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Forensic Tales

Rockefeller Audio
  • 4.2 (369)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Weekly

Not all stories have happy endings... Hosted by Courtney Fretwell, M.S. in Forensic Psychology, Forensic Tales is a weekly true crime podcast with a forensic twist. Each episode features real cases and explores how forensic science, criminal profiling, and investigative techniques were used to uncover the truth—or, in some cases, left more questions than answers. From fingerprint analysis and DNA evidence to bloodstain pattern analysis and behavioral profiling, every episode breaks down the science behind the headlines. Whether it's a solved murder, a cold case, or a controversial investigation, Forensic Tales takes you beyond the crime scene and into the forensic evidence that shaped the case.

  1. Jun 22 • Subscriber Early Access

    The Disappearance of Brandon Swanson

    Forensic Tales

    42 min
  2. The Disappearance of Patricia "Pat" Viola

    2d ago

    The Disappearance of Patricia "Pat" Viola

    Patricia Viola was a devoted wife, mother, and volunteer librarian living in Bogota, New Jersey. On February 13, 2001, she seemingly vanished without a trace after returning home from work. She left behind her purse, wallet, identification, seizure medication, and nearly every indication that she planned to return. As investigators worked to reconstruct Patricia's final known movements, they uncovered a series of puzzling clues: a home security alarm that had been triggered earlier in the day, a concerning conversation Patricia had with her best friend the night before she disappeared, and a timeline that raised more questions than answers. For years, Patricia's family searched for answers while investigators explored multiple theories, including foul play, suicide, and a medical emergency related to her epilepsy. Then, more than a decade later, forensic DNA analysis finally provided a breakthrough. In this episode of Forensic Tales, we examine the disappearance of Patricia Viola, the investigation that followed, the creation of New Jersey's Patricia's Law, and how a single foot bone discovered on a beach in Queens became one of the only pieces of evidence ever recovered in this baffling missing persons case. Topics discussed: • Patricia Viola disappearance • Bogota, New Jersey missing person case • Unsolved mystery • Missing persons investigations • Patricia's Law • Forensic DNA identification • Human remains identification • Epilepsy and missing persons • Cold cases • Unsolved disappearance cases Follow Forensic Tales: Instagram: @forensictales TikTok: @forensictales Website: https://forensictales.com Want even more Forensic Tales? Join our Patreon community for ad-free episodes, bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and exclusive case discussions you won't hear anywhere else. Visit Patreon.com/ForensicTales and become part of the Forensic Tales family. Have a case suggestion or feedback? Email: courtney@forensictales.com Sources for this episode are available at: https://forensictales.com/patricia-viola-disappearance Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    39 min
  3. Herb Baumeister and the Fox Hollow Farm Murders

    Jun 8

    Herb Baumeister and the Fox Hollow Farm Murders

    The Fox Hollow Farm Murders remain one of the most chilling serial killer cases in American history. For years, young men disappeared from the Indianapolis area after being seen at local gay bars and nightlife districts. Many were later found strangled and abandoned in rural areas throughout Indiana and Ohio, leading investigators to suspect the existence of the so-called I-70 Strangler. Everything changed when police searched Fox Hollow Farm, the 18-acre estate owned by successful businessman Herb Baumeister. Hidden within the woods behind the family home, investigators discovered thousands of human bone fragments belonging to multiple victims. In this episode of Forensic Tales, we examine: • The life and background of Herb Baumeister • Early warning signs and troubling behavior • The disappearances of young men throughout Indiana • The possible connection to the I-70 Strangler • Survivor Tony Harris and the tip that helped break the case • The discovery of human remains at Fox Hollow Farm • Forensic anthropology and the challenge of identifying victims • Modern DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy • Newly identified victims and ongoing efforts to identify the remaining unknown victims • The unanswered questions that remain nearly 30 years later Despite Herb Baumeister's death in 1996, investigators continue working to identify victims recovered from Fox Hollow Farm. As advances in forensic science continue, families may finally receive answers after decades of uncertainty. Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio Production. The show is written & produced by Courtney Fretwell, M.S. Forensic Psychology. To submit a case or get in touch, please email courtney@forensictales.com. Follow Forensic Tales: Instagram: @ForensicTales Facebook: Forensic Tales Podcast TikTok: @ForensicTales Support the show: Patreon.com/ForensicTales Sources and additional information: ForensicTales.com Remember... Not all stories have happy endings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    35 min

  4. Jun 4

    Diane Schuler: The Wrong-Way Crash Mystery (Archive)

    On July 26, 2009, 36-year-old Diane Schuler drove the wrong way down New York's Taconic State Parkway, causing a devastating head-on collision that killed eight people, including herself, her daughter, and three young nieces. The crash shocked the nation and sparked years of debate, speculation, and investigation. Toxicology reports revealed shocking findings, but Diane's family strongly disputed the official conclusions. Was this a tragic case of impaired driving, a hidden medical emergency, or something else entirely? In this episode of Forensic Tales, we examine the forensic evidence, toxicology results, accident reconstruction findings, and competing theories surrounding one of the most infamous highway crashes in American history. From the Forensic Tales Archive, we're revisiting one of the most downloaded and talked-about episodes in the show's history. Topics Covered: • Diane Schuler • Taconic State Parkway crash • Wrong-way driver investigation • Toxicology and forensic evidence • Accident reconstruction • True crime mysteries • New York crash investigation New episodes of Forensic Tales are released every Monday. Follow Forensic Tales: Instagram: @forensictales Facebook: Forensic Tales Website: ForensicTales.com Hosted by Courtney Fretwell, M.S. Forensic Psychology. To submit a case or get in touch, send me a message courtney@forensictales.com. If you'd like to support the show, get early ad-free access to new episodes & monthly full-length bonus episodes, consider joining the show's Patreon. Learn more: patreon.com/forensictales Remember... Not all stories have happy endings.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    40 min
  5. The Murder of Oakey “Al” Kite

    Jun 1

    The Murder of Oakey “Al” Kite

    #335 - When 53-year-old Oakey Kite, who went by Al, failed to show up for work on May 24th, 2004, his coworkers immediately knew something was wrong. Concerned, they went to his townhouse in Aurora to check on him where they discovered a crime scene so brutal, investigators would never forget it. Al had been restrained, tortured for hours, and ultimately murdered inside his own home by a man posing as a prospective tenant. The killer meticulously cleaned the scene, erased much of the evidence, and vanished without a trace leaving behind only fragments of forensic evidence and a fake identity that would send investigators across multiple countries. More than two decades later, the murder of Al Kite remains one of Colorado’s most disturbing unsolved cases. If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon. Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content. You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales. And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it. For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com. Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week. Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    39 min
  6. The Abduction of Angela Hammond

    May 25

    The Abduction of Angela Hammond

    #334 - In April 1991, 20-year-old Angela Hammond stood alone outside a grocery store in Clinton, Missouri, talking to her fiancé on a payphone late at night. She mentioned seeing a strange truck circling the parking lot, but they both shrugged it off.  Moments later, Angela’s fiancé heard her scream, and the line went dead. The payphone was only a few blocks away, so he jumped in his car and sped toward the woman he planned to marry. But he was too late. Angela was never seen alive again.  Over 30 years later, her story remains one of the mysterious disappearances in Missouri history. And despite a vehicle description and a timeline, the case was haunted by one major problem: there was almost no forensic evidence left behind. If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon. Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content. You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales. And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it. For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com. Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week. Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    38 min
  7. The Murder of Michelle O’Keefe: Convicted Without Evidence

    May 18

    The Murder of Michelle O’Keefe: Convicted Without Evidence

    #333 - In February 2000, 18-year-old college student Michelle O’Keefe was on her way home from appearing in a Kid Rock music video when she was gunned down inside her car. A security guard named Raymond Jennings was eventually arrested and charged with Michelle’s murder, and after three separate trials, he was sentenced to life in prison. On paper, it seemed like an open-and-shut case. But the deeper you look, the forensic evidence seems to tell a very different story.  So what really happened to Michelle in that parking lot? Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell. If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon. Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content. You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales. And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it. For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com. Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week. Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    47 min
  8. The Murder of Stacey Stites: Does DNA Prove Murder?

    May 11

    The Murder of Stacey Stites: Does DNA Prove Murder?

    #332 - In April 1996, a motorist traveling along a rural road in Bastrop County, Texas, made a disturbing discovery. Lying in a grassy ditch along the roadside was the body of a young woman. Her clothing was partially removed, and a belt had been tightened around her neck. She would soon be identified as 19-year-old Stacey Stites. Just hours earlier, Stacey had been reported missing after she failed to show up for her early morning shift at the local grocery store.  DNA evidence collected at the scene pointed to a man named Rodney Reed. But nearly three decades later, the question still remains: Did investigators convict the right man? Forensic Tales is a Rockefeller Audio production. The show is written and produced by Courtney Fretwell. If you’d like to support the show and help fund research, production, and editing, you can do so with a small monthly contribution on Patreon. Patreon supporters get early access to ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content. You can learn more at Patreon.com/ForensicTales. And if you enjoy the show, leaving a positive rating or review really helps others discover it. For a full list of sources used in this episode, visit ForensicTales.com. Thank you for listening. And I’ll see you next week. Until then… remember: not all stories have happy endings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    41 min
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Trailer

4.2
out of 5
369 Ratings

About

Not all stories have happy endings... Hosted by Courtney Fretwell, M.S. in Forensic Psychology, Forensic Tales is a weekly true crime podcast with a forensic twist. Each episode features real cases and explores how forensic science, criminal profiling, and investigative techniques were used to uncover the truth—or, in some cases, left more questions than answers. From fingerprint analysis and DNA evidence to bloodstain pattern analysis and behavioral profiling, every episode breaks down the science behind the headlines. Whether it's a solved murder, a cold case, or a controversial investigation, Forensic Tales takes you beyond the crime scene and into the forensic evidence that shaped the case.

Information

  • Creator
    Rockefeller Audio
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    426
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Rockefeller Audio LLC
  • Show Website
    Forensic Tales
  • Provider
    Courtney Fretwell

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