Podcast
Once Upon A Crime
Hosted by Esther Ludlow · EN
Step into the darker side of history with Once Upon A Crime, a true-crime podcast that delves deep into some of the world’s most gripping cases. Hosted by an expert storyteller, Esther Ludlow, each episode unravels the mysteries behind notorious crimes, exploring the lives of victims, perpetrators, and the intricate details of the investigations that followed. With carefully researched narratives, thematic series, and thoughtful insights, Once Upon A Crime offers listeners a captivating blend of suspense, history, and human psychology. Whether you're a seasoned true-crime fan or just curious about the stories that shaped headlines, Once Upon A Crime promises to keep you on the edge of your seat.
33episodes
Episodes
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Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Four: Reckoning
Mar 300:28:46Tap to summarizeIn the final chapter of Ted Bundy for the Defense, the mask comes off.After the shocking courtroom moment in which Bundy cross-examined first responders and forced graphic testimony about the Chi Omega crime scene, the trial shifts decisively in the prosecution’s favor. Survivors take the stand. Forensic evidence tightens the noose. And Bundy—convinced he is the smartest man in every room—continues to grandstand, clash with his attorneys, and challenge the judge.Instead of saving himself, he helps convict himself.In this episode, we follow the full arc of Bundy’s reckoning:The devastating prosecution case in the Chi Omega murdersBundy’s tantrums and power plays in courtThe guilty verdict and death sentenceThe overwhelming evidence in the murder of 12-year-old Kimberly LeachThe bizarre courtroom marriage to Carol BooneYears of appeals, delays, and manipulation from Death RowBundy’s final “bones-for-time” confessionsHis last interview, last phone calls, and executionAt the center of it all is Bundy’s pathological need for control—over the media, over his attorneys, over the court, over the narrative, and even over the memory of his victims.This is the episode where Ted Bundy stops being a media myth and is revealed for what he truly was.The reckoning.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.A Light in the Dark: Surviving More than Ted Bundy, Kathy Kleiner Rubin and Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Chicago Review Press, 2024.Theodore Robert Bundy vs. State of Florida, Supreme Court of Florida, No. 59,128. May 9, 1985. | https://library.law.fsu.edu/Digital-Collections/flsupct/dockets/59128/op-59128.pd“Bundy: Is this quiet, polite, intelligent man a mass murderer?,” The Orlando Sentinel, December 24, 1978. Accessed on newspapers.com | https://www.newspapers.com/image/225594506/?clipping_id=new“Bundy: Attorney, Witness, and Defendant,” The Miami News, July 6, 1979. Accessed on newspapers.com | https://www.newspapers.com/image/302743129/?match=1&terms=Bundy%3A%20Attorney%2C%20Witness%20and%20Defendant%20 About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Sponsors: Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.comCrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Three: Unhinged
Feb 2400:27:32Tap to summarizeAfter escaping from a Colorado jail, Ted Bundy fled to Florida — and unraveled.In this episode, we follow Bundy’s path to Tallahassee, the brutal Chi Omega sorority house murders, the attack on Cheryl Thomas, the abduction of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach, and Bundy’s eventual arrest in Pensacola after 46 days on the run.Gone is the methodical charmer of the Pacific Northwest. In his place: a reckless, frenzied killer who has lost control.About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.Sponsors: Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.comCrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com OUAC Merchandise Shop - https://onceuponacrime.dashery.comYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Other Ted Bundy: Suspicion, Denial, and the Warnings That Came Too Early
Feb 1000:14:58Tap to summarizeIn the summer of 1974, Seattle was gripped by fear as young women disappeared and witnesses began describing a polite man named “Ted” and his tan Volkswagen. As newspapers cautiously reported on a possible suspect, few believed the man they were describing could be dangerous.He looked like a law student. A volunteer. Someone people trusted.In this Once Upon a Crime minisode, we examine Ted Bundy before his trials—through the people who knew him best and the warning signs that surfaced long before his name became infamous.About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Next up in Part Three:The Chi Omega sorority house attacks, the assault on Cheryl Thomas, and the final unraveling of Ted Bundy’s carefully constructed persona.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.Sponsors: Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.com - Use our discount code BEYOND-OUAC. CrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com - Use our discount code ONCE. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ted Bundy for the Defense - Part Two: The Mask Cracks
Feb 300:25:10Tap to summarizeIn Part Two of Ted Bundy for the Defense, we follow Ted Bundy from his first arrest in Utah through conviction, psychological evaluation, escalating murder charges, and the escape attempts that would ultimately unleash his most violent crimes.About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Next up in Part Three:The Chi Omega sorority house attacks, the assault on Cheryl Thomas, and the final unraveling of Ted Bundy’s carefully constructed persona.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.Sponsors: Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Events & Appearances:Meet Esther and Lorena in person at:Beyond the Crime Convention – Albuquerque, NM | April 11–12 - beyondcrimeconvention.comCrimeCon – Las Vegas, NV | May 29–31 - crimecon.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Bonus Episode - Bill Mann - “The Black Dahlia” follow-up interview - The Suspect
Jan 2700:41:48Tap to summarizeA recent Los Angeles Times article has reignited worldwide interest in the Black Dahlia murder, spotlighting an amateur sleuth’s theory that attempts to link the case to the Zodiac Killer—and naming Marvin Margolis as a “new” prime suspect.But Marvin Margolis is not new.In this bonus episode, we’re joined once again by author William J. Mann, whose extensively researched new book, Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood, is released today. Long before the headlines, Mann identified Margolis as the strongest—and most credible—suspect in the history of the case.In this follow-up interview, Mann responds directly to the recent media coverage, clarifies what his investigation does and does not support, and explains why decades of armchair detective theories have often missed the mark.This episode cuts through the noise to restore context, credit, and clarity—placing today’s headlines against the backdrop of years of original investigative work.Listen to the Once Upon a Crime series, Broken: The Black Dahlia Murderhttps://www.truecrimepodcast.com/introducing-broken-the-black-dahlia-murder-a-once-upon-a-crime-original-series/About the Book:Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood By William J. Mann Available now wherever books are soldGuest:William J. Mann Author of Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywoodwilliamjmann.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ted Bundy for the Defense – Part One: Beginnings
Jan 2000:24:43Tap to summarizeIn Ted Bundy for the Defense: Part One, we examine the earliest confirmed crimes of Ted Bundy and the investigation that led to his first conviction.This episode follows Bundy’s documented attacks beginning in 1974, starting with the brutal assault of Karen Sparks and the murder of University of Washington student Lynda Ann Healy. As young women continue to disappear across Washington State, investigators begin to notice a disturbing pattern—college-aged victims with similar physical characteristics, abducted under similar circumstances.We track Bundy’s movements from Washington to Utah and Colorado, including the Lake Sammamish abductions that introduced the “Ted” suspect and his relocation to Utah as law enforcement closed in. The episode details the disappearances and murders of Nancy Wilcox, Melissa Anne Smith, Laura Aime, and others, highlighting how Bundy’s crimes escalated while investigators struggled to connect cases across state lines.Part One also explores Bundy’s personal life and psychology—his unstable academic career, rejection from elite law schools, political ambitions, and turbulent romantic relationships—and how these failures fueled a growing sense of entitlement and resentment.The episode concludes with the attempted kidnapping of Carol DaRonch, her survival and identification of Bundy, his arrest in Utah, and his 1976 conviction for aggravated kidnapping—marking the first time Ted Bundy was held criminally accountable.Sources: The Bundy Murders: A Comprehensive History, Kevin M. Sullivan, McFarland and Company, 2020 (Second Edition).Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers, Caroline Fraser, Penguin Press, 2025. The Devil’s Defender, John Henry Browne, Chicago Review Press, 2016.A Light in the Dark: Surviving More than Ted Bundy, Kathy Kleiner Rubin and Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Chicago Review Press, 2024. https://www.aetv.com/articles/most-bizarre-moments-ted-bundy-murder-trialshttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/why-narcissistic-killers-like-ted-bundy-choose-to-represent-themselves-in-court/ar-AA1RPSDrhttps://youtu.be/KcBBevSoOmQ?si=jU9iGq1m0dfwP-2chttps://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/articles/killer-who-defended-himself-unique-and-very-public-trial-ted-bundyhttps://johndrogerslaw.com/ted-bundys-criminal-trials-a-detailed-examination/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/12/10/archives/allamerican-boy-on-trial-ted-bundy.htmlhttps://www.crimelibrary.org/criminal_mind/psychology/defending_oneself/7.htmlhttps://www.esquire.com/entertainment/a27375563/ted-bundy-trial-lawyer-true-story/Sponsors: Completing the Puzzle: Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card.Weight Loss by Hers: Visit ForHers.com/ONCE to get a personalized, affordable plan to reach your goals. Talkiatry: Head to talkiatry.com/once and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in minutes.Links: Beyond the Crime Convention - beyondcrimeconvention.com. April 11th & 12th, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Use discount code BEYOND-OUAC. CrimeCon 2026 - crimecon.com/CC26 - May 29th - 31st, Las Vegas. Use our discount code ONCE. About This Series:Ted Bundy for the Defense examines Ted Bundy’s criminal cases through the lens of his courtroom behavior and his insistence on controlling his own fate. This series separates myth from fact, focusing on documented evidence, trial records, and survivor testimony.Coming Next:In Part Two, investigators uncover crucial forensic evidence linking Bundy to additional murders, while Bundy grows increasingly confident in his ability to outsmart the justice system—setting the stage for his most reckless decision yet.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ted Bundy for the Defense - The Myth on Trial
Jan 1300:13:59Tap to summarizeTed Bundy is often remembered as charming, intelligent, and dangerously persuasive—a serial killer who outsmarted investigators and manipulated everyone around him. But how much of that story is myth?In this introductory episode of Ted Bundy for the Defense, we set the stage for a three-part series that examines Bundy not through the lens of legend, but through the courtroom—where his greatest gamble wasn’t murder, but his decision to represent himself.Bundy believed he was smarter than his attorneys, smarter than prosecutors, and smarter than the system itself. That belief would lead him to take control of his own defense in multiple trials across three states—Utah, Colorado, and Florida—with consequences he never fully grasped.We’ll begin by debunking some of the most persistent myths surrounding Ted Bundy, including his so-called charisma, his alleged brilliance, and the idea that he was always one step ahead of law enforcement. We’ll also preview the most disturbing and surreal moments from his trials—moments where Bundy used cross-examinations to force witnesses to describe the aftermath of his crimes in graphic detail, stunning jurors and revealing far more about Bundy than he intended.This series isn’t about glorifying a killer. It’s about exposing how arrogance, control, and self-delusion helped lead Ted Bundy to the electric chair.Coming Up in This Series:Part One: We trace Bundy’s crimes from the early 1970s through his 1976 Utah trial for the attempted kidnapping of Carol DaRonch—the first time Bundy insisted on defending himself in court, and the first major crack in his self-image.Part Two: As investigators in the Pacific Northwest quietly connect the dots between multiple murders, Bundy is arrested in Colorado for the murder of Caryn Campbell. Given access to a law library while preparing his own defense, Bundy makes a decision that allows him to escape—again—and flee to Florida.Part Three: We follow Bundy to Florida, where his violence escalates with the Chi Omega sorority house murders, the attack on Cheryl Thomas, and the murder of twelve-year-old Kimberly Leach. The series concludes with Bundy’s capital murder trials in 1979 and 1980, where his courtroom performances ultimately become his undoing.Ted Bundy for the Defense explores what happens when a defendant becomes his own worst enemy—and when belief in one’s own brilliance proves fatal.Sponsors: This episode was brought to you by:Completing the Puzzle - Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card. Because no one’s been murdered while doing a puzzle. See a list of all our sponsors and discount codes on our website:https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/sponsors/Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Our Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcastVisit the new OUAC MERCH SHOP! Shop now at onceuponacrime.dashery.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Interview: Crystal Gutierrez on the Disappearance of Anthonette Cayedito
Jan 900:30:15Tap to summarizeIn this special bonus episode of Once Upon a Crime, Esther sits down with journalist and investigator Crystal Gutierrez to discuss the missing persons case she and her team are actively investigating. The disappearance of 9-year-old Anthonette Cayedito, who vanished from her home in Gallup, New Mexico, in 1986.Crystal shares what it’s like to reinvestigate a decades-old disappearance, what keeps this case at the forefront of public memory, and why awareness still matters. Esther and Crystal also talk about the upcoming Beyond the Crime Convention, returning for its second year in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Esther will be a featured speaker.Case DiscussedAnthonette Cayedito (Age 9) Missing from Gallup, New Mexico — April 6, 1986📺 Anthonette Cayedito 911 Call (Video) https://youtu.be/sICCy_hOmKU?si=OYMNictYwHKELTrrFollow Crystal Gutierrez📌 Crystal Gutierrez on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CrystalGutierrezTVSubmit TipsIf you have information about Anthonette Cayedito’s disappearance, please email tips to: 📩 info@beyondthecase.comBeyond the Crime ConventionThe Beyond the Crime Convention returns for its second year in Albuquerque, New Mexico — featuring speakers, creators, investigators, and advocates focused on cases that still need answers.📍 Location: Albuquerque, NM 📅 Dates: April 11–12 🎤 Esther (Host of Once Upon a Crime) will be a featured speaker📸 Convention Instagram https://www.instagram.com/beyondcrimeconvention/🎟️ Discount Code for Tickets ✅ BEYOND-OUACSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcribe →Bonus: John Wayne Gacy: A Case Review & Peacock’s “Devil in Disguise”
Dec 1600:19:16Tap to summarizeIn this bonus episode of Once Upon a Crime, Esther revisits the horrific crimes of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, often referred to as “The Killer Clown,” and reviews the 2025 Peacock docu-drama Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. The episode explores Gacy’s background, his crimes, the investigation's failures, and how the new series approaches the case from a victim-centered perspective.🔍 Episode OverviewA concise but comprehensive summary of John Wayne Gacy’s life, early red flags, criminal history, and escalation into serial murder.A breakdown of the 1978 investigation that led to the discovery of 33 victims and Gacy’s eventual arrest.Key points from Gacy’s trial, sentencing, and 1994 execution after 14 years on death row.Esther’s review of the 2025 Peacock TV series, Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy:How the series differs from past portrayalsWhy its victim-focused storytelling stands outWhat is factually accurate and what is dramatizedA discussion of additional theories, research, and case details not included in the series.📚 Sources & Further ReadingDevil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy (2025), Peacock TV / Littleton Road Productions Creator & Showrunner: Patrick McManusRolling Stone – “Four Things ‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ Leaves Out” Elisabeth Garber-Paul (Oct 24, 2025)EBSCO Knowledge Advantage: John Wayne Gacy – Research StartersPeople Magazine – “‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ — What’s Fact, What’s Fiction?” Caroline Blair (Oct 20, 2025)This episode was brought to you by:Completing the Puzzle - Go to CompletingthePuzzle.com and use code OUAC for $10 off your first puzzle subscription box or gift card. Because no one’s been murdered while doing a puzzle. Shop our OUAC MERCH SHOP holiday sale! For a limited time, get up to 27% off all products — including $16 tees — during our Holiday Sale. But hurry, deals end December 15th! Place your order by the 15th for delivery before Christmas. Shop now at onceuponacrime.dashery.com.✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽 We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crime fans on an unforgettable adventure.Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!📝 Connect With the ShowHave thoughts about the series or the case? Want more bonus reviews? Let Esther know on social media or at truecrimepodcast.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder — Bonus Episode: Series Wrap-Up + Q&A
Dec 801:17:14Tap to summarizeIn this special bonus episode, Esther and producer Lorena answer listener questions and share their own reflections after a six-week deep dive into the life, death, and murder of Elizabeth Short.Topics include: • Who the real Elizabeth Short was versus the myth of “The Black Dahlia” • Whether her killer was someone she knew or a stranger • Whether the murderer had medical training • The possibility of solving the case today with DNA • Theories on whether more than one person was involvedEsther and Lorena also discuss what surprised them most during the series, how their theories have evolved, and why this case still grips us nearly 80 years later.Subscribe and stay tuned for more deep-dive true crime investigations.📚 SourcesSevered: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder by John GilmoreThe Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood by William J. Mann (upcoming)👉 Pre-order the book here: Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury HollywoodTo explore more of William J. Mann’s fascinating work — including his previous bestsellers and a calendar of upcoming appearances — visit his author page on Simon & Schuster.Shop our OUAC MERCH SHOP holiday sale! For a limited time, get up to 27% off all products — including $16 tees — during our Holiday Sale. But hurry, deals end December 15th! Place your order by the 15th for delivery before Christmas. Shop now at onceuponacrime.dashery.com.✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽 We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crime fans on an unforgettable adventure.Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!🔗 Click here to learn more and book your spot now!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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