The Escape Pod
A traumedy about the trials and tribulations of people in their journeys of “escape”. Escape what, you ask? ALL the things! From trauma, crime, and unhealthy family cycles, to traffic and good deeds not going unpunished. Like we said—all the things! (Just tune in…you’ll understand.) Co-hosted by Julie Oberlander and Charity Doyle--the journalist and the rehabbed trainwreck--The Escape Pod aims to connect, educate, entertain, and humanize.
Episodes
Would You Rather – Ep. 82
In this delightfully absurd and thought-provoking episode, we dive headfirst into the chaos of escape scenarios with a twist—each one wrapped in a “Would You Rather” dilemma that blends trauma, healing, and hilarity. From dodging donut-wiel…
Escaping the Bughouse – Ep. 81
Booby hatch? Bughouse? Hilarious names for serious places. The Escape Pod goes inside mental institutions of the past to share the tragic tale of Genevieve Pilarski who, essentially, was committed in the 1940s for being strong-willed and de…
From Missing to Murdered: Justice for Candace – Ep. 80
In this episode, The Escape Pod takes us back to 1980 and the disappearance and subsequent murder of Candace Rough Surface, an 18-year-old member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Her case highlights a broader crisis: Indigenous people acco…
Cold Justice or No Justice? Pt. 2 – Ep. 79
A closer look at the case of Jeff Prible revealed a labyrinth of allegations, unanswered questions, and prosecutorial tactics that challenge the foundations of justice. This week, The Escape Pod delves into allegations of misconduct against…
Cold Justice or No Justice? Pt. 1 – Ep. 78
A man convicted of capital murder claims his innocence and points to suppressed evidence and manipulated informant testimony as factors in his conviction. A prosecutor renowned for her dramatic courtroom presentations and role on a true cri…
Out of Her Shell, Into Their Crosshairs – Ep. 77
A transgender teen tries to escape her own fears and anxieties to connect with a real person in the real world; instead, her solo venture to a London park gets cut cruelly short by an unimaginable act of brutality. The story of Brianna Ghey…
EscapeBite - Fawkes & Fireworks
Americans are certainly not the only people who mark major holidays by shooting explosives with pretty colors high into the air. Our friends in the United Kingdom have a rather unique holiday in the fall, Bonfire Night, which typically incl…
Return to Left Field – Ep. 76
DISCLAIMER: Comments and stories shared in this episode are not intended to demean anyone, but – rather – to find a little “funny” in the extremely challenging work that is the human services field. A popular Escape Pod guest is back – and …
EscapeBite-Criminals Who Were Victims First – EBite 9
BE ADVISED: This mini-sode contains content that listeners/viewers might find extremely disturbing, including discussion of sexual violence against women and torture. This Escape Bite mini-sode features a mini-competition. Your co-hosts wer…
Sticks and Stones ... But Words Can Kill – Ep. 75
BE ADVISED: This episode includes discussion of suicide and other sensitive subject matter. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and/or suicidal ideations, please call or text 988, and remember ... YOU MATTER. The say…
EscapeBite - AI in Fighting Crime
In a recent Escape Bite, the ladies of The Escape Pod got a little freaked out by the use of AI deepfakes to con an employee at an international company out of millions of dollars. (Turns out, the “people” on the video conference call were …
Green with Toxicity – Ep. 74
The Escape Pod travels back in time to delve into the fascinating and often perilous history of arsenic – not in the committing of crimes, but in the creation of artwork. This episode is a classic case of the human race “living and learning…
EscapeBite: Deepfakes Freak Us OUT!
Artificial intelligence, like any technology, has its pros and cons. It can predict words before this writer even thinks of them. Helpful? Sometimes yes. But in this Escape Bite mini-sode, the co-hosts get down-right freaked out by a case o…
From Childhood Challenges to City Hall, Pt. 2 with Mayor Jason Salamun – Ep. 73
He is proof that a person’s past does not have to define their future. Mayor Jason Salamun’s mother struggled with addiction. His parents divorced when he was young, and after that, the family’s housing ranged from none at all to crack hous…
OneHeart Guest Feature SuAnne
From Childhood Challenges to City Hall, Pt. 1 with Mayor Jason Salamun – Ep. 72
No “silver spoon” to speak of in this politician’s background. No – Jason Salamun, now Mayor Salamun, was born in West Texas to teen parents, including a mother who struggled with addiction. His childhood was fraught with instability. But h…
EscapeBite - Pie-scape (Escaping financial abuse)
Inspired by the fictional movie/musical “Waitress,” the co-hosts explore the very non-fictional issue of financial abuse and – more importantly – how to escape it. Resources & Links ‘Waitress’ IMDb page Women’s Law webpage on ‘financial …
Understanding Addiction 101 (with Dr. Tamang) – Ep. 71
He says “med school Stephen” had no interest in addiction and recovery services, but several years after earning his M.D., this doctor with a heart for humanity saw a need for expanded treatment options in Rapid City, SD, and he took action…
Who Stole the Cheese?!
In this Escape Bite, your co-hosts compete to come up with the best story that answers the question: Who stole the cheese?! Turns out, A LOT of people do. Cheese is actually the “most stolen food” in the world, according to a Yahoo News art…
Blind Faith, Pt. 4 (Mica Miller’s Story) - Ep. 70
Summary of Episode The conclusion of The Escape Pod’s “Blind Faith” series details the alleged whereabouts of John-Paul Miller on the day of his wife’s tragic death and digs into new allegations against the pastor, dating back to the 1990s.…
Escape Bite: The True Crimes of Fruitcake & Cupcake
Summary of Episode A controller at a Texas bakery famous for its fruitcake steals a massive amount of “dough” from his employer over nine years. How did he do it, and – more importantly – how can trusting businesses escape such a fate the…
Blind Faith, Pt. 3 (Mica Miller’s Story) – Ep. 69
Escape Pod Show Notes – Episode 69: Blind Faith, Pt. 3 (Mica Miller’s Story) Date: 5/21/2025 Episode Title and Number: Blind Faith, Pt. 3 (Mica Miller’s Story) – Ep. 69 Summary of Episode Our four-part series “Blind Faith” focuses on …
Bad (PTA) Moms - EscapeBite ep.2
Bad (PTA) Moms Summary of Episode The movie “Bad Moms” portrayed PTA parents as crazy, controlling, and conniving – but all in good fun. (It is a movie, after all.) It wasn’t nearly as funny when three PTA moms in southern California sc…
Blind Faith, Pt. 2 (Mica Miller’s Story) – Ep. 68
The second installment of our four-part series, “Blind Faith,” delves deeper into the second marriage of a Carolina pastor to a young woman he may have wooed – or groomed – when she was just a teen and he was married with children. What ini…
Competency, Culpability, and an ‘Insane’ Criminal Case - EscapeBite ep.1
When a common person uses the term “insane” or “incompetent” to describe someone, they’re rarely using the same standard as that of a lawyer or judge in a court of law. The Escape Pod’s own former news reporter-turned-podcast co-host can te…
Blind Faith, Pt. 1 (Mica Miller’s Story) – Ep. 67
Call it love. Call it blind faith. Call it the result of a predator getting the best of his prey. A young woman who appeared happily married claims to be trapped in a controlling, manipulative relationship. She begs for help, but no one li…
Murders in the Middle of Nowhere – Ep. 66
A nature reserve and popular party place in the middle-of-nowhere becomes the scene of mass murder in the fall of 1973: four teens are killed; a fifth escapes death but is victimized in other ways – by her friends’ killers and, later, by sm…
A Very Matter-of-Fact Murder – Ep. 65
A familiar face on the streets of Grand Junction, Colorado, goes missing in February 2021. Known as “The Reading Man,” Warren Barnes is described as kind and helpful by those who saw him daily at his favorite place to read. Just days after …
Protecting Our Kids, Pt. 2 – Ep. 64
“You can trust your kid all you want, but do you trust the world with your kid?” Back by popular demand, Hollie Strand of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force returns to The Escape Pod to help us help our kids escape – or at lea…
The Wrong Kind of TLC – Ep. 63
In the spring of 2023, police in the U.K. found the most unlikely of overdose victims: a well-liked, well-respected couple in their 60s. Initially, investigators considered that the deaths might be the result of suicide or an accident, but …
Spiritual Enlightenment, My A$$ – Ep. 62
In 2022, the “self-help” industry in the U.S. alone raked in more than $13B. (That’s BILLION, with a capital B.) There is no shame in wanting to better oneself – personally, professionally, or both. What is shameful is taking advantage of t…
Delicious Deception: How ‘Big Food’ keeps us hungry for more – Ep. 61
It’s not exactly “breaking news.” America has an obesity problem, and we all know it. But, historically speaking, it is a relatively new problem that dates back only about 50 years. That’s when some of the biggest food companies in the wor…
OH, BABY! Unhappily married with no escape – Ep. 60
Even with morning sickness and other side effects, the nine months of anticipating a newborn baby is often an exciting and joyful time for women. But for those in dysfunctional or – worse – abusive relationships, that nine months can be tra…
I DO?! But what if I don’t?? – Ep. 59
A marriage license before a driver’s license? In some states in the U.S. – YES – it's totally legal, even today. And if you think these unions are simply young lovers who can’t wait to “make it official,” think again. Research shows 86% of …
A Walking Miracle: Escape artist survives brutal attack – Ep. 58
Raped. Stabbed. Disemboweled. Nearly beheaded. How could anyone survive such an attack? The co-hosts take The Escape Pod back to December 1994, when a young woman in South Africa was kidnapped, brutally assaulted, and left for dead on a dir…
Protecting Our Kids: The real dangers of their digital world – Ep. 57
A 2nd grader sends nude photos to a stranger online. How? Why? Who or what could compel a child to do such a thing? It happens, and it happens far more often than most people realize, according to a forensic examiner and veteran member of t…
A Fateful Ride: The story of the Scottsboro Boys – Ep. 56
The Escape Pod observes Black History Month this February with a tale of true crime out of the Depression-era Deep South. Nine Black teenagers traveling by train found themselves caught in the middle of hate and lies, giving new meaning to …
Valentine's Days So Bad, They’re Criminal – Ep. 55
A day set aside to celebrate love and romance ... what could possibly go wrong?! You know as well as we do, A LOT can go wrong on Valentine’s Day. Hop into The Escape Pod for a light-hearted episode about Valentine’s Day plans gone awry and…
Liars and Aliens and Pedophiles, Oh My! – Ep. 54
A traveling salesman befriends a woman and her daughter Heidi in 1978. While Heidi sees “B” (his nickname) as a father-figure, B sees Heidi in a very different way. But, as is typical with child predators, she is not his only victim. In fac…
Serial Squatter Strikes Again – Ep. 53
There are terrible roommates, and then there’s THIS guy. For more than a decade, a man with extensive knowledge of squatters’ rights made life miserable for multiple people – a girlfriend, landlords, neighbors, even members of his own famil…