Murder Unscripted

In this MU Mini, Ed dives into the shocking murder of Kay Mortensen, a retired BYU professor whose life was cut short in his quiet Payson, Utah home in 2009. What began as a brutal and baffling crime that placed suspicion on his own family would unravel into a chilling story of greed, betrayal, and a deadly robbery gone wrong. Join us as we uncover the twists and turns behind this tragic case.

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To skip the banter, jump to 10:25

In August of 1985, a beloved 13-year-old paperboy disappears without a trace in tiny Schuylkill Haven, PA. The next day, his bicycle is found in the weeds by some railroad tracks...4 months later, his bones on a remote hillside. Rumors swirl for decades, leaving a heartbroken family with more questions than answers. That is until 23 years later when a dedicated cold case investigator finds a hidden clue buried in those old files.

With the help of a world-renowned team of forensic anthropologists, the secret of what really happened to David Wellington Reed is finally uncovered. In this episode, Ed cracks open the original case file to share what never made it into TV scripts or copycat podcasts.

Tune in for the version of David's case you won't hear ANYWHERE else! 🚨

👇 Join the Crime Crew If you value original reporting from primary documents, smash SUBSCRIBE, tap LIKE, and drop your theories in the comments. New cases weekly - no recycled scripts. 💬✨

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#MurderUnscripted #TrueCrime #ColdCase #DavidReed #SchuylkillHaven #Pennsylvania #PoliceFiles #Forensics #Exhumation #RailYard #Caboose #1985 #LeftHandedClue #JusticeForDavid _________________________________________________________________________

🎙️ Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations. Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else.

🔍 Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales.

👉 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell!

🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com

E-mail us at: [email protected]

Follow us on socials 👇

FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted

⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised.

#TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #ForensicScience #VictimAdvocacy 🕵️‍♀️🩸

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In January 2012, the quiet town of Mountain City, Tennessee, was shaken by the brutal murders of Billy Payne and his fiancé, Billie Jean Hayworth, who was found holding their infant son—alive but covered in her blood. What seemed like an unfathomable act of violence soon unraveled into a chilling story of obsession, jealousy, and a toxic web of online drama. This case would expose how a feud born on Facebook spiraled into deadly reality.

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To skip the banter, jump to 6:49

On a steamy July night in 1989, 18-year-old Shannon Siders slipped into a friend’s car and vanished into the dark woods outside Newaygo, Michigan. Three months later a hunter found her beaten remains in the “Hole-in-the-Woods” clearing, launching one of the state’s most haunting mysteries.

A cold-case task force exhumed Shannon’s body in 2012, pieced together long-buried witness statements, and in 2015 secured guilty verdicts against brothers Matthew and Paul Jones...life for one, 30–75 years for the other.

But in 2021 a key witness recanted, claiming detectives fed him his story, and a private-investigator is now fighting to overturn the convictions.

Who do YOU think killed Shannon Siders? Join in the conversation!

• Drop your theories and questions in the comments below 👇

• Smash that 👍 if you’re hooked on true crime

• Hit 🔔 to catch every new episode

• Share with friends who binge cold-case podcasts

#MurderUnscripted #ShannonSiders #TrueCrimePodcast #ColdCase #NewaygoMI #MichiganMysteries #JonesBrothers #1989 #JusticeForShannon #UnsolvedMysteries #CrimeCommunity #PodcastEpisode _________________________________________________________________________ 🎙️ Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations. Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else. 🔍

Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales.

👉 New episodes every Tuesday.

Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell!

🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com

E-mail us at: [email protected]

Follow us on socials 👇

FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted

⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised.

#TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #ForensicScience #VictimAdvocacy 🕵️‍♀️🩸

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In this week's MU Mini, we harken back to July's block, GIRL POWER, to spotlight Janet Monge, the controversial anthropologist at the University of Pennsylvania. From her role in the aftermath of the MOVE bombings 💥, to the chilling mystery of Duffy’s Cut ☠️, and her work identifying America’s “first serial killer” H.H. Holmes 🏰.

💬 Question of the week: Should scientists ever cross ethical lines in pursuit of the truth? Tell us below! 👇

#TrueCrimePodcast #MUMini #JanetMonge #MOVEBombing #Duffy’sCut #HHHolmes #TrueCrimeFriday #HistoryPodcast #CrimeHistory #PodcastDrop _________________________________________________________________________ 🎙️

Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations.

Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else.

🔍 Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales.

👉 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell!

🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com

E-mail us at: [email protected]

Follow us on socials 👇

FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted

⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised.

#TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #ForensicScience #VictimAdvocacy 🕵️‍♀️🩸

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To skip the banter, jump to 8:12

In this episode of Murder Unscripted, Melissa unpacks the haunting disappearance and murder of 18-year-old Mandy Stavik along the Nooksack River trail in tiny Acme, Washington. While everyone in town had their suspicions about who was responsible, folks kept their secrets to themselves. Three decades later, a discarded soda can, a determined cold-case team, and advanced DNA forensics brought Mandy's killer into the light, and finally closed the case that Acme could never forget.

👉 Tell us: Do you think DNA evidence collected by a civilian should be admissible in court? Why do you think Tim Bass did what he did?

👍 LIKE this video if you’re a true-crime sleuth, SUBSCRIBE for weekly deep dives, and hit the 🔔 so you never miss an episode.

📢 Share the episode with fellow true-crime junkies to help us keep Mandy’s story alive.

🎧 Listen on the go on Spotify, Apple Pods, or wherever you get your podcasts.

#TrueCrime #MandyStavik #ColdCaseSolved #AcmeWashington #DNAEvidence #MurderMystery #JusticeServed #Podcast #MurderUnscripted _____________________________________________________________________________________

🎙️ Welcome to Murder Unscripted — the weekly true-crime podcast where veteran producer Ed Hydock (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files & many more) teams up with his bestie - super-sleuth fan Melissa Spivey - to explore real life murder investigations. Our unique dynamic resonates with both seasoned true-crime fans and those new to the genre, while our unscripted interviews with detectives, forensic scientists, prosecutors, and victims’ families bring you far beyond recycled headlines - immersing you in the world of true-crime like no one else.

🔍 Expect deep dives into obscure stories, serial killers, cold cases, DNA breakthroughs & courtroom drama, plus Friday Minis, Shorts and live Q&As. Built on Insight, Integrity & Advocacy, we keep victims front-and-center, while adding a touch of humor to brighten even the darkest tales.

👉 New episodes every Tuesday. Subscribe, join the MU Crew & tap the bell!

🌐 For more information about us and the show, visit our website at: www.MurderUnscriptedPod.com

E-mail us at: [email protected]

Follow us on socials 👇

FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted

⚠️ Graphic details; listener discretion advised.

#TrueCrime #MurderUnscripted #ColdCase #UnsolvedMysteries #ForensicScience #VictimAdvocacy 🕵️‍♀️🩸

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In 1969, 15-year-old John McCabe was found bound and strangled in a vacant lot—his murder unsolved for over 40 years. When one man finally broke the silence, he unraveled a deadly pact of teenage jealousy, secrets, and a family’s relentless fight for justice.

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In this gripping installment of Murder Unscripted, Ed and Melissa sit down with survivor‑advocate Lily Rose Lee - known to the world as Michelle Knight🌹 Abducted in 2002 and imprisoned for 11 unimaginable years inside Ariel Castro’s “house of horrors,”

With laughter and raw honesty, Lily shows that hope can bloom even in the darkest corners.

If her story moves you, please like 👍, share 🔁, and subscribe 🔔 so more survivors can find this beacon of resilience.

📌 Helpful Resources

• National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1‑800‑656‑HOPE

• National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1‑888‑373‑7888

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Be sure to check out Lily's books - "Finding Me" & "Life After Darkness" 📖

🔗 Stay in the Loop Subscribe to Murder Unscripted on your favorite podcast platform and turn on notifications for fresh episodes every Tuesday!

#MurderUnscripted #LilyRoseLee #MichelleKnight #TrueCrimePodcast #SurvivorStory #ArielCastro #HouseOfHorrors #HealingJourney #TraumaRecovery #Resilience #Inspiration #TrueCrimeCommunity #PodcastInterview #Rebirth 🌹

FB - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557418124048

Insta - https://www.instagram.com/murderunscripted/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@murderunscripted

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Three captives. One locked house. A decade of hidden terror ends in a single breathtaking dash for freedom.

In our gripping conclusion to the “Miracle in Cleveland,” we trace the years Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus spent behind Ariel Castro’s boarded‑up doors, and the split‑second decision that saved their lives.

❤️ Support the show 👍 Like, 💬 comment, & 🔗 share to amplify survivor stories.

📲 Follow @MurderUnscripted on Instagram & TikTok for behind‑the‑scenes reels.

👉 COMING NEXT WEEK: A deep, personal conversation with Michelle Knight about life after survival, advocacy work, and her message to anyone feeling unseen.

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In this episode, we revisit the tragic 1992 murder of Rachel Nickell—killed in broad daylight on Wimbledon Common—and the deeply flawed investigation that followed. But at the heart of this story is forensic scientist Angela Gallop, whose sharp eye and groundbreaking work would help unravel the truth years later.

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