The Unlovely Truth: Recent Episodes
Lori Morrison
Have you ever been told that you're musically gifted because your family's just like that. It's a genetic thing. Kind of like my high cholesterol. Thanks, family. Well, what if there was a serial killer gene?
Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact!
This is Season 4, Episode 29. Our book this week is The Murder Gene and we’re so blessed to have its author, Karen Spears Zacharias, as our guest.
I want to investigate Exodus 34:6-7 from the New Living Translation this week.
The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.”
This is one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, being referenced in other passages over 20 times. God is proclaimed to be amazingly loving and forgiving. Then comes the “but”. He is also just and unwilling to simply overlook sin. He forgives, yes - but there must be consequences for sin. I chose this translation because I love how it explains that when someone sins, the entire family is affected. I often talk about the ripple effects of sins and that certainly applies here. The idea that there may exist a so-called “murder gene” immediately made me think of this passage in a new way. What if that effect is more than just having people look at us differently, judging us for a relatives’ misdeeds? What if those misdeeds themselves affect how our genetic code expresses itself? Could that be one layer of God’s intended meaning here?
He knew all about the science of this WAY before we ever discovered it, so I think it’s certainly possible. Let me know what you think! Send me an email a lori@theunlovelytruth.com or message me on social media. I love it when people are willing to have those hard, but impactful conversations!
Visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities. If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com.
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Read an article on the "murder gene"
And another article
Twenty years is a long time to keep a secret. Especially when dozens of people know what it is. So let me ask you a question about this particular secret: should we ever say a murder victim had it coming?
Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact!
This is Season 4, Episode 28. Our Little Secret by Kevin Flynn and Rebecca Lavoie and it shares the story of Daniel Paquette's murder in New Hampshire. It became a cold case, remaining a secret between two high school friends. But teenagers grow up and loyalties change. Our guest today is Eric Schwalbach and he’s going to talk about how to support kids so they aren’t thinking these drastic actions are the only options available to them. They didn’t create the situation they were stuck in but they still had to deal with it.
Let’s take a look this week at Matthew 18:6 NIrV
What if someone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin?
If they do, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck
and be drowned at the bottom of the sea.
I always thought this would be an awesome verse to paint in a children’s wing at church. It so plainly expresses the importance of children to Jesus. They are vulnerable, and we are to be their protectors. So many of the kids in today’s case and that our guest Eric Schwalbach mentors have not been treated well by adults. It’s like they have had millstones put around their necks then been told they need to swim better. There are so many ways to make a difference in kids' lives. Does your local school need volunteers to tutor or just hang out and be a positive influence? I know that churches are always looking for volunteers in the children and youth ministries. You may be able to lead a Bible study in a juvenile detention center. They don’t need anything fancy - just someone to show up, and show them the love of Jesus by telling them that they matter to Him, and they matter to you.
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out some earlier ones. I’ve had so many amazing guests who shared fantastic information you won’t want to miss. You can also help someone else begin their journey as a different kind of PI - a person of impact, when you share the episode, and when you subscribe, give me a five star rating and a nice review.
If you liked this week’s episode, you’ll want to check this episode out:
Teen Violence: Facing Our Fears to Make an Impact
Visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities. If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com.
Link to buy Our Little Secret
Find Eric on LinkedIn
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Recommendations from Eric:
Why I know that the love of the Holy Spirit can heal UNSEEN SCARS!
https://youtu.be/D431YOBomQc
If the village steps up, we can raise a child!
https://youtu.be/hmNSSgSVJP4
If we don't help them then who will?
https://youtu.be/oGVPc1Ippjk
It's not about the 99 sheep, it is the one lost sheep that keeps me striving for a better system.
https://youtu.be/gNQp95QZjPk
Here is the story that explains how young kids did not make the choice to be abused or abandoned. Then they self medicate to cope and numb the pain.
https://prisonwriters.com/95-of-prisoners-i-know-were-molested-as-a-child/
The family soldier in the U.S. army needs our help and you don’t even have to leave your house to do it. Even tough, highly trained members of our armed forces can be at risk in this broken world. But somebody knows what happened, and I’m calling on you to help me spread the word so justice can be done.
Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact!
This is Season 4, Episode 27. This episode will drop on the Fourth of July, Independence Day, so we’re going to investigate the unsolved murder of Staff Sgt. Jessica Ann Mitchell. After ringing in the New Year with friends at the 4th Quarter Sports Bar on the northwest side of San Antonio, Texas, Staff Sgt. Mitchell was found shot to death in her car on Interstate 10 near the Vance Jackson Road exit. Let’s help get justice for someone who served our country to protect our freedom.
I want to dig a little deeper into the crime of online stalking. According to a 2021 article from the Pew Research Center, 41% of American adults have experienced online harassment. They compared numbers from 2017, 2019, and 2021 and the numbers keep increasing. The vast majority of people who have experienced online abuse said it happened on social media. Here are some other findings from Pew that really stood out to me:
- the share of women who report being sexual harassed online has doubled since 2017
- adults under thirty are the age group most likely to be harassed online
- about one-in-five Americans who have been harassed online say it was because of their religion
Did being stalked online have anything to do with Jessica’s murder? We don’t know that for sure at this point, but it’s interesting to note that the UK based crimetraveller.org, “new research has found in a total of 358 murder cases with a male perpetrator and female victim, a staggering 94% showed stalking behavior involved in the period before the killing.” Here in the U.S., every state has laws against stalking in the physical world. But a handful of states still don’t! Be sure you check to see what laws your state has passed. There are also federal laws but those typically have to include an actual threat, and wouldn’t necessarily cover online behavior that is harassing absent a concrete threat.
The Supreme Court dealt future victims of stalking a huge blow last week. I want to give you my understanding of what this means and my concerns, and I’d love for you to share yours! Email me or send me a message on social media. But we’ll use these platforms for good! The U.S. Supreme Court is, of course, the last stop for an appeal of a lower court decision. The appeal that the Court was hearing was a case where a Colorado man had been convicted of stalking a songwriter by sending her hundreds of direct messages on Facebook. She never responded to the messages she said were “creepy”. Her stalker seemed to show that he was watching her in real time, commenting on where she was and what vehicle she was driving. This went on for two years and ironically, he commented that he didn’t think their relationship was healthy because she wouldn’t talk to him. He didn’t want to acknowledge that they didn’t have a relationship at all! He also told her that “You’re not being good for human relations. Die. Don’t need you.”
After being found guilty of stalking, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. In his appeals, his attorneys have argued that his conviction violated his right to free speech. We all know that first amendment protections are not absolute. That’s why we can sue people who slander or defame us. The issue here seems to be whether speech becomes a threat when the person hearing feels threatened, or the person saying it intended the words as a threat. It’s a fine line, isn’t it?
A lot of these kinds of issues are decided on the reasonable person standard. In other words, how would a reasonable person interpret these words? I consider myself a reasonable person, and I would definitely have felt threatened. Why else would this man have said what he did so persistently over such an extended period of time. It’s like I say in my book, when someone tells you who they are, believe them. He was telling her over and over that he was a dangerous person.
Something that you may not realize is that the Supreme Court does not have to hear every case that asks for review. One factor they consider is whether a ruling in a case could have broad influence over other similar cases. So the reasoning used to reach this decision could spill over and harm other cases where a victim’s rights are at stake.
This story isn’t over yet. The Court said that the case must be retried using a different standard to decide this man’s guilt - did he think that his messages were threatening. I think that could make it much harder to convict anyone in these types of cases. But I hope that we can counter that by educating people that stalking is not a nuisance crime but a very serious offense.
If you or anyone you know has someone sending unwanted, intrusive, or threatening messages via social media, but sure that you capture them with screenshots or a screen recording. Make police aware of what is happening and send them copies of all messages this person sends. Don’t advertise on social media where you are because it makes you much too easy to follow.
Jessica’s family said that she was on social media frequently the night she was murdered. You know that doesn’t mean that she is in any way to blame for what happened to her. But we can honor her life by drawing that safety take away from her story.
Jesus taught that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). Nobody wants to be stalked. The problem is that obsession is not love. Making someone feel afraid is not love. First Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Sounds a lot like an obsessed stalker to me.
The book of Jeremiah was written to a people in exile. Prophets often warned of God’s judgment. Here, leadership has failed the people resulting in widespread injustice. But Jeremiah also had a message of hope. In chapter 29 verses 10-14a, we read:
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.
If you’ve been stalked, you know a bit of what it’s like to be in exile. You can’t live your life quite like you used to. You don’t assume that you are always safe. Yet God spoke to a group of captives in exile and told them He had plans for them - good plans! They had a hope and a future - in Him. That doesn’t mean we won’t ever experience pain or sadness. Jesus told us that in this life we would have troubles, but to take heart! He has overcome the world. Notice that He didn’t say He was getting ready to, but that He already Has. I hope that you are able to feel safer and more secure today because of that promise.
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out some earlier ones. I’ve had so many amazing guests who shared fantastic information you won’t want to miss. You can also help someone else begin their journey as a different kind of PI - a person of impact, when you share the episode, and when you subscribe, give me a five star rating and a nice review.
Previous episodes about stalking:
Season 3, Episode 4: Whisper of Fear: The True Story of the Prosecutor Who Stalks the Stalkers
Season 3, Episode 3: How Do You Recognize a Stalker? "A Tangled Web" by Leslie Rule (Part 2)
Season 3, Episode 2: When Stalking Turns Violent: "A Tangled Web" by Leslie Rule
Season 3, Episode 1: When Stalking Invades Your Life: The True Story of Skylar Galloway
Please visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities. If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com.
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Any person having information regarding this incident should contact Army CID at 210-221-1050. Information can also be reported anonymously to CID Crime Tips at their website. San Antonio Police Department Homicide Unit at 210-207-7635 or Crime Stoppers San Antonio at 210-224-STOP (210-224-7867).
At Jason Young’s 2nd trial for the murder of his wife Michelle, everyone’s cards were on the table. He’d been held responsible for Michelle’s death at a civil trial and the jury was hung at his 1st criminal trial. The information was all out there now. Would the prosecution do a better job with it this time?
Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact! Discover how you can easily step into this role and make a profound difference in someone's life.
This is Season 4, Episode 26. This week we are wrapping up our three part series on Murder on Birchleaf Drive: The True Story of the Michelle Young Murder Case. The host of Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast, my friend Jill McCracken, is joining us again with more fascinating takes on this case. So let’s dive into our story at the intersection of faith and true crime!
In last week’s episode, we talked about the first attempt by prosecutors to get justice for Michelle Young and her loved ones. It didn’t exactly go as planned, because they didn’t really plan so well. The are the authorities we look to to keep us safe and get justice for victims. How do we handle it when it seems like they are falling down on the job?
Let's take a look at Romans 13:1-7 (NLT)
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
I dogged prosecutors pretty hard last week for not being prepared, but this time justice was finally served. It’s certainly not always easy to get. That’s why I wanted to talk about this passage today. God wants us to give respect to those in authority. They are human just like we are and they do make mistakes. And some do make terrible decisions which is why it’s so important for us to support candidates for office who have proven that they have good character and a strong work ethic. And when we have information that authorities need to do their jobs, we need to be honest and forthcoming.
I hope we can all find a way to give some assistance or honor to a public servant this week and bless them if it’s in our power to do so. If they don’t do their jobs and if we don’t help them, many victims and their families will not find justice.
I know you’ve heard me say this before but it’s such an important point: I share these stories because they contain important takeaways for us ll. Even if you think that something will never happen to you, or that a serious safety issue couldn’t possibly exist at your church or your workplace, you need to be ready if it does. I hope that listening to the podcast, reading my books, and looking into my soon to be available church safety training resources make you as prepared as you can be.
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out some earlier ones. I’ve had so many amazing guests and you won’t want to miss their insights. You can also help someone else begin their journey as a different kind of PI - a person of impact, when you share the episode, and when you subscribe, give me a five star rating and a nice review.
In case you missed them, you can listen to part 1 here, and part 2 here.
Visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities.
If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com.
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After Jason Young was indicted for the murder of his pregnant wife Michelle, it was time to let a jury decide what had really happened in the early morning hours of November 3rd, 2006. He’d already been held responsible for Michelle’s death in a civil case and had even given up custody of his 2 year old daughter Cassidy to avoid answering questions about Michelle’s death under oath. Would he choose to testify in his own defense in a criminal trial?
Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact! Discover how you can easily step into this role and make a profound difference in someone's life.
This is Season 4, Episode 25. Our book this week, like last, is “Murder on Birchleaf Drive: The True Story of the Michelle Young Murder Case”. The host of Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast, my friend Jill McCracken, is joining us again with more fascinating takes on this case. So let’s dive into our story at the intersection of faith and true crime!
This week's Scripture passage is Matthew 24:42-44 AMP “So be alert [give strict attention, be cautious and active in faith], for you do not know which day [whether near or far] your Lord is coming. But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you [who follow Me] must also be ready; because the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him."
I love it when the Bible gets so practical to acknowledge the real issues we face in this world and uses them to illustrate eternal truths. We can all understand the idea that we have to take common sense security precautions against thieves because they don’t advertise when and where they are going to strike. We also do not and cannot know the exact moment of Christ’s return. Regardless of what some preacher or cult leader might try to tell you, no one knows when Jesus is coming back so we have always have to be ready for it to happen.
Applying this lesson of always being ready to today’s episode brings me to the prosecutors responsible for getting justice for Michelle. I couldn’t find any solid research on how often defendants on trial for murder chose to testify in their own defense. But the mere fact that Jason COULD choose to do that seems to me to mean you have to prepare for trial as though he is going to do just that.
Here’s another way to look at it. I’m almost certain that my house isn’t going to burn down today. In fact, I’m pretty sure based on the fact that I only know one person whose house has actually burned down that mine probably won’t. Ever. Yet I still have fire insurance on my house. Why would I do that if I didn’t think I’d ever need it? Because I know that if I’m wrong and I do have a house fire, my losses would be so catastrophic that I won’t take that risk.
The prosecutors should have looked at their preparation for Jason’s trial the same way. Even if they were 99.9% sure that he would not testify, the consequences of being unprepared if he did could be catastrophic. And it’s Michelle’s family that would’ve paid the price, not the prosecutors.
That’s why I share these stories. Even if you think that something will never happen to you, or that a serious safety issue couldn’t possibly exist at your church or your workplace, you need to be ready if it does. I hope that listening to the podcast, reading my books, and looking into my soon to be available church safety training resources make you as prepared as you can be.
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out some earlier ones. I’ve had so many amazing guests and you won’t want to miss their insights. You can also help someone else begin their journey as a different kind of PI - a person of impact, when you share the episode, and when you subscribe, give me a five star rating and a nice review. In case you missed it, you can listen to part 1 here.
Please visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities.
If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com.
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What would you think if your significant other asked to have a relationship with another person “on the side”? I think most of us would see that as a huge red flag, but Michelle Young didn’t. Maybe she was so used to her husband’s immaturity and callous disregard for her feelings that it seemed like business as usual. If only she’d taken another look and seen the man she married for who he really was, maybe she could have escaped what he planned for her.
Welcome to another episode of The Unlovely Truth. I’m your host, private investigator Lori Morrison. Join me for another captivating true crime story, where physical, spiritual, and emotional safety takeaways are waiting for us. If you are listening, I believe you have a unique calling—to become a different kind of PI, not a typical private investigator, but a person of impact! Discover how you can easily step into this role and make a profound difference in someone's life. This is Season 4, Episode 24. Our book this week is “Murder on Birchleaf Drive: The True Story of the Michelle Young Murder Case”. Our guest this week is the host of Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast, my friend Jill McCracken. Let’s dive into our story at the intersection of faith and true crime!
This week I want to talk a bit about 2 Timothy 3:1-5 from the Contemporary English Version:
You can be certain that in the last days there will be some very hard times. People will love only themselves and money. They will be proud, stuck-up, rude, and disobedient to their parents. They will also be ungrateful, godless, heartless, and hateful. Their words will be cruel, and they will have no self-control or pity. These people will hate everything good. They will be sneaky, reckless, and puffed up with pride. Instead of loving God, they will love pleasure. Even though they will make a show of being religious, their religion won't be real. Don't have anything to do with such people.
Sometimes we have trouble reading people because no one is 100 percent good or 100 percent bad. But Paul is teaching us in this passage the red flags we need to be on the lookout for. Jason Young certainly exhibited a lot of the behaviors from this passage. He certainly showed by his actions that he loved himself and money more than he loved Michelle. He made rude and hateful comments to her in front of others on a regular basis. Everyone who knew him saw his reckless and impulsive side.
For our own safety, Paul tells us very plainly to have nothing to do with people like this! Of course, I’m not blaming Michelle. No one ever deserves to be treated the way Jason treated her. My hope is that we can all find takeaways in her story to apply to our own lives, and to share with people we love. Even if we aren’t in the kind of physical danger that Michelle was, we still don’t want someone with such negative traits to influence our behavior or our children’s. Our emotional and spiritual safety is too precious to let them be under constant attack. If you need some help in this area, please reach out to me privately and I’ll help you get connected to resources that can help you.
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out some earlier ones. I’ve had so many amazing guests and you won’t want to miss their insights. You can also help someone else begin their journey as a different kind of PI - a person of impact, when you share the episode, and when you subscribe, give me a five star rating and a nice review.
Please visit my website to access more episodes, read my blog posts, or check out ways you can financially support the podcast so that together we can impact more people, more families, and more communities.
If you would like to contact me about booking me as a speaker, or ask about my consulting and investigative services, please email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com.
Grab your own copy of this week's book
Find the Murder Shelf Book Club on Facebook
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Let me know how The Unlovely Truth has made a difference in your life.
This is Season 2, Episode 30, and our book for this week is an Audible exclusive: “The Demon Next Door'' by Bryan Burrough. After reading it, I’m right there with the author wondering why any of this happened, and whether any of it could have been prevented. My guest today is our own Unlovely Truth Tribe chaplain, Lori Prather. We’re going to get her take on bad people blending in at church and ways to reach out to people that a lot of churches choose to ignore.
In 2005, the FBI held a symposium in San Antonio, Texas, where they dropped some bombshell information. According to their research, the majority of serial killers are not the loners or misfits we tend to think they are. In fact, they're hiding in plain sight, blending right in. You might even know one. Author Bryan Burrough hadn't known about his schoolmate Danny Corwin's multiple murders until they were both well into middle age. He became obsessed with understanding why Danny nearly killed a girl in Temple, Texas, when he was in 10th grade. Burrough also wanted to know why Danny Corwin’s family, the local Presbyterian Church they attended, the mayor, and local newspaper all worked so hard to keep Danny's activities a secret. If they hadn’t, would his later victims have lived?
If you want to stand out as a true crime hero, be sure to visit the links below and take advantage of all of these resources.
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Read more about Danny Corwin
Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 9 minutes, that victim is a child.
Would you recognize the symptoms of schizophrenia in your children? Don and Mimi Galvin didn’t at first. Robert Kolker’s book “Hidden Valley Road” not only tells of the Galvin family struggles, but how their participation in schizophrenia studies have helped scientists looking for better treatments and maybe even a cure.
Mary Galvin, the youngest family member, endured horrific neglect and abuse. She often felt like an outcast of society, and this gave her a new connection to her six brothers who each had a mental health diagnosis. They needed so much help that home care assistance was not a realistic option. So Mary took on much of the care of her brothers herself. It was her way of surviving schizophrenia and its effect on her family.
My guest this week, Maree Dee, hosts a private FaceBook community called Embracing Faith and Mental Illness from a Caregiver’s Perspective. Her website, www.embracingtheunexpected.com, is full of great resources for anyone who is close to someone struggling with mental illness, and so much more. Check out that link and the others below!
Visit my website and join my email list
Buy your copy of "Hidden Valley Road"
Maree Dee's website
Listen to my episode on "The Lost Girls" by Robert Kolker
Robert Kolker's website
I’m a mom who went through the worry of dropping off two daughters at college, well aware that I could no longer protect them in the way that I had when they were still home with me. Katie Autrey probably thought she was safe on the campus of Western Kentucky University, and she would have been if the two men charged with her murder hadn’t crashed a campus party that night. It seemed like a slam dunk case, but one jury didn’t agree. Was justice served?
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Organizations that promote safety on college campuses
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Americans are slightly obsessed with stories about serial killers. There are at least a dozen published books about Ted Bundy and the same for Charles Manson, not to mention everything written about John Wayne Gacy, Wayne Williams, Gary Ridgway, and others. But as retired cold-case investigator Paul Holes told Rolling Stone magazine, cultural changes like fewer women hitchhiking made it harder for these and other roving killers to find victims.
But there was still one vulnerable group of women who was willing get in a car with a stranger - sex workers. The man known as the Green River Killer, Gary Ridgway, even admitted that he chose prostitutes as his victims because he thought he was much less likely to get caught. For a time, he was right.
Serial killer cold case information
Murder Accountability Project website
Are these cases linked?
Are there really fewer serial killers these days?
Jeffery Lee Guillory's family believes he is innocent of some of the murders he is accused of
Season 1 Episode 8: Murder in the Bayou, Part 1
Season 1 Episode 9: Murder in the Bayou, Part 2
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Lizzy Hersberger grew up in what is probably the most conservative subgroup of the Old Order Amish community - the Swartzentruber Amish. She didn’t have indoor plumbing and wasn’t allowed to attend school beyond the eighth grade. Worst of all, when she was sexually assaulted by a member of her community, she was the one who was blamed, and cast out of their fellowship at the age of 15. Join me and my guest Molly Maeve Eagan, who is a trauma-informed writer, survivor activist and award-winning investigative journalist. You won’t want to miss her insights into surviving abuse.
Visit the Voices of Hope website
Find Voices Of Hope on FaceBook
Visit Molly's website
Visit my website and join my email list
Find Molly on FaceBook @MollyMaeve and @NeverStandAloneUSA
She’s also on Instagram @MollyMaeve and Twitter @CptsdRecovery
Sandra Latrail Robinson was just 32 years old when her life was senselessly stolen from her during the course of a robbery. Her mother and her four children want to know what happened. Let’s help them find the answers they deserve by sharing this episode with everyone we can.
And if you’re feeling inspired to help other children who have lost a parent, check out the link below to the website of The National Alliance for Grieving Children.
I’ve never seen the show “WandaVision”, but I love a quote from the character Vision (played by the fabulous Paul Bettany - go watch the Oscar-Award winning movie “A Beautiful Mind” if you haven’t yet), “But what is grief if not love persevering?” Just as Sandra’s mother and children persevere in their love for Sandra, let’s persevere in the search for justice.
If you have any information, please call the GBI at 912-389-4103.
Submit a tip online
Georgia Bureau of Investigation information
News article from 2016
News article from 2017
Information on reward
Crime Stats from Neighborhoodscout.com
The National Alliance for Grieving Children
Visit my website and join my email list
Piper Kerman could have been any one of us. I had no idea that the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black was based on the true crime memoir that detailed her experiences and what she learned from spending a year in federal custody.
My guest today is James Early, a fellow podcaster and volunteer in prison ministry. James actually serves at the same prison that is the setting for most of the action in this week’s book. You’ll be fascinated by how his work there changed his life.
Check out these great resources:
Buy the book
James' website
James' podcast
Visit my website and join my email list
Our book this week is “Pathological” by Henry J. Cordes and Todd Cooper, and my guest is Katherine Mayer, founder of Mayer Consulting in Austin Texas, where she and her colleagues offer civil and criminal defense investigations as well as Death Penalty Mitigation and Sentencing Advocacy.
We had a fascinating talk about the death penalty and more that you won’t want to miss. I hope you’ll share your thoughts with me on social media, or email me at lori@theunlovelytruth.com so we can have a discussion!
Check out these great resources:
Buy "Pathological" on Amazon
Shane Claiborne's website
Buy "Executing Grace" on Amazon
Visit my website and join my email list
On August 31, 1986, Doug Suns was shot in the head during an apparent robbery at the Kocolene gas station on Jonathon Moore Pike. He was working alone on the late night shift. The 22 year old died the next day at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
Local police say this is the only unsolved homicide in Columbus, Indiana. Every victim deserves to have their story told, but not every story gets made into a book. Maybe if this one had been, the victim’s family would have the answers they’ve searched for for so long.
I hope that someone who listens to this episode knows who is responsible for Doug’s death. If that person is you, please contact authorities and tell them what you know.
You can call Columbus Police at 812-376-2600, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
Tips can remain anonymous. Crime Stoppers won’t ask your name, and they don’t use caller ID.
Local news article about the search for Doug's killer
Crime Stoppers USA website
Visit my website and join my email list
This week we are taking another look at “Hell in the Heartland” by Jax Miller. My guest today is Linda Davis, executive director and co-founder of Families Against Narcotics. If you were with us last week, you’ll remember that “Hell in the Heartland” tells the almost unbelievable story of murders, missing girls, marijuana, meth, and one amazing mom. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode you will definitely want to catch it ASAP!
As the time that Ashely Freeman and Lauria Bible had been missing went from days, to weeks, to months, and then to years, Lauria’s mother Lorene kept searching for answers. She was always pushing herself to do the next thing that needed done in order to find her child.
Eventually, her investigation led her to believe that Danny Freeman’s connections to drug dealers set everything in motion.
One of the things that is most important to the folks at Families Against Narcotics is their belief that all people are worthy and deserving of being treated respectfully. I believe that Jesus teaches this in Mark chapter 12 verse 31 when he says, “...You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Think about how you felt when you were at the lowest point in your life. I know I would be more accepting of help if I felt that I was still seen as having value. If I was treated as someone would want me to treat them if our positions were reversed. Is this where you need to get out of the audience and into the action? When we all work together, we can be unstoppable!
Check out these great resources:
Hope Not Handcuffs by Families Against Narcotics
Buy Hell in the Heartland: Murder, Meth, and the Case of Two Missing Girls
New search underway in Picher for remains of Ashley Freeman, Lauria Bible
Visit my website and join my email list
This is Season 2, Episode 20 and our book this week is “Hell in the Heartland” by Jax Miller. My guest today is private investigator Sheila Wysocki. She’s also a tremendous advocate for families and especially moms, who often spend years trying to find the truth about what happened to their missing or murdered child. “Hell in the Heartland” tells the almost unbelievable story of murders, missing girls, marijuana, meth, and one amazing mom.
I love the name of the non-profit that I get to share with you this week: Mothers in Charge. This amazing organization works to prevent violence and supports youth, young adults, families, and communities affected by violence. They have chapters in several different states, but if there isn’t one near you maybe you need to talk to them about starting one! I’ve put a link to their website below, so check that out and see how you can support Mothers in Charge with the incredible work they do.
Mothers In Charge website
Buy "Hell in the Heartland"
Update on the search for Ashley and Lauria
Join my email list - scroll to the bottom of the homepage!
https://sheilawysocki.com/
Being with family should be the safest place in the world. For many, tragically, it isn’t. Mark Sowersby survived childhood sexual abuse by someone he should have been able to trust. I’ve chatted before with Mark and the first thing I noticed about him was that he just radiates joy. I’ve asked him to share his incredibly compelling story with us, and to also talk a bit about some related issues from this week’s book. The author of “Murder By Family”, Kent Whitaker, is a victim himself. We usually hear about parents who are the abusers, but in this case it was the child abusing the parents' trust in him, which eventually led to murder.
What would you do if you found out that a family member wore a mask that made it seem like everything was alright, then you found out that behind the mask was someone committing horrifically evil acts? Both Mark and Kent had a choice to make. They knew God would give them the strength to forgive if they wanted it. But did they really want it?
Check out these links for great resources related to today’s episode:
Learn more about the My Stuff Bags Foundation
Advice on how to forgive an abuser
Buy "Murder By Family"
Mark's website
Join my email list - scroll to the bottom of the homepage!
Every year for the last 30 years in the U.S, between half a million and a million people have gone missing. The vast majority return or are found, or their remains are recovered. A few seem to vanish into thin air. Heather Teague from Kentucky is someone who was suddenly just gone and has never been located. Let’s try to change that. Heather's disappearance remains unsolved, and she is still missing. If you have any information, I’ve provided a number below where you can give any information you have to authorities. You can also read news articles about Heather’s case, and look up cases from where you live. Maybe you can help solve that mystery.
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Kentucky State Police
Detective Tim Rascoe
270-826-3312
Agency Case Number:
MP-96-02
NCIC Number: M-859716833
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.
The Charley Project - A cold case missing persons website
News article about Heather's case
News article about the original 911 call in Heather's case
The Doe Network - International Center for Unidentified and Missing Persons
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
It’s hard to get good statistics on sexual assault. Some women don’t want to come forward to report an assault, and others – because they may have been intoxicated or otherwise incapacitated – may not even know that they were assaulted. This week’s book looks at cases of sexual assault at the University of Montana and how police handled rape cases there from 2010 to 2012. And I want to be very clear from the beginning of today’s episode: victims of sexual assault are never to blame for what happened to them. It’s not because of what they wore, the fact that they were drinking, or where they decided to go. It’s because a man decided that he did not need their consent to do what he wanted to do. Of course, it’s not only athletes that often seem to get preferential treatment. Anyone who we hold up as a role model can too easily be given a pass if an accusation is made against them. Even leaders in the church.
It’s an unlovely truth that often, action isn’t taken until media attention forces us to really look at situations closely, knowing that others are evaluating how things are being handled. My guest this week, Yvette Babs Walker, is a former reporter, editor, and news director, current dean of students at a large university, speaker, and host of the Positively Joy podcast. You’ll want to hear her perspective on violent crime, preferential treatment of some types of offenders, and how any one of us can step up to make a difference.
Check out these amazing resources:
Positively Joy podcast
Article on Jon Krakauer writing the book
Buy the book
Article on campus rape
Volunteer opportunity
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit their website to receive confidential support.
In this week’s book “Confident Women: Swindlers, Grifters, and Shapeshifters of the Feminine Persuasion” the author wrote about many different types of scams, from false Russian royalty to shady spiritualists to straight up grifters. We don’t like to admit it, but any one of us could fall for the lies of a good scammer, especially when they are telling us something we are desperate to hear.
This book isn’t the story of one scam, or even one scam artist. But we are going to focus on just one of these scammers and what she took (besides just money) from her very rich, very famous victim - New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux.
I’m joined by certified fraud investigator Ed Stolle, whose real passion is to keep the youth in his church from falling for the biggest scam of all – that the object of their faith isn’t real.
Check out these resources for more information about today’s topics:
Protect yourself against investment fraud
Buy "The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time" by Maria Konnikova
Email Ed at EDLS@yahoo.com
This week’s book is The Leftovers: Basketball, Baylor, Betrayal, and Beyond by former Baylor basketball player Matt Sayman. With Baylor winning the men’s NCAA Division 1 Basketball Championship just days ago, I felt like this was a great opportunity to look at some of the mistakes made 20 years ago that took the program to the lowest point that they - or arguably any major college basketball program - had ever sunk, and talk about how we can work to avoid making those same mistakes in our own lives. Our story is told by a man who was on the team when it all came crashing down and was a big part, along with current Baylor Coach Scott Drew, of setting it back on the right track. Former coach and athletic director Brian Williams joins me to talk about what happens when winning becomes your god, why we excuse bad behavior in successful people, and the importance of consistently putting others first.
To find Brian’s resources, check these links:
https://coachingtoolbox.net
https://www.personaldevelopmenttoolbox.net
Click here to buy "The Leftovers"
Article on Coach Bliss
Article on Coach Scott Drew
We focused on the downside of competitive athletics, but there’s no doubt that when done right, youth sports offers many positives. Kids can learn teamwork, discipline, and how to respond to good leadership – all while they stay physically fit! Sports can also offer a great alternative to hanging out with the wrong people and possibly getting involved in activities that lead nowhere good. If you want to help a kid who may not have the resources to play sports, visit goodsports.org.
This month’s featured unsolved case is the murder of ten-year-old Joshua Lee Walden of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Joshua was enjoying the mild weather in early December of 2000 by riding his 20-inch Magnum bicycle near his family’s home in the 4500 block of 14th Avenue. His 17-year-old sister Crystal was busy with her newborn, but when she realized how late it was, and that her parents didn’t know where Josh was, she reported him missing. It was just after midnight, in the early moments of Saturday, December 9th. Police immediately started a neighborhood canvas and began to interview Josh’s friends and family, and people searched everywhere for the grade schooler. His body was found on Sunday the 10th, in a wooded area off the 3100 block of 16th Avenue, near the East Lake Duck Pond. It was only about a half a mile from the Waldens' home. Someone knows what happened to Joshua.
For more information about Joshua Lee Walden’s case, check out these resources:
News video with Crystal and police
Video with Joshua on his bike
If you have any information at all regarding Joshua’s case, please contact the DA's Cold Case Unit at 423-209-7470 or send an email to coldcases@hcdatn.org.
The internet can certainly make daily tasks more convenient. We can do our shopping online, apply for jobs online, and even look for love online. But how can you know for sure that someone you meet on the internet really is who they say they are? Former FBI profiler John Douglas of Mindhunter fame has teamed up with true crime author Stephen Singular to bring us a cautionary tale of multiple women who thought they met the man of their dreams online, only to find themselves in a deadly nightmare.
You’ve probably never heard of John Robinson, who made history for being the first serial killer known to find his victims on the internet. I certainly hadn’t heard of him, even though he was a very, very prolific criminal who fooled dozens of unsuspecting victims. Join me and my guest Carrie Kerskie, a private investigator and fraud expert, as we talk about romance scams, phishing attacks, and how to stay safer online.
For more information, check out these resources:
Carrie's website
Credit protection Tip Sheet
Carrie's podcast
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main agency that collects scam reports. Report your scam online with the FTC complaint assistant, or by phone at 1-877-382-4357 (9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, ET).
Buy "Anyone You Want Me To Be"
Mary Linda Patricia Vann, known to most as Pat, had big dreams. She was obsessed with the idea of having a man who would sweep her off her feet and set her up in a modern-day version of Gone With The Wind. Someone who would give her everything she ever wanted. Ann Rule’s book with that title is the tale of the lengths Pat would go to in order to make her dreams come true. She went much further than most people you and I know would – we hope!
This week’s guest is Pastor Lori Prather who is also the chaplain of our Unlovely Truth Tribe. She and I will be talking about recognizing and helping people in your life who might be just a little bit like Pat.
Buy "Everything She Ever Wanted" by Ann Rule
Buy "Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell
All of us have a deep desire to be known. To have others value who we are at our core. Our story today involves the death of a woman who is only known in death as Delta Jane Doe. Authorities in Isleton, California, hope that they can discover who she was in life. They need your help to be able to do that.
If you know anything about this case, call 916-874-5057.
Check out these sites for more information about Delta Jane Doe:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/627ufca.html
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/ca-isleton-fem-skeletal-627ufca-30-50-blue-delta-fire-hoodie-mar08.62723/page-2
http://unsolvedgratefuldeadfans.homestead.com/UnidentifiedFemale1.html
https://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/2d/141/304.html
Buy The Case of the Singing Skirt
“9-1-1, What’s your emergency?”
Dispatchers never know what they are going to hear when they say those words. On June 20th, 2001, a dispatcher in Houston, Texas, answered a call from a woman named Andrea Yates. She wouldn’t tell the dispatcher what had happened, just that she needed a police officer to come to her house. After asking more questions and finding out that Andrea had 5 young children, the dispatcher sent Officer David Knapp to the home on Beachcomber Lane in south Houston. Andrea met him at the door when he arrived and told him that she had just killed her children. Her husband Rusty arrived minutes later. She had called him at work to tell him that he needed to come home. Rusty was worried that Andrea may have tried to kill herself again. He had no idea of the devastation he was coming home to.
Please check these resources if you or someone you know needs assistance with a mental health issue.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 800-273-8255
Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
Psychology Today
Cumberland Counseling Centers
@alexandrathompson_lcsw
In Montana, Indigenous people make up less than 7% of the population, but they consistently account for more than a quarter of the state's missing persons cases. I was shocked when I read that. And according to the Montana Department of Justice, eighteen of their missing persons have been missing for more than a year. So the story I’m about to tell you, sadly, is not as shocking as it should be. Eight-year-old Mildred Old Crow was reported missing in November 2020. She was last seen in the care of her guardians who were appointed by the Crow Reservation Tribal Court in March of 2019. I can’t find any information on why it took over a year and a half for someone to file a missing person’s report on the tiny, brown eyed child.
Anyone with information about Millie’s whereabouts can call BIA Law Enforcement at Crow Agency at (406) 638-2631 or the FBI at (801) 579-1400.
https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/mmiw/missing-girls-body-found-on-crow-reservation/article_2674ccb0-3cf2-58b2-8f62-64f8a25be3e9.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/two-charged-with-child-endangerment-in-connection-with-missing-crow-girl/article_097dfca1-49ec-56c0-88e0-0ee718239d2a.html
http://www.crow-nsn.gov/constitutions-and-bylaws.html
https://tribalnations.mt.gov/crow
https://montanafreepress.org/2020/12/21/u-s-supreme-court-to-hear-case-involving-crow-nation/
https://www.mtpr.org/post/crow-tribe-declares-state-emergency-over-lack-law-enforcement
https://www.khq.com/regional/candle-light-vigil-honors-mildred-milly-old-crow/article_6172168c-dac3-5beb-a18b-12956cc60dff.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crow_people
Are you really a criminal mastermind if you get caught? So begins chapter one of the book, A Prisoner’s Perspective: The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind by Mike Savage. Spending years in federal prison will change a man, and his family. Mike and his wife Cynthia join me for this episode to talk about what God did in their lives during those dark days of Mike’s incarceration, and what He’s continuing to do now. Mike doesn’t dispute that he was guilty of the dozens of counts of international money laundering, laundering criminally derived proceeds, wire fraud, mail fraud, and more. Federal prosecutors, in addition to their description of Mike as a criminal mastermind, called him a scumbag and a thug. When he was asked under oath why he had lied and committed each of his crimes, Mike’s only answer was, “I wanted to be loved.”
A Savage Perspective Podcast
A Prisoner's Perspective: The Redemption of a Criminal Mastermind
One by one, two wives, a brother, a nephew, a neighbor, and finally a stepdaughter of the Reverend Willie Maxwell had all died under suspicious circumstances. The criminal justice system had proved powerless to stop him, so Robert Burns took matters into his own hands. Charged with murder, Burns needed the best lawyer he could find. He turned to Tom Radney – the man who had gotten Willie acquitted of the murder of his first wife.
Buy The Furious Hours by Casey Cep
My all-time favorite book is To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee; so imagine how excited I was when author Casey Cep finished a project that Lee had started, and mysteriously abandoned. After helping her good friend Truman Capote do research for his masterpiece, In Cold Blood, Lee thought that she too would write a true crime book. And there was a doozy of a case unfolding in her home state of Alabama. It was the trial of Robert Burns, who was accused of killing the Reverend Willie Maxwell. Many locals called Maxwell a voodoo preacher. Robert had killed Willie in front of hundreds of witnesses while they attended the funeral of Robert’s niece, 16-year-old Shirley Ann Ellington. Shirley was also Willie’s step daughter. Few seemed to mind what Robert had done, since Maxwell himself was suspected of the murders of a half a dozen people. People who just happened to name him as beneficiary of their life insurance policies. Policies that the Reverend Willie bought and paid for.
Purchase The Furious Hours on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1101947861/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MCTSYKA4YNBF53JZRCEX
Can a person be destined to do evil things because of their upbringing? Or are we solely responsible for our own actions? Theodore Oswald’s mother says that her husband raised their son to be a madman. Police said that Ted’s diaries prove that he would have committed these crimes with or without his father’s influence. Listen to today’s episode and share with me on social media what YOU think.
Email me at lori@theunlovleytruth.com, or send me a message on social media. Look for @theunlovelytruthpodcast on Instagram, or The Unlovely Truth on Facebook.
Check out the links in the show notes for more information on this case.
https://journaltimes.com/news/father-son-charged-in-shootouts/article_00a6ed97-50e8-5e11-8163-1b26b6454208.html
https://chippewa.com/news/attorney-osborn-raised-to-be-killer/article_25a2ba61-c916-5de2-884f-2399ee2fe991.html
https://madison.com/news/local/oswalds-mom-says-abuse-began-at-sons-birth/article_b8343faa-6a7c-5c6e-a729-21299611d727.html
http://archive.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/32517394.html/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYAoR4QwYes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJbEYGvP5NY
https://madison.com/news/local/oswald-trial-sees-repeat-outcome-hes-again-prison-bound-after-another-jury-finds-he-was/article_e7cfe22d-0205-581d-9a4b-73315eedb622.html
https://apnews.com/article/4e0e5edd29d2cce95233b06ec47c379b
January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Today’s book “I Was The Girl” by author Steven David Lampley is full of heartbreaking stories of Steven’s time working undercover to catch online predators, as well as information on how to keep your children as safe as you can when they are online. Since the FBI estimates that on any given day there are approximately 750,000 predators online, it’s information you NEED to know.
Steven's Website
Buy "I Was The Girl"
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Polly Klaas Foundation
In some true crime stories, the “good guys” turn out to be not so good after all. It’s especially distressing when these “good guys” are members of the clergy. One of my favorite true crime authors, Diane Fanning, serves up a trio of tales about religious leaders that their flocks would have been better off without. They were respected, and even feared by their congregations. Even as the rumors they sought to cover up gained momentum, many couldn't believe what they were hearing could be true. A man who had given his life to serving the Lord just couldn’t have done what they were hearing about…could he?
Diane's website
Buy the book
Our hearts all drop when we hear an Amber Alert. That shrill noise coming out of our phone tells us that somewhere, a family is experiencing their greatest nightmare. We check social media, and see the darling face of someone’s precious child. We say a quick prayer that this alert will ensure that this child is found quickly, unharmed. But what if your child went missing and you were told that they didn’t meet the criteria to have an Amber Alert issued? What would you do then?
Free Report: The Amber Gap
Mama Bear Toolkit
Tradecraft Bootcamp
Jessica Lundsford, Tori Stafford, and Hailey Dunn are young girls who each went missing from different areas in different years - but they all have one shocking thing in common: their disappearances did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert to be issued. I didn’t know that the facts surrounding a missing child’s disappearance have to check off the right boxes on a form before that child’s inexplicable absence can be made known to the public with an Amber Alert. One of these innocents finally got her Amber Alert issued nine days after she went missing, which was nine days too late for her.
U.S. Department of Justice Guidelines
Operation Amber ← CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE COPY OF THE AMBER GAP
Child Abduction Research
There are literally hundreds if not thousands of true crime podcasts out there – so you’ve probably wondered (as I sometimes still do) why I felt the need to start one. As corny as this may sound, I wanted to help people. I love reading books, especially true crime books, so I thought a natural fit for me would be reading even more amazing true crime books and sharing some thoughts about them with my listeners. I thought that as a private investigator, I might be able to help people learn about more than just the crimes themselves. A very wise friend told me that I needed to market to a niche, a small specific audience, to make my podcast stand out among all the noise in the true crime world. She encouraged me to use what was most important to me – my faith – and make that my vehicle to tell these stories. I’m so happy and grateful that she did, because the people I’ve met along the way have taught me some incredible things.
With Christmas right around the corner, we are all very busy, so this week is a mini episode that won’t keep you away from your wrapping, baking, shopping, and all of the other things that make this time of the year so special. I absolutely LOVE the Christmas season. I love seeing everyone’s lights, putting up the decorations, giving presents, and watching people act just a bit kinder at this time of year. But it’s not a happy time for everyone. Long simmering family tensions can quickly escalate, often with tragic results. Christmas of 1993 was that second type of Christmas for the family of Latricia Gail White.
In 1990, three friends worked together to create a crack crime fighting team – a group of professionals who brought expertise from all facets of crime fighting. There were detectives, scientists, psychologists, and even a forensic artist. They named their group after Eugene Francois Vidocq, a French criminal turned crimefighter from the 18th century. The Vidocq Society meets once a month for lunch and cold case discussions. Members come from over a dozen states and multiple foreign countries. The founders were inspired to act on this simple premise: someone had to do something to alleviate the suffering that the bad guys (and girls) were causing. Why not them?
https://www.vidocq.org/
https://www.theunlovelytruth.com/
The residents of tiny Chadwicks, New York, were enjoying a few pleasantly warm days just before Halloween in 2015. Lots of decorations were on display around the small town, but not at the red brick building that housed the Word of Life Christian Church. But that wasn't unusual since Halloween isn't really a Christian holiday. What was unusual was how unfriendly the church could be. It didn't welcome outsiders at all. Some neighbors whispered that it was a cult, citing the locked gates, the guard dogs, and the strange chanting they often heard as proof of their suspicions. They didn't really know what went on inside. If they had, maybe Lucas Leonard would still be alive.
For information on separating from a harmful belief system, visit daretodoubt.org
You can visit my website, theunlovelytruth.com to sign up for my email list to get news on an upcoming product launch which will help support the podcast and help us reach more people!
Most us of have heard the tragic story of Polly Klaas, the 12-year-old girl from Petaluma, California, who was abducted from her home on October 1st, 1993, and killed by Richard Allen Davis. For over 2 months, thousands of people volunteered to search for her. Popular TV shows like 20/20 and America’s Most Wanted featured details about her case. The World Wide Web was truly becoming worldwide by 1993, and two Petaluma residents came to the police telling them that Polly’s missing child poster could be made digital, an innovation in the handling of missing person’s cases that Time magazine would write a story about, titled, “A High-Tech Dragnet”. The idea would come to save many missing children, but not Polly. In late November, items connected to Polly were discovered by loggers, and a massive search was launched that included personnel from 24 different agencies. It seemed that Polly’s story was being told all over the world. But if you are like me, you probably haven’t heard the equally tragic story of Georgia Lee Moses. She was also 12, also from Petaluma, and was abducted and murdered in 1997. It’s hard to find much information about Georgia at all. Let’s look at the similarities and the differences between the two cases to see if we can find out why.
https://medium.com/yawp/the-sad-story-of-tom-waits-georgia-lee-fe7b695de6d
https://www.petaluma360.com/article/entertainment/remembering-the-victim-of-petalumas-sad-unsolved-murder/?sba=AAS
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Body-Found-Could-Be-Missing-Girl-2806971.php
https://www.gofundme.com/f/JusticeForGeorgiaLeeMoses
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/ca-georgia-moses-12-petaluma-13-aug-1997.142604/
https://www.stitcher.com/show/black-girl-missing/episode/murdered-georgia-lee-moses-68707355
http://pollyklaas.org/
"Georgia Lee" by Tom Waits
Leo Tolstoy’s famous novel Anna Karenina opens with this sentence: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” The family from this week’s book, Silent Sisters by Joanne Lee, has to be one of the unhappiest I’ve ever encountered. Bernadette Quirk didn’t seem to enjoy being a mother at all. It seemed as though she would rather drink and read true crime magazines than provide even basic care or affection for Joanne. Bernadette had another child, Cath, when Joanne was 10, and she left nearly all of Cath’s care to Joanne, and again later when she had her son Chris. When Joanne was in her twenties and her siblings in their teens, they all felt sure that their mother was pregnant again. But time passed, and Bernadette didn’t give birth - that anyone knew of. Years later, when Joanne and Cath were helping their mother move, Cath found the corpse of a baby in a closet. Bernadette had suddenly gone from reading true crime stories to potentially starring in one.
If you’ve been around true crime for very long, you’ve probably heard the legal term “habeas corpus”. Although it sounds like it may have something to do with the body of a victim, it really refers to the procedure by which prisoners can appear before a judge to see if they are being legally detained. After the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, many states made changes to their habeas corpus laws that made it harder for prisoners to overturn wrongful convictions. This was not good news for Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks of Noxubee County, Mississippi. Authors Radley Balko and Tucker Carrington argue in this week’s book, The Cadaver King and The Country Dentist, that Mississippi’s early death investigation system developed as a mechanism to hide the areas numerous lynchings. It makes you wonder what these changes in the law might allow the system to hide today.
https://theintercept.com/2018/04/22/junk-forensics-mississippi-cadaver-king-country-dentist-interview/
https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a32225164/the-innocence-files-dr-michael-west/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2016/08/24/expert-witness-goes-nuts-during-questioning-for-mississippi-death-penalty-case/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/02/28/the-fifth-circuit-turns-its-back-on-a-huge-forensics-scandal-in-mississippi/
Southern Fried true Crime Episode 27
Coroner Talk
https://www.iheart.com/content/2019-08-13-janie-wards-botched-autopsy-leads-to-serious-questions-on-hell-and-gone/
LA Times 8/14/88
ID Files
The eyes of the world were on Atlanta, Georgia, during the summer of 1996. After years of careful and detailed planning, the Games of the 26th Olympiad had begun dramatically with an ailing Muhammed Ali lifting the torch to light the cauldron. Richard Jewell was thrilled to be a part of it with his job as a security guard. He’d lost his last two jobs in law enforcement and he was glad to be back in the mix, and loved the party feel of the events. But he was serious about his job. So serious that 8 days after the games had begun so gloriously, Richard flagged down the head of security to point out a stray backpack he’d noticed under a bench. He thought it looked suspicious. From that moment on, his life would never be the same.
Victimology Podcast
Reginald Royce Coleman was 17 years old in 2019 when he became the 4th homicide victim of that year in Beaumont Texas. It was only early April when police found his body around 10:30 PM near the Sterling Pruitt pool building in the 2800 block of Gulf Avenue. Police found both money and drugs on Reginald, which made robbery seem unlikely. Police knew who Reginald was because they had considered him a person of interest in a string of local aggravated robberies. They said that as they attempted to interview witnesses, those people laughed and refused to cooperate. But someone out there knows something.
https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/beaumont-police-say-witnesses-laughed-refused-to-cooperate-after-17-year-old-gunned-down/502-5b0a9ffc-27c2-4e8d-a895-22a8ef880313
https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/crime/beaumont-police-release-surveillance-footage-ask-for-help-identifying-two-in-area-of-monday-night-homicide/502-4447518a-d04c-4868-a488-6dad5e016a3d
https://beaumonttexas.gov/beaumont-police-are-investigating-a-late-night-homicide-2800-block-of-gulf-street/
https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/BPD-investigating-north-end-homicide-13752710.php
https://kfdm.com/news/local/beaumont-homicide-investigation
https://kfdm.com/news/local/grieving-parents-plead-with-public-for-answers-to-sons-homicide
https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/crime/beaumont-police-release-surveillance-footage-ask-for-help-identifying-two-in-area-of-monday-night-homicide/502-4447518a-d04c-4868-a488-6dad5e016a3d
If you have any information about this homicide, please contact Southeast Texas Crime Stoppers at 409-833-TIPS or download the P3 TIPS app and use your smartphone to submit your tip. ALL tips are anonymous and you could be eligible for a cash reward.
You can also call the call the Beaumont Police Department at (409)980-8311.
It’s been said that mothers hold their child’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever. I think that’s especially true when you’re a mom fighting for justice for a child you believe was murdered, but your local authorities insist on calling their death a suicide or an accident. Today we are going to talk about two cases like that, and two moms who never gave up their fight. I’ve learned in my work that there are far too many moms like them out there. I’ve also learned that they desperately need our help.
http://justicefordanielrayunderwood.com/
We all have exes, but most of us never had an ex with a secret criminal record that included violent offenses - people that are dangerous to stay with. It can be even more dangerous to try to get away from them.
For more information on stalking, please check out the following resources.
http://www.unresolvedhomicides.org/about-us/ and info@fohvamp.org
https://victimconnect.org/learn/types-of-crime/stalking/
Her name was Jean Ellroy, and she was brutally killed at the age of 43. She left behind a ten-year-old son, and a trail of mysteries. Best selling author of Black Dahlia, James Ellroy, is that son. The book “My Dark Places” is, he says, his attempt to burn down the distance between him and a mother he didn’t really know. I believe it’s really an attempt to understand himself.
If parents aren’t supposed to bury their children, then they definitely aren’t supposed to have to push law enforcement to see their child’s homicide investigation through until it’s solved. Bill and Leslie McAllister are two very determined parents who are doing just that. Their daughter Taylor’s death was classified as a homicide, and suspects were identified. So why has no one been charged with causing her death?
https://www.tampabay.com/news/pinellas/crime/family-disgusted-by-short-sentences-for-men-who-dumped-their-dead-daughter-in-an-alley-20181221/
https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2020/02/05/family-continues-to-fight-for-justice-3-years-after-taylor-mcallister-s-death
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5180675/Heir-52-arrested-death-22-year-old-mom-two.html
https://www.facebook.com/taylormcallister94
https://www.facebook.com/leslie.mcallister.986
If you know anything at all about the murder of Taylor McAllister, please reach out to the Pinellas County Florida Sheriff’s Office at 727-582-6200, or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS(8477).
When author Dennis Griffin contacted me, there was no way I wasn’t going to dedicate another episode to such a special book. Dennis’s experience with investigations, and cold cases in particular, gives him tremendous insight into the difficulties of solving them. He is also well aware of the challenges families often face when they take on their own search for the truth. Dennis has developed some incredible resources that anyone with a heart for these families will want to learn about.
To learn more, check out these sites:
www.dennisngriffin.biz
The Transparency Project closed FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/199487740806089/
https://www.thetransparencyprojects.com/ (find links to several podcasts here)
Losing a loved one to a violent crime is traumatic for a family. Needing to fight to get answers about what happened is like being victimized all over again. In this week’s book, “Survivors: Shocking True Stories About America’s Pursuit of Police Transparency and Justice”, you’ll hear stories told by family members abut their struggles to get proper investigations when a death is wrongly determined to be accidental or a suicide. Today’s guest Sheila Wysocki will share her own struggles as an investigator helping families like these who want nothing more than to be told the truth.
A true crime book podcast with no books by Ann Rule? Unthinkable! Join me to discuss “Mortal Danger, Volume 13 of Ann Rule’s Crime Files”. Many men seem charming, or at least harmless, until you get to know them. By then it can be too late to get them out of your life. We often believe that if something is familiar, then it must be safe. But as Ann says, “strangers aren’t the only people who might do us harm.”
A pair of young sisters went missing in 1975 from a shopping mall in Montgomery County Maryland, a wealthy suburb of Washington D.C. Police had worked the case hard, and it had featured prominently in the local media. Despite the attention and resources given to the investigation, the case went cold. Thirty eight years later, a mislaid witness statement caught a detective’s eye, and that witness, who at the time had been dismissed as a flaky young loser, was suddenly a suspect. Don’t miss “The Last Stone” with special guest Brandon Perron.
Learn more about Brandon’s work at www.CDITCTraining.com & www.investigation.us.com
Cases go cold when all leads have been chased as far as possible, and there are no more avenues left where investigators can make progress. But no case is ever completely hopeless. In most cases, someone knows something that can move the case closer to resolution – if they will just come forward. Larry Phebus was murdered fifty-eight years ago. I’m hoping that someone who hears this podcast holds the key, and contacts police. Help me make that happen.
For more information on this case, check out these resources:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13837070/larry-phebus-murder/
https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/public-safety/cold-cases
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13837289/larry-phebus/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13837206/murder-of-larry-phebus/
If you have any information about this case please contact the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Department at 701-444-3654
Business is booming in the true crime genre. But is this growth a good thing? Listen to top content producers from some of your favorite podcasts, tv shows, and the publishing industry discuss the pros and cons of being inundated with true crime all the time. You decide if our national obsession with these stories is healthy, or if we need to look for new ways to spend our time.
There are over 40 million victims of human trafficking across the world. They generate annual profits for their abusers of over 30 billion dollars. That’s more than the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association combined. But the issue of slavery is much more than the statistics that help us quantify its reach. It’s about the people who are caught up in what is arguably the greatest evil of modern times.
If you need help, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888, or text HELP or INFO to 233733
To be an advocate for victims, explore the resources of the following organizations:
Polarisproject.org
Missingkids.org
Ourrescue.org (Operation Underground Railroad)
Deliverfund.org
With tens of thousands of unidentified human remains in police storage across the U.S., officials do not have the resources to clear the backlog of cases. But a group of so-called cyber-sleuths does. Learn how and why they do it, and you may just get the itch to try it yourself.
We all have dreams for our lives. Larissa Sam dreamed big – she was days away from auditioning for the TV show American Idol when she vanished. Police are out of leads to pursue and need fresh information. When you listen and share this episode, you join the Journey for Justice for Larissa. Help her family finally know what happened to the young woman they love so dearly. For more information about Larissa, please access the following sources:
https://fox59.com/news/crimetracker/mother-suspects-human-trafficking-connected-to-daughters-disappearance/
http://charleyproject.org/case/larissa-marie-sam
https://www.facebook.com/Bring-Larissa-Sam-home-909497312445343/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Missing.Indiana
https://www.namus.gov/
https://warinternational.org/
If you know anything about the disappearance of Larissa Sam, please reach out to the Missing Persons Branch of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department 317-327-6160, or 317-262-TIPS if you wish to remain anonymous.
What we don’t know CAN hurt us. Axton Betz-Hamilton didn’t know who her mother really was when she and her dad weren’t looking. Years of financial struggles brought on by identity theft taught her that a person can get away with a lot if no one is watching. They may even cause the people they say they love the most enormous amounts of pain, if it gets them what they want.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of identity theft, you can find resources here: https://www.identitytheft.gov/
Why would an Australian journalist spend a year in America following the case of a black man who had killed a white supremacist? What would he find when he interviewed people who knew them, who loved them, and who hated them? The answers might shock you as much as they did me.
Detectives should pursue justice for every victim with equal diligence. Meet a group from South Central Los Angeles who take their mission to heart, especially when their victim is the son of one of their own. Why is there so much murder in some communities? This week’s author has some surprising ideas.
frankbyers.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cyclebreaking
Every year in the United States, over 600,000 people go missing according to the website namus.gov. Most are found very quickly, but tens of thousands will remain missing for a year or more. “The sheer volume of missing and unidentified person cases poses one of the greatest challenges to agencies tasked with resolving these important cases.” This is the story of two of those people, missing now for over 31 years.
To provide information to authorities, please call:
F Kingsland GBI office 912-729-6198
Glynn County Police Department 912-554-7800
For more information on Monica and Michael’s case, you can check the following resources:
http://charleyproject.org/case/michael-anthony-bennett
http://charleyproject.org/case/monica-renita-bennett
https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/local_news/sister-searching-for-missing-family/article_88ba7479-545d-5305-a165-ca808a3cd4bd.html
https://craftonmegan.wordpress.com/2019/02/20/michael-anthony-and-monica-renita-bennett/
When a real-life vigilante takes down the town bully, was that man a hero - or a criminal just like the man he killed? If the criminal justice system can’t deal with a man who has dozens of felony arrests, should citizens take matters into their own hands, and impose the harshest sentence of all? Join my fascinating discussion with my special guest Aaron Hanbury.
aaronclinehanbury.substack.com
It’s no crime to be a widow, but how many women have lost two husbands to violence? Investigators know to follow the money when they suspect foul play. And Raynella had inherited two small fortunes from her dead husbands. Guest Diane Fanning, author of Her Deadly Web, gives special insights to one of the strangest cases she has ever covered.
A community and family are rocked by the deaths of three young siblings in what the children’s mother claims was a horrible accident. If that was the case, family members wondered why her boyfriend told her they needed to “get their stories straight.” Trials were held and verdicts were rendered, but was justice done?
Many cases that are officially listed as unsolved still have a suspect that is assumed to be responsible, but for one reason or another cannot or will not be prosecuted. Jane Mixer was long assumed to be a victim of serial killer John Norman Collins – the infamous Michigan Murderer of the late 1960’s. In 2004, her family received the shocking news that there had been a DNA hit on evidence from Jane’s case. But the match was not to John Norman Collins.
Warning – this book has graphic sections and may not be suitable for all readers. The podcast does not mention the more difficult parts of the narrative.
Every year in the United States, over 600,000 people go missing according to the website namus.gov. Most are found very quickly, but tens of thousands will remain missing for a year or more. “The sheer volume of missing and unidentified person cases poses one of the greatest challenges to agencies tasked with resolving these important cases.” This is the story of two of those people, missing now for nearly 14 years.
For more information on this case, check out these resources:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2849120/
https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/tv-shows/love-the-way-you-lie/videos/it-seemed-like-a-perfect-marraige-on-the-surface
If you have any information about this case please contact either of the following agencies:
Hardin County Sheriff: (731) 925-3377
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation: 1-800-TBI-FIND
We’ve all heard stories about the dangers that can lurk on the internet, but have you heard about what’s on the Dark Web, a corner of cyberspace that needs a special browser to access? After today’s episode, the way you think about shopping online will never be the same.
For more information on this week’s case, check out these resources:
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/05/silk-road-and-buying-drugs-online-a-q-and-a-with-nick-bilton.html
https://online.pointpark.edu/criminal-justice/silk-road-busts/
True crime content often focuses on the same cases over, and over, and over again. We hear about them on podcasts, see them on TV shows, and read about them in books. Until now, I’ve focused exclusively on cases that have been the subject of books. Today, I’m going to talk about a case where there should’ve been a book written about it. Then together we’ll decide if a book would’ve helped to solve the case.
For more information on this case, check out these resources:
www.truecrimesociety.com
http://www.crimeblogger1983.blogspot.com
Social media is a wonderful tool to bring people together – but sometimes, it brings the wrong people together. How well do you think you know how to protect yourself and your loved ones from scammers, abusers, or even killers?
How did a 28 year old new mother, a former honor student from an upper middle class family, wind up dead in a dumpster in a seedy area of Las Vegas? Listen to my summary of this original Audible audio documentary that follows the attempts of Tess Henry to overcome her addiction to opioids to be the mother her son needed.
This is a story about love, according to author Natasha Alexenko. You may wonder how a story about a brutal rape, followed by a wait of over a decade to see the assailant brought to justice, can be about love. It’s because Natasha fought for years to make her experience become a catalyst to help other victims.
White Bear Lake, Minnesota, is a typical, all-American town perched on the edge of the lake that gave the town its name. Many professional hockey players got their starts there, including Olympian Steve Janaszak, goalie of the famed “Miracle on Ice” gold medal team of 1980. But the town may be best known as the home of three year Dennis Jurgens, who was killed by his adoptive mother Lois in 1965. It took over 20 years and the perseverance of his birth mother Jerry Sherwood and the testimony of another adopted son, Robert, to get justice for Dennis. But why wasn’t the case prosecuted in 1965? Find out on this episode of The Unlovely Truth.
What true crime fan type are you? Did you fit into either of last week’s types, the detective or the victim? If not, don’t miss this week’s episode to see if you might just identify with the defender…or the killer. Guest Rachel Monroe, author of Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsessions is back with more fascinating stories of women who may be just like you.
Forget enneagram numbers – you will want to know what true crime fan type you are! Do you identify with the detective, the victim, the defender…or the killer? Explore the first two types in this week’s episode with guest Rachel Monroe, author of Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession.
Join me as we revisit the first 12 episodes to trace some common themes and highlight lessons learned from my incredible guests.
No one knows how many victims were killed in the Slocum Massacre. No one knows the toll taken on the descendants of the victims and the perpetrators. No one knows what the town would be like today if nothing had happened.
But Jill McCracken knows a lot about why people do crazy things when they fear others. Or when they just want what others have.
Don’t forget to check out Jill’s podcast at http://murdershelfbookclub.com
For two days in July 1910, many white male citizens of Slocum, Texas, formed a mob and started killing black people on sight. Many African American families fled, never to return. So why is it that so many of us have never heard of the 1910 Slocum Massacre? Tune in this week and next to discuss E. R. Bills’ fascinating book on the subject.
I had to fangirl a little when I got a social media message from the author of our book from Episode 4, “The Hot One.” She’s my guest for an update on Ashely’s case, and a special deep dive to discuss how our society’s obsession with true crime has a dark side. And for more on that, check out her TedX Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHmGfrVY-1o
Can you tell the good guys from the bad guys in your community? For the poor and drug addicted women of Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, it wasn’t always easy to tell, and even when you could, that didn’t mean you were safe. Learn why Harold Schechter, author of The Serial Killer Files, called Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, “…a snake pit of small town corruption.”
Who would you call if you were in a desperate situation and you feared for your life? Most of us would call the police. But what if the police were the ones you were afraid of? Don’t miss part 1 of “Murder in the Bayou” with special guest Sheila Wysocki.
When a marriage fails, it’s hard on everyone involved. But no one ever expects that one spouse will end up testing positive for arsenic, AND be involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. Author J.D. McCabe’s encounter with everyday evil forced him to rely on his faith to get through those dark days. Learning to do a little detective work helped him unravel a tangle of lies so that he could receive “The Third Gift.”
Join the discussion in the Unlovely Truth group on Facebook!
Mike McCarty joins the conversation again this week for Part 2 of “Choking in Fear.” His fascination with the Hollandsburg Massacre continues into adulthood, as he seeks answers from the lone survivor, and from one of the killers.
Join the Unlovely Truth Group on FaceBook to join the discussion!
www.safehiringsolutions.com
www.safevisitorsolutions.com
Why do people kill? That’s the question that has stuck with Mike McCarty from his upbringing in a small community where four young men were slaughtered one early Valentine’s Day over 40 years ago. It spurred him to dedicate his life to answering it. I remember those murders too – I grew up in the small community the killers hailed from.
Join the Unlovely Truth Group on FaceBook to join the discussion!
www.safehiringsolutions.com
www.safevisitorsolutions.com
Childhood friends often drift apart. But author Carolyn Murnick couldn’t know just how far her friend Ashley Ellerin would drift away from her and into a world of heavy drug use and sex work. Who wanted Ashley dead, and would he get away with his defense argument that her lifestyle left her open to attack from any number of men?
Join the Unlovely Truth Group on FaceBook to join the discussion!
Can you imagine police laughing as your distraught loved ones tried to file a missing person’s report on you? It happened to Shannan Gilbert’s “boyfriend” and was the beginning of months of disinterest on the part of police. That all changed when the first body was found.
Private Investigator Mark Gillespie joins Lori in the discussion and shares his passion for helping victims of human trafficking.
Please share these resources with anyone who may be impacted by human trafficking:
gillespieinvestigations.com
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1 (888) 373-7888
missingkids.org – the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Join the Unlovely Truth Group on FaceBook to join the discussion!
Giving someone your trust should be based on their character, not their title. Listen to how a small church in the Pacific Northwest was destroyed by a man with the right title, but the wrong character.
Special Guest Josh Brooker, pastor of the Cannon County campus of Experience Community Church in Woodbury Tennessee, joins Lori to help learn how to see potential warning signs in church leaders, and gives guidance for those who have been victimized.
For anyone dealing with sexual abuse, please reach out to get help and hope.
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
RAINN.org
Lori describes the wrongful conviction of Walter MacMillian from “Just Mercy – A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson. Was this simply a mistake, or something worse?
Special guest Tina Soloman of Holding Out Hope joins Lori to discuss how her work with female inmates has tried, and also strengthened, her faith.
Join the Unlovely Truth Group on FaceBook to join the discussion!
Learn more about the incredible work of Bryan Stevenson and Tina Soloman at these sites:
eji.org – the Equal Justice Initiative founded by Bryan Stevenson
holdingouthope.org – founded by Tina Soloman
tinasoloman.com
The Unlovely Truth is a podcast about the intersection of faith and true crime. Join Lori Morrison, a Christian private investigator, as she seeks to reconcile evil actions with Christian belief. The first episode on January 7th will explore the book "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson. Be sure to join us!