MURDERED: Lizzbeth Aleman-Popoca

When Lizzbeth Aleman-Popoca, a young mother on the brink of a new beginning, is found murdered just weeks after she vanished, the search for answers unravels a web of her boyfriend’s lies...

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

• 0:00Speaker 00

  Cash flow crunch? OnDeck's small business line of credit gives your business immediate access to funds, up to $200,000, right when you need it. Cover seasonal dips, manage payroll, restock inventory, or tackle unexpected expenses without missing a beat. With flexible draws, transparent pricing, and control over repayment, get funded quickly and confidently. Apply today at ondeck.com. Funds could be available as soon as tomorrow. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by OnDeck or Celtic Bank. OnDeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval.

• 0:30Ashley Flowers?

  When you're out in nature, you learn to trust your instincts. You pay attention to the trail, your surroundings, and you stay alert to protect yourself from harm. But what if the biggest threat isn't the environment at all? On Park Predators, host Delia Diambra explores true crime cases that happen in national parks and remote wildernesses, the places we usually think of as safe and peaceful. Each episode reveals what happened and how much more there is beneath the surface. Listen to Park Predators now, wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, crime junkies. I'm Ashley Flowers.

• 1:03Speaker 02

  And I'm Britt.

• 1:04Ashley Flowers?

  And today's story, the one I have for you, is a powerful tragic reminder that the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship often comes when a victim is trying to break free. And that sometimes the person closest to you can become your worst enemy. This is the story of Elizabeth Aleman Popoca.

• 1:56Ashley Flowers?

  It's Wednesday, July 1, 2020, and Yaneth Aleman's phone rings with a call that she's not expecting. On the other end is her sister's longtime boyfriend, Jonathan. Now, in all the years that she's known him, Jonathan has Only ever called her for one thing, like to arrange childcare for their daughter, Yaneth's seven-year-old niece. But this isn't one of those calls. I mean, right off the bat, Jonathan asked her if she knows where her sister Lizzbeth is, because he says she's fully just like MIA. And she's left their daughter Astrid at their East Haven, Connecticut apartment alone. And again, she's seven. In fact, it was Astrid who alerted him to Lizzbeth's absence in the first place. I guess when she woke up, she realized that mom wasn't there and she called him.

• 2:41Ashley Flowers?

  That was at like 9:15 in the morning, just as he was kind of wrapping up his shift at UPS. And he said he really didn't think much of it at first. Like, he thought maybe Lizzbeth just stepped out for a minute. So he kind of was just, you know, assuaged her concerns, you know, finished his shift, headed home as usual. But when he got there at around 10, there was still no sign of Lizzbeth. And her car, a 2007 white Lexus, was gone too.

• 3:06Speaker 02

  When's the last time anyone saw her?

• 3:08Ashley Flowers?

  Well, Yaneth talked to her sister the night before via Instagram. And Jonathan says that he was with her in bed and then he left for work. So that was at like 3:15 in the morning. He works that like kind of overnight shift. So it hasn't been that long that they've gone without talking to her. But Yaneth knows her sister's world revolves around Astrid. Like, there isn't a world where she would just leave her alone, especially since Yaneth is always available to babysit. Again, that's what she was kind of expecting the call to be.

• 3:36Speaker 02

  Right.

• 3:37Ashley Flowers?

  So Jonathan also says that Astrid isn't the only thing that she left behind. Her phone is still there. So he's like, I can't even try and call her. But even though her phone is there, along with her car, some other things are gone, like her purse, her passport, some clothes, and apparently $10,000 from their safe.

• 3:59Speaker 02

  Oh, that kind of sounds like she left on purpose.

• 4:02Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah. Or at least there's like some clear signs of that, right?

• 4:05Speaker 02

  Yeah, those are like important things.

• 4:06Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah. So Yaneth wonders if her sister maybe just needed some space. And so she asked Jonathan like the obvious question, did you guys have a fight? And he admits like, yeah, we did have this like little argument the night before. But it wasn't serious. We kissed, we made up before bed. The thing is that Yaneth is pretty sure that's not the full story. Because Elizabeth and Jonathan have been together for over a decade, since they were in high school. And though she was private, Elizabeth had confided in her sister about some issues that they had. And honestly, some issues is an understatement. Their relationship was straight up toxic. Like she caught Jonathan cheating multiple times. They had broken up, reconciled more than once.

• 4:49Ashley Flowers?

  Like, over and over again, she stayed for their daughter, even though he wasn't exactly a doting father. And things had only gone from bad to worse recently. So, back in May, this is just a couple of months before, Yaneth had planned this cookout, and her sister was supposed to come with Astrid. But they didn't end up going. And Elizabeth said that she didn't feel well, but the next time Yaneth saw her, her arm was in a sling and her shoulder was really swollen. And three fingers on her left hand were bruised, like almost purple. And Elizabeth said that she and Jonathan had gotten into a fight. But Yaneth told our reporter Nina that sometime after that, she noticed this shift in Elizabeth.

• 5:33Ashley Flowers?

  Like Elizabeth seemed done this time, like done for real. She was looking for a job. She was reconnecting with her love of art by designing stickers and decals, hoping to turn that creative outlet into a business and gain some independence. And just a couple of days before all of this, on June 29th, Elizabeth even put in a rental application for an apartment in Yaneth's complex, planning to move there as soon as possible without Jonathan. Now, as far as Yaneth could tell, Elizabeth was ready to end things for good this time.

• 6:06Speaker 02

  And had Jonathan realized that?

• 6:09Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, she'd made it clear to him.

• 6:10Speaker 02

  Okay.

• 6:11Ashley Flowers?

  But whether he understood how serious she was, I don't know, right? Like, they've done this like back and forth thing before.

• 6:16Speaker 02

  Right.

• 6:17Ashley Flowers?

  So as Yaneth's talking to him, she has all of this like history running through her mind, but she's still not panicking, not yet. Leaving her daughter behind does not make any sense, like any way you cut it. But other signs point to her getting away just for a minute. So Jonathan and Yaneth make arrangements for her to watch Astrid so he can go looking for Lizzbeth. And of course, the second they're alone, Yaneth starts doing what we would do. She's like asking Astrid questions. I mean, Astrid's seven, she's old enough to know kind of what's going on. So like, did you hear your parents fighting? Do you have any idea where your mom went? And Astrid says that her mom took her to bed in her room, Lizzbeth's room, the night before.

• 7:00Ashley Flowers?

  And she was there when Astrid fell asleep, but then Astrid said when she wakes up, her mom is just gone and her side of the bed was already made. But Astrid doesn't remember any arguments. She doesn't remember any strange noises, like nothing woke her up in the night. And while she doesn't seem frightened, she is acting sort of odd. Like she's looking around Yaneth's apartment with almost this intense focus. And then she tells her aunt that she's going to be living here now.

• 7:28Speaker 02

  Wait, that Astrid is going to be living there with her aunt?

• 7:33Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, and she's like taken aback, like she doesn't know what it means, but she doesn't even really dwell on it at first. So a few hours pass and it's weird because there's just no word even from Jonathan. So Yaneth eventually calls him to check in. And he says he's talked to a couple of Lizzbeth's friends. No one knows anything. And then he's like, well, I'm going to go do some laundry now.

• 7:55Speaker 02

  Okay, I mean, unless he's like out of underwear, what's the rush?

• 7:59Ashley Flowers?

  Like even if you are, like it's, it's strange because to Yaneth, like he doesn't seem at all worried. So Astrid ends up staying the night with Yaneth. Almost like the first sign of this self fulfilling prophecy. And the next day is an even harder one because the next day actually is Lizzbeth's birthday.

• 8:20Ashley Flowers?

  Now, this is when Jonathan finally shows back up, but he's not there to pick up his daughter. He's dropping off groceries, like a lot of groceries, as if he is planning on Astrid staying with Yaneth for a while. So Yaneth sits him down and presses him for information. And that's when Jonathan starts painting a troubling picture of Lizzbeth. He says that she just hasn't been herself lately, that she's been severely depressed, she's been drinking a lot, smoking weed, even seeing other men, specifically a guy named Jose that they knew from high school. And in fact, Jonathan says that he's trying to track down where Jose lives to see if maybe she's there with him. Because as far as he's concerned, you know, the reason he's like, I'm not worried, is he thinks Lizzbeth isn't in danger.

• 9:04Ashley Flowers?

  She must have just run off with some guy. And Yaneth knows Lizzbeth has been struggling, but everything else he's saying doesn't line up with the sister that she knows. Jonathan's making himself out to be almost like the victim here, saying that he doesn't know what he did to deserve this, and he's wondering about how he's gonna care for Astrid. And it's just like-

• 9:23Speaker 02

  Well, it doesn't seem like he's planning on taking care of Astrid. Like, it seems like he's going to leave her there with Yaneth.

• 9:31Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, and the more he talks, the more uneasy Yaneth feels. And that's when she realizes it's time to tell their dad, Albino, what's going on. Now, Lizzbeth and Albino aren't super close. You see, Lizzbeth and Yaneth grew up in Guerrero, Mexico. And when their parents moved to the US in 2001, the girls actually stayed behind with their grandparents. But their parents split. Their mom basically kind of bowed out of their lives, and they didn't join Albino in Connecticut until around 2010. That's when Lizzbeth was 16. So there was like a lot of formative bonding years that were missed. And rebuilding that relationship had been tough. But at the end of the day, Lizzbeth is still his daughter.

• 10:14Ashley Flowers?

  So he comes over while Yaneth and Jonathan are still there, still talking this out. And when he hears what's going on, and he hears Jonathan's version of events, Albino can't shake the same feeling Yaneth has. Like, none of this makes sense. But there's a new detail now that Jonathan adds. He insists that Lizzbeth actually did take her phone with her. He says not her regular cellphone, but one of those like phones that only works on Wi-Fi. So Albino's like, okay, I need to see this for myself. That night, he makes Jonathan take him back to their apartment and he checks all over inside. But there's like nothing weird, no sign of a struggle, no damage, no strange smells,

• 10:57Ashley Flowers?

  no clues at all even about where Elizabeth might have gone. So the next morning, this is now Friday, July 3rd, Albino drives by their place again, just to see if anything has changed. There's still no sign of Elizabeth or her car. And that's when he decides it's time to bring in law enforcement. So he calls Jonathan, who agrees to meet them at Yaneth's so they can all go to the East Haven Police Department together. But this is when things get really strange. So within minutes of that call to Jonathan, at 10:40 a.m., Yaneth's phone buzzes with messages that stop her in her tracks.

• 11:38Ashley Flowers?

  Remember being a kid around the holidays? And anytime you would ask for something, mom would always say, wait until the holidays. Well, with Mint Mobile's holiday deal, there's no waiting. Right now, this second, all of their plans are $15 a month. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right with premium wireless for 15 bucks a month. All plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can even bring your current phone and your number. Choose from three, six, or 12-month plans and say goodbye to a monthly bill. It's so easy. Sign up online and get premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. So what are you waiting for? To get your new wireless plan for 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/crimejunkie.

• 12:23Ashley Flowers?

  That's mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. Limited time offer upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months, or $180 for 12 months. Plan required, $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50GB may slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed, and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com.

• 12:51Speaker 02

  With the holidays right around the corner, many are looking ahead to hosting family and friends this season, only to realize the dining area desperately needs an upgrade. Creating a space that feels warm, welcoming and festive shouldn't cause a ton of holiday stress. Turning to Wayfair makes it easy to find a cohesive, quality dining set. For all things hosting, Wayfair delivers high-quality, customer-trusted products for your home so you can host and celebrate without the stress. Shopping on Wayfair is seamless thanks to their Wayfair Verified Selection, which helps create a home that truly stands up to real life. On top of that, Wayfair offers options across every style and budget, alongside millions of verified customer ratings and photos to ensure finding the exact right fit for any space. When I think Wayfair, I always think furniture, which, yes, obviously. But their selection of things like flatware, silverware,

• 13:35Speaker 02

  even kitchen appliances like air fryers and slow cookers are top tier. So now my kitchen is completely decked out for all my holiday hosting plans. When refreshing your home this holiday season, Wayfair delivers exactly what you need. Head to wayfair.com to shop all things home. That's W A Y F A I R dot com.

• 13:58Ashley Flowers?

  Okay, so the incoming texts are from a number that Yanneth doesn't recognize with a Florida area code. Again, they're in Connecticut. So the area code's 727, and the person who's sending these texts are claiming to be Lizzbeth, but they're written in Spanish. Now, I wrote out what the rough translations are that I'm gonna have you read.

• 14:18Speaker 02

  Okay. They say, "Hey, girl, how are you? Sorry for what I did with Astrid. I'm not going to be able to help Jonathan by myself, please. I'm good, don't worry about me, please. I'll call Jonathan now to tell him how things are. I don't want to talk to anyone for the moment. Give me my space. I just want to put down my thoughts and what I want to do."

• 14:38Ashley Flowers?

  So she gets these and does the immediate thing that I would do. She hits the call button and tries to get this person on the phone who's claiming to be Lizzbeth. She waits, she waits, the phone rings, and it rings, and it rings.

• 14:52Speaker 02

  That timing, it feels so coincidental, way too coincidental.

• 14:58Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, no one is picking up on the And when Jonathan arrives, he's like, oh, guess what I just got? I got these texts from Lizzbeth, too. And he says that she basically told him she wasn't happy with him, that she wanted a fresh start, and that someday after she gets her life together, she's gonna come back for Astrid. And while the texts might have set off all the like sister spidey senses, Jonathan is just like, well, now we know what happened. Like, nothing more we can do here. Let's just keep like living our lives. Certainly no reason that we need to like get the cops involved. Like, right, folks?

• 15:29Speaker 02

  Um, no, absolutely wrong.

• 15:31Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, so her dad and her sister are more convinced than ever that they need to go to the police. And they do get Jonathan back on board with that plan. He just wants to do one thing first. Like, can I real quick sign over custody of Astrid to Albino and Yaneth? I guess he's worried that going to the police will trigger a report to the Department of Children and Families, and he doesn't want them to take Astrid away? So to him, signing over custody seems like the safer option, which like, I would say you have experience with stuff like this.

• 16:05Speaker 02

  Yeah, like, can he even do that without the other parent there? Like, he's only one of two people who have custody of Astrid.

• 16:10Ashley Flowers?

  The short answer is no. Something like that requires a court order. He says he wants to basically just get like a notarized letter or something, which again, like, not how it works, but they do, they go, they do that. And it feels weird to everyone, but they have bigger concerns on their minds that afternoon. So they do this, then they go to the police, and then they sit down with an East Haven officer who asked Jonathan to walk him through everything. And he gives them the same story. And while there are no new details, there are a couple of interesting takeaways. Even though him and Lizzbeth aren't married, he keeps referring to her as his wife. And he just completely leaves out everything about the texts that he supposedly had gotten from her.

• 16:55Speaker 02

  Wait, the ones that made him like feel so much better?

• 16:57Ashley Flowers?

  Cause nothing's wrong.

• 16:58Speaker 02

  And nothing's wrong.

• 16:59Ashley Flowers?

  Right. Now luckily Yaneth's there too, and she's like, oh, by the way, like, show him the messages that she supposedly sent you. I'll show you the messages she supposedly sent me. So he shows the officer. The messages and the officer tries calling the number himself, just like Yaneth did. He doesn't get an answer, but he leaves a message asking Lizzbeth to contact East Haven Police Department when she gets the message.

• 17:21Speaker 02

  I'm gonna be honest, I don't think Lizzbeth's gonna get the message.

• 17:24Ashley Flowers?

  I don't either. So while the officer waits for that callback, he ticks the basic like missing person boxes, like checks the hospitals, enters her information into their system, enters her car information into their system, into like their state database. But during the next couple of days, it doesn't sound like much else happens on law enforcement's end. Although I know that a cop does go by Jonathan's to speak with him at least once. Maybe they were thinking that Lizzbeth would come back on her own. I don't know, but her family isn't gonna just sit around and wait. They, along with Jonathan, start driving around, looking every place they can think of for her or her car. They check beaches, train stations, motels, everywhere and anywhere they can think of.

• 18:08Ashley Flowers?

  And all the while, they can't help but notice that Jonathan still doesn't seem very worried. And that only ramps up Yaneth and Albino's suspicions. He was the last person to see her. If he doesn't know where she is, then who does? Every possible scenario is running through their heads, each one worse than the last at this point.

• 18:29Speaker 02

  And were they close with Jonathan before this? Like, is this kind of, I guess I'm trying to figure out, like, is this in line with what they know about him? Like, do they have, like, any sort of context?

• 18:40Ashley Flowers?

  I don't know. I don't know if you could call them close. I mean, they weren't all best friends, but I mean, in the beginning, everyone liked him. He and Yaneth hung out because of Lizzbeth. Like, he seemed respectful, responsible, he was working two jobs. I mean, he had the one at UPS, he had another one at a local Italian eatery. But Yaneth has seen, or at least she's had exposure, to his manipulative side over the years. So I think their, like, perception of him changed a little bit. Like, he would barely help with Astrid, but the minute Lizzbeth tried to pull away, he would use her, Astrid, as like a ploy to reel her back in. And even during the, like, good times, Yaneth noticed Lizzbeth never seemed truly happy with Jonathan. There was always, like, a missing spark.

• 19:24Ashley Flowers?

  But even with everything she knew, including their recent physical fight, Yaneth said that she never imagined that her sister might be in real danger around him. But now that is all changed. So by Sunday, July 5th, Albino and Yaneth decide to conduct their own search. So while Jonathan is at work, they head to St. Andrew Avenue where he and Elizabeth live. Their duplex is at the end of this dead end road, right next to an elementary school. Now, Elizabeth and Jonathan are on the bottom floor and their landlord lives upstairs. So that's actually where they start. And the landlord tells them that he didn't hear anything unusual that night that she disappeared or in the early morning hours.

• 20:07Ashley Flowers?

  No commotion, no loud noises, but he does remember something strange. He says that Elizabeth's white Lexus was parked in the driveway for a while on the morning of July 1st. In fact, his wife had to ask Jonathan to move the car just after 11 a.m. because it was blocking her in. And this was so odd because Jonathan and Elizabeth always parked on the street. They never parked in the driveway.

• 20:33Speaker 02

  Well, and I thought he said her car was gone when he got home.

• 20:36Ashley Flowers?

  Bingo. He did say her car was gone when he got home, which is just more confirmation that they're on the right track. But they need proof, solid proof, like video footage. Now, the landlord doesn't have any, and as they visit neighbors, they are told again and again that cameras they have don't work, or they won't let strangers just look through their video. So just as they're ready to give up, Yaneth tries one last house down the street from Elizabeth's apartment. And this resident agrees to let her check her camera that was working. And that is when they see it. Elizabeth's so-called missing Lexus going up and down the street twice on July 1st.

• 21:20Ashley Flowers?

  Once at 5:51 p.m. and once again at 8:22 p.m. And none other than Jonathan is behind the wheel.

• 21:31Ashley Flowers?

  So the moment Yaneth sees that video, I mean, her blood runs cold. And in that moment, just then, guess who drives by? Jonathan is pulling up onto the street, which is like, perfect timing. And they're not gonna play coy, like, they have proof now that he is lying to them. So they walk right over and confront him. And at first, it's like more of the same, like, oh, she must have run off with some guy. He has no idea where she is. And then he switches it up and he's like, okay, listen. I know she's okay, but I can't tell you what she's doing. She has to be the one to share that. It's not mine to share. And then he changes it again, and he's like, okay, fine, fine, fine. I'll tell you the truth.

• 22:15Ashley Flowers?

  Now, he claims that Lizzbeth went to Mexico. Now, since she's undocumented, he says that her plan was to marry someone to, quote unquote, "fix her papers." But, thanks to the missing persons report that they filed, now she's stuck at the border. And the only way he says that they can help her is by retracting that missing persons report and telling police that she's not actually missing.

• 22:40Speaker 02

  Hold up. She went to Mexico to marry someone to get her US immigration papers in order?

• 22:47Ashley Flowers?

  It doesn't make sense.

• 22:48Speaker 02

  And now she's supposedly stuck in Mexico or the US?

• 22:51Ashley Flowers?

  I truly have no, like, I don't know what he's saying. I don't know if he's saying she's in America, I don't know if he's saying that she's in Mexico. I don't know.

• 22:57Speaker 02

  But he's been lying to everyone about this because...

• 23:00Ashley Flowers?

  Because he says that he didn't know how to break the news to Albino that his daughter ran off to Mexico. Like, he was just so worried about Albino's feelings.

• 23:10Speaker 02

  Okay, none of this BS even explains the car, though. Like, if you're gonna tell us a story, tell us a whole story, Jonathan.

• 23:16Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah. So, according to him, she did take her car at first, but then she came back because she'd forgotten something. And then she needed to go meet this guy. So, he says that he drove her somewhere.

• 23:30Speaker 02

  And where is her car now?

• 23:32Ashley Flowers?

  Dude, I don't know, like Yaneth wants to like explode. Like it doesn't make sense and she wants to demand that he like sit down and actually tell them everything. But by now, she's seeing a pattern. Like if she can stay calm, if she can just let Jonathan talk. Every time he does reveal something new, even if each detail contradicts the last, and even if it all feels like lies, like it does feel like we're getting somewhere.

• 24:00Speaker 02

  Right.

• 24:00Ashley Flowers?

  So she plays along like, okay, look, you're the only one who can help us find the car. Just tell us where it is. And he starts naming a dozen different spots. It's in a garage, it's by a beach, it's under a tree. Until finally he levels with them. It is actually parked on the street near his relative's house in nearby New Haven. Do me a favor, put all five fingers up. Now put one down if you have workout saved on Instagram that you haven't gone back to. Put one down if you were gonna go to a workout class this week, but there's just none that the times worked out for. Put one down if you don't like working out at home because you don't know what to do and you need someone to push you. Put two fingers down if you want to stop this game.

• 24:46Ashley Flowers?

  Babe, we are the same. I don't have a lot of time and honestly, I'm not even someone who likes working out. But Ladder actually changed that. I literally had to waddle into the studio to record this because my butt is so sore. Ladder is quick. I'm not wasting time wandering around or doing reps of something that won't matter. I'm in, I'm out. I have a coach along the way who can help me make 30 minutes with weights feel better than two hours of whatever I was doing before. And it's $1 a day. So if price was ever stopping you before, you're officially out of excuses. Remove the guesswork with Ladder and get a real coach in your ear telling you exactly what to do for every workout. No thinking, everything planned for you. If you have an iPhone, head to ladder.fit/crimejunkie

• 25:29Ashley Flowers?

  and take a quick quiz to find your perfect Ladder plan. Use my link and get a free seven day trial with no credit card and $10 off your first month if you join.

• 25:40Ashley Flowers?

  Remember being a kid around the holidays and anytime you would ask for something, mom would always say, "Wait until the holidays." Well, with Mint Mobile's holiday deal, there's no waiting. Right now, this second, all of their plans are $15 a month. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right with premium wireless for 15 bucks a month. All plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can even bring your current phone and your number. Choose from three, six, or 12-month plans and say goodbye to a monthly bill. It's so easy. Sign up online and get premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. So what are you waiting for? To get your new wireless plan for 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/crimejunkie.

• 26:25Ashley Flowers?

  That's mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. Limited time offer, upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months, or $180 for 12 months. Plan required, $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50 gigabyte may slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed, and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com. As East Haven captain Joseph Mergo told us, "When investigators pull up to this house on Monday, July 6th, they are stunned because right there, a mile from Jonathan and Elizabeth's

• 27:07Ashley Flowers?

  apartment, is Elizabeth's supposedly missing Lexus." Now, they have a lot of questions for Jonathan's relative, the person whose house this is by. But this person says Jonathan never mentioned that he was leaving the car there. He just dropped it off a few days ago. And when this guy, his name's Carlos, when he asked Jonathan why, Jonathan claimed that he couldn't fit the Lexus at home because he was already working on a few cars and he didn't have room in the yard for it. But like, "Hi." That's a lie. It's a lie. Police know that's a lie because when they'd been by to speak with him before, there were no other cars in the yard. Now Carlos may be cooperating, but it's not like he's totally on their team. Because again, like this is his cousin.

• 27:51Ashley Flowers?

  And guess who Carlos called at some point? While the officers are still on the scene, Jonathan rolls up totally unannounced to just like help fill in some of the gaps, you know, make sure they have like the right narrative. And Jonathan admits he is the one who drove the Lexus there on Thursday, July 2nd, and that he lied about it being missing. And he claims that he was embarrassed that Lizzbeth had left him to go to Mexico to start this new life. So yeah, he knows that he's lied about the car. He knows that it looks bad, but he's like, it doesn't really change anything. Not really, because the bottom line, he says, is that she left on her own and she's totally fine. So police tow the Lexus to headquarters and the next day they do an emergency ping

• 28:36Ashley Flowers?

  on that 727 number, the one that was texting them saying Lizzbeth, which by the way, like so weird, no one's called them back. And oh, also super weird, it's not a number that is registered to a specific person like a landline or cellphone would be, like something where you would go through a provider. No, this is registered to a pinger, which is one of those apps that lets you basically get a free phone number. But like any level of pseudo-stealthness ends here because the account is registered to Jonathan with the email address Jonathan Jera 2020. His full name is Jonathan Jera Acupina, by the way. So like real brilliant here. So they decide it's time to look harder at the last place Lizzbeth was known to be,

• 29:21Ashley Flowers?

  which is the apartment. And Jonathan agrees to let them take a look around. He even hands over his and Lizzbeth's phones along with her laptop. He also goes to the station for another interview. And this time around, he refers to Lizzbeth as his ex-wife.

• 29:36Speaker 02

  Oh.

• 29:36Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, and he says that he knew she wasn't happy. He knew she wanted to leave him. She'd been struggling with depression, he says, and they've been having problems. And he admits that he had been unfaithful, but says that she was also seeing other men. And in fact, they had discussed the possibility of- Having an open relationship at some point and she mentioned, he says wanting to visit various guys in Mexico. And he says that their daughter even told him that Lizzbeth wanted to marry someone else. But he swears he never laid a hand on Lizzbeth, despite what her family might think. And actually, he claims she was the one who got physical during that fight a few months back. That she hit him and that's how she hurt her arm and hand.

• 30:20Speaker 02

  Mm hmm. And what does he have to say about that 727 number?

• 30:25Ashley Flowers?

  I mean, he's like, he's shocked. He's totally stunned. He had no idea like how it's even possible. Maybe someone set it up under his name, using an old email address that was his, which like, I don't know if they were able to subpoena the records before talking to him, but like, old email might act, it's the year.

• 30:41Speaker 02

  This is 2020.

• 30:42Ashley Flowers?

  Yeah, like you're telling me Jonathan Jara 2020 was not from 2020. Like, okay, my guy. But it gets even better or like, I mean, honestly, it gets even worse because over the next few days, he keeps denying any connection to that number, even after police discover that it was last used from an IP address that matches his home wifi.

• 31:04Speaker 02

  Okay, so now what? She's like texting everyone from the bathroom that she's hiding in?

• 31:08Ashley Flowers?

  Again, he's like, I has no explanation. He just insists it is not him. The only way to break this guy is basically to catch him dead to rights in the lie. So they walk away from that interview to go gather information. They do another search of his house. They get more cellphone records, including from Pinger, showing that the account with the 727 number was created at 10:38 a.m. on Friday, July 3rd, which is right after, yes, Albina told Jonathan to meet them so they could go report her missing.

• 31:42Speaker 02

  I was gonna say, the text came through at 10:40?

• 31:45Ashley Flowers?

  I know, and exactly two minutes before Yaneth got that first text from Lizzbeth. So Captain Murgo and another investigator sit down with Jonathan that Saturday evening, and they are gravely aware that no one has seen or heard from Lizzbeth, the real Lizzbeth by this point for 10 days. And East Haven PD actually gave us a clip of that interview.

• 32:10Speaker 03

  We are giving you an opportunity to come clean here. And I see how uncomfortable you are. Because, quite frankly, sir, you should be. These texts were not from your wife, from somewhere else. These texts originated from within your house. How does your missing wife text you and her sister from the confines of your home when she allegedly went missing several days before that? And if you can answer that question, then I will let that go.

• 32:44Ashley Flowers?

  Now Jonathan doesn't have an answer to that. And as he goes through everything he remembers about July 1st, his story changes again. He still claims that her white Lexus was gone when he got home at around 10 a.m. He says that he went inside, looked for Elizabeth, couldn't find her, noticed her passport and purse were missing, and then his daughter pointed out that mommy's phone was still there. So he thought that she might have just gone to the store. But now, he's saying he went back outside at this point, and low and behold, Elizabeth's car is just like there.

• 33:20Speaker 03

  What do you think happened? I don't understand. I mean, you come, car's missing, 10 minutes you're out, car's there. What do you think happened?

• 33:27Speaker 04

  I thought, like I said, we already had this talk. With me and her, she was like, oh, you know, I want to find me, I want to try something new, I want to do these new things.

• 33:36Speaker 03

  No, no, and which is fine, because couples go through that all the time. We just are wondering about the car. Where do you think she went? She walked down the street? She decided to just leave the car and walk down the street?

• 33:47Speaker 04

  I thought she was out around the house. I didn't thought nothing at that moment. So then I went checking, she was not there. Then I was like, what are I gonna do with the baby? That was my first thought.

• 33:59Speaker 03

  But why, at this point, she'd only walked away from the car?

• 34:02Speaker 04

  Yeah, no, but like I said, we already had this talk before. Where she, like I said, you know, she's saying, oh, I'm leaving you, I want these days, I just gonna leave.

• 34:12Ashley Flowers?

  Police actually have another ace in the hole. They had pulled surveillance footage from the elementary school right next to Jonathan and Elizabeth's apartment, which gives them a clearer view of their road. And the footage from July 1st shows that when Jonathan got home that morning, he parked on the street right behind Elizabeth's white Lexus. And it was there the entire time. The only person moving it around was him. And he was doing some more sketchy stuff. So he moved it into the driveway for about an hour, and then took it over to the school parking lot later that afternoon. And there, in full view of the camera, he pulled out a can of air freshener and is like spraying it all around the trunk.

• 34:57Ashley Flowers?

  But even with this video evidence, he still won't come clean.

• 35:04Speaker 03

  We believe you're still lying, sir.

• 35:06Speaker 04

  I told you.

• 35:07Speaker 03

  We need you to come clean. Because this is the only way we're gonna fix this and move forward, is if you come clean right now. Then I can say, then I can say to the judge, I can say to court, "Listen, to be honest, after a nice conversation, you were extremely honest with us, okay? But there's no way out of this at the moment. I'm sorry. You need to be honest with us right now."

• 35:29Speaker 04

  Sir, like I said, nothing happened to Elizabeth.

• 35:32Speaker 03

  Then where is she?

• 35:34Speaker 04

  I don't know where she is. That's what I'm here for. That's why you are here, trying to help me out.

• 35:39Ashley Flowers?

  After that, Jonathan decides that he wants a lawyer. Interview's over. But investigators know that they're on the right track now. Everyone they talked to says Elizabeth would never leave her daughter. And they confirm that she, of course, didn't go to Mexico. There has been no activity on her passport. So over the next few days, they start piecing together Jonathan's movements through witness interviews, phone records, cell tower data, and surveillance footage from a dozen locations. And they find out that on the night of Tuesday, June 30th, Elizabeth and Jonathan were in an hours-long argument via text. Elizabeth was home while Jonathan was kind of coming and going from there. The apartment.

• 36:22Ashley Flowers?

  And what they learn is that at 9:09, he left to run an errand. He's back by 9:17. But instead of going inside, he like sat in the car while this like text fight continued. And in this, Elizabeth told him it was over, that if he ever saw her and their daughter on the street, like he should walk the other way. She was that done. And she told him that the last 10 years had been like a nightmare for her and she just wanted to forget that he existed. And on his end, he, in these text messages, is mostly begging her not to leave, saying that he wouldn't walk away if he saw them, like Astrid was their baby. All that time, he was still just outside in the car.

• 37:05Ashley Flowers?

  And then at 12:50 in the morning, so this is now Wednesday, July 1st, he finally gets out and walks to the house. Now, police can't see him go inside. The school cameras are set in like the rear parking lot facing the street with like trees blocking the house itself. But cell tower data places him in that area for over two hours. Until he is seen on video leaving their house for his UPS shift at 3:18 a.m.

• 37:34Speaker 02

  Based on the video, can they tell if he put anything in the car?

• 37:38Ashley Flowers?

  No, no. So because of the camera angle, they can't. But they, what they're assuming is that he must have gotten Elizabeth in there somehow. Mostly because of that like air freshener, yeah, in the trunk. Now, when investigators searched the Lexus, cadaver dogs do alert on that exact spot in the trunk. So they are sure that Jonathan killed her, placed her in the trunk, disposed of her. But the problem is, he's not talking anymore. And they're still missing the most crucial piece of evidence of all, Elizabeth's body. But as detectives lay out Jonathan's cell tower location points on this map, this clear route starts to emerge.

• 38:19Ashley Flowers?

  They see that on July 1st, he spent most of the day at home before dropping Astrid off at Yaneth's at around 4:00 p.m. He takes his own car for that, a blue Chevrolet Cruze. But when he gets back home, he took Lizzbeth's Lexus out for some errands, including a stop at a local Home Depot, where he bought a shovel and a hoe.

• 38:44Speaker 02

  So part of a murder kit. Got it.

• 38:45Ashley Flowers?

  Or a disposal kit, at least. Yeah. So later that night, after 10, he drove the Lexus a few miles to the restaurant where he works. And surveillance footage from surrounding businesses shows him pulling up to the dumpsters in the back corner of the parking lot. Now, the restaurant, this is interesting, was actually closed because the owner was on vacation. So it was like, nice and quiet, not a whole lot of traffic. And of course, Jonathan would know that.

• 39:13Speaker 02

  He works there.

• 39:13Ashley Flowers?

  He works there, exactly. Anyways, now, once he's in the parking lot, you can't see what he's doing. But he was there for nearly an hour and a half, and he's on camera visiting that exact same spot again a week later. So the problem is, by the time police get a search warrant for that area, it's July 15th. We are two weeks to the day out from Lizzbeth's disappearance. Now, the parking lot is partially fenced in, but in the back of it, where Jonathan was, like, skulking around, it butts up against this densely wooded area. So investigators, like, brace themselves for a full-scale search. But they don't actually have to go very far.

• 39:55Ashley Flowers?

  Right behind the dumpsters, something that catches their eye is this door laying flat on the ground. When they lift it, they see disturbed dirt beneath. And almost immediately, the cadaver dogs start picking up the scent of decomp. And as they carefully dig, the smell just intensifies. And soon, they uncover this bundle wrapped tightly in a blue fleece blanket, held together with clear tape. And it has long, black hair sticking out from one end. And they know that they have finally found Lizzbeth.

• 40:33Ashley Flowers?

  Do me a favor. Put all five fingers up. Now, put one down if you have workout saved on Instagram that you haven't gone back to. Put one down if you were gonna go to a workout class this week, but there's just none that the times worked out for. Put one down if you don't like working out at home because you don't know what to do and you need someone to push you. Put two fingers down if you want to stop this game. Babe, we are the same. I don't have a lot of time and honestly, I'm not even someone who likes working out. But Ladder actually changed that. I literally had to waddle into the studio to record this because my butt is so sore. Ladder is quick. I'm not wasting time wandering around or doing reps of something that won't matter. I'm in, I'm out. I have a coach along the way who can help me make 30 minutes with weights feel better than two hours of whatever I was doing before.

• 41:17Ashley Flowers?

  And it's $1 a day. So if price was ever stopping you before, you're officially out of excuses. Remove the guesswork with Ladder and get a real coach in your ear telling you exactly what to do for every workout. No thinking, everything planned for you. If you have an iPhone, head to ladder.fit/crimejunkie and take a quick quiz to find your perfect ladder plan. Use my link and get a free seven-day trial with no credit card and $10 off your first month if you join. Remember being a kid around the holidays? And anytime you would ask for something, mom would always say, "Wait until the holidays." Well, with Mint Mobile's holiday deal, there's no waiting. Right now, this second, all of their plans are $15 a month.

• 42:00Ashley Flowers?

  Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right with premium wireless for 15 bucks a month. All plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. You can even bring your current phone and your number. Choose from three, six, or 12-month plans and say goodbye to a monthly bill. It's so easy. Sign up online and get premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. So what are you waiting for? To get your new wireless plan for 15 bucks a month, go to mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. That's mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/crimejunkie. Limited time offer. Upfront payment of $45 for three months, $90 for six months, or $180 for 12 months.

• 42:45Ashley Flowers?

  Plan required, $15 per month equivalent. Taxes and fees extra. Initial plan term only. Greater than 50GB may slow when network is busy. Capable device required. Availability, speed, and coverage varies. See mintmobile.com.

• 43:00Ashley Flowers?

  Now, before police even reach Elizabeth's family to notify them of the discovery, Yaneth starts hearing rumors through the media that a body has been found. But she doesn't necessarily know the details and she is still just clinging to this hope that it isn't her sister. And even after her father and stepmom show up later that day with detectives and a priest, like warning her to brace herself for what will likely be bad news, she's still holding on. But the next day, investigators show her photos of the victim's tattoos to help with identification. And that awful realization just hits her. She is never going to see her sister again.

• 43:41Ashley Flowers?

  And the only thing her family can hope for now is some sort of justice. Now, when she is taken for autopsy, the medical examiner determines that Elizabeth died from homicidal asphyxia. And he also finds non-fatal blunt force injuries from what was likely a struggle. She's got a bruise on her upper arm and another on her lower back.

• 44:04Speaker 02

  And Jonathan is the only suspect right now, right?

• 44:07Ashley Flowers?

  Well, so investigators did consider others, like Jose, who really was her old high school friend that she was supposedly dating at some point. But with everything pointing to Jonathan, like, come on.

• 44:20Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 44:21Ashley Flowers?

  Now Yaneth expects him to be arrested at any moment. Like, again, come on. But days pass, and then weeks, and it doesn't happen. He is still a free man. And despite that notarized letter, which you pointed out doesn't do much, he still has rights as Astrid's father. So he's able to have supervised visits with her, visits that take place at Albino's house.

• 44:47Speaker 02

  So her family has to regularly interact with the person that they're pretty sure killed their sister and their daughter.

• 44:54Ashley Flowers?

  Well, not even interact, but like in their own home.

• 44:56Speaker 02

  That's gotta be like absolute hell for them.

• 44:59Ashley Flowers?

  I feel like it would almost be like you're living in an alternate reality.

• 45:02Speaker 02

  Like, this can't be real.

• 45:04Ashley Flowers?

  Yes. And the only real solace for Yaneth is the overwhelming... overwhelming local support that she receives. Like she starts working with advocates to raise awareness about her sister's story and about domestic violence as a whole. Now Jonathan doesn't have any record for abuse against Lizzbeth. The fight that they had in May wasn't reported. He does have a felony conviction for assaulting a police officer, which like details are sparse on, but according to a Hartford Current article, that thing happened when he was 18 after crashing into a cop on a motorcycle. We don't know of any other incidents. But this is the thing, just because there aren't things on record, doesn't mean that they didn't happen. Like domestic violence is one of law enforcement's biggest blind spots

• 45:49Ashley Flowers?

  because many of these incidents never even reach police. And when they do, they rarely get the attention that they deserve. There was actually this study done by the National Library of Medicine that found that black women and Latina women like Lizzbeth are more likely to encounter neglectful or even hostile responses when they seek help. And for Hispanic victims, there are often extra hurdles like language barriers or fear of deportation if they're undocumented. Yeah. Like Lizzbeth. And the longer her homicide investigation drags on without an arrest, the more speculation there is that her case isn't a priority because of her nationality.

• 46:31Ashley Flowers?

  But Captain Mergo told us that there was a lot happening behind the scenes that investigators can't share publicly. Like at the time, they were working with multiple agencies, gathering warrants for more digital data, things like phone records, surveillance footage and Google searches. Evidence even from the Lexus goes to the FBI lab for testing, including a single blue fiber found in the trunk that ultimately matches the blanket that Lizzbeth was wrapped in. And they did an analysis of the air freshener can and they found that Jonathan could not be eliminated from being a source of the DNA on it. And they also learned that on the afternoon of July 1st, less than 12 hours after he says he last saw Elizabeth in bed,

• 47:14Ashley Flowers?

  Jonathan was on Facebook Marketplace trying to trade her car for a pickup truck. Yeah. And in August, they get a new chilling detail from Astrid herself. She tells her family, and later an FBI agent, that when she woke up that morning and her mom wasn't in bed, she was searching like in the apartment, but for some reason, she couldn't get into her own room because the door was locked. And according to her, like, that wasn't a thing. They had never been locked before. And then when her dad got home, he didn't even go look for her mom. Instead, he just started cleaning. Like, that was the first thing he did. So, the theory, according to Captain Murgo,

• 47:58Ashley Flowers?

  is that after Jonathan killed Elizabeth, he likely stashed her body in their daughter's bedroom, locked the door so Astrid wouldn't go in when she woke up. And then later, he backed the Lexus into the driveway to load Elizabeth's body into the trunk. And in fact, they find out that while it was parked there, Jonathan did nearly three dozen web searches on how to fold down the backseat.

• 48:22Speaker 02

  I mean, what more do we need here, people? I mean, arrest this guy already.

• 48:27Ashley Flowers?

  And listen, it isn't the police. Like, they agree with you. But I guess the state's attorney's office didn't? Because as detectives share their findings with them, they keep hearing like, "You're close, but like, go back. Get more. Chase down more leads. Verify additional details." And in the time that they kept getting sent back, they worried that Jonathan was gonna skip town. So they actually put him under surveillance. Because you see, even though he lived in the US since childhood and can legally work here, he was still an Ecuadorian citizen. And at the time, Ecuador had a strict ban on extraditing its citizens to the US. So if he made it back there, he would almost be untouchable.

• 49:08Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 49:09Ashley Flowers?

  But when they end up putting eyes on him, they were surprised to find that he wasn't running, like, far from it. He was just going about his life as if nothing had happened.

• 49:22Speaker 02

  So he thinks he's in the clear?

• 49:24Ashley Flowers?

  That's what he believed, yeah. The good news is, he is wrong. On Sunday, December 27, police have Albino set up a meeting with Jonathan at a diner in New Haven. And Jonathan thinks that he is going to see his daughter at this meeting. But instead, this is when he is finally arrested for the murder of Elizabeth. And for investigators, putting the cuffs on Jonathan feels like a win. And for Elizabeth's family, it is a huge relief. Like, no more sharing Astrid with the man who took her mother from Astrid and all of them. But that relief is short-lived because now they face an entirely new battle, which is the legal system.

• 50:09Ashley Flowers?

  So Jonathan pleads not guilty, and he is sent to jail on a $2 million bond to await trial. But according to community organizer Vanessa Suarez, who has been supporting Elizabeth's family, prosecutors aren't exactly confident taking this to a jury still. Like, they even consider at some point reducing the charge to voluntary manslaughter because they're worried that they might not be able to make that murder charge stick.

• 50:36Speaker 02

  Why? Like, what more do they need?

• 50:40Ashley Flowers?

  I don't know. An eyewitness, I think. I think they want a confession, something that isn't circumstantial, I guess.

• 50:47Speaker 02

  They have camera footage. To me...

• 50:50Ashley Flowers?

  The fibers, like...

• 50:51Speaker 02

  Yeah, like, to me, the camera footage is almost better than an eyewitness. Like, you don't have to worry about memories, like, getting misinterpreted from actual footage. Then you have cadaver dogs hitting in the trunk.

• 51:02Ashley Flowers?

  Trunk. And your DNA on, like, the air freshener, yeah.

• 51:04Speaker 02

  Yeah, like, you have him lying about her car. You have him pretending to be her over text messages. Like, there's so much that's there. Like, what's actually happening?

• 51:15Ashley Flowers?

  I'm with you, like, believe me. But from the prosecutor's perspective, like, taking it to trial, it's always a risk, right?

• 51:23Speaker 02

  Yes, but this seems like not as much of a risk.

• 51:26Ashley Flowers?

  So they end up going back and forth with the defense. They're, like, debating possible deals.

• 51:32Ashley Flowers?

  But through this whole time, like Lizzbeth's family is firm. They're like, anything less than a murder charge would diminish what happened to Lizzbeth. And they're not willing to accept that. So the long and the short of it is that with delays from COVID and all the negotiations, it is not until February of 2024 that both sides reach an agreement. Facing 60 years in prison, Jonathan pleads guilty to murder. And in exchange, he is sentenced to 25 years with immediate deportation once his time is served. Now, for Lizzbeth's family, 25 years is grossly inadequate as a punishment. They, along with advocates like Vanessa, have been very vocal

• 52:15Ashley Flowers?

  about the larger issue that her murder brings to light. Vanessa told us, like, too often when women go missing or are found dead, they don't get the urgency or attention that they deserve. And while there is this huge pressure on victims to report abuse, society needs to step up and create better systems of support for cases of gendered violence. We know how widespread this issue is. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, an estimated 47,000 women and girls worldwide were killed by an intimate partner or a family member in 2020 alone.

• 52:51Speaker 02

  Oh, my God.

• 52:51Ashley Flowers?

  And that is an average, when you think about it, of one every 11 minutes. So like, to put it in perspective, by the time our Crime Junkies finish this episode, approximately four women and girls will have lost their lives.

• 53:04Speaker 02

  That's almost impossible to wrap your head around.

• 53:07Ashley Flowers?

  I know, I know. But there are lessons to be learned from every tragedy. And that's actually why Captain Mergo reached out to us, hoping that we would share Lizzbeth's story. He believes that it shows how real the dangers of intimate partner violence can be and the lengths that abusers will go to manipulate and to control even after death.

• 53:28Speaker 02

  Which is why cases like this have to be taken so seriously from the very beginning.

• 53:32Ashley Flowers?

  From the beginning, exactly. I mean, it took an all-hands approach. I mean, Lizzbeth's family pushing for answers, diligent police work and technology like digital forensic evidence. Surveillance footage, all of it, to finally reveal the truth, like piece by piece. But not every victim has loved ones that are determined to fight for justice or have the ability to. Like, not every department is willing or able to go deeper. Too often, these stories end before they ever begin. And no one should have to face abuse alone. Help is available, and we've included resources in our show notes if you or someone you know needs support. And please, make sure to take any signs of abuse seriously, no matter

• 54:13Ashley Flowers?

  how small they might seem. I mean, it can be so hard to see the full picture, especially when you love someone and you want to believe that things will get better. But if you are in an abusive relationship, the focus should be on your safety and your well-being, rather than waiting for or like betting on the abuser to change. Because sometimes, the risk is greater than anyone could have ever imagined.

• 54:49Ashley Flowers?

  You can visit our website for all of the source material for this episode, crimejunkiepodcast.com.

• 54:55Speaker 02

  And you can follow us on Instagram, at Crime Junkie Podcast.

• 54:58Ashley Flowers?

  We'll be back next week with a brand new episode.

• 55:35Ashley Flowers?

  Crime Junkie is an AudioChuck production. So, what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve?

• 55:45Speaker 05

  When the nights grow longer, the shadows start to stir, and that can only mean one thing: Full Body Chills is back. This season, step inside original tales where every doorway leads somewhere darker, every stranger carries a secret, and nothing is ever quite what it seems. Each story takes you somewhere new, but be careful. You never know what might follow you home. So gather round, listen close, and stream Full Body Chills wherever you get your podcasts.

• 56:16Speaker 02

  Growing up in a small town, I know how deeply a crime can shake a local community. And I know that what makes the headlines is rarely the full story. That's what Kylie Lowe explores on her show Dark Down East. She digs into cases from Maine and New England using original reporting, archival records, and conversations with the people who knew them best. Each episode takes you inside the communities these stories shaped and the families who never stop searching for answers. Listen to Dark Down East wherever you get your podcasts.