Justine Vanderschoot // 538

Justine Vanderschoot // 538

Author: Dark West Productions September 16, 2025 Duration: 52:51
In September of 2003, a 17-year-old girl vanished from her family’s home in Placer County, California. Her truck was missing from the driveway, but her purse and belongings were still inside the house - as if she had simply stepped out and disappeared into the night. As days turned to weeks, suspicion began to circle closer inwards, and when the truth emerged, it would shock and devastate everyone who knew her. Especially when they learned that she had been buried alive… This is the murder of Justine Vanderschoot.

Each week, Going West: True Crime explores the unsettling and often overlooked stories of people who have vanished or been murdered. Hosts Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman, from Dark West Productions, approach these complex cases with a careful and respectful focus on the human stories at their core. Their conversations delve into the haunting details and lingering questions that surround these events, moving beyond mere sensationalism to consider the broader impact on families, communities, and our societal understanding of crime. You'll hear a thoughtful examination of the facts, paired with a genuine curiosity about the circumstances that can lead to such darkness. This podcast sits at a compelling intersection of society, culture, and news, offering narrative depth that stays with you. New episodes are released every Tuesday and Friday, providing a consistent and deeply engaging look into the mysteries that unsettle and fascinate us. Tune in for a sober yet compelling exploration of true crime, where the emphasis is on the story and the search for clarity within some of life's most difficult chapters.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Going West: True Crime
Podcast Episodes
Tara Grant: Secrets in Washington Township // 591 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:51
In February of 2007, a 34-year-old mother of two left in the middle of the night for a work trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but would never make it to her destination. Her husband reported her missing, having last seen he…
Annie McCarrick: Ireland's Missing American // 590 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:34
In March of 1993, a 27-year-old American woman returned home to her Dublin apartment after picking up groceries to cook dinner for her friends the following evening. But when her roommates arrived home two days later, th…
Matthew Anfeldt: Into the Woods // 589 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:32
In February of 2019, a 20-year-old man vanished after last being seen fleeing from a store near his small, Washington town. His disappearance came just two months after a disturbing incident in which he told loved ones t…
Brianna Maitland: The Car in the Vermont Barn // 588 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:08
In March of 2004, a 17-year-old girl left the late shift at a small-town Vermont inn and began her short drive home. But she never made it. The next day, her car was discovered backed into the side of an abandoned farmho…
Ashley Flynn: American Idol to Murder (Happening Now) // 587 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:49
In February of 2026, in the middle of the night, a 37-year-old woman was found shot to death in her bed after her ex-American Idol contestant husband called 911 for a rather suspicious conversation. Within days, an arres…
The Brom Ax Murders: A Suburban Nightmare // 586 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:31
In February of 1988, four members of a Minnesota family were brutally murdered in their home in the middle of a winter’s night. The shocking nature of the crime stunned a quiet, rural community and left investigators gra…
Madeline Soto: Living With a Monster // 585 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
In February of 2024, a 13-year-old girl was reported missing in Central Florida after missing school. What began as a frantic search after a potential abduction quickly drew intense public attention as inconsistencies be…
Mary Schlais: Hitchhiker on Highway 94 // 584 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:29
In February of 1974, the body of a 25-year-old woman was found covered in snow in a roadside ditch after she headed out hitchhiking in Minnesota. Despite an eyewitness watching a man dispose of her body and drive off, de…
Kendy Howard: The Bathtub Murder // 583 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
In February of 2021, a 48-year-old Idaho woman was found dead in her own bathtub of an apparent suicide. But as troubling details emerged, suspicion fell on someone close to the investigation and her: disturbingly, someo…
Kimberly Sullivan: Connecticut House of Horrors // 582 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:15
In February of 2025, firefighters responded to an emergency call from a Waterbury, Connecticut home. But what initially appeared to be a routine house fire became a disturbing mystery when police made a horrific discover…