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Carol Costello Presents: The God Hook — True Crime
Carol Costello Presents: The God Hook

In Season Two of her true crime series, The God Hook, journalist Carol Costello investigates the complex case of the Ohio Craigslist Killings—and in doing so, unearths the untold story of the crimes that preceded the murders—and the victims who’ve never received justice. Richard Beasley was convicted of murdering three men and attempting to kill a fourth in the fall of 2011, but before that heinous spree, authorities were building a human trafficking case against him. Now, working with the case’s prosecutor, a county sheriff, and many closely involved sources, Carol examines previously unknown details of Beasley’s alleged crimes, and how he used the God Hook to lure his victims and bend them to his will.
In Season One of this podcast, Blind Rage, journalist Carol Costello revisits the first big assignment she covered as a 22-year-old, novice reporter: Phyllis Cottles’ brutal attack. Psychologists call them “Triumphant Survivors,” but Phyllis Cottle was more than a survivor, she used this crime to better herself and the world around her.
Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

Copyright: © All Rights Reserved 2022-23

Latest Episodes:

9 | Dumb Like a Fox Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Prosecutors utilize old charges to keep Beasley locked up while they carefully construct their case.

Investigators uncover disturbing details about the Craigslist murders from Richard Beasley’s alleged accomplice, Brogan Rafferty.

Beasley cooks up one final con in the Summit County Jail while awaiting trial.

Watch the video trailer ⁠here⁠!

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

GUESTS

Rhonda Kotnik - Summit County Public Defender

Sheriff Jason Mackie - Led the investigation into the murders in Noble County

Paul Scarsella - Former special prosecutor for the Beasley case

Captain Terry Pasko (Ret.) - Led the vice unit investigation into Richard Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Additional info at ⁠www.carolcostellopresents.com⁠.

Do you have questions about this series? ⁠Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to ⁠The God Hook’s YouTube channel ⁠for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Supporting Cast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

FEED DROP: Unlawful Acts is available now! Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

Unlawful Acts is a weekly true crime podcast hosted by Susan Davis, offering condensed yet compelling storytelling that dives deep into some of the world’s most fascinating criminal cases. From elusive serial killers to decades-old mysteries, each episode peels back the layers to uncover the truths often left untold.

Gerard Schaefer joined the police force to serve and protect—at least, that’s what he told everyone. He wore the badge, filed the reports, and pulled over young women under the pretense of safety. There was just one problem. He wasn’t there to protect them—he was hunting them. When bodies started turning up, fiction and reality became impossible to separate.

Join host, Susan Davis, every week on Unlawful Acts as she digs into stories just like Gerard's -- ones that look one way on the surface—but reveal something far more sinister underneath. She's not here just to recount crimes. She's here to understand them — one episode at a time. As one listener put it, this is the podcast for people who crave the full story—without the filler.

Tune in to Unlawful Acts wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

8 | Full Circle Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

After months on the lam, Richard Beasley is apprehended by a special task force.

Detective Mackie interrogates both Beasley and teenager Brogan Rafferty about the Craigslist murders.

Tim Kern becomes the final victim, though the manner of his death raises questions about who pulled the trigger.

Watch the video trailer ⁠here⁠!

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

GUESTS

Sheriff Jason Mackie - Led the investigation into the murders in Noble County

Paul Scarsella - Former special prosecutor for the Beasley case

Captain Terry Pasko (Ret.) - Led the vice unit investigation into Richard Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Additional info at ⁠(www.carolcostellopresents.com⁠).

Do you have questions about this series? ⁠Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to ⁠The God Hook’s YouTube channel ⁠for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Supporting Cast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

7 | A Grave in the Woods Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

Scott Davis escapes his attempted murder, but law enforcement are about to discover that other victims were not so fortunate.

Deb Bruce notifies authorities in Noble County that she hasn’t heard from her twin brother David since he left to take a job he found on Craigslist.

Detective Mackie's search for a missing ball cap in the woods takes a dark turn with the chilling discovery of a freshly-dug grave.

Watch the video trailer here!

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

GUESTS

Sheriff Jason Mackie - Led the investigation into the murders in Noble County

Paul Scarsella - Former special prosecutor for the Beasley case

Debra Bruce - David Pauley’s twin sister

Additional info at (www.carolcostellopresents.com⁠).

AI Disclosure: This episode contains an element of AI-created content.

Do you have questions about this series? Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to The God Hook’s YouTube channel for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Supporting Cast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

6 | The Craigslist Ad May 27, 2025

Show notes

In August of 2011, Richard Beasley murders Ralph Geiger in the woods of Noble County, Ohio, and assumes his identity.

Months later, Scott Davis responds to a Craigslist ad for a farm caretaker and ends up narrowly escaping his own death after being lured into those same woods.

Then-detective Jason Mackie investigates Davis’ story, and begins his search for the crime scene.

Watch the video preview here!

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin Huffman

Zoe Louisa Lewis

GUESTS

Sheriff Jason Mackie - Led the investigation into the murders in Noble County

Paul Scarsella - Former special prosecutor for the Beasley case

Additional info at (⁠www.carolcostellopresents.com)⁠.

AI Disclosure: This episode contains an element of AI-created content.

Do you have questions about this series? ⁠Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to ⁠The God Hook’s YouTube channel ⁠for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Supporting Cast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

5 | The Fugitive May 20, 2025

Show notes

Richard Beasley is on the lam, with his young acolyte Brogan Rafferty in tow.

Now the killing starts. The first victim? A man seeking redemption.

Carol & Emily travel to Noble County, Ohio to meet Sheriff Jason Mackie, who led the investigation into the murders.

Watch the video trailer here!

Stay tuned after the credits for a preview from our YouTube channel.

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

Additional Music Provided by Thrumm (https://thrumm.audio/)

SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin Huffman

Zoe Louisa Lewis

GUESTS

Captain Terry Pasko (Ret.) - Led the vice unit investigation into Richard Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Volkan Topalli - Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Amy - A victim of Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Sheriff Jason Mackie - Led the investigation into the murders in Noble County

Additional info at ⁠www.carolcostellopresents.com⁠.

Do you have questions about this series? ⁠Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to ⁠The God Hook’s YouTube channel ⁠for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Supporting Cast or Apple Podcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

4 | Beating the System May 13, 2025

Show notes

Chaplain Rich is arrested, and investigators gather evidence from his so-called halfway house.

Due to prior convictions, he faces the possibility of extradition out of state, and a lengthy prison sentence.

Yet against all odds, a judge grants him release. And with the help of a young friend, Richard Beasley vanishes.

Watch the video preview here!

Stay tuned after the credits for a preview from our YouTube channel.

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin Huffman

Zoe Louisa Lewis

GUESTS

Volkan Topalli - Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Captain Terry Pasko (Ret.) - Led the vice unit investigation into Richard Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Jennifer Rausch - Prosecutor and Human Trafficking Expert

Amy - A victim of Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Additional info at ⁠www.carolcostellopresents.com⁠.

Do you have questions about this series? ⁠Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to ⁠The God Hook’s YouTube channel ⁠for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Supporting Cast or Apple Podcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

3 | Pulling Strings May 06, 2025

Show notes

Akron detectives begin listening to recorded phone calls from the Summit County Jail, hoping to track down a predatory jailhouse pastor known as “Chaplain Rich.”

Amy places her trust in Lieutenant Detective Terry Pasko, a vice detective slowly building a trafficking case.

Investigators learn what goes on at Chaplain Rich’s halfway house and respond to an unexpected Christmas incident.

Watch the video trailer here!

Stay tuned after the episode for a sneak peek from our YouTube channel.

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin Huffman

Zoe Louisa Lewis

GUESTS

Amy - A victim of Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Detective Terry Pasko (Ret.) - Led the investigation into Richard Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Samantha Salamon - Executive Chair, The Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking (https://sccaht.org/)

Jennifer Rausch - Prosecutor and Human Trafficking Expert

Additional info at ⁠carolcostellopresents.com⁠.

Do you have questions about this series? ⁠Submit them for future Q&A episodes⁠.

Subscribe to ⁠The God Hook’s YouTube channel ⁠for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Supporting Cast or Apple Podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

2 | The Ravenous Wolf Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

In Akron, Ohio, Richard Beasley gains the ear of the most powerful and the faith of the most vulnerable.

A twist of fate provides him the opportunity to purchase a home that he puts to nefarious use.

Amy, a familiar face at the Summit County Jail, falls prey to Beasley’s scheme. But she ultimately makes a courageous choice that she hopes will bring him to justice.

Additional info at carolcostellopresents.com.

Do you have questions about this series? Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to The God Hook’s YouTube channel for videos, photos, and additional conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Supporting Cast or Apple Podcasts

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin Huffman

Zoe Louisa Lewis

GUESTS

Rhonda Kotnik - Summit County Public Defender

Doug Oplinger - Former Managing Editor of the Akron Beacon Journal

Jennifer Rausch - Prosecutor and Human Trafficking Expert

Volkan Topalli - Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Amy - A victim of Beasley’s alleged sex trafficking operation

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

1 | The False Prophet Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

In this premiere episode of "The God Hook," host Carol Costello introduces the chilling story of Richard Beasley, infamously known as the Ohio Craigslist Killer.

In previously unreleased jailhouse recordings, Beasley portrays himself as a devout Christian, concealing his manipulative and predatory behavior.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Beasley's deceitfulness extends beyond the victims he buried in shallow graves.

Listen to the preview of a bonus conversation between Carol and Emily available after the episode.

Additional info at carolcostellopresents.com.

Do you have questions about this series? Submit them for future Q&A episodes.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see additional videos, photos, and conversations.

For early and ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content, subscribe to the podcast via Supporting Cast or Apple Podcasts.

EPISODE CREDITS

Host - Carol Costello

Co-Host - Emily Pelphrey

Producer - Chris Aiola

Sound Design & Mixing - Lochlainn Harte

Mixing Supervisor - Sean Rule-Hoffman

Production Director - Brigid Coyne

Executive Producer - Gerardo Orlando

Original Music - Timothy Law Snyder

SPECIAL THANKS

Kevin Huffman

Zoe Louisa Lewis

GUESTS

Doug Oplinger - Former Managing Editor of the Akron Beacon Journal

Volkan Topalli - Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Amir Hussain - Professor of Theological Studies

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://carolcostellopresents.supportingcast.fm/

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