Small Town Mysteries

Send us Fan Mail On March 25, 2003, Shonda Dee Walter murdered her elderly neighbor, James E. Sementelli, in order to rob him and gain gang initiation in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. She stole money from him and his car, and proceeded to return to the crime scene with other people, in order to show them James’ body.  Sources: 1) https://murderpedia.org/female. W/w/walter-shonda.htm 2) https://en.wiki...

Send us Fan Mail This case created a lot of room for discussion. It is not a morally black or white case - there's a lot to unpack here! The clip on social media that made me dig into this can be summed up as: a 15-year-old kid shot dead his parents and 17-year-old sister, citing his dislike for his mother’s loud chewing and his sister’s “annoying” accent, as well as his father’s disapproval...

Send us Fan Mail No spoilers for this one - the synopsis itself is horrible. Find out why this case is known as "The Windshield Murder" during this episode of Small Town Mysteries! Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-1-1_(TV_series) 2) https://people.com/crime/chante-mallard-2017-movie-about-homeless-man-murder-windshield/ 3) https://medium.com/p/6ea6a6217201 4) https://www.finda...

Send us Fan Mail Between September 1st and 4th, in 2006 Christian Charles Neilsen went on a killing spree at the Black Bear Inn located Newry, ME, which resulted in the death of 4 people: James, “Jimmy”  Whitehurst (age 50), Julie Attebury Newby Bullard (age 65), Selby Bullard (age 30), and Cindy Ellen Cabral Beatson (age 43). What could his motive have been? Sources: 1) https://caselaw.findlaw.co...

Send us Fan Mail This case highlights what some men in immense positions of power will do to try and cover their tracks. Anne Marie Fahey was only 27 when she was murdered by Thomas Capano, a prominent lawyer and political consultant who was well-known in Delaware, and who came from a family of rich real-estate developers. Although their relationship was not exclusive by any means, Capano was ange...

Send us Fan Mail The senseless, and potentially racially-motivated, crime that killed eight-year-old Noah Bush will have you seething. Sources:  -https://home.army.mil/stewart/about/Garrison/DPW/environmental/prevention-and-compliance/borrow-pits#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20Borrow%20Pit,for%20fill%20at%20another%20location. -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesup,_Georgia -https://johndrogerslaw.com/the-...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael talks about Linda Lee Couch, who murdered her husband, Walter Couch Jr., in their home In Cincinnati, Ohio. The two of them were married for 14 years. As their history is unraveled, the question of self-defense is brought into the mix.  Sources: 1) https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/Search/Details/W017943 2) I Am A Killer, Season 2, Episode 4 -...

Send us Fan Mail Dubbed by the media as “The Tube Sock Killings,” these four unsolved murders occurred in 1985 in the remote areas of Lewis and Pierce County, Washington, near the unincorporated community of Mineral, Washington. Tube socks were tied around the necks of the women.  Was it the same killer? You might think so, but it's not so cut and dry! Let's talk about it. Sources: https...

Send us Fan Mail Kate talks about a case that was only recently solved using DNA evidence. The Grim Sleeper was identified after having committed at least 10 murders (that he was convicted of) and at least 4 others he was suspected of carrying out. His crimes spanned decades, and he targeted sex workers who were black women. Would he have been found out sooner if he had targeted wealthy, white wom...

Send us Fan Mail Bison Dele, an ex-NBA player who walked away from it all at the prime of his career, his girlfriend, and the captain of his catamaran are all missing when Bison's brother docks their boat. What does his brother know about what happened to them all?  Sources:  1)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bison_Dele#:~:text=Dele%20won%20a%20championship%20with,have%20been%20killed%20by%20Da...

Send us Fan Mail Rachael talks about the brutal, horrific murder of 12-year-old Shanda Sharer in Madison, Indiana, which involved several other young girls.  This will leave you shaking your head and wondering how individuals this young can commit such horrible acts of violence. Sources: 1) https://allthatsinteresting.com/shanda-sharer 2) https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/p/lured-to-her-death...

Send us Fan Mail The decades-old case of the multi-homicide of the Short Family is ongoing and with few reliable leads.  Twenty-two years later, the Short family is still searching for justice - but an inadequate initial investigation might make that impossible. Sources: 1) https://unresolved.me/the-short-family (very detailed!) 2) https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/local-news/southside-virginia-news/aft...

Send us Fan Mail Julie Ann Gonzalez was only 21-years-old when she went missing, leaving her young daughter, Layla, and a large group of family and friends who cared for her. They immediately knew that something was wrong - Julie would never disappear of her own volition.  Find out how there was a murder conviction with no body found. Sources: 1) https://www.oxygen.com/killer-relationship-with-fai...

Send us Fan Mail Gerald Bloom is found buried underneath a trailer in 2010.  The story that unfolds when police talk to Bloom's neighbors and roommates is terrifying and sad. Sources: 1) https://law.justia.com/cases/wyoming/supreme-court/2012/s-11-0281.html 2) https://www.championfh.com/obituaries/gerald-bloom 3)https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/billingsgazette.com/content/tncms/as...

Send us Fan Mail The Axeman of New Orleans terrorized the city in the 1910s, while the world was in the midst of both war and pandemic. Hear about several theories regarding who the Axeman was - are any of them convincing?  Sources:  1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axeman_of_New_Orleans 3) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/axeman-new-orleans-preyed-itali...

Send us Fan Mail The Moore family was an affluent family located in the town of Villisca, Iowa. They were well-known and well-liked in town. So when all 6 of them, along with 2 young guests, were found bludgeoned in their own home one morning in 1912, people had no idea who would have committed such a crime. Was this heinous crime committed for some financial motive, or could it have been a serial...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Rachael covers a 1800s case in which a woman by the name of Cordelia Botkin is jealous of her lover's wife, Mary, causing her to go to great lengths to have Mary killed. Sources: 1) https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/death-by-chocolate-ab1f379e705c 2) https://billypenn.com/2023/09/17/botkin-dunning-case-murder-by-chocolate-delaware-valley/ 3) https://en....

Send us Fan Mail At first, when Stacey Castor's husband unexpectedly passes away, no one thinks anything of it, and his death is ruled a suicide. But when police dig deeper and search the Castor's home, what they find shocks them. And as they delve into Stacey's past with her previous husband, they begin to uncover a sinister web of lies... Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

Send us Fan Mail Marlene Warren answered the door to her home and was fatally shot by a mysterious clown, who then calmly walked away to their getaway car. Although there were eyewitnesses, circumstantial evidence, and a prime suspect, it would take over three decades for her killer to face any kind of justice. Sources:  1) https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/killer-clown-marlene-warren-sheila-keen-w...

Send us Fan Mail On December 7, 2017, the body of Telma Boinville was discovered inside a North Shore vacation home in Pupukea, Hawaii by a pair of Australian tourists. In addition to the discovery of Telma’s remains, Makana, Telma’s 8-year-old daughter, was also found inside the home, with both her hands and feet bound.  Throughout this episode, Rachael covers Telma's case and the prosecutio...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we take a brief break from covering cases and reflect on our favorite moments from the podcast over the last 100 episodes. We also hear from listeners and play a fun game at the end!  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail During a first date, 24-year-old Erin Marie Gilbert vanishes without a trace. Almost 20 years later, and there are still no answers. Could her date have anything to do with her disappearance? Or was another ill-intentioned player involved? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Erin_Marie_Gilbert 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girdwood,_Anchorage,_Alaska 3) h...

Send us Fan Mail In this week's episode, Rachael talks about the decades-long mystery of the Lyon sisters, who disappeared  from a local mall in Wheaton, Maryland in March of 1975. The case went cold for a whopping 38 years. Eventually, a man who was only 18-years-old at the time of the crime and who had involved himself in the investigation was found guilty of kidnapping and murdering the Ly...

Send us Fan Mail Tune in to learn about the heartbreaking and harrowing murder of Warren Barnes by 19-year-old Brian Cohee, and about the treasured life of Warren Barnes--victimized for being homeless, because his life "didn't matter." The way the community has honored Barnes is truly moving. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Junction,_Colorado 2) https://www.unilad.co...

Send us Fan Mail This week we dive into the bizarre disappearance of Ashley Loring Heavyrunner from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. Just 20 years old, investigators looked into some questionable relationships she may have had, substance abuse issues, and one particularly odd interaction with her father just before she disappeared.  An overworked and under-funded police force leads to some de...