“Investigating the Disappearance of Two Men and a Deputy: Uncovering the Complexities of a Cold Case”

The Florida disappearances of Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos, two men of color last seen in the patrol car of Deputy Steven Calkins almost two decades ago, highlight major systemic problems in media and policing. Despite investigations, no one has been charged in the disappearances, leaving the families, police, and community haunted with unanswered questions. As journalism often fails to give missing people of color equal attention compared to young, pretty white women, the podcast “The Last Ride” aims to explore this complex issue.

The missing young men

Terrance Williams and Felipe Santos vanished in 2004 and 2003, respectively, after being seen with Deputy Steven Calkins, who failed to take them to jail for driving illegally. As three law enforcement agencies investigated the case, Calkins was fired, and internal affairs found numerous instances where his statements were untruthful, misleading, or contradictory.

The systemic problems in media and policing

One of the most striking aspects of the case is how little media coverage it received, which reflects on the systemic problems in media and policing. The story brings to mind the “missing white woman syndrome” lesson from journalism school, which describes how the media overemphasizes missing young white women while failing to give the same attention to missing people of color. The Last Ride sheds light on this issue and illuminates the deep wounds that are left when nobody is held accountable.

The pursuit for answers

The Williams and Santos families have been struggling to get attention for their cases, and it was only when filmmaker Tyler Perry offered a $200,000 reward for tips that they received national attention. Five years ago, the family of Terrance Williams filed a civil lawsuit against Calkins, alleging that he intentionally murdered Williams and Santos. Veteran reporters from the Naples Daily News and The Fort Myers News-Press reported The Last Ride, examining these systemic problems in media and policing while scrutinizing hundreds of pages of records and uncovering dramatic polygraphs, court audio, and questioning of Calkins.

The way forward

The Last Ride is an eight-episode deep dive into this Florida mystery, examining the systemic problems and complexities that have led to little accountability for those responsible for the disappearances. It also sheds light on how the media can be a significant part of the problem by failing to provide equal coverage of missing people of color. While most missing people are found quickly, media outlets must also prioritize reporting on missing people of color and recognize their biases to prevent falling short in covering these cases. By doing so, they can bring attention to those who need it most.