An ‘explosion of hate’ killed Carol Ryan and no one knows why (Firecracker, ep. 1)

In 1996, Syracuse resident Carol Ryan was murdered in a horrific way. Someone detonated an explosive device inside of her and left her for dead on the side of the road in Jamesville.

Her killer was never found.

In the first episode of “Firecracker,” a syracuse.com podcast into Carol Ryan’s cold case, we share new information about the 27-year-old investigation, we delve into details about Carol’s life, and we hear about the first “hot lead” detectives chased down in the days after her murder.

We also bring you back to the morning of Sept. 1, 1996, when Carol was found beaten and dying in the driveway to a county compost site off Route 91.

This is one of the most disturbing homicides in Syracuse history. For a quarter century, the murder of Carol Ryan has eluded police. This case did not get national attention.

I’m Katrina Tulloch and I’ve spent the last year digging into this case with a team of journalists at syracuse.com.

Carol’s friends and family feel like everyone has forgotten her.

But we haven’t.

We believe her cold case deserves more attention.

So does Carl Kruger. He was the original lead detective assigned to Carol’s case in 1996.

Even nearly three decades later, this case sticks with him.

“I remember the night of my retirement party,” Kruger told syracuse.com. “Somebody asked me, what are your regrets? I only have one... That Carol Ryan wasn’t solved before I left.”

Kruger brought our reporters right to the driveway where Carol was found. He described the detectives’ struggle to understand what kind of weapon was used to hurt her.

“I remember some blood stains,” Kruger said. “And these red paper fragments that didn’t make sense to us. You know, we’re goin’ what the heck is this? Then we went, oh my god, that’s firework fragments...”

Detectives sent the fragments to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They determined Carol had been raped with an “M80-style recreational explosive,” which was detonated inside of her.

“It’s so terrible,” Kruger said. “She obviously suffered that day. But her family and loved ones have suffered for 27 years. That’s a long time to not to be able to put it to rest.”

Listen to Firecracker Episode 1: Explosion of Hate and subscribe to “Firecracker” exclusively on Wondery+.

Syracuse.com is proud to partner with Wondery+ to debut this podcast for a national audience.

If you have any details about this case, contact the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office at 315-435-3051. To submit an anonymous tip to the Sheriff’s Office, text TIPONON and your tip to 847411.

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Katrina Tulloch shoots videos and writes news stories for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact her anytime: Email • Instagram • X • Facebook • 518-810-5022

More coverage on Carol Ryan’s cold case

• Why there’s a ‘sliver of chance’ Carol Ryan’s murder could be solved after 27 years (Firecracker, ep. 6)

• Did a stranger kill Carol Ryan? We confront cops’ top suspect (Firecracker, ep. 5)

• Detectives zero in on boyfriend, ex-husband but Carol Ryan’s killer remains free (Firecracker, ep. 4)

• What medical experts learned from Carol Ryan’s autopsy (Firecracker, ep. 3)

• Everything we know about Carol Ryan’s last night alive (Firecracker, ep. 2)

• Sneak peek: ‘Firecracker’ podcast investigates Carol Ryan’s vicious unsolved murder

• Carol Ryan’s murder still unsolved after 27 years; hope hinges on new DNA technology

• Carol Ryan’s cold case: Horrific Syracuse murder remains unsolved 26 years later

• After 20 years, CNY woman’s brutal murder remains unsolved