Floodlights

In the summer of 2024, an investigator reached out to Floodlights to warn us about a Medicaid fraud scheme targeting people on reservations. Today, that investigator is interviewed under the name of "Liza." In this episode, Liza explains how organized groups are actively working to trick vulnerable people on reservations who want to get sober. The scheme, which essentially defrauds Medicaid for millions if not billions of dollars, offers fake sober living facilities to people who are suffering from addiction. Liza walks us through how the fraud scheme works and the warning signs that people should look for if they're approached by "representatives" claiming to work for sober living facilities. She also touches upon the reservation system at large, human trafficking and the potential correlation between this Medicaid fraud scheme and missing people cases. JOIN US IN THE FLOOD ROOM Today, we're launching the Flood Room which is our interactive true crime platform. In the Flood Room, you’ll be able to watch new and extended interviews, see maps, case documents, discuss theories, go behind the scenes for each episode and join community calls with investigators and the rest of our Floodlights team. We're been working on this for a while and we've designed the most interactive true crime experience -- we'd love you to join. It's free to enter and we're going to be letting in our first 1000 founding members in (until spots fill). To join for free, head over to station.page/floodlights. We can't wait to get to know you. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater. You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia. You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts. For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the chances that, in the same area just a few months apart, three young women all go missing and are all found murdered? In this episode, we take you to the East Bay near San Francisco where Elaine Davis, Leona Roberts and Cosette Ellison were all kidnapped from their homes. But what we also ask in this episode is why American suburbia seems safer to so many of us even when these types of crimes take place. And why is it that Tribal reservations have such a reputation for "danger," when brutal crimes take place in the "safest" parts of the US too? JOIN US IN THE FLOOD ROOM Today, we're launching the Flood Room which is our interactive true crime platform. In the Flood Room, you’ll be able to watch new and extended interviews, see maps, case documents, discuss theories, go behind the scenes for each episode and join community calls with investigators and the rest of our Floodlights team. We're been working on this for a while and we've designed the most interactive true crime experience -- we'd love you to join. It's free to enter and we're going to be letting in our first 1000 founding members in (until spots fill). To join for free, head over to station.page/floodlights. We can't wait to get to know you. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater. You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia. You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts. For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After attending a celebration at a local bar in Dulce, New Mexico, Melissa Montoya walked towards the back of the bar and was never seen again. More than two decades later, questions continue to swirl about the events of that night and the aftermath. From disturbing stories about her former boyfriend, to his mysterious death after her disappearance, Melissa's story has been overlooked for too long. So, where does Melissa Montoya's case stand today? And is it really possible that law enforcement are close to a breakthrough? JOIN US IN THE FLOOD ROOM Today, we're launching the Flood Room which is our interactive true crime platform. In the Flood Room, you’ll be able to watch new and extended interviews, see maps, case documents, discuss theories, go behind the scenes for each episode and join community calls with investigators and the rest of our Floodlights team. We're been working on this for a while and we've designed the most interactive true crime experience -- we'd love you to join. It's free to enter and we're going to be letting in our first 1000 founding members in (until spots fill). To join for free, head over to station.page/floodlights. We can't wait to get to know you. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater. You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia. You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts. For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Robinson was last seen leaving his job site in Buckeye, Arizona on June 23rd, 2021. The 24 year old hydro-geologist reportedly began driving westward in his Jeep before vanishing. His family have not seen or heard from him since that day. Earlier this year, we interviewed Daniel's father, David Robinson, who broke down the timeline of his son's case. In this UPDATES episode, we provide you with six key updates which came from our follow up interview with David in September 2024. If you missed the first interview with David, we've included it after the updates. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater. You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia. You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts. For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may have heard the phrase “missing and murdered indigenous women.” It’s movement that’s gained a lot of traction largely thanks to Native populations speaking up.  But, in reality, Indigenous men are also at risk of violence. Sometimes, I think we forget that.  Native people are roughly 10 times more likely to experience violence compared to the rest of the population. So, in this episode, we’re telling the stories of five men who either went missing or ended up dead on Tribal lands. These stories are from the archives.  Please share this episode with your loved ones and across social media to help the families of Nick, Virgil, Trey, Cole, and Noah. Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater. You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia. You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts. For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When three young girls are brutally murdered in 1977 at girl scout camp, law enforcement set their sights on one person from the beginning: a Cherokee man called Gene Leroy Hart. At the centre of this story is, of course, the three victims: Lori Lee Farmer, Doris Denise Milner and Michele Heather Guse. These girls are still waiting for justice. But what many people still ask, all these years later, is how exactly did law enforcement come upon Gene? And did his Native American heritage, along with his criminal past, play a fair role in the investigation? Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

42-year-old Melissa Montoya endured years of abuse at the hands of her partner. But in 2001, she vanished during a night out with friends in Dulce, New Mexico. In this episode, we interview Darlene Gomez, a relative, friend and lawyer who is fighting to find out what happened to Melissa -- and many other Indigenous people who are missing on Tribal lands. Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask anyone in Hoopa, California, about Hoopa Tribal member Barbara Jean McNeil and they'll tell you the same thing: She was the sweetest woman. So, what exactly happened on the night she was beaten to death? What drove a person to murder her in such a violent way? And is the person responsible still walking around Hoopa to this day? Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In October 2021, Hoopa Tribe member, Emmilee Risling, vanished from an isolated part of the Yurok Reservation in Northern California. But her story is not just about being a missing person, it’s about an entire system that failed to protect her when she needed help. What you should also know is that Emmilee is the cousin of our Floodlights producer, Jack Kohler. When we describe this podcast as a personal project, we mean it. Jack, like many Native Americans, knows at least one missing or murdered relative. This crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people is real – and too often it’s up to Native people to fight the good fight alone.  Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts For a full list of episode sources, please reach out to bluethistlemedia@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In December 2023, Trey Allen Glass, a member of the United Keetoowah Band in Oklahoma, leaves his family home with two friends. This is the last time anyone in his family will see him alive. For months, no one sees or hears from Trey but, in April 2024, a former police chief discovers Trey in a well on his property after briefly interacting with Trey on the last night his family sees him. Today, Trey's cousin, Emma Lee Sanders, sits down with us for an interview. Emma walks us through the timeline of Trey's case and why, all these months later, she and her family still have concerns about the outcome of Trey's open case. Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former police officer, Mark Pooley, found his life changed forever when a serious illness stopped him in his tracks. Now, he's finding missing people through revolutionary technology. Listen to how Mark is leading the way for not just Native families with missing loved ones, but non-Natives who are going through the same trauma. Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. CONNECT WITH FLOODLIGHTS! You can follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater You can follow On Native Ground @onnativegroundmedia You can follow Blue Thistle Media @bluethistlepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was originally released on 07/08/2024. We're re-releasing it today in the hopes that someone, somewhere, knows information about Terri Lynn McCloskey's unsolved murder. When 26 year-old Yurok Tribal Member Terri Lynn goes missing, no one could understand why anyone would have wanted to hurt this bright young woman. But nearly 40 years later, many questions remain. Where is the police file on Terri Lynn? Who allegedly confessed to her killing? And what do 17 nearby murders possibly have to do with Terri Lynn's case? Episode sources: Frater, Laura. "Who Killed Terri Lynn McCloskey?" Two Rivers Tribune, March 2023. Frater, Laura. Interview with Allen McCloskey Senior, February 2023. Frater, Laura. Interview with Allen McCloskey Junior, February 2023. Unknown journalist. "Unsolved." Redding Record Searchlight archives, August 13th, 1989. Unknown journalist. "Bones Identified as Those of Missing Hoopa Woman." Two Rivers Tribune archives, unknown date. https://kobi5.com/news/yurok-tribe-investigator-rescues-woman-from-potential-human-trafficking-223415/ https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/americas-greatest-detective-finalist-detective-julia-oliveira/ Do you have a story you'd like to see covered on Floodlights? Follow us on Instagram @floodlightspod and send us a message. We'll get back to you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What exactly happened to Trey Allen Glass, Cole Brings Plenty and Noah Presgrove? In this episode, we take you through the mysterious deaths of three young men which remain shrouded in mystery, from a well in rural Oklahoma, to a dark empty road on the Chickasaw Nation. Trey, Cole and Noah were all at the beginning of adulthood before they died. Today, we ask our listeners this question: Who knows what happened to each man? And why aren't they coming forward? If you'd like to get to know the team behind Floodlights and share cases you'd like to see covered, you can follow and direct message us on any of the following Instagram accounts: @floodlightspod @lauraelizabethfrater @onnativegroundmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Canada's Highway 16, a long, desolate stretch of road is dubbed The Highway of Tears. Dozens of women, many of whom are Indigenous, have gone missing or turned up dead on this highway. Today, we walk you through some of the road's most tragic cases and how the First Nations surrounding the highway are doing their part to protect vulnerable women. You can follow the show on Instagram @floodlightspod. Link to E-Pana site: E-PANA Sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=xz63Vppw3gE https://www.thenorthernview.com/news/prince-rupert-ranks-in-top-20-of-magazines-canadas-most-dangerous-places-list-5970333 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/highway-of-tears-bus-year-one-1.4517211 https://tearstohopesociety.com/signs/jill-stuchenko/ https://tearstohopesociety.com/signs/natasha-montgomery/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cody-legebokoff-sentenced-to-life-on-4-counts-of-1st-degree-murder-1.2768118 https://indianz.com/News/2011/10/17/murder-charge-laid-over-2010-d.asp https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/serial-killer-highway-tears/ https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/what-is-bc-highway-of-tears#:~:text=It's%20known%20as%20the%20Highway,murdered%20Indigenous%20women%20and%20girls.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2012, Faith Hedgepeth (Haliwa Saponi) was murdered in her off campus apartment in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. At the time, she was a promising student at UNC. In 2021, almost a decade after Faith's death, Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares was arrested and charged with her murder. But in 2024, he is still awaiting trial. In this interview episode, Consuela Richardson, Faith's cousin, discusses who Faith was as a person, as well as why Olivares might have been charged with her murder. You can listen to our case episode on Faith's story by searching "Faith" in our feed. Follow the show on Instagram @floodlightspod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our first ever update episode, we discuss where Terri Lynn McCloskey (Yurok) may have headed shortly before her death. Thanks to members of law enforcement tuning in to Floodlights and providing thoughtful insights to our team, we offer some potential clarity on this unsolved murder. If you haven't listened to Terri Lynn's story yet, please search "Terri Lynn" in our feed -- her case is our first ever episode. Terri Lynn was in her 20s when she died and her family are still waiting for justice to be served. Please share her episode AND this update episode across your social media. You never know who might hear it. You can follow the show on Instagram @floodlightspod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On two rural roads on the Yurok Reservation, two trucks belonging to two missing men are found within weeks of each other as the Covid 19 pandemic unfolds. This episode covers the cases of Nick Vigil and Virgil Bussell Jr. (Hoopa Tribe), both of whom remain missing. So, what happened to these two men? And what is the link, if any, between their cases? You can follow the show @floodlightspod. Episode sources: Interviews with Debbie Frisiello (2022 and 2024) by Laura Frater (phone) Interview with Investigator Destry Henderson (HCSO) (2022) by Laura Frater (phone) Interview with Alicia Aduelo (2022) by Laura Frater (text) Interview with Frank Surber (2023) by Laura Frater (in person) https://kymkemp.com/2024/02/25/vigilance-a-mothers-four-year-search-for-her-missing-son-she-offers-a-25000-reward-to-find-her-only-child/ https://kymkemp.com/2020/04/29/fortuna-man-missing-since-february-police-seek-publics-assistance/ https://coldcasemendocino.wordpress.com/tag/hoopa/ https://kiem-tv.com/2020/03/26/fortuna-man-still-missing-2/ https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/virgil-owen-bussell-jr https://humboldtgov.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2621&ARC=3957 https://kymkemp.com/2020/04/11/weitchpec-man-still-missing-family-received-a-ransom-note-and-tracker-found-possible-evidence-indicating-foul-play/ https://krcrtv.com/north-coast-news/eureka-local-news/missing-native-man-still Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the creator of The Vanishing Point, Floodlights is a weekly true crime show covering major crimes impacting Tribal nations. From the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people, to scandals and conspiracies created by an unfair legal system, Floodlights investigates the stories America needs to hear now. Hosted by investigative journalist, Laura Frater. Follow Laura @lauraelizabethfrater. Follow Floodlights at @floodlightspod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's it like to cover, as a journalist, your own missing family members, friends, and neighbors? This week we talk with Allie Hostler, editor of the Two Rivers Tribune, a local newspaper in the Hoopa Valley on the Hoopa Reservation. Hoopa is home to many Tribal Nations including the Hoopa, Karuk and Yurok Tribes. Allie shares her “day in the life” as a newspaper editor, what it’s like reporting on missing people in her own community, and the jurisdictional challenges that the Hoopa Tribal police face today.  Find out more about the missing people cases mentioned in this episode (all these cases will be covered in the coming months on Floodlights): Emmilee Risling Sumi Juan Andrea "Chick" White Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On February 8th, 2018, Khadijah Britton (Round Valley Tribe) was forced into a car at gunpoint by her ex-boyfriend, Negie Fallis, on the Covelo Reservation in California. In this week's episode, former police officer Trent James, who worked Khadijah's case, explains what led up to her disappearance and what he believes happened to Khadijah after her kidnapping. Anyone with information regarding Khadijah's case is asked to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office at (707)234-2100 or the FBI San Francisco Division at (415) 553-7400. Tips can be anonymous. You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. You can follow Floodlights on Instagram @floodlightspod. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices