At any given time, there are 90,000 missing persons, and that's just in the U.S. This podcast explores some of these cases.
Introducing: Killer Communications
AbJack Entertainment, the same network that brings you The Murder In My Family, has a brand new show launching March 1,2025. It's called Killer Communications, and it's hosted by Mike Morford. In each episode of Killer Communications, Mike discusses a true crime case where one of the clues is a mysterious form of contact; whether it's a frightening phone call to a victim, a mysterious email to the press, or a taunting letter sent to the press, these bizarre communications happen more often than you might think, and sometimes have deadly consequences.
In this short preview of Killer Communications, Season 1 Episode 1, you'll hear about the case of Dale Williams, a father and husband, who was lured from the Nucla, Colorado body shop he owned by a mysterious caller in 1999. He was never seen again. His abandoned truck was found submerged in a local waterway, but there was never any sign of Dale himself. Despite an ex-friend of Dale's being a longtime suspect in the case, police were never able to make an arrest. But that all changed in 2024 when an arrest and answers finally came.
After you listen to this preview of Killer Communications, head over to your favorite podcast app, and be sure to subscribe to Killer Communications, so you can hear the full episode on Dale Williams, and catch every new episode of Killer Communications.
Visit the Killer Communications homepage for news about the show, and past episodes.
You can also follow Killer Communications on social media, via X or Facebook.
Episode 104 Lawrence 'Larry' Riegel
On Christmas, 2009, 57 year old Lawrence 'Larry' Riegel of Yakima, Washington talked to his family on the phone for the last time. He was in a good mood despite a recent surgery and some medical issues, and reached out to several friends and family members that day. According to people that spoke with Larry, he was making dinner for his live in girlfriend, Ladena Mann, and waiting for her to come home. The next day when Larry failed to show up for a family gathering, his family began to worry about him. Several calls to Larry went unanswered. When Larry's sister Susan, who is our guest in this episode, drove to his home, she found Ladena there, bur no sign of Larry. Ladena told Susan that Larry had gone to see friends on the coast because he was 'feeling Blue' , but his car was still there, and the story did not sit right with Susan.
Days later, after still no word from Larry, his family tried to report him missing to Yakima police. That's when they were informed that Ladena had filed a domestic violence report on Larry regarding an incident that she alleged happened after his family last saw him. Larry's family does not believe Ladena's story, and they are suspicious of her. After he vanished, Ladena used Larry's EBT several times without permission, and she was charged with welfare fraud.
Police believe that Larry met with foul play, and that Ladena knows more than she's saying. There is also suspicion of a now deceased tenant of Larry's who owed him back rent. To date, no charges have been filed against anyone in Larry's case.
Today, Larry would be 72 years old. He is a White male, standing 6ft2 and weighing 200 pounds. He has Gray hair, and Hazel eyes. He sometimes wears eyeglasses. Due to medical issues, Larry walks with a limp on his left leg. If you have any information about Larry's case, please contact the Yakima Police Department 509-576-6573.
To learn more, please visit the Facebook page for Larry's case.
In this episode, Larry's sister Susan, discusses the details of the case, as well as her suspicions.
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Happy New Year! This is Just a quick announcement to let you know that new episodes of Missing Persons will be dropping early in 2025. Be sure to stay subscribed and follow the show so you don't miss an episode.
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To contact the podcast or learn more about the cases we discuss visit: Missingpersonspodcast.com Follow us on Social media on Facebook or Twitter or visit our website.
Episode 103 Dale Williams Update: Arrest Made
An update to one of our earliest cases that we covered on Missing Persons; the 1999 disappearance of Dale WIlliams of Nucla, Colorado in May,1999. Dale left his auto body repair shop after taking a mysterious call and was never seen again. Later his truck was found submerged in a nearby river. There was no sign of Dale.
One person who many people suspected, was an ex friend of Dale's named Dan Bishop. Bishop and Dale had a falling out after Dale and his wife helped Bishop's wife escape an abusive relationship with Bishop. The major update to this case is, that Dan Bishop has been charged in relation to Dale's disappearance and presumed murder.
In this episode, we will re-play our original episode discussing the case. and include an interview with Dale's daughter Tonee, and as the end of the episode, we will update listeners with the latest details available in the case.
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To contact the podcast or learn more about the cases we discuss visit: Missingpersonspodcast.com Follow us on Social media on Facebook or Twitter
Episode 102 The Zaharias Children
On November 20, 1987, 15 month old Lisa Mae and her brother, 3 year old Christopher Zaharias were abducted by their mother, Susan Gammill from their home in Mission Viejo, California. According to the children's father Louis, his wife Susan was struggling with post partum depression and drug dependency at the time of the abduction. She wiped out the couple's savings and wrote a series of bad checks before leaving with Lisa Mae and Christopher. Louis immediately filed a police report but it seems that Susan had help from her family taking the children away from Louis, making it difficult for police to help. Over the years, Susan and the children have been tracked to different states, and according to Louis, they continue to be aided by Susan's relatives in avoiding capture. Louis enlisted the help of a dedicated private investigator to help locate his children, but Susan and the people who are helping her always seem to be a step ahead. It's now been just about 37 years since Louis Zaharias has seen his children resulting in what is currently the longest ongoing parental abduction. Louis is desperate to be reunited with his children. In this episode, he discusses his endless search for his kids, and the physical, emotional, and financial struggles he has faced.
Visit the website dedicated to finding Lisa Mae and Christopher Zaharias along with the Facebook page for the case.
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Christopher Zaharias, his sister Lisa Mae, or their mother Susan, please call Klein Investigations at (409) 729-8798
This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh; America's #1 meal kit. Listeners of Missing Persons can get free breakfast for life by visiting this link. (.One free breakfast item per box while subscription is active)
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To contact the podcast or learn more about the cases we discuss visit: Missingpersonspodcast.com Follow us on Social media on Facebook or Twitter
Episode 101 Rebekah Barsotti Case Update
We originally covered the case of 33 year old Rebekah Barsotti back in episode 46 of Missing Persons. Rebekah, along with her dog Cerberus, disappeared in the area of Clark Fork River near Alberton, Montana in July, 2021. She had been going through a divorce, and her family believed that she may have been the victim of foul play. When Cerberus's remains were found days later 10 miles downstream, but Rebekah's were not, it only fueled concerns that Rebekah wasn't an accidental drowning victim; despite that being the theory of the police investigating the case. Finally on May 17, 2022, fisherman discovered Rebekah's remains on the bank of the Clark Fork River, almost a year after Rebekah went missing. In the minds of Rebekah's family, the discovery only served to re-ask old questions, and it brought a host of new ones. Police consider the case closed, but Rebekah's family believe that there is more than meets the eye. In this episode, we update listeners on the case, and try to figure out; what happened to Rebekah Barsotti.
Episode 100 Bethany Markowski
In March, 2001 eleven year old Bethany Markowski vanished in Tennessee while on a visit with her father Larry. Larry and Bethany's mom Jonnie had recently split up after a volatile relationship amidst allegations of abuse on Larry's part towards Jonnie. Jonnie had fled her home with few belongings, alongside Bethany hoping that they could get away from Larry. Eventually, Larry caught up with them, and a protection order was put in place. Since Larry had never abused Bethany, he had visitation rights, and Bethany would spend weekends with him. But on just the second visit with her father, Bethany vanished. On Sunday, March 4th, 2001, Larry was supposed to drop off Bethany after their visit. According to Larry, he stopped at the Old Hickory shopping mall in Jackson, TN so that Bethany could go inside and pick up a few things. Larry claims that after not returning for a period of time, he went into the mall to find his daughter, but he never did. Witnesses backed up Larry's story that he was in the mall that day, but none of those witnesses saw Bethany, and she hasn't been seen since. Since she vanished, Larry has reportedly failed polygraph tests, and has stopped cooperating with police. He has never been charged in the case and denies any involvement in his daughter's disappearance.
In this episode, Bethany's mom Jonnie discusses her daughter's disappearance as well as possible sightings of Bethany.
At the time of her disappearance, Bethany was 4’8’’ and weighed 95 lbs. with brown hair and blue eyes. If you have any information on Bethany’s case, please contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations at 1-800-TBI-FIND or 1-800-824-3463. You can also email [email protected]
Visit Bethany's Facebook page for more information.
Episode 99 Lisa Shuttleworth
On September 3rd 2003, 34 year old mother Lisa Shuttleworth vanished from her Aiken, South Carolina home. Her kids came home to find themselves locked out of the house. In the driveway was her car which had broken down, and a car that she had borrowed until she could get hers fixed. When Lisa's mom arrived at the house and used a key to get in, there was no sign of Lisa. There was a pot of tea undisturbed on the stove, and there was no sign of a struggle. It appeared that Lisa had just stepped out and planned to return, but she never did. Police tracked her movements that day and determined that she when missing sometime between 11am, and when her son got off the bus that afternoon. A look back into Lisa's life found troubled relationships and a possible history of abuse. There was also a rumor that Lisa was pregnant, and according to Lisa's daughter Krystina who is our guest in this episode, Lisa had confided in her close friend that she was indeed pregnant. There were rumors that the father may have wanted Lisa to get an abortion, and unverified reports that he disposed of a new truck that he had soon after Lisa went missing; a truck that rumor has it, may have displayed signs of blood after Luminol was used on it. No charged have ever been brought in Lisa's case, and she remains missing to this day. Krystina discussed her mom's puzzling case, and the personal toll the disappearance has taken on her.
At the time she vanished, Lisa was described as 5ft3 and weighing 102 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information regarding Lisa’s disappearance is asked to contact the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office at 800-922-9709
To learn more about the case or follow on social media, be sure to visit Lisa's Facebook page.
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To contact the podcast or learn more about the cases we discuss visit: Missingpersonspodcast.com Follow us on Social media on Facebook or Twitter
Episode 98 Barbara McClure
On November 2nd, 1978 24 year old Barbara Annette McClure went out for a night of dancing at the Fandango Disco in Seattle Washington on. That night, she and her dance partner who she had briefly dated got into a minor argument. Reportedly, the man she was dancing with left the club, and a short while later, Barbara also left. People that knew Barbara claimed that they saw her walking near the 16500 block of Bothell Way northwest, about half a mile from the disco, and they claimed they offered her a ride but she refused, and insisted on walking 5 miles to her home. She didn't make it home, and was never seen again. The lines of what happened that night are blurred by inaccuracies and confusion. A neighbor boy who babysat Barbara's 2 year old daughter Jamie, swears that he babysat that night and in the early morning hours, was told by a strange man to go home. Somehow, Jamie wound up in the care of her family that morning and it's not clear how. There is also speculation that the witnesses who las saw Barbara may not be telling the full truth. Finally, there is reason to believe that Barbara's father who she was estranged from was having her followed when she went missing. Days after Barbara vanished, her driver's license was found about ten miles away in a culdesac. The case went cold, and Jamie now an adult, is trying to get to the bottom of what happened. In this episode, she discusses her efforts, and all of the confusion in the case.
When she went missing, Barbara was described as White with shoulder length Brown hair, Blue eyes, standing 5ft5, and weighing 120 lbs. She was last seen wearing a green and rust-colored blouse with wide stripes, a short black leather jacket, rust-colored corduroy pants and tan mid-calf boots with a two-inch heel. Carrying a brown cloth purse with a shoulder strap.
If you know anything about McClure’s disappearance, you’re asked to contact crime stoppers at 800-222-8477.
If you have information or tips, please reach out to Private Detective Cloyd Steiger who is handling this investigation for Jamie.
To donate to help fund the investigation, billboards, etc, please donate via Gofundme.
To learn more about, or to discuss Barbara's case, please visit the Where is Barbara Annette McClure Facebook group.
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To contact the podcast or learn more about the cases we discuss visit: Missingpersonspodcast.com Follow us on Social media on Facebook or Twitter
Episode 97 Loukthayoth 'Luke' Phiangdae
On February 6th, 1996, 11 year old Loukthayoth Phiangdae, who went by Luke, vanished from his home in Raymond, Washington. He was apparently upset after being yelled at by his father for roughhousing with his brother, and he headed into his bedroom locking the door behind him. After several minutes, his family went to check on Luke and found his door locked. After forcing their way in, they found out that Luke was gone. It seemed like he had left through his window, and to this date, he has never been found despite extensive searches, and FBI involvement. Although there were possible sightings of Luke, none were confirmed, and it's not clear if he ran away, or was abducted. Over the years, suspicion fell on Luke's father, and some theorize that Luke drowned. In the end, there is not enough clues to look in any direction to figure out what happened to the 11 year old.
Luke's case was largely forgotten over the years, and next to nothing about Luke was posted online until a June, 2024 Centralia Chronicle article by Eric Trent who is our guest in this episode. Eric discusses with us the clues and the theories in this case.
When Luke vanished, he was described as an Asian male with Black hair and Brown eyes. He stood 4ft5, and weighed 65 pounds. He has a birthmark on his right buttock. Luke's case is on file with NAMUS. If you have information about Luke's case, please call Raymond police at (360) 942-4120.
To listen to this episode ad-free and get access to other podcast benefits, consider an AbJack Insider subscription.
To contact the podcast or learn more about the cases we discuss visit: Missingpersonspodcast.com Follow us on Social media on Facebook or Twitter