The Missing Candy Heiress

Jonathan Rocks & Beth McNamara
  • 5.0 (26)
  • TRUE CRIME

In 1977, Helen Brach vanished without a trace.Her disappearance has haunted Chicago for nearly five decades—a mystery entangled in greed, deception, and the underworld of the gang known as the horse mafia. Through never-before-heard tapes, exclusive interviews with Helen’s family, law enforcement, and reporters, and unsealed police files, The Missing Candy Heiress re-investigates what really happened to Helen—and what became of her $100 million fortune. This limited series blends investigative reporting with cinematic storytelling to unravel the power, secrets, and lies behind one of Chicago’s most enduring unsolved mysteries.

Episodes

  1. Episode Six: The Confidential Informant

    5D AGO

    Episode Six: The Confidential Informant

    This episode contains explicit descriptions of murder and crimes against children. It is intended for mature audiences. Listener discretion advised. A late-night phone call. A confession. And potential answers in a decades-old murder investigation. In this episode, ATF agent John Rotunno recounts the moment a confidential informant reached out with a chilling admission about the disappearance of Helen Brach—25 years after she vanished. We trace Rotunno’s path from deep undercover operations inside Chicago’s most dangerous gangs to the cases that followed—where informants, incentives, and human intelligence drove some of the largest federal prosecutions of their time. Then, we turn to the informant at the center of it all: Joe Plemmons. A horse trainer with deep ties to the world surrounding Helen Brach. A key witness in multiple federal cases. And a man who now claims to know exactly what happened the night she disappeared—because, according to him, he was part of it. Why come forward after all this time? What did he say when he finally decided to “get it off his chest”? In Episode Six, the investigation pivots—through the voice of a man who says he was there the night Helen Brach vanished. Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    46 min
  2. Episode Five: The Golden Tongue

    MAR 25

    Episode Five: The Golden Tongue

    On New Year’s Eve 1976, Helen Brach dances beneath the chandeliers of New York's Waldorf Astoria—just weeks before she vanishes without a trace. In this episode, the investigation centers on Richard Bailey—a dance instructor turned horse trader who becomes a key figure in the case. Through exclusive interviews, court records, and firsthand accounts, a pattern emerges: a calculated scheme targeting wealthy, often widowed women through fraudulent horse deals. As investigators begin linking financial fraud to something more serious, the case escalates into a rare federal prosecution under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act—known as RICO. Prosecutors allege a broader criminal enterprise involving deception, insurance fraud, and potentially murder. Despite no body ever being found, they argue Helen Brach was killed to prevent her from exposing the operation. What follows is a high-stakes legal battle—where fraud, conspiracy, and circumstantial evidence converge, and a judge delivers a ruling that will define the case. But the question remains: What really happened to Helen Brach? *Special Thanks to author and friend Gene O'Shea for providing the Mollie Goldstein audio used in this episode.  Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    41 min
  3. Episode Four: The Horse Mafia

    MAR 11

    Episode Four: The Horse Mafia

    A prison inmate named Maurice “Slab” Ferguson claims he can lead investigators to the body of missing candy heiress Helen Brach—sparking a nationally televised search that sends police and reporters racing to Minnesota. But investigators begin to question Ferguson’s motives—and the people who may have been influencing him. That trail leads to one of the most feared figures in Chicago’s horse world: Silas Jayne. In this episode, the investigation dives into the violent history of the man at the center of the so-called “Horse Mafia”—a network of horse dealers, trainers, and middlemen accused of exploiting wealthy clients through fraud, intimidation, and worse. From bombings and murder conspiracies to a decades-long feud that ended in assassination, Jayne’s criminal past reveals the kind of power and fear that surrounded the horse industry Helen Brach had entered. And as investigators begin connecting Jayne’s circle to people in Helen’s life—including horse dealer Richard Bailey—the case takes a darker turn. The question now becomes: how deep did the Horse Mafia’s influence run—and what did they know about Helen Brach’s disappearance? Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    34 min
  4. Episode Three: Legally Dead

    MAR 3

    Episode Three: Legally Dead

    Seven years after Helen Brach vanished, the courts must decide what to do with the fortune she left behind. As lawyers inventory her $20 million estate, new questions arise about what really happened in the days after she disappeared. Meanwhile, a controversial book reshapes public perception of the case, and troubling details emerge about evidence that may have been destroyed. Then in 1984, a judge makes a ruling that changes everything: Helen Brach is declared legally dead. But when two Chicago journalists reopen the investigation for a television documentary, their search leads to disturbing revelations—and a prison inmate who claims he knows what happened to Helen’s body. This episode contains brief excerpts of copyrighted material for purposes of commentary, criticism, and reporting under 17 U.S.C. §107. Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    30 min
  5. Episode Two: The Houseman

    FEB 24

    Episode Two: The Houseman

    Three months after Helen Brach vanished, investigators focused on the last person to see her alive: her longtime houseman, Jack Matlick. In this episode, we release never-before-heard police recordings from inside Helen’s Glenview estate and exclusive interrogation tapes of Matlick himself. As detectives retrace Helen’s final days, troubling details emerge—conflicting flight plans, forged checks, a witness who saw something at Helen's home,  and Matlick’s admission about what he did before reporting her missing. Was he a loyal employee… or the man who knew exactly what happened to Helen Brach? Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    43 min
  6. Episode One: The Missing Candy Heiress

    FEB 17

    Episode One: The Missing Candy Heiress

    A candy heiress. A sudden disappearance. An enduring mystery. In February 1977, Helen Brach — heir to the Brach’s Candy fortune — vanished without a trace. She was one of the wealthiest women in America. A widow dividing her time between Chicago, Florida, and her small Ohio hometown. Then she disappeared. There was no body. No confirmed crime scene. Almost no physical evidence. Nearly twenty years later, a horse trader named Richard Bailey was charged in connection with her disappearance — a charge he denies. In this premiere episode of The Missing Candy Heiress, we return to the beginning. Through exclusive interviews with Helen’s family, rare archival audio, and newly uncovered material, we examine the life of the woman behind the headlines — and the unresolved questions that have lingered for nearly fifty years. This is not just the story of a disappearance. It’s a story about money, influence, and the shadowy world surrounding one of Chicago’s most enduring mysteries. Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    35 min
  7. The Missing Candy Heiress - Trailer

    FEB 9

    The Missing Candy Heiress - Trailer

    Be sure to follow us on instagram and hop on over to Substack where you will find bonus content AND the podcast in one place. https://themissingcandyheiress.substack.com/ We would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments or information related this story - DM us on instagram or email us hello@themissingcandyheiress.com. The Missing Candy Heiress is produced, directed, and written by Jonathan Rocks and Beth McNamara. All material is copyrighted. Legal Disclaimer:  All individuals referenced in this podcast are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law in the United States.

    2 min
  • 7 Episodes

5
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

In 1977, Helen Brach vanished without a trace.Her disappearance has haunted Chicago for nearly five decades—a mystery entangled in greed, deception, and the underworld of the gang known as the horse mafia. Through never-before-heard tapes, exclusive interviews with Helen’s family, law enforcement, and reporters, and unsealed police files, The Missing Candy Heiress re-investigates what really happened to Helen—and what became of her $100 million fortune. This limited series blends investigative reporting with cinematic storytelling to unravel the power, secrets, and lies behind one of Chicago’s most enduring unsolved mysteries.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Rocks & Beth McNamara
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Media 22 Creative
  • Show Website
    The Missing Candy Heiress

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