Casefile Presents: Ada

In 2011, the body of a woman was discovered in a California vineyard. The scene was utterly surreal. Disturbing, yet eerily clean. It was unlike anything investigators had encountered before. The killer had seemingly gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure the victim couldn’t be identified. And yet, they had left her somewhere she was certain to be found. For more than a decade, she was known only as Jane Doe. Then detectives finally got a name: Ada. But identifying her didn’t solve the mystery. It opened an entirely new one. Through years of reporting, and the discovery of unusual newspaper columns and deeply personal writings Ada left behind, a portrait emerges of a brilliant, complicated woman. The more her life comes into focus, the stranger her already bizarre murder becomes. Who was Ada? Why was she killed? And why did someone seemingly try to erase her identity? Ada is a seven part investigative series about an unforgettable crime and the woman at its center. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

• 0:00Speaker 00

  From journalist Olivia LaVoix, the creator of the hit investigative series The Bakersfield Three, comes the new Case File Presents series, Ada. In 2011, the body of a woman was discovered in a California vineyard. For more than a decade, she was known only as Jane Doe. Then detectives finally discovered her name. But identifying her was only the beginning. Listen to Ada wherever you get your podcasts. From journalist Olivia LaVoix, the creator of the hit investigative series The Bakersfield Three, comes the new Case File Presents series, Ada.

• 0:43Speaker 00

  In 2011, the body of a woman was discovered in a California vineyard. The scene was unlike anything investigators had ever encountered. Disturbing, surreal, and meticulously clean. Who was she, and why had someone gone to such lengths to make sure she could never be identified? For more than a decade, she was known only as Jane Doe. Then detectives finally discovered her name: Ada. But identifying her was only the beginning. Through years of investigation, journalist Olivia LaVoix uncovers a life filled with

• 1:24Speaker 00

  unexpected discoveries, unusual newspaper columns, and deeply personal writings. The more we learn about Ada, the stranger her murder becomes. Who was Ada? Why was she killed? And why did someone seem determined to erase her identity? Ada is a seven-part investigative series about a baffling crime and the woman at its center. Listen to Ada, the latest series from Case File Presents, now, wherever you get your podcasts. Now stay tuned to listen to the trailer.

• 2:07Speaker 01

  When you break it down, most homicides, county and nationwide, have a clear motive.

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  But once in a while, a murder comes along that leaves detectives bewildered.

• 2:16Speaker 03

  It was surreal. I remember having a couple of nightmares about it afterwards.

• 2:20Speaker 04

  Something this gruesome is very unusual.

• 2:22Speaker 05

  The body of an adult female was found inside a vineyard.

• 2:25Speaker 03

  This is one of those types of murders and murder investigations that you come across maybe once, maybe never.

• 2:31Speaker 06

  The coroner even said to me, "This looks like it was professionally done."

• 2:36Speaker 03

  You're going back and forth saying, "Is this a serial killer?"

• 2:39Speaker 07

  Much more extreme than any other case I'd ever worked on. It haunted me.

• 2:44Speaker 01

  It seemed the killer didn't just try to hide their own identity, but also that of the victim.

• 2:50Speaker 03

  If you're never able to identify her, the case is not going to be solved, ever.

• 2:54Speaker 01

  Until one day. I was very adamant that this had to be who it was. Her identity was supposed to simplify this bizarre case.

• 3:04Speaker 07

  Here you go, we got a name.

• 3:06Speaker 01

  But learning her name is when the real mystery began.

• 3:10Speaker 06

  She got reconnected with a gentleman who was supposedly a doctor. Doctor and draining of the blood.

• 3:23Speaker 03

  I remember vividly, she was talking about a woman who was some type of leader, spiritual guide. And I think she might have joined something like a cult.

• 3:31Speaker 06

  She said she was gonna leave. She had a boyfriend, and she was gonna leave. And I said, "I hope you're making the right decision."

• 3:39Speaker 07

  Does the sheriff's office know about this? Because this is pretty interesting and strange, and wouldn't you want to question him about this?

• 3:46Speaker 06

  She was very secretive about everything.

• 3:50Speaker 01

  She sounds very complicated.

• 3:52Speaker 06

  She is, even in death. I think this entire case is very unusual and complex. It's more likely that somebody gets killed and left in a field, being shot to death, rather than not having a head. I want you to remember this in the back of your mind, that the killer knows who you are, but you don't know who the killer is. So be careful, because that's not a one and done.

• 4:20Speaker 01

  I'm Olivia LaVoix, and this is Ada, a new podcast from Case File Presents.