Forensic Tales

On November 18, 1987, the small town of Ina, Illinois, was forever changed when Keith and Elaine Dardeen, their 3-year-old son Peter, and their newborn daughter Casey were found murdered in one of the most horrific crime scenes investigators had ever encountered.

Nearly four decades later, the murders remain officially unsolved.

In this episode of Forensic Tales, I take a closer look at the lives of the Dardeen family, the timeline leading up to the murders, the crime scene investigation, the forensic evidence, and the theories that continue to surround this heartbreaking case. From early rumors and community panic to the controversial confessions of serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells, we'll examine what investigators know, what they don't, and whether this mystery may ever be solved.

In this episode:

The Dardeen family's life in Ina, Illinois

The discovery of the crime scenes

Crime scene processing and forensic evidence

Autopsy findings and timeline reconstruction

How rumors fueled fear throughout southern Illinois

The investigation and persons of interest

Tommy Lynn Sells' conflicting confessions

Why the case remains unsolved today

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The Unsolved Murder of Robert Wone

In this special Patreon Bonus Preview, I share a portion of this month's exclusive episode covering the mysterious and unsolved murder of Robert Wone.

Listen to the FULL episode: http://Patreon.com/ForensicTales

On August 2, 2006, Robert Wone—a successful attorney, devoted husband, and respected friend—arrived at a townhouse on Swann Street in Washington, D.C., where he planned to spend the night with a longtime friend.

Less than two hours later, he was fighting for his life.

Robert had been stabbed three times in the chest while three other men were inside the home. Yet no one reported seeing the attack. No intruder was ever identified. And despite years of investigations, forensic analysis, court proceedings, and countless theories, no one has ever been convicted of his murder.

In the full Patreon episode, I explore:

The strange crime scene
The unexplained forensic evidence
The needle-like puncture marks found during the autopsy
The lack of defensive wounds
The investigation into Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky, and Dylan Ward
The obstruction and conspiracy trial
The competing theories that continue to divide investigators and true crime followers today

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Patreon.com/ForensicTales
Thank you for listening and supporting Forensic Tales.

Hosted and produced by Courtney Fretwell.

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In the early morning hours of May 14, 2008, 19-year-old Brandon Swanson was driving home after celebrating the end of the college semester when his car became stuck in a ditch along a rural Minnesota road.

Unable to free his vehicle, Brandon called his parents for help. For the next 47 minutes, he remained on the phone with his father while walking through fields, fences, and farmland, attempting to meet up with his family. Then, without warning, Brandon shouted, "Oh, shit!" The call went silent, and he was never seen again.

In this episode of Forensic Tales, we examine the disappearance of Brandon Swanson, the extensive search efforts that followed, the forensic challenges investigators faced, the role of cell phone evidence in reconstructing his final movements, and the theories that continue to surround this baffling case more than 18 years later.

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The murder of Rachel Nickell remains one of the most infamous true crime cases in the United Kingdom. In July 1992, Rachel was brutally attacked and murdered on Wimbledon Common in broad daylight while walking with her young son. What followed was a controversial murder investigation that captivated the nation, generated intense media scrutiny, and ultimately led investigators down the wrong path.

In this episode of Forensic Tales, we revisit the Rachel Nickell case, exploring the failed investigation into Colin Stagg, the controversial use of criminal profiling, the role of undercover police operations, and the forensic DNA evidence that eventually identified the true killer, Robert Napper.

With renewed interest in the case following recent documentaries and Netflix coverage, this replay examines details that are often overlooked, including the forensic breakthroughs, investigative failures, and lasting impact the case had on British policing and criminal justice.

Topics discussed include:

• The murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common

• The investigation into Colin Stagg

• Criminal profiling and investigative tunnel vision

• The controversial "honey trap" operation

• Robert Napper and his history of violent offenses

• DNA evidence and forensic advances

• The eventual resolution of the case

• The lasting legacy of the Rachel Nickell investigation

This episode is part of the Forensic Tales Achieve, where we revisit some of the most important forensic cases from the show's archives.

Hosted by Courtney Fretwell, M.S. Forensic Psychology.

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Interested in CrimeCon UK? I'll be returning to London on October 3-4, 2026. Use code TALES for discounted tickets.

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Patricia Viola was a devoted wife, mother, and volunteer librarian living in Bogota, New Jersey. On February 13, 2001, she seemingly vanished without a trace after returning home from work. She left behind her purse, wallet, identification, seizure medication, and nearly every indication that she planned to return.

As investigators worked to reconstruct Patricia's final known movements, they uncovered a series of puzzling clues: a home security alarm that had been triggered earlier in the day, a concerning conversation Patricia had with her best friend the night before she disappeared, and a timeline that raised more questions than answers.

For years, Patricia's family searched for answers while investigators explored multiple theories, including foul play, suicide, and a medical emergency related to her epilepsy.

Then, more than a decade later, forensic DNA analysis finally provided a breakthrough.

In this episode of Forensic Tales, we examine the disappearance of Patricia Viola, the investigation that followed, the creation of New Jersey's Patricia's Law, and how a single foot bone discovered on a beach in Queens became one of the only pieces of evidence ever recovered in this baffling missing persons case.

Topics discussed:

• Patricia Viola disappearance

• Bogota, New Jersey missing person case

• Unsolved mystery

• Missing persons investigations

• Patricia's Law

• Forensic DNA identification

• Human remains identification

• Epilepsy and missing persons

• Cold cases

• Unsolved disappearance cases

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Email: courtney@forensictales.com

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