WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police

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<v Speaker 1>and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details

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<v Speaker 1>may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons.

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<v Speaker 1>While the events in cases discussed are based on real investigations,

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<v Speaker 1>some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes.

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<v Speaker 1>Voice actors have been used to read from statements or documents.

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<v Speaker 1>All information presented is intended solely to inform and raise awareness.

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<v Speaker 1>Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast,

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<v Speaker 1>but such discussions are not intended to and should not

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<v Speaker 1>be considered by the listener to be legal conclusions. All

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<v Speaker 1>persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty in a

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<v Speaker 1>court of law. Listener discretion is advised.

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<v Speaker 2>This is Chief Anna Lally. Welcome to Somebody Knows Something,

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<v Speaker 2>a podcast from the Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Unit.

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<v Speaker 2>In this podcast, we will shed new light on cold

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<v Speaker 2>cases in the city of Elgin by sharing untold details

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<v Speaker 2>and by encouraging anyone with information to come forward. You

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<v Speaker 2>will come along with real cold case detectives as they

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<v Speaker 2>investigate active cold cases in real time and seek justice

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<v Speaker 2>for the victims and closure for their families. We believe

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<v Speaker 2>that the Elgin Police Department and our community can work

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<v Speaker 2>together to bring closure to cold cases because we know

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<v Speaker 2>that in these cases, somebody knows something.

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<v Speaker 3>Hello, Welcome to twenty twenty six, and welcome to the

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<v Speaker 3>bonus episode of Somebody Knows Something, the Elgin Police Department

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<v Speaker 3>Cold Case Podcast. My name is Detective and Er Howton.

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<v Speaker 4>An i'n Detective Chris Hall. Last season, we walked through

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<v Speaker 4>the nineteen seventies of Elgrim, covering five cold case homicides

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<v Speaker 4>and one cold case missing person. As we continue to

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<v Speaker 4>work on these cases, we are already preparing for season three,

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<v Speaker 4>which we plan to launch in March of this year.

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<v Speaker 4>For season three, we are leaving the nineteen seventies and

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<v Speaker 4>heading into the nineteen eighties of Belgium, but we are

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<v Speaker 4>returning to our original format and covering one case in

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<v Speaker 4>an episodic season, just like we did in season one,

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<v Speaker 4>and just like season one, it's another missing person's case.

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<v Speaker 3>Before we jump into season three, we decide that we

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<v Speaker 3>wanted to give our listeners an idea of all the

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<v Speaker 3>cold case missing persons that we have on our caseload

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<v Speaker 3>as of the date of this recording so that we

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<v Speaker 3>can ask for information and tips on those cases. Then

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<v Speaker 3>in season three, Chris and I are going to explore

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<v Speaker 3>the oldest case in our missing person case files, the

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<v Speaker 3>case from nineteen eighty two over the course of a

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<v Speaker 3>full season.

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<v Speaker 4>Currently, we have four missing persons cases on our caseload,

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<v Speaker 4>spanning from nineteen eighty two to twenty twenty one, and

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<v Speaker 4>we have a missing person who disappeared in April of

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<v Speaker 4>twenty twenty three, who, if he is not located, will

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<v Speaker 4>become our fifth cold case missing person in just a

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<v Speaker 4>few short months. So let's dive into those cases here

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<v Speaker 4>in the bonus episode as we began the new year,

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<v Speaker 4>and as we moved towards season three, if somebody knows

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<v Speaker 4>something for our upcoming season, Andrew and I are going

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<v Speaker 4>to investigate in real time the disappearance of forty five

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<v Speaker 4>year old Waititiia Jones, who was last seen in either

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<v Speaker 4>late September or early October of nineteen eighty two. We

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<v Speaker 4>briefly mentioned her case while we discussed Barbara Luker's disappearance

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<v Speaker 4>in season two, and now Waitia will have her own

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<v Speaker 4>season as we work to try to bring her home for.

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<v Speaker 3>A Waitia's case, we will also have some old help

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<v Speaker 3>and some new help. Just a few weeks ago, Detective

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<v Speaker 3>Beth Steker joined our unit, which has now grown to

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<v Speaker 3>three full time investigators, and Sergeant Matt Vartanian is also

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<v Speaker 3>rejoining us.

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<v Speaker 5>Our dedicade.

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<v Speaker 3>Listeners will remember that after season one, Matt was promoted

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<v Speaker 3>and left the unit, but in November of twenty twenty five,

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<v Speaker 3>he returned to the Major Investigations Division as a sergeant,

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<v Speaker 3>and he currently oversees the cold case as part of

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<v Speaker 3>his duties. While Chris and I will continue to host

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<v Speaker 3>season three, our listeners may also hear from Beth and

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<v Speaker 3>from Matt periodically as we work on Materia's case as

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<v Speaker 3>a group.

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<v Speaker 4>Throughout this season, Andrew and I, along with Matt and

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<v Speaker 4>Bech plan to interview people who knew Witeria, visit key

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<v Speaker 4>sites related to her disappearance, and review her full case

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<v Speaker 4>file so that we can hopefully generate new tips and

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<v Speaker 4>new leads in her case. As we said, we plan

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<v Speaker 4>to launch our season in March, and we hope that

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<v Speaker 4>with your help, we can generate new interest in Wayteria's

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<v Speaker 4>case and maybe find out what happened to her over

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<v Speaker 4>forty four years ago.

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<v Speaker 3>Chris, why don't we start by introducing Beth and reintroducing

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<v Speaker 3>Matt to all of our listeners.

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<v Speaker 5>That is a great idea. Let's start with you, Beth.

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<v Speaker 4>I know you have only been with us for a

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<v Speaker 4>short time, but why don't you introduce yourself to our listeners.

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<v Speaker 6>I am Detective Beth Sterricker, and I've been a police

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<v Speaker 6>officer here in Elgin since two thousand and six. Before

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<v Speaker 6>I joined the Cold Case unit. I worked patrol than

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<v Speaker 6>in our narcotics unit for ten years. Most recently, I

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<v Speaker 6>was a school resource officer at Elgin High School for

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<v Speaker 6>almost seven years before I joined the cold case unit

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<v Speaker 6>just a few weeks ago.

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<v Speaker 5>Beth, thank you. It's great to have you.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, it is, and our listeners will certainly remember this

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<v Speaker 3>next voice.

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<v Speaker 7>Hey everybody, I'm Sergeant Matt Vartanium from season one. As

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<v Speaker 7>you said, Andrew, after season one, I was promoted and

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<v Speaker 7>left investigations to be the sergeant on nightshift patrol. But

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<v Speaker 7>as you also mentioned back in November of twenty twenty five,

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<v Speaker 7>I moved back up into the investigations division as one

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<v Speaker 7>of the supervisors. Currently, one of my assignments is that

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<v Speaker 7>I oversee the three cold case detectives, So it's nice

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<v Speaker 7>to be back and be involved in these cases again.

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<v Speaker 7>I am really looking forward to working with the three

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<v Speaker 7>of you and just to continue the work on these cases.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, welcome Beth, and welcome back Matt. It's great to

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<v Speaker 3>have this unit expanding and seeing some new faces and

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<v Speaker 3>some old ones, and I think we're all really confident

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<v Speaker 3>that we're going to get some movement on some of

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<v Speaker 3>these cases as we move into twenty twenty six.

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<v Speaker 5>Yes, welcome guys.

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<v Speaker 4>I know I speak for Andrew myself when I say

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<v Speaker 4>that we are really looking forward to not only the

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<v Speaker 4>new season, but also the cases that we are going

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<v Speaker 4>to be working, both on and off the podcast.

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<v Speaker 3>Thanks guys, Yeah, thank you.

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<v Speaker 6>I'm really excited to start working on these cases.

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<v Speaker 5>Matt.

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<v Speaker 3>I know you worked with me on season one and

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<v Speaker 3>stayed up to date and kind of been involved in

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<v Speaker 3>some of the other cases that Chris and I have

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<v Speaker 3>been working. But I want to ask you, Beth, what

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<v Speaker 3>made you want to decide to join this unit.

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<v Speaker 6>Well, Andrew, listeners may be surprised to know that I

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<v Speaker 6>actually grew up around Elgin and that my dad as

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<v Speaker 6>a retired lieutenant. I know from talking to him and

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<v Speaker 6>talking to you guys that he actually worked on a

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<v Speaker 6>number of the cold cases that we are looking at now.

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<v Speaker 6>So I think for me, a big part of joining

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<v Speaker 6>this unit is that I grew up with some of

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<v Speaker 6>these stories in these cases.

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<v Speaker 5>I would imagine growing up in Elgin.

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<v Speaker 4>You probably recognize some of the names and places that

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<v Speaker 4>we have talked about in the past seasons and we'll

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<v Speaker 4>talk about in the future ones.

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<v Speaker 6>Right, absolutely, And I think that gives me a different

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<v Speaker 6>perspective from the three of you. I grew up around here,

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<v Speaker 6>I know this town really well, and I know some

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<v Speaker 6>of these cases.

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<v Speaker 7>Yeah, I think that as we talked about people that

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<v Speaker 7>would be a great fit in the unit, your background

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<v Speaker 7>is something that we felt would be a great asset

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<v Speaker 7>to us and on these cases. And your perspective as

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<v Speaker 7>a woman in our group of guys is something that

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<v Speaker 7>we also think will be very useful.

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<v Speaker 5>Yeah, for sure.

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<v Speaker 3>I think just having those different perspectives and ways of

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<v Speaker 3>thinking is always beneficial. I came from online investigations and

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<v Speaker 3>sex crimes and crimes skinned children. Matt, you came from

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<v Speaker 3>gang crimes and have a technology background. Chris, you worked

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<v Speaker 3>at patrol and have a background with SWAT and EESD

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<v Speaker 3>and tactical scenarios, and now we had you, Beth, with

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<v Speaker 3>a background in narcotics investigations and the school system with

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<v Speaker 3>different juveniles. I think we kind of cover a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of different perspectives and a different background with the four

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<v Speaker 3>of us.

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<v Speaker 6>Yes, I am really looking forward to diving into not

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<v Speaker 6>only Whyteria's case for the podcast, but all the other

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<v Speaker 6>cases that we are actively working. I really feel like

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<v Speaker 6>these families and victims deserve our full attention and any

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<v Speaker 6>effort we can give them to try to close these cases.

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<v Speaker 6>So I'm really looking forward to working with you guys

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<v Speaker 6>as we move forward.

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<v Speaker 7>Yeah, it will be definitely nice to have you here, Beth,

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<v Speaker 7>and I am looking forward to being back as well.

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<v Speaker 7>I know we might not be in every episode this year,

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<v Speaker 7>but our listeners may hear from you and for me

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<v Speaker 7>as we work this case and others as a team

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<v Speaker 7>to just try to determine the closure for these cases

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<v Speaker 7>and for the victims and their families, because in the end,

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<v Speaker 7>that is what they deserve.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, now that we've given you an update on our staffing,

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<v Speaker 3>as Chris said, we have four missing person cases in

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<v Speaker 3>our file, including one case that we will focus extensively

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<v Speaker 3>on in season three, But as Chris also said, we

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<v Speaker 3>have a fifth case we want to talk about. That

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<v Speaker 3>case involves a sixty one year old man who was

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<v Speaker 3>reported missing in April of twenty twenty three, and because

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<v Speaker 3>our cold cases have to be at least three years

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<v Speaker 3>old to meet our criteria, his case will become our

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<v Speaker 3>fifth missing person case in April unless we find him

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<v Speaker 3>before then.

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<v Speaker 4>True, but even if we do add a fifth case

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<v Speaker 4>in April, we did locate another missing person in this

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<v Speaker 4>past fall, and his case came off the books for us.

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<v Speaker 4>Willie Wilder, who was listed on our website and who

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<v Speaker 4>was on our caseload after you disappeared in December of

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<v Speaker 4>twenty twenty one, was located living in South Elgian in

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<v Speaker 4>September of twenty twenty five. So, since our unit began

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<v Speaker 4>in May of twenty twenty four, our list of six

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<v Speaker 4>cold case missing persons is now down to four, with

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<v Speaker 4>Willie and Karen coming off our list.

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<v Speaker 3>With that in mind, we thought that since we're focusing

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<v Speaker 3>on our oldest cold case for season three, we would

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<v Speaker 3>discuss each missing person case from our cold case files

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<v Speaker 3>in reverse chronological order, starting with the missing person from

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<v Speaker 3>April of twenty twenty three and working backwards to our

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<v Speaker 3>nineteen eighty two case here in this bonus episode. Then

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<v Speaker 3>when we launched season three in March, we will dive

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<v Speaker 3>really deeply into our nineteen eighty two case. So let's

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<v Speaker 3>get into those other four cold case missing persons as

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<v Speaker 3>we look forward to season three of Somebody, Oh Something.

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<v Speaker 3>The first case we want to touch upon is the

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<v Speaker 3>disappearance of Franco Loya. Franco was born on December seventeenth,

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<v Speaker 3>sixty four, and he lived here in Elgin when he

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<v Speaker 3>was reported missing in twenty twenty three. On April twenty first,

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<v Speaker 3>members of his family reported that they had not spoken

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<v Speaker 3>with him since April nineteenth, and they asked the Elgin

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<v Speaker 3>Police Department to try to locate him.

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<v Speaker 4>Police learned that Franco had received some care at Saint

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<v Speaker 4>Joseph's Hospital, then, after he was discharged, he walked north

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<v Speaker 4>along North Airlit Street around nine pm. Franco was living

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<v Speaker 4>in the three hundred block of Raymond Street on the

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<v Speaker 4>east side of Elgin, about three and a half miles

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<v Speaker 4>east of where he had last been seen. Elgin police

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<v Speaker 4>pulled video surveillance tried to ping his phone and search

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<v Speaker 4>the area extensively, both near where he was last seen

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<v Speaker 4>as well as his house in other areas he was

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<v Speaker 4>known to frequent, but as of the date of this recording,

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<v Speaker 4>he has not been located. Franco was currently listed as

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<v Speaker 4>missing and endangered.

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<v Speaker 3>Franco's described as a male Hispanic, approximately five feet five

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<v Speaker 3>inches tall and one hundred and ninety two pounds, with

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<v Speaker 3>black hair and brown eyes, and he was last seen

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<v Speaker 3>wearing a black Planet Fitness tank top, black pants, and

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<v Speaker 3>black shoes. Franco sometimes uses the name Otniel Rojas, and

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<v Speaker 3>a photograph of him along with all the people we're

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<v Speaker 3>going to discuss this episode accompanies this episode. Franco's family

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<v Speaker 3>is still searching for him, and we are asking that

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<v Speaker 3>anyone who has information about his whereabouts please come forward.

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<v Speaker 3>We hope that by releasing information in this podcast, we

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<v Speaker 3>can find him before his case technically becomes a cold

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<v Speaker 3>case in April this year.

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<v Speaker 4>Franco Loyov's case isn't a cold case yet, but the

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<v Speaker 4>next three people that we're going to discuss are. The

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<v Speaker 4>first person is Maynor Escalante Martinez, who is a sixteen

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<v Speaker 4>year old unaccompanied minor. When he entered the United States

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<v Speaker 4>in April of twenty twenty one. Mayner was placed with

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<v Speaker 4>his family here in Elgin, but was reported missing two

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<v Speaker 4>months later on June twenty ninth, twenty twenty one.

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<v Speaker 3>An unaccompanied minor is to find under US law as

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<v Speaker 3>a person who is under the legal age of eighteen

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<v Speaker 3>years old and has no lawful immigration status in the

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<v Speaker 3>United States. The person also has no parent or legal

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<v Speaker 3>guardian available to provide care or custody. According to the

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<v Speaker 3>National Immigration Forum, in twenty twenty one, one hundred and

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<v Speaker 3>twenty two thousand, seven hundred and thirty one unaccompanied miners,

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<v Speaker 3>including Manor will referred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement,

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<v Speaker 3>or the OERR by the Department of Homeland Security. One

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<v Speaker 3>hundred and seven thousand, six hundred and forty six of

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<v Speaker 3>those people were released to their sponsors. The OERR operates

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<v Speaker 3>nearly three hundred facilities in twenty seven different states, and

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<v Speaker 3>Maynor was sent to live with a family here in

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<v Speaker 3>Elgin until his own family could be located for him.

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<v Speaker 4>However, on June twenty ninth, twenty twenty one, the sponsor

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<v Speaker 4>family reported that a person allegedly one of Mayner's uncles

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<v Speaker 4>came to Elgin from Florida and that Maner left with

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<v Speaker 4>him because he was a minor and we can't.

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<v Speaker 5>Confirm who we actually left with.

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<v Speaker 4>He was listed as missing and we have not located

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<v Speaker 4>him as of the date of this recording. Maynor would

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<v Speaker 4>be twenty years old now, so he may no longer

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<v Speaker 4>be five to nine, one hundred ninety pound with black

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<v Speaker 4>hair and brown eyes like he was when he was

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<v Speaker 4>reported missing, but we do have a photograph of him

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<v Speaker 4>from twenty twenty one listed with this episode, we simply

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<v Speaker 4>are asking that anyone with information on his whereabouts contact

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<v Speaker 4>us so that we can confirm that he is okay

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<v Speaker 4>and that he actually left with someone from his actual family.

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<v Speaker 4>If you have any information on Maner's whereabouts, please contact us.

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<v Speaker 3>Our next missing person is Chad P. Smith, who was

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<v Speaker 3>forty four years old when he was reported missing on

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<v Speaker 3>Groundhog's Day in twenty twenty one. Chad was listed in

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<v Speaker 3>leads as missing and endangered, and he's described as a

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<v Speaker 3>black man who was six feet tall, one hundred and

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<v Speaker 3>seventy pounds with brown eyes and black hair. His last

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<v Speaker 3>known clothing description is currently unknown.

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<v Speaker 4>On February second, twenty twenty one, Chad's family reported and missing,

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<v Speaker 4>noting that no one had heard from him since approximately

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<v Speaker 4>December of twenty twenty. He is known to frequent the

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<v Speaker 4>forty six hundred block of Lake Park Avenue in Chicago,

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<v Speaker 4>as well as other areas on the South side of Chicago,

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<v Speaker 4>but his mother still lives here in Elgin. Over the

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<v Speaker 4>past year, his mother has reported that she's been told

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<v Speaker 4>that Chad's been spotted in Chicago by various people, but

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<v Speaker 4>we have not been able to confirm that information. So again,

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<v Speaker 4>if you have any information about him or his whereabouts,

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<v Speaker 4>please contact us.

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<v Speaker 3>Chad also has a tattoo of a lion on his chest,

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<v Speaker 3>a hammerhead shark on his right forearm, praying hands on

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<v Speaker 3>his right arm, and a cross on his left arm.

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<v Speaker 3>If you recognize him or this description, please let us know.

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<v Speaker 3>We've also included a photograph of him with our episode.

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<v Speaker 4>The last missing person we have other than our full

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<v Speaker 4>season three missing person is a young man named Darren

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<v Speaker 4>Wood who was twenty four years old when he was

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<v Speaker 4>reported missing on July thirteenth, twenty seventeen. According to his family,

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<v Speaker 4>Darren stopped by his mother's house in the eight hundred

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<v Speaker 4>block of Suzanne Lane on Elgin's East Side. On July ninth,

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<v Speaker 4>twenty seventeen, just a few days before he was reported missing.

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<v Speaker 4>They chatted and he told her that he'd be back

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<v Speaker 4>on the eleventh to see her so that he would

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<v Speaker 4>go to the DMV to get a state ID card,

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<v Speaker 4>but he never returned.

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<v Speaker 3>By July thirteenth, Darren's mother called the police and reported

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<v Speaker 3>him missing. She described the last time she saw him,

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<v Speaker 3>he was wearing blue jeans, a black shirt, and black

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<v Speaker 3>gym shoes. Darren is a white male who is approximately

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<v Speaker 3>five feet five inches tall, weighs one hundred and sixty pounds,

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<v Speaker 3>and has brown hair and brown eyes. He also has

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<v Speaker 3>a tattoo of a star on his left forearm. The

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<v Speaker 3>Algian Police Department entered him in the leeds and attempted

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<v Speaker 3>to locate him, but they came up empty.

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<v Speaker 4>Over the past eight years, we have had several potential

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<v Speaker 4>matches to Darren from NamUs, which is the National Missing

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<v Speaker 4>and Unidentified Person's System. We will talk more about them

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<v Speaker 4>in our full season, but basically they help law enforcement

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<v Speaker 4>compare unidentified human remains from around the nation to missing

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<v Speaker 4>persons cases. Anyway, several potential sets of human remains with

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<v Speaker 4>similarities to Darren come up, but through DNA and dental records,

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<v Speaker 4>we have been able to eliminate those identified remains as

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<v Speaker 4>being Darren. At this time, we are still seeking information

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<v Speaker 4>regarding his disappearance and whereabouts, so anyone with information please

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<v Speaker 4>contact us.

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<v Speaker 5>Well.

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<v Speaker 4>Those are the missing person's cases that we have on

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<v Speaker 4>our caseload as of January of twenty twenty six, along

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<v Speaker 4>with one that could become a cold case in just

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<v Speaker 4>a few months, Franko Loyo, Maynor Escalante Martinez, Chad P.

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<v Speaker 5>Smith and Darren Wood.

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<v Speaker 4>These four cases span from twenty seventeen to twenty twenty three. What,

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<v Speaker 4>as we said at the beginning of this bonus episode,

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<v Speaker 4>we have one more case that goes all the way

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<v Speaker 4>back to the fall of nineteen eighty two, over six

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<v Speaker 4>months before Karen Cheapers, our missing person from season one, disappeared.

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<v Speaker 3>Whitiia Jones was forty five years old when she vanished

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<v Speaker 3>after reportedly leaving the Douglass Hotel, which is just across

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<v Speaker 3>the street from the current police department. Listeners will remember

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<v Speaker 3>that Casey Kyle's, a case we covered in season two,

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<v Speaker 3>was also murdered just outside that same building in nineteen

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<v Speaker 3>seventy seven. For season three, we will be investigating Whitiria's

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<v Speaker 3>disappearance over multiple episodes, just like who did in season

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<v Speaker 3>one with Karen Sheeper's, but we expect that Whitiia's case

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<v Speaker 3>will take us outside of Elgin, even outside of Kane County,

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<v Speaker 3>as we search for answers in the oldest cold case

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<v Speaker 3>missing person case in our files. So please join us

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<v Speaker 3>in March for season three. Whityia is missing here on

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<v Speaker 3>Somebody Knows Something.

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<v Speaker 2>If you or anyone you know has information about this

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<v Speaker 2>case or any other cold case in Elgin, please contact

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<v Speaker 2>the Elgin Police Department Cold Case email at cold Case

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<v Speaker 2>tips at Elgin dot gov or the cold Case tip

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<v Speaker 2>line at eight four seven two eight nine cold. You

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<v Speaker 2>can also review cold case information on the Elgin Police

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<v Speaker 2>Department's coldcase page at www dot elgincoldcases dot com, where

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<v Speaker 2>every cold case, homicide, and missing person's case is listed

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<v Speaker 2>with photographs and information about each case.