In December of 1974, Patricia “Annie” Ross was preparing for a night out with friends in the quiet Orange County, California suburb of La Palma. But when she never arrived with the pizza she promised to bring, concern quickly turned into horror.

Inside Annie’s apartment, investigators discovered a brutal crime scene, a terrified little dog locked inside a dresser drawer, and a mystery that would haunt detectives for more than four decades.

As the years passed, leads faded, evidence aged, and the case slowly drifted into cold case history. But investigators refused to let Annie Ross be forgotten.

And somewhere inside the story of her murder was a small black-and-brown dog named Jodie.

Sources

• Los Angeles Times — Matt Hamilton, “40 years later, Northern California man charged in O.C. woman’s killing” (June 2, 2015)
• Orange County Register — coverage of the investigation, trial, conviction, and sentencing of Larry Stephens
• KTLA 5 News — “Man Convicted in 1974 Strangling Murder of Woman at Her La Palma Apartment” by Marissa Wenzke
• True Crime News — interviews and reporting featuring Captain Jim Engen and Detective Paul Bracciodieta
• The Cinemaholic — “Patricia Ann ‘Annie’ Ross Murder: Is Larry Stephens Dead or Alive?”
• Detective Diaries — “The Phantom of La Palma”
• Court reporting and archived newspaper coverage regarding the 2018 trial and conviction of Larry Stephens
• Public records and memorial information related to Patricia “Annie” Ross and Larry Stephens

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📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder
📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com

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Dog Days of Murder — Episode Summary

When a duck repeatedly disappeared beneath a trailer in Candler, North Carolina, renters eventually followed it underneath the home to see what kept drawing it there.

Hidden beneath the trailer was something investigators had been searching for since 2020: 90-year-old Nellie Sullivan.

As detectives worked to unravel Nellie’s disappearance, the investigation widened into allegations involving fraud, drug charges, animal cruelty, and a disturbing possibility involving the people Nellie had trusted most — including her own granddaughter.

What began as a missing persons case would eventually become a homicide investigation unlike anything investigators in Buncombe County had ever seen.

Sources:

• WRAL News
• WLOS ABC 13
• FOX Carolina
• Law & Crime
• CBS 17
• Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office press releases
• United States Department of Justice records
• Federal court filings
• Social Security fraud case records
• Interviews and statements from neighbors reported by local media outlets

Follow along and stay connected:

📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder
📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com

If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder

In the early hours of May 31, 2024, a violent collision on England’s A1(M) left two people dead.

Investigators believed the driver responsible might walk away without enough evidence… until a rescue police dog named Louie found the one missing thing that changed everything.

🎧 Episode 6 — Source List

📰 Primary News Sources

• BBC News
  “Hero dog found vital evidence in baby crash death”
  By Jonny Manning (Sept 25, 2025)
  • Core facts of the case
  • Victims identified
  • Phone evidence (141 mph photo)
  • Cuthbertson quotes
  • Confirmation of Louie’s role

• Chronicle Live
  “Cop tells why he had to help search for evidence…”
  By Sophie Doughty
  • Confirms 3x legal alcohol limit
  • Details Anderson’s hitchhiker alibi
  • Strong Cuthbertson quotes
  • Emotional context + personal connection
  • Confirms phone as key evidence

• The Thin Blue Paw Foundation (via coverage & statements)
  • Award details (Rising Star Award)
  • Recognition of Louie & handler
  • Context on police dog work

• Durham Constabulary (referenced in reporting)
  • Official case involvement
  • Dog unit + digital detection role
  • Investigation confirmation

📰 Supplementary News Source

• The News (UK)
  “Abandoned rescue dog finds crucial evidence in car crash case…”
  By Jack Marshall
  • Louie’s rescue background (Gateshead)
  • Training as digital detection dog
  • Details of search (150m stretch, undergrowth)
  • Confirmation of phone discovery and its role

Follow along and stay connected:

📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder
📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com

If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:
☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder