34 - Illinois Unsolved: Three Crimes. One DNA Profile. No Suspect. | The Linda Smith Case

34 - Illinois Unsolved: Three Crimes. One DNA Profile. No Suspect. | The Linda Smith Case

In the early morning hours of September 22, 2001, firefighters responded to a house fire on Paul Avenue in Champaign, Illinois. Inside the home, they found 59-year-old Linda Smith. At first, it appeared to be a tragic residential fire. But investigators quickly discovered something far more disturbing. Linda Smith had been sexually assaulted before the fire was set, transforming what looked like an accidental fire into a homicide investigation. Then came an even stranger discovery. DNA recovered from the scene didn't point investigators to a suspect. Instead, it connected Linda Smith's murder to two other sexual assaults — one in Carbondale, Illinois and another in Silver Spring, Maryland. More than two decades later, investigators still have the DNA profile. They still have the connections. But they still don't know who it belongs to. This is the first episode of Illinois Unsolved, a special series within Kat Has Questions exploring unresolved cases throughout Illinois. If you have information regarding the Linda Smith case, contact the Champaign County Sheriff's Office at 217-384-1213 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 217-373-8477. ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink [https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading • Carol Vorel, News-Gazette (2018) "2001 cold-case murder of Linda Smith" https://www.news-gazette.com/news/2001-cold-case-murder-of-linda-smith/article_aff09750-95d1-58ca-b186-d67b392d3dea.html [https://www.news-gazette.com/news/2001-cold-case-murder-of-linda-smith/article_aff09750-95d1-58ca-b186-d67b392d3dea.html] • Champaign County Crime Stoppers – Linda Smith Cold Case https://373tips.com [https://373tips.com/] • Champaign County Sheriff's Office • Public statements by Lt. Curt Apperson, Champaign County Sheriff's Office, as reported by the News-Gazette • Additional reporting and archival research from News-Gazette archives regarding the Linda Smith homicide investigation 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com [kathasquestionspod@gmail.com] Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

33 - The Disappearance of Sherri Papini

In 2016, Sherri Papini vanished while out jogging near her home in Redding, California. Her phone and earbuds were found abandoned on the side of the road, and for 22 days, her family and the nation searched for answers. Then, on Thanksgiving morning, Sherri reappeared — bruised, restrained, and claiming she had been kidnapped by two armed women. For years, the public viewed the case as a horrifying abduction and survival story. But behind the scenes, investigators were uncovering inconsistencies that would eventually unravel the entire narrative. In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we break down: * Sherri’s disappearance and dramatic return * the media frenzy surrounding the case * the DNA evidence that changed everything * the federal investigation and guilty plea * the conflicting claims presented in recent documentaries * and why people still debate what truly happened during those 22 days Was it a kidnapping? A hoax? Or something far more complicated? ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink [https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading -FBI affidavit and federal court documents related to the Sherri Papini investigation -CNN coverage of the Sherri Papini case [https://www.cnn.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -ABC News reporting on Sherri Papini [https://abcnews.go.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -NBC News reporting on the investigation and guilty plea [https://www.nbcnews.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -People Magazine coverage of the 2025 documentary claims [https://people.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -Rolling Stone coverage of the docuseries and public reaction [https://www.rollingstone.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -Hulu documentary: Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini [https://www.hulu.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -Investigation Discovery docuseries: Sherri Papini: Caught in the Lie [https://www.investigationdiscovery.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -Wikipedia overview of the Sherri Papini case [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherri_Papini_kidnapping_hoax?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com [kathasquestionspod@gmail.com] Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

32 - Heaven’s Gate: The Cult That Waited for a UFO Behind a Comet

A mansion in California. Thirty-nine bodies. Matching outfits, packed luggage, and a belief that a spacecraft was waiting behind the Hale-Bopp comet. In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we explore the disturbing rise of Heaven’s Gate — the UFO religious group led by Marshall Applewhite that became one of the most infamous cults in American history. From spiritual searching and isolation to apocalyptic beliefs and mass suicide, we examine how the group formed, why members stayed, and how devotion slowly transformed into tragedy. This is the story of Heaven’s Gate. ⸻ 'Weird Girls Club' Tee, VizVizShop on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/vizvizshop ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink [https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading -FBI Heaven’s Gate Archive -Heaven’s Gate Website Archive [https://www.heavensgate.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -Britannica – Heaven’s Gate [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Heavens-Gate-religious-group?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -History Channel – Heaven’s Gate Cult Explained -PBS Frontline – Apocalypse, Cults, and Millennialism [https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] -The New York Times Archive Coverage -Wikipedia – Heaven’s Gate (religious group) 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com [kathasquestionspod@gmail.com] Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

31 - The Taos Hum Mystery: A Sound No One Could Explain

In the quiet desert town of Taos, New Mexico, a small percentage of residents have reported hearing something strange for decades—a low, persistent hum with no clear source. Some describe it as a distant engine. Others say it feels more like a vibration than a sound. But the most unsettling part? Most people can’t hear it at all. In the early 1990s, complaints grew loud enough to trigger a government-backed investigation involving scientists from Los Alamos, Sandia National Laboratories, and the University of New Mexico. They tested for acoustic, seismic, and electromagnetic signals using highly sensitive equipment. They found… almost nothing. No clear source. No consistent explanation. Just a conclusion that left more questions than answers. ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink [https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading * Salisbury, Vanita. “Investigating the Mystery of the Taos Hum.” Thrillist, June 29, 2023. * Taos News archives and published letters (1992) * Los Alamos National Laboratory investigation summaries * Sandia National Laboratories reports * University of New Mexico research contributions * Live Science coverage of the Taos Hum phenomenon * BBC coverage of global “Hum” cases * Wikipedia – “Taos Hum” 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com [kathasquestionspod@gmail.com] Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

30 - Jennifer Pan Case: The “Perfect Daughter” Lie That Led to Murder

Jennifer Pan was the only witness to a brutal home invasion that left her mother dead and her father fighting for his life. She was tied up. She survived. And at first, her story made sense. But as investigators started to look closer, small inconsistencies began to surface — timelines that didn’t quite match, details that shifted, and a version of events that slowly started to fall apart. Because what they uncovered wasn’t just about one night. It was about a carefully constructed life, built on expectations… and the lengths someone might go to protect it. In this episode, we walk through the timeline of the Jennifer Pan case — from the initial attack to the investigation, the unraveling, and the truth behind what really happened. ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every Wednesday. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink [https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink] ⸻ Sources & Further Reading CBC News — Coverage of the Jennifer Pan case Toronto Star — Court reporting and investigation details Global News — Trial coverage and summaries CTV News — Case timeline and updates The Fifth Estate — The Lie That Led to Murder Netflix — Documentary coverage and case features Wikipedia — Case overview and timeline 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com [kathasquestionspod@gmail.com] Instagram: @KatHasQuestions