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  • MURDER MYSTERY: Why didn’t anyone hear the shots that killed John Leonard? And why it matters.

    MURDER MYSTERY: Why didn’t anyone hear the shots that killed John Leonard? And why it matters.

    Updated: June 25, 2025, added more information about the use of silencers

    Lots of things don’t add up in the John Leonard murder case.

    Here’s one of them:

    How did no one hear the five gunshots that killed John Leonard?

    At first glance, you might assume the killer used a silencer.
    But look closer at the facts and the type of weapon involved, and that theory doesn’t hold up so well.

    More on that below.

    John Leonard, cold case murder victim
    John Leonard

    Background Information

    John Leonard, 52, was a father of five who worked for Mick’s Motors and Taxi Service in the Poconos. He and his children lived in an apartment on the business’s property. John was a decorated World War II veteran, a former POW of a Nazi war camp, and a devout Catholic.

    The last fare

    On September 8th, 1970, John Leonard went out to pick up a taxi fare. It was the Tuesday after Labor Day — a beautiful late-summer day, with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s, and only a few clouds in the sky.1 According to taxi company owner Don Mick, a caller requested pickup at the entrance to the Inn at Buck Hill Falls. The Inn was 2 miles from Mick’s Motors; a mere five-minute drive.

    The Inn, a massive 400-room luxury resort on a hill, loomed over Buck Hill Falls, one of five villages in Barrett Township. In 1970, the township population was just 2,452, per census records. Not exactly New York City. It was quiet and woodsy, as you can see on the map below.

    Map showing the last known location of John Leonard and the Inn where his body was discovered in 1970.

    Body discovery in the John Leonard murder case

    News reports state taxi company owner Don Mick discovered John’s bullet-riddled body in his cab. John was parked on the long driveway leading up to the Inn. Don said he went to look for John after John stopped responding to radio calls.

    John Leonard was shot five times, bullets striking his head, neck and back. Detective Craig Vanlouvender, Chief Detective of Cold Cases for the Monroe County D.A., told Dateline NBC that John was killed with a .22-caliber weapon, most likely a revolver due to the lack of shell casings at the scene. Investigators believe the killer shot him through the open driver’s side window.

    The prevailing theory in the John Leonard murder case is that John was murdered right there — on the Inn’s driveway — by the person who called for the taxi.

    So that would mean he was shot outdoors, in the middle of a beautiful day, 50 yards (150 feet) from the entrance of a 400-room inn and resort.

    Yet, nobody heard the shots. Not any of the guests, not any of the staff, not any passersby. What are the odds?

    Ballistics and Acoustics Breakdown

    According to multiple sources on firearms acoustics, a .22-caliber revolver, though not the loudest gun, produces a report of 135 to 140 decibels at the muzzle.

    At 50 yards away, that sound would still register at around 90 to 100 decibels — comparable to standing next to a leaf blower or motorcycle. Plus, a sharp, cracking sound like gunfire is easy to distinguish, especially in a quiet rural setting.

    Could the environment have muffled the sound?

    The drive up to the inn, where John was found in his taxi, was lined with hemlock trees and rhododendron bushes. Dense vegetation can muffle or scatter sound. But for five gunshots in a row to go completely unnoticed in broad daylight? While possible, it would require very unusual acoustic conditions.

    What about people inside the Inn?

    Most buildings, even older ones, don’t block gunfire entirely, especially at short distances. Guests or staff might have heard something, even if they didn’t recognize it as gunshots at first — a .22 can sound like a firecracker or a nail gun.

    Why did no one hear the shots?

    A few theories:

    The killer used a sound suppressor (silencer). If the murder weapon is a .22 revolver as the police believe, a “silencer” wouldn’t do much to reduce the noise from the shots. I’m no firearms expert, so I did some research and found this:

    A suppressor (silencer) is largely ineffective on a .22 revolver — or any revolver — because of the design of the gun.

    Most revolvers, including .22s, have a gap between the cylinder and the barrel called the cylinder-barrel gap. When a round is fired, hot gases and sound escape through that gap, bypassing the suppressor entirely. This makes suppressors nearly useless on traditional revolvers for significantly reducing noise.

    A few rare, specialized revolvers, like the Russian Nagant M1895, are designed to seal that gap and can be suppressed — but they’re not commonly used in the U.S., especially not in the 1960s or 70s.

    So if someone fired a .22 revolver in a crime, even with a suppressor, it would still be quite audible, especially outdoors in a quiet area. 

    Environmental conditions muffled the sound. Another explanation for why no one heard the shots is the shooting happened at just the right moment, at the right place, and under the right conditions for no one to hear a thing. Ground temperature, wind direction, humidity and more can affect how far sound travels. I’d love to hear the what a ballistics expert would have to say about this.

    Witnesses stayed silent. Then again, it could be that witnesses heard the shots, but decided to keep their mouths shut about it.

    Police buried the report. Another possibility, in the realm of conspiracy, is people heard the shots and reported it, but the police ‘lost’ that information. (It was the ’70s.)

    The body was moved. It’s also possible, since no one at the inn said they witnessed the shooting or even heard the shots, that John Leonard was killed elsewhere and his body was moved.

    Why does it matter?

    If a witness did hear the shots, it would’ve helped pin down a solid timeline. As it stands, the timeline of the John Leonard murder case has glaring inconsistencies. [That’s for another post.]

    If John Leonard wasn’t killed at the Inn, then the crime scene everyone has accepted for half a century isn’t the real one.

    And if that’s the case, the entire timeline of the crime collapses. Evidence could’ve been left behind elsewhere. Witnesses could’ve seen things in different locations.

    The family’s investigation

    Based on leads from their own independent investigation, the Leonard family believes that John Leonard was likely not murdered at Buck Hill Falls, but killed somewhere else and brought there.

    If the family is right, and the murder didn’t happen at the Inn at Buck Hill Falls, then what else have we misunderstood about this murder case that’s been unsolved for more than 50 years?

    Explore more 1970s cold cases here

    Key facts – John Leonard murder case

    The Victim

    • John Leonard, 52 years old
    • Father of five children
    • Decorated World War II veteran
    • Former POW in a Nazi war camp
    • Devout Catholic
    • Worked for Mick’s Motors and Taxi Service
    • Lived with his children in an apartment on the business property

    Crime Details

    • Date: September 8, 1970 (Tuesday after Labor Day)
    • Weather: Warm and partly sunny, highs in upper 70s
    • Shot five times (head, neck, and back)
    • Weapon: 22-caliber, likely a revolver
    • No shell casings found at the scene
    • Possibly shot through open driver’s side window
    • No witnesses reported hearing gunshots

    Location

    • Body found in taxi on driveway to Inn at Buck Hill Falls
    • Inn was a 400-room luxury resort
    • Located in Buck Hill Falls village, Barrett Township
    • Township population in 1970: 2,452
    • Only 2 miles (5-minute drive) from Mick’s Motors

    Discovery

    • Body discovered by Don Mick, taxi company owner
    • Mick said he went looking after John stopped responding to radio calls
    • Found John’s bullet-riddled body in his cab

    Prevailing Theory

    • John was responding to a pickup request
    • Fare requested pickup at entrance to Inn at Buck Hill Falls
    • Killer likely the person who called for the taxi
    • Shot to death in the driveway of the Inn

    Key Mystery

    • How did nobody hear five gunshots?
    • No shell casings found
    • No witnesses despite daytime murder
    • Murder occurred near a populated luxury resort


    More about the John Leonard murder case

  • MURDER MYSTERY: Why was the suspect sketch never released?

    MURDER MYSTERY: Why was the suspect sketch never released?

    The John Leonard cold case has a lot of unanswered questions. The situation with the sketch is a real head-scratcher IMO. Do you have any theories about why it went down the way it did? Please share with us in the comments.

    Imagine if you were a child when your father is shot to death in broad daylight while sitting in his taxi. The killer takes off before anyone finds the scene. The crime seems completely random, making it just about impossible to solve. Even though it’s huge news in your tiny town, the case grows cold fast. Then settles into a decades-long deep freeze. No leads. No justice.

    Fifty years pass. Now you’re at a place in life where you start to look back. You begin digging into the case yourself. You push law enforcement for answers. Bit by bit, some clues emerge.

    And then, one detail stops you cold.

    The police had a sketch of the main suspect. Two witnesses saw a man standing next to your father’s car around the time of the murder. They helped an artist create an image of that man. But that sketch was never released! Not to the public. Not even to your family.

    Why?

    Could you really be blamed for wondering whether police ever truly meant to solve this case? Was someone being protected — at the expense of your father’s life, and your family’s right to the truth and justice?

    After all, this unsolved murder didn’t just happen anywhere.

    It happened in the Poconos, where, in the 1970s, you couldn’t turn left or right without bumping into gangsters. And that’s not hyperbole. Those were the exact words of Joan Weiner, then-head of the Pennsylvania Crime Commission. She reported “‘a significant infiltration of organized crime figures‘ at all levels of the resort business in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania.”

    The Inn at Buck Hill Falls postcard

    John Leonard — the father in this case — was murdered just 50 yards from the grand stone entrance of the Inn at Buck Hill Falls, a 400-room luxury resort that once drew guests from across the country, particularly from Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York.

    Today, the sketch is finally public — more than five decades after the murder. You can see it here and in the embedded video below.

    But the case is still unsolved.

    Who was the man standing by John Leonard’s car?
    Was he the killer?
    Why was the sketch kept from the family for so long?
    And what else has been buried?

    These are some of the questions we’ll be exploring in an upcoming episode of the new NEPA True Crime podcast. Even after fifty years, someone still knows something, and it’s not too late to speak up.

    Sketch released in decades-old Monroe County cold case

    Read more about the Leonard family’s fight for justice.

    💚 Donate to and share the GoFundMe: Exhumation & Solving Two Murders in One

     

  • 💔 Help Solve Two Cold Cases: Leonard Family Seeks Justice Through Exhumation Fundraiser

    💔 Help Solve Two Cold Cases: Leonard Family Seeks Justice Through Exhumation Fundraiser

    Monroe County, Pennsylvania

    black and white photo of the Leonard family. A man and woman and five small children.
    The Leonard family

    For more than five decades, twin sisters Lori and Debbie Leonard have lived with unanswered questions no family should have to carry. Why were their parents, John and Madeleine Leonard, murdered? And why are their cases still unsolved more than 50 years later?

    The Leonard family launched a GoFundMe campaign with the goal of exhuming their parents’ remains to finally get answers through modern forensic testing. They hope it will finally provide the answers denied to them by decades of stalled investigations, lost records, and what they allege is a systemic cover-up.

    “Our parents were both murdered in the 1970s,” Lori Leonard writes. “We need to have their bodies exhumed and examined by modern forensics to find truth and answers. We need justice and closure.”

    A Cab Ride That Ended in Murder

    On September 8, 1970, John Leonard Sr., a WWII veteran and taxi driver for Mick’s Taxi Service, was dispatched to Buck Hill Falls Inn for a seemingly routine fare. He never came back home.

    He was found in his cab, shot multiple times in the head, neck, and back. His murder, committed just 150 feet from the Inn’s front doors, in broad daylight, was never solved.

    Despite witnesses seeing a man near the cab and irregularities in the investigation timeline, police closed ranks. The owner of the taxi company towed the car himself — then drove it again for business six weeks later. Autopsy records vanished. Leads were dismissed.

    Two Years Later, Another Sudden, Tragic Death

    On February 21, 1973, Madeleine Leonard, a waitress at the Top Hat Restaurant in Mountainhome, told her daughters she was going out to pursue a lead on her husband’s murder. She never came home again.

    The next morning, her body was found in a wrecked car. Local police at the time noted tire tracks from another vehicle, paint transfer, and rear-end damage, all suggesting she may have been run off the road. But Pennsylvania State Police declined to investigate it as a homicide.

    According to the Leonards, they only discovered in 2017 that their mother’s death had not ever been treated as a potential crime.

    Why Exhumation Matters

    After repeated roadblocks from law enforcement, the Leonard sisters are seeking $75,000 to:

    • Exhume both parents’ remains
    • Hire a modern forensic pathologist to perform full autopsies
    • Conduct DNA testing
    • Retain a private investigator and legal counsel

    They say the Monroe County Coroner, Thomas Yanac, told them records of any autopsies are missing and confirmed that Madeleine’s death certificate was “not consistent” with her crash being accidental.

    Related: Leonard Family Calls for United Victims’ Voices

    A Veteran, Parents, Silenced Victims

    Both John and Madeleine Leonard were respected community members. Also, John was a decorated POW from World War II. Madeleine was a Gold Star Mother, having lost a son in Vietnam.

    Their surviving daughters — now in their 60s — are the only ones of the five Leonard children left to seek justice.

    “Our family has suffered for over 52 years. Our parents gave so much to this country and their community. They deserve honor and justice.”

    You can find a detailed account of their story on the official GoFundMe page.

    How You Can Help

    💚 Donate or share the official GoFundMe:  Exhumation & Solving Two Unsolved Murders in One

    Know something? Call PA CrimeStoppers: 1-800-4PA-TIPS

    Share this post on social media to amplify their story.

    More coverage:

    NEPA True Crime will continue to follow this case and support efforts to seek answers. An in-depth podcast episode on the John and Madeleine Leonard cases is currently in production.

  • Leonard Family Calls for United Victims’ Voices

    Leonard Family Calls for United Victims’ Voices

    Lori Leonard, daughter of John and Madeleine Leonard — whose 1970s murders in the Poconos remain unsolved — has been seriously ill in recent months, but she is undergoing treatment and hopes for a full recovery.

    Even in the face of personal hardship, Lori and her husband Randy Zona, along with Lori’s twin sister, Debbie, continue to advocate not just for their own family, but for other victims’ families as well.

    “We’ve been trying to get other victims’ families together with us,” they wrote. “The more people we make aware of victims’ lives and what we’ve all experienced — and still continue to experience — the more we can hopefully get some kind of justice for everyone.”

    The family has been distributing flyers listing multiple unsolved cases throughout the region in hopes of building awareness and pressure for renewed investigations. They are calling for unity, shared visibility, and collective pressure on law enforcement.

    If your family has been affected by an unsolved homicide or suspicious death in Northeast Pennsylvania and wants to connect with the Leonard/Zona team, please contact them at johnandmadeleineleonard@gmail.com.

    I’m wishing Lori Leonard strength and healing as she continues to advocate for justice on behalf of her mother and father and other families impacted by homicide.

    A podcast episode on the Leonard cases is currently in production for NEPA True Crime.

    This list of other cold case victims from Monroe County and the surrounding area is printed on the back of the Leonard flyers.
    This list of other cold case victims from Monroe County and the surrounding area is printed on the back of the Leonard flyers.

    See also: Dateline NBC’s Cold Case Spotlight on John and Madeleine Leonard.

  • Justice for Jessica Lockwood – homicide suspect caught after 10 days – What was the motive?

    Justice for Jessica Lockwood – homicide suspect caught after 10 days – What was the motive?

    Homicide victim Jessica Lockwood, age 39

    Updates

    June 02, 2025: As of today, Terence Leroy Ray has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Friday, June 6, 2025, at the Luzerne County Courthouse. At a preliminary hearing, the judge decides if there’s enough evidence for a case to go to trial. It is not about determining guilt or innocence. But given all the evidence in this case, I think the odds are high that Ray will waive his preliminary hearing. [I’m not a legal expert, but waiving this hearing is common when there is an abundance of evidence against a defendent.] View the Terence Leroy Ray docket here.

    May 19, 2025: Terence Leroy Ray is returning to Luzerne County today, to face charges of criminal homicide, abuse of corpse and tampering with evidence. He’ll be jailed without bail at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. 2 3 I wonder if we’ll get any clarity on how this apparently minor drug deal went so horrifically wrong, leaving a 39-year-old mother dead, and a 55-year-old grandfather facing the rest of his life in prison.

    💚 GoFundMe for Jessica Lockwood’s children – Donate here

    May 11, 2025: A benefit is set for July 11, 2025, at the Harwood Fire Company, where Jessica was a firefighter and trustee. The day will feature live music along with food trucks and local vendors. Attendees can also try their luck at Tricky Trays, generously donated by supporters, businesses, and members of the community. Benefit organizers are currently seeking more local businesses to donate to the fundraiser.

    Jess went beyond for anything that was asked of her. She was dedicated to a life of selflessness, compassion, & charity. She will be greatly missed & fondly remembered by all the lives she touched. – Harwood Fire Company

    Also, Lockwood’s 11-year-old daughter, Isabella, recently spoke with Andy Mehalshik of 28/22 News (video below). 4

    May 8, 2025: Terence Leroy Ray, a suspect in the homicide of Jessica (Paul) Lockwood, was apprehended at 5:45 a.m. the morning of May 8th, in Westchester County, New York, without incident. He was tracked to the Hilltop Inn & Suites on Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers. The arrest was made by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Pennsylvania State Police Fugitive Apprehension Unit.

    Ray is currently held in the Westchester County Jail, where he’s awaiting extradition back to Luzerne County. 5

    Luzerne County D.A. Sam Sanguedolce said investigators think they know the motive behind Ray’s actions.

    “We have a theory we are not prepared to make public yet,” Sanguedolce said. 6

    Case Status

    Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Terence Leroy Ray (current as ofJune 02, 2025)

    Preliminary Hearing Scheduled for June 6, 2025 at Luzerne County Courthouse
    Bail Status Denied – Defendant remains in custody
    Defendant Name Terence Leroy Ray
    Date of Birth 1969
    Residence Hazleton, PA 18201
    Criminal Complaint Issued April 29, 2025
    Offense Date April 27, 2025
    Arrest Date May 8, 2025
    Current Stage Awaiting Extradition
    Incarceration Location Westchester County Jail, New York
    Charges
    • Criminal Homicide (18 § 2501 §§ A) – Felony H1
    • Abuse of Corpse (18 § 5510) – Misdemeanor 2
    • Tampering with Physical Evidence (18 § 4910 §§ 1) – Misdemeanor 2
    Judge Assigned Magisterial District Judge James M. Dixon
    Arresting Officer Officer Brett A. Naprava (Hazleton City Police)
    Prosecutor Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office
    Public Defender No record on file as of June 02, 2025
    Source: Magisterial District Court Docket No. MJ-11304-CR-0000153-2025, Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania, accessed June 02, 2025.

    💚 GoFundMe for Jessica Lockwood’s children – Donate here

    What happened to Jessica Lockwood?

    On the morning of April 27, 2025, at about 7:00 a.m., the Hazleton City Fire Department responded to a report of a mannequin on fire on Club 40 Road near East Broad Street in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. They arrived at the scene to discover a human body wrapped in a tarp and set on fire. The unclothed victim was identified as 39-year-old Jessica Ann Lockwood, a dedicated volunteer firefighter, ambulance technician, and married mother of two from Frackville.

    Jessica Lockwood had been reported missing the previous day after failing to pick up her son. With the help of her family, authorities tracked her cell phone and discovered it abandoned along Route 424.

    Investigators reviewed the phone and found a series of text messages between Lockwood and a contact saved as “Og,” later identified as Terence Leroy Ray, age 55. Lockwood’s final message, sent at 2:33 p.m. on April 26 to “Og”, read, “Here. I have to get my son.”

    Police interviewed Lockwood’s incarcerated husband, James Lockwood, who told them he knew “Og” to be a pill dealer.

    James is serving a one-year prison sentence for firing a gun at a group of teenagers trespassing near the Harwood Volunteer Fire Company in Hazle Township, where both he and his wife had been active members. He started his prison sentence on April 10, just a few weeks before the murder.

    During the interview, James Lockwood told investigators his wife had been buying painkillers from “Og.” Before he was locked up, James always accompanied her to the drug buys, which took place in an alley behind Ray’s home. He said Lockwood got addicted to pain meds after dealing with chronic pain due to extensive neck surgeries.

    Ray has a prescription for Percocet, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

    Terrence Leroy Ray, age 55. The armed and dangerous suspect was on the run for 10 days.

    James Lockwood called Ray from the correctional facility and asked him if he knew where Lockwood was. Ray told him Jessica never showed up at his place, and he didn’t know where she was.

    Evidence found in Hazleton burning body case

    The day the body was discovered, authorities searched Ray’s side of the double-block residence at 137 Muir Avenue in Hazleton. The search revealed:

    • a pool of dried blood in the basement
    • blonde hair matching Lockwood’s
    • a single gold-plated diamond earring matching one Lockwood was wearing
    • blood-soaked trash bags and paper towels
    • blood on a red handcart and a piece of rope
    • a torn pillowcase consistent with fabric used to wrap Lockwood’s legs
    • two live 9mm rounds
    • an empty gun case
    • ownership papers for a 9mm Ruger handgun

    Surveillance footage captured Ray moving Lockwood’s vehicle from his residence to a location a block away. Additionally, a license plate reader recorded Ray’s dark blue Ford Explorer entering and exiting Club 40 Road around the time of the body’s discovery.

    An autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Charles Siebert determined Lockwood died from a gunshot to the upper right chest and blunt force trauma leading to broken ribs, a shattered clavicle, and head trauma.

    The manner of death was ruled a homicide by Luzerne County Acting Coroner Kaitlin Keating.

    Map showing Ray’s House and Club 40 Road in Hazleton, PA—key locations in the Jessica Lockwood homicide case.
    Map showing Ray’s house and Club 40 Road in Hazleton, PA — key locations in the Jessica Lockwood homicide case.

    Warrant issued for Terrence Leroy Ray – Jessica Lockwood homicide

    On April 29, 2025, a criminal complaint was filed under seal, charging Terrence Ray with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. The complaint was unsealed on May 5, 2025, during a press conference by Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce.

    Sanguedolce stated that investigators think they’ve uncovered the motive behind Ray’s actions.

    “We have a theory we are not prepared to make public yet,” Sanguedolce said.

    Authorities believe Ray fled Luzerne County immediately after the Jessica Lockwood homicide and is currently at large. He left his dark blue Ford Explorer at his home on Muir Ave. He possibly has connections in the Bronx.

    The Hazleton Standard Speaker reports that Ray’s daughter alleged in a 2022 PFA filing that he assaulted her and made threats involving a firearm inside the same residence where Lockwood was killed.

    “Dad climbed through my apartment window, punched me, attacked my daughter, and damaged property in home. Was arrested and released today,” she wrote in the PFA filing.

    Ray is described as weighing about 240 pounds and is 6’1″ tall. He is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach. Call 911.

    How you can help

    💚 A GoFundMe campaign established to support Jessica Lockwood’s children has raised over $21,000 as of May 7, 2025 – Donate here

    🕯️ A Celebration of Life is scheduled for May 13, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Harman Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc. in Drums, Pennsylvania.

    🎟️ Benefit for Jessica Lockwood’s family July 11, 2025: To be held at Harwood Fire Company, where Jessica served as a firefighter and trustee. Live music, food trucks, local vendors, and raffle trays donated by the community. Organizers are still seeking local business donations.

    📞 Submit a Tip

    If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Hazleton City Police Department.

    📰 Local News Coverage

  • Debra Fox’s Mysterious Death: Was it Murder?

    Debra Fox’s Mysterious Death: Was it Murder?

    Photo of Debra Fox, a 69-year-old woman from Wilkes-Barre, whose remains were discovered in 2024.

    The five individuals arrested for the horrific kidnapping, torture and murder of Michigan mother Nicole Cuevas waived their right to a preliminary hearing this week.

    That’s no surprise. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if there’s enough evidence to bring a defendant to trial. The eyewitness and forensic evidence against them has got to be overwhelming.

    Is Debra Fox Confirmed Murdered?

    The last report I’ve seen into the manner and cause of death of Debra Fox, the woman who owned the home at 142 Carlisle Street where where Nicole Cuevas was tortured and murdered, is that her cause and manner of death are both “undetermined.”

    Her body was found on March 26, 2024, at the bottom of a steep embankment behind a budget hotel. She’d been staying there with at least one of the murder suspects after she lost her home to unpaid property taxes. (That home had been in her family since the 1940s, per Luzerne County Recorder of Deeds.)

    But a recent news report from PAHomepage states that Debra Fox was murdered.

    It says, “The longtime owner of the home, 69-year-old Debra Fox, was also murdered.” and “If you have any information about the murder of Debra Fox, contact Wilkes-Barre Police.”

    Did that news outlet jump to that conclusion, or do they have access to some new (or inside) information? While it’s not exactly a giant leap to assume Debra Fox didn’t trip and fall down that embankment but was a victim of foul play, news outlets typically stick to the documented facts.

    I can’t find any news reports that state Debra Fox’s death certificate has been amended to show the manner of death as homicide. And I haven’t had a chance to request a copy of the coroner’s report to see for myself if there is a change.

    The Citizens Voice reported on 1/31/2025 that Debra Fox’s cause and manner of death are undetermined.

    The Times Leader didn’t specify homicide, either.

    If you know anything about the death of Debra Fox, contact the Wilkes-Barre Police Department. You can call anonymously by phone at 570.208.4200, Extension 4, by sending the  Wilkes-Barre Police Department Facebook Page a private message, or using the form at the WBPD website.

  • I’m back, plus podcast is percolating

    After a long pause, I’ve decided to get going with this website again.

    I had a lot happen in my personal life over the past several months, PLUS I was feeling discouraged when all of my original articles were taken from this site and plagiarized word for word, without even giving this website the courtesy of a mention or a link.

    I guess the best way to work around that is to start doing a podcast.

    Coming soon!

  • The Girl in the Blue Slippers – The Mystery of I-80 Jane Doe

    The Girl in the Blue Slippers – The Mystery of I-80 Jane Doe

    Her remains were found in Black Creek Township, about 30 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre, in 1973. Local lore has it her spirit haunts the stretch of highway where she was found.

    Artist’s rendering of “I-80 Jane Doe” source: https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/UP8924

    It’s August 9, 1973, and a tourist decides to pull off Interstate 80 near Sugarloaf in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, for a walk in the woods. But instead of enjoying a peaceful stroll, they stumble upon something horrifying — just 100 feet from the highway, wrapped in a blanket, is the body of a woman. 

    This woman, later known as I-80 Jane Doe, wasn’t just left there. The body had been doused in sulfuric acid, a highly corrosive chemical that causes third-degree burns on contact – a move clearly meant to prevent identification.

    And for more than 50 years, that’s exactly what it did.

    August 9, 1973

    Tourist finds woman’s body near I-80, Sugarloaf, PA. Wrapped in a blanket, doused with sulfuric acid

    August 15, 1973

    The remains are buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre, PA

    November, 1973

    Three months later, the case is closed.

    2016

    I-80 Jane Doe is exhumed for DNA testing. DNA is collected but no usable profile found. Remains are reburied at Maple Hill Cemetery.

    July, 2024

    I-80 Jane Doe is exhumed a second time for advanced forensic testing

    “Body of Woman Found at Tank” Standard-Speaker, August 10, 1973, Page 15. via Newspapers.com

    Discovery and Early Investigation

    When Jane Doe was found, investigators were baffled. Luzerne County Coroner Dr. George Hudock conducted the autopsy at Wyoming Valley Hospital. Here’s what he could gather: Jane Doe was African American, between 21 and 30 years old, around 5 feet tall, and weighed about 100 pounds.

    There were no signs of injury or trauma to her body. X-rays and fingerprinting turned up nothing. Hudock ran toxicology tests to look for drugs or poison in her system, but if he found anything, it was never released to the public.

    The initial investigation revealed that the body was carried to the site, and the young woman died 48 to 72 hours before she was found.

    Checked with schools

    Luzerne County Detective James Grace told the Standard-Speaker that they were checking with schools for a missing girl, just in case she was younger than the estimate, and her description was being circulated to police departments in an eight-state area.

    But there were never any leads.

    Six days after she was found, Jane Doe was buried at Maple Hill Cemetery in Hanover Township. Rev. W.J. Atterbeary, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Wilkes-Barre, officiated at her graveside.

    And just three months later, the investigation was closed.

    I-80 Jane Doe
    “Autopsy Fails to Determine Death Cause,” The Times Leader, August 10, 1973, Page 21. via Newspapers.com

    A Second Look: The 2016 Exhumation

    After more than four decades, investigators decided to exhume I-80 Jane Doe’s body. DNA technology had come a long way, and there was renewed hope that they could finally identify her. Dr. Erin Kimmerle from the University of South Florida led the forensic examination. They collected DNA samples, hoping for a match in national databases. 

    But despite the advancements in forensic science, it hit a dead end. No viable DNA profile could be developed. I-80 Jane Doe’s body was reburied in Maple Hill Cemetery.

    2024: A New Hope

    Now, nearly eight years later, investigators are taking another shot.

    In July 2024, Luzerne County District Attorney Samuel M. Sanguedolce and Assistant District Attorney Carl Frank filed a petition to exhume I-80 Jane Doe’s body once again. President Judge Michael T. Vough signed off on it.

    Dr. Kimmerle is back on the case, leading another forensic examination. But this time, it’s more comprehensive and will include:

    • Medicolegal autopsy
    • Skeletal analysis
    • Forensic dental analysis
    • X-rays
    • MRI scan
    • DNA extraction and sequencing

    The hope is they can get a usable profile and enter it into a national DNA database.

    That could lead to her relatives, and relatives could lead to her name. 

    Who was I-80 Jane Doe?

    Who was I-80 Jane Doe? From what we know, she was a young Black woman, probably between 20 and 30 years old (certainly younger than 40), 4’10” to 5’2” tall, and weighed around 100 pounds.

    She had dark brown or black hair tied in a short ponytail, and brown eyes. When she was found, she was wearing blue-green shorts, a pink blouse with white lace, and floral slippers. Wrapped in a yellow and green blanket, with the legs pinned. She had an upper dental bridge with six teeth.

    • African American woman, about 21-30 years old
    • Height: 4’10 to 5’2″
    • Weight: 100 lbs
    • Dark brown or black hair tied in a ponytail
    • Brown eyes
    • Wearing blue-green shorts, a pink blouse with white lace, and blue floral slippers
    • Wrapped in yellow and green blanket.
    • Wore upper dental bridge with six teeth

    The slippers/shoes found with the remains of I-80 Jane Doe. Source: The Doe Network

    What’s Next?

    With this second exhumation, officials are hopeful they’ll get enough DNA to finally identify I-80 Jane Doe. If they can match her profile to any relatives, we might finally learn her name. And once we have that, maybe the truth about what happened to her will follow.

    For now, all we can do is wait. If 2024 is the year we identify I-80 Jane Doe, it could bring closure to a case that’s haunted Pennsylvania for far too long. Some even say the ghost of I-80 Jane Doe haunts the highway where her body was found. Will this be the year her name is finally revealed and she can find some peace?

    Hopefully, time, and science, will tell us very soon.

    © 2024 NEPATrueCrime.com. All rights reserved. The text on this website is the exclusive property of NEPATrueCrime.com and its authors. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of any original content is strictly prohibited. No part of this website may be copied, republished, or reproduced without explicit written permission.

    Sources:
    “Body of Woman Found at Tank,” Standard-Speaker, August 10, 1973, Page 15. via Newspapers.com 

    “Unidentified Woman to Be Buried Today,” Standard-Speaker, August 15, 1973, Page 26. via Newspapers.com 

    “Judge Grants Request to Exhume Remains Found on Highway Decades Ago,” Citizens’ Voice, August 13, 2016, Page T11. via Newspapers.com

    “Unsolved: I-80 Jane Doe 1973,” The Pennsylvania Rambler, August 31, 2022

    I-80 Jane Doe’s Profile on the Jane Doe Network

    I-80 Jane Doe’s Profile on NAMUS

  • Hometown Service Held for Nicole Cuevas; New Court Date for Suspects

    Hometown Service Held for Nicole Cuevas; New Court Date for Suspects

    The family of homicide victim Nicole Cuevas held a service today at St. Mary’s Cathedral Church in Saginaw, Michigan, according to a Facebook post by Nicole’s brother Paris Scroggins. Nicole’s obituary reads, “Nicole loved to read. Nicole truly loved being with her children and her family and friends. She loved visiting, chatting, and helping family and friends whenever needed.”

    Court Date Moved for Suspects

    All five suspects in the brutal kidnapping, torture, and murder of Nicole Cuevas are locked up in county jails without bail (Jason Race, Desiree Linnete, Faith Beamer, and Sarai Doyle are in the Luzerne County Jail; William Wolfe is in Lackawanna County Jail, per court documents).

    The next action on their court dockets is the preliminary hearing. It was originally set for all five defendants on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., in the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre.

    It has been continued, aka rescheduled, to August 2, 2024, Friday, at 9 a.m.

    Sources:

    • https://prdpcv.pwpca.pa.gov/available-services/Pages/Preliminary-Hearing.aspx
    • https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/#

  • Finally! Robert Baron Murder Trial Starts Today

    Finally! Robert Baron Murder Trial Starts Today

    The Robert Baron murder trial has started today, Monday, May 6, 2024. The trial is expected to take about two weeks, beginning with jury selection today.

    I think most locals will agree this case has haunted Northeastern Pennsylvania ever since Robert Baron went missing under suspicious circumstances in late January 2017. He was the owner of the iconic Old Forge restaurant Ghigiarelli’s — a 100-year-old establishment. Gruesome details about his disappearance made the news, such as the discovery of blood and a tooth at Baron’s family-owned establishment. Billboards pleading for help solving the case were constant reminders of this horrible mystery, which went unsolved for six long years.

    Justin Schuback, 38, of Foundry Street in Old Forge, who was an associate of Robert Baron’s son, was arrested on March 31, 2023. He is charged with:

    • Murder Of The First Degree
    • Murder Of The Second Degree
    •Murder Of The Third Degree Robbery-Inflict Serious Bodily Injury
    • Burglary – Overnight Accommodations; Person Present, Bodily Injury Crime Theft By Unlaw Taking-Movable Prop
    • Criminal Homicide
    • Abuse Of Corpse

    Shuback pleaded not guilty to all charges at his June 2023 preliminary hearing, despite the fact it was his cell-tower data that led police straight to Robert Baron’s remains.

    Sources

    [Paywall] Murder trial in death of Robert Baron set to start Monday, The Citizen’s Voice, May 4, 2024

    Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas Docket for Justin Shuback