Her Family Believed One Thing. Investigators Believed Another. #rogerhueber #truecrimestories | Forensic Files

But, her family told us that authorities did not view the circumstances in the same light they did. They all met at
Cheryl's apartment to look for her that night, family and law enforcement, and there were no signs of a struggle.
Nothing was a mess. And even though they took some investigative steps you would expect for
a missing person's case, like taking items from her place for testing, they ran, you know, canines trying to track
her scent, a family member said that they were told that Cheryl probably just ran away to avoid testifying. More than
that, an investigator apparently told Cheryl's sister that Cheryl was just a crackhead ho
and if they give him 10 days, he'll find her body in Niagara Falls. >> What? >> Well,
10 days come and go, and guess what? No Cheryl. So now, she's not only missing, she will
eventually get listed >> [music] >> as a fugitive. >> And does this department know about
Roger's case, like the details, the fact that she's the witness? >> Right. It is being handled by the same
department. And this is the same department, I'd like to remind you, that Roger worked for.
>> Yeah. And okay, do they not believe in like a conflict of interest in New York?
>> I don't know how this is flying. It's kind of unbelievable. >> Yeah. >> Now, I do need to say that while the
family says that law enforcement seemed to have a one-track mind and write Cheryl off as a fugitive in the wind,
the current investigator told us that all possibilities, including foul play, were explored from the jump.
Either way, Cheryl's disappearance doesn't actually stop the case against Roger from moving
forward. Investigator Taylor is allowed to read Cheryl's written statement to the jurors, and by the time it gets to
that, they have built out a bigger picture of what Roger had been doing. All the the with Megan, Emily, the boat,
the alcohol, the motel, that was all going to be part of their case now, too. And Emily, the student whose journal
started this whole thing, she was expected to be a witness in the case.

When Sheryl Rucci disappeared in August 2005, her family immediately feared something was wrong.

They searched her apartment alongside law enforcement and found no signs of a struggle. Investigators also took steps commonly seen in missing person investigations, including collecting items for testing and using canines to track her scent.

According to Sheryl's family, investigators believed she had voluntarily disappeared to avoid testifying against Roger Hueber before a grand jury. The family also says an investigator made dismissive comments about Sheryl and predicted she would be found within days. That never happened, and Sheryl was eventually listed as a fugitive.

Watch the full case tagged below. -------- Follow Crime Junkie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimejunkiepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrimeJunkiePodcast/ Crime Junkie is created and hosted by Ashley Flowers.

Text Ashley to chat this episode and more: https://my.community.com/ashleyflowers?t=Hi%20Ashley%21

About Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers is the top female podcaster in the U.S. and the host of Crime Junkie, the #1 podcast among women and the #1 true crime podcast globally. As the Founder of Audiochuck, she has built a top-tier podcast production company that has garnered over 2.6 billion downloads, captivating audiences with its gripping storytelling through 10+ chart topping podcasts. Ashley and her team are dedicated to creating responsible true crime content that respects victims and their families.

Follow Ashley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ASHLEYFLOWERS/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyflowerscrimejunkie

Purchase Ashley’s highly anticipated second novel, The Missing Half now! | https://ashleyflowers.com/books

Brief Summary

Cheryl's disappearance raises concerns about police handling and connections to Roger's case.

Key points

Cheryl's Mysterious Disappearance. Cheryl's family believes she was wrongfully labeled a fugitive by law enforcement.
Investigator's Disturbing Claim. An investigator's harsh words about Cheryl raise eyebrows and questions about the case.
The Case Against Roger Continues. Despite Cheryl's disappearance, the case against Roger moves forward with new evidence.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Cheryl was just a crackhead ho.

An investigator's shocking comment about Cheryl.

0:35WatchJul 17, 2026

More from Crime Junkie

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.