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The Deck
Kevin Nguyen (10 of Spades, Indiana)
00:34:38
On a cold December night in 2018, 25-year-old Kevin Nguyen went to see a band at a Fort Wayne bar and never came home. Surveillance cameras captured his final known hours in eerie fragments before he vanished. What happened next has fueled years of rumors, online theories, and bitter disagreements between investigators and Kevin’s family. With unreleased video evidence, mysterious tips about a possible killing, and no trace of Kevin ever found, his disappearance remains one of Indiana’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.
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- [00:00]
Detective Brian Martin
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- [00:30]
Ashley Flowers
Every mystery has an answer, but some have way more than one possibility. I'm Yvette Gentile. And I'm her sister Racha Pecorero. Every week on our podcast so Supernatural, we invite you to explore the unknown and to consider the many theories behind each Unsolved mystery will guide you as you question the world you think you know through investigations into spine chilling hauntings, unexplainable encounters, strange disappearances, and so much more. So if you're ready to be haunted by stories of the unsolved and of the unknown, listen if you dare to sew Supernatural every Friday wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:17]
Leanne Nugent
Foreign.
- [01:23]
Ashley Flowers
This week is Kevin Nugent, the 10 of spades from Indiana. Since 2018, the mystery of Kevin's disappearance has become the subject of rumors and Reddit threads. Some of you have even reached out to us directly to look into this case. And that's because even though there is video footage of Kevin in the hours before he vanished on a cold December night, what we can see on the footage just leads to more questions than answers. And police aren't showing all of their cards. They're keeping a lot of details close to the vest, even as they release new clips to us in hopes that someone remembers seeing Kevin that night before he walks off screen for the last time and is never seen again. I'm Ashley Flowers and this is the deck. The mystery of what happened to Kevin started on December 8, 2018, a Saturday night. 25 year old Kevin had made plans to spend the evening at the Brass Rail Bar at the corner of Broadway and Sturgis street in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. His little sister Leanne, Yankee, 19 years old at the time, told us that she still remembers dropping him off that night.
- [03:08]
Leanne Nugent
I remember that he really just wanted to go out and see a band or some sorts at a bar and Wy said that's fine. Obviously with a bar you're gonna drink so typically on that day I'm not gonna let you drive there.
- [03:28]
Ashley Flowers
But Right after Leanne dropped Kevin off, he called her and said he needed her to come back.
- [03:34]
Leanne Nugent
So he forgot his wallet, called me, drove all the way back home to get his wallet, came home, my mom's like, oh, he's already back home. And I'm like, nope, he forgot something. Being silly as ever.
- [03:47]
Ashley Flowers
More than seven and a half years later, Leigh Ann still gets emotional as she talks about the last time she saw her brother dropping him off for a second time outside of the brass rail around 10:45pm he seemed like his
- [04:01]
Leanne Nugent
normal self, his goofball self.
- [04:04]
Ashley Flowers
Kevin Nugent's family said he was like an introverted extrovert. And by the way, throughout this episode you may hear people pronounce Kevin's last name differently, but we did confirm with his family that they pronounced it Nugent. Now, Leanne said at home, Kevin could be silly and make her laugh, but outside the house he was quiet and more reserved. He loved to draw, loved anime, video games and. And even though Kevin is six years older than Leanne, they were really close.
- [04:32]
Leanne Nugent
He basically is the person that made me who I am today.
- [04:37]
Ashley Flowers
As Kevin got out of the car, Leanne gave him a warning.
- [04:42]
Leanne Nugent
I like grabbed him and I looked him dead in his eyes and I said, you are only allowed to have two drinks. That is it. You are not going to get hectic or crazy. Two drinks, that's done. Because I've seen you before. How you get. He listens to nobody, he listens to nobody, nobody whatsoever. And he just does whatever he wants.
- [05:04]
Ashley Flowers
Kevin didn't have a lot of opportunities to let loose at home. He lived with his little sister and his mom and stepfather who raised him since he was a child. But at the Brass Rail, Kevin was free to be a typical 20 something out on a Saturday night. The bar was a well known spot in the area that sleep, slings cheap pints of Pabst Blue Ribbon and hosts punk and indie rock shows. That night's lineup boasted a comedian and two bands, Wetface and the Cowboys. As the music pumped through the speakers and the bar grew crowded, Kevin started to unwind. He ordered a drink and then another, and another. According to police surveillance video shows Kevin kind of falling into his own world.
- [05:46]
Detective Brian Martin
We were able to view on the surveillance footage from the bar that Kevin was kind of dancing to him with himself.
- [05:55]
Ashley Flowers
As one of the early investigators assigned to the case, Detective Brian Martin has watched hours of video footage related to Kevin's disappearance. He's a 14 year veteran homicide and cold case detective with the Fort Wayne Police Department. We asked Detective Martin if we could see all of the videos he has from that night. But because the investigation is still ongoing, the department would only share one. One new excerpt with us. That's a clip from outside the bar, and it is something that has never been released to the public. But more on that later. For what happened inside the Brass Rail, we have to rely on Detective Martin's account.
- [06:35]
Detective Brian Martin
Kevin's behavior in the bar was somewhat erratic. He appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- [06:42]
Ashley Flowers
We don't know if Kevin was high that night. His family is adamant that he didn't do any kind of hard drugs, and police don't see him take anything. During the times when he's on camera, he's just drinking, perhaps drinking a lot more than the two drinks his sister warned him to stop at. We contacted the bar's owner to ask how many drinks Kevin was served, but they didn't respond to that question. But Detective Martin said that Kevin knocked back several drinks over the course of the night, though he wouldn't provide us with with an exact number. We were able to get a copy of Kevin's bar receipt, but it's not itemized. His tab came in at around 36 bucks, which doesn't seem like a lot, but the Brass Rail in Fort Wayne is known for cheap drinks. In fact, around this time, they were running a $2 beer special, something that they did often back in 2018. Detective Martin says that as Kevin drank more, he began to push his way through the crowd that gathered to watch the band, and he started getting in people's faces.
- [07:42]
Detective Brian Martin
I can't say what exactly was going on with Kevin and his behavior. I did observe that he was talking to patrons at the bar. What I would refer to as close talking maybe made people uncomfortable.
- [07:56]
Ashley Flowers
According to one bar goer that we tracked down, Kevin tried to pick a fight with a stranger that night. The situation was diffused quickly. They were like, hey, dude, just chill out. They cracked a joke, and everyone moved on. But the bar patron said that Kevin appeared to be very drunk. And it was becoming obvious to more people because after a while, the staff at the Brass Rail asked Kevin to leave. He closed his $36 tab at 12:59am But Kevin didn't actually leave the bar.
- [08:28]
Detective Brian Martin
We were able to learn through some bar staff that was willing to cooperate and talk to us that there had been some type of altercation in the bar around women's restroom.
- [08:40]
Ashley Flowers
According to Detective Martin, Kevin used the women's bathroom shortly after closing his tab. When he exited the restroom. He stopped a woman who had just been about to enter. But from the footage that he reviewed, he says it doesn't seem like this was actually an altercation.
- [08:54]
Detective Brian Martin
What I was able to observe, it looked like there was more of a. Some kind of back and forth conversation between Kevin and this female. It was later revealed through talking to different people and some patrons and just word of mouth going around the bar, that what Kevin was actually doing was letting this young lady know that there was in fact no toilet paper in that restroom and it needed to be refilled. I think he was just giving her a heads up before she went in. It did not appear to be any kind of out of the ordinary conversation that definitely did not appear to be violent.
- [09:28]
Ashley Flowers
Detective Martin told us that the staff ended up escorting Kevin out from the back of the bar near the bathroom at 1:03am but even after he was kicked out, Kevin made his way back inside.
- [09:42]
Detective Brian Martin
What we were able to see on video surveillance is Kevin reappears inside the brass rail, unknown whether he came through a side door or a back door. But he does come back into the bar and is noticed again and is asked to leave shortly thereafter. At around 1:10, it looks like he's escorted from the bar yet again after being put out the first time. Around 1:20 in the morning is when Kevin's seen by the food truck between the bar and the food truck, and the food truck's parked right on the corner. Within a matter of footsteps from the brass rail.
- [10:18]
Ashley Flowers
This is the footage that police have released to us to share publicly for the first time. The outside feed has a view of the sidewalk where you can see Kevin in front of the food truck.
- [10:30]
Detective Brian Martin
At 1:21am he ordered what appeared to be a slice of pizza. While he was ordering a slice of pizza and waiting for it to come to him, you see Kevin kind of dancing with himself, for lack of better terms, kind of swaying side to side. I can't tell if he's like dancing or if that is, he's unsteady on his feet.
- [10:54]
Ashley Flowers
I understand why Detective Martin isn't sure what to make of Kevin in it. When he first moves into the frame, he's moving in this kind of unusual manner. He's like stepping very quickly, bouncing, and his arms move up and down as he moves in what almost looks like a fast paced box step. I mean, it seems to me that he's dancing, although without sound, it's hard to know for sure. And he does this for a solid 25 seconds from the snippet of the video. I can see why someone might think Kevin was intoxicated. But for the remainder of the five minute video, all that movement stops. Kevin stands around and at one point he crouches down, acting like a guy waiting for his food. When Kevin finally gets it, we see him eat alone, not bothering anyone. And that's where the clip that we were given ends. Kevin crouched down, finishing his pizza. The glasses that he walked into the bar wearing are gone from his face. He took them off when he was ordering. Now, the feed captured more of Kevin's movements outside of the bar, but police would only release this short portion to us. So Detective Martin's description is how we know what Happens Next at 1:29 is
- [12:11]
Detective Brian Martin
when he puts the crust of his pizza in the tip jar.
- [12:15]
Ashley Flowers
This apparently led to a verbal argument between Kevin and the person working the truck, who police did eventually track down.
- [12:23]
Detective Brian Martin
We were able to speak with the gentleman who was running the food truck and he described Kevin's behavior generically as he was messing with the tip jar. That's what we believe is when he put the crust of the pizza in the tip jar. He also described Kevin's behavior as appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or something else.
- [12:42]
Ashley Flowers
Detective Martin told us that a couple of minutes later, two bar staff members intervened and walk Kevin down the block outside the bar to the corner of Sturgis and Fulton Street. By 1:40am we know that Kevin had walked north because he was spotted on surveillance video outside of an Arby's restaurant near the Brass Rail. This video from Arby's is one that was released by police early on and has been circulated around the Internet ever since. It's also black and white and doesn't have any sound like the footage that we've seen from the food truck. In it, Kevin appears a bit unsteady on his feet. Just like a little crisscross of the feet and a stumble at the corner, nothing egregious. And then he steadies himself and walks normally out of frame. The footage shows him walking towards the Arby's and then four minutes later walking back in the direction of the bar. Detective Martin says the surveillance footage shows Kevin reappearing near the pizza truck and the bar at 1:53am the bar staff then escorts him away two more times, once at 1:54 and again at 1:57. According to police, at about 2am Footage of Kevin drops off. He cannot be seen in the area in front of the bar. And around that time, Leanne's phone rang and it was her brother.
- [14:05]
Leanne Nugent
And I was half asleep when he called me. So when he called me to come pick him up, I go, okay, I'll come pick you up. I went to go open my door, and my mother was still awake. So she said, no, you stay home. I'll go pick him up. Because at the time, I was still young. So my mom was like, I don't think you need to be going out that late. She's like, I'll go do it. And I go, okay. Like, as a normal person, as a normal person would, I'd go, okay. And then I went straight back to sleep. Sleep.
- [14:37]
Ashley Flowers
Kevin reappears on camera near the Brass Rail, now wearing his glasses again. At 2:23am According to police, he had just called home for a ride, so he knew his family was on the way to get him at the bar. But two minutes later, the Brass Rail staff escorted him down the street. Kevin decided to come back in front of the bar. And at 2:30am and this time, Detective Martin says the situation between Kevin and the bar staff escalated.
- [15:13]
Detective Brian Martin
You can see him kind of standing and looking towards the pizza truck and towards the bar staff. And then all of a sudden, he just runs right at them. You can see on video where he was tackled to the ground. He was appears to be punched a couple times. And then once Kevin is on the ground, you see bar staff get up. They're obviously communicating with him, telling him something. And at one point, you even see one of the individuals who tackled Kevin offer a hand to assist him up to his feet again.
- [15:46]
Ashley Flowers
Police haven't released this video footage to the public, so we haven't seen this. But Detective Martin says that he was able to verify that after one employee helped Kevin up, the staff from the Brass Rail and the food truck worker walked him back down Sturgis street and then returned without him. At 2:39am we know Kevin's mother shoots him. A text at 2:44am Likely to let him know that she was about to pull up. Because according to police surveillance video shows Kevin's mom arriving in front of the Brass Rail Shortly after at 2:45, she's in her car, and when she realizes that Kevin isn't out front, she begins circling the block looking for him.
- [16:26]
Leanne Nugent
And then my mom was calling me saying, hey, did he say where he was? And I was like, he should be there. It felt like they just kind of missed each other.
- [16:36]
Ashley Flowers
Kevin's mom waited near the bar for a while, but she didn't realize that he wasn't at the Brass Rail. He was actually a few blocks away where two more security cameras caught a glimpse of Kevin receding into the night.
- [16:55]
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- [17:54]
Ashley Flowers
Hi everyone. I'm investigative journalist and park enthusiast Delia d'. Ambra. And every week on my podcast, Park Predators, I take you into the heart of our world's most stunning locations to uncover what sinister crimes have unfolded in these serene settings. From unsolved murders to chilling disappearances. Each Tuesday, we dive deep into the details of cases that will leave you knowing sometimes the most beautiful places hide the darkest secrets. Listen to Park Predators now wherever you listen to podcasts. Kevin never made it back home on Sunday, but his family didn't panic right away. They figured he just wound up crashing at a friend's house after a night out. According to his grandmother, Dee Campbell, he knew people in the area, so there
- [18:44]
Dee Campbell
are people that that live there that he knows, and he stayed at their house before. And in my process, I found that there is a guy that lives a few blocks away that Kevin used to work for with him at the theater in Fort Wayne over there at Jefferson Point. He worked for him for a while there. So that's kind of what they thought Kevin had done when he didn't come home, is that he had stayed with one of his friends.
- [19:14]
Ashley Flowers
However, when Monday rolled around and there was still no sign of Kevin, that's when full panic set in.
- [19:20]
Leanne Nugent
When he wasn't picking up my mom's call, it kind of felt like something was wrong. Even if he was in the darkest place ever, he would remember my mother's phone number because he would call her first for everything. So the moment we kind of found out that he wasn't picking up her phone calls, that's when we started getting a little worried because that was not very normal of him not to pick up her calls.
- [19:49]
Ashley Flowers
Kevin might go out for a night and crash at a friend's house after partying like so many other 25 year olds. But he had never just dropped off the radar like this. Kevin's family started to think something might must be really wrong. So Leann and her mom filed the missing persons report with the Fort Wayne Police Department.
- [20:07]
Detective Brian Martin
The first 24 to 48 hours were law enforcement calling the bar the Brass Rail, to see if they could talk to management or anybody who had seen Kevin Wynn or could tell us anything about the whereabouts.
- [20:20]
Ashley Flowers
Police got access to the security camera footage from inside and outside the Brass Rail, the footage that followed Kevin up until he was seen being escorted away from the bar that final time. But law enforcement was also able to access security feeds from two local businesses, that one from the Arby's restaurant and one from a construction company. And we know that those feeds showed Kevin just a little bit later. Now, many people believe that the video footage we talked about earlier from around 1:40 at Arby's, that that was the last time Kevin was seen walking away on camera. But if you've been paying attention to the timeline, that's not true. It turns out he was last seen on this Arby's restaurant camera and this one from the construction company. But that actually happened later. He showed up a second time on camera at around 2:45am so the last
- [21:13]
Detective Brian Martin
time that we were able to see Kevin on camera and able to document that Kevin is alive and well, is it approximately 2:45am which would have been December 9th. And that's when Kevin is walking outside of the Arby's restaurant by the drive up and door area. The next camera footage that we see Kevin on is within a minute or so of that. And that's seen on a video surveillance camera is Striebig Construction. And Kevin is last seen from any video surveillance. The last point we ever see Kevin moving, walking on video surveillance is at approximately 245, 2:46am on December 9, walking northeast from the area of Arby's Restaurant, downtown Fort Wayne.
- [22:00]
Ashley Flowers
We really tried to get Detective Martin to show us this video clip, but he said that his supervisor would not permit him to release any additional footage. And to me, this one is so important because I'm curious as to whether that physical altercation from outside the Brass rail at around 2/3 30 left Kevin bloodied if he was visibly hurt or injured. Now, Detective Martin said that the investigation into Kevin's disappearance began right away, but his family feels like police weren't taking things seriously.
- [22:33]
Leanne Nugent
It felt like, oh, he's just a grown man. He's a man, he's fine. Maybe he just went to go hang out with his friends, he'll show up. And I looked at the police officer, I said, then why would he call me to come get him? And if he wanted to be away, why did he not pack anything?
- [22:58]
Ashley Flowers
In the days following his disappearance, Kevin's family called around to find out if anyone had seen him, and they kicked off a search in town themselves. His family went door to door, asking all of the businesses near the Brass Rail if they had seen Kevin or if they had surveillance footage. His grandmother Dee, got involved in the search, too.
- [23:20]
Dee Campbell
We had made flyers. We put the flyers around and handed out to perfect strangers. I would go into Walmart and people walking in the store and I'd hand it to them. I went to the bar and I was walking a grid in the back of the bar there I was trying to find anything, his wallet, anything to say Kevin was back here.
- [23:41]
Ashley Flowers
In the back parking lot of the Brass Rail, one of Kevin's family members found a pair of glasses with a lens missing. Dee believes those glasses belonged to Kevin, although she didn't get a look at them before they were turned over to police. Now, if you go down a Reddit thread rabbit hole, those glasses are the subject of a lot of speculation. If they're Kevin's, it raises the question of how and when they ended up back there. From the surveillance footage that we've seen, Kevin is definitely wearing his glasses at 1:22 when he is ordering pizza at the food truck. And then we can see him take them off and put them in his sweater. According to surveillance video reviewed by police, he can be seen wearing them again outside the brass rail at 2:23am But Detective Martin says he took them off again at some point because Kevin was not wearing his glasses when he is tackled by outside the brass rail at 2:30am he told us that police do still have the glasses that the family found in evidence, and they have been tested to try and connect them definitively to Kevin, but he said that the results were inconclusive. When our reporter asked him if he'd ever compared the prescription to Kevin's, though, he said no, which in my mind could be a good next step for detectives if they want to know for sure, sure, if they're his or not.
- [25:02]
Detective Brian Martin
They do look very similar, and I have no reason to believe that they are not Kevin's eyeglasses. Just from seeing social media posts where Kevin is wearing the glasses and the glasses that were turned over to us.
- [25:14]
Ashley Flowers
Dee's theory centers around those glasses found behind the bar. Though police have been adamant with us that there was no altercation inside the Brass Railroad and Kevin was at no point injured, Dee firmly believes that's not true. She thinks something happened inside and Kevin was harmed in some way, but she doesn't think it was enough to prevent him from leaving. She thinks that whatever happened maybe had a slow effect, something that might disorient him and keep him walking around the bar aimlessly even after he'd called to get picked up. Maybe that explains his odd behavior or the unsteadiness on his feet.
- [25:59]
Dee Campbell
So I think that Kevin got something in his drink and made him act out.
- [26:06]
Ashley Flowers
After Kevin is last seen on camera, Dee believes that he ultimately made it back to the Brass Rail, not inside of the bar, but to the back parking lot, which is out of view of cameras. And that's when she thinks something happened because she wondered, how else would his glasses have gotten back there? Of course, like I said, there are no cameras in the back parking lot. So if something did happen, it wasn't caught on any footage. And what's so frustrating to me about this case is that police won't let anyone see any of the other footage they have, not just us. They're not even letting Kevin's family see it. And I'm telling you, I really tried to press for this. I'm like, listen, help me help you. You're saying that the family is wrong. They're thinking that you're hiding something. Just show me and let me tell them that there is no there there, but no go. They said they aren't releasing more video to anyone. A, to protect the investigation, and B, they don't want the new videos to fuel speculation because in the absence of police sharing information, there has been plenty of speculation.
- [27:15]
Detective Brian Martin
Unfortunately, in cases like this that are high profile and there's a lot of attention, people make assumptions, and those assumptions quickly get spread by word of mouth and on social media. And they take us in many different directions.
- [27:34]
Ashley Flowers
When we reached out to the Brass Rail for comment, the owner provided us with a written statement saying, quote, from the very first day, I have been fully committed to assisting law enforcement. Before the Brass Rail was even officially contacted, I proactively reached out to the Fort Wayne Police Department to hand over all of our security video footage from that evening. I met with detectives, answered every question asked of me, and maintained my stance of total cooperation with the authorities. This disconnect between the family's beliefs and the police investigation has caused some tension in the Fort Wayne community. Dee and Kevin's late father publicly called out people who they believe knew something about Kevin's disappearance. And Dee admits that she has upset quite a few people with her allegations.
- [28:25]
Dee Campbell
I was making enemies. I was not being kind. I wasn't being kind to the police. I wasn't being kind to the mayor. I wasn't being kind to nobody because I wanted my grandson. Somebody find my grandson. Make an effort. How about that? So I was making a lot of enemies, being ugly, being mean. And then I realized being ugly and mean don't get somebody to come forward because I'm being ugly and mean.
- [28:47]
Ashley Flowers
She's right about that. Keeping people from coming forward. The bar patron that we tracked down who told us that Kevin was very drunk that night specifically said that they didn't want to be interviewed or named because they were scared of being harassed by the family. But sometimes the dust that Kevin's family was kicking up made them feel like the targets.
- [29:09]
Dee Campbell
I started finding people that was in the room, and I would put it out to public. I wouldn't say their name, but I would tell them, you know, come on, why don't you speak up? You know? But I was in Walmart just before Christmas, and I was in line and there's, you know, Christmas rush and everything. And I was standing there fixing pay for something. And there was a man, tall man, standing behind me and a person with a basket behind that. This guy leans over to me and tells me, if you think you'll find him, they won't find you either. And he walked away. Scared me to death.
- [29:43]
Ashley Flowers
And early on into the investigation, the Fort Wayne Police Department started getting some really disturbing tips that actually made them believe this search for a missing person was actually going to be a search for remains. And Kevin's grandmother may have had every right to be scared to death. You guys. I have become a sleep connoisseur. I have curated my setup for optimal sleep. And you have to. When you're like me and you wake up every day at 4am to get to work, every minute counts. And I am a hot sleeper, like full night sweats. Ever since I had my baby. And over the last four years, I have built a system the exact right pajamas, sheets, mattress topper, the eye patches, sleep headphones and my Coop Sleep Goods pillow. It's made with breathable materials and Coop's cooling collection is designed to stay cool throughout the night, not just when you first get into bed. And know this, a pillow is not one size fits all. What I love about Coop is that every pillow comes with extra fill that you can add or remove based on whatever your preference may be because we all sleep differently and thankfully Coop actually gets that. So stay cool and sleep comfortably with Coop's cooling collection. Get 20% off your first order and try Coop risk free with a 100 night sleep better guarantee at coopsleepgoods.com deck that's coopsleepgoods.com dec you're great at protecting
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Detective Brian Martin
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- [31:20]
Ashley Flowers
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- [31:46]
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- [32:48]
Ashley Flowers
Kevin went missing in December of 2018, and as early as January of 2019, Detective Martin told us that the department began receiving tips that Kevin's remains might possibly be located near railroad tracks out by an old General Electric building about a mile from the Brass Rail, which they immediately followed up on.
- [33:10]
Detective Brian Martin
Law Enforcement has done an extensive search of the Actual building. The property that the building sits on, the adjacent railroad tracks. We also investigated a tip that came in of a foul smell and possibly bones behind a local grocery store and railroad track area that is somewhat wooded. An extensive search was done of that area, and no bones or body in any kind of decomp was located. We've brought in cadaver dogs and searched both the GE complex as well as the area behind the grocery store and railroad tracks, and the railroad tracks that run adjacent to the GE complex have also been thoroughly searched by both law enforcement and cadaver dogs.
- [34:00]
Ashley Flowers
The police search extended from land to water as tips prompted detectives to search local rivers. There are three that converge about a mile from the Brass Rail and the Arby's.
- [34:12]
Detective Brian Martin
We used our fire department. They searched via boat. They searched going into the water, and they also searched with sonar. And they also searched the areas where the dams are because those are endpoints for our river, where oftentimes we've discovered bodies. And no evidence of Kevin was ever found in the river or along the riverbanks.
- [34:35]
Ashley Flowers
None of these tips seemed to include much information about how Kevin ended up there, who would have been responsible, or what the heck actually happened. In the early morning hours of December 9, at least not right away. But by February 2020, the police finally had an informant come forward with all of the missing pieces. Detective Martin was very careful about what he shared with us, so we don't have as many details as we would like. But the broad strokes are that a woman contacted police saying that she had been present for Kevin's murder. She told detectives that she had been at this local home in the early morning hours when three men brought who she believed to be Kevin inside. She identified one of the men as an acquaintance, but said that she didn't know the other two.
- [35:28]
Detective Brian Martin
At one point, the female source was shown a handgun and asked what the handgun was for to this male. And the male said he was going to take care of this problem, referring to, we can only assume, Kevin. The male went upstairs. She heard more arguing. She heard what she believed to be a gunshot, and then a body hit the floor. The female source stated that at this time, she observed what she believed to be Kevin's body wrapped in plastic and carried downstairs.
- [36:00]
Ashley Flowers
The woman said she believed that the men left Kevin either behind the GE plant or in a wooded area near some train tracks and a grocery store. And that lines up with the tips that police had received almost a year earlier, but they still hadn't been able to locate anything there. So at first, the informant's story seemed like another dead end. But then in 2021, the same informant returned and repeated the same core story, this time changing what she said happened to Kevin's remains, which, just to warn you, is jarring.
- [36:38]
Detective Brian Martin
She later gave a version of the story which involved Kevin being brought downstairs. But then the assistance of two men who work for a tree service company she believe ran Kevin's body through a wood chipper in the backyard of the residence. Can you imagine? I think it's more of a movie thing. I don't think anybody can even fathom what that would look like and debris field that that would leave.
- [37:06]
Ashley Flowers
But law enforcement did follow up on this lead.
- [37:10]
Detective Brian Martin
Law enforcement was able to confirm that there did not appear to be any human remains of any type or substance located at that residence where the wood chipper would have been used on Kevin.
- [37:23]
Ashley Flowers
Detective Martin wouldn't share any additional information about what is currently come of their investigation into this and other leads because the case is still ongoing.
- [37:34]
Detective Brian Martin
There is always the possibility that Kevin wandered off and doesn't want to be found. I find that highly unlikely due to the way we do things in today's society. Our names, our Social Security numbers, our date of birth. I find it very hard to believe that Kevin fell off the grade and is just living someplace. And his name has never popped up. He's never tried to reach out to family. I unfortunately think Kevin's deceased, and I really want to know why.
- [38:04]
Ashley Flowers
Today, Kevin's family continues to search for him as they wait for answers. They honor him by releasing balloons on his birthday. And they've held vigils on what Dee calls his angelversary the day that he went missing. And Leanne credits Kevin for the lasting impact he had on her life.
- [38:25]
Leanne Nugent
I'm basically the person who I am, which I would say is a nerd or a person who just loves all of other things that you wouldn't suspect to like. So growing up with him, he really, really meant the world to me. He was someone that I really could look up to. He was somebody that I knew, knew if something was happening, I could go to him right away. And I knew I was basically in a safe space with him. He was a really, really amazing brother.
- [38:58]
Ashley Flowers
Fort Wayne Police Department is continuing to investigate the mystery surrounding Kevin Nugent. If you have any information about his disappearance or whereabouts, detectives want to hear from you. You can submit a tip anonymous to Crimestoppers online at their website or by using the P3 Tipline app that's available on all Android and iOS iPhone platforms. Those tips are completely anonymous. You'll be assigned a number and no one will know who you are. You can also contact the Fort Wayne Police Department Detective Bureau at 260-427-1201. And if you want to reach out to us, you can reach us by email tipsodiochuck.com. The Deck is an audio Chuck production with theme music by Ryan Lewis. To learn more about the Deck and our advocacy work, visit thedeckpodcast.com I think Chuck would approve. Hi, I'm Kylie Lowe, host of Dark Down East, a true crime podcast unlike any other.
- [40:10]
Dee Campbell
Why?
- [40:11]
Ashley Flowers
Because every case I cover comes from the heart of my home, New England. From the rocky Maine coast to the historic streets of Boston to the quiet corners of Vermont and beyond, I investigate stories filled with untold twists, enduring questions, and voices that deserve to be heard. So if you're ready to explore the darker side of New England, join me every week for Dark Down East. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.