Antoine Herran was 28 years old when he left France for what was meant to be a 3 week vacation in Australia in April of 1998.  On the day he was supposed to return home,he reportedly jumped off The Gap, a series of towering cliffs near Sydney.

Authorities later recovered a body they believed to be his. However, when Antoine’s family arrived in Australia, they were stunned to find out the body did not belong to him.

This sparked a lot of speculation that Antoine orchestrated an elaborate plan 

to fake his own death. Despite no confirmed sightings or evidence of his whereabouts, his family continues to hold out hope that advances in DNA testing  might one day uncover the truth they’ve been searching for.

Listen as we dive into Australia, the case of Antoine Herran, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Perplexed Podcasts

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2115848

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://www.facebook.com/p/Where-is-Antoine-Herran-61557994267485/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8829143/French-tourist-Antoine-Herran-faked-death-stay-Australia-detective-claims.html

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases-int/3430dmnsw.html

https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/national-news/new-south-wales-news/strip-could-unlock-mystery/6184

https://www.reddit.com/r/brisbane/comments/1gholjl/what_happened_to_antoine_herran/

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/did-a-french-backpacker-fake-his-death-and-move-to-queensland-20241016-p5kixl.html

https://australianmissingpersonsregister.com/ampr/Herran.htm

On March 20, 2024, we released Episode 19, which covered the tragic case of Jason Cortez. In that episode, I guided you through the timeline of events and shared the publicly available details from investigators.

In this episode, I’m joined by Jason’s father, Candelario Cortez, to delve deeper into Jason’s life, the challenges his family has endured since his heartbreaking murder, and any new developments in the case.

If you haven’t listened to Episode 19 yet, or need a refresher, I encourage you to revisit it before continuing.

Jason’s case began in September 2021, when he left his new wife in Virginia to travel to Los Angeles. He had planned to help a friend with photography for a creative project—a trip meant to be brief and enjoyable. However, on September 10, everything took a devastating turn.

While visiting Ernest E. Debs Regional Park for a photo session, Jason and his friend were leaving the park when a single gunshot rang out. Jason collapsed to the ground. Despite his friend’s efforts to perform CPR, Jason’s life was tragically cut short.

This senseless act of random violence remains unresolved, and the shooter has yet to be identified.

To learn more about Jason Cortez, please visit https://www.celebratingjasoncortez.com/

If you have ANY information, now is the time to come forward.

We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

 

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Travis Sackett was an experienced traveler with a passion for service.  He dedicated years to volunteering with AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, working in Peru and Guatemala, and most recently, lending a hand in Ecuador.

In February 2021, just two months into his stay in Ecuador, Travis set out on what should have been a routine hike. The trail wasn’t particularly challenging, and witnesses reported seeing him during the day.

But he never returned.

Was it a tragic accident along the path? Or could something more sinister have occurred?

Despite extensive searches, no trace of Travis has ever been found. To this day, his disappearance remains a mystery. 

What really happened to Travis Sackett?

Listen as we dive into Ecuador, the case of Travis Sackett, and how to stay alive on vacation.

We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

 

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://www.facebook.com/FindTrav/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ecuador/comments/lw1i6m/missing_travis_sackett/

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/public-safety/2021/03/06/family--friends-ask-for-help-in-finding-batavia-man-who-went-missing-in-ecuador

https://www.einpresswire.com/article/539580852/lauth-investigations-international-joins-the-search-for-missing-person-travis-sackett-who-disappeared-from-ecuador

https://havanatimes.org/diaries/alfe/ecuadors-missing-persons/

https://www.thelcn.com/news/local/batavia-native-missing-in-ecuador/article_fab9130b-2522-5d7a-ac4a-585102724707.html

https://www.thedailynewsonline.com/top_story/batavia-native-missing-in-ecuador/article_cc3c0a16-d8a8-5cb4-be4b-e135f5d5c5fc.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VONdmH-v4dc

https://www.lahora.com.ec/etiquetas/travis-joseph-sackett/#google_vignette

https://missingamericans.ning.com/m?id=4224332:MobilePage:32028

https://www.facebook.com/turismopimampiro.imbabura/

https://insightcrime.org/news/ecuadors-kidnapping-epidemic-told-by-a-survivor/

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/ecuador-travel-advisory.html

Michal Krowczynski was a math teacher and Polish tourist who set out to explore Arizona and California during his winter break. 

Tragically, he vanished under mysterious circumstances on January 17th, 2019, while in San Diego, California.

Since that day, Michal has not been seen or heard from, and investigators describe his disappearance as highly unusual.

Nearly 6 years later, his family remains without answers, still searching for any clue about what happened to him.

Where is Michal Krówczyński?

Listen as we dive into San Diego, the case of Michal Krówczyński, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

 

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/376459026471108

https://www.facebook.com/Michal.Krowczynski.MISSING/

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/new-information-in-disappearance-of-polish-tourist/6269/

https://zaginieni.pl/jak-pomagamy/poszukiwanie-zaginionych/zagineli/profil-osoby/?o=21653

https://www.instagram.com/michaelexquisite

https://www.reddit.com/r/MissingPersons/comments/vgfbrf/polish_highschool_teacher_disappeared_in_san/

https://zaginieni.policja.gov.pl/zag/form/r57860957105016,KROWCZYNSKI-MICHAL.html

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/ca-michal-marcin-krowczynski-30-polish-tourist-la-jolla-biltmore-hotel-san-diego-17-jan-2019.415165/

https://www.fakt.pl/michal-krowczynski

https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/michal-krowczynski-zaginal-krotki-wypad-do-meksyku-i-zapadl-sie-pod-ziemie-6342719691061377a

https://www.reddit.com/r/sandiego/comments/akc38f/hello_san_diego_redditors_im_a_high_school/

https://www.netlaw.bg/en/a/itaka-foundation-centre-for-missing-people

Hello fellow travelers and true crime enthusiasts!

I wanted to share a quick update to keep you all in the loop on what’s been happening behind the scenes with The Last Trip Podcast.  

Looking ahead, I’m really excited about what’s coming in 2025. I’ve been working on updates for some previous cases and lining up interviews with family members of those cases. These upcoming episodes are close to my heart, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Thank you again for being part of this journey with me. Wishing you all a wonderful and healthy holiday season, and I’ll see you in the next episode.

The case of Barbara Jean Monaco is a mystery that time cannot erase.  On August 20th, 1978, Barbara Jean hit the road with her sister and 2 friends. 

Their destination? Virginia Beach - a sunny getaway to celebrate Barbara’s milestone 18th birthday.  The trio checked into the Aloha motel, ready for a week of fun and freedom. 

But that celebration took a dark turn.  When Barbara Jean left the motel to meet up with a bartender she’d planned a date with, she vanished without a trace.  She never made it to her date and hasn’t been seen since.

Over four decades have passed. Witnesses have come forward, suspects have been questioned, and theories have swirled.  Yet the question lingers: What happened to Barbara Jean Monaco? 

Listen as we dive into Virginia Beach, the case of Barbara Jean Monaco, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Luminol On The Wall

https://luminolonthewall.buzzsprout.com/

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://coldcase.vsp.virginia.gov/virginia-beach-police-department/case/virginia-beach-police-department-case-1978-085134-barbara-jean-monaco/

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1765dfva.html

https://www.kerrydougherty.com/allposts/2020/8/20/who-killed-barbara-jean-monaco

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Missing-in-Connecticut-Family-seeks-justice-in-11505677.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHoOHqi72uM

This week’s episode takes a wild turn into the unbelievable. 

Our missing person didn’t just vanish - he faked his own death, traveled halfway around the globe, and ultimately got caught.

It all started when Ryan Borgwardt told his family he was going kayaking.  When he didn’t return, his wife reported him missing. Authorities found his overturned kayak and life preserver, shifting the mission from a rescue to a recovery.   But after an exhaustive search, no trace of Ryan’s body turned up in the lake.

If he wasn’t in the water… where was Ryan Borgwardt?

Get ready, because today’s episode feels like it’s ripped straight from the script of a Hollywood thriller.

Listen as we dive into Wisconsin, the case of Ryan Borgwardt, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Luminol On The Wall

https://luminolonthewall.buzzsprout.com/

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://abc11.com/post/ryan-borgwardt-missing-sheriff-update-wisconsin-father-faked-own-death-fled-europe/15568812/

https://people.com/ryan-borgwardt-kayak-dad-presumed-dead-fled-europe-8754791

https://apnews.com/article/missing-kayaker-ryan-borgwardt-wisconsin-240e49d59e3e69ad95f14baea9fda1d9

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/21/us/ryan-borgwardt-wisconsin-fake-death-found-alive/index.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ryan-borgwardt-likely-wouldn-t-042501574.html

https://abcnews.go.com/US/missing-wisconsin-kayaker-faked-death-fled-europe/story?id=115767037

https://www.birdsall-law.com/potential-criminal-charges-against-ryan-borgwardt-court-tv

https://globalnews.ca/news/10868451/missing-kayaker-ryan-borgwardt-faked-death-fled-to-europe/

https://www.tiktok.com/@authenticalpha/video/7436641295742913834

https://wdez.com/2024/11/14/863712/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14087569/ryan-borgwardt-faked-death-wisconsin-wife-messages.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14087569/ryan-borgwardt-faked-death-wisconsin-wife-messages.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ctbWpBkzK8&t=1s

In 2008, 21-year-old Skye Budnick boarded a one-way flight from Connecticut to Japan without informing anyone of her plans.

Upon arriving, she was last seen at an inn in northern Japan. After that, her trail vanished, leaving behind a growing mystery.

Why did Skye go to Japan? What happened to her after she arrived? And where is she now?

More than 16 years later, her family continues their relentless search for answers.

Listen as we dive into Japan, the case of Skye Budnick, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Luminol On The Wall

https://luminolonthewall.buzzsprout.com/

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://www.survivingskye.com/https/anchorfm/survivingskye

https://www.tiktok.com/@meganlebron

https://www.ctinsider.com/recordjournal/article/skye-budnick-southington-missing-gofundme-18694102.php

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13566629/Skye-Budnick-Japan-Missing.html

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/4776dfct.html

https://ctmissingpeople.substack.com/p/ct-college-student-books-one-way?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

https://www.reddit.com/r/MissingPersons/comments/1bkfole/college_student_skye_budnick_packed_a_few_things/

https://time.com/4646293/japan-missing-people-johatsu-evaporated/

https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=4666523&page=1

https://thesuitcasedetective.com/ja/2024/01/28/skye-budnick-missing-woman/

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1wt22xyvrA7QUaz4GZJ8F13lIRgZIMn7G7CytDVAzMjM/htmlview#

https://www.gofundme.com/f/getting-answers-for-skye-budnick?lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Why are so many people disappearing and turning up murdered on Tenerife, the popular vacation island?

Could a serial killer be responsible?

Since the start of 2024, at least 12 people have vanished from Tenerife and the nearby island of La Gomera. In total, 28 individuals have gone missing under mysterious circumstances on Tenerife since 2015 — many of them tourists.

Are these disappearances the result of unfortunate accidents in the island's rugged terrain, or is there something far more sinister at play?

Join us as we delve into the mystery surrounding Tenerife, uncovering the shadows that lurk beneath this picturesque paradise, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Luminol On The Wall

https://luminolonthewall.buzzsprout.com/

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1958858/tenerife-serial-killer-panic-mystery-disappearances

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1maso_Rodr%C3%ADguez_Mart%C3%ADn

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/09/27/decomposing-body-is-found-in-a-ravine-in-spains-tenerife-as-missing-persons-cases-pile-up-on-the-island/

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/09/29/girl-16-among-latest-to-disappear-from-spains-tenerife-as-police-work-to-identify-body-found-decomposing-in-a-ravine/

https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2024/09/24/heartbreaking-disappearance-of-young-woman-in-spains-tenerife-who-no-one-has-reported-missing-despite-her-likely-vanishing-months-ago/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/827823527596597/

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/europe/jay-slater-missing-people-tenerife-b2569053.html

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jul/15/body-found-in-area-where-jay-slater-went-missing-in-tenerife

https://metro.co.uk/2024/07/16/young-men-go-tenerife-disappear-2-21238405/

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1915145/jay-slater-among-11-missing-on-tenerife

https://tenerifeweekly.com/2024/07/06/disappearances-in-the-canary-islands-why-are-larger-search-operations-mounted-in-some-cases-than-in-others/

https://www.the-sun.com/news/11745806/tenerife-worst-missing-search-failures-jay-slater/

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/disappearance-of-19yo-jay-slater-tenerife.1383579/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/leper-colony-of-arico

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/efidwo/ricky_dcotta_1987_tenerife/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=9L5zdnPxjew

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases-int/400dmesp.html

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1916157/Kevin-Ainley-Brit-missing-Tenerife-20-years-before-Jay-Slater?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/23962758272/

https://eldigitalsur.com/sucesos/desaparecidos-canarias/desaparecida-la-palma-natalia-hernandez-martinez/

https://www.facebook.com/p/Find-Gary-Shearer-100091607556766/

https://tenerifeguru.com/visitors-tourists/safety-crime/

Justin Booska was 27 years old when he traveled to Guatemala for a vacation with his college roommate’s family in early 2018.  On January 6th, they stopped at Laguna de Ayarza.  It was here that Justin, who was an experienced athlete, decided to swim from one side of the lake to the other.  The lake was calm and it should have been an easy swim, but Justin somehow vanished without a trace.

His friends and family searched the lake tirelessly but found no signs of him.  And things got very suspicious when during the search, local residents ambushed the group, forcing them to stop their efforts. Because of this, his family feels that Justin’s disappearance involved something far more sinister than a simple accident.

Listen as we dive into Guatemala, the case of Justin Booska, and how to stay alive on vacation.

Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Luminol On The Wall

https://luminolonthewall.buzzsprout.com/

Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

Sources:

https://imperfectplan.com/2020/07/28/they-were-greeted-by-men-with-tire-irons-and-machetes/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-find-justin-booska?attribution_id=undefined&utm_campaign=unknown&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=website_widget

https://abcnews.go.com/International/hampshire-man-vanishes-swim-guatemalan-lake/story?id=52379447

https://www.conwaydailysun.com/news/local/family-believes-tamworth-man-is-dead/article_02745b3e-1343-11e8-8681-830c593bd95e.html

https://www.tumblr.com/heads-photo/176402928412/remembering-justin-booska

https://www.facebook.com/p/Help-Us-Find-Justin-Booska-100072261833949/

https://www.wmur.com/article/crews-search-for-tamworth-man-missing-in-guatemala/15164741

https://missingamericans.ning.com/profiles/blogs/new-hampshire-man-missing-in-guatemala-believed-murdered

https://www.boston25news.com/news/nh-native-missing-in-guatemala/684593538/

https://www.prensalibre.com/ciudades/santa-rosa/estadounidense-se-habria-ahogado-en-laguna-de-ayarza/