Keystone Cold Cases

In this Spooky Season episode, we’re heading to Western Pennsylvania for two chilling tales rooted in local folklore and legend. First, we explore the story of the Witch of Monongahela—a mysterious figure whose legend has haunted the area for generations. Then, we turn to the skies above Pittsburgh and the eerie story of the Ghost Bomber, a B-25 that splash landed on the river and disappeared unde...

It's officially spooky season! What happens when a seemingly harmless bite becomes a race against time? Rabies is one of the deadliest viruses known to humans, and once symptoms appear, survival is extraordinarily rare. In this episode, we’ll explore the terrifying history of rabies, the strange symptom known as hydrophobia, how the virus affects the brain, and why this ancient disease continues t...

In June 2015, 22-year-old Jasmaine Smith vanished after attending her sister’s high school graduation party in Farrell, Pennsylvania. As we explore her disappearance, we’ll also examine the tragic case of 18-year-old Alesha Bell—and the man whose connection to both cases may hold the key to what happened to Jasmaine.

Every morning, millions of Americans head to work expecting to come home at the end of the day. Teachers, nurses, delivery drivers, clerks, mail carriers—ordinary people simply doing their jobs. But some never make it home. Not because their jobs were dangerous, but because someone else decided they wouldn’t.

Patrick Ryan seemingly had no reason to disappear. His apartment suggested he left unexpectedly, his vehicle was still outside, and more than 30 miles away, his body was discovered. His family questioned the official cause of death from the beginning, while his manner of death remained undetermined. Then, 17 years later, an anonymous tip surfaced—one that suggested Patrick’s death may have been fa...

In April 2004, 23-year-old Alonzo Brooks attended a party in rural Kansas and never made it home. After an initial search turned up nothing, his body was discovered nearly a month later in an area that had already been searched, raising troubling questions about what really happened. Decades later, the case was reopened, an autopsy determined Alonzo's death was a homicide, and investigators contin...

This month, we're stepping away from cold cases and taking a little detour into the world of real estate—because sometimes, the strangest stories aren't about the people who lived in a house, but the house itself! From homes shaped like castles, mushrooms, and spaceships to underground dwellings, converted churches, and interiors that will leave you saying, "What were they thinking?"—there's no sh...

In April 2022, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was shaken by the brutal murders of 61-year-old Lionel Mickens and 36-year-old Britney Rummell. The two were found shot to death inside Mickens’ Pine Street home, along with his rescue dog, Daniel. Investigators determined that both victims had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and quickly ruled out the possibility that they had killed one another. Despite le...

She was only 8 years old. And her killer was never caught. 3rd grader Debbie Makel should have grown up. She should have had birthdays, dreams, and a future. Instead, her life was stolen—and the person responsible vanished into history. For years, Debbie’s case has remained unsolved. No justice. Just silence. Someone out there knows what happened. Someone has carried the truth for decades.

On a quiet June morning in 1912, the small town of Villisca, Iowa, woke up to a nightmare that would never be forgotten. Eight people were found murdered in their beds. The killer was never caught. The suspects were many. The theories are endless. This week on Keystone Cold Cases, we step inside the Moore home and explore the haunting mystery of the Villisca Axe Murders. A crime that shocked a nat...

Picture a quiet February morning in western Pennsylvania. There's still snow on the ground, and the roads through Lawrence County are lined with bare trees and old farmhouses. It looks like any other winter morning. Inside one of those farmhouses, 26-year-old Kenzie Houk is asleep in bed. She's eight months pregnant, close enough to her due date that she and her fiancé were counting down the days....

In this episode of *Keystone Cold Cases*, we explore two heartbreaking cases separated by decades but connected by unanswered questions. Denise Barger, a 62-year-old woman from Berwyn, Pennsylvania, was found brutally murdered inside her home in 2016. Despite an extensive investigation and a substantial reward, her killer has never been identified. We also examine the disappearance and murder of 2...

GLP-1 medications seem to be everywhere—but what are they, and why are so many people talking about them? In this episode, we break down the basics of GLP-1s, how they work, their benefits and potential risks, and the impact they're having on weight loss, diabetes treatment, and everyday conversations about health. Whether you're considering these medications, currently taking one, or simply curio...

In this episode of Keystone Cold Cases, we examine the unsolved murder of Robert Gaurrich. When Robert (known to friends and family as Bob) was found dead under suspicious circumstances, investigators worked to piece together what happened, but despite years of investigation, his killer has never been brought to justice. We explore the timeline of the case, the evidence, and the lingering question...

In November 1978, what began as a routine closing shift at a Burger Chef restaurant in Speedway, Indiana, ended in one of the nation's most haunting unsolved murder cases. Four young employees—Jayne Friedt, Ruth Shelton, Daniel Davis, and Mark Flemmonds—vanished without a trace, only to be found murdered two days later in a wooded area miles away. Despite decades of investigations, false confessio...

In this episode of Keystone Cold Cases, we examine the heartbreaking case of Bonnie Lou Dryfuse, her daughters Jacqueline and Heather, and their cousin Stephanie Herko, who were brutally murdered inside their Pulaski Township, Pennsylvania home on June 15, 1994. What initially appeared to be a robbery quickly became one of western Pennsylvania's most shocking homicide cases. We explore the investi...

In this episode of Keystone Cold Cases, we examine the heartbreaking case of Bonnie Lou Dryfuse,her daughters Jacqueline and Heather, and their cousin Stephanie Herko, who were brutally murdered inside their Pulaski Township, Pennsylvania home on June 15, 1994. What initially appeared to be a robbery quickly became one of western Pennsylvania's most shocking homicide cases. We explore the investig...

Today’s episode is not just about a murder — it’s about the lasting impact violence leaves behind for the families forced to carry it. We’re joined by Mike Gatto, a former member of the California legislature, whose father, Joseph Gatto, had his life tragically taken in his own home in November of 2013. These events change the course of a family forever and tonight’s we will discuss the events tha...

In this episode, we examine the heartbreaking case of 7-year-old Maria Elizabeth Ridulph of Sycamore, Illinois. On a cold December night in 1957, Maria vanished while playing outside near her family home, sparking one of the largest missing child investigations in U.S. history at the time. Decades later, the case would take a shocking turn with an arrest and conviction—only for that conviction to...

Stephanie Boller was a five-year-old girl from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, who tragically disappeared on January 8, 1977. She had left her home to visit a friend, but after being turned away due to illness, she vanished on her way back. Despite extensive searches and investigations, her remains were discovered ten months later in Brady's Run Park, about five miles from her home. Stephanie had suff...

In June of 1983, 24-year-old Peggy Sue Hogue, a young mother from North Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania, vanished after a night out in nearby Ellwood City. She was last seen in the early morning hours, walking alone after leaving a local bar. Hours later, her brutally beaten body was discovered in a wooded area near the Connoquenessing Creek.   More than four decades later, Peggy Sue Hogue’s case...

Imagine you wake up—or think you do—only to find your body completely frozen. You can’t move, can’t speak, and often, there’s this overwhelming sense of dread. Something’s in the room with you. A shadowy figure, a demon pressing on your chest, or worse. Is it a ghost? A spiritual attack? Or is science finally catching up to these ancient terrors?

Timothy Crissman vanished from his farm in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania in 1996, leaving behind more questions than answers. Tim has not been seen or heard from since, and the details surrounding his final days remain unclear. In this episode, we examine what is known about Timothy’s life, the circumstances that led up to his disappearance, and how speculation and silence have complicated the se...

In this episode, we take you back to the summer of 1973, when a quiet evening walk along a river turned into a chilling discovery. An elderly man stumbled upon the body of a young woman hidden in a patch of bushes near the 17th Street Bridge, setting off an investigation that quickly pointed to a missing person—Donna Lemon. Reported missing just days earlier after failing to meet family, Donna’s c...

In this episode, we examine the tragic murders of Jane Moyer, 42, and her 15-year-old daughter, Kinisha Knight. What began as a shocking act of violence against a mother quickly unraveled into an even more heartbreaking story when her teenage daughter was also found murdered. As investigators worked to piece together what happened, questions mounted about who could be responsible—and why this fami...