Vanished Voices, The Overlooked

Not Today Studios
  • 5.0 (10)
  • TRUE CRIME

Silence can be louder than any scream. Vanished Voices is a true crime podcast that dives into the cases of the missing and the murdered whose stories were buried or ignored. They are echoes, whispers, and warnings from those who can no longer speak for themselves. Through deep research and heartfelt storytelling, this is where the silence is broken, and the vanished are finally heard. 

  1. 5D AGO

    Jermain Charlo: Missing from Missoula

    Send a text On the night of June 15, 2018, 23-year-old Jermain Charlo — a young Indigenous mother and a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes — was seen in downtown Missoula, Montana near the Badlander bar.  Surveillance footage captured her in the alley just before midnight. She walked out of frame with her ex-boyfriend, Michael DeFrance. Jermain was never seen again. In this episode, we examine what's known about Jermain's life and community, the weeks and months leading up to the night she disappeared, and the history of domestic violence in her relationship. We  reconstruct what’s known about the final hours of June 15–16, the conflicting accounts that followed, and the investigation that has continued for years without an arrest.  If you have information that could help bring Jermain home, please contact Missoula Police Department Detective Guy Baker: (406) 552-6284. No tip is too small and might just be what detectives need to bring justice for Jermain. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    1h 14m

  2. FEB 26

    Two Hours, No Trace: Najah Ferrell

    Send a text On March 15, 2019, 30-year-old Najah Ferrell left her home in Avon, Indiana in the dark of the early morning—heading to her third day of orientation at a new job that was supposed to help her build a better future for her kids. She had five children depending on her: two biological sons and three foster children she had welcomed into her home. But Najah never made it to work. And by the end of the day, the people who knew her best were certain of one thing: this wasn’t a choice. Najah was reliable. Present. Protective. She didn’t “just disappear”—not without calling, not without making arrangements, and not without picking up her children. In this episode of Vanished Voices, we walk through the narrow, terrifying timeline that makes this case so chilling—because somewhere in a span of roughly two hours, Najah vanished. Investigators later found her black Nissan Altima abandoned near a movie theater lot on Indianapolis’ northwest side.  Surveillance video would reveal someone else driving it. Her personal belongings would turn up scattered along the interstate. And weeks later, the case would take a devastating turn when a severed foot was discovered in a retention pond more than 100 miles away—identified by a tattoo, then confirmed through DNA. Years later, Najah’s family is still fighting for answers. Police still believe someone knows what happened. And the question remains: Who took Najah Ferrell—and why? If you have any information about Najah’s disappearance or murder, please contact the Hendricks County Communications Center at 317-839-8700 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477). You can remain anonymous. If you’re not comfortable calling, Crime Stoppers also has a mobile app (“P3 Tips”) that allows you to submit information anonymously. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    1h 14m

  3. FEB 19

    Silenced in San Antonio: The Murder of Cecilia Huerta Gallegos

    Send a text In July 2019, 30-year-old mother of four Cecilia Huerta Gallegos vanished without a trace from her San Antonio home. Security cameras inside the house captured her entering the bedroom she shared with her husband, Reyes Gallegos — but never coming back out.  Hours later, those same cameras were shut off. When they came back on, Cecilia was gone, and Reyes was unloading a chainsaw, shovels, and trash bags from the family SUV. Despite mounting evidence and a murder charge filed more than two years later, Reyes Gallegos has been released on bond — multiple times — while his trial has been delayed again and again. Cecilia’s body has never been found. Her children have grown up without answers.  And while other similar cases in the same community made headlines and reached courtrooms within a year, Cecilia’s story remains largely unknown — possibly because she was an immigrant, a working mother, and a woman of color. Cecilia deserved better. She deserved better protection. Better coverage. Better urgency. And now, at the very least, she deserves justice — and for someone, somewhere, to help bring her body home. If you know anything about the murder of Cecilia Huerta Gallegos — no matter how small — please speak up. Even the smallest detail could help bring closure to her children and family. San Antonio Police Department – Missing Persons Unit(210) 207-7660Crime Stoppers (anonymous tips welcome)Call: (210) 224-STOP (7867)Online: https://sanantonio.crimestoppersweb.comEmail Search & Support San Antonio (SASSA)Search.support.sa@gmail.comFollow Cecilia's Facebook page for updates:facebook.com/WhereIsCeciliaHuertaGallegosTo see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    58 min

  4. FEB 12

    Rocelyn Gabriel: Lost in the Cold in Portage la Prairie

    Send a text On a frigid January night in 2014, 20-year-old Rocelyn Gabriel — Ojibway, bright, full of plans — vanished into the blizzard in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. Hours later, she was found behind an industrial recycling depot, barely alive, wearing only a sweater.  Authorities called it death by exposure, hypothermia. But her family insists: Rocelyn didn’t end up there by accident. In this episode of Vanished Voices, we retrace Rocelyn’s final hours, challenge the gaps in the investigation, and amplify the voices of those still demanding justice.  How did she get to that desolate place? Why didn’t police search for evidence of foul play right away? And who, if anyone, knows the truth? This is not just a tragedy. This is the story of Rocelyn Gabriel. Have Information? If you know anything about what happened to Rocelyn Gabriel on the night of January 25–26, 2014, please come forward. You can contact: RCMP Portage la Prairie Detachment 204-857-4445Manitoba Crime Stoppers (Anonymous Tip Line) 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) www.manitobacrimestoppers.comEven the smallest detail could help a grieving family find answers after more than a decade of silence. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    1h 9m

  5. FEB 5

    The Last Login: The Disappearance of Jalesa Chantell Reynolds

    Send a text On February 22, 2010, 18-year-old Jalesa Chantell Reynolds followed her normal routine in Scotland Neck, North Carolina. She attended class. She visited the local library. She logged into Facebook. Then she logged off — and never came home. Hours later, investigators would discover her Facebook account had been accessed again — this time from a private residence outside town on Cemetery Road. The man who lived there admitted Jalesa had been at his home that afternoon. He told investigators she left sometime between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. She was never seen again. In this episode, we examine the timeline of Jalesa’s disappearance, the digital trail that led investigators to a rural property outside town, the multi-agency search efforts that began almost immediately after she was reported missing, and the unanswered questions that remain more than a decade later. Jalesa was known to be quiet, routine-oriented, and closely connected to her family. She did not have a car. She did not have a cellphone. She rarely traveled outside of her normal daily pattern — making her disappearance deeply concerning from the very beginning. Despite extensive searches, multiple warrants, and years of investigation, Jalesa Chantell Reynolds remains missing. Someone knows what happened that afternoon. And her family is still waiting for answers. If you have any information about the disappearance of Jalesa Chantell Reynolds, please contact: Scotland Neck Police Department (252) 826-4111Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (252) 583-8201Halifax County Crime Stoppers (Anonymous Tips) 252) 583-4444Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Halifax County Crime Stoppers online tip portals. Case Reference: National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) Case: Jalesa Chantell Reynolds NamUs #: MP10109 Last Known Details: Last Seen: February 22, 2010 Location: Scotland Neck, North Carolina Age at Disappearance: 18 Would Be Today: 34 Remembering Jalesa Jalesa is described as: Black female5’2”Approx. 220 lbs at time of disappearanceBlack hair, brown eyesNicknames: J and LesaDistinguishing feature: Dark pigmentation patches on armsLast known clothing: Pink shirtBlue denim jacket with flower design on backTan khaki pantsBlack Velcro sneakersBlack head scarfBobby pins in hairVanished Voices Message: If you lived in Scotland Neck in 2010…If you traveled Cemetery Road that day…If you knew Jalesa…If you heard something, saw something, or remember something that never felt right…Please come forward. Even small details matter. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    54 min

  6. JAN 29

    Vanished in Laveen: Cynthia Acevedo

    Send a text On August 15, 2019, 39-year-old Cynthia Acevedo was seen walking near a cemetery in Laveen, Arizona, within the Gila River Indian Community. She never made it home. Two weeks later, when Cynthia’s mother reported her missing, investigators realized this was no ordinary disappearance. Cynthia was a devoted mother, daughter, and community member — someone who stayed in constant contact with her family. Her sudden silence was completely out of character. Law enforcement would later classify her case as suspicious, and the FBI now believes foul play may have been involved. In this episode of Vanished Voices, we trace Cynthia’s last known steps, explore the timeline of her disappearance, examine the investigation that followed, and ask the difficult questions that still linger years later. Why was she walking near the cemetery that day? Was someone waiting for her? Did critical time slip away before the search began?  Cynthia’s family is still waiting for answers. Her community has not forgotten her. And someone, somewhere, knows what happened. If you have any information about the disappearance of Cynthia Acevedo — no matter how small it may seem — please contact: Gila River Police Department (520) 562-4511 FBI – Phoenix Field Office 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) Submit a tip online: https://tips.fbi.gov The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Cynthia Acevedo has been missing since August 15, 2019. Her family deserves answers. Her community deserves justice. And Cynthia deserves to be found. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    57 min

  7. JAN 22

    The Battleground Search: Rita Papakee

    Send a text In January 2015, Rita Janelle Papakee was last seen at the Meskwaki casino in central Iowa. What should have been an ordinary night ended in silence. Days passed. Then weeks. And before urgency ever took hold, a mother, sister, and community member had vanished. Witnesses would later tell police they saw Rita walking in the cold and snow, visibly angry, when a dark pickup approached her. Others reported seeing her at a man’s home the next day. Then came more disturbing claims — that Rita was dead, that evidence had been hidden, that her body had been moved. Search warrants were executed. Federal evidence teams were called in. A well on the south side of the reservation — an area investigators refer to as the battleground — became the focus of repeated searches. Cadaver dogs, DNA collection, polygraph exams, and renewed FBI involvement followed. Tips surfaced. Some were withdrawn. Rumors spread. But Rita has never been recovered. She is still officially listed as a missing person. In practice, investigators have treated her case as a homicide without a body — one caught between information and proof, between community silence and the urgent need for answers. In this episode of Vanished Voices, we trace Rita’s story: who she was, the last known sightings, the investigation’s turning points, and the lingering questions that refuse to settle. We explore how a close-knit community navigates trust, tradition, and tragedy. And until Rita is found, her voice — and her family’s — will not be forgotten. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    39 min

  8. JAN 15

    A Kindness Betrayed: The Disappearance of Kristyn Richerson

    Send a text In May 2018, 51-year-old Kristyn “Krash” Richerson packed her red Toyota pickup for Rocklahoma — a music festival she loved. She never arrived.  What began as a weekend of excitement unraveled into a haunting mystery involving conflicting stories, missing evidence, and roommates who know more than they’ve said.  In this episode of Vanished Voices, we trace Kristyn’s final known steps, explore the tangled investigation, and hear from those still fighting for answers. Kristyn was a drummer, a dog lover, and a fiercely loyal friend — and she deserves justice. If you know anything about the disappearance of Kristyn Richerson, please contact Muskogee Police at (918) 683-8000. Her voice hasn’t been forgotten — and neither has the silence that followed. To see more about this case, as well as the sources used to create this episode, visit our Blog Here. Thank you so much for listening to Vanished Voices. We truly appreciate you!

    1h 12m
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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Silence can be louder than any scream. Vanished Voices is a true crime podcast that dives into the cases of the missing and the murdered whose stories were buried or ignored. They are echoes, whispers, and warnings from those who can no longer speak for themselves. Through deep research and heartfelt storytelling, this is where the silence is broken, and the vanished are finally heard. 

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