Bonus: How Did The Letter Season 2 Come About?

We’re excited to share a new podcast from KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media: Stolen Voices of Dole Valley, a nine-part series about survival, injustice, and the fight for answers. It’s the story of a predator you’ve likely never heard of — one who prowled the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s, when hitchhiking was a rite of passage for many young people. Some young women managed to escape him, but their warnings were ignored. One survivor’s account was dismissed by police, leaving the man free to kidnap and murder others. Police believe this killer was responsible for far more than the two murders he was convicted of, and decades later, families and investigators are still determined to uncover the truth. With new DNA testing and relentless hope, loved ones are refusing to let their daughters and sisters be forgotten.  

This week we’re introducing you to a powerful new podcast, Senseless with Erika Mahoney. Everything changed one ordinary Monday, when Erika Mahoney’s mom called to say there was an active shooter at the grocery store nearby. In a matter of seconds, ten people were killed – including Erika’s father.  With the high-profile trial of the shooter as a backdrop, Erika speaks to survivors of mass shootings, community leaders, and others impacted by the tragedy in Boulder, on her deeply personal quest to move forward after the unthinkable. Mass shootings have become a daily, uniquely American tragedy. But what happens to those left behind afterward? Senseless is a raw, unfiltered journey through grief, trauma, resilience, and moving forward after your world shatters forever. We’re going to play you a clip from the first episode when Erika’s life gets turned upside down. After you listen, search for Senseless with Erika Mahoney wherever you get your podcasts, or head to https://lemonada.lnk.to/SenselesswithErikaMahoneyfdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re sharing a gripping new podcast from KSL Podcasts & Lemonada Media: Uinta Triangle. It tells the story of a solo hiker from Australia named Eric Robinson, who disappeared while on a trek. Eric’d taken steps to make sure he could travel the mountains that he loved safely, like packing a GPS beacon. So it was a real mystery when he vanished without a trace. Turns out, the mountains where Eric disappeared are known for keeping their secrets. Uinta Triangle tells the story of the desperate search for Eric. Host Dave Cawley follows in Eric’s footsteps, and joins Eric’s wife in her worldwide hunt for answers. It’s a “lost in the woods” story, but much more.  You’ll hear a clip from the first episode in this feed. To keep listening, follow Uinta Triangle — wherever you get your podcasts.

After years of dead-ends and rejections, Sy and Ron Snarr finally get the moment they’ve been hoping for - a chance to ask the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to release the man who murdered their son, Zach, from prison. But their desire to ask for mercy for Jorge Benvenuto, whose spent 28 years behind bars, means hurting someone they love - the other victim in the case, Yvette Rodier. The hearing means very different things to each family - and legally, it turns out to be much different than what the Snarrs requested.  

The team that brought you The Letter has a new show called Unsolved Histories. Season 1 is about a plane crash over the Gulf of Alaska during the Cold War. An airliner carrying 101 people took to the skies near Seattle moving military personnel and their families to their new assignments in Anchorage. One of the pilots radioed air traffic control asking to change altitude. It was the last thing anyone heard from Flight 293. For decades, the families of those who perished have searched for answers. Join host Feliks Banel as he delves into the mysterious disappearance, the theories that attempt to explain it, and the aftermath for families left behind. Find and follow the show now at unsolvedhistoriespod.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.

KSL Podcasts, the team that brought you The Letter also had a hand in making Ransom, a story of greif and loss and how those emotions are amplified when the person who caused them is a trusted person. Ransom is the story of the kidnapping of 12 year old McKay Everett for a demand of $500,000. It's also a story of greed and betrayal and how red flags, when ignored, serve no one. Link to the show: https://kslpodcasts.com/podcast/ransom/

If you haven’t had the chance to subscribe to our bonus content, we wanted to give you a sample of what we have been doing each week. Children exposed to trauma face challenges that often continue well into adulthood. In this Bonus episode, Amy talks with Jordan Rasmussen’s son, Dave, and a child psychologist, Dr. Matt Woolley, about some of the unresolved emotions that have come up this season. And we get some ideas for how to face the lingering impacts of trauma and how to help those struggling with loss.  

In the season finale of The Letter, Michael Moore learns if he will get a parole date. But the families who forgave him and advocated for his release never expected what he did next. They are left to ask themselves if they misjudged him.For more on the Letter Season 2: Ripple Effect, including pictures, find us on social @theletterpodcast or visit our website, theletterpodcast.com. If you want to hear more and would like to support us, please consider subscribing on Apple podcasts for access to our bonus episodes. We drop a bonus episode every week. Written by Amy Donaldson and Andrea Smardon. Production and sound design by Andrea Smardon, Nina Earnest and Aaron Mason. Mixing by Trent Sell. Special thanks to Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Feliks Banel, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton Brown. With Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs. For WorkHouse Media, Executive Producer Paul Anderson. And for KSL Podcasts, Executive Producer Sheryl Worsley. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  

When Michael Moore murdered Jordan Rasmussen and Buddy Booth, he left five children without fathers. When they were young, the adults in their lives made decisions about whether they would oppose or support Michael’s release from prison. But as Michael approaches his fourth parole hearing those children will be old enough to speak for themselves. Is forgiveness something they inherit, or will they come to their own conclusions? For more on the Letter Season 2: Ripple Effect, including pictures, find us on social @theletterpodcast or visit our website, theletterpodcast.com. If you want to hear more and would like to support us, please consider subscribing on Apple podcasts for access to our bonus episodes. We drop a bonus episode every week. Written by Amy Donaldson and Andrea Smardon. Production and sound design by Andrea Smardon, Nina Earnest and Aaron Mason. Mixing by Trent Sell. Special thanks to Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Feliks Banel, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton Brown.With Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs.For WorkHouse Media, Executive Producer Paul Anderson. And for KSL Podcasts, Executive Producer Sheryl Worsley. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this holiday week, we are giving you a sample of one of our premium bonus episodes. Episode 7 will be released next week.Does everyone in our criminal justice system deserve defending? Ed Brass was on Michael Moore’s defense team. Ed is also Amy’s husband (but she didn’t realize the connection until after she started researching the case). Ed and Amy share some remarkable stories from Ed’s career, including even more unlikely tales of forgiveness.