Some paths are meant to be safe. Some stories are meant to be simple. This week, neither one is.

We begin with April Millsap — a life full of light, cut short in a place that should have protected her. But from that darkness, something powerful grew: awareness, advocacy, and a community that refused to forget her name.

Then we follow the winding, shadowed road of Lynn Messer’s disappearance — a case tangled in silence, shifting narratives, and questions that still linger like fog.

Two women. Two very different stories. And the unsettling space where truth and uncertainty meet.

We always encourage you to read, research, and form your own opinions.
Because these stories deserve more than just being listened to… they deserve to be understood.This episode draws from a combination of local reporting, national news coverage, and long-form case analysis. As with many cases, especially Lynn Messer’s, some details remain disputed or unclear, and we’ve done our best to separate confirmed facts from speculation.

• https://abcnews.go.com/US/police-search-home-connection-murder-teen-phone-text/story?id=24779407
• https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/2014/08/18/april-millsaps-cellphone-may-help-solve-mystery-surrounding-murder/
• https://www.wxyz.com/news/jury-reaches-verdict-in-april-millsap-murder-case
• https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/court-conviction-stands-in-april-millsap-murder/

• https://www.frontpagedetectives.com/crime-archives/fitness-tracking-app-on-michigan-teenagers-phone-helped-police-get-a-breakthrough-on-her-murder
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/making-a-murder-case-how-a-prosecutor-won-a-conviction-with-an-absence-of-evidence/2016/02/09/9b48ff68-abb5-416b-9656-49b7a11e4567_story.html

• https://morbidology.com/morbidology-the-podcast-84-april-millsap/

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Lynn_Messer

• https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Family-of-Lynn-Messer-speaks-out-after-investigation-closed-512889471.html
• https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2014/11/13/lynn-messer-case-timeline/18961083/
• https://www.fox2now.com/news/missouri/mystery-surrounds-death-of-lynn-messer-in-missouri
• https://www.kmov.com/news/lincoln-county-death-still-a-mystery-years-later/article_0d9d6f9e-8f7c-5c69-b2b4-7c1c2dbe6f3b.html

The April Fools/200th episode may be fashionably late, but chaos has impeccable timing.

This week, we’re diving into two stories where nothing is quite what it seems. First, a moment of large-scale confusion that proves some jokes go way further than expected. Then, we head into darker territory with a chilling encounter that still lingers years later.

One story is fueled by prankster energy. The other feels like footsteps behind you when no one’s there.

Pour something bubbly, lock the doors, and join us for an episode full of confusion, curiosity, and our usual questionable commentary.

This week, we’re sitting with a case that has never really let go of the people who know it… or the ones hearing it for the first time.

In the early hours of a quiet Sunday morning in 1982, 12-year-old Johnny Gosch set out on his paper route in Des Moines, Iowa. It was routine. Familiar. The kind of ordinary that feels safe… until it isn’t. Somewhere between front porches and folded newspapers, Johnny vanished without a trace.

What followed wasn’t just a search—it was the beginning of a national shift in how we talk about missing children. Johnny’s case would go on to spark fear, activism, and questions that still don’t have clear answers decades later.

In this episode, I’m walking through who Johnny was, that morning in detail, and the investigation that unraveled in ways both frustrating and deeply unsettling. We’ll also talk about the impact his disappearance had—not just on his family, but on the way America began to understand cases like his.

This is one of those stories that lingers. The kind that makes you look twice at quiet streets and early mornings… and wonder what we might have missed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Johnny_Gosch https://www.thetruecrimedatabase.com/case_file/johnny-gosch/ https://info.porterchester.edu/inf/the-tragic-disappearance-of-johnny-gosch-a-child-abduction-case-that-shook-the-nation

There’s something in the woods… and it doesn’t walk like you do.

This week’s solo episode drifts into the shadows of folklore and fear—where “flesh pedestrians” are whispered about in hushed tones, and Pukwudgies lurk just beyond the tree line, watching… waiting.

Stories like these aren’t just urban legends. For many, they’re warnings.

I’ll take you through what people have seen, what they’ve experienced—and why some say you should never answer if something calls your name from the dark.

Also making his debut: Aries 🐾 my tiny co-host with a lot to say (you’ll hear him… he insists).

Put your headphones in, lock your doors, and maybe… don’t listen alone.

• Navajo People Overview 

• https://www.britannica.com/topic/Navajo-people

• Diné (Navajo) Belief Systems & Spiritual Practiceshttps://www.arizona-leisure.com/navajo-religion.html

• Hózhó Concept Explainedhttps://navajotraditions.com/blogs/navajo-culture/hozho

• Navajo Witchcraft & Cultural Contexthttps://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/3629273

• Clyde Kluckhohn – Navaho Witchcrafthttps://archive.org/details/navahowitchcraft00kluc

• University of New Mexico – Navajo Beliefs & Witchcraft Studieshttps://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1038&context=anth_fsp

• Smithsonian Magazine – Navajo Cultural Beliefs & Traditionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/navajo-code-talkers-180967994/

• Native-Languages.orghttp://www.native-languages.org/navajo-legends.htm

• Legends of America – Navajo Witchcraft Traditionshttps://www.legendsofamerica.com/navajo-skinwalkers/

• Diné Cultural Education Resourceshttps://www.navajonationmuseum.org

• https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ma-pukwudgie/

• https://www.native-languages.org/pukwudgie.htm

• https://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/pukwudgies/

• https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/10/19/pukwudgies/

• https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/massachusetts/pukwudgie-ma/

• https://www.mass.gov/locations/freetown-fall-river-state-forest

• https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/1998/10/31/legend-pukwudgies/50550562007/

• https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2014/1031/Pukwudgies-The-creepy-legend-behind-Massachusetts-mischievous-creatures

• https://bridgewaterstateuniversity.edu/bridgewater-triangle

This week, we’re popping whatever’s in our glasses and pulling up an extra chair… because it’s Teagan’s birthday, and she’s stepping in as guest host for a night that starts with celebration and slowly unravels into something far more chilling.

We kick things off getting to know Teagan, the mind behind this week’s first case, before she leads us into the heartbreaking and haunting story of Natalie McNally… a case that feels as devastating as it is infuriating, wrapped in questions that still linger like smoke in the air.

Then, as the night deepens and the candles burn lower, we shift into the case of Sativa Transue… a story layered with betrayal, control, and the kind of calculated darkness that reminds you not everything is as it seems behind closed doors.

It’s a birthday episode, yes… but in true Champagne & Murder, Please fashion, we’re balancing celebration with truth, laughter with gravity, and a reminder that behind every case is a real person who deserved so much more.

So pour a glass, settle in, and stay close… this one gets heavy.

Resources for anyone dealing with domestic abuse:

You are not alone.

National Domestic Violence Hotlinehttps://www.thehotline.orgThe National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) provides a wide range of free, comprehensive, and individualized technical assistance, training, and specialized resource materials and key initiatives designed to enhance current domestic violence intervention and prevention strategies.

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence | National ...
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)https://nrcdv.orgSOURCES:

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/natalie-mcnally-murder-trial-hears-psni-cyber-crime-officer-say-live-stream-alibi-was-pre-recorded-PAHNBRD4Q5CNZF7IKIDHQCH42Q/

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2026/02/25/former-partner-of-natalie-mcnally-peddled-false-alibi-about-live-gaming-stream-court-hears/

https://www.thejournal.ie/stephen-mccullagh-trial-natalie-mcnally-belfast-crown-court-6966178-Feb2026/

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/natalie-mcnally-murder-trial-hears-defendant-told-psni-aggressive-ex-boyfriend-had-been-harassing-her-V7BONRGUNFHH5B42WHJ2JOFQA4/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lisburn-family-psni-northern-ireland-rebecca-black-b2926727.html

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/dec/02/family-of-sativa-transue-who-was-found-dead-in-can/https://www.khq.com/news/please-get-help---family-of-cheney-woman-murdered-in-mexico-pleading-with-those/article_a763cc58-677a-11ec-9742-cfbe0ac6a0d7.htmlhttps://people.com/crime/washington-woman-found-dead-in-cancun-hotel-room-after-going-on-thanksgiving-vacation-with-boyfriend/https://people.com/crime/family-of-washington-woman-killed-in-cancun-allege-boyfriend-has-been-violent-before/https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/sativa-transue-thanksgiving-hotel-death-b1968224.htmlhttps://www.cheneyfreepress.com/story/2021/12/16/news/cheney-woman-found-dead-in-cancun/29056.htmlhttps://www.latintimes.com/woman-found-beaten-bloody-pulp-swanky-cancun-hotel-after-trip-boyfriend-497185https://www.change.org/p/sativa-s-law

This week on Champagne and Murder, Please, we’re pouring something crisp… because this one needs it.

First, we step into the quiet corners of a relationship that should’ve been filled with anticipation and new beginnings. Instead, it became the backdrop for the devastating murder of Sativa Transue—a young woman whose trust was met with unimaginable betrayal. What investigators uncovered doesn’t just raise questions… it rewrites the entire story.

Then, we cross the ocean to unravel the heartbreaking case of Natalie McNally, a woman described as warm, vibrant, and deeply loved—whose life was stolen while on a vacation. As the investigation unfolds, what emerges is a chilling reminder that sometimes the greatest danger isn’t a stranger in the dark… but someone standing in the light.

Two women. Two futures stolen. And in both cases, the truth was hiding in plain sight.

So dim the lights, grab your glass, and settle in… because tonight, we’re talking about the kind of love that doesn’t just crack—it shatters.

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/dec/02/family-of-sativa-transue-who-was-found-dead-in-can/https://www.khq.com/news/please-get-help---family-of-cheney-woman-murdered-in-mexico-pleading-with-those/article_a763cc58-677a-11ec-9742-cfbe0ac6a0d7.htmlhttps://people.com/crime/washington-woman-found-dead-in-cancun-hotel-room-after-going-on-thanksgiving-vacation-with-boyfriend/https://people.com/crime/family-of-washington-woman-killed-in-cancun-allege-boyfriend-has-been-violent-before/https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/sativa-transue-thanksgiving-hotel-death-b1968224.htmlhttps://www.cheneyfreepress.com/story/2021/12/16/news/cheney-woman-found-dead-in-cancun/29056.htmlhttps://www.latintimes.com/woman-found-beaten-bloody-pulp-swanky-cancun-hotel-after-trip-boyfriend-497185https://www.change.org/p/sativa-s-law

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/natalie-mcnally-murder-trial-hears-psni-cyber-crime-officer-say-live-stream-alibi-was-pre-recorded-PAHNBRD4Q5CNZF7IKIDHQCH42Q/

https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2026/02/25/former-partner-of-natalie-mcnally-peddled-false-alibi-about-live-gaming-stream-court-hears/

https://www.thejournal.ie/stephen-mccullagh-trial-natalie-mcnally-belfast-crown-court-6966178-Feb2026/

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/natalie-mcnally-murder-trial-hears-defendant-told-psni-aggressive-ex-boyfriend-had-been-harassing-her-V7BONRGUNFHH5B42WHJ2JOFQA4/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lisburn-family-psni-northern-ireland-rebecca-black-b2926727.html

We’re back…

In this redo episode, both of your favorite hosts dive back into the chilling legends of Franklin Castle and Leap Castle with fresh eyes, sharper instincts, and a whole lot more questions. What’s folklore, what’s fact… and what still doesn’t sit right?

From shadowy figures in Cleveland’s most infamous mansion to the violent, blood-soaked history lurking inside Ireland’s Leap Castle, we’re peeling back the layers and sitting with the stories a little longer this time.

The kind of late-night, best-friends energy that makes even the darkest tales feel a little too real.

Because sometimes… the second look is where things get truly unsettling.

• Wikipedia — Franklin Castle (Hannes Tiedemann House): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Castle. Wikipedia
  

• Cleveland Historical — Tiedemann House (Franklin Castle): https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/531. Cleveland Historical
  

• WKYC local feature — rare tour through Ohio City Franklin Castle: https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/cleveland/a-rare-tour-through-ohio-city-franklin-castle/95-b057ce23-2617-460a-9857-291d13dbc22e.
  

• The Franklin Castle (official / tour info and history): https://thefranklincastle.com. The Franklin Castle
  

• AllThat'sInteresting — “The Tragic History Of Franklin Castle”: https://allthatsinteresting.com/franklin-castle. All That's Interesting
  

Eventbrite / tour listings (sample of modern tours): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-franklin-castle-tour-tickets-1484749378359. Eventbrite

https://www.mustseespots.com/ireland/articles/the-legends-and-lore-of-leap-castle-irelands-haunted-history/

https://paranormalcasefiles.com/p/the-haunting-of-leap-castle-irelands

https://www.theirishpost.com/life-style/irelands-haunted-castle-174273

https://ghostwatch.com/paranormal-report/haunted-locations/ireland/leap-castle/

https://www.revisitinghistory.com/castles/ireland/leap-castle/

https://listverse.com/2016/03/21/10-tales-of-haunted-irish-castles/

https://spookyvalley.com/events/leap-castle-ireland/

A haunted Irish hillside. A ghost with a story that refuses to stay buried. And a stretch of Ireland where women seemed to vanish into thin air.

This week we start with the eerie legend of Petticoat Loose, where folklore, fear, and a tragic past still cling to the landscape like fog rolling over the hills.

Then we step into something far darker. The Vanishing Triangle, a chilling cluster of disappearances that left families searching, investigators scrambling, and a nation asking one question that still hangs in the air.

Coincidence? Cover ups? Something more sinister?

Pour the champagne. Things are about to get strange. 🥂

1. Duchas.ie – The National Folklore Collection (Schools’ Collection and manuscript archives)https://www.duchas.ie

2. The National Folklore Collection, University College Dublinhttps://www.ucd.ie/folklore/en/

3. The Placenames Database of Ireland (logainm.ie)https://www.logainm.ie

4. Clare County Library – Folklore & Local Studies Archivehttps://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/folklore/folklore.htm

5. Loop Head Tourism & Local History Resourceshttps://www.loophead.ie

1. Penal Laws historical overview – Library Irelandhttps://www.libraryireland.com/HistoryIreland/Penal-Laws.php

2. Irish bog bodies and archaeological context – National Museum of Irelandhttps://www.museum.ie/en-IE/Museums/Archaeology/Exhibitions/Kingship-and-Sacrifice

3. Witchcraft belief in Ireland – History Ireland journalhttps://www.historyireland.com/early-modern-history-1500-1700/witchcraft-in-ireland/

4. Irish Folklore Commission backgroundhttps://www.ucd.ie/folklore/en/about/

https://www.irishtimes.comhttps://www.rte.iehttps://www.independent.iehttps://www.thejournal.iehttps://www.garda.iehttps://www.irishmirror.iehttps://www.irishcentral.comhttps://www.oireachtas.iehttps://www.irishexaminer.com

This week on Champagne and Murder, Please, we hold space for three young women whose lives should have stretched far beyond the headlines.

We begin in Auckland with Grace Millane, a bright, ambitious traveler celebrating her 22nd birthday on a solo trip around the world. One Tinder date. One night. And a courtroom battle that would ignite global conversations about consent, victim-blaming, and the stories we tell about women after they’re gone.

Then we travel to the wide-open landscapes of Argentina, where best friends Marina Menegazzo and María José Coni set off on a backpacking adventure through Ecuador. Their trip was filled with photos, plans, and promise until their final days unraveled into betrayal and violence that shocked two nations.

Three women. Three futures stolen. And three stories that deserve to be told with care, clarity, and just enough righteous fire to remember who the real villains were.

Pour a glass. We’re remembering them properly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Grace_Millane
https://www.itv.com/news/2019-11-24/no-compensation-for-grace-millanes-family
https://news.sky.com/story/grace-millane-murder-trial-jury-retires-to-consider-verdict-11866830https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caso_Mar%C3%ADa_Jos%C3%A9_Coni_e_Marina_Menegazzo https://miafm.cienradios.com/ecuador-encontraron-a-los-supuestos-asesinos-de-las-turistas-mendocinas/

https://www.ecuadortimes.net/before-the-crime-marina-menegazzo-and-maria-jose-coni-were-drugged-examination-reveals/

In this week’s episode, we swirl our champagne and step straight into the smoke of old Detroit, where legend says a crimson little creature foretells chaos. We’re diving into the history, folklore, and fever dreams behind the infamous Marche du Nain Rouge in Detroit.

Who is the Nain Rouge? A misunderstood trickster? A colonial curse? A tiny harbinger with impeccable timing and terrible vibes? From its first alleged sighting by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in the early 1700s to the city’s modern-day parade that theatrically banishes him each year, we unpack the myth, the history, and the way a city turned its bad luck into a party.

It’s folklore, it’s fire, it’s civic therapy with a splash of sass. Grab a glass and let’s chase the red devil out of town.

Official Parade & Modern Event

• https://www.marchedunainrouge.com

• https://www.facebook.com/marchedunainrouge

Detroit Historical Society & Local History

• https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/nain-rouge

• https://detroithistorical.org/blog/2017-03-23/legend-nain-rouge

Encyclopedia & Folklore References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nain_Rouge

• https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marche-du-nain-rouge

Local & Regional Journalism

• https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/03/24/nain-rouge-parade-detroit/99566028/

• https://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/the-legend-of-the-nain-rouge/Content?oid=2443976

• https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/14878/the_nain_rouge_and_detroit_s_history_of_bad_luck

Cultural Context & French Colonial Detroit

• https://www.michiganradio.org/post/story-behind-detroits-nain-rouge

• https://www.historydetroit.com/nain-rouge.html