Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast

For months, Harold Allen suffered from worsening illnesses that doctors could not fully explain. When he died in Freetown, Indiana, just days before Christmas 2022, his death was attributed to serious cardiac problems. His family believed they had lost him to a sudden decline in his health. Nine months later, a burglary at the home of Harold’s widow, Marsha Allen, gave investigators a reason to look again. What began as a break in led detectives to thousands of text messages between Marsha and her daughter, Ashley Jones, and evidence of a poisoning plot that included a root beer float. In 2025, Ashley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. Marsha died before she was charged. We cover Harold’s life, the illnesses that were not what they seemed, the burglary that changed the investigation, and the evidence that finally explained what happened. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Whether you're looking for WLP-1, Magnesium, Berberine, CoQ10 or dozens of other science-backed supplements, start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to absorbmore.com and enter MOMS at check out for up to 35% off your first order. Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/moms. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card.  Savings provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In March 2010, Holly Bartlett, a 31 year old blind public servant and graduate student, left a party in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and took a cab toward her condo. Seven hours later, ironworkers found her critically injured inside a fenced area beneath the MacKay Bridge, less than 1,000 feet from her home. Police concluded Holly became disoriented after leaving the cab, entered the restricted area, climbed a steep concrete abutment, and fell. But the people who knew Holly best struggled to accept that explanation. Holly had spent years mastering the orientation and mobility skills that allowed her to live independently. Her cane was later found leaning against a fence after police and a search dog had already searched the area. Her phone and wallet were discovered scattered in her condo parking lot. The cab driver, Paul Fraser, gave changing accounts of what happened after he dropped her off. A 2014 independent review upheld the accidental death finding, but criticized important parts of the original investigation, including delayed neighborhood canvassing and the brief initial interview with the last person known to see Holly alive. We cover Holly's life, the final night that cannot be fully reconstructed, and the questions her family still carries. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code MOMS. Exclusions apply.  It’s not too late to enroll for this fall… see how K12-Powered Schools can help your child thrive, this year and beyond! Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutrafol.com and enter promo code MOMS. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In September 1987, Vincent Sherry and his wife Margaret were found shot to death inside their Biloxi, Mississippi home. Vincent was a former Air Force colonel, a law professor, and a sitting circuit court judge. Margaret was a prominent local attorney and politician. Neither had any known enemies. The investigation would take years and lead directly into the heart of the Dixie Mafia, a loose network of contract killers, drug smugglers, and corrupt officials who had turned Biloxi's Gulf Coast into one of the most lawless stretches in the American South. What investigators eventually uncovered was that Vincent's own law partner, Peter Hallett, had pointed Dixie Mafia hitman Kirksey Nix toward the Sherrys to protect himself from a money dispute he had no clean way out of. Peter stood at the Sherry family's side at the funeral. He handed out copies of the eulogy to the press. He described Vincent and Margaret as family.Convictions were eventually secured for racketeering, fraud, conspiracy, and murder-for-hire. But no one was ever charged with pulling the trigger inside the Sherry home. The murders technically remain unsolved. We cover the full story, including the Dixie Mafia, the corruption that made Biloxi a criminal safe haven, the Sherry family, and the betrayal that set everything in motion. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Upgrade your everyday. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com/moms. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On November 24, 1971, a man calling himself Dan Cooper boarded a flight in Portland, handed a flight attendant a note saying he had a bomb, and walked away with $200,000 in ransom after jumping out of the plane somewhere over the Pacific Northwest. He was never identified. His body was never found. And to this day, most of the money has never turned up.To the public, it looked like he got away with it. That was enough. In the months and years that followed, a string of men tried to copy what Dan (or who the public would know him by) D.B. Cooper had done boarding planes with fake bombs, demanding money and parachutes, and attempting to disappear into the sky. Some lost their nerve. Some were surrounded before they ever got off the ground. One actually knew how to use a parachute, landed successfully in a Colorado wheat field, and then discovered that the U.S. Air Force had been watching him the entire way down. We cover the original D.B. Cooper hijacking and the copycats who followed, and why nearly all of them demonstrated just how unlikely his disappearance really was. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Right now IQ Bars is offering our special podcast listeners including the Ultimate sampler pack, plus FREE shipping. That’s MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card.  Savings provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the night of his 21st birthday, U.S. Army soldier Zarius Hildabrand came home drunk from the bars in Anchorage, Alaska. His wife Saria, also a soldier and also 21, spent the next hour going through his phone and finding proof he had been cheating. A neighbor heard a single gunshot at 2:46 AM.By the next morning, Zarius was texting her coworkers from her phone, telling her friends she had walked out, and joining the search party that formed to find her. He knew exactly where she was the entire time. Saria Hildabrand was a National Guard combat medic who had moved to Alaska to build a life and a career. She called her mom every single day. On June 25, 2026, a jury found Zarius guilty of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. He faces up to 99 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October 2026. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollandBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply.  Right now IQ Bars is offering our special podcast listeners including the Ultimate sampler pack, plus FREE shipping. That’s MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 2023, police in the Bahamas were investigating a routine bar burglary when they stumbled onto something shocking . And that was WhatsApp messages on a suspect's phone containing a photo of Robert Shiver, a former Auburn football player and Georgia businessman, alongside a text that read: "Kill him." The messages were allegedly sent by his wife, Lindsay Shiver, a former beauty queen from south Alabama. Three years later, Lindsay has still not gone to trial. The case has been delayed over and over again — and now her U.S. attorney is arguing it should be thrown out entirely, claiming there is a "legally fatal" defect in the prosecution's case. He says the Bahamas may not even have jurisdiction to charge her because she was in the United States, not the Bahamas, on the day the alleged conspiracy took place.We originally covered this case in March 2026. We are re-releasing it today with a new update because this story is still very much unfolding, and the question we keep asking is: will Lindsay Shiver ever actually face a jury? We cover the full story: the marriage, the affair, the hitman, the accidental discovery, and where everything stands right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When successful Houston veterinarian Valerie McDaniel began dating Leon Jacob, they bonded over the problems they believed their former partners were causing them. Leon presented himself as a brilliant surgeon, but the reality was a trail of failed residencies, massive debt, and a history of stalking and abuse. Within weeks of their relationship starting, those private grievances escalated into a shocking murder-for-hire plot. In this episode, we dive into how Leon and Valerie arranged to have both of their exes killed, the undercover sting operation at an Olive Garden that brought them down, and the tragic aftermath of their arrests. Thank you to this week's sponsors! IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get yours text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.  Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Support the show: Check out our Patreon for ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content: patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the release of Netflix's A Toxic Love Story, we knew it was time to bring this one back. We originally covered the case of Michelle Hadley in 2019, but the story has changed dramatically since then, and this week we are telling the whole thing from start to finish. In 2016, Michelle Hadley was accused of terrorizing her ex-fiance's pregnant wife and sending strangers to her home to carry out a violent sexual attack. The evidence appeared so overwhelming that Michelle spent 88 days in jail and faced the possibility of life in prison. But the case was never simply about a jealous ex and the woman who replaced her, and it would take years to uncover the role of the man connecting them. Following a federal investigation and a major 2023 conviction, we now know that US Marshal Ian Diaz was not just an innocent bystander to his new wife's diabolical framing plot. He was an active participant who used his federal position to help send an innocent woman to jail. Thank you to this week's sponsors! For 50% off your order, head to DailyLook.com and use code MOMS50.   Amplify your spring look with Thrive Causemetics. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/MOMS for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order.  Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When twenty-four-year-old expecting mother Jade Benning suddenly collapsed during a quiet date night at her Nashville apartment, it was initially reported as a severe allergic reaction. But when paramedics arrived, the scene didn't match the story being told by her boyfriend, former NFL scout Blaise Taylor. Jade was rushed to the hospital where she was placed on life support, but both she and her unborn daughter, Ivy, tragically passed away days later. As investigators began uncovering what really happened inside her apartment on February 25th, 2023, they discovered a chilling timeline of events. A frantic final phone call overheard by Jade's best friend, a deleted photograph, and a toxicology report showing an extraordinarily high concentration of cocaine in Jade's system painted a terrifying picture. In this episode, we cover the story of a successful young chef, a highly respected college athlete turned NFL scout, and a devastating betrayal driven by an unwillingness to accept a future he didn't want. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply.  Whether you're looking for WLP-1, Magnesium, Berberine, CoQ10 or dozens of other science-backed supplements, start taking supplements your body can actually absorb.  Go to absorbmore.com and enter MOMS at check out for up to 35% off your first order. Let your hair be one less thing to worry about. See visibly thicker, stronger, faster growing hair in 3–6 months with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutrafol.com and enter promo code MOMS. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1996, the quiet community of Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas was shattered by the brutal double murder of seventy-five-year-old Sally Snowden McKay and her fifty-two-year-old nephew, Joseph Lee Baker. The historic Snowden House, a landmark family estate that had belonged to Sally's family for generations, was set on fire to cover up the crime. Investigators eventually arrested fifteen-year-old Travis Lewis, a local teenager who lived across the field in a home his family rented from Sally. Travis eventually pleaded guilty to the murders and was sentenced to twenty-eight and a half years in prison, though he never publicly admitted to pulling the trigger. Decades later, Sally's daughter, Martha McKay, made a decision that shocked her family and friends. A practicing Buddhist who believed deeply in redemption and forgiveness, Martha began writing to Travis in prison. She visited him, supported his parole, and eventually hired him to work as a handyman at the newly restored Snowden House after his release in 2018. For a while, the arrangement seemed to work, but when a large sum of cash went missing from the home, Martha suspected Travis of stealing it and fired him. On the morning of March 25th, 2020, an alarm was triggered at the Snowden House. When deputies arrived, they discovered the back door open and a man fleeing the scene. The pursuit ended at the edge of Horseshoe Lake, where the suspect jumped into the water and drowned. Inside the home, deputies found sixty-three-year-old Martha bludgeoned and stabbed to death. The man who drowned was Travis. In a heartbreaking twist of fate, the very man Martha had forgiven and tried to help rebuild his life had returned to the Snowden House to take hers. Thank you to this week's sponsors! See how K12 Powered Schools can help unlock your child’s full potential. Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fall of 2023, Steven Edward Riley Jr. was living in Minot, North Dakota with his longtime partner, Ina Kenoyer, when he received a letter claiming he was the sole heir to a $30 million estate left behind by a relative he had never met. For months, Steven communicated with a man named Richard Eglin, who identified himself as the estate's attorney, as the two worked toward a meeting that would finalize the inheritance. On September 3rd, 2023, Steven collapsed after attending a series of airport meetings where Eglin never appeared. Two days later, he was dead. His official cause of death was ethylene glycol poisoning. Antifreeze. As investigators began piecing together what happened, witnesses came forward with disturbing information. Several people told police that Ina had previously talked about poisoning Steven with antifreeze specifically, and she had already begun trying to sell his belongings before she even knew he had died. What followed was one of the most contradictory police interviews investigators had ever conducted, full of shifting timelines, bizarre theories, and a woman who could not stop talking even after she asked for a lawyer. But the detail that makes this case truly unsettling is what investigators discovered about the inheritance itself. The $30 million fortune that Steven believed was about to change his life almost certainly never existed at all. He was not murdered over a fortune. He was murdered over the illusion of one. Thanks to this week's sponsors! Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod.  Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card.  Savings provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode has been one of your most requested since we first released it, so we are bringing it back. Lake Lanier, Georgia's largest lake, is one of the deadliest bodies of water in America, with over 700 deaths since its creation in 1956. But the lake's dark history goes deeper than tragic accidents. Built by flooding entire communities, including a predominantly Black town that was never properly evacuated, Lake Lanier sits atop homes, churches, and even cemeteries. Locals believe the lake is cursed, haunted by the spirits of those whose graves were disturbed. We explore the eerie history of Lake Lanier, the mysterious deaths and disappearances that continue to this day, and the folklore that has made it one of America's most haunted places. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shirley and Virgil Best were beloved, hardworking members of their Riverview, Florida, community. For forty-five years, they built a life centered around their faith, their family, and their successful tropical fish farm, Quality Fins. They were finally looking forward to a well-earned retirement traveling the world together in their RV. But beneath the surface, the couple spent decades dealing with the constant crises of their oldest son, Robert Best. A convicted con artist who had once defrauded a blind woman out of nearly a million dollars, Robert was facing a new, deeply disturbing criminal trial set to begin on the morning of November 12, 2015. Hours before he was expected in court, Robert and his wife, Marisol Best, drove to his parents' home, supposedly to pray with them. Instead, they found Shirley and Virgil brutally shot to death. While investigators initially confronted a staged burglary scene, the physical evidence quickly pointed to an insider. When a pair of missing handguns belonging to a family friend were uncovered, Marisol confessed to a crime that shocked the community. She admitted to shooting her mother and father-in-law after a tense argument about Robert's lack of family support, pulling the trigger just as they stood up to hold her hands and pray with her. This week we cover the tragic murders of Shirley and Virgil Best, the bizarre web of manipulation surrounding their son, and the ultimate act of misguided loyalty that resulted in a double life sentence. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch during their Annual Summer Event. For a limited time, get 20% off sitewide at BollAndBranch.com/moms with codes moms. Exclusions apply. Right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% percent off, text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly two decades, one man told story after story about what happened to Natalee Holloway. He blamed other people, invented elaborate coverups, took money from her family in exchange for false information, and even confessed more than once, only to take it all back. Many of us followed this case in real time as it dominated the news headlines for years. From Natalee's disappearance in Aruba in 2005, to Joran's arrest and conviction for the brutal murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez in Peru in 2010, to his eventual federal confession in 2023, the developments kept coming. But because the news came out in pieces over eighteen years, it was easy to lose track of how all the threads connected. This week we are laying out the entire timeline from beginning to end to piece the whole story together in one place. We look at Joran's early warning signs, the devastating mistakes in the initial Aruban investigation, the sting operations, the second tragic murder that could have been prevented, and the confession that finally brought a form of resolution to a grieving mother. If you lived through the news coverage of this case the way we did, this episode is the perfect way to see how the entire puzzle finally fits together. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Upgrade your wardrobe today by going to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the night of September 16, 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson was arrested at an upscale Malibu restaurant after behaving in ways that concerned both the staff and the responding deputies. She passed a field sobriety test. She was cooperative and calm throughout booking. And just after midnight, the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station opened its doors and let her walk out alone, without her car, into an area she had never been before.Her mother had already called the station to say something was wrong. The restaurant employees had said something was wrong. And still, Mitrice walked out into the dark. Nearly a year later, her remains were found in a remote stretch of the Santa Monica Mountains known as Dark Canyon. The cause of death was listed as undetermined. And the controversy surrounding how she was treated that night, and how the scene was handled when her remains were finally discovered, has never been fully resolved. This week we cover the full story of Mitrice Richardson, from her life in Southern California to the night everything went wrong, the year-long search, and the questions her family is still asking today. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Get your IQ Bars today! To get your 20% off text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Get THE most comfortable hoodie of your life by going to www.PakaApparel.com. See how K12 Powered Schools can help unlock your child’s full potential! Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In March 2010, a middle-aged ex-convict named Lawrence Ray was released from prison after serving six months for child custody interference. With nowhere else to go, he moved into his daughter Talia's co-ed dormitory at Sarah Lawrence College, a small and prestigious liberal arts school just outside New York City. Talia had spent months telling her roommates that her father was a brilliant man who had been unfairly targeted by a corrupt government. So when he arrived, the students opened the door. What began as a temporary stay quickly evolved into a decade of psychological terror, financial exploitation, and absolute domination. Larry positioned himself as a trusted mentor and therapist, conducting lengthy late-night sessions where he encouraged the students to reveal their deepest insecurities, family conflicts, and mental health struggles. Piece by piece, he assembled a detailed map of each student's vulnerabilities, which he eventually weaponized against them. Through a combination of sleep deprivation, physical violence, and relentless interrogation, Larry convinced his followers that they had committed terrible acts, poisoned him, and destroyed his property. He forced them to write detailed false confessions in journals and on video, and then insisted they owed him hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. To pay these fabricated debts, the students drained savings, borrowed from parents, performed grueling unpaid manual labor in North Carolina, and in one case, were coerced into commercial sex work.This is the story of how a master manipulator took over the minds of some of the brightest young people in the country, the New York Magazine investigation that exposed the truth, and the federal trial that finally brought him to justice. Thank you to this week's sponsors! For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutrafol.com and enter promo code MOMS. And right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% percent off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. Text MOMS 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*We realized after recording that we mispronounced the name of Traer, Iowa throughout this episode. We are sorry to anyone from Traer who had to listen to that!* On the morning of June 18, 2021, a frantic 911 call led deputies to a quiet farmhouse in Traer, Iowa. Inside, they found 42-year-old Ryan Cooper, a beloved local farmer, slumped in his recliner. He had been shot twice in the face. His wife, Karina Cooper, was found clinging to his body, sobbing and claiming that a mysterious intruder had broken into their home while she and their three children slept upstairs. But as investigators began to peel back the layers of their seemingly ordinary family life, they realized the scene was not what it appeared to be. Behind the scenes, detectives uncovered a secret affair between Karina and a local 22-year-old man named Huston Danker. Though both insisted their relationship was nothing more than a harmless online fantasy, their digital footprint told a far more sinister story. Investigators recovered messages where Karina referred to her husband as merely a sperm donor, fantasized about a rogue semi-truck accident taking him out, and openly discussed building a new life with Huston. When a half-million-dollar life insurance payout entered the picture, the pieces of a cold-blooded murder conspiracy fell into place. In 2024, nearly three years after the murder, both Karina and Huston were arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Karina chose to take the stand in her own defense, a high-risk move that ultimately sealed her fate. Following a dramatic trial, a jury convicted her in just three hours, resulting in a mandatory life sentence. Just weeks later, as his own trial was set to begin, Huston unexpectedly changed his plea to guilty, bringing a final, shocking conclusion to a devastating case. Thank you to this week's sponsors! And right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. Text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October 1987, 20-year-old Corinna Mullen was found brutally murdered in the trunk of her own car behind a city garage in Central City, Kentucky. Her injuries were catastrophic. She had been beaten, sexually assaulted, and left to die. Her boyfriend, Jimmy Springer, was arrested, tried, and ultimately acquitted when the jury found the evidence too thin to convict. The investigation was riddled with problems. Evidence was never tested. Key interviews were never recorded. And a pocket knife with blood and hair on it was found by Corinna's own father after her car was returned to the family. For nearly two decades, Corinna's parents, Claude and Patricia Mullen, refused to let the case die. They placed ads in newspapers, handed out flyers, met with agencies, and followed every lead they could find. Then in 2005, a woman named Sandy came forward with a story that changed everything. She claimed she had been a 16-year-old witness to Corinna's murder and that the man who orchestrated it was none other than Lieutenant Billy Fields, the very officer who had responded to the crime scene and led the original investigation. In 2006, Billy Fields, Jeffrey Boyd, Jimmy Cramer, and Angela Smith were all arrested in connection with Corinna's death. The trial finally began in 2009, more than 20 years after the murder. Billy and Jeffrey each received life sentences. Jimmy Cramer received 60 years. Corinna's mother did not live to see the arrests. Her father, Claude, died just before Christmas in 2011, two years after the verdicts. Corinna's daughter, Stephanie, who was just two years old when her mother was killed, said she never believed this day would come. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch during their Annual Summer Event. For a limited time, get 20% off sitewide at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply. Start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to AbsorbMore.com and enter MOMS at checkout for up to 35%off your first order. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jordan James Parke spent years chasing the next procedure, spending over £130,000 on surgeries, fillers, and dramatic transformations that made him one of the most recognizable faces in the British cosmetic industry. He called himself the Lip King, building a massive social media following and launching his own aesthetics training academy. But behind the glamorous before-and-after photos lay a deeply unregulated industry and a series of increasingly dangerous choices. In September 2024, 33-year-old Alice Webb, a mother of five daughters, traveled to Gloucestershire to attend one of Jordan's training sessions. After undergoing a liquid BBL procedure, Alice became critically ill and died later that day from complications, sparking a national manslaughter investigation and renewed calls for tighter regulation of the cosmetic industry. Then, before investigators could reach a conclusion or file charges, another death shocked the industry. On February 18, 2026, Jordan was found dead at a London hotel at just 34 years old under circumstances that appeared connected to the very same world that made him famous. This week, we look at the rise of the Lip King, the tragic loss of Alice, and the shocking twist that left both cases with more questions than answers. Thanks to this week's sponsors! Start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to absorbmore.com and enter MOMS at check out for up to 35% off your first order. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On March 26, 1997, deputies responding to an anonymous tip entered a luxury mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California, and found 39 people dead. They were all dressed in matching black clothing and brand-new Nike sneakers, with purple shrouds placed carefully over their faces. The house was immaculate. The trash had been taken out. And every single person inside had died willingly, convinced they were boarding a spacecraft hidden behind the Hale-Bopp comet. This week, we are covering the full story of Heaven's Gate, from the very beginning. We trace the origins of the group through its two founders: Marshall Applewhite, a charismatic former music professor from Texas, and Bonnie Nettles, a Houston nurse with a deep interest in astrology and the occult. Together, they spent years building a belief system that blended UFO mythology, biblical prophecy, and New Age spirituality into something entirely their own. We talk about how they recruited hundreds of followers across the country, the strict rules that governed every aspect of daily life inside the group, and how Bonnie's death from cancer in 1985 forced Marshall to completely reinterpret everything the movement had been built on. We also get into the final days of Heaven's Gate, the farewell videos members recorded, and the chilling, methodical way the group carried out their plan over the course of three days. This one is a deep one, and it is a story that still feels impossible to fully understand almost thirty years later. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card.  Savings provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It seemed we missed some (ALL) edits on the last post. Thanks everyone who took the time to let us know! We are giving you a little gift this week. This episode originally aired on our Patreon several months ago, and we loved it so much that we wanted to share it with everyone. Consider this a peek behind the paywall! And if silly isn't for you, don't worry, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week! This week we are covering the HBO Max show Neighbors and the episode titled "Patch of Grass." If you have not seen this show yet, please stop what you are doing and get yourself a Max subscription, because this one is something else entirely. We have two stories out of Florida, which should tell you everything you need to know. In Palm Bay, we meet Johnny and Andy, two neighbors who have been locked in a full-blown war since the year 2000 over St. Augustine grass. There are death threats, acid-throwing promises, a very decorated vehicle, and a man who used to go by the Italian Stallion. In West Palm Beach, we meet Victoria and Melissa, two women who were perfectly good neighbors for 16 years until a one-foot-wide strip of grass came between them. There are guns, Zoom court, a chain-smoking Victoria, a mediator who also sells firearms, and a son named Jack who wants absolutely no part of any of this. If you want more bonus episodes like this one, you can find them over on our ⁠Patreon⁠. We release content there regularly that never makes it to the main feed (plus our regular episodes without ads), and we would love to have you over there. Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support. It means everything to us. Patreon: ⁠Patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 27, 2021, the quiet community of Zanesville, Ohio, was shattered when 23-year-old Jayla Wyatt was found shot to death in the entryway of a local apartment. She had been shot six times, including a devastating direct shot to the face. The apartment belonged to Patrick Downes, a man significantly older than Jayla with whom she had recently started staying. When investigators began looking into who could have targeted Jayla, they quickly uncovered a toxic web of addiction, obsession, and volatile relationships. The trail led directly to 20-year-old Tristaney Baker and her 23-year-old boyfriend, Devin McKnelly. Driven by a deep, drug-fueled jealousy over Patrick, Tristaney had planned the execution, while Devin provided both the firearm and the getaway vehicle. Within twenty-four hours of the crime, police used emergency cellphone tracking to locate the couple in Columbus, Ohio, bringing an end to their short-lived flight from justice. In this episode, we discuss the heartbreaking details of Jayla's life, the explosive and dangerous dynamic between her killers, and the rapid police investigation that brought them both to justice. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch during their Annual Summer Event! For a limited time, get 20% off sitewide at BollandBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For years, local authorities in Charlotte County, Florida, were called to the home of Scott Lee Huss and Yana Huss. There were restraining orders, allegations of child abuse, threats, arrests, and repeated warnings from neighbors, teachers, and deputies that the situation was spiraling out of control. Yet, despite nineteen police visits in less than a year and multiple domestic violence charges, the system repeatedly failed to protect Yana. On the morning of April 25, 2007, the violence reached a tragic and predictable end when Scott stabbed Yana to death inside their Port Charlotte home, forcing her eight year old son, Petir Huss, to witness the horrific attack and help cover it up. In this episode, we discuss the devastating details of Yana's life, the cycle of abuse that kept her trapped, and the catastrophic failures of the justice system that allowed a dangerous man to remain free. We also look at the aftermath of the crime, including Scott's bizarre 12 page manifesto, his wild claims of a Russian mafia conspiracy, and the custody battle fought by Yana's mother, Elena Kuchinskaya, to bring her grandchildren to safety. Thank you to this week's sponsors! For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutrafol.com and enter promo code MOMS. Start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to absorbmore.com and enter MOMS at check out for up to 35% off your first order. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Netflix is dropping a documentary today called "The Murder of Rachel Nickell," and if you want the full story before you watch, you are in the right place. On a warm morning in July of 1992, a young mother named Rachel Nickell was walking with her two-year-old son, Alex Hanscombe, on Wimbledon Common in southwest London. In broad daylight, an attacker emerged and brutally murdered Rachel. Little Alex was left alone in the woods, clinging to his mother and trying to wake her. The crime shocked the United Kingdom and put immense pressure on the Metropolitan Police to find the killer.What followed became one of the most controversial investigations in British history. Desperate for a lead, detectives focused entirely on an innocent local man named Colin Stagg and launched a manipulative undercover sting known as Operation Edzell to trap him into confessing. Meanwhile, the real killer, Robert Napper, remained free to commit more violent crimes, including the tragic murders of Samantha Bisset and her daughter, Jazmine Bisset. In this episode, we cover the devastating details of the attack, the police failures that led to a massive miscarriage of justice, and the long road to healing for Rachel's family. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. To grab your PAKA hoodie, go to www.PakaApparel.com. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in January, we laid out ten major true crime cases we were watching closely for the first half of 2026. Now that we are halfway through the year, the courtroom developments have been absolutely wild. In this episode, we are checking in on all ten cases to bring you the shocking verdicts, final sentences, and dramatic updates that have unfolded across the country. We cover the sentencing of Paul Caneiro in New Jersey, the disturbing family dynamics in the Kevin Ellis trial in Utah, and the stunning acquittal of former officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons. Plus, we have major updates on high profile cases like Kouri Richins, Courtney Clenney, Larry Millete, and the bizarre pregnancy fraud allegations against Laura Owens. Some of these outcomes will absolutely blow your mind, so join us as we break down where these cases stand today. Thank you to this week's sponsors! For 50% off your order, head to DailyLook.com and use code MOMS50.   Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! head to Wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On March 13, 2023, 24-year-old Colby Vinson received the news he had been fighting for all year. A judge officially granted him 50/50 custody of his four-year-old daughter, Preslee. But just six days later, on the very first night he brought her home, Colby was executed on his own doorstep while his little girl stood nearby. When investigators dug into the young father's life, they quickly realized this was not a random act of violence. The trail led directly to his ex, Rachiel Moore, and her former stepfather, a man with a violent past named Jason Curtis. What followed was the unraveling of a cold, calculated murder plot documented in a series of chilling text messages and funded by fifty dollars in gas money. Thank you to this week's sponsors! And right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. Text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Get 20% off your first order, plus free shipping during the Memorial Day Sale at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply.  New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a freezing November night in 2015, 30-year-old nursing student Angila Wilder was stabbed 44 times inside her home in Minot, North Dakota. The brutal attack happened while her two-year-old son slept safely in the very next room. When her fiancé, Christopher Jackson, discovered the scene after returning from an overnight shift, investigators immediately began untangling a web of jealousy, obsession, and domestic violence. The evidence quickly pointed toward Angila's ex-husband, Ritchie Wilder Jr., and his new wife, Cynthia. What started as a bitter custody dispute had morphed into a calculated, years-long plot to eliminate Angila entirely. The case features one of the most chilling interrogations in true crime history, a failed prison escape, and a stunning undercover recording that finally brought the whole diabolical plan crashing down. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Start taking supplements your body can actually absorb! Go to AbsorbMore.com and enter MOMS at check out for up to 35% off your first order! Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use! Head to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping! Message and data rates may apply. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 15, 2005, Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar left his office for a routine afternoon drive through central Pennsylvania. He was 59 years old, highly respected, and just months away from a planned retirement. But Ray never returned home. Days later, his distinctive red and white Mini Cooper was found abandoned in an antique store parking lot near the Susquehanna River. The investigation quickly took a bizarre turn when a fisherman pulled Ray's county-issued laptop from the river—only to discover that the hard drive had been intentionally removed and destroyed. With no body, no financial trail, and no clear motive, investigators were left to untangle a web of possibilities. Did Ray take his own life, walk away to start over, or fall victim to someone from his long career as a prosecutor? Thank you to this week's sponsors! Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October of 2000, the bodies of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman were found inside a dumpster behind an Indianapolis Teamsters building. The discovery quickly led police to the home the couple shared with Richard Hull and Sarah Jo Pender. What started as a gruesome double murder investigation soon transformed into a sprawling legal saga filled with recanted testimonies, forged letters, and a stunning prison escape. Sarah Jo Pender was labeled the "female Charles Manson" by the prosecution and sentenced to 110 years behind bars. But as the years passed, the case against her began to crumble. With the original prosecutor publicly admitting she did not receive a fair trial and the true killer confessing to the crime, Sarah's fight for freedom continues today from the inside of an Indiana prison cell. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Get 20% off your first order, plus free shipping during the Memorial Day Sale at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms.Exclusions apply.  Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct deposit and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was around 6:15 AM on July 31, 2022, when a resident in Strongsville, Ohio, came upon the aftermath of a horrific accident. A black Toyota Camry had crashed into the side of a large brick building at the end of Progress Drive Business Park. When officers responded, they found three young people trapped inside. Passengers Dominic Russo and Davion Flanagan were tragically pronounced dead at the scene, while the 17-year-old driver, Mackenzie Shirilla, was life-flighted in critical condition. At first, investigators believed it was a tragic accident. But a closer look at the details, including the vehicle's data recorder and surveillance footage, revealed a much more sinister truth. We are revisiting this shocking case in anticipation of the new documentary "The Crash," which premieres on Netflix on May 15th. We cover the tumultuous relationship between Mackenzie and Dominic, the terrifying moments leading up to the crash, and the trial that followed. Plus, we share some recent developments in the case, including the release of jailhouse calls and the status of Mackenzie's appeals. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Join the more than 3 million families who have been served by K12 and bring personalized learning to the comfort of your home. Enroll online today at K12.com/moms New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 7, 2021, Maya Millete took the first steps toward ending her marriage. She scheduled a consultation with a divorce attorney, planning to wait just a few more days to get through her daughter's birthday weekend before breaking the news to her husband, Larry. But that night, after returning to her Chula Vista home, Maya vanished. We look closely at the months leading up to Maya's disappearance, revealing a pattern of escalating control and manipulation by Larry. From tracking her location to making disturbing internet searches for toxic plants and even paying online spellcasters to make her dependent on him, Larry's behavior grew increasingly erratic. Now, over five years later, we examine the mountain of circumstantial evidence against him and the ongoing search for answers as Larry Millete's murder trial begins on May 11, 2026. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct deposit and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the evening of September 10, 2001, 31-year-old physician Sneha Philip walked into her Lower Manhattan apartment building carrying shopping bags. It was the last confirmed sighting of her. By the next morning, planes struck the World Trade Center just blocks away, plunging the city into chaos and swallowing the mystery of her disappearance into the tragedy of 9/11. From the outside, Sneha and her husband Ron Lieberman seemed to have a perfect life. But in the months leading up to her vanishing, Sneha faced a suspension from her medical residency, a pending legal charge, and rumors of a secret double life. Was she a hero who ran toward the towers to help, or did something far more sinister happen the night before? Join us as we discuss the puzzling final movements, the unidentified woman she was seen shopping with, and the enduring mystery of the doctor who vanished into thin air. Thank you to this week's sponsors! To grab your PAKA hoodie, go to PakaApparel.com! Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hawthorne Hill was supposed to be a dream. An elite equestrian facility, an Olympic coach, and a student willing to do whatever it took to make it to the top. But what started as a $5,000 a month training arrangement between dressage legend Michael Barisone and rider Lauren Kanarek turned into one of the most bizarre and violent feuds in equestrian history. The fight over a prized horse named JT, the threatening Facebook posts, the SafeSport complaints, and the 911 calls were all just the buildup. On August 7, 2019, things at Hawthorne Hill came to a head in a way that nobody could have predicted. Michael shot Lauren twice in the chest at point-blank range, and the story only gets stranger from there. We cover the full case, including the trial, the insanity defense, the not guilty verdict, and where things stand today, including a recent Netflix documentary that has reignited the whole debate. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Get prepped for patio season for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. Every style. Every home. For 50% off your order, head to DailyLook.com and use code MOMS50. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between 1945 and 1950, five people vanished without a trace in a remote, rugged stretch of southwestern Vermont. The area, later dubbed the Bennington Triangle, was once home to the booming logging town of Glastenbury, but as the town emptied out, a string of inexplicable disappearances began. From an experienced 74-year-old hunting guide to an 18-year-old college student, these cases shared one chilling detail: despite massive, military-led searches, almost no evidence was ever found. What makes these cases so baffling isn't just the unforgiving terrain or the sudden shifts in weather—it's the tight timelines and the sheer lack of clues. We discuss the five distinct cases of Middie Rivers, Paula Welden, James Tedford, Paul Jepson, and Frieda Langer. Was it the harsh environment, a string of tragic accidents, or something more sinister hiding in the woods? Thank you to this week's sponsors! Right nowIQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% off text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a cold September night in the Scottish Highlands, a 63-year-old grandfather set out on a solo cycling journey that he never returned from. Tony Parsons was an experienced endurance athlete riding 104 miles to raise money for charity after surviving prostate cancer. When he vanished without a trace along the remote A82, search teams spent years scouring the rugged terrain with no success. The truth finally surfaced three years later when a forensic pathologist named Dr. Caroline Muirhead came forward with a chilling confession from her new boyfriend, Alexander "Sandy" McKellar. The details revealed not just how Tony died, but the deliberate and cruel steps Sandy and his twin brother Robert took to ensure he would never be found. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Join the more than 3 million families who have been served by K12 and bring personalized learning to the comfort of your home. Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. And right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% off text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 5th, 1998, 82-year-old Manhattan socialite Irene Silverman vanished from her Upper East Side townhouse without a trace. There were no signs of a struggle and no forced entry, but the investigation quickly pointed to a tenant named Manny and his mother. What seemed like a sudden disappearance was actually the culmination of a highly calculated plan by Sante Kimes and her son, Kenneth Kimes Jr., who had spent decades mastering deception, manipulation, and control. Sante's criminal history started with small thefts and escalated into fraud, arson, and eventually, murder. Kenneth Jr. was raised in this environment, learning how to manipulate situations and avoid consequences from a young age. Their schemes spanned across the country and even internationally, leaving a trail of victims including Elmer Holmgren, Syed Bilal Ahmed, and David Kazdin. We discuss the shocking details of Sante's meticulously kept notebooks, their arrest in Las Vegas that unraveled their plan, and how investigators built a murder case without a body. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Right now, IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% off, text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a summer evening in June 2021, a 911 call from a home in Newnan, Georgia, reported a terrible accident. Cheryl Coe claimed she had been startled awake and fired two warning shots at an intruder, only to realize she had shot her husband, Luther "Luke" Lee Coe III. But as investigators arrived and examined the scene, the physical evidence told a much different story. The gunshot wound was inflicted at close range, contradicting her claims of firing across the room. As detectives dug deeper, they uncovered a marriage strained by jealousy, control, and a complicated open relationship. With conflicting timelines, shifting stories, and a history of escalating arguments, what began as a tragic mistake quickly transformed into a complex murder investigation. Listen as we explore the tragic death of Luke the unravelling of Cheryl's varying accounts, and the two trials it took to finally reach a verdict. Check-out early release, ad-free and bonus episodes at patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Upgrade your sleep with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply. Join the more than 3 million families who have been served by K12 and bring personalized learning to the comfort of your home. Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the world of true crime, we talk a lot about masking the face a person presents to the world versus the face they wear behind closed doors. Few cases illustrate that duality more starkly than the story of Gerhardt and Arielle Konig. Arielle was a brilliant nuclear engineer and project manager at TerraPower. Gerhardt was a respected anesthesiologist. They had a blended family, a beautiful $1.5 million home in Maui, and a life that looked from every angle like an absolute dream. But behind closed doors, Gerhardt was engaging in a pattern of coercive control. After discovering Arielle had an emotional relationship with a coworker, he became consumed by jealousy. He surveilled her phone, demanded she quit her job, and isolated her from friends. Then, on Arielle's 36th birthday, Gerhardt planned a romantic hike on the Pali Puka trail — a closed, dangerous ridge on Oahu with 300-foot drop-offs. What happened on that cliff led to a massive police manhunt, a shocking discovery in a hidden fanny pack, and a controversial trial that left the true crime community in disbelief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the morning of October 2, 2020, 24-year-old Alyssa Burkett pulled into the parking lot of her job in Carrollton, Texas. Within minutes, she was ambushed in broad daylight, shot, and stabbed multiple times. What initially looked like a random act of extreme violence quickly revealed itself to be something much more sinister. Investigators soon discovered that someone had been quietly tracking Alyssa for months, setting her up, and building a methodical plan to ensure she did not survive. The investigation led police to the father of Alyssa's child, Andrew Beard, and his fiancée, Holly Elkins. As detectives unraveled a complex web of GPS trackers, false police reports, planted evidence, and burner phones, they uncovered a disturbing campaign of cyberstalking and harassment driven by a bitter custody dispute. The evidence showed a steady escalation toward violence, orchestrated by individuals desperate to create a "picture-perfect" family at any cost. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Refresh your spring wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct deposit and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Check-out all of our links at momsandmysteries.com. Join Patreon today for bonus episodes and ad-free/early release episodes! Subscribe to our Youtube for shorts and more videos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February 1978, five young men from Yuba County, California, drove to Chico to watch a college basketball game. They were close friends who thrived on routine and predictability, and they had a big basketball tournament of their own the next day. But after a quick stop for snacks, Jack Madruga, Bill Sterling, Ted Weiher, Jackie Huett, and Gary Mathias vanished. Instead of driving south toward home, their car was found abandoned 70 miles in the opposite direction, stuck on a remote, snow-covered mountain road. What followed is one of the most baffling cases in true crime history. Months later, the remains of four of the men were discovered miles away from their vehicle, including one who had miraculously survived for weeks inside a well-stocked forest service trailer but failed to use the resources that could have saved him. Gary Mathias has never been found. We discuss the confusing timeline, the strange witness account of a man stranded nearby, and the lingering questions of why these men walked deeper into the freezing wilderness. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Machine Washable Rugs, Made Better. For a limited time only, our listeners get 10% off + free shipping at tumbleliving.com/MOMS #Tumble #ad Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply.  Join the more than 3 million families who have been served by K12 and bring personalized learning to the comfort of your home. Enroll online today at K12.com/moms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mamta Kafle Bhatt worked tirelessly to build a life in the United States. She was a dedicated nurse at UVA Prince William Medical Center in Manassas, Virginia, and a loving mother to her one-year-old daughter. From the outside, her life and marriage to Naresh Bhatt appeared stable and happy. However, close friends and coworkers began to notice troubling signs, including visible injuries and attempts by Mamta to separate from her husband and regain control of her finances and identification documents. When Mamta failed to show up for her nursing shift in early August 2024, her coworkers immediately raised the alarm. Despite her husband's claims that she had simply walked away to cool off after an argument, the reality of the situation soon became clear. As investigators searched their home, they uncovered a disturbing crime scene that contradicted Naresh's story, leading to his arrest for her murder. While her body has yet to be found, the overwhelming forensic evidence paints a grim picture of what happened to the devoted mother who was just days away from her US citizenship interview. Thank you to this week's sponsors! For 50% off your order, head to DailyLook.com and use code MOMS50.  Way Day is THE sale to shop the best deals in home – we’re talking up to 80% OFF with fast and FREE shipping on everything! Head to Wayfair.com April 25th through the 27th to shop Way Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On May 11, 2022, 25-year-old professional gravel cyclist Moriah Wilson was found shot to death inside a friend's apartment in Austin, Texas. She had traveled to town for a major race that had the potential to elevate her rising career. Investigators quickly discovered that Moriah had spent the evening with Colin Strickland, a fellow cyclist who was involved in a complicated, on-again, off-again relationship with 34-year-old yoga instructor Kaitlin Armstrong. As detectives unraveled the timeline, they found that Kaitlin had been tracking Moriah's movements for months. Surveillance footage placed Kaitlin's vehicle at the scene within minutes of Moriah being dropped off. What followed was a massive search that crossed international borders, involving altered identities, cosmetic surgery, and a desperate attempt to evade justice in Costa Rica. Thank you to this week's sponsors! IQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% off text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details.  To grab your PAKA hoodie, go to PakaApparel.com now! New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quick note on today's episode: Linda Hazzard's 'treatments' heavily involved extreme fasting and starvation. We want to mention this up front for anyone who might be sensitive to discussions around restrictive diets or disordered eating. This week we discuss Linda Hazzard, a self-proclaimed doctor in the early 1900s who convinced patients that extreme fasting was a medical cure. Operating out of Washington state, Linda exploited legal loopholes to open a sanitarium that locals grimly called "Starvation Heights." She targeted wealthy individuals, placing them on starvation diets while slowly taking control of their finances and estates as they grew weaker. The situation finally reached a breaking point when wealthy British heiresses Claire Williamson and Dora Williamson entered her care. We cover the harrowing conditions the sisters endured, the desperate rescue mission by their childhood nanny, and the sensational murder trial that followed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever met someone who was terrible at something but thought they were a genius? This week, we explore the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where people with low ability at a task overestimate their own competence. We start with the case that inspired the research: McArthur Wheeler, a man who robbed two banks after covering his face in lemon juice, believing it would make him invisible to security cameras. His baffling confidence led psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger to study this strange phenomenon. We then look at how this bias plays out in the world of true crime, from the comically inept “Hillbilly Heist” orchestrated by the Loomis Fargo crew, to the chilling case of Caleb Flynn, a former American Idol contestant accused of murdering his wife and staging a break-in. We also examine the tragic story of Lauren Giddings and the law student who thought he could commit the perfect murder, only to have his plan unravel on live television. Finally, we share the incredible story of Brett Johnson, a cybercriminal who went from the Secret Service's Most Wanted list to a respected FBI consultant, demonstrating the rare journey from the “peak of Mount Stupid” to true self-awareness. Thank you to this week's sponsors: See why more than 3 million families have chosen K12 – find a K12 Powered School near you today! Go to K12.com/MOMS to learn more. Right now, go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping and 365-day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. Now available in Canada, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 2:14 AM, Navy sailor Angelina “Angie” Resendiz made a frantic, crying phone call to a friend, begging to be picked up from a fellow sailor’s barracks. Moments later, a man took the phone and insisted she was fine, even as Angie could still be heard saying she wanted to leave. Her friend arrived within minutes, but Angie was nowhere to be found. Less than two weeks later, her body would be discovered inside a duffle bag in the woods behind a Virginia elementary school. This week, we cover the tragic and preventable murder of Angie Resendiz at the hands of Jeremiah Copeland, a fellow sailor with a documented history of violence. We also discuss the heartbreaking parallels to the case of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen, whose death sparked national outrage and led to military reform. Angie’s story raises critical questions about whether those reforms go far enough and what happens when the system designed to protect service members fails them. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 16, Barry Minkow started a carpet cleaning company in his parents' garage. By 21, he was one of the youngest CEOs of a publicly traded company in America, with a business valued at over $200 million. But the entire empire was built on a foundation of lies. This is the story of ZZZZ Best, one of the most audacious corporate frauds of the 1980s, and the story of a charismatic young man who fooled auditors, investors, and the media with staged job sites and forged documents. After serving time in federal prison, Barry reinvented himself as a pastor and a fraud investigator, only to find himself back in court, facing new charges of embezzlement and stock manipulation. It's a wild ride through the mind of a master manipulator who couldn't stop scamming. Thank you to this week's sponsors! See why more than 3 million families have chosen K12 – find a K12 Powered School near you today! Enrollment portals are now open. Go to K12.com/MOMS to learn more. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Halloween weekend in 2015, a quiet community in Pendleton, South Carolina, was shattered by a brutal quadruple homicide. Four members of the Scott family were found dead in their home, the victims of a savage knife and gun attack. For years, the case remained cold, leaving a family and a town desperate for answers. The initial theory of a robbery gone wrong slowly gave way to a more disturbing possibility: that the killer was someone they knew. Eight years after the murders, investigators finally made an arrest that stunned everyone. The person charged with the killings was not a stranger, but the daughter and step-daughter of two of the victims, Amy Vilardi. This episode follows the long and twisted investigation, the shocking trial, and the dark family secrets that were revealed along the way. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Direct deposit and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. Let your hair be one less thing to worry about. See visibly thicker, stronger, faster growing hair in 3–6 months with Nutrafol. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you visit Nutrafol.com and enter promo code MOMS. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In July 2014, 28-year-old German tourist Lars Mittank walked into Varna Airport in Bulgaria, preparing to fly home after a vacation. He had suffered a minor ear injury and needed a quick medical check before his flight. But what happened next turned his case into one of the most baffling disappearances in recent history. Surveillance cameras captured Lars suddenly bolting from the doctor’s office, sprinting through the terminal, and climbing an eight-foot perimeter fence before vanishing into the woods. He left his wallet, passport, and all of his luggage behind. In the days leading up to his disappearance, Lars had made a series of increasingly frantic calls to his mother, claiming he felt unsafe and that people were following him. Was he suffering from a medical-induced paranoia, or was a real threat closing in? More than a decade later, the chilling airport footage is the last confirmed trace of him. This episode dives into the timeline, the theories, and the endless search for answers in the case of Lars Mittank. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Right now, go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Lars_Mittank https://people.com/all-about-lars-mittank-mysterious-disappearance-11768067 https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31744248 https://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/vermisster-lars-mittank-spurensuche-in-bulgarien-a-983857.html https://www.abendblatt.de/region/article131346203/Vermisster-Lars-Mittank-Mutter-hofft-auf-neue-Spuren.html https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/Vermisster-Lars-Mittank-Spurensuche-in-Bulgarien,mittank100.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAfveiD6cWw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A birthday party at a rental cabin in the scenic Hocking Hills of Ohio should have been a night of celebration. But fueled by alcohol and jealousy, the night spiraled into a violent confrontation that left a young father, Charlie Starner, dead. This episode examines the chaotic moments captured on a cell phone video and the legal battle that followed, asking whether the stabbing was a desperate act of self-defense or a senseless murder. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Treat yourself to the most advanced bras and shapewear on the market. Use our exclusive link to save 20% off Honeylove at honeylove.com/moms. To grab your PAKA hoodie, go to pakaapparel.com. Every day they're handling money without guidance is a missed opportunity. Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at Greenlight.com/moms. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2012, 16-year-old Skylar Neese vanished without a trace from her Star City, West Virginia home. What initially seemed like a runaway case soon unraveled into a story of unimaginable betrayal. Her two best friends, Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf, held a dark secret that would shock the nation and leave a community searching for answers. This episode revisits the heart-wrenching case of Skylar Neese, exploring the twisted friendship that led to her murder. With the release of the new Hulu docuseries Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese, we are taking a deeper look into the events that transpired and the warning signs that were missed. Join us as we recount the tragic story of a bright young girl whose life was cut short by those she trusted most. Thank you to this weeks's sponsors! To get 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping, text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details Join the more than 3 million families who have been served by K12, and empower your student to reach their full potential now. You can make the switch at anytime. Go to K12.com/MOMS today to learn more. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices