Unforbidden Truth

In this episode, I sit down with Breck Buchanan to hear his story firsthand. Buchanan was charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony following the death of his stepfather, John, whom he referred to as Scott. Buchanan entered an Alford plea as part of a plea agreement that resulted in a 103-year sentence, with all but 38 years and 7 months suspended. During our conversation, Buchanan discusses the circumstances surrounding the killing, his relationship with his stepfather, and why he says he was afraid of him. He also shares his perspective on the charges, the plea agreement, and the events that ultimately led to his conviction. www.unforbiddentruth.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Robert Hogans was convicted in Michigan in connection with the September 1990 abduction and killing of Pamela Kay Bandy. Bandy was abducted from a car wash in Pontiac, Michigan, and Hogans placed her in the trunk of her own Cadillac. He then drove around with her trapped inside for approximately six days. During that time, Bandy was unable to obtain adequate food or water and ultimately died from a combination of starvation, dehydration, and methanol poisoning after ingesting windshield-washer fluid. When Pontiac police stopped Hogans on September 24, 1990, on an unrelated outstanding warrant, they discovered Bandy's body in the trunk. Hogans was subsequently prosecuted and convicted separately for his role in Bandy's death. Robert Hogans is serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: KT4FKRGPJ8YNMVLG www.unforbiddentruth.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Heather McCollum is serving a life sentence, whom is eligible for release after 51 years, along with a consecutive five-year sentence for arson to be served at 30%, following her conviction for the 2012 first-degree murder of John Poteete and the subsequent arson of his home. Www.unforbiddentruth.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Christa Pike is an American woman convicted of a notorious 1995 murder in Tennessee. At 18, she became the youngest woman on death row in the United States. Pike, along with fellow Job Corps students, lured Colleen Slemmer to an isolated location where Pike carried out a prolonged and especially violent attack. The case gained widespread attention due to the brutality involved, including testimony that Pike kept a portion of the victim’s skull. She was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, where she remains on Tennessee’s death row. Tadaryl Shipp and Shadolla Peterson were Pike’s co-defendants in the case. Both were present during the murder and were convicted for their roles, though they were considered less directly responsible for the killing itself. Shipp received a life sentence, while Peterson was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and received a significantly lighter sentence. Their involvement, along with Pike’s central role, made the case one of the most disturbing and widely discussed crimes connected to the Job Corps program. linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Timeless Mysteries - YouTube Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

This is the first installment of a two-part interview featuring Steven Wiggins, a death row inmate in Tennessee. Wiggins was convicted of fatally shooting Sergeant Daniel Baker from the Dickson County Sheriff's Office. Following Baker's murder, Wiggins attempted to incinerate his body. When unsuccessful, he proceeded to set fire to Baker's patrol car. Wiggins is currently awaiting execution on Tennessee's death row. www.youtube.com/@TimelessMysteriess https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Christa Pike is an American woman convicted of a notorious 1995 murder in Tennessee. At 18, she became the youngest woman on death row in the United States. Pike, along with fellow Job Corps students, lured Colleen Slemmer to an isolated location where Pike carried out a prolonged and especially violent attack. The case gained widespread attention due to the brutality involved, including testimony that Pike kept a portion of the victim’s skull. She was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, where she remains on Tennessee’s death row. Tadaryl Shipp and Shadolla Peterson were Pike’s co-defendants in the case. Both were present during the murder and were convicted for their roles, though they were considered less directly responsible for the killing itself. Shipp received a life sentence, while Peterson was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and received a significantly lighter sentence. Their involvement, along with Pike’s central role, made the case one of the most disturbing and widely discussed crimes connected to the Job Corps program. linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Timeless Mysteries - YouTube Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Christa Pike is an American woman convicted of a notorious 1995 murder in Tennessee. At 18, she became the youngest woman on death row in the United States. Pike, along with fellow Job Corps students, lured Colleen Slemmer to an isolated location where Pike carried out a prolonged and especially violent attack. The case gained widespread attention due to the brutality involved, including testimony that Pike kept a portion of the victim’s skull. She was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death, where she remains on Tennessee’s death row. Tadaryl Shipp and Shadolla Peterson were Pike’s co-defendants in the case. Both were present during the murder and were convicted for their roles, though they were considered less directly responsible for the killing itself. Shipp received a life sentence, while Peterson was convicted of being an accessory after the fact and received a significantly lighter sentence. Their involvement, along with Pike’s central role, made the case one of the most disturbing and widely discussed crimes connected to the Job Corps program. Please note: From 11:10-12:04 Shipp played a snippet of an instrumental he produced but it wasn't picked up due to a noise cancellation setting that was enabled, it removed it as 'background noise'. https://linktr.ee › Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

The case of Mickey Douglas centers on a deadly shooting at a Coney Island–style restaurant in Detroit in July 2020, where Douglas opened fire inside the establishment after a brief interaction reportedly triggered by a comment about his girlfriend. The attack killed three victims—Brian Jackson, Carnell Watts, and Courtney Willis—and left a fourth person seriously injured. Prosecutors charged Douglas with multiple felonies, including three counts of first-degree murder and assault with intent to murder, and evidence showed he had a prior violent criminal history and was on parole at the time. He was later convicted of second-degree murder and related charges and sentenced to decades in prison (roughly 40–60 years per count), with the court describing the shooting as senseless and unprovoked, stemming from a minor dispute that escalated into lethal violence. https://www.unforbiddentruth.com/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Isabella Young is a cult survivor who has rebuilt her life after escaping from a high-control, religious group that she joined with the belief it was a spiritual community under the guidance of a spiritual teacher. What began as a search for healing, purpose, and belonging became a fight for sanity, truth, and freedom from years of mind control, emotional abuse, and strict obedience to a charismatic and deranged leader. Over time, she recognized that emotional, psychological, and spiritual tactics were being used to control cult members, including cutting off contact with family, brainwashing, and punishments for independent thinking and disobedience. Leaving required great courage because the cult leader threatened everyone who wanted to leave with endless suffering and personal tragedies. After her escape, Young faced the difficult process of creating a new life with new relationships, stable housing, employment, and the process of healing from the trauma of the cult. Recovery is ongoing: she has spoken about struggling with guilt, shame, fear, trust, and the challenge of making decisions after years of being told what to think and how to live. A range of healing modalities and support from other cult survivors have played a major role in regaining her self-confidence and rebuilding her sense of identity. Today, Young lives in Hawaii, where she has embraced a quiet, grounded life connected to Nature. She has found space to heal, reflect, research, and write. She has described the islands as a place for renewal where she can focus on personal growth and emotional well-being while distancing herself from a painful past and creating a new foundation for her future. In recent years, Young has become an advocate for raising awareness of cults, high control groups, and psychological manipulation. By sharing her story, she aims to reduce the stigma around cult survivors and encourage others to question environments that demand total loyalty or suppress individuality and critical thinking. Her journey from control to independence highlights the vulnerability that can draw some-one into a cult and the resilience it takes to reclaim one's life afterward. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

The criminal case of Eric Hainstock centers on a 15-year-old student who, in September 2006, brought a shotgun and handgun into Weston High School and fatally shot his principal, John Klang, after a confrontation over disciplinary issues. Hainstock had a history of behavioral problems and claimed he had been bullied, though investigations found mixed evidence supporting that claim. Following his arrest, he was charged as an adult and later convicted of first-degree intentional homicide; in 2008, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after a lengthy period, reflecting the severity of the crime and the court’s view of premeditation. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

According to court records and regional news coverage, Mendy Kent was one of several individuals charged in Mobile County, Alabama, in connection with a long-running sexual abuse and exploitation case involving members of her extended family. Prosecutors alleged that the group participated in the abuse of minors over a period of years, and the case became widely known in the area because of the number of people implicated and the disturbing nature of the accusations. The investigation uncovered evidence that led to multiple arrests and prosecutions tied to what authorities described as an organized pattern of abuse. Kent’s sister, Wendy Holland, was also charged and later convicted in the same broader case. Court proceedings resulted in prison sentences for those involved. The case drew heightened public attention in Alabama not only because of the convictions but also because it later became indirectly connected to the disappearance of Brittney Wood, though Kent’s convictions themselves centered on the sexual abuse charges prosecuted in Mobile County. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Wendy Holland is an Alabama woman who became publicly known after a broader criminal investigation involving members of her extended family in Mobile County. The investigation gained attention during the time of the 2012 disappearance of her teenage relative, Brittney Wood, a case that drew significant media coverage and later became the subject of true crime documentaries. As a result of the investigation, Wendy Holland was convicted of charges related to sexual abuse and incest involving minors. Her convictions stemmed from evidence uncovered by authorities during that period, and she was sentenced under Alabama law for those offenses. Brittney Wood’s disappearance remains unsolved. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Wendy Holland is an Alabama woman who became publicly known after a broader criminal investigation involving members of her extended family in Mobile County. The investigation gained attention during the time of the 2012 disappearance of her teenage relative, Brittney Wood, a case that drew significant media coverage and later became the subject of true crime documentaries. As a result of the investigation, Wendy Holland was convicted of charges related to sexual abuse and incest involving minors. Her convictions stemmed from evidence uncovered by authorities during that period, and she was sentenced under Alabama law for those offenses. Brittney Wood’s disappearance remains unsolved. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Lazale Ashby is a Connecticut inmate whose legal saga stems from the December 2002 rape and murder of 21-year-old Elizabeth Garcia in her Hartford apartment; DNA evidence and his own statements led to his arrest and a 2008 conviction on multiple counts, including capital felony, for which he was sentenced to death — making him one of the state’s youngest death row prisoners — but after Connecticut abolished the death penalty, that sentence was converted to life plus 125 years. However, in 2020 the Connecticut Supreme Court overturned his conviction because his rights were violated at the original trial, and Ashby later pleaded guilty in 2023 and received a 46½-year prison sentence, the third sentencing in the case; he is also serving a 25-year term for another 2003 murder https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Andrew speaks with recently released California prisoner, Rebecca Martinez. Martinez was released after serving a 32-month prison sentence. Rebecca Martinez has been convicted of burglary, vehicle theft, battery on an officer, murder, accessory to murder, kidnapping, carjacking, battery, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest and felony evading. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Steven David Lampley is a former police officer and undercover sex-crimes (SVU) detective with more than two decades of law-enforcement experience who has since become a bestselling true-crime author, speaker, and expert on deception and forensic investigation. He’s worked high-profile cases featured on television programs such as America’s Most Wanted and Investigation Discovery. /linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

When he was 15 (later described as 16 when sentenced), Betournay was tried and convicted for killing his 14-year-old sister (April Betournay) and her 14-year-old friend (Beth Garbe) on December 14, 1994. He bound the girls’ wrists and ankles with duct tape, then sealed plastic bags over their heads — suffocating them. He later confessed. Although his defense argued that mental illness and diminished capacity should preclude a first-degree murder charge, a judge ruled he was competent to stand trial as an adult. A jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree murder after 6½ days of trial and about seven hours of deliberation. At sentencing, Betournay — then 16 — was given a prison term of 63 years and 4 months, which exceeded by over ten years the standard sentencing range for two first-degree murder convictions in such a case. Even accounting for possible good behavior reductions, prosecutors estimated he would likely remain imprisoned until around age 70. Dani Holder was recently in late 2025. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

American Skyjacker (2025) is a true-crime action documentary that chronicles the story of Martin McNally, who in June 1972 hijacked an American Airlines Boeing 727, demanded $500,000 in ransom, and parachuted out of the back — modeling his crime after the infamous D.B. Cooper hijacking. McNally narrates the tale in his own words, with cinematic reenactments showing not just the hijacking but the manhunt, his prison escape attempts, and a later hijacking in 1978. Website / Screening Information www.americanskyjacker.com http://cinedump.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/americanskyjacker Rotten Tomatoes https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/american_skyjacker Letterboxd https://letterboxd.com/film/american-skyjacker/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

Please note that the live was done on a cell phone, due to Randy being unable to access a laptop/tablet. Ronnie Lee Gardner was a convicted murderer from Utah whose violent criminal history and dramatic courtroom escape attempt made him one of the state’s most infamous prisoners. Born in 1961, Gardner endured a troubled childhood marked by abuse, neglect, and frequent run-ins with the law. By his early twenties, he was already incarcerated for violent crimes. In 1985, while being transported to court for a hearing on a murder charge, Gardner attempted to escape and fatally shot attorney Michael Burdell inside the courthouse. The incident led to his conviction for capital murder and a death sentence.Gardner spent 25 years on Utah’s death row, during which he became a controversial figure in debates over the death penalty. Known for his defiant attitude early in his incarceration, he later expressed remorse for his actions and pursued education and spiritual growth while imprisoned. His 2010 execution by firing squad — the first in Utah in 14 years — drew widespread attention and reignited discussions about humane methods of execution and the purpose of capital punishment in modern America. Randy Gardner, Ronnie’s brother, became an outspoken opponent of the death penalty after witnessing his brother’s execution. Deeply affected by the loss and the trauma of the event, Randy turned his grief into advocacy, speaking publicly about the emotional toll capital punishment inflicts on families of both victims and offenders. He has since worked with human rights and anti-death-penalty organizations, sharing his story to highlight the human cost of executions and the cycle of violence they perpetuate. His activism has made him a well-known voice in the movement to abolish the death penalty in the United States. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .

In March 1998, Jeffrey Franklin, a 17-year-old high school student from Huntsville, Alabama, brutally attacked his family in their home in the Camelot subdivision. Armed with a hatchet, sledgehammer, and knife, Franklin killed his mother, Cynthia, and father, Gerald, and severely injured three of his younger siblings. Two other siblings managed to escape the attack unharmed. When police arrived, they found a horrifying crime scene described as one of the most gruesome in Huntsville’s history. Franklin, who had fled in his parents’ car, was captured a short time later after a police chase. Investigators later uncovered Franklin’s journal entries, which detailed his fascination with Satanism and violent fantasies about killing his family. He was described as a bright but deeply troubled teenager who had been suspended from school earlier that day for bringing a knife. In 2000, Jeffrey Franklin pleaded guilty to two counts of capital murder and three counts of attempted murder, avoiding the death penalty due to his age. He was sentenced to 5 life sentences. https://linktr.ee/Unforbiddentruth Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/unforbidden-truth--4724561/support .