MURDERED: Amy Hooper

Summary

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Up and Vanished Weekly: “MURDERED: Amy Hooper”

Date: December 10, 2025
Hosts: Maggie Freleng (primary), Payne Lindsey
Guests: Captain and Nick Edwards (True Crime Garage)
Episode Focus: The three-decade-old murder of Amy Hooper, renewed efforts that led to the solving of the case, and a discussion about the evolution and responsibilities of true crime podcasting.

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Episode Overview

This episode centers around the 1992 murder of Amy Hooper in Grove City, Ohio, and explores the decades-long investigation that eventually led to an arrest in 2024. Hosts Maggie Freleng and Payne Lindsey, along with guests Nick and Captain of True Crime Garage, revisit the case, highlight the advances in forensic genealogy that cracked it, reflect on the impact of the true crime community, and discuss the changing landscape of true crime media.

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The Case of Amy Hooper

Background & Timeline

• March 9, 1992, Grove City, Ohio:
  Amy Hooper, 20, returns her mother’s car early in the morning and discusses her plans for the day. She is later discovered missing after not appearing for work.
• Discovery:
  Amy’s parents go to her apartment after she fails to answer calls. Her father, Hollis Hooper, discovers Amy’s body upstairs. She had suffered both stab wounds and blunt force trauma ([02:59–05:31]).
• Scene Details:
  • No forced entry or struggle
  • Body positioning appeared “staged”
  • Murder weapon (knife) was left at the scene, but the blunt force weapon was not found
  • A red, yellow, and green medallion resembling Rastafarian symbolism was found on her wrists
  • Her engagement ring was not stolen, suggesting robbery was not a motive
  • DNA evidence was collected, but technology to analyze it was limited at the time ([06:36–09:19])

Investigation & Theories

• Suspects:
  Police investigated several people—ex-boyfriends, friends, co-workers, sex offenders—but eliminated them, including her boyfriend and roommate.
• Theories:
  • The lack of forced entry suggested familiarity with the killer.
  • One theory posited by police was racial animus due to Amy, who was white, dating primarily Black men.
• Chilling Details:
  Several area women received threatening phone calls referencing Amy’s murder: “Remember Amy Hooper? You’re gonna end up just like that.” ([07:48])

Case Goes Cold

• The DNA evidence “just sat waiting for technology to advance.” ([08:11–09:19])

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The Breakthrough: 2024 Arrest

• Advances in DNA Technology:
  In 2024, familial DNA and forensic genealogy linked Bruce Edward Daniels (then 58, living in Washington) to the crime.

• Arrest Details:

  • DNA from a discarded object matched the crime scene sample.
  • Daniels was arrested on December 5, 2024, charged with murder and rape.
  • He was extradited to Columbus, Ohio, with a $500,000 bond.
  • Amy’s family, including her sister Sandy Green, emphasized the vital persistence of the investigative team and especially Detective Chuck Clark ([09:19–12:35], [41:17–41:57]).

  Notable Quote:

“Incredible patience, persistence to solve cold cases, sometimes years, waiting for just the right set of circumstances... Advances in familial DNA... played a vital role in solving this case.”
— Sheriff Dallas Baldwin ([10:44])

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Remembering Amy Hooper

• Described as a happy, trusting, friendly, and “great girl”; no history of drama or trouble
• Was newly engaged, had recently moved into her apartment, and was about to embark on independent adulthood ([05:43–06:36])
• The abruptness and brutality of her death shocked the community

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Conversation with Captain & Nick (True Crime Garage)

(Begins: [13:43], Key Amy Hooper section: [27:32–30:15])

Origins & Philosophy

• History:
  Nick and Captain started True Crime Garage in 2015, focusing on cold/unsolved cases, often suggested by listeners, with a strong Ohio focus.
• Podcasting Evolution:
  They describe the early days as “the Wild West,” with little mainstream awareness or competition ([14:04–16:45]).
• Community:
  They credit their audience with the show’s success and describe a ripple effect, where coverage inspires more attention for cases ([15:41–16:45]).

True Crime as a Calling

• Their cases often stay with them for years; some, like Amy Hooper’s, are “haunting.”
• Personal Connection:
  Nick notes, “Our parents knew her parents and actually attended her funeral… We may never get justice for this person… and God bless [law enforcement], they never gave up on the case.” ([27:39])
• Emphasize the role of the true crime community in keeping the pressure on cold cases.

Notable Quotes:

“There’s cases that we picked seven years ago... I thought, oh, we did the show, it’s done… No, I think we all have this thing of if I just look at this case one more time, maybe I’ll see something or hear something that nobody else saw.”
— The Captain ([23:42])

“He was just not on anybody’s radar… Not in the police file.”
— The Captain about Bruce Daniels ([29:46–30:01])

Industry Reflections & Responsibilities

([30:15–39:37])

• Philanthropy and Advocacy:

  • Collaborated with NCMEC, Keeping Our Girls Safe (self-defense for women), Porchlight Project (forensic genealogy in cold cases), Othram labs.
  • Raised over $20,000 for missing and exploited children’s causes.

• True Crime's Challenges:

  • Concern over “entertainment” eclipsing facts in newer documentaries and podcasts—potential danger in spreading false narratives.
  • The explosion of podcasting: more competition, more resources, but a risk of losing focus on victims’ stories.

Memorable Moments:

“We’ve become fans of people that are essentially our colleagues… Tenderfoot does great work… I mean, the list goes on and on...”
— Nick ([21:53])

About Covering Amy Hooper

• They’d covered her case years prior, were elated to see an arrest thanks to forensic genealogy, and looked forward to trial.
• Noted the importance of the ripple effect—how renewed coverage can have real impact on moving cases forward.

“We were happy to feature it because we wanted to give it some renewed interest… and very thankfully… sometimes we see this… we’ll cover a case and two months later, somebody else covers it. Three months later, somebody else. And we love, again, it’s that ripple effect.”
— Nick ([29:04])

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The Role of Forensic Genealogy

(Episode close: [41:17–42:29])

Detective Chuck Clark credited forensic genealogy with solving Amy’s case after decades, highlighting “the effectiveness of forensic genealogy, but also a reminder that there are many families who are waiting for technology to help bring closure.”

Amy’s sister, Sandy Green:

“Twenty years ago, Detective Clark called me in Colorado to let me know that he was a new cold case detective… I'm so thankful that he always stayed in contact with me and never gave up on my sister’s case. Amy has missed so many incredible, important events in our lives.” ([41:45])

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Critical Missing Case ([25:26])

• Each episode features a brief on a current missing persons case. This week: 16-year-old Riley Monk missing from Henderson, Nevada; listeners urged to contact police with any info.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On podcasting’s evolution:

  “When we first started doing this, you told people you’d have a podcast and they looked at you like you have three heads.” — Nick ([14:38])

• On coverage’s impact:

  “It has a ripple effect. It really does… that ripple effect now means a lot more than it did then.” — Nick ([19:46])

• On industry changes:

  “Some of it, frankly, I think is upsetting. I want to see the money spent in a proper way that honors and supports the victims and the victims’ families.” — Nick ([37:52])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:52] Maggie Freeling introduces the episode and Amy Hooper’s case.
• [02:59–05:31] Detailed recounting of Amy Hooper’s last known movements and discovery.
• [06:36–09:19] Discussion of investigation details, early leads, and challenges.
• [09:19–12:35] 2024 DNA breakthrough and arrest of Bruce Edward Daniels.
• [13:43] Interview begins with True Crime Garage’s Captain & Nick.
• [27:32–30:15] Deep dive into Amy Hooper’s case from Captain & Nick’s perspective.
• [30:43–33:40] Discussion of philanthropic efforts and impact in cold case work.
• [41:17–41:57] Testimony from Detective Chuck Clark and Amy’s sister Sandy Green.

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Episode Tone & Language

• Respectful, empathetic, and nuanced—committed to honoring Amy Hooper’s memory and the broader challenges in seeking justice for cold cases.
• A deep sense of community and humility is evident among the hosts and guests; their passion for truth-seeking and advocacy stands out.
• Occasional light, collegial humor among Maggie, Captain, and Nick brings levity to an otherwise somber subject matter.

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TL;DR / Takeaways

• After 33 years, Amy Hooper’s murder has been solved thanks to advances in forensic genealogy.
• Community coverage, persistent detective work, and evolving technology are essential in solving cold cases.
• True crime media has grown exponentially, but creators stress the importance of using the platform responsibly—focusing on victims, not just storytelling.
• True Crime Garage and other advocates continue to push for justice, support philanthropy, and help train the next generation of true crime storytellers.
• The case is a testament to never giving up hope for justice, no matter how much time has passed.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Welcome to Radio Rental. The scariest stories you've ever heard in your life, all told by real people. And off we go. This wasn't a human being that I saw. There's something here in this house, something out of this world.

[A]

There was a woman moving through the hall. I stepped back and I was completely, completely alone.

[B]

Radio Rental is available now. Listen for free on Amazon Music.

[C]

Up and Vanish Weekly is released every Wednesday and brought to you absolutely free, but for one week early access and ad free listening. Subscribe to Tenderfoot Plus@Tenderfoot Plus.com or on Apple Podcasts if you're already a subscriber. Thank you for your support.

[A]

This podcast discusses mature and sensitive content, including descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y'.

[D]

All.

[A]

Welcome to up and Vanish Weekly. I'm Maggie Freeling. Today we are covering the murder of Amy Hooper and the three decade search for her killer. Amy was a beloved daughter just starting life on her own and her death was shocking. Two people in that community were podcasters, Captain and Nick Edwards of True Crime Garage. And if you know True Crime, then you probably know Captain and Nick. And I happen to know them super well. Over the years we've attended crime cons together and Captain and I even looked into Brian Schaeffer's disappearance together in Ohio. If you haven't listened to the up and Vanish Weekly episode about Brian Schaeffer, you should definitely check it out. Captain and Nick are proud Ohioans who grew up in Columbus and always wondered who killed Amy Hooper. But before we get to our conversation with Capstan and Nick, let's learn more about what happened to Amy.

[B]

It's dawn on Monday, March 9, 1992 in Grove City, a southern suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Third grade teacher Joy Long is starting her day. Around 6:30, her front door opens and in walks Joy's daughter, 20 year old Amy Hooper. She arrives to drop off Joy's car, having borrowed it over the weekend, the two chat while Joy does her makeup. Amy mentions a meeting she has later that morning at work. Berman's Leather, located inside nearby Westland Mall. She says her goodbyes, then leaves in her sister's car, which she planned to use that day. Later that afternoon at Harmon Elementary School, Joy makes her way into the office to gather her mail. Around 3:30, a school secretary informs her that Amy's work had called and left a message. Amy had not shown up for her shift and they had not heard from her. Joy tries calling Amy, but there is no answer. Concerned, she calls Amy's father, Hollis Hooper. The two agree to meet at their daughter's apartment. Upon arrival, they knock on Amy's door, but there is no answer. They then make contact with apartment management who agree to let them into the unit. While Joy waits at the office, Hollis and a complex manager enter the residence. At first, nothing seems suspicious. Then Hollis makes his way towards the stairs and ascends there. On the floor of an upstairs room, he discovers the lifeless body of his daughter, Amy Hooper. She's wearing no clothing and her body shows signs of sustaining both stab wounds as well as blunt force trauma. Eventually, Hollis makes his way back to the apartment office and tells Joy what he found. The investigation that follows would turn into a decades long search for justice for friends and family as police attempt to track down the person responsible for the violent murder of Amy Hooper.

[D]

From tenderfoot tv in atlanta, I'm payne lindsay.

[A]

And I'm maggie freeling and you're listening.

[D]

To up and vanished weekly.

[A]

Amy Hooper is remembered by family and friends as happy, generally trusting and a friendly person. A quote, great girl. From what I can gather from reports, Amy was popular. She had a lot of friends and dated a lot of men. According to the police, she didn't use drugs and didn't have drama. Quote, she wasn't causing any trouble for anyone. She hung out, worked hard and did her job. Life was on the up for young Amy. She had just moved into her own apartment with a friend her mom hadn't even visited yet. It was so new. And the weekend before she was killed, Amy was visiting her boyfriend when he proposed. At just 20 years old, Amy had a lot to look forward to. But someone wanted to take that all away.

[B]

Despite the violent murder, there were no signs of forced entry or a struggle inside Amy's apartment, leading investigators to believe the killer might be someone she knew. The first responding officers noted that the position of her body appeared to have been staged. A knife believed to be used in the murder was Recovered at the scene. Though the medical examiner ruled that the likely cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, the weapon that caused those injuries was never recovered. Wrapped loosely around Amy's wrists, Investigators recovered a wooden and leather medallion featuring the colors red, yellow, and green. Initial research led police to believe the medallion having a connection to the Rastafarian movement, as the colors displayed match those found on flags of multiple African nations. The diamond ring given by her boyfriend was still on Amy's finger, leading investigators to rule out robbery as the motive for the murder. Police also announced the collection of DNA evidence from the crime scene. Over the following weeks, several women in the west Columbus area reported receiving disturbing phone calls from a male caller referencing Amy's murder.

[D]

Remember Amy Hooper? You're gonna end up just like that.

[B]

With the area's residents on edge, Police now had to consider the possibility that there was a serial killer active within suburban Columbus.

[A]

According to an article by the Columbus dispatch, Amy appeared to be getting ready for work when she was ambushed. The dispatch reports Amy's pink carryall that held her makeup and hair brushes was still open on the bedroom floor. She had showered and her electric blanket was still on on her bed. Police speculated that a motive could be that because Amy was a young white woman who dated almost exclusively black men, Someone wasn't okay with who she was sleeping with. Police also looked into the phone calls made to other women, but never made a connection to Amy's murder. There were several potential suspects. Former boyfriends, old friends, former co workers, neighborhood sex offenders, but none panned out. Amy's boyfriend was cleared and her roommate passed a lie detector test. The police investigation went cold, but there was DNA just sitting, waiting for technology to advance.

[B]

In 2024, over three decades after Amy Hooper was found beaten and stabbed to death in her Franklin village apartment, investigators catch a major break in the case regarding the DNA evidence collected inside the apartment. According to a probable cause affidavit, the Ohio bureau of criminal investigation and Franklin county sheriff's department are able to identify 58 year old Bruce Edward Daniels of Tumwater, Washington, as a person of interest in the murder. Soon after, authorities in Washington state locate and begin surveilling Daniels. During this time, they are able to obtain an item discarded by Daniels after testing DNA on that object matched the DNA taken from the crime scene in 1992. On December 4, 2024, an arrest warrant is issued for Daniels. He's taken into custody the following day. The charges include both murder and rape. In March of 2025, Franklin County Sheriff's deputies escort Daniels back to Columbus, Ohio, where he is booked into the James A. Carnes Correction center and given a $500,000 bond. Shortly after a press conference is held by authorities, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin addressed the persistence of investigators it takes.

[D]

Incredible patience, persistence to solve cold cases, sometimes years, waiting for just the right set of circumstances or events to unfold. This case is an excellent example of how sharing resources and information among agencies solves crimes. Advances in familial DNA through scientific research played a vital role in solving this case.

[B]

In attendance at that press conference are family members of Amy who are finally one step closer in their 33 year search for justice.

[A]

Authorities have not disclosed how Bruce Daniels knew Amy. If he did at all, he would have been in his mid-20s, 24:25 when the murder occurred. Police did not give a motive, but are hoping a motive for the murder will surface during trial. Before his arrest in the Olympia, Washington area, Daniels spent time in Columbus, Ohio Cincinnati, Ohio and in Georgia. Investigators detailed that a full DNA profile was gathered following Amy's murder in 1992, but the technology to match that profile took time to develop. While recently attending CrimeCon, one of our producers, John, had the opportunity to sit down with the hosts of True Crime, Garage Captain and Nick Edwards. They are wildly popular true crime podcasters who have covered every major case you can think of, but also who specialize in covering cases in the Ohio area, including the murder of Amy Hooper. When we come back from break, we'll play you some of that conversation.

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And we're back.

[C]

Well, guys, thank you for sitting down with me. I know you guys have had your show forever. I know you and Maggie go way back. My first time really meeting you and talking with you guys. So I'm excited to learn a little bit more about y'. All.

[D]

Very glad to meet you and excited to be here as well.

[C]

So why don't you start. Just introduce yourself, talk a little bit about the show for anybody who. Who may not be familiar.

[D]

I'm Nick. That is the captain. We are True Crime Garage. We've been doing a true crime podcast out of our garage since 2015. And most of the time, we try to focus on unsolved cold cases, but we do a little bit of everything. We are very much engaged with our audience, and the audience suggests a lot of the cases that we cover. And so if they point us in a direction, we go and we chase.

[C]

It down, and we do it engaging with the listeners. That's huge. How did you all originally get into podcasting? Obviously, nobody goes to school to be a podcaster.

[E]

They do now.

[D]

They do now. When we started. They didn't when we first started doing this. You tell people you'd have a podcast, and they look at you like you have three heads. You know, they don't know what that means. But no, we started off as just a fun project to work on together, an excuse to hang out. And we sent it out to the world, and people started listening, and we. We just started saying, look, we got to start tracking down more of these unsolved cases and featuring them week after week after week. And then you blink, and it's 10 years.

[E]

Yeah, but also, I. I thought I got a note from the government in the mail, and I was like, if you were in a band, failed musician, you have to start a podcast. If you're in your 30s and you're a white male, you have to start a podcast. So the government didn't give us a choice when it comes down to it.

[C]

So obviously, the show is really well loved. You've got very dedicated fans. Do you see any reason for the formula of success that you've had? Like, can you put your finger on anything specific?

[D]

Yeah, it's the people that listen to our show and the ones that tell their friends, hey, check out this show. And with that as our show has grown, so has the true crime community. And with all the new programming out regarding true crime these days, it's really quite fascinating how different this world is now today compared to 10 years ago.

[C]

So were you all listening to podcasts when you started?

[E]

Well, as you know, as a. As a musician, when you're on the road, I would listen to. It was called coast to coast am. They would talk about crime stories, but they'd also talk about Bigfoot and aliens. And then I would listen to some NPR shows. But this is back in the day where you had to hook your ipod up to the computer and download the episode and then transfer it onto your ipod. And the only other person I knew that was listening to as many podcasts as I was, Nick, was listening. So we would start talking about different episodes that we heard.

[D]

We were living quite far apart from one another at that time, and we were. We would regularly have a monthly phone call check in, and we would get to talking about these different podcasts that we were listening to. And it was amazing that nobody else really in our social circles or family knew that this was even a thing. It was really this. Just this new form of talk radio that was so niche and dialed into a specific interest. And that's what I think attracted us to it. Because if there's something you were into back then, good luck finding a podcast for it. But. But today, if there's something that you are into, it doesn't matter what it is. There's probably 10 podcasts about that.

[E]

Well, one of the things I liked about it was it felt like old technology.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

Like when you hear about people in the 30s and 40s sitting around the radio and listening to the baseball game. And one of the things that I kept hearing through this crime con is, hey, are you going to do more with video? And part of me is like, no, I like the old time aspect of it. And I think we live in a society right now where we're all trying to capture somebody's attention, but we're trying to do it in bite sizes. Where I kind of feel like podcasts aren't for everybody to listen to. It's a long form, art form. And so it's something that you have to have a little more dedication to. But I think that extra effort that the listener has to put in, you see it come out by people visiting CrimeCon, their enthusiasm and how much they feel connected to you.

[D]

Our podcast is very much long form. I don't know that we are even capable of doing short form. But, you know, a lot of these cases require that, you know, there. There's so much detail and there's so much information and even speculation in some of these cases that I think the right way to do it, at least for us, is to dedicate an hour, two hours or more to a specific case.

[C]

So when y' all started, I mean, like you said, people looked at you like you were crazy. They had no idea what a podcast was. So what. What was the goal? Like, what was the reasoning behind it? Just a way for you all to spend time together and bond over something that you enjoyed mutually.

[E]

Well, initially, it was just, can we get together, set up some microphones, or can we record a podcast? And I think we did about four, and then barely edit them. And then at some point, it was like, you're curious. Like, well, if we put this out to the world, will anybody even hear it? And especially in those days, you'd put out an episode. Maybe you get 500 downloads in a week, maybe a thousand. But enough where you go. I mean, you put 500 people in a room.

[D]

That's a lot of people.

[E]

I don't know if we had any goal other than maybe, let's talk about some cases that are not talked about often and not in the news.

[D]

We started finding more and more cases that needed and deserved more attention. And we didn't have these grandiose ideas or even disillusions that we could provide that. But we thought, even on a small scale, if we could, why not? Why not do it? And it has a ripple effect. It really does. And then to watch the community and the listeners grow over the years and watch CrimeCon grow over the years, that ripple effect now means a lot more than it did then. Unfortunately, there's no shortage of these stories.

[C]

Where were you finding cases at? Just the Web.

[D]

So we're from Ohio. We're Ohio boys, and there are a lot of cold cases in Ohio. And so that was sort of easy picking because we know the. We know the landscape, we know the terrain, but we get our cases from our listeners. And every week, God bless them, we get 10, 20 case suggestions, some of them missing persons, some unsolved, some solved cases. And, you know, we primarily do unsolved cases. A lot of cold cases. Once in a while, we'll sprinkle in a solved case because you can learn what worked in that case, how can it be applied to an unsolved case? And so, God bless the listeners. We get. No, we get tons of requests, tons of suggestions. We keep a Big master spreadsheet of all the cases with. With little notes on each one of them. And if, if we can live to be long enough, we might get to the end of that list.

[E]

Probably not.

[D]

Probably not. We make unhealthy choices.

[E]

Yes. But also, I think there's a thing in the true crime world or the true crime ethos where, like the Amy Bradley case, it was a. It was a big deal years ago with this new Netflix documentary. Everybody starts talking about it, and then what happens is your listeners start going, hey, all these other shows are talking about it, but we want to hear your thoughts. And so there's. There are some cases that. It's almost like the community points them in your direction.

[D]

Well, and back to a question you had asked earlier. You know, one of the reasons we keep coming back is we've become fans of people that are essentially our colleagues when you think about it. You know, Tenderfoot does great work. We just saw Derek levasseur walk by. He does great work. Kelly Brinks does great work over there. Generation Y DNA id. I mean, the list goes on and on and on. If ever, if you've never been to a crime conversation, go to their website and you just start reading. Anybody you can think of is here.

[C]

You've covered so many cases over the years. Is there one that sticks with you for whatever reason after all this time?

[D]

We get asked that question a lot. And I think to try to really nail it down to one individual case is just too difficult to do. Between the two of us, there's enough room in our hearts and our souls for all these cases and for the individuals that are part of those stories. But, you know, there are certainly ones that. That haunt you, right? There's certainly ones that bother you more than others. There's a case from Columbus, Ohio, Amy Hooper, who was killed in 1992, very, very brutal, violent crime. She was killed in her apartment. But, you know, that list for me might be a little different from the Captain's list. You know, we are. People listen to the show and I get it. You listen long enough and they think we share a brain. You know, and maybe we only have half a brain and equal one brain between the two of us, but we are two different people. And he has his cases that if he starts talking about. I can think about 4 or 5 of his cases. He starts talking to me about them and blows my top every time at his. His knowledge, his wealth of knowledge about those cases. And as said, mine might be a little bit different. Different from one we shared for many years together was the deli case.

[E]

I think the more shocking thing is that you're picking a case each week. So there's cases that we picked seven years ago that we you did research on for seven days and you put together your presentation, you record it, put it out. And some of those cases I haven't stopped looking at for the last seven years. And I thought, oh, we did the show, it's done, we gotta move on to the next. No, I think we all have this thing of if I just look at this case one more time, maybe I'll see something or hear something that nobody else saw.

[A]

We'll be back after the break.

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And now, here's this week's critical missing case.

[B]

Today's case comes to us from KSNV News in Las Vegas. According to the outlet, 16 year old Riley Monk has been missing since November 15th and his family is appealing to the public for help in locating him. Riley was last seen leaving his mother's house in Henderson, Nevada, and she has been unable to locate him since. Amber Monk says her son is an avid gamer and fears he may have been influenced by someone he met online. Online According to the national center for Missing and Endangered Children, runaways are the most common reports of missing children, with online platforms often playing a significant role. Riley is described as being 6ft tall and weighing 240 pounds. He has long brown hair. His mother describes him as a gentle giant. So Listeners, if you have seen Riley or know his whereabouts, please contact the Henderson Police Department at 702-267-4705. You can also check out the UAV Weekly Instagram page at UAV Weekly to see a picture of Riley and to repost for visibility. Thanks.

[A]

All right, we're back.

[C]

So if, you know, resources were unlimited time, you know, money. Is there one specific case that you would do an entire series on?

[D]

We've spent a lot of time on the JonBenet Ramsey case. We spent a lot of time on the Delphi murders from Indiana. We just met Mike and Becky Patty again for probably the third time here today at CrimeCon. But like the captain said, every week we do feature another case, a new case, but we also don't shy away from returning to some of those cases that we've covered before. If there's new information, if there's new insight, or even better, we've made an arrest. Right? So we do return to cases. And there are. It's pretty regular that we look at each other after recording or at the end of a week and go, man, I wish we could stick with this one for a while because there's something here. There's something about this one.

[C]

So you mentioned the Amy Hooper case. Talk a little bit about that case. You know, what are the details and why does it stick out to you?

[D]

Well, that one is near and dear to us for many reasons. One, we're, as said, we're Ohio boys. We're born and raised in Columbus, and Amy Hooper was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. Our parents knew her parents and actually attended her funeral. And for all of these years, they've always wondered who killed Amy Hooper. And you know, you get those cases, you kind of have to resolve yourself to the idea that we may never know the answer, we may never get justice for this person. We may never get any kind of answers or anything for their family that have suffered all these years. And God bless the people, the good people of Franklin County Sheriff's Department, they never gave up on the case. Detective Chuck Clark never gave up on the case. And it was over 30 years later, they make an arrest. December of last year, December of 2024, they made an arrest of a guy that nobody had heard of. We covered the case in a 2, 2 parts, 2 hour long coverage of Amy's case several years ago. And then we hear the announcement in December of 2024 that a man named Bruce Edward Daniels was arrested in Washington State. They did the familial DNA which led them to a family tree, which would then connect them to a relative of Bruce Edward Daniels and then eventually to him. So they never gave up law enforcement. The family never gave up on this case. We were happy to feature it because we wanted to give it some renewed interest, at least at the local level, if we could. And very thankfully, sometimes we see this and you'll see it with other podcasters too, but I've seen it with our show and I love when it happens. We'll cover a case and two months later, somebody else covers it. Three months later, somebody else. And we love, again, it's that ripple effect. Right. And so with Amy Hooper's case, we should see that go to trial very late this year or January of next year.

[E]

Well, I was just going to say with that case and so many cases that you look into, we might have a list of good suspects. But like Nick said, the individual wasn't on that list. There was a guy that was not in.

[D]

Not in the police file.

[E]

Right. He was just not on anybody's radar. And we've seen that with several cases. We looked into Deli for a very long time. Richard Allen's name didn't come on up on suspect list way it was.

[C]

So I think it's probably easy for people who may not be familiar with your show to generalize and say, you know, you're just a couple of guys, a couple of bros, sitting down, drinking beers, talking about these cases and just kind of, you know, talking off the cuff. But I know that a lot of what you do one is like very intense work. You know, you do a lot of research, you do a lot of coverage, a lot of reporting. These aren't short, like 20, 30 minute episodes. These are long form looks at cases. But also philanthropy is another big part of what you all do. So talk a little bit more about that.

[D]

Yeah. So we've worked hand in hand with the national center for Missing and Exploited Children throughout the years, helping to raise money for their efforts. That's a fantastic organization. I was lucky enough to meet John Walsh last year, Callahan Walsh a couple years ago. So we've helped to raise over $20,000 for NCMEC throughout the years. And I think that number is still, I hope that number's still climbing. We've also worked with a more local organization called Keeping Our Girls Safe. What they do is really interesting. They have developed these keychains that are self defense keychains. Okay. And what inspired this was somebody very close to them, near and dear to them. Sierra Joggin was abducted Less than half a mile from her home, she's out biking and she was abducted by this complete psychopath. This guy was all into.

Abducting women, women raping, torture, all the worst stuff you can think of. And they developed a keychain for self defense built for the idea of if you can just get in one good shot on the guy, just, just to give you enough time to flee and get out of there. And then they took, they've taken that a step further. What I'm, what I really love that they're doing keep our girls safe. They are. They do free self defense classes to young girls and women and a lot of these are put on by, by members of law enforcement. So they partner up with law enforcement, they go to high schools, middle schools, and they gather up all the girls and they say, let's teach you some self defense techniques so that you can, God forbid that that happened, give you just enough time to get away.

[C]

You also work with Porchlight Project as well, correct?

[B]

Yes.

[D]

Yeah, Porchlight Project. And Othram is here. Love Othram. So AAM is doing some fantastic work for those that don't know. They are based out of Texas and they are doing a lot of the DNA work on some of these cases. If you are watching TV or listening to a podcast and you hear about a case like Amy Hooper's where they are finding the suspect using DNA many years later, decades later, oftentimes it's companies like Othram. A lot of times it is Othram. And so Othram's here and Porchlight. We've been lucky enough to work with them and a few other great labs over the years. We solved a 1987 cold case out of Northeast Ohio, Barbara Blatnick, who was murdered. Murdered in 1987. She was 18 years old, walking home late night and was abducted. And then we're currently working on a case with Othram. Right now. We can't discuss the victim's name, but very happy to have been working with James Renner and the Porchlight Project now since its inception, I've, I'm on the board there. Yeah.

[E]

But we've also worked with young, inspiring podcasters. We take them under our wing and show them the ropes. I mean, you might have heard of Maggie Freeling. We'd been mentoring her for years and it's really a, it's a labor of love. Kind of took her out of the gutters, if you will, and propped her up on this pedestal and now she's really a shining beacon of Hope for everybody. Look at her now. I mean, she, she's still small, she's still malnutrition. But other than that, we're very proud of her.

[C]

So I would like to get your thoughts. I mean, obviously you have been, you know, diy, if you want to call it that, podcasting for a very long time now. It seems like there are so many people who are podcasting, you know, how does it make you feel just to see the growth of the industry over, you know, 10, 15 years?

[D]

Well, it really brings a lot of credibility and legitimizes the industry. Right. Like I said when we first started doing this, you said you tell somebody you have a podcast, they look at you like you just landed from Mars. And today you have. Every big name celebrity has a podcast, every big media group, NBC, cbs. There's no shortage of it. So it really has sort of legitimized what, what we started doing a long time ago.

[E]

Well, I think there's pros and cons because where the status of podcasting is at now, would we even be able to make a dent in it? But that was what was so nice in the beginning. It was, it was like the wild, wild west. And I think there's something a little sad about.

Like, look at what Payne did. I mean, computer.

[D]

Yeah, Payne's been doing it as long.

[E]

As we have, you know, microphone and how big of a dent and how big of a splash he made. And so now these younger content creators, I think they do have it harder to, to make as big of a splash. But I think, you know, the, the people that are approaching it with the right state of mind and heart, they'll.

[A]

Find their way back after a short break.

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[C]

Hey listeners, if you have a tip or theories about a case you want to share or a case of interest you'd like to recommend to us, then we want to hear from you. Email us casesenderfoot tv DMUS on Instagram avweekly or give us a call at 770-545-6411. You can also join the conversation on our discord at Discord GG upandvanished. Now back to the show.

So one other thing I was curious to get your thoughts on. Obviously there's now been a lot of financing and money put into like true crime as a genre. But you all, you know, obviously started this as just like a love for, you know, getting the word out about these cases and, you know, covering and reporting on these stories. You know, what does that make you feel? Just like seeing how, how much the industry or the genre, I should say, has grown.

[D]

Some of it, frankly, I think is upsetting. I want to see the money spent in a proper way that honors and supports the victims and the victims families. I believe that that's happening in most cases. I hope that it's happening in all situations.

[C]

So I guess leaning into that a little bit more, are there any other potential dangers that you've seen in the growth of, you know, podcasting or just, you know, the quasi explosion of, you know, true crime as a genre?

[E]

Yes, because I believe the initial documentaries like in the 90s there were. They were more real. They were more about the evidence and the facts of the case. And now it seems like the newer documentaries are more about entertainment as opposed to the facts of the case. And I think you also see that in podcasting. I think you have some creators that are at the top that are focused on more entertaining their audience as opposed to putting out the correct information. And I think that could be dangerous in some of these cases by putting out false narratives.

[C]

Well, guys, thank you so much for sitting down and sharing more. Just about really the history of your show, the passion that you all have to cover these cases. Where can people find you? Follow you, learn more about the show.

[E]

They can check out truecrimegarage.com and I was kind of worried about this interview. John, were you? Well, because I thought Maggie was going to be doing the interview. So I was like, I've mentored her for so long and really gave her her journalistic dignity, if you will. But I think you did a stellar job. Home run, knocked it out of the park. And I don't know what Tenderfoot is paying you, but I believe you deserve a raise.

[C]

Well, thank you.

[D]

Yeah, we're available anywhere you find podcasts, Apple, Spotify, Sirius xm, anywhere. Just type up True Crime Garage. We do a weekly show, new show every week, almost every week. It's a new case as well, and we got a back catalog of over 800 episodes.

[C]

Is there anything upcoming that you want to let anybody know about?

[D]

Nothing that's out of the ordinary for us. Again, it's a lot of cold cases, a lot of unsolved cases, a lot of stuff from the 90s, the early aughts. We just keep plugging along and people keep sending us your case suggestions, and we'll. We'll keep going after them.

[C]

Well, guys, I really appreciate you sitting down. It's been awesome.

[D]

Hey, John, thank you for having us.

[E]

Thank you.

[A]

I love hearing Captain and Nick's thoughts on the industry and the early days of true crime podcasting. It reminded me of the excitement I also felt a decade ago. And for the record, Captain, I am perfectly nourished. I appreciate that. Even though the two of them have reached the top of their game, they always make a point to stay humble to their roots and to Ohio, covering cases that don't have the huge name recognition, like Amy Hooper. Perhaps if they and others hadn't kept pressure on, Amy's case would have taken a back burner. But it didn't. And after 20 years on the case, lead Cold case detective Chuck Clark was able to tell Amy's family that he got her killer to make that phone call.

[E]

To be constantly in contact, seeing so.

[D]

Many letdowns, she'd call me, hey, Chuck, got anything yet? I had to tell her no so many times. It was just disheartening.

[E]

But I felt finally got to make that call.

[D]

And.

It was something.

[A]

Amy's sister, Sandy Green, says she's grateful Detective Clark never gave up.

[D]

Twenty years ago, Detective Clark called me in Colorado to let me know that he was a new cold case detective and he felt confident that Amy's case could be solved. I'm so thankful that he always stayed in contact with me and never gave.

[A]

Up on my sister's case. Amy has missed so many incredible, important events in our lives. We all missed out on what Amy was going to accomplish in life.

This case is a testament to the effectiveness of forensic genealogy, but also a reminder that there are many families who are waiting for technology to help bring closure to them.

Y', all, thank you so much for listening to this week's episode of up and Vanish Weekly. Be sure to tune in next week as we dig into another new case. Until next time.

[D]

Up and Vanish Weekly is a production of Tenderfoot TV in association with Odyssey. Your hosts are Maggie Freeling and myself, Payne Lindsay. The show is written by Maggie Freeling, myself and John Street. Executive producers are Donald Albright and myself. Lead producer is John Street. Additional production by Meredith Steadman and Mike Rooney. Research for the series by Jamie Albright, Celicia Stanton and Carolyn Tallmadge. Edit and mix by Dylan Harrington and Sean Nurney. Supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan. Artwork by Byron McCoy. Original music by makeup and vanity set. Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum and the team at uta, Beck Media and Marketing and the Nord Group. For more podcasts like up and Vanish Weekly, search Tenderfoot TV on your favorite podcast app or visit us at@Tenderfoot TV. Thanks for listening.

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