The Trail Went Cold

July 4, 1954. Bay Village, Ohio. 31-year old Marilyn Reese Sheppard is bludgeoned to death inside her bedroom and her 30-year old husband, Sam Sheppard, is injured after claiming he was attacked by an intruder. Since Sam was known for conducting extramarital affairs, police believe that he fabricated the story and was responsible for killing his wife, so he is charged with Marilyn’s murder. After being convicted at what is described as “The Trial of the Century”, Sam receives a sentence of life imprisonment, but there is great concern about the sensationalistic and biased media coverage surrounding the case. Sam spends nearly ten years in prison before his conviction is overturned and after the case makes it all the way to the United States Supreme Court, he is granted a second trial and winds up being acquitted. Decades later, Sam’s supporters attempt to posthumously exonerate him by presenting evidence that points towards another suspect, but the crime remains shrouded in mystery. To commemorate the nine-year anniversary of “The Trail Went Cold”, we will be releasing our very first special three-part episode about one of the most controversial murder cases of all time. This episode will chronicle the original investigation and trial for the murder of Marilyn Reese Sheppard and Parts Two and Three will be released over the course of the next two weeks. Join us on Saturday, February 22 at 8:00pm ET for an online streaming marathon where we will be watching classic segments from “Unsolved Mysteries”. You can enter our screening room by clicking on this link [https://cytu.be/r/TheTrailWentCold]. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Sheppard [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Sheppard] https://famous-trials.com/sam-sheppard/ [https://famous-trials.com/sam-sheppard/] "The Wrong Man: The Final Verdict on the Dr. Sam Sheppard Murder Case" by James Neff [https://www.amazon.ca/Wrong-Man-Verdict-Sheppard-Murder/dp/0679457194] "Dr. Sam Sheppard on Trial: The Prosecutors and the Marilyn Sheppard Murder" by Jack DeSario and William Mason [https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00CPNIFP2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_351_o02?ie=UTF8&psc=1] https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/sheppard/ [https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/sheppard/] https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetailpre1989.aspx?caseid=300 [https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetailpre1989.aspx?caseid=300] “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/ [https://www.advocacycon.com/]. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold [https://www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold/] to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote [http://www.magillfoote.com/]. All music is composed by Vince Nitro [https://soundcloud.com/vincenitro].

December 7, 2003. Montgomery, Alabama. 19-year old LaQuanta Riley stops off at her mother’s residence to borrow a jacket from her brother. He sees LaQuanta leave in a dark green car being driven by an unidentified man, but she subsequently goes missing. A few weeks later, LaQuanta’s mother receives a garbled message on her answering machine from a panicked woman whom she believes is her daughter and a male voice can be heard in the background. Even though a number of leads are explored, including LaQuanta’s name showing up on an apartment rental in Georgia, no trace of her can be ever found. June 26, 2010. Selma, Alabama. 17-year old Tarasha Benjamin leaves her mother’s home to go shopping at the Selma Flea Market, but never returns. Tarasha is seen driving an SUV which she borrowed from a friend, but later that day, the abandoned vehicle is found alongside the Cecil Jackson Bypass with a broken door handle and two windows missing. While it is suspected that Tarasha was the victim of an abduction, there are very few leads to work with and Tarasha remains a missing person. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore two unsolved missing persons cases involving young women from Alabama. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/laquanta-nachelle-riley [https://charleyproject.org/case/laquanta-nachelle-riley] https://discover.hubpages.com/family/Missing-LaQuanta-Nachelle-Riley [https://discover.hubpages.com/family/Missing-LaQuanta-Nachelle-Riley] https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2014/04/where_is_my_daughter_decade-ol.html [https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2014/04/where_is_my_daughter_decade-ol.html] https://www.waka.com/2018/06/25/15-years-later-mother-of-missing-woman-still-searching-for-answers/ [https://www.waka.com/2018/06/25/15-years-later-mother-of-missing-woman-still-searching-for-answers/] https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2019/05/search-continues-for-teen-who-disappeared-in-montgomery-15-years-ago-11000-reward-offered.html [https://www.al.com/news/montgomery/2019/05/search-continues-for-teen-who-disappeared-in-montgomery-15-years-ago-11000-reward-offered.html] https://elmoreautauganews.com/2021/02/26/missing-since-2003-officials-release-age-progressed-photo-of-laquanta-riley-today-is-her-birthday/ [https://elmoreautauganews.com/2021/02/26/missing-since-2003-officials-release-age-progressed-photo-of-laquanta-riley-today-is-her-birthday/] https://charleyproject.org/case/tarasha-benjamin [https://charleyproject.org/case/tarasha-benjamin] https://www.newspapers.com/image/570741799/ [https://www.newspapers.com/image/570741799/] https://www.newspapers.com/image/570741847/ [https://www.newspapers.com/image/570741847/] https://www.newspapers.com/image/570741897/ [https://www.newspapers.com/image/570741897/] https://www.newspapers.com/image/570817130/ [https://www.newspapers.com/image/570817130/] https://www.wsfa.com/story/36273263/selma-family-pushes-to-uncover-clues-in-womans-2010-disappearance/ [https://www.wsfa.com/story/36273263/selma-family-pushes-to-uncover-clues-in-womans-2010-disappearance/] https://www.wsfa.com/story/15670452/exclusive-missing-selma-teens-mom-finds-new-hope/ [https://www.wsfa.com/story/15670452/exclusive-missing-selma-teens-mom-finds-new-hope/] “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/ [https://www.advocacycon.com/]. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold [https://www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold/] to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote [http://www.magillfoote.com/]. All music is composed by Vince Nitro [https://soundcloud.com/vincenitro].

November 28, 2004. Nairn, Scotland. An unidentified man arrives at the front door of 30-year old Alistair Wilson and hands him an empty envelope with the name “Paul” written on it. The man shoots Alistair three times and takes the envelope back before fleeing the scene and the murder weapon is found in a nearby drain ten days later. Investigators explore a number of different theories and eventually conclude that the crime might be connected to a dispute over a decking area at a hotel pub located across the street from Alistair’s home. Police believe that at least two people were involved in the murder and have one potential suspect in mind, but the crime is never solved. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore one of the most bizarre cold cases in the history of Scotland. Special thanks to listener Alison Simmonds for narrating the opening of this episode. Additional Reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Alistair_Wilson [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Alistair_Wilson] "To Catch a Killer - My Hunt for the Truth Behind the Doorstep Murder" by Peter Bleksley [https://www.amazon.ca/Catch-Killer-Behind-Doorstep-Murder-ebook/dp/B0D5P4NPCR/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1K5V2ZG3IF97I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xMk1JDp15j7MWQtI6pf5IM9Vy78hI4ABdOGmuILpLy9ibxzYnuSlazgzLXuI-8mAgAgNpSX_HizayDZef8V0uAub-lpRQucDlb6_iGeORRLpeKs1iSpexzSJndk_LebT6Gb0BzI-SC3i2CxWu0ey1w.y4Ww7ryFyI59upBxOLyI7p4_nhvuO2RdZfxDvb4ofP4&dib_tag=se&keywords=alistair+wilson+murder&qid=1738625797&s=books&sprefix=alistair+wilson+murder%2Cstripbooks%2C118&sr=1-2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-42056011 [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-42056011] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/the_doorstep_murder_alistair_wilson [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-sh/the_doorstep_murder_alistair_wilson] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-61215644 [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-61215644] https://www.thetimes.com/article/two-men-could-have-been-behind-unsolved-murder-of-banker-alistair-wilson-qspbcrwkq [https://www.thetimes.com/article/two-men-could-have-been-behind-unsolved-murder-of-banker-alistair-wilson-qspbcrwkq] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r884dlgpno [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r884dlgpno] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/sep/21/family-of-banker-alistair-wilson-murdered-20-years-ago-rebuke-incompetent-police-scotland [https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/sep/21/family-of-banker-alistair-wilson-murdered-20-years-ago-rebuke-incompetent-police-scotland] https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/police-officer-in-nairn-murder-investigation-found-guilty-of-366536/ [https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/police-officer-in-nairn-murder-investigation-found-guilty-of-366536/] https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/new-alistair-wilson-murder-evidence-34174176 [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/new-alistair-wilson-murder-evidence-34174176] https://news.sky.com/story/alistair-wilson-20th-anniversary-of-bankers-doorstep-murder-as-police-reject-callous-handling-of-unsolved-shooting-13257633 [https://news.sky.com/story/alistair-wilson-20th-anniversary-of-bankers-doorstep-murder-as-police-reject-callous-handling-of-unsolved-shooting-13257633] “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/ [https://www.advocacycon.com/]. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold [https://www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold/] to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote [http://www.magillfoote.com/]. All music is composed by Vince Nitro [https://soundcloud.com/vincenitro].

November 19, 2006. Littleton, Colorado. First Lieutenant Nonnie Dotson, a 33-year old nurse with the United States Air Force, has travelled from San Antonio, Texas to Colorado with her infant daughter and is saying with her brother, Tony Dotson. Nonnie leaves Tony’s residence in order to presumably travel to a nearby shopping center, but she never returns. Even though police track Nonnie’s cell phone signal and her scent to a nearby field, no trace of her can be found. Investigators explore a number of different angles, including the possibility that Nonnie was harmed by a stalker, the estranged father of her child, and even her own brother, but she remains a missing person. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a baffling unsolved disappearance in which the victim seemingly vanished into thin air. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/nonnie-ann-dotson [https://charleyproject.org/case/nonnie-ann-dotson] https://www.crimelibrary.org/criminal_mind/forensics/nonnie_dotson/1_index.html [https://www.crimelibrary.org/criminal_mind/forensics/nonnie_dotson/1_index.html] https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/ng/date/2011-03-23/segment/01 [https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/ng/date/2011-03-23/segment/01] https://www.denverpost.com/2006/12/06/ex-beau-of-missing-nurse-quizzed/ [https://www.denverpost.com/2006/12/06/ex-beau-of-missing-nurse-quizzed/] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/case-of-missing-air-force-nurse-grows-cold/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/case-of-missing-air-force-nurse-grows-cold/] https://www.denverpost.com/2007/11/27/missing-moms-trail-goes-cold/ [https://www.denverpost.com/2007/11/27/missing-moms-trail-goes-cold/] https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/something-happened-to-her-family-wants-answers-10-years-after-single-moms-disappearance/73-437111811 [https://www.9news.com/article/news/crime/something-happened-to-her-family-wants-answers-10-years-after-single-moms-disappearance/73-437111811] https://kdvr.com/news/colorado-cold-cases/cold-case-have-you-seen-this-woman-missing-since-2006/ [https://kdvr.com/news/colorado-cold-cases/cold-case-have-you-seen-this-woman-missing-since-2006/] https://www.denverpost.com/2014/01/17/man-gets-96-to-life-in-break-in-sexual-assault/ [https://www.denverpost.com/2014/01/17/man-gets-96-to-life-in-break-in-sexual-assault/] https://www.westword.com/news/rapist-tony-dotson-guilty-in-murder-for-hire-bid-against-victimand-sister-is-still-missing-6283026 [https://www.westword.com/news/rapist-tony-dotson-guilty-in-murder-for-hire-bid-against-victimand-sister-is-still-missing-6283026] “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/ [https://www.advocacycon.com/]. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold [https://www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold/] to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote [http://www.magillfoote.com/]. All music is composed by Vince Nitro [https://soundcloud.com/vincenitro].

July 12, 1988. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Four-year old Barbara Jean Horn disappears from the front yard of her home before her nude body is discovered inside a cardboard box resting on a curb in the same neighbourhood. Nearly four years later, a suspect named Walter Ogrod, who had lived across the street from Barbara Jean’s residence, is arrested after he confesses to her murder and after two trials, he is convicted and sentenced to death. However, Walter claims his confession was coerced by corrupt police detectives and there are numerous allegations of misconduct and serious issues with his conviction. In 2020, after a new review is performed of the case, Walter’s conviction is overturned. While he is finally released from death row and fully exonerated, no one else is charged with the crime. Last week, in Part One of our series about the murder of Barbara Jean Horn, we shared the basic facts about the case. This week, in Part Two, we will attempt to analyze and break down this crime by sharing all the different theories about what happened, as well as explore some other wrong conviction cases which took place in Philadelphia during this time period and involved the same law enforcement figures who put Walter Ogrod in prison. If you have any information about this case, please contact the Philadelphia Police Department’s tip line at (215) 686-TIPS (8477). Additional Reading: "The Trails of Walter Ogrod: The Shocking Murder, So-Called Confessions and Notorious Snitch That Sent a Man to Death Row" by Thomas Lowenstein [https://www.amazon.ca/Trials-Walter-Ogrod-So-Called-Confessions/dp/1613738013] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Ogrod_case [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Ogrod_case] https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Barbara_Jean_Horn [https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Barbara_Jean_Horn] https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=5752 [https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=5752] https://dpic-cdn.org/production/documents/PhilaDA-CIU-Walter-Ogrod-Expert-Reports-2020-02-28.pdf [https://dpic-cdn.org/production/documents/PhilaDA-CIU-Walter-Ogrod-Expert-Reports-2020-02-28.pdf] https://dpic-cdn.org/production/documents/PhilaDA-Answer-to-Walter-Ogrod-Amended-PCRA-Petition-2020-02-28.pdf [https://dpic-cdn.org/production/documents/PhilaDA-Answer-to-Walter-Ogrod-Amended-PCRA-Petition-2020-02-28.pdf] https://www.inquirer.com/news/walter-ogrod-exonerated-innocent-death-row-larry-krasner-philadelphia-20200605.html [https://www.inquirer.com/news/walter-ogrod-exonerated-innocent-death-row-larry-krasner-philadelphia-20200605.html] https://www.inquirer.com/news/walter-ogrod-exonerated-murder-conviction-overturned-philadelphia-larry-krasner-20200610.html [https://www.inquirer.com/news/walter-ogrod-exonerated-murder-conviction-overturned-philadelphia-larry-krasner-20200610.html] https://www.inquirer.com/philly/columnists/will_bunch/walter-ogrod-death-row-stories-hln-larry-krasner-dna-testing-philadelphia-20180405.html [https://www.inquirer.com/philly/columnists/will_bunch/walter-ogrod-death-row-stories-hln-larry-krasner-dna-testing-philadelphia-20180405.html] https://www.newsweek.com/pennsylvania-court-orders-death-row-inmate-tested-coronavirus-1493628 [https://www.newsweek.com/pennsylvania-court-orders-death-row-inmate-tested-coronavirus-1493628] https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/after-2-decades-on-death-row-wrongfully-convicted-man-will-be-set-free/2421261/ [https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/after-2-decades-on-death-row-wrongfully-convicted-man-will-be-set-free/2421261/] https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/barbara-jean-horn-murder-philadelphia-walter-ogrod/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/barbara-jean-horn-murder-philadelphia-walter-ogrod/] “The Trail Went Cold” will be appearing at the AdvocacyCon, taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott East in Indianapolis on March 28-30, 2025. To get a 10 % discount on tickets, please use our specialized promo code, “TRAIL10”, by visiting https://www.advocacycon.com/ [https://www.advocacycon.com/]. “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold [https://www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold/] to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote [http://www.magillfoote.com/]. All music is composed by Vince Nitro [https://soundcloud.com/vincenitro].