69 SOUTH

What drives someone to risk everything for the darkest of compulsions? In this gripping episode, we dive into the disturbing case of Christopher Cooley, a Mooresville man who couldn't stop his predatory behavior even while out on bond for child exploitation charges. The digital breadcrumbs tell a chilling story. Despite pretrial release restrictions, Cooley acquired burner phones, created fake...

What drives a person down a path of escalating criminal behavior despite multiple chances at redemption? In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the troubling case of Ryan Davis, Indiana DOC inmate #263161, whose criminal journey spans decades and reveals critical failures in our justice system. From a Christmas Day arrest for syringes to hiding in a police officer's attic, carjacking a...

Nestled among Kentucky's rolling hills and bourbon distilleries, Bardstown's charm earned it the title "America's Most Beautiful Small Town" in 2012. Yet behind this picturesque facade lurks a darker reality—five unsolved murders that have traumatized the community and left families searching for answers for over a decade. At the heart of this mystery is Crystal Rogers, a devot...

A father's worst nightmare unfolded in the dead of night when Aaron Spencer discovered his 14-year-old daughter missing from her bed. What followed was a desperate search that would end in bloodshed and raise profound questions about justice, protection, and the failures of our legal system. At the center of this Arkansas tragedy stands Michael Fosler, a 67-year-old Army veteran facing 43 felo...

The true crime landscape is forever changed when you hear the story of Morgan D. Stapp, a mother of seven whose life spiraled into a nightmare of unimaginable accusations. What began as a shocking headline—a 32-year-old woman allegedly attempting to sell her infant daughter for sexual acts via Snapchat—quickly evolves into a complex digital mystery that challenges everything we think we know about...

Some crimes shake us to our core, forcing us to confront uncomfortable questions about justice, revenge, and where to draw the line. The case of Allen Cogswell and Nicholas Stanley embodies this moral quandary in its rawest form. When authorities discovered explicit images of underage girls on Allen Cogswell's phone in January 2018, they uncovered something far more disturbing. Two young siste...

Trust shattered in an instant. The Jayson Tatlock case reveals the devastating consequences when school authority figures cross unthinkable boundaries with students under their care. This episode unpacks the troubling relationship between Jayson Tatlock, a 45-year-old school resource officer with extensive law enforcement experience, and a 17-year-old Bloomington North High School student. What be...

A chilling investigation unfolds as we dissect the case of Jayson Tatlock, a former school resource officer who betrayed his position of trust in the most devastating way. What started as seemingly innocent interactions with a 17-year-old student spiraled into a calculated pattern of grooming that culminated in sexual assault during a private fishing trip. The evidence paints a disturbing portrait...

Two predators, two victims, and a system that failed them both. In the quiet city of Anderson, Indiana, Leslie Houston's life ended violently at the hands of her husband of seven years, John Daughtry. What began as a medical emergency call quickly revealed a horrifying pattern of abuse that had been occurring for years. Leslie's body told a story her voice no longer could – bruises in vari...

Come join Patreon.com/69South for your daily dose of The Dailly Detour. A 30 minute daily episode discussing the weird, crazy, and odd news stories with a light hearted funny take.  Visit Rosie's Posy for all your farmstead, sourdough and flower needs at 6082 E. Hadley Rd. , Moorseville, Indiana.  Scented Jewels We’ve got the coolest wax melts ever. Dive into a world of many aromas at shopscen...

The digital shadows that conceal online predators are being illuminated by sophisticated detective work, as demonstrated in the shocking case of Ryan Wade Layman - a recently retired Martinsville firefighter facing multiple felony charges for child exploitation and possession of child pornography. Detective Jonathan Moscato's investigation through the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children t...

The haunting question "What would happen if I said I lied?" sits at the heart of this gripping exploration into a long-buried child sexual abuse case that's finally seeing the light of day. Ten years after a teenage victim recanted her allegations against her stepfather, she's back—armed with recordings, screenshots, and the unshakable determination to set the record straight. John...

A mother's worst nightmare unfolds in real-time at an Indianapolis hotel when she returns to Room 111 to find convicted child molester Bruce Pierce attacking her 12-year-old daughter. In that split-second of horror, she makes a decision that will forever alter multiple lives—she draws her gun and fires. The bullet-riddled walls of Room 111 tell only part of a story that stretches back more tha...

When a gym-goer noticed a foul odor coming from a locked tanning room at Planet Fitness, no one expected to discover 39-year-old Derek Sink, who had been dead for three days. Despite wearing an ankle monitor that repeatedly pinged his location and multiple visits from his monitoring officer, Sink's body remained undiscovered in plain sight. The investigation unearthed a heartbreaking web of ad...

A dismembered body dumped in rural Indiana. A classic Oldsmobile Cutlass that vanished without a trace. A stolen car stereo that sparked a deadly grudge. After more than 30 years of silence, the brutal 1992 murder of Tony Bledsoe is finally coming to light, revealing the dark secrets buried in a small Indiana town. When human remains - lacking a head, hands, and feet - were discovered at an illega...

Murder came quietly to rural Indiana on a cold February night in 1977. While the rest of the country was preparing for Valentine's Day celebrations, a family in Park County faced unimaginable horror when armed intruders entered their double-wide mobile home and changed their lives forever. The case known locally as the "Valentine's Day Massacre" bears no relation to its famous Chic...

The fifth installment of our Fortinberry case coverage delivers the most disturbing revelations yet. What started as inappropriate conduct with high school students has escalated into a nightmare involving allegations of child molestation, incest, and sexual gratification with her biological son. Detective Patrick Williams received a devastating report that led to a forensic interview with Fortinb...

A shocking case unfolds as we meticulously examine the probable cause affidavit filed against Jacob Wessel, a former robotics teacher at Mooresville Christian Academy in Indiana. The document reveals disturbing allegations of grooming behavior directed at a 13-year-old student, including inappropriate text messages stating he was "in love" with her and wanted to kiss her. Most troublingly,...

A white Pontiac Firebird speeds northbound in the southbound lanes of State Road 67 at nearly 100 mph, T-tops removed, blonde hair blowing in the wind. Inside, four children clutch whatever they can as witnesses report them screaming. The driver, 32-year-old Judy Kirby, appears eerily calm, "stoic" and "on a mission" according to those who swerved to avoid her. What drives a mother...

Ready for your jaw to hit the floor? We're diving deep into the mind-boggling case of Janet Mello—aka "The Gucci Goddess"—who pulled off one of the largest frauds in U.S. Army history while working as a modest civilian financial manager. Picture this: a government employee making $130,000 annually somehow manages to divert $109 million meant for military children's programs into he...

Four words will haunt the parents of Brownsburg, Indiana for years to come: "We handled it ourselves." Those words, spoken by daycare administrators who chose their reputation over children's safety, allowed Gabriel Garner to continue working with kids despite multiple red flags and disturbing allegations. The horror began unfolding when a concerned teacher finally contacted authoritie...

Oaklee Snow's tragic death in 2023 could have been prevented if the justice system hadn't failed her through a lenient plea deal given to her killer years earlier. We investigate how Rowan Waters went from facing decades in prison to walking free in just four years, only to allegedly murder little Oakley by February 2023. • Roan Waters' 2017 arrest for armed burglary with multiple felo...

The dark underbelly of small-town America surfaces in this gripping episode as we examine the disturbing case of Nathan Bailey, a 59-year-old Martinsville man now facing one count of child exploitation and 33 charges of possession of child pornography. When vigilante groups "Bikers Against Predators" and "Predator Poachers" discovered connections between Bailey and another predator...

The horrific torture and murder of Sylvia Likens stands as one of America's most disturbing cases of child abuse—a stark reminder of what happens when an entire community turns a blind eye to suffering. Summer 1965 in Indianapolis was a time of Beatles records and drive-in movies, but behind the doors of a rundown house on East New York Street, 16-year-old Sylvia was experiencing unimaginable...

A seemingly ordinary day in an apartment shared by Catherine Schwartz, Tyler Mertlow, and their three children ended in unspeakable tragedy when a fire claimed the life of their three-month-old son. The devastating case unravels like a noir mystery, revealing layers of neglect, substance abuse, and domestic turmoil that created perfect conditions for disaster. The investigation reveals a household...