Keystone Cold Cases

Listener discretion is advised due to the sensitive nature of these cases. This week's episode explores two heartbreaking cases of missing children from Pittsburgh — Mary Ann Verdecchia and the Fowler twins. In 1962, 10-year-old Mary Ann Verdecchia vanished near her home and has never been found, despite decades of investigation. And In 2016, Allegheny County’s Office of Children, Youth and Famili...

In this fun and slightly chaotic episode, we unpack the rise of “brain rot”—those bizarre, hyper-online expressions like “rizz,” “delulu,” “mid,” and “it’s giving,” that are flooding TikTok, Twitter, and beyond. Where do they come from? How do they spread so fast? And what does it say about internet culture and the way younger generations are reshaping language? Whether you’re fluent in the lingo...

Join the team for the conclusion of the case of Edna Posey. In this gripping episode, we discuss the haunting 1984 murder of Edna Posey, a case that captivated Pennsylvania and led to a wrongful conviction. Edna's dismembered torso was discovered along the Juniata River, and after months of uncertainty, she was identified through distinctive physical marks. Her ex-sister-in-law provided crucial de...

Lisa Gurrieri and Brandon Rumbaugh set out on a romantic anniversary camping trip in the Arizona desert—but by morning, both were dead, shot execution-style in the bed of their borrowed truck. A disposable camera, found discarded near the scene, held haunting snapshots of their final moments—and one eerie, overexposed photo that may have captured their killer. Nearly two decades later, there are n...

In 1984, Edna Posey — a young mother with her whole life ahead of her — was found brutally murdered near the Juniata River in Pennsylvania. A suspect was arrested and convicted, but that conviction was overturned just a few years later, leaving Edna’s case wide open once again. Decades have passed, but the question still echoes: Who killed Edna Posey? In this episode, we revisit the details of the...

This month’s mood dives into the intense pressure law enforcement faces from the public to quickly solve cases—especially violent ones—and what happens when that pressure leads to tunnel vision in investigations. We also explore the power of the “court of public opinion,” where social media and the internet let everyone play judge and jury, often ignoring the facts in favor of outrage and speculat...

Have you ever come across one of those rare true crime cases that keep you scratching your head. Things just don’t add up and it seems helpless not having more answers. Well, this case will leave you asking questions for sure. Today KCC discusses the case of a Jane Doe who has been nameless for almost 40 years. She was discovered at the scene of a semi-truck crash. The twist, she was found under t...

This month on Beyond the Keystone: Two dismembered bodies. A scenic Alaskan coastline. And a known sex trafficker with ties to both victims. Join Melissa as she dives into the brutal, unsolved murders of Desiree Lekanoff and Michelle Rothe—two women failed by the system and forever silenced. Alaska holds its secrets tight… but someone out there knows the truth.

Join us for the conclusion of the story of Dana Gates!

In this episode, Chelsea and the team discusses the hidden risks that come with a day at the beach. While the sun, surf, and sand may seem harmless, there are a number of dangers every beachgoer should be aware of. Whether you're a local surfer or a first-time beach visitor, this episode will help you stay smart and safe under the sun.

This week, we’re diving into the chilling story of Dana Gates—a young woman whose life was violently taken, leaving behind countless unanswered questions. Found brutally injured in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Dana’s case shocked the local community and became a haunting mystery.

In the gripping inaugural episode of Beyond the Keystone, host Melissa takes us deep into the heart of Alabama, unraveling two haunting cases that still echo through the state. First, she explores the heartbreaking 2001 abduction and murder of 11-year-old Shannon Paulk in Prattville—a case that shocked the community and remains unsolved. Then, she turns to the tragic and perplexing 1990 Tuscaloosa...

On August 9, 1990, Donna Dickey's Thursday began like any other. The 32-year-old mother followed her usual payday routine: cashing her check, grabbing a meal from Burger King, and enjoying her food while feeding ducks at Silver Lake Park. Tragically, this would be the last time Donna followed this routine. The next morning, her strangled, half-naked body was discovered near Lower Bucks Hospital in...

Everything came to a head on May 22nd, 1992 when Betty came home and found Jack brutally murdered. It was not long before 3 arrests were made which included Betty and her twin sister Peggy. Join us as we discuss this wild case.

Welcome to our first Monthly Mood episode! Our monthly mood episode will be a different host every month gushing about what they are currently obsessed with. Anything from a true crime case, a show, a conspiracy, another podcast episode, etc. The sky's the limit...we even venture out of PA for these episodes! For our first episode of our monthly mood, Chelsea discusses the case of Tracey Nix, whic...

Join the KCC team for the conclusion of the Craig Rice case!   If you have been listening to our most recent stories you will see we have been slightly dabbling in cases that have controversies. Such as deaths ruled suicide and should have been homicide or even wrongfully convicted. Today we will touch on a wrongfully convicted case with a twist. It involves a murder that was part of a hate crime...

Who doesn’t love a good love story right? It’s really what everyone hopes for. A connection, a partner in crime, your other half if you will. But what happens when love isn’t the driving emotion. What if love is a disguise for control and obsession. When love is so “passionate” it invokes intense reactions. Reactions that are volatile and are irreversible. Today we are going to talk about the case...

If you have been listening to our most recent stories you will see we have been slightly dabbling in cases that have controversies. Such as deaths ruled suicide and should have been homicide or even wrongfully convicted. Today we will touch on a wrongfully convicted case with a twist. It involves a murder that was part of a hate crime and an innocent being charged with minimal evidence. I don’t th...

Carol Ann Dougherty was the older daughter of a “wonderful family”, a happy nine-year-old, who loved to read and frequently rode her bike to her town’s library, usually stopping at St. Mark’s Catholic Church to pray on her way home. On October 22, 1962, Carol Ann was found dead in the church’s loft, having been sexually assaulted and strangled. What monster could have committed such a heinous act...

Join KCC with the conclusion of the case of Dolores Della Penna, the 17-year-old that was horrifically murdered July 12, 1972.

In 1972, 17-year-old Dolores Della Penna, a high school student from Philadelphia, vanished just blocks from her home. Known for her kind nature and bright smile, her disappearance shocked her tight-knit community. Days later, disturbing discoveries pointed to a horrifying fate. To this day, questions linger about who was truly behind her tragic end and why justice remains elusive.

In today's episode, we discuss the case of the West Manchester John Doe. Found in 2013, the remains could have been in their resting pace for up to 20 years. The Bureau of Justice Assistance estimates that 4,400 unidentified remains are discovered annually in the United States. At any given time, there may be up to 40,000 unidentified remains across the country. It's truly heartbreaking to think a...

KCC delves into the tragic and unsolved murder of Holly Branagan, a high school senior from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. On March 28, 1979, Holly was brutally stabbed to death in her own home. The police pieced together Holly's timeline through phone calls she made that day, but despite their efforts, they have never caught her killer. Over 40 years later, the question remains: who killed Holly Branag...

Jason Andrew Knapp, a young man from York, Pennsylvania, vanished without a trace on April 12, 1998. Jason was a sophomore at Clemson University, excelling academically and involved in the ROTC program. He was last seen on Easter weekend, and his car was found a week later at Table Rock State Park in South Carolina, but Jason himself was never located. What could have happened to this accomplished...

Jennifer Higgins was an accomplished a young woman.  A field hockey star in high school, she attended Temple University on scholarship. Toward the end of her sophomore year, just ahead of summer break, Jennifer was found hanged by a necktie in her bedroom, her death ruled a suicide. But was it? Jennifer's story is one of profound sadness and unanswered questions, as her sudden death left her famil...