The Barbara Cotton disappearance is one of North Dakota’s longest-running cold cases. On April 11, 1981, 15-year-old Barbara Louise Cotton vanished while walking home in Williston, North Dakota. According to official records, she was last seen after having dinner with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. For decades, Barbara’s case received little attention and few answers.
In Season 5 of Dakota Spotlight, A Better Search for Barbara, journalist James Wolner investigates what really happened. What began as a plan for a five-part series turned into a 21-episode journey spanning North Dakota, Montana, and California. As new persons of interest emerge and old leads are revisited, this season offers the most in-depth investigation ever conducted into the disappearance of Barbara Cotton.
[2024 UPDATE: Since Dakota Spotlight has covered this case, the attorney general’s website has amended the listing. Now it simply states the following: “During the evening of April 11, 1981, 15 year old Barbara Louise Cotton disappeared in Williston, North Dakota.”]
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Episode 1: The Barbara Cotton disappearance begins with a 15-year-old vanishing from Williston, North Dakota in 1981
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