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“Not unless I can clear my name.”
They both looked at Ash.
He held up his hands in protest but then dropped them back to his sides—almost like the move had been an involuntary reaction. He gave a long-suffering sigh. “Yeah, I’ll help you clear your name, and I know exactly where to start. I have to take Sasha home, and you should take your dog home,” he said to Donovan. “But then how about a ride-along?”
Zak grinned. “Will I get to kick some ass with my shiny leg?”
“No,” Ash said and turned away. “You both will be there as witnesses only.”
“You could deputize us—”
“Fuck, no,” Ash said with feeling.
part three
extinguish
Nirvana means to extinguish the burning fires of the Three Poisons: greed, anger, and ignorance.
Shinjo Ito
episode 7: questioning the investigation
Hey there, Truth Seekers! Welcome back to Cold Truth. In our last episode, we read an excerpt from Darcy’s diary, which shed some light on her state of mind leading up to her disappearance. Today, we’ll be discussing the investigation and some of the criticisms that have been raised about it.
Now, right from the beginning, Sheriff Jerry was pretty focused on Donovan Scott as a suspect, and some critics argue that he didn’t explore other leads enough.
What other leads, you ask? Well, there were reports of a suspicious-looking vehicle in the area around the time of Darcy’s disappearance. The make and model of the car were never identified, and it’s unclear whether it was ever even investigated. Why didn’t Sheriff Jerry follow up on that? Could this have been the vehicle used to transport Darcy’s body or possibly even used by the abductor to take her? We may never know.
The anonymous phone call that police received, claiming to have information about Darcy’s whereabouts, is another lead that was not taken seriously. What information did the caller have, and why did they choose to remain anonymous? Why didn’t they ever try to call back? Was this call made by the perpetrator, or was it a genuine attempt to help with the investigation?
There were also reports of a man with a red beard seen in the area around the time of Darcy’s disappearance. This man has never been identified, and it’s unknown whether he was ever questioned. Could he have been involved, or was he simply a witness? Either way, it seemed like someone should’ve spoken to him, but for some reason, Sheriff Jerry dismissed this possible suspect early on and instead focused entirely on Donovan.
And what about the crime scene? Critics have pointed out that investigators called off the search of the surrounding woods too soon, and other areas where Darcy could have potentially gone were never searched at all. Instead, all of their efforts focused on the area where her shoe and blood were found.
Now, remember: this case is still open, and it’s possible that other leads are being pursued that haven’t been made public. When asked about the case, the current sheriff, Ashley Rawlings, was hesitant to comment and only said it was an ongoing investigation that he and his deputies are taking very seriously. He also said that he hasn’t ruled out any suspects but that they aren’t currently investigating Donovan Scott.
Does the new sheriff believe that the investigation was too narrowly focused on Donovan and that other leads were not pursued as aggressively as they could have been? Sure seems that way.
Donovan did go on to join the Marines and served as an explosive ordnance disposal tech for thirteen years until he was medically retired in 2021 following a traumatic brain injury. His military record was spotless, but unfortunately, he picked up his old troublemaking ways as soon as he returned home. In 2022, he was charged with assault for attacking a man at a bar in Steam Valley. He was court-ordered to attend therapy for anger management, PTSD, and substance abuse. However, it’s important to note that erratic behavior isn’t uncommon with TBIs and does not necessarily reflect on who he was as a teenager. It is possible that Donovan was wrongly accused, and if that’s the case, I can’t imagine what this all has been like for him.
He declined to be interviewed for this podcast.
So, what do you think? Do you believe Donovan is guilty, or do you think the investigation was too narrow in its focus? Who else could be a potential suspect? There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the disappearance of Darcy Cantrell, and while we may never know exactly what happened to her that night, we can honor her memory by making sure she’s not just a forgotten cold case. Darcy doesn’t have any family left. Her father died of cancer in 2011, never knowing what happened to her. So it’s up to us as truth seekers to continue the search and, hopefully, find justice for her.
And with that, we come to the end of Cold Truth’s investigation into the disappearance of Darcy Megan Cantrell, but please remember that there are countless other cases like Darcy’s, where victims have been left without justice, and families left without closure. It’s important to continue to raise awareness and advocate for those who can no longer speak for themselves.
Thank you for listening to Cold Truth. I’m Alexis Summers reminding you to stay curious, stay safe, and keep seeking the truth.
chapter twenty-four
“Can I just say I strongly advise against this,” Cal Holden said from the backseat of Ash’s Tahoe.
“Noted,” Ash, Donovan, and Zak all said at the same time.
“And ignored,” Zak added cheerfully.
Cal raised his eyes to the ceiling as if asking a higher power for patience. “Then why am I even here?”
