Most killers try to bury their secrets deep, but this case breaks all the rules of criminal behavior. In this episode, we dive into the mystery of Linda Sherman, a young mother whose case spanned from April 1985 to June 1990. Her skull was unexpectedly discovered under the decorative bushes of a busy restaurant in Bridgeton, Missouri, in broad daylight. The most disturbing part of this discovery isn't just the location, but a detail that stops everything: Casa Gallardo was the favorite restaurant of her husband and prime suspect, Don Sherman.

Join us as we analyze the twisted psychology of a criminal who needed total and absolute control over his victim, even dictating when and who would find her remains. We'll discuss the massive police blunders that paralyzed the investigation for decades, from handing the potential crime scene back to the suspect to leaving the skull in a cardboard box for months. Discover the macabre story of the anonymous note stamped with purple toy letters, and the devastating reality of a daughter who survived in the space between the memories of her father and the evidence of a monster.

• Victim & Case: Linda Sherman, 27, a federal employee who was secretly planning to leave her volatile marriage.
• Timeline: From her mysterious disappearance in April 1985 to the macabre discovery in June 1990.
• Location: Vinita Park and Bridgeton, Missouri, USA.
• The Suspect: Don Sherman, her husband, who allegedly confessed to the crime years later to an ex-girlfriend, bragging about killing her with his own hands.

• How the discovery of the yellow Volkswagen at the airport became a trap to derail the investigation.
• The disturbing note stamped with a child's toy kit that taunted the police into recognizing the victim's skull.
• The prevailing theory that suggests the killer ate fajitas just inches away from his wife's hidden remains.
• Why the prime suspect never faced a jury and took the location of the rest of the body to his grave in 2015.

True crime podcast, Linda Sherman case, The Skull at Casa Gallardo, Bridgeton Missouri mystery, unexplained disappearances, unsolved crimes, killers who escaped justice, true crime, negligent police investigation, calculating killers.

Artlist.io licensed

• Introduction: Undercover Mission
• Background music: idokay - Hero Is Born