The Trail Went Cold

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 328 - The Florence Salon Murders

November 6, 2001. Florence, Montana. A customer enters a salon called the Hair Gallery and discovers the bodies of three murdered women: the salon’s 62-year old owner, Dorothy Harris, a 44-year old employee named Brenda Patch, and a 71-year old customer named Cynthia Paulus. The victims have each had their throats cut and the customer reports that an oddly dressed individual wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a long black coat was exiting the salon when they arrived. Six-and-a-half years later, a pair of drug dealers named Brian Weber and Lincoln Benavides are indicted for their alleged roles in the crime, but since the evidence against them is not particularly strong, the murder charges against them are eventually dropped. Were Weber and Benavides responsible for killing these three women? If not, who was the perpetrator and what could their motive have been? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the horrific and perplexing crime known as “The Florence Salon Murders”.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office at (406) 375-4060.
Additional Reading:
https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/town-shocked-by-beauty-salon-murders-killer-still-on-loose/article_60ccaede-de9d-59f9-96a5-c6aa89f2fea7.html
https://missoulian.com/a-tale-of-five-murders/article_67794684-3696-5da1-8006-5d44963d0f47.html
https://missoulian.com/florence-murder-case-stands-alone-in-fbi-records/article_101cb5b5-ec16-5cf5-98e9-4d902e80cbf1.html
https://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois-murders-share-similarities-with-unresolved-florence-killings/article_ace8066c-29a2-5fbd-a2a4-e9544178cb25.html
https://missoulian.com/news/local/article_b2a3d5f8-c28d-11de-b1cb-001cc4c03286.html
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/federal-judge-dismisses-charges-in-florence-triple-murder-case/article_e1a46c3c-0a7c-11df-9268-001cc4c002e0.html
https://www.kpax.com/news/mtn-original-productions/the-florence-murders-20-years-later
https://greatbendpost.com/posts/b71f6fd9-f340-4839-bd6a-9eb7b0f92322
https://www.kwch.com/2022/09/06/kbi-announce-new-evidence-2002-dolly-madison-bakery-murders/
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Bonus Episode - Deadly Devotion: Motherhood & Mayhem

This Mother’s Day, join Shane Waters on a chilling adventure featuring 14 podcasters (including Robin Warder from “The Trail Went Cold”) as they share sinister stories of motherhood. Mother’s Day is typically a time to honor the love and sacrifices of mothers, but today we’ll be exploring the twisted tales that lurk behind the shadows. It’s an extra-special, more-than-two-hour, Mother’s Day event.
Foul Play: Crime Series www.itsfoulplay.com
Music City 911 https://musiccity911.com
Crimes from the East https://tinyurl.com/37sx22bt
Cults, Crimes, Cabernet https://www.cultscrimescabernet.com
A Nefarious Nightmare https://tinyurl.com/y5nuezs5
Crimelines https://linktr.ee/Crimelines
The Asian Madness Podcast https://tinyurl.com/5n8nv6ay
Once Upon A Crime https://www.truecrimepodcast.com
PNW Haunts & Homicides https://www.pnwhauntsandhomicides.com
The Trail Went Cold https://www.trailwentcold.com
Coffee & Cases https://tinyurl.com/pc25pzzs
Already Gone https://www.alreadygonepodcast.com
Twisted and Uncorked https://www.twistedanduncorked.com
Mystery Inc https://www.itsmysteryinc.com

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 327 - Lucia Kai Roberts

August 15, 1982. Boston, Massachusetts. The body of 16-year old Lucia Kai Roberts is found in Franklin Park and her cause of death is ruled to be strangulation. Over one year later, allegations emerge about a black girl who was sexually assaulted by multiple police officers at a private club and since this incident supposedly took place six weeks before Lucia was killed, there is speculation that she was the victim of the assault. The Boston Police Department is accused of being complicit in Lucia’s murder and orchestrating a major cover-up, but multiple investigations fail to generate any conclusive evidence to support this theory. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore one of the controversial unsolved murders in the history of Boston.
Additional Reading:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/444291924/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/444291953/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/438805326/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/440679800/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/440679818/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/440256522/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/440256581/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/437505989/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/428536151/
Boston TV News Digital Library – Segments on the “Silver Shield Rape”
https://www.necn.com/news/local/roberts_-1982-murder-remains-unsolved_necn/72223/
https://deafinprison.com/2012/09/02/my-misspent-youth-a-memoir/
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 326 - John Cheek & Gordon Collins

December 2, 1993. Memphis, Tennessee. John Cheek, the 28-year old financial officer of a real estate firm, spends the evening having a dinner at a restaurant and is last seen heading towards his parked car. John’s abandoned vehicle is soon discovered near the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge and there is fear that he took his own life by jumping into the Mississippi River. Months later, a drifter matching John’s description is seen at a truck stop in Virginia, leading to speculation that he may be suffering from amnesia and forgotten who he was, but all attempts to find him are unsuccessful.
April 19, 1991. Punta Chivato, Mexico. While on vacation from California, 34-year old Gordon Collins sets out in a fishing boat alongside his girlfriend, Anastasia Seals, and another couple, Wayne Shwatz and Arlean Burlington. A storm soon hits the area and the overturned boat, as well as Anastasia and Wayne’s bodies, are found floating in the Sea of Cortez the following day. Gordon and Arlean’s bodies cannot be found, but reports start circulating about a disoriented white male matching Gordon’s description wandering through Mexico. This leads Gordon’s family to believe that he survived the boating accident and is suffering from amnesia, but they are unable to track him down.
On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore two unsolved missing persons cases in which each victim was believed to have lost their memory before they became a transient. Special thanks to listener Marcos Sainz for narrating the opening of this episode.
If you have any information on the disappearance of John Cheek, please contact the Memphis Police Department at (901) 545-5700.
Additional Reading:
https://unsolved.com/gallery/john-cheek/
https://charleyproject.org/case/john-andrews-cheek
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1994/02/25/an-executive-hits-the-vanishing-point/30dddee8-d4d6-442e-b310-8c13bcf593e2/?utm_term=.ce4551e324b8
http://people.com/archive/vanished-with-a-trace-vol-41-no-11/
https://memphismagazine.com/features/unsolved-mysteries/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/774400146/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/774544772/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/774544793/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/774378109/
https://unsolved.com/gallery/gordon-collins/
https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Gordon_Collins
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-26-mn-756-story.html
https://www.newspapers.com/image/571519189/
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 325 - Sarah Skiba, Paul Skiba, and Lorenzo Chivers

February 7, 1999. Westminster, Colorado. 38-year old Paul Skiba, his nine-year old daughter Sarah Skiba, and 36-year old Lorenzo Chivers spend the day performing moving jobs for a company Paul owns before they all vanish without a trace. When the company’s parking lot is searched, Paul’s moving truck is found, but there is ample physical evidence, including blood and bullet holes, to indicate that foul play took place. There are numerous theories surrounding the case, such as the disappearances being connected to a dispute between Paul and his estranged girlfriend, but none of the three victims are ever found. On this week’s episode of the “Trail Went Cold”, we explore a tragic missing persons case involving a father, a daughter and an employee who all vanished together.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the Westminster Police Department at (303) 658-6430 or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-7867.
Additional Reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearances_of_Paul_and_Sarah_Skiba_and_Lorenzo_Chivers
https://charleyproject.org/case/paul-carroll-skiba
https://charleyproject.org/case/sarah-arielle-skiba
https://charleyproject.org/case/lorenzo-deshawn-chivers
https://www.westword.com/news/a-cold-case-frozen-in-time-5097544
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/06/cold.case.sarah.skiba/index.html
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/westminster-police-asking-for-information-in-20-year-old-cold-case
https://www.9news.com/article/news/cold-case-20-years-later-murders-of-3-in-westminster-remains-unsolved/73-513348d8-705e-48c4-a8fa-ac1a18ce2f4a
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/arvada-man-gets-28-years-for-stabbing-mom/73-249897793
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 324 - Eric Coy & Jeremy Stoner

January 24, 1987. Martinez, California. Nine-year old Eric Coy leaves his home on his bicycle in order to visit his aunt’s residence. Fifteen minutes later, Eric’s body and bicycle are discovered in a nearby wooded area and he has been stabbed several times. Four weeks after Eric is killed, six-year old Jeremy Stoner goes missing from nearby Vallejo before he is also found murdered and even though a suspect named Shawn Melton is charged with the crime, both of his trials end with hung juries and the charges against Melton are dropped. While investigators explore potential connections between the two cases, there are unable to find conclusive answers. Were Eric Coy and Jeremy Stoner both killed by the same perpetrator? Was Shawn Melton actually guilty of murder? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a pair of cold cases from the Bay Area of California that are still unsolved after 36 years. Special thanks to listener Hope Grimsley for narrating the opening of the episode.
If you have any information about the murder of Eric Coy, please contact the Martinez Police Department at (925) 372-3440
Additional Reading:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461391269/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/758716985/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/758717596/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461434154/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/758717407/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461437953/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-04-mn-535-story.html
https://martineztribune.com/2016/01/21/cold-case-still-under-investigation/
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/03/05/Guard-arrested-in-child-slaying/7547541918800/
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/10/04/Second-jury-deadlocks-over-accused-child-killer/5028591940800/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461517007/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461455421/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461240895/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/624223222/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/808781792/
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 323 - Lisa Myers Neugent

September 8, 1999. Horry County, South Carolina. 22-year old Lisa Myers Neugent phones her mother to let her know that she is staying at a resort with her estranged spouse, Frank Isley, but is planning to end the relationship and return home to North Carolina. After not hearing from her for nearly two weeks, Lisa’s parents travel to her residence and discover that it has been ransacked and Lisa and Frank have disappeared. A warrant is issued for Frank’s arrest on unrelated charges and he remains a wanted fugitive for four years until he is found. However, Lisa is no longer with Frank and he fails to provide any information on her whereabouts. This week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” covers the unsolved disappearance of Lisa Myers Neugent, who vanished while attempting to remove herself from a toxic relationship.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the Horry County Police Department at (843) 915-5350.
Additional Reading:
https://charleyproject.org/case/lisa-ann-myers-neugent
https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Lisa_Myers
https://greensboro.com/a-family-s-somber-holiday-woman-s-disappearance-haunts-parents/article_6fc2d17f-7f5d-5622-adc5-8585d7f672ec.html
https://greensboro.com/family-turns-to-web-in-search-for-woman-lisa-myers-neugent-24-disappeared-on-labor/article_bd34d1e9-4e05-502b-9cb1-22da9e0dc951.html
https://greensboro.com/show-to-feature-missing-woman-unsolved-mysteries-plans-a-segment/article_9407c009-c381-5d23-9ca1-a9bc3271dc52.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20040816040458/http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/sunnews/news/local/7563267.htm
https://www.timesenterprise.com/news/local_news/fugitive-pursuit-leads-to-arrest-in-new-mexico/article_0a6b17d0-3600-5718-8349-ab18bfd7e0cd.html
https://www.myhorrynews.com/news/crime/clues-point-to-horry-county-home-in-case-of-conway/article_746f9984-c0d0-11e3-b689-001a4bcf6878.html
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Bonus Episode - Deceptions & Resurrections

This Easter, join Shane Waters on a whimsical adventure featuring 13 podcasters (including Robin Warder of “The Trail Went Cold”) as they share true stories of con artists and fake deaths. Delve into the magical world of the Enchanted Easterlands, where you’ll encounter peculiar characters and captivating true crime tales. Discover the history and origins of Easter, and experience a journey like no other. It’s an extra special two-hour and fifteen-minute Easter event. Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance:
1. Crimelines: [https://linktr.ee/crimelines]2. Rotten to the Core: [www.itsrottentothecore.com]3. Frightful: [https://link.chtbl.com/frightful]4. Mind over Murder: [https://mindovermurderpodcast.com]5. The Trail Went Cold: [www.trailwentcold.com]6. The Hidden Staircase: [https://link.chtbl.com/TheHiddenStaircase]7. Hometown History: [https://www.itshometownhistory.com/] 8. Wicked Deeds: [www.wickeddeedspodcast.com]9. Obscura: A True Crime Podcast: [https://www.itsobscura.com/]10.  Hillbilly Horror Stories: [www.hillbillyhorrorstories.com]11.  History Goes Bump: [http://historygoesbump.com/]12.  Judgy Crime Girls: [www.judgycrimegirls.com/] 13.  Foul Play: Crime Series: [https://itsfoulplay.com]

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 322 - Bobby Bizup

August 15, 1958. Boulder County, Colorado. While attending Camp St. Malo, a Catholic boys’ summer camp, a ten-year old hearing-impaired boy named Bobby Bizup vanishes without a trace. Nearly one year later, some of Bobby’s skeletal remains are discovered on a mountainside three miles from the camp and it is initially believed that he got lost and died of exposure. However, an investigation into child sexual abuse allegations against Catholic priests eventually reveals that some of these accused individuals worked as counsellors at Camp St. Malo during the time period Bobby went missing. In 2021, a man comes forward and provides the authorities with a skull which he claims had been given to him by his father. While DNA testing has not yet been performed, there is speculation that the skull belonged to Bobby and that foul play and a cover-up may have taken place. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unexplained death of Bobby Bizup, which has recently returned to the spotlight because of a shocking scandal.
If you have any information about this case, please call the National Park Services’ Investigative Services Branch tip line at (888) 653-0009.
Additional Reading:
https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/what-happened-to-bobby-bizup-colorado-catholic-summer-camp/73-3df3dd44-eb90-4174-8b0a-865476e2a0fd
https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/bobby-bizup-skull/73-40ab340e-6db2-431d-bf97-1baf8cf1d034
https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/priest-sex-abuse-report-church-camp-1958-when-deaf-boy-disappeared/73-31c23f99-ebb1-422a-b949-2c05e4971ee3
“Mystery on Mt. Meeker” Documentary
https://www.newspapers.com/image/25064554
https://www.newspapers.com/image/537176018
https://www.newspapers.com/image/25065095
https://www.newspapers.com/image/537135093
https://www.newspapers.com/image/589032014
https://www.newspapers.com/image/275159424
https://www.9news.com/article/news/hfr-priest-ii/73-ea430483-a2c8-4ac2-8dd3-047f0c539ba6
https://www.9news.com/article/news/hfr-priest-story-backup/73-982e9dcb-3520-436b-87e3-1f526fd2b6b9
https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/local-man-claims-he-was-abused-by-catholic-priest-in-denver/67-f3a384f6-59b6-445d-9286-fc2953856723
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 321 - The Bellingham John Doe

September 20, 1987. Bellingham, Washington. A worker at the Georgia-Pacific pulp mill discovers some skeletal remains inside a chimney on one of the boilers at the mill’s steam plant. The victim is determined to be male, but since he has been burned so badly by the extreme heat and cannot be identified, he becomes known as the Bellingham John Doe. Over the years, investigators explore a number of different theories about how the John Doe wound up inside the chimney, but since his remains were carbonized, there are no traces of DNA available to make an identification. Who was the Bellingham John Doe and how did he wind up dead in such an unusual location? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore one of the most baffling cases you’ll ever find involving an unidentified decedent.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the Bellingham Police Department at (360) 778-8800.
Additional Reading:
https://doenetwork.org/cases/862umwa.html
https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Whatcom_County_John_Doe_(1987)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/771597916/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/771607017/
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/article173627656.html
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article173514596.html
“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.
“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.
“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.
“The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the True Crime Podcast Festival, taking place at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Austin, Texas on August 25-27, 2023. To get a 15 % discount on the purchase of tickets, please our specialized promo code, “TRAIL”, by visiting https://truecrimepodcastfestival.com.
The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.
All music is composed by Vince Nitro.