Mommy Is In The Trees: The Tube Sock Killer | UNSOLVED episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 17, 2025 · 42 MIN

Mommy Is In The Trees: The Tube Sock Killer | UNSOLVED

from True Crime BFF · host Lauren K

In the winter of 1985, Diane Robertson & Mike Riemer  set out into the Washington backwoods with their toddler to cut down a Christmas tree— they never returned.  Later that evening, their 2-year-old, Crystal was found wandering alone in a Kmart parking lot. She couldn’t say who she was or how she got there, only repeating: “Mommy is in the trees.”Her mother, Diana Robertson, would be discovered months later — murdered and left in the woods with her hands bound and a tube sock tied around her neck. Her father, Mike Riemer, vanished without a trace.But this wasn’t the first crime of its kind. Just months earlier, another couple — Steven Harkins and Ruth Cooper — had also been killed in the wilderness, Ruth was also found with a tube sock knotted around her neck.For decades, theories swirled. Was Mike a violent killer who struck twice? Or the fourth victim of a predator still at large? I want to hear from YOU! Send True Crime BFF an email! [email protected]…DM us on socials!Instagram True Crime BFF Podcast (@truecrimebffpod) FACEBOOK | true crime bff podcastTikTok @truecrimebffpodcastSOURCES:Amazon.com: '85 Remembrances and Threads of Truth: Seeking Justice for the Victims of the Tube Sock Killer *Book by Sheryl Cooper, the daughter of a victim of the notorious Minerals Tube Sock KillerSeattle Times Skull discovery revives Washington murder mystery WAYBACK 4/14/2011Mystery lingers: Discovery of trapper's skull adds clue to couple's 1985 disappearance | The OlympianGoogle NewspapersTimgruver-the-tube-sock-killingsUnsolved Mysteries with Dennis Farina - Season 6, Episode 20

In the winter of 1985, Diane Robertson & Mike Riemer  set out into the Washington backwoods with their toddler to cut down a Christmas tree— they never returned.  Later that evening, their 2-year-old, Crystal was found wandering alone in a Kmart parking lot. She couldn’t say who she was or how she got there, only repeating: “Mommy is in the trees.”Her mother, Diana Robertson, would be discovered months later — murdered and left in the woods with her hands bound and a tube sock tied around her neck. Her father, Mike Riemer, vanished without a trace.But this wasn’t the first crime of its kind. Just months earlier, another couple — Steven Harkins and Ruth Cooper — had also been killed in the wilderness, Ruth was also found with a tube sock knotted around her neck.For decades, theories swirled. Was Mike a violent killer who struck twice? Or the fourth victim of a predator still at large? I want to hear from YOU! Send True Crime BFF an email! [email protected]…DM us on socials!Instagram True Crime BFF Podcast (@truecrimebffpod) FACEBOOK | true crime bff podcastTikTok @truecrimebffpodcastSOURCES:Amazon.com: '85 Remembrances and Threads of Truth: Seeking Justice for the Victims of the Tube Sock Killer *Book by Sheryl Cooper, the daughter of a victim of the notorious Minerals Tube Sock KillerSeattle Times Skull discovery revives Washington murder mystery WAYBACK 4/14/2011Mystery lingers: Discovery of trapper's skull adds clue to couple's 1985 disappearance | The OlympianGoogle NewspapersTimgruver-the-tube-sock-killingsUnsolved Mysteries with Dennis Farina - Season 6, Episode 20

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Mommy Is In The Trees: The Tube Sock Killer | UNSOLVED

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The Why We Fight Podcast with Justin Stamm Justin Stamm 🇩🇪🇺🇸 Philosophy nerd. Mafia geek. Geopolitical Blackbelt. Catholic. The Real Right. Mafia Show "Payola Creator"After spending many years of research & in person interviews with various figures in & around Organized Crime & Politics that I met through my mother Diana Newlin & her real world Godfather Mafia Boss Vincent "Jimmy Blue Eyes" Alo, I began a journey to tell these stories in Hollywood as a screenwriter on how to expose & fight back against the globalists that not only act like a Mafia but nearly always work with them. Explicit Chinook Realm Religion and crime collide when a gruesome murder rocks the isolated community of Chinook, Montana. Local Deputy Ruth Vogel thought she was answering a routine animal control call, only to find a mangled corpse on the frozen embankment. Her small town is whipped into a frenzy and everyone is quick to point their fingers at a drug-addicted teenager, but Ruth suspects connections to a powerful religious group. Enter Agent Loro, an enigmatic FBI investigator tracking an evangelical cult that may have roots right here in Chinook. Loro and Ruth form a cautious partnership to find the killer—but as the mystery winds through Ruth’s life, her family, and her church, she’ll discover something more sinister than murder is afoot.Binge all episodes of Chinook exclusively and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by wondery.com/links/chinook v Explicit Crime and Conscience Ashley Painter Discover the world of true crime with Ashley on Crime and Conscience. Explore psychological insights and stories that challenge our perceptions of guilt and innocence. Uncover the complexities of crime, trauma, and the human experience in each episode. Explicit Judgy Crime Girls Andrea & Claudia Enter the dark corners of true crime with the Judgy Crime Girls podcast! Join Andrea & Claudia in side-eyeing the criminals and anyone who stands in the way of justice. With wit, humor, and a splash of snark, we'll dissect each crime with judgy flair. So, grab your favorite snacks & cocktail (or mocktail - we don't judge you!), and let's dive headfirst into the world of true crime, one sassy comment at a time! Subscribe today and join Judgy After Dark on Fridays! Stay sassy, stay judgy, and remember, justice never looked so good on you!  Explicit

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This episode was published on August 17, 2025.

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In the winter of 1985, Diane Robertson & Mike Riemer  set out into the Washington backwoods with their toddler to cut down a Christmas tree— they never returned.  Later that evening, their 2-year-old, Crystal was found wandering alone in a Kmart...

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