VERMONT, 2020: On April 15, 2020, 38-year old Ralph “Rizz” Jean-Marie was reported missing from a motel where he was living in Barre, Vermont. The story was that he up and left after an argument, leaving behind his personal belongings, never to be seen again.

But from day one of the investigation, law enforcement had reason to believe the initial narrative of Ralph’s disappearance wasn’t anchored in the whole truth. The early investigation indicated that someone, or multiple someones, had a hand in his disappearance, but getting answers as to what really happened proved a challenge for local authorities.

Family members and activists alike have been critical of law enforcement’s response to Ralph’s disappearance, and they continue to speak out today about the lack of progress in the three year long investigation. This case is layered, but it all stems from the biggest and most important question at the center of the case: Where is Ralph Jean-Marie?

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/ralphjeanmarie

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

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NEW YORK CITY, 1990s: On May 28, 2001, after an eight year long investigation spanning three states, New York police officers finally closed in on their target: a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital. Advancements in fingerprinting technology had finally identified a suspect connected to garbage bags containing the remains of four men discarded on the side of the road in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. His name was Richard Westall Rogers Jr. AKA The Last Call Killer.

In this follow-up episode to Frederic Alan Spencer's story, you'll hear the stories of Peter Stickney Anderson, Thomas Mulcahy, Anthony Edward Marrero, and Michael Sakara and how the suspect's past encounters with the law would ultimately play a crucial role in his capture, 28 years later.

• Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green
• Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York on HBO
   

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/lastcallkiller

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

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MAINE, 1973: In April of 1973, the vibrant college town of Orono, Maine was shattered by a shocking murder that sent tremors through the University of Maine community. The victim was Frederic Alan Spencer, a promising UMaine graduate student with a bright future ahead. When Frederic's roommate came forward and confessed to the killing, it seemed like an open and shut case.

However, as the trial of Richard Westall Rogers Jr. unfolded, it was clear the case was far from simple. Despite his admission of guilt, the proceedings took a surprising turn. Nobody in that courtroom could have known at the time, but the unexpected decisions made in the case of Frederic Spencer would set in motion a chilling and deadly ripple effect that only grew with intensity and consequence over the next few decades.

• Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green
• Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York on HBO
   

 

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/fredericspencer

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

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PORTSMOUTH, 1981 & 1982: In just over a year span during the early 1980s in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the lives of two young women were ended by an assailant who broke into their apartments, violently attacked and beat them, and somehow managed to escape undetected, remaining anonymous for decades.

Laura Kempton and Tammy Little’s murders have long been intertwined. As you’ll hear, the circumstances of their deaths and their lives are just too similar to ignore a possible connection, but now in 2023, their cases apparently diverge. The New Hampshire State’s Attorney’s Office announced that they have identified the person responsible for one of those homicides. Laura Kempton’s killer has finally been named.

In a 25-page report and press conference, the details of the 40-plus year investigation into the murder of 23-year old Laura Kempton were revealed. Now the question on everyone’s lips: What’s next for the case of 20-year old Tammy Little?

• If you have information regarding this case, contact the New Hampshire Cold Case Unit at (603) 271-2663, [email protected], or leave a tip.
   

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/laurakempton

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

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CONNECTICUT, 1973: On July 16, 1973, an unknown assailant chased down 21-year old Penney Serra in a New Haven, Connecticut parking garage, claiming her life with a single stab wound to the chest. It was a brazen attack in broad daylight and the crime put the city on edge. But investigators had abundant evidence to work with – bloodstains and fingerprints covered Penney’s car and the garage itself – surely the crime would be solved and the perpetrator apprehended quickly. Unfortunately, that was not reality. Penney’s case went cold, but not without enormous speculation and rumor while investigators waited for a break in the case. Finally, advancements in forensic science and DNA analysis would reveal a new primary suspect in the case of Penney Serra in the mid-1990s. He’d be the fourth suspect publicly named by investigators. Did they really have a handle on the case? Would they be successful securing a conviction at trial? In Part 2 of Penney Serra’s story, you’ll hear about the new team of investigators assigned to her case and their efforts to understand the events of that July day in 1973 in a new way, plus, the two new suspects they identified and the unsuccessful attempts to arrest one of them before moving on to another.

Leon Benson spent 24 years in an Indiana state prison for the 1998 murder of a young man named Kasey Schoen. His conviction hinged on the testimony of two eyewitnesses – but what if their memories turned out to be wrong? And what if the people who knew what really happened had never been allowed to speak? Suspect Season 3: Five Shots in the Dark is the story of two victims: one murdered, one sentenced to life. Follow host Matt Shaer and attorney Lara Bazelon as they investigate how the justice system failed both Leon and Kasey, and who the real killer might be. Join this unprecedented look inside the attempt to overturn a wrongful conviction and find out if justice will finally be served. Listen to Suspect wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge Suspect ad-free on Wondery Plus. Find Wondery Plus in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts: Wondery.fm/SuspectS3_DDE

CONNECTICUT, 1973: It was July 16, 1973 and 21-year old Concetta “Penney” Serra had the day off. She planned to do some furniture shopping at Malley's department store, and parked her car in the Temple Street garage in downtown New Haven, Connecticut just before 12:45 p.m. Before she ever stepped foot outside of the garage, Penney came face to face with evil in a senseless attack that claimed her young, promising life. Despite the abundant evidence left at the scene by the perpetrator and considerable public speculation concerning one suspect in particular, more than a decade would pass before New Haven Police were able to make an arrest. But was their case against the man they identified as Penney Serra’s killer built on solid ground? One critical detail would derail everything, and the investigation started all over again. This is Concetta "Penney" Serra's story, Part 1 of 2.

MAINE, 2003: On the night of December 23, 2003, two friends dropping off Christmas gifts at the home of 40-year old Raymond “Butch” Weed were shocked to find that their friend, a well-known and beloved member of the Wilton, Maine community, was dead. Sometime between his regular visit to his favorite hangout in downtown Wilton and returning home just a quarter mile away on Main Street, an unknown assailant entered Butch’s home and stole his life.

To this day, a suspect has never been apprehended, and Maine State Police have remained tightlipped about any details they’ve learned over the course of a nearly 20 year investigation. Butch’s family members hold out hope that they won’t have to wait much longer to know who killed their brother, and finally see justice handed down to the person or persons responsible.

This case has been requested dozens of times by Dark Downeast listeners. The emails and DMs I’ve received over the last two years all spoke highly of the man at the center of the case, but a few of those messages also suggested that there might be more to the case than meets the eye. Wilton, Maine is a small town, and for such a high profile case to go unsolved this long, rumors are rampant.

• If you have information regarding this case, please contact the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit - South at (207) 624-7076 x9 or toll free at 1-800-452-4664. You may also report information about this crime using the leave a tip form.
   

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/butchweed

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

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On March 14, 1968, kids playing in the oil fields of Huntington Beach, California discovered the brutally beaten body of a young woman. Investigators scoured the scene for clues, finding shoe imprints, marks from tires, and a cigarette butt, but it had rained the night before and so any other evidence left behind had likely washed away.

Police labeled the woman a Jane Doe and set out to investigate her identity and her death, but the woman found there would not have her name returned to her for more than half a century.

Anita Louise Piteau, an Augusta, Maine local, finally came home after over 50 years, thanks to advancements in DNA technology.

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/anitapiteau

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

• Follow @darkdowneast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
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MAINE, 1976: Anne Payson Holt, better known as Nancy, was almost 80-years old, but not quite yet. Her milestone birthday and the fancy gala planned in her honor was still a few days away in early October of 1976, but Nancy never saw a day past 79.

On October 5, 1976, the safety of her secluded Falmouth Foreside estate was violated by intruders seeking electronics. Before they fled the dirt drive of Thornhurst Road though, they stole more than a television. They stole Nancy’s life.

Nancy’s granddaughter, Anne Fowler, is on Dark Downeast to tell her grandmother’s story. Anne gives a glimpse into the life of a woman from one of Portland, Maine’s most well-known families, she shares how her family navigated a very public investigation and trial, and offers her unique reflections on what she believes Nancy would’ve thought about her manner of death.

View source material and photos for this episode at darkdowneast.com/annepaysonholt

 

Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

• Follow @darkdowneast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok
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