Cold Case

The Lost Galleon of the California Desert

A 17th-century Spanish ship and a fortune in pearls are rumored to be buried in the sand of the Colorado Desert.

‘The Well of the Scribes’ Sculpture Resurfaces
“The Well of the Scribes” mysteriously disappeared 50 years ago from…
Rough Sketch of a Serial Killer
Sought for the killings of at least five gay men more than 40 years …
DeMille’s Lost City
Once thought lost to sea and sand, Cecil B. De Mille’s Egyptian “Cit…
The Coach Driver’s Secret
Charley Parkhurst was one of the rootin’, tootin’-est stagecoach dri…
Sep 9, 2019
Like ‘a Falling Star’ from Outer Space

Delve into the mystery of Sputnik, a $50,000 reward, and a possible government conspiracy.
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Feb 2, 2021
Alta Live: Crater Lake Murder Mystery

In 1952, a vicious double murder at Crater Lake stunned the nation. Will this crime remain a mystery forever? Maybe not.

Jan 26, 2021
Can One Woman Solve This Famous Oregon Cold Case?

In 1952, a vicious double murder at Crater Lake stunned the nation.

Jul 27, 2020
The Anonymous Bard

They were the first poems published in a California newspaper. But who wrote them? An improbable friendship may hold the clue.
Feb 3, 2020
Death of a Californio
The mysterious slaying of Francisco Guerrero in 1851 took place as a massive land grab was underway—one that left the Golden State’s Sp…
Jul 24, 2019
Whatever Happened to the Well of the Scribes?
A prized sculpture of the Los Angeles Central Library disappeared in 1969. The city would like it returned if at all possible. (Late fe…
Feb 20, 2019
Sorry, We’re Closed—For A Few Decades

A favorite of Hollywood stars, L.A.’s Original Spanish Kitchen sat mysteriously vacant for years and years.
Jun 11, 2018
Sacramento’s E.T.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… what IS that thing? In 1896, it was the talk of Sacramento, and it remains a mystery to this day.
Feb 19, 2018
Hollywood Mystery
Seven years after Ronni Chasen’s murder, despite the suicide of a suspect and a closed case for Beverly Hills police, the crime remains…
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Sep 20, 2017
Misled Zeppelin
In the early days of WWII, a Navy sub-hunting blimp left Treasure Island for a routine flight with two experienced pilots aboard. Hours…