Missing Toddlers Recovered in Mexico After Harrowing Week with 'Severely Depressed' Father | Crime Alert 05.29.26

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: Missing Toddlers Recovered in Mexico After Harrowing Week with 'Severely Depressed' Father | Crime Alert 05.29.26
Date: May 29, 2026
Host: Sydney Silvani (for this episode's Crime Alert news coverage)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

---

Episode Overview

This episode of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace provides a gripping overview of three major crime stories making headlines:

• The cross-border recovery of two missing toddlers abducted by their severely depressed father.
• The tragic shooting death of a dedicated Chicago student.
• The resolution of a 30-year-old cold case murder in Illinois.

With her trademark urgency and compassion for victims, Nancy Grace (represented by Sydney Silvani for the news recap) details each story, emphasizing the desperation and grief faced by families, and the determination of law enforcement in seeking justice.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dramatic Rescue: Missing Toddlers Abducted by Father

[00:39 - 03:29]

• Incident Recap:
  Lizzie Tomic’s two sons, 22-month-old Will and 10-month-old Wesley Richmond, vanished after being picked up by their father, Dane Stephen Richman, in Shelton, Washington.
  • “The panic began Friday morning when Richman completely failed to appear for a scheduled legal deposition.” (Sydney Silvani, 00:54)
• Escalation & Response:
  • Tomic attempted to contact Richman after his no-show; her calls and texts went unanswered.
  • She requested a welfare check—Richman’s home was found abandoned, car gone, and all personal effects removed.
  • “We learned that the house was vacant and … there was no car and Dane and the boys were not home. When we learned this, we knew something was wrong.” (Lizzie Tomic, 02:03)
• Deceptive Cover-Up:
  • Richman sent a misleading text, claiming a camping trip, but cell records proved he was near San Diego and had crossed into Mexico.
• Family’s Desperation & Public Plea:
  • Lizzie and her attorney took to TikTok, pleading for tips.
• Resolution:
  • After days of uncertainty, the boys were safely rescued in San Felipe, Mexico.
  • “The thought of never seeing the little guys again was more than they could process,” shared a family member on Facebook.
  • Richman was found to have quit his job, disposed of possessions, fled the country, and was “severely depressed.”
  • He was arrested and charged with two counts of custodial interference.

Notable Quotes:

• “I flew in … for a deposition … we learned that Dane had fired his attorney and would not be attending. I immediately contacted him … He did not respond.” (Lizzie Tomic, 01:33)
• “Authorities revealed that Richman was severely depressed, had abruptly quit his job, sold or gave away his worldly possessions, and entirely abandoned his home before fleeing across the border.” (Sydney Silvani, 02:50)

---

2. Chicago Daylight Shooting: Teen Student Killed

[05:05 - 06:31]

• Incident Description:
  • 17-year-old Pedro Ramirez, a model student and athlete, was fatally shot on his way to the bus stop in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood.
  • “Pedro served as the captain of his school soccer team and was a dedicated volleyball player.”
• Victims & Community Impact:
  • Attack involved a hail of bullets; two innocent bystanders (aged 55 and 61) were critically wounded.
  • Pedro’s mother, Eloisa Garcia, expressed her devastation:
    • “Our lives changed completely and this is like a dream.” (Eloisa Garcia via ABC7, 05:38)
  • Pedro’s best friend shared heartbreak over Pedro’s dedication to his studies:
    • “He always said I will never miss school unless I’m very sick or unless I’m dying. He actually died, so it really hurts my heart about those words that he said.” (Mario Rosales, 06:00)
• Investigation:
  • Chicago police have a person of interest in custody; no motive determined yet.

---

3. Cold Case Closure: 1993 Illinois Murder Solved

[06:31 - 08:41]

• Background:
  • The murder of Randy Gale Spurino in 1993, left unsolved for over three decades.
  • Spurino’s body was found with blunt force injuries in Granite City, Illinois.
• Breakthrough via Forensic Genealogical DNA:
  • Technology enabled identification of 70-year-old Albert “Buddy” Ziegler, who confessed:
    • “Ziegler admitted … he picked Spurino up … brought her back to his residence and brutally beat her to death … before dumping her body in the rural field.” (Sydney Silvani, 07:25)
• Court Proceedings:
  • Defense cited Ziegler’s poor health, but the judge denied bail, referencing the gravity of the crime.
  • “Judge James Hackett determined that the sheer gravity of the murder allegations outweighs his medical condition, ordering that Ziegler remain securely in custody.” (Sydney Silvani, 08:15)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Family Fear & Relief:
  • “I had never experienced true terror like this before … the thought of never seeing the little guys again was more than they could process.” (Family member via Sydney Silvani, 02:32)
• On a Mother’s Loss:
  • “Our lives changed completely and this is like a dream.” (Eloisa Garcia, 05:38)
• On Unwavering Spirit:
  • “He always said I will never miss school unless I’m very sick or unless I’m dying. He actually died, so it really hurts my heart about those words that he said.” (Mario Rosales, 06:00)
• On Justice After Decades:
  • “A monumental breakthrough in forensic genealogical DNA evidence broke the case wide open.” (Sydney Silvani, 07:15)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:39 – 03:29] – Missing toddlers’ disappearance, search, and rescue.
• [05:05 – 06:31] – Chicago shooting of Pedro Ramirez.
• [06:31 – 08:41] – Cold case solved: the Randy Gale Spurino murder.

---

Tone & Language

The tone is urgent, empathetic, and determined, focused on the pursuit of justice and the human grief behind crime headlines. Direct family statements and personal memories are used to convey the emotional stakes for listeners who may not be familiar with the cases.

---

Conclusion

This episode of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace provides a powerful, multifaceted look at both contemporary and historic crimes—reminding listeners that justice may be delayed, but is rarely denied, and that behind the headlines are families, victims, and communities forever altered.

---

Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[B]

Guaranteed Human introducing the all new Mazda CX5 featuring more connection hey Google, where's the nearest Pilates class? Safety that has your back? More discovery on the scenic routes, more passion in the details and more control in changing weather. The all new Mazda CX5 more to move every side of you. See it in 5 [e-mail] 5sides Google is a trademark of Google LLC. Sequences shortened and simulated Crime Alert Hourly

[A]

Update Breaking Crime news Now.

[B]

I'm Sydney Silvani A terrifying search for two missing toddlers has culminated in a dramatic rescue across international borders, exposing a mother's worst nightmare. Lizzie Thomas reported her two young sons, 22 month old Will and 10 month old Wesley Richmond, missing from their father's home in Saratoga Springs, Utah on Saturday, May20. The children were last seen a full week earlier in Shelton, Washington, where their father had picked them up from Tomic's residence. The Utah Department of Public Safety issued a critical Amber Alert stating that the two boys were in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death, officially naming their 46 year old father, Dane Stephen Richman, as the primary suspect. Talmage took to TikTok alongside her family attorney, begging the public for any information that could lead to the recovery of her sons. The panic began Friday morning when Richman completely failed to appear for a scheduled legal deposition.

[C]

I flew in on Thursday night of this week for a deposition on May 22. Minutes before the deposition was to start, we learned that Dane had fired his attorney and would not be attending the deposition. I immediately contacted him via phone, via calling his phone and texting. He did not respond.

[B]

Tomic immediately requested a welfare check at Richmond's residence. The home was entirely empty, stripped of personal belongings and abandoned.

[C]

We learned that the house was vacant and there were things being moved out. There was no car and Dane and the boys were not home. When we learned this, we knew something was wrong.

[B]

As investigators scrambled to trace Richman's movements, a deceptive text message popped up on Tomic's phone. Richman claimed that he had merely taken the two young boys on a spontaneous camping trip. However, law enforcement quickly unmasked the lie. Cellular tracking revealed that Richmond sent the text while positioned near San Diego, California, and he had already crossed the United States Mexico border. For days, the family endured agonizing uncertainty until a major breakthrough on Tuesday. Saratoga Springs police announced that the children had been located safe in the northwestern Mexican city of San Felipe following their rescue. Family member Jenny Hirsch Tomic expressed the family's profound relief on Facebook, writing that she had never experienced true terror like this before, noting that the thought of never seeing the little guys again was more than they could process. While the children are being safely brought home, details about the suspect's unraveling life have emerged. Authorities revealed that Richman was severely depressed, had abruptly quit his job, sold or gave away his worldly possessions, and entirely abandoned his home before fleeing across the border. Richman has since been arrested and faces two counts of custodial interference. More crime and justice news after this

[D]

this July 4th come celebrate at America's Block Party hosted by America 250, America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark [e-mail]

[A]

your family's safety requires your trust Trust in the security system you've chosen to protect your home. Simplisafe has made trust simple 24. 7 affordable professional monitoring. With no long term contracts, no lock ins or hidden cancellation fees, their fully customizable system fits your exact needs with comprehensive sensors and indoor outdoor cameras. Customize a system that's right for you and your [e-mail] and it ships to your door in just a few days. With app guided setup and no drilling required, you can install and arm your system in under an hour. Crime stories listeners get 50% off a new system when signing up for professional monitoring and your first month is free. You you just visit simplisafe.com Nancy that's half [e-mail] Nancy first month free. There is no safe like Simplisafe.

[B]

Tragic daylight violence in Chicago has claimed the life of a promising young student, leaving a community reeling and a family broken. 17 year old Pedro Ramirez was an honor world junior at Tilden High School. Loved by his peers, Pedro served as the captain of his school soccer team and was a dedicated volleyball player. On Tuesday morning around 7:40am, Pedro was walking toward a local bus stop to make his usual commute to school in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. He never made it. An unknown assailant opened fire, striking the teenager multiple times. Pedro was rushed to Comer Children's Hospital where he was tragically pronounced dead. Speaking to reporters from ABC7, his grieving mother, Eloisa Garcia described the crushing shock of losing her son so suddenly. Our lives changed completely and this is like a dream. Her partner, Azucena Velazquez, spoke to ABC7 in Spanish, pleading for an end to the rampant violence plaguing the city streets during morning hours when children are simply trying to walk to school. According to the Chicago Police Department, an unknown offender exited a dark colored SUV and unleashed a hail of gunfire that targeted multiple people. Two bystanders, men aged 55 and 61, who were sitting innocently inside a nearby vehicle, were also struck by the bullets. Both were rushed to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. While a motive remains unclear, Chicago police confirmed that a person of interest has been taken into custody. The losses devastated Pedro's classmates, including his best friend Mario Rosales, who shared a heart wrenching memory with ABC7 about Pedro's unyielding commitment to his education. He always said I will never miss school unless I'm very sick or unless I'm dying. He actually died, so it really hurts my heart about those words that he said. Online, a GoFundMe page established to cover funeral expenses describes Pedrito as a kind, cheerful and helpful young man who left an indelible impression on everyone he met, adding that no mother should ever have to endure such profound pain. Finally, a decades old mystery in southern Illinois has been solved, proving that time is no escape for a killer. For over 30 years, the brutal murder of 34 year old Randy Gale Spurino remained a haunting cold case. On November 9, 1993, Spurino's body was discovered abandoned in a rural field in unincorporated Granite City, having suffered massive blunt force trauma to the head. Generations of law enforcement officers chased down thousands of leads, re interviewed witnesses and repeatedly analyzed DNA evidence. Yet the killer managed to evade justice until now. On Tuesday, Madison County State's Attorney Tom haine announced that first degree murder charges have been filed against 70 year old Albert Buddy Ziegler of Caseyville Hayne emphasized that a monumental breakthrough in forensic genealogical DNA evidence broke the case wide open. The scientific breakthrough led to a stunning confession. Ziegler admitted to investigators that he picked Spurino up in Granite City, brought her back to his residence and brutally beat her to death using a metal baseball bat or a steel pipe before dumping her body in the rural field. Prosecutors are aggressively fighting to keep Ziegler detained without bond pending his trial. Ziegler's public defender argued that because he is 70 years old and recovering from a recent heart attack, he is fought too ill for a prison environment. However, Judge James Hackett determined that the sheer gravity of the murder allegations outweighs his medical condition, ordering that Ziegler remain securely in custody for the latest crime and justice breaking news. Be sure to tune in tomorrow on your favorite podcast app with this crime alert. I'm Sydney Silvani.

[D]

This July 4th come celebrate at America's Block Party hosted by America 250. America's Block Party is a can't miss 4th of July concert happening at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Experience music, performances from major artists, patriotic tributes and the kickoff to giving 4th, helping to make July 4th the largest day of giving in American history. It's more than just fireworks. Learn more about this landmark [e-mail]

[A]

your family's safety requires your trust Trust in the security system you've chosen to protect your home. SimpliSafe has made trust simple 24. 7 Affordable professional monitoring with no long term contracts, no lock ins or hidden cancellation fees, their fully customizable system fits your exact needs with comprehensive sensors and indoor outdoor cameras. Customize a system that's right for you and your [e-mail] and it ships to your door in just a few days. With app guided setup and no drilling required, you can install and arm your system in under an hour. Crime stories listeners get 50% off a new system when signing up for professional monitoring and your first month is free. You just visit simplisafe.com Nancy that's half [e-mail] Nancy first month free. There is no safe like SimpliSafe. This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.