The Escape Pod

A Very Matter-of-Fact Murder – Ep. 65

A familiar face on the streets of Grand Junction, Colorado, goes missing in February 2021. Known as “The Reading Man,” Warren Barnes is described as kind and helpful by those who saw him daily at his favorite place to read. Just days after the man's disappearance, a mom makes a gruesome discovery while cleaning her 19-year-old son’s bedroom. But it makes no sense: her son, diagnosed with autism as a child, had never been violent towards anyone and had no connection to The Reading Man. Is there a plausible explanation for what she finds? Or is this a clear case of murder committed by a very matter-of-fact murderer? The co-hosts explore the possibilities in this edition of The Escape Pod. 
  
BE ADVISED: You can’t escape the grizzly details of this truly heinous true crime. This episode contains content that listeners may find extremely disturbing. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1        4:30 Secret Service contacts The Escape Pod? (True story!) 
Topic #2     10:18 A mom’s disturbing discovery 
Topic #3     19:52 Confession 
Topic #4     30:37 The Reading Man 
Topic #5     40:42 Escapism, co-host-style! 
 
Resources & Links 
Warren Barnes 
US Teen Hid Head of Homeless Man He Murdered in Closet To Satisfy "Fascination With Morbid" 
Brian Cohee’s Mom Takes Stand 
Killer of Warren Barnes, Grand Junction’s “reading man,” sentenced to life in prison 
Mom Finds Severed Head in Her Son's Room 
Chilling Moment Killer Confessed to Storing Victim’s Severed Head in His Closet 
Grand Junction resident Warren Barnes, aka “the reading man” sits alone reading a book in an alley off Main Street in downtown Grand Junction on June 24, 2018. (William Woody, Special to The Colorado Sun) 
The teen accused of murdering Warren Barnes, known as the reading man of Grand Junction, told investigators he targeted a homeless person because he thought no one would miss. But people did, indeed, miss him. Friends commissioned a tribute to Barnes that was installed Nov. 20, 2021, by artist and ironworker Tim Navin. (Nancy Lofholm, Special to The Colorado Sun) 
Brian Cohee, Jr., Mesa County Jail Photo 
 
 
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Protecting Our Kids, Pt. 2 – Ep. 64

“You can trust your kid all you want, but do you trust the world with your kid?” 
Back by popular demand, Hollie Strand of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force returns to The Escape Pod to help us help our kids escape – or at least better navigate – the very real dangers of the digital world. Hollie offers tips to start these tough conversations with kids of all ages (FYI – if you’re waiting until they’re teens to talk about it, you’re waiting WAY too long), as well as insight into the depth and breadth of our digital footprints. For example, did you know digital “exhaust” is a thing? Neither did the co-hosts, until now! 
This is a must-listen follow-up to our first meeting with Hollie. If you missed Episode 57, check it out at the link below. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1        1:40 A podcast that has one co-host all fired up! 
Topic #2     11:00 (Re)introducing podcast guest Hollie Strand 
Topic #3     20:20 Digital “exhaust” explained 
Topic #4     30:56 “Technology is a tool, not a lifestyle” 
Topic #5    45:18 Co-host gets a high-five from Hollie 
Topic #6     52:08 Hollie’s Rule of Fives 
 
Resources & Links 
Escape Pod Episode 57 with Hollie Strand: https://escapepodtraumedy.podbean.com/e/protecting-our-kids-the-real-dangers-of-their-digital-world-%e2%80%93-ep-57/ 
Children’s Home Society “What If” Cards: https://chssd.org/prevention/what-if-cards 
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The Wrong Kind of TLC – Ep. 63

In the spring of 2023, police in the U.K. found the most unlikely of overdose victims: a well-liked, well-respected couple in their 60s. Initially, investigators considered that the deaths might be the result of suicide or an accident, but then – as one co-host likes to say – their “Spidey senses” kicked in, turning their attention toward a caregiver who may have been providing the wrong kind of TLC. This week, The Escape Pod goes back more than a decade before the Baxters’ untimely deaths for a cautionary tale about who we choose to trust. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1         :30 MIL saga continues – with a funny twist 
Topic #2     12:28 Meet the Baxters 
Topic #3     19:08 Investigation turns up treasure trove of interesting tidbits 
Topic #4     29:53 Escaping children who mock their mothers 
 
Resources & Links 
Man posed as doctor to befriend couple before 'poisoning them' 
Luke D'Wit: Sinister double murderer jailed 
Luke D’Wit: How a double killer plotted the deaths of his trusting ... 
Fears 'fentanyl murderer' who poisoned married couple may also ... - LBC 
Luke D’Wit-Baxter Murders 
Fentanyl Killer Luke D’Wit 
Carol and Stephen Baxter Murders: Where is Luke D’Wit Now? 
 
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Spiritual Enlightenment, My A$$ – Ep. 62

In 2022, the “self-help” industry in the U.S. alone raked in more than $13B. (That’s BILLION, with a capital B.) There is no shame in wanting to better oneself – personally, professionally, or both. What is shameful is taking advantage of those people who seek self-improvement. Adherents of such programs often expect (and pay big money) to be challenged physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But self-help gurus operate in a largely unregulated space, and that can – and has – had fatal consequences. The Escape Pod takes an interesting turn this week, as one co-host shares her own experiences with an ungodly guru whose brazen actions pushed his followers much, much too far. 
BE ADVISED: This episode contains mature language and disturbing descriptions of victims in their final moments of a “retreat” gone wrong. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1       7:50 Escaping false gurus 
Topic #2     20:21 What makes a guru a guru? 
Topic #3     34:02 Main event at JAR’s October 2009 retreat ends in tragedy 
Topic #4     42:41 July 2009: Woman dies during different JAR retreat 
Topic #5  1:06:08 Red flags to watch for with self-help gurus/programs 
 
Resources & Links 
 
 
 
 Kirby Brown  Credit: AP 
 
 Liz Neuman Credit: AP 
 
 James Shore Credit: AP:Associated Press 
Self-Improvement Market Statistics 1 
Self-Improvement Market Statistics 2 
James Arthur Ray, Disgraced Self-Help Guru, Still Hopes To 'Enlighten Us' 
Self-help Guru at Center of Park Rapids Woman's Suicide 
Dozens Injured After Walking on Hot Coals at Tony Robbins Event 
Disgraced Self-Help Guru Still Hopes to ‘Enlighten Us’ 
A Good Day to Die 
 
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Delicious Deception: How ‘Big Food’ keeps us hungry for more – Ep. 61

It’s not exactly “breaking news.” America has an obesity problem, and we all know it.  But, historically speaking, it is a relatively new problem that dates back only about 50 years. That’s when some of the biggest food companies in the world got very smart about how to keep customers coming back for more ... and more ... and more. How? By using incredibly effective formulas to create “hyper-palatable” foods. Hop into The Escape Pod for an episode that is heavy on food for thought, but also on belly laughs – courtesy of those who failed to escape the lure of some “sugar free” foods and lived to tell about their not-so-savory side effects. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     9:30 Trying to escape Big Food’s tactics 
Topic #2   24:03 The truth about sugar 
Topic #3   36:37 "Sugar free” food reviews 
Topic #4   47:25 The push for more transparency 
 
Resources & Links 
“Why can't we stop eating certain foods?” - BBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_03EXyhYS8 
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Data on the average increase in food prices in 2023 
Center for Science in the Public Interest:  Insights into the prevalence of added sugars in products labeled as “natural.” 
National Institutes of Health: Brain responses triggered by hyper-palatable foods 
Cornucopia Institute: Ownership of organic brands by major food corporations. 
FDA: Information on food labeling regulations and the Fair and Accurate Ingredient Representation on Labels Act of 2024 
National Agricultural Law Center: Details on the compliance date for new food labeling regulations 
European Food Safety Authority: Banning of certain food additives in the EU that are still allowed in the U.S. 
Sentient Media: Misleading nature of terms like “natural” and “sugar-free.” 
Consumer Reports: Examples of misleading labels and their implications 
New York Post: Highlighted consumer perceptions of misleading food labels 
How Tobacco Companies Made Foods Hyper-Palatable 
Misleading Food Labels 
Dr. Phil: The Conspiracy of Food - How Big Companies Manipulate Your Brain 
Other Names for Sugar 
Philip Morris Tobacco Company History 
“Big Food” Is Making America Sick 
USDA Recommended Daily Sugar Intake 
About Altria 
Food Additives Banned in Europe 
Amazon Gummy Bear Review 
 
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OH, BABY! Unhappily married with no escape – Ep. 60

Even with morning sickness and other side effects, the nine months of anticipating a newborn baby is often an exciting and joyful time for women. But for those in dysfunctional or – worse – abusive relationships, that nine months can be traumatizing and potentially dangerous. Research shows that homicide is among the leading causes of death for pregnant and postpartum women, but some states still have laws that prevent couples from divorcing if the wife is pregnant. Lawmakers may have good intentions in keeping these laws on the books, but the unintended consequences can be serious – even fatal. The co-hosts take a closer look at the scary statistics in this edition of The Escape Pod. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     5:25 Intro to topic: Escaping pregnancy-related divorce bans 
Topic #2   12:40 States that prevent divorce during pregnancy 
Topic #3   21:31 What a wife (and wanna-be escape artist) can do 
Topic #4   36:12 The unintended consequences of eliminating ‘no-fault’ divorce 
Topic #5   39:10 Destiny’s story 
 
Resources & Links 
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/09/opinion/pregnant-women-homicide.html 
Pregnant Women in Missouri Can't Get Divorced 
Pregnant Women Living in States with Limited Access to Abortion Face Higher Levels of Intimate Partner Homicide 
Homicide Found to Be Top Cause of Maternal Death 
Homicide is a Leading Cause of Death in Pregnant Women in the US 
Pregnancy-associated Homicides on the Rise in the United States 
March of Dimes Peristats 
Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona Rarely Finalize Divorce During Pregnancy | Fact check 
Pregnant Survivors Forced to Stay Married in These States 
Attacks on No-Fault Divorce Are Dangerous – Especially for Those Experiencing Domestic Violence  
 
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I DO?! But what if I don’t?? – Ep. 59

A marriage license before a driver’s license? In some states in the U.S. – YES – it's totally legal, even today. And if you think these unions are simply young lovers who can’t wait to “make it official,” think again. Research shows 86% of childhood marriages involve girls married to adult men, and in many of those cases, the age difference is vast. The co-hosts take a closer look at the stats and share true stories of truly criminal marriages in this edition of The Escape Pod. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     3:21 Intro to topic: escaping childhood/forced marriages 
Topic #2     9:40 Categories of laws that allow for childhood marriages 
Topic #3   24:16 Breakdown of childhood marriage stats 
Topic #4   30:57 Survivors’ stories 
Topic #5   46:14 Escapism, co-host-style! 
 
Resources & Links 
I was a child bride at 15 & forced to marry 30-year-old man by my own dad - I was raped everyday to get me pregnant | The US Sun 
Digital Content - Unchained At Last  
Child Marriage: A Violation of Child Rights | Save The Children 
Understanding forced and child marriage | Walk Free 
Child USA: Report on Childhood Marriage Data and Law 
Bill to End Childhood Marriage in SD Clears First Hurdle 
Photo credit: Lorna Roach 
Miss Galaxy Contest Photo 
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A Walking Miracle: Escape artist survives brutal attack – Ep. 58

Raped. Stabbed. Disemboweled. Nearly beheaded. How could anyone survive such an attack? The co-hosts take The Escape Pod back to December 1994, when a young woman in South Africa was kidnapped, brutally assaulted, and left for dead on a dirty beach. But when this escape artist decided to live, she went “all in.” Now – more than 30 years later – her story and drive to survive continue to inspire people around the world. 
BE ADVISED: This episode includes discussion of kidnapping, rape, and other violent acts, as well as graphic details of the survivor’s injuries. 
 
Bullet Points of Key Topics and Markers: 
Topic #1     3:52 Escape artist update 
Topic #2   10:32 Introducing Alison Botha 
Topic #3   24:50 Good Samaritan comes to the rescue 
Topic #4   40:03 The healing journey begins 
 
Resources & Links 
 Facebook: Alison Botha with Tiaan Eilerd, the man who rescued her. 
The Attack and Incredible Survival of Alison Botha 
“Do You Think She’s Dead?”: Inside the Incredible Survival Story of Alison Botha”  
Alison’s Attackers Granted Parole  
Attackers’ Parole Revoked 
Minister of Correctional Services cancels parole for Alison Botha's attackers 
Alison Documentary by Uga Carlini (Amazon Prime) 
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