True Cold Case Files

***True Cold Case Files***, also known as ***True Cold Case Files with Jason and Daisy*** or ***TCCF***, was an American podcast focusing on unsolved cases of the missing, murdered, and unidentified. The program was hosted by Jason Futch and Daisy Chains, with Nick Wagler replacing the latter in 2020, following her departure. The show concluded on August 13, 2020, in order to make way for *From the Vault: A True Crime Podcast*, which featured updated equipment, music, and source information.

## History

*True Cold Case Files* began production following an idea that Jason Futch, the host of the program, ran through with Kimster, the administrator for *Crimewatchers.net* (CW); a message board that discusses true crime events. He wanted to start a program that would be exclusive to *CW* and also to the YouTube community. Though Jason could not get an exclusive deal worked out with *CW*, he was able to get them to sponsor the show by allow him an official thread on the website in exchange for mentioning the website on every show.

### **Season One (The YouTube Season)**

The first episode of *True Cold Case Files* began with a story on The Fly Creek Jane Doe, less than a year prior to her identification in October 2019 as Sandra Morden. Jason had filmed the episode and subsequent ones using his iPhone X while it was braced by a stack of books on two milk crates. He elaborated the story on her case and also mentioned a number of theories which included the possibility that she may have been murdered by either Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, or Warren Forrest. Forrest was charged with two homicides and was suspected in the disappearances of numerous girls and women in the Vancouver, Washington area.

The second episode was followed by discussion on the case of missing Lake City, Florida woman Detra Renvictoria McGuire. It also covered the shocking circumstances that occurred prior to her being reported missing, when her child Roshanda McGuire was thrown from a moving vehicle on I-10. The events happened on November 3rd, 1988. The episode had been written since October 2018, when the case was approaching its 30th anniversary.

On episode three, Jason discussed the Annie Doe case out of Cave Junction, Oregon. She had been found in 1971 by a father and son walking through the woods near US 199. Shortly after this episode was released, she was identified by the DNA Doe Project as being Annie Lehman of Aberdeen, Washington. Footage from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's special on Annie Doe was used, which included an interview with forensic anthropologist Dr. Veronica 'Nici' Vance.

Episode four discussed the case of murder victim Courtney Dubois of Fairmont, West Virginia. Her dismembered remains were found in a landfill in Cartersville, Georgia, where she remained unidentified until her father identified her a month later. The episode was received unfavorably due to the timing of events and information that was incorrectly given to Jason by sources. The episode was pulled and has since been destroyed. Due to the mistakes made, no other recent case has ever been covered on *True Cold Case Files*. Her case was resolved in mid-2019

Episode five through seven covered three different John Doe cases: The Bibb County, Alabama John Doe, The Fort Myers Eight, and the Canadian case of Regina John Doe.

Episode eight focused on the murders of Jack Sharp and Fred Tate. The two men were killed on Jack's property near Bithlo, Florida in 1983. Their bodies were discovered by Fred's wife June Tate and a family friend. Jack's daughter, Pamela Sapp, contributed to the episode and was also made an executive consultant to the episode.

Episode nine covered the Texas cold case homicide of a woman known as Orange Socks. She was suspected to have been murdered by notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas. He had confessed to numerous homicides in the United States, and was charged with Orange Socks' murder. He was sentenced to death, and was set to be executed in 1999, when then-governor George W. Bush commuted his sentence due to the fact there was no evidence that he killed Orange Socks', as well as learning that he may have falsely confessed to other murders he was tied to. Orange Socks was identified as Deborah Jackson in 2019.

Episode ten covered the homicide of James Berkeley Norris; a 24-year-old San Francisco resident who traveled to Florida to obtain Colombian marijuana. His remains were located in a wooded area in 1974 near Tennile, in Dixie County Florida. He was identified in 2011, after persistence from James' sister Rosemary Norris-Southward. She gave an exclusive interview with Jason on *In Depth*, the first time she had given an interview to any member of the media. She is also a contributor and executive consultant for this episode.

The season finale closed with Grundy County Jane Doe, a woman who was found murdered in Seneca, Illinois in 1974 and has since been unidentified. The deputy coroner for Grundy County, Illinois, Brandon Johnson, gave an interview with Jason on an episode of *In Depth*.

### **Season Two (The Podcasting Season)**

Season two was reworked as a podcast, and it debuted in November of 2019. Jason worked out a deal where Anchor FM would be the podcasting host, which included an exclusive sponsorship. CrimeWatchers continued to stay on as a sponsor to the program.

This time, Jason was joined by Daisy Chains; a woman from Palm Springs, California who had experience with solving cold cases and was a frequent user of the Websleuths web forum. She joined him through eight episodes before she was replaced by Nick Wagler in 2020.

Nick Wagler, the founder of the Unidentified Wiki, was asked to join True Cold Case Files permanently after an impressive co-host showing during the episode on the Singer Island Jane Doe.

Season two was released on November 4th, 2019, as Jason and Daisy discussed the cold case disappearance of Menasha, Wisconsin resident Laurie Depies. From there, the season enjoyed 15 episodes, concluding with Opelika Jane Doe on June 8th, 2020. The season also included special interviews, including the mothers of Eric Franks and Troy Galloway, Clark County (WA) Detective Lindsay Schultz, and forensic artist Carl Koppelman.

## Episodes

### Season 1

* "Fly Creek Jane Doe"
* "The Disappearance of Detra McGuire"
* "Annie Doe"
* "Courtney Dubois"
* "Bibb County John Doe: Alabama's Mystery Boy"
* "Fort Myers Eight" (Viewer's Choice)
* "Regina John Doe"
* "The Unsolved Homicide of Jack Sharp and Fred Tate"
* "Orange Socks Jane Doe"
* "Dorothy Thomas Homicide"
* "The Disappearance and Death of James Norris"
* "Grundy County Jane Doe"

### Season 2

* "The Disappearance of Laurie Depies/Fly Creek Jane Doe Update"
	+ "In Depth" Interview with Det. Lindsay Schultz, Clark County, WA Sheriff's Office
* "The Murder of Henry County John Doe"
* "The Disappearance of Eric Franks"
	+ "In Depth" Interview with Joanne Franks, Eric Franks' mother
* "Unidentified Oregon: The Multnomah John Doe and Finley Creek Jane Doe"
	+ Gwen Barringer of *A Light For Ericka* and Victims' Advocate filled in for Daisy in this episode.
* "The Mysterious Death of Dennis Doe"
* "Abdul Rahman Al-Hamdan"
* "Singer Island Jane Doe"
	+ Nick Wagler of the Unidentified Wiki fills in for Daisy. First credited episode.
* "New Castle John Doe"
* "Amber Lundgren: A Life Unfinished"
* "The Sims Homicide"
* "Missing in the Sunshine State"
	+ "Tiffany Sessions"
	+ "Kamrie Mitchell"
	+ Nick Wagler debuts as permanent co-host.
	+ "In Depth" Interview with Stefani Warden, Kamrie Mitchell's mother.
* "Constable George Hawkins"
	+ "In Depth" interview with Todd Matthews, NamUs Administrator
* "Troy Galloway"
	+ "In Depth" interview with Nancy Galloway, Troy Galloway's mother.
* "Walker County Jane Doe"
	+ "In Depth" interview with forensic artist Carl Koppelman, titled "Inside the Mind of Carl Koppelman".
* "Opelika Jane Doe"
	+ This episode coincided with a visit by Jason to Opelika, Alabama; where he met with detective Alfred White and OJD advocate Alexis Meniefield.
	+ An "In Depth" interview with Alexis Meniefield is forthcoming at a later date.
	+ This episode is considered *TCCF's* Series Finale, as it is the last episode recorded under the *TCCF* name.

## Reception

*True Cold Case Files* was met with mixed reviews. Crimewatchers.net subscribers gave it a high rating, allowing for the program to host a thread on their website in exchange for sponsorship. At it's peak, True Cold Case Files charted in the Top 200 for True Crime podcasts on Apple Podcast, at one point surpassing *Sports Illustrated's* special podcast on the murder of retired Tennessee Titans Quarterback Steve McNair.

On the other hand, there have been critics who were critical of the show, including the family of Courtney Dubois and a family friend of Detra McGuire's. Additionally, despite great ratings on Apple Podcast, there were some who posted critical comments that were not helpful to improving the podcast in places where it was needed. The biggest complaint was the sound quality, which was improved upon when *True Cold Case Files* became *From The Vault*.