Episodes - Sincerely, Idaho

Kaylynn Blue

EPISODE REFERENCES

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/08/man-accused-of-killing-girlfriend-does-not-understand-what-is-happening-according-to-documents/

·      https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylynn-blue-1a199a45

·      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DiGeorge_syndrome

·      https://www.facebook.com/philip.schwab.3

·      https://www.facebook.com/kaylynn.blue?__tn__=%2CdlC-R-R&eid=ARA5dk1dcpg0gDiEvGtJxoI5vybWkJSMTHL46BeHvF-3L4JhH3BT4_QzO5-5PHZ0mE79l67bFdNoqzNw&hc_ref=ARRq4JRmHclLF_xtQeeAYRGosoJpMhLX4OvADFM5Mo7RysWZYHVCBVZgVXeUYA4H05

·      https://www.facebook.com/teddy.blue.2011

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/06/kaylynn-blues-sister-remembers-her-as-the-sweetest-kindest-most-innocent-soul-ive-ever-met/

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/11/prosecutors-wont-seek-death-penalty-for-idaho-falls-man-accused-of-killing-girlfriend/

·      https://www.wwnytv.com/2019/06/26/i-only-used-my-hands-man-posts-facebook-before-police-find-girlfriend-buried-backyard/

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/08/man-accused-of-killing-girlfriend-does-not-understand-what-is-happening-according-to-documents/

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/06/kaylynn-blue-tried-to-run-as-schwab-stabbed-her-to-death-court-documents-reveal/

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2020/06/its-been-one-year-since-kaylynn-blue-was-stabbed-to-death-heres-where-the-case-stands-today/

·      https://www.wlwt.com/article/she-deserved-quicker-man-accused-of-killing-girlfriend-made-hundreds-of-disturbing-posts/28205906

·      https://www.postregister.com/news/crime_courts/schwab-admitted-to-killing-victim-as-she-attempted-to-flee/article_40f96566-2453-5a38-a51e-20ea300a18b6.html

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/10/man-accused-of-stabbing-girlfriend-to-death-waives-preliminary-hearing/

·      https://www.eastidahonews.com/2019/06/man-accused-of-murder-scheduled-to-appear-in-court-tuesday/

·      https://mycourts.idaho.gov/odysseyportal/Home/WorkspaceMode?p=0#DispositionEvents

  EPISODE SCRIPT

In the early morning hours of June 23, 2019, Philip Schwab is nervously clacking on his phone, the drying blood on his hands creating a distraction. His Facebook feed is filling up, each post more disturbing and confusing than the last, one after another after another “She deserved quicker…,” One post read. Another, aimed at his dead father claims “Yeah…dad you’re next”...Despite the bizarre posts, Philip’s Facebook feed doesn’t spark much alarm per se: Blurry pictures of sunsets through dirty car windows, half naked pictures of himself with headphones, weird angles of lamps, and the occasional book are all that can be noted. His bedroom is cramped, small, and musty. Laundry clutters and lurks at every corner of the room, the air is thick with the stench of sweat.  Dirty bedrooms aren’t uncommon, except Phillip’s is also littered with blood splatter. Maybe he feels regret, but maybe he is trapped inside a world that many of us cannot recognize. 

It's not much to look at, red bricks line the large, square building, generic landscaping flowing throughout the campus, but Red Rocks Community College is nestled in one of the largest cities in Colorado. West of Denver, Lakewood is where Kaylynn Blue spends countless hours a week poring over accounting and business books as she is studying for her associates degree. Though she struggles with a mild learning disability, Kaylynn is determined in her goals and wants very much to accomplish something that she knows will bring her career advancement and opportunities in both her current job and future efforts. She works diligently and her hard work gets her promoted several times from head cashier to head photo tech at the Parker, Colorado Walgreens. 

But like many of us, Kaylynn longs for a romantic partner and in 2012, her wishes seem to come true when she meets Philip Schwab at school. Philip is also a student at Red Rocks and they begin a friendship over mutual interests: Academics, books, and a love of animals. Philip struggles with an IQ of 76 most likely an underlying factor brought on by DiGeorge Syndrome, a chromosomal defect that affects about 1 in 4000 people. It tends to manifest uniquely depending on the individual, can cause heart problems, facial features, developmental delays, and learning problems. Additionally, those affected with this syndrome can have a 30% higher chance of developing schizophrenia and psychiatric disorders, but again, this is a very complex syndrome and it can be different in each individual.  Philip is pensive, intuitive, gentle, and makes Kaylynn laugh. They quickly go from friends to dating, and she cannot help herself as she becomes smitten with this stranger from school. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, love is blind. 

While Kaylynn attends school, she was living with family to save money. As Kaylynn and Philip’s relationship progresses, the two fall in love, and things between them seem serious and they start planning their future together. Though a short time later, Philip’s father dies and Kaylynn suggests that he moves in with her and her family as it seemed that Philip has a really hard time coping with his father’s death. So, he moves in with her, but it is always a little more than awkward when a boyfriend moves in with the girlfriend’s parents. At first, things progressed as well as expected; surely they got in each other’s way and space was a luxury, but there were no significant problems to note of.  After some time, Kaylynn finishes her associates in business from Red Rocks, and things are … good enough. Although, and certainly not surprising, tensions start to fray when conflicting opinions surface, especially where a relationship is concerned. What were once seen as a little quirks now becomes peculiar and out-of-character behavior. Multiple family members, including Kaylynn’s brother, Tristan, describe Philip as “odd, with little social interests.” Her family tells Kaylynn that they are not right for each other and that Philip is rude, even about and towards Kaylynn, often making fun of her anxiety. He makes inappropriate jokes at the wrong time, has very little social awareness, and they think she shouldn’t be with him. Even though her relationship with Philip begins to struggle, her relationship with her family is not faring much better as a result.

It is now 2017, tensions in the Blue home come to a boiling point, and Kaylynn’s parents kick Philip out of their own home. Kaylynn is obviously upset and when Philip decides to move to Idaho Falls to be near his mother, Kaylynn packs up shop and moves with him, leaving her family frustrated and powerless as they realize their young daughter can no longer be convinced to make the right decision. While Kaylynn is about 30, she still faces significant challenges in being alone and her parents are worried that their daughter will now be living with a man who gives them the creeps.  Kaylynn is able to transfer her job to the Idaho Falls Walgreens, and because she is a revered and a stellar employee, the transition from Denver to Idaho Falls seems to be going better than her parents had hoped—but, of course they are still worried for her wellbeing as any good parent is for their children, regardless of how old their kids get. Philip did not transfer employment but soon gets a volunteer position at Idaho Falls Zoo.

Kaylynn and Philip move in to Philip’s mother’s house; it’s small and older, set in a retirement community, but with enough space for the couple and their two dogs. They live somewhat typical lives, go to dinner, travel, catch the Christmas symphony, and like most of us, chronicle their lives on social media.  Facebook was a diary for Philip though many of his posts throughout the years were unintelligible or one-liners that didn’t seem connected to any real context or even related to anything going on in his life. His posts seemed more like inside jokes that he had with himself rather than anything meaningful or vulnerable. The only real morsels of truth that existed on his account were related to posts about his father or the dark novels that he seemed to cherish, Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, and references to H. P. Lovecraft. There are pictures of handwritten pieces of paper, ripped from a notebook, which seems like they came from a personal journal of sorts, but none of them really make any sense to anybody but himself—this is the thing about social media—nobody really cares about your posts quite as much as you do. There are photos with Kaylynn, but they are scattered, and from the outside looking in, the lens filters out any of the bad--the fights, the disappointments, and the general struggles couples can face, especially when both Philip and Kaylynn were struggling with their own personal internal realms. 

Kaylynn’s Facebook account is a much different story. There are mostly pictures of her family, dinners around the table when she visits Denver, scenic photos taken on road trips, and pictures of the pets.  But the majority of pictures that take up Kaylynn’s Facebook page are those of her garden and ones with her niece, Danika, her sister Brittany’s daughter.  For Kaylynn, these two things brought her life and gave her a purpose.  Kaylynn’s garden was a sanctuary and she would often post her treasures for her friends to see; ripe bell peppers, over-sized squash, and occasional herbs that she would then use to experiment with different recipes.  Kaylynn had a deep love of nature and animals and her social diary chronicled a life that was pure and somewhat innocent, and she approached the things she cared for with gentleness and adoration. The interesting part of both of their social diaries is that both Kaylynn and Philip really don’t include much of each other through much of the first part of 2019.  

This is especially surprising for Kaylynn who had been a frequent poster of her and Philip, or just Philip solo, but then it just kind of…drops off. There aren’t any clear signs, at least not outwardly of trouble in paradise, and her feed becomes generic and removed, posting Facebook quizzes and memes more than anything else. You remember the ones like “If you did 10/15 of these things you’re old now”, but even now, barely a year later, these posts seem like she is just filling time, but no real attempts at connecting with her Facebook friends other than through pictures. The pictures of the life she gave to her garden, and the love deep love she had for Danika. 

Since the inception of social media, some of us have never quite gotten the hang of it, or exhibit proper etiquette, to say the least. We spill far too much about our lives for all to see—airing our dirty laundry, as they say. Philip was one of those people; whether he did it because he was bored, or to garner attention, or to piss other people off, he would often cite movie quotes, or post political rants more to get a rise out of his Facebook friends than to garner a real connection. But some of these posts were very personal, if only someone was looking for the right triggers.  He often made references to God and to his dad, but more in an apologetic way or to make atonement for his sins rather than in a sense of joy or peace. But in mid-June 2019, things took a hard left turn for Philip and Kaylynn inevitably, so did Philip’s Facebook feed. Philip’s posts grow more cryptic than before, references about being unhappy with Kaylynn, hints at seeing other women on the internet, him ending his medications (what seemed like cold turkey), and pictures of sunsets with ominous taglines. So, again, not earthshattering, and though his posts may have been eccentric, they are not out of the ordinary … not quite, at least. 

June 20th begins a very dark weekend for Philip and everybody else in his life. To this day, his madness into descent is still available to view on Facebook, though I would caution that his posts are not for the faint of heart. I’m not here to define whether Facebook is good or bad intrinsically; everything serves a purpose. But sometimes the problem is as much the original post, but further how that post is used as the catalyst for the dark and disturbing comments that follow. During the next 48 hours, Philip unweaves a minute-by-minute account of his 3 dimensional life through his 2 dimensional avatar. “Are you watching closely…” he types. “Good thing I have a get-out-of-jail free card” says another…A post about listening to Footloose…Memes…more non-sensical sentences.  The early morning of June 23rd begins with a post that states, “Stay with me…”…and another, “I loved you, Kay..”

What the audience doesn’t understand just yet is that Kaylynn had gone to bed the night of June 22nd, and Philip followed shortly after. He lies awake but this night, in their overcrowded bedroom, Philip is lying next to Kaylynn and has had his final straw. Though he has created a web of his thoughts through social media, there’s not one clear, identifying factor that leads to the next series of events. Kaylynn begins to thrash in her sleep, certainly not by choice but unfortunately, some of her involuntary spasms land on Philip.  Without a second thought, but seeming as if he had been waiting for the right “opportunity,” he walks over to the dresser where a knife awaits him, a knife he had strategically placed there a few nights back, and his first swing lands right on Kaylynn’s neck. She immediately wakes, sheer panic overwhelms her half-woken state, and starts to run away from him, and behind her, a trail of blood beings to form a thick red path. Philip will not be bested, and while she is at first resilient in getting away, this only angers him more. In the bathroom of his mother’s home, the home where Philip and Kaylynn shared their life together, he continues to stab her until she takes her last breath.  Back to Facebook…”And she had to work at 8,” he writes. No timestamp, though claims are made later by police that this may have been around 12:30 a.m., and this specific message would have been in line with reports that she was murdered sometime late evening June 22nd to early morning June 23rd. 

But Philip is far from done. “Interesting how antsy everyone got there…thanks for sticking it out with me…” He is postulating to his audience.  Though it is unclear whether that audience is in his head or to whom he considers his Facebook fans. Political post, meme, meme, Led Zeppelin lyrics. His posts heavily reference a Don or Donnie though it is never explained if this is Donnie Darko, a movie he loves, his dad’s name, or something deeper, maybe a second personality as some Facebook commenters suggest. “You really did make it too easy,” reads another post. His next victims are of the four-legged kind and I will spare you the graphics, but both of the dogs Kaylynn and Philip shared together, dogs who Philip had claimed to love in his Facebook pictures, are murdered next and thrown into their outdoor garbage cans. “Don’t go now…I’m just getting started.” This post is soon followed by a post that highlights that Phillip is “celebrating this special day”, like a timeline event, as in the way you would post a new job promotion or getting married; except he is celebrating the murder of his long-time girlfriend and their two dogs. 

“Getting windy again,” he writes next. At this point, Philip is most likely concerned with how to hide Kaylynn’s body, and in the garden where she poured her life, the garden that had been tilled with everything that Kaylynn was and represented, though emptier and drier now because summers in Idaho can be unforgiving, Philip takes the garden hose and begins to wet the land beneath him. Illuminated only by the half-moon above and the distant porch light, he creates a small crater and buries Kaylynn’s bloodied and lifeless body, but either as an act of symbolism or because he doesn’t know what he is doing, he buries everything but preserves her head just slightly visible above the surface of the garden.  

Now that he feels sufficiently accomplished, he continues his Facebook barrage. Meme, meme, religious post, political post, inspirational post…more cryptic posts about the dogs…”This will be for her…” Followed by, “And I’m only using my hands…”  “Do you know how strong eagles hands are??” “1 to go…” “See, Don?? 2 sides to every coin!!” Some of the comments alluded to the fact that Philip had named one of the dogs Don and one Melania (another reoccurring reference) but that could also be related to his many political posts as well—nothing adds up; and definitely not for his audience at the time. Over the course of 24 hours, Philip posted over 200 posts, though many have been blocked and say “no content is available.” There are some posts that are referenced by news reports that now cannot be found, but at this point, they’re not worth giving attention to anymore. Philip’s final post on June 24 simply read “Good morning.” 

Throughout her working career, Kaylynn had been a loyal employee. Despite the learning struggles she faced, she was proud of the job she had and even had a couple of pictures of her with some of her co-workers on Facebook. She was a rain-or-shine kind of employee and she hated letting people down.  Which is why, on June 24th, when she does not show up for work, Walgreens becomes concerned and phones her emergency contacts that she isn’t answering her phone and can they help find out why she’s missing from work? Her emergency contacts happened to be her parents, and when they cannot get ahold of her either, they are worried and call the Idaho Falls police department to do a wellness check at her and Phillip’s home. 

Wellness checks never sound like something positive, and I imagine, it is a part of the job that can lead to some very sad discoveries.  Philip answers the door to the officers who were called to his home, but he is less than surprised, and when officers ask about Kaylynn, Philip tells them that he “might have hurt her” and leads the officers directly to the backyard where she had been buried about 24 hours earlier. The house is still sprinkled in blood, though Philip had made a small valiant effort to clean some of it up, and as the officers make their way to the back, there is no doubt in their mind that what they are about to face is something they will wish they could unsee for the rest of their lives. 

In the harsh glow of the afternoon sun, Kaylynn looks asleep, too early to have started decaying, but the stab wounds on her face and neck reads more like a cheap scene in a horror film than a real life tragedy. Yet, both Kaylynn and Philip’s lives are now caught in the juxtaposition between life and death; Kaylynn’s life taken from her without her consent, and Philip’s life about to end in its own right as well. Officers book Philip and throughout the rest of the day, he is being questioned by Idaho Falls detectives, but Philip is a chatterbox, maybe in an attempt to absolve himself of his sins, yet again. He does not deny that he killed Kaylynn, and he is charged with first-degree murder and is booked in jail. 

The next day, Philip appears by video in front of Judge Steven Gardner, but he seems meek and confused, never quite finding the camera lens he is supposed to look into, and after some back and forth, Judge Gardner asks Philip why he had not yet filed for a public defender. Philip says that he plans to plead no contest, which is different from a guilty plea in that you do not admit guilt, but do admit that the facts presented in the indictment are correct, and that he will not be needing a public defender. But in Idaho, a felon defendant cannot plead guilty or not guilty on their first court appearance. Public Defender Jordan Crane is in court, and he asks the judge if he could help Philip fill out a form for a defender. Judge Gardner agrees and a hearing is set for July 9, and he does not set a bond for Philip. 

In Idaho, though a first-degree murder charge can yield life in prison or the death penalty, Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Clark states that he will not pursue the death penalty even with all the “overwhelming evidence” against Philip.  It was also stated that Kaylynn’s family also did not want Idaho to seek the death penalty but simply wanted justice for their daughter. Idaho has no insanity plea deal, and since 1982, Idaho law has stated that “mental condition shall not be a defense to any charge of criminal conduct.” And even if Idaho law was not written this way, the fact that Philip had purposefully hidden the knife prior to murdering Kaylynn, it is clear that at the time he committed the crime, Philip would have been mentally competent and capable to carry out such an act. 

Philip’s mother is a big mystery in this whole case and it was determined at the time of Kaylynn’s murder, she had been gone from the home for several days thus she was not aware of Philip’s actions. After the June 25th hearing, the court ruled that they would allow Philip’s mother to communicate with Philip and act as a liaison between him and the court system since it was clear that Philip was on a sliding scale of mental capacity and no two days seemed to be the same for him. More than a year has passed since Philip’s murders, two vacated jury trials have come and gone, but Philip is still waiting conviction, with his 3rd jury trial scheduled for February 1, 2021. 

On July 2nd 2020, Kaylynn’s brother, Tristan, writes the following words in a tender tribute to his sweet sister, posted on his Facebook timeline:

Today was my sister Kaylynn’s 34th birthday. 

As I constantly think about what she meant to my life when she was alive and what she has meant since her passing, it always takes me on a journey of introspection and self-discovery. 

A special skill she always had was the ability to see the best parts of the world around her. As I learn how to simplify my life and see the best parts of my world more, I am discovering more and more what a rare strength it is to possess that mentality towards life. It’s unfortunate that very few people ever accomplish the skill to see the best in people, but she was a natural. It’s a wonderful feeling to not doubt that she is proud of me. This isn’t simply due to anything special I may have done, but more because she always sees the best in me as she does with everyone.

EPISODE SOURCES

• https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/picking-up-the-pieces-family-of-murdered-woman-struggles-to-go-on/article_8e553b39-ef53-5302-8746-92501c36cda7.html

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boise_greenbelt

• https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/man-charged-with-killing-former-bozeman-woman/article_aadc96eb-275d-578b-9a06-53242b62363c.html

• https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/death-penalty-sought-in-murder-of-former-bozeman-woman/article_207a81f6-4bac-5af0-9c7f-9a29a7a4feb2.html

• https://www.argusobserver.com/news/idaho-murder-defendant-given-second-death-sentence/article_0c5bc214-2f00-56f3-82f5-73ca6833230f.html

• https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/idaho-supreme-court-rejects-appeal-from-death-row-inmate/

• https://www.idoc.idaho.gov/content/prisons/offender_search/detail/33835?last_page=

• https://www.idoc.idaho.gov/content/prisons/death_row

• https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/death-row-12-inmates-await-execution-in-idaho-prisons/article_960b0b00-c8b6-11e1-93b2-001a4bcf887a.html

• https://caselaw.findlaw.com/id-supreme-court/1569083.html

• http://www.webbsleuths.com/cgi-bin/dcf/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=137&forum=MC

• https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/boise-river-greenbelt-50-years-anniversary-history-look-back/277-a5b0bbd7-a8d7-464d-bb23-c7f061358bc1

• https://www.kivitv.com/news/idaho-supreme-court-rejects-appeal-from-death-row-inmate-erick-virgil-hall

PHOTOS

LYNN HANNEMAN

CHERYL HANLON

EPISODE SCRIPT

Today’s true crime takes place right here in the heart of Idaho.  Home to more than a quarter of a million residents, Boise has long been revered as the City of Trees, a sanctuary, a calm place, and one which in the last decade has garnered national attention as the influx of those coming in from the surrounding areas grows more and more. For those of us who have lived in and around Boise like myself for most of our lives, it is easy to take for granted that for by all accounts, Boise is not a dangerous place. There isn’t a nightly news blast of missing people, murders at every corner, or dangers that exist beyond the scope of everyday life. But even in the calmest of cities, darkness often bubbles right beneath the surface, and can strike without warning.

In 1962, in the heart of downtown Boise, a 20 mile stretch of land would come to be known as one of the city’s greatest features, the Boise Greenbelt was formed and implemented.  Though the Boise Greenbelt has become a landmark of sorts today,  connecting the heart of downtown to various parks, shops, and even through multiple neighborhoods, more than 50 years ago, the Boise River and the area that would become the Greenbelt were somewhat of a dumping ground for trash, drugs, and raw sewage that was pumped directly into the river. This is certainly not the greenbelt that is enjoyed today.  Lush stretches of land, hundreds of trees peppering the Boise River, the Greenbelt has been a local favorite for both native and visiting enthusiasts. Through the years passed, some unmemorable, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the greenbelt would experience what was known as a dark period in the city of boise, with events that seemed to go from bad to worse. These events seemed to happen one right after the other and sadly, some were not immune to the tragedies that would befall them in our city of Boise. 

What should have been a routine pit stop for Lynn Hanneman, a flight attendant for United Airlines would end up being an event that rocked the city of boise. In the prime of her life, Hanneman was beautiful, with long dark hair, and big eyes. Recently married and supposed to be on her honeymoon, Hanneman, 38, was a world traveler and was a caretaker for those around her, the mother hen type who would make sure to pick up trinkets and souvenirs for her nieces on her many trips.  She enjoyed flying and had worked very hard to become a flight attendant, her family said it was her dream job. Born in Bozeman, Montana, but now a resident of Sag Harbor, New York, Hanneman had been through Boise before and she had told her husband, Walter Us on the night of September 24, 2000 she was going to go out to dinner for a spinach-mango chutney salad from the Table Rock Brew Pub and Grill, lovingly nicknamed “Boise’s oldest pub”, though the restaurant has been closed since 2014. But Hanneman also enjoyed the Boise green belt, loved the solace she found by walking alone and to gather her thoughts, and informed her husband she would take an evening stroll. Late September is beautiful in Idaho, the skies are pink and purple, and the air smells of the last sweet remnants of summer. A routine flight path, and dinner at a place she’d been to before, everything seemed routine and ordinary. But Hanneman would never be heard from again. Us recalls the events of that night, as he suspected something was wrong when she never called to say good night, something she always did on her trips away from home, but again, the immediate thought was not one of nefarious activity. Though Hanneman carried a cell phone, in the early 2000s, cell phone reception wasn’t what it is today and even in many parts of the country, Hanneman would have to wait until she got back to her hotel room to phone back. 

The next morning on September 25, 2000, Hanneman’s United Airlines supervisor called Us stating that he could not get a hold of her when she did not show up for her assigned shift to fly to Denver then back to LaGuardia. At this point, rightfully so, Hanneman’s husband, after a sleepless night, feels nothing short of fear and panic as it becomes clear to him that something is very wrong. He later recalls that Hanneman had a strange feeling about going on this trip, but she wanted to honor her schedule nevertheless. How odd is it to think that a seasoned flight attendant, who loved flying and most often looked forward to her work, felt off about this particular flight. How many of us when we look back at pivotal times in our life can we point to some unknown gut feeling, some call it intuition, of potential foreboding of some type? 

Without a second thought, Us jumped on a plane to Boise and with the help of Hanneman’s extended family and Boise authorities, began searching for clues as to what may have happened to his beloved wife. Some days later, Hanneman’s purse is found behind East Junior High School, but it was a long way, about 6 miles from where she would have disappeared, nowhere near the Table Rock Brew Pub and Grill or the greenbelt. Tirelessly searching went on for what seemed like an endless dark night, but to no avail.  It was cited that Hanneman’s family had even offered a $10k reward for information about her whereabouts, and that same amount was even matched by her employer, United Airlines. Over a week and a half passed as Hanneman’s husband and family wondered if they would ever find resolution, but on the tenth day, Hanneman’s body was found in the Boise River by police. At the time her body is found, the Boise police stated that about 20 pieces of evidence are also located around the Main Street Bridge, creating speculation that this may have been the crime scene where Hanneman was murdered.

Carelessly thrown away much in the way you would yesterday’s trash, Hanneman was found partially nude with a sweater she had been wearing the night of her disappearance tied around her neck, reports later revealed strangulation was the cause of death, but she had also been brutally beaten and raped. 

During interviews and reports, Hanneman’s husband, Us, remembers Boise as a strange place--one where most of the residents purported a crime-free city. At the time, Boise residents only numbered around 100k. But Us remembers the walks down the greenbelt as he was searching for his missing wife, and wondered why he thought his wife would feel safe along this path.  Transients, syringes, and heavy littering cluttered the idyllic landscape and no matter what any of the Boise natives said, including law enforcement, Us felt uneasy. A ghostly town where the interior didn’t match the exterior. Hanneman’s sister Laura Pettet agreed with Us, and was later cited as saying that the “city” was now Idaho’s problem and maybe one day the residents would see the dangers that lurked under unsuspecting noses. Though in a time of tragedy, it is human nature to look to anything that may give you answers, blame outlying factors, as the emotions that are raw and severed can take a lifetime to heal.

At the time of Hanneman’s murder, there were few safety measures along the greenbelt. There were no consistent clean up efforts by the city which today go a long way in ensuring that there were less opportunities for events such as Hannaman’s to take place. The Greenbelt Patrol was also started shortly after Hanneman’s murder, along with addtitional features including lighting along the pathways, emergency call boxes, and pavement mile markers in an effort to prevent this from happening again. Sadly, Hanneman was not the first victim to fall prey during that time, as two other tragedies occurred within a short span of Hannaman’s.

Though DNA samples had been taken from Hanneman’s body, her case would be unsolved for a number of years. I think it’s easy to underestimate the sheer amount of time that goes into investigations, but about 5000 long hours were logged to find Hanneman’s killer, Boise police had followed 656 tips and tried matching DNA with 156 potential suspects. This amounts to over two years of concerted efforts for a missing person’s case. 

Though efforts grew weary and Hanneman’s case went cold as time went on, some secrets have a way of surfacing even when they’ve been forgotten. On March 1, 2003, in the thick brush of the Boise foothills, an unsuspecting teenager walking his dog, came across a body who would later be identified as Cheryl Hanlon, 42, a resident of eastern Idaho.  Her body was badly beaten, she had been raped, and investigators commented that there had been signs of a struggle near where her body was found. The cause of death was strangulation--Hanlon was found with her own belt tied around her neck. At the time, Hanneman’s case still hadn’t been solved, but police really had no reason to suspect any connection between the two even though both women had been killed in similar fashions--though in all honesty, brutally beaten, raped, and murdered are very common terms when describing untimely deaths of female victims. As detectives start digging, there is evidence found that Hanlon may have willingly walked into the foothills on the northside of Boise, and she was not alone. The Boise foothills are quite isolated in spots, with thick brush that coats hundreds of acres. While not a foolproof place to hide a body, in some areas, there isn’t a house for miles so any sort of foul play would go undetected for quite some time. 

Per protocol, Boise police start working backwards and begin questioning witnesses from surrounding neighborhoods, some stating that they had seen the victim having a discussion and walking away from a Boise bar around 3am the same day she had been found. Then, an anonymous tip is called into the boise police department some days later, claiming that this individual had a conversation with a man who had been discussing Hanlon’s murder, but in alarming detail.  A bragging session of sorts, a trophy kill. Far too much detail for any ordinary person to have possession of unless they had firsthand experience. 

This man was Erick Virgil Hall.  In a strange twist, Hall was already in jail when he was questioned about Hanlon’s murder. Hall had been arrested a mere 7 days after Hanlon had been found on a completely unrelated event--Hall had failed to register as a sex offender for a 1991 statutory rape of a 17 year old girl in Garden City.  Upon extensive questioning, Hall confessed to Hanlon’s murder. And when DNA sampling is taken from Hall and analyzed against other cold cases in Idaho, police find that Hall’s DNA matches DNA that had been pulled from Hannenman three years prior. A described drifter by police, though Hall had an extensive criminal record in Ada county, little else is known about the 32 year old who is now charged with both murders.  In a passing glance, Hall looked like a typical all-American boy, blue eyes, dark hair, with no real distinguishing features to call out. 

Though Hall is charged with first degree rape and murder in both events, prosecutors seek the death penalty. Prior to 2002, in the United States, a presiding judge would have the sole responsibility to decide a death penalty conviction, but as of June 2002, the Supreme Court ruled that these convictions would now need to be decided by a jury. Hall is convicted of first-degree murder, and first-degree kidnapping and rape.  During that same ruling, the jury also noted four statutory aggravating factors, all rape related, thus they found a death sentence ruling was not unfounded. He is sentenced to death on January 19, 2005 with consecutive fixed life sentences for his crimes. 

Hall immediately files for an appeal, two days later in fact, but is denied this appeal. In 2007, Hall goes before a jury once again, and once again, is convicted to another death sentence for the murder and rape of Hanlon. News reports noted that while 4th District Judge Thomas Neville read Hall’s verdict, Hall was “motionless and offered no reaction.” In other news reports, Hall appears to be smiling, leaning back in his chair, and glassy eyed, as if only present physically. These are said to be hallmark traits of psychopaths, but the human brain has strange ways to cope especially in times of horror.

Though not excusatory, Hall’s attorneys argued that he had been a victim of child abuse and neglect and the sad reality is that these things may very well have caused the chain of events and behaviors that led to Hall’s horrific murders. Another empty and desolate home life where survival takes shape in many different forms.  Not uncommon, a textbook case of child abuse perpetuating the neglect and violent behavior he had been taught as a young man.

 In April 2018, Hall’s attorneys appealed again but the Idaho Supreme Court ruled that Hall had been given  “a fair trial and had adequate representation when he was tried and sentenced.” Though at the time, it was stated that two separate justices dissented, stating that there had errors had taken place when sentencing Hall to death, though the majority rule superseded their viewpoints. 

Erick virgil hall has been on Idaho’s death row since October 2004. Each death row inmate, there are 8 in Idaho as of today, including Hall, spend 23 hours in a 12’x7’ foot cell, a room no bigger than most household bedrooms, are escorted to the shower, attorney meetings, and to receive medical care. They are allowed one hour per day for activity, if desired, but any minute outside of their cell is spent bound by their hands.

EPISODE SOURCES

https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/the-search-for-stephanie-crane-continues-after-26-years/article_d628d9b1-b6c8-502a-a0de-173535a7c4ca.html

http://charleyproject.org/case/stephanie-lyn-crane

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/stephanie-crane-friday-marks-26-years-since-challis-girls-disappearance/277-71f4574b-a0ed-4472-ba56-e722c5907edf

https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2018/09/10/the-disappearance-of-stephanie-crane/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/awdz66/the_disappearance_of_stephanie_crane/

https://www.postregister.com/messenger/news/case-may-be-cold-but-search-for-stephanie-crane-continues/article_c4c52933-ddd9-5334-bda6-f7ea83f807c3.html

http://charleyproject.org/case/amber-shawnell-hoopes

https://missing-and-unidentified.tumblr.com/post/182070312634/amber-shawnell-hoopes-a-culinary-student-with

https://www.postregister.com/messenger/news/stephanie-crane-disappearance-scars-family-changes-challis/article_9e37ea4d-eedd-5871-a7b6-d4adbcc1e17a.html

PHOTOS

Stephanie Crane

Amber Hoopes

EPISODE SCRIPT

September 28, 1984; Stephanie Lyn Crane was welcomed into this world by her parents; Ben and Sandi Crane. Stephanie Crane was a typical freckled face, brown hair, blue eyed girl who  grew up in the beautiful town of Challis, Idaho. She would spend her days playing with friends, hunting with her father, and bowling for her local bowling league. Stephanie was the eldest of three and was often described as being a bit of a tomboy, as she loved those hunting trips with her father and playing sports at her school. 

Amber Shawnell Hoopes was a beautiful 20 something girl with thick brown hair and deep brown eyes. She was a lover of culinary arts and was planning her future around attending a prestigious Culinary School where she could dive into her creativity with food and baking. Amber never missed a Sunday at her local church in the sleepy little town of Idaho Falls. She enjoyed singing, creative writing, photography, and playing the piano. Amber loved living with her grandparents; Noris and Kathleen Burgener. Amber was described as a quiet and peaceful 20 year old and would spend her evenings chatting with her sister until well past 10pm.

These two amazing girls do not have much in common besides both living in small towns located in Idaho. However, they would both forever be joined after two tragedies take place, years apart. 

On October 11, 1993 Stephanie Lyn Crane, or Stephie as her friends and family would call her, was having an average evening in Challis, Idaho. After school Stephanie and her friends went across the street to their local bowling alley for a fun afternoon with her friends…. At around 5pm that evening Stephanie walked out of the bowling alley to begin her journey home. The mother of her friend offered Stephanie a ride home but she declined the offer because she had left her backpack at the high school. Stephanie’s school was located directly across from the bowling alley and her home was just 500 yards away from both. In 1993, it would not be unheard of for a 9 year old boy or girl to be walking home from an event, especially in a small town such as Challis, Idaho. 

Challis, Idaho’s population in 1993 was approximately 991 people. Challis is located in a somewhat mountainous region and near the Salmon River. It is a beautiful town and its popularity peaks during elk and deer hunting season, which is normally in the fall to winter months. 

Stephanie’s mother, Sandi began to increasingly worry about the whereabouts of her 9 year old daughter when the skies began to darken. Knowing Stephanie was afraid of the dark, she began looking for her daughter. When she was unable to locate Stephanie, Sandi Crane made the call that no parent wishes to make, Sandi Crane called the local police department to report her daughter missing at 8:15pm on October 11, 1993.

On a similar fall evening, several years in the future, and roughly 147 miles away from Challis Idaho, Amber Shawnell Hoopes was having a typical evening in her bedroom at her Grandparents house in Idaho Falls.  It was September 14, 2001, around 10pm when her grandparents walked past her bedroom to say goodnight. Amber was on the phone with her sister. Everyone said their goodnights, Amber hung up the phone, put on her pajamas, and that was that. Noris and Kathleen went to bed around 10:30pm after a normal bedtime routine. However, on this particular night Amber’s grandmother, Kathleen was startled awake at 1am, she noticed that Amber’s bedroom light and television were still turned on. As Kathleen went to check on her granddaughter, she found the room to be empty. Kathleen quickly did a sweep of the house and found the backdoor to be unlocked. Amber’s grandparents owned an Auto Body shop that was located adjacent to their residence and oftentimes Amber could be found using the computer located in the shop office. However, this time Kathleen found the computer screen on but Amber was nowhere to be found. Kathleen immediately alerted Amber’s grandfather, Noris... and the two called the local police department. 

Much like Challis, Idaho, it wasn’t unusual for people to possess a false sense of security. Idaho Falls is a somewhat rural town with a population in 2001 of 51,000 people. Although larger than Challis, it is still considered a sleepy town where many know their neighbors and leave their doors unlocked.

The search for Stephanie Crane begins the night she is reported missing by her mother and would continue for several days. The only reports made by the witnesses interviewed would contain information about a suspicious yellow pickup with blue pinstripes and a 37 year old, caucasian man roughly 5’10” and 175 pounds. The search for this individual did not prevail. The search over the next 10 days for Stephanie Crane would span 7,000 square miles over two counties and 300 searchers including the FBI, two planes, police dogs, local police, State police, Idaho Fish and Game, and a boat crew checking the Salmon river from Challis to Salmon. Sadly the Amber Alert system that we are all familiar with now in 2020, did not exist at the time of Stephanie’s abduction. The FBI did rule out any involvement from family members or anyone in the local community, unfortunately Stephanie’s abduction corresponded with the elk and deer hunting season, thus meaning several people were in and out of town during this time. After 10 days of searching, authorities also conducted a door to door search in hopes of finding young Stephanie. Unfortunately, no new evidence was uncovered and Stephanie’s abductor or body have never been located.  

Upon reporting their granddaughter missing, Noris and Kathleen Burgener noticed that a pickup truck from their auto body shop parking lot was missing. Investigators found the vehicle with the keys in the ignition, in an abandoned parking lot a few miles away. Unfortunately there was no physical evidence of Amber Hoopes or a potential suspect found in the vehicle. It was quickly ruled out that Amber was a potential runaway due to her active involvement in the community and the fact that she left all of her personal belongings in her room along with her paycheck. A thorough search was done but no evidence or body has ever been found belonging to Amber Hoopes.  

When hearing the stories of these two amazing young ladies, it is hard to see how the two correlate- besides being located in Idaho and both abducted from small towns in the fall. However, one person would bring these two victims together and his name is Keith Glenn “Mark” Hescock. Now I should preface this by stating, it has never been confirmed that Mark Hescock abducted and/or murdered Stephanie Crane or Amber Hoopes. However, he is an active suspect in both cases. I am not going to bother giving information on Hescock because he isn’t worth the time. But I will tell you that this man is not only a suspect in these two cases, but was also suspected of kidnapping a 14 year old girl on June 5, 2002. She will remain nameless, but she is one badass chick. THIS 14 yr old girl managed to escape this psycho’s clutches! She waited for Hescock to leave for work, then found a fire extinguisher and used it to bash the lock off of the door and then ran! Good for you girl! 

However, before he could be arrested, he led authorities on a 40 mile, high speed chase! Hescock tried to make a run for it but took a wrong turn in the mountains trying to evade capture and was trapped on a dead end road.  Hescock then murdered a police dog, and wounded a police officer. When the negotiation was going nowhere, Hescock turned the gun on himself and ended his life.

Hescock was already a suspect in Stephanie Crane’s case in 1997 but had an alibi, however, after his death it was found that the family who had provided the alibi for Hescock, had lied. Investigators believed it was highly likely that Hescock was involved in the disappearances of Stephanie Crane AND Amber Hoopes. After his death, local police continued investigating Hescock’s involvement in these disappearances and interviewed Hescock’s neighbor who informed them that Hescock WAS hunting in Challis the weekend of Stephanie Crane’s disappearance. AND it was confirmed that Hescock owned a yellow pickup in 1993 that matched the description of the yellow pickup seen in Challis at the time of Stephanie’s disappearance. But the coincidences don’t stop there… Hescock also worked for Amber Hoopes’s grandparents at their body shop and had abruptly quit before Amber’s disappearance. I will let you listeners draw your own conclusions on whether or not Hescock could have committed one or both of these crimes…. But either way any new evidence or information died with Hescock. 

And… Unfortunately, the bodies of Stephanie Crane and Amber Hoopes have never been recovered and any evidence of either one still being alive remains to be found. 

These are two deeply tragic stories with little to no closure for the families. However, there is one theory that is still being explored in regards to the Stephanie Crane disappearance. In 2000, an inmate at the Nampa county jail reported that he may know something about the cold case on Stephanie Crane. Detectives immediately interviewed this inmate. In his story, he claims that a female friend of his, back in 1993,  rented a room from a man who police refer to as the “Drifter”. She claimed to hear sounds coming from the Drifter’s basement that sounded like a little girl screaming and crying. When she confronted the man about the sounds, the Drifter claimed it was simply his daughter, he was punishing her for running away again. Upon further investigation, the female later discovered the girl's underwear in the Drifter’s closet. This caused great panic, the female friend took her own daughter and immediately moved out. Unfortunately she never reported her findings to the authorities. When told this new information, the investigators postulated as to whether or not the girl in the basement could have been Stephanie Crane. The timing was right and Nampa is roughly 206 miles from Challis, which is about a 4 hour drive. The investigator’s quickly found the Drifter and it was uncovered that he had a criminal background- which included sexual abuse in the third degree. When brought in for questioning, he was given a polygraph and failed. A search warrant was then executed and a thorough search was done of the house and the basement. Unfortunately, the blood and fibers that were found were degraded- given the fact that 7+ years had passed since the time of Stephanie Crane’s abduction. It was found that the bloodstains were either human or animal, but the hair fibers were human. However, dna was not able to be obtained. Sadly this does not end with justice for Stephanie Crane, but the reason the authorities will not release the “Drifter’s” name is because he is still an active suspect in this case. So listener’s have hope that one day one or both of these brave girls will have justice. 

For Stephanie Crane, the family still hopes for information leading to what happened to this sweet girl 27 years ago. Sadly Stephanie’s parents; Sandi and Ben Crane have both since passed away. Sandi passed in 1997 and Ben Crane passed in 2012, tragically never knowing what happened to their sweet, freckle faced girl. Stephanie’s grandmother; Hazel still lives and resides in Challis, Idaho; hoping one day her granddaughter will return home. In 2018 Hazel gave a statement to the Post Register stating, “It’s more like a slice with a razor than a tearing hurt. It’s a loss we’re not going to get over. After 25 years, you think it’s probably not going to be solved. For a long time every hunting season I thought, ‘Well, maybe this year maybe someone will find something.’ Do I think she is out there, I don’t know, I must subconsciously. Maybe not knowing about Stephanie’s fate is God’s best answer for the family.” As of today Stephanie Lyn Crane would be just a few weeks away from her 36th birthday. 

For Amber Hoopes, no further evidence has been found leading to her abductor or whereabouts. Her family still hopes and prays for her safe return or any information regarding her disappearance. In light of her disappearance, Idaho Falls officially designated September 14th as “Missing Persons” day in remembrance of Amber. As of today, Amber Hoopes would be just shy of her 39th birthday. 

There is a reward of $50,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of any persons involved in Stephanie Crane’s abduction. If you have any information please call the Custer County Sheriff’s office at 208-879-2232. 

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Amber Hoopes please contact Bonneville County Sheriff’s office at 208-529-1200. 

*The characters** 

**DeOrr Kunz Jr.** 

2 years old. Disappeared on or around July 9th or 10th somewhere in Idaho

**Vernal DeOrr Kunz Sr.** 

DeOrr’s biological father, Jessica Mitchell’s fiancé or boyfriend. Claims he was camping with his son when his son disappeared. Says he trusts Jessica 100%, believes DeOrr was abducted from the campsite.

**Jessica Mitchell** 

DeOrr’s biological mother. Claims she was camping with her son when her son disappeared. Says she trusts Vernal and his story. Believes DeOrr wandered away and passed away in the mountains near the campsite. 

**Grandpa Bob Walton** 

Jessica Mitchell’s grandfather. Bob Walton is old (76), confused, and on oxygen. Jessica and Vernal claim the camping trip was his idea. He died in 2019. 

**Isaac Reinwand**

Slight developmental disability (possible not confirmed), Grandpa Bob’s former neighbor and fishing buddy. Isaac believes that DeOrr wandered away and passed away some place near the campsite.

**Private Investigator Frank Vilt**

First PI hired by the family. Retired US Marshall. Does not believe the family is telling the truth. Thinks it is possible the family gave away or sold DeOrr. Resigned from the investigation citing his mistrust of the parents’ stories. 

**Private Investigator Phillip Klein**

Second PI hired by the family, later fired by the family. Has hours’ worth of video interview with the family on YouTube. Believes the family killed DeOrr (intentionally or neglectfully) and is not telling them truth. Klein also makes a variety of accusations against the family to the media and some digging into his background reveals that he does not have the best reputation.

*****************

DeOrr Kunz Jr. was born on December 30th, 2012 to his mother, Jessica Mitchell and his father, her boyfriend, Vernal DeOrr Kunz Sr. Vernal also goes by DeOrr but for clarity, I will be referring to him as Vernal. Neither Vernal or Jessica have a criminal record and by all accounts we’re good parents. Jessica has 2 older children that she did not have custody of at the time. According to Jessica, their father was more financially stable and could provide a better home for them. Jessica always says that choice was out of love and not because she didn’t “want” them. She has stressed in interviews that the custody agreement was not by force but choice. She still sees them and has regular visitation even today. If Vernal has any other children it is never mentioned. 

Throughout every article I’ve read and interview I’ve watched everyone refers to DeOrr as “little DeOrr” or “little man” affectionately. DeOrr is an adorable blonde haired, brown eyed, average two year old. Family members say he was sweet, and full of energy and “always on the move”. Like any other 2 year old mastering walking, he was always going somewhere. 

For the first 6 months of 2015, Jessica had been working as a care taker for her elderly grandfather, Bob Walton. Bob Walton, aged 76, was in poor health and on oxygen at this time. According to Vernal, the family decided to go on a camping trip on Thursday July 9th, 2015 after Vernal got off of work around 5pm. Sometime in the evening around 6pm, the family piled into their truck, picked up Grandpa Bob Walton in his SUV which was hauling a trailer, and then picked up Grandpa’s friend and former neighbor, Isaac Reinwand. Jessica and Vernal had never met Isaac before this trip. Isaac appears to be aged in his 30s. According to an interview with East Idaho News, Isaac met Bob five years earlier when Bob hired Isaac to do some yard work. Isaac appears to have some developmental disabilities. Grandpa Bob was around 40 years older than Isaac despite this age difference Grandpa Bob and Isaac became fast friends and “fishing buddies”. 

“The trip”

The group drove in the two vehicles for 116 miles north to Leadore, Idaho. Then they drove an additional 10 miles west to Timber Creek campground. This campground is accessible only by a rocky dirt road and the additional 8-9 miles takes usually 45-60 minutes to navigate to the campground, at night. The family said they pulled into the campground at around “dark”.  Sunset in Leadore on that day is 9:20pm, so many sources have guessed that the time the family pulled in was at about 9:30pm. (Times are only able to estimated by when the sun usually sets this time of year. No one seems to have actually looked at a watch or clock during this trip at any time times are all vague guesses by everyone involved). 

Along the way the family claims to have stopped for diesel, stopped at the Silver Dollar restaurant in Leadore (it was closed), and finally stopped at the convenience store to pick up some groceries. (It is important to note that no one in the store remembers seeing DeOrr.) After stocking up on supplies they drove the last 8 miles into camp. They arrived at “dark” and everyone went to bed. Jessica, Vernal and DeOrr slept in Grandpa Bob’s SUV, Isaac in a tent and Grandpa in his camper. 

**July 10th- the morning of**

According to the family, around 10:30am-11am after the family had had breakfast. Jessica started her period and asked Vernal to return to town to pick up some supplies including feminine products and groceries at the convenience store, Stage Stop Junction. Vernal, Jessica, and little DeOrr left and went to town. According to Vernal, this trip downhill took about 20 minutes. Once in town they stopped at the Stage Stop where Vernal asked they sold diesel fuel. When the clerk said no, they went to the diesel station down the road but there was no diesel there either. They then finally went to Peterson welding to finally get fuel for the truck. At this point they returned to the convenience store to get snacks and feminine products before heading back to the campground.

Jessica has claimed that an older man was sitting at the table in the store and was staring incessantly at her son. There is a receipt that confirms that they were at the store and purchased things around this time.  (It is important to note that once again  **no one** on July 10th in Leadore can remember seeing DeOrr that day. ) At 12:38pm Jessica sends a text to her mom saying that they are leaving Leadore to return to the campground.  If we assume as Vernal claims that the trip took only 20 minutes in the day time, the family was in the town of Leadore from about 11:00am (at the earliest), or 11:40am (at the latest) to 12:38pm. 

Once the family returned to the campsite around 1:00 pm or 1:10 pm, the timeline gets a little shakier…The adults decide to go fishing with Isaac in the creek that is only 50 feet away from the campsite, down a little hill. While you can hear the creek from the campsite, you cannot see it from the area that they were camped at. Isaac claims to see DeOrr around this time in between 1:10 pm-1:30 pm at the campsite. According to Vernal it was nearing DeOrr’s nap time. At about 1:30 pm, the adults minus grandpa Bob, leave to go fishing and leave DeOrr with his great-grandpa. (Grandpa, was not in good health. Jessica was his caretaker. He often needed assistance getting around and he was on oxygen full time. I think this is important to note as he has been said to be the one watching DeOrr at this time.) 

The story from here gets confusing and has changed over the years. Everyone remembers it a little differently. In some interviews the family says DeOrr should have been napping, it is unclear why no one put DeOrr to bed before the fishing trek. According to Jessica, DeOrr was under the tree eating candy. She also claims that little DeOrr said that he wanted to stay with Grandpa and eat candy, not come with her and Vernal to the creek. 

This is an important point as Bob Walton says he doesn’t remember being asked to watch DeOrr…he clarifies by saying it could have happened and he either forgot, or didn’t hear. Bob claims DeOrr was alive and playing in the campsite at this time, when his parents were prepping to go fishing. 

Isaac, Vernal, and Jessica leave the area to go fishing in the creek. Jessica says she looked back at the camp to make sure DeOrr wasn’t following them. Once at the creek, Isaac and the couple spread out over an area of about 150 feet with Isaac being upstream and the couple being farther downstream. Somewhere in between 2:00 pm and 2:20 pm the family realizes DeOrr is missing when the parents return to camp and realize DeOrr is not with Grandpa Bob. Bob claims he looked away and when he looked back little DeOrr was gone. Grandpa says he thought DeOrr was fishing with his parents. 

Jessica says they were fishing for only 5 minutes; while Vernal says they were gone 15-20 min. Jessica and Vernal searched the campsite and creek for about 20 minutes before calling 911. At 2:26 pm. 

Meanwhile Vernal gets in his truck, drives ½ mile down the road to get better cell service and places his own call to 911 at 2:22 pm. On the 911 call Vernal says that DeOrr has been missing “about an hour”. Around this time Isaac returns to the campsite and Grandpa Bob Walton informs him that little DeOrr is missing. Search and rescue teams arrive at the campsite around 3:45 or 4:00 pm. 

****

Soon the small camp was crawling with volunteers who were looking for the boy and law enforcement was already beginning interview all four adults who were camping that weekend. By July 12th over two hundred people were at the campsite searching for DeOrr on foot, horseback, ATV, and helicopter. Later, drones and dogs were brought in to look for the little boy. No trace of him has even been found, not a shoe, a scrap of clothing or any of DeOrr’s things. 

***********

The first private investigator, Frank Vilt volunteers to help. He knows the family from the small town and offers his services. He announces a search for a man that Jessica says was looking at DeOrr while in town. They call him “the creep in the Jeep”. Frank does a few interviews with the local news with updates but ultimately leaves the case. Frank says that the family was “less than truthful”. 

By January the parents are named suspects by the Lemhi county sheriff’s office. 

Private investigator Phillip Klein is then brought into the case. 

July 15th, 2016** 

DeOrr’s “missing jacket” found at DeOrr’s home. A jacket like the one DeOrr was apparently wearing the day of his disappearance is found in Jessica and Vernal’s apartment.

**November 13th, 2017**

Phillip Klein private investigator is fired by the Kunz family from the investigation. Klein has always said that he didn’t feel that Jessica or Vernal were being truthful and has gone on to publicly say they were guilty in interviews and on YouTube. 

***********

After they were named suspects in their son’s disappearance Jessica and Vernal broke up. He took a job as a truck driver out of state and Jessica married someone new within the year. They have never been charged with their son’s disappearance. 

Grandpa Bob Walton died of cancer at age 80 in 2019.  Many say that he felt enormous guilt over DeOrr’s

Disappearance and it took a toll. 

It has come out that Isaac did have a criminal past. Isaac is not a child molester, convicted sex offender, or felon like some online forums or discussions suggest. Law Enforcement believes that DeOrr was alive for at least part of the camping trip. They believe Isaac’s testimony is credible. Isaac’s story never changes. Jessica and Vernal have told different versions with different timelines throughout the 5 year investigation. Bob Walton’s story has also changed and LE believes he knows more about the disappearance than he is saying, although they concede Bob often seems confused or forgetful. 

Cadaver and tracking dogs have been brought to the site of the disappearance at different times but the dogs findings have either been dead ends, or have been found to be related to some cremains which had been spread in the area by a local woman. 

The lead investigator on DeOrr’s case, now sheriff Steve Penner, organizes searches for DeOrr every year. He tells Newsline in a 2016 interview that in remote areas of Idaho he has done many searches for people which come up empty handed, only for the bodies to be found several years later in a same small search area. It is easy to get lost in the Idaho wilderness. 

In 2016 PI Klein claimed to have found the clothes DeOrr was wearing at the time he went missing. This was a camo print jacket similar to the one DeOrr was described as wearing when he disappeared. He also claimed Jessica told him that she knows where DeOrr is. Jessica disputes this and the Lemhi Co. Sherriff’s office doesn’t take the lead seriously as there is no proof Jessica ever said that. It is not in Klein’s 10-hour long interrogation of Jessica so it’s unclear when she said this to him.  

PI Klein currently has several lawsuits filed against him and his firm for planting false evidence and in general being a fraud. He likes the spotlight, but a tiny bit of digging into his background paints of picture of a scummy guy. Klein has released 10 hours worth of videotaped interviews on YouTube. These interviews have been helpful as they really get into detail with all four people who were at the campground. 

PI Vilt on the other hand is a retired LA county Sherif’s deputy and retired US Marshal service fugitive hunter. He has helped find 13 missing people in his time as a PI and seems generally credible and professional. So his decision to leave the case due to the parents “not being truthful” has to be considered. 

Theories**

**Here are all of the theories I have heard of for this case**

Accidental/neglectful death at the campsite, lost and died in the wilderness, animal attack, intentional homicide, abduction, given away for adoption (or sold) in Leadore, foul play or accidental/neglectful death before the camping trip, and there are probably plenty more. 

When I started researching this case, I truly believed the parents killed DeOrr on or before the trip, now I am not so sure. Isaac’s consistent story makes me think that DeOrr was probably at the campsite at some point for Isaac to have those memories. I think he at the least saw DeOrr on July the 9th. I am not so certain that DeOrr was alive or around the campsite after the family returned from the store on July 10th, but of course I can’t know for sure. This is mostly due to the bizarre timeline for the whole trip. I think a neglectful or accidental death (hit him too hard, smothered him on accident, hit him with the truck, didn’t watch him and he drowned) of DeOrr on the morning of July 10th seems to make the most sense for the timeline and the bizarre trip into town. I think the other most likely scenario is that DeOrr wandered off and succumbed to the elements or a predator because no one was watching him closely. What do you think happened to little DeOrr? 

Sources:

Little Man lost documentary 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6eIr4fflfvEZ5igzZGiDXOpJQuEguFIU

Missing 411 documentary 

https://youtu.be/zEA9-mEOZtA

East Idaho News “without a Trace”

https://youtu.be/kaZDMMnIv9E

Klein Investigations' Interviews 

Reddit

KTVB news

Helpful link for maps and pictures** 

[https://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/07/one-year-later-deorr-kunz-mystery/](https://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/07/one-year-later-deorr-kunz-mystery/)

Listener discretion is advised.

Show References

Lyda Trueblood:

Dillard, Jessi. (2019) Black Widow Lyda Trueblood Story: A Collection of True Crime. Published independently, but the book can be found on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Black-Widow-Lyda-Trueblood-collection/dp/108998362X

https://murderpedia.org/female.T/t/trueblood-lyda.htm

https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrime/comments/cdyt8g/killer_queen_the_story_of_lyda_trueblood/

http://www.robertkellerauthor.com/2015/05/serial-killers-lyda-trueblood.html

William L. Toomey:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/idaho/id-murder-mysteries/

https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/William_L._Toomey

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/6u1bzy/the_1982_suicide_of_an_unidentified_man_named/