Missing in the Carolinas

50 episodes listed below

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Regional cases, unresolved questions, lasting consequences.

The gist

Missing in the Carolinas follows cases rooted in North and South Carolina, from long-running missing-person investigations to murders with new arrests or unanswered questions. Its tone is careful and case-forward, often connecting investigative records, family concerns, public updates, and local history.

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About Missing in the Carolinas

Missing in the Carolinas is a regional true crime show built around North and South Carolina cases that still carry unanswered questions. Its main territory is missing-person investigations, cold cases, murders, unidentified remains, domestic violence, cyberstalking, and crimes whose impact lingers across families and small communities. The show is procedural and plainly told. It tends to start with a disappearance, a death, or a new development, then follows the record through witness accounts, police suspicions, searches, court filings, family statements, and later updates. Recent episodes revisit the disappearance of Gayle McCaffrey and the separate accusation involving Lisa McBride. Another follows Jimmy Dale Whitfield, whose South Carolina disappearance remains a long-running missing-person case with possible links to unidentified remains. Charlotte’s unknown “Boxcar Boy” brings the show into older historical mystery. The Burke and Catawba County episode connects several 1992 deaths while noting how fear spread through local communities. Sherri Jackson’s case is handled through the lens of domestic violence, a missing body, and a family waiting for the truth. A cyberstalking episode widens the frame to online harassment, sextortion, and deaths connected to emotional abuse. The show also keeps track of reopened investigations and new arrests when cases move forward. It is not only a catalog of crimes. It is also a map of place: coastal waters, college towns, mountain roads, city neighborhoods, rail cars, overlooks, and counties where rumors can outlast the evidence. The style is direct, measured, and research-led. It gives listeners enough chronology to follow complex cases without turning grief into spectacle. Occasional bonus episodes and interviews, including conversations with Dick Harpootlian and Hope Anderson, broaden the feed into legal memory and regional writing. Still, the center remains the same: people who vanished, people who were killed, and communities still trying to understand what happened.

Made for: For true crime listeners who prefer researched timelines, regional detail, and case updates over dramatized storytelling. It especially suits people interested in North Carolina and South Carolina investigations.

What sets it apart: The show’s strength is its tight Carolina focus, pairing familiar local geography with patient attention to missing-person records, court developments, family concerns, and older cases that still invite scrutiny.

In their own words

Award-winning writer Renee Roberson hosts this true crime podcast profiling missing people from North and South Carolina, along with true crime cases.

Why you'd press play

A 1932 boxcar mystery meets modern cyberstalking when your curiosity spans decades.

Press play if you want

  • case narratives built from names, dates, forensic details, and investigative gaps
  • Carolina mysteries ranging from unidentified remains to alleged cyberstalking
Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
missing people in the Carolinascold case investigationsdomestic violence casesunidentified remainscyberstalking and online harassmentcourt filings and arrestsfamily appeals for answersregional murders

Talks about

Best episodes of Missing in the Carolinas

Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.

Ep. 175-What Happened to Gayle McCaffrey and Lisa McBride?Apr 17, 2026

A missing mother, a disputed letter, and a later arrest deepen an unresolved case.

Gail McCaffrey's 2012 disappearance from her West Ashley home sits at the center of a tense, evidence-led hour. Renee Robertson tracks the case through Bob McCaffrey's shifting explanations, the disputed letter found on a printer, and searches that turned up no trace of Gail.

Ep. 172-The Disappearance of Jimmy Dale Whitfield in South Carolina and Charlotte’s Unknown “Boxcar Boy”Mar 27, 2026

A South Carolina disappearance and a 1932 Charlotte rail-car John Doe leave two Carolina cases caught between family memory and missing records.

This episode is built around two unresolved Carolina cases: Jimmy Dale Whitfield's disappearance from Seneca, South Carolina, in spring 1987 after an alleged argument with his wife, and an unidentified young male found dead in a Charlotte rail car in 1932.

Replay-Four 1992 Deaths in Burke and Catawba CountiesMar 13, 2026

A reopened 1992 cold case anchors a sober look at nearby deaths and a community's enduring fear.

Missing in the Carolinas revisits the 1992 disappearance and murder of 13-year-old Isis Denise Deedee Dawkins in Hickory, North Carolina, placing her case beside the deaths of three older women who went missing around the same period and were later found deceased.

Podcasts like Missing in the Carolinas

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  • Missing & MurderedCBC

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  • The Lady VanishesLiSTNR

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  • The Coldest Case in LaramieSerial Productions & The New York Times

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  • Kuper IslandCBC

    A school's history, carried in survivors' lives.

Episodes

  1. 1

    Ep. 175-What Happened to Gayle McCaffrey and Lisa McBride?

    ["Missing in the Carolinas episode 175 follows Gail McCaffrey, a 36-year-old First Baptist Church member and Citadel finance director from West Ashley, South Carolina, after Robert McCaffrey reported her missing on March 18, 2012.", "Bob said they argued after an early dinner, drove to Easley, and he returned home after a speeding stop in Traveler's Rest, but Charleston County investigators later said his timeline and the printer letter did not hold up.", "The episode then connects Bob to Lisa McBride's June 1990 disappearance from Highland Lakes, New Jersey, where a 2022 exhumation and CODIS match linked DNA from evidence at her headboard to him.", "A final update mentions Joshua Hunsucker of Gaston County, who faces murder, insurance fraud, and false-pretense charges in Stacey Hunsucker's 2018 death."]

    Apr 17, 2026·24m·2 clips
  2. 2

    Ep. 174-The Murder of Janet Abaroa in Durham

    This episode investigates the 2005 murder of Janet Abaroa in Durham, North Carolina, and the subsequent trial of her husband Raven.

    Apr 10, 2026·24m
  3. 3

    Ep. 173-Springtime Disappearances in South Carolina

    This episode covers three missing persons cases in South Carolina from different decades, plus a survival story.

    Apr 3, 2026·22m
  4. 4

    Ep. 172-The Disappearance of Jimmy Dale Whitfield in South Carolina and Charlotte’s Unknown “Boxcar Boy”

    Hidden gem

    Renee Roberson examines the 1987 disappearance of 29-year-old Jimmy Dale Whitfield from Seneca, South Carolina, including conflicting accounts involving his wife Wanda and approximately $2,000.

    Mar 27, 2026·20m·1 clip
  5. 5

    Ep. 171-Jeffrey "The Roofman" Manchester

    Renee Roberson and her daughter Mia discuss the true crime story of Jeffrey 'Roofman' Manchester, a bank robber who escaped prison, and compare it to the film adaptation starring Channing Tatum.

    Mar 20, 2026·30m
  6. 6

    Replay-Four 1992 Deaths in Burke and Catawba Counties

    Missing in the Carolinas revisits the unsolved 1992 murder of 13-year-old Deedee Dawkins in Catawba County alongside three other Burke County deaths that same summer, which led to convictions of Eddie Lloyd Howell and Glenn Chapman.

    Mar 13, 2026·21m·1 clip
  7. 7

    Ep. 170-The Murder of Sherri Jackson in North Carolina

    Missing in the Carolinas episode 170 follows 27-year-old Cherie Jackson’s 2006 disappearance in Greensboro after she missed a party and stopped going to work.

    Mar 6, 2026·18m·1 clip
  8. 8

    Ep. 169-Cases of Cyberstalking in the Carolinas

    Missing in the Carolinas examines cyberstalking through Micah Miller’s case, including allegations that John Paul Miller posted an intimate image, used tracking devices, and contacted her more than 50 times in one day.

    Feb 27, 2026·24m·1 clip
  9. 9

    Ep. 168-Austin Thompson and the Hedingham Mass Shooting in Raleigh

    Elise Thompson tells the court, "We belong to the worst club on earth," after losing both sons in one afternoon.

    Feb 20, 2026·32m·2 clips
  10. 10

    Ep. 167-When Love Turns Deadly

    Hidden gem

    Nikki McFadder's trip from Charlotte to Columbia to end a relationship opens Renee Robertson's collection of five Carolina crime stories.

    Feb 13, 2026·33m·2 clips
  11. 11

    Ep. 166-An Interview with Helen St. Clair, Author of "The Killing Trails"

    Feb 6, 2026·1h 3m
  12. 12

    Ep. 165-The 2025 End-of-Year Review

    Renee Robertson reviews Missing in the Carolinas’ 2025 production, audience growth, most-downloaded episodes, and interviews.

    Jan 2, 2026·36m·2 clips
  13. 13

    (Replay) Ep. 51-The Darker Side of the Holidays

    Dec 26, 2025·19m
  14. 14

    Ep. 164-The Abduction and Murder of Peg Cuttino from South Carolina

    Dec 19, 2025·22m
  15. 15

    Ep. 163-Interview with Stephanie Tinsley, Host and Creator of “Everything They Missed”

    Dec 15, 2025·39m
  16. 16

    Ep. 162-Interview with Dick Harpootlian, Author of "Dig Me a Grave"

    An interview with attorney Dick Harpootlian about his role in the execution of serial killer Pee Wee Gaskins and his views on the death penalty.

    Dec 5, 2025·40m
  17. 17

    Ep. 161-Missing in November

    Nov 28, 2025·22m
  18. 18

    Ep. 160-Todd Kohlhepp's Crimes in South Carolina

    Nov 21, 2025·32m
  19. 19

    Replay-Missing South Carolina Kids from the 70s and 80s

    Nov 14, 2025·31m
  20. 20

    Ep. 159-The Murder of Michelle Young in Raleigh

    Nov 7, 2025·33m
  21. 21

    Ep. 158-The Murder of Dr. Joe Smith in Lancaster, S.C.

    Oct 31, 2025·20m
  22. 22

    Ep. 157-Stories of Spirits from the Carolinas

    Oct 24, 2025·25m
  23. 23

    Ep. 156-Helen Gibbs and Susan Haire, Deaths on the Parkway

    Oct 17, 2025·25m
  24. 24

    Ep. 155-The Murder of Cati Blauvelt from South Carolina

    Oct 10, 2025·22m
  25. 25

    Replay-Four Lost Children of North Carolina

    Sep 26, 2025·20m
  26. 26

    Replay-An Unsolved Murder in Alleghany, N.C.

    Sep 19, 2025·24m
  27. 27

    Ep. 154-Five Crimes from the North Carolina Mountains

    Sep 12, 2025·44m
  28. 28

    Ep. 153-The Murder of Janet Siclari in Nags Head and the Unsolved Murder of Denise Johnson in Kill Devil Hills

    Sep 5, 2025·22m
  29. 29

    Ep. 152-The Unsolved Murder of Cynthia Kirk and the Death of Giovanni Pelletier

    Aug 29, 2025·22m
  30. 30

    Ep. 151-Missing and Murdered Students and Spirits in Carolina Schools

    Aug 22, 2025·40m
  31. 31

    Ep. 150-The Murders of Antoinetta McKoy and Jadon Higganbothan in Durham, N.C.

    Aug 8, 2025·23m
  32. 32

    Replay-Made-for-TV Movies Based on N.C. Crimes

    Aug 1, 2025·39m
  33. 33

    Ep. 149-The Murders of Christina Parcell and Phonesia Machado-Fore in South Carolina

    Jul 25, 2025·25m
  34. 34

    Ep. 148-An Insider’s Look at Researching and Reporting on True Crime

    Jul 18, 2025·27m
  35. 35

    Ep. 147-A Conversation with Hope Andersen, North Carolina-Based Author of MotherLove and Other Works

    Host Renee Robertson interviews North Carolina author Hope Andersen about her suspense novel MotherLove and her inspirational writing journey.

    Jul 11, 2025·32m
  36. 36

    Ep. 146-The Unsolved Murder of Brenda Holland in the OBX, Part 2

    Jul 4, 2025·30m
  37. 37

    Ep. 145-The Unsolved Murder of Brenda Holland in the OBX, Part 1

    Jun 27, 2025·27m
  38. 38

    Ep. 144-Summertime Disappearances and a Cold Case in the Carolinas

    Jun 20, 2025·32m
  39. 39

    Ep. 143-The Bellamy Brothers Bank Robberies in North and South Carolina

    Jun 13, 2025·21m
  40. 40

    Ep. 142-The Loomis Fargo Robbery in Charlotte, A.K.A. “The Hillbilly Heist”

    Jun 6, 2025·23m
  41. 41

    Ep. 141-Cold Cases and Crimes from Iredell County:An Interview with Shellie Taylor

    Renee Robertson interviews archivist Shellie Taylor about cold cases from Iredell County, including the mysterious death of Virginia Sneed and the murder of fire captain Leroy Horton.

    May 30, 2025·48m
  42. 42

    Ep. 140-The Kidnapping and Murder of Mary Kathryn Ennis and the Death of William McMichael in North Carolina

    May 23, 2025·25m
  43. 43

    Ep. 139-An Interview with Helen Zuman and Her Experience with the Neo-Hippie Cult Zendik Farm in North Carolina

    Helen Zuman shares her five-year experience in the neo-hippie cult Zendik Farm in North Carolina, which she initially sought as an intentional community.

    May 16, 2025·56m
  44. 44

    Ep. 138-Murdered by Poison: The Deaths of Sandy Coulthard, Eric Miller, and Stacy Hunsucker

    May 9, 2025·35m
  45. 45

    Ep. 137-Mental Health Awareness Month and Missing Persons Cases

    May 2, 2025·39m
  46. 46

    Ep. 136-Down the True Crime Rabbit Hole

    Apr 25, 2025·25m
  47. 47

    Replay-Missing and Murdered in Wilmington, N.C.

    Apr 18, 2025·29m
  48. 48

    Ep. 135-The Crimes of Lee Roy Martin, The Gaffney Strangler

    Apr 11, 2025·23m
  49. 49

    Ep. 134-Missing and Murdered While on Vacation

    Apr 4, 2025·32m
  50. 50

    Ep. 133-The Murders of Kristin Lodge-Miller and Eve Carson

    Mar 28, 2025·33m