The Disappearance of Sharon Bald Eagle: A South Dakota Cold Case

Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

James Wolner

Documentary, Society & Culture, True Crime

4.8 • 900 Ratings

🗓️ 21 August 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this Case Snapshot, Dakota Spotlight investigates the 1984 disappearance of 12-year-old Sharon Bald Eagle, who vanished while traveling from South Dakota to Idaho. This unsolved mystery devastated her family and community and led to the capture of Royal Russell Long, a predator who stalked rodeos, carnivals, and highways for years. Through careful research and respectful storytelling, investigative journalist James Wolner explores the lasting impact on those who knew Sharon and why her story remains a significant South Dakota cold case in the history of Midwest crime. If you have any information related to the disappearance of Sharon Bald Eagle, please call the Fall River County Sheriff's Office at 605-745-4444. Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight X/Twitter: @dakotaspotlight Instagram: @dakotaspotlight TikTok: @dakotaspotlight Bluesky: @dakotaspotlight.bsky.social YouTube: @dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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1:01.1	You're listening to Dakota Spotlight. My name is James Wollner.
1:18.6	Today, a story as tragic as it is consequential, in 1984, 12-year-old Sharon Bald Eagle vanished in Wyoming while traveling from South Dakota to Idaho.
1:25.7	Her disappearance shattered her family and community, but it also led to the
1:30.5	capture of a predator who had stocked rodeo fairgrounds, carnivals, and highways for years.
1:39.7	Welcome to another case snapshot, the disappearance of Sharon Bald Eagle.
1:57.1	Just a quick note, I've changed the name of one surviving person in this episode to protect her identity.
2:06.2	Part 1
2:07.2	It's September 1984, and Ronald Reagan and George Bush are out on the trail again, pushing hard for re-election.
2:17.9	In just two months, they'll be clinching a second term in the White House.
	...

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