Every year for Christmas, Jean Wholaver and her family would make the drive to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to spend the holiday with her parents. In 2002, the plan was no different than it had been in previous years. However, this year, Jean and her daughters, Vicky and Izzy, would never make it to her parents’ home on Christmas Eve. The following day, Jean, Vicky and Izzy were found murdered in their home.  As the investigation began, the first suspect detectives looked into was Jean’s estranged husband, Ernest. And they soon learned that Ernest had a strong motive to want his family dead.

Join us for today's episode to learn what happened in the Wholaver home on Christmas Eve 2002. So, grab your cafecito, and let’s get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

When 50-year-old Bill Hall Jr. was driving his motorcycle on October 10, 2013, he never imagined that it would be the last time he rode it. During a vehicle chase on the Texas Highway 1604 between Bill's wife, Frances Hall, and another woman he was seeing, Bonnie Contreras, Bill was run over and lost his life. After Bill’s death, Frances was arrested and charged with his murder.  However, she maintained that it had all been an accident, but Bonnie claimed otherwise. 

Join us for today's episode to learn what truly transpired on that faithful day that ended with Bill losing his life. So, grab your cafecito, and let's get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

On Christmas Eve 2008, the Ortega family gathered for their annual celebration. The family, which included Joseph and Alicia Ortega, their five adult children, and their families, was spread out around the house. Some adults were playing poker, kids were playing video games, and others were hanging out outside by the pool. As everyone was enjoying themselves, there was a knock on the door at around 11:30 pm. The person at the door was someone dressed as Santa Claus. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned into an inconceivable nightmare when "Santa Claus" pulled out two guns and began shooting at everyone in sight. But the nightmare didn’t end there; it was just beginning. 

Join us for today’s case to find out what happened to the Ortega family. So, grab your cafecito, and let’s get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

When people around Velma Barfield began dying in the late 60s and 70s, it seemed tragic rather than suspicious since they suffered from health issues. It began with her first husband, Thomas Burke, in 1969, followed by her second husband, Jennings Barfield, in 1971. The deaths continued, spanning from other family members to the elderly she began to take care of. However, when she began a relationship and eventually became engaged to a man named Stuart Taylor, who was in good health, and then died suddenly, suspicion surrounding his death arose. An autopsy at Stuart’s family’s request finally exposed Velma’s crimes. 

It was when Stuart’s family requested an autopsy be done that unraveled all of Velma’s crimes. Join us for today’s case to learn how far Velma truly went. So grab your cafecito, and let's get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

On November 29, 1992, 39-year-old Sara Tokars was on her way back home, with her two kids, to Georgia, from spending the Thanksgiving holiday with her family down in Florida. Sara's family, the Ambrusko's, were waiting for Sara's call to let them know that she had arrived safely, but the call never came. Later that evening, two young boys knocked on the door of an isolated house and informed its occupants that their mother had been shot. Those two boys were Sara's sons, 6-year-old Ricky and 4-year-old Mike. When police arrived at the scene, they identified the woman who lay motionless and slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle as Sara Tokars. As the investigation began, Sara’s husband, who was out of town, was ruled out as the killer. So, who could’ve wanted to kill a suburban mom whom no one had one bad thing to say about? 

Join us for today’s case to learn what happened to Sara. So, grab your cafecito, and let’s get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

In the early morning of January 9, 2002, 12-year-old Ashley Pond headed to the school bus stop, but never arrived. As the search for Ashley began, her family and friends came together to help in any way they could. One of those people was 13-year-old Miranda Gaddis, who was Ashley's close friend and neighbor. However, in March, Miranda also vanished under the same suspicious circumstances as Ashley. It would take months after the girls' disappearance, but a big break in the case finally arrived. It was a call from the son of a suspect, confessing that he knew what had happened to Ashley and Miranda. 

Join us for today's case to learn what happened to Ashley and Miranda. So, grab your cafecito, and let's get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

In the early hours of May 26, 1984, 22-year-old Brad Perry was working his graveyard shift at the local Texaco gas station. After returning the change to customer who had purchased beer, he never expected for an argument to arise. The argument escalated into a brutal fight that ended up in Brad being brutally murdered. As the investigation begins, there were multiple suspects but physical evidence excluded them. In time, the case went cold, and it would take 24 years until Brad’s killer was brought to justice with the help of advancements in DNA analysis. 

Join us for today’s case to learn what happened to Brad. So, grab your cafecito and lets get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

In April 2014, Darren West was cleaning his garage, in the home he had once shared with his estranged wife, Megan Huntsman, in Pleasant Grove, Utah. As he moved boxes around, he came across a strange white box wrapped in plastic and decided to open it to see what was inside. And what he discovered was something out of a horror film. The small box contained the body of a decomposed baby. Darren told detectives that there was one person he knew of whom the baby could have belonged to, and it was his estranged wife, Megan. As investigators began to question Megan, they soon found out that there was more than one baby's body hidden in that garage. 

Join us for today's case to find out about what truly happened and what led Megan to commit the heinous crimes. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

When 58-year-old Kristie Marks went to pick up her daughter, Taylor, from her boyfriend's house on October 24, 2009, she felt ecstatic. They had been going through some issues, and Kristie thought that maybe Taylor was ready to come home for good and work things out, but that wasn’t how things turned out that night. As the mother and daughter headed toward the vehicle to leave, Kristie was randomly attacked by an unknown assailant. Unfortunately, Kristie lost her life that night. As the investigation into her murder begins, detectives soon learn that Kristie's attack and death weren't random at all, and the witnesses were all in on it. 

Join us for today's case to learn what happened to Kristie. So grab your cafecito and let's get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]

On the night of August 22, 2005, 20-year-old Josh Bennet went to his estranged mother, Jacqueline's, house to have dinner and spend the night, as they were trying to repair their strained relationship. However, those hopes were shattered when, in the early hours of August 23, two intruders broke into the home and stabbed Jacquiline and Josh, resulting in Josh's death. As the investigation begins, detectives discover that Josh and Jacquiline were not the intended targets. It was something more sinister, and Josh just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Join us for today's episode to learn what truly happened that night. So, grab your cafecito, and let's get started. 

You can keep up with us on Instagram at @cafecitoandcrimepod

Or you can send us a nice email to [email protected]