Going West: True Crime

In April of 1981, a mother and her children -along with two of her children's friends- were spending a quiet Saturday night in their rural California cabin. But by morning, the scene inside Cabin 28 was anything but peaceful. What investigators found was a blood-soaked mystery involving multiple victims, a missing child, and no trace of who—or what—had come in the night. With few answers and a town cloaked in silence, this case would go on to become one of the most disturbing unsolved crimes in American history. This is the story of the Keddie Cabin Murders.

Published: 13 June 2025

In June of 2002, a 20-year-old woman vanished after a swim by Lake Erie. Last seen with her boyfriend’s friend, she was reportedly dropped off safely at a movie theater, but no one saw whether she actually made it there or not. As investigators probed deeper, they uncovered conflicting stories, dubious alibis, and a suspect with a troubling past. So what happened to her, and is someone still hiding a sinister truth? This is the disappearance of Sabrina Kahler.

Transcribed - Published: 10 June 2025

In June of 2010, a 29-year-old nurse was found shot to death in her California home with a note that seemed to point to a particular person embedded in her life. But as detectives unraveled the case further, the twisted truth came to the surface in shocking fashion: an affair, an obsession, and an unsuspecting killer hiding in plain sight. This is the murder of LaNell Barsock.

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2025

In July of 2008, a 53-year-old mother, artist, and counselor was found bludgeoned to death in her Arizona home, just 35 days after finalizing her divorce. At first, it appeared to be the tragic result of a random home invasion. But as investigators dug deeper into the victim’s life, they uncovered a tangled web of obsession and deception, as well as a trail of evidence that led to a conclusion some still find hard to believe. This is the murder of Carol Kennedy.

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2025

In August of 2014, a 62-year-old American woman was found brutally murdered and stuffed inside a suitcase at a luxury resort in Bali. What began as a baffling international mystery soon turned into a media frenzy as investigators sifted through surveillance footage, hotel records, and text exchanges - where they uncovered a chilling tale of privilege, power struggles, and a family dynamic more twisted than anyone could have imagined. This is the murder of Sheila Von Wiese.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2025

In June of 1999, a brilliant entomologist vanished into the night after walking home in Idaho Falls. And when police looked into his vanishing, they found many suspicious angles. In a strangely familiar situation from three years earlier, he was assaulted while walking home from a bar. And the last person to see him before he went missing left town that same night, with a troubling discovery in his car coming up in police’s search. So what happened to this man that everyone admired? This is the story of Darwin Vest.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

In June of 1999, a brilliant entomologist vanished into the night after walking home in Idaho Falls. And when police looked into his vanishing, they found many suspicious angles. In a strangely familiar situation from three years earlier, he was assaulted while walking home from a bar. And the last person to see him before he went missing left town that same night, with a troubling discovery in his car coming up in police’s search. So what happened to this man that everyone admired? This is the story of Darwin Vest.

Transcribed - Published: 27 May 2025

In May of 1995, a 15-year-old vanished in broad daylight after attending half of her high school classes in the quiet town of Spanish Fork, Utah. She was last seen around lunchtime, but never made it to her next class, and never came home. For years, her disappearance haunted her community, even after arrests were made. This is the murder of Kiplyn Davis.

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2025

In April of 1989, an intruder wiped out nearly an entire family inside their Indiana home on prom night. With little evidence left behind at the scene, the case went cold for some time - until renewed vigor in the investigation revealed a shocking suspect - one that many believe to this day may actually be innocent. These are the murders of the Pelley family, otherwise known as the Prom Night Murders.

Transcribed - Published: 20 May 2025

In May of 2016, a 31-year-old woman went out for a night of music and drinks in Green Bay, Wisconsin. But the next morning, her body was found in a farmer’s field, miles from home, and brutally beaten. Investigators soon uncovered a tangled timeline of jealousy and digital footprints that pointed back to the man she had trusted most. But with evidence from a fitness tracker, the entire case against the most likely suspect would be questioned. This is the murder of Nicole VanderHeyden. Pre-order Daphne's thriller novel Night Watcher now! Out July 8: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/daphne-woolsoncroft/night-watcher/9781538770900/

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2025

In June of 1995, a 27-year-old morning news anchor vanished outside her Iowa apartment complex as she rushed to go to work in the dark, early morning hours. When police came upon the scene, they found her high heeled shoe, and various other items like a hairdryer strewn next to her car door - proving that she likely been abducted. As evidence of a stalker came into light, with her reporting being followed months earlier to police, and telling friends of disturbing anonymous phone calls, investigators worked hard to find a suspect. This is the disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit.

Transcribed - Published: 13 May 2025

In June of 2013, a 25-year-old newlywed vanished in the picturesque mountains of Montana, just days after saying "I do." What began as a missing persons case in a tight-knit community quickly turned into something far darker, as investigators uncovered chilling secrets, a cryptic email regarding his death, and a truth that no one saw coming. This is the murder of Cody Johnson.

Transcribed - Published: 9 May 2025

Tensions were high during the summer of 1983 in Saint Petersburg, Florida, leading it to become known as the “summer of hell” after a rash of murders plagued the city. Two years prior, Playboy had opened the Suncoast Club, the first of its kind in the area. And now, as the city grappled with a potential serial killer, the Suncoast Club’s “Bunny of the Year” contest would result in both the winner and the photographer turning up dead. The bunnies feared they were being targeted, and wondered: who among them could be next? With Holly Madison today, in excitement for her new season of The Playboy Murders on ID, these are the murders of Linda Lansen, Barbara Grams, and Carolyn Merricks.

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2025

In May of 2009, the 31-year-old wife of a televangelist’s security guard was murdered in her Illinois home alongside her two sons. For months prior, her husband had been receiving threatening messages via email, and he told police that he feared his anonymous stalker had finally acted on their warnings. But as the investigation into the tragic murders unfolded, a shocking scheme, and sinister cause, was revealed, and it was closer to home than anyone could have imagined. These are the murders of Sheri, Garett, and Gavin Coleman.

Transcribed - Published: 2 May 2025

In February of 1985, two teenage girls headed out for an unofficial tour of a historic abandoned mansion outside of San Francisco. But once they arrived, the security officer outside - who had a bad reputation in the area - took the opportunity to prey on the girls, and what followed was a night of horror that only one of the girls would survive. This is the murder at the Carolands Chateau.

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2025

In January of 2025, a 14-year-old Indigenous girl went missing without a trace from her home in Mesa, Arizona. Just weeks later, her dismembered remains were discovered on the side of a highway a few hours away. Investigators began to dive into a devastating homicide investigation, but it is still very much underway. This is the murder of Emily Pike.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

Between April of 1971 and September of 1972, six girls, between the ages of 10 and 18, were abducted from Washington DC and found murdered. After some of their abductions, he would call the families or those close to the case breathing heavily, or giving crude messages. Then, left behind in one of the victims’ pockets was a note from the killer, taunting the police by saying, “Catch me if you can,” followed by a terrifying name he gave himself. This is the story of the Freeway Phantom.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

Part 2 of 2. Starting in 1978, a Montana man murdered three people and injured 23 others during a nationwide bombing campaign. Hiding behind a comfortable upbringing, mathematician degrees from prestigious universities, and his perspective of doing right by the environment, Ted Kaczynski violently opposed modern technology and industrial society. And through a 35,000-word manifesto and multiple horrific attacks -many of which were on innocent civilians- he plead his case. This is the story of the Unabomber.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

Starting in 1978, a Montana man murdered three people and injured 23 others during a nationwide bombing campaign. Hiding behind a comfortable upbringing, mathematician degrees from prestigious universities, and his perspective of doing right by the environment, Ted Kaczynski violently opposed modern technology and industrial society. And through a 35,000-word manifesto and multiple horrific attacks -many of which were on innocent civilians- he plead his case. This is the story of the Unabomber.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

In February of 2020, a 42-year-old Florida man suffocated to death after being zipped into a suitcase during what allegedly started as an innocent game of hide-and-seek. But when an investigation revealed that there had been drinking involved, an ulterior motive presented itself, and so did a suspect whose intentions hadn’t been so playful. This is the murder of Jorge Torres.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

In 1988, Dorothea Puente, an elderly and seemingly sweet landlady in Sacramento, California, was arrested after a series of mysterious disappearances plagued her boarding house. When investigators uncovered the remains of several bodies buried on her property, the true horror of her actions came to light: she had been drugging and killing vulnerable elderly and disabled individuals under her care, cashing in on their benefits. As the full extent of her gruesome crimes emerged, a shocking pattern of manipulation and murder was revealed.

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

In March of 2009, a 41-year-old woman living in Grovetown, Georgia was found beaten nearly to death in her home after she and her neighbor were robbed on the same morning. But when said neighbor was shot just two days later while leaving work, police uncovered a tangled web of deception and lies. This is the murder of Kay Parsons.

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

In April of 1980, a nun was found murdered on the floor of a Toledo, Ohio chapel. She had been brutally murdered, her body found with clear signs of strangulation, and over 30 stab wounds - nine of which were in the shape of an inverted cross. At first, it felt as though her murder had been part of a satanic ritual. But as the investigation unraveled, an otherworldly shock hit detectives and the community when they learned who was really behind it. This is the murder of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

In April of 2015, a 28-year-old mother of three went missing in South Carolina after meeting up with a man from a dating app. Initially, the only suspect in her disappearance was cooperative and helpful. Until her body was found buried in a swamp. This is the murder of Ashley Pegram.

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025

In March of 2015, an 18-year-old college freshman in Virginia went missing after returning home for spring break. Weeks later, her body was found on an abandoned property, proving that her death was a murder. When suspicions turned on her grieving loved ones, and toward the erratic behavior of one person in particular, a shocking suspect revealed themselves. This is the story of Anjelica, or “AJ,” Hadsell.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

In April of 1943, a group of teenagers walking through the woods near Birmingham, England made a chilling discovery: a human skull hidden inside the hollow trunk of a wych elm tree. As whispers of witchcraft, espionage, and murder circled the town, investigators uncovered shocking theories that only deepened the mystery… As the woman’s body continued to go unidentified, it sparked speculation and fear, especially after cryptic graffiti began appearing, starting with the haunting question, “Who put Bella down the wych elm?”

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

When a 43-year-old mother in Colorado slipped into a coma in March of 2023, her grief-stricken loved ones struggled to make sense of it. Otherwise active and healthy, she had been hospitalized multiple times with a mysterious ailment, dying within days. It wasn’t until a shocking source revealed the contents of a suspicious package that a murder plot was uncovered - before she even succumbed to her death. This is the story of Angela Craig.

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2025

In March of 2019, a 21-year-old student at the University of South Carolina went out to a local bar with friends. Leaving the rest of her group behind around 2am, she headed outside to hop in her Uber, and was never seen alive again. A day later, in a rural area of South Carolina, her remains would be found with over a hundred stab wounds. And as the investigation would uncover, it wasn’t a rideshare car she got into that evening, but a random, vicious strangers… This is the story of Samantha Josephson.

Transcribed - Published: 14 March 2025

In March of 2012, a beloved 33-year-old high school science teacher went missing from Vermont after heading out to help someone with apparent car troubles. When her abandoned vehicle was discovered with her two-year-old son still inside, a frantic search began. And when detectives began looking into a local man who used to work for her, a sinister plot unraveled. This is the story of Melissa Jenkins.

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

In February of 2014, a Missouri girl was abducted off the street in her own neighborhood by a strange man in a truck. Three witnesses watched it happen and acted immediately, writing down the license plate number of the perpetrator, and even knocking on doors attempting to find the girl’s family. And because of their actions, police would soon be knocking on the door of the man responsible - where they would find horrific evidence linking him to the crime. This is the story of Hailey Owens.

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

In February of 2013, a 21-year-old woman mysteriously disappeared during a visit to see her on-again, off-again boyfriend after he told her he had a “surprise gift” for her. A subsequent investigation uncovered strange text messages, perplexing surveillance footage, and an important insider tip from an unsuspecting witness. This is the story of Kelsie Schelling.

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2025

In February of 2023, a 41-year-old woman failed to pick her kids up from school in Quincy, Illinois. When her father went to her home to check on her, he discovered her dead on the bathroom floor with 14 bullet wounds to her body. After police uncovered disturbing Google searches and a distasteful segment on an episode of Family Feud, a suspect was arrested. This is the story of Becky Bliefnick.

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025

In late January of 1993, over Super Bowl weekend, a 39-year-old Texas man vanished while his wife and daughter were on a girls weekend in Dallas. Just one day later, he was seen walking on a highway multiple states away, looking disoriented, shortly before he would become the victim of a hit-and-run. But it took eleven years for him to be positively identified, bringing more questions than answers to his curious story. This is the story of David Glenn Lewis.

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

In February of 2023, a 37-year-old pediatric nurse was stabbed to death inside her suburban Virginia home, alongside a stranger from a dating app. But what appeared to be the scene of a sexual tryst gone terribly wrong quickly changed in the eyes of investigators the more they questioned the family’s live-in au pair. And when they did, a sinister plot revealed itself. This is the story of Christine Banfield. It’s also the story of Joseph Ryan, known as the Au Pair Murders.

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

In February of 2016, a 19-year-old woman departed her home state of South Dakota bound for Atlanta, Georgia. She had arranged to stay at the home of a man she’d met on Craigslist, in exchange for cleaning his house, but he kicked her out after just one day. And then, she disappeared. Mired in unsubstantiated rumors, pointed fingers, and familial disputes, this case has been complicated from the start. But finally, much resolution has come to her story, proving that she was murdered. This is the story of Morgan Bauer.

Transcribed - Published: 18 February 2025

Transcribed - Published: 14 February 2025

In January of 2022, a Boston police officer was found dead in a snowbank outside the home of a friend. When his cause of death was discovered to be blunt force trauma and hypothermia, it soon became the belief that it had not been the result of a tragic accident, but instead, a murder. His killer, at least according to the people in attendance that night, was his girlfriend. But many others point to police corruption, as multiple people at John’s last known whereabouts were in law enforcement. This is the story of John O’Keefe.

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2025

In January of 1958, a 41-year-old Indiana mother went missing from her home, only to be found dead in her bathtub. Still mostly clothed and submerged under the water, she had drowned, but had also sustained blunt force trauma before her death - with clear signs of homicide. When her friends reported seeing someone flee in her vehicle shortly before her body was discovered, police questioned over 250 people looking for answers into the incredibly suspicious murder scene at her home. This is the story of Malvina Krutz.

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2025

In February of 2021, a 23-year-old aspiring police officer in Massachusetts was found dead in her apartment under suspicious circumstances. After police investigated the scene, they concluded that she had taken her own life. But as her family pushed for answers, they uncovered a shocking case of abuse of power and assault by multiple men she knew and trusted. This is the story of Sandra Birchmore.

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2025

In January of 2019, a 16-year-old girl went missing, last seen at a community park near her Moreno Valley, California home. As police searched for any sign of her, a sinister revenge plot unfolded before their eyes, with the main suspect in her likely murder described as nothing but “pure evil.” This is the story of Aranda Briones.

Transcribed - Published: 31 January 2025

In February of 2003, a 40-year-old model and actress living in Los Angeles headed to her shift at the House of Blues Hollywood like any other Sunday. When a successful, notable music producer walked in to her VIP lounge, they got to talking - and her shift ended with him inviting her back to his mansion for a nightcap. But within an hour of his driver dropping them inside his home, a gunshot rang out, and she was pronounced dead in the foyer. This is the story of Lana Clarkson.

Transcribed - Published: 28 January 2025

In January of 2016, a 13-year-old Virginia girl snuck out of her bedroom in the middle of the night, headed to meet up with someone she had befriended online. But unbeknownst to her, she was being groomed by a young man who had horrific plans for her. When her mother discovered she was missing, and the police and FBI became involved, they quickly found the identity of their suspect, with a second person coming forth with a terrifying confession. This is the story of Nicole Lovell.

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2025

In January of 2001, two wonderful and married German-born Dartmouth College professors were stabbed to death inside the study of their New Hampshire home. An investigation into their brutal homicides began, with police initially believing it was a crime of passion. But after sifting through numerous false leads, a bloody footprint and two distinctive knife sheaths led them to their unassuming culprits. These are the murders of Doctors Susanne and Half Zantop, also known as The Dartmouth Murders.

Transcribed - Published: 21 January 2025

In January of 2017, a 20-year-old aspiring actress in Los Angeles went missing after abruptly leaving her boyfriend’s Calabasas home in the early morning hours after seemingly suffering a panic attack. Days later, her car turned up on the Pacific Coast Highway in nearby Malibu, but she was nowhere to be found. Investigators are still hoping that the multiple clips of surveillance footage available and the strange happenings on her phone in those early hours will help bring much-needed resolution. This is the story of Elaine Park.

Transcribed - Published: 17 January 2025

In the 1970s, shortly after the horrific reign of the Zodiac Killer, another serial killer wreaked havoc on San Francisco, killing as many as seventeen men he’d met at bars and nightclubs across the city. Intriguingly, the killer reportedly sketched his victims before stabbing them and leaving their bodies to be discovered in public places - most commonly on a beautiful beach along the city's edge. This is the story of The San Francisco Doodler.

Transcribed - Published: 14 January 2025

WE LOVE YOU LA. WE ARE SAFE from these fires right now, but staying aware here in Los Angeles of the developing chaos. Our hearts go out to the firefighters, the first responders, the animals, and all the people who have lost their homes or loved ones and are experiencing this. Everyone in LA is being affected by these fires right now. It's absolutely devastating. This episode was recorded before the fires began. In February of 2020, a successful 38-year-old sex therapist was strangled and thrown over the balcony of her Hollywood Hills home, leading to her death in a hospital shortly afterward. As police dug deeper into the home invasion that led to her tragic fate, they discovered a man who had a disturbing history of stalking and obsessing over her. This is the story of Dr. Amie Harwick.

Transcribed - Published: 10 January 2025

In December of 1994, a 23-year-old Italian actress headed to New Orleans to explore the city and write a novel. But shortly after arriving, she mysteriously vanished without a trace after leaving a hotel. And suspiciously, in the days leading up to her disappearance, she had been staying with a much older man there; one whom she was reportedly afraid of, who she wrote in her diary had practiced voodoo. This is the story of Ylenia Carrisi.

Transcribed - Published: 7 January 2025

In October of 2024, a 51-year-old San Antonio mom went missing after visiting an exclusive supper club with her husband. When word spread of her disappearance, her personal banker revealed that, before her disappearance, she had said ominously, “If I go missing, look for me in the lake.” When her husband was spotted on camera dumping garbage bags the day after she vanished, police narrowed in on him. This is the story of Suzanne Simpson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 1 January 2025

Between 1971 and 1983, an unknown perpetrator committed dozens of kidnappings, rapes, and murders, wreaking havoc on the state of Alaska. The assailant was elusive, striking against area women during the freezer winter temperatures, and the extended daylight hours of Alaska’s Midnight Sun alike. But eventually, they uncovered the monster behind it all, who posed as a respected and unassuming father and bakery owner in Anchorage. This is the story of Alaska’s most infamous serial killer, a man named Robert Hansen, now known as The Butcher Baker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2024