Mysterious Cases · September 25 · 18 min
Meter Reader Finds a Badge That Solves a 28-Year Cold Case
0:00-18:09
transcript
show notes
A meter reader finds a nursing badge in a locked propane cage - a 28-year cold case reopens on Route Nine; how did that badge expose them?
Meter Reader Finds a Badge That Solves a 28-Year Cold Case
In this episode, we follow the discovery that reset a decades-old missing-person investigation. The episode traces the timeline from the VFW cribbage night to the badge found at 7:14 a.m., asking what happened during the nine hours between Debra Larsen's departure and the meter reader's find.
Person: Debra Larsen
Date: August 27-29, 1998
Location: Route Nine; VFW near Pellston, Michigan
Event: Nursing ID badge recovered from a locked propane-tank cage
Investigation: Tow-dispatch logs, cell records, and cross-county case files examined
- Steven Stroud pulled off County Road 11 at 7:14 a.m. on August 29 and discovered a laminated nursing ID badge pressed face-out inside a padlocked propane-tank cage.
- Debra Larsen left the VFW at 9:47 p.m. after playing cribbage; her vehicle was later found four miles east on Route Nine with its hood raised and no mechanical fault.
- The tow-dispatch ledger for that night contained no customer receipt or record of a tow call for the Aries found on the shoulder.
- Early investigation centered on Dennis Alcott due to prior disputes, but his phone records placed him 90 miles away the night Debra disappeared.
- Reporter Harvey used public-records requests to link a similar staged breakdown two years earlier in Creel and identified one towing operator-Raymond Simmons-licensed across both corridors.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
Meter Reader Finds a Badge That Solves a 28-Year Cold Case
In this episode, we follow the discovery that reset a decades-old missing-person investigation. The episode traces the timeline from the VFW cribbage night to the badge found at 7:14 a.m., asking what happened during the nine hours between Debra Larsen's departure and the meter reader's find.
Person: Debra Larsen
Date: August 27-29, 1998
Location: Route Nine; VFW near Pellston, Michigan
Event: Nursing ID badge recovered from a locked propane-tank cage
Investigation: Tow-dispatch logs, cell records, and cross-county case files examined
- Steven Stroud pulled off County Road 11 at 7:14 a.m. on August 29 and discovered a laminated nursing ID badge pressed face-out inside a padlocked propane-tank cage.
- Debra Larsen left the VFW at 9:47 p.m. after playing cribbage; her vehicle was later found four miles east on Route Nine with its hood raised and no mechanical fault.
- The tow-dispatch ledger for that night contained no customer receipt or record of a tow call for the Aries found on the shoulder.
- Early investigation centered on Dennis Alcott due to prior disputes, but his phone records placed him 90 miles away the night Debra disappeared.
- Reporter Harvey used public-records requests to link a similar staged breakdown two years earlier in Creel and identified one towing operator-Raymond Simmons-licensed across both corridors.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
