EPISODE 62: 10 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BASED EPISODES OF NBC'S "DATELINE"

In this week's episode of Living in the Sprawl: Southern California's Most Adventurous Podcast, host Jon Steinberg shares his list of 10 Southern California based episodes of NBC's Dateline. His list includes: "In Broad Daylight" from Long Beach, "The Night Before Halloween" in Torrance, "The House on Badger Lane" in Carlsbad, "Mystery in Orange County" in Orange, "Secrets by the Bay" in San Diego, "Dark Valley" in the San Fernando Valley, "Final Curtain" and "Plot Twist" in Orange County, "Deadly Intent" in San Diego, "The Black Widow of Lomita" in Lomita and "No Way Out" in Montecito.

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Transcript

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Hello listeners and fellow explorers. This is living in the sprawls lovely and talented producer slash wife, Lisa Steinberg. I wanted to thank all of you for your continuous support of the show. As a new podcast on the scene, John and I self-support the logistics and research that go into the show. The number one way to support the show is to rate, review and share this podcast with everyone, you know, Many of you have been doing this and it has helped immensely. I also invite you to check out our website and the show notes for other ways to support the show. We are currently working with companies. We currently use ourselves. To get discount codes for our listeners and support the show in the process. These companies include. Every table, just CBD store, gold belly cats, botanicals, and so much more. By using the links on our website, you are letting them know we sent you an intern, supporting the show. You can also support us on Patrion and pod fan. Please check out the website@livinginthesprawlpodcast.com. For updates on companies we are working with our testimonies links codes and new living in the sprawl merchandise Again thank you to all of you our lovely listeners for tuning in every week and allowing us to do what we love Without further ado you're humble correspondent John steinberg Hello. And welcome to another installment of living in the sprawl. So the California's most adventurous podcast I am as always your humble correspondent and host. My name is John Steinberg and I am joined by my lovely and extremely talented. Producer slash wife. Her name is Lisa Steinberg. We are the team here at sprawl enterprises. Ready to bring you yet? Another exciting foray. And the expansive grandiose. Intimidating somewhat. Especial. Part of the globe that we lovingly refer to as the sprawl. On today's show. We discuss the best television. Journalism. Program probably ever created. On this week's program. We've run through. Our favorite 10 episodes. Of NBC's iconic Dateline. When I was growing up. Before, probably middle school. Friday nights, Mitt. Family matters. Boy meets world. Step-by-step hanging with Mr. Cooper. Or. What my mother often played. On the main television. In our living room. And that was typically 2020. The journalism. Displayed. During episodes of 2020. Inspired. Mia to investigate. The investigators. What Barbara Walters and Hugh downs, we're dealing on 2020. Felt like. A genuine public service. These were stories. People needed to hear. These were tales. As integral. To American life. As a can of Campbell's chunky soup. I did. Deep dives on. Woodward and Bernstein. Karen Silkwood. And a number of other. Luminaries in the world of journalism. And they all brought me. To the doorstep. Of Dateline. When I discovered Dateline. The rules of the game were changed forever. There was something about the way in which the segments. We're edited. Narratives were crafted. And stories. We're encapsulated. That made my young mind. Bowls with anticipation. For what was to come a little bit later in life. I want it to be a journalist. Entering. College as a broadcast journalism major. I did my best to study some of the greats. And I kept coming back to Dateline. To Keith Morrison. Dennis Murphy. Lester Holt. Young Katie correc Jane Pauley. All of the phenomenal reporters. Who's successfully. Served as correspondence. For the NBC flagship program. And even now. An older wizened. Version of myself still. Wholeheartedly believes that Dateline NBC. Reinvented the wheel when it comes to covering. The cases that matter. Since arriving on broadcast. Airwaves. In 1992. Dateline NBC. As told thousands. Of important stories. We've done our best to narrow. Our purview down. To a tight 10. Episodes. So here now. We discuss our selections for the 10. Defining. Episodes. Of Dateline NBC. That Chronicle stories. From the Southern California sprawl. And we begin at number 10. With an episode. Entitled. In broad daylight. The show originally aired in 2015. And focuses on. A Fargo. Ask. Murder plot. Then unfolded. Within the upper echelons of long beach society. As we learn. In the episode. 50 year old. Homemaker. Lynn Sharpner. Was the victim. Of a horrific homicide in the year of our Lord, 2004. Slain. In the wealthy. Bixby Knolls enclave of long beach. Authorities. Did their best to connect. A steroid abusing. Unemployed 24 year old. With a conniving. Pseudo businessman. From port Y Niemi. And. A supremely wealthy. Homeowner. From the Uber rich. Bixby Knolls area of long beach. I won't spoil every single detail that happens in this one. But what makes Dateline NBC. Such a monumentally important. Journalistic outlet. Is the way in which. The show. Frames. It's stories. We basically follow things. Chronologically. Until. The truth of this will be gone. Again, Fargo ask enterprise. Is left, visible. For all to see. The title of the episode. In broad daylight. It's because the murder happened at 1130. Am I. We've got some bad criminals. Any trigging setting. And of course. That renowned. Journalistic prowess. That Dateline. So routinely delivers a number 10. The ill-conceived. Murder of a homemaker in long beach. It's in broad daylight. To begin. Our examination. Of the best southern california related episodes of dateline And number nine, title of the episode the night before Halloween. This one Chronicles. The murder of 21 year old. Robin Hoynes. In Torrance in 1984. The venerable, Keith Morrison. Reports on this one. Detailing. The awful crime. That happened inside. A KFC. On Palo's. Virtus Boulevard. In the south bay of Los Angeles. It was inside. The Kentucky fried chicken. We're Robin Hawaiians. Was discovered stabbed. And unresponsive. The night before Halloween. With only. An odd. Piece of foam. Left for investigators. Hoping. To solve the homicide. Another thing about Dateline NBC. That helps set the program apart. From its competitors. It's simply Keith Morrison. The Canadian. Journalistic Titan. And stepfather to Matthew Perry. Has this way. Of exploring. A case that has a. Man on the street sort of quality. Attached to it. Revelations com. With extremely relatable turns of phrase, like could be. Maybe. Seemed like it had a chance. And his. Ordinary Joe approach to broadcast journalism. Serves. To bond viewers. To the shows format. Here. The crime takes multiple decades to solve. And ultimately the culprit. Turns out to be. A prime. Suspect. Authorities had their eye on from the beginning. This is one of those stories that belongs. In the animals. Of famous, true crime tales, like the Menendez brothers. Or the disappearance of Walter Collins. One could easily envision. A six part. Hulu. Series. About the murder and subsequent proceedings. Capturing the interest of millions. And number nine. The night before Halloween. From the immortal. Dateline NBC. And number eight, the title of the program, the house on Badger lane. This one. Tells the story. Of the Harper's. A thriving. Family living. In a gated community in Carlsbad. Jason Harper. The family's patriarch. Is shot dead. And all suspicions. Turn. To his wife, Julie. We get to here. A great deal of. Audio from. Julie Harper's court. Appearances. She cries. She recounts details. Of a Rocky marriage. As Julie. In forms. A north San Diego court room. She was the victim. Of sexual abuse, physical abuse. Mental cruelty. She committed. The murder of her husband. As an act of self-defense. In this episode. The correspondence. Do their best. To keep. The attention on the actual murder. As opposed to Julie's story. We learn. That what appears on the surface to be. An enviable existence, a life. That most. Would be thankful. To achieve. It's not all it's cracked up to be. Uh, number eight. The house on Badger lane. Number seven. Mystery in orange county. This episode. Focuses on. The tragic death of. Mary Bell Ramos. Who died. As a result of homicide in orange. In 2013. This episode. Is packed. With clips from Maribel's convicted killer. A 55 year old. Roommate. With. A high school. Style crush. On Maribel. We learn. About Maribel's. Time in the armed forces. Her multiple tours of duty overseas. Her time. As a criminal justice student. At Cal state Fullerton. She was killed only two weeks before. She was set to graduate. And this episode provides us with. Audio. From a truly disturbing. Call Maribel made to. Dispatchers. Indicating she was fearful. Have a roommate. Throughout the history of Dateline. Episodes feature interviews with convicted murderers. Those under suspicion. And it gets us to. A reoccurring theme. That populates the program. Bad excuses. Or. Rationales that don't make any sense. When. Maribel's roommate. Is being questioned. By authorities as to why there are so many scratches on different parts of his body. He tries his best to assure them that, oh no, no, no. Th these nothing, um, I like to go out walking. At a nearby park and I actually fell. And. Landed in some thorn bushes. You could practically hear the incredulous. Interrogators. Scoffing. At the preposterous story. But Dateline, does it beat us over the head with. It's own. Personal beliefs. It merely shows us. What's been said. And as. Sergeant Jack Friday. Was to opine. On every episode of Dragnet, just the facts. Ma'am just the facts. That's what we get here, except of course, for. The completely ridiculous explanation all the scratches on the killers. Arms and legs. Number seven. It's mystery in orange county. Number six secrets by the bay. This one takes us to the Liberty station. Neighborhood. In San Diego. When. A young mother. And housewife goes missing. The community. Spares, no expense. In finding her. Elizabeth Sullivan. Wife of Matthew. And mother of two. Disappears. For two years before her body is discovered floating. In the San Diego bay. Mir miles. From her home in Liberty station. We get interviews with her best friend. Long time confidence. And the jail house interview with. The person. Responsible. For Elisabeth's disappearance. Sometimes. Interviews with. The convicted. Or suspected. Reveal. Fascinating things about. Criminals. On this episode. It's pretty clear. That the marriage in question. Was between. To people with. Entirely dissimilar personalities. And then the climactic jailhouse interview. Elizabeth killer. Attempts. To shrug off his guilty verdict. As if to say. Well, I guess they've got it wrong. Not much accountability. Scratch that no accountability. From the murderer. But this episode does a great job of allowing the victims life to do the talking. We. Here. The whole story. Far from being. A perfect person. Elizabeth Sullivan's. Strengths and weaknesses are highlighted in extraordinary detail. In secrets by the bay. The mystery here. Comes to a satisfying. If not altogether surprising conclusion. With the aforementioned. Jailhouse interview. With the pretty dimwitted. Basic appearing. Killer. It's secrets by the bay. Highlighting the disappearance of elizabeth sullivan from liberty station in san diego And number five dark valley. An episode. Dealing with. The initial disappearance. Of 20th century Fox executive Gavin Smith. And the subsequent. Recovery. Of his deceased. Body. And the conviction. Of his killer. Gavin Smith. Was a successful. Executive. Working in the distribution wing. Of the 20th century Fox film empire. Living. The Highlife. In greater Los Angeles. Smith. Disappeared in 2012. As we learn over the course of the episode. Smith had recently. Reignited an affair. With a long time. Love named. Chandrika Creech. Here, the cast of characters includes. A burly. Member. Have a gym called powerhouse. A world famous martial artist. Uh, pear. Of cheating. Spouses. And a man on a walk. With his dog, buddy. In the greater antelope valley. This episode features interview. With a woman. They had an affair. With the person responsible for Gavin Smith's disappearance. What's interesting here. Is the woman claims she was 18 years old at the time. And that. The person. She had a relationship with was. One of the most attractive people she'd ever seen. Keep in mind. That this attractive person. We learn. Turns out to be a murderer. A proponent of illegal steroids. Multiple. Time felon. It's an interview. That's uncomfortable. It doesn't really do. Much to advance. The particular story. Sometimes the imperfections are what highlight the actual perfection. The dark valley in question. Is the one in San Fernando. And the episode. Dark valley is one of Dateline. NBC's all time. Best. And number four. This is actually a two partner. The episode in question. It's called final curtain. But it's also called plot twist. So we've got two different episodes concerning the same case here. And it's the infamous. Double murder. Attributed to Daniel. Wazniak. In orange county in 2010. This case has received. An enormous amount of attention. Having been highlighted. On. All the super famous. Murder podcasts. Investigation discovery. Programs. And it's even been referenced. In a song called killer by M and M. Daniel. Wazniak a member. Have a community theater company in orange county. Decided. To finance his wedding and honeymoon. By murdering two people and siphoning funds. From their accounts. The over the top nature of this crime. Of the culprit behind. The slayings. It's connection. With. Local community theater. It all works. In conjunction. With. The extraordinary journalism. As presented to the public by the folks behind Dateline. If we're raking bad excuses. Or misbegotten reasons. For the consummation of a crime. The one. Trotted out. In these two episodes. Has to be near the top of the list. If. Titles like final curtain and plot twist. We're presented to the public. Absent. Context. It might be easy to characterize. Dateline. As being needlessly salacious and it's report Hodge. But when we hear Dennis Murphy, Keith Morrison. Josh Mackowitz. Or any of the other correspondence employed by the network? We know the game. We know the tenor. Of reporting. And so it fits. And number four. It's a two part. And tree. Final curtain and plot twist. Both episodes concerning. The murders committed by Daniel Wazniak. In orange county in 2010. Number three deadly intent, an episode. That details. A car bomb. Which exploded in. The east. County portion of San Diego. When a bomb goes off. Inside a vehicle parked. In front. Of a daycare facility. Authorities are baffled as to. Who could have booby trapped the car? The Hoagland family. Is. The focus of the episode. With it's matriarch. Barely surviving. The attempt on her life. Following leads. And traveling the only path that makes. Any semblance of sense. We ultimately discovered the identity. Of the bomber. In one of the. More unbelievable. Entries on our list of. The worst criminal excuses possible. The man behind the car bomb. Attempts. To explain his innocence. By saying. I just don't know who could have done this. Even though. His fingerprints are all over the crime. And there's absolutely no one else. Who comes remotely close to being considered a suspect. We get interesting descriptions of a transient community. On this episode. Some bizarre. Audio. Recorded with a convicted killer. And the description. Have a car bombing. That invokes. Memories of. The beginning of Martin Scorsese's casino. Dateline NBC's titles. Sometimes. It feel like placeholders. This is a great example of that. But when the title is the most objectionable. Component of a program. Well, then. In the words of Keith Morrison. I guess you're right. It's deadly intent. At number three And number two. Title of the episode, the black widow of low meta. Lomita. Is a city. Nestled. Near the Pacific ocean. That often gets overlooked by its nearby neighbors, San Pedro. And. Palo's Virtus. But Lomita. Was the staging ground for one of the most. Puzzling. Murder mysteries. That Dateline NBC has ever covered. Three murders. For the price of one. In this episode. It's the story. Of Sonya Rios, the titular black widow. Responsible for the deaths of multiple husbands overseas in the Philippines. But then it's also. The tail. Of Nicholas. Dela Cruz. Who's relationship. With his quote, unquote grandmother, Sonia. Features prominently. In this curious narrative. Sonia Rios or risk in. Was actually known as the black widow of Lomita. Before. She met an untimely demise in the year of our Lord, 2006. So think about that for a second. You have. Such a poor reputation. That you can actually. B. A business owner member. Of the community. Someone permitted to go about their daily life. And everyone. In your vicinity. believes you killed multiple husbands. Perhaps. An anecdote that does more. To stress, the transient nature. Of greater Los Angeles than anything else. The story. Of low meta as black widow. Is one that would stick out. Like a bleeding sore thumb. In any other state? But when considered in totality, because it took place within the sprawl. It. It doesn't merit front page consideration. Sonia Rios or Sonia Riskin the black widow of Lomita. Should be. Uh, name as common. To true crime Devo, Ts. As that of. Dorothea pointy. The, uh, the very nice landlady from Sacramento. Or Betty Broderick. The even nicer. Ex-wife. From the Hoya. There's a great deal. Of audio in this episode. From those involved, maybe the most interesting is a brief clip. Where we actually hear. The voice of Sonya on a 9 1 1 call. This is a story. So. Shocking. And weirdly transfixing that? It's surprising. It's not being promoted as the latest. Ripped from the headlines docu series. Style show Allah the staircase. Coming to HBO, max. And number two. It's the bizarre case. Of the black widow of low meat. Uh, number one. Title of the episode. No way out. This one is about the Thomas fire and its impact. On Monosito. This episode is clearly different from the other one's considered on this list. But after you've watched the episode or listened to the audio. Because the great thing about the podcast revolution is all of these shows are now available as audio only podcasts that you can listen to for free. Anytime you want. But when you listen. To no way out. It's more terrifying than anything else. That you'll come into contact with. Via the folks at NBC's Dateline. There's a description, roughly two thirds of the way through the episode. Of a fireball. Over an outstretched mountain side. In Montecito. That. Summarizes what it's like. To see. The effects. Of a wildfire for real. Now the Thomas fire. Which was really. It consolidation of two fires. In Ventura county. And call the Thomas fire because of its proximity to Thomas Aquinas college. In Santa Paula. Burned through vein Chira. And Santa Barbara counties. Starting in December of 2017. It managed. To rocket all the way up. From Santa Paula. Inland over to the coast. And the cliff side. Mansions. Of Montecito. Like, this is the place where Oprah. Actually lives most of the time. To put into perspective. I've never heard. Someone recount. The horrible. Unforgettable noise. That is the sound of flames, engulfing a property before. Quite like this. If you're not from. The golden state. You've undoubtedly read about the wildfires, which typify. The fall and beginning. Of winter. Annually in the state of California. It's easy. To passively. Here accounts. Of this fire and that fire and. Wow. All those fires in California. But when you actually distill. The sound. Have a house. Being consumed by flames. It tears through. All the noise centering. Once attention. On an actual travesty. I've never heard the sound. Have a burning home. And after watching. No way out. Our pick for. The most memorable episode of NBC's Dateline. I really, really hope that I never have to hear it. And that's going to do it for another installment of the program. We'd like to thank everybody for their continued support, couple of easy ways that you can demonstrate a such. Uh, support hop on apple iTunes, leave us a five star. Rating. And a positive review. Our Instagram handle is living in the sprawl podcast. If you'd like to write us with your thoughts. Suggestions for episodes. That you would like to hear. On future living in the sprawl podcast. Write us@livinginthesprawlpodcastatgmail.com. We really genuinely appreciate all the feedback. And I'd like to direct you to our wonderful a website, which my brilliant and beautiful wife. Has created and manages for us. And it's on here that you can snap up a copy of the living in the sprawl guide. So you don't have to go combing through old archived episodes of the show, looking for specific recommendations. Don't do that. Just get the living in the sprawl guide. We've also got merchandise. On the website. Anything and everything living in the sprawl related, you can find it on that special website of ours. On behalf of myself. I am one half of the team here at sprawl enterprises. Your humble correspondent and host. My name is John Steinberg joined as always by my lovely and talented producer slash my wife. Her name is Elisa Steinberg, thanking you for joining us on yet. Another episode of living in the sprawl. Southern California is most adventurous podcast. We will talk again soon.