The Murder of Craig "Cooley" Jackman (Vermont)

On a winter night in 1981, a teenager stepped out of his Essex Junction home and never returned. His disappearance unsettled the quiet Vermont town, leaving his family searching for answers that never came.

Years later, a hunter in the woods made a discovery that would finally explain what happened to the missing teen, but not why. Whispers of a stolen check, shifting stories, and a courtroom battle followed, yet the truth is still tangled even to this day. This is the story of a teenager whose life ended far too soon, a family’s years-long fight for justice, and a case that still raises questions about trust, betrayal, and the limits of the system meant to deliver answers.

View source material and photos for this episode at: darkdowneast.com/craigcooleyjackman

Dark Downeast is an Audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.

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