Break the Case

Port Orchard Detective Andee Walton updates AMU’s team on how evidence testing and investigative genetic genealogy may help identify Linda Malcom's killer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jen Bucholtz recently returned to Port Orchard, Washington to conduct additional on-the-ground investigation and meet with law enforcement officials. In this episode, hear her observations about Linda’s house and neighborhood at night. Listeners will also hear from one of Linda’s best friends, Robin, as she recalls memories of her friend and her thoughts on the murder. Jen and George provide updates on their recent meeting with the Police Chief at the Port Orchard Police Department. They share the revelation that police had collected unknown DNA from the crime scene and investigators are currently using investigative genetic genealogy to identify the owner of that DNA. Does it belong to Linda’s killer? The team hopes to soon have an answer to that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renowned cold case investigator Paul Holes, who is credited with identifying the Golden State Killer, met in-person with Jen to discuss Linda Malcom’s case. During his 30 years of investigative experience, Paul said he has never seen a case where the victim’s body wasn’t the point of origin in a case where a fire was set after the murder. Paul and Jen discussed how that peculiar detail—that the fire was started at the opposite end of the house from where Linda was killed—is likely a significant clue. Hear why this detail led Paul to surmise that two people may have been involved in committing this crime: one person who killed Linda and the other who set the fire. Also in this episode, Jen and George share updates about Linda’s case. Hear how, after more than a year of searching, they finally tracked down and met with a significant person of interest who knew Linda well in the months leading up to her murder. Jen and George also ask for listener assistance to try to figure out a strange bill from Linda’s cable company, which shows two movie rentals after the time of her death. Are you familiar with the cable company, Wave Broadband? Do you know how customers rented pay-per-view movies in 2008? What time zone did the company bill in? This information could provide significant clues about the minutes surrounding Linda’s murder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, hear clips of William Miller’s interview with police in November 2020, 16 years after Rebekah Gould’s murder. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Examining the various wounds Linda suffered in the minutes before her death provides insight about her killer. Hear from Bryan Byrd, medical expert, as he explains the significance of many of Linda’s stab wounds and what those indicate about the crime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 30, 2023 marked the 15-year anniversary of Linda Malcom’s murder. AMU investigators Jennifer Bucholtz and George Jared traveled to Port Orchard to join four of Linda’s sisters, Cindy, Dianna, Rochell, and Sherry, to commemorate this solemn milestone. During their trip, Jen and George arranged to meet with Port Orchard Police Department. Upon arrival, they were pleasantly surprised to be introduced to three new investigators from the FBI and state-level attorney’s office, who had been solicited by local police to provide investigative assistance on Linda’s case. In addition, Jen and George also learned the police department had applied for, and received, financial grants to fund extensive, high-tech DNA testing on evidence from Linda’s case. As part of their effort to spread the word on Linda’s case in the community, Jen, George and Linda’s sisters sat down for an interview with local news media journalist, Elisha Meyer. You can read his article in the Kitsap Daily News. They also hosted several public events including a presentation and meet-and-greet, where community members were invited to join, in order to build renewed interest in Linda’s case. Hear reaction from Linda’s family as they learn police are really “sinking their teeth” into solving Linda’s case. Listen to the episode to hear more about the incredible progress on Linda’s case and the renewed hope among Linda’s family member that her killer will soon be identified and brought to justice. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a case goes unsolved for years, law enforcement agencies often reduce the investigative resources dedicated to it. Even as evidence-testing technology has improved dramatically, the rate of unsolved murders continues to climb to crisis levels. With estimates of 280,000 unsolved homicides across the country, something must change systematically to force renewed investigative attention and resources towards these unsolved cases. However, what it often takes is persistent and relentless family members. In this special episode, Jen and George talk to victim-advocate and popular podcast host, Bill Thomas. His sister, Cathy, was one of the victims in the series of Colonial Parkway murders in Virginia. Her case has gone unsolved for over 36 years. Bill is the co-host of Mind Over Murder, a popular true-crime podcast. During his discussion with Jen and George he shares his first-hand experiences of having to fight for more law enforcement attention and resources. If family members don’t continuously hound investigators and work to draw media and public attention, little progress is often made in the case. Like Bill, Linda Malcom’s family was changed forever by her murder. Hear how he’s worked to find balance and light in the midst of such darkness, remain vigilant that police work her case, and maintain never-ending hope that his sister’s case will be solved. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode 6, Jen and George consult two experts with backgrounds and experience in firefighting and arson investigation. Hear Jerry Bucholtz and Alan Haskins discuss their thoughts after examining photos of the crime scene. Both believe an accelerant was likely used to help increase the initial intensity of the fire and ultimately destroy as much of the residence as possible. Was the fire set to cover up forensic evidence left by the killer? Or did the killer have a personal vendetta against Linda? Hear their thoughts on whether Linda’s car was also targeted by the killer, what the level of damage in certain rooms suggests about the killer’s intent, and why they believe the killer was unsuccessful in removing all of their own DNA from the scene. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Identifying the style of knife used to stab Linda Malcom can provide clues about both the crime and the killer. Hear from knife expert, Jeff Schafer, about the type of knife he believes was used in this attack and why he thinks Linda likely had a weapon of her own. He also suspects the killer may have had martial arts training and yet was likely injured in this dynamic fight. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Jennifer Bucholtz discusses her on-the-ground investigation into the murder of Linda Malcom. Hear what Jen learned after meeting with the current coroner, detective from the Port Orchard Police Department, Linda’s former landlords, neighbors who witnessed the fire, bartenders at her favorite bars, and friends. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the third episode, Jen and George talk to two more of Linda’s sisters, Dianna and Rochell. Linda’s older sister, Dianna, shares memories of Linda through the years, including the time they roomed together, shortly before Linda entered the Navy. Dianna also recalls some of her last phone conversations and emails with Linda in the days leading up to the murder. Listeners also hear from Linda’s sister, Rochell, who visited the crime scene shortly after the fire. She shares what she saw inside the burned house and some odd items strewn through the yard. She also shares an unsettling encounter with an unknown man. The investigation is progressing. After nearly 15 years of fighting for more information, the family finally received Linda’s autopsy report. Hear Dianna and Rochell’s reactions to the information in this report that is strikingly different than what officials told the family over the years about the severity of Linda’s injuries. Join the Facebook group, Unsolved Murder of Linda Malcom, dedicated to resolving this case and getting justice for Linda. Stay updated when new episodes are released by following Break the Case Podcast on Twitter. Anyone with information about the death of Linda Malcom can email our confidential tip line tips@justice4linda.com or call Detective Walton of the Port Orchard Police Department at 360-876-1700. All tipsters are guaranteed confidentiality and anonymity if they wish. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The investigation is on. In this episode, learn what was happening in the days leading up to Linda Malcom’s murder including her plans to move the next day, a strange purchase in the hours before her murder, her last known whereabouts, and an out-of-character email she sent to all of her siblings just hours before she was murdered. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AMU’s Cold Case Investigative Team received dozens of cases to consider for their next investigation. In this episode, hear the team’s initial conversations with the family of Linda Malcom as they consider taking on her unsolved murder. (Complete our survey to tell us what you think about our episodes!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After 18 years, the family of Rebekah Gould got what many families of cold case victims never get: justice. On October 18, 2022, Break the Case investigators Jennifer Bucholtz and George Jared joined Rebekah’s father, Dr. Larry Gould, at the Izard County prison courthouse to face the man charged in Rebekah’s murder, William Miller. During the hearing, Miller pled guilty to first degree murder in exchange for 40 years in prison, with the possibility of parole at 30 years. After the hearing, Miller agreed to talk privately to Dr. Gould. In this episode, hear from Dr. Gould regarding what Miller told him about Rebekah’s murder. Also hear on-the-ground audio recorded the day of the hearing, new information from investigators and prosecutors, and the many questions still left unanswered in this case. What’s next in Jen and George’s investigation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AMU’s Cold Case Team is back for Season 3! This season we’re investigating the murder of Linda Malcom, a Navy veteran who was killed in Port Orchard, WA in 2008. Follow me and my investigative partner, George Jared, and our team as we work to identify the person who stabbed Linda multiple times and then set her house on fire. Current updates are being posted in the Facebook group we created for Linda called ‘Unsolved Murder of Linda Malcom’. Be sure to subscribe to this podcast in order to receive alerts for new episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly six weeks after his suppression hearing, William Miller was back in court for his pre-trial hearing on October 3. In this episode, hear Jen Bucholtz’s conversation with crowd-sourcing team members, Karen Looney and Dianna Cox, about the one-day pre-trial hearing, which included showing autopsy and crime-scene photos. Learn what new information these never-before-seen photos revealed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After months of delays, William Miller, who is charged with first degree murder in the death of Rebekah Gould, finally made an appearance in court for a suppression hearing which began on August 24 in Melbourne, Arkansas. Learn what was revealed in court including some of Miller's activities surrounding the days of the murder, new and previously undisclosed details about the murder, insight from Miller’s polygraph and confession video, and much, much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jen and George recount their most recent trip to Lubbock. Hear how they recreated parts of the homicide scene at the actual house where Debbie was killed and how that exercise changed their theory on how Debbie was killed. Also learn about an unexpected surveillance operation and hear about the team’s plans to start investigating a new cold case to be covered in Season 3. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 2020, a man named William Miller was arrested in Oregon and extradited to Arkansas for the murder of Rebekah Gould. Miller is the cousin of Casey McCullough, Rebekah’s boyfriend whose family owned the trailer where she was murdered. While this is a big step towards justice for Rebekah, much remains unknown about the facts of the case and the evidence against her accused killer. In May 2021, Jen and her husband, Jesse, made a trip back to Arkansas. In the eighth episode of this season, hear from Rebekah’s dad, Dr. Larry Gould, about his reaction to Miller’s arrest as well as Jen and George’s interaction with Miller in their Facebook group in the months leading up to his arrest. Also hear from some of the people who closely followed Rebekah’s case over the years and dedicated endless hours behind the scenes helping Jen and George throughout their investigation. The episode also pays tribute to one of Rebekah’s biggest advocates who, unfortunately, will not be able to see her killer brought to justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 2019, Jennifer Bucholtz first reached out to George Jared to learn more about the unsolved murder of Rebekah Gould. In the seventh episode, hear segments from their very first conversation, which reveals their initial thoughts on the case and clues about the killer. Also hear segments from the first time Jen met with Rebekah’s father, Dr. Larry Gould; reflection from Tracy Jared, who helped search for Rebekah’s body after she went missing; and Miranda, a woman with a unique tie to Rebekah’s case who proved instrumental in the investigation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.