Cold Cases

What happens when a teenager goes missing in the world’s smallest, and supposedly safest, country? Emanuela Orlandi’s sudden disappearance remains the only missing person’s case in Vatican City, yet more than 40 years later we still have no idea what really happened behind the papal state’s walls. After the story, stick around for an exclusive interview with the director of The First Omen, Arkasha Stevenson! This episode is brought to you by Twentieth Century Studios' the First Omen. Experience the most terrifying movie of the year, and what critics are calling “deliciously disturbing” only in theaters April 5th. Conspiracy Theories is now on Instagram @theconspiracypod and TikTok @conspiracy.pod! Follow us to keep up with the show and get behind-the-scenes updates from Carter and the team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elizabeth Short’s gruesome murder is the LAPD’s most infamous unsolved case. But there’s one person who thinks he’s cracked it — the alleged killer’s own son. Today, we reopen the case against George Hodel, a certified genius and once-celebrated doctor who rubbed elbows with noted surrealists… and had a vile history of abuse and terror, even against his own family. This episode originally aired August 2022 - to hear more of Vanessa and Carter check out Serial Killers and Conspiracy Theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1940s Hollywood, a 22-year-old aspiring actress is found mutilated and drained of blood. Her body is posed, and her mouth has been carved into a permanent smile. The investigation takes police into the hidden sides of the city — illicit romances and gang-related crimes. But when another mutilated body is found weeks later, the hunt is on for a possible serial killer. This is a crossover series with Unsolved Murders, looking at the murder of Elizabeth Short and other unsolved cases surrounding it. This episode originally aired August 2022 - to hear more of Vanessa and Carter check out Serial Killers and Conspiracy Theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the body of media mogul Robert Maxwell was pulled from the water, rumors began to swirl about the cause of death. It's entirely possible that it was only an accident. But some believe the crew killed him on his yacht. While others wonder if he may have been the target of Israeli assassins. This episode originally aired on Conspiracy Theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was a controversial media mogul in Britain accused of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from his employees. Then in November 1991, Robert Maxwell mysteriously disappeared from his yacht while vacationing near the Canary Islands. His body was recovered later from the water, but the circumstances surrounding his death left many wondering what really happened that fateful night. This episode originally aired on Conspiracy Theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Harvey Miguel Robinson committed his first murder when he was just 17. As the son of a convicted murderer and violent abuser, did he ever have a chance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1969, a 23-year-old law student at the University of Michigan was found murdered in a cemetery outside of Ann Arbor. Jane Mixer’s death was considered part of a string of violent killings known as the Michigan murders, thought to be the work of a serial killer. That changed when new evidence came to light. But more than 50 years later, doubt remains. Was the right person sent to prison? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following the string of brutal murders throughout the 1960s, the masked man known as the Zodiac Killer continued to write letters to the press and police, taunting them for their inability to catch him. Fifty years later, there is still no confirmed suspect as to the identity of the murderer. This episode originally aired in February 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the summer of 1969, newspapers in San Francisco began receiving coded letters from a man who would come to identify himself as "the Zodiac." The killer confessed to a string of brutal murders and would go on to terrorize the Bay area into the early 1970s. This episode originally aired on Serial Killers in February 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For decades, family members and sleuths have tried to determine what really happened the night of the fire. As of yet, they have been unsuccessful. But the clues remain, the questions linger, and the case unofficially stays open… This episode originally aired in December 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the aftermath of the fire, a startling number of tips, twists, and witnesses came forward regarding the fate of the Sodder children. Their father, George, followed the clues for decades, driven by a suspicion of the “official” story and a belief that the blaze was no accident. This episode originally aired in December 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Early Christmas day in 1945, Jennie Sodder woke up to her house on fire. The blaze consumed her home, and five of her children. Or did it? A series of strange events before, during and after the incident leave room for more nefarious — though no less tragic — possibilities. This episode originally aired in December 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a lengthy appeals process, Sam Sheppard was set free in 1964, ten years after his wife Marilyn’s murder. Two years later, he would be retried on second degree murder charges. New evidence would surface, but would it be enough to convict him? This episode originally aired in July 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prestigious doctor Sam Sheppard woke up in the middle of the night to find his wife Marilyn dead from a gruesome murder. His account of what happened early that morning was shaky, and it was no secret that Sam had been sleeping around. Did the murderer break into the house to steal prescription drugs, or did Sam kill his wife in order to end the marriage? This episode originally aired on Unsolved Murders in June 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cold Cases is coming to an end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just a mile off Interstate 45 in League City, Texas, an abandoned oil field holds the weight of a community’s grief. This is where the remains of four young women were found over the course of seven years. Today we follow the disappearance of 16-year-old Laura Miller to its gruesome end, and trace her father’s crusade to catch an elusive killer. This episode originally aired in September 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Nejdra “Netty” Nance couldn't find her birth certificate, her mother had to come clean: Netty was adopted. Unable to find any adoption records, she called the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's hotline in 2010. And that's when she learned she hadn't actually been adopted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was 1957 when the body of an unidentified, malnourished boy was found in a bassinet box In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For decades, police and community members worked to find his identity and killer. In 2021, they finally got an answer to one of these questions. If you’d like to learn more about the cases covered in this episode, or learn more about Missing and Unidentified Persons Awareness Month, head to www.spotify.com/disappearances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was 1971 when two 17-year-old girls hopped into a Studebaker Lark to drive to a party in Vermillion, South Dakota, and went missing. For over 40 years, the families of Pamella Jackson and Cheryl Miller clung to the hope that the girls would one day come home. Then in 2013, investigators finally discovered what really happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over 50 years ago, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was ransacked by three thieves who entered through an open skylight. Millions of dollars in paintings and antiques were stolen in the largest art heist Canada had ever seen. Twenty years later, after very few leads, an eccentric new detective took over the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He raped nearly 50 people and killed 13 during the 1970s and '80s. For decades, investigators could not determine the Golden State Killer's identity. But when his crimes slowed down, technology didn't. Investigators, with the help of a determined true crime author, found answers in a surprising place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the evening of April 22, 1993, 18-year-old Stephen Lawrence died from injuries after he was allegedly beaten by a group of five teenagers. His mother, Doreen, wanted answers from local police, but instead, she got excuses. Then a new Senior Investigating Officer took over the case, and he spent years trying to prove what really happened that fateful night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Born the daughter of English colonists in Kenya, Joan Root was a conservationist, activist, and Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker. When she noticed that Lake Naivasha, home to her 88-acre estate, was suffering environmental damage, she took action. Unfortunately, unintended consequences made her a target. If you’d like to take action on the climate or learn more about the topics covered in “Dark Green: Earth Crimes and Conspiracies,” visit www.spotify.com/darkgreenresources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was 1991 in Austin, Texas, when four teenage girls were brutally murdered in a yogurt shop around closing time. Police quickly interviewed everyone near the shopping center that night. A few mentioned a couple of suspicious teenagers sitting quietly at a table inside the shop. But could the police find them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In early March of 1976, five bodies were found partially burned in a shallow grave in a remote part of North Carolina. They were the sons, wife, and mother of Brad Bishop, an employee for the State Department who was now on the run. Now 50 years later, authorities are still looking to bring him to justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine knowing who a serial killer is for years but not having enough evidence to prove it. This is what happened to police in Sydney, Australia. During the 1980s, Leonard Warwick was angry when he lost custody of his daughter after his divorce, so he targeted employees of the family court system. And the only way to stop the violence was for his ex-wife to surrender custody. Today, Carter is joined by Vanessa Richardson from Serial Killers for a special crossover episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifteen-year-old Sharmini Anandavel left her home on a June morning in 1999 to start her first day at a new job. When she wasn’t home by dark, her parents called the police. Months would go by before they heard any news. And when they did, it was the worst news possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In February 1959, nine people disappeared while hiking through the Ural Mountains. When a search team reached the campsite, the tents still had clothes inside, and footprints showed the hikers moved away from the camp in a single file line. Their bodies were found over the next few months, but with no evidence as to what happened. This week, Carter is joined by Sarah Turney from Disappearances for a special crossover episode. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. You'll be hearing from our host Vanessa, joined by Haesue Jo, Licensed Therapist & Head of Clinical Operations at BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In February 1991, 15-year-old Vicky Hamilton disappeared on her way home from her older sister's house. With few leads to go on, the case runs cold, until 15 years later when a brutal murder presents a suspect who may have been connected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the story of a legendary figure of the Wild West… The man widely believed to have inspired the Lone Ranger… Who was born into slavery — and became one of America’s most revered lawmen. His name was Bass Reeves. Follow Solved Murders to catch the four-part miniseries, Bass Reeves: No Master But Duty. Listen free, only on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

October 9th, 1995, Amtrak's 12-car Sunset Limited train was powering through the Arizona desert with 258 passengers on board when it suddenly separated from the tracks. The horrible derailment left one person dead and dozens of passengers injured and stranded in the desert. But it wasn't an accident. And more than 25 years later, investigators still have no leads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After two teenage girls were murdered in their tiny English village, lead detective David Baker looks to Dr. Alec Jeffreys for help. Less than a dozen miles away from the crime scene, Jeffreys has been studying the human genome and developed a new technology called "DNA fingerprinting." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The body of Joe Grozelle was found 22 days after he first disappeared from Canada's Royal Military College. But the school's response to his death and the medical examiner's autopsy report left the Grozelle family with more questions than answers. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. You'll be hearing from our host Vanessa, joined by Haesue Jo, Licensed Therapist & Head of Clinical Operations at BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2003, four employees of the Superbike Motorsports dealership were gunned down in cold blood. Investigators cleared a handful of suspects, leaving the case cold. Thirteen years later, authorities pursuing a different missing persons case made a startling discovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carter introduces Partners in Crime, a podcast devoted to uncovering the strangest, most bizarre true crime cases, hosted by real-life partners Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling. Listen to their episode on “The Lover in the Attic” about a 1920s murder in LA, then head to Partners in Crime to see what else this duo’s cracked open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the attacks on September 11th, 2001, five people died from Anthrax poisoning after exposure through mailed letters. The FBI spent years trying to determine if they were random events or if it was bioterrorism. Finally, in 2010, they had an answer. But by 2011, their conclusion was already in doubt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the woods of Kentucky, a young woman’s body is found wrapped in tent material. Police determine her age and cause of death, but without a name, their investigation stalls out. Two decades later, a similar story unfolds in a Florida swamp. Who were these women? An unexpected champion for unidentified victims emerges to help police find answers. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. You'll be hearing from our host Vanessa, joined by Haesue Jo, Licensed Therapist & Head of Clinical Operations at BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After an 88-year-old woman is found murdered in her own home, police follow a trail of clues to an unlikely suspect — someone who finds themselves at the center of more than one terrible crime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A cache of pornographic photos in a stolen truck is the key to unlocking more than one cold case. And at the center of a span of terrible crimes is a twisted man who skips town as easily as he swaps identities. For police, it will take decades to unravel the horror wrought by Franklin Delano Floyd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the spring of 1986, Cindy Zarzycki is 13 years old and, in so many ways, she’s a typical teen: She loves music, plays softball, and has a crush on a guy named Scott. But when she takes off one weekend to go see him, she never returns home. Discounted as a runaway, police sit on her case for years before realizing — they’d gotten it all wrong. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. You'll be hearing from our host Vanessa, joined by Haesue Jo, Licensed Therapist & Head of Clinical Operations at BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When two young girls are found dead in Brighton, England, a local man does everything he can to avoid suspicion. Four years later, a young girl stumbles naked out of the woods north of Brighton, and police have to ask: Is history repeating itself? And if they can’t secure a conviction, will their prime suspect walk free… again? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the summer of 1977, two college roommates are brutally attacked at an Oregon campsite. Fifteen years later, one of them decides to crack open her own cold case in search of answers — and finds that more than two lives were changed that night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carter introduces Spotify’s latest true crime podcast, delving into the case of Kevin Keith. Listen to an exclusive clip from the first episode right here, then head to The System to finish the episode and hear more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1964, Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore’s bodies are found in the Mississippi River while authorities are looking for victims of another crime: the Mississippi Burning case. For much of history, Henry and Charles’s story was a footnote to the Mississippi Burning. Forty years later, Charles’s brother Thomas and a Canadian journalist work to change that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the winter of 1978, a group of friends catches a college basketball game about an hour north of where they live. The game ends, but none of the five men return home. What happens to them next is a complicated mystery that haunts the Sierra Nevadas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The last time Telisa Coggins sees her brother alive, he’s walking out of a nightclub in Griffin, Georgia. Tim’s body is later found under an oak tree, mutilated almost beyond recognition. But just as police begin uncovering solid leads, the investigation grounds to a halt. Decades later, a new investigator will start asking: Why? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Halloween 1979, a woman is found dead on the side of a highway in Texas. The only clothing she’s wearing is a pair of orange socks. A year later, her case is running cold — and another woman has been found dead off another Texas highway. Two murders, one year apart. What happened to these women? How did they meet such grisly ends? And, most importantly — who are they? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1991 a man was found dead in the trunk of his car. He’d been brutally slain, and despite obvious foul play, leads were hard to come by — until his name began popping up in another investigation. One that was unraveling the threads of an art heist unlike anything the world had ever seen before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No one could write a narcocorrido like Chalino Sánchez. His ballads about Mexico’s anti-heroes made him famous. His murder made him legendary. Thirty years ago, he played his final concert in his hometown: Sinaloa, Mexico. He was found dead the next day — whether at the hands of a cartel hitman, or someone from his past seeking vengeance, no one can say for sure. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the mid-1980s Los Angeles is in the midst of a serial killer boom. But that’s not all. A serial arsonist has been setting blazes across the area, leading to millions of dollars in damage and the deaths of four people. Most of the fires started in bins of pillows, cushion stuffing, or bedding — lending the “Pillow Pyro” moniker to the slippery culprit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices