HAPPY NEW YEAR WILDCIDERS! We begin 2026 with a WILD Shortcide. In today's Shortcide, we’re diving into two of the most impossibly timed brushes with fate you’ve probably never heard of. Bailey tells the story of a stranger who makes a split-second decision on a train platform… and ends up saving the life of someone tied to one of the most infamous chapters in American history. No one knew the full weight of it in the moment—not even the guy who did the saving. Meanwhile, Chelsea shares a jaw-dropping tale of survival that defies all logic. Think: being in the wrong place at the wrong time… twice. And still walking away. Two lives. Two absurd twists of fate. And one big question: what are the odds?

In this exclusive Wildcide interview, Bailey gets the opportunity to sit down with hijacker Martin J. McNally and the directors of the new Netflix documentary Skyjacker, Eli Kooris and Joshua Shaffer. Together, they unpack the unbelievable real story behind the hijacking of Flight 119, the 320-mph parachute jump that stunned the nation, and the decades inside federal prison that followed. Martin reflects openly on the choices that defined his life, while Eli and Joshua share what it took to bring this larger-than-life case to the screen. This is the conversation that completes our two-part series — raw, candid, and stranger than fiction.

In Part 2, we pick up where we left off: Martin McNally has made it out of the sky alive — bruised, concussed, and unaware that the FBI is already tracing the fingerprints that will lead straight to him. Within days, Martin is captured, sentenced to life in federal prison, and shipped to USP Marion — the most secure prison in America. And inside those walls, he meets someone who will change everything: fellow skyjacker Garrett Brock Trapnell, a charismatic con man whose influence sparks not one, but two of the most shocking escape attempts in U.S. history. First comes the daring helicopter hijacking led by Barbara Oswald, a military veteran and mother of five who believes she’s rescuing the men she loves. Then comes her daughter, 17-year-old Robin Oswald, who boards a TWA flight with what she claims is dynamite strapped to her chest — demanding Trapnell’s release in one of the strangest hijackings of the era. Bailey and Chelsea break down the psychology of manipulation, the sociological forces that made hijackers into folk antiheroes, and the human cost paid by the women who got pulled into these men’s orbit. This is the conclusion of a story about obsession, charisma, desperation, and the final unraveling of America’s Golden Age of Hijacking.   Go to: American Skyjacker for more information. Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.    References: True crime ‘American Skyjacker’ retells St. Louis hijacking | STLPR BOARDING: ST. LOUIS TO TULSA THE UNBELIEVABLY TRUE STORY OF AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 119 - Criminal Defense Lawyer | McAlester | Wagner & Lynch Martin J. McNally - Prison Escape - Gangland Wire D.B. Cooper, Martin McNally, and the Golden Age of Skyjacking | OUPblog The Final Flight of Martin McNally - St. Louis Riverfront Times

Long before TSA lines and shoe removal, American skies lived through the *Golden Age of Hijacking*. Between 1968 and 1972, more than 130 airliners were commandeered — and one bored ex–Navy airplane electrician from Detroit decided he could turn that chaos into his big score. Part 1 traces how Martin J. McNally became obsessed with D.B. Cooper, studied parachutes in the library, and convinced himself he could hijack a jet, get rich, and vanish. Under the fake name “Robert Wilson,” he boards *American Airlines Flight 119* with a sawed-off rifle hidden in a briefcase and turns a short hop from St. Louis to Tulsa into an 11-hour hostage crisis watched across the country. As passengers slide down emergency chutes, FBI agents actually climb aboard to teach a hijacker how to wear his parachute, and a furious businessman floors his Cadillac straight into a taxiing 727, Bailey and Chelsea pull apart the psychology and sociology of a time when hijacking felt almost… normal. Part 1 ends in the dead of night, with McNally hanging off the rear stairs of a Boeing 727 at 300 miles an hour, a half-million dollars tied to his waist — and a jump that won’t go the way he planned. Go to: American Skyjacker for more information.  

A key witness disappears. A body is found. A grand jury convenes. And suddenly the man who ruled Bridger Valley through fear is no longer hunting—he’s being hunted.This episode takes you inside Hickey’s bombshell confession, the federal takedown of Hopkinson’s criminal network, the high-security trial that shook Wyoming, and the appeals battle that dragged on for years.This is the downfall of a rural crime boss, the story the valley whispered about for decades—and the case that still stands as the most dangerous, far-reaching prosecution in Wyoming history.   Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.   

In Part 1 of our two-part deep dive into the Hopkinson case, we trace the origins of one of Wyoming’s most shocking criminal sagas. Beginning in the quiet, rural Bridger Valley—where authority flows through family networks and reputation—we follow the early life of Mark Hopkinson, a charismatic local favorite whose charm masked a growing pattern of manipulation, violence, and unchecked entitlement. What starts as a simple water-and-sewer dispute soon spirals into intimidation, threats, and the deadly bombing that kills attorney Vincent Vehar and his family. At the same time, investigators uncover another hidden crime: the murder of 15-year-old Kellie Wyckhuyse, buried beneath a web of lies crafted by Mark and his inner circle. As alliances fracture and witnesses begin to crack, federal authorities reopen a forgotten bomb plot that pulls the entire valley into a larger investigation. Part 1 ends with Mark behind bars—but far from powerless—as he begins orchestrating a new series of events from inside a California penitentiary. This episode sets the stage for a devastating second half, where loyalty collapses, secrets surface, and Mark’s reach proves more dangerous than anyone imagined.

This Thanksgiving, we’re serving up something sweeter than Aunt Carol’s mystery casserole. When a beloved Texas fruitcake company started bleeding money, nobody expected the sticky fingers behind the mess to belong to the accountant who made the dough.   Join us as we unwrap the embezzlement scandal that turned corporate holiday cheer into a true crime feast- complete with shady spreadsheets, fancy cars and one heck of a fruitcake crumble. It’s a slice of crime that’s nutty, rich and perfect for the holidays.

Last week in Part 1, we sat down with musician, author, and racial bridge-builder Dr. Daryl Davis—a man who has spent decades sitting across from members of the Ku Klux Klan and asking the world’s most disarming question: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” Daryl shared how simple human curiosity opened doors that fear had sealed shut, and how that first conversation led to dozens of Klansmen walking away from hate. In Part 2, we go deeper.Daryl brings us inside the psychology of extremism, the anatomy of white supremacy, and the personal cost of choosing to confront hate face-to-face. He talks about confronting Klan leaders, gaining access to secret meetings, the moment he realized he could influence deradicalization, and the unexpected friendships that formed along the way. We explore what makes people vulnerable to extremist ideology, what pulls them out, and what every one of us can learn from his approach. This conclusion is powerful, challenging, and unexpectedly hopeful.If Part 1 showed how one conversation can change a person, Part 2 shows how those conversations can change an entire movement. To purchase Dr. Davis' books, click HERE. 

In Part 2, we pick up inside Durham’s 1971 school charrette — the collision point where a civil rights legend and a Klan leader are forced to sit face-to-face for ten days and decide the fate of the city’s schools. What begins as shouting, sabotage, and years of rage finally cracks open into something neither of them saw coming: recognition. Across long days and brutal night sessions, Ann Atwater and C.P. Ellis stop fighting at each other and start fighting to be heard. Their defenses crumble, their fears surface, and the truth slips out — their children are suffering under the same broken system. And when integration is finally put to a public vote, every eye in Durham waits for one man to choose who he really is. Then C.P. Ellis does the unthinkable: he stands, admits he’s been wrong, and tears up his Klan card in front of the entire room. What follows isn’t a miracle but rather more of a transformation. Durham moves toward full school integration, and Ann and C.P. begin a decades-long partnership that reshapes their city, their families, and ultimately, each other. From enemies to advocates to inseparable friends, their story becomes one of the most unlikely — and important — alliances in civil rights history. This is the moment hate loses its footing… and history shifts. **Tune into our Part 2 Interview with Dr. Daryl Davis on Friday 11/20/25**

Dr. Daryl Davis is an international recording artist who has performed and toured all 50 States and around the world. He has performed extensively with Chuck Berry, The Legendary Blues Band (formerly The Muddy Waters Blues Band), Elvis Presley’s Jordanaires, and many others. He is also a man who has sat across from members of the Ku Klux Klan—by choice. In this powerful first half of our conversation, Daryl Davis takes us back to the experiences that shaped his extraordinary journey into the heart of hate. From a childhood spent overseas surrounded by diversity to a brutal awakening at age ten in 1968 America, Daryl’s story begins with one haunting question: “How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?” That question would lead him into smoky bars, Klan rallies, and face-to-face conversations with men who once wore hoods and carried torches. In Part 1, we trace how a chance encounter at a Maryland bar set Daryl on a path that would change his life—and hundreds of others. What started as a quest to understand racism became an unexpected lesson in humanity, courage, and the disarming power of genuine curiosity. Tune in next week for part 2 of this captivating interview with Daryl Davis.  To purchase Dr. Davis' books, click HERE. 

In 1971 Durham, North Carolina, a civil rights activist and a Ku Klux Klan leader are forced to share a table—and a title. Before that moment, though, their collision was decades in the making. In this first half of our two-part series, we trace Ann Atwater’s rise from public housing organizer to unshakable community force, and C.P. Ellis’s descent from working-class humiliation to Klan leadership—two lives sculpted by poverty, power, and the machinery of racial division. When a burned school and federal desegregation orders push the city into crisis, officials choose an unlikely fix: a “charrette”—a community planning experiment that will lock Atwater and Ellis in the same room, under the same fluorescent lights, for ten days. Part One ends where history starts to tremble: Day One of the charrette, when contempt meets contempt and neither side intends to yield. Part Two drops next week—covering the confrontation, the fracture, and the impossible friendship that followed. And this Friday, listen to our exclusive interview with Daryl Davis—the man who sits face-to-face with the Klan today, living proof that the same collision still changes people in real time.

This Shortcide is all glitter, salt rims, and felony-level delusion. First up — Rita Crundwell: the beloved small-town comptroller who quietly drained an entire Illinois city for 22 years to fund her rhinestone horse empire. She stole $53.7 million from Dixon — the biggest municipal fraud in U.S. history — all while winning world championships and convincing everyone she was basically the financial Mother Teresa of the Midwest. Then — Gina Champion-Cain: San Diego’s self-proclaimed “Queen of Hospitality” who turned liquor license lending into the largest female-run Ponzi scheme in American history. Nearly $400 million moved through her fake escrow world of margaritas, charity galas, champagne fountains, and shredded evidence. Two women.Two wildly different aesthetics — horses vs. happy hour.Same core plot: white-collar crime dressed up as glamour. These aren’t bank robbers in ski masks — these are fraud queens in sequins, stilettos, and beachfront branding. Welcome to Wildcide: where the scams sparkle just as hard as the crimes hurt.

In this episode of Wildcide, we sit down with one of the most influential figures in modern criminal profiling — Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess, the real-life inspiration behind Dr. Wendy Carr from Netflix’s Mindhunter. Long before Mindhunter brought behavioral analysis into pop culture, Burgess was already inside the real FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, decoding the minds of serial offenders and changing how investigators understood trauma, violence, and victim behavior. From her pioneering research in victimology to her groundbreaking interviews that helped shape the FBI’s approach to behavioral profiling, Burgess reveals what it really takes to understand both predator and prey. She walks us through the psychology behind notorious cases — including her role in the Ski Mask Rapist investigation — and explains how empathy became one of the most powerful tools in criminal investigation. This isn’t just a look into the mind of a killer — it’s a look into the mind of the woman who helped the world understand them.   About Dr. Burgess: Ann Wolbert Burgess, D.N.Sc., APRN, FAAN, is an internationally recognized pioneer in the assessment and treatment of victims of trauma and abuse, and author of A Killer by Design: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind. She has received numerous honors including the Sigma Theta Tau International Audrey Hepburn Award, the American Nurses’ Association Hildegard Peplau Award, and the Sigma Theta Tau International Episteme Laureate Award. Her courtroom testimony has been described as “groundbreaking,” and she has been called a “nursing pathfinder.”Her research with victims began when she co-founded, with Boston College sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom, one of the first hospital-based crisis counseling programs at Boston City Hospital. She then worked with FBI Academy special agents to study serial offenders, and the links between child abuse, juvenile delinquency, and subsequent perpetration. Her work with Boston College nursing colleague Carol Hartman led to the study of very young victims and the impact of trauma on their growth and development, their families and communities. Her work continues in the study of elder abuse in nursing homes, cyberstalking, and Internet sex crimes. She teaches courses in Victimology, Forensic Science, Forensic Mental Health, Case Studies in Forensics and Forensic Science Lab.   To purchase Dr. Burgess' newest book, click HERE.

Between 1978 and 1981, a quiet terror crept through the southern United States.Women and couples were attacked in their own homes—bound, blindfolded, and violated by a man wearing a ski mask who seemed to appear and vanish like a ghost.His name was Jon Barry Simonis, and by the time he was caught, he’d confessed to more than 80 rapes across 12 states. Investigators now believe the real number was closer to 130. But this isn’t just another case of brutality, it's a case about the science that emerged from it. When the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit—still in its infancy—noticed the pattern, they turned to a woman who would change criminal profiling forever: Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess, a nurse and researcher whose revolutionary work in victimology helped agents read the psychological signatures buried inside each crime. Burgess’s insights led the FBI to label Simonis a vindictive rapist—a man driven not by lust, but by power, humiliation, and control. Her method of studying what victims experienced became the blueprint for modern profiling, trauma-informed interviewing, and the way we understand serial offenders today. In this episode, Bailey and Chelsea unravel how a soft-spoken Army veteran with an IQ of 128 weaponized patience, intelligence, and dominance to terrorize communities—and how Burgess’s collaboration with the FBI finally exposed the mind behind the mask. Because sometimes the most dangerous predators aren’t the ones who act without thought. They’re the ones who plan every breath of fear you take.   Don't miss our mind-boggling interview with Dr. Ann Burgess dropping Friday 10/31/25.   Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.    References: American Press. (1982, January 18). Mother of ‘Ski Mask Rapist’ says son confessed to spare family. Lake Charles, LA. Burgess, A. W. (2021). A killer by design: Murderers, mindhunters, and my quest to decipher the criminal mind. Hachette Books. Burgess, A. W., & Holmstrom, L. L. (1974). Rape: Victims of crisis. Bowie, MD: Charles C. Thomas. Burgess, A. W., Douglas, J. E., Ressler, R. K., & Hartman, C. R. (1986). Criminal profiling from crime scene analysis. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 4(4), 401–421. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2370040405 California Digital Newspaper Collection. (1981–1982). Court proceedings and sentencing reports: State of Louisiana v. Jon Barry Simonis. University of California Press Archives. Douglas, J. E., & Olshaker, M. (1995). Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s elite serial crime unit. Scribner. FBI Behavioral Science Unit. (1981–1982). Interview transcripts: Jon Barry Simonis, Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola). Quantico, VA: FBI Training Division Archives. Hazelwood, R. R., & Burgess, A. W. (1984). The behavioral analysis of rapists. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 423(1), 115–123. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1984.tb23433.x Lake Charles American-Press. (1981, December 22). Local suspect confesses to 81 attacks across 12 states. Lake Charles, LA. Louisiana State Police. (1982). Investigative summary: Jon Barry Simonis case files (1978–1981). Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Department of Public Safety Archives. New York Times. (1981, December 20). Around the Nation: Ski-mask rapist suspect said to admit 77 crimes. The New York Times. NPR. (2021, November 30). Ann Wolbert Burgess on learning from serial killers. [Audio podcast]. Criminal. https://www.npr.org PBS. (2022, January 14).

Some people will do anything to be noticed — post, pose, or even escape from jail.This week, Bailey and Chelsea dive into the wild world of “Pick Me” criminals — THE MOST obnoxious types of criminals where their egos outweighed any rational thought.  First up, Bailey unpacks the bizarre case of Antoine Massey, the New Orleans fugitive who escaped jail, then went full influencer-on-the-run — livestreaming his manhunt and turning his capture into a clout-chasing spectacle. Then Chelsea heads to Colombia- where 'Pick Me' Pablo aka Pablo Escobar- where his ego outlived him — literally — through a herd of illegally imported hippos that now rule rivers like they’re cartel territory. It’s a double feature of attention addiction: one man desperate to be seen, another so obsessed with being remembered that his chaos keeps breeding decades after death. Get ready for drama, delusion, and a dash of dark comedy — because in this episode, we're dealing with the MOST Pick Me vibes.   Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.  ​WILDCIDE Podcast and any content posted is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare  professionals for any such conditions. 

Trigger Warning: This interview discusses sexual compulsive behaviors, juvenile sexual offending, trauma, and family dysfunction. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode, Bailey and Chelsea sit down with Samantha, a Licensed Therapist and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), who specializes in treating individuals struggling with sexual compulsive behaviors, pornography addiction, and partners affected by sexual offenses. Drawing on her background in nursing, addiction recovery, and trauma therapy, Samantha offers both clinical insight and personal compassion for clients facing shame, secrecy, and recovery challenges. Samantha discusses her time working with juvenile sex offenders in a Florida diversion program—where adolescents were treated therapeutically rather than incarcerated. She describes how her perception of these youths evolved from discomfort to empathy, emphasizing that many of them were “damaged at a young age” and required treatment, not lifelong punishment. She highlights the emotional and developmental factors behind harmful behaviors and how accountability and empathy can coexist in treatment. The conversation expands into prevention and early intervention, addressing the role of family dysfunction, exposure to sexual content, and the accessibility of pornography. Samantha and the hosts explore how shame often fuels secrecy and relapse, and why open communication, education, and trauma-informed therapy are key to preventing future harm. The episode closes with a message of hope and awareness: there are trained professionals ready to work with adolescents and families navigating these painful realities, and early, compassionate intervention saves lives and futures.   About Our Guest:  Samantha is a Licensed Therapist and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) who specializes in treating individuals struggling with sexual compulsive behaviors, pornography addiction, and the partners affected by those behaviors — including partners of individuals who have offended sexually. She provides a nonjudgmental, confidential, and safe environment for clients to explore the areas of their lives where they may struggle. Her clinical experience spans sexual addiction and compulsivity, substance abuse, dual diagnosis, depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, codependency, and relationship challenges. Samantha also works with clients experiencing chronic pain and tinnitus. She is actively licensed in Florida, New York, and Tennessee. With extensive experience treating eating disorders such as compulsive overeating, anorexia, and bulimia, Samantha uses a cognitive-behavioral approach and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help clients process and heal from past and present trauma. She also applies specialized interventions to address chronic pain. Samantha believes that everyone has the capacity to release addictive patterns and live a life grounded in peace, connection, and purpose. Her passion lies in helping individuals and families overcome struggle, rediscover self-worth, and build a meaningful life of recovery and wholeness.   Contact Samantha – Samantha Ammann, RN, LCSW, CSAT, RYT    

Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed discussion of sexual assault involving minors and may be distressing to some listeners. In 2021, two assaults inside Loudoun County schools ignited one of the most divisive moral panics in modern America. The perpetrator—a sixteen-year-old named Hunter Heckel—became the face of a national storm that fused crime, politics, and gender identity into a single explosive narrative. Parents demanded answers. News outlets circled like vultures. And in the chaos, one crucial truth disappeared: Hunter Heckel was still a child—both culpable and still developing, guilty and yet unfinished. Through psychological and sociological lenses, Bailey and Chelsea unravel how a local tragedy metastasized into national outrage. They examine the closed-door world of juvenile justice, where rehabilitation battles public fury, and explore the moral panic that turned a courtroom into a cultural warzone. Drawing from neuroscience, social theory, and real juvenile justice policy, the hosts dissect what happens when fear becomes the loudest voice—and what it costs the victims, the families, and the future of every child caught in between. This episode forces a difficult question:When a teenager commits an adult crime, can society still believe in redemption?   Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.    References:Borduin, C. M., Schaeffer, C. M., & Heiblum, N. (2009). A randomized clinical trial of Multisystemic Therapy with juvenile sexual offenders: Effects on youth social ecology and recidivism. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(1), 26–37.Letourneau, E. J., & Borduin, C. M. (2010). The effective treatment of juveniles who sexually offend: An ethical imperative. Ethics & Behavior, 20(6), 451–461.Letourneau, E. J., & Caldwell, M. F. (2013). Expanding the focus of juvenile sex offender management: Implications for prevention, treatment, and policy. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 19(4), 512–526.Reitzel, L. R., & Carbonell, J. L. (2006). The effectiveness of sexual offender treatment for juveniles: A meta-analysis. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 18(4), 401–421.SMART Office, U.S. Department of Justice. (2021). Sex Offender Management Assessment and Planning Initiative (SOMAPI): Juvenile treatment summary.Steinberg, L. (2017). Adolescence (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill.Cohen, S. (1972). Folk Devils and Moral Panics. Routledge.Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and Crisis. W. W. Norton.

⚠ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses violence against children, trauma, and death. Listener discretion is advised. On October 2, 2006, the quiet farmlands of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, were shattered when a local milk truck driver, Charles Carl Roberts IV, stormed a one-room Amish schoolhouse and took ten young girls hostage. By the time police broke through the doors, five were dead, five were clinging to life — and Roberts had turned the gun on himself. What followed stunned the world: instead of anger or vengeance, the Amish community responded with forgiveness. They comforted the killer’s widow, attended his funeral, and extended compassion when the world expected fury. In this episode, Bailey explores the psychology of a man consumed by grief and guilt, while Chelsea examines how faith, culture, and community transformed horror into grace. This is the story of Nickel Mines — a tragedy that became a global lesson in the power, and cost, of forgiveness. Resources: If you or someone you know is struggling with grief, depression, or intrusive thoughts of violence or suicide, please reach out for help. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Dial or text 988 SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 National Center for Victims of Crime: victimsofcrime.org RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) Faith-based trauma support: GriefShare.org Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.    References ABC News. (2007). The Power of Forgiveness [Television broadcast]. 20/20. After 18 years, survivor of Nickel Mines Amish school shooting dies. (2024). LancasterOnline. https://lancasteronline.com CBS News. (2006, October 2). Amish school shooting coverage. https://www.cbsnews.com CNN. (2007–2016). Interviews with Marie Roberts. Guardian Staff. (2016, September 30). “The happening”: 10 years after the Amish shooting. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com HISTORY Editors. (2006, October 2). Gunman kills five students at Amish school. History.com. https://www.history.com Kraybill, D. B., Nolt, S. M., & Weaver-Zercher, D. L. (2007). Amish grace: How forgiveness transcended tragedy. Jossey-Bass. LancasterPA.com. (n.d.). Amish grace and forgiveness. https://lancasterpa.com Noll, S. M., Kraybill, D. B., & Weaver-Zercher, D. L. (2007). No greater love: The Amish girls of Nickel Mines. Sacred Windows. NPR. (2016, October 2). Ten years later: The legacy of Nickel Mines. Morning Edition. https://www.npr.org Pennsylvania State Police. (2006). Incident summary: West Nickel Mines school shooting. Psychology Today. (2007, November). The healing power of forgiveness in the Amish tragedy. Psychology Today. TO Pasture: “Amish Forgiveness,” Silence, and the West Nickel Mines School Shooting. (2019). Religions, 10(9), 524. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24462390 West Nickel Mines School Shooting: How a rural MCI was successfully managed. (2007). Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS). https://www.jems.com WITF. (2016, October 2). Ten years later: Nickel Mines murders still haunt emergency responders. WITF News. https://www.witf.org The New York Times Archives. (2006, October). Coverage of the West Nickel Mines Amish school shooting. The New York Times.

The most devastating crimes don’t always start with violence — sometimes, they begin with a promise. A voice that sounds enlightened. Someone who claims to see something special in you… and then, piece by piece, rewrites what love means. What truth means. What safety means. This is the story of Iasia Sweeting, a gifted teenage artist who vanished in 2010 — and was found years later weighing just fifty-nine pounds in a Gwinnett County hotel room. Her captor, Calvin McIntosh, a self-proclaimed prophet tied to the Nuwaubian Nation of Moors, ruled through doctrine and deprivation. Alongside his daughter, Najlaa McIntosh, he turned faith into a weapon — a theology where obedience meant holiness and hunger was purification. But perhaps most haunting: this didn’t happen in secret. It happened in plain sight — inside an Extended Stay America filled with guests and staff who heard cries... and did nothing. In this episode, Bailey and Chelsea unpack not just what happened, but how: the psychology of coercive control, the sociological blind spots that enabled it, and the survivor who reclaimed her voice after the world stopped listening. RESOURCES: National Human Trafficking Hotline1-888-373-7888 | 📱 Text “HELP” to 233733 | humantraffickinghotline.orgConfidential, 24/7, multilingual support for victims, survivors, and concerned witnesses. RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)1-800-656-4673 | rainn.orgThe largest anti–sexual violence organization in the U.S., offering free, confidential crisis support. StrongHearts Native Helpline (for Native and Indigenous survivors)1-844-762-8483 | strongheartshelpline.org National Domestic Violence Hotline1-800-799-SAFE (7233) | thehotline.org24/7 support for anyone experiencing emotional, physical, or spiritual abuse in relationships. International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA): icsahome.comEducation and recovery resources for survivors of high-control groups, cults, and coercive environments. FaithTrust Institute: faithtrustinstitute.orgResources addressing abuse within faith communities and spiritual institutions. Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence (GCADV)1-800-334-2836 | gcadv.orgLocal support, shelter access, and advocacy services across Georgia. Sealed With A Purpose: sealedwithapurpose.org (if live)Founded by survivor Iasia Sweeting, this nonprofit helps survivors heal through art, equine therapy, and empowerment training. Thanks for listening! If you want to support us, subscribe, rate and review on your favorite podcast listening app! Want to recommend a wild case or just give s a shout?Contact us at Wildcidepodcast@gmail.com For Wildcider Merch, visit www.wildcidepodcast.com   Find us on Facebook@ Wildcide Podcast. Follow us on Instagram @wildcidepodcast PS: Don’t forget Wildcide Wednesdays- new episodes drop every Wednesday at 6am EST. Interviews will drop every other Friday at 6am EST.Background music by Brad Parsons at Train Sound Studio. Art for the podcast was created by Kelly Steen.  ​WILDCIDE Podcast and any content posted is presented solely for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. It is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare  professionals for any such conditions.  References: 11Alive. (2018, September 14). Father accused of rape, incest, starving 15-month-old daughter to death enters guilty plea. 11Alive. https://www.11alive.com/article/news/crime/father-accused-of-rape-incest-starving-15-month-old-daughter-to-death-enters-guilty-plea/85-595993234 American Broadcasting Company (CBS News). (2014, November 14). Georgia ba

Some crimes don’t begin in the shadows — they start in silence. In this groundbreaking conversation, we sit down with Dr. Christoffer Rahm, psychiatrist and lead researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, and Allison McMahan, psychologist and doctoral candidate specializing in early intervention for individuals with pedophilic disorder. Together, they’re part of a pioneering movement asking one of society’s hardest questions: What if we could stop child sexual abuse before it ever happens? From clinical trials to darknet outreach, their team at Karolinska is reshaping what prevention looks like — through neuroscience, psychotherapy, and empathy. Their program Prevent It offers anonymous, evidence-based therapy to individuals seeking help before they offend, reaching participants across continents and languages. In our discussion, Rahm and McMahan unpack the complexity of pedophilia — what science tells us about its origins, why most sufferers discover their attraction in adolescence, and how empathy, anonymity, and access can literally save lives. They challenge common myths — including the belief that people with these urges are untreatable or destined to offend — and reveal why traditional criminal justice approaches can’t solve a public health crisis this large. This is a conversation about prevention, compassion, and the courage to confront what society avoids. Because silence doesn’t just protect victims — it protects perpetrators. About Dr. Christoffer Rahm: Dr. Christoffer Rahm is a psychiatrist and senior researcher at the Karolinska Institute, one of the world’s leading medical universities. His work focuses on understanding and preventing sexual offending, with an emphasis on early intervention for individuals experiencing pedophilic disorder. Rahm’s clinical and research leadership at the Centre for Psychiatry Research, Region Stockholm, has produced groundbreaking trials — including PRIOtab and Prevent It, programs using psychotherapy and pharmacological treatment (such as testosterone-suppressing agents like degarelix) to reduce risk and improve quality of life. His interdisciplinary approach bridges neuroscience, psychiatry, and public health — reframing child sexual abuse not just as a legal issue, but a preventable medical one. His work has been recognized internationally for offering hope and evidence where once there was only stigma — helping clinicians worldwide understand that empathy and science, together, can stop harm before it starts. About Allison McMahan: Allison McMahan is a licensed clinical psychologist and PhD candidate at the Karolinska Institute, where she co-leads international projects aimed at preventing child sexual abuse. As project coordinator for the Prevent It program — an anonymous, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for individuals with pedophilic thoughts — McMahan has worked on expanding access across languages and cultures. Her research focuses on early intervention, treatment optimization, and global accessibility, ensuring those struggling with these thoughts can receive help long before harm occurs. With a background in behavioral therapy and trauma psychology, McMahan brings a compassionate, evidence-based lens to one of the world’s most stigmatized clinical areas. Her mission: to make prevention practical, ethical, and accessible — and to ensure that those seeking help can find it, safely and without shame.   Contact Dr. Rahm: https://ki.se/en/people/christoffer-rahm Contact Allison: https://ki.se/en/people/allison-mcmahan