Christmas Day 1996. La Vernia, Texas. Patty Vaughan, a 32-year old mother of three, vanishes without a trace and her van is found abandoned by the side of the road the following day. According to her estranged husband, J.R. Vaughan, Patty had stormed out of their house following a heated argument. Traces of Patty’s blood are found inside the house and her van and seem to indicate she was a victim of foul play. At the time, Patty was in the midst of a trial separation from her husband and recently started a relationship with another man. J.R. becomes the primary person of interest by filing for divorce the day after Patty went missing, but investigators lack enough evidence to file charges. This week’s holiday-themed episode of “The Trail Went Cold” covers a Christmas Day spousal disappearance which has yet to be solved.

Additional Reading:

http://charleyproject.org/case/patty-inez-brightwell-vaughan

https://www.ksat.com/news/new-dna-findings-in-patty-vaughns-1996-disappearance

https://foxsanantonio.com/news/local/family-of-patty-vaughan-searches-for-answers-20-years-after-her-disappearance

http://www.analyticalq.com/patty/

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The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.

All music is composed by Vince Nitro.