dakota spotlight

On a Saturday night in April of 1981, Barbara Cotton just simply never came home. Some say she was last seen entering Recreation Park. Exactly 40 years later, on April 11, 2021 friends, family and members of the community will gather in Williston's Recreation Park to pay tribute to and honor her life. January 23, 2021. James Wolner / Forum News Service

Dakota Spotlight 8:17 am, Apr. 10, 2021

40 Years Later: Listen to episode 10 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"

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Frank J. Delapena lived in Williston in April of 1981 when Barbara Louise Cotton went missing. A month after Barbara's disappearance, he was apprehended in Colorado, charged with the murders of two young girls in Wyoming. He hung himself in jail soon after his arrest. He is considered a person of interest in Barbara Cotton's disappearance. May 12, 1981 / Lincoln County Sheriff's department, Hugo Colorado.

Dakota Spotlight 7:55 am, Apr. 1, 2021

The Evil That Lurks: Listen to episode 9 of "A Better Search for Barbara"

Recreation Park (facing east)

Dakota Spotlight 6:12 pm, Mar. 20, 2021

A man in black - Listen to episode 8 of "A Better Search for Barbara"

15 year old Barbara Cotton was reportedly last seen walking into Recreation Park in Williston, N.D. on April 11, 1981

Dakota Spotlight 4:00 pm, Mar. 17, 2021

Barbara was seen at a party - Listen to episode 7 of "A Better Search for Barbara"

15 year old Barbara Cotton went missing from Williston, N.D. on April 11, 1981

Dakota Spotlight 8:10 am, Mar. 13, 2021

"Persons of interest" in missing Barbara Cotton case - Listen to full interview with investigators at Williston police department

"A Better Search for Barbara Cotton" is a five-part investigative podcast about the 1981 disappearance of a Williston, N.D. teen.

The Vault 2:00 pm, Mar. 5, 2021

What happened to 15-year-old Barbara Louise Cotton, vanished from the streets of Williston 40 years ago?

Stacey DeMarr Werder was reportedly the last person to see Barbara Cotton. He hung himself in jail in Malta, Montana in July of 1981

Dakota Spotlight 7:55 am, Mar. 5, 2021

"Tell mom I love her." Listen to episode 5 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"

Barbara Cotton never arrived at her home near the corner of 6th Avenue West and 5th Street West

Dakota Spotlight 7:55 am, Mar. 4, 2021

Investigating on our own - listen to episode 4 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"

Barbara would possibly have passed through Recreation Park and then continued along 5th Street West on her way home.

Dakota Spotlight 8:10 am, Mar. 3, 2021

She was "gentle and kind" - Listen to episode 3 of "A Better Search for Barbara Cotton"

Recreation Park, Williston, N.D.

Dakota Spotlight 5:55 am, Mar. 3, 2021

Videos and Photos: A Better Search for Barbara Cotton

15 year old Barbara Cotton went missing from Williston, N.D. on April 11, 1981

Dakota Spotlight 7:55 am, Mar. 2, 2021

Tributaries of the Truth: Listen to episode 2 of A Better Search for Barbara Cotton

"A Better Search for Barbara" is a five-part investigative podcast about the 1981 disappearance of a Williston, N.D. teen.

Dakota Spotlight 7:55 am, Mar. 1, 2021

40 years of nothing, few answers for family, friends of missing teen Barbara Cotton of Williston

photo courtesy of Bruce Blackman

Dakota Spotlight 8:05 pm, Jan. 26, 2021

Moonlight still 'feels right' - podcast interview with songwriter Bruce Blackman of Starbuck

photo by PEPE fotografia

Dakota Spotlight 7:12 pm, Jan. 25, 2021

Plotting emotional landscapes with music - Canadian born composer Julia Kent

Chasing Billy episode 5: Interview with cold case investigator Dan Baumann

Dakota Spotlight 7:50 am, Jan. 15, 2021

1 body, 1 mystery and 42 years of unanswered questions

Photo by Laura Reed from Pexels

Dakota Spotlight 7:57 am, Dec. 10, 2020

Motels, mafias & stolen guns - who killed Billy? Listen to Episode 4 of "Chasing Billy: a pursuit for justice"

Dakota Spotlight 7:45 am, Nov. 19, 2020

Is time running out? A case growing colder: Listen to Episode 3 of "Chasing Billy"

Dakota Spotlight 7:45 am, Nov. 12, 2020

Cold Case: The pursuit for justice continues: Listen to Episode 2 of "Chasing Billy"

Dakota Spotlight 7:35 am, Nov. 5, 2020

In "Chasing Billy: A Pursuit for Justice," Dakota Spotlight debuts episode 1 of a new season focused on unsolved 1978 murder

Dakota Spotlight 10:14 am, Oct. 5, 2020

WATCH: Gripping true-crime documentary 'The House on Sweet and Seventh' tells tragic story of a 1998 Bismarck murder

A Bismarck Police car sits outside of the Erickstad crime scene on September 18th, 1998

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Dakota Spotlight 12:20 pm, Oct. 3, 2020

Dakota Spotlight bonus video: Season 3 news footage

Dakota Spotlight 7:01 pm, Sep. 25, 2020

Chilling true-crime documentary airs Saturday on WDAY Xtra; 'Dakota Spotlight: The House on Sweet and Seventh' tells tragic story of 1998 Bismarck murder

Misty Jones and Rick Storhaug, interviewed at Bismarck Police Department, 1998

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Dakota Spotlight 7:50 am, Sep. 13, 2020

Dakota Spotlight bonus video: police interview with Misty Jones, Rick Storhaug

Podcast interview with C.J. Wynn

Dakota Spotlight 7:50 am, Sep. 8, 2020

Dakota Spotlight Podcast: 'Angila thought someone was stalking her'

Once captured by police, Brian Erickstad was found to have several cuts on his arms and hands

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Dakota Spotlight 7:46 am, Aug. 25, 2020

Dakota Spotlight bonus content: Robert Lawrence police video