Method & Madness

Victim blaming can result in serious and deadly consequences. 19-year-old Shana Grice reported her abuser to the police 5 times in a period of 6 months. The police issued her a fine for “wasting their time”.   In August 2016, Shana was found murdered in her bedroom. If you are a victim of stalking, help is available. In the UK, you can call the National Stalker Helpline - 0808 802 0300 In the US,...

Adolfo Jimenez Vega was a 41-year-old man, father, grandfather, and beloved son and brother. He was murdered on April 6, 2022 and since then, his family has received few answers about what happened that evening in California City. There’s been victim-blaming, praise for the alleged murderer, and racial bias. Today, I’m joined by Adolfo’s sister Nancy who is using her voice to fight for justice. Si...

She was 5 when her father joined a cult. She was 12 when she was forced into a child marriage. Today, she is telling her story. Dr. Tamara MC is an Applied Linguist who researches language, culture, and identity in the Middle East and beyond. She studied poetry and nonfiction at Columbia University. She’s been granted numerous residencies and fellowships, including Bread Loaf, Iowa Writers’ Worksh...

Turn off the lights, it’s time to take a break from true crime and dive into some truly terrifying tales. In honor of the most spooky time of the year, let’s talk haunted roads and mansions. Evil trees and elusive creatures. All from my home state of New Jersey. Wait, Bigfoot is in the woods here in NJ? Maybe. We'll also hear from a Bigfoot researcher, who is out to find what threw rocks at him in...

She was unknown to those who loved her, for 40 years. It’s 1982 in Blairstown, NJ - a quaint town with an old-timey feel, its residents were rocked upon the discovery of a murder victim in the local cemetery. The lead investigator Eric Kranz said “I’ll worry about the murder later on. My main concern is finding out who she is.” He was tired of writing “Jane Doe”, so, she was named “Princess Doe”....

A listener favorite! Join Dawn as she walks you through the events that happened when a family purchased their dream home in the quaint town of Westfield, NJ. Creepy letters that became threatening- was there really an evil presence lurking in the walls? Detective Barron Chambliss, who investigated The Watcher, is the special guest on this episode - offering up his opinion on what was really behin...

Warning: This episode features detailed and graphic accounts of female genital mutilation, including abuse of children - this content may not be appropriate for all audiences. All survivors' names have been changed for their safety and to protect anonymity. For information on how to get involved and to learn more about FGM, visit Global Media Campaign:   Global Media Campaign – Media To End FGM Do...

What's more terrifying? The idea that an abandoned hospital is haunted, or the truth about what went on when it was open? This week we'll explore the "asylum", the treatments and mistreatments that went on inside, and what became of them. __________________________________________________________ Method & Madness is researched, written, hosted, and produced by Dawn Cate Sound Editing by moInsp...

Looking for compassionate true crime? This is Method & Madness, a true crime podcast with a purpose; shedding light on injustice and advocating for change. Join me, Dawn, as I take you on a journey of immersive storytelling and pose questions to get YOU to think about the method of the mind, the madness that ensues. We're going deep into the evidence, examining lesser-known cases - all while f...

Surjit Athwal was 16 years old when she was forced to marry a man 10 years her senior. It was outside of London, England but life for the young wife was isolating, tense and abusive. As Surjit tried to gain her independence and flee her strict Sikh household, the control over her became worse and worse; until a deadly plan was established followed by one chilling statement, “We have to get rid of...

Method & Madness returns soon! Until then, let’s revisit a case that didn’t get a lot of attention in the U.S. An award-winning journalist boards a submarine for a long-awaited interview and is reported missing the following day. This is the case of journalist Kim Wall, a talented up-and-coming journalist from Sweden who was brutally murdered aboard a homemade submarine in Denmark in 2017 by P...

Case Update! On October 8th, 2025, Grayson County District Attorney John Kermit Hill made an important announcement. A grand jury indicted Cory Foster on manslaughter charges in connection with the death of Katie Palmer. After a painful 5 and a half years of fighting, Katie’s loved ones have one big step toward justice. On Tuesday, April 21st, 2020, 39-year-old John Palmer and his wife, 38-year-ol...

42-year-old Betsy Faria was vibrant, positive, and surrounded by a supportive circle of family and friends. In 2011, she was murdered in her own home, allegedly by her friend, Pam Hupp. In this episode, Dawn sits down with Betsy’s daughter Mariah Day. Mariah is speaking out about an investigation that was misguided from the start, and the irreparable damage it has caused her family. Although her s...

In 2003, 17-year-old Shafilea Ahmed was feeling trapped; between who she wanted to be and who her family expected her to be. She went missing in September of that year, and the investigation uncovered a secret world of incomprehensible abuse. Honor-based abuse stems from a perceived violation of the ‘honor’ and ‘shame’ codes of a particular society or community. If you are experiencing honor-based...

70-year-old woman, mother, and grandmother Dorothy Donovan was found brutally stabbed to death in her bedroom in June of 1991. Her son Charles Holden had discovered her in the middle of the night and was immediately brought to police headquarters for questioning. Charles was the likely suspect; a man in debt who was the beneficiary of Dorothy’s life insurance policy. But Charles insisted that he w...

Sid and Nancy have been called a modern-day “punk Romeo and Juliet”, but underneath that surface-level romanticism was a dark reality. Sid Vicious, the notoriously rebellious member of the punk band The Sex Pistols met bleach-blonde groupie Nancy Spungen (yes, Spungen is pronounced with a “hard G”) in London at the height of the punk rock movement. What followed was a relationship fueled by drug a...

In June 2009 the body of a man in his 50s or 60s was found on a beach in Sligo, Ireland. With no identification found in his belongings, investigators had their work cut out for them. They were able to construct a timeline of the mystery man’s final 4 days which were spent at a hotel in Sligo. But the more they searched for the man’s identity, the more questions would arise once security camera fo...

This is the 3rd (and final) episode of a mini-series. Listen to Episodes 40 & 41 first. A serial killer now convicted of 2 murders in the first degree, is looked at as a possible suspect in his father's death. 71-year-old Wayne Millard was found dead of a gunshot wound in November 2012. His sudden death was initially ruled a suicide; until his son, Dellen was arrested for the murder of an Anca...

This is Part 2 of a 3-part series. Listen to Episode 40: The Murder of TIm Bosma first. Here we have another instance where an adult goes missing, and police write it off as a runaway situation.  23-year-old Laura Babcock was last heard from in early July 2012 and family and friends knew she wouldn’t just walk off. Despite their efforts to file a missing person report and interview the last-known...

32-year-old Tim Bosma was selling a pickup truck and had posted an ad online. On May 6th, 2013 he took two potential buyers out for a test drive and never returned home. What followed was a frantic search for a beloved man, husband, and father; and quickly turned into a homicide investigation. Who would kill a man over a truck? There were no simple answers here and the more evidence that was found...

Tonia Sells Bales was “Dirty John’s” first wife. Join Dawn as she sits down with Tonia to dive deep into her experience with John Meehan. Tonia was married to John for ten years and probably knew him better than anyone. But did anyone ever really know John Meehan? Thank you to Tonia for sharing your story with me. Want to know more? Check out the podcast that Tonia produced “The First Wife”, avail...

Join Dawn and guests Debra and Terra Newell in this conclusion of "Surviving Dirty John.” In this episode, Debra and her family discover the truth about John Meehan and his “dirty” past; including details about other women he terrorized. And finally, Debra goes into hiding and John becomes more desperate…and deadly. A huge thank you to Debra and Terra for sharing your stories with me.  Researched,...

Join Dawn and guests Debra and Terra Newell as we discuss the infamous case of "Dirty John". It’s the story of how John Meehan conned his way into the hearts of trusting women, how he wasn't at all who he said he was. This is how he used manipulation tactics and coercive control to get what he wanted.  The methods he used; well, it was like he wrote the manual on manipulation. And his victims didn...

From Sherri Papini to Susan Smith. Jussie Smollet to the runaway bride. People who (allegedly) fake crimes or orchestrate a hoax where they’re the victim; is this really a victimless crime? And what is to gain? The answer may not be so simple.   If you have any information on missing person Stacey Smart, please call the Trinity County Sheriff’s Dept at 530-378-4491 If you have any information on m...

Bonus Episode and Call to Action: Daniel Robinson, a 24-year-old geologist went missing in the Arizona desert in June of 2021. In July, his Jeep Renegade was found in a desert ravine by a local rancher. Police have said Daniel simply walked off of his own volition. But a private investigator hired by Daniel’s father says that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the found vehicle. Danie...