Twelve year old Jaliek Rainwalker had lived a difficult life. Born to a drug addicted mother, and suffering from developmental issues as a result, the child bounced through multiple foster homes before finally being adopted.

Stephen Kerr and Jocelyn McDonald adopted Jaliek, and it seemed like everything was going to turn around for the child. Unfortunately, after an outburst, things went south and the family wanted to reverse the adoption. In hopes of taking some time away, Jaliek was sent to a respite home.

When Jaliek's father, Stephen, picked him up no one knew this would be the last time he'd ever be seen. While Kerr and McDonald allege that Jaliek had run away, authorities disagreed and after finding multiple holes in the official story, Kerr became a person of interest.

What became of Jaliek Rainwalker, did the child choose to run away or does someone he knew and trusted know exactly where he is?

This episode is sponsored by Green Chef. Visit GreenChef.us/Trace to save $50 on your first box today!

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/jaliek-rainwalker

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Eighty-one year old Bob Harrod was experiencing something that usually only happens in movies. After nearly sixty years apart, he had reunited with his first love, Fontelle, and they had gotten married. While his new wife returned to Missouri to pack her belongings, Bob had a lot he wanted to get done at his home in California before his new bride returned.

On July 26th, Bob had a meeting with his three daughters. The point of the gathering was to discuss their inheritance and the family trust. Reportedly, the conversation didn't go well and things got heated, but eventually cooled down. Strangely, just twenty-four hours later, Bob would vanish.

Two days before Fontelle was set to return, Bob went missing from his home. In the ten years since, little if any evidence has been uncovered. A feud broke out between Bob's daughters and Fontelle, with the family believing she was a gold digger and Fontelle believing that Bob's own children may have succumbed to their greed and done something terrible. What happened to Bob Harrod and who is responsible?

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/bob-harrod

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Seventeen year old Danny Goldman was a senior at Miami Beach High School approaching both graduation and his eighteenth birthday. A smart young man from a well to do family who split his days between repairing electronics and spending time with his girlfriend. The future offered so many possibilities.

Sadly, Danny wouldn't see that future. On March 28th, the day before his eighteenth birthday, an unknown gunman entered the family home and demanded $10,000. When they didn't have that cash in the house, the man took Danny with him and said he'd call later to arrange a ransom. The man never called and Danny was never seen again.

The initial investigation didn't discover much and soon the case began growing cold and fading from the spotlight. It wouldn't be until 46 years later than a team of volunteer investigators would break open incredible information suggesting that Danny's abduction may had connections to the mafia under Santo Trafficante, a corrupt Sheriff's department and even Danny's own girlfriend's father.

Was this a case of a random crime or one which involved mafia associates, corrupt law enforcement officers and even the head of the mafia in South Florida?

For more information on this case, visit: https://surfsidekidnapping.org/site/

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/danny-goldman

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Christian Ferguson was born with a life threatening disorder and nearly died in his first three days. Once the doctors were able to diagnose him, treatment was assigned and it was believed Christian could live a normal, healthy life.

Following his parents divorce, and a bitter dispute in court, Christian's father, Dawan T. Ferguson was granted full custody while his mother, Theda, has visitation. Theda filed multiple claims against Dawan for neglect and child abuse, though these were never proven and the court did not accept them.

In 2001, Christian suffered a setback in which his condition worsened and he seized and fell into a coma. He suffered severe brain damage which inhibited his abilities and required full time supervision and care. While multiple nurses noted poor conditions at his home, Christian remained with his father.

In June of 2003, Theda won a court case in which she proved Dawan was denying her visitation. Dawan was ordered to give Theda back visitation starting on June 14th, but sadly, Christian would be gone by then.

On June 11th, Dawan called 911 to report that his vehicle had been stolen with Christian inside. Two hours later the vehicle was discovered, but Christian was nowhere to be seen. Over the course of the next sixteen years, investigators would uncover an avalanche of evidence suggesting Christian had been neglected, abused and possibly, murdered.

What happened to Christian Ferguson and what secrets remain in the mind of the man who was charged with taking care of him?

Official Police Report: https://www.riverfronttimes.com/media-archive/3190198.0.pdf

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/christian-ferguson

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Twenty-seven year old David Cox had served four years in the Marine Corps and was now living with his girlfriend back in his home state of Massachusetts. While the transition had been a struggle, things were beginning to look up.

The release of the film "A Few Good Men" impacted David strongly as it was closely based on an incident in which he had been involved during his time as a Marine stationed at Guantanamo Bay. David was angry, feeling that he and his fellow Marines had been mis-represented and depicted as murderers.

On the morning of January 5th, David was eagerly awaiting a call about a job. When his girlfriend called home at noon, there was no answer. She called again an hour later, but again there was no answer. Upon arriving home she found David gone, his keys in the ignition of his truck and no sign or indication of where he could have went.

For three months David was missing until a man canoeing down the Charles River discovered his remains. He had been shot four times and left in the wilderness, more than half a mile from the nearest road. Twenty-five years later and question still remains: Who murdered David Cox?

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/david-cox

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Thirty-five year old Deanne Hastings was finally putting her life back together. After a long battle with bi-polar, a divorce and time spent in an in-patient treatment facility she was back on the rise. She was in love, enrolled in school, looking forward to the future and excited to establish stronger relationships with her children.

Living with her fiance, Mike Tibbets, in Spokane, Washington, life just seemed to be back on the right track. However, on the night of November 3rd, 2015, Mike returned home to an empty house. He found a note from Deanne explaining that she'd be running to the store and she'd be back soon. She didn't return and as hours passed, Mike began trying to track her down.

Deanne's car was found in a parking lot, locked up. He purse and cell phone were inside, though her license and credit cards were not. Over the course of the next thirty-six hours, Mike will stake out the car, print up fliers, try to track his fiancee down and run into multiple people who believe they'd seen her. When all else fails, Mike files a report with the Spokane Police Department and the search begins.

The investigation raises many questions about Deanne's mental state at the time of her disappearance, but also the people she was known to have spent her last known hours with, including two men who tell a bizarre story about where they last saw Deanne, and how they came into possession of her credit cards and license.

Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this heartbreaking story.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/deanne-hastings

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Fifty-nine year old Ray Gricar had worked as the Centre County District Attorney for nearly twenty years. Having given most of his life to law, he decided that this would be his last term and in January of 2006 he was set to retire... but Ray would go missing nine months before his last day in office.

On April 15th, 2005 Ray decided to skip work and to go for a drive down to Lewisburg, a quiet little town some fifty miles away. He had been there often, and enjoyed visiting the local antique stores. On this particular day, though, Ray never came back.

After being out of contact for twelve hours, Ray's girlfriend, Patty, contacted police who immediately began searching for Ray. Nothing would be found until the next day when his vehicle was discovered in a parking lot in Lewisburg. The car smelled of smoke, and there were cigarette butts outside, but Ray was not a smoker.

The deeper law enforcement probed into the case, the more questions they had. When they discovered that Ray's county issued laptop was missing, and he'd been google searching on how to destroy a hard drive, their interest was piqued. When his laptop was discovered in the Susquehanna river, without its hard drive, investigators were baffled. What was so important that the drive needed to be destroyed?

In the years following, many theories came forward. Could Ray have taken his own life? Was it murder, either by someone he'd sent to prison or perhaps a trusted friend? Or, did Ray choose to leave his life behind, fleeing the country in hopes of avoiding some yet to be discovered issue?

Join host Steven Pacheco as he explores all of the chaos and confusion surrounding this sad and confounding disappearance.

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/ray-gricar

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Twenty-six year old Paula Sladewski was making plans. After several attempts at a modeling career, leading to some success, she wanted to get back in the game and see what could happen. She hoped to start moving on her plan after she returned from her New Years Eve trip, but unfortunately, Paula would never make it back.

Along with her boyfriend, Kevin, Paula flew to Miami, Florida to see a New Year's Eve concert, after which the couple planned to spend a few days on south beach before heading home. They'd had their problems in the past, but somehow, the couple had always found their way through it. The concert went well, and things were moving smoothly until the morning of January 3rd, 2010.
Paula and Kevin attended Club Space, a nightlife hotspot in North Miami. After a few hours of drinking and dancing, Kevin tried to get Paula to leave but she wanted to stay. Kevin was ultimately thrown out of the club and took a cab back to their hotel room. Paula exited shortly after, was engaged in conversation by a man and disappeared.

When Kevin awoke and found Paula missing, he began trying to find her, spoke to police and even hired a private investigator. Police didn't seem overly concerned about a young woman who had been missing for only a few hours. When Sunday night came, police had their hands full with a terrible crime scene: someone had been placed in a dumpster and burned so severely that the individual was completely unrecognizable.

While police tried to solve their murder case, and Kevin tried to locate Paula, neither side knew that they were working on the same case.

Who murdered Paula Sladewski and burned the beautiful young woman beyond recognition? Join host Steven Pacheco as he explores this disturbing and haunting case.

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/paula-sladewski

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Twenty-eight Niqui McCown was a loving mother and sister. She was eagerly anticipating her upcoming wedding in August of 2001. However, just three weeks before she was to be married, on July 22nd, Niqui went to a local laundromat and was never seen again.

In the weeks following her disappearance, Niqui's fiance became a person of interest, and then the father of her daughter and, finally a former co-worker with a violent streak. Despite theories and suspicions, no evidence could be found to pin the crime on any particular person.

Three months later, Niqui's vehicle was discovered abandoned in a parking lot and through investigation, law enforcement was able to make connections between her disappearance and one of the person's of interest, who would later become the subject of an unrelated homicide investigation. However, before police can move in, a shocking twist brings the entire investigation to a halt.

What happened to Niqui McCown and will we ever know the truth?

Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this heartbreaking case and tries to sort through all of the chaos and confusion.

For 6 free meals across your first three weeks AND free shipping on your first delivery, go to EveryPlate.com and enter the promo code traceevidence6

Use promo code TRACE19 for 10% off a standard pass to CrimeCon! Visit CrimeCon.com to register now.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/niqui-mccown

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.

Thirty-two year old Brandy Hanna had recently gotten out of a six year long relationship. Having lived with her fiancé, Ray McAdams, she couldn't help but develop feelings for a friend, Zeke Lankford. The situation became complicated and ultimately Brandy moved out, choosing to find an apartment to rent with Zeke.

Just weeks after leaving Ray, Zeke told Brandy that he was leaving her. The young woman was now living alone, in an apartment in a bad part of town that her mother, Donna, didn't want her staying in. Brandy decided to use this alone time to put her head straight and figure out what she wanted to do.

On Friday, May 20th, 2005, Brandy worked the morning shift at Alex's restaurant. When her mother arrived that afternoon, she headed home and planned to go out to the beach for the weekend. Brandy would never make it to the beach and instead would vanish under bizarre circumstances.

The investigation would find a witness who described the man and vehicle who had arrived to pick up Brandy the night she disappeared. The only problem was the vehicle and description fit two men: Zeke Lankford and Ray McAdams.

For the next fourteen years, the investigation will grow cold and heat up. Lies will be uncovered and alibis destroyed. A suspect will die prematurely and another will admit to trying to frame him. A dedicated investigator will uncover a shoe believed to have belonged to Brandy and charges will be filed for obstruction of justice, and yet, all these years later, the truth of what happened to Brandy remains concealed.

Join host Steven Pacheco as he examines this difficult and heartbreaking case.

For more information please visit: https://www.trace-evidence.com
https://www.patreon.com/traceevidence

Social Media:
https://twitter.com/TraceEvPod
https://www.instagram.com/traceevidencepod/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/traceevidencepod

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/brandy-hanna

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/trace-evidence--3207798/support.