Notorious Unsolved Crimes From Every State

Nothing is quite as chilling as actual crime; it’s difficult to imagine much scarier than seeing the face of a sentenced criminal. That is, until you hear about America’s most notorious unsolved crimes.

Nearly 340,000 homicide cases in the U.S. between 1965 to 2022 went unsolved. That’s how many criminals are not brought to justice. While these cases may send shivers down your spine, we can’t stop talking about them. The only way crimes get solved is if people keep investigating.

Some cases are solved decades after; look at the 2024 example of four cold cases being solved nearly 40 years later. It’s never too late for justice. These are the most notorious unsolved crimes for each state, still waiting for their day.

Alabama

On August 16th, 2001, 11-year-old Shannon Nicole Paulk went missing from the Candlestick Park Mobile Home Community in Prattville, Alabama.

Shannon had been under the care of her older sister while her mother worked. When her sister woke up at 9 a.m., Shannon was already gone, presumed to have been playing with friends in the community. However, the alert was raised when she failed to return home by dark.

Search parties found nothing until two rabbit hunters stumbled across her body in a field around 10 miles away on October 6th. Her case remains unsolved.

Alaska

In April 1991, Rose Evon declared her 12-year-old daughter Shawna Evon missing in Anchorage, Alaska. Shawna had a history of “disappearing” for short spells but always returned home. On this occasion, she came home to change clothes before meeting a friend, never to return.

Tragically, on June 8th, police recovered Shawna’s battered body dumped in downtown Anchorage. Her killer was never brought to justice. It remains one of the most distressing cold cases in Alaska.

Arizona

On July 27th, 1998, Myron Timell Traylor was walking home with his mother, Debbie, after finishing his paper round in Phoenix. He told his mother he felt thirsty, and she agreed that he could buy a drink from a nearby restaurant and meet her at his grandparents. The two separated, but by nightfall, Myron hadn’t arrived.

Police treated Debbie’s boyfriend as a prime suspect, and there were many anonymous hints dropped until she died in 2002. Among them was the claim that he was buried on a private lot at 24th and Jones Avenue. Despite the hints, no evidence ever came to fruition, and Myron’s case remains unsolved.

Arkansas

Arkansas has a string of unsolved cold cases. One of its most notorious is the death of Charles Stallcup, who was found shot dead on Elephant Hill Road on October 22nd, 1991.

Charles had been mowing road ditches for the Greene County Road Department. Investigators found his work tractor nearby, and he was seemingly targeted while on duty. At 64 years old, he seemed an unlikely victim, and investigators are still at a loss over his killer.

California

On March 5th, 1974, Nancy Easton and her friend hitchhiked in San Bernardino, California. Witnesses last saw her alive with the drivers, a male and female couple driving a light-colored Volkswagen. However, tragedy would soon unfold.

A day later, on March 6th, police found Nancy Easton dead inside her burning home. In an extra chilling twist, investigators found that she’d been dead before the fire was lit, sparking certainty of foul play. Her case remains unsolved as one of California’s most notorious crimes.

Colorado

One of Colorado’s most tragic unsolved cases is the disappearance of Christopher Enoch Abeyta. At just seven months old, police declared Christopher missing by abduction on July 15th, 1986.

Baby Christopher had been sleeping in his parents’ room when they awoke to find him gone. The garage door opener was missing, and their basement window was open, which provided enough evidence of malicious entry. Christopher’s case remains unsolved, and there is no indicator of his current state.

Connecticut

Officers carrying out a wellness check found Diana Ferris dead in her home in East Hartford on April 11th, 1996. At five and a half months pregnant at the time of her death, this cold case is one that broke the heart of Connecticut.

While her case remains unsolved, there are some definite queries. Diana had witnessed the murder of Thomas F. Myers three years earlier and had been wary of engaging in police investigations. A standard line of query is whether Diana was killed over something she’d previously witnessed.

Delaware

On August 7th, 2014, police found 23-year-old Marquis Pressey injured along Lea Boulevard while responding to reports of a shooting in Wilmington. Pressey didn’t make it, and his murder remains unsolved.

Delaware has a lengthy record of unsolved murders related to shootings. The state has a relatively high level of gun crime, and Pressey is just one victim of notoriously unsolved cases.

Florida

On August 15th, 1987, police found 55-year-old Earl D. Ervin’s body inside the Solid Waste Division facility in Tallahassee. The events and suspects remain unknown. However, it is believed that Earl may have disrupted a burglary when returning something to the facility.

Trails of anonymous tip-offs led nowhere; decades later, his case remains unsolved.

Georgia

On October 1st, 1990, 13-year-old Christy Stephens stayed home from school with a sore throat. Her father, Thomas, had briefly left to take her grandmother to work, but he realized immediately upon his return that Christy was missing.

As part of the investigations, police initially thought that Christy could have run away. However, tragically, around three weeks later, her body was found in a nearby woods. It was clear; Christy had been murdered. Unfortunately, no further information has been found about Christy’s death, and her case remains cold.

Hawaii

The “Honolulu Strangler” was perhaps one of the most notorious killers across U.S. states. Between 1985 and 1986, five women were linked to the unknown killer, all found assaulted and murdered.

Despite enormous police resources deployed to identify the serial killer, no successful arrests were made. The deaths remain a harrowing stain on Hawaii and its history.

Idaho

Rose Migdal was 45 years old when she went missing on October 20th, 1993, after staying at the Holiday Hotel in Jerome, Idaho.

It wouldn’t be until four years later that her car would be discovered, and a year after that, a sheep herder found her skull. Rose’s case remains unsolved and is marked as one of Idaho’s most disturbing cold cases.

Illinois

On September 29th, 1982, the first of what would be a terrifying chain of murders took place in Chicago. Twelve-year-old Mary Kellerman took a Tylenol tablet after complaining of a sore throat to her parents. Unbeknownst to them, the tablet had been laced with cyanide.

Mary was the first of seven victims until investigators noticed a pattern; the Tylenol havild the same control number. Whoever laced the tablets remains uncaught, and while police found a prime suspect, James Lewis, he was never charged and later passed away. The tragedy is one of the state’s most chilling cold cases.

Indiana

In late September 2015, Joseph W. Smedley was declared missing following a string of mysterious interactions. His sister raised the alert after receiving a text message on September 28th from Joseph’s phone saying that he’d be leaving the country.

Joseph’s body was recovered quickly, with his mobile records leading investigators to Griffy Lake in Bloomington. While Joseph’s case was ruled a suicide, his family remains unconvinced.

His sister, Vivianne Bernas, continues to campaign for a reopening of his case, citing inconsistencies such as the handwriting of a suicide note not matching Joseph’s.

Iowa

On June 10th, 1912, Iowa was hit by arguably its most harrowing cold case. All eight members of the Moore family were murdered during a home invasion by a still-unidentified axe-wielder. The case is so well known that it’s called the “Villisca Axe Murders.”

English minister Reverand Kelly was arrested for the murders in 1917, eventually confessing to the crime. Hours later, he retracted his statement and was acquitted during two separate trials. It remains one of the most well-known mass murders in U.S. history.

You can visit the house today, which is still boarded up and marked simply by a sign reading “Villisca Murder House.”

Kansas

Alonzo Brooks went missing on April 4th, 2004, following a party in rural Kansas. The party had been larger than Alonzo and his friends had initially realized, with most attendees unknown. His mother alerted police after he failed to return home the next day.

On May 1st, a month later, Alonzo’s body was found near the property. However, no evidence was found to lead investigators to a suspect. His case is still open and classed as suspicious.

Kentucky

33-year-old Jason Ellis had just finished his shift as a serving police officer when he was shot while removing branches from a highway on May 25th, 2013. Another driver passing by stopped to call for emergency assistance, but Jason was pronounced dead at the scene.

His death remains a cold case. However, residents of Bardstown believe that there could be a connection to a string of other local killings. The FBI is still offering a $50,000 reward for any information.

Louisiana

On July 14th, 2017, Nanette Krentel’s husband left for work in the fire service as usual, with his wife making him lunch. Later that afternoon, 911 calls were made to alert the fire services to a blaze at their shared address.

On arrival, investigators quickly discovered the fire was no accident; it was intended to destroy evidence of 49-year-old Nanette’s murder. All nine of the property’s surveillance cameras had explicitly been damaged.

With all the evidence destroyed, Nanette’s case remains open and unsolved. As a much-loved preschool teacher, her death rocked her community.

Maine

Virginia Sue Pictou-Noyes disappeared on April 24th, 1993, after being admitted to hospital following a domestic violence assault by her husband and his brother. Her case is one of the most haunting incidents in Maine and took place in the relatively quiet town of Houlton.

Virginia had discharged herself from the hospital without medical permission, citing that she needed to get back to see her five children. She was not seen again and remains missing with no body found.

Maryland

Kitera Bishop was just 23 years old on May 16th, 2019, when an unidentified assailant shot several rounds into her living room. Investigators say that she was shot more than 20 times as she lay sleeping on her couch. Tragically, she left behind a surviving three-year-old son who was sleeping upstairs.

Kitera was pronounced dead on the scene, and five years later, her case remains cold. It’s one of the most saddening recent unsolved crimes in Maryland.

Massachusetts

On October 8th, 2001, Karen Marchioni made a panicked call to 911 at 11 a.m., saying that she’d been attacked in her home in Framingham. Tragically, Karen survived the airlifting to hospital, only to succumb to her injuries just two hours later.

Karen’s body had multiple stab wounds, substantiating her claim of an attack from an intruder. However, over 20 years later, police have made no arrests, and Karen’s case remains cold.

Michigan

A much-loved father, David Carter was active and well-liked in his Melvindale community. However, on October 2nd, 2018, his family received a call informing them David had missed work for three days. Little did they know that the day before, a transportation worker had discovered what would transpire to be David’s remains approximately 95 miles away in Ohio.

Police began investigating, and suspicions were leveled at his girlfriend, Tamera Williams. However, to this date, David’s case remains open, with its one suspect, Williams, having been on the run for over five years.

Minnesota

World War II veteran George Jensen had been disabled by a stroke and had limited use of his arms and legs. On November 17th, 1979, police found him murdered in his trailer in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Police found some evidence, including prints on his car that had been stolen by the assailant. However, investigators found no further information, and the case went cold.

Mississippi

At just two years old, Myra Lewis is one of the youngest victims in Mississippi’s cold cases. On March 1st, 2014, Myra played in the front yard with her sister. In a heartbreaking miscommunication, her father inside thought the gimyrls were being supervised by their mother while their mother went to the store, thinking their father was watching.

Myra seemingly vanished into thin air, but her case remains open. The FBI is offering a $20,000 reward for information on her whereabouts.

Missouri

On August 23rd, 1992, 21-year-old Tammy Zywicki’s car broke down on the way back to Grinnell College, Missouri. Numerous witnesses reported seeing Tammy peering into her car hood. However, she never returned to the road, and her parents sounded the alarm after she failed to call them to say she’d arrived safely. Searches immediately went underway.

Nine days later, a man pulled up on a roadside 500 miles from where Tammy had last been spotted and discovered her body wrapped in a blanket. Her killer was never found, and her case remains cold.

Montana

20-year-old Ashley Loring Heavyrunner had a big heart and was keen to bring awareness to the disappearances of Indigenous women in Canada before her disappearance in Blackfoot Nation, Montana.

Ashley was reported missing in June 2017. She’d seen a friend on June 11th, after which a disturbing witness statement reported seeing a woman running from a car that evening.

Sadly, her case remains unsolved. Many criticize the investigation for failures like not sending items for forensic examination despite informing the family otherwise.

Nebraska

On June 17th, 2008, firefighters responding to a fire found Kelcey Fike’s deceased body at her mobile home in Kearney, Nebraska. Police investigations found that Kelcey had been murdered before the fire, but with the fire destroying so much of the available evidence, there wasn’t much they could do.

To this day, Kelcey’s mother continues to search for answers, even after the passing of Kelcey’s father. Her case remains open and is one of Nebraska’s most tragic homicides.

Nevada

On September 7th, 1996, an anonymous assailant fatally shot 25-year-old Tupac Shakur in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. He eventually succumbed to his injuries six days later, on September 13th. The death of the famed rapper shook the world, and to this day, people desperately piece together information for this case.

Most recently, in 2023, police arrested Duane “Keffe D” Davis over Tupac’s murder following his admission of guilt in a self-penned memoir. However, the case is still unsolved, with shaky admissions and holes in the story.

New Hampshire

An unknown assailant shot 55-year-old David Oldham dead at his residence in New Hampshire. Police arrived to find him deceased at the scene on July 1st, 2015.

Despite a thorough investigation and police actively calling for witnesses, David’s murder is yet to be solved. His case remains open as one of New Hampshire’s most recent cold cases.

New Jersey

On August 7th, 1972, 16-year-old Jeannette DePalma vanished from Springfield, New Jersey. She told her mother she was visiting a friend by train, although evidence suggests that she hitchhiked instead, and Jeannette never returned that evening. On September 19th, police found Jeannette’s body on a nearby rock formation, surrounded by occult symbols. The case sparked huge fears over cult killings in New Jersey.

In 2021, notorious New Jersey serial killer Richard Cottingham made several statements to journalist Jesse P. Pollack that alluded to his involvement in DePalma’s slaying. The “Torso Killer” was never officially connected to the crime, though a reprint of Death on the Devil’s Teeth, which covered the girl’s murder, discusses Cottingham’s written statements.

New Mexico

Between 2001 and 2005, at least 11 women were murdered by a serial killer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Dog walker Christine Ross discovered the bodies, which also included an unborn fetus, in 2009 in a rural desert area on the city’s outskirts. Her discovery became coined as the “West Mesa Murders.”

Nearly all the victims had links to prostitution and were aged between 15 and 32. To this day, their killer remains unknown, and the victims have not yet received justice despite an in-depth investigation and the offer of a $100,000 reward.

New York

The Wall Street bombing of 1920 is a shockingly still unsolved case that took the lives of over 30 people in New York City. Reports link a man with a cart pulling up outside the J.P. Morgan building, citing his subsequent disappearance into the crowd.

However, despite suspicions over the involvement of Luigi Galleani, investigations led nowhere.

North Carolina

The Be-Lo Murders of 1993 rocked the town of Windsor. On June 6th, an armed assailant attacked the closing staff of the Be-Lo Grocery Store, killing three and injuring two more.

Police never solved this horrific North Carolina crime. The grocery store understandably closed shortly after, and officials and family members still seek answers to this day.

North Dakota

The murder of 33-year-old Olivia Lone Bear is one of North Dakota’s most well-known unsolved crimes. Witnesses last saw her on October 25th, 2017, driving a truck in New Town, North Dakota. It wasn’t until nearly a year later, on July 31st, 2018, that the mother of five was found in a submerged vehicle in a nearby lake.

Almost nothing is known about Olivia and her case. It remains open, and police are rewarding anyone who has information.

Ohio

Starting from the late 1970s, anonymous threatening letters haunted residents of Circleville, a small town in Ohio. The letters ranged from blackmail, exposing secrets about residents, to plain threats. Things escalated after the death of Ron Gillispie, supposedly after he confronted the sender.

Paul Freshour was eventually sentenced for an attempted murder connected to the letters, which many assumed meant he was also guilty of them. However, he was never officially charged with being the writer. He protested his innocence until he died in 2012, and the letters continued long after his arrest. It remains one of Ohio’s most bizarre unsolved crimes.

Oklahoma

On October 8th, 2009, the Jamison family was declared missing from Eufaula, Oklahoma. Sherilynn, Bobby, and their six-year-old daughter, Madyson, all disappeared. The only family member to be found alive was their dog, who was recovered starving but alive in their empty pickup truck.

The remains of the three wouldn’t be found until November 16th, 2013, and an autopsy was inconclusive. However, despite their case being reopened, investigators found no concrete answers.

Oregon

It was October 7th, 1999, when Teresa Davidson dropped her daughter off to stay with extended family, promising to return on October 10th. She would not return. On the 23rd of October, her sister-in-law reported Teresa as missing,

Teresa’s disappearance remains unsolved. In 2001, the Oregon State Police announced she was presumed dead, but her case remains cold.

Pennsylvania

On November 28th, 1969, an unknown assailant stabbed 22-year-old Betsy Aardsma in the stacks of the Pattee Library at Penn State University. A library employee found Betsy in aisle 51 and immediately alerted campus security. However, Betsy was pronounced dead almost instantly at the campus hospital.

Over 50 years later, the tragedy still haunts the campus and remains a cold case many still try to unravel. State Trooper Mike Simmers stated there were a few suspects over the years, but nothing concrete to make an arrest.

Rhode Island

It was May 1984 when Warwick police found 28-year-old Kathleen Luongo dead in the back seat of her own Toyota Celica. Initially, investigators ruled her death as an overdose. Things took a darker turn when an autopsy revealed she’d actually died by strangulation.

Despite this vital piece of information, Kathleen’s case remains cold. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, a renewed interest in her case arose, with amateur detectives and the general public attempting to piece together answers.

South Carolina

On May 16th, 2003, police responded to the activation of a silent burglar alarm. They arrived at Blue Ridge Savings Bank in Greer to find the worst. Sylvia Holtzclaw, James Eb Barnes, and Maggie Barnes had all been shot in the utility room.

Despite investigations, no trail was ever found. Though known killer Todd Kohlhepp had been named as a person of interest, he was never officially connected and the case remains cold and one of the most chilling bank robbery incidents in South Carolina.

South Dakota

Monica L. Bercier Wickre  Witnesses last saw the 42-year-old leaving The Body Shop bar, entering a car with two people she knew and what investigators believe to be an unknown third person.

Police later recovered her body in the James River on June 16th, 1993. To this date, the case remains cold.

Tennessee

It was May 24th, 1968, when Haynie Gourley, the founder of Capitol Chevrolet, and his Vice President William Powell took a brand new Chevrolet out for a spin. Despite telling his secretary they’d be just 15 minutes, an unknown assailant shot both men, killing Haynie and wounding Powell.

With Haynie’s high status, papers rocketed the story to the front pages, but to little avail. The case remains cold and of Tennessee’s most famed murders.

Texas

On November 22nd, 1963, one of the most harrowing events in U.S. history unfolded in Dealey Plaza. An attacker fatally shot President John F. Kennedy while he was riding in an open-top car as part of a procession.

Investigators accused Lee Harvey Oswald of killing the president, but he never made it to trial — assassinated by Jack Ruby during a prisoner transfer. With the death of Lee Harvey Oswald, the president’s death remains one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in Texas. There are countless conspiracy theories and suggestions over the “true story.”

Utah

16-year-old Nancy Wilcox disappeared on October 2nd, 1974. Ted Bundy allegedly admitted to her murder before his execution but told police that he couldn’t remember where he’d left the body. Because of this, Nancy’s case remains open and has never officially been solved.

She remains one of the few Ted Bundy victims whose bodies were never recovered. As such, it is one of Utah’s most high-profile unsolved crime cases.

Vermont

Paula Jean Welden was just 18 years old when she vanished from a hiking trail in Vermont on December 1st, 1946. She’d told her roommate of her plans but never returned in the evening, to which her friend raised the alarm. Local authorities subsequently dispatched search parties to no avail.

Police investigated various suspects, but no killer was found despite the suspicion of foul play.

Virginia

On September 30th, 2014, 20-year-old Trevor Baldwin failed to return home to growingly concerned parents. Police soon found him shot dead in his car along Dunedin Drive in Chesapeake.

Police alerted his family and conducted an investigation, concluding that the assailant shot Trevor from proximity. However, no arrests were made, and the case remains unsolved.

Washington

Tragedy struck on January 23rd, 1999, when an unknown abductor took two-year-old Teekah Lewis while she visiting a bowling alley in Tacoma with her family. Police declared her missing that evening at 10 pm.

Previously, there had been attempted abductions and molestation at the same venue, including a near-miss kidnapping of a six-year-old boy just a month prior. However, despite the pattern, Teekah’s case remains unsolved.

West Virginia

26-year-old nun Roberta Elam was living near the Wheeling convent when an unknown assailant attacked her while she prayed on June 13th, 1977. She’d been sitting at Oglebay Park alone, and her body was found later that day by a caretaker.

Investigators found evidence that she’d been assaulted and strangled before death. However, her killer was never found.

Wisconsin

It was November 30th, 1988, when police found Edward and Frances Cizauskas dead at their scrap metal business in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The couple were both in their 70s, and their deaths shocked what was a close-knit community.

According to lead investigators, the case was likely a burglary gone wrong, but there were no answers. Despite the FBI’s involvement in 2021, no arrests have yet to be made.

Wyoming

On September 7th, 2010, Stuart Isaac set off on a cross-country road trip. On September 26th, police declared him missing near one of the most famous attractions in Wyoming — just east of Old Faithful. A routine patrol truck found his vehicle empty.

With no hiking trails nearby and his truck left unlocked with the keys inside, Stuart’s disappearance was treated as highly suspicious. No answers were ever found, and his case remains open.

If you or someone you know has information about these unsolved cases, you can report tips to Crimestoppers.