The Unlovely Truth

Season 3, Episode 19: I Read This Book So You Don’t Have To: How Social Media has Changed the Face of Crime

Can being on Facebook, or any other social media platform, make you vulnerable to being victimized? My highly specific answer to that is - it depends. You made a great choice joining me today because I’m going to show you just how you might be giving away more than you should, and what to do about it. We’ll also talk about how to use your influence on social media to make a positive impact on the world.
Our book this week is True Crime Online by J.A. Hitchcock, and our guest is Dr. Jen Bennett. Jen is the Host of the She Impacts Culture Podcast, an author, and a speaker. She’s also the Strategic Communications Professor at Indiana Wesleyan University where she equips college students to discover their voice, develop their expertise, and lead with influence to impact culture for Christ. She has a fascinating book, “Be Worth Following,” about how to use social media for good.
Spring is here and I’ve been out planting stuff! If any of you like to garden, you know you always have extras of something and it’s such a joy to be able to share those with people. Well if you’ve done what it says in James 1:5 and asked God for wisdom, you’ll have so much that you’ll have plenty of that to share too. And that’s how we take on the bad guys. And gals. Sadly there are a lot of predatory women out there too. But if we ask for the wisdom to know who is out to harm us or others, we can be proactive in keeping ourselves and others from harm. We need lots of wisdom after a crime has been committed as well. Maybe you’ll be asked to serve on a jury. Pray for wisdom! Maybe you have information about someone involved in a crime, but you don’t think it’s important. Pray for wisdom! Maybe someone who has been victimized has reached out to you for help. Pray for wisdom! That’s a prayer you can never pray too often.
Link to buy "Be Worth Following"
Visit Jen's website for all of her social media connections and more!
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Listen to my episode on the first internet serial killer

Season 3, Episode 18: Grandma’s House

Aren’t Grandmas the best? I loved to go visit with mine at her house, and I’ve got so many good memories of time spent there. Which is why I can’t fathom who would’ve wanted to hurt the two grandmas we're going to talk about today, Grace Kennedy or Madeline Johnson. Let’s investigate their stories and see if someone who knows something will come forward. And believe me - there’s ALWAYS someone who knows something, so we’ll talk about what I think is a creative way to get cold cases in front of people and brainstorm how we can get more creative to get more cold cases solved.
If you love your grandma, or if you ARE a grandma, this episode is really going to hit home with you and make you so ready to go round up some bad guys. The more I learned about these two amazing women the more I wanted to do something to help solve their cases, and other cases where victim’s families haven’t yet found justice. And we’ll talk about a way you can get involved in doing that. Let me give you a little hint - when I deal out this idea, you’ll want to follow suit.
Together, we can get more people to come forward when they have information about a crime. And the Bible says that when we’ve witnessed something and we DON’T come forward, it’s actually a sin! “If you sin by not stepping up and offering yourself as a witness to something you’ve heard or seen in cases of wrongdoing, you’ll be held responsible.” Lev 5:1 MSG. I hope you’ll share this episode with people you know in Ohio and Washington state and maybe someone will come forward to help solve Grace and Madeline’s cases.
News article about Grace Kennedy
If you have any information about Grace Kennedy, please call the Bryan police department at (419) 636-4233, or the Williams County Crime Stoppers at (419) 485-9302.
News article about cold case playing cards
Madeline's playing card
If you have any information about Madeline Johnson, please call the tip line at (800) 222-8477, or the sherif’s tip line at (425) 388-3845.
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Check out my new resources for your journey to become a different kind of P.I.

Season 3, Episode 17: Surviving a Murdered Childhood

What happens when your childhood suddenly becomes a true crime headline? How do you go on after the trauma of losing nearly your whole family to violence? Let’s investigate how one woman did just that. I truly hope that we all learn things to help others and ourselves, and not just rubber-neck at someone else’s tragedy. As Jessica herself said, “This wasn't just a national news headline, a cold case, or a true crime show. It was my family. And my life.”
Our case this week is from the book “I Am Jessica” by Jamie Collins, and our guest is Michelle Nietert, the Clinical Director of Community Counseling Associates, host of Raising Mentally Healthy Kids Podcast, and author of “Make Up Your Mind: Unlock Your Thoughts, Transform Your Life.” Michelle is a trained counselor and previous school crisis counselor. She presents to student and parent groups using deep yet applicable Biblical presentations.
Recovering from trauma is complex, and the process looks different for everyone. But if you or a loved one is walking through the healing process right now, I want to give you some encouragement from a Psalm of praise, specifically Psalm 147 verse 3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Sometimes it’s hard, and it takes time - but God wants you to no longer be held down by experiences that have hurt you, and maybe even continue to hurt you.
Everyone listening today has what it takes to be a different kind of PI - a person of impact. You can make a difference in how crime affects your community, one small action at a time.
You can buy "I Am Jessica" here
Find Michelle’s book here
And her website here
Another episode where a predator wipes out a family
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Season 3, Episode 16: What If She Were Your Daughter?

It’s been a while since I told my story about why I became a private investigator - what finally moved me to action. I was feeling restless, and I wanted to make a bigger impact on the world, or at least on my little corner of it. I’ll bet you do too. True crime stories have always fascinated me, and one was unfolding right next to me. A young woman was kidnapped, sexually abused and murdered and all I could think was, “What if that was MY daughter?”
Our book this week is “I Have the Right To” by Chessy Prout and Jenn Abelson. Our guest is Jamie Kirschner, podcast post, Christian Teen Life Coach, and keynote speaker. Jamie’s passion is to help teen girls overcome real life challenges they are facing in a way that helps them stay true to who God created them to be. This episode does discuss sexual assault, so please use discretion when deciding to listen.
I’m very excited about this week’s practical action step. It’s not hard, it just might be a bit uncomfortable. But if Chessy can do what she did, we can make things better for young women in our communities.
Think about this as you listen to this episode - “it was hard to decide who or what was worse: the perpetrators or the people and institutions that protected them.”
Get your copy of "I Have The Right To"
Visit the #ihavetherightto website
Date rape statistic source
New York Times article
#ihavetherightto on IG
My episode on "Missoula" by Jon Krakaeur
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Get your free report (Meet the Christian Who Married Faith and True Crime)

Season 3, Episode 15 - Cold Case Investigator J. Warner Wallace Talks About ”Person of Interest”

If you’re trying to prove a murder case without having a body to prove that your victim is dead, you’d better make sure that the rest of your evidence is rock solid. The same goes if you’re trying to prove that the execution and resurrection of Jesus really happened. My guest today has done both.
Our book this week is “Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World That Rejects the Bible” and our guest is former atheist and cold case detective turned apologist, speaker, and best-selling author J. Warner Wallace.
Listen to how his unique cold case investigation technique solved the question of who killed Tammy Hayes and shows us (as the book’s subtitle says) “why Jesus still matters in a world that rejects the Bible.”
Link to buy "Person of Interest"
J. Warner Wallace's website
Follow him on Instagram
And Facebook
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Get your free report (Meet the Christian Who Married Faith and True Crime)

Season 3, Episode 14: Finding Keeslyn Roberts

Did you know that, according to Lauth Investigations International, on average, there are approximately 50,000 missing adults at any given time. That absolutely blows my mind and makes me wonder what lengths I would go to if one of those 50,000 was someone I loved.
This week we are going to look into the 2020 disappearance of Keeslyn Noell Roberts, and briefly touch on the cases of Caleb Smith, Anna Yoder, and Clyde Merriweather. All were last seen at a truck stop - the type of place known to have problems with human trafficking and drugs.
I love how practical all of Scripture is and for me, it doesn't get any more practical than the book of Proverbs. We will talk through Proverbs 21:3 and, of course, discuss this week’s practical action step (plus a bonus step if you’re feeling a bit spicy)!
Macon.com article about Keeslyn
wsbtv.com article about Keeslyn
storiesoftheunsolved.com article about Keeslyn
charleyproject.org page about Keeslyn
UPDATE: ANNA YODER FOUND SAFE
UPDATE: CLYDE MERRIWEATHER FOUND SAFE
koco.com article about 14 year old missing girl recovered at truck stop
11alive.com article about Caleb Smith
If you have any information about Keeslyn or Caleb, contact the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-597-TIPS(8477).
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Season 3, Episode 13: How You Can Back the Blue: ”The Blooding” by Joseph Wambaugh

If I asked you to guess the percentage of murder cases that actually had physical evidence that tied a suspect to the crime, what would you say? I’ll bet you DIDN’T say just 13.5% - but that’s what research done by the Boston Globe in 2010 showed. So what solves crimes? Good investigations.
Law enforcement officers often get a bad rap. Society should certainly punish those who cross the lines of acceptable behavior, but today I want to focus on the good that the vast majority of officers do for us. We’ll look at one of the very first cases technically solved with DNA and see why science wouldn’t have made a difference without the dedication and hard work of the police.
Join my guest Ken Bator, founder of The Police Officers' Credit Union Association. He is also a business consultant and covers true crime podcasting for Podcast Magazine - which is how I met him. He’s got great insights for us today as we dig into this week’s book, “The Blooding” by Joseph Wambaugh. If this episode inspires you to thank an officer, remember to get a picture and post it with the hashtag #proverbs31speakup.
Link to buy book
Connect with Ken
Visit my website and join my email list
Boston.com article

Season 3, Episode 12: Bitter Jealousy: The Murder that Shocked a Small Town Church

I’ll bet you love feeling safe, right? I know I do. And who could seem like a safer person to be around than an older lady from your church? It turns out that just about anybody would be safer if that little old church lady was Mary Jane Fonder of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Stay with me and we’ll learn why Mary Jane went from seeming safe to being savage.
Our book this week is “Love Me or Else” by Colin McEvoy and Lynn Olanoff. Here to talk with us about what we can take away from this case is the Unlovely Truth Tribe Chaplain Lori Prather. We’ll look out for red flags and ways to make a difference before tragedy strikes.
Listen to Season 1, Episode 2
Buy "Love Me or Else"
Find Lori Prather on Facebook
What does the Bible say about jealousy?
News segment on Mary Jane Fonder's trial
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Season 3, Episode 11: Surviving and Overcoming Trauma: Dancing with the Octopus

14-year-old Debra Harding was walking home from school when she was abducted, raped, and left outside in the bitter cold to die. Almost worse was being at home during the physical and psychological abuse from her mother and watching her father allow it. Let’s find out how Deborah was able to triumph over her trauma.
Our book this week is Dancing With the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime by Debra Harding. Our guest is Sara Shallenberger. Sara is a host, producer, and writer at the Life Network for Women. She also hosts Frame Your Week with the Word and founded H2:2 Ministries.
We will discuss Lamentations 3:21-23: “‘But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.’” Join me to have a new appreciation for Biblical lamenting as a way to process trauma.
Buy "Dancing With the Octopus"
Visit H2:2 Ministries website
Article from desiringgod.org on biblical lamenting
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Season 3, Episode 10: Murder in the Family

George Bernard Shaw once said, “A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” Our book this week is “Murder in the Family” by Edgar Award Winner Burl Barer, and one member of the family made it a living for everyone else. My guest is Lori Wildenberg, a licensed parent-family educator, podcaster, co-founder of 1 Corinthians 13 Parenting, national speaker, author, and parent consultant. After we talk about what the Newman family was put through by one they called their own, Lori will help us process how to set healthy boundaries for helping our own family members who may be struggling beyond the help we can give them.
Visit the Wild Blue Press website to learn more about the book
Visit Lori Wildenberg's website
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Crimes Of Kirby Anthoney | The FBI Files