Episode 536: John Kapaun

May 26, 2026, started like any ordinary day for 53-year-old John Kapaun. He got up that morning, packed a lunch for his daughter, Alyssa, spent some time playing guitar, and later played a game with his son, Jacob. Around 2:00 p.m., John left the Burnsville, Minnesota, home he shared with his children for his daily walk.

John was known to walk long distances and usually followed the same route to Terrace Oaks Park, where he often walked several laps and foraged. His routine was predictable, and he was usually home before 5:00 p.m., around the time Alyssa returned from work. John often had dinner waiting for his children.

When Alyssa arrived home that afternoon and John wasn’t there, it seemed unusual, but not immediately alarming. She assumed he was running a few minutes late. As more time passed, she tried calling him, only to hear his phone ringing from inside the house. That’s when she realized John had left without it.

Alyssa began searching the places her father normally walked, but there was no sign of him. John has Type 1 diabetes and followed a regular insulin schedule, so when he failed to return in time for his evening dose, the situation became increasingly urgent. That night, law enforcement began searching the areas John was known to frequent, but they found no trace of him.

Later, a witness came forward, stating they had seen John shortly after he left home. The person recognized him from seeing him on his walks many times before. But according to the witness, John was walking in the opposite direction from the route he normally took to Terrace Oaks Park.

If that sighting was accurate, John may never have been heading to Terrace Oaks that afternoon. Was he intentionally taking a different route? Was he heading somewhere else entirely? Did he suffer a medical emergency, accept a ride from someone, or make a decision his family never saw coming?

Nearly three months later, John remains missing. His family continues searching, revisiting possible sightings and trying to understand what happened after he walked away from home that afternoon. Somewhere between his front door and wherever he was going, John’s trail goes cold.

If you have any information about the disappearance of John Kapaun, please contact the Burnsville Police Department at 952-641-1126.

John’s family has also created a website dedicated to bringing him home. There, you can find additional information about the search efforts, along with a detailed map tracking areas that have been searched and where possible sightings have been reported. You can also follow the family’s ongoing search efforts through the John Kapaun Search Party Facebook group, where they share updates and information related to the search.

Episode 535: Lillian Payne

On May 13, 2020, 21-year-old Lillian Payne was spending time with her brother and his girlfriend when they encountered a man at a Flying J truck stop in York County, South Carolina. Lilly had met him once or twice before and knew him as Ray Atkinson. The group decided to continue hanging out, with Lilly riding with Ray while her brother and his girlfriend followed in their own vehicle. Lilly’s brother began having trouble with his vehicle and decided to leave. He asked Lilly to come with them, but she chose to stay with Ray. Around 4:00 a.m., her brother and his girlfriend drove away. It was the last time anyone in Lilly’s family saw her alive.

When Lilly’s family reported her missing and provided the name of the man she had last been seen with, they were shocked when investigators told them that Ray Atkinson did not appear to exist. Unwilling to accept that as a dead end, Lilly’s family turned to social media, sharing his photograph and asking anyone who recognized him to come forward. Before long, a woman did, providing them with a different name and opening an entirely new line of questions about the man Lilly had last been seen with.

More than two months later, Lilly’s remains were discovered in neighboring Chester County, South Carolina, and her death was ruled a homicide. Finding Lilly ended the search for where she was, but it began a new search for answers. What happened after her brother drove away that night? Who killed Lilly, and why? And what did the man she knew as Ray Atkinson know about her final hours?

If you have any information about the disappearance and murder of Lillian Payne, please contact the Chester County Sheriff’s Office at (803) 581-5131. To follow Lilly’s family’s ongoing fight for justice, visit the Justice for Lillian Payne Facebook Group.

Episode 534: Junaliza Maturan Oroc Chappell Part 5 - The Hit List

In Part 4 of Junaliza Chappell’s story, we focused on Ashley and the weight she has carried since her mother disappeared. As Ashley grew older, memories from her early childhood began to connect with records, conversations, and details shared by the people who had been searching for Juna for years. Those discoveries were painful. They helped Ashley better understand her mother’s fear, but they also forced her to confront parts of her own story that remain unresolved.

We also examined the frustration surrounding Juna’s case: missing records, confusion over which agency had what, and the question of whether Juna’s disappearance ever received the attention it deserved. Retired U.S. Marshal Katrina, who had worked alongside Atlanta Police years earlier, still had files connected to the case. When Ashley reached out to her earlier this year, it reignited Katrina’s effort to get that information into the right hands.

In this fifth and final episode, we take a look at where things stand now. Nearly two decades have passed since Juna vanished. For many of those years, the people connected to this case had at least some peace of mind knowing that Timothy Chappell was behind bars. But his release date is now approaching, and for Ashley, Kareen, Faye, and Katrina, that has brought back fear they have never fully been able to put down.

In Part 5, we will discuss Tim’s alleged hit list, the concerns surrounding his release, the search for any remaining legal options, and why the people who have spent years fighting for Juna believe her case cannot be allowed to sit quietly in the past.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Junaliza Chappell, please contact the Atlanta Police Department Missing Persons Unit at 404-546-4235. Tips can also be sent anonymously to: bringjunalizahome@gmail.com.