The Calm in The Chaos

The Calm in The Chaos

Bonus Episode When we think of first responders, we often picture the police officers, firefighters, or paramedics who arrive on scene. But before any of them get there, someone answers the phone. In this special episode of Dog Days of Murder, I'm joined by my friend, Joanne Wilson, a recently retired police dispatcher for a candid conversation about a profession most of us only encounter on the worst day of our lives. We talk about what it's really like to answer 911 calls, how technology has changed emergency response, the emotional weight dispatchers carry, and what they wish every caller knew. The first heroes are often the ones who simply pick up the phone. Whether you've ever needed to call 911 or simply want to better understand the people behind the headset, I hope you'll come away with a new appreciation for the calm voice on the other end of the line. Resources If you or someone you know is a first responder in need of support, or if you're looking for mental health resources, the following organizations may be helpful: * First Responders Foundation – A Guide to First Responder Peer Support Groups https://firstrespondersfoundation.org/a-guide-to-first-responder-peer-support-groups/ [https://firstrespondersfoundation.org/a-guide-to-first-responder-peer-support-groups/] * Peer Support Foundation https://peersupportfoundation.org [https://peersupportfoundation.org/] * National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) https://nami.org [https://nami.org/] Follow along and stay connected: 📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder 📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:  ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder

Episode 10 - Buddy

We have a special guest cohost this week! In 2012, 20th Century Fox executive Gavin Smith vanished after leaving a friend's home in Oak Park. A devoted father of three, Gavin was the kind of man who always showed up—until one morning he didn't. As investigators searched for answers, years passed with no sign of the missing father. Then, in a remote stretch of California desert, an ordinary hike took an extraordinary turn when a loyal Labrador named Buddy refused to walk away. What happened next would help unravel a mystery that had haunted a family for more than two years. Join Paula, and her "buddy" Monica, as they tell the story of the dog who helped bring a missing man home. And always remember... #krazyforkeith Sources Dateline NBC – "Dark Valley" Los Angeles Times * Coverage of Gavin Smith's disappearance * Discovery of Gavin's remains * Arrest, trial, and sentencing of John Creech NBC Los Angeles * Reporting by Eric Leonard * Coverage of the discovery of Gavin's remains and subsequent investigation ABC7 Los Angeles (KABC) * Reporting on the recovery of Gavin Smith's remains * Investigation updates and arrest coverage People Magazine * Case overview and trial coverage Variety * Reporting on Gavin Smith's disappearance and his career with 20th Century Fox Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department * Missing person investigation * Statements regarding the discovery of Gavin's remains * Arrest information Trial Testimony and Court Proceedings * Chandrika (Chandy) Cade * Stan McQuay * Jorge Valle * Detective Ty Labbe * Detective John O'Brien Additional reporting and background materials regarding Gavin Smith's disappearance, recovery, investigation, and prosecution. Follow along and stay connected: 📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder 📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:  ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder

Episode 9 - The Woods Gave Him Back

When 25-year-old National Guard veteran Tony "Bubba" Procell disappears from his Louisiana home, investigators quickly focus on a fellow Guardsman and police officer whose obsession had been growing for months. What begins as a missing person investigation soon becomes a desperate search spanning multiple parishes, a high-speed chase, and a tense standoff. But even after a suspect is in custody, one critical question remains unanswered: Where is Tony? Five days later, deep within Louisiana's Kisatchie National Forest, a discovery changes everything. As investigators work to understand what happened in the woods near Saline Lake, an unlikely source of evidence begins pointing them toward answers. In this episode of Dog Days of Murder, we explore the murder of Tony Procell and the remarkable role animal behavior played in helping investigators uncover the truth. Because sometimes the smallest clues are the ones that refuse to stay buried. Sources News Coverage *  KSLA News 12 – "Body Found in Kisatchie National Forest Believed to be Tony Procell" (Carolyn Roy, August 2013)  *  KSLA News 12 – "Robert Barthelemy Indicted in Kidnapping, Murder of Tony Procell" (September 2013)  *  KSLA News 12 – "Barthelemy Sentenced to Life in Prison in Plea Deal Following Guilty Verdict" (Carolyn Roy, October 2015)  *  KTBS – "Body of Tony Procell Believed To Be Found in Winn Parish" (Jessica Crandall, August 2013)  *  KTBS – "Guilty as Charged: Barthelemy Found Guilty of First Degree Murder" (Vickie Welborn, October 2015)  Court and Case Information *  Sabine Parish Grand Jury Indictment Records  *  State of Louisiana v. Robert Barthelemy  *  Trial testimony and sentencing proceedings  Obituary and Family Information *  Warren Meadows Funeral Home Obituary for Tony Lynn Procell (1988–2013)  Forensic and Scientific Sources *  Dr. Lauren Pharr Parks TEDx Talk  *  Research and presentations by Dr. Lauren Pharr Parks regarding vulture scavenging behavior and forensic anthropology  *  LSU FACES (Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services)  Background and Location Information *  Kisatchie National Forest (U.S. Forest Service)  *  Saline Lake regional and geographic information  *  Sabine Parish Sheriff's Office public statements  Click here to read more about Dr. Lauren Pharr Parks: Lauren Pharr Parks ’02: A Love of Science Uncovers the Impact of Vultures [https://www.hutchisonschool.org/news-detail?pk=1290118] Follow along and stay connected: 📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder 📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:  ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder

Episode 8 - What Was In The Drawer

In December of 1974, Patricia “Annie” Ross was preparing for a night out with friends in the quiet Orange County, California suburb of La Palma. But when she never arrived with the pizza she promised to bring, concern quickly turned into horror. Inside Annie’s apartment, investigators discovered a brutal crime scene, a terrified little dog locked inside a dresser drawer, and a mystery that would haunt detectives for more than four decades. As the years passed, leads faded, evidence aged, and the case slowly drifted into cold case history. But investigators refused to let Annie Ross be forgotten. And somewhere inside the story of her murder was a small black-and-brown dog named Jodie. Sources * Los Angeles Times [https://www.latimes.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] — Matt Hamilton, “40 years later, Northern California man charged in O.C. woman’s killing” (June 2, 2015)  * Orange County Register — coverage of the investigation, trial, conviction, and sentencing of Larry Stephens  * KTLA 5 News [https://ktla.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] — “Man Convicted in 1974 Strangling Murder of Woman at Her La Palma Apartment” by Marissa Wenzke  * True Crime News [https://truecrimenews.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] — interviews and reporting featuring Captain Jim Engen and Detective Paul Bracciodieta  * The Cinemaholic [https://thecinemaholic.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com] — “Patricia Ann ‘Annie’ Ross Murder: Is Larry Stephens Dead or Alive?”  * Detective Diaries — “The Phantom of La Palma”  *  Court reporting and archived newspaper coverage regarding the 2018 trial and conviction of Larry Stephens  *  Public records and memorial information related to Patricia “Annie” Ross and Larry Stephens  Follow along and stay connected: 📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder 📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:  ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder

Episode 7 - Murder Most Fowl

Dog Days of Murder — Episode Summary When a duck repeatedly disappeared beneath a trailer in Candler, North Carolina, renters eventually followed it underneath the home to see what kept drawing it there. Hidden beneath the trailer was something investigators had been searching for since 2020: 90-year-old Nellie Sullivan. As detectives worked to unravel Nellie’s disappearance, the investigation widened into allegations involving fraud, drug charges, animal cruelty, and a disturbing possibility involving the people Nellie had trusted most — including her own granddaughter. What began as a missing persons case would eventually become a homicide investigation unlike anything investigators in Buncombe County had ever seen. Sources: • WRAL News • WLOS ABC 13 • FOX Carolina • Law & Crime • CBS 17 • Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office press releases • United States Department of Justice records • Federal court filings • Social Security fraud case records • Interviews and statements from neighbors reported by local media outlets Follow along and stay connected: 📸 Instagram: @dog_days_of_murder 📧 Email: dogdaysofmurder@gmail.com If you’d like to support the show—or treat Ein to a well-earned pup cup—you can do that here:  ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dogdaysofmurder