DAKOTA SPOTLIGHT CALL ME SHELLY

Why this unique red dust could be a crucial clue in cold case of missing Bismarck woman Shelly Julson

Jeremy Fugleberg — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 22:45:08 GMT

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When Michele Julson disappeared from Bismarck on August 2, 1994, law enforcement didn't exactly have an abundance of clues to follow up on.

The most encouraging development occured six days later when her car was found parked at a local hotel—the Comfort Inn. They dusted for fingerprints without results but weeks later, when the blue Ford Thunderbird was returned to her father Wes Julson, he spotted a potential clue: clinker dust under the hood.

Listen to Episode Number 10 — Follow the Red Dirt Road

Clinker—commonly referred to as "scoria"—can be found throughout western North Dakota and is occasionally used as a substitute for gravel on country roads.

In episode 10 of Dakota Spotlight, working off of new information from both a retired sheriff's deputy and a local geologist, host James Wolner asks the question: Could the clinker dust be related to an early (and almost forgotten) reported sighting of Michele's car in rural Burleigh County?

Ray Dingeman knows rural Burleigh County roads very well. Today he teaches criminal justice at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck but previously he worked as a sheriff's deputy when he patrolled throughout the county for 25 years. After listening to Dakota Spotlight season 7 and learning that red clinker dust had been found on the engine block of Julson's car, Dingeman contacted Wolner to share his recollections and knowledge of rural Burleigh County.

Dingeman noted that, in 1994, some rural roads in the northwestern section of the county were covered with clinker. He specifically pointed Wolner to an area near the town of Baldwin which lies just 12 miles north of what was Julson's place of employment: The Burnt Creek Club (now named "The Crossroads Tavern" at 1205 Northstar Dr. in Bismarck).

Dingeman says the remote and rural area in northwestern Burleigh County wouldn't be a bad place to try to hide something — such as a body.

"That is mostly farmland and pasture land up there ... I would say there would be plenty of places that something could be hidden," he said.

Dingeman's information prompted Wolner to re-examine the Julson cold-case file after he remembered reading a reference to a reported sighting of Julson's car near Baldwin.

And sure enough, there was.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season 7: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michelle Julson'

In this season of Dakota Spotlight, creator, host and Regional Emmy Award-winner James Wolner looks into the cold case of 26-year-old Michelle "Shelly" Julson, who vanished from Bismarck, North Dakota on Aug. 2, 1994. Granted exclusive, unprecedented access by police to the cold-case file, Wolner presents a play-by-play review of the initial investigation and further examines the strange events surrounding Shelly's life and her disappearance.

With the aid of new interviews with Shelly’s friends, family and retired police investigators, Wolner dives into the shadows of Shelly’s world at the time — Bismarck’s bar and gambling scene — and tracks the movements of several persons of interest. All in an attempt to answer the biggest questions of the case: What happened to Shelly? Where is she now?

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Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

Shelly worked dealing black jack at the burnt creek club and had been dating Tony Hulm a bartender there. Shelly told friends and family the patrons at the bar were harassing her and she had asked her supervisor to transfer to a different location. On more than one occasion, Shelly believed someone had followed her home from the bar and her car was vandalized.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Ray Dingeman worked as a deputy sheriff in Burleigh county for 25 years. He recalls that, in 1994, the north-eastern area of the county had roads covered with clinker (aka Scoria). An early possible sighting of Shelly's blue Ford Thunderbird was made in this area three days after Shelly went missing.

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Shelly Julson occasionally worked at the Elbow Room. Different from today, in 1994 the bar was located near 3rd street and Main. 36 hours before Shelly disappeared she was witnessed talking to two men in the parking lot just after closing. The men had stated they were railroad workers and one of the men was going to be laid over in Bismarck a couple more days.

Michele Julson

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Ray Dingeman: Former Burleigh County sheriff’s deputy Edward C. Murphy: State geologist at North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Carrie Small: A local farmer, reported a potential sighting of Shelly’s Ford Thunderbird (3 miles east and 4 miles north of Baldwin, North Dakota) on Aug. 5, 1994 Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and lead investigator on the Julson case People in previous episodes(In alphabetical order)
Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Officer Rob Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee John Drath: Wes Julson’s co-worker and acquaintance of Shelly Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Sheila Heil: Shelly’s boss and co-worker at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Darrel Helbing: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 a.m. on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, she went missing on Aug. 2, 1994. Wes Julson: Shelly's father Mitch Maher: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 am on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Holly Ness: Shelly’s friend Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work. Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994 Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department. Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3-and-a-half years old when she went missing Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement. ]]>

Police lieutenant with a rap sheet had allegedly harassed missing North Dakota woman

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:00:00 GMT

While investigating Michele Julson's disappearance in Bismarck in 1994, police detectives learned she had told friends and family that a Bismarck Police lieutenant named Donald Schaffer had been harassing her. Julson's cold-case file offers no indication that Schaffer was ever investigated or questioned about the harassment or Julson's disappearance.

In the new and perhaps final episode of Season 7 of the Dakota Spotlight investigative podcast, founder and host James Wolner looks into Schaffer, his long career at the Bismarck Police Department and how his paths crossed with Julson's before she disappeared.

Listen to Episode Nine — Frightened, Followed, Harassed

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A lot of strange things were happening to Julson just before she fell off the face of the earth in August of 1994. Between anonymous hang-up phone calls at home, her car being vandalized, being followed home from work and an ominous automobile cruising past her front door at night, Julson was feeling harassed and on edge. Julson told friends that one of the people harassing her at work was a Bismarck police officer . . . named Don Schaffer.

Schaffer's rise to lieutenant was not without controversy and it abruptly ended in 1996 after Schaffer was arrested for allegedly terrorizing and assaulting his girlfriend. In her application for an emergency protection order against him, Schaffer's girlfriend said he threw her down some stairs twice and punched her in the face. "He was yelling he was going to kill me," she wrote.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michelle Julson'

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Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Staff photo of Lieutenant Don Schaffer of the Bismarck Police Department. While investigating Michele Julson's disappearence in 1994, investigators received multiple tips informing them that Schaffer was one of several persons harrasing Julson at a local bar, The Burnt Creek Club. Julson's cold case file shows no indication that Schaffer was ever spoken to by investigators in regards to Julson's case. One hundred and four pages of Julson's investigative file were removed in 1994 at the request of then head of investigations Lieutenant Myron Heinle.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Bismarck Police officer Dennis Walls was the first investigator to work on Shelly's case.

Officer Julie Thompson worked on Shelly's case. Thompson focused on looking into Shelly's banking activity and she was also present when Shelly's home was investigated and when her car was located.

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator Officer Rob Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, she went missing on Aug. 2, 1994. Wes Julson: Shelly's father Holly Ness: Shelly’s friend

Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work. Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994 Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department. Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and lead investigator on the Julson case Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3-and-a-half years old when she went missing Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement. People in previous episodes Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee John Drath: Wes Julson’s co-worker and acquaintance of Shelly Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Sheila Heil: Shelly’s boss and co-worker at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Darrel Helbing: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 a.m. on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Mitch Maher: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 am on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar]]>

Son of a missing mother: Shelly Julson's son recounts life after his mom disappeared in North Dakota in 1994

Jeremy Fugleberg — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Jaden Woodworth was only 3-and-a-half years old when his mother Michele "Shelly" Julson dropped him off at his paternal grandparent's home in 1994. She said she was going to run errands, but never returned.

In recent years, law enforcement told him his father reported his mother missing prematurely, and suspiciously—a claim now debunked by Dakota Spotlight podcast, which has centered its seventh season delving into Julson's disappearance.

Listen to Episode Number 8 — Interview with Jaden Woodworth

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In this episode of Dakota Spotlight, Michele "Shelly" Julson's son Jaden Woodworth opens up about his life in a candid and heartfelt interview.

Without a mother, the trajectory of Woodworth's life has not been without speed bumps and detours. He tells Dakota Spotlight about his fuzzy memories of his mother Shelly, and shares his thoughts on his grandparents, and his father, Kevin Woodworth.

Kevin Woodworth helped report Julson missing more than a day after she was last seen. But the timing of when that call was made became a sticking point later for Bismarck police investigators.

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Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

Left to right: Linda Julson, Jaden Woodworth and Shelly Julson in an undated photograph approximately three years before Shelly vanished.

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Michele Julson

When Kevin Woodworth was re-interviewed about the case in September 2019, investigators inaccurately claimed he had reported Julson missing only a few hours after she was expected to return, which they found suspicious.

That claim is incorrect, as Dakota Spotlight proves using the police file into the case and contemporaneous accounts.

When Kevin Woodworth protested and attempted to correct police on the timeline in that 2019 interview, he was interrupted and dismissed by investigators. He then ended the interview in frustration.

Police also separately told Jaden Woodworth this incorrect information, and their suspicions about his father.

"You know it, it made me look at my dad a lot differently for the time being," Jaden Woodworth said. "It made me feel pretty empty at the time. I mean, it was like, it was it was kind of a wild moment. You know, it broke my heart in a way."

In his interview with Dakota Spotlight, Jaden Woodworth described how that incorrect claim affected his relationship with his father, and what its debunking could mean for them.

Evidence regarding the Julson missing person call (5 pages)

Dakota Spotlight S7 E8 by inforumdocs

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

In this season of Dakota Spotlight, creator, host and Regional Emmy Award-winner James Wolner looks into the cold case of 26-year-old Michele "Shelly" Julson, who vanished from Bismarck, North Dakota on Aug. 2, 1994. Granted exclusive, unprecedented access by police to the cold-case file, Wolner presents a play-by-play review of the initial investigation and further examines the strange events surrounding Shelly's life and her disappearance.

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator Officer Rob Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994. Wes Julson: Shelly's father

Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work. Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994 Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and lead investigator on the Julson case Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3-and-a-half years old when she went missing Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department. People in previous episodes Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee John Drath: Wes Julson’s co-worker and acquaintance of Shelly Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Sheila Heil: Shelly’s boss and co-worker at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Darrel Helbing: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 a.m. on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Mitch Maher: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 am on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Holly Ness: Shelly’s friend Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement.
]]>

'She had a little bit of a temper' -- Interview with old friend reveals new details about missing N.D. woman

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 14:47:06 GMT

Tony Hulm was Shelly's on-again, off-again boyfriend at the time of her disappearance in 1994. But was he her close friend and confidant, or someone Shelly feared?

Listen to Episode No. 7 — An interview with Tony

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In August of 1994, Hulm worked as a bartender at the Burnt Creek Club where Shelly Julson occasionally worked as a blackjack dealer. Shelly's cold case file — obtained exclusively by the Dakota Spotlight podcast — paints a complex portrait of Hulm and his relationship with Shelly.

While some of Shelly's friends felt Hulm was her good friend and confidant, other's reported to police Shelly was afraid of Hulm. In the latest episode of Dakota Spotlight, host James Wolner speaks with Hulm about Shelly, her life and her mysterious disappearance. Hulm provides details that illuminate further what Shelly was doing around the time she disappeared.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

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Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Anthony "Tony" Hulm graduated from Timber Lake High ��, Timber Lake South Dakota in 1975. In a 2022 interview with Dakota Spotlight Hulm discusses his relationship with Shelly Julson who disappeared in 1994.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Michele Julson

People in this episodeIn alphabetical order)
Darrel Helbing: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 a.m. on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994. Mitch Maher: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 am on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat. Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work.

Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994 Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and main investigator on the Julson case Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3 years old when she went missing Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement. People in previous episodes Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Officer Rob Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee John Drath: Wes Julson’s co-worker and acquaintance of Shelly Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Sheila Heil: Shelly’s boss and co-worker at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Wes Julson: Shelly's father Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Holly Ness: Shelly’s friend Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department.]]>

Parents of North Dakota woman gone missing in 1994 vow to never give up

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMT

CENTER, North Dakota — Wes and Linda Julson have advice for others whose family members have gone missing: Don't give up.

In the latest episode of the Dakota Spotlight podcast, the Julsons describe how they still hope to find their daughter, Michele "Shelly" Julson, who went missing in Bismarck in 1994. Their quest, now in its third decade, has meant they've gone through things no parent would hope to ever experience.

Listen to Episode Number 5 — Don't Give Up

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They've seen some questionable decisions by police investigators, have fought to post missing posters both in their hometown of Center and at WE Fest music festival in Minnesota, where someone said they had seen their daughter, and have been dismissed — mocked even — for chasing lost hopes.

Also on this latest episode of Forum Communication's most popular podcast, Bismarck Police Officer Rob Carvell recalls responding to the call that Julson was missing, from Richard and Kevin Woodworth (Kevin was Julson's former boyfriend and father to her son, Jayden), in 1994.

Carvell later re-opened the case 22 years later, in 2016. And he noted the number of things that weren't done in the original investigation, and questions why there are pages missing in the official police file on Julson's disappearance.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

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Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Michele Julson

Bismarck Police officer Dennis Walls was the first investigator to work on Shelly's case.

People in this episodeIn alphabetical order)

Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Officer Rob Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator John Drath: Wes Julson’s co-worker and acquaintance of Shelly Sheila Heil: Shelly’s boss and co-worker at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Wes Julson: Shelly's father Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994 Holly Ness: Shelly’s friend Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work.

Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994 Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and main investigator on the Julson case Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3 years old when she went missing Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement. People in previous episodes Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar]]>

Years after North Dakota woman Shelly Julson went missing, dogged detective work revealed new clues

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:10:28 GMT

Bill Connor is now retired. But the former detective at the Bismarck Police Department has plenty to say about the Shelly Julson case. For five years he re-investigated the missing person cold case, interviewing many of the people in the 26-year-old woman's life when she disappeared in 1994, and debunking a big mistake.

Listen to Episode 4 — Stones Unturned

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In the newly released episode of the Dakota Spotlight podcast, Connor speaks frankly about the details of the case, still sharp in his memory, and his encounters with those connected to Michele "Shelly" Julson as he investigated the case from 2005 to 2010.

Previous police work had relied on a single witness who claimed to have seen Julson after she disappeared. Connor chased down that claim.

Connor also checked out a man named Rick Snell, a man with a troubled relationship history and a unique connection to the Burnt Creek Club and the Elbow Room, two places where he might have met Julson.

The detective also looked more into the alibi for Kevin Woodworth, Julson's former boyfriend and father of her son, Jaden. He also tracked down and spoke with Tony Hulm, who had his own set of connections to Julson and mysteriously left Bismark shortly after she disappeared.

Connor's re-investigation provided new details about the people in Julson's orbit. But it also indicated there was more to learn about several of those connected to the young woman.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

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Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

Person of interest Rick Snell lived in an upstairs apartment at 212 East Main Avenue in Bismarck. He was reported to be a regular customer at then nearby Elbow Room Bar where Shelly Julson worked.

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Bill Connor investigated Shelly's cold-case from 2005 to 2010

Rick Snell did not return to work at Great Lines in Bismarck on Wednesday, August 3rd, 1994, the day following Shelly's disappearance. He resurfaced six day's later on August 9, which investigator Bill Connor considers to be an interesting coincidence.' Shelly's car was found on August 8, 1994.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Officer Robbie Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Wes Julson: Shelly's father Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994 Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994

Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and main investigator on the Julson case Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3 years old when she went missing Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Michele speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement. People in previous episodes Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work. Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar]]>

Down the rabbit hole: Police misled by WE Fest sighting of missing North Dakota woman in 1994

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMT

It's always so simple in the TV crime-solver shows. There's one wrong theory, one wrong explanation, one blind alley. And then there's the real solution to the crime — the one cause, the one criminal, the answer that neatly wraps up the show in 30 minutes or less.

Real life is much more complicated, as police investigators found as they struggled to untangle what happened to Shelly Julson, gone missing in August 1994.

Listen to Episode Number 3 — Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe

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In episode three of season seven of Dakota Spotlight: Police files reveal Bismarck investigators chased multiple trails of evidence, grilled associates of Julson and vetted supposed sightings of Julson, in Minnesota and elsewhere in North Dakota.

They faced many puzzling questions, questions re-examined by a second police investigation years later, and now, Dakota Spotlight:

Was Julson one of two women partying with railroad workers and kicked out of the pool at the Comfort Inn? Why had a patron of the Burnt Creek Club mysteriously gone missing for a week following Julson's disappearance? What was Julson really doing on that Sunday night before she disappeared? Why does so much of what everyone knows about Julson in the days before her disappearance based on the account of one man, Tony Hulm — Julson's on-again, off-again boyfriend and a bartender at the Burnt Creek Club? About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

Gallery - Browse with arrow on right

Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

Amy Sansburn told police in 1994 that she had partied with Shelly Julson on Friday August, 5th, 1994 at We Fest in Detroit Lakes, MN. While considered credible at the time, investigators no longer feel that Shelly was ever at We Fest.

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Bill Connor investigated Shelly's cold-case from 2005 to 2010

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room. Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Wes Julson: Shelly's father Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother. Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night.

Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest. Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work. Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994 Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and main investigator on the Julson case Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement. People in previous episodes James Becker: Shelly's friend Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Officer Robbie Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Linda Julson: Shelly's mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994 Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota bureau of criminal investigation Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's 3-year-old son
]]>

Police prowled gambling hotspots, found clues in 1994 North Dakota missing person investigation

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Shelly Julson had gone missing. Now Bismarck Police Department Officer Cliff Emmert was digging into her world to figure out what might have gone wrong.

Listen to Episode Number 2 — In Shelly's Shadows

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Emmert's investigation took him back through the haunts of Julson's life, according to the Dakota Spotlight podcast, season 7, episode 2 — available on podcast apps now.

Emmert stopped into bars, casinos, bingo halls and bowling alleys, seeking a better understanding of the 26-year-old's world. What he found raised some troubling questions about what might have happened to Julson.

She had told other she was being harassed and possibly followed. She was reportedly having problems with two different men, Kevin and Tony. Then there were the men with whom she spoke just a few days before, on Sunday night. Who were they? Emmert sought answers.

Gallery - Browse with arrow on right

Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

�� portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Bismarck Police officer Cliff Emmert was one of several officers who looked into Shelly Julson's past after she vanished under mysterious circumstances in August of 1994. He learned that Shelly had been getting harrased and her car had been vandalized just prior to her disappearence.

Michele Julson

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Lieutenant Myron Heinle was head of investigations during the initial investigation into Michele Julson's disappearance. In 1994, for reasons unknown, Heinle directed investigators to remove one hundred and four pages of Julson's police file. The contents of those pages is unknown.

He also received an uncomfortable tip. There was a report that another Bismarck Police Department officer had been harassing Shelly during her job at The Burnt Creek Bar.

The strands of evidence helped Emmert flesh out Julson's life prior to her disappearance, but they also raised more questions than they answer.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night. James Becker: Shelly's friend Kim Borner: Shelly's friend Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Wes Julson: Shelly's father Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night. Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota bureau of criminal investigation Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work. Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and main investigator on the Julson case Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave. People in previous episodes Officer Robbie Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Linda Julson: Shelly's mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994 Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's 3-year-old son ]]>

She left for errands and bingo and never came back. Now Dakota Spotlight explores 1994 North Dakota cold case

Jeremy Fugleberg — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Michele "Shelly" Julson's disappearance and the mysteries surrounding it are at the center of the new season of Dakota Spotlight podcast.

Listen to Episode 1 — Fly On The Wall

Get Dakota Spotlight on your favorite podcast app

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The Shelly Julson case has been a mystery from the start.

On August 2, 1994, 26-year-old Michele "Shelly" Julson dropped off her young son at his paternal grandparents home so she could run some errands in Bismarck, North Dakota. She wanted to pick up her paycheck and possibly play some bingo. She was expected back in just hours. She never returned.

Now, her disappearance and the mysteries surrounding it are at the center of the seventh season of Dakota Spotlight, Forum Communications Co.’s premier investigative true-crime podcast.

In episode 1 of the new season, the podcast dives into the full Bismarck Police Department file on the Julson case, following investigators in the first few days of their work as they interview family, friends and associates to trace Julson's movements leading up to her disappearance. The episode reveals statements and interviews from police of witnesses, what investigators found in their searches and their request for an aerial search.

A first look at Julson's file raises some big questions:

Who was harassing Shelly and vandalizing her car? Why are 104 pages of Shelly's police file missing? Who are the two mystery men Shelly met just days before she went missing. And the most important question of all: What happened to Shelly Julson?

Photo gallery — Browse with arrow on right

Photo gallery - Dakota Spotlight Season Seven - Call Me Shelly

Michele 'Shelly' Julson grew up in Center, North Dakota. She was the daughter of Wesley and Linda Julson. She has not been seen or heard from since August 2, 1994.

Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

Shelly Julson lived at 716 West Sweet Avenue, in Bismarck. When investigators came looking for her the doors were locked and the TV was on.

When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

Bismarck Police officer Dennis Walls was the first investigator to work on Shelly's case.

Officer Julie Thompson worked on Shelly's case. Thompson focused on looking into Shelly's banking activity and she was also present when Shelly's home was investigated and when her car was located.

About Dakota Spotlight, Season Seven: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michele Julson'

People in this episode(In alphabetical order)
Officer Robbie Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club Linda Julson: Shelly's mother Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, who went missing on Aug. 2, 1994 Wes Julson: Shelly's father Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and main investigator on the Julson case Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's 3-year-old son Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave.]]>