Casefile

Case 268: Colleen Stan (Part 1/2)

On the afternoon of Friday, June 6 1980, the telephone rang at the southern California home of Jack Martin. A contractor by trade, Jack was at work, so the call was answered by his teenage daughter Bonnie. Not immediately recognising the female voice on the other end of the line, Bonnie asked: “Who is this?” The caller responded: “Bonnie, it’s your sister. It’s Colleen.” Bonnie was in shock. Her older sister, Colleen Stan, had inexplicably disappeared three years...

Casefile Presents: The Bakersfield Three

When three friends disappeared or were murdered within a 30-day period in a California town, an investigation began that would ultimately unearth dark secrets and revelations no one was prepared for.

Written and reported by award-winning investigative crime reporter Olivia LaVoice. All 15 episodes of The Bakersfield Three are available to stream right now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen here: 

Website- 2023-11-07 17:35:39 +0000 UTC View Post

Case 267: Brian Barrett

In the spring of 2005, two 18-year-olds met in an online chat room and immediately hit it off. Jessi went by the username TalHotBlond, while her new friend Tommy called himself MarineSniper. It wasn’t long before the two had fallen in love and gotten engaged… But less than a year into their relationship, the romance would be destroyed by a shocking revelation that ultimately led to devastating consequences…

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Erin Mu...

Case 266: Circleville Letter Writer

This was Patreon Picks #27, released in March 2023. It is not new content, it is the same episode, but as Patreon picks episodes are now going to be released on the main feed months after their initial Patreon release, we had to repost it so that all episodes can keep the same numbering on the main feed and the Patreon feed.

As this is an exclusive Patreon perk, we ask that you do not share the RSS feed and refrain from discussing this case elsewhere until the general release.<...

Premium Episode #21 - Mark Van Dongen

Dutch national Mark van Dongen met South African Berlinah Wallace in 2010 in Bristol, England. After 5 years together, Mark decided he wanted to end the relationship. He finally broke it off in August 2015 when he met someone new.

When Berlinah Wallace refused to accept Mark’s decision, she became so consumed with anger and jealousy that she did the unthinkable. Her actions lead to devastating consequences.

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly...

Case 265: Marea Yann

For Marea Yann, two things mattered most in life - family and community. When the 69-year-old was found violently bludgeoned to death in her Healesville home, the small Victorian town was left shaken. It seemed impossible that anyone would want to hurt this doting grandmother and dedicated volunteer worker. But as investigators learned more about Marea’s life, it quickly became clear that Marea had been living in fear of one person in particular.

Team:

Anonymous...

Case 264: Andrew Gosden

When 14-year-old Andrew Gosden mysteriously disappeared from his home in the UK suburb of Doncaster, evidence emerged to indicate that he’d left of his own free will. But Andrew was a gifted, intellectual teenager who came from a loving and supportive family - not your typical teenage runaway. As the questions began to stack up and the days passed by with no word from Andrew, his worried family were forced to face the unthinkable: had Andrew been lured away and fallen victim to foul play? 2023-10-14 07:54:29 +0000 UTC View Post

Behind the Files & Q&A October 2023

In October 2023 Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha and Erin to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 256 - Jill Rosenthal

Case 257 - Joe Gliniewicz

Case 258 - Kay Mortensen

Case 259 - Jamie Lavis

Case 263: Kim Barry

When Brian and Beverly Barry returned from a weekend away to discover their 19-year-old daughter Kim was gone, they initially assumed she was out with friends. Then news broke that a body had been found in some bushland south of their home in Wollongong, New South Wales, and it wasn’t long before the truth came out. Kim had been murdered and brutally mutilated after a night out with a friend. The crime had all the hallmarks of a gangland slaying… but police soon honed in on an acquaintanc...

Case 262: Samia Shahid

This was Patreon Picks #26, released in February 2023. It is not new content, it is the same episode, but as Patreon picks episodes are now going to be released on the main feed months after their initial Patreon release, we had to repost it so that all episodes can keep the same numbering on the main feed and the Patreon feed.

As this is an exclusive Patreon perk, we ask that you do not share the RSS feed and refrain from discussing this case elsewhere until the general releas...

Premium Episode #20 - Widden Hill Farm

43-year-old Graham Backhouse lived a peaceful life with his wife and children on Widden Hill Farm in Horton, England. But in 1984, a campaign of harassment directed at Graham left him fearing for his safety.

When his wife Margaret Backhouse becomes the victim of a targeted attack, investigators consider who could have a motive to hurt the loving couple. The focus soon turns on a neighbour, Colyn Beadle-Taylor, but all is not what it seems.

Team:

Anonymous Ho...

Behind The Files

Hello Patrons,  

We're preparing to record the latest episode of Behind the Files where we will be discussing the following episodes: 

256 - Jill Rosenthal 

257 - Joe Gliniewicz 

258 - Kay Mortensen 

259 - Jamie Lavis  

Share any questions, queries or feedback about these cases (or anything else you'd like to know about Casefile and the team) in the comments below and we'll address them in our discussion. ...

Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 2/2)

When nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was abducted from the front of her family’s trailer in Richland County, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns that her kidnapping could be linked to the recent murder of Lexington teenager, Shari Smith. Those fears were confirmed when Shari’s sister Dawn received a chilling phone call directing authorities to Debra May’s body.

The news that a serial killer was on the loose had South Carolina residents gripped by fear. As the investigati...

Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 1/2)

When 17-year-old Shari Smith disappeared from the end of her family's driveway in Lexington, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns for her wellbeing. Shari had a rare medical condition that could turn fatal without her medication.

But any concerns that Shari’s illness could have caused her disappearance were quickly quashed after the Smith family received an odd phone call, prompting the largest manhunt in South Carolina’s history. As the taunting calls continued, the questi...

Case 260: The Alpine Manor Murders

The Director of Nursing at the Alpine Manor Nursing Home in Grand Rapids, Michigan was thrilled when Catherine Wood and Gwen Graham joined their team of nursing aides in the mid 1980s. They were hard working, enthusiastic and well-liked. But soon after they started, some residents of Alpine Manor began telling the staff that their lives were in peril. When those same residents began to pass away, their deaths were put down to natural causes. Was it old age that killed these residents? Or was ...

Case 259: Jamie Lavis

This was Patreon Picks #25, released in December 2022. It is not new content, it is the same episode, but as Patreon picks episodes are now going to be released on the main feed months after their initial Patreon release, we had to repost it so that all episodes can keep the same numbering on the main feed and the Patreon feed.

As this is an exclusive Patreon perk, we ask that you do not share the RSS feed and refrain from discussing this case elsewhere until the general releas...

Premium Episode #19 - Monster of the Andes

In the late 1970s, young girls along the Andes mountain range in Ecuador began to disappear. By 1980, the number of missing girls had reached national crisis proportions. Police feared the girls had been abducted by international child traffickers and sold into domestic and sexual slavery. That was until a vigilant market vendor spotted something out of the ordinary.

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Holly Boyd - research, writing

Milly R...

Behind the Files & Q&A September 2023

In September 2023 Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha, Holly and Milly to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 252 - Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis & Nicole Patterson

Case 253 - Aarushi Talwar & Hemraj Banjade

Case 254 - Winsie Hau

Case 255 - Rudolf Rupp

Case 258: Kay Mortensen

On November 16 2009, a 911 call was placed to the Utah County Sheriff’s Department by 34-year-old Pamela Mortensen. According to Pamela, her father-in-law Kay Mortensen was brutally murdered in his own home, and the perpetrators were two burglars who had also taken Pamela and her husband Roger hostage. But investigators were suspicious of Pamela and Roger from the start, due to their strange demeanours and inconsistent stories. It would take more than a year for the full and shocking truth ...

First ever live show announcement!

We are thrilled to announce Casefile Presents: Criminal Conversations with true crime mavens Vikki Petraitis and Emily Webb. Two of Australia’s most respected True Crime authorities, top-charting podcasters and award-winning, acclaimed authors bring their Criminal Conversations to a live audience this September, with shows at 8pm Fri 22 Sep at York On Lilydale, Mount Evelyn and S...

Case 257: Joe Gliniewicz

After a routine check on suspicious activity turns to tragedy for Illinois Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz, Fox Lake locals struggle to come to grips with the loss of their hero cop. 

A statewide manhunt ensues, but when the perpetrators aren’t immediately apprehended, the question is raised - could this have been a targeted attack?

Team:

Anonymous Host - narration

Elsha McGill - research, writing

Milly Raso - creative...

Case 256: Jill Rosenthal

On April 27 1964, young mother Dora Fronczak was in her hospital bed feeding her one-day-old son, Paul, when a nurse entered the room and said she had to take Paul back to the nursery. Dora handed her baby over and the nurse hurried out of the room. 

Still carrying baby Paul, the nurse fled the hospital through a rear entrance and disappeared into Chicago’s city streets. It didn’t take long for staff at Michael Reese Hospital to realise Paul Fronczak had been kidnapped, and soo...

Behind the Files & Q&A August 2023

In August 2023 Behind the Files and the Q&A, the Anonymous Host is joined by Elsha, Erin and Milly to answer your questions and discuss the making of:

Case 248 - Abraham Shakespeare

Case 249 - Lorraine Wilson & Wendy Evans

Case 250 - Amy Boyer

Case 251 - The Caldwell Farmhouse Murders

BTF and Q&A

Hello everyone. The team will be recording the next instalment of BTF and the general Q&A tomorrow. So not long left to get your questions in. Just a reminder the cases covered on this episode will be;

252: Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis & Nicole Patterson

253: Aarushi Talwar & Hemraj Banjade

254: Winsie Hau

255: Rudolf Rupp

And you can also ask any general questions you have which are not related to these cases. Thank you. 

BTF and Q&A

Hello Patreon, this is a call out for questions for the next BTF and Q&A. This new episode will cover Cases;

252: Margaret Maher, Mersina Halvagis & Nicole Patterson

253: Aarushi Talwar & Hemraj Banjade

254: Winsie Hau

255: Rudolf Rupp

(The episode covering cases 248-251 has been recorded and will be out soon)

And remember with the new format, you can also ask any general questions you have for the team. Thank you. 

Casefile Presents: Dragonfly

There has been an incredible response listener wise so far to Dragonfly. Thanks to everyone who has listened. As with most podcasts we have released, the reviews we receive make up a tiny percentage of overall listeners. If you have listened to the series and liked it, could you please leave it a positive review. On the flip side, if you want to leave a legitimate negative review, then fair play. 

Often it is the case those who are negative are more inclined to write a review, and ...

BTF and Q&A

Hello all, the team is getting ready to record the next ep of Behind the Files and the general Q&A. The episodes that will be discussed on BTF are;

Case 248 Abraham Shakespeare

Case 249 Lorraine Wilson and Wendy Evans

Case 250 Amy Boyer

Case 251 The Caldwell Farmhouse murders

If you have any questions specific to these cases send them in. And as we are now combining the general Q&A with BTF, you can ask any other questions as well. If you have any audio/m...

Announcement

Hello Patreon supporters. This is a quick message to let you know that Case 255: Rudolph Rupp was our last episode before we take a month-long, mid-year break. We will be back with new episodes on August 19.

If you need something to listen to while we’re away, check out the Casefile Presents series, In the Shadows. Previously only available on Wondery Plus, In The Shadows is now freely available wherever you get your podcasts. There are two seperate feeds (one is the...

Case 255: Rudolf Rupp

When 52-year-old German farmer Rudolf Rupp failed to return home from a night out drinking in the town of Neuburg an der Donau, several questions were raised. Had Rudolf accidentally driven into the nearby Donau River? 

Had he taken his own life? Or was he the victim of something more sinister?

The police turned to Rudolf’s wife Hermine and their two daughters, Manuela and Andrea, for answers, opening up a can of worms that no one could have seen coming.

Team:...