Podcast
Never Light Up A Room Podcast
Hosted by Never Light Up A Room Podcast · EN
We all know the cliche "they lit up a room". On this true crime podcast, we will explain why you should stay safe and never "light up a room"! We aim to shine a light on the well known cases as well as the overlooked or forgotten stories. Join us each week as we cover a new investigation and illuminate the darkness that surrounds us.
14episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 114: The Murder of Betsy Faria and Louis Gumpenberger
1w ago00:55:09Tap to summarizeElizabeth "Betsy" Faria, was a beloved wife, mother, and friend who was battling terminal cancer when her life was suddenly cut short. What initially appeared to be a straightforward investigation soon evolved into a complex saga involving allegations of deception, a wrongful conviction, and years of unanswered questions. Along the way, another life would be lost—that of Louis Gumpenberger, a vulnerable man living with disabilities who became entangled in a shocking chain of events. Together, the deaths of Betsy and Louis left their families searching for justice and transformed this case into one of the most extraordinary true crime stories in recent memory. Sources: First Alert 4 Staff; “Pam Hupp waives jury trial for no death penalty”; First Alert 4; April 28, 2026; https://www.firstalert4.com/2026/04/28/pam-hupp-waives-jury-trial-no-death-penalty/; accessed June 21, 2026. Cesaric, Corin; “Woman at Center of The Thing About Pam Miniseries Charged Again in Connection with Friend's Stabbing Death”; People; Oct 30, 2023; https://people.com/pam-hupp-charge-refiled-betsy-faria-stabbing-death-8384298; Access June 21, 2026. Mehrotra, Kriti; “Betsy Faria’s Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?”; TheCinemaholic; Mar 8, 2022; https://thecinemaholic.com/betsy-farias-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/; accessed June 21, 2026. Fraga, Kaleena; “The Story Of Pam Hupp, The Remorseless Killer Who Butchered Betsy Faria — Then Framed Her Husband”; All Thats Interesting; Mar 2, 2022; https://allthatsinteresting.com/pam-hupp; Accessed June 21, 2026. Carlin, Shannon; “Renée Zellweger Stars In The NBC Docudrama The Thing About Pam. Here's the True Story Behind the Series”; Time; Mar 9, 2022; https://time.com/6156033/the-thing-about-pam-renee-zellweger-true-story/; Accessed June 21, 2026. Reed, J.A.; “Untangling Betsy Faria’s murder: True story of ‘The thing about Pam’”; New York Post; April 2, 2022; https://nypost.com/2022/04/02/true-story-of-the-thing-about-pam-betsy-farias-murder/; accessed June 21, 2026. Farberov, Snejana; “Mother of disabled man who was shot and killed by Pam Hupp wins $3million wrongful death judgment after emotional testimony”; Daily Mail; July 17, 2020; https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-8535145/Mother-disabled-man-killed-Pam-Hupp-wins-3million-judgment.html; accessed June 21, 2026.
Transcribe →Episode 113: The Murder of Mia Zapata
2w ago00:45:46Tap to summarizeIn the summer of 1993, Seattle's thriving grunge scene was shaken by a tragedy that would leave a community searching for answers. Mia Zapata, the charismatic lead singer of the rising punk band The Gits, was on the verge of achieving her biggest dreams when her life was suddenly cut short. In this episode, we explore Mia's journey from aspiring musician to underground icon, the vibrant music scene that surrounded her, and the mystery that unfolded after one fateful night in Seattle. Sources: Campbell, Jean, “The Brutal and Slaying of a Rock Star on The Rise: The Killing of Mia Zapata”, Front Page detectives, August 13, 2021, https://www.frontpagedetectives.com/p/mia-zapata-death-murder-music-seattle-dna, Accessed June 14, 2026 Chiu, David, “Mia Zapata: Punk Musician Murdered in 1993, Changing Seattle Grunge Scene”, Rolling Stone, July 9, 2018, https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/mia-zapata-punk-musician-murdered-in-1993-changing-seattle-grunge-scene-694965/, Accessed June 13, 2026
Transcribe →Episode 112: The Murder of Suzanne Adams & The Death of Stein-Erik Soelberg
3w ago00:56:09Tap to summarizeIn August 2025, a shocking tragedy in an affluent Connecticut community ignited a national conversation about artificial intelligence, mental health, and accountability in the tech industry. At the center of the case were Suzanne Adams, a vibrant retired businesswoman, and her son, Stein-Erik Soalberg, a former tech manager whose struggles with addiction, paranoia, and mental illness had intensified over the years. As Stein-Erik became increasingly reliant on ChatGPT, family members say the chatbot evolved from a digital assistant into one of the most influential voices in his life. What followed would raise unsettling questions about the relationship between vulnerable users and highly personalized AI systems. The aftermath led to a groundbreaking lawsuit, with allegations that have sparked fierce debate. In this episode, we explore the lives behind the headlines and examine a case that could shape the future of artificial intelligence for years to come. Sources: Zilber, Ariel; “How ChatGPT fueled delusional man who killed mom, himself in posh Conn. Town"; New York Post; Aug 29, 2025; https://nypost.com/2025/08/29/business/ex-yahoo-exec-killed-his-mom-after-chatgpt-fed-his-paranoia-report/; accessed June 7, 2026. Gugliara, Sonya; “Wealthy realtor, 83, died in murder-suicide at her $2.8m home after son, 56, developed unhealthy obsession with his phone, lawsuit alleges”; Daily Mail; Dec 11, 2025; https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15374603/Greenwich-Connecticut-murder-suicide-chatgpt-lawsuit-suzanne-adams.html; accessed June 7, 2026. Devine, Lucy; “Ex-Yahoo exec 'killed his mom and himself' after months of disturbing conversations with ChatGPT”; Unilad; Aug 30, 2025; https://www.unilad.com/news/steinerik-soelberg-suzanne-adams-death-chatgpt-conversations-611991-20250830; Accessed June 7, 2026. Collins, Dave; O’Brien, Matt; Ortutay, Barbara; “Open AI, Microsoft face lawsuit over ChatGPT’s alleged role in Connecticut murder-suicide"; AP News; Dec 11, 2025; https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatgpt-wrongful-death-lawsuit-greenwich-97fd7da31c0fa08f3d3ea9efd6713151; accessed June 7, 2026.
Transcribe →Episode 111: The Murder of Rebecca Schaeffer
Jun 300:43:26Tap to summarizeA rising young sitcom star with a bright future ahead of her is gunned down at her own front door, sending shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond. What began as harmless fan mail slowly spiraled into a terrifying obsession that exposed just how vulnerable celebrities could be behind the scenes. In this episode, we unravel the tragic story of Rebecca Schaeffer, the warning signs that were missed, and the case that would forever change stalking laws in America. Sources: Silverman, Leah, “Inside Rebecca Schaeffer’s Murder At The Hands Of Her Stalker”, All Thats Interesting, December 29, 2023, https://allthatsinteresting.com/rebecca-schaeffer, Accessed May 28, 2026 Gurley, Alex, “Rebecca Schaeffer Was Preparing to Audition for Francis Ford Coppola When an Obsessed Fan Killed Her. Inside the Chilling Crime”, People, July 18, 2025, https://people.com/rebecca-schaeffer-death-everything-to-know-11766223, Accessed May 28, 2026 Mehrotra, Kriti, “Rebecca Schaeffer Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?”, The Cinemaholic, August 20, 2021, https://thecinemaholic.com/rebecca-schaeffer-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/, Accessed May 28, 2026
Transcribe →Leave the Light On May 2026
Jun 101:36:48Tap to summarizeWe're back with our twenty seventh Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know!References: Russo, Christine; “"Dom and Davion's Law" - Victims Before Influencers: Modernize Son of Sam Laws”; Change.ord; https://www.change.org/p/dom-and-davion-s-law-victims-before-influencers-modernize-son-of-sam-laws; accessed May 30, 2026. Sederstrom, Jill; “Mackenzie Shirilla’s Dad Placed on Administrative Leave From School After Speaking Out”; Oxygen True Crime; May 19, 2026; https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/mackenzie-shirillas-dad-steve-shirilla-put-on-administrative-leave; accessed May 31, 2026. Osborne, Mark; “Alex Murdaugh murder convictions overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court, new trial ordered”; CBS News; May 13, 2026; https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alex-murdaugh-murder-convictions-overturned-south-carolina-new-trial/; accessed May 30, 2026 Vaidyanathan, Vaishnavi; “Stabbing at NBHA Las Vegas show? Multiple horses reportedly injured in shocking incident”; Hindustan Times; May 30, 2026; https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/news/stabbing-at-nbha-las-vegas-show-multiple-horses-reportedly-injured-in-shocking-incident/ar-AA24rqqH?ocid=BingNewsSerp; accessed May 30, 2026.
Transcribe →Episode 110: The Yuba County 5
May 2701:21:35Tap to summarize5 friends. One basketball game. And a late-night drive that ended with their car abandoned deep in the snowy mountains of Northern California. In this episode, we unravel the haunting mystery of the Yuba County 5 , a case filled with baffling decisions, missed opportunities, eerie sightings, and questions that have remained unanswered for decades. Sources Gorney, Cynthia; “5 'Boys' Who Never Come Back”; The Washington Post; July 5, 1978; https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1978/07/06/5-boys-who-never-come-back/; accessed May 24, 2026. Dillon, Lauren; “What Happened to the Yuba County Five?”; Historic Mysteries; Nov 15, 2022; https://www.historicmysteries.com/unexplained-mysteries/yuba-county-five/28692/; accessed May 24, 2026. “When the System Breaks – The Yuba County Five Investigation”; Veriarch; Aug 13, 2025; https://veriarch.com/jurisdictional-chaos-yuba-county-five-investigation; accessed May 24, 2026. “The mysterious case of the Yuba County Five”; Strange Outdoors; June 2024; https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/mysterious-stories-blog/2017/12/7/mathias-group-from-yuba-city; accessed May 24, 2026. Morgan, Amber; “Inside The Bewildering Case Of The Yuba County Five And Their Unsolved Disappearance”; All That’s Interesting; April 25, 2023; https://allthatsinteresting.com/yuba-county-five; accessed May 24, 2026.
Transcribe →Episode 109: The Disappearance of Joan Risch
May 2000:50:34Tap to summarizeOn a quiet October afternoon in 1961, 31-year-old Joan Risch vanished from her home in Lincoln, leaving behind a scene that investigators still can’t fully explain. Blood was found smeared across the kitchen, the phone had been ripped from the wall, and strange sightings of a disoriented woman nearby only deepened the mystery. More than 60 years later, the disappearance of Joan Risch remains one of the most chilling unsolved cases in Massachusetts history. Sources: Kabra, Prathamesh, “What Really Happened to Joan Risch, the Massachusetts Housewife Who Vanished Without a Trace in 1961?”, Thar Tribune, August 15th, 2025, https://thartribune.com/what-really-happened-to-joan-risch-the-massachusetts-housewife-who-vanished-without-a-trace-in-1961/, Accessed May 18th, 2026 “Joan Carolyn Risch” The Charlie Project, Last updated December 5, 2018, https://charleyproject.org/case/joan-carolyn-risch, Accessed May 18th, 2026 City Towner, “The Disappearance of Joan Risch in Lincoln Massachusetts” City Towner, September 26, 2024, https://citytowner.com/lincoln-ma-joan-risch-disappearance/, Accessed May 18th, 2026
Transcribe →Episode 108: Chicago Tylenol Murders
May 1401:16:49Tap to summarizeIn September 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after taking cyanide-laced Extra Strength Tylenol capsules, sparking one of the most infamous unsolved murder cases in American history. The victims ranged from a 12-year-old girl to parents and working professionals, all unknowingly poisoned after using a trusted over-the-counter medication. As panic spread, Johnson & Johnson issued a nationwide recall and introduced tamper-proof packaging that permanently changed the pharmaceutical industry. Investigators pursued multiple suspects over the years, but no one has ever been charged with the murders. In this episode, we examine the victims, the investigation, the leading theories, and the lasting impact of the Tylenol murders. Sources: Ganger, Brigitte; “Remembering the Victims of the Chicago Tylenol Murders”; Beyond the Dash; Sept 29, 2021; https://beyondthedash.com/blog/remembering/remembering-the-victims-chicago-tylenol-murders/7360; accessed May 9, 2026. Petros, Michael; “People, politics and poison: the Tylenol® murders revisited forty years later”; The University of Illinois Chicago; May 31, 2022; https://publichealth.uic.edu/news-stories/people-politics-and-poison-the-tylenol-murders-revisited-forty-years-later/; accessed May 9, 2026. Simpson, Michael Lee; “POISONED PILL My cop dad’s deathbed confession to the 7 unsolved Tylenol murders tore me apart – he left key evidence for me to find”; The U.S. Sun; Sept 28, 2025; https://www.the-sun.com/news/15253060/tylenol-murders-chicago-cops-deathbed-confession/; accessed May 9, 2026. Waxman, Olivia B.; Netflix's Tylenol Murders Doc Dives Into a Chilling Unsolved Crime; Time; May 26, 2025; https://time.com/7287680/tylenol-murders-documentary-netflix/; accessed May 10, 2026. “Who Committed the Tylenol Murders? After More Than 40 Years, the Case Remains Unsolved.”; WTTW; https://www.wttw.com/chicago-stories/inside-the-tylenol-murders/who-committed-the-tylenol-murders; accessed May 10, 2026. Clark, Josh; Dove, Laurie L.; “10 Notable Copycat Killers”; How Stuff Works; June 7, 2024; https://people.howstuffworks.com/5-copycat-killers.htm; accessed May 10, 2026. “Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol Crisis: A Lesson in Ethical Crisis Management”; Journalism.University; Jan 24, 2026; https://journalism.university/media-ethics-and-laws/tylenol-crisis-ethical-management-lessons/; accessed May 10, 2026.
Transcribe →Leave the Light On April 2026
May 701:06:14Tap to summarizeWe're back with our twenty sixth Leave the Light On episode where we recap the cases covered in the previous month, discuss true crime headlines from the month, and give you a sneak peak at what is coming up in the next month. If we know!References: Acevedo, Nicole; “DNA testing confirms Ted Bundy killed Utah teen in 1974 cold case”; NBC News; April 1, 2026; https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dna-testing-confirms-utah-teen-was-killed-ted-bundy-1974-rcna266279; access April 28, 2026. Sheehan, Kevin; Cruz, Brandon; Propper, David; Fitz-Gibbon, Jorge; “Smirking Gilgo serial killer reveals how he murdered 8 victims as their horrified relatives gasp in court during guilty plea”; New York Post; April 8, 2026; https://nypost.com/2026/04/08/us-news/gilgo-beach-slayings-expected-to-end-with-accused-serial-killer-rex-heuermanns-guilty-plea/; accessed April 28, 2026.
Transcribe →Episode 107: The Disappearance and Murder of Dorothy Scott
Apr 2900:48:02Tap to summarizeAfter taking a coworker to the hospital one night in 1980, Dorothy Jane Scott stepped into a parking lot and vanished without a trace. In the weeks before she disappeared, she had been receiving unsettling calls from someone who seemed to know her every move, calls that didn’t stop after she was gone. As the mystery deepens, one question lingers: who was watching Dorothy, and why did they never let her go?Sources: Vanapalli, Viswa “Dorothy Scott Murder: How Did She Die? Who Killed Her?”, The Cinemaholic, October 17, 2021, https://thecinemaholic.com/dorothy-scott-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/, Accessed April 23, 2026 Kettler, Sara, “A Single Mom Was Captured from a Hospital Parking Lot After Receiving Calls from a Stalker”, A&E, January 27, 2026, https://www.aetv.com/articles/dorothy-jane-scott-killed-stalker-cold-case, Accessed April 23, 2026 Nucleus, “#0220 Dorothy Scott Orange County Murder Mystery”, True Crime Database, November 7,2020, https://www.thetruecrimedatabase.com/case_file/dorothy-scott/, Accessed April 23,2026
Transcribe →