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Sword and Scale

True Crime

Sword and Scale is a weekly true crime podcast covering the dark underworld of crime and the criminal justice system’s response to it. The first episode launched January 1st, 2014 and feature stories of murder, abduction, rape, and even more bizarre forms of crime. It’s the purest form of true-crime where the raw uncensored audio tells the story. Everything from 911 calls to court testimony, interviews with victims and sometimes with perpetrators give listeners a 360 degree look at the seedy underbelly of human nature and so-called civilized society. Sword and scale proves that the worst monsters are real. Episodes missing from the free feed are premium "+PLUS" episodes, and can be found at swordandscale.com.

Location:

Houston, TX

Genres:

True Crime

Description:

Sword and Scale is a weekly true crime podcast covering the dark underworld of crime and the criminal justice system’s response to it. The first episode launched January 1st, 2014 and feature stories of murder, abduction, rape, and even more bizarre forms of crime. It’s the purest form of true-crime where the raw uncensored audio tells the story. Everything from 911 calls to court testimony, interviews with victims and sometimes with perpetrators give listeners a 360 degree look at the seedy underbelly of human nature and so-called civilized society. Sword and scale proves that the worst monsters are real. Episodes missing from the free feed are premium "+PLUS" episodes, and can be found at swordandscale.com.

Language:

English

Contact:

3052057667


Episodes
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Episode 299

6/9/2025
Ashley Bocanegra told everyone the attack was random, but deep down, she knew it wasn’t. Hours later, she was dead, and her attackers were on the hook for murder. What no one realized was that Ashley had been hiding a secret, and it was one she was determined to take to her grave.

Duration:01:12:06

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Episode 297

6/2/2025
On June 5th, 1994, a young woman and her dog stumbled upon a dismembered torso behind a gas station dumpster in a quiet Florida town, setting off an investigation that would span decades. As the case went cold, a dark figure remained hidden in plain sight, only to resurface years later. When a missing person’s flier related to the disappearance of 16-year-old Fred Laster sparked new interest, a shocking family connection led detectives to a seemingly upstanding youth pastor with a sinister past.

Duration:01:11:50

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Episode 296

5/27/2025
On March 20, 2017, Tahirih Lua D’Angelo was found brutally murdered in her Riverview, Florida home. Investigators quickly realized this was a personal attack when they discovered she had been killed on her 39th birthday. Suspicion only deepened when a bloodied aluminum baseball bat with the word "Rampage" imprinted on the side, was located by the front door…

Duration:01:11:56

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Episode 295

5/23/2025
When 23-year-old Ellie Weik vanished from her West Chester, Ohio home on July 29, 2018, her journal entries and messages revealed a dangerous presence in her life. Over the course of a month, detectives unraveled a web of deception, catfishing, and stalking, all leading to someone she already knew.

Duration:01:16:53

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Episode 294

5/19/2025
Some men think marriage means control, a game of blackmail sealed with secrets. Mark-Eric Ponsati thought he’d silenced his wife for good. But some things refuse to stay buried. Even in death, they’d come back to haunt him.

Duration:01:03:30

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Episode 293

5/12/2025
In 1990, 11-year-old Robin Cornell and 32-year-old Lisa Story were brutally assaulted and murdered in their Cape Coral home. For over two decades, the case remained unsolved, leaving their families and community desperate for closure. Then, a single piece of evidence—a DNA match—finally brought an answer. But with that answer came an even deeper question: Are we all born free of evil, is it something that can grow within us over time?

Duration:01:03:06

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Episode 292

5/5/2025
One morning, seven-year-old Adrian woke up to a confusing and upsetting scene at home. As he tries to understand what's happening, we learn about the hidden problems and growing conflicts among the adults in his life. This child's confusion turns into a harsh reality that will have a lasting impact on his world.

Duration:01:12:47

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Episode 290

5/2/2025
When 14-year-old Alianna Defreeze didn’t come home from school one January afternoon, her parents knew something terrible had happened. Police would follow clues from video surveillance to find the monster that was responsible for one of the most unjust crimes Cleveland had ever seen.

Duration:01:01:14

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Episode 289

4/30/2025
On January 11, 2018, a routine house fire revealed something much more sinister. 28-year-old Elisabeth Bell had burned to death on the second floor of her small eastside home in Buffalo. But as investigators pieced together the how, the real mystery remained as to why?

Duration:00:57:28

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Episode 288

4/28/2025
On Mother’s Day weekend in 2021, a brutal crime shattered an affluent neighborhood in St. Johns, Florida. When 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey was reported missing, the community mobilized, unaware of the dark secrets lurking just beneath the surface. As investigators closed in on a suspect, it became clear that some of the most chilling betrayals came from those closest to home.

Duration:01:11:25

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Episode 287

4/21/2025
In November 2021, beloved Fairfield, Iowa, Spanish teacher Nohema Graber vanished during her routine walk in Chautauqua Park. Her body was found the next day, hidden under a tarp with signs of trauma. As investigators dug deeper, unsettling ties to students and school officials emerged, leaving the town to question who was responsible—and why. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sword-and-scale--5895676/support.

Duration:01:08:08

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Episode 285

4/6/2025
When a welfare check on Sherry Harlan led the Snohomish County police to her tattered and bloody apartment, they knew something much more sinister had happened. But an investigation would soon uncover a murder twisted up in pagan magic. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sword-and-scale--5895676/support.

Duration:01:03:03

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Episode 284

3/31/2025
It was just after Christmas in 2011, and 22-year-old college cheerleader Saleha Huuda was found dead and burning in a brush fire on the side of the Gainesville Raceway. As the police tried to figure out how this happy-go-lucky student was murdered, they uncovered a twisted story of lies and sex all revolving around one selfish person.

Duration:01:11:26

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Episode 283

3/3/2025
On the morning of June 14, 2012, 31-year-old Adam Chase stormed out of his home in Stanley, NY, following a heated argument with his wife, Rose. Hours turned into days, and Adam seemed to vanish without a trace. When former deputy-turned-private investigator Rodney Miller caught wind of the case, his instincts led him to one major suspicion- which was the possibility that Adam Chase never left his home.

Duration:01:32:38

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Episode 282

2/17/2025
21-year-old Lauren Kukla spent her life holding her family together - a Michigan household defined by chaos, addiction, and mental illness. Unlike her troubled siblings, Lauren had managed to stay grounded, becoming the caretaker and peacekeeper. While she was preoccupied with managing each crisis on the surface, the deeper issues went unnoticed. By the time Lauren realized what was happening, it was too late.

Duration:01:19:18

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Episode 281

2/3/2025
On May 8th, 2008, an intruder entered the home of 53-year-old Thomas Randolph and his wife Sharon. The masked man waited until the couple arrived home from date night in downtown Las Vegas, and shot Sharon in the head as soon as she walked through the door. When Thomas discovered the grisly scene, he shot the intruder. This case was much more complicated than anyone bargained for. 16 years later, it’s still ongoing.

Duration:01:08:23

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Episode 280

1/19/2025
In June of 2014, 16-year-old Gina Burger went missing from her home in Austintown, Ohio. Two days after she was reported missing, Gina was found 50 miles away, in another state. Her lifeless body was discovered among trash, in a landfill.

Duration:01:00:57

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A Holiday Message

12/19/2024
Wanted to take a minute to send you a holiday message. Take care. If you're having a tough time and need someone to talk to, please call 988. You're not bothering anyone. That's that it's for. Use it. We'll be back in January! Happy Holidays & Stay Safe, MB & S&S Staff

Duration:00:03:51

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Episode 279

12/15/2024
On a warm afternoon in Wichita Falls, TX the twisted mind of Kody Lott would be unleashed on the unsuspecting middle-schoolers walking home. Forever etched in their minds is the day that their friend Lauren Landavazo was gunned down in front of them. The reason for Kody’s actions perhaps rivals the heinous act itself.

Duration:01:07:42

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Episode 278

12/1/2024
The murder of 14-year-old April Millsap in July 2014 sent the village of Armada into a frenzy. They hadn’t seen a murder in years let alone the murder of a child. The police enlisted the help of the Michigan State Police and the FBI to run down over 1000 tips. They followed every path of investigation. Most were dead ends but one led to James VanCallis.

Duration:01:20:15