Casefile Presents: Ada

From journalist Olivia LaVoie, the creator of the hit investigative series The Bakersfield Three, comes the new Casefile Presents series, Ada. In 2011, the body of a woman was discovered in a California vineyard. For more than a decade, she was known only as Jane Doe. Then, detectives finally discovered her name. But identifying her was only the beginning. Listen to Ada wherever you get your podcasts. The scene was unlike anything investigators had ever encountered - disturbing, surreal, and meticulously clean. Who was she? And why had someone gone to such lengths to make sure she could never be identified? Ada. Through years of investigation, journalist Olivia LaVoie uncovers a life filled with unexpected discoveries, unusual newspaper columns, and deeply personal writings. The more we learn about Ada, the stranger her murder becomes. Who was Ada? Why was she killed? And why did someone seem determined to erase her identity? Ada is a seven-part investigative series about a baffling crime and the woman at its centre. Listen to Ada, the latest series from Casefile Presents, now, wherever you get your podcasts. Now stay tuned, to listen to the trailer. When you break it down, most homicides, county and nationwide, have a clear motive. But once in a while, a murder comes along that leaves detectives bewildered. It was surreal. I remember having a couple of nightmares about it afterwards. Something this gruesome is very unusual. The body of an adult female was found inside a vineyard. This is one of those types of murders and murder investigations that you come across maybe once, maybe never. The coroner even said to me, "This looks like it was professionally done." You're going back and forth saying, "Is this a serial killer?" Much more extreme than any other case I'd ever worked on. It haunted me. It seemed the killer didn't just try to hide their own identity, but also that of the victim. If you're never able to identify her, the case is not going to be solved, ever. Until one day. I was very adamant that this had to be who it was. Her identity was supposed to simplify this bizarre case. Here you go. We got a name. But learning her name is when the real mystery began. She got reconnected with a gentleman who was supposedly a doctor. Doctor and draining of the blood. I remember vividly, she was talking about a woman who was some type of leader, spiritual guide. And I think she might have joined something like a cult. She said she was going to leave. She had a boyfriend, and she was going to leave. And I said, "I hope you're making the right decision." Does the sheriff's office know about this? Because this is pretty interesting and strange, and wouldn't you want to question him about this? She was very secretive about everything. She sounds very complicated. She is. She is. Even in death. I think this entire case is very unusual and complex. It's more likely that someone gets killed and left in a field, being shot to death, rather than not having a head. I want you to remember this in the back of your mind, that the killer knows who you are, but you don't know who the killer is. So, be careful. Because that's not a one and done. I'm Olivia LaVoie, and this is 80. Ada, a new podcast from Casefile Presents.