Murder With Mannina

Chris tells the tale of two 2021 cases; one that national media tracked daily for months, and a far more mysterious, grisly case that most people have never heard about.

25-year-old Aubrey Dameron was last seen in Grove, Oklahoma on March 9, 2019.  She disappeared after leaving her family home to meet up with someone.  Chris discusses potential motives and suspects in this fairly recent missing persons case.  

Seven-year-old Kyron Horman disappeared on June 4, 2010, from Northwest Portland's Skyline Elementary after stepmother, Terri Moulton Horman dropped him off with his second-grade science project on tree frogs.  Chris reviews this case which had many twists and turns in the investigation from the beginning and sparked the largest criminal investigation in Oregon history.

This month marks the 10th anniversary of Tiffany Heaven Daniels' sudden disappearance from Pensacola Beach.  On  August 12, 2013, Tiffany left work at Pensacola State College, where she worked as a theater technician, and was never seen again.  Eight days after her disappearance, Tiffany's car was found parked at Pensacola Beach. Her wallet, cell phone, bicycle, water bottles, and other personal items were found inside.  Chris reviews Tiffany's case and weighs in with her experienced insights. 

Chris attempts to untangle what had happened to 18-year-old Denise Pflum when she went missing in late March 1986 from rural Fayette County, Indiana, and the reasons why, after three decades, this case still hasn't been solved. 

In 2007, 20-year-old Sarah Wallace, an aspiring nurse, was shot inside her apartment after arguing with her boyfriend in a bar.   Chris examines why her boyfriend is the obvious suspect including the fact he admitted to shooting Sarah.  So why, after all of these years, is he still a free man?  

Chris discusses the chilling, unsolved, triple-murder of the Sims family that has haunted Tallahassee, Florida since 1966. 

Chris talks with police officer Megan Bortner.  Megan has three years on the force. Just like Chris, she's known since she was a little kid that she wanted to be a police officer and a homicide detective.  Megan reached out to Chris for advice and we recorded the conversation so our listeners could learn from it too. 

In honor of Pride Month, Chris illuminates a 40-year-old case that was recently solved with the help of The Trans Doe Task Force. 

Jessica Masker was 24 and had recently given birth to her second son when she went missing on the east side of Indianapolis on April 15, 2013.  It's a mystery that has haunted Jessica's parents and her seven brothers and sisters for a decade.  

On July 25, 2015, in Gary, Indiana, a developmentally disabled 21-year-old woman named Diamond and her two-year-old nephew left their home to take a walk while their caretaker was napping. They have not been seen since. Despite countless searches and sightings, as well as a named person of interest, they are still missing. It's a baffling case that needs and deserves attention.

In Austin, Texas, eight bodies have been pulled from Lady Bird Lake in just 10 months. Similar deaths and bodies were recovered from the lake in the past few years too. Among these victims was a charismatic, beloved, 25-year-old named Martin Gutierrez. Gutierrez went missing in November 2018 after leaving a bar on Rainey Street. Martin's brother and sister-in-law, Mitchell and Whitney Gutierrez, join us to share strange details that led up to Martin's death, his autopsy report, common elements in several of the cases, and APD's incredulous assertion that the deaths are all accidental. 

Dorothy Hill, Debbie Wilson, and Tammy Alford share a tragic bond. Their sisters were murdered over 40 years ago in Louisville, KY and the three cases appear to be connected.  What makes this long journey to justice even more frustrating is that DNA collected from one of the victims was linked to a convicted murderer. So why haven't these cases been solved? 

All year long, dead bodies have been discovered in the Chicago River and Lake Michigan's shoreline and harbors. Evidence of foul play isn't apparent but the similarities — all young, smart men, all found in the city's waterways, and several last seen at bars in Chicago's River North nightlife district — have citizens wondering if there is a serial killer or killers at large in the windy city.  

Picking up where we left off... Bodies are being pulled from Lady Bird Lake in Austin, TX with mysterious frequency.  Is this the work of a serial killer?   Does this add credence to the Smiley Face Killer theory?   What is happening on Rainey Street?  Austin realtor Jessica Yang  joins us to share a local's perspective and answer Chris's questions about the area. 

In Austin, TX, bodies are being pulled from Lady Bird Lake with alarming frequency; four bodies in the past month, eight bodies in less than a year, and 25 bodies in the past eight years. Several of the victims suddenly vanished in the middle of the night after going out with friends on Rainey Street. But the similarities do not stop there. Not even close. This has sparked speculations on social media that a serial killer is targeting Rainey Street revelers in Austin, TX but Austin PD states there is no indication of foul play and the deaths are unrelated. Chris reviews the list of deaths and weighs in with her experienced perspective. Are the social media rumors overblown or could there be a Rainey Street Ripper?  

More than 20 years ago, 9-year-old Asha Degree disappeared from her home in North Carolina in the middle of the night.  Chris highlights clues that have emerged along with the ongoing investigative efforts to solve this baffling case. 

A friend, Maite Soltero,  joins us to share a close call she had in college and Chris weighs in with her own experiences and safety tips. 

On the morning of June 6, 1984, in Greenville, Alabama, 12-year-old Sherry Lynn Marler accompanied her stepdad on errands.  He gave her a dollar to buy a soda from a gas station across the street.  She would never be seen again.  Chris discusses theories about the case.  Was Sherry the victim of a rare stranger abduction or something even more sinister?  

Chris discusses a killer who preyed on hotel clerks in the late 1980s and early 1990s along the Interstate 65 corridor in Kentucky and Indiana. The perpetrator was recently and positively identified via genealogy after more than 30 years. 

A body with 100 stab wounds was dumped on a road. Chris walks us through how she investigated this murder without a victim identification or a crime scene.

Shannon Rayanne Turner was an exotic dancer.   Turner was last seen on December 4, 1997, leaving her shift at Babe's Showgirls West in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Her fiance, David Mays, was an enforcer in the Outlaws motorcycle gang and has also been the main suspect in her disappearance.  As Chris reviews the case, she describes what it's like to investigate murder and missing person cases in the stripper and biker cultures. Thank you to listener Bree Daisy for bringing this case to our attention. 

Chris discusses the recently solved, 1975 murder of 17-year-old Laura Jean Mitchell. 

The first question Chris asks every suspect is "How did we get here?" In this episode, Chris answers her own signature question beginning with the moment she knew she wanted to be a cop.  She retraces her path in law enforcement culminating in her illustrious career as a lead homicide detective with one of - if not THE - highest solve rates in the world.  In nine years, Chris solved all but one murder case; over 400 cases. Sit back and enjoy her journey.

April 29, 2023 marks 20 years since 13-year-old Tabitha Danielle Tudors vanished in East Nashville, TN on her way to the school bus.  Chris reviews this tragic mystery and describes the steps she would take to revive the investigation.   

Chris walks us through a case that was funny - until it wasn't. 

Chris reviews odd details in the unsolved case of Lauren Spierer, a 20-year-old sophomore at Indiana University in Bloomington who was last seen at 4:30 am on  June 3, 2011. 

Chris responds to the horrific murder of Tyre Nichols by five Memphis policemen. 

In 2022, there were 60 shootings at K-12 schools.  Less than a week into 2023,  America reckoned with yet another school shooting.  This time, a six-year-old student shot his teacher at his Virginia elementary school.  Chris discusses this case and offers her experienced views on what can be done to help prevent future school shootings.

One of the best 911 Dispatchers in the industry, Shannon "Shay" Smith, joins us to share some stories and to elucidate the personality traits, training, responsibilities, and intuitive talents that are required to perform this essential role. 

Twin teenage brothers are shot to death in their car.  Chris walks us through how she solved the case with no witnesses and an elusive motive. 

On the 8th anniversary of Marina Boelter's disappearance and presumed death, Chris is joined by Amanda Pearson, the ex-wife of the unidentified (until now) driver who claimed he dropped Marina off at a pizzeria near her apartment. The last ping to Marina's cell phone was at the same time she drove off with this man.  That's just one of many unsettling details that lead Amanda, and the driver's own brother, to suspect he is the killer. 

Retired veteran investigator, domestic violence consultant, coach, and author, Marta Bell is back to share her own story of survival from domestic abuse.  Marta's experience illuminates the fact that domestic violence spans all social classes. 

Chris shares holiday-themed stories from her personal life and case files. 

One in four women and one in seven men have experienced severe domestic violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. It's an epidemic. We are joined by the effervescent Marta Bell, a retired veteran investigator, domestic violence consultant, coach, and author. Marta was instrumental in establishing the domestic violence unit at Indy Metro. She discusses domestic violence from a police officer's perspective highlighting how to recognize the warning signs, and how to leave an abusive situation. 

The plot thickens in the 2016 unsolved murder of Missy Bevers.  Crystal and Renae, hosts of the True Crime Broads podcast, are back to elaborate on the case and to share what they've learned about one person who keeps surfacing as the key suspect. 

Chris is joined by Crystal and Renae, hosts of the TRUE CRIME BROADS podcast, to discuss the 2016 unsolved murder of Missy Bevers in Midlothian, Texas

The real work begins after a killer is captured.  A large part of that requires finding witnesses and victims who are willing to testify because without that, there isn't a case and there certainly won't be a conviction.  Chris walks us through a riveting case that illustrates how difficult it can be to navigate these waters.  

Three months before Abby and Libby were murdered in Delphi, and only 9 miles away from Delphi,  four girls ages 5-11 were killed in a house fire that was intentionally set.  Chris sheds light on this still-unsolved mystery that is shrouded by suspicious circumstances. 

Chris and retired Sgt Dawn Higgins discuss the latest developments in the Delphi Murder Case.  In their experienced opinion, the arrest of suspect Richard Allen is only the tip of the iceberg. 

Chris shares some near brushes with death while on duty and Colleen describes how she narrowly escaped being captured by a serial killer. 

Chris's niece, Maddy Jensen,  was scammed by someone she met through an online dating site.  Maddy joins us to share her story and Chris tops off the episode with an outrageous catfish tale from her case files. 

Chris describes a dangerous and volatile case from her career to vividly illustrate why so many police officers lose their lives responding to domestic violence calls. 

Sgt. Dawn Higgins received a frantic call from her sister.  Her brother-in-law was pointing a gun at her and their two small children were in the house. Dawn called 911  and left her flip phone open when she responded to the situation.  On this recorded call, you will hear a play-by-play of what occurred.  Be sure to listen to All In The Family Part 1 before you listen to this episode.  

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month,  we are featuring an interview with Chris's best friend, retired Sgt Dawn Higgins.  Dawn details a harrowing,  highly dangerous domestic incident that she was involved in concerning her sister. 

A young man is reported missing.  Chris is called to a wooded area where a body had been burned.  Could the two be related?     

Chris walks us through her first homicide and describes how that experience influenced the way she investigates murders.  

Chris learned how to become a great homicide detective by working as a street officer.  Not only did those experiences teach Chris valuable lessons, but they also happen to be some of her most interesting stories. 

Chris recounts a homicide she solved early in her career that surprisingly involved  "one of her own." 

In 1976, in Austin, Texas, four women up and vanished within six months.  Chris believes the cases are linked and the suspect is a serial killer. 

Chris analyzes the botched investigation of a famous multiple murder that took place in Indianapolis in 1978.