Bear Brook

Three boys kick over a mysterious barrel in the woods. A small town cop fishes for answers. Evidence is buried, and the case goes cold.

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The discovery of a second barrel raises questions. A stalled investigation churns back to life and then stalls again. An amateur sleuth takes Jason into the forest.

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After 30 years of torpor, investigators finally inch the Bear Brook case forward. A geologist uncovers the history buried in human teeth and hair. The faces of the victims are reconstructed.

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An ominous New Year’s party introduction. An estranged cousin goes missing. Police question a man with multiple identities. A search leads authorities to his basement.

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A child is abandoned. Timelines come together. A family tree begins to take shape. A chameleon is revealed. 

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This is part two of episode 5. A child is abandoned. Timelines come together. A family tree begins to take shape. A chameleon is revealed. 

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The case that was solved in reverse leaves many questions unanswered. New methods of inquiry are used to crack other cold cases. Do groundbreaking techniques come at the cost of genetic privacy?

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This is the first in an unknown number of short updates to the story of the Bear Brook murders that we’ll be producing to let listeners know about any breaking news in the case. 

This isn't the big news we're hoping to break - stay subscribed for another full episode of Bear Brook that we hope to bring you soon.

A son remembers his father, and searches for clues in his military paperwork. A conversation with one of Terry Rasmussen's surviving children.

A clue is found buried on an internet message board. DNA is wrestled from rootless hair. Two investigators work parallel leads, and authorities call a press conference.

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Sharon Johnson’s family and friends have spent the last 35 years coping with her brutal murder. But what if that story was based on a lie? The man imprisoned for her murder maintains his innocence.

For more on the case, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

We begin with the story police told about Sharon Johnson’s murder. The veteran detective on the case develops a theory involving her husband and a teenager. A surprising admission leads to a new break in the case.

For more on the case and to see a timeline of Sharon's last day, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

Police interrogate a second teenager named Jason Carroll – with help from Jason’s own mother.

For more on the case, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

One set of confessions leads to another and three men are arrested for Sharon Johnson’s murder. Then, an alleged secret comes to light that changes everything.

For more on the case and to see a timeline of the interrogations, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

A new true crime story is told and when juries hear it, it leads to different results for all three defendants. During the first trial, the lead detective makes a big mistake.

For more on the case and to see a table of confession discrepancies, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

Jason Carroll stands trial twice – and the juries come up with their own versions of what happened.

For more on the case, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

How could someone possibly confess to murder if they didn’t do it? A modern understanding of confessions sheds new light on Jason Carroll’s case.

For more on the case and to see selected data on exonerations, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

To explore more data, visit The National Registry of Exonerations.

The true crime media spotlight shines on Jason Carroll. Then, a chance encounter leads to a surprising discovery that changes the course of his case.

For more on the case and to see selected data on exonerations, visit bearbrookpodcast.com. To make a donation in support of Bear Brook, click here.

To explore more data, visit The National Registry of Exonerations.