Unsolved Mysteries Rewind 88: The Disappearance and Murder of Philip Fraser
I’m absolutely thrilled to have my amazing co-host from Love, Lies and Alibis, Hannah, joining me for this chilling dive into one of the most haunting cases from the classic Unsolved Mysteries series.
Check out our other podcast here https://www.loveliesandalibis.com Be warned that it is a little darker than the stuff on this podcast
In June 1988, 23-year-old Philip Innes Fraser—a bright, adventurous young man from Anchorage, Alaska, and the son of two prominent doctors—set out on a solo road trip south to start pre-med studies at Evergreen State College in Washington. Driving his packed black 1983 VW Jetta, Philip was full of promise. After surrendering his handguns at the Canadian border, he stopped at a remote café in the Yukon.
That’s where everything went tragically wrong.
At the Forty Mile Flats Café, witnesses saw Philip reluctantly pick up a nervous, clean-cut hitchhiker in his early 20s. It was an act of kindness on a lonely highway that would cost him his life.
Hours later, that same hitchhiker was spotted driving Philip’s Jetta alone—boldly impersonating him. He shared intimate details of Philip’s life, family, and plans with strangers, even spending the night at a kind couple’s home while they fixed his car.
Then, Philip’s burned-out Jetta was found abandoned in Prince George, British Columbia.
Weeks later, Philip’s body was discovered in a remote gravel pit—shot multiple times. The killer had vanished, taking Philip’s wallet, passport, and identity.
Featured on Unsolved Mysteries in 1992, this case of stolen identity and cold-blooded murder on Canada’s desolate highways still grips us today. Despite composites, leads, and speculation about serial killers, the hitchhiker has never been identified.
Nearly 38 years later, Philip’s murder remains unsolved. Join Hannah and me as we rewind this heartbreaking mystery—who was the man who stole more than a ride?
Thank you to Mat Graham from Artificial Fear for allowing us to use his amazing cover of the Unsolved Mysteries Theme Song! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoQNyGGSIl_ZbEDq-teZDWQ
And thank you to Ryan Hughes from Planet H for lending us his spot-on “Stack Voice” and working with us to have such a cool intro and outro! Check out his YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYrlNAFRMlWQN1rhWboZh2g