[Missing] The Yuba County Five & The Mystery of the Plumas National Forest

[Missing] The Yuba County Five & The Mystery of the Plumas National Forest

Author: Moms and Mysteries Podcast April 9, 2026 Duration: 43:22
In February 1978, five young men from Yuba County, California, drove to Chico to watch a college basketball game. They were close friends who thrived on routine and predictability, and they had a big basketball tournament of their own the next day. But after a quick stop for snacks, Jack Madruga, Bill Sterling, Ted Weiher, Jackie Huett, and Gary Mathias vanished. Instead of driving south toward home, their car was found abandoned 70 miles in the opposite direction, stuck on a remote, snow-covered mountain road. What followed is one of the most baffling cases in true crime history. Months later, the remains of four of the men were discovered miles away from their vehicle, including one who had miraculously survived for weeks inside a well-stocked forest service trailer but failed to use the resources that could have saved him. Gary Mathias has never been found. We discuss the confusing timeline, the strange witness account of a man stranded nearby, and the lingering questions of why these men walked deeper into the freezing wilderness. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at tumbleliving.com/MOMS #Tumble #ad Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply.  Join the more than 3 million families who have been served by K12 and bring personalized learning to the comfort of your home. Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between school drop-offs and grocery runs, Mandy and Melissa found a shared obsession with the unanswered questions lurking in the shadows. Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast is the result: a conversation that feels like sitting at a kitchen table with two friends who are deeply curious about the human condition. Their perspective is uniquely grounded, examining each story not just for its shock value, but for the societal threads and personal tragedies that weave it together. You’ll hear them discuss everything from the strangely specific weirdness of a Florida crime to a globally known cold case, always with a blend of empathy and a dash of necessary, dark humor. This isn't a clinical report; it's a twice-weekly deep dive fueled by a lifelong fascination with mysteries, both big and small. The tone is warm, the research is thorough, and the conversation is the kind you get hooked on. New episodes of this true crime podcast arrive every Tuesday and Thursday, ready to be your companion during a commute or while folding laundry. They’ve been asking "how did this happen?" since they were kids, and now they’re pulling up a chair for you to join that ongoing, compelling discussion.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
[Heist] The Bad Grandpas: The Hatton Garden Heist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:10
In 2015, a group of elderly criminals—average age 63—pulled off one of the biggest jewelry heists in British history, stealing an estimated £14 million from the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company. Using old-school tactic…
[Unsolved] The Hall-Mills Murders: Forbidden Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:44
In 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and choir singer Eleanor Mills were found under a crab apple tree in New Jersey, arranged in a macabre tableau. Their love letters were scattered around them, exposing their af…
[Unsolved] The Missing Millionaire: Captain Loewenstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:47
In 1928, Belgian millionaire Alfred Loewenstein was flying over the English Channel in his private plane when he mysteriously vanished mid-flight. His body was later found in the sea, but the circumstances of his death r…
Justice for Megan Trussell: An Unsolved Death [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:01
An 18-year-old college freshman, full of creativity and ambition, walked out of her dorm room one cold February night in 2024 and never made it back. Megan Trussell was a gifted artist and bright student at Arapahoe Comm…
Dr. Sam Sheppard: The Trial That Gripped America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:39
In 1954, Dr. Sam Sheppard's pregnant wife Marilyn was brutally murdered in their Ohio home. Sheppard claimed a "bushy-haired intruder" attacked them both, but prosecutors believed he was the killer. The sensational trial…
[Serial Killer] Belle Gunness: America's Most Deadly Widow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:15
Belle Gunness was a Norwegian immigrant who turned her Indiana farm into a graveyard. Between 1884 and 1908, she lured dozens of suitors through "lonely hearts" advertisements, promising marriage and a life on her prospe…
Charles Ponzi: The Original Pyramid Scheme [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:37
Before Bernie Madoff, before cryptocurrency scams, there was Charles Ponzi—the man who gave his name to one of history's most infamous fraud schemes. In 1920, the Italian immigrant promised investors a 50% return in just…
[Wrongful Conviction] Michael Politte: Framed for Murder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:45
In 1998, 14-year-old Michael Politte woke up to find his Missouri home engulfed in flames and his mother dead inside. Within hours, investigators decided Michael was the killer, despite a complete lack of physical eviden…
[Crossover] Barefoot Bandit + The Knife Podcast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:09
At 19 years old, Colton Harris-Moore became one of America's most wanted fugitives—and a folk hero to some. Dubbed the "Barefoot Bandit" because he often committed crimes without shoes, Colton stole cars, boats, and even…