Gone in a Blink

In late October 1992, the small town of Oil City, PA, was shattered when 11-year-old Shauna Howe vanished while walking home from a youth Halloween event. What followed was a community-wide nightmare: the discovery of her body beneath a bridge, a decade of cold leads, and an entire town too terrified to let their children trick-or-treat. It would take nearly 13 years and a massive DNA breakthrough to reveal the multi-person conspiracy behind her brutal murder. This week, we examine the tragic murder of Shauna Howe and the relentless investigation that finally brought her killers to justice.

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On a quiet night in October 2012, a 911 dispatcher in Parker County, Texas, received a call that would chill them to the bone. On the other end of the line was 17-year-old Jake Evans, speaking with an eerie, calm detachment. He had just shot and killed his 48-year-old mother, Jami, and his 15-year-old sister, Mallory. In this episode, we dissect the chilling 20-minute 911 call and the four-page confession note inspired by a Hollywood slasher movie. What drives a teenager to obliterate his own family?

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When Arelie Garcia disappeared from her apartment in Salinas, California on September 22, 2022, her empty red Honda Accord on Highway 1 became the primary clue. With personal items left behind and no sign of a struggle, authorities and family continue searching for answers. In this episode we discuss the timeline of events, surveillance footage, and theories.

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Gone in a Blink — True Crime Podcast that Focuses on the Missing and Murdered | Patreon

In December 2015, 19-year-old Katelin Akens traveled from her new home in Arizona back to Spotsylvania County, Virginia to celebrate the birth of her new nephew. Four days later, she was scheduled to board a flight back home - but she never made it to the airport. Instead, a series of bizarre text messages emerged from her phone. For over a decade, her family was left with text pings that didn’t add up and a trail that went completely cold. This week we piece together the timeline of Katelin’s final known hours, the conflicting stories of the last pers...

On June 27, 1995, morning news anchor Jodi Huisentruit vanished from her apartment parking lot in Mason City, Iowa. Despite an immediate investigation, decades of searching, and intense media coverage, no one has ever been charged in her abduction. Today, we break down the case from the ground up: the timeline of her final hours, the physical evidence at the scene, the mysterious white van reported by neighbors, and the lingering theories that continue to haunt investigators 30 years later.

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In the early morning hours of April 6, 1986, nine-year-old Anthonette Cayedito vanished from her home in Gallup, New Mexico. Affectionately known as “Squirrel,” Anthonette was a deeply devoted fourth-grader who helped take care of her younger sisters. What started as a frantic morning search quickly evolved into one of America’s most baffling and heartbreaking missing child cases. In this episode, we break down the perplexing timeline of her disappearance, a terrifying 1987 phone call from a frantic girl claiming to be Anthonette, and the chilling “Help Me” napkin note left behind at a Nevada diner years later. Where is Anthonette Cayedito...

An experienced hunter walks into his own woods and completely vanishes. In late 2013, Eric Grady Smith was a well-respected coal mine supervisor and a dedicated family man living in Cedar Bluff, Virginia. Battling minor flu-like symptoms, he left his cell phone behind for what was meant to be a short trek to his deer stand. Despite massive search operations, not a single piece of clothing, footprint, or his .50 caliber rifle has ever been recovered. Did Eric suffer an unforeseen medical emergency in the dense terrain, or did he stumble into a far more dangerous situation? We dive into the...

What really happened to Jean Spanger? In October 1949, the young Hollywood starlet went missing after walking out of her apartment for a supposed night shoot. No one on set had any record of her working. Then came the clues: a vandalized purse, a cryptic handwritten note, and whispers connecting her to major film stars and notorious mobsters. We bread down the timeline, the suspect list, and the lingering theories - including a possible tie to the infamous Black Dahlia investigation.

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In October 1989, 10-year-old Amy Mihaljevic was lured from an Ohio shopping center by a mysterious caller who pretended to be a friend of the family. Her tragic death months later sparked a massive FBI investigation that remains active to this day. In this episode, we break down the suspects, the chilling phone calls made to other local girls, and the modern DNA advancements providing fresh hope for justice. If you have any information, help bring closure to Amy’s family by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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On a Spring night in 1998, teenagers Tabitha Brewer and Nicholas Travis stepped into a friend’s car and vanished into the Kansas City darkness. Four months later, a horrific discovery at a house on the East side of KC confirmed their families’ worst fears - but only half of the puzzle was found. Four years later and just a few miles away, 71-year-old grandmother Shirley McKeown pulled out of her driveway and disappeared without a trace. This episode unravels two seemingly separate Kansas City tragedies bound together by a single, terrifying question: When a predator is clea...

In October 1989, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted in the town of St. Joseph, Minnesota. It became one of the most notorious child abductions in American history and for 27 years, a porch light stayed on as a beacon of hope for the missing boy. In this episode, we chronicle Jacob’s heartbreaking story. We explore the chilling night of his disappearance, the immense strength of his mother, Patty Wetterling, and the shocking 2016 courtroom confession that finally broke the silence. Join us as we look at a tragedy that reshaped national laws, birthed the sex offender registry, and left a lasting le...

Fifteen-year-old Sierra Lamar vanishes on her way to school in Morgan Hill, California. Investigators find her phone and purse discarded fields away. This episode retraces her final known steps on the morning of March 16, 2012. We explore the initial panic, the massive community volunteer searches, and the chilling realization that Sierra never made it to her school bus.

Sources:

https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-disappearance-and-murder-of-sierra-lamar-14eff18c1318

https://allthatsinteresting.com/sierra-lamar

https://abc7chicago.com/post/man-found-guilty-in-death-of-teen-girl-missing-5-years/19

72299/

Conviction overturned...

 In 1997, 17-year-old Erica Fraysure was working hard to save up for her first year of college. But a regular night out with friends in Brooksville, KY, ended in a muti-decade mystery when her unlocked car was found hidden by hay bales in a remote field. With her purse still inside but her keys tossed across the road, police rule out a voluntary runaway. Nearly thirty years later, the case remains one of Kentucky’s most haunting cold cases. We break down the timeline, the suspects and the case as it stands today.

Sources:

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One family, two unfathomable tragedies. In 1999, 15-year-old Michael Palmer vanished into the early morning hours while biking home from a party in Wasilla, Alaska. Eleven years later, history would repeat itself in the worst way possible way when his 30-year-old brother, Chucky, disappeared while snowmobiling in the Talkeetna Mountains. Both brothers were riding at the back of their groups. Both left their vehicles behind. Neither has ever been found. We unpack the eerie parallels of the cases, the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness, and a family left living the same nightmare twice.

Sources:

<...

On a crisp October afternoon in 1999, 10-year-old Pamela Butler was rollerblading outside her home in Kansas City, Kansas. In a matter of seconds, a white pickup truck pulled up beside her and pulled her into the truck as her terrified sister watched. What followed was a desperate multi-state search, a devastating discovery, and a 21-year wait for a mother seeking the ultimate justice. In this episode, we unpack the chilling details of Pamela's abduction and the critical mistakes that led to his capture.

Sources:

https://www.thepitchkc.com/girls-in-the-hood/<...

Nine days after Leah Roberts left North Carolina in 2000, her wrecked Jeep was found at the bottom of an embankment in Washington State. Inside were her money, ID, and passport - but Leah was completely gone. This episode explores her sudden cross-country journey, the baffling clues left at the crash site, and the search for answers that continue decades later.

Sources:

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

https://unsolved.com/gallery/leah-roberts/

https://charleyproject.org/case/leah-toby-roberts

...

Alyssa Taylor wanted a quick getaway, so she joined a friend on a routine haul to North Carolina for his trucking company. A routine police interaction on the highway confirmed her presence in the vehicle just hours before a horrific, explosive crash on Interstate 85. This episode explores how a young mother could completely vanish from a major highway accident scene, leaving behind only questions, an absolute lack of closure, and a digital footprint that stopped cold at 1:05 AM.

Sources:

Alyssa Nicole Taylor – The Charley Project 

Virginia mot...

On February 24, 1978, five young men from Yuba City, California, attended a college basketball game and vanished into the night. Days later, their car was found perfectly operational, abandoned deep in the snowy mountains of Plumas National Forest - miles off their route home. Why did they head into the wilderness, and what drove them to abandon their car? We break down the timeline of America's most baffling missing persons case.

Sources:

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

The story of the Yuba County Five...

On a late summer evening in Fruitland, Idaho, five-year-old - Michael Joseph Vaughan - affectionately nicknamed "Monkey" - vanished from his neighborhood without a trace. What began as a frantic search by family and neighbors quickly spiraled into one of the state's most intensive missing person investigations. This episode traces the critical final moments before Michael disappeared, the immediate community response, and the devastating reality of a small town shattered by the unknown.

Sources:

https://www.solvethecase.org/case/2021-14/michael-joseph-vaughan

https://medium.com/p/fea597...

When devoted mother and friend, Summer Shipp vanished from a Kansas City neighborhood while conducting door-to-door research in 2004, a community refused to give up hope. Three years later, a heartbreaking discovery exposed a brutal crime. This is the story of Summer Shipp, the hunt for her killer, and a family’s fight for justice.

Sources:

https://www.thepitchkc.com/suspicious-minds-2/

https://www.kmbc.com/article/murder-charge-filed-in-summer-shipp-homicide/3671750

Murder Trial Finally Is Set to Begin in Death of Door-To-Door Research Worker Summer Shipp | JPLaw 

A young woman is snatched from a Kentucky beach in broad daylight-witnessed only by a man looking through a telescope from an entirely different state. When prime suspect Marty Dill commits suicide days later, police consider the case essentially closed. But Heather's family believes the real kidnapper is still out there. Thirty years later, dramatic new developments-including a $29 million federal lawsuit and the exhumation of the suspect's body-are forcing the truth to surface. Was it a random attack, or a carefully calculated cover-up?

Sources:

The Abduction of Heather...

In August 1993, 12-year-old Sara Anne Wood vanished while riding her bicycle home from vacation Bible school in Upstate New York. A massive hunt followed, but the breakthrough only came when another child escaped a kidnapping attempt five months later. Serial predator Lewis Lent confessed to Sara's murder but still refuses to reveal the true location of her remains. This episode explores a 30-year cat-and-mouse game between investigators and a convicted killer.

Sources:

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

Sara Anne Wood – The Ch...

On a chilly November night in 2002, 20-year-old Josh Guimond walked out of an on-campus poker party at St. John's University and vanished into the darkness. He left behind his car keys, glasses, and wallet, seemingly walking toward a future that would never arrive. Was it a tragic accident in the nearby lakes, or did something far more sinister happen on that short walk home? Tonight, we retrace the final known steps of a 'star student' whose case continues to baffle investigators more than twenty years later.

Sources:

Disappearance of...

Cindy Anderson was a young legal secretary with a bright future - until she disappeared in broad daylight from her workplace. Despite an office buzzer, a locked door, and numerous witnesses seeing her that morning, she was gone by lunch, leaving only her purse, keys and the lingering scent of nail polish remover in the air. Join us as we examine one of Ohio’s most enduring cold cases and the haunting tips that lead from local serial killers to the basement of a mysterious house.

Sources:

Cynthia Ja...

In the early morning of August 13th, 1995, a nightmare became reality for the Tapia family in Salt Lake City. While they slept just feet away, someone removed a window screen and abducted 6 year old Rosie from her bedroom. Hours later, she was found in a nearby canal. Today, 30 years have passed with no arrests but a $100,000 reward, and new leads are keeping the investigation alive. We dive into the case that changed a community forever and examined the latest search for the “Good Samaritan”, who could very well be a predator in disguise.

Sources:

Jennifer Kesse reported feeling uncomfortable around the workers renovating her apartment complex shortly before she went missing. Did a stranger turn into a stalker? With little to no forensic evidence found in her car, investigators are left with a massive missing piece: the transient construction workers who disappeared from the site. This episode dives into the botched early investigation, the hidden suspects, and the desperate search for answers 20 years later.

Sources:

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

https://people.com/what-happened-to-jennifer-kesse-11890896

How does a 6-foot-tall young man end up in a fetal position inside a chimney, only to have his death ruled an accident? Today we dive deep into the inconsistencies of the Joshua Maddux case. We examine the 'accidental' theory against the unsettling physical evidence: the breakfast bar dragged to block the fireplace from the inside, the bizarre state of Joshua's clothing, and the dark rumors surrounding a local man who reportedly inserted himself into the case. Was this a tragic misadventure, or did a killer hide in plain sight for 7 years?

Sources:

It was the start of spring break, but for Brian Shaffer's family, it was the start of a nightmare. After an evening of drinks, Brian became separated from his friends within a busy, secure entertainment complex. Surveillance footage captures him entering but never leaving. Join us as we walk through the final hours of a brilliant young mind and the security footage that has haunted investors for decades.

Sources:

Disappearance of Brian Shaffer - Wikipedia

Where’s Brian?. Brian Shaffer left his father a brief… | by Came...

On a spring morning in 2002, seven-year-old Alexis Patterson walked toward Hi-Mount Elementary School, accompanied by her stepfather to the corner, just steps away from the entrance. She was seen by a crossing guard and classmates on the playground, yet she never made it to her first-grade classroom. When the final bell rang, Alexis was nowhere to be found. We retrace her final know steps, the delayed notification that gave a kidnapper an eight-hour head start, and the two decades of tips that have led to a haunting silence.

Sources:

...

Seventeen-year-old Martha Leanne Green seemingly vanished into this air. Despite decades of searches, FBI involvement, and even a confession, her case remains one of Tennessee's most enduring mysteries. Was she taken by a stranger, or did she trust the wrong person? We break down the timeline of April 15,1987, and why authorities still believe this case is solvable.

Sources:

The 1987 Disappearance of Tennessee Teen Martha Leanne Green – True Crime Diva

www.gabriellawteam.com

Martha Leanne Green – The Charley Project

36 years after Dickson Co. teen disa...

On February 9, 2004, 21-year-old nursing student, Maura Murray left her UMass Amherst dorm and drove into the snowy White Mountains of New Hampshire. After a minor car accident on a desolate hairpin turn on Route 112, she vanished within minutes before arrived. Join us as we dissect the final hours: from her mysterious emails to professors to the chilling interaction with a local bus driver who was the last person to see her. How does someone disappear without a trace in a seven-minute window?

Sources:

Disappearance of Maura Murray - Wikipedia

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On a cold December night in 2017, Canadian pharmaceutical mogul Barry Sherman and his philanthropist wife Honey were found strangled and staged in a macabre pose by their indoor pool. With no signs of forced entry and a massive $35 million reward still unclaimed, we explore what really happened to one of the world's wealthiest couples and what could have driven someone to commit this grisly murder.

Sources:

Barry Sherman - Wikipedia

A Toronto billionaire couple was found dead by their pool in 2017. Their son...

In the early morning hours of June 3, 2011, 20-year-old Indiana University student Lauren Spierer walked out of a friend's apartment in downtown Bloomington and vanished without a trace. Despite being caught on multiple surveillance cameras earlier that night, the trail ends at the corner of 11th Street and College Avenue. Was it a tragic accident fueled by a night of partying, or did someone she know play a role in her disappearance? This week, we retrace Lauren's final steps and examine the theories that continue to haunt her family and the Bloomington community.

Sources:

On a clear July morning in 2007, 55-year-old Barbara Bolick set out to hike her favorite trail in Montana's Bitterroot Mountains. An experienced hiker carrying a .357 Magnum for protection, she was less than 30 feet away from her hiking partner when he turned away for just 45 seconds. When he looked back, she was gone - no struggle, no sound, and no trace. Despite massive search efforts using infrared technology and scent dogs, not a single piece of her gear has ever been found. Join us as we investigate the mystery of the woman who seemingly vanished into thin air.

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In 1983, Diane Downs drove her blood-spattered car into an Oregon hospital, claiming a "bushy-haired stranger" shot her three children. What followed was a disturbing display of manipulation, as the superficial wound on her arm and her chillingly calm demeanor raised immediate red flags. We break down how this narcissist rewrote reality and why she viewed her children, not as beloved family, but as obstacles to a new life.

Sources:

Diane Downs - Wikipedia

Diane Downs - Alcatraz East Pigeon Forge

Child Killer Denied Parole for Fourth Time | Psychology...

It's a story that has haunted a community for a quarter-century. A little girl, a loving home, and a terrifying, unexplained disappearance. Twenty-five years after 9-year-old Asha Degree vanished in the middle of the night, the case has exploded with new information. We dive into the recent search warrants, the new suspects, and why authorities are now treating this asa murder investigation. Could a 25-year-old mystery finally be solved?

Sources:

Disappearance of Asha Degree - Wikipedia

https://www.qcnews.com/asha-degree/new-search-warrants-reveal-texts-possible-admission-of-guilt-in-asha-degree-case/

https://www.ncsbi.gov...

On September 1, 2015, 17-year-old Macin Smith walked out of his St. George, Utah home, presumably heading for the school bus. He never arrived at school, and he never came home. Left behind in his bedroom were the very things most teens can't live without: his cell phone, his laptop, and his wallet. But tucked away in that wallet was a folded note that would change everything - a note with a message so heavy it left his family questioning if they ever truly knew their "silent son." Was Macin running away from a strict household, or was he walking toward...

A routine business trip to Philadelphia turned into a nightmare when Judy Smith disappeared in 1997. When her body was discovered hundreds of miles away in the mountains of North Carolina, the mystery only grew: How did she get there, and who was responsible for the brutal stabbing that took her life? This case remains one of the most perplexing travel mysteries in recent history, with more questions than answers.

Sources:

Killing of Judy Smith - Wikipedia

https://unsolved.com/gallery/judy-smith/

https://grokipedia.com/page/Killing...

Brianna Maitland's disappearance is more than a cold case. It is a story about the fragility of life, the unpredictability of fate, and the spirit of a family searching for answers. A young woman's routine evening, the drive to work, the gestures of independence, the ordinary interactions of a 17-year-old, was abruptly shattered, leaving a mystery that has haunted Vermont for decades. The series of events that surrounded her tell a story of a life interrupted, a journey halted, and a world left uncertain. Every eyewitness account, every tip, every unverified sighting contributes to the puzzle, yet no piece...

Jody Ledkins was last seen walking northbound on Winchester Avenue at 14th Street the evening she disappeared. She left without money or extra clothes, seemingly just needing a ride home. This episode dives into the immediate aftermath of her phone call with her mother and subsequent fight her mother endured to get police to take her daughter's disappearance seriously. Was this a runaway case or was it something far more sinister from the start?

Sources:

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/mother-continues-search-for-missing-daughter-35-years-later

https://jodyledkins.wordpress.com/