What happens when obsession crosses the line into destruction? When fantasy becomes more important than family? And when one man’s delusion spirals so far out of control… it ends in bloodshed?

Night after night, Grant Amato sat in the dim glow of his family’s computer screen, utterly captivated by a woman thousands of miles away — a Bulgarian webcam model named Silvie. She danced. She posed. She told him everything he wanted to hear… for a price. And Grant? He paid it. Thousands of dollars. Hours of his time. His job. His dignity. And eventually… much, much more.

When the money ran out, he stole from the people who loved him the most — his own family. Hoping to keep the fantasy alive, he lied. Again. And again. Until his family had had enough. They begged him to get help. They gave him a choice: leave Silvie… or leave their home. Grant chose neither. Instead, prosecutors say, he chose murder.

On a quiet night in January 2019, in the suburb of Chuluota, Florida, Grant Amato’s mother, father, and brother were found brutally gunned down in their home. But that’s not where this story ends.

Because here we are — in 2025 — and somehow, somehow, Grant Amato’s name is back in the headlines… this time, tied to a murder-for-hire plot targeting Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin.

Sources:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2019/07/12/obsession-money-lies-tore-grant-amatos-family-apart-a-jury-will-decide-whether-he-killed-them/

https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/amato-family-murders

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/01/29/he-spent-bulgarian-cam-girl-police-say-obsession-led-massacre/

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/5700189/Amato-Affidavit.pdf

https://www.primevideo.com/region/na/detail/0IDCFBRXWU1XDTN2F6ZTNTGUPO/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

https://people.com/ghost-adventure-star-wife-in-love-man-serving-life-massacring-family-11698136

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It all began on Friday morning, May 2nd, 2025. Lilly, who’s just six years old, and her little brother Jack, only four, were last seen around 10 a.m. near their home on Gairloch Road in Lansdowne Station, Pictou County. Their mother, Malehya, and stepfather, Daniel, were asleep with their baby in another room. Meanwhile, Lilly and Jack were supposed to quietly play by themselves.

Daniel, the stepdad, said that he had last heard the kids playing around 10 a.m. He even told them to keep it down so the baby—and the parents—could get some sleep. At some point, though, the house fell silent. You know that uneasy feeling when kids suddenly get too quiet? That’s what triggered Daniel to check on them. When he did, they were gone.

They weren’t in the room, not in the backyard—just gone. The family believes Lilly and Jack must have slipped out through the sliding door and somehow made their way beyond the fenced yard. Considering how heavily wooded the area is, authorities suspect the siblings wandered into the forest. But despite a massive search effort—150 people, dogs, drones, thermal imaging, and the Nova Scotia Guard—there’s still no sign of them.

But as more time passes, questions are starting to arise. Some people are finding the circumstances around the children’s disappearance suspicious. How could two young kids slip out unnoticed in the middle of the morning? Why were the parents asleep while the kids were left unsupervised? And how likely is it that two little ones could make it so far into the dense forest without leaving any trace? This is a developing story, and the details seem to be changing by the day.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lilly and Jack is asked to contact Pictou County District RCMP at 902-485-4333. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca

Sources:

https://crimetimelines.com/missing-siblings-lily-jack-sullivan-nova-scotia-2025/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/missing-children-pictou-county-lily-jack-sullivan-1.7527613

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/pictou-county-missing-children-lily-jack-sullivan-may-7-1.7528438

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6753206

https://globalnews.ca/news/11175272/missing-children-ns-day-10/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-nova-scotia-missing-children-pictou-updates-timeline/

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Tonight, we’re talking about a crime that rocked the small village of Romeoville, Illinois. It was a quiet Sunday evening in September 2023 when police pulled up to a quaint blue home on Concord Avenue. The neighbourhood was calm and peaceful, but what they found inside was anything but. As officers moved through the dark, quiet house, their flashlights revealed overturned furniture, deceased pets, and something way worse: an entire family had been brutally murdered.

Zoraida Bartolomei, her husband Alberto Rolon, and their two young sons, Adriel and Diego, were all found dead in their own home — executed in cold blood. At first, the police thought it was a targeted home invasion. It certainly appeared so at first glance; their belongings looked like they had been rummaged through, and there was spray paint on the walls. But as they dug deeper, they uncovered a twisted story that no one saw coming — one filled with manipulation, cartel ties, jealousy, and one of the most bizarre catfishing schemes you could imagine.

It’s a case that shocked not just the tight-knit community but the entire country. We’re talking infidelity, paranoia, and way more death than any small town should ever see.

Sources:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/romeoville-murders-catfish-motive_n_670e9236e4b094567cfe6423

https://abc7chicago.com/post/red-flags-led-2023-mass-murder-romeoville-family-planned-nathaniel-huey-jrs-fiance-emalinda-palomo-files-show/15394243/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12543891/nathanial-huey-partner-ermalinda-palomo-romeoville.html

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/police-docs-paint-horrifying-picture-of-what-led-to-shocking-romeoville-quadruple-murder/3565458/

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On the night of May 12, 2003, 16-year-old Martha Puebla sat outside her home in Sun Valley, California, sharing a quiet moment with a friend. Within minutes, her life was stolen by a gunman who asked for her by name before firing multiple shots and disappearing into the night. What seemed like a cold, calculated execution quickly unravelled into a web of investigative missteps, courtroom drama, and one extraordinary twist of fate.

Join me as we explore the murder of Martha Puebla — a tragic case that led detectives down a winding path of gang retaliation, eyewitness errors, and a young man falsely accused. Juan Catalan was arrested for Martha’s murder, based on shaky testimony and a grainy photo lineup. But just as his case seemed destined for a grim ending, an unlikely piece of evidence surfaced — hidden in the background of a popular TV show being filmed the night of the murder.

This is a story of justice nearly derailed — and the miracle that saved an innocent man from death row.

Sources:

https://www.dailynews.com/2008/07/02/la-gang-member-gets-life-for-killing-teenage-girl/

https://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-interrogate2-2008jul02-story.html

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/06/07/face-in-the-crowd

https://studylib.net/doc/18288765/1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-

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Somewhere the sun shines, somewhere the birds sing the glories of a new dawn. Somewhere … it's Spring again! But HERE … every day is Halloween! Rogue Transmissions, an uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts, presents the Halfway to Halloween Hullabaloo! Your horror host Edward October is scanning the dial for lost broadcasts, campfire tales, and weird nostalgia to bring you a hell-raising halfway to Halloween party that will chase away the springtime blues.

First up: Vintage Halloween games and fortune-telling rituals, the secret of "The Ring Wraith Kid," and ghostly electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) recorded in a haunted apartment. Then: Green glowing footprints (do they belong to a ghost or an alien?), a startling steampunk re-imagining of The Tell-Tale Heart, a haunted pub, and a terrifying true missing persons case. Plus: The Tavern Haunting, and the true account of a haunted cabin in the woods.

Featuring Rogue Transmissions from: Karyn Raynor & Aubree Summers (Chick Lit podcast), Alecia Watson (Twisted & Uncorked and Truly Twisted), Amber & Maddie (Witches Talking Tarot), JT Hosack (Brew Crime), Emma & Becky (Spine Chillers & Serial Killers), Nikki Young (Serial Napper), Jen (Our True Crime Podcast), and Edward October (Octoberpod AM).

Tighten your screams, dust off your shrouds, and bring enough candy to feed a crowd ... because we're throwing a Halfway to Halloween party wild enough to wake the dead on this edition of Rogue Transmissions, the uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts.

The date was September 11th, 2000, in Clearwater, Florida.

Eight-year-old Zachary Bernhardt was asleep in his bedroom when his mother, Leah Hackett, stepped out of their apartment on Drew Street. It was the middle of the night, but Leah said insomnia had gotten the best of her. She went for a walk, maybe a swim in the apartment complex’s pool, hoping the movement and cool water would help her settle her racing thoughts.

She claimed she was only gone 15 minutes. But when she returned just after 4 a.m., her son was gone. No signs of a struggle. No broken windows. Just an empty bed where Zachary should have been.

Clearwater Police launched an immediate and extensive search of the area. Officers scoured the apartment complex, the surrounding woods, and nearby retention ponds. K-9 units, helicopters, volunteers—every available resource was deployed. But they found nothing. No witnesses. No clues. No trace of Zachary.

As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into years, suspicion quietly began to turn inward. Some investigators believe Leah Hackett knows more than she’s ever disclosed. She's always denied involvement—claimed she’s innocent, and that she, too, wants answers. Since then, she’s moved out of state, avoiding much of the public spotlight.

Zachary’s father? He was never involved in his life—and has never been considered a suspect.

So what really happened that night? Did someone sneak into the apartment while Leah was out? Or is there something in her story that doesn’t quite add up? Over two decades later, there are still no answers. No leads. No closure. Just a little boy who vanished without a trace.

Sources:

https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Zach_Bernhardt?source=post_page-----5c7d19bb7b6f---------------------------------------

https://charleyproject.org/case/zachary-michael-cole-bernhardt

https://websleuths.com/threads/fl-zachary-michael-cole-bernhardt-8-clearwater-11-sept-2000.11639/

https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/missing-in-the-shadows-of-9-11

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/09/28/police-boy-s-mother-knows-more/

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-pasco/florida-woman-awaits-answers-23-years-after-her-8-year-old-nephew-disappears-in-clearwater?

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In this crossover episode, Serial Napper and Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast join forces to dive deep into two of the most haunting and baffling true crime cases in recent memory.

🎙️ Nikki from Serial Napper takes a closer look at the heartbreaking case of Jelani Day, a graduate student whose body was discovered under suspicious circumstances in Illinois. Despite widespread attention, key questions remain unanswered. Who was Jelani, and what really happened to him?

🎙️ Kaydra from Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast investigates the mysterious death of Phoebe Handsjuk, a 24-year-old woman who was found at the bottom of a garbage chute in a luxury Melbourne apartment building. Was it a tragic accident… or something far more sinister?

🧩 Join us as we break down the facts, examine the theories, and ask the tough questions about two cases that continue to confound investigators and devastate families.

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