Never Light Up A Room Podcast

With life being unpredictable lets flash back 1 year ago today and have Episode 067: The Escape of Kara Robinson for a Re-Release episode! Enjoy! On June 24th 2002 while at a friends house, 15 year old Kara was outside watering plants when a man pulled into the driveway. Striking up a conversation, the man would then go on to kidnap Kara and take her back to his apartment where he would assault he...

We're back with our twenty eighth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know! References: Levenson, Eric, “‘I am responsible.’ Takeaways from Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann’s sentencing hearing”, CNN, June 17, 2026, https://w...

Lori Hacking seemed to have everything to look forward to, a happy marriage, a baby on the way, and an exciting new chapter just around the corner. But when she vanished after what was supposed to be an early morning jog, investigators quickly discovered that not everything in her seemingly perfect life was as it appeared. As the search for Lori intensified, a web of shocking lies, devastating bet...

Elizabeth "Betsy" Faria, was a beloved wife, mother, and friend who was battling terminal cancer when her life was suddenly cut short. What initially appeared to be a straightforward investigation soon evolved into a complex saga involving allegations of deception, a wrongful conviction, and years of unanswered questions. Along the way, another life would be lost—that of Louis Gumpenberg...

In the summer of 1993, Seattle's thriving grunge scene was shaken by a tragedy that would leave a community searching for answers. Mia Zapata, the charismatic lead singer of the rising punk band The Gits, was on the verge of achieving her biggest dreams when her life was suddenly cut short. In this episode, we explore Mia's journey from aspiring musician to underground icon, the vibrant mu...

In August 2025, a shocking tragedy in an affluent Connecticut community ignited a national conversation about artificial intelligence, mental health, and accountability in the tech industry. At the center of the case were Suzanne Adams, a vibrant retired businesswoman, and her son, Stein-Erik Soalberg, a former tech manager whose struggles with addiction, paranoia, and mental illness had intensifi...

A rising young sitcom star with a bright future ahead of her is gunned down at her own front door, sending shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond. What began as harmless fan mail slowly spiraled into a terrifying obsession that exposed just how vulnerable celebrities could be behind the scenes. In this episode, we unravel the tragic story of Rebecca Schaeffer, the warning signs that were missed,...

We're back with our twenty seventh Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know! References:    Russo, Christine; “"Dom and Davion's Law" - Victims Before Influencers: Modernize Son of Sam Laws”; Change.ord;  https://www.c...

5 friends. One basketball game. And a late-night drive that ended with their car abandoned deep in the snowy mountains of Northern California. In this episode, we unravel the haunting mystery of the Yuba County 5 , a case filled with baffling decisions, missed opportunities, eerie sightings, and questions that have remained unanswered for decades.    Sources    Gorney, Cynthia; “5 'Boys' W...

On a quiet October afternoon in 1961, 31-year-old Joan Risch vanished from her home in Lincoln, leaving behind a scene that investigators still can’t fully explain. Blood was found smeared across the kitchen, the phone had been ripped from the wall, and strange sightings of a disoriented woman nearby only deepened the mystery. More than 60 years later, the disappearance of Joan Risch remains one o...

In September 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced Extra Strength Tylenol capsules, sparking one of the most infamous unsolved murder cases in American history. The victims ranged from a 12-year-old girl to parents and working professionals, all unknowingly poisoned after using a trusted over-the-counter medication. As panic spread, Johnson & Johnson issued a n...

We're back with our twenty sixth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know! References:  Acevedo, Nicole;  “DNA testing confirms Ted Bundy killed Utah teen in 1974 cold case”; NBC News; April 1, 2026;  https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us...

 After taking a coworker to the hospital one night in 1980, Dorothy Jane Scott stepped into a parking lot and vanished without a trace. In the weeks before she disappeared, she had been receiving unsettling calls from someone who seemed to know her every move, calls that didn’t stop after she was gone. As the mystery deepens, one question lingers: who was watching Dorothy, and why did they never l...

 The making of  Twilight Zone: The Movie  became overshadowed by a tragic accident that killed actor Vic Morrow and two young children, Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen. They were filming a climactic rescue scene involving explosions and a low-flying helicopter during a nighttime shoot when a catastrophic crash claimed all three lives. The deaths of Vic, Myca, and Renee made it one of Hollywood...

A quiet suburban night in Rowlett turns into a nightmare when a frantic 911 call claims an intruder has attacked a young family; but the story quickly begins to unravel. As investigators dig deeper into the case of Darlie Routier, troubling inconsistencies and unexpected evidence raise more questions than answers. What really happened inside that home may not be what anyone first believed.  Lamour...

 On January 25, 1998, Tom and Eileen Lonergan set out on a dream scuba diving trip to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, but it ended in tragedy when they were left behind in the open ocean. Stranded miles from shore; the couple endured days alone at sea before anyone realized they were missing. This episode explores the chilling timeline, unanswered questions, including a haunting message later disc...

We're back with our twenty fifth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know! References:  Deliso, Meredith; “Jury finds Utah mom Kouri Richins guilty of fatally poisoning husband with fentanyl”; ABC News; March 16, 2026;  https://abcn...

In 1978, beloved TV star Bob Crane was found dead inside his Scottsdale apartment, leaving behind a crime scene as shocking as it was confusing. What initially seemed like a straightforward case quickly unraveled into a web of fame, secrets, and questionable relationships. As investigators dug deeper, inconsistencies and missing pieces made it difficult to determine exactly what happened that nigh...

With Megs and Wally being a little busy this week they didn't want to rush an episode. That being said we are rereleasing Episode 034 which has to do with the disappearance of Maura Murray. So enjoy! On the evening of February 9th 2004, 21 year old college student Maura Murray would be involved in a car accident when her car came off the road and crashed into a tree in Haverhill New Hampshire....

On a spring afternoon in 2006, Rey Rivera rushed out of his Baltimore home after a sudden phone call and was never seen alive again. Days later, he was found inside the historic Belvedere Hotel, in circumstances that left investigators with more questions than answers. What initially appeared straightforward quickly unraveled into a mystery filled with strange evidence, conflicting theories, and u...

On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe left home to catch a bus on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, expecting a normal afternoon of Christmas shopping, but he never arrived. His disappearance sparked the largest police investigation in Queensland’s history, gripping a nation and leaving a family and community searching for answers. As years passed, the case followed a winding path marked by...

In this episode, we dive into the haunting disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a beloved high school teacher and former beauty queen who vanished from her small Georgia town without a trace. What begins as a quiet weekend quickly turns into a mystery filled with unsettling clues, unanswered questions, and a community desperate for answers. As years pass with no resolution, an unexpected development b...

We're back with our twenty fourth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know! References:    Shapiro, Emily; “Nancy Guthrie abduction: The full timeline”; Good Morning America; Feb 24, 2026;  https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/st...

This week, we are covering the life and tragic death of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp who was a model, law graduate, and passionate advocate for women facing abuse. Her promising future was cut short on Valentine’s Day 2013 when she was shot and killed by her boyfriend, Paralympic athlete 26-year-old Oscar Pistorius. What began as a highly publicized romance quickly became one of the most infamous c...

On this episode, we dive into the haunting case of Julie Kibuishi and Sam Herr, two college students whose lives became tragically intertwined in Orange County. What begins as a concerned father checking on his son quickly unravels into a baffling mystery filled with unanswered calls, disturbing discoveries, and a missing person at the center of it all. As investigators dig deeper, unexpected conn...