The Skeleton Key Chronicles

14 hours ago

Kayla Berg was only weeks away from her 16th birthday when she disappeared on August 11th, 2009. She left her father's home in Antigo, Wisconsin that evening to meet her boyfriend, 19-year-old Miguel Marrero. She had gotten a ride from Kevin Kielcheski, a longtime friend of her older brother. After stopping by McDonald's, Kielcheski dropped Kayla off in the driveway of that home on East Wausau Avenue where she expected to meet Miguel. She never made it home.

At first, no one realized she was missing. Because Kayla split her time between both her parents' homes and rarely spent much of her day at the house, each parent believed she was staying with the other. Because of this miscommunication, six days passed before her family realized something was wrong and reported her missing, leaving detectives to reconstruct Kayla's final known movements nearly a week after she disappeared.

As detectives retraced Kayla's final known movements, they learned she and Kevin Kielcheski had stopped at a McDonald's before arriving in Wausau, where Kayla briefly spoke with a friend who was working. Kielcheski told investigators he later dropped her off in the driveway of a home on East Wausau Avenue, where she planned to meet Miguel Marrero. Marrero, however, told investigators he wasn't even there that night. Investigators also determined the home where she was dropped off was vacant at the time.

Over the years, detectives interviewed family members, friends and others connected to the case, searched the area, examined Kielcheski's vehicle and followed countless leads, but none have explained what happened to Kayla. Then, in 2016, her disappearance was back in the news after a bizarre online video led some viewers to believe the young woman shown resembled Kayla. Police tracked down the people who created the video and determined it had been "staged" years earlier and had no connection to her disappearance.

Nearly 17 years have passed since Kayla disappeared that August evening, yet the question of what happened after she stepped out of Kevin Kielcheski's vehicle remains unanswered. Her disappearance is still an active investigation, and her family is still waiting for the answers they've been seeking since 2009.

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The Skeleton Key Chronicles

1 day ago

JonBenét Ramsey would have turned 36 today, and nearly 30 years after her passing, one of the biggest questions surrounding her case is whether today's advanced DNA technology will ever be fully utilized to help find answers. Much of that discussion centers on investigative genetic genealogy, the same type of DNA technology that has helped generate new leads in cold cases across the country.

Many forensic experts have urged investigators to use the technology on any remaining usable evidence in JonBenét's case. Among them is David Mittelman, CEO of forensic genomics company Othram, who said, "If suitable evidence remains, applying this technology is a fairly straightforward effort that could produce meaningful new leads."

JonBenét's father, John Ramsey, has continued urging officials to pursue additional DNA testing, while Colorado's cold case team has said it is reviewing new leads and re-examining case files compiled by a longtime investigator. Ramsey has even said, "We have been begging the police to work with one of these labs, but we don't know if they will do it." As for the Boulder District Attorney's Office, they said investigators are actively exploring advanced DNA testing capabilities through independent laboratories as the investigation continues.

John Ramsey's calls for independent testing grew even louder following revelations involving former Colorado forensic analyst Yvonne "Missy" Woods. Woods, who worked for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for decades, pleaded guilty this week to felony charges tied to misconduct involving DNA casework in unrelated investigations.

Authorities have not said Woods had any involvement in the JonBenét Ramsey investigation. Even so, the revelations renewed calls from John Ramsey and others for outside testing using the latest technology.

Now that nearly three decades have passed, the key to solving one of America's most enduring mysteries may not be finding new evidence. It may be making full use of the technology available to examine the evidence investigators already have.

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The Skeleton Key Chronicles

1 day ago

When people first heard the story of Anthony Thomas "T.J." Hoover II, it seemed impossible to believe. If his name doesn't ring a bell, Hoover is the 36-year-old man from Richmond, Kentucky whose extraordinary medical case drew national attention after he was mistakenly declared dead.

Hoover had been hospitalized in 2021 following a medical emergency. As doctors prepared for an organ recovery procedure, he was able to mouth the words ‘help me’ which (thankfully) stopped the procedure in it's tracks. His case sparked multiple investigations and raised questions about the safeguards in place during the organ procurement process.

Now, nearly two years later, this incident has become one of the driving forces behind sweeping changes to the nation's organ procurement system. Federal health officials announced today that they are moving to decertify the Kentucky-based organ procurement organization connected to Hoover's case following an extensive investigation into patient safety concerns.

Officials say the investigation uncovered broader concerns that extended beyond Hoover's case, prompting today's action. Along with the proposed decertification, federal officials say additional oversight and patient safety measures are being implemented as they work to strengthen confidence in the nation's organ procurement system. The organization has said it plans to appeal the decision.

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