The Book of Cold Case Files: Dead Ends: The 6 Darkest Unsolved Serial Killer Cases on America's Highways

by Adam Bundy, True Crime Manor

Some cases never close.Six of the darkest unsolved murder cases in American history share one thing in the highway gave the killers everything they needed.

Anonymity. Easy victims. And an escape route that swallowed them whole.

Forensic evidence collected. DNA tested. Leads pursued for decades. And still — nothing.

Inside, you'll follow investigators through cases that went cold — and stayed that

The Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders. Seven teenage girls vanished along Highway 101 in the early 1970s. One has never been identified. Nobody was ever charged.

The Colonial Parkway Killings. Four couples were murdered on a scenic Virginia road between 1986 and 1989. The killer — or killers — have never been named.

The Phantom Killer of Texarkana. A masked figure struck couples in parked cars during the spring of 1946, terrorizing a town for ten weeks — then walked back into the dark.

The Freeway Phantom. Six young Black girls were abducted near Washington D.C. while investigators fumbled the case. The case stayed cold for fifty years. It still is.

The New Bedford Highway Murders. Nine women were found along Route 140 and I-195 in Massachusetts. Most cases remain officially unsolved.

The Long Island Serial Killer. Bodies began surfacing along Ocean Parkway in 2010. An architect was arrested in 2023. The trial is set. The full body count is still unknown.

No convenient confessions. No tidy endings.

These men hunted along America's highways for years. Some were never identified. Some may never be caught.

Some of these killers may still be alive.

If you can't stop thinking about cases that should have been solved — this book is for you.

159 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2026

Reviews

[Jamie Rincker]

Imagine being a young girl and hitchhiking to class, being a couple on lover's lane because you want to get away from the adults, a young black girl who goes to the grocery store by herself to grab a few items like she's done before, or a prostitute out on the streets to support her drug habit. All of these people had one thing in common, they were considered easy targets. This book takes you through the true crimes committed mainly through the 1960s through 1980s. There is no outdoor cameras, DNA, or cell phones. They mainly rely on blood tracing. You are basically on your own to fight off someone who sneaks up on you out in the middle of nowhere, places your clothes in a neat pile, leaves your keys in the ignition, and does not take any money or valuables. The worst kind of person who hurts someone just for the thrill of it. This is like an extremely well written horror novel that's all the more creepy because it's true. You'll be up late at night reading this one to find out what happens next.

[Stephanie Tiner]

The thing about reading true crime nonfiction is that it is sad and interesting when done right. This book is well written; it has parts that really pull the reader in, similar to those documentary television shows that cover the same things. Also, this book makes sure to highlight why these perpetrators have not been caught or the theories as to why the cases have gone cold. I like that the author brought these together and pleads that anyone who can help or might know something keep these cases in mind and do what they can to help, even the ones where the offenses were so long ago the likelihood that the perpetrator is still alive is very slim. I thought that this book was well written and if you like to read nonfiction true crime stories, this one and the one before it might be something that you will have an interest in.

[Lori Mosier]

For the True Crime Enthusiast!

I am definitely a true crime enthusiast- books, shows, documentaries, blogs, podcasts and I even used to buy the true crime magazines when they were common. I knew I would be frustrated reading this book because what is satisfying about the true crime genre is that something unfortunate happens but then investigation, discovery, arrests and some type of justice. The unsolved crimes are sad and also scary that the bad guys are still out there. I always hope that someone the book touches knows something and comes forward or has creative ideas for further investigation. The book was informative, I just wish I had some answers.

[Crystal]

This book is a captivating exploration into the haunting world of unsolved serial killer cases along America's highways. The author masterfully presents six of the darkest and most perplexing cases, drawing you into the eerie details and frustrating dead ends that have stumped investigators for years.

Each case is meticulously researched, providing a comprehensive overview of the evidence, suspects, and theories surrounding the crimes.

I'm a huge true crime fan, so some of these stories I have heard but some I have not - it kept me interested from start to finish!

[Tara]

This was a heartbreaking informative read. I didn't know about most of the cases that this book covered.

[Mary]

This was a relatively comprehensive review of six cold cases. The presentation was matter-of-fact and not sensationalized. Fascinating read, kept me engaged.