Facing Evil

We continue our conversation with Root of Evil Producer and Creator Zak Levitt. On this episode, we learn the true identity of Fauna Hodel's father. And whether it truly was George Hodel.Plus, listen to Zak Levitt's new show The Set. The Set tells the inside story of policing in Harlem's 30th precinct, during its most vulnerable time. 33 of its officers were arrested and convicted of corruption, and the precinct came to be known as "The Dirty 30." The Set is a cautionary tale of what can happen when the world's largest police department fails to police itself, and how easy it can become for good cops to turn bad - all told by the people who lived it. The first three episodes are available starting June 14th, with new episodes every week. Or you can binge all 10 episodes exclusively on the Audacy app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Root of Evil Producer and Creator Zak Levitt joins us to discuss what was left on the cutting room floor of the hit 2019 podcast. And we reveal new information about the relationship between George Hodel and Fauna Hodel. Plus, listen to Zak Levitt's new show The Set. The Set tells the inside story of policing in Harlem's 30th precinct, during its most vulnerable time. 33 of its officers were arrested and convicted of corruption, and the precinct came to be known as "The Dirty 30." The Set is a cautionary tale of what can happen when the world's largest police department fails to police itself, and how easy it can become for good cops to turn bad - all told by the people who lived it. The first three episodes are available starting June 14th, with new episodes every week. Or you can binge all 10 episodes exclusively on the Audacy app.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In October of 2014, 32-year-old Native American actress Misty Upham went missing. Local police refused to investigate her disappearance. So community members formed a search party, and found her body in a ravine 11 days later. What happened to Misty Upham? And why didn't authorities act? We talk with Jim Trainum, retired MPD homicide detective and investigative consultant.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16-year-old Skylar Neese was murdered by her two best friends in 2012, supposedly because of an argument over social media. What actually led these high school girls to commit such a violent act on a friend? We talk with podcaster and true crime writer M. William Phelps, host of 'Paper Ghosts' and author of books including ‘We Thought We Knew You’ and ‘Don’t Tell A Soul.'See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a wealthy Wisconsin family asked a 19-year-old Filipino woman named Irma Martinez to be their live-in maid, she had no idea she'd be trapped for almost two decades. Her case was one of the many shocking examples of modern day human trafficking. We discuss this issue broadly with Remi Adeleke, author and director of the short film "The Unexpected."  Pre-Order the book:  https://www.amazon.com/Chameleon-Black-Thriller-Remi-Adeleke/dp/0063238837 Watch "The Unexpected": https://youtu.be/6xUwS39mFs0See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind was 8 months pregnant when she went missing in 2017. Her body was discovered days later in the Red River, but her baby had been stolen by the killers. The case was another reminder of the vulnerability of indigenous women and girls in the United States and Canada. We discuss this issue with Candi Brings Plenty, an indigenous activist and spiritual practitioner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sandra Galas was found dead in her Hawaii home in 2006. Many believed her estranged husband, Darren Galas, was responsible. But it took years for justice, and the family never gave up. We talk with Sandra's father, Larry Mendonca Sr., and her brother, Lawrence Mendonca Jr.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Bear Carson and Suzan Carson are often known as the San Francisco Witch Killers. They are responsible for at least three murders in the 1980s, and likely more across North America and Europe. Dr. Jenn Carson, Michael's daughter, has devoted her life to overcoming the trauma of her family history. We sit down with Dr. Carson to discuss her life experience and advocacy work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the morning of February 16th, 2012, Rodricus Crawford awoke to find his one-year-old son Roderius Lott unresponsive. After the infant died, investigators believed Crawford was responsible, and he was convicted of homicide. Crawford wrongfully spent years on death row, before new revelations led to his eventual release. We talk about the issue of death penalty convictions with Maurice Chammah, Staff Writer for The Marshall Project and author of "Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The case of the Central Park Five is one of the most notorious crime cases in history. In 1989, a young woman named Trisha Meili was jogging in the park when she was attacked, raped, and beaten. But during the investigation, police wrongly accused and convicted five young men of color. They were later exonerated, but only years after already serving a prison sentence. We discuss the issue of wrongful conviction with Jason Flom, Board Member with the Innocence Project and host of the podcast “Wrongful Conviction."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.