66: The 'Boys' Who Never Came Home (Yuba County Five)

In February of 1978 the news in northern California was consumed by Ted Bundy’s arrest, coverage of the East Area Rapist, and Roman Polanski’s escape to France following charges of rape. There was one story, however, that took up a lot of page space in The Sacramento Bee, from February to June of that year. It’s the story of five men that went to a basketball game in Chico and never came home.

The mystery of the Yuba County Five, or the boys as their parents called them: Tim Weiher, Jack Madruga, Bill Sterling, Jackie Hewitt and Gary Mathias was forgotten about for nearly 40 years, until the story was posted on Reddit in 2017 on the Unresolved Mysteries subreddit. From there, the story became an internet sensation. Podcasts far and wide have covered the topic ever since, and there has even been new information to emerge 40 years later.

But the heart of the mystery still remains where it has always been: in the questions that still need answering. This week, The Our Strange Skies Podcast veers away from UFOs to discuss the ill fated journey of five men, who never came home. What led them to a rural mountain road to ultimately walk to their deaths in the frigid Sierra Nevada mountains.

Sources:

Ep. #36 – What If You Never Came Home? – The American Dyatlov Pass - The What If Podcast

“5 ‘Boys’ Who Never Came Home by Cynthia Gorney - Washington Post

“Cold Case: Why Did Five Northern California Men Disappear in 1978?” by Benjy Egel - The Sacramento Bee

“Out in the Cold: Were 4 mentally disabled men set up to die in the California woods?” by Benjy Egel - The Sacramento Bee

The remaining sources were culled from 30+ newspaper articles from The Sacramento Bee and other publications clipped from newspapers.com. Available upon request. Email ourstrangeskies@gmail.com for more details.

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Music:

“Szaree” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Toothless Slope” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Last Lights” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Thread of Clouds” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Game Hens” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“A Minor Etude” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Gilroy Solo” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Pieces” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Chain Link” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“Snowmelt” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“SuzyB” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

“OneEightFour” by Blue Dot Sessions (sessions.blue)

Theme song by Big Cats Logo and Web Design by the Great Desdymona

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