The Spoon River Gothic Podcast

Radio Vérité Presents: The Spoon River Gothic Podcast - True Crime Narratives.

Think, feel, understand the sideways world around you. We go where the others don’t. We dive deeper!

Seasonal | Long Form | Weekly

Written and hosted by Cory Zimmerman, our flagship series, THE SPOON RIVER GOTHIC PODCAST, is a growing collection of true crime narratives revealing tales of romance, greed, obsession, murder, and terror.

We seek only those stories that cry out for justice--those untold, buried, and forsaken tales of madness, and those silenced voices dese...

Radio Vérité Presents: The Spoon River Gothic Podcast - True Crime Narratives.

Think, feel, understand. We go where the others don’t. We dive deeper!

Seasonal | Long Form | Weekly

Written and hosted by Cory Zimmerman, our flagship series, THE SPOON RIVER GOTHIC PODCAST, is a growing collection of true crime narratives revealing tales of romance, greed, obsession, murder, and terror.

We seek only stories of those who cry out for justice, those untold, buried, and forsaken. Stories sincerely deserving to be told by voices that, for too...

Radio Vérité Presents: The Spoon River Gothic Podcast - True Crime Narratives.

Think, feel, understand. We go where the others don’t. We dive deeper!

Seasonal | Long Form | Weekly

Written and hosted by Cory Zimmerman, our flagship series, THE SPOON RIVER GOTHIC PODCAST, is a growing collection of true crime narratives revealing tales of romance, greed, obsession, murder, and terror.

We seek only stories of those who cry out for justice, those untold, buried, and forsaken. Stories sincerely deserving to be told by voices that, for too...

In this episode, we journey into the enigmatic heart of 1985 Florida, a state pulsating with life and exponential population growth. New residents flock to its shores daily, drawn by promises of economic prosperity and boundless opportunity. Yet beneath the surface lies a tapestry of environmental concerns and human struggles, echoing the age-old question of progress at what cost?

We confront Florida's intriguing "frontier mentality," a throwback to the untamed spirit of the Wild West. Here, notions of freedom and exploration coexist with shadows of uncertainty, shaping the state's identity in inspiring and disquieting ways.

Our...

Eric Stull, the nephew of Merle “Chet” Reeder, offers a poignant narrative surrounding the life of his mysterious uncle, whose life was tragically cut short during the 1985 multi-state killing spree masterminded by Daniel Rameta. He offers profound insights as he intimately recounts “Chet” beginnings in Maryland, his diverse ventures, including a successful stint in the nightclub industry in NYC, to owning businesses, to ultimately settling in Florida, where he gave up his possessions and decided to live a simple life devoted to God.

Eric paints a picture of a dynamic individual who struggled with strained familial bonds concerni...

A February 8th, 1985, armed robbery at an Ocala gas station that leaves attendant Merle “Chet” Reeder brutally murdered is meticulously dissected with the testimonies of witnesses and law enforcement officers, who piece together the harrowing sequence of events that unfolded in those early morning hours. From the initial discovery of the crime scene by unsuspecting bystanders to the meticulous investigative efforts that followed, every revelation uncovers new layers of intrigue and suspense.

However, many unanswered questions remain amidst the investigation, leaving the small community on edge.

What motivated the assailants to commit such a heinous act...

Beginning with a poignant biblical quote, we explore the intricacies of the courtroom trial against the backdrop of moral dilemmas, community challenges, and themes of justice, personal belief, and societal norms.

As the courtroom drama unfolds, we are invited to ponder thought-provoking questions, such as, 'How do our deeply held personal beliefs influence our perception of justice?

Are we truly impartial, or are we merely projecting our own values onto the situation?’

Can we remain impartial in the face of deeply ingrained biases?

The discussion extends to the application of the de...

In today’s gripping episode, we delve deep into the heart of the chaos that unfolded on February 13, 1985, as we listen to the brave officers’ firsthand accounts that granted an intimate glimpse into that climactic showdown with the outlaws, Daniele Rameta, Lisa Dunn, Mark Walters, and James Hunter, that marked the culmination of the highway crime spree that had gripped Thomas County.

With vivid detail and poignant insight, these officers recount the harrowing shootout that ensued on a farmstead north of Colby, highlighting the intense exchange of gunfire that left teenager Mark Walter dead and the three othe...

Radio Vérité Presents: The Spoon River Gothic Podcast - A Literary True Crime Podcast.

Think, feel, understand. We go where the others don’t. We dive deeper!

Seasonal | Long Form | Weekly

Executive Producer Cory Zimmerman.

Written, Edited & Narrated by Cory Zimmerman.

Research by Rachel Laubis, Moira King & Allison Hester.

Blog Written by Samantha Thomas.

Subscribe to THE SRG AGENCY @ https://www.patreon.com/SpoonRiverGothicPodcast & Access The SPOON RIVER GOTHIC CASE FILE for Bonus Weekly Episodes & Investigative Materials (Audio Interviews, Trial Foot...

In the wake of a harrowing crime spree that left rural Kansas reeling in 1985, a somber analogy emerged from the lips of a local gas station owner near the junction of Kansas 25 and I-70: "You just don’t know what’s coming down the sewer pipe next."

February 13, 1985, marked the culmination of the multi-week, multi-state ordeal, as Highway I-70, the Mainstreet of Kansas, often referred to as the “Sewer Pipe of America,” became the grim stage for the final act.

Today, our episode delves into the aftermath of that fateful Wednesday evening in February. We're introduc...