PODCAST · true crime
Box in the Basement
by Arlene, Leah, Bree
"Box in the Basement" is a compelling new podcast created by Arlene, a woman whose life was forever changed by a family tragedy. The unsolved murder of her Uncle Leon Laurales serves as the catalyst for this investigative series. Disturbed by the lackluster investigation and the mystery that still surrounds his case, Arlene dives deep into the details of her uncle's story, uncovering the many problems that plagued the investigation. Her journey doesn't stop there, as she expands her focus to other unsolved cases in Central Texas. Each episode of "Box in the Basement" promises to shed light on the overlooked and forgotten mysteries in her local community, hoping to find answers and justice for those who have been silenced.
Episodes
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The 11-Year-Old Boy Scout Murder That Has Stumped Police for 55 Years
Send us Fan Mail In April 1970, 11-year-old Terry Bowers eagerly joined his Boy Scout troop for an overnight camping trip at a Catholic church in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Terry had worked odd jobs to earn the money for the trip and was especially excited to sleep under the stars to earn a...
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The Rising TV Reporter Murdered in Her Own Apartment: The Jennifer Servo Mystery
Send us Fan Mail In September 2002, 22-year-old television reporter Jennifer Servo was living her dream. After leaving Montana for a reporting job in Abilene, Texas, she was quickly making a name for herself as a talented young journalist with a bright future ahead. But just weeks after arriving…
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He Left His Diner Unlocked to Feed People in Need… Then Someone Murdered Him on Memorial Day Weekend
Send us Fan Mail On Memorial Day weekend in 2011, beloved New Jersey diner owner Shafiq “Steve” Ezzedine was finishing up another long shift at the family restaurant he’d spent decades building. Known throughout Roxbury Township for his kindness, generosity, and tireless work ethic, Steve often...
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A Letter to Leon
Send us Fan Mail On the thirtieth anniversary of Leon's murder, Arlene pours her heart out about losing her Uncle and best friend, her sadness, and the devastation of never receiving justice. To Leon: Brother, Uncle, Friend, protector, and a precious life lost too soon. Support Box in the…
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Thirty Years Later & Still No Answers: Who Killed Leon Laurales? Part 1
Send us Fan Mail It's been thirty years since Arlene received the worst news of her life: her Uncle and best friend was murdered in the dead of night on his way to work. His car left burning in a culvert next to the railroad tracks and a gun range on the outskirts of Brownwood, Texas. The next...
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They Were Safe in a Gated Community… Then Someone Executed Them in Their Sleep
Send us Fan Mail In March 2006, Albert and Joan Musalo were living a quiet, comfortable retirement in a gated golf community outside Reno, Nevada. They were well-liked, financially secure, and deeply devoted to their family. Then, overnight, everything changed. The couple was found shot to death…
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She Left a Downton Abbey Watch Party… Then Was Found Murdered in Her Own Home: The Kate Ragsdale Mystery
Send us Fan Mail On February 16, 2013, 73-year-old Kate Ragsdale followed a routine she rarely broke. After dinner, she met friends to watch her favorite show, Downton Abbey. At around 9:15 p.m., a friend watched her pull into her driveway in Tuscaloosa’s quiet Highlands neighborhood. No one saw...
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Aliens, Espionage, or Murder? Inside Texas’s Most Bizarre Missing Persons Case: The Patterson's
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Box in the Basement, we examine one of Texas’s most enduring cold cases: the mysterious disappearance of William and Margaret Patterson of El Paso in 1957. The wealthy couple vanished without warning, leaving behind their home, business, finances, and even...
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A Child Gone in 1985. A Mother Gone in 2025. Why Are These Texas Cases Still Unsolved?
Send us Fan Mail In 1985, 11-year-old Angelica Gandera vanished while walking home from her grandmother’s house in Temple, Texas. Despite eyewitness accounts and multiple persons of interest, no trace of her has ever been found. In 2025, 48-year-old Monica Sanford disappeared after leaving to go...
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A 12-Year Old Kimberly Norwood Walks Home & Vanishes Forever
Send us Fan Mail On May 20, 1989, Kimberly Rachelle Norwood, a 12-year-old honor student, left a friend’s house in Hallsville, Texas and began the one-mile walk home. She never arrived. In this episode, join Arlene and Leah as they examine Kimberly’s disappearance, the early assumption that she…
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The Highway That Hunts: Canada’s Most Infamous Cold Cases - Highway of Tears part 3
Send us Fan Mail Part 3 of our Highway of Tears series examines some of the most infamous missing and murdered cases along Highways 16, 5, and 97 in British Columbia, from the 1990s to the present day. We explore the disappearances of Delphine Nikal, Ramona Wilson, Roxanne Thiara, Alisha…
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The Stranger, the Job Offer, and the Family That Never Returned: More Mysteries on the Highway of Tears
Send us Fan Mail For more than five decades, a remote stretch of road in British Columbia has been the epicenter of one of Canada’s darkest crises. The Highway of Tears is home to dozens of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and families — many cases mishandled, ignored, or never fully...
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The Shocking Truth Behind 40 Missing Women: What’s Really Happening on Canada’s Highway of Tears?
Send us Fan Mail The Highway of Tears is ground zero in one of Canada’s darkest ongoing tragedies. For more than 50 years, dozens of people – mostly Indigenous women and girls – have been murdered or gone missing along Highway 16 and its connecting routes in northern British Columbia. Despite…
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The Mayor’s Sons and the Women Who Died: Alaska’s Unanswered Crimes
Send us Fan Mail Two Indigenous women—Jennifer Kirk and Sue Sue Norton—were both found dead at the home of a former Alaska mayor. Both had dated his sons. Both suffered violence. And yet, no one has ever been charged. Join Box in the Basement as Arlene and Leah uncover the disturbing failures,...
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She Tried to Leave Him. Then She Disappeared: The Cases of Senovia Medina & Cecilia Huerta Gallego
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Arlene and Leah uncover the tragic cases of Senovia Medina, a young mother who fled civil war in El Salvador only to vanish in Houston in 2006 — her boyfriend later convicted of her murder, though her body was never found — and Cecilia Huerta Gallegos, a San...
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Gone Without a Trace: How a Mother’s Disappearance Exposed the Dark Side of Texas Justice
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Box in the Basement, Arlene and Leah uncover the chilling case of Vicki Lynn Nisbett, a Texas mother who vanished in 1991—without a body ever found. Her husband was convicted, released, and reconvicted in a legal saga that still divides Williamson County. Was...
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Vanished Without a Trace: The Unsolved Mysteries of Margaret Chauncy & Lisa Chandler
Send us Fan Mail In 1987, 24-year-old Margaret Chauncy left her shift at St. Michael’s Hospital in Texarkana and asked a coworker to follow her home, fearing she was being stalked by a man in a black car. She pulled into her apartment complex in her red Pontiac Fiero—and vanished. Nearly 38 years...
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America’s First Serial Killer? The Austin Servant Girl Murders, 1885 Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Join us for part 2 exploring the perpetrator of the Austin Servant Girl Murders. If you or someone you know is a victim of violence, please go to Domestic Violence Support or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. 800-799-SAFE. The hotline is asnwered 24 hours a day by...
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America’s First Serial Killer? The Austin Servant Girl Murders, 1885
Send us Fan Mail Between 1884 and 1885, a shadowy figure terrorized the city, breaking into homes, dragging women from their beds, and leaving behind scenes so brutal that even hardened reporters became physically ill. The press dubbed him the Servant Girl Annihilator—some later called him the...
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The Driveway Execution Caught on Camera: Who Pulled the Trigger on Elizabeth Barraza?
Send us Fan Mail She was setting up for a garage sale at sunrise. Minutes later, she was dead. On January 25, 2019, 29-year-old Elizabeth Barraza stepped into her driveway in Tomball, Texas, ready for a weekend of fundraising and fun. What happened next was caught on camera—but the killer remains…
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Attacked on Camera, Missing Without a Trace - Her Body Discovered 70 Miles Away: The Case of Tiera Strand
Send us Fan Mail Tiera Strand, a 25-year-old mother from Austin, Texas, vanished on April 16, 2023, after a night out on Sixth Street with friends. As she worked to complete her GED, Tiera dreamed of joining the Navy to forge a better future for herself and her daughter, despite her family's...
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Texas’s Oldest Unsolved Family Massacre: What Really Happened to the Arellanos?
Send us Fan Mail In 1968, five members of the Arellano family were slaughtered outside a remote Texas farmhouse, after two blown out tires in the middle of nowhere. Like out of a horror movie, the whole family was found shot, stabbed and beaten to death, with one sole survivor, 5-year old Manuel...
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7-Year-Old Cortney Clayton Disappeared in Broad Daylight… Then Her Body Was Found 15 Miles Away
Send us Fan Mail Seven-year-old Cortney Clayton vanished while walking home from a corner store in tiny Stamford, Texas. It was 1988—a time when kids still rode bikes until dark, and trust lingered in small towns. But what followed shattered that trust: Cortney's body was found miles away, and...
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He Vanished After a Party—Three Years Later, His Bones Were Found on a Hillside: The Case of
Send us Fan Mail On a cold February night in 1999, 25-year-old Wil Hendrick vanished after leaving a party near Moscow, Idaho. His friends thought he had walked home. He never made it. Months later, his abandoned car was found—muddied, keys gone, and ominously silent. Three years after that…
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They Were in Love. He Was Watching. Then He Opened Fire.
Send us Fan Mail In the spring of 1988, two women set out for peace, adventure, and freedom on the Appalachian Trail. But only one would make it home. Rebecca Wight and Claudia Brenner were hiking through Pennsylvania’s Michaux State Forest when their journey turned into a nightmare. After being...
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Utah’s Dark LGBT History—Who Murdered Anthony Adams?
Send us Fan Mail In 1978, 27-year-old Anthony Adams, a gay man living in Salt Lake City, was found brutally murdered in his home. His killing was both savage and personal—signs of a struggle and a life cut short. Four decades later, no arrests have been made, and vital evidence has gone missing....
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Trans, Two-Spirit, Missing & Murdered: Aubrey Dameron
Send us Fan Mail In the early morning of March 9, 2019, 25-year-old Aubrey Dameron left her home in Grove, Oklahoma, and disappeared. As a transgender, two-spirit woman, Aubrey’s identity placed her at greater risk in a community already grappling with systemic gaps in missing persons cases. Her...
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The Unsolved Murder of Leon Laureles: Crying For Justice
Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Box in the Basement, Arlene is joined by her life partner, Leah, and podcast producer Bree to discuss the latest developments in the unsolved 1996 murder of Leon Laureles in Brownwood, Texas. 💔 Arlene shares the emotional toll of losing Leon and...
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Justice for Leon part 3: The Day of the Murder
Send us Fan Mail In this gripping continuation of Box in the Basement, host Arlene shares what happened in the days leading up to and the night of her uncle Leon Laureles unsolved murder on May 10th, 1996, outside Brownwood, Texas. Through witness accounts, community stories, and her own…
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Justice for Leon part 2: Examining a Victim's Life
Send us Fan Mail This episode tells the emotional life story of Leon Laureles—a beloved uncle, caregiver, and community member—who was murdered on May 10, 1996, outside Brownwood, Texas. Nearly three decades later, his case remains unsolved, and justice has never been served. Host Arlene, Leon’s...
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Justice for Leon part 1: Arlene’s Journey of Heartbreak & Headaches
Send us Fan Mail This month, Box in the Basement returns to where it all began—the story of Leon Laureles, a beloved 30-year-old man who was murdered execution-style outside of Brownwood, Texas, on May 10, 1996. His case remains unsolved and is suspected to be a hate crime. Host Arlene, Leon’s...
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A Pregnant Woman’s Final Call: Why Was D’Lisa Kelley Ignored?
Send us Fan Mail In March 2014, 24-year-old D’Lisa Kelley—pregnant and full of life—left her Dallas home to attend a funeral. She never came back. Hours later, she was heard on a phone call screaming for help. Her family pleaded with police to track her phone, but delays and missteps followed.…
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She Vanished on the 4th of July—Who Took Dannarriah Finley?
Send us Fan Mail In the early hours of July 4th, 2002, four-year-old Dannarriah Finley disappeared from her home in Orange, Texas. Days later, her body was discovered in a neighboring county, sparking one of Southeast Texas’s most heart-wrenching investigations. For over two decades, the case has...
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Two Women. Two Holidays. Two Unsolved Murders: The Cases of Kristen Wilson & Terressa Vanegas
Send us Fan Mail On Halloween night in 2006, 16-year-old Terressa Vanegas left her Dickinson, Texas, home and never returned. Her body was found the following day, dumped behind a school—brutally murdered, her shoes missing, her future stolen. Despite multiple suspects and public pleas, her case...
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He Walked Into the Desert. She Left Her Apartment. Neither Were Seen Again: The Disappearances of Catherine Hammel and Christopher Saunders
Send us Fan Mail Two Texans. Two timelines. Two lives vanished without a trace. In 2017, Chris Sanders walked away from his RV in Monahans, Texas, into thin air. With no ID, phone, or confirmed sightings, the 40-year-old father disappeared. Despite public appeals and tireless efforts from his...
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He Disappeared on Super Bowl Sunday… 1,600 Miles Away, a Body Appeared
Send us Fan Mail On Super Bowl Sunday, 1993, Amarillo attorney David Glenn Lewis vanished without a trace. His family returned home to find his glasses and keys still inside, the TV on, and food half-eaten. Days later, a man matching David’s description was found dead—struck by a car on a dark...
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Luxury Home, Triple Deaths, No Answers—What Really Happened in Anaqua Springs?
Send us Fan Mail In January 2019, Nichol Olsen and her two young daughters were found shot to death inside a luxury home in the Anaqua Springs Ranch community near San Antonio, Texas. Authorities quickly ruled it a murder-suicide, claiming Nichol shot her daughters before turning the gun on...
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No Forced Entry, No Arrests—A Texas Cold Case That Won’t Rest
Send us Fan Mail On a quiet evening in 1981, Karen Lynn Douglas—a devoted mother from Harris County, Texas—was brutally stabbed to death in her own home. With no signs of forced entry, investigators believed she may have known her killer. But despite an extensive investigation, the case quickly...
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A Feud, A Fire, and A Murder—The Twisted Case of Ira Tobolowsky
Send us Fan Mail On May 13, 2016, prominent Dallas attorney Ira Tobolowsky was found burned to death inside his home. What first appeared to be a tragic accident quickly unraveled into something far more sinister. Investigators determined the fire had been deliberately set, and Ira had been...
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She Went Jogging and Never Came Home—What Happened to Rachel Cooke?
Send us Fan Mail On the morning of January 10, 2002, 19-year-old Rachel Cooke went for a run in her quiet Georgetown, Texas neighborhood. She was home from college for the holidays, enjoying the break with family. She never returned. Rachel was last seen less than a mile from her house, a routine...
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Caught on Camera: The Chilling Church Murder of Missy Bevers
Send us Fan Mail On April 18, 2016, 45-year-old fitness instructor Missy Bevers arrived early at Creekside Church in Midlothian, Texas, to set up for a boot camp class. Less than an hour later, she was found brutally murdered inside. Surveillance footage captured a chilling figure dressed in full...
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Slashed Tires, Shaky Alibis: The Vanishing of Tara Breckenridge
Send us Fan Mail On a warm July night in 1992, 23-year-old Tara Breckenridge finished her shift at The Men’s Club, an upscale Houston nightclub, and walked out into the night. She never made it home. A promising young woman with dreams of photography, Tara vanished without a trace, leaving a…
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No Shoes, No Money, No Goodbye—What Happened to Monica Carrasco?
Send us Fan Mail On the night of October 2, 2003, 16-year-old Monica Carrasco seemingly vanished into thin air from her relatives' home in Balmorhea, Texas. She had recently moved in with her aunt and uncle after her mother suffered a stroke, and though she was adjusting to a new environment,...
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A Killer Set Free? The Frustrating Unsolved Murder of Brittany McGlone
Send us Fan Mail In the early morning hours of July 2007, 19-year-old Brittany McGlone clocked out from her overnight shift at a local store in Wood County, Texas. She was tired but eager to get home and rest. By the afternoon, she was dead—brutally murdered in the home she shared with her...
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A Christmas Eve Tragedy: The 2015 Unsolved Murder of Henry Gutierrez
Send us Fan Mail Henry Gutierrez Jr., a 71-year-old prominent businessman from Schertz, Texas, was known for his charisma, generosity, and success as a real estate mogul and former nightclub owner. Described as hardworking and deeply connected to his community, Henry was known for helping those…
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Three Billboards & Still No Justice: The Unsolved Murder of Kathy Page
Send us Fan Mail In the early hours of May 14, 1991, Kathy Page was found dead in her car in Vidor, Texas, the victim of what appeared to be a staged car accident. Decades later, her murder remains unsolved, casting a long shadow over the quiet town. Kathy’s father took justice into his own…
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13 and Gone: The Unsolved Murder of Hailey Dunn
Send us Fan Mail Hailey Dunn, a 13-year-old from Colorado City, Texas, vanished on December 27, 2010, after telling her mother she was going to a friend’s house. Her disappearance sparked a massive search, but her remains weren’t discovered until 2013, near Lake J.B. Thomas. Years of…
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The Vanishing of Misty Copsey: A 14-Year-Old's Disappearance That Still Haunts Washington
Send us Fan Mail In 1992, 14-year-old Misty Copsey disappeared after attending the Puyallup Fair in Washington. Misty was a bright, independent teenager who spent the evening at the fair with a friend. Misty attempted to walk home when she missed her bus but never made it. Her mother, Diana…
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The Tragic Indigenous Murders of Rachel Sloan and Lakota Renville
Send us Fan Mail Rachel Sloan and Lakota Renville were Indigenous women whose lives ended in violence, leaving their families searching for justice. Rachel’s burned remains were found in 2015 in Laytonville, California, and her case remains unsolved, overshadowed by systemic neglect that often...
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Shining Light on Indigenous Women: The Disappearance of Ida Beard & Murder of Suspicious Death of Chynelle Lockwood
Send us Fan Mail When 29-year-old Ida Beard, a shy Cheyenne & Arapaho woman from Oklahoma, disappeared, it left her family and community devastated. Her vanishing led to the passage of “Ida’s Law,” groundbreaking legislation designed to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
"Box in the Basement" is a compelling new podcast created by Arlene, a woman whose life was forever changed by a family tragedy. The unsolved murder of her Uncle Leon Laurales serves as the catalyst for this investigative series. Disturbed by the lackluster investigation and the mystery that still surrounds his case, Arlene dives deep into the details of her uncle's story, uncovering the many problems that plagued the investigation. Her journey doesn't stop there, as she expands her focus to other unsolved cases in Central Texas. Each episode of "Box in the Basement" promises to shed light on the overlooked and forgotten mysteries in her local community, hoping to find answers and justice for those who have been silenced.
HOSTED BY
Arlene, Leah, Bree
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Box in the Basement have?
Box in the Basement currently has 97 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Box in the Basement about?
"Box in the Basement" is a compelling new podcast created by Arlene, a woman whose life was forever changed by a family tragedy. The unsolved murder of her Uncle Leon Laurales serves as the catalyst for this investigative series. Disturbed by the lackluster investigation and the mystery that still...
How often does Box in the Basement release new episodes?
Box in the Basement has 97 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Box in the Basement?
You can listen to Box in the Basement on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Box in the Basement?
Box in the Basement is created and hosted by Arlene, Leah, Bree.
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