Podcast Categories: Government

The Peacemaker podcast explores a harrowing suicide cluster that unfolded in a rural college town. Hosted by BEN WESTHOFF and RYAN KRULL, this series is set at Truman State University, sometimes called the Harvard of the Midwest, where a few years back a string of suicides at the Alpha Kappa Lambda house shook the community to its core. As fraternity member after fraternity member took his own life, police realized they all had a common link— a fellow brother named Brandon Grossheim, who was close friends with each victim, discovered some of the bodies, and later dated some of the victims’ girlfriends and wore one of the victim’s clothes. Featuring shocking new revelations and vivid, untold details, Westhoff and Krull investigate whether Grossheim simply had bad luck, or if he somehow psychologically manipulated his friends into ending their lives, as some of the parents claim. As a civil lawsuit against Grossheim unfolds, The Peacemaker explores an unsettling case that has shaken an entire community and left lingering questions about accountability and the power of influence.

When a police officer is found dead in her home with a bullet between her eyes, who investigates?

Both Ciara Estrada and her boyfriend were San Diego police officers. They went with friends to a New Year’s Eve party. Pictures from that night show the smiling couple. The next day, Ciara was dead … discovered on her bathroom floor with her gun in her lap.

Her own department investigated the death and quickly ruled it a suicide. Investigators, who were her colleagues, made no arrests. Identified no suspects.

But her family says there’s more to her story – tragic circumstances that should have prompted a more thorough investigation. They don’t think the police dug deep enough into the death of one of their own.

When 20-year-old Matthew Leveson failed to return home after a night out clubbing in Sydney, his loved ones were worried sick. Matty was a trustworthy, warm, and caring young man who adored his friends and family, not the type of person who would just take off without a word. Suspicion soon fell on Matt’s partner, 45-year-old Michael Atkins, after it was revealed that the pair were fighting on the night of Matt’s disappearance. But was that unfortunate timing, or did Atkins have something to hide?

Matty is a 10-part series narrated by Loren O’Keeffe from The Missed Foundation (formerly known as MPAN – Missing Persons Advocacy Network). Join Loren as she documents the decade-long struggle faced by Matt’s parents, Mark and Faye, who refused to give up on their son. We go behind the headlines for an exclusive insight into how the investigation unfolded, exploring the failures of law enforcement and the ongoing obstacles faced by the Levesons. At the heart of it all lies the question: how far would you go to bring your loved one home?

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