Buried Bylines

This week, we’re taking a closer look at the cases of Trey Reed, a 21-year-old Delta State University student found hanging from a tree on campus, and Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old whose body was found near Horn Island on the Mississippi Gulf Coast after he went missing during a Fourth of July outing.

Trey’s death was ruled a suicide, but questions raised by his family and concerns surrounding the investigation have kept his case in the public eye. Nolan’s cause and manner of death remain undetermined, and his family continues to seek answers following a grand jury’s decision not to indict anyone.

We’ll also examine Mississippi’s deep-rooted history of racism and how it continues to shape conversations about justice, transparency, and accountability.

SOURCES:

https://msmagazine.com/2025/10/21/trey-reed-lynching-suicide-black-racism/

https://www.miamistudent.net/article/2025/10/demartravion-trey-reed-delta-state-university-death

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2026/01/13/family-waiting-on-new-trey-reed-autopsy-says-stop-threats-to-school-what-we-know/88156891007/ 

https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-hanging-lynchings-1e48dfdcfe985506db17bbe5c4edb8dc?_gl=1*1366ceb*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAjwn67VBhBnEiwAXUIN1cOANfEujMj-icMZmQ1CXGn3_NLkZAYO68uh9qMM8hnNOqNPoqAx5RoCLxoQAvD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAAC5L6PD0L9Zds8hWlrnBWCdD5ltfD 

https://www.mississippifreepress.org/trey-reeds-family-says-crump-never-shared-final-independent-autopsy-results-stopped-responding/ 

https://abcnews.com/US/autopsy-results-expected-death-black-delta-state-student/story?id=125661797 

https://capitalbnews.org/black-hanging-deaths/

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2026/09/14/trey-reed-was-found-dead-at-delta-state-a-year-ago-what-we-know-now/91689357007/

https://abc7ny.com/post/jackson-mississippi-police-arrest-man-homicide-tasia-fortune-black-woman-found-hanging-tree/19821475/ 

https://msmagazine.com/2025/10/21/trey-reed-lynching-suicide-black-racism/

https://blacklivesmatter.com/trey-reed/

https://www.wlbt.com/2025/12/22/silence-persists-around-trey-reeds-second-autopsy/

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/11/04/delta-state-university-mississippi-hanging 

https://wreg.com/news/local/death-of-trey-reed-ruled-as-suicide-ms-medical-examiner-says/ 

https://www.ms.now/opinion/highly-unusual-trend-of-black-hanging-deaths-in-the-south-has-black-people-considering-two-awful-explanations 

https://saobserver.com/nolan-wells-medical-examiner-also-handled-trey-reed-case-drawing-scrutiny/ 

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/trey-reed-mississippi-death/ 

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/censored-erasing-250-years-of-american-history-on-public-lands/ 

https://abcnews.com/US/2nd-suspect-arrested-death-woman-found-hanging-tree/story?id=136684353 

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2026/09/28/what-290-pages-of-nolan-wells-snapchat-records-reveal/91987593007/ 

Sometimes the cases we cover start with a Google search. Sometimes they start with a newspaper clipping. And sometimes… they start with your mother-in-law.

This week on Buried Bylines, we’re covering the case of Jean Ann Henry and her young son, Taylor, after a listener suggestion from a VERY special source: Mallory’s mother-in-law. ❤️

Jean had actually been a BRIDESMAID in her wedding (which the photo in this post is from) making this case feel especially personal.

Jean and Taylor were later found dead inside their home near Lexington, North Carolina. Jean’s second husband, Robert Henry, was charged with both murders.

The newspaper coverage raises a lot of questions about what was happening behind the scenes, including a history of domestic disputes, restraining orders and a separation before Jean started documenting the torment he was causing her in the months before he killed her.

So this week, we’re digging into the story of a woman who was once part of a very happy day in someone else’s life… and whose own story ended in tragedy.

SOURCES:

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1285394478/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=f7f2c846-dd48-4d49-acee-28805f6cbe27&search-rank=9 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/945099839/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=10 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/942777901/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=14 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1285394671/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=24 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/942778811/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=25 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/945100202/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20dudley%20henry%22&search-id=6d053b84-ace3-4f56-90c2-d4a48655ab0c&search-rank=1 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/942779500/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20dudley%20henry%22&search-id=6d053b84-ace3-4f56-90c2-d4a48655ab0c&search-rank=7 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288323363/?match=1&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=42 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941623527/?match=1&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=83 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941672943/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=86 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288329810/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=89 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941673198/?terms=%22jean%20henry%22 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941673206/?terms=%22jean%20henry%22 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288331401/?match=4&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=93 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941674632/?match=13&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=101 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288336175/?match=1&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=116 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941901173/?terms=%22jean%20henry%22 

https://www.dac.nc.gov/dac-services/criminal-offender-searches 

https://www.thehotline.org/

This week on Buried Bylines, we’re heading to Lexington, North Carolina, for a case that came to us from a very special listener… Mallory’s mother-in-law.

Jean Ann Henry was a wife, a mom, and a woman who had actually been a bridesmaid in Mallory’s mother-in-law’s wedding. Years later, Jean and her young son, Taylor, would be found dead inside their home.

Jean’s second husband, Robert Henry, was charged with the murders of both his wife and son.

The case becomes even more heartbreaking when you look at the history surrounding the couple… including a separation, previous restraining orders, and the fact that Jean started recording phone calls for evidence.

So how did a woman who had once stood beside a friend on one of the happiest days of her life end up at the center of a double homicide?

This week, we’re talking about Jean and Taylor Henry, the circumstances surrounding their deaths, and the listener connection that brought this case to our attention.

And, as always, we’re taking a closer look at the people behind the headlines… because they were so much more than the crime that ultimately made the newspaper.

And for our Unpaid Interns on Patreon, we are SPILLING the tea on: the drama of Ashley Flowers from Crime Junkie and actual journalists, the media ban at the White House, and the infamous 60 minutes interview with Patrick Clancy that is dominating our For You pages on TikTok.

SOURCES:

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1285394478/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=f7f2c846-dd48-4d49-acee-28805f6cbe27&search-rank=9 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/945099839/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=10 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/942777901/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=14 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1285394671/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=24 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/942778811/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=25 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/945100202/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20dudley%20henry%22&search-id=6d053b84-ace3-4f56-90c2-d4a48655ab0c&search-rank=1 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/942779500/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20dudley%20henry%22&search-id=6d053b84-ace3-4f56-90c2-d4a48655ab0c&search-rank=7 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288323363/?match=1&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=42 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941623527/?match=1&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=83 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941672943/?match=3&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=86 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288329810/?match=2&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=89 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941673198/?terms=%22jean%20henry%22 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941673206/?terms=%22jean%20henry%22 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288331401/?match=4&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=93 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941674632/?match=13&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=101 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1288336175/?match=1&terms=%22jean%20henry%22&search-id=77694649-0ca1-451b-9e6e-525853086759&search-rank=116 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/941901173/?terms=%22jean%20henry%22 

https://www.dac.nc.gov/dac-services/criminal-offender-searches 

https://www.thehotline.org/

This one is a little late, friends.

And by “a little late,” I (Megan) mean that one of your hosts has been busy living her best life as a PARTY PRINCESS and apparently forgot that podcasts require things like schedules and timely episode drops.

So… please accept this belated episode as my formal apology for having a life. I promise I have learned absolutely nothing.

ANYWAY. This week on Buried Bylines, we’re talking about the disappearance of Jodi Husenstruit — a case that hits especially close to home for two former newsies. We dig into Jodi’s disappearance, the circumstances surrounding the case, and the questions that have stuck with us while looking at it through the lens of people who spent years working in local news.

And because apparently one topic wasn’t enough, we also have a little catching up to do.

We talk about the Lindsay Clancy mistrial and our thoughts on where things stand, AND we dive into the Netflix documentary, ‘Death of a Pastor’s Wife’.

That last conversation is available in full for our ‘Unpaid Interns’ tier over on Patreon! For just $5/month, our Unpaid Interns get access to bonus episodes and extra conversations that don’t make it into the regular feed.

So whether you’re listening right when this drops… or, you know, three weeks from now because we’ve apparently established that time is fake around here… THANK YOU.

Seriously. Thank you for listening, sharing episodes, sending us tips, leaving reviews, and sticking with us even when one of your hosts gets distracted by a tiara and a six-year-old’s birthday party.

We appreciate you more than you know.

Now let’s talk about Jodi.

SOURCES:

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

https://www.kttc.com/2026/06/01/private-investigator-says-he-found-potential-suspect-behind-jodi-huisentruits-disappearance/ 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/cold-case-missing-news-anchor-rocked-claim-confession-roadside-meltdown-report 

https://www.fox9.com/news/jodie-huisentruit-person-interest-who-died-suicide-responsible-wi-murder 

https://www.kttc.com/2026/06/28/mason-city-remembers-jodi-huisentruit-31-years-after-her-disappearance/ 

https://findjodi.com 

https://www.kttc.com/2025/03/10/family-jodi-huisentruit-releases-statement-regarding-possible-unsealing-search-warrant/ 

https://www.kttc.com/2025/03/10/family-jodi-huisentruit-releases-statement-regarding-possible-unsealing-search-warrant/ 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/223759954/?match=5&terms=jodi%20huisentruit&search-id=c76d130b-ba61-47a5-b30a-bd5ea8afbd8f&search-rank=2 

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1171218602/?match=10&terms=jodi%20huisentruit&search-id=c76d130b-ba61-47a5-b30a-bd5ea8afbd8f&search-rank=7

https://www.newsnationnow.com/missing/jodi-huisentruit-warrant-gps/ 

https://people.com/jodi-huisentruit-disappearance-what-to-know-12006219 

Find Jodi Resources:

https://www.facebook.com/hope4jodi

https://findjodi.com/30-years-30-facts/

https://findjodi.com/30-facts-and-memories-about-jodi-huisentruit-on-her-57th-birthday/

https://findjodi.com/

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/