25 | Final Boarding Call

Summary of 25 | Final Boarding Call

by Tenderfoot TV

55m•January 16, 2026
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Overview of 25 | Final Boarding Call

This episode of Up and Vanished in the Midnight Sun (Tenderfoot TV) continues the investigation into the disappearance of Joseph Balderas in Nome, Alaska (June 2016). Host Payne Lindsay re-examines the critical weekend timeline, highlights major inconsistencies in witness accounts, digs into the central role of the Piscoya family, and emphasizes one piece of evidence — a missing handgun and its case — that the podcast argues should have been followed up more aggressively. The episode ends by revealing a newly released recorded phone call involving Kirk and Bonnie Piscoya and previews more of that tape in the next episode.

Timeline (concise)

  • June 24, 2016 (Friday): Last reliably confirmed time Joseph was seen alive — photos and multiple witnesses from that night.
  • June 25, 2016 (Saturday): Joseph stops responding to family and fiancée Megan Ryder. He had planned activities that weekend with people in Nome, especially the Piscoya family (weekly dinners, beach plans).
  • The Saturday that matters: Podcast emphasizes Saturday as the crucial day — it's the only unambiguous gap where something could have happened.
  • Sunday (claimed by some, especially Jake): Multiple later statements push sightings into Sunday or later; hosts argue those later claims appear to move timelines “later, farther, safer” and are likely manufactured to create distance from Saturday.
  • Search efforts: Extensive local searches, Coast Guard/air searches; no body or personal gear found.

Main people discussed

  • Joseph Balderas — 36, engaged to Megan Ryder (Juneau), described as punctual, caring, not reckless.
  • Megan Ryder — fiancée, in Juneau; grew worried when Joseph’s messages felt “off” and then stopped.
  • Christine Piscoya — friend who said she was the last to see Joseph and claimed they had plans Saturday; her phone was later restored/erased, deleting messages and call logs.
  • Jake (Piscoya) — roommate and Christine’s cousin; initially lied about his Saturday whereabouts, later admitted to creating an alibi and asking friends to corroborate; he also later claimed to have seen Joseph Sunday.
  • Kevin Piscoya — Christine’s uncle; named repeatedly as acting oddly during the search and implicated in tip-line call.
  • Bonnie Piscoya and Kirk Reynolds (Kirk Piscoya) — members of the extended Piscoya family; surface as recurring figures at pressure points in the timeline and in a newly released phone recording.
  • Private investigator Andy Klamzer — highlights the missing handgun and case as a significant overlooked lead.
  • Joseph’s sister Selina — ran a tip line (“Finding Joseph”) and fielded anonymous, potentially important calls.

Key evidence & red flags

  • Missing handgun (Taurus purchased in March) and missing gun case: The gun was not found in the truck, on the person, or in search areas. Troopers reportedly did not enter the handgun as missing/stolen in their system — described as a glaring omission.
  • Christine’s phone data wiped/restore: Loss of last messages and call logs that could have anchored the last clear record of Joseph’s activity.
  • Jake’s false alibi and attempts to have friends corroborate it: suggests concealment around Saturday night.
  • Conflicting witness sighting timelines: multiple people give different accounts and times for sightings, with several accounts shifting to later times as the investigation proceeds.
  • Tip-line call (Harvey Miller Jr.): A caller alleges Kevin and Joseph’s father (or “dad”) were seen backing Joseph’s blue truck into a driveway late at night, phone confiscation, and a backyard sinkhole that was filled soon after — suggests possible tampering or concealment.
  • Truck behavior: Joseph’s blue truck was found oddly parked; witnesses reported seeing the truck drive by camp, sometimes fast and not stopping.
  • Lack of physical evidence: No body, no backpack, no phone, no clothing — nothing found during exhaustive searches.

Family dynamics & context (Piscoya family)

  • The Piscoya family is described as tightly knit, hierarchical, and socially influential in Nome (weekly dinners, central in community life).
  • Testimony depicts controlling behavior within the family, pressure around relationships, and a strong interest in protecting family reputation.
  • Kirk is profiled as charismatic, image-conscious, financially impulsive, and highly loyal to the family; the podcast suggests he may bend moral boundaries to protect family interests.
  • Multiple community members express suspicion about the family’s behavior and choices during the investigation.

Newly revealed material

  • The podcast obtained and played excerpts from a recorded phone call featuring Kirk and Bonnie Piscoya criticizing the podcast and discussing theories about Joseph’s disappearance. In that call they make statements asserting that Joseph wasn’t armed when he disappeared and entertain the “bear” theory — language that the host flags as inconsistent with other evidence (notably the missing handgun).
  • The episode teases that a longer portion of this call will be released in the next episode; the recording was obtained legally with consent and required protective measures for sources.

Production & legal notes

  • The host paused the series to verify and protect sources and to secure legally obtained recordings. One-party consent laws apply to the audio described, and the other caller gave written permission.
  • The episode reminds listeners this is intended for mature audiences and that names of survivors were changed for anonymity.

Notable quotes

  • “He wasn’t the person to disappear quietly.”
  • “Saturday is the only day that actually matters.”
  • “If you didn’t do anything, but you knew something, why wouldn’t you come forward?”
  • “Not only was his gun missing ... but the case for the handgun was missing. I think that’s a very significant fact.”

Main takeaways

  • The weekend of June 24–26, 2016 centers on Saturday — the podcast argues that inconsistencies and cover-ups cluster around that day.
  • The missing handgun and its case are presented as a major, under-investigated lead that could change the case narrative.
  • Several witnesses associated with the Piscoya family gave shifting accounts; one family member’s phone/data loss and another’s false alibi are key red flags.
  • New witness tips (truck being moved, sinkhole filled) and recorded conversations increase suspicion around family members’ involvement or knowledge.
  • Law enforcement’s handling (e.g., not logging the gun) is questioned as potentially cursory.

What’s next / suggested listening

  • The episode ends by promising more of the phone recording with Kirk and Bonnie in the next episode and continued exploration of the missing gun and the Piscoya family’s role.
  • Check the show notes for additional resources and citations referenced by the episode (including links to more interviews and evidence summaries).

If you want the full context and to hear the released audio clips, listen to the episode and its follow-up on Tenderfoot TV or your preferred podcast platform.