An amusement park murder. An aspiring beauty queen's murder. Plus, a detective's documentary.

Summary

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Dateline: True Crime Weekly — October 23, 2025

Hosted by Andrea Canning (NBC News)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into three major stories:

• A decades-old amusement park murder in Georgia, finally seeing a break thanks to a pivotal witness.
• The tragic case of an aspiring beauty queen found murdered in Philadelphia, with questions swirling about law enforcement and justice gaps.
• How a Canadian detective is using documentaries to advance a haunting child murder investigation. Plus, the team rounds up court verdicts and legal developments in several high-profile cases.

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1. The Amusement Park Murder: Break in a Cold Case

(Start: 01:31)

The Crime and Investigation

• Victim & Scene: Doris Worrell, mother of three, was shot and killed at her family's amusement park in Douglas, Georgia, in 2006. Her husband, John, found her body.
• Initial Theories: Investigators considered a botched robbery or retaliation (John had recently chased people from the park).
• Key Figure: Paula Yarbury, a then-teenage undocumented immigrant from Venezuela the Worrells had taken in, ultimately played a critical role.

"She lived with them for quite a while...helping out in the family by taking care of the kids, which is how she's sort of become known as the nanny."
— Dorothy Newell (04:39)

Motive & New Developments

• Motive Speculation: Allegations arose that John had an inappropriate relationship with Paula and feared losing his children in a divorce.
• Early Suspects: Two men, both park employees, were charged a few years after Doris’s murder but the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.
• Dramatic Moves: Paula was deported, and John moved to Costa Rica with the children, later joined by Paula. Their relationship later ended, and John returned to the US.
• Breakthrough: Years later, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) traveled to Costa Rica to find Paula, who provided information leading to John’s arrest in 2025.

"Slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."
— Detective Insp. Shawn Glassford (03:07)

• Current Legal Status: John Worrell pleads not guilty; his defense is seeking a venue change, citing internet-fueled local bias.
• Family Impact: Doris’s family has not seen her children for 19 years; her eldest daughter spoke in support of John at a bond hearing.

"It's tough, and I know the family's really upset that they have not seen these kids."
— Dorothy Newell (09:23)

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2. The Aspiring Beauty Queen’s Murder — Justice Delayed in Philadelphia

(Start: 11:31)

Who Was Kada Scott?

• 23-year-old Penn State grad, fashion lover, pageant contestant, described as “charismatic and kind.”
• Disappeared while heading to her job at an assisted living facility.

Timeline of Disappearance

• Arrives at work at 10pm, October 4th; vanishes soon after. Personal items and car left at work.
• Police search intensively; body later found in a shallow grave near a vacant school.

"If we gotta drive a trillion miles to come find you, we're going to find you."
— Dorothy Newell, echoing family (11:51)

The Break in the Case

• 21-year-old Keon King is arrested for kidnapping; he and Kada knew each other, but relationship details are unclear.
• A public tip, after police plead for help, leads them to a school, where evidence belonging to Kada was located.
• A further, specific tip ("go back, she's there, look again") leads to her body being found in woods behind the school.

"It was, go back, she's there, look again."
— Brian Sheehan (15:07)

Shocking Prior Accusations & System Failure

• King had previously been charged with a similar kidnapping — the victim had filmed him stalking her but later did not appear in court, prompting dropped charges.
• DA attributes this to witness fear; King was free on bail.

"Fear could have been the driving factor."
— Brian Sheehan, quoting DA Krasner (16:32)

• After evidence of foul play, King faces homicide charges and conspiracy (suggesting others may be involved).

Family and Community Response

• Kada’s family releases a heartfelt statement after her body is found, mourning her loss and calling her spirit unforgettable.
• Andrea notes the entire city is affected.

"Kada was deeply loved ... her light, kindness, and beautiful spirit will forever remain in their hearts."
— Brian Sheehan (17:29)

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3. Dateline Roundup: Updates on Ongoing Cases

(Start: 19:57)

Paul Zumat Retrial — California Hookah Lounge Murder

• Accused of murdering girlfriend Jennifer Skipsey, then setting their house on fire (2009).
• First convicted in 2011 (arson & murder); new trial allowed in 2020.
• Found guilty again (Oct 2025), with sentencing scheduled for November 21; faces life in prison.

"They delivered their verdict on the 16th anniversary of Jennifer’s murder."
— Brittany Thomas (21:31)

Dan Serafini — MLB Pitcher’s Courtroom Twist

• Convicted of murdering father-in-law and attempted murder of mother-in-law; sentencing delayed due to appeal claims (ineffective counsel, juror misconduct over security footage).
• Judge delays sentencing; new date: February 20, 2026.
• Family divided: wife supports Serafini; her sister demands life in prison.

Nicholas Rossi — The Fugitive’s Reckoning

• Faked his own death, fled to Scotland; extradited to the US and convicted of two rapes in Utah.
• Victims make impact statements: “still afraid of him.”
• Rossi maintains innocence (“These women are lying... we will lodge an appeal.” — Rossi at sentencing, 25:00).
• Sentenced to at least five years to life; faces another sentencing next month.

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4. A Detective’s Documentary: “Grand River Baby” Case, Ontario

(Start: 25:25)

The Case

• In 2022, a child’s body was found in the Grand River, Dunville, Ontario.
• No matching missing persons reports; DNA inconclusive.
• The child (nicknamed “Grand River Baby”): estimated 10 months to 3 years old; ancestry traced to South China and North Africa.
• Community deeply affected, holding vigils and pressing for answers.

"We've said it before, but we want to give this child her name back."
— Det. Insp. Shawn Glassford (26:13)

Turning to Media: Detective-Led Documentary

• Glassford and the Ontario Provincial Police produced a documentary (“Unsolved” series) to share details and images, hoping for new leads.
• Video gained 110,000+ views and drew tips from both Canada and the US, although none have cracked the case yet.
• $50,000 reward for information is still on offer; tipline: 1-844-677-9403 (works in US/Canada).

"It's a good way to get the message out to the public."
— Det. Insp. Glassford (29:13)

• Andrea hopes other agencies consider this community-facing strategy.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt."
  — Det. Insp. Shawn Glassford (03:07)

• "She lived with them for quite a while...which is how she’s become known as the nanny."
  — Dorothy Newell (04:39)

• "Fear could have been the driving factor."
  — Brian Sheehan, quoting Philadelphia DA Krasner (16:32)

• "These women are lying. And in due course, we will lodge an appeal."
  — Nicholas Rossi (25:07)

• "We've said it before, but we want to give this child her name back."
  — Det. Insp. Shawn Glassford (26:13)

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|-------------| | Amusement Park Murder | 01:31–09:56 | | Philadelphia Pageant Queen Case | 11:31–18:05 | | Dateline Case Roundup | 19:57–25:22 | | Detective Documentary (“Grand River Baby”) | 25:25–30:37 |

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains the measured, empathetic, and inquisitive voice of NBC’s Dateline. Andrea is compassionate with victims’ families, precise with details, and often circles back to the lasting impacts of crime on entire communities.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode offered a close look at how long-buried secrets, community pressure, and even creative policing can break past barriers to justice. It highlighted systemic cracks—witnesses too fearful to testify, local biases, and the agony of unresolved family trauma—while championing the dedication of investigators, reporters, and loved ones who refuse to give up.

Transcript

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[Brittany Thomas]

Good morning.

[Andrea Canning]

It's the start of another workday here at dateline.

[Dorothy Newell]

Okay, why don't we get started?

[Andrea Canning]

Our producers are catching up on breaking crime news.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

They got DNA from him, right?

[Andrea Canning]

Witnesses are hard to find.

[Dorothy Newell]

It's been so many years that pretty.

[Brian Sheehan]

Much says this is the guy.

[Andrea Canning]

Welcome to Dateline True Crime Weekly. I'm Andrea Canning. It's October 23rd and here's what's on our docket in Philadelphia, tough questions for the police and Prosecutors after a 23 year old woman is found dead in the woods. Could her death have been prevented?

[Brian Sheehan]

Fear could have been the driving factor in DATELINE Roundup.

[Andrea Canning]

A surprising development in the case of a former major league baseball pitcher and convicted killer, Dan Serafini. A verdict in the retrial of Paul Zumat, the Hookah Lounge owner accused of strangling his girlfriend and setting their house on fire. And a sentencing for Nicholas Rossi, the man who faked his own death to escape justice.

[Brittany Thomas]

His two victims told the judge that they were still afraid of him.

[Andrea Canning]

Plus, how one police department is turning to an unusual tool to crack cold cases. Making documentaries.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

It's a Good way to get the message out to the public.

[Andrea Canning]

But before all that, we're off to Coffee County, Georgia for the latest in a murder case that went cold for years, involving a mother of three, her husband and their live in nanny. At a press conference on May 23, Special Agent Jason Sechrist from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced a breakthrough in a case that had been hanging over the small city of Douglas, Georgia for nearly two decades.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Sometimes slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt.

[Andrea Canning]

In 2006, 39 year old Doris Worrell was shot and killed at a local amusement park owned by the Worl family. Her husband John was the one who found her body. He called 911, then fell to the ground in tears. But 19 years later, Agent Secrest announced John was in custody, accused of masterminding his wife's murder. And he said the key to John's arrest was testimony from a woman who'd lived with the family as a young teenager, taken care of their children, and later became John's lover. John Worrell has pleaded not guilty, and since his arrest, his defense team has filed several motions challenging the case against him. DATELINE producer Dorothy Newell is here to get us on the nearly 20 year investigation and what lies ahead. Dorothy, thanks for coming on the podcast.

[Dorothy Newell]

Happy to be here.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so Dorothy, to start, what can you tell us about the relationship between Doris and John Worl?

[Dorothy Newell]

So they, they met in college. Doris was just one of those lovely, generous people. She was a good teacher, a devout Christian, and he was by all counts a really fun guy. After they got married, they settled in his hometown. She quit her job as an elementary school teacher to be a stay at home mom with their three kids. And he took over management of a small amusement park called John Sports Park.

[Andrea Canning]

And what do we know about this amusement park? Very interesting. Where Doris was killed.

[Dorothy Newell]

So it was kind of the center of this community. It had a big arcade, a driving range, batting cages, and a go kart track. It had a really big roller skating rink. It was the place to be for kids in the area.

[Andrea Canning]

How was Doris killed?

[Dorothy Newell]

She had gone into the park that morning in September of 2006 to just clean up a bit and somebody came in and shot her.

[Andrea Canning]

Do investigators know why she would be shot? In these early, you know, moments of.

[Dorothy Newell]

This case, there was a couple theories. One, that it was a random robbery gone wrong. Another possibility is that John had chased some people out of the park the week before and apparently they were angry. So one of the leading theories early on Is that she was shot in retaliation.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay. But those theories go nowhere, and a new theory emerges.

[Dorothy Newell]

Well, they're just hearing a lot about John and his relationship with a girl who's living with them, and her name was Paula yarbury. She came into the home when she was about 14 years old. She was essentially a homeless, undocumented immigrant from Venezuela. The church found out about her, and so Doris and John offered to take care of her. So they brought her into their home as one of their kids almost. So she lived with them for quite a while. She started helping out in the family by taking care of the kids, which is how she's sort of become known as the nanny.

[Andrea Canning]

Investigators allege that Paula and John started having an inappropriate relationship Sometime in the following years. Are they saying this was possibly a motive for John to murder Doris?

[Dorothy Newell]

Yes. The one thing that they will say and that they have said Is that John wanted out of the marriage, and he was afraid that if he divorced Doris, he would lose custody of the kids. But we know that John was not at the park at the time of the shooting.

[Andrea Canning]

So they start to think, well, if he wasn't there, then he got someone to do it. Possibly. This really came to fruition two years after the murder. They charged two men with the shooting.

[Dorothy Newell]

Yep. So we know that one man, who was a park employee and another man were arrested and charged with conspiracy to kill Doris. But investigators decided there wasn't enough evidence at that time to convict either man, so the charges were dropped.

[Andrea Canning]

What happened to John then? Was he arrested?

[Dorothy Newell]

Okay, so this is where the story gets crazy. So Doris is murdered in September 2006. By May of 2007, police arrest Paula. As I mentioned, she was a undocumented immigrant, and they deport her to Venezuela. So she's gone.

[Andrea Canning]

So what happens with John?

[Dorothy Newell]

So John, then, In August of 2008, he packs up the kids and moves to Costa Rica. Paula then moves from Venezuela to Costa Rica, and they proceed to raise the children as husband and wife. For whatever reason, they break up down in Costa Rica, and John moves back to the United States. He goes to Missouri with his three children. Meanwhile, Paul is still in Costa Rica, and within the last couple of years, the Georgia bureau of investigation Decides to go down to Costa Rica and talk to her and see if they can get her to give them some information. And she does. And that resulted in them coming back up to the United States and arresting John in Missouri for murder. For murder. Yep.

[Andrea Canning]

So you don't even know exactly what Paula said. Right. It's not been made public yet.

[Dorothy Newell]

Mm.

[Andrea Canning]

John denied having a relationship with Paula when he was in Costa Rica, and since his arrest, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. His defense has filed several motions, but the big one was asking for a change of venue for his upcoming trial.

[Dorothy Newell]

Well, first of all, it's a really small area. So they're making the point that with all the publicity that has been burning around this case, it's fairly hard to find anybody who doesn't have an opinion, according to the defense, about John's guilt. There's been all kinds of social media, as you can imagine. So this motion for a change of venue, it singles out one TikTok account in particular. It's from a former park employee who's been pointing the finger at John even before his arrest. We need answers. It is not fair justice for Doris. We know who's guilty now. I'm old enough to realize this.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Dorothy, during the press conference, Doris sister made an emotional plea to John and Doris, three children. She said that she hadn't seen them in 19 years. Do we know where the kids are now?

[Dorothy Newell]

So we do know that all three of his children were at his bond hearing, where his oldest daughter spoke on his behalf, and the other two just sort of sat quietly. We think that Doris, two of Doris children have moved back to Georgia, and one of them is in Canada. It's tough, you know, and I know the family's really upset that they have not seen these kids. The children of their beloved Doris said they have not seen them in that long.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, thank you so much for bringing us details on this case, Dorothy. We'll keep watching and have you back on to tell us when we get more details on a possible trial.

[Dorothy Newell]

My pleasure. Andrea, good to talk to you.

[Andrea Canning]

Coming up in Philadelphia, the TikTok video at the center of a death investigation.

[Dorothy Newell]

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[Andrea Canning]

October 4th started as a routine Saturday for 23 year old KADA Scott. The Penn State graduate got dinner with friends before she borrowed her mom's car and left for an overnight shift at an assisted living facility in Philadelphia. But Kada never made it home. The next morning, Kada's family filed a missing persons report. And soon a desperate search began.

[Dorothy Newell]

If we got to drive from 1,000 billion trillion miles to come find you, we're going to find you.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Nobody's giving up.

[Andrea Canning]

Police canines, helicopters and drones scoured the area around Kada's workplace this past weekend. Kada's body was found buried in a shallow grave. And what began as a search to bring her home has become a painful search for answers. Her community wants to know why the man now accused of kidnapping her was walking free and whether the justice system failed to protect Kata. Here to tell us more is Brian Sheehan, a general assignment reporter for NBC 10, our station in Philadelphia.

[Brian Sheehan]

Thanks for having me, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Brian, you've been covering this from day one. First of all, tell us what you've learned about Kata.

[Brian Sheehan]

So those who knew Kada described her as charismatic and kind, with an infectious smile. We also learned she loved fashion and designed clothing. She recently started participating in pageants as well and had interest in competing in the Miss USA pageant.

[Andrea Canning]

We mentioned that Kada was working on the night she disappeared. Give us a sense of the timeline of her last movements.

[Brian Sheehan]

So we know from her coworkers that Caida arrived at her place of work around 10 o' clock on October 4th. She appeared to be acting herself, but not long after she arrived that night, she vanished. She never returned to work. Police found the car that she was driving in the employee parking lot at her work. Her keys, her phone, her iPad and her Apple watch were nowhere to be found.

[Andrea Canning]

The police investigation seemed to stall for a few days, and then at a press conference, they asked the community for help.

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[Andrea Canning]

One, you have a 23 year old.

[Brian Sheehan]

Young lady who has completely disappeared.

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We have no cell phone activity or.

[Brian Sheehan]

Social media activity and she's not reached out to family or friends. Yeah, this was really the first time most people became aware of Kada Scott and her story. It's also the first time we found out that she reported someone was harassing her on her phone in the days leading up to her disappearance. Definitely gave this case an added layer of urgency since it seemed like she may not have disappeared on her own.

[Andrea Canning]

On October 15, there was a big break in the case. An arrest. Who was it? And what's the connection to Kada?

[Brian Sheehan]

Yeah. Authorities announced 21 year old Keon King turned himself into police. He was charged with kidnapping Kada. We learned that Kada and Keon King knew each other in some capacity, but the nature of their relationship was unclear then, and it remains unclear now, at least to the public.

[Andrea Canning]

After announcing King's arrest, tips started flooding in about where to start looking for clues. In particular an abandoned middle school.

[Brian Sheehan]

So shortly after that news conference, things started developing very rapidly. Police said someone watching that day gave them a tip to check a vacant middle school. Sources told me that once Cruz arrived at that vacant middle school school, they found Kada's phone case and a card with her name on it. But they did not find Kada.

[Andrea Canning]

Brian. A few days later, another tip led them to the woods behind the school.

[Brian Sheehan]

Yeah. So police described that tip as very specific. It was, go back, she's there, look again.

[Dorothy Newell]

Wow.

[Brian Sheehan]

And as an officer is patrolling the area, the officer realizes that a particular piece of ground is softer. And that is when they ultimately make the discovery that Kada had been buried in a shallow grave.

[Andrea Canning]

That is so sad. So, Brian, while investigators were still looking for Kada, a stunning piece of information was revealed.

[Brittany Thomas]

A viral video circulating on social media is giving us a new look at the man accused of kidnapping 23 year old Kata Scott.

[Brian Sheehan]

So earlier this year, King was actually charged in another kidnapping. The alleged victim in that case actually recorded a man she identified as King hopping a fence in her backyard, coming up to her window and peering inside of her home.

[Andrea Canning]

Go away.

[Dorothy Newell]

Don't come over here.

[Andrea Canning]

Caught a copy.

[Brian Sheehan]

So the woman eventually stops recording and goes outside. And that is when its alleged King shoves her into his car, kidnaps her, even bites her. That woman was able to get out of King's vehicle at some point, get to safety, call police. And eventually charges were filed in that case.

[Andrea Canning]

So what happened? How was he free to allegedly kill Keda?

[Brian Sheehan]

So months after that incident, the charges were withdrawn when the woman and an eyewitness did not show up to court. Philadelphia District attorney Larry Krasner says fear could have been the driving factor of why she did not show up that day. Since King was out on bail, that.

[Brittany Thomas]

Victim is more likely to walk in.

[Andrea Canning]

The door of the courthouse and testify.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

If that victim knows that the defendant.

[Andrea Canning]

Can'T walk out right behind her.

[Brian Sheehan]

After King's arrest last week, charges were refiled against King in that earlier alleged kidnapping. And he was hit with additional charges in Kate's case, including conspiracy that suggests he did not act alone. Although nobody else has been identified in connection to the case, King is scheduled to appear before a judge next month and that is when he could enter a plea.

[Andrea Canning]

You can't help but just feel so horrible for this family. How are they handling this?

[Brian Sheehan]

After Kada's body was located, they did release a statement and they said Keda was deeply loved and told everyone that her light, kindness and beautiful spirit will forever remain in their hearts. And and this is also a case that has really affected the city of Philadelphia. Everyone is paying attention to this case and has been affected by it in some way or another.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you so much, Brian, for sharing with us what you've learned and thank.

[Brian Sheehan]

You for shining a light on Kada and her story.

[Andrea Canning]

And we have a quick update for you. After I taped that conversation with Brian, the medical examiner in Philadelphia ruled Kata Scott death a homicide and Keon King was charged with her murder. Up next, it's time for DATELINE roundup. A courtroom win for the former major league baseball pitcher and convicted killer Dan Serafini. A second verdict for accused killer Paul Zumat. And Nicholas Rossi learns his fate. Plus, how police are using documentaries to solve cold cases.

[Dorothy Newell]

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[Andrea Canning]

Welcome back. Joining me for this week's roundup is DATELINE producer Brittany Thomas. Thanks for joining us, Brittany.

[Brittany Thomas]

Thanks, Andrea.

[Andrea Canning]

So first up, we're off to Santa Clara, California for an update on a story we first talked about a few weeks ago. And this is the trial of hookah bar owner Boulos Paul Zumat. Brittany, this is the second time Zumat has stood trial for the murder of his girlfriend. Give us a quick recap.

[Brittany Thomas]

Back In October of 2009, Paul Zumat said he had found his house up in flames. And once inside, first responders discovered the body of his girlfriend, Jennifer Skipsey. A medical examination determined Jennifer hadn't died from the fire. She'd actually been strangled before he was even set. Investigators smelled gasoline at the scene and concluded the fire was set up to cover up Jennifer's murder. They learned Jennifer and Zumat's relationship was pretty tumultuous. There were various restraining orders and domestic violence reports. One friend even told investigators that Jennifer said she was afraid for her life. And another claimed he saw texts from Zumat to Jennifer saying, I hope you die.

[Andrea Canning]

So Paul Zumat was arrested and his first trial was back in 2011. A jury found him guilty of both arson and murder, sentenced him to 33 years. But he ended up getting a new trial.

[Brittany Thomas]

That's right. In 2020, a judge granted him a new trial based on claims the prosecution had misrepresented some of the evidence and his defense hadn't done a good job challenging the prosecution.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so after a two month trial, Brittany, the jury finally got the case. What happened?

[Brittany Thomas]

Yeah, the jury deliberated for about two days before once finding again Paul Zumat guilty of murder and arson. And coincidentally, they delivered their verdict on the 16th anniversary of Jennifer's murder.

[Andrea Canning]

That is incredible timing. Wow. So when will Zumat be sentenced?

[Brittany Thomas]

His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, and he faces life in prison.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, we're staying in California for our next update in the case of former major League baseball pitcher Dan Serafini. That case seemed like it was coming to an end over the summer, Brittany. But there have been a few surprises. First, just, just give us a reminder of what the case is about.

[Brittany Thomas]

Yeah. So back in July, Dan Serafini was convicted for the murder of his father in law, Gary Spore. And the Attempted murder of his mother in law, Wendy Wood, at their home in 2021. His sentencing was scheduled for a few weeks later, only for it to be stopped in its tracks by a last minute motion from his appellate lawyers. They actually requested a new trial based on what?

[Andrea Canning]

What were their arguments?

[Brittany Thomas]

They said Serafini had received ineffective assistance from his defense attorney at trial and called out what they said was juror misconduct. Specifically the way the jurors had analyzed security camera video in the trial. The jury foreperson explained their process in an interview with our affiliate kcra.

[Dorothy Newell]

We looked at those videos over and over. We were taking stills.

[Andrea Canning]

We were creating side by side.

[Dorothy Newell]

We were really analyzing. Like, could we, the person in this video match who we knew was, you know, Daniel Seraphini.

[Brittany Thomas]

What they're implying is that those screenshots helped them during deliberations because they couldn't play the video evidence side by side for comparison. We expected the judge to rule on that motion regarding juror misconduct this week and then proceed to sentencing. But on Monday, he pressed pause, again, granting the defense more time to seek a new trial. Sarafini's new sentencing date is now scheduled for February 20, 2026.

[Andrea Canning]

Interesting twist. This case has divided the Spoor family. Aaron Spohr, Dan Serafini's estranged wife, still stands by him, but her sister Adrian, says it's time Serafini goes to prison.

[Brittany Thomas]

In a letter to the court, Adrian claimed that the defense's tactics now are just an attempt to delay justice and that Dan Serafini has shown no remorse. So we'll certainly be watching to see when and if this sentencing will take place.

[Andrea Canning]

And finally, we're back in Utah for an update in a case I know very well. The case of Nicholas Rossi, also known as Nicholas Oliverdian. He is the man accused of faking his own death and fleeing to Scotland to evade sexual assault allegations. I asked him about those allegations in one of the most memorable interviews of my career. Did you sexually assault anyone? Did you kidnap anyone? Did you defraud anyone?

[Brittany Thomas]

What?

[Brian Sheehan]

No, no, no, and no.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Brittany, let's just remind everyone what happened over the summer. Rossi had been extradited back to Utah and was convicted in two rape trials.

[Brittany Thomas]

That's right. In August, Rossi was found guilty by a Salt Lake City jury of raping his former fiance at the second trial. A few weeks later, he was convicted of raping an ex girlfriend.

[Andrea Canning]

All right, and there is news this week.

[Brittany Thomas]

Rossi actually appeared in court for sentencing. On the first case. His defense asked for time served. His two victims gave Statements in court and told the judge that still afraid of him and what he might do if he got out of prison. Then Rossi addressed the court. He said, quote, I am not guilty of this, and went on to say, these women are lying. And in due course, we will lodge an appeal.

[Andrea Canning]

The judge sentenced Rossi to no less than five years and up to life in prison. A parole board will ultimately decide how much time he serves, and he'll face sentencing on the second charge next month. Brittany, thank you so much for bringing us Roundup this week.

[Brittany Thomas]

No problem.

[Andrea Canning]

On the afternoon of May 17, 2022, a man and a woman were fishing on the marshy banks of the grand river in Dunville, Ontario, when one of them spotted something unusual in the water. Upon closer look, they made a horrifying discovery. It was a child's body. The Ontario Provincial Police assigned Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford to the case.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

My mind is going in different places. How do we start this investigation? How to deliver the news to the community?

[Andrea Canning]

The grieving Dunville community wanted answers. But with no missing children's reports in the area and no DNA matches, Detective Inspector Glassford struggled to provide them. So he and his team turned to a rather unusual investigative tool, one you don't normally associate with the police. They made a documentary.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

There could be a number of different reasons why this child was placed in the water, and we want to know why. We've said it before, but we want to give this child her name back.

[Andrea Canning]

Detective Inspector Glassford is here today to tell us what he learned making the film and how he hopes it can crack the case. And you may remember him from Josh's episode Evil Walks through the Door, about two murders in Toronto that used investigative genetic genealogy in those cases. And Josh took a train way up north, very far from California. Detective Inspector Glassford, thank you for joining us.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Hello, Andrea. And thank you very much for this opportunity to talk about this important case.

[Andrea Canning]

So this, this case, we should just. Just to give a geographical perspective to people. This is about less. Less than an hour from the Niagara Falls, New York border.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

That's right.

[Brittany Thomas]

Yeah.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

It's. The town of Dunville is a small community, approximately 6,000 people.

[Andrea Canning]

Um, I. I know, Detective, that this. This case has really haunted you. It's really bothered you that you haven't been able to identify this girl. You've had such a strong reaction to it. What about the community?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Absolutely. The community came together within days and had a vigil with candles and there were songs and whatnot at the. Just down by, right near where the body was. Found.

[Andrea Canning]

How old do you think the child was? What was your best guess?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

The doctors that have examined her body believe that she's anywhere between ten and a half months and three years of age. She may not have been born in Canada. That's another thing that we have to consider too is where did she come from?

[Andrea Canning]

And you were able to narrow that down, right?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Yeah, that's right. One half came from the South China area, the other came from North Africa, possibly Libya, Egypt. That's where her ancestry is. We don't know her story. And that's one of, that's major thing we want to learn is what is her story? There's no report of this little girl going missing. We've had lots of tips over the, over the last couple of years. I think it's probably around 50, which we've all followed up on every one of them.

[Andrea Canning]

Did anything seem credible or give you hope that, that maybe you would figure this out?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Yeah, a couple were really good. We released a facial reconstruction that we did on what she would have looked like in life. And we had some tips from the United States from your missing person's databases that were very similar to the description. So we followed that up. Unfortunately, it didn't pan out for us.

[Andrea Canning]

Such a mystery. You keep hitting these roadblocks and so you and your team decide to do something that is to me, very unique. You made a documentary about the case. What inspired you to do that?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

We have a series of videos on YouTube, the unsolved series. We've had some success with those. It's a good way to get the message out to the public. It shows us talking about it, it shows the facial reconstruction and talks about the reward, $50,000 for information.

[Andrea Canning]

And so what's interesting is that you produce this video in house and you have your own video production unit.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Yeah, they're very, very talented people. They put out a professional grade product. It looks good, it's to the point and very effective.

[Andrea Canning]

What has the reception been to your documentaries?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Very good. It's about 110,000 views for the baby case.

[Andrea Canning]

That's incredible. Where does the grand river baby case stand now?

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Still unsolved. Hopefully this will renew an interest. We have a tip line that people can call if they have information. And that number is 1-844-677-9403. That number works in Canada. United States.

[Andrea Canning]

Thank you so much for joining us and sharing this story with us. And you know, I hope that this, this not only helps with the case, but it inspires perhaps other police agencies. To think about doing their own videos.

[Detective Inspector Shawn Glassford]

Well, thank you, Andrea, for, for agreeing to do this. It's, it's so important to, to get the message out. And we all want to see this, this child get her name back.

[Andrea Canning]

That's it for this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly. To get ad free listening for all our podcasts, subscribe to Dateline Premium. And remember, if you have any questions for us, if you about stories or about Dateline, you can reach us at our voicemail at 212-413-5252. Coming up, this Friday on Dateline, Dennis has an all new episode on the Florida grandmother convicted of masterminding a murder plot.

[Brittany Thomas]

Who in Dan Markell's life would hate him enough to hire a professional killer?

[Andrea Canning]

Watch Deadly Mischief this Friday at 9, 8 Central. Thanks for listening. Dateline True Crime Weekly is produced by Carson Cummins and Brittany Morris. Our associate producer is Caroline Casey. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kurloff Production and fact checking helped by Sara Kadir and Keani Reed. Veronica Mazeka is our digital producer. Rick Kwan is our sound designer. Original Music by Jesse McGinty. Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior executive producer of Dateline.

[Dorothy Newell]

Josh, nice having you as a special.

[Brian Sheehan]

Guest on the story meeting. I didn't even realize it was light out at this hour.

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