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In this episode, we tell the heartbreaking story of Peggy Carothers, a 15-year-old girl from Hammond, Indiana, who vanished without a trace in May of 1997. Raised in a tight-knit family of six children, Peggy was bright, funny, and full of life. Her best friend remembers the two of them dancing and singing Alanis Morissette songs, dreaming about the future like any teenage girls would.

But everything changed on a sunny school day when Peggy didn’t come home. Rumors swirled. Friends revealed a secret Peggy had been hiding—one that pointed to a boy she thought she loved. Weeks passed with no answers… until two teens stumbled on a shallow grave in a wooded area known as Higgins Woods.

What followed was a chilling investigation built entirely on whispers, secrets, and circumstantial evidence—leading to a shocking arrest, and a trial that exposed a carefully hidden truth. In the end, Peggy’s story is one of innocence lost, justice fought for, and a small town forever changed.

Sources:

https://www.peacocktv.com/watch/playback/vod/GMO_00000000322409_01/22f8d227-ffd1-3cfd-beb2-deb0eb41e731?paused=true

https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/07/02/hammond-teen-charged-in-ex-girlfriends-slaying/

https://www.oxygen.com/buried-in-the-backyard/crime-news/peggy-carothers-murder-teen-killed-by-ex-boyfriend-buried-in

https://law.justia.com/cases/indiana/supreme-court/1999/09299901-trb.html

https://www.oxygen.com/buried-in-the-backyard/season-3/episode-10/videos/bridal-shop-owner-gives-statement-to-police-about

*This podcast is independently produced using publicly available information and personal research. I approach each story with care and respect, though I recognize that I may not always have access to every voice or perspective involved. If you’re connected to the story and would like to share your experience, I truly welcome the opportunity to include your insights in a future update.

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Credits: RESIDUE is Hosted/Produced/Researched/Edited by Chrissy Champagne

THEME SONG: "Dance Of Death" by Purple Planet Music collection written and performed by Chris Martyn and Geoff Harvey.

Additional music provided by Epidemic Sound.

Residue logo designed by Tricia Cappelli