Criminology - The Bumble Bee Road Murders

Episode Date: June 9, 2024

In Fall 2003, 19-year-old Lisa Gurrieri and 20-year-old Brandon Rumbaugh went on an overnight camping trip. The two college students had been dating for a year, and this quick trip was to mark their one-year anniversary. They never returned home and were later found murdered. Join Mike and Morf as they discuss the murders of Lisa Gurrieri and Brandon Rumbaugh. A broken disposable camera was found near the truck they had driven to Bumble Bee Road. Although damaged, technicians were able to recover some photographs. Instead of shedding light on what happened, the photos made the case more mysterious. You can help support the show at patreon.com/criminology An Emash Digital production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Criminology is a true crime podcast that may contain discussion about violent or disturbing topics. Listener discretion is advised. Everyone and welcome to episode 311 of the criminology podcast. I'm Mike Ferguson. And this is Mike Morford. Mr. Mike Morford. How are you doing, man? I'm doing good. I'm recuperating from our crime con trip, which is this past weekend had a lot of fun. Yeah, it was great, but I will say that it did take me a few days to kind of, get to feeling back to normal. You know, there was a, a lot of standing and a lot of walking,

which I am not used to. And it's a really big hotel, too, so you had to walk at the extra distance to get wherever you were going. But a lot of fun, six, I think there were six or seven thousand people they said came and we got to see a lot of our old friends and new friends and a lot of our listeners. So it was really cool. Yeah, and our meet up on Saturday night was a lot of fun as well. And, you know, my daughter and my wife came with me. And my daughter had a few drinks at the meetup. And she's a very introverted person, but apparently not when she's drinking because she was hugging fans and just being about as extroverted as you can be. It was great to see, actually. She was a lot of fun. Yeah, she definitely was having a good time and opening

up and it's good to see a lot of people, I think, um, had a good time and just relaxed. And, you know, I think our last meetup at last crime pond, there wasn't as good an area to hang out and it was crowded. There weren't seats. But this time everybody is a little bit more comfortable. So I think everyone had a good time. Yeah. And you and I and Gibby and everyone who came with us, you brought your whole family, got to go out for

dinner. And that was kind of really fun because it's something we've never done before. Yeah, you know, it's not every time that we're able to bring our family. So I think anytime you can get everybody together and go out, it's a, it's a good time. And I said something about it on True Crem all the time, but your kids were exceptionally well-behaved. I don't know if your wife had a hold of them under the table or what, but man, they were, they were really well-behaved. Maybe they're like that all the time. I wish.

I think the secret is a day out at the water park warm down. So by the time dinner rolled around, they were. They were pretty tired. Yeah, yeah, but they were great. All right. Now that we have all of that out of the way, let's jump into this week's case. You know, we just passed Memorial Day here in the United States,

which is a big holiday for many of us. It's the beginning of summer, a time to think about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It's also a time when many people want to get away. And for many, these getaways include camping, trips and the Memorial Day holiday kicks off camping season for a lot of people. Many people will camp throughout the summer well into the fall when the change of weather means

it's time to wind down. Camping season and maybe head back to school. It was during that tail end of camping season in the fall of 2003 that a young couple headed out for an overnight camping trip. It would prove deadly. 19 year old Lisa. and 20-year-old Brandon Rumbaw made their way to the secluded Bumblebee Road area in the Yavapai County area in Arizona in September of that year. They never came home. Instead, they were both murdered. And to this point, who killed them and why remains a mystery. Lisa Guerrari and Brandon Rumball, who were both from Scottsdale, Arizona had been dating for a year by October 2003. At that time, they had been living together in

Lisa's apartment for about two months. Brandon was a personal trainer at Fitness Works Gym, and Lisa was a secretary at the Salt River Project, a utility company in Arizona. Brandon was attending Arizona State University and had a dream of opening his own gym one day. Lisa was a sophomore studying business management at Mesa Community College. She wanted to be a professional wedding planner, and once they both graduated, she was set to be planning her own wedding. Lisa's mother Paula would later tell the Arizona Republic, both of them loved each other so, so much. While Lisa and Brandon knew they wanted to be together for the rest of their lives, before they got married, they wanted to focus on their education and save up money. As Lisa and Brandon's one-year anniversary approached, they tried

to figure out what to do to celebrate it. A trip to Disneyland was what they really had their heart set on, but it was about a six-hour drive and very expensive. So instead, they changed. They changed. They is an overnight camping trip, just the two of them alone under the stars in a remote area about 30 miles north of Phoenix. Well, I will say, you know, a trip to Disneyland or Disney World is a really big thing. For many, many people, I will also say it is extremely expensive. We went to Disney World, I don't know, two or three years ago. I could not believe how much the tickets have gone up.

That whole place is just, whew, you better bring your wallet and every card you got. I think it's always been expensive too, but I remember when I was their age, my wife and I would try and find things to do. We didn't have a lot of money, so we would think of things that we could do together that didn't cost a lot of money and go out and have fun.

And I think that's what Lisa and Brandon were doing in this situation. For the trip, the couple borrowed Lisa's mom Paula's Ford F-150. She was hesitant to loan out the truck. because she knew the vehicle was overdue for an oil change, but it was just an overnight trip. So she didn't worry too much about it and let them borrow it. Brandon and Lisa didn't bring a tent. Instead, they planned to sleep in the bed of the pickup truck once they got to their destination,

which was an area off I-17, lonely and secluded bumblebee road, about 60 miles north of Scottsdale. This is what they had done on the street. their first date too, fallen asleep together in each other's arms under the stars. Brandon had been to this spot before with friends and thought it would be perfect for their quick romantic trip, which would be Lisa's first time camping. October 17th, the day they were leaving was a Friday. And the couple planned to be back the next morning on Saturday around 9 a.m. They had to return the truck to Lisa's mom.

and then Brandon had training sessions that worked that day. So they couldn't stay away the entire weekend. Paula knew the general area of where Lisa and Brandon were heading to, but Lisa had specifically asked her mom not to tell Lisa's uncle Mike the location until they were back home. Mike basically stepped in to fill the father role for Lisa in 2002 after her dad, John, passed away from cancer. Mike had promised his brother that he would watch over her, and Lisa felt that Mike would make a big deal about the

the camping trip if he knew where they were planning to camp at Bumblebee Road. In Lisa's mind, the best case scenario was that her uncle Mike would try and talk them out of going there. And worst case, he would come looking for them there and crash their anniversary date. Lisa was right about her uncle's concerns. Mike later discussed his worries about the choice of Bumblebee Road for a camping destination. Bumblebee, Arizona is described as a ghost town in the Bradshaw Mountains of Yava Pye County, used by campers mostly in the winter. It was also common knowledge that some people went there to party

or to do shady things, and many of them were armed with guns. And more of I think it's, you know, very normal for a family member to have concerns about a trip, especially one like this. My youngest just got back from a road trip with their college friends. Of course I was worried. I'm always worried.

Maybe worried's not the right word, but there's always something in the back of my mind. Just, you know, a little bit of concern about how things are going to go. This here seems a little different to me just because of where they're going. You think about something described as a ghost town. Okay, it just kind of screams desolate. And then you have this thought that, you know, maybe there's some shady people there. they're partying, they're armed.

Okay. There would be some concerns. Yeah, I think in her uncle Mike's mind, you know, there's probably some concern about if they ran into some shady people out there, but maybe also if they got hurt, they were so far away from everything. At Lisa and Brandon did have a cell phone with them, but I'm not sure how good the reception was out there.

So you can understand why Mike would be a little bit concerned about them heading out there. In Lisa's mind, the trip would be a safe one. They weren't going to pull very far off of the road, so the chances of them coming across someone up to no good should have been pretty low. She also felt safe knowing that Brandon would protect her. He was a tall, strapping young man. Along with borrowing Paula's truck, they borrowed her video camera so they could tape their adventure. On the way to Bumblebee, they stopped at a grocery store in Scottsdale,

embodied disposable camera to further document their memories of the trip. If they did anything else before getting to their chosen campsite, it wasn't documented. On their drive, Paula called Lisa, but they still had a ways to drive. This would be the last time. She or anyone else spoke to the couple. About two miles west of Interstate 17, they pulled the truck off of Bumblebee Road into an unpaved turnout area. What happened after that is shrouded in mystery to this day. The next morning, Saturday at 9 a.m., the time the couple was supposed to be home,

came and went with no word from either Lisa or Brandon. Lisa was rarely late, especially without checking in. If she knew plans had changed or she was running late, she would always call him notify someone, but this wasn't often because she was a very punctual person. Brandon didn't show up to work that day, which was also strange. he didn't call him sick, which was highly unlike him, especially because Brandon and Lisa had specifically planned the trip the way they did so he could be back in time for work.

So why would he just blow it off? It didn't make sense. Because of this, both of their families and Brandon's friends that worked with them immediately were worried about them. Paula would later tell ABC 15 Arizona, call it a mother's instinct. I don't know what it was, but I knew there was something wrong. Brandon's family thought that maybe they ran off the Las Vegas,

together to elope instead of waiting until they graduated to get married. But as more time passed, it seemed obvious that this was not the case. And more if we hear about this in many cases, right, people have a reputation, especially when it comes to work. Do they show up on time? Do they miss a lot of work without calling in? And most of the time, the answer to those questions is no. And I think what that does is it establishes a pattern so that when that pattern is broken, people become worried very, very quickly. It's one thing if this is a couple that's always doing things on a whim and taking off without letting people know and it's not out of the norm.

But for both of them, this was highly unusual that they would both disappear from sight and not alert anyone, especially because Brandon was coming back. to work that day. They planned that whole schedule around that. So that I think was the most worrisome thing. Paula called to report Lisa and Brandon missing. And meanwhile, an unofficial search party began. Brandon's father, Rob, Lisa's brother, and some of Brandon's friends went looking for the couple, but no one knew the exact area that they were camping at, just that they had gone to Bumblebee. Nothing was found. So the search continued into Sunday that afternoon. Three of their friends who had joined the search,

finally saw the White Ford F-150, parked just off the road. One of these friends had stayed at this site before with Brandon. Everything looked normal at first until they got to the bed of the pickup. Lisa and Brandon were lying in the back dead. They were still inside their sleeping bags. Police were summoned to the scene

and found that Lisa and Brandon had both been shot multiple times in the head and torso. although for years, they refused to release the caliber of gun that had been used to kill the couple. Commander Tom Bolts with the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office would explain much later to ABC 15. There's evidence that Lisa probably woke up at some point during the attack, but we can't say for sure right now. The case for the camcorder they had borrowed from Paul was still inside the truck, but the camera itself was gone. Lisa's keys weren't in the truck or in her pocket. There was some trash around the side of the road,

but none of it looked as if it was related to the murders. Some of it had been there for quite a while. About 100 feet from the truck, investigators found a disposable camera and collected it as evidence. It was broken, probably from impact, suggesting it had been thrown and landed where it was found. A lot of reports say the camera is found broken in half, which makes it sound like someone smashed a camera or actually snapped it in half.

to destroy the film, but it's more likely that it cracked or the two halves popped apart when it hit the ground. Despite the disposable camera being broken, some of the film was salvageable and photos were able to be developed. The last two photos on the roll were Brandon and Lisa. They were each posing in the corner of the truck bed, but everything behind them was pitch black. It looked like they had each taken a photo of each other. Investigators being rather tight-lit may have caused some confusion here because many people discussing this case have spent time wondering whether these two photos were the last two pictures taken or whether other photos on the roll came after. However, it looks like investigators who joined the case much later have cleared this up in more recent sources, including interviews, mentioned that these were the last two photos taken. taken on that disposable camera.

Two other photos have been released to the public, but only one seems to really be talked about. Both photos are only partial frames and are too dark to make out, much in the way of detail. But what looks to be a light bulb and what many people think is some kind of window can be seen. Police released this photo to help ID the location. Brandon and Lisa had purchased this disposable camera on their way to camp. So just exactly how this photo of a light bulb and possibly wind up.

came to be on the camera as a mystery. It's obviously not a photo from the crime scene. Since the photos of Lisa and Brandon, the last two photos taken on the roll seemed to show them alive and well. It's not clear where these other earlier photos were taken or who took them. Is it possible that Lisa and Brandon made a stop someplace before making it to the campground? If so, where was it? And did they visit someone? Police have desperately been trying to find the location where those photos were taken. As far as the photos, different. articles note that the light fixture is inside or outside of a building. Some people think it's a double exposure and that one of the photos is outside and shows a door if you look at it upside down.

Others think it may not be a light fixture at all, but a bowl with the reflection of the flash and not a light ball. There is one detail that most people agree on. It looks like there is a house plant in the photo. Something with big leaves and vine. Wherever this mysterious plant and lamp are located, it could be essential to the case or it could be nothing at all. Many wonder if the couple was up to something secret and possibly dangerous, but there could also be a number of innocent explanations for the photos, maybe a stop on their trip, a friend's house, a neat building they saw and wanted to photograph. They could have been planning to show. They could have been planning to show. show friends and family members this photo when they were home, but they didn't get a chance to.

Currently, the authorities now seem to believe that the photos were taken inside of a restaurant and Bumblebee, one that has since closed. We looked for photos of this now defunct restaurant to try and compare to the mystery photos on the disposable camera. And unfortunately, we can't find any photos of this establishment. suburbs of D.C., a woman fails to show up for work and is found brutally murdered. I wonder what's emergency. We just walked in the door and there's blood in the foyer. For the next two decades, the case remained unsolved until new technology allowed investigators to do what had once been impossible. A new series from ABC Audio in 2020, blood and water.

Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts. You know, every great romance story has a happily ever after. Two people meet, fall in love, and end up together for the rest of their days. Nancy and Dan Brofey were one of those couples. Dan was a chef who taught at a Portland culinary school. Nancy was a romance writer who filled her novels with sexy fantasies, betrayals, and murder. When Dan ends up dead, details of his murder that could have been ripped from the pages of Nancy's novels become clued. And Nancy becomes a main suspect. So this isn't a romance story. It starts with the Happily Ever After, but it doesn't end with one. Was Nancy just researching her next novel, or was she planning a murder?

This is a story about what happens when the lines blur between fiction and reality. Follow Happily Never After, Dan and Nancy on the Wondery app, or wherever you get your podcast. You can binge all episodes of Happily Never After, Dan and Nancy, early and ad free right now by joining. wondering plus. Police have also come to believe that everything was fine when the last two photos on the roll, the ones with Brandon and Lisa in the bed of the truck, were taken. In these photos, Lisa is seen with her legs bent and open in front of her. She's fully dressed wearing jeans, a belt, and a black camisole. She's smiling and her eyes are not looking at the lens, but slightly to the side and above the camera. In the second photo of Brandon, he's sitting in the same

spot as Lisa was in her photo. His legs are also bent and open in a similar fashion. He isn't smiling and his arms are crossed at the chest and his face doesn't hold much expression. He has a straight face and is looking at the camera. All of these photos we're talking about can be found online. Many people, including Lisa's mom Paula, feel like something is off about the photos. She told ABC 15, it wasn't her smile. It was like she was scared and she was smiling. Some people who discuss this case online have wondered if the killer could have been there when the photos were taken and if they could have been forcing the couple to pose. Although the photo evidence in this case doesn't provide many answers, it seems like it may be one of the best clues the police have, or at least it's maybe

a clue that may lead to other clues. And obviously more if these photos are discussed a lot because let's face it, there's not a lot of evidence in this case. So these two photos are going to be the subject of a lot of speculation, you know, are these two people in love who are taking a photo of each other, or are they being forced to pose by someone who ultimately did them harm? That's a very scary thought. Yeah, the photos, to me, look a little odd. It doesn't look like they're overly happy. I mean, maybe they could have been tired. Who knows? But I can see why Paula thought the picture was somewhat odd because they just don't look like they're having a real good time, but maybe that's open to interpretation. I think one important thing is those earlier

photos that show what looks like the light bulb and the plant identifying where that was because it would help lay out their movements that night and where they were. and maybe that leads to other witnesses or people that talk to them. And to this point, nobody's come forward to say, hey, we were with them or we saw them that night. And that makes you wonder,

okay, is there somebody out there that hasn't come forward because they're involved or they're afraid to come forward? Or were Brandon and Lisa on their own the entire time? And maybe they didn't talk to anybody that night. But I think it would really help police if they did talk to someone to have that information. There is one thing that's, nagging me about this theory that possibly the killer is taking these pictures.

And it's that ultimately they would both Brandon and Lisa have to end up back in their sleeping back because that's where they're found. Not saying that's impossible. It just seems like it doesn't fit. Yeah, which would mean that if the killer forced them to take those photographs, then maybe they forced them to get in their sleeping bags as well. But I think the problem is there's just no evidence of what happened exactly. One nagging question that remains is why was the camera broken?

The main theory is that the killer was documented in one of the frames, or at least thought they were. So they threw it in an effort to break it. But the camera was found pretty close to the truck and easily connected to the couple. The killer could have got. rid of the camera in many other places, including other remote locations in the desert, if they were worried about being identified instead of leaving the evidence so close to the crime scene. It doesn't make a lot of sense to have left it.

This is especially true if the killer took the missing video camera from the scene, then why not just take the camera as well? There's also a theory that perhaps Brandon or Lisa, knowing something was about to happen, to them, drew the camera away from their truck, maybe thinking they had taken a photo of the person who wanted to do them harm. And they were leaving it as a clue for police. Police know the make, model, and even the serial number of the missing video camera, but it has never turned up. To me, I think probably to a lot of people, it does seem strange that if the killer threw that camera down, why not just take it with them when they

left. It seems that they took the other camera and took the keys to the truck. So why not just take this camera as well if they thought their picture was on it? So that's just one odd clue from the case. Yeah. I mean, you know, everybody has seen a disposable camera. Well, I shouldn't say everybody because they're not as ubiquitous as they used to be. But they're not heavy. They don't take up a lot of room. This would be something very easy to stick in a pocket. And then like we said, you could dispose of it in so many different places or you could take it back home with you and really ensure that the entire thing is obliterated. Because that's one of the thoughts that I had. Okay, you're going to break it in half

assuming that any pictures on the camera would be destroyed. I think a lot of people are smart enough to know that that really doesn't ensure that. You know, experts could pull the film out, salvage it. I don't know. It just seems like somebody would be taking a huge chance if that was their way of thinking. News of the senseless double murder devastated Lisa and Brandon's family and friends. They had gone to Bumblebee Road to celebrate a year of their lives together. Now their families were making funeral arrangements.

Lisa was laid to rest at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Mesa, and a memorial service was held for Brandon at Scottsdale Bible Church. A scholarship was set up in his name by his employer to financially assist college students. In November 2003, a month after the murders, a $10,000 reward was offered. for information. This was entirely funded by donations that family and friends were able to raise at a car wash and bake sale. With a lack of apparent motives and no real evidence at the scene, finding any leads to track down was difficult. There was no sign of sexual assault or robbery other than the missing video camera and investigators didn't believe that drugs or alcohol had

anything to do with the murders. Since both victims were apparently asleep, in their sleeping bags. When they were shot, it seemed that the motive for the murders were simply the murders themselves. But police didn't know if they had crossed paths with a random killer in the night or if Lisa and Brandon had been targeted. There was a possibility that whoever killed Lisa and Brandon knew them and were aware of their plans that night and where they would be. But only one person who fit that bill came to mind. Lisa's uncle, Mike, immediately suspected one of Lisa's friends as being involved and wanted to question him. Mike felt that this friend was fond of Lisa and jealous of Brandon.

According to an old Reddit post, Mike said, I was on my way. I was in my truck headed to the freeway. I got a phone call saying that he wasn't there. The place was wiped clean. This unnamed friend that Mike suspected had suddenly packed up his life and moved to Washington. Police later questioned the man and he passed a polygraph test, though investigators today say no one has been cleared and certainly not due to a polygraph alone.

So obviously we don't have a ton of information on this individual, but it seems as though Mike had some pretty strong thoughts on this guy. I mean, to the point more of where he got in his truck and was headed to his place. And it does seem strange that, you know, after the murders, This guy, you know, cleans out his apartment or his place and he just up and moves to Washington. Now, that could be just a coincidence or there could be a more sinister motive. Well, we talk about all the time how most people are killed by someone they know, someone within their inner circle, which is why police always start looking at people closest to them and then work their way out. it's not common that people are killed by strangers.

So I think Mike being suspicious of this person thinking maybe he has a thing for Lisa and is jealous of Brandon, I think that's a logical possibility. And that's why he thought that. So for the police to check that out and give a polygraph and whatever else they might have done, I think it makes total sense that they would have looked at him. Authorities wanted more information about a man spotted having an argument. in the doorway of Lisa and Brandon's apartment at some point before the murders. Unfortunately, this information is all very vague.

Early articles don't even clarify who was arguing just that the man was in an argument with another man and only specifies that it was in the apartment doorway. We can only assume that it was in the open doorway of Brandon and Lisa's apartment and were left to wonder whether there were two. two unknown men arguing or just one unknown man who was arguing with Brandon. This man was described as tall, husky, and white in his 40s wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. According to the East Valley Tribune, Susan Quayle, a spokeswoman for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, said that it's possible the argument occurred about 10 p.m. A day or more before the murders.

And again, this is all very vague, but you do have to look at it. If this person was having an argument with Brandon, then this is a person that police would want to talk to. You know, could it be that there was some type of real beef there and it carried over? Whether this person followed Brandon and Lisa or somehow knew where they were going to be, he went out there and killed both of them. And police would definitely want to know about any arguments that Brandon had, or even if the argument wasn't Brandon, even if it was with someone else, maybe Brandon might have

overheard something and been targeted for that reason, maybe he heard something he wasn't supposed to. So I think whatever the case, the police really wanted to find this guy and they weren't able to, unfortunately. Lisa's family is open to the idea that she and Brandon were specific. targeted by someone who knew them, the friend who Mike said wanted Lisa. But the person they suspected did not fit the description of the man seen arguing in the doorway, and this friend's name has not been publicly released. Steve Francis, a spokesman for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office,

told the Arizona Republic, do we believe that it was a random act and that there's a crazy person out there? Not necessarily. Can we rule it out? Not necessarily. But six months after Lisa and Brandon were killed, more murders had people wondering if there was someone out there targeting campers. On Monday, May 3rd, 2004, U.S. Forest Service workers found the bodies of William Midaw and Omer Casey. They had been camping together at a National Forest Campground near Crown King, about two hours north of Phoenix. Two days later, officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department tried to contact 21-year-old Rusty Rankin. At a Super 8 motel in Colorado Springs,

he was a suspect in the double murder and crowned king and was believed to have been camping near Midaw and Casey. Officers called him at 7.30 p.m. Using the phone in his hotel room to inform him that there was a warrant for his arrest. It seemed like he was going to cooperate. He agreed to turn himself in. Instead, he took his own life with one of the four guns that would be recovered in the room with his body around 10.30 p.m.

Rusty Rankin may have been responsible for the murders of William Middaw and Omer Casey, but it's unclear if he could be a suspect in the murders of Lisa Guerrere and Brandon Rumbaw. There was also a double murder of a man and woman not far from Bumblebee that caught the attention of someone. some people. In 1999, four years before Lisa and Brandon's murders, the bodies of 20-year-old Rebecca Rubelkava and her friend, 39-year-old William Rodriguez, were found on the east side of Highway 93, between the towns of Wickenburg and Wickeup, about 80 miles west of Bumblebee. Both of them had been shot to death. There's some key differences in this double murder, however. Rebecca and and William were killed elsewhere and dumped where they were found. Also, Rebecca had a history of being sex trafficked, and in the days before she was killed, claimed to be fearful after witnessing a

murderer. Nothing really links Rebecca in Williams case to Lisa and Brandon's other than proximity. But when you start digging in the cases that are very similar, that being two victims at a campsite killed at that campsite, it's shocking how many cases there are, even if not close in proximity. One case that is strikingly similar is that of 22-year-old Lindsey Cutchall and 26-year-old Jason Allen, who were engaged to be married when they decided to spend their last summer weekend in California, sightseeing near San Francisco. It was supposed to be a quick trip. They headed down the coast on Friday and were expected back in Coloma north of Sacramento on Sunday. The two counselors had work on Monday, so they couldn't extend their trip. Lindsay called her parents back

home in Ohio every Sunday while she was in California, but not on Sunday, August 15, 2004. Her family and the couple's coworkers began to worry. On Tuesday, Lindsay's mother flew to California to report the two missing. The next day, a park ranger at Fishhead Beach in Jenner, California, about 80 miles north of San Francisco, ran the license plate of a car that had been abandoned at a cliff top overlook. It was registered to Lindsay Cutchall, and thankfully there was a missing person's report already out on her. The Ranger made his way down the embankment to the beach and saw two sleeping bags in the sand. Lindsay and Jason had each been shot once in the head while they were asleep. It was not a robbery. Two backpacks belonging to the couple were next to them with all

their belongings inside, and their car hadn't been stolen, and there was no sign of sexual assault. A disposable camera was also found at the scene, but it was a disposable camera was also found at the scene, but it only had the photos you would expect. Nature and beach scenes from their drive down the coast. Fresh air, longer days, a chance to reset. This season let therapy be part of your spring cleaning. Clearing mental clutter, shaking off stuckness, and building something better. Grow therapy helps you get there.

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And snapshots of them smiling in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. A woman contacted authorities just three days after the bodies of Lindsay Cutshaw and Jason Allen were found, suggesting that her boyfriend, Sean Gallen, was responsible. Investigators were familiar with his name as a local nuisance with a history of substance abuse. He was interviewed but claimed no knowledge of or involvement in the crime. Guns, a bulletproof vest, and a spear were found during a search of his home, but no evidence linking him to the murders was recovered. The case went cold and remained unsolved for almost 13 years.

Over the years, some online slews, noted the similarities between the Cuttschall Allen murders and Lisa and Brandon's. Despite the 800 miles separating the cases, people wondered if the same killer might be responsible. On March 24, 2017, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of shots fired. 36-year-old Seamus Gallen had been shot and killed by his brother, Sean. While in custody for this murder, Sean was questioned again about Lindsay Cutshell and Jason Allen. He still maintained his innocence, but fouled a polygraph and eventually confessed to the murders. He was able to prove his involvement in the murder, admitting that he had retrieved the shell

casings from the sand, put them in an old soda can, and hid the can in a bush on his father's property. Investigators found the can with the shell casings still inside and were able to confirm they were from the same weapon that killed Lindsay and Jason. In the end, the Cutschall Allen murders had nothing to do with the murders of Lisa Guerrery and Brandon Rumbull. And there's a couple of things here morph to talk about. One is that, you know, it's very natural for people online, online sluice, if you want, if you want to use that term, to try to put cases together. We see that all the time because, you know, let's face it, in many of these cases,

speculation is all there really is. But, you know, 800 miles away, that's a little tough. Not to say that it couldn't happen. Obviously, being killed and actually being shot inside the sleeping bags is so very similar. But 800 miles is quite a distance. And then obviously, later on, Sean Gowan admits to the murders. What I thought was fascinating, was that, you know, this guy knew enough to pick up his shell casings, but then, you know, doesn't dispose of them in a way where they could never be found or, you know, come back to link him. He puts them in a can. and hides them on his father's property. Is that because he wanted to save them as trophies?

I don't know, but you are really taking a chance if you're a killer by keeping that kind of very damning evidence around. I can see why some people thought this case could be connected to Brandon and leases because the similarities were there. You know, they also weren't robbed. there was a disposable camera found. So as you mentioned, only natural for some people to connect the dots and say,

oh, this could be the same killer. What is interesting is that it turns out that this was a stranger killing. And where most people aren't killed by strangers, this guy had no connection to Lindsay and Jason. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time and crossed paths with this guy. And you have to wonder, did the same thing happen?

to Lisa and Brandon or was it someone they knew that stocked them there? Yeah, and I'm sure we'll talk about it more, but we've yet to really delve into new kind of a stranger scenario. But there's no doubt that it's a definite possibility. In 1972, there was a similar crime on Vancouver Island, 20-year-old Anne Durant and 19-year-old Leif Carlson were together in their sleeping bag on June 21st, 1972, when they were each shot four times in the head with a 22 caliber weapon and had been shot a fifth time, but that bullet went through her hand and into her hip. Twenty-five-year-old Joseph Henry Burgess immediately became a suspect when his

Canadian health card was found at a campsite near the scene along with a bunch of other abandoned belongings. Clothes, a guitar, handwritten Bible passages, a rifle cleaning kit, a Bible with the name Job Weeks, inscribed, glasses, and a photo of Burgess that had been torn into pieces were also found at the campsite. Burgess was witnessed cleaning a 22-caliber gun shortly after the murders, but fled before authorities arrived. It was believed that Burgess strongly disapproved. of couples having pre-marital sex and targeted them with his violence. Despite being identified and even placed on Interpol's watch list, Burgess managed to escape and even enter the United States.

His whereabouts for the next three decades were unknown, but by July 16, 2009, he was breaking into a cabin in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, where officers were conducting a stakeout, lying in wait for the so-called cookie bandit, who had been burglarizing cabins, stealing food, guns, alcohol, and survival items for years. Burgess shot at two officers who were inside the cabin, killing one of them. They both fired back, and Burgess was also killed. His fingerprints were a match to the ones found at the 1972 crime scene in Vancouver Island and on the written Bible passages.

Burgess was a suspect in the murders of Lindsay Cutshaw and Jason Allen, but DNA from the scene was not a match. He was officially posthumously cleared of those murders when Gallin confessed. Could he have passed through Arizona before settling in New Mexico? Is it possible he killed Lisa Guerriri and Brandon Rumball and Bumblebee? Police would need to have DNA, fingerprint evidence, at least something, to tie Burgess to these murders. It's unknown how many unsolved crimes Burgess is linked to, but evidence indicates he was willing to kill anywhere he went. The gun he used to shoot at the officers in that cabin was registered to David Ellie, who was reported missing at the time, and later found dead in the Jemez Mountains.

There's really no telling how many cases, thefts and murders he may be responsible for and the waters might be muddy. if he was traveling and using stolen weapons. Over the years, online sluice scoured cases with similarities to the murders of Lisa Guerriri and Brandon Rumbaw. And while there were plenty of interesting cases, with similarities, there was never any clear evidence linking any to Brandon's and Lisa's murders. In 2021, Lisa and Brandon's murders were looked at again with fresh eyes.

and those who were still available were being re-interviewed again by investigators with a fresh perspective on the case. Even though they had already been asked about the case, investigators were hoping that something had been missed, an important detail had been remembered, or even that someone wanted to clear their conscience after all these years of keeping a secret. Deborah West, a volunteer cold case investigator with the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office, told ABC 15, maybe they remember something now. Maybe they felt like they couldn't talk back at that time. That same year, Lisa's mom, Paula,

was hoping to move back to Arizona from Washington, where she moved after Lisa's murder. And more if when you think about it, you know, it's staggering. How many cold cases there are. And every year, I think that number gets added to. Now, obviously, some get solved and taken off the books, but it's always a good idea. to revisit these cases.

You know, maybe someone with a fresh set of eyes comes in, re-interviewing people. And like you said, maybe something was missed, but to me, more importantly, maybe somebody who knew something back then is now ready to get that off their chest.

Maybe they feel like they can, or maybe they just feel like it's time. Yeah, it could be something as, simple as perhaps the investigator back at the time didn't ask the right questions or rubbed the witnesses the wrong way and the new detectives taking a fresh look at it or asking things in a different way. Maybe the people are talking to open up a little more to them. So I think it's worth taking a chance to see if you can gleam any new information that might move the case alone. Yeah, well, we talk about it all the time and you can't give up on these cases. I know

there's only so many resources to go around, both in terms of how many people you have to dedicate to some of these cold cases, but also money to test items and things like that. Investigators have released new information, finally revealing that the weapon used to kill Lisa and Brandon was a 25 caliber handgun. Although it's not clear, what make and model was used. The 25 caliber in general is somewhat rare. Other than the new public information, there still wasn't much movement on the case.

And speaking on the 25, it is pretty rare today. You don't see a lot of handguns. In fact, I don't really see any new 25 caliber handguns being made. Maybe there are, and I just don't see him. I think it was a caliber that was, you know, more popular in the past,

but has really gone by the wayside today. So what does that mean? That it's an older gun. It can mean a lot of different things. Yeah, maybe someone out there remembers a friend, a coworker, somebody that own that kind of gun,

maybe got rid of it soon after the murders, or maybe still has that, gun and was in that area or maybe talked about the murders. You never know how releasing the clue that it's a 25 caliber gun that was used, how that will affect the case and maybe spur someone to come forward with that little tidbit of information that helps solve it. Yeah, I will say it's a much better piece of information than if they were to come out and say this was a nine millimeter. There's a much better chance that somebody is going to remember someone having or owning a 25 caliber handgun than a 9mm, which is obviously much more ubiquitous. There's still

maybe hope to solve this case. In 2003, Commander Tom Bowles with the Avopai County Sheriff's Office told ABC 15, right now we're in the phase where we're working with G.E. genealogy, trying to get some identification from some of the DNA that was at the scene so that we can generate some leads and hopefully find out who did this. Of the new developments, Lisa's mom, Paula, said to ABC 15, I just hope to God they find what happened or who did it, even if the person is dead. I want to know. When Paula asked for Lisa's personal belongings back, she was told that she had to wait for the case to be solved or for 25 years to pass. Paula told ABC 15, it was hard. I lost my daughter and I lost my best friend at the same time. She didn't protest when she couldn't get her

daughter's items back, thinking it would be a short delay while a suspect was tracked down. No one expected the case to remain unsolved for so long. Now we're quickly approaching that 25-year mark, and all of Lisa's belongs, including her cell phone, will be returned to Paula. She hopes, and really everyone does, that she won't have to wait that long and the case will be solved before then. There is a $10,000 reward for any information in this case that leads to an arrest. You can call Yavapai Silent Witness at 1-800-932-3-3-3-2 and give them your tip anonymously. No matter how insignificant your information may seem, it still wanted. Sergeant Jamie Rothschild told the Arizona Republic,

what you may perceive as a very small puzzle piece might work very well in the detective's overall picture of the investigation. They're still waiting for the tip that completes the puzzle and leads to the identity of the killer who snuffed out the lives of two young people who were in love and had their entire lives together stolen. And I do believe what, you know, this sergeant said is absolutely true. My thought is that there are people who may know something about cases and they think to themselves, well, it seems like it's such a small thing. I don't want to take the time or I don't want to bother detectives with it. But it could be the exact thing that detectives need because the person with the information doesn't know everything that the detectives know. So I guess what I'm trying to say is,

you know, I would urge people if you think you know anything about a case, it doesn't hurt to call the police or, you know, call one of these tip line. It sounds like the police have stuff to go on other than the photos that they were working with for a long time. He mentioned. and DNA and doing genealogy. So perhaps the killer left something at the scene or maybe there were items they thought belonged to the killer that they're trying to track down through genealogy. So just to come out and say that leaves open a good possibility that this case can be solved. Yeah, absolutely because, you know, really the information that we were able to gather around

the evidence that they had, you could tell there wasn't much. But when you come out as law enforcement and start talking about using genealogy or going that route, well, then I think people start to believe that this case is much more solvable than maybe it once appeared. We've all been hearing and we've been seeing all these cases. cases solved using this new technique. And I say new, it's been around for a while now, but how many cases have you and I personally profiled that have been solved using genetic genealogy that, you know, many people thought were practically unsolvable. And hopefully the police

do have something to work with to use that technique to its fullest capability. You know, we never know what holdback information there is. Did the killer leave something at the scene, spit out a piece of gum, smoke a cigarette, who knows, but hopefully police are able to use whatever was left behind and solve this case one day.

Yeah, as we wrap this one up, again, there's not on the surface a lot to go on. You have these pictures, but what do they really mean? I think pretty difficult to identify maybe the location where they were taken.

And then even if you could, it may have nothing to do with the murders at all. I think for me, what this case comes down to is motive, which let's face it, most cases come down to. Was this someone who knew one or both of the victims? Were they targeted specific?

or was this a random killing? I think that determination is really important. Because obviously if they're targeted, then you're looking for people in their lives. Now, how close they are to them, that would remain to be seen. But at least somebody who knows them, knows of them. You know, does this have to do with someone who had a fascination?

with Lisa. Yeah, this is going to be a case that I keep a close eye on because I'm hoping it is solved. And I think it's only going to lead to more questions. You know, sometimes you find out the who, but not necessarily the why. And I think it's going to be interesting to figure all that out if the case is solved. Yeah, I'm with you. You always want to know the who, but you really do want to know the why as well. And sometimes you don't get that.

leaves a real hole, a real mystery to the case. So even if you find out definitively who did it, if you never get to that point where you know why they did it, well, that mystery is still there. But hopefully they can figure out both of it, who and why. But that's it for our case on the Bumblebee Road Murders. If you love the show, but I haven't done so yet, take a minute, go out, give us a five-star rating. You can leave a review. Also, keep telling your friends. Word of mouth about the criminology podcast really goes a long way.

If you want to find us on social media, we're on X with a handle at Criminology Pod. You can also find us on Facebook by going to facebook.com slash criminology podcast. And you can join our Facebook discussion group, criminology podcast discussion in fans. So that's it for another episode of Criminology. But Morp and I will be back with all of you. next Saturday night with a brand new episode. So until then, for Mike and Morph. We'll talk to you next week.

Take care, everyone.