The Dark Oak

On the morning of January 25, 2019, 29-year-old Liz Barraza cheerfully set up a garage sale in the driveway of the Tomball, Texas home she shared with her husband Sergio and their beloved dachshund, Diesel. The fun loving, vivacious Liz was excited to make a little extra cash to use on her upcoming 5th wedding anniversary trip to sunny Orlando, Florida. While setting up the garage sale, Liz would be shot four times by an unknown assailant. Shockingly, the entire incident was caught on surveillance camera.
Instead of celebrating with his wife, Sergio would be attending a vigil in his Liz' memory on their wedding anniversary. Despite having the suspect's vehicle and the murder on film, the case remains unsolved, possibly because the killer is believed to have been wearing a disguise.
With no known enemies and a community of loved ones left behind, it is hard to imagine who would have wanted to hurt Liz, a woman who spent her life spreading joy and happiness to anyone lucky enough to cross her path.
 
Branch of Hope:
The Peter Mayhew Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to the alleviation of disease, pain, suffering, and the financial toll brought on by life's traumatic events. By providing its available resources directly to deserving children and adults in need, they assist numerous charitable organizations in order to promote and boost their effectiveness and provide support where needed.    
 
Sources: 
Who killed Liz Barraza. (n.d.). https://www.whokilledlizbarraza.com/
Willey, J. (2024, January 25). Was Liz Barraza killed in murder-for-hire plot? Her father tells ABC13 he believes she was. ABC13 Houston. https://abc13.com/elizabeth-barraza-shot-and-killed-tomball-garage-sale-murder-who-murdered-husband-of-liz/14354199/
Who Killed Elizabeth Barraza? (n.d.). https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/tomball-texas-elizabeth-barraza-death-garage-sale/285-6c1cae40-d262-4d2e-bc7a-21ccfb300efe
Tomball woman to be honored in memorial 6 years after her unsolved murder. (2025, January 24). ABC13 Houston. https://abc13.com/post/elizabeth-barraza-memorial-tomball-woman-shot-death-driveway-2019-honored-6-years-unsolved-murder/15833300/
 
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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

Paola Miranda Rosa, 31, vanished from Wekiva Springs State Park on December 18, 2021. Last seen on a video created by an unnamed eyewitness, her car was found in the park despite initial denials by a ranger.
The investigation by Osceola County Sheriff's Office was criticized for being inadequate, suggesting suicide or alligator attack with little evidence. Her family, unsatisfied, conducted their own searches, hired a PI, and is now pushing for FBI involvement, especially after the lead detective was added to a Brady list for misconduct. Paola remains missing, with her family advocating for further investigation.
Stefanie was able to speak directly to the Miranda family. You won't believe what she found out.
 
Sources:
Munoz, L. (2024, December 14). Family of missing Osceola County woman seeks FBI involvement. WESH. https://www.wesh.com/article/missing-osceola-county-woman/63188736
Paola Marie Miranda-Rosa – The Charley Project. (n.d.). https://charleyproject.org/case/paola-marie-miranda-rosa
Orlando, F. 3. (2022, May 17). Paola Miranda-Rosa: 5 months since Central Florida woman went missing. FOX 35 Orlando. https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/paola-miranda-rosa-5-months-since-central-florida-woman-went-missing
Parks, A. (2022, December 2). Wekiwa Springs State Park In Apopka, FL | America's State Parks. America\\\’s State Parks. https://www.americasstateparks.org/wekiwa-springs-state-park/
How dangerous are black bears? - North American Bear Center. (2024, January 2). North American Bear Center. https://bear.org/bear-facts/how-dangerous-are-black-bears/
Conflicts: A Research Perspective | Urban Coyote Research. (n.d.). https://urbancoyoteresearch.com/coyote-info/conflicts-research-perspective
American Alligator | National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Reptiles/American-Alligator
Talcott, A. (2024, January 4). How many people have been killed by alligators in Florida? The number may surprise you. WKMG. https://www.clickorlando.com/features/2024/01/04/how-many-people-have-been-killed-by-alligators-in-florida-it-may-surprise-you/
Barabino, W. (2021, March 6). What is the Brady List? - Law Office of William J. Barabino. Law Office of William J. Barabino. https://www.williambarabino.com/blog/2021/03/06/what-is-the-brady-list/
 
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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

The Bloody Benders were a family of serial killers active in Labette County, Kansas, from 1871 to 1873. Consisting of John Bender Sr., his wife Elvira (or Almira), their son John Jr., and daughter Kate, they operated a small inn and general store on the Osage Trail, which was frequented by travelers. The family would invite guests to sit at a table with their backs against a curtain, where they would be struck from behind with a hammer, usually by John Sr. or John Jr., while distracted by Kate, who was known for her beauty and purported spiritualist abilities.
 
After the murder, the victims' throats were slit, and their bodies were buried in an orchard or thrown into a well on the property. The Benders are believed to have killed between 11 to 20 people, with the actual number uncertain due to the frontier's sparse record-keeping.
 
The family's crimes came to light after the disappearance of Dr. William York in 1873, whose brother, a prominent state senator, organized a search. When authorities arrived at the Bender homestead, the family had already vanished. The property was searched, revealing several bodies, confirming the grim suspicions.
 
The Benders' fate remains a mystery; stories range from them being lynched by vigilantes, escaping to other parts of the country or even abroad, or changing identities. Their story has since become a legendary tale in American folklore.
 
Sources:
Nadel, D. (2024, July 19). The bloody benders: the family that wasn’t. HubPages. https://discover.hubpages.com/education/The-Bloody-Benders-The-Family-That-Wasnt
Sep 25, 1952, page 8 - The Wichita Beacon at Newspapers.com. (n.d.). https://www.newspapers.com/image/720215261/?match=1&terms=bloody%20benders
McCoy, M. (2021, October 31). A mysterious murder site has a new owner. He’s looking for answers about the Bloody Benders. Kansas Reflector. https://kansasreflector.com/2021/10/31/a-mysterious-murder-site-has-a-new-owner-hes-looking-for-answers-about-the-bloody-benders/
 
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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

After a night out on January 28, 2022, 46-year-old Boston Police Officer was discovered dead in his friend's driveway, covered in snow. The already bizarre scene was made more chaotic when John's girlfriend, Karen Read, was allegedly heard by first responders saying "I hit him! I hit him!" 
Almost immediately law enforcement determined that John's death was a result of Karen Read purposely hitting him with her vehicle the night before.....but this case wasn't so cut and dry. Almost all of the witnesses shared relationships with John and were involved in the law enforcement community. Was it possible they were covering up what really happened that night? 
According to Karen Read and her defense team, everyone involved with the case was involved in a conspiracy to frame her and ultimately cover up John's real murderer. 
 
Sources:
karen. (n.d.). wondery. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/karen/id1756594491
Brother of John O’Keefe Speaks out about Karen Read mistrial. (n.d.). wcvb.com.
Karen Read and the Death of John O’Keefe (episode 252-260). (n.d.). https://prosecutorspodcast.com/tag/karen-read/
www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/who-is-karen-read-a-look-at-the-woman-at-the-center-of-a-media-firestorm/ar-BB1lznpM
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/karen-read-trial-timeline-john-okeefe/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/karen-read-murder-trial-boston.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

After a night out on January 28, 2022, 46 year old Boston Police Officer was discovered dead in his friend's driveway, covered in snow. The already bizarre scene was made more chaotic when John's girlfriend, Karen Read, was allegedly heard by first responders saying "I hit him! I hit him!" 
Almost immediately law enforcement determined that John's death was a result of Karen Read purposely hitting him with her vehicle the night before.....but this case wasn't so cut and dry. Almost all of the witnesses shared relationships with John and were involved in the law enforcement community. Was it possible they were covering up what really happened that night? 
According to Karen Read and her defense team, everyone involved with the case was involved in a conspiracy to frame her and ultimately cover up John's real murderer. 
 
Sources:
karen. (n.d.). wondery. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/karen/id1756594491
Brother of John O’Keefe Speaks out about Karen Read mistrial. (n.d.). wcvb.com.
Karen Read and the Death of John O’Keefe (episode 252-260). (n.d.). https://prosecutorspodcast.com/tag/karen-read/
www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/who-is-karen-read-a-look-at-the-woman-at-the-center-of-a-media-firestorm/ar-BB1lznpM
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/karen-read-trial-timeline-john-okeefe/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/15/us/karen-read-murder-trial-boston.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

Welcome, true-crime lovers, to New Year, New Binge 2025 Edition! What you’ll find included is your guide to an exciting lineup of podcasts that will make 2025 your best year for listening yet. New Years is a time for resolutions, and mine is simple: to share with you the most captivating, chilling, and downright binge-worthy true-crime podcasts. Whether you’re looking to uncover unsolved mysteries or dive into deep investigative storytelling, I’ve got you covered.
Be sure to follow all of the podcasts you enjoyed so you never miss a new episode. Podcasts are listed below in the order in which you will be introduced to them:
 
Episode 2:
Coffee and Cases Podcast https://linktr.ee/coffeeandcases
Heart Starts Pounding  https://www.heartstartspounding.com/
Mortal Musings Podcast  https://linktr.ee/mortalmusingspodcast
True Crime Creepers https://linktr.ee/TrueCrimeCreepers
Private Dicks Podcast https://linktr.ee/privatedicks
Twisted Travel and True Crime   https://linktr.ee/twistedtraveltruecrimepodcast 

Welcome, true-crime lovers, to New Year, New Binge 2025 Edition! What you’ll find included is your guide to an exciting lineup of podcasts that will make 2025 your best year for listening yet. New Years is a time for resolutions, and mine is simple: to share with you the most captivating, chilling, and downright binge-worthy true-crime podcasts. Whether you’re looking to uncover unsolved mysteries or dive into deep investigative storytelling, I’ve got you covered.
Be sure to follow all of the podcasts you enjoyed so you never miss a new episode. Podcasts are listed below in the order in which you will be introduced to them:
 
Episode 1:
Reverie True Crime  https://linktr.ee/paigeelmore 
Fresh Hell Podcast  https://freshhellpodcast.com/
Malice  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/malice-a-true-crime-podcast/id1471251398
Women & Crime  https://www.womenandcrimepodcast.com
True Crimecast  https://linktr.ee/truecrimecast
The Dark Oak Podcast  thedarkoak.com

On Nov 26, 2016, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, 18-year-old high school student Ben Keita was reported missing by his parents, Ibrahima and Aissata Keita. He apparently left his home in Lake Stevens, Washington State by himself, without his wallet, phone or car.
Temperatures around that time were freezing, and his family was worried the cold could trigger problems for Ben’s sickle cell anemia.
Because Ben left his cell phone behind, the police were not able to get a precise location to begin their search, so they began by looking through a wide sweeping wooded area around the Keita home.  Experienced searchers, including a dog trained to detect human remains, were deployed.
The search for Ben stretched on for days, and then to weeks.
Six weeks passed with no sign of Ben. Then, on January 9, 2017, a group of teenagers wandering into the woods stumbled across an awful sight. About 12 to 14 feet from a trail, and about 10 feet from the nearest backyard fence was the body of Ben Keita. He was hanging from a rope strung over a tall branch in a densely wooded area just blocks from his home. Disturbingly, his body was found in an area that was previously searched multiple times in the days after his initial disappearance.
One end of the rope was fashioned into a noose around Ben’s neck; The other end was attached to a branch that was estimated to be 50 feet in the air. Ben’s feet were 2 and a half feet off the ground. Incredibly his neck was not broken. His official cause of death was recorded as asphyxiation.
Despite the odd circumstances, based on the fact there were no other evidence of trauma, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner determined the manner of death to be suicide.
But Ben’s parents immediately objected to this finding. His family said there was no reason to suspect anything was bothering Ben to the point that he would take his life. Ben was a young black man being raised in the Muslim faith. To Ben's family, Ben's cause of death was nothing short of a lynching.
What happened to Ben Keita?
 
Sources:
Victim Connect Resource Center. (2024, October 29). Victim Connect Resource Center - Confidential referrals for crime victims. https://victimconnect.org/
King, R. (2017, March 9). Parents again call for FBI to investigate death of Ben Keita | HeraldNet.com. HeraldNet.com. https://www.heraldnet.com/news/parents-again-call-for-fbi-to-investigate-death-of-ben-keita/
Hanna, J., & Hassan, C. (2017, March 4). Family asks FBI to probe black Muslim teen’s hanging. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/03/us/washington-teen-ben-keita-hanging/index.html
Staff, C. (2017, March 3). FBI reviewing case of Muslim teen found hanging from tree. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-reviewing-case-of-muslim-teen-found-hanging-from-tree/
Green, S. J. (2017, March 14). Hate-crime suspicions cloud death of Muslim teen in Lake Stevens. The Seattle Times. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/hate-crime-suspicions-cloud-death-of-black-teen/
 
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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

Merry Christmas Day from The Dark Oak!
Christmas traditions run deep in every culture and every family. In America, the legend of St Nicholas reigns supreme. But it turns out that Santa Claus is only one of the many fables, legends and haunts that come alive around the celebration of Christmas. So, today I present to you, The Monsters of Christmas. Join us for discussions of The Tomten, The Yule Family (including the Yule boys and the Yule Cat), Mari Lwyd, Belsnickel, Krampus, and more!
 
Sources:
December 15). The Monsters of Christmas. Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/monsters-of-christmas
Palmer, A., & Palmer, A. (2021, December 20). Mari Lwyd, or “Caroling with Zombie Horses”: A Christmas Story - Weird Little Worlds Press. Weird Little Worlds Press -. https://weirdlittleworlds.com/mari-lwyd-or-caroling-with-zombie-horses/
Little, B., & Little, B. (2023, December 12). Meet Krampus, the Christmas devil who punishes naughty children. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/news/krampus-christmas-legend-origin
 
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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

We know the tragic story well: a 6-year-old beauty queen is found murdered in her upscale home the day after Christmas. Police and the media immediately zero in on the usual suspects...the remaining three members of the Ramsey family. 
Nearly three decades later we have learned that much of what we were "fed" in the days, weeks, months and years since JonBenet's death has been skewed to fit a particular narrative. Unfortunately, the downside of having a case so widely covered is that much of the widespread information can be incorrect. At The Dark Oak we understand that sometimes it can feel like the victim is lost in the chaos of the investigation and the media frenzy that surrounds it. 
In this episode, Cynthia and Stefanie want to remember JonBenet the person, while exploring the facts surrounding her murder investigation.  
 
Sources: 
The ransom note – a short life in the spotlight. (n.d.). https://sites.gsu.edu/moyasfinalproject/support-1/
JonBenet Ramsey Murder - The 911 Call - Statement Analysis®. (n.d.). https://www.statementanalysis.com/jonbenet-ramsey-murder/
Lovitt, B. (2018, June 25). Who killed JonBenet Ramsey? 8 possible suspects. Rolling Stone. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/who-killed-jonbenet-ramsey-8-possible-suspects-129125/the-mother-129180/
JonBenet Ramsey murder case: The Denver Post. (n.d.). https://extras.denverpost.com/news/jon031400.htm
https://pherson.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JonBenet-Ramsey-Case-Study.pdf
https://abcnews.go.com/US/inside-mistakes-jonbenet-ramsey-investigation-noted-police-chief/story?id=29247378
Kenton, L. (2023, August 6). JonBenét Ramsey’s father reveals beauty pageant regrets as he recounts final show on what would be her 33. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/news/8758625/jonbenet-ramsey-birthday-beauty-pageant-regrets-dad/
Jon Benet Ramsey Investigation: The Denver Post Online. (n.d.). https://extras.denverpost.com/news/jon22.htm
https://www.walteradavis.com/works/2005/02/essay_there_is_.html. (n.d.). https://www.walteradavis.com/works/2005/02/essay_there_is_.html.
The Denver Post Online: Today’s news. (n.d.). https://extras.denverpost.com/news/jon102.htm
JonBenét Ramsey’s Murder: Timeline of the Child Pageant star’s death and investigation. (2020, November 17). Biography. https://www.biography.com/crime/jonbenet-ramsey-murder-investigation-timeline
 
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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