The Citizen Detective
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🔎 The Citizen Detective connects the dots on cold cases, the latest binge-worthy content, and trending mysteries — so you don't have to. Think of us as your online sleuthing friend obsessed with every true crime topic imaginable because… well, we are.
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Go deeper into the cases and topics that keep us up at night
Hot off the Press
Explore the latest in high-profile investigations, trials, and content
Compelling Storytelling
Delve into a case to piece together the truth
Why we do it
There's an endless stream of true crime media — and we know there's no shortage of cold cases. We spent months looking for the one place to get curated, well-rounded criminally good content.
When we couldn't find it, we knew we had to create it.
Spend less time trying to get to the end of the rabbit hole, and spend more of your time being informed, with 🔎 The Citizen Detective.
Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll get in your inbox!
April 23, 2024
When Jennifer Kesse, 24, didn’t call her boyfriend while driving to work in the morning like she always did, he assumed she was busy preparing for an upcoming meeting. It wasn’t until all the calls to her phone went straight to voicemail and Jennifer didn’t show up to her job that everyone knew something was wrong. No one could've imagined that Jennifer was abducted at 7:30 a.m. on January 24, 2006, just after she locked her front door. She didn’t even make it to her car. A day after she was taken, Jennifer’s stolen car was parked at a different apartment complex…driven by an unknown male. The person of interest was caught on camera, calmly walking away from the vehicle. Detectives believe this is a homicide investigation. Latest Update: Sunshine State Sonar, a Florida sonar searching company, has teamed up with the Kesse family to search Lake Fischer. They’re following up on a 2019 tip that could change the trajectory of this case.
TRIAL WATCHERS |
Court documents released over the weekend detail that the four people accused of killing two Kansas women have a mountain of evidence against them — including statements, cell phone records, and internet searches.
Tifany Adams, her boyfriend Tad Cullum, Cora Twombly, and her husband Cole Twombly, are all suspects. Tifany, 54, and three other suspects were arrested on the 14th. They’re all charged with kidnapping and the first-degree murders of Veronica Butler, 27, and her 39-year-old friend Jilian Kelley.
Tifany is the paternal grandmother of Veronica’s 6- and 8-year-old children. The family was locked in a “problematic custody battle” that fueled their violence.
| Explore the evidence |
CRIMINALLY GOOD CONTENT
Untold Story of Robert Durst
Four decades. Three murders. And one very rich suspect.
The Jinx: Part Two is the continuation of the 2015 HBO original documentary about suspected serial killer, Robert Durst. Part One infamously ended just as Robert was being arrested following his hot-mic moment, saying “Killed them all, of course!” in response to a question.
Investigators credit the 2015 documentary for the admission and evidence leading to his arrest.
This continuation of the docu-series will follow Robert's trial — and answer questions people have been asking for almost a decade. It will also include never-before-seen material, including Robert’s prison calls, and interviews with witnesses who have not come forward until now.
| Watch the trailer |
TRUE CRIME TRIVIA
Based on the latest available data (2021), which state has the highest homicide rate?
A) Mississippi
B) Louisiana
C) Alabama
D) New Mexico
B) Louisiana
C) Alabama
D) New Mexico
| What do you think? |
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Faking $1M Lottery Ticket
Kira Enders, 36, and Dakota Jones, 32, a Florida couple, have been charged with grand theft of more than $100,000 after trying to create a fake winning lottery ticket.
According to police statements, the pair tried to tape together two $50 scratch-off tickets from the Florida Lottery game 500X the Cash to make it look like they won.
Officials said it was obvious that the tickets were “unskillfully” pieced together — namely that the words on the back did not match up. Both Kira and Dakota have court hearings in early May.
FEEL GOOD NEWS
Cold Case Playing Cards!
The Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers created a fresh “cold case” playing card deck with 56 unsolved cases from their state. There are 20 missing persons cases, and 36 unsolved homicides on the cards.
The 2,500 new decks will be distributed within seven jails with the hope that someone will come forward with information about a case they know about.
This technique has a record of success.
In 2009, a similar pack of cards distributed in Minnesota helped identify the remains of a missing woman, and in 2017, arrests were made in two cold cases after just one week when Connecticut decks were distributed.
| Explore some of the cases |
WANT MORE FROM UNCOVERED? Today's newsletter was written by Andrea Cipriano and edited by Dana Poll. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. Support our work by advertising in this newsletter. Search our database to find and follow cold cases near you.
WHY DO WE EXIST? With more than 200,000 unsolved cases having gone cold since 1980, Uncovered built the nation's largest database of public information and it's powered by our community. It's where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts learn from and teach others while digging deeper into the stories you've heard before in ways that actually help. At some point, compassion causes entertainment to grow into a need for activism, contribution, and community to solve the stories of real people. Join us. Want to change how you receive these emails? |
April 9, 2024
As an 18-year-old gifted baseball player from Tennessee, everyone knew Grant Solomon had a promising life ahead of him. Tragically, he was found dead, allegedly run over by his truck in the parking lot of a baseball training facility. The only witness, Grant’s father Aaron, says his truck backed over him. Now, a witness has come forward. Drew Hall, an employee at the baseball facility says he saw Grant alive when he was trapped under the truck. Does this support the “accident” theory?
TRIAL WATCHERS |
Jury selection wrapped up yesterday, marking the sixth day of trial in the case against Chad Daybell, the husband of Lori Vallow. Chad is facing the death penalty for the deaths of his wife, Tammy Daybell, and Lori’s two children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow.
The court has finished selecting the 18 final jurors who will hear the trial. Six of the 18 jurors will be alternates, but no one will know who the alternates are until jury deliberations. This was done because the court wanted to have some “wiggle room” if a juror were to look up the case or have other commitments come up.
🔎 3-PART SERIES: Uncovered dug into news articles and available research trying to understand Lori Vallow-Daybell’s psychological profile (Part 1), the countless suspicious deaths in her web (Part 2), and reconstructing the murders she’s on trial for; the deaths of her children, JJ and Tylee (Part 3). All parts are out now!
CRIMINALLY GOOD CONTENT
When Teenage Angst Gets Violent
“She probably had a list of girls that she went out on a hunt for and made their lives absolutely miserable.”
This latest Investigation Discovery series showcases the inner workings of cliques, backbiting, and cruel intentions. Each episode delves into the dark side of female connections and rivalries from high school girls — all end in murder.
| Watch 'Mean Girl Murders' Trailer |
TRUE CRIME TRIVIA BREAK
What's the most common weapon used for homicides?
A) Hands, fists, or feet
B) Knife
C) Firearm
D) Random weapon of opportunity
B) Knife
C) Firearm
D) Random weapon of opportunity
| What do you think? |
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Sebastian Rogers: ‘Not Ruling Anything Out’
Officials in Tennessee are continuing their search for 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers, who has been missing from his home in Hendersonville for over a month. Despite extensive searches covering tens of thousands of miles by multiple agencies, there are still no signs of him.
Sebastian reportedly walked out of his mother and stepfather’s home — without shoes on — in the middle of the night. Sebastian’s father is concerned, and seemingly doubtful that’s the full story.
Investigators were searching a Kentucky landfill, but have since scaled back their search efforts. So far, a pair of glasses were discovered, but it’s unclear if they’re connected to Sebastian’s case.
Investigators say they’re not “ruling anything out.”
| Read the official update |
FEEL GOOD NEWS
Suspect ID’d in 45-year-old Case!
After 45 years, North Carolina authorities say they have solved the 1979 cold case murder of 20-year-old college student Tammy Sue Aldridge. The Alamance County Sheriff's Office announced during an emotional press conference that the suspect has been identified as Gary Lane Laframboise, who died in 2020.
Tammy was abducted while out jogging along Faucette Lane in Burlington, North Carolina. During her captivity, she was allowed to call home twice and told her family she was okay.
However, just a few days later, on July 3rd 1979, her body was found along a highway. She was bound, and assaulted. Law enforcement connected Gary to the case through genetic genealogy.
WANT MORE FROM UNCOVERED? Today's newsletter was written by Andrea Cipriano and edited by Dana Poll. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. Support our work by advertising in this newsletter. Search our database to find and follow cold cases near you.
WHY DO WE EXIST? With more than 200,000 unsolved cases having gone cold since 1980, Uncovered built the nation's largest database of public information and it's powered by our community. It's where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts learn from and teach others while digging deeper into the stories you've heard before in ways that actually help. At some point, compassion causes entertainment to grow into a need for activism, contribution, and community to solve the stories of real people. Join us. Want to change how you receive these emails? |
March 26, 2024
Denise Pflum had a bright future ahead of her before she disappeared on Good Friday in Connersville, Indiana. She left her family’s home on the evening of March 28, 1986, to retrieve her purse that she left behind at a party the night before. 🔎 Last week, nearly 40 years after her disappearance, Denise’s parents filed a lawsuit requesting access to the 326-acre property of interest. The family who owns it — The Johnsons — have denied access. The Pflum family wants to deploy K9 recovery teams for a “minimally invasive search.” This is developing news.
FEEL GOOD NEWS |
Authorities have announced a conclusion to a cold case in Missouri— they have identified the now-deceased suspect in the murder of Shawna Garber as Talfey Reeves.
🔎 Talfey Reeves had a lengthy criminal history. It’s believed he picked up Shawna along Highway 59, before assaulting her and overdosing her with drugs.
In 1990, a couple reported finding the decomposed remains of a young woman not far off from a road, behind a rural farmhouse. She was nicknamed “Grace Doe” because it was believed she’d only be identified by the Grace of God.
Thankfully, in 2021, Othram identified “Grace” as Shawna Beth Garber, legally known as Shauna Harvey, born on March 1, 1968.
CHECK THIS OUT
The Dark Underbelly at Nickelodeon
Who would’ve known that behind the wide smiles and saturated TV sets at Nickelodeon, monsters lurked on set?
The four-part docuseries, which premiered recently on Investigation Discovery and is streaming on MAX, interviews former writers, crew members, and child actors.
They all describe a volatile, dysfunctional, and sometimes sexualized environment at some of Nickelodeon’s most successful TV shows — like “iCarly,” “The Amanda Show” and “All That.”
| Watch the 'Quiet on Set' Trailer |
TRUE CRIME TRIVIA BREAK
How did the terms John Doe and Jane Doe come to mean an unidentified deceased person?
A) English placeholder for legal documents
B) Most common names
C) Easiest to spell and pronounce
D) They were voted on by federal investigators
| What do you think? |
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Riley Strain's Body Found
💚 “I just ask that you mommas out there hug your babies tight tonight, please,” Riley Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, told reporters on Friday. “Please for me, hug your babies tight tonight.”
Riley Strain went missing on March 8th after being kicked out of a Nashville bar on a trip with his fraternity brothers. He told his friends that he was going back to his hotel room, but he never arrived.
Surveillance footage showed him walking towards his hotel — but ultimately making a wrong turn. His body was discovered floating in the river last week.
No foul play is suspected, but an autopsy has been scheduled. Yesterday's preliminary findings say his death was an accident.
TRIAL WATCHERS
Ruby Franke: New Evidence Released
Ruby Franke, the Utah mother of six who was a self-proclaimed “parenting expert,” was recently sentenced to four to 30 years in prison for child abuse. She pleaded guilty last December, after admitting to forcing her kids to perform hours of physical tasks while denying them food and water, among other horrors.
Now, investigators have released new pieces of evidence, including Ruby’s handwritten journals where she details the abuse, as well as body cam footage of Ruby’s arrest and her children’s recovery.
| Explore the evidence |
WANT MORE FROM UNCOVERED? Today's newsletter was written by Andrea Cipriano and edited by Dana Poll. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. Support our work by advertising in this newsletter. Search our database to find and follow cold cases near you.
WHY DO WE EXIST? With more than 200,000 unsolved cases having gone cold since 1980, Uncovered built the nation's largest database of public information and it's powered by our community. It's where the most passionate true crime enthusiasts learn from and teach others while digging deeper into the stories you've heard before in ways that actually help. At some point, compassion causes entertainment to grow into a need for activism, contribution, and community to solve the stories of real people. Join us. Want to change how you receive these emails? |