Following Leads is a weekly video podcast hosted by Laura Hettiger that follows the stories everyone is talking about—and the people living through them. From missing-person cases and major investigations to high-profile trials and national tragedies, each episode goes beyond the headlines to explore the questions, consequences, and human experiences at the center of the story.
Through interviews, analysis, and powerful storytelling, Following Leads uncovers the connections between crime, justice, family, and community. Because the most important lead is often the one that reveals how real lives are changed forever.
A production of The Following Leads Podcast Network & Gray Media
Executive Producer/Creator: Wade Smith
Host/Co-Creator: Laura Hettiger
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Host Laura Hettiger sits down with Western Mass News Anchor Chris Pisano to discuss the chilling 2023 Duxbury tragedy, exploring the reality of postpartum psychosis, the impact on Massachusetts communities, and the vital importance of remembering the young lives of Cora, Dawson, and Callan Clancy.
Months after the shocking abduction of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, from her quiet Tucson home, Following Leads: The Podcast sits down with journalist Raya Torres. Having covered the case from day one, Torres shares her unique perspective on reporting on a massive story that instantly captured international attention while unfolding in her own neighborhood.
In this episode, we dive into the stark contrast between a local reporting team's deeply felt responsibility to their community and the overwhelming influx of national media and true crime enthusiasts. Torres reflects on the mounting fear within the Catalina Foothills neighborhood, the frustrations of local residents under a sudden media microscope, and the ethical tightrope of balancing public interest with human sensitivity.
Torres also takes us behind the scenes of the newsroom as they navigated the chilling receipt of two credible ransom notes sent directly to their station's anonymous pitch form. She describes how the team handled these highly sensitive leads in cooperation with the FBI, as well as the collective shock that rippled through the station when the haunting Nest doorbell camera images of the suspect were first released.
As this active investigation continues six months later without an arrest, the Tucson community and the nation remain hopeful for answers and closure for the Guthrie family. Tune in to hear a compelling discussion on the ethics of true crime reporting, the fight against digital misinformation, and the enduring rallying cry to finally bring Nancy home.
Our country loves a mystery. Millions of us are captivated by true crime. We hang on to every headline, every breaking news update, every tidbit we can get our hands on. But eventually the news cycle moves on — and so do we, oftentimes forgetting the very real human impact of true crime.
But there are some stories that we just can't move on from. And one of those stories happened one Awful Night in Idaho — that awful night when four college students, Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and Maddie Mogen, went to sleep at a home just steps from their university campus, and were brutally murdered in the early morning hours.
That one awful night led to weeks of fear and a nationwide manhunt, and the eventual arrest of Bryan Kohberger. That one awful night forever changed four families, countless friends, and rocked an entire community.
A full year after Bryan Kohberger stood in that courtroom and entered a plea deal in the murders of these four college students, there are still so many questions left unanswered. Most importantly — why?
Our guest has followed this story from that one awful night in Idaho through the manhunt, the arrest, and the plea deal. She's helping us understand not only what happened, but what questions may never be answered. Reporter Amanda Roley joins Laura on this episode of Following Leads: The Podcast.
