The Unforgotten – Episode 18: The Crossover

Release Date: July 21, 2025
Host: Free Range Productions
Featured Voices: Wes Ferguson, Carol Dawson, Kyle Bonagara, Adam Rittenberg

Overview

This special crossover episode of The Unforgotten brings together the voices behind the podcast’s acclaimed Season 1 and the team launching the upcoming Season 3, Finding Dolores Wulff. The episode serves to introduce listeners to the new season, outline its deeply personal and complex story, and discuss the connecting threads among the show’s creators, the families at the heart of their stories, and themes found throughout the series. Listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at how Season 3 was conceived and produced, with rich context about Dolores Wulff’s disappearance and her family’s relentless, decades-long search for truth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Sneak Peek at Season 3: "Finding Dolores Wulff"

• Opening Preview (00:08–02:26): The episode begins with a dramatic peek into Dolores Wulff’s disappearance in 1979. Family members recall threats, suspicions, heartbreak, and the call that finally provided answers 41 years later.
  • Quote:
    • Carol Dawson recounting Dolores’s fear:

      “She said to me, Jan, I know he's going to kill me. Promise me you'll take care of my boys.” (00:08)

    • Family member on the husband’s threats:

      “He yells at her, ‘I'm going to kill you.’ ... I should have said right then and there, if she dies, you die.” (00:32)

    • The moment of long-delayed news:

      “Paul, we found your mom.” — Wes Ferguson (02:24)

Introducing the Season 3 Team

• Hosts Wes and Carol Gather the Team (02:41–04:51):
  • Wes Ferguson and Carol Dawson extend a Texas welcome.
  • Adam Rittenberg and Kyle Bonagara, both sports journalists, introduce themselves and share the origin of their partnership and project.
    • Adam:

      “This is my first major podcast venture... we always felt this story was worthy of a narrative podcast.” (03:54)

    • Kyle:

      “There’s a lot of similarities with the story you guys reported in season one and the story that Adam and I have spent so much time on.” (04:30)

The Story of Dolores Wulff & Paul Wulff

• Background & Context (04:51–13:31):
  • Season three is about the disappearance of Dolores Wulff, a beloved mother from a tight-knit Portuguese immigrant community in Woodland, California.
  • The family’s 41-year search for answers: “The search lasted 40 years.” (01:15)
  • Paul Wulff, Dolores’s youngest son, later became a prominent college football coach. This sports connection initially drew Adam and Kyle into the story.
    • Kyle on Dolores:

      “Big smile, big toothy smile, loves to laugh, very funny. Always ready with a joke... But more than that, she just loved her kids.” (09:14)

    • Adam on Paul:

      “Paul was an offensive lineman... ended up playing for some really good teams... later becoming a head coach at Eastern Washington and then at Washington State.” (11:15)

From Sports Reporting to True Crime

• The Journalists’ Journey (13:31–20:59):
  • Adam and Kyle, experienced in sports journalism, explain the evolution from covering football to exposing a family’s trauma and generational resilience.
    • Adam:

      “...as we found out very, very quickly, there were a lot of other people and elements of the story that made it worth telling on a grand scale.” (13:18)

    • Kyle:

      “This is very much a story about family, about generational trauma, about never giving up hope... police procedural. There's so many different elements here...” (13:31)

  • The challenge and freedom of podcast storytelling; going deeper and exploring tangents not possible in print.

The Ripple Effects of Tragedy

• Interconnectedness & Family (14:15–17:10):
  • Carol Dawson draws parallels to Season 1, reflecting on how single tragedies echo across generations and communities.
    • Carol:

      “…It’s like sound waves or the circles of water waving when a stone is thrown into a pond... it just keeps going on and on and on and makes us realize how absolutely connected we all are...” (14:15)

Layers of the Dolores Wulff Story

• Unexpected Angles & Storytelling (15:17–17:10):
  • The story incorporates wide-ranging topics: immigration, school desegregation, cultural references—and features a cast of memorable storytellers from Dolores’s extended family.
    • Kyle:

      “...we found ways to incorporate stories about CO-VID missions in Vietnam, the Little Rock Nine, desegregation of schools in Arkansas... There’s a Kim Kardashian reference in this story.” (15:17)

Respect, Sensitivity, and Resolution

• Handling Tragedy with Care (16:27–17:21):
  • The hosts discuss their commitment to balancing storytelling with respect for the pain and trauma experienced by everyone involved.
    • Kyle:

      “It is sad...you can't be too excited about it because...there was a lot of trauma…But we are very proud of the work we did in putting this together...” (16:27)

Will We Get Answers?

• On Closure (17:10–17:23):
  • Teasing the outcome, the hosts promise resolution—but not without listening to the nine-episode journey.
    • Wes:

      “The name of the podcast season is Finding Dolores Wolf. So you have to listen to find out how she was found. But, yes, there is resolution.” (17:23)

Why “The Unforgotten” Matters

• Podcast’s Mission (17:23–19:17):
  • Wes emphasizes the show’s dedication to telling the stories of those who should never be forgotten—not for sensationalism, but for remembrance and justice.
    • Wes:

      “The Unforgotten is about the people at the center of these stories. It’s not about exploiting anyone. It’s about remembering them...” (17:23)

Comparing Reporting Styles and Podcasting Challenges

• Creative Process (19:17–20:59):
  • Adam and Kyle reflect on shifting from print journalism to audio, and the deeper research possible in the podcast medium.
    • Adam:

      “...the experience of writing a podcast and voicing a podcast was really, really different and enjoyable...” (19:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Family Grit and Vengeance

  “So we said we were going to start a holy reign of hell on him.” – Family Member (01:31)

  “You can tell me or the police tomorrow where she’s at, or I can blow your head off.” – Family Member (01:36)

• On the Scars Left Behind

  “There wasn’t even a quiver of hope that she was still alive. And so on we went with the search, you know, the search. Last of 40 years.” – Family Member (01:15)

• On the Podcast’s Mission

  “The Unforgotten is about the people at the center of these stories...remembering them and finding cases that should never be forgotten.” – Wes Ferguson (17:23)

• On Local Color and “Y’all”

  • Light-hearted Texas-California banter about “y’all,” accents, and cultural differences brings warmth and authenticity to the conversation.
    • Carol:

      “I need to hear you both use the word y’all in a sentence. Kyle, you go first.” (29:32)

  • Kyle and Adam gamely comply.

• On Cultural Context and Immigration

  “One of the things I’ve always loved about Northern California is the welcoming of immigrants. You know, there’s a big Portuguese immigrant community, a long tradition, Italian, of course...” – Carol Dawson (27:22)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Preview of Season 3: 00:08–02:26
• Team Introductions & Story Genesis: 02:41–08:25
• Who Was Dolores Wulff? Who is Paul Wulff?: 09:07–12:33
• How Football Led to a Family’s Story: 13:18–13:31
• The Broader Impact of Tragedy: 14:15–15:17
• Unexpected Research Rabbit Holes: 15:17–16:17
• Respecting the Tragedy: 16:27–17:10
• Will There Be Closure?: 17:10–17:23
• Podcast’s Purpose and Integrity: 17:23–19:17
• The Journey into Podcasting: 19:17–20:59
• Dolores’s Family Dynamics & Community: 21:13–23:06
• Texans & Californians Connect: 23:26–27:22
• Accents, “Y’all”, and Texan Identity: 28:31–31:00

Tone & Style

The conversation is candid, empathetic, and at times gently humorous, especially in exchanges about regional culture and podcasting learning curves. All contributors express deep respect for the victims and families at the heart of their stories.

For New Listeners

This episode is an ideal primer for Season 3 of The Unforgotten, summarizing the origin and core of “Finding Dolores Wulff” while showcasing the podcast’s unique blend of true crime, careful journalism, and deep empathy. Listeners are left with a sense of both anticipation and confidence that the new season will honor its subject as “unforgotten”—not just as a cold case, but as a human story about loss, justice, and enduring love.