In July of 1990, 41-year-old Pamela Hoy had dinner with her estranged husband in Burlington, N.C. and packed her van in preparation for an upcoming dog show. She disappeared that night, and while her remains were found months later, the case has never been solved. Seven-year-old Jennifer Patterson went missing after going to visit some neighborhood children in Spring Lake, N.C. in June of 1991. Could she still be alive and was she abducted as part of a parental custody dispute?...

An update on the Madalina Cojocari missing persons case from Cornelius, North Carolina. We also take a look at Crystal Morrison, who went missing from Concord in 2012, Marty Teague's disappearance from Statesville in 2018, and the 1983 South Carolina cold case of Lisa Thompson and Russell Anthony. Show Sponsors: Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html Skincare by SkinxErin (use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10) for ten percent off your...

A true crime podcast is nothing without its guests. For our 100th episode, Renee takes a look back at some of the conversations she's had with true crime authors, advocates, and historians over the past four years. Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing Renee's Digital Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php

College is a time for young people to explore their individuality and take on new responsibility. This episode examines the still-unsolved missing persons cases of Jason Wood, Virginia "Ginni" Wood, and Martin Roberts. Missing in the Carolinas will return with a new episode next week.

Renee takes a look at some of the factors that cause a person to go missing with specific examples from past episodes. Plus, she shares the case of Samantha Josephson, who disappeared outside a bar in South Carolina after getting into a car she thought was her Uber. Link to study about prevalence of violence in missing and unidentified persons cases: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/how-prevalent-violence-missing-and-unidentified-persons-cases#1 Show Sponsors: Renee's digital course on...

It's always suspicious when a newlywed who turns up murdered or deceased in an accident has a spouse who stands to collect a large life insurance policy. This was the case of Lucille Rinaldi, who was murdered in 1963, and Brenda Anderson, who drowned mysteriously in 1965. We also take a look at one of Chapel Hill's oldest cold cases, the murder of 71-year-old Rachel Crook. Co-Writer: Mia Roberson Renee's "You Can Start a Podcast!" Video...

In 1984, 7-year-old Carrie Wilkerson was brutally murdered in her stepmother's home in the early morning hours. A year later, Jean Fewel was abducted and murdered as she was walking to school. Were the two crimes connected? With the community still processing these murders, three students from UNC, Perry Zimmerman, Sharon Stewart, and Freshteh Golkho were killed all within the same year. What was the cause for this spike in violent crime in the 1980s? Renee's "You Can Start a Podcast!" Video...

Twenty-three-year-old Andy Sigmon was last seen on April 5, 2016 near a historical landmark almost an hour away from his home. What compelled him to go to that location, and what happened after he disappeared into the woods after talking to several different people? Blake and London Deven, two adopted children from Fayetteville, N.C. (now ages 17 and 27) have not been seen in years and police and the FBI are questioning why it took so long for them to be reported missing. We also give an...

On the afternoon of July 30, 1965, 21-year-old Suellen Evans was taking a summer session at the University of North Carolina when she was attacked and murdered in the Coker Arboretum. While police quickly utilized bloodhounds and organized group searches to help find the murder weapon, their efforts failed confirm a solid suspect or turn up any other leads. The case remains cold, but Suellen's hometown of Mooresville and the college campus have never forgotten the frustrating details of this...

On April 15, 1973, Virginia "Ginger" Olson left her dorm room on the campus of UNC-Asheville for an afternoon of studying at the nearby botanical gardens. A few hours later, two teenagers walking through the woods came across a horrifying crime scene. Who murdered the 19-year-old in broad daylight on that spring morning? We discuss this open and active case, the list of suspects questioned at the time, the history of the nearby psychiatric hospital where the primary suspect may have been a...

Forty years ago, Sharon Beatrice Jones was murdered on the campus of Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina over spring break. Despite the police interviewing numerous suspects and administering polygraph tests, the case almost immediately went cold, and what's more perplexing is the small digital footprint involving details of the crime. Is there still a way to find justice in this cold case? This episode was written by true crime writer Greg Fox. Who Murdered Sharon Beatrice...

Brian "Neil" Hooks went missing from Florence, S.C. in 1988 and his family is still hoping for answers. Andy Tench disappeared from Belmont, N.C. in late March of 2024 and while his car has been found, there is still no sign of him. Charlotte, N.C. resident Mary Collins was brutally murdered by two people she called friends in March 2020 and one of the accused is still out on bond. We also provide an update to the Trails Carolina case from North Carolina.

Four-year-old Jeremy Grice went missing from his home in South Carolina in 1984 and his family believes it was a non-custodial kidnapping. Crystal Faye Todd was murdered in Conway, S.C. in 1991, and when DNA evidence pointed out that her killer was someone she trusted, her community was stunned. Ann Fox Smith was a beloved middle school teacher who was killed in her home in 2008, and her killer remains at large.

Fresh out of medical residency, Dr. Benjamin Gilmer joined a rural North Carolina clinic only to find that its previous doctor shared his last name. Dr. Vince Gilmer was loved and respected by the community—right up until he strangled his ailing father and then returned to the clinic for a regular week of work. Vince’s eventual arrest for murder shocked his patients. How could their beloved doctor be capable of such violence? The deeper Benjamin looked into Vince’s case, the more he became...

Since 2017, the DNA Doe Project has worked on more than 200 cases of unidentified remains. We take a look at recent success stories in identifying people from South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas. Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Show Sponsor: SkinxErin Products: Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10

20 years ago, police in Charlotte, North Carolina finally apprehended a suspect who had been committing a series of brutal rapes and murders across the city. But once they caught him, they realized he was responsible for more violence in the Carolinas than they first suspected. Why did Henry Louis Wallace, who many considered a friend, target the women he did? And how did his crimes affect the children of these victims?

In November 2014, 17-year-old Alec Lansing left a group he was hiking with as part of the wilderness therapy program Trails Carolina. He was later found deceased in the woods after a tragic accident, leaving many to wonder what he was hoping to escape. On Feb. 3 of this year, a 12-year-old boy who had arrived at the program only 24 hours before was found dead early in the morning. His cause of death is still being investigated, and the school has been ordered to temporarily shut down. What is...

This episode features the cold cases of Mike O'Boyle and Jack Robinson, as well as the missing persons case of Paula Merchant. We also discuss the story of Shelton Sanders, who is presumed dead although his body has never been found, and two sisters named Candy and Darcel Sanders who disappeared late one rainy night in 2022. Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Renee's Course on Podcasting: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_Podcasting.php Skinxerin Products: Use code...

Renee Roberson reviews three true crime programs currently streaming on Hulu, Netflix, and Max. Cover art by Mackintosh Multimedia Renee's True Crime Writing Webinar: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php SkinxErin Products-Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10

High school student Denise Durham was murdered in Hendersonville in 1981 and the man accused of the crime was her vocal instructor. What would lead an older former Broadway actor to commit such a crime? Shelby Wilkie vanished from her Hendersonville home in January 2012, leaving a 3-month-old daughter behind. Her family suspected the worst, and they were right. Twenty-five-year-old Marissa Carmichael remains missing from Greensboro after a night out with acquaintances, and the stories of what...

What is a body broker and why is the industry so unregulated? Is it really legal to arrange the sale of human tissue and body parts to be used for medical research? Renee takes a look at four different business owners, including one in North Carolina, who discovered this lucrative industry and took advantage of grieving families in their darkest hours. For a full list of articles related to this episode, visit www.missinginthecarolinas.com Show Sponsor: WOW! Women on Writing

Renee Roberson takes a look at three unique cases from North Carolina. While a man confessed to the murder of James Chambers in 2018, his body has never been found. Investigators believe they know what happened to Cole Thomas when he went missing while traveling with co-workers through North Carolina, but a confession has yet to happen. And Chapel Hill resident Sydney West disappeared from a park near the Golden Gate Bridge Bridge after she moved there to attend college, and her parents are...

Renee discusses the cases of children who died as a result of controversial parenting techniques, tragic accidents, and provides an update on two South Carolina parents accused of murdering their son in 1989. Learn about true crime writing with Renee Roberson: https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/classroom/ReneeRoberson_TrueCrimeWriting.php Cover Art by Mackintosh Multimedia

January is National Stalking Awareness Month. In January 2003, Debbie Riddle learned her sister Peggy had been murdered by her ex-boyfriend after years of controlling behavior and incidents of stalking. She shares the story of how her sister's death changed her life and motivated her to begin advocating for change in the way law enforcement and communities handle the crime of stalking. www.stalkingmuststop.org https://www.stalkingawareness.org Renee's Story on the "Strictly Stalking"...