Where Did He ACTUALLY Go?! #truecrimestories #truecrimeshorts #crimejunkies #podcast | Forensic Files

Pam calls detectives [music] out of the blue one day in 1988 to tell them that she thinks she knows who killed
Stephanie Caspers. She believes it was her brother Michael Bartelt. The cook at Big Boy who told investigators that he
last saw [music] Stephanie leave through the restaurant's back door. Not the front door like everyone else said. And
Pam says that she believes Michael might have had help from one of their other brothers who I'm going to call Dan. Now,
remember that trip to Hawaii? The one Michael told police like he'd been planning, tickets already in hand.
>> Yeah. Pam says that was all BS. Never had tickets, didn't even go to Hawaii, at least not at the time.
Instead, Michael took off somewhere with friends and was gone for like close to a
year. So, he didn't go to Hawaii, but he did leave after all. He did, correct, but not to
Hawaii. So, investigators wonder if the story was a way to like make his sudden vanishing act look planned? And I don't
know, I'm guessing he said like you're going to go away anyways, why not tell them where you were going? I'm kind of
guessing maybe Hawaii sounded far enough that they wouldn't come knocking. Maybe
>> It sounds like a vaca- it's like it's like a for sure vacation. >> he didn't want them to know where he
was. And listen, Pam says that their mother helped sell that story cuz they did go question his mom back in '69. And
Pam apparently listened in on the conversation and heard her mom tell investigators like, "Oh yes, Michael did
go to Hawaii." Even though Pam's like he absolutely did not. And by the way, she
said their mom told them back then like, "Oh, Michael doesn't own a gun." They must have asked him that. "No, he
doesn't own a gun." But Pam's like, "By the way, she lied to you about that, too. He definitely did own a gun."
And according to Pam, this kind of behavior from their mom was typical. Like she would routinely lie to protect
her sons.

In 1988, a woman named Pam contacted investigators with a shocking claim: she believed her brother, Michael Bartelt, was responsible for Stephanie Casberg’s murder.

Michael, a cook at the restaurant where Stephanie worked, had told police he last saw her leave through the back door—contradicting other accounts. He also claimed he had planned a trip to Hawaii around the time she disappeared.

But Pam says that wasn’t true. According to her, Michael never went to Hawaii and instead left town unexpectedly for nearly a year. She also alleged that their mother backed up his story to investigators and even lied about other details, including whether he owned a gun.

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Brief Summary

Pam accuses her brother Michael of murdering Stephanie Caspers, revealing family lies and a false alibi.

Key points

Pam's Revelation. Pam believes her brother Michael killed Stephanie Caspers, contradicting previous accounts.
The Hawaii Alibi. Pam claims Michael's story about going to Hawaii was a complete fabrication.
Mother's Deception. Pam accuses her mother of lying to protect her sons, including about a gun.

Episode highlights

The Hawaii AlibiPam claims Michael's story about going to Hawaii was a complete fabrication.“Pam says that was all BS. Never had tickets, didn't even go to Hawaii.”0:35Apr 24, 2026

Episode quotes

Michael took off somewhere with friends and was gone for like close to a year.

Pam reveals Michael's alibi was fabricated.

0:44WatchApr 24, 2026

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