Down & Away Podcast

26/06/2025

"Hundreds of men who were abused as children at two notorious state reform schools are in line to receive checks of more than $21,000 in the coming days, as part of a $20 million reparations program approved last year by Florida lawmakers."

More than 900 men will each get checks of more than $21,000. The men were sent to the notorious schools between 1940 and 1975.

25/06/2025

25/06/2025

STATUS UPDATE: I've only got one episode to complete of the eight-episode series for Season 27. This case began for me with research into the murder of Virginia Lee Lawson in Crystal River, Florida in 1987. David Cote was arrested, tried, and acquitted. Police have stated that they still believe he was responsible for her murder, and press reports of the time indicated there were other homicides he was being looked at for. Police reports indicate family also had knowledge of a "Canadian Indian male" he had admitted to killing, that appears to still be unresolved. Research led me to Port Huron, where he lived before he moved to Florida, and a few unsolved homicide cases there, as well. There will be 4 main episodes on the police investigation into Virginia Lee Lawson's homicide, including audio of David Cote's police interviews, as well as some other audio containing information police recieved over a decade after his trial from an individual that said he was present when a woman in Crystal River was killed - and details from his statement appear to match the crime scene and victim. In addition to the 4 main episodes, there will be 4 stand-alone BONUS episodes related to the cases I researched in Port Huron and another Crystal River Homicide - Mate Crawford. I am still waiting on police records related to the Crawford homicide. There were a number of people in the same friend group that were associated with both cases.

19/06/2025

To creators who cover Canadian cases, (or listeners who might know) specifically missing persons, if you know of any indigenous males who went missing in the early 1970s, close to 1975, and you think they could have found their way to Port Huron, Michigan, please message me. The story I'm working on for next season includes a perpetrator who may have killed a man they picked up in a bar in Port Huron, which is very close to Canada. There was physical evidence seen by a witness that makes the story credible.

[email protected]

15/06/2025

09/06/2025

One of my sweet listeners shared this with me. A human remains sniffing sea otter!

After decades of using dogs to track the scent of missing people, Mike Hadsell of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue has added a new animal to his arsenal.

25/05/2025

In order to fully research next season's case, I've had to check into a few other cases that were mentioned along the way as possibly being associated. This is one of them, and I've put together an 18 minute video for my Youtube page.

In the early morning hours of New Years Eve, December 31, 1983, two sisters in their 80s, Ethel Lynch Reynolds and Freda Lynch DeMougin, were found murdered at their home in Crystal River. Nothing was identified as missing from the home. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office believes there are individuals with information which can help solve this crime and bring long-awaited resolution to the victims' family. It is just a matter of contacting Crime Stoppers. If you have any information on this case, please call Crime Stoppers of Citrus County at 888-ANY-TIPS or click "Submit a Tip" to the right.

In the early morning hours of New Years Eve, December 31, 1983, two elderly sisters, Ethel Lynch Reynolds and Freda Lynch DeMougin were found murdered at the...

11/05/2025

🚨MISSING PERSON🚨

Eric "Paul" Akridge is a white male who was last seen in the 7800-block of State Road 21 in Keystone Heights on May 3, 2021. He was 50 years old.

If you know Paul's whereabouts or have any information, please contact Detective Youngblood at 904-264-6512, You can also report an anonymous tip through our SaferWatch App. Or contact First Coast Crime Stoppers from your cell phone at **TIPS (8477). There is a $17,000 reward for information leading to Paul's location.

07/05/2025

BONUS EPISODE NOW AVAILABLE: In Season 26, I mentioned an informant, Todd Jones, and the woman who began communicating with him while he was incarcerated. They both became informants for the state. In this episode, I interviewed Melissa, aka Norma dePlume about some of the behind the scenes activity on this case.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at (863) 298-6379, or send an email to [email protected].

My email: [email protected]

Podcast Episode · Down & Away · S26 E5 · 39m

25/04/2025

Elwin “Larry” Costine was last seen early on the morning of May 3, 1992, when he dropped a friend off after having been to a rodeo the night before. He was last seen with Melissa Jo Sermons, who he was reportedly dating. On May 4, 1992, Costine was found in his residence, murdered. He had been shot several times. At the time he was discovered, there was no sign of Sermons at his residence. Her family learned that she did not return home after leaving with him to attend the rodeo. Foul play is also suspected in Sermons’ disappearance. Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at (863) 298-6379, or send an email to [email protected].

Elwin “Larry” Costine was last seen early on the morning of May 3, 1992, when he dropped a friend off after having been to a rodeo the night before. He was l...

10/03/2025

This is great news! I covered her case on the podcast. Season 10. I hope law enforcement is able to learn more about her death now that they have a name.

On September 25, 1988, a victim was found deceased 30 feet off the side of CR 474 in Clermont. The victim had been deceased for 2 – 4 weeks in a rural, heavily wooded area. The victim was initially thought to be female until 2015, when DNA testing revealed the victim was biologically male. The victim was wearing a skirt and had breast implants, and there is evidence she may have been taking female hormone injections. It is unknown if the victim had undergone any other gender reassignment surgery.

With the support of Dr. Barbara Wolf, the District Medical Examiner for Districts 5 and 24, the case was evaluated by the DNA Doe Project. The DNA Doe Project is a non-profit organization that utilizes investigative genetic genealogy to identify unidentified remains.

After years of difficult work, the genealogists were able to identify possible relatives of "Julie Doe," who were then contacted by the Lake County Sheriff's Office. After additional information was obtained, the relatives submitted their DNA for comparison. These comparisons identified "Julie Doe" as Pamela Leigh Walton. Pamela was born a biological male in Kentucky and put up for adoption. Once adopted, his name was Lee Allen Walton. At some point in Lee's adult life, he changed his name to Pamela Leigh Walton and was, at the very least, transitioning from male to female.

It's unknown how Pamela came to be in Florida. Pamela's manner of death is undetermined, and the Lake County Sheriff's Office is continuing efforts to gather information regarding the circumstances of the death.