Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold C...
Dakota Spotlight is a true crime series investigating unsolved murders, cold cases, and missing persons in North Dakota and the Midwest. Hosted by investigative journalist James Wolner, each season takes a deep dive into one case, from rural crime and small town murders to decades-old disappearances. Through meticulous research, exclusive interviews, and on-the-ground reporting, Dakota Spotlight brings forgotten crimes back into the public eye and gives voice to victims and their families. Alongside full investigative seasons, the show also features shorter standalone episodes that explore individual mysteries in a single sitting. If you are drawn to investigative journalism, small town true crime, and real crime stories based on actual events, Dakota Spotlight offers gripping and respectful storytelling you will not forget.
151
Call Me Shelly (3): Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe – Th...
Episode 3 explores rumors around Shelly Julson’s disappearance, including partying with railroad workers, a missing Burnt Creek Bar patron, and unanswered questions about her final Sunday night.
45 min
152
Call Me Shelly (2): In Shelly’s Shadows – The M...
Episode 2 follows Officer Cliff Emmert as he investigates Shelly Julson’s world of bingo halls, casinos, and bars, uncovering reports of harassment, stalking, and a troubling police connection.
38 min
153
Call Me Shelly (1): Fly on the Wall – The Myste...
Episode 1 revisits the 1994 disappearance of Michele “Shelly” Julson in Bismarck, North Dakota, with exclusive access to her cold case file and interviews with family and investigators.
43 min
154
A Better Search for Barbara (21): But, I Saw Ba...
Episode 21 features Jeri Martinez-Kueffler of Williston, who recalls seeing Barbara Cotton in 1981 and describes how authorities responded to her claim about this decades-old cold case.
18 min
155
Vanishing Act (11): Open Letter to a Killer – T...
Episode 11 reflects on the lasting pain and unanswered questions faced by family and friends of Kristin Diede and Bob Anderson, who vanished from North Dakota in 1993 and were never found.
25 min
156
Vanishing Act (10): Four Theories and a Detecti...
Episode 10 outlines four theories about the 1993 disappearance of Kristin Diede and Bob Anderson, with retired homicide detective Bob Haas weighing in on what most likely happened and why.
35 min
157
Vanishing Act (9): Calling Clyde – The Untold S...
Episode 9 shares the full interview with Clyde Diede, Kristin’s husband, whose 1993 encounter at the Wishek farm and later run-ins with law enforcement made him a central figure in the case.
32 min
158
Vanishing Act (8): A Jacket and a Jail Cell – T...
Episode 8 features reporter Dan MacDonald’s 1995 trip to Wishek, a rumored discovery by North Dakota BCI at the Diede farmstead, and Clyde Diede’s tense encounter with the Logan County Sheriff.
46 min
159
Vanishing Act (7): How Two People Vanish – The ...
Episode 7 asks why Kristin Diede and Bob Anderson’s 1993 disappearance from Wishek, North Dakota, failed to spark a manhunt or national attention, exposing cracks in how their case was handled.
39 min
160
Vanishing Act (6): Follow the Van – The Untold ...
Episode 6 follows the discovery of Bob Anderson’s abandoned 1979 Dodge van in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and explores how it connects to the 1993 disappearance of him and Kristin Diede.
37 min
161
Vanishing Act (5): Secrets of Storytelling – In...
Episode 5 pauses the investigation for updates and features Jeremy Fugleberg interviewing Dakota Spotlight creator James Wolner about true crime storytelling, music, and the ongoing Vanishing Act case.
57 min
162
Vanishing Act (4): Looking Over Her Shoulder – ...
Episode 4 revisits Kristin Diede’s troubled marriage, her fears of Clyde Diede despite a no-contact order, and the trip to Wishek, North Dakota, with Bob Anderson from which they never returned.
32 min
163
Vanishing Act (3): Kristin Is Not Her Name – Th...
Episode 3 explores the backgrounds of Kristin Diede and Robert “Bob” Anderson, their relationship, and the troubling context leading up to their 1993 disappearance in North Dakota.
39 min
164
Vanishing Act (2): Last Days – The Untold Story...
Episode 2 retraces the final days of Kristin Diede and Robert “Bob” Anderson in 1993, speaking with the last people who saw them and exploring the conflict that may have led to their disappearance.
37 min
165
Vanishing Act (1): Surprised By Secrets – The U...
Episode 1 investigates the 1993 vanishing of Kristin Joy Diede and Robert “Bob” Anderson, whose North Dakota road trip ended in mystery and suspicion of foul play that remains unresolved.
28 min
166
A Better Search for Barbara (20): Lost Suicide ...
Episode 20 explores Barbara Cotton’s cold case through Sandee Evanson’s memories and a California interview with Stacey Werder’s sister, revealing new context about his death and note.
39 min
167
The Man From Un Part 2 - Sajid Hussain and Kari...
Part 2 of 2 - Host James Wolner and his daughter head to a small apartment in Sweden to learn more about the lives and deaths of Sajid Hussain and Karima Baloch. Music by
56 min
168
The Man From Un Part 1 - Sajid Hussain and Kar...
Part 1 of 2 - What do these things have in common: missing Barbara Cotton from Williston, ND, a hitman in Italy, secret agents, international crime and 3,300 pounds of heroin seized in a Dutch port city?
47 min
169
A Better Search for Barbara (19): Red Sullivan ...
Episode 19 features the first-ever interview with Red Sullivan, who was with Stacey Werder the night Barbara Cotton disappeared in 1981, shedding light on this unsolved North Dakota murder.
89 min
170
A Better Search for Barbara (18): The Inquest –...
Episode 18 revisits Stacey Werder’s coroner’s inquest and his connection to Barbara Cotton’s 1981 cold case, with new focus on his associate C.E. “Red” Sullivan and public calls for help.
62 min
171
A Better Search for Barbara (17): The FindBarbC...
Episode 17 highlights the #FindBarbCotton movement, new details on Barbara’s brother Frank as a person of interest, and efforts like a billboard and website to keep her cold case alive.
54 min
172
NEWS! Season 2 - David Feist to be released fr...
David Feist, one of three men convicted for the murders of Wade and Ellen Zick in 1976 is scheduled to be released after serving 45 years in federal prison. David Feist is the third and last of the three to be released from prison. ...
14 min
173
Poetic Justice - chasing a serial pedophile wit...
Deon Wiggett woke up one day in 2017 with a startling realization. He had blocked out a traumatic experience from his past; he had been sexually abused as a teen by a schoolteacher. Anger turned to action and the result is a beautifully...
21 min
174
Commercialized Killings: Interview with Paul Mc...
In South Africa a school teacher was assassinated in front of her class by hit-men. Who would take out a contract on a school teacher?
25 min
175
Bowraville murders - interview with Dan Box
Interview with crime reporter Dan Box about his podcast Bowraville. Three aboriginal children were murdered in a small Australian town. All three vanished from the same street. With his podcast , Dan Box teamed up with went...
42 min