Transcript

Zoe Nelson's Last Moments Caught on Camera, and the Case That Left the FBI Stunned About the Killer

From Casefile True Crime · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 17 min · 2,872 words · 19 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Zoe Nelson's Last Moments Caught on Camera, and the Case That Left the FBI Stunned About the Killer", an episode of Casefile True Crime published December 14, 2024 (17 min, about 2,872 words). It mentions 14 people, works and ideas, including Zoe Nelson, Joshua Mi Bane, Laura Anne Nelson, Maryanne Nelson, Wishaw.

What this episode is about

The tragic case of 17-year-old Zoe Nelson, who disappeared after a heated argument with her family, unravels a dark mystery that shook her community and left her family heartbroken. Following her last known interactions, a chilling discovery linked to her disappearance stunned investigators, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding her untimely death.

Key takeaways

  • A family fight led to a tragic disappearance, illustrating how fleeting moments can change lives forever.
  • The community's shock underscores a chilling truth: tragedy can strike anywhere, even the most unsuspecting neighborhoods.
  • Surveillance footage played a key role in solving Zoe's case; technology is both a witness and a detective.
  • Missed calls and ignored smoke hints reveal how we often overlook the signs of impending disaster.
  • Zoe's significant life milestones lost—her 18th birthday a haunting reminder that life's short and unpredictable.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 3:00: Laura Anne Nelson, Maryanne Nelson, Zoe Nelson, Wishaw
  2. – 6:00: Zoe Nelson, Laura Anne Nelson, Motherwell College, Stuart Bell
  3. – 9:00: Joshua Mi Bane, Zoe Nelson, Laura Anne Nelson
  4. – 12:00: Joshua Mi Bane, Laura Anne Nelson, Zoe Nelson
  5. – 15:00: Laura Anne Nelson, Joshua Mi Bane, Zoe Nelson, Maryanne Nelson
  6. – 16:38: Laura Anne Nelson, Zoe Nelson

Notable quotes from "Zoe Nelson's Last Moments Caught on Camera, and the Case That Left the FBI Stunned About the Killer"

  • Disappearance this is the tragic story of Zoe Nelson was born on August 13th 1992 in Wishaw Scotland by 2010 she lived in newmains a village and former mining town near whor with her mother Maryanne Nelson her stepfather Daniel.
    about Zoe Nelson · at
  • Initially thought he was looking at a charred Tail as dummy but upon closer inspection he realized it was a human body burned in a fire shocked Stewart immediately returned…
    about Stuart Bell · at
  • Was the one that had been found in a statement released through the police Zoe's mother Maryanne expressed that her daughter was a well-liked typical 17-year-old with many…
    about Maryanne Nelson · at
  • Derek Robertson leading the investigation described Zoe's death as a tragic loss of a young life and vowed that his team would not stop until the culprit was brought to Justice…
    about Derek Robertson · at
  • Think she was responsible for Zoe's death the jury also heard Laura Anne state that Robert Bane had threatened her warning that she would face the same fate as Zoe if she…
    about Laura Anne Nelson · at
  • Appalling and the circumstances as truly shocking as the Nelson family exited the courthouse Zoe's Aunt Shirley Nelson expressed their dissatisfaction with Bane's 20-year…
    about Shirley Nelson · at
  • Bane was behind bars allowing the Nelson family to begin healing on June 16th 2010 Zoe Nelson's funeral was attended by hundreds of people the service took place at Cultus…
    about Cultus Memorial Church · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Zoe Nelson — Person · Victim / central subject · 10 mentions · first at
    The episode reconstructs Zoe Nelson’s final days, disappearance, and murder investigation, making her the narrative focus.
  • Joshua Mi Bane — Person · Perpetrator / primary suspect and convicted murderer · 9 mentions · first at
    Presented as the man romantically involved with Zoe and her sister, later identified via eyewitness and DNA evidence and convicted of Zoe’s murder.
    Her 16-year-old Sister Laura Anne were romantically involved with the same man 20-year-old Robert Bane leading to significant tensions between them Robert lived with his…
  • Laura Anne Nelson — Person · Family member / key trial witness (sister) · 15 mentions · first at
    Zoe’s younger sister; also involved with Robert Bane, later testified that Bane showed her the body location and threatened her into silence.
  • Maryanne Nelson — Person · Family member / key witness (mother) · 4 mentions · first at
    Zoe’s mother; her argument with Zoe is the last confirmed family sighting, and she provides key recollection of events and public statements.
  • Stuart Bell — Person · Discoverer of the body / reporting witness · 2 mentions · first at
    The passerby who discovered the burned body in the wooded area and called police, triggering the crime-scene response.
  • Shirley Nelson — Person · Family member / contextual witness (aunt) · 2 mentions · first at
    Zoe’s aunt; provides contextual observations (smoke smell) and later comments publicly after sentencing.
  • Derek Robertson — Person · Lead investigator (detective) · 1 mention · first at
    Named as the detective leading the investigation; provides investigative framing and public appeals for witnesses.
  • Hugh Logan — Person · Referenced institutional representative (principal) · 1 mention · first at
    Principal of Motherwell College; provides a statement about Zoe as a student and the community’s reaction.
    Logan the principal of motherwell college where Zoe was studying vehicle body repair said the entire College Community was deeply shocked by the tragic news and their thoughts…
  • Daniel Nelson — Person · Family member (stepfather) · 1 mention · first at
    Identified as Zoe’s stepfather and part of the household context; not a major actor in the investigation narrative.
    That Zoe would have been celebrating her 18th birthday in just a couple of months adding that she her stepfather and her sisters would devastate ated by the loss the family…

Companies & orgs

  • Motherwell College — Company · Affiliation · 1 mention · first at
    Motherwell College was where Zoe Nelson was a student studying vehicle body repair.
    The family urged anyone with information to come forward and help the police Hugh Logan the principal of motherwell college where Zoe was studying vehicle body repair said the…

Places & events

  • Wishaw — Place · Setting · 3 mentions · first at
    Wishaw is the birthplace of Zoe Nelson and the location where her body was discovered.
    Disappearance this is the tragic story of Zoe Nelson was born on August 13th 1992 in Wishaw Scotland by 2010 she lived in newmains a village and former mining town near whor with her mother Maryanne Nelson her stepfather Daniel.
  • Scotland — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Scotland is the country where the events of the podcast took place.
    Disappearance this is the tragic story of Zoe Nelson was born on August 13th 1992 in Wishaw Scotland by 2010 she lived in newmains a village and former mining town near whor with her mother Maryanne Nelson her stepfather Daniel.
  • Cultus Memorial Church — Place · Venue · 1 mention · first at
    Cultus Memorial Church was the location of Zoe Nelson's funeral service.
  • Edinburgh — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Edinburgh was the location where Robert Bane's trial took place.
    Seven men and seven women returned a unanimous guilty verdict Robert Bane had to be physically restrained as the verdict was delivered at the high court in Edinburgh while…

Full transcript with timestamps

when 17-year-old Zoe Nelson stormed out of her home after a heated argument with her mother and younger sister no one could have imagined it would be the last time they'd see her alive What followed just Days Later was a chilling discovery that left an entire Community shaken and her family heartbroken investigation soon began unraveling the dark and devastating mystery surrounding Zoe's disappearance this is the tragic story of Zoe

Nelson Zoe Nelson was born on August 13th 1992 in Wishaw Scotland by 2010 she lived in newmains a village and former mining town near whor with her mother Maryanne Nelson her stepfather Daniel and her two younger sisters Laura Anne and Ashley Zoe was a student at thewell College where she was well-liked and had a large circle of friends at 17 Zoe and her 16-year-old Sister Laura Anne were romantically involved with the same man 20-year-old Robert Bane leading to significant tensions between them Robert lived with his grandparents about a mile from the Nelson family home on May 22nd 2010 Zoe met Robert outside her house and when Laura Anne saw this she became upset and rushed out to confront her sister that 40 year-old mother Maryanne witnessed the two sisters fighting recalling the events of that day Maryanne described how Laura Anne ran out flicked Zoe's hair and tried to slap her leading to a fight at the end of the

driveway Maryanne intervened the frus telling Zoe to leave calling her a cow in the process and warning her not to return Zoe promised she wouldn't come back and she kept her word never returning home that night little did they know that this would be the last time they saw Zoe alive as well later that night night around 11:00 p.m. it was said that some local saw someone starting a fire in the wooded area known as Monkey Hill the smell of smoke reached nearby houses but at the time no one paid much attention Zoe's 35-year-old Aunt Shirley Nelson later recalled that night describing how she had been sitting in her Garden in new Mains after finishing her second work shift and having some drinks she mentioned that she and her sister stayed outside until around 11:00 p.m. when it started to get cooler they had noticed the smell of smoke but didn't think much of it at the time the following day

Shirley heard other relatives trying to reach Zoe so she tried calling her cell phone as well but got no answer on the afternoon of May 23rd 45-year-old Stuart Bell a government employee from Wishaw rode his motorcycle into a nearby wooded area as he passed through he noticed something unusual and decided to stop he initially thought he was looking at a charred Tail as dummy but upon closer inspection he realized it was a human body burned in a fire shocked Stewart immediately returned home to call the police who arrived within 20 minutes I shouted up the stairs to my wife that I'd found a body in the woods and just immediately phoned the police he recalled when the officers arrived they sealed off the area nothing that horrific had ever happened in the neighborhood before and word of the body that was found spread quickly among the locals upon hearing the news Zoe's mother Maryann Nelson went to the police

to report her daughter missing as she hadn't seen her since their argument when Zoe had left and promised not to return before long the Nelson family received the devastating news Zoe's body was the one that had been found in a statement released through the police Zoe's mother Maryanne expressed that her daughter was a well-liked typical 17-year-old with many friends and known throughout the community she mentioned that Zoe would have been celebrating her 18th birthday in just a couple of months adding that she her stepfather and her sisters would devastate ated by the loss the family urged anyone with information to come forward and help the police Hugh Logan the principal of motherwell college where Zoe was studying vehicle body repair said the entire College Community was deeply shocked by the tragic news and their thoughts were with her family and friends he further stated that Zoe had been a very popular and

well-liked student at the college the scene was thoroughly examined over several days with more than 50 police officers dedicated to the case detective Derek Robertson leading the investigation described Zoe's death as a tragic loss of a young life and vowed that his team would not stop until the culprit was brought to Justice he emphasized the importance of anyone who had seen Zoe between 5:00 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. on that Saturday coming forward to help he noted that it had been the hottest day of the year and the area would have been busy with people taking shortcuts sunbathing and walking their dogs and that there were numerous dirt paths that ran through the area including one near where Zoe's body was discovered he further stated that they were eager to hear from anyone who had been in the area or had a view from one of the houses backing onto it in case they noticed anything unusual Zoe was

described as being 5' 6 in tall with color length brown hair and a heavy build and she was last seen wearing gray tracksuit bottoms a white long sleeve t-shirt and black Nike trainers detectives reviewed CCTV footage phone and computer records conducted door-to-door inquiries and spoke to Zoe's friends and family in an effort to trace her last movements on May 26th police released surveillance footage from a local store where Zoe had been spotted just hours before her death these details were crucial to the investigation helping authorities reconstruct Zoe's final steps and ultimately leading to the arrest of the individual responsible for her death police reported that the Public's response to their appeals for information was slower than anticipated they had now created a dedicated email address to facilitate contact from the public as they hoped that those unwilling to come forward in person

would use this and other methods to provide crucial information during the investigation of the crime scene a cap from a tequila bottle shaped like a red plastic Sombrero was discovered near the body with a matching Empty Bottle found on the opposite side of a small path forensic experts estimated that Zoe's body had been exposed to fire for approximately 7 hours which Limited their ability to determine the exact cause of death when discovered the body had a plastic bag partially melted over most of the face leading Pathologists to conclude that asphixiation was the most probable cause of death the palm of the right hand was relatively intact and two DNA samples were collected from it one DNA sample was identified as belonging to Zoe Nelson while the other was linked to an unidentified man the cause of death was officially listed as undetermined by May 28th police had gathered several witness statements one

witness reported seeing Zoe at around 5:15 p.m. on May 22nd with a man who appeared very drunk and was physically attacking her hitting her in the head another witness observed Zoey walking past his house in New Mains with a man who had a tattooed face a third witness so Zoey and a man with a similar description in newmains noting that the man seemed angry struck a lamp post as he passed and threatened to take someone's life that night other Witnesses also described the the man Zoe was seen with with all their descriptions matching that of 20-year-old Robert Bane despite his youth Robert Bane had a criminal record having served 18 months in prison for robbery and being released just 7 weeks before Zoe's death he had also been arrested four times for drug possession but as a juvenile he faced minimal consequences investigators began to view Bane as a primary suspect and while they deliberated on their next actions Robert

Bane voluntarily approached the police just before 6:00 p.m. on May 28th Bane entered the rore police station intending to give a statement he appeared heavily intoxicated and was slurring his speech Bane claimed that a few days earlier in motherwell a man named steuart Campbell had boarded the bus he was on Bane said he asked Campbell were you with Zoe on Saturday night and the Campbell responded Yes I took her life this was the first time the police had encountered the named Stuart Campbell during the investigation while Bane's name had been frequently mentioned consequently Bane was arrested the same day however there was a significant reason for the arrest that the public would only learn about during the trial when Bane was officially arrested he claimed that he lost so Zoey on the morning of May 22nd after a chance meeting at the local newsand where he went to buy cigarettes on the

morning of May 29th the police issued a statement announcing that a 20-year-old man had been arrested and was in custody in connection with Zoe Nelson's death tests on a swab taken from Zoe's hand revealed her DNA along with traces of another individual which matched pots of Bane's DNA profile DNA from both Nelson and Bane was found on the tequila bottle and its cap discovered near the body the forensic experts suggested that the presence of their DNA on the cap indicated that both had drunk from the bottle and then replaced the cap experts stated that the scientific evidence supported the conclusion that Robert Bane's DNA was found between Zoe Nelson fingers and on her right palm the probability that the DNA in the red plastic Sombrero lid could belong to anyone other than Bane was 10 million to one Robert was charged in connection with Zoe Nelson's death based on numerous eyewitness accounts and DNA

evidence he pleaded not guilty acted defiantly and even confronted one of the investigators Bane also denied a prior assault on Zoe reported by a witness in which he allegedly struck her in the head with his fist fast forward to March 1st 2011 Robert Bane's trial commenced with Bane steadfastly claiming his innocence Zoe's friends testified that a week before her death she had mentioned that the scratches and bruises that she had were from a fight with Bane Zoe had told her friends that Bane was very controlling erratic and prone to anger over minor issues he had restricted her from socializing with certain friends although their relationship couldn't be considered serious given that Robert had been out of prison for less than 2 months despite this he exerted significant influence over Zoe and also had a relationship with her younger sister Laura Anne speaking of Laura Anne a shocking Revelation would soon emerge

in court even before Zoe's body was found by the passerby Laura Anne already knew her sister was dead she had kept this knowledge to herself for 5 days and although the police had not disclosed this information earlier it was later revealed at the trial that Robert had taken Laura Anne to the location where her sister his body was found Laura Anne testified from behind a screen in court so she could not see Bane as she recounted that on the morning of May 23rd the day after her argument was Zoe she visited Bane's address to return some clothing items upon arrival she observed that Robert seemed anxious and had been drinking vodka soon after Robert took her outside and said he wanted to show her something Laura Anne said he led her to the spot where Zoe's body was located during her testimony Laura Anne explained that she recognized her sister by a distinctive Ranger tattoo on her arm according to her Bane

admitted that he had stropped Zoey and when she attempted to retaliate he lost his temper took her life and then used gasoline in an effort to erase any evidence of the crime Laura Anne also confessed to walking with Bane the day after the body was discovered she later visited his home spent time in his bedroom listening to music and talked with him on the phone for about an hour Laura Anne's friend who testified at the trial noted that she appeared happy and normal despite knowing her sister was dead when questioned about why she hadn't shared everything with the police during her initial interrogation Laura Anne explained that she feared her mother wouldn't believe her and would think she was responsible for Zoe's death the jury also heard Laura Anne state that Robert Bane had threatened her warning that she would face the same fate as Zoe if she disclosed what he had done on March the 25th 2011 a jury of

seven men and seven women returned a unanimous guilty verdict Robert Bane had to be physically restrained as the verdict was delivered at the high court in Edinburgh while handcuffed he leapt up in the dock violently struggling with security in police offices and even headbutted one of them he also hurled insults and threats at Zoe Nelson's family forcing the courtroom to be cleared while officers restored order after a 20-minute break the judge decided to continue the trial in Bane's absence Robert Bane was acquitted of charges related to stealing alcohol from store in New Mains on May 22nd and disorderly conduct for shouting swearing and brandishing a knife in various wishall streets that same day Bane was also cleared of stealing Zoe's cell phone which was found in the woods and of threatening a police officer during an interview with the motherwell police station on May 28th on April 27th 2011

Robert Bane was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years for the murder of Zoe Nelson plus an additional 6 years for the obstruction of just Justice with both sentences to be served concurrently in sentencing Bane the judge described the crime as appalling and the circumstances as truly shocking as the Nelson family exited the courthouse Zoe's Aunt Shirley Nelson expressed their dissatisfaction with Bane's 20-year minimum term she remarked that a life should mean a life and advocated for a return to most severe punishments such as hanging she also conveyed gratitude for the support they received stating that the family now had to accept that Zoe would never be seen again due to Bane's actions following the verdict Zoe's Uncle declared that Bane deserved it adding that Bane's courtroom Behavior highlighted his threatening nature calling him an animal who was clearly guilty after the court

session the officer who led the investigation noted that Bane showed no remorse for his actions he commented that Bane's reaction during the verdict demonstrated his true nature and hoped that the streaks would be safer now that Bane was behind bars allowing the Nelson family to begin healing on June 16th 2010 Zoe Nelson's funeral was attended by hundreds of people the service took place at Cultus Memorial Church in her hometown of newmains with Zoe then laid to rest at the cus nethan Cemetery in Wishaw among the over 200 MERS was zo's Mother Maryanne Nelson her sisters Ashley and Laura Anne as well as her grandmother and other family members Reverend gram Raburn who who conducted the service remarked on the substantial turnout emphasizing the profound impact Zoe had in her brief life he observed that the presence of so many people Illustrated How Deeply Zoe had touched others lives he described Zoe as a

typical teenager who was always joyful with a constant smile and a big heart he noted her affection for young children and her willingness to support her friends he further mentioned that Zoey who would have turned 18 the following month was somewhat of a tomboy with a passion for Fast Cars and a keen supporter of Rangers he also shared that Zoe never had the chance to meet her new nephew born a few weeks after her death and that she had hoped to connect with her biological father once she turned 18 a wish she unfortunately never fulfilled years later on Christmas Eve 2022 29-year-old Laura Anne Nelson was unfortunately found deceased in her apartment after several days of Silence she was survived by her two young children who were aged three and four at the time however her death was not considered crime related as Laura Anne had a history of health issues due to her type 1 diabetes it is unfortunate what happened

to Zoe Nelson at the hands of this monster and the ultimate betrayal she faced not only from him but also from her sister who knew the person responsible for her heartbreaking and untimely demise our heartfelt prayers and thoughts extend to her departed soul and the loved ones she left behind if you found found this video compelling be sure to like And subscribe to our Channel and check out our other videos thank you for watching

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Zoe Nelson's Last Moments Caught on Camera, and the Case That Left the FBI Stunned About the Killer"?

Zoe Nelson, Maryanne Nelson, Shirley Nelson, Stuart Bell, Hugh Logan, Detective Derek Robertson, Robert Bane, Laura Anne Nelson.

What is "Zoe Nelson's Last Moments Caught on Camera, and the Case That Left the FBI Stunned About the Killer" about?

The tragic case of 17-year-old Zoe Nelson, who disappeared after a heated argument with her family, unravels a dark mystery that shook her community and left her family heartbroken. Following her last known interactions, a chilling discovery linked to her disappearance stunned investigators, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding her untimely death.

What is mentioned in this Casefile True Crime episode?

14 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Zoe Nelson, Joshua Mi Bane, Laura Anne Nelson, Maryanne Nelson, Wishaw, Stuart Bell. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Zoe Nelson's Last Moments Caught on Camera, and the Case That Left the FBI Stunned About the Killer"?

The episode runs 17 min; the transcript is about 2,872 words in 19 timestamped sections.

More from Casefile True Crime

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 29, 2026.