Category Archives: Episode

The Sinking of the SS Clara Nevada

April 30, 2021EpisodeAlaska Gold Rush, Gold Rush, Maritime Disasters, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Robin Barefield, Sinking Ship, SS Clara Nevada, Steve Levimurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:41 — 25.4MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Was the wreck of the Clara Nevada a terrible accident or the greatest mass-murder in Alaska history?

Superstitions swirl around boats, and some captains believe bizarre myths. Renaming a vessel remains foremost among the maritime harbingers of bad luck, and if you dare change the name of your boat, you must follow a strict protocol to avoid certain doom. The Clara Nevada did not even complete her maiden voyage under her new name. Is this boat the case study to prove the truth of the old mariner’s superstition, or did her captain plot her demise?

On February 5, 1898, the SS Clara Nevada departed Skagway, Alaska, headed for Juneau and then Seattle. Hurricane-force winds of 90 knots (100 mph 161 km/h) pummeled the vessel with following seas of twelve to fifteen feet (4-5 m) as the helmsman attempted to navigate the infamous Lynn Canal of Alaska’s Inside Passage. When the decrepit old ship reportedly struck a rock and sank, the news surprised no one. Searchers found the body of only one man, the ship’s purser, but news reports speculated no one survived such a horrific accident.

The loss of the Clara Nevada at first seemed a tragic but foreseeable accident, and no one doubted the negligence of the ship’s owners and captain. Before long, though, folks began asking questions, and the Seattle newspapers speculated wildly about the disaster. Crewmen believed to have died in the wreck turned up alive and well. Even the captain materialized and wasted little time beginning his next venture to ferry prospectors to the goldfields.

What happened on February 5, 1898, aboard the Clara Nevada? Was the wreck an accident, or did the captain and a few crewmen perpetrate the worst mass-murder in the history of Alaska?

Sources
The Clara Nevada; Gold, Greed, Murder and Alaska’s Inside Passage. Levi, Steven C. 2011. History Press. This book was my main source for this article. It covers the sinking of the Clara Nevada and the exploits of Captain C.H. Lewis in much more detail than I’ve included here. The author also describes the challenges involved in trying to research a maritime disaster in Alaska in the late 1800s. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about the Clara Nevada or get a feel for the atmosphere in both Seattle and Skagway during the Klondike gold rush.

Gold on the Clara Nevada: Cold Case Gets Hot. National Underwater and Marine Agency. Available at:

https://numa.net/2014/05/gold-on-the-clara-nevada-cold-case-gets-hot/

Eldred Rock Lighthouse, Alaska. Lighthousefriends.com. Available at: https://lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=828
Clara Nevada. Hougen Group. Available at: www.hougengroup.com/yukon-history/yukon-nuggets/clara-nevada/

The Clara Nevada’s sinking may always remain a mystery. 08-26-2012.James, David. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Available at: www.newsminer.com/the-clara-nevada-s-sinking-may-always-remain-a-mystery/article_b217c23-97Of-58cd-972d-411d91575508.html

The 2007 Hassler Expedition; The Hassler’s last days and the wreck of the Clara Nevada. National Marine Sanctuaries. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Available at: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/maritime/expeditions/hassler/last_days.html

SS Clara Nevada.Shipwrecks in Pacific Waters: 1800s. Maritime Heritage. Available at: https://www.maritimeheritage.org/ships/SS-Clara-Nevada.html

Clara Nevada. Skagway Stories. Available at: www.skagwaystories.org/2011/02/04/clara-nevada/

Haunted Inside Passage: Ghosts, Legends, and Mysteries of Southeast Alaska. Dihle, Bjorn. 2017. Alaska Northwest Books.

________________________________________

If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month I will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier available only for club members.
· Behind the scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
· Merchandise or discounts on MMLF merchandise or handmade glass jewelry. Become a Patron!

_________________________________________________________________________________________
Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

______________________________________________________________________________________
Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska.
Join me on:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com
Check out my books at Author Masterminds

______________________________________________________________________________________
Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

Serial Killer John Joseph Fautenberry

April 12, 2021EpisodeJohn Fautenberry, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder in Alaska, Robin Barefield, Serial Murderermurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:22 — 27.0MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Would you recognize a serial killer if you rubbed elbows with him in a bar or if he struck up a conversation with you on a hiking trail? Maybe something about the person would set off alarm bells, especially if you found yourself alone with him. A sociopath or a psychopath can often present a charming demeanor, though, so most of us would never notice the predator in our midst. We might not realize the friendly stranger is a brutal murderer until we read the news the next day.

I learned about the killing spree of John Fautenberry in a Facebook message from a reader named Brian Akre. Brian was an Associated Press correspondent in Juneau, Alaska, in 1991, when he encountered Fautenberry at a bar on the night Fautenberry murdered his last victim. Brian said he talked to Fautenberry at the bar and saw him with the man he would murder a few hours later. Brian said, “It was a weird experience. When I saw the news story in the Juneau Empire and realized it was the same guy I had seen at the bar, it sent a shiver down my spine. He just seemed like any other loud, intoxicated guy at a bar on any Saturday night.” Akre said the incident at the Juneau bar was the closest he ever wanted to come to meeting a serial killer.

Sources:

John Joseph Fautenberry. Murderpedia. Available at https://murderpedia.org/male.F/f1/fautenberry.htm

John Fautenberry. Wikipedia. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fautenberry

John Joseph Fautenberry. Clark Prosecutor. Available at http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/fautenberry1170.htm

________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Subscribe to my free, monthly Murder and Mystery Newsletter for more stories about true crime and mystery from Alaska.
Join me on:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn
Visit my website at http://robinbarefield.com
Check out my books at Author Masterminds

______________________________________________________________________________________

Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

What Happened to the Palmer Brothers?

March 24, 2021EpisodeChucky Palmer, Michael Palmer, Missing in Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Robin Barefield, True Crime in Alaskamurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:39 — 18.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

When a son disappears, his parents suffer a blow from which they will never recover, but how do parents cope when two of their sons vanish? Imagine if those two brothers disappeared a decade apart.

I’ve mentioned before the alarming statistics about the number of people who disappear in Alaska. People walk into the woods and never return. They go out to sea on a boat, and the vessel vanishes. Far too many have climbed into the cockpit of an airplane and evaporated into thin air. In this episode, though, I’ll tell you the tragic, unbelievable account of the disappearance of two brothers.

Alaska State Troopers Department of Public Safety: (907) 269-5511

Sources:

Michael Timothy Palmer. The Charley Project.
https://charleyproject.org/case/michael-timothy-palmer

Charles Edwin Palmer V. The Charley Project.
https://charleyproject.org/case/charles-edwin-palmer-v

Aho, Karen. 7-17-1991. Police Press Hunt for Missing Teen. AK Fatal.
https://www.akfatal.net/Palmer%2006-04-97.htm

KTNA Staff. 5-4-2011. Missing person case from last year still a mystery. KTNA Community Radio for the Susitna Valley.
https://ktna.org/2011/05/missing-persons-case-from-last-year-still-a-mystery/

12-29-2012. Overlapping Disappearances: the Brothers Palmer. Ididitforjodie.
https://ididitforjodie.com/2012/12/29/overlapping-disappearances-the-brothers-palmer/

_________________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

The Birdman of Alcatraz

March 8, 2021EpisodeBirdman, Birdman of Alcatraz, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder in Alaska, Robert Stroud, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:28 — 22.5MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

You might not associate The Birdman of Alcatraz with Alaska, but Robert Stroud, often called the Birdman, once lived in Alaska, and after murdering a man in a Juneau bar, he spent the rest of his life, 54 years. He was in solitary confinement for 42 of those years. Stroud is one of Alaska’s most famous criminals, and if you are like me, you will find his story is fascinating.

Sources:

Robert Stroud Biography (1890-1963). Biography.
https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/robert-stroud-birdman-of-alcatraz

Robert Franklin Stroud. Murderpedia.
https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/stroud-robert.htm

Brennan, Tom. 2001. Birdman of Alcatraz. Murder at 40 Below. Epicenter Press

Bovsun, Mara. 2019. Justice Story: How the “Birdman of Alcatraz” soared to fame. New York Daily News.
https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ny-birdman-of-alcatraz-20191110-o4bduk3cjzg43e5h2pxrojec4i-story.html

__________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

_______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

The Killer Who Hibernated in Alaska

February 17, 2021EpisodeAlaska True Crime, Charles Sinclair, Coin Shop Killer, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder in Alaska, Robin Barefield, Serial Killermurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:29 — 25.2MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Retirees Robert and Dagmar Linton eagerly embarked on a long-planned camping trip in the Pacific Northwest, and they promised their children they would be careful. The Lintons did not express concerns about their journey, but Dagmar made sure their wills and affairs were in order before they left home. Was she just cautious, or did she have a premonition something terrible would befall them? Her son and daughter would always wonder if their mother had concerns, and they would never know what exactly happened to their parents.

Sources
Charles T. Sinclair. Murderpedia. Available at: https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/sinclair-charles.htm

Charles T. Sinclair. Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_T._Sinclair

Smith, Pete. 1-18-2016. 2015 Coin Shop Murders Add to a Long List of Tragic Ends for the Hobby. Coinweek.com. Available at: https://coinweek.com/people-in-the-news/crime-and-fraud/2015-coin-shop-murders/
McMillan, Penelope.

11/23/1990. Suspect in Murder Spree Takes Secrets to the Grave: Serial killings: Detectives are convinced the man who died in Alaska cell left trail of bodies across West. Los Angeles Times. Available at: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-23-mn-5200-story.html

Ice Cold Killers. Season 2, Episode 3. Devil’s Den.

______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

_____________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

Who Murdered the Benolkens

January 27, 2021EpisodeBenolken Murders, Emanuel Telles, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Murder in Juneau, Newton Lambert, Robin Barefield, True Crime in Alaskamurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:06 — 22.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

Who brutally raped and murdered James and Anne Benolken in their Juneau apartment in 1982? Nearly four decades later, many questions remain unanswered.

Sources

Sources
Starr, Douglas. 12-1-2013. Do police interrogation techniques produce false confessions?https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/09/the-interview-7

Episode 4: The Benolken Murders, the police investigation and Special Agent Malone
Leo Helmar. Murder Alaska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7LCJWKcgiQ

Episode 2: Introduction to the Benolken Case. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/alaska/comments/5vnlq5/murder_alaska_podcast_episode_2_introduction_to/

Episode 3: About the brutal murders of James and Anne Benolken in Juneau, Alaska in 1982

Who Really Murdered the Benolkens? KTOO Public Media
https://www.ktoo.org/2012/07/19/who-really-murdered-the-benolkens/

Juneau man wants DNA tested, seeks review of nearly 30-year old homicide conviction. KTOO Public Media.
https://www.ktoo.org/2012/07/13/juneau-man-wants-dna-tested-seeks-review-of-30-year-old-homicide-conviction/

Integrity of preserved evidence from Benolken double homicide is questioned
https://www.ktoo.org/2013/01/10/integrity-of-evidence-from-benolken-double-homicide-is-questioned/

Court to issue opinion on possible DNA testing in decades-old Juneau homicide. KTOO Public Media. Matt Miller.
https://www.alaskapublic.org/2017/02/07/court-to-issue-opinion-on-possible-dna-testing-in-decades-old-juneau-homicide/

Court upholds appeal in 36-year-old murder case
https://www.juneauempire.com/news/court-upholds-appeal-in-36-year-old-murder-case/

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) The Alaska Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling denying DNA evidence in the case of Newton Patric Lambert Friday Saturday, November 17th, 2018 8:13 am
http://www.kinyradio.com/news/news-of-the-north/dna-ruling-upheld-in-homicide-case/

Who is Michael P. Malone? Corrupt F.B.I. Agent’s Testimony Sent Innocent Man to Prison; Donald Eugene Gates was Convicted of Rape-Murder He Did Not Commit

Who is Michael P. Malone? Corrupt F.B.I. Agent’s Testimony Sent Innocent Man to Prison; Donald Eugene Gates was Convicted of Rape-Murder He Did Not Commit

______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

___________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

The Mystery of the “A” Boats

January 6, 2021EpisodeA Boats, Altair, Americus, Commercial Fishing in Alaska, Crab Fishing in Alaska, Disaster at Sea, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Robin Barefieldmurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:39 — 40.0MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

On Valentine’s Day 1983, two new, beautiful sister ships, the Americus and the Altair sank in the Bering Sea in calm water while on their way to the king crab grounds near the Pribilof Islands. Fourteen men lost their lives in the worst disaster in the history of U.S. commercial fishing. A massive investigation ensued to determine what happened to the boats and what could be done to make commercial fishing safer.

Those lost:
The Americus:
George Nations
Brent Boles
Larry Littlefield
Rich Awes
Victor Bass
Jeff Nations
Paul Northcutt

The Altair:
Ronald Beirnes
Jeff Martin
Lark Breckenridge
Troy Gudbranson
Randy Harvey
Brad Melvin
Tony Vienhage

Sources:
Much of my newsletter is based on the book Lost At Sea by Patrick Dillon. I’ve read this book three times, and I highly recommend it. Dillon extensively researched the losses of the Americus and Altair. He talked to fishermen, families of those lost, investigators, marine architects, and many other experts and observers. He tells a heart-felt and fact-filled story, not only about the “A” boats but about the commercial fishing industry and the politics of commercial fishing in the early 1980s. There’s so much more in his book than I’ve told you here, and if you’re like me, you won’t be able to put it down once you start reading it.

Twenty Years After A-Boat Disasters, Scars Remain in Community. Available at: https://djcoregon.com/news/2003/02/13/twenty-years-after-aboat-disaster-scars-remain-in-fishing-community/

United States Coast Guard Marine Casualty Report. Available at: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/5p/CG-5PC/INV/docs/boards/amerialtair.pdf

_______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Who Murdered Joe?

December 11, 2020EpisodeAlaska Independence Party, Joe Vogler, Manfried West, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Robin Barefield, Who Murdered Joe?murder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:36 — 21.7MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

The endless supply of larger-than-life characters in Alaska makes the state fertile ground for reality television shows and movies based on true stories. If you made a list of the strong, fascinating individuals in the history of this vast state, though, Joe Vogler would rank near the top. Picture a sharply dressed man, wearing a fedora, a bolo tie, and a plaid flannel shirt while he stands in front of a group of rowdy people and proclaims his controversial opinions in a booming voice.

Joe Vogler developed a large following of folks who agreed with his politics, but he also made many enemies. When he disappeared from his remote home, people wondered if an enemy had killed him, or if the murderer was someone who claimed to be his friend and colleague?

Sources
Brenan, Tom. Cold Crime. 2005. Epicenter Press. Death of a Maverick.

On Joe Vogler, an independent Alaska. Michael Coppock. Know Alaska? Juneau Empire. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20081008072441/http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/031408/nei_257857638.shtml

Ice Cold Killers. Season 2, Episode 6. Guns, Gold, and Murder. Available at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B00HQBONK4/ref=atv_yv_hom_c_unkc_1_2

Aurorawatcherak Available at: https://aurorawatcherak.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/joe-vogler-and-rs-2477/

____________________________________________________________________________
If you would like to support Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier? Become a patron and join The Last Frontier Club.
Each month I will provide one or more of the following to club members.
· An extra episode of Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier available only for club members.
· Behind the scenes glimpses of life and wildlife in the Kodiak wilderness.
· Breaking news about ongoing murder cases and new crimes in Alaska
· Merchandise or discounts on MMLF merchandise or handmade glass jewelry
Become a Patron!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Robin Barefield is the author of four Alaska wilderness mystery novels, Big Game, Murder Over Kodiak, The Fisherman’s Daughter, and Karluk Bones. Sign up to subscribe to her free, monthly newsletter on true murder and mystery in Alaska.

Alaska Triangle

November 23, 2020EpisodeAlaska Traingle, Mary Ann Poll, Missing in Alaska, Missing planes in Alaska, Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier, Real Ghost Chatter, Robin Barefield, UFOmurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:37 — 39.1MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

When doing a podcast about murder and mystery in Alaska, it is difficult to avoid the subject of “The Alaska Triangle.” First named in 1972, the Alaska Triangle stretches from Anchorage in southcentral Alaska to Juneau in the southeast panhandle to Utkiagaviq (formerly Barrow) on Alaska’s northern coast. Since 1988, more than 16,000 people have vanished from this area, and every year, approximately four people go missing per every 1000 Alaska residents. This rate is twice the national average.

I was surprised when I first learned how many people disappear in Alaska, but I don’t need an underground pyramid or mysterious magnetic vortices to explain the statistics. I also don’t understand the need for a triangle since people disappear throughout the state, not just in the area outlined by a geometric figure’s hypothetical lines. I guess a triangle conjures up the aura of the Bermuda Triangle, though, and suggests the possibility of mysterious forces at play.

Honestly, I’ve always found the idea of an ominous Alaska Triangle laughable. Still, this year, I’ve received a flurry of questions about the Alaska Triangle, including queries from the producers of two television shows, wanting to know more about the mystical phenomenon. The popular U.S. show, The Blacklist, featured an episode on the Alaska Triangle, and I think it sparked a good deal of interest in the subject.

Many of the mysteries I’ve profiled on this podcast have taken place in the vast section of the state defined by the outline of the triangle. Most of the state’s population resides within this area, though, so it’s no surprise more people vanish there. Many disappearances and other mysteries in Alaska have never been solved. Planes vanish, boats disappear, UFO sightings baffle military officers, and in one instance, the population of an entire village fled their homes to escape a giant, hairy, manlike creature.

Let me tell you a few stories, and then I’ll explore the validity of the Alaska Triangle. My friend and fellow podcaster, Mary Ann Poll, who has the popular podcast Real Ghost Chatter, is better than I am at explaining the realm of the mystical, so I’ve invited her to help me describe one of the theories about the Alaska Triangle. Then, if you want to hear more stories about mysterious disappearances in Alaska, she has asked me to be a guest on her podcast, where I have one more incredible story of mystery for you.

Sources:

Liefer, Gregory P. 2011. Chapter Eleven: Without a Trace. Aviation Mysteries of the North. Publication Consultants. Anchorage, AK.

Gough, Cody. 2019. Thousands of People Have Mysteriously Disappeared in Alaska’s Bermuda Triangle. Discovery. https://www.discovery.com/exploration/Alaska-Bermuda-Triangle

The Alaska Triangle – Disappearing Into Thin Air. Legends of America. https://www.legendsofamerica.com/alaska-triangle

LeBlanc, Jocelyne. 2018. 10 Facts About the Little-Known Alaska Triangle. Toptenz.net. https://www.toptenz.net/10-facts-about-the-little-known-alaska-triangle.php

The Alaska Triangle – courtesy of the Locations Unknown Podcast. 2019. https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/2019/11/26/the-alaska-triangle-courtesy-of-the-locations-unknown-podcast

Conger, Cristen. Why has part of the Alaska wilderness been called the Bermuda Triangle? How Stuff Works. https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/alaska-bermuda-triangle.htm

Japan Airlines Flight 1628 incident. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Airlines_Flight_1628_incident

Weiss, Lawrence D. 2019. Unfriendly skies: The extraordinary flight of JAL 1628. Alaska’s best known UFO encounter. https://www.anchoragepress.com/news/unfriendly-skies-the-extraordinary-flight-of-jal-alaska-s-best/article_8e2d3270-f9d5-11e9-b9db-7ba9229138ae.html

______________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

_____________________________________________________________________________

The Unhappy Wife

November 6, 2020EpisodeAlaska Cold Case, Jane Reth, Murder and Mystery in Alaska, Murder in Alaska, Murder in Sitka Alaska, Robin Barefield, Scott and Jane Coville, Scott Covillemurder-in-the-last-frontier

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:22 — 23.3MB) | Embed

Subscribe: Spotify | TuneIn | RSS | More

We all know married couples who seem to thrive on discord. These are the people we avoid joining for dinner and the ones in whose presence we squirm as they argue, yell, and threaten. We wonder why they got married, and if they divorce, we’re certain no one else would want either one of them. Still, I’ve met couples who not only manage to survive their contentious relationships but enjoy sparring with their partners. Marriage is hard, but most of us try, at least for a while, to make a relationship work, and if it doesn’t work, we leave and go our separate ways. Jane and Scott Coville constantly fought, even before they moved to Alaska and married, but Jane did not divorce Scott; there was no need to sever ties with him because Scott conveniently disappeared. Did he grow disillusioned with Jane, marriage, and life in Alaska? Did Scott take off on his own for an adventure somewhere else, a place far away from his current responsibilities, or did something much more sinister happen to Scott Coville?

Sources:

James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman. 11-22-2017. Small Town Murder Podcast #45. The Hottest Cold Case Around in Sitka, Alaska. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/small-town-murder/e/52324451?autoplay=true

Scott Michael Coville. The Charley Project. http://charleyproject.org/case/scott-michael-coville

Grove, Casey. May 31, 2016. Mother in cold case describes years wondering about her son. Anchorage Daily News. https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/mother-cold-case-describes-years-wondering-about-her-son/2010/11/28/

Jane Reth. Murderpedia. https://murderpedia.org/female.R/r/reth-jane.htm

Sitka, Alaska. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitka,_Alaska

________________________________________________________________________

Check out the store: Murder and Mystery in the Last Frontier merchandise.

___________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________