Among the Dirt and Trees

One of my clients reached out to inform me that her brother, Bruce, went missing on May 17, 2022. His family believes that he is without access to his medication for bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and asthma. This is an obvious concern for them and why it is so important to find Bruce as soon as possible. Bruce went missing in Waxahachie, Texas, but it is believed that he drove through New Mexic...

When a father steps away from his five and seven year old sons for a few minutes, he is surprised to return and find them gone. These two boys disappeared without warning, so their neighbors began to search, thinking they were lost in the local woods. As more time passed, their neighbors began to suspect that their parents might be involved with the disappearance. Everything changed when a neighbo...

On Lake Michigan, there is a section of the water where things just go wrong. Missing persons. Missing ships. Missing planes. Some believe that simple acts of nature have created these problems, but not everyone is convinced. Is there something supernatural or out of this world going on at Lake Michigan? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...

Samuel Mason was the leader of a fearsome group of river pirates stalking the Ohio River. They would steal from anyone who came by, sometimes killing their victims in the process. When a group of locals decided enough was enough, Mason and his men were run out of their hunting ground—but that wasn’t the end of the story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...

Throughout history, magic has been regarded with both fear and envy. More than a few men and women have found themselves in trouble for accusations of witchcraft, even if they didn’t do it. There’s more to hunting witches than the Salem Witch Trials, so let’s discuss a few cases with those who chose to dance with the devil in the woods. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...

When a family discovered a torso in a cave in Idaho, police were curious. When a little girl found a hand twelve years later, they were interested. A team of anthropologists would go on to find the remnants of this dismembered man, and after sifting through nearly 32,000 DNA matches, they found his identity. Turns out that this victim was a really bad guy. His name was Joseph Henry Loveless—at lea...

The Beaumont children were 9, 7, and 4 when they went to the beach and never came home. Sightings would describe a strange man, and while there were many suspects, the children were never returned. Who took them, and what happened to them after they were taken? We may never know. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-...

Famed country star David “Stringbean” Akeman was performing live on the radio when two cousins decided to rob his remote cabin in the woods during the performance. They had the radio on to keep track of him, but as they grew frustrated with their search, they got distracted. David and his wife, Estelle, returned home while the intruders were still inside. The robbers killed them and fled the prope...

Bobby, Sherilynn, and Madyson Jamison went out to look at some property with hopes of purchasing it for the next chapter of their lives. They never made it home. Eight days later, their abandoned car was found by some local hunters. Inside, police found all of their personal belongings, their beloved pet, and an outrageous sum of money. Their bodies were found four years later with no indication o...

Bootlegging has been around in America since the American Civil War, but it’s still going on to this day. In part two of this two-part episode, we will discuss prominent bootleggers who made their fortunates making, transporting, and selling illegal alcohol. The episodes will cover prominent NASCAR racer Junior Johnson, hotshot lawyer George Remus, master distiller Roger “Buck” Nance, and sailor W...

Bootlegging has been around in America since the American Civil War, but it’s still going on to this day. In part one of this two-part episode, we will discuss prominent bootleggers who made their fortunates making, transporting, and selling illegal alcohol. The episodes will cover prominent NASCAR racer Junior Johnson, hotshot lawyer George Remus, master distiller Roger “Buck” Nance, and sailor W...

When the body of a young boy was discovered in a box on the side of the road in 1957, police were convinced that they would solve his tragic murder. Though several prominent theories remain, the boy has yet to be identified—but police still have hope that his case will be solved. Who did this to him? And what happened to him before his tragic death? Only time will tell. See Privacy Policy at https...

In 1967, two girls claimed to see the dead rising from their graves in Highgate Cemetery, and the people of London began to change. By 1970, a full-blown obsession with the local vampire rumors broke out, egged on by the publications of two enemy magicians who each swore to know more about the vampire threat plaguing the area. When their plan to hunt down the vampire once and for all was aired on...

Derrick Engebretson was eight years old when went into Winema National Forest with his father and grandfather. The three of them wanted to find the perfect Christmas tree, and they were having fun looking for one. But when Derrick suddenly disappeared, his father and grandfather were horrified. Derrick vanished, leaving behind only footprints and an abandoned snow angel near the parking lot. He wo...

When four men find themselves shipwrecked 700 miles from the closest piece of land, they are determined to survive. Fighting off sharks, hunting in a lifeboat, and drinking blood to stay hydrated, these men did everything that they could to stay alive—including eating one of their crewmates. They would last just long enough to return to society. And then, they were arrested. See Privacy Policy at...

Terrance “Terry” Bowers Jr. was eleven years old when he went camping with the Boy Scouts. The following morning, a fellow camper would find him brutally stabbed to death in his tent. His killer was never found, but there is a chance that the killer has already confessed and was simply ignored. The most disturbing part? The wounds appeared to be the byproduct of one of the Boy Scout’s knives. See...

Today’s episodes mark 100 cases with ATDATPOD (kind of), so I wanted to do something special. In this episode, we’re discussing animal serial killers—animals that developed a dangerous interest in the people around them. In part two, learn about Tilikum, a killer whale who killed several people in his tank following years of abuse, and the Man-Eaters of Tsavo, two lions that rumors say killed over...

Today’s episodes mark 100 cases with ATDATPOD (kind of), so I wanted to do something special. In this episode, we’re discussing animal serial killers—animals that developed a dangerous interest in the people around them. In part one, learn about Kesagake, a brown bear that murdered at least seven people over the course of six days, and the Champawat tiger, a ferocious feline who killed over 400 pe...

Venice Beach and the greater Venice area provide a delightfully modern neighborhood with plenty to offer locals and visitors alike. It has also been the backdrop for countless crimes throughout the last hundred years. Let’s explore some of the famous crime cases that have plagued this area. This is part two. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://a...

Venice Beach and the greater Venice area is a delightfully modern neighborhood with plenty to offer locals and visitors alike. It has also been the backdrop for countless crimes throughout the last hundred years. Let’s explore some of the famous crime cases that have plagued this area. This is part one. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19....

Dennis was six years old when he went out backpacking with his father, brother, grandfather, and friends. When the kids decided to hide and surprise the adults, the real surprise came when one child was missing. Dennis. Pouring rain and rumors of a wild man would drive this case in several different directions, but Dennis was never found. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...

Michele “Missy” Avila was seventeen years old when she disappeared. Three days later, she was found dead in a local creek. While her friends and family mourned, police would search for the three mysterious men that were accused of kidnapping and murdering her. Nine months later, an earth-shattering confession about Missy’s murder would change her community forever. Sometimes, it’s the last person—...

Michele “Missy” Avila was seventeen years old when she disappeared. Three days later, she was found dead in a local creek. While her friends and family mourned, police would search for the three mysterious men that were accused of kidnapping and murdering her. Nine months later, an earth-shattering confession about Missy’s murder would change her community forever. Sometimes, it’s the last person—...

Born and raised as Myra Maybelle Shirley, a young woman’s life changed forever at the age of sixteen when famed outlaw Jesse James hid with her family. From that moment on, she knew that she wanted to be an outlaw. This would begin her first of many relationships with famed outlaws, and her reputation would grow as she traded her life as a lady for a spot among prominent criminals. When she marrie...

Maria Marten was a young woman who was unlucky in love, especially for a woman in 1827. Though men seemed to love her, even when she ended up pregnant with children from multiple men, they always refused to stay. Her final child would be born to William Corder, her first child’s younger brother. The two made a plan to elope in an attempt to save Maria from being criminally charged for having multi...