Under The Tape: A True Crime Podcast

Teresita Basa: The Voice from the Grave Chicago, Illinois | February 21, 1977 When Teresa Basa was found murdered inside her Chicago apartment, investigators had few leads and a case that seemed to have reached a dead end. Months later, a tip brought police to an unexpected name—and the information behind it came with a story that challenged everything they thought they knew about the investigation. In this episode of Under The Tape, we look at Teresita’s life, the hours leading up to her death, the evidence investigators uncovered, and the unusual testimony that eventually led them to a suspect. We also examine the confession, the courtroom battle that followed, and the questions surrounding one of the most unusual murder investigations in Chicago history. Was the story of a voice from beyond the grave simply an extraordinary claim—or was it the beginning of a case that could finally be solved? PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/UnderTheTapePodcast INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/underthetapepod/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@under.the.tape.pod Sources The Washington Post — Rob Warden, “‘Voice From the Grave’ Evokes a Murder Trial” (September 17, 1978) Chicago Tribune — John O’Brien, “‘Voice From Grave’ Case a Mistrial” (1979) Ebony — John O’Brien and Edward Baumann, “Accused of Murder By a Voice From The Grave” (1978) Morbid — “The Murder of Teresita Basa” The Greatest True Crime Stories Ever Told — “Teresita Basa: Stretching the Boundaries of Belief” This Is Monsters — “From Beyond the Grave: Allan Showery” MrBallen — “Ghost Story”

On August 30, 2013, 19-year-old college student Bryce Laspisa disappeared after a series of unusual events during a trip home to Southern California. His SUV was eventually found overturned near Castaic Lake, but Bryce was nowhere to be found. His belongings were still inside the vehicle, and despite extensive searches and years of reported sightings and tips, Bryce has never been found. In this episode of Under The Tape, we walk through the hours and days leading up to Bryce’s disappearance, the strange behavior that concerned the people closest to him, and what happened after his vehicle was discovered. PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/UnderTheTapePodcast INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/underthetapepod/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@under.the.tape.pod Sources: California Department of Justice — Missing Person: Bryce David Laspisa Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Crime Junkie — “MISSING: Bryce Laspisa” Morbid — Episode 109: “The Mysterious Disappearance of Bryce Laspisa” The Charley Project — Bryce Laspisa Disappeared — “Road to Nowhere”r

On June 20, 2001, Andrea Yates drowned her five young children in a Houston bathtub—a tragedy that shocked the nation. Beyond the sensational headlines lay a severe medical history, unheeded psychiatric warnings, and a catastrophic breakdown of healthcare systems. This episode explores Andrea’s battle with severe postpartum psychosis, the religious delusions that warped her reality, and the landmark 2006 retrial that resulted in a verdict of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/UnderTheTapePodcast INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/underthetapepod/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@under.the.tape.pod Sources Yates v. State (Tex. App. 2005): The official Texas Court of Appeals ruling that overturned Andrea Yates’ 2002 capital murder conviction. This document outlines her full medical timeline, expert testimonies, and the false Law & Order episode claims by prosecution expert Dr. Park Dietz. Harris County District Court Records (2002 & 2006): Transcripts, police audio confessions, medical charts, and trial exhibits from her initial 2002 capital trial and her 2006 retrial, where she was found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Are You There Alone? The Unspoken Tragedy of Andrea Yates by Suzanne O’Malley Breaking Point by Suzy Spencer Medical Journal Analysis & Forensic Reviews "The Andrea Yates Case: Insanity on Trial" (Cleveland State Law Review) by Dr. Phillip J. Resnick: Written by the primary forensic psychiatrist for Andrea’s defense team, breaking down her schizoaffective disorder, religious delusions, and M’Naghten insanity defense criteria. "Mental Health and Justice: The Case of Andrea Yates" (The Lancet): A medical and legal analysis examining the breakdown of psychiatric care, postpartum psychosis risk factors, and systemic failures leading up to the tragedy. Resources & Support Services If you or someone you know is struggling with perinatal mental health or postpartum psychosis, help is available: Postpartum Support International (PSI): Call or text 1-800-944-4773 or visit postpartum.net. National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 (Available 24/7). Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262).

The Lasley Sisters — Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015 On September 23, 2015, sisters Breann “Bre” Lasley, 27, and Kayli Lasley, 22, were inside their Salt Lake City home when 48-year-old Robert Richard Berger climbed through Bre's bedroom window. Berger, who had a lengthy criminal history and had been released from prison just eight days earlier, attacked the sisters as they fought to get him out of their home. The sisters made multiple 911 calls during the attack, Bre was stabbed repeatedly, and Kayli eventually escaped the house and ran outside screaming for help. What happened next involved a nearby officer, an earlier attempted break-in, and a confrontation that ended with Berger being shot and killed. Years later, Bre filed a lawsuit questioning why the sisters' 911 calls had not resulted in police being dispatched to their home. This episode looks closely at the attack, the sisters' fight to survive, the investigation into the shooting, and the later questions surrounding the emergency response. PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/UnderTheTapePodcast INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/underthetapepod/ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@under.the.tape.pod Sources KSL — 911 calls depict 2 sisters' desperate pleas during attack KSL — Woman stabbed by intruder recalls harrowing ordeal ABC News — 911 Calls Reflect Utah Sisters' Fear During Attack Salt Lake Tribune — D.A.: 'Heroic' Utah police officer justified in shooting man who stabbed woman Deseret News — Salt Lake officer cleared in fatal shooting, praised as hero for saving 2 women Salt Lake City Police Civilian Review Board — official review of the September 2015 officer-involved shooting KSL — 'They failed us that night': Survivor of attack sues after her 911 calls failed to summon help KSL — 911 software company denies blame after police weren’t dispatched to Utah woman fending off attacker Deseret News — coverage of the 2019 lawsuit and competing accounts of the 911 response

In Part 2, we follow the fatal climax and complex legal aftermath of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case. We trace the events of June 10, 2015, when Nicholas Godejohn traveled to Springfield, Missouri, to carry out the murder of Clauddine "Dee Dee" Blanchard. From the infamous Facebook status updates that alerted authorities to the high-stakes law enforcement raid in Big Bend, Wisconsin, we examine how the facade of Gypsy’s life collapsed. Finally, we break down the stark legal divergence between Gypsy’s 10-year plea deal and Godejohn’s trial, culminating in Gypsy’s December 2023 prison release and her transition into a public media figure. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/UnderTheTapePodcast Sources: Greene County Circuit Court Records (State of Missouri): Dockets, plea agreements, and sentencing filings for State of Missouri v. Gypsy R. Blanchard (2016), as well as full trial transcripts, evidence exhibits, and jury verdicts for State of Missouri v. Nicholas P. Godejohn (2018). Greene County Sheriff’s Office: Official case files, search warrants, incident reports, and press conference statements from Sheriff Jim Arnott (June 2015). Missouri Department of Corrections: Public offender records, status updates, and official terms of parole from Chillicothe Correctional Center. BuzzFeed News ("Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick, Gypsy Wanted Her Mom Murdered"): The seminal 2016 investigative piece by Michelle Dean that first exposed the extensive medical paper trail and brought national attention to the case. My Time to Stand: A Memoir (2024): Co-authored by Gypsy Rose Blanchard, detailing her lived experience, childhood medical abuse, incarceration, and perspective on the legal process.