The Aurora Police Department is stepping behind the mic this summer, hoping a new true-crime style podcast can finally break open the unsolved 2016 killing of 21-year-old Chelsea Marie Yasser. The series, titled APD Presents: The White Whale, will revisit the brutal stabbing that left Yasser dying in a van in a shopping center lot in the 1200 block of Abilene Street and aims to put the case back on the community’s radar in a big way.
In a brief social post announcing the project, officials said the podcast will roll out later this summer and is designed to put fresh eyes and ears on a cold case that has frustrated detectives and devastated a young mother’s family for eight years. The hope is straightforward: renewed attention will spark new leads and finally bring a suspect into focus.
APD’s Announcement And Aim
In a Facebook reel posted May 15, the Aurora Police Department bills the podcast as a way to tell Yasser’s story in depth and pull the public back into the investigation. As posted by the Aurora Police Department, the series will release episodes later this summer, focusing on the timeline of the crime, the evidence, and the people who have been living with the unanswered questions ever since.
APD frames the project as both a narrative and an active investigative tool, signaling that detectives are still very much looking for credible tips and that the case is far from closed, no matter how much time has passed.
How The 2016 Case Unfolded
Yasser’s killing began as a routine welfare check. Around 9:59 p.m. on May 15, officers were called to the Burlington Coat Factory parking lot, where they found the young woman stabbed inside a van. She was rushed to a hospital but died from multiple stab wounds.
As reported by CBS Colorado, investigators later released brief surveillance footage showing a dark-red or maroon minivan in the lot and urged anyone who recognized the vehicle or its occupants to speak up.
Local reporting by Westword noted that the APD Major Crimes Unit took over the case and that Crime Stoppers offered a reward for tips, signaling early on that detectives believed someone out there knew more than they were saying.
Why APD Is Turning To Podcasting
Police agencies and independent journalists alike have increasingly turned to podcasts as a way to keep cold cases alive in the public consciousness. The format allows investigators to walk listeners through complex timelines, share interviews, and humanize victims in a way a single press release or TV clip rarely can.
A study published by MDPI found that podcast-driven communities can amplify lesser-known cases and sometimes generate real-world investigative leads. National series such as Up and Vanished have even been credited with breathing new life into stalled investigations when listeners flagged overlooked details or came forward with new information.
APD is clearly betting that a similar dynamic could help in Yasser’s case, tapping into the true-crime audience in hopes that someone’s memory gets jogged or someone finally decides to talk.
Where Investigators Stand Now
Aurora’s Major Crimes Unit still lists Yasser’s death as an open homicide. No suspect has been publicly identified, and no charges have been filed. Local outlets have reported that police initially had very little to go on beyond the brief surveillance clip of the maroon minivan, and investigators again urged anyone with information to contact Detective Tom Welton at 303-739-6107 or Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867). Crime Stoppers has accepted anonymous tips and offered a reward in the case.
The new APD podcast will effectively test whether a fresh wave of attention can push long-dormant leads forward. Detectives continue to say they welcome credible information from the public, and family members are still seeking answers years later.
Police have urged anyone with knowledge about the killing to reach out directly to investigators or Crime Stoppers rather than speculating online, emphasizing that solid tips, not rumors, are what could finally solve the case.
