Voices for Justice

On March 31, 2006, 27-year-old Brian Shaffer went out with his friend Clint for a night of barhopping in Columbus, Ohio. At around 1:55 a.m., Brian was seen talking to two women outside the Ugly Tuna Saloona. Two minutes later, he walked back towards the entrance of the bar.According to Clint and another friend named Meredith, they last saw Brian when he said he wanted to talk to the band and went back inside the bar. They say that they couldn’t find him after this. Before leaving, Clint and Meredith tried calling Brian, but his phone went straight to voicemail, so they went home.Two days later, Brian was reported missing by his father. And I think what happened next is why Brian Shaffer’s case is so puzzling. When police reviewed surveillance footage from the Ugly Tuna Saloona, they saw Brian leave the bar, speak to the two people, and re-enter the bar. But there was no video of Brian leaving the bar again.  To this day, police still don’t know what happened to Brian that night. There are countless theories about what happened that night, but very few answers.At the time of his disappearance, Brian Shaffer was 27 years old, 6’2”, 160 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing an olive green short-sleeved polo shirt with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath, blue jeans, Adidas sneakers, and a yellow cancer awareness bracelet. He has a dot on the iris of his left eye and a tattoo of the Pearl Jam symbol on his upper right bicep.Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Columbus Division of Police at 614-645-2358.Thank you to the sponsor of this episode, BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/Justice to get 10% off your first month.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 1st, 2002, 24-year-old Evelyn Hernandez was pregnant with her second son and only a week from her due date. That morning, Evelyn called one of her sisters, then dropped Alex off at pre-school, ran a few errands, picked Alex back up, and ended the night by talking to her other sister about her upcoming baby shower.it wasn’t an easy pregnancy for Evelyn. She had worked as a vocational nurse, at Costco, and the Clift Hotel in San Francisco’s Union Square but eventually suffered complications with her pregnancy and was on disability by the end of it. On top of that, when she was about four months pregnant, she discovered that the father of her child, 36-year-old Herman Aguilera, was hiding a huge secret from her… he was married to another woman.  However, Evelyn was somehow juggling all her responsibilities and holding it all together. She was planning for the baby shower and even had a name picked out for the new baby, Fernando. But after Evelyn hangs up with her sister… as Evelyn’s due date approaches… she stops answering phone calls and stops taking Alex to school.About a week after that phone call with her sister, on May 7th, Evelyn’s due date, Herman Aguilera reported her and Alex missing to the police. Then, just a few weeks later, in July, Evelyn's remains were discovered in the San Francisco Bay. She had been murdered. Unfortunately, her unborn son and Alex have not been found, and the case remains unsolved.Evelyn and Alex Hernandez were last heard from around 9 p.m. on May 1, 2002, in San Francisco. Evelyn’s partial remains were found on July 24, 2002, in the San Francisco Bay. She was 24 years old when she was murdered and had brown hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, five-year-old Alexis, or Alex as he was more commonly known, was four feet tall, weighed 45 pounds, and had brown hair, and brown eyes. He may also go by Alex Hernandez-Repollet. Anyone with information is urged to contact the San Francisco Police Department Cold Case Unit at (415)553-1450.Thank you to our sponsor, June's Journey. Discover your inner detective and download June's Journey today on IOS or Android.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I am joined by Josh Hallmark from the podcast True Crime Bullshit, to discuss the case of Alice Looney.At midnight on August 16, 2004, 38-year-old Alice Looney was dropped off at a Wapato, Washington, store on the Yakama Indian Reservation. This was the last confirmed sighting of her.Over a year later, in November 2005, Alice's remains were discovered on an island in Status Creek, located on public land off Highway 22. The cause of her death remains unknown. However, investigators believe it’s possible she was strangled, and some theorize she may have been a victim of serial killer Israel Keyes.Anyone with information about the death of Alice Ida Looney is asked to call the Yakama Nation Police Department at (509) 865-2933 or the Yakima FBI office at (509) 453-4859.Thank you to our sponsor, Hello Fresh! Try Hello Fresh, America's #1 meal kit, today. Get 60% off plus free shipping by visiting HelloFresh.com/JUSTICE60, and make sure you use code JUSTICE60 at checkout.Another huge thank you to Josh Hallmark for participating in this episode. Learn more about Josh and his work at https://www.bothand.fyi/For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, I’m joined by Laurah Norton to discuss the case of Susan Lund and the nearly 30-year journey to identify her. Laurah worked for years to help identify Susan with an incredible team of experts, but her case is still in need of justice.According to Paul Lund, On Christmas Eve, 1992, his 25-year-old wife, Susan Lund, went missing on a walk to the grocery store to buy ingredients for their family’s holiday dinner. He reported her missing not long after.About a month later, near the end of January 1993, Susan’s partial remains were found near Ina, Illinois, in Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park. Unfortunately, Susan remained unidentified for decades and was only known as Ina Jane Doe. In a strange twist of fate, not long after she went missing, Susan’s case was closed after a mysterious woman came forward and identified herself as Susan.Susan’s children spent decades believing she may have intentionally left them and never chose to reach out again.But in early 2021, Dr. Amy Michael, assistant professor of anthropology at The University of New Hampshire, along with writer, researcher, and host Laurah Norton, were approved by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to reexamine the case.Through their journey, they worked with a variety of experts to correct misconceptions about Ina Jane Doe. When the genealogists at Redgrave Research joined the efforts, they finally identified her as Susan Lund in 2022.Laurah Norton recently chronicled this incredible journey along with the science behind it in her upcoming book, Lay Them to Rest. So, I invited her on the show to discuss her book, Susan’s case, the inner workings behind doing this type of work, and, of course, how you can help.If you have any information about Susan Lund, please call The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 618-242-TIPS.For a limited time, you can get 20% off Laurah's book, Lay Them to Rest, by using code LAYTHEMTOREST at checkout: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/laurah-norton/lay-them-to-rest/9780306828805/Subscribe to Laurah's podcasts:The Fall Line Podcast: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/One Strange Thing Podcast: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On May 25, 1989, 44-year-old Cindy James disappeared from Richmond, British Columbia, in Canada. Immediately, Cindy’s friends and family were worried for her safety because, for about seven years, she had suffered almost 100 incidents of harassment from a stalker. These incidents ranged from threatening phone calls and letters to physical attacks that almost killed Cindy. Searches for Cindy began immediately. Then, two weeks later, Cindy’s body was found in the yard of an abandoned house around a mile from where she was last seen. She’d been drugged and strangled.  After a month of investigating, police concluded that Cindy had completed suicide in an elaborate ruse staged to look like a murder. They further alleged that she’d faked all the incidents of harassment over the years. But Cindy’s family and many experts disagree.  Anyone with information about Cindy James is urged to contact the RCMP tip line at 1800-222-8477.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On April 12, 2017, 60-year-old Evelyn Lucinda "Cindy" Guido was reported missing from Gilbert, Arizona. No one had seen or heard from her for almost a week. According to Cindy’s roommate, she was picked up on the evening of April 6. She didn’t say where she was going but said she’d be back. After months of investigating, it became clear to detectives that some of the men in her life were pointing fingers at each other, and then a search of her apartment confirmed her family’s worst fears. Cindy’s family reached out to me in hopes of sharing her story, generating leads, and finally getting some answers. Evelyn Lucinda “Cindy” Guido was last seen on April 6, 2017, in Gilbert, Arizona, near the 200 block of Juniper Avenue. when she was 60 years old, she is white, 5’4”, and 115 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown shoulder-length hair. She sometimes wore blond extensions. She has a full set of dentures a burn scar on her left arm, and wears wire-rimmed reading glasses. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Gilbert Police Department at 480-503-6500.Thank you to our sponsors, Hello Fresh, June's Journey, and BetterHelp.Try Hello Fresh, America's #1 meal kit, today. Get 60% off plus free shipping by visiting HelloFresh.com/JUSTICE60, and make sure you use code JUSTICE60 at checkout.Visit BetterHelp.com/Justice to get 10% off your first month.Download Junes Journey today on IOS or Android.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the summer of 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson was living in Los Angeles, California. She had recently graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in psychology and was searching for the perfect doctorate program to continue her studies and pursue her dream of becoming a psychologist.On the night of September 16, she went to a restaurant in Malibu, where she began exhibiting some strange behavior. While some people thought maybe Mitrice was drunk or on some type of drug it became apparent that she was actually struggling with her mental health. Mitrice didn’t pay her bill, but the workers weren’t really concerned about that. They even discussed pulling their money together to help her. They were more concerned that she was obviously going through some type of crisis. So, they called the police, who then made the call that she did not need to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was instead arrested and taken to jail. Her car was impounded, along with her cell phone and wallet. A few hours later, at 12:38 a.m., Mitrice was released without any of her belongings, no money, no phone, and no car. Almost a year later, in August 2010, Mitrice’s remains were located. Since then, the cause of her death has become a major topic of debate for her loved ones, the city, and across true crime. Almost immediately, investigators said no foul play was involved in Mitrice’s death.  But her loved ones and even certain members of law enforcement have voiced their concerns that the evidence suggests otherwise. Mitrice’s mentor, Dr. Ronda Hampton, joins us this week to discuss the case in a very candid interview. Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at (213) 486-6900.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the summer of 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson was living in Los Angeles, California. She had recently graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in psychology and was searching for the perfect doctorate program to continue her studies and pursue her dream of becoming a psychologist.On the night of September 16, she went to a restaurant in Malibu, where she began exhibiting some strange behavior. While some people thought maybe Mitrice was drunk or on some type of drug it became apparent that she was actually struggling with her mental health. Mitrice didn’t pay her bill, but the workers weren’t really concerned about that. They even discussed pulling their money together to help her. They were more concerned that she was obviously going through some type of crisis. So, they called the police, who then made the call that she did not need to be evaluated by a mental health professional. She was instead arrested and taken to jail. Her car was impounded, along with her cell phone and wallet. A few hours later, at 12:38 a.m., Mitrice was released without any of her belongings, no money, no phone, and no car. Almost a year later, in August 2010, Mitrice’s remains were located. Since then, the cause of her death has become a major topic of debate for her loved ones, the city, and across true crime. Almost immediately, investigators said no foul play was involved in Mitrice’s death.  But her loved ones and even certain members of law enforcement have voiced their concerns that the evidence suggests otherwise. Mitrice’s mentor, Dr. Ronda Hampton, joins us this week to discuss the case in a very candid interview. Anyone with information is asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department at (213) 486-6900.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 6, 2007, in a wooded area of Ashton Court in Sarasota, Florida, a 14-year-old found a bone sticking out of the ground. Investigators quickly discovered that a woman had been buried in a shallow grave. Unfortunately, they were not able to identify her. For 15 years, she was known as “The Sarasota County Jane Doe.” That is until November 2022, when investigators partnered with DNA Labs International to identify 39-year-old Jeana Lynn Burrus using DNA testing and Genetic Genealogy. Pretty soon, they discovered Jeana had never been reported missing. Now, investigators are asking the media and public to share Jeana’s story in hopes of solving her case. If you or anyone you know knew Jeana Burrus or James “Jamie” Burrus or lived in or around this area between 2005-2007 and have relevant information, PLEASE reach out to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department at 941-861-4900.Check out Laurah Norton's book, Lay Them to Rest, here: https://amzn.to/3srNU9S. (This podcast is not sponsored by Laurah Norton, but this is an affiliate link that earns me a small commission should you buy the book.)Thank you to our sponsor, Zocdoc!Go to Zocdoc.com/JUSTICE and download the Zocdoc app for free. Then find and book a top-rated doctor today.For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18-year-old Kaysera Stops Pretty Places disappeared in the late hours of August 24 or early hours of August 25, 2019. She was last seen on Rangeview Drive in Hardin, Montana, very close to the border of the Crow Reservation. On August 29, Kaysera’s body was discovered in the same neighborhood where she had disappeared. The medical examiner ruled her cause and manner of death as undetermined. However, Kaysera’s family believes she was murdered. Anyone with information is asked to contact Big Horn County investigators at 406-665-9780. Follow the case and support Kaysera’s family by visiting JusticeforKaysera.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForKaysera Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-kaysera-stops-pretty-places Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-kaysera-stops-pretty-places/For more information about the podcast and the cases discussed, visit VoicesforJusticePodcast.comDon't forget to follow me on social media under Voices for Justice Podcast & SarahETurneyJoin the Patreon family to get instant access to a library of extra content, support the show, and support these cases https://www.patreon.com/VoicesforJustice The introduction music used in Voices for Justice is Thread of Clouds by Blue Dot Sessions. Outro music is Melancholic Ending by Soft and Furious. The track used for ad transitions is Pinky by Blue Dot Sessions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices