Going West: True Crime

In July of 2023, a beloved elementary school teacher took a walk through her Maryland neighborhood, just as she did every evening. But this time, she never came home. Within days, her disappearance sparked a massive search effort involving local authorities and concerned volunteers alike. As the weeks wore on, eerie details surfaced, including a photograph of the murder suspect as he was disposing of her remains. This is the murder of Mariame Toure Sylla.

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2025

In the spring of 2009, a short-lived spree of attacks against women in Boston and Rhode Island had the Eastern Seaboard on edge. But when a suspect was finally identified, the revelation was almost too bizarre to believe: a clean-cut, promising medical student with a seemingly perfect home life. As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered a dual existence darker and more calculated than anyone who knew him could have possibly imagined. These are the crimes of the Craigslist Killer, otherwise known as Philip Markoff.

Transcribed - Published: 12 August 2025

In the summer of 1986, two young girls vanished mere months apart, both while out riding their bikes in Tacoma, Washington. Despite exhaustive efforts, both cases went cold, until decades later, when a surprising breakthrough revived the investigation. With new forensic tools and a fresh set of eyes, detectives began to piece together a puzzle that had haunted the community for years, finally finding answers over 30 years later. These are the murders of Michella Welch and Jenni Bastian, otherwise known as the Missing Tacoma Girls.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2025

In July of 2025, a couple and their two young daughters were hiking at the Devil's Den State Park in Arkansas after recently relocating to the area. But while on the trail, a strange man approached the family, stabbing and murdering the parents. Within days, someone was arrested for the slayings, and his identity would shock the nation. These are the murders of Clint and Cristen Brink, also known as the Devil's Den Murders.

Transcribed - Published: 5 August 2025

In March of 2024, two women set off on a short drive through the rural backroads of Oklahoma, but they never made it to their destination. Hours later, their car was found abandoned by the side of the road, but suspiciously, along with signs of a struggle. As the search for them intensified, authorities uncovered a trail marked by custody battles, a religious cult, and secrets buried deep in a small-town community, which would ultimately lead to five arrests. These are the murders of Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley.

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2025

In the 1980s and ’90s, a deeply disturbed man from New Jersey drifted from town to town, hiding behind a soft-spoken voice and a childlike demeanor. Seemingly tormented by delusions, and obsessed with revenge, he harbored gruesome secrets. By the time investigators connected him to the 1986 disappearance of six-year-old Michele Dorr, and later, the baffling vanishing of Harvard graduate Laura Houghteling, it was clear: this man wasn’t just strange... He was deadly. And he may have left behind more victims than anyone ever realized. This is the story of Hadden Clark, also known, as the Cannibal Gardener.

Transcribed - Published: 29 July 2025

In July of 1986, a 19-year-old man was found hanging from a tree near his Maryland home. Authorities swiftly ruled it a suicide, but those closest to him questioned everything about the scene; from the small tree, which could barely support his weight, to the lack of an autopsy, to the suspicious friends who seemed to vanish in the wake of his sudden death. Years later, his mother received a suspicious envelope on her doorstep, and new evidence would challenge the original ruling. This is the death of Keith Warren.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2025

In July of 1995, a 24-year-old woman in Alaska headed out on a date with a man she had only recently met. She was last seen at a crowded summer fair in the forest, surrounded by tourists - but by the time the sun rose the next morning, she was gone. What followed was a desperate search in the unforgiving Alaska wilderness, and eerie silence from her date, which only deepened the mystery. This is the disappearance of Erin Gilbert.

Transcribed - Published: 22 July 2025

In the summer of 1990, a serial killer originally dubbed “The Charmer” began his crusade of committing brutal acts of violence against Seattle-area women, then placing their bodies in crude positions before abandoning them. Locals were terrified of the perverse madman loose on the streets of their city - but, thanks to DNA and a few careless slip ups, a suspect was identified. And quickly, the evidence against him began to stack. These are the gruesome murders of Mary Anne Pohlreich, Carol Beethe, and Randi Levine - committed by the Bellevue Killer.

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2025

In the late 1980s, a Hollywood camera operator was murdered in his home in the Los Angeles suburbs. At first glance, the scene appeared to be a tragic and random home invasion. But with little evidence to support this conclusion, a far more sinister story emerged, which would leave two people dead, two people in prison, and one person on death row. This is the murder of Bob Samuels, and the story of the Green Widow murders.

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2025

In July of 2012, a beloved high school teacher was found murdered inside her Staten Island home. Although it was initially believed to be a home invasion gone wrong, the scene left behind raised immediate questions with investigators. And a daunting four-month investigation would reveal family secrets that someone was fighting desperately to suppress - leaving a shocking trail of evidence in the form of Google searches and burner phone calls. This is the murder of Simeonette Mapes-Crupi.

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2025

Serial killers are not just the stuff of horror movies or thriller novels. They walk among us, hidden in plain sight, sometimes quiet, sometimes charming, almost always disarmingly ordinary. But what turns a human being into a hunter of humans? How do they emerge? And more importantly — why? Today, we’re diving into the dark psychology and chilling statistics that define the anatomy of a serial killer. We’ll explore what the numbers tell us, what patterns have emerged, and what lurks in the background of some of the most infamous killers. Also join us as we discuss Daphne's debut thriller novel NIGHT WATCHER, out NOW! https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/daphne-woolsoncroft/night-watcher/9781538770900/?lens=grand-central-publishing

Transcribed - Published: 8 July 2025

In April of 2024, a 19-year-old student vanished after heading out for a promising first date in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But hours later, her torched car was found in another part of the city, and later that day, dismembered body parts began popping up along the coastline… Although security footage and phone pings helped the case against their surprising suspect, blood evidence and disturbing images on his phone garnered answers in the recent June 2025 trial.  This is the murder of Sade Robinson.

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2025

Between 1980 and 1982, a string of unexplained child deaths unsettled small towns across Florida. Shockingly, the common thread was a quiet teenager hired as the babysitter. As grieving families sought answers and doctors cited rare medical conditions as the cause, suspicion began to build quietly among the grieving families. But it wasn’t until the summer of 1982 that the truth behind the tragedies began to emerge, raising chilling questions about evil hiding in plain sight. These are the murders by Christine Falling, also known as the babysitter from hell.

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2025

In July of 2010, a 17-year-old girl vanished while walking home from summer school in a quiet Southern California suburb. Her belongings were scattered in a field along her route, but she was nowhere to be found. Days later, the discovery of her body would leave a community shaken and desperate for answers. But with help of DNA and a disturbing surveillance video, police would find a violent suspect. This is the murder of Norma Lopez.

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2025

In July of 2013, three friends wound up in the woods of rural Oklahoma after a high-speed police chase - but only one of them emerged. Following a flurry of frantic phone calls asking for help, the pair who were left behind in the woods disappeared, and have never been seen again. As weeks turned to years, the secrets surrounding that strange night began to slip out in the town of just over a thousand people. Whispers of corruption, intimidation, and a cover-up still linger alongside the question of what really happened to Molly Miller and Colt Haynes that night. This is the story of the Love County Disappearances.

Transcribed - Published: 24 June 2025

In June of 2023, a 38-year-old woman was found dead in a quiet Kentucky neighborhood, shortly after purchasing a house and beginning a promising new job. But what began as her fresh start quickly turned into a gruesome mystery marred by finger pointing and the failure of local law enforcement. With few clues and no clear motive, investigators were left to piece together her final moments. This is the murder of Amber Spradlin.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2025

In 1974, a 14-year-old New Jersey girl disappeared after meeting up with a man regarding a babysitting job. She had placed an ad in the paper, and the man in question had a 5-year-old son he allegedly needed care for. But when she went missing from their meeting spot, a bus stop, she was never seen again. And then, a horrifying ransom call came in to her family residence followed by a disturbingly poetic letter. This is the disappearance of Margaret Fox.

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

In September, we're going on our first-ever tour! Find us in Denver, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago alongside Love Murder for five mysteriously fun evenings! We really hope to expand this tour, so get your tickets THIS WEEK! Pre-sale begins Wed June 18, using code LOVEWEST. And public on-sale begins Friday June 20! Get your tickets at goingwestpod.com/tour Thursday, September 11, 2025 The Oriental Theater Denver, CO Saturday, September 13, 2025 Texas Theatre Dallas, TX Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Arts at the Armory Somerville Boston, MA Thursday, September 18, 2025 Center Stage Atlanta, GA Sunday, September 21, 2025 Park West Chicago, IL

Transcribed - Published: 17 June 2025

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.

Transcribed - 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

Transcribed - Published: 23 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

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