This week, we’re joined by one of those people: our former coworker and a broadcast photojournalist who has spent years behind the camera capturing the stories unfolding in front of it.

We’re talking about life in a television newsroom, the moments viewers don’t see, the challenges and adrenaline that come with chasing breaking news, and what it’s really like to be the person responsible for documenting some of the biggest moments in a community.

Plus, we’re taking a little trip down memory lane and catching up with someone who was there during our own journalism days.

Grab your headphones and join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the world of broadcast journalism through the lens of someone who has lived it.

We’ve all seen them. The suspiciously cheap, definitely-not-the-real-thing versions of our favorite toys. But when it comes to those squishy little NeeDoh knockoffs, “you get what you pay for” can mean a whole lot more than a disappointing toy. In this episode, we’re talking about the potential dangers of counterfeit NeeDohs and why saving a few bucks might not be worth the risk.

BUT WAIT… there’s more!

We’re also giving you a little taste of what’s happening over on our Patreon! For just $5/month, you can hear our bonus discussion about the Lindsay Clancy trial and Netflix’s Toxic Love documentary.

So come for the sketchy squishies, stay for the true crime.

Listen now—and if you want even more Buried Bylines, come hang out with us on Patreon.

PATREON LINK: https://www.patreon.com/BuriedBylinesPodcast

SOURCES:

https://www.toysnplaythings.media/harmful-truth-of-knock-off-needoh/

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/kids/parents-warned-after-popular-toy-explodes-leaving-girl-10-with-severe-burns/news-story/6193e72291a6695bf12542b5fe320916

https://www.today.com/shop/what-are-needohs-rcna267297

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yz402rrjzo

https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/needoh-squishies-rcna342961 

https://www.businessinsider.com/needoh-squishies-viral-toy-schylling-2026-4

https://www.ourcancerstories.com/cancer-news/lifestyle-news/cerave-lawsuit-cancer

https://medicaldialogues.in/news/industry/pharma/from-skincare-staple-to-cancer-fear-controversy-how-cerave-became-the-face-of-benzene-cancer-debate-171963 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yz402rrjzo 

https://www.krqe.com/news/new-mexico/new-mexico-teen-gets-3rd-degree-burns-from-viral-needoh-toy-after-leaving-it-in-hot-car/ 

https://schylling.com/needoh/ 

https://www.bigjigstoys.co.uk/blogs/posts/everything-you-need-to-know-about-needoh?srsltid=AfmBOopVdNnpkTn4sghXiG5fo8afdCMOUDyhU9lulB2LDJZsa08t_Z5w 

https://nypost.com/2026/07/07/health/doctor-warns-viral-needoh-toy-trend-is-hospitalizing-children-with-severe-burns/ 

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/childrens-products/toy-reviews/a71029078/needoh-scams-avoid-fakes/ 

In April 2013, 24-year-old Jessica Masker was struggling to get her life back on track when she disappeared from Indianapolis's east side. The single mom of two was last seen on surveillance video at a gas station near her cousin's house.

Despite local news coverage and continued pleas from her family, Jessica's disappearance remains unsolved more than a decade later. In this episode, we explore the events leading up to Jessica's disappearance, the investigation that followed, the media attention her case received, and the lingering questions that remain unanswered more than a decade later.

SOURCES:

FOX 59

Doe Network

WTHR

WRTV

Indianapolis Star

https://fox59.com/indiana-news/family-searches-for-answers-11-years-after-indy-womans-disappearance/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/4402478629803621/

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/mp-main.html?id=4781dfin

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indianapolis-family-still-searches-for-jessica-masker-11-years-after-disappearance/531-83f7ebfd-e4a8-4db9-84e1-369432197ccd

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/u7acxj/its_been_9_years_since_jessica_masker_was_last/

https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/MP23418

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Missing.Indiana/posts/26538047002529185/

https://www.wrtv.com/news/jessica-maskers-family-continues-search-for-her-eight-years-later

https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/family-celebrates-28th-birthday-of-indianapolis-woman-whos-been-missing-for-four-years

https://fox59.com/video/family-of-jessica-masker-still-searching-for-answers-9-years-after-she-vanished-on-indys-east-side/7611287/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/reward-missing-person-jessica-masker?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer

https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2023/04/14/10-years-since-jessica-masker-disappearance-east-side-gas-station/70093485007/

Summerwind has been called one of the most haunted houses in America… but how much of its terrifying reputation is rooted in fact?

This week, we're heading to the shores of West Bay Lake in northern Wisconsin to unravel the history of the infamous Summerwind Mansion.

From stories of ghostly apparitions and unexplained voices to claims that a family fled after a terrifying encounter in the basement, the legends surrounding this home have captivated paranormal enthusiasts for decades.

But where did these stories come from? Were the hauntings witnessed firsthand, or did the legend grow with each retelling?

Join us as we dig into the documented history of Summerwind, separate fact from folklore, and explore how one abandoned mansion became one of America's most enduring ghost stories.

SOURCES:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZpH4aBHc2M

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summerwind

https://ghostshipfragrance.com/blogs/a-bottle-of-ghosts/summerwind-americas-most-haunted-house

https://www.hauntedrooms.com/wisconsin/haunted-places/summerwind-mansion

https://archive.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/ghost-fans-hope-to-rebuild-mansion--haunting-and-all-b99381544z1-281025652.html

https://lostinthestates.com/the-most-haunted-spot-in-wisconsin/

https://www.presqueisleheritage.org/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5189931-the-carver-effect

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285891302771

https://www.wxpr.org/arts-life/2018-10-31/vilas-co-s-haunted-summerwind-mansion

https://www.northwoodsnews.com/summerwind-an-urban-legend-of-northern-wisconsin/

For months now, we’ve been dropping hints and waiting to finally share this case with you. Now we have the unique opportunity of sharing a story that has been trapped in the dark for three-quarters of a century: the missing persons case of two-year-old Earnest Cagle Jr.

On August 27, 1950, little Earnest vanished from the backseat of his family’s car outside a tavern in Buckhart, Illinois. Despite massive searches, the trail went entirely cold. Decades passed, the headlines faded, and terrifyingly, the official systems meant to look for missing children completely forgot he was gone.

But is anyone every truly forgotten? Not on this podcast. We’re pulling back the curtain on how a case sits outside the system for a lifetime, and the intense behind-the-scenes hurdles we faced to finally get Earnest Cagle Jr. into a missing persons database 76 years later.

SOURCES:

https://sangamoncountyhistory.org/2-year-old-vanishes-1950/

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/1s82has/in_the_summer_of_1950_2yearold_earnest_cagle_jr/?share_id=Ec_tUYEPetbm1RoqKRFBx&utm_content=2&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1

https://imgur.com/a/sQOg3YF

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101845582/earnest_doss-cagle

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27661107/hattie_adeline-cagle

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1324760865/?match=1&terms=earnest%20cagle

https://www.newspapers.com/image/85369970/?match=1&terms=earnest%20cagle

https://www.newspapers.com/image/85369026/?match=1&terms=earnest%20cagle

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1303733602/?match=1&terms=cecil%20delay%20tavern

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1303731320/?match=1&terms=cecil%20delay%20tavern

One hundred episodes later, we're diving into one of Indiana's most infamous unsolved cases.

On the night of November 17, 1978, four young Burger Chef employees vanished from the Speedway restaurant where they worked. Their bodies were discovered two days later in neighboring Johnson County, launching an investigation that has remained unresolved for nearly five decades.

In this milestone episode, we first revisit the timeline, the investigation, and the enduring questions surrounding the Burger Chef murders before sitting down with special guests Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee of the Murder Sheet podcast. Together, we discuss their extensive reporting on the case, what they've uncovered through years of research, and why the victims' stories deserve to remain in the public eye.

As we celebrate our 100th episode, we want to thank every listener who has joined us in exploring the stories that deserve to be remembered. We couldn't have reached this milestone without you.

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burger_Chef_murders

https://www.newspapers.com/image/312819589/?match=9&terms=burger%20chef%20murders

https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/site-of-1978-burger-chef-murders-to-be-torn-down-speedway-indiana-indianapolis-5725-crawfordsville-road/531-5f0c51dd-f92d-469c-b64d-94970bc74497

https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/crime/1978-burger-chef-murders-haunt-retired-detective-this-is-the-type-of-case-that-i-will-take-to-my-grave

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway_bombings

https://vault.fbi.gov/speedway-indiana-burger-chef/Speedway%20Indiana%20Burger%20Chef%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/view

https://www.aetv.com/articles/burger-chef-murder-cold-case

https://abcnews.com/US/hope-time-earth-answers-victims-sister-1978-unsolved/story?id=59191521

https://www.newspapers.com/image/106962941/?match=4&terms=mark%20flemmonds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speedway_bombings

https://www.newspapers.com/image/107586337/?match=1&terms=jayne%20friedt

https://murdersheetpodcast.com/

Before we hit triple digits, we wanted to sit down and answer your questions in a special Q&A episode!

From behind-the-scenes podcast drama to our favorite cases we’ve covered so far, we’re diving into your submissions and reflecting on the wild ride to 100 episodes. We’re also talking about what’s next for the podcast, where we see the next 100 episodes going, and the stories we still can’t stop thinking about.

Oh… and yes. We finally reveal the infamous Indiana cold case we’ll be covering for Episode 100.

To celebrate this milestone, we’re also doing a merch giveaway! Be sure to rate and review the podcast for a chance to win. Your support genuinely helps our show grow, and we can’t thank you enough for sticking with us through 99 episodes of mystery, chaos, and questionable emotional stability.

Episode 100 is almost here.

SOURCE:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTB6Pkr1y/

A retired Air Force general vanishes without a trace. A NASA scientist disappears during a hike. Multiple researchers connected to nuclear, aerospace, and classified government projects are found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Now, federal investigators and Congress are looking into whether these cases are connected — or if the internet has spiraled ordinary tragedies into something far more sinister.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into the growing mystery surrounding at least 10 scientists and researchers tied to sensitive U.S. programs whose deaths and disappearances have fueled conspiracy theories, national security concerns, and intense online speculation. From UFO rumors to espionage fears, we break down what’s fact, what’s rumor, and why this story has captured so much attention.

Are these isolated incidents… or pieces of a much darker puzzle?

SOURCES:

In August 2011, 85-year-old Essie Mae McVey was found barely alive on the floor of her Greencastle, Indiana condo—shot in the back of the head in what investigators believe was a burglary gone wrong.

But here’s the thing… nothing was taken.

No forced entry.

No witnesses.

No murder weapon.

And in a quiet community just miles from DePauw University, the case barely made headlines.

In this episode, we’re diving into the unsolved murder of Essie McVey—a grandmother of three children, ten grandchildren, and nineteen great-grandchildren—whose life was taken in a matter of minutes during a narrow 76-minute window in broad daylight.

SOURCES:

https://www.suncommercial.com/banner_graphic/archives/article_eb0325f4-fdc6-5952-a1b4-db370f9929f2.html

https://www.newspapers.com/image/126386679/?match=1&terms=essie%20mcvey

https://www.suncommercial.com/banner_graphic/archives/article_6f35080f-1456-535e-9ea5-ec6bca1d0d37.html

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/greencastle-in/essie-mc-vey-4800977

In 1964, an 18-year-old girl was walking to school in Wausau, Wisconsin… and never made it.

Eleanor Kaatz was attacked in broad daylight on a quiet island. Stabbed nearly 50 times and left near the river, she was somehow still alive when she was found. But two days later, she died from her injuries.

The man responsible, Terry Caspersen, was caught almost immediately. What he admitted—and what investigators uncovered—painted the picture of a deeply disturbed young man capable of extreme violence.

But what makes this case even more unsettling… is that it didn’t end with her murder.

After serving years in prison, he was released—only to attack again.

This is the story of a murder that shocked a community, a victim who fought to survive, and a killer whose violence didn’t stop when it should have.

SOURCES:

Coming soon!