{"podcast":{"title":"The Dark Oak","slug":"the-dark-oak-6475930","podcast_index_feed_id":6475930,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/thedarkoakpodcast/feed.xml","website_url":"https://thedarkoakpodcast.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/16604225/Tree_6ms6ri.jpg","author":"Just Us Gals Productions","episode_count":100,"summary":"Attention all shiver-seekers! The Dark Oak is a weekly thrill and chill inducing mystery podcast. Every Wednesday, Stefanie and Cynthia will present to you a true tale of the supernatural, the macabre, historical crimes, cryptids, the unexplained and the downright spooky. To help ease your fears, we also include The Branch of Hope Foundation, which connects you to the human side of our cases by giving back to non-profit organizations related to the first episode of the month. If you enjoy guilt free listening and your interest falls somewhere between Bigfoot and Jack the Ripper, The Dark Oak has you covered. Throw in some real time reactions including gasps and laughs and you’ve got the perfect podcast. So grab your coffee, sweet tea or tall glass of wine and settle in for your shadowy adventure. The Dark Oak is waiting!","last_synced_at":"2026-07-09T00:18:57.004781+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dark-oak-6475930"},"episode":{"title":"Episode 155: Michelle von Emster - Swimming into Darkness","slug":"episode-155-michelle-von-emster-swimming-into-darkness","published_at":"2026-05-28T16:21:17+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dark-oak-6475930/episode-155-michelle-von-emster-swimming-into-darkness","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dark-oak-6475930","url":"https://thedarkoakpodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-155-michelle-von-emster-swimming-into-darkness/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kf5gscqxjs49y8cb/Michelle-von-Emster.mp3","summary":"25 year old Michelle Von Emster’s mysterious death in 1994 remains one of San Diego's most notorious mysteries. It was officially ruled a Great White Shark Attack but marine experts disagree with that finding. Why would she have gone swimming in frigid weather? Was it possible that her death was a tragic accident resulting from a fall from nearby cliffs? The most frightening theory of all is that Michelle was a victim of homicide. Years after her death, Michelle’s sister revealed disturbing details from Michelle’s youth that makes the circumstances surrounding her untimely death even more mysterious. Branch of Hope: Caroline’s Rainbow Foundation is a UK-registered charity founded in 2002 by the family of Caroline Ann Stuttle, a young British traveler who tragically lost her life while on a gap year in Australia. For more than twenty years, the organization has focused on promoting safer independent travel for young people and backpackers. It offers free educational resources, safety workshops, school presentations, and practical guides that help gap-year students and first-time adventurers prepare responsibly and stay safe on the road. While the foundation now serves primarily as a lasting information archive, its materials remain freely available and continue to support thousands of young travelers each year. Sources: https://coldcaseexplorations.com/california-cold-or-unsolved-cases/was-this-really-a-shark-attack-death-the-troubling-case-of-michelle-von-emster/ - :~:text=Because%20it%E2%80%99s%20been%20over%2030%20years%20since%20Von https://allthatsinteresting.com/michelle-von-emster Michelle Von Emster: What Really Happened? - HubPages Join The Dark Oak Discussion: Patreon The Dark Oak Podcast Website Facebook Instagram Twitter TikTok Youtube This episode of The Da…","meta_description":"25 year old Michelle Von Emster’s mysterious death in 1994 remains one of San Diego's most notorious mysteries. It was officially ruled a Great White Shar…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4136,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-dark-oak-6475930/episodes/episode-155-michelle-von-emster-swimming-into-darkness/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dark-oak-6475930/episode-155-michelle-von-emster-swimming-into-darkness.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}