Never Light Up A Room Podcast

On a spring afternoon in 2006, Rey Rivera rushed out of his Baltimore home after a sudden phone call and was never seen alive again. Days later, he was found inside the historic Belvedere Hotel, in circumstances that left investigators with more questions than answers. What initially appeared straightforward quickly unraveled into a mystery filled with strange evidence, conflicting theories, and unsettling details. In this episode, we explore the moments leading up to Rey’s disappearance and the puzzle that still hasn’t been solved.

Sources:

Igoe, Katherine, “What Did Rey Rivera's Mysterious Note Actually Mean?”. Marie Claire, July 4, 2020, https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a33074957/rey-rivera-note-unsolved-mysteries/, Accessed March 16th, 2026

Mehrotra, Kriti, “Rey Rivera’s Death: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?”, The Cinemaholic, June 30, 2020, https://thecinemaholic.com/rey-rivera/, Accessed March 16th, 2026

Kabra, Prathamesh, “Rey Rivera Took a Call and Vanished. What Happened After Still Makes No Sense.”, Thar Tribune, July 11, 2025, https://thartribune.com/rey-rivera-took-a-call-and-vanished-what-happened-after-still-makes-no-sense/, Accessed March 16th, 2026

Ishak, Natasha, “Why Police Said Rey Rivera’s Death Was A Suicide — And Why The Puzzling Evidence Says Otherwise”, All Thats Interesting, July 19, 2024, https://allthatsinteresting.com/rey-rivera, Accessed March 16th, 2026

Sidnell, Katherine, “Unsolved Mysteries: What happened to Rey Rivera and has the case been solved?”, Woman and Home, August 2, 2024, https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/unsolved-mysteries-what-happened-to-rey-rivera/, Accessed March 16th, 2026

On December 7, 2003, 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe left home to catch a bus on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, expecting a normal afternoon of Christmas shopping, but he never arrived. His disappearance sparked the largest police investigation in Queensland’s history, gripping a nation and leaving a family and community searching for answers. As years passed, the case followed a winding path marked by missed connections, resurfacing names, and investigative risks. This episode explores the moments before Daniel vanished and the long road that followed, without revealing where it ultimately led. 

Sources: 

https://danielmorcombe.com.au/, Accessed March 3rd, 2026 

Day, Bek, “Detective reveals the subtle clue that gave away Daniel Morcombe’s killer Brett Cowan immediately”, News, July 19th 2025, https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/detective-reveals-the-subtle-clue-that-gave-away-daniel-morcombes-killer-brett-cowan-immediately/news-story/8e3600ca2562c9d007dd421f99feaf2c, Accessed March 3rd, 2026 

Acosta, Nicole, “A Teen Waited at a Bus Stop, Then Vanished Forever. 8 Years Later, an Undercover Sting Finally Revealed What Happened to Him”, People, February 8th, 2025, https://people.com/daniel-morcombe-case-australia-killed-by-brett-peter-cowan-8788148, Accessed March 3rd, 2026 

Gokhale, Stuti, “Daniel Morcombe Murder: Where is Brett Peter Cowan Now?”, The Cinemaholic, October 19th, 2022, https://thecinemaholic.com/daniel-morcombe-murder-where-is-brett-peter-cowan-now/, Accessed March 3rd, 2026  

Morgan, Amber, “The Tragic Story Of Daniel Morcombe, The 13-Year-Old Australian Boy Who Was Kidnapped From A Bus Stop”, All That’s Interesting, October 7th, 2025, https://allthatsinteresting.com/daniel-morcombe, Accessed March 3rd, 2026

In this episode, we dive into the haunting disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a beloved high school teacher and former beauty queen who vanished from her small Georgia town without a trace. What begins as a quiet weekend quickly turns into a mystery filled with unsettling clues, unanswered questions, and a community desperate for answers. As years pass with no resolution, an unexpected development brings renewed attention to a case many feared would never be solved. Join us as we explore who Tara was, the strange details left behind, and how one modern investigation reignited a long-cold case. 

Sources: 

CBS/AP, “Acquitted of Georgia teacher Tara Grinstead's murder, Ryan Duke sentenced to 10 years for hiding her body”, CBS NEWS, May 24, 2022, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tara-grinstead-murder-ryan-duke-sentenced-hiding-body/, Accessed March 1st, 2026  

Deron, Bernadette, “How The Unexplained Disappearance Of Tara Grinstead Was Finally Solved After 12 Years”, All That’s Interesting, March 8, 2022, https://allthatsinteresting.com/tara-grinstead, Accessed March 1st, 2026 

Legal Clarity Team, “Tara Grinstead Case: The Trials and Verdicts”, Legal Clarity, January 26, 2026, https://legalclarity.org/tara-grinstead-case-the-trials-and-verdicts/, Accessed March 1st, 2026 

Carr, Erica, “Twenty years after her death, Tara Grinstead's memory still impacts Ocilla”, MSN, October 24th, 2025, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/twenty-years-after-her-death-tara-grinsteads-memory-still-impacts-ocilla/ar-AA1P8rib, Accessed March 1st, 2026  

AP, “Appeals court throws out pending charges for men convicted of hiding Georgia teacher’s death”, City News, February 28th, 2025, https://halifax.citynews.ca/2025/02/28/appeals-court-throws-out-pending-charges-for-men-convicted-of-hiding-georgia-teachers-death/, Accessed March 1st, 2026 

We're back with our twenty fourth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know!

References: 

Shapiro, Emily; “Nancy Guthrie abduction: The full timeline”; Good Morning America; Feb 24, 2026; https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/nancy-guthrie-abduction-timeline-mysterious-disappearance-savannah-guthries-129848673; accessed Feb 24, 2026. 

The Canadian Press, “Here’s what we know about the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting investigation”, Global News, February 16, 2026, https://globalnews.ca/news/11669587/tumbler-ridge-shooting-so-far/ , Accessed February 27, 2026  

CBC News, “What we know about B.C. mass shooting: Students, educator, shooter's family among victims”, CBC, February 13, 2026,  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/school-shooting-ten-dead-british-columbia-9.7084222, Accessed February 27, 2026  

Kruesi, Kimberlee, Casey, Michael, Whittle, Patrick, “Shooter killed ex-wife and a son in Rhode Island ice rink attack, police say”, AP News, February 17, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/pawtucket-hockey-rink-shooting-rhode-island-4e9c9df9c3a2b0a524f0e9bdd0908d45, Accessed February 27th 2026  

Associated Press, “Third victim dies from wounds suffered in Rhode Island hockey arena shooting, police say”, CBC, February 26, 2026, https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/third-victim-rhode-island-hockey-arena-shooting-9.7106536, Accessed February 27th, 2026  

This week, we are covering the life and tragic death of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp who was a model, law graduate, and passionate advocate for women facing abuse. Her promising future was cut short on Valentine’s Day 2013 when she was shot and killed by her boyfriend, Paralympic athlete 26-year-old Oscar Pistorius. What began as a highly publicized romance quickly became one of the most infamous criminal cases in modern history, sparking global debate over domestic violence, intent, and justice. Beyond the headlines and courtroom drama, we take a closer look at who Reeva was, the warning signs within the relationship, the trial that followed, and the legacy her family continues to uphold in her name. 

Sources:  

Sicetsha, Andile; “Barry Steenkamp, father of slain Reeva, dies: Cause of death, obituary, reactions”; Swisher Post; Sept 15, 2023; https://www.swisherpost.com/local/barry-steenkamp-reeva-dies-cause-of-death-obituary-reactions/; Accessed Feb 21, 2026.  

Dray, Kayleigh; “Remembering Reeva Steenkamp: Her inspiring life and tragic death”; Closer; July 6, 2016; https://closeronline.co.uk/celebrity/news/remembering-reeva-steenkamp-inspiring-life-tragic-death/; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

“Reeva Steenkamp”; Biographs.org; https://biographs.org/reeva-steenkamp; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Riley, Jowena; “Inside Oscar Pistorius and his murder victim Reeva Steenkamp's short-lived and 'fear-ridden' relationship as South Africa's fallen legend is released from prison after nine years”; Daily Mail; Jan 5, 2024; https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12929429/oscar-pistorius-murder-victim-reeva-steenkamp-fear-relationship.html; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Lindstrom, Sieg; “Oscar Pistorius”; Britannica; https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oscar-Pistorius; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Fielding, Sam; “Inside the Oscar Pistorius Murder Case: Lies, Evidence, and the Truth About Reeva Steenkamp’s Death”; Lawyer Monthly; July 8, 2025; https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/2025/07/oscar-pistorius-murder-trial-explained/; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Imray, Gerald; “Oscar Pistorius and the Valentine’s killing of Reeva Steenkamp. What happened that night?”; AP News; Jan 7, 2024; https://apnews.com/article/oscar-pistorius-reeva-steenkamp-murder-killing-9294912233465de6f9000da2372d8663; Accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Dalton, Nia; Hagan, Rachel; “Reeva Steenkamp's heartbreaking final message before Oscar Pistorius shot her dead in bathroom”; Mirror; Nov, 24, 2023; https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/reeva-steenkamps-heartbreaking-final-message-31518515; accessed Feb 21, 2026.  

Otway, Jack; “Reeva Steenkamp Foundation releases powerful statement 13 years after Oscar Pistorius killed model”; MSN.com; Feb 15, 2026; https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/reeva-steenkamp-foundation-releases-powerful-statement-13-years-after-oscar-pistorius-killed-model/ar-AA1Wpo9r; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Kuta, Sarah; “Why Did Oscar Pistorius Kill His Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp?”; A&E TV; May 1, 2025; https://www.aetv.com/articles/oscar-pistorius-murder; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

Imray, Gerald; “Barry Steenkamp, the father of the woman Oscar Pistorius fatally shot, has died at age 80”; AP News; Sept 15, 2023; https://apnews.com/article/barry-steenkamp-reeva-oscar-pistorius-0ae7bf369cf51b3ad3a10f4f5570326b; accessed Feb 21, 2026. 

On this episode, we dive into the haunting case of Julie Kibuishi and Sam Herr, two college students whose lives became tragically intertwined in Orange County. What begins as a concerned father checking on his son quickly unravels into a baffling mystery filled with unanswered calls, disturbing discoveries, and a missing person at the center of it all. As investigators dig deeper, unexpected connections and strange clues raise more questions than answers. 

Sources: 

Mehrotra, Kriti, “Steve and Raquel Herr Now: Where Are Sam Herr’s Parents Today?”, The Cinemaholic, July 29, 2022, https://thecinemaholic.com/steve-and-raquel-herr-now-where-are-sam-herrs-parents-today/, Accessed February 17th, 2026  

Mehrotra, Kriti, “June and Masa Kibuishi Now: Where Are Julie Kibuishi’s Parents Today?” The Cinemaholic, July 29, 2022, https://thecinemaholic.com/june-and-masa-kibuishi-now-where-are-julie-kibuishis-parents-today/, Accessed February 17th, 2026 

Sederstrom, Jill, “Local Theater Actor Takes Time to Perform in Play Between Murdering 2 Friends”, Oxygen True Crime, Dec 20, 2023, https://www.oxygen.com/dateline-unforgettable/crime-news/dan-wozniak-convicted-of-killing-sam-herr-and-julie-kibuishi, Accessed February 17th, 2026 

Martinez-Ramundo, Denise, Mendelsohn, Michael, Effron, Lauren, “How a California Community Theater Actor Tried to Frame a War Veteran for Murder Daniel Wozniak was convicted of killing Sam Herr and Julie Kibuishi.” ABC News, March 3, 2016, https://abcnews.com/US/california-community-theater-actor-frame-war-veteran-murder/story?id=37308856, Accessed February 17th, 2026 

CBS News, “Clues and evidence in the murders of Julie Kibuishi and Sam Herr”, CBS News, September 15, 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/clues-and-evidence-in-the-murders-of-julie-kibuishi-and-sam-herr/2/, Accessed February 17th, 2026  

Mehrotra, Kriti, “Julie Kibuishi and Sam Herr Murders: How Did They Die? Who Killed Them?”, The Cinemaholic, July 29, 2022, https://thecinemaholic.com/julie-kibuishi-and-sam-herr-murders/, Accessed February 17th, 2026  

On July 3, 2015, a devoted mother of five vanished from a small Kentucky town, setting off a chain of events that would haunt an entire community for years. As her family pushed relentlessly for answers, her father became the face of the search, until his own life was violently taken while pursuing justice for his daughter. In the final chapter of our Bardstown series, we explore a disappearance that refused to fade and a family’s fight that would change everything.

Sources: 

Mathews, Alexis;  “Sherry Ballard discusses journey to justice for Crystal Rogers: 'A weight lifted'”; msn.com; Jan 22, 2026; https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/sherry-ballard-discusses-journey-to-justice-for-crystal-rogers-a-weight-lifted/ar-AA1ULP9Y; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

Shrestha, Naman; “Crystal Rogers Murder: Where Are Brooks Houck and Joseph Lawson Now?”; The Cinemaholic; Nov 7, 2025; https://thecinemaholic.com/crystal-rogers/; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

Moody, Kayla; “Chilling new details revealed in Brooks Houck, Joseph Lawson trial”; Spectrum News 1; June 26, 2025; https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/news/2025/06/26/brooks-houck-joseph-lawson-trial-preview-june-26; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

Court TV Staff; “Brooks Houck, Joseph Lawson sentenced for Crystal Rogers’ murder”; CourtTV; Sept 17, 2025; https://www.courttv.com/news/brooks-houck-joseph-lawson-sentenced-for-crystal-rogers-murder/; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

Baarlaer, Killian; “Jury recommends maximum sentence for Houck, Lawson after conviction in Crystal Rogers trial”; Courier Journal; July 8, 2025; https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2025/07/08/crystal-rogers-murder-trial-verdict-houck-lawson-found-guilty/84448878007/; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

City Towner; “Tommy Ballard Killed in Bardstown Kentucky”; City Towner; April 7, 2025; https://citytowner.com/tommy-ballard-killed-bardstown-ky/; Feb 9, 2026. 

“Court documents reveal new details about rifle that may have been used to kill Tommy Ballard”; WDRB; Oct 25, 2023; https://www.wdrb.com/news/court-documents-reveal-new-details-about-rifle-that-may-have-been-used-to-kill-tommy/article_2c8200be-737f-11ee-b471-f7f7e525a10c.html; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

Riley, Jason; Schuh, David; “Brooks Houck charged in murder of former girlfriend Crystal Rogers, bond set at $10 million”; WDRB; Sept 27, 2023; https://www.wdrb.com/news/brooks-houck-charged-in-murder-of-former-girlfriend-crystal-rogers-bond-set-at-10-million/article_c4f5ab2a-5d31-11ee-91ce-3f735b69038c.html; accessed Feb 9, 2026.  

Riley, Jason; “Nelson County man charged for alleged involvement in 2015 death of Crystal Rogers”; WDRB; Sept 9, 2023; https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/nelson-county-man-charged-for-alleged-involvement-in-2015-death-of-crystal-rogers/article_c7e61890-4dd9-11ee-ba4b-577d62036a40.html; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

“FBI says it recovered an 'item of interest' in Bardstown search for Crystal Rogers case”; WDRB; Aug 27, 2021; https://www.wdrb.com/news/fbi-says-it-recovered-an-item-of-interest-in-bardstown-search-for-crystal-rogers-case/article_10c62956-0741-11ec-9d6a-3fbd02bfbbfa.html; accessed Feb 9, 2026.  

“Suspended Bardstown police officer fired after hearing”; WDRB; Oct 16, 2015; https://www.wdrb.com/news/suspended-bardstown-police-officer-fired-after-hearing/article_7a0f4e0c-7f3c-50d4-90c7-a68eac84b042.html; accessed Feb 9, 2026. 

Gill, Ryan; “Who is Brooks Houck & Where Is He Now? 2025 Update & Background”; Dateline Tonight; Nov 5, 2025; https://datelinetonight.com/who-is-brooks-houck-where-is-he-now-2025-update-background/; accessed Feb 6, 2026.  

Sixteen-year-old Skylar Neese vanished in the early morning hours of July 6, 2012, after sneaking out of her parents’ home to meet friends, an act her family believed meant she’d be back by morning. When surveillance footage shows Skylar willingly getting into a car, police assume she’s a runaway, but her parents know something isn’t right and begin a relentless search on their own. In this episode, we explore who Skylar was, the final hours before she disappeared, and how a seemingly ordinary group of friends became the center of one of the most haunting teen crime cases in recent history. 

Sources:  

Sengupta, Sounak, “Skylar Neese Murder: Where are Shelia Eddy and Rachel Shoaf Now?”, The Cinemaholic, April 5, 2024, https://thecinemaholic.com/skylar-neese-murder-where-are-shelia-eddy-and-rachel-shoaf-now/, Accessed February 1st, 2026 

Mongina, Night, “The truth of the Skylar Neese's case: Details of the tragic betrayal a decade later”, Legit, May 1, 2025, https://www.legit.ng/ask-legit/biographies/1650057-the-truth-skylar-neese-case-details-tragic-betrayal-a-decade-later/, Accessed February 1st, 2026 

Sederstrom, Jill, “16-Year-Old Skylar Neese Killed By Friends in Tragic Betrayal: "We Just Didn’t Like Her"”, Oxygen True Crime, April 26, 2024, https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/murder-skylar-neese-killers-today-rachel-shoaf-shelia-eddy, Accessed February 1st 2026 

Effron, Lauren, Deutsch, Gail, “A teenage killer’s eerie tweets she sent after stabbing friend to death: 'We really did go on three'”, ABC News, August 2, 2019, https://abcnews.go.com/US/teenage-killers-eerie-tweets-stabbing-friend-death/story?id=64541231, Accessed February 1st, 2026 

We're back with our twenty third Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know!

References: 

Czachor, Emily Mae, “Renee Good, the driver shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, was a mom and widow. Here's what we know.” CBS NEWS, January 10,2026, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/renee-good-killed-ice-minneapolis-what-we-know/, Accessed January 31, 2026  

Scannell, Kara, Brown, Nicki, “Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty, federal judge rules” CNN, Jan 30, 2026, https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/30/us/luigi-mangione-case-rulings-trial, Accessed January 31, 2026  

In April 2014, the quiet town of Bardstown, Kentucky was shattered when 48-year-old Kathy Netherland and her 16-year-old daughter, Samantha, were found brutally murdered in their home. This episode explores who Kathy and Samantha were, the disturbing details of the crime scene, the investigation that followed, and the mysterious black Chevy Impala seen near their home on the night of the killings. More than a decade later the case remains unsolved, and anyone with information is urged to contact Kentucky State Police at 270-766-5078 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Sources: 

“Kathy Netherland Obituary”; Legacy.com; https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thespringfieldsun/name/kathy-netherland-obituary?id=19732657; accessed Jan 8, 2025. 

“Samantha Netherland Obituary”; Legacy.com; https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thespringfieldsun/name/samantha-netherland-obituary?id=19732663; accessed Jan 18, 2026. 

Hayden, Aly Vander;  “The Bardstown Netherland Murders Were A Gang Initiation, According To Anonymous Inmate”; Oxygen True Crime; Sept 8, 2018; https://www.oxygen.com/the-disappearance-of-crystal-rogers/crime-time/netherland-murders-gang-initiation-inmate; accessed Jan 18, 2026. 

City Towner; “Kathy and Samantha Netherland Murdered in Bardstown Kentucky”; City Towner; Mar 26, 2025; https://citytowner.com/kathy-samantha-netherland-killed-bardstown-ky/; accessed Jan 18, 2026. 

“The Murders of Kathy and Samantha Netherland”; True Case Files; 2023; https://www.truecasefiles.com/2022/07/the-murders-of-kathy-and-samantha.html; accessed Jan 18, 2026. 

Ansari, Maira;  “Death certificates reveal gruesome nature of Nelson Co. mother, daughter murders”; Wave3; June 25, 2014; https://www.wave3.com/story/25870531/death-certificates-reveal-gruesome-nature-of-nelson-co-mother-daughter-murders/; accessed Jan 18, 2026. 

McAlister, Shay; Weiter, Taylor;  “Police: Driver caught on surveillance was inside house during Netherland murders”; Nov 19, 2019; https://www.whas11.com/article/news/investigations/bardstown/car-caught-on-surveillance-at-netherland-home/417-7b7bfab9-850a-4376-907e-7c881eb619ec; accessed Jan 18, 2026. 

Martinez, Natalia;  “A decade after gruesome Bardstown deaths, family gives new details in the Netherland case”; Wave3; April 22, 2024;   https://www.wave3.com/2024/04/22/decade-after-gruesome-bardstown-deaths-family-gives-new-details-netherland-case/; accessed Jan 18, 2025.