December 13, 1976. Fairfield, Maine. The daughter of 31-year old Pauline Rourke kisses her sleeping mother goodbye before leaving for school, but when she returns home later that day, Pauline has vanished without a trace. Suspicion turns towards Pauline’s live-in friend, Albert Pat Cochran, who frequently fought with her and had developed an odd obsession with the recent murder of another woman from the area named Janet Baxter. Two decades later, Pat is charged and convicted of Janet’s murder, but even though he is suspected of being responsible for Pauline’s disappearance, there is not enough evidence to implicate him and Pauline is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore an unsolved missing persons case involving a victim who has not been seen in nearly 50 years.

If you happen to have any information about this case, please contact the Maine State Police at (207) 624-7143.

Additional Reading:

https://charleyproject.org/case/pauline-rourke

https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/investigation-traffic/major-crime-units/unsolved/missing-persons/rourke-pauline

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https://www.newspapers.com/image/665025806/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/855868439/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/856276259/

https://www.centralmaine.com/2017/06/28/man-serving-life-sentence-for-oakland-womans-murder-dies-at-hospital/

https://www.fosters.com/story/news/2017/06/29/police-link-recently-deceased-killer-to-1976-disappearance/20405251007/

https://www.pressherald.com/2017/07/30/a-daughters-enduring-lament-her-remains-are-out-there/

https://www.wabi.tv/content/news/State-Police-Searching-Smithfield-Area-Wells-For-Remains-Of-Missing-Woman-444463513.html

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

All music is composed by Vince Nitro.