Crime Salad

Two deaths. Same mansion. Two days apart. In Part 2, we walk through the physical evidence in Rebecca Zahau's death: the knife, the gloves, the painted message, the balcony, the knots, the head injuries, and the tape residue almost no one talks about. We get into the independent investigation into Max Shacknai's fall led by his mother Dina, the 2018 civil trial that found Adam Shacknai responsible, the verdict that was later vacated, and what Rebecca's sister Mary is still fighting for today. Adam Shacknai has consistently maintained his innocence and was never criminally charged. The 2018 civil verdict was vacated as part of a 2019 settlement. There was never a criminal trial related to Rebecca's death. Statements about specific individuals should be understood as allegations, opinions, or attributed claims from named sources. Books mentioned in this episode: Unraveling the Knots by Mary Zahau-Loehner (available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble) Death on Ocean Boulevard: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case by Caitlin Rother Follow the family's fight: Justice for Rebecca M. Zahau (Facebook) If you need support: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (in the US) National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7 RAINN (sexual assault): 1-800-656-4673 This episode discusses suicide, the death of a child, and allegations of sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Go to https://www.omahasteaks.com and use promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. In July 2011, two people died at the same mansion in Coronado, California, within a week. First, six-year-old Max Shacknai fell from a second-floor banister while in the care of his father's girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau. Two days later, Rebecca was found hanging from a balcony at the Spreckels Mansion, naked, bound, and gagged. The San Diego Sheriff's Department called it a suicide. Rebecca's family has spent over a decade arguing it was something else entirely. This is Part 1 of our two-part series on the death of Rebecca Zahau. Part 2 drops next week. Subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss it. CONTENT WARNING This episode discusses suicide, the death of a child, and allegations of sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening. IF YOU NEED SUPPORT You are not alone. Help is available. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7. National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): call 1-800-656-4673 SUPPORT CRIME SALAD If you want to help us keep making the show, here is how: Patreon: patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch: crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com Rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share this episode with someone who'd want to hear it A NOTE ON THIS CASE Adam Shacknai has consistently maintained his innocence and was never criminally charged in connection with this case. The 2018 civil verdict that found him liable for Rebecca's death was vacated as part of a 2019 settlement. Statements about specific individuals throughout this episode should be understood as allegations, opinions, or attributed claims from named sources, not as statements of fact by us. Information in this episode is drawn from publicly available news reports, court records, autopsy reports, official statements, and books published about the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Need help? National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.org. Available 24/7, free and confidential. On April 27, 2024, 30-year-old Mica Francis Miller was found dead at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, North Carolina. Two days earlier, she had served her husband, Myrtle Beach pastor John Paul Miller of Solid Rock at Market Common, with divorce papers. The medical examiner ruled her death a suicide. Her family has never disputed that ruling. What they have disputed, from the day she died, is what was done to her in the 528 days before she walked into that park. In this episode of Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky trace the Mica Miller case from her childhood in Wichita, Kansas, through her marriage at Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, the involuntary psychiatric commitment she said her husband fraudulently initiated, the tire deflation devices, the GPS trackers, the nude photo posted online without her consent, and the police reports that piled up in the months before her death. We walk through the December 2025 federal indictment charging John Paul Miller with cyberstalking and making false statements to investigators, the push for South Carolina's coercive control bill known as Mica's Law (Senate Bill 702), and the suspicious death of Johnnie Jacobs, the fisherman who heard her last cry. This is a case about coercive control, a pastor's wife, and a system that called every cry for help a civil matter until a federal grand jury caught up to what Mica had been telling police all along. Keywords: Mica Miller, Mica Francis Miller, John Paul Miller, JP Miller, Solid Rock Church, Myrtle Beach pastor, Lumber River State Park, coercive control, Mica's Law, cyberstalking indictment, true crime podcast, South Carolina, Robeson County Content warning: This episode discusses suicide, stalking, harassment, and intimate partner abuse. SUPPORT JUSTICE FOR MICA Justice for Mica Miller Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/p/Justice-for-Mica-Miller-61559351220695/ FacebookFacebook Sign the Mica's Law petition on Change.org: https://www.change.org/p/enforce-south-carolina-law-to-protect-against-stalking-and-harassment-mica-s-law Change.org Read about Mica's Law and Mica's List at Way Makers SC: https://waymakerssc.com/micas-law Way Makers Track South Carolina Senate Bill 702 (Criminal Coercive Control): https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/702.htm South Carolina Legislature Find and contact your South Carolina legislators: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php Way Makers FOLLOW & SUPPORT CRIME SALAD Patreon (ad-free episodes): https://patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch: https://crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com Need help? National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or thehotline.org. Available 24/7, free and confidential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Egg Harbor Township in South Jersey is a place where community roots run deep, and no one was more rooted than April Christine Kauffman. A beloved local business owner, fiercely outspoken radio personality, and dedicated veterans' advocate, April was a pillar of Atlantic County. But on May 10, 2012, the affluent, quiet neighborhoods of Linwood, New Jersey, were shattered when April was found murdered inside her own home. In this episode, Ricky and Ashley unpack a case that frustrated a community for years. We dive into the immediate alibi of her husband, prominent endocrinologist Dr. James Kauffman, the shocking involvement of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, and an illicit drug ring hiding in plain sight. Most importantly, we follow the relentless, six-year fight for justice led by April’s daughter, Kimberly Pack, who refused to let the system sweep her mother's case under the rug. Support April's Cause April’s family and friends continue to keep her legacy alive. If you want to follow the ongoing work in her name or support the causes she championed, please visit: Website: aprilkaufman.net Facebook: Justice for April Kaufman Veterans Support: If you are in Atlantic County, consider supporting the American Legion Post 352 in Somers Point, home of the annual April Christine Kauffman Veterans Advocate Award. Thanks for listening and supporting the show. If you want to help keep the show going, get access to ad-free episodes, and join our amazing community, we’d love to have you! Patreon: patreon.com/CrimeSaladPodcast Merch: Grab your gear at crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com Thanks To Our Sponsors  Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to trymiracle.com/crimesalad and use the promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout to save over 40% off, plus get an extra 20% off and a FREE 3-piece towel set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SALAD to get your free gift with purchase, and start The Good Habit today! ⚠️ Listener Discretion is Advised: The following episode contains intense and explicit descriptions of domestic violence, suicide, and a highly traumatic death involving fire. The information presented is based on publicly available records, family statements, and alleged accounts. This podcast is for informational purposes only. We are not law enforcement, legal professionals, or medical experts, and we are not accusing anyone of any crimes. On February 8, 2018, in the freezing cold of Plymouth, Minnesota, 24-year-old David Elmquist was burning alive inside his apartment. His death was ruled a suicide before he was even officially pronounced dead. But for the last six years, his family has fought tirelessly to prove that the official story doesn't add up. With reports of perfectly unburned wrists on a body covered in severe burns, a pristine knife found in a soot-filled room, shifting timelines, and a tragic 38-minute standoff where police waited outside the burning apartment, the physical evidence points to something much darker. Furthermore, just hours before his death, David confided in his parents that he was planning to leave his wife, warning them that if he told her, "she'd go ballistic." In this episode, we unpack the glaring inconsistencies, the alleged forensic bias, the mental health stigma that clouded the investigation, and a father’s relentless fight for justice. Call to Action & Resources: Listen to The Stacked Deck Podcast: Hear the six-part series directly from David’s father, Scott, detailing the entire case.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-stacked-deck/id1767907803 Support the Family: Follow the Truth and Justice for David Elmquist Facebook page and sign the petition demanding an independent prosecutor. Sign the Petition Support Crime Salad: Merch: Grab your gear at https://crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com/ Patreon: Listen ad-free and get exclusive content at patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November 2025, 18-year-old Anna Kepner boarded the Carnival Horizon cruise ship with her family for a six-night Caribbean vacation. On the final sea day, she was found dead, hidden under her bed inside her own cabin. Surveillance footage reportedly showed only one person entering and leaving the stateroom during that window: her 16-year-old stepbrother. The FBI took over the investigation, and federal homicide charges were eventually filed against the minor suspect. But as the legal process unfolded, court filings, leaked messages, and accusations from family members revealed a much more complicated picture of what was happening inside that household long before anyone boarded that ship. In this episode, Ashley and Ricky break down the full timeline of Anna Kepner's case. The family cruise, the discovery, the cause of death, the suspect's mental health history and missed medication, the explosive custody battle between the parents, the social media firestorm, and the questions that still have no answers. Anna was a diver, a cheerleader, a Georgia Bulldogs fan, and an aspiring Navy recruit and K-9 officer from Titusville, Florida. She was 18 years old with her whole life ahead of her. She deserves to be remembered for who she was. Content Warning: This episode discusses violence, domestic abuse, and the death of a young person. If you have information related to this case, contact the FBI Miami Field Office or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov Thanks to our sponsors Miracle Made Sheets: Head to TryMiracle.com/CRIMESALAD You'll save over 40%, and when you use promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout, you'll get an extra 20% off plus a FREE three-piece towel set. AquaTru: Get 20% off a countertop water purifier at AquaTru.com  with promo code CRIMESALAD 30-day money-back guarantee Warby Parker: Get 15% off + free shipping when you buy 2 or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/SALAD Quince: Go to Quince.com/crimesalad For free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Celebrating years of Crime Salad stories! Here is a throwback: updates at the end of the episode! On the morning of April 13, 2011, nursing student Holly Bobo was abducted from her family's home in Darden, Tennessee, while her brother watched from inside the house, believing she was walking with her boyfriend. What followed was a three-and-a-half-year search that gripped a small town and drew national attention. When arrests finally came, so did shocking confessions, but allegations of coerced statements, fabricated evidence, and prosecutorial misconduct have left many wondering: was justice truly served? Ashley and Ricky break down the case, the controversial trial, and the lingering questions that remain. Check out our AMAZING sponsors:  AquaTru: Get 20% off a countertop water purifier at AquaTru.com with promo code CRIMESALAD. 30-day money-back guaranteeWarby Parker: Get 15% off + free shipping when you buy 2 or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/SALAD. Please tell them we sent you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 2021, in the quiet river city of Auburn, Maine, 27-year-old Celeste Doghmi was at a turning point. After years of struggle and addiction, Celeste had completely turned her life around. She was a devoted new mother, had purchased her first-semester nursing textbooks, and was sharing her pride and love for her infant son on social media every day. But following a harrowing final video call with a close friend, one that captured a violent domestic dispute, Celeste's digital and physical footprint vanished. In this episode of Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky dive into one of the most unsettling missing persons cases in recent Maine history. We explore the legal reality of being classified as a "voluntary missing adult," the dark mechanics of coercive control and isolation, and the systemic failures that allowed a young mother to go unreported for nearly two years before authorities were even alerted. Was it a voluntary exit, or was the home life described by investigators as a "war zone" a precursor to something far more sinister? We examine her partner's criminal history, the ongoing investigation by the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit, and the tireless fight by Celeste's mother, Stephanie, to find justice for her daughter and her grandson. Celeste Doghmi, domestic violence, missing person, Auburn Maine, cold case, coercive control, Maine State Police, unsolved, true crime, parental custody, Crime Salad podcast If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Celeste Doghmi, please contact the Maine State Police tip line or the Auburn Police Department at 207-333-6653 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Text START to 88788. You are not alone. https://www.thehotline.org/ Support Crime Salad Patreon: patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch & Show Info: crimesaladpodcast.com Thanks to our sponsors! Miracle Made: If you want to upgrade your sleep, or even give these as a gift, go to TryMiracle.com/CRIMESALAD You’ll save over 40%, and when you use promo code CRIMESALAD, you’ll get an extra 20% off plus a free 3-piece towel set! Our listeners get 15% off plus free shipping when they buy two or more pairs of prescription glasses at ⁠WarbyParker.com/SALAD⁠ Using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker Music from Uppbeat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Head to https://www.tryfum.com/SALAD to get your free gift with purchase, and start The Good Habit today! This episode contains content related to domestic violence, child neglect, and homicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, help is available around the clock through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or by texting START to 88788. You are not alone. On the night of January 6th, 1981, Lonene Rogers finished her work shift, picked up her two young children from the babysitter, and came home to an argument with her estranged husband. By morning, she was gone. No footprints in the snow. No activity on her Social Security number. Her hearing aids, glasses, purse, and car were all still there. Lonene was a profoundly deaf woman from northwestern Pennsylvania who refused to let her disability define her. She was strong-willed and warm, a devoted mother, and by early 1981 she was finally ready to leave a troubled marriage and build a new life. Instead, she vanished in the middle of a blizzard and was never seen again. For 44 years, her disappearance went unsolved. Her parents died without answers. Her children grew up without her. And her husband, Clinton "Bud" Rogers, maintained the same story: he woke up and she was simply gone. In this episode, we trace Lonene's life from her childhood in Youngstown, Ohio, through the marriage that her own family saw warning signs in from the start to the night she disappeared and the search that turned up nothing. We also follow her daughter Alison, who spent decades trying to distance herself from the tragedy before deciding, in 2021, to dedicate herself to finding the truth. Alison's fight took her through court battles, advocacy for a proposed new law called Lonnie's Law, and years of pressure on investigators and the public alike. In November 2025, that fight finally produced a result. After more than four decades of silence, Bud Rogers confessed. This is Lonene's story, and it is also the story of a daughter who refused to let her mother be forgotten. Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence, child neglect, and a murder confession. If you are in the northwestern Pennsylvania area, Lonene's family invites you to join a peaceful gathering outside the Crawford County Courthouse at 903 Diamond Park Square in Meadville, PA on Monday, March 30, 2026, from 9 to 11 am. A hearing in her case will be taking place inside the courthouse that morning, and the community is gathering outside in her memory and in solidarity with victims of domestic violence and the missing and murdered. She will never stand alone again. 💜 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Text START to 88788.  You are not alone.  https://www.thehotline.org/ Justice for Lonene Rogers Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/285829136570490/   Sign the petition for Lonnie’s Law: https://c.org/mMwHNqtRGC Alison's book, "A Daughter's Journey and Story of Resilience," is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0gWrklLE Support Crime Salad: Merch Crime Salad Ad-Free option: Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 16, 2015, Sara Easton, a 31-year-old mother of three from Yuba City, California, died from a gunshot wound in her bedroom. Investigators quickly moved toward a suicide ruling. Her family never accepted it. Sara's husband was Aaron Easton, then-Chief of the Marysville Police Department. And the more forensic details emerged, including the autopsy findings, the toxicology results, the witness accounts, and the history of alleged domestic abuse, the more questions piled up around a case that many believe was never properly investigated. Was this a suicide? A homicide? And did Aaron Easton's position in law enforcement shape the way this case was handled? In this episode, Ashley and Ricky break down the full timeline of Sara's death, examine the forensic and autopsy evidence, explore the conflicts of interest that shadowed the investigation, and look at the later allegations against Aaron Easton that have kept this case under scrutiny for nearly a decade. Sara's family is still pushing for answers. This is their story and hers. This episode covers suspicious death investigation · forensic evidence · suicide vs. homicide · domestic violence allegations · law enforcement conflicts of interest · unsolved cases · police accountability Support Crime Salad: Merch Ad-Free Listens: Patreon Sponsors for the show: Miracle Made: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://trymiracle.com/CRIMESALAD and use code CRIMESALAD to claim your FREE 3-PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFFRula: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists at https://www.rula.com/salad #rulapod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen ad-free: patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch: crimesaladpodcast.com In this episode of Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky examine the case of Na’Ziyah Harris, a 13-year-old girl from Detroit, Michigan, who disappeared after getting off her school bus on January 9, 2024, near Cornwall Street and Three Mile Drive on Detroit’s east side. What began as a missing child investigation quickly turned into something far more disturbing as detectives uncovered digital messages, witness testimony, and evidence pointing to a hidden relationship that had been unfolding for years. Listener discretion is advised. Keywords: Na’Ziyah Harris, Detroit Michigan, Detroit missing child case, Jarvis Butts, Detroit Police Department, Wayne County Michigan, Seven Mile Road Detroit, Rouge River Detroit, true crime podcast, Crime Salad, red flag relationships, child predator signs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a cold November morning in 2011, a 911 call shattered the silence along Interstate 77 near Marietta, Ohio. A car sat abandoned against a guardrail. Its lights were on. The driver was nowhere to be found. Minutes later, another call came in. A body had been discovered in the roadway. What followed should have been a straightforward investigation. There were crash reports, phone records, witness statements, and forensic evidence. But as the details began to surface, the story became anything but clear. The death of Jaleayah Davis has raised questions for more than a decade. Questions about what really happened on that dark stretch of highway. Questions about whether this was truly an accident or something far more complicated. In this episode of Crime Salad, we take a closer look at the timeline, the inconsistencies, and the pieces that don’t seem to fit. Because sometimes the truth isn’t just hidden. It’s buried beneath the version everyone accepted.  Try Miracle Made for yourself: https://trymiracle.com/CRIMESALAD Use code CRIMESALAD to claim your free 3-piece towel set and save over 40% Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Sadek was a 20-year-old college student at North Dakota State College of Science when he disappeared from his dorm in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Weeks later, his body was found in the Red River. His death was ruled a suicide, but the circumstances surrounding it have continued to raise questions. In this episode of Crime Salad, we examine Andrew’s case and the broader risks tied to confidential informant agreements, including the pressures placed on young or first-time offenders and the lack of consistent oversight and safety. For Andrew’s parents, the fight has been endless. Was enough done to protect him? Who should be held accountable? Please share Crime Salad! Share a positive review on Apple, and check out our cool merch crimesaladpodcast.com FÜM: Head to tryfum.com/SALAD and start building a better habit today. Get a free gift with your Journey Pack when you use our code SALAD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains discussion of sexual violence, severe physical injury, and death. In the early morning hours of May 2003, a piercing fire alarm shattered the silence inside Hugh Poland Hall at Western Kentucky University. Students poured out into the dark, confused and half-asleep, unaware that behind one closed dorm room door an 18-year-old freshman was fighting for her life. This episode of Crime Salad examines the brutal attack on Katie Autry, a case that shocked the WKU campus, raised questions about campus safety, and continues to spark debate more than two decades later. Ashley and Ricky break down the timeline, the investigation, courtroom developments, and the lingering controversies surrounding one of the most disturbing true crime cases in Bowling Green, Kentucky. From the initial emergency response inside Room 214 to the legal aftermath and public reaction, this episode explores how a night meant to be ordinary turned into a tragedy that still resonates with students, families, and true crime followers today. Keywords: Katie Autry case, Western Kentucky University true crime, WKU dorm fire 2003, Bowling Green Kentucky crime, campus crime podcast, Crime Salad podcast, college campus safety, unsolved questions, true crime investigation, dorm room attack. Sponsors of the show MIRACLE MADE:  Save over 40%, and when you use promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout, you'll get an extra 20% off plus a free three-piece towel set. trymiracle.com/crimesalad Use code CRIMESALAD at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryder was a medically fragile child living with Sanfilippo Syndrome Type IIIB, a rare and terminal neurological disease that required constant specialized care. For years, his survival depended on strict medical routines, equipment management, and a caregiver trained to respond to emergencies. Then a custody battle moved his case from hospital rooms into courtrooms, where legal procedure began to outweigh medical warnings. In this episode, we examine the timeline of court decisions, ignored medical directives, and the devastating consequences that followed. This is not a mystery of who did it. It is a case that raises difficult questions about how family courts handle medically fragile children, what happens when expert medical advice is sidelined, and whether systems meant to protect can sometimes fail the very people they are designed to serve. This episode contains discussion of severe childhood illness and death. Listener discretion is advised. Links to support the family:  Facebook: Justice For Ryder - We The People Demand Accountability NOW  GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/709193ee9 Support Crime Salad: Merch: Check out the merch on our website, crimesaladpodcast.com Be sure to tag us on social media when you get something. And also, thanks to our supporters on Apple Podcasts and Patreon. You truly keep this show going! If you’d like to get ad-free episodes and bonus content, you can join for as little as one dollar at patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Keywords/Topics: rare childhood disease, medical dependency cases, caregiver continuity, child welfare systems, family court custody battles, medical advocacy, legal responsibility, true crime podcast, child protection Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe disappeared while waiting for a bus beneath the Kiel Mountain Road overpass on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. What should have been a routine trip to Sunshine Plaza became one of the largest missing child investigations in Queensland history, spanning years of public tips, shifting timelines, and missed opportunities. In this episode of Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky trace Daniel’s final known movements, the early police response, the flood of leads that overwhelmed investigators, and the long road to answers. Eight years later, an extraordinary undercover police operation finally drew out a confession from convicted child sex offender Brett Peter Cowan and led detectives to Daniel’s remains. Cowan was later convicted of murder, indecent treatment of a child, and interfering with a corpse. We also examine the lasting impact of Daniel’s case, including major procedural reforms in Queensland and the ongoing work of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to promote child safety education. Listener discretion advised: This episode includes discussion of child abduction, sexual violence, and murder. Daniel Morcombe, Daniel Morcombe case, Brett Peter Cowan, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Palmwoods, Woombye, Kiel Mountain Road overpass, Sunshine Plaza, missing child, child abduction, true crime Australia, Queensland Police undercover operation, Operation Bravo Vista, Daniel Morcombe Foundation, Day for Daniel, Daniel’s Law, child safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late spring 2009, Florida State University students in Tallahassee, Florida were wrapping up finals when 23-year-old Rachel Hoffman became the center of a police operation that would end in tragedy. In this episode of Crime Salad, we break down the Rachel Hoffman case, focusing on how a “controlled” and “by-the-book” confidential informant (CI) operation unraveled, and why officers reportedly waited more than 90 minutes after her last contact before launching a search. Rachel Hoffman was a college student with big plans, described as driven and fearless, working toward her future when she was asked to assist law enforcement as an informant during a drug sting in Tallahassee. What happened next raised serious questions about informant safety, police procedures, and accountability when undercover operations go wrong. We cover the timeline, the decisions made leading up to that night, and the broader issue of how confidential informants are used in drug investigations, especially when the informant is young, vulnerable, or under pressure. This is the story of Rachel Hoffman, and the failures that followed. Keywords: Rachel Hoffman, Rachel Hoffman case, Rachel Hoffman murder, Tallahassee Florida, Florida State University, confidential informant, CI, police informant, drug sting, controlled buy, undercover operation, law enforcement negligence, informant safety, true crime podcast, Crime Salad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussion of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Nikki advocacy links We Stand With Nikki (website): https://westandwithnikki.com/ We Stand With Nikki (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/WeStandWithNikki/ In September 2017 in Poughkeepsie, New York, a routine traffic stop led police to Nicole “Nikki” Addimando, a shaken mother of two who said she acted in self-defense. Hours later, her partner, Christopher Grover, was found dead, and Nikki was arrested. As investigators uncovered years of documented domestic violence, sexual assault, coercive control, and disturbing evidence of abuse, the case became a flashpoint for how the justice system treats criminalized survivors. In this Crime Salad episode, Ashley and Ricky break down the Nikki Addimando case, the trial, what the jury was and was not allowed to hear, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, and the advocacy that helped bring Nikki home. Domestic violence help and resources National Domestic Violence Hotline (24/7): https://www.thehotline.org/ Call: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Text: START to 88788 If you are in immediate danger, call 911 Listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussion of domestic abuse and sexual violence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In May 2002, 28-year-old Jennifer Harris of Bonham, Texas, vanished on Mother’s Day weekend. The next morning, her green Jeep was found abandoned near the Red River in rural Fannin County. Days later, Jennifer’s body was recovered from the river. With no clear cause of death and no arrests, her case remains unsolved more than twenty years later. Follow to support this case: https://www.facebook.com/justiceforjenniferharris  ​​https://www.facebook.com/R4Justice/ Check out our ad-free option! https://www.patreon.com/c/Crimesaladpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crime Salad steps into Weird History, traveling back to the early 1900s, when a glowing new element promised progress, beauty, and modern life. In this episode of Weird History by Crime Salad, we explore the rise of radium mania, from the young women who became known as the Radium Girls, to the powerful corporations that insisted radium was safe while workers grew sick and died. We touch on crumbling jaws, altered death certificates, and why early causes of death were quietly labeled as syphilis instead of radium poisoning. Names like Grace Fryer and Mollie Maggia emerge as whispers of a much larger truth. But the danger was not limited to factories. While workers were suffering, wealthy Americans were drinking radium by choice. Products like Radithor promised vitality and youth, until cases like Eben Byers forced the country to pay attention. From glowing watches and military dials made with Undark, to radium water crocks, cosmetics, alarm clocks, toys, and other everyday items, radioactive products found their way into homes across America. This episode looks at what happens when science, profit, and blind trust collide, and how the voices of the Radium Girls ultimately changed workplace safety and radiation laws forever. Sometimes the most dangerous things are the ones that glow. Radium Girls Radium poisoning Syphilis death certificates U.S. Radium Undark paint Radithor Eben Byers Revigator Radium cosmetics Radioactive consumer products Workplace safety history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices