Cold Case Episodes

Tiesha, a brilliant young woman, was murdered in her apartment in 2006. Tiesha had excelled at school and was just starting her corporate career in Manhattan and had recently moved into a Brooklyn apartment with her boyfriend, Keve. Tiesha had it all. On the night of the murder, three thieves broke into their apartment, tied up Tiesha and Keve, and shot Tiesha in the back of the head. Keve survived and called the police. The case remains unsolved. The NYPD cold case squad did reopen the case in ...

Amy Mihaljevic was a 10-year-old girl who went missing in 1989 in Bay Village, Ohio. Amy was lured to a shopping center by a stranger who called her at home twice. The first tie the man insisted he needed her helping buying her mother a surprise gift for a recent work promotion and the second time promising to buy her a gift as well. She was last seen at the shopping center, where witnesses reported seeing her with a man who approached her and led her to his car. Despite extensive searches and i...

Jenny Lin, a 14-year-old girl, was brutally murdered in her home in 1994. Police are baffled by the gruesome crime scene. Jenny is found in a pool of blood, bound with duct tape, and her clothes have been removed by force. Police are unclear on what the motive could have been. Nothing was missing from the home and Jenny was not sexually assaulted. However, they later considered the possibility of sexual assault being interrupted. The police have investigated numerous leads and suspects over the ...

Marlon Devine Santos, a 5-month-old baby, went missing on November 5, 1998. Marlon was in foster care with Yolanda and Jose Castillo when he disappeared. Yolanda left Marlon and two other foster children home alone, in an unlocked house, while she went to pick up her own children from school. When she returned, Marlon was gone. Yolanda waited over 48 hours before reporting him missing to the police. The police initially treated the case as an abduction or homicide and focused on the Castillos as...

Jimmy Blakeley, a 17-year-old from Hartford County, Maryland, was found stabbed to death on April 2, 1990. He had been working at a Shell gas station and called his parents to say he was on his way home, but instead made a stop at an adult bookstore. His body was discovered the next morning on a secluded dirt road, still wearing his Shell uniform but with his shirt unbuttoned and pants partially pulled down. Police found his car, a blue Chevrolet Cavalier, near the bookstore. Despite an active i...

In the middle of the middle of the day three woman were brutally murdered at The Hair Gallery beauty salon in Florence, MT. Dorothy Harris, Brenda Patch, and Cindy Paulus were all found were their throats deeply slit. Just minutes before the murder an oddly dressed man was seen near the salon. He was wearing a dark suit, duster jacket, and either a top hat or a fedora. He was seen by 7 witness the day of the murder and was last seen walking into the woods. Despite the dedication of investigators...

Sigrid Stevenson, a 25-year-old graduate student at Trenton State College in New Jersey, was found brutally beaten to death on September 4, 1977. She had returned to campus after hitchhiking through Canada and New England and planned to spend the night in Kendall Hall to practice the piano. Her body was discovered by a security guard, naked and covered with a piano cover, with her wrists tied behind her back. The police ruled out robbery as a motive, as her wallet and money were found, and she w...

Stella and JJ were roommates and close friends who lived in a working-class neighborhood in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Stella was known for her kindness and generosity towards her neighbors, while JJ was a veteran with a love for cars. On February 17, 1991, a fire broke out in their home, and the bodies of Stella and JJ were found inside. Autopsy results revealed that they had been stabbed multiple times before the fire was set. The case remains unsolved, but in recent years, Detective Rochelle ...

An early morning driver notices a brush fire in a wooded area in the outskirts of Colombia, S.C and calls for help. As firefighters respond to the call and get to work extinguishing the blaze they make the gruesome discovery of 15 year-old Silene ‘Erica’ Eaddy. She had been badly beaten, set on fire, and left for dead. In the beginning, police seemed to be closing in on the people responsible, but after 19 years there has never been an arrest and no suspects have been named. Join Ali as she goes...

In 1962, fourteen year-old Larry Jo Phebus was new in North Dakota when he found himself alone on a Saturday night. His brother, who he lived with, had a double date and Larry Jo was told to stay at their hotel. When his brother returns home that evening Larry Jo is gone. Months later a farmer will find the body of a partially nude teenage boy in his field. Quickly, police realize its the missing boy Larry Jo Phebus. Police will talk to several people in the case but to date no suspect has ever ...

The space between the bus stop and Charles and Jennifer Chia’s apartment is 100 feet. Somewhere in that 100 feet Charles and Jennifer vanish without a trace in the middle of the day on October 18th, 1989. Quickly, everyone in the city of Reno knows Charles and Jennifer’s face and name but no leads emerge. Despite the community response weeks will go by without any sign of the children. Finally, months later, a highway worker taking a lunch break notices a human skull in an embankment. When polic...

Postulant nun Sister Robin Elam (full name: Roberta Elam) was spending time at her convent for an 8 day silent retreat. Her time was spent praying and meditating and those that knew her assumed she was also using the time to wrestle with her decision to take her vows. On June 13th, 1977 Sister Robin was sitting on the convent grounds with her prayer book when she was attacked and murdered by an unknown man. Her body is found hours after the attack and police start to investigate immediately. Despite several leads over the years none have lead to the killer of Sister Robin. Who killed this woman while she sat and prayed? Join Ali and Eli this week as we go over the details of the heinous cold case.

Chance Smith was a recent ‘Student of the Week’ for his kindergarten class and said one of his favorite things was playing outside. In December of 2003 Chance was doing just that, playing outside, while his grandfather worked on an engine nearby. His grandfather stepped inside for a minute to grab something to continue his work. A neighbor saw Chance follow the family dog into the woods. When his grandfather comes back outside and hollers for him there’s no response. Quickly, family and friends are in the woods searching for him. After an hour the police are called and a huge search effort is launched to find Chance. That night Chance is found in a horse pasture less than a mile from the home and police will declare it a homicide. To date there has never been an arrest in the murder of Chance Smith. Join Ali and Eli and we review this heartbreaking cold case.

Sarah Greenhalgh updated her facebook status at 11:00 pm on July 8th, 2012. It said “Going to be sleeping with the window wide open…:-) Now if batsh** crazy-boy would just leave me alone…will get some much needed rest because tomorrow is Monday and I got a ton of work to do”. The next morning, just after 8am, smoke is seen billowing out of Sarah’s home. When firefighters extinguish the flames they find Sarah inside her bedroom. Police arrive and they quickly rule it a homicide. Sarah was murdered before the fire was set. Join Ali as she goes through the timeline of this intense cold case.

In March of 1991 Luther Meshell, who used a wheelchair and crutches in his day to day, was found brutally murdered in his home. He had been stabbed in his back, chest, and had his throat cut. Several items were taken from the home- most notably his 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88. However, the next day police find the car parked in an apartment complex. To date no suspect has ever been named in the case and his children are desperate for answers. Join Ali on Cold and Missing while she goes over what is known about this 32 year old cold case.

Earl and Clarissa Gonzales were a father daughter duo well known in their small town of Questa, New Mexico. The entire town was shocked when Earl and Clarissa were both found murdered on September 2nd, 1999. Earl had been shot in the head while he slept and Clarissa died from a ligature strangulation. Despite confidence in the beginning of the case that it would soon be solved as of 2023 the case is cold. Join Ali and Eli as we go over the facts and rumors in this tragic cold case.

In the early morning hours of April 1, 2005 fifteen year old Aaron Dowdle was found behind a vacant warehouse beaten into a coma and stabbed. A few hours earlier Aaron’s best friend had been found in the same condition a few hours earlier and just blocks away. Both boys are rushed to the hospital and begin to recover. Tragically, Aaron will pass away from his injuries 37 days after the attack. His best friend will recover but his last memory will be from 2 days before the attack. He can’t remember anything from the day or the event itself. To date Aaron’s attacker or attackers have never been found. Join Ali and Eli as we go over this tragic cold case.

This week on Cold and Missing Ali and Eli look into the 2018 cold case of Kenneth Charlot. Kenneth was proud of his family and his home in Pass Christian, Mississippi reflected the love he had for all his nieces and nephews. When family couldn’t get ahold of Kenneth on Feb 1st, 2018 they knew something was immediately wrong. That evening family reported him missing after finding his home left in a suspicious manner. The next day Kenneth is found dead. Despite his family raising the alarm quickly when Kenneth disappeared this case has gone cold. Join us as we go through the timeline of events around this senseless cold case.

This week on Cold and Missing Ali and Eli to look into the 1990 cold case of Shirley McAvoy. In August of 1990 Shirley was living in Pittsfield, Maine when she disappeared. Family and friends thought that she was taking some time to herself to process her recent separation from her husband. When family and friends go to her home to winterize it for when she returned they found a large blood stain under a couch. Months later in November a deer hunter will find the skeletal remains of Shirley in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Police quickly zero in a suspect they believed is called ‘Jerry’ but they were never able to track him down. Join us as we go through the timeline of this horrible cold case.

This week on Cold and Missing we look into the 2003 cold case of April Marie Sanchez in San Jose, CA. April was a vivacious 16 year old who was spending time with friends and her boyfriend late Friday night. When she left a little after midnight to walk home it should have taken her 25 minutes but she’ll never arrive home. Instead a man walking his dog will find her in the early morning hours the next day. To date April’s murder has never been solved. Join us as we go through the timeline of events of this tragic story

This week on Cold and Missing Ali and Eli look into the 1986 cold case out of Fairfield, CT of an infant known as Baby Victor. Hours after being born baby Victor is found dead near Lake Mohegan. Three conservation workers were emptying trash cans when they found a newborn lying on the ground and wrapped in women’s pajamas. Surrounding the baby were coins, fruit, food, and other trinkets that police immediately label as part of a ritual. Join us as we go over this heartbreaking cold case.

This week on Cold and Missing Ali and Eli look into the 1973 cold case of Sherri Swalley. Sherri was 8 years old when her father decided to take her and her little brother to Walt Disney World as a Christmas treat. Traveling from Columbus, OH to Orlando, FL Sherri’s father decided to spend Sunday Dec. 23rd in Atlanta, GA before continuing on the next day. Sherri spent the day playing with children in the apartment complex and was last seen leaving the apartment of Carolyn Ellis to go invite her father over for dinner. Later that evening police receive a call that there’s a dead girl at the apartment complex. When they arrive they don’t find anything but the next morning Sherri’s body will be found in full view of the apartments.

This week on Cold and Missing Ali and Eli look into the chilling cold case of Keisha Murray. In July of 2013 in Jacksonville, Fl Keisha’s body was found sitting under a tree in the Restlawn Cemetery. Police quickly conclude that it is a homicide and reveal that Keisha was bathed and dressed after her murder before being staged in the cemetery. Join Ali and Eli as they go over the details of this shocking cold case.

This week on Cold and Missing Ali and Eli look into the 2011 cold case of Jeremey Toles out of Midwest City, Oklahoma. In 2011 Jeremy had the world in front of him. He was a customer favorite at his job, had found a passion for cooking, and had just become a proud father. However, after an evening out with friends Jeremy is never heard from by his family again and he will ultimately be found by a farmer in his field a few days later. No suspects or people of interest ever emerge in this homicide. Join us as we uncover what little is known about this 2011 cold case.