Naming the Nameless

Naming the Nameless

Author: NonStop Local September 19, 2026 Duration: 15:52
In 1984, two fishermen found a woman's torso in the Spokane River.  Fourteen years later, a skull police determined belonged to the same victim was discovered on the lower south hill.  It took nearly four decades, but a solid partnership between Spokane Police, the Spokane Medical Examiner's Office and advancements in DNA technology finally gave her, her name back.  The victim was Ruth Waymire.  The identity of her killer remains unknown.  Ruth is one of many these agencies have stopped at nothing to identify as they work tirelessly to name the nameless.

Beyond the headlines of the daily news cycle lie stories that have lingered for years, sometimes decades, in the shadows of the Inland Northwest. Help Me Hayley: Cold Case Files is a podcast that brings those stories back into the light. Guided by NonStop Local journalist Hayley Guenthner, this series digs into the details of Spokane's most notorious and often forgotten unsolved crimes. Hayley's experience isn't just from a script; when she's not anchoring weekend newscasts, she's on the ground producing investigative pieces and covering crime across the region. That firsthand perspective shapes every episode. Listeners will hear a careful examination of the facts, the timelines that don't add up, and the lingering questions that haunt families and investigators alike. This isn't about sensationalism; it's about a persistent search for clarity. Each case is presented with a journalist's rigor and a local's understanding, piecing together historical records, past reporting, and the human impact that remains fresh. The goal is to give voice to stories that deserve answers, exploring the complexities of investigations that have grown cold and remembering the lives at the center of them all. Tune in for a thoughtful, deep dive into the region's past, one unresolved mystery at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Help Me Hayley: Cold Case Files
Podcast Episodes
Forever 16 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:20
On October 4,1978 the body of 16-year-old Krisann Baxter was found in North Spokane. She had been beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted. For decades, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office tried to catch a killer. There…
Melinda's Message [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:26
No one has seen or heard from Melinda Lopez since November of 2020. Loved ones fear she was the victim of a homicide. The Pend Oreille County Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information to come forward. To reach those…
Her Name is Ruth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:11
In June of 1984, two fishermen discovered the torso of a nude woman in the Spokane River. In 1998, the skull of that female victim was found in a vacant lot near 7th and Sherman. Her feet and hands have never been found.…
The White Purse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:22
In July of 2004, the decomposing remains of Catherine Avis were found in a rural field outside of Valleyford. She had to be identified using a fingerprint and tattoo she had in honor of two of her children. The medical e…
The Little Witness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:06
In August of 1976, a 24-year-old Lewiston mother vanished. For years, Patty Otto's daughters were told she left voluntarily, despite her youngest recalling vivid memories of a violent fight that night between her parents…
Like a Puzzle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:09
It was Fall of 2003. A suspect broke into a woman's home near the Washington State University campus armed with a knife and firearm. He went on to assault and rape her. Several weeks later, Pullman Police responded again…
Jane Doe 19 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:54
In 1987, 16-year-old Deanna Criswell boarded a bus in Spokane headed for Arizona and was never seen by loved ones again. Her accused killer was identified through DNA long before she was. She was marked 'Jane Doe 19', an…
SOLVED: The Campfire Girl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:18
Candy Rogers was just nine-years-old when she was abducted, sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The crime occurred in March of 1959 and changed the Spokane community forever. The case would go unsolved for decades…
Red Flags [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:03
It's been one year since a Stevens County man vanished. Guy Geyer, 61, was renovating a home near Chewelah. His daughter says after the disappearance, they found his worksite at the residence oddly tidy with his expensiv…
Missing Angel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:24
Angel Dawn Wilson (Rice) was just 17-years-old when she vanished in Spokane, Washington. Her father recently passed away. He spent the last 14 years of his life consumed with the heartbreaking search for his daughter. An…