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Dakota Spotlight isn't your average true crime podcast. Creator James Wolner delves headfirst into unsolved mysteries and forgotten cases of the Upper Midwest and beyond, meticulously researching every detail to deliver a gripping, heartfelt narrative. Wolner prioritizes ethical storytelling, ensuring the victims are treated with care and respect. Prepare to be both enthralled and moved as James brings renewed hope for answers while offering a compassionate and soothing voice to the voiceless.
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In the final scheduled episode of Homicide at House of Bottles, we reflect on the profound impact of Robbie Rahrich’s life and death while delving into themes of justice, rehabilitation, and accountability. This episode features conversations with Shawn Helmenstein, who has spent 25 years in prison for the murder. Shawn offers new insights, includi…
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In Episode 5, the case of Shawn Helmenstein moves toward resolution. After confessing to the murder of Robbie Rarich, Shawn participates in a videotaped walkthrough of the crime scene, calmly recounting his actions in stark contrast to the brutality of the crime. At trial, the prosecution systematically dismantles his defense of emotional duress, p…
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Episode 4: This episode intertwines poignant memories with pivotal investigative breakthroughs, pulling us deeper into a story marked by heartbreak, betrayal, and an unyielding quest for justice. In Clinton, Montana, Detectives Haas and Wooten close in on Shawn Helmenstein, the primary suspect in Robbie Rarich’s murder. We also step into the life o…
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In this special mid-season update, James takes a moment to reflect on the progress of Season 11, Homicide at House of Bottles. With three episodes behind us and three more to go, listeners are treated to a sneak peek of Spotlight PLUS bonus material for episodes one and two. Discover exclusive materials, including photographs, videos, and behind-th…
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In Episode 3 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the investigation picks up steam as detectives chase leads stretching across North Dakota and Montana. Their relentless digging unearths a tangled web of connections surrounding The House of Bottles, including former employees with complicated histories. A mysterious 9mm pistol known as the "Baby Eagle"…
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In Episode 2 of Homicide at House of Bottles, the investigation into the 1999 murder of Robbie Rahrich at a Bismarck liquor store intensifies. Detectives arrive at the scene in the early hours of February 21, taking in the grim details and piecing together a picture of what happened. Was this a robbery gone wrong, a crime of opportunity, or somethi…
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Welcome to Season 11 of Dakota Spotlight. This season, we uncover the haunting 1999 murder of a young man in Bismarck, North Dakota—a tragic event that reverberated through the community and left a lasting impact on everyone involved. In Episode 1, we set the stage during a bustling winter weekend in Bismarck, when the city was filled with out-of-t…
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Season 11 Official Trailer - Homicide at House of Bottles
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Dakota Spotlight’s six-part podcast series, Homicide at House of Bottles, delves into the 1999 murder of a promising young man, whose life was tragically cut short in Bismarck, North Dakota. Featuring immersive soundscapes and interviews with detectives, family, friends, and even the convicted killer, this season examines the layers of a crime that…
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Season 11 Teaser & Revisiting The Bowraville Murders
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Crime reporter Dan Box joins us to discuss Bowraville, his podcast about the tragic murders of three Aboriginal children in a small Australian town. Teaming up with The Australian, Dan investigates how all three vanished from the same street and searches for answers in this haunting case. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight h…
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Introducing - The Sleep Retreat by James Wolner
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This episode, "Gull Harbor: Warren Commission Report Part 1," is from the new podcast "The Sleep Retreat" by James Wolner. Drift off to sleep on a warm screened in porch while listening to a part of American history on a small transistor radio. In this episode, from Part 1 of the Warren Commission Report, a summary of the events of Nov 22, 1963 and…
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Wilder Intentions: Revisiting A Murder in Minot
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A kindergarten teacher masterminds a brutal murder and shows no remorse. In this special, stand-alone episode we learn about a macabre crime from the true north. In 2015, Angila Wilder was brutally murdered in her home while her two-year-old child slept just down the hall. True crime author C.J. Wynn meets with Dakota Spotlight to discuss this crim…
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I Woke Up To A Girl Watching Me Sleep - The Driftwood Drifter - Creepy Guy On A Bus - The Dam Man - Accidentally Stumbled Into A Christian Cult - This is Disturbed. Featuring narration by: Kyra Cornett Elizabeth Flood Brian Jeffords Kat Carter Terra Ashe Disturbed is a production of Killer Podcasts, a part of the Evergreen network. For more paranor…
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We share the full audio of a police interrogation from March 2021 with Jesse Huy, who killed three family members and then turned himself in. This recording includes a full confession and reveals the disturbing reasons behind the murders, offering a rare insight into the "Why". Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dako…
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Throwback: Unresolved, the Murder of Joel Lovelien
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Joel Lovelien was just 38-years-old when he was found beaten to death outside of the Broken Drum Bar in Grand Forks, North Dakota on a Halloween-themed Saturday night in 2007. Who killed Joel Lovelien? Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get episodes earl…
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Broad Knowledge, Potentially Deceptive: My Interview with AI - Part 2
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Part 2 of 2 - James continues his intriguing yet sometimes exhausting conversation with the AI chatbot. In Part 2, they delve into notable crimes near James' hometown, covering the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders, Steven Stayner, and the Zebra Killings, with the AI's often inaccurate responses leading James to ask, "Do you lie?". Check out the full c…
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Tough Questions, Sudden Silence: My Interview with AI - Part 1
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Part 1 of 2 - In an attempt to deepen his understanding of AI, James interviews an expert who, interestingly enough, happens to be an AI chatbot. The interview proves challenging, as the AI often becomes evasive, stalls, or even "walks out" of the conversation. In Part 1, the AI shares its perspectives on true crime, discusses the Dakota Spotlight …
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Inside You Killed Chris with Mari Zoerb Hansen
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James interviews researcher Mari Zoerb Hansen. Mari, a UW grad, played a crucial role in creating “You Killed Chris.” They share behind-the-scenes details and how the story became part of Dakota Spotlight. They also take a walk around the UW campus, visiting key locations from the Season 10 story. Sterling Hall bombing content mentioned in this epi…
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Revisiting a Mysterious Death: The Man From Un - Part 2
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Part 2 of 2 - Exiled Pakistani journalist Sajid Hussain and activist Karima Baloch, both of whom fled Pakistan, were later found dead under suspicious circumstances, raising concerns of politically motivated killings. Their deaths highlight the dangers faced by Baloch activists, cast doubt on the investigation into Sajid's death, and underscore the…
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Revisiting a Mysterious Death: The Man From Un - Part 1
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Part 1 of 2 - Sajid Hussain, a Pakistani journalist in exile in Sweden after facing threats for his work on human rights abuses in Balochistan, went missing and was later found dead in the Fyris River. Although Swedish police concluded there was no foul play, suspicions persist that his death may have been linked to his investigative reporting, pot…
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Throwback: Season 5 - A Better Search for Barbara
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Season 5, Episode 1 - Five Blocks From Home 15 year old Barbara Louise Cotton vanished from the streets of Williston, North Dakota on April 11, 1981 five blocks from her home. What happened to Barbara Cotton? In episode 1, while others called Barbara a 'runaway', a frustrated yet unyielding Sandee Evanson refuses to stop looking for her childhood f…
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Ohio Mysteries: The Great Locomotive Chase Pt 1 In 1862, 23 Ohio soldiers, led by a Kentucky union spy, stole deep into the south with the intent of stealing a train and using it to destroy telegraph lines, railroad tracks and bridges and cripple the south. They ultimately got caught and nearly half of them hanged, but the survivors were given the …
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Introducing - Supernatural Circumstances
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In this riveting, must-listen interview, award-winning paranormal researcher Morgan Knudsen and true crime writer Mike Browne sit down with journalist and author Matt Baglio (THE RITE, ARGO, HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL) to delve into Matt's firsthand experiences investigating ritual exorcism. Join us as Matt discusses his remarkable eyewitness testimony a…
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Throwback: Season 3 - The House on Sweet and Seventh
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Season 3, Episode 1. On a quiet Friday morning in September of 1998 a 17 year old girl named Aimee walked into the Police Department in Bismarck, North Dakota. The young woman said she wasn’t exactly sure, but she had a hunch that her 18 year old boyfriend Brian might have hurt his mother and father. Not a problem, said Bismarck Police, a simple we…
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A short message from the host of Dakota Spotlight. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Support the show on PayPal https://bit.ly/3wDhonM Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter https:…
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Throwback: Commercialized Killings - Interview with Paul McNally - Alibi
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In South Africa, a school teacher was assassinated in front of her class by hit-men. Who would take out a contract on a school teacher? That's what Paul McNally wanted to find out with Season 2 of his gripping podcast Alibi. Dakota Spotlight spoke with Paul from his home in South Africa. Originally broadcast Summer 2021. Listen to the Alibi podcast…
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