True Crime Unwind

MYSTERIOUS DEATH: Tom Brown - Canadian, TX

Episode 57: MYSTERIOUS DEATH: Tom Brown - Canadian, TX | Suicide, Murder or Cover up? The night before Thanksgiving in 2016, 18-year-old Tom Brown left to hang out with friends in the tiny town of Canadian, Texas, and never came home. What followed was a years-long mystery involving scattered evidence, investigative errors, shocking theories, and a case that raises more questions than it answers. Episode Summary Tom Brown was the kind of person everyone knew in Canadian, Texas. Funny, kind, and involved in football, theater, church, and student leadership, the 18-year-old senior had big plans for his future, including a dream of working in sports broadcasting. But on November 23, 2016, the night before Thanksgiving, Tom disappeared after leaving friends and stopping for gas on his way home. Hours later, his abandoned vehicle was discovered near a water treatment plant just miles from home, but Tom was gone. Over the next several years, investigators uncovered a baffling trail of evidence: a backpack found miles away, a cell phone discovered nearly a year later in suspicious condition, scattered belongings, conflicting witness statements, and partial remains eventually identified as Tom. Despite thousands of investigative hours, forensic testing, and years of scrutiny, officials initially could not determine whether Tom’s death was homicide, suicide, or an accident. Then came explosive claims, controversy surrounding the investigation, allegations of cover-ups, and later findings that shifted the direction of the case entirely. In this episode, Kinsley and Mercedes unravel the timeline, the investigation failures, competing theories, and the unsettling questions that continue to haunt one of Texas’s most perplexing mysteries. If you have any information, please contact the Texas Attorney General Criminal Investigation Division: (512) 463-2100 or Klein Investigations: (409) 729-8798 Encourage the Texas Attorney General to reopen Tom’s case and classify it as a homicide. The more noise we make, the harder it is to ignore. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://instagram.com/truecrime.unwind] • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://tiktok.com/@truecrimeunwind] • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://www.facebook.com/share/12CJEsLf12u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d] Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!

MURDERED: Carlos Medina - Kodiak, AK

Episode 56: MURDERED: Carlos Medina - Kodiak, AK Kodiak, Alaska: A place where the American Dream turned into a nightmare. When beloved restaurateur and community leader Carlos Medina was found murdered on Pillar Mountain, it shocked the city’s growing immigrant community and left investigators with more questions than answers. 30 years later, the case remains unsolved. Dive into the mystery that refuses to rest and uncover why justice has yet to be served. Episode Summary In the spring of 1993, Carlos Medina was thriving in Kodiak, Alaska. An immigrant from the Philippines who arrived with little, he worked his way from the cannery floor to owning a popular restaurant and becoming a respected leader in the city’s large Filipino community. He was a husband, father of three, and poised to run for city council. Then, Carlos vanished. His bloodstained truck was found near Pillar Mountain, and searchers soon discovered his body, a brutal killing that remains the only unsolved homicide in Kodiak Police Department history. In this episode, we explore who Carlos was, what happened in the days leading up to his disappearance, why investigators have never solved the case, and how his death rocked a community where Filipinos made up a rapidly growing share of the population. We discuss the theories ranging from robbery to family involvement and the persistent efforts of his brother, Jerry, to find justice more than three decades later. If you have information about the murder of Carlos Medina, please contact the Kodiak Police Department or Alaska State Troopers at (907) 269‑5511. Even the smallest detail could help bring answers and closure. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://instagram.com/truecrime.unwind] • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://tiktok.com/@truecrimeunwind] • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://www.facebook.com/share/12CJEsLf12u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d] Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!

*Bonus Minisode* MISSING: David Alex - Kihei, HI

Episode 55: Bonus Minisode MISSING: David Alex - Kihei, HI A simple moped accident on a beautiful island. But did it lead to something far more? Episode Summary This week, we’re heading back to Maui, where paradise and heartbreak continue to collide. Hawaii ranks among the top states for missing persons cases per capita, and Maui in particular has seen an unsettling number of disappearances that leave more questions than answers. We begin with the story of David Alex, a 20-year-old from Crystal Lake, Illinois, who moved to Maui in November 2016. David was incredibly close with his family, especially his mom, Monica, and talking to her every day was part of his routine. Just days after arriving on the island, David bought a moped and started a new job at OfficeMax. But on November 8th, he was involved in a moped accident that left the scooter damaged and his phone broken. His injuries seemed minor, but after that day, his family never heard from him again. Three days later, someone believed to be David attempted to buy a new phone but entered the wrong PIN and couldn’t complete the purchase. His card was used one final time that same day, then suddenly…nothing. No transactions. No calls. No sign of his moped, laptop, GoPro, or David himself. His family fears an undiagnosed head injury may have left him confused or vulnerable. Over the years, there have been possible sightings, including reports near Kihei and Kahului, but nothing has led to answers. Like Khaira’s family, David’s family still celebrates his birthdays every year and refuses to stop searching. We also discuss Winston Kalani Torres-Kamai, who disappeared after attending a party in Makawao in February 2010. Witnesses reported a possible altercation involving stolen artwork, and some say they saw Winston walking away with two unknown men before he vanished. More than 15 years later, he has never been seen again. Then we cover the suspicious death of John Picanco, a father whose body was found near a beach volleyball court in Kihei in August 2022. Initially labeled an unattended death, his case was later reclassified as a homicide after an autopsy raised concerns. His family has spoken publicly about their frustration and their belief that not enough is being done to bring answers or justice. Cases like these leave families suspended between hope and heartbreak, still waiting for phone calls that never come and answers that never arrive. If you have any information regarding David Alex, contact the Maui Police Department at 808-244-6400 or Maui Crime Stoppers at 808-242-6966. For information regarding John Picanco, contact Detective Kamuela Mawae at 808-875-5411. Check out https://www.mauicounty.gov/425/Missing-People [https://www.mauicounty.gov/425/Missing-People] to see all 43 of Maui’s missing. Share their pictures, their descriptions, their stories. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://instagram.com/truecrime.unwind] • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://tiktok.com/@truecrimeunwind] • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://www.facebook.com/share/12CJEsLf12u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d] Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!

*MMIWP* MISSING: Khiara Henry - Hāna, HI

Episode 54: MMIWP MISSING: Khiara Henry - Hāna, HI A young free spirit traveling alone in Hawaii, an isolated state park and an abandoned rental car . Where is Khiara Henry? Episode Summary This week on True Crime Unwind, we’re discussing the heartbreaking disappearance of Khiara Lavinia Henry — a 23-year-old adventurous, free-spirited traveler who vanished during a solo trip to Hawaii in July 2019. Khiara traveled to Maui hoping to explore the beauty of the island, including the famous Road to Hana and Waiʻānapanapa State Park. But after renting a car on July 21, she seemingly vanished without a trace. Days later, her rental car was discovered abandoned near the park with her belongings still inside — including her ID, luggage, clothes, socks, and shoes. But some things were missing: her phone, a small backpack, and the rental car key. No confirmed sightings. No activity on her accounts. No answers. In this episode, we break down: • Khiara’s timeline before she disappeared • The strange details surrounding her abandoned rental car • Missed investigative opportunities • The theories surrounding what may have happened • And why her family still refuses to give up hope Cases like this stay with you because it feels like one missing piece could change everything. If You Have Information If you have any information regarding Khiara Henry’s disappearance, please contact the Maui County Police Department at (808) 244-6400 or the family tip line at (808) 757-5102. Call to Action Share Khiara’s story, her picture, her description. Help get her story heard Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://instagram.com/truecrime.unwind] • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://tiktok.com/@truecrimeunwind] • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://www.facebook.com/share/12CJEsLf12u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d] Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!

**MMIWP** MURDERED: Mary Ellen Johnson-Davis - Tulalip Indian Reservation, WA

Episode 53: MMIWP MURDERED: Mary Ellen Johnson-Davis - Tulalip Indian Reservation, WA She was supposed to get a ride. Instead, she vanished. After being seen walking along a rural road on the Tulalip Reservation, Mary Ellen Johnson’s phone mysteriously pinged miles away, then went silent forever. Episode Summary Mary Ellen Johnson disappeared on November 25, 2020, from the Tulalip Reservation in Washington State. What started as a simple plan to meet friends turned into a timeline filled with unanswered questions, conflicting witness accounts, and cell phone data that places her miles away from where she was last seen. Mary Ellen, a Native woman, is one of many whose cases fall within the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis, where jurisdictional gaps, delayed reporting, and lack of resources can significantly impact investigations. In this episode, we break down her last known movements, the investigation, and the broader systemic issues that cases like hers face, while keeping the focus where it belongs, on Mary Ellen and the people still searching for her. If you have any information regarding Mary Ellen Johnson’s disappearance, please contact the: * The Tulalip Tribal Police Department at (360) 716-9911 * The Federal Bureau of Investigation at (800) 225-5324 or tips.fbi.gov [http://tips.fbi.gov] Indigenous women face disproportionately high rates of violence in the United States. According to the National Institute of Justice * More than 4 in 5 Native women experience violence in their lifetime * Many cases are underreported or misclassified * Jurisdictional challenges between tribal, state, and federal agencies can delay investigations If you have any information on ANY Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women or Persons, please contact the: * National Indigenous Women's Resource Center at www.niwrc.org [http://www.niwrc.org] or niwrc@niwrc.org [niwrc@niwrc.org] * StrongHearts Native Helpline at (844) 762-8483 or www.strongheartshelpline.org [http://www.strongheartshelpline.org] * National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 or www.thehotline.org [http://www.thehotline.org] Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://instagram.com/truecrime.unwind] • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://tiktok.com/@truecrimeunwind] • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind [https://www.facebook.com/share/12CJEsLf12u/?mibextid=LQQJ4d] Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!