Lonely Morning Hours: The Death of Shawna Toya

Jemez Pueblo artist Shawna Toya was found unresponsive in her car at an Albuquerque, New Mexico park on August 1, 2021, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family discovered evidence—another person's ID in Shawna's vehicle, missing rent money, and undocumented trauma on her body—that they believe warrants further investigation.

Our coverage features interviews with Shawna's mother, renowned traditional potter Geraldine Toya, and MMIWR/MMIP advocate and lawyer Darlene Gomez as the family continues seeking answers about her death.

The Fall Line® is an investigative true crime podcast focused on cold cases, unsolved murders, missing persons, and unidentified John and Jane Does in the United States. We deliver in-depth reporting and interviews with law enforcement and forensic experts, examining unsolved homicides, disappearances, serial crimes, and the evidence behind them. Victim-centered and research-driven, we focus on cases still seeking answers.

Learn more about our cold-case coverage at our Episode Guide

Season 24 of The Fall Line covers missing persons, unsolved homicides, and unresolved deaths across the United States.

If you have any information that you feel could aid in a reinvestigation of Shawna Toya's death and the circumstances surrounding it: reach out to Darlene Gomez at the Law Offices of Darlene Gomez https://dargomezlaw.com or the Albuquerque Police Department at 505-843-STOP.

Darlene Gomez's non profit: https://www.mmiwr.org/

Submit a case to The Fall Line: https://www.thefalllinepodcast.com/case-submissions

Laurah's book LAY THEM TO REST: https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/laurah-norton/lay-them-to-rest/9780306828805/

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