Domestic violence leaves a dark stain on the childhood of those who bear witness to its cruel and indiscriminate destruction. A New Jersey mother had nearly escaped her abusive past, and was celebrating Christmas with her two young children when all hell broke loose in December of 2016. Were it not for one 12-year old boy’s relentless commitment to his family’s safety - a murderer may well have walked free. 

 

National Domestic Violence Hotline:  1−800−799−7233

Written by: Stephanie Moore

Executive Producer: Michael Ojibway  

 

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All Written, Audio, and Sound Effect sources are available at www.invisiblechoir.com.    ©2019 Reach Freaks, LLC. All Rights Reserved. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Watcher

The Invisible Choir true crime podcast examines the most heinous murders through investigative storytelling, primary source audio, and victim testimonials. We aim to bring voice to the voiceless, and visibility to the invisible. Independently recorded and produced by Michael Ojibway and Reach Freaks, LLC. 

True crime

17-year-old Valerie Leona Tindall was a hardworking teen who lived with her siblings and parents Jack and Shena in the rural community of Arlington, Indiana. While attending Rushville Consolidated High, Valerie worked various jobs after school and on the weekends. After tiring from gigs such as McDonald’s and Domino’s, she was eventually offered part-time work from a neighbor and owner of a local landscaping company, 59-year-old Patrick Allen Scott. On June 7th, 2023, Valerie was headed into work and left the family home before noon that day. But when night fell over Arlington that evening and Valerie still hadn’t made it back- her parents immediately suspected that her boss may have had something to do with her disappearance… 
Written by Michael Dunphy Jr., Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. Special thanks to Shena Sandefur & Jack Tindall.
View the full source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/landscaper 
 
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The Landscaper

35-year-old Ellie Mizon Tran was an immigrant from Vietnam who came to America in search of a new life and better opportunities. While establishing herself in the states, working two jobs at different nail salons in Virginia Beach, Ellie had endured one failed marriage. However, her second husband would turn out to be far worse than the first. On Valentine’s Day of 2017, the surveillance cameras Ellie Tran had just installed for the sole purpose of protecting herself against 29-year-old Joseph Merlino, captured video of a man running up from behind her in her driveway, while holding a syringe…
Written by Michael Dunphy Jr., Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. Special thanks to Sheriff Rocky Holcomb and Kathy Hieatt of the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office. 
View the full source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/liquiddeath
 
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Liquid Death

16-year-old Brianna Ghey was a transgender teen from Birchwood, Cheshire - located about 15 miles west of Manchester, England. Online, she portrayed herself as a confident and fierce role model for LGBTQ+ teenagers everywhere. But despite having thousands of followers on TikTok, offline, Brianna privately struggled with anxiety and depression. In February of 2023, she thought a new friend had come into her life when a 15-year-old named Scarlett Jenkinson transferred from a neighboring school…However, something that neither Brianna nor the faculty at Birchwood High knew was that Scarlett had a dark past, as well as a growing desire to kill… and Brianna Ghey would soon become her first victim…
 
Written by Michael Dunphy Jr., Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. View full source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/boyygirlx 
 
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Boy Y and Girl X

27-year-old Karina Castro was a single mother of two living in San Carlos, CA. She was in the process of looking for a new apartment following an ugly breakup with her estranged boyfriend,  33-year old rapper, Jose “Rafa” Solano Landaeta. According to Karina’s family, she was excited to get away from Jose and start a new life with her girls. However, just before noon on September 8th, 2022, Karina was stripped of any opportunities the future might bring, when onlookers witnessed a 300+ lb. man approach her outside of her home, wielding a massive samurai sword…
 
Written by Michael Dunphy Jr., Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. Special Thanks to Mya, Tanner, & Audra. View full source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/specialcircumstances
 
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Special Circumstances

On May 23rd, 2014, social butterfly Nichole “Nikki” Burgess stopped replying to calls and texts. It was so unlike her, that her friends and boyfriend immediately grew concerned and reported her missing. When police searched her home, they found signs of a struggle – but no indication of what had actually happened to the aspiring Instagram model. And while they found abundant circumstantial evidence pointing at a possible homicide culprit, investigators’ greatest challenge may have been proving that Nikki was even dead… 
Written by Angela Jorgensen, Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. View the full episode source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/nobody 
Support Our Sponsors: 

WildGrain: Go to https://wildgrain.com/choir or use code “CHOIR” at checkout to get $30 off the first box, PLUS free Croissants in every box!  
BetterHelp: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/invisiblechoir and get on your way to being your best self.
HoneyLove: Get 20% OFF @honeylove by going to honeylove.com/CHOIR! #honeylovepod
Squarespace: Go to https://www.squarespace.com/choir for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, use offer code “CHOIR” to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain! 
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The Watcher

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