Messages That Raised Questions #truecrimestories #truecrimeshorts #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

Officers are dispatched to the Cassias' home, and after getting a quick walk-through of the house, they ask Mark
and Sierra to lay out their day in detail. Now, Mark says that he and Melissa left for work early that
morning, as usual. And we're talking like early early. His shift starts at 6:30 in the morning. And And they live
like over an hour away. >> Yeah, and Melissa was behind the wheel. And like she always did, she dropped him
off at his building at around 6:15, and then she would drive to her building on campus and park her car there. But
today, Mark reminded Melissa that he needed to run to the bank at 11:00, so she agreed to bring the car back to him
then. Now, what he didn't know is that she turned around and went home. We know Sierra woke up at 7:45 to find her mom
there, which surprised her. But when Sierra mentions that Melissa's excuse about like being home was like her
forgotten badge, Mark says, "Wait, that that can't be right." He had watched Melissa hand her badge to security at
the guard shack himself when they got to the lab that morning. Mark says that he
started calling and texting Melissa at around 10:45, but he wasn't getting anything back, which he says concerned
him cuz >> [music] >> A, they normally talk throughout the day. B, more than needing to go to the
bank at 11:00, like she was his ride home, but she seemed to be MIA. So, he eventually asked Sierra to pass
along a question to her mom. Should he just find another ride home? >> And did they often communicate through
Sierra like that? >> No, never. So, that stood out, even if she didn't think too much of it at the
time, but like now it does. And so, Sierra reaches out and she gets a response from her mom. Yes, tell him to
find a ride home. That was at 1:33 p.m. Not too long after she'd stopped by to bring Sierra lunch.
>> And why isn't she just answering Mark? This is a I couldn't tell you. >> I'd be pissed.

On the day Melissa Casias disappeared, her routine took an unexpected turn. After dropping her husband off at work, she returned home instead of continuing to her job.

Later that morning, her husband became concerned when he couldn’t reach her directly and had to communicate through their daughter, something he says was unusual. At 1:33 p.m., a message was relayed telling him to find another ride home.

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

Mark's wife Melissa goes missing, raising concerns about her whereabouts and communication with family.

Key points

Mark's Concern. Mark is worried when he can't reach Melissa, his usual ride home.
Unexpected Response. Sierra communicates with her mom, who tells Mark to find another ride home.

Episode highlights

Mark's ConcernMark is worried when he can't reach Melissa, his usual ride home.“They normally talk throughout the day.”1:08May 4, 2026

Episode quotes

Wait, that can't be right.

Mark reacts to Melissa's excuse about being home.

0:50WatchMay 4, 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.