Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast

Moms and Mysteries Podcast

Two Florida moms, hundreds of mysteries, and one obsession: 'How did this happen?' Mandy and Melissa bring you twice-a-week deep dives into true crime—from Florida's most bizarre cases to infamous mysteries worldwide—all with the warmth, wit, and dark humor of two friends who've been hooked on mysteries since childhood. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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  1. 5h ago • Subscribers Only

    SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph: Episode 3

    In the final episode of HBO Max's The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph, Thomas Randolph finally faces a jury for the 2008 deaths of his sixth wife, Sharon Causse, and handyman Michael “Mike” Miller. Prosecutors said Thomas hired Mike to kill Sharon for insurance money, then killed Mike to eliminate the one person who could expose the plan. Thomas insisted it was a home invasion that went horribly wrong. The first jury found Thomas guilty in 2017 and sentenced him to death. But that verdict was later overturned because jurors had heard evidence about the death of his second wife, Beckie Gault. At the 2023 retrial, prosecutors had to start over without that history or testimony from Eric Tarantino, the former friend who said Thomas had once tried to hire him to kill Beckie. Instead, the state rebuilt its case through the details of Sharon and Mike's deaths: a ski mask with no blood or bullet holes, shell casings that did not match Thomas's account, a strange relationship between Thomas and Mike, and Thomas's own shifting explanations. We hear from Sharon's friends, Mike's family, and Thomas's daughter, Krista, as the jury decides whether he should finally be held accountable. It is a wild ending to a series that proves the best witness against Thomas Randolph may have been Thomas Randolph himself.

    SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph: Episode 3

  2. 1d ago

    Faith Hedgepeth: What to Know About the Murder Trial

    Faith Danielle Hedgepeth was 19 years old and studying at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill when she was killed inside her Durham apartment in September 2012. Investigators recovered DNA evidence, a handwritten message, and other clues from the scene, but the case remained unsolved for years. Now, 14 years later, Miguel Salguero Olivares is on trial in connection with Faith’s death. He is charged with murder, burglary, rape, and sexual offense, and he has pleaded not guilty to all charges. There has not yet been a verdict. In this episode, we review Faith’s final night, the evidence investigators collected, the years long investigation, and the case now being presented to a jury. It is a full catch up for anyone starting to follow the trial now. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Upgrade your sleep with Boll & Branch. Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply. Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/MOMS! #honeylovepod Get compounded GLP-1s for $59 a month from Collective. It's the same price every dose and you don’t have to prepay in advance to get the lowest price in the country. Visit collective.org/MOMS. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Sources: 9 years after UNC student Faith Hedgepeth was killed, Chapel Hill police make arrest Faith Danielle Hedgepeth (1992-2012) - Find a Grave Memorial Murdered UNC Student's Final Moments: What Police Say Happened to Faith Hedgepeth - ABC News https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1283962/hedgepeth-case-files.pdf 9 years after UNC student Faith Hedgepeth was killed, Chapel Hill police make arrest ‘Noise’ or ‘evidence?’: Opening statements in UNC student murder trial :: WRAL.com Additional charges filed against suspect in killing of UNC student Faith Hedgepeth Court documents reveal how investigators linked suspect in Faith Hedgepeth's murder https://web.archive.org/web/20240916185307/https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article257547083.html Murder trial of Miguel Salguero-Olivares accused of killing UNC student Faith Hedgepeth Persons Of Interest Listed In Hedgepeth Murder Investigation Documents  ‘She feels cold’: Emotional 911 call played in UNC student murder trial :: WRAL.com Faith Hedgepeth murder suspect gets trial date more than a decade after her death Judge calls lost blood sample ‘absurd’ in UNC student murder case :: WRAL.com Faith Danielle Hedgepeth homicide records sealed https://web.archive.org/web/20240119215718/https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/chapel-hill-news/article61107117.html https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/faith-hedgepeth-timeline-her-life-093000380.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall Love, Hope, And Faith | Faith Hedgepeth Murder 20/20 ABC | FULL EPISODE Faith Hedgepeth’s former roommate testifies midway through second week of murder trial Blood, slushie or vomit? Roommate of murdered UNC student cross-examined as testimony continues One alternate juror still needed in UNC student murder trial :: WRAL.com Faith Hedgepeth’s Roommate Full Testimony | NC v. Miguel Salguero-Olivares 'Step was missed': Witness testifies about missing blood evidence in Faith Hedgepeth murder case Video Voicemail Found Left by UNC Student's Phone on Night of Her Murder: Part 4 - ABC News Faith Hedgepeth case: 10 unanswered questions ahead of trial - 9th Street Journal https://www.youtube.com/live/_it9pn2FIYg?si=i12Ynb9YnpezS5A6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Faith Hedgepeth: What to Know About the Murder Trial

  3. 5d ago

    Friday Mystery: Teresita Basa and the Voice From the Grave

    We have a shorter spooky season story for your Friday. In 1977, firefighters found Teresita Basa murdered in her Chicago apartment, but months passed without an arrest. Then a doctor told police that his wife had entered a trance and spoken in a voice that identified itself as Teresita. Detectives could not verify that explanation, but they could investigate what the voice claimed to know. The lead took them back to Edgewater Hospital and helped uncover evidence in a case that still raises questions nearly 50 years later. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/image/386658919/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/386502681/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/385452553/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/385412418/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/386661148/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/09/17/voice-from-the-grave-evokes-a-murder-trial/13b6d805-2413-4015-b70a-b9b28ab5d40d/ https://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1978/di1978-09-07.pdf https://newspapers.swco.ttu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/62a3b8a2-82b5-427d-a26e-893002ba7213/content https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160913/edgewater/did-teresita-basa-solve-her-own-murder-true-life-ghost-story-still-haunts/ https://thebestoffatemagazine.blogspot.com/2014/10/read-free-how-voice-from-grave-named.html https://jimharold.com/the-strange-and-sad-case-of-teresita-basa-unpleasant-dreams-17/ https://www.mamamia.com.au/teresita-basa-unsolved-mysteries/ https://morbidology.com/did-teresita-basa-solve-her-own-murder/ https://mail.survivalafterdeath.info/articles/rogo/spontaneous.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Friday Mystery: Teresita Basa and the Voice From the Grave

  4. 6d ago

    The Greenbrier Ghost: The Murder of Zona Heaster Shue

    This week, we tell the 1897 story of Elva Zona Heaster Shue, known as Zona, whose sudden death in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, was initially treated as natural causes. After Zona’s mother said her daughter appeared to her and described what happened, an exhumation revealed a broken neck, and Zona’s husband went to trial for her murder. Since so many of you enjoyed Black Hope Cemetery, we are spending Thursdays for the rest of October on historical cases with a little mystery and a spooky season feel. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Sources: https://archive.wvculture.org/history/crime/shuearticles.html https://archive.wvculture.org/history/crime/crimeandpunishment.html https://archive.wvculture.org/history/notewv/ghost.html https://archive.wvculture.org/history/notewv/ghost1.html https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_mcsearch.aspx https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2107 https://wvdn.com/14205/ https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=50356 https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghost https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/01/greenbrier-ghost.html https://appalachianhistorian.org/the-greenbrier-ghost-what-the-records-really-show/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/10/31/halloween-ghost-story-time-an-apparition-helped-convict-murderer/ https://blueridgetruecrime.com/crime/the-greenbrier-ghost-did-an-australian-ghost-story-solve-a-west-virginia-murder/ https://wvmetronews.com/2026/07/21/the-greenbrier-ghost-is-an-odd-west-virginia-tale/ https://unsolvedfiles.com/greenbrier-ghost-file-complete-dossier/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Greenbrier Ghost: The Murder of Zona Heaster Shue

  5. Oct 14 • Subscribers Only

    SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph: Episode 2

    Last week, we met Thomas Randolph, a man who had been married six times and had four wives die under troubling circumstances. This week, HBO Max's The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph takes us back to the death of his second wife, Becky Gault. In 1986, Becky was found shot inside her Utah home, and her death was initially ruled a suicide. But Thomas's former friend, Eric Tarantino, told police that Thomas had asked him to kill Becky for her life insurance money. Eric testified at Thomas's murder trial, even after learning that Thomas had allegedly tried to arrange his murder from jail. Thomas was ultimately acquitted of Becky's murder, leaving her family devastated and still searching for answers. As the documentary follows Thomas through more marriages, a pattern begins to emerge. There are life insurance policies, a former wife who describes a terrifying gun incident, and another wife who died after heart surgery while Thomas collected both an insurance payout and a malpractice settlement. By the time investigators return to the 2008 murders of Sharon Causse and Michael “Mike” Miller, it is clear why they were looking at Thomas Randolph so closely. And with his next trial still ahead, this story is far from over.

    SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph: Episode 2

  6. Oct 13

    [Florida Files] The Murder of Joleen Cummings and the Coworker With 18 Aliases

    On May 12, 2018, Joleen Cummings finished a shift at the Tangles Hair Salon in Fernandina Beach, Florida. The 34 year old mother of three was supposed to pick up her children the next day for Mother’s Day and her birthday, but she never arrived. When Joleen’s SUV was found abandoned near a Home Depot, surveillance footage pointed investigators toward a new coworker. But the woman Joleen knew as Jennifer Sybert was not who she said she was. As detectives followed the trail, they uncovered false names, a stolen identity, and a history that stretched across states. In this episode, we follow the search for Joleen, the evidence left behind at the salon, and the questions that remain years later. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Give your hair the support it needs at every step of your GLP-1 weight loss journey. That's Nutrafol.com promo code MOMS for $15 off. your first month’s subscription and free shipping. Find the fall pieces you’ll reach for most at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com. Get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK, too. Whether you're looking for WLP-1, Magnesium, Berberine, CoQ10 or dozens of other science-backed supplements, start taking supplements your body can actually absorb. Go to absorbmore.com and enter MOMS at check out for up to 35% off your first order. Download Cash App today and make your money work for you. Click here to get started: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/vwn13ren #CashAppPartner Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement), Sutton debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-sutton), and Bancorp debit flex card (https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/debit-flex-card-agreement-bancorp). Savings provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Parents and legal guardians can open a sponsored account for teens 13-17. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Sources: Woman Dismembers Coworker at Hair Salon Unsealed documents Kimberly Kessler's case, shows strange search history ‘They know she’s in heaven being looked after’: Joleen Cummings’ husband speaks publicly for 1st time ​​Kimberly Kessler near death on hunger strike in jail, attorneys say ‘They know she’s in heaven being looked after’: Joleen Cummings’ husband speaks publicly for 1st time How a Florida mom's disappearance led to arrest of woman with 18 aliases - ABC News Sheriff: Suspect in disappearance of Fla. mom has had 18 aliases, lived in 33 cities  Juror: DNA, internet searches & attempt to clean crime scene sealed Kimberly Kessler’s fate Convicted killer Kimberly Kessler attempted suicide twice | firstcoastnews.com Woman Who Lived Under Multiple False Identities Murders Coworker Who Threatened To Expose Her | Oxygen Jennifer Sybert: 10 things we know about suspect in Nassau mom's disappearance Snapped Kimberly Kessler: Identity, Trial, and Conviction Suspect in woman’s disappearance is previously missing person who allegedly stole alias from tombstone - ABC News Kimberly Kessler's injuries were 'defensive,' attorneys say, but agree there was a 'violent confrontation' Joleen Cummings disappearance: Timeline of events - Action News Jax The Hairdresser Killer: Full Police Interrogation Video https://media.news4jax.com/document_dev/2018/09/10/Kessler-Sybert%20Information_1536606050592_12637260_ver1.0.pdf Kimberly Kessler charged with murder in Joleen Cummings case Trial For Florida Woman Accused Of Killing Hairstylist Begins With Bizarre Outbursts | Oxygen UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA JACKSONVILLE DIVISION KIMBERLY LEE KESSLER, Petitioner, v. Case No. Timeline: Kimberly Kessler’s arrest, investigation into death of Joleen Cummings Jury selection starts in Kimberly Kessler murder trial Sheriff: Ex-boyfriend of missing stylist no longer person of interest Murder suspect searched Joleen Cummings' name 457 times https://www.britannica.com/topic/Left-Behind-book-series-by-Lahaye-and-Jenkins Dismemberment experiment with knife purchased by Kimberly Kessler lasted just 73 minutes https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-6013/383314/20251104125016057_20251104-124022-00000767-00000394.pdf Florida sheriff’s office celebrates transfer of ‘problem’ inmate with cake, ice cream https://www.fdc.myflorida.com/institutions/institutions-list/314 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    [Florida Files] The Murder of Joleen Cummings and the Coworker With 18 Aliases

  7. Oct 8

    Sandra Birchmore: The Officer She Trusted Is Accused of Killing Her

    When Sandra Birchmore was 12, she joined a Stoughton, Massachusetts police youth program because she hoped to become an officer herself. What began as trust in the adults around her became the basis for years of alleged exploitation by men connected to the program. In 2021, Sandra was found dead in her Canton apartment while pregnant with her first child. Her death was initially ruled a suicide. Federal prosecutors now allege that former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell, who had known Sandra through the Police Explorers program, strangled her and staged the scene to look like a suicide. They allege he did so to prevent Sandra from disclosing information about his conduct to law enforcement. As of October 7, 2026, jury selection is underway in Matthew's federal trial. He has pleaded not guilty, and his defense maintains that Sandra died by suicide. In this episode, we trace Sandra's life, the Police Explorers program, the original investigation, and the case now being argued in federal court. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Upgrade your sleep with Boll & Branch! Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply. Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/moms #honeylovepod Text MOMS to 64000 to get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus FREE shipping. Message and data rates may apply. Get compounded GLP-1s for $59 a month from Collective. It's the same price every dose and you don’t have to prepay in advance to get the lowest price in the country. Visit collective.org/MOMS. Sources: Former Massachusetts Police Officer Arrested in Connection with Murder of Young Woman | United States Department of Justice The Betrayal of Sandra Birchmore The Sandra Birchmore Case Details Get Worse The Sandra Birchmore Case: Ex Stoughton Police Detective Indicted on Murder Charges Could Sandra Birchmore’s Alleged Killer Be Charged with Larceny? Family of former Stoughton police explorer files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 ex-officers https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25079501/farwellindictment.pdf https://www.bostonmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/usa_v._matthew_farwell_-_detention_affidavit_2.pdf ​​A timeline of Sandra Birchmore's relationship with her alleged killer, former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell Sexual relationship between Stoughton police officer and minor detailed in report - masslive.com Matthew Farwell, charged in Sandra Birchmore's death, to remain in custody until trial - CBS Boston Matthew Farwell to remain behind bars until trial on charges in death of Sandra Birchmore - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News William Farwell, brother of man charged with killing Sandra Birchmore, has police certification revoked - CBS Boston Former Stoughton deputy chief Robert Devine decertified over misconduct allegations | GBH Sandra Birchmore’s mental health history allowed in Matthew Farwell trial Karen Read's attorneys seek unredacted documents from Sandra Birchmore death investigation - CBS Boston Sandra Birchmore case records https://crimetimelines.com/sandra-birchmore-timeline/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Sandra Birchmore: The Officer She Trusted Is Accused of Killing Her

  8. Oct 7 • Subscribers Only

    SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph: Episode 1

    Netflix has The Widower, but we found ourselves watching HBO Max's The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph instead. And honestly, it worked out, because this three part series has plenty more Thomas Randolph, which may be the last thing anyone needs. In 2008, Thomas and his sixth wife, Sharon Causse, had just returned to their Las Vegas home from a Mother's Day dinner when gunfire erupted. Sharon was dead, along with Michael “Mike” Miller, a handyman who had previously worked for the couple. Thomas claimed Mike broke in, shot Sharon, and was then shot by Thomas. But detectives quickly found problems with his story, and the evidence at the scene did not quite line up. Then there was Thomas's history. He had been married six times, and four of those wives were dead. In the first episode of this wild docuseries, we meet Sharon through the people who loved her, hear Thomas explain why he is supposedly “addicted to love,” and start following the dark trail left by one of his earlier marriages. It is a story filled with bad alibis, life insurance, and a man who seems to have an explanation for absolutely everything.

    SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: The Black Widower: The Six Wives of Thomas Randolph: Episode 1
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4.6
out of 5
8,631 Ratings

About

Two Florida moms, hundreds of mysteries, and one obsession: 'How did this happen?' Mandy and Melissa bring you twice-a-week deep dives into true crime—from Florida's most bizarre cases to infamous mysteries worldwide—all with the warmth, wit, and dark humor of two friends who've been hooked on mysteries since childhood. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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