The Murder of Ashley Okland

Source: CBS News

Ashley Okland was only 27 years-old when she was shot to death during the broad daylight on April 8th, 2011. Her murder remains unsolved to this day.

The day of Ashley's murder began as a regular day for the young woman. She was an employee of Iowa Realty Co., and she went to work that day on Stone Creek Court in West Des Moines. Around 2:00 PM, another realty employee heard a loud commotion coming from one of the model townhomes. The employee went to investigate and found Ashley on the floor, suffering from gunshot wounds. 

Police were called to the scene, and when they arrived, they determined that Ashley had been shot twice. Ashley was subsequently transported to the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. She unfortunately succumbed to her injuries while at the hospital.

Ashley's murder has baffled her loved ones. Ashley's brother, with whom she was very close, stated that there was no indication that Ashley was afraid of anyone or that she had any fears for her safety. A motive for her murder remains unknown; she did not have any known enemies, nor was she known to be involved in any dangerous or criminal activity. 

Several years have passed since Ashley's murder, and her killer still remains unknown. No suspects have ever been publicly named. A search warrant was executed during the early stages of the murder investigation, but it was sealed and remains at that status today. After years ticked by without an arrest, Ashley's case was eventually passed to a cold case unit.

Family and friends remember Ashley as a kind, caring, and hardworking young woman. During her free time, she volunteered for Young Variety and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Ashley was reportedly passionate about helping young children. In 2014, the Ashley Okland Star Playground - a playground adapted for children with special needs - was opened in Ashley's honor at Ewing Park. 

Over the years, a large amount of money has been raised as a monetary incentive for anyone with information about Ashley's murder to come forward. In 2021, it was reported that "investigators assigned to the case are confident that someone has crucial knowledge about the time leading up to her death and the identities of those involved." As of today, though, it appears that no substantial leads have surfaced.

If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Ashley Okland, please submit a tip online or contact authorities at 515-223-1400.

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Sources:
CBS News
Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa
The Des Moines Register
KCCI Des Moines

The Murder of Jessica Bejarano

 

Jessica Bejarano was only 25 years-old when her life was tragically taken on April 6th, 2007. 

That day, police in Frederick, Colorado responded to a 911 call at her residence on Larkspur Circle. When officers entered the home, they found Jessica unresponsive on her bathroom floor. She had suffered a single stab wound to the chest. The first responders attempted life-saving measures to no avail, and Jessica was pronounced dead at the scene.

Jessica's two children, a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, were also found in the home when police arrived. The children were reportedly distraught, but physically unharmed. According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, "it appeared that [the children] had been unkept for most of the day and may have witnessed the murder."

When the investigation into Jessica's murder began, police initially looked into several suspects, including Jessica's husband. He was eventually cleared after it was determined he was at work at the time of the stabbing. As time passed without any arrests, news about Jessica's murder began to fade. The case soon grew cold.

Nearly 18 years later, in March 2025, a major break was announced: a 72-year-old man named Darrell Burkland had been arrested and charged with Jessica's murder. According to reports, "investigators ultimately obtained DNA evidence that subsequently yielded a potential match" to Burkland. Then, on March 14th, 2025, "investigators conducted a follow-up interview with Burklund. Following the interview, Burklund was arrested and taken into custody at the York County Sheriff’s Detention Center, in York, Nebraska."

Burkland was 54 years-old at the time of the crime. He worked as a maintenance worker. At the time of Burkland's arrest, no further details about the investigation were provided. Although he was arrested in Nebraska, he will face the charges for Jessica's murder in Colorado. The case is currently pending. 

Sources:
ABC 7 Denver
Colorado Bureau of Investigation, (2)

The Disappearance of Jeremy Vasquez

 

Jeremy Vasquez has been missing since February 20th, 2020. The then 16-year-old was last seen at his family's home in Victoria, Texas. On the day of his disappearance, Jeremy walked into a wooded area behind his home with his dog. The dog later returned, but Jeremy did not. He has never been seen or heard from again. 

The day Jeremy vanished was a Thursday. He had school that day but did not go after waking up to a fight between his father and stepmother. A short time later, another disagreement prompted him to leave the residence, saying he needed to get some fresh air. Jeremy's stepmother said she saw him and his dog walking into the woods. This appears to be the last confirmed sighting of Jeremy.

Hours later, Jeremy's dog returned to the home without Jeremy. This was immediately worrisome to his loved ones, as it was uncharacteristic for him to separate from his dog while on a walk. Additionally, Jeremy did not have a history of running away, nor did he pack any of his personal belongings when he left the home.

Despite this, family members said that police treated Jeremy's case as a "routine runaway case" after he was reported missing. As such, Jeremy's disappearance did not receive much public attention. Family and friends then took matters into their own hands by spreading information about his disappearance on social media. Reward money was offered as well. Unfortunately, this did not appear to lead to any substantial tips.

In 2023, police finally reclassified Jeremy's case as an endangered missing child. Since then, though, no updates or information about the investigation have been publicly provided. A 2025 report on Jeremy's disappearance states that "local authorities and volunteers have conducted numerous searches over the years, but no significant leads have emerged."

Jeremy is described as a Hispanic male with brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he was somewhere between 5'7"-6'0" and approximately 140 lbs. If you have any information that could help solve Jeremy's disappearance, please contact the Victoria Police Department at 361-573-3221 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Crossroads Today, (2)

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The Disappearance of Elizibeth 'Lizzy' Green

Elizibeth 'Lizzy' Green has been missing since April 17th, 2024. The then-21-year-old was last seen Callao, Utah. On the day of her disappearance, Lizzy left her family's home to walk a short distance to her new job at a nearby ranch. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Prior to vanishing, Lizzy was living in Callao with her mother, stepfather, and brothers. Callao is a small desert town in Utah with approximately only 50 residents. The nearest city is reportedly hours away. As such, the employment opportunities in Callao are likely not as vast as they are in suburban or urban areas; however, Lizzy had just gotten a job at a ranch near her family's home.

The day Lizzy vanished was supposed to be her first day working at the ranch. According to the owner of the ranch, Lizzy never arrived. When she also did not return home that evening, her family members and other Callao residents searched for her to no avail. The family contacted the Juab County Sheriff's Office the following morning to report Lizzy missing.

Searches were conducted in the area between Lizzy's home and the ranch. Search and rescue teams also did a grid search with helicopters. Unfortunately, no sign of Lizzy was found. Investigators also searched Lizzy's family's property and the ranch property. According to reports, nothing suspicious was found.

Investigators eventually obtained search warrants for Lizzy's cell phone activity and social media accounts. It was determined that Lizzy was talking to "several people" online via Snapchat and a dating app. At this point, though, it is unclear if this plays a role in her disappearance. Lizzy's cell phone has not been used since the day she vanished.

Lizzy's loved ones stated that Lizzy sometimes struggled with mental health and had run away before, but always either returned or contacted family within a day or two. This time around, those closest to Lizzy do not believe she has stayed missing on her own accord.

The Juab County Sheriff's Office is in charge of investigating Lizzy's disappearance. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact authorities at 435-856-0358.

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Sources:
KUTV, (2)
People
Utah Dept. of Public Safety

The Disappearance of Callie Cooper

 

Callie Cooper has been missing since July 13th, 2017. That day, the then-25-year-old took a Greyhound bus from Texas to Mississippi. Callie exited the bus in Jackson, MS; she was last seen at Jackson's Greyhound station. What happened after that remains a mystery. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Very few details are available about Callie's case. Various sources indicate she lived in Cross Plains, Texas prior to her disappearance. There does not appear to be any publicly shared information about why Callie traveled to Mississippi, or if she planned to meet up with anyone there. 

After Callie was reported missing, police in Ackerman, Mississippi were put in charge of investigating her case. Callie's loved ones have expressed frustration with the police investigation; citing that police have not truly searched for her. Family members have posted Callie's missing person flyer on social media, but unfortunately no updates have been provided in years.

If you have any information that could help solve the disappearance of Callie Cooper, please contact authorities at 662-285-3600.

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Sources:
Charley Project
MissingSippi
Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons

The Disappearance and Murder of Erica Hunt

Erica Hunt vanished at the age of 20 on July 4th, 2016. The previous day, Erica attended an Independence Day celebration at her family’s home in Opelousas, Louisiana. The above photograph is from said celebration; this is one the last known images of Erica before her disappearance. 

Family members said Erica was acting normally at the celebration—she talked about applying for housing and seemed excited about her upcoming 21st birthday. They never predicted that this would be one of the last times they'd see Erica.

The morning before she vanished, Erica visited her sister and brother-in-law’s house and asked for money to buy cigarettes. It is unknown if she left their home on foot or if somebody picked her up. Erica was later seen behind a local restaurant on Hirsch Alley sometime between 11:00 PM and 1:00 PM. After that, she was never seen or heard from again.

Investigators immediately deemed Erica's disappearance as suspicious. It was not believed that she voluntarily missing—she left a two-year-old daughter behind, which was very uncharacteristic of her. Erica’s family searched for her to no avail. Unfortunately, her case quickly went cold.

Two years later, in 2018, authorities were searching for a missing boy in Evangeline Parish when another set of human remains were found. It took years to identify the remains, but on February 5th, 2021, the Louisiana State Police announced that the remains were that of Erica Hunt. They also announced that her death was a homicide.

Over three years passed without any updates in Erica's case. Then, in November 2024, a major break occurred. On November 21st, 2024, it was announced that investigators had arrested Jordan Barnes and charged him with Erica's murder. Barnes is Erica's brother-in-law; the same brother-in-law whose house she visited the day of her disappearance. 

Barnes reportedly confessed to the crime and has been charged with second-degree murder. The case is currently pending. 

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Sources:
Charley Project
Louisiana State Police
NBC News
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Kelly Allen

Source: Facebook

Kelly Allen had a busy life in early 2007. The then-20-year-old lived at her mother's home in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a nursing student, worked as a home caregiver, and was looking for other employment opportunities as well. By all accounts, Kelly had many things to be excited about - finishing her degree, advancing her career, and growing into her future. Unfortunately, that future was halted when Kelly vanished on March 13th, 2007.

On March 7th, 2007, Kelly went to a female friend's residence in Berkeley, Missouri, where she spent the next few days. She was still staying with her friend on March 13th - the day of her disappearance. That day seemingly began as a regular one. Kelly, who had been looking for a job closer to her home, went to a job interview for a local telemarketing company. The interview seemingly went well, as Kelly left with plans to return for a follow-up interview in the near future.

Kelly's friend went to her respective job that day as well. She stated that she saw Kelly at her apartment before leaving for work, and she also spoke to Kelly on the phone at some point during the day. All seemed fine during those interactions. However, when the friend later returned from work, Kelly was gone. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Kelly's personal belongings were still at her friend's house, which indicated that she did not plan to leave long-term. However, days later, Kelly did not show up for her follow-up interview. At that point, her family knew something was wrong. They subsequently reported her missing.

Family and friends of Kelly described her sudden absence as uncharacteristic. There are no indications that she planned to leave voluntarily. Not only was Kelly looking forward to starting a new job, but she also left behind her personal belongings - including a $2000 tax refund check that was never cashed. Her disappearance was soon deemed as suspicious by investigators.

There are very few additional details available about Kelly's case. In 2023, it was reported that authorities are still actively investigating, but there have not been many leads. A potential break occurred in 2017, when Kelly's cousin snapped a picture of a woman on a train who he thinks might be Kelly. However, as of today, police have been unable to determine the identity of the woman in the photograph.

Picture of woman on train, taken by Kelly's cousin in 2017.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police are in charge of investigating Kelly's disappearance. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact authorities at 314-444-5738 or email missingpersons@mshp.dps.mo.gov.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Medium
Missouri State Police
NamUs
Our Black Girls