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Mt. Pulaski Public Library hosts
true crime podcaster Adam White
[February 27, 2026]
On Thursday, February 26, more
than 20 residents gathered at the Mt. Pulaski Public Library for a
deep dive into one of the area’s most enduring mysteries. Podcaster
Adam White presented “Missing T.J. Davison: Still Unsolved After 40
Years,” leading the true crime enthusiasts through a detailed review
of the evidence and a discussion on the decades-old cold case.
White, a paranormal investigator,
Haunted Decatur Tour Guide, and host of a true crime podcast
entitled American Dread, took the audience on a deep dive into the
day that T.J. Davison, a four-year-old boy, went missing from the
Kroger parking lot at Brentwood Village in Decatur on October 10,
1985. White has researched the case, putting together a timeline of
the events leading up to the child’s disappearance. The police
report states that the boy was left asleep in the backseat of his
aunt’s car. He was last seen around noon that day. When his aunt
returned to the car 25 minutes later, she discovered he was missing
and went back into the store to call the police.
White detailed the 1985 police investigation, the continued search
requested by T.J.’s mother in 1996, and the 2013 investigation of
the home where T.J. once lived. However, none of these efforts have
yielded any clues as to the whereabouts of T.J., who would have
turned 45 in January of this year. He also discussed the
disappearance of one of T.J.’s relatives, who was about to embark on
a journey to search for the young boy.
After a 35-minute presentation of evidence, White provided his
theory as to what happened to T.J. The audience was enticed into
conversation with Mr. White. Some audience members lived near the
Davison home and had been interviewed during the initial
investigation. They remember the family, and the case remains of
interest to them. White also invited audience members to ask
questions. Some of the questions included TJ’s exact location inside
the car, the presence of a witness, and the stuck rear doors and
locked hatchback. The unique vehicle, a 1981 Dodge Omni, stirred up
nostalgia with several audience members as they recalled the cars of
the 1980s, such as their unique design and charm, but lack of safety
features. The audience continued with questions about the evidence
found inside the vehicle and about the Davison family today.
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There was some conjecture about
T.J.'s whereabouts. Some audience members theorized a positive
outcome, envisioning the child growing up in a loving family
unaware of the mystery surrounding him, while others held more
skeptical viewpoints. White and other partners are working to
install a plaque honoring T.J. in Brentwood Village in Decatur.
The discussion shifted to other local crimes, such as the
Hatchet House and the Freeman Murders that Mr. White
investigated, and finally to what sparked Mr. White’s interest
in true crime. He detailed the story of his grandfather, who
lived in the same neighborhood as serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
White inherited his grandfather’s collection of bricks from
Gacy’s home. He joked that he is no longer allowed to store them
in his office.
White and Mt. Pulaski Public
Library have partnered in the past to host live podcast reviews, and
they hope these events will occur semi-annually. New episodes of
American Dread are posted every other Wednesday.
[Joli Boerma]
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