Forensic Tales

Not so long ago, humanity’s main pursuit was finding food and staving off hunger. But these days, we’re throwing out strawberries. We’re letting salad greens go bad in the crisper. And when it comes to transforming those broccoli stalks or potato peels into something delicious, we’ve lost the know-how. In an age where the average home discards enough edible meals to sustain an entire extra person,...

A quiet revolution is starting in our backyards. News headlines are certainly frightening at the moment, and watching billion-dollar corporations harm people and the planet in the name of profit is infuriating. But don’t let yourself slide into hopelessness. Whether you have a small urban balcony or sprawling rural acreage, you can reclaim your power as an activist through the small-scale choices...

We live our lives surrounded by smart phones, smart devices, Wi-Fi networks, and wireless wearables. But as our homes become "smarter", the constant electropollution these devices emit carries risks for our long-term health. Your home should be a sanctuary, not a radiation zone. On today's show, radiologist and author Dr. Rob Brown offers simple ways to dramatically reduce your daily e...

Reaching for your phone out of habit rather than necessity isn't a failure of self-discipline—and the fix isn't raw willpower. If you find yourself on your phone more than you'd like, it's likely time to make your phone far less enticing to pick up in the first place. On today's show, author Ruby Ryba shares how decluttering your home screen can quiet the impulse to scroll, res...

Our economy is built to keep us consuming on autopilot. Between frictionless digital checkouts, targeted algorithms, and subscription traps, buying has become effortless. So effortless, in fact, that we rarely register it as an active choice anymore. But what happens when we slow down and reclaim that awareness? On today’s show, author David Gaines makes a case for moving away from isolated, guilt...

In a world filled with endless digital noise, it’s easier than ever to lose touch with the natural world.  Children are drawn to the excitement of screens, parents are increasingly anxious about real-world outdoor risks, and our culture far too often views the earth as a commodity to be bought and sold, not valued and preserved. How do we rebuild our relationship with nature when our schedules are...

Extreme heat, wildfires, flash floods, and poor air quality are no longer abstract future projections—they form the backdrop of our kids' childhoods. Right now, extreme weather and their subsequent environmental factors are directly impacting our children's physical health, brain development, and outdoor play. On today's show, national climate advisor Dr. Laura Schifter offers urgent,...

In a world dominated by digital noise, reclaiming our peace has become one of the most urgent challenges of modern life. For parents, the stakes are even higher. How do we set healthy screen boundaries for our tech-obsessed kids? Where do we draw the line as artificial intelligence inserts itself in our homes and routines? On today's show writer, father, and dumb phone user Andrew Broman explo...

Ever wonder where your bags of donated clothes actually end up? Most of us treat dropping off a bag at a donation bin like a magic trick. We hand it over, walk away, and assume it finds a good home. But very often, away is Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, where 15 million secondhand garments arrive every single week. On today’s show, contemporary artist Emmanuel “DoTT” Kunfaa pulls back the curt...

When the world is burning, finding joy can feel impossible—or worse, selfish. How do we make space for celebration without turning a blind eye to reality? Why would we even want to? While it can feel like a heavy lift, practicing joy is, in fact, an act of resistance. Joy prevents burnout, moves energy, builds solidarity, and promotes resilience. On today’s show, author Cheryl Leutjen dives into t...

When Crystal McCrory Jones was found dead inside her home on February 9, 2023, investigators quickly ruled her death a suicide. But after obtaining the autopsy report, investigative records, photographs, and other official documents, Crystal's family began uncovering what they believe are significant inconsistencies in the investigation. In Part Two of this special two-part series, we take a close...

Are we treating the symptoms of modern life while simultaneously ignoring our habitat? The average American now spends 93% of their life indoors. But humans evolved for millennia alongside the natural world, and research suggests that our indoor lifestyle is disrupting our sleep, focus and long-term health. You don’t need a gym membership or expensive workout gear to get your health back on track....

On the afternoon of February 9, 2023, Crystal McCrory Jones failed to show up for a doctor's appointment. Concerned after repeated calls and texts went unanswered, her husband contacted the West Carroll Parish Sheriff's Office and requested a welfare check. Inside the home, deputies discovered Crystal dead from a single gunshot wound to the head. Less than two hours later, her death was ruled a su...

What started in 2011 with just one woman and a small local government has exploded into a worldwide movement of over 174 million people. That movement is Plastic Free July. Yet 15 years after the challenge’s inception, plastic production continues to exponentially grow. It’s all-too easy to dismiss the challenge as little more than an opportunity to post a picture of a bamboo toothbrush on social...

On November 18, 1987, the small town of Ina, Illinois, was forever changed when Keith and Elaine Dardeen, their 3-year-old son Peter, and their newborn daughter Casey were found murdered in one of the most horrific crime scenes investigators had ever encountered. Nearly four decades later, the murders remain officially unsolved. In this episode of Forensic Tales , I take a closer look at the lives...

The Unsolved Murder of Robert Wone In this special Patreon Bonus Preview, I share a portion of this month's exclusive episode covering the mysterious and unsolved murder of Robert Wone. Listen to the FULL episode:  http://Patreon.com/ForensicTales On August 2, 2006, Robert Wone—a successful attorney, devoted husband, and respected friend—arrived at a townhouse on Swann Street in Washington, D.C.,...

Every week, we drag our trash bins to the curb, close the lid, and forget about them. But where does "away" actually go? And does the mere existence of waste "management" mean we can continue to consume more and more without major consequence? On today's show, author and sanitation worker Simon Paré-Poupart discusses what he's learned in his 20 years on the back of a Montre...

In the early morning hours of May 14, 2008, 19-year-old Brandon Swanson was driving home after celebrating the end of the college semester when his car became stuck in a ditch along a rural Minnesota road. Unable to free his vehicle, Brandon called his parents for help. For the next 47 minutes, he remained on the phone with his father while walking through fields, fences, and farmland, attempting...

The murder of Rachel Nickell remains one of the most infamous true crime cases in the United Kingdom. In July 1992, Rachel was brutally attacked and murdered on Wimbledon Common in broad daylight while walking with her young son. What followed was a controversial murder investigation that captivated the nation, generated intense media scrutiny, and ultimately led investigators down the wrong path....

Patricia Viola was a devoted wife, mother, and volunteer librarian living in Bogota, New Jersey. On February 13, 2001, she seemingly vanished without a trace after returning home from work. She left behind her purse, wallet, identification, seizure medication, and nearly every indication that she planned to return. As investigators worked to reconstruct Patricia's final known movements, they uncov...

New things are everywhere—and they’re causing us to disconnect from what we value most. In a world that constantly tells us that new is better, our relentless pursuit of material wealth is costing us money, time and happiness. Worse, when we define ourselves by what we own rather than who we are, we reduce our lives to a single, superficial dimension. On today’s show, New York Times journalist Eri...

The Fox Hollow Farm Murders remain one of the most chilling serial killer cases in American history. For years, young men disappeared from the Indianapolis area after being seen at local gay bars and nightlife districts. Many were later found strangled and abandoned in rural areas throughout Indiana and Ohio, leading investigators to suspect the existence of the so-called I-70 Strangler. Everythin...

On July 26, 2009, 36-year-old Diane Schuler drove the wrong way down New York's Taconic State Parkway, causing a devastating head-on collision that killed eight people, including herself, her daughter, and three young nieces. The crash shocked the nation and sparked years of debate, speculation, and investigation. Toxicology reports revealed shocking findings, but Diane's family strongly disputed...

The plastic-drenched, disposable world we live in didn’t happen by accident. It was slowly, methodically built by Big Oil. They’re doing everything in their power to get people to use as much plastic as possible, all so they can make money from every single molecule they extract from the ground. And right now, they’re pouring billions of dollars into plans to double, or even triple , plastic produ...

#335 - When 53-year-old Oakey Kite, who went by Al, failed to show up for work on May 24th, 2004, his coworkers immediately knew something was wrong. Concerned, they went to his townhouse in Aurora to check on him where they discovered a crime scene so brutal, investigators would never forget it. Al had been restrained, tortured for hours, and ultimately murdered inside his own home by a man posin...