In this episode, Abby covers the murder of Betsy Faria. On December 27, 2011, Betsy returned to her Troy, Missouri, home after a chemotherapy appointment. That night, her husband, Russ, found her murdered in their living room.

Betsy had been facing cancer with people around her who were supposed to offer love and support. One of those people was her friend Pam Hupp, who had driven her home that evening. And if you think you know where this story is going, wait until you hear what Pam has to say.

What happened to Betsy—and how did the search for answers turn into a case so bizarre it became a television series?

Before the case, we’re choosing our death row meals, and we have a logistical question: whose job is it to actually procure these meals? Does someone get handed a shopping list? If you know, let us know in the comments. And shoutout to Uchi in Charlotte for making the cut in our final-meal selections: @uchirestaurants!

Story starts: 9:30

Want to watch the dramatization after listening? The Thing About Pam, starring Renée Zellweger, is currently available to purchase in the U.S. through Apple TV and Fandango at Home. Find current viewing options here.

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Sources:

• Katie Shepherd, The Washington Post: An Innocent Man Spent Years in Prison for His Wife’s Murder. Now Prosecutors Say Her Close Friend Framed Him.
• Missouri Court of Appeals: Day v. Hupp, 528 S.W.3d 400
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri: Faria v. McCarrick, Case No. 4:16-cv-01175-JAR
• St. Louis Magazine: The Unimaginable, Infamous Case of Pam Hupp
• LegalClarity: Pam Hupp: Convictions, Charges, and What’s Next
• LegalClarity: Pam Hupp Neck Wounds: Murders, Self-Harm, and Trial

In this episode, Ally covers the murder of Anthony “Nino” Puglisi and the abduction of his wife, Debra Puglisi Sharp. On April 20, 1998, Debra was planting roses outside their Newark, Delaware, home when Nino arrived home from work and went inside. When Debra followed him a short time later, an ordinary spring afternoon became the beginning of a nightmare.

Over the next 101 hours, Debra’s family and investigators struggled to understand what had happened while she fought to stay alive. With no idea whether anyone would find her—or what the man holding her planned to do—every decision she made mattered.

What happened inside the Puglisi home, where was Debra taken, and how did she survive five terrifying days in captivity?

Before the case, we’re talking about the death of Hayden Panettiere, her history with addiction, and how an overdose can create ripple effects through families, relationships, workplaces, and entire communities. We also revisit Cory Monteith’s death, the lasting effect it had on Lea Michele and the people around him, and the tragedies associated with what fans have called the “Glee curse.”

Story starts: 7:59

Debra tells the complete story of her captivity, Nino’s murder, and her life after the crime in her memoir, Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence. Learn more and purchase Debra’s book here.

We’re so happy you’re here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

Instagram: @probationbehavior

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Sources:

• I Survived: "I Couldn't Understand What Was Bringing My Neighbor To Do This To Me”
• Debra Puglisi Sharp: Shattered: Reclaiming a Life Torn Apart by Violence
• CNN Transcript: Interview With Debra Puglisi Sharp
• The Review: Local Author Celebrates Survival
• The Washington Post: 5 Days of Terror, Then Freedom
• Delaware Superior Court: State v. Flagg
• Delaware Superior Court: Nationwide Insurance Co. v. Flagg

In this episode, Abby covers the disappearance and murder of Skylar Neese, a 16-year-old from Star City, West Virginia, who slipped out of her bedroom after midnight on July 6, 2012, and climbed into a waiting car. Skylar left behind the things she would have needed if she planned to stay away, making it clear to her parents that she intended to come home.

What followed was a months-long search shaped by surveillance footage, conflicting stories, social media posts, and the growing feeling that someone close to Skylar knew more than they were saying. What happened after she got into that car, and how long could the truth stay hidden?

Before the case, we’re talking about hickies, mosquito season, and how Ally somehow gave herself a quarter-sized bruise on her own face. Abby brings a major airport and airplane grievance to the table, while Ally has a complaint for anyone committing one particular crime against the English language. Bruises, bugs, baggage, and bad grammar—we’re covering it all.

Story starts: 14:53

At the end of the episode, we also mention Lexi Weinbaum, who has shared her experience surviving a similar violent incident. You can hear more of her story on Lexi’s TikTok.

We’re so happy you’re here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

Instagram: @probationbehavior

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Sources:

• ABC News: Best Friends, Killers: Teens Murder Friend Because They “Didn’t Like Her”
• ABC News: Teenage Killers’ Eerie Tweets After Stabbing Friend to Death
• TIME: The Heartbreaking True Story Behind Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese
• PEOPLE: Where Are Skylar Neese’s Killers Now?
• Hulu: Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese
• Disney+: Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese
• Apple TV: Friends Like These: The Murder of Skylar Neese
• Skylar Neese Murder

And since you made it all the way down here: a quick shout-out to Ally’s cousin. You can check out his YouTube channel here.

In this episode, Ally covers the disappearance of Dr. George Parkman, a wealthy Boston physician and businessman who was last seen entering Harvard Medical College in November 1849. As the search spread across Boston, investigators kept returning to the building where Parkman had vanished—but their reluctance to thoroughly search the prestigious school left one man increasingly suspicious. What he eventually uncovered would lead to one of the most sensational murder trials of the nineteenth century and change American courtrooms for generations.

Before the case, we talk about our lake day beef with a jet ski gang of literal children. Keep your eyes open, people!

Story starts: 9:48

We’re so happy you’re here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

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Sources:

• George Bemis: Report of the Case of John W. Webster (1850)
• Commonwealth v. Russell, 470 Mass. 464 (2015)
• PBS American Experience: Murder at Harvard
• Massachusetts Historical Society: The Parkman Murder—Evidence at the MHS
• The West End Museum: George Parkman
• Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center: Course of Cholera in Boston in 1849

In this episode, Abby covers the mysterious disappearance of George Smith IV, a 26-year-old newlywed who vanished from Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas during his Mediterranean honeymoon in July 2005. A suspicious stain beneath the couple’s balcony, conflicting accounts of George’s final hours, and questions about the people last seen with him have fueled years of speculation over whether his disappearance was a tragic accident or something more sinister.

Before we get into the case, we talk about Abby getting engaged and designating Ally as her flower girl, the continued injustice of dealing with acne as adults, and Ally’s latest TV obsession, Hacks—which has officially made her list of the top 10 shows of all time. At this point, Ally’s TV obsession of the week should probably be its own segment. Abby also discusses her love for Married at First Sight.

Story starts: 10:45

We’re so happy you’re here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

Instagram: @probationbehavior

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Sources:

• CBS News/48 Hours: Murder at Sea? The Disappearance of George Smith
• CBS News: Was a Connecticut Man Who Disappeared During His Honeymoon Cruise Murdered at Sea?
• ABC News: Honeymoon From Hell—Husband Vanishes at Sea
• ABC News: New Details in Case of Honeymooner Lost at Sea
• CNN: Mystery at Sea—George Smith Disappearance Transcript
• U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation: Cruise Ship Safety—Examining Potential Steps for Keeping Americans Safe at Sea
• Fox News: Where Is George Smith?

In this episode, Ally covers the murder of Emma Caldwell, a 27-year-old woman whose 2005 killing in Scotland went unsolved for nearly two decades. As Emma’s family pushed for answers, the accounts of women who had reported violence and a journalist’s investigation helped expose serious failures in the original case and ultimately bring long-awaited justice.

Before we get into the case, we discuss the surprisingly high-maintenance business of looking “naturally beautiful”: Abby’s week-old tattoo regret, lip blushing, and Ally’s esthetician appointment featuring a pet bird flying around the office. The patriarchy, as always, is expensive.

Story starts: 13:40

We’re so happy you’re here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

Instagram: @probationbehavior

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Sources:

• Judiciary of Scotland: HMA v Iain Packer Sentencing Statement
• Police Scotland: Iain Packer Convicted of Murdering Emma Caldwell
• The Emma Caldwell Inquiry
• The Emma Caldwell Inquiry: Inquiry Background
• Scottish Government: Public Inquiry Into Emma Caldwell Case
• BBC Radio Scotland: Who Killed Emma?
• The Guardian: Why Did It Take So Long to Convict Iain Packer of Emma Caldwell’s Murder?

In this episode, Ally and Abby both cover the deaths of Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy, and the trial of their mother, Lindsay Clancy, as it stands this week. Cora was 5, Dawson was 3, and Callan was 8 months old when they died in their Duxbury, Massachusetts home on January 24, 2023. Lindsay, a labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. Her attorneys do not dispute that she killed her children. What they dispute is whether she was criminally responsible, and whether postpartum psychosis is the reason.

Ally covers who this family was and the five months that came first: the postpartum collapse after Callan's birth, nine psychiatric medications from prescribers who were not sharing records, the crisis line calls that went nowhere, five days at McLean Hospital, and then January 24 minute by minute. Abby covers the charges, the trial as it stands this week, the prosecution's case against the defense's, and what postpartum psychosis actually is and isn't. We also get into the theories, controversial opinions, and misinformation circling the internet right now. Recorded Monday, August 10, 2026, with updates recorded Wednesday, August 12. The trial is ongoing.

Before we get into the case, we discuss our new podcasting room, end-of-life planning in our late twenties, how uncomfortable death can be, how differently everyone grieves, and picking out the perfect outfit to be buried in.

Story starts: 8:25

Resources: National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, call or text 1-833-943-5746. Postpartum Support International, 1-800-944-4773. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988. Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency. If someone you love seems off after having a baby, it is always okay to ask for help.

We're so happy you're here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

Instagram: @probationbehavior

Join our Patreon

Email: probationbehavior@gmail.com

Case request form: Submit a case request

Sources:

• Plymouth County DA: Arraignment and Charges
• Boston Globe: Timeline of January 24, 2023
• AP: Patrick Clancy Testifies
• Boston Globe: Lindsay Clancy's Journal Entries
• ABC News: Psychiatrist Lacked Complete Medical Record
• Boston 25 News: Live Trial Coverage
• LA Magazine: The Malpractice Lawsuit
• AP: What to Know About Postpartum Psychosis

In this episode, Abby covers the disappearance of Brian Shaffer, a 27-year-old medical student who vanished during a night out in Columbus, Ohio, on April 1, 2006. Despite surveillance footage, an extensive investigation, and years of continued attention, no confirmed trace of Brian has ever been found.

Before we get into the case, we discuss The Handmaid’s Tale, binge-watching TV, and the shows that completely take over your life.

Story starts: 6:36

We’re so happy you’re here. Follow along, share your thoughts, send us case suggestions, or submit a case request:

Instagram: @probationbehavior

Join our Patreon

Email: probationbehavior@gmail.com

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Sources:

• FBI ViCAP: Brian Randall Shaffer Missing Person Page
• Columbus Division of Police / Solve the Case: Brian Shaffer
• Ohio Attorney General: Age-Progression Image Released in Brian Shaffer Case
• People: Revisiting the Brian Shaffer Disappearance
• The Ohio Project: The Disappearance of Brian Shaffer
• Wikipedia: Disappearance of Brian Shaffer