In this Case Snapshot, Dakota Spotlight investigates the 1984 disappearance of 12-year-old Sharon Bald Eagle, who vanished while traveling from South Dakota to Idaho. This unsolved mystery devastated her family and community and led to the capture of Royal Russell Long, a predator who stalked rodeos, carnivals, and highways for years. Through careful research and respectful storytelling, investigative journalist James Wolner explores the lasting impact on those who knew Sharon and why her story remains a significant South Dakota cold case in the history of Midwest crime.

If you have any information related to the disappearance of Sharon Bald Eagle, please call the Fall River County Sheriff's Office at 605-745-4444.

Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen.

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In September 1991, Joseph “Joe” Anderson, a millionaire cattleman, was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in Jamestown, North Dakota. His body was discovered in the trunk of his own Buick at the Gladstone Inn parking lot, sparking one of the city’s most troubling cold cases. More than three decades later, the murder of Joe Anderson remains unsolved, with lingering questions about who wanted him dead and why justice has never been served in this small town mystery.

If you have information about the murder of Joseph “Joe” Anderson, please contact the Jamestown Police Department at 701-252-2414 or the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 701-328-5500.

Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen.

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In this update episode, we break down the North Dakota Supreme Court’s recent decision in the Brian Erickstad case. The court ruled that Erickstad’s sentence was improperly amended in 2022 without notice, and has sent the case back to the lower court for correction. While not a reversal of his conviction, the ruling could impact when he becomes eligible for parole.

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In 1995, 75-year-old retired truck driver Talmadge “Pat” Patton vanished from his home in the rural town of Alexander, North Dakota. When his daughter came to check on him, she found clues that pointed to a troubling disappearance but no clear answers. Nearly three decades later, the case of Pat Patton remains unsolved, raising lingering questions about what happened in those final days and why this North Dakota cold case continues to puzzle investigators and the community.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Talmadge “Pat” Patton, please contact the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Department at 701-444-3654 or the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 701-328-5500.

Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen.

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In 1995, Mary K. Ross, a 25-year-old single mother and college student, was brutally stabbed to death in her Sioux Falls, South Dakota apartment while her baby watched. Her murder remains one of the city’s most haunting crimes, raising painful questions about how evil drifts from place to place, preying on the vulnerable and recruiting the unguarded. This essay reflects on violence, vulnerability, and how compassion can endure even in the face of unimaginable brutality.

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In July 2002, 19-year-old Russell Turcotte disappeared while hitchhiking home to Montana. Last seen at a truck stop in Grand Forks, his body was discovered months later near Devils Lake. Russell had been murdered, and two decades later his case remains one of North Dakota’s most haunting cold cases. This episode retraces his final steps and the tireless efforts of his family to seek justice, efforts that continue to this day.

If you have any information about the murder of Russell Turcotte, or if you were in Grand Forks in July 2002, especially near the Simonson truck stop, please contact the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department at 701-662-0700 or the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 701-328-5500.

Watch the 2002 Rainbow Gathering footage https://dakotaspotlight.com/rainbow/

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Part 5 (Chapters 23–27): As the story draws to a close, Doug Rolfstad faces the full weight of his choices, with each moment tightening the grip of consequences. What began with a mysterious manila envelope of cash now races toward a chaotic and unexpected conclusion, testing bonds of family, trust, and survival in North Dakota.

Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style.

About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrated by James Wolner, Friday Night Fiction delivers original crime stories set in North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. Inspired by The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Twilight Zone, and Dragnet, each episode blends atmosphere, moral complexity, and sharp storytelling—ranging from eerie one-shots to serialized suspense. New episodes released on select Friday nights.

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Friday Night Fiction is written and produced by James Wolner. All stories, dialogue, and creative content are original works of authorship and are © James Wolner. Reproduction, redistribution, or adaptation of any part of this podcast without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Legal Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The author and publisher assume no responsibility for any perceived associations, misinterpretations, or unintended similarities. No real persons or groups should be inferred from this story.

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Part 4 (Chapters 17–22): With tensions simmering, Doug Rolfstad follows through on key parts of the plan as new information surfaces and close calls tighten the grip of fear. As pressure builds and alliances prove uncertain, Doug must navigate the weight of choices that cannot be undone, pulling him further into danger.

Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style.

About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrated by James Wolner, Friday Night Fiction delivers original crime stories set in North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. Inspired by The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Twilight Zone, and Dragnet, each episode blends atmosphere, moral complexity, and sharp storytelling—ranging from eerie one-shots to serialized suspense. New episodes released on select Friday nights.

Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/

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Friday Night Fiction is written and produced by James Wolner. All stories, dialogue, and creative content are original works of authorship and are © James Wolner. Reproduction, redistribution, or adaptation of any part of this podcast without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Legal Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The author and publisher assume no responsibility for any perceived associations, misinterpretations, or unintended similarities. No real persons or groups should be inferred from this story.

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Season 6 of Nobody Should Believe Me–out weekly starting June 19, available in full for subscribers at launch–covers the extraordinary and tragic saga of the McDaniel family, a real-life Southern Gothic tale of Munchausen by Proxy that spans decades and has left untold damage in its wake. 

For the past twelve years, Lisa McDaniel worked for The Guthy Jackson Foundation, a high-profile non-profit, dedicated to a rare disease called NMO (Neuromyelitis Optica), from which Lisa claims her son suffered. 

But while Lisa appears to be a sweet Southern mom whose personal tragedy led to her heroic work, this image hides her dark history of abuse. How was Lisa able to keep her felony conviction for poisoning and suffocating her infant daughter hidden? How did her children slip through the cracks of the healthcare and legal systems again and again? What really happened to her son Collin?  

Season 6 breaks a story that is years in the making and made possible through the astounding courage of Mishelle Roberts. This season ties together many elements introduced in previous seasons: ways that systems fail vulnerable victims, the culture of silence and inaction within hospitals that enables abuse, and the damage done to rare disease advocacy and victims’ groups which can devastate families and echo through generations. 

Listen to Nobody Should Believe Me wherever you get podcasts or https://www.nobodyshouldbelieveme.com/

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Keith Schmidt was last seen on the morning of May 20, 2024, in Dickinson, North Dakota. His unexplained disappearance shocked the community and left his family searching for answers. This episode retraces the days leading up to when Keith was last seen, with insight from those who knew him best and reporting from a journalist covering the case. The story of Keith Schmidt is both a personal tragedy and a developing North Dakota missing persons case still seeking resolution.

Anyone with information regarding Keith Schmidt’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Dickinson Police Department at 701-456-7759, Badlands Crime Stoppers at 701-840-6808, or leave a tip at www.dickinsonpd.com/crimestoppers.

To contact Eric Grabowsky email him at [email protected]

To read more and see photos of Keith Schmidt visit: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/north-dakota/what-happened-to-keith-schmidt

https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/local/volunteers-to-resume-search-for-keith-schmidt-one-year-after-disappearance

https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/dickinson-police-continue-search-for-missing-man-keith-schmidt

https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/missing-person-namus-mp123952

Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/

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