Among the Dirt and Trees: Recent Episodes
Talkocast
Among the Dirt and Trees is a podcast that dives into the stories behind true crime cases that occur out in nature through short and sweet episodes that work for even the busiest schedules.
Join our host, BreeAnn, as she ruins the forest, the desert, the beach, the ocean (and pretty much anywhere else with fresh air) one case at a time.
New episodes are released every Monday and Wednesday and guaranteed to make you never want to leave your couch! đȘđČ
Betty Beets was married five times to six different men.
Four of her husbands were endangered, injured, or killed.
Love isnât always a good thing.
Sometimes, itâs dangerous.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Subscribe here and your favorite podcasting apps: https://talko.fm/dirt
Warning: This episode contains mature content and themes. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
During this episode we will be discussing crimes involving violence, assault, murder or other disturbing details. Some listeners may find certain portions of our discussion offensive, upsetting or traumatic.
If at any time you need to step away, we encourage you to take a break. Please proceed with caution and take care of yourself first while listening.
When three women went on a trip to visit Starved Rock State Park, they were looking for fresh air and the sweet taste of adventure.
Disappearing changed the plan.
Within days, their bodies were foundâbut their killer was nowhere to be seen.
Police finally believed they got the right person, but all these years later, the public is fairly split.
Find out what police say happened, then what the man they sent to prison has to say about it all.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Subscribe here and your favorite podcasting apps: https://talko.fm/dirt
Warning: This episode contains mature content and themes. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
During this episode we will be discussing crimes involving violence, assault, murder or other disturbing details. Some listeners may find certain portions of our discussion offensive, upsetting or traumatic.
If at any time you need to step away, we encourage you to take a break. Please proceed with caution and take care of yourself first while listening.
When an engaged couple canât get a hotel room, they decide to illegally camp out on the beach for a night insteadâbut as they slumbered beneath the stars, someone had other plans.
The young couple was shot and killed by a stranger, and it took over a decade to get answers.
The truth from the killerâs mouth would paint a story of a random act of violence that ended two lives too early.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Subscribe here and your favorite podcasting apps: https://talko.fm/dirt
Warning: This episode contains mature content and themes. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
During this episode we will be discussing crimes involving violence, assault, murder or other disturbing details. Some listeners may find certain portions of our discussion offensive, upsetting or traumatic.
If at any time you need to step away, we encourage you to take a break. Please proceed with caution and take care of yourself first while listening.
Frank Lenz was a cyclist with a dreamâto travel the world and take photos.
After two years of traveling across Europe, he suddenly disappeared.
In his absence, his magazine articles would continue to be printed even though his editor knew he was missing.
What happened to him?
When a mansion owner decided to have work done on their property, they discovered a shocking surpriseâa car buried on their property.
The car had been there for decades, and the owner of this car was John Lew, a man who lived a life of crime spanning across decades.
Why was the car buried? What secrets did it hold?
Three different crimes in three different parks.
Whether youâre walking, talking, or working, the parks really just arenât safe.
You never know who you might meet there.
The Cowden family went out for a surprise camping trip during Labor Day Weekend, but when they never showed up for dinner, their extended family knew something was wrong.
For seven months, the Cowdens were considered missing.
Then, they found them.
Their murders remain a mystery to this day.
When you die, you expect your body to end up somewhere normalâin a grave, an urn, or maybe a medical lab.
Unfortunately, not everyone who is laid to rest in the ground stays that way.
Sometimes, people like to go in and pull bodies right back out for reasons of their own.
These are those stories.
EPISODE EDIT
In the episode, I stated that Charlie Chaplinâs body was stolen in the late 90s instead of the late 1900s in error. His body was actually stolen in the 1970s.
All around the world, there are forests just waiting to be exploredâbut you might not be alone out there.
In the forest, there is death, and the dead donât always leave.
Do you ever wonder what terrible secrets your favorite forest holds?
In this episode, we are taking a look at some of the more famous monsters in loreâand why human beings are actually the bad guys in these stories.
Our crimes?
Stalking, hunting, slander, and slaying!
In the 1660s, Hartford, Connecticut flew into a frenzy when witch accusations started to be made.
11 were accused, 4 were killed for it, and some escaped.
Accusations continued to fly until a group of neighbors took things a little too far.
If only Salem had learned from these stories.
The Hammersmith Ghost was a legend that plagued a village outside of London.
When a villager committed suicide and was buried on consecrated ground, people began to report sightings of the local specter.
Some ran. Some died. Some picked up guns and decided to fight.
One man stumbled across the ghost and shot it in the face.
There was just one problemâit wasnât a ghost at all.
Roy Norris and Lawrence Bittaker were two men who met in prison and bonded over their twisted fantasies of hurting women.
When they were both released, they made a plan to turn California into their own personal hunting grounds.
They had five known murder victims, but most believe that there are more that remain undiscovered.
Their victims met terrible, gruesome ends.
Mary Rogers was an unofficial local celebrity known for enchanting men with her smile while she sold them cigars.
Not-so-subtly referred to as the âbeautiful cigar girlâ around town, men would visit her place of work just to share a passing glance with her.
One day, she left to visit family.
Three days later, she was dead in the Hudson River.
Her devastating beauty was woven into stories and poems from famous writersâbut no one knows what truly happened to this young beauty.
Her story remains a mystery to this day.
James MacKenzie. James McKenzie. John MacKenzie. John Douglass. Seumas MacCoinnich.
Letâs just say he was a man of many names.
Call him what you will, but this famed outlaw and traveling sheep whisperer was one committed criminal.
With his canine companion, he managed to run off with an absolutely ridiculous number of sheep.
Even after his capture, police couldnât manage to keep him in custody.
Find out the most obscure way to get a region of New Zealand named after you.
When a preschool child disappears from his familyâs yard while playing with their dog, panic sets in.
Where did he go? Was he alone? Did someone take him?
A storm moves in that impedes the search effortsâbut donât lose hope just yet.
Even the smallest child can do what it takes to survive.
SPOILER BELOW
Heya, folks!
In this episode, I hold off from saying the victimâs name until the endâbut it certainly still deserves its place in the show bio, soâŠ
The victim in this case is Ryker Webb.
Vincent Viafore went out kayaking with his future wife, Angelika Graswald.
When Vincent made his way into some particularly tumultuous water without a life jacket, things took a dark turn. Vincent drowned when his kayak took on too much water.
Ten days later, Angelika was arrested for his murder.
Police would go on to paint a scene of a woman near her breaking point who intentionally tampered with her loverâs kayakâand she was found guilty for itâbut is their accusation really true?
NOTE FROM BREEANN*
This is a case that has a lot of surprising and disturbing information and claims. Among them is the fact that Angelika had a known history of violence and Vincent started to pressure her to consent to sexual situations that she did not want to participate inâleading her to write a diary entry where she said that she wished he was dead.
Violence, threats, and other acts of aggression are domestic violence.
Sexual coercion is rape and domestic violence.
All of these actions are wrong and should not be tolerated under any circumstances.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can help.
You can call, text, or instant message a representative today at 1.800.799.7233 or by visiting https://www.thehotline.org.
Fariba Amani was experiencing difficulties in her relationship.
She suspected her boyfriend, Ramiz Golshani, was cheating on her, and she consulted a private investigator to get to the bottom of it.
At the last second, she backed out, afraid of what her boyfriend would thinkâafraid he would get mad.
They went on a cruise together, where Fariba was committed to deciding if she would stay with Golshani or end it for good.
When she disappeared during the cruise, there was one clear suspect.
Her whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
When local children stumbled across a skull on the shore of a river, police werenât too worried.
When a second skull showed up soon after, they decided to do a more thorough search just to be safe.
Their search went on to reveal over 500 pieces of human boneâand a twisted killer who they knew all too well.
A Note
I didnât cover this in the episode, but here is some additional reading on the media coverage and art that surrounded this crime and time periodâand the potential implications of it. Interesting stuff!
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/shadow-boxing/201402/eroti-kill
Rachel Cooke was visiting her hometown on winter break when she decided to go for a jog along her old path.
She never came back home.
Several suspects were named, but in the end, no one knew what truly happened to Rachel.
Even a confession couldnât be taken at face valueâthough some believe it is the absolute truth.
In 1970, three Oklahoma teens went missing on their way to a football game.
Over forty years later, a routine training exercise led police to the car they were drivingâand three bodies inside.
What happened to these teens?
Was it an accidentâor is an anonymous tip proof that there is more to this story?
Lake Bodom is a lake in Finland where teens, adults, and families often go to hang out.
In 1960, four teens went to camp by the lake.
By morning, three of them were dead.
Who is responsible for these horrible crimes?
Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States, but this lake is more than just drinking water.
In recent months, Lake Meadâs depths have dropped to historic lows, revealing land that was previously under water.
While this land does mean there are more places to put your beach chair, it also means that some of the lakeâs secrets are making an appearance.
Already, several bodies have been pulled from this lakeâand there is a good chance that more will be revealed in the future.
Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation spot, but there is more to this lake than just crystal blue waters.
Deep beneath the surface of Lake Tahoe, many people believe that hundreds of perfectly preserved bodies are lying in wait.
How many crimes have happened out on these watersâand what kind of evidence will we find when we take a look?
Bobby Dunbar was four years old when he disappeared while on a vacation with his family at the lake.
Bruce Anderson was on a vacation with his motherâs employer when police arrested the man for the kidnapping of Bobby Dunbar.
A short while later, Bruce Anderson was told that he was Bobby Dunbar and would be reunited with his family.
He was raised as Bobby Dunbar and lived a long and happy life.
His granddaughter, in an effort to prove he was the kidnapped child, would stumble across some shocking news almost a century later.
What happened to Bobby Dunbar?
Julia Martha Thomas gets more than she bargained for when she unknowingly hires criminal Kate Webster to help her around the house.
Many disputes later, Webster gets firedâbut she refuses to accept it.
Instead, she murders Julia Martha Thomas and chucks her her into the river before taking over her identity.
It doesnât end well.
Ted Binion was a troubled heir to a casino empire who found himself participating in the local drug scene.
Forced out of the casino, he ended up needing a new place to hide his immense wealthâand decided burying it on his property was the way to go.
When he was found dead from an overdose and suspected suicide, police didnât read too much into it.
At least not until they found one of his former associates digging on his property.
Jason Sweeney was sixteen when he was killed by his best friend, two former friends, and a new romantic partner.
These four murderers were all legally children, but their levels of depravity went well beyond their years.
They made several plans to kill Jason and finally succeeded after luring him into the woods one Friday evening.
âšThe killers claimed that they did it for his paycheckâbut it seems like there is more to this story than we have been told.
Nikole âNikiâ Bakoles was twenty years old when she disappeared after an argument with her boyfriend.
Less than a year later, parts of her body were found in the Great Salt Lakeâbut no one knew it was her.
Dubbed âSaltair Sallyâ by the public, Niki was considered a Jane Doe for twelve full years with no hope of her identity ever being uncovered.
Despite pushback from police, her mother insisted that the remains belonged to her daughterâand when they finally tested them, she was right.
Leaving behind only her young child, the end to Nikiâs story remains a mystery to this day.
Edith McLeroy grew up in Alabama with strict parents, a fact which created quite a bit of tension during her teen years.
After sending her to live in a group home with a local pastor, Edith finds herself kicked out on the streets.
She disappeared for a year before surfacing againâbut she wasnât alone.
A short while later, she was married to Archie West, a leader of a local biker gang.
At the age of 23, Edith decided to leave the biker world behindâbut she would never get the opportunity.
When she showed up dead in a local pond, the investigation into her murder began.
It would take 30 years for her to receive justice.
Two newlyweds, Bruce and Janice Dodson, went out for a hunting trip when tragedy struck and Bruce was shot dead.
Police considered it a normal hunting accident until the autopsy came back to reveal that Bruce was actually shot three timesânot just once.
The case quickly turned into a murder investigation when it became clear that Janice Dodsonâs ex-husband was camping nearby.
He was an expert hunter. It was suspicious.
But that was just the start of this tale.
When a family consisting of two young girls, two parents, and two grandparents went out for a camping trip, they expected only joy and laughter.
What they did not know was that their vehicle was spotted by a dangerous local predator, leading him right to their campsite.
He stalked the family, focusing on the two young daughters.
There was only one problemâthe adults in his way.
The Johnson family would never be the same again.
Moll Dyer was believed to be the inspiration for The Blair Witch Project.
In her time, she was thought to have been an evil witch who cursed her town.
But, some believe she was an ordinary woman who was hunted down and killed by her superstitious neighbors.
The most important question is: was Moll Dyer real?
Mincho Donchev was serving a sentence for murder in a Bulgarian prison when he escaped.
He found his way to the United States where he met his now ex-girlfriend.
When they had a dispute, he tried to blow up her home.
This would precede over twelve years spent hiding in the woods in Washington, robbing vacation homes and cabins to survive.
No one could predict how his arrest would go down.
Near Mexico City, you can visit la Isla de las Muñecasâthe Island of the Dolls.
This unsettling plot of land is covered in a collection of disembodied dolls rescued from surrounding areas and put on display, but this is no ordinary collection.
The collection is meant to appease, honor, or entertain the ghost of a little girl who was found drowned in the nearby canal.
Don Julian Santana Barrera collected the dolls for this little girl, but everyone has a different story to explain why.
What really happened to this little girl? And what happened to Don Julian?
When a member of a logging crew goes missing in the middle of a forest, suspicion falls to his coworkers.
The accused men told police that Travis Walton was takenâbut police were convinced that these men murdered Travis and dumped his body somewhere in the woods.
When Travis Walton showed up five days later, their theories were thrown out the window.
His story was even more unbelievable than the one that his coworkers gave.
Did this group file a false police report, or did Travis get abducted by something not entirely human?
In the 1500s and 1600s, Denmark experienced its own witch crazeâa period that led to the unjust execution of hundreds of accused witches.
In this episode, we will explore the different tales of witches in Denmark who were accused of unimaginable crimes and the fates that they met.
George Bass planned to be a wealthy private trader by transporting cargo with his new business.
When the promise of riches suddenly looked to be out of reach, George made a bold moveâat least thatâs what the stories say.
Was George Bass an honest businessman? A smuggler? A victim of the ocean?
We may never know.
In 2007, a feral young woman was found stealing food from a village before scurrying back into the jungle where it is presumed she lived.
Local villagers caught her, wanting to understand what was going on.
Shortly after, a man claiming to be her father said that she was his long-lost daughter and took her home to his family.
Everyone thought that was the conclusion to the storyâuntil another family showed up to claim her.
Who is she really?
Tara Calico was nineteen years old when she left for her daily bike ride and never returned.
A search would ensue, but police only found proof of where she was, not where she went.
When disturbing photos started popping up, police began to speculate that she might have been abducted or trafficked.
Was she taken by the stalker her mother was so worried about?
We may never know.
When a family of four traveled from Germany to the United States, they expected to make lasting memories.
Unfortunately, they entered Death Valley National Park, and life had other plans.
Within days, they disappeared.
Within weeks, the search was given up.
Within years, they were found. Kind of.
When a group of 21 sailors set out to transport wheat in1902, they thought it was just another job.
Within nine days, the search would be abandonedâand the crew would still be missing.
Now, their tale lives on as the ghostly tale of The Flying Dutchman of the Inland Seas.
What happened to them?
One of my clients reached out to inform me that her brother, Bruce, went missing on May 17, 2022.
His family believes that he is without access to his medication for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and asthma. This is an obvious concern for them and why it is so important to find Bruce as soon as possible.
Bruce went missing in Waxahachie, Texas, but it is believed that he drove through New Mexico and possibly into California.
His vehicle, a charcoal gray Chevrolet Silverado, was found abandoned in San Bernardino with the keys still inside. It was still running when police found it.
Local authorities have conducted a drone search of the area to see if he left on foot, but there are no signs of him at this time.
He was last seen on Monday, May 16, 2022 wearing a red t-shirt, green gym shorts, and Corona slides.
His family stresses that mental illness is real and that people who are coping with mental illness should be handled with the utmost care. Bruce needs compassion, understanding, and support.
There is essentially zero media coverage for Bruce right now, so letâs do what we do and get this trending on social media to increase the likelihood that someone will spot him so he can be safely reunited with his family.
If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact Waxahachie Police immediately at 469-309-4410.
Social Media Post
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeEgc70l5JL/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
When a father steps away from his five and seven year old sons for a few minutes, he is surprised to return and find them gone.
These two boys disappeared without warning, so their neighbors began to search, thinking they were lost in the local woods.
As more time passed, their neighbors began to suspect that their parents might be involved with the disappearance.
Everything changed when a neighborâs dream led to the discovery of their bodiesâand more questions.
On Lake Michigan, there is a section of the water where things just go wrong.
Missing persons. Missing ships. Missing planes.
Some believe that simple acts of nature have created these problems, but not everyone is convinced.
Is there something supernatural or out of this world going on at Lake Michigan?
Samuel Mason was the leader of a fearsome group of river pirates stalking the Ohio River.
They would steal from anyone who came by, sometimes killing their victims in the process.
When a group of locals decided enough was enough, Mason and his men were run out of their hunting groundâbut that wasnât the end of the story.
Throughout history, magic has been regarded with both fear and envy.
More than a few men and women have found themselves in trouble for accusations of witchcraft, even if they didnât do it.
Thereâs more to hunting witches than the Salem Witch Trials, so letâs discuss a few cases with those who chose to dance with the devil in the woods.
When a family discovered a torso in a cave in Idaho, police were curious.
When a little girl found a hand twelve years later, they were interested.
A team of anthropologists would go on to find the remnants of this dismembered man, and after sifting through nearly 32,000 DNA matches, they found his identity.
Turns out that this victim was a really bad guy. His name was Joseph Henry Lovelessâat least, that was one of his names.
The Beaumont children were 9, 7, and 4 when they went to the beach and never came home.
Sightings would describe a strange man, and while there were many suspects, the children were never returned.
Who took them, and what happened to them after they were taken?
We may never know.
Famed country star David âStringbeanâ Akeman was performing live on the radio when two cousins decided to rob his remote cabin in the woods during the performance.
They had the radio on to keep track of him, but as they grew frustrated with their search, they got distracted.
David and his wife, Estelle, returned home while the intruders were still inside.
The robbers killed them and fled the property, changing the country music scene forever.
Bobby, Sherilynn, and Madyson Jamison went out to look at some property with hopes of purchasing it for the next chapter of their lives.
They never made it home.
Eight days later, their abandoned car was found by some local hunters. Inside, police found all of their personal belongings, their beloved pet, and an outrageous sum of money.
Their bodies were found four years later with no indication of what happened to them, and the theories surrounding their disappearance have continued to be spread.
These theories range from drugs to vengeful spirits as people continue to speculate about this tragic loss of life.
The footage mentioned in the episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKK_g8-h0is
Bootlegging has been around in America since the American Civil War, but itâs still going on to this day.
In part two of this two-part episode, we will discuss prominent bootleggers who made their fortunates making, transporting, and selling illegal alcohol.
The episodes will cover prominent NASCAR racer Junior Johnson, hotshot lawyer George Remus, master distiller Roger âBuckâ Nance, and sailor William Frederick McCoy.
Bootlegging has been around in America since the American Civil War, but itâs still going on to this day.
In part one of this two-part episode, we will discuss prominent bootleggers who made their fortunates making, transporting, and selling illegal alcohol.
The episodes will cover prominent NASCAR racer Junior Johnson, hotshot lawyer George Remus, master distiller Roger âBuckâ Nance, and sailor William Frederick McCoy.
When the body of a young boy was discovered in a box on the side of the road in 1957, police were convinced that they would solve his tragic murder.
Though several prominent theories remain, the boy has yet to be identifiedâbut police still have hope that his case will be solved.
Who did this to him? And what happened to him before his tragic death?
Only time will tell.
In 1967, two girls claimed to see the dead rising from their graves in Highgate Cemetery, and the people of London began to change.
By 1970, a full-blown obsession with the local vampire rumors broke out, egged on by the publications of two enemy magicians who each swore to know more about the vampire threat plaguing the area.
When their plan to hunt down the vampire once and for all was aired on tv on Friday the 13th, a mob broke out, with people rushing to the cemetery to stop the vampire menace themselves.
The police were overrun, and the bodies of several people were desecratedâbut that was only the beginning of the story for magicians Sean Manchester and David Farrant.
Derrick Engebretson was eight years old when went into Winema National Forest with his father and grandfather.
The three of them wanted to find the perfect Christmas tree, and they were having fun looking for one.
But when Derrick suddenly disappeared, his father and grandfather were horrified.
Derrick vanished, leaving behind only footprints and an abandoned snow angel near the parking lot.
He would never be seen again.
When four men find themselves shipwrecked 700 miles from the closest piece of land, they are determined to survive.
Fighting off sharks, hunting in a lifeboat, and drinking blood to stay hydrated, these men did everything that they could to stay aliveâincluding eating one of their crewmates.
They would last just long enough to return to society.
And then, they were arrested.
Terrance âTerryâ Bowers Jr. was eleven years old when he went camping with the Boy Scouts.
The following morning, a fellow camper would find him brutally stabbed to death in his tent.
His killer was never found, but there is a chance that the killer has already confessed and was simply ignored.
The most disturbing part?
The wounds appeared to be the byproduct of one of the Boy Scoutâs knives.
Todayâs episodes mark 100 cases with ATDATPOD (kind of), so I wanted to do something special.
In this episode, weâre discussing animal serial killersâanimals that developed a dangerous interest in the people around them.
In part two, learn about Tilikum, a killer whale who killed several people in his tank following years of abuse, and the Man-Eaters of Tsavo, two lions that rumors say killed over 100 local workers in 1898.
Todayâs episodes mark 100 cases with ATDATPOD (kind of), so I wanted to do something special.
In this episode, weâre discussing animal serial killersâanimals that developed a dangerous interest in the people around them.
In part one, learn about Kesagake, a brown bear that murdered at least seven people over the course of six days, and the Champawat tiger, a ferocious feline who killed over 400 people during her reign of terror.
Venice Beach and the greater Venice area provide a delightfully modern neighborhood with plenty to offer locals and visitors alike.
It has also been the backdrop for countless crimes throughout the last hundred years.
Letâs explore some of the famous crime cases that have plagued this area.
This is part two.
Venice Beach and the greater Venice area is a delightfully modern neighborhood with plenty to offer locals and visitors alike.
It has also been the backdrop for countless crimes throughout the last hundred years.
Letâs explore some of the famous crime cases that have plagued this area.
This is part one.
Dennis was six years old when he went out backpacking with his father, brother, grandfather, and friends.
When the kids decided to hide and surprise the adults, the real surprise came when one child was missing.
Dennis.
Pouring rain and rumors of a wild man would drive this case in several different directions, but Dennis was never found.
Michele âMissyâ Avila was seventeen years old when she disappeared. Three days later, she was found dead in a local creek.
While her friends and family mourned, police would search for the three mysterious men that were accused of kidnapping and murdering her.
Nine months later, an earth-shattering confession about Missyâs murder would change her community forever. Sometimes, itâs the last personâor twoâthat you suspect.
This is part two.
Michele âMissyâ Avila was seventeen years old when she disappeared. Three days later, she was found dead in a local creek.
While her friends and family mourned, police would search for the three mysterious men that were accused of kidnapping and murdering her.
Nine months later, an earth-shattering confession about Missyâs murder would change her community forever. Sometimes, itâs the last personâor twoâthat you suspect.
This is part one.
Born and raised as Myra Maybelle Shirley, a young womanâs life changed forever at the age of sixteen when famed outlaw Jesse James hid with her family.
From that moment on, she knew that she wanted to be an outlaw. This would begin her first of many relationships with famed outlaws, and her reputation would grow as she traded her life as a lady for a spot among prominent criminals.
When she married Sam Starr, another famous outlaw, she changed her name to Belle Starrâa name that would go down in history.
Belle lived a life of crime, eventually slowing down to focus on her community and her family, but she wasnât safe just yet.
Her murder would shock the world.
Maria Marten was a young woman who was unlucky in love, especially for a woman in 1827.
Though men seemed to love her, even when she ended up pregnant with children from multiple men, they always refused to stay.
Her final child would be born to William Corder, her first childâs younger brother.
The two made a plan to elope in an attempt to save Maria from being criminally charged for having multiple children out of wedlock, and the lies would begin.
William asked her to meet him at the red barn at the edge of town so they could flee, but something wasnât quite right.
Months would pass.
Back home, her step-mother began to have disturbing nightmares about Maria, images of her daughter dead and buried in the old red barn.
She thought they were just dreams, but when she finally sent her husband to explore the barn, they would learn that the dreams were closer to reality than they ever could have imagined.
When five men drove to a college basketball game, their families believed they would be home as soon as the game was over.
But when the men never returned, their families began to worry.
Their car would be found abandoned on a winding mountain road that was surrounded by a snowy and unforgiving forest.
The snow stopped search efforts shortly after, but four months later, a collection of disturbing discoveries were made.
Four of the men were found. One is still missing.
No one knows what happened, but their families believe that they were all the victims of an unexplainable crime.
Rebecca Aylward was fifteen years old when her ex-boyfriend, sixteen-year-old Joshua Davies, asked her to meet in the forest to talk.
In Rebeccaâs mind, the two were going to get back together.
What she didnât know was that Davies had spent recent weeks hyping himself up to kill her and actually had three separate murder plans to get the job done.
While people were searching for Rebecca, Davies began scheming to maintain his innocence.
This is part two.
Rebecca Aylward was fifteen years old when her ex-boyfriend, sixteen-year-old Joshua Davies, asked her to meet in the forest to talk.
In Rebeccaâs mind, the two were going to get back together.
What she didnât know was that Davies had spent recent weeks hyping himself up to kill her and actually had three separate murder plans to get the job done.
While people were searching for Rebecca, Davies began scheming to maintain his innocence.
This is part one.
Connie Smith was ten years old when she went to summer camp, and when she begged her mother to let her stay, it seemed like she was having a great time.
Unfortunately, that would change almost entirely overnight.
Following an altercation with a few of her fellow campers, Connie made the decision to leave camp and hitchhike home.
Witnesses reported her whereabouts for a whileâbut then she disappeared, never to be seen again.
Daniel Slater was a man who, like many, had an ex-girlfriend.
Unlike many, Slater was fixated on his ex, a young woman who was doing her best to move on with her life. She met someone new, and things were looking up.
Or, they would have beenâif she wasnât being stalked.
Slater was obsessed with Brianna, so obsessed that he decided that he wanted her, her new husband, her sister, and her brother-in-law dead.
The problem was that he didnât want to handle it himself.
Slater attempted to groom a would-be assassin, Brianne Slabaugh, but when she showed up dead in the Everglades and other witnesses came forward, police would realize that there was a much bigger scheme in place.
This is part two.
Daniel Slater was a man who, like many, had an ex-girlfriend.
Unlike many, Slater was fixated on his ex, a young woman who was doing her best to move on with her life. She met someone new, and things were looking up.
Or, they would have beenâif she wasnât being stalked.
Slater was obsessed with Brianna, so obsessed that he decided that he wanted her, her new husband, her sister, and her brother-in-law dead.
The problem was that he didnât want to handle it himself.
Slater attempted to groom a would-be assassin, Brianne Slabaugh, but when she showed up dead in the Everglades and other witnesses came forward, police would realize that there was a much bigger scheme in place.
This is part one.
Owen Parfitt lived a life that few truly believed.
He told tales of his time spent sailing as a pirate, fighting in brutal battles, and running wild with beautiful women.
Most people thought his stories were fake, and by his sixties, he found himself living a new lifeâone with paralysis that left him entirely immobile.
One day, he would ask to go sit outside.
He would never be seen again.
Maureen âAnuâ Kelly was nineteen years old when she walked out into the forest on a spiritual quest.
By midnight, her friends would realize that something was wrong.
She left naked, only taking along a fanny pack with a knife, compass, and matches.
Anu was never seen again.
Jaryd Atadero was three years old when he and his six-year-old sister, Josallyn, went for a hike with a group of adults from their familyâs resort.
Along the way, Jaryd ran up ahead of the group, and a short while later, they realized that he was gone.
The search for Jaryd began immediately, but the evidence turned up by the search efforts was anything but comforting.
What happened to Jaryd? Was it a mountain lion like some people believe, or was Jaryd abducted and killed by someone in the area?
Molly and Geoff decided to take on the Appalachian Trail in a six-month long adventure.
These trained outdoor experts would go on to have a lovely timeâuntil they ended up being hunted out in the wilderness by a dangerous predator with a history of crime.
This is part two.
Molly and Geoff decided to take on the Appalachian Trail in a six-month long adventure.
These trained outdoor experts would go on to have a lovely timeâuntil they ended up being hunted out in the wilderness by a dangerous predator with a history of crime.
This is part one.
In 1984, Greg Jones and Fiona Slade were walking through the forest when they discovered what appeared to be bones from a deer.
A few short steps later, they would realize that the bones were not from a deer at all. They were human.
For decades, people would speculate about the identity and cause of death behind the Cinderford Man mystery to no avail.
We still donât know what happened to him, but now we know what it is like to find a body while on an innocent hike in the woods.
This is their story.
Riverdale Road is a famous haunted location in Thornton, Colorado that runs for eleven miles in total.
Local legends say that it is a dangerous road with a bloody historyâa space where several people have been murdered, leaving ghosts wandering the street.
This is part two.
Riverdale Road is a famous haunted location in Thornton, Colorado that runs for eleven miles in total.
Local legends say that it is a dangerous road with a bloody historyâa space where several people have been murdered, leaving ghosts wandering the street.
This is part one.
Serial sexual predator and murderer David Leonard Wood, also known as The Desert Killer, turned El Paso into his hunting ground back in the eighties.
Women were disappearing left and right, but no one really knew what to make of it all until one woman finally managed to escape.
The investigation would reveal that David L. Wood was more terrible than anyone could imagine.
This is part two.
Serial sexual predator and murderer David Leonard Wood, also known as The Desert Killer, turned El Paso into his hunting grounds back in the eighties.
Women were disappearing left and right, but no one really knew what to make of it all until one woman finally managed to escape.
The investigation would reveal that David L. Wood was more terrible than anyone could imagine.
This is part one.
Three friends were traveling to Finland when they boarded the Viking Sally cruise ship.
A short while later, one would be dead and another would be in critical condition.
Who attacked this young couple?
Their traveling companion?
The new friend they made that showed up covered in blood?
The Boy Scout that called for help?
Letâs find out.
Madame Mertens was a young widow looking to make an investment with her fortune.
Unwittingly paired with a destitute woman called Madame Frigard who was looking to make a fortune of her own, Madame Mertens believed that she found a proper friend.
Unfortunately, Madame Frigard was more interested in her money than anything else.
This is part two.
Madame Mertens was a young widow looking to make an investment with her fortune.
Unwittingly paired with a destitute woman called Madame Frigard who was looking to make a fortune of her own, Madame Mertens believed that she found a proper friend.
Unfortunately, Madame Frigard was more interested in her money than anything else.
This is part one.
Oscar Zeta Acosta was a prominent lawyer, politician, and activist known for ruffling feathers.
He wrote books. He criticized the police. He was the inspiration for Dr. Gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
And, one day, he went missing.
Known for his loud personality and love of recreational drugs, countless theories have emerged throughout the years to explain his disappearance.
Was his disappearance an accident, a fight, or an attack fueled by politics? Itâs anyoneâs guess.
Charley Ross was only four years old when he and his brother, Walter, were abducted from their front yard while out enjoying the weather.
Their abductors released Walter, but Charley never surfaced.
When a ransom note arrived, his parents were horrifiedâand they didnât have the money to meet the list of demands.
Charleyâs story was a media sensation that shook the nation.
This is part two.
Charley Ross was only four years old when he and his brother, Walter, were abducted from their front yard while out enjoying the weather.
Their abductors released Walter, but Charley never surfaced.
When a ransom note arrived, demanding $20,000, his parents were horrifiedâand worse, they didnât have the money to meet the list of demands.
Charleyâs story was a media sensation that shook the nation.
This is part one.
Robyn Gardner went on a trip to Arubaâand though she told her boyfriend that she was with family, the truth was a different story.
In reality, Robyn was with a man that she met online.
Two days into their trip, she disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
Though she was never found, police received a call that would blow the case wide open and place all of the suspicion on her secret love interest.
Anne Marie Fahey was a young woman who was working to build a career that would change her life, but everything shifted when she met Tom Capano.
As powerful as he was wealthy, Capano added Anne Marie to his long list of mistresses. She was one of many women in his life, but when she announced her plan to leave him for another man, Capano wouldnât allow it.
This is part two of her story.
Anne Marie Fahey was a young woman who was working to build a career that would change her life, but everything changed when she met Tom Capano.
As powerful as he was wealthy, Capano added Anne Marie to his long list of mistresses. She was one of many women in his life, but when she announced her plan to leave him for another man, Capano wouldnât allow it.
This is part one of her story.
The Seattle Jungle Killer. The Seattle Shoelace Slasher. Chilly Willy.
These are just a few of the names that DeWayne Lee Harris has gone by throughout the years.
Following two years of murderous terror, he was eventually charged for the murders of three womenâbut Harris implied that he might have a lot more names on his list of victims.
Are these the words of an honest man, or is this just another one of his lies?
Karen Roston was married to her husband, Scott Roston, for nine days before she was murdered on their honeymoon.
In his story, Karen was knocked overboard by a gust of wind while running at three oâclock in the morning.
When the Coast Guard found her body, it would tell a different story.
A thousand lies later, authorities would learn that Scott had a shady relationship with the truthâbut how did Israeli spies play into this?
Letâs find out.
Ben and Olivia were a couple of friends looking to make the most out of their New Yearâs celebration together.
They had plans to attend a party at a lodge and then spend the night on a yachtâbut when they finally arrived at the yacht on a water taxi, they were shocked to learn that the yacht was full.
A fellow passenger aboard the water taxi would offer them a place to sleepâon his own yachtâand they would happily accept.
This decision would make the end of their tale.
The duo was never seen again, but someone is in prison for their murders.
Marianne and Christine were only fifteen years old when they went for a trip to the beach with Marianneâs siblings in 1965.
When a windstorm set in, the girls would run to collect the bags they stashed at the beachâbut they would never return.
A day later, they would be found brutally murdered on that same beach.
Theories would fill the news, blaming notorious serial killers, unnamed pedophiles, and mysterious boys from secret diary entries.
To this day, their murders remain unsolved.
Dan Cooper was the name given when a man with a plan boarded an airplane back in 1971.
He would go on to hijack the plane by using the threat of a bomb, ordering the flight crew to land the plan and meet his demands.
After refueling and picking up the $200,000 and military-grade parachutes he requested, he would force the crew to take to the skies once again, this time aiming for Mexico.
Halfway through the flight, he would disappearâand he would never be seen again.
Philip Ashton was fishing in 1722 when he was abducted by pirates.
Instead of killing him, they dragged him around the world, eventually landing on the then uninhabited Roatan, where he would make his daring escape.
His story would make headlines, but not everyone believed it.
Hey, guys!
This is an interview that I did back when ATDAT first started.
If youâre interested in learning more about me, the show, or the indie podcaster experience, you can learn all about it here.
Among the Dirt and Trees has surpassed 50,000 downloadsâand it just keeps going up.
Thank you so much for all of your support!
Joan Rische was a happy suburban mother and wife having a perfectly average day when her children arrived home to discover something confusing.
Her young daughter would say that her mother was goneâand that the house was painted red.
Police would lead a full investigation, finding a home covered in blood with rumors about a disheveled woman stumbling up the highway carrying something red.
They assumed that she was murderedâor abducted, but the narrative began to change.
When volunteers at the local library, led by a reporter, discovered Joanâs fascination with true crime booksâincluding one with a scene nearly identical to the one left in her kitchenâpolice began to wonder if there wasnât more to her disappearance.
A Note From BreeAnn
In case you didnât listen to the last episode, please be aware that I am traveling to be with family at this time, so Iâm making due with a different recording setup.
You might hear a few little mistakes here and there, so please be patient with me. Weâre working on it!
Thanks, guys!
David Stack was eighteen when he made the decision to go visit family in California.
He had one simple plan: hitchhiking.
Unfortunately, David never showed up.
But the day after he disappeared, a body was found in Utah.
39 years would pass before he would be identified.
Percy Fawcett was a known explorer and cartographer who lived a life of pure adventure.
In 1924, Percy and his son, Jack, joined forces with Raleigh Rimell to venture into the Amazon in search of a lost city known only as Z.
The day that they walked into the jungle was the last day that they were ever seen aliveâbut mystery surrounds their disappearance.
What stopped these three adventurers from returning to their loved ones?
Were they killed by locals, eaten by dangerous jungle predatorsâor did they build another life where no one could find them?
Russell and Shirley Dermond were elderly retirees living their best lives when they failed to arrive at a social gathering with friends.
Concerned, a neighbor would check on them, only to find their door unlockedâand Russell dead on the floor.
Shirley was missing, and when they found her, it was more bad news.
Were they killed for their money? Or was this a personal attack?
Marvin Clark was headed to Portland to visit his daughter for Halloween when he vanished without a trace.
Knowing that he had a disability, family feared that something might have gone wrong during his travelsâor that someone might have harmed him.
When he failed to return, people would speculate where he ended up.
His case would remain unsolved, but someone else would be found instead.
Someone unknown.
Roy Wilson, Edward Nickols, and Dewey Morris were three fur trappers out in the woods during a frigid winter when they disappeared in 1924.
A trail of gore would lead police to the nearby frozen lake, but they needed to wait for it to thaw to look for more evidence.
The lake would tell quite the story.
Amy Bechtel was 24 when she went for a run to train for a 10K and never came home.
The belief that she was injured while out on the trail fell through when it became clear that Amy wasnât anywhere in the areaâand police had their suspicions regarding what happened.
Was Amy a victim of an abusive husband, or was she picked off by an unexpected predator out on the trail?
Katherine Van Alst was eight years old when she vanished in the Ozarks while camping with her family.
Six days later, she would be found hiding in a caveâalive.
It was a miracle, but some of her story just didnât seem to add up.
Letâs explore the prevailing theories surrounding her mysterious disappearance.
Twenty-year-old Grace Brown was building a new life working as a factory worker while living with her sister.
Everything changed when she met Chester Gillette, the nephew of the factory owner.
After a secret whirlwind romance, Grace was pregnant and begging Chester to marry herâlest she be ruined in societyâs eyes.
In response, he offered to take her away on a trip.
Grace thought that she was getting a proposal. The true plan was more sinister.
Tristan Beaudette went camping with his two toddlers and planned to have a good time.
Come bedtime, he would be shot dead in the tent, leaving two clueless babies behind.
This killer made several attempts on the public in this areaâand police didnât share itâwhat happened?
Ebony Wilkerson was a pregnant mother of three when it became clear that something was wrong.
Suddenly, Ebony was concerned about the demons in her houseâand she was expressing a newfound interest in religion.
These delusions would ultimately lead Ebony to drive her minivan and her children into the Ocean.
But, this story isnât as sad as you would think. It just raised a lot of questions that no one really wants to address.
The Mary Russell was on a routine run in 1828 when the crew picked up a disgraced first-mate from another ship.
Captain Stewart, the esteemed captain aboard the Mary Russell, reluctantly agreed to get the man home.
A few nights later, he would have a dream that his new guest had plans to lead a mutiny with his crew.
This would all be fine, but Captain Stewart was convinced that his dream was a message from godâa warning.
The massacre that followed was anything but holy.
Sidnie Waller and her friend Jennifer Rae Xavier went out for a fun night of drinking, then climbed into Jenniferâs car to head somewhere new.
Jennifer, under the influence of alcohol and Xanax, crashed the car, causing it to flip upside down in a creek.
Jennifer made it out alive, but Sidnie did not.
This is a sad story, and a reminder that drunk driving is a crime.
The GoFundMe for Sidnieâs family can be found here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-sidnies-family-pay-for-hospital-bills
Christine Marie Salley was an adoptee who made the brave decision to seek out her birth parents with the help of a private investigator.
Her exploration would lead her to learn who her mother was, but instead of a family reunion, Christine found herself in the middle of a murder investigation.
The details would prove to be worse than anyone could imagine. Much worse.
Julie Ann Hanson was 15 when she failed to return home from a baseball game.
Her killer would walk freeâuntil 50 years later.
Letâs explore how this rapist and murderer was brought to justice in 2021 after several decades of dodging his horrific crimes.
Hazel Drew was a young woman with big ambitions, but at a tragically young age, she was struck down by a murderer.
Found bloated and dead in a local pond, her neighbors demanded justice.
Who killed Hazelâand why did they do it?
William Moldt went missing after he left a nightclub for the evening and never returned home.
For twenty-two years, he was missingâuntil one day when a stranger he never met saw something suspicious on a Google Earth search.
It would take a group of neighbors to uncover the truth about what happened, and it wasnât quite what anyone expected.
Alexander Pichushkin was four years old when he was struck in the head with a swing, changing him forever.
He would go on to make his first kill at 18.
Learn how this killer lured his victims into the woodsâultimately amassing 61 in total.
Edward Phalen and John Hays met in the Army during the 1800s and decided to go into farming after they served.
The two men claimed two pieces of land and settled into their new lives as farmers.
Everything was going fine until John Hays was found deadâand all of the clues pointed to Phalen.
Eleven women with shared characteristics were found dead in a mass grave.
What happened to them?
Letâs explore their storyâand the circumstances surrounding their disappearances.
Late 1500s rumors about a robber and murderer in Germany kept people on edge, but the story seems too big to be true.
Did one man really kill just under 1000 people before being betrayed by his kidnapping victim and slaveâor are these tales just made up to explain away countless disappearances at the time?
Letâs discuss this killer and his bitter end.
Georgianna Lovering was 14 when her former uncle, Franklin Evans, came to live with her family in their boarding house.
Early on, Evans seemed to develop a disturbing infatuation with his nieceâbut the family seemed to move on from it.
What they didnât know that Evans was playing a long game and never intended to let Georgianna get away.
Her disappearance and murder would come as a shock, but not as shocking as the fact that she wasnât his first victim.
Eric Rudolph was a wanted serial bomber being hunted by the FBI when he vanished into the woods of North Carolina.
Five years later, an everyday police officer caught him behind a local store.
He claims he lived in the nearby woods, but not everyone believes that is true. Some people think that there is more to this story.
Dorothy Stang was a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, and she had one goal: to protect Brazilian farmers and the rainforest that gives so much to our planet.
At the age of 73, she was brutally murdered by two local criminals at the command of anotherâbut this is just one indication of a much bigger problem.
Dorothy gave everything that she had, spending decades trying to preserve the Amazon and locals in the area, but her commitment to her beliefs ended in her paying the ultimate price.
Letâs discuss what this fiercely loyal woman accomplished during her incredible life⊠and what it cost.
On Wednesday, Raymond Naatz began to act strangely, telling his parents that something bad was going to happenâthat a shadow was stalking him.
On Thursday, Raymond disappeared while playing outside.
On Friday, Herman and Lillian Naatz watched, heartbroken, as police pulled their son from the bottom of a local lake.
Did Raymond predict his own murder, or was his death a tragic accident brought on by neurological stress?
Barbara Nantais and Claire Hough were both found dead at Torrey Pines Beach six years apart.
The state of the two girls pointed to a serial killer, but police were slow to catch on to the similarities.
Decades later, new DNA evidence would bring some truly disturbing suspects to lightâand the knowledge that Barbara and Claire might not be the only victims.
In 2004, Jackie and Tom Hawks made the decision to sell their live-in yacht and move to Arizona so that they could be closer to their family.
When a couple composed of a childhood star and his pregnant wife reached out to show interest in their lovely floating home, they were ready to make the sale.
Unfortunately, not everyone is who they claim to be.
Unwittingly, these two doting grandparents were tricked into guiding their boat out to seaâand the eventual site of their own graves.
Ronald âRonâ Sanchez and fellow traveler Kirby Morrill were taking on the Appalachian Trail when their group of trail-made traveling companions ran into a man going by the name of Sovereign.
In reality, Sovereign was actually James L. Jordan, a man with a long history of extreme mental health disorders who was about to commit unspeakable violence.
This is their story.
In the summer of 2000, 15 backpackers burned to death in a hostel with 69 survivors barely escaping the flamesâbut this fire was no accident.
These travelers were murdered with great intent by arsonist Robert Long when he became fed up with the hostel staff and the backpackers within.
Robert Long is officially eligible for parole, but his ex and the families of his victims are convinced that he will kill again.
With Long, history has a way of repeating itself.
*A Full List of Robert Longâs Victims*
Melissa Jane Smith
Gary John Sutton
Atsushi Toyona
Joly Van der Velden
Claire Louise Webb
Sebastian Westerveld
Sarah Ann Williams
Moulay Lalaoui-Kama
Hui-Kyoung Lee
Michael Ernest Lewis
Natalie Morris
Julie O'Keeffe
Adam John Rowland
Kelly June Slarke
Stacey Louise Slarke
Henry Hudson was a talented explorer in the 1600s known as the name behind multiple bodies of water.
While we may honor him geographically, few know about the trials he faced or his untimely death.
Letâs explore why his crew eventually turned on him.
When Annette wins a cruise trip in a contest, it seems like her luck is finally turning around, but when she suddenly vanishes on the last day of the cruise, her family is shocked.
Something happened to Annette on her way to play bingo, but international investigators canât seem to find out what happened.
Who covered the camera on the deck where Annette went missing? Was it really just lovers looking for a little privacyâor is there more to the story?
John Mizenerâs Note:
https://www.internationalcruisevictims.org/LatestMemberStories/Annette_Mizener.html
Unverified Interview with the Person of Interest:
https://www.cruiseshipdeaths.com/2004/12/04/annette-mizener-passenger-cruise-ship-death-carnival-pride/
When a bag with a female torso is fished out of the river, police have questions.
As more bags with more body parts begin to show up, their need for answers becomes more urgent.
Who is this mutilated Jane Doe?
Who killed her?
More importantly, how come the evidence mysteriously disappeared?
George E. Bailey was a man of many talents who knew what he wantedâbut that wasnât a good thing.
When he ran away with his wifeâs sister, leaving six children behind, people were angry.
A short while later, George would be dead for completely different reasons.
Episode Correction
Early in the episode, I recommend that you should all read A Good Marriage, believing it was the same as the movie, 1922.
If youâve read A Good Marriage, you might be rightfully confused.
Apparently the Kindle version of the story also has 1922 as a part of it, and my Kindle decided to just jump straight to 1922, so what I read wasnât A Good Marriage at all. đ
These are, in fact, two different stories in one digital book.
You can enjoy both here:
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Marriage-Stephen-King-ebook/dp/B00NJXK37U/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=A+good+marriage&qid=1628691477&sr=8-4
Leanne Tiernan was sixteen when she disappeared after shopping with a friend.
Almost a year later, her body is discovered.
The quest to find her killer will require a sales history, DNA testing, and a few ex-girlfriends that are willing to spill the tea about the disturbing habits of a less-than-pleasant ex.
In the end, Leanneâs case helps police solve a few others.
Steven Stayner, brother of notorious serial killer, Cary Stayner, was seven years old when he was abducted.
Despite being held in captivity for seven years while attending school under a fake name, he thrived and went on to live a happy life until him untimely death.
Steven never went out of his way to save himself, but when the pedophile that abducted him snatched up another little boy named Timothy White and brought him back to his home of horrors, Steven knew that he needed to act.
He saved himselfâand a five-year-old childâbut hundreds of miles away, his brother was turning into a violent predator.
In the end of this mini-series, we discuss the stories of these two boys.
When two women and two teenage girls are killed in a grisly set of murders near Yosemite National Park, police want answers.
Their trail led them to Cary Stayner, who was quickly labeled as a serial killer for his crimesâbut there is more to the story than you might expect.
Before Cary Stayner was a serial killer, he was the older brother of seven-year-old Steven Stayner, a child who was abducted and spent seven years in captivity with a child molester before a harrowing escape.
This is Cary Staynerâs story.
In the middle of the night, three people are killed in a crowded family homeâand a twelve-year-old girl disappears, only to turn up dead later.
Three little boys are spared during the violent attack, but two families will never be the same again.
Who killed Sue Sharp, two of her children, and a family friend?
An abusive ex? An enraged neighbor? A deranged admirer with a crush on a preteen girl?
Letâs find out.
Nyleen Marshall was four when she disappeared while on a camping trip with her parents.
Less than two years later, letters and calls started coming in from someone who claimed that they had Nyleenâand that they loved her too much to let her go.
Nyleen was never found, but that isnât the end of her story.
In her absence, her family suffered another tragic loss, and another girl was saved.
Paula Welden was eighteen years old when she decided to head out for a hike in the Bennington Triangle, an area known for countless disappearances.
When none of her friends could make it, she made the choice to go out and have the experience for herself.
After walking and hitchhiking, she found her way to the trailheadâbut then she suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Rumors began swirling around her disappearance immediately.
Was it a murder? A suicide? An elopement gone wrong?
Letâs find out.
Bobby Panknin was four years old when he disappeared while on a camping trip with his family.
When his brothers ran off to find a creek, he was left behindâand less than five minutes later, he was gone.
His family, locals, and police all searched the woods, but no sign of Bobby was ever found.
Learn the amazing ways that his family has coped with this loss.
Link to the interview: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2011/may/15/1963-little-bobby-panknin-vanished-family-camping-/
When eleven-year-old Terri Lynn goes out for a bike ride before Thanksgiving dinner and doesnât return, her parents call the police because they are afraid that something happened to her.
The next day, she is found deadâcast over the side of a bridge to the ocean and sharp rocks below.
Decades later, police finally get a break in the case, offering her remaining family a small piece of closure.
Rebecca Coriam was twenty-four when she disappeared from the Disney Wonder cruise ship while working as a crewmember.
Despite the fact that the ship was covered in cameras, Rebeccaâs last moments were somehow missed.
Was this an accident, a murder, or a suicide?
A newly wed couple is offered the chance of a lifetime when someone decides to pay them for breaking a record on a local river.
All they have to do is make itâbut for Bessie, the bride who has never been on the riverâitâs a much bigger challenge.
Her husband is convinced that they can make it, but when the boat shows up and they donât, investigators wonder if there might be more to their disappearance.
When loved ones find a gun in Bessieâs lingerie drawer, the narrative changes.
When the Girls Scouts were first formed, their goal was to educate and inspire girls in America.
Through camps and exciting outings, they help young girls to learn how to be their best selvesâbut in 1977, disaster struck.
Three little girls were dragged from their tent and murdered while attending one of these camps.
A search for the killers would leave police chasing down criminals in the area, but the Girl Scouts would never be the same again.
When the Duperrault family heads out on a yacht with an experienced captain and his wife, they are ready to see the world.
When the ship sinks, only the captain, Julian Harvey, manages to survive.
A few days later, eleven-year-old Terry Jo Duperrault is fished out of the sea. Sheâs alive, and she has a chilling story about what really happened aboard the Bluebelle.
Links
Tere Joâs Dinghy: https://www.mamamia.com.au/terry-jo-duperrault/
Tere Joâs Book: https://www.amazon.com/Alone-Orphaned-Richard-Logan-PhD-ebook/dp/B003NX74G4
Suzanne Eaton was an award-winning scientist who disappeared from a scientific conference in Greece while she was out for a run. After a year, her body was discovered in a World War II bunker, sparking an investigation into her abduction and murder.
To honor her legacy, memorial funds have been created to support up-and-coming scientists.
Donation Link:
https://www.betterplace.org/en/projects/71780-suzanne-eaton-fund
Support Sam, a growing artist and graphic designer, with this link:
buymeacoffee.com/GunmetalDraws.
When a couple in their late twenties trades backpacking for a road trip across Australia to see more, they are surprised when they are flagged down by a local who informs them they have car trouble.
The man offers to help, but instead, he kills Peter and plans to abduct Joanne.
Joanneâs fight for survival begins immediately and stretches on for five full hours as she hides in the Australian wilderness while her boyfriendâs killer hunts for her.
Joanneâs Book: https://www.booktopia.com.au/no-turning-back-joanne-lees/ebook/9780733638626.html
The Reddit Thread for Josh Hallâs family:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/Ultralight/comments/le24zd/my_husbands_cousin_josh_hall_and_his_dog_happy/
In part four of a four-part series, we discuss one of the Babes in the Wood murders, aptly named after a story written in 1595.
Gary Hanlon and Susan Blatchford went out to play for an hour before dinner, but when the two friends didnât return, their parents began to worry.
After weeks spent missing, they are finally found.
Police believed that the children died from the cold, but their families were convinced that the two children were murdered.
In the end, the death of another young girl would finally lead police to their killer.
Support BreeAnn on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/LikeAndInscribe/
In part three of a four-part series, we discuss one of the Babes in the Wood murders, aptly named after a story written in 1595.
Two friends head out to play at the park and never make it home. A helpful neighbor finds them and checks them for signs of life, but they have already passed away.
Is their neighbor really a good guy, or is he a murderer hiding in plain sight?
Find out about one final murder of the same name in the next and final episode.
In part two of a four-part series, we discuss one of the Babes in the Wood murders, aptly named after a story written in 1595.
The bodies of two children are found in Stanley Park by a gardener. Police quickly get to work trying to identify the kids, but canât seem to determine when they diedâor what gender they are.
There is no end to this case, but there sure are a lot of theories.
Find out about two other murders of the same name in the next two episodes.
In part one of a four-part series, we discuss one of the Babes in the Wood murders, aptly named after a story written in 1595.
Three little girls are found suffocated in the woods. Two dead adults 100 miles away are the only ones who know what happened to them, but their family and friends sure love to speculate.
Did Elmo Noakes really run away with his eighteen-year-old niece with plans of disposing of his three motherless girls, or did something more strange happen here?
Find out about three other murders of the same name in the next three episodes.
In the 80s and 90s, the Satanic Panic tore through America. People were seeing the devil everywhere, but one kid thought he saw Lucifer more clearly than the rest.
In this episode, we explore the brutal killing of Gary Lauwers at the hands of Ricky Kasso, a boy who was commonly known as The Acid King.
Drugs and the devil make for a deadly combination.
Rolling Stones Interview:
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/long-island-devil-cult-murder-ricky-kasso-david-breskin-901069/
Erin Gilbert went out for a date to a local fair with a new guy that she just met. Within two hours, she was ready to go home, but she never made it there. Her dateâs story doesnât quite add upâand now heâs gone too. What happened?
Two honeymooners set out on a cruise to see the world. What starts out as a fun celebration ends with a fight, four strange men, and a murder.
Marjorie West was a four-year-old girl who disappeared from a Motherâs Day picnic while she was out picking flowers for her mom. Nearly 83 years later, her family still believes that she is aliveâand they might not be wrong.
When two little boys disappear while fishing in different areas on the same day, the town has questions. Unfortunately, the answers donât seem to add up.
Milly Dowler wasnât the only victim of Levi Bellfield. In fact, police believe that there are more victims than we will likely ever know. In this episode, we will explore more of his crimes.
When thirteen-year-old Milly Dowler disappeared on her way home from a local cafe, the neighborhood went on full alert. Despite this, her killer would abduct and kill several other girls before he was found. Learn how the streets have been made safer thanks to her family after this awful crime.
Melanie Melanson was fourteen when she went to a party with her friends. After a night of fun, she was never seen again. Is she really missing or was the truth covered up by someone with true crime experience?
The Bermuda Triangle has been an area of focus in missing persons cases for agesâor has it? Is this part of the ocean a true crime hotspot or just a place with seriously dangerous weather? Join me for the stories of people who have gone missing in this unholy place.
In 1998, a sixteen-year-old boy in the suburbs did the unthinkable: he killed his mom. Then, he roped in his friends to cover up the crimeâbut is there more to the story? Venture into a bit of local true crime with me in this episode!
Theodosia Burr Alston was the beloved daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr, but her life wasnât all that perfect. Learn about how Theodosia tragically vanished after the credits rolled on Hamiltonâs tale in this episode full of speculation and rumor.
A man in his sixties killed several hikers and backpackers before he was finally caught. Learn about how this killer used his knowledge of nature to commit some truly disturbing crimes!
A brief update on the show and how a blizzard is impacting production for this weekâs episode.
Judy Smith left to go sightseeing in Philadelphia and disappeared without a trace. Police suspect she might have been living a secret life somewhere new. Everything was going fine until she got murdered.
Most of us wouldnât want someone poking around in our browser history, but when police think youâre a killer, you may not have a choice. Learn about the modern definition of premeditation and how a search history uncovered an unspeakable act of domestic violence.
Important Note
If you or someone that you love has been a victim of domestic violence, please consider seeking help through the links below.
You are not alone and you can find help.
-https://www.thehotline.org/
-https://victimconnect.org/learn/types-of-crime/domestic-violence/
-https://ncadv.org/get-help
-https://www.womenslaw.org/find-help/advocates-and-shelters
Genealogy tests are all the rage, but some of them come with unexpected results. Learn how one of these tests helped police find a killer decades after his crime.
To enter the Surviving Nature Giveaway and win a chance at our amazing prizes, follow this link: https://talko.fm/enter
The Butlerâs were living their dream of traveling the United States and exploring the world on their own terms. When they stopped by a scenic beach location for a couple of weeks, they expected good times and a bit of fun. Instead, they ran into another couple that wanted them dead. This is the ongoing story of James and Michelle Butler and the horrible crimes committed against them.
Contest Details Below
To enter the âSurviving Natureâ contest for a chance to win AMAZING outdoorsy prizes, visit the contest page here: https://talko.fm/enter
Ben McDaniel disappeared after being allowed into off-limits diving caves at Vortex Spring by employees at the site. Did the water claim himâor was he actually murdered?
Backpacking is a fun and exciting way to explore the world and meet new people, but not everyone that you meet on the road has your best interests at heart. In Australia, the bodies of seven backpackers showed up in Belanglo Forest. This is the story of their killer.
Ursula Herrmann was riding her bike home from her auntâs house when she disappeared without a trace. Weâre going to explore what happened to Ursula and all of the reasons that it never should have. The only thing worse than regular kidnappers is incompetent kidnappers. This is her story.
Kidnappers letter: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/about-us/news/royal-holloway-historian-helps-shine-new-light-on-modern-german-cold-case/