Interested in a collab with us?? Or just wanting to send information, case suggestions, personal stories or even a simple hello? Send us a message!

What happens when your worst nightmare becomes reality? For 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver in Chowchilla, California, this question took horrifying form on a summer day in 1976 when they were abducted at gunpoint and buried alive underground in a moving van.

The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping stands as one of America's most chilling true crime cases. As we journey through this harrowing story, you'll learn how Frederick Woods and brothers James and Richard Schoenfeld meticulously planned their shocking crime, burying a makeshift prison underground months before abducting an entire school bus. You'll feel the suffocating terror as oxygen dwindled inside their underground tomb, and witness the remarkable courage of bus driver Ed Ray and several older children who engineered a daring escape after 16 hours of captivity.

But this episode doesn't end with their rescue. We explore the controversial justice that followed, where all three kidnappers—initially sentenced to life without parole—have now been released, despite the lifelong trauma inflicted on their victims. Survivor Linda shares her ongoing battle with PTSD, unable to sleep properly for decades, constantly triggered by white vans, construction lights, and small spaces. Her powerful question resonates throughout: "If your child was kidnapped and buried alive, how long is long enough?" The contrast between the kidnappers' second chance at life and the survivors' endless sentence of trauma raises profound questions about our justice system and the true meaning of rehabilitation.

Join us for this unforgettable exploration of human cruelty, extraordinary resilience, and the complex aftermath that continues to unfold nearly five decades later. Subscribe to Dark Crossroads wherever you get your podcasts and share your thoughts on this remarkable case.

Paris Rhône
Paris Rhône main products include household items, polishers, and coffee grinders. 

Babbily
10% Off Month 1 with promo code dark10

Support the show

Please send cases you want covered or stories you want read on the podcast to [email protected]. Don't forget to like, share, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you're listening to us. You can subscribe through the link in the episode notes to receive bonus content, discounts on future merchandise, and other extras.

Be Weird. Stay Different. Don't Trust Anyone!

• Blog
• Link Tree
• Listen Here!