True Crime and Java Chat
Become a Paid Subscriber: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kelli-kelli8/subscribe Take a coffee break with Kelli’s Coffee and Crime Chat. This podcast is based in Illinois and focuses on true crime in the Midwest. ☕️
Episodes
195. Tracy Maurer
Tomahawk WI, Tracy Maurer’s neighbor heard screaming the night of April 5, 2007 and called police. She was found inside stabbed 80 times! Many suspects surface, an ex boyfriend, ex husband, and others. It was a shock to this quiet community…
192. John Joubert
John Joubert was born in Massachusetts and moved to Maine as a child. He assaulted many people when he was a child and nothing was done! As he grew up, his crimes became worse! Young boys started disappearing then turning up in secluded are…
190. Leigh Jennings
March 29, 2013 Leigh Jennings hadn’t been heard from in a week. Her neighbors was suspicious when they saw her mail piling up. Aurora Indiana was a safe community and Leigh was a good hearted grandmother. The neighbors made their way inside…
188. John & Carolyn Tarwacki
John and Carolyn Tarwacki didn’t make it to work on the cold morning of February 5, 2010. The small farming community of Niles, MI was a safe place to raise kids, until the town learned of the Tarwacki murders. After 2 years of no leads, th…
185. Dustin Englebrecht/Ritchie Neavear
Dustin Englebrecht lived in rural Mason City IL. He was last seen on August 28, 2009. A search party along with flyers and the help of the internet, his family and friends did a wide search. He was found just on one person’s happenstance on…
183. Sharon McKinney-Ray
April 2, 2004 in Grand Rivers, Kentucky, Sharon McKinney-Ray left her home at night and never returned. An anonymous tip came in that she was inside a well. Police questioned everyone including her live in boyfriend Bob Gaines. But who made…
181. Shawn Hornbeck
Sunday Oct 6, 2002 11 year old Shawn Hornbeck went for a ride on his bicycle. Small community Richmond MO was safe, but Shawn didn’t come home that night. 4 1/2 years later 13 year old Ben Ownby disappeared getting off his school bus. A wit…
179. Jessica Evans & Jacob Wheeler
August 25, 2012, Norris City IL, 17 year old Jessica Evans when fishing with her boyfriend, war veteran Jacob Wheeler. Little did they know, they’d never make it home. Small town rumors tarnished Jacob’s image, so his father Harold worked w…
177. Laura Johnson & James Yoblonski
2 missing persons cases. Laura Johnson 24, last seen May 1990 in Palatine IL and 13 year old James Yoblonski disappeared after walking out of his dad’s home in Reedsburg WI on June 12, 2023. Both cases need attention. Sources: charleyprojec…
174. Stephen Small
I’m back! Stephen Small was a wealthy businessman from Kankakee IL. He was awakened by a phone call early morning of Sept 2, 1987 at 12:30 am. The voice said he was a police officer who got a call that one of Stephen’s properties had been b…
173. Robin Baxter
June 19, 1990 - 31 year old Robin Baxter goes missing from her New Albany IN home. Friends and family are devastated when they find her body in the Ohio River. It took 20 years for DNA to come through and find her killer. Sources: casetext.…
171. Lisa Ann French
Halloween 1973 Lisa Ann French went trick or treating close to home in Fondulac WI. It would be the last night of her life. Trigger Warning on this one. Sources: People.com, Wikipedia.org, medium.com and Casemine.comEmail kelliscoffeeandcri…
168. Shawna Garber
Dec 2, 1990 a couple stumble onto a body in McDonald County Missouri. The case would go cold for years until finally DNA and witnesses helped solve the murder of a 22 year old who lived a short, abusive life. Sources: medium.com, foxnews.co…
166. Cameron Todd Willingham
The morning of 12/23/91 in Corsicana Texas, the Willingham home broke out in a fire. Three children perished and their father, Todd, was put on trial. Sources: themarshallproject.org, Wikipedia.org, innocenceproject.org, refinery29.comEmail…
163. Margaret Douglas
98 year old Margaret Douglas lived in Wadsworth OH. April 9, 2018 her family called for a welfare check. They could not find her the first time, so they went back to her home after an extensive search of the neighborhood. A family member se…
161. Nicholas Brady & Haile Kifer
Thanksgiving 2012, Little Falls Minnesota. Cousins Nicholas & Haile were getting into some mischief as they broke into 64 year old Byron Smith’s home. He retaliated by shooting them. A debate followed, dividing the community on defending yo…
159. Grace Dillman
Grace Dillman from Gahanna OH, met a guy online from Washington state named Robert Best. Teenagers connecting over the internet was normal but the obsession became worse. One day Grace let him in on a secret about her parents. Robert had no…
158. Aubrey Hawkins
Dec 24, 2000, Officer Aubrey Hawkins was dining out with family on Christmas Eve in Irving, Texas. He was dispatched to a robbery at Oshman’s Sporting Goods. This was the last time his family would see him. (The sound isn’t as good with my …
156. Melissa White
Oct 2011, Viola IL. Single Mother of 2 Melissa White was attacked outside her home. There were quite a few suspects but it took police over a year to find out what happened that night. Sources: Thecinemaholic.com, ID’s Murder Comes to Town.…
154. Evelyn Hartley
Oct 24, 1953 was the night of the Lacrosse State College Homecoming game in Wisconsin. Evelyn Hartley was 15 and took on a babysitting job. This would be the last night Evelyn was seen. Sources: thecharleyproject.org, storiesoftheunsolved.c…
151. The Fatal Attraction Murder
Insurance heir, Carolyn Warmus of Troy, Michigan lived a privileged life. She was well educated and loved older men. Working as a school teacher in NY, she met Paul Solomon, another teacher at the school who was married. They started an aff…
150. Peggy Johnson Schroeder
July 21/1999 A father & daughter were out walking their dogs in Raymond WI when they happened upon the body of a young woman. This case would go cold for 20 years until finally, they got the person responsible from one person speaking up! S…
147. Bell Witch
The only crime on record where the murderer was a spirit. The Bell Witch story is intriguing as the Bell family and other people in the area witnessed violence and strange noises inside the Bell home. Now the property is available to tour i…
146. Chad Doerman
June 15, 2023 Chad Doerman of Monroe Township OH executed his three sons in front of wife, Laura and teenage step daughter. There were signs leading up to this horrific day, but nobody saw this coming. Sources: wcpo.com, Cincinnati Enquirer…
144. Early Access - Angela Hyke & Ashley Lucas
On the morning of July 9, 2001, Angela Hyke of Cresco Iowa, did not show up for work. A welfare check resulted in the disappearance of Angela as well as her 8 year old daughter Ashley. Friends and family, as well as investigators searched t…
142. The Dardeen Family
Keith & Elaine Dardeen and their 2 year old son moved into a mobile home in Ina IL. On Nov 18, 1987, Keith didn’t show up for work. When his father went to check on him with the police, they were not prepared for the horrific scene inside t…
140. The Bender Family
In 1871, the Bender family of LaBette County, KS built their cabin which doubled as an Inn and General Store. Little did the guests know what was behind the curtain . Sources: crimereads.com, murderpedia.org and Wikipedia.org. Email - Kelli…
138. Scott Collins
Jan 15, 2014, a brutal murder in Casey Illinois had this small community on edge. Dog lover and iron worker, 54 year old Gregory Scott Collins was a wonderful person who had many friends and a dad to German shepherd Gretchen. Gretchen held …
137. Brian Schaffer
March 31, 2006, Columbus OH, 27 year old med student Brian Schaffer went bar hopping and ended up at the Ugly Tuna Saloona. Surveillance has him entering the bar, going up to the second level, but never leaving. He was never seen since! COR…
135. Cynthia Hoffman
19 year old Cynthia Hoffman went on a hike with her “best friend” and never returned home. The people of Anchorage AK weren’t prepared for what came out of this story, having linked to the Midwest by a murder for hire plot. Sources: people.…
133. Early Access-The Laurel 5
Sept 25, 2011, the worst crime in Laurel Indiana history was committed. The Napier family, on Stipps Hill Rd was horribly murdered in their home. One adult son had been kicked out a week before. But could he be the one who wiped out his ent…
131. Thomas Odle
18 year old Thomas Odle lived with his parents and 3 younger siblings in Mt. Vernon IL. A troubled teen, Thomas often turned to drugs to cope. His parents had had enough and wanted him gone on November 8, 1985. Thomas didn’t go. Trigger War…
130. Bruce Lindahl
Bruce Lindahl had piercing blue eyes and a way with the girls. Many said he was an ordinary likable guy. But he can turn with a flip of the switch! Called the Serial Killer of Naperville, Bruce evaded the law for years, until 1981 when he m…
127. Cassie Chadwick
Cassie Chadwick, also known as The Queen of Ohio, made her money fast! As she conned her way through life, she was able to pull off one of the biggest scams at that time in the early 1900s. But it all caught up with her in the end. Sources…
126. Jennifer Jones & Bobbi Jo Smith
2004, Mineral Wells, Texas. 2 girlfriends were living the partying life under one roof. Drugs, alcohol and all fun & games. Until someone ends up dead. Sources: Twisted Love series, episode Love & Hot Lead, Texas Monthly. Email: kelliscoffe…
125. The Lipstick Killer
3 murders were committed in the Chicago area in the fall/winter of 1945 & 1946. They had a few suspects but centered on one. A 17 year old petty thief named William George Heirens. But was it him? Sources: thecrimetraveller.org, Wikipedia.o…
123. Nannie Doss
Nannie Doss looked like a sweet grandma and was very pleasant. Just don’t make her mad! Sources : allthat’sinteresting.com, Wikipedia.org, Encyclopedia of Alabama online, and the book The Giggling Granny by Annette Rice. Email - kelliscoffe…
121. Sydney Powell
Sydney Powell was a student at Mount Union in Alliance, OH. She was afraid to tell her parents about her college failures when the school suspended her. The result ended up in murder. Sources: People.com, nbcnews.com, Oxygen.com, legacy.com…
120. Micki Jo West
Early morning on Sept 11, 1979 Micki Jo West was walking to her bus stop for work in St Joseph MO when she was never seen again. More disappearances followed and finally, they were able to put a stop to a sadistic killer. Podcast recommenda…
118. The Apple River Stabbing
July 30, 2022 was a beautiful summer day for some tubing on the water at Apple River. Near Sunset Bridge in Somerset WI was an awesome area to relax, drink and have some fun in the sun! What started out as summer fun ended up bloody in just…