A Winter Night, A Body Beneath the Snow, 35 Years Without Answers — The Murder of Traci Hammerberg

In December 1984, 18-year-old Traci Hammerberg disappeared after a night out in Wisconsin. Hours later, her body was discovered beneath the snow near a driveway in Ozaukee County. For more than three decades, Traci’s murder remained unsolved. Investigators never gave up. And 35 years later, advances in forensic science and genetic genealogy finally gave them the break they had been waiting for. This week on Ope, It’s Murder, Lindsey and Libbie walk through Traci’s final hours, the investigation that followed, the evidence that remained preserved for decades, and the technology that ultimately helped investigators identify her killer. This episode is sponsored by Fiddleheads Coffee Roasters. A Wisconsin favorite keeping us caffeinated while we dig into another Midwest case. This episode is also sponsored by Dakota Spotlight: Call Me Shelly. The documentary follows the decades-long search for answers in the 1994 disappearance of Michele “Shelly” Julson from Bismarck, North Dakota. Lindsey and Libbie will also be attending a screening of the film! Primary reporting and supporting sources used for this episode include: Ozaukee Press reporting on the identification of Philip Cross and the decades-long investigation Ozaukee Press retrospective reporting on the investigation FOX6 Milwaukee reporting on the 2019 genetic-genealogy breakthrough Wisconsin Public Radio reporting on the forensic-genealogy investigation ABC News coverage of the identification of Philip Cross NBC News coverage of the case Additional background material and archival reporting supplied during episode research Video sources supplied during episode research Send us Fan Mail Fiddleheads Brewing Excellence. Dakota Spotlight True Crime Done Differently Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show https://www.buzzsprout.com/2627188/supporters/new