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MISSING: Carolyn Killaby
When a young woman goes missing in November 1995, no one knew just how close they were to a monster lurking in the area. What starts as a night out after an argument with her husband… ends in tragedy that’s left the family with so many questions.
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Episode Source Material
- December 13, 2002: State v. Smith
- Centralia Chronicle (Centralia, WA): Man denies guilt in Clark County death by Associated Press via NewspaperArchive.com.
- Department of Corrections Washington State: Board Hearings.
- Department of Corrections Washington State: What are Parole (PRE) cases?
- Forensic Files: Missing in Time (season 6, episode 1) via Peacock.
- Longview Daily News (Longview, WA): Disappearance leads to charge by The Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- Prison Legal News: $4.47 Million in Washington Negligent Supervision Settlements and Verdicts via Web.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Brother arrested in death of sister; body found nude by Sally James via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Man gets life term for sister’s slaying by Cynthia Tank via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Woman missing after night in bar; detectives work to rule out foul play by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Hunt goes on for missing woman by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Detectives chasing leads in case of missing woman by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Woman Still Missing via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Convicted murderer sought by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Convicted murderer sought by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): ‘Where is my sister?’ by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): ‘Where is my sister?’ by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): FBI seeks Orchards man by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Search for missing woman goes national by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): A Family In Limbo by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): A Family In Limbo by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Tipsters call ‘Mystery’ line in Killaby case by Randall Black via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Suspect arrested in Killaby murder case by John Branton and Randall Black via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Killaby murder suspect survives surgery by Randall Black via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Killaby murder suspect survives surgery by Randall Black via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): TV show’s role in arrest is speculative by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith served with arrest warrant by Randall Black via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith served with arrest warrant by Randall Black via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): DNA match implicates murder suspect by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): DNA match implicates murder suspect by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Officials sign papers to extradite murders suspect via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Judge declares Carolyn Killaby officially dead by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Murder suspect Smith extradited by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith pleads not guilty to murder via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): TV show takes credit in arrest of murder suspect by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): TV show takes credit in arrest of murder suspect by John Branton via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Prosecutors ask to file new charge in death by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Accused killer of Killaby turns down plea bargain by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): DNA test gets OK for Smith trial by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): DNA test gets OK for Smith trial by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith’s attorneys point to husband of Carolyn Killaby by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith’s attorneys point to husband of Carolyn Killaby by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith trial blends mystery, science by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith trial blends mystery, science by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Husband can’t be named as suspect in trial, judge rules via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Defense suggests Killaby may have planned to vanish by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Witnesses describe search for Killaby by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Cellmate says Smith talked of coverup methods by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Jurors might hear about murder of defendant’s sister in Killaby trial by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Jurors hear of Smith’s ’82 murder by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith defense disputes DNA results by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Jurors to deliberate in Killaby murder case starting Monday by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith convicted of Killaby murder by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith convicted of Killaby murder by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Smith convicted on first vote, jurors say by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Killaby family sues over killer’s release by Bruce Westfall via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Kidnapping, rape evidence lacking in Killaby case by Erik Robinson via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Kidnapping, rape evidence lacking in Killaby case by Erik Robinson via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Victim’s family berates killer by Stephanie Thomson via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Victim’s family berates killer by Stephanie Thomson via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Experts to examine newly found skull by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Police say skull not that of teen who disappeared in 1987 by John Branton via Newspapers.com.
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Killaby’s killer commits suicide by Stephanie Rice via Newspapers.com. (1)
- The Columbian (Vancouver, WA): Killaby’s killer commits suicide by Stephanie Rice via Newspapers.com. (2)
- The Daily Herald (Everett, WA): Murder charge finally served in year-old case by Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA): Hope fades for woman missing 6 weeks by The Associated Press via Newspapers.com.
- The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA): Killer sentenced to life in prison via Newspapers.com.
- Unsolved Mysteries (season 9, episode 10) via Prime Video.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Walla Walla, WA): Former inmate may be linked to missing woman by Union-Bulletin and Associated Press via NewspaperArchive.com.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Walla Walla, WA): Ex-local man shot by police in Florida by Union-Bulletin and Associated Press via NewspaperArchive.com.
- Walla Walla Union Bulletin (Walla Walla, WA): Former WW man brought back to Washington to face murder charges again by Union-Bulletin and Associated Press via NewspaperArchive.com.
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