In this episode, we examine the harrowing survival story of Susan Kuhnhausen, an emergency room nurse from Portland, Oregon, who returned home one night in 2006 to find a hired hitman waiting inside her house.

What followed was a life or death struggle that would ultimately expose a calculated murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by her estranged husband, Eric Kuhnhausen.

Listener discretion advised: This episode contains discussion of violence and attempted murder.

Sources:

I Survived: Season 5 Episode 2

Morbid Podcast Episode 84

https://www.wweek.com/news/2016/08/17/a-hit-man-came-to-kill-susan-kuhnhausen-she-survived-he-didnt/

https://hospitalwatchdog.org/er-nurse-kills-attacker-while-defending-herself/

https://www.wweek.com/news/2016/08/17/a-hit-man-came-to-kill-susan-kuhnhausen-she-survived-he-didnt/

https://theretrobliss.medium.com/brave-nurse-fatally-strangles-hitman-to-survive-1b6d02290cc6

In Part 2 of Casey Anthony, we cover the three 911 calls made by Roy Kronk that led to the discovery of Caylee’s remains near the Anthony home in Orlando, the forensic evidence presented by prosecutors, including chloroform searches, duct tape, and decomposition in Casey’s trunk, and the trial.

PRIMARY BOOK SOURCES USED

1. Jeff Ashton – Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony
2. Jose Baez – Presumed Guilty
3. Diane Fanning – Mommy’s Little Girl

Podcast Episodes Listened To

1. The Prosecutors
2. Red Handed

In this deep-dive investigative episode, we examine one of the most controversial criminal cases in modern American history: the disappearance and death of 2yr old Caylee Anthony and the trial of her mother, Casey Anthony.

From the infamous “Zanny the Nanny” story to the shocking 31 days Caylee was missing before anyone called police, this case gripped the nation and divided the public after the 2011 verdict.

PRIMARY BOOK SOURCES USED

1. Jeff Ashton – Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony
2. Jose Baez – Presumed Guilty
3. Diane Fanning – Mommy’s Little Girl

Podcast Episodes Listened To

1. The Prosecutors
2. Red Handed

A routine training run in the Utah desert turns into a two-day survival ordeal. In this episode, we tell the story of endurance athlete Danelle Ballengee, who was critically injured after a fall near Moab and forced to rely on experience, restraint, and a series of difficult decisions to stay alive. This is a grounded, step-by-step account of what happened, how she survived, and what the experience changed.

SOURCES:

https://www.runnersworld.com/trail-running/a20808181/danelle-ballengee-five-years-later/?utm_

https://www.deseret.com/2006/12/21/19992155/dog-leads-rescuers-to-injured-runner-stranded-near-moab/?utm

https://coloradotriathlete.com/documentary-portrays-danelle-ballengees-extraordinary-tale-of-survival/?utm_

https://babbittville.com/taz-the-wonder-dog/

On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart was abducted at knifepoint from her bedroom in Salt Lake City and held captive for nine months. This episode examines the investigation, the coercive control used by her captors, and the myths surrounding victim behavior that often prevent understanding and rescue. We focus on what this case teaches about real-world safety, survival, and why awareness and belief save lives.

CRISIS & CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT (U.S.)

RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)

Website: https://www.rainn.org 24/7 Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673) Online Chat: https://chat.rainn.org Provides: Confidential support, legal information, survivor guidance

National Human Trafficking Hotline

Website: https://humantraffickinghotline.org Phone: 1-888-373-7888 Text: 233733 (BEFREE) For: Trafficking concerns, exploitation, and reporting suspicious activity

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Website: https://www.thehotline.org Phone: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Available 24/7 for crisis intervention and safety planning

TEENS & YOUNG ADULTS

Love is Respect

Website: https://www.loveisrespect.org Text: LOVEIS to 22522 Focus: Dating violence, coercive control, and unhealthy relationship dynamics

TRAUMA RECOVERY & HEALING

1in6

Website: https://1in6.org Focus: Survivors of childhood sexual abuse Provides: Online support groups, educational materials, recovery tools

Psychology Today – Trauma-Informed Therapist Directory

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com Search filters include trauma, PTSD, EMDR, and somatic therapy

INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

RAINN International Resource Directory

Website: https://www.rainn.org/international-resources Helps locate survivor support organizations worldwide

Child Helpline International

Website: https://www.childhelplineinternational.org Support for children and young people in over 150 countries

IMPORTANT NOTE

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services. Survivors deserve support, dignity, and belief — help is available.

Sources for this episode:

Documentaries:

1. Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart
2. I am Elizabeth Smart

Books:

1. My Story by Elizabeth Smart

Federal Court Records: https://www.utd.uscourts.gov

Elizabeth Smart Foundation: https://www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org

In Part Two, we turn to the theories that have kept the JonBenét Ramsey case endlessly debated for decades. From intruder scenarios to family-based explanations, we examine the most prominent interpretations of the evidence and the reasoning behind each one. Rather than arguing for a single conclusion, this episode breaks down how different readings of the same facts have led investigators, experts, and the public down very different paths, revealing why the case remains unresolved and deeply polarizing to this day.

Sources:

Books:

JonBenet by Steve Thomas

Foreign Faction by James Kolar

Documentaries:

Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet

In this episode, we examine the JonBenét Ramsey case, one of the most enduring and controversial unsolved crimes in American history. Focusing on the crime scene and the early investigation, we walk through the events surrounding the discovery of six-year-old JonBenét in her family’s Boulder, Colorado home and the decisions that shaped the case from the very beginning.

Sources:

Books:

JonBenet by Steve Thomas

Foreign Faction by James Kolar

Documentaries:

Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet

On Christmas Eve 1971, 17-year-old Juliane Koepcke became the sole survivor of a commercial plane crash after falling nearly two miles into the Amazon rainforest, still strapped to her seat.

In this episode, we follow Juliane’s incredible 11-day journey alone through the jungle as she battled injury, hunger, infection, and grief. Using knowledge passed down from her scientist parents, she followed rivers, avoided deadly wildlife, and made decisions that ultimately led to her rescue.

Sources:

• Book – When I Fell From the Sky (memoir by Juliane Koepcke) – Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/When-Fell-Sky-Juliane-Koepcke/dp/0983754705

• Juliane Koepcke – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliane_Koepcke

• LANSA Flight 508 – Wikipedia (crash details & survival): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LANSA_Flight_508

• ABC News – “How teenager Juliane Koepcke survived …” (detailed article): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-02/the-girl-who-fell-3km-into-the-amazon-and-survived/101413154

• BBC interview mentions – featured in ABC coverage (Juliane’s perspective): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-02/the-girl-who-fell-3km-into-the-amazon-and-survived/101413154

You can find me on Instagram at: underthetapepod

Email me at: [email protected]

In this episode, we examine one of the most infamous true crime cases of the modern era: Jodi Arias and the murder of Travis Alexander. What began as a passionate, on-again/off-again relationship ended in a brutal killing that would captivate the public and unfold over years of dramatic courtroom proceedings.

The sources for this episode are:

• Mesa Police Department reports
• The State of Arizona v. Jodi Ann Arias trial transcripts
• Autopsy findings from Medical Examiner Dr. Kevin Horn
• Interrogation files
• Witness testimony from friends, roommates, and digital forensic experts
• And the most detailed books written on the case:
  • Picture Perfect by Shanna Hogan
  • Conviction by prosecutor Juan Martinez

Find me on Instagram at: underthetapepod

Email me at: [email protected]

Hey everyone! I’m Hannah Grayson, and after almost ten years working as a Threat Intelligence Analyst, collaborating with law enforcement and major social media platforms, I’ve seen some wild things.

And now I’m taking everything I’ve learned and bringing it to my new podcast: Under The Tape

Each week, I’m breaking down true crime cases, unbelievable survival stories, and the patterns and behavior most people overlook, but I can’t help analyzing.

If you love smart true crime, deep dives, or stories of people who somehow made it out alive… this is your kind of show.

New episodes drop every week starting January 2026. Hit follow so you don’t miss the launch.