Lords of Death: Culpable – "The Kid in the Cornfield"

Podcast by Tenderfoot TV & Audacy | Host: Dennis Cooper | Release Date: September 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode, the season opener of Culpable's fourth season, unpacks the mysterious 1995 murder of 17-year-old Danny Violet in Dayton, Ohio—a case shrouded in silence and confusion for over a quarter-century. Host Dennis Cooper, after stumbling upon the cold case via a listener’s email, embarks on an investigative journey that explores not only the facts but also the emotional toll the unsolved crime has had on Danny's family, friends, and the rural community. With the backdrop of '80s/'90s Ohio and a climate of fear colored by the era's "Satanic Panic," the episode sets the stage for an exploration of memory, rumor, and an ongoing quest for closure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Revisiting the Crime Scene

• Opening in the Field: Dennis, accompanied by Danielle and Eric Allen, Drew Violet (Danny’s brother), and others, returns to the now-barren field where Danny was found. Through measurements, they reconstruct the possible positioning tied to the original crime scene.
  • [03:00] Dennis Cooper: "I'm standing at the edge of a cornfield. At least that's what it used to be some 25 years ago. Of course, things change with time..."
• Local Importance: The field is a local reference point for the town's collective memory of the tragedy.
  • [03:51] Dennis Cooper: "...any of the locals passing by should have an idea. You see, this area is far more significant than it appears."
• Initial Discovery: The host sets the gravity—26 years since Danny vanished—before revealing the family’s ongoing pain.
  • [04:16] Dennis Cooper: "Many years ago, a farmer made a gruesome discovery right here within feet of where we're standing. Today marks 26 years since 17-year-old Danny Violette went missing. His family still wants to know how."

2. The Cold Case & Initial Investigation

• Stagnating Leads: There has been nearly no progress since the murder, with aging memories and degraded evidence.
  • [04:36] Dennis Cooper: "To this day, no one knows how Danny ended up dead in that cornfield or who's responsible... But what if we could go back, back to the moment it happened?”
• Theories & Hopes: Drew and Dennis discuss the family's collected rumors and documentation, but challenge what is fact and what is fiction.
• Police & Community Dynamics: Early police interviews showcase the community’s involvement and teenagers’ burden in helping solve the crime.
  • [26:51] Interviewer: "The reason that you're brought up here is because you were one of the... You're a friend of Daniel's... You guys are the only ones who are gonna be able to find out who did this."

3. Danny's Life – Honest Reflections from the Family

• Brotherly Bond: Drew Violet provides an unvarnished perspective on Danny: a well-liked but troubled teen who was also fiercely protective and athletic.
  • [10:37] Drew Violet: “He was one of those kids who just got into a lot of trouble... But… his best quality was his protective nature.”
• Wrestling & Ambitions: Danny excelled in wrestling, earning respect and posthumous recognition.
  • [11:46] Drew Violet: “His all-time goal was to be the state champ… Coach Todd Fox named an award after him called the Danny Violet Most Improved Wrestler Award...”
• Warning Against Addiction: Danny leaves a profound impact on his younger brother by candidly warning him against following a destructive path.
  • [12:50] Drew Violet: “...Danny sat me down and said… 'These drugs and alcohol and everything that I'm doing, he goes, I can't help it. Don't do any of this, like, ever.' So I went until I was 35 before I had a single sip of alcohol. Based specifically on that conversation…”

4. The Final Days and Family Trauma

• Last Interactions: Parents recall seemingly routine interactions before Danny’s disappearance; subtle cues hint at Danny being in distress.
  • [19:28] Eric Violet (Father): “It was at night, was getting ready to go to bed and… that's the last time I saw him… I said, 'Hey, maybe I'll see you at the football game.' And he said 'okay.'”
  • [20:28] Jane Violet (Mother): “Danny, where have you been?... He just said, 'I don't know,' just not very coherent… he felt clammy, he didn't feel right. So I had him sit down and I got him a bowl of cereal... And when I got back, he was gone."
• Family Searches: The Violets spend frantic days searching, filing a missing report, and experiencing the heartbreak of a false school sighting.
• Loss and Grief: The family and community are deeply affected, as shown in reactions at the funeral and memorials.
  • [28:54] Drew Violet (emotionally): “That's about the only thing I remember from Dana's funeral was looking at her and just like... Sorry. Just having to block her out, seeing how upset she was.”
  • [29:32] Jane Violet: “I couldn't believe at the funeral, how many kids were there... it meant a lot. It really did.”

5. The Official Case File & Renewed Push for Answers

• Obtaining Case Documents: After years of inaction, Drew Violet and Danielle Allen manage to secure the official police file.
  • [40:10] Drew Violet: “Getting Danny's case file was no easy feat, but it was something Drew felt strongly about... He wanted to see all the work that went into solving it...”
• Community and Persistence: Danielle Allen describes the incremental, persistent advocacy on Danny’s behalf, refusing to let the case fade into obscurity.
  • [41:16] Danielle Allen: “…it's no more waiting for you to wake up one day and decide, today's the day I'm gonna actually look into Danny's case. Like, that's not happening. So no matter what they do or don't do, we're just gonna keep doing our own thing... Only we can do that for him now.”

6. Frustration with Lack of Resolution

• Emotional Press Conference (2014): Years later, the Violet family still pleads for help; both police and prosecutors express their frustration and resignation.
  • [34:54] Jane Violet: “We, as the family of Danny Violet, plead with anybody who knows anything to come forward. It's been a long time and we haven't known...”
  • [36:32] Jane Violet: “It's terrible to lose a child under any circumstances, but it just compounds it when you don't know what happened, when it's a mystery...”
  • [36:59] Dennis Cooper, quoting prosecutor Russell Lefler: “‘It's an unsolved homicide as far as this office is concerned. I'm not sure it's solvable because it's old.’”

7. Theories & Next Steps (Preview of Season)

• Multiple Suspicions: The episode closes with unresolved speculation:
  • Was Danny's death a drug-related accident, a reckless accident gone wrong, or a deliberate act?
  • Did someone move his body out of fear or guilt?
  • Was the odd scene – torn cash, missing shirt, tire marks – a staged aftermath?
  • Is someone in the community still protecting the truth?
• Danielle and Drew's Determination: The season promises methodical digging into these threads, combining police reports, interviews, and personal investigation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Danny’s Character
  • [11:08] Drew Violet: "He and I were very, very close… his best quality was his protective nature."
• On Family Grief
  • [29:32] Jane Violet: "His friends were very devastated. They've all been impacted a lot. I couldn't believe at the funeral, how many kids were there..."
• On Community Advocacy
  • [41:16] Danielle Allen: "Whatever happened, Danny, he can't stick up for himself. Only we can do that for him now. And that drives me to get the right people and to combine together and be his voice, because he can't."
• On Law Enforcement’s Frustration
  • [36:59] Dennis Cooper, quoting prosecutor Russell Lefler: "It's been an ongoing thing. We'd like to help them. This is the one case that has stuck in my crawl."
• On The Push for Answers
  • [34:54] Jane Violet: "We, as the family of Danny Violet, plead with anybody who knows anything to come forward... we would love to be able to give [his siblings] some information so that they can have a better understanding along with us."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:00–04:16]: Revisiting the original scene; the gravity of Danny's murder.
• [10:37–12:11]: Drew Violet's candid portrayal of his brother and the impact on family.
• [14:22–15:27]: Crime scene details per family’s records—neck lacerations, tire marks, missing clothing, torn money.
• [19:28–20:28]: Parents on last interactions with Danny; hints of distress.
• [22:12–23:58]: The toll of Danny’s disappearance, the anguish of false hope.
• [28:54–29:32]: Funeral trauma and the community’s emotional reaction.
• [34:54–36:32]: 16-year-later press conference with Violet family pleas and legal pessimism.
• [40:10–42:03]: The successful effort to obtain the full police file.
• [43:02–43:31]: Closing questions previewing the rest of the series.

Tone & Style

The episode is deeply empathetic, reflective, and determined. The narrative voice is both investigative and compassionate, blending meticulous examination of evidence with lived experience and emotional honesty directly from those affected.

In Summary

“The Kid in the Cornfield” establishes the foundational mystery of Danny Violet’s unsolved homicide while giving listeners a nuanced, human portrait of the victim and his family’s struggle. Through a mix of field reporting, archival audio, and honest conversations, Dennis Cooper and his collaborators promise a season focused on persistence, transparency, and the belief that cold cases can still be thawed—if enough people care to remember, search, and speak.