Midwest Mystery Files

It was a cool day in October of 1976. A farmer in Benton County, Indiana was working hard to catch up on harvest. It had rained for several days beforehand, and Norman Skoog was working against the rain tarnished terrain to get his work done. While driving his combine through the corn, he suddenly came upon a box in the middle of his path, Norman was able to stop just shy of colliding with the the out of place package. He would fir...

Thirteen year old Rachel Mellon Skemp was an average middle school girl. She loved music, playing with her friends, and attending church. In January of 1996, on an unforgivingly cold Illinois Winter Day, Rachel would stay home from school, complaining of a sore throat. Her mother would go to work, and her step siblings to school. Her step father, Vince would remain home. In the mid afternoon after Rachel had gone to lay down for a ...

In October of 2021, a young girl would run from her home after her mom would arrive home and break up the gathering taking place inside. Shortly afterwards, in the early hours of the morning she would be seen at the residence of another friend, before exiting the home at the behest of the friend's stepfather. She would then go into the cold Minnesota night, and aside from one unconfirmed sighting that night, she has never been seen...

It was a cold, frigid night in February of 2001. It was approximately 10:00 PM and a local police officer was patrolling the quiet streets of Pine River, Minnesota. The officer was driving by Ultimate Liquors when he noticed a car running in the parking lot with no one inside of it. The officer knew the vehicle belonged to the clerk, 50 year old Rachel Anthony, who had most likely started her car to allow to warm up while she close...

Joe Bova was a man living the good life. He was married with a good job and a prominent position in his local union. He was well liked by everyone including neighbors, coworkers, fellow union members, members of his church, and the community of Merrillville, Indiana at large. One cool September morning however. A large explosion would rock the streets of Merrillville, shattering the quiet peace of the predawn hours. A neighbor woul...

2003. Thirteen year old Rebecca Williams had just finished up her eighth grade year at Morton Middle School in Omaha, Nebraska. At the time she was living with her mother, but was set to move to Las Vegas, Nevada to live with her father. On a normal June day, she would leave her home in the Park Meadows Mobile Home Community and head to a nearby playground. When she failed to return home, her mother would report her missing to the ...

I'm trying to do some additional digging on the next cold case episode so for this month I'm releasing May 2023's patreon episode.

This epsiode focuses on Mormon fundamentalist and extremist Jeffrey Lundgren, who led a cult in Kirtland, Ohio and is responsible for the murder of an entire family.

Patreon and Socials: https://linktr.ee/MidwestMysteryFiles  

Crime Journal Article: https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/mass/lu...

In March of 2008, father of five, soon to be six, MIchael Womack would vanish without a trace from Alton, IL. Only for his truck to be found almost 30 miles away, clean and wiped of any fingerprints.

Then, in July of 2011, father of two, Jared Hanna would leave his home in Jerseyville, IL. After failing to pick up his daughters from their mother, Jared’s pick up truck would be found almost 70 miles away, abandoned and out of gas. P...

On a warm summer day in July of 2012, 10 year old Lyric Cook-Morrissey, and her cousin 8 year old Elizabeth Collins would head out in the town of Evansdale, Iowa on what was to be a typical bike ride. However, as the time the girls should have been home would come and go, Lyric and Elizabeth’s grandmother and parents would become increasingly concerned. After the family would fail to locate the girls, police would be contacted, and...

Life had been hectic lately for 15 year old Rachel Pratt, she had recently found she was going to be a mother and was in her first trimester of pregnancy. Not being bogged down, she continued to live life as normally as she could. In January of 1995, Rachel would perform in a school band concert, then come home to settle in with her siblings while her mother worked an overnight shift. Rachel's mother would come home early, after se...

On a cold morning in February 2001, twenty-three-year-old Stefanie Welch would drop her two young boys off at preschool and daycare. Hours later her vehicle would be parked at a local mobile home park, and an unknown man would be seen walking away. Stefanie, would never be seen again, this is Midwest Mystery Files Episode 27, the disappearance of Stefanie Welch.

Crime Bae Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RNTyeE5heRu96qxPKKID...

In July of 2002, 19 year old Russell Turcotte was on his way home to Montana from a Rainbow Gathering in the Ottawa National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He had stayed behind a few days after the gathering to clean up the mess that was left behind. With his friends already back in Montana, Russell decided to hitchhike back. Upon reaching Grand Forks, North Dakota, Russell would call his mom to have some money wired so...

My newest case isn't ready yet, so today's episode is my October bonus episode from Patreon, which focuses on the alleged possession and exorcism of Anna Ecklund in 1928 in Earling, Iowa. Was Anna really possessed? Or was she simply a mentally ill woman who was misdiagnosed? Listen and decide! Also be sure to check out That's Not Good: A True Crime Podcast! Link Below.

That's Not Good https://linktr.ee/thatsnotgoodpodcast

Patreon a...

On July 22nd, 2001, 28-year-old Niqui McCown was just weeks away from marrying the love of her life. She was set to address wedding envelopes with her fiancé that evening. However, a trip to the laundromat would soon turn into a mystery with no end. Niqui would never return home, and months later her vehicle would be found 45 miles away, with no clues as to her whereabouts. This is Midwest Mystery Files, Episode 24: The Disappearan...

It was Christmas time in the college town of Normal, Illinois. Many students had already left by December 22, 1975, gone home on break to celebrate the holiday season with their families. During their time off, they may have caught a screening of Black Christmas, a 1974 slasher film that was still doing some screenings in December of 1975. The film focused on a group of young women in a sorority being stalked and murdered by an unk...