October 28, 2025 • 26 mins
In 2010 a womans body was found, unfortunately she remained a Jane Doe for 5 years until the body of a child was found and DNA confirmed that they were related.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm Laura and Angel and this it's Craig Divers.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hello everybody, Welcome to today's episode.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hello everyone, So our missing person is from Kansas this
week and we'll let you know the details at the
end of the episode. For now, we're going to get
into our case, which.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Is a lot of sode and what's it called is
called the Suitcase Killer.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Okay, I'm we're in the world, are we We are
in Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
So are you ready to dive down under? I am
ready to dive down under? Okay, okay. So on the
twenty ninth of August twenty ten, a group of guys,
we're on a trail bike riding through a place called
Bilanglo State Forest which is in New South Wales, Australia.
(01:09):
They you know, we're obviously thrown their tracks and stuff
and they actually went off the trailer bit for some reason.
But this actually led them to a bit of area
and that they came to stop at. And what they
came across was some skeletal human remains in a suitcase.
No oh sorry, no it was not in the suitcase. Yeah,
(01:36):
So they came across these skeletal human remains. So of course,
they were like, oh my god, what hell. So, you know,
they phoned the police, so the polace came to the scene.
But when the police arrived, like, their first thought was
that it could have been the work of a serial
killer called Ivan Malat. It's also known as the backpacker killer. Yeah,
(01:59):
I heard of Iran, we heard of Vibran. Yeah, he
committed murders between nineteen eighteen nine and nineteen ninety three.
The bodies of seven missing young people had been partially
buried in Blango State Forest. So you know, they obviously thought, oh,
this could be work, yeah, because that was his area
(02:22):
when he had left seven bodies, so they thought, well,
maybe this was an eighth. But after forensic examinations took place,
it was found that the remains had been left there
many years after Ivan Malat was sent to jail. Because
he'd been sent to jail in nineteen ninety six. They
had obviously checked out the remains and realized they hadn't
been there as long as that basically, so they knew
(02:44):
that it wasn't actually the work of him. It was
just a complete coincidence that it was in the same area.
So the place, you know, they were, they were stumped
because you know, they couldn't actually identify the victim. They
knew the remains were female, so the place they appealed
for information, but they were unable to identify the women
(03:05):
and they actually nicknamed her angel As. That's what was
written on the top that the remains was found with
the clue that was there, So that's what they called
her because they didn't have a clue who she was.
But thankfully, you know, it's not in our Jaene case,
so we we do, you know, he identify identity sorry,
was eventually confirmed, but it wasn't until another case came
(03:28):
to light five years later. So five years later, so
she wasn't named for five years. Yeah, so what that
sort of Jane do? I suppose? But she wasn't she's
not still a gene. Yeah she was.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
It took five years for them, Yeah, identified because of
what you're about to tell you.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
So, I mean, if they hadn't come across this then
I don't know, maybe she wouldn't have been identified for
a longer period. I don't know, but fact, to be fair,
five years long enough to be identified. I mean it's
bad enough it's taken us long, and bad enough that
what I'm about to tell you eventually links you know,
the two cases together. So on the fifteenth of July
(04:08):
twenty fifteen, the remains of a young child, surrounded by
a girl's clothing were discovered by a passing passing motorists.
The motorist had spotted a suitcase. Oh so that's where
the suitcase is. Yes, this suitcase was abandoned at the
side of the Karunda Highway near Winarka in the Myray
(04:31):
Malay region of South Australia. Wow, I'm not sure even
pronounced that right, So apologies, have I got it wrong?
But yeah, I was sitting there just willing you on.
I was like, please say the tripe. But then it's
also you know, my ryan, So I hope I've pronounced
that right, So apologies if I haven't. So yeah. So and
(04:53):
then you know, and in that suitcase the remains of
a little girl. Fact, which yeah, sad. So from the beginning,
investigators believe the child had suffered a violent death several
years before. The remains had actually been dumped in the suitcase.
So they actually reckoned that you know, this little girl
had been dead.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Well yeah, but they hadn't. They hadn't got rid of
the remains. That they hadn't done that till late yeah years.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Later, basically, so soon after the discovery of the child remains,
place made a public appeal for information that could help
identify her. You know, there were items found with her
that they hoped would help identify her, including clothing and
a distinctive handmade quilt. So after more than one two
hundred calls to crime stoppers, one caller was actually able
(05:45):
to identify the quilt as one made by the child's grandmother,
who had died on twenty twelve. She'd had a daughter
and granddaughter that she believed were living between states when
we was settled, so positive I didification was achieved by
comparing DNA taken from the child's skeletal remains with DNA
(06:06):
retained from a neo natal heel prick test. So you know,
like when the kids are I don't know, obviously, when
they're like a couple of days old, they do like
a heel prick test, take bloods from it. Yeah, so
obviously they identified so a national DNA, So then they
(06:26):
done a national DNA search. But okay, so they had
taken to a DNA from skeletal remains. Then they then
done a national DNA search, which then linked the child's
remains to the unidentified remains that were found in the
Bilingo State forest. So that's how because basically they had
to put heard like the DNA from the child through
like the database, and they obviously must have taken DNA
(06:48):
from the skeletal found things, so then it must have
pringed up as a match. So that's when they realized
that there was a link there. Yeah, so you know
it was found it the remains were actually mother and daughter.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Well I was thinking that, but I didn't want to
dump the gun. There could have been other relations, I suppose,
but yeah, but I did think that. But then I
thought you might have showed it before, like jumping the gun. Yeah,
that's the good thing I do.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Yeah, that's why I was like, can I shout you
for it? So that's why I was just keeping quiet. Wow,
your mother and daughter and daughter? Yeah, so you're kind
of like, how how has that happened?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Like, how is the mother's remains obviously been found in
this forest and then were they killed at the same time.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm jumping the gun now and the gun Okay, you
are jumping the gun now, okay, I'll just be quiet.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yes, please do so. On the twenty first of October
twenty fifteen, the remains of the women were identified as
twenty year old Carly Pierce Stephenson, and the remains of
the child were identified as her two year old Candies Pierce. Oh,
but she was actually non affectionate as Candles, which I
thought that was quite Oh. I thought you were gonna
say candy because I think it was because it was
(08:03):
out a documentary and it was her aunt as because
it or something, but some relations to her that that's
when they were like, yeah, she was called Candles. Oh
that's quite nice. Week. Yeah, probably name is Candle Laser.
So the last confirmed sightings of the mother and daughter
had actually been on the eighth of November two thousand
(08:25):
and eight, so they had actually been stopped by police
and actually and then they were stopped the second time
by place again for something else in December two thousand
and eight. So I mean, I think it was just
like they've been pulled over for so I can't remember
what it was, but you know, they're obviously been stopped
by the police a couple of times, so you kind
(08:45):
of you got don't do kind of thing about like
how have they gone unnoticed that they've obviously went missing,
But they were actually reported missing by Carly's mum on
the fourth of September two thousand and nine. It had
been believed that she had left her home and as
spring in two thousand and eight to look for work.
But I'm assuming that, like no one had actually been
able to get in contact with her, So that's why
(09:07):
she was reporting missing, because I mean, it sounds like
they knew that she had obviously she'd obviously intentionally left, yeah,
you know, to go and find work elsewhere for whatever reason,
but then nobody heard for it. Yeah it Yeah, I'm
sure nobody obviously heard for her. So that's why they
obviously decided to report and missing. So the missing but
the missing persons report was actually closed on the ninth
(09:28):
of October two thousand and nine after police reassured Carly's
mum that she was safe and well, but she didn't
want but she didn't want her family to contact her
at the time. But I don't understand how that's the case,
because you know, police actually believed that Carly was killed
in Bilanglo Forest on either the fourteenth or the fifteenth
(09:49):
December two thousand and eight. So I mean, that doesn't
make any sense because if she was reported missing in
two thousand and nine, but actually she was already dead
by this point, they believe Well, do.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
You think that at the time somebody and related like
something to do with the killer well, has been in
contact with the police.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Well, what I'm about to tell you, okay, I'm a
jumping the gun again. But but what I suppose, my
my bugbear with it is that if the police said
that she was fine and well, like, how did they
know that? Because it doesn't it doesn't say did they
actually see her in perst person. Was it just that
they contacted her through her phone or whatever? Because it
doesn't state to me what like how they actually contacted her. Well,
(10:35):
I'm assuming because I mean obviously didn't see her, because
if they're saying that she was already dead, they obviously
didn't actually see her.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah, I'm just thinking that they made up. They must
have maybe been a phone call of somebody claiming to
be her, I think.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
But then I'm thinking, well, is that is that acceptable
enough the police? Yeah, she's fine, but she doesn't want
to talk to you because that to me, doesn't prove anything.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Well it doesn't because you know, anybody can do that,
Like somebody could immord to somebody and said, oh, by
the way, i'm this person and I'm fine.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I don't know that. I didn't really understand it. I
was like, well, why didn't the police actually go and
you know, see her in person to confirm that she
was because I mean, she's been reported, I must in person,
so you'd think that they would want to confirm that
that is Actually.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yeah, maybe they maybe somebody did just phone in and
they just took their word for it.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Is strange, but it does sound like that was the
case to me. So yeah, So I like I said
to you, the police believe that she was Carly was
killed in the Blanco Forest on the fourteen h fifty
December to this night, and that her daughter was killed
sometime later in a different location. Are having a pause.
(11:43):
I don't know why is because sometimes, like I started
talking about something that I've actually written down, and I'm like,
because I'm you know, because I I do obviously read
what I've written. I've written, so you may ask, how
could she be escaping? Well, and the night, I mean,
we've already had this, I want to have a discussion
I've written. So yeah, so I can't answer exactly as
(12:04):
I don't know how the police contacted her, but I
can't tell you that her identity had been stolen. Oh,
so it was made to look like she was still alive.
So that's what I'm thinking. Is that how the place is? Like?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
You know, so somebody stolen her identity and said to
the police right here.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
I am, well, I don't know, but I'm assuming that's
what's happened because their identity was actually stolen. So I'm
wondering if that's why the police thought that she was
still fine and well, So it was her identities. Don't
know who. Well, yeah, I'm just going to be Parently's
mobile phone was actually used until mid twenty eleven. Oh
(12:44):
so obviously after the police had told her family that
she was safe and well, there were actually was communication
between who they thought was Curtly, and there's communication via
text messages to give her family and friends impression that
she was alive and well and I'll so to appeal
for money. Her bank account was accessed into at least
twenty twelve and locations in four states and territories over
(13:08):
ninety thousand dollars was stolen through the account. Oh wow,
so the family did think that she was actually yeah,
I'm well, but nobody had physically seen her. They were
just spoken to her. They must have just been texting.
But then I'm like, do your family accept that? Like
would you think but if that was like saying, me
and you and I had like moved away, would you
accept just speaking to me through text message for four years?
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Well? No, but some people are like that mean me
and you are very close, So no, we would we
would FaceTime and yeah, I mean I say FaceTime, Well
we would for each other, Yeah, we would, so, but
depending on what sort of situation, what their family situations,
they might not be that close. So that might be
acceptable just to send messages to each other and not
(13:50):
think anything of it.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
But then I just think, you know, because obviously she's
got a you know, a young daughter as well.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
And I'm thinking you would think that they would want
to say.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
To see her or see pictures or whatever. I just
thought it was you know, I don't know whether you
would just accept that. I mean, you know, obviously they
must have it. Well, yeah, that they might not have
been that close. Yeah, I don't know, but anyway, so
within days of releasing the identities of the victims, police
reported that they had several suspects. So finally, on the
(14:21):
twenty eighth of October twenty fifteen, there was a breakthrough
and the place made an arrest. They arrested forty one
year old Daniel James Holdham. He had been in a
relationship with Carly. Police had alleged had allegedly traced a
signal from his mobile phone which put him at the
(14:41):
location of her remain where her remains were found in
Bilango Forest about the time of her death in December,
and he was found. He was at the time that
they you know, suspected them. He was found being a
relationship with a woman named Hazel pass More. And what
interesting about her is that she matched the description of
(15:04):
a female who had allegedly stolen Carly's identity after she
had been killed. So that so because there was a
there was a moment when she had went into a bank,
this Hazel pass War and the descript but she had
obviously pretended to be Carly to access her bank accounts.
(15:25):
But obviously the police must have obviously realized that you know,
and saw the description of her, but it was actually
like this Hazel past more than it was she was
trying to benge. Was quite easy to identify it because
she actually had one leg. So obviously that's when they
knew that she wasn't obviously Carly. Yeah, So Daniel James
(15:51):
Holdham was charged with Carly's murder, and on the fifteen
the December twenty fifteen, hold Them was arrested again for
the murder of Candy Lace Pierce the door candles, candles. Yeah,
because that's nice, that's cute.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yeah yeah, so, oh god, we're having a sorry listeners,
Laurel just has to try and read her own write
in or so I figured out where she is.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
You're right, Yes, I'm good. I do it all the time.
Sometimes I wish I should like proof read what and
then then see by made any mistakes and wereline So
like I said to you, before they thought that Candles
had been you know, she'd been subjected to a violent death,
so investigators alleged that she was murdered a few days
(16:40):
after Carly. Police said it was fortunate that hold Him
was already in custody, as it allowed them to conduct
a thorough and comprehensive investigation because where mind, he was
already in custody for the murder of Carly when he
was charged for the murder of Candles, but it was
charged and then he was refused bettle, so that was good.
So her trial was set for the twenty eighth of
(17:02):
January twenty sixteen, but it was actually a journ until
March as the police and prosecutors were still colleating the
brief of evidence and only about one third of it
had been provided to the defense of lawyers. So again
it was adjourned in until September twenty sixteen to at
least not again adjourned in sixteen to at least November,
(17:24):
and again to allow more evidence to be clayed. And
to me, it almost sounds like they were sort of
rushing it and then realizing they weren't actually fully prepared
for it. Yeah, they should have like kind of give
themselves enough time. It just seems to have happened all
very quick, but they clearly didn't have all the evidence
that they needed to actually, you know, go through a
proper trial, So I can understand why it was obviously, yeah,
(17:46):
kept it back, but it just seems silly to set
all these dates in the first place when actually you
know that you're not ready for it. So eventually the
following year, in August twenty seventeen, there was a committal hearing. Yeah,
it was a committal hearing first, so you know, that's
(18:07):
when we finally started to hear some of the details
of what happened to Carly and her. I don't know
if I told you that Candles was only two years old.
Yea to your door. So it was alleged that hold
Um told someone that he had stepped on Carly's throat
and you know, raped, raped her with a ball and
(18:31):
they said stepped on carlssol which crushed her windpipe. Her
cause of death was recorded as a broken neck. It's
probably likely that that's actually what happened to her, and
then her body was buried in the Blacko Forest. It
was also alleged that he stopped at a supermarket and
bought duct tape and rubbish backs before he suffocated Candles. Yeah,
(18:55):
and a and I mot tell sorry, that's where they
think that she'd been murdered. And he then stuffed her
body and a suitcase and dumped it in Whinarka where
it remained for nearly seven years, so so so actually
her body and the suitcase had been like abandoned for
(19:16):
seven years, which is just I think that that was
the case. They just tossed it away like that's horrible,
Like she didn't matter. So I just wonder whether they
thought maybe he'd actually got away with that, because I
mean that was seven years. Yeah, basically you would think
after all that time, you'd be thinking that you got
(19:37):
away with it. Yeah, exactly, because I mean obviously he,
you know, was in this relationship with this Hazel after that,
and you know, she was pretending to be Karly points By,
you know, pretending you know, to get money and stuff
like that, because obviously they were pretending that she was
still alive and stuff. So they obviously thought that they
got away with that. Yeah, And if it hadn't been
for the the you know, these bikers that were in
(19:58):
the woods and then obviously the when that found the suitcase,
you know, you might have kind of think we were
going to get away with it. But thankfully, you know,
that they were found for so that justice could be done.
So eventually, you know, in the case, you know, went
to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in December
twenty seventeen, and the trial was expected to take threety
(20:20):
six months when it would eventually start in August twenty eighteen.
But just before the trial began, Holding played the guilty
to the murders so he didn't have to face a jury.
His sentence and was set for the night of November,
where he faced two life sentences, and the brutality of
the murders were publicly released after he had played guilty.
So before that, like nobody really had heard much about them,
(20:42):
but once he played guilty, all the details got released
about it, and it turned out the whole them also
had a prior history of violence against women and an
interest of sexual violence towards children. Oh so a police
she given to the court cited evidence of a sexual
motive to the murder of Candles, so I think he
might have six oh no assault done as well before
(21:05):
before killing her, which is obviously awful. And Carly's father,
Bruce Pearce, he gave a written statement during the sentence
and expressing his desire for a death sentence against hold Him. However,
New South Wales had abolished the death penalty for murder
in nineteen fifty five, so he didn't get, yeah, a
(21:26):
death sentence, Yeah, make theme suffer exactly. But on the
November in twenty eighteen, hold Him was sentenced to two
consecutive life sentences without parole for the murder of Carlie
Pierce Stevenson and Candy Ley's candles. So quite fucking right.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I mean, yeah, And the thing is, I don't even
know why why, like what there doesn't seem to be
at this doesn't seem to be a motive why.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
You know they were killed in the first place. You know,
there was no I couldn't seem to finding reasons of what.
Some people just don't have a reason.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
You might have just lost his temper or just wanted
to kill somebody or exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
And then obviously, I'm assuming you're because he'd killed Carly.
You must have just panicked and thinking I can't have
like a two year old child running around well without
so he obviously had to kill her as well, which
is just heartbreaking. In and stuff in our body in
the suitcase.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
I mean, he could have like obviously wasn't going to
bring that child up, but he could have like took
her somewhere, like took her to hospital or you know,
and just sort of left her. But it shouldn't have
killed her mother in the first place, like.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
But you know exactly, I mean, there was just no
there was just it was just it was just a senseless,
senseless killing. There was no way, no need for it whatsoever.
And I just well, there's no need for any murderers
there well, there's never a need of any murder. But
I just find it incredibly heartbreaking. Yeah, you killed this
poor little girl and in her mother, and then you
(22:55):
just you put the chain in a suitcase and just
throw throw it away and then and then somehow get
on with your life. I mean, because I mean that
his girlfriend, Hayle, I mean, she had like kids as well,
So I mean, you know, you must have had a
constant reminder of what he had done it. But I mean,
I think it was actually some evident that she actually
did help convict him his the partner. And because so
(23:16):
I don't, I don't. I don't think that.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
I was gonna say she did she know about it,
because if she was taking identity, I don't. I don't
think she knew that they were dead. I'm not one
hundred percent sure, But she didn't have any part in it,
so she was never conduct.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
But if she stole her identity, who was texting, well,
I think he was doing that, so he was like
obviously text he stuff. I think I think she only
used her identity to go and to get money out
of the bank, so I don't think like she didn't
have anything else to do with it. I think that's
the only time did she not get convicted of that
of id because all I know is that she helped
(23:54):
convict him of actually getting and done for it. So
I think maybe she got off with it before for that,
like she helped together she was aware of the entire situation.
I mean obviously yeah. Oh well yeah, so it's yeah,
not a nice not a nice one. It's never nice
when a child, say involved either, I mean, never nice
(24:15):
when anydy gets murdered. But a lot of two year
old girl that didn't even get a chance toliverly. Yeah.
So yeah, that's that's that today, that's my lot of swords.
So shall we get on to today's missing person?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Okay, So it's a man called David Huffman and he's
missing from leaving Worth, Kansas. He's been missing since Christmas
Eve twenty twenty one. He's sixty five, is five seventy
five foot eight. He weighs between one hundred and fifty
(24:51):
one hundred and seventy five pounds, is partially.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Gray hair, blue eyes.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
It was last David was last seen at the Greyhound
bus station in Kansas City, Missouri. David has medical issues
and needs medication. So if you have any information regarding
David's disappearance or if you know he's whereabouts, please call
the Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department at nine one three six
(25:21):
five one two two six zero or nine one three
six eight to double four, double one, or the KBI,
which is the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at seven eight
five two nine six four zero one seven.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
And as always, i'll.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
You know, put that on social media and I'll put
all the information in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
So thanks for listening, and don't forget. If you do
enjoy listening to us, please don't forget to subscribe, rate
and reviews.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Then don't don't. Don't do that, don't
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Don't then don't then
Hi, I'm Laura and Angel and this it's Craig Divers.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Hello everybody, Welcome to today's episode.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hello everyone, So our missing person is from Kansas this
week and we'll let you know the details at the
end of the episode. For now, we're going to get
into our case, which.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Is a lot of sode and what's it called is
called the Suitcase Killer.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Okay, I'm we're in the world, are we We are
in Australia.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
So are you ready to dive down under? I am
ready to dive down under? Okay, okay. So on the
twenty ninth of August twenty ten, a group of guys,
we're on a trail bike riding through a place called
Bilanglo State Forest which is in New South Wales, Australia.
(01:09):
They you know, we're obviously thrown their tracks and stuff
and they actually went off the trailer bit for some reason.
But this actually led them to a bit of area
and that they came to stop at. And what they
came across was some skeletal human remains in a suitcase.
No oh sorry, no it was not in the suitcase. Yeah,
(01:36):
So they came across these skeletal human remains. So of course,
they were like, oh my god, what hell. So, you know,
they phoned the police, so the polace came to the scene.
But when the police arrived, like, their first thought was
that it could have been the work of a serial
killer called Ivan Malat. It's also known as the backpacker killer. Yeah,
(01:59):
I heard of Iran, we heard of Vibran. Yeah, he
committed murders between nineteen eighteen nine and nineteen ninety three.
The bodies of seven missing young people had been partially
buried in Blango State Forest. So you know, they obviously thought, oh,
this could be work, yeah, because that was his area
(02:22):
when he had left seven bodies, so they thought, well,
maybe this was an eighth. But after forensic examinations took place,
it was found that the remains had been left there
many years after Ivan Malat was sent to jail. Because
he'd been sent to jail in nineteen ninety six. They
had obviously checked out the remains and realized they hadn't
been there as long as that basically, so they knew
(02:44):
that it wasn't actually the work of him. It was
just a complete coincidence that it was in the same area.
So the place, you know, they were, they were stumped
because you know, they couldn't actually identify the victim. They
knew the remains were female, so the place they appealed
for information, but they were unable to identify the women
(03:05):
and they actually nicknamed her angel As. That's what was
written on the top that the remains was found with
the clue that was there, So that's what they called
her because they didn't have a clue who she was.
But thankfully, you know, it's not in our Jaene case,
so we we do, you know, he identify identity sorry,
was eventually confirmed, but it wasn't until another case came
(03:28):
to light five years later. So five years later, so
she wasn't named for five years. Yeah, so what that
sort of Jane do? I suppose? But she wasn't she's
not still a gene. Yeah she was.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
It took five years for them, Yeah, identified because of
what you're about to tell you.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
So, I mean, if they hadn't come across this then
I don't know, maybe she wouldn't have been identified for
a longer period. I don't know, but fact, to be fair,
five years long enough to be identified. I mean it's
bad enough it's taken us long, and bad enough that
what I'm about to tell you eventually links you know,
the two cases together. So on the fifteenth of July
(04:08):
twenty fifteen, the remains of a young child, surrounded by
a girl's clothing were discovered by a passing passing motorists.
The motorist had spotted a suitcase. Oh so that's where
the suitcase is. Yes, this suitcase was abandoned at the
side of the Karunda Highway near Winarka in the Myray
(04:31):
Malay region of South Australia. Wow, I'm not sure even
pronounced that right, So apologies, have I got it wrong?
But yeah, I was sitting there just willing you on.
I was like, please say the tripe. But then it's
also you know, my ryan, So I hope I've pronounced
that right, So apologies if I haven't. So yeah. So and
(04:53):
then you know, and in that suitcase the remains of
a little girl. Fact, which yeah, sad. So from the beginning,
investigators believe the child had suffered a violent death several
years before. The remains had actually been dumped in the suitcase.
So they actually reckoned that you know, this little girl
had been dead.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Well yeah, but they hadn't. They hadn't got rid of
the remains. That they hadn't done that till late yeah years.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Later, basically, so soon after the discovery of the child remains,
place made a public appeal for information that could help
identify her. You know, there were items found with her
that they hoped would help identify her, including clothing and
a distinctive handmade quilt. So after more than one two
hundred calls to crime stoppers, one caller was actually able
(05:45):
to identify the quilt as one made by the child's grandmother,
who had died on twenty twelve. She'd had a daughter
and granddaughter that she believed were living between states when
we was settled, so positive I didification was achieved by
comparing DNA taken from the child's skeletal remains with DNA
(06:06):
retained from a neo natal heel prick test. So you know,
like when the kids are I don't know, obviously, when
they're like a couple of days old, they do like
a heel prick test, take bloods from it. Yeah, so
obviously they identified so a national DNA, So then they
(06:26):
done a national DNA search. But okay, so they had
taken to a DNA from skeletal remains. Then they then
done a national DNA search, which then linked the child's
remains to the unidentified remains that were found in the
Bilingo State forest. So that's how because basically they had
to put heard like the DNA from the child through
like the database, and they obviously must have taken DNA
(06:48):
from the skeletal found things, so then it must have
pringed up as a match. So that's when they realized
that there was a link there. Yeah, so you know
it was found it the remains were actually mother and daughter.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Well I was thinking that, but I didn't want to
dump the gun. There could have been other relations, I suppose,
but yeah, but I did think that. But then I
thought you might have showed it before, like jumping the gun. Yeah,
that's the good thing I do.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
Yeah, that's why I was like, can I shout you
for it? So that's why I was just keeping quiet. Wow,
your mother and daughter and daughter? Yeah, so you're kind
of like, how how has that happened?
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Like, how is the mother's remains obviously been found in
this forest and then were they killed at the same time.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm jumping the gun now and the gun Okay, you
are jumping the gun now, okay, I'll just be quiet.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Yes, please do so. On the twenty first of October
twenty fifteen, the remains of the women were identified as
twenty year old Carly Pierce Stephenson, and the remains of
the child were identified as her two year old Candies Pierce. Oh,
but she was actually non affectionate as Candles, which I
thought that was quite Oh. I thought you were gonna
say candy because I think it was because it was
(08:03):
out a documentary and it was her aunt as because
it or something, but some relations to her that that's
when they were like, yeah, she was called Candles. Oh
that's quite nice. Week. Yeah, probably name is Candle Laser.
So the last confirmed sightings of the mother and daughter
had actually been on the eighth of November two thousand
(08:25):
and eight, so they had actually been stopped by police
and actually and then they were stopped the second time
by place again for something else in December two thousand
and eight. So I mean, I think it was just
like they've been pulled over for so I can't remember
what it was, but you know, they're obviously been stopped
by the police a couple of times, so you kind
(08:45):
of you got don't do kind of thing about like
how have they gone unnoticed that they've obviously went missing,
But they were actually reported missing by Carly's mum on
the fourth of September two thousand and nine. It had
been believed that she had left her home and as
spring in two thousand and eight to look for work.
But I'm assuming that, like no one had actually been
able to get in contact with her, So that's why
(09:07):
she was reporting missing, because I mean, it sounds like
they knew that she had obviously she'd obviously intentionally left, yeah,
you know, to go and find work elsewhere for whatever reason,
but then nobody heard for it. Yeah it Yeah, I'm
sure nobody obviously heard for her. So that's why they
obviously decided to report and missing. So the missing but
the missing persons report was actually closed on the ninth
(09:28):
of October two thousand and nine after police reassured Carly's
mum that she was safe and well, but she didn't
want but she didn't want her family to contact her
at the time. But I don't understand how that's the case,
because you know, police actually believed that Carly was killed
in Bilanglo Forest on either the fourteenth or the fifteenth
(09:49):
December two thousand and eight. So I mean, that doesn't
make any sense because if she was reported missing in
two thousand and nine, but actually she was already dead
by this point, they believe Well, do.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
You think that at the time somebody and related like
something to do with the killer well, has been in
contact with the police.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Well, what I'm about to tell you, okay, I'm a
jumping the gun again. But but what I suppose, my
my bugbear with it is that if the police said
that she was fine and well, like, how did they
know that? Because it doesn't it doesn't say did they
actually see her in perst person. Was it just that
they contacted her through her phone or whatever? Because it
doesn't state to me what like how they actually contacted her. Well,
(10:35):
I'm assuming because I mean obviously didn't see her, because
if they're saying that she was already dead, they obviously
didn't actually see her.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah, I'm just thinking that they made up. They must
have maybe been a phone call of somebody claiming to
be her, I think.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
But then I'm thinking, well, is that is that acceptable
enough the police? Yeah, she's fine, but she doesn't want
to talk to you because that to me, doesn't prove anything.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Well it doesn't because you know, anybody can do that,
Like somebody could immord to somebody and said, oh, by
the way, i'm this person and I'm fine.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
I don't know that. I didn't really understand it. I
was like, well, why didn't the police actually go and
you know, see her in person to confirm that she
was because I mean, she's been reported, I must in person,
so you'd think that they would want to confirm that
that is Actually.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
Yeah, maybe they maybe somebody did just phone in and
they just took their word for it.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Is strange, but it does sound like that was the
case to me. So yeah, So I like I said
to you, the police believe that she was Carly was
killed in the Blanco Forest on the fourteen h fifty
December to this night, and that her daughter was killed
sometime later in a different location. Are having a pause.
(11:43):
I don't know why is because sometimes, like I started
talking about something that I've actually written down, and I'm like,
because I'm you know, because I I do obviously read
what I've written. I've written, so you may ask, how
could she be escaping? Well, and the night, I mean,
we've already had this, I want to have a discussion
I've written. So yeah, so I can't answer exactly as
(12:04):
I don't know how the police contacted her, but I
can't tell you that her identity had been stolen. Oh,
so it was made to look like she was still alive.
So that's what I'm thinking. Is that how the place is? Like?
Speaker 3 (12:19):
You know, so somebody stolen her identity and said to
the police right here.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
I am, well, I don't know, but I'm assuming that's
what's happened because their identity was actually stolen. So I'm
wondering if that's why the police thought that she was
still fine and well, So it was her identities. Don't
know who. Well, yeah, I'm just going to be Parently's
mobile phone was actually used until mid twenty eleven. Oh
(12:44):
so obviously after the police had told her family that
she was safe and well, there were actually was communication
between who they thought was Curtly, and there's communication via
text messages to give her family and friends impression that
she was alive and well and I'll so to appeal
for money. Her bank account was accessed into at least
twenty twelve and locations in four states and territories over
(13:08):
ninety thousand dollars was stolen through the account. Oh wow,
so the family did think that she was actually yeah,
I'm well, but nobody had physically seen her. They were
just spoken to her. They must have just been texting.
But then I'm like, do your family accept that? Like
would you think but if that was like saying, me
and you and I had like moved away, would you
accept just speaking to me through text message for four years?
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Well? No, but some people are like that mean me
and you are very close, So no, we would we
would FaceTime and yeah, I mean I say FaceTime, Well
we would for each other, Yeah, we would, so, but
depending on what sort of situation, what their family situations,
they might not be that close. So that might be
acceptable just to send messages to each other and not
(13:50):
think anything of it.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
But then I just think, you know, because obviously she's
got a you know, a young daughter as well.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
And I'm thinking you would think that they would want
to say.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
To see her or see pictures or whatever. I just
thought it was you know, I don't know whether you
would just accept that. I mean, you know, obviously they
must have it. Well, yeah, that they might not have
been that close. Yeah, I don't know, but anyway, so
within days of releasing the identities of the victims, police
reported that they had several suspects. So finally, on the
(14:21):
twenty eighth of October twenty fifteen, there was a breakthrough
and the place made an arrest. They arrested forty one
year old Daniel James Holdham. He had been in a
relationship with Carly. Police had alleged had allegedly traced a
signal from his mobile phone which put him at the
(14:41):
location of her remain where her remains were found in
Bilango Forest about the time of her death in December,
and he was found. He was at the time that
they you know, suspected them. He was found being a
relationship with a woman named Hazel pass More. And what
interesting about her is that she matched the description of
(15:04):
a female who had allegedly stolen Carly's identity after she
had been killed. So that so because there was a
there was a moment when she had went into a bank,
this Hazel pass War and the descript but she had
obviously pretended to be Carly to access her bank accounts.
(15:25):
But obviously the police must have obviously realized that you know,
and saw the description of her, but it was actually
like this Hazel past more than it was she was
trying to benge. Was quite easy to identify it because
she actually had one leg. So obviously that's when they
knew that she wasn't obviously Carly. Yeah, So Daniel James
(15:51):
Holdham was charged with Carly's murder, and on the fifteen
the December twenty fifteen, hold Them was arrested again for
the murder of Candy Lace Pierce the door candles, candles. Yeah,
because that's nice, that's cute.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Yeah yeah, so, oh god, we're having a sorry listeners,
Laurel just has to try and read her own write
in or so I figured out where she is.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
You're right, Yes, I'm good. I do it all the time.
Sometimes I wish I should like proof read what and
then then see by made any mistakes and wereline So
like I said to you, before they thought that Candles
had been you know, she'd been subjected to a violent death,
so investigators alleged that she was murdered a few days
(16:40):
after Carly. Police said it was fortunate that hold Him
was already in custody, as it allowed them to conduct
a thorough and comprehensive investigation because where mind, he was
already in custody for the murder of Carly when he
was charged for the murder of Candles, but it was
charged and then he was refused bettle, so that was good.
So her trial was set for the twenty eighth of
(17:02):
January twenty sixteen, but it was actually a journ until
March as the police and prosecutors were still colleating the
brief of evidence and only about one third of it
had been provided to the defense of lawyers. So again
it was adjourned in until September twenty sixteen to at
least not again adjourned in sixteen to at least November,
(17:24):
and again to allow more evidence to be clayed. And
to me, it almost sounds like they were sort of
rushing it and then realizing they weren't actually fully prepared
for it. Yeah, they should have like kind of give
themselves enough time. It just seems to have happened all
very quick, but they clearly didn't have all the evidence
that they needed to actually, you know, go through a
proper trial, So I can understand why it was obviously, yeah,
(17:46):
kept it back, but it just seems silly to set
all these dates in the first place when actually you
know that you're not ready for it. So eventually the
following year, in August twenty seventeen, there was a committal hearing. Yeah,
it was a committal hearing first, so you know, that's
(18:07):
when we finally started to hear some of the details
of what happened to Carly and her. I don't know
if I told you that Candles was only two years old.
Yea to your door. So it was alleged that hold
Um told someone that he had stepped on Carly's throat
and you know, raped, raped her with a ball and
(18:31):
they said stepped on carlssol which crushed her windpipe. Her
cause of death was recorded as a broken neck. It's
probably likely that that's actually what happened to her, and
then her body was buried in the Blacko Forest. It
was also alleged that he stopped at a supermarket and
bought duct tape and rubbish backs before he suffocated Candles. Yeah,
(18:55):
and a and I mot tell sorry, that's where they
think that she'd been murdered. And he then stuffed her
body and a suitcase and dumped it in Whinarka where
it remained for nearly seven years, so so so actually
her body and the suitcase had been like abandoned for
(19:16):
seven years, which is just I think that that was
the case. They just tossed it away like that's horrible,
Like she didn't matter. So I just wonder whether they
thought maybe he'd actually got away with that, because I
mean that was seven years. Yeah, basically you would think
after all that time, you'd be thinking that you got
(19:37):
away with it. Yeah, exactly, because I mean obviously he,
you know, was in this relationship with this Hazel after that,
and you know, she was pretending to be Karly points By,
you know, pretending you know, to get money and stuff
like that, because obviously they were pretending that she was
still alive and stuff. So they obviously thought that they
got away with that. Yeah, And if it hadn't been
for the the you know, these bikers that were in
(19:58):
the woods and then obviously the when that found the suitcase,
you know, you might have kind of think we were
going to get away with it. But thankfully, you know,
that they were found for so that justice could be done.
So eventually, you know, in the case, you know, went
to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in December
twenty seventeen, and the trial was expected to take threety
(20:20):
six months when it would eventually start in August twenty eighteen.
But just before the trial began, Holding played the guilty
to the murders so he didn't have to face a jury.
His sentence and was set for the night of November,
where he faced two life sentences, and the brutality of
the murders were publicly released after he had played guilty.
So before that, like nobody really had heard much about them,
(20:42):
but once he played guilty, all the details got released
about it, and it turned out the whole them also
had a prior history of violence against women and an
interest of sexual violence towards children. Oh so a police
she given to the court cited evidence of a sexual
motive to the murder of Candles, so I think he
might have six oh no assault done as well before
(21:05):
before killing her, which is obviously awful. And Carly's father,
Bruce Pearce, he gave a written statement during the sentence
and expressing his desire for a death sentence against hold Him. However,
New South Wales had abolished the death penalty for murder
in nineteen fifty five, so he didn't get, yeah, a
(21:26):
death sentence, Yeah, make theme suffer exactly. But on the
November in twenty eighteen, hold Him was sentenced to two
consecutive life sentences without parole for the murder of Carlie
Pierce Stevenson and Candy Ley's candles. So quite fucking right.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
I mean, yeah, And the thing is, I don't even
know why why, like what there doesn't seem to be
at this doesn't seem to be a motive why.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
You know they were killed in the first place. You know,
there was no I couldn't seem to finding reasons of what.
Some people just don't have a reason.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
You might have just lost his temper or just wanted
to kill somebody or exactly.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
And then obviously, I'm assuming you're because he'd killed Carly.
You must have just panicked and thinking I can't have
like a two year old child running around well without
so he obviously had to kill her as well, which
is just heartbreaking. In and stuff in our body in
the suitcase.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
I mean, he could have like obviously wasn't going to
bring that child up, but he could have like took
her somewhere, like took her to hospital or you know,
and just sort of left her. But it shouldn't have
killed her mother in the first place, like.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
But you know exactly, I mean, there was just no
there was just it was just it was just a senseless,
senseless killing. There was no way, no need for it whatsoever.
And I just well, there's no need for any murderers
there well, there's never a need of any murder. But
I just find it incredibly heartbreaking. Yeah, you killed this
poor little girl and in her mother, and then you
(22:55):
just you put the chain in a suitcase and just
throw throw it away and then and then somehow get
on with your life. I mean, because I mean that
his girlfriend, Hayle, I mean, she had like kids as well,
So I mean, you know, you must have had a
constant reminder of what he had done it. But I mean,
I think it was actually some evident that she actually
did help convict him his the partner. And because so
(23:16):
I don't, I don't. I don't think that.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
I was gonna say she did she know about it,
because if she was taking identity, I don't. I don't
think she knew that they were dead. I'm not one
hundred percent sure, But she didn't have any part in it,
so she was never conduct.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
But if she stole her identity, who was texting, well,
I think he was doing that, so he was like
obviously text he stuff. I think I think she only
used her identity to go and to get money out
of the bank, so I don't think like she didn't
have anything else to do with it. I think that's
the only time did she not get convicted of that
of id because all I know is that she helped
(23:54):
convict him of actually getting and done for it. So
I think maybe she got off with it before for that,
like she helped together she was aware of the entire situation.
I mean obviously yeah. Oh well yeah, so it's yeah,
not a nice not a nice one. It's never nice
when a child, say involved either, I mean, never nice
(24:15):
when anydy gets murdered. But a lot of two year
old girl that didn't even get a chance toliverly. Yeah.
So yeah, that's that's that today, that's my lot of swords.
So shall we get on to today's missing person?
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Okay, So it's a man called David Huffman and he's
missing from leaving Worth, Kansas. He's been missing since Christmas
Eve twenty twenty one. He's sixty five, is five seventy
five foot eight. He weighs between one hundred and fifty
(24:51):
one hundred and seventy five pounds, is partially.
Speaker 2 (24:55):
Gray hair, blue eyes.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
It was last David was last seen at the Greyhound
bus station in Kansas City, Missouri. David has medical issues
and needs medication. So if you have any information regarding
David's disappearance or if you know he's whereabouts, please call
the Leavenworth, Kansas Police Department at nine one three six
(25:21):
five one two two six zero or nine one three
six eight to double four, double one, or the KBI,
which is the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at seven eight
five two nine six four zero one seven.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
And as always, i'll.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
You know, put that on social media and I'll put
all the information in the show notes.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
So thanks for listening, and don't forget. If you do
enjoy listening to us, please don't forget to subscribe, rate
and reviews.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Then don't don't. Don't do that, don't
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Don't then don't then
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