Hi, crime junkies. I'm your host Ashley Flowers, and I'm Britt, and the story I have for you today is a big one.

It's about a news anchor whose sudden disappearance baffled her small town.

Val Play is suspected immediately, but being a local celebrity proved to be almost a disadvantage to her case.

Because we're so often there are no suspects. In this case, there are almost too many.

And 28 years later, her mysterious disappearance haunts the small town.

This is the story of Jody Hussentrup.

On the morning of June 27, 1995, Amy Coons is deep in work mode, kind of losing track of the world around her.

She's an assistant producer at KIMT-TV in Mason City, Iowa, and it's her job to basically map out the morning broadcast.

In fact, she is so focused on her work that when she snaps out of it and looks at the clock, her stomach flips.

Because she realizes that it's already 4-10 in the morning, and their morning news anchor Jody Hussentrup hasn't shown up for her shift yet.

Oh, can I just say, I'm just never going to be a morning news anchor.

4 AM, are you kidding me?

It's early. I know. I honestly think I could have thrived.

But 4 AM is actually late for Jody. She's supposed to be there by 3.

And she's supposed to be going on air soon, so Amy rushes to give her a call.

And after a few rings, a groggy Jody picks up the phone.

And oh, we've honestly done these so many times. I thought for sure you're going to say that no one answers.

And that's how we find out that she's missing.

That's usually how it goes, right?

Yeah. But Jody is alive and well when she gets this call. I'll be it sleepy.

And she explains she just overslept as she's going to be in work like 10-20 minutes tops.

And I'm sure you can imagine the 3 AM shift is a tough one to adjust to.

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