The Deck
The Deck
#truecrime

For years, some law enforcement agencies have replaced the faces of traditional playing card decks with images of missing and murdered people and distributed those cards in prisons hoping inmates would come forward with information needed to crack these cold cases wide open. Now, audiochuck is dealing you in. Each week, we will be working with investigators and family members to bring you the details of some of the coldest cases from around the country in hopes that someone listening can finally bring these victims the justice they deserve.

Carmen “CJ” DeLuca (Wild Card, Connecticut)

June 18, 2025 00:31:32 7.74 MB ( 22.54 MB less) Downloads: 0

Our card this week is Carmen "CJ" DeLuca, the Wild Card from Connecticut. 

When a man stopped to get gas in the middle of the night in 1985, he had no idea he was walking into the scene of a murder. The 23-year-old gas station attendant, Carmen “CJ” DeLuca, had been shot to death for seemingly no reason. But with no witnesses and no clear motive, police had no idea who killed him. He was a good guy with no known enemies, engaged to the love of his life, and planning a wedding that would never happen. It wasn’t until another customer walked into another gas station to get his morning coffee…and found another attendant shot that investigators were able to hone in on some suspects. Because their second victim was alive, he got a clear look at the man who shot him. But 40 years later, investigators haven’t been able to identify the shooter. They think they’re close, but time is running out as evidence, suspects, and memories are lost to time. They need someone to come forward and confirm their suspicions to get justice for CJ, his fiancé, and the life they never got to have together. 

  • If you have any information on the death of Carmen “CJ” DeLuca, please contact the Connecticut Cold Case Unit at 1-866-623-8058 or email cold.case@ct.gov.

View source material and photos for this episode at: thedeckpodcast.com/carmen-deluca

 

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The Deck is hosted by Ashley Flowers. 

Text Ashley at 317-733-7485 to talk all things true crime, get behind the scenes updates, and more!

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