#279 - She was young, bright, and full of promise. Angela Samota was a 20-year-old college student at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She had a tight-knit circle of friends, a good boyfriend, and a future that seemed limitless. But on one October night in 1984, everything changed.
After a night out with friends, Angela returned to her apartment, and by morning, she was gone. Brutally raped and murdered, stabbed multiple times in what appeared to be a crime of unthinkable violence. But the case quickly went cold.
For decades, there were no arrests, no answers, just silence and a haunting sense that justice might never come. But Angela had one friend who refused to let her be forgotten. And years later, armed with nothing but determination and a relentless need for the truth, that friend would help crack a case that sat frozen in time.
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49:33
Yvonne Menke
#278 - December 12, 1985. St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. A quiet morning was shattered by gunfire. Forty-five-year-old mother of four, Yvonne Menke, was found shot to death outside her apartment—one bullet to the neck, two to the back of the head. The killer vanished, leaving behind only footprints in the snow and a trail of unanswered questions.
For decades, the case went cold. No arrests. No justice. But in 2021, a renewed investigation unearthed chilling forensic evidence: boot prints matching a rare pair of snow boots, and a note with a suspect's car information found in Yvonne's purse.
This is the story of obsession, betrayal, and a murder that remained frozen in time for nearly 40 years until forensic clues finally brought a killer to justice.
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53:30
Gretchen Harrington
#277 - In August 1975, 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington left her parent’s house in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, heading to summer vacation Bible school class. The church was less than a mile up the road, and she had walked it many times in the past, but something about this morning was different. Gretchen never made it.
Two months later, her remains were found by a jogger in Ridley Creek State Park. Next to the remains were her neatly folded clothes, and her underwear was found hung in a nearby tree branch. The case went unsolved for decades and remained a haunting mystery in the community for nearly 50 years. Then, in 2023, there was a significant breakthrough leading to an arrest. But the man arrested wasn’t exactly the person you’d expect to commit a crime like this.
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
True Crime Awards 2025:
To vote for Forensic Tales for the TCA 2025 Listeners' Choice Awards, please visit: https://truecrimeawards.co.uk/truecrimeawards2025/en/page/listenerschoice
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53:38
Sonia Carmen Herok Stone
#276 - In October 1981, a 30-year-old single mother living in Carmel, California, was brutally murdered in her own home. She was found strangled to death, and the case shocked the quiet, upscale community of Carmel. For many years, there were few leads, and the case went cold. But in 2020, thanks to advancements in DNA technology, investigators were able to link DNA from the scene to a promising suspect.
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
True Crime Awards 2025:
To vote for Forensic Tales for the TCA 2025 Listeners' Choice Awards, please visit: https://truecrimeawards.co.uk/truecrimeawards2025/en/page/listenerschoice
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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45:35
Zombie Hunter
#275 - Throughout the early 1990s, Phoenix, Arizona, was terrorized by a series of violent crimes, including the murders of two young women. The crimes went unsolved for decades, and the man responsible remained unidentified. By the time the police caught up to him, he had a new persona and was hiding in plain sight. But besides the two victims he would eventually be charged with murdering, are there any more innocent victims out there?
Support
If you love the show, the easiest way to show your support is by leaving us a positive rating with a review. You can also tell your family and friends about Forensic Tales.
Patreon - If you would like to get early AD-free access to new episodes, have access to exclusive bonus content, snag exclusive show merch or just want to support what I'm doing, please visit our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/forensictales
Support the show for as low as $3/month.
Credits:
Written and produced by Courtney Fretwell
Rockefeller Audio production
For a complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit forensictales.com.
True Crime Awards 2025:
To vote for Forensic Tales for the TCA 2025 Listeners' Choice Awards, please visit: https://truecrimeawards.co.uk/truecrimeawards2025/en/page/listenerschoice
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Not all stories have happy endings... A weekly true crime podcast with a forensic twist. Each episode features real stories highlighting how forensic science was used. From fingerprinting to criminal profiling to familial DNA, we have every investigative angle covered.
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