About this episode
On Halloween afternoon in 1981, eleven-year-old Karl Heikell left his home in Calumet, Michigan — and never returned.
What followed was a search filled with conflicting sightings, unanswered questions, and rumors that spread through a small Upper Peninsula community desperate for answers. From abandoned mine shafts to the discovery of Karl’s belongings and remains nearly a year later, investigators struggled to determine what truly happened.
This episode examines the known facts, the documented theories, and the haunting uncertainties surrounding the disappearance of Karl Heikell — a case that remains unsolved more than forty years later.
Told with care and restraint, this story honors Karl and the family still seeking answers.
#MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #UnsolvedCase
Researched and written by Rebecca Hiers
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston
Featuring Christine Mulligan
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Original music created for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Sources:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/62bf1e95c67a302bc68441b6/t/65638054ae435d45ec379d2d/1701019733931/petitiontodeterminecauseanddateofdeathindisaster-220409163513-rotated.pdf
https://amwfans.com/thread/13064/unknown-karl-heikell-killer-michigan
https://www.miroadtrip.com/locations/tamarack-mine
https://www.halloween1981.com/archive
https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/michigan-librarian-dedicated-41-year-old-halloween-cold-case-n1300369
