EP. 123-Inside Ohio’s Strangest Crime Scene: The Leaf Killer

EP. 123-Inside Ohio’s Strangest Crime Scene: The Leaf Killer

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2444974/fan_mail/new] A house stuffed with leaves sounds like a joke until SWAT opens the door and realizes the piles aren’t just weird, they’re dangerous. We travel to Mount Vernon, Ohio to unpack the Matthew Hoffman “Leaf Killer” case, a true crime story where a missing persons call turns into one of the strangest crime scenes we’ve ever covered. Bags of leaves stacked floor to ceiling, dead squirrels in the freezer, and a basement hiding a kidnapped 13-year-old girl bound on a literal bed of leaves.  We walk through how Tina Herrmann disappears, why her boss’s concern matters, and how a second look at the home reveals blood and clear signs of a struggle. From there, the timeline tightens: Tina, her friend Stephanie Sprang, and Tina’s children are suddenly missing, and investigators have to decide whether they’re dealing with a runaway, an accident, or something far worse. We also dig into the theory that Hoffman started as a burglar and then escalated when confronted, turning a break-in into murder and abduction.  Then we get into the investigative details that help police build the case fast: a Walmart bag with a tarp and heavy-duty trash bags, surveillance video, a Toyota Yaris that narrows the suspect pool, and an interview strategy that finally gets Hoffman talking. The ending is as haunting as the beginning, with a confession leading to bodies hidden inside a hollow tree and a sentence of life without parole. If you’re into Ohio true crime, kidnapping cases, and the real-world mechanics of solving murders, this one will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves true crime podcasts, and leave us a review with your biggest question from the case.

Ep 122-A Horror Movie Come to Life: The Jonathan Gerlach Case

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2444974/fan_mail/new] 🚨 WARNING: This episode contains discussion of grave desecration, human remains, and disturbing crime scene details. Listener discretion is advised. When volunteers at Pennsylvania's historic Mount Moriah Cemetery began discovering broken mausoleums and disturbed burial vaults, they had no idea they were uncovering one of the most bizarre criminal investigations in recent memory. According to investigators, Jonathan Gerlach was caught inside the cemetery in January 2026 carrying human remains. What police allegedly discovered next shocked the nation: over 100 human skulls, bones, and mummified remains recovered from a home and storage unit, leading to more than 500 criminal charges. In this episode of Hold My Sweet Tea Podcast, we dive into the haunting history of Mount Moriah Cemetery, the investigation that police called "a horror movie come to life," and the heartbreaking task of identifying remains that may have been buried for more than 200 years. Was this a case of morbid obsession, illegal collecting, or something even darker? Grab your sweet tea and settle in as we unravel one of the strangest true crime cases to make headlines in 2026. courthousenews.com — March 2026 hearing update and charge information.  NBC10 Philadelphia nbcphiladelphia.com— Detailed reporting on the investigation, arrest, and search warrants.  NBC10 Philadelphia nbcphiladelphia.com — Updated court proceedings and charges.  NBC10 Philadelphia fox29.com — Court appearance and expanded charges.  fox29.com — Court appearance and expanded charges.  FOX 29 Philadelphia

STAD Ep. 7- Cryp-TOE Through The Honey Island Swamp With Us: Honey Island Swamp Monster

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2444974/fan_mail/new] Something about Honey Island Swamp makes a good story feel dangerously believable. Maybe it’s the miles of protected Louisiana marshland north of Lake Pontchartrain, maybe it’s the Pearl River cutting through cypress and shadow, or maybe it’s the simple fact that the bayou can hide you fast. We’re Pearl and Holly, and we’re going full cryptid today with the Honey Island Swamp Monster, also known as Louisiana’s Bigfoot and the Bayou Beast.  We start with the real place: where Honey Island Swamp sits, what “pristine” marshland looks like up close, and the everyday wildlife that already makes the area intense. Then we get into the folklore that keeps locals talking, from Cajun and Native American roots to the wilder origin theories, including the feral-child story and the circus train crash tale that somehow ends in an alligator and chimpanzee “offspring.”  The heart of the mystery is Harlan Ford’s 1963 account: a huge, foul-smelling, yellow-eyed creature and the decade-long obsession that follows. We walk through the alleged evidence, including a torn-up wild boar scene, massive three-toed webbed footprints cast in plaster, and LSU’s inability to match the tracks to a known animal. Finally, we talk about the 8mm film Ford kept hidden and how his granddaughter Dana Holyfield helped bring that piece back into the conversation.  If you love cryptids, Louisiana folklore, and weird local history, hit play, then subscribe, share with a friend who loves spooky stuff, and leave us a review so more listeners can find Sweet Tea After Dark.

Ep. 121-The Tragedy and Legacy of Moriah Wilson

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2444974/fan_mail/new] A champion athlete with a clear sense of purpose shouldn’t become a headline, but Moriah “Mo” Wilson did and the details are as heartbreaking as they are infuriating. We start where Mo wanted the story to start: with the legacy. Her journal captures a young woman asking rare, grown-up questions about values, meaning, and the mark she wants to leave, and we talk about how her parents turn that mission into a foundation designed to get more young people biking, moving, and feeling supported by their community.  From there, we trace Mo’s path from Vermont to the elite world of gravel cycling. She’s chasing Olympic skiing until two ACL tears force a reset, and that detour becomes the doorway to off-road racing, resilience, and a rise that makes her one of the most successful gravel cyclists in America. Her ambition isn’t just about winning, either. It’s about being someone other people can look up to, which makes what happens next feel even more senseless.  On May 11, 2022, Mo is in Austin, Texas, meets up with pro cyclist Colin Strickland, and returns to a friend’s apartment. Kaitlyn Armstrong’s jealousy and escalating behavior collide with opportunity and access, leading to Mo’s murder. We walk through the investigation that follows: surveillance footage, car GPS loops near the crime scene, the flight out of the country, the Costa Rica arrest, and the courtroom proof that ends with a 90-year sentence. We also get honest about accountability, manipulation, and why a messy love triangle can turn dangerous fast.  If you care about true crime stories with real-world lessons, the cycling community, and the warning signs people ignore until it’s too late, listen now, then subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review so more people can find it.

Ep 120- Woman In The Trunk: The Unsolved Murder Of Betty Thomas

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2444974/fan_mail/new] A car doesn’t just “sit there” for two days without someone noticing, especially not a white Jaguar in a busy Austin hotel parking lot. When police finally open the trunk, they find 45-year-old Betty Thomas bound with duct tape, blindfolded, gagged, wrapped in bedding from her own home, and killed with an execution-style shot to the back of the head. That single discovery turns a quiet April week in 1988 into one of the most unsettling unsolved murders tied to Lakeway, Texas.  We trace Betty’s last known timeline, from an ordinary night alone at home to the evidence investigators find inside the house: signs of a struggle, blood evidence, and a scene that doesn’t look like a burglary gone wrong. We also talk about the uncomfortable realities of homicide investigations, including why a spouse is often looked at early as standard procedure, and how internet speculation grows louder when law enforcement can’t name a suspect. Then there’s the eerie family echo: years earlier, another Thomas family member is shot and never gets justice either. Coincidence, connection, or something no one has pieced together yet?  The story shifts when forensics catches up. Preserved evidence allows investigators to develop a partial male DNA profile, but it still doesn’t hit in CODIS. That’s where modern tools like forensic genealogy can change the game, using DNA matches to build family trees, narrow leads, and confirm identities the old way. If you’re fascinated by cold cases, forensic DNA, and the question of why someone would move a victim to a hotel lot, you’ll have plenty to think about here.  Subscribe, share the episode with a true crime friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. If you have tips, updates, or a “Sweet Tea After Dark” story, email us at hold my sweet tea podcast at gmail.com or message us on social media. Special Note: This case remains unsolved. If you have information related to the murder of Elizabeth "Betty" Thomas, please contact the appropriate law enforcement agency. Even decades later, new information can help bring answers to a victim's family. Sources & Further Reading: Courthouse News Service – Historical coverage and court records research courthousenews.com Texas Department of Public Safety – Cold Case Program dps.texas.gov Travis County historical records and public archives countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov Austin History Center Collections library.austintexas.gov Newspapers.com archival newspaper database newspapers.com NewspaperArchive historical newspaper database newspaperarchive.com