What Happened To Sandy Beal

Murder on Songbird Road revisits the stabbing death of an 11-year-old girl in Southern Illinois and the subsequent arrest and conviction of her father’s fiancée for the crime. In this series, veteran true-crime host Lauren Bright Pacheco teams up with criminal defense attorney Bob Motta to investigate whether the case—one that tore apart a rural community, sparking controversy, corruption, and ongoing questions—was truly solved, or if an innocent woman remains wrongfully convicted.

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Deep in the American desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by robots, Zaqistan nonetheless welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations. Along the way, they meet some crazy characters - the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia to name a few. Follow Murdock as he risks  life and limb in the name of nation-building, and find out the answer to the question: what exactly is a nation, anyway?

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In 2001, Robert Fisher killed his family, blew up their suburban home, and vanished in a remote Arizona forest. Did he die — or escape?

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There and Gone: South Street digs into the case of Danielle Imbo and Richard Petrone. Danielle and Richard left a bar in Philadelphia and were never seen again. Nearly two decades later, they have yet to be found. Unlike most cases, there is not a single piece of physical evidence. But the FBI knows there was foul play. In There and Gone: South Street, the podcast team begins their own investigation of Danielle and Richard’s disappearance with unprecedented access and cooperation from the FBI. Listeners will hear from the family of the missing, close friends who were the last to see Danielle and Richard, as well as others haunted by this case nearly two decades later. This podcast seeks to find answers to this decades-long cold case with the hope of bringing justice to Danielle and Richard’s families

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In this bonus episode, Melissa talks with Laura Crimaldi — a reporter for The Boston Globe — who is covering a contemporary case with eerie similarities to Sandy Beal.

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The Beal family is faced with a daunting task that threatens to divide them. Sandy’s final words are cast in a new light. 

If you or someone you know is considering self-harm, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text "STRENGTH" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741

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Sandy’s cousin Kim meets with a cold case detective who offers her something unexpected - and transformative.

If you or someone you know is considering self-harm, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text "STRENGTH" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Beals' distrust of police leaves even the most basic facts about Sandy's case up for interpretation. 

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Sandy’s newly released police file reveals that she sought help from law enforcement months before her death.

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The exact nature of Sandy's relationships with local police officers comes under new scrutiny. 

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