Crime Junkie
Crime Junkie
"This is the mysterious case of the Yuba County Five." — Ashley Flowers
"What are we running from? What were those whistling sounds that the witness heard the night on the mountain? And why did Ted starve to death in a cabin full of food?" — Ashley Flowers
"The truth is not much. Police can only say for certain that one man even made it to the trailer. Ted, he was the only body found there." — Ashley Flowers
The episode delves into the baffling disappearance of five men—Ted, Jackie, Jack, Bill, and Gary—who went to watch a college basketball game in Chico, California, in 1978. Instead of returning home to Yuba City, they vanished, driving their car 70 miles in the wrong direction into the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains. The investigation highlights the initial concern of the men's families, the police skepticism due to their age, and the slow trickle of information that confirmed their presence at the game and a convenience store afterward. A crucial, albeit strange, lead emerged from a man who experienced a heart attack on a mountain road and claimed to have encountered a group of men and a woman with a baby.
The focus shifts to the discovery of Jack's car, a turquoise and white 1967 Mercury Montego, stuck in the snow in a remote, rarely used road in Plumas National Forest, far off the direct route home. Investigators found the car unlocked with keys missing, no signs of struggle, and no damage to the undercarriage despite the rough road, suggesting the driver was familiar with the terrain, which was unusual as none of the men were known to be. A massive search operation ensued, hampered by severe snowstorms, which erased any potential tracks. Months later, the snow melted, leading to the discovery of Ted's body in a forest service trailer. He had died of exposure and starvation, despite accessible food and heat sources, and signs suggested he may not have been alone.
Further searches uncovered the remains of Jack and Bill several miles from the trailer, believed to have succumbed to the elements before reaching it. Jackie's remains were found closer to the trailer. Gary Matthias, the only member of the group without an intellectual disability but with a history of schizophrenia, remained missing. Theories explored include foul play, the possibility that the men were led up the mountain by someone else, and that Gary, potentially experiencing a psychotic episode, may have led his friends astray. The episode concludes with Gary still missing and the case unresolved, leaving many questions about the true events of that fateful night and the fate of the Yuba County Five.