Trace Evidence

**This week's episode is Sponsored by Solid Gold. Visit SolidGoldPet.com/Trace for 30% off your first order.

In April of 1997, fifty year old Judy Smith attended a conference with her husband, Jeffrey, in Philadelphia. While the conference was work for Jeffrey, Judy planned to do some sightseeing during the day and then spend evenings with her husband. Unfortunately, Judy would mysteriously vanish.

For five months investigators worked the case, casting a lot of suspicion onto Judy's husband who always maintained his innocence. Then, five months later, in September of 1997, Judy's remains were recovered from Pisgah National Forest in Western North Carolina. She had been the victim of homicide and while catching her killer was a top priority there were many unanswered questions.

How did Judy find herself in Western North Carolina, why hadn't she told anyone about her plans to go there and who made the horrible decision to end her life?

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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/judy-smith

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In Episode 75 of Trace Evidence I examined the case of nine year old Christian Ferguson who had gone missing after the SUV he had been left it was allegedly stolen. Two hours later, when the SUV was located, Christian was nowhere to be found. For many the prime suspect was Christian's own father, Dewan, who had been driving the SUV that morning.

Now, some sixteen years later, charges have finally been filed and Christian will, hopefully soon, receive justice.

St. Louis Post Dispatch article: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/disabled-boy-went-missing-years-ago-now-father-is-charged/article_b99e2726-d51f-5782-bba8-e80012be19b5.html

Wounded Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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**This week's episode is Sponsored by Solid Gold. Visit SolidGoldPet.com/Trace for 30% off your first order.

On October 3rd, 1984, nine year old Christine Jessop vanished from the streets of Queensville, Ontario. For months searchers looked everywhere, but no trace could be found. Sadly, on New Years Eve, they made the horrifying discovery of her remains.

While police zeroed in on a suspect, a lot of questions were being ignored. When that suspect was officially charged, police told the public they had caught the killer. After years of legal wrangling, DNA evidence finally exonerated their suspect.

A decade after Christine’s murder, the first real investigation began. However, so much time had passed and so much information had been ignored, it was almost too insurmountable to overcome.

Now, thirty-five years later, Christine’s killer still walks free while a smile of his DNA is in the hands of police. Will the killer ever be caught or will Christine’s family perpetually wonder who took the beautiful nine year old from them?

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/christine-jessop

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On September 23rd, 1992, twenty-three year old Dail Dinwiddie went to a U2 concert at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

Following the concert, Dail and her friends went to a local bar, Jungle Jim’s, for a few drinks and dancing. When Dail became separated from her friends, they assumed she’d gotten a ride home. She hadn’t and for the next twenty minutes she searched for them.

Finally leaving the bar at approximately 1:30am, Dail walked north on Hayden Street, last being seen at its intersection with Greene St. She has never been seen again.

What happened to Dail Dinwiddie? Was she the victim of a random crime, the target of a serial killer or perhaps was she taken by someone she knew and trusted?

UPDATED:  July, 2025 - Someone has come forward with a new theory about who may have been responsible for Dail's disappearance; it is allegedly a case of mistaken identity.

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Music Courtesy of:

"Wounded"  Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Echoes of Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Galactic Rap" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/dail-dinwiddie

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On February 28th, 1983, two men made a grisly discovery in the basement of an abandoned building in St. Louis, Missouri. There, beneath some debris, they discovered the lifeless body of a young black female. The victim had been bound, assaulted, strangled and decapitated post mortem.

Due to the absence of a head, identifying the victim would prove challenging and any connections that could be made to a possible suspect based on that ID was impossible. The child was given the name of Little Jane Doe, and for nearly forty years, her murder has haunted the St. Louis Police Department.

Who is Little Jane Doe, who murdered her and will she ever receive justice?

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/little-beth

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Twenty year old Branson Perry was living with his father, Bob, in Skidmore, Missouri. While Bob was in the hospital, Branson invited friends over to help clean the house and fix his car, a nice surprise for his return home. Sadly, Branson would disappear before he ever saw his father again.

Over the course of the next decade, Branson's parents would search for him. Bob would pass away in 2004, and his mother Rebecca followed in 2011. Sadly both went to their graves never knowing what became of their son.

Throughout the course of the investigation, authorities examined friends close to Branson, a violent and vicious felon and those involved in the drug trade. Despite all of their efforts, some eighteen years later, they have more questions than answers.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
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Family Websites:
https://bringbransonhome.wordpress.com/a-mothers-plea/
http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/jazzyrose/BransonPerry.html

Social Media:
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/branson-perry

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Twenty-three year old Adam Hecht was living the life most people dream of. Son of a Hollywood producer living in Beverly Hills. While many people might crave that life, the older Adam got, the less he seemed charmed by it.

Adam began volunteering at the mission and spending his time working with the homeless. While admirable, his family felt concerned when he moved a homeless man into his apartment. After that, Adam began spending more and more nights out on the streets.

In June of 1989, after not having heard from Adam for a while, his younger brother came by to visit. All he found was Tony living in Adam's apartment, but no sign of his brother. When police got involved it became a question of whether or not Adam had been the victim of foul play or if he'd chosen to begin living his life on the streets.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Echoes of Time v2" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/adam-hecht

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Bobby Fuller was finally living his dream as the front man of a band that was rising up the charts. While everything seemed to be going perfectly, there were some issues behind the scenes.

Bobby was reportedly unhappy with his record contract and felt that changes were being made to his music that he didn't approve of. He began speaking up about his intentions to walk out on his contract and return home to El Paso.

A meeting was set for the morning of Monday, July 18th, but Bobby would never arrive. At approximately 5pm, Bobby's body was found in his car, soaked in gasoline. Witnesses said Bobby appeared to have bruises on his body, dried blood on his shirt and scrapes on his arms but the coroner would rule his death due to accidental asphyxiation.

Bobby's cause of death was later changed to accidental asphyxiation, but for those close to the singer, they believe something more sinister happened. Did Bobby Fuller end his own life in the midst of his rise to stardom, was it a terrible accident or did someone kill the twenty-three year old and stage the scene?

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/bobby-fuller

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On March 10th, 1976 a concerned neighbor contacted local authorities. She hadn't seen the Bishop family for more than a week and mail was piling up. It was unlike them to just up and leave without saying anything, and so police sent a detective over to perform a welfare check.

Upon entering the home, the detective found a grisly bloodbath. There was evidence of a brutal and violent crime, but no bodies were found. At first, police believed the entire Bishop family had been murdered but then they learned the horrible truth.

Police in Columbia, North Carolina had discovered five brutally battered bodies dumped in a ditch and set on fire. It would turn out to be Annette Bishop, he three sons and her mother-in-law, Lobelia. Annette's husband, and the father of her children, William Bradford Bishop was missing.

While it was initially believed that Bradford might be a victim as well, evidence would soon begin telling a far more sinister story and a massive manhunt was launched.

Recorded in part Live at the True Crime Podcast festival, alongside Nina Innsted from Already Gone comes Trace Evidence - Episode 86 - The Murder of the Bishop Family.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/bishop-family

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Nine year old Anthonette Cayedito heard a knock on the door in the middle of the night. Dressed in her pink nightgown, she approached the door and vanished. When her mother woke up the next morning, she discovered that Anthonette was missing.

Police had little to work with other than reports of a mysterious vehicle seen at the home in the early morning hours. The case grew cold almost immediately, but a year later a disturbing phone call reignited the search. Unfortunately, little if anything could be found.

Several years later, a waitress called in a report of having seen the missing child, who at this time would have been fourteen. While the story was compelling, authorities could not confirm that it had been Anthonette.

For thirty-three years, Anthonette Cayedito has been missing. Some believe she was abducted by a stranger, others by someone she knew and trusted. Then there are those who believe that Anthonette's mother knew much more than she told.

For more information please visit:

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Social Media:

https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
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Music Courtesy of: "Lost Time" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources: https://www.trace-evidence.com/anthonette-cayedito

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