Buried Bylines

In 1961, small-town Texas became the center of a media frenzy when 17-year-old Betty Williams asked her ex-boyfriend, John Mack Herring, to kill her—and he did. The shocking “Kiss and Kill” case exposed not only the dark side of teen romance but also how the press sensationalized tragedy, painting Betty as a wayward girl and her killer as a golden boy gone astray. Join us as we revisit the headlin...

Spooky season has officially begun—and this one’s straight out of a horror movie. In today’s episode, we’re diving into the Corpsewood Manor Murders: a case that’s equal parts eerie legend, satanic panic, and heartbreaking true crime. Dr. Charles Scudder and Joseph Odom built their dream castle deep in the Georgia woods—a gothic escape complete with gargoyles, stained glass, and a pink “party room...

*Disclaimer* We’re talking about politics in this episode. If you don’t want to hear it, totally get it. We’ll see you at our next episode, where we'll return to our regular content. Freedom of speech has never been simple, and in today’s climate, it’s anything but. In this episode, we look at how the First Amendment plays out in real time, from Jimmy Kimmel’s public clashes to the press’s con...

In this episode, we cover the harrowing five-year stalking ordeal of Fort Wayne mother Dawn Hillyer, whose case exposed the failures of Indiana law to protect victims. What began as a casual connection quickly spiraled into years of relentless harassment, break-ins, false police reports, and emotional devastation—while the system largely failed her. We’ll trace Dawn’s fight for safety, the long-de...

20 years later, still no justice. Between 2005 and 2009, the small town of Jennings, Louisiana, was rocked by the deaths of eight women—each with ties to one another through poverty, drugs, and sex work. Known as the “Jeff Davis 8,” or the “Jennings 8,” the cases remain unsolved and are clouded by corruption allegations, mishandled evidence, and suspicions that local law enforcement may have been...

In 1990, substitute teacher Paige Marie Renkoski, 30, vanished under chilling circumstances on Interstate 96 near Fowlerville, Michigan. What began as an ordinary day—dropping her mother at the airport and stopping at a store in Canton—ended in a mystery that remains unsolved over three decades later. Witnesses last saw Paige appearing upset and speaking with two men beside a maroon minivan. Hours...

Meet Wilma June Nissen—a resilient spirit whose life was brutally cut short in 1978 but whose story refuses to stay buried. From a childhood of unimaginable neglect to being identified decades later as a Jane Doe in rural Iowa, her daughter, Krissi Atkinson, has never stopped searching for answers. At least one person of interest remains at large, evidence waits for breakthrough DNA testing, and j...

In September 2023, 19-year-old Noah Presgrove was found dead on the side of an Oklahoma highway, his body bearing multiple blunt force injuries. Nearly two years later, his family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging he was beaten to death by friends during a party. Join us as we delve into the details of this perplexing case, exploring the events leading up to Noah's death, the subsequent...

This week, Mallory’s flying solo and reconnecting with a familiar face from her hometown market. Jason Colthorp, now an anchor in Detroit, was just starting out as a reporter when he covered one of the city’s most disturbing cases: the story of Mitchelle Blair, later dubbed the “Freezer Mom.” Jason shares what he witnessed in the courtroom and explains why this case, along with the heartbreaking d...

In this episode, we're diving into the sweet-smelling world of Scentsy—the MLM that sells wax warmers... but is there more than meets the… nose? Founded in 2004, Scentsy built its empire on a direct sales model powered by independent consultants. But with commissions earned from both product sales and recruiting others, it raises a familiar question: legit business—or just another pyramid in disgu...

In June 2006, 27-year-old Carrie Ann Jackson was found dead in a small body of water near madden hill in Seymour, Indiana. Though her death was ruled suspicious, no arrests have ever been made. Her family has spent nearly two decades in a painful limbo—desperate for justice, haunted by unanswered questions, and determined to keep her memory alive. In this episode, we revisit Carrie’s case, explore...

In this episode, we delve into the dark and tragic story of Teresa Osborne, an 18-year-old Rose Acre Farms employee who vanished in 1973 after a simple errand to a local bakery. Ten days later, her burned-out car—and her body—were discovered in a remote wildlife refuge. What began as a missing persons case quickly turned into a murder investigation, filled with dead ends, unanswered questions, and...

Buckle up. This case is infuriatingly uncovered by the media. We're talking a total of about 12 newspaper articles IN 50 YEARS. That's it. That is all of the news coverage 13-year-old Lori Ann Brickley's murder got. Lori was a sweet, normal teenager. She was in seventh grade. She liked hanging out with her friends and swimming. She had her whole life ahead of her. It all ended when she was found m...

We have 70 episodes and TWO YEARS under our belt y’all! That is cuckoo bananas. Thank you all so much for listening and spreading the word about our podcast AND these cases. We love you all so much! On this episode, both Mallory and Megan bring you updates on past cases: The disappearance of baby Amiah Robertson in Indianapolis, the wrongful arrests and detainments of the Akeos in Mexico, the long...

We’re thrilled to bring you a first in this episode: not one, but two special guests — neither of whom we know personally! We're honored to be joined by Robert Anglen and Lauren De Young from AZCentral , a newspaper with the USA Today network. Together, we’ll be discussing the unsolved murder of 14-year-old Emily Pike in Arizona. Emily was an Indigenous teen who loved the color pink, her cat,...

A Michigan couple, Paul and Christy Akeos, are currently detained in Mexico after being accused by a timeshare company, Palace Resorts, of fraud. The company alleges the couple breached their membership contracts by promoting their benefits on social media and encouraging others to exploit them. They also dispute over $100,000 in chargebacks. The Akeos' lawyer denies the fraud claims. The family s...

This week we're examining two Indiana cold cases that happened within a year of each other. In both cases a young woman was murdered and police seem to know who committed the crime but don't have enough evidence to go to court. However, one case received a ton of local media attention, while the other hasn't been mentioned since 1995. Get ready to park yourself at speculation station b...

It’s another Q & A episode! We noticed some new followers, so we wanted to host another episode where we answer all of your burning questions. Among them: If you were a kitchen utensil, what would you be? Who is burying the body and who is on lookout? What are your favorite podcasts? AND MORE! Listen along as Mallory and Megan spill their guts. And as for the last, unofficial question, please let...

We needed a bit of a palette cleanser, so Megan is bringing us back into the world of white-collar crime. However, today's case is TECHNICALLY legal, it doesn't make it any less shady. Shrinkflation is when a company makes changes to a product, reducing its value, while keeping the price the same or even increasing the price ever so slightly. This entirely legal practice is yet another way...

We have another exciting guest episode for you! In episode 65, Mallory covers the Seminole Heights serial killer, who pled guilty to multiple charges related to a series of murders. Ann Brey joins us to talk about how she LITERALLY WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE KILLER. Howell Emanuel Donaldson III admitted to killing four people in the Seminole Heights neighborhood of Tampa, Florida, in 2017. They...

In May of 2019, 49-year-old Ronald Greene died after being arrested by Louisiana State Police after a chase. Body camera footage, released YEARS after the incident, shows troopers beating, choking, stunning, and dragging him on the ground while handcuffed. He was left face down on the ground for nine minutes. He died on the way to the hospital. At least six white troopers were involved in the arre...

This week we are covering a case involving a missing mother of two, multiple unreliable narrators, an underground bunker, and a WICKED palette cleanser. Buckle up for our first episode of 2025! 25-year-old Samantha Sperry was last seen on March 28, 2018, in a small rural town outside Paducah, Kentucky. It's reported she rode 4-wheelers in the woods with her boyfriend's father before the vehicle go...

What a year it’s been! A lot… and we mean A LOT of crazy things have happened in 2024. Join us as Mallory recaps the biggest crime stories of each month, including: the Karen Read murder case, Trump’s attempted assassination, the Delphi murders case finally going to trial, Luigi Mangione, & much, much more! **TW: Episode includes mentions of child abuse & murder** As we wrap up the year, we want t...

We're back and we're in Canada. Megan tries to speak French. Apologies in advance but we are excited to shed light on this case! In September of 1996, 15-year-old Melanie Ethier disappeared while walking home in Northern Ontario. She was reported missing later that day, but police have not been able to find a single shred of evidence related to her disappearance. Nearly 30 years later, the case is...

Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. A jury found Richard Allen guilty on all four counts in the Delphi double murder trial. Prosecutors say Allen brutally killed 13-year-old Abigail (Abby) Williams and 14-year-old Liberty (Libby) German on that unseasonably warm February day in 2017. On this episode, Mallory and Megan discuss the ins and outs of the trial with Indianapolis TV reporter Max Lewis covere...