Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies we talk about two tragic and heartbreaking deaths that shook their communities, the loss of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer. In this episode, I share what I’ve learned from these cases and why they remain so important to talk about. We’ll explore the circumstances surrounding their deaths, the signs that were missed, and how sudden loss like this can leave families and friends with more questions than answers. As a former death investigator, I walk through the facts with care, compassion, and clarity, helping you understand the science, the investigation process, and the human stories behind the headlines. Whether you’re drawn to true crime, healing stories, or just want to understand what really happens after a death, this episode offers insight, respect, and reflection. Join me as we honor these lives and learn from what they leave behind. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, death investigator, and host of Pushing Up Lilies. Today we're taking a sobering look at the growing number of sudden and unexpected deaths among young people. With years of firsthand experience in the field, I share what I've seen behind the scenes, from vibrant teens and 20-somethings whose lives ended without warning, to families left devastated and searching for answers. We dive into the causes no one likes to talk about, fentanyl-laced pills, silent suicides, even seemingly harmless illnesses like a cold that turns deadly. Why is this happening more often? What signs are being missed? And how can we start asking the right questions before it’s too late? Join me for a heartfelt, unflinching conversation that shines a light on this troubling trend, and reminds us how precious life truly is. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies, we’re diving into the unsettling disappearance of Ana Walshe, a mother of three from Cohasset, Massachusetts, who seemed to vanish without a trace on New Year’s Day, 2023. What began as a missing persons case quickly unraveled into something far more sinister. As I walk you through the timeline, you’ll hear about Ana’s mysterious early morning plans, the text messages that went unanswered, and the chilling internet searches made by her husband, Brian Walshe, in the hours following her disappearance. Prosecutors now allege that Brian, who was already under house arrest for unrelated fraud charges, murdered Ana in their home and attempted to cover it up in a web of lies and digital footprints. But what evidence do they have? And why did it take so long for anyone to report her missing? Join me as I unpack the disturbing details, from the couple’s troubled past to the growing mountain of circumstantial evidence. This is a case that leaves more questions than answers, and one that forces us to ask: how well do we really know the people we love? * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and in this week’s episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we're diving deep into the mysterious disappearance of Anna Kepner, a case that begins with a dream vacation and ends in haunting questions. When Anna boarded a cruise ship, she was looking forward to a relaxing getaway. But sometime during the voyage, Anna vanished without a trace. No distress call. No witnesses. Just an empty cabin and a sea of unanswered questions. Was it an accident? A calculated murder? Or something even more sinister? We'll explore the timeline, the investigation, and the growing suspicions that continue to cloud this perplexing case. You’ll hear about cruise ship protocols, missing person loopholes on international waters, and the loved ones still fighting for the truth. Set sail with us as we navigate the dark waves of Vanished at Sea.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, your Forensic Nurse Death Investigator and host of Pushing Up Lilies. This week, we’re diving into a case that stunned an entire community, Fairfax, Virginia, where a teenage boy brutally took a life in a way no one could have imagined. I’ve seen a lot in my years of working crime scenes, but when someone so young commits such a calculated act of violence, it hits differently. In this episode, I’ll walk you through the chilling details of what happened, the shocking motive behind it all, and how the community, and law enforcement, responded to the horror that unfolded. Grab a blanket, turn down the lights, and let’s talk about the teen murderer who changed everything in Fairfax. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and in this week’s episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we’re diving into a heartbreaking case of betrayal that shocked the small town of Maquon, Illinois. This is the story of 71-year-old Police Chief Richard Young, a man who served his community with integrity and compassion. Even after retirement, he remained a mentor and protector to those around him. But behind closed doors, the person he trusted most, his longtime partner of 30 years, Marcy Oglesby, was slowly poisoning him. As Richard’s health began to fail in 2021, friends noticed the changes: dizziness, fatigue, erratic heart rhythms. But Richard dismissed it, leaning on the woman he loved, who was cooking his meals and preparing his drinks... with a hidden ingredient. It turns out, Marcy was slipping tetrahydrozoline, found in over-the-counter eye drops, into his food over a period of months. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through the chilling details of this case, the toxicology behind the poison, and the shocking discovery made in a nearby storage unit that finally revealed the horrifying truth. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hi y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies, we’re diving into a shocking and heartbreaking case that’s rocked both the media and the public - former news anchor Angie Mock, is accused of the unthinkable: the brutal murder of her own mother. This 80-year-old woman, once lovingly cared for by her daughter, was allegedly stabbed to death in what investigators are calling a horrific and violent crime. The suspect? Her own daughter, a familiar face once trusted to deliver our daily news. What pushes someone over the edge? Could this tragedy have been prevented? And what signs, if any, were missed? Join me as we peel back the layers of this devastating case and explore the complexities of family, mental health, and the pressures that sometimes build silently behind closed doors. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies we’re peeling back the layers of a case that hit far too close to home, the tragic death of Carrie Zettel. On October 12, 2025 in Milwaukee, 64‑year‑old Carrie was brutally killed in her own backyard. Less than 12 hours earlier, she had called 911 and reported her daughter’s violent behavior. Join me as we navigate the heartbreaking story of domestic violence ignored for far too long, how restraining orders, mental‑health struggles, and warning signs blended into a deadly outcome. We’ll trace Carrie’s efforts to protect her family, the mounting threats she faced, and the night everything collapsed. This episode isn’t just about a murder, it’s about a mother’s final plea for help and the system’s failure to stop the carnage. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and in this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we’re diving into a heartbreaking case of love, betrayal, and murder. This is the story of Brandon and Rachel Dumovich, a couple who seemed to have it all, until their picture-perfect life took a deadly turn. What happens when the vows “till death do us part” become a grim reality? I’m walking you through the investigation, the shocking motive, and how one tragic decision shattered multiple lives. This case left an entire community stunned, and serves as a reminder that sometimes the greatest danger can lie within our own homes. Join me as we uncover the truth behind the Dumovich story, piece by chilling piece. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, your host of Pushing Up Lilies, and today, we’re revisiting one of my favorite episodes to creep back into the Halloween spirit. We all know October is a magical time full of costumes, candy, and carved pumpkins... but for some families, Halloween brings tragedy, not treats. This episode kicks off a chilling series I’m doing all month long, focusing on real murders that happened on or around Halloween night. In today’s story, we take a dark look at what happens when family ties snap in the most unthinkable way, fathers killing sons... and sons killing fathers. So grab your pumpkin spice, turn down the lights, and let’s dive into the twisted true crime tales behind the masks. * Listener discretion is advised.

I get asked this all the time, how do I do what I do? How do I walk into a stranger’s home, step around a lifeless body, wade through blood, bugs, and heartbreak… and then go home and sleep at night? In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be a Death Investigator. From the chaos of crime scenes to the quiet moments of reflection afterward, I’ll walk you through how I mentally, emotionally, and spiritually manage this work. It’s not just about what I see, it’s about what I carry. Join me as I share the tools, mindset, and stories that help me navigate this uniquely intense profession, and why, after all these years, I still feel called to it. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hi, I’m Julie Mattson, your host of Pushing Up Lilies. In this episode, we’re going back to one of the most heartbreaking and haunting cases in Texas history, the Yogurt Shop Murders. Four teenage girls, ages 13 to 17, brutally murdered inside an Austin yogurt shop in 1991. For over three decades, their families waited for answers. And now, thanks to the incredible advancements in DNA technology, we finally have a break in the case. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through the details of this chilling crime, the years of false leads, and how the truth eventually came to light. We’ll talk about how modern forensic science, something I see the power of every day in my work as a death investigator, played a key role in uncovering a serial killer who had managed to hide in plain sight. Join me as we honor the victims, examine the long road to justice, and explore how one tiny strand of DNA changed everything. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies, we’re delving into a case as haunting as it is perplexing, the death of Ellen Greenberg. Found lifeless in her Philadelphia apartment with 20 stab wounds, her death was initially ruled a homicide before inexplicably changing it to suicide. But cracks in that story began to show. We’ll trace the timeline leading up to Ellen’s death, examine the alarming inconsistencies in the investigation, and hear how her family fought tirelessly to reopen the case. With questions about forensic evidence, mysterious injuries, and a grand home full of secrets, this one is far from closed. Join me as we sift through the shadows, ask hard questions, and try to find the truth behind a death that shouldn’t have been forgotten. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson. This week on Pushing Up Lilies, we’re discussing the heartbreaking murder of Iryna Zarutska, a 23‑year‑old Ukrainian refugee, stabbed to death on a Charlotte light rail train on August 22, 2025. She fled war-torn Ukraine seeking peace, only for her life to be tragically ended in a place she called home. We’ll walk through the chilling details: how surveillance captured the moments before and after the attack, her suspect Decarlos Brown Jr.’s history of arrests and struggles with mental illness, and the outcry from her family and community demanding accountability and transit safety reforms. This isn’t just a story about a crime, it’s about a young woman trying to rebuild her life, the vulnerabilities she faced, and the failures of systems meant to protect her. Grab your headphones, we need to talk about what justice looks like, especially for someone who came to escape violence, not to become a victim of it. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies, we’re unpacking a deeply unsettling story that shook a quiet New Hampshire community. On August 18, 2025, mother Emily Long allegedly committed a terrible crime after reportedly embezzling more than $660,000 from her employer, all while her husband was battling aggressive brain cancer. What drove her to make such desperate choices? How did the stress of caregiving push her to the edge? In this episode, I walk through the timeline leading up to that fateful decision, explore what we know about her motive, and discuss the emotional fallout of a family pushed too far. This case touches on grief, survival, and when the weight of responsibility becomes unbearable. Grab your headphones and let’s dig into this heartbreaking and complicated tale. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hi friends, I’m Julie Mattson, and today we’re taking it all the way back to where it all began, my very first episode of Pushing Up Lilies. Whether you're new here or you've been with me from the start, this is a special one. In this episode, I introduce myself and share how I went from being a nurse to becoming a Forensic Nurse Death Investigator and a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. With more than 21 years in the field, I’ve witnessed the darkest corners of humanity, but also the strength, resilience, and stories that need to be told. I created this podcast to give you a glimpse into the world I walk through every day, one where death tells its own story. So join me as I pull back the curtain on the cases, the chaos, and the calling that led me here. This is where it all started. Listen in…

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies, I’m diving into the haunting case of Blessence Pearl, an infant whose life was tragically cut short. We’ll walk through the painful details, the investigation that followed, and the emotional journey of those left behind. As a forensic death investigator, I’m always mindful of how delicate and heartbreaking these cases are, especially when it involves the loss of a child. In this episode, we’ll explore the evidence, the challenges investigators faced, and the impact this case had on the community. This one’s heavy, but it's too important not to discuss. Join me as we seek understanding amid the tragedy and remember the precious life of Blessence Pearl. Listener discretion is advised.

Hi everyone, I’m Julie Mattson, and in this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m sharing the unforgettable and courageous story of Mary Vincent. Back in 1978, in California, 15-year-old Mary was just trying to get home when she accepted a ride from a man named Lawrence Singleton, a decision that would change her life forever. What followed was an unthinkable... Join me as we take a deep dive into the life of this courageous woman who not only survived a brutal attack, but found the strength to face her attacker in court and help change a California law to protect others. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y'all, I'm Julie Mattson, and in this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we're diving into the unsettling case of Valerie Bonner, a woman now charged with abuse of a corpse after two men were found dead in her apartment within just six months of each other. The first death raised eyebrows, but the second set off alarms, forcing authorities to look closer. Who were these men? What was Valerie’s relationship to them? And how does someone end up with two unexplained deaths in the same space, months apart? Join me as I peel back the layers of this bizarre case, where unanswered questions linger and justice may still be finding its footing. You won’t want to miss this strange and unsettling case. * Listener discretion is advised.

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and this week on Pushing Up Lilies, we’re following a heartbreaking trail that leads straight into the Devil’s Den. In this episode, I’m talking about a brutal double homicide that shocked the hiking community and beyond, a married couple tragically stabbed to death while protecting their two young daughters on a scenic trail in Pennsylvania. The attack was senseless and savage, leaving behind a devastated family and a shaken public. But what’s even more chilling is the identity of the suspect, a now-arrested teacher, someone trusted in the classroom, now accused of unimaginable violence. Join me as we unravel the details of this horrifying case: the timeline, the heroism of two loving parents, and how investigators finally closed in on the man responsible. It’s a story of bravery, loss, and the pursuit of justice. * Listener discretion is advised.