let them know something may have happened to Brandon. After Brandon disappeared, his siblings and friends began searching for Brandon. One of his relative’s found a shoe and hat belonging to Brandon.
During an interview on Dateline, Shirley Mitchener said she has theories about Brandon’s death. One is that he was thrown into the river by the friends he met up with on the party bus. A second theory is that Brandon was pushed into the river. The police theory is that he was intoxicated and fell into the river.
For this story, I spoke to Shirley Mitchener about her relationship with her son and how she continues to grieve for him over eight years later. This is the first part of a two part story. Please listen next week to the conclusion of this tragic story.
If you know anything about this case, you can provide tips to the Lansing Police Department by calling them at 517-483-4600. For additional information about this case, please visit the Justice for Brandon Mitchener Facebook page. And if you would like to purchase anything from Brandon’s clothing line, there is a link to the shop on the page or click here to access the site: https://www.miymshop.com/shop. The family has also offered a reward for information about this case leading to a break in this case.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 169: Amanda Dean (Part 2 of 2) Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

On July 11, 2017, Amanda Dean's mother, Caroline Tokar, and her sister, Shannon Dean, both of Sandusky, reported that Amanda, 42, was missing, and they were concerned about her safety. The next day, however, Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin told them that Amanda had been located and was safe, and the missing persons investigation was closed. Corbin told the family that Amanda didn’t want to speak to them. Caroline gave the Sheriff her phone number and asked him to make sure Amanda had it so she could contact the family. Unfortunately, no one has ever heard from Amanda in over five years.
Today, no one knows why Sheriff Corbin claimed to have conversed with Amanda and then later admitted to having no idea where she was. Local media sources like the Sandusky Register have tried questioning Corbin for answers. But he has been tight-lipped about the case. Corbin would eventually turn the case over to the Ohio BCI.
Amanda’s mother Caroline has refused to give up on finding her daughter. She has spoken to the media and anyone who is willing to listen to her share the details about Amanda’s disappearance. Caroline has also publicly said that Sheriff Corbin won’t provide her with any answers about her daughter.
Before Amanda disappeared, she had sent troubling texts to her sister Shannon that she feared her abusive boyfriend and was in fear of being killed. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation has since taken over Amanda’s case. Since Amanda’s disappearance, she has become a grandmother. Her son Joshua now had 2 children. He has said he misses his mother and that she doesn’t even know she’s a grandmother.
The family has since learned that an anonymous caller had contacted law enforcement and claimed that Amanda’s boyfriend was involved in her disappearance. For now, Fred Reer has not been charged with having anything to do with Amanda Dean’s disappearance. For this story, I spoke to Caroline Tokar and Shannon Dean about the disappearance of Amanda Dean. This is the first part of a two-part story. Be sure to listen to the conclusion next week.
If you are interested in learning more about this story, there is much information on the internet about this case. There is also a FB page called Help Find Amanda Dean. There is also a $10,000 reward for any information leading to Amanda’s whereabouts. And if you know anything about this case, you can provide tips to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation by calling them at 1-855-BCI-OHIO (1-855-224-6446). You can also remain anonymous. Another resource is the Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults at 216-232-6470.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 168: Amanda Dean (Part 1 of 2) Feb 12, 2023

Show notes

Episode 167: Tyler Cardiel (Part 2 of 2) Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

Tyler Cardiel was an 18-year-old man who was considered a kind and friendly young man. He was someone who didn’t have a criminal background, any known enemies or any alcohol or drug issues. He hated the Arizona heat and spent his time playing video games with his friends when he wasn’t working. Tyler had plans on attending college. He lived with his mother Monique and his younger brother.
Tyler had worked at a Circle K on Christmas Eve into Christmas Day of 2020. He would then go home and then return to work on Christmas Day. His mother and brother were waiting at their apartment for Tyler to arrive home so they could open presents. Unfortunately, Tyler wouldn’t arrive home. His mother began frantically calling around trying to find her son.
She remembered asking him if he had to go to work on Christmas. He told his mother he had already agreed to work and needed to go. Before leaving on Christmas Eve, he gave his mother a hug and said he’d be back later.
When he didn’t return home, Monique went out looking for her son. She followed the path he would take home only to find Phoenix Police Officers near her son’s job. They had cordoned off a street and put up crime scene tape. Monique saw a dead body covered with a blue blanket. Her gut instinct told her this was probably her son.
Monique would find out that someone had murdered her son as he walked home from work. Someone had shot him to death. The killer was a homeless man named Timothy Bell. He had shot Tyler to death with a 9mm Glock. His motive? He was angry about being homeless and decided he was taking it out on someone that evening. Tyler just happened to walk past Bell and was killed for doing so.
Today, Tyler Cardiel’s family is still waiting for justice. He hasn’t gone on trial and Monique Cardiel is fearful that her son’s killer won’t face justice. And now on with the story of Tyler Cardiel as told by him mother Monique Cardiel.
If you have any information about this case or Timothy Bell that you would like to share with law enforcement, you can contact Silent Witness at either 480-WITNESS (948-6377) or 1-800-343-TIPS (8477)
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 166: Tyler Cardiel (Part 1 of 2) Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

Episode 165: Lilliam Gomez Jan 14, 2023

Show notes

Liliam Gomez was born in Guatemala on December 24, 1998. She would later learn that she was adopted and harbor anger towards her parents for not disclosing this to her until she was older. She would eventually seek out her biological parents. Her parents had relocated from Guatemala and settled in Jerome, Idaho. Jerome is the county seat of Jerome County, Idaho. According to the Idaho.com website, Jerome has a population of just over 24,000 people. Jerome is known for dairy farming.
Liliam’s problems began after her parents divorced. After her mother returned to Guatemala, Lilliam remained in Jerome with her father and younger siblings. The divorce compounded with learning that she was adopted created much turmoil in Lilliam’s life. According to her sister Yuliana, Lilliam turned to drugs. Lilliam was living with her aunt in Jerome, working for a local potato plant. She would then move out of her aunt’s house and into the home of a coworker.
Lilliam would become close friends with a relative of Yuliana’s husband. The two worked together at the potato plant. Lilliam was known to love posting to social media and she always kept in contact with her family. Everything would come to a head in March of 2020 when Lilliam would vanish. Her social media posts would go silent and she would stop all contact with her friends and family. Yuliana knew this wasn’t like her sister. There was no way she would just walk away from her life. She contacted the Jerome Police Department and reported her sister missing.
Yuliana learned that her sister had a stalker who was obsessed with her. He was in the country illegally and constantly asked Lilliam to be his girlfriend. She wasn’t interested. And it’s believed this rejection may have led to what would eventually happen to her. An anonymous woman would reach out to Yuliana and tell her what she believed happened to Lilliam. According to the informant, the undocumented man who stalked her and his brother murdered and dismembered Lilliam and buried her body parts throughout Jerome.
Yuliana has kept in touch with the detective handling her sister’s case. For this week's episode, her sister Yuliana Gomez shared the details of her sister's disappearance.
Lilliam Gomez has been missing for nearly 3 years and is presumed dead. Her family and friends have continued to find out what happened to Lilliam.The family is hoping that law enforcement can get the truth out of the two brothers who allegedly have knowledge about what happened to Lilliam who is described at 5’2 and weighing around 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. Do you know what happened to Lilliam Gomez? If you have any information about this case, please contact the Jerome County Sheriff's Office, at 208-324-8845.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 164: Molly Bish Jan 01, 2023

Show notes

Molly Bish was a 16-year-old teenager who worked 2 jobs and attended high school. She was a lifeguard and also worked at a local ice cream shop. She had a boyfriend who cared about her and was planning on getting her driver’s license and a car. On June 27, 2000, Molly's mother drove her to her lifeguard job at Comins Pond In Warren, Massachusetts. While there, Molly's mother noticed a man sitting in a white car. She had concerns about the man as she didn’t know why he would be just sitting there. She waited for the man to leave before she left Molly. Hours later, her family would be contacted by law enforcement. They would inform the family that a concerned person had arrived at the pond to learn that Molly was gone.
After an extensive search, she wasn’t found. During the fall of 2002, a hunter found a piece of fabric that resembled the bathing suit worn by Molly when she disappeared. The hunter told another person who contacted law enforcement. A massive search began on May 12th 2003. Over 200 people would launch a search of an area in Palmer referred to as Whiskey Hill. Searchers would find Molly Bish’s remains on June 3, 2003.
Law enforcement and the family have named suspects, but no one has ever been arrested. The case still remains unsolved. If you have any information that can help lead to the person or persons responsible for this crime, please contact the Warren Police Department at: 413-436-9595. And if you would like to know more about Molly's case, please visit the FB page: Who Murdered Molly Bish? You can also learn more about Molly's foundation at https://www.mollybishfoundation.com.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Episode 163: Journee McDaniel Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

Journee McDaniel was a 7-year-old elementary school student from Houston, Texas who loved life. To her family, she was the center of their universe. She was beloved by her two brothers, parents and grandmother. On December 11, 2021, Journee was out celebrating the birthday of one of her brothers. Journee had spent the evening riding on Go Karts and just having fun. After leaving the Go Kart place, Journee left with two cousins. Around 8pm, the vehicle she was riding in was struck in the 13900 block of Cullen Blvd. The driver had gone through a stop sign and struck the vehicle Journee was riding in.
He then left the truck and fled the scene. The owner of the truck claimed someone stole his truck. He denied being the person who killed Journee. She died on December 13, 2022. Today, the man who killed Journee hasn’t been arrested. When the police examined the truck, the airbags had deployed and there was blood evidence left behind by the driver. It would take 6 months for the family to learn that Pedro Vargas Garcia had lied to authorities about his truck being stolen. DNA evidence proved he was the driver.
For this story, I spoke to Myra Minkins, who is Journee's grandmother. Journee’s family believes Garcia fled the country and is now in Mexico. A Have you seen Pedro Vargas Garcia? If you have, please contact law enforcement and turn him in. He does have family ties to Houston so it’s possible he has since returned to Houston. If you know anything about Garcia’s whereabouts, please contact the HPD Hit and Run Unit at 713-247-4072 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. You can also visit the Justice for Journee McDaniel FB for more information about her story.
Please also visit my website for more information about my true crime and paranormal newspaper columns at www.themarcabe.com. You can also help support my podcast by purchasing a cup of $5 coffee every month. To help support the podcast, please visit https://www.buymeacoffee.com/catchmykiller. If you would like to contact me about this podcast, please visit my websites www.catchmykiller.com or www.themarcabe.com where you can submit a case.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected