Buried Bylines

This week's case is the definition of a buried byline. 12-year-old Nicolas Zavala disappeared in August of 2002 while living with his grandmother in Northwest Indiana. Despite being his temporary guardian, the boy's grandmother waited a full week before reporting him missing. Eight months later, Nicolas' remains were discovered on an Illinois farm. Not only is this case still unsolved but it has r...

We're sticking with the Halloween theme for this episode! Have you ever wondered why the news media, law enforcement officials, and doctors warn you to check you kids' Halloween candy for tampering? This case is the reason why. In this episode, Mallory dives into the man who killed Halloween, a.k.a. the Candy Man, and the heartbreaking murder of 8-year-old Timothy O'Bryan. SOURCES:

Spooky Season has arrived! You guys know this is our favorite time of year. Once again, we will spotlight all things Halloween, eerie, and scary for the month of October. This week Megan covers two horrifying unsolved murders, one in the U.S. and another in the U.K., both with ties to All Hallows' Eve. SOURCES: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trunk-lady-cold-case-florida-sylvia-june-atherton-identifi...

You guys, we've got a serial killer case on our hands! This week Megan takes a DEEP dive into a midwest nightmare. Between 1982 and 1984, dozens of teenage boys and young men in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky were brutally assaulted and killed. At least 21 victims died at the hands of Larry Eyler, who was dubbed the Interstate Killer. Buckle up because this is a long one! We're going to t...

In this powerful guest episode, we dive into a deeply personal story with Lindsey Hull, Mallory’s lifelong best friend, former competitive gymnast, and a survivor of sexual abuse. Lindsey bravely shares her journey, including her decision in 2017 to join the lawsuit against disgraced U.S. Olympic doctor Larry Nassar. But for Lindsey, Larry was more than just a doctor—he was a family friend, a neig...

This week, we're taking a back seat to some of the more brutal crime cases we cover. Megan surprised Mallory with a white-collar CALAMITY centered around her favorite artist: Taylor Swift. At this point, we have all seen the massive success of the Eras Tour. But before our beloved blondie could kick off her largest concert venture to date she had to deal with the fallout of Ticketmaster's...

21-year-old Jennifer Stockrahm was murdered nearly 30 years ago in the small town of Harmony, Indiana. She was shot in the chest before being set on fire inside her car, which was parked 100 yards away from her mother's home. In the 27 years that have followed, her case has gotten little to no media coverage. We want to know why. Join us as we discuss the case that has become the definition of...

In 2013, three women were rescued after disappearing a decade earlier. Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus were held captive inside a Cleveland, Ohio home. The women were tortured, raped, and abused by Ariel Castro. Castro was a long-time bus driver and father in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Megan breaks down the news coverage surrounding the case and shares some buried...

In this episode, we’re bringing you some CRAZY headlines from the current news world. We have bed bugs busting a bad business, we have a creepy drone stalker, and last but not least, an update that could help you save some money at the grocery store. We recorded in person for the first time in a MINUTE so things are sure to go off the rails. (And they do.) Plus, you can learn some extra fun, fun f...

We're going BIG for our 50th episode! This week we're diving into the history and lore of one of the country's most infamous gangsters (and Hoosier native) John Dillinger. There's no one better to join us for this conversation than former broadcast news reporter, Joe Melillo. Joe has formed a team of investigators and journalists who are on a mission to exhume John Dillinger's...

Today's episode is a cold case from Mallory's hometown of Lansing, Michigan... suggested by her 15-year-old, true crime-loving cousin. Thanks so much for the suggestion! 41-year-old Bernita White was shot and killed outside of the Potter Park Zoo. To make things even worse, it was in front of her 5-year-old daughter. This shooting sets the public into a panic, especially after police revea...

How can a known Hollywood actor go missing and receive little to no media attention until his body is discovered over a week later? We have THOUGHTS and OPINIONS. Cole Brings Plenty caught his big break when he was cast in the Yellowstone spin-off "1923". The 27-year-old was a member of the Mnicouju Lakota tribe; his Native American roots and beliefs play a big part in the investigation...

We're trying something a little different for this episode! This week, we've selected three current news stories to tell you about. We have been tossing around the idea of starting a Patreon in which we would post bonus episodes on the podcast's off week. One idea we had was to pick a few news stories of the week and talk about them! Please let us know if you like it, or would be interested in sub...

It's safe to say we felt like we were holding pitchforks this ENTIRE episode. Every case we cover is tragic, but it truly hits different knowing the justice system failed this woman in the worst way. In December 2022, Julie Yow was living in Columbus, Indiana and expecting her third child. However, she was under extreme stress and living in fear daily. Julie was denied a protective order again...

**Trigger Warning: Sexual assault, incest, child murder and abuse** We say this every episode... but BUCKLE UP! This case is truly something you won't forget about. Our guest, Dr. Martin Smith-Rodden, is a professional visual journalist with over 30 years of experience, a professor at Ball State University, and has a Ph. D. in Applied Experimental Psychology. (The very first doctor to appear a...

This entire episode is a rollercoaster so BUCKLE UP. Megan decided she wanted to bamboozle Mallory with an April Fool's Day prank, which doesn't seem fair considering we recorded this episode two weeks in advance and Mallory was left with no defense. (Can you guess who is writing up this week's synopsis?) HOWEVER, the prank case is based on a real-life case that we do dive into so stic...

We have some new listeners thanks to our recent appearance on IndyNow. Welcome! We thought it would be a good time to do a Q & A. We got a variety of questions... including what it's like to work in a newsroom and cover these cases. So listen as we divulge our deep, dark secrets. (Not really. Just our Hogwarts houses and stuff...). This week also marks ONE YEAR since we started the podcast! Th...

Have you ever scanned the shelves of a grocery or department store looking for deals... but when you get to the checkout counter everything rings up as more than you expected? You're not going crazy. This is a tactic many stores use called bait and switch pricing. There are dozens of lawsuits because of it and we will explain how they do it and how you can protect your wallet. SOURCES: https:/...

During the late evening hours of June 17, 2002, Nancy Lyons's red Nissan was discovered abandoned on a country road in Rush County, Indiana. The car was running, the trunk was open, and the left rear tire was flat. Four months later, her skeletal remains were discovered in a soybean field in Bartholomew county. What happened to Nancy? Listen now to hear more about her case. SOURCES: https://ww...

In late February of 1995, the small town of Homosassa, Florida was sent into a panic after 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford disappeared from the comfort of her home in the middle of the night. For days, police, neighbors, and media set up camp in the community searching for the third grader all while she was being hidden less than 100 feet away from her house. By the time officials cracked the case it...

This episode's case is a listener suggestion out of Colfax, Indiana! Keep those suggestions coming! 24-year-old Brandy Wilson seemingly disappeared into thin air in June of 2002. Her purse and car were still at home. The only thing missing was Brandy. In this case, we'll discuss who police think may be responsible... who has been charged with murder before. We'll also dive into the inf...

New year, same podcast! We're ringing in 2024 with a case out of Anchorage, Alaska. 20-year-old Brandon Irlmeier was found beaten, strangled, and shot to death at the bottom of a stairwell. Six years later, his case is still unsolved. Brandon's murder is just one of more than 2,400 unsolved cases involving murdered and missing Alaska Natives in Alaska. It's a true Buried Byline. So we&...

First of all, Merry Christmas to those that celebrate the holiday! We are so excited to give you the gift of a new episode. Today's case covers the murder of 23-year-old Lynda McDaniel by the person that has been dubbed in the Indianapolis press as 'The Christmas Ribbon Killer." This case is unsolved to this day. Through our research, we've discovered this story is a true 'bur...

We are freaking out guys!!! 1.) Megan is BACK. 2.) There could be an active serial killer in the greater Portland, Oregon area. Our story starts with the murder of 32-year-old Joanna Speaks. We were alerted about this case thanks to the amazing online community on the I Think Not! Podcast page. (Check them out if you haven't already!) Megan's research into Joanna's case quickly spirale...

Since 1963, 16 people have been sentenced to death and executed by the United States Federal Government. All 16 of those inmates were put to death at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. In 2019, The U.S. Government announced a moratorium on federal executions would end for the first in 17 years. As a result, 13 death row prisoners received lethal injection between July of 2020 and Janua...