One day Barbara Louise Cotton was a 15-year-old daughter, sister and friend in Williston, N.D. The next day she was just gone.
Since that morning, April 12, 1981, the story of Barbara Cotton has focused on the one thing that cannot be put into focus -- her absence. We may not know where Barbara Cotton is or where she ended up, but we know one thing for certain; she’s not here. She has not been here, among us, for 40 years. We don’t know a whole lot more than that.
What is clear is that a lot of people want to know what happened to her. The story of Barbara’s disappearance has travelled to more than 40 countries and, over the course of Season 5, the Dakota Spotlight Facebook group swelled from approximately 550 members to a current 3,300.
Somehow the void Barbara left behind has become a gathering place where seekers connect and new friends meet. Barbara Cotton may not be here, but she is a connector and in no way forgotten.
In episode 14, host James Wolner takes a momentary interlude and steps away from the investigation to talk about music, crime and Barbara Cotton with two musicians: Lili Trifilio of the band Beach Bunny , and North Dakota born Isaac “Ike” Turner of Kalamazoo, MI.
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Also in this episode, we travel to the State Historical Society of North Dakota where Dakota Spotlight will become the first podcast to be preserved in the state archives.
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To get the full story on Barbara Cotton and this perplexing mystery 40 years of nothing, few answers for family, friends of missing teen Barbara Cotton of Williston
- Related: Beach Bunny | Isaac Turner's music | Archives at the State Historical Society of North Dakota
Listen to Episode 14
Listen to Previous Episodes:
- Episode 1: "Five Blocks from Home" explores the night Barbara went missing from the perspective of her childhood friend Sandee Evanson. Read more about this unsolved mystery and listen to
40 years of nothing, few answers for family, friends of missing teen Barbara Cotton of Williston
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Episode 2: "Tributaries of the Truth" we attempt to untangle the confusion surrounding Barbara's last known whereabouts. We also look closer at the question: Could Barbara Cotton have simply run away? Listen to Tributaries of the Truth: Listen to episode 2 of A Better Search for Barbara Cotton
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Episode 3: We look closer look at the initial police investigation. We also ask the question: might Barbara's kindness and big heart have led to her demise? Listen to She was "gentle and kind" - listen to episode 3 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"
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Episode 4: Investigating on our own - listen to episode 4 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"
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Episode 5: "Tell mom I love her." Listen to episode 5 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"
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Episode 7: Barbara was seen at a party - Listen to episode 7 of "A Better Search for Barbara"
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Episode 8: A man in black - Listen to episode 8 of "A Better Search for Barbara"
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Episode 9: The Evil That Lurks: Listen to episode 9 of "A Better Search for Barbara"
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Episode 10: 40 Years Later: Listen to episode 10 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"
Episode 11: episode 11 was a 7 minute update about technical difficulties with the facebook group.
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Episode 12: Love doesn't die: Listen to episode 12 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"
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Episode 13: From Juarez to Williston: Listen to episode 13 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"
Listen here to the podcast or anywhere podcasts are found ( Spotify , Apple , Google Podcasts , Stitcher etc.)
RELATED
True Crime podcasts BY JAMES WOLNER
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How did Victor Die? The Full audio podcast about a mysterious death in Glen Ullin, N.D.
- True crime podcast: The untold story of a Zeeland, N.D., couple and their tragic murders in 1976
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The house on Sweet & 7th: the Erickstad homicides.
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In "Chasing Billy: A Pursuit for Justice," Dakota Spotlight debuts episode 1 of a new season focused on unsolved 1978 murder
RELATED Podcast homepage | Newsletter | Season 3 videos | Season 2: 1976 Zick murders | jwolner@forumcomm.com
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