Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

In the final scheduled episode of Homicide at House of Bottles, we reflect on the profound impact of Robbie Rahrich’s life and death while exploring themes of justice, rehabilitation, and accountability. This episode features conversations with Shawn Helmenstein, who has spent 25 years in prison for the 1999 Bismarck murder. Helmenstein shares new insights about the missing shell casing, his evolv...

In Episode 5 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the case of Shawn Helmenstein moves toward resolution. After confessing to the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich, Helmenstein participates in a videotaped walkthrough of the crime scene, calmly recounting his actions in chilling contrast to the brutality of the homicide. At trial, prosecutors dismantle his defense of emotional duress with confessions, the...

In Episode 4 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the story intertwines poignant memories with pivotal breakthroughs in the investigation of the 1999 Bismarck murder of Robbie Rahrich. In Clinton, Montana, Detectives Haas and Wooten close in on primary suspect Shawn Helmenstein, while interviews with Robbie’s sister Casey and friends Angie and Mike shed light on his humor, warmth, and generosity. Thei...

In this special mid-season update, listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at Season 11, Homicide at House of Bottles. Along with reflections on the investigation so far, this episode includes a Spotlight PLUS preview with exclusive materials from Episodes 1 and 2, including photographs, videos, and bonus details that bring the case to life. You’ll also learn about the benefits of a Spotlight PLUS...

In Episode 3 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the investigation into the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich expands across North Dakota and Montana. Detectives pursue leads tied to the House of Bottles, including former employees with complicated histories, while a 9mm pistol known as the “Baby Eagle” emerges as a critical clue. Witnesses describe sightings of suspicious figures near the crime scene, i...

In Episode 2 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the investigation into the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich intensifies. Detectives arrived at the liquor store crime scene in the early hours of February 21, processing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and confronting one puzzling detail — the missing shell casing. Through archival audio and present-day interviews with retired officers, we retrace their...

Welcome to Season 11 of Homicide at House of Bottles, an investigation into the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich at the House of Bottles liquor store in Bismarck, North Dakota. In Episode 1, we set the stage during a bustling winter weekend filled with out-of-town visitors for the state wrestling tournament, leading up to a harrowing discovery that ignited a homicide investigation. Featuring intervie...

Dakota Spotlight’s six-part podcast series, Homicide at House of Bottles, delves into the 1999 murder of a promising young man, whose life was tragically cut short in Bismarck, North Dakota. Featuring immersive soundscapes and interviews with detectives, family, friends, and even the convicted killer, this season examines the layers of a crime that shook a community—and the enduring questions of j...

Crime reporter Dan Box joins us to discuss Bowraville, his podcast about the tragic murders of three Aboriginal children in a small Australian town. Teaming up with The Australian, Dan investigates how all three vanished from the same street and searches for answers in this haunting case. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get episodes early, ad...

A kindergarten teacher masterminds a brutal murder and shows no remorse. In this special, stand-alone episode we learn about a macabre crime from the true north. In 2015, Angila Wilder was brutally murdered in her home while her two-year-old child slept just down the hall. True crime author C.J. Wynn meets with Dakota Spotlight to discuss this crime. C.J. WYNN's book https://www.amazon.com/Wilder-...

I Woke Up To A Girl Watching Me Sleep - The Driftwood Drifter - Creepy Guy On A Bus - The Dam Man - Accidentally Stumbled Into A Christian Cult - This is Disturbed. Featuring narration by: Kyra Cornett Elizabeth Flood Brian Jeffords Kat Carter Terra Ashe Disturbed is a production of Killer Podcasts, a part of the Evergreen network. For more paranormal and true crime shows, visit KillerPodcasts.com...

We share the full audio of a police interrogation from March 2021 with Jesse Huy, who killed three family members and then turned himself in. This recording includes a full confession and reveals the disturbing reasons behind the murders, offering a rare insight into the "Why". Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get episodes early, ad-free, and...

Joel Lovelien was just 38-years-old when he was found beaten to death outside of the Broken Drum Bar in Grand Forks, North Dakota on a Halloween-themed Saturday night in 2007. Who killed Joel Lovelien? Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS...

Part 2 of 2 - James continues his intriguing yet sometimes exhausting conversation with the AI chatbot. In Part 2, they delve into notable crimes near James' hometown, covering the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders, Steven Stayner, and the Zebra Killings, with the AI's often inaccurate responses leading James to ask, "Do you lie?". Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dak...

Part 1 of 2 - In an attempt to deepen his understanding of AI, James interviews an expert who, interestingly enough, happens to be an AI chatbot. The interview proves challenging, as the AI often becomes evasive, stalls, or even "walks out" of the conversation. In Part 1, the AI shares its perspectives on true crime, discusses the Dakota Spotlight podcast, explores the cases that sparked James' fa...

James interviews researcher Mari Zoerb Hansen. Mari, a UW grad, played a crucial role in creating “You Killed Chris.” They share behind-the-scenes details and how the story became part of Dakota Spotlight. They also take a walk around the UW campus, visiting key locations from the Season 10 story. Sterling Hall bombing content mentioned in this episode https://dakotaspotlight.com/SterlingHallBombi...

Part 2 of 2: The story of Sajid Hussain’s mysterious death in Sweden takes on broader significance when examined alongside the case of Karima Baloch, a fellow activist who also fled Pakistan and was later found dead under suspicious circumstances. Their deaths raise concerns of politically motivated killings, highlight the dangers faced by Baloch activists in exile, and cast doubt on the official...

Part 1 of 2: Sajid Hussain, a Pakistani journalist forced into exile for reporting on human rights abuses in Balochistan, vanished in Sweden in 2020. Weeks later, his body was found in the Fyris River near Uppsala. Swedish police concluded there was no foul play, but suspicions persist that his death may have been tied to his investigative reporting and possible involvement of Pakistani intelligen...

Season 5, Episode 1 - Five Blocks From Home 15 year old Barbara Louise Cotton vanished from the streets of Williston, North Dakota on April 11, 1981 five blocks from her home. What happened to Barbara Cotton? In episode 1, while others called Barbara a 'runaway', a frustrated yet unyielding Sandee Evanson refuses to stop looking for her childhood friend. A Better Search for Barbara is a deep, inve...

Ohio Mysteries: The Great Locomotive Chase Pt 1 In 1862, 23 Ohio soldiers, led by a Kentucky union spy, stole deep into the south with the intent of stealing a train and using it to destroy telegraph lines, railroad tracks and bridges and cripple the south. They ultimately got caught and nearly half of them hanged, but the survivors were given the very first Medals of Honor by a grateful US Congre...

In this riveting, must-listen interview, award-winning paranormal researcher Morgan Knudsen and true crime writer Mike Browne sit down with journalist and author Matt Baglio (THE RITE, ARGO, HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL) to delve into Matt's firsthand experiences investigating ritual exorcism. Join us as Matt discusses his remarkable eyewitness testimony and first-hand accounts from Father Gary Thomas, th...

Season 3, Episode 1. On a quiet Friday morning in September of 1998 a 17 year old girl named Aimee walked into the Police Department in Bismarck, North Dakota. The young woman said she wasn’t exactly sure, but she had a hunch that her 18 year old boyfriend Brian might have hurt his mother and father. Not a problem, said Bismarck Police, a simple welfare check would set this story straight. ‘The st...

A short message from the host of Dakota Spotlight. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Support the show on PayPal https://bit.ly/3wDhonM Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Advertise your p...

In South Africa, a school teacher was assassinated in front of her class by hit-men. Who would take out a contract on a school teacher? That's what Paul McNally wanted to find out with Season 2 of his gripping podcast Alibi. Dakota Spotlight spoke with Paul from his home in South Africa. Originally broadcast Summer 2021. Listen to the Alibi podcast https://developaudio.co.za/alibi Check out the fu...

Dakota Spotlight has reached the 10 season milestone, and we look back to where it all began with Victor Newberry. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get new episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Support the show on PayPal https://bit.ly/3wDhonM Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight...