If It Happened Now: The Austin Ripper—Who Was Protecting the Women?

Before Jack the Ripper, Austin had its own unidentified nighttime killer.In 1884 and 1885, a series of brutal attacks terrorized Austin, Texas. Black women working as domestic servants were among the earliest victims. Their work placed them inside other people’s homes, but proximity offered little protection.In this installment of If It Happened Now, Steph examines the Austin Ripper case, also known as the Servant Girl Annihilator murders. Who were the people behind the sensational name? How did race, gender, newspaper coverage, and investigative limitations shape the response—and the story we remember?Then we bring the case into the present. Could DNA, surveillance cameras, and connected investigations have changed the outcome? And would the women targeted first receive the attention needed to stop the attacks sooner?“The darkness helped him move. Indifference gave him time.”Follow Murder in the Black and leave a rating or review. Subscribe for exclusive episodes and more conversations with Steph.Join the conversation: If these attacks happened now, what would make the biggest difference: better technology or a faster response to the first victims?Instagram: @murderintheblackFacebook: Murder in the Black PodcastEmail: [email protected]

In this episode of Murder in the Black, Steph follows the urgent, multi-state search to bring Carlesha home. A witness who called police twice. Detectives who promised her mother they would find her. An ATM transaction, a dealership decal, and a GPS tracker that helped investigators close the distance.At the center of every development was Carlesha: resisting, paying attention, and making decisions to survive nearly three days in captivity.As we prepare for our new series, If It Happened Now, this case raises a question: With more cameras and digital evidence available today, how much still depends on someone recognizing a clue—and acting before it’s too late?Content note: Discussion of kidnapping, violence, and captivity.CHAPTERS00:00 A camera captures the abduction01:24 A promise to Carlesha’s mother03:19 The attack and the witness who stayed05:20 Carlesha fights back07:13 Following the evidence10:27 The search reaches Maryland12:20 Identifying Delvin Barnes13:38 A dealership connection changes the search15:32 Her family waits for answers17:56 A tracker reveals a location18:26 Closing in—and bringing Carlesha home21:20 The people behind every breakthrough23:13 When evidence becomes public spectacle25:12 The guilty plea and sentence27:37 If it happened now30:59 Missing Black women, urgency, and unequal attention31:56 Centering Carlesha’s survivalFollow Murder in the Black, leave a rating or review, and share this episode. Join the conversation on Instagram @murderintheblack.

For the finale of Murder in the Black: Unsolved Mysteries, Steph examines two cases in which recovering a person’s body did not answer the most important question: What happened to them?Ricky McCormick was found dead near a Missouri field in June 1999. Inside his pockets were two pages covered in handwritten letters, numbers and symbols. More than a decade later, the FBI publicly released the pages after its own cryptanalysts were unable to decipher them. But members of Ricky’s family questioned whether he could have written the notes at all.Were the pages connected to Ricky’s death, a private form of shorthand—or simply an unexplained distraction from the investigation?Sixteen years later, Henry McCabe disappeared after spending an evening with friends in Minnesota. During his final known hours, Henry’s wife received a disturbing voicemail filled with unusual sounds and fragmented speech. His body was eventually recovered from Rush Lake, but the discovery did not explain how he got there or what happened after he was dropped off that night.The coded pages and unsettling recording have become the most recognizable details in these cases. But neither provides a complete story.In this episode, Steph separates what is documented from what has been repeated online and returns to the question still facing both families: How did Ricky McCormick and Henry McCabe get from their final known locations to the places where they were found?Timestamps00:01 — Ricky McCormick’s mysterious handwritten pages01:01 — Introducing the Unsolved Mysteries finale02:29 — Why Ricky’s cause of death remained undetermined03:27 — Reconstructing Ricky’s final movements05:48 — Ricky’s family questions whether he wrote the pages06:16 — Addressing Ricky’s criminal history07:11 — The Florida trip and concerns that Ricky was afraid08:38 — Hospital visits, Ricky’s final call and his last reported sighting09:37 — Aunt Gloria remembers the last time she saw Ricky11:52 — Decomposition and the limitations of the autopsy13:16 — The FBI’s description of the mysterious pages15:32 — Repeated characters, possible patterns and the absence of a translation17:40 — The FBI asks the public for help19:58 — Ricky’s relatives challenge the coded-writing narrative22:08 — Investigative leads that never produced conclusive evidence23:55 — How the notes became the center of Ricky’s story26:41 — Introducing Henry McCabe27:40 — Henry’s life, family and career29:06 — The night out and the disputed gas-station drop-off31:33 — The disturbing voicemail33:36 — Search efforts and changes to the public timeline35:31 — Henry’s body is recovered from Rush Lake36:30 — Probable drowning without a complete explanation38:50 — Questions about the drop-off, Henry’s keys and his wallet41:43 — Remembering Henry beyond the recording43:10 — Parallels to other unexplained deaths45:03 — Closing the Unsolved Mysteries seriesIf you have informationIf you have information concerning Ricky McCormick’s death, contact Crime Stoppers at 866-371-8477.When discussing Ricky’s handwritten pages, focus on genuine handwriting samples or recognizable habits rather than unsupported online theories. A proposed translation is not evidence unless it can be independently verified.Do you believe Ricky’s notes were connected to his death? What do you hear when you listen to Henry’s final recording? And which case from this three-part series stayed with you the most?Follow Murder in the Black:Instagram: @murderintheblackFacebook: Murder in the Black PodcastEmail: [email protected] Steph on Instagram: @stepher_Join the conversation

In the second installment of Murder in the Black: Unsolved Mysteries, Steph examines the disappearances of Najah Ferrell in Indiana and Kierra Coles in Chicago.Najah disappeared on March 15, 2019, the day she was expected to begin a new job at Panera Bread. She never arrived at work and failed to pick up her children—both out of character. Her belongings were later recovered near Interstate 465 and Lafayette Road, and her 2018 Nissan Altima was found abandoned in Indianapolis. Weeks later, human remains were discovered more than 100 miles away near Crown Point. DNA confirmed they belonged to Najah.Investigators have never publicly explained how Najah traveled from Avon to Indianapolis, how her car and belongings came to be abandoned in separate locations, or how part of her remains ended up near Crown Point.Kierra Coles was 26, approximately three months pregnant and working for the United States Postal Service when she vanished from Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood in October 2018. Expanded surveillance later showed Kierra with a man identified as a person of interest and withdrawing money from a Walgreens ATM at approximately 10:43 p.m. Her vehicle later returned to her neighborhood without her. The man was seen entering Kierra’s building and leaving with unknown items, but the timeline still does not reveal what happened after Kierra disappeared from view.The cases are not publicly connected, but they share a frustrating pattern: cameras and physical evidence captured pieces of each woman’s final known movements without revealing what happened in the spaces between them.IN THIS EPISODE• Najah’s life as a mother of five, including three foster children• The belongings recovered near I-465 and Lafayette Road• Her abandoned Nissan Altima and the remains found near Crown Point• The missing link between Najah’s home, vehicle, belongings and remains• Kierra’s pregnancy and career with the Postal Service• Surveillance showing Kierra with a man identified as a person of interest• The 10:43 p.m. Walgreens ATM footage• Kierra’s vehicle returning without her• The purse, cellphone and packed lunch reportedly found in her vehicle• The increased reward of up to $250,000 in Kierra’s case• Why surveillance can document movement without providing an answerTIMESTAMPS00:00 — Najah’s disappearance02:29 — Why these cases are paired03:25 — Najah’s family and new job07:01 — Belongings found near I-46507:30 — Najah’s abandoned Altima11:48 — Remains found near Crown Point13:42 — The unexplained route through Indiana17:33 — Questions surrounding Najah’s final hours19:42 — Kierra’s life, pregnancy and postal career21:07 — The surveillance timeline21:35 — Walgreens ATM footage23:14 — Kierra’s vehicle returns without her26:55 — Kierra’s belongings are found30:45 — Expanded surveillance released32:41 — Reward increased to $250,00035:48 — Why the cases are paired37:14 — The limits of surveillance40:08 — Final case recaps42:33 — Closing and tip informationIF YOU HAVE INFORMATIONFor information about Najah Ferrell’s movements, vehicle or belongings recovered near I-465 and Lafayette Road, contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana or the Hendricks County Communications Center.For information concerning Kierra Coles, contact the United States Postal Inspection Service and reference case number 2693502.Please share Najah and Kierra’s names, especially with anyone who lived in Indiana or Chicago when they disappeared. A detail that seemed insignificant at the time could help close one of the gaps in these timelines.FOLLOW MURDER IN THE BLACKInstagram: @murderintheblackFacebook: Murder in the Black PodcastEmail: [email protected] on Instagram: @stepher_Follow the show, leave a five-star rating and review, and share this episode with someone who will continue saying Najah Ferrell and Kierra Coles’ names.

A little girl disappears from her bedroom. A mother is killed while her children sleep. Decades later, their families are still fighting for answers.Steph opens the Unsolved Mysteries series with two cases: the unsolved murder of 4-year-old Dannarriah Finley in Orange, Texas, and the arrest nearly 27 years after Bridget Lockhart’s 1999 killing in Atlanta.Through the searches, physical evidence, unanswered questions, and a daughter’s determination to revisit her mother’s case, this episode explores what keeps an investigation alive—and what it takes to move it forward.Dannarriah’s case remains unsolved. In Bridget’s case, Janarra Sherrer has been charged but has not been convicted. An arrest begins a legal process; it does not establish guilt.In this episodeDannarriah’s disappearance and the community search to find her.The discovery on Pleasure Island and the clues investigators recovered.Circumstantial evidence, DNA testing, and the challenges of aging evidence.Bridget’s killing and her daughter Elandra’s efforts to get answers.The renewed investigation, arrest, and questions about evidence handling.Why both families’ searches for justice continue.Follow Murder in the Black, leave a review, and share this episode to help keep these stories in the conversation.Connect with usInstagram: @murderintheblackFacebook: Murder in the Black PodcastEmail: [email protected] more episodes, explore our paid subscription with a 3-day free trial.

Keith Warren was 19 when he was found hanging in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 1986. Authorities ruled his death a suicide without performing an autopsy. His mother, Mary Couey, spent decades questioning that conclusion—and the investigation behind it.Steph examines the scene photographs, the clothing questions, the anonymous envelope delivered on Keith’s birthday, and the reported warning involving Mark Finley. She also follows Sherri Warren’s fight for answers. Keith’s cause and manner of death were reclassified as undetermined in 2024, and police reopened the investigation in 2025. Neither development establishes that he was killed.At the end of the episode, True Crime in Current News features an update on Nolan Wells. Steph reflects on why his case brought Keith’s story back to mind while keeping the facts of each case distinct.Content warning: Discussion of a hanging death, possible suicide, racial violence, and crime-scene photographs.In The Episode: Why Keith’s family challenged the original rulingThe missing autopsy and limits of later forensic testingQuestions about the rope, tree, body position, and clothingMary Couey’s advocacy and the photographs left at her homeWhat is—and is not—known about Mark FinleyThe 2024 reclassification and 2025 reopeningA True Crime in Current News update on Nolan WellsTimestamps:00:00 — The photographs delivered on Keith’s birthday02:34 — Facts, family accounts, and unanswered questions03:04 — Why the history of lynching matters06:58 — Keith’s life and his family’s doubts08:19 — Keith goes missing and is found10:55 — The approximately 21-minute scene response12:21 — No autopsy and the limits of later testing13:57 — Body position and the rope16:30 — The clothing questions17:25 — Mary’s search for answers19:52 — The anonymous envelope21:29 — The reported warning and Mark Finley23:48 — The official ruling and the family’s concerns25:38 — Race, trust, and the power to classify a death28:55 — Uprooted and Sherri’s advocacy30:07 — Reclassified as undetermined30:49 — The investigation reopens33:24 — What remains unknown36:03 — Mary’s persistence and accountabilityAt the end — True Crime in Current News: Nolan Wells updateWhat should justice look like when an original investigation may have made the truth harder to find?Instagram: @murderintheblackSteph’s Instagram: @stepher_Facebook: Murder in the Black PodcastEmail: [email protected] the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. For more coverage, join the paid subscription and try it free for three days.

Between 1979 and 1981, Black children, teenagers and young adults disappeared across Atlanta. As fear spread, grieving families organized searches, challenged city leaders and demanded that the cases be treated as a coordinated emergency.In this special episode, Steph examines the victims, the community’s fight for answers and the controversial case against Wayne Williams.Williams was convicted of murdering two adult men, Jimmy Ray Payne and Nathaniel Cater. He was never tried for the children’s murders, yet authorities attributed more than twenty additional deaths to him and closed those cases.We examine the Jackson Parkway bridge encounter, fiber and dog-hair evidence, disputed witnesses, Williams’s changing explanations, racial and political pressure, possible Klan involvement, and the differences among the victims that continue to raise questions.Was Wayne Williams responsible for every murder attributed to him, only some of them, or was one conviction used to provide Atlanta with an ending it desperately needed?Content warning: This episode discusses the murders of children and young adults, racial violence and disputed allegations.Remember the victims as individuals—not simply as evidence for or against Wayne Williams.

On the morning after Thanksgiving in 2014, firefighters responded to a blaze inside a Fort Worth apartment. There, they discovered 31-year-old Ashlea Harris bound and murdered.Ashlea was a hardworking store manager who had recently helped police identify two former employees suspected of robbing the American Eagle store where she worked. Months later, those same former employees—Carter Cervantez and Clarence “David” Mallory—were accused of entering Ashlea’s home and carrying out a brutal act of revenge.But what were they looking for inside her apartment—and why did they believe Ashlea had it?In this episode of Murder in the Black, Steph examines the events leading to Ashlea’s murder, the evidence connecting Cervantez and Mallory to the crime, and the investigation that uncovered what they came back for.Follow Murder in the Black:Instagram: @murderintheblackFacebook: Murder in the Black PodcastSteph’s Instagram: @stepher_Email: [email protected] the podcast wherever you listen, leave a five-star review, and share this episode with someone who loves true crime. You can also become a paid subscriber and start your three-day free trial for access to weekly bonus episodes.

On December 6, 1975, Wesley Diggs returned to his home in Teaneck, New Jersey, and discovered his wife, Jean, and their four children—Audrey, Allison, Wesley Jr., and five-year-old Roger—shot to death.There was no obvious forced entry. Nothing appeared to have been stolen. Neighbors reportedly heard nothing, despite more than twenty shots being fired.In this episode, Steph examines the crime scene, Wesley’s business connections, the Harlem leads, three potential suspects, an informant’s account, and the controversial theory that Jean may have killed the children. We also consider whether race affected the investigation and why, after fifty years, no one has been held responsible.Someone entered—or was allowed into—the Diggs home that night. The question is: who, and why?Content warning: This episode discusses the murder of children, family homicide, gun violence, and descriptions of a crime scene.Follow Murder in the Black, leave a five-star review, and share the episode. Paid subscribers receive additional cases and exclusive episodes, with a three-day free trial available. Follow the podcast on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

On December 3, 2003, federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna left his Baltimore office shortly before midnight—but he never made it home. Hours later, his car was discovered beside a rural Pennsylvania creek, with Jonathan lying facedown beneath it. He had suffered 36 stab wounds and cuts before ultimately drowning.The local coroner ruled Jonathan’s death a homicide. However, federal investigators reportedly considered a dramatically different possibility: that Jonathan inflicted the wounds himself while attempting to stage an attack or disappearance.In this episode, Steph traces Jonathan’s unexplained interstate drive, the blood found throughout his vehicle, the professional pressures surrounding him, and the competing theories that have divided investigators for more than two decades. The recently unsealed autopsy confirms important details about his injuries—but does it bring us any closer to understanding what really happened?Also, before you go, check your feed for Steph’s special video interview with MD discussing the outcome of the Karmelo Anthony evidentiary hearing.Case discussed: Jonathan LunaContent warning: This episode discusses suicide, drowning, and sharp-force injuries.Follow Murder in the Black, leave a five-star review, and share the episode. For exclusive content, join the paid subscription on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and begin with a three-day free trial.