← The Final Hours with Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole
The Final Hours with Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole
Nyleen Marshall: The Picnic Disappearance
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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.
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Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history.
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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.
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Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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This is crime house. You're looking at an envelope, one that's been addressed to a nonprofit organization called Child Find of America. It was sent in January 1986. There's no return address, but it's postmarked near Madison, Wisconsin. Inside the envelope is a typed letter. It's asking the reader to pass along a message to Nancy and Kim Marshall, the parents of Nyleen Marshall, a young girl who, at four years old, disappeared from the mountains of Clancy, Montana in June 1983, two and a half years before the letter arrived. The sender talks about how sweet Nancy and Kim's daughter is. She's happy, playful, and trusting. He refers to her in a very familiar manner, even calls her by her
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middle name, K. Whoever typed this message knows things about Nyleen that the general public doesn't. They describe her appearance, where she disappeared from, her likes and dislikes, and little details about her personality. They also say that they know her parents must miss her. What they don't say is where exactly Nyleen is, But they seem to know.
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This letter is just one piece of a puzzle that could finally reveal what happened to Nyleene K. Marshall. But after 43 years, many of those pieces are still missing.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. 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
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Podcasts this time we're discussing the disappearance of Nyleene K. Marshall. On June 25, 1983, four year old Nyleen went to a picnic with her family in Montana's Elkhorn Mountains. She was playing by the creek with the other kids, less than 100 yards away from her parents when she vanished. But what came next made this case one of the most unsettling, unsolved disappearances in Montana history.
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Nyleen Marshall's case has haunted the nation for over four decades. Countless sightings of her have been reported all over the country. Multiple confessions have even been made by people claiming to have kidnapped or killed her. Her local police station has followed several thousand leads and still considers the case open. Many suspect she might still be alive, walking among us, unable to come forward because she doesn't know her own identity. But before we examine Eileen's case, let's talk about her life.
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It's 1983. The Marshall family lives along Warm Springs Creek in the old mining town of Clancy, Montana. It's a rural area nestled in the Rocky Mountains. At the age of 4, Nyleen's just 3 foot 2 and 29 pounds. She has long, straight brown hair and blue eyes with a tiny mole above her left eyebrow. Dimples dot both of her cheeks and she's not afraid to smile, showing off her chipped upper front tooth. She's being raised by her mom, Nancy, and her adoptive father, Kim. A few years back, Nyleen separated from Nyleen's biological father, Billy Briscoe, and he's no longer in the picture. Nancy then got together with Kim Marshall, who adopted Nyleen and her older brother Nathan. They all took Kim's last name and he loved the kids as his own. To support the family, 30 year old Nancy worked as a waitress at the Black Angus Steakhouse and Lounge. For the past year and a half, she's been helping put Kim through an electronics course. They were also active members of the Mormon Church. And now Nylene and Nathan have a younger half sister, two year old Noreen. Nyleen loved her quiet, peaceful little home. She thrived in nature. Some morning she would stand by an open window by the breakfast table and yell out, smell that fresh air. The only thing was Nyleen hated getting dirty. Her family endearingly called her prissy, but also pleasant and sweet. Nyleen was also fun loving, open and trusting. Her neighbor, the Jefferson county undersheriff Tim Campbell, doesn't think that quality played a role in her disappearance, though he used to spend time with the family. He even played Barbies with Nyleen from time to time. And he said Nyleen would never consider leaving her house without asking for her mom's permission first. I mean, we're talking about a pretty rural area, right? But also a child who seems to be very familiar and embrace it.
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Yeah, of course. And one thing I know for sure, people who live in the wilderness like this, they tend to have a few different things like safety precautions that they do compared to people who live near or in the city. And just like you know what they described Nyleen as doing, she would never leave the house without asking her mom's permission first. I'm assuming just because they're surrounded by nothing but wilderness and the number one thing that comes to mind is wild animals, you can never be too safe.
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Yeah, well, and I think the concerns are different from the city, but like not entirely. Right. There's more nature and animals to keep in mind, but there's still people out there and you know, I would argue, unfortunately, less witnesses sometimes.
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But one thing I do know is that when you're kind of raising kids in a small town, especially as one is like remote as Nyleen, I feel like it can affect how people raise kids. You kind of lean towards like wanting to trust the community just because there's like less people.
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Yeah, yeah. I definitely think that there's something to be said for smaller, tight knit communities and everybody knowing everybody. But it's hard, right, because I think that that sense of safety can sometimes unfortunately be false.
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That brings us to the afternoon of Saturday, June 25, 1983. The day is warm. Four year old Nyleen is enjoying the great outdoors with her family. They're near Maupin Creek inside the Helena National Forest, a remote wooded area about a five minute drive east of their home in Clancy. Nyleen's adoptive father, Kim, is a member of the Capital City Radio Club. It's an organization for hobbyist ham radio operators. They're taking part in a local picnic in field day near a cabin owned by another club member. Nyleen is running around barefoot in a pastel yellow T shirt and orange shorts. She's playing near a beaver dam in the shallow water with a group of other children, including her siblings. They're catching frogs less than 100 yards away from the adults, near the remains of another old cabin. Soon Nyleen has a little squabble with one of the other kids. She runs off and sits down cross legged on the ground. That's when one of the other girls passes by and sees a strange man in a jogging suit step out from behind a tree. All of the other kids avoid him, but he engages Nyleen and she chats back. The girl who passed by hears her say, my brother can run faster than you. Then a second child passes by an 8 year old girl who sees the man take a step closer to Nyleen. The next kid who sees Nyleen is a six year old boy. I'm not sure how much time passes in between. But it's a little after 4pm when the other kids realize Nyleen is gone.
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I mean, I think this is something these kids are going to remember forever, and I can't even imagine living with that. Not that they should have survivors killed. Right. But we know that it happens, and it's just heartbreaking. Yeah.
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I can't even imagine being a little kid and. And having that seemingly normal, like, interaction. But then, like, in hindsight, it was kind of like the moment where everything went wrong, and it must feel very horrible and, like. And just haunting them for the rest of their life to, like, always think about the what ifs.
- [10:51]
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Yeah. I'm sure it's something that they replay over in their head again and again and again, trying to rack their memories for anything they can to help, and it's just so hard. I mean, things like this impact communities for years and decades to come. I know that it, like. And I talk about this a lot, right. That it sounds like a trope in true crime to say that a community was changed forever, but I think people say that because it's true. You know, people feel safe until they don't, because something happens and, you know, it feels like very likely that's what
- [11:20]
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happened here, especially in this case when the last, like, potential witnesses were all children. I think it's really hard because a lot of adults and sometimes even law enforcement, they'll take these statements from these. The kids involved, and they kind of, like, dismiss them and brush them off, because sometimes kids can be wrong. Like, kids are kids. So I think in this case, it's especially haunting because the only. The only sightings and, like, testimony that we have are from children. And I think that's kind of like a big, I don't know, a big point of contention in this case, which I'm sure you'll see.
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They have specialists for this reason. Right. They have people that specialize in interviewing children after traumatic events like this, even if it may not feel traumatic in the moment. Right. That trauma tends to come back and resurface later. But there's a reason why people specialize exactly in this, because interviewing a child as a witness is, you know, sometimes can be oftentimes. Right. I never want to put an absolute on any. On anything, but it can be very, very different. So I think it's definitely, you know, a barrier in this case, unfortunately. And it's not at the fault of the kids. I do want to make that very clear. Not at the fault of the children. Right after Nyleen disappears, the children she was playing with rush back to their parents. At the time, none of the kids mentioned the man, just that Nylene has gone off. Nancy and Kim look around for Nyleen, but don't risk wasting time. They call law enforcement to send backup for the search almost immediately. Within hours, the search for four year old Nyleen Marshall is in full swing.
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Sunday, June 26, the weather takes a turn for the worse. It starts to rain in the afternoon, followed by thunderstorms and hail. It makes it significantly more dangerous, not just for Nyleen if she's out there alone, but also for the search and rescue operation as a whole. Plus, the heavier the rain gets, the more likely it is to wash away scents, footprints, and small clues. But they still don't give up. Over the next few days, the search effort continues at full force. At times, there are as many as 300 to 400 volunteers. The Creek and beaver ponds are inspected by county divers and volunteer waiters. At one point, they even drained some of the water. And more tracking dogs are brought out from the surrounding towns.
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Something to note here. Clancy was an old mining town, so there are dozens of abandoned mine shafts in the area, one of which is at least 55ft deep, which is why they can't rule out the possibility that Nyleen is in one. The sheriff's office examines as many as they can find to see if Nyleen either got trapped inside, inside one or fell. Meanwhile, the Department of Natural Resources uses infrared heat sensors in the ground search, while the National Guard brings in a helicopter with an infrared sensor to look from above.
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What the authorities don't know about yet is that strange jogger, because none of the kids have mentioned him. So authorities have at this point, publicly ruled out kidnapping and foul play. Their theory? The ham radio event was far away from foot traffic, and most of the people there were close friends. Chances are, Nyleen wandered off alone.
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On day five, Wednesday, June 29, the search extends to new territory. Helicopters from Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls Ferry volunteers up to seven miles away from where Nyleen was last seen. They're dropped off on ridge tops and search the ground as they make their way back on foot. On day six, Thursday, June 30, one of the searchers even recruits a psychic from the east coast to help. The psychic says Nyleen is near a place called Eagle. There is an Eagle Creek 11 miles from the base camp where Nyleen was last seen, so they check that area, too, but there's nothing of note.
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The first clue actually comes from that afternoon when one of the children who last saw Nyleen comes forward, and he finally tells his parents and the police about the strange man in the jogging suit who spoke to Nyleen. This is the first time the parents or the sheriff's office hear about the suspect. And one of the little girls follows the boy's lead. She tells them that a man stepped out from behind a tree only a few feet away from Nyleen right before she disappeared. On day seven, another child offers up the same information. She gives a similar account to the other witnesses, even though the adults find out that the kids hadn't spoken to each other about it. They say that while they were scared of the man, Nyleen didn't seem to be bothered by him. Then, the next moment, she was gone. Another young boy adds to the account. He says Nyleen told him that the man said to quote, follow the shadow. And Nyleen's parents believe that's what she did. But they also think Nylene wouldn't have ventured off too far away from the camp on her own because she didn't have her shoes and she hated to get too dirty, which suggests maybe the man took her. I mean, we know that Nylene was a rule follower, right? So I think it's totally possible that she just followed the directions of this man, you know, like, kind of by default because he was an adult.
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Yeah, exactly. And I feel like little kids, too, they tend to just trust anybody that is an adult because, you know, typically, like, you are able to trust them. So I feel like the situation probably wouldn't feel any different in Eileen.
- [19:26]
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Yeah, well, I'm talking about, like, follow the shadow. Right. She could have thought it was just a game, you know, in this specific
- [19:32]
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case, I feel like this case was really covered extensively in, like, the newspapers, but there wasn't that much said about the case, I guess, from the sheriff's investigation, especially about this suspect. And I think probably one of the main reasons that is, is. Well, there's probably two main reasons. One of Them is because of Nyleen's age. She was a minor. But then also I just feel like when you add in this, this aspect of this possible suspect, I think it could possibly hinder the investigation.
- [19:58]
A
I mean, it's totally possible. I think it's so hard to say sometimes because there is so much often. Right. We don't know for sure, but often happening behind the scenes that it's hard to judge.
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B
Yeah. In this day and age too, I feel like stranger danger wasn't really that super common.
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A
Yeah, I mean, I get it. Right. There's this illusion of safety out in the country. At least I have to imagine, you know, with so much land out there and knowing, you know, what you feel like is the whole town, it feels like there's less opportunity for a stranger to come in and do something horrible. But that being said, we don't even know if it was a stranger.
- [20:32]
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Exactly. And I feel like in small towns like this, you truly never think something bad will happen like this until it does.
- [20:38]
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Yeah. You know, I always talk about like tropes and true crime and how people tend to get a little like over the term of, you know, it was a small town until it wasn't and then everybody started locking their doors. Right. But it's a trope for a reason because that's exactly what happens in towns like this sometimes. It feels safe. Everybody operates as if it's safe. And then something happens to a child and it shatters that illusion of safety.
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You said it perfectly on day seven, Friday, July 1, 1983. The authorities are still operating on the assumption that Nyleen wandered off, but there's still not a single trace of Nyleen. Not a footprint or a scrap of clothing, just nothing. The volunteer turnout was tremendous and heartwarming. But organizers didn't feel there were enough trained search and rescue people to instruct and accompany inexperienced volunteers, especially early on. Someone could have overlooked a track or a clue or even accidentally destroyed it. And organizers didn't always know where or how thoroughly the searchers had looked. Three people from the Mormon Church even got lost themselves while looking and had to spend the night in the woods. Which goes to show how easy it would have been for 4 year old Nyleen.
- [21:46]
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On the morning of day 10, Monday, July 4th, 1983. Search dogs are brought in from out of state, but they don't find anything either. It seems like this might have been their last ditch effort, because later that afternoon, Jefferson County Sheriff Tom Dawson calls the official search off entirely. The department no longer believes there's a chance of finding Nyleen alive. The medical experts they consult with suggest that heavy rains and low temperatures would have made her survival nearly impossible. But the Sheriff's department promises to continue investigating any claims clues that come into
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the office by Thursday, July 7, 1983. Nyleen has been missing for 12 days. The FBI has conducted a couple preliminary interviews and decided they don't have jurisdiction to investigate the case. Why? Because despite the multiple reports from kids who last saw Nyleen, they say there was no evidence of abduction during their questioning. The FBI also interviews the marshals and they supposedly tell Kim point blank, quote, you killed your daughter, end quote. They also upset Nancy by saying, quote, she's dead, get over it, end quote. Nancy would learn later that this was an interrogation tactic, one that would haunt her forever, especially because the marshals did believe Nyleen had been kidnapped. She didn't like to get dirty and she didn't like to walk without shoes, so it seemed unlikely that she would have wandered off far without them. And while it will take years, Nyleene and Kim will eventually learn these instincts could be right.
- [23:20]
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- [24:48]
A
It's the fall of 1983. Four year old Nyleen Marshall has been missing since June, and Nancy and Kim are not giving up hope. They reach out to an organization called Child Find of America. The nonprofit distributes 30,000 posters nationwide with the pictures of 60 missing children, including Nyleen. On the evening of Monday, October 10, 1983, NBC airs a film about an abducted child called adam. In a two minute segment after the movie, photographs of about 55 missing children, including Nyleen, are shown as their names are read aloud. Afterwards, Child Find of America's toll free number rolls on the screen. Less than a minute after the broadcast ends at 11pm Callers light up all 10 of the organization's phone lines. Over the next few days, 3,000 people call in tips about the different missing children. Ten people called the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office directly, saying they've seen Nyleen or asking for more pictures to verify her. Two days after the broadcast on Wednesday, October 12, 1983, Nancy and Kim hang up posters with a reward of $10,000 for Nyleen's safe return. But nine months later, there's still no new leads. That's when the marshals bring in a forensic hypnotist. They hope to get more information from the children who saw the man in the jogging suit. Dr. John Watkins is a psychology professor who is often called to testify at criminal trials with the parents permission. He works with the seven children who were in proximity to Nyleen at the time of her disappearance. They the hypnotism doesn't work on all of them, but he does get enough information that supports the story that a stranger was near Nyleen. A police composite artist from Great Falls sits in on the session and sketches a picture of the man. With the help of the national center for Missing and Exploited Children, Nancy and Kim find similarities between the drawing and several known child criminals in the a man wanted for child molestation and grand larceny, a man suspected of child trafficking, a man wanted in connection with a child sex abuse material ring and a suspect wanted in connection with the abduction and murder of another girl. Even though Nancy, Kim and NCMEC know that without other evidence, these leads are a stretch, NCMEC continues to work the case, but they never connect any of these prospects to Nyleen directly.
- [27:03]
B
Sarah, have you ever seen a hypnotist used to jog a potential witness's memory?
- [27:08]
A
Oh, yeah. No. I see it pretty often in cases, to be honest. It's usually older cases like this. And because I know that the science is a little difficult to follow, some people believe, some people don't. But it's like, at this point, what is there to lose?
- [27:23]
B
Yeah, I totally agree. I do feel like it's a little bit controversial, and it is really split down the middle. Some people like it, some people don't. But I think my personal thoughts on it would be, you know, at the end of the day, I feel like it is whatever the family is most comfortable with.
- [27:38]
A
I mean, I can tell you in my sister's case that I basically begged the police to put me under hypnosis just so I could try to remember anything that I could. So it's definitely something I'm open to. But again, it's not, like, you know, 100% foolproof, unfortunately.
- [27:51]
B
Yeah, especially when you have nothing else to go off of. You're right. Like, what else could it. Could it hurt, really?
- [27:56]
A
Yeah. I mean, especially because we know what trauma does to the memory. It can really, really impact it. And in my case in particular, I believe that it has. So that's always an option that I would have loved to explore in my sister's case. And again, it's like, what do we have to lose at this point? Well, let's skip ahead a bit to Wednesday, November 27, 1985, two years and five months after Nyleen disappeared. Nancy and Kim have distributed thousands of missing posters with Nyleen's picture across the United States. Dozens of people have called in to report sightings all around the country. Even though none can be confirmed, Nyleen's family still holds out hope that she's alive, but they have no idea where until the national center for Missing and Exploited Children receives an anonymous phone call. This time, it's not just a tip. The man on the other end of the line claims he has Nyleen. The FBI traces the call back to a phone booth in the Madison, Wisconsin, area, 1,300 miles from where the marshals live in Montana. But it doesn't lead to much at first. Then, two months after the call, in January 1986, child find of America receives a typewritten letter. Like the phone call. It's postmarked from Madison, Wisconsin, so everyone suspects it's from the same man. He calls Nyleen by her middle name, K, which he could have gotten from the missing posters for Child Find. But he claims he picked up Kay on the road in Elkhorn park and that she was crying and frightened at the time, but now she's happy. She smiles, laughs, and snuggles with him. He says he's raising Kay as his own and is taking good care of her. But in the same letter, he describes acts of sexual abuse. The letter reveals a few clues. He says he changed her hair. It's short and curly now, and she's grown to 3 foot 9 and 50 pounds. Her permanent teeth are coming in. He says he homeschools K and takes her with him on his travels around the world, which he says she likes, which is interesting, since people have reported seeing Nyleen all over the United States. The man claims he lives off of a solid investment income. He writes that his parents and younger sister died in a car crash when his sister was nine years old. That information won't be enough to pin down a suspect, though. And the man finishes these letters by claiming to love Nyleen. And he confesses he has no plans to return her.
- [30:18]
B
Over the next six months, he calls and writes Child Find of America two more times. The FBI traces the calls back to other phone calls booths in the area. They check in with local doctors and dentists to see if they've seen Nyleen. A witness even calls in to report a potential sighting at a restaurant In Janesville, about 40 miles southeast of Madison. The third phone call comes in on May 9, 1986. And about a month after that, the third letter arrives in June 1986. Finally, the FBI sets up surveillance at all three phone booths used by the caller. But he must have caught on, because the calls never come again, and the letters stop entirely. The caller is never identified, and Nyleen is never found.
- [30:59]
A
I mean, this is nothing short of horrific, this whole thing. The letter, him never being found, going back to the phone booth. Absolutely horrific.
- [31:08]
B
It is horrific, but also with my personal thoughts, kind of like reading what he's mentioning, I feel like this is all information that you could easily find on, like, all of the missing person posters. Like, it's not anything new, or it could be, like, guesses that he's. That he's trying to, like, infer. And so, personally, I feel like I'm leaning more towards this being, like, a fake letter, like a hoax.
- [31:28]
A
Yeah. I mean, that's where I lean towards, too. Right. And it's hard because I want to honor if the family has any hope that it was Real and that she's still out there alive. But I mean, how many hoaxes have we seen in true crime? This unfortunately happens all the time. And like you said, so much of that information in there is just public knowledge.
- [31:48]
B
Yeah. If he had any shred of useful information, I feel like I would give it a little bit more credibility. But he doesn't. So I feel like, I don't know, I just feel like time and time again we've seen this so much and it's usually just from people who want to insert themselves into the investigation and just gain a little bit of attention in kind of like a sick way.
- [32:04]
A
Yeah. And I mean, he's definitely taunting this family. Right. I mean, talking about the sexual abuse is just, you know, like I said before, horrific. And it seems like it could possibly be just to put them into further distress.
- [32:18]
B
And you know, that it definitely does too. On top of having to deal with this long term disappearance, now they have to deal with this potential information. Like that's, that's just horrible.
- [32:26]
A
Exactly, exactly. And I'm sure it's something that they think about all the time, unfortunately.
- [32:33]
B
In June 1990, 17 years after Nyleen's disappearance, her uncle sees a composite sketch of a man and a woman. He thinks he recognizes them. From the first day of the search. The couple is wanted for child abduction in another part of the country. The marshal's neighbor, Undersheriff Tim Campbell, says it's not unusual for a perpetrator to get themselves lost in a crowd and stick around the scene to see what happens after they commit a crime. Some think the couple resembles Franklin Delano Floyd, a serial rapist and murderer, and Suzanne Sivakis. Franklin kidnapped Suzanne at a young age and raised her as his daughter under the assumed name of Sharon Marshall before making making her his wife. But authorities never find a connection between Franklin, Suzanne and Nylene.
- [33:14]
A
A year later, 18 years after Nylene's disappearance, on Saturday, August 3, 1991, 42 year old Richard James Wilson turns himself in to the police in Livingston, Montana. That's about 130 miles from Clancy, where Nyleen disappeared. He confesses to two murders. A woman from Great Falls and Nylene. Richard has a 1984 sexual assault conviction against a minor in Helena and is found in violation of his probation. So he's held in Livingston. Undersheriff Campbell and a team of officers take Richard out to the area where Nylene disappeared so he can help them locate her body. Richard says he buried her in an abandoned mine shaft. Officers identify one that best fits his description and spend Tuesday, August 6th through Thursday, August 8th, digging. There's no sign of Nyleen at this point. Richard starts to walk back his statements, and no evidence has been found to support his claims. He also has a known history of mental illness. By Friday, August 9, 1991, a week after he turned himself in, the police have to let him go.
- [34:21]
B
I feel like it might be unlikely in this case, but I've seen so many cases where years later, you know, criminal has been identified as being at the crime scene or being present during, like, the investigation, but nobody knows, like, at the time.
- [34:33]
A
Oh, yeah. I mean, I think it's a sick thrill for them. Right. And it reminds me of Ariel Castro. He was at least two of the vigils for Dina de Jesus after taking her.
- [34:42]
B
I have seen it sometimes where this person is completely, like, unrelated to the victim, but I do feel like most often than not, it is somebody that does know, like, the family, at least in some way.
- [34:53]
A
Yeah. I mean, that's what statistics tell us, Right. That it's usually somebody that they know. And unfortunately, that just allows them to blend in even more. So if they're at something like a vigil, if they're at a search. Right. It seems more natural while they can still get this sick thrill.
- [35:08]
B
I think that's what it boils down to is this sick thrill that literally, like, only they can, like, enjoy, whereas they're, like, watching what they did unfold in real time. And it's just absolutely disgusting.
- [35:19]
A
Yeah. I mean, it's hard to say, right? They didn't find her where he said that she was. He starts to walk back these claims. There's no evidence he has a history of mental illness. I think, unfortunately, there's so many factors here that make it really hard. But again, we do know that people do this.
- [35:34]
B
Yeah, it could be another dead end. But unfortunately, like, I don't know, when you have these other suspects, like Richard, James Wilson, Franklin Floyd, it's really hard because, like, you have this glimmer of hope that they could be involved. Like, of course, you want Nyleen to be found alive and safe, but, like, when they come forward, or when, I guess when they're. They're found to be involved in other crimes, it kind of gives you this glimmer of hope that maybe there will be some, like, resolution in Nyleen's case as well. But then it's just, like, another dead end in this case. And it's so, so frustrating how they can be involved in other crimes and kind of named as a possible suspect in this one. Yet there's no real solution, no real resolution.
- [36:09]
A
It's like more unanswered questions that just never get closed.
- [36:13]
B
Exactly.
- [36:16]
A
Over the years, Nancy Marshall learns to put on a happy face. But she's always looking for her daughter. She searches the crowd for Nyleen every time she's out in public. Until 1995, when the marshals like lives are turned upside down again.
- [36:31]
B
It's July of 1995, 12 years after Nyleen's disappearance. The Marshalls left Montana in 1994. Kim could no longer find work there, so for the past five years, they've been living in Japan. Now they're relocating again for Kim's work, this time to Mexico City. Nancy goes ahead of Kim to meet friends and scout out their future home while he stays behind in Japan to wrap up the move. On July 25, 1995, while Kim is standing at the airport check in desk in Tokyo on his way to reunite with Nancy, he gets a call. Nancy's been found dead, hanging from a shower rod in her hotel room. Her hands were tied behind her back and her wedding ring and wristwatch were missing, along with a bottle of perfume. Other valuables and Nancy's cash were still in her safe, but the hotel room door had been kicked in. The Mexican authorities labeled Nancy's death a suicide, even even though her hands were literally bound behind her. It seems physically improbable. Plus, nobody believes Nancy would leave behind her two remaining kids, least of all Kim.
- [37:31]
A
So the Marshall family is left to face another tragedy. And once again, they're not ready to back down. They don't suspect Nancy's death is linked to Nyleen's disappearance, but they do believe she was murdered. Kim hires a private investigator and points out the evidence of homicide, such as the kicked in door. As a result, the Mexican authorities change the case status to under investigation, but they never move it along. Further, officials at the U.S. state Department advise Kim not to push the homicide investigation. They say if he does, the Mexican authorities won't release Nancy's body for burial and he can't bear the thought of her deteriorating in a morgue. So he buries her in Texas and buys himself a plot next to hers.
- [38:14]
B
That same year, there's another bizarre twist in Nyleen's case. A pregnant young woman from Oklahoma City goes into a New Orleans hospital to give birth. She's around the same age as Nyleen would be now. She claims her name is Helena and she doesn't remember much about her childhood. But she thinks her mother's name was Nyleen, the man she's with, never gives his name or any other personal information. The nurse, trying to admit Helena, asked the couple some more questions, but their answers don't add up. Helena says she's from a foreign country, but she doesn't have an accent. And eventually, midway through their conversation with the nurse, the couple leaves abruptly. A few weeks later, the nurse sees Nylene's case on Unsolved Mysteries. The computer aged photos of Nyleen resembles the woman from the hospital. So she reaches out to the show's producers. They contact the Jefferson county undersheriff, Tim Campbell. He's never given up on Nyleen. Remember, he was her neighbor number. He's followed nearly 2,000 leads in 15 years. So he figures, what's one more? He locates the young woman from the hospital who calls herself Helena, and she agrees to have her blood tested against Nancy Marshalls and Billy Briscoes, Nyleen's biological father. But some newer cases take priority, which is why the DNA test takes nearly two years to complete. On Wednesday, August 4, 1998, the results arrive from the FBI lab in Quantico. The blood is not a match.
- [39:35]
A
Courtney, how much does this family have to go through?
- [39:37]
B
They have, like, literally been through the wringer, and this case has so many ups and downs. It's really, really like, it's hard for me to listen to this. So I cannot imagine actually living with it. No.
- [39:47]
A
And waiting two years for that answer. And this is, I mean, really best case scenario here that they have this undersheriff, Tim Campbell, who was a neighbor who knew Nyleen, who's still helping. Like, that is really best case scenario for families. And it still takes two years just for them to get that answer, that it's not her.
- [40:05]
B
I will say the undersherif, you know, still keeping in touch after 15 years. I feel like that really made me emotional when, you know, I was researching this case. I feel like you don't say that a lot in these cases, but for him, it was very personal. Like we mentioned, he was their neighbor. It's been 15 years at this point, and so much has happened from, you know, the very first day, including Nancy unexpectedly and very suddenly dying.
- [40:27]
A
I know it's like, how much does this family have to go through? And it's hard, right, because obviously this is not the answer they wanted. But I will say, when in doubt, report. Right. And I think that that nurse did the right thing. Even if you're not sure, report it. Let law enforcement handle it. So I do just want to give her, you know, some accolades for doing the right thing here, even though it didn't result in finding Nyleen, unfortunately, even
- [40:51]
B
though it didn't, you know, result in any answers, it's definitely best to always report if you see something that you think could be suspicious. And I want to give a huge shout out to Unsolved Mysteries because I feel like this show, you know, it plays like a huge factor in helping solve, like, these cases.
- [41:05]
A
Yeah. Oh, absolutely. My goodness. I mean, I think that's one of the largest avenues, especially, you know, around this time period, to get a case like this out there. And it makes the public really think and, you know, hopefully call in tips. Absolutely. I always say, and I know it sounds cheesy, right, but media pressure really does move mountains.
- [41:23]
B
It really does.
- [41:26]
A
Nancy never got to see her daughter again, but Kim still holds out hope. He keeps two boxes full of police reports, one for Nancy and one for Nyleen. There have been a lot of theories over the years. Many believe Nyleen was abducted and raised under a different a different name, that Nyleen is still out there today with friends and family who don't know her true identity, because she doesn't either. Some think she was lost to the wilderness in the rain, thunder and hail. Others say she fell victim to an abandoned mine. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office says the case will never be closed. Leads come in occasionally and they do follow up, but we still don't have any definitive answers about what happened to the Nyleen. What we do know is this. The last time Nyleen's family saw her, she was four years old. It was Saturday, June 25, 1983, the middle of the summer in the Elkhorn Mountain range in the Rockies, where the hills are covered by the trees of the Helena National Forest. The day was warm. Kids were playing along the creek and looking for frogs about 100 yards away from their parents, who were mixing and mingling with other members, members of the Capital City Radio Club. Nyleen was running around with the other kids in a yellow T shirt and orange shorts, colors as bright as her personality. She took a moment to sit in the grass when a man in a jogging suit came out from behind a tree to talk to her. A couple kids heard snippets of their conversation, and she didn't sound scared. But we also have no idea what they were talking about except that he told her to follow his shadow. And after that, around 4pm Nyleen Marshall vanished. Nobody knows where she went, but the people who loved her never stopped looking. And if she is still out there, we hope she'll find her way back to her family.
- [43:12]
B
If Nyleen K. Marshall is still alive, she'll be about 47 years old as of this recording. She is Caucasian with brown hair and blue eyes. She has a small mole above her left eyebrow, halfway up her forehead and dimples on both of her cheeks. If you have any information about Nyleen, you can call the Jefferson County Sheriff's office at 1-406-225-4075 or Child Find of America at 1-800-I-M lost.
- [43:49]
A
Thank you for listening to the Final Hours. If you have any more information on Eileen K. Marshall, 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.
- [44:03]
B
We value your support. Share your thoughts on social media and remember to rate, review and follow the Final Hours to help others discover the
- [44:10]
A
show and to enhance your listening experience. Subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode of the Final Hours ad free, along with early access and exciting bonus content.
- [44:21]
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 Benidon, Lori Marinelli, Natalie Pertzofsky, Sarah Camp, Dana Brazil Sulavey, Andrew Rosenblum and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.