Robert Hansen hunted his victims and crossed them off on a map. When the police walked into Cindy Paulson’s motel room at Big Timber, she was shaking and hysterical, trying to remove the handcuffs digging into her wrists. She’d survived an attack by a man who had paid her for sex and instead abducted her, tied her up in his home, and would have eventually killed her if she hadn’t escaped. Cindy’s quick thinking and luck helped her get away from her captor, but there were many

For the McCann family, the newest search isn’t about publicity, it’s about keeping someone locked up.

Hazel Drew’s death remains unsolved, unlike her on-screen counterpart. In the summer of 1908, the resort town of Sand Lake in Rensselaer County, New York was busy. The usual population of around 2,000 made way for holidaymakers and the July temperature was climbing. However, the visiting families would soon be joined by reporters and investigators, when the body of a woman turned up in Teal’s Pond. Hazel Drew via Times Union courtesy of Bob Moore, Sand Lake Historian Twenty-y

Griffith Park's extensive parklands and diverse landscapes make it a popular choice for portraying jungle brush, desert scenes, and summer camps in TV and film productions. However, its vast size and rugged terrain also make it an ideal location for disposing of bodies, suicides, and accidental deaths. Photo by De’Andre Bush on Unsplash The park, which sits on the eastern edge of the Santa Monica mountains, is one of the largest urban parks in North America, with attractions

What should have been an easy crime to solve is now a cold case. On the 18th of April 2016, while getting ready to teach a fitness class at a local church, Terri “Missy” Bevers was murdered by an unknown assailant. Six years on, her case is still unsolved. Missy Bevers via courtjunkie.com Missy was a 45-year-old mother of three from Red Oak, Texas. She took fitness very seriously and taught her own classes. She was an active member of the community and had no known enemies.

Socialite Mimi Boomhower disappeared with seemingly no trace at all, but why? And who had the motive to get rid of her?

Karina Holmer was discovered in a dumpster, but only half of her has ever been found. Boston, Massachusetts in 1996 was a very different city. The Boston Police Department was struggling with youth violence, specifically the use of guns and homicides. The Boston Gun Project Working Group had begun to meet in January 1995, but Operation Ceasefire had only been implemented a year later in January 1996. There were still attacks around the city, but ultimately, the streets were

Dorothy Arnold vanished while shopping on Fifth Avenue, triggering a manhunt that continues to this day. Dorothy Arnold via Wikimedia Commons Born in 1885 to a wealthy goods importer, Dorothy was one of Mary and Francis’ four children. The Arnolds were considered high society and socialised with New York royalty, including the Rockefellers. Dorothy was a writer but had found it near impossible to be published in credible magazines. Her family made fun of her failure, and inst

The Hollywood actress’ case is still unsolved seven decades later. Jean Spangler via Wikipedia On the 7th of October 1949, Jean Spangler said goodbye to her daughter, walked out of her apartment door in Park La Brea, and vanished. This would be the last time Christine would ever see her mother alive. What followed was one of the biggest manhunts in Los Angeles history. Jean Elizabeth Spangler was born on 2nd September 1923 in Seattle, Washington, to Florence and Cecil Spangle

Known as the ‘holy grail’ of cold cases, our victim finally has a name Facial reconstruction of the Lady of the Dunes via Wikimedia Commons The Lady of the Dunes case has puzzled local law enforcement and web sleuths across the globe for the past four decades. However, in 2015, the case was brought to the forefront of popular culture when author Joe Hill believed he saw the woman on screen. The woman was found beneath long grass by a young girl walking her dog on the 26th of

Halloween is a night of scares and sweet treats but under the cloak of a mask, it’s also the perfect cover for a crime. Cindy Song via The Charley Project Cindy Song was born in South Korea as Hyun Jong Song. In the mid-nineties, Cindy moved to Virginia, to live with her aunt and uncle to attend school in America. She was accepted into Pennsylvania State University after high school, where she majored in integrative arts, a course that combined engineering, communications and

On the 8th of April 1954, the discovery of a young woman’s body shocked the community of Boulder, Colorado. Found eight miles west of the...

During the reign of King Louis XIV of France, a mysterious man was incarcerated in several prisons throughout France and Italy. With scant historical information, the legend of the Man in the Iron Mask would be questioned over the centuries to come. Man in the Iron Mask depiction via RadioTimes.com In July 1669, the Marquis de Louvois sent a letter to Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars, the governor of Pignerol prison, located in Piedmont at the foot of the Alps. The letter stat

Maureen Brubaker Farley’s murderer has been identified after 50 years of hiding in plain sight. The autumn season hadn’t yet hit Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and teenagers Kevin Coppess and Danny Lineweaver had one thing on their minds; they wanted to hunt. They’d taken their guns down to the woods and come across a woman asleep on top of a car in the ravine just off Ely Road. They didn’t want to disturb her, so they slung their rifles over their shoulders and continued on their way,

The musician was bludgeoned to death in his Skid Row loft, but no one has ever been arrested for the crime. Peter Ivers via Wikipedia.com Peter Ivers had a knack for the odd and the curious. A gifted musician, the Harvard Alum had friends in high places, including Harold Ramis, David Lynch, and John Belushi. The Illinois native moved around during his formative years. With an ill father who eventually died, his mother married a businessman from Boston, where the family would

The four girls were killed in the store, but poor investigation and a community full of rage meant that this case is still unsolved. On the 6th of December 1991, Jennifer Harbison and Eliza Thomas were serving the last few customers of the day at I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt! in Austin, Texas. Despite being 17 years old, their manager trusted them to close the shop on their own, and they were cleaning up as they went, to get the store closed on time, at 11 pm. Jennifer’s siste

Police admit Georgina Gharsallah’s homicide case was full of mistakes from the outset. Georgina Gharsallah via BBC.co.uk On the 7th of March 2018, the 30-year-old mother of two, Georgina Gharsallah, went into town to run errands like any other day. She visited the JobCentre to look for new work opportunities and went to a phone shop. She was recorded on CCTV in the phone shop in Worthing, West Sussex, on the south coast of England, but after this stop, she vanished on a busy

Julie Ann Hanson was just 15 years old when she was killed while riding her brother’s bike. Julie Ann Hanson via Naperville Police Department The 1970s were a simpler time. Then, doors were left unlocked, people knew their neighbours, and latch-key kids were typical. Julie and her siblings were no different. The teenager was desperate to attend the local baseball game in Naperville, so she borrowed her brother’s bicycle and left for the pitch. Julie never returned home from t

Three movie stars, a boat and an alleged cover-up. Natalie Wood via HBO.com The news of Natalie Wood’s death shocked Hollywood. But, with film royalty involved, a seemingly botched autopsy and hushed whispers fluttering through the hills of affairs and murder, what really happened that night on board the yacht? Born Natalia Zakharenko on the 20th of July 1938, Natalie Wood rose to fame at a very young age. Her mother, Maria, was the instigator of Natalie taking this path to f

The cold case was solved in 52 days after an intern got hold of the file. When witnesses saw a mother and young child walking in the...