Podcast
Crime Salad
Hosted by BLACKCAT | Realm · EN
Truth. Awareness. Accountability.
Crime Salad is a top-ranked true crime podcast hosted by husband-and-wife duo Ashley and Ricky. Each week, they deliver in-depth coverage of real crime stories, unsolved cases, missing persons, and criminal investigations that demand closer attention.
With careful research and thoughtful storytelling, they examine the evidence, the timelines, and the systemic failures that shape each case. From cold cases and suspicious deaths to wrongful convictions and domestic violence tragedies, Crime Salad focuses on facts over speculation and victims over sensationalism.
Their mission is simple: uncover the truth, promote accountability, and keep the focus where it belongs: on the lives affected and the justice still sought.
If you’re looking for a true crime podcast that values integrity, depth, and clarity, you’re in the right place.
52episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
‘She Saved Him, Can You Save Her?’ Rebecca Zahau | Part 2
Today00:44:35Summary readyTwo deaths. Same mansion. Two days apart. In Part 2, we walk through the physical evidence in Rebecca Zahau's death: the knife, the gloves, the painted message, the balcony, the knots, the head injuries, and the tape residue almost no one talks about. We get into the independent investigation into Max Shacknai's fall led by his mother Dina, the 2018 civil trial that found Adam Shacknai responsible, the verdict that was later vacated, and what Rebecca's sister Mary is still fighting for today. Adam Shacknai has consistently maintained his innocence and was never criminally charged. The 2018 civil verdict was vacated as part of a 2019 settlement. There was never a criminal trial related to Rebecca's death. Statements about specific individuals should be understood as allegations, opinions, or attributed claims from named sources. Books mentioned in this episode: Unraveling the Knots by Mary Zahau-Loehner (available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble) Death on Ocean Boulevard: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case by Caitlin Rother Follow the family's fight: Justice for Rebecca M. Zahau (Facebook) If you need support: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (in the US) National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7 RAINN (sexual assault): 1-800-656-4673 This episode discusses suicide, the death of a child, and allegations of sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Summary
‘She Saved Him, Can You Save Her?’ Rebecca Zahau | Part 1
5d ago00:39:00Summary readyGo to https://www.omahasteaks.com and use promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. In July 2011, two people died at the same mansion in Coronado, California, within a week. First, six-year-old Max Shacknai fell from a second-floor banister while in the care of his father's girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau. Two days later, Rebecca was found hanging from a balcony at the Spreckels Mansion, naked, bound, and gagged. The San Diego Sheriff's Department called it a suicide. Rebecca's family has spent over a decade arguing it was something else entirely. This is Part 1 of our two-part series on the death of Rebecca Zahau. Part 2 drops next week. Subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss it. CONTENT WARNING This episode discusses suicide, the death of a child, and allegations of sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening. IF YOU NEED SUPPORT You are not alone. Help is available. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7. National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): call 1-800-656-4673 SUPPORT CRIME SALAD If you want to help us keep making the show, here is how: Patreon: patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch: crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com Rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Share this episode with someone who'd want to hear it A NOTE ON THIS CASE Adam Shacknai has consistently maintained his innocence and was never criminally charged in connection with this case. The 2018 civil verdict that found him liable for Rebecca's death was vacated as part of a 2019 settlement. Statements about specific individuals throughout this episode should be understood as allegations, opinions, or attributed claims from named sources, not as statements of fact by us. Information in this episode is drawn from publicly available news reports, court records, autopsy reports, official statements, and books published about the case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryJustice for Mica Miller: 528 Days of Stalking, Harassment, and Lies
2w ago01:15:52Summary readyNeed help? National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or visit thehotline.org. Available 24/7, free and confidential. On April 27, 2024, 30-year-old Mica Francis Miller was found dead at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, North Carolina. Two days earlier, she had served her husband, Myrtle Beach pastor John Paul Miller of Solid Rock at Market Common, with divorce papers. The medical examiner ruled her death a suicide. Her family has never disputed that ruling. What they have disputed, from the day she died, is what was done to her in the 528 days before she walked into that park. In this episode of Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky trace the Mica Miller case from her childhood in Wichita, Kansas, through her marriage at Solid Rock Church in Myrtle Beach, the involuntary psychiatric commitment she said her husband fraudulently initiated, the tire deflation devices, the GPS trackers, the nude photo posted online without her consent, and the police reports that piled up in the months before her death. We walk through the December 2025 federal indictment charging John Paul Miller with cyberstalking and making false statements to investigators, the push for South Carolina's coercive control bill known as Mica's Law (Senate Bill 702), and the suspicious death of Johnnie Jacobs, the fisherman who heard her last cry. This is a case about coercive control, a pastor's wife, and a system that called every cry for help a civil matter until a federal grand jury caught up to what Mica had been telling police all along. Keywords: Mica Miller, Mica Francis Miller, John Paul Miller, JP Miller, Solid Rock Church, Myrtle Beach pastor, Lumber River State Park, coercive control, Mica's Law, cyberstalking indictment, true crime podcast, South Carolina, Robeson County Content warning: This episode discusses suicide, stalking, harassment, and intimate partner abuse. SUPPORT JUSTICE FOR MICA Justice for Mica Miller Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/p/Justice-for-Mica-Miller-61559351220695/ FacebookFacebook Sign the Mica's Law petition on Change.org: https://www.change.org/p/enforce-south-carolina-law-to-protect-against-stalking-and-harassment-mica-s-law Change.org Read about Mica's Law and Mica's List at Way Makers SC: https://waymakerssc.com/micas-law Way Makers Track South Carolina Senate Bill 702 (Criminal Coercive Control): https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/702.htm South Carolina Legislature Find and contact your South Carolina legislators: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/legislatorssearch.php Way Makers FOLLOW & SUPPORT CRIME SALAD Patreon (ad-free episodes): https://patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch: https://crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com Need help? National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or thehotline.org. Available 24/7, free and confidential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryThe Murder of April Kauffman: A South Jersey Secret | Crime Salad
3w ago00:49:28Summary readyEgg Harbor Township in South Jersey is a place where community roots run deep, and no one was more rooted than April Christine Kauffman. A beloved local business owner, fiercely outspoken radio personality, and dedicated veterans' advocate, April was a pillar of Atlantic County. But on May 10, 2012, the affluent, quiet neighborhoods of Linwood, New Jersey, were shattered when April was found murdered inside her own home. In this episode, Ricky and Ashley unpack a case that frustrated a community for years. We dive into the immediate alibi of her husband, prominent endocrinologist Dr. James Kauffman, the shocking involvement of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, and an illicit drug ring hiding in plain sight. Most importantly, we follow the relentless, six-year fight for justice led by April’s daughter, Kimberly Pack, who refused to let the system sweep her mother's case under the rug. Support April's Cause April’s family and friends continue to keep her legacy alive. If you want to follow the ongoing work in her name or support the causes she championed, please visit: Website: aprilkaufman.net Facebook: Justice for April Kaufman Veterans Support: If you are in Atlantic County, consider supporting the American Legion Post 352 in Somers Point, home of the annual April Christine Kauffman Veterans Advocate Award. Thanks for listening and supporting the show. If you want to help keep the show going, get access to ad-free episodes, and join our amazing community, we’d love to have you! Patreon: patreon.com/CrimeSaladPodcast Merch: Grab your gear at crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com Thanks To Our Sponsors Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to trymiracle.com/crimesalad and use the promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout to save over 40% off, plus get an extra 20% off and a FREE 3-piece towel set! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryShe'd Go Ballistic | The Suspicious Death of David Elmquist
4w ago01:12:52Summary readyHead to https://www.tryfum.com/SALAD to get your free gift with purchase, and start The Good Habit today! ⚠️ Listener Discretion is Advised: The following episode contains intense and explicit descriptions of domestic violence, suicide, and a highly traumatic death involving fire. The information presented is based on publicly available records, family statements, and alleged accounts. This podcast is for informational purposes only. We are not law enforcement, legal professionals, or medical experts, and we are not accusing anyone of any crimes. On February 8, 2018, in the freezing cold of Plymouth, Minnesota, 24-year-old David Elmquist was burning alive inside his apartment. His death was ruled a suicide before he was even officially pronounced dead. But for the last six years, his family has fought tirelessly to prove that the official story doesn't add up. With reports of perfectly unburned wrists on a body covered in severe burns, a pristine knife found in a soot-filled room, shifting timelines, and a tragic 38-minute standoff where police waited outside the burning apartment, the physical evidence points to something much darker. Furthermore, just hours before his death, David confided in his parents that he was planning to leave his wife, warning them that if he told her, "she'd go ballistic." In this episode, we unpack the glaring inconsistencies, the alleged forensic bias, the mental health stigma that clouded the investigation, and a father’s relentless fight for justice. Call to Action & Resources: Listen to The Stacked Deck Podcast: Hear the six-part series directly from David’s father, Scott, detailing the entire case.https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-stacked-deck/id1767907803 Support the Family: Follow the Truth and Justice for David Elmquist Facebook page and sign the petition demanding an independent prosecutor. Sign the Petition Support Crime Salad: Merch: Grab your gear at https://crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com/ Patreon: Listen ad-free and get exclusive content at patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryWhat Happened to Anna Kepner on the Carnival Horizon?
Apr 1100:58:48Summary readyIn November 2025, 18-year-old Anna Kepner boarded the Carnival Horizon cruise ship with her family for a six-night Caribbean vacation. On the final sea day, she was found dead, hidden under her bed inside her own cabin. Surveillance footage reportedly showed only one person entering and leaving the stateroom during that window: her 16-year-old stepbrother. The FBI took over the investigation, and federal homicide charges were eventually filed against the minor suspect. But as the legal process unfolded, court filings, leaked messages, and accusations from family members revealed a much more complicated picture of what was happening inside that household long before anyone boarded that ship. In this episode, Ashley and Ricky break down the full timeline of Anna Kepner's case. The family cruise, the discovery, the cause of death, the suspect's mental health history and missed medication, the explosive custody battle between the parents, the social media firestorm, and the questions that still have no answers. Anna was a diver, a cheerleader, a Georgia Bulldogs fan, and an aspiring Navy recruit and K-9 officer from Titusville, Florida. She was 18 years old with her whole life ahead of her. She deserves to be remembered for who she was. Content Warning: This episode discusses violence, domestic abuse, and the death of a young person. If you have information related to this case, contact the FBI Miami Field Office or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov Thanks to our sponsors Miracle Made Sheets: Head to TryMiracle.com/CRIMESALAD You'll save over 40%, and when you use promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout, you'll get an extra 20% off plus a FREE three-piece towel set. AquaTru: Get 20% off a countertop water purifier at AquaTru.com with promo code CRIMESALAD 30-day money-back guarantee Warby Parker: Get 15% off + free shipping when you buy 2 or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/SALAD Quince: Go to Quince.com/crimesalad For free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryCrime Salad Throwback: The Disappearance of Holly Bobo: Taken in Broad Daylight
Apr 300:32:01Summary readyCelebrating years of Crime Salad stories! Here is a throwback: updates at the end of the episode! On the morning of April 13, 2011, nursing student Holly Bobo was abducted from her family's home in Darden, Tennessee, while her brother watched from inside the house, believing she was walking with her boyfriend. What followed was a three-and-a-half-year search that gripped a small town and drew national attention. When arrests finally came, so did shocking confessions, but allegations of coerced statements, fabricated evidence, and prosecutorial misconduct have left many wondering: was justice truly served? Ashley and Ricky break down the case, the controversial trial, and the lingering questions that remain. Check out our AMAZING sponsors: AquaTru: Get 20% off a countertop water purifier at AquaTru.com with promo code CRIMESALAD. 30-day money-back guaranteeWarby Parker: Get 15% off + free shipping when you buy 2 or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/SALAD. Please tell them we sent you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryThe Disappearance of Celeste Doghmi: Missing for 2 Years in Auburn, Maine
Mar 2700:41:40Summary readyIn the summer of 2021, in the quiet river city of Auburn, Maine, 27-year-old Celeste Doghmi was at a turning point. After years of struggle and addiction, Celeste had completely turned her life around. She was a devoted new mother, had purchased her first-semester nursing textbooks, and was sharing her pride and love for her infant son on social media every day. But following a harrowing final video call with a close friend, one that captured a violent domestic dispute, Celeste's digital and physical footprint vanished. In this episode of Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky dive into one of the most unsettling missing persons cases in recent Maine history. We explore the legal reality of being classified as a "voluntary missing adult," the dark mechanics of coercive control and isolation, and the systemic failures that allowed a young mother to go unreported for nearly two years before authorities were even alerted. Was it a voluntary exit, or was the home life described by investigators as a "war zone" a precursor to something far more sinister? We examine her partner's criminal history, the ongoing investigation by the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit, and the tireless fight by Celeste's mother, Stephanie, to find justice for her daughter and her grandson. Celeste Doghmi, domestic violence, missing person, Auburn Maine, cold case, coercive control, Maine State Police, unsolved, true crime, parental custody, Crime Salad podcast If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Celeste Doghmi, please contact the Maine State Police tip line or the Auburn Police Department at 207-333-6653 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Text START to 88788. You are not alone. https://www.thehotline.org/ Support Crime Salad Patreon: patreon.com/crimesaladpodcast Merch & Show Info: crimesaladpodcast.com Thanks to our sponsors! Miracle Made: If you want to upgrade your sleep, or even give these as a gift, go to TryMiracle.com/CRIMESALAD You’ll save over 40%, and when you use promo code CRIMESALAD, you’ll get an extra 20% off plus a free 3-piece towel set! Our listeners get 15% off plus free shipping when they buy two or more pairs of prescription glasses at WarbyParker.com/SALAD Using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker Music from Uppbeat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryThe Disappearance of Lonene Rogers
Mar 2100:50:45Summary readyHead to https://www.tryfum.com/SALAD to get your free gift with purchase, and start The Good Habit today! This episode contains content related to domestic violence, child neglect, and homicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, help is available around the clock through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or by texting START to 88788. You are not alone. On the night of January 6th, 1981, Lonene Rogers finished her work shift, picked up her two young children from the babysitter, and came home to an argument with her estranged husband. By morning, she was gone. No footprints in the snow. No activity on her Social Security number. Her hearing aids, glasses, purse, and car were all still there. Lonene was a profoundly deaf woman from northwestern Pennsylvania who refused to let her disability define her. She was strong-willed and warm, a devoted mother, and by early 1981 she was finally ready to leave a troubled marriage and build a new life. Instead, she vanished in the middle of a blizzard and was never seen again. For 44 years, her disappearance went unsolved. Her parents died without answers. Her children grew up without her. And her husband, Clinton "Bud" Rogers, maintained the same story: he woke up and she was simply gone. In this episode, we trace Lonene's life from her childhood in Youngstown, Ohio, through the marriage that her own family saw warning signs in from the start to the night she disappeared and the search that turned up nothing. We also follow her daughter Alison, who spent decades trying to distance herself from the tragedy before deciding, in 2021, to dedicate herself to finding the truth. Alison's fight took her through court battles, advocacy for a proposed new law called Lonnie's Law, and years of pressure on investigators and the public alike. In November 2025, that fight finally produced a result. After more than four decades of silence, Bud Rogers confessed. This is Lonene's story, and it is also the story of a daughter who refused to let her mother be forgotten. Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of domestic violence, child neglect, and a murder confession. If you are in the northwestern Pennsylvania area, Lonene's family invites you to join a peaceful gathering outside the Crawford County Courthouse at 903 Diamond Park Square in Meadville, PA on Monday, March 30, 2026, from 9 to 11 am. A hearing in her case will be taking place inside the courthouse that morning, and the community is gathering outside in her memory and in solidarity with victims of domestic violence and the missing and murdered. She will never stand alone again. 💜 National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 Text START to 88788. You are not alone. https://www.thehotline.org/ Justice for Lonene Rogers Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/285829136570490/ Sign the petition for Lonnie’s Law: https://c.org/mMwHNqtRGC Alison's book, "A Daughter's Journey and Story of Resilience," is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0gWrklLE Support Crime Salad: Merch Crime Salad Ad-Free option: Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummarySara Easton: Suicide or Homicide? The Suspicious Death of a Yuba City Mother
Mar 1400:59:41Summary readyOn August 16, 2015, Sara Easton, a 31-year-old mother of three from Yuba City, California, died from a gunshot wound in her bedroom. Investigators quickly moved toward a suicide ruling. Her family never accepted it. Sara's husband was Aaron Easton, then-Chief of the Marysville Police Department. And the more forensic details emerged, including the autopsy findings, the toxicology results, the witness accounts, and the history of alleged domestic abuse, the more questions piled up around a case that many believe was never properly investigated. Was this a suicide? A homicide? And did Aaron Easton's position in law enforcement shape the way this case was handled? In this episode, Ashley and Ricky break down the full timeline of Sara's death, examine the forensic and autopsy evidence, explore the conflicts of interest that shadowed the investigation, and look at the later allegations against Aaron Easton that have kept this case under scrutiny for nearly a decade. Sara's family is still pushing for answers. This is their story and hers. This episode covers suspicious death investigation · forensic evidence · suicide vs. homicide · domestic violence allegations · law enforcement conflicts of interest · unsolved cases · police accountability Support Crime Salad: Merch Ad-Free Listens: Patreon Sponsors for the show: Miracle Made: Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://trymiracle.com/CRIMESALAD and use code CRIMESALAD to claim your FREE 3-PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFFRula: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists at https://www.rula.com/salad #rulapod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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