In 1929, a pair of European lovers abandoned civilization for a remote island in the Galápagos. Their utopian experiment made headlines around the world. But within a few years, several residents had vanished or died under unsettling circumstances, leaving behind one of the strangest murder mysteries in the history of the islands.

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Special thanks to Abbott Kahler! Check out her book, Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II.

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joe Pompeo
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

See you next Wednesday!

In 1929, a pair of European lovers abandoned civilization for a remote island in the Gal&aacute;pagos. Their utopian experiment made headlines around the world. But within a few years, several residents had vanished or died under unsettling circumstances, leaving behind one of the strangest murder mysteries in the history of the islands.
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Special thanks to Abbott Kahler! Check out her book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eden-Undone-Story-Murder-Utopia/dp/0451498658">Eden Undone: A True Story of Sex, Murder, and Utopia at the Dawn of World War II</a>.
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by <a href="https://joepompeo.net">Joe Pompeo</a> Produced by Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Chris Childs Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
See you next Wednesday!

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Stranger-than-fiction tales about normal people in extraordinary situations. Stories that make you say, “this should be a movie.” Follow Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

Very Special Episodes

The Galápagos Murders

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/347282cf-0132-41b3-812c-b4020157e949/transcript

George White ran the CIA brothel. He watched from a hidden room while men were dosed with LSD — and he convinced himself the fate of the nation depended on it.

Operation Midnight Climax

In 2000, weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony, 55 Oscars vanished during shipment to Los Angeles. The disappearance triggered a frantic search. Then, in a twist worthy of a movie plot, a man digging through a grocery store dumpster stumbled on dozens of missing trophies. He was hailed as a hero. But that was only the beginning.

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Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.

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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

 

In 2000, weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony, 55 Oscars vanished during shipment to Los Angeles. The disappearance triggered a frantic search. Then, in a twist worthy of a movie plot, a man digging through a grocery store dumpster stumbled on dozens of missing trophies. He was hailed as a hero. But that was only the beginning.
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Get your very special questions in for our next mailbag! You can reach us at <a href="mailto:veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com">veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com</a>.
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Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Jake Rossen Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington Additional Editing by Mary Dooe Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
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Movie Mystery: The 2000 Oscars Heist

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/189fb403-6df2-4399-a212-b409018b67f4/transcript

For 20 years, Canadian sailor Lawrence Lemieux chased perfection on the water. He slept in vans. He drained his savings. He dedicated his life to a single goal: standing on an Olympic podium. At the 1988 Games in Seoul, that dream was finally within reach. Then, in the chaos of a brutal race, he was forced to make a split-second decision. It would cost him his shot at a medal, and forever change his life. 

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Mike Smeltz
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Social Clips by Yarberry Media
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

For 20 years, Canadian sailor Lawrence Lemieux chased perfection on the water. He slept in vans. He drained his savings. He dedicated his life to a single goal: standing on an Olympic podium. At the 1988 Games in Seoul, that dream was finally within reach. Then, in the chaos of a brutal race, he was forced to make a split-second decision. It would cost him his shot at a medal, and forever change his life.&nbsp;
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English Written by Mike Smeltz Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Social Clips by Yarberry Media Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English

Taking On Water

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/05fd66b4-9b04-4275-a7dc-b3fb017e5882/transcript

In the winter of 1980, the world turned its eyes to Lake Placid, New York, host of the Winter Olympics. But behind the pageantry, another structure loomed in the Adirondack woods. Built to house 1,800 athletes, the Olympic Village looked less like a dormitory than a detention center — because that’s exactly what it was designed to become.

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Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English
Written by Zaron Burnett
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott. 

In the winter of 1980, the world turned its eyes to Lake Placid, New York, host of the Winter Olympics. But behind the pageantry, another structure loomed in the Adirondack woods. Built to house 1,800 athletes, the Olympic Village looked less like a dormitory than a detention center &mdash; because that&rsquo;s exactly what it was designed to become.
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Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English Written by Zaron Burnett Senior Producer is Josh Fisher Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher Original Music by Elise McCoy Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla Executive Producer is Jason English
For School of Humans, Producers are Emilia Brock and Edeliz Perez. Executive Producer is Virginia Prescott.&nbsp;

The Olympic Prison

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/50ba0709-9759-4a22-bdfb-b3f50028b732/transcript

The Galápagos Murders

Operation Midnight Climax

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