In the winter season finale of the Secret Passage Podcast, we lay the groundwork for a multi-part deep dive into the Jeffrey Epstein files. In this episode we look back to Julian Assange and WikiLeaks and explore the 2016 Podesta email leaks that sparked Pizzagate, the strange coded references to "pizza" and "grape soda," Anthony Weiner's laptop discoveries, and the broader tensions between transparency, national security, and elite power networks. We share our personal journeys from dismissing these ideas as conspiracy nonsense to now grappling with unsettling questions. We reflect on the impact of information dumps of this size in an already overwhelming digital age. This episode sets the stage for further exploration and discussion when the series resumes on March 6th.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

Instagram @secretpassagepodcast

X @secretpasspod

TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In this episode of the Secret Passage Podcast, we dive into the chilling disappearance of Brian Shaffer, a 27-year-old medical student who vanished without a trace after a night out at the Ugly Tuna Saloona bar in Columbus, Ohio, on March 31, 2006. Captured on CCTV chatting with friends and two women just before 2 a.m., Brian walks out of frame—yet he's never seen leaving the building on any footage, despite heavy surveillance. We explore why this case feels so baffling compared to other missing persons cases, debunk popular theories like running away or suicide, and discuss the eerie surveillance blind spots that make it seem like he disappeared into thin air. Join us as we discuss the lingering mystery of this haunting case.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

Instagram @secretpassagepodcast

X @secretpasspod

TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In the final episode of our Madeleine McCann series we examine the media frenzy surrounding the 2007 disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine. We trace the coverage's dramatic shifts—from initial sympathy to later waves of suspicion, tabloid accusations against the parents, and sensational leaks that fueled moral outrage and pack-journalism tactics. Drawing parallels to the JonBenét Ramsey case, we critique how profit-driven sensationalism and our preference for tidy narratives often overshadow the search for truth and inflict real harm on grieving families. We explore the weaponization of empathy and anger in modern media, urging listeners to consume media with critical awareness rather than passive certainty.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

Instagram @secretpassagepodcast

X @secretpasspod

TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In part two of our three-part Madeleine McCann series we examine the main theories regarding the 2007 disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine from her family's apartment at the Ocean Club resort in Praia da Luz, Portugal. Building on the case overview in part one, we look at theories including parental involvement (accidental death and cover-up), burglary gone wrong, organized child trafficking, Madeleine wandering off, and abduction by a lone predator. We discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and implications of each while reflecting on compassion fatigue, media overload, and the emotional challenges of deep-diving into such cases.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

Instagram @secretpassagepodcast

X @secretpasspod

TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In the first installment of our three-part series on the Madeleine McCann case we revisit the heartbreaking disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine McCann from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on May 3, 2007. We explore the eerie parallels with the JonBenét Ramsey case, the parents' routine checks on their sleeping children while dining nearby at the tapas bar, the immediate chaos that compromised the crime scene, and the rapid shift from global sympathy to intense scrutiny and blame directed at Kate and Gerry McCann.

The episode examines early theories, the role of cadaver and blood dogs, the intense media frenzy, and the lingering questions that keep this case alive nearly two decades later—setting the stage for deeper dives into theories and media coverage in parts two and three.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

Instagram @secretpassagepodcast

X @secretpasspod

TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In the final episode of our three-part series on the JonBenét Ramsey case, we reflect on our emotional journey, share our final conclusions based on the available evidence, and look at the media's role in the case. We unpack how early police leaks, media sensationalism, and confirmation bias shaped public perception. Disturbingly, the media played a role in objectifying a six-year-old girl, vilifying her parents, and fueling decades of misinformation. A powerful cautionary tale about narrative manipulation, cognitive traps, and the human cost of rushed judgment—this wrap-up challenges listeners to question what we think we know and how we came to know it. Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

• Instagram @secretpassagepodcast
• X @secretpasspod
• TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In the second part of our three-part series on the JonBenét Ramsey case, we delve into the theories that have kept the case alive for nearly 30 years. Was it a vengeful intruder targeting John Ramsey, was it a tragic accident covered up in panic, or did the murderer have sexual motives? We unpack the conflicting evidence—the three-page ransom "essay" written on Patsy Ramsey's notepad, the crime scene with its sadistic elements like the garrote, and the unknown male DNA that exonerated the Ramseys but remains unidentified—while exploring psychological angles, family dynamics, and the enduring fascination with the case. As Boulder police continue retesting evidence with advanced DNA technology and conducting fresh interviews, we reflect on why no theory fully satisfies, why the case feels so personal, and the heartbreaking toll on survivors like Burke Ramsey. We probe the human cost of an unsolved tragedy and the questions that still haunt us. Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

• Instagram @secretpassagepodcast
• X @secretpasspod
• TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

On the morning after Christmas 1996, six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey vanished from her family's lavish Boulder home—only for her parents to discover a bizarre, three-page ransom note demanding $118,000 and threatening her life. Hours later, her body was found in the basement, beaten, strangled, and bound in a scene that launched one of America's most enduring mysteries. We dive into the haunting details of this case: the infamous ransom letter written on the family's own notepad, the botched police response that contaminated the crime scene, and the swirling theories. With fresh DNA testing and interviews advancing the investigation nearly 30 years later, part one of this three-part series explores the media frenzy, the cultural obsession, and the endless questions that still grip the public. Perfect for true crime fans, this episode unpacks why this tragedy remains unsolved—and why it refuses to fade away. Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

• Instagram @secretpassagepodcast
• X @secretpasspod
• TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

In January 2007, 21-year-old Channon Christian and 23-year-old Christopher Newsom were carjacked at gunpoint after sharing a kiss in a Knoxville apartment building parking lot. What began as a robbery quickly turned into 24 hours of unimaginable physical and sexual assault and eventually murder at the hands of five strangers. Eighteen years later, this remains one of the most sadistic crimes in modern American history. In our final episode of the fall season we tell Christopher and Channon's story. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

Secret Passage Podcast will return after the holidays.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

• Instagram @secretpassagepodcast
• X @secretpasspod
• TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver

Five-year-old Kinsleigh Welty spent the last months of her life locked in a feces-covered closet, starved to 21 pounds by the mother who called her a demon. Despite repeated removals for abuse and neglect, Indiana DCS kept handing her back due to policies that prioritize family reunification. Text messages between her mother and grandmother reveal chilling cruelty and apathy. We unpack the massive failures that led to this preventable death. Listener discretion strongly advised.

Like, subscribe, and follow us. Here's how:

• Instagram @secretpassagepodcast
• X @secretpasspod
• TikTok @secretpassagepodcast

Secret Passage Podcast is hosted by Dana Vespoli and Shannon Rogers

Producer: Tim Rogers

Editor: Mitch Silver