Nayantara Ali (Unsolved Murder)

Annette Morgan was about to start a new chapter in her young life. The 18 year old had recently left her science course at the University of Sydney for a new role as a trainee radiologist. On Friday October 28th 1977 Annette returned to Sydney from her family home in Warners to visit the friends she had made during her time at university. Early the following morning Annette set off to visit a male friend who was a resident of St Paul's college. Annette never completed her journey and her body was found hours later in a small gulley in the university grounds. She had been beaten, strangled and raped. Identikits were put together of two separate individuals police were hoping to trace but her case has never been closed. Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

In the late afternoon of August 26th 1986, Michelle "Jolene" Lakey went to visit her sick mother at Mercy Hospital, Scranton. After giving her mother a teddy bear as a get well present the 11 year old left to make the 20 minute walk home. At around 6.00pm several witnesses saw Jolene getting into a light-yellow coloured vehicle on North Washington Avenue. She has never been seen since. After reports of a girl resembling Jolene being seen with a man in Brooklyn, New York, a suspect was interviewed, but the lead went nowhere. Three years later the murder of a 9 year old girl in Scranton would take the investigation in a whole new direction and introduce a prime suspect in the case.Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

The body of a woman known by neighbours as "Kate England" was discovered on the night of Valentine's Day 1904. "Kate" was found lying on an upstairs bed in her small cottage situated on Saltmead Road, Cardiff, with a noose tied around her neck. While there was no sign of a struggle it appeared someone had been sleeping in the bed next to her. Over the next couple of weeks the extraordinary story of "Kate's" life and mysterious death would unfold in the pages of local newspapers. Characters from her life would be thrust into the limelight as the authorities attempted to make sense of a complicated myriad of clues, and piece together the truth behind the tragedy.Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

21 year old Donna Doll was a Russian language student at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. At 9.59pm on October 2nd 1970 she left the campus library where she worked a part-time job and was never seen alive again. Nine days later her fully clothed body was found in a field just outside town. The manner and cause of death was unclear but the case was treated as a murder investigation.  Investigators were presented with a myriad of puzzling details, not least the fact that over 2kg of potatoes was found in Donna's stomach contents.Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Late on the evening of February 12th 1945, 55 year old Mary "Helen" Hoyles  finished her shift at the American Red Cross Club on High Street in the centre of Southampton, and began the short walk home. Helen's journey should have taken just a quarter of an hour but she did not make it safely home.Early the following morning Helen's half-naked body was found in a cul-de-sac near her lodgings on New Road. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. A clue was found at the scene which made police think the case would be solved within a week, though this confidence proved misplaced.Over the next couple of years several suspects cropped up in the investigation and the "clue" took detectives to mainland Europe in their search for the killer. In truth the culprit may have been closer to home.Sources for this episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Camille Gordon travelled from Jamaica to the UK in the early 2000s to fulfill her dream of becoming a nursery school teacher.  In 2003 she moved to London but with course fees and the ever increasing cost of living, Camille had to look round for opportunities to supplement her income. The 23 year old  found work as a hostess at one of Soho's many "Clip Joints".On the evening of Monday March 1st 2004 Camille was attacked by a man in the doorway of the Blue Bunny Club on Archer Street. She died from a single stab wound to the heart. A man, believed to be a disgruntled customer, was captured by CCTV fleeing the scene, but despite this he has never been identified.Sources for the episode can be found hereIf you have any information about the 2004 murder of 23 year old Camille Gordon you can call the incident room on 020 8785 8267. Information can also be submitted online here at the Public Portal (mipp.police.uk) Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.orgSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

German tourist Heidi Mnilk was on a two week trip to the UK. The 17 year old pharmaceutical apprentice was staying with an English family in West Wickham in south east London.  On Sunday July 8th 1973 Heidi travelled to London with a friend to see the sights. Shortly before 5.00pm the pair boarded a train at Charing Cross Station to take them back to their accommodation. Heidi went to a non-smoking compartment and her friend to a carriage where smoking was permitted.  Less than two minutes after the train passed London Bridge two young passengers heard screams and witnessed the neighbouring compartment's door fling open and the body of a young woman fall onto the tracks. Despite these passengers raising the alarm they were not taken seriously and it was a little while before the body of Heidi Mnilk was discovered. A post-mortem showed Heidi had been stabbed before her body was hurled from the train. The young passengers gave a detailed description of a man seen leaving Heidi's compartment and police scoured London for the suspect. Then, a few months later, information came to light suggesting a motive for the seemingly random crime.Sources for the episode an be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

Thursday March 18th 1965 was a dismal day in the town of Tyrone, Pennsylvannia. Shortly after midday, six year old Kathy Shea left her home for the short walk to her elementary school. Although spring was just around the corner, slushy snow lined the streets as the Kindergartner hurried along on her way. Several people saw Kathy enroute but she never made it to her lessons that afternoon. A bloodhound tracked Kathy's scent to a spot within eyesight of the school. The only conclusion was that the little girl had been abducted by person or persons unknown. Since that day there has been no sign of Kathy.Sources for the episode can be found hereSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

For seven years Crispin Dye had been the manager of Australian rock band AC/DC. He was a talented song writer and musician in his own right and during the early 1990s released his first solo album. Shortly before Christmas 1993 Crispin, aged 41, travelled to his mother's home in Sydney to spend the festive period with her. On the night of the 22nd December Crispin went out with friends to celebrate the success of his album. In the early hours of the following morning, after separating from his friends, Crispin was found lying face down on the pavement. He had sustained a head injury and was in cardiac arrest. Two days later Crispin passed away in hospital. Some suspected that Crispin had been the victim of a LGBTIQ hate crime but the NSW police were not so sure. The investigation has been dogged with criticism over the years but several persons of interest have surfaced, including a previously unknown individual in 2023 after a DNA breakthrough.Sources for the episode can be found herePromosSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/

It was a normal Friday morning in November 1994 and 11 year old Nayantara Ali left her home in Forest Gate, East London, to walk to school. It should have taken less than 15 minutes but Nayantara never arrived. Family members reported her missing later that day and for three weeks there was no hint of what had happened to the confident and playful young girl. Worst fears were realised when Nayantara was found murdered just a stone's throw from her front door and in a spot already searched by police. Sources for the episode can be found herePromosSupport the showFollow Persons Unknown: Instagram and FacebookEmail: [email protected] with Transcripts:https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com/