The tragic murder of 16-year-old Joyce McLain shocked the small town of East Millinocket, Maine, in August 1980. A popular honors student, cheerleader, saxophonist, and aspiring soccer player, Joyce vanished during a routine evening jog near Schenck High School. Her partially clothed body was discovered two days later in a wooded area behind the soccer fields—beaten to death with blunt force trauma, hands bound with a blue cloth, and a telephone insulator likely the murder weapon. No sexual assault occurred, and heavy thunderstorms washed away potential evidence, leaving no fingerprints or usable DNA.

The case haunted the community for nearly 38 years, featured on Unsolved Mysteries in 1989, spurring tips but no immediate resolution. Philip Scott Fournier, then 19, emerged as the perpetrator through multiple confessions—to family, a pastor, coworkers, and notably a janitor in 1989—revealing non-public details like the weapon and Joyce’s condition. Despite claims of unreliability due to a brain injury from a nearby truck crash (hours after the murder), he was convicted in a 2018 bench trial and sentenced to 45 years. Appeals failed, and he remains incarcerated.

In this episode of the Unsolved Mysteries Rewind Podcast, hosts Mark and Catharine delve into the chilling details, the long road to justice, and the hope it brings to other cold cases. Tune in for their thoughtful recap—you can look forward to more gripping revisits in the future!

Thank you to Mat Graham from Artificial Fear for allowing us to use his amazing cover of the Unsolved Mysteries Theme Song! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQNyGGSIl_ZbEDq-teZDWQ

And thank you to Ryan Hughes from Planet H for lending us his spot-on “Stack Voice” and working with us to have such a cool intro and outro! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYrlNAFRMlWQN1rhWboZh2g

I’m absolutely thrilled to have my amazing co-host from Love, Lies and Alibis, Hannah, joining me for this chilling dive into one of the most haunting cases from the classic Unsolved Mysteries series.

Check out our other podcast here https://www.loveliesandalibis.com Be warned that it is a little darker than the stuff on this podcast

In June 1988, 23-year-old Philip Innes Fraser—a bright, adventurous young man from Anchorage, Alaska, and the son of two prominent doctors—set out on a solo road trip south to start pre-med studies at Evergreen State College in Washington. Driving his packed black 1983 VW Jetta, Philip was full of promise. After surrendering his handguns at the Canadian border, he stopped at a remote café in the Yukon.

That’s where everything went tragically wrong.

At the Forty Mile Flats Café, witnesses saw Philip reluctantly pick up a nervous, clean-cut hitchhiker in his early 20s. It was an act of kindness on a lonely highway that would cost him his life.

Hours later, that same hitchhiker was spotted driving Philip’s Jetta alone—boldly impersonating him. He shared intimate details of Philip’s life, family, and plans with strangers, even spending the night at a kind couple’s home while they fixed his car.

Then, Philip’s burned-out Jetta was found abandoned in Prince George, British Columbia.

Weeks later, Philip’s body was discovered in a remote gravel pit—shot multiple times. The killer had vanished, taking Philip’s wallet, passport, and identity.

Featured on Unsolved Mysteries in 1992, this case of stolen identity and cold-blooded murder on Canada’s desolate highways still grips us today. Despite composites, leads, and speculation about serial killers, the hitchhiker has never been identified.

Nearly 38 years later, Philip’s murder remains unsolved. Join Hannah and me as we rewind this heartbreaking mystery—who was the man who stole more than a ride?

Thank you to Mat Graham from Artificial Fear for allowing us to use his amazing cover of the Unsolved Mysteries Theme Song! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQNyGGSIl_ZbEDq-teZDWQ

And thank you to Ryan Hughes from Planet H for lending us his spot-on “Stack Voice” and working with us to have such a cool intro and outro! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYrlNAFRMlWQN1rhWboZh2g

Join Amy and Mark as they break down this chilling case: Was payback the motive for the murder of a detective’s 7-year-old son? On January 12, 1984, young Gary Grant Jr. enjoyed a rare midweek holiday in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He lived with his mother, May, after his parents’ separation. That morning, Gary mentioned having a secret appointment later in the day, but when he failed to return home by 4:00 PM, his mother grew worried. Despite his father’s frantic search, Gary’s body was discovered two days later in a vacant lot, just two blocks from home. He had been beaten to death with a heavy pipe, likely the murder weapon, found nearby. The initial investigation focused on Carl Mason, nicknamed “Boo,” a 12-year-old with a low IQ who was close friends with Gary. After hours of questioning, Boo signed a confession, though he continued to insist on his innocence. Despite his confession being ruled inadmissible and Boo being cleared of charges, no other suspect was ever identified.

Two years later, the case took a sinister turn when a cryptic message appeared on the side of an Atlantic City patrol car: “Gary Grant’s dead. I am living. Another will die on January 12th if all goes right.” This message, found just days before the second anniversary of Gary’s murder, suggested a connection to the crime. Weeks later, another chilling message was scratched into a sidewalk: “Gary Grant Jr. lives. I still killed him. Son of a pig officer. Payback is a M.F.” These messages led to speculation that Gary’s murder was an act of retribution for an arrest made by his father, but the case remains unsolved. Gary’s family continues to hope for justice, longing for the day when the person responsible will be brought to account. Join Amy and Mark as they delve deeper into this haunting case, exploring the theories and uncovering the details that still leave so many questions unanswered.

Thank you to Mat Graham from Artificial Fear for allowing us to use his amazing cover of the Unsolved Mysteries Theme Song! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQNyGGSIl_ZbEDq-teZDWQ

And thank you to Ryan Hughes from Planet H for lending us his spot-on “Stack Voice” and working with us to have such a cool intro and outro! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYrlNAFRMlWQN1rhWboZh2g