Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations
by James Wolner | Investigative Journalist & Creator of Dakota Spotlight
Is this your podcast?Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 2 chart positions in 2 markets.
By chart position
- 🇮🇪IE · True Crime#132500 to 3K
- 🇰🇪KE · True Crime#177500 to 3K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
300 to 1.8K🎙 Daily cadence·229 episodes·Last published 6d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
1K to 6K🇮🇪50%🇰🇪50% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
400 to 2.4K
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—
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 16 epsHost
Recent guests
Recent episodes
The Bagpiper and His Brother (6) Update: Who Was Harold Pieper?
Jun 18, 2026
32m 08s
Hidden in Plain Sight - Josh Dean of Chameleon Weekly
Jun 11, 2026
52m 38s
The Bagpiper and His Brother (5) Finale: The Fall of the Bagpiper
Jun 4, 2026
42m 51s
The Bagpiper and His Brother (4): The Delivery
May 28, 2026
39m 09s
The Bagpiper and His Brother (3): The Wiretap
May 21, 2026
31m 00s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/18/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother (6) Update: Who Was Harold Pieper? | After the release of The Bagpiper and His Brother, listeners who knew Harold Pieper began reaching out. In this update episode, Harold's stepdaughters and granddaughter share memories that reveal a devoted husband, caretaker, and grandfather. Their stories offer a fuller picture of the man whose life was forever changed by the 1971 bombing. Binge the full season of The Bagpiper and His Brother ad-free with Spotlight PLUS. Sign up on the Dakota Spotlight show page in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, on Patreon, or at https://DakotaSpotlight.com/spotlight-plus Explore the full catalog: https://DakotaSpotlight.com Listen early and ad-free with Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/cw/DakotaSpotlight Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter Have information about a case or want to get in touch? Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Join the Dakota Spotlight community on Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight Watch Dakota Spotlight on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 To advertise on Dakota Spotlight, contact info@sixhorsemedia.com Dakota Spotlight is produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and sound design, is the property of Six Horse Media. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited. For permissions, contact info@sixhorsemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 32m 08s | ||||||
| 6/11/26 |  Hidden in Plain Sight - Josh Dean of Chameleon Weekly✨ | scamsdeception+3 | Josh Dean | Chameleon WeeklyLockheed Skunk Works+2 | ArizonaNew Mexico | scamsdeception+3 | — | 52m 38s | |
| 6/4/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother (5) Finale: The Fall of the Bagpiper✨ | tax fraudbombing+4 | — | Dakota SpotlightLibrary of Congress+2 | — | Lloyd BrennaWallace Brenna+6 | HockeyFinder | 42m 51s | |
| 5/28/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother (4): The Delivery✨ | bombing investigationjealousy+4 | — | — | — | HuronSouth Dakota+5 | — | 39m 09s | |
| 5/21/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother (3): The Wiretap✨ | true crimecold case+4 | — | Library of CongressDakota Spotlight+3 | — | Lloyd BrennaIRS agent+5 | — | 31m 00s | |
| 5/14/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother (2): Between Prison and Parole✨ | true crimecold case+4 | — | Library of Congress | — | Lloyd BrennaWallace Brenna+7 | — | 35m 24s | |
| 5/7/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother (1): Strange Beginnings at Braemar✨ | true crimecold case+4 | — | Library of CongressDakota Spotlight+3 | — | Brenna brotherstrue crime+6 | HockeyFinder | 42m 33s | |
| 5/5/26 |  The Bagpiper and His Brother: Season 13 Trailer✨ | true crimecold case+4 | — | Apple PodcastsSpotify+4 | North DakotaSouth Dakota | Midwestern brotherstroubling behavior+6 | — | 2m 33s | |
| 4/23/26 |  More Than a Missing Hiker - Talking Valley of Shadows with Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd✨ | missing personsinvestigative journalism+4 | Mari Zoerb HansenHayley Fox+1 | Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department | CaliforniaMojave Desert+1 | Jon Aujaymissing hiker+5 | — | 1h 12m 45s | |
| 4/16/26 |  From Vacation to Investigation - Inside Someone Knows Something with David Ridgen✨ | true crimecold case+4 | David Ridgen | Someone Knows Something | Costa RicaPlaya del Coco | true crimecold case+5 | — | 52m 44s | |
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| 4/9/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (7): 15 Years Later✨ | murder investigationcold case+3 | — | Grand Forks Police DepartmentSix Horse Media+2 | — | Joel Lovelienmurder+4 | — | 42m 50s | |
| 4/9/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (6): Travis on Trial✨ | courtroom trialmurder case+4 | — | Grand Forks Police DepartmentSix Horse Media+3 | — | Joel Lovelienmurder+5 | — | 40m 13s | |
| 4/2/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (5): The Evidence Against Travis Stay✨ | murder investigationevidence analysis+3 | — | Grand Forks Police DepartmentSix Horse Media+2 | — | Joel LovelienTravis Stay+5 | — | 29m 34s | |
| 4/2/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (4): A Portrait of Joel✨ | murder investigationpersonal stories+3 | — | Grand Forks Police DepartmentHandTurner+3 | — | Joel Lovelienmurder+4 | — | 32m 15s | |
| 3/26/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (3): Travis Stay, the Man in Yellow✨ | murder investigationtrue crime+3 | — | Grand Forks Police DepartmentSix Horse Media+1 | — | Travis StayJoel Lovelien+5 | — | 38m 01s | |
| 3/26/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (2): The Clown, the Cowboy, and the Hunter✨ | murder investigationcold case+3 | — | Grand Forks Police DepartmentSix Horse Media+2 | — | Joel Lovelienmurder+5 | — | 47m 15s | |
| 3/26/26 |  Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (1): Halloween at The Broken Drum (2026 Case Update)✨ | murder investigationcold case+4 | Sergeant Suby | Grand Forks Police Department | Broken Drum Bar | Joel Lovelienmurder+6 | — | 1h 11m 26s | |
| 3/19/26 |  Inside the Talina Zar Investigation | Journalist Melissa Jeltsen joins me to discuss the investigation behind her podcast What Happened to Talina Zar. In April 2020, a woman posted a troubling message on Facebook about COVID-19 and then vanished. What followed was an unusual search involving online sleuths, hidden identities, and a mystery that captured national attention. Listen to What Happened to Talina Zar wherever you get podcasts and https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-what-happened-to-talina-z-310583841/ Learn more about Melissa Jeltsen’s work: https://melissajeltsen.com/ Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 X/Twitter: https://x.com/DakotaSpotlight Instagram: https://instagram.com/dakotaspotlight TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dakotaspotlight Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dakotaspotlight.bsky.social Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 51m 25s | ||||||
| 3/12/26 |  Filed and Forgotten - The Untested Podcast on Rape Kit Backlogs | James sits down with investigative journalist Gina Barton, host and creator of the USA Today true crime podcast Untested, to talk about a case that illustrates the real-world consequences of untested rape kits. In this episode of Untested, Detective Annie Harrison learns that a man she is investigating for rape in Michigan has also been accused hundreds of miles away. The evidence existed. The reports were filed. But delays and gaps in the system allowed years to pass before patterns came into focus. This conversation looks at how evidence can sit on shelves, how survivors are left waiting, and how one detective refused to let the case go quiet. Listen to Untested wherever you get podcasts. To read the companion piece and the full investigation, in addition to listening to the podcast: https://usatoday.com/rapekit Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 X/Twitter: https://x.com/DakotaSpotlight Instagram: https://instagram.com/dakotaspotlight TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dakotaspotlight Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dakotaspotlight.bsky.social Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 51m 54s | ||||||
| 3/5/26 |  Across the River from Yankton - The Death of Tammy Haas | In September 1992, Tammy Haas was 19 and figuring out her next step in life. After attending a homecoming celebration in Yankton, South Dakota, she and her on-again-off-again boyfriend crossed the Missouri River to a farm party in Nebraska. By morning, Tammy was missing. Five days later, her body was discovered in a ravine near a golf course just across the state line. A broken neck. Conflicting statements. A trial that ended without conviction. More than thirty years later, silence still lingers in Yankton, and investigators believe there are people who know what happened that night. This Case Snapshot is dedicated to the memory of Tammy Haas. Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 X/Twitter: https://x.com/DakotaSpotlight Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakotaspotlight TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dakotaspotlight Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dakotaspotlight.bsky.social Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 22m 30s | ||||||
| 2/26/26 |  When Harry Met Rachel - A Long-Term Romance Scam Built on Lies and Manipulation | James sits down with Harry, the host and victim behind The Rachel Cancer Scam, before sharing Episode One of his story. What Harry once believed was a twenty-year love story slowly revealed itself to be a long-term romance scam built on lies, emotional manipulation, and carefully constructed identities. Careers were invented. A pregnancy was faked. Crises were manufactured to keep multiple men emotionally tethered at the same time. This is a true story about a love scam that was never about money, but about control, devotion, and the power of belief. How does a relationship scam last for decades, and how does the truth finally come to light? Listen to the complete story of The Rachel Cancer Scam: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rachel-cancer-scam/id1772955263 Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 X/Twitter: https://x.com/DakotaSpotlight Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakotaspotlight TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dakotaspotlight Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dakotaspotlight.bsky.social Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 37m 38s | ||||||
| 2/19/26 |  The Kid from the Cafeteria - A Story of Stolen Identity | This episode examines how Raymond Matzker assumed the identity of William T. Boerum and used it to secure jobs, credentials, and professional standing across multiple states. As the deception went unchecked, the stolen identity became a shield behind which far more serious crimes were committed. Through firsthand recollections and reporting, the story traces how the fraud unfolded, why it was never properly challenged, and how institutional failures allowed devastating consequences to follow. Tour the Northern California Wine County with Bill Boerum: https://californiawineservices.com/ Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight X/Twitter: @dakotaspotlight Instagram: @dakotaspotlight TikTok: @dakotaspotlight Bluesky: @dakotaspotlight.bsky.social YouTube: @dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 39m 49s | ||||||
| 2/12/26 |  When Karma Comes Calling - The Robin Enockson Murder Confession Tapes | This episode presents the complete police interview of Edward Royal Reitan, recorded following his arrest for the 1990 murder of Robin Enockson in Driscoll, North Dakota. The interrogation is presented in full, allowing listeners to hear Reitan’s own words as investigators question him about the crime, his actions, and his shifting explanations. Related episode: Ten Years from Killing - The Murder of Robin Enockson: https://dakotaspotlight.com/dakota-spotlight-standalone-stories/ Music heard in this episode by Ike Turner: https://michiganindienetwork.bandcamp.com/track/a-ghost-bike Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight X/Twitter: @dakotaspotlight Instagram: @dakotaspotlight TikTok: @dakotaspotlight Bluesky: @dakotaspotlight.bsky.social YouTube: @dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 1h 19m 10s | ||||||
| 2/5/26 |  From North Dakota to Roughing It: Peter Hicks Returns | I’m joined by returning guest Peter Hicks, whose music with Sleepy Driver was heard in Season Two of Dakota Spotlight—but this time to talk about his debut novel Roughing It, written under the pen name Andi Ellis. We discuss his shift from songwriting to fiction, the inspiration behind the book, and he reads an excerpt from the story. "Roughing It", available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roughing-Andi-Ellis-ebook/dp/B0FT4J9PW2 "Unicorn Blues", available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Unicorn-Blues-Andi-Ellis-ebook/dp/B0G6Q43RXY Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight X/Twitter: @dakotaspotlight Instagram: @dakotaspotlight TikTok: @dakotaspotlight Bluesky: @dakotaspotlight.bsky.social YouTube: @dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 30m 22s | ||||||
| 1/22/26 |  Ten Years From Killing - The Murder of Robin Enockson | This Case Snapshot examines the 1990 murder of Robin Enockson in rural North Dakota. Beginning with an escape from a state hospital a decade earlier, the episode lays out the crime, the investigation, and how the case was ultimately resolved years later after a confession. Archival news audio courtesy of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Produced by James Wolner. Research assistance by Mari Zoerb Hansen. Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight X/Twitter: @dakotaspotlight Instagram: @dakotaspotlight TikTok: @dakotaspotlight Bluesky: @dakotaspotlight.bsky.social YouTube: @dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 25m 16s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.
Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.