The Path Went Chilly

December 13, 2009. Henderson, Nevada. A security camera captures 30-year old Steven Koecher arriving in a residential neighbourhood, where he parks his car and is seen walking down the sidewalk before he vanishes without a trace. Earlier that day, Steven had made a 135-mile trip to Henderson from his residence in St. George, Utah, but never told anyone why, and in the days prior to his disappearance, Steven also made multiple unexplained road trips through Utah and Nevada. Since Steven was struggling financially, it is theorized that he might have travelled to Henderson in order to seek employment or make a delivery to earn some money, but there is no conclusive evidence of what happened to him. Did Steven Koecher disappear voluntarily or end his own life somewhere or did he become the victim of foul play? On this week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly”, we explore of the most perplexing missing persons case of the modern era.If you have any information about this case, please contact the St. George Police Department at (435) 627-4319, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at (702) 229-2907 or the Henderson Police Department at (702) 267-2323.

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Steven_Koecher

http://charleyproject.org/case/steven-thell-koecher

https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/finding-steven-koecher-man-vanishes-from-las-vegas-valley-neighborhood-phone-pings-for-days-after-presumed-death/

https://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/news/ci_14152619

https://fox13now.com/2015/05/15/new-theory-in-case-of-man-missing-since-2009-sparks-renewed-search-effort/https://sites.google.com/site/parallelcooler/home/koecher-html/timeline2009

https://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/home2/53090169-183/steven-koecher-henderson-missing.html.csp

https://www.deseret.com/2010/1/6/20362964/about-utah-powell-isn-t-only-missing-utahn

https://www.deseret.com/2010/2/13/20096171/family-of-missing-st-george-man-steven-koecher-waits-and-hopes

https://news3lv.com/news/local/finding-steven-nine-years-after-his-disappearance-family-still-hopes-him

http://img.ksl.com/slc/2507/250737/25073705.pdfArron Stoner Youtube ChannelEyesOn Justice: A True Crime Podcast

December 13, 2009. Henderson, Nevada. A security camera captures 30-year old Steven Koecher arriving in a residential neighbourhood, where he parks his car and is seen walking down the sidewalk before he vanishes without a trace. Earlier that day, Steven had made a 135-mile trip to Henderson from his residence in St. George, Utah, but never told anyone why, and in the days prior to his disappearance, Steven also made multiple unexplained road trips through Utah and Nevada. Since Steven was struggling financially, it is theorized that he might have travelled to Henderson in order to seek employment or make a delivery to earn some money, but there is no conclusive evidence of what happened to him. Did Steven Koecher disappear voluntarily or end his own life somewhere or did he become the victim of foul play? On this week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly”, we explore of the most perplexing missing persons case of the modern era.If you have any information about this case, please contact the St. George Police Department at (435) 627-4319, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at (702) 229-2907 or the Henderson Police Department at (702) 267-2323.

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Steven_Koecher

http://charleyproject.org/case/steven-thell-koecher

https://www.8newsnow.com/investigators/finding-steven-koecher-man-vanishes-from-las-vegas-valley-neighborhood-phone-pings-for-days-after-presumed-death/

https://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/news/ci_14152619

https://fox13now.com/2015/05/15/new-theory-in-case-of-man-missing-since-2009-sparks-renewed-search-effort/https://sites.google.com/site/parallelcooler/home/koecher-html/timeline2009

https://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/home2/53090169-183/steven-koecher-henderson-missing.html.csp

https://www.deseret.com/2010/1/6/20362964/about-utah-powell-isn-t-only-missing-utahn

https://www.deseret.com/2010/2/13/20096171/family-of-missing-st-george-man-steven-koecher-waits-and-hopes

https://news3lv.com/news/local/finding-steven-nine-years-after-his-disappearance-family-still-hopes-him

http://img.ksl.com/slc/2507/250737/25073705.pdfArron Stoner Youtube ChannelEyesOn Justice: A True Crime Podcast

April 3, 2004. La Cygne, Kansas. 23-year old Alonzo Brooks vanishes while attending a party at a farmhouse and his body is discovered on the banks of a nearby creek nearly one month later. While a forensic pathologist is unable to determine Alonzo’s exact cause of death, rumours start circulating that he was the victim of a hate crime before his body was placed at that location. In 2021, after Alonzo’s body is exhumed and given a new autopsy, it is announced that his death has officially been reclassified as a homicide. Who was responsible for killing Alonzo Brooks and what was the motive for his murder? If his death wasn’t a hate crime, what did actually happen to him? On this week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly”, we explore a controversial case which was featured on the Netflix reboot of “Unsolved Mysteries”.If you have any information about this case, please contact the Kansas City FBI Office at (816) 512-8200 or call the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (8477).

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Alonzo_Brookshttps://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Alonzo_Brooks

https://unsolved.com/gallery/no-ride-home/https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/us/alonzo-brooks-exhumed-unsolved-mysteries-trnd/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/06/us/alonzo-brooks-case-ruled-homicide-unsolved-mysteries-trnd/index.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20200928180109

/https://www.kansascitymag.com/what-happened-to-alonzo-brooks/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8556843/Family-friends-Unsolved-Mysteries-Alonzo-Brooks-speak-out.html

https://ew.com/tv/unsolved-mysteries-terry-dunn-meurer-rey-rivera-update/

April 3, 2004. La Cygne, Kansas. 23-year old Alonzo Brooks vanishes while attending a party at a farmhouse and his body is discovered on the banks of a nearby creek nearly one month later. While a forensic pathologist is unable to determine Alonzo’s exact cause of death, rumours start circulating that he was the victim of a hate crime before his body was placed at that location. In 2021, after Alonzo’s body is exhumed and given a new autopsy, it is announced that his death has officially been reclassified as a homicide. Who was responsible for killing Alonzo Brooks and what was the motive for his murder? If his death wasn’t a hate crime, what did actually happen to him? On this week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly”, we explore a controversial case which was featured on the Netflix reboot of “Unsolved Mysteries”.If you have any information about this case, please contact the Kansas City FBI Office at (816) 512-8200 or call the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS (8477).

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Alonzo_Brookshttps://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Alonzo_Brooks

https://unsolved.com/gallery/no-ride-home/https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/22/us/alonzo-brooks-exhumed-unsolved-mysteries-trnd/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/06/us/alonzo-brooks-case-ruled-homicide-unsolved-mysteries-trnd/index.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20200928180109

/https://www.kansascitymag.com/what-happened-to-alonzo-brooks/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8556843/Family-friends-Unsolved-Mysteries-Alonzo-Brooks-speak-out.html

https://ew.com/tv/unsolved-mysteries-terry-dunn-meurer-rey-rivera-update/

September 4, 1993. Plano, Texas. While attending a soccer game at Carpenter Park with her family, seven-year old Ashley Estell goes missing after an apparent abduction. The following day, Ashley is found strangled to death next to an isolated dirt road six miles away. The investigation soon leads to a paroled sex offender named Michael Blair, who is subsequently convicted of Ashley’s murder and sentenced to death. However, as the years go by, the case against Blair begins to fall apart and DNA testing eventually exonerates him of the crime. So who was actually responsible for the murder of Ashley Estell? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” explores a controversial case which led to the passing of some new laws, but failed to bring the right perpetrator to justice.

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2001/june/did-this-creep-really-kill-ashley-estell/

https://www.innocenceproject.org/cases/michael-blair/

https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=3030

https://starlocalmedia.com/planocourier/news/plano-who-is-ashley-estell-s-killer/article_8e1b99a3-3e0f-5db7-ba5f-56db0ae7ea7b.html

September 4, 1993. Plano, Texas. While attending a soccer game at Carpenter Park with her family, seven-year old Ashley Estell goes missing after an apparent abduction. The following day, Ashley is found strangled to death next to an isolated dirt road six miles away. The investigation soon leads to a paroled sex offender named Michael Blair, who is subsequently convicted of Ashley’s murder and sentenced to death. However, as the years go by, the case against Blair begins to fall apart and DNA testing eventually exonerates him of the crime. So who was actually responsible for the murder of Ashley Estell? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” explores a controversial case which led to the passing of some new laws, but failed to bring the right perpetrator to justice.

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Additional Reading:

https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2001/june/did-this-creep-really-kill-ashley-estell/

https://www.innocenceproject.org/cases/michael-blair/

https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=3030

https://starlocalmedia.com/planocourier/news/plano-who-is-ashley-estell-s-killer/article_8e1b99a3-3e0f-5db7-ba5f-56db0ae7ea7b.html

July 16, 1952. Salisbury, Connecticut. While spending the summer at Camp Sloane, ten-year old Connie Smith skips breakfast and leaves the campground. Numerous witnesses see Connie walking down the road and attempting to hitchhike, but before she reaches the nearest town, she vanishes without a trace. Since Connie’s grandfather is the former Governor of Wyoming, there is a massive search effort and her case receives extensive publicity. Over the years, there are a number of unusual leads, including an anonymous letter stating that Connie might be an unidentified murder victim named “Little Miss X”, whose skeletal remains were found in Arizona in 1958. Did Connie Smith become an unidentified Jane Doe? If not, what actually happened to her? And what compelled her to walk away from Camp Sloane to begin with? We explore one of America’s most baffling unsolved missing children’s cases on this week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly”.

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Patreon.com/julesandashley


Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/constance-christine-smith

https://www.registercitizen.com/news/article/Missing-girl-s-unsolved-case-draws-theories-13164163.php

https://www.courant.com/hc-cc-smith-051709-story.html

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1193ufaz.htmlhttp://charleyproject.org/case/donnis-marie-redmanhttp://charleyproject.org/case/michael-lawrence-griffin

July 16, 1952. Salisbury, Connecticut. While spending the summer at Camp Sloane, ten-year old Connie Smith skips breakfast and leaves the campground. Numerous witnesses see Connie walking down the road and attempting to hitchhike, but before she reaches the nearest town, she vanishes without a trace. Since Connie’s grandfather is the former Governor of Wyoming, there is a massive search effort and her case receives extensive publicity. Over the years, there are a number of unusual leads, including an anonymous letter stating that Connie might be an unidentified murder victim named “Little Miss X”, whose skeletal remains were found in Arizona in 1958. Did Connie Smith become an unidentified Jane Doe? If not, what actually happened to her? And what compelled her to walk away from Camp Sloane to begin with? We explore one of America’s most baffling unsolved missing children’s cases on this week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly”.

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

Patreon.com/julesandashley


Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/constance-christine-smith

https://www.registercitizen.com/news/article/Missing-girl-s-unsolved-case-draws-theories-13164163.php

https://www.courant.com/hc-cc-smith-051709-story.html

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1193ufaz.htmlhttp://charleyproject.org/case/donnis-marie-redmanhttp://charleyproject.org/case/michael-lawrence-griffin

February 26, 1980. Berkeley, California. 51-year old Al Mills, his 40-year old wife, Jeannie, and Jeannie’s 16-year old daughter, Daphene, are all shot to death, execution-style, in their home. Jeannie’s 17-year old son, Eddie, is left unharmed inside his bedroom, but claims he did not hear the murders take place. Years earlier, the Mills family had defected from the Reverend Jim Jones’ infamous cult, the Peoples Temple, and become outspoken advocates against them. Following the Jonestown Massacre, rumours circulated that surviving members of the cult were going to target the family as revenge. However, investigators suspect that Eddie was the actual perpetrator and make an unsuccessful attempt to charge him with the crime 25 years later. Did Eddie Mills murder his own family, or were they victims of an assassination by outside intruders? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” explores an unsolved triple homicide and its potential connection to the Jonestown saga.

Additional Reading:

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeannie_Mills

https://people.com/archive/the-mills-family-murders-could-it-be-jim-jones-last-revenge-vol-13-no-11/

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BERKELEY-Man-jailed-in-family-slayings-from-25-2557794.php

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/12/09/son-wont-be-charged-in-1980-slayings/

https://archives.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/11/12/yesterdays-crimes-peoples-temple-hit-squads-and-jonestowns-last-victims

https://www.sfweekly.com/news/yesterdays-crimes-jonestown-was-just-the-beginning-for-one-peoples-temple-family/https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/articles/199203/the-truth-about-jonestown

February 26, 1980. Berkeley, California. 51-year old Al Mills, his 40-year old wife, Jeannie, and Jeannie’s 16-year old daughter, Daphene, are all shot to death, execution-style, in their home. Jeannie’s 17-year old son, Eddie, is left unharmed inside his bedroom, but claims he did not hear the murders take place. Years earlier, the Mills family had defected from the Reverend Jim Jones’ infamous cult, the Peoples Temple, and become outspoken advocates against them. Following the Jonestown Massacre, rumours circulated that surviving members of the cult were going to target the family as revenge. However, investigators suspect that Eddie was the actual perpetrator and make an unsuccessful attempt to charge him with the crime 25 years later. Did Eddie Mills murder his own family, or were they victims of an assassination by outside intruders? This week’s episode of “The Path Went Chilly” explores an unsolved triple homicide and its potential connection to the Jonestown saga.

Additional Reading:

Support the show: 

Patreon.com/julesandashley

Patreon.com/thetrailwentcold

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeannie_Mills

https://people.com/archive/the-mills-family-murders-could-it-be-jim-jones-last-revenge-vol-13-no-11/

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/BERKELEY-Man-jailed-in-family-slayings-from-25-2557794.php

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/12/09/son-wont-be-charged-in-1980-slayings/

https://archives.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2015/11/12/yesterdays-crimes-peoples-temple-hit-squads-and-jonestowns-last-victims

https://www.sfweekly.com/news/yesterdays-crimes-jonestown-was-just-the-beginning-for-one-peoples-temple-family/https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/articles/199203/the-truth-about-jonestown