September 10, 2025 • 8 mins
When Katlyn Harp stopped answering calls, her sister knew something was wrong. But her husband, Vincent “Vinny” Harp, told police she just needed “a break.”
Days later, searchers followed a trail to a remote wooded property tied to Vincent. What they found there would finally answer the question everyone had been asking: where was Katlyn?
In today's episode, we tell you about the case of Katlyn Harp—the lies, the cover-up, and the moment investigators uncovered the truth.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Days later, searchers followed a trail to a remote wooded property tied to Vincent. What they found there would finally answer the question everyone had been asking: where was Katlyn?
In today's episode, we tell you about the case of Katlyn Harp—the lies, the cover-up, and the moment investigators uncovered the truth.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
The last time anyone saw thirty three year old Catlyn
Half alive was around nine pm on June nineteenth, twenty
twenty five, at her home on Fairview Drive in Hemlock Township, Pennsylvania.
The next day, her sister, Heather Lane, grew worried Catlin
wasn't answering calls, which was unlike her and her life
(00:23):
three p sixty app had stopped updating the night before.
Heather called police and requested a welfare check, officially setting
the investigation in motion.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to Love and Murder Heartbreak to Homicide were Kai's
Ai co hosts here to bring you another midweek mini
case that Chai wrote, Take a break, settle in, and
listen with us all the way to the end. If
you like our retelling, be sure to sign up on
whatever platform you're listening on. You can also sign up
on the Patreon for free, where you do get some
(00:55):
benefits Patreon dot com slash Love and Murder. But remember
this podcast is completely listener funded, which means it exists
because of you are lambs. When you join us on
Patreon using the bonus tiers, you're helping keep these cases
alive and giving victims a Voice. As a member, you'll
get ad free episodes, bonus cases, behind the scenes extras,
(01:18):
and more. In our last bonus episode, we covered the
mysterious disappearance of Lauren Demolo, a case full of unanswered
questions and haunting details. To hear this bonus and more,
join using the bonus tiers that are five dollars a
month and above patreon dot com slash love and Murder. Now,
let's get back to your midweek mini. Before we get started,
(01:39):
I want to say that this case is still ongoing,
so everything retold here is alleged.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
When police questioned Catlin's husband, thirty seven year old Vincent
Vinnie Harp, he told them that they had argued after
dinner on June nineteenth, but when he woke up the
next morning, she was gone. He claimed. Catlin had left
ashore text message saying she needed a break, that friends
were coming to pick her up, and as a final text,
(02:05):
she said quote, please don't destroy my stuff. I need
my space to get out my head. From the beginning,
police weren't convinced that the messages were even written by Catlin.
Then days later, on June twenty fifth, Vincent released a
public statement insisting he had nothing to do with her
disappearance and was desperate to find her. As the search intensified,
(02:29):
Pennsylvania State Police brought in aviation units K nine's drones
ATVs and sert teams to scour the area. Investigators also
found out that Vincent's account of his movements before, during,
and after Catlin's disappearance was full of inconsistencies. While the
case against Vincent was building, Catlin's family spoke of who
(02:53):
she really was outside the tragedy. Her sister, Heather, described
her as loving and resilient. Friends remembered her humor, her
fierce loyalty, and her ability to light up a room
for her family. Catlin was not just the subject of
an investigation, but a daughter, a sister, and a loved
one who should have been safe in her own home.
(03:16):
As suspicion around Vincent grew, more troubling details about his
past came forward. In twenty eighteen, court records showed allegations
of domestic violence involving his ex wife, Stephanie Harp, who
died in twenty twenty one. He had also faced charges
for terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, simple assault, and harassment. It
(03:40):
painted the picture of a man with a volatile and
violent past, adding weight to suspicions about Catlyn's disappearance. By
June twentieth, the day after Catlyn vanished, police were already
tracking Vincent's movements. That morning, his phone records placed him
on a remote mountain road where his GMC yukon had
got and stuck in the mud, leaving drag marks into
(04:02):
the woods. When questioned, Vincent couldn't give a reason for
being there. Later the same day, surveillance footage caught him
driving his silver Chevy Silverado with a large green metal
box in the bed of his truck. He also stopped
at a gas station asking an employee if they sold gloves.
(04:23):
When told no, he asked them for a pair from
the store's personal stock, put them in his pocket, and
drove away. On June twenty fifth, investigators got another break.
An ATV that Vincent had sold just the day before
was turned over to state police and tested positive for
human blood. On the afternoon of June twenty ninth, Heather
(04:46):
Lane and her search party guided police to a rural
property on Harp Lane in montur Township thirty eight wooded
acres that Vincent had previously owned before selling it. In
twenty twenty three, at the base of a steep embankment,
investigators found the same green metal storage box that had
been seen in the back of Vincent's truck. The box
(05:09):
reeked of decomposition. Inside they found human remains identified as
Catlin's due to a distinctive tattoo she had. At three
point fifteen pm that Sunday, Columbia County Coroner Jeremy Reese
pronounced her dead. He described her body as being in
an advanced state of decomposition, consistent with having been inside
(05:31):
the box for over a week. While no obvious gunshot,
wounds or trauma were found, Coroner Reese said that, based
on the totality of evidence, the manner of death was
classified as homicide. That same day, Vincent was arrested in
Hazleton and charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse,
(05:52):
and tampering with evidence. He was denied bail and transferred
to the Columbia County Correctional Facility. On July twe t
Vincent's preliminary hearings started and only lasted two and a
half hours. The defense tried to reframe the case. Vincent
now claimed that he and Catlin had been inhaling nitrous
(06:12):
oxide together when she died from an accidental overdose. A
state trooper also testified that Vincent had admitted that his
first story was a lie.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I made up a story that she left on her own.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Leaving court, Vincent repeated his version to.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Reporters it's all about drugs.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
But the prosecution argued otherwise, laying out a trail of
evidence that told a much different story. The shifting alibis
the surveillance footage, the blood on the ATV, the incriminating
cell phone data, and finally the discovery of Catlin's body
in the green box on Vincent's former property. This all
(06:50):
told the court that this was a calculated and cold
attempt to cover up a crime. Then Coroner Reese testified.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I classified her death as a homicide based on the
totality of the evidence. A drug overdose can still be
a homicide.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
The judge ruled that there was enough evidence to move
forward to trial. Catlin's grieving family sat silently in the
courtroom as the ruling was handed down. While the exact
cause of Catlin's death remains undetesting what began with a
suspicious text and an implausible story ended with a body
in a locked box in the woods. Now all that
(07:27):
remains is the pursuit of justice.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
KAI will keep this case under review to see if
the trial and sentencing will be made public. In the meantime,
let us know your thoughts on this case.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Do you think Vincent killed her or was it all
about the drugs like he said?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Put your answer in the comments below.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And that's all for this midweek mini. If you want more,
don't forget to join us on Patreon at patreon dot
com slash Love and Murder. You'll get bonus episodes, add
free listening and extras you won't hear anywhere else. Thanks
for listen, thanks for your support, and we'll see you
in the next episode.
The last time anyone saw thirty three year old Catlyn
Half alive was around nine pm on June nineteenth, twenty
twenty five, at her home on Fairview Drive in Hemlock Township, Pennsylvania.
The next day, her sister, Heather Lane, grew worried Catlin
wasn't answering calls, which was unlike her and her life
(00:23):
three p sixty app had stopped updating the night before.
Heather called police and requested a welfare check, officially setting
the investigation in motion.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to Love and Murder Heartbreak to Homicide were Kai's
Ai co hosts here to bring you another midweek mini
case that Chai wrote, Take a break, settle in, and
listen with us all the way to the end. If
you like our retelling, be sure to sign up on
whatever platform you're listening on. You can also sign up
on the Patreon for free, where you do get some
(00:55):
benefits Patreon dot com slash Love and Murder. But remember
this podcast is completely listener funded, which means it exists
because of you are lambs. When you join us on
Patreon using the bonus tiers, you're helping keep these cases
alive and giving victims a Voice. As a member, you'll
get ad free episodes, bonus cases, behind the scenes extras,
(01:18):
and more. In our last bonus episode, we covered the
mysterious disappearance of Lauren Demolo, a case full of unanswered
questions and haunting details. To hear this bonus and more,
join using the bonus tiers that are five dollars a
month and above patreon dot com slash love and Murder. Now,
let's get back to your midweek mini. Before we get started,
(01:39):
I want to say that this case is still ongoing,
so everything retold here is alleged.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
When police questioned Catlin's husband, thirty seven year old Vincent
Vinnie Harp, he told them that they had argued after
dinner on June nineteenth, but when he woke up the
next morning, she was gone. He claimed. Catlin had left
ashore text message saying she needed a break, that friends
were coming to pick her up, and as a final text,
(02:05):
she said quote, please don't destroy my stuff. I need
my space to get out my head. From the beginning,
police weren't convinced that the messages were even written by Catlin.
Then days later, on June twenty fifth, Vincent released a
public statement insisting he had nothing to do with her
disappearance and was desperate to find her. As the search intensified,
(02:29):
Pennsylvania State Police brought in aviation units K nine's drones
ATVs and sert teams to scour the area. Investigators also
found out that Vincent's account of his movements before, during,
and after Catlin's disappearance was full of inconsistencies. While the
case against Vincent was building, Catlin's family spoke of who
(02:53):
she really was outside the tragedy. Her sister, Heather, described
her as loving and resilient. Friends remembered her humor, her
fierce loyalty, and her ability to light up a room
for her family. Catlin was not just the subject of
an investigation, but a daughter, a sister, and a loved
one who should have been safe in her own home.
(03:16):
As suspicion around Vincent grew, more troubling details about his
past came forward. In twenty eighteen, court records showed allegations
of domestic violence involving his ex wife, Stephanie Harp, who
died in twenty twenty one. He had also faced charges
for terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, simple assault, and harassment. It
(03:40):
painted the picture of a man with a volatile and
violent past, adding weight to suspicions about Catlyn's disappearance. By
June twentieth, the day after Catlyn vanished, police were already
tracking Vincent's movements. That morning, his phone records placed him
on a remote mountain road where his GMC yukon had
got and stuck in the mud, leaving drag marks into
(04:02):
the woods. When questioned, Vincent couldn't give a reason for
being there. Later the same day, surveillance footage caught him
driving his silver Chevy Silverado with a large green metal
box in the bed of his truck. He also stopped
at a gas station asking an employee if they sold gloves.
(04:23):
When told no, he asked them for a pair from
the store's personal stock, put them in his pocket, and
drove away. On June twenty fifth, investigators got another break.
An ATV that Vincent had sold just the day before
was turned over to state police and tested positive for
human blood. On the afternoon of June twenty ninth, Heather
(04:46):
Lane and her search party guided police to a rural
property on Harp Lane in montur Township thirty eight wooded
acres that Vincent had previously owned before selling it. In
twenty twenty three, at the base of a steep embankment,
investigators found the same green metal storage box that had
been seen in the back of Vincent's truck. The box
(05:09):
reeked of decomposition. Inside they found human remains identified as
Catlin's due to a distinctive tattoo she had. At three
point fifteen pm that Sunday, Columbia County Coroner Jeremy Reese
pronounced her dead. He described her body as being in
an advanced state of decomposition, consistent with having been inside
(05:31):
the box for over a week. While no obvious gunshot,
wounds or trauma were found, Coroner Reese said that, based
on the totality of evidence, the manner of death was
classified as homicide. That same day, Vincent was arrested in
Hazleton and charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse,
(05:52):
and tampering with evidence. He was denied bail and transferred
to the Columbia County Correctional Facility. On July twe t
Vincent's preliminary hearings started and only lasted two and a
half hours. The defense tried to reframe the case. Vincent
now claimed that he and Catlin had been inhaling nitrous
(06:12):
oxide together when she died from an accidental overdose. A
state trooper also testified that Vincent had admitted that his
first story was a lie.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
I made up a story that she left on her own.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Leaving court, Vincent repeated his version to.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Reporters it's all about drugs.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
But the prosecution argued otherwise, laying out a trail of
evidence that told a much different story. The shifting alibis
the surveillance footage, the blood on the ATV, the incriminating
cell phone data, and finally the discovery of Catlin's body
in the green box on Vincent's former property. This all
(06:50):
told the court that this was a calculated and cold
attempt to cover up a crime. Then Coroner Reese testified.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I classified her death as a homicide based on the
totality of the evidence. A drug overdose can still be
a homicide.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
The judge ruled that there was enough evidence to move
forward to trial. Catlin's grieving family sat silently in the
courtroom as the ruling was handed down. While the exact
cause of Catlin's death remains undetesting what began with a
suspicious text and an implausible story ended with a body
in a locked box in the woods. Now all that
(07:27):
remains is the pursuit of justice.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
KAI will keep this case under review to see if
the trial and sentencing will be made public. In the meantime,
let us know your thoughts on this case.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Do you think Vincent killed her or was it all
about the drugs like he said?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Put your answer in the comments below.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
And that's all for this midweek mini. If you want more,
don't forget to join us on Patreon at patreon dot
com slash Love and Murder. You'll get bonus episodes, add
free listening and extras you won't hear anywhere else. Thanks
for listen, thanks for your support, and we'll see you
in the next episode.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.