Alyssa Romine-Olson, a deeply religious 30-year-old woman, was found naked and face-down in inches of water at a Gilbert, Arizona nature preserve in June 2016 — yet Gilbert PD allowed the public narrative to drift toward self-harm while their own case file explicitly described the site as a crime scene and noted evidence of another person's presence. Her husband Braden, living in Washington at the time, responded to news of her disappearance by going back to sleep, asked investigators about injuries including 'mangling or strangling,' and told police 'it was prophesied that she would die' — then giggled when detectives wouldn't confirm wound details. Key evidence including her clothes, phone, journal, and keys was never found, and large portions of the autopsy and sexual assault kit results remain redacted.
Key Moments
Ashley Flowers
“The water next to her left ankle was 5.5 in deep. And next to her right ankle, it wasn't even like an inch.”
Ashley explains the physical reality of where Alyssa's body was found, casting doubt on any narrative that she simply waded in and drowned.
“Investigators routinely call the area where Alyssa was found a crime scene. They write that they believe, quote, 'Someone did cause Alyssa's death,' and that quote, 'there were things associated with the way Alyssa was found that may indicate another person was involved.'”
Ashley reveals what Gilbert PD's own internal case file said — in stark contrast to the public narrative they allowed to circulate.
“Braden is able to describe what is inside of this hypothetical bag. And he says he doesn't understand if it just sank or what happened, but he wants to know what she was going through and what she was writing about.”
During Braden's first formal police interview, he asked about Alyssa's bag — an item not mentioned in any public reporting or visible at the scene.
Crime Junkie is a weekly true crime podcast hosted by Ashley Flowers and Britt Prawat that delivers straightforward, no-nonsense storytelling about real cases. The show is one of the most-downloaded podcasts in the world, known for meticulous research and deep dives into both high-profile and overlooked cases. Crime Junkie regularly covers cold cases, suspicious deaths, and investigations where official narratives conflict with evidence.
Takeaways
1
Braden knew details only the killer would know During his first formal interview, Braden asked about Alyssa's bag — an item never reported publicly or found at the scene — and could describe its contents. He also asked investigators whether there were signs of 'mangling or strangling,' then giggled when told that information couldn't be shared.
2
Police file said 'crime scene'; public heard nothing Gilbert PD's internal case file explicitly called Alyssa's location a crime scene and stated investigators believed someone caused her death. Yet their public communications let a self-harm narrative take hold unchallenged, meaning the community felt no urgency to come forward with information.
3
Body was in inches of water, not a pond The 'pond' where Alyssa was found had only 5.5 inches of water near one ankle and less than an inch near the other. This makes accidental drowning nearly impossible and strongly suggests her body was placed there after death rather than her entering the water herself.
4
Family silenced by police, leaving false narrative uncorrected Investigators told the Romine family not to speak to media, citing confidentiality. This prevented them from correcting published reports implying suicide — reports that simultaneously caused grief and reduced public pressure on Gilbert PD to pursue the case aggressively.
5
Key autopsy results, including SA kit, remain redacted The sections of Alyssa's autopsy covering her neck, nervous system, and the continuation of the sexual assault kit DNA report are all heavily redacted. Police told the family they'd never know about sexual assault because water washes evidence — but Alyssa's body was found in under six inches of water.
6
Braden showed no emotion hearing Alyssa was missing When woken to hear voicemails about Alyssa's disappearance from both her mother and a police officer, Braden showed no visible reaction, said 'thank you,' and went back to sleep. Host family member James Phillips later recalled him saying, 'She's probably off on a spiritual journey. She'll pop back up.'