On this episode of Echoes of Elsewhere we dive in to another segment of Beyond the Abandoned to tell the story of Cati Blauvelt, a 22-year-old from Simpsonville, South Carolina, who vanished on October 24, 2016. After midnight on October 26, her friends searched an abandoned farmhouse in the woods and found her body concealed in the basement; she had been stabbed. Suspicion quickly focused on her husband, Army recruiter John Blauvelt, amid a volatile marriage and allegations of domestic violence, he then fled the state with 17-year-old Hannah Thompson. A cross-country manhunt followed, with surveillance and vehicle evidence, Hannah’s later statements that John admitted killing Katie, and years of John living under an alias in Oregon until his 2022 arrest.

For more details and sources used for this episode visit the links below:

911 CALL | Audio Source

NEWS RELEASE | Hannah Thompson

48 HOURS | most extensive coverage on this case

Domestic Violence Support:

RESOURCES IN EACH STATE

TALK TO SOMEONE

Contact Courtney:

urbexechoes@gmail.com

POD SITES + SOCIALS

Host Courtney Autumn introduces writer and urban explorer Stev Hull-Allen, recommended by Blake Pfeil of All American Ruins, for a conversation about why people are drawn to abandoned places beyond photography. Stev recalls first exploring Medfield State Hospital at 13 and discusses the mental health, identity, authenticity, and “elasticity of time” he experiences in ruins, often exploring alone because it feels most authentic and calming. Courtney and Stev connect these pull factors to hardship, moving frequently in childhood, and later-life realizations about ADHD and autism, while reflecting on shared humanity and ordinary traces of lived lives. They critique social media’s clout-driven “urbex,” argue gatekeeping can be conservation, and describe how Steph met and now collaborates with Blake. Steph shares favorite sites, bucket-list interests abroad, music associations, and his Substack, A Field Guide to Briar and Bone, plus an upcoming All American Ruins episode on August 6.

STEV HULL-ALLEN SUBSTACK

STEV'S INSTAGRAM

BLAKE PFEIL'S ALL AMERICAN RUINS PODCAST

ECHOES SITE + SOCIALS

Some abandoned places leave behind more than empty buildings.

For years, Carolina Springs Academy promised desperate families hope—a place where struggling teenagers could find discipline, healing, and a second chance. But behind those promises, many former students describe a vastly different reality.

In this special documentary episode of Echoes of Elsewhere, Courtney explores the history of Carolina Springs Academy, its ties to the troubled teen industry and WWASP, survivor testimony, lawsuits, investigations, repeated rebrandings, and the lasting impact these programs have had on countless families.

This episode also examines the broader conversation surrounding institutional accountability, modern-day programs like Trails Carolina and Asheville Academy, and why these stories continue to matter today.

At its heart, this isn't simply the story of an abandoned school.

It's the story of abandoned youth.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of child abuse, institutional abuse, physical and emotional abuse, sexual abuse allegations, suicide, animal neglect, death, trauma, and mental health that may be distressing to some listeners.

WWASP SURVIVOR PAGE

UNSILENCED

PARIS HILTON - PROVO CANYON SCHOOL

KATHERINE KUBLER - THE PROGRAM - NETFLIX

TREY BINDER YOUTUBE - PROGRAM STORIES

TRAILS CAROLINA + ASHEVILLE ACADEMY INFO

In this episode of "Echoes of Elsewhere," we get to know Morgan (_explore_mor), an urban explorer, photographer, and self-portrait artist who returned to exploring in 2024 after starting as a teen. We discuss how urbex tends to shift from rebellious thrills to an adult perspective that supports mental health, creativity, and appreciation of history. Morgan shares her formative locations, differences exploring the South and favorite types of abandoned sites. She recounts a standout explore at a fashion designer’s mansion with an eerie backstory, plus experiences with the usual things we encounter while exploring the abandoned. We also discuss exploring alone, entry risks, gatekeeping and pin-sharing, safety advice for female explorers, and how self-portraits became an extension of identity and self-love.

_EXPLORE_MOR INSTAGRAM

ECHOES SITE + SOCIALS

Host Courtney Autumn returns to Echoes of Elsewhere’s “Beyond the Abandoned” segment to examine a disturbing discovery in Walterboro, South Carolina: officers entering a forgotten abandoned building found a suitcase containing a body. The investigation moved from unidentified remains to the confirmed identity of 32-year-old local woman Victoria Jean Beach, and what began as a missing persons case became a murder investigation. Beach was reported missing on April 10, 2024.. the same day her remains were discovered.. yet investigators indicated she likely had been deceased for two to four weeks, highlighting a troubling gap between official reporting and biological time. With limited public details, no official cause of death released, and speculation of possible gang-related motives, the case remains under investigation as the episode emphasizes Victoria’s life, family, and the ongoing need for answers.

VICTORIA BEACH NEWS

ECHOES SITE, SOCIALS + CONTACT

Abandoned places sit in a strange limbo.. physically there, yet socially ignored, making them easy hiding spots for things people don’t want discovered. This episode follows a setup familiar to the urban exploration community: a supposedly haunted house, a group of curious adventurers, and a routine exploration that suddenly takes a dark turn when a shocking find transforms an ordinary afternoon into a murder investigation. It’s a reminder that the scariest stories tied to abandoned locations often have nothing to do with ghosts.. sometimes the real horror is entirely human. This is the story of Robert Fuller and the mysteries surrounding an abandoned house in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

NEWS ARTICLE | DISCOVERY AT ABANDONED HOUSE

NEWS ARTICLE | FIRE AFTER DISCOVERY AT ABANDONED HOUSE

BLOG | ARTICLE ABOUT THE MYSTERY

POD SITES + SOCIALS

Courtney Autumn welcomes Blake Pfeil, creator of Abandoned: The All American Ruins Podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with urban exploration and expands into memory, grief, curiosity, politics, privilege, and why abandoned spaces can feel like emotional mirrors. They talk about “diplomatic” shit-talking, online backlash and audience filtering, and the importance of speaking up without trying to convert anyone. Blake shares how exploring began at age six in an abandoned Colorado dairy farm that felt like church, returned during the pandemic through The Artist’s Way, and evolved from journaling into a blog and then a highly crafted audio podcast shaped by training and an incubator. They discuss whiteness and safety in urbex, the ephemeral nature of possessions and buildings, burnout and production time, awards that change little, and Blake’s move toward immersive audio theater and radio plays.

All American Ruins Blog

All American Ruins IG

All American Ruins on Apple Pods

ECHOES SITE + SOCIAL

After more than 150 explores and four seasons of conversations, this episode marks a shift.

In this solo reflection, Courtney Autumn explores the deeper meaning of urban exploration. Beyond the thrill, beyond the decay, and beyond the stories we tell about abandoned places.

This is a softer look at urbex: one rooted in memory, grief, perspective, connection, and the quiet ways forgotten spaces teach us how to better understand ourselves.

From the intimacy of what gets left behind to the strange comfort of romanticizing ruin, this episode is about what abandoned places really give us.. and why some of us keep coming back.

ECHOES IG

ECHOES TIKTOK

ECHOES YOUTUBE

ECHOES WEBSITE + MORE