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.
Arnold Archambeau and Ruby Bruguier were 20 and 18-years-old, respectively, at the time of their December 12th, 1992, disappearances. Their deaths followed soon after their disappearances, and the circumstances remain a mystery to this day.Arnold and Ruby grew up on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in Lake Andes, South Dakota and were high school sweethearts. Both were well-liked among their community–whether their deaths were accidental or a result of foul play is unknown.
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.
Amore Wiggins was known as Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe from the time her remains were discovered (January of 2012) until January of 2023, when she was finally identified. Source: family photo.This image from the Center for Missing and Exploited Children represented what Opelika’s Baby Jane Doe was believed to have looked like in like during the investigation.These snapshots from a Vacation Bible School in Opelika, AL are believed to be of Amore Wiggins.Amore’s father, Lamar Vickerstaff, was charged with Felony Murder on January 17th, 2023. He was also charged with Failure to Report a Child Missing.Investigators are still seeking information regarding Amore and what her short time with her father and stepmother was like.Amore’s stepmother, Ruth Vickerstaff, was charged with Failure to Report a Child Missing on January 17th, 2023.This portrait of Amore Wiggins was taken while she was still in the custody of her mother, Sherry Wiggins. Source: family photo.
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.
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.
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.
Marina Boelter was 18 years old when she went missing from Bloomfield, Indiana on December 31, 2014.After Marina disappeared, her mother, Tressie, campaigned tirelessly for answers. She even dyed her hair a vivid purple (Marina’s favorite color). Tragically, she died in 2021, without ever receiving answers in regards to her daughter’s disappearance.Pictured: a billboard requesting information regarding Marina’s disappearance. Source: Laura Lane / The Herald-Times.Marina was a loving mother to her infant son, who was less than a year old when she disappeared.
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.
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..
Sarah Greenhalgh was 48 years old when someone fatally shot her inside her Northern Virginia home, and then set the house on fire in an apparent effort to destroy evidence.Before her death, Sarah wrote for a variety of Northern Virginia newspapers. In death, she became the subject of headlines, rather than the author.John Sheldon Kearns was dating Sarah at the time of her death. Although his defense attorney has stated that Kearns is considered a suspect in reference to Sarah’s murder, he has not faced any charges related to her case. He has a violent criminal history. Sarah was employed by The Winchester Star newspaper at the time of her death. This photo published by The Winchester Star shows her home in the aftermath of the fire her killer set.Page 1 of an affidavit for search warrant filed by a Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office investigator in relation to Sarah’s case.
Chong Moua Yang was an avid hunter, and was 68-years-old when he was murdered while hunting his favorite spot.Chong Moua Yang was murdered while hunting at his favorite spot on public land at the Rose Lake State Wildlife Area in Bath Township, Michigan.Thomas Olson (left) and Robert Rodway (right) are both charged with First-Degree Felony Murder and Felony Firearm Possession in relation to the murder of Chong Moua Yang. Both men are 34-year-old and local to the area.
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.
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
Andrea Knabel went missing from Louisville, KY on the night of August 13, 2019. She has not been seen or heard from since. She is missed by her children, parents, siblings and many friends. Image source: family photo.Andrea went missing from Louisville’s Audubon Park neighborhood (red pin). Audubon Park is statistically safer than most KY neighborhoods, but foul play may have been involved in her disappearance nonetheless. Image source: Google Maps.Prior to her disappearance, Andrea was known for her remarkable ability to make friends with virtually anyone. She had a wide social circle and is missed by many. She was also known for her involvement in a volunteer group that donated its time to searching for people missing in the Louisville area. After her disappearance, her fellow members searched diligently for her, without success.
Sources used to research this episode(Andrea’s Story):
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.
This composite image shows what Opelika Jane Doe would have looked like in life with her hair worn loose. Source: NCMEC.Opelika Jane Doe’s remains were found in Opelika, Alabama (red pin), but investigators believe she may also have had ties to Norfolk, VA, Rockingham County, NC and Orlando, FL (green pins). Map source: mapcustomizer.comThese snapshots are believed to be the only known pictures of Opelika Jane Doe in life. They were taken in 2011 at a vacation Bible school in Opelika. By the time their significance was discovered, attendance records had been destroyed. Source: Opelika Greater Peace Baptist Church / Opelika Police.These composite images show what Opelika Jane Doe would have looked like in life with her hair braided into cornrows, which is how it was styled when her remains were discovered. The appearance of her left eye–in which she was likely blind–was her most distinctive physical trait. Do you recognize her? Any tip–no matter how small–may be of use to investigators.
Sources used to research this episode (Opelika Jane Doe’s Story):
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.
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.
The Dardeen Family included Russell Keith Dardeen, Ruby Elaine Dardeen, their son Peter Dardeen and newborn daughter Casey Dardeen (not pictured / no photos available). The Dardeens were known for their prize-winning family Halloween costumes.Pictured: Peter Dardeen walks in front of his family’s mobile home on the outskirts of Ina, Illinois. Elaine, Peter and Casey were murdered inside the home, while Keith was killed inside his own car (also pictured).Serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells confessed to murdering the Dardeens, but was known to make false confessions. Whether or not he was truly responsible for their murders is unknown. Sells was a cowardly sexual predator and murderer who often preyed upon unsuspecting women and children. He was executed in Texas in 2014 and is not missed.A page from the Southern Illinoisan details Sells’ confession. It remains unknown whether the confession was factual, or just one of Sells’ many documented, self-serving lies. Sells changed the details of his confession multiple times.Keith and Elaine Dardeen were loving parents to their son, Peter, and were looking forward to the birth of their second child at the time of their deaths. Their daughter, Casey, was born during the attack that took Elaine’s life. There is no doubt that Casey would have been cherished by her parents, just like her brother, had the family not been slain.
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.
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.
Susan Lund was last seen alive on Dec. 24th, 1992 in Clarksville, TN. She was 25 years old and a mother of 3 children. She was in the first trimester of pregnancy at the time of her disappearance. Family photo.Pictured: a newspaper clipping from shortly after Susan’s disappearance.Susan set out on a walk to a grocery store and never returned home. Her partial remains were discovered approximately one month later in Illinois. Family photo.Susan’s husband, Paul, searched for his wife after her disappearance. He eventually came to believe she had been abducted.Police made the grave error of accepting the word of a caller who claimed to be Susan. At this time, Susan was in fact already deceased. Her case would remain cold for 30 years.Susan disappeared from Clarksville, TN and her partial remains were later found at Wayne Fitzgerrell State Park in southern Illinois.
Sources used to research this episode (Susan’s story):
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.
Chong Moua Yang was shot and killed on Nov. 16th, 2018. He was 68 years old, a father of 9 and a grandfather of 14.Authorities believe these hunters may have seen something important without realizing its significance.Chong’s distinctive traditional Hmong hunting knife was stolen, along with his shotgun, backpack and wallet.Chong was killed in the Rose Lake State Wildlife Area, which is just outside of Lansing, Michigan.
Sources used to research this episode (Chong’s story):
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.
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.
LeeAnna Warner was 5 years old when she disappeared from Chisholm, MN in 2003. She is still missing.LeeAnna was known as an adventurous and friendly child who loved to give hugs.Joseph Edward Duncan III was a serial sexual predator and serial killer who victimized children. In 2004, he blogged that he was afraid he’d be blamed for LeeAnna’s disappearance. It’s unknown whether he was involved in any way. He is deceased.This age-progressed photo shows what LeeAnna might’ve looked like at age 15. If alive, as of 2022, she is 24 years old.
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.
Pictured clockwise from top left: homicide victims Sue Sharp (age 36), John Sharp (age 15), Dana Wingate (age 17) and Tina Sharp (age 12). Family photos.Pictured: Cabin #28 at the Keddie Resort. Sue Sharp lived in the cabin with her 5 children. The murders occurred in its living room. Photo from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.Sue Sharp was a loving mother of 5. Here, she’s pictured with her children, 2 of whom were murdered along with her in April of 1981. Family photo.Pictured: Cabin #28, from an alternate viewpoint. Photo from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.This crime scene photo shows some of the blood stains on the carpet where 3 of the murders occurred. Photo from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.Two investigators examine a bloodstain on the wallpaper in the room where 3 of the murders occurred. Photo from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.Pictured: Page 1 of the original hand-written police report. Photo from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.Pictured: evidence items including a hammer and knife (murder weapons) and a tape cassette containing a call recording. Photo from the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.Pictured: Martin Smartt. He was a neighbor of the Sharp’s at the time of the murders, and is considered a suspect.
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.
LAST SEEN ALIVE 