Today is Saturday, July 25, 2020.

On this day in 2019, the remains of a 12-year-old girl were found by construction workers.

After DNA testing, police discovered it was Janelle Matthews,

who had been missing since 1984.

Welcome to today in True Crime, a parcast original. Due to the graphic nature of today's

crimes, listener discretion is advised. Extreme caution is advised for listeners under 13.

Today we're covering the disappearance of Janelle Matthews,

a 12-year-old girl who went missing from her parents' house

just before Christmas of 1984.

But first, let's go back to July 25, 2019 to an area north of Denver, Colorado known as Weld County.

It was supposed to be just another day on the job.

A small crew was out at an oil and gas site

in Weld County, Colorado,

digging up space for a brand new pipeline that was supposed to be

late in the area. It was hot out and the work was not easy, but not long after they

began, they hit something.

One of the workers bent down and brushed the dirt away.

Perhaps they'd hit a rock or a dead animal or another pipe, but as the object appeared in front of him, the worker found

it was something far, far worse. He'd hit a decayed skull.

As they dug further, they uncovered more bones, a red blouse, a blue sweater vest, and a skirt.

The state of the remains made it clear that the body had been buried

for quite some time and the clothes were old and weathered. The workers quickly

...