Crime in the Coalfields

Some missing people are never found - but others are found too late.The recent case of Christa Merrill, whose body is found at the home of a known sex offender after being missing since August of 2024 - inspires a deep dive into the progression of missing persons cases.This episode, join Julia and Harper as they provide a baseline for understanding the search for the missing everywhere.

A woman named Wanda Palmer - beaten and left inches from death in her mobile home - is left in a coma for two years. Left in a comatose state from 2020 to 2022, she had enough strength to wake up after those years and identify her attacker. This episode, Julia and Harper remember her story.

Three people shot multiple times on a day that was supposed to be full of love. Instead, Valentine's day 1998 ended with a family dead in a mansion on a hill. This is the case of David, Janette Henderson, and Martha Barber - known as the Maybeury Mansion Murders. Did the main suspect Tony Allen commit the crime? and what is the mansion like now, after playing host to such a tragedy? Julia and Harper dive into the details.

A murdered teenager found near a bus route in 1970s Putnam County. Danny Collins' case is sparse, but just an hour away - another case with a similar method was brewing. A connection was drawn to another case of attempted murder. Four boys survived an encounter to help implicate the suspect - but it's unknown if the criminal in question ever met with justice - for what was done to the four boys, or to Danny Collins. Join Julia and Harper in their search for answers.

A strange creature with glowing red eyes and a wingspan to boot. Was it responsible or connected to the tragic deaths of 46 people? Or does folklore color history in the modern world? Returning to the world of cryptozoology again by popular demand, tonight's episode of Crime in the Coalfields focuses on the most well-known Cryptid in the Mountain State. Julia and Harper discuss the history and culture behind the infamous Mothman, as well as his relation to a real-life tragedy.

Leah Hickman had a bright future, cut short by the hands of an assailant never found to this day.  When she went missing, the entire community rallied to find her. When she was found dead, her workplace honored her and paid for the funeral. The 21-year-old was a journalism student at Marshall University in Huntington, dreaming of a TV news career. In tonight's episode, Julia and Harper retell the story of her dream - deferred by murder.

The body of Michael Craig Phillips found 16 years ago still leaves a case unresolved - but a similar case - involving a dead woman is closed after 14 years. Both cases have their similarities, and their disparities. Two young people, both bludgeoned to death and covered up in hopes of never being found. In this episode, Julia and Harper cover two cold murder cases in McDowell County. One that remains unsolved to this day, and the other, a 14-year-long cold case that eventually ended in a conviction: one that may help cover the possibilites of the case in progress.

Cassie Sheetz went hiking with two men near Spruce Knob three and a half years ago - and never re-emerged. She was last seen on March 11, 2021.  It's taken this long to find her believed remains, and even now the case is at a standstill. Will it be closed with no charges filed? In this episode, 59News Anchor Julia White and Producer Harper Emch detail the case of Cassie Sheetz, and discuss how a daytime hike could turn into a life forever lost in the woods.

A brutal stabbing - one swift strike for every year of the woman's life. This was the untimely demise of 52 year old Irene Wilson. In this episode - Harper and Julia delve into Calhoun County - 1963. In the small town of Broomstick, the grisly murder is discovered by two teen girls - while Irene's husband is on a night watch miles away. How does a murder like this affect a rural West Virginian town?

The murder of both Sid Hatfield and Ed Chambers in 1920 - committed in Broad Daylight, with witnesses and family present. This episode sees Julia and Harper visiting another infamous Courthouse. This site is the stage of the notorious double-murder, sometimes known as the McDowell County Courthouse murders - responsible for inciting the historic Battle of Blair Mountain. Listen to how this Crime Ignited the Coalfields - in tonight's Walk Through History.

Seven Veterans dead in the same hospital. Seven life sentences waiting for a culprit to take the blame - and the responsibility. Tonight, Julia and Harper delve into the case of the nurse behind seven serial killings in Clarksburg, West Virginia; Reta Mays. What motivated her to do this? What makes a killler?

Courthouses are intended to be places of law at the center of a town or city. But sometimes they draw crime and law together; especially in rural America. In this episode, Julia and Harper discuss some of the notable stories about crime surrounding the Wyoming County Courthouse during the 20th century.

Tonight's episode focuses on the recent history of the death penalty. Julia and Harper take a look at how public and private executions have changed since the beginning of the country's history, both in and outside of the Coalfields. The depth and breadth of cases involving execution is huge, but a historic perspective goes a long way.

In this week's episode, Julia and Harper examine a case of cold-blooded murder- from shocking court outbursts, surprising video evidence, and a disturbing father-daughter relationship that ends with one of them dead. This is a recent case from just this past February 2024, where Carl Cox was officially found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder of his own daughter Rhonda Cox, and her husband, James Neal. Tune is as we explore Cox's unsettling motive and discuss the ins and outs of this unique case. 

After nearly a quarter century - the missing persons case of Alex Carter has finally come to a close. Listen as Julia and Harper delve into the efforts that went into closing this cold case in 2024. Although it ends with a terrible truth - that Alex Carter and her mother, Susan Carter, were in fact murdered by a trusted individual over money troubles - her case now at least becomes a shining example of how hope is always important to keep, for both the law enforcement agencies that fight to close cold cases, and for the families of victims searching for answers.

In 2011, more than a decade after she first disappeared from Summers County, the remains of Cathy Jo McCoy eventually led police to her own mother, Mary Bowles. The question that remains even after all this time; Did Mary Bowles kill her daughter? Julia and Harper dive into this Summers County murder case to try to provide answers to that question and to the question of why such a personal crime would be perpetrated on someone's own family.

Two women: Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero were hitchhiking to the Rainbow Gathering in 1980. The Rainbow Gathering was a world-peace festival meant to celebrate love, harmony and freedom held in Pocahontas County. The two women, however, would never make it there alive. Their murders would result in eight different suspects, an admission, a wrongful conviction lawsuit, and even the survivor's guilt of a close friend. Julia and Harper discuss the case of the Pocahontas County Rainbow Murders.

The Appalachian Trail is known for having some of the most scenic views on the East Coast of the United States, if not the entire country. However, the Appalachian Trail can also be a sinister place. The Appalachian Trail has seen a total of 13 murders and many more disappearances. Tonight, Harper and Julia take a look at why this trail is sometimes known across the world as America's most deadly trail.

The strange and supernatural can be found all across the state of West Virginia. In tonight's episode, Izzy and Harper return to the topic of Cryptozoology to discuss the cryptids in our home. This week, the spotlight is on the Flatwoods Monster. We delve deep into not only the possibilities of what happened when the monster was sighted, but the cultural relevance of its legacy.

Harry Powers was a West Virginia serial killer who used local advertisements and false personas to catch unsuspecting people, which we in modern society are no strangers to ourselves. Izzy and Harper touch upon the similarities to our era and why this case teaches us so much. The world that Harry Powers committed his murders in might have been a different world than the one we live in today, but his monstrous tactics are just as effective.

A case that is 30 years old this week: Angela Cherice Gwinn-Stephens, known to everyone as Cherice went missing in September of 1993. Foul play is suspected in Cherice's disappearance by both her family and law enforcement. In 2014, she was declared legally dead, and her case became a homicide. Izzy and Harper delve back into a case covered previously in "Missing in Southern West Virginia" with a much greater depth.

A potential new lead in a cold case that has been a burden for a local father for 23 years. Could the new path in this case spell an end to another cold case thanks to the arduous work of law enforcement, or will the evidence elude any hope of closure? This episode Izzy and Harper revisit the case of Natasha "Alex Carter"

Izzy and Harper continue to delve into the case of Danny Casolaro, a man who apparently committed suicide in a hotel in Martinsburg West Virginia in 1991. After being found dead, the procedures following his death have been critiqued by both his family and previous followers of this case. Danny was working on a book suggesting government conspiracy. His life was cut short, and the potential web of these conspiracies that surround his passing may serve to suggest he was in fact: murdered. Was this a suicide or a silencing?

Danny Casolaro is a new kind of case for Crime in the Coalfields. His apparent suicide has become the subject of several conspiracy theory rabbit holes and true crime deep dives. Izzy and Harper break down the basic details of what happened surrounding his suicide.

A brutal and personal murder that has gone unsolved results in a college campus being haunted by the spirit that remains. This episode, Izzy and Harper tackle what little remains in the story of the Glenville State Ghost: Sis Linn. How did she die, and who perpetrated the crime? Beyond her death, what are the signs of her haunting? Was it business disguised as a gruesome murder, or was the death of Sis Linn personal?

The second part to the case of Sister Roberta Elam. A Postulant Catholic Nun, Sister Roberta Elam was brutally strangled to death in a park near Mt. St. Joseph Mother House in Wheeling, West Virginia. Despite being a relatively sparse case from a time with little in the way of DNA evidence, there are more possibilities lying in wait. This episode dives into several possible theories, some well developed and others less so. These theories form the only unique possibilities for this case. With so little to go off of, people have taken it upon themselves to theorize what happened to Sister Roberta: in many cases ignoring the main suspect. Izzy and Harper discuss all the options for one of West Virginia's most well-known cold cases.

Anyone can be targeted by violent crime, including the pious. An upcoming full-fledged Catholic Nun, Sister Roberta Elam was an unlikely victim, but nonetheless, she was brutally strangled to death in a park near Mt. St. Joseph Mother House in Wheeling, West Virginia. She was in the midst of her silent meditation before taking vows in 1977, when she was silenced forever. This episode, Izzy and Harper lay down the foundation of the case: Sister Roberta's whereabouts and routine, as well as who the major suspect was in her sudden murder. Despite being a relatively sparse case from a time with little in the way of DNA evidence, there are more possibilities lying in wait. Stay tuned for part two, where more details and possible theories will be discussed.

In rural areas in Pocahontas, communities are much more close-knit. So when a popular business owner goes missing and is found days later brutally murdered and dismembered by her own business and life partner, the public's reaction can be extreme. So much so that the accused killer's trial is set in a separate county to ensure impartiality from jurors. This episode of Crime in the Coalfields delves into the Pocahontas County case of Melba Marie Hickson Fitzgerald. Izzy and Harper discuss the unique legal battle, and the possible warning signs of this sudden murder.

When he died, LaRoy Earl Gorman was the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Charleston National Bank and had just negotiated the acquisition of First national Bank of South Charleston. He had just finished a night out at his favorite restaurant when he was shot three times and left to die. He made it to the hospital and managed to vaguely identify his attacker, but not clearly enough to be found. There were rumors surrounding people losing money because of him, his habits with women and more. So what could have been reason for his death? The options don't paint any clearer a picture after 43 years.

Family murder, Abuse, and Kidnapping all the day after an early release. William 'Bill' Bradford was just released early from prison for good behavior. He had been in jail for a petty larceny charge of his father's property. When he got out, he took matters into his own hands. He committed a gruesome family murder which was may have been his second, which then snowballed into depraved acts. Why did Bradford do the things he did? Crime in the Coalfields seeks to answer that using court information and investigative reports following Bradford turning himself in.

In the year 1947, the Black Knight Country Club was the scene of a grisly double murder, but not the scene of the crime. The bodies of Nelle Rand and her lover E. Ray Bailey were found elsewhere after they were shot to death while having a secret meeting in his car on an access road behind the Black Knight. Joining Izzy and Harper in a full interview to dig into this old case is Raleigh County Historian and Crime in the Coalfields collaborator Scott Worley, who helped feature the case on national television. The show 'Kindred Spirits' featured extensive paranormal investigations of the case and the Black Knight. Between Scott Worley's expert knowledge and spiritual contact, is there enough to know what happened on that night?

A woman from Mercer County goes missing after her son's first birthday. Did she leave without a trace or was she murdered? Brenda Lambert was a fun-loving and feisty woman, according to her sister. So why would she leave her children? Did her husband drive her away? The case is cold enough that we may never find out the answers to these questions, but it doesn't stop hope. Christy Kennedy, Brenda's Sister hasn't given up hope, even garnering the interest of national television and most recently: Crime in the Coalfields.

Disappearances, abductions, and a disaster that killed 46 people. All of these are believed to be caused by unnatural things. The strange and supernatural can be found all across the state of West Virginia. In tonight's episode, Izzy and Harper return to the paranormal in the form of Cryptozoology. Crime in the Coalfields brings you deeper into the Coalfields themselves with discussions surrounding Bigfoot, the Mothman, the Silver Bridge Collapse, abductions, and the Flatwoods Monster. What are Cryptids, and why are they so important to the Mountain State?

A 15 year old boy was found dead under the Fort Henry Bridge in Wheeling, West Virginia. His name was Kyle Morgan, and it has been almost seven years since he died. There were very few breaks in the case. With no evidence, no leads, and no motive or suspects, the case has run cold. With family here in Southern West Virginia, Crime in the Coalfields seeks to shed light on Kyle's story so that answers can be found.

In the premiere episode of Crime in the Coalfields season 2, Izzy and Harper step outside of West Virginia, to Giles County Virginia. In 1978, Timothy Vaughn found a grisly murder scene near Wolf Creek on Route 61, centered around a burning Datsun pickup truck. He would later be inspired to enter law enforcement after the investigation of the Wolf Creek Murders. A young couple his age, Jeff Scott and Karen Noble, had been murdered.

Crime in the Coalfields takes a look forward to Season 2 in this bonus episode. Izzy and Harper discuss some of the possibilities for cases on the roster in season 2, whether they are in Southern West Virginia or otherwise. Different episode formats, new content, and more await in the newest episodes of Crime in the Coalfields.

Crime in the Coalfields takes a look back across season 1 in this bonus episode. Izzy and Harper look back at some of the most interesting cases of season 1, behind-the-scenes information on how episodes were crafted, and why Crime in the Coalfields is made.

In the final episode of Crime in the Coalfields Season 1, we tackle a case that has aspects of a cold case, a serial killing, and the paranormal. The WVU Coed Murders were committed over 52 years ago, and the case is a deep and storied one. Tackled already by books and podcasts, this case is known by some in the Northern part of the state. This case is full of twists and the full extent of it can barely be done justice in one episode. Regardless, we bring you the case of two girls murdered on WVU's campus in 1970 for the finale of 2022.

Taking another look into West Virginia's own serial killers, Crime in the Coalfields brings you the story of a known serial killer: James Childers. James Childers was a handyman with five murders and a number of arsons under his belt. His case is open and shut, but there are three alleged victims of Childers who remain unrecovered. The truth of serial killers is that sometimes the killer isn't known, and sometimes.. neither are the victims.

It's been 10 years since the disappearance of Skylar Neese of Star City, West Virginia - Only, her case isn't cold. Skylar was murdered by her two so-called best friends. Skylar was a regular 16-year-old High School student at University High. On July 6, 2012, she was lured into a remote clearing in Pennsylvania, where her friends Rachel Shoaf and Sheila Eddy stabbed her in the back in cold blood.

Over 600 thousand people go missing in the United States every year, according to the National Missing Persons Database. A large percentage of these cases - nearly 99 percent of them - are canceled within a week. Wild and Wonderful West Virginia is no stranger to missing persons, either, with 143 people currently missing across the state. 24 of these cases are in 59News' viewing area. This episode, we go over all 24 of these missing people's cases and talk about how and when they went missing, because there's always a chance they could again be found.

The Greenbrier Ghost, The Lady in Red, and the ghost of William Martin. All of these stories and even more discussion are featured in this Halloween Special of Crime in the Coalfields. We bring back Ghost hunter and paranormal expert Scott Worley, from right here in Raleigh county, to talk about his favorite paranormal stories from our area. But these stories only scratch the surface. There will always be more cases of the strange and supernatural to cover on the podcast in the near future, so stay tuned for part two. This podcast is a 59News exclusive, sponsored by Rose and Quesenberry funeral Chapels and Notoriously Morbid.

This episode, we talk about a case solved because of testimony from the deceased ghost of the victim. The Greenbrier ghost, a woman named Zona Heaster Shue died under mysterious circumstances in the late nineteenth century. Her death in 1897 was presumed natural until her spirit appeared to her mother to describe how she was killed by her husband Edward. The testimony surprisingly solved the case.

A case that's been cold for ten years. A 10,000 dollar reward being offered by 7-11. These mark the case of Bob Snow, the regional manager of the Kanawha Valley 7-11 stores. He went missing under suspicious circumstances and was found by police floating in the Elk River.

44-year-old Travis Summers was last seen at the One Stop convenience store on Eisenhower Drive in Beckley, on Wednesday May 7, 2014. For nine months no one saw or heard from him. When his body was found dismembered nine months later, police began an investigation suspecting foul play. Travis Summers' family wasn't notified that the remains were his until nearly an entire year after his disappearance. The cause? his body was unrecognizable. Travis' case is a showcase of how remarkable resources can provide a family with some closure, but can there be more? Will the murderer of Travis Summers ever be found?

A murder in 2016 resulted in a body found at Lake Stephens. The body was David Fann, found stabbed to death after a routine day. However the day after being discovered, the crime scene was forever destroyed. The West Virginian thousand-year-flood happened. It washed away homes, lives, and any chance of finding the killer of David Fann.

A well-known mystery in Charleston, West Virginia is the story of Baby Grace. An infant who turned up on the steps to the Bartlett Burdette Cox Funeral Home, her identity was never discovered in all this time. For 50 years, Ghost Hunters have sought answers about the truth behind Charleston's Baby Grace and the other ghosts believed to reside in the building.

A gruesome murder right here in Raleigh County, West Virginia. A random victim, a female perpetrator. Both of these aspects make this case a rare and unusual occurrence. Ronald Lee Browning was murdered and lacerated beyond recognition. After a string of robberies on the same street in Beckley brought police to the scene, a woman was arrested and admitted to the crime: 19-year-old Camille Browne. How and why did she do it?

In a unique collaboration with the podcast 'I Was Never There', Crime in the Coalfields brings you a cold case about a Morgantown bartender who hasn't been seen for around 40 years. Marsha Ferber disappeared, leaving behind her wallet, keys, and several theories about where she could have gone. She was a folk hero to the people of downtown Morgantown, who helped the community in a myriad of ways. However, our special guests from 'I Was Never There' found out the darker story behind part of who Marsha Ferber was, and share how they came about their discoveries. These discoveries could make or break the story of how and why she went missing.

Two and a half months ago, we told the story of the Huntington Prom Night Murders, four teenagers who were murdered on their prom night in 2005. On May 22nd, 2005, Donte Ward, Eddrick Clark, Michael Dillon, and Megan Poston, who was only sixteen, were all shot to death near Ward's home. Megan Poston's mother, Subrina Gebheart, spoke with us about what happened to her daughter. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The only open investigation regarding the case is a 45,000 dollar reward for any information on the case, brought together by Subrina, the other families, and others in the community.

A Bluefield man whose killer wasn't brought to justice after over 70 years, Roy Melvin was killed getting firewood for his family just after Christmas in 1951. His granddaughter was always told stories about his trek home after being shot multiple times, but didn't find out until later that his killer was never apprehended for the crime of murdering a loving family man.