The Trail Went Cold

Robin Warder
The Trail Went Cold

The Trail Went Cold is a true crime podcast where writer Robin Warder examines unsolved mysteries and offers his own theories as to what really happened.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 410 - Cody James & Gary Harker

    December 18, 1979. Moline, Illinois. 30-year old Cody James and 30-year old Gary Harker leave Gary’s woodcarving shop in Cody’s pick-up truck in order to make a delivery and collect some money, but they never return and the truck is later found abandoned across the state line in Davenport, Iowa. Four months after the disappearances, the pick-up is sold off at a police auction, but the new owners are shocked to discover Cody and Gary’s bodies concealed beneath some debris in the truck bed and it turns out both men have been bludgeoned to death. It is theorized that the crime was drug-related and even though photographs of two potential suspects are provided to investigators decades later, no one is ever charged with the murders. For our final holiday-themed episode of 2024, “The Trail Went Cold” chronicles a shocking double homicide which has remained unsolved for 45 years. Additional Reading: https://www.newspapers.com/image/338695963/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/132294466/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/305885059/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/338686918/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/305875824/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/306038136/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308122207/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308122229/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308435558/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/308435566/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/548370305/ “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    44 min

  2. DEC 11

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 409 - Kenneth Dungee and "Debbie"

    December 23, 1988. Orange County, North Carolina. A quartet of friends – 19-year old Kenneth Dungee, 17-year old Kenneth Newkirk, 17-year old Levern Allen and 17-year old Darius Bannerman – leave their homes in Greensboro in order to drive to Raleigh to go Christmas shopping. While travelling down Interstate 40, their car is violently run off the road by a blue Monte Carlo containing a white man and a white woman. Kenneth Dungee is killed in the crash and while his three friends survive, Levern has his right leg amputated. Since the four young men were black, it is speculated that the occupants of the Monte Carlo may have committed a hate crime, but they cannot be identified. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a shocking hit-and-run murder was has remained unsolved for 36 years. In addition, we will also be covering the unsolved 1990 abduction, assault and attempted murder of a woman known only as “Debbie”, another crime which took place along the interstates of North Carolina and was committed by an assailant who has never been identified. Join us on Saturday, December 14 at 8:00pm ET for an online streaming marathon where we will be watching classic segments from “Unsolved Mysteries”. You can enter our screening room by clicking on this link. Additional Reading: https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Kenneth_Dungee https://unsolved.com/gallery/greensboro-hit-and-run https://greensboro.com/unsolved-mysteries-generates-300-calls/article_73f2546a-b7e2-5d91-baea-2057e5539e12.html https://greensboro.com/highway-ramming-death-still-unsolved/article_ca088d5c-8526-55a2-8ef9-c34e255089ae.html https://greensboro.com/hit-and-run-still-lingers-for-victims/article_98dcb974-a1fe-5152-b28d-82dc81c18a21.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/655391766/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/655996666/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/655985511/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/625632837/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Debbie https://unsolved.com/gallery/shotgun-survivor/ https://greensboro.com/officers-search-for-rapist/article_d2e03e5e-35ad-56a4-a14b-013cc1ec1646.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/655996954/ https://greensboro.com/family-boosts-reward-in-kidnap-case/article_3c7615dc-413f-56bf-849f-0d884b5fb26f.html https://greensboro.com/first-survival-then-success-it-s-like-god-gave-me/article_5de2143b-73c7-5e33-8533-3bfb79950b28.html “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    53 min

  3. DEC 4

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 408 - Nikki Cheng Saelee McCain

    May 18, 2024. Redding, California. 39-year old Nikki Cheng Saelee-McCain texts her sister from a hospital and says she is planning to drive to her mother-in-law’s house, but she soon cuts off all contact with her family and disappears. One week later, Nikki’s abandoned truck is discovered 50 miles away in a remote section of Tehama County, but searches of the area fail to find her. Prior to her disappearance, Nikki had filed domestic violence charges against her estranged husband, Tyler McCain, and they were scheduled to go to trial in the near-future. Even though Tyler and his family display suspicious behavior and provide constantly-changing and conflicting stories about the last time they saw Nikki, there is no direct evidence of foul play and Nikki cannot be found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we cover a recent missing persons case where the victim’s family is desperately searching for answers.  If you happen to have any information about this case, please contact the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (530) 245-6135. You can also E-mail them at MCU@shastacounty.gov or submit tips at www.scsecretwitness.com/submit-a-tip Additional Reading:  https://www.newspapers.com/image/1092055923/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1093905298/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1100104152/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/1102064689/ https://krcrtv.com/news/local/community-unites-in-first-large-scale-search-for-mother-of-four-nikki-saelee-mccain?fbclid=IwY2xjawFid0dleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfaKr6DjCiKnnDNDWD5yB7CMOPaCc1YCzsrxatoU983yM-MDlj3NUB-hfA_aem_O8hCrrMGyWLD8P02bLNauA https://krcrtv.com/news/local/olinda-fire-started-one-person-individual-cited-by-cal-fire-happy-valley-anderson-shasta-county-identity-law-enforcement?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0PQFG2Rl3S482BojIv5x6TX-w-nGe_x29QmJu0HmN0xQDMMMq91Wig-mw_aem_0K63BDFK36hnyaGZ9ZIOnw https://anewscafe.com/2024/07/13/redding/new-witness-sheds-light-on-allegations-of-domestic-violence-endured-by-missing-shasta-county-woman-nikki-saelee-mccain/ https://anewscafe.com/2024/08/09/redding/new-information-emerges-in-missing-nikki-saelee-mccain-case-as-law-enforcement-reveals-few-details/ https://nypost.com/2024/08/17/us-news/missing-mom-who-vanished-in-may-had-texted-family-to-say-she-was-leaving-abusive-husband-report/ https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/no-clues-may-disappearance-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain-domestic-violence-rcna163307 https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/missing-in-america/no-clues-may-disappearance-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain-domestic-violence-rcna163307 https://shastascout.org/tyler-mccains-felony-dv-charges-dismissed-as-search-for-missing-wife-nikki-cheng-saelee-mccain-continues/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    53 min

  4. NOV 27

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 407 - Edward Banish

    August 22, 1965. South Bend, Indiana. 49-year old Edward Banish is murdered inside his home after being stabbed seven times. Over two months earlier, Edward’s 18-year old son, Scott Banish, had gone missing after an apparent drowning accident in Lake Michigan, but eight days after his father’s murder, Scott is discovered to be alive and admits to having faked his own death. Even though Scott seems to have a solid alibi placing him over 2,500 miles away on the night of the crime, he eventually admits to killing Edward and is arrested and charged with second-degree murder. However, after Scott recants his confession, a grand jury rules that there is insufficient evidence to indict him, so the murder charges are dropped. Was Edward Banish actually stabbed to death by his son? If not, then who was actually responsible and what could their motive have been? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the bizarre story of a missing persons case which eventually evolved into an unsolved murder. Special thanks to listener Holly Dodson for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/opinion/2017/10/01/colwell-st-joseph-county-murder-case-remains-a-mystery/45809981/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516195400/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516199513/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515531517/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515768233/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515760968/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515761266/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515763176/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515763640/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515733969/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/515384338/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    49 min

  5. NOV 25

    The Trail Went Cold - Bonus Episode - Murder, She Told

    Listen to Murder, She Told: an award-winning true-crime podcast created by victim’s advocate, Kristen Seavey that mostly covers lesser-known unsolved cases.  This is a preview of the episode about Ludger Belanger on “Murder, She Told”, which was originally published on November 19, 2024.  Ludger Belanger went missing while hunting in rural Washington, Maine in 1975. Though on the surface, it seemed like he vanished without a trace, tracks in the snow led detectives to a crucial piece of evidence and into a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with two men who might know exactly where to find him  Listen to the full episodes on Ludger Belanger:  Apple: https://apple.co/3Oh2eJSSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/LudgerbelangerOther: https://www.murdershetold.com/connectSources and photos: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/ludger-belanger  Quick links to find Murder, She Told: Apple: https://apple.co/42Zmd5XSpotify: https://tinyurl.com/MSTSpotifyAll others and social media: https://www.murdershetold.com/connectLink to Reeves Johnson: https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/reeves-johnson-2

    9 min

  6. NOV 20

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 406 - Jonathan Francia

    January 12, 1994. Albuquerque, New Mexico. After dropping off a friend at a restaurant, 16-year old Jonathan Francia is carjacked and abducted from the parking lot in his mother’s Chevrolet Camaro. Five days later, the burned-out vehicle is discovered in the Arizona desert nearly 300 miles away and Jonathan’s charred remains are inside the trunk. A suspect named Paul Richardson is soon arrested and confesses that he committed the crime alongside an unidentified drifter known only as “Jason”. Paul fatally hangs himself in his jail cell and while his wife, Trena Richardson, is later indicted after admitting to involvement in the murder, the charges wind up being dismissed after her confession is thrown out. Since the mysterious “Jason” is never identified or tracked down, no one is ever convicted of Jonathan’s murder and the truth about what happened remains murky. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a brutal and frustrating crime which has yet to receive a conclusive resolution after three decades. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/jonathan-francia/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Jonathan_Francia https://www.newspapers.com/image/157704267/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157723443/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157723595/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/504605131/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157829019/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157832047/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157832212/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157917634/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157917832/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157920346/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157920713/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/505068207/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/157836617/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516292794/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516292833/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516297713/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/158560131/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516315982/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/516316009/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/158405516/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    44 min

  7. NOV 13

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 405 - Bryce Laspisa

    August 30, 2013. Castaic, California. An overturned abandoned SUV belonging to 19-year old Bryce Laspisa is discovered at the bottom of a steep embankment near Castaic Lake, but even though most of his personal possessions have been left behind, Bryce himself is nowhere to be found. While beginning his sophomore year at Sierra College in Rocklin, Bryce had been displaying erratic behaviour and seemed to be experiencing issues with drugs and alcohol before he made the inexplicable decision to drive hundreds of miles away. During his trip, Bryce seemingly spent long periods of time just sitting inside his parked SUV, but even though he assured his parents he would eventually join them at their home in Laguna Niguel, he vanishes before he arrives. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore the unsolved disappearance of Bryce Laspisa, who went missing under very bizarre circumstances. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (323) 890-5500. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/bryce-david-laspisa https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/bryce-laspisa-missing-person-castaic-lake/1959070/ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/09/05/mystery-over-burning-body-found-where-naperville-central-grad-disappeared-2/ https://www.chicagotribune.com/2015/08/28/search-continues-2-years-after-central-grad-vanished-2/ https://scvnews.com/oct-19-20-organized-search-planned-for-missing-teen/ https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/one-year-after-bryce-laspisas-disappearance-parents-ask-for-acts-of-kindness/ https://www.kcra.com/article/site-being-searched-for-missing-sierra-college-student-turns-up-body/6407433 https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/bryce-david-laspisa https://www.hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/crime/bryce-laspisa-still-missing-one-decade-after-unexplained-disappearance-480422 https://i.iheart.com/v3/re/new_assets/63054d863f34185e925fcc8d/?passthrough=1 “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    49 min

  8. NOV 6

    The Trail Went Cold - Episode 404 - Tony Lombardi and Danny Williams

    August 30, 1990. Westerville, Ohio. The mother of 22-year old Tony Lombardi returns home, assuming her son is at work. Forty-five minutes later, she claims that she hears the sound of a door closing followed by footsteps and she soon discovers Tony’s body on his bed. He has been shot through the head and a gun is lying on the floor next to him, but police rule Tony’s death to be a suicide. However, Tony’s family discovers injuries on his body to make them believe he was the victim of foul play and was possibly murdered by another man who was angry that Tony was dating his girlfriend, but his death is never reclassified. June 30, 1991. Galesburg, Illinois. After not hearing from him for a day-and-a-half, the parents of 23-year old Danny Williams discover his dead body on a couch inside his house. He has been shot through the forehead and since a gun Danny owned is found in his lap, the police believe that his death was a suicide. Danny’s family uncover a number of suspicious discrepancies to make them believe he was murdered, including the possible presence of small traces of blood at the scene which do not match Danny’s blood type. A coroner’s jury officially list Danny’s cause of death as “uncertain”, but no conclusive evidence of foul play can be found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we cover two suspicious suicide cases featured on “Unsolved Mysteries” involving young men who supposedly died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, but their families felt differently. Additional Reading: https://unsolved.com/gallery/tony-lombardi/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Tony_Lombardi https://unsolved.com/gallery/danny-williams/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Danny_Williams https://www.newspapers.com/image/306495856/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/299581538/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/300115062/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

    51 min
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Hosts & Guests

Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Trail Went Cold is a true crime podcast where writer Robin Warder examines unsolved mysteries and offers his own theories as to what really happened.

Information

  • Creator
    Robin Warder
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2024
  • Episodes
    462
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2017-2024 Magill Foote. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Trail Went Cold

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