The date was September 11th, 2000, in Clearwater, Florida.

Eight-year-old Zachary Bernhardt was asleep in his bedroom when his mother, Leah Hackett, stepped out of their apartment on Drew Street. It was the middle of the night, but Leah said insomnia had gotten the best of her. She went for a walk, maybe a swim in the apartment complex’s pool, hoping the movement and cool water would help her settle her racing thoughts.

She claimed she was only gone 15 minutes. But when she returned just after 4 a.m., her son was gone. No signs of a struggle. No broken windows. Just an empty bed where Zachary should have been.

Clearwater Police launched an immediate and extensive search of the area. Officers scoured the apartment complex, the surrounding woods, and nearby retention ponds. K-9 units, helicopters, volunteers—every available resource was deployed. But they found nothing. No witnesses. No clues. No trace of Zachary.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into years, suspicion quietly began to turn inward. Some investigators believe Leah Hackett knows more than she’s ever disclosed. She's always denied involvement—claimed she’s innocent, and that she, too, wants answers. Since then, she’s moved out of state, avoiding much of the public spotlight.

Zachary’s father? He was never involved in his life—and has never been considered a suspect.

So what really happened that night? Did someone sneak into the apartment while Leah was out? Or is there something in her story that doesn’t quite add up? Over two decades later, there are still no answers. No leads. No closure. Just a little boy who vanished without a trace.

Sources:

https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Zach_Bernhardt?source=post_page-----5c7d19bb7b6f---------------------------------------

https://charleyproject.org/case/zachary-michael-cole-bernhardt

https://websleuths.com/threads/fl-zachary-michael-cole-bernhardt-8-clearwater-11-sept-2000.11639/

https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/missing-in-the-shadows-of-9-11

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/09/28/police-boy-s-mother-knows-more/

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pasco/florida-woman-awaits-answers-23-years-after-her-8-year-old-nephew-disappears-in-clearwater?

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

In this crossover episode, Serial Napper and Perplexity Mystery Podcast join forces to dive deep into two of the most haunting and baffling true crime cases in recent memory.

🎙️ Nikki from Serial Napper takes a closer look at the heartbreaking case of Jelani Day, a graduate student whose body was discovered under suspicious circumstances in Illinois. Despite widespread attention, key questions remain unanswered. Who was Jelani, and what really happened to him?

🎙️ Kaydra from Perplexity Mystery Podcast investigates the mysterious death of Phoebe Handsjuk, a 24-year-old woman who was found at the bottom of a garbage chute in a luxury Melbourne apartment building. Was it a tragic accident… or something far more sinister?

🧩 Join us as we break down the facts, examine the theories, and ask the tough questions about two cases that continue to confound investigators and devastate families.

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

She was just 14. A soft-spoken girl who loved her cat, sketched her dreams in notebooks, took guitar lessons, and had just begun to explore who she was—experimenting with makeup, thinking about high school, maybe even college. Her name was Emily Pike. She was a daughter. A sister. A beloved member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

And on a quiet night in January 2025, she disappeared.

Emily had been placed in a group home in Mesa, Arizona—a place that was supposed to keep her safe after surviving unthinkable trauma. Instead of healing, Emily finds isolation. She cried to go home. She ran. She broke. And then, she vanished.

Two weeks later, her body was found—stuffed in trash bags, dumped off the side of U.S. Highway 60 near Globe. Like she was nothing. Like her life never mattered. But it did. And it still does.

What happened to Emily Pike is more than a tragedy—it’s a warning. A flashing red light on a system riddled with neglect. A system where vulnerable Indigenous youth too often vanish into silence. Three potential suspects. No arrests. And a family, a tribe, and a nation demanding to know: Who failed Emily? And who killed her?

This episode isn’t just about a murder. It’s about how the system, designed to protect our most vulnerable, didn’t just let Emily fall through the cracks—it threw her to the wolves.

Sources:

https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/what-led-up-to-emily-pikes-placement-in-foster-care?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/arizona/2025/03/29/slain-teen-emily-pike-honored-san-carlos-memorial-service/82697107007/

https://www.wideopencountry.com/mom-speaks-out-after-14-year-old-found-dismembered/

https://www.azfamily.com/2025/03/05/former-roommate-describes-what-happened-before-emily-pikes-mesa-disappearance/

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

In the age of social media and online connections, it's easy to believe that relationships—no matter how far apart—can flourish, even across continents. But for one 19-year-old woman, an online romance with a charming young Englishman would take a dark and tragic turn.

Ashley Wadsworth, a bright, adventurous teen from Vernon, B.C., had spent years building a connection with Jack Sepple, a young man from the U.K. Their relationship had blossomed online. In November of 2021, Ashley left Canada to start a new chapter of her life, meeting Jack in person for the first time. Ashley's journey seemed like the dream of a young woman eager to explore the world, her social media filled with updates of beautiful sights and happy memories.

But behind the photos of Ashley’s bright smile and the excitement of her travels, a darker story was unfolding—a story that would end in heartbreak. Just months after arriving in the U.K., Ashley Wadsworth was dead. Her family and friends, who had followed her journey from afar, would soon learn of a chilling truth about the man she had chosen to trust.

What led to Ashley’s tragic death? Why did no one stop Jack Sepple before it was too late? This is the story of Ashley Wadsworth—a young woman full of promise whose tragic fate was sealed by an online relationship gone horribly wrong.

Sources:

https://macleans.ca/society/online-dating-ashley-wadsworth-abuse-violence/

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-63119427

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/en-ca/obituaries/vernon-bc/ashley-wadsworth-10581527

https://globalnews.ca/news/8594921/ashley-wadsworth-death-uk-friend-text/

https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/ashley-wadsworth?CMP=ILC-refresh

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

The date is June 30, 1999. A body is discovered in a cornfield, about 20 miles outside of St. Louis, Missouri. The man, 41-year-old Ricky McCormick, is found dressed in nothing but dirty blue jeans and a stained white T-shirt. His body is badly decomposed, so much so that his cause of death is impossible to determine. At first glance, it seems like another tragic and forgotten death — a man with few means and, likely, mental health struggles. But then, investigators find something that would turn this case on its head.

Two pages of handwritten notes. These aren’t ordinary scribbles, though. The notes are written in an intricate, unbreakable code, something that has baffled both elite codebreakers and amateur sleuths for years. Over 30 lines of cryptic letters, numbers, and symbols, carefully arranged in a pattern that no one can decipher.

It’s believed that the victim, Ricky, had written these notes shortly before his death, but what did they mean? Could these strange symbols hold the key to understanding how Ricky McCormick died — or even why?

Despite his struggles with mental health, run-ins with the law and criminal activities, many believe these notes could be the missing piece to solving his mysterious death.

Sources:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/93674/code-dead-mans-pocket-thats-stumped-fbi-over-15-years

https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/help-solve-an-open-murder-case-part-2

https://allthatsinteresting.com/ricky-mccormick

https://morbidology.com/ricky-mccormick-the-cryptic-notes/

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/code-dead-do-the-encrypted-writings-of-ricky-mccormick-hold-the-key-to-his-mysterious-death-2498959

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

In the scorching summer of 1989, a mother’s worst nightmare began. Patricia Stallings, just 24 years old, rushed her critically ill baby, Ryan, to the hospital. What followed would send her into a heart-wrenching battle for her life and freedom.

For months, little Ryan had been suffering from severe gastric distress. But on one fateful day, his condition took a terrifying turn. Hospitalized and hooked up to a respirator, Ryan’s prognosis was unclear. However, after days of uncertainty, the doctors finally offered Patricia and her husband, David, a sliver of hope: Ryan would recover. But the relief was short-lived. The diagnosis that followed would devastate them—Ryan had been poisoned.

Doctors discovered ethylene glycol in his blood, the main ingredient in antifreeze. This toxic substance was deadly in large amounts, but the mystery remained: How had Ryan ingested them? While these chemicals were present in their home, Patricia and David couldn’t fathom how their infant could have gotten his hands on them.

The chilling diagnosis set off a series of events that would unravel Patricia’s life. Days after Ryan was released from the hospital, he was removed from his parents' care and placed into foster care. Tragically, only weeks later, he would return to the hospital—and this time, there was no saving him.

As the investigation unfolded, Patricia became the prime suspect. Accused of poisoning her own child, she maintained her innocence. But the nightmare deepened when, while awaiting trial, Patricia gave birth to another child who showed the same concerning symptoms as Ryan. Was history repeating itself?

Was Patricia Stallings truly capable of infanticide, or was there something far more sinister at play? Tune in to hear this gripping true story's shocking twists and turns—one that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about justice and motherhood.

Sources:

https://people.com/archive/the-murder-that-never-was-vol-36-no-23/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/10769830/

https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=3660

https://unsolved.com/gallery/patty-stallings/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559906/

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

On January 13, 2014, just before 1:30 PM, moviegoers were settling in for an afternoon of entertainment. The lights dimmed, trailers played, and everything seemed normal—until the lives of two men, Chad Oulson, a U.S. Army veteran, and Curtis J. Reeves, a retired police captain and SWAT commander, collided in a shocking, life-altering way.

What began as a seemingly minor dispute over a cell phone screen during movie previews quickly escalated into an explosive argument. Chad, trying to send a quick text to his babysitter about his young daughter, found himself at odds with Curtis, who was irritated by the light from Chad’s phone.

As tensions built, Curtis left to speak with theater management, but when he returned, the confrontation reignited. Frustrated, Chad tossed a handful of popcorn in Curtis's direction—something no one could have predicted would lead to catastrophe. Without warning, Curtis pulled out a handgun and fired a single fatal shot.

What happened next is so unbelievable, it could be mistaken for a scene from a movie.

Join me as I unravel the chilling details of this tragic event in a Wesley Chapel movie theater, where a retired police captain’s extreme reaction to popcorn led to an irreversible tragedy. Listen as I explore how a trivial dispute spiraled into a life-or-death confrontation that no one saw coming.

Don’t miss this gripping story that reveals how one impulsive decision forever changed the lives of those involved.

Sources:

https://www.courttv.com/news/movie-popcorn-murder-trial/

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thetelegraph/name/chad-oulson-obituary?id=24178319

https://web.archive.org/web/20230314201026/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/us/a-movie-date-a-text-message-and-a-fatal-shot.html?_r=0.43

http://www.curtisreevestrial.com/

https://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/05/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/index.html

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *

On July 28, 1986, 25-year-old Suzy Lamplugh, a driven and confident real estate agent from London, England, went missing under bizarre and unsettling circumstances. Suzy, who had a promising career ahead of her, left her office that morning with a scheduled appointment to show a house to a client at 37 Shorrolds Road in Fulham.

Her appointment was with a mysterious man known only as "Mr. Kipper." Little was known about this client, and despite the lack of information, nothing about the meeting seemed unusual to Suzy. It was supposed to be another regular day in her busy career. However, it turned out to be anything but ordinary.

Later that day, Suzy’s car—a white Ford Fiesta—was found abandoned near the Fulham Football Club. The car doors were unlocked, her purse was still inside, but the keys were missing. Despite extensive police investigations and numerous searches, no trace of Suzy Lamplugh was ever found, and she has remained missing to this day.

Over the years, countless theories about her disappearance have emerged. Some speculate that Suzy was abducted and possibly taken abroad, while others focus on the mystery surrounding her appointment with "Mr. Kipper." Could "Mr. Kipper" have been a pseudonym? Some believe that the name itself may hold cryptic clues, even hinting at a sinister connection when viewed as an anagram.

To this day, the identity of Mr. Kipper remains unknown, and many individuals have been investigated in connection to Suzy’s case. However, no one has been definitively linked to her disappearance.

In this episode, I dive deep into the mystery surrounding Suzy Lamplugh’s disappearance, examining the theories, potential suspects, and the chilling possibility that this case may never be solved.

Sources:

https://www.suzylamplugh.org/

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-46044054

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqXwZ72iExE

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14051419/Suzy-Lamplugh-murder-suspect-John-Cannan-died-forensic-review.html

https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/disappearance-of-suzy-lamplugh

Follow me here:

► YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SerialNapper/

► Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/serialnappernik/

► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SerialNapper/

► TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@serialnappernik

*Go Ad-Free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SerialNapper *