Episode description

February 6, 1997. Bristol, Rhode Island. Bryan Nisenfeld, an 18-year old freshman at Roger Williams University, vanishes after leaving an afternoon class and most of his possessions are found in his dorm room. Nearly seven months later, a severed foot and a shinbone are found washed up on a beach located a few miles from campus and while they are positively identified as belonging to Bryan, the rest of his remains are never recovered. Suspicion is placed on a former student and friend of Bryan’s who supposedly made a threatening phone call to him prior to his disappearance, but there is no evidence to prove that foul play took place. Was Bryan Nisenfield’s death a homicide, a suicide or an accidental fall into the water? On this week’s episode of “The Trail Went Cold”, we explore a cold case involving a university student which still does not a definitive resolution after nearly 26 years.

If you have any information about this case, please contact the Bristol Police Department at (401) 253-6900.

Additional Reading:

https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Bryan_Nisenfeld

https://web.archive.org/web/20170513101325/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/alt1/archive/news/97/06/26/ROGER_WILLIAMS.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203934/http://articles.philly.com/1997-09-05/news/25551062_1_bristol-police-body-parts-audubon

The Hawk’s Eye – Roger Williams University (Oct. 17, 1997)

The Hawk’s Eye – Rogers Williams University (Nov. 7, 1997)

https://web.archive.org/web/20170507110032/https://providencephoenix.com/archive/features/98/01/08/BRYAN.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20170429213423/http://www.providencephoenix.com/archive/features/00/03/16/BRYAN.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/missing-bryan/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/183755689/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/183755727/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/184322415/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/184275062/

https://www.wpri.com/news/crime/cold-cases/detectives-determined-to-conquer-decades-old-quest-for-answers-in-college-students-death/

“The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon. Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content.

“The Trail Went Cold” is doing a weekly livestream show on Vokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website.

“The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Tower Bridge, Leonardo Royal Hotel & Spa in London on June 10-11, 2023, as well as “Crimecon” at the World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida on September 22-24, 2023. To get a 10 % discount on the purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo  code, “COLD23”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk or https://www.crimecon.com.

The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote.

All music is composed by Vince Nitro.