In early 2025, 34-year-old transgender man Sam Nordquist disappeared from upstate New York. For weeks, family and friends searched desperately. Suspects close to Sam denied involvement and told investigators they had no idea where he was. But prosecutors now say that while those lies spread, Sam was being held captive, tortured, and brutalized until his death.

By March, a grand jury indicted seven people on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and hate crimes. Court documents describe a prolonged ordeal and multiple suspects pointing fingers at each other while denying responsibility. The case has shocked the LGBTQ+ community and raised questions about hate-driven violence, complicity, and the lies that prolonged Sam’s suffering.

In 2019, Lori Vallow told everyone her children, JJ and Tylee, were “safe.” Her new husband, doomsday author Chad Daybell, preached apocalyptic prophecies of light and dark spirits. But behind their confident smiles and spiritual claims lay a terrifying truth.

JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan were missing for months, while Lori and Chad evaded questions, married in Hawaii, and reassured worried friends and investigators. Lori’s husband, Charles Vallow, was dead. Chad’s wife, Tammy Daybell, had died suddenly. And Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, who played a mysterious role in all of it, was also gone.

The trail of lies collapsed in June 2020 when police discovered the children’s remains buried in Chad Daybell’s backyard in Rexburg, Idaho.

In this episode, Daniel and Claire take listeners through the chilling timeline of the “Doomsday Mom” and her husband: from religious obsession and false visions, to multiple suspicious deaths, to the devastating betrayal of two innocent children. They examine the cult-like grip of Chad’s teachings, Lori’s escalating deceptions, and the ultimate question: when did the lies begin?

On the night of November 8, 2010, Jennifer Pan made a frantic 911 call claiming masked intruders had broken into her family home, tied her up, and shot her parents. Her mother, Bich Ha, was killed. Her father, Huei Hann, was critically injured but survived. Jennifer appeared to be the sole victim who escaped unharmed.

But as investigators dug deeper, her story began to unravel. Cell phone records didn’t match her claims. Her statements contradicted physical evidence. And then came the revelation: the “home invasion” had been staged. Jennifer Pan had orchestrated the attack with her boyfriend Daniel Wong, after years of deception about her school, jobs, and secret double life.

In this episode, Daniel and Claire break down the timeline of Jennifer Pan’s life and lies — from forged report cards and fake diplomas to the staged crime that shocked Canada. They explore the cultural pressures of “tiger parenting,” the elaborate performance Jennifer sustained for nearly a decade, and how investigators pieced together the truth.

When did the lies begin? With a high school report card? With a secret romance? Or with the phone call that was supposed to make her look like a victim?