UNSOLVED SUSPICIOUS DEATHS: ARNOLD ARCHAMBEAU AND RUBY BRUGUIER

When three young South Dakotans survive a car crash, two of them walk away from the vehicle and aren’t seen again for three months, when their bodies are inexplicably discovered near the site of the crash. Question after question arises as investigators attempt to make sense of one of the most perplexing cases in South Dakota history in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Sources used to research this episode:

Arnold Archambeau and Ruby Bruguier (Unsolved Mysteries / unsolved.com)

Video: Unsolved Mysteries Season 7, Episode 18 (Unsolved Mysteries via YouTube)

Area Sheriff Leaves Office After 28 Years (The Mitchell Republic)

FBI Closes Case in Strange Deaths of Lake Andes Pair (Sept. 12th, 1999 edition of the Rapid City Journal)

Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota · Page 13 March 5, 1993

The Effect of Body Mass on Outdoor Adult Human Decomposition (Lindsey G. Roberts et al / Journal of Forensic Science)

The Effect of Body Size on Decomposition in a Temperate Region of South Africa (A. Sutherland et al / International Forensic Science Journal)

Weather History for Lake Andes, SD (Farmer’s Almanac)

Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota · Page 2 April 18, 1995 (The Argus-Leader)

Argus-Leader from Sioux Falls, South Dakota · Page 2 March 20, 1993 (The Argus-Leader)

If you have any information about the deaths of Arnold Archambeau and Ruby Bruguier, please call the Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office at (605)487-7625.

BREAKING UPDATE: AMORE WIGGINS (OPELIKA’S BABY JANE DOE) IDENTIFIED, TWO CHARGED IN RELATION TO HER MURDER

January 19th, 2023 by Leah Owens

On January 19th, 2023, the Opelika Police Department announced breaking updates in the unsolved homicide of Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe–a case we covered in our December 19th, 2022 episode (Unsolved Disappearance: Andrea Knabel + Unsolved Homicide: Opelika Jane Doe). We have prepared a breaking update episode on Amore’s case, which will air on podcast platforms on January 20th, 2023. Meanwhile, here are the essentials of what we learned from today’s press conference.

Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe has been identified as Amore Wiggins, thanks to the hard work of the Opelika Police Department–especially Sgt. Alfred White–, the FBI, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Othram Labs, Astrea Labs, the Firebird Forensics Group, Coroner Bill Harris, geneologist Barbara Rae-Ventner and a variety of other professionals, law enforcement agencies and other groups.

Amore was born on January 1st, 2006, to her teenaged mother, Sherry Wiggins, of Norfolk, VA. Her father was then 32-year-old Lamar Vickerstaff Jr, a sailor in the US Navy then stationed in Norfolk. A few months after Amore was born, Lamar Vickerstaff married his fiancée–a woman named Ruth. In 2009, when Amore was a toddler, Lamar and Ruth Vickerstaff successfully pursued custody of her in a Virginia court. Her mother, Sherry, was not even granted visitation rights.

For 14 years, Sherry made steady child support payments to the Vickerstaffs, all while attempting to regain custody of the daughter she had not been allowed to see since she was deprived of custody. She had no way of knowing that her daughter had been murdered, or even that she was missing.

After being removed from her mother’s custody, Amore suffered horrific physical abuse, the evidence of which was later found written on her mostly-skeletal remains in the form of 15+ fractures (in various states of healing) to her skull, arms, legs, shoulders and ribs. In 2012, her remains were discovered near a mobile-home park in her father’s original hometown of Opelika, Alabama. She had been 4 or 5 years old at the time of her death. For more than a decade, investigators were frustrated by the fact that they didn’t know her name.

In 2022, advanced forensic DNA extraction and analysis techniques allowed investigators to finally identify Amore’s biological parents. Her mother, Sherry, has been fully cooperative with police and an asset to the investigation.

Lamar and Ruth Vickerstaff denied knowing anything about Amore’s identity or death when originally questioned by investigators. Amore’s mother, Sherry, provided investigators with legal and financial documentation that proved the Vickerstaffs had had physical and legal custody of Amore since 2009, and had also received steady child support payments during that time.

Amore’s father, Lamar Vickerstaff Jr, has been charged with felony murder in relation to Amore’s death. He has also been charged with failure to report a child missing.

Amore’s step-mother, Ruth Vickerstaff, has also been charged with failure to report a child missing.

Both of the Vickerstaffs were arrested on January 17th, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida, where they have been living since being stationed at Naval Base Mayport. At the time of the January 19th, 2023 press conference, they were both awaiting extradition to Alabama, where they will face the charges that have been leveled against them.

Opelika Police say the investigation is still active, and they need the public’s help in learning more about what Amore’s life with her father and step-mother was like. Please share Amore’s story with anyone you may know who lived in the Norfolk, Virginia or Opelika, Alabama areas at any point during or between the years of 2009-2011.

Sources used to research these updates:

The January 19th, 2023 Press Conference Given by the Opelika Police Department

If you have information regarding Amore Wiggins, Lamar Vickerstaff or Ruth Vickerstaff, You can reach the Opelika Police Department Detective Division at (334) 705-5220. Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, you can call the Secret Witness Hotline at (334) 745-8665.

UNSOLVED DISAPPEARANCE: MARINA BOELTER

When a young Indiana mother leaves work on New Year’s Eve, she never makes it to the celebration she planned to attend—instead, she disappears along with the final hours of the waning year. Investigators examine a variety of potential suspects—including an ex-boyfriend, an older man living a double-life, and a convicted killer next-door—in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Sources used to research this episode:

ViCAP Missing Person: Marina Pearl Boelter–Bloomfield, Indiana (FBI.gov)

Missing: Marina Boelter (Uncovered.com)

Family of Missing Greene County Woman Desperate for Information (Laura Lane / The Herald-Times)

Disappearance of Bloomfield Teen Remains Unsolved (Tia Irish / Greene County Daily World)

Family of Missing Greene County Teen Seeking Information on her Disappearance (Laura Lane / The Herald Times)

Where is Marina Boelter? (WBIW.com)

Still a Mystery: Missing Blue Eyes (from Investigation Discovery / IMDB.com)

Prosecutor: Fatal Stabbing Was Self Defense (Ab Tonsing / The Herald-Times)

May 2rd, 1976 Edition of The Herald and Review Newspaper from Decatur, Illinois (via newspapers.com)

Mother of Missing Bloomfield Woman Not Giving Up (Laura Land / The Reporter Times)

Woman Last Seen Entering Car on New Year’s Eve (Lisa Trigg / Tribune Star)

Marina Pearl Boelter (The Charley Project)

If you have any information about the disappearance of Marina Boelter, please call the Indiana State Police at 317.232.8248 OR the Bloomfield Police Department at 812-384-4411.

UNSOLVED HOMICIDE: SARAH GREENHALGH

When a seasoned crime reporter’s home goes up in flames, first responders find her inside the blaze, deceased—but not from the fire. Northern Virginia authorities investigate the murder of a woman who dedicated her career to keeping the public informed on matters of law and justice in this episode of Last Seen Alive..

Sources used to research this episode:

A Sleuth in Life, an Intrigue in Death: Sarah Greenhalgh’s Murder Goes Unsolved After Five Years (Hannah Dellinger / The Faquier Times)

New details released in 2012 death of Upperville’s Sarah Greenhalgh (Evan Goodenow / The Loudon Times-Mirror)

Sarah’s Story (Crystal Brumme Kimball / Equiery.com)

John Sheldon Kearns Arrested on Probation Violation (ABC7 News)

Man Linked to Homicide Investigation Returns to Jail (Joe Beck / The Northern Virginia Daily)

First Responder Lethality on Domestic Violence Calls (Shawn Guy / GenesisShelter.org)

Almost Five Years Later, Reporter’s Death Unresolved (Evan Goodenow / The Winchester Star)

Video: Murder of Sarah Greenhalgh Goes Unsolved 5 Years Later (Piedmont Media via YouTube)

If you know anything about the murder of Sarah Greenhalgh, please contact the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office at (540) 347-3300.

BREAKING UPDATE: TWO MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF CHONG MOUA YANG!

On December 22, 2022, two men were arrested and charged with first-degree felony murder and felony firearm possession in relation to the Nov. 16, 2018 murder of Chong Moua Yang.

Chong–an avid, lifelong hunter–failed to return home from a trip to his favorite public land hunting spot on the day of his death. When his family went to search for him, fearing that he’d suffered some sort of medical emergency, they found two sets of footprints that led them to his body.

They found Chong lying at the foot of his tree stand, deceased from a fatal gunshot wound to the head. His hunting shotgun, hunting knife and backpack were nowhere to be seen, and had apparently been stolen.

The Bath Township Police diligently investigated Chong’s murder for four years, with the help of the FBI. Finally, on December 22, 2022, two local men–Robert Rodway (34) and Thomas Olson (34)–were arrested and charged with felony murder and felony firearm possession in relation to Chong’s murder. Investigators say that a plastic bag and hunting spray found at the scene of the crime helped lead them to Rodway and Olson.

Rodway and Olson are being held without bond, and are scheduled to attend a probable cause conference on January 5, 2023, and a preliminary hearing on January 12, 2023.

Sources used to research this update:

Two Men Charged in Cold Case Killing of Lansing Hunter in Bath Township in. 2018 (Lansing State Journal Staff / Lansing State Journal)

Two Arrested in Connection with 2018 Homicide of Hunter (Krystle Hollman / WILX10 News)

UNSOLVED DISAPPEARANCE: ANDREA KNABEL + UNSOLVED HOMICIDE: OPELIKA JANE DOE

When a Kentucky woman disappears, the missing persons search group she often volunteered with must look for one of its own. Questions and possibilities abound as the search for a beloved mother, sister, daughter and friend continues in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Also included in this episode: a request for information regarding the unsolved homicide of an unidentified young girl currently known as Opelika Jane Doe. Do you recognize this child?

Unsolved Disappearance: Andrea Knabel

Sources used to research this episode (Andrea’s Story):

Three Years Since Her Disappearance, Andrea Knable’s Family Holds Onto Hope For Answers, Closure (Darby Bean / WDRB News)

Missing: Andrea Knabel (uncovered.com)

On Her 40th Birthday, Andrea Knabel is Still Missing–And Her Family Still Wants Closure (Caray Grace / WLKY News)

‘Things Are Advancing’: Andrea Knabel’s Family Reflects on Three Years Since Her Disappearance, Provides Update on Case (Connor Steffen / WHAS11 News)

The Disappearance of Andrea Knabel (Alissa Fleck / crimescoop.org)

Bates (Ethan Samuel) vs. Commonwealth of Kentucky (via justia.com)


If you know anything about the disappearance of Andrea Knabel, please call the Louisville Metro Police Department at 502-574-7111 OR the anonymous tipline at 502-574-5673.

Unsolved Homicide: Opelika Jane Doe

Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe was 4-7 years old when she was murdered in or around 2011. Her remains were discovered in Opelika, Alabama. Investigators believe she may also have had ties to any or all of the following places: Norfolk, VA, Rockingham County, NC and Orlando, FL. Her most distinctive feature was her left eye, which appeared different than her right due to an injury that likely left her blind in that eye.

Do you recognize this child? Does she perhaps resemble the child of a friend or family member who you haven’t seen for the past decade+? Her autopsy revealed that she was badly abused throughout her short lifetime. It is very possible that she died at the hands of her guardian(s) and was never reported missing. If questioned regarding the child’s whereabouts, her guardian(s) may claim that she was adopted, or that they relinquished custody of her to another party.

Investigators in Opelika are working hard to give her her name back and diligently follow up on every tip received. Please report any possible information to the Opelika Police Department.

Sources used to research this episode (Opelika Jane Doe’s Story):

Alabama Jane Doe’s Identity Still a Mystery Despite Leads (Jasmine Williams / WSFA News)

New images: Opelika Police Department Continues to Investigate 2012 Jane Doe Cold Case (Hannah James / WRIC News)

Investigators Remain Hopeful in Identifying Opelika Baby Jane Doe One Decade After Her Discovery (Jolyn Hannah and Elizabeth White / WRBL News)

Alabama Murder Case Could Have Ties to Southeastern Virginia, Northeastern North Carolina (Amy Avery / WAVY.com)

Using Isotopes in Human Hair to Reveal Personal Characteristics for Forensic Investigations (National Institute of Justice)

Opelika Investigators Hope Sharper Images Turn Focus on “Baby Jane Doe” Killer (Elizabeth While / WRBL News)

If you recognize Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe / have any information regarding her identity or death, please call the Opelika Police Department at (334) 745-8665.

UNSOLVED QUADRUPLE-HOMICIDE: THE DARDEEN FAMILY

When an Illinois couple and their young children are murdered in an act of profound violence, investigators struggle to find anyone who might’ve wanted to harm the well-liked family. A decades-long investigation explores multiple possibilities, including the involvement of serial killers, in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Sources used to research this episode:

Gruesome Murder of an Illinois Family Remains Unsolved as The Main Suspect is Executed (Bob Cyphers and Sara Bannoura / KMOV4 News)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri · Page 6, 11/21/1987 ed. (via newspapers.com)

13-Year Vigil of Fear Eases in Illinois Town (Flynn McRoberts / The Chicago Tribune)

Through the Window: The Terrifying True Story of Cross-Country Killer Tommy Lynn Sells (Diana Fanning / St Martin’s Press)

How Serial Killer Ángel Reséndiz Used Railroads To Target, Murder His 9 Victims (Benjamin H. Smith / Oxygen.com)

‘Railroad Killer’ Executed in Texas (NBC News)

Tommy Lynn Sells (Michael Newton / The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri, Feb. 18th, 2001 · Page 15

The Coast to Coast Killer (Lisa Marie Fuqua via medium.com)

Killer Smile (John Macccormack / Dallas Observer)

If you know anything about the murders of Keith, Elaine, Peter and Casey Dardeen, please contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 618-244-8004.

UNSOLVED HOMICIDE: SUSAN LUND + UNSOLVED HOMICIDE: CHONG MOUA YANG

UPDATE: AS OF DEC. 22, 2022, TWO MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CHONG MOUA YANG’S MURDER! READ ABOUT IT HERE.

UNSOLVED HOMICIDE: SUSAN LUND (PART 1 OF EPISODE)

When a Tennessee woman steps out on a Christmas Eve errand, her family is devastated when she never returns. Investigators finally identify a Jane Doe whose case had long gone cold, only for the mystery surrounding her death to deepen in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Sources used to research this episode (Susan’s story):

From a Jane Doe Case to a Homicide: Investigators Want to Know Who Killed Susan Lund (Holly Brantley / WPSD News)

DNA leads to identity of ‘Ina Jane Doe’ found decapitated in Illinois park in 1992 (Crystal Bonvillian / Kiro7 News)

Leaf Chronicle Newspaper, Dec. 31, 1992 ed., Page 11 (via Newspapers.com)

Leaf-Chronicle Newspaper, Jan. 8, 1993 ed., Page 5 (via Newspapers.com)

Remains of Clarksville’s Susan Lund, Missing Since 1992, Identified in Illinois (Alexis Clark / Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle)

Clarksville Woman Missing for 30 Years, Identified in 6 Hours With Forensic Technology (Marissa Sulek / WBIR News)

Homicide is a Leading Cause of Death for Pregnant Women in the US (Rebecca B Lawn and  Karestan C Koenen BMJ 2022;379:o2499)

AstreaForensics.com

RedgraveResearch.com

Highway Serial Killings: New Initiative on Emerging Trend (FBI.gov)

If you have any information on the death of Susan Lund, please call the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 618-244-8015. At the time of this recording this episode, Detective Captain Bobby Wallace is assigned to the case and is seeking any information on Susan’s death and / or her whereabouts on or after December 24th, 1992.

UNSOLVED HOMICIDE: CHONG MOUA YANG (PART 2 OF EPISODE)

DEC. 22, 2022 UPDATE: TWO MEN HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH CHONG MOUA YANG’S MURDER! READ ABOUT IT HERE. AN UPDATE TO OUR EPISODE ON CHONG’S CASE IS FORTHCOMING.

A lifelong hunter, Chong Moua Yang was killed on Nov. 15th, 2018 while hunting his favorite spot at Rose Lake Wildlife Area in Bath Township, MI (near Lansing). He was found at the base of his treestand with a single gunshot wound to his head. His traditional Hmong hunting knife (pictured below), shotgun, backpack and wallet had all been taken.

It’s possible that Chong’s killer may be in possession of the stolen items. His traditional Hmong hunting knife is especially distinctive and unusual for the area.

Also pictured below: two unidentified hunters captured on a trail cam. Investigators believe these hunters may have witnessed something important without realizing its significance. If you recognize them, please tell them to contact the Bath Township Police Police or the FBI Detroit Field Office.

Sources used to research this episode (Chong’s story):

Chong Moua Yang: Love for Hunting Forged in Native Laos (Bob Campbell / Bridge Michigan)

‘How could you leave him like that?’ — Mid-Michigan Family Demands Answers in Hunter’s Death (Kylie Khan and Dane Kelly / WILX News)

Chong Moua Yang (FBI.gov)


This case has been solved!

Chong’s case has been solved thanks to the hard work of the Bath Township Police, the FBI, and witness testimony. Thank you for listening–please check out our other episodes for cases that are still unsolved.

UNSOLVED DISAPPEARANCE: LEEANNA WARNER

When a young girl goes missing from her small Minnesota town, her community immediately unites in an effort to locate her. Investigators struggle to locate any trace of a beloved child who’s seemingly disappeared into thin air in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Sources used to research this episode:

Cold Cases: LeeAnna Warner (Adam Jagunich / Fox21 News)

No Clues in Search for Missing Minn. Girl (ABC News)

What Happened to LeeAnna Warner? (Fatim Hemraj / Newsbreak.com)

Chisholm’s LeeAnna Warner, 5, Went Missing in 2003. Her Case Had a Big Impact on Law Enforcement (Teri Cadeau / Duluth News Tribune)

Police Believe ‘Somebody Knows Something’ About LeeAnna Warner, Who Vanished at Age 5 in 2003 (Elaine Aradillas / People.com)

The Tragic Disappearance of LeeAnna Warner (Jenn Baxter / Medium.com)

Man Was One of Many Being Interviewed, Sheriff Says (Brian K. Anderson / Mesabi Tribune)

Suffocation Caused by Plastic Bag Covering the Face Combined with Cotton Wool Containing Premium Gasoline: A Forensic Pathology Case Report (Abigael S. Pagatiku et al.)

The Fifth Nail and Beyond: Websites Built by Psychopaths (Steve Huff / Inside Hook)

Idaho Suspect Tied to Minn. Girl? (ABC News)

If you know anything about the disappearance of LeeAnna Warner, please call the Chisholm Police Department at 218-254-7915.

UNSOLVED QUADRUPLE-HOMICIDE: THE SHARP FAMILY

When a mom of five leaves an unhealthy marriage, she resettles in remote Keddie, California with her children, not knowing that their fresh start will soon come to a tragic end. Evil walks into Cabin #28 and modern-day investigators seek to rectify the mistakes of their predecessors in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Sources used to research this episode:

Murder in Cabin 28: Why Investigators Say They Are Closer Than Ever to Solving the Keddie Murders Case (Madison Wade / ABC 10)

Inside the Search for the Keddie Cabin Killers 35 Years After a Family Was Slaughtered (Jeff Truesdell / People)

The Mystery Behind the Keddie Cabin Murders Explained (Jennifer Deutschmann / Grunge.com)

Keddie Murders Revisited Part 1 (Victoria Metcalf / Plumas News)

Keddie Murders Revisited Part 2 (Victoria Metcalf / Plumas News)

Keddie Murders Revisited Part 3: Hypnosis, Counselor’s Revelations, Mob Connections (Victoria Metcalf / Plumas News)

Unsolved Mystery of the Keddie Cabin Murders (Historic Mysteries)

Exorcising Ghosts of the Past / New Owner Hopes To Reopen Resort Haunted by 20-Year-Old Slayings (Kevin Fagan / SF Gate)

‘People Magazine Investigates After Show’ : How Solving Keddie Murders Is ‘Personal’ for Investigators

Page 4 of the April 13, 2011Edition of the Chester Progressive

If you know anything about the murders of Sue Sharp, John Sharp, Tina Sharp and Dana Wingate, please contact the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office at 530-283-6375.