Teresa Branch (Unsolved Murder)

Send us a textOn a Spring day in 1991 the body of Tuula Lukkarinen was found in woods near the disused Hausjarvi gravel pits in Southern Finland. The 28 year old had gone missing the previous day after leaving the mental hospital where she was temporarily staying. It was a brutal slaying, with the killer displaying disturbing and sadistic tendencies. Two years later 40 year old Maarit Haantie disappeared in the same area during a night out with friends. She has never been seen since and the Finnish police believe she was murdered. Two earlier attacks on women have also been linked to these cases and investigators believe there is a connection, with one perpetrator being responsible for all the crimes. Over the past three decades, the small towns and forests of southern Finland have been the backdrop to the search for, a rarity in Finnish criminal history, a serial killer.If you have information about the Hausjarvi murders you can email the Finnish Police at [email protected] Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textThe body of Joan Maschek was found by her landlord on the evening of July 13th 1976. The 48 year old divorcee had been bludgeoned to death with a flat instrument inside her bedsit on Douglas Road, Nottingham. Police investigating the seemingly motiveless killing soon discovered that Joan herself was equally enigmatic. She was an eccentric character whom neighbours said had visitors at all times of the day and night. Nevertheless, they could find few individuals who knew Joan well, and those who did were not keen on making themselves known. The investigation would go on to focus on two separate men who police believed could hold vital information, but it was well over a decade later that the case suddenly moved in a new direction. Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textIt was early winter 1970 in the city of Rotorua on the North Island of New Zealand. On the evening of Friday May 15th, 18 year old Olive Walker wrapped up warm and set out on foot to her sister's house across town, to babysit her nieces and nephews. Around an hour later Olive was spotted near the Odeon cinema in the centre of Rotorua, only ten minutes from her destination. This was the last time Olive was seen alive.  A short time later multiple witnesses reported hearing screams from a nearby residential area. Within hours a group of teenagers discovered Olive's body in a highway rest area just out of town. The killer was long gone but had left some vital clues to their identity.  Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textPatricia "Lee" Parsons worked as a masseuse at a sauna in Camden town London. Lee also obtained a significant income as a high end escort. The 42 year old reportedly had hundreds of clients, many of whom were high status individuals from the worlds of politics and show business. On the evening of Saturday June 23rd 1990 Lee failed to show up at a private event being held at the restaurant she owned jointly with her boyfriend. The following day Lee's body was found inside her car in a farmer's field 45 minutes from her home. Lee had been shot three times with a crossbow and the killing had all the hallmarks of a professional hit. Thus transpired an investigation that delved into the criminal underworld of London, as police searched for a motive for this most callous execution.Sources for the episode can be found here PromosSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textTwice widowed Mabel Harper spent the evening of August 12th 1943 at her sister's house in the Maindy area of Cardiff. Time slipped by quickly and at 10.50pm Mabel left hurriedly hoping to catch the last bus home. Unfortunately the 53 year old missed the bus by minutes, forcing her to walk the 40 minute journey alone. As she made her way alongside the highway it was particularly dark, a blackout was in full effect due to the threat of air raids from Nazi bombers. Mabel never made it to her destination. Her naked and bound body was found the next morning on a grass verge next to the road. Her injuries were catastrophic and displayed a sickening propensity for violence. The police were at a dead end until some extraordinary information fell into their hands, blowing the case wide open.Sources for the episode can be found herePromosCold Case Western AustraliaThey're the crimes that continue to haunt grieving family members and the wider...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textAugust 15th 1945 was a joyous occasion in Australia's history. It was the day peace was declared and six long years of war ended. As the owners of a radio set, the Eastwell family were some of the first people to hear the happy news in the small rural town of Gol Gol, located on the NSW/Victoria border. For 8 year old Valerie Eastwell the momentous events in the Pacific signalled a day off school and she was tasked with going out into the community to spread the good tidings. There were several sightings of Valerie during the morning and conflicting reports regarding when she was last seen. When Valerie failed to show up for her evening meal her parents became worried and contacted the police. Valerie has not been seen since and the investigation has flitted between different theories to explain her mysterious disappearance. The case is now the oldest missing persons case in the country. Support the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textStephanie Whittaker was a happily married mother of three who had everything to live for. On the evening of March 23rd 1990 the 34 year old was due to meet friends for a drink in the centre of Newport, South Wales. Stephanie left her house at 8.25pm to walk the short five minute journey into town but she never arrived. Despite a couple of unconfirmed sightings over the next 24 hours Stephanie has not been heard of since. All her knew her agreed, that Stephanie would not have left her family of her own accord and Gwent police have said the disappearance is highly suspicious. Sources for the episode can be found here*In the episode I give the date of an interview Tony Whittaker did with the Wales on Sunday as July 10th 1990. It was June 10th 1990)PromosCold Case Western AustraliaThey're the crimes that continue to haunt grieving family members and the wider...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textOn an August evening in 2007, 7 year old Nurin Jazlin left her family's apartment and headed to the nearby night market in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nurin was alone and intent on purchasing a hair clip at one of the stalls. She never returned and witness reports would confirm she had was abducted by a man driving a white van. Almost a month later her parents' worst fears were realised when Nurin's body was discovered. 4 months later and 20 km away another little girl, Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, disappeared while playing in at a playground. She has never been seen since. A spate of abductions and failed kidnappings across Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding state of Selangor would lead investigators to suspect they were all connected. Sources for the episode can be found here Support the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textAt the age of 35 Dr Tatjana "Tanya" Kopric had already achieved so much. She had emigrated to America from Yugoslavia in 1975 and had worked at numerous hospitals before setting up her own private medical practice in Kansas city, Missouri. In September 1980 her life was cruelly taken in a matter of seconds, when she was shot at close range as she sat in her parked car.  Witnesses recognised the assassin and the search for Tanya's killer got underway. The trail led to a remote part of Canada before abruptly stopping, leaving investigators scratching their heads and a fugitive on the loose. Sources for the episode can be found here PromosCold Case Western AustraliaThey're the crimes that continue to haunt grieving family members and the wider...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Send us a textOn the evening of Saturday April 19th 1986  Teresa Branch and her friend Lisa were returning to Decatur in Wise County after visiting Teresa's family in Arlington, Texas. The pair had been plagued by car trouble all weekend and 18 year old Teresa's red Pontiac Sunbird stalled yet again just minutes after leaving her parents home. With no payphone in sight Teresa decided to jog the short distance back home to get help. She told Lisa to wait in the car and that she would be back soon. Within minutes she was accosted by one or more persons who sexually assaulted Teresa before taking her life. Sources for the episode can be found here Promos Support the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/