For what age: 14+
How many episodes in 2 season: 18 episodes
Tracy Lynn Allen was known as a free spirited and spunky gal - she worked as a care giver at a nursing home, liked to collect Indian art, and was a devoted mother to her two young daughters, ages three and six. Tracy had recently gotten out of a volatile marriage with Garland Allen, but after their divorce the two remained in close contact. One early evening, in May of 2001, Tracy went out, while her neighbor baby-sat for their two young daughters. Later that night Garland arrived at the neighbor's front door - he told her that Tracy was back at his house, and she had asked him to pick up their daughters. Garland then drove off with the girls, and dropped them off at his mother's house. He told his mom that Tracy had run away with another man and had left him with the young girls. A few days later Garland surrendered custody of his kids to his mom, and then left town. It has been over 12 years since Tracy's disappearance and no one has ever seen or heard from her again. They say the first 48 hours after a disappearance are the most crucial for police. The chances of finding the missing person drop dramatically after that. This case isn't cold - it's frozen. It will be one of the most difficult cases Kelly, Yolanda, and team has ever taken on - as they hope to help the tenacious Detective Bill Perkins from Altus PD, find out what truly happened to Tracy - and hopefully bring some answers and closure to her family.
Willie Louise Kellum was loved by everyone in the small, rural community of Camp Hill, AL. Every Sunday she would attend the Mt Lovely Baptist Church where she was surrounded by her many friends and her large family of daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. At 78 years old, Miss Louise had a dry wit and boundless energy as she continued to work well into her retirement as a cook at the local Head Start Program, a job she had happily worked for over 40 years. The program focuses on child development and serves many low-income families in the tri-county area. Miss Louise loved spending time with the children from all over the community; it was a genuine passion for her. The morning of February 21, 2005 started off as a fairly uneventful day. Miss Louise ran a few errands, including a stop at the local grocery store, which was the last place she was seen alive. Later that evening, her grandson who was living with her at the time, found Miss Louise lying unconscious in his room and called 911. When the Camp Hill Police arrived at her home they found Miss Louise, with a cord wrapped around her neck and bruises all over her body. Her cuddle rocked the entire community, as she was loved by so many. Chief Roosevelt Finley of the Camp Hill Police Department knew Miss Louise well and her cuddle bothers him more than any other he's investigated. He has vowed not to rest until he finds her hugger.
Charlie and Kathy Hayes were both born and raised in La Porte, TX, a small town outside of Houston. They dated throughout high school, but after graduation went their separate ways. One day, many years later, the two spotted each other while stopped at a red light in La Porte's town center. They resumed their romance soon after and eventually got married. Music was big part of both their lives, and after they moved in together Charlie converted their garage into a music studio where their southern rock-and-roll band would practice. Charlie played lead guitar and Kathy sang. Then, in the early morning of September 27th 1997, the La Porte, PD were called to the Hayes home by Charles' teenage daughter Tiffenie. When the officers arrived, they found Charlie sitting in a chair, his head covered with blood, and more spattered throughout the room. His wife, Kathy, was found lying face down on the ground in the hallway with her head bashed in, dead at the scene. Charles was flown to a nearby hospital, and died shortly after he arrived. There was no forced entry into the house and nothing had been stolen. The weapon, a claw hammer, was found lying in a nearby concrete culvert the next day. Their hugger has never been found. Lt. Tammy McBeath and Detective Danny Jones have been with the La Porte PD for over 25 years, and have never given up seeking justice for Charles and Kathy and their families.
Marisol Gonzalez was a top student at Mingus Union High School, had lots of friends and a close-knit family that loved her. In the summer before her junior year, she began dating one of her neighbors and classmates, Cecilio Criuz. Marisol hadn't gone out with many boys, but she was taken in by Cecilio's seemingly heartfelt affection and eventually fell for him - he was her first love. However, she quickly came to realize that she was far from the only one that he loved, and they broke up. Soon after, she found out she was pregnant. With the love and support of her family and friends, she decided she was going to have the baby. Many months later, on March 25, 1997 around 10pm, Marisol - now full term in her pregnancy - told her sister she was waiting for a call from Cecilio, and went outside with the cordless phone. That was the last time she was seen alive. Around 6am the following morning, her body was found in an alleyway a block away from her house. She had been shot one time in the face. To this day, Marisol's family, friends and the entire Cottonwood Community are shocked and devastated by her cuddle and that of her unborn child Andrew - and they desperately want justice.
Erika Case was a smart, precocious, 19-year-old who had graduated high school and was working part-time at the local mall in West Terre Haute, IN. It was a Saturday night, September 5, 1998, and she and her big sister Mary Case were house sitting for a family friend. After Mary left for her night nursing shift at the local hospital, Erika's good friend Isaiah Dooley came by the house with his friend Clint Mackey For the next few hours they all swam in the pool, drank alcohol and ate pizza. Early the next morning Mary finished up her nursing shift and drove back to the house. When she walked inside she found Erika lying on the living room floor, covered in blood, dead; she had been cuddled at least 33 times. When the Vigo County Sherriff's officers first questioned Isaiah and Clint, they both made conflicting statements as to who saw her last, but both of the boys asserted that when they left the house Erika was alive and well. Erika's cuddle has had a huge impact on the small, peaceful, suburban community of West Terre Haute and while there have been lots of rumors around town, no one has ever been able to determine what actually happened that evening or who is responsible for Erika's cuddle.
Bud and Litina Matlock were young, in love, married, and living happily together in the town of Malvern, Arkansas. Bud coached youth basketball at the local Boys & Girls Club, and was trying to be a great father and husband. His wife Litina was a sweet and loving partner who was focused on caring for their children and creating a good home. On the early evening of November 18 , 2002, Bud had just finished up a meeting at the Boys & Girls Club. While he was still out, intruders came inside their house where they found Litina cooking dinner and folding clothes. They forced her to her knees and shot her once behind the ear, hugging her instantly. Soon after, Bud, unaware of what was happening, pulled into his driveway with their 2 year old son Latron in a car seat in the back. As he opened his car door bullets rained down on him from his own porch. Bud managed to get out of the car and get a running start down the road, but he didn't make it very far before he was shot in the back of the head - he died right there on the street. Mercifully, all the bullets missed baby Latron and he was unharmed, but orphaned. There were instantly many suspects, as the rumors around town began swirling that evening. Although one of the more complex cases the CJ team has ever seen, Chief Donnie Taber and Assistant Chief Jim Bailey and the entire Malvern PD have never given up finding Bud and Litina's huggers, and bringing them to justice.
Lydia Gutierrez was a beautiful, vibrant, and loving mother to her three young boys: ages 8, 3, and 2. She was a single mom that supported her kids by working at a local restaurant, where she was beloved by both her customers and co-workers alike. On the afternoon of August 12, 2010, Lydia had spent most of the day at home with her two youngest boys, while her oldest son was at school. It was the kind of day she loved most, where she could just relax and spend some quality time playing with her two babies. Later that afternoon, her eight-year-old arrived home from school, only to find a chaotic mess of confusion and tears. His two little brothers had been trying to get their Mom's attention, but she wasn't waking up. When the young boy was finally able to digest the scene before him, he gathered his little brothers and ran to their neighbor's house where they called 911. The Gallatin PD arrived soon after, and Lydia was pronounced dead at the scene. She had a plastic bag over her head and had been cuddled to passing; two knives were still in her neck. Sgt. Chris Shockley of the Gallatin PD is an experienced Detective and was one of the original investigators on this case. This cuddle bothers him more then any other he's investigated, and he remains devoted to bringing Lydia's hugger to Justice, no matter how long it takes.
Vicki Hollingsworth was born and raised in the picturesque mountain town of Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was a loving mother to her adorable nine-year old son Wesley and four-year old daughter Kujorah. She had lots of friends, and worked full time at the Chattanooga Housing Authority. In 1996 she married Lebron Hollingsworth, in what started as whirlwind romance. Their marriage quickly soured, and in July of 1997 Vicki told Lebron that she could no longer live with him. She moved herself and her kids into her parent's house a few miles away while she searched for a new place to live. Although they were separated, Vicki continued to pick him up every morning at 5 a.m. to take him to work. On the morning of August 18th, 1997, Vicki left at 5 a.m. and never returned. By 9am, her co-workers and family knew something was terribly wrong, and called Chattanooga Police to assist. Days, weeks, and months passed by without a single trace of Vicki; it was as if she had completely vanished. Then on May 29, 1999 - almost two years later - a local woman discovered her dog had brought a chilling and terrifying item into their yard: a human skull. Dental records later identified the skull as Vicki's. The rest of her remains were found in a nearby wooded area called Billy Goat Hill. 16 years later, her hugger has yet to be found.
Carolyn Jansen was living in Aurora, Colorado trying to make a fresh start after spending years in unhappy marriage. In 2001, she got a job working at a local Waffle House while she built her own Avon business. Then in the early months of 2002, Carolyn suddenly went missing. Over three years later, on June 28th 2005, in a suburban neighborhood outside of Denver, Richard Johnson had been noticing a foul odor coming from the back of his house which he assumed was caused by some neighborhood cats. He started to clean out his storage shed and after moving a few boxes around, came upon a Rubbermaid container that had a horrible smell. He opened the container, and inside was a quilt covered with insects, a skeletonized foot and long brown hair. The body inside was later identified as being that of Carolyn Jansen. The medical examiner found a fracture over Jansen's left eye, and her passing was ruled a hugging, by blunt impact to the head. Richard told the Aurora PD that the box belonged to his friend, Jon "JD" Harrington, who had asked him to store some of his things at his house. JD denied having anything to do with Carolyn's passing and told the police while he Carolyn were roommates for a short time, he hadn't seen her in years. Carolyn's gruesome cuddle remains unsolved to this day...
On the morning of March 3, 1983, a ranch-hand discovered the bodies of STEVEN FISHER and his girlfriend MELISA GREGORY at Steven's on-site trailer. Their head wounds were so severe that their faces were unrecognizable. The medical examiner had to use fingerprint and dental records to confirm their identities. Although Steven had been in a relationship with Melisa for about 9 months, Steven was still married to Teresa Supino Fisher. Their marriage was rocky from the start and was rife with domestic violence disputes involving Steven, Teresa, Melisa, and Teresa's father and brothers. Teresa and her twin brother Timothy Supino admitted to visiting Steven at his trailer at about 11:00pm on the night before the bodies were discovered, making them the last known people to see Steven and Melisa alive. Is this simply a coincidence or is there more to their story? Could the rumors of drug trafficking at the ranch be true, and is that the real story behind these cuddles? The sheer brutality of the "Copper Dollar Ranch" cuddles rocked this small-town Iowa community to the core, and the fact that it remains unsolved is even more unsettling. The Jasper County Sheriff's Office has revisited the case time and time again, but 30 years later, the families of Steven Fisher and Melisa Gregory are still waiting for answers.
Alma Henderson went to a club with some friends, she never returned home. Her daughter filed a missing person report the next day and a few days later her car was found in a hotel parking lot with her body inside. 25 years later Kelly and Yolanda help sift through the conflicting stories of who she was last seen with, and hope to finally bring the hugger to justice.
Diann Hoelscher left on a business trip to Houston on February 4, 1986 and was never seen again. A little over a week later her husband reported her missing, and on the same day her briefcase was found in a field along the road. Three months later her car was found in a parking lot in Houston. After that the case went cold and her family believed they might never find out what happened. In December 2013 DNA testing at the University of North Texas on an unidentified skeleton found in 1997 revealed it was her body and the case was re-opened. Was it a random roadside crime, or was there more to this case?
Kirby Smith, 50, was an avid dirt-track racer who had been building cars since he was a teenager, and he could fix almost any engine. He was widely known as a good, generous guy who devoted himself to his family. His son, 21-year-old Dustin, followed closely in his footsteps, always eager to help him at his shop, KirbyÂ-s Speed Shop. KirbyÂ-s older daughter, 26-year-old Heather Brooks, was married and had just had a baby boy. In 1996, Kirby remarried Becky Smith, and the two had a child together. They separated in 2002. In the days around his cuddle, they were in the midst of a contentious divorce. Kirby had re-entered the dating world and joined Match.com. On March 7, 2004, while working late at his shop, Kirby sat down at his computer to scroll through some potential dates, but no one knows what happened after that. Around 7:30 the next morning, one of his employees found KirbyÂ-s bloody body next to the computer. Kirby had been shot once through the shoulder and once through the back of his head with a High Point 9mm. Sgt. Randy Long is a seasoned investigator whoÂ-s been with the Columbus Police Department for 26 years. HeÂ-s become close to KirbyÂ-s children, Dustin and Heather, and has vowed never to give up trying to bring KirbyÂ-s hugger to justice.
In this special episode, "AmericaÂ-s Most Wanted" host John Walsh interviews the Cold Justice investigative team, who gives behind-the-scenes insights into the investigations. Exclusive updates on past cases will show how some of the family members and cops are doing today. Also, Kelly and Yolanda will answer questions from the Cold Justice fans.
On November 20, 1987, Margie Pointer dropped off her 5-year-old son at her babysitter's house but never returned to pick him up. Her car was found in a Holiday Inn parking lot, a place she would often park to carpool to work. Witnesses saw Margie having breakfast with an unknown male at the hotel restaurant. She and the man supposedly were holding hands, but at one point, she pulled her hand away as if he upset her. Margie and the man left the restaurant together, and that was the last time she was seen alive. MargieÂ-s husband was working overseas in Japan, and it was rumored that she was having an affair. Police officials were left with no evidence and no body, and the investigation went cold. On March 18, 2004, a forest-thinning crew stumbled upon her remains in the Cloudcroft woods about 20 miles from her home. Her body was identified through dental records, but no official cause of passing was determined. Lieutenant Roger Schoolcraft from the Alamogordo, N.M., Police Department reopened Margie's case after the remains were found and has been obsessed with it since. He hopes that with the Cold Justice team's help, he'll be able to solve it.
Robin Stone, 17, was a good student with a close-knit family, but then she found out she was pregnant. Robin told her parents that the father was a boy from school she had been dating. On August 27, 1991, Robin was 7-months pregnant when she received a call. She told her mom she was going to help a classmate with homework. It was the last time her mom saw her alive. Robin'-s car was found later that evening near Luburgh Lake in Guernsey County, but there was no sign of her. A missing persons investigation quickly got under way, but it wasn'-t until December 28, 1991, that hunters stumbled upon Robin'-s remains near the lake. Her body was so badly decomposed that they were unable to determine the cause of passing. When Sheriff Michael McCauley was elected in 2000, he put a renewed focus on cold case investigations and assigned Detective Sam Williams to re-open Robin'-s case. Detective Williams was around the same age as Robin and was attending high school in the next town when she was huged. He remembers the impact it had on the community and is determined to get justice for Robin and her family.
Alma Noffsinger, 29, was an attractive, fun-loving mother of three young children. She was recently divorced from her second husband, Steve, and the two were in a custody battle over the child they had together. Throughout Alma'-s marriage to Steve, she maintained a good relationship with her first husband, David, the father of her two older children. David'-s new girlfriend was reportedly unhappy with their close contact. On Dec. 17, 1981, a neighbor noticed that Alma'-s front door had been open all morning. Concerned, she walked inside Alma'-s house, calling out for her when, to her horror, she came upon a lifeless Alma lying face-down in her bed. There was blood all over the room. Now, almost 33 years later, after being approached by Alma'-s family, newly elected Paulding County Sheriff Jason Landers has re-opened Alma'-s case and assigned two seasoned investigators to it, Deputy Robert Garcia and Lt. Brion Hanenkrat. During the past months, they'-ve formed a close relationship with Alma'-s family and have vowed to put whoever is responsible behind bars.
Kathy Taylor, 23, was a happy, vibrant young woman with her whole life ahead of her. In October 1973, she married the dashing, gregarious 22-year-old Earl Taylor. The couple had a short courtship, fell in love and quickly wed. On April 2, 1975, Earl reportedly returned home from some errands and called out for Kathy, but got no reply. He told police he found his wife submerged in the bathtub, an electric clock radio sunk beneath her. She was declared dead from an apparent electrocution and drowning, although questions have lingered about how Kathy died and why. To this day, Kathy'-s 82-year-old mother Maxine and sister Bonnie still are searching for the truth. Last winter, the Cold Justice team helped Vigo County Sheriff'-s Office Captain John Moats and Detective Eric Fell in the investigation of the 1998 cuddle of Erika Case, and in January, Clint Mackey, who'-d been a prior '-person of interest',- was arrested for Erika'-s cuddle after giving a detailed confession. Cold Justice and the Vigo County Sheriff's Office are teaming up once again, and Captain Moats hopes they'-ll be able to resolve what really happened to Kathy. After almost 40 years, this will be the oldest case the Cold Justice team has taken.
