Teen Girl's Murder Case Unsolved for 55 Years

This 32-minute episode from Mysteries and Histories examines the 1968 murder of Sheila Jean Collins, an 18-year-old Iowa State University freshman whose case went unsolved for 55 years. The episode covers the basic facts: Collins was attempting to hitchhike home to Evanston, Illinois, for a weekend visit in January 1968. Unable to get a ride from her boyfriend, she accepted a ride from a stranger she found through the university's ride board, never learning the driver's identity. She was last seen on January 26, 1968, waiting with her suitcase in Ames, Iowa. Two days later, her body was discovered in a rural ditch near Colo, Iowa. The cause of death was strangulation by nylon cord, and investigators determined she was likely killed elsewhere before being dumped at the discovery site. The episode's central focus is that despite 55 years passing, the case remains officially unsolved with no arrest made and the identity of the driver who picked her up never publicly revealed. The episode appears to document these established facts of the case, though the show notes do not specify whether it includes interviews with investigators, family members, or other sources, nor do they indicate whether the episode presents any new investigative angles, theories, or developments. The narrative arc seems to follow the timeline of events from Collins's departure through the discovery of her body and the subsequent decades of the unsolved case.

Verdict: The episode delivers on its title but appears to offer only surface-level coverage of a tragic historical case without clear evidence of original reporting, interviews, or substantive investigation.

True Crime rubric

• Research depth 2/5 25%

  Show notes present only basic public facts about the case with no mention of interviews, archival records, or investigative sources

• Storytelling n/a

  No information provided about narrative structure, pacing, or how the episode presents the material

• Respect for victims 3/5 19%

  The description treats the victim's story straightforwardly without apparent sensationalism, though full assessment requires hearing the episode

• Substance 2/5 19%

  Show notes reveal only the basic case facts; no indication of additional reporting, analysis, or substantive content beyond the timeline

• Delivers on its title 5/5 19%

  Title promises an unsolved teen girl's murder case from 55 years ago; description confirms this is exactly what the episode covers

• Value for time 2/5 19%

  32 minutes to cover a straightforward case summary with no apparent new reporting or depth suggests potential padding

How we score True Crime

Worth it if you're interested in a brief historical overview of an unsolved 1960s crime and don't require deep investigative reporting or new insights.

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.