S1:EP 1 - Abduction Part 1

Summary

America's Crime Lab: Season 1, Episode 1 - "Abduction Part 1"

Release Date: July 16, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope

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Introduction to Othram and the Podcast

"America's Crime Lab" unfolds the gripping narratives of cold cases that have left communities devastated and law enforcement stumped. Hosted by Kristen Mittleman alongside her husband, David Mittleman, the podcast delves into the world of forensic science and DNA technology, primarily through the work done at their lab, Othram.

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The Tragic Abduction of Carla Walker

Setting the Scene ([03:21]-[09:24])

The episode opens with a poignant reflection from Ryan Reynolds, setting the emotional tone:

"I don't know if you've ever looked at a law enforcement officer after a car wreck, but they stand back and they observe everything that's going on to let emergency medics or whatever do their things. But they're assessing. And that's what I felt like I was doing that night. I stood back and was just watching. And life changed forever." – Ryan Reynolds [03:21]

Kristen Mittleman introduces the central case:

"There's something that happens when a tragedy occurs. Everything slows down. Time freezes. And that's exactly what happened for Jim Walker on a February night in 1974." – Kristen Mittleman [03:47]

The Night of February 1974 ([09:26]-[28:57])

The narrative transports listeners to February 1974 in Fort Worth, Texas, focusing on 17-year-old Carla Walker. Described as "silly, feisty," Carla was a high school cheerleader with dreams of becoming a veterinarian.

"Carla was getting ready at her house, and her parents are there...waiting for Rodney to arrive." – Host [09:44]

Carla attends the high school Valentine's dance with her boyfriend, Rodney, the football team's quarterback. The evening progresses with typical teenage activities—dancing, cruising around town, and socializing.

The critical moment unfolds near the bowling alley parking lot:

"They start kissing. Carla is reclined...the passenger door flies open, and Carla's head drops back out of the door." – Host [12:38]

Rodney experiences a violent altercation as a man abducts Carla, leading to Bacolor’s alarming scene where Rodney is left bloodied and disoriented.

"I'm looking at the front door, and the front door was open... eyes were very wide open, bulging. His lips were almost puckered. He was totally petrified." – Ryan Reynolds [19:55]

Despite his injuries, Rodney survives, but Carla is tragically taken, setting the stage for a prolonged mystery.

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Immediate Aftermath and Family's Response

Family in Turmoil ([18:36]-[34:26])

Rodney's return to the Walker household triggers a mix of fear and urgency. Carla's father, a retired military man, reacts fiercely:

"Dad was out the door... he was going to get his little girl." – Ryan Reynolds [21:28]

Kristen Mittleman poignantly captures the family's despair:

"Can you imagine being 12 years old and all this is happening. Your sister's gone. Your dad is heading out the door with a gun... Your whole world is bursting." – Kristen Mittleman [22:45]

Jim Walker, Carla's 12-year-old brother, witnesses the unfolding horror, leading to profound emotional trauma:

"When a mama sees her beloved 17 year old old daughter dead... it's a guttural scream from the deepest part of her core." – Ryan Reynolds [36:45]

Community Shock and Investigation ([28:03]-[38:17])

The following morning, the community reels from the abduction. Despite extensive searches, Carla's body is discovered five miles away, brutally murdered. The only evidence—a magazine clip from a .22 Ruger handgun—fails to yield actionable leads.

"The police were really left with nothing, and the case goes cold." – Host [32:23]

The investigation reveals no suspects as all potential leads either clear or inconclusive, leaving the Walker family and the community without answers.

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The Lingering Impact and Quest for Justice

Jim Walker's Transformation ([37:09]-[38:17])

The abduction catalyzes a drastic change in Jim Walker. Once an active teenager, he becomes consumed by seeking justice for his sister, leading to strained relationships and personal turmoil.

"As a teenager, I was spitting bullets... ready to just kill some, some guy who did this in my family." – Ryan Reynolds [38:15]

Othram's Role in Reviving Cold Cases

Kristen and David Mittleman introduce Othram, their forensic lab dedicated to solving cold cases through advanced DNA technology. The lab's efforts are central to uncovering truths long buried in cases like Carla Walker's, offering renewed hope to families and communities devastated by unresolved crimes.

"On this season of America's Crime Lab, we'll meet families who've lost loved ones, detectives who've chased every lead. And we'll discover how science is unlocking the truth that our DNA holds." – Kristen Mittleman [07:07]

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Conclusion and Teaser for Part 2

As the episode concludes, the narrative leaves listeners anticipating the next installment, where the Mittlemans and the Othram team will delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding Carla Walker's abduction and explore the advancements that might finally bring closure to this heartbreaking case.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ryan Reynolds [03:21]:
  "I don't know if you've ever looked at a law enforcement officer after a car wreck... But life changed forever."

• Kristen Mittleman [03:47]:
  "There's something that happens when a tragedy occurs. Everything slows down. Time freezes."

• Ryan Reynolds [19:55]:
  "I was looking at the front door... totally petrified."

• Kristen Mittleman [22:45]:
  "Can you imagine being 12 years old and all this is happening... Your whole world is bursting."

• Ryan Reynolds [36:45]:
  "When a mama sees her beloved 17 year old old daughter dead... it's a guttural scream from the deepest part of her core."

• Ryan Reynolds [38:15]:
  "As a teenager, I was spitting bullets... ready to just kill some, some guy who did this in my family."

• Kristen Mittleman [07:07]:
  "On this season of America's Crime Lab... we'll discover how science is unlocking the truth that our DNA holds."

---

Final Thoughts

"America's Crime Lab: Abduction Part 1" masterfully intertwines personal testimonies, emotional narratives, and the scientific pursuit of truth. It serves not only as a recounting of a tragic event but also as a testament to the enduring human spirit in the quest for justice.

Listeners are left eagerly awaiting the continuation of Carla Walker's story and the innovative methods employed by Othram to solve cases deemed unsolvable.

Transcript

[Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.

[Host]

Now.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Of $45 for a three month plan.

[Jim Walker]

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[Howie Mandel]

Looking to build before next spring? Order now with Morton Buildings and get site Prep savings by October 31st. Get ahead of winter weather and save big through the end of October on select projects during Morton Buildings Winter Build Sales Event. If you need a garage, a stall barn, a storage building for an rv, boat or other vehicles, a shop for your farm hobbies or car restoration projects or anything in between. Take advantage of this special savings now. Morton Buildings uses quality materials and expert craftsmen with an industry leading warranty to ensure your addition is built stronger, lasts longer and looks better. We'll be working all winter long, but the building spots are limited. With offers this great, why wait? Visit MortonBuildings.com and click Get Started. Today, certain restrictions may apply. Savings offer on new building purchases by October 31, 2025. Building delivery required by April 30, 2026. Contact your local Morton office for more details.

[Jim Walker]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. @washablesofas.com you'll find the Anabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Kaleidoscope.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I don't know if you've ever looked at a law enforcement officer after a car wreck, but they stand back and they observe everything that's going on to let emergency medics or whatever do their things. But they're assessing. And that's what I felt like I was doing that night. I stood back and was just watching. And life changed forever. And always at that point.

[Kristen Mittleman]

There'S something that happens when a tragedy occurs. Everything slows down. Time freezes. And that's exactly what happened for Jim Walker on a February night in 1974.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I was just watching everybody, you know, sitting back, watching everybody, and knock on the door.

[Kristen Mittleman]

It was the evening of the high school Valentine's dance and Jim was watching as his older sister Carla got ready and her date Rodney finally arrived to pick her up.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Rodney was here, and my sister Carla gave him that shot, you know, that looked like, like, dude, why, why are you running late? You know how important of a night this is. When Rodney smiled at Carla, I'll never forget it, this beautiful smile kind of came across her face. All was good. And he came over and, you know, they hugged and put the corsage on and poised for pictures. The last time I saw Carla was in front of that fireplace for pictures.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Carla Walker's picture is on a wall in Texas, one of hundreds of photos in a collage. Some look like high school yearbook photos. Others were taken on a vacation or at a wedding. Every face is framed in a hexagon, and every face on the wall represents a mystery, a crime that for years was never solved.

[David Mittleman]

We have, like, the Happy Face Killer. We have multiple victims of serial killers that we were able to identify.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Kristen Mittleman knows these faces by heart, and she knows the stories behind each frame.

[David Mittleman]

This little boy, his mom murdered him and got away with it. And then we were Able to identify the body. And now she's serving life in prison.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Young women, old men, babies. Kristin taps her fingers on photo after photo sharing their personal stories.

[David Mittleman]

Her name was Mary Katherine Edwards. She was a 32 year old teacher. Everyone said she was the nicest person. She was raped and murdered, handcuffed and found in her bathtub by her family.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Kristen knows these faces because every one of them represents a cold case. One that's been solved by the cutting edge DNA technology she and her husband David Mittleman developed here in their lab. Some of the cases are front page news like the Idaho student murders or the Gilgo beach serial killer. But most of these faces belong to someone's mother or son, an uncle who disappeared or a sister who was kidnapped and murdered. Their cases were never solved. Until now.

[David Mittleman]

If you look at this screen you can see that it doesn't really matter age, it doesn't matter background, it doesn't matter type of crime. You're able to help resolve all these crimes using DNA technology.

[Kristen Mittleman]

The wall of faces is in the offices of Othram, Kristen and David's forensics lab. The lab is tucked away in a nondescript office park in the woodlands, Texas, about 30 miles outside of Houston. And it's where a small team of scientists and investigators are solving the coldest of cases. They work with the most challenging evidence. Bodies that have been burned or thrown into the ocean. Blood stained clothing that's been left in the desert heat or covered in chemicals. Human remains stuffed into walls and sewage tanks. This team has seen it all and they figured out how to do the impossible and analyze tiny specks of DNA evidence considered too old or damaged to find new clues that lead police to a killer.

[David Mittleman]

Most of the people that we identify have gotten away with murder in plain sight and they are normal people. They are serving your coffee. They're an IT specialist at your office. Right, like you have no idea.

[Kristen Mittleman]

On this season of America's Crime Lab, we'll meet families who've lost loved ones, detectives who've chased every lead. And we'll discover how science is unlocking the truth that our DNA holds. Let's start with a cold case that shook a community for 46 years. Producer Catherine Fenollosa is here to bring us up to speed.

[Host]

I'm gonna take you back to 1974 in Fort Worth, Texas. And it's winter, February. There's a 17 year old girl named Carla Walker. She's a junior in high school. She has long blonde hair. Everyone describes her as having flashing blue eyes and she's very petite, not even 5ft tall, 95 pounds. Her friends describe her as silly, feisty. She loves animals. She has a white pood, and she loves to paint his nails pink. She wants to be a veterinarian. She's just sort of full of, like, love and energy. She's a cheerleader, which seemed to fit her really well because she's like a little firecracker of a personality.

[Kristen Mittleman]

I have a picture of her in my mind.

[Host]

So this is February. Carla was going to the high school dance with her boyfriend Rodney. And Rodney is the quarterback of the football team. Sandy, blonde, super gentle guy. And everyone describes them as the all American couple. So the night of the dance, Carla's getting ready at her house, and her parents are there. She comes from a big family. There's seven siblings. A couple of her siblings are at home. Her aunt and uncle have come in from West Texas for the occasion. There's music on. The parents have laid out plates of Southern food. Carla is getting ready. She's picked out a powder blue dress, and she's waiting for Rodney to arrive. And he's running a little late. He got home from work late. He gets halfway to Carla's house, realizes that he's left her corsage at home. So he turns around, grabs the corsage, pulls back up in his mom's car to the Walker house. And when he arrives at the door, Carla's a little. A little annoyed. Cause he's running late and she is very punctual. But he presents the corsage and a huge smile breaks out across her face. He pins the corsage on her dress. Everybody gathers around. They take photos in front of the fireplace. Mom says, you know, we'll be waiting up for you. We can't wait to hear about the dance. Go, have a great time. And off they go.

[Kristen Mittleman]

I feel like that is out of a cute little rom com movie or something completely. This is embarrassing to admit, but, like, as a little girl, I'd always dream of my little prom moment when a guy picks me up and has the corsage. And that's just really cute.

[Host]

This is so it. And everyone, you know, they're all there. The dance is at the high school, so the parents and staff have decorated the whole hall. There's a dj, Everyone is really, really excited, and they have a great time. They leave the dance with another couple, and they do what teens do. They drive around Fort Worth. They go to Taco Bell. They get something to eat. One of the friends needs to use the bathroom. And the bathroom, for some reason, at Taco Bell, isn't working. So they go to a bowling alley, which is nearby, and they. They get back in the car. They cruise around town for a little while. The other couple has a curfew, so Rodney swings them back home, drops them off. And on this night, Carla, her parents are, you know, giving her a little leeway. She doesn't really have a curfew tonight. They absolutely love Rodney. They're like, kids, have a good time. So Rodney and Carla, you know, they stay out a little bit later. They drive around a little bit longer.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Yeah. And she's 17. This is their big night out.

[Host]

So Carla needs to use the bathroom again. And they know that the bathroom at the bowling alley is working, so they head back over there. And when they come back to their car, you know, they're teenagers. It's a Valentine's Day dance. They're parked, it's dark. There aren't many lights. And the parking lot is pretty much emptied out by now because most of the bowlers have left. So Rodney and Carla are in the front seat of his mom's car, and it's got a bench seat, and so they basically start kissing. Carla is reclined, and her head is sort of, like, propped up on the passenger door, and Rodney's leaning on her. And all of a sudden, the passenger door flies open, and Carla's head drops back out of the door, and Rodney leans forward to cradle her head and pull her back in the car. And the next thing Rodney knows is he's being beaten on the backside of his head, and blood is pouring down through his eyes. He's disoriented. He's doesn't really understand what's happening. Carla is screaming. She's yelling, you know, stop hitting him. Stop hitting him. Rodney looks up, and he can see a man. And the guy has Carla by the arm, and he's yanked her out of the car. And this man says to Carla, you're gonna come with me, aren't you, sweetie? And Carla's screaming. Rodney's sort of blacking in and out. And she says, rodney, go get my dad. Go get my dad. This man takes a gun and points it within inches of Rodney's head, and he says, I'm gonna kill you. And he pulls the trigger.

[Glenn Washington]

I can't tell you how often I hear, oh, I'm a little ocd. I like things neat. That's not ocd. I'm Howie Mandel, and I know this because I have ocd. Actual OCD causes relentless, unwanted thoughts. What if I did something terrible and forgot? What if I'm a bad person? Why am I thinking this terrible thing? It makes you question absolutely everything and you'll do anything to feel better. OCD is debilitating, but it's also highly treatable with the right kind of therapy. Regular talk therapy doesn't cut it. OCD needs specialized therapy. That's why I want to tell you about NO cd. NOCD is the world's largest virtual therapy provider for ocd. They're licensed therapists, provide specialized therapy virtually and it's covered by insurance for over 155 million Americans. If you think you might be struggling with OCD, visit nocd.com to schedule a free 15 minute call and learn more. That's nocd.com.

[Howie Mandel]

Looking to build before next spring? Order now with Morton Buildings and get site Prep savings by October 31st. Get ahead of winter weather and save big through the end of October on select projects during Morton Buildings Winter Build Sales Event. If you need a garage, a stall bar, a storage building for an rv, boat or other vehicles, a shop for your farm, hobbies or car restoration projects or anything in between, take advantage of this special savings now. Morton Buildings uses quality materials and expert craftsmen with an industry leading warranty to ensure your addition is built stronger, lasts longer and looks better. We'll be working all winter long, but the building spots are limited. With offers this great, why wait? Visit Morton Dillon and click Get Started today. Certain restrictions may apply. Savings offer on new building purchases by October 31, 2025. Building delivery required by April 30, 2026. Contact your local Morton office for more details.

[Jim Walker]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. @washablesofas.com you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699, the stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail]. add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Aylin Lance Lesser]

You think you know Snap judgment. Yes, it's on npr. It's a podcast. It's storytelling. But snap has gone deeper, stranger, wilder. We've taking you places that the New York Times, the Rolling Stones, the Ambies, the Webbies, the Gracies, all stood up for.

[Howie Mandel]

Welcome to the podcast hall of fame.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Glenn Washington.

[Aylin Lance Lesser]

Award winning stories, original beats, soundscapes that drop you into the heart of the story. Find Snap Touch from KQED every Thursday, wherever you get your podcast.

[Kristen Mittleman]

So did Rodney die?

[Host]

Rodney passes out in the front seat of the car and he wakes up sometime later and his head is absolutely throbbing. He's covered in blood. And Carla is gone.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Ugh.

[Host]

He drives to the Walker's house, to Carla's house. And now all of the adults at Carla's house are still up. They're expecting Carla and Rodney to walk in the door at any moment. So they're, you know, they're playing dominoes, they're eating, they've got music on. Jim, carla's brother, who's 12 at the time, he has stayed up late because he is also super excited to be one of the first people just to get the lowdown on how the dance went.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Oh, totally. I mean, I have a daughter and I can imagine when she gets to the age where she's going out to a dance, I'll be so excited. I'll want you know all the details. The 411 on everything that happened that night. So I can imagine it's kind of festive in there, but they don't know what just happened.

[Host]

No, they have no idea.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So we had the porch light on waiting for Rodney and Carla. And when he came to the house, I answered the door. That's probably the first time I ever saw fear death. You could see the blood in a big slip across his cheek. And eyes were very wide open, bulging. His lips were almost puckered. He was totally petrified. And I heard Rodney yelling, Mr. Walker, Mr. Walker, help me. They've got her. They're gonna hurt her bad. I know they are.

[Host]

Everyone is trying to understand, oh, my God, what has happened? What is going on here? And they bring Rodney into the house and they sit him down and. And Rodney starts saying, these men, they took her. I don't know where they went. I think I've been shot. And so they're trying to assess exactly what his wounds are. And he, thank God, hadn't been shot, but he's been severely beaten.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Police Were being called. They started removing his shirt to see where else because he said he was shot and started, you know, compression and trying to stop the bleeding.

[Host]

But Jim notices that Rodney isn't really bleeding anymore. It turns out that he wasn't shot. The blood on his head and his face is dry.

[Ryan Reynolds]

It wasn't like it was running down like it just happened. And that's one thing I noticed and bothered me for a long time. He had a probably two, two and a half inch cut on his right cheek, and I noticed it had started to coagulate. So that tells you there's been some time from incident to current time. Right.

[Kristen Mittleman]

What were Carla's parents feeling at this point? I. I can't even imagine. To have your daughter's date show up covered in blood, saying they took her.

[Host]

Carla's father, who's retired military, he yells to Jim, Carla's brother, and he says, come with me. And the father goes and gets his gun. Wow.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Dad was out the door, and, you know, he knew where Carla was last seen. He was out the door with his weapon, and he would have absolutely, absolutely killed this guy. He was going to get his little girl. He yelled at me, said, jimmy, come on. And I just. I froze. I had never seen anything like this. So he took off. You know, that's something I've lived with for decades as well, and I regret that. I regret that. But he never said anything to me about it. And I don't think I've ever told anybody that before, But I wish I had gone.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Can you imagine being 12 years old and all this is happening. Your sister's gone. Your dad is heading out the door with a gun, maybe to kill whoever took her. It's like your whole world is bursting.

[Host]

It's absolutely heartbreaking. Carla's mom and aunt are taking care of Rodney, and they've called the police.

[Ryan Reynolds]

All hell was unleashed. We had law enforcement coming in. They're trying to get details. Mom was very stoic. I don't recall any yelling or screaming, cursing. I stood back and was just watching. And life changed forever. And always at that point, the walkers changed. My sister Cindy slept on the couch, hoping to hear, you know, we were just hoping somebody come by and push Carla out of the car, just get her back. Sunday morning, everybody woke up to the abduction in the newspaper. The high school north, the west side of Fort Worth, shocked. You know, they just saw Carla the night before and Rodney and. And these other kids and now kidnapped. You know, all that comes along with that. A big, ugly dude and a Pretty young girl, 130 ish in the morning. So the next morning people are already out. You know, high schoolers were out searching motorbikes, horses, right? Law enforcement. Next morning was was crazy. And then, you know, no word. You know, one person said to my dad, leighton, Carla's probably going to be have been raped. My dad wasn't angry. He said, I don't care. We just want her back. We want her back. We will take care of everything. We want her back.

[Glenn Washington]

There's the part of me that everyone sees. I'm Howie Mandel, the comedian. Apparently I know what funny is. Funny bought me a house. But I also know what isn't funny. Ocd. I've lived with OCD my entire life and people throw the term around like it's no big deal. But OCD is severe, often debilitating. It's a mental health condition that involves unrelented unwanted thoughts that can make you question your character, your beliefs, even your safety. General therapy can help with some things, but for OCD, it can actually make things worse. That's why I want to tell you about no CD no CD OCD is the world's largest treatment provider for OCD and is covered by Insurance for over 155 million Americans. Their licensed therapists specialize in ERP, the most effective treatment for OCD. If you think you might be struggling with OCD, go to nocd.com to book a free 15 minute call. They are here to help.

[Howie Mandel]

Looking to build before next spring? Order now with Morton Buildings and get site Prep savings by October 31st. Get ahead of winter weather and save big through the end of October on select projects during Morton Building's Winter Build Sales event. If you need a garage, a stall barn, a storage building for an rv, boat or other vehicles, a shop for your farm hobbies or car restoration projects or anything in between, take advantage of this special savings now. Morton Buildings uses quality materials and expert craftsmen with an industry leading warranty to ensure your addition is built stronger, lasts longer and looks better. We'll be working all winter long, but the building spots are limited. With offers this great, why wait? Visit MortonBuildings.com and click Get Started Today. Certain restrictions may apply. Savings offer on new building purchases by October 31, 2025. Building delivery required by April 30, 2026. Contact your local Morton office for more details.

[Jim Walker]

There's nothing like sinking into luxury. @washablesofas.com you'll find the Annabe sofa, which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slip, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Aylin Lance Lesser]

I'm Glen Washington, the host of KQED's Snap Judgment podcast. And at Snap, we don't just tell stories, we live them. Every week a different journey. Like on a plane with Rihanna, a racetrack in Tijuana, a year inside an Oakland homeless encampment. Real people, real voices with original music and cinematic sound. Snap Judgment from kqeda. New episodes every Thursday, wherever you get your podcasts.

[Kristen Mittleman]

So the night Carla was abducted, her father gets his gun and goes looking for her.

[Host]

Yeah, so he drives to the bowling alley where Rodney says that Carla was pulled out of the car by one or maybe two men. And it's pretty close. It's only a mile away from Carla's house. The police arrive quickly and they find Carla's yellow purse and a magazine to a gun lying in the parking lot. And that's it. There's no sign of where Carla was taken.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Did anyone see anything?

[Host]

No. So the parking lot had emptied out by the time all of this had happened. And remember, this is 1974. So there's no surveillance cameras at the bowling alley, no cell phones, and the parking lot wasn't well lit. It was pretty dark.

[Kristen Mittleman]

So the only things we have to go on are Rodney's story of what happened and a magazine from a gun. But we don't even know if that magazine is related to Carla's disappearance.

[Host]

Exactly. And remember, this is Texas in the 70s, so it wasn't super surprising to find this magazine in the parking lot and there's so little evidence for police to work with. Now Rodney's treated at the hospital and he actually heads back to Carla's house and he ends up sleeping in Carla's bed while hundreds of people are out looking for her. Carla's brother Jim says This goes on for three days.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I'm looking at the front door, and the front door was open. The screen door was closed because people were coming and going, and homicide detectives from Fort Worth and sheriff's department and a couple other men, and they were talking. My parents were listening when a news reporter showed up at the front screen door and said, hi, you know, Mr. Mrs. Walker, I'm so and so with Fort Star Telegram. How are you feeling now that they found your daughter? I was in the middle of the living room. My back was facing the fireplace. And I remember my dad looking toward the fireplace. And that's the first time in my life I ever saw his bomber pilot. Blue eyes, intense, right? Water up. I didn't see tears, but I clearly saw water in his eyes. And my mom was leaning against him and her head went down. So that's how they found out.

[Kristen Mittleman]

What a shock.

[Host]

Yeah. Jim says they all fully expected Carla to be found alive. They hadn't even thought that this could become a murder, you know, a homicide case, that she wouldn't be coming home. And that moment just completely changed everything. The police get on the phone and then they're able to confirm that Carla's body had been found in a culvert by the side of the road about five miles away. Her blue Valentine's Day dress is ripped and bloody. Her underwear and pantyhose are found a little bit away from her body near the entrance of this culvert. And she's been beaten, raped and strangled. There's nothing else there. They don't find any fingerprints. They do find some bodily fluid on Carla's bra, but, you know, this is 1974. There's no DNA testing. The one piece of evidence that they do have is the magazine clip that they found in the parking lot.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Can they identify the type of gun it belonged to?

[Host]

What's called a.22 Ruger handgun. And so the police do, they go and they get a list of everyone in the area who's bought this type of gun, and they go and they interview all of those people, they give them polygraphs, they check alibis, and everybody passes. No one raises suspicion.

[Kristen Mittleman]

There weren't any other indications that any of those people were involved?

[Host]

Correct. Some of the people who had owned this type of gun were able to show the, you know, produce the gun, show the police, here's my gun, fully intact. There was one person on the list. He was a 31 year old truck driver who passed the polygraph, and he said that his gun had been stolen a while before. But there was no reason to suspect him. So the police were really left with nothing, and the case goes cold. And this case, really, from every single person that I've talked to, it changed. Fort Worth.

[Kristen Mittleman]

It was just such a shock because it was a safe place to grow up. There wasn't a lot of crime.

[Host]

I wouldn't go outside. I wouldn't go anywhere by myself after dark.

[Ryan Reynolds]

And then still I would be like.

[Host]

Locking my doors if I did go by myself.

[Ad Voice]

And sometimes you meet somebody and it's.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Like, is he the one? Or you'd see somebody that acted weird and, you know, maybe he's the one. It just shattered our innocence.

[Host]

Typically, a crime like this is committed by somebody who knows the victim. So people do start to kind of look at one another and wonder because everyone thinks someone knows. Somebody knows.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Yeah, somebody's got to know something.

[Host]

Yeah. And it's somebody in our community.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Cloud of sadness came over. Hopefulness was gone. I think my mom suffered in silence. She and dad had a lot of intense conversations. Only. Only kid living in the house at the time.

[Kristen Mittleman]

I mean, Jim, he's only 12 at the time, and he's thrust into this horrible tragedy. I just wonder, how's he feeling? How do you even begin to process what's happening?

[Host]

Yeah, I had the same question.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Nobody ever talked to me. I was a watcher. I set aside and I watch. I watched these huge, bigger than life homicide detectives come in. They would pull me and let me listen to stuff. Nobody ever sat down, said, jimmy, you know, how are you feeling? So I watched. And no, no, no exaggeration. In the first 10 minute conversation you and I had, that would have been more than any conversation I had with either one of my parents about what happened to Carla. I was probably out of school for the entire week after Carla's abduction. And when the sheriff's department came by and said, you know, we're positive it's her, but we need you to go down and identify the body. That was a tough night, and for some unknown reason, I went with them. And we drove down to the coroner's office, and it was dark. So there's two big glass pedestrian doors like we see in businesses or hospitals today. One door was opened out there was a hallway, and I was just lined up perfectly with the door, looking down the hallway, watching mom and dad go. And as mom and dad entered this hallway on the right hand side, a door opened. Then it was left open, and my mom and dad went into that room within 15 seconds. And this is something that used I just couldn't hardly talk about because I'd cry. I hope you never hear or have to be around. When a mama sees her beloved 17 year old old daughter dead and bruised and beaten and bloody on a table, they kind of pulled back a blanket to see the face and neck. I don't know if you ever heard a mom's scream of pain when they see their baby. It's worse than any sound, almost any sound I think I can, could possibly imagine other than a child hurting. But even that's different. It was a guttorial from the deepest part of her core, painful scream. Within 15 seconds of them entering that room, that's what I heard. And that, that was really probably the beginning of me becoming angry.

[Host]

Before Carla's murder, Jim says he played sports, he hung out with friends. You know, he's really happy. But now he becomes absolutely consumed with finding out who did this to his sister and he wants revenge. Jim starts working out every day so he can physically confront Carla's attacker. And he canvases the neighborhood he is looking for any signs of or anyone who looks suspicious. He actually becomes convinced that whoever did this is driving by his house every day. He becomes distrustful, he's short tempered and he's getting into fights like daily.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I didn't, again, didn't have the life experiences to realize what I was looking at. So as a teenager, I was spitting bullets, ready to, I was ready to just kill some, some guy who did this in my family. It changed. It went to a season of mourning and grieving. But with that was mixed, intense, intense determination to find out what happened to Carla and who did it and where's.

[Kristen Mittleman]

The investigation at this point.

[Host]

So this is also part of the tragedy. Police chase down every single lead they get and they still only have Rodney's story to go on. And, and that clip from the gun in the bowling alley parking lot. By the end of 1974, Carla's case goes cold. And it stays that way for 46 years.

[Kristen Mittleman]

Next time on America's Crime Lab.

[Ryan Reynolds]

It became very apparent that everybody had an opinion of what happened to Carla Wright. And what was really unusual was very few people felt like it was a stranger. Most everyone felt like it was somebody who knew Carl. Rodney's story had, you know, it actually had some question mark. I started remembering that cut on his right cheek and it wasn't freshly bleeding, it was coagulating. Remember me saying that Rodney doesn't show.

[Glenn Washington]

Up to Carla's house after she was.

[Howie Mandel]

Abducted for an hour and a half and it was like, well where'd he go? Why did it take him so long?

[Kristen Mittleman]

America's Crime Lab is produced by Rococo Punch for Kaleidoscope. Erica Lance is our story editor and Sound designer is by David Woje. Our producing team is Catherine Fenollosa and Jessica Alpert. Our executive producers are Kate Osborne, Mangesh Hadi Kadur and David and Kristen Mittleman. And from iHeart, Katrina Norville and Ally Perry. Special thanks to Connell Byrne, Will Pearson, Kerry Lieberman, Nikki Etor, Nathan Netoski, John Burbank and the entire team at othram. I'm Aylin Lance Lesser. Thank you. Thanks for listening.

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[Kristen Mittleman]

This is an I Heart podcast.