46. The Controversial Case of Byron Smith & the Murders of Nick Brady and Hailie Kifer
In this week's episode, we are headed to Minnesota covering the controversial case of Byron Smith and the murders of Nick and Hailie.
Byron Smith was a retired security engineer living a quiet, isolated life in Little Falls, Minnesota—a man who kept to himself and had grown increasingly uneasy after a string of break-ins at his home. On Thanksgiving Day 2012, that unease collided with the actions of two teenagers.
Nick and Haile were known in their community as typical teens—inseparable, always driving around town together, and bonded in a way that felt more like siblings than cousins.
Around noon on Thanksgiving, the pair entered Smith’s home through a window, unaware that Byron was inside the house when they stepped in.
What happened next inside that quiet basement staircase would become one of the most controversial and widely debated self-defense cases in Minnesota’s history. From Byron's detailed home audio recordings to the community’s shock at the teenagers’ deaths, the case sparked intense questions about fear, boundaries, premeditation, and the limits of “defending your home.”
The story that unfolded in the aftermath—through interviews, recovered security footage, and hours of audio—left the public deeply divided on what truly happened in that dark, silent house on Thanksgiving Day.
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45. The Tinder App Murder of Sydney Loofe
In this week's episode, I will be covering the Tinder App Murder of Sydney Loofe.
In November 2017, 24-year-old Sydney Loofe from Lincoln, Nebraska went on a date with someone she met through Tinder. After posting a cheerful Snapchat about getting ready, she vanished the next day. Her sudden disappearance — leaving behind her car, wallet, and even her beloved cat — immediately alarmed her family and friends.
As investigators retraced Sydney’s final steps, digital evidence quickly pointed toward two individuals she had met through the app. Their movements, purchases, and online activity set off major red flags, leading to nationwide headlines and an intense search.
The investigation uncovered a deeply disturbing pattern of deception and manipulation. Over several weeks, detectives pieced together phone records, surveillance footage, and online data that tied the suspects to Sydney’s disappearance. What followed was one of Nebraska’s most shocking and heavily debated criminal trials, raising questions about online safety, coercion, and the dangers of meeting strangers through dating apps.
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44. Q&A Part II - Beyond the Ferns Pod!
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43. Q&A - Beyond the Ferns Pod!
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42. The Scream Murder of Cassie Jo Stoddart
In this chilling episode, Beyond the Ferns covers the absolutely brutal and senseless 2006 murder of 16-year-old Cassie Jo Stoddart — a case forever dubbed “The Scream Murder.” What began as a quiet weekend of house-sitting in Pocatello, Idaho, turned into a real-life horror story when two classmates, inspired by the Scream franchise, plotted and carried out her killing. A planned murder of their friend turns into a whole "death list" they expected to carry out with more classmates at their school. However, fortunately, they are caught before those crimes can turn into reality.
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