The Skeleton Key Chronicles

7 hours ago

The day Julie Mott's family gathered to celebrate her life was supposed to bring a measure of closure. Instead, it marked the beginning of a mystery that continues nearly eleven years later. It was August 15th, 2015, when family and friends gathered in San Antonio to celebrate Julie Mott's life during a memorial service held on what would have been her 26th birthday. Julie had passed away a week earlier at just 25 years old from complications of cystic fibrosis. The service ended around 1:30 that afternoon, and the funeral home was locked a few hours later. When employees returned the following morning, Julie's casket was empty.

Investigators believe someone entered the funeral home sometime between the end of the service and closing time, removed Julie's body, and left without forcing entry or triggering the building's alarm. The funeral home's owner, whose family business had served the community for more than 100 years, said nothing like it had ever happened before and described the discovery as devastating.

As detectives searched for answers, they explored several possible leads. Because the funeral home was open to the public for part of that afternoon and did not have security cameras, investigators had little physical evidence to work with. They also examined a third-party mortuary service whose employees reportedly had after-hours access to the building. That same company had been sued months earlier over allegations involving the mishandling of another person's remains, although authorities have never publicly linked that matter to Julie's disappearance.

Investigators used the funeral home's guest book to identify Julie's ex-boyfriend, Bill Wilburn, as the last known person to leave the memorial service. Investigators looked closely at Wilburn. According to investigative records, the funeral home's guest book identified him as the last known person to leave the memorial service, and police records described him as being obsessed with Julie. Years later, Wilburn was charged with criminal trespassing after police said he twice returned to the funeral home despite being banned from the property. Even so, authorities have never charged him in connection with the disappearance of Julie's remains.

The mystery also led to a civil trial when Julie's family sued the funeral home, because their failure to protect Julie's remains while they were in its care. During the proceedings, attorneys examined what security measures were in place, who had access to the building, and whether more could have been done to prevent someone from removing Julie's body. The case brought additional attention to the investigation, but it did not answer the question that has remained since 2015: what happened to Julie?

Nearly eleven years later, Julie Mott has never been found. Her family has never been able to lay her to rest, and one of the most unusual unsolved cases in recent memory remains exactly that: unsolved.

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The Skeleton Key Chronicles

21 hours ago

Texas officials have now formally announced Kristen Galvan's identification through DNA testing. If you're thinking Kristen was already identified, you're right.

Back in January, I shared how Kristen's mother, Robyn Cory, recognized a Jane Doe listing she believed could be her daughter years before DNA testing confirmed she was right. This week's announcement is the official release from Texas authorities, which is why the story is receiving renewed attention.

Kristen Galvan was last seen in Spring, Texas, on January 3rd, 2020, when she went missing at age 15. Later that same month, partial remains of a teenage girl were recovered beneath a bridge in nearby Missouri City, a discovery that would not be linked to Kristen's case for years. The details were entered into NamUs as a Jane Doe, with no connection made to Kristen. For more than five years, Kristen remained officially listed as missing. It was actually Kristen's mother, Robyn Cory, who eventually made that connection herself.

In 2022, Robyn came across the Jane Doe listing while searching the NAMUS, the national database used to help identify missing people and unidentified remains. The estimated age range aligned with her daughter's and the forensic facial reconstruction bore a striking resemblance to Kristen. The location was also not far from where her daughter was last seen. So she contacted law enforcement and asked whether the Jane Doe could be her daughter. Robyn was told investigators did not believe it was Kristen, and no DNA comparison was conducted at that time.

Years passed and even with no real movement in her daughter's case, she continued searching and advocating, working with private investigators and recovery groups focused on helping missing teens, all while hoping her daughter might still be found safe.

It wasn't until July 2025 that mitochondrial DNA from the remains was finally tested. The following month, Cory was informed the DNA confirmed the remains were Kristen's. She was asked not to publicly disclose the identification while authorities reviewed the case.

This week's announcement brings official confirmation to one chapter of Kristen's story, but it also highlights the persistence of a mother who refused to stop looking. Years before that confirmation, Robyn Cory recognized the possibility that the Jane Doe could be her daughter and never stopped asking investigators to take another look.

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The Skeleton Key Chronicles

1 day ago

Imagine finding out the person you built a life with had been living a completely different one behind your back, not for weeks, not for months, but for decades.

That's the story behind the newest season of Hulu's series "Betrayal: Dirty Secrets", the three-part season is based on the hit podcast of the same name and follows Karoline Borega after she discovers her husband, respected Colorado Springs police officer Joel Kern, had been carrying on a hidden life that reached far beyond their marriage, even into his career.

As more of the truth came to light, everything Karoline thought she knew about her husband began to unravel. Through interviews with Karoline, her daughter Nicole, and others connected to the case, along with exclusive access to the Colorado Springs Police Department's internal investigation, the series follows a family forced to question everything they thought they knew.

The series premieres Tuesday, August 4th, on Hulu.

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