The Murder of Julia Majette

 

Julia Majette was shot and killed inside her home on June 12th, 2013. At the time of her death, the 25-year-old woman lived in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, Daunte Vance, and their three young children. Reports state that at least two of the children witnessed the shooting that claimed their mother's life.

Julia's aunt and uncle, Patricia and Mark Cherry, were also staying in the residence at the time of the shooting. That evening, the couple was sleeping in the basement of the home when they awoke to the sound of someone entering the house. Shortly thereafter, they heard the sound of gunshots followed by children screaming. 

Both Julia and her husband Daunte were shot during the incident. Daunte survived the shooting, while Julia unfortunately succumbed to her injuries. The shooter(s) reportedly fled the scene before police arrived. 

Reports state that Daunte initially refused to cooperate with investigators when they tried to speak with him the day after the shooting. However, he later agreed to speak with police. This is not Daunte's first experience with gun violence. A criminal complaint indicates he was shot during an armed burglary and robbery in Fitchburg during 2007 - the same year he married Julia. 

Over a decade has passed, and Julia's murder still remains unsolved. Her loved ones are still searching for answers. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Julia Majette, please contact the Madison Police Department at (608) 266-4275 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
Channel 3000
City of Madison
Project Cold Case
WI Homicide
WKOW News
WMTV News

The Murder of Samantha Neuwien

 

Samantha Neuwien was brutally attacked in her Wilmington, Delaware home during the early-morning hours of July 12th, 2013. The 34-year-old woman lived above her family's business - an appliance store in the 300 block of Shipley Street. 

On the morning of July 12th, Samantha's mother Katherine arrived at the store around 8:30 AM to open up for the day. Upon arriving, Katherine noticed the ceiling was leaking, so she went up to her daughter's apartment to see if she could find the origin of the leak. 

First, Katherine knocked on Samantha's door but got no response. She eventually opened the door herself and stumbled upon a terrifying scene. According to Katherine, the apartment's bathroom was "torn apart." Even more frightening, Samantha was found naked and unconscious on the floor near her bedroom. She had been beaten and stabbed.

Katherine called 9-1-1, and the first responding medics transported Samantha to a local hospital. She remained in a coma for the next 16 days before she ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Samantha's death was subsequently labeled a murder.

Over a decade has passed, and Samantha's murder remains unsolved. There has been very little reporting about her case in the media. It appears that there have not been any updates in recent years, and the murder is considered a cold case. 

Throughout the years, Wilmington Police have made a few public appeals in hopes that anyone with information about Samantha's murder case will come forward. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact authorities at 302-576-3990 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
First State Update
My ChesCo
Odd Murders and Mysteries
WHYY

The Disappearance and Homicide of Daniel Joseph-Montgomery Allen

Daniel Joseph-Montgomery Allen vanished at the age of 21 in late 2012. The young man lived in Modesto, California at the time of his disappearance. Reports state that Daniel's family reported him missing in December 2012. He was never seen alive by his loved ones again.

Months later, in early March 2013, a family was walking across the Seventh Street Bridge over the Tuolumne River when they spotted a human body in the water. Police were called, and investigators determined that the deceased was a young male. Days later, the body was identified as that of Daniel Joseph-Montgomery Allen. 

Investigators determined that Daniel's body had been in the water for "at least a few weeks" before being found. It's unknown if investigators believe that he was already deceased at the time he was reported missing, or if they believe he was alive for a period of time after the fact. Information about the events leading up to his disappearance/death are also unknown. 

Shortly after Daniel was identified, it was reported that his death was being investigated as a homicide. Since then, though, news about the investigation has been minimal. Over a decade has passed since Daniel's death, and no persons of interest or suspects have ever been publicly identified. The case is considered cold. 

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office has investigative agency over Daniel's case. If you have any information that could help solve this homicide, please contact the sheriff's office at 209-525-7216 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
CBS News
KRCA
Modesto Bee
Stanislaus area crimestoppers

The Disappearance and Murder of Victoria Ochoa

 

Victoria Ochoa vanished at the age of 27 during August 2005. The mother-of-four lived in Clarksville, Tennessee at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen alive at a BP gas station on Providence Blvd. Victoria never returned home and was subsequently reported missing on August 15th, after she missed the birthday of one of her sons. 

Over six months passed without any sign of Victoria. Then, on February 21st, 2006, human remains were found under a mattress inside an abandoned home on D Street. Those skeletal remains were later identified as that of Victoria Ochoa. Her death was labeled a homicide.

The abandoned home where Victoria's remains were found is located less than half a mile away from the BP station where she was last seen alive. Years have passed since her tragic death, and detectives are still trying to piece together the circumstances under which Victoria left the gas station, and the events that followed. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly identified.

Victoria's case grew cold fairly early into the investigation. In 2016 - over a decade after her death - it was announced that a team of cold case detectives was reopening the case. As of today, the case remains opened, and a monetary reward is available in exchange for information that could help solve Victoria's murder.

If you have any information that could help solve this case, please contact Detective Michael Ulrey at 931-648-0656 ext. 5483 or Crime Stoppers at 931-645-TIPS (8477).

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Sources:
ABC 2, (2)
Clarksville Now
Fox 17 Nashville
News 5 Nashville

The Murder of April Sorensen

April Sorensen was found murdered inside her Minnesota home on April 17th, 2007. Her killing remains unsolved to this day.

At the time of her death, the 27-year-old woman lived with her husband, Joshua Sorensen, at a residence in Rochester. April was a student at Rochester Community and Technical College, where she was studying to become a dental hygienist. She also was working for UPS Inc. in the northwest part of town. 

April 17th, 2007 began as a seemingly normal day for both April and Joshua. April worked an early-morning shift at UPS from 4:00 AM to 8:00 AM. Meanwhile, Joshua went to his job at IBM. At 10:00 AM, April went to class. The class lasted approximately 50 minutes, and she returned home shortly after it concluded. 

Around 12:30 PM a TV technician arrived at the Sorensen residence for a scheduled appointment. The technician noticed smoke coming from inside the house and immediately called 911. Both the police and fire department responded to the scene. It was quickly determined that this was a case of arson, not an accidental fire.

After extinguishing the flames, investigators found April's body in the bedroom. It was clear that her death was not caused by the fire - as she had been stabbed, strangled, and her throat had been slit. It's believed that the fire was set after April was murdered in an attempt to cover up the crime.

Investigators immediately launched an investigation into the murder. After retracing April's steps, investigators learned that she was killed within a very short timeframe. She arrived home at approximately 11:00 AM after her class. When the TV technician arrived approximately 90 minutes later, the house was already on fire - meaning April had already been murdered and the killer(s) had already fled the scene by that point.

April's husband Joshua was inevitably questioned early on into the investigation. Joshua told police that he was at his job at IBM at the time the killing took place. Investigators were able to easily confirm this alibi, as the IBM building is a secure corporate campus that tracks when their employees enter and exit the premises. 

The TV technician was also ruled out as a suspect. Over the years, investigators have looked at several other persons of interest, including "one strong suspect." Detectives have not publicly named this person; however, they did mention that his person has been incarcerated for unrelated crimes. 

Several years have passed, and April's murder is still unsolved. Investigators have created a profile of a potential suspect; stating that "the offender may have been involved in other impulsive criminal behaviors in the past such as burglary, theft, trespassing, window peeking, or joy riding." Both detectives and April's loved ones are hoping that anyone with information about a potential suspect will come forward.

If you have any information that could help solve the murder of April Sorensen, please contact RPD homicide Detective Alex Kendrick at 507-328-2739.

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Sources:
ABC 6 News
KROC News
NBC News
Post Bulletin

The Murder of Kelsey Mazzamaro

On the morning of May 6th, 2018, a motorist in Burlington, Connecticut was driving past a pond off Upson Road when something unexpected was spotted in the water: a human body. Police responded to the scene and determined that the deceased was a young adult woman. Eventually, that woman was identified as Kelsey Mazzamaro - a 26-year-old mother-of-two. 

An autopsy determined that Kelsey had been strangled. The report lists neck compression as the exact cause of death. Investigators quickly labeled Kelsey's death as a homicide and their belief that she was killed before her body was placed in the pond.

When the news about Kelsey's murder broke on local media, it was also announced that police believed there was no threat to the community. As such, many began to speculate that Kelsey likely knew her killer(s). However, police did not share any further details about the investigation.

In 2021, a $50,000 reward was announced in exchange for information about Kelsey's murder. Investigators also made an appeal to the public for anyone who saw/interacted with Kelsey on May 5th, 2018, or May 6th, 2018, to come forward. Lots of tips came through after the reward was announced, but unfortunately, investigators have yet to receive information leading to an arrest.

There is very little additional information available about Kelsey's case. It's known that she had two young children, who are now left without their mother. Various posts on social media indicate that Kelsey was involved in sex work. However, police have yet to comment on whether or not this plays a role in her death.

Kelsey's case remains unsolved today. The reward money is still available. If you have any information that could help solve the case, please contact Connecticut's Cold Case Unit at 1-866-623-8058 or email them at cold.case@ct.gov.

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Sources:

CT. gov
CT Insider
CT Missing Persons & Cold Cases
NBC Connecticut

Reddit

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 Disappearance and Murder of Emily Pike

 

Emily Pike was only 14 years-old when she was found murdered on February 14th, 2025.

The teen girl had been reported missing over two weeks earlier, after she ran away from the Sacred Journey Inc. group home in Mesa, Arizona. Emily had been in-and-out of the group home since 2023. Prior to entering the group home, Emily grew up on the San Carlos Apache reservation. 

Emily was first brought to Sacred Journey Inc. in late summer 2023, after a second phone call had been made to report that she had been sexually assaulted near her home. The relative accused of assaulting Emily was taken into custody but later released without being charged. Due to concerns for Emily's safety, the San Carlos Apache social services removed her from her home. She was then sent to the Sacred Journey Inc. group home in Mesa - located over 100 miles from the reservation.

Reports indicate that Emily was unhappy about living at Sacred Journey. She ran away from the group home several times over the next two months. Emily also had been hospitalized during that time for self-harm and an attempt to take her own life. In late November 2023, she was sent to a behavioral health facility. Emily spent the next year in the facility before returning to Sacred Journey Inc. in December 2024.

Shortly over a month later, on January 27th, 2025, Emily ran away from Sacred Journey again. This time, she would never return. Weeks later, on February 14th, 2025, dismembered human remains were found in garbage bags off of Highway 60, north of Globe, Arizona. On February 27th, it was confirmed that those remains belonged to Emily Pike. Her death was quickly labeled a homicide.

As of today, no arrests have been made for Emily's murder. Her case has left many unanswered questions - not only about her killer's identity, but also about how cases involving abuse, mental health, missing people, and violence are handled for Indigenous women and children.

More about Emily and the San Carlos Apache.

As previously stated, Emily grew up on the San Carlos Apache reservation. She lived on the reservation with her mother, brother, cousins, and grandmother. The reservation is located in Arizona and is quite large, spanning approximately 1.8 million acres. 

Reports note that there are only 22 tribal police officers employed for the entire reservation. This is potentially why the tribe's fish and game department responded to the 911 call about Emily being sexually assaulted back in 2023. When later asked, the San Carlos Apache Police Chief stated that he was "unsure" why fish and game was sent to the scene instead of a police officer; though he believes that the officers were occupied at that time.

After two reports were made about Emily being sexually assaulted, tribal social services opted to remove her from her family's home and send her to a group home. There is reportedly one small group home on the reservation, but it was at capacity when Emily was removed by social services. As such, she was sent to Sacred Journey Inc. in Mesa - over 100 miles from the only home Emily had ever known. 

Sacred Journey is licensed by Arizona's Department of Children's Services; however, Emily was not considered to be in the custody of DCS while being housed at the group home. The group home has contracts with the San Carlos tribe, which means children from the tribe who are placed there are still considered under tribal custody rather than DCS.

Emily's time at Sacred Journey in 2023.

It appears that Emily was unhappy at Sacred Journey from the start. She was hospitalized for self-harm shortly after arriving at the group home. Then, on September 11th, 2023, Emily and another teenage girl were reported missing from Sacred Journey. The two girls were later found at a local park in Mesa. Both told police officers that they did not want to return to the group home because they would be "forced to clean — scrubbing walls, baseboards, windowsills, and even getting on their hands and knees to scrub grout from the tile."

Later that month, Emily ran away from the group home again. She was found by a police officer, and she yet again told the officer that she did not want to return the group home. Body cam footage shows Emily saying, “I just want to see my mom, the group home is not my home." It's worth noting that, at this time, Emily's mother was barred from having contact with her. 

In that same footage, Emily is also heard saying “I’m not going to go to that f****** group home, I hate it there.” The group home subsequently requested that Emily get checked out a mental health facility. She was brought to the facility shortly thereafter but was eventually returned back to Sacred Journey. 

Emily ran away from the home two additional times between September and November of 2023. Then, on November 8th, 2023, Emily attempted to take her own life. She was subsequently sent to a hospital where she spent the next few weeks.

Late November 2023 - December 2024.

After being released from the hospital, Emily was permitted to be picked up by her aunt and uncle so she could spend the Thanksgiving holiday with relatives. They took a road trip through Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. During this time, relatives raised concerns about Emily's behavior.

The day after Thanksgiving, Emily reportedly had a disagreement with family members. The argument prompted her to run away. When Emily was later located by a police officer, she refused to return to her relatives. She also expressed that she was feeling suicidal. This incident led to Emily being hospitalized again. Afterwards, she was put on a flight back to Arizona, where she was taken to another mental health facility. 

Emily spent the next year in the mental health facility. When she was released in December 2024, she was taken back to Sacred Journey Inc.

January 27th, 2025: Emily runs away for the final time.

On January 27th, 2025, Emily ran away from Sacred Journey again. Reports state that she left the home around 7:00 PM. After staff at the group home searched for her themselves to no avail, they called police to report her missing around 8:20 PM.

Once the missing persons' report was made, it was determined that Emily had been spotted on foot around 7:45 PM - approximately 45 minutes after leaving the group home - on Mesa Drive and McKellips Road. This is the last known sighting of Emily alive.

Both police and the group home employees spent the next few days checking areas around Mesa that were familiar to Emily. Unfortunately, they were unable to locate her. Police also spoke to Emily's roommate at the group home. She told them that Emily planned to meet up with a boy that she met while taking guitar lessons. However, police were unable to find any evidence that this had taken place.

By January 29th, a statewide missing person bulletin was issued for Emily Pike. Information about her disappearance began to circulate on the local news and on social media. 

February 2nd - February 11th, 2025: social media rumors and a voicemail.

On February 2nd, 2025, an unknown caller left a voicemail at the group home, stating that Emily had returned to the San Carlos Apache reservation and was with her mother. Interestingly enough, the group home did not notice such a voicemail had been left until February 7th - five days after the original call. 

However, on February 6th, 2025 - a day before staff noticed the voicemail - an anonymous Facebook post also claimed that Emily was on the reservation with her mother. Her mother denied this and stated that she had not seen or heard from Emily.

The following day, the group home staff finally accessed the voicemail. The police reviewed the message on February 11th. Emily's mother continuously denied knowing of her daughter's whereabouts, and after police investigated these claims, they too determined that the voicemail was false. 

February 14th, 2025: human remains found.

On February 14th, 2025, police in Gila County were called after suspicious looking garbage bags were spotted on Highway 60 near Globe, Arizona. The bags were found on a trail near mile marker 277. Detectives on the scene made a gruesome discovery inside the bags: a head and torso inside one, and severed legs inside the other.

The human remains were found over 100 miles away from where Emily was last seen in Mesa. They were found, however, close to the San Carlos Apache reservation. On February 19th, 2025, the Bureau of Indian Affairs contacted police, suspecting that the remains belonged to Emily Pike.

February 27th, 2025: Emily is identified.

On February 27th, 2025, authorities confirmed that the human remains were formally identified as that of Emily Pike. It was then announced that she had been murdered and dismembered. A public appeal was made for individuals with information about her case to come forward.

Questions about the group home and jurisdictions.

The day after Emily's remains were identified, the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) opened a licensing inquiry into Sacred Journey Inc. It was determined that group home staff followed the protocols that were in place when Emily ran away. Still, there has been scrutiny about the safety measures at the home itself. 

Emily is one of 30 children who have been able to leave the group home without notice. It appears that there is not any footage of Emily escaping from the group home, though it has been determined that she was able to leave through the window.  Many have questioned if the building was secure enough to house children who were at risk of running away. 

Additionally, as previously noted, Emily was still in custody of the San Carlos Apache tribe when she was at Sacred Journey Inc. A 2025 report on Emily's case explains this a little further, explaining that, "because Emily was in the custody of the tribe — a sovereign nation — certain reporting requirements outlined in Arizona law when a child in DCS custody goes missing didn’t apply to her."

It was also noted that, due to this, the department did not have access to information that would have allowed them to contact her family and friends. The discrepancies between the tribal law and state law caused a breakdown in communication about Emily's case - which is why her family members were not immediately informed about her disappearance.

Emily's case has prompted lawmakers to push for new legislation surrounding both group home protocols and tribal laws. Many are advocating for children to be listed as missing - rather than a runaway - if they go missing while being housed in group homes. There are also advocates pushing for new protocols surrounding communication between DCS and tribes. 

Who killed Emily?

At this time, no arrests have been made for Emily's murder. No persons of interest or suspects have been publicly announced. Although Emily vanished from Mesa, her remains were found over 100 miles away in Globe - which has led to several questions such as: how did she end up there? Was she killed in Mesa and left in Globe? Or was she brought to the area before being killed?

In early June 2025, it was reported that search warrants were served, and a person of interest was interviewed. Still, Emily's killer remains unknown. The FBI has joined the murder investigation, and a monetary reward in exchange for information that could lead to an arrest/conviction has been posted.

If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Emily Pike, please submit a tip.

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Sources:
ABC 15

AZ Family
Crime Timelines
Fox 10
NBC News
UAB
Utah News Dispatch

The Disappearance and Homicide of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase

Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase vanished at the age of 21 on August 20th, 2001. The young woman was living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at the time of her disappearance. Originally from Japan, Mayu came to the United States as a foreign exchange student. She lived with a host family and was enrolled at Oklahoma City Community College.

According to reports, Mayu attended classes as usual on the day she vanished. There is very little additional information about the events leading up to her disappearance. What is known is that after August 20th, Mayu never attended her classes or contacted her loved ones ever again. She was reported missing on August 27th, 2001.

Mayu's fate remained a mystery for nearly six years. Then, in April 2007, human remains were found in a wooded area near the Boy Scout Camp Kickapoo in southeast Oklahoma City. In August 2007, DNA confirmed that the human remains were that of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase. The case then shifted to a homicide investigation.

What happened to Mayu?

More about Mayu.

It's known that Mayu came from Japan to the United States as part of a foreign exchange program. According to Oklahoma Cold Cases, she graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma English Institute. Afterwards, Mayu opted to enroll in a two-year program at Oklahoma City Community College. She had the option of enrolling into a four-year program at UCO but chose the two-year program so she could sooner return to Japan and be with her fiancé. 

When Mayu came to Oklahoma, she moved in with a host family. She became particularly close with her host mother, Jean. Jean described Mayu as "shy and gullible but very much wanted friends and could have been swayed into the wrong crowd." 

Mayu also often kept in touch with her family members in Japan. Her relatives quickly grew worried when she seemingly fell out of touch following August 20th, 2001.

Mayu's disappearance.

Oklahoma Cold Cases notes that Mayu's friend Brenda saw Mayu on the day of her disappearance. The two were classmates, and they reportedly drove to class together on August 20th, 2001. It appears that none of Mayu's loved ones saw or heard from her again after that day. As previously noted, she was reported missing on August 27th, 2001.

Oklahoma Cold Cases also reports that Mayu's last bank transaction occurred on August 23rd, 2001. It was reportedly a charge for $105.29 at an Albertson's located on 7000 S. May Avenue. It's unknown if any witnesses saw Mayu herself at the store. It was also noted that, once Mayu was reported missing, police found several faxes stacked up in her machine at her home - indicating that she had been missing for a few days.

A cold case disappearance.

Mayu's disappearance soon faded into a cold case. Years passed without any sign of the young woman. In 2006, Mayu's family members in Japan traveled to Oklahoma with a film crew for a Japanese crime show to search for Mayu's body near Lake Overholser. The search was prompted after a British psychic told Mayu's family that her body was buried in that area. Unfortunately, the investigative efforts did not turn up any evidence related to Mayu's disappearance.

Remains found.

Over a year after that search, on April 14th, 2007, a human skull was found in a wooded area near the Boy Scout Camp Kickapoo in southeast Oklahoma City - located approximately four miles north of Lake Overholser. A group of boys were hiking in the area when they spotted the skull. Police were called, and while they searched the scene, they found more human remains that matched the skull.

A forensic anthropologist concluded that the remains belonged to "an Asian or Hispanic female between the ages of 18 and 25," and that the female had been deceased somewhere between 2 and 10 years. As such, speculation that that the remains belonged to Mayu quickly began to build.

It took months, but in August 2007, DNA confirmed that the human remains were, in fact, that of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase. The case was then shifted to a homicide investigation, though the anthropologist was unable to determine an exact cause of death. 

Still unsolved.

Several years have passed since Mayu's remains were found, but the investigation into her death remains unsolved. No suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly identified. The Oklahoma City Police Department is the investigative agency in this case.

If you have any information that could help solve the homicide of Mayuko 'Mayu' Kawase, please contact authorities at 405-297-1126.

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Sources:

Charley Project
NBC News
News on 6
Oklahoma Cold Cases
The Oklahoman
Pioneer

 

The Disappearance and Murder of Christian Boyle

Source: AL.com

Christian Boyle vanished in Blount County, Alabama on December 12th, 2017. The 18-year-old planned to go to his parent's house that evening to do laundry, but he never showed up. Christian's family then attempted to get in touch with him via phone and social media, but their attempts were unsuccessful. 

Christian's sudden absence was a huge red flag to his mother, who stated that her son called her daily, and also frequently checked up on his father, who was ill. Worries quickly began to build when the communications from Christian abruptly stopped. Family and friends looked around various places in Blount County to no avail; both Christian and his car had seemingly vanished.

Nearly two weeks later, on Christmas Day, a group of ATV riders spotted Christian's car on Cold Branch Road. Police were called, and when they arrived on the scene, they found Christian's body near the vehicle. He had been shot to death.

Several years have passed, and Christian's murder remains unsolved. At one point, investigators stated that they had two main suspects - both of whom were already behind bars, facing murder charges from another county. The investigation into Christian's murder has not produced enough evidence to move forward with charges. The two suspects have never been publicly identified. 

Christian's mother describes him as a trusting person who was always willing to help someone in need. A motive for his murder is unknown. Unfortunately, Christian's case has grown cold.

If you have any information that could help solve Christian's murder, please contact the Blount County Sheriff’s Office at 205-625-4127, the Alabama Attorney General Cold Case hotline at 866-419-1236, or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
ABC 3340
Alabama Cold Case Advocacy
AL.com
Uncovered

The Murder of Casandrah Poole

Casandrah Poole was found brutally murdered in Tucson, Arizona on the morning of March 13th, 2024. 

It was approximately 9:00 AM when a passerby spotted a woman's body in a drainage tunnel near Wilmot Road and Stella Road. Police responded to the scene and noted the deceased woman had suffered traumatic injuries. The victim was soon identified as 33-year-old Casandrah -- a Green Valley native and a mother of two young sons. 

Reports state that Casandrah frequented the area where she was found. The flyer created by Tucson PD/Crimestoppers says that she had walked to a friend's house the night before she was found murdered. It's believed Casandrah was walking home when she was savagely attacked and killed. 

Source: 88crime.org

Investigators and Casandrah's family members alike are left with several unanswered questions; namely: Who killed Casandrah and left her in a drainage tunnel? And why? The spot where Casandrah was found is reportedly "an area full of traffic, apartments and houses." As such, Casandrah's family believes someone must have seen something on the night Casandrah was murdered.

A monetary reward is available in exchange for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for Casandrah's death. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Tucson Police Department at 520-882-7463 or submit a tip online. 

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Sources:
88-Crime
Arizona Daily Star
City of Tucson
Go Fund Me
News 4 Tucson, (2)

The Disappearance and Death of Amanda Grazewski

 

source: Boston 25 News

Amanda Grazewski vanished during March 2020. The then-23-year-old was last seen alive in Derry, New Hampshire. At the time of her disappearance, Amanda was staying at a residence on Birch Street. Reports state that Amanda seemingly vanished from the residence overnight. She has never been seen or heard from again.

Amanda had struggled with drug addiction since she was a teenager. Due to this, Amanda's mother had custody of her young daughter. Reports indicate that Amanda tended to live a more transient lifestyle, but she never went more than a week without getting in touch with someone. According to family and friends, Amanda seemed to be doing better in early March 2020, which made her disappearance all the more baffling. 

The circumstances surrounding Amanda's disappearance are quite suspicious. It's reported that Amanda arrived at the residence in Birch Street with three or four other people on March 17th, 2020. She had a bag of clothes with her, in addition to her purse, phone, and other personal belongings. However, Amanda left all of those items behind when she reportedly left the residence in the middle of the night.  

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Initial clues: the Social Security Card.

At first, it seems that there were a few clues for police to work with in Amanda's case. Nine days after her disappearance, Amanda's Social Security card was found on the ground outside of Elliot Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire. The hospital is located approximately two miles away from Derry Street - where Amanda was last seen. 

However, there are no reports of Amanda checking into the hospital after March 17th, 2020, nor are there reports of anyone seeing her at that location. It's possible that the Social Security card was accidentally dropped there - but it's unclear if it was dropped by Amanda herself, or if someone else had the card in their possession. 

Other potential locations. 

According to reports, Amanda frequented several different areas in New Hampshire, including Manchester, Nashua, Hooksett, and Salem. Amanda's mother stated that Amanda struggled with homelessness at certain times. It could be theorized that Amanda was living homeless in one of these areas, but it does not appear that there have been any sightings of her at any location. 

It's also unknown how Amanda would have been able to travel to different areas. She did not have access to a vehicle. It does not appear that there are any records of her taking a cab/rideshare or any forms of public transportation. 

Additionally, Amanda's mother stated that it's uncharacteristic of Amanda to stay out-of-touch for more than a week. Due to this, it seems even more suspicious that Amanda left her cell phone behind at the residence in Derry. It also seems unlikely that she would not try to find a way to contact her loved ones. 

The cell phone and laptop.

Police looked at Amanda's cell phone for potential clues as well. Reports state that there were messages sent to an unknown person about Amanda wanting to move to Salem. When investigators attempted to trace the phone number, they found that it was from an untraceable prepaid phone. 

Amanda's mother told reporters that other people inside the Birch Street residence were using Amanda's cell phone before it seized by investigators. She also said that Amanda had a laptop at the time of her disappearance that has never been recovered. This inevitably raises even more suspicions about the people Amanda was with prior to vanishing. 

Amanda's friends and associations.

Detectives stated that they have spent several hours conducting interviews and investigating those who were friends and/or acquaintances of Amanda's at the time of her disappearance. However, no persons of interest or suspects have ever been publicly announced. 

As previously noted, Amanda struggled with drug addiction and at times, homelessness. There's also been some online speculation that Amanda was involved with a known drug dealer in the area, but it's unclear if this has ever been confirmed. If true, it's possible that this plays a role in her disappearance.

In 2021, The Vanished Podcast covered Amanda's disappearance. During the episode, it was revealed that Amanda was involved in prostitution. This leads to even further questions: was Amanda harmed by a client? Or does trafficking play a role in her disappearance? 

A friend of Amanda's spoke on the podcast episode. She stated that someone heard a girl screaming "HELP" around the time Amanda disappeared. This feeds into the most prominent theory: that the people inside the Birch Street home know what happened to Amanda. 

Some have speculated that Amanda was harmed by someone inside the house. Others believe that Amanda overdosed at the residence, and then her body was hidden. Police have revealed very little details about their investigation, so it's unclear if they have a prevailing theory at this time.

Remains found.

Five years after her disappearance, on March 20th, 2025, a drone was flown over Hoodkroft Country Club. The drone was flown over the country club's golf course after investigators received a tip regarding Amanda's disappearance. At some point, the drone pilot spotted something of interest. Police were called, and it turned out the "something of interest" that the pilot spotted was, in fact, human remains.

Days later, it was confirmed that those remains were that of Amanda Grazewski. The discovery of her remains marks the end of the heartbreaking search for her loved ones, however they are now left with questions about what happened to her. 

Where the case stands today.

As of right now, the investigation into Amanda's death is ongoing. 

source: lostnmissing.org

There's is a monetary reward available for anyone with information that could solve Amanda's case. If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact the Derry, New Hampshire Police at 603-432-6111.

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Sources:
Boston 25 News
Charley Project
NBC Boston

New York Post
Patch
The Vanished Podcast
Websleuths

The Disappearance and Murder of Cheyenne Shropshire

 

Cheyenne Shropshire went missing at the age of 22 on August 24th, 2018. The young woman was last seen alive in Alcoa, Tennessee. Cheyenne was staying at a local Alcoa Inn on Airport Highway prior to her disappearance. She reportedly vanished from the hotel and was never seen or heard from again.

According to family members, Cheyenne was struggling with substance use disorder in the years leading up to her disappearance. In August 2018, she was reportedly living in active addiction. Cheyenne's sister, Savannah, explained that the family had set some boundaries with Cheyenne during this time - but they still kept in touch regularly. 

Savannah reported Cheyenne missing on September 8th, 2018. By that point, it had been weeks since anyone in the family had been in contact with Cheyenne. Despite not having custody, Cheyenne frequently kept in touch with her daughter, who was just 2 years-old at the time. Knowing it was uncharacteristic of her to stay out of touch, Cheyenne's sister contacted police. 

Certain reports about Cheyenne's disappearance stated she was seen with a man named Brandon Michael Aguirre shortly before vanishing. She had reportedly told "multiple people that she was scared of Aguirre and thought he might kill her." It seems likely that police questioned/investigated Aguirre in Cheyenne's disappearance, but nothing ever seemed to come of it. 

Over a year and a half passed without any sign of Cheyenne. Then, on March 21st, 2020, a property lessee found human remains in a field on Old Middlesettlements Road. Dental records confirmed that the remains were that of Cheyenne Shropshire. 

Authorities soon announced that Cheyenne's death was being investigated as a homicide. Monetary rewards have been offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest. Still, years have passed without any movement in the case. Investigators and Cheyenne's loved ones are both left with a big unanswered question: who killed Cheyenne Shropshire?

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More about Cheyenne.

Various information provided through news reports and online forums provide a little bit of information on Cheyenne's life in the years leading up to her disappearance. While it's known that she struggled with addiction, Cheyenne was also a seemingly kind, smart, and loving person who, like all people, battled some inner demons.

Cheyenne and her sister Savannah were born just sixteen months apart. According to Savannah, the two were very close growing up. In a 2023 report about Cheyenne's case, Savannah told reporters, "We did everything together. There's nothing that we didn't do together. Even when we got older she would tag along with me. And I would tag along with her up all the way until high school."

Other information found online about Cheyenne indicates she went to college after graduating high school but seemingly had to drop out after getting pregnant. A user on a Websleuths thread about Cheyenne's case posted about knowing Cheyenne for about a year in college, corroborating this information. 

This post was dated November 13th, 2019, and the user never posted in the thread again afterwards. However, the information in this post also seemingly corroborates the fact that Cheyenne was struggling with substance use disorder. In the same thread, another user inquired about Cheyenne's daughter. According to various Facebook pages, the daughter was in care of Cheyenne's mother. The father of the child appeared to be quite involved in the daughter's life as well. 

The battle with addiction; references to Aguirre.

Cheyenne's family members reportedly found out that she was struggling with drug addiction in 2017. Cheyenne confessed to her family that she was using. The family tried to get her help, but unfortunately Cheyenne's substance abuse disorder had a strong grip.

As noted above, Cheyenne's family had to set some boundaries with her due to the drug use. Cheyenne's sister Savannah explained, "There were times when I had to back away from our relationship because there were times that she had stolen from me and things like that. But that doesn't mean she wasn't an amazing person, and that I didn't love her. Sometimes tough love is just necessary."

It seems likely that the addiction is what led Cheyenne to staying at the Alcoa Inn. It's also possible that this is what led to her association with Brandon Aguirre - the man she had told others that she was afraid of prior to her disappearance. Aguirre has been referenced on Facebook, Websleuths, and on Charley Project in regard to Cheyenne's disappearance - however the mainstream media reports do not appear to reference him at all. 

Cheyenne's disappearance.

Savannah said that she last saw Cheyenne shortly before she vanished in August 2018. Savannah was working a shift at Bojangles, and Cheyenne came to the restaurant to ask for some food. Savannah did not give her food at the time but told her to come back when the restaurant was closing, and she would give her food then. 

When closing time came, Cheyenne never showed up. Savannah sent her a text at 11:01 PM saying, "Aren't you supposed to pick up this food, we are about to leave." Savannah received a response from Cheyenne's phone hours later, at 4:09 AM that read, "I was there at 10:40 to pick it up and nobody was there." 

That was the last known correspondence between the two sisters. However, it is unknown if Cheyenne herself is the one who sent that final message at 4:09 AM. After Cheyenne was reported missing, footage from the Bojangles restaurant was pulled. The footage does not capture Cheyenne at the restaurant at 10:40 PM, or at all that night, as the text alleges. 

Many reports state that Cheyenne was last seen at the Alcoa Inn - so it appears that there was a confirmed sighting of her at the hotel after she visited Savannah at Bojangles. Cheyenne's trail seemingly went cold after that, though - as it cannot be confirmed that she returned to Bojangles - despite the text message.

As previously noted, Cheyenne was reported missing on September 8th, 2018 - weeks after she was last seen. Searches were conducted, and appeals to the public were made, but no sign of Cheyenne was found. As weeks turned into months, Cheyenne's disappearance slipped into a cold case.

Nineteen months later: remains found.

After over a year and a half with no answers, a break was finally made in the case on March 21st, 2020, when human remains were found. The remains were discovered in a field by a property lessee on Old Middlesettlements Road; located just a few miles away from where Cheyenne was last seen. 

Within a matter of days, the remains were identified as Cheyenne. It was also quickly announced that her death was being investigated as a homicide. However, a cause of death has never been publicly released. It's unclear if an autopsy was ever able to be completed.

Who killed Cheyenne?

Several years have passed since Cheyenne's disappearance and the subsequent discovery of her remains. Unfortunately, her murder is still unsolved. Authorities have remained quiet about the status of the investigation; no suspects or persons of interest have ever been publicly announced.

There is a monetary reward available in exchange for information that leads to an arrest/prosecution of Cheyenne's killer(s). If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact Blount County authorities at 865-273-5001 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
Justice for Cheyenne
WATE 6, (2), (3)
WBIR, (2)
Websleuths