Real Life Real Crime | #JusticeForBradley Ep 2 Encore

Host: Woody Overton
Guest: Morgan Baggot
Date: November 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode continues the in-depth chronicle of the unsolved disappearance of Bradley Striesner as part of the #JusticeForBradley series on Real Life Real Crime. Host Woody Overton and Bradley’s ex-wife, Morgan Baggot, revisit critical developments in the case, including the community response, investigative challenges, law enforcement actions, and persistent rumors surrounding Bradley’s fate. Morgan details her shift from concerned family member to tireless advocate for justice, highlighting the struggles and barriers faced in rural, small-town crime investigations. The episode sets up the discovery of a mysterious letter and teases major revelations for the next installment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Thanksgiving Slump and Ongoing Advocacy

• Woody acknowledges the time of year: Notes holidays typically slow podcast traffic but asserts the Bradley case momentum continues thanks to dedicated listeners and tip lines.

• Encouragement to keep tips coming: He reminds listeners the Vernon Parish community is feeling “the heat” as the case receives attention, and reminds the audience of their role in crowd-sourcing information.

• Quote – Woody:
  “Y’all keep the information flowing... We’re still working the case... We’re gonna get justice and we’re going to continue to work.” (05:00)

Cold Case Timeline & Critical Early Actions

• Morgan recounts the early days:

  • Bradley borrowed his girlfriend Chelsea’s (actually, her grandmother’s) car and went missing after visiting Sandy Hill—a known rough area outside the now-renamed Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk).
  • His struggles with addiction and erratic but loving relationship with his family set the scene—familial concern initially dampened by his pattern of going missing.
  • The car was recovered near Shady Oaks Trailer Park, unlocked with keys inside. Initially, there was little suspicion.

• Woody and Morgan clarify timelines:

  • The missing persons report was filed six days after last contact.
  • Early family responses were generally unconcerned, chalking up Bradley’s absence to his past behavior.
  • After weeks and no word, concern grew as all rumors and supposed sightings proved unfounded.

• Quote – Morgan:
  “There come a point after a couple of weeks where we’re all, like, ‘Did you hear from Bradley?’ No. Nobody has. Okay. So I slowly start to get concerned, and then just information starts coming in.” (18:15)

Boots-On-the-Ground Investigation: Morgan’s Role

• Morgan’s transformation from family to investigator:

  • Heavily pregnant, she canvasses Sandy Hill with flyers, talking to locals, following every rumor, sometimes facing open hostility or stonewalling.
  • Unusual silence from certain people (e.g., Jason and Danielle) stands out against the broader community’s willingness to talk.

• Quote – Morgan:
  “I’m knocking on doors, talking to people and stomping through the woods... whatever one person says, I follow up...” (20:12)

• Encounters hint at red flags:

  • Certain individuals refuse to engage or warn her to stay away.
  • The community otherwise buzzes with rumors—she has to separate signal from noise with little support.

• Woody provides perspective:

  • Suggests silence may not be proof of guilt but reasonable post-police-visit behavior.
  • Emphasizes everyone’s a suspect early in a missing persons case.

Law Enforcement Response and Polygraph Details

• Contact with detectives:

  • Morgan interacts with two detectives—Sly and later Vance.
  • Sly assures no warrants are out, Bradley had no reason to run.
  • Vance takes over, confirms Jason and Danielle brought in after search warrant is served.
  • Both take polygraphs, with one inconclusive and one failed. They then lawyer up.

• Woody dissects police actions:

  • Polygraph details explained (how results are read, possible countermeasures).
  • Notes legal protocols for warrants and the difficulty of collecting evidence long after the fact.
  • Frustration with the lack of follow-through, but also notes early limits in considering the car as evidence.

• Quote – Woody:
  “You can’t just go get a fucking search warrant for no reason... you have to go before a judge, you have to write it out...” (38:05)

Social Media, Rumors, and Family Agony

• Rumors run rampant:

  • From plausible to outlandish (wood chipper, bodies found, etc.), Morgan has to triage a flood of misinformation.
  • Social media becomes a double-edged sword: effective for sharing photos and requests, overwhelming for rumor-mongering.

• Media picks up the case:

  • The first real news coverage arrives years in, led by outlets like KPLC.
  • Sheriff Sam Kraft is quoted on air stating they now suspect foul play.

• Quote – Sheriff (via KPLC), Jay Morrow reporting:
  “According to the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle unlocked, keys laying in the seat. Bradley has not been seen since nor has any viable information regarding his disappearance surfaced... the sheriff’s office said they believe that foul play is probably involved.” (55:06–55:45)

• Family’s emotional burden:

  • Morgan and Bradley’s mother both experience an eventual, gut-driven realization that Bradley is not coming back.
  • Morgan’s role as an advocate is further solidified, especially motivated by their son Oliver.

The Mysterious Letter and New Revelations

• Introduction of Bradley’s "letter":

  • Teased near the end, Morgan confirms that, after Bradley was missing, a letter in his handwriting was recovered from under the AC unit of a hotel room—where Bradley had apparently told someone it would be if he ever disappeared.
  • This game-changing clue is set as the focus for the next episode.

• Quote – Woody:
  “This letter comes out... it’s like Bradley speaking from the grave. He was telling ahead of time, whoever he told—and we’ll talk about in the next episode—that something happens to me, I taped a letter to the bottom of the AC unit in a particular room in a particular hotel.” (58:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Morgan:
  “Everywhere I went, everybody wanted to talk about the missing guy, Bradley Stracer... except a handful of people. Immediate red flags.” (27:52)

• Woody:
  “If you would talk to Morgan Baggott when she’s seven and a half months pregnant, knocking on your door just trying to find... Bradley, hoping he’s still alive—talk to this old homicide detective.” (62:14)

• Morgan (on motherhood vs. investigation):
  “If I didn’t have kids, I would have already solved this case.” (71:40)

• Morgan:
  “My brain is smoking right now, for sure, just listening to you.” (65:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:51] – Woody introduces the episode’s context; Thanksgiving weekend and ongoing case work.
• [07:34] – Morgan joins; they begin recapping Bradley’s last known movements.
• [13:05] – Discussion of the car location, timeline confusions, and family initial reactions.
• [18:46] – Rumor mill, fake and unsubstantiated “sightings.”
• [20:10] – Morgan describes starting her own investigation, early obstacles.
• [27:08] – Encountering silence/hostility at key houses.
• [30:46] – Family gut realization during Thanksgiving; Morgan resolves to escalate search.
• [34:04] – First contact with Detective Sly, then handoff to Detective Vance.
• [41:21] – Polygraph details and explanations from Woody.
• [50:01] – Morgan describes feeling “placated” by law enforcement and gaps in support.
• [54:06] – First major news segment aired by KPLC; family’s heartbreak and plea.
• [58:53] – Teaser: revelation of Bradley’s hidden letter and its potential significance.
• [62:14] – Woody’s rallying cry for tips and communal involvement.

Tone & Narrative Style

Woody Overton maintains his characteristic blend of direct, gritty, conversational storytelling and procedural expertise. The atmosphere is emotionally raw—intensified by Morgan’s first-person recollections and admissions of pain, frustration, and exhaustion. The episode frequently swings between righteous anger (at injustice and inaction), mournful reflection (regret, confusion, loss), and unyielding determination (advocacy, hope, challenge). The tone is urgent, personal, and unsparingly human.

Takeaways

• The case is a heartbreaking, complicated cold case with ample small-town rumor, probable foul play, but few solid leads.
• Family, especially Morgan, played a crucial investigative and advocacy role where law enforcement moved slowly or inconsistently.
• Major developments ahead—especially surrounding Bradley’s premonitory, “just-in-case” letter.
• The show calls for audience action: sharing, calling in tips, and keeping social attention focused.

Next Episode Preview

The next episode will delve into Bradley’s mysterious letter—described as “Bradley speaking from the grave”—and how its discovery may unravel new truths about his disappearance and the suspects involved.

Tip Line:
Call tips related to the case, remain anonymous if needed.

Hashtags:
#JusticeForBradley #JusticeForAo

For Listeners New to the Series:

This episode recounts a rural Louisiana disappearance haunted by addiction, suspicion, and lost opportunities, as recounted by those closest to the victim. It’s as much about the heartbreak of the search as it is about gritty investigative work, with the promise of significant revelations yet to come.