Deep Cover

Valley of Shadows is a new Pushkin true crime podcast that digs into a nearly 30-year old secret buried in the California desert. On June 11, 1998, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy Jon Aujay went for a run in California’s Devil’s Punchbowl park...and never came back. Nearly 30 years later, the mystery surrounding his disappearance has only deepened. Some say Aujay is just another missing hiker, claimed by the inhospitable landscape of the Southern California desert. Some say he took his own life out there. But there’s another theory that many of Aujay’s friends and LASD colleagues are convinced is true—that he was the victim of foul play, and that his own department is covering it up. Through exclusive interviews, revealing wiretaps, and buried police files, investigative reporters Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd uncover vestiges of the Wild West in a small California town, where outlaw biker gangs crank out methamphetamine and local cops operate on both sides of the law. (00:01:04) Find Valley of Shadows wherever you get podcasts. Binge the entire season of Valley of Shadows, ad-free, by subscribing to Pushkin+. Sign up on the Valley of Shadows show page on Apple Podcasts or at Pushkin.fm/plus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jake sits down with his Season 6 co-host Jess McHugh at WBUR CitySpace for a live conversation. They discuss the value of trust, share some never-before-heard tape, and give an update on what’s happened with Sarah since our season ended. If you’d like to support Patrol Base Abbate (https://www.pbabbate.org), follow this link: https://donate.pbabbate.org/give/373840/#!/donation/checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jake sits down with Snowball creator Ollie Wards to discuss how a family mystery became an international hit. They trace Ollie’s journey from the first recorded conversation with his dad – recorded under a hotel duvet – to the heart-pounding moment he found himself face-to-face with the con artist herself: Lezlie Manukian. Along the way, they touch on the challenges of reporting on family, the psychology of scammers and their victims, and the strange kind of closure that comes when truth is messier than justice. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the confrontation in the supermarket carpark, Ollie is left feeling confused — has he beencharmed just like everyone else in this story? Lezlie left promising Ollie she would meet for a proper interview the next day. Will she turn up... orleave him and his family hanging? More details come to life about the consequences of Lezlie's reckless lifestyle and how little she hasprospered. Ollie asks himself if he should be feeling sorry for her. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ollie and Simon have criss-crossed California to find themselves parked in their American muscle carstaking out exits from a supermarket they think Lezlie works in. They may only have one shot to talk toher and finally get some answers. In preparation, Ollie speaks with psychologist and professional poker player Maria Konnikova, who tells him the real meaning of the term "con artist". Her most potent tip is to beware the charm offensive...and be prepared to use it in return. Listen to Deep Cover Presents: Snowball ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Find Pushkin+ on the Deep Cover show page in Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.