Trace Evidence

When twenty-nine year old Loy Evitts failed to return to her Kansas City, MO office job after taking a late lunch, her co-workers were concerned.  When they found her car, parked in its assigned spot, but could find no trace of the woman, that concern transformed into worry.  They quickly called her home and spoke to her husband, Don, who immediately knew something had to be wrong.The next day, Kansas City Police kicked off a massive search for Loy.  They interviewed co-workers and friends, they went around town and established a timeline which showed everywhere and everything the woman had done.  But they couldn't fill in a small window of time, five to ten minutes, and it's believed that is when she vanished.When an anonymous caller claimed responsibility for the crime, police quickly located and questioned him but they could never confirm whether he had knowledge of the crime or was just a sick prank caller.  Forty-seven years later, Loy has never been found and her abductor has never been identified.  To

When thirty-two year old Shirley McAvoy didn't show up for her youngest daughter's birthday everyone knew something was wrong.  After being unable to reach her, Shirley's estranged husband, Brian, reported her missing to the Pittsfield Police Department in Maine.Initially, investigators found nothing to indicate a crime had been committed and did little other than issue a statewide bolo for Shirley and her car.  Thirty-four days later, a massive puddle of blood was discovered in Shirley's home.Friends and neighbors told a strange tale about a man who called himself "Jerry."  Jerry moved into Shirley's home just days before her disappearance and gave many different, contrasting stories about his background.  He was missing, too.Detectives soon learned that Jerry had been involved in an accident in Shirley's car in Boston the day after she was last seen alive.  One month later, the mother of two was found dead in a rural area of Virginia.  For detectives, solving the disturbing case appears to hinge entirely on

Twenty-three year old Randy Church was a bright, talented and driven student attending Montana State University.  Majoring in electrical engineering, Randy was excited for what opportunities the future would afford.  Living off campus in Bozeman at the time, Randy picked up a part time job at a local Pizza Hut.  He quickly was promoted to the position of shift supervisor.On the evening of Saturday, February 9th, 1985, Randy was scheduled on a closing shift.  Locking up just after midnight, he stayed behind with one other employee to clean and prep for the next day's business.  At approximately 3 AM, Randy's co-worker left and sometime shortly thereafter, an armed individual gained entry to the restaurant.The next morning, co-workers discovered Randy's body.  The college student had been shot two times during what appeared to have been a robbery gone wrong.  No one has ever been charged, no suspect officially named, no motive confirmed.  Was he the victim of a random crime, perhaps committed by two escaped pri

Ten year old Amber Barker was riding her bike home from a friend's house.  It wasn't a long distance, just over half a mile through neighborhood roads she was highly familiar with.  Unfortunately, she never arrived.Within hours, the Oklahoma City Police Department descended upon the neighborhood and began searching.  The next day they were joined by more than 30 FBI agents.  It was clear that something sinister had occurred.While investigators maintained optimism in the beginning, the discovery of a disturbing trail of clues suggested the child was in grave danger.  Closing in on a person of interest, detectives were devastated when the man died, taking everything he knew with him to the grave.Sponsored by:  Shopify!  Visit Shopify.com/trace and sign up for a $1 per month trial period.Trace Evidence LinkTree & Social MediaMusic Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/#truecrime #truecrim

Two days after Christmas of 1993, thirty-eight year old nurse and mother of two, Latricia White failed to show up for work.  Hours later, her father went to her home and was devestated to find her lifeless body lying in bed.  It would later be determined she had been shot multiple times in the head as she slept.Investigators soon learned of Lee Wackerhagen, Latricia's live in boyfriend, who was nowhere to be found.  Not only was Lee missing, but so was his nine year old son, Chance.  Days later, Lee's abandoned truck was found in east Austin, the bed smeared with blood.  It didn't take long for detectives to determine Wackerhagen had killed Latricia and fled, abducting his son in the process.For twenty long years that is exactly as the case remained until a cold case investigator with the Texas Rangers found several problems with the original investigation. In 2016, the Texas Department of Public Safety officially announced they now believed that Lee and Chance were both victims of foul play, likely at the ha

Use promo code "Trace" to save 10% on your pass today at CrimeCon.comOn a warm spring night in March of 1975, thirty-two year old John Harden completed an emergency call for a client and returned home.  Less than an hour later, he'd be shot dead in his driveway.After finishing his shower, John glanced out the window and saw his work truck engulfed in flames.  Running outside to try and snuff out the blaze, his killer got his opening and fired a single blast from his gun.  John fell to the pavement and died from his wounds less than twenty minutes later.Investigators would later determine that the fire had been purposefully set to lure the father of five outside and into the kill zone.  They recovered the murder weapon, though they could never identify it or the owner.  As years wore on, the case grew increasingly cold.In October of 1991 an episode of Unsolved Mysteries revitalized interest in the yet solved homicide.  Not by focusing on the murder and investigating the case, but by chasing alleged ghosts arou

Use promo code "Trace" to save 10% at CrimeCon.comOn November 13th, 1993, twenty-eight year old Lola Katherine Fry attended a party at a northeastside Indianapolis apartment owned by a friend.  She has never been seen again and more than thirty years later the mystery of her disappearance haunts family and friends.Reported missing, the Indiana State Police began their investigation by interviewing everyone who had been at the party.  They all told the same story, that Kathy left with her former boyfriend, John Ryker.  Ryker would tell authorities that, the next morning he ran out on a job call and when he returned Kathy and her car were gone.For seven long years the case grew cold until a new investigator took up the casefile and began unraveling years worth of lies and deception.  Two men who had been present at the party finally confessed; they had lied in 1993.  Kathy hadn't left voluntarily with John Ryker - she'd been taken out, wrapped in a blanket and unconscious.Did Kathy Fry accidentally overdose lea

Use promo code TRACE to save 10% on your pass at CrimeCon.comOn Friday, September 24th, 1971, sixteen year old Cathy Moulton disappeared while walking home in downtown Portland, Maine. Despite the desperate pleas of her family, local law enforcement treated the case as that of a runaway and did almost no investigation whatsoever.For more than twenty years, the Moulton family did their best to investigate the case themselves. They followed leads, interviewed witnesses and hired private investigators but could get no closer to the truth. Finally, in 1995, a new detective looked at the case and was determined to find answers.Detective Kevin Cady would quickly uncover a series of eyewitnesses who were able to track the missing teen's movements out of Portland and to the northern tip of the state before she disappeared across the Canadian border. Perhaps what was most disturbing was the realization that, had investigators in 1971 taken the case seriously, they might have been able to bring Cathy home alive. Sponso

Use promo code TRACE to save 10% on your pass at CrimeCon.comForty-seven year old Bill Dwayne Shipley was making final preparations for a multi-state trip for work. Operating as a contract painter, Bill would leave his home in Goldsby, Oklahoma, heading east into Arkansas, north into Missouri, west into Kansas and finally back home. It was set to be a fun and lucrative trip, but Bill never made it. In fact, no one can say with any certainty what exactly happened to him after July 19th, 2011.When Bill failed to contact his family or return calls, his parents decided to stop by his home and check in on him. Instead of answers they found an empty home, with the doors left unlocked and clear indications that Bill had never actually left. Both of his trucks were gone, but his work clothes and computer had been left behind while a packed suitcase lie on the bed. When the McClain County Sheriff's Office was notified, they quickly found themselves ten steps behind in a case already growing cold.Soon they would discov

In today's special update episode we cover breaking news revolving around two infamous cases.First we look into the announcement that the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office has officially charged Victor Lee Turner and Megan Turner with the 1989 murder of five year old Justin Turner whose body was found inside of a camper on his father and stepmother's property.WCBD News 2 Archival FootageIn addition to this, we tackle breaking news regarding the closing of a case which had drawn national interest. Dexter Stefonek was murdered and his car burned at a rest area in Montana in November of 1985. Now investigators believe they know the man who committed this odious crime.Sponsored by June's Journey! Download and play today!Use promo code "TRACE" to save 10% on your CrimeCon pass at CrimeCon.comSocial Media and Subscription Link TreeMusic Courtesy of: "Wounded" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/#truecrime #truecrimepod

Use promo code "TRACE" to save 10% on your pass at CrimeCon.comTwenty-five year old Sigrid Stevenson left her home in California to attend one of the country's most prestigious and respected music programs at Trenton State College in Ewing Township, New Jersey. Tragically, at the beginning of her second year pursuing her master's degree, she would become the victim of a brutal and violent murder. Nearly fifty years later, and her case remains unsolved.On the night of Sunday, September 4th, 1977, campus police found Sigrid's body lying in a pool of blood on the stage of Kendall Hall. It was a grisly and bloody scene and ultimately it was determined that the pianist had been beaten to death while playing, her nude body discovered just a few feet from her blood stained sheet music. While investigators believed they'd crack the case quickly, they soon discovered that there was little if any evidence to suggest who her killer may have been.Some suggested a jealous lover, others considered another musician with a v

On the morning of Monday, December 13, 2004, twenty-six year old Stephan Adams mysteriously vanished while driving south from Tahlequah to Keys in eastern Oklahoma. The divorced, father of one, spoke to his girlfriend on the phone and informed her that he was giving an unnamed individual a ride to the area. He has never been heard from again nor has his truck ever been found.Stephan's disappearance came at a turning point in his life. For the previous four years he had been embroiled in a bitter custody dispute with his ex-wife and had been accused of crimes against his daughter. After charges were dismissed, Stephan returned to fighting for custody and a new hearing was scheduled to address the arrangement. Stephan disappeared just eight days before this court date.For nearly twenty years rumors have spread about what may or may not have been the missing man's fate. While some believe he had an accident and crashed into a body of water, others theorize he was the victim of foul play. His family and investiga

On December 21st, 1988, in rural Ware County, Georgia, investigators were called to a disturbing scene. Down a dirt road, in a dusty turn around utilized as a makeshift, illegal dump, a truck driver found the remains of an unidentified child. The child, a black female, had been wrapped in a blanket, placed inside a duffle bag and covered over with concrete. That bag was then put inside a footlocker or trunk, which was also then filled with concrete. The trunk was then wrapped in tape, sealed in thick plastic and shoved inside an old, broken television console.For more than thirty years investigators with multiple departments, including the GBI, have worked to uncover the child's identity. Now, it appears, they have broken the case open.Just yesterday, the GBI held a press conference to announce the child has been positively identified as Kenyatta Odom of Albany, GA. In addition to her identification, her biological mother, Evelyn Odom has been arrested alongside her former live-in boyfriend, Ulyster Sanders,

On the morning of May 5th, 1983, a horrified mother entered the home shared by her daughter and son-in-law and came upon a grisly scene. Her son-in-law, twenty year old Paul Jones, lay dead on the bedroom floor the victim of a stabbing. Despite her desperate search she could find no trace of her nineteen year old daughter, Melody.Investigators with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office and the OSBI theorized that intruders had entered the couples' home during the night, murdered Paul and abducted Melody. Working with a severe lack of evidence, they struggled to put the pieces together and a lack of tips left them devoid of suspect.More than forty years later, Paul's killer has never been identified and Melody has never been located. While some believe it to be a random crime, perpetrated by a sick and desperate criminal, others wonder if the truth might be found closer to home.Sponsored by: ZocDoc! Visit ZocDoc.com/TRACE to download the ZocDoc app FREE! Social Media and Subscription Link TreeMusic Courtesy

On Wednesday, December 21st, 1988, a timber truck driver making his way through rural Georgia made a horrifying discovery. Just off US Route 82, down at the end of a long dirt road, in a dusty turn out which doubled as an illegal dumping ground, he found the remains of an unidentified toddler wedged inside of an old television console.Investigators would later reveal that the child, described as a young black girl, was estimated to be between the ages of 3 and 4 and had likely been dead for thirty to sixty days. Whoever had dumped her in that spot had first wrapped her in a blanket, placed her inside of a duffel bag, filled that bag with concrete, and then put it inside of a metal foot locker which was also filled with concrete. It was a scene so bizarre, so disturbing, it continues to haunt the investigators who worked it.Despite their sincerest efforts, the case grew cold and the child's true identity remained illusive. Twenty-one years later, in 2009, an anonymous tipster claimed that the child might have

In this special update episode we examine major breaking news that the previously unidentified victim found adjacent to I-40 in Orange County, NC in September of 1990 has finally had her name returned to her. Twenty year old Lisa Coburn Kesler was identified through genetic geneaology and now investigators want to find anyone who knew her. They also hope, that by unlocking Lisa's past, they can uncover the person behind her murder. Listen to the full, original episode 207 - New Hope Jane Doe.In addition, we take a look at three cases previously covered on Trace Evidence which have had smaller updates in recent months. The cases we review are: 082 - The Vanishing of Andrew Gosden, 168 - Kelly Moriarty and Doris Carter and 213 - The Disappearance of Dori Ann Myers.Sponsored by: Factor! Visit FactorMeals.com/Trace50 and use promo code Trace50 for 50% off amazing, ready to eat meals today!Social Media and Subscription Link TreeMusic Courtesy of: "Wounded" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Co

The last time anyone spoke to LaTonya Roberts was the last night she was ever seen alive. Around 11 PM on Friday, December 16th, 1994, she called her sister and asked if she wanted to go to the club. In the end, LaTonya seemed set to head off on her own but when she didn't come home, everyone knew something was terribly wrong.Her father found her abandoned car two days later, on Sunday. It was parked half a mile from the club she was supposed to attend. The doors were locked and there was no sign of forced entry, although one tire was flat. Whether this was accidental or sabotage has never been determined. Police found themselves with an utter lack of evidence and few investigative avenues to explore. Then they learned the grim truth; that LaTonya had been a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her boyfriend, a man who just one month earlier, had threatened to kill her and bury her in a citrus grove. Did LaTonya's boyfriend make good on his threat or is someone else responsible for her mysterious disap

On an unseasonably warm night in Northwest Indianapolis, nineteen year old Trisha Meredith made the two minute walk from her new apartment to the laundry room. Accompanied by her boyfriend, he went back to make a call while Trisha stayed behind. Sometime during the thirty minutes, an unknown killer entered the room and attacked Trisha.Evidence at the scene showed Trisha had fought, tooth and nail, against her assailant. She sustained multiple defensive wounds before she sought shelter, trying unsuccessfully to squeeze behind a washing machine to avoid the blade of her attacker. When her boyfriend returned, he found Trisha bleeding profusely after being thrown into a utility closet.The crime occurred in broad daylight, at a busy time of day, in a wide open laundry room with a massive set of windows in front, giving passersby a clean and unimpeded view. Yet, there were no witnesses to either the murder or the killer's escape. Nearly four decades later, the truth of that bitter evening remain unknown and Trisha'

Eighteen year old Colleen Perris had the world at her fingertips and couldn't wait to chase down her dreams whether they led to Hollywood or American Idol, she was game. Then, on a lazy Saturday afternoon her cell phone rang and she quickly left the house. She has never been seen again.Six days later her car was found in a strip mall parking lot, resting in a space beside an abandoned fast food restaurant. Her purse was inside, though her wallet and phone were missing and bad weather had completely erased any forensic evidence from the exterior. It was another bright avenue that terminated in a dead end.For more than twenty years Colleen's parents have fought to discover the truth of her fate. Friends, family and the community as a whole came together to pass out fliers, raise rewards and bring awareness to he vibrant and loving young woman's terrible disappearance. Police were left with the belief that Colleen had been a victim of foul play. The only question was: had it been a random encounter or a planned

On a hot and humid tuesday night in September of 2002, Great Bend, Kansas was rocked by a brutal and senseless double murder. Twenty-four year old Mandi Alexander was working her third day in her new job at the Dolly Madison Bakery when she was brutally murdered.Seventy-nine year old Mary Drake, a lifelong resident of Great Bend, dropped in to the bakery that night to pickup a loaf of bread. Authorities theorize that she walked in either right after or in the middle of Mandi's murder. When the killer saw her, he couldn't allow her to escape alive.For more than twenty years the mystery behind these brutal and heinous crimes have haunted the friends and family who continue to grieve without answers. Was this a targeted attack, a robbery gone wrong or a completely random act of violence?The Dolly Madison Murders Documentary \|/ Aaron Mull's YouTube ChannelSocial Media and Subscription Link TreeSponsored by: ZocDoc! Visit ZocDoc.com/Trace and download the ZocDoc App for FREE! | Babbel! Get 55% off your subscripti