Bone Valley - podcast cover

Bone Valley

Lava for Good Podcastslavaforgood.com

Behind every Bone Valley season is a conviction: the right story, told with purpose, humanity, and craft, can have an enormous impact. Award-winning investigative documentaries from the fault lines of America's justice system.

Bone Valley Season 5 | The Devil’s Quarry is the latest podcast from Lava for Good. It is hosted by Paul Solotaroff, award-winning investigative journalist and longtime contributing editor at Rolling Stone. For Paul, who has been digging at this story for 5 years, the devil has always been a myth, until now.

 

The bones of a twelve-year-old girl are found by a hunter in the woods.  A young woman lives inside a real-life horror movie, ignored by everyone she turns to for help. Corrupt cops turn a blind eye to the evil lurking in their midst. The wrong people are convicted of a crime. A drug dealer works tirelessly for justice from jail. Records are hidden. Fingers are pointed. Lives are at stake. In Carmel, NY, the heroes are humble, the power is corrupt, and the devil is real.

Bone Valley Season 4 | Earwitness chronicles the case of Toforest Jonhson. In 1995, Deputy Sheriff William G. Hardy was murdered behind a hotel in Birmingham, Alabama. Toforest Johnson was four miles away at the time and no physical evidence linked him to the crime. But he has been on Death Row for 25 years.

Bone Valley Season 3 | Graves County is a new story about a new case. Maggie Freleng, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and one of the hosts of Lava For Good’s Wrongful Conviction, takes us to a small town in Graves County, Kentucky, where a terrible discovery on the front lawn of a middle school invites a string of amateur and professional investigators to try to solve a murder.

In Season 2, Jeremy Gilbert King brings us a story about her actual killer, Jeremy Scott, fighting to prove his guilt. The State of Florida does not believe either man.

In Season 1 of Bone Valley, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gilbert King tells a story of a man, Leo Schofield, fighting to prove his innocence in the case of his wife Michelle’s murder.

Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1.

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Episodes

Bone Valley Q&A with Gilbert King - Hosted by Maggie Freleng

Maggie Freleng, Pulitzer prize winning producer, journalist and host of Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng sits down for a Q&A with Gilbert King to chat about the newest season of Bone Valley . In this special episode, Gilbert shares with Maggie the latest news on Leo Schofield, Jeremy Scott, Jeremy’s son Justin, as well as answers to many questions from the millions of Bone Valley listeners. Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See ...

Jun 19, 202540 min

Chapter 6 | Walk Down that Road

Jeremy: Chapter 6 | Walk Down that Road By taking Michelle’s life, Jeremy not only shattered her family’s world—he also took Leo’s freedom. Now, in an unlikely and unexpected moment—these two men, connected by Michelle Schofield’s murder, speak at last, their conversation heavy with the weight of the past. Leo offers something unexpected: forgiveness and gratitude. And Jeremy responds with something he’s never truly given before: an apology. As Gilbert brings Justin the answers he’s been looking...

May 07, 202544 minSeason 2Ep. 6

Chapter 5 | Like a Little Kid

Jeremy: Chapter 5 | Like a Little Kid Meri is a housecleaner in North Florida. She didn’t know Jeremy. She just listened to Bone Valley . And she wrote him a letter. Their friendship becomes a lifeline—something neither of them expected, and both of them needed. Through Meri, we see Jeremy as someone craving connection, terrified of being unloved, and trying to become a man his son might one day want to know. When Jeremy finds out Justin wants to talk, it’s as if something inside him shifts. For...

Apr 30, 202538 minSeason 2Ep. 5

Chapter 4 | Horse and Buggy

Jeremy: Chapter 4 | Horse and Buggy Some truths never see the light. Gilbert has long believed that Jeremy Scott is responsible for more deaths than the state acknowledges—especially the unsolved murder of a cab driver in Intercession City. He’s tried everything he can think of to bring attention to the case, but the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office will not cooperate. Then, out of nowhere, a retired detective—the one who led the investigation that resulted in the arrest and eventual acquittal—re...

Apr 23, 202550 minSeason 2Ep. 4

Chapter 3 | Never Turned Her Back on Me

Jeremy: Chapter 3 | Never Turned Her Back on Me As Gilbert’s relationship with Jeremy deepens, it’s tested by Jeremy’s darkest instincts. After a long silence, Jeremy reveals he’s been thrown into solitary confinement because he stabbed another inmate—possibly in self-defense. Possibly not. Gilbert is forced to reckon with the contradictions: the man trying to right past wrongs, and the man still capable of harm. In letters and phone calls, in moments of rage and vulnerability, Jeremy opens a wi...

Apr 16, 202532 minSeason 2Ep. 3

Chapter 2 | Destroyer

Jeremy: Chapter 2 | Destroyer Justin’s life has been shaped by absence—of answers, of explanations, and his father. Now that he’s reaching back, he’s haunted by what he might find: rumors of brutality, inherited darkness, a legacy of violence. As Gilbert helps Justin trace the moments that defined Jeremy’s path—especially the day he killed Donald Moorehead—Justin begins to confront an impossible question: if Jeremy had been stopped sooner, Leo would not have spent three decades in prison, but wo...

Apr 09, 202536 minSeason 2Ep. 2

Chapter 1 | You Told Me No

Jeremy: Chapter 1 | You Told Me No After Bone Valley Season 1, something unexpected happened: people began to respond to Jeremy Scott—not for who he was, but for what he did—finally telling the truth. Among those drawn in is someone who has every reason not to be: Jeremy’s son, Justin. Now 35, Justin has never met his father, never wanted to. But something’s shifted. He wants answers. Through a conversation years in the making, Justin’s mother Jami opens up about the relationship she once had wi...

Apr 09, 202536 minSeason 2Ep. 1

Bonus Episode | Halfway Home

Leo Schofield takes his first steps outside prison in 36 years. Gilbert and Kelsey spend the day with him. Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 07, 202446 min

Bonus Episode | Leo's Parole Hearing Comes to a Close but it's not Over

Leo Schofield’s parole hearing in Tallahassee, FL, April 17th, 2024 with reporting from Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker. Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 18, 202426 min

Bonus Episode | Restoring the Way

Gilbert and Kelsey check in with Leo Schofield, who has spent the last 7 months at the Corrections Transition Program at Everglades Correctional Institution, where he’s been preparing for life on the outside after more than 35 years of incarceration. Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 21, 202321 min

#403 Jason Flom with Gilbert King on the Groveland Four

On July 16, 1949, 17-year-old Norma Padgett and her estranged husband, Willie Padgett, reported to police that they had been attacked by four black men in Lake County, FL, with Norma claiming that the men had raped her. On the same day, police arrested 16-year-old Charles Greenlee, and 22-year-olds Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin. 26-year-old Ernest Thomas was hunted into the woods and gunned down by a mob of men, as he was also blamed for the attack. Despite weak evidence and testimonies taint...

Nov 02, 202343 minEp. 403

Bonus Episode | Nothing but a Meatball

Leo Schofield’s parole hearing is held in Tallahassee, FL on May 3rd, 2023, before the Florida Commission on Offender Review. In the lead up to the hearing, Gilbert and Kelsey check in with Scott Cupp and Crissie Schofield. Following the commission’s decision, Leo’s friends, family, and supporters grapple with the outcome. And Leo processes the news. For photos, images, and full transcripts of each episode visit: https://lavaforgood.com/bone-valley/ Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ ...

May 05, 20231 hr 3 min

Bonus Episode | Prepping for the Parole Hearing in the Case of Leo Schofield

In preparation for the upcoming parole hearing in Tallahassee on May 3rd, Gilbert and Kelsey travel to Florida to preview what’s at stake for Leo. They visit a halfway house in Tampa, and speak to Crissie, Ashley, Jessie Saum, and Seth Miller. They also accompany Scott Cupp to meetings with Florida Senator Jonathan Martin and parole commissioners. Leo Schofield’s parole hearing will be at 9:00 am on May 3, 2023, and is open to the public: Florida Commission on Offender Review Betty Easley Confer...

Apr 19, 202343 min

Bonus Episode | Leo Speaks

Leo shares a message for listeners of Bone Valley about the impact of the podcast on his life, and his hopes for freedom. For photos, images, and full transcripts of each episode visit: https://lavaforgood.com/bone-valley/ Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Mar 08, 202334 min

Bonus Episode | The Lion, the Boat, and the Lighthouse

Gilbert and Kelsey drive to Hardee Correctional Institution with Judge Scott Cupp, who hasn’t seen Leo in nearly a decade. Judge Cupp has arranged a visit with his former client, because he has something important that he wants to share—a personal decision he’s made—and he’s hoping to receive Leo’s blessing. For photos, images, and full transcripts of each episode visit: https://lavaforgood.com/bone-valley/ Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1...

Jan 17, 202325 min

Bone Valley Q&A with Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker - Hosted by Maggie Freleng

Maggie Freleng, Pulitzer prize winning host of Wrongful Conviction with Maggie Freleng sits down for a Q&A with Gilbert King and Kelsey Decker from the new podcast Bone Valley . Listen in as Gilbert and Kelsey share with Maggie the answers to many questions from their listeners and reveal some of the details that went into creating one of the finest podcasts of the year. For photos, images, and full transcripts of each episode visit: https://lavaforgood.com/bone-valley/ Bone Valley is a prod...

Nov 23, 202251 min

Chapter 9 | Coming Clean

Chapter 9 of 9 Gilbert and Kelsey travel to the Florida prison where they will interview Jeremy Scott. Jeremy tells them about his interactions with prosecutor John Aguero, his involvement in a 1987 unsolved homicide, his encounter with Michelle Schofield, and how he copes with the violence of his past. Gilbert visits Leo Schofield one last time, and reflects on this tragic injustice. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit: bit.ly/BVS1E9 Bone Valley is a production of ...

Nov 09, 20221 hr 13 minSeason 1Ep. 9

Chapter 8 | Dear Mr. King

Chapter 8 of 9 Leo Schofield faces more legal setbacks. Gilbert and Kelsey attend Leo’s latest hearings: one before an appellate court, and one before the parole board. In the aftermath, Gilbert writes a letter to Jeremy Scott. Soon, Jeremy begins sending detailed letters, and sharing more and more information about his crimes. Gilbert and Kelsey make arrangements to interview Jeremy in person. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit: bit.ly/BVS1E8 Bone Valley is a prod...

Nov 02, 20221 hr 10 minSeason 1Ep. 8

Chapter 7 | I Lost It

Chapter 7 of 9 Leo Schofield grapples with a devastating legal decision, and the intensity of his feelings towards Jeremy Scott. But he soon learns that Jeremy has more to say. Leo is granted another hearing, and Jeremy testifies once again. This time, he tells a different story. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit: bit.ly/BVS1E7 Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Oct 26, 20221 hr 7 minSeason 1Ep. 7

Chapter 6 | Know That I Know

Chapter 6 of 9 Jeremy Scott’s ex-girlfriend reveals some incriminating information about his life in the late-1980s, leading Gilbert and Kelsey to investigate Jeremy’s potential links to another crime in a neighboring county. Leo Schofield is granted an evidentiary hearing to determine whether he should receive a new trial. Jeremy is called to testify at the hearing, and he and Leo come face-to-face for the first time beneath the Polk County courthouse. For photos, images, and the full transcrip...

Oct 19, 20221 hr 2 minSeason 1Ep. 6

Chapter 5 | Bam Bam

Chapter 5 of 9 Gilbert and Kelsey do a deep dive investigation into Jeremy Scott. By speaking to people who were close to Jeremy at the time, a picture emerges of an impulsive and troubled teenager who was prone to violence. When investigators confront Jeremy about the newly identified fingerprints, he explains that he was in Michelle’s car to steal stereo equipment. The State believes Jeremy, and they close their investigation. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit: ...

Oct 12, 202251 minSeason 1Ep. 5

Chapter 4 | Dog with a Bone

Chapter 4 of 9 Gilbert and Kelsey analyze the State’s case against Leo Schofield and locate a juror who admits she didn’t believe that Leo was guilty. As the years pass, Leo’s appellate attempts fail, and he falls in love with social worker Crissie Carter who works in the prison. Crissie begins investigating Leo’s case on her own, and recruits a friend in law enforcement to run unidentified fingerprints from Michelle’s Mazda. There’s a match, but the fingerprints do not belong to Leo Schofield. ...

Oct 05, 20221 hr 2 minSeason 1Ep. 4

Chapter 3 | Trial by Ambush

Chapter 3 of 9 Facing the death penalty, Leo Schofield retains renowned Polk County defense attorney Jack Edmund, who must square off against an aggressive young prosecutor, John Aguero at trial. The prosecutor builds his case around testimony from numerous witnesses who describe a volatile relationship between Leo and Michelle, and a witness who claims to have observed something suspicious on the night Michelle disappeared. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit: http...

Sep 28, 202253 minSeason 1Ep. 3

Chapter 2 | Combee Critters

Chapter 2 of 9 Leo’s friends and family search desperately for Michelle around Lakeland, Florida. Three days later, her body is found in a phosphate mining pit with 26 stab wounds. Leo is arrested, charged with first degree murder, and faces the electric chair. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit https://bit.ly/BVS1E2 To hear the full length version of "Ducking Grady" by Stephon Girard, go to: https://youtu.be/lA6bruIZ0Ak Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good...

Sep 21, 20221 hr 2 minSeason 1Ep. 2

Chapter 1 | God Help Us

Chapter 1 of 9 Author Gilbert King receives a message from a Florida judge who claims that there is an innocent man in prison, wrongly convicted of murdering his wife back in 1987. King and researcher Kelsey Decker meet Leo Schofield in prison and learn about the disappearance of 18 year-old Michelle Schofield. For photos, images, and the full transcript of this episode visit https://bit.ly/BVS1E1 Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good™ Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1. See omny...

Sep 21, 202253 minSeason 1Ep. 1

Introducing: Bone Valley

In 1987, 18-year-old Michelle Schofield was found dead in a phosphate pit in Florida. Two years later, her husband Leo was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Fifteen years later, previously unidentified fingerprints matched Jeremy Scott--a violent teenager who lived nearby. Jeremy has since confessed to Michelle’s murder. Yet Leo Schofield remains behind bars. In Bone Valley, a groundbreaking 9-episode podcast, host Gilbert King uncovers startling new evidence that Jeremy is responsible ...

Sep 07, 20223 min
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