Shows
Nightwatch Files#47: The Delphi MurdersOn February 13, 2017, an unusually warm winter day provided a perfect backdrop for an impromptu hike, particularly since Delphi Community Middle School in Indiana had canceled classes that Monday to balance out unused snow days. The morning began leisurely for fourteen-year-old Liberty "Libby" German and her best friend, thirteen-year-old Abigail "Abby" Williams, who were recovering from a Sunday night sleepover at Libby's home. The evening prior, the girls had stayed up late eating pizza and garlic knots, watching a scary movie, and messaging boys on social media. When they finally woke up, Libby's father, Derrick, prepared them a breakfast of banana...
2026-05-241h 39
Nightwatch Files#46: The Want-Ad KillerKathy Miller was 15 years old and looking through the classified ads — not for herself, but for her boyfriend. She found a listing, made a phone call, and told her mother not to worry about it. Her mother had a bad feeling she couldn't shake. Kathy went anyway.What investigators uncovered in the weeks that followed would connect a want ad in a Seattle newspaper to a pattern stretching across multiple states — and to a man whose name they had actually encountered before. More than once. In very different circumstances.The Harvey Carignan case is one of the...
2026-05-171h 51
Nightwatch Files#45: How a Podcast Solved a 40-year Cold CaseIn January 1982, a Sydney mother of two vanished without a trace. Lynette Dawson was thirty-three years old. She had two daughters under the age of five, a home in Bayview on Sydney's northern beaches, and by all accounts, a life she was deeply devoted to.Then one Saturday morning, she was gone.Her husband Chris — a former rugby league player turned schoolteacher — told family she had called from an unknown location to say she needed time away. Those who knew Lyn found the explanation impossible to believe. Her own mother struggled to make sense of it from...
2026-04-261h 34
Nightwatch Files#44: Behind the Vault Door - The Snowtown Barrel Murders>> Content warning: this episode contains detailed descriptions of homicide, torture, hate crimes and the abuse of vulnerable individuals. Listener discretion is advised.
2026-04-191h 35
Nightwatch Files#43: Murder at Villa Madeira - The Scandalous Case of Francis and Alma RattenburyPassion, jealousy, betrayal, and a confession that only deepened the mystery.In the spring of 1935, a quiet seaside home in Bournemouth, England became the center of one of the most sensational murder cases of the twentieth century. Francis Rattenbury — the celebrated architect behind British Columbia's Parliament Buildings and Victoria's iconic Empress Hotel — was found slumped in his armchair, his skull shattered by a wooden mallet. He died four days later.His wife Alma didn't run. She didn't hide. When the police arrived at Villa Madeira, she looked them in the eye and told them exactly what she...
2026-04-121h 34
Nightwatch Files#42: The Doomsday Murders (Part 2/2)On the morning of June 9, 2020, nearly 100 law enforcement officers descended on a quiet property in Salem, Idaho. Five cadaver dogs swept the yard. The FBI set up a mobile command center the size of a bus. And a man named Chad Daybell sat in his SUV in the driveway — and watched.What investigators found that day would bring a years-long nightmare into devastating focus and behind it all, a story of religious extremism, doomsday prophecy, and a marriage built on obsession and deceit.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nightwatch-files--6484889/support.
2026-03-301h 34
Nightwatch Files#41: The Doomsday Murders (Part 1/2)In the summer of 2019, a devoted father in Gilbert, Arizona begins to notice that something is deeply, disturbingly wrong with his wife. What starts as a slow drift toward fringe religious beliefs has quietly escalated into something far more alarming — and the people closest to her are only beginning to understand the extent of it.As her husband desperately searches for someone, anyone, who can help, a shadowy figure in Idaho is whispering in her ear, reshaping her reality, and making plans of his own.By the time the warning signs become impossible to ignore, it ma...
2026-03-221h 16
Nightwatch Files#40: 1122 King Road - The True Story Of The Idaho Four MurdersOn the night of November 12th, 2022, four University of Idaho seniors went out into the small college town they called home — and never came back. By the following afternoon, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin had been stabbed to death in their beds, in a rental house just off campus, while two of their roommates slept undisturbed on the floor below.The killer left no weapon. No fingerprints. No witnesses. He was inside the house for approximately fifteen minutes, and by the time the first officer arrived on scene, he had been gone for hours.
2026-03-081h 50
Nightwatch Files#39: Silicon Valley’s Dark Mirror - The Death of a Tech VisionaryIn the early hours of April 4, 2023, the visionary behind the modern mobile economy staggered down a desolate San Francisco street, clutching his chest and pleading with a 911 operator for his life. Bob Lee, the man known to the tech world as "Crazy Bob," had survived the cutthroat boardrooms of Google and Square, but he would not survive the 400 block of Main Street.This episode traces the ascent of a generational talent—from his roots in St. Louis and his legendary "Code Red" worm fix to the technical "hack" that became Cash App. We explore the brilliant, manic energy of...
2026-02-151h 33
Nightwatch Files#38: The Privilege of Pain: From Mormon Mommy Vlogger to Convicted AbuserA high-definition window into a life of absolute order was broadcast to millions, presenting a vision of modern parenting that many sought to emulate. This digital storefront sold a brand of intentional living where every movement was tracked and every child followed a clockwork routine. While the daily uploads showcased a picture of stability, the internal dynamics of the household were undergoing a cold transformation.The 6:30 a.m. rehearsals and rigid preparation cycles provided the foundation for a domestic hierarchy where authority became the only metric that mattered. This account follows the transition from a highly disciplined home...
2026-02-081h 38
Nightwatch Files#37: City Under Siege - The Search for The Phoenix Serial ShootersContent warning: This episode contains descriptions of violence against humans and animals.Between May 2005 and August 2006, Phoenix, Arizona lived in fear as two men in a silver Toyota Camry hunted victims at random. They killed eight people and countless animals in what they called "Random Recreational Violence"—shooting pedestrians, bicyclists, homeless men, dogs, and horses across the metropolitan area.The breakthrough came from an unlikely source: Detective Cliff Jewell, known as the "pet detective," matched .22-caliber shell casings from a dog shooting to those found at human murder scenes, proving the animal attacks and ho...
2026-01-311h 56
Nightwatch Files#36: The 1980s Burger King Shooting of Marie GrossmanIn 1987, Marie Grossman was the embodiment of the American dream: a trailblazing attorney, a devoted mother, and a woman who had meticulously built a life of stability and purpose. But on a foggy December evening, a routine stop for fast food on her way to her son's wrestling match placed her directly in the path of two men with a loaded revolver and a terrifying history of "asset card" abductions.This episode explores the intersection of two vastly different lives—a high-achieving professional and a nineteen-year-old former basketball star who believed the rules no longer applied to him. Wh...
2026-01-251h 56
Nightwatch FilesBonus: The Mother Who Hunted a Deadly Cartel in Search of her Daughter’s CaptorsWhen her daughter was kidnapped by the notorious Zeta cartel, Mexican mother Miriam Rodríguez embarked on a relentless quest for justice. Armed with disguises, determination, and unwavering courage, she tracked down those responsible, confronting one of Mexico's most dangerous criminal organizations.This episode delves into Miriam's extraordinary journey, following her transformation from caring mother to fearless vigilante.Join us as we explore the true story of Miriam Rodríguez, a tale of love, loss, and the indomitable spirit of a mother who refused to back down.For more information on this case, we re...
2026-01-101h 36
Nightwatch FilesA quick note from the host with some news about the show.A quick note from the host with some news about the show. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nightwatch-files--6484889/support.SUPPORT THE SHOW & LISTEN AD-FREEJoin our Patreon and unlock ad-free episodes directly in Apple Podcasts or Spotify after you connect your Patreon account. You can also join the Supporters Club for an ad-free experience.Both go for just $3/month, sign up from the links below.Ad-Free EpisodesPatreon: patreon.com/NightwatchFilesApple (after joining): bit.ly/4i7XcNW
2026-01-0703 min
Nightwatch Files#35: Bonnie and Clyde - The Unglamorous Truth Behind the Folk HeroesIn the depths of the Great Depression, two young people from the West Dallas slums began a crime spree that would captivate a desperate nation. Bonnie Parker was a nineteen-year-old waitress with dreams of becoming a poet. Clyde Barrow was a twenty-one-year-old car thief who had just emerged from one of Texas's most brutal prison farms.What started as petty theft in 1930 escalated into a two-year rampage of bank robberies, kidnappings, and violence that spanned five states. As bodies accumulated and law enforcement agencies struggled to coordinate across jurisdictions, the couple became front-page news. The media transformed them...
2025-12-211h 46
Nightwatch Files#34: The Slenderman Case - A Dark Side of CreepypastaOn May 31, 2014, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a twelve-year-old girl was found lying on a trail, bleeding from nineteen stab wounds. She told the cyclist who discovered her that her two best friends had lured her into the woods and attacked her. When asked why, the girls gave an explanation that seemed impossible: they said they had done it for Slenderman—a fictional character created on an internet forum years earlier.This is the story of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, two children who became convinced that a creepypasta legend was real. It's the story of how online fiction can bl...
2025-12-141h 55
Nightwatch Files#33: Murder in Belle Haven - Who Killed Martha Moxley?On Halloween morning in 1975, fifteen-year-old Martha Moxley was found dead beneath a tree in her family's yard in Belle Haven, one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Greenwich, Connecticut. She had been beaten to death with a golf club the night before, just hours after participating in harmless Mischief Night pranks with friends.The murder weapon was traced to a set of clubs belonging to a wealthy neighboring family with connections to American political royalty. Multiple witnesses placed Martha with members of that family on the night she died. But as detectives began their investigation, they encountered resistance...
2025-12-061h 46
Nightwatch Files#32: The Wallace Case - Britain's Impossible MurderOn a cold January night in 1931, William Herbert Wallace returned to his Liverpool home to find his wife Julia brutally murdered in their parlor. The investigation seemed straightforward at first—a mysterious phone call had lured Wallace across town while the killer struck. But as police dug deeper, they uncovered a web of contradictions that would make this case one of the most controversial in British legal history.Was Wallace a devoted husband caught in an elaborate trap, or a calculating killer who orchestrated the perfect alibi? The evidence pointed in both directions. Witnesses saw Julia alive when Wa...
2025-11-231h 17
Nightwatch Files#31: The Many Lives of Lori Erica KennedyOn Christmas Eve morning, 2010, a family in East Texas makes a devastating discovery in their driveway. But the tragedy is only the beginning.When relatives search the deceased woman's home days later, they find a locked strongbox hidden at the bottom of a craft supplies container. Inside are documents, photographs, and cryptic scraps of paper.What follows is a years-long investigation involving a determined federal agent, cutting-edge forensic science, and thousands of amateur detectives on the internet, all trying to answer a seemingly simple question: Who was she?The trail leads through stolen identities...
2025-11-151h 13
Nightwatch Files#30: Justice For Bonnie 17 Years LaterOn September 28, 1994, eighteen-year-old Bonnie Craig disappeared while walking to catch the bus to her classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage. That afternoon, her body was discovered floating in the water at McHugh Creek. Alaska State Troopers initially ruled her death a hiking accident, but her mother Karen knew immediately—this was murder.When Karen received the devastating phone call at 3 AM while on a boat in Florida, more than 3,000 miles from home, she demanded answers. Despite evidence of sexual assault, defensive wounds, and eleven blunt force trauma injuries to Bonnie's head, the case went cold. For seventeen ye...
2025-11-091h 34
Nightwatch Files#29: The Man Named JohnSecurity cameras capture a silver vehicle following a woman from a church parking lot, maintaining a careful distance. Seventeen seconds after she leaves, the car pulls out behind her. When she arrives home and opens her garage door, what unfolds in those next moments will nearly cost her everything.What investigators will later uncover is a plot involving multiple criminals, millions in embezzled money, and someone determined to make her death look like an accident. But as detectives trace prepaid phones and cash transactions back through time, they discover the conspiracy didn't start recently—it began while she wa...
2025-10-1851 min
Nightwatch Files#28: The Woman They Could Not SilenceA brilliant young woman becomes the principal of a prestigious school by age nineteen. Her crime? Using her mind too well.When she dares to challenge her husband's authority in public, voicing opinions that contradict his teachings, he finds a legal solution to silence her permanently. In 1860s America, disagreeing with your husband could be diagnosed as insanity. No trial was required. No defense was permitted. A signature was all it took.Locked away in an asylum, she discovers she's far from alone. Hundreds of women have been committed for similar "symptoms"—reading novels, expressing political op...
2025-10-1156 minNightwatch FilesHarper has a brief update for listeners.A quick note from the host with some news about the show.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nightwatch-files--6484889/support.SUPPORT THE SHOW & LISTEN AD-FREEJoin our Patreon and unlock ad-free episodes directly in Apple Podcasts or Spotify after you connect your Patreon account. You can also join the Supporters Club for an ad-free experience.Both go for just $3/month, sign up from the links below.Ad-Free EpisodesPatreon: patreon.com/NightwatchFilesApple (after joining): bit.ly/4i7XcNW
2025-10-0801 min
Nightwatch Files#27: Death in Central ParkIt started as a typical summer night at an Upper East Side bar. By morning, one teenager would be dead and another would be under arrest.The case would become a media sensation, sparking fierce debates about wealth, privilege, and justice. It would expose the dark underbelly of Manhattan's prep school scene. And it would introduce a controversial legal defense that would divide a city and change the conversation about violence forever.But what actually happened between the bar and the crime scene? The truth is far more complex than the headlines suggest.Become...
2025-10-041h 06
Nightwatch Files#26: The Temple Family Tragedy - A Football Dynasty's Darkest HourIn January 1999, a 911 call shattered the quiet of a Texas suburb. A high school football coach returned home to find his pregnant wife shot dead in what appeared to be a burglary gone wrong. The victim was eight months pregnant, beloved by her students as a special education teacher, and preparing excitedly for the birth of her daughter.The husband was local royalty—a former star linebacker turned respected coach from a football dynasty family. The community rallied around him in his darkest hour, supporting a man they saw as the embodiment of their values: tough, dedicated, and ho...
2025-09-271h 10
Nightwatch Files#25: Craigslist Nightmare - When Online Ads Turn FatalWhen a young woman from Las Vegas checked into an upscale Boston hotel in April 2009, she thought she was just conducting business as usual. Instead, she found herself zip-tied on a hotel room floor, staring down the barrel of a gun held by a tall, well-dressed man who spoke with unsettling politeness while systematically robbing her.Five days later, another woman would cross paths with the same predator. This time, the encounter would end in murder.Both victims had one thing in common: they had posted advertisements on Craigslist.Within hours, surveillance photos emerged...
2025-09-201h 22
Nightwatch Files#24: Murder on the Cliff - The Hart Family CaseOn March 26, 2018, emergency responders discovered the wreckage of an SUV at the bottom of a 100-foot cliff along California's Pacific Coast Highway. Inside were the bodies of two adults and three children. Three more children remained missing and unaccounted for.What initially appeared to be a tragic accident would soon reveal itself as something far more sinister—the culmination of a decade-long pattern of systematic abuse that had been hidden behind a carefully crafted public image of love and acceptance.This case exposes the catastrophic failures of America's child welfare system, examining how six vulnerable children we...
2025-09-071h 22
Nightwatch Files#23: Betsy Faria: Murder, Deception, and an Unlikely SuspectA chilling crime, a wrongful conviction, and secrets hidden in plain sight.In December 2011, Betsy Faria was found murdered in her Missouri home. What followed was a case filled with shocking twists — wrongful convictions, hidden motives, and a story that captured national attention.This episode examines the murder of Betsy Faria, the investigation that went off course, and the chain of events that exposed one of the most notorious true crime stories in America.Was justice served, or did the real story remain hidden for years?Join us as we unravel the murder of Be...
2025-08-301h 34
Nightwatch Files#22: Murder at Loose Chippings: Death, Lies, and an International ManhuntA brutal double homicide that spiraled into betrayal, confessions, and an international manhunt. In the mid-1980s, a well-to-do couple were found savagely murdered inside their quiet Virginia home. Both had been stabbed dozens of times in what investigators described as one of the most vicious crimes the region had ever seen. Their daughter quickly became central to the investigation, along with her boyfriend, a foreign exchange student.What began as a shocking double homicide soon spiraled into an international case involving confessions, retractions, claims of innocence, and decades of legal battles. The murders remain among...
2025-08-161h 44
Nightwatch Files#21: The Murder That Revealed a Daughter’s Secret LifeA life built on lies, a murder that shocked the world—uncover the truth behind one of the most disturbing family crimes in recent history.A woman is found dead inside her home—stabbed multiple times, left in a pool of blood. Her daughter, who is believed to be severely disabled and dependent on a wheelchair, is missing. So is the chair. An alert is issued, and fears quickly grow: has she been abducted, or is she in danger herself?When authorities finally locate her, the scene is not what anyone expected. She’s walking—unaided—and health...
2025-08-021h 19
Nightwatch Files#20: The Mother and the Midnight Road - Shots in the Dark"A mother’s story. A quiet road. And a truth no one wanted to hear."May 1983 – Springfield, Oregon.A red car pulls into the emergency bay of McKenzie-Willamette Hospital. Inside are three young children—each shot at close range. One is dead on arrival. Another is paralyzed. The third is barely clinging to life. Their mother, 27-year-old Diane Downs, tells staff they were ambushed on a dark, rural road by a man who stepped into their path, demanded her car, and opened fire.News of the shooting spreads quickly. A mother attacked. Her children the vi...
2025-07-121h 05
Nightwatch FilesBefore the Silence: A Message You’ll Want to HearAn important message from show host Harper Finley.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nightwatch-files--6484889/support.SUPPORT THE SHOW & LISTEN AD-FREEJoin our Patreon and unlock ad-free episodes directly in Apple Podcasts or Spotify after you connect your Patreon account. You can also join the Supporters Club for an ad-free experience.Both go for just $3/month, sign up from the links below.Ad-Free EpisodesPatreon: patreon.com/NightwatchFilesApple (after joining): bit.ly/4i7XcNWSpotify (after joining...
2025-07-1102 min
Nightwatch Files#19: The Mortician and the Widow: Trust, Control, and the Cost of SilenceNothing seemed wrong—until someone opened the garage.In a quiet East Texas town, an elderly woman vanished without explanation. Months passed. Her home sat undisturbed, her absence explained away—until a routine welfare check uncovered something chilling inside a taped-shut garage freezer. This episode unpacks the unsettling mystery that followed, the town’s unusual reaction, and the chain of events that would eventually capture national attention and inspire a Hollywood film. A story of isolation, control, and a community forced to confront what lay beneath the surface.Keywords: Texas true crime, freezer mystery, small town disapp...
2025-07-0548 min
Nightwatch Files#18: The Angel of Death on Silver Leopard FarmShe claimed God sent her to kill pedophiles. Two men ended up dead. This episode investigates the disturbing case of Sheila LaBarre — and the chilling belief system she used to justify murder.A quiet New Hampshire farm. A woman claiming to be an avenging angel. And a series of gruesome crimes that stunned a small town and the nation.This episode unpacks the case of Sheila LaBarre — how she targeted vulnerable men, lured them with promises of care, and subjected them to escalating abuse and psychological torment before taking their lives.Through police reports, cour...
2025-06-2859 min