The Bennington Triangle: 5 Vanished in Vermont's Quiet Woods

The Bennington Triangle: 5 Vanished in Vermont's Quiet Woods

Author: Moms and Mysteries Podcast April 30, 2026 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, but as the town emptied out, a string of inexplicable disappearances began. From an experienced 74-year-old hunting guide to an 18-year-old college student, these cases shared one chilling detail: despite massive, military-led searches, almost no evidence was ever found. What makes these cases so baffling isn't just the unforgiving terrain or the sudden shifts in weather—it's the tight timelines and the sheer lack of clues. We discuss the five distinct cases of Middie Rivers, Paula Welden, James Tedford, Paul Jepson, and Frieda Langer. Was it the harsh environment, a string of tragic accidents, or something more sinister hiding in the woods? Thank you to this week's sponsors! Right nowIQBAR is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQBAR products—including the Ultimate sampler pack—plus FREE shipping. To get your 20% off text MOMS to 64000. Message and data rates may apply. See terms for details. 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
Leon Jacob and Valerie McDaniel: The Murder for Hire Plot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:20
When successful Houston veterinarian Valerie McDaniel began dating Leon Jacob, they bonded over the problems they believed their former partners were causing them. Leon presented himself as a brilliant surgeon, but the r…
The Murder of Jade Benning: A Fatal Date Night in Nashville [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:12
When twenty-four-year-old expecting mother Jade Benning suddenly collapsed during a quiet date night at her Nashville apartment, it was initially reported as a severe allergic reaction. But when paramedics arrived, the s…
The Snowden House Murders: A Legacy of Forgiveness and Fatal Betrayal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:37
In 1996, the quiet community of Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas was shattered by the brutal double murder of seventy-five-year-old Sally Snowden McKay and her fifty-two-year-old nephew, Joseph Lee Baker. The historic Snowden Ho…
Mitrice Richardson: The Night the Police Let Her Walk Away [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:32
On the night of September 16, 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson was arrested at an upscale Malibu restaurant after behaving in ways that concerned both the staff and the responding deputies. She passed a field sobriet…