Mystery
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The Disappearance of Debra Ann Wilhite
On October 14, 1974, 19-year-old Debra Ann "Debbie" (Pfettscher) Wilhite finished her shift as a waitress at the Windmill Restaurant on Highway 41 in Evansville, Indiana. She was supposed to pick up her husband after work, but she never made it. Debbie and her green 1966 Ford Galaxie disappeared without a trace, leaving behind her husband and two young daughters in one of the Tri-State's oldest unsolved missing person cases.
In this episode, I discuss the case with Debbie's daughter, Misty Lynn Walker, who was just 18 months old when her mother vanished. More than 50 years later, Misty continues her tireless search for answers. -
The Burrows Cave Mystery
In this episode, we dive deep into one of the most polarizing archaeological claims in the tri-state area: the Burrows Cave mystery. Back in April 1982, a highly decorated Korean War veteran named Russell Burrows was hiking through a quiet valley in southern Illinois near Olney when the ground gave way beneath him. What he fell into, according to his lifelong account, was far more than just a pit. Burrows claimed he had stumbled into a massive, man-made underground system filled with thousands of carved stone tablets, ancient weapons, and gold artifacts that pointed to pre-Columbian visitors from the Mediterranean and Middle East.
Mainstream archaeologists have largely dismissed the find as a hoax, largely because the exact location of the cave has never been publicly revealed or independently verified. Critics point to the bizarre hodgepodge of ancient scripts on the tablets, ranging from Egyptian-style hieroglyphs to ancient Greek symbols, as proof of a crude forgery. Believers counter that a mixed group of ancient refugees or traders would naturally leave behind a blend of cultural styles and varying skill levels in their carvings.
We also take a close look at the background of Russell Burrows himself. He served as a full colonel, earned two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts, and studied archaeology in college. For over forty years, he never once backed down from his story, even though he made very little money from the claim.
Later in the episode, you will hear audio clips from a interview conducted by researcher Brian Nettles, where an elderly Burrows speaks candidly about what he found, addresses accusations of fake artifacts, and reflects on the decades-long controversy.
Before jumping into the cave mystery, there is also an important update on the 2023 disappearance of Zachary Carey following the discovery of his remains near Lynnville, Indiana. -
Who Killed Jean Cook?
In this episode, we revisit a painful local cold case: the murder of Georgia "Jean" Cook. On October 6, 2005, Jean, a 56-year-old mother of two, was working her shift as a manager at the former Busler's gas station on Highway 41 North in Evansville, Indiana. Three hours before the end of her shift, an armed intruder walked into the store, shot Jean twice, and fled after taking money from the register. Despite being mortally wounded, Jean managed to use her phone to call for help before passing away, leaving behind a family still searching for answers two decades later.
The investigation was plagued by complications right from the start. The store surveillance system was not recording that day, leaving police without video footage of the killer. The primary lead comes from a customer pumping gas outside who reported seeing a white woman with bushy gray hair wearing dark clothing leave the store and drive away north on Highway 41 in a bluish-gray domestic sedan. However, there has been long-standing confusion over whether the shooter was actually a woman or a man wearing a wig or disguise, creating a major obstacle for investigators.
This episode features conversations with two people close to the case. First, Jean's former coworker Andy Hinton shares his memory of the day, including receiving the distressing calls from Jean right after the shooting, and offers his perspective on what might have been happening at the store. Later, Jean's son Fred Cook talks about the toll the unsolved investigation has taken on their family, how quick access to major highways allowed the killer to vanish, and why he holds out hope that advancing technology or a lingering conscience might finally bring the truth to light.
Someone out there knows what happened that morning on Highway 41. Take a listen to the episode, check out the composite sketch materials linked in the show notes, and jump into the Discord server to join the conversation and help keep Jean's memory alive. -
Who Killed Elizabeth?
In January 2000, 18-year-old Elizabeth Bannister was tragically stabbed to death in a house full of people in Evansville, Indiana. Strangely, no one claims to have seen or heard anything. This baffling, unsolved case has left investigators and the community searching for answers.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into the January 2000 murder of 18-year-old Elizabeth Bannister in Evansville, Indiana. It is a strange, tragic case that plays out like a demented real-life game of Clue. Elizabeth was brutally stabbed inside her Washington Avenue apartment in a house filled with people, yet nobody claimed to see or hear a single thing. Between a housemate watching Matlock reruns, someone passed out on the couch, and another person in the bathroom, the whole situation raises endless red flags.
This episode features a conversation from a live stream with Savannah from the YouTube channel "Don't Hate, Create". We break down the sheer chaos of Elizabeth’s life leading up to the murder, the messy web of potential suspects, and the bizarre details surrounding that night. That includes a friend who lent her change for a payphone at midnight only to find her dead an hour later, a cab that showed up for a caller who never walked out, and an alleged sighting of someone jumping out a window.
We also tackle the massive twists in the case. We discuss Mark, the abusive ex-boyfriend of Elizabeth’s mother who somehow started dating Elizabeth after her mom passed away, and why her family still eyes his alibi. Plus, we dig into the shocking prison confession from serial killer William Clyde Gibson, who claimed on a podcast that he killed Elizabeth, and why both her sister Sarah and the police remain skeptical of his story. Decades later, with the house burned down and police reports still locked away, we look at where things stand and why Elizabeth's family is still pushing for real answers.
If you have any information that could help solve Elizabeth’s murder, please contact the Evansville Police Department at 812-436-7979. -
Disappearance, Mystery, Unexplained
Where is Zac? Interview with his best friend, Chris
UPDATE 11/3/2025:
14 WFIE NEWS:
WARRICK CO., Ind. (WFIE) - The Warrick County Sheriff says a the body of a missing man was discovered on Friday in the Lynnville area
He says a hunter discovered the remains and called authorities.
Detectives say the remains were taken to the morgue in Vanderburgh County and positively identified as 38-year-old Zachary Carey, of Evansville, who had been missing since May of 2023.
Carey had last been seen in the Lynnville area.
https://www.14news.com/2025/11/03/body-man-missing-since-2023-found-warrick-co/
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In this episode, I speak with Chris, the last person to see Zac Carey before he disappeared back on May 30, 2023.
After my previous episode with Zach’s mother Gina and his sister Cecilia aired, Chris reached out to share his side of the story. He addresses some of the claims made about him, sets the record straight on his relationship with the family, and explains what really went down in the hours leading up to Zac's disappearance.
Chris goes through text messages from that early morning, describes driving Zac out toward the Lynnville area, and talks about Zac's state of mind at the time. He also opens up about his own interactions with law enforcement, rumors about untraceable gift cards, and why he believes Zac might simply be laying low off the grid.
At the end of the day, everyone involved just wants answers. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Zachary Cary, please contact the Warrick County Sheriff’s Department at 812-897-6180. -
Disappearance, Mystery, Unexplained
Where is Zac?
***********UPDATE 11/3/2025*********** 14 WFIE NEWS:
WARRICK CO., Ind. (WFIE) - The Warrick County Sheriff says a the body of a missing man was discovered on Friday in the Lynnville area
He says a hunter discovered the remains and called authorities.
Detectives say the remains were taken to the morgue in Vanderburgh County and positively identified as 38-year-old Zachary Carey, of Evansville, who had been missing since May of 2023.
Carey had last been seen in the Lynnville area.
https://www.14news.com/2025/11/03/body-man-missing-since-2023-found-warrick-co
*********************************
In this episode, I sat down with the family of 38-year-old Zachary Carey, who vanished back on May 30th, 2023. I talked with his mother, Gina, and his younger sister, Cecilia, to get a better sense of who Zac is and what really went down around the time he disappeared.
Zac was living in Evansville and working as a welder, but after losing his job and going through the sudden loss of his niece, his mental health took a heavy turn. Zac deals with schizophrenia, and his family noticed he was struggling and likely off his medication. Being an outdoorsman, a survivalist, and proud of his Native American heritage, Zac often retreated into nature when he was stressed. Going off into the woods for a few days to decompress wasn't unusual for him, but he always kept in touch and let them know when he was coming back. This time, he didn't.
The details surrounding his last known whereabouts raise a lot of questions. Zac was last dropped off by his long-time friend at the welcome sign near the woods in Lynnville, Indiana. Days later, after his family reported him missing, police located his cell phone sitting right by that same sign. Things got even more complicated when his friend refused to cooperate with the family or hand over Zac's belongings so search dogs could get a scent.
From unverified sightings in homeless camps across state lines to searches through dense woods and quarry lakes by local authorities, the family has been left in a painful limbo. They just want answers and to bring Zac home. -
Bigfoot Encounters in the Hoosier National Forest
Could Bigfoot actually be roaming around southern Indiana? It sounds wild at first given how populated the state is, but anyone who has spent real time out on the trails knows just how vast and isolated some of these woods really are.
In this episode, I speak with two local witnesses from Indiana who shared their eyewitness accounts right here in our backyard.
First, Angela recalls driving on I-64 near the Turkey Fork area right around dawn when she spotted a massive, solid black figure, at least 8 feet tall with wide shoulders, standing in the median. She watched it freeze before stepping directly into the thick tree line.
Then, Bill shares three separate experiences he had along the White River between 2017 and 2019. An experienced outdoorsman who knows the woods inside and out, Bill talks about hearing strange wolf-like howls ending in high-pitched squeals, seeing a massive gorilla-like silhouette watching him from behind saplings while squirrel hunting, and later hearing something extremely heavy crunching through the woods at Flat Rock while everything else went dead silent.
We talk about the logic behind these sightings, whether camera traps are missed because of infrared light, and why so many locals stay quiet about what they see out of fear of being ridiculed.
Give the episode a listen and let me know your thoughts in the comments. Have you ever experienced anything strange in the Hoosier National Forest? -
The Murder of Troy DeWayne Smith
On May 24, 2020, 50-year-old Troy DeWayne Smith was found dead inside his apartment on South New York Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. Troy was a quiet guy who had studied mechanical engineering at ITT Tech and was working locally at Tri-State Resource Recovery.
Initially, authorities treated his death as an overdose or natural causes. Because of that initial call, weeks went by before an autopsy revealed the truth: Troy had actually been shot in the back of the head while sitting on his couch. By the time the case was reclassified as a homicide, the apartment had already been cleared out by family, contaminating potential evidence. On top of that, the story broke during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning it barely received any media coverage and quickly slipped through the cracks.
In this episode, Troy’s brother, TaRon, steps up to share what happened from his perspective as the person who found Troy that day. TaRon opens up about the suspicious circumstances surrounding how he was called to the apartment, the strange details about the locked door, and the rumors circulating in the community about who might have been in the apartment that night. He also addresses the struggles the family has faced over the years trying to keep investigators focused on finding answers.
Even though Troy fell into the wrong crowd and struggled with substance abuse near the end of his life, his family wants to make sure his story isn't forgotten and that the person responsible is brought to justice.
Troy's family is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction in this case. If you know anything about what happened to Troy DeWayne Smith, please contact the Evansville Police Department at 812-436-7979 or leave an anonymous tip at 800-78-CRIME. -
Buried Treasure in the Tri-State?
When most people picture buried treasure, they think of pirates on a tropical beach or old West gold prospectors out in California. But buried loot might be a lot closer to home than you think. Before the FDIC came along to insure bank accounts, plenty of folks simply didn't trust banks with their hard-earned cash. It was pretty common to bury savings in a field or hide them somewhere safe. When people passed away without telling anyone where their stash was, those valuables stayed right where they were put. Just look at what happened in July 2023, when over 700 rare Civil War-era gold coins worth millions were unearthed right in a Kentucky cornfield.
In this episode, we dig into several local treasure legends scattered across the Tri-State area.
Over in Farmersburg, Indiana, a recording from 1987 tells the story of a wagon full of gold buried by soldiers near an old dirt trail. They hid the stash before heading off to confront a group of bandits, but since none of the soldiers survived the fight, the location was lost to time.
Moving over to Southern Illinois, the area around Cave-in-Rock has a wild history of river pirates and outlaws. Rumor has it that stagecoach robbers hid around $200,000 in gold and silver coins inside a cave along the Ohio River. Not far down the river in Golconda, local stories talk about hundreds of 1800s silver dollars occasionally washing ashore, possibly coming from an old wrecked riverboat.
Down near Dixon, Kentucky, America's first serial killers, the Harpe brothers, built up a massive fortune by robbing their victims over a nine-year spree. After they were tracked down and killed just outside Henderson, rumors spread that their hidden stash of around $300,000 in gold coins remains buried in a cave above a stream near what is now Harpes Head Road.
Whether these stories are completely true or just heavily embellished over the generations, there is almost always a grain of truth behind local folklore. Just remember, if you decide to grab a metal detector and go hunting for long-lost gold yourself, always get permission from the property owner first.