Podcast
The Land of the Unsolved
Hosted by Stephen Janis and Taya Graham · EN
The City of Baltimore is no exception when it comes to open homicide cases.
The Land of the Unsolved explores the mysterious, nefarious and unresolved killings that remain caught in the murky shadows of the city’s conflicted psyche.
Investigative reporters Stephen Janis and Taya Graham go beyond the evidence, talking with homicide detectives, reporters, relatives and residents, exploring the trenchant politics and communal chaos that feeds the vicious cycle of unavenged violence and murder cases left unsolved that continue to haunt the city. Contact us acespectrummusic@gmail.com
12episodes
Episodes
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How the overuse of an obscure death classifciaton may have covered up a murder
May 400:23:05Tap to summarizePete Peltsmese was home in 2011 when a group of intruders burst open his door and attacked. The successful businessman had a massive stroke and died. But his assialints were never charged with murder because the Maryland Medical Examiner would not rule his case a homicide.As part of our five part series we are exploring unsolved mysteries and questionable death rulings which occurred uder the tenure of Dr. David Fowler, a cotroversial pathologist whose tenure has been under intense scrutiny.
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The shadow behind the scenes: How one man impacted two decades of mysteries death investigations. Part One: Rey Rivera
Apr 2600:35:46Tap to summarizeThe death of Rey Rivera made national headlines. The filmmaker allegedly jumped off the roof of the Belvedere Hotel. Police said he committed suicide. But family and friends argued Rey had everything to live for. He just married the love of his life, Alison, and was planing to move from Baltimore to Los Angeles to pursue a career in cinema. Now for the first time the role of a little discussed pathologist is in the spotlight. A doctor who had a major impact on the case behind the scenes.Investigative reporters Stephen Janis and Taya Graham discuss the evidence, circumstance that raise news questions about the mysterious death of Rey Rivera, and others.This is the first part of a five part series on how the Maryland Office of The Chief Medical Examiner had outsized influence of mysterious deaths across the state.
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The Long Drive Into Darkness: New Clues in the Death of federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna
Dec 600:25:09Tap to summarizeMore than twenty years after federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna was found dead in a Pennsylvania creek with more than 30 stab wounds, new evidence is finally shedding light on one of the most baffling unsolved cases in the region. Luna, a rising attorney in Baltimore’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, disappeared after a late-night departure from a downtown parking garage and embarked on a strange, circuitous drive across multiple states. His body was discovered hours later, submerged beside his car, in what the coroner ruled a homicide—yet no suspects were ever identified, and early attempts to frame his death as self-inflicted only deepened public skepticism.This episode examines the newly released autopsy report—kept secret for over two decades and obtained only after a long legal battle by Lancaster Online—and what it reveals about Luna’s final hours. We also revisit Stephen Janis’s original reporting on the case during his years at The Baltimore Examiner, exploring how these new findings align with or challenge what he uncovered at the time. Together, we break down the facts, the unanswered questions, and why this mysterious death still haunts the corridors of federal law enforcement today.
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A famous scientist was murdered walking her dogs, her killer is still at large
Dec 26, 202300:46:56Tap to summarizeMolly Macauley was famous and pioneering scientist in the field of space economics. But in July uff 2016, someone stabbed her to death outside of her Roland Park home while she was walking her dogs. The Land of the Unsolved investigative team of Jayne Miller, Stephen Janis and Taya Graham examine the evidence and speak to a friend to try to uncover clues about what might have happened to Molly, and what police are doing to try to solve the case.
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Two murders reveal how Baltimore's obsession with managing the perception of crime can be deadly
Oct 16, 202300:47:17Tap to summarizeThe recent killing of local tech executive Pava LaPerre revealed many uncomfortable truths about Baltimore's struggle with crime. After BPD Police Commissioner Worsley admitted the department withheld the identity of LaPere's killer Jason Billingsley after he was suspected in crime before her murder, police came under scrutiny for not being forthcoming. Host Taya Graham and Stephen Janis are joined by legendary investigative reporter Jayne Miller to explore how the breakdown in communication is actually part of deeper problem cause by how the city approaches violent crime.
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The missing piece of the trash chute puzzle - what cops overlooked in their investigation of the mysterious trash chute deaths
Aug 9, 202300:39:58Tap to summarizeAs we continue our investigation in the deaths of two people inside the trash chute of a Baltimore apartment building, investigative reporters Jayne Miller, Stephen Janis and Taya Graham continue to uncover new clues and more vexing secrets about the case that remains to this day shrouded in mystery.
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Does she sleepwalk? The strange theory police used to explain the mysterious trash chute deaths
Jul 7, 202300:36:24Tap to summarizePolice ruled two mysterious deaths in a Baltimore trash chute as accident. In this episode of our investigation we re-enact the interview between Baltimore homicide detectives and the last person to see one of the victims alive. Jayne Miller, Taya Graham, and Stephen Janis explore the evidence and discuss the details revealed in the case files.
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The vital clues police kept secret about Baltimore's deadly trash chute
Jun 23, 202300:25:23Tap to summarizeBaltimore police allege two people fell down a trash chute in a downtown apparent building by accident. Taya Graham, Stephen Janis, and Jayne Miller explore the evidence that police never released about the cases, and why it makes the mystery surrounding what occurred even more bizarre.
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The mystery of the deadly trash chute, two cases, no explanation - lots of questions
Jun 16, 202300:17:32Tap to summarizeIn the span of roughly one year, two people fell down the trash chute of Baltimore apartment building and died. Both cases were ruled accidental by police. But an investigation by the Land of the Unsolved team raises questions about that conclusion. New evidence that sheds new light on the horrifying and improbable deaths. Jayne Miller, Taya Graham and Stephen Janis report on the case, breaking down what we know, what actually happened, and most importantly, what's missing from the case files.
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The liar, the serial killer, and a donut: inside the case files of a 1970s homicide detective
Jun 4, 202300:42:08Tap to summarizeAs part of our ongoing exploration of how murders are solved and sometimes not, we are delving into the old case files of former Baltimore homicide Lieutenant Stephen Tabeling to explore one of the most bizarre cases he ever worked. A investigation that began with the the death of two young women at the hands of an alleged serial killer, and descended into a chaos when a Baltimore city police claimed to be the murderer. The resulting investigation lead to unexpected twists, a hypnotist, and the beguiling confession of a cop caught in the crosshairs of a major investigation.
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