Shows
Dark DialogueWritten in Blood: The Murder of Karen Pannell (Part 1)In October 2003, 39-year-old airline professional Karen Pannell was found stabbed to death inside her Oldsmar, Florida villa. Near her body, written in blood on the kitchen wall, was a single word: “ROC.”
At first, investigators believed they were looking at a dying message — a final act of identification left by a woman who knew she was dying. Karen’s ex-boyfriend, whose nickname was Roc, became the immediate focus.
But the evidence didn’t hold.
In this first episode of a two-part investigation, Dark Dialogue examines how a crime scene that seemed to explain itself slo...
2025-12-291h 07
Dark DialogueChicago Ripper Crew – Part 4: When Evil Stands Before the BenchBy the time the Chicago Ripper Crew finally stood before a judge, the worst of their crimes were already over — but justice was only beginning its long, uneven struggle.
In this final episode of Dark Dialogue’s Chicago Ripper Crew series, we step inside the courtrooms, parole hearings, execution chambers, and political backrooms that determined how four men responsible for some of the most sadistic crimes in Illinois history would ultimately be punished — or spared.
This episode examines what happened after the arrests:
• Who received life sentences
• Who was executed
• Who had a death sent...
2025-12-171h 50Dark DialogueChicago Ripper Crew Part 3: Arrests & ConfessionsEpisode 3: “The Breaking Point — Arrests & Confessions”
When Chicago police arrested Robin Gecht on October 20, 1982, they didn’t yet realize they were dismantling one of the most sadistic cults in American history.
From Beverly Washington’s miraculous survival to the chain of interrogations, confessions, and forensic discoveries that followed, this episode chronicles the pivotal week when the façade of normalcy collapsed — revealing the full depravity of the Chicago Ripper Crew.
Over the next twelve days, detectives arrested Edward Spreitzer, Andrew Kokoraleis, and Thomas Kokoraleis, unraveling a ritual network that turned murder into ceremony. Through firsthand sta...
2025-12-051h 05
Dark DialogueChicago Ripper Crew — Part 2: Rituals of Blood | Inside the Cult, the Killings & the Survivor Who Ended ItChicago wasn’t just terrified—
it was being hunted.
In Part 2 of our Chicago Ripper Crew series, Dark Dialogue descends into the darkest chapter of the investigation: the rituals, methods, mutilations, and psychology behind a murder cult that operated in broad daylight and believed every killing was an act of worship.
Through rare survivor accounts, forensic reconstruction, and psychological analysis, this episode exposes the cold, structured system behind the Crew’s violence:
🔪 Inside This Episode
The rituals of mutilation and why the left breast became the Crew’s signature
The hierarchy i...
2025-11-211h 05
Dark DialogueChicago Ripper Crew — Part 1: The Van of Death | Rituals, Control & the Devil in a Red VanChicago, 1981.
A city drowning in crime, corruption, recession — and something darker lurking beneath the surface.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, John takes Angela (and listeners) into the heart of one of the most disturbing cases in American criminal history: the Chicago Ripper Crew, a cult-like group led by Robin Gecht that turned a red van into a mobile house of horror.
From the first victim, Linda Sutton, to the escalating ritual murders that followed, this episode exposes how four men — Gecht, Edward Spreitzer, and brothers Andrew and Thomas Kokoraleis — carried out some of the most s...
2025-11-171h 49
Dark DialogueThe Pact of Shadows — The Simon Sue Murders in Guffey, ColoradoHigh in the Colorado mountains, the quiet town of Guffey hid a nightmare no one saw coming.
In the winter of 2001, three members of the Dutcher family were brutally murdered — not by strangers, but by teenagers under the control of an unlikely ringleader: 19-year-old Simon Sue, a self-styled commander who built his own secret “organization” and convinced classmates to kill in his name.
The Pact of Shadows explores how Sue’s delusional creation — a supposed spy network called O.A.R.A. — blurred the line between fantasy and fanaticism. Through psychological manipulation, humiliation rituals, and fear, he transform...
2025-11-031h 51
Dark DialogueThe Neighbor Next Door: The Murder of Brett W. SmithIn October 2008, the quiet streets of North Canton, Ohio—a place known for safety, family, and small-town calm—were shattered by an act of horror that still defies belief.
Thirty-four-year-old Brett W. Smith was found brutally murdered and decapitated inside his own home at Evergreen Mobile Home Park. His killer wasn’t a stranger or a drifter. It was the man who lived just across the fence — William D. Perry, a neighbor whose rage and instability turned deadly.
Through court records, forensic analysis, and first-hand accounts, this episode of Dark Dialogue unravels the story of a man wh...
2025-10-301h 27
Dark DialogueFilming Death: The Scream Murder of Cassie Jo StoddartWhen a quiet September night in 2006 turned into a real-life horror film, Bannock County, Idaho, would never be the same. Filming Death: The Scream Murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart tells the chilling true story of a responsible, kind-hearted teenager betrayed by classmates who wanted to turn murder into a movie.
Cassie was just seventeen — house-sitting, caring for family pets, and planning for her future — when two of her peers, Brian Draper and Torey Adamcik, transformed her ordinary weekend into a nightmare inspired by Scream and Columbine. This episode dives deep into the psychology of teenage infamy, the time...
2025-10-231h 14Dark DialogueThe Boy in the Walls – The Haunting Case of Danny LaPlanteHome is supposed to be safe — but what if the danger is already inside?
In this chilling October episode of Dark Dialogue, John and Angela pull back the walls on one of the most disturbing cases in American true crime: the story of Danny LaPlante, a teenager who secretly lived inside a family’s home, watching them, tormenting them, and ultimately becoming one of Massachusetts’ most terrifying killers.
The case begins like a ghost story — tapping walls, objects moving, eerie messages written in ketchup — but ends in real-life horror with the murders of Priscilla Gustafson and her childr...
2025-10-221h 11
Dark DialogueTrial by Technology – Justice for April | The Digital Evidence That Spoke for HerWhen fourteen-year-old April Millsap left home to walk her dog on a warm July evening in 2014, no one in the quiet town of Armada, Michigan could have imagined the horror that would follow. Hours later, her loyal dog Penny came home alone — and a small community was forever changed.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, John and Angela take you inside the groundbreaking trial that proved a killer’s guilt without a single eyewitness or confession. Through fitness app GPS data, cell tower triangulation, and digital breadcrumbs, investigators pieced together the final minutes of April’s life — and expo...
2025-10-051h 05
Dark DialogueThe Man on the Dirt Bike – Building the CaseWhen a 14-year-old’s evening walk ends in tragedy, the town of Armada, Michigan is shaken to its core. In this episode of Dark Dialogue, John and Angela dissect the early investigation that turned a nameless “man on the dirt bike” into a household name—and a prime suspect.
Follow the crucial leads that shaped the case:
Eyewitness accounts of a helmeted rider who shouldn’t have been on the trail.
Digital footprints from April’s phone and Sports Tracker app, mapping her final desperate moments.
Family secrets and fractured loyalty within the V...
2025-09-181h 39
Dark DialogueDark Dialogue: April Millsap Part 2: Blood in the Branches – The Investigation BeginsOn July 24, 2014, the quiet town of Armada, Michigan was forever changed when 14-year-old April Millsap set out for a walk with her dog and never came home. What began as a summer evening stroll on the Macomb Orchard Trail ended in a brutal attack that left investigators — and an entire community — reeling.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, we take you inside the earliest hours of the investigation: the discovery of April’s body, the haunting evidence imprinted on her skin, and the chilling clues left behind. We break down the autopsy findings, the forensic trail, and the fi...
2025-09-181h 28
Dark DialogueApril Millsap Part 1: The Girl on the Trail – Who Was April Millsap?She was just 14. A daughter, a dreamer, a life that mattered.
On July 24, 2014, April Millsap leashed up her beloved dog Penny and set out on the Macomb Orchard Trail in Armada, Michigan. Minutes later, she sent her boyfriend a chilling text: “I think I almost got kidnapped.” By nightfall, Penny returned alone—and April’s body was discovered just off the trail.
In this first chapter of Dark Dialogue’s April Millsap series, John and Angela take listeners beyond the headlines. Who was April Millsap? What were her dreams, her passions, and the ordinary life she lived...
2025-08-231h 13
Dark DialogueHeather Dawn Church Part 4: The Killer Who Counted on SilenceHeather Dawn Church’s story shattered the silence—and exposed the chilling truth about one of America’s most calculating killers.
In this final installment of The Forest Kept Her Silence, we confront Robert Charles Browne—the drifter whose fingerprint ended Heather’s case and whose later confessions claimed up to 48 more murders across nine states. Was he telling the truth, or was it the ultimate manipulation?
Join John and Angela as they unravel Browne’s arrest, his cold and methodical confession, and the disturbing letters that taunted investigators. Hear how Detective Lou Smit and Sheriff John...
2025-08-211h 21Dark DialogueHeather Dawn Church Part 3: The Fingerprint in the SilenceWhen Heather Dawn Church disappeared from her Black Forest, Colorado home in 1991, the trail went cold—until legendary detective Lou Smit stepped in. In The Fingerprint in the Silence, John and Angela take you inside Smit’s methodical, victim-first approach that transformed an overlooked piece of evidence into a game-changing arrest.
From his early days solving some of Colorado’s toughest murders—including the infamous Karen Grammer case—to his faith-driven commitment to justice, Lou Smit brought a rare blend of skill, patience, and empathy to every investigation. In this episode, you’ll hear how a single latent finge...
2025-08-151h 01Dark DialogueHeather Dawn Church Part 2: The Forest Kept Her Silence.When 13-year-old Heather Dawn Church vanished from her Black Forest, Colorado home in 1991, the investigation faltered. Evidence was mishandled. Theories went nowhere. The system stayed quiet.
But one man refused to let her be forgotten.
Retired Colorado Springs Police commander John Wesley Anderson watched from the sidelines as the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office stumbled—and decided that if they wouldn’t fix it, he would. His campaign for sheriff wasn’t about politics. It was about purpose. Winning meant the chance to rebuild a broken department, reopen cold cases, and demand justice for Heather...
2025-08-0855 minDark DialogueHeather Dawn Church Part 1: The Girl Who Vanished from Her Own HomeThirteen-year-old Heather Dawn Church was supposed to be safe. She was home alone doing her homework in the quiet, wooded Black Forest of Colorado when she vanished without a trace. Her schoolbooks were still open. The lights were on. And her little brother was fast asleep. But Heather was gone—and no one heard a thing.
In this gripping first installment of our Heather Church series, John and Angela take you deep into the night of September 17, 1991, and into the heart of a case that was mishandled from the start. We explore the failings of the El Pa...
2025-08-041h 11
Dark DialogueBrianna Maitland Part 6: The Final Turn: Truth, Theories, and the Ghosts Left BehindIn this gripping final installment of our Brianna Maitland series, we confront the shadows one last time—and ask the questions that still haunt a community.
On March 19, 2004, 17-year-old Brianna Maitland vanished from a lonely Vermont road, leaving behind a mystery that has defied answers for two decades. Her car was found backed into an abandoned farmhouse, keys still in the ignition, personal belongings untouched—and no sign of Brianna.
Over the past five episodes, we've peeled back the layers: a dangerous drug scene, fractured friendships, and chilling serial killer speculation. But now, with new DNA...
2025-08-011h 35Dark DialogueBrianna Maitland Part 5 - Crossroads of the Vanished: Brianna, Maura, and the Men Who LurkIn this chilling installment of Dark Dialogue, we venture into the shadows that connect two of the most unsettling disappearances in New England: Brianna Maitland and Maura Murray.
Brianna vanished in 2004, her car discovered mysteriously backed into an abandoned farmhouse wall. Just six weeks earlier and 90 miles away, Maura Murray disappeared under eerily similar circumstances. No struggle. No trace. No goodbye.
In Episode 5: Crossroads of the Vanished, John and Angela unravel the speculative—and controversial—theory that these women may have crossed paths with a serial predator. We examine the known monsters lurking in the area...
2025-07-281h 36Dark DialogueBrianna Maitland Part 4: Jealousy, Violence, and the Ones We Let Too CloseIn Part 4 of our Brianna Maitland series, Dark Dialogue dives into one of the most personal—and controversial—chapters yet: the brutal assault Brianna endured just weeks before she vanished.
Seventeen-year-old Brianna was punched in the face at a party by Keallie Lacross, a former friend, in what many describe as a jealousy-fueled attack. The injuries were severe: a broken nose, concussion, and long-lasting emotional fallout. Brianna filed charges—but they were dropped after she disappeared.
Was this just a teenage fight… or something deeper?
John and Angela dissect the personal turmoil Brianna faced in...
2025-07-252h 04Dark DialogueBrianna Maitland Part 3: Small Town Secrets: Drugs, Debt, and DisappearancesOn March 19, 2004, Brianna Maitland vanished after leaving her shift at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery, Vermont. Her car was discovered backed into an abandoned barn—with the engine running, her wallet and paychecks still inside, and no sign of Brianna. In this episode of Dark Dialogue, we dive deep into the theory that her disappearance was tied to Franklin County’s growing drug underworld.
Was Brianna caught in the crossfire of crack cocaine dealers and unpaid debts? Or was she silenced for knowing too much?
We investigate the individuals operating a shadowy drug network just...
2025-07-211h 57Dark DialogueTrailer – What Is Dark Dialogue?Dark Dialogue is a true crime podcast that refuses to settle for easy answers. We dissect cold cases, missing persons, and systemic failures—one deep investigation at a time.
Every episode goes beyond the headlines, examining theories, timelines, forensic evidence, and law enforcement blind spots. We challenge official narratives and amplify the voices too often ignored.
If you’re tired of speculation and want real investigative storytelling, this is your show.
🎧 Subscribe now on your favorite platform
🌐 Explore more at darkdialogue.com
📬 Contact us: info@darkdialogue.com
☕ Support on Patreon, Ko-fi, or Subst...
2025-07-1901 minDark DialoguePart 2 - The House That Watched Her Disappear: Brianna Maitland’s Crime SceneIn this gripping second installment of Dark Dialogue: Vermont’s Vanished, we return to March 20, 2004—the day Brianna Maitland’s abandoned green Oldsmobile was found backed into the side of the crumbling Old Dutchburn Barn. Inside the car? Two paychecks, her contact lenses, migraine meds, and the haunting sense that she meant to come back. Outside? A broken necklace. A wrecked investigation.
The scene looked staged. The FBI said as much. But Vermont State Police failed to treat it as a crime scene. No tape. No photographs. No urgency. Just a shrug—and a tow truck.
Join J...
2025-07-182h 06
Dark DialogueVanished in the Night: Brianna's Last Day - Part 1Seventeen-year-old Brianna Maitland clocked out of her shift at the Black Lantern Inn on March 19, 2004… and vanished into the night.
In this first episode of a new series, John and Angela walk you through Brianna’s final known day—her interactions, her movements, the people she saw, and the moments that now feel like chilling premonitions. We examine the tension at home, the recent assault by a so-called friend, and the subtle signals that something may have already been unraveling.
Was she running from something—or someone? Was this a planned escape? Or did she cross pa...
2025-07-141h 37
Dark DialogueEchoes and Entanglements – The Theories We Feared - Maura Murray Part 6In the final installment of our Maura Murray arc, Dark Dialogue closes the casebook—without closing the case.
On February 9, 2004, Maura vanished on a rural stretch of Route 112 in New Hampshire. Now, we revisit every angle one last time. Host John breaks down the most credible theory: that Maura, intent on a weekend getaway, was picked up and killed by someone she trusted—or by a local predator who seized a vulnerable moment. We dissect key evidence: her MapQuest directions to Burlington, Vermont, the scent trail lost 100 yards from the scene, and the missing essentials she never left...
2025-07-123h 05Dark DialogueShadow in the Snow: Could Maura Have Been Left to Die?On a cold February night in 2004, Maura Murray crashed her black Saturn on Route 112 in rural New Hampshire—and disappeared without a trace. No footprints. No blood. No signs of a struggle. Just a locked car and a lingering question: Did Maura leave the scene alone?
In Episode 5 of our Maura Murray series, Dark Dialogue dissects the chilling tandem driver theory—the possibility that Maura was picked up by another vehicle, willingly or not, and never seen again. Hosts John and Angela reconstruct the 19-minute window between her crash and the police’s arrival, analyze the trail that e...
2025-06-302h 04
Dark DialogueUnlikely Silence: The Death by Exposure Theory in Maura Murray’s CaseWhat if no one hurt Maura Murray… and that’s what makes it so hard to accept?
In Episode 4 of Dark Dialogue, John and Angela investigate the most controversial theory in Maura’s disappearance: that she wasn’t abducted, attacked, or aided—but that she simply wandered into the White Mountains and died of exposure.
With first-hand wilderness EMS insight and a deep dive into hypothermia psychology, we explore:
The minute-by-minute timeline of Maura’s last confirmed moments on Route 112
How panic, cold, and disorientation could have taken her
The forensic...
2025-06-291h 41
Dark DialogueSilent Exit: The Runaway Theory of Maura MurrayOn a snowy February night in 2004, 21-year-old Maura Murray vanished without a trace after crashing her car on a desolate stretch of Route 112 in Haverhill, New Hampshire. No footprints. No phone activity. No confirmed sightings. Just a locked car, a scattering of personal belongings—and two decades of unanswered questions.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, hosts John and Angela examine the most polarizing theory in the Maura Murray case: that she disappeared by choice. Was Maura a runaway—escaping pressure, shame, or identity collapse—or was her silence the result of something more sinister?
We div...
2025-06-242h 42Dark DialogueTruth Over Theories – Unraveling Maura Murray’s Story, Part 2In the shadow of speculation, truth fights to be heard.
In Part Two of our Maura Murray series, Dark Dialogue pulls no punches. Hosts John and Angela take a hard look at James Renner—whose irresponsible claims have overshadowed Maura’s story for more than a decade. From unfounded allegations against Fred Murray to baseless accusations involving Maura’s boyfriend and fringe theories of tandem drivers, hidden cabins, and even a convicted fraudster—this episode breaks down Renner’s most damaging narratives and the ripple effects that followed.
But this story isn’t just about Renner. It’s...
2025-06-201h 53Dark DialogueEchoes in the Pines: The Vanishing of Maura Murray – Part 1On a cold February evening in 2004, 21-year-old nursing student Maura Murray vanished without a trace after a minor car crash on a rural road in Haverhill, New Hampshire. No footprints. No confirmed sightings. No answers. Two decades later, her disappearance continues to haunt the true crime world—and the White Mountains that swallowed her story.
In Part 1 of Dark Dialogue’s multi-episode deep dive, John and Angela take you through Maura’s life before the headlines. From her childhood in Massachusetts and time at West Point, to her transfer to UMass Amherst and the confusing events leading up to...
2025-06-172h 15
Dark DialogueVanished in the Dust: The Mystery of Chance EnglebertWhat happened to 25-year-old Chance Englebert on the night of July 6, 2019? A devoted husband and father, Chance disappeared during what was supposed to be a family weekend in Gering, Nebraska. After a disagreement with relatives, Chance left on foot—and was never seen again.
In this haunting episode of Dark Dialogue, hosts John and Angela walk you through the baffling timeline of Chance’s final known movements. With weathered plains and railroad tracks as the backdrop, this case unfolds with eerie silences, conflicting witness accounts, and digital clues that raise more questions than answers. Despite extensive searches, dron...
2025-06-141h 05Dark DialogueUnraveled Truths – The Mystery of Lauren Agee’s Death (Part 2 of 2)In this powerful conclusion to our two-part investigation, John and Angela dig deeper into the aftermath of Lauren Agee’s death at WakeFest 2015. As questions pile up—about witness credibility, scene tampering, and investigative failures—Lauren’s family turns their grief into advocacy, and a legal battle begins.
Was Lauren pushed? Was there a cover-up? And what does the civil lawsuit reveal that the official investigation didn’t?
🔍 In This Episode:
A breakdown of the wrongful death lawsuit
Evidence of a possible cover-up
Legal and forensic red flags
The Agee family’s...
2025-05-042h 08Dark DialogueUnraveled Truths: The Mystery of Lauren Agee’s Death - Part 1Unraveled Truths – The Mystery of Lauren Agee’s Death (Part 1 of 2)
In July 2015, 21-year-old Lauren Agee attended WakeFest on Center Hill Lake in Tennessee. Less than 24 hours later, her body was found floating below a steep cliff. Authorities ruled it an accidental drowning—but from the very beginning, the evidence didn’t add up.
In this gripping Part 1 of a two-part investigation, hosts John and Angela examine the timeline of Lauren’s final hours, dissect conflicting witness accounts, and explore the scene where it all began. Was Lauren’s death truly an accident? Or was something far more siniste...
2025-04-282h 50Dark DialogueEchoes of Absence: The Disappearance of Holly BoboEchoes of Absence: The Disappearance of Holly Bobo
On the morning of April 13, 2011, 20-year-old nursing student Holly Bobo walked into the woods behind her Decatur County, Tennessee home—following a man in camouflage. She was never seen alive again.
This episode of Dark Dialogue unravels one of the most haunting and controversial missing persons cases in recent history. From the frantic 911 call to a decade-long investigation marred by false leads, local rumors, and shifting suspects, we explore every chilling turn. Who was the man in the woods? Why did it take years to find her remains? An...
2025-04-241h 57Dark DialogueWhispers of Fear - The Vanishing of Brookelyn FarthingWhispers of Fear: The Vanishing of Brookelyn Farthing
Brookelyn Farthing was just 18—bold, beautiful, and brimming with promise—when she vanished from a rural Kentucky home in the early hours of June 22, 2013. What began as a typical Friday night quickly unraveled into a haunting mystery. A house fire. A chilling text. A final message: “I’m scared.”
In this gripping episode of Dark Dialogue, we trace the final known movements of Brookelyn, from a party in Berea to a stranger’s couch and a smoldering fire that may have been more than coincidence. What happened after that final t...
2025-04-161h 56Dark DialogueShadows of Justice - The Candace Hiltz StoryShadows of Justice: The Candace Hiltz Story
Candace Hiltz was sharp, fearless, and unapologetically vocal—a teenage prodigy with dreams of becoming a Supreme Court justice. But in the shadowed valley of Fremont County, Colorado, brilliance wasn’t always welcomed. On August 15, 2006, Candace was found brutally murdered in her family’s home. And from the start, something felt off.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, we peel back the layers of a case long plagued by silence, mishandling, and possible corruption. Why did the investigation stall? What secrets were hidden in that cluttered evidence room? And how di...
2025-04-121h 47Dark DialogueVanished in the Darkness: The Heather Elvis CaseVanished in the Darkness: The Heather Elvis Case
On a chilly night in December 2013, 20-year-old Heather Elvis vanished from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina—leaving behind a car, a community in shock, and a haunting trail of unanswered questions. As suspicion fell on a tangled love triangle, the case gripped the nation. But a decade later, questions still linger: What really happened to Heather? Who is telling the truth? And where is she now?
In this emotionally charged episode of Dark Dialogue, we peel back the layers of this infamous case—an explosive mix of obsession, betrayal, and...
2025-04-092h 04Dark DialogueThe Kindness That Killed - Lori BrayThe Kindness That Killed: The Lori Bray Case
Lori Bray was known for her warmth, generosity, and radiant spirit—a beloved presence in Laurel, Montana. But on the night of October 1, 2019, she vanished after closing up the local casino where she worked. Her car was found abandoned. Her phone silent. And her kindness, many believe, led her straight into the arms of a predator.
In this gripping episode of Dark Dialogue, we unravel the heartbreaking case of Lori Bray—how a friendly ride home turned fatal, how small-town trust was shattered, and how her community rallied in b...
2025-03-3155 min