Crime Daddies

Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time for family, food, and giving thanks. But for one family in Oakland, California, Thanksgiving Day in 2006 would become a day they would never forget.

This week, Jacob brings Hunter the story of the Mehari Thanksgiving Tragedy. What should have been a family gathering quickly turned into a nightmare when a long-simmering family dispute came to a violent head. After the unexplained death of Abraham Tewolde, suspicions and accusations began to tear families apart. But when Thanksgiving dinner rolled around, those tensions would lead to a devastating act of violence that left three people dead and an entire family forever changed.

Jacob walks Hunter through the events leading up to that Thanksgiving, the accusations that fueled the violence, and the investigation that followed.

It's a reminder that sometimes the biggest dangers aren't strangers lurking in the shadows, but the people sitting around the dinner table.

Grab a drink, hide the evidence, and join Hunter and Jacob for another episode of Crime Daddies.

Have a case you think we should cover? Send it through our Tip Line!

🎙️ Website: https://crimedaddies.riverside.com/

📱 Follow us on social media, submit case suggestions, check out our merch, and subscribe for free on Riverside to access exclusive content. All merch proceeds go directly toward supporting the podcast.

Crime Daddies Tip Line: Volume 5 is here, and this time we're digging into two disturbing chapters of Missouri history.

Hunter takes us to St. Louis to cover Maury Travis, the serial killer whose crimes shocked the region in the early 2000s. As investigators worked to connect a series of murders, a chilling letter and a map sent to a local newspaper helped lead authorities to Travis. The investigation uncovered horrifying evidence and left investigators with lingering questions about the true number of his victims.

Then Jacob takes us back to the 1840s in Jackson, Missouri, for a story rooted in the brutal reality of slavery. Two enslaved men became involved in a dispute that turned deadly, leaving behind a disturbing piece of Missouri history. Jacob explores the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the story that emerged from this tragic chapter of the past.

From a modern serial-killer investigation in St. Louis to a violent and tragic story from Missouri's history, Volume 5 brings two very different cases straight to the Crime Daddies Tip Line.

Have a case you think we should cover? Submit your suggestions through our website!

🎙️ Website: https://crimedaddies.riverside.com/

📱 Follow us on social media, submit a case through our Tip Line, check out our merch, and subscribe for free on Riverside to access exclusive content. All merch proceeds go directly toward supporting the podcast.

Grab a drink, hide the evidence, and join Hunter and Jacob for another edition of Crime Daddies Tip Line!

Takeaways

• Maury Travis's background reveals a complex individual
• The investigation highlighted systemic issues in addressing violence against marginalized women Victims deserve recognition
• Arrogance can lead to downfall Historical context of slavery
• Mystery of Nathan's remains

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Case
• 02:02 The Dark Side of St. Louis
• 06:08 Maury Troy Travis: Early Life
• 12:42 The Descent into Crime
• 19:29 Life After Prison and Continued Struggles
• 21:40 Emergence of Victims
• 27:26 Media Attention and Victim Stories
• 31:05 Investigative Challenges and Patterns
• 36:57 The Role of Evidence in Solving Crimes
• 40:41 Unidentified Victims and Ongoing Investigation
• 42:33 The Letter That Changed Everything
• 46:03 Tracing the Digital Footprint
• 50:52 The Disturbing Discoveries
• 55:52 The Tapes of Terror
• 01:01:43 The Arrest and Its Aftermath
• 01:09:26 Restoring Identities After Decades
• 01:10:56 The Importance of Victim Recognition
• 01:18:48 Lessons from the Case
• 01:25:07 Going Live and Historical Context
• 01:26:04 Southeast Missouri in the 1840s
• 01:28:31 The Lives of Enslaved People
• 01:32:15 Religious Beliefs and Slavery
• 01:34:06 The Murder of Tom Critdle
• 01:40:03 Nathan Watson's Trial

Some horror movies are meant to scare us. But what happens when someone decides to take that fiction and turn it into reality?

This week on Crime Daddies, Hunter tells Jacob the heartbreaking story of Cassie Jo Stoddart, a 16-year-old Idaho high school student whose life was brutally cut short in September 2006. What should have been an ordinary weekend house-sitting for family turned into a real-life nightmare that shocked a community and left a lasting impact on everyone who heard her story.

At the center of this case were two teenagers fascinated by horror movies and true crime. Inspired by the fictional killers they admired, they made a decision that would have devastating consequences. Cassie became the victim of a plan that blurred the line between horror entertainment and real-world violence.

Hunter walks Jacob through the events leading up to Cassie's murder, the investigation that followed, and the chilling details that helped investigators piece together what happened that night. It's a case that raises disturbing questions about obsession, influence, and what can happen when someone stops seeing the difference between fiction and reality.

Cassie Jo Stoddart was more than the subject of a true-crime story. She was a daughter, a friend, and a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. This episode remembers Cassie while examining the choices that led to an unimaginable tragedy.

As our October spooky season continues, this case reminds us that sometimes the scariest stories aren't the ones on a movie screen. They're the ones that happen in real life.

Find everything Crime Daddies in one place:

crimedaddies.riverside.com

Visit our website to subscribe for free on Riverside for exclusive content, follow us on social media, suggest a case through our tip line, shop our merch, and find all the ways to support the show.

Every dollar from merch goes back into Crime Daddies to help us keep the podcast going.

Grab a drink, hide the evidence, and join us for another episode of Crime Daddies.

Takeaways

• Tragic nature of senseless murders
• Impact of crime on communities

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Scream Murder
• 03:08 The Allure of Horror Movies
• 04:31 The Story of Cassie Joe Stoddard
• 07:50 Pocatello: A Community's Shock

October isn't over yet, and neither is our spooky season! This week, Crime Daddies is bringing you another Halloween crime that proves real life can be stranger, and far more disturbing, than any scary movie.

On Halloween night in 2011, a dispute over something as simple as a bag of missing Halloween candy turned deadly. Jacob tells Hunter the story of Ledell Peoples and Maria Adams, whose argument escalated into a violent attack that ultimately cost Maria her life.

What should have been an ordinary Halloween turned into a horrifying tragedy, leaving behind a case that is almost impossible to believe started over candy.

As the Crime Daddies October spooky theme continues, we're diving into the details of the case, what happened that night, and how an argument over something so insignificant ended in murder.

So grab your favorite Halloween candy, settle in, and join Hunter and Jacob for another true-crime story with a Halloween twist.

Find everything Crime Daddies in one place:

crimedaddies.riverside.com

Visit our website to subscribe for free on Riverside and get access to exclusive content, follow us on social media, suggest a case through our tip line, shop our merch, and find all the ways to support the show.

Every dollar from merch goes back into Crime Daddies to help us keep the podcast going.

Thanks for listening, and remember: grab a drink, hide the evidence, and stay spooky!

Takeaways

• Halloween-themed crime story
• Impact of relationships on violence Brutal murder over trivial dispute
• Legal complexities of self-defense

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to a Halloween Crime
• 02:52 The Violent Confrontation
• 06:08 The Role of Halloween and Candy
• 09:09 History of Halloween Traditions
• 11:57 The Evolution of Trick-or-Treating
• 15:07 Candy's Dominance in Halloween
• 17:54 The Context of the Crime
• 19:08 Meet the Victim and Perpetrator
• 26:07 Understanding Their Relationship
• 30:07 Liddell's Background and History
• 34:00 The Incident Unfolds
• 37:00 The Aftermath and Legal Proceedings
• 40:00 The Attack Unfolds
• 42:53 Aftermath and Emergency Response
• 44:47 Trial and Testimonies

THE BOOGIE WOODS

If you're from Southeast Missouri, chances are you've heard of the Boogie Woods.

It's the kind of place that seems to have a story for everything. Strange things seen between the trees. Ghosts, unexplained noises, mysterious figures, and enough local legends to make you think twice about heading into the woods after dark.

But underneath all of those stories is something very real.

In this episode of Crime Daddies, Hunter takes Jacob into the Boogie Woods of Southeast Missouri to talk about the real crime that helped cement the area's dark reputation — the 1978 rape and murder of Linda Johnson. Linda was a young woman whose life was tragically cut short, and her death became one of the most notorious crimes associated with the area.

But that's only part of the story.

The Boogie Woods has developed a reputation over the years as one of Southeast Missouri's strangest places. Hunter dives into some of the spooky stories and local legends connected to the area, including reported apparitions, strange creatures, mysterious figures, and other encounters that have kept people talking for generations.

Some of these stories have documented roots. Others are simply local folklore passed down from one person to another. And then there are the stories that make you wonder whether there's something about those woods that we just don't understand.

So what's real, what's legend, and what's just a good old-fashioned Southeast Missouri story told around a campfire?

Hunter and Jacob take a trip into the Boogie Woods to talk about all of it.

Grab a drink, turn the lights down, and join us in the woods.

FIND EVERYTHING CRIME DADDIES

Everything Crime Daddies is in one place:

crimedaddies.riverside.com

At our website you can:

Subscribe for free on Riverside for exclusive Crime Daddies content and extras.

Follow us on social media and keep up with Jacob, Hunter, and the show.

Suggest a case through our Crime Daddies tip line.

Shop our merch. We don't make money from the podcast, and 100% of merch proceeds go back into Crime Daddies to help keep the show going.

Support the podcast and find other ways to get involved.

Find all of our links in one place.

crimedaddies.riverside.com

Thanks for listening.

Grab a drink. Hide the evidence. And whatever you do... maybe don't go wandering around the Boogie Woods alone.

Takeaways

• Folklore blends with true crime
• Importance of distinguishing history Folklore shapes community narratives
• Victims deserve recognition beyond legends

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the Spooky Season
• 03:04 Exploring the Boogie Woods Folklore
• 05:53 The Geography and History of Holly Ridge
• 08:50 Cemeteries and Their Haunting Stories
• 11:57 Legends of the Witch and the Faceless Figure
• 20:06 The True Crime Element: Linda Johnson's Case
• 28:54 The Haunting of Boogie Woods
• 30:31 Folklore Meets Criminal History
• 32:05 Legends and Experiences in the Woods
• 34:11 The Real vs. The Supernatural
• 37:40 Remembering Linda Johnson
• 40:09 The Fear of the Unknown
• 42:23 The Stories Behind the Woods

BONUS EPISODE: THE CORNELL 7

This isn't a normal Crime Daddies episode.

We're still talking true crime, but this time we're talking about it as two dads — and what happens when a story makes you look at your own kids and ask, "What can I do to make sure they're safe?"

In this bonus episode, Jacob and Hunter discuss the allegations surrounding the Cornell 7 — a case involving a former Cornell University student who alleges that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by seven members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024. The allegations are the subject of a civil lawsuit filed in 2026, and the criminal investigation has since been reopened. The men named in the lawsuit have not been convicted of these allegations, and some have denied them through their attorneys.

But this episode isn't about playing judge, jury, or internet detective.

It's about the raw feelings that come with hearing a story like this as a parent.

How do we talk to our kids about consent? How do we teach our sons to respect women and each other? How do we teach our daughters about boundaries and making their voices heard? And how do we talk to our kids about alcohol, drugs, peer pressure, parties, and stepping in when something doesn't feel right?

Most importantly, what are we teaching our kids when we're not having these conversations?

Jacob and Hunter aren't experts. They're just two dads trying to process a difficult story and talk honestly about what we can do better as parents.

This one is heavy. There aren't a lot of jokes, and there isn't a clever way to make a story like this easier to hear.

If you're a parent, we hope you'll listen — and maybe have a conversation with your kids afterward.

Grab a drink, sit down with us, and let's have the conversation.

FIND EVERYTHING CRIME DADDIES

Everything Crime Daddies is in one place:

crimedaddies.riverside.com

At our website you can:

Subscribe for free on Riverside for exclusive Crime Daddies content and extras.

Follow us on social media and keep up with Jacob, Hunter, and the show.

Suggest a case through our Crime Daddies tip line.

Shop our merch. We don't make money from the podcast, and 100% of merch proceeds go back into Crime Daddies to help keep the show going.

Support the podcast and find other ways to get involved.

Find all of our links in one place.

crimedaddies.riverside.com

Thanks for listening — especially to an episode like this one.

We're Crime Daddies. We're dads. And sometimes the hardest conversations are the ones we need to have.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction to a Controversial Case
03:00 Understanding the Allegations
05:46 Consent and Intoxication
10:55 University Response and Accountability
15:02 Legal Implications and Investigations
20:05 The Impact of Trauma on Reporting
24:57 The Voluntary Intoxication Loophole
32:12 The Complexity of Consent
34:17 Parental Responsibilities in Education
36:58 Teaching Boys Respect and Accountability
40:13 The Impact of Societal Norms
42:08 Friendship and Moral Responsibility
45:17 The Role of Bystander Intervention
49:42 Consequences and Accountability
52:32 Fraternities and Group Dynamics
54:39 Discipline and Emotional Regulation
57:03 Breaking Cycles of Misconduct
01:01:21 Power Dynamics in Bullying and Assault
01:04:27 Investigating Allegations and Accountability
01:07:52 Consent and Vulnerability
01:09:10 Sexual Assault at Cornell
01:12:29 Barriers to Reporting Assault
01:17:33 Teaching Children About Consent
01:20:43 Raising Responsible Sons and Daughters

What would you do if you found out your wife's lover had been secretly living in your attic for years?

Yeah… that's not a hypothetical.

This week on Crime Daddies, Jacob tells Hunter one of the strangest true-crime stories to come out of 1920s Los Angeles — the bizarre love triangle involving Fred Oesterreich, his wife Dolly, and Otto Sanhuber, the man who secretly lived in the attic of their home.

The story begins years before the murder, when Dolly meets Otto, a teenage sewing-machine repairman who works at Fred's factory. What starts as an affair eventually turns into something almost impossible to believe: Otto moves into the attic of the Oesterreich home, staying hidden from Fred while Dolly lets him out when her husband is away. The arrangement would continue for years, eventually following the couple from Milwaukee all the way to Los Angeles.

Then, on August 22, 1922, everything falls apart.

Fred is shot and killed inside his Los Angeles home. Dolly tells police that a burglar broke into the house, killed her husband, and locked her in a closet. But investigators aren't completely convinced by her story. And what they don't know yet is that there's another person connected to the house — a man who has been hiding in the attic.

As the investigation unfolds, the secret relationship between Dolly and Otto comes to light, along with the bizarre circumstances surrounding Fred's death. The case would eventually lead to arrests, courtroom battles, conflicting stories, and a secret that had been hiding above Fred's head for years.

In this episode, Jacob takes Hunter through the strange history of Dolly and Otto, the murder of Fred Oesterreich, the investigation that finally exposed their secret, and what happened when the whole unbelievable story made its way into the courtroom.

It's one of those cases where, every time you think you've heard the craziest part… there's somehow another attic waiting around the corner.

Grab a drink, hide the evidence, and welcome back to Crime Daddies.

Want to keep up with the Crime Daddies outside of the podcast?

Everything you need is in one place:

🌐 Website:
crimedaddies.riverside.com

At our website you can:

• 📱 Find and follow us on social media
• 🎙️ Get access to exclusive Crime Daddies content by subscribing for free on Riverside
• 💡 Suggest a case through our Crime Daddies tip line
• 👕 Check out our merch
• ❤️ Find other ways to support the podcast
• 🔎 Keep up with everything happening with Crime Daddies

And if you've got a case you think we should cover, send it our way through the tip line. You never know — your suggestion might become our next episode.

Thanks for listening, and thanks for being part of Crime Daddies.

Grab a drink. Hide the evidence. We'll see you next week.

crimedaddies.riverside.com

The Crime Daddies Tip Line is back, and this episode takes us into three very different cases involving women whose stories deserve to be heard.

Jacob kicks things off with two cases from Dunklin County, Missouri: Angel Avery and Michelle Anders. He digs into the circumstances surrounding their stories, the investigations, and the questions that remain along the way.

Then Hunter takes over to tell the story of Gina Dawn Brooks, another case filled with unanswered questions, strange circumstances, and a story that sticks with you long after you hear it.

Three women. Three cases. And three stories that came straight to the Crime Daddies Tip Line.

As always, grab a drink, settle in, and come down another true-crime rabbit hole with your Crime Daddies.

Takeaways

• Patterns in true crime cases
• Importance of community awareness and advocacy Neglect and tragedy led to Michelle's death, highlighting the impact of inaction.
• The legal and ethical dilemma faced by law enforcement raises questions about the duty of care and the boundaries of legal intervention.
• The disappearance of Gina Dom Brooks in Fredericktown, Missouri sparked extensive search efforts and highlighted the community's response to a missing child. Community support in rural areas for missing persons
• Challenges of investigating cold cases and the need for credible evidence

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Tip Line Volume 4
• 00:00 The Disappearance of Gina Dawn Brooks
• 01:30 The Patterns in Tip Line Cases
• 03:17 The Disappearance of Angel Rose Avery
• 21:56 The Tragic Case of Michelle Anders
• 42:21 The Neglect and Tragedy
• 46:00 The Legal and Ethical Dilemma
• 01:02:39 The Disappearance of Gina Dom Brooks
• 01:20:35 Investigative Challenges and Suspects

The Crime Daddies delve into the 'Most Badass Dad Ever' case, unfolding the tragic events that occurred in Oakley, Utah. Rolf's survival and escape are highlighted, along with the psychological evaluation and legal process. The jury selection and legal challenges add complexity to the case. The conversation covers the trial, penalty phase, and sentencing of Taylor and Delhi, as well as the impact on the family and the legal developments that followed. It also explores themes of survival, resilience, and the impact of the crime on the victims and their loved ones.

Takeaways

• Real crime stories with humor
• Tragic events in Oakley, Utah
• Rolf's survival and escape Legal mishandling can have significant consequences in death penalty cases.
• Survival and resilience in the face of tragedy are powerful and inspiring.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Crime Daddy's Podcast
• 00:44 Setting the Tone and Disclaimer
• 02:08 Upgrading the Podcast and Experimental Changes
• 03:33 The Most Badass Dad Ever Case
• 04:00 History of Oakley, Utah
• 04:57 Mormon Pioneers and Settlers
• 06:56 Arrival at the Cabin and Nightmare Begins
• 07:23 The Tragic Events Unfold
• 30:08 Rolf's Survival and Escape
• 43:19 Psychological Evaluation and Legal Process
• 49:55 Jury Selection and Legal Challenges
• 51:23 The Trial and Penalty Phase
• 52:14 The Prosecution's Case
• 56:32 Taylor's Testimony and Closing Argument

This week, Jacob takes Hunter on a deep dive into the disturbing story of Kelly Cochran—a woman whose ordinary Midwestern life eventually unraveled into murder, manipulation, and a trail of conflicting stories.

After moving to Michigan with her husband Jason, Kelly began an affair with coworker Chris Regan. What followed was a deadly chain of events involving a supposed “murder pact,” Chris's disappearance, his remains being hidden in the Michigan wilderness, and eventually Jason's own death.

But Kelly wasn't done telling her story. As investigators closed in, she changed her story again and again, leaving detectives to separate the truth from the lies. One investigator decided to play Kelly at her own game—and a simple message carved into a tree would finally push her toward a confession.

Jacob takes Hunter through the murders, the investigation, Kelly's ever-changing stories, her conviction, and the disturbing claims that she may have been responsible for even more deaths.

How do you catch someone who never stops changing their story?

This episode contains discussion of murder, drug use, sexual content, dismemberment, and other disturbing subject matter.

Takeaways

• Kelly Cochran's relationship with Jason and the events that led to their move to Michigan
• The affair between Kelly and Chris Regan and the alleged Cochrane murder pact
• Chris Regan's disappearance and the evidence connecting him to the Cochrane home
• Jason Cochran's death and how it reopened the investigation
• The detective who turned Kelly's manipulation tactics against her
• Kelly's changing stories, confession, and eventual convictions
• The unproven claims that Kelly may have been connected to additional murders
• The importance of separating the evidence from the mythology surrounding a case

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:35 Why Female Killers Get Attention
• 08:53 Kelly Cochran's Early Life
• 10:16 Kelly and Jason
• 15:23 Jason's Chronic Pain
• 20:27 Moving to Michigan
• 22:58 Chris Regan
• 25:51 The Affair
• 34:17 The Love Triangle
• 36:31 The Cochrane Murder Pact
• 39:26 The Night Chris Regan Disappeared
• 41:25 Kelly's First Version of Events
• 44:45 The Dismemberment
• 49:34 Chris's Remains Are Hidden
• 52:01 Chris Is Reported Missing
• 57:58 Kelly and Jason Return to Indiana
• 01:00:33 Jason's Death
• 01:05:26 The Investigation Turns
• 01:13:01 The Detective's Game
• 01:15:59 "Chris Is Here"
• 01:18:18 The Search for Chris
• 01:21:53 Kelly Flees
• 01:23:54 Another Story
• 01:27:52 Chris's Remains Are Found
• 01:30:25 Kelly's Trial
• 01:31:59 Conviction