Before she was a headline, Linda Madison was an 18-year-old senior at Davis High School in Yakima, Washington. She was thoughtful, quiet, and kind. She had dreams—and a secret she hadn’t shared with many.

In this episode of The D-Lo Show, we pause to remember the young woman at the center of this tragic story. Linda was more than a victim. She was a daughter, a friend, and a teenager trying to navigate the pressures of life, relationships, and an unexpected pregnancy in 1975.

Host Ryan “D-Lo” DeLozier walks us through Linda’s final days, the night of her death, and how quickly the focus shifted away from her and toward the boy with the gun. This episode is about reclaiming her story.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, domestic violence, pregnancy, and gun violence. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text 988 or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788.

February 5, 1975. Yakima, Washington.

18-year-old Linda Lee Madison is found dead in bed with a gunshot wound to the head. Within hours, her ex-boyfriend, 19-year-old Joseph Brooks, is in custody — first telling police he killed her, then claiming she took her own life.

In this first episode of The D-Lo Show, we begin Season One: The Murder of Linda Lee Madison. Host Ryan DeLozier revisits the events of that morning, the immediate aftermath, and the early theories surrounding Linda’s tragic death.

Was it suicide, as Brooks would later claim? Or a calculated act of violence?

We examine physical evidence, conflicting testimonies, and what they reveal about the case — and what they don’t.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide, domestic violence, and gun violence. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text 988 or reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788.

Welcome to The D-Lo Show. I’m Ryan DeLozier — teacher, coach, husband, and true crime enthusiast. I’ve listened to hundreds of podcasts, and now I’m launching my own. In this trailer, I share what inspired me to create The D-Lo Show and what you can expect in Season One: The Murder of Linda Lee Madison — a gripping true story from 1975 Yakima, Washington.

This isn’t a political podcast. It’s a human one — about real stories, real people, and the echoes they leave behind. If you're into true crime, community memory, and longform storytelling, you're in the right place.

Follow the show now and get ready for a season that dives deep into a story that still haunts a small town nearly 50 years later.

Coming soon to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and more.