Podcast Summary: The Unforgotten, S3E1 – "Life of the Party"
Date: August 4, 2025
Produced by: Free Range Productions
Hosts: Kyle Bonagura, Adam Rittenberg
Main Theme & Purpose
The first episode of Season 3 of "The Unforgotten" launches the investigation into the disappearance of Dolores Marie Wulff, a vibrant mother who vanished from her home in Woodland, California on July 31, 1979. Through interviews with family members, detailed recollections, and police insights, the episode explores Dolores's family history, complex marriage, and the tension-filled events leading up to her disappearance while introducing the team’s approach to unraveling a 41-year-old mystery that consumed both family and investigators.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Phone Call That Changed Everything
- Opening: In October 2020, Sergeant Kenny Hart faces the immense burden of preparing to inform Paul Wolf that his mother, missing for over four decades, has finally been found.
- “I've never delivered this kind of notification, so I'm about to change a family's life forever.” – Kenny Hart [00:47]
- Hart calls Paul, a college football coach — both their lives are about to change as the investigation reaches a seismic shift.
2. Introducing Dolores Wulff
- The central figure is Dolores, remembered for her warmth, humor, and deep roots in Woodland, California’s Portuguese-American community.
- Her son, Paul, recounts her childhood learning English as a second language.
- “Her and her siblings always got put behind a year just because they were raised only speaking Portuguese.” – Paul Wolf [06:38]
- Her brother, 'Slick' Matthew Wolf, shares stories about growing up together, illustrating Dolores’s playful and loving nature.
- “She's about four or five years older...she would read Donald Duck comic books to me. We were real tight.” – Slick (Matthew Wolf) [06:58]
- Her son, Paul, recounts her childhood learning English as a second language.
3. Marriage to Carl Wolf and Early Family Life
- Dolores marries Carl Wolf, a large, affable Minnesotan with a troubled future. Their family grows, but darkness begins to intrude.
- “He’d come out and play basketball with you…very nice as I remember him…he was really well liked.” – Tony Rocha [08:48]
- Tom Wolf, her son, and nephew David both paint a picture of an involved, selfless mother.
- “She was the best mother anybody could ever want…her kids were always perfect…” – Tom Wolf [09:28]
4. Dolores as a Community Figure
- Works as Woodland High’s principal’s secretary, beloved by students and staff alike, including the 'troublemakers.'
- “The troublemakers loved her….some of my best friends were the troublemakers.” – Tom Wolf [10:52]
- Maintains active involvement in Portuguese heritage groups, preserving traditions for her children.
5. Private Suffering
- Public warmth masked private turmoil: Her marriage devolves as Carl’s drinking escalates and business ventures fail.
- Family recalls concerning, sometimes disturbing, behaviors from Carl—voyeurism, aggression, and infidelity.
- “That was clearly a sign that we were dealing with somebody that wasn't right.” – Tony Rocha on the peeping incident [14:16]
- “He tried it with me that I couldn’t close the door...I locked it because I was afraid.” – Debbie Baker [15:56]
6. Threats and Abuse
- Physical abuse: Son Tom details being beaten and suffering a burst eardrum.
- “I just kind of took a beating. And then...I got hit across the side of the head and it popped my eardrum...” – Tom Wolf [16:42]
- Emotional and psychological torment: Family repeatedly witnesses and hears about Carl’s threats to kill Dolores.
- “I will see her dead before she gets my property or my kids.” – Carl Wolf (recounted by Debbie Baker) [24:24]
- “Dolores told me, 'he’s telling me he’s going to kill me. And I believe him.'” – Janet (sister-in-law) [26:45]
7. Escalation Toward Tragedy
- Dolores tries leaving, even getting her own apartment, but Carl sabotages her efforts (e.g., slashing her tires, possible poisoning).
- “At one point, he put kerosene in her milk...it was confirmed to be kerosene.” – Tony Rocha [19:52]
- Despite clear evidence of danger, Dolores resists letting family intervene or reporting Carl to police, possibly out of hope, fear, and social pressures.
8. The Night Before
- Family gathering: The 50th wedding anniversary party becomes a vivid, final memory. Dolores is herself—joyful, outgoing, surrounded by loved ones, contrasted with Carl’s isolation.
- “Dolores’s outgoing personality was on display…she flashed her big toothy smile as she enjoyed time with her family.” – Kyle Bonagura [29:14]
- Hours afterward, Dolores returns home late, after a fight with Carl, and is last seen by her cousin Debbie—never to be seen again.
- “...I walked her to her car...And that's the last time I ever saw her.” – Debbie Baker [32:23]
9. Immediate Aftermath
- Dolores disappears the evening she is left alone with Carl, her two youngest sons away for the night. By morning, she is gone—her fate a haunting uncertainty for the shattered family.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
"The first words out of my mouth were, Paul, we found your mom."
– Kenny Hart [02:21] -
"You killed her. You know it, I know it, and everybody else knows it."
– Slick (Matthew Wolf) [02:54] -
"I will see her dead before she gets my property or my kids. And I said, you're threatening to kill her? And he goes, yes, and I mean every word I say."
– Carl Wolf (recounted by Debbie Baker) [24:24] -
"Right away I just said, my dad did it."
– Paul Wolf [34:13] -
"If that happens, promise me you'll take care of my boys."
– Dolores (to Janet) [31:10]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:01–02:41: Sergeant Kenny Hart prepares, then delivers the life-changing news to Paul Wolf.
- 04:29–06:58: Early family life, background on Woodland, California, and the Wulff/Rocha family.
- 10:07–11:25: Dolores as a loving mother, secretary at Woodland High, and community pillar.
- 12:24–17:52: The unraveling marriage and growing threats from Carl Wolf.
- 19:52–21:30: The kerosene-in-the-milk poisoning attempt.
- 24:24–27:10: Family members directly recall Carl's explicit threats to kill Dolores.
- 28:21–30:24: The last family party – Dolores’s final joyful appearance.
- 32:23–34:10: Dolores’s final moments with family and her sudden disappearance.
Episode Flow & Tone
The episode weaves together heartfelt recollections, chilling threats, and a mounting sense of dread. The tone is intimate yet investigative, combining the warmth of community memory with the tension of true crime storytelling. Dolores emerges as a complex, beloved figure whose memory drives the quest for truth and justice. Her family's anguish—echoed in direct, often haunting quotations—sets a powerful stage for the season’s deeper exploration into what happened the night she disappeared and its legacy.
For Listeners
For those new to the story, Episode 1 provides a detailed portrait of Dolores Wulff’s life, the familial and societal forces that shaped her world, and the relentless threats that foreshadow her vanishing. The episode closes with the promise of digging even deeper—into both the mystery and the lives left in its wake.