Nineteen-year-old Russell Turcotte vanished in July 2002 while hitchhiking home to Montana. Last seen at a truck stop in Grand Forks, his body was found months later near Devils Lake. He had been murdered. This episode retraces his final steps and the tireless efforts of his family to find justice, efforts that continue more than 20 years later. If you have any information about the murder of Russell Turcotte, or if you were in Grand Forks in July 2002, especially near the Simonson truck stop, p...
Jun 26, 2025•26 min•Season 99Ep. 79
Part 5 (Chapters 23-27): As the story draws to a close, Doug Rolfstad faces the full weight of his choices, with each moment tightening the grip of consequences. What began with a mysterious envelope now hurtles toward a chaotic and unexpected conclusion. Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style. About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrated by James Wolner, Friday Night Fiction delivers original crime stories set in Nort...
Jun 14, 2025•38 min•Season 99Ep. 78
Part 4 (Chapters 17-22): With tensions still simmering, Doug Rolfstad follows through on key parts of the plan as new information and close calls tighten the emotional grip. As the walls begin to close in, Doug must navigate rising pressure, uncertain alliances, and the weight of choices that can’t be undone. Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style. About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrated by James Wolner, Friday Ni...
Jun 07, 2025•41 min•Season 99Ep. 77
Season 6 of Nobody Should Believe Me–out weekly starting June 19, available in full for subscribers at launch–covers the extraordinary and tragic saga of the McDaniel family, a real-life Southern Gothic tale of Munchausen by Proxy that spans decades and has left untold damage in its wake. For the past twelve years, Lisa McDaniel worked for The Guthy Jackson Foundation, a high-profile non-profit, dedicated to a rare disease called NMO (Neuromyelitis Optica), from which Lisa claims her son suffere...
Jun 06, 2025•7 min•Season 99Ep. 76
Keith Schmidt was last seen on the morning of May 20, 2024, in Dickinson, North Dakota. In this episode, we revisit the days leading up to his disappearance, hear from those who knew him best, and speak with a journalist covering the case to better understand both the man and the mystery he left behind. Anyone with information regarding Keith Schmidt’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Dickinson Police Department at 701-456-7759, Badlands Crime Stoppers at 701-840-6808, or leave a tip at www.d...
Jun 05, 2025•45 min•Season 99Ep. 75
Part 3 (Chapters 12-16): As tension rises and new layers of uncertainty unfold, Doug Rolfstad pushes deeper into a world far beyond his quiet life as a Bismarck plumber. With paranoia mounting and unsettling discoveries piling up, Doug is forced to confront how much—and whom—he can really trust. Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style. About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrated by James Wolner, Friday Night Fiction de...
May 31, 2025•38 min•Season 99Ep. 74
Getting started as a bank robber isn’t easy for Joe Loya. It takes courage … and rage. But Joe does the math. Thousands of dollars gained for a few minutes work. That’s what he figures he deserves. Meanwhile at home, losses mount. Get the Money and Run is a production of Western Sound and aCast Studios in association with Orbit Media Inc. Get the Money and Run is available now on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...
May 29, 2025•42 min•Season 99Ep. 73
Part 2 (Chapters 6-11): Back in Bismarck, Doug sets their plan in motion, taking cautious steps to protect Mandy and make sense of the situation. But with each move, the tension tightens—and a growing sense of unease suggests there may be more at play than they first realized. Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style. About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrated by James Wolner, Friday Night Fiction delivers original cri...
May 24, 2025•41 min•Season 99Ep. 72
In 1962, 14-year-old Larry Jo Phebus vanished from Tioga, North Dakota. Months later, two farmers discovered his body in a snow-covered field. Sixty years later, the case remains unsolved. Who was Larry Jo, and what happened to him that night? Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https:...
May 22, 2025•24 min•Season 99Ep. 71
Part 1 (Chapters 1-5): At a truck stop near Valley City, North Dakota, Bismarck plumber Doug Rolfstad meets his daughter Mandy at her unexpected and urgent request. There, she reveals she found a manila envelope filled with cash. As unsettling news follows, father and daughter are drawn into a situation neither of them fully understands. Dead Cold Drop by James Wolner is told across five gripping episodes in the signature Friday Night Fiction style. About Friday Night Fiction: Written and narrat...
May 17, 2025•38 min•Season 99Ep. 70
This isn’t your typical true crime story. Brittani Ard steps back into the shadowy labyrinth of memories, scars, and fragile ties that bind us to our past. Where wounds still ache and the bonds of connection blur between salvation and entrapment. After revealing her own story in the first 8 chapters, she’s pulling at the threads of the past—threads so delicate they threaten to unravel everything. This time, it’s not just her story. It’s the stories of others whose lives intertwine with hers in w...
May 15, 2025•44 min•Season 99Ep. 69
More than 30 years ago, Eric’s brother Jacob was murdered—a case that remains unresolved to this day. In this conversation, we discuss his pursuit of justice and explore the ethical challenges of creating content in the ever-growing, often problematic true crime genre. Originally released on July 28, 2021. Listen to the True Consequences podcast: https://www.trueconsequences.com/ Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-f...
May 08, 2025•42 min•Season 99Ep. 68
Slaycation is a darkly funny true crime podcast hosted by Kim Davis, a former social worker and true crime fanatic, her comedy-writer husband Adam “Tex” Davis, and Emmy-nominated producer Jerry Kolber. Blending horror, humor, and empathy, Slaycation explores vacations gone tragically wrong, offering travel tips that just might save your life. In this episode, “You Cruise, You Lose,” a dream getaway unravels into a chilling mystery that will leave you wondering: accident… or murder? Finish listen...
May 01, 2025•35 min•Season 99Ep. 67
In 1978, the body of a young woman was discovered in a rural Iowa ditch—no name, no missing persons report, and clear signs of a violent death. For 27 years, she was known only as a Jane Doe. Her name was Wilma June Nissen. She was 23 years old and believed to have been killed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, around the time of her daughter Krissi’s first birthday. In this episode, Krissi Haas shares her decades-long search for the truth and the emotional journey to reclaim the story of the mother ...
Apr 24, 2025•40 min•Season 99Ep. 66
In 2002, Madison McGhee’s father, John McGhee, was shot and killed in his own home in Belmont County, Ohio. Driven by her desire to find justice she began conducting her own investigation into his murder that remains unsolved to this day. The police investigation did not yield any significant leads, leaving Madison and her family with more questions than answers - until now. Join her not only on a quest for justice, for closure, for answers and she stops at nothing to answer this question: Who K...
Apr 17, 2025•39 min•Season 99Ep. 65
In this first installment of Friday Night Fiction, a new series by James Wolner, a harmless social media group turns sinister in this modern noir tale set in Fargo, North Dakota. When a local banker’s carefully planned Friday night is disrupted by a group of self-appointed parking vigilantes, what begins as an inconvenience escalates into something far more dangerous. Written and narrated by James Wolner, Park Like a Fargonian explores how easily judgment can masquerade as justice—and how quickl...
Apr 12, 2025•57 min•Season 99Ep. 64
We introduce you to our new series of original crime-inspired short stories, all set in North Dakota and the Upper Midwest. If you're a fan of true crime but curious to explore fictional tales with the same tension, twists, and emotional depth—this series is for you. We’ll walk you through what to expect from future episodes, how often they’ll drop, and why true crime fans will feel right at home in these moody, mysterious, and distinctly Midwestern settings. Welcome to Friday Night Fiction—your...
Apr 11, 2025•14 min•Season 99Ep. 63
In May 1971, Pam Jackson and Sherri Miller were two seventeen-year-olds driving to an end-of-the-school-year party in a rundown Studebaker Lark when they seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. In this episode James interviews author Lou Raguse, author of the riveting book Vanished in Vermillion: The Real Story of South Dakota’s Most Infamous Cold Case. Check out Lou's website: https://vanishedinvermillion.com/ Purchase the book on Amazon https://www.amazon.se/-/en/Lou-Raguse/dp/1637587...
Mar 27, 2025•38 min•Season 99Ep. 62
On the evening of July 3, 1972, 16-year-old Joli Truelson stood hitchhiking in Uptown Minneapolis, MN. Just 15 hours later she was found deceased in Minnehaha Creek, four miles away. She died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head. In this episode, Dakota Spotlight interviews Trisha Taurinskas, journalst and host of a new podcast series about Joli's murder: Joli Truelson: Connecting the Dots. Trisha shares insights about this 53-year-old cold case and the exciting new developments takin...
Mar 20, 2025•44 min•Season 99Ep. 61
In 2017, Deon Wiggett confronted a repressed trauma: he had been sexually abused by a schoolteacher as a teenager. His response was to create "My Only Story," a podcast exploring justice, activism, and revenge. Dakota Spotlight interviewed Wiggett in August 2021 about the podcast and his experience. My Only Story podcast: https://www.myonlystory.org/ Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Sp...
Mar 13, 2025•32 min•Season 99Ep. 60
Continuing a Dakota Spotlight Valentine’s tradition, this special episode features an interview with Bruce Blackman, the mastermind behind the 1976 hit Moonlight Feels Right by Starbuck. James chats with Bruce about the song’s romantic charm, its iconic marimba solo, and the stories behind its creation. Whether it’s part of your Valentine’s playlist or a nostalgic favorite, don’t miss this heartfelt conversation celebrating love, music, and the magic of the ’70s. Homicide at House of Bottles PLU...
Feb 20, 2025•37 min•Season 99Ep. 59
In this postscript to Homicide at House of Bottles, we revisit key moments from the case through archival audio from local news reports—segments recorded immediately after the robbery-homicide and after a suspect was arrested. We also speak with Bob Haas, a detective who worked the case, as he shares additional insights, reflections, and his thoughts on what really happened with the missing shell casing. Videos of the original news coverage: News segment immediately after the crime News segment ...
Feb 13, 2025•37 min•Season 11Ep. 7
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, including what happened to the missing shell casing and his evolving perspective on the crime. He also expresses his frustration with the uncertainty of his ...
Feb 06, 2025•45 min•Season 11Ep. 6
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, presenting his confessions, the murder weapon, and witness testimonies. The sentencing judge delivers a pointed verdict, describing the murder as preme...
Jan 30, 2025•47 min•Season 11Ep. 5
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 of Robbie himself—a man whose vibrant energy, kindness, and big dreams left an indelible mark on those around him. Through touching interviews with his...
Jan 23, 2025•41 min•Season 11Ep. 4
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-the-scenes details that bring the story to life. James also shares the many benefits of a Spotlight PLUS subscription, from ad-free bingeing of all epis...
Jan 16, 2025•15 min•Season 99Ep. 58
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" emerges as a key focus, while witnesses recount sightings of enigmatic figures, like a man in a FUBU jacket seen running near the crime scene. Suspic...
Jan 09, 2025•53 min•Season 11Ep. 3
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 something more personal? Through present-day interviews with retired officers and archival audio from the investigation, we retrace the steps of law enforcem...
Jan 02, 2025•44 min•Season 11Ep. 2
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-town visitors attending the state wrestling tournament. Through vivid storytelling, you’ll ride along as the night unfolds, culminating in a harrowing ...
Dec 26, 2024•51 min•Season 11Ep. 1
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 shook a community—and the enduring questions of justice, rehabilitation, and forgiveness. More than a true crime story, Homicide at House of Bottles ...
Dec 19, 2024•7 min
