Crime Salad - Episode Summary

Podcast: Crime Salad

Hosts: Ashley and Ricky
Episode Title: Trudy Appleby: The 1996 Moline Disappearance
Date: October 3, 2025

Overview

This episode tells the haunting story of Trudy Appleby, an 11-year-old girl from Moline, Illinois, who vanished without a trace on August 21, 1996. The case became one of the Quad Cities’ most enduring mysteries, marked by decades of frustration, heartache, and a father's unwavering determination to expose the people he believed responsible for his daughter’s disappearance. The hosts, Ashley and Ricky, delve deeply into the investigation’s twists, community efforts, family dynamics, and, finally, the arrest made nearly 29 years after Trudy’s disappearance. Throughout, this is a story of tragedy, perseverance, and a community that never gave up.

Key Discussion Points & Timeline

1. Trudy Appleby: The Child Behind the Headline

• Background: Trudy was known as vivacious, bright, and instantly social—described as a "ray of light” in her neighborhood. She was slated to start sixth grade and was excited for a planned vacation with her father (01:08-04:14).
• Notable Quote:
  • Ashley: “This was a girl who was a fearless extrovert...the friend who rolled up to your porch and made your day feel bigger.” (03:55)

2. The Day She Disappeared (August 21, 1996)

• Timeline:
  • Trudy spent the previous afternoon with her best friend, Amber Dunlap (04:14).
  • The morning of her disappearance, her routine call to Amber didn’t come. Calls to Trudy’s house went unanswered (04:14-05:07).
  • Her father, Dennis, returned home at lunch to an empty house but initially assumed she had snuck out to swim with friends. By evening, Dennis reported her missing (05:07-06:17).
• Police & Community Response:
  • Initial police assumption: Trudy was a runaway—a common belief at the time (06:17-06:47).
  • A neighbor saw Trudy get into a gray sedan with a young white man (about 20s), wearing a baseball cap, at 9:30am (06:48-07:39).
  • Debunking runaway theories: Trudy left behind all her possessions—even $200 in cash. Dennis was adamant she was abducted (08:50–09:17).

3. The Family’s Relentless Search & The Evolution of the Investigation

• Community Blankets City with Flyers: Over 2,000 flyers distributed; postal workers join the search (10:12–19:33).
• Public Vigils & Billboards: Vigils held for Trudy, school wore purple ribbons, and billboards went up regionally. Case officially reclassified as kidnapping (15:55–16:43).
• Internal Family Conflict:
  • Trudy’s mother, Brenda, publicly blamed Dennis for Trudy’s disappearance due to his “partying lifestyle.” Dennis countered that what mattered was finding Trudy, not casting blame (19:59–22:19).
  • Dennis described Trudy as the best thing that ever happened to him, noting their strong bond and “best friend” relationship (21:17-22:19).

4. Emerging Suspects and Stalled Progress (1996–2012)

• Suspicion Within:
  • Dennis repeatedly named a small circle of local men as responsible, including David Whipple and William Ed Smith, who were friends and neighbors (23:42, 26:30).
  • Police questioned over 1,300 people and eliminated Dennis as a suspect (22:50).
  • Dennis, haunted by guilt and the knowledge he felt sure of, spoke out at public vigils and to the press:
    • Dennis: “I know who you are now. I’m coming for you.” (23:42)
• Stalling: Despite leads, the absence of hard evidence kept the case cold. The police’s approach often frustrated the family, who felt overlooked (24:18–26:56).

5. Key Witness & Person of Interest Emerges (2017–2020)

• A Break Finally Comes:
  • In 2017, a witness came forward, stating he had seen Trudy with William Ed Smith on Campbell’s Island the day she disappeared. The witness claimed Smith threatened to kill him if he spoke (28:49–29:59).
  • Police named Ed Smith a "person of interest." Smith had died three years prior; thus, justice was still elusive (29:59–30:23).
• Link to David Whipple:
  • The witness was revealed as David Whipple, Smith's son-in-law and father of one of Trudy's friends—fitting the vehicle/driver description and the timeline (30:23–31:57).
• Police Activity:
  • Searches intensified. Police and family suspected Trudy was taken out on a boat and never returned (35:02-35:42).
  • Cadaver dogs and forensic searches of Campbell's Island yielded some evidence but not Trudy's remains (35:42–36:55).
• Public Pressure:
  • Detective Michael Griffin used the department's Facebook page to directly address involved suspects, vowing “the dark secrets of the past shall soon be brought to light” (37:14–39:32).
  • Public and social media efforts led by Trudy's friend Amber and neighbor Kelly helped keep the case alive (40:03-41:21).

6. Breakthrough and Arrest at Last (2023–2025)

• New Suspects Named:
  • In 2020, police publicly named David Whipple and Jamison “Jamie” Fisher as persons of interest. All three, including Ed Smith, were connected to Dennis and each other (41:41–44:18).
  • Jamie Fisher was newly scrutinized as another core participant in the crime.
• Setbacks and Final Moves:
  • Searches and forensic excavations in 2023 did not yield Trudy’s remains (44:20–45:33).
  • Family, led by Dennis and Trudy’s uncle Ray, continued to fight for closure (45:12–45:33).

The Arrest:

• August 13–14, 2025:

  • Jamie Fisher, already in jail in Iowa on unrelated charges, was indicted for first-degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death. He refused extradition, causing further delay, but Illinois moves to forcibly transfer him for trial (45:33–48:45).
  • Police chief Darren Gault: “28 years, 11 months, and 23 days. That is how long the family of Trudy Appleby has waited for a resolution to her disappearance… We have made an arrest in the murder of Trudy Appleby.” (45:33)

• Family’s Reaction:

  • Ray Edelman (uncle): “If I hate him, then he's winning, and I got hate in my heart, and that's not getting me anything. So I'm not going to hate him. I'm going to let him stew on his own.” (49:01–49:52)
  • The family’s bittersweet relief: justice is closer, but Trudy is still missing.

• Legal Challenges:

  • Statute of limitations prevented a kidnapping charge. Murder and concealment charges moving forward (47:08).

• Final Words from the Family:

  • The Appleby family and their advocates maintain hope for one final answer: to find Trudy’s remains and truly lay her to rest (49:01–51:20).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ashley:
  • “This was a girl who was a fearless extrovert. The brainy kid excited about the gifted classes. The friend who rolled up to your porch and made your day feel bigger.” (03:55)
• Dennis Appleby:
  • “I know who you are now. I’m coming for you.” (23:42)
  • On the friends he trusted: “Sometimes they turn out to be good and sometimes they turn out to be bad... He knows what happened to my daughter. I believe that in my heart 100%. He doesn't need to be protected anymore.” (34:35)
• Detective Michael Griffin:
  • [On billboards and social media] “You are going to start looking over your shoulder, looking behind you and wondering, wondering when we are coming for you. The dark secrets of the past shall soon be brought to light.” (38:02)
• Ray Edelman (Trudy’s uncle):
  • “If I hate him, then he's winning, and I got hate in my heart, and that's not getting me anything. So I'm not going to hate him. I'm going to let him stew on his own.” (49:01)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trudy’s Life & Disappearance: 01:08–06:47
• Early Investigation & Community Response: 06:47–19:33
• Family Accusations & Ongoing Search: 19:59–22:19
• Suspect Theories & Vigil Threat: 23:42–24:18
• Identification of Suspects (Smith & Whipple): 26:30–32:32
• 2017 Witness & Police Statement: 28:49–30:06
• 2018–2020 Police Public Pressure & Social Media: 37:14–41:21
• 2023–2025 Arrest of Jamie Fisher: 45:33–48:45
• Family Response and Reflection: 48:45–51:35

Tone & Language

The episode is marked by empathy and determination, echoing the heartbreak and frustration of those closest to Trudy. The hosts maintain a compassionate yet investigative tone, blending detailed recounting with sensitive commentary. Their storytelling respects the gravity of the case and the resilience of Trudy’s family and advocates.

Conclusion

This episode of Crime Salad provides a layered, emotional recounting of Trudy Appleby’s case—from her disappearance and the community’s mobilization, through decades-long suspicion, family pain, and police efforts, to the eventual arrest in 2025. Listeners walk away with a profound sense of the impact such cases have on those left behind—and the importance of persistence in the quest for truth and justice.

If you or anyone you know has information about Trudy Appleby, contact the Moline Police Department. As the episode closes, the hosts and the Appleby family continue to hold out hope that Trudy will one day be brought home.