Missing Magnolias

Dr. Jesse Goliath, a forensic anthropologist and Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University, established the Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons in 2023 after discovering the lack of a comprehensive state database. Using technology like ground-penetrating radar, his team identified Felecia Cox's remains, highlighting the need for better resources. The repository, containing over 1,600 missing pe...

With little help from the New Orleans Police Department, parents Scott and Sandy Easterling, hired their own P.I. to investigate what happened to their son, Samuel Easterling, who has been missing for over six months. Samuel (31) whose nickname is "Saint" is a professional photographer who was last seen walking alone in the Bywater area on August 29th, 2024, leaving Po Boys Bar around 4:44 AM. He was reported missing by ...

Are women better at crime-ing? Experts have noted that female serial killers are the least studied and possibly the most prolific.

Joining us is debut author and Louisiana native, Emma C. Wells, here to discuss her novel, This Girl's A Killer, a USA Today bestseller, which follows Cordelia Black, a pharmaceutical rep with an affinity for Louboutin heels and killing the bad men of Baton Rouge. A true "girl's girl,&qu...

Willard Daspit Jr. has been missing September 10, 2023. His motorcycle was found crashed near his property on Bayou Alexander Highway in the Coteau Homes neighborhood of St. Martinville. His glasses were also found at the scene, which led his wife Lara, joining us today, to believe that her husband was in need of help as he is visually impaired. He is a mechanic who likes to repair things, so it was not uncommon for his bike to mal...

{Part 2} Re-joining us is our full panel from Part 1, here to discuss some updates in 2024 on the drownings in Lady Bird Lake. Particularly, a survivor Jeff Jones, who sustained life threatening injuries after falling off the bridge, just missing the Shoal Creek. The discovery of Rohypnol in his toxicology report fueled speculation about whether he fell or was pushed.

Rather than a targeted serial killer, the group posits that wha...

{PART 1} The string of Lady Bird Lake drownings have become a significant topic of discussion in Austin, Texas. The victims appear to be all men, mostly middle-aged who have gone out to eat with their families, celebrate promotions, bachelor trips, etc. only to have been found dead in the lake. None of the men showed signs of a struggle or assault and there has been no evidence to suggest robbery as a motive. In 2023, four men (Jas...

In this episode, prize-winning writer and professor, Lisa Nikolidakis, joins us to discuss her memoir, No One Crosses the Wolf: A Memoir, a brave and unflinching account of survival. Growing up in the shadow of a violent and abusive father, Lisa's childhood was abundant with fear and isolation. Her escape from this toxic environment was only the beginning of her journey.  As a young adult, a devastating murder-suicide shatters ...

Research has shown that homicide is the second-leading cause of pregnancy related-deaths.

This episode sheds light on a troubling rate of homicides involving the pregnant and postpartum population in the United States, with a particular spike in 2020. Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, a board-certified OBGYN, joins the discussion to unpack the findings of her research. Some of those key findings showcase the disproportionate impact on ...

In 1948 in Mississippi, socialite Ruth Dickins is convicted of savagely attacking her mother with gardening shears (150 stab wounds!) but makes an unfounded claim that a Black intruder is to blame. Despite inconsistencies in her story, she's sentenced to life, only to be released after 6 years. Joining us to dissect this case of matricide, race, and privilege is author Beverly Lowry, who explores the crime in her book, Deer Cre...

Ever wondered how a simple leaf or a speck of pollen can crack a case? Dr. David Gibson, a forensic botanist, professor, and author of Planting Clues: How Plants Solve Crimes teaches us to how to combat 'plant blindness:' the idea that plants are all just the same thing.

Dr. David Gibson reveals:

The secret language of plants: How seemingly unremarkable botanical evidence can link suspects to crime scenes, pinpoint the lo...

Ramona Emerson, joins us to discuss Shutter which was longlisted for the 2022 National Book Award for Fiction, whose central character, Rita, works as a crime scene photographer with the unique ability to communicate with the dead, which poses some challenges as a Navajo person. Inspired by Ramona's own experience working with the police department in Albuquerque, New Mexico for 16 years, we learn about the challenges in workin...

Our minisodes are a break from true crime and for this one gather around the campfire! We are joined by special guest and Michelle's dad, John Bedford Jeanis, to discuss the secret but yes, well-documented, family legend of their ancestor, Jean Jeanis, who is believed by the folks of Pointe Noire to shift into a 'mangy dog' at will otherwise known as the Chien de Lune or the Rougarou. Naturally, we also touched upon the...

Mark Michaud, a retired Slidell police officer, is a search and recovery expert and is the founder of Southeast Louisiana Underwater Search and Recovery, a nonprofit that offers something invaluable to the families of the missing. He shares with us some stories of recovery diving from his earlier years as well as the new advancements made to sonar. We learn some of the complexities of water recovery and how depth, current, temperat...

Thanks to forensic genetic genealogy and a pizza crust, in July of 2023 a perpetrator was arrested in connection with the case of the Long Island Serial Killings known as (LISK). Described as 'Ogre -like' in witness reports at 6'4 , 59-year-old Manhattan architect and Massapequa Park resident, Rex Heuermann, has been linked to the murders of Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman, and Amber Costello of "The Giglo Four&...

Our minisodes are a break from true crime where we discuss Michelle's internet search history, which is teeming with all things weird and wonderful. We are joined by special guest Paige to explore the topic of voyeurism in connection with The Voyeur's Motel, a nonfiction book written by the journalistic icon, Gay Talese, which was only just released in 2016 but was decades in the making. Naturally, our gang on the pod is h...

Nancy from Damsel in Defense joins us to discuss how we can all use products for empowerment and self-defense! We learned why parking lots and grocery stores are potential hot zones for attacks and how to make tools like the kubotan, pepper spray, and stun guns functional for everyday use and even some more equipment that was not on our radar!

Be sure when you make a purchase from Damsel in Defense, use the link below from no...

Toby Savoy is a Death Investigator who works for the Coroner's Office in south Louisiana. With over 18 years of experience, Toby is a veteran in the field. He explains to us which seasons are more active for motorcycle accidents versus suicides, how he determines time of death, why your cat is more likely to eat you than your dog, what Cajuns keep in their fridge, and why he always carries a cooler in his truck...just in case d...