Murder With Mannina

On July 25, 2015, in Gary, Indiana, a developmentally disabled 21-year-old woman named Diamond and her two-year-old nephew left their home to take a walk while their caretaker was napping. They have not been seen since. Despite countless searches and sightings, as well as a named person of interest, they are still missing. It’s a baffling case that needs and deserves attention.

In Austin, Texas, eight bodies have been pulled from Lady Bird Lake in just 10 months. Similar deaths and bodies were recovered from the lake in the past few years too. Among these victims was a charismatic, beloved, 25-year-old named Martin Gutierrez. Gutierrez went missing in November 2018 after leaving a bar on Rainey Street. Martin’s brother and sister-in-law, Mitchell and Whitney Gutierrez, join us to share strange details that led up to Martin’s death, his autopsy report, common elements in several of the cases, and APD’s incredulous assertion that the deaths are all accidental. 

Dorothy Hill, Debbie Wilson, and Tammy Alford share a tragic bond. Their sisters were murdered over 40 years ago in Louisville, KY and the three cases appear to be connected.  What makes this long journey to justice even more frustrating is that DNA collected from one of the victims was linked to a convicted murderer. So why haven't these cases been solved? 

All year long, dead bodies have been discovered in the Chicago River and Lake Michigan's shoreline and harbors. Evidence of foul play isn't apparent but the similarities — all young, smart men, all found in the city's waterways, and several last seen at bars in Chicago's River North nightlife district — have citizens wondering if there is a serial killer or killers at large in the windy city.  

Picking up where we left off... Bodies are being pulled from Lady Bird Lake in Austin, TX with mysterious frequency.  Is this the work of a serial killer?   Does this add credence to the Smiley Face Killer theory?   What is happening on Rainey Street?  Austin realtor Jessica Yang  joins us to share a local's perspective and answer Chris's questions about the area. 

In Austin, TX, bodies are being pulled from Lady Bird Lake with alarming frequency; four bodies in the past month, eight bodies in less than a year, and 25 bodies in the past eight years. Several of the victims suddenly vanished in the middle of the night after going out with friends on Rainey Street. But the similarities do not stop there. Not even close. This has sparked speculations on social media that a serial killer is targeting Rainey Street revelers in Austin, TX but Austin PD states there is no indication of foul play and the deaths are unrelated. Chris reviews the list of deaths and weighs in with her experienced perspective. Are the social media rumors overblown or could there be a Rainey Street Ripper?  

More than 20 years ago, 9-year-old Asha Degree disappeared from her home in North Carolina in the middle of the night.  Chris highlights clues that have emerged along with the ongoing investigative efforts to solve this baffling case. 

A friend, Maite Soltero,  joins us to share a close call she had in college and Chris weighs in with her own experiences and safety tips. 

On the morning of June 6, 1984, in Greenville, Alabama, 12-year-old Sherry Lynn Marler accompanied her stepdad on errands.  He gave her a dollar to buy a soda from a gas station across the street.  She would never be seen again.  Chris discusses theories about the case.  Was Sherry the victim of a rare stranger abduction or something even more sinister?  

Chris discusses a killer who preyed on hotel clerks in the late 1980s and early 1990s along the Interstate 65 corridor in Kentucky and Indiana. The perpetrator was recently and positively identified via genealogy after more than 30 years.