Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders

Jhalil Shands, 25 years old, was out on a date with his high school sweetheart in Old City, Philadelphia, when three people jumped out of a car and brutally shot and killed him. He was loved by his family and lived a good life, but still found himself in the middle of a dangerous world. In the final episode of “Ricochet”, we hear from Jhalil’s family and other mothers who have lost their children to gun violence, and two psychologists break down how trauma impacts both parents and children, how race and toxic masculinity are tied into the cycle of violence, and what kids need in order to see a different path.

See photos and read more about this episode here.

Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

Sixteen-year-old Kahree Simmons was playing basketball on a Thursday evening when a van pulled up and bullets started firing. He was hit in the neck and died. We hear Kahree’s story, ride along on patrol with police officers in the neighborhood where he was killed, and talk with law enforcement and prosecutors about what goes into a shooting investigation and charging. Plus, we talk about what the word “gang” means in Philadelphia and why young people join these violent groups.

See photos and read more about this episode here.

Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

Lou Berrios was coming home from his first Eagles game, about to open his front door, when he was shot in the back in a suspected attempted robbery. He survived, but between surgeries and PTSD, his recovery is a lifelong struggle. In this episode, we focus on the physical impacts of getting shot, how doctors respond, and how guns and ammunition have become more powerful over the years. Medics tell us about how their jobs have changed. And we speak with one advocate who explains how fear is a major factor in gun violence, and how those moments of fear may be the best time for intervention to help stop the bloodshed.

Read more about this episode here.

Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

Jermaine Robinson was bullied as a kid, until his mom, Andrea, taught him how to box and “protect himself.” She says something clicked in her son’s head that day. He began to carry a gun, run with the wrong crowd, and get picked up by police. His friends called him "Shooter". He was in and out of the court system for years, and Andrea says she tried everything, until one day, Jermaine was shot and killed. As Andrea shares her story of grief and anger, we try to understand what drives a person to pick up a gun and shoot, and how trauma is often the trigger.

Read more about this episode here.

Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

In October of 2019, two children were shot within hours of each other, including two-year-old Nikolette Rivera.  A bullet from an assault rifle struck her head and instantly killed her. It was at the hands of a man named Tayvon Thomas, who grew up abused and neglected, and turned to drugs. We dig into both sides of this tragedy, examine the systemic failures that contributed, and ask why the most vulnerable feel the least protected.

See photos and read more about this episode here.

Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

Gun violence is a national crisis. In Philadelphia, more than 10,000 people have been shot in the last five years. 2,100 people have died. 

Every bullet fired has a ripple effect. In this series from Gone Cold, we’ll examine the issues through stories from those affected the most: victims, defendants, law enforcement, medical workers, judges and families, while highlighting unsolved cases. What makes someone pull the trigger? What is the lasting impact? And what, if anything, can make it stop?

Hear the first episode of “Ricochet” on Wednesday, January 24 on the Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders feed.
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Host: Kristen Johanson
Producer: Sabrina Boyd-Surka
Production Assistant: Winston Harris

Danelo Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison on August 31 after being sentenced to life in prison without parole the week before for the brutal murder of his ex-girlfriend.

For two weeks, neighbors in a quiet and mostly rural suburban county west of Philadelphia anxiously waited for the capture of the 34-year old Cavalcante, as state police launched a massive manhunt.

How did a late-night cigarette break tip authorities off to the whereabouts of the escaped killer? How did a dog named Yoda helped detain him? And, moving forward, can the public be reassured that an escape like this will never happen again?

KYW Newsradio's Suburban Bureau Chief Jim Melwert covered the search from beginning to end. He joins Brian Seltzer and Phil Casey to empty his notebook from a wild story.

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His name is Joseph Augustus Zarelli. He was found dead in a cardboard box in February 1957, naked, scratched, bruised and scarred. More than 65 years after he was found, investigators have answered maybe the most important question in the mystery of the “Boy in the Box.” This is the story of how they found Joseph's name, and what it means to the people who have spent a lifetime searching for his identity.

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