Extinguished

This episode revisits the unsettling disappearance of Teresa Beer, a 16-year-old whose case became a bizarre Bigfoot myth. David McClam and LaDonna Humphrey explore the failed investigation, the man last seen with Teresa, and how a fantastical story overshadowed a tragic reality, nearly 40 years later.Take AwaysInvestigate the breakdown of the initial legal proceedings against the man last seen with Teresa.Examine the suspect’s behavior and personality, including his history of instability and unusual fixations.Discuss how the Bigfoot theory served as a distraction from the victim and the potential crime.Analyze the three main theories surrounding Teresa’s disappearance: the Bigfoot theory, the suspect’s culpability, and a connection to the “Speed Freak Killers.”Consider the lasting impact of the unsolved case on Teresa’s family and the broader implications for similar cases.DON'T FORGET TO RATE, COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBEJOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY FOLLOWING THE ⁠LINKTREE⁠Follow Our Family Of True Crime Shows. Every podcast is important. We hope you join us on our important missions!⁠Lost Girls ⁠⁠True Crime,Authors & Extraordinary People⁠⁠Beneath The Red Sky⁠

Teresa Bier vanished almost four decades ago, leaving behind a chilling mystery overshadowed by an unbelievable tale of Bigfoot. This episode unravels the disturbing reality behind the myth, exposing a troubled man, a botched investigation, and the enduring questions that haunt her family.Takeaways“We’re here to dig up the truth, case by case, victim by victim.” – David McLam“When you strip away the folklore, you’re left with an older man who took a teenage girl into the woods and returned alone. That’s not mythology. That’s predation.” – David McLam“Teresa deserved to be remembered as a person, not a headline.” – LaDonna HumphreyBehind the Story:The episode revisits the case of Teresa Beer, a 16-year-old girl who disappeared during a camping trip with a much older man, Welch. When Welch claimed Bigfoot took her, the story captured headlines, diverting attention from the true circumstances of her vanishing. Police built a circumstantial case against Welch, including evidence of drug use and inconsistent stories, but charges were eventually dropped due to insufficient evidence. Welch, described as unstable and prone to wild tales, died years later without confessing, leaving Teresa’s family without answers.DON'T FORGET TO RATE, COMMENT AND SUBSCRIBEJOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY FOLLOWING THE LINKTREEFollow Our Family Of True Crime Shows. Every podcast is important. We hope you join us on our important missions!Lost Girls True Crime,Authors & Extraordinary PeopleBeneath The Red Sky

This episode of Extinguished revisits the strange disappearance of Teresa Ann Beer, a 16-year-old girl who vanished during a 1987 camping trip. David McCLam and LaDonna Humphrey examine the bizarre Bigfoot story given by Russell Skip Welch and how it overshadowed the search for truth, hindering justice for Teresa.TakeawaysExamine the impact of sensationalized media on missing persons cases.Discuss the legal challenges in prosecuting cases without a body or physical evidence.Understand how initial false narratives can complicate investigations.Consider the pattern of cases where victims are marginalized and forgotten.Anticipate future discussions about Welch’s involvement and new evidence.

This episode pulls back the curtain on the disappearance of Teresa Ann Bier, a vulnerable 16-year-old whose life was marked by instability and abuse. Her story culminates in a mysterious camping trip with an older man and a bizarre claim of a Bigfoot encounter, leaving her family with an enduring mystery and no justice.Featured Quotes:“We’re here to dig up the truth, case by case, Victim by victim. Because they mattered, they still matter, and someone somewhere knows what happened.” - David McClam“This was a middle-aged man living mostly off of disability checks who had a reputation for drug use, specifically methamphetamines. He was erratic, paranoid, and fascinated with conspiracy theories.” - LaDonna Humphrey“But this wasn’t folklore. This was a missing 16 year old girl.” - LaDonna Humphrey

This episode of Extinguished confronts the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW), calling it a modern genocide. David McClam and LaDonna Humphrey discuss the systemic failures, jurisdictional complexities, and historical oppression that allow this crisis to continue across the United States, particularly in states like Oklahoma. They advocate for urgent action and awareness.TimeLine00:00 A Modern Trail of Tears01:34 Oklahoma’s Crisis and Systemic Issues03:52 Historical Context & MMIW Hotspots05:06 Inadequate Federal Response & Grassroots07:23 Confronting the Systems & Call to ActionKey TakeawaysExamine the systemic roots of the MMIW crisis, linking it to historical oppression and modern-day neglect.Understand the fragmented jurisdictional issues between state, federal, and tribal authorities that hinder investigations.Recognize the alarming statistics: Indigenous women face violence at rates far higher than any other demographic.Identify MMIW hotspots, including areas impacted by fracking operations and “man camps.”Support grassroots Indigenous-led efforts that are working to fill the void left by inadequate federal responses.