Stolen Voices of Dole Valley
LIVE: Let’s Talk About the Latest Breaks in the Warren Forrest Investigation!
KSL Podcasts | February 24, 2026

Episode Overview

This live episode of Stolen Voices of Dole Valley dives into the latest developments in the investigation of suspected serial killer Warren Forrest. Broadcasting from a National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation (NW CAVE) event, the panel brings together families of victims, survivors, journalists, law enforcement, and forensic experts. The discussion centers on the search for justice for the women and girls Forrest is believed to have preyed upon in 1970s Clark County, Washington. The episode is as much about investigative breakthroughs as it is about the long-term trauma, community failures, and the enduring strength of victims’ families and survivors.

Panel & Key Voices

• Host/Journalist: Carolyn Osorio
• Producer: Brandon Morgan
• Moderator: Dan Tilkin (retired journalist)
• Victims’ Families: Starr Lara (sister of Jamie Grissom), Norma Countryman (survivor)
• Forensics Expert: Paul Holes (investigator in Golden State Killer case)
• Advocate: Michelle Bart (founder of NW CAVE)
• Audience Guests: Larry Helledge (relative of victim Carol Valenzuela), others

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction: The Forgotten Serial Killer and the Fight for Justice

• Michelle Bart (Founder, NW CAVE) [00:32]:
  Frames the night as a long-awaited update following new developments in the Warren Forrest case catalyzed by the podcast's investigation.
• Call to Action:
  Listeners are urged to review and share the podcast to ensure continued momentum in pressuring Forrest to disclose his victims’ whereabouts before he passes.

2. The Long, Winding Road of the Dole Valley Cases

• Dan Tilkin (Moderator) [04:06]:
  Shares his two-decade history with the case, beginning with missing teen Jamie Grissom, highlighting systemic shortcomings and the challenge of advancing cold cases with little official information.

Notable Quote

“You’re only as good as your sources. And if you make people upset, guess who doesn’t want to help you out in the future?...This is your job to hold the powerful accountable.” — Dan Tilkin [06:11]

Segment: The Lost and Found Remains

• Details the mishandling of remains and records surrounding Grissom and other unidentified victims, including confusion over the transfer and location of remains, ultimately solved through persistence and investigative journalism.

Notable Quote

“Armed with that information, Starr and I shamed the medical examiner into looking again. And they miraculously found the bones...” — Dan Tilkin [10:49]

3. Survivors’ and Families’ Voices: Trauma, Tenacity, and Systemic Failure

Norma Countryman (Survivor) [12:01, 13:03]

• Shares her survival, the disbelief and marginalization faced as a young (15-year-old) victim, and the lasting impact on her family.

Notable Quote

“He never, ever in his evil mind, considered that we were somebody's daughter, somebody's sister, somebody's mother. We were nothing...It wasn't just that we were kids. Carolyn hit it right on the head. We were throwaways.” — Norma Countryman [13:03]

• Discusses the generational ripple effect on families and the sense of vindication from belated justice, but lack of accountability for officials who dismissed reports.

Notable Quote

“He threw me away every bit as much as Forrest did.” — Norma Countryman [15:31]

4. From Folklore to Fact: The Doug/McClure Witness Break

Segment Overview [16:48–27:00]

• A decades-old local legend about a boy finding a tied woman in the woods is tracked down and, after an extensive search and skepticism, revealed to be a recollection of discovering a deceased woman, not a surviving victim.
• Key Development: The witness is finally interviewed. His location of the body is within 1,500 feet of a known burial site, potentially providing a new search area for Jamie Grissom.

Notable Quotes

“He did act like a normal human being and went to help someone he saw in distress...” — Brandon Morgan [21:08]

"When he was calmed down, he kept bringing this up... his dad pulled him aside and says, 'You need to just shut up about that.'...That was for 54 years that he was quiet about it." — Panelist recounting the witness interview [24:06]

5. Forensics and Technology: New Hopes with Old Evidence

Paul Holes (Forensic Investigator) [28:40–35:47]

• Explains the challenges of evidence in decades-old cases (destroyed/lost items, outdated methods).
• Breakthrough: Technology used in the Golden State Killer case can extract DNA profiles from old hair fragments in Forrest’s van (even hairs without roots), opening a pathway to link identified and unidentified victims.
• Funding: FBI involvement may help conduct genealogical and mitochondrial testing on prioritized hair samples.

Notable Quotes

“...If we do have a situation where we have identified victims and we have DNA sources from family members... we can do a direct comparison... This is the exciting thing...” — Paul Holes [33:49]

“For the families and for the victims, it may have been 50 years, but it’s like it was yesterday. And us as public servants, we have a responsibility to those families...” — Paul Holes [54:27]

6. Q&A: Systemic Failures, DNA Law, and Seeking Closure

On Police Negligence and Accountability [36:02–38:35]

• Can the deputy who didn’t believe Norma be held accountable? — “No, but I feel vindicated through all of the information we have now.” — Norma Countryman [36:10]
• Family members discuss how initial police focus on relatives, rather than strangers, destroyed families and compounded grief.

The Ripple Effect

“It just wasn’t just the young ladies that he took, it was their families. The ripple effect...” — Norma Countryman [38:35]

Advances and Limitations in DNA/Genealogy [44:01–48:30]

• Law enforcement access to consumer DNA databases (Ancestry, 23andMe) is now opt-in, stalling the pace of cold case solutions.
  “If law enforcement had access to the largest genealogy databases... there could be many more cases solved.” – Paul Holes [44:27]
• Clear instructions provided on how to opt in and help future investigations (upload raw DNA to GEDmatch and select law enforcement access).

7. Why Tell These Stories?

Carolyn Osorio (Host) [49:20]

Explains her motivation to pursue this story:

"I'm always attracted to stories where people just don’t give up... women and children, when they're not believed, it raises something within me."
Discusses the collaborative nature of the podcast, emphasizing survivor voices and community effort.

Notable Quotes & Moments (With Timestamps)

• “He never, ever in his evil mind, considered that we were somebody’s daughter...” — Norma Countryman [13:03]
• “Armed with that information, Starr and I shamed the medical examiner into looking again. And they miraculously found the bones...” — Dan Tilkin [10:49]
• “She lived, growing up... with me being a strict mother and she had never done anything to warrant that. But the ripple effect had that effect on my family just like it had on Larry’s family.” — Norma Countryman [38:35]
• “For the families and for the victims, it may have been 50 years, but it’s like it was yesterday. And us as public servants, we have a responsibility to those families...” — Paul Holes [54:27]
• “I'm always attracted to stories where people just don't give up... Both of these women were just my inspiration.” — Carolyn Osorio [50:18]
• “He [the deputy] didn’t do any investigating... That is on him, completely, 100% on him.” — Norma Countryman [41:54]

Major Segment Timestamps

• 00:32 – Michelle Bart and opening remarks
• 03:16 – Panel introductions
• 04:06 – Dan Tilkin recounts early reporting
• 07:33–10:59 – The "lost bones" and media intervention
• 12:01–15:44 – Norma Countryman on survival, disbelief, and systemic failures
• 16:48–24:06 – Debunking folklore, the new witness, and what he saw
• 28:10–35:47 – Paul Holes on forensic advances and DNA evidence
• 36:02–41:54 – Q&A: Police failures, family trauma, seeking accountability
• 44:01–48:30 – Limitations and process for consumer DNA database use
• 49:20–51:51 – Why this podcast/story matters
• 54:27–55:10 – Final thoughts and underscoring the agony of waiting families

Tone & Context Highlights

• The discussion is intimate, emotional, and at times confrontational—honoring unvarnished truths from those most affected.
• The hosts and panelists are frank about past institutional failures and persistent gender/class bias in past criminal investigations.
• The event is hopeful yet realistic, energized by new forensic opportunities and witness revelations but grounded in the decades-long pain and injustice endured by families and survivors.

Takeaways

• Ongoing Search for Justice: New witness testimony and cutting-edge forensics are bringing long-stalled cases closer to resolution.
• Trauma Endures: For families and survivors, unresolved crimes are present-tense wounds. They face additional burdens from disbelief and negligence by authorities.
• Importance of Public Engagement: Listeners and the wider public can help by advocating for continued attention, opting in to DNA databases, and supporting reforms in how missing persons and unidentified remains are handled.
• Community as Catalyst: Podcasts like Stolen Voices of Dole Valley are pivotal in sustaining pressure, uncovering new information, and validating the stories of those long dismissed.

For more on the case, updates, or resources, visit Stolen Voices of Dole Valley at stolenvoicespod.com and follow @StolenVoicesPod on social platforms.