Crime Junkie Case Files: Missing Persons Cold Cases Vol. 3, True Crime Investigations of People Who Mysteriously Disappeared

By Dexter Gable

Dive into a world where shadows whisper and secrets linger just out of reach, in a book that meticulously stitches together the most perplexing and haunting missing persons cases. Each story unfolds like a meticulously researched tapestry, presenting a different, complex narrative brimming with emotionally charged interviews, detailed police rep

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crime Junkie Case Files
• Release date: Mar 10, 2024
• ISBN: 9798869241658

Book preview

Dexter Gable

Crime Junkie Case Files Missing Persons Cold Cases Vol 3

Copyright © 2024 by Dexter Gable

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

First edition

Contents

Phoenix Coldon

Regina Brown

Maureen Fields

Janteyl Johnson

Colleen Wood

Emily Bailey

Darian Hudson

Andrew Gosden

Michael VanZandt

Abby Jo Blagg

Regina Bos

Sarah and Jacob Hoggle

Donald Dugger

Gail Joiner

Amy Sher

Christi Jo Nichols

Christina Calayca

Maya Millete

Paul Lemaitre

Kelley Brannon

About the Author

Phoenix Coldon

Phoenix Coldon’s journey began under the California sun on May 23, 1988, welcomed into the world by her loving parents, Gloria and Lorenz Coldon. Her early years were filled with the warmth of the Golden State, a contrast to the life that awaited her after her father’s job relocation to the greater St. Louis, Missouri area. Here, in the peaceful, middle-class suburb of Spanish Lake, Phoenix’s story would take root and grow.

The Coldons, embracing the calm and community spirit of their new neighborhood, dedicated themselves to nurturing Phoenix in a home resonant with Christian values and teachings. They were vigilant in guiding her, ensuring that kindness, compassion, and respect were not just words, but principles that Phoenix lived by. This foundation was complemented by a burgeoning love for music. Phoenix discovered a profound talent for musical arts, and the family piano became her sanctuary, where she spent countless Saturdays immersed in melodies, crafting her own language of expression.

As Phoenix transitioned into her teenage years, her parents, prioritizing her safety and education, chose to homeschool her. This decision, while sheltering her from broader social experiences, never dampened her thirst for knowledge. She excelled academically, her enthusiasm for learning as vibrant as her musical passions. Outside her studies, Phoenix found another outlet in the world of fencing. She dedicated herself to the sport, her discipline and skill earning her the title of local junior fencing champion from 2007 to 2011, a testament to her multifaceted talents.

Upon reaching adulthood, Phoenix’s path led her to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. It was here, living in an apartment with a friend, that a different facet of her personality began to surface. Struggling to reconcile her sheltered upbringing with her burgeoning independence, Phoenix found herself increasingly at odds with her parents. Their once harmonious relationship was strained by arguments and Phoenix’s engagement in risky behaviors, a stark contrast to the girl her parents knew. Despite these changes, Gloria and Lorenz perceived these as typical growing pains of early adulthood.

However, in May 2011, a significant shift occurred. Phoenix returned home at her mother’s insistence, and the family dynamic reached a boiling point. In the following months, Phoenix’s behavior took a tumultuous turn. She severed her closest friendship with a longtime neighbor, Akira, after a revealing argument. Phoenix confided in Akira about an unspecified unease in her life, a mystery that remained unsolved.

As the seasons changed, so did Phoenix. Her vibrant personality dimmed; the once soulful, ambitious, and faith-driven young woman seemed to retreat into a shell of her former self. Her parents, Gloria and Lorenz, witnessed this transformation with growing concern, hopeful yet uncertain of her return to her spirited self.

In the year 2005, a significant friendship blossomed in the quiet Spanish Lake neighborhood when Phoenix Coldon, a home-schooled teenager, met Akira Hogan. Their bond grew rapidly, with Phoenix eagerly awaiting Akira’s return from public school each day at the bus stop. Due to her strict upbringing, Phoenix’s interactions were confined to conversations on the Hogan’s front porch, her visits to their house being restricted.

The Hogans perceived Phoenix’s parents as overly strict, a sentiment that echoed in Phoenix’s heart as she yearned for a world beyond her sheltered life. This longing for freedom and new experiences led Phoenix to enroll in the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the fall of 2007. It was a pivotal moment, marking her first step into a life starkly different from her religiously-tempered upbringing.

Around the same time, Phoenix met Michael B., sparking a romantic relationship that flourished despite her parents’ disapproval. The couple skillfully kept their relationship a secret from the Coldons, with Phoenix even moving into an apartment with Michael’s help. Her mother, Gloria, unknowingly facilitated this by signing the lease under the belief that Phoenix was moving in with a female friend. Despite Gloria’s multiple visits, she remained oblivious to Michael’s presence in the apartment.

In 2010, Phoenix confided in Akira about her desire to leave Michael B. but was uncertain about how to proceed. Instead, she began exploring other relationships, including one with another Michael, known as Cellphone Mike. Phoenix carefully managed this new relationship behind Michael B.’s back, using a burner phone she acquired secretly to communicate with Cellphone Mike.

Around this time, Phoenix started to unravel. She secretly withdrew savings bonds from the Coldon family safe, amassing around $2,500. The fate of this money remains a mystery. In May 2011, Phoenix returned to her parents’ home at their request due to financial strains and the convenience of being closer to the university.

The summer of 2011 saw Phoenix’s mental state take a concerning turn. During an intense conversation with Akira in a park, she expressed paranoia and fear, feeling as if she were being watched. This unsettling discussion hinted at a deeper turmoil within Phoenix.

In November 2011, Phoenix recorded a distressing selfie video, expressing profound frustration and emotional turmoil. During Thanksgiving break, she met with an old friend, Tim Baker, and confided that she hadn’t enrolled in university classes that semester, a secret she kept from her family. Tim, aware of Phoenix’s double life and burner phone, sensed she was hiding something more.

As December approached, the situation escalated. Phoenix’s relationship with Michael B. became more strained, evidenced by numerous phone calls. On December 18, 2011, after attending a church service and running errands with her mother, Phoenix left her home in a black 1998 Chevy Blazer, marking the last known sighting of her.

Later that evening, the Chevy Blazer was found abandoned in East St. Louis. The car, with no sign of struggle, was logged into a nationwide system but remained unnoticed due to system delays. The next morning, Gloria and Lawrence Coldon, alarmed by their daughter’s uncharacteristic absence, contacted the police. However, because Phoenix was an adult and had been missing for less than 24 hours, the authorities initially did not consider it a case of a missing person.

In the wake of the chilling impoundment of their vehicle on December 18th, the Coldon family embarked on a relentless and heart-wrenching search for their beloved Phoenix. With unyielding determination, they distributed flyers, tirelessly scoured nearby hospitals, and explored potential hideouts around town. Gloria Coldon, fueled by a mother’s unwavering hope, reached out to multiple local news stations in an effort to amplify their search. Sadly, their pleas for media attention went largely unheeded, leaving the family to navigate the agonizing uncertainty on their own.

As December’s cold embrace tightened, Gloria and Lawrence Coldon were notified about their impounded vehicle. Rushing to an East St. Louis car lot, they found their Chevy Blazer, abandoned and mysteriously devoid of any signs of conflict or struggle. The discovery only deepened their anguish and confusion. Gloria was convinced that Phoenix hadn’t left the car there, while Lawrence clung to a father’s intuition that his daughter was still safe somewhere.

With the dawn of 2012, the authorities began to take the disappearance more seriously, officially declaring Phoenix a missing person. On January 19th, the case finally caught the attention of the media, with reporter Shawn drea Thomas spotlighting Phoenix’s story, albeit with some inaccuracies that added to the already tangled narrative.

In a desperate bid for answers, the Coldons enlisted the help of private investigator Steve Foster in February 2012. Foster, alongside local police detectives, delved into the lives of those closest to Phoenix, including her boyfriends Michael B. and Cellphone Mike. Both were interrogated and cleared, leaving more questions than answers. During his investigation, Foster unearthed startling revelations, including Phoenix’s secret withdrawals from the family safe and the existence of a second birth certificate under the name Phoenix Reeves – her mother’s maiden name.

As the years rolled by, the case saw a flurry of tips and potential sightings, none of which bore any substantial leads. These false trails drained the Coldon’s financial resources, forcing them to make the heartbreaking decision to foreclose their home. The police, too, struggled to find any tangible clues or evidence.

In 2018, Oxygen’s television network reinvigorated public interest in the case with a detailed investigation led by Shawn drea Thomas and retired police deputy Joe Delia. They collaborated with a third investigator, Dean Duke, to analyze the enigmatic second birth certificate of Phoenix. This investigation led them to a mysterious address in Anchorage, Alaska, linked to a Phoenix Reeves profile. Despite their efforts, interviews with neighbors and the current resident yielded no new information, leaving the investigators with more questions than answers.

Amidst these extensive investigations, one piece of evidence stood out – a selfie video recorded by Phoenix on November 15, 2011, just a month before her disappearance. The video, a poignant and troubling glimpse into Phoenix’s state of mind, featured her expressing feelings of frustration, a desire to start over, and an altered recitation of the Serenity Prayer. Audio experts worked to decipher Phoenix’s mumbled and indistinct words, revealing a young woman grappling with deep internal conflict and a sense of isolation. Her words hinted at legal troubles or bad influences, painting a picture of a life increasingly at odds with her once-stable existence.

Since the mysterious disappearance of Phoenix Coldon entered the public domain, a plethora of theories have emerged, each attempting to unravel the enigma surrounding her case. Among these, the theory of a potential human trafficking incident has gained significant traction. This speculation was fueled by initial reports suggesting that Phoenix’s 1998 Chevy Blazer was found on the 900 block of Sinclair Avenue with the engine running, lights on, and the driver’s side door wide open. This narrative painted a picture of a sudden and forceful abduction, particularly given the vehicle’s proximity to Interstate 70, notoriously branded as the human trafficking highway of America. Furthermore, the area around St. Clair Avenue in East St. Louis is notorious for high crime rates, gang activity, and, crucially, human trafficking incidents.

The hypothesis posits that Phoenix, possibly entangled in suspicious activities in the months prior, was targeted by traffickers or criminal elements while stopped at a sign and then forcibly taken. Human trafficking survivor Cat Summers and Katie Rhodes, founder of Healing Action, both find parallels between Phoenix’s case and typical trafficking scenarios, citing the state of the car and the notorious reputation of East St. Louis’s street life.

Adding complexity to this theory is a claim made by a member of the St. Louis Mothers of Missing Children group. In 2017, she received a message linking Phoenix to a suspicious escort website. However, this lead proved to be a cruel hoax, further muddying the waters of the investigation.

In contrast to the human trafficking theory, some believe Phoenix could have been lured away by someone she knew and subsequently murdered. St. Louis, Missouri’s reputation as a city with high violent crime rates, coupled with Phoenix’s secretive double life and relationships, adds weight to this possibility. Cellphone Mike, one of Phoenix’s boyfriends, emerged as a suspect due to a restraining order filed against him by an ex-girlfriend for alleged emotional and physical violence. His unusual interest in missing person cases around the time of Phoenix’s disappearance, and a disturbing comment he made, further intensify suspicions surrounding his involvement.

Yet, despite these theories, the evidence remains inconclusive. Phoenix’s bank accounts, cellphone records, and social media activity all ceased abruptly on the day she vanished. Her increasing sense of being followed and her emotional crisis, as revealed in her selfie video, indicate she was deeply troubled and possibly in danger.

The possibility that Phoenix voluntarily disappeared to start a new life cannot be discounted. The discovery of her second birth certificate under the name Phoenix Reeves, her ability to make friends easily, and her resourcefulness, suggest she could have orchestrated her disappearance. The peculiar link to an address in Anchorage, Alaska, under the Phoenix Reeves identity, although unverified, raises questions about her potential whereabouts.

Friends and acquaintances of Phoenix have been notably reticent to speak to investigators, possibly out of guilt for aiding in her disappearance rather than causing her harm. The contents of her abandoned Chevy Blazer, the unpaid burner phone bill, and the lack of any signs of struggle or foul play in the vehicle, all point towards a meticulously planned departure rather than a violent abduction.

In conclusion, Phoenix Coldon’s case remains a deeply complex and unresolved mystery. The lack of definitive evidence, the contrasting theories, and the cryptic clues she left behind paint a picture of a young woman trapped in a life she desperately wanted to escape. Whether she fell victim to foul play or chose to vanish to start anew, the truth remains elusive, leaving her family and the public grasping for answers in a case that continues to baffle and intrigue.

Regina Brown

Born on a crisp winter day, December 4th, 1951, in Liberty County, Texas, Regina entered the world as the third child of Emil and Ernestine Fontenot. She was a beacon of joy in a bustling household that would eventually welcome two more siblings, making a lively group of five.

Regina’s early years were spent in the quaint city of Ames, a stone’s throw away from Houston and near the Louisiana border, where her father’s roots lay. Ames, with its modest population that even today barely surpasses a thousand souls, was the backdrop of Regina’s childhood adventures. The city’s small-town charm and close-knit community offered a serene and nurturing environment for Regina and her siblings.

The Fontenot household was a sanctuary of faith and love. As devout Roman Catholics, Emil and Ernestine instilled in their children the importance of church and spirituality. Regina, growing up in such an environment, had a deep-seated sense of faith that would be a guiding force throughout her life.

Regina’s education began in the disciplined halls of Catholic schools, where alongside her siblings, she imbibed values of diligence and respect. Even as a child, Regina’s personality was marked by a vibrant spirit and an unquenchable thirst for adventure. She was often found outdoors, her diminutive stature belied by her boundless energy and zest for life. Whether playing sports, exploring the Texan outdoors, or simply enjoying the company of her siblings and friends, Regina was always in the midst of action.

As she transitioned into her teenage years, Regina’s horizons expanded. She attended Liberty High School, where her interests blossomed in various directions. Initially drawn to nursing, Regina’s passion for fashion soon took precedence. Her senior year was a kaleidoscope of activities – from the pep squad to the band, the thespian club to the Future Homemakers and Nurses of America. Regina, with her petite yet striking presence, exuded the grace and poise of a runway model. Her love for fashion was not just a passing fancy; she often crafted her own stylish outfits, showcasing her creativity and flair for design.

Regina’s voice, soft and melodious, was another of her endearing qualities, often remarked upon by those who knew her. As she graduated in 1969 and embarked on