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A sunny Gulf Coast day can hide the darkest secrets. We kick off with light banter about warm holidays and beach-town charm, then turn to a haunting case from New Year’s Day, 1985: 23-year-old mother Tonya McKinley leaves a Pensacola bar and is found hours later, assaulted and strangled. Investigators collected semen and blood at the scene, interviewed witnesses, and chased every lead, but the limits of 1980s DNA and disconnected databases let the trail go cold. For decades, Tonya’s family lived with a name-shaped void.

Everything changes when genetic genealogy enters the picture. We unpack how detectives partnered with Parabon NanoLabs to build a family tree from crime scene DNA, narrowed possible relatives, and focused on men who lived nearby in 1985. A discarded cigarette butt from Milton resident Daniel Wells provided the crucial match in 2020, aligning with the original forensic profile and ending 35 years of uncertainty. We explore the steps behind the scenes—surveillance for touch DNA, laboratory confirmation, and the decision to share his profile with other agencies to probe possible links.

Then comes the emotional whiplash. Wells is arrested and reportedly admits involvement, but he dies by suicide in jail before facing trial. We wrestle with the complex feelings that follow: gratitude for the science that named a killer, anger at the loss of courtroom truth, and empathy for a son who grew up without a mother or a full story. Along the way, we tackle the ethics of using consumer DNA databases for law enforcement, balancing privacy with the power to solve cold cases and deliver overdue accountability.

If you care about true crime, forensic science, cold case breakthroughs, and the real families behind headlines, this story will stay with you. Listen, share with a friend who follows DNA sleuthing, and tell us your take on genetic genealogy and justice. Like, rate, and subscribe—your support helps us shine a light on the next case that still needs a name.

Source material:

Carrega, Christina, March 21,2020, DNA from discarded cigarette solves a 1985 cold case murder, https://abcnews.go.com/US/dna-discarded-cigarette-solves-1985-cold-case-murder/story?id=69706091

CBS News, March 20, 2020, Tonya McKinley murder: Man arrested in 1985 killing of mother after DNA found on cigarette, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tonya-mckinley-murder-daniel-wells-arrested-florida-1985-killing-young-mother-dna-found-cigarette/

Li, David K., March 19, 2020, Florida man arrested in 35-year-old cold case murder thanks to DNA on cigarette, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-man-arrested-35-year-old-cold-case-murder-thanks-n1164051

Johnson, Amanda, April 2, 2020, Man accused in 1985 Pensacola cold case murder of Tonya McKinley dies in jail, https://weartv.com/news/local/pensacola-cold-case-suspect-dies-in-jail

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A white pickup sits deep in the Oklahoma woods. Inside: a weak but living dog, IDs and a cell phone, and more than thirty-two thousand dollars in cash no one touched. The Jameson family—Bobby, Sherry Lynn, and their six-year-old daughter Madison—has vanished into the trees, and the scene feels both too obvious and not nearly enough. We follow the trail from that haunting discovery to an even colder truth: years later, only scattered remains and silence.

We talk through the details that won’t resolve into a single theory. Friends described a devout family pulling inward, worried about curses and hauntings, and installing security cameras inside the home. One clip shows the parents standing motionless for long stretches, unsettling in its ambiguity. Then there’s the abandoned truck: no struggle, no footprints, no note, just a starving dog and a pile of cash some say was meant for off-grid land. Search teams and helicopters covered the ridgelines near Red Oak with no luck, until hunters found the family’s bones three miles from the truck four years later. No clear trauma. No murder weapon. No final truth.

We examine the leading possibilities—exposure fueled by shared paranoia, a meeting that turned into murder, or a chain of environmental and psychological stressors that don’t fit cleanly into a crime narrative. Along the way, we center what matters most: Madison’s lost future and the way fear can distort judgment behind closed doors. If you’re drawn to true crime stories where the evidence feels like a riddle, this case will get under your skin and stay there. Listen, weigh the facts with us, and share the theory you find most convincing. If the search for honest answers keeps you coming back, follow the show, leave a review, and tell a friend who loves a mystery with real stakes.

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Holiday lights, a familiar tree, and gifts meant for family set the scene for one of the most haunting true crime images we’ve covered: a beloved aunt found under the presents she wrapped with love. We open with a spirited holiday riff, then pivot to a meaningful shift in the law as several states reclassify pets from property to family, recognizing emotional bonds and wellbeing. From there, we unpack a 2011 case out of Jacksonville where generosity turned into vulnerability, and a trusted acquaintance crossed every line for a thousand dollars and a stolen PIN.

We walk through the details with care: the bond between Michelle O’Dowd and the woman she tried to help, the ransacked apartment, the twin brother’s intuition that something was wrong, and the gut-punch discovery beneath the Christmas tree. The investigation unfolds through ATM surveillance, an interstate arrest, a confession, and a second-degree murder plea that led to 45 years behind bars. Along the way, we challenge the bystander effect after neighbors admitted they heard screams but never called, underscoring how one simple action can change the ending of a story like this.

Threaded through the narrative, we explore what it means for courts to consider an animal’s best interest, how shared pet custody works, and why documentation, microchipping, and veterinary records now matter more than ever. We pair those legal insights with practical safety boundaries: don’t share PINs, use controlled funds for errands, and set clear expectations even with people you care about. It’s a conversation about empathy with guardrails, justice that arrives too late, and the small choices—like picking up the phone—that can protect a neighbor, a friend, or a family member.

If this resonated, tap follow, share it with someone who loves true crime and cares about animal welfare, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your stories and thoughts matter—tell us what you’d have done, and what safety habit you refuse to compromise on.

Source Material:

Treen, Dana, December 5, 2011, Twin of slain Jacksonville woman says he found her beneath Christmas gifts, https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2011/12/06/twin-slain-jacksonville-woman-says-he-found-her-beneath-christmas-gifts/15882056007/

Treen, Dana, December 7, 2011, Suspect in death of Jacksonville benefactor extradited from South Carolina, https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2011/12/07/suspect-death-jacksonville-benefactor-extradited-south-carolina-0/15881955007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z114103d00----v114103d--41--b--41--&gca-ft=170&gca-ds=sophi

Hamacher, Brian, December6, 2011, Murdered Florida Wona's Body Found Under Christmas Gifts, https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/murdered-florida-womans-body-found-under-christmas-gifts/1887528/

Dyches, Chris, December 7, 2011, SC woman accused of killing Florida roommate bound for court, https://www.wbtv.com/story/16209259/sc-woman-accused-of-killing-florida-roommate-bound-for-court/

News4Jax, December 5, 2011, Woman confesses to Hodges Blvd murder, 

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A quiet Christmas evening. A silver anniversary. Then a shudder under the floorboards and a blast that echoed across the country. We revisit the lives and legacy of Harry and Harriet Moore, two Florida educators and civil rights organizers whose home was bombed just after midnight on December 25, 1951, turning a season of peace into a searing indictment of racial terror and systemic neglect.

We share who the Moores were—teachers, community anchors, and NAACP leaders who believed law could be bent toward justice—and how their modest home in Mims became a lifeline for neighbors seeking help. From the precision of the dynamite placement to the agonizing delay in medical care caused by segregation, the details reveal a system designed to punish Black courage. We track the national outrage that followed, the NAACP’s condemnation, and the early investigation that suspected Klan involvement. Decades later, names surfaced without charges, leaving the case formally closed and justice unresolved.

Along the way, we widen the lens to the patterns that persist: uneven media attention, unequal policing, and the daily calculus families of color make to stay safe. Personal reflections meet historical context as we ask what peace means if it’s only granted to some—and what memory can do when courts fail. The Moores’ home on Freedom Avenue now stands as a memorial, proof that remembrance can be action, and that stories can push communities to demand better.

If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review. Your support helps more listeners find stories that matter and keeps these names—Harry and Harriet Moore—alive in the search for justice.

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Holiday lights can hide dark plans. We walk through the Covina massacre with clear eyes, tracing how Bruce Pardo went from “civil” in court filings and friendly at the bakery to building a fuel-spraying device and hiding guns in a custom Santa suit. Job loss, a painful divorce, and the performance of normalcy collide with an obsession to punish, turning a family party into a crime scene and a neighborhood into a lesson on how grievance spirals when it meets access and intent.

We break down the choices that shaped this tragedy: the oversized costume made “extra jolly,” the quiet gear purchases, the timeline leading to Christmas Eve, and the tactical ruthlessness inside the house. You’ll hear how a device ignited early, melting the suit into Pardo’s legs, how he escaped on adrenaline, rigged a getaway car, and died by suicide at his brother’s home with cash strapped under plastic wrap. We also sit with the aftershocks that don’t make headlines: a landlord billing the family of a murdered tenant weeks after her death, creditors who showed mercy, and the way systems either cushion grief or crush it under policy.

This story isn’t just true crime; it’s a study in warning signs, social blind spots, and the hard question of what responsibility looks like for neighbors, businesses, and institutions when stress peaks and rituals give cover to rage. If you care about holiday safety, mental health red flags, and how communities can build better guardrails, you’ll find practical insights and tough reflections here. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who follows true crime and social policy, and leave a review with your take on the most important warning sign we ignore.

Source Material:

The Associated Press, June 1, 2009, Santa gunman led 2 lives to plot killings, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28462082

Girardot, Frank C., January 5, 2009, Rent demanded from family of Covina massacre victim- Crime Survivors Resource Center Official Site, https://crimesurvivors.org/rent-demanded-from-family-of-covina-massacre-victim/

ABC News, December 27, 2008, Suspected, Santa Shooter planned escape to Canada,https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=6534372&page=1

CNN, 2008, Police: Santa shooter planned to kill divorce attorney, mother, https://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/12/30/santa.shooting/index.html

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What if your holiday lights are more than decor, and closer to a spell whispered against the dark? We dive into the oldest layers of Yule, where winter was terrifying, food was scarce, and people lit massive fires not for charm but for survival. From the longest night to the first thin promise of sunrise, we trace how ancient fear became ritual, and how those rituals glow inside the traditions we keep now.

We unpack the Wild Hunt, the storm-borne procession led by Odin that once filled the solstice sky with hooves and whispers. This isn’t a cozy Santa tale; it’s a story of doors barred, candles snuffed, and families listening for judgment in the wind. Then we ground that dread in symbols of endurance: the twelve-night Yule log as a bulwark against the void, and evergreens—fir, holly, ivy, mistletoe—carried inside as living wards. Each spark, crackle, and branch had meaning, from luck and warning to the steady message that life endures even when the world looks dead.

We connect those dark roots to the present day with simple, resonant practices: lighting a single candle at midnight, writing down fears and burning them, keeping a quiet home to honor the old stories, or placing evergreens at the door to guard what matters. Along the way, we touch Krampus, Gryla, the Yule Cat, and other winter spirits that remind us the season has teeth as well as tinsel. If you’ve ever felt the hush of a cold night and sensed something ancient stirring, this conversation gives it words—and offers ways to meet the solstice with intention, care, and a little wonder.

If this exploration moved you, subscribe, share the episode with a friend who loves folklore, and leave a quick review. Tell us your solstice ritual or family tradition—we’d love to feature it next time.

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A courtroom twist knocked the wind out of us: after bond was denied in the Shondra May case, the accused died in custody two days later. No trial, no cross-examination, and a community left with raw questions and a grief that doesn’t fit into headlines. We sit with the frustration, the waiting, and the way unfinished justice weighs on families who deserve answers.

Then we change rooms, not hearts. We share the story of Ray, a father who spent 49 Decembers as a professional Santa, perfecting the small rituals that light up children’s faces—malls, firehouses, nursing homes, even local TV. As he planned a golden 50th year, a pancreatic cancer diagnosis arrived like a storm. He chose hospice, steady and gentle, telling his daughters to save sadness until it was necessary. Hospice staff heard the family’s story and quietly built a bridge: a small gathering, familiar families, and a corner of the facility transformed into a winter scene. With help, Ray buttoned the red coat, lifted his posture, and gave a soft but perfect ho ho ho. The divider opened. Kids gasped. Year 50 happened.

We talk about what endures when cases stall and people fail us: the craft of showing up, the power of community care, and how a single afternoon can carry a lifetime of meaning. You’ll hear candid reflections on grief and closure, plus lighter personal memories of department store Santas, Bass Pro photo lines, and the strange comfort of holiday rituals. It’s an episode about legacy, compassion, and choosing to make the magic instead of waiting for it.

If this moved you, share it with a friend who needs a little light. Subscribe, leave a review with your favorite moment, and tell us: what tradition are you keeping alive this season?

Source Material and photo credit:

Melnick, Melissa, December 7, 2025, My Dad was a professional Santa for 49 years-Until tragedy struck.  Then a group of strangers gave us a miracle., https://uk.style.yahoo.com/dad-professional-santa-49-years-131907971.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAL6GciC2E6NF8tG4oMgEKprgF6FktVpAYE84dCsU-OCAWISmNXGRib5z3XZ1R4WitEDcOe8v-GGl3NNYJiWCZpU0BIltgbwYfupz5n-qEP2ieF5EuD0_6a7bXIZvUxeKm3-ugVQRjh0hkLiah1g3gUUPCPbHOMKQg5ixFOYCyvmy&guccounter=2

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The winter sun barely lifts in Iceland, and that thin light is perfect for a story with real teeth. We head north to meet Gryla, the towering giantess who hunts misbehaving children, her thirteen chaotic Yule Lads who sneak into kitchens and barns one night at a time, and the legendary Yule Cat that devours anyone who didn’t earn new clothes by year’s end. It’s a festive world built on volcanic rock, long shadows, and the blunt lesson that survival in winter is a team sport.

We trace how these legends formed in a landscape of scarcity, where chores weren’t busywork but lifelines. Gryla isn’t softened into a mascot; she remains a consequence with a face. The Yule Lads, from Spoon Licker to Window Peeper, turn everyday temptations into quick parables about waste, privacy, and respect. The Yule Cat, huge as a house, reframes a simple gift—socks or a sweater—as proof of contribution and care. Along the way, we draw lines to Krampus, Hansel and Gretel, and modern pop culture nods, showing how different cultures remix the same winter alarm bells.

Today, Iceland has gentled the Lads into shoe-gift givers, but the stories still carry their winter edge. We talk about why that matters: how fear plus humor keeps the lessons sticky, why clothing gifts endure as a tradition with meaning, and how families can use folklore to spark real conversations about work, community, and staying warm together—literally and figuratively. It’s cozy, creepy, and surprisingly practical.

If this kind of folklore lights your fire, share the episode with a friend, subscribe on your favorite app, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Got Icelandic roots or a family legend to add? Email us at holdmysweettea podcast at gmail.com and tell us your tale.

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The days around Christmas aren’t supposed to feel like this. We open the door on Arkansas, 1987, and walk through the controlled world of Ronald Gene Simmons—a decorated veteran, a father of seven, and the architect of a family compound where isolation and fear did the heavy lifting long before the violence began. We talk candidly about how coercive control works in plain sight, from cutting off phones and neighbors to turning everyday chores into instruments of obedience.

From the first shots on December 22 to the calculated strangulations of the youngest children, the timeline reveals intent, planning, and a chilling calm that carried through the holiday weekend. Then the violence spills into town: a law office, an oil company, a minimart, a freight terminal. Some victims were connected to old grudges; others were simply in the path of a man who believed he was settling scores. Along the way, we connect the dots between the DHS investigation, a teacher’s report, the daughter forced into secrecy, and a wife saving money to leave. None of it happened in a vacuum.

We also push past shock to talk prevention. Isolation is a tactic, not a personality quirk. When someone says they feel like a prisoner, believe them. Notice the red flags: sudden relocations, surveillance over money, removing communication, and grievance spirals centered on weapons and perceived slights. The courts found Simmons sane; the record shows he was deliberate. That matters for how we read similar situations now—at home, at work, in our communities.

If you care about true crime beyond headlines and want a clearer lens on coercive control, family annihilation, and workplace violence, press play. Then share this episode with someone who needs the language to name what they’re seeing. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: which warning sign stood out to you most?

Source Material:

Daily News, December 13, 2008, The father from hell-New York Daily News, https://www.nydailynews.com/2008/12/13/the-father-from-hell/

Roberts, Adam, December 22, 2022, Ronald Gene Simmons, Arkansas' worst mass murderer, killed 16 people, https://www.4029tv.com/article/ronald-gene-simmons-murders-arkansas/42308596

Holt, Tony, November 6, 2023, The devil of Pope County: America's Worst family massacre, https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/nov/06/trailer-i-the-devil-of-pope-county-americas-worst-family-massacre/

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Cold air sharpens the senses, and the bells you hear in the dark aren’t always for carols. We head into the Alpine mountains to meet Krampus, the horned shadow who stalks the edge of winter, and trace how a feared spirit became a living tradition that still rattles streets, nerves, and moral compasses. From pagan solstice rituals to roaring parades where cowbells, chains, and carved masks shake the snow, we follow the journey that paired Saint Nicholas—the patron of children—with his unruly counterpart and asked families to choose: reward or reckoning.

We start with the mountain people who shaped winter folklore out of necessity, dressing in fur and wood to mirror the wild spirits they believed walked with them. As Christianity spread, the church tried to swap terror for cheer, then learned to balance the ledger by introducing Saint Nick alongside the punisher. Krampusnacht on December 5 became the night that set the tone for the season: fires in the streets, children peeking from behind parents, and the unmistakable lesson that choices carry weight. We break down the symbols—horns and fur from the forest, chains to signal evil bound, birch rods tied to purification and pain, and the infamous basket for the worst offenders—and explore why those images still hit home.

The story jumps to the 1800s, when Krampus postcards blended fright and wit, through a mid-century ban that tried to erase the “too pagan, too dark” tradition, and into a modern revival of festivals, films, and thriving folklore. What endures isn’t just spectacle; it’s balance. Amid bright lights and gift lists, Krampus keeps a necessary shadow in the frame, reminding us that community, ethics, and consequence make the season’s warmth real. Along the way we share listener mail, daydreams of German markets and Glühwein, and a tease of what’s coming next: a Christmas murder story for your winter queue.

If the darker side of the holidays intrigues you, hit play, subscribe, and share your Krampus tales with us. Drop a review, send a voice note with your best German pronunciations, and tell a friend who loves folklore.

If you want to check out the "Louder Sneezen" we referenced. It's from the podcast: the mean time

https://open.spotify.com/show/61NtRCQfk05e2a99UpRm8o?si=S_WGVMZ1QkK1dCO0K79apQ

Sources:

https://www.history.com/articles/krampus-christmas-legend-origin?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Becky Little, March 2, 2005

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/krampus-could-come-you-holiday-season-180957438/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Jennifer Billock, December 4, 2015

https://shunculture.com/article/is-krampus-austrian?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Lexi Webster, January 11, 2025

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/krampus?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Elizabeth Mohn, 2024