A Toxic Web in Zanesville: The Murder of Jayla Wyatt

A Toxic Web in Zanesville: The Murder of Jayla Wyatt

Author: Moms and Mysteries Podcast June 11, 2026 Duration: 42:09
On April 27, 2021, the quiet community of Zanesville, Ohio, was shattered when 23-year-old Jayla Wyatt was found shot to death in the entryway of a local apartment. She had been shot six times, including a devastating direct shot to the face. The apartment belonged to Patrick Downes, a man significantly older than Jayla with whom she had recently started staying. When investigators began looking into who could have targeted Jayla, they quickly uncovered a toxic web of addiction, obsession, and volatile relationships. The trail led directly to 20-year-old Tristaney Baker and her 23-year-old boyfriend, Devin McKnelly. Driven by a deep, drug-fueled jealousy over Patrick, Tristaney had planned the execution, while Devin provided both the firearm and the getaway vehicle. Within twenty-four hours of the crime, police used emergency cellphone tracking to locate the couple in Columbus, Ohio, bringing an end to their short-lived flight from justice. In this episode, we discuss the heartbreaking details of Jayla's life, the explosive and dangerous dynamic between her killers, and the rapid police investigation that brought them both to justice. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Sleep cooler this summer with Boll & Branch during their Annual Summer Event! For a limited time, get 20% off sitewide at BollandBranch.com/moms with code moms. Exclusions apply. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/moms for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday! Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between school drop-offs and grocery runs, Mandy and Melissa found a shared obsession with the unanswered questions lurking in the shadows. Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast is the result: a conversation that feels like sitting at a kitchen table with two friends who are deeply curious about the human condition. Their perspective is uniquely grounded, examining each story not just for its shock value, but for the societal threads and personal tragedies that weave it together. You’ll hear them discuss everything from the strangely specific weirdness of a Florida crime to a globally known cold case, always with a blend of empathy and a dash of necessary, dark humor. This isn't a clinical report; it's a twice-weekly deep dive fueled by a lifelong fascination with mysteries, both big and small. The tone is warm, the research is thorough, and the conversation is the kind you get hooked on. New episodes of this true crime podcast arrive every Tuesday and Thursday, ready to be your companion during a commute or while folding laundry. They’ve been asking "how did this happen?" since they were kids, and now they’re pulling up a chair for you to join that ongoing, compelling discussion.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Nightmare in North Dakota: The Murder of Angila Wilder [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:41
On a freezing November night in 2015, 30-year-old nursing student Angila Wilder was stabbed 44 times inside her home in Minot, North Dakota. The brutal attack happened while her two-year-old son slept safely in the very…
The Mystery of the Missing DA: The Disappearance of Ray Gricar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:04
On April 15, 2005, Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar left his office for a routine afternoon drive through central Pennsylvania. He was 59 years old, highly respected, and just months away from a planned retirem…
Sarah Jo Pender: "The Female Charles Manson" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:24
In October of 2000, the bodies of Andrew Cataldi and Tricia Nordman were found inside a dumpster behind an Indianapolis Teamsters building. The discovery quickly led police to the home the couple shared with Richard Hull…
The Mackenzie Shirilla Case & Netflix's "The Crash" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:18
It was around 6:15 AM on July 31, 2022, when a resident in Strongsville, Ohio, came upon the aftermath of a horrific accident. A black Toyota Camry had crashed into the side of a large brick building at the end of Progre…
The Disappearance and Murder of Maya Millete [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:31
On January 7, 2021, Maya Millete took the first steps toward ending her marriage. She scheduled a consultation with a divorce attorney, planning to wait just a few more days to get through her daughter's birthday weekend…
The Mystery of Sneha Philip [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:51
On the evening of September 10, 2001, 31-year-old physician Sneha Philip walked into her Lower Manhattan apartment building carrying shopping bags. It was the last confirmed sighting of her. By the next morning, planes s…
The Hawthorne Hill Shooting & The Fall of Michael Barisone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:05
Hawthorne Hill was supposed to be a dream. An elite equestrian facility, an Olympic coach, and a student willing to do whatever it took to make it to the top. But what started as a $5,000 a month training arrangement bet…
The Bennington Triangle: 5 Vanished in Vermont's Quiet Woods [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:57
Between 1945 and 1950, five people vanished without a trace in a remote, rugged stretch of southwestern Vermont. The area, later dubbed the Bennington Triangle, was once home to the booming logging town of Glastenbury, b…
The Vanishing of Tony Parsons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:44
On a cold September night in the Scottish Highlands, a 63-year-old grandfather set out on a solo cycling journey that he never returned from. Tony Parsons was an experienced endurance athlete riding 104 miles to raise mo…