Keystone Cold Cases

Episode 57: Cassandra Gross - Murdered (2018) and Shirley Saxon - Murdered (1997)

Cassandra Gross was last heard from on April 7, 2018.  Days later her dog was found wandering alone along a road in Unity Township and shortly after her car was found near Twin Lakes Park in Hempfield Township, burned.  She was legally declared dead in 2019 and though her body has never been recovered, it is considered a homicide investigation. Listen as Grace tells the story and discusses theories with Sarah. Stick around to hear Grace tell the story of Shirley Saxon and discuss theories with Chelsea. Shirley Mae Saxon’s home in Perry Township/Uniontown (Fayette County) burned down in 1997.  Her body was found inside and the fire was ruled an arson by the State Police Fire Marshal.  Her 40 year-old boyfriend denies having anything to do with the fire or her death and refuses to cooperate in the investigation.  The status of her case is officially cold. Sources and details available at kccpod.com

Episode 56: Phylicia Thomas - Missing (2004)

Phylicia finished her shift at Pump-N-Pantry on February 11th 2004 and went home. Her boyfriend at the time was at home asleep on the couch when she got in. He woke up when she entered the house and remembered she asked where the beer was before going back to sleep. After she went outside to get a beer she vanished. There has been some grizzly local town gossip of what happened but still no solid leads. Listen as Chelsea tells the story and discusses theories with Grace. 

Episode 55: UPDATES

In this week's extra-long episode to celebrate one year of KCC, listen as Chelsea, Grace, and Sarah discuss recaps and updates for the cases that were covered in the first six months of the podcast. All information is available through original blogposts on kccpod.com 

Episode 54: Diane Wolf - Missing (1999)

Diane Wolf was going through her typical Friday schedule after she left her shift at Hanover foods on January 31st, 1999. She stopped home to drop off her lunchbox and some Avon products then left to go run her typical errands. The last sighting of her was when she stopped at Allfirst Bank and deposited her paycheck. She was recorded on surveillance at 7:33AM and after that it is a mystery. Other than town gossip there haven’t been many leads over the past 23 years. 

Episode 53: Barbara Ann Mangus - Murdered (1974)

While walking home from a work Christmas party after a spat with her husband, Barbara Ann Mangus went missing. Two weeks later, on New Year’s Eve, she was found murdered. Her primary injury was strangulation. Investigators were left to put fragments of stories together to create one narrative in an attempt to solve the mystery of what happened to Barbara Ann Mangus that December night in 1974. Listen as Sarah tells the story and discusses theories with Chelsea. 

Episode 52:”The West Coast Video Murders” Bryan Benson and Seann Campbell - Murdered (1993)

The brutal murder of two young men in a video rental store in a Warminster shopping center in November of 1993 became known as the West Coast Video Murders.  No one has ever been charged with the murders, investigators have never even announced a suspect, despite having DNA evidence and possibly the murder weapon.  Bryan and Seann’s families remain desperate for answers 28 years later.  Who killed Bryan Benson and Seann Campbell? Listen as Grace tells the story and exchanges theories with Chelsea and Sarah. Sources and images available at kccpod.com. 

Episode 51: Rocco Marinaro - Murdered (2012) AND Michelle Farr - Murdered (1980)

Rocco Marinaro was walking home from eating out at a restaurant in Allentown. He was found shot inside his enclosed porch in 2012 and to date no persons of interest have been released. The Allentown police did release a clip of surveillance footage of Rocco walking home that they believe could lead to more information. They are looking to help identify two people who were seen shortly after Rocco passed the camera. 

 

Michelle Farr ran a typical errand to the grocery store only two blocks away from her home. On her way home she was abducted. The following day her body was found in Lake Nockamixon. This case has been unsolved for 41 years and 6 year old Michelle deserves justice.

Listen as Chelsea tells the stories and discusses theories with Grace. Sources and information available at kccpod.com

Episode 50: Keith John Polerecki - Murdered (1996)

When the search for a missing person turns up a body near the train tracks, family members are left asking who did this? And better yet, why? The family has their theories; investigators say they're close; but who caused the death of Keith John Polerecki? Listen as Sarah tells the tale and discusses ideas with Chelsea. Sources and images available at kccpod.com. 

Episode 49: Karen Denise Wells - Missing (1994)

In the early morning hours of April 13, 1994 an abandoned car was found stopped on a foggy highway.  Both front doors were wide open, the car was out of gas and the battery was dead.  The car was covered in mud and scratches, like the ‘93 Plymouth had just been off-roading in the surrounding wilderness, but there it was in the middle of the westbound lane of a Pennsylvania highway.  The area was thoroughly searched, but no driver or passengers of the vehicle were ever located.  And where was the woman who had rented the car for a cross country trip in the first place?  23 year-old Karen Denise Wells? This week, Grace tells the story with comments from Chelsea and Sarah. All sources and information is available at kccpod.com

Episode 48: Charlotte Fimiano - Murdered (1997)

When 40 year old realtor Charlotte Fimiano left for work on September 11, 1997, she had no idea that it was the last time she would see her home. After responding to a call about a showing, Charlotte was found shot and strangled in the very home she was to show. Was it a random act? Was she targeted for family secrets? Listen in as Sarah gives details of the story and discusses ideas with Grace. Sources and details available at kccpod.com