On the afternoon of June 19, 1994, thirteen-year-old Nicholas Barclay left his home in San Antonio, Texas to play basketball with some friends. Hours later, he called home to ask his mother for a ride, but was told he would have to walk home, but Nicholas never came back. His mother reported him mis… On the afternoon of June 19, 1994, thirteen-year-old Nicholas Barclay left his home in San Antonio, Texas to play basketball with some friends. Hours later, he called home to ask his mother for a ride, but was told he would have to walk home, but Nicholas never came back. His mother reported him missing and an investigation was started, but it quickly stalled when there was no evidence of what happened to Nicholas.

Three years passed and one day, out of the blue, the family received a call from the US Embassy. Nicholas had been discovered in Spain, they said. He had endured terrible trauma at the hands of a human trafficking ring and he was desperate to come home. The family was elated and eagerly welcomed Nicholas back into their home. But to some of the people involved in the boy’s return to Texas, there were just too many things about his story that didn’t quite add up.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1998. "Fugitive poses as teenager." Orange Leader (Orange, TX), September 12: 5.

Davies, Nick. 1998. "The Lost boy." The Guardian, October 17.

Flynn, Sheila. 2023. A French serial imposter convinced everyone he was a missing Texas teen. This PI convinced him to confess. January 27. Accessed May 24, 2025. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/imposter-netflix-frederic-bourdin-nicholas-barclay-b2269897.html.

Grann, David. 2008. "The Chaemeleon." New Yorker, August 8.

2012. The Imposter. Directed by Bart Layton. Performed by Bart Layton. more

On today’s episode, Karen covers murderer Russell Williams and Georgia tells the story of serial imposter Frédéric Bourdin.

Welcome back to this week’s episode of SERIALously! In today’s episode, we are going to discuss a case that’s truly unbelievable. Think about the last time you got an emergency alert for an Amber Alert on your phone. The amount of children that go missing every day in the United States is staggering… Welcome back to this week’s episode of SERIALously! In today’s episode, we are going to discuss a case that’s truly unbelievable. Think about the last time you got an emergency alert for an Amber Alert on your phone. The amount of children that go missing every day in the United States is staggering and often leads to terrible outcomes. But what about the children that are found? What are their lives like when they return home? Does it matter if they've been gone a day? A week? A month? A year? Several Years? Most of the time, we only hear about the return of missing children in high-profile missing persons cases like Elizabeth Smart. But what happens when a family that never got media attention and eventually never expected their loved one to return finally turns up? What if they weren't the most picture-perfect family to begin with? What is it like then? Nicholas Patrick Barclay was only 13 years old when he went missing in San Antonio, Texas, and the events that unfolded in the aftermath of his disappearance are unlike any other case you have heard before.

Your True Crime BFF,
Annie Elise 

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On this episode of MWMH, Payton and Garrett discuss the disappearance and mysterious discovery of Nicholas Barclay.

Links:
https://linktr.ee/murderwithmyhusband

Case Sources:
“The Imposter,” documentary, directed by Bart Layton, released 2012
Ksat.com, “Case of missing San Antonio boy from 1994 re… On this episode of MWMH, Payton and Garrett discuss the disappearance and mysterious discovery of Nicholas Barclay.

Links:
https://linktr.ee/murderwithmyhusband

Case Sources:
“The Imposter,” documentary, directed by Bart Layton, released 2012
Ksat.com, “Case of missing San Antonio boy from 1994 remains a mystery,” by Erica Hernandez, May 2, 2019
History101.com, “The incredible, disturbing true story of Nicholas Barclay and his masterful imposter,” copyright
2022 Wise Elements Inc.
Allthatsinteresting.com, “The Mystery of Nicholas Barclay and His Impostor, Frederic Bourdin,” by Katie Serena,
March 6, 2018, updated October 18, 2018
Websleuths.com, TX – Nicholas Barclay, 13, San Antonio, 13 June 1994, Noirdame79, October 27, 2021
Brenmar71.medium.com, photo of Nicholas Barclay
Historybyday.com, “The True Story of a Missing Boy and His Imposter.”
Livingmgz.com, Living Magazine, “Social Media Photo Brings a Breakthrough in Missing Persons Case,” by Hadar
Gerlitz, no date provided
Mysanantonio.com, “These San Antonio residents vanished and have never been found,” by Mark Dunphy,
November 13, 2020, updated September 22, 2021
Newyorker.com, The New Yorker, “The Chameleon; The many lives of Frederic Bourdin,” by David Grann, August 4,
2008

Charleyproject.org, The Charley Project, “Nicholas Patrick Barclay,” last updated July 16, 2022
U.S. Census Bureau, San Antonio population (1994)

Assisted research and writing by Diane Birnholz
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices more

In 1994, 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay disappeared after playing basketball with his friends in his home town of San Antonio, Texas. Years went by with no sign of him. Just when his family thought all hope was lost, in October 1997 they received a call from a police officer in the Spanish city of Lin… In 1994, 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay disappeared after playing basketball with his friends in his home town of San Antonio, Texas. Years went by with no sign of him. Just when his family thought all hope was lost, in October 1997 they received a call from a police officer in the Spanish city of Linares. Nicholas had been found wandering the local streets, alive and well.

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Narration – Anonymous Host

Research and writing – Jessica Forsayeth

Creative direction – Milly Raso
Production and music – Mike Migas

Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-165-nicolas-barclay

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THIS IS NOT A DRILL! AND THIS IS NOT A RERUN! For our 100th episode, we're remaking our very first episode AND IT MIGHT BE OUR FUNNIEST, MOST PERFECT EPISODE YET!

Nicholas Barclay was 13 years old on the day he disappeared—June 13, 1994. Three and a half years later he is found alive, thousands of … THIS IS NOT A DRILL! AND THIS IS NOT A RERUN! For our 100th episode, we're remaking our very first episode AND IT MIGHT BE OUR FUNNIEST, MOST PERFECT EPISODE YET!

Nicholas Barclay was 13 years old on the day he disappeared—June 13, 1994. Three and a half years later he is found alive, thousands of miles away in a village in southern Spain. He says he was kidnapped and has suffered unimaginable torture. His family is overjoyed to bring him home. But all is not quite as it seems: The boy bears many of the same distinguishing marks he always had, but why does he now have a strange accent? Why does he look so different? And why doesn't the family seem to notice these glaring inconsistencies?

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For our very first episode, Patrick and Gillian are breaking down the 2012 true crime documentary "The Imposter." The film centers on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years. Using clips from the movie, Patrick and … For our very first episode, Patrick and Gillian are breaking down the 2012 true crime documentary "The Imposter." The film centers on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years. Using clips from the movie, Patrick and Gillian take you through the film while discussing everything that is tragic, ridiculous, and yes, even hilarious about it.  more