Crime Off The Grid

A hidden treasure. A cryptic poem. And a decade-long search that pulled thousands of people deep into the wilderness—sometimes with fatal consequences. Tara and Nancy unravel the full story of the Forrest Fenn treasure hunt, and the obsession it inspired across the Rocky Mountains.  these clues sent people into some of the most dangerous terrain on public land, and the tragic deaths, rescues, and criminal cases tied to the hunt—Drawing on firsthand ranger experience and rarely discussed details, this episode explores how a quest meant to inspire adventure quietly became one of the deadliest games ever played on public land—and what it reveals about risk, obsession, and the unforgiving nature of the wilderness.Support the show!For bonus content join our Patreon!patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGridFor a one time donation:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotgFor more information about the podcast, check outhttps://crimeoffthegrid.com/Check out our Merch!!  https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shopFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and  (1) Facebookhttps://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-treasure-hunter-got-lost-in-yellowstone-looking-for-a-millionaires-hidden-trove-he-must-repay-the-rescue-costs/#:~:text=He%20did%2C%20thanks%20to%20a,entering%20Yellowstone%20for%20five%20years.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9118491/Utah-man-dug-Forrest-Fenns-hidden-treasure-Yellowstone-faces-years-prison.htmlhttps://www.justice.gov/usao-wy/pr/forrest-fenn-treasure-hunter-indicted-damage-yellowstone-national-parkhttps://www.nps.gov/aboutus/foia/upload/ForrestFenn_Emails_Incidents_forWeb.pdf

A celebrity of the rock climbing world may be a violent, serial predator.  A survey posted in several outdoor magazines and the special agents of the National Park Service put together a case that showed  just because you can climb so high, doesn't mean you wont go down HARD.Support the show!For bonus content join our Patreon!patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGridFor a one time donation:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotgFor more information about the podcast, check outhttps://crimeoffthegrid.com/Check out our Merch!!  https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shopFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and  (1) FacebookGET HELPNational Sexual Assault Hotline1-800-656-4673https://www.rainn.org/ National Domestic Violence Hotline800-799-7233https://www.thehotline.org/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=domestic_violence  Sources:#SafeOutside SurveyUS District Court, Eastern District of California, United States V Charles Barrett, 1:22-cr-00213-ADA-BAM-1, 7-13-23https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/professional-rock-climber-convicted-sexual-assaults-yosemite-national-parkhttps://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/climber-charles-barrett-assault-trial/?scope=anonhttps://www.climbing.com/gym-climbing/sexual-assault/

A woman was found dead below a 140-foot cliff at Miner’s Castle in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore after her husband reported that she had fallen while he was away using the restroom. What initially appeared to be a tragic accident quickly unraveled as investigators uncovered shifting stories, troubling behavior, financial pressure, and a long history of emotional and physical abuse within the marriage. This is a case that highlights how intimate partner violence, coercive control, and deception can hide in plain sight, even in the most breathtaking wilderness settings.Support the show!For bonus content join our Patreon!patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGridFor a one time donation:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotgFor more information about the podcast, check outhttps://crimeoffthegrid.com/Check out our Merch!!  https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shopFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and  (1) FacebookSourceshttps://www.nps.gov/piro/learn/news/richardson-sentenced.htmhttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-miwd-1_14-cv-01250/pdf/USCOURTS-miwd-1_14-cv-01250-0.pdfhttps://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25443664https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal/26563548/

Bringing this one out from the Ranger Vault!  This is one of our favorite early episodes and it was Nancy's debut as a "guest" host! A brutal crime was committed at Ft Eustis Military base in Virginia, and the suspects fled to Shenandoah National Park.  A cool headed ranger lead the chase involving  multiple law enforcement agencies to bring the bizarre criminals to an ending no one could have expected.For more information about the podcast, check outhttps://crimeoffthegrid.com/Also...We've Got Merch!!Check us out on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/and  (1) FacebookSUPPORT THE SHOW:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotgCheck out Duane Martinz!https://www.duanemartinz.com/Sources:US v Montowski; US District Court for the Western District of VA, October 9,2009https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/norfolk/press-releases/2010/nf051710.htmhttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/gunman-dressed-as-the-joker-shot-by-police/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/13/police-shoot-man-dressed-as-jokerhttps://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/03/12/FBI-joins-inquiry-into-soldiers-shooting/44071236879818/https://wfcreport.com/2009/03/13/not-just-a-rumor-iraq-vet-killed-on-skyline-drive-loved-the-joker/

A Utah father’s “family hike” up the steep and strenuous Broads Fork Trail in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest turned into a horrific, life-threatening ordeal for his three young children when he refused to turn back as a storm rolled in, ultimately leaving them exposed, injured, and stranded overnight at high elevation. Search-and-rescue crews later found the children hypothermic and unresponsive, and investigators uncovered disturbing details, including the father ignoring repeated warnings, pushing the kids toward a nearly 9-mile summit, and even leaving his 8-year-old to perform CPR on her brother in the dark. This episode breaks down the timeline, the rescue, and the shocking decisions that turned a mountain trail into a nightmare.Support the show!For bonus content join our Patreon!patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGridFor a one time donation:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotgFor more information about the podcast, check outhttps://crimeoffthegrid.com/Check out our Merch!!  https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shopFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and  (1) Facebook  Sources:https://www.ksl.com/article/51411042/extremely-selfish-dad-charged-with-taking-young-kids-on-dangerous-hike-that-ended-in-a-rescue https://gephardtdaily.com/local/father-who-took-children-on-mountain-hike-in-snowstorm-arrested-for-alleged-child-torture-intentional-abuse/ https://www.abc4.com/news/crimes-against-children/father-big-cottonwood-hiker-missing-toture/amp/https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/northern-utah/utah-father-who-went-missing-with-3-children-on-hike-charged-with-child-torture-abuseources: