Hello everyone!! It’s June! Can you believe it? May flew by as fast as any month I can remember. So much went on. And . . . so much didn’t go on due to the continuing COVID 19 restrictions. No disc golf tournies. No pub trivia. Not getting any work done at Starbuck’s. No real social life to speak of.
But really, I’m doing fine. Just holed up here at Unfound HQ. I got a bike about a week ago—a Mongoose Fat Tire bike—to ride on the beach. I’ve been out there a couple times now and it’s great—I just have to watch what sand I ride on. Because the pedaling can get brutal even with the fat tires if I’m trying to go through wet sand, and that’s even on the easiest pedal setting. But I love it! What a great workout. I gotta get another seat for it, though. This one, well . . . I think it’s made out of rock. Very hard and doesn’t fit my posterior very well. But really, thrilled to have it. Exactly what I was looking for.
In addition to the bike, I’m continuing to climb the steps in my 18 floor condo building. I do that 3 times a week, and in each session I climb the stairs 3 times. I get to the top in about four minutes, which is fine. In between each session, I do pushups and crunches and some light dumbbell training. All outside at night—like around 11pm. It’s beautiful out there around that time. It’s a quick workout but a complete one.
And the hair continues to grow. And it will. No plan to cut it. Not sure if I’ve made this known to the Unfound community but the back of my hair hasn’t been cut since my mother died in November 2018. Yes, really. That’s how short my hair was back then. So that’s a year and a half of growth on the back. Some people have asked: Is there some significance to me not cutting my hair since my mom passed away? Uh . . . not sure. Just the way it’s gone the past year and a half. Trust me, she would’ve hated it. But when people ask, “Ed, why are you growing your hair out like that?” My answer? “Because I can.”
So, everything’s good on the personal front. Although I do miss the disc golf tournies. I can’t wait for them to start up again.
On to the good stuff . . . yes, you know where we start every newsletter.
UPCOMING CASES
JUNE 5, 2020: Rodney Kiser.
JUNE 12, 2020: Kristina Branum and Chris Mittendorf.
JUNE 19, 2020: Gregory Howells.
JUNE 26, 2020: David Schultz.
And I’ll be doing an In Memoriam for Aundria Bowman as well, although it may not be a Friday episode. It may come out on a Monday instead. Just not sure right now.
Other disappearances we’re working on: Charles Thompson, Abigail Andrews, Caleb Powell, and Jennifer Ross.
Right about now you may be saying, “Ed, you certainly have the month of June already covered well in advance. That’s kind of unusual.” I agree. But we’ve been working hard. And despite the flake I encountered at the beginning of May, all the other future guests have been great. In addition, Emily has talked to like 4 or 5 new people over the last few days. So I’m excited to have them on Unfound some time soon as well.
The Shirts
This past month we all got the news that the remains found on Dennis Bowman’s property are in fact Aundria’s. This official announcement wasn’t a surprise—it was just verifying what the public believed already. Either way, surprise or not, it’s very sad. And I feel so bad for Cathy Terkanian who in 2010 was looking to meet the daughter she gave up for adoption in the 1970’s, only to find out Dennis murdered Aundria in 1989. That story is one of the more unique ones ever told on Unfound.
As I look back at that interview I did with Cathy in late 2016, I continue to be amazed by her insistence that Aundria’s remains were on the Bowman property. Why am I amazed? Because there was NO proof of that. There were no reason to believe that. And I’m not sure the original investigators even suspected it.
What I’m saying is, given what the public knew about Aundria’s case, she actually could have run off. Or, even if Dennis did kill her, there was no reason to believe he buried her on that property. No evidence at all. He could’ve buried here somewhere else. Dennis could’ve thrown Aundria in a dumpster—something I believe happens in many disappearance cases.
Yet, Cathy got it right.
Why? Well, that’s a tough question to answer and I’ve not had an opportunity to ask her yet. I’m sure I will. But I just haven’t due to her having to fulfill a lot of media obligations when the news came out.
Did she just get lucky in her guess? Maybe. However, I think what pushed Cathy in the direction of believing Aundria’s remains were on the property was Dennis Bowman being so protective of that piece of land and not allowing anyone on it. In fact, until he was arrested in November, I don’t think anyone except himself, his wife, and his other daughter were allowed to step foot anywhere near there.
That could’ve played a role in Cathy’s thinking. When I get that answer, I’ll let you know.
Until then, we here at Unfound will continue to have the deepest sympathy for Cathy and what happened to her daughter. As I’ve stated multiples times since November 2019, we at Unfound believe Dennis Bowman is a serial killer. We believe he has killed multiple women. What we at Unfound don’t quite understand yet is why Dennis killed Aundria. I hope he eventually reveals that reason.
UPCOMING INTERVIEW
If you’ve been listening to the recent episodes, you’ve heard that my interview with Dr. Grace Telesco from Nova Southeastern University is back on. She contacted me not long after the last newsletter came out and said she and her tech people figured out a way to use ZOOM to stream over Facebook. Of course, I immediately said, “Sure, let’s do it,” although I have to admit I would’ve enjoyed meeting Grace in person. Maybe next time.
Here are the particulars:
Where the interview will be streaming live: https://www.facebook.com/FischlerEdu
Time: 6pm ET
Date: May 7th (next Thursday)
Grace has said she plans for the interview to last about an hour. So, don’t be late—this won’t be like the YouTube Live Shows I do where they’ve been running 90 minutes or longer!!!! hahahahaha During the show, viewers will be able to comment and ask questions just like on other live programs I’m sure you’ve watched on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Grace’s people will be responsible for the production and moderation of the program—meaning, my assistant, Cheree, gets the night off (she keeps an eye on all live shows Unfound does).
What will we be talking about? I’m glad you asked. There will be 3 main topics:
–missing person cases in general.
–the disappearance of Dori Ann Myers.
–helping families with their trauma.
You should know, Dr. Telesco is not just an academic. She was a member of the NYPD for several years and was on duty at the time of 9/11. So she’s seen a lot. I’m sure some of her experiences will come up during our talk—especially in the family trauma section.
Maybe another question you have: Why will be discussing Dori Ann Myers?
You know I never answer questions like: “What’s the most troubling disappearance you’ve covered?” “What are your top ten favorite disappearances Unfound has covered?” “What case would you work on more if you had the time?”
I don’t like those questions, mainly because I don’t put superlatives on any of the disappearances Unfound has featured. They are all equal. They all deserve to be solved. I’m frustrated by all of them, period.
Yet, Grace asked if we could talk about one of Unfound’s disappearances. There was no way I could say, “No,” to that. And here’s why I picked Dori’s:
–her sister, Donajean, died last year so now there is seemingly no “point person” for Dori’s case.
–Dori disappeared from FL. Nova Southeastern University is in FL.
–Dori lived along the Atlantic Coast of FL. That’s also where the university is.
What I hope happens is something like what has happened in New York with a group of college students who have started to work on Suzanne Lyall’s disappearance. It would be wonderful if a collection of students at Grace’s school could start work on Dori’s case. It’s in their area. They could go to all the locations connected to the disappearance. They could follow up on many leads that I don’t think have been adequately checked. And they could do all of it without having to travel very far.
That’s my hope. We’ll just have to see what happens.
In conclusion, I’m looking forward to the interview and I hope you’ll all tune in.
LINKS FOR BOOKS
Here are the links for all 6 for Season 1:
Volume 1 — https://www.amazon.com/Unfound-Season-1-Cases-ebook/dp/B076G5VMYP/
Volume 2 — https://www.amazon.com/Unfound-Season-1-Cases-2-ebook/dp/B079JN5TQT/
Volume 3 — https://www.amazon.com/Unfound-Season-1-Cases-3-ebook/dp/B07CQT6NW7/
Volume 4 — https://www.amazon.com/Unfound-Season-1-Cases-4-ebook/dp/B07F74KNZQ/
Volume 5 – https://www.amazon.com/Unfound-Season-1-Cases-5/dp/1093389133/
Volume 6 – https://www.amazon.com/dp/1077115520
SEASON 2
Volume 1 — https://www.amazon.com/Unfound-Season-2-Cases-1/dp/1694996972/
INVITED TO ‘TRUE CRIME GAME TIME’ BY JOHN LORDAN FROM LORDANARTS
THE GAME SHOW
Back on May 9th, I was on the True Crime Game Time Game show (what a title) hosted by John Lordan. Did you watch it? If not, here’s the link:
I had a great time. But I also have to tell you I was somewhat nervous, especially at the beginning. I know that may sound really strange given how much I am on camera with the Live Show and the Think Tank. But I believe it was because I am a very competitive person. I want to win at everything I do. Scrabble. Trivia nights here in Largo, FL. Disc golf. That’s just the way I am.
The funny part is when I was nervous at the beginning is when I played the best. Once I kind of got settled, my performance went down hill, although I think I had some really good jokes towards the end. And I was really happy when John asked me to tell a joke, that I was prepared—that was TOTALLY unscripted.
How did I do? I came in 3rd out of 4. THAT’S how I did. Not great. But it was a great time and I would certainly do it again. Plus, it was for a good cause. I think John is now very close to that goal of $4600 that he set way back in March.. Very happy for him!
THE INTERVIEW
Two days before the game show, Dr. Grace Telesco interviewed me for a program she does on the Nova Southeastern University Facebook Page. If you haven’t watched that interview yet, here is the link:
In comparison to the game show with John Lordan, I wasn’t nervous for this talk at all. Not one iota. That probably seems really weird because people love being on game shows. But interviews? Not as much.
Why did I react differently? I think it’s because I know my missing persons stuff. There is not a question that anybody can ask me about disappearances that I don’t think I can give an educated answer. I mean, I’ve been doing this for 3 and half years so I really should be able to speak intelligently at this point.
Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean I know everything. Or that I’ve learned everything I need to learn. Nope . . . very much the opposite. I am continually learning. But I just feel much more confident talking about missing persons cases than probably any other topic in my life.
Whereas, with something like a game show, I go back to what I said above: I love winning. And thinking about outcomes brings on anxiety. This is the exact reason you will hear pro athletes talk about “the process”–they never talk about winning. Because once you start having expectations, emotions start to get involved, including anxiety
As for the interview itself, I think I could talk to Dr. Grace Telesco every week. Really. I mean that. There is just something about both of our mentalities that we mesh very well. We’ve been like that since the first time we communicated with each other.
Why? I think it’s because we approach the topic of missing persons from the same standpoint even though she has a ton more experience than I do. I think we both recognize that serving families is the main point. That their emotions and thoughts and desires must be met, even if we must do it by being brutally honest with them at the same time.
That’s how I think and I think that’s how Grace thinks.
Grace is a wonderful person to know. And I hope we can make another interview happen this summer.
If you are a member of the Discussion Group on Facebook and/or you watch the Live Show on Wednesday nights, you know that someone in San Franciscio took a picture of a man who looks a lot like Cameron Remmer. His disappearance we covered back in late 2019. And the case is of particular importance to me since I worked on it more than any other disappearance in Unfound’s existence, including Tom Brown’s.
If you are unfamiliar with the recent developments, there is a group in San Francisco that tries to place homeless people back with their families. Certainly a worthwhile pursuit because I do believe that many homeless people are classified as being missing.
So, about . . . 3 weeks ago? . . . I saw a picture posted in the group by someone saying that the man in the picture could be Cameron. The man, in general, does look like Cameron—no denying it, but I’ll get to that in a moment. He is standing about 6 feet from the camera and is looking down at his phone. He does not appear to be distressed in any way and looks healthy. The big difference between this man and Cameron is that this guy has a beard and Cameron did not—at least not at the time of his disappearance.
To update everything to this point, I am writing this on May 30, 2020 and still there has been no news on tracking this guy down. And . . . that’s going to be my point for this section of the newsletter.
Frankly, from the time I saw the picture, I’ve had my doubts. In contrast, many people who’ve seen the picture believe the man is Cameron.
Don’t get me wrong: I HOPE THAT’S CAMERON. Nothing would make me happier. It would be the most surprising and best development in the history of Unfound. Easily, #1.
But I have big doubts. Why?
First and foremost, how can it be that the person took the picture but couldn’t get the guy to look directly at her camera? I mean, the photographer is SIX FEET AWAY!!! This reminds me of UFO photos where every one of them is fuzzy or out of focus or taken as the photographer is moving or whatever else. Never a clear picture that can’t be doctored and faked. In addition, certain people can look like others from certain angles.
For example, and this is a story I tell often in regards to identifying people, I was at a disc golf tournament in like 2015 when my hair was much shorter and a couple other players INSISTED I was Jason Bateman. I actually had to get my driver’s license out to show them that I was Ed Dentzel. Now, do I kinda look like Jason Bateman? I suppose I do. But if you put my photo and his photo next to each other, there isn’t a ton of resemblance but maybe there could be from a couple different angles. But that’s it.
Although that incident has given me a lot of material for jokes on Facebook.
Second, the guy in the picture looks TOO MUCH LIKE Cameron, at least from the angle in the photograph. What do I mean by that? Well, if you’re looking for a woman who disappeared in 1985, you shouldn’t be trying to match someone in 2020 with how she looked in 1985. NOBODY looks like they did in 1985, not even Bo Derek.
Well, the guy in the photograph, he looks like Cameron did in 2011 when Cameron disappeared. Yet, it’s been 9 years. How is that possible? Especially since Cameron would presumably have been living on the streets. And struggling with some mental health issues. And having to figure out ways to get food and water.
But this guy . . . his beard is trimmed. His hair is fairly neat. His clothes aren’t dirty. And he’s using what looks to be a new iPhone with headphones.
Does this sound like a person who’s been living on the street for 9 years?
“Well, Ed, maybe he WASN’T living on the streets?” Thank you for asking.
The only problem with that is the person who took the picture says this guy does live on the streets. So . . . there’s something not computing somewhere.
The third reason I have reservations about this guy being Cameron is what has gone on since the picture was taken. The story at the time was “Oh yeah, he’s in this area of San Francisco all the time. Everybody sees him. He knows everybody in this area.”
But . . . it’s been 3 weeks and now suddenly nobody can find him. Maybe you in the public don’t know: This happens . . . A LOT. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve been told about how families go looking for their missing loved one at some homeless camp. The people there will say, “Oh yeah, she/he was just here. Yes, he/she spends a lot of time here.”
Then . . . nothing.
Cloudia Wells is the most obvious example in Unfound’s history given that her episode was about this very topic. But other families have had the same experiences. They hear that there is a person who looks a lot like they’re missing loved one and the person has been staying at a homeless camp for weeks if not longer. The family shows up. The lookalike isn’t there, and never comes back.
So, why does this happen?
Well, #1, there are a lot of scammers out there. I am NOT saying that’s what is happening in this particular situation with the guy who looks like Cameron. I really don’t know. But scammers account for a multitude of these kinds of scenarios where families show up and the lookalike isn’t there and never appears again. To put it simply, there are just a lot of horrible people out there.
#2. The person identified may not be homeless at all. The person could’ve been a drug addict who was in the area to get a hit then drove back out to the suburbs when he/she lives. But the people looking THOUGHT the person was homeless because of the location. Either way, the person identified isn’t the missing person.
#3. Many homeless people have mental issues with paranoia being a major one. They see strangers roaming around and that plays into the paranoid’s fear that he or she is being tracked down or followed by some evil force. This causes the person to leave the area and never come back. Even so, I’m inclined to believe these people who act like this aren’t the “missing people” that have been documented as being missing. Why? I think it’s an odds thing. What are the odds that a family goes looking for their missing loved one and that loved one is the only one who disappears from a homeless camp?
Overall, we have to remember something: People who are trying to help the homeless are not missing persons experts. They’re homeless experts. And although some missing people have eventually been discovered to be living in homeless camps or on the street, those kinds of resolutions are very very rare.
So people who work with homeless people really can’t put the big picture all together because their chances of helping a homeless person who is missing is so rare.
Frankly, families usually know if their loved one is homeless, and the person is homeless for a reason. Yes, the person may be “missing” because the family doesn’t know where their loved one is at any exact moment. But the person isn’t “missing” in the terms we use on Unfound.
I would also say that too many people get ahead of themselves. I think the situation with the Cameron—lookalike is a great example. There is no way the photographer should’ve disseminated a picture to the public that doesn’t have him looking at the camera. Take it from 6 feet away or 60 feet away. Take a video and post it. Do whatever it takes to get his eyes looking at the camera.
Instead, the photographer posted a picture that doesn’t show the man’s face very well. Well . . . that’s not helpful.
I’ve been told that the guy in the picture is an addict. I’ve been told he has mental issues. But nobody so far can tell me what name he answers to. Where is he getting his hair cut? Where is he getting his beard trimmed? How can he afford the phone? A person who is taking his/her time to really get to the truth would’ve gotten that info before spreading the photo. No reason to get a family all riled up for nothing. Asking good questions would keep this from happening.
In fact, if we want to get right down to it, what the guy says is much more important than how he looks. Because I’ve seen some scenarios where people were discovered after 20 or 30 years, and there is no way pictures would’ve helped. Whereas, information doesn’t change. Place of birth. Age. Name. And explanations on what the person has been doing for the last 10 years.
There are just too many questions I have right now and they all point to this guy not being Cameron. Yet, I want to make clear: I HOPE it’s Cameron.
PLAYING CARDS
https://www.makeplayingcards.com/sell/unfoundpodcast
PATREON
Are you a Patreon yet? If not, please consider it.
https://www.patreon.com/unfoundpodcast
PayPal | Please Donate
https://www.paypal.me/unfoundpodcast
UNFOUND ON THE GROUND
I realize this is a new program that only a few of you have access to due to On The Ground (OTG) being for premium Patreon members only. Yet, I want to tell you what we’re doing there and what the goals are. And you should remember: Even though the episodes are restricted when they’re live, eventually the entire public will have access to the recordings thru YouTube.
In many ways, OTG is the opposite of the Think Tank. What do I mean by that? Well, there are a few ways to discuss missing persons cases. In fact, you could say that about any topic in the world probably.
For example, another topic on which I think I’m fairly versed: Plane crashes. There are a variety of ways to discuss what happens during a jet accident and the subsequent investigation. We could start with the kind of jet: 737, 747, A380, etc. And talk about all the crashes these particular planes have had and the reasons.
Or, we could start with kinds of aircraft accidents with no concern for the type: terrorism, pilot error, mechanical malfunction, etc. Or, we could start with location. Or the year. Or the airline. All sorts of ways to cover jet crashes.
So, with the Think Tank, we start with an actual disappearance: the one Unfound is covering that week. Something that is very precise, something that happened to a specific person at a specific moment in time. But eventually, we move to the more general: What missing person theories can we apply to that disappearance? What have we learned from other disappearances that we can apply to that specific one?
Meaning, we go from the very specific, to the very general.
OTG is the opposite. Eric, who runs the forum, starts with a theme—he picks it himself. I have nothing to do with it. Then, what I think what you will hear in the upcoming episodes of OTG, is that once the theme is established during the discussion with the listeners on Zoom, he will cite examples from missing persons cases—some Unfound has covered and some that Unfound hasn’t.
Meaning, going from the very general—a theme, to the very specific: cases as examples.
I hope you will check it out.
In other OTG news, the first one occurred right after the Think Tank on Sunday, May 24th. However, the next one, I believe, will happen on a Monday—right now the plan is for it to be June 15th. Why are we changing days of the week? Mainly because I think it’s a lot for people to handle during the course of one evening. We want everyone to be mentally engaged for both the Think Tank and OTG, and having them back to back would be like 2 ½ hours straight of hard thinking. That can wear people out.
So, I believe we’re going to try Monday evening and see how that works out. And yes, OTG will not be a weekly thing like everything else. It will be a couple times a month.
I hope you will consider becoming a Patreon member so you can take part in all that we offer at Unfound, including Unfound On The Ground.
DOWELL PHILLIPS
About three weeks ago, Missy Phillips, Dowell’s wife who was an Unfound guest at the end of 2017, contacted me. She told me there was credible evidence that Dowell was alive and living not too far away in Rocky Top, TN. You can imagine this surprised me quite a bit because although we talked about the possibility of Dowell having walked away from his life, I don’t think it was mine or anybody’s first choice when we covered the disappearance.
I really don’t want to write any more than that because I fear if I disclose everything, the names I mention might get me sued or otherwise. I’m sorry but that’s just the way it has to be for now.
What do I think? I’ll get into that in a moment. First, I think I need to give a general overview of what has gone on since Unfound featured Dowell almost 2 and a half years ago.
Dowell’s bio-family was not happy with the episode. They threw a lot of bad words at Missy. I got a couple emails and I think there was even a comment on Podomatic where a family member complained about the episode. Most of it saying Missy isn’t what she seems. She caused Dowell’s disappearance. Stuff like that.
Now, I have to tell you. I’ve never met her in person, although I hope to do that one day. But to me, I would challenge you to find a nicer, more down-to-earth person that Unfound has had on the program. I’ve spoken to Missy several times since the end of 2017 and she is always polite, clear-headed, and thoughtful. In addition, I follow her and Dowell’s daughter on Facebook and she seems to be a very nice girl—with nothing foul ever posted that I can remember.
Could it be Dowell’s side of the family just feels motivated to act out because there are no solid leads in his disappearance? So they must point their hate at Missy because she’s Dowell’s wife? Could be. . . . .
Yet, I’m not sure that’s a very good explanation. Missy was on Unfound. She did a great interview. I believe she told the truth. She is trying to find her husband. But . . . Dowell’s family is still pissed? Yeah, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.
So then, what is it then? Is Dowell’s family just a bunch of idiots? Do they have factual reasons to be suspicious of Missy? Or . . . are they actually afraid Missy might succeed in finding Dowell and that’s not what the family wants?
Hmmmmmmm.
This brings us back to the present and Missy contacting me. Why? Because within the nasty messages to myself and Missy, I think you could read between the lines and see that the family thought/knew Dowell walked off to get away from Missy. Of course, I thought they were saying it just to be mean to Missy—to demean her.
Now, though, comes this news. That Dowell is only a few towns away and has been there since his disappearance in 2011.
The problem? This information is coming from people associated with Dowell’s family, the same people who’ve been attacking Missy. So, the sources are dubious.
So, back to the question: What do I think?
Is it impossible that Dowell walked away from his life and started a new one just 40 minutes away? No, not “impossible”. It certainly doesn’t defy the laws of physics or science or any forces of nature. Meaning, unlike traveling faster than the speed of light, which at this point we believe is truly impossible, it’s certainly “possible” that Dowell walked off and is still alive.
However, Dowell was 57 years old—he wasn’t 20. He had health issues that needed constant attention. He had a disability check that didn’t get re-directed to a new address.
Most importantly, I can’t believe a group would be able to keep their mouths shut all this time. Surely, over the last 9 years somebody in Dowell’s family would’ve cracked and told Missy where she could find Dowell. This could’ve happened due to a divorce, a falling out, a Thanksgiving dinner that went sideways.
Yet, all Missy got over the last 9 years was taunting that Dowell left—not anything helpful.
The other major point—and I can’t go into all the details—is Dowell was allegedly seen at an event where many people who know him, saw him. And he showed up on his own. And he was using his real name. That’s all I can say at this time. All I can say is it was in Rocky Top/Lake City, TN.
Yeah, I know, it’s hard to deny a sighting that sounds so solid.
Yet, I have my doubts. First and foremost, if Dowell chose to walk off, and live not far from where he used to live, and he surely knows Missy came on Unfound because the rest of his family sure knew, would he really show up at an event? Would he really do that?
I don’t think so.
Then, you must add in all the other reasons: age, health, money, etc.
Thus, I doubt it. I feel this is nothing but another rumor generated by Dowell’s horrible side of the family. The reason? To hurt Missy a little bit more. Why would they do that? Well, I think the family’s dislike of Missy—for whatever reason—goes back to long before Dowell ever disappeared. That’s what I think.
To be clear, though, very much like Cameron Remmer, I hope Dowell is alive.
But for you who may live in the area of Rocky Top, TN, keep your eyes peeled.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND UNFOUND
WHERE YOU CAN FIND UNFOUND
–Unfound supports accounts on Podomatic, iTunes, Stitcher, Instagram, Twitter, Spotify,
Deezer and Facebook.
–on Wednesday nights at 9pm ET, please join us on the Unfound Podcast Channel on YouTube for the Unfound Live Show. All of you can talk with me and I can answer your questions.
The new website: www.theunfoundpodcast.com
Thanks for reading! Have a great June!!
The Unfound Podcast Channel 