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In March 2006, Albert and Joan Musalo were living a quiet, comfortable retirement in a gated golf community outside Reno, Nevada. They were well-liked, financially secure, and deeply devoted to their family.

Then, overnight, everything changed.

The couple was found shot to death in their own bed - no signs of forced entry, no clear motive, and almost nothing disturbed inside the home. The killer had cut the phone lines, entered with purpose, and left just as quietly, disappearing into the snowy night.

Investigators quickly determined this was not a random act. The Musalos were targeted.

But why?

Nearly 20 years later, the case remains unsolved. With only footprints, limited DNA, and more questions than answers, the murders of Al and Joan Musalo continue to haunt Northern Nevada.

Was this a calculated hit? A personal vendetta? Or something far more complex hidden beneath the surface? Join Arlene and Leah as they take you through the timeline, evidence, and theories.

• Montreux Murders: 15 Years Later (News 4)
  
  
• CrimeOnline: Musalo Murders Unsolved
  
  
• RGJ: 10 Years Later Still a Mystery
  
  
• New Details Released in Case (News 4)
  
  
• 2 News: Case Remains Unsolved
  
  
• Our Town Reno: Montreux Murders
  
  
• KOLO: 15 Years Later
  
  
• Unsolved Montreux Double Murder (News 4)
  
  

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On February 16, 2013, 73-year-old Kate Ragsdale followed a routine she rarely broke. After dinner, she met friends to watch her favorite show, Downton Abbey. At around 9:15 p.m., a friend watched her pull into her driveway in Tuscaloosa’s quiet Highlands neighborhood.

No one saw her alive again.

A week later, worried neighbors entered Kate’s home and discovered her body on the bedroom floor. The beloved retired University of Alabama librarian had been brutally murdered.

Investigators quickly realized this was no ordinary burglary. Jewelry and electronics were untouched. The home wasn’t ransacked. Only a single filing cabinet appeared disturbed. Kate had been bound with items from inside the house and violently attacked, leaving behind a crime scene that still baffles investigators more than a decade later.

Join Arlene and Leah as they delve into Kate's story, suspects, and theories.

If you have information about this case, contact Tuscaloosa Crime Stoppers at 205-752-7867.

• Tuscaloosa News: Investigators Still Hopeful in Kate Ragsdale Case
  
  
• WVTM13: Retired UA Librarian’s Murder Still Unsolved
  
  
• Patch: Who Killed Kate? The UA Librarian Murder Mystery
  
  
• WBRC: Two Years Later – Investigation Continues
  
  
• WVUA23: Five Years Later the Case Remains Unsolved
  
  
• Tuscaloosa News Photo Timeline of the Case
  
  
• ABC 33/40: Investigation Continues Years Later
  
  
• WVUA23: Eight Years Later – Still No Arrest
  
  
• AL.com: Initial 2013 Coverage of the Killing
  
  
• AL.com: $20,000 Reward Announced in Case
  
  
• Find a Grave: Katharine Raney Ragsdale
  
  

Support Box in the Basement & Our Causes

• Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
• Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
• Donate to Seasons of Justice
• Listen to Darkcast Network Shows
• Join Uncovered.com
• Donate to Project Cold Case

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In this episode of Box in the Basement, we examine one of Texas’s most enduring cold cases: the mysterious disappearance of William and Margaret Patterson of El Paso in 1957.

The wealthy couple vanished without warning, leaving behind their home, business, finances, and even Margaret’s beloved cat. A strange phone call, a suspicious telegram, questionable letters, and decades of unanswered questions fueled theories ranging from voluntary disappearance to espionage, domestic violence, and murder.

Despite multiple investigations and alleged evidence surfacing years later, no definitive answers have ever been found. Nearly 70 years later, the fate of the Pattersons remains unknown.

Was this an elaborate escape? A crime covered up? Or something even darker?

We break down the timeline, key evidence, and leading theories—and invite listeners to decide for themselves.

🔗 Sources & Further Reading

• CBS4: El Paso Couple Vanishes
  
  
• KFOX: Vanished Investigation
  
  
• Mental Floss: Patterson Mystery
  
  
• Missing Wiki: Margaret Patterson
  
  
• Charley Project: William Patterson
  
  
• Find a Grave: William Patterson
  
  
• Find a Grave: Margaret Patterson
  
  
• ChipChick: Strange Disappearance
  
  
• Charley Ross Blog: Patterson Case

Support Box in the Basement & Our Causes

• Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
• Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
• Donate to Seasons of Justice
• Listen to Darkcast Network Shows
• Join Uncovered.com
• Donate to Project Cold Case