The Deck

audiochuck

For years, some law enforcement agencies have replaced the faces of traditional playing card decks with images of missing and murdered people and distributed those cards in prisons hoping inmates would come forward with information needed to crack these cold cases wide open. Now, audiochuck is dealing you in. Each week, we will be working with investigators and family members to bring you the details of some of the coldest cases from around the country in hopes that someone listening can finally bring these victims the justice they deserve. read less

Our Editor's Take

Card games are all about the hand that's dealt. This podcast follows suit. For any bad hand, there could be another good one right around the corner. The trick is to keep playing. There's always a risk that a loss is nearby. Or there's the risk that a big win is on the way—and if the game stops, that win might never happen. The Deck podcast dives into that same concept. Only this time, the card game is criminal investigation.

For years, criminal investigators have been playing a game of some risk. They've replaced the faces of traditional playing card decks with the faces of victims without justice. The decks—stacked with the faces of missing or murdered people-are distributed in jails. The Deck podcast from Audiochuck is here to tackle the concept behind that investigative approach. The idea behind this strategy is that luck—the right card ending up in the right hand—could finally crack a case that's gone cold.

The Deck stars producer Ashley Flowers and tells true crime tales of cold cases. Interviews with investigators and family bring light to never-before-heard details. The goal is to bring justice to the families and victims who disappeared without a trace.

With a new episode every Wednesday, listeners can expect a unique cold case story weekly. They'll hear the cold case details of Linda Smith, the nine of hearts from Idaho. They'll uncover details about Cindy Elias, the six of diamonds from Minnesota. Each episode will shine a light on new details. With the right amount of risk or luck, cold-case victims and families might get deserved justice.

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True CrimeTrue Crime

Episodios

Douglas Wagg, Jr. (Wild Card, North Carolina)
Hace 2 dias
Douglas Wagg, Jr. (Wild Card, North Carolina)
Since the release of CounterClock Season 1, Delia has received hundreds of requests from families of victims of violent crime. In November 2022, one message in her inbox stood out from the rest. It was from a middle-aged woman asking for Delia's help investigating the mysterious death of her 27-year-old brother from 1991. The message stood out for one big reason. The man's mangled body was found in an all-too familiar place to Delia. Eastern North Carolina.Thirty-three years after Douglas Wagg, Jr. turned up on a lone stretch of railroad tracks in the middle of the night in rural Martin County and over a year since Delia took on the case the scope of what was really going on in the area during the 1990's has come into view. Who was Doug? How did he end up so far from home? Who was he last seen with? Was the train really what killed him? Why was his case never investigated?The journey to find the answers to those questions has revealed a web of small town secrets that feel like fiction, except they're not. Over the course of the Season 6 investigation Delia has interviewed more than 45 people, spoken with convicted murderers in prison, and traced the origins of a disturbing pattern of behavior within local law enforcement that may have resulted in a decades-long cover up of multiple deaths. The investigation into what happened to Doug Wagg appears to be just the tip of a very large, very complicated iceberg that someone has worked hard to keep hidden for more than three decades.Access to all episodes of CounterClock Season 6 is now available at the $10 and $20 tiers in the Crime Junkie Fan Club App.  For even more time with CounterClock, follow us on social media.Instagram: @counterclockpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @CounterClockPod | @audiochuckFacebook: /CounterClockPodcast | /audiochuckllc
Dorothy “Dee" Scofield (4 of Hearts, Florida)
Hace 3 dias
Dorothy “Dee" Scofield (4 of Hearts, Florida)
Our card this week is Dorothy “Dee" Scofield, the 4 of Hearts from Florida.Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken was just a toddler when 12-year-old Dee Scofield disappeared from a local department store. When he was a teenager, he remembers his parents bringing up the missing little girl from his hometown. Later, as a dad, it would cause him to lie awake at night, worrying about his own daughter. And down the line, as a new detective, it would continue to haunt him when he began investigating the case for himself. And today… even as a Chief of the entire department… he won’t rest until he knows what happened to Dee Scofield.If you have any information about the disappearance of Dorothy “Dee” Scofield in 1976, please call Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken at 352-369-7000, or email mbalken@ocalapd.gov. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/dorothy-dee-scofield   Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Timothy Zimmerman (8 of Spades, Indiana)
01-05-2024
Timothy Zimmerman (8 of Spades, Indiana)
Our card this week is Timothy Zimmerman, the 8 of Spades from Indiana. Timothy Zimmerman, an active member of his community and property owner in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was violently murdered at one of his properties in 2007. Despite several clues being left behind at the messy crime scene, Timothy’s homicide has never been solved. If you know anything about the stabbing death of Timothy Zimmerman in 2007, call the Fort Wayne Crime Stoppers at 260-436-STOP (7867) or the Fort Wayne Police Department at 260-427-1222.  National DNA Day was Thursday, April 25th, and in honor of the special day, Ashley and audiochuck have partnered with an Indy based cidery to release a limited edition cider called Cheers For Chuck. Cheers For Chuck cider helps solve cold cases - with every purchase, a portion of proceeds goes to Season of Justice. A cider that can crack crime? We'll cheers to that! This is an extremely limited drop, so visit cheersforchuckcider.com to get your order in before it sells out.  View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/timothy-zimmermanLet us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Loni Kai Okaruru (5 of Hearts, Oregon)
24-04-2024
Loni Kai Okaruru (5 of Hearts, Oregon)
Our card this week is Loni Kai Okaruru, the 5 of Hearts from Oregon.Loni Kai Okaruru made several stops on the morning of August 26, 2001, and interacted with several people, before she was beaten to death, her body left on a farm in Washington County, Oregon. Loni Kai’s murder was quickly labeled by police as a hate crime, but decades later her killer is still unknown. Note: An earlier version of this episode touched on gender fluidity in Filipino culture. As we cannot independently verify this information, we have removed this statement.If you know anything about the murder of Loni Kai Okaruru in August 2001 in northwest Oregon, please call the Washington County Sheriff’s Investigations Division at 503-846-2500, and ask for Detective Shannon Wilde.To learn more about Basic Rights Oregon, please visit their website by clicking here.audiochuck is proud to support the Trans Journalists Association, an organization whose mission is to promote accurate, nuanced coverage of trans issues and communities in the media. To explore resources, learn more about their work, and join us in supporting them, please visit https://www.transjournalists.org/ Thank you to author and activist Raquel Willis, who helped us by reviewing and editing this episode. Visit her website to learn more about her work!View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/loni-kai-okaruruLet us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Twana Smith (7 of Clubs, Connecticut)
10-04-2024
Twana Smith (7 of Clubs, Connecticut)
Our card this week is Twana Smith, the 7 of Clubs from Connecticut. When Twana Smith’s body was discovered behind an abandoned building in Hartford in October 1997, she joined a growing list of the city’s vulnerable locals who fell victim to violent predators. And for decades, her case sat unsolved, gathering dust… even as detectives found the keys to unlock mysteries from the same era. But after years of dead ends, investigators now believe they're on the brink of a breakthrough… they just need a final push over the finish line.If you know anything about the murder of Twana Smith, please contact the Hartford Police Department's Major Crimes Division at 860-757-4000, or the Cold Case Tip Line at 860-722-TIPS (8477). You can also email tips hartfordpd.media@hartford.gov.Hartford Detective Drew (Andrew) Jacobson’s email: Jacoa001@hartford.gov View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/twana-smith Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at (317) 733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Debra Elizabeth Espey (6 of Clubs, Florida)
03-04-2024
Debra Elizabeth Espey (6 of Clubs, Florida)
Our card this week is Debra Espey, the 6 of Clubs from Florida. A college campus in broad daylight in a town literally called “Niceville” might be one of the last places you’d expect a young collegiate to disappear from, but in March 1973, that’s exactly what happened.Debra Espey’s case spans more than 50 years, includes a primary suspect from the beginning, and has long been thought to have connection to other unsolved cases in the Florida panhandle. But for all the twists and misdirections, detectives are hopeful they can close this case soon.If you knew Debra back then and she shared any concerns with you before her murder, detectives want to know. You can contact Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-8477. You can also submit a tip online HERE. Or, download the P3 Tips Mobile App to submit anonymous tips from a free and secure mobile app.View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/debra-elizabeth-espey Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at (317) 733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Lola Katherine “Kathy” Fry (3 of Clubs, Indiana)
27-03-2024
Lola Katherine “Kathy” Fry (3 of Clubs, Indiana)
Our card this week is Lola Katherine “Kathy” Fry, the 3 of Clubs from Indiana. 28-year-old Lola, AKA Kathy, Kat, or Lolabee, as her family lovingly called her, was excited for a fresh start just before the holidays in 1993. She’d just left her job at an Indianapolis nightclub and was wrapping up the process of moving two hours northeast of Fort Wayne to live with her older sister. Kathy was planning to take her life down a new road and go back to school, maybe start a family.But before she could ever make good on those plans… something happened. Though, the specifics of what exactly that something was is still something we are trying to piece together today.If you have any information about the disappearance of Lola Katherine “Kathy” Fry in November of 1993, please call the Indiana State Police at (317) 899-8266, or you can provide an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS (8477).If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please know that resources are available. You can reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/lola-katherine-kathy-fry Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at +1 (317) 733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Kemberly Ramer (6 of Clubs, Florida)
13-03-2024
Kemberly Ramer (6 of Clubs, Florida)
Our card this week is Kemberly Ramer, the 6 of Clubs from Florida.In 1997, 17-year-old Kemberly Ramer had big goals of getting out of her small town. She made great grades, was a star athlete, and was well-liked by her peers. Heading into her senior year, she already had plans to go to college to become a physical therapist, and there was no question, she had the brains and the talent to do just that. It would take a thief, a monster in the middle of the night, to take that away from her. But that’s exactly what happened one August evening, and her mother thinks she knows the true identity of this so-far untraceable culprit.If you have any information about the murder of Kemberly Ramer in 1997, please contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 892-8111, or remain anonymous by calling the Emerald Crime Stoppers at (850) 863-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online at EmeraldCoastCrimeStoppers.com View source material and photos for this episode thedeckpodcast.com/kemberly-ramer Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo apply for a Cold Case Playing Card grant through Season of Justice, please visit www.seasonofjustice.org The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at +1 (317) 733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Roy Frisch (6 of Spades, Nevada)
28-02-2024
Roy Frisch (6 of Spades, Nevada)
Our card this week is Roy Frisch, the 6 of Spades from Nevada.Dubbed “the most famous missing man in Nevada” by local press, Roy Frisch was a bright light during an otherwise dark, lawless time in 1930s Reno. Yes, you read that right…1930s. This is the oldest case we’ve covered so far on this show. Roy disappeared almost 90 years ago, so while it’s not possible to punish those responsible for his death, thanks to newfound permission from a property owner, there is now serious potential his remains could be recovered, and just maybe, Roy can finally rest in peace.If you have any information about the disappearance and supposed murder of Roy Frisch in 1935, please contact the Reno Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (775) 334-2188, or you can anonymously report information by calling Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900. You can also visit Secret Witness on Reno PD’s website to submit a tip anonymously, or send an email to rpdcoldcases@reno.gov. View source material and photos for this episode at thedeckpodcast.com/roy-frisch Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllc The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at +1 (317) 733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Charles & Jennifer Chia (Jack of Diamonds, Nevada)
14-02-2024
Charles & Jennifer Chia (Jack of Diamonds, Nevada)
Our card this week is Charles and Jennifer Chia, the Jack of Diamonds from Nevada. Charles and Jennifer Chia could see their apartment complex from their school bus stop – that’s how close to their building it was. Such a small distance for something to go so terribly wrong. But a couple hundred feet is all it took for someone to stop the Chia siblings from making it home safely. That person has gone undetected for more than 34 years. But present-day detectives say their days are now numbered, as new technology could soon expose this nameless predator. If you know anything about the murders of Charles and Jennifer Chia, contact the Reno Police Department’s Homicide Unit at (775) 334-2188. You can also anonymously report information by calling Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900. If you don’t feel comfortable calling on the phone, you can visit the Secret Witness link on Reno Police’s website, where you can submit tips anonymously, or send an email to rpdcoldcases@reno.gov.  Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllc The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AFTo apply for the Cold Case Playing Cards grant through Season of Justice, visit www.seasonofjustice.org.Follow The Deck on social media and join Ashley’s community by texting (317) 733-7485 to stay up to date on what's new!
Andrea Durham (Ace of Clubs, Florida)
07-02-2024
Andrea Durham (Ace of Clubs, Florida)
Our card this week is Andrea Durham, the Ace of Clubs from Florida.Revisiting a place that holds bad memories isn’t for the faint of heart. Just pulling up to a specific location can bring on anxiety about the past trauma that once took place there. Even decades later, that sinking feeling doesn’t go away. Until recently, Ashyea Durham Pugh hadn’t been back to the scene since that mostly blocked-out memory was her cruel reality. That night she and her mom returned home to their apartment to find that her little sister had vanished without a trace. And as the anniversary of that fateful February passes, her uneasiness grows. Because February 1st, 2024 has come and gone. No one has seen Andrea Durham in 34 years. And whoever took her could still be out there.If you know anything about the disappearance of Andrea Durham, please contact Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-8477, or visit their website to submit a tip anonymously. Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllc The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AFTo apply for the Cold Case Playing Cards grant through Season of Justice, visit www.seasonofjustice.org. Follow The Deck on social media and join Ashley’s community by texting (317) 733-7485 to stay up to date on what's new!
Belinda VanLith (Queen of Hearts, Minnesota) Part 2
31-01-2024
Belinda VanLith (Queen of Hearts, Minnesota) Part 2
Our card this week is Belinda VanLith, the Queen of Hearts from Minnesota. This is part 2 of her story.  Last week we walked through the initial investigation into the nearly 5-decade-old missing person case of 17-year-old Belinda VanLith. Despite her disappearance essentially being considered a runaway case by police initially, they had quickly come around to the possibility that perhaps Belinda had been met with foul play – and there were some people close to the cabin she was last known to be at that were looking like promising suspects, but police never had enough evidence to move forward, and her case went cold for almost 3 decades.Where we left off, investigators were 28 years into their investigation with little to show for it, when suddenly, in 2002, a relative came forward to police with a story they hadn’t heard before. And that’s where we’re picking up…If you have any information about the disappearance or murder of Belinda VanLith in 1974, please call Crime Stoppers of Minnesota at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can also submit a tip online through Crime Stoppers. Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllc The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AFFollow The Deck on social media and join Ashley’s community by texting (317) 733-7485 to stay up to date on what's new!