Dana Bradley: The Girl on Topsail Road

Summary

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The Final Hours with Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole

Episode: "Dana Bradley: The Girl on Topsail Road"

Release Date: April 6, 2026
Podcast by: Crime House

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the tragic unsolved murder of 14-year-old Dana Bradley in St. John’s, Newfoundland, in December 1981. Hosts Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole bring both investigative scrutiny and personal insight to Dana’s last day, unpacking the circumstances that led to her disappearance, the police response, multiple suspects, and the enduring impact on the community. They revisit witness accounts, forensic developments, and the persistent red flags and missteps that may have stalled justice for generations.

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Episode Structure & Detailed Breakdown

Introduction & Case Background

[00:43-03:56]

• St. John’s, Newfoundland, December 14, 1981: Dana Bradley, age 14, is last seen hitchhiking on a dark winter evening. Two brothers, Harry and John Smeaton, witness her get into a car after the driver leans over to open the door for her.
• Dana is described as artistic, determined, socially well-liked, stylish, but going through a mild rebellious phase—hitchhiking being the standout risk behavior.
• The hosts contextualize hitchhiking as a popular yet dangerous trend for teens in 1980s Canada and briefly discuss its evolution and outlawing in several regions.

Dana’s Last Day and Disappearance

[07:30-11:50]

• Dana spends the afternoon with friends, supporting one through a breakup and enjoying ordinary teenage routines. Her strong bond with her single mother, Dawn, is emphasized—heightening the tragedy of her disappearance.
• On the evening of December 14, after failed attempts to secure a ride, Dana decides to hitchhike from a busy intersection near McDonald’s and Tim Hortons.
• “She has no idea this will be the last ride she ever takes.” (A, 11:35)

Family’s Response & Police Involvement

[11:50-15:59]

• By 8:30 pm, Dana’s mother, frantic and persistent, searches local malls and calls friends before going to the police.
• Police initially resist taking the disappearance seriously, suggesting the family wait 24 hours to report her missing—a myth with no basis in law, as the hosts strongly criticize:
  • “Why are we always making this a fight to report children missing?” (A, 13:52)
  • “Those first few hours of someone’s disappearance [are] so critical...” (B, 15:00)

Early Eyewitness Accounts & Search Efforts

[16:57-19:54]

• The Smeaton brothers report seeing Dana hitchhiking and entering a specific, light-colored sedan, but police do not return their call for days due to an overflow of tips.
• Four days after Dana disappears, her body is discovered off Maddox Cove Road by a local family.

Discovery of Dana’s Body & Initial Forensic Investigation

[17:43-21:52]

• Dana is found dressed in her school clothes, with her books under her arm; the body is carefully positioned, suggesting possible remorse or ritual from the perpetrator.
• Autopsy reveals blunt force trauma as the cause of death and evidence of sexual assault. Hair samples (scalp and pubic) are found but untestable with 1981 technology.

Examination of Suspect and Evidence: Early Leads

[21:16-24:14]

• Smeatons give a description: white male, mid-20s, messy light-brown hair, in a pale Dodge Dart or Plymouth Valiant. The details, though, are too vague for an immediate breakthrough.
• Police receive corroborating witness information about a vehicle with its dome light on and a man standing nearby on Maddox Cove Road the night of the murder.
• Hosts debate whether the killer’s careful placement of Dana’s body signifies remorse:
  • “I personally lack empathy for murderers…I lack the empathy to believe they feel that type of remorse.” (A, 23:10)

The Case Goes Cold

[24:14-26:05]

• Despite large-scale vehicle checks and interviews, no solid suspect emerges as 1982 begins.
• Community mourns, and Christmas that year is described as overshadowed by dread and parental anxiety.

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Breakthrough & First Major Suspect: David Somerton

[26:05-31:44]

• In January 1986, police receive an anonymous note implicating David Somerton.
• Using forensic linguistics and handwriting analysis, police connect the note to Somerton himself.
• In interrogation, Somerton confesses, providing unreleased details, and is charged with murder.
• Later, he recants, citing duress and substance withdrawal during questioning. Police cannot find supporting physical evidence; charges are dropped in favor of obstruction of justice.
  • “With no car and no murder weapon, investigators begin to doubt whether they’ll have enough to secure a conviction.” (A, 30:58)

Advances in DNA, Revival of the Case, and the ‘False Memory’ Controversy

[32:01-37:45]

• In 2000, mitochondrial DNA testing is done on hair from the crime scene—no matches.
• In 2011, Danny Tuff comes forward with a memory of witnessing the entire crime as a child, naming then-neighbor Thomas Carey (a prominent local official) as the killer.
• Danny’s account fits many details: the broken car door, presence of children, dome light, and scene descriptions. However, discrepancies in car specifics and a psychiatric evaluation declaring his memories ‘false’ lead RCMP to dismiss him.
  • “It was determined by the expert that Danny had never actually experienced what he claimed to and was instead suffering from a condition called false memory syndrome.” (A, 37:45)

Ongoing Impact, Criticism of Investigation & Community Response

[38:43-40:14]

• The RCMP are criticized for past failures—including the initial delayed response, conflicting handling of confessions, and skeptical attitude towards witnesses like Danny.
• Dana’s mother, Dawn, maintains faith in law enforcement’s continued work.
• A so-called “DNA breakthrough” from 2016 never materialized into further public information.

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Key Themes and Insights

• The devastating ripple effect of a child’s disappearance: Personal stories and reflection on the mother-daughter bond, the impact on a close-knit community, and the societal fear that followed Dana’s unsolved murder.
• The dangers of hitchhiking and shifting perceptions: The normalization of risky behaviors in the early ‘80s is contrasted with modern awareness and safety concerns.
• Police practices under scrutiny: Repeated frustration over law enforcement’s reluctance to act immediately in missing child cases; procedural weaknesses and missed opportunities are openly critiqued throughout.
• False confession & false memory: The episode explores the nuance of confessions under duress (David Somerton), and the complexity of repressed or recovered memories (Danny Tuff) amid ambiguous and sometimes conflicting forensics.
• Advancement (and limitations) of forensic science: The importance of evolving DNA technology is highlighted, but also its inability to fully solve cold cases without corroborative evidence.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “She has no idea this will be the last ride she ever takes.” — Sarah Turney [11:35]
• “Why are we always making this a fight to report children missing?” — Sarah Turney [13:52]
• “Those first few hours of someone’s disappearance [are] so critical to kind of like take charge right away.” — Kourtney Nichole [15:00]
• "I personally lack empathy for murderers. I just do. I lack the empathy to believe that they feel that type of remorse. And it might be really cold to say that." — Sarah Turney [23:10]
• “[Danny] claims he had suppressed the memory through alcohol. He started drinking at a young age and when he finally stopped in his early 30s, it all came rushing back.” — Sarah Turney [36:30]
• “As of this recording, that was almost 10 years ago. And that so called breakthrough was never discussed again.” — Kourtney Nichole [38:43]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Case Introduction & Hitchhiking Culture: 00:43–06:57
• Dana’s Last Day: 07:30–11:50
• Family Searches and Goes to Police: 11:50–15:59
• Smeaton Brothers’ Eyewitness Account: 16:57–17:43
• Discovery of Dana’s Body: 17:43–19:54
• Initial Suspect & Forensics: 21:16–24:14
• David Somerton’s Confession/Recant: 26:05–31:44
• Forensic DNA Attempts & Danny Tuff’s Account: 32:01–37:45
• Community Response/Ongoing Investigation: 38:43–40:14

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Conclusion

Nearly 45 years after Dana Bradley’s unsolved murder, the case remains both a heartbreaking mystery and a cautionary tale—of youthful innocence, systemic oversights, and the enduring void left by violent loss. The episode is a meticulous, sensitive exploration of every lead—credible or questionable—and a call for continued vigilance and community memory.

If you have any information relevant to this case, listeners are encouraged to reach out via official Newfoundland and Labrador tip lines or Crimestoppers.

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Transcript

[A]

Hey, guys, real quick. Before today's episode, we want to tell you about another show from Crime House that we know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes.

[B]

Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history.

[A]

From serial killers who terrorize cities to unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, these are the stories that change the way we think about justice.

[B]

Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

[A]

This is crime house. It's Monday, Dec. 14, 1981, in St. John's the capital of Newfoundland, Canada. Winter has officially taken hold. The days are shorter, and by late afternoon, the light is already starting to fade. By 5:20pm it's already pitch dark out. Headlights pass along Topsail Road, a busy route in and out of the city. In a vacant lot across from a McDonald's, brothers Harry and John Smeaton are selling Christmas trees. It's gotten cold enough that they've spent most of the day sitting in their truck, waiting for customers who were probably never coming. So. So to pass the time, they watch the road, commenting on the people going by. And that's when they notice a young woman or maybe a teenage girl. From this far, it's hard to tell.

[B]

She's standing at a bus stop and at first it seems like she's waiting, but then she sticks out her thumb. Now it's clear to the brothers that she's hitchhiking. Harry and John shake their heads. They know it's a trend with teenagers at the moment, but hitchhiking feels dangerous to them, so they get nervous as they watch a car pull up. The girl walks over and tries the passenger door, but it doesn't open. The driver has to lean across and open it from the inside. She gets in and they drive off. The brothers hope the driver was just a good Samaritan, but something about the interaction sticks in their minds long after the fact. Which will be a big help later because the Smeatons have just witnessed the last confirmed sighting of 14 year old Dana Bradley. And what they saw will shape the investigation and into her murder. Every year, over half a million people go missing, and that's just in the United States alone. Most of those stories barely get a headline. Some don't even get a flyer or a tip line. And when cases do get media attention, we usually only get the broad strokes.

[A]

But for those of us who have lived these true crime cases, we know the devil's in the details. This is the Final Hours a Crime House Original powered by Pave Studios. I'm Sarah Turney.

[B]

And I'm Courtney Nicole. Every Monday, Sarah and I will be looking at the final hours of someone's disappearance, the small, seemingly mundane moments to see if there was anything hiding in plain sight.

[A]

Looking back at all those last conversations, connections and choices is critical and it could be the key to unlocking it all. Each episode I'll offer insight on what those close to the victim might have been going through as, and Courtney will use her expertise to give more context into the crime scene, the red flags, and the investigation itself. And we want to thank you for being a part of the Crime House community. Please rate, review and follow the show and for ad free access to every episode. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple

[B]

Podcasts this episode we're discussing the case of 14 year old Dana Bradley. In December 1981, Dana spent the afternoon at a friend's house before hitching a ride to her mom's birthday dinner. She'd hitchhiked plenty of times before, but unfortunately this would be her last. Dana never made it to that dinner, and what should have been a celebratory night turned into one that still haunts The Bradleys and St. John's Canada today.

[A]

It's December 1981. Dana Bradley is 14 years old and living with her mom and grandmother in St. John's the capital of Newfoundland, Canada. Newfoundland is a large, beautiful island off the east coast known for being Canada's happiest province. And if you asked Dana, she'd probably agree. She's in the ninth grade, her final year at I.J. sampson Junior High School. By most accounts, she's enjoying life. Not only is Dana a good student, but she's also extremely artistic. One of her teachers, Glenda Kluitt, even allowed her to paint a mural on the back wall of her classroom. And Dana's been working really hard at it. She often spends her lunch period or her free time after school painting on her own. And she's dedicated, not the type to commit to something and back out. A great example of this was a story I heard about Dana from when she was in the seventh grade. She tried to get in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding a smile for the longest time. Classmates remember her smiling all day long to the point where she got a severe earache and was forced to stop. Even though she didn't break the world record, she was featured in the local paper for trying to Dana's always done well Socially, too. She's known for being popular without being snobby. She has friends across different grades, and she's always put together. Her outfits are noticeable. She puts a lot of effort into how she looks. That being said, like most 14 year olds, Dana's gotten a bit rebellious lately. She recently threw a big party at her house when her mom was out of town. And this year she's played hooky from a couple days of school. Plus, as we mentioned, Dana and her friends have gotten into hitchhiking lately.

[B]

Yeah, back in the 80s, hitchhiking was like this new and really exciting thing to do, especially for teenagers. I mean, a lot of people, like a lot of young kids even hitchhiked, like, even to the mall. Like, it was kind of compared to when smoking was like, up and coming. It was like this new cool thing to do.

[A]

Yeah. And from looking at the area and researching this case, it was a really popular thing to do in this particular area. It's hard, obviously. I think that everybody who hitchhikes and when you hear about hitchhiking, you know about the dangers. But when you're young and you're carefree and all your friends are doing it, I get why.

[B]

Yeah. Especially like St. John's was a really, like, safe and small town. So I feel like most people, and especially like younger kids like Dana, they probably just didn't think of, like, how serious this could end up. Like, of course, now looking at it from, you know, 2026, like, we know of the dangers that could come with it, and I feel like it's something that we don't see very often anymore just because of, like the. The bad outcomes, but kind of like a. A fun fact, I guess I would say. Did you know that hitchhiking is actually illegal in six US States?

[A]

I didn't know that. But I mean, honestly, it should be at this point, just for people's protection. Did you ever hitchhike? Like, I was always too scared.

[B]

Yeah. I never have hitchhiked and I never will hitchhike just because obviously I listen to a lot of true crime. And so I'm normally very paranoid. So that is something I will never do. And I will never suggest anybody to go and hitchhike just because you genuinely never know who the person hitchhiking is or who the driver could be. Like, you just never know.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, it's sad, right? I wish that we could live in a society where it was safe, but the cold, harsh reality is it's just not.

[B]

Look, Dana may have been in a bit of A wild phase. But that's all it seemed to be, a phase. Honestly, it sounded like she wasn't very good at being bad. If she tried anything, she usually got caught. Her mom, dawn threw a fit when she discovered Dana had thrown that party without her permission. And her teachers always reprimanded her for ditching school. Actually scolding Dina is The last thing Mrs. Cluet remembers doing the day Dana disappeared.

[A]

Yeah. So on Monday, December 14, 1981, she catches Dana red handed, forging a note from her mother explaining away one of Dana's many unexcused absences. Mrs. Cluett talks to her about it and Dana apparently leaves the classroom in tears. But after school, Dana pulls herself together. She and her friends Terry and Penny hitch a ride from a stranger to a spot close to Terry's house. Teri and Dana had grown up together, but they recently became friends with Penny. The three girls hang out at Terry's for a bit. Then Dana and Penny leave and walk over to Penny's. Penny and her boyfriend had just broken up and Dana wants to give him a call and talk to him about it. It's not clear if she's trying to play matchmaker and get them back together or if she feels like telling him off. Whatever her reason, Dana's there to support Penny. So she stays at Penny's house for a couple more hours. But she has a hard out at 5pm it's her mom's birthday dinner that night. Dana and her mom dawn are incredibly close. In fact, a lot of people said that they were best friends. Dana's an only child and her dad isn't in the picture, so they rely on each other a lot. And even in the midst of Dana's rebellious phase, their bond stays strong.

[B]

I feel like only children, they're kind of known for being a lot more like independent than you know, when you have kids come from like a big family with a lot of siblings.

[A]

Yeah, I could see that. Like I'm one of six, but after 12, I was basically the only one left in the house. So I feel like I was raised kind of in both environment as one of six and an only child. And yeah, I mean they do have a lot of independence and you tend to get pretty close with that parent, especially a single parent household like I came from, you know, and it's hard because I can see the argument for being too close and also the argument for being close to your child and developing this relationship with them, fostering this trust and honesty, which from a teenager I think is something you want?

[B]

Yeah, I feel like having that sort of like independency, it can be a really good thing, but it could also be a really bad thing. In Dana's case, it kind of leads to her wanting to do more things by herself, which, as we know, kind of is what's getting her into like, hitchhiking. She probably doesn't want to, you know, bother her mom too much, especially being a single mom. Unfortunately, as we know, the outcome of the story and Dana disappears, I kind of have to put myself in her mom's shoes. Like, I feel like losing a child at any point is really, really hard. But then when it comes to being like an only child, like that is like your entire world just, just gone. Like that is. That has to be really, really hard to navigate.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely. Especially when you're so close with. Right. It's just so, so hard. But I have to hope, you know, that in their relationship and being so close that Dana was able to go to her mom and navigate some of those situations in a different way if she wasn't, you know, able to go to her parents. I think that there's just so much value in being close and open and honest with a teenager when they're going through especially a rebellious phase like Dana.

[B]

Well, around 5pm Dana calls her grandparents from Penny's house, maybe to see if she could get a ride home, but no one answered. Then she tried to call her mom at the salon she owned and worked at. Again, no answer. Finally she calls her house and eventually her mom's fiance, Jeff Lovett's answers. She asks him for a ride, but he says he's busy and asks her if she can just take the bus. Dana only lives about a 10 minute drive away, but it will be a bit of a walk to the bus stop. She pulls on her favorite ski jacket with navy stripes on the sleeves. Underneath she's wearing a blue sweater, jeans and cowboy boots, schoolbooks tucked under her arm. Dana leaves Penny's house, which is situated on a cul de sac. She tells her she'll call her as soon as she makes it home safe. Eventually she turns off the residential street and begins walking down Topsail Road, which at that time was one of the main ways in and out of downtown St. John's there were shops, restaurants, a mall and new housing going up. It was a pretty busy area. Dana positions herself across the road from a couple of popular businesses, a McDonald's and a Tim Hortons coffee shop, both of which are full of customers at that time. But after waiting for the bus for a few minutes, Dana gets impatient. Instead, she sticks out her thumb and waits for someone to pull over. She has no idea this will be the last ride she ever takes.

[A]

You go to Hawaii in your head all the time. But when you're actually ready to go, there's Expedia. Flights, hotels, vacation homes, cars. Save more when you bundle. So you can stop dreaming and start saving. Expedia, the one place you go to go places. Members only. Savings vary. It's December 14, 1981. A little after 5pm 14 year old Dana Bradley stands on the side of Topsail Road, a busy street in St. John's Newfoundland. With her thumb out, she's trying to hitch a ride home. Before leaving her friend Penny's house, Dana called home and tried to get a ride. Her mom's fiance, Jeff Lovitz, answered and asked if she could take the bus. Penny and Dana didn't argue. But after waiting a few minutes at the stop, she decided to hitchhike instead. By 8:30pm after three and a half hours pass without any sign of Dana, her mom dawn, is starting to panic. She calls both Penny and Terry, wondering if Dana got distracted and lost track of time. But neither of the girls have seen Dana since she left Penny's. Dawn considers other options. If Dana wasn't at a friend's house, she was often at the Village Mall hanging out with classmates. So she grabs a photo of her daughter and heads over there. She shows Dana's picture to everyone she can, asking if anyone has seen her. But she has no luck. By this point, Don's positive something's wrong. Next, Jeff and Don hop into his car and set off. They drive around St. John's looking for any sign of Dana. A rogue schoolbook, her jacket, something that says she made it close to home. When dawn and Jeff don't find anything, they go down to the police station.

[B]

Unfortunately, officers in the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary aren't immediately concerned about Dana, since she'd only been gone for a few hours. Officers try to tell Jeff that they need to wait 24 hours before filing a missing persons report. But just like in the us, there isn't actually a law in Canada that makes that true. Whether Jeff knew that or he and Don just pushed back enough is unclear. But they get the police to file the report that night.

[A]

Why are we always making this a fight to report children missing?

[B]

I don't know. I see it again and again and I feel like I struggle with kind of like standing up for myself and like putting my foot down. Even now 27 years old, grown adult in my like regular day to day life. But for some reason I feel like it's even harder when you're like faced with like this, with these authority figures like the police. I feel like it's even harder for me to like stand up. So it's like refreshing to hear that Don and Jeff like really put their foot down and like made them take this seriously right off the bat.

[A]

Yeah, well, I think fear will do that to you. Right. Like I'm the type of person like if my food comes out from a restaurant and it's bad, like I'm just going to eat it, I'm not going to say anything. Right. Like that's the, the level of, you know, avoiding conflict that I live in. But when it comes to the police and working with them for so many years now, I can stand up to them pretty easily. Which I think just, it's kind of like priority and importance. Right. When that adrenaline is pumping through you, when you're fighting for your loved one, when you're trying to report your kid missing, know, I think that that helps in these situations. So even like the most meek people possibly, like me, you know, when that's all pumping through your veins, it kind of changes you.

[B]

Yeah. Especially when, you know, like, without a doubt your loved one would not just up and like run away or get distracted and, and not, you know, notify their family. But I feel like I've seen this time and time again where, especially back then in the 80s, police kind of like dismiss teenagers like disappearances because they think that they just kind of ran away or like out partying, having fun. And I feel like, as we all know, like those first few hours of somebody's disappearance, it's so critical to kind of like take charge right away.

[A]

Exactly. I mean, how many times are we going to talk about a case where a kid goes missing and the police say they're probably just out having fun with their friends, you know, and then this child never comes back. Like how many times is that going to happen before these police, you know, department stations, whoever makes these policies, right, is going to say, we have to change something here. What we're doing is clearly not working.

[B]

It's infuriating because like, obviously you don't want to assume the worst, but when you have like these, these parents of these young kids coming to you and saying like, this is not like her, like this is completely out of character, it's better just be safe than sorry.

[A]

Yeah. And we talk about the stats, right? The stats say that most kids are going to come back, but at what point do we cater to that 1% or whatever it is that doesn't like which party should we be catering to? All these children that surely come back or the ones who don't? You know, obviously I think that we need to start catering to the kids who don't come back. Well, the next day doesn't amount to much. But on Wednesday, December 16, two days after she'd gone missing, Dana's picture hits the local newspapers alongside pleas for any information about her disappearance. When a man named Harry Smeaton sees Dana's photo, he immediately picks up the phone to call his brother John. Two days earlier, Harry and John had been selling Christmas trees out of an empty lot on Topsail Road, right across from McDonald's. They were positive they'd seen Dana hitchhiking outside the bus stop, but by the time Harry reaches his brother, John has beaten him to the punch. He'd seen the story earlier and already called the police.

[B]

Their tip goes like at around 5:20pm on the evening of the 14th, Harry and John saw a sedan pull over for Dana. They watched as Dana attempted to open the passenger side door but struggled. The driver leaned over and opened the door from the inside. Dana got in and the car drove away. Even though the Smeaton brothers both reached out to the authorities on the 16th, their calls weren't returned for days. At that time, the police were working methodically through the hundreds of tips they'd received. Plus, they were organizing search parties made up of local volunteers. Had they called the Smeatons back right away, authorities may have been able to narrow their focus specifically to cars matching their description. Unfortunately, they didn't get to this crucial information in time, and four days after she disappeared, it was clear they were too late.

[A]

On December 18, 1981, a couple named Helen and Dale Smith put their children in the car and went in search of a Christmas tree to cut down. At about 2:30pm they drive south out of St. John's and then head east toward the Atlantic Ocean. As they travel, the woods lining the hills become denser, and soon the perfect trees start appearing. After about 20 minutes, Dale turns onto a street called Maddox Cove Road and parks along a wooded trail. He and his family climb out of the car and begin walking in search of the ideal tree. Dale's wife and children are trailing behind him as they hike, which is a good thing because that means Dale is alone when he stumbles upon a horrific sight.

[B]

At first, Dale thinks he's looking at a discarded mannequin. The body is female, wearing school clothes and lying on her back. Her books are tucked under one of her arms. But Dale runs back to his family before getting a good look at her face. He whispers what he found to Helen, who takes off to go have a look for herself. When Helen sees the body, she recognizes it immediately. It's the missing girl they'd seen in the papers, Dana Bradley. Keeping their children away from the scene, the Smiths find a nearby woodcutter and direct him toward the body. They asked him to keep watch while they drive home to call 911. Dawn happens to be at the station when police receive the call. She can't hear what's being said on the other end of the line, but she knows it's something serious. When the officers begin clearing out, no one tells her specifically in that moment, but dawn has a hunch this has to do with Dana.

[A]

And in that moment, no one's coming between dawn and the truth. She hops in her car and follows the police as far as she can before she loses them at a red light. Then she goes home. She and Jeff get back in the car and drive in the same direction until eventually they find the crime scene.

[B]

Thirty minutes after finding Dana's body, the police have the scene cordoned off. The area is technically outside the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary's jurisdiction, so by the time dawn and Jeff get there, the investigation's been handed over from the RNC to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. At first, the officers at the scene won't reveal anything about what they've found, not even to Dawn. But eventually, someone lets her know they have, in fact, found the body of a girl, though they won't say who.

[A]

Dawn and Jeff are told to go home and wait for more information, but deep down, they already know what would be confirmed to them later that day. It was Dana's body at the crime scene. She's been murdered.

[B]

While investigators continue to comb through the woods, officers at the police station start frantically returning tip calls. Which means that finally, someone calls the Smeaton brothers back. One of the things that stands out is how Dana struggled to get into the passenger side of a light colored sedan with rust along the bottom frame. Authorities quickly realized that their story matches that of a truck driver, someone who'd driven down Topsail Road that night and saw Dana walk up to the passenger side of a pale sedan. The police also speak to another set of witnesses who'd called in about a strange sighting later that night on Dec. 14, at about 11:30pm the couple claimed they were driving north along Maddox Cove Road near where Dina's body had been found, and spotted a car pulled over on the shoulder. It appeared to be empty, but the passenger door was open and the dome light was on. As they passed, they saw a lone man standing nearby, about 10 to 15ft away. After that, the Smeatons were interviewed several times to get more details on the sedan. The brothers went back and forth, but eventually narrowed it down to either a Dodge Dart or a Plymouth Valiant in light yellow or pale green. But the time of day and overhead streetlights made it hard to determine the exact shade.

[A]

The Smeaton brothers also described what they could see of the driver. They believed he was a Caucasian male in his mid-20s. He was clean shaven, average weight, and had medium length, messy, light brown hair. They did not see anyone else in the sedan before Dana got in. Both the description of the driver and his car were honestly pretty general. There were thousands of light colored sedans registered in St. John's alone, and even more 20 something young men with unkempt brown hair. So while officers check through vehicle records and interview owners, investigators turn their attention to the autopsy report to try to learn more.

[B]

The autopsies performed the day after Dina's body was discovered on Saturday, December 19th. Based on skull fractures, it's determined that she'd been killed by blunt force trauma to the head. Her death probably took place on the day she was kidnapped, and it would have been almost instantaneous. Authorities also revealed Dina was a victim of sexual assault. And they find a small amount of foreign scalp and pubic hair on her body. Back in 1981, DNA testing's in its infancy, and the RCMP doesn't have the capability to test the hair found at the crime scene, so they continue searching for more evidence. In the wooded area where Dana's body was found, investigators find no signs of a struggle. Based on that, they think the murder might have taken place elsewhere. And the killer brought Dana's body to a remote location to get rid of it. And because of the way Dana's body was carefully positioned, they think the killer expected her to be found. Some RCMP officers even think that's a sign the killer had grown attached to Dana and felt remorseful. I feel like the thing about remorse is that it's kind of like tied to empathy. Like, you have to be an empathetic person to feel remorse. And I feel like oftentimes like these offenders who commit these horrible crimes, I feel like are just incapable of feeling remorse. Like, yeah, maybe There's a small percentage that do, but overall, I feel like they just don't feel remorse. I don't know, you did the bad thing, like, why did you do it in the first place?

[A]

Yeah. So, like, I'm always one to take, you know, law enforcement's opinion into consideration, but I personally lack empathy for murderers. I just do. I lack the empathy to believe that they feel that type of remorse. And it might be really cold to say that. Right. But at a certain point, when you commit such an atrocious crime, especially against a child, my empathy for that person just leaves my body.

[B]

One thing I kind of wanted to mention, though, from. From my own family's experience, if you didn't know my grandma, she killed somebody. It wasn't just anybody. It was like, her own mom in a pretty violent way. And if you were to, like, ask her about it, even today, there are certain parts that she says she blacked out and, you know, didn't remember and can't even, like, recall. But if you ask her about if she feels remorse or if she regrets it today, she would say yes. So I feel like that's, like, an interesting. Interesting and, like, tricky topic for me because I have somebody, like, so close to me in my family that says that they. They do regret doing, like, this horrible act. But then when I read stories like Dana's, it's like I'm completely taken out from that personal experience, and I'm like, no, if you, like, harm a child like this, I don't have empathy for you.

[A]

Yeah, no, I get that. I totally understand how you can feel both ways about it. Right. And I do think that the crimes are very different, you know, in your family's case. And I don't want to speak for your family or for you. Right. But, you know, it seemed like this. This buildup, unfortunately, of abuse that led to that, versus this person randomly picking up Dana and, you know, killing and sexually assaulting her. And I always think that there's, like, chance for reform for these, but in terms of, like, feeling empathy for their remorse, I just can't bring myself to do it. And maybe that makes me a bad person. Maybe that makes me mean. I don't know. But that's just truly how I feel. Well, finally, on Monday, December 21, 1981, one week after her disappearance, Dana Bradley's body is laid to rest. Her school closes at noon for any classmates who want to attend her funeral. And the service is packed, showing not only how beloved Dana was within her community, but how hard her death Hit everyone that year. Christmas feels different. To the people of St. John's the typical warm, cozy, festive holiday is overshadowed by a dark cloud. Children sit under the watchful eye of their parents who worry about letting them out of their sight. Meanwhile, investigators spend less time with their families, choosing instead to work on the case.

[B]

Between December 20th and December 31st, over 800 vehicles are tracked down and investigated by the RCMP. Nearly 250 persons of interest are interviewed. And as the world rings in the new year, the people of St. John's are left without much to celebrate. Dana Bradley's case starts to stall that January. And it would stay that way for four more years, until someone finally decides to confess.

[A]

It's January of 1986, a little over four years after Dana Bradley's disappearance and murder. That month, the police are finally presented with a break in the still open case. A handwritten note. It was written on lined paper and the author claimed they knew who was responsible. Responsible for Dana's murder, a 35 year old man named David Somerton.

[B]

Investigators have spent years with hardly any solid leads, so they take this one very seriously. Teams start looking into the claim and whether or not the note is legit. They start by examining the paper itself. Using forensic techniques, they're able to lift faint impressions that were left behind on the page. And they find numbers that were written on the sheet above it. Those numbers turn out to be a prescription. When police follow up with the Pharmaceutical association, they trace the prescriptions back to a specific drugstore and they identify who they've been issued to and what they were for. The prescriptions are in fact under the name David Somerton. At that stage, police still don't know who wrote the note. But when they go to David's house, they find a pad of paper that matches it. By examining the pages left behind, they're also able to recover parts of the original message. After consulting handwriting experts, it's very clear David had written that note himself. On January 13, 1986, David's arrested on suspicion of murder and brought to the station for questioning. During his interrogation, he admits to writing the note and he confesses to murdering Dana.

[A]

David says he killed Dana with a blackjack, which is a lead weight weapon, sort of like a police club. He then admits to burying the blackjack along Maddox Cove Road near where Dana's body was found. As for his car, David said he left it at the dump years ago. Still, investigators are certain they found their man, especially because some of the information he shares had never been released to the Public. What that exactly is remains a mystery.

[B]

I always feel, like, torn when I read in these cases, there have been, like, written confessions, because I feel like I've seen enough of these cases where they turn out to be hoaxes or where, like, they only offer information that is easily available to the public. In this case, though, there is information in the note where it's just never been revealed to the public. So I feel like I'm just torn.

[A]

Yeah, I feel the same way. Whenever I hear about a confession in a case, you know, it always makes me skeptical. But when law enforcement says that they have information that's never been released to the public, you know, it changes things.

[B]

It definitely gets my attention. I don't know. I feel like why people choose to confess, I mean, it could be so many different reasons. I don't know. I feel like it could be like, the weight of the guilt, fear of being caught, or simply just like, wanting attention after not getting any for the past, you know, however long since it's been since they committed the crime.

[A]

Yeah, well, especially in a case like this, right, where he writes a note. It's not like he was dragged in and made this confession. Right. He writes the note, he confesses, and then they start investigating. It's so hard in cases like this with these confessions and why people do it, why people don't confess. You know, I'm not sure.

[B]

I feel like, especially in Dana's case, like, years had gone by and there's just no movement, like, no clue or any indication, like, who could have done that and, like, why. I kind of feel like it could be, like, I don't know, his way of confessing. It's kind of like a need to regain control of the crime or like, the situation.

[A]

Yeah, it certainly could be right. Or like, reliving that thrill. We've seen that, you know, in solved cases all the time where the killer gets caught because they, like, can't give up that idea of the thrill. They reach back out to police, they leave another clue, they show up at the crime scene, whatever it might be. They're always trying to, like, catch that high of murdering somebody. On January 13, 1986, David's charged with first degree murder. When the story hits the papers, so do tales of David's eccentricities. Neighbors say he's extremely quiet and rarely engages in conversations. Conversation. He doesn't even own a telephone. It's also revealed that David grew up in foster care and had recently been suffering from marital issues. He was undergoing counseling to cope with this in his mind. At his second court appearance, David sent to Waterford Hospital for a 30 day psychiatric assessment. The goal is to determine if he was mentally fit to stand trial.

[B]

This move not only gives David's defense time to prepare for a possible trial, it also gives the police and the prosecution the opportunity to look for more physical evidence. By mid February 1986, David is declared fit to stand trial. He's denied bail, and the RCMP teams are still searching the areas along Maddox Cove Road for the murder weapon. They're also looking for the car he left at the dump. But at some point during their search, David does something unexpected. He recants his confession. With no car and no murder weapon, investigators begin to doubt whether they'll have enough to secure a conviction. Especially if David's now insisting he did not do it.

[A]

David claimed he'd been pressured into confessing after being questioned for hours by the rcmp. He also said he was undergoing withdrawal from heavy alcohol and drug use at the time, which made it hard to get through what was already a difficult and lengthy interrogation. He blamed his addiction for writing the note as well. And his lawyer agreed that David did didn't know what he was doing when he wrote it.

[B]

So instead of going to trial and risking an acquittal, the prosecution puts the charge on hold and keeps investigating. Roughly four months later, though, they dropped the murder charges against David entirely and instead they charge him with obstruction of justice. By this point, the RCMP has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and several months searching for evidence that did not exist. So David is convicted and sentenced to two years in prison.

[A]

Still, Canadian authorities are determined to solve the case. Over the next few years, it's continually featured in newspapers and TV programs. Multiple rewards are offered for information, and countless suspects are interrogated. Then, in 2000, a new opportunity presents itself.

[B]

Almost 20 years after Dana's murder, the technology to test mitochondrial DNA becomes available. The hairs found at Dana's crime scene did not have roots. Roots which made traditional DNA testing somewhat useless. But this new technology allows the entire hair to get tested. Authorities compare the DNA samples to those from any previous suspects or other criminals who were active in the area at the time. Unfortunately, they don't get any matches. Once again, the Dana Bradley case goes cold. It'll be another 11 years before it makes headlines again. And this time it's because someone claims to have actually witnessed the crime.

[A]

On December 14, 2011, the 30th anniversary of Dana Bradley's murder, a 36 year old man named Danny Tough comes forward and he has a story. He's been holding on to for decades. Danny says that on the night of December 14, 1981, his parents left him in the care of their neighbor, slash next door neighbor named Thomas Carey for a few days. Thomas offered to take six year old Danny and another boy to McDonald's on Topsail Road for an early dinner. Dinner and he borrowed Danny's father's car, a light colored two door Dodge Dart. As they were leaving the McDonald's parking lot, Thomas noticed Dana trying to get a ride across the street. He pulled over and Dana tried to get in the car. But Danny remembers her having trouble. He explained to Thomas that the door was broken. It had to be opened from inside the car. Danny told him how to do it. Danny said Dana seemed more comfortable getting into the car when she saw that there were children inside. The boys were small for their age, so from outside no one could see them there. Once Dana got in, she turned around and talked to them. Danny remembered her asking their names and what grade they were in. Danny said the drive from Topsail Road to what he later learned was Dana's street seemed normal at first. Dana pointed out her house and told Thomas to slow down, but he didn't. He kept driving. That's when the panic set in. Dana repeatedly asked Thomas to stop the car. Danny recalled her even trying to jump out as they went up the hills. Each time, Thomas grabbed her and sped up. Eventually, he pulled off into some kind of pit inside the car. Thomas kept saying he just wanted a kiss, but Dana was crying and fighting him off from the passenger seat. Then she scratched his face, giving her a chance to get out of the car and run. Thomas then got out and chased her. After a few minutes, Danny got out of the car too. By then, Thomas had caught Dana and they were fighting on the ground. Danny stood near the car as the murder took place and could even see the weapon, a tire iron from the car. He also believes he witnessed Dana get sexually assaulted. He remembered crying but feeling unable to stop what he was seeing without putting himself in danger. When Thomas was finished with Dana, he put her body in the trunk and they drove off. Along the way, he pulled over and got out to dispose of the tire iron. When they reached the Maddox Cove Road area, Thomas pulled Dana's body out of the trunk, tied booster cables around her and dragged her into the bushes. Once again, Danny got out of the car, but this time he followed Thomas. When he saw Dana lying in the brush, he grew hysterical and refused to leave her side. Thomas told Danny that Dana's parents would be looking for her and that she would be going to school the next morning. Danny said that if that was the case, then Dana would need her books. So Thomas went back to the car, retrieved them, and placed them under her arm. Then he grabbed Danny and took him back into the car. He dropped the boys back off of their parents afterwards. Danny thought that would be the end of it. He was wrong.

[B]

Later that night, Danny said that Thomas woke him up and told him to get dressed. They drove back to the site where Thomas was planning to search for his booster cables. Looking back, Danny thinks Thomas brought him along as cover, so if they were seen, he could say that he was taking the child to his parents. When they stopped along Maddox Cove Road, Danny waited in the car, but eventually grew scared in the dark. So he got out. This turned the dome light on, which is when Danny remembers seeing another car drive by. Danny believed the people in that car may have had their windows down long enough to notice them. But after a moment, they drove off. When Thomas returned, Danny said that he had the booster cables with him, but he also had some of Dana's hair, which he showed off proudly. After that, they drove back to Thomas house, where he made Danny help him clean the trunk of the car. When he was finished, he forced Danny into the car and sexually assaulted him. Then he threatened him with death if he ever told anyone about that day.

[A]

Danny never told anyone this. He claims he had suppressed the memory through alcohol. He started drinking at a young age.

[B]

Age.

[A]

And when he finally stopped in his early 30s, it all came rushing back. He told his parents, who were mortified. And in 2011, he told the police, who were interested but skeptical. And what's maybe the most shocking part is that sources like the Twin City News say that Thomas was a former mayor of Witless Bay and a former liberal candidate in the 1989 provincial election. But in 1991, he was convicted on a few charges of sexual sexual assault.

[B]

Elements of Danny's story align perfectly with other witness accounts. The passenger side door having to be opened from the inside and the parked car on Maddox Cove Road with its dome light on. The car itself, however, was an issue. The Smeatons were fairly sure they'd seen a four door sedan, not a two door like Danny's father's Dodge Dart. And even though it didn't perfectly match their description, police had already searched Danny's father's car back in 1981 during a sweep of all the vehicles in the area that fit the description, and they found nothing. Despite their skepticism, authorities investigated Danny's claims somewhat. They never attempted to look for Danny's father's car again, which he now claimed his father had buried under gravel somewhere.

[A]

As a part of their investigation, the RCMP had Danny meet with a forensic psychiatrist to discuss his memories. It was determined by the expert that Danny had never actually experienced what he claimed to and was instead suffering from a condition called false memory syndrome. Eventually, the RCMP agrees with the psychiatrist. And even though Danny lodges complaints about the way he was treated and the way his statements were investigated, nothing comes of his account from that night. Danny even launches a Facebook campaign. In 2014, he raises over $10,000 to pay for a private company to dig up his father's car. He wants it tested for DNA evidence. Unfortunately, the few rusted car parts that are recovered provide nothing of value to the case. But In May of 2016, Newfoundland authorities announced that due to advances in DNA technology, there was a new breakthrough in the case. As of this recording, that was almost 10 years ago. And that so called breakthrough was never discussed again.

[B]

The RCMP have faced their fair share of criticism for their work on this case. They were accused of bullying David Somerton into a confession. Danny Tuff remains outraged that they didn't want to dig up his father's car. But Dana's mother Dawn and her now husband Jeff have publicly stated that they have faith in the police. The fact that the case remains open to this day is enough for them to trust. Investigators are still determined to find out what happened to Dana and are putting every effort into their investigation.

[A]

And so, 45 years after her disappearance, we are still left, left wondering who exactly kidnapped and murdered 14 year old Dana Bradley. All we know for sure is that on Monday, December 14, 1981, Dana made phone calls trying to get a ride home. Then she set out from her friend Penny's house towards the bus stop on Topsail Road. Maybe Dana was shivering in the December chill, or maybe she was just feeling too lazy to wait for the bus. But she definitely wanted to get back home for her mom's birthday dinner as fast as possible. So like she'd done so many times before, Dana stuck out her thumb, believing that a kind and friendly stranger would get her home safe.

[B]

If you have any information about Dana Bradley's case, you can call the Newfoundland and Labrador Provinces tip line at 1-800- or you can visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com.

[A]

thank you for listening to the Final Hours. If you have any other information about Dana Bradley's case, please share it with us on social media. We want to hear from you. Your thoughts, condolences and feedback are what make this community so special at Crime House.

[B]

We value your support. Share your thoughts on social media and remember to rate, review and follow the Final Final Hours to help others discover

[A]

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[B]

The Final Hours is hosted by Sarah Turney and me, Courtney Nicole and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Final Hours team Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Lori Marinelli, Natalie Pertzofsky, Sarah Camp, Ellie Reed, Andrew Rosenblum and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.

[A]

Thank you again for listening to today's episode of the Final Hours. Not sure what to listen to next? Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes hosted by Katie Ring.

[B]

From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history.

[A]

Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts.