The Dark Oak

Episode 134: Where is Patty Vaughn?


Listen Later

On Christmas Day 1996, 32-year-old Patty Inez Brightwell Vaughan, a devoted mother of three from La Vernia, Texas, vanished after a tumultuous separation from her allegedly abusive husband, J.R. Vaughan. Amid mounting evidence of domestic strife, Patty had begun a new relationship and planned a fresh start, but that day turned violent: her estranged husband was the last person to see her, claiming she stormed out upset after arguments. Her abandoned minivan was soon discovered with a deliberately deflated tire, freshly cleaned yet stained with her blood, while her home revealed extensive blood spatter, cleanup attempts with bleach, and luminol-reactive drag marks—clear signs of a struggle. Despite intense suspicion on J.R., who quickly filed for divorce, collected life insurance after having her declared dead, and later changed his name and moved away, no body has been found, and circumstantial evidence has prevented charges in this decades-old no-body homicide case, leaving Patty's family still seeking justice and closure.
 
Sources:

Details - Unsolved homicide. (n.d.). https://www.dps.texas.gov/apps/coldCase/Home/Details/284

Sanchez, Y. V. a. P. (2024, December 24). A family’s heartache: Patty Vaughan’s voice silenced by an unsolved Christmas tragedy. KABB. https://foxsanantonio.com/news/yami-investigates/a-familys-heartache-patty-vaughans-voice-silenced-by-an-unsolved-christmas-tragedy

Robinwarder. (n.d.). The 1996 Christmas Day Disappearance of Patty Vaughan: Vanishes After an Argument with Her Estranged Husband : r/UnresolvedMysteries. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a5hkyt/the_1996_christmas_day_disappearance_of_patty/

Family of Patty Vaughan hopes for answers 23 years after she vanished from Texas home on Christmas Day 1996. (2019, December 21). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/family-patty-vaughan-hopes-answers-23-years-after-she-vanished-n1106151

Day, J. (2022, February 3). Missing in Texas: The case of Patty Vaughn. Lost Souls of America. https://lostsoulsofamerica.wordpress.com/2021/12/22/missing-in-texas-the-case-of-patty-vaughn/

Darrah, N. (2021, December 26). Seven mysteries in case of missing mom-of-three Patty Vaughan who disappeared on Christmas 25 years ago. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/news/4341500/christmas-missing-mom-patty-vaughan-disappeared/

 

Join The Dark Oak Discussion:

Patreon

The Dark Oak Podcast Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

TikTok

Youtube

This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Dark OakBy Just Us Gals Productions

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

55 ratings


More shows like The Dark Oak

View all
Generation Why: True Crime by Audible

Generation Why: True Crime

17,305 Listeners

The Vanished Podcast by Audible

The Vanished Podcast

15,305 Listeners

The Trail Went Cold by Robin Warder

The Trail Went Cold

3,167 Listeners

Already Gone Podcast by Nina Innsted

Already Gone Podcast

3,992 Listeners

Trace Evidence by Steven Pacheco

Trace Evidence

4,063 Listeners

MURDERISH by Cloud10

MURDERISH

3,429 Listeners

Morbid by Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart

Morbid

99,812 Listeners

Going West: True Crime by Dark West Productions

Going West: True Crime

10,868 Listeners

Big Mad True Crime by Big Mad Media | Daylight Media

Big Mad True Crime

5,924 Listeners

Last Seen Alive by Studio 222

Last Seen Alive

934 Listeners

THEY DISAPPEARED by Host: Pat Draven

THEY DISAPPEARED

285 Listeners

LOVE MURDER by Jessie Pray and Andie Cassette

LOVE MURDER

3,361 Listeners

And Then They Were Gone by Little Monster Productions

And Then They Were Gone

888 Listeners

Where are they? by Where are they?

Where are they?

473 Listeners

Campus Killings by AbJack Entertainment

Campus Killings

421 Listeners