Replay: Barbara Cotton Part 2 - A Tangled Web

The Vanished Podcast

Wondery

True Crime, Society & Culture, Cold Case, Investigative, Find The Missing, Vanished, Missing Persons, Documentary, News, Disappeared, Exhibit C

4.5 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2024

⏱️ 86 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On April 11, 1981, 15-year-old Barbara Cotton vanished without a trace from Williston, North Dakota. A bright and ambitious young woman, Barbara had big dreams for her future. She was saving money for her first apartment, which she planned to rent when she turned 16 that fall. But those dreams were abruptly shattered on that chilly spring evening when Barbara disappeared, seemingly into thin air.

To this day, piecing together even the most basic details about that night remains a challenge. Who was the last person to see Barbara, and at what time? How can we verify these accounts after so many years? Conflicting stories and missing pieces of the puzzle make it difficult to discern the truth. However, the investigation into Barbara's disappearance has not been forgotten, and there is a renewed drive to uncover what really happened. With each passing day, more people are committed to uncovering the truth—and they may be getting closer to solving the mystery.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Barbara Cotton, please contact the Williston Police Department at 701-577-1212.

You can follow Barb’s story on social media at Find Barb Cotton. You can find more information at FindBarbCotton.com, and check out Dakota Spotlight wherever you get your podcasts.

If you have a missing loved one that you would like to have featured on the show, please fill out our case submission form.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I don't think anybody even knows what to think anymore. It's like everything you thought you knew about this case probably isn't necessarily as relevant as you thought. For instance,
0:24.2	like Barb last being seen walking into the park. To my knowledge, that's not the last time
0:29.5	she was seen. You know, but that's the most widely shared story about her disappearance.
0:35.0	I know, things were a lot different back then and people don't understand that, just at day and age, you know.
0:40.3	My mom and Barb didn't get along real well, I know that, but teenagers usually don't get along with the parents a whole good, real good most of the time.
0:49.3	But my mom had different ways about her. What is actually truth about different stuff because she kept a lot of
0:56.9	stuff secret it just seemed like I guess what was in the past is in the past no need to talk about it
1:03.3	now I'd like to see her come back and I'd just like to put my arms around and tell her how much I love
1:09.1	her and missed her I guess that's why I guess I'd rather have that hope than a body.
1:16.6	But on the flip side, like I said, like I see someone come to justice if that's the truth,
1:20.6	if they actually killed her.
1:23.6	In April of 1981, 15-year-old Barbara Cotton disappeared from Williston, North Dakota.
1:31.9	Barbara was a bright young woman with plans for her future.
1:35.5	She was saving for her first apartment that she planned to rent when she turned 16 in the fall.
1:41.2	But Barb's dreams came to a screeching halt on the chilly spring evening when she vanished.
1:47.1	Piecing together even the most basic clues today is difficult. Who last saw Barb and at what time?
1:53.7	And how can we even confirm these things now? There are conflicting stories and big pieces of the puzzle
1:59.2	missing. But now more than ever before, people are invested in finding out what happened to Barb Cotton.
2:05.9	I'm Marissa, and from Wondery, this is episode 362 of The Vanished.
2:11.4	Part 2 of Barbara Cotton's story.
2:48.1	Hey podcast listeners. Have you heard? You can listen to your favorite gripping investigations ad free. Good news. With Amazon music, you have access to the largest catalog of ad-free top podcasts included with your prime membership.
2:51.9	To start listening, download the Amazon music app for free.
	...

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