Im slowly moving along from state to state about cold cases and urban legends. Today I figured I’d do researching on PA.

Police arrested Nicholas Carney for two cold cases in Texas, one in 1991 and one in 1999, but they’re looking for other cases he may be linked to.

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/nicholas-carney-kidnapping-survivor-interview-iteam/

https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/dna-genetic-genealogy-cold-case-nicholas-carney/

Le 22 juin 1983, Emanuela Orlandi ( 15ans), disparaît en plein coeur de Rome après son cours de musique. Plus de 40 ans après, son corps n' a jamais été retrouvé et l'affaire reste non résolue.

Yet another miscarriage of justice in the Netherlands. New DNA findings and revelations regarding the police investigation are fueling doubts about the conviction of the so-called 'Breda Six,' who were imprisoned for years for the 1993 murder of a restaurant owner. 

Engels

To what extent is it permissible to re-examine old cases using new techniques? Wouldn't that create an excessive workload for the courts, and wouldn't current efforts to combat crime suffer as a result?

On the morning of January 15, 1947, a young woman walking with her child in a vacant lot in Leimert Park, Los Angeles, made a horrifying discovery. What she initially thought was a discarded mannequin was the body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short.

The murder remains one of the most infamous unsolved cases in American history — not only because of its brutality, but because of the intense media frenzy that followed and the way it has come to symbolize the darker side of Hollywood’s golden age.

**Who Was Elizabeth Short?**

Elizabeth Short was born in Massachusetts in 1924. After a difficult childhood marked by her parents’ separation and health issues, she moved between cities seeking a fresh start. Friends and acquaintances described her as a dreamer who loved movies, fashion, and the idea of becoming an actress. She had lived in Los Angeles for periods in the mid-1940s, working occasional jobs and socializing in nightclubs and bars. She was known for wearing black clothing and flowers in her hair — details that later inspired the press nickname “Black Dahlia.”

**The Discovery**

The body was found neatly posed on the ground: severed at the waist, with the two halves placed about a foot apart. Her arms were raised above her head at sharp angles. There were deep lacerations at the corners of her mouth in a “Glasgow smile,” and much of the blood had been drained from her body. Remarkably, there was very little blood at the scene itself, indicating she was killed elsewhere and the body was transported and arranged afterward.

No witnesses came forward immediately, and the killer left no obvious physical evidence at the scene. The case quickly drew massive attention from the Los Angeles Police Department and the national press.

**The Investigation**

The LAPD conducted one of the largest investigations in its history at the time. Hundreds of people were interviewed. Short’s acquaintances, former boyfriends, and even people who claimed to have information were questioned. Several individuals confessed over the years, but none of the confessions held up under scrutiny.

The sensationalized media coverage often overshadowed the victim herself. Newspapers published gruesome details and speculative stories, turning Elizabeth Short into a tabloid figure rather than a young woman whose life was violently cut short.

Despite decades of investigation, books, documentaries, and modern forensic re-examinations, the case has never been solved. No one has ever been definitively charged.

**Why It Endures**

The Black Dahlia murder continues to fascinate because it combines several elements: a brutal, ritualistic killing in a city that symbolized glamour; a victim who represented the many hopeful young people drawn to Hollywood; and an enduring mystery with no resolution.

Elizabeth Short was a real person — a daughter, a sister, and a friend — whose dreams were ended in a horrifying way. The case serves as a sobering reminder of the vulnerability many young women faced in mid-20th-century America and the lasting pain unsolved murders leave behind for families and communities.

On December 30, 2000, the Miyazawa family of four was murdered in their Tokyo home. What makes this case truly baffling is what the killer did AFTER the murders.

He didn't run. He stayed in the house for hours. He ate their food, browsed their computer, and even took a nap while the family lay dead around him.

When he finally left, he left behind:

- His full DNA profile

- His fingerprints

- His clothing

- A biological sample from the toilet

Despite 280,000 officers and 25 years of investigation, he has never been found.

New DNA methylation analysis in 2025 revealed the killer was likely in his 30s at the time, not a teenager as previously thought. This completely changes the profile and the existing theories.

I put together a full documentary breakdown of this case here: https://youtu.be/WG8e4K9gc0U

What do you think happened to the killer?

I am researching the 1991 killing of Fekade Ashine for a documentary and trying to confirm whether the case was ever resolved.

On July 10, 1991, Ashine was fatally shot in West Los Angeles. A December 1992 Los Angeles Times report said the LAPD was seeking Sophie David in connection with his death. The article described Ashine as her estranged boyfriend and said America’s Most Wanted had featured David in February and August 1992. Police reportedly believed she may have left the United States.

America’s Most Wanted was still presenting David as wanted in an episode aired on August 1, 2009. Her segment appears from approximately 27:19 to 28:37.

I have not found any later arrest report, court case, official police update, death notice, or confirmation that the case was closed.

Does anyone know of an official record confirming whether Sophie David was ever found, arrested, or whether the case remains open?

Sources:

Los Angeles Times:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-12-25-me-2516-story.html

2009 America’s Most Wanted episode:

https://archive.org/details/americas-most-wanted_202603

I’ve been down a rabbit hole the last few nights researching the Kyle McMurtrey homicide from 2020, and honestly I’m more confused now than when I started.
Here’s what I’ve found from public sources.
Kyle was found dead behind Washington Plaza on June 17, 2020. His death was ruled a homicide. Public reporting says he died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head, and his shoes were found several feet away from his body.
Less than a week later, Chief Mike McCoy said investigators already had persons of interest, were interviewing people, reviewing surveillance video, and believed this involved people Kyle knew.
That was six years ago.
So…what happened?
Did the surveillance lead nowhere?
Were the persons of interest cleared?
Was Kyle killed where he was found or dumped there afterward?
Did someone simply stop talking?
I’ve searched for updates and can’t find much of anything after those first few weeks. If there have been developments, I’d genuinely like to know because they don’t seem to be out there.
This also got me looking into Washington’s other homicide investigations. Beverly Swearingen’s murder from 1996 is still unsolved almost 30 years later.
Then you have the Joshua Snyder homicide later in 2020. That one was solved almost immediately after police located a suspect walking down the street covered in blood. Completely different type of case.
That’s what keeps sticking with me. When the suspect is immediately identifiable, the case gets solved. When investigators have to build a case through evidence, timelines, witness interviews, surveillance, and good detective work, Washington’s track record doesn’t look nearly as good, as far as I can tell Washington has solved exactly 1 murder case in their history (not that there have been that many, 6 by my count).
I’m not saying that to bash anyone. I’m saying it because these families deserve answers, and six years is a long damn time with no resolution after police publicly said they had persons of interest and surveillance video.
If you knew Kyle, worked around Washington Plaza back then, remember hearing something, or know details that were never widely reported, I’d like to hear them. Even if it’s something small that seemed insignificant at the time.
Maybe someone reading this knows something that helps move this case forward.

I posted this in tipofmycrime also, but gonna give it a whirl here too -

I think I heard this on the Crimelines podcast, but can't find it on there. Can't remember state it happened in, but I think took place in the 80s. Mother and father have 2 kids, boy and a girl. Divorce. Mom keeps kids away from dad. She remarries man, I think he also has kids. They suddenly moved away. Dad tries to find them, police won't look for them since the mother has them, and don't consider it a kidnapping. He looks for years and years. I believe the brother and him eventually get in contact. I think the brother remembers a carpet being rolled up, or maybe just an odd box or something the night they just up and moved. No record of the girl since she went missing. Police interview mom and she's not concerned about her daughter's whereabouts. I think she was eventually charged with a relatively minor crime associated with it. I think the mom and step dad were also divorced at that point, but she still defended him. I think the mother tried to say that she was sent to live with relatives, but obviously wasn't true. The brother tried to get his mom to talk about it, but she refused. I think the girl was pretty young, like 5 or under. It's driving me nuts. Some cases that come up when I try to google, but aren't it are - Chris and Lisa Mae Zacharias and Elaine Yates. Possibly heard it on the Vanished podcast, but don't regularly listen to that one.

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share a deep-dive analysis of a frustrating cold case from Indonesia that deserves international attention. On January 7, 2019, an 18-year-old high school student named Andriana Yubelia Noven was stabbed to death in broad daylight inside a narrow alleyway in Bogor, West Java. The entire crime was captured on a nearby CCTV camera, yet years later, the perpetrator remains completely unidentified.

This post isn't about guessing names. I want to look at the geographical facts, the technical anomalies of the crime scene, and break down why the suspicions against potential suspects were debunked.

For visual context, this is a clip from a major national investigative journalism program (Mata Najwa on NARASI) showing the exclusive, enhanced version of the CCTV footage and discussing the case:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBY9XDOtqBE

Disclaimer: This is a serious post regarding a real tragedy. Please keep the discussion objective, logical, and respect the privacy of those involved.

I. The Geographical & Technical Facts

To align our context, here is the spatial reconstruction of the alleyway (Jalan Riau, Baranangsiang):

• The Victim's Comfort Zone: The stabbing occurred just 50 meters away from the victim’s all-female dormitory. Walking casually, it takes less than a minute.
• CCTV to Stairs Proximity: The security camera that captured the attack was mounted very close—just a few meters—from the first flight of stairs in the alley. The perpetrator was caught on camera pacing around and waiting near these exact stairs before Noven walked by.

II. Suspect Profiling & How They Were Debunked

When we analyze the CCTV footage, the local biometrics, and the perpetrator's body language, a massive conflict of logic appears:

1. The Biometric Flaw & Age Gap

• The Perspective: The police used facial recognition software connected to the national civil registry database (Disdukcapil) to filter lookalikes nationwide. They intensively interrogated 5 potential suspects, including Noven's ex-boyfriend (referred to as "S"), who initially faced heavy public suspicion due to a recent breakup. However, "S" had an airtight digital and witness alibi proving he was in a different city (Bandung) during the crime, completely clearing him.
• This leads to a strong hypothesis: What if the killer was under 17 at the time? In Indonesia, national biometric registration (facial scans & fingerprints) is only mandatory when a citizen turns 17 to issue an e-KTP (National ID card). If the killer was a young teenager (14–16 years old), the digital database would yield a zero-match result because his data simply didn't exist yet. This also explains the physical age gap; the perpetrator’s lean posture fits a younger teen, likely not someone from Noven's 18-year-old high school circle.
• The Counter-Argument: Even if he didn't have a national ID yet, the crime happened around 4:00 PM just meters away from the stairs/CCTV. If he was a local student or resident, manual distribution of his sketch to surrounding schools should have triggered an immediate identification by teachers or peers. Yet, nobody recognized him.

2. Alleyway Acoustics & Social Status

• The Perspective: The alley is narrow, densely populated, and flanked by concrete walls. The killer arrived and escaped completely on foot, walking and jogging casually without any vehicle. Acoustically, revving a motorcycle engine in such an enclosed space would echo loudly and instantly draw neighbors' attention. Furthermore, the killer wore casual athletic clothes, standing out against other students in the footage who wore formal school uniforms. This implies the killer might be a school dropout or a non-student who specifically knew the neighborhood's maze-like shortcuts, likely possessing a "safe house" or rental room within walking distance to vanish into within minutes.
• The Counter-Argument: If the killer was a walking local with a narrow escape radius, the neighborhood door-to-door elimination process by the police should have caught him quickly. Additionally, the casual clothes could simply be a deliberate disguise to conceal which school he attended, meaning his student status cannot be completely ruled out.

3. Body Language (Targeted Hit vs Stalker)

• The Perspective: On the CCTV, Noven walks completely calmly, showing zero defensive reflexes or suspicion when crossing paths with the killer. In contrast, the killer immediately lunges aggressively and precisely hooks a knife into her chest. This suggests a targeted hit where the killer recognized her one-sidedly (perhaps through stalking or being handed a photo of the target), while Noven perceived him as just another random stranger walking by.
• The Counter-Argument: If this was a pre-planned hit by an organized individual, executing a target in a crowded residential area, in broad daylight, right under a CCTV camera that is literally meters away from the stairs, is incredibly sloppy and high-risk.

III. The Massive Missing Link (Post-Crime Anomalies)

All the debates above about the low-profile killer (possibly an underage kid, casual clothes, on foot) completely fail to explain the baffling events that occurred after the murder:

1. Tampering with Digital Evidence: The victim's family publicly revealed that after Noven’s phone was confiscated by authorities for forensic investigation, numerous crucial photo galleries, data logs, and chat histories inside the device mysteriously disappeared/were deleted.
2. Organized Intimidation: The grieving family repeatedly received text messages and WhatsApp threats from anonymous numbers, warning them to stop demanding police investigations if they wanted the rest of their surviving family members to stay safe.

The Bottom Line Logic: An underage street kid or a lone-wolf amateur thief does not have the access or the capability to delete evidence inside a police evidence locker. Nor do they have the resources or motivation to systematically terrorize a victim's family years later.

Conclusion

The most logical way to bridge these clashing pieces of the puzzle is the Separation of Roles hypothesis:

• The Killer on CCTV (Field Executor): Likely a local minor or a non-student used as a disposable "tool" to do the physical deed, who was immediately smuggled out of the city right after the crime.
• The Intellectual Actor (The Mastermind): A high-profile individual with the actual motive (whether personal grievance, jealousy, or a secret Noven held). This is the entity capable of pulling strings post-crime (erasing phone data and threatening the family) to protect themselves from the law, not to protect the kid caught on the security camera.

From a criminological standpoint, what do you think is the most crucial variable needed to break a cold case that suffers from this level of post-crime interference?

Let's discuss logically based on the layouted facts.

Dear Attorney General Nessel,

I am writing as a concerned Michigan resident and advocate for survivors of sexual assault to commend the significant progress made by your office, the Michigan State Police, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office Sexual Assault Kit Task Force, and other partners in addressing historical backlogs and pursuing justice in cold cases. The successful use of forensic genetic genealogy in recent convictions, such as the July 2026 Wayne County case involving multiple first- and third-degree Criminal Sexual Conduct charges (full article: https://newmediadetroit.com/detroit-man-convicted-of-multiple-first-third-degree-csc-charges-related-to-several-cases/), demonstrates the power of modern DNA techniques to deliver accountability decades later.

Despite this progress, full implementation of the Sexual Assault Kit Evidence Submission Act (Act 227 of 2014) remains incomplete for newly collected kits. The law requires law enforcement agencies to submit released sexual assault kits for analysis within strict timelines. Full text of MCL 752.934: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-752-934

Key provisions (excerpt): “(4) The investigating law enforcement agency that takes possession of any sexual assault kit evidence shall assign a criminal complaint number to that evidence ... and shall submit that evidence to the department or another accredited laboratory for analysis within 14 days after that law enforcement agency takes possession...” “(6) All sexual assault kit evidence submitted to the department or an accredited laboratory on or after the effective date of this act shall be analyzed within 90 days after all of the necessary evidence is received by the department or other accredited laboratory, provided that sufficient staffing and resources are available to do so.”

While the law provides flexibility for resources, selective submission practices and delays undermine its intent, victim rights, and public safety.

To ensure consistent, timely testing of all released kits and to maximize the impact of DNA evidence through greater use of forensic genetic genealogy (FGG), I respectfully propose the following targeted improvements:

Enhance Transparency and Accountability Through Comprehensive Reporting Require or establish a public, real-time statewide dashboard (expanding Track-Kit) that reports by agency and county: the number of kits collected, submitted, analyzed, and pending (including age); aggregate reasons for delays or non-submission; and metrics on FGG usage, including referrals, turnaround times, and outcomes. See Michigan victim rights information: https://www.michigan.gov/voices4/sexual-assault/legal/evidence Clarify and Enforce Submission Requirements Issue formal guidance clarifying that all released sexual assault kits must be submitted for analysis in accordance with MCL 752.934, regardless of initial assessments regarding serial offender status. Documented exceptions should be subject to periodic review. Full Act: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-act-227-of-2014 Expand and Accelerate Forensic Genetic Genealogy Develop standardized protocols to refer qualifying unsolved cases (no CODIS hit) for FGG analysis within defined timelines (e.g., 6–12 months post-initial testing). Secure dedicated state funding and partnerships for FGG. Establish clear privacy, consent, and ethical guidelines. Examples of FGG success in Michigan: https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/game-changer-genealogy-helps-crack-cold-cases/ https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/genealogy-program-helps-identify-sexual-assault-suspect-nearly-40-years-later/ These changes would align Michigan with national best practices promoted by the Joyful Heart Foundation’s End the Backlog campaign and would optimize existing investments.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these proposals with your staff. Thank you for your leadership on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

aka Doug Dante

In September 2015, my mom Jennifer Hedge (maiden name Kelly) died in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her death was ruled a suicide by hanging.

I have now obtained the full police report. It documents:

- A prior domestic violence incident between Jeni and her husband
- A Facebook message Jeni sent to her cousin just days before her death saying she was afraid of him
- Responding paramedics' concerns at the scene that she may not have hung herself

She had recently relocated to Colorado with her husband. She knew no one there except him.

The case was closed. I am seeking justice for her. Has anyone navigated something similar? What are my next steps?

UPDATE 7/11/2026:

Thank you to everyone who commented, shared search strategies, and reached out. I want to share what has developed since I first posted.

I now have the complete CSPD case report from an incident on September 18, 2015 — ten days before Jeni's death. Officers were dispatched after a 911 call in which Jeni could only say "I can't, I can't, I can't" before the line disconnected.

According to the report, Jeni told officers her husband:

- Choked her with both hands
- Dragged her by the throat from the front porch into the house
- Held her down on the bed
- Repeatedly threatened to "break her face"

Officers documented redness on her neck and chest. The domestic violence form filed that night has "strangled" marked under the defendant's actions. He was arrested at the scene for assault, harassment, and resisting arrest.

Ten days later, Jeni was dead, and her death was ruled a suicide by hanging. The case was closed on the same date the coroner signed the autopsy....one day after a family member contacted police with concerns.

I am now working with a writer and a podcast on telling Jeni's story fully (thank you both so very much), and I am continuing to pursue legal options and an independent forensic review.

If you lived in the Colorado Springs area in 2015, knew Jeni, or have professional insight into strangulation cases and death investigations, I would be grateful to hear from you.

source: https://www.altamonte.org/591/Cold-Cases

On August 31, 2004, at approximately 8:30 p.m. Susan Perkins and a friend were tinting windows in a salon on Maitland Avenue. A masked black male entered the salon. He was armed with an unknown type of rifle. The suspect ordered Susan and the other female victim into Susan’s red Ford Focus and made them drive to the Washington Mutual Bank at 500 E. Altamonte Drive. After making the victim withdraw money from her account via the drive through ATM, the suspect ordered the victims out of the vehicle and into the trunk.

While leaving the bank, the victims were able to utilize the emergency release handle inside the trunk. The victims leapt from the trunk but Susan struck her head on the pavement in her brave attempt to escape. She suffered fatal injuries.

The suspect in this case is described as a black male of medium build. He wore a mask and long sleeve military style jacket and was said to have possibly smelled of motor oil.

sun crime state podcast episode #75 covered this the best. sister and detective are questioned about the surviving victim and how she sort of faded away so to speak. sister expresses that a lot of her story doesnt add up and that its only from her vantage point. detective says all he will say is that she has always cooperated. maybe i can see where the sister is coming from. are we to understand that this man was walking around maitland with a rifle and a mask and happens to notice them or their car at the spa? no mention of him having a vehicle. maybe this is all hold back evidence? but if he was afraid to be seen on camera (putting seat all the way back while at atm as described), why would he be outside of the vehicle with the women right afterwards in the SAME bank parking lot? i moved from tampa (my home) to the orlando area just months after this happened and stayed for a few years off and on. i was in my early 20s at the time i moved there. so when i came across this the other day i was pretty taken by it. orlando was a wild unsafe place when i think back on it. i was young and living alone. i would befriend and go off with any guy that was nice enough. they said no dna was recoverd which is a shame....i bet he would have been caught by now. seemingly no other similar crimes. what does everyone think about this case? armed robberies like this are my worst fear. i have to say i do believe that the surviving victim's description of events is truly what happened because there is no indication whatsoever by LE that it didnt. they want the suspect found. however there is a lot we dont know and wont know being that we do not have police files. truly a crazy and sad case. it has really made me be better about my personal safety. from what i remember maitland was a sleepy little area with businesses and residential areas. the main strip from what i remember was called howell branch rd? i could be off on that- its been way too long. but the main strip was just a narrow road really. it was similar to where i live now. if a friend asked me to help them at their office at night in maitland back then i wouldnt think twice about it. now i def would. this man could still be running around orlando too. here is the episode link:

https://pca.st/episode/77d3ba64-db21-4c0f-90ab-6078bde8ba34 

Kevin James Dycus went missing from Glendale, Arizona in January 1998.  The 37-year-old Seattle resident had only arrived in Glendale just 3 days before to help his father take care of his ailing mother. 

His body has never been found. The police report was only 11 pages long and provided minimal information

His uncle William Urbank picked him up from Sky Harbor airport and took him to his parents’ home in the 5200 block of West Ironwood Drive. 

On Sunday January 11, Kevin left the residence drunk on foot, in an unknown direction. He left his money, identification, and belongings behind. He may have been headed to a church.

His sister Anita arrived in Arizona from Washington 6 months after Kevin went missing. She tried reporting him as a missing person, but Glendale PD refused to investigate because he was an adult. 

Kevin was not listed as a missing person until June 2006, over 8 years after he was last seen alive.

His mother and sister Anita have passed away. His father Ray and sister Julanne moved to Tucson. Ray died in 2010. His uncle William “Bill” Urbank has also passed away.

The area of Glendale that Kevin went missing from is a working-class area. A Circle K and a since shuttered and demolished horse ranch were up the road on 51st avenue and Peoria. There was a church in the 5400 block of west Peoria Ave. Two grocery stores and shops were at the next major intersection southbound on Olive Ave. 

The police report did specify that Kevin’s dental records were retrieved from a dentist in Washington.

Kevin was born on Dec 30, 1960. He was described as 5’8 and 140-160 pounds. He had brown hair and blue eyes. Both his ears were pieced, and he had a small scar near his eyebrows.

Sources

https://www.yourvalley.net/stories/have-you-seen-these-people-all-are-currently-listed-as-missing-from-glendale,353703

https://charleyproject.org/case/kevin-james-dycus

Father’s obituary

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tucson/name/ray-dycus-obituary?id=22027271

https://charleyproject.org/case/kevin-james-dycus

Summary posted as a comment separate from post for non-obsessive people.

I will try keep things brief because I reallyyyyy should go and study so the quicker I finish this the less anxious I will be (more prone to mistakes and gaps in thought, sorry). Also, I made the stupid mistake of emailing some of my thoughts to the police today through their tip emails, not realising they can't use my work legally as I am a civilian, and not even a witness (I don't live in the US, you can probably easily find my region out - please don't)

- The dust footprint. There are clear patterns of a shoe/boot print that had Smidt (forgot name) to call it a footprint, at least a partial profile. The issue is, the dust is very much undisturbed, and the case was carefully moved (by a gloved killer, later on this) so if it is not full adult weight, and dust is very "clean", this guy handheld a shoe/boot when deliberately pressing it against the suitcase/briefcase/whatever. This is consistent with the pattern I have noticed, with the oversized underwear being an invitation for investigators to check for SA (sexual assault) signs and finding none to minor signs. Again, likely gloved from the incredible condition, trace saliva can't be sneeze, so logically the only source I see is from the gloved fingers or object that was used (so broken paintbrush, and might also be related to why it was chosen to be broken, as pen-like objects tend to be chewed on and hence needed to have that part disposed of, but that's speculative so I won't go into detail and my focus is more on the sound concrete reasoning, although I do have notes where I extensively invite speculation as it is harmless as long as you know how to avoid tunnel-vision and can clearly label it mentally as speculative and weak)... Oh and I almost forgot to mention that pattern, so the oversized underwear is too stupid and obvious for such a forensically aware criminal that leaves false dust prints, careful about handwriting by exaggerating how shaky it starts as (awareness of handwriting analysis) and the draft note is not a real practice note because you don't go from being stuck with the first 3/4 words to a full blown 3-page ransom note, and you can't argue it was too dark because of a huge amount of reasons but I will briefly highlight a few like finding that annoying line of a tape when peeling it off or just the small tools in general and navigating the hidden inventory of the Ramsey house. Another damning reason, is the dust print itself, and the finger marks of it being carefully moved, this guy could obviously see, regardless of how or what was used in order to see, because the details of the dust is not going to happen realistically even for someone who lives in that house if it is pitch black dark. There are so many interesting things that open up from this single insight, however they are factual avenues and questions, not "ah it must mean it was family because it is staging" that is not how I operate. If staging guaranteed it was family, I would have lost interest in this case from the start. The staging is evident everywhere we look as one coherent strategy, but in a way that points towards everyone, insider AND outsider, I believe the killer did this deliberately and was egotistical enough to allow themselves to be pointed at since the evidence points to an outsider and insider in different deliberate cases, more on that later and you will see what I mean precisely, although I am in a rush and already have extensive personal notes on the topic so without guarantee that anyone at all will see this, I have little motivation to go too deep publicly, and I don't earn money from it like podcasters do. Handheld shoe/boot is the summary

- I am not sure what else to share as I don't know what is obvious enough to already be completely known publicly. I can talk about the flashlight maybe. The flashlight is the same or similar to the family flashlight (by itself in isolation, it weakly implies familiarity with the deeply mundane family inventory). [[[Edit as people misunderstand this point: I later establish a light source was needed and therefore used, so whether the killer is an outsider or insider makes it impossible to forget the flashlight without the act of turning the lights off serve as a natural reminder to grab or be in possession of the flashlight, and if it's placement is to say "I used it to help me write this absurdly long note in the pitch black darkness" then you obviously take it with you after you finish, the light doesn't follow you in order for you to forget it more easily lol, and as far as I am aware, there was no mention by police that it was found turned on, so if you argue it is because the main switch lights were turned on and used, then again, how can turning them off before leaving not act as a reminder? If you ask whether the main lights were ever found turned on for the kitchen, I will say that is a valid response, and going by the best of my knowledge, I do not think it is officially found to be turned on already by police, so the killer must have turned it all off after finishing, what I can confirm however is that the basement lights were found to be turned off by different accounts]]]. Let us briefly assume it was wiped. If indeed wiped, it was intentionally left in the kitchen. Outside killer doesn't need to wipe an object they intend to bring back home, unless they are forensically aware to the extent of secondary transfer (shows great intelligence, insight, possible experience which I already believe from other clues but not the appropriate time for that now). However here is the thing, we can rule out secondary transfer as an excuse for "forgetting" it, because secondary transfer is irrelevant at the very end of an items need, I would wipe an object to start with to avoid secondary transfer when I enter the home, but I would not wipe it again (so that it is found in a wiped state) if I plan to take it home with me, and we can safely reason that it was used and needed for more than just the entry into the house (as we are momentarily looking at an outsider branch of consideration). Why? Well it is pitch black dark, and as far as I am aware the family did not report lights being found turned on already (and don't tell me it could have been family because I already clearly stated we are focusing momentarily on the outsider option, we will look at the family option later). Furthermore, a killer would turn off lights before leaving (lights in the basement were found to be off, doesn't necessarily mean the killer left from the basement, I know). And by the time the call was made to the police it was still pitch black darkness. I am just so bothered at the back of my mind by the claim of the kitchen lights... Anyways you bring a flashlight to use it, not to just walk into a home and then turn the main lights off, and this person was clearly already familiar with where things were and how to navigate brilliantly, blah blah

- Now consider family branch, the family member or members are the killers. Do they need to wipe a flashlight that belongs to them? Afterall, many items that belong to them was not wiped, if not all items actually (will need to check but the inconsistency is the main point). The only other reason would be if it collected dust (as I would expect from a non-everyday-use item unlike a fork or spoon), and going down that road of thinking makes you wonder about the less speculative dust footprint from earlier where the killer could have had dust forensics on their mind in common between these two objects but of course I can't make that conclusion nor do I want to right now because one conclusion was established and the other wasn't and therefore the connection, although alluring and attractive, would be a logical trap enhanced by the former insight. Gosh I wrote so much irrelevant rubbish I keep forgetting what the goal of my bullet points are. ADHD, yes.

- Retry: Family don't need flashlights, and if wiped, the only reason would be for staging an outsider or thinking of it as forensically valuable so again you reach the intentional conclusion, and I mean... it is next to the staged notepad with the fake "practice" note so think of it in any way you like, if the 12 or so missing pages are the real practice notes, why leave this practice-looking "Mr and Mrs Ramsey" note? So again it all points to staging... oh and by the way the ransom notes were so theatrical, this person was genuinely enjoying themselves, and knew how long it was getting, and writing "victory" is something all our brains will think "ok dude, I can't write this, its supposed to be a realistic ransom note not an obviously staged fake" but that's what they went for. They wanted it to be known it was fake, just like the oversized underwear, and how symbolic and over-the-top the garrote was, very much novel or murder mystery-like, and the ransom notes had movie quotes. Put two and two together, this person was having GENUINE pure fun, a stimulating time, and a crime scene they wanted to manipulate in a way to play and control with how the clues themselves are read into by the investigators. No financial motive, no SA motive, this was deeply stimulating, likely something they fantasised about long before the execution of the crime. I rule out no one here, as much as I cannot understand how family members would do this, nor how a familiar outsider (inner circle) could, but those are my two options, rather than a complete outsider (stranger). I want to be brief and move on.

- I struggle to think of more because I have been so disorganised that I mixed together many points, likely even left trails of thought as incomplete, so if it confuses anyone, I am really sorry. I think it would be best to submit now and edit after a reset or maybe even look at my notes later.

Vero Beach, FL. July, 2006. Helen McPherson. IRSCO cold case. Promised they were close to an arrest in 2023, yet nothing has been reported since then.

Helen and her husband were the sweetest old couple in a suburban neighborhood that you could imagine. Her husband was a retired Fire Chief, locally VERY respected, and I am unsure of her background...they were elderly when I was a child. I moved to North Carolina in May of 2005...literally driving away from a cocaine addiction that deleted my bank accounts and my morals. Don't regret it, haven't touched it since (05/09/2005.) In July of the following year, my little brother, who still lived at home (10 years younger) went to knock on her door to let her know he was going to mow her lawn, as I had done a handful of times in my younger days after her husband passed; when he knocked on her storm door that day, he noticed that the lower, solid panel of the door, had been damaged severely, and Helen never answered the door. He went back home, 2 doors down, dragging the push-mower behind him. When he got home he told our mother what he saw at her door, and told her that she didn't answer, so he didn't mow her grass. My mother then went out of my childhood home, walked over to Helen's home, noticed that her newspaper box (attached near to the mailbox) had a few days worth of newspapers built up. She then went to knock, herself, noticed the mangled portion of the door, and immediately went home to phone the sheriff's department, literally a mile away. Helen McPherson was found beaten and strangled to death in her home by sheriff's deputies performing a welfare check. Her killer remains free, or at least, unconvicted of her murder to this day.

This case haunts me. I had recently separated from the military and Mrs. McPherson was part of the wholesomeness that grounded me when my personal world was so volatile.

I'm hoping the sleuths of the interwebs can do their voodoo and bring home a conviction for Helen. She deserves it.

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-county/2023/07/14/indian-river-county-sheriff-flowers-discusses-2006-helen-mcpherson-unsolved-homicide/70401910007/

https://cbs12.com/news/local/sheriff-renews-plea-18-years-after-elderly-woman-helen-mcpherson-86-was-found-savagely-beaten-to-death-indian-river-county-sheriffs-office-ircso-south-florida-news-july-15-2024

First time poster here. I graduated from George Washington High School in 1975. In March of my senior year, a young girl I only peripherally knew from one of my classes was murdered and her body discovered at a farm in Wrightstown, Bucks County. Her name was Valerie Seibert (or Siebert - uncertain of correct spelling) and she was a year behind me.

She and I had the same typing class and we both used to ride the 84 bus to and from Washington. I knew her well enough to only say “Hi”, partially because she was gorgeous and I definitely wasn’t. She was a tall, auburn-haired, better-looking version of a teenage Barbara Streisand who always seemed to me to be either preoccupied or aloof.

Upon learning of her family life following her death, I had a much clearer understanding of my perception of her. Her mother was arrested shortly after her killing for receiving stolen property and drug charges (if memory serves) and suspicion arose that she may have either had a hand in or inadvertently caused her daughter’s death. She may have had some affiliation with the Pagans or Warlocks motorcycle gangs.

As far as I know, no one has ever been charged with her murder. She was found at that farm in Bucks County with gunshots in her arm and her side. It’s been 51 years since her killing and I’d like to know if anyone has any info or updates about the inquiry into her death.

My father went missing May 2014 and skeletal remains were found October of 2015. His case remains unsolved.
Tebby worked and lived in Libby Montana and was last seen stepping outside a bar on mineral ave. In early morning of May 30th 2014.
There was an investigation following his disappear however nothing came of it.
The manner of death was considered undetermined as skeletal remains where the only thing found.

https://www.schnackenbergfh.com/obituary/WILLIAM-TEBBY

https://www.montanarightnow.com/skeletal-remains-found-in-boundary-county-identified/article_469033ca-3256-5a89-829e-24fd250fbdb2.html

On Sunday March 12, 1978, 16-year-old Pauline “Robbin” Burgette was found murdered in her bedroom inside her family’s duplex near East 26th Place and McDowell in Phoenix, Arizona. She had been stabbed to death and was sexually assaulted. 

Her 11-year-old brother Chad discovered her body. 

The front door was locked, but the backdoor was open ajar. Robbin’s bedroom was in disarray, but the rest of the home appeared undisturbed.

Her mother and Chad had left town together the previous Friday. Robbin did not want to go with them. She was supposed to stay with a friend instead but returned to the duplex on Saturday and invited a boyfriend over. 

In the period leading up to her murder, Robbin had dropped out of school. 

She was working as a babysitter and reported to her friends that some of the husbands had flirted with her. She was facing threats from some of their wives, despite being an underage girl.

The area of the duplex was, and remains, a rough lower income area of Phoenix.

Phoenix PD conducted forensic testing on Robbin and found DNA evidence from 2 different unknown male subjects on her body. 

Her boyfriend (who was never named publicly) was cleared as a suspect in the case through DNA testing. This boyfriend has since passed away.

Robbin and Chad’s parents divorced, their father wasn’t in the picture, and their mother died a couple years after Robbin by natural causes.

Chad advocated to solve his sisters murder for many years. He passed away in 2023.

The case was featured in local news and on podcasts over the years.  It is unknown if police have done any work on the case in recent years.

Sources

2016 12 News feature with Chad Burgette

https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/brother-of-cold-case-murder-victim-wants-answers/75-154463349

Silent Witness

https://silentwitness.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/78-1858-Flyer-Pauline-Burgette-Homicide.pdf

Missing or Cold podcast

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HyEdBwEMkzNDM54vw6iTg?si=ef31e35abb874945

Find a Grave

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/185495726/pauline-robbin-burgette

On Feb 27, 1984, Homer Abel was shot while working at a local gas station during a robbery. The family continues to look for clues as to who could have shot him.

There are similar robberies in the Denver area, with the same caliber weapon. Online there is not anything showing a history of the robber from Denver on the western side of Colorado.

Victim

Name: Heidi Lynn Seeman

Age: 11

Daughter of an Air Force family stationed in San Antonio.

Friends and family consistently described her as friendly, outgoing, and talkative. �

MySA +1

Timeline

Saturday, August 4, 1990

Heidi spent the night at a friend's house.

The next morning she began walking home.

Her friend walked with her part of the way before turning back.

The last confirmed sighting was near Stahl Road and Willow Run on San Antonio's northeast side. �

San Antonio +1

Suspicious vehicle

Multiple witnesses reported seeing:

A shiny red car

Tinted windows

A thin red stripe along the side

Driving slowly through the neighborhood shortly before Heidi disappeared. �

San Antonio +1

Search

The disappearance became one of the largest child searches San Antonio had experienced.

Participants included:

San Antonio Police

Air Force personnel

Hundreds of civilian volunteers

Search dogs

Helicopters

Despite extensive searching, Heidi was not located. �

MySA +1

Discovery

August 25, 1990 (21 days later)

Heidi's decomposed body was found:

Wrapped in trash bags

Bound with duct tape

On isolated property near County Road 220 in Hays County, near Wimberley, over 60 miles from where she disappeared. �

MySA +1

Cause of death

Authorities have publicly confirmed:

Homicide

Sexual assault occurred

Strangulation

Because of decomposition, many forensic details have never been released publicly. �

San Antonio +1

Persons of interest

No one has ever been charged.

1. Robert Eric Duncan (Air Force Major)

This is probably the most publicly discussed suspect.

Publicly reported information includes:

Air Force Major and psychologist.

Former supervisor of Heidi's father.

Participated in search efforts after Heidi disappeared.

Owned a vehicle reportedly similar to the red car described by witnesses.

Air Force investigators reportedly believed there was enough evidence to pursue him.

However:

SAPD did not believe there was sufficient evidence for prosecution.

He was never charged.

He has always maintained his innocence. �

Trail Went Cold +1

Possible motive investigators explored

One theory was that Duncan blamed Heidi's father for a transfer within the Air Force and investigators explored whether revenge played a role.

This has never been proven, and no court has found Duncan responsible. �

Trail Went Cold +1

1. Jerry Lee Nabor

Another long-time suspect investigated by SAPD.

Public reports indicate:

Ex-convict and drifter.

One detective publicly stated he believed Nabor was responsible.

Prosecutors declined charges because witness credibility issues made the case too weak.

Some reports indicate DNA testing did not support charging him, while investigators have continued to mention him as a person of interest over the years. The public record on exactly how DNA affected the investigation is not entirely consistent. �

KSAT +1

Evidence known publicly

Investigators have acknowledged:

Witnesses saw the red car.

Physical evidence was recovered.

DNA evidence exists.

Numerous suspects have been investigated.

Authorities have never released many of the forensic details in order to protect the investigation. �

San Antonio +1

Is it still active?

Yes.

The case remains an active cold case.

In 2025, San Antonio announced funding for forensic genetic genealogy to help investigate unsolved murders, and Heidi Seeman's case has been cited as one that could potentially benefit from advances in DNA technology. �

San Antonio Express-News

Common misconceptions

One common internet theory is that Heidi's murder and the murder of 7-year-old Erica Botello were committed by the same offender because both girls disappeared in August 1990.

Investigators have repeatedly stated that, based on the evidence available to them, they do not believe the two murders are connected. �

Trail Went Cold +1

I've been researching a Pennsylvania quadruple homicide that has stuck with me because the deeper I dug, the more questions I was left with.

On June 15, 1994, Bonnie Dryfuse, 34, was home with her daughters, Jacqueline (7) and Heather (4), while their 5-year-old cousin, Stephanie Herko. The girls had planned to spend the day swimming with family, but when those plans changed, Bonnie set up a small plastic pool in the yard instead. It should have been an ordinary summer afternoon.

Around 2:25 p.m., Bonnie ended a phone call with her sister-in-law, saying someone had just pulled into the driveway. Roughly 30 minutes later, her husband, Jake, returned home and called 911 after discovering a horrific scene. Bonnie had been stabbed 28 times after putting up an incredible fight to protect the children. Jacqueline suffered 14 stab wounds, Heather 16, and little Stephanie 6. The four victims were attacked so violently that investigators described it as overkill.

There were no signs of forced entry, nothing appeared to have been stolen, and investigators believed Bonnie likely knew the person who entered the home. DNA was reportedly recovered from beneath Bonnie's fingernails, but according to her family, it was never tested because investigators believed they already had their suspect.

Police initially focused on Jake but fairly fast ruled him out based on the timeline. They instead arrested local man Thomas Kimbell, who was convicted almost entirely on hearsay and alleged confessions rather than physical evidence or eyewitnesses. He was sentenced to death, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the conviction due to trial errors. During the retrial, the defense highlighted inconsistencies in Jake's alibi, questioned the investigation, and pointed out the lack of physical evidence tying Kimbell to the crime. He was acquitted in 2002.

More than 30 years later, the murders of Bonnie, Jacqueline, Heather, and Stephanie remain unsolved. Both families have criticized the investigation, citing an improperly secured crime scene, conflicting witness statements, untested DNA evidence, and what many believe was investigative tunnel vision.

This case leaves me with a lot of questions:

• Do you think investigators ruled Jake out too quickly?
• Was Thomas Kimbell an easy suspect, or do you think he was actually responsible?
• How much weight should be given to jailhouse informants and hearsay when there's little or no physical evidence?
• If the DNA evidence still exists, should this case be reopened with modern forensic testing?
• What's your theory about who killed this family—and why?

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts because this is one of the most frustrating unsolved Pennsylvania cases I've come across.

I’m looking for mysterious cold cases! I know so many, I need some new input. :)
Also would be happy to find some German ones, like Lars Mittank or Rebecca Reusch.

The Final Hours of Justin Pollari - What the Original Investigation Missed

Justin Pollari (14, missing St. Joseph Island, Ontario, Dec 7, 2001) — major investigation update: timeline nearly fully reconstructed, abuse pattern confirmed by professional sources, and a time-sensitive property issue

Continuing my updates on this case for those following. Justin Pollari was 14 when he disappeared from Hilton Beach, St. Joseph Island, Ontario on December 7, 2001. Classified as a runaway by OPP almost immediately. Reopened without result in 2005 and 2018. I'm a licensed PI working for his mother, Lori Smith.

A lot has developed since my last update.

The timeline is now nearly fully reconstructed

Through about fifteen independent witnesses, none of whom coordinated, we can now account for almost every hour of Justin's last day. He was at a restaurant in Hilton Beach earlier that day. He went to a friend's place — a "shack" — where multiple people saw him with other teens. He left at some point in the afternoon or early evening, in unknown company. He showed up at the Hilton Beach Community Hall (the "Lost Loon"). His father came in and forcibly removed him. He returned to the Hall. He was involved in a play-fight outside the Hall with another friend that gave him a cut lip — this is now anchored on a direct eyewitness account, not secondhand. Two friends drove him home that night.

The one unaccounted-for window is between when he left the friend's place and when he arrived at the Community Hall. If anyone has any information about that specific window, please reach out.

The abuse pattern is confirmed by professional sources

This is significant in evidentiary terms. We have direct confirmation from his former teacher at school that Justin received weekly counselling and that the principal at the time was aware home conditions were not ideal. We have direct contemporaneous testimony from a childhood friend in another town who spoke to Justin by phone two months before his disappearance, in which Justin specifically described his fear that his stepmother would lock him out of the house in the cold — something she had done before. We have a direct childhood eyewitness on the island who personally observed physical abuse by the father.

That changes the evidentiary picture meaningfully. It is no longer a "family says he was being abused" case. It is a documented pattern with educators, peers in different towns, and community-level direct witnesses.

A physical-evidence concern with real time pressure

A property has been identified — confirmed by Justin's mother as one his father used to store construction equipment — where a witness who personally worked at that property is convinced Justin is buried. She and her husband hauled fill there in a tri-axle dump truck. She submitted a Crime Stoppers tip years ago, with no result.

That property is currently for sale.

Once it changes hands, the property may be cleared, built on, or otherwise disturbed. Anything that may be there — soil layer disturbance, geophysical signatures, anything detectable by ground-penetrating radar — could be destroyed in the process.

This is exactly the kind of situation where a formal OPP submission needs to move faster than it normally would. We're preparing one now.

What I'm holding back, and why

A couple of things from this round of tips I'm not going to share publicly. There's a tip about where John Pollari may currently be residing that I want to verify discreetly rather than make public. There's a possible cross-case connection involving another missing person that needs careful and quiet work. And there's one persistent account from a particular source whose specifics have escalated significantly over time and don't reconcile with anything else in the file — I'm continuing to treat that one with caution and won't be sharing its details until I know more about who that source actually is.

I think being honest about what I'm not saying is important. Investigations are not just what you publish.

Where this leaves us

GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/6b504977f

Direct tips: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) | 289-923-7302

Anonymous: Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS OPP reference: RM01176313

Happy to answer what I can in the comments.

https://youtu.be/Io1VGvsuU5s?si=GN7ixs6XnlFikt20