Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.
Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened?
From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley’s death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.
Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News revisits Whiteley’s story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range’s Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show.
We’re dropping a new episode each Monday here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed.
This is episode 1: “Just do it” — Christopher Whiteley makes a desperate phone call then vanishes into the woods, igniting one of Texas' strangest and most controversial true-crime cases.
This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised.
Read The News’ 2021 report on Whiteley’s case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/

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