The In Between Podcast with Mel Barrett

On a freezing night in January 2017, 21-year-old Megan Shaffer and 24-year-old Alexander Stevens hiked deep into Savage River State Forest in Western Maryland. They carried candles, a knife, and even Alex’s pet cat—preparing for what Megan would later describe as a “cleansing ritual.” Hours later, Megan was rescued—naked, bruised, hypothermic—while Alex was found dead in a frozen creek, his throat cut and candles burned to stubs around him. Megan gave police not one, but three conflicting stories. An accident. A suicide. A forced plunge and a ritual gone wrong. And yet the evidence pointed somewhere darker. In this first episode, I take you into the woods, through the timeline of that night, and into Megan’s shifting accounts. By the end, when the autopsy contradicts everything she said, you’ll understand why this case still haunts Savage Mountain—and why I can’t shake the feeling that something doesn’t add up. Mel's Affiliate Links: Join the Investigator Club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

In February 2021, twenty-three-year-old Sandra Birchmore was found dead in her Canton, Massachusetts apartment. She was eight months pregnant. The official ruling: suicide by asphyxia. For years, that’s where the story stopped. But when the FBI uncovered more than thirty thousand missing messages between Sandra and Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell, the truth began to surface — a decade of grooming, coercion, and control. In August 2024, Farwell was indicted for Sandra’s murder. In this episode of The In Between, Mel revisits Sandra’s life and death, and the long silence that followed. We examine how investigators missed — or buried — crucial evidence, and how the same failures echo through the case of Karen Read. From missing messages to bent timelines, from compromised investigators to federal intervention, Sandra’s story reveals not just one tragedy, but a culture of cover-ups that stretches far beyond her. This is the story of a young woman who deserved better, and of the patterns that keep repeating when the powerful write the ending. Mel's Affiliate Links: Join the Investigator Club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on stage at Utah Valley University. The media asked, “How did we get here?” But the truth is—we already know. In this special episode of The In Between, host Mel Barrett, breaks the mold of the series to trace the long road that led to Kirk’s assassination: Donald Trump’s decades of violent rhetoric, the rise of Nick Fuentes and the Groypers, Kirk’s own pivot into conspiratorial territory with the Epstein files, and the online ecosystems where memes become manifestos. We’ll look at the shooter, Tyler Robinson, his bullet casings engraved with anti-fascist slogans and internet jokes, and the instant wave of conspiracy theories—about security guards, hand signals, and martyrdom—that followed. We’ll also confront the political aftermath, where Republican lawmakers blamed Democrats instead of guns, and where stochastic terrorism—the unpredictable violence seeded by years of hateful rhetoric—became undeniable. This isn’t just the story of one man’s death. It’s the story of how rhetoric turns to blood, how violence is normalized, and how a democracy erodes when cruelty becomes identity. Mel's Affiliate Links: Join the Investigator Club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

This week on The In Between Podcast, host Mel Barrett, revisits the aftermath of the night Ellen Greenberg was found with twenty stab wounds in her Philadelphia apartment—and the instant clash between an autopsy that pointed to homicide and a police narrative that leaned suicide. Through the “locked room” lens, Mel unpacks what the door latch could (and couldn’t) prove, why the body’s injuries don’t match a self-inflicted story, and how a professionally cleaned scene and pre-warrant removal of electronics crippled the forensics. Along the way, she draws clear parallels to Sandra Birchmore, Karen Read...and ultimately Veronika Rodriguez where tidy explanations outpaced the evidence. The episode centers the politics of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's highest echelon of power and decision-making. As friends, family, and community activists ask why Governor Josh Shapiro isn't getting involved in the Veronika Rodriguez case, Ellen Greenberg's case might give us some insight. Mel's Affiliate Links: Join the Investigator Club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

This week on The In Between Podcast, host Mel Barrett, revisits the night Ellen Greenberg was found with twenty stab wounds in her Philadelphia apartment—and the instant clash between an autopsy that pointed to homicide and a police narrative that leaned suicide. Through the “locked room” lens, Mel unpacks what the door latch could (and couldn’t) prove, why the body’s injuries don’t match a self-inflicted story, and how a professionally cleaned scene and pre-warrant removal of electronics crippled the forensics. Along the way, she draws clear parallels to Sandra Birchmore, Karen Read...and ultimately Veronika Rodriguez where tidy explanations outpaced the evidence. The episode centers the Greenberg family’s relentless push to correct the record and foreshadows the seismic moment years later when the original pathologist reverses himself. It’s a primer on how certainty can harden too fast—and how families are forced to pry it loose. As friends, family, and community activists ask why Governor Josh Shapiro isn't getting involved in the Veronika Rodriguez case, Ellen Greenberg's case might give us some insight. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

In the final (for now) installment of From Victim to Accused, host Mel Barrett travels to Lebanon County Pennsylvania for Veronika Rodriguez' sentencing hearing. This is an in-depth discussion of what happened then and what's to come with fellow podcaster, Ellyn Marsh of the I Think Not! Podcast. The family is raising money for an appeal. If you feel so inclined, donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/veronikas-voice Back story: Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com ------------- Check out our friend, Ellyn Marsh's hit podcast, I THINK NOT! here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-think-not/id1513154358

In Episode five, host Mel Barrett, goes on a deep dive into the prosecutor in Veronika's case: Pier Hess Graf Pier Hess Graf didn’t just prosecute the alleged victim in this case, she went hard at Veronika Rodriguez, asking for up to 16 years in prison for reporting her own sexual assault. I wonder where that kind of resentment and unrelenting spite comes from. Did getting accused of sleeping her way into the DA’s office create internalized misogyny in Pier Hess Graf? Why has she never brought a sexual assault case before Veronika’s? Is her ambition to fit into the boy’s club so great that she hates women because of it? Pier Hess Graf will be remembered as a DA who inspired fierce loyalty and fierce opposition. You can respect her relentlessness in court and still demand she follow ethics. You can back law enforcement and still expect independence. You can acknowledge false accusations exist–though in my opinion, not in Veronika’s case–and you can still refuse to build a system that punishes reporting itself. Those aren’t contradictions. They’re the bare minimum for a justice system worthy of the word justice. Please share. Veronika's sentencing happens on August 20, 2025 so sharing this episode helps get the word out about what really happened in her case. Back story: Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

In this episode of The In Between Podcast, Mel spends an hour discussing the alleged assault of Veronika Rodriguez with the man she accused...Fahad Pervez Please share. Veronika's sentencing happens on August 20, 2025 so sharing this episode helps get the word out about what really happened in her case. Back story: Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

In this episode of The In Between Podcast, Mel goes on a deep dive into the investigation and even manages to score an interview with an elusive guest. Please share. Veronika's sentencing happens on August 20, 2025 so sharing this episode helps get the word out about what really happened in her case. Back story: Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

This is a dark week for TIBP, as Mel is currently investigating the Veronika Rodriguez case which is very much a living, breathing story. A new episode about Veronika’s story will air next tuesday, August 5, 2025.  Season One of TIBP, which re-investigates the Pamela Smart case, didn’t just revisit a high-profile trial—Mel's reporting uncovered new evidence, new witnesses, major discrepancies between the wiretaps and transcripts, and a constitutional violation during trial when Pamela’s own defense told the jury she was guilty—without her consent. A new habeas petition is in the works, her first real shot at a new trial in 35 years. Mel also found a juror who admitted to convicting based on a false media report—and a witness who can testify to that. This is no longer just a podcast—it’s become a story with legal traction, so for those of you who haven’t listened to season one, Mel wanted to drop the first episode–Live Free or Die–here while you await the concluding weeks of Veronika’s story.  And if you’re looking for ad-free bonus content, don’t forget to subscribe to the TBIP club at the researcher level to gain more access to content, behind-the-scenes looks at cases, and lives with special guests. Your support keeps this train on the tracks and we couldn’t do it with out you. So please hit the subscribe button, rate, and review to keep us moving. And now…Season One, episode one of the In between podcast: Live Free or Die, the Pamela Smart story.  Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

It's getting wild. Here's an update about the case.  This one's important. Please listen, share, rate, review. Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

In part two of the Veronika Rodriguez Story, Mel digs into who Veronika is and how she got caught up in the fight for her life and liberty.  Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at:  IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

Host, Mel Barrett, is bringing you another case that will blow your mind. Veronika Rodriguez reported her rape to police. She even had evidence to prove it happened. Still police didn't believe her and turned her from victim, to accused, to convicted. Mel hadn’t planned to make a several episode push about one subject in between seasons, but this story has fallen into her lap and she can’t look away. Veronika has been tried and convicted of making a false report of sexual assault and felony wiretapping in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaia. She is awaiting sentencing on August 20, 2025. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Follow The In Between Podcast at:  IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

To email Pam your condolences, go to SecurusTech.net and add Pam as a contact. Here's her info:  PAMELA SMART  93G0356  Bedford Hills Correctional Facility You'll have to pay for stamps, but it's a minimal cost.  If you'd like to donate to Pam's legal fight, donate here: https://www.payit2.com/f/supportpamelasmart All the money raised goes to Pam's legal team who are working pro-bono right now to file her new Habeus Petition. They have a VERY STRONG case and have already paid experts for their time, but as they're in Maryland, they'll all need to travel to New Hampshire for hearings, so your donation goes to funding a good legal team, expert witnesses, travel, and administrative expenses.  If you'd like to donate to Pam directly for commissary (food, toiletries, etc), go here: jpay.com and enter in the same info for Pam as above. Thanks for all you do, lovely listeners. I'd love to get a campaign going for Pam like the one created for Karen Read.  If you're interested in being involved, have ideas, or just want to know more, feel free to email: inbetweenpod2024@gmail.com

Join host, Mel Barrett, as she wraps up the Karen Read case, analyzes the post trial media, discusses what's next for the investigation and her own work on other cases. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Subscribe for updates about the second trial and catch Mel on Crime Writers On The Readathon with Rebecca Lavoie as they discuss the new trial. This will be a regular thing throughout the trial so join the conversation here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/595523?view=expanded Follow The In Between Podcast at: IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

Rebecca + Kevin from Crime Writers On and your host, Mel break down what happened on the final day of the Karen Read retrial - including a wild thing that happened in a parking lot in Dedham.

Join host Mel Barrett as she breaks down the goings on in the retrial of Karen Read. This is week eight. The defense rests. Shockingly the Commonwealth doesn't offer a rebuttal and closing arguments keep us riveted before the jury gets the case. We'll have a verdict any day now. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Subscribe for updates about the second trial and catch Mel on Crime Writers On The Readathon with Rebecca Lavoie as they discuss the new trial. This will be a regular thing throughout the trial so join the conversation here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/595523?view=expanded Follow The In Between Podcast at:  IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

In this special episode drop, host Mel Barrett introduces Crime Seen, a true crime review podcast that gets to the heart of how true crime stories are told with hosts Mari Forth & Sarah Carradine. Mel was a recent guest on the show and discussed the Pamela Smart case in some depth as well as the true crime documentary, #Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders.  Please rate, review, and subscribe for all the true crime pods you listen to. It really helps creators grow and bring awareness to cases that might not otherwise get the attention they deserve.  CRIME SEEN: https://crimeseenpod.com/  Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Subscribe for updates about the second trial and catch Mel on Crime Writers On The Readathon with Rebecca Lavoie as they discuss the new trial. This will be a regular thing throughout the trial so join the conversation here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/595523?view=expanded Follow The In Between Podcast at:  IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com

Join host Mel Barrett as she breaks down the goings on in the retrial of Karen Read. This is week seven. The defense is well into their case while one cop loses her mind and another switches sides. Also those gross texts from Michael Proctor make another appearance. Join the club for AD FREE, exclusive behind-the-scenes, and bonus content of The In Between Podcast: https://patreon.com/TheInBetweenPodcastwithMelBarrett?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Subscribe for updates about the second trial and catch Mel on Crime Writers On The Readathon with Rebecca Lavoie as they discuss the new trial. This will be a regular thing throughout the trial so join the conversation here: https://www.patreon.com/collection/595523?view=expanded Follow The In Between Podcast at:  IG: @TheInBetweenPodOfficial FB: @TheInBetweenPod Bluesky: @inbetweenpod Web: inbetweenpod.com