Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations
Dakota Spotlight is a true crime series investigating unsolved murders, cold cases, and missing persons in North Dakota and the Midwest. Hosted by investigative journalist James Wolner, each season takes a deep dive into one case, from rural crime and small town murders to decades-old disappearances. Through meticulous research, exclusive interviews, and on-the-ground reporting, Dakota Spotlight brings forgotten crimes back into the public eye and gives voice to victims and their families. Alongside full investigative seasons, the show also features shorter standalone episodes that explore individual mysteries in a single sitting.
Episodes
400 Feet From Home - Leah Sottile on Hush Season 2
Leah Sottile joins Dakota Spotlight for a conversation about investigative journalism, the ethics of true crime storytelling, and the challenges of reporting on unresolved cases in overlooked rural communities. Leah discusses the making of Hush Season 2, the line between mystery and journalism, and the emotional weight of reporting on the 2019 death of Sarah Zuber in rural Oregon.
Following the i
The Bagpiper and His Brother (6) Update: Who Was Harold Pieper?
After the release of The Bagpiper and His Brother, listeners who knew Harold Pieper began reaching out. In this update episode, Harold's stepdaughters and granddaughter share memories that reveal a devoted husband, caretaker, and grandfather. Their stories offer a fuller picture of the man whose life was forever changed by the 1971 bombing.
Binge the full season of The Bagpiper and His Brother ad
Hidden in Plain Sight - Josh Dean of Chameleon Weekly
Journalist and podcast creator Josh Dean joins Dakota Spotlight to discuss scams, deception, and the craft of narrative podcasting. Josh talks about the rise of fraud stories, producing investigative audio on a weekly schedule, and his upcoming book on the legendary Lockheed Skunk Works.
Following the interview, hear an episode of Chameleon Weekly titled “The de Kooning Job: Teachers Turned Thiev
The Bagpiper and His Brother (5) Finale: The Fall of the Bagpiper
In September 1972, in Edina, Lloyd Brenna appears to have put the bombing behind him, until federal agents return with a new case. This time, it’s tax fraud, built around a fabricated identity and a scheme that begins to unravel in court. Faced with the evidence, Lloyd doesn’t back down. Instead, he offers explanations so strange, so confident, that they seem to defy common sense. As Lloyd faces s
The Bagpiper and His Brother (4): The Delivery
On a quiet night in 1971, in Huron, South Dakota Harold Pieper is asked to pick up a small case at the airport. Minutes later, it explodes. The investigation turns to Genevieve Johnson and her connection to Wallace Brenna, setting off a chain of events driven by jealousy and obsession. With Lloyd Brenna pulled in, the brothers become the focus of a bombing case that leads to a nationwide search, a
The Bagpiper and His Brother (3): The Wiretap
In 1960, in St. Paul, something didn't look right with an office phone, and it leads back to Lloyd Brenna. By now, he has built a life that looks stable on the surface, a job, a home, a reputation, but there are cracks. A wiretap. A past he’s left behind. Behavior that doesn’t quite line up with the man people think they know. As Wallace Brenna settles into his own version of adulthood, Harold Pie
The Bagpiper and His Brother (2): Between Prison and Parole
In 1930s Chicago, Lloyd Brenna is arrested for burglary and sent to prison, where parole hearings reveal a young man who is both highly intelligent and deeply unpredictable. Given a rare second chance with a job and housing, he quickly violates parole, returns to theft, and lands back behind bars. As Lloyd moves between incarceration and opportunity, his brother Wallace Brenna is arrested and impr
The Bagpiper and His Brother (1): Strange Beginnings at Braemar
Lloyd and Wallace Brenna are two Midwestern brothers whose outwardly ordinary lives conceal a long pattern of troubling behavior. From rural North Dakota beginnings to a 1971 bombing in South Dakota, the story moves through wiretapping, theft, and an attempted assassination. Built from years of research and original reporting, the series follows the Brennas while, in parallel, the life of the vict
The Bagpiper and His Brother: Season 13 Trailer
The Bagpiper and His Brother traces two Midwestern brothers whose outwardly ordinary lives conceal a long pattern of troubling behavior. From rural North Dakota beginnings to a 1971 bombing in South Dakota, the story moves through wiretapping, theft, and an attempted assassination. Built from years of research and original reporting, the series follows the Brenna brothers while, in parallel, the l
More Than a Missing Hiker - Talking Valley of Shadows with Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd
James is joined by Dakota Spotlight researcher Mari Zoerb Hansen for a conversation with investigative reporters Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd about the making of Valley of Shadows, their deep dive into the disappearance of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Aujay. It’s a discussion about reporting, persistence, and what happens when a case refuses to stay buried. Following the interview, you
From Vacation to Investigation - Inside Someone Knows Something with David Ridgen
James sits down with award-winning filmmaker and host of Someone Knows Something, David Ridgen. We talk about his approach to storytelling, how he works with families, and what it really means to stay with a case over time. We also get into his latest investigation, the disappearance of Jaclyn Ferland-Smith, and how a simple trip to Costa Rica turned into something much more. Following our convers
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (7): 15 Years Later
Years pass, and the case remains. In this final episode, we hear from people still connected to that night, to the investigation, and to what followed. They reflect on what has changed, what has not, and the question that still lingers at the center of it all, who killed Joel Lovelien.
Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo.
If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s murder, you can submi
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (6): Travis on Trial
Inside the courtroom, the story is told again, through testimony, through argument, through the structure of a trial. And when it is all over, the jury returns a verdict, not guilty. A moment that resolves one question, and leaves others behind.
Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo.
If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s murder, you can submit a tip through the tip411 app, or contac
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (5): The Evidence Against Travis Stay
Here, we look at the case as it was built. What investigators believed, what prosecutors brought forward, the evidence piece by piece. And the questions that come with it, not just what it shows, but what it cannot fully explain.
Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo.
If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s murder, you can submit a tip through the tip411 app, or contact the Grand Fork
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (4): A Portrait of Joel
Before all of this, there was Joel. In this episode, we step away from the investigation and spend time with the people who knew him. The stories are simple, but they stay with you, offering a picture of who he was and a quiet reminder of what was lost.
Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo.
If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s murder, you can submit a tip through the tip411 app, o
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (3): Travis Stay, the Man in Yellow
Now the focus turns to Travis Stay, who was there that night, moving through the same space and crossing paths with the same people. As investigators begin to build a timeline, his name comes into sharper view. It leads from those early questions toward something more defined, and eventually, toward arrest.
Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo.
If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (2): The Clown, the Cowboy, and the Hunter
In the hours after Joel is found, the story begins to shift and scatter. Witnesses recall different things, a clown, a cowboy, a hunter, a lion, people arriving and leaving, a party bus pulling in and out. Detectives are left to sort through fragments of a night that feels crowded, blurred, and just out of reach.
Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo.
If you have information about Joel Love
Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (1): Halloween at The Broken Drum (2026 Case Update)
We begin with a 2026 interview with Sergeant Suby of the Grand Forks Police Department, sharing where the Joel Lovelien case stands today. Then we return to the original 2023 episode, and back to October 27, 2007, a crowded Halloween night at the Broken Drum Bar. Costumes, noise, people coming and going. Outside, in the parking lot, something happens. Joel is found unconscious and badly injured, a
Inside the Talina Zar Investigation
Journalist Melissa Jeltsen joins me to discuss the investigation behind her podcast What Happened to Talina Zar. In April 2020, a woman posted a troubling message on Facebook about COVID-19 and then vanished. What followed was an unusual search involving online sleuths, hidden identities, and a mystery that captured national attention.
Listen to What Happened to Talina Zar wherever you get podca
Filed and Forgotten - The Untested Podcast on Rape Kit Backlogs
James sits down with investigative journalist Gina Barton, host and creator of the USA Today true crime podcast Untested, to talk about a case that illustrates the real-world consequences of untested rape kits. In this episode of Untested, Detective Annie Harrison learns that a man she is investigating for rape in Michigan has also been accused hundreds of miles away. The evidence existed. The rep
Across the River from Yankton - The Death of Tammy Haas
In September 1992, Tammy Haas was 19 and figuring out her next step in life. After attending a homecoming celebration in Yankton, South Dakota, she and her on-again-off-again boyfriend crossed the Missouri River to a farm party in Nebraska. By morning, Tammy was missing. Five days later, her body was discovered in a ravine near a golf course just across the state line. A broken neck. Conflicting s
When Harry Met Rachel - A Long-Term Romance Scam Built on Lies and Manipulation
James sits down with Harry, the host and victim behind The Rachel Cancer Scam, before sharing Episode One of his story. What Harry once believed was a twenty-year love story slowly revealed itself to be a long-term romance scam built on lies, emotional manipulation, and carefully constructed identities. Careers were invented. A pregnancy was faked. Crises were manufactured to keep multiple men emo
The Kid from the Cafeteria - A Story of Stolen Identity
This episode examines how Raymond Matzker assumed the identity of William T. Boerum and used it to secure jobs, credentials, and professional standing across multiple states. As the deception went unchecked, the stolen identity became a shield behind which far more serious crimes were committed. Through firsthand recollections and reporting, the story traces how the fraud unfolded, why it was neve
When Karma Comes Calling - The Robin Enockson Murder Confession Tapes
This episode presents the complete police interview of Edward Royal Reitan, recorded following his arrest for the 1990 murder of Robin Enockson in Driscoll, North Dakota. The interrogation is presented in full, allowing listeners to hear Reitan’s own words as investigators question him about the crime, his actions, and his shifting explanations.
Related episode: Ten Years from Killing - The Murde
From North Dakota to Roughing It: Peter Hicks Returns
I’m joined by returning guest Peter Hicks, whose music with Sleepy Driver was heard in Season Two of Dakota Spotlight—but this time to talk about his debut novel Roughing It, written under the pen name Andi Ellis. We discuss his shift from songwriting to fiction, the inspiration behind the book, and he reads an excerpt from the story.
"Roughing It", available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rou
Ten Years From Killing - The Murder of Robin Enockson
This Case Snapshot examines the 1990 murder of Robin Enockson in rural North Dakota. Beginning with an escape from a state hospital a decade earlier, the episode lays out the crime, the investigation, and how the case was ultimately resolved years later after a confession.
Archival news audio courtesy of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance
They Found Her in Water - A Case Reexamined with Trisha Taurinskas
Forty years after 22-year-old Kelly Jean Robinson was found floating in a gravel pit pond in rural Minnesota, her case had gone cold — until DNA tests taken by an adopted man revealed that Kelly was his biological mother, and she had been murdered.
In this episode, Dakota Spotlight is excited to share this story from our longtime friend Trisha Taurinskas. Her investigative reporting is meticulous
A Christmas Message
James shares a Christmas message with Dakota Spotlight listeners. A moment to pause, say thank you, and reflect before the year comes to a close, with appreciation for everyone who listens, supports the show, and makes this work possible.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meanwhile in Mankato (6): Reckoning in Rapidan — The Truth That Endured
In the season’s final chapter, Dakota Spotlight returns to Rapidan, Minnesota—to the classmates, friends, and families still living in the shadow of Ray Dahms’s murder. Host James Wolner traces the final years of Brian Lee Hendrickson, from later crimes and manipulation to his eventual downfall.
This episode also brings together two people whose lives he forever changed—Mark Hendrickson, the kill
Meanwhile in Mankato (5): The Acquittal That Exposed Minnesota’s Blind Spot
By the early 1980s, Brian Lee Hendrickson was still working at the Minnesota Home School in Sauk Centre, supervising teenage girls. When one of them—Michelle—spoke up, she was dismissed as unstable and her accusation brushed aside. Hendrickson walked free again.
In this episode, Michelle tells her story, while Hendrickson’s brothers and Michelle’s husband reflect on how this could have happened.
Meanwhile in Mankato (4): The Parole Experiment That Failed at Sauk Centre
This episode looks inside Minnesota’s prison and parole system during the years when Brian Lee Hendrickson was behind bars—and how shifting attitudes toward rehabilitation vs punishment helped lead to his early release. We hear from Brian’s brothers, Mark and Gary, about the shock of seeing him walk free after just five years for murder, and how he soon ended up working for the State of Minnesota
Thanksgiving Treat (2): You Killed Chris - A Friend’s Fight for Justice
The second half concludes the You Killed Chris story — newly abridged and remastered. Through interviews, archives, and reflection, I revisit Linda’s decades-long effort to confront the man she believes murdered her college friend — and how her determination kept the story alive through five decades of silence and disbelief.
Check out the music of MVLL CRIMES: https://mvllcrimes.bandcamp.com/
Tw
Thanksgiving Treat (1): You Killed Chris - A Friend’s Fight for Justice
A newly abridged and remastered two-part version of You Killed Chris: A Friend’s Fight for Justice. In 1968, 18-year-old Christine Rothschild was found murdered outside Sterling Hall on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. This first part takes us back to the turmoil of the 1960s and into Christine’s world — and to her friend Linda, who refused to let her story be forgotten.
Two Good Books
Meanwhile in Mankato (3): The Trial That Collided with Miranda
Episode 3 follows Brian Lee Hendrickson’s case through late 1965 and 1966, as court procedures, psychiatric evaluations, and a Minnesota trial unfold under the state’s Youth Conservation Commission. At the same time, a new Supreme Court ruling on Miranda rights reshapes the very laws surrounding confession and sentencing.
We meet Hendrickson’s brothers, Mark and Gary, whose memories of that era r
Meanwhile in Mankato (2): Inside the Murder Investigation
In the aftermath of Ray Dahms’s killing, Blue Earth County investigators launch a Minnesota murder investigation that soon points to a local teenager, Brian Lee Hendrickson. When they finally bring him in for questioning, Hendrickson shocks officers with a murder confession that seems to close the case almost as quickly as it began with the justice system.
Episode 2 of Meanwhile in Mankato revis
Meanwhile in Mankato (1): Lies, Silence & Murder in Minnesota
In 1965, seventeen-year-old Brian Hendrickson committed a small-town murder when he walked into a gas station outside Mankato, Minnesota, and shot clerk Ray Dahms twice at close range. Sentenced to forty years, he served just over five.The case would later be remembered as the Mankato Gas Station Murder.
In this opening episode of Dakota Spotlight’s twelfth season, host James Wolner takes us back
A Halloween Throwback – Unresolved: The Murder of Joel Lovelien
On October 27, 2007, Joel Lovelien stepped outside the Broken Drum Bar in Grand Forks, North Dakota, during a night filled with costumes, celebration, and heavy drinking. Moments later, he was found in the parking lot, gravely injured. Despite a rapid emergency response, Joel did not survive.
For this Halloween throwback, Dakota Spotlight revisits the first episode of Unresolved: The Murder of Jo
Meanwhile in Mankato: A Preview of Dakota Spotlight Season 12
Announcing Season 12
Meanwhile in Mankato: Lies, Silence & Murder in Minnesota arrives this November.
Episode 1 premieres for all listeners on Thursday, November 6.
Spotlight PLUS subscribers can hear — and binge — the entire season ad-free that same day.
Learn more at https://dakotaspotlight.com/meanwhile-in-mankato-true-crime-podcast/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch
The House on Sweet and Seventh (6): Escape to the Movies – A North Dakota True Crime Story
Episode 6, Escape to the Movies, brings forward Misty Jones — remembered as the girl with the little red car — in a 2020 interview. Misty recalls her early path into a party lifestyle, her personal struggles since 1998, and her account of the night Barbara and Gordon Erickstad were killed. She also discusses figures like Rick Storhaug and Ryan Werner. This North Dakota true crime story adds a huma
The House on Sweet and Seventh (5): A Sick Salute – A North Dakota True Crime Story
The arrest of Brian Erickstad and Robert Lawrence confirmed their role in Barbara and Gordon Erickstad’s murders, but the aftermath shocked the community. Episode 5, A Sick Salute, reveals how the East Sweet crew rallied disturbingly behind the killers — with salutes, letters, and public disrespect for the victims’ families. Former detectives Bob Haas and Lloyd Halvorson reflect on what the case m
The House on Sweet and Seventh (4): One of These Days – A North Dakota True Crime Story
The night before Barbara and Gordon Erickstad’s murders revealed troubling signs in Bismarck, North Dakota. Episode 4, One of These Days, traces September 16, 1998, through interviews and police files. Detectives Bob Haas and Steve Lundin worked parallel leads, while interviews with Misty’s boyfriend Rick Storhaug and others uncovered disturbing details. A darker side of Robert Lawrence also came
The House on Sweet and Seventh (3): Patience Pays Off – A North Dakota True Crime Story
Episode 3, Patience Pays Off, captures how patient police work broke open the Erickstad murder case. Barbara and Gordon Erickstad’s deaths had left Bismarck shaken in 1998. Detectives pressed a hesitant witness until the truth began to surface, while a frightened woman rushed into the station with new details in the middle of the night. This documentary style true crime story reveals how testimony
The House on Sweet and Seventh (2): Never Ever Narc – A North Dakota True Crime Story
Detective Lloyd Halvorson knew where to look for answers about the murders of Barbara and Gordon Erickstad in 1998. Episode 2, Never Ever Narc, follows Bismarck police as they questioned Brian Erickstad’s teenage friends and the East Sweet crew, searching for someone who would talk. With Brian and Robert Lawrence wanted for questioning, the pressure mounted. This North Dakota true crime story reve
The House on Sweet and Seventh (1): A Little Red Car – A North Dakota True Crime Story
September 1998 brought a chilling moment in Bismarck, North Dakota, when 17-year-old Aimee walked into the police station. She suspected her boyfriend, Brian Erickstad, had harmed his parents. A welfare check was meant to set things straight — but it uncovered something far worse. Episode 1, A Little Red Car, introduces Barbara and Gordon Erickstad’s case, a North Dakota true crime story that expo
Barbara Cotton Cold Case Update: New Witness Insights on Williston's Unsolved Disappearance
In this gripping update on the Barbara Cotton cold case, we delve into new testimony surrounding one of North Dakota's most enduring unsolved disappearances. Barbara Louise Cotton vanished from Williston in 1981, and after decades of silence, a man who worked with Stacey Werder in Montana shares critical insights about seeing him with Barb in Williston. This episode, hosted by James Wolner and Lis
Introducing - Truer Crime
In July of 2018, 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts went on a run in her small hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa. Something she’d done countless times before. But this time, she didn’t come home. What followed was a search unlike anything this town had ever seen. Neighbors combed the fields. Reporters camped out at the local diner. And as the weeks stretched on without answers, the questions only grew louder: H
The Real Catch Me If You Can: Javier Leiva on Debunking Frank Abagnale
What if 90% of Frank Abagnale’s claims are totally made up? In this special Dakota Spotlight episode, host James Wolner talks with Javier Leiva, creator of PRETEND, about his season The Real Catch Me If You Can. In this series, Javier debunks Abagnale’s extraordinary con-man story using court and prison records, while also bringing forward new victim testimonies. After the interview, hear the full
The Disappearance of Sharon Bald Eagle: A South Dakota Cold Case
In this Case Snapshot, Dakota Spotlight investigates the 1984 disappearance of 12-year-old Sharon Bald Eagle, who vanished while traveling from South Dakota to Idaho. This unsolved mystery devastated her family and community and led to the capture of Royal Russell Long, a predator who stalked rodeos, carnivals, and highways for years. Through careful research and respectful storytelling, investiga
Who Killed Joseph Anderson? The Unsolved Jamestown Murder
In September 1991, Joseph “Joe” Anderson, a millionaire cattleman, was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in Jamestown, North Dakota. His body was discovered in the trunk of his own Buick at the Gladstone Inn parking lot, sparking one of the city’s most troubling cold cases. More than three decades later, the murder of Joe Anderson remains unsolved, with lingering questions about who wa
Breaking: Brian Erickstad Sentencing Update 2025
In this update episode, we break down the North Dakota Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Brian Erickstad case. The court ruled that Erickstad’s sentence was improperly amended in 2022 without notice, and has sent the case back to the lower court for correction. While not a reversal of his conviction, the ruling could impact when he becomes eligible for parole.
Check out the full catalog and
Vanished in Alexander - The Mystery of Talmadge Patton
In 1995, 75-year-old retired truck driver Talmadge “Pat” Patton vanished from his home in the rural town of Alexander, North Dakota. When his daughter came to check on him, she found clues that pointed to a troubling disappearance but no clear answers. Nearly three decades later, the case of Pat Patton remains unsolved, raising lingering questions about what happened in those final days and why th
Evil is a Dumbass Drifter
In 1995, Mary K. Ross, a 25-year-old single mother and college student, was brutally stabbed to death in her Sioux Falls, South Dakota apartment while her baby watched. Her murder remains one of the city’s most haunting crimes, raising painful questions about how evil drifts from place to place, preying on the vulnerable and recruiting the unguarded. This essay reflects on violence, vulnerability,
Cold Case: The Murder of Russell Turcotte in North Dakota
In July 2002, 19-year-old Russell Turcotte disappeared while hitchhiking home to Montana. Last seen at a truck stop in Grand Forks, his body was discovered months later near Devils Lake. Russell had been murdered, and two decades later his case remains one of North Dakota’s most haunting cold cases. This episode retraces his final steps and the tireless efforts of his family to seek justice, effor
Dead Cold Drop (5) - by James Wolner
Part 5 (Chapters 23–27): As the story draws to a close, Doug Rolfstad faces the full weight of his choices, with each moment tightening the grip of consequences. What began with a mysterious manila envelope of cash now races toward a chaotic and unexpected conclusion, testing bonds of family, trust, and survival in North Dakota.
Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes
Dead Cold Drop (4) - by James Wolner
Part 4 (Chapters 17–22): With tensions simmering, Doug Rolfstad follows through on key parts of the plan as new information surfaces and close calls tighten the grip of fear. As pressure builds and alliances prove uncertain, Doug must navigate the weight of choices that cannot be undone, pulling him further into danger.
Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the s
Introducing - Nobody Should Believe Me: Season 6
Season 6 of Nobody Should Believe Me–out weekly starting June 19, available in full for subscribers at launch–covers the extraordinary and tragic saga of the McDaniel family, a real-life Southern Gothic tale of Munchausen by Proxy that spans decades and has left untold damage in its wake.
For the past twelve years, Lisa McDaniel worked for The Guthy Jackson Foundation, a high-profile non-profit,
The Mysterious Disappearance of Keith Schmidt
Keith Schmidt was last seen on the morning of May 20, 2024, in Dickinson, North Dakota. His unexplained disappearance shocked the community and left his family searching for answers. This episode retraces the days leading up to when Keith was last seen, with insight from those who knew him best and reporting from a journalist covering the case. The story of Keith Schmidt is both a personal tragedy
Dead Cold Drop (3) - by James Wolner
Part 3 (Chapters 12–16): Tension rises as Doug Rolfstad is pulled further from his life as a Bismarck plumber into a world of fear, paranoia, and uncertainty. With unsettling discoveries piling up and new layers of danger emerging, Doug must confront how much—and whom—he can really trust.
Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction st
Introducing - The Burden: Get the Money and Run
Getting started as a bank robber isn’t easy for Joe Loya. It takes courage … and rage. But Joe does the math. Thousands of dollars gained for a few minutes work. That’s what he figures he deserves. Meanwhile at home, losses mount.
Get the Money and Run is a production of Western Sound and aCast Studios in association with Orbit Media Inc.
Get the Money and Run is available now on Apple Podcasts
Dead Cold Drop (2) - by James Wolner
Part 2 (Chapters 6–11): Returning to Bismarck, Doug Rolfstad puts a plan in motion to protect his daughter Mandy and make sense of the manila envelope full of cash. With each cautious step, the pressure mounts, the danger sharpens, and an unsettling sense of unease suggests there is far more at play than they first imagined.
Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in
North Dakota’s Coldest Case: The Unsolved Murder of Larry Jo Phebus
In 1962, 14-year-old Larry Jo Phebus vanished from Tioga, North Dakota. Months later, two farmers found his body in a snow-covered field, sparking one of the state’s earliest and most haunting cold cases. Six decades later, the murder of Larry Jo Phebus remains unsolved, leaving the small town still asking what happened to him that night and why justice has never been found.
Check out the full ca
Dead Cold Drop (1) - by James Wolner
Part 1 (Chapters 1–5): In the opening chapters of Dead Cold Drop, Bismarck plumber Doug Rolfstad meets his daughter Mandy at a Valley City truck stop after her urgent request. There, she reveals a manila envelope filled with cash, drawing father and daughter into a situation they do not fully understand. As unsettling news follows, their choices propel them into a suspenseful story of family bonds
Introducing - You Probably Think This Story’s About You
This isn’t your typical true crime story.
Brittani Ard steps back into the shadowy labyrinth of memories, scars, and fragile ties that bind us to our past. Where wounds still ache and the bonds of connection blur between salvation and entrapment. After revealing her own story in the first 8 chapters, she’s pulling at the threads of the past—threads so delicate they threaten to unravel everything.
The Ethics of True Crime: A Conversation with Eric Carter-Landin
More than 30 years ago, Eric’s brother Jacob was murdered—a case that remains unresolved to this day. In this conversation, we discuss his pursuit of justice and explore the ethical challenges of creating content in the ever-growing, often problematic true crime genre. Originally released on July 28, 2021.
Listen to the True Consequences podcast: https://www.trueconsequences.com/
Check out the f
Introducing - Slaycation
Slaycation is a darkly funny true crime podcast hosted by Kim Davis, a former social worker and true crime fanatic, her comedy-writer husband Adam “Tex” Davis, and Emmy-nominated producer Jerry Kolber. Blending horror, humor, and empathy, Slaycation explores vacations gone tragically wrong, offering travel tips that just might save your life. In this episode, “You Cruise, You Lose,” a dream getawa
Krissi's Search: The Murder of Wilma June Nissen
In 1978, the body of a young woman was discovered in a rural Iowa ditch—no name, no missing persons report, and clear signs of a violent death. For 27 years, she was known only as a Jane Doe. Her name was Wilma June Nissen. She was 23 years old and believed to have been killed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, around the time of her daughter Krissi’s first birthday. In this episode, Krissi Haas shares
Introducing - Ice Cold Case
In 2002, Madison McGhee’s father, John McGhee, was shot and killed in his own home in Belmont County, Ohio. Driven by her desire to find justice she began conducting her own investigation into his murder that remains unsolved to this day. The police investigation did not yield any significant leads, leaving Madison and her family with more questions than answers - until now.
Join her not only on a
Park Like a Fargonian - by James Wolner
In this debut installment of Friday Night Fiction, a harmless social media group turns sinister in Fargo, North Dakota. When a local banker’s carefully planned Friday night is derailed by a group of self-appointed parking vigilantes, what begins as a minor inconvenience escalates into something far more dangerous. Written and narrated by James Wolner, Park Like a Fargonian is a modern noir story a
Introducing Friday Night Fiction - by James Wolner
We introduce you to our new series of original crime-inspired short stories, all set in North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. If you're a fan of true crime but curious to explore fictional tales with the same tension, twists, and emotional depth—this series is for you.
We’ll walk you through what to expect from future episodes, how often they’ll drop, and why true crime fans will feel right at home
Vanished in Vermillion: Interview with Lou Raguse
In May 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were two seventeen-year-olds driving to an end-of-the-school-year party in a rundown Studebaker Lark when they seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. In this episode James interviews author Lou Raguse, author of the riveting book Vanished in Vermillion: The Real Story of South Dakota’s Most Infamous Cold Case.
Check out Lou's website: https://v
The Murder of Joli Truelson - New developments, interview with Trisha Taurinskas
On the evening of July 3, 1972, 16-year-old Joli Truelson stood hitchhiking in Uptown Minneapolis, MN. Just 15 hours later she was found deceased in Minnehaha Creek, four miles away. She died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head. In this episode, Dakota Spotlight interviews Trisha Taurinskas, journalst and host of a new podcast series about Joli's murder: Joli Truelson: Connecting the D
Poetic Justice Rebroadcast - Interview with Deon Wiggett, creator of the podcast My Only Story
In 2017, Deon Wiggett confronted a repressed trauma: he had been sexually abused by a schoolteacher as a teenager. His response was to create "My Only Story," a podcast exploring justice, activism, and revenge. Dakota Spotlight interviewed Wiggett in August 2021 about the podcast and his experience.
My Only Story podcast: https://www.myonlystory.org/
Check out the full catalog and everything Dakot
Moonlight Feels Right: A Valentine’s Conversation with Bruce Blackman
Continuing a Dakota Spotlight Valentine’s tradition, this special episode features an interview with Bruce Blackman, the mastermind behind the 1976 hit Moonlight Feels Right by Starbuck. James chats with Bruce about the song’s romantic charm, its iconic marimba solo, and the stories behind its creation. Whether it’s part of your Valentine’s playlist or a nostalgic favorite, don’t miss this heartfe
Homicide at House of Bottles (Postscript): The Bismarck Murder of Robbie Rahrich
In this postscript to Homicide at House of Bottles, we revisit key moments from the 1999 Bismarck murder of Robbie Rahrich through archival news reports recorded immediately after the homicide and following the arrest of a suspect. Former detective Bob Haas shares additional insights, reflections, and his perspective on the missing shell casing, offering listeners a deeper understanding of one of
Homicide at House of Bottles (6): The Bismarck Murder of Robbie Rahrich
In the final scheduled episode of Homicide at House of Bottles, we reflect on the profound impact of Robbie Rahrich’s life and death while exploring themes of justice, rehabilitation, and accountability. This episode features conversations with Shawn Helmenstein, who has spent 25 years in prison for the 1999 Bismarck murder. Helmenstein shares new insights about the missing shell casing, his evolv
Homicide at House of Bottles (5): The Bismarck Murder of Robbie Rahrich
In Episode 5 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the case of Shawn Helmenstein moves toward resolution. After confessing to the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich, Helmenstein participates in a videotaped walkthrough of the crime scene, calmly recounting his actions in chilling contrast to the brutality of the homicide. At trial, prosecutors dismantle his defense of emotional duress with confessions, the
Homicide at House of Bottles (4): The Bismarck Murder of Robbie Rahrich
In Episode 4 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the story intertwines poignant memories with pivotal breakthroughs in the investigation of the 1999 Bismarck murder of Robbie Rahrich. In Clinton, Montana, Detectives Haas and Wooten close in on primary suspect Shawn Helmenstein, while interviews with Robbie’s sister Casey and friends Angie and Mike shed light on his humor, warmth, and generosity. Thei
Homicide at House of Bottles: Mid-Season Update and Spotlight PLUS Preview
In this special mid-season update, listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at Season 11, Homicide at House of Bottles. Along with reflections on the investigation so far, this episode includes a Spotlight PLUS preview with exclusive materials from Episodes 1 and 2, including photographs, videos, and bonus details that bring the case to life. You’ll also learn about the benefits of a Spotlight PLUS
Homicide at House of Bottles (3): The Bismarck Murder of Robbie Rahrich
In Episode 3 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the investigation into the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich expands across North Dakota and Montana. Detectives pursue leads tied to the House of Bottles, including former employees with complicated histories, while a 9mm pistol known as the “Baby Eagle” emerges as a critical clue. Witnesses describe sightings of suspicious figures near the crime scene, i
Homicide at House of Bottles (2): The Bismarck Murder of Robbie Rahrich
In Episode 2 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the investigation into the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich intensifies. Detectives arrived at the liquor store crime scene in the early hours of February 21, processing evidence, interviewing witnesses, and confronting one puzzling detail — the missing shell casing. Through archival audio and present-day interviews with retired officers, we retrace their
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