The 29-Minute Investigation: Joanna Hunter

Summary

Crime Salad – "The 29-Minute Investigation: Joanna Hunter"
Release Date: May 24, 2026
Hosts: Ashley & Ricky

---

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the tragic and suspicious death of Joanna Hunter in 2011, highlighting systemic failures in investigating domestic violence and intimate partner homicide, particularly when the perpetrator is a respected community figure. Ashley and Ricky examine the evidence and timeline, dissect the role of spiritual abuse, and spotlight the relentless fight of Joanna's family for justice and legislative change. The episode powerfully illustrates how dangerous dynamics of control enabled the erasure of red flags and contributed to a case being hastily closed as suicide—within just 29 minutes.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Lethality of Strangulation in Domestic Violence

• [02:45–05:10]

  • Non-fatal strangulation by an intimate partner increases a woman's risk of later homicide by 750%. If the abuser also has access to a firearm, the risk rises above 1,100%.
  • Often leaves no visible marks—“the ultimate red flag in domestic homicide.”
  • Many cases become "practice homicides," where the abuser demonstrates the capacity and willingness to take the victim’s life.

  "If a man inflicts a non fatal strangulation on a woman just once and she manages to survive, her risk of being murdered by that exact same man skyrockets by 750%." —Ashley [02:45]

Joanna Hunter’s Background and Early Abuse

• [09:18–14:22]

  • Joanna, born in 1974, was described as radiant, confident, and protective.
  • Met Mark Lewis, her future husband and abuser, at age 16.
  • Documented abuse began at age 17, with physical violence escalating to strangulation.
  • Joanna filed multiple restraining orders, describing choking and neck violence.

  "For someone to completely break down a personality that strong... would require an immense, terrifying level of psychological warfare spanning over two decades." —Ricky [11:04]

The Cycle of Control: From Physical Abuse to Spiritual Manipulation

• [15:04–18:02]

  • Mark Lewis, after serving jail time for domestic violence, manipulated Joanna using claims of spiritual rebirth, presenting himself as a reformed, born-again Christian.
  • After his release, he marries Joanna in a secret ceremony, excluding her family—furthering her isolation.
  • Mark assumes control of his family church, amplifying his power within both the congregation and their lives.

  "He weaponized faith. And tragically, it worked." —Ricky [15:53]

Life in Total Control: The Church & Community

• [25:00–28:41]

  • Living on church grounds (the parsonage), Joanna’s every move was monitored by the congregation loyal to Mark.
  • Mark exploited his position, presenting himself as a man of God, demanding obedience and rendering Joanna voiceless.
  • Constructed an elaborate façade: he convinced church members Joanna was chronically ill, excusing any signs of physical abuse.

  "He started telling her that pastors don't get divorced. And he used his sermons to convince the congregation that any problems they had were her fault." —Ashley [28:24]

The Day of Joanna's Death – October 6, 2011

• [31:08–39:40]

  • Joanna’s family adamantly rejects the suicide narrative. They insist she had been preparing to escape, packing a suitcase and leaving a note: “take care of the dogs.” Her family interprets this as a practical instruction, not a goodbye.
  • Mark's alibi—playing basketball for five hours—is undermined by gaps in the timeline. Rigor mortis suggests Joanna died during a crucial 45-minute window when Mark was alone in the house.
  • Dismissive police response: Mark is not questioned thoroughly; the house is not treated as a crime scene. Within 29 minutes, deputies rule out foul play, labeling it a suicide.

  "The Solano County Sheriff's office walked into a house, evaluated a dead body, cleared a domestic violence suspect with a history of inflicting abuse on this specific individual, and closed the book on Joanna Hunter's life in exactly 29 minutes." —Ashley [39:40]

Post-Death Control & Institutional Failure

• [42:12–46:22]

  • Mark exploited the “halo effect”—the presumption of goodness from religious leaders—to bypass suspicion.
  • He maintained control after death: Joanna’s headstone bears his name and symbols of his church.
  • Joanna’s family, in response, created a separate memorial using her maiden name.
  • The system's “blind spot” for authority figures and failure to recognize spiritual abuse kept the door closed on a real investigation.

  "Mark used his title to completely bypass standard police suspicion, and that unearned trust derailed the entire investigation." —Ashley [44:25]

Mark’s Repeated Pattern of Abuse and Arrest

• [47:14–51:22]

  • Mark pursued a new relationship, resorted to harassment, and orchestrated a firebombing attack on another woman, Sarah Nottingham, using church resources and ex-convicts.
  • Even after being arrested and jailed for arson and stalking in 2015, he never faced charges in Joanna’s death and later resumed life—no longer as a pastor.

  "He got to take the deal without ever having to stand up in an open court, look his victims in the eye, and actually say the words, 'I did it.'” —Ricky [51:14]

The Family’s Fight for Justice & Legislative Change

• [51:22–57:42]

  • Joanna’s family hired private investigators and lobbied for legislative reform.
  • Their efforts led to the passing of “Joanna’s Law” (SB989), in effect since January 2025, which mandates law enforcement treat premature deaths of domestic violence survivors as potential homicides.
  • The case was reopened multiple times, but each time police only reviewed old paperwork, never investigating as a homicide.
  • The family now works with organizations such as the Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center and Alliance for Hope International’s Justice Project, which supports families whose loved ones’ deaths were not thoroughly investigated.

  "Their goal right now...is entirely focused on the paperwork. They're fighting to have the official cause of death on Joanna's death certificate changed from suicide to homicide." —Ricky [52:20]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the warning signs of lethal abuse:

  “Half of strangulation assaults leave absolutely no visible marks... no handprints, nothing for a responding patrol officer to photograph.” —Ashley [04:11]

• On isolation and spiritual abuse:

  “He realized it was a lot easier to control Joanna by using scripture than by using his fist." —Ashley [28:24]

• On the 29-minute investigation:

  "The Solano County Sheriff's office ... closed the book on Joanna Hunter’s life in exactly 29 minutes." —Ashley [39:40]

• On the impact of Joanna’s family’s advocacy:

  "Now, through her legacy and this new law, she has made a massive impact.” —Ashley [55:25]

• On the enduring injustice:

  “That prison sentence had absolutely nothing to do with Joanna. To this day, Mark Lewis has never been charged with any crime related to her passing.” —Ashley [51:22]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:45] – Strangulation as a red flag in domestic homicides
• [09:18] – Joanna’s childhood, personality, and early signs of abuse
• [15:04] – Mark’s manipulation through religion
• [25:00] – Church parsonage life and Joanna’s increased isolation
• [31:08] – The night of Joanna's death: the conflicting narratives and timeline gaps
• [39:40] – The 29-minute closure of the investigation
• [42:12] – The “halo effect” and spiritual abuse
• [47:14] – Mark’s pattern continues: the firebombing of Sarah Nottingham
• [54:28] – Passing of “Joanna’s Law” and forced case reviews
• [57:15] – Advocacy resources and support organizations

---

Support and Resources

• National Domestic Violence Hotline:
  1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233)
  Text "START" to 88788
  Visit thehotline.org for confidential support

• Organizations:

  • Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center
  • Alliance for Hope International: Justice Project

---

Final Reflection

In this episode, Ashley and Ricky underscore the critical importance of seeing beyond appearances and titles. They honor Joanna Hunter as a vibrant, strong woman failed by the system, and they champion the ongoing fight for justice, accountability, and systemic change—reminding listeners that individual advocacy can drive legislative reform and honor the lives of victims far beyond their unjust loss.

---

A must-listen for anyone interested in true crime, systemic injustice, and the power of survivor advocacy.

Transcript

[Ashley]

Insurance isn't a one size fits all, and shopping for it shouldn't feel like squeezing into something that just doesn't fit. And that's why drivers have enjoyed Progressives name your price tool for years. So with the name your price tool, you tell them what you want to pay and they will show you options that fit your budget enough. Hunting for discounts, trying to calculate rates, and tinkering with coverages. Maybe you're picking out your very first policy, or maybe you're just looking for something that works better for you and your family. If you either way, they make it simple to see your options. No guesswork, no surprises. So if you're ready to see how easy and fun shopping for car insurance can be, visit progressive.com and give the name your price tool a try. Take the stress out of shopping and find coverage that fits your life on your terms. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law, that is progressive.com, big thanks to Progressive for sponsoring this episode.

[Ricky]

Zootopia 2 has come home to Disney.

[Ashley]

Let's go get ready for a new case. We're gonna crack this case and prove we're the greatest partners of all time. New friends you are Gary the Snake and your last name?

[Ricky]

Desnake Dream Team Hidden new habitats Zootopia

[Ashley]

has a secret reptile population. You can watch the record breaking phenomenon at home.

[Ricky]

You're clearly working at Zootopia. Now available on Disney plus.

[Ashley]

Rated pg.

[Ricky]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying Big Wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway, give it a

[Ashley]

[e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and extra. See full [e-mail]. Before we dive into today's case, we want to give you a quick heads up. This episode deals with a deeply heavy but important topic, Intimate partner violence. Throughout our discussion there will be direct mentions of strangulation, domestic abuse, suicide and murder.

[Ricky]

Please take care of yourself while listening. And if this is too heavy for you right now, feel free to skip this one.

[Ashley]

Everything we share on Crime Salad is for informational and awareness purposes. We build these episodes directly from public records, court documents and verified news reporting. And we're here to tell you exactly what the official records show and what the family believes and exactly where those two things do not line up. If a man inflicts a non fatal strangulation on a woman just once and she manages to survive, her risk of being murdered by that exact same man skyrockets by 750%. It's a cold, hard statistical fact backed by nearly two decades of forensic data. Criminologists call it the ultimate lethality marker, the ultimate red flag of domestic homicide. When an abuser cuts off their partner's air supply with their bare hands, they aren't simply lashing out. They are showing them exactly how easy it is to take their life.

[Ricky]

It's basically an invisible ticking time bomb. And when researchers look closely at women who were killed by an intimate partner, they went back through the prior case files and interviewed the grieving families. What they found was terrifying. Close to half of those murdered women had been strangled by that same partner at some point before the night that they died. Sometimes weeks, sometimes months or even years prior.

[Ashley]

The experts who study this have a grim name for that first non fatal strangulation. And they call it a practice homicide. And the data underneath that phrase is brutal. Roughly half of all strangulation assaults leave absolutely no visible marks on the victim's skin. So no bruising, no handprints, nothing for a responding patrol officer to photograph. And if that same abuser also has access to a firearm, the homicide risk doesn't just stop at 750%. It climbs past 1,100%. This really makes you realize the scope of the problem researchers, they would have had to look at an overwhelming number of tragic case files to confidently publish a massive study like this and to calculate a number as staggering as 750%. It makes me wonder, how common is this? And why does it seem like there's such a predictable, repetitive pattern in domestic homicide?

[Ricky]

If you asked an expert, they usually will agree that it always comes down to absolute power and control. It's an abuser's way of saying, I decide if you breathe without ever having to pick up a gun or a knife. It's a calculated act of terror that leaves zero physical traces, making it incredibly easy for them to stage a crime scene and get away with murder.

[Ashley]

The story we are covering today takes place on October 6, 2011 in Solano County, California. Over the years, there has been a strong determination to push for change by exposing the reality of the abusive relationship at the center of this case. And much of that determination has come from the friends and family of 36 year old Joanna Hunter. She was loving, caring, and she was vibrant. Her family will tell you she had this rare, limitless potential to be anything she wanted. Her mom said she was a light.

[Ricky]

And from her family's perspective, Joanna's potential was completely stolen from her. She didn't get the chance to find out who she could become before her world was boxed by a man who controlled every aspect of her life. And eventually, the same man controlled exactly when she died, down to the control of her funeral.

[Ashley]

On that October night, Joanna was found dead inside the bedroom closet, inside a house that she shared with her husband, Pastor Mark Lewis, on the church property, hanging lifeless from the sash of her bathrobe, her feet still touching the floor.

[Ricky]

Yeah, so at first glance, if you walked into that bedroom, it was a suicide scene. But if you learned how controlling, manipulating and violent the man she was married to was, you might take a step back and evaluate the scene in more detail. But looking at everything at face value, hearing her husband's desperate, frantic cries and his presentation of innocence, yeah, you'd probably believe it, too. I mean, why would a pastor, a man of God, have anything to do with a murder?

[Ashley]

And that's exactly how the story goes. It's frustrating, it's enraging. And for the record, we are not here to critique the police. They have a tough job they wake up to every day. And they too are believed to have been manipulated during this entire situation. Instead, we're here to dig up the hidden truths of this relationship and possibly point out a wolf in sheep's clothing. So let's toss the salad a little bit. I'm Ashley.

[Ricky]

And I'm Ricky.

[Ashley]

And this is Crime Salad. Vacaville is a classic commuter town in California. Think the suburbs. It sits right on the golden rolling hills between San Francisco and Sacramento. You might set out to live here if you want to escape the insane cost of living the San Francisco Bay area has to offer.

[Ricky]

It sounds like a nice place. However, you forgot to mention it's a literal prison town. It's home to two massive state penitentiaries sitting right inside the city limits, housing thousands of inmates, including some of California's most notorious serial killers. And I'm pretty sure Charles Manson was at the California Medical Facility briefly. This was a place designed specifically to handle inmates in the mid-1970s.

[Ashley]

Okay, well, fine. It also might be a good conversation starter kind of town where, if you happen to get the question, so, where are you from? But honestly, it's probably a pretty safe area. The neighborhoods are packed with off duty Cops, correctional officers, and state police. It's a town hyper focused on law and order long before a man named Mark Lewis, a pillar of the community, even took the stage, standing at the pulpit as a pastor of a local church in this town. But before we get too far, let's take a look at the earlier days.

[Ricky]

Joanna Lynn Hunter was born October 27, 1974. And if you look back at who Joanna was growing up, she was incredibly radiant, stylish, and fiercely protective of her younger brother, Joe. They had that classic unbreakable big sister, little brother dynamic.

[Ashley]

In the CBS News 48 Hours documentary on this case. It is genuinely heartbreaking to listen to Joe talk about a sister. I mean, you can just feel how massive of a part of his life she really was. CBS was actually one of the first networks to really shine a national light on this case. And, and honestly, it's a great episode to check out if you want to put more faces to the names and to see more visuals in the investigation.

[Ricky]

And Jo has never stopped keeping her memory alive. He actually went on to compete on the reality show Survivor. And while he was out there on national television, pushed to his absolute physical and mental limits, he still brought up his sister's case. It just goes to show how deeply her death impacted his life and how relentless he is about making sure Joanna's story is never forgotten.

[Ashley]

So when you look at this tight knit relationship that they had, it gives you a clear picture of who Joanna was. A very confident, strong, and highly social young woman. And born on October 27, she was a Scorpio. So that makes a lot of sense. I like astrology. I don't know about you, but when a Scorpio loves you, they love you with everything they have. She was smart, she was sure of her decisions, and she had this bright future ahead of her, which makes it all the more devastating to see how quickly that confidence was targeted.

[Ricky]

For someone to completely break down a personality that strong, to isolate her, drain her confidence, and rebrand her as an obedient follower of him, would require an immense, terrifying level of psychological warfare spanning over two decades.

[Ashley]

Oh, yeah. So she met Mark in high school of 1991. And she would have been 16, turning 17 years old that year, which puts her in her sophomore, junior year of high school, most likely. And Mark was her very first boyfriend.

[Ricky]

But it didn't take long for that mask to slip. And what makes this so incredibly difficult to learn is that Joanna knew she was in danger. She actually tried to fight back and escape multiple times.

[Ashley]

She really did According to her mother, the physical abuse started when Joanna was just 17 years old when she came home with a black eye. That would be heartbreaking and terrifying from a mother's perspective.

[Ricky]

I know if this were my child, I would have been furious. Absolutely. Fired up. Now, we didn't find any other accounts of abuse after the black eye incident. If there was abuse, it wasn't reported. But one thing that does come up, when Joanna was just 20 years old, she filed her very first restraining order against him. In those official documents, she explicitly stated that he was, quote, choking her.

[Ashley]

And reading these words that she wrote down, it just brings us right back to what we talked about in the beginning of this episode. This wasn't just a toxic relationship. This was a man performing what criminologists call a practice homicide. He was showing what he was capable of, that he had the power to cut off her air supply. We know that once a partner crosses that line into non fatal strangulation, the victim's risk of being murdered skyrockets by 750%.

[Ricky]

Yeah, exactly. The clock was ticking. Despite getting that restraining order, the cycle of abuse pulled her back in. And it's so common and so heartbreaking in these types of relationships, victims often go back convinced things will change because that power and control is just so dang strong. And I feel like being convinced could be a loose description for this situation.

[Ashley]

Yeah. Because just a year later, at the age of 21, Joanna had to file a second restraining order. This time, her handwritten notes to the court were even more violent. She reported that Mark, quote, grabbed my neck and twisted it.

[Ricky]

Think about how petrified and defenseless she must have felt. She's in her early 20s, going to the courts, begging for protection. On paper, detailing these incredibly violent attacks on her neck, she is leaving a literal map of his violence, a cry for help. But she's still stuck under his mental control.

[Ashley]

Yeah, it's scary. It's horrible. And those warning signs on paper eventually reached a breaking point. In 1996, when Joanna was just 22 years old, the violence went from threats that were written down on a restraining order to her in a hospital bed.

[Ricky]

Joanna was rushed to the emergency room with a severely sprained neck. The physical abuse had escalated to a point where medical staff had to intervene. Finally, the law stepped in with actual consequences. Mark was arrested and charged with felony domestic violence, specifically inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or partner.

[Ashley]

He was convicted and sentenced to 36 months in the Solano County Jail. To anyone on the outside, you would expect relief. The Abuser is behind bars. The victim is safe. Her family was completely relieved. You would think that three years in jail would wake him up. Maybe it would make him realize what he's doing is wrong.

[Ricky]

But this is where Mark Lewis proves just how calculating he really is. He didn't just sit in that cell and serve his time quietly. He knew exactly what buttons to push to get Joanna back. Despite the horrific abuse and the hospitalization, Joanna went to visit Mark at the jail. And when she sat down across from him, Mark played his ultimate card.

[Ashley]

He looked at her in the eyes and told her that sitting in the cell has changed him. As a soon to be pastor, this is where the foundation was laid. He claimed that he had experienced a sudden spiritual rebirth, that he had found God and was now a born again Christian. And he promised her that the violent man who choked her was gone and that he would never lay a hand on her again.

[Ricky]

It is the most insidious form of manipulation. He couldn't control her with his fists anymore because that got him locked up. So he pivoted to controlling her with religion. He weaponized faith. And tragically, it worked. Joanna believed them. She believed that God had changed him. Her mother, Patricia, said she was absolutely devastated when she found out Joanna was going to take him back once he got out.

[Ashley]

So Joanna, she was sure that she wasn't returning to her abuser. She was returning to a saved man. But Mark hadn't changed. He had just figured out a brand new way to trap her in a way that didn't leave bruises. It's like Joanna loved him so much and Mark knew this and it was a way to control her.

[Ricky]

Once Mark is released from jail, he leans all the way into this new religious Persona. And in the year 2000, he officially locks Joanna down and they get married.

[Ashley]

But this wasn't a joyous family celebration. It was completely secretive. A secretive wedding. And it makes me ask, why was it so intentionally secretive, Mark? In fact, Joanna's family wasn't even invited. Her mother, Patricia, and her brother Joe had absolutely no idea she was getting married until it was already done.

[Ricky]

And the red flags of abusive behavior. The very first thing an abuser does when they secure a victim is cut them off from the people who love them the most. The people who would actually see the red flags and try to intervene and protect her. But excluding her family from the wedding, Mark was sending a very clear, chilling message. Joanna belonged to him now, not them. Joanna was now Joanna Lynn Lewis. No more Joanna Hunter.

[Ashley]

And that emotional isolation very quickly turned into Literal physical isolation. Because shortly after they were married, Mark's father stepped down. And Mark took total control of the Fellowship Baptist Church.

[Ricky]

Suddenly he wasn't just an abusive husband behind closed doors anymore. He controlled her entire world. He became the ultimate authority figure in their community and he used that position to cut off every single one of her exits. Everyone she interacted with answered to him, which meant that she had absolutely nowhere to turn for help. He became the person who she would have to turn to.

[Ashley]

I don't know if you can relate, but my day to day is like totally crazy. Like there's so much I have going on. I have the podcast, my two kids, school events, we're at the end of the year, field trips. There's so much going on. Dinner time used to be an afterthought. And during those weeks we would grab whatever we could was left at the grocery store last minute, settling for flavorless, mediocre meat. Just something to put on the table for everyone to eat. And I used to think high quality steaks were something that we would have like once in a while for special occasions or a night out at a restaurant, a birthday. But Omaha Steaks completely changed our routine. Having their premium protein right in the freezer means that we are always just minutes away from a really incredible dinner and it takes the stress right out of meal planning. And it's awesome because I know it's going to taste good. I know it's going to be fresh. You know, sometimes you go to the grocery store, you get a pack of chicken and it's just not right. Yeah, you don't get that with Omaha Steaks and there's way less food waste because everything is perfectly proportioned and individually vacuum sealed. We recently fired up the grill because it's getting nice outside. We made some burgers and the rich, juicy flavor completely blows away anything that we used to buy at the store. Plus they have an unmatched selection of chicken, pork, seafood and even desserts. And their seasoning. Yeah, it goes on everything that we have. If you haven't tried their new top sirloin filets, you absolutely have to. They have earned the distinction of USDA certified tender and are naturally aged for at least 28 days. For maximum tenderness, taste the Omaha Steaks difference and never settle for grocery proteins again. Get flavorful high quality proteins delivered by visiting OmahaSteaks.com/$35 off when you use the promo code CRIMESALAD at checkout. That's OmahaSteaks.com code CRIMESALAD terms apply. See site for Details. You know what I noticed when I've been deep in case research? Up late, three coffees in, eyes burning from the screen. My skin tells it all. And for a long time my skincare routine was basically just random. I had like six bottles on the counter and a vague sense that one of them was supposed to do something. A lot of skincare looks great on the bottle. Sometimes it just doesn't deliver. Or worse, you get sold on the idea that you need like 10 different products before any of it works. That's why Oneskin caught my attention. It's not hype, it's not the packaging. It's real science. Real science from real people who actually do real science. Oneskin was founded by longevity researchers. PhD scientist, female founded. And they started with one if visible skin aging is driven by dam senescent cells, basically old cells that stop doing their job. What if you could switch those cells off instead of covering them up? The question led to OS1.1 Skin's proprietary peptide. It's the first ingredient proven to switch off those damaged senescent cells and actually slow skin aging directly at the source. I use it every morning. It takes me about 30 seconds, which as a busy mom, it's non negotiable. And every time I put it on, I'm giving my skin a signal to repair damaged, support the collagen and strengthen my barrier. The texture is light, it sits well under my makeup and the first thing I noticed was that my skin looked less tired. Which given what I do for a living, it's a small miracle in my book. But don't just take my word for it. One skin products are backed by four peer reviewed clinical studies validating efficacy and safety on all skin types. Over 10,000 5 star reviews. Yes, and they've been recently featured on Bloomberg as a leader in skin longevity. So you really don't need a complicated routine to get healthier younger looking skin. Born from over a decade of longevity research, OneSkin's OS1 peptide is proven to target the visible signs of aging, helping you unlock your healthiest skin. Now as you age, for a limited time, try one skin with 15% off using code CRIMESALAD@ ONESKIN. That's 15% off ONESKIN CO with the code Crime Salad. Oh, and after you check out, they are going to ask you where you heard about them. Please tell them that Crime salad sent you. That's one little word that keeps our show running. One more time. 15% off with code crime salad at OneSkin Co Crimesalad. And don't forget to tell them crime salad sent you Starting or growing your own business can be intimidating and lonely at times. Your to do list may feel endless with new tasks and lists can easily begin to overrun your life. So finding the right tool that not only helps you out but simplifies everything as a built in business partner can be a game changer for millions of businesses. That tool is Shopify. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Gymshark, Rare Beauty and Heinz to brands just getting started, Shopify has hundreds of ready to use templates that can help you build a beautiful online store that matches your brand style and you can tackle all the important tasks in one place, from inventory to payments to analytics and more. No need to save multiple websites or try to figure out what platform is hosting the tool that you need. And if people haven't heard about your brand, you can get the word out like you have a marketing team behind you with easy to run email and social media campaigns to reach customers wherever they're scrolling or strolling. Start your business today with the industry's best business partner, Shopify and start hearing Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com realm go to shopify.com realm that's Shopify.

[Ricky]

And Taking over the church didn't just mean that he got to preach on Sundays, it meant inheriting the property. Mark and Joanna moved into the church parsonage, which is a designated home provided for the pastor. But this wasn't just some modest little house in a normal neighborhood. It was a massive 5 bedroom, 5 bathroom home located directly on the church property.

[Ashley]

It was just yards away from the actual sanctuary. So you have to picture the geography of her life now. Joanna was essentially living in a fishbowl. If she walked out of her front door to go get the mail or go outside to get a breath of fresh air, she was standing on Mark's territory. Where he lived and also where he worked.

[Ricky]

She was constantly surrounded by church members who viewed her husband not just as a community leader, but as a direct messenger from God. And they didn't view her as Joanna, the vibrant young woman with unlimited potential. They viewed her as the pastor's wife. And that's it.

[Ashley]

It's the absolute ultimate setup for an abuser. Mark controlled the finances, he controlled the congregation, and he controlled the very ground she walked on. It made it nearly impossible for her family to even reach her or to get through to her. Even though they tried and with that much control, it made it incredibly difficult, almost nearly impossible for her to simply pack a bag and walk away from it all. It's much easier said than done

[Ricky]

to understand how a man could have so much control over a narrative, you have to understand the pulpit he stood behind. The Fellowship Baptist Church in Vacaville was essentially a family business to Mark. I mean, he inherited the ministry from his father. And when the church was under his father, it was, at its peak, a traditional congregation of about 100 to 150 regular members. I mean, it was pretty stable, right?

[Ashley]

And around the time of Joanna's death in 2011, active membership had dwindled to a smaller core group of families, which were described as fiercely loyal to the church and Mark. But those looking back at how he handled the congregation can now admit that they were completely blinded by Mark's spiritual Persona. Some would now describe it as very cult like. So people in his congregation, they were victims as well, really.

[Ricky]

And when Mark took over the church, he seemed to absorb this absolute, unquestioned authority over his congregation. Looking from the outside, it looks like a complete power trip. He owned and controlled the space where he preached on Sunday mornings. It was his time to shine on the stage. His sermons were very direct, filled with yelling, pounding fists on his pulpit. It was really intense.

[Ashley]

But you can assume that he was maybe extremely passionate in what he was doing.

[Ricky]

Yeah, I mean, it might have seemed that way, but very early, he stood by his belief that people in a congregation do not question the pastor. The pastor's word is treated like law. So when he took over, he didn't become a better man. He just stepped into a bulletproof disguise.

[Ashley]

Exactly. He realized it was a lot easier to control Joanna by using scripture than by using his fist. He started telling her that pastors don't get divorced. And he used his sermons to convince the congregation that any problems they had were her fault.

[Ricky]

He even told Joanna, because of the color of her skin and her hair being half black, that she could still be saved, which perfectly illustrates how disgusting someone like this truly is.

[Ashley]

He built a tight knit following that. He was protected behind, and he was treated as a man of God. But some might agree that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[Ricky]

And his preaching technique was very oppressive, very direct, almost like he's yelling at everyone in his congregation. And what also stands out is that Mark routinely and intentionally informed his congregation that Joanna was incredibly, chronically ill. Church member Lorraine Baker later told law enforcement that Mark actively brainwashed the congregation into believing that Joanna was Terribly sick. And he did this so that when Joanna showed up to Sunday service with a medical sling around her neck from a physical beating, the church members wouldn't ask questions. They just thought she was frail and suffering something medically, when in reality, she was suffering at the hands of her abuser. And all the signs were right in front of an entire congregation.

[Ashley]

And there were financial investigators from the Solano county district Attorney's office who looked into the church's books and found absolute chaos. Under Mark's father, the church was financially stable. Once Mark took over, he completely drained the church's account for his own personal enrichment, running the congregation, $80,000 to $90,000 in the red. The math of Joanna's isolation is staggering. Physical abuse in the 90s, psychological conditioning, a secret wedding, and a 10 year stretch of near total isolation inside that church parsonage. It begs the ultimate question. How much pressure does it take to finally break a person? But in domestic abuse cases, a breaking point rarely means giving up. More often, it's the dangerous moment. A victim decides to break free. As we enter the fall of 2011, the dynamic inside that house shifted. Joanna was reaching her limit, and the stakes were about to become lethal.

[Ricky]

And this is where the narrative completely splits between what the police officially rolled and what her family knows in their bones to be true. Because according to her mother and brother, Joanna wasn't giving up on life. She was finally preparing to escape. They firmly believe that in early October, Joanna was actively preparing to leave Mark for good.

[Ashley]

Which brings us to the scene inside that bedroom closet on October 6th. So when the responding deputy walked into that room, there was actually a short handwritten message that was left inside an open red travel suitcase that was nearby. And the note simply read, take care of the dogs.

[Ricky]

To the police officer standing in that room, looking at a tragic scene and listening to a frantic husband. That note was the absolute proof he needed. However, he viewed it as a suicide note, a final goodbye.

[Ashley]

But the moment that Joanna's family heard about this written note, Take care of the dogs, they felt a completely different kind of shock. They were instantly filled with absolute anger, because to them, they immediately knew it wasn't a suicide note at all. It was a literal set of instructions to her husband. She was planning to leave him.

[Ricky]

Exactly. The police didn't have the context of Joanna's life, but her family did. And those two pieces of the puzzle didn't come together when they should have. They knew she loved her dogs as family, and they also knew that if Joanna was packing her bags to finally escape the abuse and run to her parents house down the street. She wouldn't be able to bring the dogs with her because her father suffered from extreme asthma.

[Ashley]

Right. So she couldn't bring them along with her to her safe haven. So to her family, that suitcase, it wasn't just there for no reason. It was there because she was planning to pack her bags and escape. And that note was there telling her abuser that since she was leaving him, he needed to feed and care for the pets she was forced to leave behind. Because why else would there be an empty suitcase in a bedroom that was feet away from where she was left dead?

[Ricky]

Yeah, I mean, it's so sad that it wasn't put together at the time, but you're dealing with a man who most likely controlled the environment of that scene as much as he could. And because of his control on that, the family never got the chance to explain the things they knew before the case was slammed shut. With all of that in mind, let's look at the night of October 6, 2011. The police only had Pastor Mark's narrative. To understand how this could have happened, we need to look at Mark's alibi in the exact timeline of the 911 call, at least what we can put together.

[Ashley]

So according to Mark, he had been right next door to the house, spending his Thursday evening playing basketball on the church property with a friend named Andrew Alvarado for over five hours, which, first

[Ricky]

of all, wow, what a baller. I mean, shooting hoops for five to six hours. I mean, this dude is putting in work.

[Ashley]

Must have been. But if the details of that night were actually looked at and if the right questions were asked, we would have had a very different story here. Because when you look at the police records, that alibi completely falls apart. There are two massive, unexplained gaps in the timeline.

[Ricky]

So the first one happens right in the middle of the afternoon. Around 4.30pm Andrew leaves the church in Mark's car to drop off some kids and pick up food. He's gone for about 45 minutes. During that window, Mark is completely unaccounted for. Independent forensic experts later pointed out that based on the rigor mortis of Joanna's body, she likely died hours before 9pm, which puts her time of death in this exact 45 minute window.

[Ashley]

And the second gap happens that night. Mark claimed that he wrapped up basketball. He went inside the house around 9pm, which is when he says that he found Joanna hanging in the closet. But he doesn't call Andrew until 9:21pm that leaves a full 21 minutes completely unaccounted for. What was he actually doing in that house for 21 minutes before anyone was alerted? He never explains this.

[Ricky]

Now think about how insane this is from Andrew's perspective. He's out front shooting hoops and he gets this call from his pastor who walked inside 21 minutes earlier. Mark is crying on the phone, refusing to call 911 himself. And instead he's making his friend do it from the driveway. And Mark had a cell phone on him, so why didn't he just call 911 himself? And I understand the shock if this were the case, but this is someone you love unconditionally. He didn't try to lift her up to take the weight off of her neck. He didn't attempt cpr. He just walked outside and told Andrew to make the call.

[Ashley]

And like you said, it could have been shock related where you can't think straight, you're in the moment of that shock and it just paralyzes your mobility to act if that were the case. But when Andrew makes the call, he's the one talking to the dispatcher. And it's pretty clear that he doesn't know exactly what's going on. The dispatcher wants to speak to Mark on the phone, so Andrew asks him and hands over the phone. And Mark is in disbelief. He's in shock, and he's unable to look at her or do anything for the police. He just wants the police to get there as soon as possible.

[Ricky]

The first officer arrives on the scene in a short amount of time from when the call was placed. It's 9:39pm When Deputy Ryan Wallace from the Solano County Sheriff's Office starts his official report. His notes read that Mark was, quote, unable to provide me with any details and was extremely frantic.

[Ashley]

Deputy Wallace, he goes into the bedroom. He finds Joanna hanging from the closet rod by a bathrobe. Sasha. And this detail is critical. He notes in his report that her feet were touching the ground, one leg was bent, the other was stretched out. And he is the one who finally cuts her down. And he documents that her body had already been stiffened from rigor mortis.

[Ricky]

Depending on how much rigor mortis set in, I mean, for her limbs to be noticeably stiff, to a responding officer, she had to have been dead for several hours. So if we count backwards four to five hours from the time the police arrived, it lands you exactly between 4.30pm and 5.15pm, the exact window of time Andrew left to get food, leaving Mark alone and Unaccounted for. So what was Mark doing during this time? Still shooting hoops.

[Ashley]

Well, according to Andrew Alvarado's initial statement to law enforcement, when Andrew left at 4:30pm to drop the teenagers off and pick up food, Mark went back inside his house.

[Ricky]

Okay, so that places Mark inside the house with Joanna. But according to Mark, his overall alibi was simply that he had last seen Joanna at 1pm and that he had been outside playing basketball until he went inside and found her around 9pm and

[Ashley]

if we're looking at what the police got out of him, that's it. And it's so important that the officer mentions Joanna's feet were touching the floor and that the husband didn't attempt any life saving measures. I mean, I'm not a law enforcement officer, I'm not an expert, but if this were someone in my family, I would want a detective to investigate. The house should have been taped off. Mark should have been taken to an interview room at the police station. The family should have been called. I mean, that's the bottom line.

[Ricky]

But none of that happened. According to investigative reports, Deputy Wallace called the sheriff's investigations unit and told them there was absolutely no evidence of foul play, meaning detectives didn't even need to come out. He looked at the red suitcase, accepted the take care of the dogs note as a suicide letter, and bought Mark's frantic alibi completely.

[Ashley]

So for the record, Deputy Wallace arrived at 9:39pm and according to the records, he officially rolled out foul play at

[Ricky]

10:08pm so that means the Solano County Sheriff's office walked into a house, evaluated a dead body, cleared a domestic violence suspect with a history of inflicting abuse on this specific individual, and closed the book on Joanna Hunter's Life in exactly 29 minutes.

[Ashley]

Yep, 29 minutes. A 24 year old burning alive inside his own apartment. Police waited outside for 38 minutes. Was this an accident? A suicide? A specific section on both wrists unburned. Hours earlier, he would tell his parents that if his wife found out he was leaving, she would go ballistic. That's our episode. She'd go ballistic. The suspicious death of David Elmquist. This is Crime Salad. I'm Ashley.

[Ricky]

I'm Ricky.

[Ashley]

Search for Crime Salad wherever you listen. The world of Sonic the Hedgehog has been thrust into a not so dark, not so stormy, hard boiled detective story that probably nobody saw coming. Follow Sonic and the intrepid Chaotix Detective Agency as they take on their biggest case yet. This high flying, action packed adventure will take them across the world Fighting for every clue they can find. It's one heck of a tale. Which is good, because this story might be the only thing that can save their lives.

[Ricky]

Well, if that's all, I can just dispose of you. Wait, what?

[Ashley]

All will be revealed in Sonic the Hedgehog presents the Chaotix case files. Listen now.

[Ricky]

Wherever you get your podcasts, the Chaotix

[Ashley]

are on the case. There are vampires out there. They're beside you in the darkness. But what people don't understand is that they're not monsters. They're just going to work, living their own lives. But we are a dying breed. Those who came before me, they are fearful and are not content to sit back and just disappear. And they'll do anything to fix that. From the creators of Parkdale Haunt comes Woodbine, a podcast about monsters, dreams and changes, those you want and those you never saw. Coming Season 2 arrives September 24th. Distributed by Realm.

[Ricky]

How does a domestic violence suspect suspect get his home cleared of a suspicious death in under 30 minutes? How does a detective not even get called to the scene? To understand that, you have to look at the title that Mark Lewis hid behind. He wasn't just a husband, remember, he was a pastor.

[Ashley]

And in a tight knit community, that title comes with a massive amount of unearned trust. Psychologists and criminologists actually have a name for this. They call it the halo effect. It's a cognitive bias where people automatically assume that someone in a position of moral authority, like a clergy member, a doctor, or a police officer, is inherently a good person.

[Ricky]

So think of the situation. When a patrol deputy rolls up to a house and sees a frantic pastor, a massive psychological shift happens. They drop their guard completely.

[Ashley]

Exactly. It's kind of like the hard truth that no one wants to hear. And domestic violence experts actually have a specific term of how Mark operated. They call it spiritual abuse. And it's when an abuser weaponizes their religious authority to manipulate their victim, demand absolute submission and control the public narrative. And there are organizations like the Faith Trust Institute, which studies abuse in religious settings. And it's not everybody in religious settings, but they point out that abusers in leadership roles use their congregation and their pulpit as a literal shield against accountability.

[Ricky]

It's a terrifying dynamic because the statistics show that domestic violence happens within faith communities at the exact same rate as the general public, affecting roughly one in four women. But the major difference is how trapped the victim is. When the abuser is the pastor, the victim's path to getting help is almost completely blocked. If Joanna told someone in that Community. What was happening? Who would they believe? The beloved spiritual leader or the wife? He's probably already painted behind closed doors as troubled.

[Ashley]

Yeah, it creates the ultimate institutional blind spot. So on the night of October 6, when the police arrived, the responding deputy, he didn't see a man with a violent, documented record of choking his wife of domestic abuse. He saw a grieving man of God. Mark used his title to completely bypass standard police suspicion, and that unearned trust derailed the entire investigation. Now, because the police cleared the scene so quickly, and Mark retained complete control over the entire narrative, the. And because he was her legal husband, he also had total authority over her funeral and her burial. Joanna died on October 6, 2011, exactly three weeks shy of her 37th birthday.

[Ricky]

If you go down to the cemetery in Vacaville today and look at her headstone, it's incredibly chilling, especially after everything that we've talked about. It feels like a physical piece of control. First off, she's buried under his last name, Joanna Lynn Lewis. It's like even in death, he had to make sure she was branded as his.

[Ashley]

And also etched right onto the front of that headstone is a picture of a small white school bus. And at first glance, it seems completely out of place. But in Mark's specific denomination of the independent Fundamental Baptist Church, the bus ministry was a massive core operation. They used those exact white shuttle buses to bring kids to Sunday school, which was something that she probably did love.

[Ricky]

But this was Mark's church. By putting that church bus on her grave, he wasn't memorializing Joanna for the radiant, adventurous woman she was. He was memorializing her exactly how he demanded she be seen as the dutiful, obedient pastor's wife who served his ministry.

[Ashley]

And her family refused to let that headstone be the only place to remember her. Her mother, Patricia, and her brother Joe, they purchased a completely separate memorial bench at the cemetery, and they made sure it was engraved with her maiden name, Joanna Hunter. It was their way of symbolically taking her back from her abuser and giving her identity back to the people who loved her. Mark Lewis walked away from Joanna's death completely unscathed. As a visual person, I see his ego bar raising up to the next level. Because he successfully got away with murder, he retained his power, his church, and his freedom. And it didn't take long for him to find a new target. Shortly after Joanna's death, Mark began a secretive relationship with a Sunday school teacher at the church named Sarah Nottingham.

[Ricky]

But the deeply controlling, predatory behavior that Joanna lived with immediately Started bubbling to the surface again. Sarah eventually realized exactly who she was dealing with when she discovered Mark was sending explicit, highly inappropriate text messages to other women in the congregation.

[Ashley]

And it wasn't just adult women. The ABC10 investigation revealed he was texting a 17 year old girl who had literally grown up in the pews, and since she was 5 years old. And she looked at Mark as a father figure, and he used his spiritual authority to groom and manipulate her.

[Ricky]

And when Sarah Nottingham discovered this, she did what Joanna had tried to do. She left him. But Mark couldn't handle losing control. So In January of 2014, he orchestrated an act of pure terror. In the middle of the night, while Sarah and her children were sleeping, A Molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of her home, which basically consists of a breakable glass bottle that's filled with a flammable liquid, it could be gasoline or alcohol. And a fuel soaked cloth rag that's basically stuffed down into the opening as a wick. The wick is ignited and then immediately thrown at a target. The glass shatters, spraying flammable fuel across a wide area, which is instantly ignited by the burning wicked, creating a rapid fireball.

[Ashley]

Now, fortunately, everyone in that house survived, but that would have been so scary, especially with the children in the home and so traumatizing. So how did they put together that Mark may have had something to do with this?

[Ricky]

Yeah, I mean, he's the pastor of a church. There's no way he would do something like this.

[Ashley]

Yeah, you wouldn't think so. During the digging of the investigation into this, they discovered that Mark actually has been housing vulnerable homeless ex convicts on the church property under the guise of ministry. But he wasn't trying to help them or save them. Court records show that he actually paid these ex cons to carry out the firebombing for him.

[Ricky]

Unbelievable. Mark was arrested and slapped with a $1 million bail for arson and stalking. But if you want to know just how deep his psychological control over that church really went, listen to this. So while Mark was sitting in a jail cell, his devoted followers didn't turn their back on him. And it's not exactly their fault either. I mean, remember, they're victims too, at this point.

[Ashley]

Yeah. Instead, they held a literal yard sale right on the front lawn of the church. They sold off church furniture, A pool table, and even the church's bibles to try to raise his bail money. They gave interviews to local reporters claiming that the police were just nitpicking and persecuting their holy pastor. They were completely Terrifyingly brainwashed.

[Ricky]

So the mask finally slips completely off. In 2015, the justice system catches up with him for the attack of Sarah Nottingham. Just as you would suspect, Mark Lewis pleads no contest to arson and stalking, and he was sentenced to eight years in a California state prison. But at the recording of this episode, 2026, the mask says he's free, and he is. We see it in the work of the show 48 Hours. He started a new life, although he's no longer a pastor. I think he's a plumber now. And for anyone wondering why he didn't just plead guilty, think about the psychology of a highly controlling abuser. Admitting guilt means surrendering control and admitting defeat. Pleading no contest allowed Mark to take a plea deal to avoid an even longer prison sentence while still protecting his own twisted narrative. He got to take the deal without ever having to stand up in an open court, look his victims in the eye, and actually say the words, I did it.

[Ashley]

But here's the agonizing reality for Jonah's family, that prison sentence had absolutely nothing to do with Joanna. To this day, Mark Lewis has never been charged with any crime related to her passing. In the eyes of the law, October 6, 2011, remains a closed case. A suicide.

[Ricky]

And that is exactly what her brother Joe and her mother, Patricia have been fighting to change for over a decade. They refuse to let Joanna's legacy be defined by a 29 minute police determination. They refuse to let Mark's narrative be the final word on her life.

[Ashley]

They have spent years relentlessly fighting the system. They've hired private investigators and brought in completely independent forensic experts to review the photos that were taken that day, to review the timeline and the physical evidence, specifically highlighting the physics of the scene and the fact that her feet were resting on the floor.

[Ricky]

Their goal right now is very clear and it's entirely focused on the paperwork. They're fighting to have the official cause of death on Joanna's death certificate changed from suicide to homicide. Because legally, until that piece of paper is amended, the door to a new investigation remains locked.

[Ashley]

Patricia and Joe, they want the world to know that Joanna didn't give up on her life that night. They believe wholeheartedly, with everything in them that she was actively fighting to take her life back. And they don't want to stop fighting until the official record reflects the truth about what happened to this vibrant, beautiful woman that they loved so much.

[Ricky]

So we get to the end of all of this, and I just can't get over the question, like, why hasn't Joanna's case been reopened. We have the massive timeline gaps, the lack of an autopsy, and the obvious documented history of violence. Why hasn't the Solano county sheriff's office or the district attorney done anything?

[Ashley]

It all comes down to a legal catch 22 and a lot of buretic red tape. The biggest hurdle is a single piece of paper. Joanna's death certificate. Because the original responding deputy cleared the scene in just 29 minutes, the coroner officially ruled the manner of death as suicide.

[Ricky]

Right. So as long as that piece of paper says suicide, the sheriff's office has no legal mandate to assign a homicide detective to her case. And because that initial Investigation only lasted 29 minutes, standard homicide protocols were completely ignored. They didn't do things that you would expect if this were a suspected homicide case, like test for Mark's DNA under his fingernails, look into the braided white rope that was within distance of her body. They didn't photograph the entire scene properly, looking for clues to support a homicide. So as of right now, any evidence that could have been used most likely was thrown away. The opportunity to go back and look at any evidence the night she died is basically gone.

[Ashley]

Exactly. But her family refuses to accept that they have been fighting back, and they are actually changing the system. Joanna's brother Joe, he used his platform from competing on Survivor. Yeah. The show on cbs. To raise massive national awareness for his sister's case. And because of his and his mother's relentless advocacy, California actually passed Joanna's law, also known as Senate Bill989, which went into effect in January of 2025.

[Ricky]

Joanna's Law is an absolute game changer for cases like this across the state. It mandates that when someone with a history of domestic violence dies prematurely, law enforcement must treat this as a suspicious death or homicide until proven otherwise. It actually codifies 10 specific red flags that responders have to look for to prevent abusers from staging crime scenes.

[Ashley]

Which is exactly what happened to Joanna. And when you think about it, we talked earlier about how Joanna was this fierce protector for her little brother when they were growing up. Now, through her legacy and this new law, she has made a massive impact. And because of their fight and the public awareness Joe and his mother have generated, the Solano county sheriff's office was actually forced to reopen the investigation for a third time in 2024, most likely when the bill was in the works. But unfortunately, the police just reviewed the police paperwork and stood by their original ruling.

[Ricky]

Oh, really? I didn't know that.

[Ashley]

Yeah, there was the initial suicide determination when they found Joanna. And there was a second look that was done around 2014, maybe 2015. This happened during the firebombing of Sarah Nottingham's house, which made this happen. But nothing came from it. It was more like a review process, you know, checking some boxes and moving on. The police, they continued to stand firm on their original ruling. And the third time was really the same thing. The family was pushing for another review, and the police did what is sometimes called a paper review, and they just closed the case again. And that's where the case stands. But the fight isn't over.

[Ricky]

It really isn't. And the family also works closely with some incredible organizations that you can support. They've partnered with the Sacramento Regional Family justice center and the alliance for Hope International, specifically their Justice Project program. The Justice Project independently reviews hidden homicide cases around the country and provides forensic experts to families like Joanna's to fight back against botched investigations.

[Ashley]

So we'll have a bunch of links in our show description. Be sure to check them out if you want to learn more. There will be a link to the alliance for Hope and the Sacramento Regional Family justice center right in our show notes along with any active petitions. So if you would like to help, please go check them out. Donate if you can, and help us keep Joanna's name alive. She was a vibrant, beautiful, fierce protector of her family, and she deserves justice.

[Ricky]

This is an incredibly heavy case, and Joanna's story is one that really stays with you. We want to echo what her family has fought so hard to prove, that she was a strong, vibrant woman who was fighting for her freedom.

[Ashley]

Absolutely. And before we go, we need to say this directly. If you or someone you know is navigating intimate partner violence, please know that you are not alone. There is help out there. You can reach out to the National Domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. That's 1-800-799-7233. You can even text them text the word start to 88788. It's completely free, it's confidential, and it's available 24. 7. But if you don't feel safe to use your own cell phone or to access the website on your own computer, you can actually go to a public library, ask if you can use one of their computers and go to the website thehotline.org for assistance through the chat.

[Ricky]

We appreciate you all tuning in and listening to Joanna's story. If you want to support what we do here at Crime Salad, and there's a few ways that you can do that to help us out. Right now we have a Memorial Day sale going on over@ Crimesaladpodcast.com basically just scroll to the bottom and we have merch there. Head over there and grab some merch just in time for this long weekend.

[Ashley]

And if you can't stand ads and you want to listen to our episodes completely interruption free, you can sign up to become a Patreon member or just subscribe directly through Apple Podcast. But sometimes our ads are pretty cool. I'm not gonna lie. Sometimes we get some really cool things to try out and your support truly means the world to us. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you for sharing Crime Salad with a friend and help us grow more. Our salad leaves are blooming. It's spring. Let's go. Have a great week.

[Ricky]

Ever open up your podcast app. Scroll forever and still not know what to listen to. And there are millions of podcasts and most of them they just don't grab you. That's why I created Something you should know. Every episode is built around surprising, useful and fascinating ideas. We're consistently ranked in Apple's top 200 with thousands of five star reviews. But more importantly, people come back because they learn something interesting every time. If you're tired of searching and you just want something good to listen to, try one episode of Something you should know right here on the platform you're listening on right now.

[Ashley]

Hi listeners. We want to tell you about a podcast we love. It's called Rebel Girls, formerly known as Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. It's about real life women who are changing the world with their courage, creativity and big bold ideas. Want to know how Taylor Swift became a secret superstar? Or hear how Simone Biles became the greatest athlete of all time? From immersive stories to heartfelt interviews to super smart advice, Rebel Girls brings you stories that will get you fired up to become your best self. There are over 400 episodes for you to explore, with new episodes every week. So check it out. Listen to Rebel Girls wherever you get your podcasts and find us on YouTube.com/rebel girls. And whatever you do, stay rebel. Reality TV is messy, pop culture is louder than ever, and the Internet completely unhinged. Welcome to Roxanne and Chantel, the podcast where cousins Roxanne and Chantal break down reality tv, celebrity drama and the stories everyone's texting about. We recap the shows, spill the headlines, and sit down with the stars themselves. No filter, no boring. Takes just the tea. New episodes every week. If it's trending, we're talking about it. This is Roxanne and Chantel. Let's get into it. Oh, please, not that music. That music gives me nightmares from my childhood.

[Ricky]

Could we get something a little bit lighter? Some lighter music here?

[Ashley]

Are you a fan of true crime TV shows? And what about Unsolved Mysteries, the show

[Ricky]

that jump started all of our love of true crime?

[Ashley]

I'm Ellen Marsh.

[Ricky]

And I'm Joey Taranto.

[Ashley]

And we host I Think Not, a true crime comedy podcast covering some of the wildest stories from your favorite true crime campy TV shows all the way to Unsolved Mysteries, baby.

[Ricky]

You will laugh, you will cry. You'll think about true crime in a whole new way.

[Ashley]

And you'll also ask yourself, who gave these people mics? New episodes of I Think not are released every Wednesday, with bonus episodes out every Thursday on Patreon.

[Ricky]

And every Monday, you can listen to our True crime rundown where we go over the top true crime headlines of the week.

[Ashley]

So come and join us wherever you listen to your podcasts.