Tonight, we’re talking about a crime that rocked the small village of Romeoville, Illinois. It was a quiet Sunday evening in September 2023 when police pulled up to a quaint blue home on Concord Avenue. The neighbourhood was calm and peaceful, but what they found inside was anything but. As officers moved through the dark, quiet house, their flashlights revealed overturned furniture, deceased pets, and something way worse: an entire family had been brutally murdered.

Zoraida Bartolomei, her husband Alberto Rolon, and their two young sons, Adriel and Diego, were all found dead in their own home — executed in cold blood. At first, the police thought it was a targeted home invasion. It certainly appeared so at first glance; their belongings looked like they had been rummaged through, and there was spray paint on the walls. But as they dug deeper, they uncovered a twisted story that no one saw coming — one filled with manipulation, cartel ties, jealousy, and one of the most bizarre catfishing schemes you could imagine.

It’s a case that shocked not just the tight-knit community but the entire country. We’re talking infidelity, paranoia, and way more death than any small town should ever see.

Sources:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/romeoville-murders-catfish-motive_n_670e9236e4b094567cfe6423

https://abc7chicago.com/post/red-flags-led-2023-mass-murder-romeoville-family-planned-nathaniel-huey-jrs-fiance-emalinda-palomo-files-show/15394243/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12543891/nathanial-huey-partner-ermalinda-palomo-romeoville.html

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/police-docs-paint-horrifying-picture-of-what-led-to-shocking-romeoville-quadruple-murder/3565458/

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

On the night of May 12, 2003, 16-year-old Martha Puebla sat outside her home in Sun Valley, California, sharing a quiet moment with a friend. Within minutes, her life was stolen by a gunman who asked for her by name before firing multiple shots and disappearing into the night. What seemed like a cold, calculated execution quickly unravelled into a web of investigative missteps, courtroom drama, and one extraordinary twist of fate.

Join me as we explore the murder of Martha Puebla — a tragic case that led detectives down a winding path of gang retaliation, eyewitness errors, and a young man falsely accused. Juan Catalan was arrested for Martha’s murder, based on shaky testimony and a grainy photo lineup. But just as his case seemed destined for a grim ending, an unlikely piece of evidence surfaced — hidden in the background of a popular TV show being filmed the night of the murder.

This is a story of justice nearly derailed — and the miracle that saved an innocent man from death row.

Sources:

https://www.dailynews.com/2008/07/02/la-gang-member-gets-life-for-killing-teenage-girl/

https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-interrogate2-2008jul02-story.html

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/06/07/face-in-the-crowd

https://studylib.net/doc/18288765/1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

Somewhere the sun shines, somewhere the birds sing the glories of a new dawn. Somewhere … it's Spring again! But HERE … every day is Halloween! Rogue Transmissions, an uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts, presents the Halfway to Halloween Hullabaloo! Your horror host Edward October is scanning the dial for lost broadcasts, campfire tales, and weird nostalgia to bring you a hell-raising halfway to Halloween party that will chase away the springtime blues.

First up: Vintage Halloween games and fortune-telling rituals, the secret of "The Ring Wraith Kid," and ghostly electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) recorded in a haunted apartment. Then: Green glowing footprints (do they belong to a ghost or an alien?), a startling steampunk re-imagining of The Tell-Tale Heart, a haunted pub, and a terrifying true missing persons case. Plus: The Tavern Haunting, and the true account of a haunted cabin in the woods.

Featuring Rogue Transmissions from: Karyn Raynor & Aubree Summers (Chick Lit podcast), Alecia Watson (Twisted & Uncorked and Truly Twisted), Amber & Maddie (Witches Talking Tarot), JT Hosack (Brew Crime), Emma & Becky (Spine Chillers & Serial Killers), Nikki Young (Serial Napper), Jen (Our True Crime Podcast), and Edward October (Octoberpod AM).

Tighten your screams, dust off your shrouds, and bring enough candy to feed a crowd ... because we're throwing a Halfway to Halloween party wild enough to wake the dead on this edition of Rogue Transmissions, the uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts.

The date was September 11th, 2000, in Clearwater, Florida.

Eight-year-old Zachary Bernhardt was asleep in his bedroom when his mother, Leah Hackett, stepped out of their apartment on Drew Street. It was the middle of the night, but Leah said insomnia had gotten the best of her. She went for a walk, maybe a swim in the apartment complex’s pool, hoping the movement and cool water would help her settle her racing thoughts.

She claimed she was only gone 15 minutes. But when she returned just after 4 a.m., her son was gone. No signs of a struggle. No broken windows. Just an empty bed where Zachary should have been.

Clearwater Police launched an immediate and extensive search of the area. Officers scoured the apartment complex, the surrounding woods, and nearby retention ponds. K-9 units, helicopters, volunteers—every available resource was deployed. But they found nothing. No witnesses. No clues. No trace of Zachary.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into years, suspicion quietly began to turn inward. Some investigators believe Leah Hackett knows more than she’s ever disclosed. She's always denied involvement—claimed she’s innocent, and that she, too, wants answers. Since then, she’s moved out of state, avoiding much of the public spotlight.

Zachary’s father? He was never involved in his life—and has never been considered a suspect.

So what really happened that night? Did someone sneak into the apartment while Leah was out? Or is there something in her story that doesn’t quite add up? Over two decades later, there are still no answers. No leads. No closure. Just a little boy who vanished without a trace.

Sources:

https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Zach_Bernhardt?source=post_page-----5c7d19bb7b6f---------------------------------------

https://charleyproject.org/case/zachary-michael-cole-bernhardt

https://websleuths.com/threads/fl-zachary-michael-cole-bernhardt-8-clearwater-11-sept-2000.11639/

https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/missing-in-the-shadows-of-9-11

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/09/28/police-boy-s-mother-knows-more/

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pasco/florida-woman-awaits-answers-23-years-after-her-8-year-old-nephew-disappears-in-clearwater?

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

In this crossover episode, Serial Napper and Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast join forces to dive deep into two of the most haunting and baffling true crime cases in recent memory.

🎙️ Nikki from Serial Napper takes a closer look at the heartbreaking case of Jelani Day, a graduate student whose body was discovered under suspicious circumstances in Illinois. Despite widespread attention, key questions remain unanswered. Who was Jelani, and what really happened to him?

🎙️ Kaydra from Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast investigates the mysterious death of Phoebe Handsjuk, a 24-year-old woman who was found at the bottom of a garbage chute in a luxury Melbourne apartment building. Was it a tragic accident… or something far more sinister?

🧩 Join us as we break down the facts, examine the theories, and ask the tough questions about two cases that continue to confound investigators and devastate families.

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

She was just 14. A soft-spoken girl who loved her cat, sketched her dreams in notebooks, took guitar lessons, and had just begun to explore who she was—experimenting with makeup, thinking about high school, maybe even college. Her name was Emily Pike. She was a daughter. A sister. A beloved member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

And on a quiet night in January 2025, she disappeared.

Emily had been placed in a group home in Mesa, Arizona—a place that was supposed to keep her safe after surviving unthinkable trauma. Instead of healing, Emily finds isolation. She cried to go home. She ran. She broke. And then, she vanished.

Two weeks later, her body was found—stuffed in trash bags, dumped off the side of U.S. Highway 60 near Globe. Like she was nothing. Like her life never mattered. But it did. And it still does.

What happened to Emily Pike is more than a tragedy—it’s a warning. A flashing red light on a system riddled with neglect. A system where vulnerable Indigenous youth too often vanish into silence. Three potential suspects. No arrests. And a family, a tribe, and a nation demanding to know: Who failed Emily? And who killed her?

This episode isn’t just about a murder. It’s about how the system, designed to protect our most vulnerable, didn’t just let Emily fall through the cracks—it threw her to the wolves.

Sources:

https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/what-led-up-to-emily-pikes-placement-in-foster-care?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/arizona/2025/03/29/slain-teen-emily-pike-honored-san-carlos-memorial-service/82697107007/

https://www.wideopencountry.com/mom-speaks-out-after-14-year-old-found-dismembered/

https://www.azfamily.com/2025/03/05/former-roommate-describes-what-happened-before-emily-pikes-mesa-disappearance/

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

In the age of social media and online connections, it's easy to believe that relationships—no matter how far apart—can flourish, even across continents. But for one 19-year-old woman, an online romance with a charming young Englishman would take a dark and tragic turn.

Ashley Wadsworth, a bright, adventurous teen from Vernon, B.C., had spent years building a connection with Jack Sepple, a young man from the U.K. Their relationship had blossomed online. In November of 2021, Ashley left Canada to start a new chapter of her life, meeting Jack in person for the first time. Ashley's journey seemed like the dream of a young woman eager to explore the world, her social media filled with updates of beautiful sights and happy memories.

But behind the photos of Ashley’s bright smile and the excitement of her travels, a darker story was unfolding—a story that would end in heartbreak. Just months after arriving in the U.K., Ashley Wadsworth was dead. Her family and friends, who had followed her journey from afar, would soon learn of a chilling truth about the man she had chosen to trust.

What led to Ashley’s tragic death? Why did no one stop Jack Sepple before it was too late? This is the story of Ashley Wadsworth—a young woman full of promise whose tragic fate was sealed by an online relationship gone horribly wrong.

Sources:

https://macleans.ca/society/online-dating-ashley-wadsworth-abuse-violence/

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-63119427

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/vernon-bc/ashley-wadsworth-10581527

https://globalnews.ca/news/8594921/ashley-wadsworth-death-uk-friend-text/

https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/ashley-wadsworth?CMP=ILC-refresh

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

The date is June 30, 1999. A body is discovered in a cornfield, about 20 miles outside of St. Louis, Missouri. The man, 41-year-old Ricky McCormick, is found dressed in nothing but dirty blue jeans and a stained white T-shirt. His body is badly decomposed, so much so that his cause of death is impossible to determine. At first glance, it seems like another tragic and forgotten death — a man with few means and, likely, mental health struggles. But then, investigators find something that would turn this case on its head.

Two pages of handwritten notes. These aren’t ordinary scribbles, though. The notes are written in an intricate, unbreakable code, something that has baffled both elite codebreakers and amateur sleuths for years. Over 30 lines of cryptic letters, numbers, and symbols, carefully arranged in a pattern that no one can decipher.

It’s believed that the victim, Ricky, had written these notes shortly before his death, but what did they mean? Could these strange symbols hold the key to understanding how Ricky McCormick died — or even why?

Despite his struggles with mental health, run-ins with the law and criminal activities, many believe these notes could be the missing piece to solving his mysterious death.

Sources:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/93674/code-dead-mans-pocket-thats-stumped-fbi-over-15-years

https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/help-solve-an-open-murder-case-part-2

https://allthatsinteresting.com/ricky-mccormick

https://morbidology.com/ricky-mccormick-the-cryptic-notes/

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/code-dead-do-the-encrypted-writings-of-ricky-mccormick-hold-the-key-to-his-mysterious-death-2498959

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *