A spontaneous trip ends in years of horror (Part 1/2) | Forensic Files

[Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
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and for a more detailed list of content warnings please the show notes for this episode on your app or on our
website on the afternoon of Friday June 6th 1980 the telephone rang at the Southern California home of Jack
Martin a contractor by trade Jack was at work so the call was answered by his teenage daughter
Bonnie not immediately recognizing the female voice on the other end of the line Bonnie asked who is
this the caller responded Bonnie it's your sister it's Colleen Bonnie was in shock her older sister Colleen Stan had
inexplicably disappeared 3 years earlier and her family hadn't spoken to her since on the phone Colleen sounded shaky
and hurried she reassured her younger sister that she was fine and staying up North with some
friends she didn't elaborate and was evasive when Bonnie asked for more information but the call sparked a lot
of emotion bringing both sisters to tears Colleen asked Bonnie how each member of their family was
doing Bonnie broke the news that their aunt was dying of cancer in the time Colleen had been away
their stepmother had also given birth Colleen had a three-year-old half sister she had never
met the longer way to chat barely lasted 5 minutes before Colleen interrupted Bonnie stating that she had to go right
away Bonnie pleaded with Colleen to call back later that night when their father
would be home Colleen replied quickly tell everyone that I love and miss them before hanging
[Music] up [Music] [Music] [Music] prior to this call the last contact anyone had with Colleen Stan was on
Thursday May 19 1977 the then 20-year-old lived in Eugene Oregon and had spent the night at her
boyfriend Mark's house early that morning Mara drove Colleen back to her apartment Colleen had a close friend
named Linda who lived Interstate in Westwood California it was Linda's birthday and
that weekend she was having a party at her home the impulsive and free-spirited Colleen wanted to surprise her friend by
showing up at the party out of the blue Mark was trepidacious he felt the 6 and 1/ half
hour journey to Westwood was too far for Colleen to travel alone although Colleen understood her
boyfriend's concerns she was headstrong and independent and couldn't be dissuaded she assured Mark that she'd be
back by Sunday in time for a get together his family was having that same morning Colleen told
her roommates about her plan there was just one problem Colleen's car was unreliable and
she didn't have enough money for public transportation she had therefore decided
to hitchhike at the time hitchhiking was a common means for cash strapped youth to
get around Colleen had hitched rides around Eugene many times without incident it
was even how she'd met Mark although she'd never hitched as far as Westwood Colleen was confident she
could get there by Nightfall without any issues she asked her roommates if they could give her a lift to win state
5 the long stretch of highway curved Southward into California and marked the first leg of Colleen's 400m
Journey like Mark Colleen's roommates were apprehensive Colleen told them my mind
is made up thanks for your concerns but I'm going Colleen stuffed some spare clothes
into her sleeping bag and grabbed her purse her roommates reluctantly drove her to Interstate 5 all the while urging
her to rethink her plan but colen couldn't be swayed certain she'd be safe she got out
at the shoulder of the highway and bid her roommates goodbye on Sunday Colleen failed to show
up at Mark's family get together there had been no word from her since she spontaneously left for California 3 days
earlier Colleen's friends soon learned that she never even reached Westwood nor had she contacted the birthday girl
Linda Colleen's family in Riverside which was a further 10 hours south hadn't heard from her
either a missing person's report was swiftly filed there were no clues along Colleen's
intended route to indicate where she might have gone she didn't have any known tires between Eugene and Westwood
that might have diverted her having left no hints about her current whereabouts it was as though Colleen Stan simply
vanished Into Thin Air the situation was grossly out of character for Colleen a happy and caring
young woman who always stayed in touch with her friends and family colen was particularly close to
her father Jack 3 weeks after her disappearance Father's Day came and went with no
contact from Colleen further escalating concerns for her well-being by this point the police had
failed to uncover any leads in their search for the 20-year-old all the while Colleen's
loved ones agonized over the enduring mystery unsure what to think as years began to pass Colleen's
loved ones wondered whether she had fallen victim to one of the many Cults prevalent in California at the time or
some other group that restricted her contact with the outside world perhaps she'd broken the law and
was on the run if she had voluntarily run away there was little the police could do
Colleen was an adult and free to do whatever she pleased it was 3 years into Colleen's
disappearance that she suddenly called home and spoke with her younger sister Bonnie Bonnie rushed to her father's
work site and gave him the good news Jack Martin was thrilled to learn Colleen had finally reached out he
finished early and went home eagerly waiting for Colleen to call back but the night passed with no further contact
from her the telephone company traced Colleen's call to a pay phone at a gas station in Chico a Californian City just
40 m Southeast from Jack's residence in Riverside home to California State University Chico was populated by many
young people but as far as Colleen's family were aware Colleen had no connection to
the area they couldn't think of any reason why she would be there after the call Colleen's family
began receiving handwritten letters from Colleen with the chico postmarks all were brief and scant in
detail merely saying she was living with her family and taking care of their children in one letter Colleen detailed
her new interest in gardening she explained that she'd taken up canning fruit as a hobby and even included a few
recipes however she never provided a return address or any other means for her family to get in
touch on Christmas Eve of 1980 Jack Martin received another phone call from Colleen
again she kept the conversation brief and non-specific when Jack asked for her phone number so they could speak again
colen hesitantly replied this is not my phone I will give it to you some other time Jack asked when she'd be coming
home Colleen replied soon before ending the call not long after a box arrived at
Jack's home it was a Christmas present from Colleen for her newborn half sister a handmade
blanket 3 months later on the night of Friday March 20 1981 there was a knock at Jack Martin's front
door outside stood the now 24-year-old Colleen Stan alone with nothing but a small suitcase that held a few items of
clothing and some handmade gifts for her family Colleen's physical appearance was
as shocking as her unexpected arrival the last time her family had seen her she'd been healthy and glowing
now she looked tired with dark circles around her sunken eyes her skin was pale and her once long thick blonde hair was
short dull and thin homemade clothes hung from her gaunt frame for the first time in almost four
years Jack pulled col into a long awaited warm embrace he couldn't help but notice how
bony she was the home was soon a buzz with family members who rushed over to reconnect
with Colleen including her mother stepmother sisters and step siblings they bombarded Colleen with
hugs and kisses while filling her in on on everything she'd missed they were cautious not to
interrogate her mindful that whatever had kept Colleen from them might be something she wasn't ready to address or
couldn't speak about at all if they pushed her too soon she might disappear again instead they made Colleen feel as
loved and cared for as possible while waiting patiently for her to approach the topic
herself but she revealed nothing that night Colleen stayed up until 2: a.m. reminiscing with her now
21-year-old sister Bonnie within the safety of their sisterly Bond and away from the others
Bonnie began seriously pressing colen about why she just suddenly ceased contact Colleen hesitated before
explaining that she couldn't afford to make calls and had been too busy working and
babysitting this answer further solidified Bonnie's suspicion that Colleen had become involved with a
nefarious cult that forced her to surrender all her money and prevented her from contacting anyone outside of
their Circle the following morning Colleen was given freshly ironed clothes so she
could attend a church with her grandmother who had been praying for Colleen's safe
return afterwards Colleen's family took her to a nearby town to visit her cancer
stricken aunt and then they all went out for lunch when they later returned to the
family home in Riverside the phone rang Colleen answered she told the caller yes sir
before hanging up her mood was now somber 10 minutes later there was a knock at the front
door standing there was a tall gaunt man who looked a little older than colen he
had greasy light brown hair combed to one side with sideburns framing his oily face and a pair of aviator style reading
glasses perched on his nose he introduced himself as Mike and announced that he had come to pick up
Colleen Mike told Colleen's family that the pair had met several months earlier and were now engaged to be
married he explained that he was in the computer business and had been attending
a seminar nearby in enabling Colleen to drop in to see her family but now they needed to get back
on the road Colleen's family asked for a phone number so they could keep in touch stuttering somewhat Mike said that
they didn't have one as they were in the process of moving to Oregon he assured the group he'd provide
a number once they'd settled Bonnie was dubious from the moment Mike entered the room The Spar
dark in Colleen's eyes faded in the past Colleen was always very affectionate towards her boyfriends
around Mike she was cool and distant in another room Bonnie told her stepmother I'm not going to let Colleen
leave until I find out what's going on I will block the door with my body if I have
to her stepmother urged her to settle down worried any antagonistic display would push Colleen away for
good prior to leaving Colleen posed for several photos with her family before it
was suggested she take one with Mike she draped her arms around her fiance rested her head on his shoulder
and smiled for the camera she then hugged her family goodbye telling them she loved
them at 700 p.m. barely 24 hours after she'd reappeared Colleen Stan was gone again despite the Whirlwind visit
Colleen's family were delighted to have finally seen her yet Bonnie remained uneasy throughout their conversations
Bonnie had sensed that Coline wanted to tell her something whatever it was had remained
unsa 4 years earlier Colleen Stan began her solo hitchhike to California within 5 minutes of waiting
alongside Interstate 5 in Oregon she got her first ride a young college student driving a sports car was willing to take
her as far as he could which was a little ways south to Cottage Grove it barely shaved 20 mi off of
Colleen's long journey but it was progress nonetheless from there Colleen was quickly picked up again this time by a
semi-truck driver he agreed to take her to Red Bluff a californi city a few hours
south as they drove along the truck driver attempted to grope Colleen she pushed him away and shouted
for him to leave her alone successfully putting an end to his unwanted Advance it was around 400 p.m. by the
time she reached Red Bluff having traveled for a little over 5 hours her final destination was less
than 100 m east she was on track to reach Westwood before Days End just as she'd
hoped Colleen stood on the side of the highway 36 overpass above Interstate 5 with her thumb out soon a car full of
hippie likee young men stopped alongside her Colleen's guard was up after her encounter with the Seedy truck driver
she carefully assessed the situation and concluded that it wasn't smart for her to be alone in a car with five men she
thanked them before remarking not today the car sped off minutes later a second car pulled up with a young couple
inside though Colleen felt safer in their presence they could only take her a short distance down the highway so she
declined their offer too the next car to stop was a cobalt blue twodo 1971 Dodge cult with a young
man behind the wheel in the passenger seat was a young woman with a baby girl cradled In Her
Arms the woman wounded down her window to ask Colleen where she was going Westwood Colleen
replied the driver said that they were heading that way and offered to take Colleen with
them once again assessed the situation the couple were an unremarkable workingclass pair the man
looked to be in his early 20s and judging by his outfit he was likely a manual laborer who'd spent the day
toiling his jeans shirt and boots were dirty his blonde hair greasy and he smelled of
sweat both the man and woman wore eyeglasses but the woman was a few years younger she had a long black hair and
was dressed casually in short shorts and a t-shirt the little girl in her lap was a
little under a year old her presence reassured Colleen who squeezed in behind the passenger seat
thanking the couple for their kindness as they drove on their surroundings became more
remote Colleen glimpsed the driver's eyes as he kept staring back at her in the rearview
mirror they asked why she was heading to Westwood Colleen explained it was to surprise a
friend for her birthday she doesn't know you are coming the man asked prompting Colleen to
respond no it will be a complete surprise he began peppering her with questions asking if she hitchhiked often
and whether she was married Colleen was tired and quickly grew weary of his interest in her
personal life but she didn't want to be rude so she answered question briefly despite everything the couple
learned about Colleen they didn't tell her a single fact about themselves they drove for less than half
an hour before the men announced they needed to stop for gas he pulled into a station in Payne's
Creek a quaint rest stop among farmlands Colleen headed to the bathroom to freshen up while splashing herself
with cool water she was suddenly overwhelmed by an instinct to run and never look
back Colleen's attention was drawn to a small window that led outside her internal voice urged her to
crawl out of it and run Colleen didn't know what to make of these disturbing feelings she left the restroom and was
immediately met by The Smiling couple who offered her some candy this quelled the peculiar feeling
of dread bubbling away inside of her Westwood was less than an hour away all Colleen could think about was
getting there before nightfall the group got back into the car and drove Eastwood but something odd
Drew Colleen's attention on the seat next to her was a wooden cube-shaped box that she hadn't
noticed before it measured about a foot on each side and featured several metal hinges
and leather reinforcement straps having no idea what it was or could be used for Colleen disregarded
it Beyond Pain's Creek the sparsely populated farming landscape transformed into dense uninhabited Pine Forest that
loomed over the now isolated stretch of highway the man said there were some ice
caves near P that he'd heard about he asked if it would be all right if they stopped for a bit to check them
out it was now approaching 5:00 p.m. Colleen was concerned they wouldn't make it to Westwood before dark but the
couple assured her they would not wanting to be ungrateful she reluctantly accepted their new
plan they headed down an unmarked dirt road and about a quarter of a mile into the forest before the man and stopped
the car Colleen hadn't seen any signs indicating the direction of the Ice Caves but trusted the couple knew where
they were going not wanting to prolong the visit she opted to stay behind as the couple
got out with their baby and headed towards a nearby Creek the next time Colleen looked up
only the woman and baby were standing there the men had vanished suddenly the man leapt into the
back seat and pressed a butcher's knife to Colleen's throat ordering her to put her hands above her
head Frozen in fear Colleen couldn't believe what was happening within seconds her hands were
handcuffed behind her back the man asked are you going to do as I tell you adrenaline pumping Colleen was too
overwhelmed to speak and could only nod a blindfold was placed over her eyes before something was harnessed tightly
around her head that secured a wide leather strap across her mouth gagging her her ankles were then tied together
with rope everything the man did was so Swift precise and purposeful Colleen sensed
he'd been planning and practicing it for some time a heavy object that felt like it
weighed about 20 lb was forced over Colleen's head contoured to the exact shape of her
skull she realized it was the strange wooden box from the back seat the inside was lined with foam
rubber and carpet blocking out light sound and air creating a suffocating sensation the Box snapped sh and was
locked so tightly around Colleen's neck that she felt like she was being strangled as she lay completely
restrained in the back seat her sleeping bag was then spread out on top of her sweltering under the sleeping bag
and inside the stifling headbox Colleen feared she'd die of heat stroke from the muffled sounds around
her Colleen deduced that the woman and her daughter were back inside the car an additional weight was placed on
top of Colleen's body it was the baby Colleen felt the car take off after a short bumpy ride they reemerged on the
highway and wound along the mountainous route in time Colleen heard the barely audible sounds of passing traffic and
town life they were back amongst civilization the car sped veered and circled in many directions before
finally coming to a stop the sleeping bag was lifted off Colleen and finally the wooden box was
removed from her head the rush of cool air was exhilarating Colleen's blindfold and
other restraints were kept on as she was forced to sit up her captors were eating hamburgers
and Fries which Colleen assumed must have come from a drive-through restaurant while she had no real
comprehension of where they were she knew it had to be somewhere private for the couple to be bold enough to consume
a meal without concern struck by their nonchalance Colleen began plotting an escape she barely had time to consider
anything worthwhile before she was forced to lie back down the wooden box was clamped back
over her head removing any possibility of a getaway for now they drove for a while before
stopping again this time the man removed the wooden box and the rope from around
Colleen's ankles but kept the handcuffs blindfold and gag in place sit up he ordered he asked if she would do what
she was told Colleen gave a muffled yes from behind her gag she was told to get out of the
car through a slight gap in her blindfold she could tell it was night time the man gripped Colleen's shoulders
and pushed her up a set of porch steps to what she figured was the back door of a
house inside the glimpse of a stove indicated she was in a kitchen Colleen was taken through
another door and down a steep flight of 14 wooden stairs into a cold Dusty basement she was tormented by the
question what are these people going to do to me Coline was left alone with the man who
ordered her to stand on top of an ice box Colleen's handcuffs were then replaced with stiff leather straps which
were attached to something above she could feel her Cap's hands shaking with excitement as he removed
her shoes and stripped off her clothes through the slit in her blindfold coling could see that the
concrete basement was dimly lit by a single light bulb with two small Windows high up on an adjacent
wall the windows were covered in black plastic the space was around 14 ft long and 23 ft
wide colen was attached to a wooden beam that ran across the ceiling items hung from Nails on one of
the walls but Colleen couldn't make out what they were she spotted a magazine open on a
wooden table before her the pages featured an image of a naked woman strung up in the exact manner as
colen the man began running his hands over colen's naked body without warning he then kicked the ice box away causing
Colleen to drop into dangle in a wire shape the weight of her hanging body caused immediate searing pain in her
shoulders and wrists tears seeped into Colleen's blindfold as she violently thrashed her
legs in a desperate fruitless search for something to stand on naked aching and trembling Colleen
sobbed as she thought why me God realization dawned that no one in Westwood was expecting her and therefore
wouldn't be instigating a search Colleen feared that by the time anyone figured out something was a mess
she would be dead the man went upstairs only to return a moment later with his female
companion they took off their clothes and began having sex on the table in front of
Colleen sickened the full impact of her ordeal began to sink in as she struggled
to comprehend exactly what sort of people she was now at the mercy of then all of a sudden she heard a
crack she was struck by a sharp excruciating pain across her back it happened again this time against
her stomach she was being whipped over and over Colleen realized the unidentifiable
items she'd seen earlier on the wall were a collection of whips each strike produced unbearable
pain unlike anything Colleen had ever experienced it felt as though she was being assaulted right down to her
soul she flailed as the man barked at her to stop kicking saying it'll be over sooner with great Agony Colleen made
herself go limp bringing the assault to a stop a small box was placed under her feet enough for her to stand awkwardly
on her tiptoes and provide some much needed relief the couple resumed having sex one once they were finished the
woman headed back upstairs leaving Colleen alone with the man he traced his fingers over the welts
the whip had left on her body as though admiring his work suddenly the man kicked the box
from under Colleen away reigniting the fiery pain in her limbs there were several flashes of
light and Colleen realized she was being photographed the ice box was then returned under her feet and the leather
straps were removed from her wrists allowing her to get down Colleen's hands were completely
numb the man pushed Colleen face first into a crate near the stairs it was long enough for her to
stretch her legs out but too small for her to stand her ankles and wrists were chained
to the crate and the wooden soundproofed box was once again secured around her head
Colleen was instantly consumed by the feeling of choking claustrophobia and began to
hyperventilate she screamed and fought desperately against the chains to no avail each breath felt like it could be
her last after an indistinguishable amount of time Colleen's distress was interrupted by the sensation of someone
touching her wounded back she taned as the headbox was open it was her captor what's wrong he asked his voice
irritated and angry she explained that she couldn't breathe and begged for her bruised
wrists to be released he replied if you don't shut up I'll cut your vocal cords I've done it before and
I'll do it again the headbox was then resealed sending Colleen back into the oppressive
stifling Darkness Colleen had no way of knowing whether she was ever left alone but as
the night wore on she occasionally felt the man's touch her restraints prevented her from
changing positions and soon all her limbs went numb her lungs burned from struggling to
breathe the unrelenting discomfort prevented her from falling asleep by morning the basement was cold
and Colleen was exhausted the men removed the chains and headbox but kept the blindfold and gag
in place stand up he commanded Colleen struggled to her feet the men grasped her by the
shoulders and pushed her against the table where he and his partner had sex the night
before climb up he said too tired to fight Colleen got up on the table asking when will you let me
go soon he replied as he positioned her to lie face up the man referred to the wooden table
as the rack it measured 8 ft long 3 ft wide and 3 ft High allowing him access to
Colleen's body without having to bend over Colleen was restrained to the table spread eagled in an X shape with her
wrists chained to the top corners and her ankles to the bottom the soundproof box was then
secured onto her head Colleen waited nervously but nothing happened she finally found herself
drifting off to sleep by the time Colleen woke she had no concept of time she occupied Her Mind
by reminiscing about her friends and boyfriend until the thoughts were interrupted by the headbox being
opened sit up her captor demanded it had been well over 24 hours since Colleen had drank eaten or used
the bathroom the man guided her to a plastic chair with a bed pan under it the type
used in hospitals when she finished using it Colleen asked when will I get to go
home yet again he replied soon Colleen's gag was removed as she was offered her first meal since her
ordeal began a plate of cooked potatoes and a glass of water after she ate she was strapped
back up to the ceiling and left to dangle Colleen accepted there was no use trying to fight and instead focused on
enduring the pain after a short while she was let down and made to lie on the rack while
wearing the headbox she was left in complete isolation 23 excruciating hours passed
moaning from Pain and discomfort Colleen finally felt the headbox unlatch it was the woman this
time I'm cold Colleen said the woman laid a blanket over her naked body Colleen was baffled by this
act of kindness but eventually fell asleep she was later woken by the man who released her and took her to the bed
pan he then offered her two egg salad sandwiches and a glass of water Colleen was desperately thirsty
after spending the day in the stuffy headbox but had lost her appetite entirely she thanked the man while
telling him I'm not very hungry angered he snatched the sandwiches away and scolded Colleen for being
ungrateful he strapped her back up to the ceiling with all of the gags and restraints in place then whipped Colleen
in what felt like an act of Vengeance eventually she passed out from the unbearable
pain when she regained Consciousness the ice box was pushed underneath her Colleen didn't have the strength to pull
herself onto it and the mere effort caused her to black out again when she came to this time the ice
box was gone she began yelling for help and begging for mercy the man told her to shut up and
relax reiterating that it would be over soon after another torture session he asked
sarcastically now are you going to eat your sandwich Colleen forced the food down
then she was locked to the rack with the headbox on Colleen determined there was just one
key to survival obey Colleen soon found herself in an ongoing routine for 23 hours a day she was
chained naked to the rack while wearing the headbox in the remaining hour she was
released to use the bed pan drink a glass of water and and eat a basic meal which was usually a sandwich or
leftovers then she was forced to endure another round of sadistic punishment which her captor would
photograph days into Colleen's captivity the woman came down to the basement again she told
Colleen I want you to know you are here to take the pain from me but don't worry
there won't be any sex she asked colen what she would do if she was released with a hint of sarcasm Colleen
replied I'd go to the police and tell them I'd been kidnapped stupid said the woman she then
latched the headbox shut again leaving Colleen to agonize over the thought that she'd just missed a chance to escape by
not choosing her answer more carefully a week into her captivity Colleen heard the sound of someone
storing wood and hammering Nails in the basement the noise filled her with anxiety as she knew whatever was being
built was likely something to enhance her misery Days Later Colleen ate her one and only meal before a single chain was
wrapped around her neck and secured with a large padlock the remainder of the chain went
down the length of her body and was secured around her ankles with a second padlock step in the man
commanded Colleen was forced into another box this one coffin-like in design and
shape it was made of particle board which itched and left splinters in Colleen's
skin the box was fitted into a second larger box which provided additional soundproofing Colleen no longer had to
wear the carpeted headbox all the time but the effect was the same she was ordered to lie down before a lid
was placed on top and padlocked shut completely sealing her inside the man had the foresight to
include an air hole but this only filtered in the basement's sickly mold deodor Colleen's life returned to the
same miserable routine dayong stretchers of isolation only to be released for whipping her captor weapons of voice
varied from single long pieces of leather to whips with multiple strips that struck her all over with a single
blow based on the warm temperature throughout the day Colleen concluded that the man visited her in the early
evening when it was cooler she had no way of keeping track of the days and soon lost count alog
together as the temperature started to drop Colleen figured summer had given way to AUM
it had been spring when she left Oregon she'd been imprisoned for months Escape seemed
impossible Colleen was kept a blindfolded and gagged at all times the brief hour with her captor was the only
time she was moved between restraints but he was 10 in taller full of rage and not someone Colleen could easily fight
in her weakened State even if she managed to get to the basement door she knew it was likely
locked on the off chance that it was open she still had no idea where she was what if she was in the middle of nowhere
with no one else around for Miles what if there was a vicious dog or a tall fence she couldn't
climb the thought of giving up crossed Colleen's mind many times but she didn't have the
means she maintained hope but lived in constant fear that at any moment she could be killed by her
captor with little else to do she focused on Survival understanding her captor might
be the key she contemplated his motives and wondered what strategies she could use to keep him
calm most importantly how could she make him see her as a person over time Colleen adapted her
behavior to control her circumstances as best she could she leared that begging pleading
crying fighting or struggling only aroused her captor and fueled his sadistic rage this in turn prolonged her
torture so Colleen trained herself to suppress all physical and emotional reactions this dissipated her Cap's
desire as he had no fun beating a limp body preventing him from seeing her as weak
and vulnerable also gave Colleen a sense of power the only time she permitted herself to cry was when she was alone in
the Box the men rarely spoke except to bark orders like stand up give me your wrists
or turn around colen learned the hard way that she had to keep quiet too once when she desperately needed to
use the bed pan Colleen rattled her chains and yelled for attention The Man rushed down into the
basement pulled Colleen out of the box and immediately strung her up the ceiling he violently whipped her back
and remarked this is for making so much noise from then on she stayed silent Colleen's cap was inspired by
images of bondage he found in pornographic magazines he used Colleen as a model to
copy the ones he liked constantly moving her between the Box the rack and hanging
her from the ceiling sometimes Colleen would be hung upside down by the ankles other times she was choked until
she blacked out the smaller headbox was applied often during one particularly harrowing
ordeal Colleen soiled herself Fury the man rubbed Colleen's nose in her own waist sometimes when Colleen was lying
in the Box she could hear the man and woman having sex on top of it every once in a while Colleen's
captors provided her with an unexpected gift the woman once brought her a cold glass of lemonade and she was
occasionally fed something special like pancakes french toast or jelly months into her captivity Colleen was
finally given a toothbrush to clean her teeth these random acts of kindness were
rare and done without explanation Colleen pled the couple in the hopes of increasing her privileges
yet she never found a way to diminish or prevent the assaults the stress took a toll on
Colleen's body and she stopped menstrating then one day while she was in the box her period suddenly
returned Colleen's captor was Furious he handcuffed her and led her up the basement stairs into a
bathroom to Colleen's surprise for the first time since her ordeal began she was permitted to take a
bath her blindfold and gags were kept in place but her handcuffs were removed so
she could wash herself the woman attempted to brush wash and condition Colleen's m and
filthy hair but nothing could untangle the knots not even cooking oil eventually the woman took a pair of
scissors and hacked Colleen's beloved waistlength locks to shoulder height the mutilation left Colleen
brokenhearted after her bath Colleen's hands and feet were hogtied behind her back for 2 hours her head was dunked in
and out of the water whenever Colleen felt on the brink of death the man would pull her out by
the hair so she could grab one desperate breath before her head was submerged again all the while Colleen saw the
familiar flash of a camera with her lungs burning Colleen was eventually taken back into the
basement secured face down on the rack and assaulted Colleen was then sealed in the
Box for another day Colleen thought about all the small everyday freedoms that others were
taking for granted breakfast clothes shopping television she kept her mind busy by
reflecting on fond memories planning Thanksgiving dinners for when she was reunited with her family and fantasizing
about a future with a beautiful home and a child of her own but her thoughts could only stretch
so far and eventually she reached a mental blank time flowed with every minute feeling like an hour as days slipped
away when Colleen finally drifted off to sleep she was plagued by nightmares when awake Colleen was
gripped by loneliness she tried to fill the void by speaking to God Colleen's childhood had involved
going to church though she wasn't strongly religious but now Colleen felt God was
the only one one who could hear her prayer somewhat lessened the feeling of isolation and allowed Colleen to feel
connected to her loved ones whom she knew would be praying for her it also provided positive
affirmations in the midst of her nightmares Colleen once had a vision that her box was opened By Angels who
reassured her that everything would be all right in another Colleen shared some regrets with her deceased grandfather
who stroked her hair and said it's all right Colleen these Visions provided her with
the warmth and security she was longing for months continued to pass with Colleen still restrained and
blindfolded she was unable to scratch herself or stretch her aching limbs the house above the basement felt
100 miles away and the world beyond that was like an entirely different planet her captors shared no information or
news coupled with the total sensory deprivation Colleen was mentally starving yet once a month Colleen was
allowed to take a bath she eventually earned the right to bathe alone despite this she still couldn't
entertain the thought of escaping the lack of certainty was just too much if her attempt failed what
punishment would she have to endure then the woman had once warned Colleen if you walk out the back door
you might as well put a shotgun to your head and pull the trigger although death offered an escape
Colleen was overcome by a will to live the woman rarely spoke to Colleen and mostly stayed out of the basement
but she did occasionally participate in the abuse by biting whipping and poking Colleen with sharp
objects Colleen once heard the man refer to the woman as Jan she knew never to reveal this as
having such information could prove fatal Colleen wondered if Jan participated in the abuse because she
wanted to or because the man forced her the possibility that Jan could also be a victim was yet another unanswer
question that occupied her mind one day a blindfolded Colleen was ordered to sit on the concrete floor in
the center of the basement her ankle chains were secured to something to prevent her from moving
around the man then directed Colleen's hands until they came into contact with a piece of
wood he handed her some sandpaper and demanded that she sand the wood all night until at surface was
smooth any questions he asked she shook her head a new box was then latched onto
Colleen's head this one was at least 10 lb heavier than the previous one and Colleen couldn't hold her head up the
man had anticipated this he dirtified it by attaching strings to the box which were then looped over a pipe on the
ceiling and connected to several containers of water that hung as a counterbalance although awkward and
unpleasant it enabled Colleen to get the project done over several nights later as she lay in the
coffin-like Box Colleen heard some construction work taking place in the basement it continued every night for
several weeks leaving Colleen to wonder what fresh Horrors laid in store one night the man led colen to his
new creation a small concrete room under the timber stairs lit by a single light
bulb there he restrained Colleen to a chair then he left from behind the door the man
instructed Colleen to remove her blindfold it was the first time she'd taken it off in 6
months blinding white light immediately burned her eyes as her vision adjusted she saw a
burlap sack full of walnuts lying at her feet the man said when I come back tomorrow morning I
expect each Walnut to be shed and placed in the empty bowl from that point on a new routine
emerged Colleen still spent her days Trapped In The Box and was released in the evenings to eat use the bed pan and
endure yet another torture session but she was then l loed overnight in the makeshifter workshop to
complete an array of tasks from shelling nuts to crochet and Mac projects each morning before being
returned to the Box she was ordered to reapply her blindfold so she wouldn't see her Cap's
face Colleen ascertained that she was making items for her captors to sell although still miserable she was
grateful to have something to keep her occupied but this new routine wasn't always
guaranteed sometimes the man would leave Colleen in the workshop all day without
explanation other times she'd be left in the Box overnight without being put to work at
all it was as though her captors were intentionally making her life unpredictable to reinforce their
control the onset of winter marked the seventh month of colen's captivity although she still had had no concept of
the date or time she'd lost a significant amount of weight and as she remained completely
naked the cold was unbearable in one of their rare acts of compassion her captors gave her a jacket
and night gown the first items of clothing Colleen had worn since entering the basement a further drop in temperature
indicated Christmas was approaching but the day itself came and went without anything to mark the
occasion the same went for Colleen's 21st birthday which fell on December 31 and then New Year's
Day as 1978 commenced the isolation Colleen felt was profound but on Wednesday January 25th
something unexpected happened Colleen was in the workshop busy with her latest project when
suddenly the particle board door swung open with no warning to put her blindfold
back on Colleen saw her captors for the first time since the day of her abduction when she locked eyes with the
man she felt it was like looking into the eyes of the devil a smirk appeared on his face as
Jan stood behind him Colleen was frozen in shock and fear the couple handed Colleen a piece
of paper and a pen and told her to practice writing her name unsure where this was leading
Colleen Did as she was told as she repeatedly began scrolling the words Colleen Stan the Man told
her they know you're here Colleen's mind raced as a glimmer of hope ignited within who were they the police her
family the man then said that someone from the company was waiting upstairs adding we can't keep the man
waiting Colleen's Hope was promptly extinguished her captor explained that the company had discovered Colleen was
being held captive the couple were being forced to pay a $1600 fee and had to register Colleen immediately to make her
leave before Colleen could make any sense of what he was saying he handed her a copy
of a newspaper titled inside news which was dated Sunday January 1 1978 Colleen's attention was drawn to an
article with the headline they sell themselves Body and Soul when they sign the slave
contract the article began just out of sight of the General Public young beautiful women are being
abducted and sold into slavery in San Francisco to wealthy and powerful men the company a vast underground Syndicate
administers the contracts and controls the market according to the article once the
transactions were sealed with a contract the women legally became the property of
the Masters who bought them they were given a slave name and made to permanently wear a collar to identify
their position and woman who resisted was sent to the company's remedial training facility in San Francisco a
place known as Renta dungeon the company also had headquarters in Sacramento Colleen began to shake she
never knew such a business existed and couldn't believe what she was reading the article explained how a fair
market value was determined for each slave and how the purchasing process worked it even featured a sample of one
of the legally binding slave contracts Colleen's captor handed her a piece of paper which he ordered her to
read and sign then he reiterated we can't keep the company man [Music] waiting type written on a high quality
piece of paper with an ornate heading printed at the top and an official looking seal at the bottom the contract
opened with the word this indenture made the 25th day of January in the year of Our Lord
1,978 between Colleen Stan Hereafter known as slave and Michael Powers Hereafter known as
Master it continued by detailing how Colleen referred to as slave would humbly submit the entirety of herself to
her master her body her will and her soul would all belong to him there were four specific points that
Colleen had to promise to quote one she shall immediately diligently and enthusiastically comply
with and submit her full being to any and all directions or desires of master or his assigns which he or they may
Express by word signal action or any other means two she shall at all times afford
Master absolute respect effect shall address him only as Sir or Master shall station herself in a physical position
subordinate to his whenever possible and shall speak to or otherwise distract him
only when granted his permission three she shall constantly maintain her female body parts in such
circumstances as will demonstrate and ensure that they are fully open to him in particular she shall never cross her
legs in his presence shall wear no undergarments at any time and shall cover no part of her body with apparel
or material of any description except when the act of doing so and design of the item are expressly approved by
him four she shall preserve her female body parts for the exclusive use of him and his assigns which use shall be the
sole source of his pleasures and she shall engage in no self-gratification or any physical contact with any other
the contractor noted that Colleen had become sullied by her interactions with others prior to coming into her master's
possession she was required to confess to this and request that the master free her from any bad habits via quote
retraining with corporal punishment the contract concluded with the words in witness whereof slave has here
and to set her her hand and master has designed to seal these presents by permanently affixing his collar about
her neck on the date first above written signed by slave whose collar was sealed and who was delivered unto Master
on the date above mentioned in the presence of forever slave Colleen Stan Master Michael Powers witness Janet
powers burst into tears she could no longer maintain her stoicism exclaiming this is the work of
Satan Michael angrily demanded that Colleen just sign the contract she asked what if I don't
through gritted teeth he responded I will make you wish you had Colleen tried to calm down but she
explained that she couldn't sign away her soul as that belonged to God all right Michael agreed now
sign next to the words forever slave Colleen Stan shakily tried to distort her signature in a desperate attempt to
make it clear she'd been forced to sign against her will both Michael and Janet then signed
the document While Janet took the contract upstairs Michael told Colleen let me tell you about my wife
he explained that Janet was once a slave too she'd escaped her previous owner and
flagged down a police officer not realizing that he too was a member of the company she was taken to rent a dungon
for remedial training where she was brutally punished as an example to other slaves a cross was then placed around
her neck this signified that for $10,000 Janet could be purchased for the purpose of being tortured to
death Michael explained that over the years he'd earned thousands of dollars of credit by helping the company track
down runaway slaves when he saw Janet's cross he felt sorry for her he used his credit to buy
Janet and take her home Michael told Colleen that the company was a secret organization run by
powerful men who enslaved trained transported and sold women while the group was completely unknown
to the average citizen it had grown into a powerful influential and financial Empire members were powerful and Wealthy
individuals including politicians judges doctors and members of law enforcement Michael explained that for
an annual fee of $1600 the company provided him with 24-hour Home Security including
monitoring his house and telephone line if Colleen tried to escape the company would stop at nothing to find her even
harming her family if they had to Colleen would then spend 5 days being violently punished by the
company if she survived she'd be resold to the highest bidder Michael already knew of at least
one dangerous man who was eager to buy Colleen Colleen was told that her contract was permanent and Unbreakable
every so often her obedience would be tested with a special punishment according to Michael he had
no control over the company's demands all he knew was that Colleen would remain his slave for
Life Michael laid out the new rules for Colleen as his slave she must address him as master or sir and his wife as M
she must only speak when spoken to or when absolutely necessary when doing so she had to kneel down keep
her arms at her sides and her eyes focused on the floor Colleen was forbidden from
Crossing her legs or wearing clothing unless permitted to do so Michael told her the girl previously known as Colleen
Stan is gone Colleen would henceforth be known by her slave name k a metal collar adorned with a Leaf was
locked around her neck Michael asked Colleen if she understood Colleen replied yes
master Weeks Later Colleen was handed a laminated card featuring the company's official
seal this was proof of her official registration as a slave for life and was put on display above the workshop
door Michael continued filling Colleen's head with horrifying stories about what
happened to Slaves who escaped one slave's mother was tortured for information when the slave was
eventually found her arms and legs were surgically removed without anesthesia her tongue was cut out and her eyes were
soldered shut she was then hung by the hair from a hook above her master's bed and kept alive until she eventually died
after a year of suffering another captured slave was put alive into a glass box that was filled
with the toxic preservative for Malahide this gradually turned her remains into what Michael described as a
human pickle her body along with those of other slaves who tried to escape were on
display in the company's [Music] Museum Colleen struggled to comprehend what she was hearing perhaps in any
other circumstances she would have been skeptical of Michael's assertions but after enduring months of being
physically emotionally mentally and spiritually degraded Colleen was incredibly vulnerable although her mind lingered
with doubt she was plagued by nightmares of what could happen to her or her family if the company was indeed real
and Colleen crossed them Michael's stories caused Colleen to fear the company even more than her two
captors yet her registration as a slave did lead to one major and welcomed change for short periods at a time
Colleen was allowed to go upstairs into the house and do chores whenever this happened the doors
were kept locked and Window Shades drawn Janet didn't want a naked woman moving around the house so Colleen was
allowed to wear a night gown her blindfold and gag were also removed but she was ordered to keep her eyes cast
downward and only speak if spoken to Once her chores were complete Colleen had to kneel before her captors and ask
is there anything else you wish for me to do if not she was returned to the basement where she was either placed
back in her box or ushered into the workshop for more craft projects meanwhile her torture
[Music] continued Michael and Janet's house was quaint but cluttered a kitchen led to a
small dining space where an arched doorway then opened to a living room whenever Michael yelled at tension
Colleen had the strip naked and stand under the arch on her tiptoes with her hands stretched toward above
her if Michael was unsatisfied with Colleen's work in any way she was repeatedly
whipped she had to stay in this position until he called out at ease during her lashings Michael
sometimes asked Colleen questions about her past life such as whether she was a college student if Colleen answered
honestly with yes she'd be struck again further into the house was the bathroom there was also a small bedroom
occupied by her Cap's young daughter who had only been a baby when Colleen was abducted by the time Colleen saw her
again she was a toddler walking but not talking inside Michael and Janet's bedroom was a
water bed on a large pedestal in their closet a wooden panel could be removed from the floor allowing a direct view
into the basement below once while she cleaned the house Colleen came across a letter it was addressed to Cameron and
Janice hooker that was the moment Colleen realized that she'd been misled by her
captors with fake names it also included their address 1140 Oak Street in Red Bluff
California one February evening Colleen was led upstairs and onto the couple's water bed Cameron and Janice lay on
either side of her and began kissing up until this point Colleen had endured varying degrees of sexual
assault but had never been forced to have intercourse that all changed that night as Cameron began raping Colleen
Janice fled the room Colleen could hear her crying and vomiting Cameron stopped the assault and
went to check on her after that Colleen was returned to her box in the basement although she was
relieved that the rape was shortlived Colleen knew it wasn't over from that point on Janice hooker
treated Colleen with increased cruelty based on Cameron's story about Janice being a former slave Colleen had
viewed her as another victim of the company yet instead of being an ally Colleen realized that Janice saw her as
a threat to her relationship with Cameron immense anger and hatred for Jenice began to Bubble away inside of
Colleen later in April a blindfolded handcuffed Colleen was once again LED upstairs but she wasn't taken into the
bedroom instead for the first time in almost a year she was met with the cool fresh air of
night Colleen's mind flooded with questions but she knew better than to speak her captors led her to the front
seat of a pickup truck where she was made to lay her head on Janice's lap then ceron started
driving they'd only been on the road for about 15 minutes when the car stopped Colleen was led out of the truck
and into a mobile home once inside her blindfold and restraints were removed the space was unfamiliar but she
recognized the hooker's water bed with its black vinyl frame and steps that led up from the pedestal she'd know it
anywhere two panels had been removed from the foot of the bed revealing the dark space
inside the pedestal that the mattress sat on get in Cameron ordered Colleen lay on her stomach and
worked her way into the narrow space under the bed it was just longer than the length of her body she managed to
turn herself onto her back there was just 2 in of space on either side of her and if she bent her elbows her
fingertips touched the top of the box a bed pan was already inside but there was barely enough space for her to
roll over or maneuver it under her to the left of Colleen's head a small air hole had been drilled into the
floor of the mobile home with another at her feet this allowed a little air to filter
in through a hose the box was insulated by the frame of the water bed muffling any sounds
that came in or out within moments of crawling inside Colleen's captors pushed the stairs back
up against the base of the pedestal locking her in and hiding the panel that led to her new
prison if the box in the basement had felt like a coffin then this one felt like a
[Music] tomb once again Colleen was kept in the Box for 23 hours a day alone with her
thoughts and prayers with minimal ventilation she had to be mindful about when to use the bed
pan as the stench could be unbearable every evening she was allowed to shimmy out to empty it eat a basic
meal and drink some water like before this was Then followed by a torture session although Colleen no longer had
the workshop to keep her busy and provide some rest by the hookers sometimes allowed her to complete chores
around the trailer it was 64 ft long and 12 ft wide with a combination living dining and
kitchen space there were two bedrooms the main one where Colleen was kept and another
down the narrow hallway that belonged to the hooker's young daughter Colleen could sometimes hear
the sound of large trucks in the distance leading her to conclude she was likely on the outskirts of town not far
from a highway in the summer Colleen was granted a pair of shorts a singlet and some used tennis
shoes and for the first time Cameron allowed her to go outside Colleen relished the feel of the
sun on her pale skin as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings the trailer was parked at
the end of a gravel road one of several that dotted the surrounding remote landscape the closest trailer set around
200 ft to the east with a Highway 150 yd to the West Cameron escorted Colleen behind the
trailer there she saw an open trench made to facilitate utility connections to the
home Cameron handed Colleen a shovel and ordered that she fill it with dirt he also got to work as
well the two worked side by side all day but this wasn't the taste of Freedom Colleen had desperately longed
for being kept in a near immobile state had drained her body of strength and her
limbs ACH from the laborious task the California Sun Also burnt her delicate skin bringing more
pain yet Colleen soldiered on without complaint then out of nowhere a mysterious man
approached to be continued next [Music] week

Case 268: Colleen Stan

*** Content Warning: Extreme sexual violence, captivity ***

[Part 1 of 2]

When Colleen Stan’s family received an unexpected phone call from Colleen in June 1980, they were stunned. No one had seen or spoken to Colleen since she hitched a ride to California from her home in Oregon three years earlier. Colleen assured her family that all was well, but they could tell something wasn’t right. What exactly was Colleen Stan trying to hide?

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Research – Jessica Forsayeth Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

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RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-268-colleen-stan-part-1

Brief Summary

Colleen Stan's abduction and captivity reveal a tragic story of survival and manipulation.

Key points

The Mysterious Call. Colleen Stan calls her sister Bonnie after three years of silence, leaving the family in shock.
Colleen's Disappearance. Colleen vanishes without a trace during her hitchhiking journey to California.
A Shocking Reunion. Colleen returns home after nearly four years, but her family notices something is off.
Colleen's Escape Plan. Amidst her torment, Colleen begins plotting an escape.
The Torture Begins. Colleen is subjected to horrific abuse and isolation.
A Glimmer of Kindness. Colleen receives rare acts of kindness from her captors.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

It was as though Colleen Stan simply vanished Into Thin Air.

Narration of Colleen's sudden disappearance.

6:16WatchNov 18, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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