Podcast
Somebody Knows Something
Hosted by EPD Cold Case · EN
In May of 2024, Elgin (IL) Police Chief Ana Lalley created the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit to take a fresh look at unsolved homicides and missing persons cases with the belief that dedicating resources and using new technology will help solve these cases. As part of this new unit, the Elgin Police Department launched a podcast dedicated to Elgin cold cases to seek information from the public.
Somebody Knows Something: The Elgin Police Cold Case Podcast was created by the Elgin Police Department and is recorded with assistance of WRMN 1410 in Elgin, Illinois. Detective Andrew Houghton, Detective Christopher Hall, and Detective Matt Vartanian of the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit host the podcast and take listeners along as they investigate missing persons and homicide cases in real time and seek justice for the victims and closure for their families. This podcast includes actual police interviews, re-creations, and information that has never been released publicly as the Elgin Police Department seeks assistance from the community.
Season 1, Where is Karen? follows Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian as they investigate the disappearance of 23-year-old Karen Schepers, who, along with her car, disappeared without a trace after a night out with co-workers on April 16, 1983.
Season 2, Elgin: The 1970’s follows Detective Andrew Houghton and his new partner, Detective Chris Hall, as they review five cold case homicides and one missing person case, all from the 1970s. Over the course of this season, they investigate the shootings of Guadalupe Alanis in 1971 and Maynard Chester Holley in 1975, the murder of 16-year-old Lori Bolger and the disappearance of 14-year-old Barbara Glueckert in 1976, the stabbing of Cayce Kyles in 1977, and the murder of Renee Tovar in 1979.
Season 3, Wyteria is Missing follows Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall as they re-investigate the disappearance of 45-year-old Wyteria Jones, who vanished from the Douglas Hotel in downtown Elgin in the fall of 1982. A new member, Detective Beth Sterricker, also joins the unit and Sergeant Matt Vartanian returns to assist with Wyteria's investigation.
Anyone with information on any of the cold cases discussed are encouraged to contact the Elgin Police Department via email at ColdCaseTips@elginil.gov or via phone at 1-847-289-COLD. A list of all cold case missing persons and homicide cases as well as additional information about the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit can be found at www.ElginColdCases.com.
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police reports and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons. While the events and cases discussed are based on real investigations, some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes. Voice actors may be used to read from statements or docu...
Somebody Knows Something: The Elgin Police Cold Case Podcast was created by the Elgin Police Department and is recorded with assistance of WRMN 1410 in Elgin, Illinois. Detective Andrew Houghton, Detective Christopher Hall, and Detective Matt Vartanian of the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit host the podcast and take listeners along as they investigate missing persons and homicide cases in real time and seek justice for the victims and closure for their families. This podcast includes actual police interviews, re-creations, and information that has never been released publicly as the Elgin Police Department seeks assistance from the community.
Season 1, Where is Karen? follows Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian as they investigate the disappearance of 23-year-old Karen Schepers, who, along with her car, disappeared without a trace after a night out with co-workers on April 16, 1983.
Season 2, Elgin: The 1970’s follows Detective Andrew Houghton and his new partner, Detective Chris Hall, as they review five cold case homicides and one missing person case, all from the 1970s. Over the course of this season, they investigate the shootings of Guadalupe Alanis in 1971 and Maynard Chester Holley in 1975, the murder of 16-year-old Lori Bolger and the disappearance of 14-year-old Barbara Glueckert in 1976, the stabbing of Cayce Kyles in 1977, and the murder of Renee Tovar in 1979.
Season 3, Wyteria is Missing follows Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall as they re-investigate the disappearance of 45-year-old Wyteria Jones, who vanished from the Douglas Hotel in downtown Elgin in the fall of 1982. A new member, Detective Beth Sterricker, also joins the unit and Sergeant Matt Vartanian returns to assist with Wyteria's investigation.
Anyone with information on any of the cold cases discussed are encouraged to contact the Elgin Police Department via email at ColdCaseTips@elginil.gov or via phone at 1-847-289-COLD. A list of all cold case missing persons and homicide cases as well as additional information about the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit can be found at www.ElginColdCases.com.
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police reports and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons. While the events and cases discussed are based on real investigations, some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes. Voice actors may be used to read from statements or docu...
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 11: Remembering Karen Schepers
May 12, 202500:43:22Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit reflect on the past 6 months of this investigation with Karen’s family, friends, and coworkers as Karen finally comes home and is laid to rest.
Summary
Episode 10: Closing the Case
Apr 28, 202500:22:26Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit wrap up Karen’s cold case investigation by detailing the final steps in Karen’s case and they discuss what they believed most likely happened to Karen on that fateful night in April of 1983.
SummaryEpisode 9: Chaos Divers
Apr 14, 202500:32:14Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit speak with Jacob Grubbs and Lindsay Bussick from Chaos Divers, the group which was instrumental in bringing Karen Schepers home, to talk about their organization, their experience in search and recovery, and their amazing work on Karen’s case.
SummaryEpisode 8: The Dive
Mar 31, 202500:27:28Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit search the Fox River with the non-profit search and recovery team Chaos Divers and make a discovery almost 42 years in the making.
SummaryEpisode 7: Bodies of Water
Mar 17, 202500:38:24Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit move up their original Theory #6, that Karen and her car are submerged in a body of water, as new tips come in and new technology becomes available. They identify the routes that Karen would have likely taken, travel those routes, and follow-up on new tips about a car recently discovered in the Fox River.
SummaryEpisode 6: Serial Killers on the Fox
Mar 17, 202500:30:16Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit review multiple serial killers who were active in the Elgin area in the early 1980’s and travel to the Pontiac Correctional Facility to interview Brian Dugan, an Illinois serial killer who is serving a life sentence for three murders in the area, one of which has similarities to Karen’s disappearance.
SummaryEpisode 5 - Lurking In The Parking Lot
Mar 3, 202500:33:58Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit continue their investigation into Theory #2, that something happened at PM Bentley’s. As they review the case file, they discover that a former employee of PM Bentley’s was never interviewed, so they track her down and she reveals new information about a man who stalked her and her and her car in the parking lot and followed her home in the months leading up to Karen’s disappearance.
SummaryEpisode 4 - The Bikers and The Van
Mar 3, 202500:38:48Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit travel to the site where PM Bentley’s was in 1983 with the owner as they investigate Theory #2, that something happened at PM Bentley’s. They discuss a witness who claimed he saw Karen with some bikers both inside and outside the bar and another witness who detailed her interaction with a man who allegedly claimed he was involved in her disappearance.
Summary
Episode 2 - Who is Karen Schepers?
Feb 17, 202500:18:42Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton & Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit begin their investigation into the 1983 disappearance of Karen Schepers by interviewing the people who knew her best, members of her family.
Summary
Episode 3 - A Desperate Choice
Feb 17, 202500:30:02Summary readyDetectives Andrew Houghton & Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit interview members of Karen's family, her close friends, & her co-workers to get a sense of who Karen was as a person and to evaluate Theory #1, that Karen made a desperate choice to either run away or harm herself.
Summary