Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"Now people on online forums have spyrolled wondering if he was smoking while driving or if he was and it was lace with something, but there has been no evidence that that happened. And I think people are just looking for answers in a place where there are few, but it can be distracting from the truth." — Britt
"The search for Brandon continues this Saturday. All are welcomed. We need everyone. There are many ways you can help. You can find them at pleasehelpfindDaniel.com and on searchforDaniel.org." — Ashley Flowers
"And to never find anything afterwards, not a bone, not literally to go back to what you said, like this feels paranormal. Like they were in their cars and then they're just gone." — Britt
This episode of Crime Junkie delves into three deeply unsettling missing person cases that share eerie similarities. The first case examined is Jason Landry, a young man who disappeared in December 2020 while driving home for Christmas break. His car was found crashed off a desolate Texas road, with no driver present. Disturbingly, Jason's clothing was found scattered along the roadside, his backpack containing his wallet and belongings was discovered nearby, and his phone was found wedged between the car seat and the center console. Despite extensive searches, no definitive clues to his whereabouts have emerged, and authorities have ruled out foul play, though his family continues to seek answers, advocating for a geofencing warrant.
The narrative then shifts to the case of Brandon Swanson, who vanished in May 2008 after calling his parents to report his car in a ditch near Lind, Minnesota. Despite his parents being in the vicinity, they could not locate him or his vehicle. Brandon's last known communication was a panicked utterance followed by silence. His car was eventually found abandoned in a ditch approximately 30 miles away, but Brandon himself has never been found. The podcast highlights the prolonged and challenging search efforts, including the use of cadaver dogs and volunteer parties, and the difficulties posed by the terrain and environmental factors.
The final case discussed is that of Daniel Robinson, who disappeared in June 2021 while working at a well site in Buckeye, Arizona. His coworker observed him acting strangely, staring into the desert with a distant look, before driving off in his Jeep. Daniel's family was concerned about his recent behavior, describing him as "off." His Jeep was later found crashed in a ravine, several miles from where he was last seen, with his belongings and the clothes he was wearing still inside. The vehicle's data indicated multiple accidents and extended driving after airbag deployment. Despite searches and the discovery of his car, Daniel remains missing, and his father is actively organizing volunteer efforts and petitioning for the case to be treated as a criminal investigation.