Our True Crime Podcast

360. In the Woods: The Murders of Kara Kopetsky & Jessica Runions

On a May morning in 2007, a 17-year-old girl walked out of her Missouri high school, stepped away from a security camera, and vanished. For nearly ten years, her family lived without answers. They were certain they knew who took her, but without any physical evidence, the case went completely cold. Then, in September 2016, history repeated itself. Another young woman, just 21, disappeared after leaving a party with the same man. What followed was a frantic search and a series of dark discoveries in the Missouri brush. Two girls vanished ten years apart, but their stories ended in the exact same place, deep in the Cass County woods. *****If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or relationship abuse, confidential help is available 24/7. In the United States National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788. UKNational Domestic Abuse Helpline (Run by Refuge): Call 0808 2000 247. Free, confidential, and available 24/7. Online Chat: Live chat and digital resources are available at nationaldahelpline.org.uk. Australia1800RESPECT: Call 1800 737 732 or text 0458 737 732. Free, confidential, and available 24/7. Online Chat: Head to 1800respect.org.au for 24/7 online chat support. Sponsored by Quince Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Our team: Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8626939889451216631/8144135965963493092#] Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of ⁠The Inky Pawprint [https://%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0https://theinkypawprint.com%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Sources: https://youtu.be/AyIbL8kYL-Q?si=LZiY8JHdFTYK8pEJ [https://youtu.be/AyIbL8kYL-Q?si=LZiY8JHdFTYK8pEJ] https://youtu.be/S8yGi6b_KlM?si=SPD0liAxQzKQA5Kb [https://youtu.be/S8yGi6b_KlM?si=SPD0liAxQzKQA5Kb] Disappeared Season 2 Episode 13 "Gone at 17" https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/242821636/kara_elise-kopetsky [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/242821636/kara_elise-kopetsky] https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/yust-trial/case-details [https://www.kshb.com/news/crime/yust-trial/case-details] https://people.com/crime/kara-kopetsky-remains-found/ [https://people.com/crime/kara-kopetsky-remains-found/] https://www.truecasefiles.com/2019/06/timeline-many-crimes-confessions-of.html [https://www.truecasefiles.com/2019/06/timeline-many-crimes-confessions-of.html] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/178608671/jessica-runions [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/178608671/jessica-runions] https://kcpolice.org/media/news-releases/police-search-for-missing-woman-jessica-runions/ [https://kcpolice.org/media/news-releases/police-search-for-missing-woman-jessica-runions/] https://fox4kc.com/news/no-more-i-love-yous-jessica-runions-father-tells-jurors-during-emotional-statement/ [https://fox4kc.com/news/no-more-i-love-yous-jessica-runions-father-tells-jurors-during-emotional-statement/] https://www.kmbc.com/article/kylr-yust-trial-prosecution-continues-to-outline-double-murder-case-04092021/36074674 [https://www.kmbc.com/article/kylr-yust-trial-prosecution-continues-to-outline-double-murder-case-04092021/36074674] https://tribuneandtimes.com/stories/jury-hears-confession-tales-of-violence,2227 [https://tribuneandtimes.com/stories/jury-hears-confession-tales-of-violence,2227] https://www.newspapers.com/image/820848951/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/820848951/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/821465298/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/821465298/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/820906540/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/820906540/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/820906650/?terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/820906650/?terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/820857955/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/820857955/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/746963358/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/746963358/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/656516331/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/656516331/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/656505168/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/656505168/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/656415580/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/656415580/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206584733/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206584733/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206583875/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206583875/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22]. https://www.newspapers.com/image/746971377/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/746971377/?match=1&terms=%22Kara%20Kopetsky%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/656390661/?terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/656390661/?terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1022262996/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1022262996/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/656505566/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/656505566/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/656504858/?terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/656504858/?terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1314694257/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1314694257/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206585264/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1206585264/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1118387882/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1118387882/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/729007281/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/729007281/?match=1&terms=%22Jessica%20Runions%22] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1208177659/?match=1&terms=%22Jessep%20Carter%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1208177659/?match=1&terms=%22Jessep%20Carter%22] * Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

359. Stolen: The Abduction and Murder of Hailey Owens

Just after 5:00 p.m. on February 18, 2014, ten-year-old Hailey Owens set out on the short walk home from a friend’s house. What began as an ordinary Tuesday turned horrific when neighbors Carlos and Michelle Edwards watched a tan Ford Ranger pull alongside Hailey. After asking for directions, the driver suddenly grabbed her and dragged her into the truck as she tried to walk away. Carlos Edwards sprinted after the vehicle, nearly reaching Hailey before the truck disappeared down the street, while another neighbor chased the kidnapper and called 911. Michelle managed to provide the police with the license plate as panic swept through the quiet neighborhood. Just doors away, Hailey’s mother, Stacey, was preparing dinner, expecting her daughter home any minute, only to be met instead by flashing police lights, frantic officers, and the horrifying realization that her child had been abducted. As volunteers flooded the streets with flashlights and Hailey’s smiling photo spread across social media, the entire city of Springfield, Missouri, held its breath.  Join Cam and Jen of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled ‘Stolen: The Abduction and Murder of Hailey Owens.’ This episode proudly sponsored by Quince.  Refresh your everyday with luxury you actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.  Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS Music by our editing team @theinkypawprint Sources: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bTPtJhuvFaGbx8IskGQsT?si=w9oJuIMrThujd3iyJ0EZgw https://web.archive.org/web/20170403111325/http://www.kspr.com/content/news/Accused-killer-of-a-Springfield-child-wants-a-deal-413473193.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20170403111325/http://www.kspr.com/content/news/Accused-killer-of-a-Springfield-child-wants-a-deal-413473193.html] https://www.reddit.com/r/lastimages/comments/o1905m/last_photo_of_hailey_owens_that_was_shown_in/ [https://www.reddit.com/r/lastimages/comments/o1905m/last_photo_of_hailey_owens_that_was_shown_in/] https://www.ky3.com/video/2026/01/13/missouri-supreme-court-denies-appeal-hailey-owens-murder-case/ https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/welcome.do [https://web.mo.gov/doc/offSearchWeb/welcome.do] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyXBKMerFuM https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rape-charges-added-in-missouri-girls-death/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rape-charges-added-in-missouri-girls-death/] https://web.archive.org/web/20170316113827/http://www.kspr.com/content/news/Hailey-Owens-13th-Birthday-celebration-390662231.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20170316113827/http://www.kspr.com/content/news/Hailey-Owens-13th-Birthday-celebration-390662231.html] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMO6rYiHpZM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMO6rYiHpZM] https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2019/02/10/hailey-owens-abduction-murder-springfield-missouri-5-years/2518034002/ [https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2019/02/10/hailey-owens-abduction-murder-springfield-missouri-5-years/2518034002/] https://www.reddit.com/r/springfieldMO/comments/1aroy2f/10th_anniversary_of_the_hailey_owens_case/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hailey-owens-case-defense-concedes-coach-kidnapped-raped-killed-missouri-girl/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hailey-owens-case-defense-concedes-coach-kidnapped-raped-killed-missouri-girl/] https://www.facebook.com/groups/crimejunkie/posts/1919198728908494/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crimejunkie/posts/1919198728908494/] http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2017/04/20/mother-hailey-owens-asks-prosecutor-drop-death-penalty/100619792/ [http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2017/04/20/mother-hailey-owens-asks-prosecutor-drop-death-penalty/100619792/] https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/crime/2017/11/02/craig-wood-guilty-first-degree-murder-hailey-owens-killing/825535001/ http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/jury-can-t-agree-on-death-penalty-so-missouri-judge/article_6bd5d4cc-5760-57fe-b397-7cb0c66028e4.html https://web.archive.org/web/20180112014847/http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/breaking-craig-wood-sentenced-to-death/910819854 [https://web.archive.org/web/20180112014847/http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/breaking-craig-wood-sentenced-to-death/910819854] https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/07/12/missouri-governor-signs-haileys-law-amber-alert-system-hailey-owens/1682479001/ [https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/07/12/missouri-governor-signs-haileys-law-amber-alert-system-hailey-owens/1682479001/] https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Haileys-Law-takes-effect-today-after-55-years-of-waiting-558599941.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Special: Sister Tadea Benz & Johnny Garret with Courtney from Book of the Dead

This month, we have a talk with Courtney from The Book of the Dead, who joins us to talk about the murder of Sister Tadea Benz and the execution of Johnny Frank Garret. In October 1981, the quiet city of Amarillo, Texas, was rocked by a crime that felt like a nightmare: the brutal assault and murder of 76-year-old Sister Tadea Benz inside St. Francis Convent. The pressure to catch the killer was on, and the police quickly set their sights on 17-year-old Johnny, who lived across the street. Johnny Frank Garrett was executed by the state of Texas in 1992, but was he a cold-blooded killer, or a convenient scapegoat? Don't forget to subscribe to Courtney's podcast, ⁠The Book of the Dead⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/3b6lWRP822ZyLQ4T1O9ILp]. We think you will like her as much as Jen and Cam do. Sponsored by Quince Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Music by Nico Fyffe-Vettese Editing by Jesse Fyffe-Vettese Both from ⁠The Inky Pawprint⁠ [https://theinkypawprint.com/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

358. Unbelieveable: The Murder of Mindi Kassotis

When hunters in Bulltown Swamp discovered the remains of an unidentified woman in late 2022, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was left with a mystery that felt impossible to solve. There were no matching missing person reports, no DNA matches, just a dental implant and a crime scene that looked like an attempt to make a person disappear forever. Months later, the GBI got the lead they needed when someone recognized the victim from an artist’s rendering that appeared on television. What they would soon hear would be unbelievable. Sponsored by Quince Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to Quince.com/otcp for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Our team: Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8626939889451216631/8144135965963493092#] Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint [%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0https://theinkypawprint.com%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COq5nugr08w [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COq5nugr08w] https://people.com/married-couple-on-the-run-wife-dead-who-killed-her-11854940 [https://people.com/married-couple-on-the-run-wife-dead-who-killed-her-11854940] https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2023-05-12/unidentified-womans-remains-found-riceboro [https://gbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2023-05-12/unidentified-womans-remains-found-riceboro] https://www.newspapers.com/image/959876255/?match=1&terms=Kassotis [https://www.newspapers.com/image/959876255/?match=1&terms=Kassotis] https://www.newspapers.com/image/1008274478/?match=1&terms=%22Nicholas%20Kassotis%22 [https://www.newspapers.com/image/1008274478/?match=1&terms=%22Nicholas%20Kassotis%22] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/286941684/mindi-ruth-kassotis [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/286941684/mindi-ruth-kassotis] https://www.keenesentinel.com/community/announcements/mebane-kassotis-wedding/article_22c52c0b-dd2b-5b40-b57d-1ec745c0d94c.html [https://www.keenesentinel.com/community/announcements/mebane-kassotis-wedding/article_22c52c0b-dd2b-5b40-b57d-1ec745c0d94c.html] https://bfmg.news/go/docket/georgia-v-nicholas-kassotis/ [https://bfmg.news/go/docket/georgia-v-nicholas-kassotis/] https://www.courttv.com/title/dismembered-wife-murder-trial-watch-the-verdict/ https://www.yahoo.com/news/husband-granted-bond-missing-woman-220306182.html [https://www.yahoo.com/news/husband-granted-bond-missing-woman-220306182.html] https://coastalcourier.com/news/kassotis-found-guilty-sentenced-to-life-without-parole/ [https://coastalcourier.com/news/kassotis-found-guilty-sentenced-to-life-without-parole/] https://www.wjcl.com/article/nicholas-kassotis-pre-trial-hearing/65502593 [https://www.wjcl.com/article/nicholas-kassotis-pre-trial-hearing/65502593] https://people.com/crime/mindi-medane-writer-slain-husband-charged-months-later/ [https://people.com/crime/mindi-medane-writer-slain-husband-charged-months-later/] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4&t=10s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5bhtulFxD4&t=10s] https://vanishinggeorgia.com/2023/09/17/portal-hunting-club-georgias-oldest/ [https://vanishinggeorgia.com/2023/09/17/portal-hunting-club-georgias-oldest/] https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/man-arrested-for-death-of-wife-whose-remains-were-found-at-georgia-hunting-club-in-2022 [https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/man-arrested-for-death-of-wife-whose-remains-were-found-at-georgia-hunting-club-in-2022] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

357. Waiting in the Dark: The Murder of Beverly Guenther

In the early 1990s, long before his name would be tied to something unthinkable, Scott McLaughlin was already unraveling. Untreated childhood trauma, cognitive struggles, and severe mental illness shaped his life. Suicide attempts. Institutionalizations. Heavy medication. And yet, nothing seemed to stick. The help he received was fleeting.  A decade later, in 2002, his path crossed with Beverly Guenther, a woman who knew hardship in a very different way. Beverly had lived through devastating loss, including the death of her young child, and years of grief that followed. But she fought her way back. She found purpose in her work, her creativity, and her compassion for others. To those who knew her, she was kind, intelligent, and resilient, someone who believed in helping people, even when they were broken. “She was really turning her life around,” her brother once said. And then… she met Scott McLaughlin. Join Cam and Jen for this episode of Our True Crime Podcast, titled ‘Waiting in the Dark: The Murder of Beverly Guenther.’ This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/otcp10fm now to get 10 Free meals plus a Free Nutribullet® Ultra Plus+ 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System—that’s a $189.99 value after you order your 3rd box! Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS. All music and editing is by our team @theinkypawprint. Sources:  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/amber-mclaughlin [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/amber-mclaughlin] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/missouri-governor-refuses-clemency-to-first-openly-transgender-woman-to-be-executed-in-u-s https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11539779/Transgender-inmate-Missouris-death-row-asks-mercy.html [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11539779/Transgender-inmate-Missouris-death-row-asks-mercy.html] https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2023-01-03/missouri-executes-transgender-woman-amber-mclaughlin-2003-murder [https://www.stlpr.org/law-order/2023-01-03/missouri-executes-transgender-woman-amber-mclaughlin-2003-murder] https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2024/02/25/remembering-first-trans-woman-executed-us/ https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/03/us/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-execution https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/16/us/missouri-transgender-inmate-death-row/index.html [https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/16/us/missouri-transgender-inmate-death-row/index.html] https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/missouri-set-to-execute-amber-mclaughlin-on-january-3-in-first-u-s-execution-of-a-transgender-person [https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/news/missouri-set-to-execute-amber-mclaughlin-on-january-3-in-first-u-s-execution-of-a-transgender-person] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-transgender-person-execution [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/03/amber-mclaughlin-missouri-transgender-person-execution] https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODOC/bulletins/340c2a4 https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-amber-mclaughlin-in-missouri https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/federal-appeals-court-reinstates-death-penalty-in-2003-st-louis-county-rape-murder/article_aa1dc368-0f70-5560-b9cd-6d9c7cdcc149.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]