S2 Episode 4: Buried Secrets

We walk through some of the theories we’ve developed about how Ralph Otto might have been able to conceal a murder and what factors may have influenced the decisions he made. Do our conjectures hold water? Is the Finley Creek Jane Doe Patty Otto? And what’s next for these investigations?

We spend time detailing what was and what wasn’t found inside the shallow grave where the Finley Creek Jane Doe was discovered. Can any of these details get us closer to learning who the woman was and who may have killed her? We also reveal an interesting twist related to the discovery of her remains.

As a second search dog comes on the scene to hunt for missing pieces of the Jane Doe’s skeleton, we learn more about Suzanne’s quest to discover what happened to her mother, and we discuss what became of her father, Ralph Otto. Has the trail for Patty Otto gone cold, or did the torch Suzanne took up shed new light on a seemingly unsolvable crime?

Hunters found a murdered woman in the woods in 1978. Investigators were never able to identify her, however Patty Otto’s daughter believes the woman is her missing mother. But now, the Jane Doe’s remains are missing too. Can a search dog help uncover the answers we need?

The only confirmed witness to what happened the night Patty Otto vanished was her youngest daughter. We’ll listen as she describes the traces of memory she has from that awful night. You’ll also hear where people who know Ralph Otto think he may have buried his wife and why some of his closest allies think he’s guilty.

The strange details of things that happened in the weeks after Patty vanished leave us with even more questions. Was Ralph being set up for a crime he didn’t commit? Was he intentionally leaving false clues to mislead investigators and even his own family? Was someone else tampering with possible evidence? Did Ralph actually confess? Hang onto this rollercoaster ride as we search for answers.

As rumors begin swirling about Patty’s whereabouts and why she may have vanished, Ralph’s psyche seems to be unraveling. Is he spiraling out of control or carefully spinning a trap? We’ll tell you about the things in Ralph’s and Patty’s lives that helped shape their personalities and may have foreshadowed the events that followed.

Ralph Otto’s accounts of what happened the night his wife disappeared changed with each retelling. Ralph’s allies had explanations for why Patricia Lee Otto would suddenly abandon her two young daughters in the middle of the night. Patty’s family, though, is certain that Ralph killed her and hid the body. As this story begins, you’ll hear what some of the earliest police reports said and what was found inside the Otto home.

In 1976, a Lewiston, Idaho, woman mysteriously vanished one night and was presumably murdered. Almost exactly two years later, a woman’s body was found in the woods by hunters more than 70 miles away. Like everyone associated with the cases – we’re trying to figure out, was she the same woman? With DNA and modern forensics, that should be easy, right? What could have happened that has kept those long-awaited answers hidden? Join us Jan. 27 for Season 2 of "still..."

In this Season 1 bonus episode, we discuss new information about potential suspects provided by our listeners and the producer of another true-crime podcast. You’ll hear from Final Days on Earth host and producer Claire St. Amant. We also share an interview with a woman who escaped an abduction attempt in the same neighborhood and around the same time Sarah Kashka vanished. As we discuss other fascinating tidbits, you’ll get a look ahead to Season 2 of “still…”www.thereportersnotebook.comwww.finaldaysonearth.comfwpdcoldcasesupport.org