The Dark Oak

De: Just Us Gals Productions
  • Resumen

  • Attention all shiver-seekers! The Dark Oak is a weekly thrill and chill inducing mystery podcast. Every Wednesday, Stefanie and Cynthia will present to you a true tale of the supernatural, the macabre, historical crimes, cryptids, the unexplained and the downright spooky. To help ease your fears, we also include The Branch of Hope Foundation, which connects you to the human side of our cases by giving back to non-profit organizations related to the first episode of the month. If you enjoy guilt free listening and your interest falls somewhere between Bigfoot and Jack the Ripper, The Dark Oak has you covered. Throw in some real time reactions including gasps and laughs and you’ve got the perfect podcast. So grab your coffee, sweet tea or tall glass of wine and settle in for your shadowy adventure. The Dark Oak is waiting!
    Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
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Episodios
  • Episode 101: The Disappearance and Undetermined Death of Mitrice RIchardson
    May 4 2025
    Mitrice Richardson, a 24-year-old psychology graduate, disappeared on September 17, 2009, after being released from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Los Angeles, following her arrest for failing to pay an $89 restaurant bill and possessing a small amount of marijuana. Exhibiting erratic behavior suggestive of a mental health crisis, possibly undiagnosed bipolar disorder, Mitrice was released at 12:28 a.m. without her phone, wallet, or car, despite her mother’s plea to hold her until morning. Last seen alive resting in a resident’s backyard six hours later, her skeletal remains were found 11 months later in a remote canyon, with her clothing 700 feet away and no clear cause of death determined. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department faced criticism for releasing her, mishandling her remains, and obstructing the coroner’s investigation, prompting lawsuits and allegations of foul play, though her death was ruled undetermined, not a homicide. Her case led to policy changes for missing persons and mental health evaluations, but her family continues to seek justice, believing she was murdered. Branch of Hope for May 2025: The JED Foundation - Jedfoundation.org Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak 1:40 Mitrice Richardson 1:28:20 The Brand of Hope - JED Foundation

    Sources:

    Suspicious death: Mitrice Richardson | Malibu, CA | Uncovered. (n.d.). https://uncovered.com/cases/mitrice-richardson

    Office of Independent Review, Gennaco, M. J., Katz, W. W., Miller, R., Ruhlin, J., Hernandez, C. L., Arias, A. A., Teran, D. M., Shasty, B., Calderon, A., Avery, M., & Newkirk-Ma, S. (2012). REPORT REVIEWING THE INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE DISCOVERY AND RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF MITRICE RICHARDSON (AND UPDATE ON PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC REFORM OF RELEASE PROCEDURES). http://shq.lasdnews.net/shq/LASD_Oversight/Richardson_Coroner_LASD%20final.pdf

    Croft, C. (2025, May 3). Lost compassion [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/156140192

    Veliz, L. (2022, October 17). The tragic 2009 disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson. Grunge. https://www.grunge.com/1052145/the-tragic-2009-disappearance-and-death-of-mitrice-richardson/

    The Jed Foundation. (2024, August 30). The Story of JED | The JED Foundation. https://jedfoundation.org/the-story-of-jed/

    Sengupta, S. (2024, April 20). Mitrice Richardson Murder: What led to her tragic end? The Cinemaholic. https://thecinemaholic.com/mitrice-richardson-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/

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    This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

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    1 h y 37 m
  • Episode 100: The Redhead Murders/The Bible Belt Strangler
    Apr 30 2025
    The Redhead Murders, spanning 1978 to 1992, involve a series of unsolved homicides of white women found along highways in Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, with victim counts ranging from 5 to 14. While some cases may be linked to a serial killer dubbed the "Bible Belt Strangler," inconsistencies in victim profiles—such as hair color, cause of death (strangulation or blunt force trauma), and state of dress—leave uncertainty about whether all are connected. Many victims, often transient, hitchhikers, or sex workers estranged from family, remained unidentified for decades, complicating investigations during an era when serial killer profiling was nascent. Key victims include Lisa Nichols, Tina Farmer, Tracy Sue Walker, Michelle Inman, and Espy Pilgrim, with identifications often delayed until 2018 or later. Jerry Leon Johns, a trucker convicted of kidnapping survivor Linda Schacke, was linked to Farmer’s murder via DNA in 2016 and is the primary suspect, though he died in 2015. A significant breakthrough came in 2018 when Elizabethton High School students, led by teacher Alex Campbell, analyzed the cases, identified six potential victims, and implicated Johns through their podcast, Murder 101, though they received no official credit. The case underscores the marginalization of victims and the power of community efforts, with ongoing victim identifications offering hope for justice. Murder 101 Podcast went to town on June 6. 1984, they had no way of knowing the tragedy that would be awaiting them. While Raymond handled some business at the bank, Sherry walked to a gas station to buy a sod and was never seen again. With little clues, the case went cold rather quickly but in recent years has garnered new attention with the help of an unlikely team. In today's bonus episode, we will tell you the facts of Sherry's case and then share with you a compelling conspiracy theory that might just hold the answers to what happened to Sherry Lynn Marler. Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak 01:15 100th Episode Celebration 09:00 The Redhead Murders 01:09:40 The Branch of Hope Sources: Paoletti, G. (2019, May 1). The unsolved mystery of the Redhead serial murders. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/redhead-murders Ubiera, C. R. (2024, January 26). ‘Redhead’ serial killer case ‘is solved by high-schoolers’ during class project with same suspect now named. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/news/10193888/redhead-murders-teenagers-solve-mystery-true-crime/ Frankie, C. (2023, May 22). The 'Redhead Murders': Are we any closer to solving the mysterious cases? A&E. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/redhead-murders Jun 26, 1985, page 17 - The Tennessean at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). https://www.newspapers.com/image/112755748/?match=1&terms=redhead%20murder Nov 09, 1985, page 20 - Messenger-Inquirer at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). https://www.newspapers.com/image/378780385/?match=1&terms=redhead%20murder Apr 25, 1985, page 12 - Intelligencer Journal at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). https://www.newspapers.com/image/563469082/?match=1&terms=redhead%20murder Naves, A. (2022, October 19). Who is the Killer in the Redhead Murders? - A.W. Naves - Medium. Medium. https://medium.com/@awnaves/who-is-the-killer-in-the-redhead-murders-f1143a7f4c9a North, J. (2020, June 3). Appalachian Unsolved: The trucker who liked redheads. wbir.com. https://www.wbir.com/article/news/investigations/appalachian-unsolved/appalachian-unsolved-the-trucker-intrigued-by-serial-killers/51-624ef38c-0372-42a4-8bee-25b2b1647c95 Ubiera, C. R. (2024, January 26). ‘Redhead’ serial killer case ‘is solved by high-schoolers’ during class project with same suspect now named. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/news/10193888/redhead-murders-teenagers-solve-mystery-true-crime/ Murder 101 | iHeart. (n.d.). iHeart. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-murder-101-140096221/ Join The Dark Oak Discussion: Patreon The Dark Oak Podcast Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Youtube This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep
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    1 h y 13 m
  • Episode 99: Where is Sherry Lynn Marler?
    Apr 25 2025

    When 12-year-old Sherry Lynn Marler and her stepfather Raymond went to town on June 6. 1984, they had no way of knowing the tragedy that would be awaiting them. While Raymond handled some business at the bank, Sherry walked to a gas station to buy a sod and was never seen again. With little clues, the case went cold rather quickly but in recent years has garnered new attention with the help of an unlikely team. In today's bonus episode, we will tell you the facts of Sherry's case and then share with you a compelling conspiracy theory that might just hold the answers to what happened to Sherry Lynn Marler.

    Chapters 00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak 07:05 The Disappearance of Sherry Lynn Marler 55:45 The Branch of Hope

    Sources:

    Have you seen this child? Sherry Lynn Marler. (n.d.). https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMC/601811/1

    FindtheMissing. (2020, July 18). Sherry Lynn Marler. The Resource Center for

    cmcc.com/2019/08/29/51-alf-sherry-lynn-marler/The Surviving Parents Coalition: Betty Stringfellow. (n.d.). http://www.spcoalition.org/stringfellow.html

    https://www.facebook.com/SherryLynnMarler/

    Join The Dark Oak Discussion:

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    The Dark Oak Podcast Website

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    This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

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    1 h y 1 m
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  • Total
    4 out of 5 stars
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Great new addition to the True Crime lineup!

Cynthia and Stefanie have a great dynamic! Really enjoyed their banter. Looking forward to future tales from this duo!

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Great new pod!

I listened to the three new episodes and the hosts are fun and tell the stories well! I listened on my car ride to/from work and made the ride go quickly!

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