Gone Cold - Texas True Crime

The Slaying of Ruth Helene Case


Listen Later

In early 1986, Austin, Texas was grappling with rising crime, particularly around the condemned Booker T. Washington housing project on the east side, which had become a haven for drugs and violence due to bureaucratic neglect. Amid this, Ruth Case—a beloved nurse, student, wife, and mother of two—vanished after attending a class at Austin Community College’s Ridgeview campus nearby. Her disappearance shocked the community, especially after her car was found untouched and no immediate leads emerged. Weeks later, her purse surfaced in a nearby wooded area, and soon after, her raped and murdered body was discovered in a vacant, unlocked unit within the housing project—one supposedly searched by police earlier. The failure of that search drew criticism and led to procedural reforms, while Ruth’s tragic death underscored the urgent need to address the dangerous conditions in the area. Although several suspects were considered, no one was ever charged, and the case eventually went cold. Today, Ruth’s family continues to mourn.

If you have any information about the murder of Ruth Helene Case, please contact the Austin police Department Homicide Tip line at 512-477-3588.

You can support gone cold and listen to the show ad-free at patreon.com/gonecoldpodcast

Find us at https://www.gonecold.com

For Gone Cold merch, visit https://gonecold.dashery.com

Follow gone cold on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and X. Search @gonecoldpodcast at all or just click linknbio.com/gonecoldpodcast

The Austin American-Statesman was used as a source for this episode. 

#JusticeForRuthCase #Austin #ATX #Texas #TX #TexasTrueCrime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #Podcast #Unsolved #ColdCase #MissingPerson #Disappearance #Vanished #UnsolvedMysteries #Homicide #UnsolvedMurder #ColdCase #CrimeStories #PodcastRecommendations #CrimeJunkie #MysteryPodcast #TrueCrimeObsessed #CrimeDocs #InvestigationDiscovery #PodcastAddict #TrueCrimeFan #CriminalJustice #ForensicFiles

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gone-cold-texas-true-crime--3203003/support.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Gone Cold - Texas True CrimeBy Gone Cold Productions

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

1,763 ratings


More shows like Gone Cold - Texas True Crime

View all
Missing by Crawlspace Media

Missing

3,315 Listeners

Unresolved by Unresolved Productions

Unresolved

2,458 Listeners

The Vanished Podcast by Wondery

The Vanished Podcast

15,326 Listeners

The Trail Went Cold by Robin Warder

The Trail Went Cold

3,125 Listeners

Already Gone Podcast by Nina Innsted

Already Gone Podcast

3,957 Listeners

Trace Evidence by Steven Pacheco

Trace Evidence

4,072 Listeners

Southern Fried True Crime by Erica Kelley

Southern Fried True Crime

10,577 Listeners

Criminology by Emash Digital & Mike Ferguson, Mike Morford

Criminology

7,008 Listeners

MURDERISH by Cloud10

MURDERISH

3,452 Listeners

Last Seen Alive by Studio 222

Last Seen Alive

849 Listeners

Missing Persons by AbJack Entertainment

Missing Persons

442 Listeners

And Then They Were Gone by Little Monster Productions

And Then They Were Gone

774 Listeners

Murder, She Told by Kristen Seavey | QCODE

Murder, She Told

1,510 Listeners

Where are they? by Where are they?

Where are they?

346 Listeners

DNA: ID by AbJack Entertainment

DNA: ID

974 Listeners