Beyond the Ferns

This week we are headed to Mississippi!

On a quiet December evening in rural Mississippi, a stretch of backroad became the center of a tragedy that would shake an entire community. Nineteen-year-old Jessica Chambers was found severely burned near her vehicle — alive, and barely able to speak. To the first responder's surprise, she was able to respond to who had done this to her. The man's name was "Eric".

In the hours that followed, investigators, loved ones, and a small town desperate for answers were left trying to piece together what had happened in the moments leading up to the fire.

What unfolded was a case marked by confusion, conflicting accounts, and emotional courtroom battles. Rumors spread quickly, fear took hold, and the search for truth became as complicated as the circumstances surrounding Jessica’s final hours. Years later, questions still linger about who was responsible and whether justice has truly been served.

In this episode, we do a deep dive into this cold case. We explore potential suspects, review the details, and the evidence. Join along as we try to understand what exactly happened to Jessica Chambers.

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In this week's episode, we are headed to Maine!

We're stepping back into the late 1800s to explore the unsettling story of a woman who would eventually earn one of the most chilling nicknames in New England true crime — the “Borgia of Maine.” Drawing comparisons to the infamous poison-wielding Borgia family of Renaissance Italy, this case centers around Mary Cowan, a woman whose life became surrounded by a troubling pattern of illness and sudden deaths within her household. What initially appeared to be misfortune and sickness — common explanations in an era with limited medical knowledge — slowly began to raise suspicions as multiple family members died under eerily similar circumstances. As whispers spread through the small Maine community and investigators began looking closer, the quiet domestic tragedies started to resemble something far more sinister. In this episode, we’ll unravel the life of Mary Cowan, the string of mysterious deaths that followed her, and how she ultimately came to be remembered as the “Borgia of Maine.”

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In this week's episode #60, we are headed to Oklahoma!

On a cold December morning in 1996, 21-year-old dance student Juli Busken was preparing to leave Norman, Oklahoma behind for the holidays. She had just finished her final semester at the University of Oklahoma and was looking ahead to a future of dance. But before she could return home to her family in Arkansas, something happened in the quiet hours before sunrise in her apartment parking lot.

Her car was found abandoned. Hours later, her body was discovered near the shoreline of Lake Stanley Draper.

What followed was a case that would stretch across years — marked by unanswered questions, evolving forensic technology, and a relentless pursuit of justice. For nearly a decade, the mystery of what happened to Juli haunted her family and the community she left behind.

We will walk through Juli’s final known movements, the early investigative missteps, and the long road toward answers — while keeping the focus where it belongs: on a young woman whose life was filled with promise and who's presence is missed.
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In this week's episode, we are headed to North Carolina - Lake Norman, NC.

Lake Norman looks peaceful at first glance — miles of open water stretching across North Carolina’s Piedmont, dotted with quiet coves, sailboats, and lakeside homes. But beneath that calm surface lies a drowned valley. Entire communities once stood where boats now drift. Roads end abruptly underwater. Foundations, churches, and forgotten farmland remain frozen in time beneath the depths of the Catawba River.

For decades, witnesses have reported sightings of something moving through the water. Known locally as “Normie,” the Lake Norman Monster.

But Normie isn’t the only legend tied to the lake. Boaters have long whispered about the Lady of the Lake — a pale figure said to appear along the shoreline or drifting near submerged roads.

Blending local history, eyewitness accounts, folklore, and the unexplained, this episode explores whether Lake Norman’s mysteries are simply stories born from imagination… or echoes of something still waiting beneath the surface.

Listen along wherever you get your podcast! Happy to have you here!

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In this week's episode, we are headed back to New Hampshire in Part II (final part) of the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray.

We will be diving into details concerning the 22 year long investigation, the many person of interest leads that have been chased throughout the years, and the circulating theories of what could have happened on that fateful day in February 2004.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you have any information on this cold case, please speak up. A case is never fully cold and it could be just what is needed to crack the case open and lead to answers.

These are the best channels for submitting any potentially useful information:

New Hampshire State Police – Cold Case Unit:Call the Cold Case Unit at (603) 271-2663

Email Cold Case Unit:[email protected] — often used for tips and detailed information!

Gloucester, Massachusetts Police Department: 978-283-1212

The Murray family maintains an official site about Maura’s disappearance. If you believe your information might help and want to reach out directly to the family or share your tip, there’s a contact form and press email: [email protected]

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