EPISODE 544: Ricardo "Richie" Torres

In February 1996, 25-year-old Ricardo “Richie” Torres left Southern California on what his family understood to be one final marijuana deal. Richie had recently become a father and had been talking about getting out of the business. Before he left, he also warned his family about some of the people around him.

Richie traveled north toward South San Francisco in his red truck with a man he knew through the marijuana trade. During the drive, he called his girlfriend and told her they were about an hour away from their destination. He promised to call again when they arrived. That call never came.

Richie was never seen by his family again, but his truck was. Just days later, it surfaced hundreds of miles away in Rosarito, Mexico. Then, four months after Richie disappeared, an anonymous letter arrived at the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. The writer claimed Richie had been murdered in South San Francisco. The letter named several people, identified a specific address, and included details about Richie’s truck. Some of those details would later appear to line up with information uncovered by the family and investigators.

The letter seemed like it could finally lead to answers. Instead, Richie remained missing, no one was charged, and decades passed without any progress.

Now, Richie’s brothers are trying to understand not only what happened to him, but what happened to the investigation that followed. Who wrote the anonymous letter? How did that person know what they knew? And after 30 years, could the information needed to find Richie still be out there?

If you have any information about the disappearance of Richie Torres, please contact the Chula Vista Police Department at 619-691-5151 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

Episode 543: Marilyn "Niqui" McCown - Part 2: A Position of Trust

In Part 1 of Niqui McCown's story, we retraced her final known hours before she disappeared from Richmond, Indiana, on July 22, 2001. More than three months later, Niqui's GMC Jimmy was discovered at an apartment complex in Dayton, Ohio, raising new questions about where she had gone and who she may have encountered.

The discovery also brought renewed attention to Niqui's coworkers and social circle in Dayton, including a man named Tommy Swint. Over the years, conflicting accounts circulated about the nature of Niqui and Tommy's relationship. Her family disputes claims that they were romantically involved, but they also recall troubling behavior that suggested Tommy's interest in Niqui may have gone beyond friendship.

This week, we’re going to work through what Niqui's family remembers about Tommy, including incidents that raised concerns long before her disappearance, examine how he became a significant focus of the investigation, and the shocking development in an entirely different case that brought renewed attention to him years later. 

More than 25 years later, Niqui's disappearance continues to shape the lives of those who love her. As the next generation takes a more active role in the search, her family remains determined to find answers and bring Niqui home.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Niqui McCown, please contact the Richmond Police Department at 765-983-7247.

EPISODE 542: Marilyn "Niqui" McCown - Part 1 - The Last Sunday

On Sunday, July 22, 2001, 28-year-old Marilyn “Niqui” McCown attended church with her nine-year-old daughter, Payton, and her fiancé, Bobby. Niqui had a lot to look forward to. She was preparing to get married in less than a month, continuing her education, and building a career in criminal justice. That afternoon, she headed out to do laundry, something she'd done countless Sundays before.

But during a stop at her parents' house, Niqui seemed troubled. Her mother later recalled that Niqui had been pacing and said someone at the laundromat was bothering her. Despite the uncomfortable encounter, Niqui left to retrieve her laundry, expecting to return shortly, but Niqui never came back.

As the hours passed, Niqui's fiancé began calling friends and relatives, and her family searched the roads between Richmond, Indiana, and Dayton, Ohio, hoping to find some sign of her. Payton remembers the growing panic that evening, watching family members come and go, and waking up the next morning to discover that her mother was still missing.

Twenty-five years later, Niqui's family is still trying to understand what happened during those final hours. 

If you have any information about the disappearance of Niqui McCown, please contact the Richmond Police Department at 765-983-7247.