This episode contains descriptions of violence.

Listener discretion is advised.

My dad was in contact with the police department on a regular basis.

It was always they had no answers.

They haven't, you know, seen or heard of her, nothing.

I feel like he kind of like lost hope as far as getting any help from law enforcement.

Whenever the police kind of gave up hope on the whole deal, I kind of did as well.

There are 120,000 unsolved murders in America.

Each one is a cold case.

Only 1% are ever solved.

This is one of those rare stories.

On October 2, 1999, Shelley Nagel's family and friends gather at her house for a birthday party for her youngest son.

Altoona, Pennsylvania is a city nestled in the Allegheny Mountains.

It was built around the railway tracks, and it is steeped in the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is a quiet area with a hometown feel and a great place

to raise children. The typical family event seems to be going as planned. Shelly's father and her

brother's Richard and Sean are there, but her sister Sherry has not arrived with her kids yet.

Sherry has recently separated from her husband Aaron,

and she and their children are living with Aaron's parents.

As Shelly begins to usher the guests out onto the patio where the party would take place,

a surprise arrival draws her attention.

Someone rang the doorbell, there stood Aaron Sherry's

husband and his dad, Ken the lady, with my nieces and nephew. I was confused a little bit. I assumed it

...