Kat Has Questions: True Crime and Unsolved Mysteries

Kat Chesnut
  • 5.0 (23)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Weekly

Kat Has Questions is a true crime and unsolved mysteries podcast that dives into the real stories that sound made up — from strange history and psychology to unsolved mysteries, true crime, urban legends, and the weird corners of the internet. Thoughtful, funny, and just the right amount of unhinged.

  1. 6d ago

    43 - The Murder of Kelsie Schelling & The Woman Who Dated the Prime Suspect

    In February 2013, 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling drove from Denver to Pueblo, Colorado after learning she was pregnant. She believed she was meeting the father of her unborn child, Donthe Lucas. She never came home. What followed became one of Colorado's most remarkable no-body homicide cases. Investigators reconstructed Kelsie's final hours through surveillance footage, text messages, phone records, ATM transactions, and the movements of her abandoned Chevrolet Cruze. Years passed without answers, while Kelsie's family refused to stop searching and continued fighting for justice. Then the investigation took an extraordinary turn. A woman named Lauren Suhr, who had never met Kelsie, made the unimaginable decision to build a relationship with the man many believed was responsible for her disappearance. Her testimony would later become one piece of a much larger circumstantial case presented to a jury. How do prosecutors convict someone of murder when they can't recover the victim? In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we examine the complete timeline of Kelsie Schelling's disappearance, the investigation, the evidence, the trial, and the conviction of Donthe Lucas—all while separating proven facts from allegations and exploring one of the most unusual investigations we've ever covered. If you enjoy deeply researched true crime documentaries, unsolved mysteries, and long-form investigative storytelling, be sure to follow Kat Has Questions wherever you listen to podcasts. Topics Covered: Kelsie Schelling Donthe Lucas Lauren Suhr Colorado cold cases No-body murder prosecutions Circumstantial evidence Missing persons investigations Pueblo, Colorado True crime documentary Criminal trials ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Schelling, Laura, et al. Federal Civil Complaint, United States District Court for the District of Colorado, 2016. Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Missing Person: Kelsie Schelling. Colorado Court of Appeals. People v. Donthe Isiah Richard Lucas, 2024. ABC News. "Mom Fights to Bring Pregnant Daughter's Killer to Justice Years After Disappearance." ABC News / 20/20. The Disappearance of Kelsie Schelling. ABC7 News. "Kelsie Schelling Story: Missing Woman, Donthe Lucas Trial and Lauren Suhr Interviews." Denver7 News. Coverage of the disappearance of Kelsie Schelling and the trial of Donthe Lucas. KOAA News5. Trial coverage of People v. Donthe Lucas, February–March 2021. The Pueblo Chieftain. Coverage of the disappearance of Kelsie Schelling and subsequent criminal proceedings. The Denver Post. Coverage of the investigation and trial involving Kelsie Schelling. Court filings and publicly available records from Pueblo County District Court, Case No. 17CR2491 (People of the State of Colorado v. Donthe Isiah Richard Lucas). 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

  2. Aug 5

    42 - Illinois Unsolved: The Murder of Holly Cassano | How DNA Solved a 10-Year Illinois Cold Case

    On November 2, 2009, 22-year-old mother Holly Cassano was found murdered inside her home in Mahomet, Illinois. Investigators recovered unusually powerful forensic evidence almost immediately. Holly’s attacker had been injured during the assault, leaving his blood throughout the mobile home. Semen recovered from Holly’s body came from the same unknown man. Police had the killer’s DNA—but there was no match in CODIS and no name to attach to it. Over the next nine years, investigators interviewed witnesses, examined injuries, followed leads and collected DNA from more than 150 men. Every one of them was excluded. Then investigative genetic genealogy pointed detectives toward Michael Henslick. After surveillance, investigators collected DNA from cigarettes he discarded. The laboratory comparison matched the blood and semen preserved from Holly’s murder. In this episode of Illinois Unsolved, we reconstruct Holly’s final night, the discovery of the crime scene, the first people investigators examined, the years spent searching for the unknown DNA contributor, the genealogy breakthrough, Henslick’s five-hour interrogation and the confession that followed. Using sheriff’s investigative records and Illinois court opinions, this episode also examines the forensic evidence presented at trial, Henslick’s changing stories, the mystery-intruder theory rejected by the courts and the natural-life sentence he ultimately received. This is the murder of Holly Cassano—and the evidence that waited nearly nine years for a name.⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Cassano v. Champaign County Coroner records and investigative materials obtained through the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. Illinois Appellate Court. (2022). People v. Henslick, 2022 IL App (4th) 200481. Illinois Appellate Court. (2026). People v. Henslick, 2026 IL App (5th) 231077-U. Champaign County Sheriff's Office. Investigative reports and supplemental case documents obtained through Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana). Contemporary reporting on the Holly Cassano homicide investigation. WCIA-TV. Coverage of the investigation, arrest, trial, and conviction. WAND-TV. Coverage of the Holly Cassano investigation and court proceedings. 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

    42 - Illinois Unsolved: The Murder of Holly Cassano | How DNA Solved a 10-Year Illinois Cold Case

  3. Jul 29

    41 - The Dancing Plague of 1518: The Mystery of the Town That Couldn't Stop Dancing

    In July of 1518, something unimaginable happened in the city of Strasbourg. A woman stepped into the street and began dancing. She didn't stop. Days later, dozens of others had joined her. Soon, hundreds were reportedly dancing through the city—some collapsing from exhaustion and some allegedly dancing themselves to death. More than 500 years later, historians still can't fully explain what became known as the Dancing Plague of 1518. Was it a case of mass psychogenic illness? Poisoned rye contaminated with ergot? A religious phenomenon tied to Saint Vitus? Or the result of multiple forces colliding at exactly the wrong moment? In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we're investigating one of history's strangest unsolved mysteries. We'll separate fact from myth, examine the historical evidence, explore the leading scientific theories, and ask the question that has puzzled researchers for centuries: How could an entire town seemingly become unable to stop dancing? In this episode: • The true story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 • Frau Troffea and how the outbreak began • Why city leaders encouraged MORE dancing • Did people really dance themselves to death? • The leading theories explained • What historians believe today ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Waller, John. A Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518. Icon Books, 2008. Waller, John. "A Forgotten Plague: Making Sense of Dancing Mania." The Psychologist. Backman, Eugene Louis. Religious Dances in the Christian Church and in Popular Medicine. George Allen & Unwin, 1952. Cohn, Norman. Europe's Inner Demons. Sussex University Press. Midelfort, H.C. Erik. A History of Madness in Sixteenth-Century Germany. Stanford University Press. Encyclopedia Britannica. "Dancing Plague of 1518." History.com Editors. "The Dancing Plague of 1518." Smithsonian Magazine. "The Dancing Plague of 1518." Wikipedia contributors. "Dancing Plague of 1518." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. (Used for general orientation and cross-referencing; historical claims verified against primary and scholarly sources.) 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

  4. Jul 22

    40 - The Disappearance of Maura Murray (Part 2): America's Most Baffling Missing Person Mystery

    On February 9, 2004, twenty-one-year-old nursing student Maura Murray packed a bag, withdrew nearly all the money from her bank account, emailed her professors saying there had been a death in the family, and drove north from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Just hours later, her black Saturn crashed on a quiet road in Haverhill, New Hampshire. A local bus driver stopped to help. Maura told him she had already called AAA. He knew she couldn't have. He drove home to call police. When officers arrived just minutes later, Maura was gone. More than twenty years later, she has never been found. In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we examine the complete timeline of Maura Murray's disappearance—from the strange events leading up to her final drive to the witness accounts, the massive search efforts, and the leading theories that continue to divide investigators and armchair detectives alike. Did Maura succumb to the elements? Did she accept a ride from the wrong person? Was foul play involved? Or did something happen that no one has considered? Join me as we explore one of the most debated and enduring missing person cases in American history. ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show Please consider following on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leaving a rating or review. It helps more people discover these stories and supports independent creators like me. Support the show (Patreon): ⁠https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink⁠ Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Primary Sources New Hampshire Department of Justice – Cold Case Unit (Maura Murray):⁠ https://www.doj.nh.gov/bureaus/cold-case-unit/victim-list/maura-murray⁠ New Hampshire State Police FBI ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) News & Reporting WMUR News The Boston Globe NBC News ABC News CBS News CNN New Hampshire Union Leader Books True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray by James Renner Podcasts & Documentary Research Missing Maura Murray Podcast Media Pressure (hosted by Julie Murray) Oxygen – The Disappearance of Maura Murray ID Discovery Specials Additional References MauraMurrayMissing.org Charley Project NAMUS Missing Person Case #MP10179 Wikipedia (used only for cross-referencing publicly available timelines) 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 ⁠kathasquestionspod@gmail.com⁠ Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

  5. Jul 15

    39 - The Disappearance of Maura Murray (Part 1): America's Most Baffling Missing Person Mystery

    On February 9, 2004, twenty-one-year-old nursing student Maura Murray packed a bag, withdrew nearly all the money from her bank account, emailed her professors saying there had been a death in the family, and drove north from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Just hours later, her black Saturn crashed on a quiet road in Haverhill, New Hampshire. A local bus driver stopped to help. Maura told him she had already called AAA. He knew she couldn't have. He drove home to call police. When officers arrived just minutes later, Maura was gone. More than twenty years later, she has never been found. In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we examine the complete timeline of Maura Murray's disappearance—from the strange events leading up to her final drive to the witness accounts, the massive search efforts, and the leading theories that continue to divide investigators and armchair detectives alike. Did Maura succumb to the elements? Did she accept a ride from the wrong person? Was foul play involved? Or did something happen that no one has considered? Join me as we explore one of the most debated and enduring missing person cases in American history. ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show Please consider following on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and leaving a rating or review. It helps more people discover these stories and supports independent creators like me. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Primary Sources New Hampshire Department of Justice – Cold Case Unit (Maura Murray): https://www.doj.nh.gov/bureaus/cold-case-unit/victim-list/maura-murray New Hampshire State Police FBI ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) News & Reporting WMUR News The Boston Globe NBC News ABC News CBS News CNN New Hampshire Union Leader Books True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray by James Renner Podcasts & Documentary Research Missing Maura Murray Podcast Media Pressure (hosted by Julie Murray) Oxygen – The Disappearance of Maura Murray ID Discovery Specials Additional References MauraMurrayMissing.org Charley Project NAMUS Missing Person Case #MP10179 Wikipedia (used only for cross-referencing publicly available timelines) 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

  6. Jul 8

    38 - Illinois Unsolved: The Lake Mattoon Case Explained | What the Court Documents Reveal

    The discovery of a human arm floating in Lake Mattoon shocked Central Illinois—but that was only the beginning. When boaters first spotted what they believed was a dead fish drifting across the water, they had no idea they had stumbled upon one of Illinois' most disturbing criminal investigations in recent memory. In this episode, we break down the entire Lake Mattoon murder case using court documents, investigative records, and official law enforcement information to reconstruct what investigators allege happened. You'll hear how detectives: identified 38-year-old Dalewayne Turner using tattoos and jewelry, traced the investigation from Lake Mattoon to a home nearly 180 miles away in Plainfield, Illinois, uncovered surveillance footage, license plate reader evidence, Google searches, text messages, and search warrant findings, and ultimately arrested James Adams and Robin Turner. We'll also explain what investigators know, what prosecutors allege, and the many questions that still remain unanswered as this case moves through the court system. Please note: The allegations discussed in this episode come from publicly filed court documents and investigative records. James Adams and Robin Turner are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show here! (Patreon) ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Primary Court Documents Petition to Deny Pretrial Release – People of the State of Illinois v. James E. Adams, Case No. 2026-CF-1161 (Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Will County, Illinois). Petition to Deny Pretrial Release – People of the State of Illinois v. Robin L. Turner, Case No. 2026-CF-1162 (Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Will County, Illinois). Law Enforcement Illinois State Police News Release: Illinois State Police Arrest Suspects in Lake Mattoon Death Investigation News Reporting WCIA 3 WAND News ABC 7 Chicago CBS Chicago NBC Chicago WGN-TV Journal Gazette & Times-Courier The News-Gazette Additional Research Publicly available court records Public statements released by family members during the investigation Disclaimer: This episode is based on publicly available court records, law enforcement statements, and contemporaneous news reporting available at the time of recording. Court filings describe allegations made by prosecutors. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

    38 - Illinois Unsolved: The Lake Mattoon Case Explained | What the Court Documents Reveal

  7. Jul 1

    37 - Elisa Lam: The Cecil Hotel Mystery, Elevator Video & What Really Happened

    In 2013, 21-year-old Canadian student Elisa Lam disappeared while staying at Los Angeles' infamous Cecil Hotel. Weeks later, her body was discovered inside a rooftop water tank, shocking the world and fueling one of the internet's most enduring mysteries. The release of Elisa's unsettling elevator video sparked countless theories involving murder, paranormal activity, conspiracies, and cover-ups. But what did investigators actually find? In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we examine the timeline of Elisa Lam's disappearance, the viral elevator footage, the investigation, autopsy findings, her history of bipolar disorder, and why the case continues to fascinate people more than a decade later. Was this a mystery with hidden answers—or a tragedy transformed into internet mythology? ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading Wikipedia contributors. "Death of Elisa Lam." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elisa_Lam Wikipedia contributors. "Cecil Hotel (Los Angeles)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Hotel_(Los_Angeles) Los Angeles Police Department Missing Person Investigation Records Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner Report: Elisa Lam CNN. "Body Found in Water Tank Identified as Missing Student Elisa Lam." NBC News. "Elisa Lam Case Continues to Fascinate Years Later." CBS News Coverage of Elisa Lam Investigation Netflix Documentary: "Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel" (2021) 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

  8. Jun 24

    36 - The Cecil Hotel: Elisa Lam, Serial Killers, and Haunted Legends

    The Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles has become one of the most infamous hotels in the world. Over nearly a century, the hotel became associated with dozens of deaths, violence, suicides, serial killers, urban legends, and paranormal claims. It was home to long-term residents, linked to notorious figures like Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger, and eventually became the center of global internet obsession after the 2013 death of Elisa Lam. But is the Cecil Hotel truly haunted? Or did decades of tragedy, media attention, internet conspiracy culture, and human psychology slowly transform a building into mythology? In this episode of Kat Has Questions, we explore the dark history of the Cecil Hotel, the Elisa Lam case, the serial killer connections, paranormal lore, and the unsettling question at the center of it all: At what point does a place stop being a location… and become a legend? ⸻ About the show Kat Has Questions is a curiosity-driven podcast about real stories that sound unreal — from unsolved crimes and strange history to the quietly weird corners of human behavior. New episodes every week. ⸻ Support the Show If you’re enjoying Kat Has Questions, follow the podcast, leave a review, or send in a weird historical mystery you want me to dig into next. Support the show (Patreon): https://patreon.com/KatHasQuestions?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink Support the show & buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/kathasquesw ⸻ Sources & Further Reading https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Hotel_(Los_Angeles) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elisa_Lam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Ramirez https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Unterweger https://www.history.com/news/cecils-hotel-los-angeles-history https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/cecil-hotel-docuseries-netflix-night-stalker-elisa-lam https://www.netflix.com/title/81183727 https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-23/netflix-crime-scene-the-vanishing-at-the-cecil-hotel-review https://allthatsinteresting.com/cecil-hotel https://www.thereallosangelestours.com/crime-seen-the-hotel-cecil/ https://www.biography.com/crime/richard-ramirez-night-stalker https://www.thecrimewire.com/true-crime/The-Cecil-Hotel https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cecil-hotel 🎵 Music: “Scrunchy” by Night Drift Licensed by Uppbeat License code: CAHWZR9T33BFXDNY ⸻ Contact 📩 kathasquestionspod@gmail.com Instagram: @KatHasQuestions

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About

Kat Has Questions is a true crime and unsolved mysteries podcast that dives into the real stories that sound made up — from strange history and psychology to unsolved mysteries, true crime, urban legends, and the weird corners of the internet. Thoughtful, funny, and just the right amount of unhinged.

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