Dark Dialogue Podcast Network

Dark Dialogue: April Millsap Part 2: Blood in the Branches – The Investigation Begins

On July 24, 2014, the quiet town of Armada, Michigan was forever changed when 14-year-old April Millsap set out for a walk with her dog and never came home. What began as a summer evening stroll on the Macomb Orchard Trail ended in a brutal attack that left investigators — and an entire community — reeling.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, we take you inside the earliest hours of the investigation: the discovery of April’s body, the haunting evidence imprinted on her skin, and the chilling clues left behind. We break down the autopsy findings, the forensic trail, and the first wave of interviews and community leads that shaped the manhunt for her killer.
From suspicious vehicles and anonymous tips, to the digital breadcrumbs hidden in April’s FitBit and cell phone data, we uncover how investigators began piecing together a story written in both violence and silence. This episode also explores the emotional fallout for April’s family, the shock that spread through Armada, and the community’s first steps toward unity in the face of tragedy.
🔎 What you’ll hear in this episode:
A step-by-step breakdown of the crime scene and forensic evidence
How April’s digital trail provided investigators with a silent witness
Early suspects and leads — from a “white van” to local teens — and why they were cleared
The community’s grief, fear, and resilience in the wake of the murder
A heartfelt tribute to April’s life, dreams, and enduring impact
⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussions of violent crime and autopsy findings that may be distressing for some listeners.
✨ Support Our Work & Get Involved:If April’s story moves you, help keep her memory alive. Follow and review Dark Dialogue on your favorite podcast app, share this episode to raise awareness, and consider joining the Dark Dialogue Collective or our Adopt-a-Victim Program to support ongoing case research.
📬 Have a case suggestion or a tip? Email us at info@darkdialogue.com.💜 Patreon | ☕ Ko-fi | 📖 Substack → Exclusive content, behind-the-scenes updates, and more.
Because April mattered. Her story deserves to be heard. And together — we keep the dialogue alive.

Rocky Mountain Reckoning - The Lisa Marie Kimmell Case, Part 1: Vanished on the Road to Cody

What happens when a bright, responsible 18-year-old vanishes on a road she’s traveled countless times?
In this gripping premiere of Dark Dialogue: Rocky Mountain Reckoning, we begin the haunting case of Lisa Marie Kimmell—known to those who loved her as “Lil Miss.” In March 1988, Lisa left her job in Aurora, Colorado, and set off for a weekend road trip north. She never made it.
With no signs of a crash, no frantic calls, and only a fleeting last sighting by a Wyoming Highway Patrol officer, Lisa’s disappearance stunned investigators and devastated her family. This episode takes you deep into her early life in Montana, her move to Colorado with her mother, the final drive she planned—and the tragic silence that followed.
Hosts John and Angela peel back the layers of this real-life mystery, exposing how jurisdictional gaps, vast Western landscapes, and lost hours contributed to one of the most baffling disappearances of the 1980s.
🎧 Tune in as we retrace her final moments, explore what was known and what was missed, and pay tribute to a life interrupted far too soon.
💡 Want to go deeper?
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📩 Reach out: info@darkdialogue.com
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Dark Dialogue: April Millsap Part 1: The Girl on the Trail – Who Was April Millsap?

She was just 14. A daughter, a dreamer, a life that mattered.
On July 24, 2014, April Millsap leashed up her beloved dog Penny and set out on the Macomb Orchard Trail in Armada, Michigan. Minutes later, she sent her boyfriend a chilling text: “I think I almost got kidnapped.” By nightfall, Penny returned alone—and April’s body was discovered just off the trail.
In this first chapter of Dark Dialogue’s April Millsap series, John and Angela take listeners beyond the headlines. Who was April Millsap? What were her dreams, her passions, and the ordinary life she lived in a small Michigan town before everything changed?
Through intimate storytelling, we remember April not just for the horror of her final moments, but for her kindness, her laughter, her bond with Penny, and her dream of becoming a veterinarian. Her story is more than a crime—it’s a legacy of love, community grief, and the resilience of those left behind.
👉 Listen now to hear April’s story from the beginning.👉 Follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode in this series.👉 Share this episode to keep April’s name alive and help ensure that her memory is never reduced to a headline.👉 Support our work by joining the Dark Dialogue Collective, subscribing on Substack, or donating via Patreon or Ko-fi—every contribution helps us shine a light on victims who deserve to be remembered.
Because April Millsap was more than a victim.She was a daughter, a friend, and a bright life stolen too soon.

Dark Dialogue: Heather Dawn Church Part 4: The Killer Who Counted on Silence

Heather Dawn Church’s story shattered the silence—and exposed the chilling truth about one of America’s most calculating killers.
In this final installment of The Forest Kept Her Silence, we confront Robert Charles Browne—the drifter whose fingerprint ended Heather’s case and whose later confessions claimed up to 48 more murders across nine states. Was he telling the truth, or was it the ultimate manipulation?
Join John and Angela as they unravel Browne’s arrest, his cold and methodical confession, and the disturbing letters that taunted investigators. Hear how Detective Lou Smit and Sheriff John Anderson built a case that finally gave Heather’s family answers, and why a legal loophole may have spared Browne from a death sentence.
This episode isn’t just about justice—it’s about the legacy of those who refused to let silence win, and about remembering Heather not as a victim, but as a daughter, sister, and voice that changed everything.
👉 Listen now to hear the conclusion of Heather Dawn Church’s story, and the haunting questions that remain.👉 If Heather’s story moved you, don’t let it stop here—follow or subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode. The more people who hear her name, the harder it is for the truth to be buried.👉 Want to support our work? Visit darkdialogue.com for case files, bonus material, and our Adopt-a-Victim program. You can also contribute through Patreon or Ko-fi to help keep these investigations alive.
Because Heather Dawn Church mattered.And her voice will never be silenced again.

Model Dreams, Monster Road: The Murder of Janelle Johnson | Rocky Mountain Reckoning

In 1983, Janelle Johnson was chasing her dreams. Just 23 years old, she traveled from Riverton, Wyoming to Denver for a modeling interview at Vannoy Talent Center. She called home to check in, planned her return—and vanished.
Two weeks later, her body was discovered on a desolate stretch of Muskrat Creek Road near Shoshoni. She had been brutally assaulted, strangled, and left in a shallow grave. The forensic evidence that could have identified her killer was collected—then destroyed in a failed police refrigerator. Forty years later, her case remains unsolved.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue: Rocky Mountain Reckoning, John and Angela retrace Janelle’s final journey. From her ambitions as a small-town girl chasing big-city dreams to the dark realities of hitchhiking in the Great Basin during the 1980s, they explore the suspects who could have been responsible: Dale Wayne Eaton, Robert Ben Rhoades, Larry Hall, and the unknown predators who stalked Wyoming’s highways.
This is more than a murder story—it’s a story of systemic failure, lost justice, and a young woman who should never be forgotten.
👉 If you know anything about the murder of Janelle Johnson, contact the National Organization of Parents Of Murdered Children at (513) 721-5683 or natlpomc@pomc.org. Reference her case when you do.
🔗 Support our work: darkdialogue.com | Join the Dark Dialogue Collective | Adopt-a-Victim Initiative💜 Follow, rate, and share to help keep Janelle’s name alive—and to keep pressure on the people who know the truth.
Because justice delayed is justice denied.

Dark Dialogue: Heather Dawn Church Part 3: The Fingerprint in the Silence

When Heather Dawn Church disappeared from her Black Forest, Colorado home in 1991, the trail went cold—until legendary detective Lou Smit stepped in. In The Fingerprint in the Silence, John and Angela take you inside Smit’s methodical, victim-first approach that transformed an overlooked piece of evidence into a game-changing arrest.
From his early days solving some of Colorado’s toughest murders—including the infamous Karen Grammer case—to his faith-driven commitment to justice, Lou Smit brought a rare blend of skill, patience, and empathy to every investigation. In this episode, you’ll hear how a single latent fingerprint—ignored for years—finally identified Robert Charles Browne, one of Colorado’s most dangerous killers.
This isn’t just the story of a solved case—it’s a study in what happens when the right detective refuses to stop listening. You’ll follow the pivotal moments, the overlooked clues, and the relentless pursuit that ended a family’s nightmare and restored a stolen truth.
🎧 What you’ll hear in this episode:
Lou Smit’s career and investigative philosophy
How Sheriff John Anderson’s decision to bring Smit out of retirement changed everything
The forensic re-examination that turned a cold case hot
The arrest and confession of Robert Charles Browne
A moving tribute to Heather Dawn Church
If you believe in shining a light on the cases that matter, follow, rate, and share this episode. Every listen keeps Heather’s name alive and fuels the fight for justice in other unsolved cases.

Dark Dialogue: Heather Dawn Church Part 2: The Forest Kept Her Silence.

When 13-year-old Heather Dawn Church vanished from her Black Forest, Colorado home in 1991, the investigation faltered. Evidence was mishandled. Theories went nowhere. The system stayed quiet.
But one man refused to let her be forgotten.
Retired Colorado Springs Police commander John Wesley Anderson watched from the sidelines as the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office stumbled—and decided that if they wouldn’t fix it, he would. His campaign for sheriff wasn’t about politics. It was about purpose. Winning meant the chance to rebuild a broken department, reopen cold cases, and demand justice for Heather.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue, we uncover:
How a failed investigation pushed Anderson to run for sheriff in 1994
The scandals, culture, and investigative breakdowns inside the sheriff’s office before his win
Why bringing in legendary detective Lou Smit was the key to changing everything
This is the story of how one election—and one determined cop—turned silence into action.
🎧 Listen now to discover how Heather’s case went from forgotten to front-page news—and the lengths one man would go to for justice.
Calls to Action (for show notes & platforms):If you believe stories like Heather’s deserve to be told:✔ Follow & Subscribe to Dark Dialogue wherever you listen to podcasts✔ Leave a rating & review—it helps more people find these cases✔ Join the conversation at darkdialogue.com✔ Support investigations via Patreon or Ko-fi✔ Share this episode—because justice needs witnesses

Dark Dialogue Rocky Mountain Reckoning: Hitchhiked Into Oblivion: The Forgotten Death of Naomi Kidder

Naomi Kidder wasn’t a runaway. She wasn’t reckless. She was an 18-year-old mother trying to find her way in the rural sprawl of 1980s Wyoming. And in the summer of 1982, she disappeared—leaving behind a baby daughter, a devastated family, and a trail of silence that lasted over a decade.
In this episode of Dark Dialogue: Rocky Mountain Reckoning, we unravel the heartbreaking story of Naomi Kidder—who vanished after hitchhiking out of Rawlins and was later found strangled with barbed wire in a remote patch of Natrona County. For 12 years, she was a Jane Doe. Her name wasn't added to any national databases. Her dental records weren’t uploaded. Her killer was never found.
John and Angela trace the deeply personal and systemically failed case from Naomi’s final days to the discovery of her body, through the tangled web of suspects, including serial predators like Larry DeWayne Hall and Dale Wayne Eaton. We break down the evidence, the missed opportunities, and the haunting legacy left for Naomi’s daughter, Bobbi.
This is more than just another cold case.It’s a story of institutional negligence, systemic erasure, and a young mother who deserved to come home.
This is Naomi’s story.This is the girl who disappeared twice.This is Hitchhiked Into Oblivion.
🎧 Support Our Work:
Subscribe, follow, and leave a review
Visit darkdialogue.com for full transcripts, bonus content, and case updates
Join the Dark Dialogue Collective and Adopt-a-Victim program
Support us on Patreon or Ko-fi
Submit tips or suggestions: info@darkdialogue.com
📞 If you have information on Naomi Kidder’s murder, contact the National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children at (513) 721-5683 or email natlpomc@pomc.org.

Dark Dialogue Shadow Chat Sessions: Whistling Ghosts, Zamboni Joyrides, and the Mystery of the Locked Library

What do you get when you combine a runaway lawnmower, a haunted hill that whistles at night, and a Florida man joyriding to Taco Bell in a Zamboni? You get Shadow Chat Sessions: Episode 17, where the weird is real, the criminals are stupid, and the ghosts might just be classically trained vocalists.
In this episode:
A man flees police on a lawnmower — but stops to mow a stranger’s lawn first.
A phantom moth with human hands might be fluttering straight out of a government lab.
A Redditor’s sewer is whispering perfume-scented secrets in the dead of night.
Someone tries to hijack a moving semi-truck in the name of “destiny.”
A Zamboni is stolen for a fast-food run, because of course it was.
A guy steals a security camera… and gets recorded doing it.
Graveyard Hill’s ghosts won’t stop whistling, even if you ask nicely.
The Emperor of China might’ve been buried with a mummified Shih Tzu.
Scientists grow a human brain in a rat and probably regret it.
Reykjavik has a locked library room no one is allowed to open — not even librarians.
And Arizona’s desert cryptid, the Cactus Cat, is one thorny little gremlin.
All of that, plus your host John’s usual sarcastic takes, inappropriate jokes, and extremely relevant questions like, “Can you Zamboni your way to enlightenment?” and “Is that ghost whistling in B minor?”
🎧 Listen now — because reality is optional here.
🙌 Calls to Action:
Like, follow, and share this episode with your fellow weirdos.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss a shadow.
Support the show on Patreon and Ko-Fi, because ghost jokes aren’t free.
Join the Dark Dialogue Collective to submit your own strange headlines and stories.
Email questions, critiques, kudos, or the sound of your haunted toilet to: info@darkdialogue.com.
And don’t forget to check out our blog and victim tributes at darkdialogue.com.

Dark Dialogue: Heather Dawn Church Part 1: The Girl Who Vanished from Her Own Home

Thirteen-year-old Heather Dawn Church was supposed to be safe. She was home alone doing her homework in the quiet, wooded Black Forest of Colorado when she vanished without a trace. Her schoolbooks were still open. The lights were on. And her little brother was fast asleep. But Heather was gone—and no one heard a thing.
In this gripping first installment of our Heather Church series, John and Angela take you deep into the night of September 17, 1991, and into the heart of a case that was mishandled from the start. We explore the failings of the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, the assumptions that led investigators astray, and the evidence that was overlooked.
But this isn't just a story about a botched investigation. It's about the people who refused to let Heather’s name fade into cold case files. One man in particular—John Anderson—was so haunted by this case that he came out of retirement and ran for sheriff just to fix what others had broken. And he didn’t do it alone. Legendary detective Lou Smit, known for his later work on the JonBenét Ramsey case, would join the fight for justice.
We also shine a light on the haunting atmosphere of Black Forest itself—where ghost stories and real-life tragedy coexist.
This is not just the story of a crime.It’s the story of what happens when someone decides failure isn’t an option.This is Dark Dialogue.And this is The Girl Who Vanished from Her Own Home.
🎧 Like what you heard? Don’t forget to like, follow, rate, and share.🕯️ Join the Adopt-a-Victim program, support us on Patreon or Ko-fi, and become part of the Dark Dialogue Collective at darkdialogue.com.📬 Got tips, case suggestions, or feedback? Email us at info@darkdialogue.com.👣 Keep following the trail—and keep the dialogue alive.