Podcast
The Grimes Files
Hosted by Joey Grimes · EN
Cold cases. Buried voices. Forgotten victims.
I’m Joey Grimes, and this is The Grimes Files: Gone, Not Silent—a true crime podcast exposing cases that never got justice. Season one reopens the 1998 murder of Helen Eskew in Douglasville, Georgia, where silence and fear still surround the truth.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Unsolved: The Las Cruces Bowling Alley Massacre
2d ago00:44:06Tap to summarizeThirty-six years ago, a routine Saturday morning at a neighborhood bowling alley turned into one of the most brutal unsolved mass murders in American history.On February 10, 1990, two armed men entered Las Cruces Bowl in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Minutes later, five people were dead, three others were critically wounded, and one of the most haunting 911 calls ever recorded was made by a twelve-year-old girl fighting for her life.In this episode of The Grimes Files, we reconstruct the events of that morning, examine the investigation that followed, separate fact from speculation, and remember the lives of the victims whose stories are too often overshadowed by the crime itself.⚠️ Listener Warning: This episode contains the original 911 call placed from inside the manager’s office. The recording includes distressing audio, including the voices and breathing of seriously injured victims. Listener discretion is advised.If you have information about the Las Cruces Bowling Alley Massacre, please contact the Las Cruces Police Department or Crime Stoppers.🎙️ Follow The Grimes Fileshttps://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFiles❤️ Support the Investigationhttps://cash.app/$TheGrimesFilesEvery donation helps cover public records requests, travel expenses, archival research, document fees, and the hundreds of hours that go into researching and producing these investigations.I’m also working on a monthly membership where you’ll have access to case files, source documents, timelines, photographs, interview transcripts, and additional research that doesn’t make it into each episode. More details will be announced soon.If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow The Grimes Files on your favorite podcast platform so you’re notified whenever a new episode is released. Leaving a rating or review—and sharing this episode with just one other person—is one of the biggest ways you can help these stories reach a wider audience.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Murdered: Debra Kay Connor Part 1 (Updated Audio)
2w ago00:46:58Tap to summarizeOn May 13, 1990, 30-year-old Debra Kay “Debbie” Connor made a phone call that should have brought her safely home.Standing at a payphone across from Frasu’s Restaurant and Lounge in Hermiston, Oregon, Debbie called her twin brother and asked if she could spend the night at the family home. He agreed and told her he would leave the door unlocked.Before hanging up, Debbie said she had a ride.She never arrived.Twelve days later, Debbie’s body was discovered in Cold Springs Reservoir. She was found nude, bound, and murdered.In Part One of this multi-episode investigation, we step away from the crime scene and meet the woman at the center of the mystery. Through interviews, newly obtained case records, and the memories of those who knew her best, we explore Debbie’s life in Pilot Rock and Stanfield, her relationships, her struggles, and the final hours leading up to her disappearance at Frasu’s on the night of May 12, 1990.Drawing from more than 400 pages of investigative records, witness statements, interviews, and years of independent research, this episode reconstructs Debbie’s last known movements and examines the people who saw her alive for what would become the final time.Before Debbie Connor became an unsolved homicide, she was a daughter, a sister, a twin, an artist, a cowgirl, and a friend.This is where her story begins.If you have information about the murder of Debbie Connor, please contact the Oregon State Police Cold Case Unit.Support The Grimes Files:https://tr.ee/brCBCoFw07Follow The Grimes Files:https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFilesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Unsolved: The Lane Bryant Massacre
Jun 200:32:50Tap to summarizeThe Lane Bryant Massacre | The Grimes FilesOn February 2nd, 2008, a man posing as a delivery driver walked into a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park, Illinois. Over the next thirty-six minutes, six women were bound with duct tape and held inside the store before five were executed just moments before police arrived.The killer vanished almost immediately.Nearly two decades later, the case remains unsolved.In this episode of The Grimes Files, Joey Grimes reconstructs the timeline of the Lane Bryant massacre minute by minute — examining the whispered 911 call, the suspect’s strange behavior, the disturbing psychological elements of the crime, the suspicious vehicles seen outside the shopping center, and the growing questions surrounding whether this was ever truly “just a robbery.”This episode contains real 911 audio and discussion of violence, sexual assault, and homicide. Listener discretion is advised.The victims:• Rhoda McFarland • Carrie Chiuso • Connie Woolfolk • Sarah Szafranski • Jennifer Bishop The sole survivor of the attack is still living with the aftermath of what happened inside that store that morning.Follow The Grimes Files everywhere:https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFilesSupport the investigations:https://cash.app/$TheGrimesFilesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Murdered: Missy Bevers
May 500:36:42Tap to summarizeOn April 18th, 2016, Missy Bevers walked into a church in Midlothian, Texas to teach an early morning fitness class.She never made it out.Before she arrived, someone was already inside the building. Moving through the halls. Opening doors. Breaking glass. Waiting in a space they believed was empty.Within minutes of her entry, Missy encountered that person.The attack was never fully captured. The timeline is fragmented. And the most critical moment in the case—the encounter itself—was never clearly seen.What followed was a tightly compressed sequence of events that unfolded in under an hour. No theft. No clear motive. Just a suspect on surveillance footage… and a series of unanswered questions that still remain nearly a decade later.Was this a burglary gone wrong?Or was Missy Bevers the intended target from the beginning?This episode breaks down the full timeline, the behavioral patterns of the suspect, and the theory that this wasn’t a random act—but a planned attack made to look like something else.Follow & Support The Grimes Files:🔗 All platforms + social media:https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFiles💰 Support the investigations:https://cash.app/$TheGrimesFilesIf you have information related to this case or any case featured on The Grimes Files, you can reach out confidentially through the links above.The Grimes FilesStay safe. Stay curious. And if you see something… say something.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Missing: Jennifer Kesse
Apr 2100:34:38Tap to summarizeA woman leaves for work.And disappears… in the most ordinary moment of her day.On January 24th, 2006, 24-year-old Jennifer Kesse vanished from her condo complex in Orlando, Florida. There were no signs of forced entry. No obvious struggle inside her home. Everything pointed to a normal morning — until it wasn’t.Hours later, her car was found just over a mile away.A man was seen on surveillance leaving it behind.He should have been identified immediately.Instead, every single frame captured him at the exact moment his face was hidden.No name.No answers.No explanation.In this episode, we break down the full timeline, the missing hours, the physical evidence, and the behavioral patterns behind one of the most frustrating unsolved disappearances in modern true crime.Because this isn’t just a case about who took Jennifer Kesse.It’s about how someone could vanish in a matter of minutes… and leave behind a case that still feels like it’s missing the one moment that matters most.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.🔗 Full episode, socials, and everything in one place:https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFiles💰 Support the investigation:https://cash.app/$TheGrimesFilesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Transcribe →Missing: The Springfield Three
Apr 700:40:06Tap to summarizeThree women vanished from a home in the early hours of the morning.No signs of forced entry.No clear struggle.No confirmed sighting of what actually happened inside that house.At first glance, it looks like nothing happened at all.But when you strip the case down to what actually holds up—the timeline, the scene, the behavior—a very different picture begins to emerge.This wasn’t random.It wasn’t chaotic.And it wasn’t a mystery without structure.It was controlled.In this episode of The Grimes Files, we break down the Springfield Three case from the ground up—separating what’s stable from what’s noise, and focusing only on what can actually be trusted.No speculation.No recycled theories.Just the mechanics of what had to happen—and what that means.Because when you remove everything that doesn’t hold…what’s left is a case that makes far more sense than people realize.And that may be the most unsettling part.🔗 All links / socials:https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFiles💰 Support the show / donations:https://cash.app/$TheGrimesFilesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Missing: Brian Shaffer
Mar 2400:25:05Tap to summarizeOn March 31, 2006, Brian Shaffer went out with friends in Columbus, Ohio.It was a normal night. Bar hopping, drinks, a crowded city full of people.At 1:55 a.m., Brian is seen on surveillance footage entering the Ugly Tuna Saloona.He never comes back out.There is no footage of him leaving. No confirmed sightings after that moment. No activity on his phone or bank accounts.Inside the bar, there were no cameras tracking his movements. Witnesses say he was calm, talking with two women near closing time. At one point, he tells them he is heading back toward the stage area. Deeper into the bar, not leaving.That is the last confirmed moment anyone sees him.His friends leave later that night without him, believing he had already gone. But there is no clear moment where they separate. No goodbye. No explanation.Just absence.Investigators reviewed everything. Every camera angle. Every possible exit. Every route through the building.Nothing.Nearly two decades later, Brian Shaffer is still missing.Because this is not just a disappearance.It is a moment that should exist, but does not.🔗 Full episode and socialshttps://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFilesIf you would like to support these investigationshttps://cash.app/$TheGrimesFilesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Unmissed: Hedviga Golik
Mar 1000:21:30Tap to summarizeIn May 2008, residents of an apartment building in Zagreb, Croatia forced open the door to a small attic apartment that had remained closed for decades.Inside, they found human remains.The woman who lived there had never left.Her name was Hedviga Golik, and investigators believed she had been dead for more than 30 years.For decades, neighbors assumed Hedviga had simply moved away. Some believed she had joined a religious group. Others thought she had left the city entirely. No one reported her missing, and because of local tenancy laws, no one felt comfortable entering the apartment.So the door stayed closed.Behind it, time simply stopped.In this episode of The Grimes Files, host Joey Grimes examines the real story behind one of the internet’s most widely misreported cases. Viral retellings often claim Hedviga Golik was found sitting in a chair in front of a television decades after her death. But the original Croatian reporting tells a very different story.Through archival reports and forensic explanations, this episode explores what investigators actually know about Hedviga Golik’s life, her disappearance, and the disturbing discovery that shocked Zagreb.Because Hedviga Golik didn’t disappear in a remote place.She died inside an apartment.In the middle of a city.Surrounded by neighbors.And for more than three decades… no one realized she was still there.Follow & Support The Grimes FilesLinktree: https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFilesSupport the show / Donate: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/cef31eb2-a731-4b09-b2e4-f6b293fd4f4a/donationsSourcesIndex.hrJutarnji ListDnevnik.hrMetro PortalSlobodna DalmacijaVečernji ListHost: Joey GrimesPodcast: The Grimes FilesThese sources come directly from the contemporaneous Croatian reporting corpus from May 2008, which consistently describes Golik’s body as being discovered on a bed in the apartment’s bedroom, contradicting later viral claims about her being seated in front of a television. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Missing: Brandon Swanson
Feb 2400:23:15Tap to summarizeOn the night of May 13, 2008, nineteen-year-old Brandon Swanson left a friend’s house in rural southwestern Minnesota and began driving home.Sometime before 2 a.m., his car went into a ditch.He called his parents for help. He told them he wasn’t hurt. He believed he knew where he was. For nearly an hour, he stayed on the phone while walking through dark farmland toward what he thought were town lights.Then he said, “Oh, s—.”And the line went silent.In this episode, we reconstruct Brandon’s final known movements using documented timelines, cell tower data, search reports, and public statements from law enforcement. We examine how a miscalculated location shifted the search by nearly twenty miles, how rural geography complicated early response efforts, and how a scent trail that led toward water shaped the investigation that followed.We also take a close look at the large-scale search operation — tracking dogs, river searches, seasonal re-examinations, and years of continued efforts that produced no physical evidence. From there, we examine the legislative aftermath: how procedural confusion in the early hours contributed to the passage of Brandon’s Law in 2009, permanently changing how missing adult cases are handled in Minnesota.This is not an episode built on speculation.It is a reconstruction of what is documented — and a recognition of what remains unexplained.Brandon Swanson has never been found.And his case remains open.⸻🔗 Follow & SupportLinktree (all socials, episodes, and resources):👉 https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFilesSupport independent investigative work:If you’d like to help keep these cases visible, you can donate here:❤️ https://app.redcircle.com/shows/cef31eb2-a731-4b09-b2e4-f6b293fd4f4a/donationsEvery contribution helps fund research, records requests, and continued coverage of underreported cases.⸻📚 Sources & ResearchThis episode draws from publicly available reporting, official case summaries, and legislative records, including:• Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) missing person bulletin• FBI ViCAP alert and FBI case page for Brandon Swanson• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) poster entry• Lincoln County and Lyon County Sheriff’s Office statements• Contemporary reporting from The Marshall Independent, The Star Tribune, CBS News, ABC News, and regional Minnesota outlets• Interviews with BCA agents and Lyon County sheriffs in later retrospective coverage• Minnesota Legislature records for H.F. 1242 (2009), known as Brandon’s Law• Minnesota Statutes § 299C.53 (Missing Persons Procedures)Additional geographic context sourced from Minnesota DNR, USGS watershed documentation, and Yellow Medicine River public records.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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Missing: Kyron Horman
Feb 1000:49:34Tap to summarizeOn the morning of June 4, 2010, seven-year-old Kyron Horman walked the halls of his elementary school during a science fair.By the end of the day, he was gone.In this episode, we reconstruct Kyron’s last confirmed movements minute by minute, separating what is known from what has been assumed over the past fifteen years. We examine how a crowded school, delayed attendance procedures, and gaps in supervision created a critical window where Kyron vanished without immediate notice.We also take a hard look at the investigation itself — how early uncertainty turned into hardened public narratives, how “soft evidence” and rumor often replaced proof, and why suspicion filled the vacuum left by the absence of physical evidence.This is not an episode about certainty.It’s about systems, timelines, and the uncomfortable reality of what can — and cannot — be proven.Kyron Horman is still missing.And the case remains unresolved.🔗 Follow & SupportLinktree (all socials, episodes, and resources):👉 https://linktr.ee/TheGrimesFilesSupport independent investigative work:If you’d like to help keep these cases visible, you can donate here:❤️ https://app.redcircle.com/shows/cef31eb2-a731-4b09-b2e4-f6b293fd4f4a/donationsEvery contribution helps fund research, records requests, and continued coverage of underreported cases.📚 Sources & ResearchThis episode draws from a comprehensive review of primary reporting, public records, and investigative analysis, including:Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office press releases and public statements (2010–2025)Portland Public Schools attendance policies and schedulesFBI and Oregon State Police search operation summariesContemporary reporting from The Oregonian, KGW, KATU, KPTV, ABC News, CBS News, and PeopleCourt filings related to the Horman family (divorce, restraining orders, civil proceedings)Compiled timeline reconstructions, media-vs-fact audits, and soft-evidence reviews prepared specifically for The Grimes FilesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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