Death Mysteries

Tunnel 13 on the Siskiyou Pass bordering California and Oregon was the scene of the last great train robbery of the old west and the first use of forensic evidence to link killers to their crimes in the United States. This fascinating case has twists and turns and surprises us all in the end.

I discuss a few murder cases from each month up to the date of this podcast. I tried to choose a sampling of the violence in Portland to paint a picture of what is occurring in the city. I couldn't cover all 65 cases but I may try to get more out there in a future episode? Please rate and review Death Mysteries on Spotify, iTunes, and other platforms.

My friend Sabine joins me for this episode all the way fro the Netherlands. We discuss the balance of the cold cases we didn't cover in part 1. Many gang related shootings as well as other abnormal murders. It's important to note that this is a small percentage of the cold cases in Portland and around the rest of the country. Most get little to no attention and are all but forgotten.

ANONYMOUS PHONE CALLS Mellie joins me as a co-host as we discuss Portland, Oregon. Over half of Oregon's residents live in the greater Portland area and the crime rates reflect this fact. This is the first of our 3 part expose on cold cases and current crimes from this beautiful but troubled metropolis. I apologize for the break over the past few months. Work and life has been too busy to compose podcast episodes but we will follow up with more episodes rapidly over the coming months.

Never convicted of a single murder Bobby Jack Fowler died in prison. Evidence suggests he was responsible for 7-40 murders. DNA may uncover his connection to more murders in the near future. The RCMP of Canada have conclusively linked him to one of the Highway of Tears murders through DNA but suggest he isn't the only murderer responsible for that string of murders and disappearances. Bobby Jack likely killed at least 4 young girls in Oregon in the mid 1990s.

Shorty Davis was a wealthy self-made sheep rancher in Crook County, Oregon. He disappeared mysteriously in August of 1900. Many have looked for him but nobody has managed to claim the $1000 reward for his body over the past 120 years. The suspicion falls on a group of vigilantes known as the "Sheepshooters". Only new evidence could lead to the conclusion of this old west mystery.

Tonight we travel to Grant, Union, and Malheur Counties to discuss some unsolved cases from Oregon's high desert.

Lane County is home to Springfield and Eugene amongst other smaller cities. It has a large metropolitan area but is still feels quite rural. There are over a dozen unsolved homicides and 156 current missing persons. I explore a few of these in tonight's episode.

In the second part of my Crater Lake episode we run through some very strange unsolved murders and mysterious suicides as well as whole lot of people falling to their deaths.

Part 1 of 2 on Crater Lake. I have compiled a laundry list of dozens of murders, disappearances, unexplained deaths, plane crashes, and other Death Mysteries from Crater Lake National Park. This is one of my favorite locations on Earth and its' history is fascinating.

In a change of pace for Death Mysteries we discuss a series of deaths spanning about 50 years. The most recent incidents occurred in Harney County, Oregon. If you are a fan of the X-Files or aliens in general this should be right up your alley. 

Do you believe in capital punishment? Why? Why not? Ever wonder who's on death row in your state? Will capital punishment in the United States go away over the next decade? Would you rather be put in the electric chair or burned at the stake?

Update on the case from Episode 8. Famous connections to a 42 year old case. Death penalty opinions. More...

Mathew Lang's Ford Explorer was found rolled over on the side of Highway 62 on October 27th, 2020. He wasn't in the vehicle and has effectively vanished. His phone, wallet, and other possessions were nearby. It's the case of our latest vanished person from Prospect, Oregon. The mystery only deepens when you learn the details that are still unfolding.

David Edwin Lewis was murdered in his home on a remote area near the summit of Dead Indian Memorial Road September 4th, 2008. He was shot in the head and his home burned to the ground to conceal the crime. Another similar murder happened earlier that same day in Medford and another home on Dead Indian Memorial Road was burned up that same night. Coincidences? Maybe? Death Mysteries for certain.

In episode six Death Mysteries has an update on our biggest local case and some new links between missing women in Murphy are becoming apparent. Is there a serial killer (or serial killers) at work near Grants Pass, Oregon? I will also discusses two people I knew growing up who committed horrific crimes which made the news. Personal details about these former friends and their crimes are discussed which weren't in the media. This is a deeply personal episode.

When people go missing it could be foul play, an accident, an overdose, a walk in the woods, or another truly bizarre fate. We discuss a few current cases in our area and give a couple of updates on cases we have mentioned in past episodes. A YouTube video of the crime scene where Sherry Wellwood disappeared will accompany this podcast in a few days. We hope to give our listeners a visual guide to the mysteries we investigate. Spook you later.

This is a short profile episode featuring a very current missing person from Anacortes, Washington. Laynee Westwood vanished sometime between September 10th and the early morning hours of September 11th, 2020. Her last known location was the San Juan Motel in Anacortes where she was living. Laynee's dog Precious (Rat Terrier) is also missing. Her family is searching for her and is the driving force keeping a focus on this case with the media and local police.

Oregon ranks 3rd in the nation for missing people... You read that correctly. Out of 50 states only Alaska and Arizona have a higher rate of vanished people each year. Washington State is 5th. Something very spooky is going on in the Beaver State. In this episode I highlight 4 cases from Jackson and Josephine Counties. There are hundreds more but I had to choose just a few. What happens if you go missing? It all depends on your family, not law enforcement.

Death Mysteries goes far beyond simply Googling a case. We travel to the crime scenes and we research our cases in person by obtaining original newspaper articles and photos in person. In this episode we discuss the famous Cowden Family disappearance and search. ultimately ending in an unsolved case with at least one strong suspect.

Celia Darlene Barnes was a Marine Corp veteran who served in Vietnam. On September 2nd, 2002 she was with her sister collecting cans on the side of the road in Gold Hill, Oregon. They got separated and Darlene failed to return to the car. Darlene was never seen again. Join me as I discuss the details of this case in the first episode of Death Mysteries.