Dark Side of the Land

Dark Side of the Land

Podcast by 19 News

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Dark Side of the Land
Cleveland's Wicked Women: Velma's Hammer
Velma West craved the Cleveland nightlife so much that she killed for it. In 1927, the young flapper bludgeoned her husband to death with a claw hammer. In this episide, 19 News reporter Jen Picciano goes inside the scandalous lifestyle that landed "The Modern Murderess" a life sentence. You'll also hear what daring move the party girl pulled off the very night she murdered her husband, and how she managed to escape prison for one last wild adventure.
 
00:19:49
Apr 23, 2025 3:52 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Cleveland's Wicked Women: The Carnegie Con

Around the turn of the century, Cassie Chadwick conned Clevelanders out of millions of dollars - and she did it all by claiming to be the illegitimate daughter and heir of steel titan Andrew Carnegie. In this episode, 19 News reporter Jen Picciano unravels the wild story of the original "Queen of the Con," who also operated as a jewel smuggler, a brothel madam, and a clairvoyant.

00:47:56
Apr 16, 2025 6:44 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Who Killed Amy Mihaljevic?

After 35 years, the answer to the question, "who killed Amy Mihaljevic" may finally be answered thanks to new DNA testing and a group of dedicated scientists working in labs from coast to coast.  In this episode, 19 News anchor Nichole Vrsansky takes us inside the Florida lab that uncovered new DNA in the case.  Find out how they did it and how soon experts can go from science to a suspect.

00:29:55
Apr 9, 2025 4:0 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
From Gold to Greed: The Life of Cleveland's Infamous Superthief (part 2)

On March 24, 1972, a team of professional thieves from Northeast Ohio pulled off a multi-million dollar bank heist in a sleepy California beach town. The crew of top-notch crooks almost got away with it too, but a few tiny mistakes turned their almost flawless burglary into one of the most notorious busts in American history. In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy goes inside the infamous heist with one of the burglars himself, a Clevelander whose life of crime earned him the nickname ‘Superthief.’

00:58:40
Apr 2, 2025 6:30 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
From Gold to Greed: The Life of Cleveland’s Infamous Superthief

On March 24, 1972, a team of professional thieves from Northeast Ohio pulled off a multi-million dollar bank heist in a sleepy California beach town. The crew of top-notch crooks almost got away with it too, but a few tiny mistakes turned their almost flawless burglary into one of the most notorious busts in American history. In this episode, 19 News investigator Kelly Kennedy goes inside the infamous heist with one of the burglars himself, a Clevelander whose life of crime earned him the nickname ‘Superthief.’

01:06:22
Mar 26, 2025 7:0 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
The Diamond Man Who Disappeared
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.
00:23:47
Nov 27, 2024 12:0 AM
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Dark Side of the Land
Murder on the 16th Tee
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.
00:39:10
Nov 21, 2024 8:12 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Killing Danny Greene (Part 3)
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.
00:54:35
Nov 20, 2024 12:0 AM
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Dark Side of the Land
Killing Danny Greene (Part 2)
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.
00:41:23
Nov 12, 2024 12:0 AM
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Dark Side of the Land
Killing Danny Greene (Part 1)
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.
00:46:06
Nov 6, 2024 12:0 AM
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Dark Side of the Land
Finding Keshaun (Part 3)
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.
00:16:31
Oct 9, 2024 7:34 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Murder in the Metroparks
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.
00:51:52
Oct 3, 2024 7:25 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Deadly Drive: The Moonda Murder
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.
00:57:00
Aug 30, 2024 11:15 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
The Beer Night Riot
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.
00:41:11
Aug 21, 2024 7:5 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Florence & the Missing Millionaire
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.
00:22:22
Aug 14, 2024 5:10 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
College House Party Killer
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.
00:32:08
Aug 8, 2024 4:0 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
My Father, the Fugitive: Deathbed Confessions of Cleveland’s Biggest Bank Thief
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.
00:55:06
Jul 31, 2024 4:55 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
The Torso Killer
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.
00:45:16
Jul 21, 2024 12:0 AM
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Dark Side of the Land
Running From Robert
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.
00:46:36
Jul 17, 2024 7:17 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Student Turned Serial Killer: The Early Years of Jeffrey Dahmer
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.
00:37:24
Nov 22, 2023 7:39 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Finding Keshaun (Part 2)
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.
00:18:34
Nov 15, 2023 5:55 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
A Day of Freedom
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.
00:20:52
Nov 8, 2023 8:23 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Finding Keshaun (Part 1)
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.
00:22:59
Nov 1, 2023 3:8 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Stolen Irish Child
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.
00:40:56
Oct 25, 2023 7:29 PM
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Dark Side of the Land
Who Murdered Ricky & Mary?
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.
00:37:16
Oct 18, 2023 7:32 PM
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