Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations
Investigative storytelling uncovering unsolved murders, missing persons, and small town mysteries in North Dakota and the Midwest.
James Wolner | Investigative Journalist & Creator of Dakota Spotlight · James Wolner
Show overview
Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations has been publishing since 2019, and across the 7 years since has built a catalogue of 247 episodes, alongside 8 trailers or bonus episodes. That works out to roughly 170 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence, with the show now in its 99th season.
Episodes typically run thirty-five to sixty minutes — most land between 33 min and 49 min — though episode length varies meaningfully from one episode to the next. It is catalogued as a EN-language True Crime show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 1 weeks ago, with 34 episodes already out so far this year. The busiest year was 2025, with 53 episodes published. Published by James Wolner.
From the publisher
Dakota Spotlight is a true crime series investigating unsolved murders, cold cases, and missing persons in North Dakota and the Midwest. Hosted by investigative journalist James Wolner, each season takes a deep dive into one case, from rural crime and small town murders to decades-old disappearances. Through meticulous research, exclusive interviews, and on-the-ground reporting, Dakota Spotlight brings forgotten crimes back into the public eye and gives voice to victims and their families. Alongside full investigative seasons, the show also features shorter standalone episodes that explore individual mysteries in a single sitting. If you are drawn to investigative journalism, small town true crime, and real crime stories based on actual events, Dakota Spotlight offers gripping and respectful storytelling you will not forget.
Latest Episodes
View all 247 episodesCall Me Shelly (7): A Missing Mother’s Son
Call Me Shelly (6): Interview with Tony
Call Me Shelly (5): Don’t Give Up
Call Me Shelly (4): Stones Unturned
Call Me Shelly (3): Eenie, Meenie, Miny, Moe
Call Me Shelly (2): In Shelly’s Shadows
Call Me Shelly (1): Fly on the Wall
400 Feet From Home - Leah Sottile on Hush Season 2
The Bagpiper and His Brother (6) Update: Who Was Harold Pieper?
Hidden in Plain Sight - Josh Dean of Chameleon Weekly
The Bagpiper and His Brother (5) Finale: The Fall of the Bagpiper
The Bagpiper and His Brother (4): The Delivery
The Bagpiper and His Brother (3): The Wiretap
The Bagpiper and His Brother (2): Between Prison and Parole
The Bagpiper and His Brother (1): Strange Beginnings at Braemar
The Bagpiper and His Brother: Season 13 Trailer
More Than a Missing Hiker - Talking Valley of Shadows with Hayley Fox and Betsy Shepherd
From Vacation to Investigation - Inside Someone Knows Something with David Ridgen
S99 Ep 111Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (7): 15 Years Later
Years pass, and the case remains. In this final episode, we hear from people still connected to that night, to the investigation, and to what followed. They reflect on what has changed, what has not, and the question that still lingers at the center of it all, who killed Joel Lovelien. Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo. If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s murder, you can submit a tip through the tip411 app, or contact the Grand Forks Police Department at 701-787-8000. This episode is part of a rebroadcast of Season 8, Unresolved: The Murder of Joel Lovelien, originally released in 2023. Explore the full catalog: https://DakotaSpotlight.com Listen early and ad-free with Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/cw/DakotaSpotlight Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter Have information about a case or want to get in touch? Email: [email protected] Join the Dakota Spotlight community on Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight Watch Dakota Spotlight on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 To advertise on Dakota Spotlight, contact [email protected] Dakota Spotlight is produced by Six Horse Media: [email protected] All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and sound design, is the property of Six Horse Media. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited. For permissions, contact [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S99 Ep 110Unresolved, The Murder of Joel Lovelien (6): Travis on Trial
Inside the courtroom, the story is told again, through testimony, through argument, through the structure of a trial. And when it is all over, the jury returns a verdict, not guilty. A moment that resolves one question, and leaves others behind. Music by HandTurner and Wowza in Kalamazoo. If you have information about Joel Lovelien’s murder, you can submit a tip through the tip411 app, or contact the Grand Forks Police Department at 701-787-8000. This episode is part of a rebroadcast of Season 8, Unresolved: The Murder of Joel Lovelien, originally released in 2023. Explore the full catalog: https://DakotaSpotlight.com Listen early and ad-free with Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/cw/DakotaSpotlight Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter Have information about a case or want to get in touch? Email: [email protected] Join the Dakota Spotlight community on Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight Watch Dakota Spotlight on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 To advertise on Dakota Spotlight, contact [email protected] Dakota Spotlight is produced by Six Horse Media: [email protected] All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and sound design, is the property of Six Horse Media. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited. For permissions, contact [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices