True Crime Unwind

True Crime Unwind

por Kinsley & Mercedes
Rebecca Ledbetter, David Robinson & Larry Thomas Jr. - Gadsden, AL | The killer on the run
Episode 74: Rebecca Ledbetter, David Robinson & Larry Thomas Jr. - Gadsden, AL | The killer on the run In August 1986, a quiet night inside a Gadsden, Alabama, mobile home turned into a triple murder that would leave three people dead and send their killer on the run. Episode Summary On the night of August 24, 1986, Rebecca Ledbetter was at home with her boyfriend, David Robinson, her son, Shea Ledbetter, her sister, Katrina Ledbetter, and Shea's friend, Larry Thomas Jr. Larry stepped outside that night to go home. He never made it. Larry was shot outside the mobile home. Moments later, Rebecca's ex-husband, Glenn Holladay, entered the residence. Katrina managed to warn Rebecca before escaping with Shea, but Rebecca and David remained inside. By the time it was over, Larry Thomas Jr., David Robinson, and Rebecca Holladay were dead. And Glenn Holladay was gone. But this story didn't begin that night. At the time of the murders, Holladay was already a convicted felon and escapee with a lengthy criminal history. Months earlier, he had escaped from the Cherokee County Jail. Evidence presented in court would later reveal threats against Rebecca, including testimony that Holladay had said he would kill her if she continued seeing another man. Following the murders, investigators began a search that stretched beyond Alabama. Holladay remained a fugitive until October 9, 1986, when authorities located him in Gainesville, Florida. His capture ended with Holladay being shot by law enforcement. He denied committing the murders and claimed he had been in Nashville when they occurred. A jury didn't believe him. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
La’son & Edson Brito, Johntavious & Ameer Newell, & Noe Medina, Jr - Brockton, MA, Chicago, IL, & La Habra, CA | Before there was Lindsay Clancy...
Episode 73: La’son & Edson Brito, Johntavious & Ameer Newell, & Noe Medina, Jr - Brockton, MA, Chicago, IL, & La Habra, CA | Before there was Lindsey Clancey... Lindsay Clancy's case has received so much attention, but why we weren’t having this conversation before her? In this episode, we look at three mothers who also encountered severe mental illness, crisis, and missed opportunities for intervention, with the most devastating consequences. Episode Summary In this episode of True Crime Unwind, Mercedes takes us across Massachusetts, Chicago, and California to examine three cases that received far less national attention than the case of Lindsay Clancy. Lindsay Clancy’s case has sparked widespread conversations about postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, maternal mental health, criminal responsibility, and the healthcare system. But as her trial has dominated headlines and social media, we wanted to ask a different question: Why did this case become such a massive national conversation when other mothers experiencing severe mental-health crises received comparatively little attention? To explore that question, we look at the stories of Latarsha Sanders, Aleah Newell, and Sonia Hermosillo. Latarsha Sanders Latarsha Sanders was a mother of five whose mental health deteriorated dramatically before the deaths of her two youngest children, Edson and La'Son. Her family described increasingly disturbing behavior, paranoia, conspiracy theories, and episodes in which she appeared disconnected from reality. Aleah Newell Aleah Newell was only 20 years old and was the mother of two young boys. In the days leading up to the deaths of her children, Aleah had already attempted suicide, had been diagnosed with a mood disorder, and reportedly sought help at an emergency shelter because she did not feel capable of caring for her children. Unfortunately, this ended in her taking the lives of her two sons- two-year-old Jontavious Newell and seven-month-old Ameer Newell. Sonia Hermosillo Sonia Hermosillo's story offers perhaps the most direct comparison to the postpartum mental-health discussion surrounding Lindsay Clancy. After giving birth to her son, Noe, Sonia experienced a dramatic deterioration in her mental health. Her family sought treatment for her, she was hospitalized on an involuntary psychiatric hold, and she was considered a danger to herself. But her family struggled to maintain consistent treatment because of financial and insurance barriers. Sonia ultimately killed her infant son, and her defense argued that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Guest Service Station Murders - Attalla, AL | “There Was Going to Be Trouble”
Episode 72: Guest Service Station Murders - Attalla, AL | “There Was Going to Be Trouble” On August 25, 1984, four people were killed at a service station on U.S. Highway 431 north of Attalla, Alabama. They were Ronald Michael “Mike” Guest, Wilbur Tilden Nelson, William Robert “Bobby” Payne, and Nancy S. Brandon Payne. Episode Summary Guest Service Station was owned by Mike’s father, Alvis Guest. The family home stood about 75 feet behind it. Wilbur, 51, was working. Mike, 21, stopped with his girlfriend, Tracy Henry Wood, to buy a Coke. Bobby, 43, and Nancy, 31, stopped for soft drinks and cigarettes. Mike entered the station, returned to Tracy, and told her there was going to be trouble. He sent her to get his father, then went back toward the business. Tracy heard gunshots from the Guest home. When she returned, she found all four victims. The prosecution believed a robbery was underway and that Nancy was shot while trying to escape. No surviving eyewitness saw the entire sequence, so the reconstruction relied on physical evidence, Tracy’s partial observations, and later statements. The investigation first went in the wrong direction. Authorities searched for two suspects, suspected a .357 Magnum, and indicted four men based on a juvenile’s accusation. None were prosecuted after investigators learned the juvenile had lied. The case changed in March 1985 when James Jenkins found a .44-caliber Ruger Super Blackhawk near Black Creek. On April 22, firearms examiner Lawden Yates identified it as the murder weapon. It was traced to a repair business connected to Thomas Jerry “Tommy” Fortenberry’s father, and witnesses placed it with Tommy shortly before the crime. From May 2 through May 4, Tommy gave conflicting accounts. He first admitted taking and disposing of the gun but accused Harvey Underwood of the murders. He later confessed to planning the robbery and shooting all four victims. At trial, Tommy withdrew those confessions, blamed Harvey again, and alleged police coercion. The courts ruled his statements were voluntary. No eyewitness identified Tommy as the shooter, and no fingerprints were recovered from the gripless revolver. The prosecution relied on the weapon trail, disposal location, witness statements, and repeated confessions. On February 15, 1986, the jury found Tommy guilty and unanimously recommended death. After years of appeals, he was executed by lethal injection at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore on August 7, 2003. At the center of this case are four people who were at the station for ordinary reasons. Wilbur was working. Mike stopped for a Coke. Bobby and Nancy were running an everyday errand. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Mia & Sophia Johns and Victoria Vincent - Orem, UT | Family Abduction or something more?
Episode 71: Mia & Sophia Johns and Victoria Vincent - Orem, UT | Family Abduction or something more? When six-year-old twins Mia and Sophia Johns disappeared with their mother, Victoria Vincent, what appeared to be a family abduction quickly became a case filled with conflicting accounts and unanswered questions. More than a year later, there are still no confirmed sightings of the girls. Episode Summary In July 2025, six-year-old twins Mia and Sophia Johns disappeared alongside their mother, 29-year-old Victoria Zoe Vincent. The girls had been taken to gymnastics at a local recreation center but later missed a doctor’s appointment. Their father, Joshua Johns, says Victoria’s phone was off, and when he went to the recreation center, the family vehicle was still in the parking lot with the keys and belongings inside. He says the girls’ car seats, however, were gone. But Mia and Sophia would not be reported missing for approximately three months. Joshua says he spent that time trying to contact Victoria, her family, and an attorney because he wanted to determine how to proceed without putting Victoria in “legal jeopardy.” He was also recovering from a kidney transplant and says he was largely bedridden. Then, days after the twins were reported missing, a previous call Victoria made to police became public. In it, she made allegations against Joshua and expressed concerns for her safety and the safety of the girls. Joshua acknowledges having anger issues but denies threatening Victoria or their children, attributing behavioral changes to medications and steroids prescribed after his transplant. The accounts leave major questions. Why did it take three months to report the twins missing? Why was Victoria apparently not initially reported missing? And why do Joshua and Victoria’s versions of events differ? Joshua has since been granted sole custody of Mia and Sophia after Victoria failed to appear at multiple court hearings. He maintains that he has exhausted every resource available to find his daughters, including hiring private investigators and attorneys, contacting the FBI, and working with missing-child organizations. Meanwhile, there have been no confirmed sightings of Mia or Sophia. Questions remain about where they are, whether they are attending school or receiving medical care, and who may be helping keep them hidden. Whatever happened between their parents, two little girls remain missing. If you have any information about Mia and Sophia Johns or Victoria Vincent, contact the Provo Police Department at (801) 852-6210. And please share this episode. The more people who know Mia and Sophia’s names and faces, the greater the chance that someone recognizes them and helps bring them home. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Allen & Rachelle Fischer - Monteview, ID | Three siblings, two disappearances, one cult 
BONUS Episode 70: Allen and Rachelle Fischer - Monteview, ID | Three siblings, two disappearances, one cult Two Idaho teenagers vanish after asking to spend a quiet evening watching videos online, but this case is about far more than a disappearance. It’s a story of religious control, family separation, and a mother who fears her children believed disappearing was the only way to save their souls. Episode Summary In June 2025, 13-year-old Allen Fischer and his 15-year-old sister, Rachelle, disappeared from their home in the tiny farming community of Monteview, Idaho. At first glance, it seems like another missing persons case but the deeper you dig, the more unsettling it becomes. Years before the siblings vanished, their family escaped the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), a fundamentalist sect once led by the now-imprisoned Warren Jeffs. Their mother, Elizabeth Roundy, says she endured an arranged marriage, years of family separation, and ultimately fought a lengthy custody battle to reunite with her children after leaving the church. Just as the family appeared to be rebuilding their lives, Allen and Rachelle’s older sister, Elintra, disappeared in 2023 after leaving a note saying she intended to return to the FLDS. Two years later, Allen and Rachelle vanished under eerily similar circumstances. Could they have left voluntarily after years of religious indoctrination? Were they helped by someone connected to their former community? Or is there another explanation entirely? In this episode, we examine the family’s history, the lasting impact of coercive religious control, the investigation into the siblings’ disappearance, and why their mother believes someone may have been waiting for the opportunity to take them. Anyone with information about Allen or Rachelle Fischer is urged to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 745-9210, option 7. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to their safe return. Share this episode. Share Allen and Rachelle’s story and pictures. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Kenneth Van Buskirk - Lusk, WY | The man on Tank Hill
Episode 69: Kenneth Van Buskirk - Lusk, WY | The man on tank hill He said people were trying to kill him. Then he disappeared. When Kenneth Van Buskirk’s body was finally found, investigators were left with a mystery that still hasn’t been solved. Episode Summary On the night of July 28, 2014, 54-year-old Navy veteran Kenneth "Ken" Van Buskirk made a series of alarming phone calls from his home in Lusk, Wyoming. He told family members that two men were inside his house and were trying to kill him. By the next day, Ken had vanished without a trace. For nearly 18 months, searches involving law enforcement and cadaver dogs turned up nothing. Then, in February 2016, Ken's remains were discovered on a hill overlooking downtown Lusk in an area that had already been searched multiple times. His cause of death was ruled undetermined, leaving investigators with more questions than answers. Was Ken suffering from paranoia brought on by illness and addiction? Or was he trying to warn his family about a very real threat? In this episode, we examine Ken's life, the mysterious phone calls he made before disappearing, the investigation, the unusual circumstances surrounding the discovery of his body, and why this Wyoming cold case continues to haunt investigators and his family more than a decade later. No matter what struggles Ken faced in life, he was someone's son, father, uncle, and friend. His family still deserves answers, and his story deserves to be remembered. If you have any information about the disappearance or death of Kenneth Van Buskirk, please contact the Lusk Police Department at (307) 344-4055. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Nicole Bell Palmer - Kingston, NY | How the horrific murder of a young girl led to the discovery of a missing young mom
Episode 68: Nicole Bell Palmer - Kingston, NY | How the horrific murder of a young girl led to the discovery of a missing young mom The summer of 1995 a young mother of 3 vanished without a trace. No leads, no suspects, no media coverage. Two months later she was found because of the tragic murder of 7 year old Rickel Knox, but what should have led to closure and answers only led to disappointment and unanswered questions. Episode Summary In September 1995, the quiet city of Kingston, New York, was shaken by two heartbreaking crimes that became forever linked. Twenty-four-year-old Nicole Bell Palmer, a single mother of three described as kind and gentle, disappeared on August 12, 1995. Aside from her family reporting her missing, very little information about her case was ever made public. Just over a month later, seven-year-old Rickel Knox disappeared while roller skating outside her home. Within days, neighbor Larry Whitehurst became the focus of the investigation. After initially denying involvement, he ultimately led investigators to Rickel’s body hidden in the woods, confessed to kidnapping and sexually assaulting her, and was convicted of her murder. But the investigation didn’t end there. While searching Whitehurst’s rented basement, investigators discovered a body encased in concrete. It was identified as Nicole Bell Palmer through fingerprint analysis. Despite Whitehurst being named a prime suspect and witnesses reporting they had seen Nicole with him shortly before she disappeared, no one has ever been charged with her murder. In this episode, we examine the murder of Rickel Knox, the unanswered questions surrounding Nicole Bell Palmer’s death, and why one family is still waiting for justice nearly 30 years later. If you have any information regarding the murder of Nicole Bell Palmer, please contact the Kingston Police Department. Her case remains open. If you or anyone you know has information regarding the murder of Nicole Bell Palmber please contact the Kingston Police Department at (845) 331-1671 Share this episode. Share Nicole’s story. Keep her name alive. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
**BONUS EPISODE** Lived To Tell: Kayleigh - "There Was Not a Single Chance I Was Coming Out Of This"
Explícito
**BONUS EPISODE** Lived To Tell: Kayleigh - "There Was Not a Single Chance I Was Coming Out Of This" 17-year-old Kayleigh White was walking to her best friend's house when she crossed paths with a strange man with a knife. What happened next would completely change the course of her life. Kayleigh's Instagram: @knfecrimekay Kayleigh's TikTok: @knfecrimekay Show Instagram: @LivedToTellPodcast TikTok: @LivedToTellPodcast Caitlin's Instagram: @caitlinvanmol email: livedtotellpod@gmail.com Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Rose Twells - Woodbury, NJ | A Murder Between Mayors
Episode 66: Rose Twells - Woodbury, NJ | A Murder Between Mayors An elderly widow murdered inside her historic mansion, rumors involving the mayor’s teenage son, and a secret that remained buried for more than two decades. When witnesses finally began talking, Woodbury’s oldest unsolved murder would end with three defendants and three very different outcomes. Episode Summary Rose Kathrine Twells was an independent 82-year-old widow who lived alone in a large home on Delaware Street in Woodbury, New Jersey. She was known for tending her garden, taking long walks, and lovingly caring for her late husband, John Twells, a former mayor of Woodbury. On December 20, 1979, Rose was expected to have dinner with relatives who lived across the street. When she never arrived and did not answer her telephone, her nephew entered her home using a key Rose had given him. He discovered her body at the foot of the staircase with her ankles tied to the banister. Rose had been brutally beaten with a heavy decorative iron pot. The house had been ransacked, but investigators found no signs of forced entry and no usable fingerprints. Rumors quickly spread that the person responsible may have known Rose. One name repeatedly surfaced: Jeffrey Bayer, the 16-year-old son of another former Woodbury mayor. For more than two decades, police could not build a case strong enough to make an arrest. That changed when Luann Vennell-Waller, who said she had acted as a lookout during the burglary, came forward and identified Bayer, Clifford Jeffrey, and Mark English as the men involved. According to prosecutors, the group entered Rose’s home searching for money and jewelry. When Rose recognized Bayer and attempted to call for help, the burglary turned deadly. Other witnesses testified that the men were seen afterward with blood on their clothing and later pawned Rose’s jewelry to purchase drugs. In 2003, more than 23 years after Rose’s murder, the three men were charged. Bayer was convicted of felony murder in 2005 and sentenced to 30 years in prison, although he was acquitted of knowing or purposeful murder. Clifford Jeffrey pleaded guilty and received a 12-year sentence. Mark English’s first trial ended with a hung jury, and he was acquitted during his second trial. This week, we’re heading to Woodbury, New Jersey, to examine the murder of Rose Twells, the rumors that haunted the community, the witnesses who waited decades to speak, and a prosecution built without physical evidence. If you or anyone you know has any information, please contact the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office at (856) 384-5500, or you can leave an anonymous tip at gcprosecutor.org/tips. You can also contact the Woodbury City Police Department at (856) 845-0065. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
Thomas “Duncan” Callens - Corinth, MS | Security cameras saw everything...except what happened next
Episode 65: Thomas “Duncan” Callens - Corinth, MS | Security cameras saw everything...except what happened next On a freezing January morning in Mississippi, 38-year-old Thomas “Duncan” Callens walked away from his girlfriend’s house wearing shorts, leaving behind his truck and everything he owned. Hours later, a gas station clerk helped warm him up with clothes, coffee, and a phone charger, but after Duncan stepped back into the darkness, he was never seen again. Episode Summary In the early morning hours of January 7, 2025, after reportedly arguing with his girlfriend, Thomas “Duncan” Callens left a home on Mathis Road in Corinth, Mississippi, on foot despite temperatures hovering below freezing. Surveillance cameras later captured him at a convenience store along Highway 72, where a concerned cashier gave him warm clothing, a hot coffee, and briefly charged his phone after saying he appeared “lost” and like he’d “been through hell.” Duncan then walked back out into the cold, reportedly heading east, and vanished. Despite extensive searches involving K-9 teams, drones, law enforcement, volunteers, hunters, and family members, no trace of Duncan has ever been found. A major snowstorm arrived just days after his disappearance, complicating search efforts, and his phone and bank accounts have remained inactive ever since. With so little physical evidence, countless theories have surfaced online, from exposure to the elements to foul play to the possibility that he simply walked away. Speculation has also surrounded the argument that reportedly occurred before he left home, but many of those claims remain unverified. More than a year later, Duncan’s family is still searching for answers, hoping someone remembers seeing a man walking along Highway 72 on that bitterly cold January morning. Because somewhere between a convenience store and whatever destination Duncan believed he was walking toward, the trail simply ends. If you or anyone you know has information regarding Thomas' whereabouts, please contact the Corinth Police Department at 662-286-3377. Share this episode. Share Duncan’s picture and story. Keep his name in circulation. Click here to check out our new merch! A percentage of all proceeds is donated to Safe Alliance, Charlotte. Connect With Us: • Instagram: @TrueCrimeUnwind • TikTok: @TrueCrimeUnwind • Facebook @TrueCrimeUnwind Support the Show: • Rate & review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify • Share with fellow true crime fans • Tag us while you listen and let us know your theories!
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