The Dark Oak

Episode 96: Joshua Maddux - The Boy in the Chimney

Joshua Maddux, an 18-year-old from Woodland Park, Colorado, vanished on May 8, 2008, after going for a walk. A bright, creative teen who loved nature, he seemed happy despite the 2006 suicide of his brother. After five days, his family reported him missing, but searches yielded nothing. In August 2015, his body was found in the chimney of an abandoned cabin near his home, upside down in a fetal position, wearing only a shirt, with his clothes folded inside the cabin. The coroner ruled his death an accident, suggesting he climbed in and got stuck, dying of hypothermia or dehydration. However, the cabin owner claimed a grate blocked the chimney, making entry impossible, and the coroner noted two people would be needed to place the body there. Rumors point to foul play, including a tip about Andrew Richard Newman, a convicted murderer seen with Josh, but no evidence supports this. The case remains an accident with no active police investigation, leaving questions about how Josh ended up in the chimney and whether others were involved.
 
00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak05:15 100 Episode Celebration and Giveaway07:50 Joshua Maddux
48:18 The Branch of Hope
 
Sources:
Roberts, M. (2015, September 30). Joshua Maddux, R.I.P.: Remains of teen missing 7 years found in Cabin Chimney. Westword. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www.westword.com/news/joshua-maddux-rip-remains-of-teen-missing-7-years-found-in-cabin-chimney-7197390
StrangeOutdoors.com. (2021, August 6). The strange death of josh maddux, the boy in the chimney. StrangeOutdoors.com. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/strange-indoors/joshua-maddux
Young, N. (2023, May 11). How did Joshua Maddux die in the chimney of an abandoned cabin? Medium. https://medium.com/@nikyoung/how-did-joshua-maddux-die-in-the-chimney-of-an-abandoned-cabin-7502be457cb7
Mendoza, J. (2023, March 13). Disturbing details about the case of Joshua Maddux, the teen found in a chimney. Grunge. https://www.grunge.com/1205963/disturbing-details-about-the-case-of-joshua-maddux-the-teen-found-in-a-chimney/
Migration, & Paul, J. (2015, October 19). Chimney discovery ends mystery over young man’s disappearance, but questions remain. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2015/10/19/chimney-discovery-ends-mystery-over-young-mans-disappearance-but-questions-remain/
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 95: Poon Lim - Survival at Sea

Poon Lim, born in 1918 on Hainan Island, China, grew up in a fishing village before moving to Malaysia at age ten. As Japan invaded China in the 1930s, sparking the Second Sino-Japanese War, Lim’s father sent him away to avoid conscription, possibly fearing atrocities like the Nanjing Massacre. Lim joined the British Merchant Navy as a cabin boy, but faced discrimination and abuse, leading him to leave in 1937 for Hong Kong, where he became a mechanic.
 
In 1939, with Britain at war with Germany, the Navy improved conditions to recruit more Chinese seamen, including Lim, who joined the SS Ben Lomond in 1942 as a Second Mess Steward. On November 23, 1942, the unescorted, lightly armed ship was torpedoed by the German U-172 submarine off Brazil. Lim survived the sinking, which killed 54 of the 55 crew members, by clinging to debris and eventually finding a stocked life raft.
 
Alone at sea, Lim survived 133 days by rationing supplies—water, hardtack, chocolate, pemmican, milk, and lime juice—building a canopy for shade and rainwater, and crafting tools to fish and hunt birds. Despite being a weak swimmer, he tied himself to the raft and later killed a shark for its blood and meat when dehydration threatened his life. Multiple ships passed him without rescuing him, possibly mistaking him for a Japanese sailor or fearing a U-boat trap.
 
On April 1943, Brazilian fishermen rescued him near Pará after he drifted close to land, emaciated and weak. After recovering, Lim received the British Empire Medal from King George VI for his courage and resourcefulness. His story influenced Royal Navy survival manuals, and he later became a U.S. citizen, settling in Brooklyn with his family until his death in 1991 at age 72. Lim holds the record for the longest solo survival on a life raft, a testament to his extraordinary resilience.
 
00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak00:30 100 Episode Celebration and Giveaway03:30 The Lake Oconee Murders
 
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poon_Lim
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sole-survivor-of-the-sinking-of-the-benlomond-in-wwii-poon-lim-set-a-record-for-133-days-adrift-at-sea/news-story/9c63348c42762182e17bcc3c2ddbe1a8
https://www.historydefined.net/poon-lim/embed/#?secret=sVREifRlva#?secret=E0phajhSTT
https://www.joe.ie/fitness-health/133-days-at-sea-in-an-eight-foot-raft-meet-poon-lim-39850
Jones, S. (2024, March 6). Poon Lim, The Man who Survived 133 Days Lost at Sea. Historic Flix. https://historicflix.com/poon-lim-man-who-survived-133-days-lost-at-sea/
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 94: The Lake Oconee Murders

In May 2014, the murders of Russell and Shirley Dermond, a couple in their late eighties, shook the residents of Putnam County, Georgia. The decapitated body of Russell Dermond was found on May 6, 2014, in the garage of the house he owned on Lake Oconee. Neither his head nor his wife, Shirley, could be located in the house. As the investigation unfolded, the murder was revealed to be a double homicide when Shirley's body was found in Lake Oconee and the brutal attacks remain unsolved more than 10 years later. 
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak01:20 100 Episode Celebration and Giveaway03:29 The Lake Oconee Murders53:27 The Branch of Hope
 
Sources:Deviant True Crime Podcast. (2024, September 24). The Lake Oconee Murders Part 1: Derby Day [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5-5Nsf7WrA
Deviant True Crime Podcast. (2024b, October 1). The Lake Oconee Murders Part 2: By land or by boat [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eShTiXyZAJg
Deviant True Crime Podcast. (2024c, October 8). The Lake Oconee Murders Part 3: A big lead [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=018IGAx4FaE
Deviant True Crime Podcast. (2024d, October 15). The Lake Oconee Murders Part 4: The Workup [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo7o4tsoYFQ
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 93: The Thai Cave Rescue - BONUS

In 2018 a soccer team made up of 12 boys and their coach was trapped inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand. All hope seemed lost when the boys had been lost for 10 days with their exact location inside the cave unknown and no sign of life. 
This episode chronicles a miraculous survival story and the incredible team of volunteers that worked together while risking their own lives., to save the team.
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to The Dark Oak
01:40 100th Episode Celebration and Giveaway
04:40 The Thai Cave Rescue
01:17:00 The Branch of Hope
 
Sources: The Rescue. (2020). National Geographic.
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 92: What Happened to Mary Day?

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to The Dark Oak
01:40 100th Episode Celebration and Giveaway
07:10 What Happened to Mary Day?
01:00:30 The Branch of Hope
 
Mary Louise Day, born in 1968 in Little Falls, New York, grew up in a turbulent household with her sisters Kathy and Sherrie, marked by instability, foster care, and abuse. After her parents’ divorce, her mother Charlotte married William Houle, a military man whose relocations added to the family’s isolation. By 1980, living in Seaside, California, 13-year-old Mary faced severe abuse from William. In July 1981, following a violent incident where William beat her—allegedly over a sick dog—Mary vanished. Her mother claimed she ran away, and the family never reported her missing, silencing any mention of her.
 
Nine years later, in 1992, Sherrie, haunted by her sister’s disappearance, filed a missing person’s report. The case went cold until 2002, when Seaside police reopened it. Investigations revealed William and Charlotte had cashed Mary’s Social Security checks after her disappearance, suggesting foul play. In 2003, a search of their former home uncovered a child's shoe and soil indicating decomposition, backed by cadaver dogs, but no body was found. Interviews with Charlotte and William were chilling—William admitted to beating Mary and hinted at a “demon” killing her, yet lacked sufficient evidence for arrest.
 
Then, in November 2003, a woman claiming to be Mary surfaced in Phoenix, Arizona, during a traffic stop. “Phoenix Mary” matched Charlotte’s DNA, closing the case, but inconsistencies—like her accent, vague memories, and sudden ID acquisition—raised doubts. She lived with Sherrie briefly, but tensions and her erratic behavior fueled skepticism, especially from Kathy, who doubted her identity over forgotten childhood details. In 2008, cadaver dogs again hit on a former Houle residence, yet no remains were found.
 
By 2017, as Phoenix Mary battled cancer, new Police Chief Judy Veloz re-examined the case. Further DNA tests confirmed Charles Day as her father, and a photo from the 1980s, verified by facial recognition, supported her identity. Her memory gaps were attributed to trauma and alcoholism. She died in 2017, leaving unresolved questions: Was she truly Mary? If so, where was she for 22 years? If not, who was she, and what happened to the real Mary? The cadaver dog hits remain unexplained, deepening the mystery of this dark, perplexing case.
 
 
Sources:
48 Hours Inverview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KheUErGCFJA
 
Voll, C. (2022, October 3). Mary Louise Day resurfaced after over 20 years - CrimeBeat - Medium. Medium. https://medium.com/crimebeat/mary-louise-day-resurfaced-after-over-20-years-fbb1f7cd2e2f
Sengupta, S. (2025, January 21). 5 harrowing details about the murder of Mary Day on Investigation Discovery, explored. Soapcentral. https://www.soapcentral.com/shows/5-harrowing-details-murder-mary-day-investigation-discovery-explored
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 91: Where is Hannah Upp?

Hannah Upp, a 32-year-old teacher, disappeared from St. Thomas on September 14, 2017, after a swim, amidst Hurricanes Irma and Maria. She had dissociative fugue, a condition causing identity loss, and had vanished twice before—once in 2008 in New York, found in the Hudson River after three weeks, and in 2012 in Maryland, found in a creek after two days—both times with no memory. Her 2017 disappearance left her clothes and car at Sapphire Beach, but despite extensive searches, she wasn’t found. Theories include drowning, fleeing on a ship, or staging her exit, but none are proven. Her mother remains hopeful; Hannah, now 39, is still missing.
 
TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Welcome to The Dark Oak09:30 Where is Hannah Upp?01:07:10 The Branch of Hope
Sources:
Kenton, L. (2023, April 3). Chilling note left by missing Hannah Upp points to ‘two options’ of what happened to her. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/news/7757272/hannah-upp-amnesia-missing-jason-bourne-irma/
Barcella, L. (2021, March 30). What Happened to Hannah Upp? The Mystery Around the Young Woman's Disappearance Continues. A&E. https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/what-happened-to-hannah-upp-the-mystery-around-the-young-womans-disappearance-continues
Villines, Z. (2023, September 6). Dissociative fugue: Symptoms and treatment. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/dissociative-fugue
Ashley, M. (2022, January 6). Missing Person Hannah Upp May Not Know She is Missing. Medium. https://truecrimemysteries.medium.com/missing-person-hannah-upp-may-not-know-she-is-missing-88d3d882ba5f
Jennifer. (2024, November 14). The bizarre disappearance of Hannah Upp - Jennifer - medium. Medium. https://wherearetheypodcast.medium.com/the-bizarre-disappearance-of-hannah-upp-6367f858ce10
Mystery, M. O. (2023, August 7). The very, very, strange case of Hannah Upp. Mind Over Mystery. https://mindovermystery.com/the-very-very-strange-case-of-hannah-upp/
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 90: The Death of Ellen Greenberg - Part 2 of 2

When Ellen Greenberg, a first-grade teacher at Juniata Park Academy, was found dead in her locked (from the inside) Manayunk apartment in 2011 with more than 20 stab wounds, authorities initially ruled her death a suicide. During her autopsy, the medical examiner discovered that one of Ellen's stab wounds could have potentially cut through her spinal cord, rendering her unable to continue stabbing herself. Could this really have been a suicide? During her autopsy it was also discovered that Ellen was covered in multiple bruises in various stages of healing. 
 
Despite the suicide ruling, the Greenberg family still believes Ellen was murdered and they have been fighting to change the manner of death ruling. As of this year, some of their hard work may have paid off - in January 2025 there was a major update in the case! 
 
Listen to Part 2 of the Ellen Greenberg case and let us know what you think!  
 
Sources: 
Ellen Greenberg - Case documents and Details - Gavin Fish. (2025, March 8). Gavin Fish. https://gavinfish.com/cases/ellen-greenberg/
Prosecutorspod, V. a. P. B. (2022, August 20). 146. The death of Ellen Greenberg Part 1 of 4 — Little locked room. The Prosecutors Podcast. https://prosecutorspodcast.com/2022/08/23/146-the-death-of-ellen-greenberg-part-1-of-4-little-locked-room/
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 89: The Death of Ellen Greenberg - Part 1 of 2

When Ellen Greenberg, a first-grade teacher at Juniata Park Academy, was found dead in her locked (from the inside) Manayunk apartment in 2011 with more than 20 stab wounds, authorities initially ruled her death a suicide. During her autopsy, the medical examiner discovered that one of Ellen's stab wounds could have potentially cut through her spinal cord, rendering her unable to continue stabbing herself. Could this really have been a suicide? During her autopsy it was also discovered that Ellen was covered in multiple bruises in various stages of healing. 
 
Despite the suicide ruling, the Greenberg family still believes Ellen was murdered and they have been fighting to change the manner of death ruling. As of this year, some of their hard work may have paid off - in January 2025 there was a major update in the case! 
 
Listen to Part 1 of the Ellen Greenberg case and let us know what you think!  
 
Sources: 
Ellen Greenberg - Case documents and Details - Gavin Fish. (2025, March 8). Gavin Fish. https://gavinfish.com/cases/ellen-greenberg/
Prosecutorspod, V. a. P. B. (2022, August 20). 146. The death of Ellen Greenberg Part 1 of 4 — Little locked room. The Prosecutors Podcast. https://prosecutorspodcast.com/2022/08/23/146-the-death-of-ellen-greenberg-part-1-of-4-little-locked-room/
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 88: The Disappearance of Logan Schiendelman

Logan Schiendelman, a popular and charismatic high school football player, vanished without a trace in May 2016 at the age of 19. Born in 1996 in Tumwater, Washington, Logan was raised by his white grandmother, Ginnie Gebo, after his mixed-race mother, Hannah, pursued art school. Logan never knew his Saudi Arabian father, which later contributed to an identity crisis as he faced racism from peers in his predominantly white hometown during his senior year of high school. After graduating in 2015, he attended Washington State University but struggled socially, dropped out after his freshman year, and returned to live with his grandmother.
 
On May 19, 2016, Logan told Ginnie he had an "epiphany" and might be gone for a few days. That day, he sent a cryptic text to a girl he met on a dating app, saying, “I hope to survive this week.” He was never seen again. The next day, his black 1996 Chrysler Sebring was found abandoned on Interstate 5 with his wallet, phone, and some belongings inside. Witnesses reported seeing the car drifting across lanes, with a Caucasian man jumping out and fleeing into the woods. Another sighting mentioned a naked teenager in the area, possibly Logan, but searches with dogs and helicopters found nothing.
 
Investigations revealed Logan had been moody and paranoid after college, possibly linked to his marijuana use. His family noted tension with his sister’s boyfriend, who had a criminal record, though he passed a polygraph test. Logan had also recently met his Black paternal relatives, which brought him joy but may have caused friction with Ginnie. In 2017, a woman reported seeing Logan with two white men near his car on May 20, leading to a sketch of one suspect, but no solid leads emerged. The lack of blood or struggle in the car and the presence of valuables ruled out robbery.
 
Theories abound: Did Logan suffer a mental breakdown, possibly drug-related, and leave voluntarily? Or did he encounter foul play, as suggested by the witnesses and his uncle Mike, a retired deputy? Police found no evidence of a crime but believe he may still be alive. His family, including great-aunt Mary, who runs a Facebook page with 18,000 members, continues to search for answers, offering a reward. Logan would be 29 today, and his case remains unsolved, leaving his loved ones in anguished uncertainty.
 
Sources:
Jan 15, 2017, page A16 - The Olympian at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). https://www.newspapers.com/image/702079929/
Jul 01, 2017, page A3 - The Olympian at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). https://www.newspapers.com/image/702084544/
Dateline: Missing in America podcast covers the May 2016 disappearance of Logan Schiendelman in Tumwater, Washington. (2023, June 21). NBC News.
https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/dateline-missing-in-america-podcast/dateline-missing-america-podcast-covers-may-2016-disappearance-logan-s-rcna90251
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep

Episode 87: The Mysterious Death of Federal Prosecutor Jonathan Luna

In the late-night hours of December 5, 2003, Jonathan Luna, an Assistant United States Attorney, left the Baltimore courthouse and drove northeast on Interstate 95. After spending the next several hours on a seemingly impromptu multi-state road trip, Jonathan was found dead, having been stabbed thirty-six times with his own pocketknife before he drowned in a creek next to his partially submerged car. 
With Jonathan's strange behavior leading up to his death and no appearance of foul play, investigators assumed Jonathan took his own life, but many people think there may be more to the story. 
 
Sources:
Somebody Somewhere Season 3. (n.d.). https://www.sbswpodcast.com/s3-episodes/
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/5-key-moments-in-the-jonathan-luna-case/article_76301364-908e-11ee-85be-9fc7b045a390.html
 
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This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep