The Trail Went Cold

September 17, 1954. Salt Lake City, Utah. Five-year old Gregory MaComb is abducted from his apartment and found dead in a creek bed after he has been sexually assaulted, strangled and bludgeoned to death. A witness reports having seen a man carrying Gregory out of the apartment house and placing him inside his car and he seems to match the description of Norman Ash Fackrell, a friend of Gregory’s mother. Nearly three years later, Fackrell is charged with Gregory’s murder, but winds up being acquitted at trial, so the truth about who was responsible for the crime remains shrouded in mystery. Was Norman Ash Fackrell the right perpetrator all along or did someone else kill Gregory? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we look at both sides of this controversial case. Special thanks to listener Fran Krause for narrating the opening of the episode. Additional Reading: https://www.newspapers.com/image/595549367/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/599289443/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/599195293/ http

August 26, 2006. Hinton, Alberta. After failing to reach her on the radio or the telephone, the supervisor of 70-year old Stephanie Stewart travels to the Athabasca Lookout Tower in the province’s foothills, where Stephanie is posted as a seasonal fire spotter. When he arrives, the supervisor finds a smear of blood on the front steps of Stephanie’s cabin and a pot of water on the stove, but there is no sign of her anywhere. Since bed sheets and other items are also missing from the cabin, there is speculation that Stephanie was murdered by someone who transported her body from the scene and disposed of it, but she cannot be found and there are no solid suspects or a known motive for her disappearance.  May 3, 1983. Hinton, Alberta. After spending the evening with her boyfriend at the Sunset Trailer Court, 16-year old Shelley-Anne Bacsu phones her mother to let her know that an unnamed friend will be picking her up and driving her home. Shelley-Anne never arrives, but a number of witnesses report having seen h

September 5, 1978. Sterling, Alaska. 13-year old Scott Fandel and his 8-year old half-sister, Amy Fandel, are dropped off at their cabin by their mother, Margaret Fandel, who then goes out to some bars with her own sister. When Margaret and her sister return home during the early morning hours of September 6, they discover a pot of warm water on the stove next to some macaroni and tomato sauce. This suggests that Scott had been in the midst of preparing a late-night snack before he was interrupted, but both he and Amy are missing. There is speculation that the two children were abducted and while investigators explore a number of different leads - including the possibility that some carnival workers or Margaret’s estranged husband could have been responsible for the disappearances - no trace of Scott and Amy is ever found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we travel to Alaska to explore a baffling missing children’s case which has gone unsolved for 47 years.  If you have any information about t

November 10, 1984. Lynbrook, New York, After getting fired from her job at a roller rink, 16-year old Theresa Fusco starts heading home, but she never arrives. Her nude body is eventually found in a wooded area and she has been raped and strangled to death with a ligature. Over four months later, a 21-year old suspect named John Kogut confesses to the crime and implicates two accomplices – 26-year old John Restivo and 31-year old Dennis Halstead – and they are all charged and convicted of Theresa’s murder. In 2003, all three men have their convictions overturned after DNA testing on the evidence excludes them. Kogut winds up being acquitted at his retrial while the charges against Restivo and Halstead are dropped, but there are still questions about who was actually responsible for killing Theresa. For the first time ever, the “Trail Went Cold” is covering a cold case in which an arrest was made while we were in the midst of putting together our episode about it, so we’re going to cover the full story and all

August 20, 1966. Niteroi, Brazil. The bodies of a pair of electronics technicians, 34-year old Miguel Jose Viana and 32-year old Manuel Pereira da Cruz, are discovered on the top of Vintem Hill and they are carrying a pair of lead masks and some cryptic notes about ingesting capsules. Three days earlier, the two men had travelled to Niteroi from their homes in Campos dos Goytacazes over 260 kilometres away, but there is no direct evidence of foul play and the authorities are unable to determine their cause of death. There are a number of theories about what happened, including speculation that the two men’s deaths might be connected to UFO sightings from the area, but the whole situation is never satisfactorily explained and remains shrouded in mystery. For this year’s Halloween-themed episode, “The Trail Went Cold” is finally tackling one of the most bizarre unsolved mysteries of all time: the Lead Masks Case. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_masks_case https://pmig96.wordpress.com/2021

March 6, 1939. Fingringhoe, England. After purchasing some cigarettes at a local pub, 67-year old Ada Constance Kent seems to disappear and over the course of the next decade, numerous searches are performed of her empty cottage and they fail to turn up any trace of her. Ten years later, a human skeleton is discovered beneath some rubble in the cottage’s bedroom alongside an empty bottle of poison, and after a forensic examination is performed, there is some uncertainty about who the remains actually belong to. When an inquest is held, a coroner’s jury does eventually conclude that the skeleton is likely Ada Constance Kent, but since they are unable to determine her exact cause of death, they return an open verdict. Did Ada Constance Kent die inside her cottage and remain undiscovered for an entire decade? If not, then what actually happened to her? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we travel back to the United Kingdom to explore a truly bizarre mystery. Join us on Saturday, October 25 at 8:00p

October 31, 1963. Newcastle, England. 70-year old Katherine Lillian Armstrong fails to show up for choir practice at her church. The following morning, Lillian’s body is discovered near the bottom of the staircase in her house and she has been stabbed 28 times and strangled with one of her nylon stockings. Since there are no signs of forced entry, police suspect that Lillian willingly let her killer inside, but even though a massive investigation is launched, no compelling suspects are found and the motive for the crime remains unknown.  October 31, 1980. Bristol, England. 39-year old Derek Grain leaves his hotel and spends the night drinking at a pair of local nightclubs. After leaving one of the clubs during the early morning hours, Derek is later found dead in a pool of blood a quarter-mile away and it turns out he was kicked in the head and bludgeoned with a sand-filled traffic cone. Since money was stolen from Derek, it is theorized that he was the victim of a robbery gone wrong, but even though there ar

December 19, 2006. Clayton, Missouri. 57-year old attorney Ernie Brasier is found shot to death inside a third-floor office of his law firm: Boggs, Boggs & Bates. Since Ernie was killed in an office belonging to another attorney, there is speculation that he may have been the victim of mistaken identity, but no evidence is found to support this theory. Over the next few years, there are a number of strange incidents involving other employees at the firm, including a bombing at the home of two of its partners, but they fail to shed any light on Ernie’s death and the crime remains unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the bizarre murder of Ernie Brasier, which took place at a law firm which was described as being like something out of a John Grisham novel. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Clayton Police Department at (314) 645-3000 or the St. Louis Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-866-371-TIPS (8477) Additional Reading: https://www.komu.com/news/pol

June 3, 2017. Dallas, Texas. After suffering a violent assault at the hands of a female acquaintance and her male companion, 27-year old Armani Morgan goes missing. Seven weeks later, Armani’s skull and five of his other bones are found in a vacant residential lot located near his residence and since the police are inclined to believe that he succumbed to a drug overdose, his cause of death is listed as “undetermined”. However, in the days prior to his disappearance, Armani had been repeatedly assaulted and harassed by this female acquaintance, who also allegedly fired a bullet through his living room window. While Armani’s loved ones suspect he was the victim of foul play and that three individuals were involved in the crime, his death is never reclassified as a “homicide”. At the direct request of his family, this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold” will be exploring the controversial case of Armani Morgan. A petition has also been started to demand that the Dallas Police Department test evidence from A

September 11, 1987. Cowlitz County, Washington. The dismembered headless torso of a woman is discovered in the Lewis River and the same victim’s legs are soon found 30 miles away in the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon. Thirteen days later, the body of an infant girl who is believed to be the woman’s daughter is discovered in the Cowlitz River, but since the identity of both victims cannot be determined, they remain Jane Does. In 2006, the decedents are finally identified as 24-year old Raj Narain, who originally hailed from Fiji, and her 14-month old American-born daughter, Kamnee. It turns out that Raj’s 30-year old husband, Ashok Narain, went missing around the same time the murders took place, but since he cannot be found, the crime is never solved. Did Ashok murder his wife and daughter, or were all they victims of an unknown third party? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the bizarre saga of the Narain family. If you have any information about this case, please contact the t

December 4, 1998. New Haven, Connecticut. 21-year old Suzanne Jovin, a senior student at Yale University, leaves her apartment in order to return a set of keys to a building located on the Old Campus. Before she can return home, Suzanne is found murdered in a residential area located nearly two miles from the campus and it turns out she has been stabbed 17 times and had her throat slit. Suspicion soon turns towards a Yale lecturer named James Van de Velde, who was functioning as Suzanne’s senior thesis advisor, but he maintains his innocence and there is no evidence linking him to the crime. Over the years, a number of different leads emerge, including a promising alternate suspect who was a student at Yale, but the crime is never solved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the controversial murder of Suzanne Jovin. Special thanks to listener Karen Leabo for the narrating the opening of this episode. f you have any information about this case, please contact the top line for the Connec

June 6, 1978. Jericho, Vermont. Michael Reapp, the husband of 32-year old Grace Reapp, claims he returned home from work and discovered that Grace and their five-year old daughter, Gracie Reapp, had disappeared, though he alleges Grace left behind a note stating that they ran off voluntarily. Eighteen years later, Michael himself goes missing after police announce that Grace and Gracie’s disappearances have been reclassified as a homicide investigation and a search is being performed of their former property. While Michael is eventually indicted on two counts of murders, he winds up dead before he can be arrested or stand trial, so no trace of Grace or Gracie is ever found. Was Michael Reapp actually responsible for killing his wife and daughter? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a convoluted missing persons case containing a number of surprising twists and turns. If you happen to have any information about this case, please contact the Vermont State Police at (802) 524-5993 Addition

November 21, 1997. Powhattan, Kansas. 28-year old Jodie Bordeaux, who happens to be seven months pregnant, is spending the evening with her husband at their rural farmhouse when several bullets from a semi-automatic rifle are fired into the residence. A bullet strikes Jodie in the head and kills her instantly and her unborn baby daughter, Jordan Shay, also dies. There is speculation that Jodie’s murder might be connected to a conflict from her managerial job at a casino on the Kickapoo Reservation, as a troublesome employee had been fired there under her watch. However, even though investigators have at least three potential suspects in mind, there is not enough to implicate anyone in the crime, so it remains unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unsolved homicide of a pregnant woman. In addition, we will be briefly discussing the unsolved murder of 21-year old Amanda Aldridge, who was also shot to death inside her home in Calhoun, Louisiana in April 2020. If you have infor

July 17, 2002. Butler County, Pennsylvania. After spending the night partying and drinking, 15-year old Scott Fosnaught and his 15-year old best friend, Shawn Baur, leave a friend’s house in order to walk back home during the early morning hours. Shortly thereafter, their bodies are discovered by the side of a rural road and Scott’s injuries seem to indicate that he was the victim of a hit-and-run by a vehicle. However, Shawn only has some fatal head wounds and a crushed skull, but since he has no injuries beneath his shoulders, it appears that he was killed in another fashion. This makes the boys’ families suspect that their deaths were not an accident, but no suspects are ever identified and the truth about what happened remains unknown. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the baffling unexplained deaths of two teenage boys. In addition, we will also discuss the unsolved 1992 murder of David Hurley, who was shot to death in an apparent road rage incident in neighbouring Allegheny Cou

July 31, 1979. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 49-year old Lola Marvin plans to board a flight to Oklahoma City, but she never arrives. Four days later, Lola is found shot to death inside her car in the parking lot of Albuquerque International Airport. In September 1984, Lola’s 55-year old husband, Robert Marvin, disappears after visiting his new fiancée in Moab, Utah and his abandoned car is eventually discovered in an Albuquerque parking lot. Investigators explore the possibility that the two cases are connected, but even though an anonymous caller shares the identity of Lola’s alleged killer, her murder is never solved and Robert is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the bizarre story of a married couple who each became the center of their own separate unsolved mysteries five years apart. If you have information about the murder of Lola Marvin, please contact the Albuquerque Police Department at (505) 242-2677. If you have information about the disappearance of Robert Marvin,

October 5, 2000. Roseboro, North Carolina. While his great-aunt is napping, four-year old Tristen “Buddy” Myers, a child with a history of behavioral problems and violent outbursts, disappears from the property of their rural home. Two of the family’s dogs disappear alongside Buddy and while they both resurface days later, a massive search effort fails to turn up any trace of the child. Over the years, investigators explore a number of different leads and debate whether Buddy could have been abducted or died of exposure in the woods, but there is no conclusive evidence pointing in any direction. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a tragic unsolved missing children’s case. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/tristen-alan-myers https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125197&page=1 https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/30/us/tale-of-a-little-boy-lost-may-have-a-happy-ending.html https://www.ocala.com/story/news/2003/04/30/family-convinced-child-in-illinois-is-missing-north-caro

July 22, 1989. Peoria, Arizona. Rob Page, the husband of 32-year old Pam Page, claims that she disappears from their home and leaves behind a letter revealing that she ran off with another woman named “Sarah”. Rob also says that Pam took one of their dogs with her, along with most of her personal possessions and $60,000 in cash that she was keeping inside the safe of the video store she owned. However, Rob does not immediately report Pam missing to the police and constantly changes his story about what happened and it is soon discovered that Rob typed up the letter himself and forged Pam’s signature on it. Investigators are also unable to confirm that this mysterious “Sarah” actually existed, but while there is suspicion directed towards Rob, there is not enough evidence to charge him with anything and no trace of Pam is ever found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a controversial spousal disappearance which was featured on “Unsolved Mysteries”. If you have any information about thi

May 24, 1996. Glendale, Arizona. 19-year old Diana Shawcroft and her 19-year old best friend, Jennifer Lueth, leave their apartment to visit a nearby convenience store, but they never return and are last seen climbing into a pick-up truck with an unidentified man. Three months later, Diana and Jennifer’s bodies are discovered 100 miles away in a remote desert area in Yavapai County and it is determined that they were the victims of a homicide. After their families set up a memorial shrine at the crime scene, photos of the victims are stolen from there, but even though the killer is believed to be responsible, they are never identified. October 17, 2003. Scottsdale, Arizona. 20-year old Brandon Rumbaugh and his 19-year old girlfriend, Lisa Gurrieri, leave on an overnight camping trip to Yavapai County, but never return home. Two days later, Brandon and Lisa are found shot to death inside their sleeping bags in the bed of their pick-up truck in a remote area located off Bumble Bee Road. The investigation turns

November 10, 1951. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Three brothers from the Klein family – eight-year old Kenneth, six-year old David and four-year old Danny – leave their residence to go play in nearby Farview Park, but they never return home. When a search effort is launched, the brothers’ scents are tracked to a bank of the Mississippi River about a mile away. After two woollen caps are found on a layer of ice, the Minneapolis Police Department concludes that all three boys fell into the water and drowned. However, there are a number of suspicious details to make the boys’ family suspect they were kidnapped and harmed, but even though the case is reinvestigated decades later, no trace of the Kenneth, David or Danny is ever found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unsolved disappearance of the Klein brothers, a rare case where three siblings went missing simultaneously. Special thanks to listener to Thomas Crow for narrating the opening of this episode. If you happen to have any informa

December 14, 2011. Andover, Massachusetts. 69-year old John “Jack” Magee and his 67-year old wife, Geraldine “Jeri” Magee, are found shot to death inside their mansion in what appears to be a professional hit. There are no signs of robbery or forced entry at the scene, though it turns out that the couple’s SUV was stolen and driven 20 miles to the North End of Boston before it was set on fire. Even though the Magees are wealthy and Jack owned a successful construction company, they do not appear to have any known enemies and investigators are unable to find anything in the couple’s backgrounds to shed any light on potential motives for their murders. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a perplexing double homicide from New England which has remained unsolved for nearly 14 years. Additional Reading: https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/essex-county/new-englands-unsolved-new-information-murder-john-geraldine-magee/GNYSELA4PZAGLFMUKGZAWUUZCI/ https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/ess