Pining: A SWGA Podcast
Want to submit a case? Email jamie.worsley@walb.com
Trying to solve some of South Georgia’s biggest mysteries is like looking for a single pine needle on the forest floor. “Pining” is a podcast about families longing for their loved one’s cases to be resolved. You can listen to Pining on the WALB News 10 App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on WALB’s Youtube page. Episodes are streaming now!
The Story Behind the Stories
WALB News 10’s Jamie Worsley recently visited the set of Town and Country to discuss the inspiration behind this true crime podcast series.
To stay in the know as new episodes are released, following Pining on Facebook!
Episode Descriptions and Extras:
10 Years Disappeared: The Brandon Helms Case
A South Georgia mother is preparing to spend another Christmas season without her son, she’s pleading with the public for information in his mission person’s case. Monday, December 14, 2015, that’s the last day anyone saw or heard from Brandon Helms. He was 42-years-old at the time of his disappearance. If you know anything about Brandon Helms’ disappearance, call Lanier County Sheriff’s Office at 229-482-3545.
One Month Missing: The Nyeasha Pickens Case
August 8, 2025, marks one month since 19-year-old Nyeasha Pickens was last seen at the Enmarket store in Cordele, Georgia.
In 2022, of the more than 271,000 girls and women reported missing, over 36% were black. Black women and girls only make up 14% of the U.S. female population, according to the National Crime Information Center.
In this special edition of Pining, WALB News 10’s Jamie Worsley and Quinlan Parker discuss what has been done to find Nyeasha, and what advocates say can help protect women of color at the national level.
Previous Coverage
Faith of a Pebble: Sister and Investigators React to Coffee County Cold Case Arrest
Officials with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, and Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office gathered at the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office on May 23, 2025 to provide updates on the arrest of Jon Worrell, 58, in connection to the 2006 murder of his wife Doris Worrell.
Doris Worrell was shot and killed on September 20, 2006, inside Jon’s Sports Park. Today, investigators believe that Jon recruited someone to kill his wife because he was concerned that if he divorced Doris, he would lose his children. In this timely episode of Pining, Jamie Worsley will bring you the full press conference and reaction from family, law enforcement, and WALB’s reporter assigned to this story.
A Daughter’s Search: The Unsolved Case of Dan Bivens
October 19, 1979, Dan Bivens stopped by his mother’s Dothan, AL shop to get a plate of food. The next day, his mother would find his house unlocked, the TV on, and that plate of food untouched. She reported Dan and his car missing nearly 46 years ago, and despite potential sightings in Southwest Georgia, Dan’s family has never seen or heard from him again. His daughter, Danielle, is appealing to the media and the public for information in his disappearance. If you know anything, call Central Alabama Crimestoppers anonymously at 334-215-STOP. There is a $5,000 reward for information that solves this case.
https://www.wtvy.com/2025/02/27/unsolved-what-happened-dan-bivens/
Pain into Purpose: The Effects of the Sandra Robinson Case
On March 17, 2010, Sandra Robinson was stabbed to death while working at a prepaid cell phone store in Douglas, Georgia. Her murder would leave four kids without a mom, and her family with questions still to this day. You can report any information about this case anonymously by calling the GBI Region 4 Douglas Office at 912-389-4103.
https://gbi.georgia.gov/cases/unsolved-homicide/sandra-latrail-robinson
Lightning Strikes Twice: The Missing Hurst Siblings
This December, Marlena Hurst would be celebrating the Christmas season with her family, and turning 49-years-old on December 23rd. But she hasn’t even met some of her newest grandchildren, because she’s been missing since December 2, 2020. Just months after Marlena was declared missing, the Hurst family would have to expand their search... Not for Marlena, but for her brother, Greg Hurst.
Previous Coverage of the Hurst Siblings:
The Sellers’ Curse: Reviving the Richland Murders
“Pining” typically features unsolved cases, but this episode might be the exception- sort of. Because even though the murders Valerie Sellers, Tanya Nix, and Wanda Faye Reddick from the early 1980s in Richland, Georgia have never been solved, DNA technology and two other nearby murders could hold the answers that 5 South Georgia families have been waiting on for decades.
It’s Not The End: The Nigel Brown Case
In this special, emergency episode, WALB brings you this breaking news episode after one person was arrested in connection to the homicide of nine-year-old Nigel Brown. Nigel was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in 2021 in Albany. He was asleep in his bed at the time of his death. WALB speaks with the lead investigator on this case and several South Georgia mothers about how these cold case developments are bringing hope to their families.
Holding Out Hope: The Jessica Dietzel Case
Jessica Vanzant Dietzel was 21-years-old when she was reported missing in March of 2020. She would now be 26-years-old. WALB News 10’s Jamie Worsley and Rowan Edmonds take a look back at her case and share new developments that could lead to closure.
Case Question and Answer with Albany Police Department:
After the “Holding Out Hope” episode aired, Albany Police Department’s Chief, Michael Persley, responded to our request for information in Jessica’s case. His responses are below:
WALB Question 1: We believe the last time we spoke to you about Jessica’s case was in 2021. At that time, the public and Jessica’s family were critical of APD’s work on the case. What is your response to that criticism, and has it made you reluctant to speak to the media since?
Chief Persley’s Response To Question 1: “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. We rely on the facts and circumstances that surround this case and other cases. I’m not reluctant to speak to the media as we’ve made every effort to support all requests from this station on cases that you have been reporting on.”
WALB Question 2: We have been told by several people close to Jessica’s case that officers said, “Jessica would turn back up after a bender” and that they had to beg for officers to help them with searches for Jessica. Were you made aware of those allegations and how would you respond to those allegations specifically?
Chief Persley’s Response To Question 2: “I have been made aware of those comments early in the investigation. From the onset the investigation showed that Ms. Dietzel had previously gone with others and would return. When she was reported missing to the Albany Police Department, she hadn’t been in contact with any family members for a period of time and we had to determine where she was and who she could have been with. There was no intent to not search for her and we followed up on information received from family and others.”
WALB Question 3: We spoke with investigator Bryant yesterday about the case. Is there anything you would like to add about what APD is doing now to find Jessica? Are you open to organizing a roundtable with Investigator Bryant to get all the agencies involved together to look at all the evidence?
Chief Persley’s Response To Question 3: “Those efforts have been made and efforts conducted with all agencies that have been involved. These include the Dougherty County Sheriff Office, Dougherty County Police Department, Lee County Sheriff Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Those agencies have had investigators assigned and we have been open with providing them with information to aid in the search for Ms. Dietzel. I have no problem reconvening with these agencies and find out if they have discovered any new information that they may have since all agencies last worked on this case.”