EPISODE 498: Blake Nex Part 1 - The Spark

In March of 1993, 37-year-old Blake Nex vanished from his home in Claremont, California. Blake’s family grew concerned when they couldn’t reach him, so a relative went to check his house. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss. There were no signs of a struggle or forced entry, but the scene inside Blake’s home told an even stranger story. Groceries were still sitting on the counter, as if Blake had just come home from the store and been plucked out of his life in the middle of an ordinary day. His cats were left behind to fend for themselves, along with five hundred dollars in cash, but Blake himself was nowhere to be found.

A couple of weeks later, Blake’s truck turned up in the parking lot of a local airport. No one could say when it had been left there or by whom. Then, after his disappearance, Blake’s home was broken into. An answering machine, toolbox, and several expensive bicycles were stolen, only adding to the mystery.

When Blake’s family reported him missing, they felt the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department brushed off their concerns. At the time, department policies didn’t require them to take reports for missing adults, and they considered Blake to be voluntarily missing. Nearly two decades would slip by before law enforcement finally took up the case. By then, Blake’s trail had gone ice cold. Any evidence that could have revealed what happened to Blake was already gone, swallowed by time and by the investigation that never began.

Now, decades later, Blake's loved ones are determined to reignite the search for answers, holding onto the hope that the truth about his disappearance can still be uncovered.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Blake Nex, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (323) 890-5500. 

For more information, visit https://www.findblakenex.com, where you can learn more about his case and reach out to his loved ones who are still searching for answers.

EPISODE 497: Jami Lucas

On July 3, 2020, 38-year-old Jami Lucas was riding his motorcycle near Outing, Minnesota. According to official reports, a deputy recognized Jami and knew he didn’t have a valid license, which sparked a pursuit. However, Jami’s family was told something different: that an anonymous call had come in, leading deputies to pursue Jami. Either way, several deputies began chasing Jami, who turned off onto a dirt road.

Police records state that the pursuit ended when Jami ditched his motorcycle and ran into the woods. A deputy drew his weapon and ordered him to stop, but Jami kept going, vanishing into the dense underbrush. From that moment forward, no one ever saw Jami Lucas again.

More than five years have passed since that night, and Jami’s family believes far too little has been done to find him. They also question why a high-speed chase was initiated at all, especially over something as minor as a suspended license. Nationwide, pursuits like these have drawn heavy criticism for being unnecessarily dangerous, frequently ending in crashes that cause injuries and even deaths, not only to suspects but also officers and innocent bystanders.

For Jami’s loved ones, the circumstances of that night remain unsettling. They can’t shake the uneasy feeling that the very agency tasked with finding him was also the last to see him alive. They've been left not only with their grief but also a growing list of contradictions, conflicts of interest, and unexplained gaps in the record.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Jami Lucas, please contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at 218-547-1424, Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, or the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension at 651‑793‑7000.

EPISODE 496: Vickie Carriere

On July 12, 1987, 18-year-old Vickie Carriere was spending time with her boyfriend. Vickie was eight and a half months pregnant and eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby boy. That day, the couple was at his family’s fishing camp before starting the drive back to Vickie’s home in Waggaman, Louisiana.

According to her boyfriend, who was also the baby’s father, they stopped at a local convenience store, just minutes from her home. He said he went inside to buy a soda for Vickie and chocolate milk for himself. When he returned to the car, Vickie and all of her belongings were gone.

When she didn’t come home that night, her parents were immediately alarmed. It wasn’t like Vickie to disappear, especially so close to her due date. They feared for both their daughter and the grandson they were so ready to welcome. In the days that followed, those fears deepened. Vickie missed her baby shower, and then her due date came and went without a word. More than 38 years later, Vickie’s family is still searching for answers, and for the baby boy she never got to hold.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Vickie Carriere and her unborn son, please contact the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office at (504) 363-5500.