{"podcast":{"title":"Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations","slug":"dakota-spotlight-true-crime-cold-case-investigations-783746","podcast_index_feed_id":783746,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/EELCL3827885072","website_url":"https://dakotaspotlight.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/fb86126c-acc6-11ee-84aa-875b938fd05e/image/5ced801af181d641452bb88f25be3806.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"James Wolner","episode_count":240,"summary":"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.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-09T20:20:46.624356+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/dakota-spotlight-true-crime-cold-case-investigations-783746"},"episode":{"title":"Inside the Talina Zar Investigation","slug":"inside-the-talina-zar-investigation","published_at":"2026-03-19T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/dakota-spotlight-true-crime-cold-case-investigations-783746/inside-the-talina-zar-investigation","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/dakota-spotlight-true-crime-cold-case-investigations-783746","url":"https://dakotaspotlight.com/","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/pdcn.co/e/tracking.swap.fm/track/GShUDppPATUMmMhYllkv/traffic.megaphone.fm/EAISI4098383668.mp3?updated=1773447467","summary":"Journalist Melissa Jeltsen joins me to discuss the investigation behind her podcast What Happened to Talina Zar. In April 2020, a woman posted a troubling message on Facebook about COVID-19 and then vanished. What followed was an unusual search involving online sleuths, hidden identities, and a mystery that captured national attention. Listen to What Happened to Talina Zar wherever you get podcasts and https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-what-happened-to-talina-z-310583841/ Learn more about Melissa Jeltsen’s work: https://melissajeltsen.com/ Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 X/Twitter: https://x.com/DakotaSpotlight Instagram: https://instagram.com/dakotaspotlight TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@dakotaspotlight Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dakotaspotlight.bsky.social Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices","meta_description":"Journalist Melissa Jeltsen joins me to discuss the investigation behind her podcast What Happened to Talina Zar. In April 2020, a woman posted a troubling…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3085,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dakota-spotlight-true-crime-cold-case-investigations-783746/episodes/inside-the-talina-zar-investigation/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/dakota-spotlight-true-crime-cold-case-investigations-783746/inside-the-talina-zar-investigation.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}