The Trail Went Cold

September 2, 1959. Seattle, Washington. 62-year old Pearl Kongsle discovers a paper sack on the walkway outside her residence and when she bends over to pick it up, a bomb goes off and kills her. Even though a car containing three teenage boys is seen speeding away from the scene following the blast, investigators are unable to turn up any major leads or compelling suspects with a motive to harm Pearl. It turns out that months earlier, two relatives of Pearl’s late husband died after a mysterious poisoning and there was another strange incident where sticks of dynamite were discovered on the property of Pearl’s brother-in-law, but no link can be found between these events and Pearl’s murder. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the bizarre unsolved bombing death of Pearl Kongsle. Additional Reading: https://www.historylink.org/File/10051 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pearl-kongsle-widows-1959-bomb-death-among-seattles-coldest-cases/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/769110471/ https://www

August 7, 1996. Travis County, Texas. After running errands with her family, six-year old Katherine Korzilius is dropped off at a community mailbox in her neighbourhood and is last seen walking in the direction of her home. Fifteen minutes later, Katherine’s mother discovers her body lying in the road about a quarter-mile away from their residence. An autopsy reveals that she has a fractured skull, so the medical examiner concludes that Katherine was likely thrown or fell from a moving vehicle. While investigators suspect that Katherine may have grabbed onto the back of her mother’s SUV as it drove away before she fell off, her family believes she was murdered by an unknown party in a botched abduction attempt. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the tragic unexplained death of Katherine Korzilius. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/katherine-korzilius/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Katherine_Korzilius https://www.newspapers.com/image/356835619/ https://www.ne

June 20, 2009. Bowen Island, British Columbia. While attending a house party, 17-year old Jodi Henrickson leaves during the early morning hours with her estranged 20-year old boyfriend, Gavin Arnott. Numerous witnesses report seeing them walking down the road together and Gavin claims that after they got into an argument, he and Jodi went their separate ways before she vanished without a trace. Since Gavin had a history of violence against Jodi and a no-contact order at that time, he becomes a person of interest in her disappearance, but there is no evidence to implicate him and Jodi is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a missing persons case from Canada which has gone unsolved for nearly 16 years. Special thanks to listener Katie Hyde for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/court-ordered-ex-boyfriend-of-missing-teen-to-stay-away-from-her-1.834790 https://www.newspapers.com/image/505992846/ https://ww

August 22, 2011. Chilliwack, British Columbia. After not hearing from him for three days, the parents of 38-year old Corey Scherbey enter his residence and discover his body in a kneeling position in front of his couch and there is a large pool of fluids on the floor. The police conclude that Corey died of an accidental drug overdose and started decomposing before he was found. However, since Corey’s father had seen an unidentified woman in his house with him prior to his death and there is other suspicious evidence pointing towards foul play – including an anonymous cryptic letter - the Scherbeys believe that Corey was killed by an outside party. In 2020, a coroner’s inquest is held in which a jury agrees with the original ruling that Corey’s death was accidental, but his family continues to maintain he was murdered. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we travel back to our home country of Canada to explore a suspicious death which is still surrounded by unanswered questions.  Additional Reading

October 11, 1991. Bolney, England. The dismembered torso of a male homicide victim which has been rolled up in some carpet is discovered in a wooded area next to a bridle path. His head and both of his hands have been removed and since the victim cannot be identified, he is buried under the name “Unknown Male”. Investigators explore a number of different leads, including a wanted German fraudster who was living in the area at the time the torso was discovered, as well as the possibility that the victim’s death was a gangland killing, but the crime is never solved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we travel back to the United Kingdom to explore the bizarre story of an unidentified decedent known only as “The Bolney Torso”. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bolney_Torso https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/4735827.Sussex_Police_still_trying_to_solve_riddle_of_headless_body/ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-15256742 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8403522.stm ht

October 24, 1998. Brooklyn, New York. 28-year old Kristine Kupka, who happens to be five months’ pregnant, is seen leaving her residence alongside the father of her child, Darshanand “Rudy” Persaud. Kristine never returns, but even though Rudy claims that he took her to a shopping mall and dropped her off a few blocks from her home, his story cannot be corroborated. It turns out that Rudy was married to another woman and had asked Kristine to get an abortion for fear that the revelation about her pregnancy would ruin his life. Even though a cloud of suspicion surrounds Rudy, there is no evidence to implicate him in Kristine’s disappearance and no trace of her is ever found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a missing persons case involving a pregnant woman which has gone unsolved for over 26 years. Join us on Saturday, May 10 at 8:00pm ET for an online streaming marathon where we will be watching classic segments from “Unsolved Mysteries”. You can enter our screening room by clicking

January 23, 1999. Tacoma, Washington. Two-year old Teekah Lewis accompanies her family to the New Frontier Lanes bowling alley, but while playing inside the arcade, she vanishes without a trace. It seems apparent that Teekah was the victim of a stranger abduction and there is speculation that her disappearance might be connected to a recent series of incidents in which other children from the area were preyed upon by an unidentified white male. Twenty-five years later, investigators announce they have been looking into a person of interest who seems like a compelling potential suspect, but there is no conclusive evidence to implicate him and Teekah is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a heartbreaking missing children’s case which has remained unsolved for over a quarter of a century. Special thanks to listener Rey Hettrick for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/cold-case-spotlight/teekah-lewis-disappearance-tacoma-

August 19, 1984. Manassas, Virginia. At around 4:15 AM, the doorbell rings at the residence of Johnny Bowman, a 31-year old trooper with the Virginia State Police. When Johnny answers the door, he is viciously attacked by an assailant who stabs him over 40 times before fleeing the scene and they leave behind a wig, glasses and hardhat which were possibly used as a disguise. Years later, investigators announce that their prime suspect is Perry Worrell, a former state trooper who happened to be one of Johnny’s closest friends, and they believe the murder was committed over some sort of personal dispute. However, there is not enough evidence to make an arrest and the crime continues to be surrounded by unanswered questions. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the murder of a Virginia state trooper which has gone unsolved for over 40 years. Additional Reading: https://www.odmp.org/officer/2106-trooper-johnny-rush-bowman https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/seeking-info-in-1984-murder-of-virgin

August 1, 2007. Powder Springs, Georgia. After not being heard from for over 30 hours, 46-year old Jane Kuria and her two daughters - 19-year old Isabella and 16-year old Annabelle - are found bludgeoned to death inside their home. Jane’s eight-year old son, Jeremy, and her eleven-year old nephew, P.K. Thande, are also severely beaten and left comatose, but while they wind up surviving their injuries, they are unable to provide much information about who attacked them. Since the Kurias originally hailed from Kenya and had been seeking asylum in the United States, investigators explore a number of different scenarios, including the possibility of some family friends being responsible for the murders, but the case is never solved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a horrific and baffling crime known as the Kuria family murders.  Additional Reading: https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Kuria_Family https://unsolved.com/podcasts/the-kuria-family-murders/ https://unsolved.com/wp-cont

May 28, 1981. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 30-year old Christine Schultz, the ex-wife of police officer Fred Schultz, is shot to death inside her home and Fred’s current spouse, Laurie “Bambi” Bembenek, is soon charged with the crime. Even though Laurie insists that she was framed by the police and the evidence against her was planted and fabricated, she is convicted of first-degree murder and receives a sentence of life imprisonment. In 1990, Laurie manages to escape from prison with the assistance of her new spouse before they are recaptured in Canada, but even though Laurie continues to maintain her innocence, she is allowed to walk free after agreeing to enter a plea of “no contest” to the crime. Was Laurie “Bambi” Bembenek actually responsible for the murder of Christine Schultz or was she the victim of an elaborate frame-up job? Last week, in Part One of our series, we chronicled the events in this case leading up to Laurie Bembenek’s prison break. This week, we will share the rest of the story and provide our

May 28, 1981. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 30-year old Christine Schultz, the ex-wife of police officer Fred Schultz, is shot to death inside her home and Fred’s current spouse, Laurie “Bambi” Bembenek, is soon charged with the crime. Even though Laurie insists that she was framed by the police and the evidence against her was planted and fabricated, she is convicted of first-degree murder and receives a sentence of life imprisonment. In 1990, Laurie manages to escape from prison with the assistance of her new spouse before they are recaptured in Canada, but even though Laurie continues to maintain her innocence, she is allowed to walk free after agreeing to enter a plea of “no contest” to the crime. Was Laurie “Bambi” Bembenek actually responsible for the murder of Christine Schultz or was she the victim of an elaborate frame-up job? This week, “The Trail Went Cold” releases the first part of a special two-part episode about one of the most controversial and sensationalistic murder cases of all time. Special thanks

February 15, 1994. Indianapolis, Indiana. While waiting for her school bus, eleven-year old LaShonna Bates walks into a nearby convenience store, but she soon vanishes without a trace. A month-and-a-half later, LaShonna’s remains are found in a wooded area located eight miles away and it is determined that she has a skull fracture and died of blunt force trauma. In 2000, Charles Daughtery, the man who found LaShonna’s remains, is charged with her murder after he confesses to the crime. However, Charles recants his confession and after it is ruled to be inadmissible as evidence, the charges against him are dropped. A potential alternate suspect is the boyfriend of LaShonna’s mother, who was alleged to have been abusive, but no one else is ever charged with the crime. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the heartbreaking and controversial murder of LaShonna Bates. Additional Reading: https://www.newspapers.com/image/313031302/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/313050540/ https://www.newsp

March 15, 2000. Jacksonville, Florida. After completing her shift at a hospital pharmacy, 27-year old Tina McQuaig drives out of the parking garage, but she never returns home. Four days later, Tina’s abandoned car is discovered in a Wal-Mart parking lot. In December 2002, Tina’s remains are discovered in a wooded area on the property of a decommissioned naval base and it is determined that she was the victim of a homicide. Suspicion eventually falls upon a former neighbour of Tina’s, as she had allegedly been conducting an extramarital affair with this man, but there is no evidence to implicate him and the crime remains unsolved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unsolved murder of Tina McQuaig. In addition, we will also be discussing the murder of 35-year old Mary Petersen, who was strangled to death inside her home in Jacksonville in May 2002. If you happen to have any information about the murders of Tina McQuaig or Mary Petersen, please contact the the Jacksonville Sheriff’s

October 21, 1985. Brooklyn, New York. Three days after she is born, Marlene Santana is carried out of Brookdale Hospital by her mother, Francesca Santana, before they are confronted by a woman who had been seen hanging around the hospital nursery earlier that night. The woman points a gun at Marlene and orders Francesca to walk six blocks before she abducts the baby and escapes in a car being driven by an accomplice. There is speculation that the woman may have kidnapped Marlene in order to raise the child as her own, but she is never identified and no trace of Marlene is ever found. June 30, 1944. Chicago, Illinois. Ten-week old Laurence Harding Jr. is taken grocery shopping by his mother, but shortly after they return home, Laurence is abducted from his baby carriage by two teenage girls who had been eyeing him at the market. Four decades later, Laurence’s brother obtains the original FBI file from the investigation and learns that a pair of railroad porters at a train station in St. Louis, Missouri had spo

November 27, 1985. St. Augustine, Florida. While attending a neighbourhood social gathering, 12-year old Martha Jean Lambert tells her mother that she needs to take a brief trip back to their mobile home, but she never returns and is eventually reported missing. Suspicion falls on Martha’s 14-year old brother, David, after he gives conflicting stories about the last time he saw his sister. 24 years later, David confesses to killing Martha and disposing of her body and police find his story to be believable enough to close the investigation. However, David soon recants his confession and since corroborating evidence cannot be found to support it, Martha continues to remain a missing person and there is still debate about what actually happened to her. In this special two-part series of “The Path Went Chilly”, Jules and I explore the unsolved disappearance of Martha Jean Lambert and in this episode, Jules will perform a statement analysis on David Lambert’s confession. Part Two of our series can be found here:

July 4, 1954. Bay Village, Ohio. 31-year old Marilyn Reese Sheppard is bludgeoned to death inside her bedroom and her 30-year old husband, Sam Sheppard, is injured after claiming he was attacked by an intruder. Since Sam was known for conducting extramarital affairs, police believe that he fabricated the story and was responsible for killing his wife, so he is charged with Marilyn’s murder. After being convicted at what is described as “The Trial of the Century”, Sam receives a sentence of life imprisonment, but there is great concern about the sensationalistic and biased media coverage surrounding the case. Sam spends nearly ten years in prison before his conviction is overturned and after the case makes it all the way to the United States Supreme Court, he is granted a second trial and winds up being acquitted. Decades later, Sam’s supporters attempt to posthumously exonerate him by presenting evidence that points towards another suspect, but the crime remains shrouded in mystery. To commemorate the nine-ye

July 4, 1954. Bay Village, Ohio. 31-year old Marilyn Reese Sheppard is bludgeoned to death inside her bedroom and her 30-year old husband, Sam Sheppard, is injured after claiming he was attacked by an intruder. Since Sam was known for conducting extramarital affairs, police believe that he fabricated the story and was responsible for killing his wife, so he is charged with Marilyn’s murder. After being convicted at what is described as “The Trial of the Century”, Sam receives a sentence of life imprisonment, but there is great concern about the sensationalistic and biased media coverage surrounding the case. Sam spends nearly ten years in prison before his conviction is overturned and after the case makes it all the way to the United States Supreme Court, he is granted a second trial and winds up being acquitted. Decades later, Sam’s supporters attempt to posthumously exonerate him by presenting evidence that points towards another suspect, but the crime remains shrouded in mystery. To commemorate the nine-ye

July 4, 1954. Bay Village, Ohio. 31-year old Marilyn Reese Sheppard is bludgeoned to death inside her bedroom and her 30-year old husband, Sam Sheppard, is injured after claiming he was attacked by an intruder. Since Sam was known for conducting extramarital affairs, police believe that he fabricated the story and was responsible for killing his wife, so he is charged with Marilyn’s murder. After being convicted at what is described as “The Trial of the Century”, Sam receives a sentence of life imprisonment, but there is great concern about the sensationalistic and biased media coverage surrounding the case. Sam spends nearly ten years in prison before his conviction is overturned and after the case makes it all the way to the United States Supreme Court, he is granted a second trial and winds up being acquitted. Decades later, Sam’s supporters attempt to posthumously exonerate him by presenting evidence that points towards another suspect, but the crime remains shrouded in mystery. To commemorate the nine-ye

December 7, 2003. Montgomery, Alabama. 19-year old LaQuanta Riley stops off at her mother’s residence to borrow a jacket from her brother. He sees LaQuanta leave in a dark green car being driven by an unidentified man, but she subsequently goes missing. A few weeks later, LaQuanta’s mother receives a garbled message on her answering machine from a panicked woman whom she believes is her daughter and a male voice can be heard in the background. Even though a number of leads are explored, including LaQuanta’s name showing up on an apartment rental in Georgia, no trace of her can be ever found. June 26, 2010. Selma, Alabama. 17-year old Tarasha Benjamin leaves her mother’s home to go shopping at the Selma Flea Market, but never returns. Tarasha is seen driving an SUV which she borrowed from a friend, but later that day, the abandoned vehicle is found alongside the Cecil Jackson Bypass with a broken door handle and two windows missing. While it is suspected that Tarasha was the victim of an abduction, there are v

November 28, 2004. Nairn, Scotland. An unidentified man arrives at the front door of 30-year old Alistair Wilson and hands him an empty envelope with the name “Paul” written on it. The man shoots Alistair three times and takes the envelope back before fleeing the scene and the murder weapon is found in a nearby drain ten days later. Investigators explore a number of different theories and eventually conclude that the crime might be connected to a dispute over a decking area at a hotel pub located across the street from Alistair’s home. Police believe that at least two people were involved in the murder and have one potential suspect in mind, but the crime is never solved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore one of the most bizarre cold cases in the history of Scotland. Special thanks to listener Alison Simmonds for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Alistair_Wilson "To Catch a Killer - My Hunt for the Truth Behind the Door