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PODCAST

The Dark Oak

Just Us Gals Productions

Attention all shiver-seekers! The Dark Oak is a weekly thrill and chill inducing mystery podcast. Every Wednesday, Stefanie and Cynthia will present to you a true tale of the supernatural, the macabre, historical crimes, cryptids, the unexplained and the downright spooky. To help ease your fears, we also include The Branch of Hope Foundation, which connects you to the human side of our cases by giving back to non-profit organizations related to the first episode of the month. If you enjoy guilt

true crime

All Episodes

01:00:32

Episode 36: The Unsolved Murder of Lindsay Buziak

The Dark Oak ·

2024/03/06

When up and coming real estate agent Lindsay Buziak received a cold call from a new client that seemed too good to be true, she was both excited and nervous. This transaction could create a lot of amazing opportunities for her, but she struggled to understand why she, relatively new in the business, would have been trusted with such an opportunity. What began as an exciting business prospect turned into a nightmare within less than 15 minutes of meeting her new "clients." It has been 16 years

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55:20

Episode 35: The Mysterious Death of Hugues de la Plaza

The Dark Oak ·

2024/02/28

Hugues de la Plaza's death is quite the compelling mystery... a dead body, stabbed multiple times, behind a locked door with no evidence of an assailant and no potential suicide weapon. Security cameras did not pick up anyone other Hugues near his home on the early morning of his death. After being stabbed, why did 36-year-old Hugues de la Plaza walk around his apartment bleeding out instead of reaching for his nearby cell phone and calling for help?This case is full of questions and

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01:04:23

Episode 34: The DB Cooper Skyjacking

The Dark Oak ·

2024/02/21

We cover details of DB Cooper’s 1971 plane hijacking and go into some of the more compelling theories and suspects including Richar Floyd McCoy, Dick Briggs, Robert Rackstraw, Sheridan Peterson, Vince Petersen and William Gossett. This episode will be a great way to get caught up to speed on the latest and greatest in the land of the Cooperites. Source: Oregonian/OregonLive, D. P. |. (2024, February 20). Favorite D.B. Cooper suspect resurfaces, leading to claim that FBI is reopening case

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58:15

Episode 33: The Disappearance of Jennifer Kesse

The Dark Oak ·

2024/02/14

Almost exactly 18 years ago, a young professional woman seemingly disappeared without a trace. Few clues were ever found and the ones that were are more frustrating than helpful. From grainy security footage where any identifying characteristics of the person of interest were obscured to many potential witnesses never being interviewed, the Kesse family has found themselves in frustrating situation after frustrating situation. In the wake of Jennifer's disappearance, her family not only led the

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47:01

Episode 32: The 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

The Dark Oak ·

2024/02/07

In honor of Black History Month, today we delve into the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. The 16th Street Baptist Church was a large and prominent church located downtown, just blocks from Birmingham's commercial district and City Hall. Just before 11 o'clock on September 15, 1963, instead of rising to begin prayers, the congregation was knocked to the ground. As a bomb exploded under the steps of the church, they sought safety under the pews and shielded each other from falling debris. Join us

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01:11:25

Episode 31: The Disappearance of Cynthia Anderson -...

The Dark Oak ·

2024/01/31

Cindy was last seen on August 4, 1981, at the law office where she worked on East Manhattan Boulevard in Toledo, Ohio. The law partners arrived back at the office after a meeting at noon to find the radio on and their desks prepared for the day. Cindy left her romance novel open on her desk to the only violent scene in the book, where the heroine was abducted at knifepoint. Her disappearance occurred after a year of haunting nightmares and what appeared to be an amorous stalker. Was Cindy the

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59:15

Episode 30: The Unsolved Murder of Dian Fossey

The Dark Oak ·

2024/01/24

Thanks to lack of education and movies like King Kong, gorillas used to be considered ferocious man killers. It took a tenacious Dian Fossey moving to the jungles of Africa and living among the great apes, to change the public's mind about the gentle giants. During the 1960s and 70s, when a poaching pandemic threatened the existence of the African Mountain Gorilla, Dian went to unimaginable lengths to save the animals she had come to know as family. Her conservation efforts were not without great

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01:11:58

Episode 29: The Lost Colony of Roanoke

The Dark Oak ·

2024/01/17

The origins of one of America’s oldest unsolved mysteries can be traced to August 1587, when a group of about 115 English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina. Later that year, it was decided that John White, governor of the new colony, would sail back to England in order to gather a fresh load of supplies. But just as he arrived, a major naval war broke out between England and Spain, and Queen Elizabeth I called on every available ship to confront the

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47:22

Episode 28: The Brown Family Disappearance

The Dark Oak ·

2024/01/10

When a Florida family went missing in 1985, local authorities were at a complete loss with absolutely no leads. Nearly 6 weeks after James and Carolyn Brown and their three children were last heard from, the family was reported missing. Strange phone calls, a dead hamster and a wall that was freshly painted in an effort to cover blood stains, left more questions than answers. After being recognized in Georgia several weeks later, James Brown confessed to killing his wife and children and

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46:08

Episode 27: The Mysterious Survival Story of Casey...

The Dark Oak ·

2024/01/03

After three days in the unforgiving wilderness, three-year-old Casey Hathaway was miraculously found unharmed. He said a bear saved him from harm. Is it possible? We will explore his story as well as five additional stories of children mysteriously surviving in the wilderness including that of Alice Rachel Peck and Ida Mae Curtis. We conclude by exploring the Kickapoo Tribe cryptid tale of The Great Bear Man. The Branch of Hope: The Wildlife and Outdoor Recreation Foundation (WORF) is a 501(c)(3)

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01:09:46

Episode 26: Elizabeth Short AKA The Black Dahlia

The Dark Oak ·

2023/12/27

We delve in to the most brutal, baffling, sensationalized, and shocking murders in American history. We will cover the life of Elizabeth short as well as details of the murder and several key suspects that may represent the faces of evil. Sources: The Murder of the Black Dahlia: The Ultimate Cold Case Crime magazine. (n.d.). https://crimemagazine.com/murder-black-dahlia-ultimate-cold-case Hodel, S. (2019, October 2). Black Dahlia crime scene Photos: New Investigation-Hard Evidence and Forensics

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01:28:38

Episode 25: The Sodder Family’s Christmas Tragedy

The Dark Oak ·

2023/12/20

When a tragic house fire destroys the Sodder Family home in the early hours of Christmas Day, 1945, it is believed 5 missing children perished in the flames. As details unfold over the next days, weeks and months, the Sodder parents begin to question whether their children were in the house on the night of the fire. For decades, a large billboard has stood over Fayette County asking for information on the missing children. The offer of a reward brought in never before reported sightings, bizarre

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01:02:11

Episode 24: The Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

The Dark Oak ·

2023/12/13

On the morning of July 2, 1937, Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, took off from Lae, New Guinea, on one of the last legs in their historic attempt to circumnavigate the globe. They never made it. What became of the two adventurers? Lost at sea? Crash landed on a deserted island? Captured by the Japanese? We will explore all the options. Branch of Hope: The Branch of Hope Fund Recipient for this episode is Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarships presented by the Ninety-Nines

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01:22:31

Episode 23: The Disappearance and Murder of Laci and...

The Dark Oak ·

2023/12/06

The disappearance and murder of Laci and Conner Peterson has been in and out of news and media headlines for over twenty years. In this episode we compare Scott's version of events to the State's, along with the corresponding evidence in an effort to find the truth. We discuss Scott's recent appeal where he alleges there is new evidence that a burglary across the street from the Peterson home occurred on the same day that Laci went missing. Potential eyewitness sightings are explored and expert

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48:01

Episode 22: The Unsolved Murder of Alonzo Brooks

The Dark Oak ·

2023/11/29

When 23-year-old Alonzo Brooks went missing after attending a party in rural Kansas, his family set out to find their loving, laid back son. After weeks' long searches, authorities came to the conclusion that he must have decided to make the long walk home while intoxicated and shoeless. Sadly, nearly a month after he went missing, Alonzo's body was found in a creek near the last place he was seen. Theories ranged from Alonzo being the victim of a hate crime, to having flirted with the wrong

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01:09:54

Episode 21: The History of the Famous Bell Witch

The Dark Oak ·

2023/11/22

The 1800s haunting of the Bell Farm made history books. A family of 9 suffered from mysterious noises, sleepless nights, whispers, voices and disembodied laughter. One victim of the Bell Witch even became the first person in US history to die from supernatural causes. We will fill you in on all the details. Sources: Ingram, M. V. (1894). An authenticated history of the famous Bell witch: The Wonder of the 19th Century and Unexplained Phenomenon of the Christian Era . . . Join The Dark Oak

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01:15:37

Episode 20: The Unsolved Murder of Athalia Ponsell...

The Dark Oak ·

2023/11/15

Who killed Athalia Ponsell Lindsley? The logical suspect was a man who had previously threatened her life. A man, that, conveniently, borrowed a machete from the county and never returned it. A man that had been called out by name by the only eyewitness to the murder. A man who lived in the house with a blood trail leading from the crime scene to its front door. Was this simply circumstantial evidence? You tell us. Sources: Randall, E. (2016). Murder in St. Augustine: The mysterious death of Athalia

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59:14

Episode 19: The Obscure Lives of Feral Children

The Dark Oak ·

2023/11/08

We will explore the lives of feral children raised in isolation, away from human contact. How does this strange phenomenon occur? And what becomes of children who befall this horrendous fate? How can we help them regain the ability to communicate, engage with the world and understand what it means to be human? Sources: dMSEd, K. C. (2022). The Story of Genie Wiley. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/genie-the-story-of-the-wild-child-2795241 The Back of the Archive. (2020, December

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01:03:02

Episode 18: The Mysterious Death of Phoebe Handsjuk

The Dark Oak ·

2023/11/01

When a beautiful woman is found dead at the bottom of a trash chute, authorities quickly rule it a suicide; The evidence, however, seems to bring up more questions than answers. Did Phoebe kill herself or was she murdered? Listen to this week's episode and let us know what you think. Sources: Baker, R. (n.d.). Phoebe’s fall. Smh. https://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2016/phoebesfall/index.html Molloy, S. (2021, September 28). Bombshell in garbage chute

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36:21

Episode 17: The Haunting of BallyGally Castle -...

The Dark Oak ·

2023/10/31

Welcome to Oaktober Fest, our annual celebration of spooky season lasting the entire month of October! Come with us on a journey through historic Ireland as we shiver through tales of BallyGally Castle, the only 17th century building still used as a residence in Northern Ireland. It is also reputed to be one of the most haunted places in all of Northern Ireland, providing a home to strange forces and “The Ghost Room.” Sources: Belanger, J. (2011b). The World’s Most Haunted Places: From the Secret

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