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World War II was full of innumerable horrors, but there are just as many lesser known stories that filled the background of the same war ravaged landscapes. Among these stories is the tale of Aimo Koivunen, a Finnish soldier who took an odd side quest that began with an overdose of military sanctioned drugs. Aimo admittedly wrote that he was an unreliable narrator of the only article to detail his journey, so while his experience is arguably quite gruesome we are choosing to look at the lighter side because 1. He stated himself this was heavily drug hallucinations and 2. He was on the side of the Nazis and fuck them. If you want to read Aimo's full story, here is a link to a Reddit thread where a user translated the original Finnish article to English https://www.reddit.com/r/warstories/comments/dfhwjm/translation_of_the_story_of_aimo_koivunen_a/?share_id=mnAoz7LkJRYVkbYLqpa_I&utm_content=2&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1&seeker-session=true

The internet is a place where people can find answers to any question under the sun, and find online communities to connect with others over a wide array of interests. In the early 90s as more people were finding these connections in this developing technology, the case of Sharon Lopatka ushered in a new era of criminal investigation. Hers is an interesting case not only for the groundwork it laid with electronic evidence, but also the details of her death and the wider discussion of the limits of consent.

Happy New Year! This episode is a lighthearted look at some general resolutions to start the new year, with some true crime stories to support them. 

On August 11, 2009, fifteen year old Kayla Berg spent the day hanging out with her friend before going home and seeing her father. That evening a friend picked her up to take her out driving, and she never came home. Communication difficulties created roadblocks to finding information on her whereabouts and despite multiple searches she remains missing. Kayla's family is still tirelessly working to get her story out and bring her home. Kayla would be 32 years old at the time of this episode's publication and at the time she went missing she was 5'2" with brown hair and brown eyes. Please call the Antigo, WI police dept if you have any information at 1-715-627-6411 Link to Missing Poster: https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/1129610/1

Richard was a man that friends and family remembers as someone who was devoted to his family and his faith and was a beloved husband, son, and friend. The events of August 10, 2018 were a shock to everyone who knew him, and the tragic end to his young life lives on in infamy every time the audio of his final flight make their rounds on social media. 

Warren Barnes was a beloved member of the community of Grand Junction, Colorado. A man who loved reading as much as he could and would take time to feed the birds while he ate lunch, he was also the type that you could set your watch by. When Brian Cohee Jr. went looking for his idea of someone who wouldn't be missed so he could experience the thrill of killing a person, he could not have been more wrong about his assessment of the kind of man Warren was. 

On December 16, 2021, what should have been a day of celebration for Hillcrest Primary School students marking the end of the school year turned to tragedy in an instant. In the wake of an unforeseen accident that is sadly not unique of its' kind, the community and families were left to pick up the pieces and mourn the losses of that fateful day. 

In the second of two bonus episodes, Crystal speaks with Preston's mother, Cierra.  She shares her experience navigating the worst day of any parent's life, her observations and surprising aspect of the way the justice system is working in her son's case, her grief in the wake of her son's death, and the foundation she created in Preston's name. For more information on the Preston's Promise Foundation, please visit https://www.prestonspromise.org/

In the first of two bonus episodes, we discuss the tragic death of 5 month old Preston. This episode does involve discussion of his injuries and statements from his care team so please use caution when listening. It is important to note, a trial has not yet taken place. Due to this we must be very careful with the information we share about all parties involved and we ask our listeners to exercise the same caution.

Mark had been dating his girlfriend Berlinah for several years before he decided the relationship wasn't what he wanted; he broke things off, moved out, and started dating someone new. Berlinah could not accept Mark's decision and made repeated demands that he hear her out and talk to her about their relationship. She planned her retaliation that would assure Mark could never be with anyone else if he wouldn't be with her. The resulting months of suffering are more than anyone should ever have to bear, and in the words of Kees Van Dongen: there were only losers in this case. 

Cherish was 8 years old when absolute scum from the depths of hell befriended and gained the trust of her mother, Rayne, while they were out doing some last minute shopping. This heartbreaking case is difficult to tell but is an important lesson in staying vigilant no matter how charming a stranger may be. This episode discusses the murder of a young child and while we did not share explicit details of the horrors she endured, listener discretion is still advised.

Benjaman Kyle was the assumed name of a man who was found naked and nearly unconscious behind a Burger King in 2004. For over a decade he knew nothing of his life before he was found, and despite efforts on several fronts for answers, he struggled to find his identity while also struggling to make a life for himself.   The Last Unknown Man: https://newrepublic.com/article/138068/last-unknown-man Finding Benjaman: https://vimeo.com/34589969

Sextortion is a steadily rising form of online blackmail, primarily targeting teenaged boys. The warning signs are easy to spot if you are aware of what they look like; we are aiming to increase awareness and create the opportunity for more discussions about this dangerous scam. Please be advised, this episode discusses suicide and several cases of children who completed suicide resulting from sextortion.  For more information, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's webpage on Sextortion at: https://www.missingkids.org/theissues/sextortion

Melissa Oxley was suddenly jolted awake in the middle of the night after hearing a loud noise. She went to investigate and found the front door of the home wide open, and returned to find her husband, Ben, dead in the bed where they had just been sleeping together. The story she told dispatch, police, and detectives seemed odd and didn't make sense to investigators. After years of surveillance, investigation, and interviews, Ben's murderer was identified.

In 2023, 16 month old Jailyn suffered for 10 long days while her mother simultaneously enjoyed herself on a vacation with her friends.  Content Warning: This episode is rough and involves discussion of neglect/abuse of a young child.