Facing Evil

We continue our conversation with Root of Evil Producer and Creator Zak Levitt. On this episode, we learn the true identity of Fauna Hodel's father. And whether it truly was George Hodel.Plus, listen to Zak Levitt's new show The Set. The Set tells the inside story of policing in Harlem's 30th precinct, during its most vulnerable time. 33 of its officers were arrested and convicted of corruption, and the precinct came to be known as "The Dirty 30." The Set is a cautionary tale of what can happen when the world's largest police department fails to police itself, and how easy it can become for good cops to turn bad - all told by the people who lived it. The first three episodes are available starting June 14th, with new episodes every week. Or you can binge all 10 episodes exclusively on the Audacy app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Root of Evil Producer and Creator Zak Levitt joins us to discuss what was left on the cutting room floor of the hit 2019 podcast. And we reveal new information about the relationship between George Hodel and Fauna Hodel. Plus, listen to Zak Levitt's new show The Set. The Set tells the inside story of policing in Harlem's 30th precinct, during its most vulnerable time. 33 of its officers were arrested and convicted of corruption, and the precinct came to be known as "The Dirty 30." The Set is a cautionary tale of what can happen when the world's largest police department fails to police itself, and how easy it can become for good cops to turn bad - all told by the people who lived it. The first three episodes are available starting June 14th, with new episodes every week. Or you can binge all 10 episodes exclusively on the Audacy app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October of 2014, 32-year-old Native American actress Misty Upham went missing. Local police refused to investigate her disappearance. So community members formed a search party, and found her body in a ravine 11 days later. What happened to Misty Upham? And why didn't authorities act? We talk with Jim Trainum, retired MPD homicide detective and investigative consultant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16-year-old Skylar Neese was murdered by her two best friends in 2012, supposedly because of an argument over social media. What actually led these high school girls to commit such a violent act on a friend? We talk with podcaster and true crime writer M. William Phelps, host of 'Paper Ghosts' and author of books including ‘We Thought We Knew You’ and ‘Don’t Tell A Soul.'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a wealthy Wisconsin family asked a 19-year-old Filipino woman named Irma Martinez to be their live-in maid, she had no idea she'd be trapped for almost two decades. Her case was one of the many shocking examples of modern day human trafficking. We discuss this issue broadly with Remi Adeleke, author and director of the short film "The Unexpected."  Pre-Order the book:  https://www.amazon.com/Chameleon-Black-Thriller-Remi-Adeleke/dp/0063238837 Watch "The Unexpected": https://youtu.be/6xUwS39mFs0See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind was 8 months pregnant when she went missing in 2017. Her body was discovered days later in the Red River, but her baby had been stolen by the killers. The case was another reminder of the vulnerability of indigenous women and girls in the United States and Canada. We discuss this issue with Candi Brings Plenty, an indigenous activist and spiritual practitioner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sandra Galas was found dead in her Hawaii home in 2006. Many believed her estranged husband, Darren Galas, was responsible. But it took years for justice, and the family never gave up. We talk with Sandra's father, Larry Mendonca Sr., and her brother, Lawrence Mendonca Jr.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Bear Carson and Suzan Carson are often known as the San Francisco Witch Killers. They are responsible for at least three murders in the 1980s, and likely more across North America and Europe. Dr. Jenn Carson, Michael's daughter, has devoted her life to overcoming the trauma of her family history. We sit down with Dr. Carson to discuss her life experience and advocacy work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the morning of February 16th, 2012, Rodricus Crawford awoke to find his one-year-old son Roderius Lott unresponsive. After the infant died, investigators believed Crawford was responsible, and he was convicted of homicide. Crawford wrongfully spent years on death row, before new revelations led to his eventual release. We talk about the issue of death penalty convictions with Maurice Chammah, Staff Writer for The Marshall Project and author of "Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The case of the Central Park Five is one of the most notorious crime cases in history. In 1989, a young woman named Trisha Meili was jogging in the park when she was attacked, raped, and beaten. But during the investigation, police wrongly accused and convicted five young men of color. They were later exonerated, but only years after already serving a prison sentence. We discuss the issue of wrongful conviction with Jason Flom, Board Member with the Innocence Project and host of the podcast “Wrongful Conviction."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One night in December of 1986, Cara Knott disappeared while driving home. She and her car were found the next day off the side of a highway. That same day, a local police officer known for pulling over women late at night was seen with scratches on his face. But did he actually kill Cara Knott? We talk with Jim Trainum, retired MPD homicide detective and investigative consultant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The attempted exorcism and eventual death of Anneliese Michel inspired films like 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' and 'Requiem.' But what actually happened to Michel in 1976? Was she actually posessed by some supernatural force? Or was her hysteria the result of mental illness? We talk about the practice of exorcisms with Father Carlos Martins, Director of the ‘Treasures of the Church’ Ministry and an official exorcist.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In one of the most shocking stories of 2008, 15-year-old Larry King was killed in a middle school classroom by a fellow student in Oxnard, CA. Larry was openly gay, and was constantly bullied for his sexual orientation. So how did bullying lead to murder? We talk about Larry's life with one of his best friends from school named Tiger.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Missing' is an exciting new crime-thriller movie produced by Sony Pictures. Rasha and Yvette sit down with Directors Will Merrick and Nick Johnson to talk about the film's unique creative direction. 'Missing' is out on Blu-Ray today (March 28), and is also available digitally on Amazon Prime Video. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1977, Charles Scudder and Joseph Odom left Chicago to build a dream home in rural North Georgia. Five years later, the gay couple were robbed and murdered in their home. The story sparked a media frenzy, revealing widespread paranoia about the Satanic Church and homosexuality. We dig into the case with B.T. Harman, writer and host of the historical crime podcast "Catlick."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1992 murder of 12-year old Shanda Sharer is considered one of the most disturbing cases in recent history. In January of that year, four teenage girls abducted, tortured, and burned Shanda alive in a jealous rage. We discuss this gruesome case with writer Aphrodite Jones, who wrote a book about the murder and its aftermath.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2007, 50-year-old Michele MacNeill died under mysterious circumstances in Pleasant Grove, Utah. At the request for her husband Martin, she had recently undergone facial surgery. Then, also at her husband's request, she was given a dangerous cocktail of medications following the surgery. And so, was Martin MacNeill responsible for his wife's death? We talk with podcaster and true crime writer M. William Phelps, host of 'Paper Ghosts' and author of books including ‘We Thought We Knew You’ and ‘Don’t Tell A Soul.'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20-year-old Dorothy Stratten was a model and actress who was killed by her estranged husband in 1980. The case revealed a relationship rife with power imbalance, manipulation, and domestic abuse. We sit down to discuss the issue of intimate partner violence with Dr. Joe Hyunkag Cho, an Associate Professor at Michigan State University’s College of Social Science.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On New Years Eve of 1993, a 21-year-old transgender man named Brandon Teena was murdered in Humboldt, Nebraska. Brandon's life and subsequent murder were later depcited in the 1999 film "Boys Don't Cry." We speak with writer Donna Minkowitz, who covered the case back in the '90s, and has since written about the case in length. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1982, Vincent Chin was brutally killed in a racially motivated attack in Detroit, Michigan. The murder led to a new human rights movement, highlighting the dangers of anti-Asian sentiment in America. We talk about this issue with Dr. Lok Siu, Cultural Anthropologist and Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.