S16 Ep4: Square One

When a 9-year-old girl vanishes without a trace in 1984, a rural Canadian town is left reeling. Law enforcement quickly zeroes in on a suspect—a quiet, socially awkward neighbor. But as the case unfolds, doubts about his guilt emerge again and again. Decades later, Detective Sergeant Steve takes on the cold case. With the power of modern DNA technology, everything once thought to be fact is suddenly back in play. Will the truth finally come to light? Detective Sergeant Steve is a seasoned investigator with 28 years of service in the Toronto Police Service, where he currently leads the Homicide Cold Case Unit—home to the largest caseload of unsolved cases in Canada. In addition to overseeing the Cold Case Unit, Steve also manages the Forensic Video Unit and played a key role in the establishment of the Missing Persons Unit, guiding its development from the ground up. Throughout his distinguished career, Steve has held various positions in specialized units, including the Drug Squad, Major Crime Unit, Major Projects, ROPE (Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement) Squad, and the Hold Up Squad. Notably, while in the Hold Up Squad, he was instrumental in solving the high-profile multi-national bank robbery series known as the "Vaulter Bandit." A graduate of Brock University, Steve holds a major in Political Science and a minor in Business Entrepreneurship. His early career interests in law enforcement were sparked by his work with the Canada Border Services Agency during his time at university. For bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, join the SuperFam community at smalltowndicks.com/superfam

After years of adventure on their dream yacht, a retired couple decides to sell it and move closer to their grandchildren. The buyers—a charming young couple with a toddler—seem perfect. They don’t haggle on price; their only request is to take a trip on the yacht together so the sellers can show them the ropes. But after that outing, the retired couple vanishes without a trace. Former Orange County DA Matt is called in to uncover the truth, and what he finds is both shocking and devastating. This twisted case is filled with loose ends, and it’s up to Matt to untangle the mystery before it’s too late. Matt Murphy is a legal analyst for ABC News and an attorney in private practice in Southern California. He was a Senior Deputy District Attorney in Orange County California. Matt Murphy spent 21 years assigned to the sexual assault and homicide units where he prosecuted some of the most notorious murder cases in the state of California. He completed 132 jury trials in his career as a prosecutor, including 52 while he was assigned to the homicide unit. He worked as an adjunct professor of law for 7 years. In addition to his work for ABC news, Mr. Murphy is in private practice representing victims of sexual abuse and some select criminal defense cases. He has also been regularly appearing on NewsNation with Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Cuomo and Ashleigh Banfield providing analysis on Criminal cases in the news. Matt published his first book, The Book of Murder: A Prosecutor's Journey Through Love and Death, in 2024, which was an instant Best Seller, and is working on his next book proposal. For bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, join the SuperFam community at smalltowndicks.com/superfam

In the conclusion of this two-part case, Paul Holes turns to DNA evidence in the search for Carla Walker’s real killer. But decades-old lab errors and missing samples threaten to derail the investigation. Despite the obstacles, the case finally reaches a definitive conclusion—answering the question once and for all: Who killed Carla Walker? Paul Holes is a bestselling author, podcaster, television host and retired cold-case investigator with the sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices in California’s Contra Costa County. During his 27 years as an investigator, Holes used his behavioral and forensic expertise in such notable cases as the Zodiac murders, Golden State Killer, and Jaycee Dugard kidnapping. In May 2022, Holes published Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases – which became an instant New York Times bestseller. Paul teamed with the FBI and Sacramento DA to help identify Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer, the most prolific serial predator in U.S. history. In 2019, he teamed up with Oxygen to host ”The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes” and in November he’s launching a new original series with HLN called, ”Real Life Nightmare with Paul Holes.” For bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, join the SuperFam community at smalltowndicks.com/superfam

In part one of this two-part case, our very own Paul Holes explains how a cold case from 1974 landed on his desk. Seventeen-year-old Carla Walker was brutally murdered on her way to a dance, and suspicion quickly fell on her boyfriend as his story kept changing. But when Paul conducts a revealing interview, the investigation takes a shocking turn. Could the real killer have been overlooked for decades? Who killed Carla Walker? Paul Holes is a bestselling author, podcaster, television host and retired cold-case investigator with the sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices in California’s Contra Costa County. During his 27 years as an investigator, Holes used his behavioral and forensic expertise in such notable cases as the Zodiac murders, Golden State Killer, and Jaycee Dugard kidnapping. In May 2022, Holes published Unmasked: My Life Solving America’s Cold Cases – which became an instant New York Times bestseller. Paul teamed with the FBI and Sacramento DA to help identify Joseph DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer, the most prolific serial predator in U.S. history. In 2019, he teamed up with Oxygen to host ”The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes” and in November he’s launching a new original series with HLN called, ”Real Life Nightmare with Paul Holes.” For bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, join the SuperFam community at smalltowndicks.com/superfam

The wait is over. Season 16 of Small Town Dicks will kick off on April 18th. Join our SuperFam to get early and ad free episodes, exclusive bonus content and access to our SuperFam community. www.smalltowndicks.com/superfam

Retired Detective Constable Ron is called to the scene of a fatal car accident. At first, the driver was nowhere to be found. Then suddenly, a man with marked "prison swagger" appears on the scene...or reappears, as it were. As Ron works to build a case against this driver, he reveals just how far quiet confidence will go when it comes to wrapping up a case. The detective: Detective Constable Ron Detective Constable Ron retired after 32 years of policing. He spent 20 years in patrol, which included 15 years being part of the Emergency Response Unit (SWAT). He also worked as a detective and crisis negotiator, and held many other roles. One of the biggest highlights in his career was helping organize and taking part in the annual Police Memorial Bicycle Ride to Remember which finishes at the Nations Capital the day before the annual Police Memorial Service. He continues to take part in this ride every year! He is currently a Professor in a College Policing Program as well as a Personal Fitness Trainer. To enjoy bonus content like this while in between seasons, become a member and support the Small Town Team by clicking https://smalltowndicks.supportingcast.fm/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's that time, Small Town Fam! The team of usual suspects are here to share their resolutions for the New Year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey Small Town Fam! Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from everyone on the Small Town Team! As a little gift, we decided to unwrap one of our premium episodes and stick it under your Christmas tree. So what's in the box? Well, we have the Usual Suspects: Yeardley, Detective Dan, and Detective Dave; and we have a fascinating subject: An enumeration of the crimes committed in the Christmas classic "Home Alone." Give it a listen and tell us, did we miss anything? Oh, and look for us in the New Year when our team shares their New Year's Resolutions. Until then, you are the absolute best audience in the world! P.S. If you enjoy this kind of zany content, you are always welcome to join us at the SuperFam table by clicking here. We have bonus content for dayz! Or give a subscription as a gift to that very special someone in your life who already has a drawer full of Xmas themed socks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A normal day for Trooper Dean means making sure his town’s roadways - and its drivers - are safe. But this day is not a normal day. What begins with an eviction notice and a bomb threat ends with Dean facing down what may be any cop’s worst nightmare. This is the story of that bad day and all the ones that follow. The detective: Trooper Dean Trooper Dean was raised in Walla Walla, Washington. He has been with the Washington State Patrol for 6 years and a member of the Washington Army National Guard for 11 years. He has been married to his wife, Meagan, since 2023. Also, if you're interested in bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, and more, join us over at smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deputy Alia is new to her job, so when she responds to what seems like a standard "person down" call, she is pretty calm - at first. But something about what she finds gets her spidey senses tingling. Despite her lack of experience, she decides to trust her gut. The detective: Deputy Alia Deputy Alia has served with her agency for just over 10 years. She spent about 8 years on patrol, five of those as a field training deputy. The last two years she has spent in the training division where she is responsible for cadet training in the academy and agency training as a whole. Alia has also been a negotiator for the last four years, and is on call 24/7 for hostage/barricaded subject calls. Also, if you're interested in bonus episodes, behind-the-scenes shenanigans, and more, join us over at smalltowndicks.com/superfam Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.