Ben McDaniel: Into the Deep

Ben McDaniel: Into the Deep

From The Final Hours with Sarah Turney and Kourtney Nichole by Crime House

June 8, 2026 · 43 min · Episode 16

About this episode

The episode discusses the mysterious disappearance of Ben McDaniel during a cave dive in Florida.

In August 2010, 30-year-old Ben McDaniel suited up for a dive into Vortex Spring, a celebrated cave diving site in Florida, and descended into a narrow underwater passage. He never returned. One of the employees claimed to have watched Ben enter a restricted section of the cave, a passage that required advanced certification that Ben didn't have. Despite exhaustive underwater searches, his body was never recovered. Some believe Ben orchestrated his own disappearance. Others suspect he's still down there. But the cave may hold secrets that will never surface. If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow The Final Hours to never miss a case! To hear episodes ad-free and released 2 days early, subscribe to Crime House+. Join at crimehouseplus.com or if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, tap “Try Free” at the top of this show’s page. The Final Hours is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. 🎧 Need More to Binge?  Listen to other Crime House Originals including Clues, Crime House 24/7, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow us on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sarah Turney, Kourtney Nichole

Topics covered

  • disappearance
  • cave diving
  • mystery
  • Florida
  • unsolved case

Keywords

  • Ben McDaniel
  • Vortex Spring
  • cave diving
  • disappearance
  • Florida

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Crime House, PAVE Studios

Places: Vortex Spring, Florida

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