Category Archives: Uncategorized

108 The murder of Cynthia Miller

August, 1981 27-year-old Cynthia Jane Miller of Beckley West Virginia is shot to death in her home just hours before her wedding. Who murdered her? Why has the case gone unsolved for so long?

Her slaying wasn’t the only violent death in Beckley that year.

Raleigh County Magistrate Nancy Sparks McMillan was murdered in her home, just one block away from where Miller resided, in December, 1981.

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Yearbook photo of Cynthia Jane Miller

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Additional Music provided by Argofox: DOCTOR VOX – Frontier https://youtu.be/lkY3Ek9VPtg

107 The murder of Barbara Barnes

On December 7, 1995 13 year old Barbara Barnes left her Euclid St apartment in Steubenville Ohio on her way to school. She never arrived. Her body would be found two months later, 40 miles away in Pennsylvania. Her killer has never been caught.

Source: Wikipedia

While attention focused on her family, particularly her uncle, Louis Boyce, this episode looks at another suspect, a local man named Richard Kolling.

If you have information on the murder of Barbara Barnes, please contact Steubenville Police.

Richard Kolling faced rape charges for his assault of Barbara’s 10 year old sister.

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Missing in Michigan – Jody Lynn Brant

Episode 106  – Memorial Day weekend, 1994. Sixteen year old Jody Lynn Brant leaves her home in Gwinnett County Georgia to make the 12 hour drive north to Oakland County Michigan.

Jody Brant, age 16, 1994.

She’s planning to spend the long weekend with her cousins in the Pontiac area. Jody never arrives and days later, her car is found torched in a remote part of Monroe County Michigan.

If you have information about Jody’s case, please contact the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.

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Additional reading: 

The Charley Project 

June 1994 article from The Toledo Blade 

 

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105 The Crash of Northwest Flight 255

On August 16, 1987 Northwest Airlines Flight 255, traveling from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Phoenix Arizona crashed 14 seconds after take off.

At the time of the accident, it was the second deadliest crash in US aviation history. Here is the story of the flight, her passengers and why this tragedy was avoidable.

aftermath

Four year old Cecilia Cichan would survive the crash, but her parents and brother were not as fortunate.

Additional Reading:

Downriver things: Flight 255. Lots of info and pictures.

National Transportation Safety Board findings on the crash. Long, detailed, technical information.

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103 Missing in Michigan – Bernice Gray

On the morning of December 26, 1991 Bernice Gray dropped her toddler daughter off at day care and headed for work. Gray didn’t arrive at work, and wouldn’t be seen again. Days later her bloodstained car was found abandoned in Detroit.

Bernice Gray was last seen on December 26, 1991 in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.

It would take a decade for the man responsible for her disappearance and murder to be brought to justice.

Additional reading:

The Charley Project

Find a grave

 

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100 The Gravlin Family Murder

Troy Michigan, September, 1964 – Estranged from his wife and desperate to avoid a divorce, a mentally unstable man does the unthinkable.

William Gravlin in custody.

Troy Officer George Reed keeps onlookers away from the site of the killings

Special thanks to Sam Kulper and CD Luck for providing additional voices this episode.

 

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99 The Many Crimes of Byron Hoffmeister

Much of my childhood was spent in and around the little town of Berkley, Michigan. My uncle was Berkley High School, class of ’65. One of his classmates was Byron Hoffmeister. I’d heard him mention Hoffmeister over the years, what a “bad guy” he was, but until I dug into this episode, I had no idea.

Join us as we explore the life and many crimes of Berkley’s own Byron Hoffmeister.

yearbook photo of Hoffmeister

 

The 1968 plea deal that allowed Hoffmeister to be out on the streets by 1971

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98 The Murder of Monica Hockey

Labor Day weekend of 1979, the body of Monica Hockey is discovered by the side of the road in Clarkston, Michigan. She’s been beaten, stabbed and her killers attempted to break both of her legs.

A murder so disturbing, so violent, that prosecutors lobby for the return of the death penalty.

**listener discretion advised**

Yearbook photo circa 1977

 

Additional Reading:

The Hockeys – A study in courage 

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97 The murder of Gail and Ricky Brink

On Monday November 23, 1987 the bodies of Gail and Ricky Brink are discovered in their Holland Township (Michigan) home. Twenty two year old Gail and 29 year old Ricky were each shot multiple times, likely in the small hours of Sunday November 22.

 

Ricky and Gail in 1987

It will take 25 years for their killer to be brought to justice.

This week’s promo from Pretend Radio

 

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Research and additional reading: 

“A brutal execution” – MLive story 

Witnesses describe Gail and Rick’s last day alive – Holland Sentinel 

“We finally got him” says sister of Ryan Wyngarden – MLive story

96 The Death of Officer Martin Chivas

Officer Chivas in 1973

In April of 1974 two prisoners walked away from the Magnum Prison Farm near Marquette Michigan. They embarked on a 55 hour crime spree that involved kidnapping, robbery and murder. The spree culminated in the deaths of three people, including Troy Michigan Police Officer Martin “Marty” Chivas.

Episode includes an interview with Troy Mayor Dane Slater, who worked with Martin Chivas in 1974.

Officer Down Memorial Page 

Troy Police Twitter Post with photo

Oakland County 115 news story

Memorial Day story, Troy Remembers

Promos: Targeted PodcastCrimesphere Podcast 

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95 The Paulson Family Murder

The Robert Paulson family.

 

In March, 1982 someone entered the Paulson family home in a rural part of Allendale Township, Michigan. Using a .22 caliber weapon he shot and killed all five members of the family, then set the house on fire.

The killer, Maris Karklins, would not be captured until July 1982 when he fatally shot his mother in the Karlklins family home.

Andris Karklins, the younger brother of Maris was a talented guitarist who was on tour at the time of the slayings.

If you have questions about mental illness, or need support please contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness. 

Additional reading: 

Allendale Murder suspect arraigned

Wright Township Slayings touch off memory of 1982 murders

This week’s promo is from the Murder Road Trip Podcast.

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94 Chelsea Small

On November 12, 2013 Chelsea Small was working at the Advance America store in Taylor, Michigan. During a robbery she was shot twice and her killer made off with $200 in cash. Despite video and images of the killer, he remains at large.

30 year old Chelsea Small left behind two children.

Surveillance video of killer

do you recognize this man?

If you have information please contact Detective Jones at the Taylor Police Department   734-287-6550 or Crimestoppers at 1-800- SPEAK UP

Advance America is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of her killer.

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This week’s promo from the 36 Times Podcast.