May 19, 2025 • 8 mins
In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: Phoenix Coldon was a gifted fencer, a classically trained musician, and a devout daughter with a promising future ahead of her. Until one winter afternoon in 2011 when she left her suburban Missouri home… and was never seen again. Her SUV was discovered hours later, still running, in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in East St. Louis. But there was no sign of Phoenix. As the ongoing search for answers unfolded, buried secrets began to surface. Anyone with information about this case should contact the St. Louis County Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at 636-529-8210.
This is the story of Phoenix Coldon.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today's story
centers around a woman who was bright, talented, and fear
set fencing. She was a twenty three year old fencing champion,
(00:20):
classically trained musician, and the kind of person whose future
felt limitless until one winter afternoon in December twenty eleven,
she vanished without a trace.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
This is the story of Phoenix Colden.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
December eighteenth, twenty eleven, Saint Louis County, Missouri. It was
just after three pm when Phoenix told her mother she
was stepping outside for a drive. She grabs her keys,
gets into her black nineteen ninety eight Chevy Blazer, and
pulls out of the driveway. What happens next remains one
(01:01):
of the most baffling mysteries till this day.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Roughly three hours.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Later, police find Phoenix's SUV still running, abandoned in East
Saint Louis, Illinois. That's about twenty five minutes from her home,
but in a rougher part of town and a place
that Phoenix wasn't known to frequent the car doors were open,
(01:28):
the engine was still running. Her purse was gone, but
her id was still inside. There was no blood, no
signs of a struggle, no surveillance footage, in no Phoenix.
Phoenix Colden was no ordinary young woman. She was homeschooled,
(01:50):
deeply involved in her church, was highly skilled at fencing,
winning a regional championship, and played several instruments.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Including the peace.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Her parents, Golda and Lawrence Colden, were strict but loving,
but as investigators would later discover, Phoenix had secrets. It
turns out she had a second cell phone that her
parents didn't know about. She also had a Facebook page
under a different name, and in the weeks before she vanished,
(02:24):
she reportedly told a friend she was to leave home
and start a new life.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
But did she run away, was she taken?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Or was there something darker lurking underneath the surface. In
twenty eighteen, Oxygen released a two part series called The
Disappearance of Phoenix Colden. The series reignited interest in the
case and raised new disturbing questions. They uncovered that Phoenix
(02:55):
may have been living a double life. There were hints
of romantic real relationships. Her parents knew nothing about There
were journal entries that hinted at emotional pain, depression, and
even feeling trapped. At one point, Phoenix wrote, I just
want to be happy again. I'm not happy. I feel
(03:17):
so stupid. I just want to start over. Still, her
friends insist she wasn't suicidal, and her parents, especially her mother,
have long maintained that Phoenix would never just walk away.
Then there's the location of the suv. East Saint Louis
(03:39):
is a high crime area, and Phoenix had no known
connections there, So why would she end up there? And
why abandon her car still running? If she had planned
to leave, why not take her purse or at least
turn off the car? Even more confusing, despite the suv
(04:01):
being impounded shortly after it was found.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
It took police two weeks to notify the Coldens.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Her mom said the family received no support from law
enforcement in the early days. They were left to search
on their own, plastering flyers, conducting interview chasing any lead
they could find, but unfortunately, nothing led them to where
Phoenix might be. Phoenix Colden disappeared in December twenty eleven,
(04:32):
leaving behind more questions than answers, But over the years,
there have been reports of sightings or bleeding moments where
someone swears they've seen her. One of the most chilling
accounts comes from a woman named Kelly Frownhurt, a close
friend of Phoenix's. She claimed she saw Phoenix months after
(04:54):
her disappearance on a flight from Las Vegas to Saint Louis.
As Kelly recounts, she was seated on the plane when
a woman walked down the aisle. She looked up and stopped.
It was Phoenix, or at least someone who looked exactly
like her. Kelly called out her name, and the woman
(05:17):
turned around and casually responded, Oh, do I look like someone?
Kelly replied yes, and that she looked like her friend Phoenix.
But after that, the woman didn't engage any further, just
kept walking. Kelly was left stunned, to say the least.
(05:37):
When the plane landed, she rushed to the Southwest counter
telling them she believed she'd seen a missing person, but
by the time they searched the terminal.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
The woman was gone.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Kelly remains confident, telling authorities she's a nine out of
ten sure that was Phoenix. But Kelly isn't the only one.
Another family friend, Jeffrey Hargrove claims to have seen Phoenix
in downtown Saint Louis. These sightings were never confirmed, but
(06:10):
could they mean that Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Is still alive? Could she still be out there?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
The unanswered questions continue to haunt those who love her,
and the mystery of Phoenix Holden's disappearance is far from over.
Some theories suggest Phoenix may have fallen victim to sex trafficking.
Others believe she could have assumed a new identity to
escape for a new life. But more than a decade
(06:42):
has passed and no solid leads have emerged, no financial activity,
and no confirmed communication.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Today, her parents still fight for answers.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
They've emptied their bank accounts, hired private investigators, held vigils,
But with every year that passes, the search must continue.
The Coldens cling to faith, faith that someone knows something,
faith that the silence will one day be broken, in
(07:17):
faith that their daughter is still out there. My thoughts
and prayers are with Phoenix Colden's loved ones. I hope
they're able to one day receive the answers they deserve.
Anyone with information about the disappearance of Phoenix Colden to
contact the Saint Louis County Police Department's Missing Persons Unit.
(07:37):
You can find their number listed in the description box below.
As we close out this episode, don't forget to hit
the follow button to stay updated on this case and
others like it. Be sure to subscribe to Hunting for
Answers on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and TikTok
for more true crime updates. And if you enjoyed this episode,
(08:00):
leave us a five star rating. Thank you so much
for joining us on another episode until next time. Hunting
for Answers is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
(08:24):
For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network, visit
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to
your favorite shows.
Hunting for Answers is a production of the Black Effect
Podcast Network and iHeartRadio. Welcome to Hunting for Answers, a
true crime podcast. I'm your host Hunter, and today's story
centers around a woman who was bright, talented, and fear
set fencing. She was a twenty three year old fencing champion,
(00:20):
classically trained musician, and the kind of person whose future
felt limitless until one winter afternoon in December twenty eleven,
she vanished without a trace.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
This is the story of Phoenix Colden.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
December eighteenth, twenty eleven, Saint Louis County, Missouri. It was
just after three pm when Phoenix told her mother she
was stepping outside for a drive. She grabs her keys,
gets into her black nineteen ninety eight Chevy Blazer, and
pulls out of the driveway. What happens next remains one
(01:01):
of the most baffling mysteries till this day.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Roughly three hours.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
Later, police find Phoenix's SUV still running, abandoned in East
Saint Louis, Illinois. That's about twenty five minutes from her home,
but in a rougher part of town and a place
that Phoenix wasn't known to frequent the car doors were open,
(01:28):
the engine was still running. Her purse was gone, but
her id was still inside. There was no blood, no
signs of a struggle, no surveillance footage, in no Phoenix.
Phoenix Colden was no ordinary young woman. She was homeschooled,
(01:50):
deeply involved in her church, was highly skilled at fencing,
winning a regional championship, and played several instruments.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Including the peace.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Her parents, Golda and Lawrence Colden, were strict but loving,
but as investigators would later discover, Phoenix had secrets. It
turns out she had a second cell phone that her
parents didn't know about. She also had a Facebook page
under a different name, and in the weeks before she vanished,
(02:24):
she reportedly told a friend she was to leave home
and start a new life.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
But did she run away, was she taken?
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Or was there something darker lurking underneath the surface. In
twenty eighteen, Oxygen released a two part series called The
Disappearance of Phoenix Colden. The series reignited interest in the
case and raised new disturbing questions. They uncovered that Phoenix
(02:55):
may have been living a double life. There were hints
of romantic real relationships. Her parents knew nothing about There
were journal entries that hinted at emotional pain, depression, and
even feeling trapped. At one point, Phoenix wrote, I just
want to be happy again. I'm not happy. I feel
(03:17):
so stupid. I just want to start over. Still, her
friends insist she wasn't suicidal, and her parents, especially her mother,
have long maintained that Phoenix would never just walk away.
Then there's the location of the suv. East Saint Louis
(03:39):
is a high crime area, and Phoenix had no known
connections there, So why would she end up there? And
why abandon her car still running? If she had planned
to leave, why not take her purse or at least
turn off the car? Even more confusing, despite the suv
(04:01):
being impounded shortly after it was found.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
It took police two weeks to notify the Coldens.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Her mom said the family received no support from law
enforcement in the early days. They were left to search
on their own, plastering flyers, conducting interview chasing any lead
they could find, but unfortunately, nothing led them to where
Phoenix might be. Phoenix Colden disappeared in December twenty eleven,
(04:32):
leaving behind more questions than answers, But over the years,
there have been reports of sightings or bleeding moments where
someone swears they've seen her. One of the most chilling
accounts comes from a woman named Kelly Frownhurt, a close
friend of Phoenix's. She claimed she saw Phoenix months after
(04:54):
her disappearance on a flight from Las Vegas to Saint Louis.
As Kelly recounts, she was seated on the plane when
a woman walked down the aisle. She looked up and stopped.
It was Phoenix, or at least someone who looked exactly
like her. Kelly called out her name, and the woman
(05:17):
turned around and casually responded, Oh, do I look like someone?
Kelly replied yes, and that she looked like her friend Phoenix.
But after that, the woman didn't engage any further, just
kept walking. Kelly was left stunned, to say the least.
(05:37):
When the plane landed, she rushed to the Southwest counter
telling them she believed she'd seen a missing person, but
by the time they searched the terminal.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
The woman was gone.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Kelly remains confident, telling authorities she's a nine out of
ten sure that was Phoenix. But Kelly isn't the only one.
Another family friend, Jeffrey Hargrove claims to have seen Phoenix
in downtown Saint Louis. These sightings were never confirmed, but
(06:10):
could they mean that Phoenix.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Is still alive? Could she still be out there?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
The unanswered questions continue to haunt those who love her,
and the mystery of Phoenix Holden's disappearance is far from over.
Some theories suggest Phoenix may have fallen victim to sex trafficking.
Others believe she could have assumed a new identity to
escape for a new life. But more than a decade
(06:42):
has passed and no solid leads have emerged, no financial activity,
and no confirmed communication.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Today, her parents still fight for answers.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
They've emptied their bank accounts, hired private investigators, held vigils,
But with every year that passes, the search must continue.
The Coldens cling to faith, faith that someone knows something,
faith that the silence will one day be broken, in
(07:17):
faith that their daughter is still out there. My thoughts
and prayers are with Phoenix Colden's loved ones. I hope
they're able to one day receive the answers they deserve.
Anyone with information about the disappearance of Phoenix Colden to
contact the Saint Louis County Police Department's Missing Persons Unit.
(07:37):
You can find their number listed in the description box below.
As we close out this episode, don't forget to hit
the follow button to stay updated on this case and
others like it. Be sure to subscribe to Hunting for
Answers on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and TikTok
for more true crime updates. And if you enjoyed this episode,
(08:00):
leave us a five star rating. Thank you so much
for joining us on another episode until next time. Hunting
for Answers is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network.
(08:24):
For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast Network, visit
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to
your favorite shows.
Host
Hunter Gilmore
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