I grew up back in the late ’70s and early ’80s before cell phones. If you wanted to make or receive a phone call, you had to use a phone with a cord that attached to a wall outlet. You also knew that a late night or early morning call was never good. In 1983, I can remember my father receiving one of those calls. My grandfather had called to tell us that one of my cousins was murdered by her boyfriend. After killing my cousin, he committed suicide.

Although this phone call occurred nearly 40 years ago, I have never forgotten it. The only closure our family received was knowing who had killed my cousin and why he did so. After a homicide occurs, the first 48 hours are crucial for detectives to find the killer. As the days, weeks, months and years mount, the odds of finding a killer rapidly decrease.

After all the leads dry up, the case goes cold (unsolved). Meanwhile, detectives continue receiving new homicide cases that can be solved within a short time. But once a case goes cold, it quickly becomes yesterday’s news. The public and the media will forget about the crime and move onto the next crime story. 

But do you know who won’t forget about a cold case? The victim’s family and friends. They won’t forget because their case is more than a case file or news story. The victims were sons, fathers, mothers, daughters, or friends. 

Most people will never experience losing a loved one to violence. However, this wasn’t true for Sheryl Conlon, Stephanie Wise or Maggie Zingman. although these amazing mothers don’t know each other, they all have one thing in common—someone murdered their children.

I have interviewed these three mothers for my Catch my Killer podcast (www.catchmykiller.com). My objective is to help them get justice for their murdered children before they leave this world. Below, I summarize each case:

Sheryl Conlon loved her son Steven. He was a father and loving son who wanted to become a successful chef. He would never live long enough to become a chef. In 2016, while in West Jordan Utah for a new job, someone shot and stabbed him to death. His mother believes he knew his killer. She continues waiting for justice.

David Wise was not only Stephanie’s son, but he was also her best friend. Today, she still grieves for him and wants to find out who murdered her son. David was training to become an MMA fighter. His mother sent me a video of one of his fights. The guy could throw hands. I am an MMA fan and it’s a shame that no one will ever have the privilege of watching David fight professionally. David died in 2015 after an unknown assailant shot him once in the neck.

Brittany Phillips was a beautiful young woman who had ambitions of earning a college degree. Maggie Zingman, her mother, dreamed of seeing her daughter graduate from college and start her own family. Unfortunately, Brittany won’t graduate from college or give Maggie any grandchildren. The young woman had just gotten her own apartment and was preparing to attend college in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 2004, someone stole her dreams and her life. An unknown assailant broke into her apartment, sexually assaulted her and then suffocated her.

It’s been said the greatest pain a parent can experience is the loss of a child. As a parent and grandparent, I agree. I never want to even consider outliving any of my sons or grandchildren. Unfortunately, losing a child to violence is a reality for Sheryl Conlon, Stephanie Wise and Maggie Zingman. If you listen to my interviews with them, you can hear the pain in their voices.

If you are reading this or listen to these mothers on my podcast, I request that you share their stories. I realize that catching any of these killers won’t return any of the murder victims back to their mothers, but these mothers deserve to know who took their children from them and why.

Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his Twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.