Going West: True Crime

Episode 539: The Rawlins Rodeo Murders
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman
Date: September 19, 2025

Overview

In this gripping episode, Daphne and Heath unravel the chilling and interconnected cases known as the Rawlins Rodeo Murders, a series of abductions and murders of young girls in Rawlins, Wyoming during the summer of 1974. The hosts explore how these unsolved crimes connect to a suspected serial killer, Royal Russell Long—a carnival worker believed to be responsible for as many as 50 murders across several states, particularly around fairs and carnivals. The episode also revisits other disappearances linked to Long, examining the systemic issues surrounding missing girls, flawed investigations, and the enduring impact on the victims' families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Rawlins Rodeo Murders (00:32–24:38)

• Background:

  • Summer 1974, Rawlins, Wyoming (pop. <8,000): Four girls, aged 10–19, vanished during the town’s annual rodeo and fair.
  • Two—Christy (Christine) Gross (19) and Carlene Brown (19)—never made it home after heading to the fair on July 4, 1974.
  • Their van's location remains a point of confusion—either near the fairgrounds or 200 miles away, adding to the mystery ([06:33]).

• Investigation & Discovery:

  • The disappearance was initially attributed to runaway behavior but concern escalated after no contact for weeks ([08:03]).
  • Christy’s remains were found in Sinclair, Wyoming in 1983—nine years later—identified via dental records and a unique ring ([09:24]).
  • The cause of death: blunt force trauma to the head ([11:26]).
  • Carlene’s body remains missing. Complications in identifying unidentified remains due to her being adopted ([11:26–12:34]).

• Subsequent Disappearances:

  • August 4: Deborah Meyer (15), visiting from Montana, disappeared en route to the movies ([12:59]).
  • August 23: Jaylene Banker (10) vanished near a popcorn stand at the fair ([13:20]).
    • Jaylene’s remains were found eight months later, several miles from town, also showing signs of blunt force trauma ([21:31–23:00]).
    • Hundreds of tips were received, including a possible sighting in a vehicle hours away, but none panned out ([18:12–20:47]).
    • Rumors circulated of mass graves and church discoveries, all unfounded ([20:47]).

• Pattern Recognition:

  • The frequency and similarity of the cases—disappearing at crowded fairs—sparked fears of a local serial killer ([21:20]).

Royal Russell Long: The Suspect (24:38–30:39)

• Profile:

  • Carnival and fair employee, former long-haul trucker, go-kart track owner, and sometimes police informant ([24:38–25:09]).
  • Described as charming yet manipulative, with a known violent temper ([24:41]).
  • Criminal history includes contempt of court and an escape attempt; boasted about his skills in body disposal ([25:14]).
  • Quote: “If you cut the bodies up small enough and shove them down a rat hole, no one will ever find them.” ([25:02])

• Relevance:

  • Had means and opportunity to prey on victims around carnivals and fairs.
  • Later linked to similar unsolved cases in other states, including the disappearances of Native American girls and the Oklahoma State Fair murders.

The Sharon Bald Eagle and Sandy Brokenleg Abductions (31:46–45:26)

• Case Overview:

  • September 1984: Sharon Bald Eagle (12, Cheyenne River Sioux) and Sandy Brokenleg (15) ran away from a residential school, aiming to reach Idaho.
  • While hitchhiking, both were picked up by Royal Long in Wyoming ([33:39–35:41]).

• Attack and Escape:

  • After being offered food and shelter at Long’s house, he propositioned and then attacked them at gunpoint, raping Sandy and beating Sharon ([36:01]).
  • Sandy managed a daring escape; police arrived but found Long and Sharon gone ([36:46–38:39]).
  • Blood was later found in the house—possibly Sharon’s ([38:39]).

• Investigation and Arrest:

  • Long was apprehended in Albuquerque, New Mexico after a tip from the public ([38:39–39:18]).
  • He spun conflicting tales, claiming he sent Sharon off to Texas, but she was never found ([40:05–40:47]).
  • Sandy’s account was backed by evidence found in Long’s truck: stuffed animals, likely used to lure the girls ([41:13]).
  • Long accused the girls of lying about their age and claimed innocence, despite overwhelming evidence ([40:47–41:13]).
  • Sharon’s father, Taylor Bald Eagle, spent his life seeking answers:

    “It hurts to even talk about it. She’s in my prayers every meal, and she’s traveling with me. ... In Lakota, we don’t say goodbye because goodbye is final. We say toksha, which means later.”
    —Taylor Bald Eagle ([45:01])

• Outcome:

  • Long was sentenced to two life sentences for rape and kidnapping, never admitting to Sharon’s murder ([44:03]).
  • “He received two life sentences for the abduction and assault of the girls. Until the day he died, he maintained that he had nothing to do with the disappearance of Sharon Bald Eagle or any of the murders that he was suspected of committing...” —Daphne ([44:03])

The Oklahoma State Fair Murders & Other Linked Crimes (46:36–59:26)

• Charlotte Kinsey & Cinda Pallett (13):

  • Disappeared from the 1981 Oklahoma State Fair after taking a job from a fair employee offering $5/hour to unload stuffed animals ([47:14–48:03]).
  • Witnesses—their boyfriends—identified Long as the man who took them ([50:14]).
  • The car used was found; luminol tests on a trunk mat revealed two small body-sized stains and blonde hair matching one victim ([50:21–51:57]).
  • Long’s daughter testified about his predatory MO with young girls, and his ex-wife identified him from a police sketch ([52:12–53:26]).

• Long’s Disturbing Admissions:

  • Told his daughter, “No one over the age of 13 could ever satisfy him sexually.”
    —Daphne ([54:05])
  • Bragged: “Even if I was found in a locked room straddling a dead body and holding a gun, I could manage to get away with the murder because I was so slick and smooth talking.” —Daphne ([54:29])
  • Taunted families:

    “Only I know where those bodies are and I’m not talking.”
    —Assistant DA Ray Elliott ([55:39])

  • Claimed, if pressed, he could prove the girls were alive with “photos taken last year,” yet never produced proof ([57:47–58:38]).

• Trial and Frustrations:

  • Despite witness testimony and forensic evidence, Long was acquitted in Oklahoma for lack of “enough evidence,” remaining imprisoned for other charges ([56:42–57:08]).
  • District Attorney Ray Elliott:

    “I truly believe that the bodies are within 45 miles of where we sit right now, in a rat hole, just like he said, in some field grown over with grass.” ([57:26])

• Legacy and Likely Scale of Crime:

  • Long continued denying involvement until he died in 1993 at age 58, but is suspected in as many as 50 murders ([61:12]).
  • Janet Franson (Natl. Center for Missing & Exploited Children):

    “Not only did he drive trucks, but he killed girls all over the country. ... The only good thing is that I know that the son of a gun is in hell and he won’t hurt anyone else.” ([59:44])

  • Families of the missing still seek justice and closure as decades pass.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Community Fear:
  “After four disappearances of young girls in the span of under two months, the small community of Rawlins suspected that a serial killer was lurking among them.” —Heath ([21:20])

• On Identification Challenges:
  “Think about all the Jane and John Does that are in the system that they ... have no way of connecting ... without DNA or dental records...” —Daphne ([12:14])

• On Changing Times:
  “The 70s was a little bit more ... street lamp societies ... we didn’t quite know the dangers, I guess.” —Heath ([15:35–16:11])

• On Law Enforcement Hurdles:
  “We hear that all the time. ... We have so many cases exactly like today’s ... to use as examples as to why we should be accompanying our 10 year olds to the fair, etc.” —Daphne ([16:24])

• On the Suspect’s Manipulation:
  “Royal also made a point of taunting the grieving families savagely ... ‘Only I know where those bodies are and I’m not talking.’” —Daphne, quoting Assistant DA ([55:39])

• On the Enduring Pain for Families:
  “It hurts to even talk about it. ... In Lakota, we don’t say goodbye ... We say toksha, which means later.” —Taylor Bald Eagle ([45:01])

• On Systemic Issues:
  “These perverts are everywhere. You expect something like this to come from a big city ... Bad guys go anywhere.” —Janet Franson ([59:44])

Timestamps for Critical Segments

• Case Introduction/Rundown – [01:39–05:44]
• Christy Gross & Carlene Brown Disappearance – [05:44–11:26]
• Carlene’s Indigenous Heritage & Challenges of Identification – [12:14]
• Debra Meyer & Jaylene Banker Disappearances – [12:59–17:16]
• Jaylene Banker’s Remains Discovery – [21:34–23:00]
• Pattern, Fears of Serial Killer – [21:20–24:38]
• Royal Russell Long Background – [24:38–25:14]
• Royal’s Chilling Boast to Cellmate – [25:02]
• Sharon Bald Eagle/Sandy Brokenleg Abduction – [31:46–40:47]
• Royal Long’s Lies on Sharon’s Fate – [40:05–41:13]
• Trial, Imprisonment, and Royal’s Death – [44:03–61:12]
• Oklahoma State Fair Murders & Composite Sketch Breakthrough – [47:14–53:26]
• Long’s Daughter’s Testimony & Disturbing Quotes – [54:05–54:55]
• Royal Taunting Victims’ Families – [55:04–55:39]
• Acquittal and Final Frustrations – [56:42–59:26]
• Legacy and Scale of Royal Long’s Crimes – [59:44–61:12]

Tone and Language

The episode maintains a mix of somber reflection, personal commentary, incredulity at investigative failures, and empathy for victims’ families. Heath and Daphne’s conversational style balances factual recounting with the raw emotional impact of these decades-old crimes.

Conclusion

Daphne and Heath provide a meticulous, compassionate account of the Rawlins Rodeo Murders and connected cases, highlighting the systemic blind spots that allowed Royal Russell Long to evade justice for so long. Despite the passage of time, multiple families and entire communities are still haunted by the unanswered questions and lingering pain of these tragedies. The episode calls for continued remembering of the victims and vigilance, as so many cases remain officially unsolved.