Why this unique red dust could be a crucial clue in cold case of missing Bismarck woman Shelly Julson

James-Wolner-Dakota-Spotlight-Podcast-Host-North-Dakota — James Wolner, host of Dakota Spotlight standing on a road surfaced with red "clinker"—commonly referred to as "scoria"—in Western North Dakota.

By Jeremy Fugleberg, James Wolner

November 29, 2022 04:45 PM

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When Michele Julson disappeared from Bismarck on August 2, 1994, law enforcement didn't exactly have an abundance of clues to follow up on.

The most encouraging development occured six days later when her car was found parked at a local hotel—the Comfort Inn. They dusted for fingerprints without results but weeks later, when the blue Ford Thunderbird was returned to her father Wes Julson, he spotted a potential clue: clinker dust under the hood.

Listen to Episode Number 10 — Follow the Red Dirt Road

Clinker—commonly referred to as "scoria"—can be found throughout western North Dakota and is occasionally used as a substitute for gravel on country roads.

In episode 10 of Dakota Spotlight, working off of new information from both a retired sheriff's deputy and a local geologist, host James Wolner asks the question: Could the clinker dust be related to an early (and almost forgotten) reported sighting of Michele's car in rural Burleigh County?

That is mostly farmland and pasture land up there ... I would say there would be plenty of places that something could be hidden.

Ray Dingeman, retired Burleigh County sheriff's deputy

Ray Dingeman knows rural Burleigh County roads very well. Today he teaches criminal justice at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck but previously he worked as a sheriff's deputy when he patrolled throughout the county for 25 years. After listening to Dakota Spotlight season 7 and learning that red clinker dust had been found on the engine block of Julson's car, Dingeman contacted Wolner to share his recollections and knowledge of rural Burleigh County.

Dingeman noted that, in 1994, some rural roads in the northwestern section of the county were covered with clinker. He specifically pointed Wolner to an area near the town of Baldwin which lies just 12 miles north of what was Julson's place of employment: The Burnt Creek Club (now named "The Crossroads Tavern" at 1205 Northstar Dr. in Bismarck).

Dingeman says the remote and rural area in northwestern Burleigh County wouldn't be a bad place to try to hide something — such as a body.

"That is mostly farmland and pasture land up there ... I would say there would be plenty of places that something could be hidden," he said.

Dingeman's information prompted Wolner to re-examine the Julson cold-case file after he remembered reading a reference to a reported sighting of Julson's car near Baldwin.

And sure enough, there was.

corrie-small-sighting-michele-julson-case — Excerpt from Detective Dennis Walls report on Shelly Julson case

About Dakota Spotlight, Season 7: 'Call Me Shelly — The Mysterious Disappearance of Michelle Julson'

In this season of Dakota Spotlight, creator, host and Regional Emmy Award-winner James Wolner looks into the cold case of 26-year-old Michelle "Shelly" Julson, who vanished from Bismarck, North Dakota on Aug. 2, 1994. Granted exclusive, unprecedented access by police to the cold-case file, Wolner presents a play-by-play review of the initial investigation and further examines the strange events surrounding Shelly's life and her disappearance.

With the aid of new interviews with Shelly’s friends, family and retired police investigators, Wolner dives into the shadows of Shelly’s world at the time — Bismarck’s bar and gambling scene — and tracks the movements of several persons of interest. All in an attempt to answer the biggest questions of the case: What happened to Shelly? Where is she now?

Gallery - Browse with arrow on right

Close up image of the Burnt Creek Club's sign outside the bar. The words 'Burnt Creek' are in red, then 'Club' in white caps on a black background. Below that in black characters on a yellow background are the words ON & OFF SALE

1/29: Shelly worked dealing black jack at the burnt creek club and had been dating Tony Hulm a bartender there. Shelly told friends and family the patrons at the bar were harassing her and she had asked her supervisor to transfer to a different location. On more than one occasion, Shelly believed someone had followed her home from the bar and her car was vandalized.

Michele Julson's missing persons poster with photo of Shelly and her car as found at found at the Comfort Inn hotel in Bismarck. Shelly is smiling looking into the camera, wearing a red shirt.

2/29: Bismarck Police Department's missing poster for Shelly Julson

3/29: Ray Dingeman worked as a deputy sheriff in Burleigh county for 25 years. He recalls that, in 1994, the north-eastern area of the county had roads covered with clinker (aka Scoria). An early possible sighting of Shelly's blue Ford Thunderbird was made in this area three days after Shelly went missing.

School portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

4/29: School portrait of a smiling Shelly Julson 18 years of age wearing blue button-down shirt under a purple knitted vest. Shelly has feathered, shoulder-length red-brown hair and dark eyes and eyebrows.

5/29: Michele Julson

Rear of trailer home at location of Shelly Julson's residence in 1994. Three windows are visible. When investigators walked the perimeter of the home the windows in the back were open.

6/29: When investigators walked the perimeter of Shelly Julson's home the windows in the back were open. The front door was locked and the TV was on.

Present day photograph of Shelly's employer's office where she was to pick up her paycheck. The office was located at 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. A brick building.

7/29: Shelly said she was going to pick up her paycheck at the Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation office, 309 East Broadway in Bismarck. She never picked up her check.

1990s era photograph of the square single-story building named The Burnt Creek Club where Shelly Julson worked dealing black-jack and where she was reportedly harassed b patrons. A sign stands near the street: Burnt Creek Club

8/29: Shelly worked dealing black jack at the burnt creek club and had been dating Tony Hulm a bartender there. Shelly told friends and family the patrons at the bar were harassing her and she had asked her supervisor to transfer to a different location. On more than one occasion, Shelly believed someone had followed her home from the bar and her car was vandalized.

The Elbow Room Bar sign at the corner of a brick building. The words 'THE ELBOW ROOM' are red on a blue oval background

9/29: Shelly Julson occasionally worked at the Elbow Room. Different from today, in 1994 the bar was located near 3rd street and Main. 36 hours before Shelly disappeared she was witnessed talking to two men in the parking lot just after closing. The men had stated they were railroad workers and one of the men was going to be laid over in Bismarck a couple more days.

10/29: Michele Julson

Portrait of Sargant Dennis Walls, the first investigator to work on Shelly's case. Walls wears a light brown blazer, white shirt and dark tie. He has a light or gray mustache and large eyeglasses. He smiles into the camera.

11/29: Bismarck Police officer Dennis Walls was the first investigator to work on Shelly's case.

Portrait of police officer Julie Thompson. She wears a dark blazer and red blouse. Her hair is dark and she smiles pleasantly into the camera.

12/29: Officer Julie Thompson worked on Shelly's case. Thompson focused on looking into Shelly's banking activity and she was also present when Shelly's home was investigated and when her car was located.

Image of a piece of binder paper and handwriting on it. It is Wesley and Linda Julson's missing person's report. It says: Wes and Linda Julson, the parents of Michele Shelly julson would like to report the disappearance of our daughter. It is very uncharacteristic of her to abandon her child. She is a very caring and loving mother to her son. She would call frequently about his welfare even when in the care of his grandparents. If she intended to be late, she would let you know. It is also unusual for her not to pick up her paycheck. As a single working mother she needed her money to care and provide for Jaden herself. She has taken her responsibilities very seriously. It is also unusual of her to leave without notifying a friend or US of her whereabouts. Westley julsen, Linda julson

13/29: Shelly's parents Wesley and Linda Julson submitted this handwritten letter to Bismarck PD to further substantiate their strong belief that Shelly would not leave her son willingly.

Photograph of present-day Wes and Linda julson standing outside of their home in Center North Dakota holding a large framed photo of their daughter Shelly. It is Shelly's high school graduation photograph. Wesley Julson is wearing a short-sleeve blue button-down shirt and Mrs Julson a blue blouse. Wesley Julson is slightly balding and has grey hair. Mrs Julson has grey hair.

14/29: Wesley and Linda Julson outside their home in Center, North Dakota on June 21, 2022. The Julsons question how well Bismarck Police Department handled Shelly's case. Shelly disappeared on August 2, 1994 after dropping her son Jaden at his paternal grandparents home. She was going to pick up her paycheck and run errands but never returned.

15/29: James Wolner, host of Dakota Spotlight standing on a road surfaced with red clinker—commonly referred to as "scoria." Shelly Julson's abandoned car had signs of the red dust on the engine block.

Black and white newspaper clipping with photograph of Donald Schaffer looking into the camera.

16/29: In 1994, prior to her disappearance, Michele 'Shelly' Julson told friends that Bismarck police Lt. Donald Schaffer had been harrasing her. Two years later, Schaffer would take an abrupt, early retirement after being arrested for terrorizing and assaulting his girlfriend and threatening her life.

Bismarck Tribune article dated Jul 26, 1996 describing assault by police officer Donald Schaffer on his then girlfriend.

17/29: Two years after Michele Julson vanished, Lt Schaffer was arrested for terrorizing and assaulting his girlfriend. Before her disappearance, Julson had told friends Schaffer had been harassing her.

18/29: The Bismarck Tribune,

A thirty-one year old Jaden Woodworth looks into the camera. He has short dark hair and a short dark beard and mustache. He wears his sunglasses backwards over his neck.

19/29: Jaden Woodworth was only 3 and 1/2 yrs old when his mother Michele Julson dropped him off at his paternal grandparent's home. She said she was going to run errands, but never returned. In recent years, law enforcement told him his father reported his mother missing prematurely, and suspiciously—a claim now debunked by Dakota Spotlight podcast.

Linda Julson holds her grandson Jaden Woodworth who is a few months old as Michele Julson looks on

20/29: Pictured: Linda Julson, Jaden Woodworth and Shelly Julson in undated photo approximately 3 years before Shelly vanished.

Black and White Senior class photo of Anthony (Tony) James Hulm.

21/29: Anthony "Tony" Hulm graduated from Timber Lake High School, Timber Lake South Dakota in 1975. In a 2022 interview with Dakota Spotlight Hulm discusses his relationship with Shelly Julson who disappeared in 1994.

staff photo of Lieutenant Myron Heinle of the Bismarck Police department. He looks into the camera with a slight smile. He has no facial hair nor reading glasses. He wears a dark coat, white button-down shirt and a blue and white swirly-striped tie.

22/29: Lieutenant Myron Heinle was head of investigations during the initial investigation into Michele Julson's disappearance. In 1994, for reasons unknown, Heinle directed investigators to remove one hundred and four pages of Julson's police file. The contents of those pages is unknown.

Portrait image of Lieutenant Don Schaffer of the Bismarck, North Dakota police department wearing official blue button down shirt and dark blue tie. He has a slight grey mustache and dark hair. He smiles slightly into the camera.

23/29: Staff photo of Lieutenant Don Schaffer of the Bismarck Police Department. While investigating Michele Julson's disappearence in 1994, investigators received multiple tips informing them that Schaffer was one of several persons harrasing Julson at a local bar, The Burnt Creek Club. Julson's cold case file shows no indication that Schaffer was ever spoken to by investigators in regards to Julson's case. One hundred and four pages of Julson's investigative file were removed in 1994 at the request of then head of investigations Lieutenant Myron Heinle.

Richard Snell mugshot. Richard is bald and bears a dark, thick goatee.

24/29: Rick Snell did not return to work at Great Lines in Bismarck on Wednesday, August 3rd, 1994, the day following Shelly's disappearance. He resurfaced six day's later on August 9, which investigator Bill Connor considers to be an interesting coincidence.' Shelly's car was found on August 8, 1994.

Large crowd at the 1994 outdoor We Fest in Detroit Lakes. Blurry photo of large crowd in sunshine

25/29: Amy Sansburn told police in 1994 that she had partied with Shelly Julson on Friday August, 5th, 1994 at We Fest in Detroit Lakes, MN. While considered credible at the time, investigators no longer feel that Shelly was ever at We Fest.

Portrait of Bismarck police officer Bill Connor in standard blue uniform with dark tie. Bill has a greying mustache and smiles into the camera.

26/29: Bill Connor investigated Shelly's cold-case from 2005 to 2010

Brick, two-story storefront building on Main Street in Bismarck North Dakota.

27/29: Person of interest Rick Snell lived in an upstairs apartment at 212 East Main Avenue in Bismarck. He was reported to be a regular customer at then nearby Elbow Room Bar where Shelly Julson worked.

1990s-era Staff photo of a balding man named Cliff Emmert, police officer in Bismarck police department. He wears a tan sweater and smiles into camera. He wears oval eyeglasses.

28/29: Bismarck Police officer Cliff Emmert was one of several officers who looked into Shelly Julson's past after she vanished under mysterious circumstances in August of 1994. He learned that Shelly had been getting harrased and her car had been vandalized just prior to her disappearence.

29/29: Shelly Julson occasionally worked at the Elbow Room. Different from today, in 1994 the bar was located near 3rd street and Main. 36 hours before Shelly disappeared she was witnessed talking to two men in the parking lot just after closing. The men had stated they were railroad workers and one of the men was going to be laid over in Bismarck a couple more days.

People in this episode

(In alphabetical order)

Ray Dingeman: Former Burleigh County sheriff’s deputy
Edward C. Murphy: State geologist at North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources
Carrie Small: A local farmer, reported a potential sighting of Shelly’s Ford Thunderbird (3 miles east and 4 miles north of Baldwin, North Dakota) on Aug. 5, 1994
Dennis Walls: Bismarck Police Department sergeant who was the initial and lead investigator on the Julson case

People in previous episodes

(In alphabetical order)

Chris Aziz: Bartender at the Elbow Room. Witnessed Shelly with two men Sunday night.
James Becker: Shelly's friend
Kim Borner: Shelly's friend
Russ Bryant: Investigator for Burlington Northern Railroad
Officer Rob Carvell: Bismarck Police Department officer and patrolman, who responded to the Julson missing person report
Bill Connor: Bismarck Police Department investigator
Walter Czerwinski: Retired Burlington Northern employee
John Drath: Wes Julson’s co-worker and acquaintance of Shelly
Clifford Emmert: Bismarck Police Department investigator
Jack Erhardt: Kevin Woodworth's foreman at Miller Insulation
Sheila Heil: Shelly’s boss and co-worker at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation
Darrel Helbing: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 a.m. on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat.
Larry Helfenstein: Shelly's friend
Tony Hulm: Shelly's latest on-again/off-again boyfriend, and a bartender at Burnt Creek Club
Linda Julson: Shelly’s mother
Michele "Shelly" Julson: a 26-year-old blackjack dealer and mother of 3-year-old Jaden, she went missing on Aug. 2, 1994.
Wes Julson: Shelly's father
Mitch Maher: One of two railroad workers kicked out of The Comfort Inn swimming pool at 3 am on Aug. 3, 1994. The men were in the company of two unidentified women and a third man in a cowboy hat.
Robin Mostad: Shelly’s co-worker at The Elbow Room
Bonnie Munsch: Shelly's friend and coworker, worked with Shelly at the Burnt Creek Club the night before Shelly vanished. Bonnie felt Shelly did not seem her usual self that night.
Holly Ness: Shelly’s friend
Tarileen Olson: Blackjack dealer at Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation
Mike Quinn: Agent at North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation
Amy Sansburn: Claimed she partied with Shelly at WE Fest.
Don Schaffer: Bismarck police officer and patron at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly told friends Schaffer had been harassing her at work.
Rick Snell: Did not return to work at Great Lines after Aug. 2, 1994
Tammy Sumner: Shelly’s babysitter
Troy Schaner: Bismarck police officer who helped North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation's aerial search for Shelly's car
Nick Sevart: Bismarck Police officer
Carol Thomas: Assistant manager at The Fleck House hotel near The Elbow Room bar
Julie Thompson: investigator with the Bismarck Police Department.
Jaden Woodworth: Shelly's son, 3-and-a-half years old when she went missing
Kevin Woodworth: Shelly's former boyfriend and Jaden's father
Richard Woodworth: Jaden's paternal grandfather and the last person to acknowledge having seen her when she dropped Jaden at 104 American Ave.
Jenny Yantzer: Barmaid at Burnt Creek Club. Shelly speculated that Jenny was responsible for hangup phone calls and damage to her car. Jenny has denied any involvement.