Dark Side of the Land

Charles Rini was a suburban father and businessman who vanished on March 30, 1981 after leaving his home to meet someone. Could his ties to the Cleveland Mafia and selling diamonds be the reason he disappeared? In this episode, 19 News investigative reporter Sara Goldenberg goes into the theories behind Rini's mysterious disappearance and the dismantling of the mob by the federal government in the 1980s. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Charles Rini, call the Moreland Hills Police Department at 440-248-7585.

Pete DiGravio was known as the mayor of Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. He was also a loan shark who any number of people could have wanted dead. On June 21, 1968, DiGravio was gunned down on the 16th hole of the Orchard Hills Golf Club - shot by a sniper hiding in the nearby woods, waiting for his target to tee up. In this episode, 19 News investigator Jen Picciano outlines the many characters in DiGravio's life who may have ordered the hit and goes over the many motives and circumstances leading up to this unsolved homicide.

Infamous Irish-American gangster Danny Greene declared war on the Italian mafia and he nearly won. Greene escaped death countless times and his reputation as "unkillable" grew with each bullet and blast he dodged. His son, who is now a Cleveland city councilman, says his father was fearless. But Greene's luck finally ran out in October 1977. In part 3 of this series, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy takes you through the final moments of Greene's life and explains how an eyewitness with a special talent helped police identify the Irishman's killer.

In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy dives into part two of the story of Danny Greene, the notorious Irish-American gangster who ignited a brutal turf war with the Mayfield Road Mob. Journey back to when Cleveland was "Bomb City, USA" and discover how the death of the city's last don and one fearless Irish mobster helped topple Italian organized crime in America.

Danny Greene wasn't just any mobster. The Cleveland union president-turned-gangster was a force of nature; a wild card in the deck of organized crime, blurring the lines between hero and villain, with a reputation that grew as fast as the explosions he left in his wake. Despite surviving several assassination attempts, Green was ultimately killed in a car bombing in 1977 during a time when Cleveland was known as "Bomb City, USA." In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy kicks off our mob series with the thrilling tale of the infamous Irishman who took down the Italian mafia in a way he never intended.

Investigators have revealed new developments in their hunt for Keshaun Williams, nearly 16 months after the Cleveland teenager vanished without a trace from the city's Slavic Village neighborhood. In part 3 of this series, 19 News investigative reporter Sara Goldenberg updates the ongoing search for Keshaun with the latest from U.S. Marshals, Cleveland Police, and Keshaun's grandmother, who is “prayerfully asking” anyone with information to come forward so that the family can get closure. A reward of up to $27,500 is available in this case. If you know anything about Keshaun's whereabouts, please call the U.S. Marshals tip line at 1-866-4-WANTED or text keyword WANTED and the tip to TIP411 (847411). Anonymous tips can also be called in to Cuyahoga County Crime Stoppers at 216-252-7463 or submitted on their website, www.25crime.com.

Who killed Kate Brown and Carnell Sledge? The two longtime friends were gunned down in broad daylight while sitting on a bench in the Cleveland Metroparks. Five years later, the murders remain unsolved. In this episode, 19 News anchor Nichole Vrsansky sits down with police and the FBI as they go through the evidence in the case, persons of interest, and the latest developments in their investigation. You'll also hear from the families of "Nell" and Kate as they share memories and discuss their theories about what may have happened. A $100,000 reward is available for information that leads to an arrest in this case. Tipsters can reach out anonymously to the FBI's Cleveland Field Office at (216) 622-6842, the Cleveland Metroparks Police Department at (440) 331-5219, or Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County at (216) 252-7463. Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov.

On May 13, 2005, a millionaire doctor was gunned down while traveling long the Ohio Turnpike with his wife and mother-in-law. Was it road rage? A robbery gone wrong? Or was it something more sinister? In a tearful television interview, Donna Moonda made a plea for help to find her husband's killer. But more than a year after the deadly roadside ambush, it was Dr. Gulam Moonda's widow who ended up behind bars. In this episode, 19 News anchor Tiffani Tucker digs deeper into the murder-for-hire scheme and how the shooter himself helped investigators piece together the crime.

It is arguably one of the darkest days in Cleveland baseball history. On June 4, 1974, the Indians held a "Ten Cent Beer Night" promotion to help boost fan attendance as the team struggled to fill seats. Their ploy worked, and over 25,000 fans descended upon Municipal Stadium to watch the Indians take on the Texas Rangers. But the cheap beer stunt also led to something never seen before, or ever again, on a Major League field - a violent, drunken riot. In this episode, 19 News investigators Brian Duffy and Jen Picciano revisit the chaotic game with a group of guests, including former Indians manager and first baseman Mike Hargrove, who was a rookie with the Rangers that night.

An elderly man vanished in the mid-1990s, leaving behind a large sum of money. Nearly a decade later, his ex-wife disappeared too. What happened to the Shoemakers? And where did the money go? 19 News investigative reporter Sara Goldenberg takes you through the clues and uncovers family secrets within the investigation.

In September 2021, chaos erupted at an off-campus college party near the University of Akron when someone pulled out a gun and started shooting, taking two innocent lives. Nearly three years later, the person who killed 18-year-old Maya McFetridge and 25-year-old Alexander Beasley is still walking the streets. In this episode, 19 News investigative reporter Kelly Kennedy dives deep into this chilling cold case, unraveling new leads and piecing together the clues with detectives who refuse to give up. You'll also hear from the parents of the victims, and how Alex Beasley helped solved another murder from beyond the grave. A $50,000 reward is available for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction. If you know anything that could help crack this case, please call Akron Police at 330-375-2490.

Crime doesn't pay – unless you're Ted Conrad. After pulling off the biggest cash heist in Cleveland's history, the 20-year-old bank teller turned infamous thief spent 52 years in the clear living under a new identity on the east coast. But in March 2021, he finally revealed his real name, and fugitive status, in a shocking deathbed confession to his wife and daughter. In this episode, 19 News investigative reporter Jen Picciano takes listeners on a journey through Conrad's film-inspired bank heist and the five decades he kept his crimes a secret while living as "Thomas Randele." And for the first time ever, she brings Conrad's daughter to Ohio where they walk in her fugitive father's footsteps - from the halls of his high school to the bank vault he stole from in 1969.

Who was the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run? Over a four year period in the 1930s, the dismembered body parts of at least a dozen people popped up throughout Cleveland. The serial killer behind the horrific crimes was never captured or identified and, nearly 90 years later, the infamous ‘Torso Murders' remain unsolved. In this episode, 19 News anchor Brian Duffy takes an in-depth look at the killings alongside experts with unprecedented knowledge about the case. The podcast also explores the new developments he recently uncovered regarding the Torso Killer's unidentified victims, including plans to exhume remains for DNA testing.

A mysterious man living a double life. Why did the man known as Joseph Newton Chandler abandon his family, steal the identity of a young boy, and hide from his past for decades? Could he have been a fugitive or an infamous serial killer? 19 News Investigative Reporter Sara Goldenberg takes you inside the journey to find his real identity and uncover his past.

Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous Milwaukee Cannibal, brutally murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1992. In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy takes a deep dive into the serial killer's earlier years growing up in Northeast Ohio. Listeners will hear from Dahmer's 91-year-old high school teacher, as well as one of his classmates, about what the killer was like as a teenager when he attended Revere High School.

As the reward increases in Keshaun Williams' case, the mother of the missing 15-year-old makes a public plea for tips that can help bring her son back home. In part 2 of this series, 19 News investigative reporter Sara Goldenberg updates the ongoing search for Keshaun and speaks with Sylvia Colon, co-founder of the Cleveland Family Center for Missing Children and Adults, about how the organization is helping Keshaun's family and the families of others who have disappeared.

Michelle Knight was abducted and held captive in a Cleveland, Ohio home for more than a decade. Yvonne Pointer spent years seeking justice for her daughter Gloria, who was kidnapped and murdered at age 14 while walking to school. On May 6, 2013, the day of Michelle's miraculous escape from her kidnapper's house of horrors, fate would bring the two women together. In this episode, Michelle and Yvonne share their emotional story of freedom, faith, and friendship for the very first time with 19 News anchor Tiffani Tucker.

It's been more than 100 days since 15-year-old Keshaun Williams disappeared after going to a party in Cleveland, Ohio. Witnesses later told police they saw him tied up and beaten inside of a car, which led to what has now become Ohio's longest active Amber Alert. 19 News Investigative reporter Sara Goldenberg speaks with Cleveland Police and the U.S. Marshals Service for an update on the search for Keshaun.

Marie Wydra was two years old when she was stolen from her mother in Ireland and sold to an abusive couple in Cleveland, Ohio. In this episode, 19 News reporter Jen Picciano takes you inside Marie's story of dark discoveries at a mother and baby home in Dublin, and the incredible journey to find her birth mother before it was too late.

What was supposed to be a fun Friday night date to a drive-in movie in August 1979 ended up as one of the most talked about murder mysteries in northeast Ohio. What happened to Ricky Beard and Mary Leonard? More than 40 years later, police still don't know who killed the teen couple. In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy cracks open the cold case files alongside detectives as they discuss possible suspects. You'll also hear from Mary and Ricky's siblings, who are still desperate for justice all these years later.

He was America's deadliest serial killer, confessing to the murders of 93 women across the country. How did Samuel Little get away with so many murders for so long? 19 News investigative reporter Sara Goldenberg starts at the beginning, digging into Little's life of crime starting in his Ohio hometown. Despite the killer's hand drawn portraits of his victims, many of the women remain unidentified.

Did a township trustee stage his own death? Was he murdered? It's a secret Bryon Macron took to the grave. 19 News anchor Nichole Vrsansky takes listeners inside the investigation as Victoria Macron reveals new information in her husband's mysterious death.

A confessed killer back in court for a second trial after a judicial mistake, with the death penalty on the line. The defense argues common prescription drugs may have played a part in the triple murder he committed. 19 News investigator Sara Goldenberg takes us inside the trial and a family's fight for justice.

After a chance meeting while shopping for infant clothes at Walmart, a young mother-to-be unknowingly becomes the target of a sinister baby snatching murder plot. In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy unravels how one woman's desperation to have a baby turned deadly, and how the horrific truth of what happened to Theresa Andrews still haunts her hometown 23 years later.

It was a bait and switch that rocked the sport fishing industry, and turned two competitive fishermen into convicted felons. 19 News investigator Jen Picciano takes a deep dive into the cheating scandal, exploring the reasons behind the vicious reaction from their fellow fishermen and the viral video that left many wondering if that was the only time the duo tipped the scales in their favor.

Two days before Aliza Sherman's divorce case was set to go to trial, the 53-year-old Cleveland Clinic nurse was brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight outside of her attorney's office. But who wanted the mother of four dead? 19 News anchor Tiffani Tucker sits down with Aliza's loved ones and investigators, who reveal the road blocks they have encountered while working to solve the 2013 cold case murder.

Could four cold case murders of women in the '80s and '90s be connected to a serial killer? Detectives say the similarities are too strong to ignore. 19 News investigator Sara Goldenberg reveals how the timeline of these murders and DNA could be key to solving these cases.

A beloved grandmother is found dead after her home burns to the ground. But was it an accident or something more sinister? In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy tracks the 34-year criminal history of a troublesome neighbor who seems to slip through the cracks & explains why it took a decade to finally put "The Killer Next Door" behind bars.

Detectives finally track down the mother of "Geauga's Child." Will they finally learn the truth about what happened to him? 19 News investigator Sara Goldenberg takes us inside the mother's confession and another shocking secret she reveals.

A heartbreaking cold case gets a big break thanks to new DNA technology and old-fashioned police work. 19 News investigator Sara Goldenberg takes us inside the case file and the massive family tree of "Geauga's Child."

A jury convicts Robert Shepard of luring the mayor's grandson to his death. 19 News reporter Hannah Catlett describes the unusual courtroom scene as the judge sentences Shepard to life in prison.

He was accused of luring the former mayor's grandson to his death. In this final episode we take you inside the courtroom for the verdict in the Robert Shephard trial.

A former mayor's grandson executed in a Cleveland neighborhood. Now detectives say they found the person who lured him to his death. Reporter Hannah Catlett with the case against Robert Shephard.

The FBI and Cleveland Police are urgently seeking information to track down Rajah McQueen. Her car was caught on camera being driven by someone else with bullet holes on it, more than a year ago. Rajah and her car were never seen again.

He raped and murdered a young girl, went to prison, and then vanished. Nearly 50 years later, the search for Lester Eubanks continues. 19 News reporter Kelly Kennedy with the incredible story of how he escaped and the one man determined to bring him to justice.

They were looking for hope, she was looking for her next victim. 19 news reporter Jen Picciano uncovers the Psychic Swindler. In this episode, undercover audio from inside her parlor reveals how she conned her victims and why this is theft if victims gave her the money. Hear the cuffs go on as detectives arrest her.

They were looking for hope, she was looking for her next victim. 19 News reporter Jen Picciano exposes the Psychic Swindler.

A 14-year-old boy disappeared prompting a massive search. He would later be found dead in a chimney. 19 News reporter Hannah Catlett investigates what happened to Harley Dilly.

He admitted to killing five people, but why did he do it? 19 news investigator Sara Goldenberg with the chilling confessions of George Brinkman.

Five people murdered in two days, how did police track down the killer? 19 News investigator Sara Goldenberg with the capture and chilling confessions of George Brinkman.

It is one of the most infamous crimes in modern history and the inspiration behind the TV series and movie, "The Fugitive." Did Dr. Sam Sheppard murder his wife? Three trials and nearly 70 years later, the debate continues. 19 News anchor Nichole Vrsansky revisits this notorious crime with some of the experts involved in the case.

A closer look at the Cleveland Strangler case by 19 News reporter Aria Janel, examining how perceptions of addiction, race and class played a role in the investigation. Special thanks to Laura Paglin and FilmRise for use of ‘Unseen' documentary clips. You can watch Paglin's film here via Amazon Prime Video: https://amzn.to/3tVaMMG

In an unexpected twist, the great-grandson of former Cleveland mayor Frank Jackson is arrested for murder.

Who killed the mayor's grandson? 19 News reporter Hannah Catlett takes us back to the night of the deadly shooting, including the actual radio calls from police officers who first arrived at the crime scene.

Who killed the mayor's grandson? Was it revenge? Was there a coverup at city hall? 19 News reporter Hannah Catlett investigates the dark past of a troubled young man.

A young man gunned down in a dark corner of a Cleveland neighborhood. Who killed the mayor's grandson? 19 News reporter Hannah Catlett investigates.

17-year-old Kurt Sova disappeared after going to a Halloween party in 1981. He went missing for several days, then turned up dead. Was it a murder, a cover-up or an accident? 19 news reporter Sara Goldenberg investigates.

Two teachers were brutally murdered; their bodies found by students. More than 100 years later the killer remains a mystery. 19 News reporter Kelly Kennedy looks back at a case that shocked the small community of Parma, Ohio.

A 10-year-old girl abducted and brutally murdered. More than 30 years after the crime, her killer has never been brought to justice. 19 News anchor Nichole Vrsansky looks at the critical evidence investigators hope will one day lead to justice for Amy Mihaljevic.

10-year-old Amy Mihaljevic was abducted and murdered in 1989. More than 30 years later, her killer has never been found. 19 News anchor Nichole Vrsansky speaks to Amy's father and the investigators trying to solve this gruesome crime.

A teenager disappears in 2007; she has never been found. What happened to Ashley Summers? 19 News reporter Hannah Catlett takes us inside the investigation as a family waits for answers.