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James sits down with Shelly's parents, Wes and Linda Julson, and retired Bismarck Police Officer Rob Carvell, who responded to the original missing persons call in 1994 and later volunteered to re-exa...

6 Aug 48min

James speaks with one of Shelly’s friends, retired investigator Bill Connor, and one of the railroad workers mentioned in the cold case file. He also goes looking for Jennie, the former Burnt Creek Cl...

30 Jul 44min

James follows the early investigation into Shelly’s final known days, including Tony Hulm’s statements, the babysitter’s account, the two railroad workers, Rick Snell, and the missing records in Shell...

23 Jul 49min

As investigators continue looking for Shelly, they interview friends and co-workers, follow reports of harassment, search for her Ford Thunderbird, and begin tracing the people who may have seen her b...

16 Jul 41min

In August 1994, 26-year-old Michele "Shelly" Julson drops off her three-year-old son with his grandfather, planning to return a few hours later. She never does. As family, friends, and police begin se...

9 Jul 47min

Leah Sottile joins Dakota Spotlight for a conversation about investigative journalism, the ethics of true crime storytelling, and the challenges of reporting on unresolved cases in overlooked rural co...

25 Jun 1h 4min

After the release of The Bagpiper and His Brother, listeners who knew Harold Pieper began reaching out. In this update episode, Harold's stepdaughters and granddaughter share memories that reveal a de...

18 Jun 32min

Journalist and podcast creator Josh Dean joins Dakota Spotlight to discuss scams, deception, and the craft of narrative podcasting. Josh talks about the rise of fraud stories, producing investigative ...

11 Jun 52min