Elgin detectives are turning their cold-case files into binge-worthy listening, but they are not chasing clout or downloads. By putting their investigations on a podcast and on a touchscreen kiosk in the police station lobby, they are chasing something much more old-fashioned: tips. The strategy is already breathing life into long-stalled cases and giving families a reason to hope again.
Cold case leads to recovery
In one of the most dramatic outcomes so far, authorities say they tracked down the car tied to missing resident Karen Schepers and then made a grim discovery. According to a City of Elgin proclamation, the vehicle was located on March 24, 2025, and pulled from the water the following day. Human remains found inside were positively identified on March 27, 2025. The recovery underscored how the Cold Case Unit is blending painstaking old-school detective work with a broader public spotlight.
Detectives host their own podcast
The Elgin Police Department built its Cold Case Unit around a decidedly modern tool: a true-crime style podcast called “Somebody Knows Something.” Detectives Andrew Houghton, Chris Hall and Matt Vartanian host the show, walking listeners through open investigations in long-form detail. As described by the Elgin Police Department, the podcast is produced with WRMN 1410 and has already run multiple seasons. Season one revisited the disappearance of Karen Schepers, season two dug into several homicides from the 1970s, and season three focuses on the 1982 disappearance of Wyteria Jones. Detectives say the chatty, episode-by-episode format is built to jog memories and reach people who would never read a press release or attend a community meeting.
Podcast and lobby kiosk are producing leads
Police say the podcast has been downloaded more than 350,000 times and that those ears are turning into leads. Paired with an interactive cold-case kiosk in the department lobby, the project is designed to make it as easy as possible for someone to connect a decades-old memory to an open file. As reported by FOX 32 Chicago, the kiosk has logged roughly 500 interactions and nearly 90 tips, while the department keeps dozens of cases available for anyone who walks through the door to review. Officials are quick to add that download counts are just a number; the real goal is turning someone’s recollection into usable evidence.
“We’re hoping somebody remembers her,” one detective told FOX 32 Chicago, describing their appeal in the case of Wyteria Jones. Investigators stress that the podcast and kiosk are tools, not replacements. The core of the work still looks traditional: canvassing neighborhoods, pulling records, re-interviewing witnesses and sifting through boxes of old reports. The Cold Case Unit says it is actively working six files right now, spanning missing-person cases and unsolved homicides.
Why this matters
Elgin’s experiment has started to turn heads across the region, largely because it flips the usual script. Detectives are the ones on the mic, narrating real investigations in real time and inviting the public to join in. Coverage by outlets such as Chicago magazine and WBEZ has highlighted the clear upside of that approach, including new witnesses and revived investigative threads, while also raising thoughtful questions about how police balance storytelling with the realities of active cases. For families that have waited decades for any movement at all, even one credible tip can reset the entire trajectory of an investigation.
Anyone with information about cases featured on the podcast, including the disappearance of Wyteria Jones or other cold files, can review the department’s case list and submit a tip online, or contact the Cold Case tipline directly. Details and contact information are posted at Elgin Cold Cases.
