Young Nurse Disappears on Her Afternoon Jog: The Murder of Sydney Sutherland

On August 19, 2020, 25-year-old nurse Sydney Sutherland went out on a jog around her home, when she disappeared. Her family got law enforcement involved immediately and they began a search of the area. Unfortunately, it was too late. 28-year-old Quake Lewellyn had struck down Sydney with his car for his own heinous reasons. This episode is sponsored by: Smalls http://Smalls.com/KENDALLRAE - Smalls New Year’s Special - get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping when you head to Smalls.com/KENDALLRAE http://Smalls.com/KENDALLRAE. ARMRA https://armra.com/products/armra-unflavored-jar?discount=TCKR%3Futm_source%3DPodcast&utm_campaign=TCKR&utm_medium=Sponsored - promo code: TCKR EarnIn https://app.earnin.com/ - when you download the EarnIn app, type in TrueCrimewithKendallRae under PODCAST Rocket Money https://rocketmoney.com/kendallrae DripDrop https://dripdrop.com/ - promo code: tckr — Check out my foundation: Higher Hope Foundation: https://www.higherhope.org/ Watch my documentaries: 530 Days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjUWkmOjNLk Apartment 801: https://bit.ly/2RJ9XXr True Crime with Kendall Rae podcast: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3rks84o Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3jC66pr Shop my Merch! https://kendallrae.shop Check out my other podcasts: Mile Higher (True Crime) @milehigherpod YouTube: https://bit.ly/2ROzJcw Instagram: http://instagram.com/milehigherpod The Sesh (Current events, a little true crime, pop culture, and commentary) https://bit.ly/3Mtoz4X @the_seshpodcast Instagram: https://bit.ly/3a9t6Xr *Follow My Social!* @KendallRaeOnyt Instagram: http://instagram.com/kendallraeonyt Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kar4NK True Crime TikTok: https://bit.ly/3VDbc77 Personal TikTok: https://bit.ly/41hmRKg REQUESTS: General case suggestion form: https://zfrmz.com/yg9cuiWjUe2QY3hSC2V0 Form for people directly related/close to the victim: https://zfrmz.com/HGu2hZso42aHxARt1i67 Join my discord to chat with other viewers about this video, it’s free! https://discord.com/invite/an4stY9BCN C O N T A C T: For Business Inquiries - [email protected] mailto:[email protected] Send me mail: Kendall Rae 8547 E Arapahoe Rd Ste J #233 Greenwood Village, CO 80112

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Kendall Rae?

  This podcast covers some tough cases, but it also highlights the heroes in every story. Advocates, investigators, first responders, people who know their purpose and are using it for good. If you want a career that helps others, Southern New Hampshire University can help you. Their online programs are designed to give you job-specific skills that you'll actually use in the field. With a cybersecurity degree, you could analyze digital evidence. With a criminal justice degree, you could guide victims through the legal process. With a business degree, you could start a nonprofit. And no matter your goals, SNHU makes college feel possible. There are no set class times, so school fits your schedule. And their online tuition is some of the lowest in the U.S. Put your purpose into action with a degree from Southern New Hampshire University. Visit SNHU.edu/ Kendall Rae.

• 0:45Speaker 01

  Everyone talks about how challenging it is to raise kids. But what about protecting them? Outlet covers, kitchen cabinet locks, baby gates, where do you even start? Well, protecting your home and auto is a great place to start. Progressive offers customized coverage options. You can be sure you have the right coverage for you and your loved ones. They're basically the outlet covers, the kitchen cabinet locks, and the baby gates of insurance. Don't wait. Get your quote today at progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, affiliates and other insurers, not available in all states.

• 1:29Kendall Rae?

  Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another year of True Crime with Kendall Rae 2026. Here we are, and thank you so much for joining me. As always, if you're new to the show, then welcome. So happy to have you. Today, we're kicking off the year by talking about a case that so many of you brought to my attention when I covered Eliza Fletcher midway through 2025. And it's because Sydney's case is very similar. We're going to be talking about 25-year-old Sydney Sutherland and her heartbreaking story. Just like Eliza, she was a young woman who was out on a run. When she was murdered.

• 2:13Kendall Rae?

  Her story is absolutely heart wrenching. I mean, it's just so unnecessary and out of nowhere. I mean, no one could have seen this coming. And I actually mentioned Sydney briefly in the Eliza Fletcher episode. I knew some of the details, but I didn't get fully into it until preparing for this episode. And man, I am just so disturbed and so sad for her family. And I find cases like Eliza's and Sydney's really important to talk about for several reasons. I mean, for starters, these are women who deserve to be remembered, of course. And I want to highlight them for who they were, not just what happened to them, not just the headlines surrounding their names.

• 2:57Kendall Rae?

  And both of their cases highlight the importance of personal safety, specifically runner's safety. And obviously being abducted while on a run is something that disproportionately affects women. And as much as I hate that the responsibility gets put on us, it is on us really to learn how to better protect ourselves. That's just the world we live in. We have to be prepared. It's the sad reality of things. And I know every time I cover a case like this and I talk about this, people are like, it shouldn't be our fault. It shouldn't be our responsibility. And I agree with you. I'm not trying to scare people.

• 3:35Kendall Rae?

  I'm not trying to tell people not to run or not, you know, to go outside and be athletic or to hike. But it is important to know the facts and know how to protect yourself. I mentioned this in Eliza's video and I'm not currently running because I am very pregnant. But when I do run, I always do it on the treadmill inside because I feel scared to run outside. And I hate that we live in that world. And if running outside, I know can be so nice for you. It's actually a goal of mine to eventually start to do that one day. Um, I know it can be such a relaxing thing, so good for your mental health. And I don't want to discourage anyone from doing that.

• 4:19Kendall Rae?

  I'm just talking freely about how I feel. I mean, it's terrifying learning about these cases and. These women never thought what happened to them would happen. You know, it was just never a thought for them when they put on their shoes and left on their run that they wouldn't be coming home. We'll of course, talk more about this later. We'll talk more about personal safety and runner's safety. But first, of course, I want to start out by talking about Sydney because wow, what an amazing young woman. Sydney Claire Sutherland was born on September 18th, 1995 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. And she was the youngest child and only daughter to her parents Maggie and Dion.

• 5:02Kendall Rae?

  She had two big brothers, Tyler and Sam, and she was actually the only girl on both sides of her family, which made her extra special. They all said that she was sort of the boss and the glue of their family, keeping them together. And from everything I read, there's just no end to how great of a person she was. Her loved ones have shared so many things about her online that have made it really quite easy to see how big of a heart Sydney had. And she was just someone who seemed to have loved unconditionally. She was sort of a natural born caretaker. In fact, she actually went into nursing right out of high school. And I think that was the perfect career choice for her.

• 5:43Kendall Rae?

  She got her LPN license and then she went on to get her RN license at ASU Newport shortly after that. And she was extremely driven and it seems like her calling was really to take care of people. Her senior quote was, "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." I had never heard that quote before and I think it's so beautiful. And I think that's exactly what she was doing while working as a nurse. Looking after others was definitely her gift and nursing was her way of giving that gift to others. And it wasn't just her patients that she extended this kindness towards. It was everyone in her life, but especially her nieces. Sydney's nieces were basically her whole world. She loved them so much and they called her Aunt Sassy because of her nickname.

• 6:28Kendall Rae?

  Much like her personality, it had always been sassy. And according to her mom, Sydney was someone who you could just tell loved life. She loved being around others. And just enjoyed what every day brought her. In between her boyfriend Alex and her dogs, her family and her job, Sydney's life couldn't have been trending more favorably. In fact, in August of 2020, she had just come home from a family vacation at her favorite place in Florida. So things were feeling especially good, you know, after getting some time on the beach. But that is until the day after they returned. Because on that day, August 19th, Sydney went out for a run and she never came back. The 19th was a Wednesday and Sydney didn't have work that day. So she spent the day doing things that she loved.

• 7:14Kendall Rae?

  She went and worked out with her trainer. She was very active. She did that for about an hour and then she also went to her mom's house. And it didn't matter that she was just on vacation with her mom. She loved being with her mom. The two of them were extremely close. They were really best friends and that is one of the elements of this case that has made it just so heartbreaking. They saw each other at least every two days at a minimum. And if they didn't see each other every day, they would talk on the phone.

• 7:45Speaker 02

  Like so many other people, my husband had braces growing up and then he didn't wear a retainer. And over the years, his teeth have shifted. He didn't want to go through the whole experience of having braces again. But that's when he found SmileSet. And he has absolutely loved his experience because it's so easy. Everything's done right through the app. So he can message if he has any questions, send pictures back and forth. The whole process is just so simple and streamlined. So if you've been putting off your smile for years, SmileSet is how you finally do something about it. SmileSet delivers doctor prescribed clear aligners for under $1,800. Okay, that's 60% less than traditional braces or in-office treatment. And then a licensed doctor reviews your case and builds you a custom treatment plan.

• 8:27Speaker 02

  You can start with an at-home impression kit and your aligners are shipped straight to you. Progress is then monitored remotely through the SmileSet app with doctor check-ins available whenever you want them. SmileSet has treatment options and payment plans that fit around your life. Nighttime only aligners mean you can straighten your teeth while you sleep. And monthly payments start at just $89. There have been over 2 million smiles treated with this technology. And they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee after starting treatment. And listeners of my show get an additional 35% discount when they go to smileset.com/tckr. With this discount, you can get the smile of your dreams for under $1,200. Go to smileset.com/tckr to get started. That's smileset.com/tckr.

• 9:12Kendall Rae?

  This podcast covers some tough cases, but it also highlights the heroes in every story. Advocates, investigators, first responders, people who know their purpose and are using it for good. If you want a career that helps others, Southern New Hampshire University can help you. Their online programs are designed to give you job-specific skills that you'll actually use in the field. With a cybersecurity degree, you could analyze digital evidence. With a criminal justice degree, you could guide victims through the legal process. With a business degree, you could start a nonprofit. And no matter your goals, SNHU makes college feel possible. There are no set class times, so school fits your schedule. And their online tuition is some of the lowest in the US. Put your purpose into action with a degree from Southern New Hampshire University.

• 9:55Kendall Rae?

  Visit SNHU.edu/KendallRay.

• 9:58Speaker 01

  Everyone talks about how challenging it is to raise kids. But what about protecting them? Outlet covers, kitchen cabinet locks, baby gates. Where do you even start? Well, protecting your home and auto is a great place to start. Progressive offers customized coverage options so you can be sure you have the right coverage for you and your loved ones. They're basically the outlet covers, the kitchen cabinet locks, and the baby gates of insurance. Don't wait. Get your quote today at progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, affiliates and other insurers. Not available in all states.

• 10:36Speaker 03

  Instagram teen accounts have automatic protections for what teens see and who can contact them, plus time management tools. And Instagram will continue adding built-in safety features to help create age-appropriate experiences.

• 10:52Speaker 03

  Learn more about teen accounts and Instagram's ongoing work to protect teens online at instagram.com/teenaccounts.

• 11:09Kendall Rae?

  So anyway, she ends up leaving her mom's house and she tells Maggie that she's going home and that she's going to bake some cookies or brownies. And she also told her mom that she was going for a run. And yes, I know she had already worked out that day for an hour, but it didn't matter. Her mom pointed that out as well. But Sydney loved to run. It actually relaxed her. It was something she just enjoyed so much. So even though her mom had told her she should take it easy, she went anyway. And according to her boyfriend Alex, who she was living with at the time, Sydney left for her run sometime around 2:00 PM. Alex's dad had already picked him up and taken him to work, but they had been Snapchatting, so he knew approximately when she left the house. But not long into this run, Sydney stopped replying to

• 11:50Kendall Rae?

  him. And at first, Alex didn't overthink it. He knew that he would be home from work at 5:00 and he would see her when he got back. However, she was still gone when he returned. And it only took a minute for him to realize something was wrong. And not only was she not home almost three hours later, but her purse and her keys were right where she had left them. And mind you, they live in rural Arkansas. This is farming country. So it's not like Sydney could have or would have gone somewhere without those things, right? And so because of that, Alex frantically calls Maggie, her mother, and asks if she's with her. Because that's really the only scenario

• 12:30Kendall Rae?

  that made sense in his mind, but she wasn't. So now, both of them agreed that something had to have happened. And the more they texted her and called her without an answer, the more worried they became. Maggie also called Sydney's dad and brothers to tell them that they needed to get to her house as fast as possible. And a missing persons report was filed shortly after that. Within hours, there was an all hands on deck effort to look for Sydney, and they utilized as many resources as they possibly could. For starters, her loved ones knew that technology might be able to help them find her. And they did something that I thought was really smart and resourceful. I've never seen this done before, but they basically knew that her phone was connected to her car via Bluetooth. So they had this idea-

• 13:14Kendall Rae?

  To drive around the area and, you know, specifically where she would run. And then they would call the phone and hoped that the call would connect to the car and that would tell them if she was in that immediate area. Now, this unfortunately didn't end up working, but yeah, I thought it was a good idea and something for people to remember. They also tried to gain access to her laptop so they could see if they could find her phone location that way. But it sounds like that didn't work either, unfortunately. And when it came to law enforcement, they wasted really no time getting started with a ground search. Of course, it started out at Sydney's house and fanned out from there and they made sure to check the route that she would typically run.

• 13:56Kendall Rae?

  And like I said, this is a rural farming area, so that region in general is just pretty desolate. Sydney would normally leave her house and jog down County Road 41, which about a half mile from her house turns from a paved road to a dirt road. And if you're watching this episode, you can get a pretty good idea of what it looks like. But if you're not, just imagine a dirt road with flat plains on either side. It's not somewhere that has any kind of surveillance video, obviously. So if someone disappears from around there, the likelihood of it being seen are pretty slim. Therefore, it was super important that they got as many people out there as possible, as many bodies, as much help as they can when they're physically combing the area.

• 14:38Kendall Rae?

  They utilized helicopters and canines and they also leaned heavily on the community, which thankfully sounds like a wonderful community. It's a very tight knit group of people, very small. These people are definitely willing to help because Grubs, the city that she lived in, had a population of like 500 people. So when one person disappeared, obviously this was just a wild moment for everyone. I mean, no one saw something like this coming and everyone sort of felt the impact. In fact, the sheriff at the time, David Lucas, was personally connected to the case because he knew Sydney and her family. Not only had his kids grown up going to the same school as her, but his daughter dated one of her brothers.

• 15:21Kendall Rae?

  And he says that as soon as he got the call, that Sydney- Sydney was missing, he just knew he was going to do whatever it takes to try and find her. And really, the whole community sort of brought that energy during the first day. Over 150 people came out to help search for her. And if you put that, you know, into the lens of there only being 500 people there, 150, I mean, that's a lot. That's more than what 20%, that's like 25%, 30%? I'm so bad at math. So yeah, that is 30% of the city of Grubs, which is pretty incredible. And on top of that, someone made a missing persons poster and tons of people were sharing her information online,

• 16:05Kendall Rae?

  just hoping that they could spread the word about Sydney as quickly as they could. And they knew based on some Ring camera footage, her brother found that she was wearing a white tank top, black shorts and pink shoes. And that description, and also this last known photo of her was being circulated. And one thing that everyone was worried about right off the bat was the fact that County Road 41 crossed over Highway 67. And that means just about anyone could have pulled off the road, snatched her and been hundreds of miles away already. And to make matters even more difficult, when they were given the location of her phone's last ping, they weren't actually able to find it because there aren't many cellphone towers out there.

• 16:46Kendall Rae?

  And so that ping was not a very accurate description of her last known location. Everyone did everything they could that day. But unfortunately, eventually the sun set and it was really, really dark out there. So law enforcement had to call off the search for the day. It was impossible to keep looking for her. They had to put their efforts on pause just for the night because reality is they needed to be able to see where they were going. Now, her brothers and some of their friends, on the other hand, never stopped looking. And it sounds to me like not her family and not even Sheriff Lucas were able to sleep that night. Maggie says that she was terrified that she would never see her baby girl again. And she just... Agonized over the idea that Sydney may be out there calling for her,

• 17:31Kendall Rae?

  that she couldn't hear her, she couldn't get to her, she couldn't help her. And truly, this fear was felt by everyone. And the determination to find her picked up early the next morning, as soon as the sun was out. And that included law enforcement looking closely at Sydney's inner circle. However, after questioning her family and her boyfriend, it was obvious that nothing had been going on in her life that would point to any of them being responsible. Of course, they definitely questioned Alex particularly hard, being her partner. But they felt that he was being honest about the status of their relationship, not to mention the fact that he was at work. So he had a rock solid alibi, meaning that whoever took Sydney was likely someone who she didn't know, or at least someone that wasn't in her inner circle,

• 18:16Kendall Rae?

  which of course, made this even harder. And investigators, of course, thought, one thing that's really going to help us here is if we can find her cellphone. Because if they could track that, their hope was that it could lead them to her. And thankfully, with the help of Apple, they did manage to find it that day. They were able to pinpoint a much more accurate location for it on the 20th. And when members of the search team went there, Sydney's phone was found almost right away. And what shocked everyone, though, was the fact that it was only a tenth of a mile from her house, and it was in perfect condition. There was no damage to it at all. They could even see that an audiobook that she had been listening to was on pause. And this told them two things. One, that she was almost done with her run.

• 19:01Kendall Rae?

  She was almost home when she was abducted. That location was about 300 yards south of that overpass, and super close to her house. And then two, she likely put that audiobook on pause so that she could talk to someone, and that someone was probably the person who abducted her. Who that person was, though, was still a complete mystery. However, they did get a big lead that day. After seeing all the attention in the media, a UPS driver came forward to say that she remembered seeing Sydney on County Road 41 at 2:30 PM. On the day that she went missing, the driver saw her on her way to make a delivery, which she remembered because she had slowed down to avoid dusting her out

• 19:45Kendall Rae?

  or the truck kicking up too much dust. But when she drove back down that same road after making the delivery, Sydney was gone. Now, this was huge for the investigation because it provided an approximate time and location for Sydney's abduction.

• 20:03Speaker 02

  Like so many other people, my husband had braces growing up, and then he didn't wear a retainer. And over the years, his teeth have shifted. He didn't want to go through the whole experience of having braces again. But that's when he found SmileSet. And he has absolutely loved his experience because it's so easy. Everything's done right through the app, so he can message if he has any questions, send pictures back and forth. The whole process is just so simple and streamlined. So if you've been putting off your smile for years, SmileSet is how you finally do something about it. SmileSet delivers doctor-prescribed clear aligners for under $1,800. Okay, that's 60% less than traditional braces or in-office treatment. And then a licensed doctor reviews your case and builds you a custom treatment plan. You can start with an at-home impression kit,

• 20:48Speaker 02

  and your aligners are shipped straight to you. Progress is then monitored remotely through the SmileSet app, with doctor check-ins available whenever you want them. SmileSet has treatment options and payment plans that fit around your life. Nighttime-only aligners mean you can straighten your teeth while you sleep. And monthly payments start at just $89. There have been over 2 million smiles treated with this technology. And they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee after starting treatment. And listeners of my show get an additional 35% discount when they go to smileset.com/tckr. With this discount, you can get the smile of your dreams for under $1,200. Go to smileset.com/tckr to get started. That's smileset.com/tckr.

• 21:31Kendall Rae?

  This podcast covers some tough cases, but it also highlights the heroes in every story: advocates, investigators, first responders, people who know their purpose and are using it for good. If you want a career that helps others, Southern New Hampshire University can help you. They're on Online programs are designed to give you job-specific skills that you'll actually use in the field. With a cybersecurity degree, you could analyze digital evidence. With a criminal justice degree, you could guide victims through the legal process. With a business degree, you could start a nonprofit. And no matter your goals, SNHU makes college feel possible. There are no set class times, so school fits your schedule. And their online tuition is some of the lowest in the US. Put your purpose into action with a degree from Southern New Hampshire University. Visit SNHU.edu/ Kendall Rae.

• 22:16Kendall Rae?

  Everyone talks about how challenging it is to raise kids. But what about protecting them? Outlet covers, kitchen cabinet locks, baby gates. Where do you even start? Well, protecting your home and auto is a great place to start. Progressive offers customized coverage options. You can be sure you have the right coverage for you and your loved ones. They're basically the outlet covers, the kitchen cabinet locks, and the baby gates of insurance. Don't wait. Get your quote today at progressive.com. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, affiliates and other insurers. Not available in all states.

• 22:54Speaker 03

  Instagram teen accounts have automatic protections for what teens see and who can contact them. Plus, time management tools.

• 23:03Speaker 03

  And Instagram will continue adding built-in safety features to help create age-appropriate experiences.

• 23:11Speaker 03

  Learn more about teen accounts and Instagram's ongoing work to protect teens online at instagram.com/teenacounts.

• 23:27Kendall Rae?

  Investigators previously knew that she didn't open a Snapchat that her friend sent her at 2:41 PM, which meant there wasn't about an 11-minute window when she was taken. And honestly, when the public first heard about the UPS driver, there was, you know, understandably, some skepticism about her possible involvement. But she ended up being cleared very quickly because of the GPS device in her truck. It turns out, though, that she actually wasn't the last person that saw her that same. Day, the sheriff got word that a local farmer, a guy named Quake Lewellyn, was claiming that he saw her too. And Sheriff Lucas was told that this Quake guy is someone that he should take a closer look at.

• 24:10Kendall Rae?

  And it wasn't hard to find him because he had been part of the search efforts. Not only had he physically searched for her, but he was also part of the Facebook page. And not to mention, Quake's family was very well-known in the area. The Llewellyns were named the 2016 Jackson County Farm Family of the Year, and they were among some of the top farmers in the region. Quake himself operated a family farm nearby, so getting in contact with him was quite easy. And when they spoke with him the first time, he gave a very short and simple explanation for what he saw. He said that around 2:45 PM, he was on his way to check the wells and the rice fields, and he saw Sydney running on County Road 41.

• 24:53Kendall Rae?

  He claimed that he didn't stop and that he didn't see her when he drove back down the road about 20 to 25 minutes later. And keep in mind, Quake actually knew Sydney. They were a couple of years different in age. He was older than her, but they had gone to the same high school. So it's not like he could have, you know, mistaken her for someone else. But unlike the UPS driver, investigators were not so sure that Quake was telling them the truth. They were, of course, asking people in the community who they thought may have done something like this, and Quake's name just kept coming up. People had some, uh, strange things to say about Quake as well. According to Alex, Sydney's boyfriend, who had hung out with Quake in a group setting

• 25:37Kendall Rae?

  on a few different occasions, there were rumors that this dude would eat roadkill and that he would even put animals in the microwave to watch them die. Of course, I don't know if any of that's true, but if it is, oh my god. And then there were also allegations that he previously stalked a young woman and that he had been caught peeking into bedroom windows. So yeah, I can see why people were thinking maybe it was Quake. And investigators- Felt wary of him right away. And listen to how creepy this is. When word got out that Quake could have possibly been the last person to see Sydney, Maggie actually confronted him about

• 26:18Kendall Rae?

  it. Very brave. And she didn't do it in a aggressive way by any means. She just wanted to ask him directly what he saw. Well, all he told her was that, yes, he saw her running, but that was it. That's all he saw. And then he gave her a hug and said, I hope you find her. And this all happened at the command post. And Maggie said that the second the interaction was over, she had a sinking feeling that he knew more than what he was saying. And the following day, on the 21st, that proved to be true. Now, once Quake's adoptive dad got word that Quake was the last person to see her, he ended up reaching out to law enforcement

• 26:59Kendall Rae?

  himself. And he basically was like, why don't I bring him in? We'll come sit down for a formal interview and you guys can talk to him and see that he's innocent. And the investigators and the sheriff were like, absolutely. Come on in. Let's settle this. So they went in. And at first, he stuck to the same story that he saw Sydney running and nothing else. And then he consented to letting them search his truck, which I'm sure had him shitting bricks. Because as soon as they examined it, it was obvious that his car was involved in Sydney's disappearance. Because not only was there a dent on the front of the hood, which was consistent with hitting someone, but they also found evidence of what looked like blood on the back tailgate. Plus,

• 27:44Kendall Rae?

  there was hydraulic fluid poured in the back as well, suggesting that he was attempting to cover something up. And if that wasn't damning enough, his dad, who was still under the impression that Quake was innocent, offered up his phone. He said, you know, this, this should clear things up, right? He couldn't imagine that his son could be involved in this. Specifically, he told them that Quake had the Life 360 app downloaded on his phone. And he suggested they search it to prove that he was innocent. And I'm sure you're familiar with it. We've Talked about it so many times, but Life360 is a family location sharing app that allows users to track other users that they're connected with and see their location and

• 28:25Kendall Rae?

  movement activity. And the amount of data that it tracks is really extensive. So it would easily prove that either Quake was involved, or Quake wasn't involved. And I'm sure Quake was sitting there like, Dad, what are you doing? Because it will shock none of you to hear, I'm sure, that his Life360 showed that at the exact time it's believed that Sydney was abducted, he was driving north on County Road 41. It showed that he drove over the overpass and stopped and immediately turned around and started driving south. Then it showed that he stopped just on the other side of the overpass for eight minutes, near where Sydney's phone was found. And then he turned around again and got on

• 29:10Kendall Rae?

  Highway 67. From there, he drove at a high rate of speed, about two miles down the road, and finally he stopped for about 30 minutes in an area along the wood line. And this was all the data that investigators were able to find quickly, but when they confronted Quake with it, he swore that the data was lying. Yeah, he actually said that. Investigators are telling him, dude, we have the data here, it's factual. And he actually responded saying, this may be the first time that it lied. A real genius this man Quake is, I'll tell you. Because data doesn't lie. Of course it doesn't. And that was quickly proven. And when a search team was sent to the location near the wood line where Quake's phone said

• 29:53Kendall Rae?

  he was, they found Sydney. He had left her nearly naked body in a shallow grave. And based on her condition, they couldn't say exactly what caused her death, although it was later confirmed to be multiple blunt force injuries. But based on how her clothing was removed, which was also later confirmed, it was clear to everyone that he sexually assaulted her. And as they were working to process the scene, Quake was being confronted once again with their findings. And only after they told him that they found her body, did he finally confess.

• 30:31Kendall Rae?

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• 31:57Kendall Rae?

  After showing some very performative emotion, he admitted that he did, in fact, kill Sydney. Although he said that it was an accident, because of course, he can't just be honest. He said that he was driving. He saw her running, and he turned back around to get a better look, whatever the fuck that means. But because it was a dirt road, he claimed that when he turned around, the dust kicked up, so much so that he couldn't see Sydney, who he said had crossed to the other side of the road by this point. And this is when he claims he unintentionally hit her. Now, he says he believed that she was dead right away and he didn't want to get in trouble.

• 32:40Kendall Rae?

  So he put her on his tailgate and then drove her to where she was found. And I'm sure you're thinking that has to be a load of shit for so many reasons. But one of them being the fact that she was barely dressed. Well, according to him, before burying her, he admitted to quote messing with her. AKA assaulting her. And as for why he buried her where he did, he said, quote, "That's just where I was and where I was going to begin with." And after all that was over, he quote, "Just tried to forget about it." So he went home and ate dinner with his wife. Yes, hard to believe, but his chungus ass does have a wife. And then after that, he just went to bed.

• 33:25Kendall Rae?

  It is so ridiculous and offensive and kind of laughable that this fucking lunatic, this lowlife scum of the earth, piece of shit thinks that any of this story is believable. I think we can all agree here that if you were to accidentally hit someone, you wouldn't then assault their body like 10 minutes later. It was that fast that he would have had to do something like that and then bury them. No one accidentally hits someone and thinks, might as well, you know, just, how stupid do you think people are, Quake? Clearly you think they're as stupid as you.

• 34:07Kendall Rae?

  It's really one of the most absurd and offensive statements that I've ever heard in true crime. And it honestly pisses me off that he would try to explain himself like this. I mean, at this point, just be fucking honest. The sheer fact that he claims he hit her when he turned his car around to get a better look. He is just one of the most disgusting humans to ever walk this planet. I'm so convinced of it. And to add to the insanity of it all, his wife ended up finding- More evidence and like the queen that she is. She handed that shit right over to investigators. She clearly hates him. She was not in support of him at all.

• 34:49Kendall Rae?

  Let me tell you, cuz she checked their home security footage and saw that on the day Sydney went missing. Quake came home with that dent in his car, one that wasn't there when he left earlier. And at this point, they didn't necessarily need any more proof, but by all means, it didn't hurt. Investigators also managed to find her Apple Watch, which ended up being near her phone. And that was completely shattered, further proving that he had struck her violently with his car. So in the end, there was absolutely no denying what happened to Sydney and who was responsible for it. And so an arrest came as no surprise to anybody. Quake was actually arrested that day and ultimately charged with capital murder, rape, kidnapping,

• 35:34Kendall Rae?

  and abuse of a corpse, which meant that he was facing the death penalty. And truth be told, her family wanted that, and I don't blame them. There isn't an ounce of them that forgives him, nor should they have to, and they will never forgive him. And they told the prosecutor that they wanted to move forward with capital punishment. And shockingly, despite a mountain of evidence, he pleaded not guilty at first because of course, why would he plead guilty? Quake is the definition of a coward. There is no part of him that even has the capability to just own up to what he does. Because that is what a man does, and Quake is not a real man.

• 36:16Kendall Rae?

  And his defense actually tried to claim, and this is not that shocking, that he was not mentally fit to stand trial, but an examination by a professional proved that he wasn't mentally impaired at the time of the murder, therefore he was going to trial to face the possibility of death. However, in September of 2021, Quake did change his plea to guilty. Not because he decided to take responsibility for what he has done. No, he did it to avoid the death penalty. And he was then given a sentence of life in prison without parole. And when he was sentenced, there were over 60 people in the courtroom in support of Sydney and her family, and all of them were wearing pink, which was by far her favorite color.

• 37:00Kendall Rae?

  That's of course why I have the background set to pink today. I knew it was her favorite color. I wanted to, in a small way, try to honor her and let her family know that I support them. And I think it's so cool how many people wore pink for her that day. And it was just incredibly powerful to see. And when Maggie gave her victim impact statement, she told Quake to look her in the eyes when she was talking to him. And I thought that was so brave, so powerful, because so often we hear of these monsters not even looking at the victim's family when they're in court. So I was really impressed that she had the courage to tell him to look right at her.

• 37:42Kendall Rae?

  She then told him that Sydney was not his to take and described how he had the nerve to hug her with the same hands that he used to kill her baby girl. Both she and Dion told him what a monster he is and how special of a person that he stole from them. Dion specifically said, quote, "You're a 300-pound coward that hit my 100-pound daughter with a 3,000-pound truck. Now, I am not one to fat shame others, but when it comes to earthquake, I am in full support." And no surprise here, of course, but his wife did file for divorce just weeks after his arrest. And I hope she's been able to find some peace from all this. I cannot imagine what it would be like to find out that someone that you were married

• 38:27Kendall Rae?

  to was capable of something like this. Not to mention that her kids were around him too. And thankfully, they weren't his kids. They were from a prior marriage, but still, I mean, that has to be really unsettling and just terrifying as a mother. And as for their community, this seems to have hit them all really, really hard. The sheriff, David Lucas, said that he ended up retiring shortly after all of this because he reached a tipping point. And the interview- He's done are really hard to watch. You can just see the impact this case had on him. And because this community is so small, losing someone, it just feels like everyone sort of lost someone that they knew, even if they didn't know Sydney.

• 39:11Kendall Rae?

  And of course, her family was truly impacted the deepest. Maggie says that losing her daughter felt like being stabbed in the heart, and she still feels that way now. During the search, she actually found a bead from a piece of Sydney's jewelry, and she now wears that bead on her wrist as a reminder of her daughter. And when it comes to Alex, he was equally devastated by all of this because his person, the girl he envisioned marrying and having kids with, was gone. And the end of her life was horrific, and he has to live with that sadness every single day. It's so obvious to me and to everyone that Sydney made a really positive impression

• 39:51Kendall Rae?

  on everyone's life, and not having her around was like sucking the air out of every room. And so, in an effort to help keep her memory alive, her friends and family have gone on to do some really wonderful things in her honor. For starters, her brothers actually had the great idea to have these huge pink crosses put up. One of them is at the site of her abduction, and the other is at the cemetery. And people also put pink bulbs on their porch lights so that her family would know that her memory and her light are still shining. And her mom said that it brings her a lot of comfort when she drives around and sees all of these lights and that she is always going to keep hers on. Another way that they've chosen to honor her is by renaming the overpass the Sydney-Sutherland Memorial Overpass.

• 40:36Kendall Rae?

  And they have even created the Sydney-Clare-Sutherland Foundation, which has already done a lot of amazing work. In August of 2022, they surprised teachers in the Jackson County School District with gift cards to help them pay for their classroom needs. Because oftentimes, as most of you probably know, teachers do end up paying for necessities out of their own pocket. They also created a scholarship fund that was awarded to future students pursuing an education in the medical field at ASU Newport. And to pay for those generous gifts, they raise money in a few ways. Starting in 2021, They created the Miss Sassy Pageant, which honored Sydney's love of pageantry. They also hold annual Finish Sydney's Run fundraisers. And every year, dozens of people in pink can be seen finishing the run that she never got the chance to complete.

• 41:20Kendall Rae?

  And I've always found efforts like this to be incredibly touching. I just think back to Eliza Fletcher's case and they have something similar. If you don't remember, or maybe haven't seen my episode on that case, Eliza was murdered in September of 2022. So about two years after Sydney. And Maggie actually said that when she heard about what happened to Eliza, she felt like she was reliving what happened to her daughter. The circumstances in their cases are eerily similar. And unfortunately, they're not the only ones. There are plenty of other cases out there with similar circumstances. And like I said in the beginning of this episode, that's one of the reasons why I wanted to talk about this case today. Because of course, I don't want to instill fear in any of you or stop you from doing what you love.

• 42:04Kendall Rae?

  But the world we live in unfortunately is very dangerous and scary. And that's especially true for female runners, especially those who run alone. These stories are not one-off tragedies. It's so important that we continue to talk about safety measures and ways that we can try our best to prevent these horrible events from happening because I don't want people to stop doing what they love. I don't want you to stop running, walking, hiking, jogging, whatever it is, getting outside. If that is your way to escape, that is your way to get exercise, you should be able to do that. It's something that I eventually want to do.

• 42:45Kendall Rae?

  Um, I hope, you know, one day I feel brave enough to get off the treadmill and actually take my running outside. Uh, it's just, it's scary, you know? Um, and I don't say that to freak people out. I just say it to be honest. I'm just sharing. My true feelings about it. But I think it's important that we talk about some precautions. And some of those precautions include sharing your route and estimated return time with someone, running in well lit areas. And also, this is a big one, varying your route so that you can avoid predictable patterns. Also, keeping your phone charged and easily accessible. And on that note, keeping your volume down and noise cancellation off so that you can hear your surroundings, which I know is such a bummer.

• 43:30Kendall Rae?

  I love noise cancellation. I constantly even have to remind myself that it's safer in like the grocery store to have even just one earpiece in or not to have that noise cancellation on unless I know I'm in a safe environment. But it's hard because obviously you want to blast your music and tune out the world. But lastly, you definitely want to trust your instincts and just be aware of your surroundings, even if you're trying to, like I said, tune out the world. Because if something starts to feel off, you don't want to miss it and you definitely don't want to ignore it. And this is obviously not a comprehensive list. There are many more things you can do. It's just the main ones I thought I wanted to focus on today. And I'm always open to hearing other tips from you all.

• 44:12Kendall Rae?

  Because like I said, I want to be out there running by myself one day. I know it would probably feel really good. So if you have more suggestions and encouragement to others out there, or you just want to vent about how shitty it is, living in a world like this where you have to think about things like this, no matter where you live or where you are, I encourage you to put those thoughts in the comments. After Eliza Fletcher's episode, there was a great discussion happening and I'd love to see that again. There's so much support for each other and it was really cool to see. And then I also wanted to mention that there are several organizations out there that focus specifically on runners' safety.

• 44:53Kendall Rae?

  This includes Run Her Way, a global nonprofit that seeks to make the world safer for women and girls who run. There's the We Will Campaign, which is a campaign that raises awareness about sexual harassment and safety concerns for female runners. There's Trailblaze Hers, which is a running group in Boston that aims to empower women to feel safe while running. There are so, so many more. So if you are a runner, female or not, I encourage you to look into resources that are local to you and learn more about ways that you can keep yourself safe while running. But what is so heartbreaking to think about at the end of the day is that Sydney did take a lot of these precautions. Even though she was on a route that she typically ran, she didn't always ride on the same schedule. And then

• 45:37Kendall Rae?

  considering her audiobook was paused, we know that she was being aware of her surroundings. And I just hate that someone can do everything right and still be faced with that kind of evil. Sydney didn't deserve that. Eliza didn't deserve that. Nobody deserves that. And by sharing their stories, I hope that we can honor their memory and remember them for all the good they brought this world, all the love that they shared, how many people were positively impacted by them and not just remember them for how their lives ended. But that's going to be it for me today, you guys. Really emphasize this today. Stay safe out there and I'll see you next week.

• 46:25Kendall Rae?

  That is going to be it for me today, guys. Thank you for joining me for another episode and make sure you follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. It really does help me out. If you want to watch the video version of this show, you can find it on my YouTube channel, which will be linked, or you can just search Kendall Rae. I will be back with another episode soon, but until then, stay safe out there.

• 46:54Speaker 04

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