The Deck

audiochuck

For years, some law enforcement agencies have replaced the faces of traditional playing card decks with images of missing and murdered people and distributed those cards in prisons hoping inmates would come forward with information needed to crack these cold cases wide open. Now, audiochuck is dealing you in. Each week, we will be working with investigators and family members to bring you the details of some of the coldest cases from around the country in hopes that someone listening can finally bring these victims the justice they deserve. read less

Our Editor's Take

Card games are all about the hand that's dealt. This podcast follows suit. For any bad hand, there could be another good one right around the corner. The trick is to keep playing. There's always a risk that a loss is nearby. Or there's the risk that a big win is on the way—and if the game stops, that win might never happen. The Deck podcast dives into that same concept. Only this time, the card game is criminal investigation.

For years, criminal investigators have been playing a game of some risk. They've replaced the faces of traditional playing card decks with the faces of victims without justice. The decks—stacked with the faces of missing or murdered people-are distributed in jails. The Deck podcast from Audiochuck is here to tackle the concept behind that investigative approach. The idea behind this strategy is that luck—the right card ending up in the right hand—could finally crack a case that's gone cold.

The Deck stars producer Ashley Flowers and tells true crime tales of cold cases. Interviews with investigators and family bring light to never-before-heard details. The goal is to bring justice to the families and victims who disappeared without a trace.

With a new episode every Wednesday, listeners can expect a unique cold case story weekly. They'll hear the cold case details of Linda Smith, the nine of hearts from Idaho. They'll uncover details about Cindy Elias, the six of diamonds from Minnesota. Each episode will shine a light on new details. With the right amount of risk or luck, cold-case victims and families might get deserved justice.

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True CrimeTrue Crime

Episodes

John Phillips (Jack of Diamonds, Rhode Island)
20-11-2024
John Phillips (Jack of Diamonds, Rhode Island)
Our card this week is John Phillips, the Jack of Diamonds from Rhode Island. Nineteen-year-old John Phillips was found dead and surrounded by dozens of weapons in a Rhode Island parking lot on October 28, 1986. His death was ruled a suicide, and for 15 years, the case was considered closed. But in 2001, after taking a closer look at the case files, detectives realized something didn’t quite add up… Today, they’re still working to uncover exactly what… or who… brought John to his death that October day. If you have any information about the suspicious death of John Phillips in North Kingstown, Rhode Island in October 1986, you can reach Captain MacCoy directly at JohnPhillipsNK@gmail.com or you can call the North Kingstown PD at 401-294-3316 extension 8211. You can also send a direct message to detectives through the facebook page located here.If you or someone you know is in crisis or feeling suicidal, please reach out for help by calling the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, where trained counselors are available 24/7 to provide support.View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/john-phillips Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Alfonso McCoy Jr. & Debra Gomez (Queen of Clubs, Arizona)
13-11-2024
Alfonso McCoy Jr. & Debra Gomez (Queen of Clubs, Arizona)
Our card this week is Alfonso McCoy Jr. & Debra Gomez, The Queen of Clubs from Arizona.It seems like more than just a coincidence that this couple is on that particular face of cards, because by all accounts, Debbie was Alfonso’s queen. They’d only been together a few years or so, but according to both families, Alfonso always took care of his people. When he did choose to settle down, he was loyal to that one person. He was Debbie’s protector. But in the darkness of winter more than twenty years ago… not even he could save them.If you know anything about the murders of Alfonso McCoy Junior and Debra “Debbie” Gomez in February 2001 in Phoenix, Arizona, you can anonymously contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or toll-free at 1-800-343-TIPS. OR you can type what you know at silentwitness.org. If you’re comfortable reaching Detective Nunley directly, you can email him at kendall.nunley@phoenix.gov call him directly at 602-256-3523. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/alfonso-mccoy-jr-debra-gomez Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Nikole Bakoles (3 of Hearts, Utah)
30-10-2024
Nikole Bakoles (3 of Hearts, Utah)
Our card this week is Nikole "Niki" Bakoles, the 3 of Hearts from Utah. When duck hunters discovered human remains in an area called Saltair near The Great Salt Lake in Utah in the fall of 2000, investigators began the difficult task of trying to learn the real name of the woman they called “Saltair Sally".  It took 12 years for the remains to be identified as those of Nikole “Niki” Bakoles, a 20-year-old mom originally from Washington state. Now, nearly another 12 years have passed, and investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to Niki and who left her by that lake. Investigators are still looking to talk to anyone who knew Niki Bakoles or Joel Chaudoin in the greater Salt Lake City area in early 2000. If you or anyone you know knew them, or if you have any information about Niki’s death, please contact Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Detective Ben Pender at 385-468-9816 or bpender@saltlakecounty.gov. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/niki-bakoles Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Elisa Gano (Queen of Diamonds, Arizona)
23-10-2024
Elisa Gano (Queen of Diamonds, Arizona)
Our card this week is Elisa Gano, the Queen of Diamonds from Arizona.At just 30 years old, Elisa had already lived a lifetime of ups and downs. She often found herself experiencing homelessness while battling her own personal demons. All the while struggling to be a mother to five children. Despite her difficulties, Elisa’s family felt she would come out on the other side. The problem is she never got that chance.If you know anything about the murder of Elisa Gano in October of 2000 in Phoenix, Arizona, please contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377 or toll-free at 1-800-343-TIPS. If you prefer to remain anonymous you can leave a tip at silentwitness.org. If you have any information regarding Timothy Edwards, who, before his death, was described as Native American, with dark hair and hazel eyes, standing between 5’4-5’6 and weighing about 155 pounds, Detective Roestenberg wants to hear from you. You can reach him directly at 602-534-5920 or email him at dominick.roestenberg@phoenix.gov. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/elisa-gano Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Anne Paetz (7 of Clubs, Michigan)
16-10-2024
Anne Paetz (7 of Clubs, Michigan)
Our card this week is Anne Paetz, the 7 of Clubs from Michigan. When 23-year-old Anne Paetz went out for cigarettes after midnight on July 2nd, 1999, no one in her family thought much of it. But while out, she crossed paths with the wrong person, and never made it back home. The next morning, Anne was found dead on the side of the highway. Nearly 25 years later, her family is still desperate for answers.If you know anything about the 1999 murder of Anne Paetz in Michigan, or if you have any information regarding possible criminal activity relating to Jack Duane Hall, you can anonymously report information to Crime Stoppers of Flint & Genesee County at 1-800-422-5245 or on their website www.Crime StoppersofFlint.com.If you don’t mind revealing your identity and want to speak to a detective directly you can email msp-coldcase@Michigan.gov to get in touch. View source material and photos for this episode at: https://thedeckpodcast.com/anne-paetz/ Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Patricia Barrett (2 of Hearts, Utah)
09-10-2024
Patricia Barrett (2 of Hearts, Utah)
Our card this week is Patricia "Patti" Barrett, the 2 of Hearts from Utah.When Patricia “Patti” Barrett got on a bus from Dallas to Salt Lake City in 1978, her family had no way of knowing they’d never see her again. For over 30 years they were left wondering what happened to Patti, until 2012, when, with the help of Patti’s daughter and DNA testing, Salt Lake County detectives were able to connect her to the remains of a 1978 Jane Doe. Nearly 12 years have passed since that identification, and investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to Patti, and who’s responsible for her death.If you know anything about the murder of Patricia “Patti” Barrett in Salt Lake City, Utah in September of 1978, or if you know anyone who may have been in the Salt Lake City Jail who could have crossed paths with Patti during that period of time, we urge you to call Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Detective Ben Pender directly at 385-468-9816 or email him at bpender@saltlakecounty.gov. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/patricia-patti-barrett Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Ada Haradine (3 of Clubs, Indiana)
04-10-2024
Ada Haradine (3 of Clubs, Indiana)
Our card this season is Ada Haradine, the 3 of Clubs from Indiana."The Deck Investigates" returns with Season 2, delving deep into the perplexing case of Ada Haradine, a 40-year-old mother of two who vanished without a trace from her Elkhart, Indiana home on a seemingly ordinary Wednesday afternoon in May 1985. Over 14 gripping episodes, we'll meticulously reconstruct the events leading up to Ada's disappearance, explore the initial efforts to find her and the myriad of suspects and theories that emerged in the wake of her vanishing. The investigation takes a dramatic turn when Ada's remains are discovered three years later in a wooded area 12 miles from her home, transforming a missing persons case into a homicide investigation. As law enforcement scrambles to make sense of new evidence, the focus shifts to surprising potential suspects, including Ada's neighbor. Through exclusive interviews with family members, law enforcement, and key witnesses, "The Deck Investigates" grapples with questions about the challenges of pursuing justice decades after a crime. Join us as we peel back the layers of this baffling cold case, reexamine old leads, and shine a light on overlooked details in the quest to finally answer the question: Who killed Ada Haradine, and why? Listen and follow to Season 2 of The Deck Investigates on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!   Find more of The Deck Investigates on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllc The Deck Investigates is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at (317) 733-7485 to share your thoughts about the case, discuss all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Ralph Salazar & Alice Griego (Ace of Hearts, Utah)
25-09-2024
Ralph Salazar & Alice Griego (Ace of Hearts, Utah)
Our card this week is Ralph Salazar and Alice Griego, the Ace of Hearts from Utah.Back in October of 2023, we were contacted by one of Alice Griego’s son, Frankie, about covering his mother’s case. He was a listener of The Deck and had previously heard us cover cases in Utah. Unknown to him, our reporting team had already flagged his mother’s case as one we needed to take a closer look at. Not just because it was unsolved, but because we felt it had never received the full coverage it deserved. And we are confident someone out there knows the truth. Maybe it’s time for that someone to come forward…If you have any information about the murders of Ralph Salazar and Alice Griego in December of 2012 in White City, Utah, please contact Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Detective Ben Pender at (385) 468-9816 or email him at bpender@saltlakecounty.gov. View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/ralph-salazar-alice-griego Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org.The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AFText Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!
Brianna Vibert (Jack of Hearts, Michigan)
18-09-2024
Brianna Vibert (Jack of Hearts, Michigan)
Our card this week is Brianna Vibert, the jack of Hearts from Michigan.In the summer of 2017, Brianna was at a crossroads in her life. At the young age of 24, she was recently divorced from her husband and now living with an allegedly abusive boyfriend, all while battling some personal demons. So, on July 15th, when Brianna mysteriously disappeared, some people might assume she just walked away from it all and left her troubles behind. The Flint Township Police in Michigan are not those people. And seven years on, they’re still looking for Brianna and whoever took her…If you know anything about Brianna's disappearance, you can reach Detective Lacey Lopez’s direct office line at the Flint Township Police Department… that’s 810-600-3266. You can also anonymously report information to Crime Stoppers of Flint & Genesee County at 1-800-422-5245 or on their website www.crimestoppersofflint.com View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/brianna-vibert Let us deal you in… follow The Deck on social media.Instagram: @thedeckpodcast | @audiochuckTwitter: @thedeckpodcast_ | @audiochuckFacebook: /TheDeckPodcast | /audiochuckllcTo support Season of Justice and learn more, please visit seasonofjustice.org. The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. Instagram: @ashleyflowersTikTok: @ashleyflowerscrimejunkieTwitter: @Ash_FlowersFacebook: /AshleyFlowers.AF Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!