Episode 8: The Finish Line

About this episode

The episode focuses on a reunion of retired detectives and the investigation into suspicious deaths linked to deputy Engels.

A reunion between two retired detectives brings new focus to the Aujay investigation, just as Hayley and Betsy find out about another tragedy in the Punchbowl area. When a woman and her father are shot dead in deputy Engels’ home, the fatalities should’ve prompted the sheriff’s department to take a harder look at the alleged dirty deputy. But, instead, the LASD tries to bury the matter and — just like in the Aujay case — the deaths are ruled suicides. Hayley and Betsy press the department for answers about these and other suspicious deaths that occurred in Engels’ jurisdiction. Hear the full Valley of Shadows soundtrack here . Binge the entire season of Valley of Shadows, ad-free, by subscribing to Pushkin+. Sign up on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm/plus . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Topics covered

• investigation
• detectives
• tragedy
• law enforcement
• suspicious deaths

Keywords

• Aujay investigation
• Punchbowl
• deputy Engels
• suspicious deaths
• LASD

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: LASD

Places: Punchbowl

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• Episode 4: Outlaw Country · January 26, 2026 · 47 min
• Episode 3: Tweaker Talk · January 19, 2026 · 47 min
• Episode 2: An Unreasonable Act · January 12, 2026 · 41 min