Unexplained America The Podcast
Unexplained America The Podcast

Unexplained America The Podcast

Unexplained America the Podcast

Overview
Episodes

Details

Unexplained America is a weekly podcast, hosted by Lisa Ponson. I discuss true crime, paranormal, cryptid, legend, and anything unexplained connected with America. Join me for episodes rich in researching the history, background and nuance of the story perhaps a bit quirky. If possible, I love to explore the places myself and discuss the story from a personal perspective. The more creepy and unexplained the better!!!

Recent Episodes

Heaven's Gate The Back Story (Part 1)
APR 6, 2026
Heaven's Gate The Back Story (Part 1)
In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa will discuss the group Heaven's Gate, primarily, diving into the groups leaders Bonnie Lou Trousdale Nettles and Marshall "Herff" Applewhite Jr.Listener Discretion-Mental Illness/Unaliving --more in Part 2.On Wednesday, March 26, 1997, the San Diego County Sheriff's office received a 911 telling them that there was a mass unaliving at the location of 18241 Colina Norte in Rancho Sante Fe. The deputies really thought that this must be a crank phone call. When the deputies go to the house what they find there is anything but funny. They find 39 bodies at this location--they will received 1500 calls from around the country from concerned family and friends of these individuals. Hearts will be broken and the leader (Herff) will be on the cover of Time Magazine--but not for any good reason.In this Part 1, I discuss the background and history of Bonnie and Herff. I will outline their beginnings and how they met and how the group began.The time frame I cover in this episode is 1927-1986; in 1986 Bonnie's family will find out that she passed away on June 19, 1985. During Bonnie's life the group was NEVER called Heaven's Gate but went by H.I.M. Human Individual Metamorphosis or they went by Total Overcomers Anonymous.Listen to the whole episode for a deep look at the group.References for this Episode:"Heaven's Gate America's UFO Religion"- Benjamin E. Zeller--https://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Gate-Americas-UFO-Religion/dp/1479881066"Marhsall Herff Applewhite Jr."-Times Information Services--Corpus Christi Caller--Sat. Mar. 29, 1997"Cult Video Discovered"--LA Times--The Cincinatti Enquier--Mon. May 12, 1997"Harlinger AP"--Austin American-Statesman-Sat. Oct. 18, 1975"UFO Sect Lures Away Their Son"--The Miami Herald Tues. Mar 23 1976"UFO pair say 22 followers are safe"-San Antonio Express-News--Sun. Dec. 7, 1975"Co-founder's children struggle for answers in wake of suicides"-Star-Phoenix- Tues. Apr 1, 1997"'The Two' still haunt Coast Man"--by Jerry Easterling-Oregon Territory- Sun Aug 17, 1980"A Second Look-the worried parents of secretive UFO cult members"-by Don Lattin--The San Francisco Examiner- Mon Sept 19, 1983"Bo, Peep friends toot space horns"-Bryan McNulty-Portland Press Herald--Mon Oct 9, 1978."Custody fight waged by 'Two' followers"-Kristine Rosemary-The Capital Journal--Mon June 7, 1976"Nether World Envoys Anticipate Murder"-Valley Morning Star-Thurs Aug 29, 1974"What are Bo and Peep Really Up to?"-Lynn Simboss-The Houston Chronicle-Wed Nov 12, 1975"St Thomas U. Singers Present Colorful Menotti Song-Dance"-DJ Hobdy-The Houston Chronicle- Mon Oct 31, 1966"Heaven's Gate: The Cult of Cults"--documentary-https://www.hbomax.com/shows/heavens-gate-the-cult-of-cults/83f1cb47-bce8-4e60-a9d3-9153e5d4c455https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/katy-tx/joseph-nettles-8265180Episodes DID include other information via:https://www.newspapers.com/https://www.ancestry.com/Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!https://www.facebook.com/gfearsmedia?rdid=2J3DmRrwK1yzecQl&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16Ws41EzTt%2F#https://www.instagram.com/i_deliver_pizza/To connect w/ Unexplained America:https://unexplainedamerica.com/[email protected]://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586477442538#https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8rIqbuh-TeAl_9dZNL3fUAhttps://www.instagram.com/unexplained_america/https://www.patreon.com/unexplainedamericaFind us on Tik Tok and Instagram and all Podcasts Platforms.Xoxoxoxo, Lisa
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81 MIN
Sadness in Iowa: The Mollie Tibbetts Case
MAR 23, 2026
Sadness in Iowa: The Mollie Tibbetts Case
In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa will discuss the sad and tragic case of Mollie Tibbetts.Listener Discretion-brutal murder and SA.On Wednesday July, 18, 2018, 20 year old Mollie goes for a run in her small home town in Iowa around 7:30 pm. When Mollie doesn't show up for work the following day her family, boyfriend, friends, and comminity.After a month long of searching for Mollie the police catch a break and find a man named Cristhian Bahena Rivera who leads the police directly to Mollie's body. Her family is devastated, vigils are held, and a country mourns another woman lost while doing something they love--running,.Bahena goes on trial after many delays due to motions, moving the trial location and the pandemic of Covid-19--May 17, 2021--almost 3 years after Mollie went missing.Listen to hear full details and remember Mollie--her beautiful life and legacy her family leaves in the Miles for Mollie Annual Fundraiser Walk/Run--held in September in Brooklyn, Iowa.References for this Episode:https://youtu.be/0Zz5UPLzVOA?si=RN_eV-ye-rrBDdHF"University officials, students react to the discovery of Tibbetts' body"-Hillar Ojeda--The Des Moines Register-Wed. Aug 22, 2018"Chronology of the Mollie Tibbetts missing person case"-Staff--The Des Moines Register-Wed Aug 22, 2018"Tibbetts---Video Recordings help solve case, Suspect was from Mexico"--Staff--The Des Moines Register Wed. Aug 22, 2018"Officer: Miranda failure for Iowa murder suspect a mistake"-Associated Press--Globe-Gazette-Fri. Nov, 15, 2019"Iowa college student hasn't been seen since last week"-The Washington Post--Omaha World-Herald--Thur. Jul 26, 2018https://www.iowacourts.gov/courtcases/18636/embed/CourtAppealsOpinionhttps://iowaappeals.com/uncategorized/iowa-court-of-appeals-denies-new-trial-for-cristhian-bahena-rivera/Episodes DID include other information via:https://www.newspapers.com/https://www.ancestry.com/Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!https://www.facebook.com/gfearsmedia?rdid=2J3DmRrwK1yzecQl&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16Ws41EzTt%2F#https://www.instagram.com/i_deliver_pizza/To connect w/ Unexplained America:https://unexplainedamerica.com/[email protected]://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586477442538#https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8rIqbuh-TeAl_9dZNL3fUAhttps://www.instagram.com/unexplained_america/https://www.patreon.com/unexplainedamericaFind us on Tik Tok and Instagram and all Podcasts Platforms.Xoxoxoxo, Lisa
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59 MIN
Friday the 13th Sharon Gregory Tragedy
MAR 13, 2026
Friday the 13th Sharon Gregory Tragedy
In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa will discuss the Friday the 13th 'inspired' horrible, tragic case of Sharon Gregory.Listener Discretion-brutal murder, mental health issues, and the awful unaliving self. On October 24, 1988, 18 year old Sharon Gregory is home alone; she lives with her identical twin Cheryl and her parents Edward and Barbara. Around 12:30pm Cheryl comes home and finds Sharon in a pool of blood in their upstairs bathroom and she phones the police. This tragic situation is alarmingly shocking for the small town of Greenfield, Massachusetts. Greenfield did not see any or much crime much less a murder.Very quickly the Greenfield Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police close in a suspect; a 19 year old named Mark Branch. Mark was a friend of a close friend of the twins and Sharon had told Cheryl she was afraid of him.Ultimately, this case would involve a month long man hunt, tragedy for two families, and a deep, uncomfortable fascination with horror movies and longing to be the villian in the movies.Listen to hear full details. References for this Episode:https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/11/30/A-mentally-ill-young-man-acting-out-the-final/5081596869200/'Funeral Saturday for Sharon Gregory'- The Republican Wed, Oct. 26, 1988'Friends of Branch, students at GCC respond to his death' by Debrah L Grenier and Deborh Parker- The Recorder, Wed Nov. 30, 1988'Man who discovered body knew he would be the one to find Branch' by Joseph Mallia-- The Recorder, Wed. Nov. 30th 1988'Hunt continues for slaying suspect'-Wesley Blixt The Republican, Fri. Nov 4th 1988'Evidence' Greenfield staff- The Recorder Fri Dec 9th 1988'Friend Caught in the middke' Derek Ianelli-- The Recorder--Tues. Nov 15, 1988Episodes DID include other information via:https://www.newspapers.com/https://www.ancestry.com/Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!https://www.facebook.com/gfearsmedia?rdid=2J3DmRrwK1yzecQl&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16Ws41EzTt%2F#https://www.instagram.com/i_deliver_pizza/To connect w/ Unexplained America:https://unexplainedamerica.com/[email protected]://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586477442538#https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8rIqbuh-TeAl_9dZNL3fUAhttps://www.instagram.com/unexplained_america/https://www.patreon.com/unexplainedamericaFind us on Tik Tok and Instagram and all Podcasts Platforms.Xoxoxoxo, Lisa
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56 MIN
Lindbergh Baby: Crime of the Century (Part 3)
MAR 4, 2026
Lindbergh Baby: Crime of the Century (Part 3)
In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa will discuss the 'Crime of the Century' -the kidnapping and death of Charles Lindbergh Jr. --AKA Baby Charlie--.In this Part 3 episode, we pick up at the arrest of Bruno Richard Hauptmann on September 19, 1934.We will discuss Richard's background, the evidence against him. His trial for extortion, kidnapping and murder of Baby Charlie, his guilty sentence, and subsequent execution by the State of New Jersey.We will also, explore the Lindbergh's lives after 1935 until present day and the terrible speculations.Listen to hear full details. References for this Episode:https://crimeofthecentury.weebly.com/body-found.htmlhttps://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/lindbergh-kidnappinghttps://www.acams.org/en/opinion/the-lindberg-case-how-banker-helped-solve-ithttps://www.nj.gov/state/archives/slcsp001.htmlhttps://www.history.com/articles/charles-a-lindberghhttps://www.nightmarehouses.com/articles/highfieldshttps://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/lindbergh-kidnappinghttps://hopewelltwp-nj.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/HISTORY-BOOK.pdf'Phone Trick May Save Baby'; 'Family Plays Part; Hysteria Ruled Out': 'Kidnaping Chronology'--whole Page 8 of paper--Daily News (New York, New York): Thus. March 3, 1932 Episodes DID include other information via:https://www.newspapers.com/https://www.ancestry.com/Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!https://www.facebook.com/gfearsmedia?rdid=2J3DmRrwK1yzecQl&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16Ws41EzTt%2F#https://www.instagram.com/i_deliver_pizza/To connect w/ Unexplained America:https://unexplainedamerica.com/[email protected]://www.facebook.com/groups/unexplainedarkansas/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8rIqbuh-TeAl_9dZNL3fUAhttps://www.instagram.com/unexplained_america/https://www.patreon.com/unexplainedamericaFind us on Tik Tok and Instagram and all Podcasts Platforms.Xoxoxoxo, Lisa
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75 MIN
Lindbergh Baby: Crime of the Century (Part 2)
FEB 23, 2026
Lindbergh Baby: Crime of the Century (Part 2)
In this episode of Unexplained America, your host Lisa will discuss the 'Crime of the Century' -the kidnapping and death of Charles Lindbergh Jr. --AKA Baby Charlie--Listener discretion of kidnapping/death of a child.This is Part 2 and this will have one more part--in Part 2, we pick up on the night of March 1, 1932, we begin with the police showing up at the Lindbergh home, the ransom note and other evidence collected at the scene.By March 6th, 1932, the kidnappers send a 2nd notice advising to keep the press coverage down about the ransom and increasing the ransom from $50,000.00 to $70,000.00.Within days, a Dr. John Condon, offers his own money and his help in being a liason for the Lindbergh's and the kidnappers.On March 12, 1932, Dr. Condon meets with the kidnapper--a man going by the name "John"--this meeting happens in a cemetery and the kidnapper wears a hat, coat, and handkerchief over his face. He speaks with a German accent according to Dr. Condon. In this meeting, they agree that Dr. Condon will hand over the ransom but wants some evidence of the baby first so kidnapper states he will send the baby's white sleeper.The white sleeper is sent to Dr. Condon with another letter. A couple of weeks go by with several back and forth notes but finally a meeting is set up for April 2, 1932, to exchange the actual ransom. This meeting happens-the money is exchanged. The kidnapper gives Dr. Condon written instructions on where Baby Charlie is....however, this is all false. The baby who was supposed to be on a boat was not found.On May 12, 1932, a truck driver pulls off the road to use the bathroom--he is 4 miles from the Lindbergh's home. He finds a badly decomposed body. The police are called, the Lindberghs are called and an autopsy is done. By Friday May 13, 1932, the baby is fully identified as Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr.. Now the Lindberghs's are fully devastated and the hunt is on for a killer and not just a kidnapper.This episode will track the route taken for authorities to finally make an arrest on September 19, 1934.Listen to hear full details. References for this Episode:https://crimeofthecentury.weebly.com/body-found.htmlhttps://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/lindbergh-kidnappinghttps://www.acams.org/en/opinion/the-lindberg-case-how-banker-helped-solve-ithttps://www.nj.gov/state/archives/slcsp001.htmlhttps://www.history.com/articles/charles-a-lindberghhttps://www.nightmarehouses.com/articles/highfieldshttps://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/lindbergh-kidnappinghttps://hopewelltwp-nj.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/HISTORY-BOOK.pdf'Phone Trick May Save Baby'; 'Family Plays Part; Hysteria Ruled Out': 'Kidnaping Chronology'--whole Page 8 of paper--Daily News (New York, New York): Thus. March 3, 1932 Episodes DID include other information via:https://www.newspapers.com/https://www.ancestry.com/Big Thanks go out to Gage Fears for his original music made for Unexplained Arkansas the Podcast usage--His contact below--find him on Instagram!!https://www.facebook.com/gfearsmedia?rdid=2J3DmRrwK1yzecQl&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F16Ws41EzTt%2F#https://www.instagram.com/i_deliver_pizza/To connect w/ Unexplained America:https://unexplainedamerica.com/[email protected]://www.facebook.com/groups/unexplainedarkansas/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8rIqbuh-TeAl_9dZNL3fUAhttps://www.instagram.com/unexplained_america/https://www.patreon.com/unexplainedamericaFind us on Tik Tok and Instagram and all Podcasts Platforms.Xoxoxoxo, Lisa
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85 MIN