Podcast Summary: The Peacemaker

Episode: Introducing: The Peacemaker
Date: October 7, 2025
Hosts: Ben Westhoff & Ryan Krull
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

The Peacemaker launches with a chilling introduction to a true crime investigation set at Truman State University in Missouri—known as the "Harvard of the Midwest." The podcast promises to unravel the disturbing story of a cluster of suicides at the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity house during 2016-2017, and the complex, controversial figure at the center: Brandon Grossheim. The episode lays out the investigation's core questions—was Brandon a well-intentioned friend, a tragic figure caught in the crossfire, or did he play a darker role in the tragedy that befell his closest friends?

Key Themes and Discussion Points

The Setting and Suicide Cluster

• Host Ben Westhoff sets the stage, describing a close-knit college rocked by successive suicides within a short time span.
• Quote (00:11):
  "Many college students struggle with anxiety, yet no one was prepared for the rash of suicides that overtook this picturesque campus in 2016 and 2017. They happened one after another before anyone could figure out what was going on." — Ben Westhoff

Brandon Grossheim: Friend or Foe?

• Brandon Grossheim, a fraternity brother, is introduced as a central and contentious figure whose relationships with victims prompt both suspicion and confusion.
• Quote (00:29):
  "Brandon was by some accounts, a really caring, empathetic guy. He seemed to want to talk to anyone who was depressed. But something went terribly wrong. The young men he purportedly tried to help were the very ones taking their own lives." — Ben Westhoff
• Grossheim's connection to the victims deepens suspicion: he discovered some bodies, dated victims' girlfriends, and wore the clothing of at least one deceased friend.

Harrowing Testimony and the Human Cost

• A direct, emotional account describes the discovery of one of the deceased and the frantic attempts to save him:
• Quote (01:06):
  "Whenever I got through the window, I tried to pick him up, and his body was stiff. I laid him down and proceeded. I tilted his head back and proceeded to get him mouth to mouth and cpr. Okay until you guys arrived." — Unnamed Speaker

Mounting Suspicion and Legal Fallout

• Brandon faces increasing scrutiny from police and the community as details emerge: he was often the last person to see the victims alive, and his behavior after the deaths raises questions.
• Quote (01:41):
  "Well, just the fact that at that point, to find out that Brandon had been either present to find the bodies or had been the last known person to be seen with them or showed up at the scene." — Unnamed Speaker
• Resulting consequences include Grossheim's expulsion from the fraternity and the filing of a civil lawsuit by families of the victims.

The 'Peacemaker' Paradox and Questions of Accountability

• Ironically, Grossheim dubbed himself "the Peacemaker" for his self-professed knack for helping troubled friends—while others allege he took advantage of their vulnerability.
• The podcast highlights the deep divide: some see Brandon as a scapegoat.
• Quote (02:21):
  "I do feel bad for Brian Grossheim." — Unnamed Speaker
  "He's not been found liable of anything yet." — Unnamed Speaker
  "His name is in every major newspaper across America." — Unnamed Speaker

Framing the Series

• Westhoff reiterates the podcast's mission: to investigate whether Grossheim was "simply unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time again and again" or if more sinister forces were at play.
• Quote (02:29):
  "This is the Peacemaker, a true crime podcast investigation into the most infamous suicide cluster in American history and the man at the center of it all." — Ben Westhoff

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The setup of the tragedy and confusion:
  "The suicides took on a distressing pattern. Many victims were from the same fraternity, and every single one was close friends with a mysterious student named Brandon Grosse." — Ben Westhoff (00:17)
• On suspicion around Brandon:
  "People wondered why he always seemed to be in the mix when someone killed himself." — Ben Westhoff (01:18)
• Community’s conflicted feelings:
  "A lot of people think he's gotten a raw deal, that he was simply unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time again and again and again." — Ben Westhoff (02:03)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00-00:40 — Introduction and campus background
• 00:41-01:18 — Overview of Brandon Grossheim’s link to victims and rising suspicion
• 01:06-01:17 — Graphic description of first responder experience
• 01:18-01:41 — Details from the lawsuit and community suspicion
• 01:41-02:29 — Reflection on Brandon’s public treatment and opening of the civil lawsuit
• 02:29-End — Closing teaser for the podcast series

Tone and Language

• The episode maintains a somber, investigative tone—sensitive to the gravity of the events while rigorously probing the details.
• The hosts present the facts and theories with empathy, acknowledging both the victims’ families and the presumption of innocence for Brandon Grossheim.

Summary

The premiere episode of The Peacemaker establishes the disturbing true story of repeated fraternity suicides at Truman State University and the controversy swirling around Brandon Grossheim. With haunting testimonies, legal intrigue, and unresolved community tensions, the series invites listeners to question the nature of influence, responsibility, and justice in the aftermath of tragedy.

Listen for a nuanced, multi-faceted investigation promising new revelations and a deep dive into the psychology of both victims and suspect, beginning October 14th.