More than 600,000 people go missing each year in the United States. Luckily, many missing adults and children are quickly found. But tens of thousands of people remain missing for more than one year, eventually becoming cold cases. This podcast highlights just a few of the missing people in North and South Carolina, and is written and produced by Renee Roberson.
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In 1971 Patricia Mann and Jesse McBane attended a Valentine's Day dance in Durham, heading out afterwards to spend some time alone at a nearby spot popular with locals. When they didn't return, their friends grew worried and searches ensued. When they were found deceased a few weeks later, it was evident they had been victims of a senseless double homicide. Fifty-four years later, the case has not officially been solved, but investigators have narrowed in on a suspect. We also have an update on where the Asha Degree disappearance from 2000 stands. Show Sponsors: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Check out: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-long-dance-podcast/id1401500880
In 1991, 84-year-old Mabel Seymour walked away from a nursing home in Chatham County. A year later, two workers discovered the deceased body of an elderly woman by the side of a road in Petersburg, Virginia. A note found with her body said her name was "Wilma." But as news about the undentified woman in Virginia began to spread across the South, some wondered if the two women were one in the same. Show Notes: Skincare by SkinxErin https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order Renee's Digital Podcasting Course: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php
January is National Stalking Awareness Month, and while most victims know their stalkers, in rare cases a person may be targeted without even knowing it. In the spring of 2002, 23-year-old Stephanie Bennett was found murdered in her apartment. After her body was discovered, neighbors at her apartment complex came forward to report they had seen a mysterious man looking into Stephanie's window in the weeks before her death. Two years later, police were able to apprehend the suspect, learning it was not the first time he had murdered a complete stranger. Show Notes: Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Sound Editing by Daniel Roberson Show Sponsors: Skincare by SHOPxErin https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Renee's Digital Podcasting Course: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php
In 1973, 19-year-old UNC-Asheville student Virginia Marie Olson was murdered in the botanical gardens near campus. Despite many leads and suspects, the case was never solved. Brian and Cameron Santana never forgot about this case, and their new book uncovers details that have never been released to the public and a look into the prime suspect. Find "A Murder on Campus: The Professor, The Cop, and North Carolina's Most Notorious Cold Case: https://www.amazon.com/MURDER-CAMPUS-Professor-Carolinas-Notorious-ebook/dp/B0DR68T6BR
Renee reviews Valerie Bauerlein's book, "The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty" and shares five new things she learned about the Murdaugh family after reading it. Show Notes: Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Sound Editing by Daniel Roberson Show Sponsors: Skincare by SHOPxErin https://shopxerin.com/ Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order Renee's Digital Podcasting Course: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php
Renee discusses podcast growth for the year, as well as which episodes received the most streams and how she gets her ideas for certain episodes. Show Notes: Cover art by Macintosh Multimedia Sound Editing by Daniel Roberson
In 1981, three men invaded a private residence and home of "root doctor" Edward "Doc" Harkless. In the next several hours, they murdered him and three other people in the Columbia, S.C. home, leaving two survivors. It appeared Doc was murdered because of a large amount of cash he kept in a locked safe, but did his line of work also have something to do with the crime? We also give an update to Susan Smith's parole hearing that took place in South Carolina this week. Show Sponsors: Check out Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order
The Missing in America Project helps provide the remains of veterans with honorable burials, but it takes a team of volunteers to do so. We share some of the recent stories from the nonprofit. In 1980, Jeffrey Mays and Ted Wall set out on Jeffrey's boat off the coast of Cape Hatteras. No trace of the men or the boat was ever found, but Jeffrey's family believes he could still be alive. Another Concord, N.C. man disappeared off the coast of North Carolina while on a fishing trip. What happened to Bill Hollingsworth? We also share an update on a missing man found buried on a property in Lowell, N.C. and the possibility that Susan Smith could soon be released on parole in South Carolina. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In 1933, 64-year-old widow Mary Ravenel was discovered mortally wounded in an affluent area of Charleston. Despite their best attempts, police could not figure out who would have wanted to murder her. An auto mechanic thought he could make some quick cash by abducting Hubbard Harris, Jr., the son of a prominent man in Columbia, but the plan quickly went off the rails. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In 2015, a brutal quadruple homicide left the small community of Pendleton, South Carolina stunned. Could a close family member have been responsible? Earlier that year, in the same town, 1-year-old Leonna Wright went missing from the apartment she lived. While police suspect they know what happened to the young girl, justice has been difficult to obtain in the case. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order
Have you ever wanted to know what it would be like to run your own ghost tour? North Carolina resident Rachel Workman is living the dream firsthand after taking over Ghosts of Davidson in the college town of Davidson, North Carolina. We chat with Rachel about why she decided to get into this business, what she loves about it, a little of the local history, and some of her favorite and scariest ghost tour experiences in other cities. Learn more: GhostsofDavidson.com Show Sponsors: Renee's Digital Podcasting Course https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order
When 30-year-old mother Mary Ann Willis meets a charismatic airman stationed in Myrtle Beach in 1992, she quickly learns his claims of love were just a facade. Dara Watson is engaged to the man of her dreams until she unexpectedly goes missing in February 2012. What happened on the final days of her life is something her loved ones will never truly know. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order.
In 2015, 28-year-old Ashley Pegram goes missing from South Carolina after meeting up with a man she met on a dating app. When she doesn't return home, her family turns to the communication on messaging apps on her phone to help determine what happened to her. A Virginia Tech student lures a 13-year-old to her death by messaging through the Kik app, which attracts millions of teenage users with little oversight. And a 15-year-old teen from Fayetteville, N.C. announces his grisly plans to murder a family member on the same app, just minutes before he followed through with the crime. Finding missing loved ones after Hurricane Helene: redcross.org Buncombe County: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeCZbJHoOE5KREOtf22XQAIfevMzEYtpZVOsSlJNnzUP4Lvzw/viewform Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order.
In 2008, 52-year-old Bonnie Lou Irvine went missing in Cornelius, N.C., and police soon learned she had arranged to meet a man she met on Craigslist before she disappeared. In 2020, 39-year-old Andy Banks set out for an appointment to sell his Range Rover, and quickly dropped out of sight. He had also met his potential buyer in the online classifieds section of a website. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In 1992, 23-year-old Michael Hunter was found deceased in his northwest Raleigh apartment. When police take a closer look, they realize a lethal injection of Lidocaine caused his death, and his roommate, medical student Joseph Mannino, admits to injecting him with antihistamines to ease migraine symptoms. But the investigation reveals a motive for murder within a contentious love triangle. We also take a look at the hit-and-run death of Ruth Buchanan in 1989 and how the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police recently solved it. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order
As part of Suicide Prevention Month, Renee discusses four deaths attributed to suicide. One involved an elderly man who may have had a psychotic break, a successful doctor and her husband who died of a double suicide, a whistleblower who died unexpectedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and one death that may have been the result of mental health issues and strain from an abusive relationship. We also give an update on the Asha Degree missing persons case from Cleveland County, North Carolina. Please seek help by calling or texting the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or by chatting online at 988lifeline.org. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for ten pecent off your order
Twenty-seven-year-old Jeni Gray heads out for an early-morning walk in Boone, N.C. and disappears on September 24, 1989. Law enforcement is still continuing their search for the young woman when a runner named Leigh Cooper from Appalachian State University is abducted and sexually assaulted. What her assailant tells her during the attack might finally explain what happened to Jeni. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: Use the code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order. https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In 1992, a 13-year-old from Hickory, North Carolina went missing from her home and was discovered murdered a few weeks later. Around the same time, three older women known to have high-risk lifestyles went missing and were found deceased. While two men were eventually arrested in those three deaths, no one was ever charged in the death of Isis Denise “Dee Dee” Dawkins. We also share an update on the Justin Lee Turner murder case from South Carolina, which we featured on Episode 82. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: Use the code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order. https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In the 1980s, televangelist Jim Bakker had grown an impressive broadcasting empire along with his wife, Tammy Faye. Their organization, PTL, built a Christian-theme park on the border between North and South Carolina and the two lived a lavish lifestyle. But behind the scenes, the Bakkers were struggling with marital issues, hoping that material possessions would fill the empty places still in their hearts. Then, a sex scandal opened the doors for the government to begin examining the inner workings of the PTL's finances. Co-Writer for this episode: Mia Roberson Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: Use the code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order. https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin The Last Trip: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-last-trip/id1715813037
Eric Rudolph spent five years on the run before being captured early one morning while searching for food in Murphy, N.C. Investigators spent the next few years learning more about what turned him into a bomber as he led them to hundreds of pounds of dynamite he'd stashed in the mountains of North Carolina. As he prepared to go to trial in 2005 for the bombing of an abortion clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, he made a startling decision that would spare him from the death penalty. Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Check out the Third Season of Dateline: Missing in America https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dateline-missing-in-america/id1634842284 The Last Trip: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-last-trip/id1715813037
The secluded mountains of North Carolina turned into an excellent place to hide for a man named Eric Rudolph, who was charged with a series of bombings in 1996 and 1997, including one that injured hundreds of people in Centennial Park at the Atlanta, Ga. Summer Olympics. Who was the elusive "mountain man" and how did he evade capture for five years? Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Check out the Third Season of Dateline: Missing in America: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dateline-missing-in-america/id1634842284 The Last Trip: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-last-trip/id1715813037
In 1989, the town of Edenton, North Carolina was rocked when children at the Little Rascals Day Care Center began accusing the owners, Bob and Betsy Kelly, of molesting them. Over time, seven people would be arrested on hundreds of charges that occurred over a three-year-period. What really happened in Edenton, and in two similar landmark cases in California in the early 1980s? Sponsors: Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Check out the Third Season of Dateline: Missing in America: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dateline-missing-in-america/id1634842284?i=1000662543753
The national parks in North Carolina attract numerous visitors each year, but they can also be treacherous if you aren't well prepared for your trip. We discuss the case of Frances Apperson, a 67-year-old who went missing after heading out for a solo hike at Linville Falls, 48-year-old Michael Hartley, who went missing in Spruce Pine on a foraging trip, Barry Hertel, who disappeared after a quick trip to a hardware store in Banner Elk, and various rescue missions in the Linville Gorge area. We'll also share the story of Justin Miller, who left his home in Bakersville in 2015 and hasn't been seen since, and Lynn Keene, who was murdered by the woman who was supposed to be keeping her safe in her home in Linville Falls in 2021. Sponsors: Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Check out the Third Season of Dateline: Missing in America: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dateline-missing-in-america/id1634842284
This episode provides case updates on Blake and London Deven from Fayetteville, Madalina Cojocari from Cornelius, and the official cause of death from a child at Trails Carolina this past spring. We also share the story of Enrique Roman-Martinez from Fort Bragg, who went missing during a camping trip with fellow soldiers from the Army in May 2020. Show Sponsors: Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order.
Doris Duke was barely a teenager when her father, James Buchanan Duke, died and left her the bulk of the fortune he created through the American Tobacco Company and Duke Power. She was no ordinary socialite, though. Doris helped quadruple the family fortune, but her life was not without its challenges. Did she intentionally kill her interior designer in 1966 and get away with it? And what about the unusual cast of characters she surrounded herself with in her final years? Did they help orchestrate her death? Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In July of 1990, 41-year-old Pamela Hoy had dinner with her estranged husband in Burlington, N.C. and packed her van in preparation for an upcoming dog show. She disappeared that night, and while her remains were found months later, the case has never been solved. Seven-year-old Jennifer Patterson went missing after going to visit some neighborhood children in Spring Lake, N.C. in June of 1991. Could she still be alive and was she abducted as part of a parental custody dispute? Forty-three-year-old Cecil Chacon, Jr. was a respected educator in Henderson, N.C. when he was murdered under unusual circumstances in 1992. Is there still a way to solve his case? KC Lee Johnson was a transgender woman murdered in Wilmington in early 2023 by a man she met online. Was her death a hate crime or a crime of opportunity? We also discuss Operation Artemis, a recent sting set up in North Carolina that netted the arrests of fifteen different individuals attempting to meet minors for the purposes of sexual activity. Operation Artemis: https://www.wbtv.com/2024/05/31/mooresville-pd-wraps-up-largest-child-predator-operation-departments-history/ Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare bySkinxErin (use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10) for ten percent off your order): https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
An update on the Madalina Cojocari missing persons case from Cornelius, North Carolina. We also take a look at Crystal Morrison, who went missing from Concord in 2012, Marty Teague's disappearance from Statesville in 2018, and the 1983 South Carolina cold case of Lisa Thompson and Russell Anthony. Show Sponsors: Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html Skincare by SkinxErin (use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10) for ten percent off your order) https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
A true crime podcast is nothing without its guests. For our 100th episode, Renee takes a look back at some of the conversations she's had with true crime authors, advocates, and historians over the past four years. Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php
College is a time for young people to explore their individuality and take on new responsibility. This episode examines the still-unsolved missing persons cases of Jason Wood, Virginia "Ginni" Wood, and Martin Roberts. Missing in the Carolinas will return with a new episode next week.
Renee takes a look at some of the factors that cause a person to go missing with specific examples from past episodes. Plus, she shares the case of Samantha Josephson, who disappeared outside a bar in South Carolina after getting into a car she thought was her Uber. Link to study about prevalence of violence in missing and unidentified persons cases: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/how-prevalent-violence-missing-and-unidentified-persons-cases#1 Show Sponsors: Renee's digital course on podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin (use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for ten percent off your order) https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
It's always suspicious when a newlywed who turns up murdered or deceased in an accident has a spouse who stands to collect a large life insurance policy. This was the case of Lucille Rinaldi, who was murdered in 1963, and Brenda Anderson, who drowned mysteriously in 1965. We also take a look at one of Chapel Hill's oldest cold cases, the murder of 71-year-old Rachel Crook. Co-Writer: Mia Roberson Renee's "You Can Start a Podcast!" Video Webinar https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin: Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order. https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
In 1984, 7-year-old Carrie Wilkerson was brutally murdered in her stepmother's home in the early morning hours. A year later, Jean Fewel was abducted and murdered as she was walking to school. Were the two crimes connected? With the community still processing these murders, three students from UNC, Perry Zimmerman, Sharon Stewart, and Freshteh Golkho were killed all within the same year. What was the cause for this spike in violent crime in the 1980s?
Twenty-three-year-old Andy Sigmon was last seen on April 5, 2016 near a historical landmark almost an hour away from his home. What compelled him to go to that location, and what happened after he disappeared into the woods after talking to several different people? Blake and London Deven, two adopted children from Fayetteville, N.C. (now ages 17 and 27) have not been seen in years and police and the FBI are questioning why it took so long for them to be reported missing. We also give an update on Andy Tench's case from Episode 92. Show Sponsors: Renee's "You Can Start a Podcast!" Video Course: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skincare by SkinxErin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin
On the afternoon of July 30, 1965, 21-year-old Suellen Evans was taking a summer session at the University of North Carolina when she was attacked and murdered in the Coker Arboretum. While police quickly utilized bloodhounds and organized group searches to help find the murder weapon, their efforts failed confirm a solid suspect or turn up any other leads. The case remains cold, but Suellen's hometown of Mooresville and the college campus have never forgotten the frustrating details of this this story. Show Sponsors: Renee's webinar on how to start a podcast: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php SkinxErin skincare products--Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your purchase. https://shopxerin.com
On April 15, 1973, Virginia "Ginger" Olson left her dorm room on the campus of UNC-Asheville for an afternoon of studying at the nearby botanical gardens. A few hours later, two teenagers walking through the woods came across a horrifying crime scene. Who murdered the 19-year-old in broad daylight on that spring morning? We discuss this open and active case, the list of suspects questioned at the time, the history of the nearby psychiatric hospital where the primary suspect may have been a patient, and the affect this unsolved murder has had on the campus and city. Tips on this case: Download the app for The Asheville Police Department through the iTunes app store or Google Play by searching Asheville PD. If you don't have a smartphone, you can share information with the police by sending an anonymous text to TIP2APD and then messaging 847411. For a full list of show sources, visit www.missinginthecarolinas.com Show Sponsors: Renee's webinar on how to start a podcast: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php SkinxErin skincare products--use code MISSINGINCAROLINAS for 10 percent off your purchase. https://shopxerin.com/
Forty years ago, Sharon Beatrice Jones was murdered on the campus of Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina over spring break. Despite the police interviewing numerous suspects and administering polygraph tests, the case almost immediately went cold, and what's more perplexing is the small digital footprint involving details of the crime. Is there still a way to find justice in this cold case? This episode was written by true crime writer Greg Fox. Who Murdered Sharon Beatrice Jones Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2696281597051328 Sponsors: WOW! Women on Writing classes: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html SkinxErin Products: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10
Brian "Neil" Hooks went missing from Florence, S.C. in 1988 and his family is still hoping for answers. Andy Tench disappeared from Belmont, N.C. in late March of 2024 and while his car has been found, there is still no sign of him. Charlotte, N.C. resident Mary Collins was brutally murdered by two people she called friends in March 2020 and one the accused is still out on bond. We also provide an update to the Trails Carolina case from North Carolina.
Four-year-old Jeremy Grice went missing from his home in South Carolina in 1984 and his family believes it was a non-custodial kidnapping. Crystal Faye Todd was murdered in Conway, S.C. in 1991, and when DNA evidence pointed out that her killer was someone she trusted, her community was stunned. Ann Fox Smith was a beloved middle school teacher who was killed in her home in 2008, and her killer remains at large.
Fresh out of medical residency, Dr. Benjamin Gilmer joined a rural North Carolina clinic only to find that its previous doctor shared his last name. Dr. Vince Gilmer was loved and respected by the community—right up until he strangled his ailing father and then returned to the clinic for a regular week of work. Vince's eventual arrest for murder shocked his patients. How could their beloved doctor be capable of such violence? The deeper Benjamin looked into Vince's case, the more he became obsessed with discovering what pushed a good man toward darkness. This interview originally aired April 16, 2022. Find the book: https://www.amazon.com/Other-Dr-Gilmer-Unlikely-Justice-ebook/dp/B08SJQDF6P/ Show Notes: Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing Cover Art: Mackintosh Multimedia
Since 2017, the DNA Doe Project has worked on more than 200 cases of unidentified remains. We take a look at recent success stories in identifying people from South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas. Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Show Sponsor: SkinxErin Products: Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10
20 years ago, police in Charlotte, North Carolina finally apprehended a suspect who had been committing a series of brutal rapes and murders across the city. But once they apprehended him, they realized he was responsible for more violence in the Carolinas than they first suspected. Why did Henry Louis Wallace, who many considered a friend, target the women he did? And how did his crimes affect the children of these victims?
In November 2014, 17-year-old Alec Lansing left a group he was hiking with as part of the wilderness therapy program Trails Carolina. He was later found deceased in the woods after a tragic accident, leaving many to wonder what he was hoping to escape. On Feb. 3 of this year, a 12-year-old boy who had arrived at the program only 24 hours before was found dead early in the morning. His cause of death is still being investigated, and the school has been ordered to temporarily shut down. What is a wilderness therapy program and why have there been so many cases of teens dying while participating in them across the country? Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia SkinxErin Products: use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10
This episode features the cold cases of Mike O'Boyle and Jack Robinson, as well as the missing persons case of Paula Merchant. We also discuss the story of Shelton Sanders, who is presumed dead although his body has never been found, and two sisters named Candy and Darcel Sanders who disappeared late one rainy night in 2022. Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Renee's Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skinxerin Products: Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10
Renee Roberson reviews three true crime programs currently streaming on Hulu, Netflix, and Max. Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Renee's True Crime Writing Webinar: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php SkinxErin Products-Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10
High school student Denise Durham was murdered in Hendersonville in 1981 and the man accused of the crime was her vocal instructor. What would lead an older former Broadway actor to commit such a crime? Shelby Wilkie vanished from her Hendersonville home in January 2012, leaving a 3-month-old daughter behind. Her family suspected the worst, and they were right. Twenty-five-year-old Marissa Carmichael remains missing from Greensboro after a night out with acquaintances, and the stories of what happened keep changing. Co-Writer for Denise Durham segment: Erin Settlemier Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Sponsors: WOW! Women on Writing Renee's True Crime Writing Webinar-https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php SkinxErin Galentine's Day Sale Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 FOR 16 percent off your order https://shopxerin.com/
What is a body broker and why is the industry so unregulated? Is it really legal to arrange the sale of human tissue and body parts to be used for medical research? Renee takes a look at four different business owners, including one in North Carolina, who discovered this lucrative industry and took advantage of grieving families in their darkest hours. For a full list of articles related to this episode, visit www.missinginthecarolinas.com Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing
Renee Roberson takes a look at three unique cases from North Carolina. While a man confessed to the murder of James Chambers in 2018, his body has never been found. Investigators believe they know what happened to Cole Thomas when he went missing while traveling with co-workers through North Carolina, but a confession has yet to happen. And Chapel Hill resident Sydney West disappeared from a park near the Golden Gate Bridge Bridge after she moved there to attend college, and her parents are still searching for answers.
Renee discusses the cases of children who died as a result of controversial parenting techniques, tragic accidents, and provides an update on two South Carolina parents accused of murdering their son in 1989. Learn about true crime writing with Renee Roberson: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php Cover Art by Mackintosh Multimedia
January is National Stalking Awareness Month. In January 2003, Debbie Riddle learned her sister Peggy had been murdered by her ex-boyfriend after years of controlling behavior and incidents of stalking. She shares the story of how her sister's death changed her life and motivated her to begin advocating for change in the way law enforcement and communities handle the crime of stalking. www.stalkingmuststop.org https://www.stalkingawareness.org Renee's Story on the "Strictly Stalking" Podcast-Episode 169 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/strictly-stalking/id1494237083?i=1000608351182 Cover art by Macintosh Multimedia
On January 13, 2021, 51-year-old Michelle Marlow was murdered by a female co-worker at TCS Designs in Hickory, N.C. After the shooting, the suspect and her husband fled the area until their capture six months later, but what happened upon their return divided the community. Should the company have done more to protect their employee? We take a look at this incident and provide tips for keeping yourself safe from workplace violence. Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia “Among the Stars” by AudioCoffee at Freesound.org
Renee shares the most popular episodes from the year, how the podcast has changed since it first began in 2021, and where she gets her episode ideas. Additional Reading: https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/lose-money-zelle-scam-your-bank-may-now-have-refund-you/KFYZ53AHTBC73LHLX5T64EFRNM/ Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing Take Renee's webinar on true crime writing: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php Cover Art by Mackintosh Multimedia