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In 1968, five members of the Arellano family were slaughtered outside a remote Texas farmhouse, after two blown out tires in the middle of nowhere. Like out of a horror movie, the whole family was found shot, stabbed and beaten to death, with one sole survivor, 5-year old Manuel Jr. He claims a cowboy good Samaritan who helped with their flat tire was the perpetrator, a man police never found. 

With renewed attention from journalists, podcasters, and even the Texas Rangers, pressure is building to uncover the truth. New evidence and theories, was it a sole man, or multiple perpetrators? 

Join Arlene and Leah as they examine the victims, the timeline, the eerie silence of the investigation, and the lingering shadows cast by one of Texas’s most baffling mass murders.

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Seven-year-old Cortney Clayton vanished while walking home from a corner store in tiny Stamford, Texas. It was 1988—a time when kids still rode bikes until dark, and trust lingered in small towns. But what followed shattered that trust: Cortney's body was found miles away, and despite witness sketches, leads, and decades of investigation, her murder remains unsolved.

This case has haunted the community for over 36 years. New composite sketches, evolving theories, and a heartbroken family’s relentless push for answers have kept Cortney’s name alive. But has law enforcement missed something crucial? Why was she targeted? Who could’ve been watching?

Join Arlene and Leah as they walk through the timeline, explore the evidence, revisit the original suspect sketches, and ask the questions that still demand answers.

Show Notes

36 Years Later: Murder of 7-Year-Old Stamford Girl Remains Unsolved

Yahoo News Recap: Cold Case of 7-Year-Old Cortney Clayton Still Haunts Texas Town

Solve the Case: Cortney Clayton

New Composite Sketch Released in 28-Year-Old Cortney Clayton Case

Parents Remember Cortney Clayton 30 Years Later

Texas Cold Case: Who Killed Cortney Clayton?

Cortney Clayton – True Crime Diva

The Austin Chronicle: Still Searching for Justice in Jones County

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On a cold February night in 1999, 25-year-old Wil Hendrick vanished after leaving a party near Moscow, Idaho. His friends thought he had walked home. He never made it. Months later, his abandoned car was found—muddied, keys gone, and ominously silent. Three years after that, Wil’s remains were discovered on a remote hillside, miles from town.

Wil was openly gay in a small town, a proud artist with a vibrant spirit—and possibly, a target. Despite the passage of more than two decades, no one has been charged with his murder. The case has bounced between local police, the FBI, and cold case teams—but crucial evidence remains missing, and key suspects have slipped through the cracks.

Was Wil the victim of a hate crime? A personal vendetta? Or something even darker?

Join Arlene and Leah as they examine the victim, timeline, evidence, and suspects in this haunting cold case. 

Remembering Wil Hendrick: A Cold Case That Still Haunts Idaho

A Party Leads to Murder: The Unsolved Death of Wil Hendrick

Wil Hendrick’s Father Still Seeks Justice After Son’s Mysterious Death

The Unsolved Murder of Wil Hendrick

Justice for Wil Hendrick: A Cold Case Involving a Native Victim

A Look at Idaho Cold Cases: Wil Hendrick Still Unsolved

FBI Joins Investigation Into Wil Hendrick Case

The Trail Went Cold: Episode on Wil Hendrick

Wil Hendrick’s Story Featured on Luminol True Crime Blog

Unsolved Mysteries Gallery: William "Wil" Hendrick

Newspaper Coverage of Hendrick Case – Part 1

Newspaper Coverage of Hendrick Case – Part 2

True Crime Diva: The Murder of Wil Hendrick

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In the spring of 1988, two women set out for peace, adventure, and freedom on the Appalachian Trail. But only one would make it home. Rebecca Wight and Claudia Brenner were hiking through Pennsylvania’s Michaux State Forest when their journey turned into a nightmare. After being stalked by a stranger in the woods, the couple was ambushed in a shocking act of violence fueled by hate. Rebecca was shot and killed. Claudia, injured and alone, had to survive—and fight to tell their story.

In this episode, Arlene and Leah revisit one of the most devastating and pivotal hate crimes in LGBTQ+ history. They explore the timeline of events, the harrowing survival of Claudia Brenner, the manhunt for shooter Stephen Roy Carr, and the courtroom drama that followed. Was this a random act of madness or a calculated hate crime ignored by too many for too long? How did this brutal murder shape the conversation around LGBTQ+ safety and justice in the wilderness and beyond?

Join Arlene and Leah as they examine the victim, the evidence, and the ripple effects of a case that left a permanent scar on the Appalachian Trail.

Show Notes: 

Rebecca Wight Murder Case – Roanoke Times Archive

Stephen Roy Carr Kills Hiker on Appalachian Trail

LGBTQ Hate Crime on the Appalachian Trail

Killed for Being Gay: The Murder of Rebecca Wight

Criminal Discourse Podcast: Rebecca Wight

BBC Podcast on Rebecca Wight's Story

1995 Testimony on LGBTQ Hate Crimes in PA Legislature

Washington Post: The Target That Shot Back

YouTube: Appalachian Trail Hate Crime Coverage

UPI Archives: Murder on the Appalachian Trail

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In 1978, 27-year-old Anthony Adams, a gay man living in Salt Lake City, was found brutally murdered in his home. His killing was both savage and personal—signs of a struggle and a life cut short. Four decades later, no arrests have been made, and vital evidence has gone missing.

Why did the police let this case go cold? Was Anthony targeted because of his sexuality? And what dark secrets still linger in Salt Lake City’s cold case files?

Join Arlene and Leah as they examine the victim, timeline, evidence, and suspects.

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In the early morning of March 9, 2019, 25-year-old Aubrey Dameron left her home in Grove, Oklahoma, and disappeared. As a transgender, two-spirit woman, Aubrey’s identity placed her at greater risk in a community already grappling with systemic gaps in missing persons cases. Her family launched desperate searches and demanded answers, but for years, the mystery of her disappearance loomed large.

Six years later, her remains were discovered in a wooded area, bringing heartbreaking closure, yet still no accountability. What happened to Aubrey that night? Why did it take so long to find her? And who is responsible?

Join Arlene and Leah as they examine the victim, timeline, evidence, and suspects.

National Sexual Assault Hotline: is 800.656.HOPE • 

U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233 or text “START” to 88788. 

Trans Lifeline: (877) 565-8860

The LGBT National Hotline: (888) 843-4564

Crisis Text Line: Text START to 741-741

Show Notes: 

Aubrey Dameron Vanishes 

Aubrey Dameron’s Remains Found

Remains of Aubrey Dameron Found After 6 Years

Family Thanks Community

A Life Worth Finding

Remains of Trans Woman Found

Aubrey Dameron’s Remains Located

 Aubrey Dameron ID’d

LA Times: Aubrey’s Disappearance

Aunt: There’s More to Aubrey’s Case

HubPages: Aubrey Dameron

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In this powerful episode of Box in the Basement, Arlene is joined by her life partner, Leah, and podcast producer Bree to discuss the latest developments in the unsolved 1996 murder of  Leon Laureles in Brownwood, Texas.

💔 Arlene shares the emotional toll of losing Leon and introduces new findings from the private investigator's files that were hidden for decades, including a suspect list and shocking crime scene photos.

🕵️ Leah shares her chilling connection to true crime: she attended the same church as Jeffrey Dahmer’s father and grew up hearing stories of a local unsolved murder. Bree, with family roots in law enforcement, reflects on how true crime shifted from passive interest to active advocacy.

🧾 The team exposes:

• Mishandled crime scene protocol and possible corruption
• A mysterious civilian in crime scene photos
• Questions around Sheriff Donahue’s recusal
• Autopsy findings prove Leon’s execution-style murder
• Speculation on the weapon and accelerant used
• The burning of Leon’s car and the deliberate destruction of evidence

🎯 This episode also explores Brownwood’s dark undercurrent of discrimination and systemic failure in handling LGBTQ+ hate crimes.

🕯️ You're invited:
Join us on May 31, 2025, for a memorial honoring Leon's life.
📍 11 AM–2 PM | Common Grounds Coffee House, 809 Main St, Brownwood, TX

🔗 Support Justice for Leon
📜 Sign the petition at Change.org
💵 Donate at GoFundMe – Search “Leon Laureles”
🌐 Visit justiceforleon.com for updates, FOIA info, and anonymous tip submission

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• Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
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In this gripping continuation of Box in the Basement, host Arlene shares what happened in the days leading up to and the night of her uncle Leon Laureles unsolved murder on May 10th, 1996, outside Brownwood, Texas.

Through witness accounts, community stories, and her own exhaustive research, Arlene pieces together the timeline of events—red flags, threats, a suspicious red sports car, the chilling final 911 calls, and the appalling mishandling of the investigation by local law enforcement and the Texas Rangers.

This episode reveals:

• Leon’s fears and threats made against him before his death
• The mysterious cars seen at the scene and possible hate crime motives
• The gross mishandling of evidence, including the destruction of his car, failure to preserve the bullet, and lies about missing case files
• The deeper corruption and neglect that plagued small-town law enforcement in 1990s Texas

Arlene bravely confronts her own guilt, shares the trauma felt by witnesses and coworkers, and pleads for renewed attention to Leon’s case. 

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• Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
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This episode tells the emotional life story of Leon Laureles—a beloved uncle, caregiver, and community member—who was murdered on May 10, 1996, outside Brownwood, Texas. Nearly three decades later, his case remains unsolved, and justice has never been served.

Host Arlene, Leon’s niece, shares heartfelt stories from his life and their unbreakable bond. She exposes the neglect by law enforcement and her ongoing fight to reopen his case under the Homicide Victims' Families’ Rights Act.

📅 Join us May 31, 2025, for a public celebration of Leon’s life:
📍 Common Grounds Coffee House, 809 Main Street, Brownwood, TX
🕚 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

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• Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
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• Donate to Seasons of Justice
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This month, Box in the Basement returns to where it all began—the story of Leon Laureles, a beloved 30-year-old man who was murdered execution-style outside of Brownwood, Texas, on May 10, 1996. His case remains unsolved and is suspected to be a hate crime.

Host Arlene, Leon’s niece, shares her deeply personal account of Leon’s life, the night she learned he was killed, and the decades of grief, unanswered questions, and systemic failure that followed. Through raw emotion and courageous storytelling, Arlene sheds light on the injustice surrounding Leon’s case—and so many others like his.

In this special series, Arlene also details her fight for truth: hiring a private investigator, navigating corrupt law enforcement, filing FOIA requests, hosting vigils, and securing media coverage to keep Leon’s name alive. With the support of listeners and new legal tools like the Homicide Victims' Families’ Rights Act, Arlene is determined to reopen the case and push for accountability.

Join us this May as we honor Leon’s life, confront the past, and demand justice.

🕯️ Memorial Event:
📍 May 31, 2025, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Common Grounds Coffee House, 809 Main St, Brownwood, TX

Support Box in the Basement & Our Causes

• Leon Laurales: Website & GoFundMe
• Follow us on Facebook & Instagram
• Donate to Seasons of Justice
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