Three Women, Three Stalkers, and the Laws Written in Their Names

They reported it. They documented it. They went to court. And each of their stories changed the law, but not in time to save them all.

In this episode, Michelle tells the stories of three women stalked across three decades:

Laura Black (Sunnyvale, California, 1988): a young engineer stalked by a former co-worker for four years. The day before her restraining order hearing, he opened fire at her workplace, killing seven people. Laura survived, and her case helped prompt the nation’s first anti-stalking law.

Kristin Lardner (Boston, Massachusetts, 1992): a 21-year-old art student killed by an ex-boyfriend who was already on probation for attacking another woman. Her father, a Washington Post reporter, investigated her death and won a Pulitzer Prize. Massachusetts then created a statewide registry of domestic violence offenders.

Peggy Klinke (2003): she did everything she was told to do, including moving more than a thousand miles away. Her stalker hired a private investigator to find her. Her sister Debbie Riddle turned that loss into National Stalking Awareness Month, observed every January.

Every victim has a story. Every investigation matters. Every name deserves to be remembered.

Content note: this episode discusses stalking, domestic violence, a workplace mass shooting, and murder-suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is being stalked:

• In immediate danger, call 911.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
• SPARC (Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center): stalkingawareness.org
• VictimConnect Resource Center: 1-855-484-2846 (1-855-4-VICTIM)

If you know anything about an unsolved case, please contact law enforcement.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #StalkingAwareness #NationalStalkingAwarenessMonth #StalkingIsACrime #DomesticViolenceAwareness #LauraBlack #KristinLardner #PeggyKlinke #SayTheirNames #TrueCrimeCommunity #VictimAdvocacy #EndStalking

On September 4th, 1978, Margaret Fandel came home to a dark, empty cabin outside Sterling, Alaska — a pot of water still boiling on the stove, and her two children, thirteen-year-old Scott and eight-year-old Amy, nowhere to be found. No struggle. No forced door. No trace, then or now.

Nearly fifty years later, Scott and Amy have never been found. Tonight, we go through the timeline, the search, and the competing theories — from a mysterious black sedan to questions the family itself has never fully escaped — and remember two kids who deserved to come home.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Scott and Amy Fandel, please contact the Alaska State Troopers at (907) 262-4453.

Every victim has a story. Every investigation matters. Every name deserves to be remembered.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #TrueCrime #FandelChildren #ColdCase #UnsolvedMystery #MissingChildren #TrueCrimePodcast #ColdCasePodcast #Alaska #Unsolved #TrueCrimeCommunity #Podcast

On October 8th, 1976, sixteen-year-old Trenny Gibson stepped away from her classmates on a school field trip in the Great Smoky Mountains — and vanished. One of the largest search efforts the park had ever seen turned up nothing. No trace. No scene. No answers.

Nearly fifty years later, her Bearden High classmates are still asking questions, a cold-case investigator believes this was never a hiking accident, and the case remains open. Tonight, we walk the trail, weigh the theories, and remember the girl behind the mystery.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Trenny Gibson, please contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch or the FBI's Knoxville Field Office.

Every victim has a story. Every investigation matters. Every name deserves to be remembered.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #TrueCrime #TrennyGibson #ColdCase #UnsolvedMystery #MissingPerson #TrueCrimePodcast #ColdCasePodcast #GreatSmokyMountains #Unsolved #TrueCrimeCommunity #Podcast

On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs arrived at a hospital in Springfield, Oregon, with her three children after a horrific shooting on Old Mohawk Road.

Seven-year-old Cheryl was dead.

Eight-year-old Christie and three-year-old Danny were critically wounded.

Diane told investigators that a mysterious stranger had stopped her car and opened fire.

But as investigators dug deeper, questions began to emerge.

Who was the stranger?

Why couldn't police find him?

What did the physical evidence reveal?

And what did Christie remember about that night?

In this episode of Cold World Crime Time, Michelle takes a closer look at the Diane Downs case—from the shooting and the investigation to the trial, conviction, prison escape, appeals, and Diane's continued claims of innocence.

But this isn't just the story of Diane Downs.

It's the story of Cheryl, Christie, and Danny—three children whose lives were changed forever.

We'll separate the established facts from prosecution arguments, defense claims, and Diane's own version of events as we examine one of the most disturbing criminal cases in Oregon history.

Because behind every headline are real people—and sometimes, the people we remember last are the ones we should remember first.

#DianeDowns #ColdWorldCrimeTime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #CrimePodcast #OregonTrueCrime #DianeDownsCase #TrueCrimeStories #CrimeStories #UnsolvedMysteries #CriminalCases #Justice #CherylDowns #ChristieDowns #DannyDowns #ColdCase #CrimeDocumentary #TrueCrimeCommunity

In 1991, a young pregnant woman named Pamela McCall was found murdered along Interstate 65 in Tennessee. Investigators carefully collected evidence, but despite their efforts, the case eventually grew cold.

Hundreds of miles away in Wyoming, two unidentified women—known for decades only as "Bitter Creek Betty" and the "Sheridan County Jane Doe"—were waiting for their names to be restored.

For more than thirty years, these cases remained unsolved.

Then science caught up with the evidence.

In this episode of Cold World Crime Time, Michelle follows the extraordinary investigation that used modern DNA technology and investigative genetic genealogy to identify the victims, uncover a suspect, and bring long-awaited justice in one of America's most remarkable cold case investigations.

This documentary-style episode explores:

• The life of Pamela McCall and the investigation into her murder.
• How two unidentified women in Wyoming were finally identified as Irene Vasquez and Cindi Arleen Estrada.
• The role of investigative genetic genealogy in solving decades-old crimes.
• The evidence that led investigators to Clark Perry Baldwin.
• The Tennessee murder trial and guilty verdict.
• Baldwin's death in 2025 before he could stand trial in Wyoming, and what that meant for the remaining cases.
• Why preserving evidence—and refusing to give up—can make justice possible, even after decades.

At Cold World Crime Time, we believe every victim has a story, every investigation matters, and every name deserves to be remembered.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast wherever you listen. Your support helps us continue telling the stories of victims who deserve to be remembered.

Sources: Court records, law enforcement agencies, forensic reports, and publicly available investigative records were used in the preparation of this episode. Additional source material is available in the episode notes.

Cold World Crime Time is hosted by Michelle and is dedicated to thoughtful, factual storytelling that honors victims, supports their families, and explores the investigations that seek the truth.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #ColdCase #ColdCases #DNA #ForensicScience #InvestigativeGeneticGenealogy #JusticeForVictims #UnsolvedMysteries #CrimeDocumentary #MissingPersons #VictimAdvocacy #PamelaMcCall #IreneVasquez #CindiArleenEstrada #ClarkPerryBaldwin #Wyoming #Tennessee #EveryNameDeservesToBeRemembered

On October 11, 2013, 27-year-old Kelly Dwyer walked into an apartment building in Milwaukee with someone she knew and trusted.

She was never seen alive again.

For nearly five years, Kelly's family searched for answers while investigators quietly pieced together one of Wisconsin's most complex homicide investigations. Surveillance video, digital evidence, forensic analysis, witness interviews, and years of investigative work would eventually lead prosecutors to file murder charges against Kris Zocco.

In this special documentary episode of Cold World Crime Time, Michelle takes you beyond the headlines and into the complete story—from Kelly's life and disappearance to the investigation, criminal complaint, trial, verdict, and appeal.

Rather than focusing on sensationalism, this documentary carefully distinguishes between established facts, investigative findings, prosecution arguments, defense arguments, jury findings, and appellate rulings. Throughout the episode, Kelly remains at the heart of her own story—a daughter, sister, friend, and woman whose life mattered long before she became the subject of a criminal case.

This is a respectful, evidence-driven documentary created to honor Kelly's memory while helping listeners better understand how investigators built the case and how the justice system evaluated the evidence.

Because every victim deserves to be remembered.

Listener Note: This episode contains discussion of homicide, domestic violence, and adult themes that may not be suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #KellyDwyer #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #WisconsinTrueCrime #Milwaukee #JusticeForKelly #MissingPersons #HomicideInvestigation #Courtroom #ForensicInvestigation #EvidenceMatters #CrimeDocumentary #VictimCentered #ColdCase #Podcast #InvestigativeJournalism #WomenMatter #NeverForgotten #TrueCrimeCommunity

Margaret Anderson was more than a victim.

She was a daughter, a loved one, and a member of the Green Bay community whose life was tragically taken. Her death left a family searching for answers and a community forever changed.

In this episode of Cold World Crime Time, Michelle takes a closer look at Margaret Anderson's life, the events surrounding her death, the investigation that followed, and the evidence that shaped the case. Through verified records and publicly available information, we'll examine the investigative timeline, the challenges detectives faced, and the pursuit of justice while carefully distinguishing between established facts, investigative findings, and court proceedings.

According to the court records, Mark Hinton, Mark Lukensmeyer, and Denice Stumpner's fifty-year sentences resulted in mandatory release after only 22 years. Hinton was freed under supervision in the summer of 2007, followed by Lukensmeyer in the spring of 2008. Stumpner's required release date with supervision was January 20, 2011. Randolph Whiting, the only one of the four to be convicted of the murder, was paroled in 2020.

Margaret's story is one of loss—but it is also a story of perseverance. It's about the investigators who worked to uncover the truth, the family members who refused to let her memory fade, and the enduring importance of remembering the person behind the case.

At Cold World Crime Time, we are committed to telling victim-centered, evidence-driven true crime stories with compassion, accuracy, and respect. We separate verified facts from speculation, explain the investigative process in plain English, and keep victims—not offenders—at the heart of every episode.

Listener Discretion: This episode discusses homicide, violence, and other sensitive topics that may be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #MargaretAnderson #JusticeForMargaret #GreenBay #Wisconsin #WisconsinTrueCrime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #CrimeDocumentary #InvestigativeJournalism #VictimAdvocacy #CriminalJustice #EvidenceMatters #RememberHer #NeverForgotten

Twenty-one-year-old Maura Murray disappeared after a single-car crash on a rural road in Haverhill, New Hampshire, on February 9, 2004.

When first responders arrived just minutes later...

Maura was gone.

More than two decades later, her disappearance remains one of the most debated missing person cases in America. Despite extensive searches, countless tips, and years of investigative work, one question continues to haunt investigators, her family, and those who have followed the case from the beginning:

What happened to Maura Murray?

In this episode of Cold World Crime Time, Michelle carefully examines Maura's life, the days leading up to her disappearance, the timeline investigators have established, the search efforts, and the publicly known evidence that continues to shape this case. We'll separate verified facts from speculation, explore the investigative challenges, and explain why so many questions remain unanswered after all these years.

Maura's story has inspired books, documentaries, podcasts, and countless online discussions.

But beyond every theory...

there is a family that has spent more than twenty years searching for answers.

Maura was a daughter.

A sister.

A college student.

A young woman whose future was forever interrupted.

She deserves to be remembered for far more than the mystery surrounding her disappearance.

At Cold World Crime Time, we are committed to telling victim-centered, evidence-driven true crime stories with compassion, accuracy, and respect. We distinguish between verified facts, investigative findings, and speculation while keeping every victim—not every theory—at the heart of the story.

Listener Discretion: This episode discusses the disappearance of a young woman, missing person investigations, and themes that may be difficult for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

#ColdWorldCrimeTime #MauraMurray #MissingPerson #JusticeForMaura #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #CrimeDocumentary #InvestigativeJournalism #NewHampshire #HaverhillNH #MissingPersons #EvidenceMatters #VictimAdvocacy #NeverForgotten #BringThemHome