Rainwalker: The Lost Boy

The limousine crash that killed 20 people in rural upstate New York on Oct. 6, 2018, remains one of the deadliest ground transportation disasters in United States history. Investigators determined that the brakes failed on the 2001 Ford Excursion stretch limousine as it barreled down a hill at 100 mph, carrying 17 friends on their way to a 30th birthday party. It plowed into the parking lot of a busy restaurant and slammed into a ditch. All passengers, the driver and two bystanders perished. But brake failure was only part of the story. Host Jessica Marshall and reporter Larry Rulison dig deep into the story of the Schoharie limo crash. How it happened. Why it happened. And how it could have been prevented. The narrative and the details may be upsetting or disturbing at times. Please listen with care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The discovery of human remains in South Troy, New York, fuels speculation about what may have happened to Jaliek Rainwalker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The abduction of a 9-year-old girl in Saratoga County late last year made national headlines. She went missing the evening of Sept. 30 while riding her bicycle alone in a New York State park campground. State Police issued an Amber Alert, and along with the FBI and other local authorities, conducted a massive two-day search of the park and surrounding area. Police found the girl nearly 48 hours later on a property in Milton, New York. Her alleged abductor has been charged with kidnapping and several counts of predatory sexual assault. The case happened just a county away from where Jaliek Rainwalker went missing 16 years earlier. In this episode of “Rainwalker: The Lost Boy,” we’ll examine the similarities and differences between the two cases, and explore a much larger question: Why do children go missing in America? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

There have been no updates in the investigation of Jaliek Rainwalker’s disappearance since late June 2022, when a tip launched a search near some ballfields in Troy, New York — more than 30 miles south of the upstate New York town where Jaliek was last seen. After 15 years, law enforcement insists the boy’s presumed homicide is still an active case. But they’ve never named a suspect, and they’re unwilling to reveal any more details. If a suspect is ever named, the fact that Jaliek’s body has never been found creates a difficult situation for prosecutors. Based on what they’ve said publicly, if they were to pursue a case against someone involved in Jaliek’s disappearance, it would be what’s known as a “no-body” or bodiless prosecution. But how do you prove murder without the most direct evidence of murder — aka a body? In this bonus episode of “Rainwalker: The Lost Boy,” we’ll look back at how we put this podcast together, and we’ll talk to an expert in bodiless prosecution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The search continues for Jaliek Rainwalker 15 years after he disappeared. Students from the College of Saint Rose Cold Case Analysis Center recently explored a property in Washington County they believe could provide clues about what happened to Jaliek.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]