Cold Case Unsealed

Cold Case Unsealed

By AC WilsonTrue Crime
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Cold Case Unsealed episodes

  • Cold Case Killer EXPOSED After 3 DECADES - Interrogation of Gene Stuller
    This episode details the 2025 arrest of Gene Stuller for the 1991 cold case murder of Julia Sue Wilbanks in St. Cloud, Florida. Although the investigation stalled for over three decades, modern genetic genealogy and DNA recovered from the victim's clothing eventually linked the 72-year-old suspect to the brutal crime. The narrative focuses on a three-hour police interrogation where detectives used strategic psychological tactics and astronomical DNA probabilities to confront Stuller's calm denials. While the suspect maintained his innocence despite the evidence, the sources highlight how advancements in forensic science provided long-awaited closure for the victim's family. Ultimately, the account contrasts Stuller’s reputation as a kindly neighbor with the violent nature of the decades-old homicide.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    46 min
  • 19-Year-Old Miya Marcano’s Disappearance
    The episode details the tragic 2021 disappearance and murder of 19-year-old student Miya Marcano at her Florida apartment complex. It identifies her killer as a maintenance worker who used a master key to gain unauthorized entry, highlighting significant security failures and delayed police responses. In the wake of this crime, Marcano's family successfully advocated for the passage of "Miya’s Law," which mandates stricter background checks and key-logging protocols for rental properties. The sources emphasize her vibrant life and Caribbean heritage while documenting the legal battles and systemic changes sparked by her death. Ultimately, the material serves as both a reconstruction of the investigation and a testament to her enduring impact on renter safety legislation.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    31 min
  • Robin Lawrence Was Murdered in 1994 and It Took Police 29 Years to Arrest Her Killer
    The episode recounts the tragic 1994 murder of Robin Lawrence, a talented artist and mother who was killed in her Virginia home by a random intruder. For nearly three decades, the case remained cold despite the recovery of the killer’s DNA from a washcloth at the scene. The investigation finally saw a breakthrough through the use of modern genetic genealogy, which allowed authorities to identify and arrest Stephan Smerk in 2023. Smerk, a former soldier who confessed to the senseless act, was eventually sentenced to 70 years in prison. This narrative highlights the evolution of forensic science and the long-awaited closure for a family devastated by an act of inexplicable violence.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    46 min
  • Searching for Maya Millete
    This episode chronicles the disappearance and presumed murder of Maya Millete, a Filipino American mother who vanished from her Chula Vista home in early 2021. It details the extensive volunteer search efforts that spanned years and multiple terrains, highlighting the community's dedication to finding her remains. The narrative examines the allegations against her husband, Larry Millete, focusing on his controlling behavior, the use of "spells" to manipulate his wife, and the circumstantial evidence leading to his arrest and trial. It also addresses the legal challenges and family struggles involving child custody and numerous court delays. Ultimately, the source portrays a family's relentless pursuit of justice and the profound emotional impact of a "no-body" homicide case on the local community. By May 2026, the search remains a symbol of resilience and memory as the trial finally commences.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    37 min
  • Texas Man Linked to Unsolved Murders of Two Women — Years Later
    Through the use of modern forensic technology and DNA database matches, Texas authorities have finally apprehended a suspect linked to two cold-case murders from 2018 and 2024. Luis Fernando Benítez González was arrested following a series of separate assaults, after which his cellphone data and biological evidence connected him to the strangulations of Alba Jenisse Aviles Martí and Alyssa Ann Rivera. Although the suspect claimed he acted in self-defense, investigators utilized surveillance footage and autopsy results to dismantle his narrative and reveal a violent pattern of behavior. The sources highlight the persistent efforts of law enforcement to solve long-standing homicides while providing a sense of closure to the victims' families. Ultimately, the episode illustrates how technological advancements like CODIS and ballistics tracking are essential for identifying repeat offenders who target vulnerable women. This case serves as a somber reminder of the human cost of violent crime and the critical role of forensic science in seeking justice.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    36 min
  • The Hall-Mills Murder: The Preacher, the Choir Singer, and the Birth of America’s Tabloid
    The episode explores the Hall-Mills murder case, a 1922 double homicide involving an Episcopal priest and his secret lover from the church choir. This unsolved mystery became a landmark in American history by sparking a massive media circus and the rise of tabloid journalism. The narrative details how the victims were discovered in a ritualistic pose beneath a tree, surrounded by their own incriminating love letters. Despite a sensational trial in 1926 involving the priest's wealthy widow and her brothers, the lack of reliable evidence led to their acquittal. Today, the case is remembered as the first modern true-crime obsession, highlighting the intersection of clerical scandal, social class, and the destructive power of public spectacle.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    41 min
  • The Mystery of the Black Dahlia: Who Did It?
    This episode provides a comprehensive examination of the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, famously known as the Black Dahlia, and the enduring mystery surrounding her death. It details the graphic crime scene in Los Angeles and the subsequent investigation, which was hindered by a sensationalist media frenzy and police complications. The episode clarifies that Short was a struggling young woman rather than the aspiring starlet often depicted in tabloid myths. It evaluates several key suspects, such as Dr. George Hodel and Marvin Margolis, while noting that new fingerprint evidence is still being reviewed as of 2026. Ultimately, the material reflects on how this unsolved case has become a cultural phenomenon that continues to highlight the darker side of postwar Hollywood.



    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    49 min
  • Black Dahlia Breakthrough - LAPD examines new fingerprint tied to victim’s ex-boyfriend
    This episode details a potential breakthrough in the Black Dahlia murder investigation through newly discovered forensic evidence linking Marvin Margolis to the 1947 crime. Independent investigators recently provided the LAPD with Margolis’s military fingerprint records, which appear to match prints found on a taunting package sent by the killer. Beyond the forensic connection, the text highlights Margolis’s medical background, his previous relationship with the victim, and a controversial theory identifying him as the Zodiac Killer. While official laboratory results are still pending, these developments represent the first significant physical link in one of America's most famous cold cases. This modern re-examination aims to provide definitive answers and finality to a tragedy that has haunted Los Angeles for nearly eighty years.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    47 min
  • Man sentenced in 1980s cold case murders solved with chewing gum
    The episode chronicles the long-awaited resolution of two cold case murders in Washington State through the conviction of serial predator Mitchell A. Gaff. Decades after the 1980 and 1984 killings of Susan Vesey and Judy Weaver, investigators utilized advanced DNA profiling and a creative undercover "gum ruse" to secure a match from the suspect’s saliva. This forensic breakthrough linked Gaff to biological evidence preserved from the original crime scenes, revealing a lifelong pattern of sexual sadism and predatory violence. The narrative highlights the evolution of forensic science, specifically the use of STRmix technology to untangle complex genetic samples that were previously unsolvable. Ultimately, the account focuses on the emotional impact on the victims' families, who finally received justice when Gaff was sentenced to 50 years to life in 2026. This overview illustrates how persistence and modern technology can eventually overcome the limitations of traditional police work from the pre-DNA era.

    This episode includes AI-generated content.
    48 min

About Cold Case Unsealed

From the publisher's feed

Cold Case Unsealed is a gripping true crime podcast that reopens forgotten investigations, unsolved murders, and mysterious disappearances that never received the answers they deserved. Each episode…