エピソード

  • The Dry Coat and the Missing Daughter

    The Dry Coat and the Missing Daughter
    2026/07/26
    The Dry Coat and the Missing Daughter

    A perfectly dry coat and polished shoes found hanging in a rain-soaked clearing in Pemberton County, Ohio, hint at a disturbing disappearance. What happened to the woman who vanished, leaving behind only a meticulously staged scene?

    In this episode, we delve into the unsettling discovery that led authorities to a man claiming to be "Henry Aldgate - The Patriarch," a name with no official record. We explore the story of Ruth Lawson, a talented theater designer drawn into a traveling company called the Meridian Players, and the slow, insidious changes that began to erode her identity.

    Date: September 23, 2011
    Location: Pemberton County, Ohio
    Person: Ruth Lawson
    Organization: Meridian Players
    Center: Claremont Behavioral Center

    - Sheriff's deputies found a dry frock coat and polished dress shoes in a clearing after four days of rain.
    - The coat had a name card inside the lapel: HENRY ALDGATE - THE PATRIARCH.
    - The man found sleeping in a van nearby claimed to be Henry Aldgate, but no such person was in Ohio records.
    - Ruth Lawson, 23, joined the Meridian Players in the fall of 2009.
    - Charles York, the company's leader, had a 1993 patient file under the name Charles Yardley, noting "history of identity fabrication."

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    27 分
  • The 42 Empty Plates: Who Vanished From Pine Notch?

    The 42 Empty Plates: Who Vanished From Pine Notch?
    2026/07/25
    The 42 Empty Plates: Who Vanished From Pine Notch?

    Imagine 42 plates of untouched food, glasses of cold orange juice, and chairs pushed back, not knocked over-all found in an empty compound where 42 people had been living in silence. What terrifying event could make an entire community vanish without a trace?

    In this episode, we uncover the unsettling discovery made by a utility lineman on Dunmore Creek Road and the chilling details of the Renewal Covenant Assembly of Sycamore County. We explore the story of Shannon Farrell, a woman seeking solace who joined the community, and the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Hollis, whose absence from the Assembly's meticulous records raised alarming questions.

    Date: August 7, 2011
    Location: Dunmore Creek Road, Sycamore County
    Event: Discovery of an empty residential compound
    Number of Missing Persons: 42
    Organization: Renewal Covenant Assembly of Sycamore County

    - A utility lineman discovered 42 untouched plates of food and cold orange juice in an empty compound.
    - The Renewal Covenant Assembly of Sycamore County registered as a nonprofit in 2005.
    - Shannon Farrell contributed sixty-eight thousand dollars of her savings to join the Assembly in February 2011.
    - Members' contact with family was rationed to two 10-minute monitored calls per month.
    - Investigators found an entry for "N.H." in the Assembly's ledgers, showing a $62,000 contribution in October 2007, with no exit notation.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    26 分
  • The Birthday Cake for a Child Who Never Existed

    The Birthday Cake for a Child Who Never Existed
    2026/07/24
    The Birthday Cake for a Child Who Never Existed

    An abandoned car on a gravel road, a birthday cake for a child who never existed, and twelve unlit candles in the July heat. What dark secret does this strange scene outside Morrow Falls, Ohio, conceal?

    In this episode, we delve into the unsettling case of Russell Turner, a man who exploited profound grief to manipulate eleven individuals, taking their savings, routines, relationships, and even their homes. We explore how a seemingly innocuous grief support group, Waymark, transformed into something far more sinister.

    Case: Russell Turner
    Location: Morrow Falls, Ohio
    Date: July 22, 2014
    Source: Court records, Harwick Courier, former Waymark member Marcia Long
    Topic: Grief exploitation

    - Paul Petersen found the birthday cake for "Diane" at 6:15 AM during his run.
    - Russell Turner was found in a motel room twelve miles east of Morrow Falls.
    - Eleven people had given everything to Turner by July 22, 2014.
    - Marcia Long, a dental hygienist, joined Waymark after her mother died of pancreatic cancer in 2012.
    - Turner's booklet, "The Work of Remaining," contained at least seven paragraphs lifted from Dr. Patricia Huang's pamphlet.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    26 分
  • The Untouched Table: Forty-Three Plates, No One There

    The Untouched Table: Forty-Three Plates, No One There
    2026/07/24
    The Untouched Table: Forty-Three Plates, No One There

    Imagine discovering a meticulously set table for forty-three people, every chair pushed in, every plate laden with food, yet utterly devoid of human presence. This unsettling scene was found by a utility worker in a remote Oregon meadow, sparking a mystery that forensic investigators could not solve. What chilling secret did this untouched table conceal about the group that once inhabited the property?

    In this episode, we delve into the peculiar discovery of a fully set table and trace its connection to the Eighth Day Covenant Foundation, a seemingly innocuous nonprofit. We explore the foundation's origins, its charismatic leader Wade Erickson, and the individuals drawn into its orbit, including Sandra Bailey and Beverly Ochsner. The narrative uncovers the slow unraveling of a community built on a vision of impending collapse, culminating in a critical discovery that challenged everything its members believed.

    Date: June 19, 2012
    Location: Fenwick Road, 11 miles east of Gable, Oregon
    Person: Debra Richardson
    Organization: Eighth Day Covenant Foundation
    Leader: Wade Erickson

    - Debra Richardson discovered a table set for 43 people with untouched food.
    - The Eighth Day Covenant Foundation was registered as an Oregon nonprofit in 2003.
    - Wade Erickson's lease for the 63-acre property was dated January 2003.
    - Sandra Bailey paid a $4,000 "voluntary stewardship deposit" to join the Foundation in October 2007.
    - Beverly Ochsner found a lease document dated January 2003, contradicting Erickson's story of a vision in spring 2003.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    24 分
  • The Mason Jar: Forty-One People Vanished

    The Mason Jar: Forty-One People Vanished
    2026/07/24
    The Mason Jar: Forty-One People Vanished

    Imagine discovering a sealed mason jar on a concrete floor, the only trace left after forty-one people vanished without a trace from a closed community. This chilling discovery, six miles north of Harwick, Indiana, contained roughly three hundred dollars in cash, a photograph, and an unsigned deed to forty acres of land. What secrets did this jar hold about the disappearance of an entire group?

    In this episode, we explore the events leading up to the morning of May 11, 2019, when Alice Griffin found an abandoned compound instead of a food pantry. We delve into how a persuasive stranger meticulously dismantled a woman's life and assembled a closed community, and what happened when one person noticed before it was too late.

    Date: May 11, 2019
    Location: Harwick, Indiana
    Person: Alice Griffin
    Item: Mason jar
    Contents of jar: Cash, photograph, unsigned deed

    - Alice Griffin found 41 people gone without a trace.
    - The mason jar contained approximately $300 in cash.
    - The deed inside the jar was for 40 acres of land.
    - Terry Chambers was enrolled in a business management certificate program during the weeks he claimed to be in the wilderness.
    - Monica Hall inherited Creston Gardens after her father's death in 2012.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    26 分
  • The Stillbrook Institute: Where Leaving Wasn't an Option

    The Stillbrook Institute: Where Leaving Wasn't an Option
    2026/07/24
    The Stillbrook Institute: Where Leaving Wasn't an Option

    A laminated badge, found three miles from the nearest road on a remote trail, led investigators to unravel a hidden operation. What happened inside the Stillbrook Restoration Institute's forty-six acres, and why was leaving not an option for its residents?

    In this episode, we explore the story of Monica Fitzgerald, a dental office coordinator who sought a fresh start at the Stillbrook Restoration Institute, a residential wellness program. We uncover the dual set of rules that governed the institute and the escalating tactics used to prevent residents from leaving.

    Person: Monica Fitzgerald
    Date: April 14, 2019
    Location: Cutter Ridge trail
    Organization: Stillbrook Restoration Institute
    Director: Todd Morris

    - Rachel McCarthy found a laminated badge with Monica Fitzgerald's name on it.
    - The Stillbrook Restoration Institute was located on 46 acres, a former summer camp southeast of Harmon.
    - Residents were asked to leave their phones at home upon arrival at Stillbrook.
    - The "Deepening Commitment Agreement" required 60 additional days for $12,000.
    - Stillbrook Restoration Partners, LLC routed approximately $400,000 to Todd Morris's personal account in 18 months.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    26 分
  • The Annotated Script: How a Cult Stole a Man's Life

    The Annotated Script: How a Cult Stole a Man's Life
    2026/07/24
    The Annotated Script: How a Cult Stole a Man's Life

    A fisherman found a hospital badge 61 miles from its owner, a man missing for 11 days. The badge belonged to Warren Boyd, a dietary services supervisor, and its discovery in a remote tributary was the first clue in a story that began not with a crime, but with a flyer. How did a methodical, skeptical man come to give away nearly everything he owned to a cult?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of Warren Boyd, a man who walked away from his life, his savings, and his identity over two years, losing $41,000 to a group called the Covenant of the Present Hour. We explore how a seemingly ordinary man became entangled in a cult and the hidden past of its leader, Curtis Snyder.

    Person: Warren Boyd
    Date: March 9, 2019
    Location: Lassiter Fork, Cookeville, Tennessee
    Organization: Covenant of the Present Hour
    Amount: $41,000

    - Ronald Whitaker found Warren Boyd's hospital badge in Lassiter Fork.
    - Warren Boyd was found 13 days later in a budget motel room in Crossville.
    - Boyd had worked at Dellwood Regional Medical Center for 14 years.
    - He had been making the same 2.4-mile round trip walk for nine consecutive years.
    - Curtis Snyder, the group leader, had a civil fraud complaint filed against him in 2015 by Joyce Mercer.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分
  • The Daisy Piggy Bank: How a Cult Stole Everything

    The Daisy Piggy Bank: How a Cult Stole Everything
    2026/07/24
    The Daisy Piggy Bank: How a Cult Stole Everything

    Imagine finding a ceramic piggy bank, painted with a single daisy, balanced perfectly on a survey stake in a frozen field with no footprints around it. This strange discovery was the first clue to a chilling story of a cult that operated in Kellerton Township, where ordinary people lost their paychecks and contact with loved ones. What secrets did this innocent object hold about the Clarity Path Institute?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of the Clarity Path Institute, an intentional community that operated for roughly eighteen months. We explore how its founder, Connie Porter, used language, scheduling, and a non-existent credential to build a system that led people to give up their lives and finances.

    Person: Connie Porter
    Location: Kellerton Township
    Period: 2009-2010
    Event: Discovery of a ceramic piggy bank

    - A ceramic piggy bank, white with a single daisy, was found on a survey stake in Kellerton Township.
    - The Clarity Path Institute operated for approximately eighteen months.
    - Connie Porter opened a storefront on Aldine Street in Kellerton in the spring of 2009.
    - By February 2010, fourteen adults were living in a house purchased by the institute.
    - Morning meetings at the institute started daily at 5:30 AM.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    29 分