Malice in the Mitten

In May of 1979 31-year-old nurse and mother Jane Snow was driving north with her two young sons toward a new beginning in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She stopped at the Loon Lake rest area near Grayling — a familiar halfway point. She never made it home. Stabbed 22 times in broad daylight, with no robbery, no assault, and no witnesses, Jane’s murder remains unsolved nearly five decades later. Who...

In 1914, the Holy Cross Orphanage in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula became the center of disturbing allegations — cruelty, punishment, and children who never seemed to leave. Locals have long whispered about laughter in empty halls… crying behind locked doors… and shadowed figures in the upper windows of the abandoned building. In this episode of F-Bomb (Fables, Fiction, Folklore & Frights), we ex...

In this episode of Round Robin, the conversation spans the globe and lands squarely in Michigan. We talk about world population trends and what it means to live on a planet of more than eight billion people, then pivot to some of the weirdest and most wonderful buildings in the Great Lakes State — from mushroom houses to pickle-shaped landmarks. We also celebrate Michigan firsts that helped shape...

On Halloween afternoon in 1981, eleven-year-old Karl Heikell left his home in Calumet, Michigan — and never returned. What followed was a search filled with conflicting sightings, unanswered questions, and rumors that spread through a small Upper Peninsula community desperate for answers. From abandoned mine shafts to the discovery of Karl’s belongings and remains nearly a year later, investigator...

Deep underground, long before safety regulations or daylight reached the mines, workers spoke of something else down there with them. In this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we explore the legend of the Tommy Knockers—small, unseen beings said to live inside the walls of mines, warning some workers of collapse while driving others toward paranoia, obsession, and madness. Are the knockers protectors… or...

Michigan true crime, told with care. Malice in the Mitten explores criminal cases from across Michigan with restraint, accountability, and respect for victims and communities.

In this episode of Round Robin, we pay homage to comedy icon Catherine O’Hara before diving into the kinds of conversations that only happen when you slow down and get curious. We talk about the things in life that shouldn’t work — but somehow do. The episode closes with a thoughtful question: if you could experience one extraordinary moment just once, what would it be?  #RoundRobinPodcast #Cather...

In 1987, two brothers were convicted of murdering a Detroit drug dealer and sentenced to life without parole. For 25 years, Thomas and Raymond Highers maintained their innocence — until a single Facebook post triggered new witnesses and unraveled a decades-old conviction. This episode of Malice in the Mitten examines how tunnel vision, eyewitness testimony, and procedural certainty led to a wrongf...

Dice Road, a quiet stretch of pavement in rural Michigan, has earned a reputation as one of the most haunted locations in the state. In this F-Bomb Friday trilogy, we explore the chilling legends, documented encounters, and terrifying stories tied to Dice Road — from shadow figures and phantom children to violent poltergeist activity and homes that refuse to stay silent. These aren’t just campfire...

From laughing yourself to death to legends that refuse to fade, this episode of Round Robin explores some of history’s strangest endings. We dive into bizarre deaths and the mystery of the 27 Club.  Darkly fascinating, surprisingly human, and just the right amount of spooky, this episode looks at how myth and reality collide. Hosted and produced by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Or...

In July 1981, a young mother and two children were found murdered inside their Macomb County, Michigan home. Another child survived. More than two years later, the husband and father, Robert Deroo, was charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder — only to be acquitted in 1984. In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, we take a careful, deeply researched look at the Deroo...

A dark Michigan urban legend haunts the ruins of Detroit—an apparition known as the Black Nun. Said to roam abandoned convents and church hallways, her presence is marked by silence, cold air, and the feeling of being watched. In this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we explore the origins of the Black Nun of Detroit, the history behind the legend, and why religious folklore continues to cling to the cit...

From the world’s strangest museums to sports that should never exist, this episode of Round Robin dives headfirst into human curiosity and chaos. We explore some of the most unusual museums on Earth, wildly bizarre sporting events, forgotten and unhinged Olympic history, and real sports injuries that didn’t even happen during the game. We wrap things up with Round Robin Recommendations, including...

In Part Two of Shadows of Macomb County, we examine the murder of Lisa Putman, a Michigan Child Protective Services worker killed while performing her duties. This episode follows the investigation into her disappearance, the arrest of Jacqueline and Josephine Verellen, and the legacy Lisa left behind — including why social worker safety matters. This is a victim-centered, factual account of a cas...

Yellow Mike is one of Michigan’s darkest folklore legends — a forgotten asylum patient, a sealed crate, and a being that learned how humans move, breathe, and fear. Some say he escaped. Some say he never existed. Others say he’s still watching.  #FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #DarkFolklore #MidwestLegends #AmericanFolklore  Story researched and written by Todd Preston Produced and hosted by Tracy...

From towering steel to ancient waters, we’re diving into one of Michigan’s most iconic landmarks — the Mackinac Bridge — and the powerful freshwater system it spans. In this episode of Round Robin, we explore the fascinating history of the bridge, uncover how the Great Lakes got their names, and answer a question many people have never stopped to ask: If Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are connected…...

Jennifer Kukla | A Michigan Family Betrayal In Michigan, a home is supposed to be a place of safety. For one family, it became something far darker. In the first episode of this series, Malice in the Mitten examines the case of Jennifer Kukla — a story of domestic trust, quiet warning signs, and a crime that unfolded behind closed doors. Through careful research and restrained storytelling, we exp...

Dive into the legend of the Kalamazoo River Dragon, one of Michigan’s most enduring cryptid mysteries. From 19th-century sightings to connections with Indigenous water spirits and river lore, we explore what people have claimed to see along the Kalamazoo River, why this creature became part of local storytelling, and what it means for Michigan folklore today. Featuring firsthand accounts, historic...

Michigan’s sand dunes aren’t just beaches — they’re ancient, moving landscapes with secrets beneath the surface. This week on Round Robin, we explore Michigan’s massive freshwater sand dunes, wild fun facts, hidden dangers, and the eerie truth about dunes that shift, swallow forests, and sometimes catch people off guard. From Silver Lake to Sleeping Bear, we break down why Michigan’s dunes are unl...

On December 2, 2016, Danielle Stislicki left her job at a MetLife office in Southfield, Michigan, planning to meet a friend for dinner. She never arrived. Her Jeep was found the next morning outside her Farmington Hills apartment — purse and belongings inside — but Dani was gone. Nearly a decade later, her disappearance has led to a murder charge, a complex legal battle, and a trial scheduled for...

Deep in Michigan’s forests, hunters whispered about a towering creature that walked like a man, screamed like something inhuman, and vanished without a trace. Known as the Gugwe, this forgotten legend predates modern Bigfoot sightings and carries a far darker reputation. In this F-Bomb Friday episode, we explore the origins of the Gugwe, eyewitness accounts, Indigenous lore, and why some believe t...

Cheers to the New Year 🥂 reflections, resolutions & real talk on this New Year’s Eve Round Robin #NewYearPodcast #RoundRobinShow #PodcastLife Produced and hosted by Tracy Preston Original Music by Tracy Preston Original artwork by Todd Preston Sound effects upload from Uppbeat: party-horn-single-blow-smartsound-fx-3-3-00-01.mp3 / bottle-cork-pop-gfx-sounds-1-1-00-01.mp3 / happy-new-year-cheer...

In the final chapter of The Silent Killers Trilogy, Malice in the Mitten turns its focus to Michigan women whose stories disappeared entirely. These were not famous cases. Many never became cases at all. Recorded as illness, misfortune, or family tragedy, their deaths were quietly absorbed into history without investigation or remembrance. This episode explores how unnamed women, unexamined deaths...

Christmas is not always warm lights and joyful songs. In this episode of F-Bomb (Fables, Fiction, Folklore & Frights), we uncover the ghostly side of Christmas past—haunted traditions, lingering spirits, and winter folklore steeped in sorrow, memory, and fear. From spectral carolers and cursed celebrations to echoes of Victorian Christmases long buried beneath snow and time, these are the stor...

On today’s Round Robin, Tracy leads the table through the many faces of Ebenezer Scrooge — from the dark, musical rage of Albert Finney’s 1970 Scrooge, to the sharp corporate cruelty of Bill Murray’s Frank Cross in Scrooged. Along the way, the team dives into: How many Scrooges have appeared on screen (and why each era gets the one it deserves) Dickens’ real anger behind A Christmas Carol Victoria...