Death Lies & Alibis

Missing at Closing Time: The Arthur Smith Case

Host Christy takes listeners back to rural Logan County, Ohio, to examine the 1979 disappearance and murder of Arthur Smith. The episode reconstructs the night he walked out of Rink's department store, the ten-day search that followed, and the moment a local farmer discovered Smith's bound body in an open soybean field.
We follow the timeline in detail: Arthur’s routine closing that Friday night, a brief 9:30 p.m. phone call home, a red Volkswagen parked outside the store, and the missing night deposit and bonus checks. Listeners will hear precise scene details — wrists and ankles bound with wire, shoes removed and placed near the head, little blood at the field, the missing pistol, and the unanswered question of whether the killing occurred where the body was found.
The episode outlines the investigation and the slow path to an arrest: three years with no suspect, then the 1982 prosecution that centered on one man — identified in records as George Skates (appearing in some files as George Gates) — and a case built almost entirely on witness testimony rather than physical evidence. Key court moments are described, including the prosecution’s reliance on the jailhouse testimony of James “Jimmy” Rogers and testimony from cooperating witnesses whose legal deals and benefits later drew scrutiny.
Christy digs into the complications that shaped the trial: prosecutors’ deals and shock probation for cooperating witnesses (including Jack Benton), immunity and assistance given to others (Diane Rogers, Becky Boop), recanted statements (Danny Stanley), and trial decisions that left jurors with testimony but very little corroborating forensic proof. The episode presents documents and courtroom scenes that help explain how the case was assembled and why many questions remained after a guilty verdict and a life sentence.
Throughout the episode the show highlights central themes — a possibly staged crime scene, gaps in physical evidence, the power of incentive-driven testimony, and how a conviction built on witness deals can leave lingering doubt. Christy teases what comes next, promising to go deeper into the records and the evidence the jury never heard in the next episode, and invites listeners to follow the investigation as the podcast explores whether the conviction truly fits the facts.

Wings Of Truth: The Abby Butcher Case

Host Christy examines the disappearance and death of Abby Lynn Butcher in rural Perry County, Ohio. This episode covers the 16-day search, the moment Abby was last seen on February 16, 2022, and the discovery of her body behind an oil well on Reading Township Road 143. Guests and sources include family members and close friends—her partner Jason Rehart and his mother Gloria, sisters January, Lita and Riley, cousin David DeMalt, stepsister Katie, and friends Shelly, Misty, Sarah and Ashley—and Lita speaks with the host during the episode. Key evidence and questions discussed: Abby’s clothing (house slippers, red sweatpants, a gray T‑shirt over a thermal with matching burn holes), a nearly finished cigarette found beneath her body, the remote unlit terrain she was found in, and why the location did not match the route she said she was walking. The autopsy findings and forensic timeline are reviewed in detail: pills found in the stomach and esophagus, toxicology showing fentanyl, methamphetamine, gabapentin and a prescribed anti‑anxiety medication, and an official cause of death of acute multiple drug toxicity with manner of death ruled suicide. The episode explores inconsistencies that challenge the official ruling—lack of typical markers of prolonged cold exposure, the physical improbability of walking three miles in slippers on winter roads, and how those factors raise the possibility Abby overdosed elsewhere and was moved. The podcast contextualizes Abby’s life—her role as a mother, struggles with addiction, recent grief after her mother’s death, and the network of friends who say she was trying to stay sober—and it examines how grief, fear and silence shaped the investigation. Listeners will hear how family members and friends reacted, what evidence investigators documented, and why advocates are urging anyone with information to contact the Perry County Sheriff’s Office (anonymous tips accepted). Content warning: discussion of homicide, domestic violence, suicide, opioid use and sex trafficking.

She Wanted To Be Free: The Sydney Larcher Bryson Case Pt 2

In this episode of Death, Lies, and Alibis, host Christy picks up where Episode One left off and follows the unraveling of Sydney’s final weeks: the hotels, garages, houses, and the names that keep surfacing. We examine timelines, the trail of suspicious fires (Drago Drive, Sherwood Avenue, Holiday Inn, Cherry Valley Lodge), and the cluster of men repeatedly connected to her last days.
Topics covered include the autopsy and toxicology findings (cause of death listed as acute multiple drug effects with manner undetermined), common street rumors versus forensic reality (debunking dismemberment claims), the possibility of a deliberate “hot shot,” and how vulnerability, addiction, and isolation made Sydney a target. The episode also explores alleged corruption, case links to the Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force, and patterns suggesting why the investigation stalled.
Guests and sources featured or referenced: "Tammy," a jailmate who describes interactions between Sydney and Detective Todd Green; Jason Thompson, who says he was with Sydney in her last weeks; Everett Gillen and other men whose names appear in case paperwork; Jason Castle, convicted in a related murder; Corey Henderson, an alleged dealer reportedly seen with Sydney; Tom Campbell and Mark Matheny, both tied by local claims to properties and leads; and discussions of Jesse Messina’s long criminal history and family ties that locals say may have influenced outcomes.
Key points you can expect: a reconstruction of Sydney’s last movements and where she was found on Licking Trails Road; what the coroner’s report actually says and why the manner remains undetermined; the pattern of fires and disappearing properties linked to people in Sydney’s orbit; contradictions and inconsistencies in witness statements; community allegations of intimidation and silencing (including the murder of Dale Mattson and street claims about who knew too much); and why the host believes public attention and anonymous tips are essential to restarting the investigation.
The episode ends with a call to action — how listeners can share tips (Crime Stoppers and the show’s contact), and an announcement that the podcast plans a full documentary and continued reporting to keep pressure on a case the host says the system has too easily let fade.

She Wanted To Be Free: The Sydney Larcher Bryson Case Pt 1

This episode of Death, Lies, and Alibis explores the life and tragic death of Sydney Larcher Bryson, a woman whose struggles with addiction, complicated relationships, and alleged involvement with law enforcement and criminal networks left her vulnerable. Found discarded in garbage bags, Sydney’s story raises questions about confidential informant use, trafficking, and the failures of systems meant to protect her.
Host Christy traces Sydney’s history from her childhood in Florida to her life in Columbus and Licking County, interviewing friends and examining records to uncover the people and institutions tied to her final days. The episode highlights rumors, possible police involvement, and the dangerous web that may have led to her murder.
 
Source 911 call : The Newark Advocate

The Affair, The Ambush, The Alibi: The Darius D.M. Ford Case

In Zanesville, Ohio, this episode examines the 2001 ambush murder of coach Darius “DM” Ford on Tunis Road, the suspicions that surrounded Stacey and Toby Coffey, and the family’s long search for answers.
Over two decades later the case remains unsolved; the episode revisits the facts, memories, and the community’s call for anyone with information to come forward.
Credits: Times Recorder 

Evidence Erased: The Amy Jo Nelson Case

In this episode we travel to New Straitsville, Ohio, to examine the suspicious death of Amy Jo Nelson — an apparent homicide that local authorities initially dismissed as an overdose while vital evidence was cleaned from the scene. We explore Amy’s life, her medical struggles, and the immediate failures that left her family searching for answers.
The episode also looks at the opioid context, allegations surrounding a man in Amy’s life, and the patterns of small-town policing that can protect the powerful. It closes with the Nelsons’ fight for justice and a call for anyone with information to come forward.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/unsolved-ohio-killed-amy-jo-093000675.html
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/unsolved-ohio/unsolved-ohio-who-killed-amy-jo-nelson-family-wants-answers-in-2017-homicide/amp/
https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/amy-jo-nelsons-family-on-unsolved-murder/530-b88728f7-a4db-4063-87dc-35c86f79daa5#

$90,000 Reasons To Vanish: The Patti Adkins Case

In this episode of Death, Lies, and Alibis, host Christy explores the 2001 disappearance of Patty Atkins from the Honda plant in Marysville, Ohio. Patty, a single mother and supervisor, vanished after leaving work to meet a co-worker she was secretly seeing; she had reportedly given him large sums of money and believed they were starting a new life together. The episode reviews witness accounts, investigations into Brian Flowers (the man allegedly involved), evidence found in his truck, and the long-lasting impact on Patty’s family, while profiling the renewed effort by local authorities to reexamine the case.
Everyone mentioned is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law 
Investigating Agency
Marysville Police Department 937-642-3900
Union County Sheriff's Department 937-644-5010
Source Information
City of Marysville
WKTN FM 95.3
Rino Kids Online
NBC 4i Columbus, Ohio
America's Most Wanted
NamUs
The Columbus Dispatch
Facebook Page for Patricia Adkins
Whereabouts Still Unknown
NBC News

Driven to Kill: Mackenzie Shirilla Prison Calls

This episode examines the July 2022 crash in which 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirela drove into a warehouse wall at nearly 100 mph, killing her boyfriend Dominique Russo and friend Davion Flanagan. Evidence showed the act was deliberate, and Mackenzie was later sentenced to life with parole possible after 15 years.
The episode focuses on Mackenzie’s last jail phone call before her verdict, highlighting her lack of remorse, blame-shifting, and plans to protest, along with her mother’s enabling responses. Christy breaks down the call and asks listeners whether they hear fear, immaturity, or something darker.
Phone Calls From Prison
https://youtube.com/@phonecallsfromprison?si=jx0WFG4PTS_2yGYT