The Last Ride

The Last Ride

Two young men of color vanished three months apart, on the same road in Naples, Florida, under eerily similar circumstances nearly 20 years ago. They were last seen with the same white sheriff's deputy. The since-fired deputy said he gave the men rides to Circle K stores, a story that could never be corroborated. He's the only person of interest, but has never been charged. No one has. What went wrong? Did the police drop the ball? Did the media? The eight-episode series, distributed by the NPR Network, includes new details and exclusive interviews with Tyler Perry, Ben Crump, family and friends of the men, and investigators, and dramatic polygraph audio. Reported by veteran journalists with the Naples Daily News and The Fort Myers News-Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, and produced in partnership with WGCU Public Media.

Episodes

An Anniversary, a Birthday

March 13, 2024 • 24 mins
An emotional interview with Marcia Williams, the mother of Terrance Williams, near the 20th anniversary of his disappearance and, his birthday. She shares her thoughts on continuing searches near the Everglades, the podcast and how she has learned to cope with the trauma.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy an...

Mark as Played

Pursuing Justice

May 16, 2023 • 50 mins
The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Terrance Williams comes to an end, but not until after a tense deposition of former deputy Steven Calkins. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, media mogul Tyler Perry, and the missing men's families and advocates still harbor hope for justice.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

See Privacy Policy at https://ar...

Mark as Played

The investigation and the loose ends

May 9, 2023 • 49 mins
The sheriff's office publicly deflects attention from deputy Steven Calkins, but behind the scenes, they are investigating one of their own. The investigation grows as several agencies join the Collier County Sheriff's Office, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney's Office. What did they do to search for evidence in the disappearances of Felipe Santos and Terrance Williams? What clues di...
Mark as Played

The Tyler Perry Effect

May 2, 2023 • 48 mins
Media attention can make a big difference when people go missing. But did the local, regional and national media fail these two missing men of color? Why didn't these cases get the same attention early on as cases involving young white women and are there lessons to be learned? Media mogul Tyler Perry has helped bring a spotlight to the disappearances of Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos and has become an advocate for th...
Mark as Played

Good Guy or Bad Cop?

April 25, 2023 • 39 mins
Who is Steven Calkins? Friends from his past shed light on his life in Ottawa, Illinois before moving to Naples, Florida to become a deputy. What was he like as a cop? Were there any clues that Calkins was the kind of guy who would do something to these men? What was the probability that Calkins meeting both Felipe and Terrance before they vanished was a pure coincidence?

Learn more about sponsor message choices: po...
Mark as Played

The Polygraphs

April 18, 2023 • 49 mins
Deputy Steven Calkins takes three polygraph tests about the disappearance of Terrance Williams. Inconsistencies between his dispatch calls, his own statements and the polygraphs only bring up more questions. Why didn't Calkins report pulling Terrance over? Was the Cadillac really broken down? What time did this all happen? And, with each polygraph, it's clear that suspicions about Calkins are heating up.

Learn more ...
Mark as Played

The disappearance of Terrance Williams

April 11, 2023 • 39 mins
Terrance Williams was 27 when he disappeared. He was pulled over by Collier County Sheriff's Deputy Steven Calkins in January 2004 in Naples, FL, and was never seen again. Calkins said he gave Terrance a ride to a nearby Circle K. His mother and stepfather began their own investigation when the sheriff's office was not initially responsive in trying to find Terrance. Williams was the second man to go missing after last bei...
Mark as Played

The disappearance of Felipe Santos

April 4, 2023 • 45 mins
Felipe Santos, a 23-year-old immigrant from Mexico, disappeared after a minor traffic crash in Naples, FL in the fall of 2003. Steven Calkins, the Collier County deputy on the scene, said he gave Felipe a ride to a nearby Circle K gas station. Felipe was never seen again.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy an...

Mark as Played

One deputy, two missing men.

April 4, 2023 • 23 mins
Two young men of color disappeared in Naples, Florida, three months apart from the same street nearly two decades ago. The last person they were seen with was a white deputy. Steven Calkins. No one's been arrested or charged for whatever happened to them. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and filmmaker Tyler Perry join the fight for answers. Could something finally come to light to solve this tragic mystery?

Learn mor...
Mark as Played

The Last Ride: The Trailer

March 28, 2023 • 1 min
Two missing. One patrol car. Zero charged. The Last Ride dives deep into the unsettling story of a nearly 20-year-old cold case in Naples, Florida

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

    CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

    It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.

    Crime Junkie

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

    Stuff You Should Know

    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.

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

Explore

iHeart

Live Radio

Podcasts

Artist Radio

Exclusives

News

Features

Events

Contests

Photos

Information

About

Advertise

Blog

Brand Guidelines

Contest Guidelines

Subscription Offers

Jobs

Get the App

Automotive

Home

Mobile

Wearables

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.