The Trail Went Cold

Latest Episodes:

The Trail Went Cold - Bonus Episode - Introducing Blackwood Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

Five years ago, Molly Weaver, Bryan Anderson, and Nathan Howell started a podcast focused on the local legend of a monster called The Blackwood Bugman. Quickly, the investigation grows out of their control, as they discover that, not only are the legends seemingly true, many people in Blackwood have turned up dead or disappeared without a trace. Worse, there may be a reason why no one has ever uncovered the truth before. Someone is watching them, willing to do whatever it takes to keep the secret. Their recordings have finally been released.

In this bonus episode, Robin introduces Blackwood and offers up a preview of the show. Click here to subscribe to Blackwood.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 95 - Chris Jenkins Oct 24, 2018

Show notes

October 31, 2002. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 21-year old university student Chris Jenkins celebrates Halloween by going to a local bar with friends. After he is ejected from the establishment, Chris vanishes without a trace and his body is found in the Mississippi River four months later. While police initially believe that Chris’ death was an accidental drowning, his family uncovers disturbing discrepancies to suggest his body was not in the river the entire time he was missing and that he was a victim of foul play. After four years, the Minneapolis police chief reopens the investigation, reclassifies Chris’ death as a homicide, and issues an apology to the Jenkins family. What actually happened to Chris Jenkins after he left the bar? Could his death somehow be connected to the infamous “Smiley face murder theory”? This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” examines a truly baffling Halloween night mystery.

Additional Reading:

http://www.startribune.com/strange-case-of-son-s-death-propels-mom-on-tireless-quest/82751737/

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2006/11/20/jenkins

https://www.twincities.com/2007/07/31/no-charges-for-now-against-suspect-in-college-students-02-death/

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38601514/ns/solve_my_mystery/t/investigators-notes/#.W8jIv2hKhO-

“Case Studies in Drowning Forensics” by Kevin Gannon & D. Lee Gilbertson

“Footprints of Courage: Our Family’s Struggle for Justice – Inside the Chris Jenkins Murder Investigation” by Jan Jenkins

“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.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 94 - Evelyn Hartley Oct 17, 2018

Show notes

October 24, 1953. La Crosse, Wisconsin. The father of 15-year old Evelyn Hartley attempts to phone her while she is babysitting an infant child, but there is no answer at the house. After travelling there to check on her, he discovers that Evelyn has disappeared and the evidence suggests she was the victim of a violent abduction by an intruder. Days later, pieces of blood-stained clothing are found outside of town which are believed to belong to Evelyn and her abductor. Over the next several decades, there would be a number of developments, including a possible connection to notorious murderer Ed Gein and the discovery of a tape-recorded confession implicating multiple suspects in the crime, but Evelyn is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we examine what is considered to be one of the most terrifying unsolved missing persons cases of all time.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Evelyn_Hartley

http://charleyproject.org/case/evelyn-grace-hartley

http://jg-tc.com/news/old-tape-gives-new-clues-in-half-century-old-death/article_39f757c9-23d6-5f35-ae47-56809db3483c.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.

We would like to thank Shudder for supporting The Trail Went Cold. Try Shudder free for 30 days by visiting www.shudder.com/podcast and using the promo code “cold”.

“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.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 93 - Orange Socks & The Walker County Jane Doe Oct 10, 2018

Show notes

October 31, 1979. Williamson County, Texas. The nude body of a young woman is discovered in a concrete culvert next to Interstate 35. She has been strangled to death and is only clad in a pair of orange socks, but since she cannot be identified, “Orange Socks” becomes her nickname. Notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas eventually confesses to her murder and is sentenced to death, but there is strong evidence to suggest he was not actually responsible.

November 1, 1980. Walker County, Texas. The nude body of another young woman is discovered next to Interstate 45. She has also been strangled to death and sexually assaulted with a blunt instrument. Witnesses would recognize the victim and recall speaking with her the previous night as she asked for directions to the Ellis Prison Unit. In spite of some promising clues, investigators are unable to uncover the victim’s identity, so she simply becomes known as the “Walker County Jane Doe”.

Could the same perpetrator have been responsible for both these crimes? On this week’s episode of "The Trail Went Cold", we examine two unsolved cold cases about young women who were murdered in Texas one year apart, but have never been identified.

Please check out the Doe Network profile pages for “Orange Socks” and the “Walker County Jane Doe”, which contain facial reconstructions for both victims, their vital statistics, and contact information for the proper authorities should you happen to know who they are…

Orange Socks: http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/33uftx.html

Walker County Jane Doe: http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/91uftx.html

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Socks

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Identity-of-Orange-Socks-remains-a-mystery-1972763.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_County_Jane_Doe

“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.

The Trail Went Cold - Bonus Episode - Introducing Legal Wars Oct 09, 2018

Show notes

The courtroom can be a battlefield over money, people’s rights, and even their lives. For some cases, the consequences can affect us long after the verdict is read. Based on extensive interviews and court transcripts, Wondery’s new podcast LEGAL WARS puts you inside the jury box of some of the most famous court cases in American history, including Hulk Hogan’s courtroom wrestling match with Gawker, the battle for free speech on the internet, and the Rodney King trial that set off the LA Riots. Host Hill Harper, actor and Harvard Law School graduate, brings you the drama, the larger-than-life characters, and the real-world impact these cases had on our society.

In this bonus episode, Robin introduces Legal Wars and offers up a preview of the show. To subscribe to Legal Wars on Apple Podcasts, click here.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 92 - Cindy Song Oct 03, 2018

Show notes

November 1, 2001. State College, Pennsylvania. After spending Halloween night partying at a club with friends, 21-year old Penn State student Cindy Song is dropped off at her apartment complex at 4:00 AM. She is never heard from again, but some of her personal items and a piece of her Halloween costume are found inside her apartment. Years later, an informant tells police that Cindy was abducted and murdered by pair of suspects named Hugo Selenski and Michael Kerkowski. A search of Selenski’s property uncovers the remains of several murder victims, including Michael Kerkowski, but no trace of Cindy is found. Was Hugo Selenski actually responsible for Cindy Song’s disappearance, or was it another suspect who has yet to show up on the radar? We shall explore an unsolved missing persons case in this month’s first Halloween-themed episode of “The Trail Went Cold”.

Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/hyun-jong-song

https://unsolved.com/gallery/cindy-song/

https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/11/8_years_after_penn_state_stude.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.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 91 - Amanda Tusing & Dana Stidham Sep 26, 2018

Show notes

June 14, 2000. Jonesboro, Arkansas. 20-year old Amanda Tusing leaves her fiancee’s apartment to drive home to her parents’ house, but never arrives. Her abandoned car is soon discovered by the side of the highway, but there is no sign of Amanda. Days later, her body is found in a waterlogged ditch over 12 miles away, but there are no signs of sexual assault and the exact cause of death cannot be determined. The identity of Amanda’s killer, as well as the motive for the crime, remain unknown.

July 25, 1989. Bella Vista, Arkansas. After driving away from a grocery store, 17-year old Dana Stidham fails to return to her parents’ house and her abandoned vehicle is found next to the highway the following morning. Less than two months later, Dana’s skeletal remains are discovered in a shallow grave in a remote wooded area. The investigation focuses on a high school classmate of Dana’s who was infatuated with her and displayed suspicious behaviour after her death, but there is not enough evidence to implicate him.

On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we examine two unsolved murders involving young women from Arkansas whose vehicles were found abandoned by the side of the highway. Could these crimes possibly be connected? Special thanks to listener Jamie Winn for providing the opening narration for this episode.

Additional Reading:

https://www.aymag.com/why-mandy-the-case-of-a-murder-without-motive-part-2/

http://www.kait8.com/story/19881165/region-8-cold-case-amanda-tusing

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold-case-spotlight/no-answers-29-years-after-murder-arkansas-teen-dana-stidham-n893546

https://www.tulsaworld.com/archive/hair-sample-triggers-dispute/article_05fb6d8e-3b06-5de7-98a3-f0d327d49860.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.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 90 - Marlena Childress Sep 19, 2018

Show notes

April 16, 1987. Union City, Tennessee. Four-year old Marlena Childress vanishes from her front yard after her mother, Pamela Bailey, claims she saw a red car driving away from their house. Two months later, Pam confesses that she accidentally killed Marlena and tossed her body into the Obion River. Pam soon recants her confession and claims it was coerced and since Marlena’s body cannot be found and there is no other evidence to implicate Pam, she is not indicted for her daughter’s death. Over the next several years, there would be a number of twists and turns, including some seemingly credible eyewitness sightings to suggest Marlena is still alive, and Pam would also face legal trouble for another violent crime involving her children. Was Pam responsible for her daughter’s disappearance, or was Marlena actually abducted? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we examine a very controversial and divisive missing children’s case which has yet to find a resolution.

Additional Reading:

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Marlena_Childress

http://charleyproject.org/case/marlena-danyele-childress

https://www.nwtntoday.com/2012/04/12/cold-case-investigation-to-focus-on-disappearance/

“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon! Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.

We would like to thank our sponsor, Winc, for supporting this week’s episode. To receive a $20 credit and free shipping on 4 bottles of wine on your first order, go to trywinc.com/cold.

The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.

All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 89 - Beth Miller, Tiffany Sessions, and Tracy Kroh Sep 12, 2018

Show notes

August 16, 1983. Idaho Springs, Colorado. 14-year old Beth Miller leaves her home to go jogging, but never returns. The investigation uncovers some promising leads, including eyewitness accounts of a man in a red pick-up truck who was seen flirting with Beth in the days prior to her disappearance. Ten years later, the former girlfriend of a deceased suspect leads the authorities towards an alleged burial location for Beth’s body, but nothing is found.

February 9, 1989. Gainesville, Florida. 20-year old university student Tiffany Sessions leaves her condo to go for a power walk, but does not return. 24 years later, after a convicted murderer named Paul Rowles dies in prison, investigators uncover evidence in his possessions which seems to implicate him in Tiffany’s disappearance, but her remains cannot be found.

August 5, 1989. Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. 17-year old Tracy Kroh leaves her house to visit her sister, who turns out not to be home. When Tracy does not return, her abandoned car is eventually discovered in a nearby town square, but Tracy is nowhere to be found. Four years later, some of Tracy’s possessions are found next to a remote creek, but she continues to remain a missing person.

While these three cases do not seem to have any connection to each other, they would unexpectedly be linked together in 1994 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a bizarre anonymous tip which alleged that all three victims were still alive. For the first time, “The Trail Went Cold” is going to tackle three unsolved missing persons cases in the same episode and explore the likelihood of them being connected.

Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/elizabeth-ann-miller

http://blogs.denverpost.com/coldcases/2012/04/21/elizabeth-ann-miller-missing-kidnapped-buried/3767/

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2017/02/07/unsolved-disappearance-beth-miller-idaho-springs-colorado/97585604/

http://charleyproject.org/case/tracy-marie-kroh

http://charleyproject.org/case/tiffany-louise-sessions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Tiffany_Sessions

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1994-05-07-9405070051-story.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.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 88 - The Salomon Family Sep 05, 2018

Show notes

October 12, 1982. Los Angeles, California. 35-year old Sol Salomon, his 39-year old wife Elaine, his 15-year old stepdaughter Michelle, and their 9-year old son Mitchell all vanish without explanation from their home. Evidence suggests they were victims of foul play and pieces of their identification are found scattered alongside a freeway. The investigation leads to Harvey Rader, a business acquaintance of Sol’s who is accused of killing the entire family and burying their bodies in the desert, and is also considered a potential suspect in the unsolved disappearance of a California couple named Peter and Joan Davis. Rader is eventually charged with murdering the Salomons, but after two mistrials, he is acquitted at his third trial in 1992. Did Harvey Rader get away with the murders of the Salomon family, or was someone else responsible? This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” chronicles the harrowing unsolved disappearance of an entire family who have still never been found.

Additional Reading:

http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/salomon-unsolved-murder/

http://charleyproject.org/case/sol-salomon

http://charleyproject.org/case/elaine-salomon

http://charleyproject.org/case/michelle-houchman

http://charleyproject.org/case/mitchel-salomon

http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/salomon-family

“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.