Crime House Daily: First Watch

Episode Date: October 6, 2025
Host: Katie Ring

Episode Overview

In this First Watch episode, host Katie Ring unpacks two headline-grabbing true crime stories:

• The 60-year-old cold case of Roy George Benn, finally closed after his car and remains were found submerged in the Mississippi River.
• The shocking case of Autumn Bardisa, a Florida woman accused of impersonating a registered nurse and treating over 4,400 patients without a license.

Both cases highlight themes of justice delayed but ultimately delivered, with ongoing investigations that raise new questions even as old ones are answered.

Case 1: The Cold Case of Roy George Benn (00:55–14:40)

Discovery After 60 Years

• Event: Fisherman Brody Locke uses sonar and spots a large object in the Mississippi River in Sartel on August 9, 2025.
• Discovery: The next day, he returns with family and, after alerting authorities, leads to police recovering a 1963 Buick Electra submerged 24 feet underwater (06:10).
• Identification: The vehicle’s VIN links it to Roy George Benn, missing since 1967.

Quote (Katie Ring, 07:00):
"Nearly 60 years later, the river gives up its secret. But was it a tragic plunge or murder?"

The Life & Disappearance of Roy Benn

• Last Seen: September 25, 1967, at King's Supper Club café, Sartel, MN, in a dark suit with $5,000 cash (07:57).
• Background: Successful business owner, recent widower, no children.
• Initial Search: Divers probe local quarries and river, aerial searches, national bulletins—no trace found (09:30).
• Family’s Search: Roy’s brother, Walter, offers rewards, posts missing posters nationwide, tries to keep Roy’s business afloat (10:11).
• Rumors & Leads: In 1971, an inmate claims to have helped dispose of Benn’s body; police search but find nothing (11:52).

Quote (Katie Ring, 10:54):
"Walter doesn't buy it. Roy's not the type to just up and leave."

The Investigation Stalls

• Legal Limbo: Benn’s estate is only settled eight years later after being declared legally dead (12:40).
• Endless Waiting: Family heartache, assets frozen, mystery endures.

The Breakthrough

• Evidence: The vehicle is intact despite severe rust; human remains found inside (13:10).
• DNA Confirmation: On September 4, 2025, DNA evidence confirms the remains are Roy Benn (13:50).
• Open Questions: Cause and manner of death remain undetermined; murder is not ruled out.
• Ongoing Investigation: Benton County Sheriff’s Office continues probing potential foul play.

Quote (Katie Ring, 14:25):
“The good news is the Benton County Sheriff's Office is still investigating. Hopefully Roy's remaining relatives will get more answers now that his remains have been found.”

Case 2: The Fake Nurse – Autumn Bardisa (14:41–19:23)

Massive Medical Impersonation

• Offense: Autumn Bardisa treated 4,486 patients over seven months at Advent Health Palm Coast Parkway, Florida, posing as a registered nurse (15:00).
• Charges: Arrested August 2025, faces seven counts each of practicing healthcare without a license and fraudulent use of personal ID; bond set at $70,000 (15:33).
• How She Did It: Bardisa claimed her license was under a married name, failed to produce her marriage license; the hospital missed red flags (16:15).

Quote (Katie Ring, 16:21):
"She goes to work every day without arousing suspicion, and by June 2024, it appears that she's allowed to work without supervision."

• The Tip-Off: Offered a promotion in Jan 2025, a colleague investigates her credentials, discovers her RN license is fake and her CNA certification is expired (17:03).
• Hospital Actions: Bardisa is fired and the case referred to authorities.

The Investigation

• Unfolding of Fraud: Sheriff’s office discovers she used the license of a former classmate who works at a different facility (17:45).
• Scope: HIPAA subpoenas reveal 4,486 patients treated (18:22).
• Legal Strategy: One felony count per month worked.

Arrest & Consequences

• Arrest: August 5, 2025—Bardisa is arrested while in scrubs, having just passed her nursing exam and started at a new job (18:36).
• Court Dates: Arraignment on September 2, not guilty plea filed; next court date set for October 22 (18:58).
• No Physical Harm: No known patient injuries or deaths, but trust and safety were severely compromised.

Quote (Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staley, via Katie Ring, 19:07):
"This woman potentially put thousands of lives at risk by pretending to be someone she was not and violating the trust of patients, their families, Advent Health and an entire medical community."

• Authorities' Call: Sheriff’s office requests possible victims reach out via a dedicated contact email.

Notable Quotes

• On the mystery’s resolution:
  "Nearly 60 years later, the river gives up its secret. But was it a tragic plunge or murder?" (Katie Ring, 07:00)

• On family persistence:
  “Walter doesn't buy it. Roy's not the type to just up and leave.” (Katie Ring, 10:54)

• On institutional failure:
  "She goes to work every day without arousing suspicion, and by June 2024, it appears that she's allowed to work without supervision." (Katie Ring, 16:21)

• On fraud’s consequence:
  "This woman potentially put thousands of lives at risk by pretending to be someone she was not and violating the trust of patients, their families, Advent Health and an entire medical community." (Sheriff Rick Staley, 19:07)

Key Timestamps

• 00:55: Introduction to the Roy Benn case
• 06:10: Discovery of the car and remains
• 09:30: Initial police investigation in the 1960s
• 13:10: Vehicle retrieved; evidence examination
• 13:50: DNA confirmation of Benn’s identity
• 14:41: Introduction to the fake nurse case
• 16:21: Hospital oversight and details of the ruse
• 18:36: Bardisa’s arrest and charges
• 19:07: Sheriff Staley’s statement on risks to public trust

Closing

Katie encourages listeners to share their thoughts and theories, follow the show on social media, and stay tuned for updates as both stories evolve, reminding the audience:

"You stay curious and I'll stay on the case." (Katie Ring, 19:20)

Summary prepared for those who want the facts, key discussion points, and memorable moments from Crime House Daily’s First Watch without sitting through the episode.