Britt Lapthorne, a young Australian backpacker, met a mysterious death in Dubrovnik, Croatia, with suspicions of murder, police coverup, and attempted abductions in the same area adding complexity to the unresolved case.

10: Britt Lapthorne: Dubrovnik, Croatia

The Last Trip is a true crime podcast exclusively investigating missing and murdered victims that were living their best lives… on vacation.
Jaimie Beebe, co-host of the popular True Crime podcast “Strictly Stalking”, brings together the two things she’s most passionate about: True Crime & Travel.  Through her own solo travels around the world she has a unique perspective on staying alive in paradise.  Join Jaimie as she recreates someone’s last days in paradise on The Last Trip.

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True crime

Chong Sum Yee, known to everyone as Angie, was 22 years old when she left home on a solo trip from Malaysia to Thailand on May 29, 2023.

It was her first time traveling abroad alone, and she didn't inform anyone about her plans. Her family only discovered she was gone through a Facebook post.

What happens next has more twists and turns than most Hollywood movies, and Angie has not been seen in person since.

Listen as we dive into Thailand, the case of Angie Chong, and how to stay alive on vacation.



Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/



And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast



Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Residue: A True Crime Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/residue-a-true-crime-podcast/id1717440815



Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter



Sources:

https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/5384882



https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2587046/missing-malaysian-woman-tracked-to-myanmar-border



https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2585344/family-fears-for-malaysian-woman-missing-in-chiang-rai



https://says.com/my/news/missing-malaysian-angie-chong-sum-yee-thailand-claims-safe-videos-suspicious



https://www.sinchew.com.my/?p=4733547



https://www.sinchew.com.my/news/20230611/nation/4743988



https://youtu.be/pK22pYLzc-M?si=Trnrh-2dRvFK88vv



https://says.com/my/news/family-thai-cops-looking-for-missing-22-year-old-malaysian-in-chiang-rai



 https://youtu.be/t7p9XGQMzzY?si=LsVNNiBe7TtU6Cty



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak8SbLkKjNE



https://coconuts.co/kl/features/missing-malaysian-mystery-unraveling-the-events-of-angie-chong-sum-yees-disappearance-in-thailand/



https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/06/918663/mother-missing-beautician-has-fb-insta-accounts-hacked-several-times



https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2023/06/08/the-casinos-land-malay-chinese-woman-disappears-in-myanmar/#google_vignette



https://www.therakyatpost.com/news/malaysia/2023/06/11/rm10k-ransom-for-safe-return-of-missing-beautician-in-thailand/



https://selangorjournal.my/2023/06/mother-of-missing-malaysian-in-thailand-does-not-believe-fb-videos-of-her-safety/



https://www.todayonline.com/world/malaysian-woman-missing-thailand-2189661



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_trafficking_in_Myanmar#:~:text=Victims%20are%20lured%20by%20the,borders%20such%20as%20Shwe%20Kokko.



https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/crime/chiang-rai-crackdown-reveals-human-trafficking-and-drug-abuse-in-mae-sai-lounges#google_vignette



https://www.adb.org/news/features/human-trafficking-continues-haunt-asia



https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-trafficking-in-persons-report/#:~:text=HUMAN%20TRAFFICKING%20DEFINED,within%20this%20definition.



https://www.usaid.gov/asia-regional/peace-and-security



https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/11/myanmars-criminal-zones-growing-threat-global-security#:~:text=By%20one%20account%2C%20as%20many,and%20were%20even%20reverberating%20globally.

28: "Angie" Chong Sum Yee: Mae Sai, Thailand

Mariska Mast was 23 years old when she left the Netherlands on a backpacking adventure through Central America.  Her journey led her to the picturesque island of Roatan, Honduras, where she decided to pursue a PADI Scuba Diving course. 

It was there that she crossed paths with a scuba instructor, with whom she spent the night before her scheduled departure for Costa Rica.

Tragically, the following morning, she was dead.  The circumstances surrounding her death remain shrouded in mystery, compounded by botched autopsies.

Without sufficient evidence, the question of whether Mariskka met her end through foul play or a tragic accident remains unanswered.

Adding to intrigue, the scuba instructor she spent the night with hastily left the island, while his female roommate faced accusations of Mariska's murder, only to be later acquitted.

Listen as we dive into Roatan, the case of Mariska Mast, and how to stay alive on vacation.



Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/



And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast



Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Crime Salad

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crime-salad/id1457141569



Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter



Sources:

https://mariskamast.blogspot.com/



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jisoo_Han



https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/181544/Vader-Mariska-Mast-maakte-reconstructie-van-moord-op-zijn-dochter



https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/dutch-backpacker-infatuated-with-perth-man-friend-ng-ya-200605



https://docplayer.nl/53356804-Bewijslast-januari-2016-inderdaad-een-last-volgens-herbert-mast-vader-van-mariska.html



https://web.archive.org/web/20110726064736/http:/www.freejisoo.org/old/



https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/diver-faces-new-murder-arrest-bid-ng-ya-200072



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jisoo_Han#Death_of_Mariska_Mast



https://web.archive.org/web/20081201171446/http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s080826.html



https://web.archive.org/web/20170312065844/http://www.bayislandsvoice.com/issue-v7-10.htm



https://scubaboard.com/community/threads/sad-news-on-roatan.250329/page-3



https://www.islandhouseroatan.com/about-west-bay-beach.htm



https://madisonsfootsteps.com/is-roatan-safe/


27: Mariska Mast: Roatan, Honduras

Leta Cordes, 49, disappeared from St. Maarten on January 11th, 2008. Originally from Orange County, California, Leta and her husband had recently built a vacation home on the island. 

They had just enjoyed their first Christmas holiday with friends when Leta left her house after dinner and drinks to gamble at the nearby resort... but she never returned.

There are very few physical clues in this case, but someone out there holds the truth about Leta's fate. Many of her friends believe it was her husband, and authorities have named him as suspect number one, but what if it wasn't him?

What unfolded that night, leading to Leta Cordes's mysterious disappearance?

Listen as we dive into St Maarten, the case of Leta Cordes, and how to stay alive on vacation.



Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/



And join our Patreon for ad free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast



Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, The Missing Found

https://www.themissingfound.com/



Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter



Sources:

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna30625972



https://thecinemaholic.com/frank-cordes-where-is-leta-cordess-husband-now/



https://thecinemaholic.com/leta-cordes-found-or-missing-is-she-dead-or-alive/



https://www.jludwick.com/Notes/St_Maarten_08/Disappearance.html



https://www.facebook.com/groups/71360591704/posts/10157829104561705/



https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6050072&page;=1



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/was-it-murder-in-paradise/



https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/4895-massive-search-for-leta-lynn-cordes-on-french-side-of-island-friends-of-cordes-want-to-give-her-proper-burial-said-investigators-are-acting-smartly



https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-23-me-missing23-story.html



https://missionviejo.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/mvs-missing-leta-cordes-mother-dies/



https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/4114-the-search-for-leta-lynn-cordes-continues-media-after-the-husband-cordes-blast-police-a-prosecutors.html



https://www.mysittivacations.com/blog/solo-female-travel-sint-maarten


26: Leta Cordes: St Maarten

Carla Valpeoz was 35 years old when she left Michigan with a friend 

to attend a wedding, celebrate her birthday, and explore Peru.

Following the wedding, and wanting to do some solo exploring, Carla ventured alone 

to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

But tragically, the last known sighting of Carla was captured by surveillance cameras in the village of Pisac on the morning of December 12th, 2018, a she made her way toward the Sacred Valley.

This journey held profound significance for Carla, because she had been slowly losing her sight since childhood and already had very low vision.  She was determined to see the wonders of the world before darkness took over.

What transpired thereafter remains a mystery. Did Carla's visual impairment render her vulnerable to foul play? Or did an unfortunate accident befall her?

Listen as we dive into Peru, the case of Carla Valpeoz, and how to stay alive on vacation.



Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/



And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast



Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter



Sources: 

https://www.facebook.com/helpfindcarla/



https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/12/18/blind-traveler-missing-peru-machu-picchu/2346056002/?fbclid=IwAR2ZdWeosmA-m7GOCTfC0_ddOSK-5KT7FoKJ44xdeCHypMCLqDnwq-v4Hrg_aem_AdI1a74ikARqKb8UCcs9Ix0rNzAHr-GLBVt05OT-IlORF4keGgP2NF9yEE23TOVBBbseZyiUmG_nPUyXvyQsRpS6



https://www.wxyz.com/news/metro-detroit-woman-on-mission-to-see-world-before-losing-her-vision-goes-missing-in-peru?fbclid=IwAR2d9U_B9Vq5N6ZhZkEZmIzJeVpKOjxjoRW2xSpQ65ECElSV3nwSRf1jOxU_aem_AdLcC0HZDNSUC1PdaWGOLil3lBwG81UvJEyQqXo01GDgvdMz85Ekk0max_55VN-r5j5uVt_t2Z6getrtEHV_Y69o



https://abcnews.go.com/US/wanted-world-blind-now-michigan-woman-missing-peru/story?id=59882803&fbclid;=IwAR0848pXx6qwJDSrrtyXezigE4_iyzH08B_dno1HJ6BhosUB4oVtfzmtDEk_aem_AdJLncj-8nzxQ_vUudn15gKhpgKbk3WM-uZK3q4O5G_3mjuKUjILvHA-Nh-XcSPfPaGFc02Z53y8GniwKDhPo3F5



https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/18/americas/peru-missing-american-michigan/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0848pXx6qwJDSrrtyXezigE4_iyzH08B_dno1HJ6BhosUB4oVtfzmtDEk_aem_AdJLncj-8nzxQ_vUudn15gKhpgKbk3WM-uZK3q4O5G_3mjuKUjILvHA-Nh-XcSPfPaGFc02Z53y8GniwKDhPo3F5



https://www.gofundme.com/f/56wf3x-find-carla



https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/i-need-to-find-her-almost-5-years-since-ttu-graduates-disappearance-in-peru-family-still-searching/



https://www.wxyz.com/news/family-continues-search-3-years-after-carla-valpeoz-disappeared-in-peru



https://www.miusa.org/resource/personal-stories/carla/



https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2021/12/28/detroiter-carla-valpeoz-missing-peru-family-search/8924009002/



https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/09/us/carla-valpeoz-missing-abroad/index.html



https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/decisions/mc/2023/res_61-23_mc_265-19_pe_en.pdf



https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/adventure-travel/how-to-travel-to-machu-picchu



https://thepartyingtraveler.com/2019/12/06/the-backpackers-guide-to-pisac-peru/








25: Carla Valpeoz: Pisac, Peru

Elliot Blair, 33, and his wife Kim from Orange County, California, traveled to Rosarito, Mexico, to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.

On the evening of January 13, 2023, after enjoying dinner, drinks, and dancing, the couple returned to their resort. While Kim went to sleep, Elliot took a shower before bed.

Shortly afterward, hotel staff woke Kim to inform her that Elliot had died.

Mexican authorities concluded that Elliot had been intoxicated and accidentally fell over the railing of the open-air walkway. However, with a blood alcohol level of 0.1, a fall of only 20-25 feet, and 40 fractures to the back of his skull, his family thinks he was murdered.

Listen as we dive into Rosarito, the case of Elliot Blair, and how to stay alive on vacation.



Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/



And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast



Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, True Crime Society

https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/

https://www.instagram.com/truecrimesociety/



Donate to The Elliot Blair Foundation: https://theelliotblairfoundation.com/



Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter



Sources:

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/01/12/a-year-after-the-death-of-oc-lawyer-elliot-blair-in-mexico-mystery-remains-but-healing-begins/



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elliot-blair-death-mexico-widow-public-defender-found-dead-in-mexico-strange-incident/



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elliot-blair-death-orange-county-public-defender-dies-mexico-family-says-victim-brutal-crime/



https://nypost.com/2023/02/09/autopsy-finds-that-elliot-blair-was-murdered-in-mexico-attorney/



https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/elliot-blair-mexico-autopsy-resort-b2280764.html



https://nypost.com/2023/02/11/elliot-blair-hit-and-dragged-before-death-lawyer/



https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-09/california-public-defender-died-mexico-skull-fractures?utm_source=reddit.com



https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-11/elliot-blair-orange-county-deputy-public-defender-who-died-in-mexico-remembered-for-his-generosity



https://abc7.com/elliot-blair-death-garden-grove-celebration-of-life-2023/12802153/



https://tylerpaper.com/attorney-elliot-blair-s-death-in-mexico-raises-troubling-questions-for-american-citizens-abroad/article_ba8be1a6-ac09-11ed-bb8d-f387763c3077.html



https://theelliotblairfoundation.com/



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11738135/Blood-inside-hotel-room-hallway-Mexico-resort-California-public-defender-dead.html



https://www.the-sun.com/news/1655738/mexico-haunted-devil-castle-satan-worshippers/



https://travelladies.app/safety/mexico/rosarito


10: Britt Lapthorne: Dubrovnik, Croatia

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