Episodes 28
Avg. Duration 30m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.9 (269)
Since Jan 2025
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Every 2 Weeks
Format
Episodic
Consistency
88%
Hosting
www.spreaker.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

In May of 2024, Elgin (IL) Police Chief Ana Lalley created the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit to take a fresh look at unsolved homicides and missing persons cases with the belief that dedicating resources and using new technology will help solve these cases. As part of this new unit, the Elgin Police Department launched a podcast dedicated to Elgin cold cases to seek information from the public.
Somebody Knows Something: The Elgin Police Cold Case Podcast was created by the Elgin Police Department and is recorded with assistance of WRMN 1410 in Elgin, Illinois. Detective Andrew Houghton, Detective Christopher Hall, and Detective Matt Vartanian of the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit host the podcast and take listeners along as they investigate missing persons and homicide cases in real time and seek justice for the victims and closure for their families. This podcast includes actual police interviews, re-creations, and information that has never been released publicly as the Elgin Police Department seeks assistance from the community.
Season 1, Where is Karen? follows Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian as they investigate the disappearance of 23-year-old Karen Schepers, who, along with her car, disappeared without a trace after a night out with co-workers on April 16, 1983.
Season 2, Elgin: The 1970’s follows Detective Andrew Houghton and his new partner, Detective Chris Hall, as they review five cold case homicides and one missing person case, all from the 1970s.   Over the course of this season, they investigate the shootings of Guadalupe Alanis in 1971 and Maynard Chester Holley in 1975, the murder of 16-year-old Lori Bolger and the disappearance of 14-year-old Barbara Glueckert in 1976, the stabbing of Cayce Kyles in 1977, and the murder of Renee Tovar in 1979. 
Season 3, Wyteria is Missing follows Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall as they re-investigate the disappearance of 45-year-old Wyteria Jones, who vanished from the Douglas Hotel in downtown Elgin in the fall of 1982. A new member, Detective Beth Sterricker, also joins the unit and Sergeant Matt Vartanian returns to assist with Wyteria's investigation.
Anyone with information on any of the cold cases discussed are encouraged to contact the Elgin Police Department via email at [email protected] or via phone at 1-847-289-COLD. A list of all cold case missing persons and homicide cases as well as additional information about the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit can be found at www.ElginColdCases.com. 
DISCLAIMER: This podcast is based on information sourced primarily from police reports and media reports, but certain names and other identifying details may have been changed or altered for privacy and security reasons. While the events and cases discussed are based on real investigations, some aspects may be simplified for time and for narrative purposes. Voice actors may be used to read from statements or documents. All information presented is intended solely to inform and raise awareness. Hosts may discuss theories regarding the cases examined in this podcast, but such discussions are not intended to, and should not be considered by the listener to be, legal conclusions. All persons discussed are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion is advised.

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Recent Episodes

S3E6 S3E6: Chicago

Jun 01, 2026 31m Transcript

In this episode, we are travelling outside of Elgin once again to the City of Chicago to see the neighborhood where the Jones family lived in the late 1960’s before moving to Aurora…the same…

S3E5 S3E5: Aurora

May 18, 2026 22m Transcript

This episode takes them to Aurora, a city with deep ties to Wyteria's past and a direct bus line that could have brought her right to her old doorstep. But Aurora also means revisiting the man who…

S3E4 S3E4: Joliet

May 04, 2026 30m Transcript

Detectives leave Elgin and head southwest to Joliet, Illinois — chasing one of their strongest theories in the search for missing woman Wyteria Jones. Could she have quietly slipped away to another…

S3E3 S3E3: Longer Than We Knew

Apr 20, 2026 22m Transcript

In this episode, newly uncovered records turn the entire investigation upside down — revealing a timeline no one expected and connections to Elgin that run far deeper than anyone knew. Detective Beth…

S3E2 S3E2: Elgin

Apr 06, 2026 36m Transcript

In 1982, Wyteria Jones vanished from a rundown Elgin, Illinois hotel where she was living as an outpatient of the Elgin Mental Health Center. Over 40 years later, her case remains unsolved. In this…

S3E1 S3E1: Wyteria Is Missing

Mar 23, 2026 30m Transcript

Season 3 of Somebody Knows Something — the Elgin Police Department's Cold Case Podcast — opens a brand new case: the 1982 disappearance of Wyteria Jones.Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall…

S3 S3: Bonus Episode - Still Missing

Mar 16, 2026 18m Transcript

Bonus Episode – Still MissingAs the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit heads into 2026 and prepares for Season 3 of Somebody Knows Something, Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall are taking…

S2E8 S2E8: The Final Murder of the Decade (1979) – Part 2

Oct 24, 2025 43m Transcript

In this final episode of the season, Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit lay out the investigation into Renee’s murder in 1979, release new…

S2E7 S2E7: The Final Murder of the Decade (1979) – Part 1

Oct 24, 2025 25m Transcript

On November 23, 1979, the day after Thanksgiving, Renee Cruz Tovar decided to stay home while her roommate went out on a date.  The following morning, November 24, 1979, her roommate returned home…

S2E6 S2E6: Stabbed In The Alley (1977)

Oct 09, 2025 28m Transcript

It was a warm, summer evening when 68-year-old Cayce D. Kyles strolled down an alley behind the Douglas Hotel in downtown Elgin on July 21, 1977. Moments later, he was attacked and stabbed to death…

S2E5 S2E5: Missing In Kane County (1976) – Part 2

Sep 24, 2025 45m Transcript

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit continue their investigation into the disappearance of Barbara Glueckert as they meet with retired Mount…

S2E4 S2E4: Missing In Kane County (1976) – Part 1

Sep 24, 2025 37m Transcript

During “Season One: Where Is Karen?” Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian researched the previous tenant of Karen Schepers’ apartment, Thomas Urlacher.  They found that while he was not…

S2E3 S2E3: The Girl In The Grass (1976)

Sep 08, 2025 31m Transcript

On the morning of June 22, 1976, 16-year-old Lori Jean Bolger left a summer driver’s ed class at Larkin High School to walk home to South Elgin, Illinois. She planned to meet friends to swim, but she…

S2E2 S2E2: The Yellow Cab Murder (1975)

Aug 25, 2025 20m Transcript

It was a cold, winter night when 47-year-old Maynard Chester Holley left his wife and children to head to work at the Yellow Cab Company in downtown Elgin on February 18, 1975.  Hours later, he was…

S2E1 S2E1: Murder at the Foundry (1971)

Aug 11, 2025 22m Transcript

On June 30, 1971, a 35-year-old foreman at the Woodruff and Edwards Foundry, Guadalupe Alanis, was murdered while working in downtown Elgin.  Detectives Andrew Houghton and Chris Hall of the Elgin…

S1E12 S1E12: (Bonus Episode) Reflections & Future Plans

Jul 30, 2025 37m Transcript

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit make an announcement for Season Two and introduce a new detective, Chris Hall, as Matt is promoted and…

S1E11 S1E11: Remembering Karen Schepers

May 12, 2025 43m Transcript

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit reflect on the past 6 months of this investigation with Karen’s family, friends, and coworkers as Karen…

S1E10 S1E10: Closing the Case

Apr 28, 2025 22m Transcript

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit wrap up Karen’s cold case investigation by detailing the final steps in Karen’s case and they discuss…

S1E9 S1E9: Chaos Divers

Apr 14, 2025 32m Transcript

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit speak with Jacob Grubbs and Lindsay Bussick from Chaos Divers, the group which was instrumental in…

S1E8 S1E8: The Dive

Mar 31, 2025 27m Transcript

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit search the Fox River with the Illinois-based search and recovery team Chaos Divers and make a discovery…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Somebody Knows Something have?

Somebody Knows Something has published 28 episodes since January 2025, covering topics in Documentary, Science.

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Somebody Knows Something is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 30m.

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