Cold

A young man who demonstrated astonishing “powers” arrived in Utah five years following the disappearance of Nancy Baird. James Hydrick wowed police, including a former officer who investigated Nancy’s case, with his telekinetic abilities.

James Hydrick’s amazing talents drew fame and followers. But they were all an act, a fraud. Hydrick soon landed in prison for sex offenses against children.

The former East Layton cop, Tom Jackson, also ran afoul of the law for child sex offenses. In this episode, Jackson’s adult daughters break decades of silence to provide a full picture of who their father really is. Their account raises a chilling question: what might Tom Jackson be hiding?

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If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, free and confidential help is available through the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

Episode credits:

Research, writing and hosting: Dave Cawley

Audio production and mastering: Aaron Mason

COLD main theme composed by: Michael Bahnmiller

KSL Executive Producer: Sheryl Worsley

KSL Senior VP of Content: Ruth Todd

If you enjoy COLD, please try these other great shows from KSL Podcasts: The Letter, Ransom, Stranger Becomes Neighbor

Impatient customers lined up at the cash register late on the afternoon of Friday, July 4th, 1975. The gas station clerk, Nancy Perry Baird, was nowhere to be found. A police officer soon discovered Nancy’s purse, keys and car were left behind. So was Nancy’s 4-year-old son, Brant.

In this episode, investigative reporter Dave Cawley traces Nancy Baird’s life from her childhood to her disappearance. He reveals how a tiny, untrained police department in East Layton, Utah fumbled the case. That is, until a convenient scapegoat arrived to draw away the public's attention.

Now, Nancy’s son Brant Baird breaks his silence, speaking for the first time exclusively to COLD. And the last surviving member of the East Layton Police Department spins a confusing story about where he was when Nancy Baird vanished.

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Join the COLD Insider Club for ad-free listening, early access and exclusives: https://insiderclub.thecoldpodcast.com/
Right now, founding members receive 20% off.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, free and confidential help is available through the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

Episode credits:

Research, writing and hosting: Dave Cawley

Audio production and mastering: Aaron Mason

COLD main theme composed by: Michael Bahnmiller

KSL Executive Producer: Sheryl Worsley

KSL Senior VP of Content: Ruth Todd

If you enjoy COLD, please try these other great shows from KSL Podcasts: The Letter, Ransom, Stranger Becomes Neighbor

A serial killer was on the prowl during the summer of 1975, when Nancy Perry Baird vanished from the gas station where she worked. Police pinned Nancy's disappearance on Ted Bundy, even though no evidence tied the notorious killer to the case.

Five decades later, a former police officer's daughter listened to an episode of COLD about the Nancy Baird case. She heard her father quoted and realized a dark secret from their past might be the key to solving the Nancy Baird cold case.

The first two episodes drop September 23, 2026. New episodes each Wednesday.

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Episode credits:

Research, writing and hosting: Dave Cawley

Audio production and mastering: Dave Cawley

KSL executive producer: Sheryl Worsley

About a year after Susan Cox Powell disappeared from her home in West Valley City, Utah, a man entered a mom-and-pop bookstore one town over and stabbed the owner of the shop to death. The November, 2010 murder of Sherry Black was an inverse of the Susan Powell case: a body and physical evidence, but no suspect. It took police a decade before investigative genetic genealogy led them to Sherry Black's killer. That man is now in prison for life.

Black's daughter, Heidi Miller, spent a decade of her life trapped in a stage of suspended grief. Heidi didn't know who killed her mom, or why. In the midst of that uncertainty, Heidi created a non-profit organization, the Sherry Black Foundation, to try and create something positive out of her tragedy.

On September 26, 2026, the Sherry Black Foundation will co-host the inaugural Utah Missing and Unsolved Day, bringing together investigators, victim families and service providers. The goal is to make sure no cold case goes uninvestigated, no murdered or missing loved one unforgotten. Ahead of the event, Heidi Miller shares her story with COLD host Dave Cawley in a revealing personal interview.

For years, investigative reporter Dave Cawley has been studying thousands of police documents, journals, videos and diary entries. He tracked down new sources, followed new leads and traced Josh Powell's trail from West Valley City, Utah, through Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and on to Washington State, where Powell killed himself and his two sons. Cold is the most complete retelling of the Susan Powell story ever. Join Dave Cawley in his search for truth.

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Episode credits:

Research, writing and hosting: Dave Cawley

Audio production and mastering: Aaron Mason

KSL executive producer: Sheryl Worsley

If you enjoy Cold, please try these other great shows from KSL Podcasts: The Letter, Ransom, Stranger Becomes Neighbor

A 3-year-old boy wanders away from camp in the Uinta Mountains, leading to a panicked search. Uinta Triangle host Dave Cawley covered the case of Benjamin Myrup's disappearance when it happened. In this bonus episode, Dave revisits the case years later to learn what Benjamin's parents experienced behind the scenes of the search.