Crime Junkie: MURDERED: Teresa Flores & Martha Mezo

Release Date: November 10, 2025
Host: Ashley Flowers (& Brit Prawat)

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat unravel the haunting and largely untold story of the 1980 double homicide of Teresa “Terry” Flores (age 5) and Martha “Marty” Mezo (age 4) in the tiny California town of San Miguel. Despite an exhaustive initial investigation, multiple strange clues, and a cast of suspicious characters, the case has remained unsolved for 45 years—until now, as new DNA evidence and a determined detective bring hope for a long-awaited breakthrough. The episode covers the chronology of the girls’ disappearance, the initial frantic search, the botched and overlooked leads, and the resurgence of investigative efforts thanks to modern forensic science.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Disappearance (02:20–09:47)

• On May 17, 1980, Marty and Terry vanish in broad daylight in San Miguel, California—a tiny town where everyone truly knows everyone.
• The girls, last seen after a sleepover, are allowed by a trusted adult to run minor errands alone, underscoring a more relaxed sense of child safety in the 1980s.
• The last confirmed sightings are at the Elkhorn Bar (a community hangout) and on Mission Street, after which they seem to simply disappear.

  "Somehow on this busy main road at 11:30 in the morning, with witnesses everywhere, they just vanish." — Ashley (08:00)

2. Search and Fear: The Community Responds (09:47–13:46)

• A massive search effort commences—citizens, National Guard, helicopters, and even door-to-door warrantless searches.
• Absence of evidence and false assumptions (each family thinking girls were with the other) delays reporting to the police.
• The tight-knit, low-crime community is shocked—"there was typically no police presence in San Miguel" (11:12)—and local kids frequently ran small errands alone.

3. Tragedy Confirmed: Discovery of the Bodies (15:58–19:49)

• After 12 days, the girls’ bodies are found near the Salinas Riverbed by Camp Roberts army personnel. The girls are surface-buried, unclothed, with ligatures around their necks.
• Key physical evidence: maroon cloth ligatures, an empty wine bottle (unrelated), bloodied blue towel, unknown black thong underwear, and a green trash bag full of their clothes.

  "Surface-buried, meaning like no hole had been dug. They were just sort of laid on top of each other and then sand was pushed over to like cover them." — Ashley (15:58)

4. Case Bedeviled by Red Herrings

Early Suspects and Missteps (19:53–30:58)

• Greg Hickey: A volatile local teen, babysat the girls, had a fight with the family that morning, but alibi confirmed. Strange: fateful car fire destroys possible evidence.
• Mario Escalante: Bought the girls a Coke, but denies ever meeting them. No violent record.
• Eugene Capers: Former military, lived behind the Mezzo house, displays odd emotional reaction but is not interviewed thoroughly.
• Roy Hash: Known child predator, elusive, brief interview only, never pressed.
• Police seem to accept first and surface explanations from suspects, often following up insufficiently.

The Serial Killer Distraction (38:12–45:10)

• In 1983, notorious "Confession Killer" Henry Lee Lucas falsely confesses to the crime, consuming years of investigative effort. Ultimately, alibi and timelines debunk his involvement.

  “They spent two years on this [Lucas].” — Brit (45:10)

Other Potential Suspects (45:10–47:41)

• Richard Benson: Another violent child predator, later executed for other murders; no connection could be established to the girls' case, and DNA did not match.

  “He tells Detective Cole that he doesn’t know anything about the girls. … And it’s not his DNA, Cole clears him.” — Ashley (51:05)

5. The Evidence Files and DNA Breakthroughs (47:41–58:47)

• Forensic Breakthroughs:

  • DNA extracted from the underwear found at the scene yields a full CODIS-suitable male profile, but no hits.
  • Blue towel at scene contains blood from one victim, hairs that belong to neither girl (but are initially lost in evidence storage).
  • Other DNA profiles found on ligatures and clothing, but not enough for database entry.

• Genealogical Progress:

  • DNA is 75% Black ancestry. Suspicion on Eugene Capers (only Black suspect), but his children’s DNA does not match. None of the prior suspects or their relatives are matches.

  "With genealogy, who needs to be doing things? Right?... the answers, like you can feel it, they're within reach." — Ashley (59:06–59:20)

• Lost-and-Found Evidence:

  • The missing hairs from the towel are found after 19 years and sent for re-testing, with results pending (63:32–63:56).

6. Complex Possibilities and Theories (53:05–58:18)

• Detective Cole develops a new theory: several people may have been involved, possibly escalating a “prank” gone wrong during search panic, leading to tragedy and a cover-up.
  • Circumstantial oddities (neatly folded clothing, military-like precision, access to military base) point to someone connected to Camp Roberts or the military, but specifics ever elusive.
  • The presence of unknown DNA on ligatures and clothing supports the idea of multiple perpetrators.

  "He comes up with this theory that somebody who knew the girls might have taken them as some kind of twisted way to scare the Flores and Mezzo families... and then when this massive search operation came into town... they freaked out, and that's when things went sideways." — Ashley (56:11)

7. Unfinished Business and Urgency for Justice (63:56–End)

• Detective Cole’s Efforts:
  With the help of partner Jeff Robashotti, Cole has doggedly retested old evidence, reinterviewed witnesses, and pushed for genealogical tracing.
• Victims’ Families:
  Christina, Terry’s sister, is now terminally ill and hopes to see the case solved before she dies. She and family members have fought for years to get media attention, finally finding a platform with Crime Junkie. Fundraising efforts underway for reward and billboards.

  “Her hope is that no one will be able to say the same about her [as past relatives who died with no answers].” — Ashley (65:04)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the case’s obscurity:

  “The only reason you don’t know about this case is because it’s never been told in full before. Not until today.” — Ashley (03:50)

• On search tactics of the era:

  “Investigators were doing things that wouldn't even be allowed today, like searching people's homes without warrants.” — Ashley (09:19)

• Describing key forensic clues:

  “The girl that they did the tox screen on still had a piece of chewing gum in her mouth during the autopsy...” — Ashley (19:23)

• On law enforcement missteps:

  “They only impounded one [car], which is obviously not the one that ended up getting burned.” — Ashley (29:45)

• Reflection on missed opportunities:

  “If a confession is what they were waiting for, then come 1983, that is exactly what they get.” — Ashley (36:30)

• On hope for resolution:

  “You can feel it, they’re within reach. But this is what I was saying at the top of the episode—things are going to happen soon. He’s still working on it.” — Ashley (59:03)

Timeline and Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:20: Introduction to the girls, the town, and the abduction
• 06:00: Last known movements and community context
• 09:47: Community search efforts and early investigation
• 15:58: Discovery of the girls’ bodies
• 19:53: Early suspects and physical evidence found at the scene
• 26:01: Deep dive into suspect Greg Hickey and family dynamics
• 38:11: The Henry Lee Lucas false confession episode
• 47:41: Richard Benson and additional suspect reviews
• 50:50: DNA collection and modern forensics begin
• 53:05: Detective Cole’s evolving theory and suspects
• 58:35: Genealogy and DNA developments
• 63:32: Rediscovery of the crucial "missing" hair evidence
• 65:04: Interview with the victim’s family and call for public help

Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Ashley and Brit emphasize how much has changed—both in investigative techniques and community attitudes—since 1980, and highlight the human cost of unsolved cases. The episode ends by encouraging listeners to share information or support the family’s campaign for billboards and rewards, pledging that Detective Cole will keep working until Marty and Terry’s killers are brought to justice.

Contact Info for Tips

• Detective Clint Cole: 805-781-4940
• Email: ccoleo@slo.co
• GoFundMe link in show notes (for billboards and reward fund)

Summary

This is a poignant, detailed exploration of a cold case reinvigorated by modern science and dogged investigators. The episode painstakingly details missteps, flawed assumptions, and evolving theories, but ultimately, it’s a story of persistent hope—a reminder that no case is ever truly lost as long as someone keeps fighting for justice.

For source material, family GoFundMe, and more information, visit crimejunkie.com.