On September 28, 1994, eighteen-year-old Bonnie Craig disappeared while walking to catch the bus to her classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage. That afternoon, her body was discovered floating in the water at McHugh Creek. Alaska State Troopers initially ruled her death a hiking accident, but her mother Karen knew immediately—this was murder.

When Karen received the devastating phone call at 3 AM while on a boat in Florida, more than 3,000 miles from home, she demanded answers. Despite evidence of sexual assault, defensive wounds, and eleven blunt force trauma injuries to Bonnie's head, the case went cold. For seventeen years, Karen fought for justice, transforming from a reserve police officer into a relentless advocate who would change DNA legislation across the United States.

In 2007, a breakthrough finally came. A DNA match through the CODIS database.

This is the story of Bonnie Craig—a dedicated student, loyal girlfriend, and protective older sister who carried pepper spray on her keychain. It's also the story of her mother's extraordinary mission to ensure no other family would wait as long for justice.

Keywords: Bonnie Craig murder, Alaska cold case, CODIS DNA database, McHugh Creek, Karen Foster advocacy, DNA on arrest legislation, Alaska State Troopers cold case, 1994 unsolved murder solved, true crime podcast, cold case solved by DNA

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, violence, and murder. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know has been affected by similar crimes, support is available through RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-4673 or online at rainn.org

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Security cameras capture a silver vehicle following a woman from a church parking lot, maintaining a careful distance. Seventeen seconds after she leaves, the car pulls out behind her. When she arrives home and opens her garage door, what unfolds in those next moments will nearly cost her everything.

What investigators will later uncover is a plot involving multiple criminals, millions in embezzled money, and someone determined to make her death look like an accident. But as detectives trace prepaid phones and cash transactions back through time, they discover the conspiracy didn't start recently—it began while she was on a mission trip halfway around the world, and continued even as she attended church services and learned to dance with her spouse. The question that will haunt everyone who learns the details is devastating: how long had someone been planning her murder, and who stood to gain from her death?

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A brilliant young woman becomes the principal of a prestigious school by age nineteen. Her crime? Using her mind too well.

When she dares to challenge her husband's authority in public, voicing opinions that contradict his teachings, he finds a legal solution to silence her permanently. In 1860s America, disagreeing with your husband could be diagnosed as insanity. No trial was required. No defense was permitted. A signature was all it took.

Locked away in an asylum, she discovers she's far from alone. Hundreds of women have been committed for similar "symptoms"—reading novels, expressing political opinions, or simply refusing to obey. The superintendent offers her freedom, but only if she returns home as an obedient wife and recants everything she believes.

She refuses.

How do you fight for your freedom when the law says you don't exist? How do you prove your sanity when disagreement itself is considered madness? And what becomes of the children left behind when their mother disappears?

Some battles change everything.

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A quick note from the host with some news about the show.

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It started as a typical summer night at an Upper East Side bar. By morning, one teenager would be dead and another would be under arrest.

The case would become a media sensation, sparking fierce debates about wealth, privilege, and justice. It would expose the dark underbelly of Manhattan's prep school scene. And it would introduce a controversial legal defense that would divide a city and change the conversation about violence forever.

But what actually happened between the bar and the crime scene? The truth is far more complex than the headlines suggest.

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In January 1999, a 911 call shattered the quiet of a Texas suburb. A high school football coach returned home to find his pregnant wife shot dead in what appeared to be a burglary gone wrong. The victim was eight months pregnant, beloved by her students as a special education teacher, and preparing excitedly for the birth of her daughter.

The husband was local royalty—a former star linebacker turned respected coach from a football dynasty family. The community rallied around him in his darkest hour, supporting a man they saw as the embodiment of their values: tough, dedicated, and homegrown.

But as investigators dug deeper into the seemingly perfect family's life, cracks began to appear. What they discovered would challenge everything the community believed about their hometown hero. The case would drag on for years, dividing families and friends, as questions mounted about what really happened that January afternoon.

Was this truly a random crime that destroyed an innocent family? Or was something far more sinister hiding beneath the surface of this all-American story?

Some secrets are worth killing for. Others are worth dying to protect. In this case, the line between victim and perpetrator would prove far more complicated than anyone imagined.

Join us as we examine a case that asks: How well do we really know the people we trust most?

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When a young woman from Las Vegas checked into an upscale Boston hotel in April 2009, she thought she was just conducting business as usual. Instead, she found herself zip-tied on a hotel room floor, staring down the barrel of a gun held by a tall, well-dressed man who spoke with unsettling politeness while systematically robbing her.

Five days later, another woman would cross paths with the same predator. This time, the encounter would end in murder.

Both victims had one thing in common: they had posted advertisements on Craigslist.

Within hours, surveillance photos emerged showing their attacker—a clean-cut, attractive man who looked more like a college student than a killer. He appeared casual and nonchalant in the images, checking his phone as if he didn't have a care in the world.

But when police finally traced the digital breadcrumbs he left behind, what they discovered would shock even seasoned investigators. The man hunting women through online classified ads was someone no one would suspect—someone with everything to lose and a future that seemed guaranteed.

How did investigators crack the case using cutting-edge digital forensics? What did they find hidden in his apartment that revealed the true scope of his crimes? And what drove someone who appeared to have it all to live such a dangerous double life?

Join us as we unravel the story of how America's most popular classified ads website became a hunting ground, and how one man's carefully constructed facade crumbled in a matter of days, leaving behind devastating consequences that would change internet safety forever.

Content warning: This episode contains discussion of violence and may not be suitable for all listeners.

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On March 26, 2018, emergency responders discovered the wreckage of an SUV at the bottom of a 100-foot cliff along California's Pacific Coast Highway. Inside were the bodies of two adults and three children. Three more children remained missing and unaccounted for.

What initially appeared to be a tragic accident would soon reveal itself as something far more sinister—the culmination of a decade-long pattern of systematic abuse that had been hidden behind a carefully crafted public image of love and acceptance.

This case exposes the catastrophic failures of America's child welfare system, examining how six vulnerable children were removed from their birth families only to be placed with individuals who would ultimately kill them. Through extensive interviews and investigation, we trace the warning signs that were ignored, the reports that went uninvestigated, and the systemic biases that allowed abuse to continue unchecked.

This episode contains discussions of child abuse, domestic violence, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

Keywords: Hart family, child welfare system, adoption abuse, family tragedy, true crime podcast, child protection services, systematic failure, Oregon Washington, Pacific Coast Highway, murder suicide

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A chilling crime, a wrongful conviction, and secrets hidden in plain sight.

In December 2011, Betsy Faria was found murdered in her Missouri home. What followed was a case filled with shocking twists — wrongful convictions, hidden motives, and a story that captured national attention.

This episode examines the murder of Betsy Faria, the investigation that went off course, and the chain of events that exposed one of the most notorious true crime stories in America.

Was justice served, or did the real story remain hidden for years?Join us as we unravel the murder of Betsy Faria — a case of betrayal, deception, and a search for the truth.

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A brutal double homicide that spiraled into betrayal, confessions, and an international manhunt.

In the mid-1980s, a well-to-do couple were found savagely murdered inside their quiet Virginia home. Both had been stabbed dozens of times in what investigators described as one of the most vicious crimes the region had ever seen. Their daughter quickly became central to the investigation, along with her boyfriend, a foreign exchange student.

What began as a shocking double homicide soon spiraled into an international case involving confessions, retractions, claims of innocence, and decades of legal battles. The murders remain among the most infamous in Virginia’s history, raising ongoing questions about guilt, responsibility, and the justice system. 

This episode examines the crime scene, the investigation, and the tangled story of two young lovers whose lives became forever linked to the brutal deaths of her parents.

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A life built on lies, a murder that shocked the world—uncover the truth behind one of the most disturbing family crimes in recent history.

A woman is found dead inside her home—stabbed multiple times, left in a pool of blood. Her daughter, who is believed to be severely disabled and dependent on a wheelchair, is missing. So is the chair. An alert is issued, and fears quickly grow: has she been abducted, or is she in danger herself?

When authorities finally locate her, the scene is not what anyone expected. She’s walking—unaided—and healthy. As investigators begin piecing together how that’s possible, a disturbing truth begins to surface.

What followed was the unraveling of a disturbing and complex story. One that raised unsettling questions about abuse, identity, and accountability.

And about what happens when a life has been so thoroughly manipulated, that the only path forward seems to be escape—at any cost.

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"A mother’s story. A quiet road. And a truth no one wanted to hear."

May 1983 – Springfield, Oregon.

A red car pulls into the emergency bay of McKenzie-Willamette Hospital. Inside are three young children—each shot at close range. One is dead on arrival. Another is paralyzed. The third is barely clinging to life. Their mother, 27-year-old Diane Downs, tells staff they were ambushed on a dark, rural road by a man who stepped into their path, demanded her car, and opened fire.

News of the shooting spreads quickly. A mother attacked. Her children the victims of a senseless act of violence. Local papers cover the case closely. Sympathy pours in from the community. But as investigators begin piecing together what happened on Old Mohawk Road, questions begin to emerge. There’s no physical evidence of a struggle. No sign of a suspect. The crime scene is quiet. Too quiet.

In this episode, we examine the events of that night, the immediate police response, and the growing public attention surrounding a case that would grip the country. From the first emergency call to the haunting testimony that followed, this is the story of three children, a quiet road, and a night that left Oregon forever changed.

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An important message from show host Harper Finley.

Nothing seemed wrong—until someone opened the garage.

In a quiet East Texas town, an elderly woman vanished without explanation. Months passed. Her home sat undisturbed, her absence explained away—until a routine welfare check uncovered something chilling inside a taped-shut garage freezer. This episode unpacks the unsettling mystery that followed, the town’s unusual reaction, and the chain of events that would eventually capture national attention and inspire a Hollywood film. A story of isolation, control, and a community forced to confront what lay beneath the surface.

Keywords: Texas true crime, freezer mystery, small town disappearance, unsolved at first, true crime podcast, East Texas case, hidden body, shocking discovery, crime and psychology, real story behind the Bernie movie

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She claimed God sent her to kill pedophiles. Two men ended up dead. This episode investigates the disturbing case of Sheila LaBarre — and the chilling belief system she used to justify murder.

A quiet New Hampshire farm. A woman claiming to be an avenging angel. And a series of gruesome crimes that stunned a small town and the nation.

This episode unpacks the case of Sheila LaBarre — how she targeted vulnerable men, lured them with promises of care, and subjected them to escalating abuse and psychological torment before taking their lives.

Through police reports, courtroom records, and survivor testimony, we trace the stories of Kenneth Countie and Michael Deloge — two men whose disappearances led to one of the most disturbing murder cases in recent memory.

We examine how LaBarre used a self-righteous facade to mask cruelty, and how she maintained control through fear, isolation, and delusion — and why questions still remain about whether she had more victims.

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What happens when teenage loyalty turns into something else?

When 16-year-old Skylar Neese vanished from her West Virginia home in July 2012, police first suspected she had run away. But as days passed and her closest friends offered matching stories—and inconsistent timelines—investigators began to suspect something far darker. This episode unpacks the unraveling of a friendship, the mounting lies, and the shocking confession that revealed everything.

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He charmed, lied, and vanished into plain sight. Long before his face made front pages, there were warning signs—disturbing, violent, and ignored. This is the story of what was missed, and the darkness that followed.

In this episode we examine the disturbing early years of serial predator Christopher Wilder, known as the "Beauty Queen Killer." Before his deadly 1984 cross-country spree, Wilder left a trail of warning signs—allegations of abuse, sexual violence, and manipulation spanning from Australia to Florida. We explore his volatile marriage, suspicious attempts on his wife's life, and his early use of modeling scams to exploit young women. With insight into his carefully constructed façade and failed business dealings, this episode traces the roots of a man who used charm and deception to mask a violent, escalating pathology.

Keywords: Christopher Wilder, Beauty Queen Killer, true crime podcast, Nightwatch Files, serial killer, 1980s, modeling scams, Florida crime, Australian true crime, abusive marriage, early signs of violence, criminal psychology, cold cases.

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Her fans thought she was taking a break. Her friends thought she was busy. But behind the silence, something had gone terribly wrong.

When Russian influencer Anastasia Grishman—known online as “grshmn”—suddenly went silent on TikTok and OnlyFans, her absence raised few alarms. But behind her carefully curated posts and growing digital presence, something was deeply wrong.

Anastasia had been living in St. Petersburg, balancing work as a tattoo artist with an increasingly public life in adult content creation. At her side was her boyfriend, a man who managed her bookings, her income, and much of her life. As tensions in the relationship grew, so did signs of control, jealousy, and isolation.

In this episode, we follow the final weeks of Anastasia’s life in the public eye—and the hidden events that led to a disturbing discovery. We also examine a broader pattern of exploitation and violence affecting online creators worldwide, and the systemic factors that allow it to continue, largely unchecked.

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Five lives lost in the dead of night. What looked like a targeted act was only the beginning of the real horror.

In August 2020, a fire tore through a home on Truckee Street in Denver’s Green Valley Ranch neighborhood, killing five members of a Senegalese-American family, including two young children. Investigators quickly suspected arson—and soon, disturbing evidence began to surface: surveillance footage of masked figures fleeing the scene, a gas can, and signs of a fire set with intent.

But as detectives pieced together the timeline and evidence, a deeper question emerged: why this house?

This episode examines the early stages of the investigation into one of Denver’s most tragic and complex arson cases, following the work of homicide detectives Neil Baker and Ernest Sandoval as they confront a crime that shocked a city—and may not have been what it first appeared to be.

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An unidentified Grateful Dead fan. A fatal crash. A mystery that took 20 years to solve.

In June 1995, a fatal car crash on a quiet Virginia highway left behind two unidentified victims. One of them—a young man with ticket stubs to a Grateful Dead concert and a note signed by two women named Caroline—remained nameless for two decades. Known only as Grateful Doe, his case became one of the most widely discussed mysteries in the online true crime community.

This episode traces the long road to uncovering Grateful Doe’s identity, from the early police sketches and national appeals, to the emotional impact of the 2012 forensic facial reconstruction that brought renewed attention to the case. We explore the nomadic world of Grateful Dead fans in the 1990s, the circumstances that led Grateful Doe to vanish, and the dedicated amateur investigators who refused to let him be forgotten.

Through verified records, forensic advancements, and community-driven efforts, we piece together how Grateful Doe was finally named—and why his story still resonates.

Keywords: Grateful Doe, Jason Callahan, unidentified persons, true crime, forensic reconstruction, Grateful Dead fan, 1995 car crash, missing person, Doe Network, Websleuths, NCMEC, solved cold case, Casefile style podcast