Park Predators: “The Ambush”
Hosted by Delia D’Ambra
Release Date: August 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In “The Ambush,” investigative journalist Delia D’Ambra returns to Indiana Dunes National Park—already notorious from a previous episode—for another tragic crime. This time, she explores the 1997 double homicide of Cynthia Gomez and Steven Jimenez, two young friends whose lives were brutally ended on a quiet fall night. The episode intricately tracks the despairing search by their families, the fumbling early investigation, and the eventual unraveling of a disturbed suspect—all while reflecting on the inexplicable violence that sometimes finds its way into the world’s most pristine places.

Episode Breakdown

Setting and Context

• [01:34] Delia introduces the episode, revisiting Indiana Dunes National Park, where 15-year-old Johnis China White was killed in 1990. She emphasizes the park’s beauty contrasted by its dark history.
• The park: 1,500 acres, bordering Lake Michigan, with over 50 miles of trails through diverse natural scenery.

Disappearance of Cynthia Gomez and Steven Jimenez

• Sunday, October 12, 1997 (~10:30 pm):
  • Cynthia (19) and Steven (24) were due to return home to Merrillville, Indiana, after a weekend away.
  • Last contact: Cynthia called her mother, Olga, from Portage, Indiana, saying they’d be home soon—a 25-minute trip.
  • They never arrived.
• Monday, October 13:
  • Both families report the pair missing to respective police departments.
• Days Following:
  • Family and friends launch a search, post flyers, and exhaust personal networks.
  • Olga Gomez to the Times:

    “This is totally out of the norm for Cynthia. There’s absolutely no reason they should have gone anywhere when they left Portage. They were tired and broke and just wanted to come home and get some sleep. They never made it home.” ([03:40])

Discovery of the Bodies

• Thursday, October 16:
  • [06:00-07:00]
    • Stephen Murphy, a nearby resident, receives a knock at his door from a young man claiming to have found two bodies in the dunes, 300 yards from Lake Michigan near West Beach.
    • Police (local and FBI) confirm the bodies are Cynthia and Steven. Both were shot in the back of the head.
• Autopsy and Forensics:
  • No defensive wounds; cause of death was single execution-style gunshots.
  • Cynthia was found nude; Steven fully clothed.
  • No evidence of robbery—their wallets and jewelry remained.
  • Cynthia’s car, a white Toyota Paseo, was found on fire nearby after being abandoned, but responding officers did not immediately connect it to the missing persons report—a consequence of jurisdictional miscommunication.

Community, Mourning, and Initial Stymied Investigation

• [13:00-16:00]
  • Community perception: The park’s West Beach area was a popular, typically safe hangout for local youth.
  • Friends affirm Steven and Cynthia were not romantically involved—just friends.
  • Vicims remembered as universally kind, accomplished, and loved.
  • Funerals are held; both families and community struck by grief.
  • Jimenez family’s prior tragedy: Steven’s older brother, Bernard, was murdered in 1992—adding depth to their devastation.

Notable Memorial Quotes:

• Reverend at Cynthia’s funeral:

  “Cynthia was an innocent who became a victim in many ways... She left a trail of goodness and love... We are not going to be able to understand completely what the Lord’s plans are... God is begging us to trust in him. Entrust Cynthia to God’s tender care.” ([15:45])

• Steven’s mother:

  “Thank you, Jesus for sharing him with us. Goodbye, my love.” ([16:40])

The Investigation Breaks Open

• [20:28]
  • October 22: New witness reports a suspicious car at West Beach matching one seen at the scene the night of the murders.
  • This car (and driver description) matches the man who found and reported the bodies—20-year-old Dewan Cease from Gary, Indiana.
  • Dewan lived near the park, closely resembled witness descriptions, and had a history involving firearms, though previously uncharged with any crime.
  • Polygraph administered to Dewan is “deceptive,” but lack of direct evidence prevents immediate arrest.
• [22:40]
  • FBI finds 9mm ammunition in Dewan’s possession, matching the caliber suspected in the murders.

The Tragic Confession and Aftermath

• [24:00-27:00]
  • Shortly after being released from questioning, Dewan calls police and confesses to the murders in a distraught state, threatening suicide.
  • He tells police his weapon is hidden in his car.
  • Despite efforts by law enforcement and loved ones, Dewan dies by suicide within minutes of his call, succumbing to his injuries in hospital the next day.
  • Detective who took final call:

    “You could say it was just in a way, but it’s a tragic way to end this thing. If he was going to do this, I wish he had told me everything.” ([27:30])

Searching for Motive

• No clear motive was ever discovered or confessed. Police suggest:
  • Dewan was emotionally unstable, possibly set off by an incident earlier that day involving his girlfriend publicly accusing him of cheating.
  • Possible mental health crisis; profiler speculates Dewan may have seen the victims as symbolic of a life he’d never have.
  • Detective:

    "It was bothering him that nobody was finding these bodies. And that's when he went and found them." ([31:10])

Community Impact and Legacy

• Grieving families are left with confusion and unanswered questions.
  • Olga Gomez:

    “Maybe then the puzzle will make sense to us as well. Maybe we can answer the questions and let them rest in peace.” ([32:10])

• Vigils, rallies, and scholarships are established in Cynthia’s and Steven’s honor, reflecting their lasting impact.

Notable Moments:

• Contrasting accounts of Dewan’s character by neighbors—some call him cold-blooded, others remember him as a “sweet child.”
• Survivor's guilt from the civilian who found the bodies and unknowingly hosted the killer in his home:

  “It was unsettling to know that a murderer had been in his home, standing right next to him at one point...” ([33:58])

• Delia’s closing reflection:

  “Sometimes killers walk among us. In some cases right up to our front door, and we’re none the wiser. If that doesn’t make you just a little bit more vigilant, I don’t know what will.” ([34:10])

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Content | |-----------|------------------------------------------| | 01:34 | Case and park background | | 03:40 | Olga Gomez on daughter’s disappearance | | 06:00 | Discovery of bodies | | 10:05 | Car found burned; forensic details | | 15:45 | Cynthia’s eulogy | | 16:40 | Steven’s mother’s farewell | | 20:28 | Suspicious witness, Dewan Cease ID’d | | 24:00 | Dewan’s confession and suicide | | 27:30 | Detective’s reflections | | 31:10 | Motive speculation by detective | | 32:10 | Olga Gomez on unanswered questions | | 33:58 | Stephen Murphy on unknowingly meeting killer | | 34:10 | Delia’s concluding thoughts |

Notable Quotes

• Olga Gomez:

  “This is totally out of the norm for Cynthia. They never made it home.” ([03:40])

• Reverend:

  “Cynthia was an innocent who became a victim in many ways. She left a trail of goodness and love.” ([15:45])

• Steven’s mother:

  “Thank you, Jesus for sharing him with us. Goodbye, my love.” ([16:40])

• Detective on Dewan’s confession:

  “If he was going to do this, I wish he had told me everything.” ([27:30])

• Olga Gomez on closure:

  “Maybe then the puzzle will make sense to us as well...” ([32:10])

• Delia d’Ambra:

  “Sometimes killers walk among us... and we’re none the wiser.” ([34:10])

Tone and Narration

Delia recounts events with a respectful, measured, yet haunting tone, never sensationalizing the tragedy. The episode is marked by empathy for the victims and their families, a sharp critique of investigative missteps, and a thoughtful grappling with the limitations of closure when motives are never known.

Park Predators continues its tradition of blending true-crime rigor with a deep sense of humanity, reminding listeners that darkness often hides in plain sight—even amid nature’s beauty.