We’ve got a lot to share this week, so let’s jump right in!

First, some exciting news: Wes has a new story out in Slate, and it’s a big one. It’s about a man named Winston Walters, a young citizen of the Comanche Nation who grew up catfish noodling in rural Oklahoma and, as a teenager, became a breakout star on the reality show Mudcats. Then, right as things were taking off for him, he was convicted in a brutal 2013 home invasion and sentenced to 92 years in prison. He’s always said he’s innocent, and over the years his case has taken on a life of its own online, with thousands of people pushing for his release.

Years later, the man Winston was convicted of shooting sends word through a prison guard that he’ll help get his sentence reduced … but only if Winston writes a letter first, admitting he did it. What Winston chooses to do is not what I expected, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. As he put it, “A lie put me here. Will a lie get me out?”

You can read the whole thing here! (If that gift link is expired, here’s the regular link.)

And if you find yourself wanting more once you reach the end, you might be in luck: we’re hoping to turn Winston’s case into a future season of The Unforgotten.

A meaningful night for Shelley Watkins’ case

In lighter news, Carol and Claire’s live show in Kerens, TX, was last week! It was such a good night. After all these years of Carol telling Shelley’s story, getting to meet so many of you in person really meant a lot to her. She was even able to reveal some new information about the case that she hadn’t been able to make public before.

And if you couldn’t be there, we’ve got you — we’re tentatively planning to share the full episode next week, so keep an eye on your inbox.

More Devil Town around the corner!

Finally, a quick word on Devil Town. We know it’s been a little bit, and we want to let you know why. We’ve got three new episodes almost ready to go, but this batch gets into some really sensitive territory, and before we put it out, we want to be completely sure everything is accurate and airtight. We’re close now, and I think it’ll be worth the wait. It’ll be a deep dive into someone a lot of you have suspected since the beginning.

As always, thank you so much for your support of the show and for sticking with us! Talk soon!

— Aislyn

Carol Dawson, our co-host of The Unforgotten, Season 1: The Labor Day Ghost, shared the cover of her new book, also titled The Labor Day Ghost, today in an interview with People Magazine. The book, like Season 1 of The Unforgotten, covers the 1993 murder of Shelley Watkins in Corsicana, Texas. Check out the cover below!

The Labor Day Ghost: A Murder, Its Cover-Up, and the Long Road to Justice is coming out March 2, 2027 from The University of Texas Press, and it’s now available for preorder wherever you get books, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your favorite local bookstore (you can also ask them to stock it when it comes out!).

In other news, Wes just taped the next episode of Devil Town, and we’re excited to share it with y’all soon!

We’d also like to congratulate Charlie Scudder on his new position as director of student media at Indiana University!

You might recognize Charlie from Seasons 2 and 4 of The Unforgotten. We’ll miss him in Texas, but we’re excited for him as he starts this new chapter and returns to his alma mater, where he’ll be doing his part to educate the next generation of journalists and media creators.

That’s all for now! Thank you for reading, listening, and supporting the show. Talk soon! — Aislyn

We’ve got a special bonus episode for you this week, and it comes with some exciting news. Carol Dawson — the co-host from our very first season, The Labor Day Ghost — is taking Shelley’s case live!

On September 10th, Carol and true crime producer Claire St. Amant are recording a live-streamed podcast in Kerens, Texas, as part of Claire’s T…

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We’re back with Episode 14 of Devil Town, “Slashed Tires” — and it looks into a strange little mystery Wes has never been able to shake.

(If you still need to catch up, you can start from the very beginning, ad-free, right here on Substack — Episode 1 is here.)

You probably remember that the morning after Kelly vanished, her car was found ou…

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We’re back with Episode 13 of Devil Town, “The Tape” — and I’m excited to share a big piece of evidence in Kelly’s case with you all!

New to Devil Town? It’s from the same team behind The Unforgotten, and the show follows the 1992 disappearance of 17-year-old Kelly Wilson from Gilmer, Texas. You can start from the very beginning, ad-free,…

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For those of you who haven’t listened to Devil Town before, it covers the disappearance of 17-year-old Kelly Wilson from …

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In this episode, the search for Kelly Wilson takes yet another strange twist when a local man is arrested for disturbing sex crimes. Private investigator Amanda Gammill announces a break in the case.

You can listen to the first follow-up episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, before she vanished, Kelly Wilson was dating a young man with a hot temper named Chris Denton. Police named Chris their chief suspect, but his friends insist he's innocent. Meanwhile, a Gilmer native accuses her own brother of hiding Kelly's body.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, what was Kelly hiding when she vanished? A chance encounter takes the search in a new direction.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, Kelly's dad raises suspicions about the people who were closest to her. Older men in Kelly's life also come under scrutiny.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, Raymond's parents and Sgt. Brown demand justice from the prosecutor who accused them of kidnapping and murdering teenager Kelly Wilson.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, state prosecutor Shane Phelps takes justice into his own hands in the capital murder cases against eight men and women who are accused of kidnapping and killing Kelly Wilson.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, indictments for the murder of Kelly Wilson are based on the witness statements of a young boy who said he took part in unspeakable crimes.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, when eight people are indicted for the murder of Kelly Wilson, a state prosecutor offers his assistance — only to seize control of the investigation.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, bizarre details emerge in the alleged kidnapping and murder of Kelly Wilson, terrifying the residents of a small Texas town.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In this episode, when police officer James York Brown is assigned to search for Kelly, the case takes a stunning turn, throwing Sergeant Brown’s life into turmoil.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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In the series premiere, local teenager Kelly Wilson tells friends she’s going to a party after work. Instead, Kelly vanishes from the town square in Gilmer, Texas.

You can listen to the next episode here.

— Aislyn

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For the anniversary, Brandon Bevers and his three daughters sat down with CBS News Texas for their first real interview in years. The girls have stayed very private this whole time, so…

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We’re back with Episode 5, “Tammy and the Tribute Bands,” early and ad-free! With the police’s leads (that we know about) all fizzling out, this episode follows our host Zoe down one of the strangest rabbit holes of the season — and it runs straight through the rock ’n’ roll tribute band scene of the Dallas metro area. This episode is a…

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We’re back with Episode 4, “Leads to Nowhere,” early and ad-free!

When an unusual public comment from Missy Bevers’ husband, Brandon, raises eyebrows, rumors of infidelity take on a life of their own. This episode digs into where the rumors actually led — along with a few other early threads police and internet sleuths pulled on.

The first …

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