Lakota Rae Renville (July 6, 1983 – Oct 16, 2005) was only 22 years old when her body was found on Oct 16, 2005. Her remains were in an open gravel lot near Pitcher Road, Independence, Missouri. Lakota, a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux tribe of South Dakota, was the daughter of Julie Keeble Watts […]
M-Vac Systems
Helen Ruth Conwright Young (1936–1976)
Helen Ruth Conwright Young (Aug 31, 1936 – July 31, 1976) was born in Ore City, Texas, to the Rev. Freddie D. Conwright and Mrs. Luella Jane Walker Conwright. She left behind husband Roy Young , eight sons, and one daughter. She had five brothers and nine sisters. Her case is unsolved. The Case Helen […]
Sophie Sergie: Hearing Day 5
Jennifer Foster, an Alaska Crime Lab supervisor, testified March 10, 2021 by video during the pretrial hearings in the case of Sophie Sergie who was raped-murdered on April 25, 1993. Steven H. Downs is charged in her sexual assault and murder and appeared in the Alaska Superior Court, Fairbanks. He is represented by defense attorney […]
The Peterson Murders
Henry W. and Ann M. Peterson were found murdered in their two-bedroom apartment around 10am on April 3, 1978. They worked as on-site residential managers of the 36-unit Canterbury Apartment complex on 875 Liberty St, SE in Salem, Oregon. Henry Peterson had retired from the US Army Corps of Engineers. They were ‘avid bowlers, square […]
John David Watson Jr (1959 – 1974)
John David Watson Jr (Oct 18, 1959 – May 2, 1974) was fourteen years old when he left his home in Wheeler, Pennsylvania, around 9pm on May 2, 1974. He never came back home. He was found murdered on May 3, 1974. His murder was never solved. While reading up on his case, I found […]
Sophie Sergie: Hearing Day 4
On Friday, Feb 5, the evidence hearings in the 1993 murder of Sophie Sergie continued. Gun Steven H. Downs’ former girlfriend Katherine deSchweinitz Lee testified through videoconference in court: according to her Steve did not own a gun during the years they dated at Alaska State University (ASU) and they dated for about 4 years. […]
M-Vac, a cold case murder, and a true crime show
Please welcome back to DCC, guest blogger Jared Bradley. As you know, Jared is the President and CEO of M-Vac Systems, Inc. What you may not know is that he served 14 years with the US Army and Army Reserves, achieving the rank of Captain. Since leading M-Vac Systems into the forensic market, Jared had […]
Teresa Sue Hilt’s 45th anniversary
August 4th, 2018, marks the 45th anniversary of Teresa Sue Hilt’s murder. Working on her case has been a roller coaster. Mildred, Teresa’s mom, was very grateful for what we did to keep her only child’s case in the media. She passed away in March 2016. I spoke with her about Tess. She told me about […]
Cold cases and the M-Vac
Please welcome back guest blogger Jared Bradley. Jared will give us an overview of exciting developments in the field of cold cases and the M-Vac. _________________________________ Guest blogging is always full of pressure, but writing for Alice’s Defrosting Cold Cases takes it to a whole new level. Like all of you, I thoroughly enjoy reading […]
OPP still needs help in Karen Caughlin case
In the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) latest press conference they told the public that Karen Caughlin was most likely unintentionally killed by a motorist in 1974. The papers called it “shedding a new light on the case” but I disagree. We already knew she was struck by a car. The question is was it unintentional or not. […]
Daniel K. Wood, Jr. (Oct. 30, 1941 – Jul. 23, 1954)
UPDATE 1: thanks to one of my readers I can now post a real picture of Daniel and add his full name: Daniel Kenneth Wood. This picture on the left comes from the 1959-1960 Pennell Institute high school yearbook. His former classmates made a memorial page in what would have been his senior year. UPDATE […]
John Anthony Muncy (Dec. 7, 1967 – Oct. 15, 1983)
John Anthony “Tony” Muncy (15) was last seen on October 15, 1983 in the evening hours at the York Plaza Movie Theatre in Columbus. On October 16, 1983, his dismembered body was found on South Galena Road, Galena, Delaware County, Ohio. Cause of death: multiple stab wounds in the back. All extremities were either partly […]
Missing: Loy Gillespie Evitts
Loy Gillespie Evitts (Dec 12, 1947 – missing Feb 28, 1977) disappeared more than 40 years ago. She was 29 years old. Introduction The Kansas City Police Department (MO) think that someone abducted Loy. This is their longest unsolved missing person’s case. There are no new leads. They have suspended the case until they receive new […]
Case of the Month: Doni Grindstaff
Expanding the reach of cold cases is the title of a chapter dedicated to Doni Grindstaff. I wrote it for the book “Solving the Unsolved.” The book was released by the American Investigative Society Of Cold Cases (AISOCC). I am posting part of the text here by request of Doni’s family and readers. __ If you […]
The Sims Family: 1966-2016
The Sims Family Murders (Tallahassee, Florida) are Case of the Month for October as this year marks the 50th anniversary of their unsolved homicides. We lost Robert Wilson Sims (Aug. 24, 1924 – Oct. 22, 1966), Helen Sollie Sims (Feb. 23, 1932 – Oct. 31, 1966), and Joy Lynn Sims (Mar. 5, 1954 – Oct. […]
M-Vac secures conviction in Krystal Beslanowitch case
The M-Vac System has secured a conviction in the 1995 cold case of Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch. From KSL: “After about four hours of deliberation, jurors found Joseph Michael Simpson, 49, guilty of aggravated murder Thursday in the 1995 death of Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch. The teenager who had been living in Salt Lake City was found […]
Jury selection in Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch case
Jury selection has started in the 1995 Krystal Lynn Beslanowitch murder case. Krystal’s nude body was found lying face down on the rocky bank of the Provo River, Utah. She was just 17 years old. Aside from fingernail scrapings, parts of the large, granite rocks were saved as evidence. How important was it to save those rocks? Crucial. M-Vac […]
Hernando County Jane Doe 1972
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) needs help with a 1972 cold case. It involves the remains of a woman found July 19, 1972. The Hernando County Jane Doe 1972 was near High Corner Road and Cortez Boulevard (State Road 50) in Brooksville. “The replica skull was created from scans of the original at USF’s […]
The cold case of Valerie McPherson
Valerie McPherson’s case (Oct 16, 1958 – Aug 05, 1991) needs a better digital footprint. She was stabbed to death around 8am on Aug 5, 1991, while jogging along Contour Drive in Olmos Park, San Antonio, Texas. Valerie had her 19 month old daughter Lauren with her. The little girl was in her stroller when Valerie was […]
Case of the Month: Ruby Grace Byron
Case of the Month: Ruby Grace Byron (May 26, 1902 – Jan 25, 1976) was found murdered in her house that was set on fire. The fire department found her on the floor near the front door. There were blood smears on the door frame. Mrs. Byron(73) had distinctive blows to her head just above the right […]