Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast

We have a shorter spooky season story for your Friday. In 1977, firefighters found Teresita Basa murdered in her Chicago apartment, but months passed without an arrest.

Then a doctor told police that his wife had entered a trance and spoken in a voice that identified itself as Teresita. Detectives could not verify that explanation, but they could investigate what the voice claimed to know. The lead took them back to Edgewater Hospital and helped uncover evidence in a case that still raises questions nearly 50 years later.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday!

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Sources:

https://www.newspapers.com/image/386658919/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/386502681/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/385452553/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/385412418/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/386661148/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1978/09/17/voice-from-the-grave-evokes-a-murder-trial/13b6d805-2413-4015-b70a-b9b28ab5d40d/

https://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1978/di1978-09-07.pdf

https://newspapers.swco.ttu.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/62a3b8a2-82b5-427d-a26e-893002ba7213/content

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160913/edgewater/did-teresita-basa-solve-her-own-murder-true-life-ghost-story-still-haunts/

https://thebestoffatemagazine.blogspot.com/2014/10/read-free-how-voice-from-grave-named.html

https://jimharold.com/the-strange-and-sad-case-of-teresita-basa-unpleasant-dreams-17/

https://www.mamamia.com.au/teresita-basa-unsolved-mysteries/

https://morbidology.com/did-teresita-basa-solve-her-own-murder/

https://mail.survivalafterdeath.info/articles/rogo/spontaneous.htm

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This week, we tell the 1897 story of Elva Zona Heaster Shue, known as Zona, whose sudden death in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, was initially treated as natural causes. After Zona’s mother said her daughter appeared to her and described what happened, an exhumation revealed a broken neck, and Zona’s husband went to trial for her murder.

Since so many of you enjoyed Black Hope Cemetery, we are spending Thursdays for the rest of October on historical cases with a little mystery and a spooky season feel.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday!

Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries

Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteriespodcast

Visit our website: momsandmysteries.com

Sources:

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/crime/shuearticles.html

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/crime/crimeandpunishment.html

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/notewv/ghost.html

https://archive.wvculture.org/history/notewv/ghost1.html

https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_mcsearch.aspx

https://archive.wvculture.org/vrr/va_dcsearch.aspx

https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/entries/2107

https://wvdn.com/14205/

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=50356

https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghost

https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/01/greenbrier-ghost.html

https://appalachianhistorian.org/the-greenbrier-ghost-what-the-records-really-show/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/10/31/halloween-ghost-story-time-an-apparition-helped-convict-murderer/

https://blueridgetruecrime.com/crime/the-greenbrier-ghost-did-an-australian-ghost-story-solve-a-west-virginia-murder/

https://wvmetronews.com/2026/07/21/the-greenbrier-ghost-is-an-odd-west-virginia-tale/

https://unsolvedfiles.com/greenbrier-ghost-file-complete-dossier/

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On May 12, 2018, Joleen Cummings finished a shift at the Tangles Hair Salon in Fernandina Beach, Florida. The 34 year old mother of three was supposed to pick up her children the next day for Mother’s Day and her birthday, but she never arrived.

When Joleen’s SUV was found abandoned near a Home Depot, surveillance footage pointed investigators toward a new coworker. But the woman Joleen knew as Jennifer Sybert was not who she said she was. As detectives followed the trail, they uncovered false names, a stolen identity, and a history that stretched across states.

In this episode, we follow the search for Joleen, the evidence left behind at the salon, and the questions that remain years later.

Thank you to this week's sponsors!

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Sources:

Woman Dismembers Coworker at Hair Salon

Unsealed documents Kimberly Kessler's case, shows strange search history

‘They know she’s in heaven being looked after’: Joleen Cummings’ husband speaks publicly for 1st time

​​Kimberly Kessler near death on hunger strike in jail, attorneys say

‘They know she’s in heaven being looked after’: Joleen Cummings’ husband speaks publicly for 1st time

How a Florida mom's disappearance led to arrest of woman with 18 aliases - ABC News

Sheriff: Suspect in disappearance of Fla. mom has had 18 aliases, lived in 33 cities

Juror: DNA, internet searches & attempt to clean crime scene sealed Kimberly Kessler’s fate

Convicted killer Kimberly Kessler attempted suicide twice | firstcoastnews.com

Woman Who Lived Under Multiple False Identities Murders Coworker Who Threatened To Expose Her | Oxygen

Jennifer Sybert: 10 things we know about suspect in Nassau mom's disappearance

Snapped Kimberly Kessler: Identity, Trial, and Conviction

Suspect in woman’s disappearance is previously missing person who allegedly stole alias from tombstone - ABC News

Kimberly Kessler's injuries were 'defensive,' attorneys say, but agree there was a 'violent confrontation'

Joleen Cummings disappearance: Timeline of events - Action News Jax

The Hairdresser Killer: Full Police Interrogation Video

https://media.news4jax.com/document_dev/2018/09/10/Kessler-Sybert%20Information_1536606050592_12637260_ver1.0.pdf

Kimberly Kessler charged with murder in Joleen Cummings case

Trial For Florida Woman Accused Of Killing Hairstylist Begins With Bizarre Outbursts | Oxygen

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA JACKSONVILLE DIVISION KIMBERLY LEE KESSLER, Petitioner, v. Case No.

Timeline: Kimberly Kessler’s arrest, investigation into death of Joleen Cummings

Jury selection starts in Kimberly Kessler murder trial

Sheriff: Ex-boyfriend of missing stylist no longer person of interest

Murder suspect searched Joleen Cummings' name 457 times

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Left-Behind-book-series-by-Lahaye-and-Jenkins

Dismemberment experiment with knife purchased by Kimberly Kessler lasted just 73 minutes

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-6013/383314/20251104125016057_20251104-124022-00000767-00000394.pdf

Florida sheriff’s office celebrates transfer of ‘problem’ inmate with cake, ice cream

https://www.fdc.myflorida.com/institutions/institutions-list/314

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When Sandra Birchmore was 12, she joined a Stoughton, Massachusetts police youth program because she hoped to become an officer herself. What began as trust in the adults around her became the basis for years of alleged exploitation by men connected to the program.

In 2021, Sandra was found dead in her Canton apartment while pregnant with her first child. Her death was initially ruled a suicide. Federal prosecutors now allege that former Stoughton Police Officer Matthew Farwell, who had known Sandra through the Police Explorers program, strangled her and staged the scene to look like a suicide. They allege he did so to prevent Sandra from disclosing information about his conduct to law enforcement.

As of October 7, 2026, jury selection is underway in Matthew's federal trial. He has pleaded not guilty, and his defense maintains that Sandra died by suicide. In this episode, we trace Sandra's life, the Police Explorers program, the original investigation, and the case now being argued in federal court.

New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday!

Follow us on Instagram: @momsandmysteries

Join our Patreon: patreon.com/momsandmysteries

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Sources:

Former Massachusetts Police Officer Arrested in Connection with Murder of Young Woman | United States Department of Justice

The Betrayal of Sandra Birchmore

The Sandra Birchmore Case Details Get Worse

The Sandra Birchmore Case: Ex Stoughton Police Detective Indicted on Murder Charges

Could Sandra Birchmore’s Alleged Killer Be Charged with Larceny?

Family of former Stoughton police explorer files wrongful death lawsuit against 3 ex-officers

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25079501/farwellindictment.pdf

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/usa_v._matthew_farwell_-_detention_affidavit_2.pdf

​​A timeline of Sandra Birchmore's relationship with her alleged killer, former Stoughton police officer Matthew Farwell

Sexual relationship between Stoughton police officer and minor detailed in report - masslive.com

Matthew Farwell, charged in Sandra Birchmore's death, to remain in custody until trial - CBS Boston

Matthew Farwell to remain behind bars until trial on charges in death of Sandra Birchmore - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

William Farwell, brother of man charged with killing Sandra Birchmore, has police certification revoked - CBS Boston

Former Stoughton deputy chief Robert Devine decertified over misconduct allegations | GBH

Sandra Birchmore’s mental health history allowed in Matthew Farwell trial

Karen Read's attorneys seek unredacted documents from Sandra Birchmore death investigation - CBS Boston

Sandra Birchmore case records

https://crimetimelines.com/sandra-birchmore-timeline/

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In 1983, Sam and Judith Haney were preparing to install a swimming pool behind their home in the Newport subdivision of Crosby, Texas, when they uncovered two human graves. The discovery led them to the Black Hope Addition Graveyard, a largely forgotten African American cemetery whose boundaries and burial records had faded from public view. Court records later confirmed that Purcell Company, Inc.'s field superintendent had been warned about a possible grave during construction and had ordered the marked area cleared.

After the graves were found, the Haneys and other Newport residents began sharing unsettling accounts of unexplained noises, flickering appliances, shadows, and an overwhelming feeling that something was wrong in their homes. Those reports remain personal accounts, not independently verifiable findings. We follow the documented discovery, the neighborhood's haunting stories, and the legal battle that reached the Texas Supreme Court, while considering what it means when a community's lost burial ground is rediscovered beneath a new neighborhood.

Thank you to this week's sponsors!

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https://blog.hmns.org/2016/10/dead-things-that-might-be-under-your-house-part-3-the-black-hope-horror/

https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19910703-1991-07-03-9107020204-story.html

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/Black-Hope-horror-doesn-t-haunt-this-hood-9565799.php

https://www.newspapers.com/image/6328483/?terms=black%20hope%20cemetery&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/432137176/?terms=black%20hope%20cemetery&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/587255480/?terms=%22Judith%20Haney%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/587810697/?terms=black%20hope%20cemetery&match=1

https://unsolved.com/gallery/black-hope-curse/

https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/unsolved-mysteries/6560804523973069112/seasons/12/episodes/episode-7-episode-7/3bd5e703-4112-364d-966c-6e5d08627632

https://aaregistry.org/story/black-slave-cemeteries-in-america-a-story/

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/enslavedgrave.html

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/africanamericancemetery.html

https://www.sciway.net/hist/chicora/gravematters-1.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/africanamerican-grave-markers

https://forum.savingplaces.org/blogs/special-contributor/2016/06/02/recovering-and-preserving-african-american-cemeteries

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/growing-movement-black-cemeteries-rcna15566

https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/african-american-cemeteries-destruction/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-landrights-race-trfn/the-race-to-save-african-american-cemeteries-from-being-erased-idUSKCN2DW01A

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/why-do-people-believe-in-ghosts/379072/

https://www.livescience.com/52641-science-of-paranormal-ghosts.html

https://today.yougov.com/topics/society/articles-reports/2022/10/20/americans-describe-paranormal-encounters-poll

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/ghosts

https://casetext.com/case/haney-v-purcell-co-inc

https://casetext.com/case/haney-v-purcell-co-inc-

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/supreme-court/1989/c-7949.html

https://www.casem

https://blog.hmns.org/2016/10/dead-things-that-might-be-under-your-house-part-3-the-black-hope-horror/

https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19910703-1991-07-03-9107020204-story.html

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/article/Black-Hope-horror-doesn-t-haunt-this-hood-9565799.php

https://www.newspapers.com/image/6328483/?terms=black%20hope%20cemetery&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/432137176/?terms=black%20hope%20cemetery&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/587255480/?terms=%22Judith%20Haney%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/587810697/?terms=black%20hope%20cemetery&match=1

https://unsolved.com/gallery/black-hope-curse/

https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/unsolved-mysteries/6560804523973069112/seasons/12/episodes/episode-7-episode-7/3bd5e703-4112-364d-966c-6e5d08627632

https://aaregistry.org/story/black-slave-cemeteries-in-america-a-story/

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/enslavedgrave.html

http://www.virginiaplaces.org/population/africanamericancemetery.html

https://www.sciway.net/hist/chicora/gravematters-1.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/africanamerican-grave-markers

https://forum.savingplaces.org/blogs/special-contributor/2016/06/02/recovering-and-preserving-african-american-cemeteries

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/growing-movement-black-cemeteries-rcna15566

https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/african-american-cemeteries-destruction/

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-landrights-race-trfn/the-race-to-save-african-american-cemeteries-from-being-erased-idUSKCN2DW01A

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/why-do-people-believe-in-ghosts/379072/

https://www.livescience.com/52641-science-of-paranormal-ghosts.html

https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/44143-americans-describe-paranormal-encounters-poll

https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/ghosts

https://casetext.com/case/haney-v-purcell-co-inc

https://casetext.com/case/haney-v-purcell-co-inc-

https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/supreme-court/1989/c-7949.html

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/59148956add7b049345010db

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1207164572/?match=1&terms=%22Black%20Hope%20Horror%22%20williams

https://www.newspapers.com/image/112488089/?match=1&terms=Grave%20Secrets%3A%20The%20Legacy%20of%20Hilltop%20Drive

https://www.newspapers.com/image/528141740/?match=1&terms=%22Black%20Hope%20Horror%22%20williams

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1204728502/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1205424778/?match=1&terms=%22Black%20Hope%22%20cemetery%20sam%20judy%20haney%20supreme%20court

https://www.newspapers.com/image/350766163/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/1204705228/?match=1&terms=%22Black%20Hope%20Horror%22%20williams

https://search.worldcat.org/title/The-black-hope-horror-%3A-the-true-story-of-a-haunting/oclc/760946601

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Black_Hope_Horror.html?id=7W1WAAAAYAAJ

https://www.davidselby.com/photos/grave_secrets.htm

https://www.mountvernon.org/preservation/archaeology/african-american-burial-ground

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/building-an-african-american-community-at-hot-springs.htm

https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/03/14/how-the-uss-black-cemeteries-are-being-made-visible-once-more

https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/chronicles/2023/antoinette-jackson-featured-on-60-minutes.aspx

https://blackcemeterynetwork.org/leadership

https://savingplaces.org/press-center/media-resources/african-american-burial-grounds-preservation-act-passes-congress

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