Episodes
The disappearance of Joyce Yost has had a multi-generational impact, leaving her children and grandchildren trapped in a repeating nightmare of court hearings and appeals. Following Doug Lovell's 2015 conviction for Joyce's murder, the jury faces the question of whether or not to return him to death row. Their only alternative: life with the chance for parole, which would mean Joyce Yost's killer might some day walk free again. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an...
Published 09/15/21
A man who defended Doug Lovell in court has a few things to say about what went down. Hosts Ann Dent and Sheryl Worsley spoke with defense attorney Mike Bouwhuis. Cold Host Dave Cawley joins the show for big moments. Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the Cold podcast. We begin with Cold season 2: Justice for Joyce. Three ladies, Amy Donaldson, Ann Dent and Sheryl Worsley will talk about weighty issues like sexual...
Published 09/10/21
A turn to religion for Douglas Lovell as he heads toward trial, 30 long years after the crime. He finds sympathy and support among several people of faith, particularly bishops for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Just weeks before his trial is to begin, a man walking his dog spots a human skull at the base of a hill along the same highway where Doug had burned Joyce Yost's clothes on the morning following her murder. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on...
Published 09/08/21
Investigators conducted five official searches for Joyce Yost's body, but came up empty. Cadaver dogs were used multiple times. Amy Donaldson and Sheryl Worsley talk with cadaver dog trainer Jayson Harames with Utah Search Dogs about the abilities and limitations of dogs in finding human remains. Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the Cold podcast. We begin with Cold season 2: Justice for Joyce. Three ladies, Amy...
Published 09/03/21
The promise of returning Joyce Yost's body has fallen through, leaving Doug Lovell with a death sentence. Joyce's children continue pressing for answers about their missing mother's final resting place, while Doug embarks on a more than decade-long series of legal appeals in the hopes of having with guilty plea withdrawn. In the middle of that effort, a new informant named Jared Briggs comes forward claiming to know the actual location of Joyce Yost's remains. Joyce Yost had never met the...
Published 09/01/21
When a criminal defendant gets the death penalty it can feel like a life sentence to the families of the victims. Amy and Sheryl speak with Matt Hunsaker, whose mother, Maurine Hunsaker, was murdered when he was 10 years old in 1986. The ladies also speak with former capital case defense attorney Mark Moffat about the state of the death penalty in Utah. Lastly, Amy and Sheryl talk about what it's like to witness a firing squad execution, which they've each done. Talking Cold is honest and...
Published 08/27/21
The stakes are set for Doug Lovell as he heads toward trial for the murder of Joyce Yost. The capital murder charge carries a potential sentence of death. His only leverage: returning Joyce's body to her family. Doug makes a deal as the clock winds down, promising to lead police to Joyce's grave. Will he really follow through? Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police...
Published 08/25/21
What is it like to work as a detective investigating Cold cases? Amy Donaldson and Sheryl Worsley sat down with Special Agent Brian Davis of the Utah State Bureau of Investigation and member of the state's new Cold Case Unit. He discusses what it's like to investigate a murder when there is no body and the biggest, most rewarding case of his career. Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the Cold podcast. We begin with Cold...
Published 08/20/21
A reckoning comes for Doug Lovell, in the form of a capital murder charge. In a never-before-public audio recording, Sgt. Terry Carpenter confronts Doug about the murder of Joyce Yost. The walls close in and Doug turns to his confidant and co-conspirator: his ex-wife Rhonda Buttars. He doesn't realize Rhonda has obtained immunity and is working against him. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill...
Published 08/18/21
A prison snitch can sometimes provide vital leads about a case, but is it always reliable information? Amy Donaldson and Ann Dent talk with former Salt Lake Police chief Chris Burbank about the pros and cons of information coming from a suspected criminal. Chris currently serves on a national level as the Vice President of law enforcement strategy for the Center for Policing Equity. Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the...
Published 08/13/21
More than five years have passed since Joyce Yost disappeared. A judge declares her deceased in the eyes of the law, even without her body as evidence of a murder. South Ogden police Sgt. Terry Carpenter receives a surprise tip from a prison informant, who suggests Doug Lovell might have played a role not only in Joyce Yost's murder but also in the disappearance of another Ogden-area woman. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and...
Published 08/11/21
An immunity deal becomes a major development in the disappearance of Joyce Yost. Hosts Amy Donaldson and Sheryl Worsley talk with Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings about when it is and when it isn't a good idea to promise immunity. Doug Lovell got out of prison early thanks to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole. The ladies also speak with former Board of Pardons chair Mike Sibbits about deciding to let inmates out early. Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues...
Published 08/06/21
A long shot lead claiming Joyce Yost had died at the hands of a satanic coven took an unexpected turn when South Ogden police Sgt. Terry Carpenter confronted Doug Lovell's ex-wife in April of 1991. Rhonda Buttars came clean to Carpenter, breaking open his investigation more than five years after Joyce's disappearance. But Rhonda did more than just talk. She recorded Doug Lovell while wearing a wire. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who...
Published 08/04/21
Talking Cold hosts Amy Donaldson and Sheryl Worsley interview survivor and advocate Elizabeth Smart.
Published 07/30/21
Doug Lovell's conviction for the rape of Joyce Yost carries a heavy penalty: 15 years-to-life in prison. With Doug safely in custody, South Ogden police turn their attention on his wife, Rhonda. The investigation stalls however, leaving the newly assigned lead detective Terry Carpenter chasing a strange lead involving a claim Joyce died at the hands of a satanic coven. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened...
Published 07/28/21
Joyce Yost went to police. She pressed charges, but it wasn't an easy process. The criminal justice system aspires to ensure justice is served while protecting the rights of the accused. But for victims, it sometimes feels as though they are not being believed. It repeats the horror of the crime over and over. Hosts Amy Donaldson and Ann Dent are joined by Kim Cordova, a former prosecutor and defense attorney for a look at the system from both sides. Plus, Ann and Amy talk BIG moments from...
Published 07/23/21
Joyce Yost has disappeared. Her daughter begs South Ogden police to begin a search, but help is slow in coming. Detectives find nothing out of place in Joyce's apartment, but they miss a major clue suggesting an act of violence occurred right on Joyce's own bed. In Joyce's absence, an unexpected ally steps forward to bring her story before a jury in the rape case against Doug Lovell. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped...
Published 07/21/21
Doug Lovell turns to some old friends in the hopes of silencing Joyce Yost before she can testify. Joyce takes the stand at a preliminary hearing and tells the story of her sexual assault. Through a series of missteps and miscommunications, Lovell repeatedly slips through the fingers of police as the case heads toward trial. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway....
Published 07/21/21
Starting next week, on July 21st, the remaining episodes of season 2: Justice for Joyce, will begin rolling out on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify or whatever platform you're using to listen right now. Episodes will drop one per week, each Wednesday. But if you'd rather not wait, you’ll be able to hop over to Amazon Music at any time and binge the entire season there, for free. A brand new bonus episode of Cold season 2 will drop next week as well, only on Amazon Music. See Privacy Policy...
Published 07/14/21
Spoiler alert! We're halfway through season 2 of Cold. Have you started listening yet? If not, find out what you've been missing in this wrap-up of the first half of the season. Or, get caught up with all of the episodes right now for free exclusively on Amazon Music and Wondery Plus. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway. Then, she vanished. Joyce has never been...
Published 05/25/21
Content warning: We will be talking about sexual assault and rape in this episode. But we really feel there aren't enough conversations about these issues. Hosts Amy Donaldson and Sheryl Worsley speak with Sonya Martinez-Ortiz, Executive Director of the Rape Recovery Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the Cold podcast. We begin with Cold season 2: Justice for Joyce. Three ladies, Amy...
Published 04/16/21
If you're listening to Cold on Apple, Spotify or another service you'll likely notice most of the series has disappeared. Cold is now an Amazon Music exclusive, which means the bulk of season 1 and new episodes from season 2 are only available through the free Amazon Music app or at www.amazon.com/coldpodast. You can also listen by asking Alexa to play the Cold podcast. Episodes of our new companion podcast Talking Cold will continue to appear wherever you get your podcasts. Join in the...
Published 04/15/21
Content advisory: This episode includes detailed discussion of rape and sexual assault. A confrontation in the carport followed by an assault from a stranger. Joyce Yost survives a terrifying attack. Then, with some reluctance, she reports what had happened to the police. Detective Bill Holthaus interviews Joyce before heading out to find the man who'd assaulted her: Douglas Lovell. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped...
Published 04/14/21
Talking Cold is honest and frank conversations about the issues brought forward in the latest episode of the Cold podcast. We begin with Cold season 2: Justice for Joyce. Join hosts Amy Donaldson, Ann Dent and Sheryl Worsley as they talk about weighty issues like sexual assault, the death penalty and failures of the criminal justice system. The goal is more conversation and more understanding. This week’s guest is Cold podcast host/researcher/creator Dave Cawley. Spoiler alert! You will want...
Published 04/09/21
Our story begins with a barrage of bouquets, dozens of unsolicited yellow roses sent by a mysterious male admirer. We then meet a young Joyce Yost in Minnesota and follow her path to Utah. At the same time, a young man named Douglas Lovell finds himself on the wrong side of the law, landing in prison for armed robbery. Joyce Yost had never met the man who followed her home on an April night in 1985, who kidnapped and raped her. He threatened to kill her, but she went to police anyway. Then,...
Published 04/07/21