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  • The Choir That Stole Their Lives, One Secret At A Time

    The Choir That Stole Their Lives, One Secret At A Time
    2026/08/07
    The Choir That Stole Their Lives, One Secret At A Time

    A fourteen-year-old girl's discovery of a vacant building and a burgundy choir robe leads to the unsettling truth of a group that vanished as quietly as it formed. What dark secrets did the Belknap Chorus hold, and why did its members disappear without a trace?

    In this episode, we delve into the mysterious dissolution of a choral group, tracing its origins from a handwritten flyer in Creighton, Ohio, to its eventual disappearance. We explore the charismatic leader, the intimate "score sessions," and the financial discrepancies that hinted at a deeper, more sinister narrative.

    Person: Marie Wilson
    Date: March 2019
    Location: Dellwood Terrace
    Group: The Belknap Chorus
    Leader: John Erickson

    - Marie Wilson, 14, found a side door open at 412 Belknap Street in March 2019.
    - The Belknap Chorus had 18 members by January 2017.
    - Ryan Powell, a 47-year-old former music teacher, missed his weekly call with his son for the first time in nearly a decade in January 2017.
    - Accountant Tom Archer discovered over $6,600 unaccounted for in the group's finances by early spring 2017.
    - The back-door combination to the Belknap Street house was 1983.

    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.
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    26 分
  • The Jar in the Ditch: A Tooth, A Cult, A Lie

    The Jar in the Ditch: A Tooth, A Cult, A Lie
    2026/08/06
    The Jar in the Ditch: A Tooth, A Cult, A Lie

    A human tooth, root intact, suspended in a jar labeled "SUBJECT FOURTEEN / PURGE COMPLETE / SEPTEMBER" was found in a ditch by a county worker. This chilling discovery hints at a deeper, more sinister operation involving a cult leader with fabricated credentials. What dark secrets did this jar hold?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of Rebecca Novak, a woman seeking answers for her undiagnosed autoimmune issues, who found herself drawn into the orbit of Dr. Leon Rice, a self-proclaimed expert in integrative metabolic therapy. We explore the deceptive practices of Rice, whose entire persona was built on lies, and the journey of Rebecca's friend, Paula Ingram, to rescue her from a dangerous cult.

    Person: Earl Bennett
    Date: September 3
    Location: Fenwick Hollow Road
    Object: Glass jar with a human tooth
    Cult Leader: Dr. Leon Rice

    - Earl Bennett, a county grader operator, found a sealed glass jar containing a human tooth in a ditch.
    - Rebecca Novak, 31, was drawn to a free wellness seminar by Dr. Leon Rice, seeking a diagnosis for her autoimmune markers.
    - Dr. Leon Rice, 54, claimed to be a cancer survivor and developed his own recovery protocol, but held no medical or dental licenses.
    - Investigators found no record of Rice's claimed cancer diagnosis or his integrative medicine board certification.
    - Rebecca's letters to her friend Paula Ingram showed a shift in language, eventually signing off as "Subject Fourteen."

    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.
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    21 分
  • Twenty-Two Warm Mugs: The Cult Nobody Saw Coming

    Twenty-Two Warm Mugs: The Cult Nobody Saw Coming
    2026/08/05
    Twenty-Two Warm Mugs: The Cult Nobody Saw Coming

    Imagine a locked, powerless building where a utility lineman finds twenty-two warm mugs arranged in a perfect ring, with no visible heat source. This chilling discovery launched an eight-month investigation into a hidden cult that operated right under everyone's noses. How did a simple study circle transform into a group where members willingly sacrificed sleep and money, believing they were finding structure, not pressure?

    In this episode, we uncover the origins of the Third Shift Covenant, from its beginnings as a casual gathering of overnight shift workers to its evolution into a secretive cult. We explore the lives of Janet Foster and Peggy Vickers, the key figures whose interactions shaped the group, and examine the subtle methods used to draw members deeper into its practices.

    Date: August 14, 2009
    Location: Delcourt plant property
    Investigator: Ryan Hoffman
    Cult Name: Third Shift Covenant
    Investigation Duration: Eight months

    - On August 14, 2009, Ryan Hoffman discovered twenty-two warm ceramic mugs in a decommissioned transformer housing.
    - The building had been dark for eleven days, with no power or heat source.
    - The investigation into the Third Shift Covenant spanned eight months and reached back thirteen years.
    - A common fund associated with the cult received forty-one thousand dollars from members.
    - The Third Shift Covenant grew from eight members to twenty-two by spring of 2008.

    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.
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    21 分
  • The Dry Manuscript: A Cult's Perfect Trap

    The Dry Manuscript: A Cult's Perfect Trap
    2026/08/04
    The Dry Manuscript: A Cult's Perfect Trap

    Imagine a manuscript, four hundred pages long, found bone dry beneath an eighteen-inch silt line where a creek had crested two feet high just three days earlier. How could a cult's perfect trap begin with something so impossible?

    In this episode, we uncover the mysterious discovery of a dry manuscript that leads to a missing person's case, revealing a meticulously constructed literary collective designed to ensnare aspiring writers. We explore the subtle descent into control and isolation, and the chilling question of how easily a dream can become a cage.

    Person: Megan Donnelly, Harvey Olson, William Baker, Pam
    Date: July 14, 2019 (manuscript found), September 2016 (Megan joined Vellum Editions), February 2018 (Megan moved in)
    Location: Sutter Creek, Dunnmore, Aldrich Street, Brackett Falls
    Status: Missing person (initially)
    Topic: Cults, literary collectives, psychological manipulation

    - Harvey Olson found a four-hundred-page manuscript, completely dry, four inches below an eighteen-inch silt line.
    - Megan Donnelly, 37, was an assistant editor with a literature degree, working on a novel.
    - William Baker, 53, founded Vellum Editions, a residential literary collective, after a previous venture called Quill and Standard.
    - Members paid $650 per month and could make publication investment grants from $5,000 to $22,000.
    - By March 2018, Megan was asking Baker's permission to read a used novel.

    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.
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    26 分
  • The Birthday Cake Found Above a Buried Cult

    The Birthday Cake Found Above a Buried Cult
    2026/08/03
    The Birthday Cake Found Above a Buried Cult

    Imagine finding a fresh birthday cake with a single burned candle beside a padlocked steel hatch in the ground on an unoccupied property. This bizarre discovery in rural Tennessee led investigators to uncover a hidden underground shelter and a man whose authority over a group of ordinary people was built on a lie. What secrets were buried beneath that hatch?

    In this episode, we delve into the unsettling story of the Creston Preparedness Club, a group drawn in by promises of emergency readiness and community resilience, only to find themselves under the control of a charismatic leader. We explore the meticulous deception that led to their nine-month confinement and the unexpected detail that ultimately brought their ordeal to light.

    Person: Heather Ford
    Date: June 2019
    Location: Dellwick Township, Tennessee
    Group: Creston Preparedness Club
    Leader: David Cole

    - A utility meter reader discovered a pink and white birthday cake with the name Gail on an unoccupied property.
    - The property's water consumption was 460 gallons above the seasonal baseline for an empty lot.
    - Investigators found six sleeping quarters, a common room, a propane kitchen, and a well-pump water tank underground.
    - Eight people had been living in the underground shelter for over nine months.
    - Gail Hunter contributed $4,000 to the group's land trust fund and 46 weekends of labor.

    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.
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    24 分
  • The Root Keeper: He Stole Their Lineage, Not Just Their Money

    The Root Keeper: He Stole Their Lineage, Not Just Their Money
    2026/08/02
    The Root Keeper: He Stole Their Lineage, Not Just Their Money

    Imagine discovering 112 meticulously hand-drawn family trees, each converging on the same name: MELVIN WALSH / Root Keeper. These aren't just genealogical records; they are the visible remnants of a scheme that cost Ohio families their savings, their documents, and their very sense of origin. How did one man manage to steal not just their money, but their lineage?

    In this episode, we uncover the documented account of the Lineal Society of the Western Covenant, from its rise to its collapse, and the profound cost to those who trusted it. We explore the story of Frances Keller, a careful and organized dental hygienist who, after a personal loss, found herself drawn into Walsh's world, seeking connection to something older than herself.

    Person: Melvin Walsh
    Organization: Lineal Society of the Western Covenant
    Location: Crestfield, Ohio
    Victim: Frances Keller
    Period: At least eleven years

    - Melvin Walsh claimed to have spent thirty years assembling source documents for ancestral patterns.
    - Hartwick College confirmed in 2019 that Melvin Walsh was never employed there.
    - Frances Keller paid an initial fee of three hundred dollars for "archival access."
    - Walsh introduced an "archival fund" in January 2018, asking members to redirect Social Security survivor's benefits.
    - Connie Marsh, a retired clerk, paid nine thousand dollars for a personalized family history document.

    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.
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    25 分
  • The Cult That Stayed: A Table in the Mud

    The Cult That Stayed: A Table in the Mud
    2026/08/01
    The Cult That Stayed: A Table in the Mud

    Imagine stumbling upon a scene that suggests a meeting is about to begin, only to discover the group hasn't existed for nearly a year. This chilling discovery in Caldwell Flats, Tennessee, hints at a deeper story of a cult that stayed, leaving behind a mysterious table and unanswered questions. What secrets did the Pelham Relief Corps hide?

    In this episode, we uncover the origins of the Pelham Relief Corps, a group founded by Bruce Sharp in a community still reeling from the 2015 flood. We explore how Sharp exploited local anxieties to build a seemingly legitimate disaster preparedness network that quickly evolved into a closed world with its own rules, and the unsettling discovery that brought its hidden history to light.

    Person: Marcia Anderson
    Date: April 23, 2019
    Location: Caldwell Flats, Tennessee
    Organization: Pelham County Relief and Preparedness Corps
    Founder: Bruce Sharp

    - Marcia Anderson found a folding table with seven plastic cups and a laminated roster 40 yards from a trail.
    - Bruce Sharp changed his legal surname from Shaefer to Sharp in 2016, confirmed by a Tennessee DMV record.
    - The Pelham Relief Corps had 31 members within six weeks of its founding.
    - Photographs presented by Sharp as Corps responses to floods were downloaded from a nonprofit 240 miles away.
    - The Corps deployed in August and September 2017, placing sandbags at six properties and assisting with two evacuations.

    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.
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    20 分
  • The Compass Rose: How a Recovery Cult Stole Everything

    The Compass Rose: How a Recovery Cult Stole Everything
    2026/07/31
    The Compass Rose: How a Recovery Cult Stole Everything

    A waterlogged notebook found in a river contained a list of 41 names, 11 circled in red, 3 marked with an X, and dollar amounts from $800 to $11,000, each with a small compass rose drawn beside it. This wasn't a journal, but a preserved record of a recovery program that operated like a cult. What secrets did this notebook hold about the Founders' Steps program?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of Founders' Steps, a residential recovery program run by Warren Hansen, and how a former paralegal, Christine Harrison, played a crucial role in its downfall. The manipulation was methodical, the evidence in plain sight, and the victims had no language to describe what was happening to them.

    Person: Warren Hansen
    Program: Founders' Steps
    Location: Calvert, Pelham County
    Date: March 2019 (notebook found)
    Victim: Christine Harrison

    - A fisherman found a waterlogged notebook in the Cassell River in March 2019.
    - The notebook contained a list of 41 names, with 11 circled in red ink and 3 marked with an X.
    - Dollar amounts ranging from $800 to $11,000 were listed, each with a compass rose symbol.
    - Christine Harrison, 42 days sober, arrived at Founders' Steps in spring 2016.
    - Warren Hansen, 53 years old, presented himself as a certified recovery counselor with 12 years of experience.

    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.
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    23 分