February 28, 2023 • 11 mins
29-year-old Mariela Vargas-Brown was shot in Tacoma, Washington, on April 6, 2021. If you have any information to help solve this cold case, don't hesitate to contact 1-800-222-TIPS or use the Crime Stoppers P3 tips app on your smartphone.
Sources:
Music by:
Musictown
Bonus Ice Cold Case
Do you know what happened to Johanna Weaver in 1995 in Indianapolis, Indiana?
If you have any information on who murdered Joanna, please contact the Indiana State Police at (317) 899-8577 or 1-(800) 582-8440.
Sources:
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Springtime in Tacoma, Washington is known to be cold, but not too cold to stay inside.
(00:09):
On the night of April 6, 2021, it was nice out, a little chilly.
When 29-year-old Mariela Vargas-Brown, also known as Mari, was found shot to death.
I'm Jennifer Blades, and this is the Unanswered Podcast.
And two, cold as ice.
(00:41):
Mari was born on October 19, 1991, in Escondido, California, a city in San Diego County.
She was a loving sister with a smile that would light up a room.
Mari had two cheek piercings that snuggled in her dimples.
And from the many pictures posted on social media, you can tell she was fun and had a passion for life.
(01:02):
I spoke with a source close to Mari, and they described Mari as someone who would walk into a bar and come out knowing your name.
They said she was a good person, hard-headed and witty.
She was serious about her education and loved children, so much so that she was a phlebotomist that worked with them.
The date was April 6, 2021.
(01:23):
It was a Tuesday.
We were a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and people were getting restless and tired of being cooped up at home.
That evening, Mari and her boyfriend decided to take a drive to the Rustin Wave Waterfront.
This coastal road is paved with walking trails and scenic views of the South Puget Sound,
with mountain range near to the west and the Olympic mountain range to the east.
(01:47):
It's a popular place to grab a bowl of chowder or just take in the beautiful scenery.
Around 10.30 PM, as Mari and her boyfriend were sitting in her car with Mari in the driver's seat, shots were fired.
911 received calls of a reported shooting in the 4300 block of Rustin Way.
(02:09):
When officers arrived, they found Mari on the ground next to her vehicle, which had crashed into a pole.
Sadly, Mari was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.
And this is where her case seems to end.
There was very little media coverage surrounding her murder, and the police have been pretty tight-lipped.
(02:33):
Something just doesn't seem right to me.
If you're a person into true crime, let's just say Mari's case doesn't pass the smell test.
Now, I want to be very clear with what I'm about to say.
I don't know Mari's boyfriend, and I don't know what truly happened that night.
But I've got so many questions.
(02:55):
Questions that I would expect the police to have answers to.
You know, standard ones like, were there any witnesses, any video footage of the area from that night?
Did they test her boyfriend's hands and clothing for gunshot residue?
Now, I don't want to accuse the police of not doing their job.
But come on, the fact that the police didn't do more press or publicly give any tangible details to what happened that night seems a little off to me.
(03:21):
And here's something that struck me as very strange.
Mari's gunshot wound was to the back of the left side of her head.
But Fox 13 did a news story where they showed Mari's car, and I didn't see any glass on the ground.
Which I would expect to see because, as I said, it was cold that night.
But maybe, just maybe, she had her window down.
(03:45):
But then I start to wonder, what direction did the bullet come from?
Did police find any shell casings?
And if so, where?
Mari's mother told Fox 13 News, quote,
All I know is my daughter was down at the waterfront with her boyfriend.
Shots ring out, and she was hit by a stray bullet, end quote.
(04:09):
I wonder what her boyfriend has to say about all this.
To my knowledge, she hasn't made a public statement or plead for answers.
Was it truly a stray bullet?
Was the bullet intended for her boyfriend?
Or was her boyfriend the shooter?
I did reach out to the Tacoma Public Records Office for more information.
(04:29):
And they stated information would not be shared because Mari's case is part of an active investigation.
I also emailed the Tacoma Police Department with a series of questions.
But to no surprise, they never responded.
I'm curious if the police have been in touch with a family.
And how active is this case?
(04:50):
Or the bigger question is, was it ever a priority for them?
I know that the police are extremely busy.
But what bothers me is, let's just say that this was a random shooting.
Police weren't urging the public for more information from that night,
or to be cautious when at the waterfront.
And we're just supposed to be okay with bullets flying around in public places?
(05:14):
I mean, did they up the police presence?
Again, so many questions.
I'm not the only one who has some doubts.
One blog poster stated, quote,
My intuition tells me it wasn't a stray bullet.
Someone was in their feelings and acted violently without thinking, end quote.
(05:34):
Another person said, quote,
I can't help myself, but this does not sound like a stranger did this to me.
But nonetheless, whoever did this is evil and needs to rot in hell.
End quote.
Someone else said, quote,
I truly think her boyfriend did it.
My intuition was screaming even before I knew he was there,
(05:56):
or that she was meeting him.
I don't even know them either, end quote.
I hope this case gets solved and soon.
There's so many unanswered questions.
And with the police not willing to publicly share any information,
I don't know how they're going to get this case solved.
When I was searching for unsolved cold cases,
(06:20):
Mari has just really stood out to me.
Something about her pictures made me feel connected to her.
I can't explain it, but I really hope that her family gets the answers that they deserve.
And the person that so selfishly took Mari away from the people that love her
and the world needs to be behind bars where they belong.
If you have any information on the senseless murder of Mari Varkas Brown,
(06:46):
please contact the Tacoma Police Department.
Or if you would like to stay anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
That's 1-800-222-8477.
You can remain 100% anonymous through Crime Stoppers.
And your tip can result in up to $1,000 cash reward.
(07:10):
You can also download the Crime Stopper P3TIPS app on your smartphone.
I feel like Mari's case can absolutely be solved.
Her family deserves to know the truth about what happened to her.
And they, along with Mari, need justice.
It's time to do the right thing.
It's time to make some noise.
(07:30):
It's time to make sure this case doesn't stay cold for much longer.
Thank you for listening.
Up next, this week's Ice Cold Bonus Case.
This week's Ice Cold Case took place in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(07:54):
It was a little past 8 a.m. on July 13, 1995,
when a contract mowing crew from the Indiana Department of Transportation
was cutting grass in the median near 13th and Lewis Street,
when they spotted a body concealed under branches and debris.
Sadly, that body belonged to 29-year-old mother Joanna Weaver.
(08:16):
Joanna had been stabbed and burned, and her body was badly decomposed
to the point that it took forensic examiners a week to identify her.
According to sources, Joanna was a mother of two
and had been addicted to crack cocaine,
and had resorted to prostitution to pay for her drug addiction.
(08:38):
I only bring this up because this information might spark some clues for
someone. This is in no way a shame or judgment
towards Joanna. Substance abuse disorder is a daily
battle for many. Joanna would frequently drop her
children off at her mother's so that she could watch them.
Joanna left on a Friday night and was scheduled to pick them back up on Sunday.
(09:01):
Her mother began to worry when she didn't show.
Her mother had to work and had to make arrangements for someone to watch the
children. During the week, Joanna did make contact
with her mother by leaving her several voicemails.
Although hearing from Joanna eased her mother's worries a bit,
she did notice that her tone and her timing seemed off.
(09:23):
But this didn't feel like enough to contact the police.
Joanna's mother was watching the news when she saw the report
about a body being found near the I-70 and I-65 split downtown.
On July 21st 1995, she was notified that that body
was her daughter. Indiana State Police Sergeant
(09:44):
Jeff Coffey stated that he believes that Joanna was last seen
on July 8th, near 17th and Park Street, just north of downtown, with an
unidentified man. It was believed that this area is where
Joanna would sometimes pick up clients or get drugs.
That would leave four days where Joanna was unaccounted for.
(10:06):
When Joanna's body was found, she was wearing a black,
red and white checkered dress. She was five eight and weighed 130 pounds.
If you have any information to help solve this cold case,
please call the Indiana State Police at 317-899-8577.
(10:27):
Or 1-800-582-8440. Thank you for listening.
Don't forget to rate the show and tell a friend. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook
and TikTok at The Unanswered Podcast for updates and more information from
(10:50):
today's show. If you have a case suggestion, go to
theunansweredpodcast.com to submit your request.
Join us every Tuesday for a new episode. Until next time,
stay safe.
Springtime in Tacoma, Washington is known to be cold, but not too cold to stay inside.
(00:09):
On the night of April 6, 2021, it was nice out, a little chilly.
When 29-year-old Mariela Vargas-Brown, also known as Mari, was found shot to death.
I'm Jennifer Blades, and this is the Unanswered Podcast.
And two, cold as ice.
(00:41):
Mari was born on October 19, 1991, in Escondido, California, a city in San Diego County.
She was a loving sister with a smile that would light up a room.
Mari had two cheek piercings that snuggled in her dimples.
And from the many pictures posted on social media, you can tell she was fun and had a passion for life.
(01:02):
I spoke with a source close to Mari, and they described Mari as someone who would walk into a bar and come out knowing your name.
They said she was a good person, hard-headed and witty.
She was serious about her education and loved children, so much so that she was a phlebotomist that worked with them.
The date was April 6, 2021.
(01:23):
It was a Tuesday.
We were a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and people were getting restless and tired of being cooped up at home.
That evening, Mari and her boyfriend decided to take a drive to the Rustin Wave Waterfront.
This coastal road is paved with walking trails and scenic views of the South Puget Sound,
with mountain range near to the west and the Olympic mountain range to the east.
(01:47):
It's a popular place to grab a bowl of chowder or just take in the beautiful scenery.
Around 10.30 PM, as Mari and her boyfriend were sitting in her car with Mari in the driver's seat, shots were fired.
911 received calls of a reported shooting in the 4300 block of Rustin Way.
(02:09):
When officers arrived, they found Mari on the ground next to her vehicle, which had crashed into a pole.
Sadly, Mari was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.
And this is where her case seems to end.
There was very little media coverage surrounding her murder, and the police have been pretty tight-lipped.
(02:33):
Something just doesn't seem right to me.
If you're a person into true crime, let's just say Mari's case doesn't pass the smell test.
Now, I want to be very clear with what I'm about to say.
I don't know Mari's boyfriend, and I don't know what truly happened that night.
But I've got so many questions.
(02:55):
Questions that I would expect the police to have answers to.
You know, standard ones like, were there any witnesses, any video footage of the area from that night?
Did they test her boyfriend's hands and clothing for gunshot residue?
Now, I don't want to accuse the police of not doing their job.
But come on, the fact that the police didn't do more press or publicly give any tangible details to what happened that night seems a little off to me.
(03:21):
And here's something that struck me as very strange.
Mari's gunshot wound was to the back of the left side of her head.
But Fox 13 did a news story where they showed Mari's car, and I didn't see any glass on the ground.
Which I would expect to see because, as I said, it was cold that night.
But maybe, just maybe, she had her window down.
(03:45):
But then I start to wonder, what direction did the bullet come from?
Did police find any shell casings?
And if so, where?
Mari's mother told Fox 13 News, quote,
All I know is my daughter was down at the waterfront with her boyfriend.
Shots ring out, and she was hit by a stray bullet, end quote.
(04:09):
I wonder what her boyfriend has to say about all this.
To my knowledge, she hasn't made a public statement or plead for answers.
Was it truly a stray bullet?
Was the bullet intended for her boyfriend?
Or was her boyfriend the shooter?
I did reach out to the Tacoma Public Records Office for more information.
(04:29):
And they stated information would not be shared because Mari's case is part of an active investigation.
I also emailed the Tacoma Police Department with a series of questions.
But to no surprise, they never responded.
I'm curious if the police have been in touch with a family.
And how active is this case?
(04:50):
Or the bigger question is, was it ever a priority for them?
I know that the police are extremely busy.
But what bothers me is, let's just say that this was a random shooting.
Police weren't urging the public for more information from that night,
or to be cautious when at the waterfront.
And we're just supposed to be okay with bullets flying around in public places?
(05:14):
I mean, did they up the police presence?
Again, so many questions.
I'm not the only one who has some doubts.
One blog poster stated, quote,
My intuition tells me it wasn't a stray bullet.
Someone was in their feelings and acted violently without thinking, end quote.
(05:34):
Another person said, quote,
I can't help myself, but this does not sound like a stranger did this to me.
But nonetheless, whoever did this is evil and needs to rot in hell.
End quote.
Someone else said, quote,
I truly think her boyfriend did it.
My intuition was screaming even before I knew he was there,
(05:56):
or that she was meeting him.
I don't even know them either, end quote.
I hope this case gets solved and soon.
There's so many unanswered questions.
And with the police not willing to publicly share any information,
I don't know how they're going to get this case solved.
When I was searching for unsolved cold cases,
(06:20):
Mari has just really stood out to me.
Something about her pictures made me feel connected to her.
I can't explain it, but I really hope that her family gets the answers that they deserve.
And the person that so selfishly took Mari away from the people that love her
and the world needs to be behind bars where they belong.
If you have any information on the senseless murder of Mari Varkas Brown,
(06:46):
please contact the Tacoma Police Department.
Or if you would like to stay anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
That's 1-800-222-8477.
You can remain 100% anonymous through Crime Stoppers.
And your tip can result in up to $1,000 cash reward.
(07:10):
You can also download the Crime Stopper P3TIPS app on your smartphone.
I feel like Mari's case can absolutely be solved.
Her family deserves to know the truth about what happened to her.
And they, along with Mari, need justice.
It's time to do the right thing.
It's time to make some noise.
(07:30):
It's time to make sure this case doesn't stay cold for much longer.
Thank you for listening.
Up next, this week's Ice Cold Bonus Case.
This week's Ice Cold Case took place in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(07:54):
It was a little past 8 a.m. on July 13, 1995,
when a contract mowing crew from the Indiana Department of Transportation
was cutting grass in the median near 13th and Lewis Street,
when they spotted a body concealed under branches and debris.
Sadly, that body belonged to 29-year-old mother Joanna Weaver.
(08:16):
Joanna had been stabbed and burned, and her body was badly decomposed
to the point that it took forensic examiners a week to identify her.
According to sources, Joanna was a mother of two
and had been addicted to crack cocaine,
and had resorted to prostitution to pay for her drug addiction.
(08:38):
I only bring this up because this information might spark some clues for
someone. This is in no way a shame or judgment
towards Joanna. Substance abuse disorder is a daily
battle for many. Joanna would frequently drop her
children off at her mother's so that she could watch them.
Joanna left on a Friday night and was scheduled to pick them back up on Sunday.
(09:01):
Her mother began to worry when she didn't show.
Her mother had to work and had to make arrangements for someone to watch the
children. During the week, Joanna did make contact
with her mother by leaving her several voicemails.
Although hearing from Joanna eased her mother's worries a bit,
she did notice that her tone and her timing seemed off.
(09:23):
But this didn't feel like enough to contact the police.
Joanna's mother was watching the news when she saw the report
about a body being found near the I-70 and I-65 split downtown.
On July 21st 1995, she was notified that that body
was her daughter. Indiana State Police Sergeant
(09:44):
Jeff Coffey stated that he believes that Joanna was last seen
on July 8th, near 17th and Park Street, just north of downtown, with an
unidentified man. It was believed that this area is where
Joanna would sometimes pick up clients or get drugs.
That would leave four days where Joanna was unaccounted for.
(10:06):
When Joanna's body was found, she was wearing a black,
red and white checkered dress. She was five eight and weighed 130 pounds.
If you have any information to help solve this cold case,
please call the Indiana State Police at 317-899-8577.
(10:27):
Or 1-800-582-8440. Thank you for listening.
Don't forget to rate the show and tell a friend. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook
and TikTok at The Unanswered Podcast for updates and more information from
(10:50):
today's show. If you have a case suggestion, go to
theunansweredpodcast.com to submit your request.
Join us every Tuesday for a new episode. Until next time,
stay safe.
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