The Trail Went Cold

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

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 She

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. Speci

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

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 th

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)

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

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-h

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

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 th

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:/

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)

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. Additional Reading: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-myster

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.

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 2

April 26, 2000. Reno, Nevada. 25-year old Star Palumbo is found wandering around through a restricted area at Reno-Tahoe International Airport and tells security that she is looking for her sister, even though she does not have one. An officer drives Star to the nearby Hilton Hotel and Casino and drops her off, but she soon vanishes without trace and her abandoned car is discovered at the airport one day later. Since Star had been displaying erratic and paranoid behaviour prior to her disappearance, investigators explore the possibility that she was on drugs or suffered some sort of mental breakdown, but even though there are a number of unconfirmed rumours about what might have happened to Star, no trace of her is ever found.  October 28, 1991. San Francisco, California. After last being seen at a hospital, 29-year old Selena Edon inexplicably disappears and breaks off all contact with her loved ones. Two years earlier, Selena had suffered a serious brain injury in a motorcycle accident which caused memory i

October 26, 2015. Calgary, Alberta. Lee Antoni, the husband of 31-year old Amanda Antoni, returns home, from a weekend trip and discovers Amanda’s body lying in a pool of blood inside their basement. Two days earlier, a phone call between Amanda and Lee had abruptly cut off and since her broken cell phone is found on the floor, police initially believe that Amanda was attacked and her death was a homicide. However, after failing to turn up any strong suspects or forensic evidence pointing towards an outside party, investigators start to consider the possibility that Amanda actually suffered an accidental fatal fall down the stairs. Was Amanda Antoni the victim of foul play or was her death nothing more than a tragic accident? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a Canadian case that was recently featured on the “Unsolved Mysteries” reboot. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Calgary Police Service at (403) 266-1234 or the Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-222-

July 14, 1994. Rochester, Pennsylvania. After leaving her home, 14-year old Sarah Boehm goes missing and a cryptic letter is soon found inside her bedroom. Even though Sarah supposedly wrote about being in a relationship with an abusive man and expressed a desire to run away, the authorities question the legitimacy of the letter and wonder if it may have been intended to mislead the investigation. Over three months later, a murdered Jane Doe is found 50 miles away in the Berlin Lake Wildlife Area in Ohio and in 2003, the victim is positively identified as Sarah. It turns out that the body of another murdered girl, 17-year old Kathryn Menendez, was found in the same wildlife area one month after Sarah originally went missing. Even though Kathryn lived only a few miles away and there is no apparent connection between the two victims, investigators explore the possibility that they were both killed by the same perpetrator. This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” covers the murders of two teenage girls which

September 25, 1966. Bridgetown, Ohio. After he is seen taking out the garbage, 28-year old Jerry Bricca returns to his residence, where he lives with his 23-year old wife, Linda, and their four-year old daughter, Debbie. Two days later, the entire family is found murdered, as they have each been stabbed to death inside their […]