The Trail Went Cold - Episode 479 - Pauline Rourke

The Trail Went Cold - Episode 479 - Pauline Rourke

From The Trail Went Cold by Robin Warder

April 22, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 601

About this episode

This episode explores the unsolved disappearance of Pauline Rourke, who vanished in 1976 under suspicious circumstances.

December 13, 1976. Fairfield, Maine. The daughter of 31-year old Pauline Rourke kisses her sleeping mother goodbye before leaving for school, but when she returns home later that day, Pauline has vanished without a trace. Suspicion turns towards Pauline’s live-in friend, Albert Pat Cochran, who frequently fought with her and had developed an odd obsession with the recent murder of another woman from the area named Janet Baxter. Two decades later, Pat is charged and convicted of Janet’s murder, but even though he is suspected of being responsible for Pauline’s disappearance, there is not enough evidence to implicate him and Pauline is never found. On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore an unsolved missing persons case involving a victim who has not been seen in nearly 50 years. If you happen to have any information about this case, please contact the Maine State Police at (207) 624-7143. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/pauline-rourke https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/investigation-traffic/major-crime-units/unsolved/missing-persons/rourke-pauline https://www.newspapers.com/image/849371494/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/856346628/…

People in this episode

Host: Robin Warder

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Places: Fairfield, Maine

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