Wait, Explain That?

Heather and Natalie

The story everyone knows is where we start. The question nobody asked is where we go. Welcome to Wait, Explain That? — the podcast for people who hear a story and immediately have 47 follow-up questions. Best friends Heather and Natalie dive into true crime, unsolved mysteries, bizarre history, cults, scams, psychology, espionage, and real-life stories so unbelievable they sound made up. We go beyond the headlines, digging through court records, police reports, original documents, and overlooked details to uncover what happened, what doesn’t add up, and what everyone else seems to have moved past. Expect deep research, skeptical questions, unexpected twists, dark humor, and the occasional rabbit hole we probably should have left alone. Because the story is never just the story. 🎙️ New episodes every Tuesday.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Christa Pike: The Murder of Colleen Slemmer | Death, Life & Probation

    She was 19 years old. Her killer became infamous. But somewhere along the way, the world stopped talking about Colleen Slemmer. In January 1995, Colleen Slemmer was lured into the woods near the Knoxville Job Corps campus in Tennessee, where she was brutally tortured and murdered. Christa Pike was just 18 years old when she committed the crime that would send her to death row. But this story doesn't end with a murder conviction. There was a boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp. Another young woman, Shadolla Peterson, whose punishment was dramatically different. Allegations of another murder attempt behind bars. An escape plot. And more than three decades later, an execution that went horribly wrong. On September 30, 2026, Tennessee attempted to execute Christa Pike. She survived. Now the country is debating her suffering, her punishment, and whether she deserves another chance. But what about Colleen? In Episode 6 of Wait, Explain That?, Heather and Natalie take you beyond the headlines, examining the murder, the people involved, the court proceedings, Pike's violent history behind bars, and the disturbing developments that have brought this case back into the national spotlight. Because Christa Pike may be the name everyone recognizes. But Colleen Slemmer is the name we refuse to let anyone forget. ⚠️ Content Warning: Graphic discussions of murder, torture, and violence. 🎙️ Love a good rabbit hole? So do we. Follow Wait, Explain That? so you never miss an episode. New episodes every Tuesday! If this episode made you think, question, or yell at your speakers, share it with someone who needs to hear this story. ⭐ Rate the show, leave us a review, and help us get these stories in front of more people. Find us everywhere:https://beacons.page/waitexplainthatpodcast

  2. Oct 20

    Miranda Corsette: Everyone Knew Something

    Sixteen-year-old Miranda Corsette was murdered in St. Petersburg, Florida, in February 2025. Steven Gress and Michelle Brandes are accused of her brutal captivity, torture, and murder. But the questions surrounding this case go far beyond the two people charged. Investigators uncovered disturbing photographs, witness accounts, and evidence that other people knew Miranda was in danger. Who saw the warning signs? What did they know? And why didn't someone save her? Heather and Natalie examine the evidence, the witnesses, and the unanswered questions in the Miranda Corsette murder case. Because Miranda's story isn't just about what happened behind closed doors. It's about what happened when those doors opened and other people still didn't intervene. Wait, Explain That? — The story everyone knows is where we start. The question nobody asked is where we go. New episodes every Tuesday.

  3. Oct 13

    The Florida Keys Murders: Satanic Panic, Unsolved Cases & Charlie Brandt

    A murdered 4-year-old. A young woman killed after leaving a party. Another woman whose murder would later be linked to a suspected serial killer. And a community gripped by Satanic Panic. What happened in the Florida Keys, and how many questions remain unanswered decades later? In Episode 4 of Wait, Explain That?, Heather and Natalie investigate the murders of Patricia “Patty” Lanza, Lisa Sanders, and Sherry Perisho, exploring the disturbing crimes, the rumors that fueled fear throughout the Florida Keys, and the investigation into Charlie Brandt. We examine Brandt's violent childhood, the killing of his pregnant mother, and the horrific 2004 murders of his wife, Terri Brandt, and niece, Michelle Jones — crimes that exposed a violent history hidden for decades. But here's where the story gets complicated. Patty Lanza and Lisa Sanders' murders remain unsolved. Sherry Perisho's murder was later attributed to Charlie Brandt. How much of what people believed during the Satanic Panic was supported by evidence? Were investigators following the right leads? And what happens to victims when speculation becomes louder than the facts? We separate documented evidence from theories and examine the questions that still deserve answers. Because behind every sensational headline is a person whose life mattered long before their name became part of a murder investigation. Three victims. Decades of questions. And stories that deserve more than speculation. 🎙️ Wait, Explain That? — The story everyone knows is where we start. The question nobody asked is where we go. New episodes every Tuesday. CONTENT WARNING: Murder, child murder, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual assault of a child, mutilation, dismemberment, and disturbing crime details.

  4. Oct 6

    How to Fake Your Own Death

    What if you wanted to disappear completely... and collect your own life insurance money while you were still alive? In the late 1980s, Gene Hanson and John Hawkins had built a wildly successful-looking sweatpants business called Just Sweats. Then everything started falling apart. Millions of dollars were disappearing. Gene wanted out. Life insurance entered the picture. And somehow, the plan became much bigger than simply walking away from a failing business. Because if Gene was going to disappear... someone had to become Gene Hanson. And that raises one terrifying question: Where do you get a body? This is the story of Just Sweats, a bizarre insurance scheme, a doctor pulled into the plan, a missing man named Ellis Greene, and the increasingly impossible problem of proving that a man who was very much alive was actually dead. And just when you think you understand the scheme, it gets darker. 🎙️ Wait, Explain That?

  5. Sep 29

    The Couple With Two Names — Part 2

    The fake identities are blown. The parents are in custody. And somehow, their own children still don’t know who they really are. In Part 2, Heather and Natalie follow the Dultsevs after the arrest, as an already unbelievable spy story turns into something much stranger: a family caught between two identities, multiple governments, and a secret that becomes harder to keep by the day. How long can you keep pretending to be someone else when almost everyone knows the truth, except your own kids?

  6. Sep 29

    The Couple With Two Names — Part 1

    They were already married. Then they met again as strangers. Different names. Different histories. A second wedding. Two children growing up inside a life that looked completely normal from the outside. In Part 1, Heather takes Natalie into the story of Maria and Ludwig—and the increasingly strange details behind the identities they built, the family they created, and the investigation that began pulling it all apart. By the end, one thing is clear: whatever this family really is, the children are the last people who know.

  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The story everyone knows is where we start. The question nobody asked is where we go. Welcome to Wait, Explain That? — the podcast for people who hear a story and immediately have 47 follow-up questions. Best friends Heather and Natalie dive into true crime, unsolved mysteries, bizarre history, cults, scams, psychology, espionage, and real-life stories so unbelievable they sound made up. We go beyond the headlines, digging through court records, police reports, original documents, and overlooked details to uncover what happened, what doesn’t add up, and what everyone else seems to have moved past. Expect deep research, skeptical questions, unexpected twists, dark humor, and the occasional rabbit hole we probably should have left alone. Because the story is never just the story. 🎙️ New episodes every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Heather and Natalie
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Heather and Natalie
  • Show Website
    Wait, Explain That?

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