EPISODE 489: David Shier Part 1 - A Walk into the Unknown

On February 11, 2022, David Shier disappeared from his home in Trinidad, Colorado. That morning, his wife, Rosemarie, saw him around 11 a.m. before she left home to run some errands. When she returned later that day, David was gone. She tried calling him, but he didn’t answer. She also reached out to friends and family, but no one had seen or heard from Dave. As the hours passed and Dave failed to return home, the family decided it was time to report him missing.

Dave's truck was still parked at home, so it was assumed that he may have left on foot, possibly heading to his workshop in the neighboring town of Starkville. Deputies went to the shop and gave the area a quick look, but there was no sign of him there. They combed the path between his home and the workshop, but still no clues. Later, it was discovered that a neighbor’s trail camera captured Dave walking away from his property on the day he vanished, but it wasn’t enough to tell where he was going or what may have happened next. Despite extensive searches of the surrounding area, not a single trace of David Shier was ever found.

For a while, it seemed like the case had gone cold. But about a year later, something unexpected happened, something that brought David’s name back into the spotlight. The county coroner came under scrutiny by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation after being accused of improper secret burials, misuse of funds, and shocking misconduct.

At first, it sounded like a completely unrelated scandal, but something shocking and unexpected happened that prompted the investigation. While exhuming the body of one man, investigators found a second body buried in the same grave. A body that wasn’t supposed to be there. For the Shier family, the possibility that it could be Dave was chilling. The mystery surrounding Dave's disappearance only deepened, leaving his loved ones with more questions than answers.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of David Shier, please contact the Las Animas County Sheriff's Office at 719-846-2211.

EPISODE 488: John "Brent" McGhee

On July 11, 2024, 42-year-old John Brent McGhee disappeared from Leachville, Arkansas. Brent was last seen by his mother when she dropped him off at his cousin’s house. A short time later, he left on foot, reportedly to look for his wife. According to eyewitness accounts, Brent made it to the home of his wife’s best friend, but he was not allowed inside.

Brent did not have a cell phone with him at the time, which meant there was no way for anyone to contact him, and he left no digital trail to follow.

Brent was very close with his mother, and it was unlike him to go so long without reaching out. Days passed, then over a week. Brent’s mother knew something was wrong. On July 22, she walked into the Leachville Police Department and reported him missing.

What followed was a wave of rumors. Some stories suggested Brent had met a horrible fate. But was there any truth to these rumors, or was it all just small-town lore?

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of John Brent McGhee, please contact the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office at 870-658-2242 or Crimestoppers at 844-910-STOP.

EPISODE 487: Larry Riegel Part 2 - Dusting off the Case

Last week, we brought you Part 1 of Larry Riegel’s story. You learned about Larry’s life, career, and sudden disappearance from Yakima, Washington, around Christmas in 2009. On Christmas morning, Larry spoke with his mother, and around 4 PM that afternoon, he had a conversation with his son, Brian. But when Brian called back later that evening, Larry didn’t answer. Larry had planned to visit his family the day after Christmas, but when he failed to show up for their annual holiday gathering on the evening of December 26, they knew something was wrong. Larry would never have missed the family celebration, especially without letting them know. 

At the time, Larry was living with his girlfriend, Ladena. Family members contacted Ladena to inquire about Larry, but they were met with a series of contradictory, shifting stories. Ladena claimed Larry had left for the coast, even though Larry hated traveling there. This was another red flag for Larry's family.

Determined to find answers, Larry’s sister, Susan, went directly to Ladena. Susan was met with a confusing mix of bizarre and inconsistent tales that didn’t seem to lead anywhere. Susan couldn’t make sense of it at the time, but over the years, some of those details began to take on new meaning.

The family launched their own search, trying to find anyone who had seen or heard from Larry. Despite their efforts, no solid leads emerged. As weeks passed, Larry’s family only felt more desperate. In January, they decided to report Larry missing. However, when one of Larry’s sisters tried to file the report, she was told she couldn’t report Larry missing. Larry's sisters were shocked to learn that on January 5, many days after Larry’s Christmas disappearance, Ladena had gone to the police, claiming that Larry returned to their home and assaulted her on January 4. That accusation dramatically altered the perception of Larry’s character and disappearance. Authorities believed he was on the run. To those who knew Larry best, none of this added up.

Years later, frustrated by the lack of progress and the mounting inconsistencies, Larry’s family demanded a meeting with the police chief. That meeting marked a pivotal moment in the case. A new investigator, Nolan Wentz, was assigned to take a fresh look at the evidence.

For years, it seemed like Larry’s case had been left to gather dust, forgotten and cold. But now, with a new investigator on the case, there was hope that the truth would finally be uncovered. With fresh eyes and new determination, what was once a dead-end investigation started showing signs of life.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Larry Riegel, please contact the Yakima Police Department at (509) 575-6200 or the Yakima County Crime Stoppers at (800) 248-TIPS.