In August 1993, Cynthia Burger, 44, was found dead in her home in Port Hueneme, California, after a fire that reached a single room. A sample kept from that first day waited years for a name. In 1999, a prisoner who expected to be released within months asked his fiancée to help him escape. What was he afraid of, and what did she do with the answer?

Narrated with a synthetic voice.

CHAPTERS
00:00 The Inmate Who Feared a DNA Sample
02:51 A Real Good Trip
04:13 The Garage Door at 3:30
06:26 What the Fire Didn't Burn
08:44 A Profile with No Name
11:51 Too Identifiable
14:59 Wanted It to All Be Not True
17:34 The Anonymous Call
20:04 One in 24 Quintillion
22:01 Random or Chosen
26:21 Documented Failures
27:17 What Happened Next

Watch the documentary (with the maps, documents and reconstructions) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjRyVale-aM

SOURCES
- **[A]** *People v. Schultz*, S114671 (Ventura County Superior Court CR49517), Tribunal Supremo de California, opinión de la presidenta Cantil-Sakauye, 23-11-2020, 10 Cal.5th 623 — PDF oficial: https://www4.courts.ca.gov/opinions/archive/S114671.PDF (copias: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2020/s114671.html · https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-supreme-court/2097682.html · https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/4831621/people-v-schultz/)
- **[B]** Pie de foto, Spencer Weiner / *Los Angeles Times* (archivo Getty Images), 26-02-2003: «Michael Schultz leaves court after hearing he will be sent to California's death row...» — https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/michael-schultz-leaves-court-ofter-hearing-he-will-be-sent-news-photo/563548991
- **[B]** Pie de foto, Steve Osman / *Los Angeles Times* (archivo Getty Images), 11-12-2000: «Michael Schultz 31, in Ventura Court. Schultz is accused of killing 44 year old Cynthia Burger in 1993...» — https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/michael-schultz-31-in-ventura-court-schultz-is-accused-of-news-photo/569185847
- **[D]** Find a Grave, «Cynthia Lou "Cindy" Burger (1949-1993)», memorial 75314778 (fechas, entierro en Los Osos Valley Memorial Park, padres) — https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75314778/cynthia-lou-burger

NOTES
- Based on public, verifiable sources (listed above). Where sources disagree on dates, times or descriptions, the episode says so rather than choosing one silently.

MUSIC AND SOUND
- "AMBForst-Samsung Galaxy Smartphone, MCU_Suburban, Birds, Distant Weedwhacker_Nicholas Judy_TDC" by designerschoice (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/designerschoice/sounds/803217/
- "Ambient Documentary | Cinematic background" by tyops (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/tyops/sounds/463542/
- "Emotional Piano Background Music" by Migfus20 (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/564855/
- "Mysterious Background Music Orchestra" by Migfus20 (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/560444/

ABOUT THE SHOW
The Cold Dossier explores true crime cases through documented facts, timelines, evidence, contradictions, and unanswered questions.

In July 2014, a young German tourist walked into an airport medical office to be cleared for a flight home. Minutes later, security cameras recorded him sprinting across the grounds and climbing the perimeter fence. He has not been confirmed seen since. What was he running from?

Narrated with a synthetic voice.

IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION
Contact the police: +49 4821 6020 · Bezirkskriminalinspektion Itzehoe · bka.de

CHAPTERS
00:00 The Man Who Ran
02:30 The First Time He Ever Left Germany
03:41 One Punch Outside a McDonald's
05:35 Everyone Flies Home Except Him
07:06 The Night He Called His Mother
08:52 The Last Morning
12:39 What He Left Behind
14:43 Five Explanations, None Proven
18:20 Every Sighting Led Nowhere
19:27 Sixteen Million Views
20:10 Documented Failures
20:55 What Happened Next

Watch the documentary (with the maps, documents and reconstructions) on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK5hqMsFciI

SOURCES
- BKA — Fahndung nach vermisstem MITTANK, Lars Joachim (actualizada 18 jun 2024): https://www.bka.de/DE/IhreSicherheit/Fahndungen/Personen/Vermisste/Mittank/Sachverhalt_Mittank.html
- Kirk Pepi, *MEL Magazine*, "The Mystery of the Most Famous Missing Person on YouTube" (abr 2018): https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-mystery-of-the-most-famous-missing-person-on-youtube-2
- Crime+Investigation UK, "Vanished on a lads' holiday": https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/articles/vanished-lads-holiday-disappearance-lars-mittank
- watson.ch, "Panisch aus dem Flughafen gestürmt" (25 abr 2018): https://www.watson.ch/international/deutschland/368864252-panisch-aus-dem-flughafen-gestuermt-das-mysterioese-verschwinden-von-lars-mittank
- t-online, "Lars Mittank in Bulgarien-Urlaub verschwunden: Familie plant 'große Sache'" (ago 2024): https://hamburg.t-online.de/region/hamburg/id_100459584/lars-mittank-in-bulgarien-urlaub-verschwunden-familie-plant-grosse-sache-.html
- Wikipedia EN, "Disappearance of Lars Mittank": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Lars_Mittank
- Wikipedia DE, "Vermisstenfall Lars Mittank": https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermisstenfall_Lars_Mittank
- Solve the Case, caso 2014-36: https://www.solvethecase.org/case/2014-36/lars-mittank

NOTES
- Based on public, verifiable sources (listed above). Where sources disagree on dates, times or descriptions, the episode says so rather than choosing one silently.
- The portrait on the episode artwork is an illustration, not a photograph.

MUSIC AND SOUND
- "Emotional Piano Background Music" by Migfus20 (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/564855/
- "Filmesque 01.wav" by Accorman (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Accorman/sounds/577072/
- "Mysterious Background Music Orchestra" by Migfus20 (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/Migfus20/sounds/560444/
- "mystery+puzzle music - piano version (no drums)" by ZHRØ (CC BY 4.0) - https://freesound.org/people/ZHR%C3%98/sounds/807894/

ABOUT THE SHOW
The Cold Dossier explores true crime cases through documented facts, timelines, evidence, contradictions, and unanswered questions.