One of today’s stories was a request sent in by a listener who was curious to know what happened to their childhood babysitter. The second case is making local headlines for offering a local council chair to a murderer. So let’s get into 2026 with the same damn stories, the same damn outrage and the same damn themes. Teenage girls, disposed of like trash, their killers usually facing the smallest of consequences. Today I’ll be telling you the stories of Robyn Johns and Nikki Thrasher.

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Accidental Autoerotic Deaths and Mental Disorder: A Scoping Review - PMC - Classmates.com 1984 Pendleton High - BeenVerified.com Report Richard Russell Meyer - Robyn Johns (1978-1996) - Find a Grave Memorial - Statesman Journal Dec 29 1996- Obituaries - Oregon Judicial Department- Online Records Search A99984 - History of Toledo - Corvallis Gazette Times- December 3 1996- Toledo police look for leads to missing woman - Oregon Judical Department Online Records Search, Meyer, Richard Russell - East Oregonian July 15 1985- Dispositions - Corvallis Gazette Times December 25 1996- Man charged in death of Toledo woman - The Oregonian October 8 1997- Toledo man goes on trial in death of woman, 18 - The Observer October 9 1997 Murder Trial Heats Up - The Register Guard October 10 1997- Trial begins in death of 18 year old woman - The Oregonian October 14 1997- Toledo man found guilty of intentionally killing teen - Visor.com Victim Information System in Oregon - The Observer October 14 1997- Jury convicts man in slaying - Corvallis Gazette-Times December 3 1996- Toledo police look for leads to missing woman - The Oregonian, December 24, 1996- Autopsy due on body of young woman - Statesman Journal, December 24, 1996 Newport: Body found may be missing teen - Corvallis Gazette Times, December 24, 1996- Body found may be that of Toledo woman - Statesman Journal December 27 1996- Obituaries - Convicted killer speaks out after controversy over police oversight board selection - Correspondence Press Release - The Oregonian Nov 29 1994- Woman's death a possible homicide - The Register Guard Nov. 29 1994- Equestrian finds body of woman - The Oregonian Nov 30 1994- Police Skeptical of Victim's Crime Report - The Oregonian December 1 1994- Roseburg teen held in slaying of woman - The Register Guard December 1 1994- Teen-ager arrested in woman's slaying - Statesman Journal Dec 2 1994- High School Senior Charged in Girl's Death - Albany Democrat Herald December 2 1994 - Murder part of coverup - The Register Guard November 18 1995- Killer pleads guilty, gets life sentence - Albandy Democrat Herald November 18 1995- Killer Sentenced - The Register Guard Oct 30 1999- Life Without - The Oregonian April 28 2022- Wyden: Brown's decision to free killer 'grossly irresponsible' - Statesman Journal, November 2,6 2025- Man's murder conviction puts future on police review board in question - Nikki Ranee Thrasher (1975-1994) - Find a Grave Memorial - The Register Guard Oct. 30 1999- Restoring Humanity - Convicted killer speaks out after controversy over police oversight board selection - Statesman Journal Dece 3 2001- Educating inmates about AIDS - The Oregonian May 6 2023- A swift shift from prison to politics

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Hello Friends and Happy Holidays!

As promised, we’re back with an update that’s also going to serve as our year-end roundup. 

Today we’ll talk about personal and show updates along with updates from some of our previous cases! Kevin Coe is dead! Gary Ridgeway might be dying! We’ve got a fundraiser for the family of Phillip Redmon. We’ll talk about the live event with Stolen Voices of Dole Valley, Alisha’s volunteering with Camp Erin, and we’ll top off this sundae with a visit to Josh’s library corner and hot streamers!

Happy 2026!

2025 can suck our balls!

True Crime Tuesday: Questions swirl around deadly Portland motel shooting - Event Interview -Event- talking about 'marketing' - https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/hes-an-evil-monster-detective-part-green-river-killer-case-weighs-his-declining-health/A2HI5UL7UNFXFMUHHVPEVBMG2Y/ - https://komonews.com/news/local/when-did-south-hill-rapist-kevin-coe-dies-at-78-in-federal-way-home-auburn - https://elunanetwork.org/eluna-camps/camp-erin/

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Last week, I started breaking down the case of Warren Forrest. How it’s believed his first victim was Jamie Grissim, how Barbra’s body was found in the silo and how Norma and Suzanne survived similar attacks from a man in a blue van.

With Suzanne’s attack being believed right away, there was a legitimate investigation taking place. Thanks to good police work that recognized the perpetrator might be someone with key access to the parks who drove said blue van, they were given the name Warren Forrest.

Today, I’ll talk about who Warren Forrest was, who his victims are and share even more excruciatingly inept details that place blame for the deaths of at least two of the victims almost squarely on police. I mean, yeah the guy is a serial killer and it’s his actions, but he could have been stopped...Many times.

You can listen to Stolen Voices of Dole Valley here-

https://kslpodcasts.com/podcast/stolen-voices-of-dole-valley/

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True crime consumers often feel they’ve ‘heard it all’. Some are drawn to those cases; the Ted Bundys, the Green River Killers, the Jefferey Dahmers. Those who are really into true crime know the smaller, lesser-known cases. They are familiar with the details of the investigation, the victims, and the outcome.

But every once in a while, a huge case gets overshadowed by those more familiar ones. Cases get lumped together. A known killer gets the blame, and an actual killer remains on the loose. Or the idea of a serial killer is just too outrageous, so it’s ignored by authorities. Today’s case is one such story. 

I had heard the name Warren Forrest before Carolyn Ossorio reached out to me, and the case was on our “to get to” list. I knew some older guy had been charged for a very old murder, thanks to new DNA developments had no idea the depth of the story, nor the extent of violence his reach had, and how many victims were lost to time, incompetence, and lack of care. Today, with the help of Carolyn and her producer Branden Morgan of the "Stolen Voices of Dole Valley" podcast, I’ll give you a rundown of the victims and survivors of Warren Forrest. We’ll also discuss their podcast because a 9-episode series is gonna cover a hell of a lot more than this one.

Listen to Stolen Voices of Dole Valley at the link below, or wherever you get your podcasts!

https://kslpodcasts.com/podcast/stolen-voices-of-dole-valley/

For tickets to the live event with NWCAVES, visit: https://nwcave.networkforgood.com/events/93248-stolen-voices-a-true-crime-listening-event

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For this episode, I had originally planned on telling multiple, shorter stories. Then I read one article:

GI’s plead not guilty in murder hearings

Two Ft. Lewis soldiers pleaded innocent in Superior Court today to unrelated first-degree murder charges stemming from the deaths last week of another soldier and a 28 year old Graham housewife.

Steven Paul Criss, 19, offered his plea in the slaying last Thursday of Jacob Kim Brown, 22, an Army infantryman, whose bullet-riddled body was found in a ditch near Roy later in the day.

Brown was reported to have left his Olympia home to meet a man for discussion of a debt. 

Trial of Criss was scheduled for November 29 by Judge James V. Ramsdell, who refused to set bail.

Also pleading innocent was Sgt. 1C Richard Michael Wallingford, 33, of E. Madison St. who was accused of the gunshot slaying last Wednesday of Cindy Ann Barajas of 119th Ave E. Graham. Mrs. Barajas had been shot in the back of the head.

Wallingford, whose arraignment was continued last Friday when he appeared in court in an apparently dissociative state, was scheduled for trial November 22. Bail was denied.

Attorneys told the court Friday that the defendant had refused to give authorities anything more than his name, rank and service serial number. 

Putting those key names into the Newspapers.com search engine, I was able to find the details surrounding both unusual cases and decided I would tell those stories. Finding these cases, featuring stories of victims I’ve never heard of or read about is one of my favorite aspects of using Newspapers.com. Today I’ll be telling you the stories of Jacob Brown, Peter Zito Jr., Donald Barton and Cindy Barajas- the forgotten victims, lost to the back page.

For more details and photos, you can visit our blog at Murderintherain.com

Oregon Journal Thu, Oct 03, 1974 · Two Teenagers Shot Dead On Oak Hills Parking Lot - Detectives suspect decades-old disappearance, murder are intertwined | Forest Grove News-Times - The News Tribune - October 12 1976 - Obituaries - The News Tribune Sat, Oct 09, 1976 - Olympian Slain, Tacoman Held - The News Tribune Fri, Dec 10, 1976 -Army gives GI life for murder - KIRO-Killer Army vet charged in 1974 double murder of Oregon teens - Cold Case Solved: Man Arrested for 1974 Murders of Two Teenagers | Washington County, OR - Looking into the Unforeseen with a Local Author - Seeking Justice for 1974 Murder - The News Tribune Tue, Oct 12, 1976 - GI's Plead Not Guilty in Murder Hearings - The Spokesman Review Sept. 15 1962 - Weddings - 47° 4' 57.4028" N 122° 35' 53.3814" W - The News Tribune October 7 1976- A Daughter's Murder a Father's Grief - The News Tribune October 7 1976 - Solider Held in Fatal Shooting of Woman - The News Tribune October 7 1976 - Portrait of a Father's Grief - Spokane Chronicle December 20 1960- Entering Military - Spokane Chronicle Sept. 10 1962- Weddings - Spokane Chronicle May 3 1978- Courts - Cynthia Ann Woods Barajas (1947-1976) - Find a Grave Memorial - The News Tribune Fri, Oct 08, 1976- Obituaries - The News Tribune Thu, Oct 07, 1976 - Solider held in fatal shooting of woman - Tri-City Herald Sun, Oct 10, 1976 - Defendant gives name, rank, serial number - The News Tribune Sat, Oct 09, 1976 - Silent Suspect Gets Continuance - The News Tribune Fri, Oct 29, 1976- Murder Trial Reset - The News Tribune Mon, Jan 10, 1977 - Sergeant stands trial for death of young woman  -  The News Tribune Tue, Jan 11, 1977 - Defense will claim insanity - The News Tribune Thu, Jan 13, 1977 - Suspect threatened to kill self - The News Tribune Wed, Jan 12, 1977 - Gasoline-Soaked Wallingford admitted killing, deputy testifies -The News Tribune Mon, Jan 24, 1977 - Cindy Ann and Steve- who speaks for them?The News -Tribune Mon, Jan 24, 1977 - GI Murder Sentence Delayed - The News Tribune Thu, Jan 27, 1977- convicted murder given life sentence

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In our previous episode, I told the backstory of Kristin Tomlin, a 20 year old woman who has been missing for 44 years. Almost all of the information in that episode came from the book Kristin Can You Hear Me, and an interview I did with its author, and friend of Kristin, Teresa Letcher. For those who loved and continue to miss Kristin, their biggest frustrations have come from what feels like a lack of investigation. There was so much hubbub surrounding the people Kristin had been with last and their wild story that it seemed Kristin being gone didn’t matter. Today, with the help of Kristin’s friends Teresa & Rhonda, I’ll be telling the other side of the story. Giving the background of the bad apples that crossed Kristin’s path and altered her life completely. 

You can get your own copy of Teresa's book, "Kristin, can you hear me?" HERE-

https://bookshop.org/p/books/kristin-can-you-hear-me-teresa-letcher/489ca4ca55ae62fb?ean=9798218659271&next=t 

KRISTIN Can You Hear Me? a book by Teresa Letcher - Bookshop.org US - Unsolved Mysteries Bob Dozier and John Russell - Oakland Tribune Nov 18 1982- Police Hunt Pair in Vanishing-Boat Fraud - The Oregonian Nov. 20 1981- Dad 'smells rat' in shipwreck tale of kin - San Francisco Chronicle Nov 20 1981- Boat Mystery Gets Stranger - Nevada State Journal Nov 28 19810 Investigators openly doubt sinking story - San Francisco Chronicle Nov 17 1982- Investigator arrested in boat mystery - San Francisco Chronicle Nov 21 1981- Coast Guard Believes Part of Boat Wreck Tale - San Francisco Examiner Dec 2 1981- Freedom II pair bought guns to 'fight pirates' - The Sacramento Union Nov 18 1982- Fake Shipwreck? 3 charged - Oakland Tribune Nov 20 1981- Only two women died in ketch sinking, police say - San Francisco Examiner Nov 20 1981- Coast Guard suspends yacht probe- for now - Reno Gazette Journal April 28 2003- Opening stage stop saloon - Reno Gazette-Journal Mon, Dec 27, 1982 Classified - Nevada State Journal Nov 20 1981- New Twists Surface in Story of Nevada Shipwreck Survivors - Reno Gazette Journal Nov 18 1981- Third woman might be lost from sunken ketch - Mason Valley News June 5 1981 - View from Sun Mountain - Nevada State Journal Nov. 26 1981- New Evidence Revealed in Mysterious Sinking - Nevada State Journal Dec 3 1981- Another twist added to the Freedom II mystery - International Camel & Ostrich Races - Virginia City - Bob Dozier and John Russell | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki - Sea Scam - The Mystery Delver - The San Francisco Examiner Thu, Nov 19, 1981 - New Twist in Yacht Tragedy- 2, not 3, died - San Francisco Chronicle Sat, Nov 28, 1981 - New Twist in Sunken Boat Mystery - San Francisco Chronicle Fri, Nov 20, 1981- Boat mystery gets stranger

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When I received an email from Teresa Letcher about her missing friend, I was surprised I hadn’t heard of the case. Not because I’m so well-versed; I’m often introduced to cases I’ve never heard of. I was surprised to not know of the disappearance of Kristin Tomlin, Teresa’s childhood friend, because the case is so bizarre, intriguing and scandalous!

Over the next two episodes, I’ll be discussing Kristin Tomlin’s life growing up in the Portland area, and the upsetting string of events that led to her eventually boarding the Freedom II yacht- the last place she would be seen alive. I’ll also be joined by Kristin’s high school friends, Teresa and Rhonda, to discuss their friendship with Kristin and why Teresa decided to write the book about her disappearance, “Kristin Can You Hear Me?”

Oakland Tribune Nov 18 1982- Police Hunt Pair in Vanishing-Boat Fraud - The Oregonian Nov. 20 1981- Dad 'smells rat' in shipwreck tale of kin -San Francisco Chronicle Nov 20 1981- Boat Mystery Gets Stranger - Nevada State Journal Nov 28 19810 Investigators openly doubt sinking story - San Francisco Chronicle Nov 17 1982- Investigator arrested in boat mystery - San Francisco Chronicle Nov 21 1981- Coast Guard Believes Part of Boat Wreck Tale - San Francisco Examiner Dec 2 1981- Freedom II pair bought guns to 'fight pirates' - The Sacramento Union Nov 18 1982- Fake Shipwreck? 3 charged - Oakland Tribune Nov 20 1981- Only two women died in ketch sinking, police say - San Francisco Examiner Nov 20 1981- Coast Guard suspends yacht probe- for now - Reno Gazette Journal April 28 2003- Opening stage stop saloon - Stage Stop Saloon - Nevada State Journal Nov 20 1981- New Twists Surface in Story of Nevada Shipwreck Survivors - Reno Gazette Journal Nov 18 1981- Third woman might be lost from sunken ketch - Mason Valley News June 5 1981 - View from Sun Mountain - Nevada State Journal Nov. 26 1981- New Evidence Revealed in Mysterious Sinking - Nevada State Journal Dec 3 1981- Another twist added to the Freedom II mystery - International Camel & Ostrich Races - Virginia City - Bob Dozier and John Russell | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki - Sea Scam - The Mystery Delver

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Welcome back to our every-other-month update! Here, we talk about updates to our cases, share true crime news in general, and discuss true crime stuff you might be into. So without further ado, let’s get to it!

Today we'll be discussing Seattle PD officers who were part of J6, how a serial rapist (and bar owner!) was caught and sentenced, how Kevin Coe (a DIFFERENT serial rapist) has been RELEASED(?!?!), Oregon's own 'Tiger King', the discovery and confirmation of Shane Sprenger's partial remains, hot streamers and Josh's library corner!

Seattle Times- Oregon Zoo Owner Indicted on More than 300 Animal Neglect Charges - Serial rapist pub owner sentenced to 109 years in prison for crimes against customers - Partial remains of missing Blue River man Shane Sprenger discovered; foul play not ruled out yet - Spokane 'South Hill rapist' Coe is released as victims relive their trauma - Names of Seattle police officers at Jan. 6 rally released

https://www.newspapers.com/crime

To get started on your own newspapers.com journey, click the link above!

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Just over two years ago, news broke about a murder that shocked everyone, especially those in the podcasting community. An obsessive fan gunned down a young woman and her husband. It’s the nightmare of anyone who puts themselves in the public eye. For Zoreh Sadegi, the danger was worth it, as she cared deeply about helping those in the Farsi tech community. Today, I’ll be telling the story of Zoreh, her husband Milad and how, once again, there were dire warnings but no actions taken to protect them from the zealot who had them in his sights.

To get started on your own newspapers.com journey, Go to Newspapers.com/Crime. When you sign up, use discount code MurderInTheRain to get 20% off!

Protection order reveals violent nature of stalker prior to killing of Redmond couple - ABC NEWS- Podcaster killed after monthslong stalking suspect - Podcaster killed in Washington: Ramin Khodakaramrezaei's ex-wife noticed change in behavior before Zohreh Sadeghi's murder - ABC13 Houston - Podcast host killed by stalker had ‘deep-seated fear’ for her safety, records reveal - What we know about the Redmond couple killed by a suspected stalker on Friday - Linkedin- ZohrehSadeghi - Stalking Fact Sheet - ORS 163.732 – Stalking - RCW 9a.46.110: Stalking - Murdered podcaster outlined stalker's threats in protection order - Podcaster killed by stalker worried he wouldn't stop unless he 'killed himself or died': documents - Podcast host killed by stalker had ‘deep-seated fear’ for her safety, records reveal - Podcaster killed in Washington: Ramin Khodakaramrezaei's ex-wife noticed change in behavior before Zohreh Sadeghi's murder - ABC13 Houston

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Last week we told you about Alana Carroll, a young woman who has been missing for 2 years now. Speaking with Joyce and Melissa, Alana's family members, we learned about the accident that changed Alana's life. This week, Alana's family shares more about the theories they've heard and rumors surrounding Alana's disappearance and presumed death. By sharing this information her family hopes those with answers will come forward so they can find their beloved Alana.

For photos of Alana, the car accident she survived and what her body went through, visit our blog at murderintherain.com

Court records: Witnesses say man called ‘freaking out’ with missing woman’s body - Missing Clark County woman now presumed dead, investigators have identified a suspect - The Columbian - https://wsp.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Alana-Carroll.pdf - Clark County deputies confirm death of woman missing since 2023 - Alana Ranae Carroll – The Charley Project - Missing woman Alana Carroll presumed dead in Clark County - BeenVerified - Alana Carroll - Illegal substances are part of addiction problem in Oregon, but alcohol is biggest killer - OPB - Opioid Data | Washington State Department of Health - FindAGrave.com - The Columbian - Oct. 3 2000- Obituary - Been Verified Court Cases - BG man arrested for weapons, heroin possession | The Reflector - The Daily Astorian - Nov 29 1982- Marijuana Seized  - The Columbian - June 30 1992 - Editorial - The Columbian - July 24 1992 - Editorial - Longview Daily News - May 27 2011 - Police Blotter -BG man arrested for weapons, heroin possession | The Reflector -The Columbian Nov 29 1982- Bust (PHOTO) - The Columbian Jan 20 1983 - Family pleads guilty to selling marijuana - The Columbian Feb 25 1983 - Kidnapped boy pleads guilty - The Columbian March 31 1983 - Courts - The Columbian June 4 2008 - Suspected heroin dealer arrested in Battle Ground - BeenVerified.com - Luke A. Grant

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