National Park After Dark
Episode 343: Murder or Kidnapping in a Gateway Town: New River Gorge National Park
Date: December 22, 2025
Hosts: Danielle & Cassie
Episode Overview
In this haunting holiday episode, Danielle and Cassie dig into the enduring mystery of the 1945 Sodder family tragedy in Fayetteville, West Virginia—gateway to the New River Gorge National Park. Five Sodder children vanished on Christmas Eve under suspicious circumstances after a house fire. Despite decades of investigation, their fate remains unsolved and continues to shape the identity and folklore of this Appalachian gateway town. The hosts explore the case, local lore, and the broader question of what happens when tragedy without closure becomes part of a town's DNA.
Key Discussion Points & Episode Breakdown
1. Gateway Towns and Their Haunted Histories
- [00:04] Cassie: “There are towns that never fully escape their past, places where a single unanswered tragedy becomes woven into everyday life... shaping how a community understands itself and why some places feel permanently unsettled.”
- References infamous unresolved tragedies in other U.S. towns as a lens for the Sodder case.
- Sets up Fayetteville as a community forever marked by the mystery surrounding the lost Sodder children.
2. Anecdotes: Gateway Towns & Tourism Culture
- [02:10 – 08:16] Danielle & Cassie: Exchange humorous, candid observations about their experiences in other gateway towns, specifically Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (gateway to Great Smoky Mountains NP).
- Danielle is shocked by the contrast between park wilderness and overtly commercialized tourist towns:
“It felt like Disney World in the mountains of Tennessee. And I was not prepared...” [06:22–06:57, Danielle]
- Cassie notes that families seem to love it, but echoes the odd juxtaposition.
- Danielle is shocked by the contrast between park wilderness and overtly commercialized tourist towns:
3. Spotlight: Fayetteville & New River Gorge
- [09:34 – 14:22] Cassie: Paints a vivid portrait of Fayetteville, West Virginia:
- Touted as one of America’s coolest towns; population ~2,800.
- Long Appalachian history, diverse community.
- Sits on the rim of New River Gorge—offers world-class rock climbing, whitewater rafting, & the massive New River Gorge Bridge.
- Recaps BASE jumping “Bridge Day” festivities and the town’s outdoor recreation identity.
- [12:27] Bonus anecdote: A woman who tried to fake her own death at New River Gorge (from a Patreon bonus episode).
4. Fayetteville’s Layered History
- [16:42 – 18:14] Cassie: Reviews Fayetteville’s Civil War-era roots, historic district, and ghost tours.
- [17:46] Danielle: Shares her own recent ghost-tour experience in Knoxville, setting up the town’s affinity for haunted, mysterious history.
5. The Sodder Family Christmas Eve Mystery
- [18:17 – 47:24] Main segment: Detailed account of the Sodder case
- The Night of the Fire [19:15 – 23:02]
- George and Jenny Sodder, Italian immigrants, celebrated with nine of their ten children.
- Five children (ages 5–14) allowed to stay up late.
- A series of odd events: a wrong-number call [19:15], loud bang and rolling sound on the roof [20:38], unexplained fire just after 1:30am [20:57].
- Family members try to escape. All but five children make it out.
- Multiple attempts to reach fire department fail; volunteer fire crew arrives seven hours later.
- Strange Circumstances & Early Theories
- No trace of children’s remains found; fire chief claims fire “hot enough to cremate” [24:07].
- Family doubts: Fire not hot enough to fully cremate bodies; household items survived.
- Jenny conducts bone-burning experiments and consults a crematorium—bodies should have left traces [32:13].
- Suspicious Incidents Before the Fire
- Strange work-seeker comments on fuse boxes (“they’ll cause a fire someday”) [27:16].
- Insurance salesman threatens “your house will go up in smoke...your children destroyed as punishment for your criticism of Mussolini” [27:53].
- Car parts tampered with night of fire; missing ladder, both coal trucks won’t start [21:23, 31:36].
- Phone line discovered to have been cut, not burned [31:23].
- Sightings & Leads [34:04+]
- Multiple reported sightings of the children after the fire, including at a diner and hotel in the company of adults “of Italian descent”.
- Stolen block and tackle device found missing from the family’s vehicles; thief denies involvement in the fire [35:58].
- Local Authorities and Cover-Ups?
- Coroner’s jury and fire investigators linked to those who threatened or disliked George. Conflict of interest with the insurance man [42:51].
- Fire chief claims to find a human organ; later shown to be an untouched beef liver, possibly planted to “placate” the family [43:00–44:18].
- Escalating the Search
- Sodders reach out to J. Edgar Hoover/FBI, but are told it’s a local case [41:49].
- Private investigator discovers more odd connections and apparent cover-ups.
- Theories: Kidnapping, Organized Crime, Political Retaliation
- Speculation: Retaliation for George's anti-Mussolini politics or connection to human trafficking ring.
- Physical Evidence & Continued Doubt
- 1949: New search finds four vertebrae—Smithsonian says they belonged to a teen older than any missing child, with no signs of burning. Theory: bone fragments came from soil brought in for the memorial garden [48:23].
- Officially, case is closed. Family erects a large billboard offering rewards and keeps searching for decades [51:35].
- Mysterious Photo and Hope
- 1960s: Sodders receive a photo from Kentucky inscribed “Lewis Sodder. I love Brother Frankie..."—resembles missing son. Private investigator sent to Kentucky disappears and never contacts family again [53:22].
- The family chooses to publicize the photo but withhold the message to protect possible surviving child [54:36].
- The Night of the Fire [19:15 – 23:02]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the town’s hauntedness:
"There are places where loss without answers becomes a kind of haunting..."
[04:04, Cassie] -
Danielle, about Great Smoky gateway towns:
“It felt like Disney World in the mountains of Tennessee. …It’s a kids paradise.”
[06:22, Danielle] -
On the night of the fire:
“George and Jenny escaped the house and immediately realized… five of their children were still missing.”
[21:08, Cassie] -
On the official explanation:
“A fire needs to reach 1400–1800 degrees F…to cremate a body. …This intense heat is far hotter and more controlled than a typical house fire.”
[24:09, Cassie] -
Danielle, doubting the authorities:
“That’s so crazy. …It’s an insult to their intelligence… these are children they’re talking about.”
[44:04–44:29, Danielle] -
On Jenny’s bone-burning experiment:
“Each time she was left with charred but recognizable remains. …Even after two hours at temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees, bones still remained.”
[32:13, Cassie] -
When the mysterious photograph arrives:
“Written on the back were the words ‘Lewis Sodder, I love Brother Frankie…’ The use of his nickname immediately stood out.”
[53:22, Cassie] -
Danielle’s heartfelt reflection:
“…it's just so devastatingly awful for that family…to die not knowing, ever knowing, what happened to your children.”
[65:13, Danielle]
The Hosts’ Conclusions & Final Reflections
-
Was it murder, accident, or kidnapping?
- Both hosts express strong skepticism about the official fire explanation.
- “With everything you've said, I feel like they were kidnapped.” [63:15, Danielle]
- “If all five of their children had died in the fire, I think there would have been a lot more evidence.” [62:14, Co-host]
- Open questions remain about why five children vanished without evidence, how the abduction could have happened, and why there was no sign of escape or struggle.
- Both hosts express strong skepticism about the official fire explanation.
-
Appeal to Listeners:
- “I would love to hear from people in fire [service]…if that circumstance is as farfetched as it actually appears.” [63:23, Danielle]
Important Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment / Event | |-----------|-----------------------------------| | 00:04 | Introspective monologue on haunted towns (Cassie) | | 09:34 | Description of Fayetteville & New River Gorge | | 18:17 | Beginning of the Sodder family story | | 21:08 | The outbreak and escape from the house fire | | 24:07 | Fire chief claims fire “cremated” children | | 32:13 | Jenny’s bone-burning experiments | | 34:43 | Reports of children seen after the fire | | 41:49 | Sodders appeal to FBI; private investigation | | 43:00 | Fire chief buries "organ"—beef liver | | 48:23 | 1949 excavation yields non-matching, unburned vertebrae | | 53:22 | Kentucky photograph of “Lewis Sodder” | | 62:40 | Hosts debate theories—final conclusions |
Legacy & Listener Takeaway
- Eternal Mystery: The Sodder case endures as a chilling unsolved mystery, woven deeply into Fayetteville’s history and folklore.
- Invitation: The family’s search lasted a lifetime; listeners are encouraged to come forward with any information, no matter how small, via the FBI or Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.
Tone & Style
- Engaged, empathetic, and informally witty; the hosts blend meticulous research, lived experiences, and dark humor to keep listeners gripped through heavy and speculative content.
- Storytelling is immersive and respectful, highlighting both the tragedy and the hope that persists in unresolved loss.
For more chilling tales and National Park lore, visit National Park After Dark or join the community on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X @nationalparkafterdark.