The Unforgotten – Season 3: Finding Dolores Wulff

Episode 9: Coming Home
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Free Range Productions (Kyle Bonagura & Adam Rittenberg)

Overview

The ninth and final episode of Season 3, "Finding Dolores Wulff," brings listeners to the emotional close of a 41-year-old mystery: the disappearance and eventual identification of Dolores Wulff, a beloved mother from Woodland, California, who vanished in 1979. This episode centers on the family’s long-awaited celebration of life for Dolores, the impact of closure on her surviving loved ones, and the legacy left by those who fought tirelessly for answers—including Dolores' brother, Matthew "Slick" Rocha, and retired detective Kenny Hart. The episode weaves together personal reflection, generational healing, and the unbreakable bonds of family and community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Celebration of Life for Dolores Wulff

[02:30–05:55]

• On July 17, 2021, over 200 people gathered at the TL Ranch in Esparto, CA, for a long-awaited celebration of Dolores’ life. The event, delayed by the pandemic, was filled with poignant symbolism, laughter, and healing.
• The ceremony began at St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery, where Dolores was buried near her parents, bringing closure to the family.

Memorable Moment:

• [04:16] Tom (Dolores's son):
  "She handed me my mother's ashes. At that point, I knew it was over."

2. Stories and Tributes from Loved Ones

[05:55–12:48]

• Family and friends shared memories highlighting Dolores’ warmth, humor, and profound influence.

• Matt Rocha Jr., the emcee, injected familial humor:
  [06:05] "Growing up, you never got anywhere on time."

• Anna, Dolores' daughter, spoke of reconciliation with her hometown and family after years of distance. She addressed the love she witnessed in the community:
  [08:01] Anna:
  "I just came back into this and just saw unbelievable amounts of love that this community has had for my mom and my family ... It just blows my mind."

• Anna praised her Uncle Slick's loyalty and the family’s Portuguese heritage, recalling Dolores’ impact at Woodland High School.

• Speakers like David (Matt’s brother) and Darrell (a childhood friend) shared moving dreams and unyielding affection for Dolores ("the most ideal aunt you could ask for").

3. Detective Kenny Hart’s Journey

[10:48–16:39]

• Kenny Hart was initially met with skepticism by Anna, fearing he’d overshadow the celebration, but upon meeting him, she changed her mind:
  [11:22] Anna:
  "It was like 10 seconds and I just, I just totally melted ... he was just a wonderful, perfect little gift from God."

• Kenny described the case’s deep personal impact, his late-night file reviews with his wife, and his emotional attachment: [12:48] Kenny Hart:
  "I took a picture of Dolores and I stuck it on my wall right next to my desk."

• Kenny’s involvement led to another cold case breakthrough (identifying Tommy Ross Smith’s remains), but his bond with the Wulff family was particularly unique.

4. Impact & Reflections from Law Enforcement and the Family

[15:51–17:38]

• At Kenny’s wedding, Darrell shared the department’s respect ("the bulldog") and the chief’s praise that no one else would have solved the case:
  [16:19] Police Chief:
  "We would have never found her ... He's the man for that."

• Kenny, deeply moved at the celebration, said:
  [16:39]
  "We were so honored that you invited us into her life and yours ... she did leave you with a gift of love, friendship, and a smile that cannot be replicated."

5. The Weight and Relief of Closure

[21:57–32:27]

• Anna shared how a decades-old, cryptic moment with her father ("water") gained new meaning after Dolores was found in the Bay, leading to intense but healing self-reflection:
  [23:24] Anna:
  "That's when it was like, for me, that was my final verification ... That was it. He was starting to say it. To me. That was a big light bulb going on the water."

• Paul, her brother, reassured her that she couldn’t have changed the outcome, and that opening up only helped.

6. Slick Rocha’s Final Chapter

[24:27–32:27]

• Slick’s health declined after Dolores’ identification, but, as his sons Matt Jr. and David described, he found peace in knowing Dolores was found and could be laid to rest beside family.

Memorable Quotes:

• [27:07] David:
  "I think definitely he had a lot of peace, the fact that they found her ... I think they turned more positive after they found her."

• [28:34] David:
  "My father always talked about life after death and being able to be reunited with his sister and his father and mother and brothers ... At the end, I believe he didn't have any doubts that he would go there."

• Slick died on April 30, 2023, having seen his dearest wish—a final resting place beside Dolores—fulfilled:
  [32:27]
  "Matthew Slick Rocha, the man who made a life serving as a protector to so many people around him, died on April 30, 2023. He was 85 years old."

7. Paul’s Private Pilgrimage and Reflections

[32:55–35:54]

• After Dolores’ funeral, Paul visited the site where her remains were found. Returning with his family, he was overwhelmed:
  [33:52] Paul:
  "I felt more emotions than I ever thought I would ... I didn't realize I had something kind of carrying in my soul through this whole process."

• Burying Dolores brought Paul unexpected peace, and as he drove home, he reflected on the divergent paths of his parents:
  [36:25]
  "Life is ever evolving. And just because I may be good today doesn't mean I couldn't turn for the worst tomorrow ..."

8. Reunions, Remembrance, and Final Resting Places

[37:28–41:33]

• Hosts Adam and Kyle toured the cemeteries where Dolores spent 40+ years as a Jane Doe, reflecting on the tragedies of anonymity and the solace of reunion.
• With help from Kenny Hart, they located Dolores’ unmarked original grave. The juxtaposition underscored the years lost and the gravity of identification.

9. The Importance of Closure and Memory

[44:09–end]

• Paul summarized the true impact of "closure":
  [44:09] Paul:
  "People always use the phrase closure. I think until you're really in it ... you don't really realize what it is. And to experience it, we really do have it. And I think we're all definitely at peace now. ... Everything's out there. Everything's understood. It's completely finalized. It just feels good."

• Adam and Kyle close the season, tying the story of Dolores to the broader mission of "The Unforgotten":
  [44:43]
  "Not just finding the missing, but refusing to let their stories fade away."

Notable Quotes & Emotional Highlights

• Tom (Dolores's son), [04:16]:
  "She handed me my mother's ashes. At that point I knew it was over."

• Anna, [08:01]:
  "I just am seeing such amazing love and acts of love from friends and family that I just want to thank you all for being so strong and just beautiful for us and our family."

• Kenny Hart, [12:48]:
  "I kept getting drawn back to Dolores so much that I took a picture of Dolores and I stuck it on my wall right next to my desk. So my day started out saying hi to my teens, getting my coffee, and talking to Dolores."

• Darrell quoting police chief, [16:19]:
  "We would have never found her ... He's the man for that."

• David on Slick’s peace, [27:07]:
  "Instead of maybe a lot of the negative conversations ... I think they turned back into more of the good times ... they finally had an answer."

• Paul, on true closure, [44:09]:
  "And to experience it, we really do have it. And I think we're all definitely at peace now. It just feels good."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:30 – Scene-setting for the celebration of life
• 04:16 – Tom reflects on receiving his mother’s ashes
• 06:05 – Matt Rocha Jr.’s humorous opening
• 08:01 – Anna’s emotional speech on returning home and feeling embraced
• 10:48 – Anna’s initial skepticism about Detective Kenny Hart as speaker
• 12:48–13:19 – Kenny Hart recounts his attachment to Dolores’s case
• 15:51 – Darrell, at Kenny’s wedding, recounts the police department's respect for Hart
• 16:39 – Kenny Hart’s closing tribute at the celebration
• 21:57–23:43 – Anna connects her father’s “water” remark to Dolores’ bay discovery
• 24:27-28:34 – Slick’s last months, closure, and reflections from his sons
• 32:55 – Paul’s visit to the site where Dolores was found
• 33:52–35:54 – Paul’s reflections on his parents’ legacies
• 37:28–41:33 – Hosts’ cemetery visits and the contrast between anonymity and remembrance
• 44:09 – Paul articulates the meaning of closure
• 44:43 – Hosts’ concluding remarks, tying the season’s story to the podcast’s greater mission

Conclusion

“Coming Home” serves as a poignant finale to both Dolores Wulff’s decades-long disappearance and the family’s pursuit of peace. Through heartfelt recollections, candid interviews, and the resilient work of investigators and loved ones, the episode illustrates the enduring strength of family and the importance of never forgetting those who are lost. The closure achieved is not just logistical but profoundly emotional, rippling through generations—and in sharing their story, the Wulff family honors not only Dolores but countless others still awaiting answers.

This summary highlights the central narrative and key moments, preserving the voices and emotional tone that make “The Unforgotten” a vital chronicle of remembrance and justice.