The Search Podcast

On April 1st 2006, Ohio State med student Brian Shaffer walked into the Ugly Tuna Saloon bar in Columbus…and was never seen leaving.
No footage. No body. No answers.

In this episode, we break down one of the most haunting disappearances in modern U.S. history — the night out that turned into a national mystery. From security-camera blind spots to a cell phone that rang months later, and theories ranging from accident to abduction — we dive deep into what might have really happened to Brian Shaffer.

🕵️‍♂️ Featuring: The Search team’s theory segment, R...

In Episode 11 of The Search, we continue examining Boston’s string of water-related deaths — from Justin Leo Marshall in Charlestown to David Mark in East Boston and Boston College student Franco Garcia.

Were these coincidences, or is there a deeper pattern? We analyze timelines, police reports, and public theories behind Boston’s “Smiley Face” drownings.

⚠️ Listener discretion is advised.

Follow The Search for more true crime stories exploring the world’s most unsettling mysteries.

He taunted police. He sent cryptic letters to newspapers. And more than fifty years later, his identity remains one of true crime’s greatest mysteries.

In this episode of The Search, we break down the Zodiac Killer’s timeline — from his first murders to the coded letters that baffled investigators for decades. We dive into the theories, suspects, and the eerie legacy that still haunts Northern California and true crime fans everywhere.

Follow The Search for weekly deep dives into the world’s most fascinating and disturbing unsolved cases.

Presented by Dave’s Hot Chicken, this episode of The Search investigates the chilling mystery behind the so-called “Smiley Face Killer” theory — a string of unexplained drownings and disappearances of young men found in and around waterways across the country, including several cases in the Boston area.

For more than two decades, investigators, journalists, and online communities have debated whether these incidents are tragic coincidences or evidence of a larger, coordinated pattern.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The pattern of eerily similar disappearances near rivers and harbors
• The origins of the “Smiley Face Ki...

On a quiet Sunday morning in 1982, 12-year-old paperboy Johnny Gosch left his home in West Des Moines, Iowa—and never returned. His disappearance shocked the nation, launched one of America’s first milk carton missing child campaigns, and still leaves more questions than answers over 40 years later.

In this episode of The Search, we trace the morning Johnny vanished, the desperate search that followed, and the rumors that spiraled into theories of organized crime, trafficking rings, and government cover-ups. Most of all, we explore how his mother, Noreen Gosch, became a relentless voice for missing children and why...

In the late 1980s, fear gripped the South Coast of Massachusetts when nine women vanished and were later found murdered along highways near New Bedford. The case remains unsolved to this day. Known as the “New Bedford Highway Killer,” this series of crimes devastated families, rattled an entire community, and has left investigators searching for answers for more than three decades.

In this episode of The Search, we dive deep into the victims’ stories, the timeline of the disappearances, and the long list of potential suspects. From theories about truck drivers to whispers of organized crime ties, this c...

The Disappearance of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia | The Search Podcast Ep. 6

Presented by Dave’s Hot Chicken, this episode of The Search dives into one of the most infamous unsolved cases in American history: the brutal murder of Elizabeth Short, known worldwide as the Black Dahlia.

In this episode, we cover:

• Who Elizabeth Short was before the headlines

• The discovery of her body in Los Angeles in 1947

• The flood of suspects, false confessions, and media frenzy that followed

• Leading theories about who may have been respo...

In March 2004, 17-year-old Brianna Maitland vanished after leaving her shift at the Black Lantern Inn in Montgomery, Vermont. The next day, her car was found backed into an abandoned farmhouse — driver’s door open, headlights still on, and no sign of Brianna.

Despite searches, interviews, and countless theories, her disappearance remains one of New England’s most haunting unsolved mysteries.

In this episode of The Search, we break down:
• The timeline of Brianna Maitland’s disappearance
• Key evidence and what her abandoned car reveals
• Leading theories and reported sightings
• Why her case continues t...

Presented by Dave’s Hot Chicken, The Search brings you the case of Evelyn Hartley. In October 1953, 15-year-old high school student Evelyn Hartley disappeared while babysitting in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Despite massive searches, extensive investigations, and decades of leads, her disappearance remains one of the most haunting cold cases in American history.

In this episode, we break down:
• The events leading up to Evelyn Hartley’s disappearance
• Theories about what could have happened that night
• Reported sightings, suspects, and dead ends over the years
• Why her case continues to remain unsolved more than 70 years later<...

Presented by Dave's Hot Chicken, The Search brings you the case of Maura Murray. In February 2004, 21-year-old nursing student Maura Murray vanished after a car crash on a rural road in Haverhill, New Hampshire. Despite searches, tips, and countless theories, her disappearance remains one of the most perplexing unsolved cases in America.

In this episode, we break down:
 • The timeline leading up to Maura Murray’s disappearance
 • Theories about what could have happened that night
 • Reported sightings and leads over the years
 • Why her case continues to baffle investigators and captivate the true crime communit...

Presented by Dave’s Hot Chicken and produced by Torro Media, The Search Podcast kicks off with Episode 2, the disappearance of Amy Lynn Bradley. 

In March 1998, 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley disappeared without a trace from the Rhapsody of the Seas cruise ship while sailing in the Caribbean with her family. Despite extensive searches, reported sightings, and ongoing theories, her case remains one of the most haunting cruise ship disappearances in history.

In this episode, we break down:

- The timeline of Amy Lynn Bradley’s disappearance
- Theories about...

Presented by Dave’s Hot Chicken and produced by Torro Media, The Search Podcast kicks off with Episode 1: the haunting disappearance of Molly Bish.

In June 2000, 16-year-old Molly Bish vanished from her lifeguard post at Comins Pond in Warren, Massachusetts. Her case triggered the largest search in Massachusetts history — and remains one of New England’s most infamous unsolved mysteries.

Hosts Marc Lewis and Al Giorgio revisit the timeline of Molly’s disappearance, examine key theories and suspects, and discuss the profound impact this case has had on the communit...