Syracuse, New York – A new investigative podcast from Syracuse.com delves into the chilling, unsolved murder of Carol Ryan, a 42-year-old mother who was found on the side of the road outside Syracuse in 1996, viciously beaten and brutalized by an explosive device. The podcast, titled “Firecracker,” promises to tell the story of one of Upstate New York’s most horrific crimes like it’s never been told before.
With the goal of bringing more attention to Carol’s cold case, the podcast features fresh information and analysis gleaned from interviews with 30 sources, including Carol’s only son, Onondaga County’s district attorney, the medical examiner who wrote Carol’s autopsy report, detectives, sheriffs, and forensic experts. Some of these sources have never publicly spoken about Carol’s murder before.
The story begins with Carol’s background – a relatively normal upbringing in a small town in Oswego County. Born on the 4th of July, Carol had a fiery personality, volunteered at a local daycare, and sang in her school chorus. After an early pregnancy and an abusive marriage, she moved to Syracuse, settled into a cozy apartment, and stayed close with her son and mother.
The podcast goes on to detail the events of a fateful Labor Day weekend in 1996, when Carol was violently attacked, beaten, raped, and left for dead. A fisherman found her clinging to life in a driveway in Jamesville, and she died five hours later in the hospital.
The case has remained unsolved for 27 years, with detectives chasing hundreds of leads but never making an arrest. The podcast aims to unpack the heinous Syracuse crime and introduce a parade of disturbing suspects who walked free after Carol’s murder.
Syracuse.com has partnered with Wondery+ to release the “Firecracker” podcast for a national audience. Listeners can now access the podcast exclusively on Wondery+ for a deep, investigative look into Carol’s tragic story. Additionally, anyone with information about Carol Ryan’s case is urged to contact the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.