Stay ConnectedHost David Ridgen and investigative journalist Amanda Robb dig into the 1998 murder of her uncle, a New York doctor killed for performing abortions. They uncover a network of anti-abortion movements linked to violence in North America and Europe. Twenty years later, debates about reproductive rights are heating up in the U.S. What can we learn from the past?
Previous seasons: S1: Adrien McNaughton. S2: Sheryl Sheppard. S3: Dee & Moore. S4: Greavette. S5: Kerrie Brown. S6: Donald Izzett Jr.
Copyright: Copyright © CBC 2022
The high seas are beyond the reach of international law – and beyond the beat of most reporters. But Pulitzer-Prize-winner and former New York Times journalist, Ian Urbina, has sailed into uncharted territories. Urbina sets out on a years-long quest to investigate murder at sea, modern slave labour, environmental crimes and quixotic adventurers. Part travelog, part true-crime thriller, this 7-part series takes listeners to places where the laws of the land no longer exist. The Outlaw Ocean is brought to you by CBC Podcasts and the LA Times and produced by The Outlaw Ocean Project. More episodes are available at http://hyperurl.co/theoutlawocean
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending decades of constitutional protection for abortion rights. In this special update episode of SKS Season 7, David Ridgen checks in with Amanda Robb, Lynne Slepian and Diane Derzis, the owner of the clinic at the heart of the Supreme Court case.
An email arrives from a California prison: “Talk to you very soon.” In the season finale, David speaks to James Kopp, the man who shot and killed Dr. Barnett Slepian. What does the violence of the past mean for the future?
David heads to Mississippi, a key state that is currently attempting to restrict access to abortion through legislation. David visits the only abortion clinic in the state, known as "Pink House," and speaks to the workers and activists on the frontlines of the fight to protect reproductive rights.
David and Amanda examine the relationship between religious beliefs and justification for violence. The investigation takes them to Washington, D.C., where they meet with an American evangelical minister who was involved in the anti-abortion movement — leading protests against Dr. Barnett Slepian and blockading the clinic where he worked. Has the minister’s position changed?
Canadian detectives investigating the 1995 shooting of Dr. Hugh Short in Ontario reveal evidence that places an anti-abortion fanatic at the scene of the crime. David speaks to Buffalo News reporters who investigated the U.S. and Canadian shootings and feel there is much more to the story.
David interviews key members of the Canadian/U.S. police task force formed to find the person who shot Canadian abortion providers and killed Dr. Barnett Slepian. Do they think the shooter acted alone? What will the man behind the FBI code name Jack Steele, a key confidential informant, reveal?
In the 1990s, three Canadian abortion providers are shot and gravely injured — all about a year apart, all around Remembrance Day. David begins his examination of these attacks by speaking to Canadian family members. In so doing, David discovers connections between the Canadian shootings and the murder of Amanda Robb’s uncle, Dr. Barnett Slepian. An eyewitness account reveals new information publicly for the first time.
Access to abortion has taken on urgency as the laws protecting it come under attack in the U.S. Working with family member Amanda Robb, David examines the murder of her uncle, an abortion provider in the U.S., and the resulting conviction of a fanatical sniper. Both discover that this murder may be the endgame of a series of doctor shootings that actually began in Canada.
Coming May 2022: the return of Someone Knows Something. In Season 7, host David Ridgen and American journalist Amanda Robb investigate the 1998 murder of Dr. Barnett Slepian — Robb’s uncle — who was shot in an act of anti-abortion violence. The series explores the anti-abortion radical who was responsible for the murder and the possible links to similar attacks on Canadian doctors. With protests on the rise and debates about reproductive rights heating up in the U.S., could more violence be on the horizon?
From David Ridgen, comes the new investigative podcast The Next Call. Tackling unsolved cases through strategic phone calls. In the case of Nadia Atwi, on December 8, 2017, Salwa Atwi arrived at her daughter Nadia’s home in Edmonton as part of their regular carpooling. But Nadia didn’t come outside, and the 32-year-old kindergarten teacher was never seen again. Edmonton’s Muslim and Lebanese communities pulled together to search in the days following. Initial searches seem promising, as Nadia’s car is found in a park with her phone inside, but four years later there is still no sign of her. More episodes are available at: smarturl.it/thenextcall
“Firewood”: On April 29, 2002, Terrie Dauphinais was discovered on the main floor of her Calgary home. She’d been strangled. Responding officers find Terrie’s three young children locked in their rooms upstairs. Police have a suspect, but can’t move forward.
“Homefront”: David digs into the original investigation into Terrie’s murder. Was anything missed? And what did one of the children see?
“Panic Mode”: An undercover police investigation appears to go south. The clock ticks on a criminal trial.
On September 28, 1996, Melanie Ethier says goodbye to her mother Celine, and goes to a friend’s house to watch a movie. Melanie is never seen again.
Conversations with Melanie’s friends who were with her the day she disappeared. Could something they noticed help the investigation?
Melanie’s 10-minute walk home becomes 24 years of unanswered questions. Did someone see or hear her that night? And what about Celine’s suspicions about an old friend of the family?
A closer look at the alibi of a person who has been on Celine’s radar for a while.
The final regularly-planned episode. New information about Melanie’s case continues to come to light. What does this mean for Celine and the case?
David and Trevor follow new tips in the Kerrie Brown case and learn more about who the 911 caller may have been looking for on the night Kerrie was murdered.
David looks deeper into Donnie’s case file to try piecing together his final days and hours, while Debra takes a new approach to try shaking something loose. New revelations ensue.
Debra proposes a new dig on a Mississippi property in her search for answers. Could it be the spark the case needs?
Detectives interrogate an apparent witness about his involvement in Donnie’s disappearance and question his credibility. Is he telling the truth or is there more to the story than he’s letting on? Meanwhile, David tracks down the witness’s family and friends to get to the bottom of his story.
Debra notices a man repeatedly named in Donnie’s case file as a potential witness. Yet police never spoke to him. Could he be the key to finding out what happened to Donnie?
On Mother’s Day 1995, Debra receives a distressing phone call from her son, Donnie. Crying and upset, he asks her to wire him some money. After what sounds like a scuffle and a scream, the phone goes dead. Debra never hears from Donnie again.
In SKS Season 6, David Ridgen investigates the case of 19-year-old Donald Izzett Jr., who disappeared during a road trip across the U.S.
In this special episode, David and Thomas Moore reflect on their search for justice and what they’ve learned in the years since their investigation into the 1964 Klan murders of Henry Dee and Thomas’ brother Charles Moore.
David follows up on tips, rumours and accusations surrounding the Kerrie Brown case, and tracks down more potential suspects.
Trevor Brown speaks for the first time with the man who was accused of murdering his sister.
Patrick Sumner was arrested and charged with Kerrie's murder, but discharged after a preliminary hearing. He has never spoken to the media to give his side of the story. Until now.
David tracks down the civilian phone operator who says she received a suspicious phone call the night Kerrie disappeared.
Trevor wasn't Kerrie's only sibling. David takes the investigation closer to home.
A woman writes a name on a scrap of paper and hands it to Jim Brown. Is this the tip he's been waiting for?
A retired RCMP officer claims that certain suspects, tips and evidence may have been overlooked during the original investigation, including a very suspicious phone call.
Another muscle car, similar to the one seen by witnesses near the crime scene, was out driving through Thompson on the night of Kerrie's murder. The driver of that car was known as Mad Max.
The investigation leads to the owner of an auto body shop, who has information about Patrick Sumner's vehicle, and similar cars that may have been in Thompson on the night of Kerrie's murder.
A local teenager witnessed two vehicles leaving the crime scene the night Kerrie was murdered. What did he see that night? And more importantly, who?
Another young woman was brutally murdered in northern Manitoba in 1971. But unlike the Brown case, a perpetrator was eventually brought to justice. What can be learned from the Helen Betty Osborne case?
David speaks with the woman who discovered Kerrie's body to learn about the crime scene and meets with the police officer currently in charge of Kerrie's case.
On a cold October night in 1986, 15-year-old Kerrie Brown disappeared from a house party. Her friends and family recall that fateful night and the devastating effect it's had on their lives.
In SKS Season 5: Kerrie Brown, David Ridgen travels north to Thompson, Manitoba to investigate the brutal unsolved murder of 15-year-old Kerrie Brown.
Updates on Seasons 1 through 4. And an announcement: SKS will be back with Season 5 in October 2018.
In March 2018, David and his team of volunteers conduct a fourth search of Holmes Lake for Adrien McNaughton. It's the deepest and most thorough search to date and, with the help of cadaver dogs, leads to important discoveries.
David and the Greavette family track down every available lead, investigating whether Wayne's murder is linked to the water industry, biker gangs or organized crime.
A disturbing piece of information about Wayne's past is revealed and the Greavettes meet one of the people mentioned in the death letter.
Danielle and Justin meet with Ed Galick who was Wayne's former employer and mentor. He was also a person of interest to police. Ed and Wayne were like father and son, but then things took a turn in their relationship.
David meets the police officers involved in the Greavette case to learn about their investigation and find out what the evidence reveals about who might have killed Wayne.
When a flashlight bomb killed Wayne Greavette in 1996, it also destroyed his family. Years later, Wayne's widow and adult children reunite to revisit the case and search for answers.
In SKS Season 4: Greavette, David Ridgen continues the work he began nine years ago, investigating the murder of Wayne Greavette.
In this bonus episode, David travels back to Mississippi, follows up on the Dee & Moore case, and looks at the fate of other civil rights era cases in the wake of the James Ford Seale trial.
In the aftermath of the Dee-Moore case, questions remain. Years later, David and Thomas return to Mississippi to meet old friends, mourn those who have passed and to try meeting the Klansman turned church deacon, Charles Marcus Edwards, one more time.
The investigation continues, leading to the doorsteps of more former Klansmen. Then, a surprising revelation from Lampton.
David and Thomas search for MHSP officers and FBI agents who were present during Seale and Edwards's arrests. And Thomas looks for the support of the local community as he plans to confront the Klansmen in person.
David and Thomas meet journalist Jerry Mitchell, who has stacks of FBI documents about the case. They speak to people who lived through the terror of civil rights era Mississippi, and visit U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton to try to get the case reopened.
Why did authorities close the case? David & Thomas speak with the FBI and local District Attorney to try to find out. They also meet Henry's sister Thelma and Joe Lee, one of the last to see Dee & Moore alive. Thomas makes a shocking discovery.
In 1964, two klansmen were arrested for the murder of Dee & Moore: James Ford Seale and Charles Marcus Edwards. The charges were dropped. But Edwards is still known to be alive, and Thomas wants to meet him face to face.
All six episodes of SKS Season 3: Dee & Moore will be available on Tuesday, November 7th, 2017.
In a live Q&A from CBC Hamilton, David provides updates on the Adrien McNaughton and Sheryl Sheppard cases, as well as a sneak peek at what’s to come.
Where is Sheryl Sheppard? David looks into her potential whereabouts and makes direct contact with the man police have named as the prime suspect in Sheryl's disappearance: Michael Lavoie.
As David tries to track down and speak to Brian Sweeney, Sheryl's ex-husband, evidence begins to pile up that Sheryl may have known her life was in danger.
David speaks to people who knew Michael Lavoie as a child, as well as members of his family, including his mother, Pat Lavoie.
David takes a closer look at the New Year's Eve proposal video with a forensic psychologist and the TV host who was there that night. We also hear from people who say they witnessed violence between Michael and Sheryl first hand.
Gwen speaks about her relationship with Michael Lavoie, what she recalls from those crucial days in January 1998, and the effect that Sheryl's disappearance had on Gwen and her family.
David drives cross-country to meet with Gwen, Michael Lavoie's partner of many years. Retired detectives share new details about their investigation. And a local reporter reveals a previously unreported story about Lavoie.
David tracks down Michael Lavoie's stepbrother, Mark Dempsey, and talks to him about family, betrayal and the criminal code.
In the weeks surrounding Sheryl's disappearance, Michael Lavoie began a relationship with another woman, Sheila Darbyson. Sheila talks for the first time about many surprising details. (Episode 6 will be released on Monday, January 2, 2017)
The search for more information about Sheryl’s disappearance begins to both widen and focus on the details, as David uses everything from Facebook to knocking on doors to try to figure out what might have happened to Sheryl.
The investigation into the Adrien McNaughton case continues. Since the season finale, there have been meetings with police, two search dives and some discoveries.
Who was Sheryl Sheppard? David speaks to her family, friends and coworkers to try to find out if there was anything in her past that could provide clues to explain her sudden disappearance.
Hamilton police discover Sheryl Sheppard’s fiancé, Michael Lavoie, parked in a storage locker overcome by exhaust fumes. SKS host David Ridgen talks to police about their original investigation to begin piecing together what happened that fateful weekend.
When Odette Fisher returned from holidays in New Brunswick, she expected her daughter, Sheryl Sheppard, to pick her up at the train station. Sheryl never showed up. And Sheryl’s new fiancé said he hadn’t seen her for days.
New case. New leads. New hope. David Ridgen is back, investigating another missing person cold case. Season 2 of Someone Knows Something will launch Nov 21.
In the season finale of SKS, David Ridgen wraps up loose ends, looks into ways to continue the investigation into Adrien's disappearance, and speaks with the McNaughton family about their experience of reopening the case.
The investigation pauses as the search divers wait for Holmes Lake to thaw. In the meantime, SKS revisits the people, information and new leads that have been uncovered in the case so far.
Two psychics pointed to the remote town of Clyde Forks in their readings of Adrien McNaughton's fate and whereabouts. Could the missing boy have grown up in a secluded town an hour's drive from his family home?
A divemaster prepares to search Holmes Lake before winter arrives and the lake freezes over. And John Gervais identifies the mysterious vehicle he saw at the lake the day Adrien disappeared.
The cadaver dogs continue their search for the scent of human remains in the Holmes Lake area.
Two cadaver dogs are brought in to search the area of Holmes Lake where five-year-old Adrien McNaughton was last seen.
Is Adrien still alive? If so, what would he look like today? Forensic artist Diana Trepkov creates a series of age-progression sketches to help SKS in their quest to solve the mystery of McNaughton's disappearance.
SKS host David Ridgen speaks with those involved in the initial search for Adrien McNaughton, and weighs every available theory about the cause of his disappearance — from abduction to bear attack.
Another witness was present in the moments leading up to Adrien’s disappearance. SKS host David Ridgen ventures into the backwoods of Eastern Ontario to find him.
What happened the day five-year-old Adrien McNaughton wandered into the woods and was never seen again? How does a family grieve for someone who may still be alive? And where might he be today? SKS host David Ridgen returns to his hometown to investigate.
David Ridgen considers whether he should create the podcast Someone Knows Something.
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