Small Town Mysteries

The Murder of Sherri Rasmussen

Send us a textOn a Monday morning in February 1986, in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sherri Rasmussen’s life came to a violent end. Sherri, a young nurse, was found dead in her condo. She had been brutally beaten and shot three times.Following this discovery, the Los Angeles Police Department quickly labeled the case as a botched burglary. But to Sherri's father, Nels, this felt wrong. He had a suspect in mind from the very beginning, one he had even told police about. A woman who couldn't let go of the man Sherri had just married. A woman who just happened to be an LAPD officer herself.This is the story of a cold case that went unsolved for over two decades. A story of obsession, murder, and the blue wall of silence.Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sherri_Rasmussen2) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ex-lapd-detective-hid-murder-decades-wont-paroled-reversing-earlier-de-rcna1737233) https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/stephanie-lazarus-former-lapd-detective-who-shot-ex-lovers-new-wife-has-parole-denied-again/4) https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-15/it-took-lapd-23-years-to-identify-police-detective-as-culprit-in-fatal-love-triangle5) https://abcnews.go.com/US/former-lapd-detective-murdered-lovers-wife-hid-crime/story?id=1139555316) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52954546/sherri_rae-rasmussen Support the show

The Tragic Murder of Wendy Tamagne

Send us a textOn July 4, 2016, David Isaiah Goodwin (age 25)  murdered Wendy Tamagne (age 37) and then dismembered her body and shoved her remains into trashbags.Sources: 1) https://wcti12.com/news/local/deliberations-finish-jury-begins-discussion-of-sentencing-for-david-godwin2) https://www.wnct.com/news/david-godwin-sentenced-to-death-justice-has-been-served/3) https://www.jdnews.com/news/murder-suspect-to-be-returned-to-carteret-county-to-face-charges/article_3d2ca89e-a450-5cc6-9941-4f1e0c8e4aee.html4) https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/wendy-tamagne-remembered-as-caring-friendly/article_dfa05da8-d8ab-5827-8e18-e82585b744f0.html5) https://www.gofundme.com/f/welovewendyraeSupport the show

The Life and Crimes of William Felix Vail

Send us a textSometimes on this podcast, or in true crime in general, there’s discussion over so-called “black widows,” or women who have had multiple husbands die mysteriously, with the implication that they were responsible for those deaths. But that’s not why we’re here today. Today, we’re going to talk about a bluebeard – yes, a man rather similar to a black widow, whose wives or partners mysteriously died. Support the show

The Kidnapping of Kari Swenson

Send us a textOver 40 years ago, on July 15th, 1984, in the rugged wilderness of the Madison Range in Montana, 22-year-old Kari Swenson went missing. Kari was a recent Montana State University graduate and rising star in the world of biathlon, a sport that combines cross country skiing and rifle shooting. One sunny morning in July, Kari went for a run on a scenic forest trail. She was actually hoping to see a grizzly bear during her run, as it was an animal she’d always wanted to see. But instead of a bear, she encountered two men. Sources: 1) https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/100/newsmakers/mountain-men-kidnap-murder-captured-world-s-attention/article_b7b40ff8-c53e-11e0-b014-001cc4c03286.html 2) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/24/mountain-man-freed-32-years-after-kidnapping-athlete-to-be-sons-bride3) https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/28086785/30-30-podcast-how-gender-politics-tragedy-changed-kari-swenson-biathlon-generation4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kari_Swenson Support the show

The Death Cap Mushroom Murders

Send us a textOne unhinged person murders their in-laws and the sister of her mother-in-law via death cap mushrooms. Sources: 1) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy3ngr2n3vo2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leongatha_mushroom_murders3) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-02/police-charge-erin-patterson-mushroom-poisoning-deaths/1030566944) https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/30/erin-patterson-mushroom-poisonings-murder-trial-ntwnfb5) https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/son-pays-tribute-to-extremely-thoughtful-and-generous-parents-gail-and-don-patterson-after-they-died-from-mushroom-poisoning-following-leongatha-lunch/news-story/2b5f5ad4e303390e5312c4077b7b46a96) https://www.sgst.com.au/news/memorial-service-brings-home-depth-of-korumburra-tragedy7) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-670029188) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_phalloides9) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-04/mushroom-poisoning-victim-heather-wilkinson-memorial-service/10292952610) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-10/gail-don-patterson-heather-ian-wilkinson-erin-patterson-mushroom/105513208Support the show