Crime Junkie: Kelly Dee Wilson (10 of Spades, Ohio) – Episode Summary Date: January 27, 2026 Host: Ashley Flowers (with Britt Prawat & Detective Melanie Phelps)

Episode Overview

This episode of Crime Junkie (originally from The Deck) revisits the unsolved 2000 murder of Kelly Dee Wilson, a beloved and rising radio personality in Dayton, Ohio. Ashley Flowers explores not only the timeline and investigation into Kelly's death but also a potential connection to the disappearance of Nikki McCowan, whose missing vehicle was found at the same apartment complex where Kelly lived and died. By retelling Kelly’s case in detail, the hope is to spark new interest and information that could finally offer answers more than two decades later.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction: Why Revisit Kelly Dee Wilson’s Case?

• Ashley Flowers explains (01:00) the renewed interest in Kelly's case after her name appears incidentally in reports connected to another missing person (Nikki McCowan). Both cases involve the same Dayton apartment complex, though no direct link is presently confirmed.

Background: Who was Kelly Dee Wilson? (03:30–05:00)

• Kelly, known on air as "Nikki Brooks," was a 29-year-old DJ at U92/WROU in Dayton.
• Praised for her energy and professionalism, Kelly had become the face of evening programming and was dedicated to her career.
• "People were just drawn to Kelly’s on-air energy and confident voice. Fans could tell she genuinely loved her job and the music she played." (Ashley, 05:00)

Discovery: The Timeline of Kelly’s Disappearance (06:00–10:00)

• On March 25, 2000, Kelly failed to show up for her 8pm radio shift (rare for her), raising alarms.
• Stan Boston, her boss and neighbor, tried her landline and called her mother. Charlene (Kelly's mom) had also been unable to reach her.
• Stan decided to check on her in person; her car was present, but no one answered the door.
• The maintenance staff and police were called, and a welfare check was performed. Kelly was found dead in her bathroom.

Crime Scene Details (08:40–13:00)

• Deputy Johnny Campbell found Kelly deceased, lying halfway off her bathtub, wearing only a robe, bra, and T-shirt, nothing below the waist.
• Cleaning product residue and fecal matter were found in both her bathroom and bedroom.
• "There was cleanup at the scene, or attempted cleanup." (Detective Phelps, 10:46)
• No signs of forced entry—suggesting Kelly may have let her killer in, or they had a key.
• Her purse was on the kitchen counter, scattered as if rifled through, but no valuables missing.

Community Impact (13:00–14:30)

• Outpourings of grief from her listeners; DJ colleagues took over her show, airing dedications.
• Detective Phelps recalls: "Back then, the radio celebrities were actually like a celebrity here in Dayton...building them up or they were on some kind of pedestal." (13:36)

Initial Investigation and Timeline (14:30–19:50)

• Kelly’s last known movements:

  • Friday night: Worked her radio show.
  • Saturday night: At home with a male friend ("Joe") and his buddy, then to a coworker's (Tammy) house party.
  • Kelly left the party at ~11pm with the two men. They dropped her at home, then went out clubbing.
  • Tammy received pages and a call from Kelly after midnight—Kelly wanted to keep the party going.

• Police identified a time gap: the last visual sighting around 11pm, last phone contact after midnight. The two men were alibied with witness statements placing them elsewhere later.

Forensic and Autopsy Findings (21:00–24:00)

• Coroner found:
  • Blunt force trauma (mouth, cheek, temple, and neck)
  • Signs of asphyxiation; likely manual strangulation
  • Indeterminate evidence of sexual assault (due to consensual encounter earlier)
• "More than likely, Kelly’s killer had strangled her to death sometime Sunday morning." (Ashley, 23:03)

Investigation Follows Cold Trails (25:35–29:00)

• Community tips led nowhere; DNA from known contacts didn't match any unknown profiles from the crime scene.

• In 2004, a lead in Georgia did not pan out.

• There were rumors of a stalker, but detectives felt the killer was someone familiar to Kelly.

  • "She would have probably let anyone that she actually knew into the apartment." (Detective Phelps, 18:58)

Detective Phelps’ Ongoing Work & Reflections (29:58–33:52)

• Detective Melanie Phelps took personal interest from 2012 on, sending evidence for new DNA testing as advances arise.
• Believes solving the case depends on someone—perhaps a neighbor—remembering a crucial detail.
  • "It’s totally solvable. I have every faith in this one, and I think it’s coming." (Phelps, 31:27)
• The trauma to Kelly’s family endures. Her sister Jamie describes the pain as "still like an open wound." (33:18)

Theories & Sticking Points (34:00–36:00)

• Police discount a random predator or stalker, focusing on someone Kelly trusted enough to let into her apartment late at night.
• Key evidence: The killer locked the door after leaving and took Kelly’s keys, supporting the theory they were familiar or had access.
• Maintenance staff were cleared.
• The loss of Kelly’s radio archives further diminishes her memory in the public sphere.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Kelly’s Popularity:
  • "You could hear her smile through the radio." (Radio station president at memorial, 25:50)
• On the Crime Scene:
  • "She was laying on her stomach in the bathroom, and she had on just a robe and her bra and a T-shirt. She didn't have anything on below the waist." (Detective Phelps, 09:19)
  • "There was no forced entry...So that individual somehow relocked the door. Now, her keys were not located...That says she knew who it was. She let them into the apartment." (Detective Phelps, 19:33)
• On the Investigation:
  • "But it gave police the ability to theorize..." (Ashley, 09:56) – on cleaning product residue and movement of fecal matter.
  • Detective Phelps: "There’s always new technology coming out, so I’m always resending things to the lab…But it’s totally solvable." (31:27)
• On the Lingering Pain:
  • Jamie Powell (Kelly’s sister): "It’s still like an open wound." (33:18)
• On Persistence:
  • Detective Phelps: "How can you just go, ‘eh, oh well, it seems hard.’ So, I mean, you just gotta keep trying. What’s it gonna hurt to keep trying?" (33:52)

Important Timestamps

• 00:43 – Episode context; connection to Nikki McCowan’s case introduced.
• 03:30 – Background on Kelly and U92 radio.
• 08:40 – Discovery of Kelly’s body (Det. Phelps’ account).
• 13:36 – Local impact of Kelly’s death.
• 15:42 – Details on Kelly’s last verified night (party and her companions).
• 21:04 – Police focus on two male companions and their alibis.
• 22:26 – Autopsy findings (blunt force, asphyxiation, no clear sexual assault evidence).
• 29:58 – Detective Phelps begins re-investigating the case personally.
• 31:27 – Hopes for new technology or witness memory.
• 33:02 – Jamie Powell (sister) discusses enduring grief.
• 33:52 – Phelps on her determination and the “why” behind her persistence.

Call to Action

If you have any information about the murder of Kelly D. Wilson in March 2000, contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 937-225-6479 or email Detective Phelps directly at phelps@mcohio.oh.us.

Episode Tone

Ashley Flowers’ narration remains factual yet compassionate, driving home the emotional toll on Kelly’s family and the community, as well as the painstaking persistence required for true cold case work. The tone is empathetic, clear, and occasionally urgent, especially as the episode encourages listeners to reflect, theorize, and share any information they might have to help solve this long-lingering mystery.