171: Appeals & Alibis (The Dead Files "Lady in Black")

Research and Rabbit Holes for TDF "The Lady in Black"After our first-ever watch-together episode, it was time to do what we do best: pull on every loose historical thread we could find and see where it led. Spoiler alert: it led to failed divorces, mysterious house histories, censured juries, tornadoes, and at least one rabbit hole that ended in a spectacular dead end.This week, Amy brings the receipts leaving listeners and Megan equally surprised by every twist and turn. We discuss a podcast review so sweet it nearly makes us cry, the accidental Midwestern art of saying "uff da" and "ope," and why the best podcasts feel less like shows and more like hanging out with friends.Then we head back to Marshalltown, Iowa, where the questions only get stranger. Did the house have a dark history before Kelly and Mike moved in? Did their paranormal investigations bring something home with them? Why did previous residents report nothing unusual? And how exactly does a house drop nearly 70% in price?Along the way, we uncover an eerie letter from the homeowners themselves, featuring flying wine glasses, mystery scratches, grandchildren chatting with an old woman upstairs, and a laptop that somehow froze on a photograph of Angie Braddock's gravestone before anyone knew who she was. Because apparently normal coincidences were not invited to this party.We also dive deep into the story of K.C. Roberts, the faith healer at the center of multiple death investigations. That sends us into discussions about Christian Science, coroner's juries, old-timey public shaming, legal loopholes, and the frustrating realization that some human behaviors haven't changed much in the last 125 years.Plus:·        Megan invents new legal theories despite not attending law school.·        Amy becomes temporarily obsessed with spelling variations of the same man's name.·        We mourn a very good dog.·        We discover that Angie once tried to divorce her husband.·        And we once again prove that no historical mystery is safe from becoming a tangent.·        So, grab your mug of hot cocoa and join us where… The Activity Continues.Content Warning:There’s some murder, nothing explicit. But our language has been called that (we swear)Chapter Markers00:00:00 Intro!00:03:01 Sidequest: Shut the F Up Nick Lachey00:05:07 The Property00:09:29 The Clients00:17:13 Angie Braddock (Roberts)00:18:06 KC Roberts – Faith Healer00:26:19 Susan Vicker Murder00:30:16 True Crime Sidequest 100:32:40 Tasler: The Hobo Con Man00:35:53 True Crime Sidequest 200:37:03 Smitherman Again00:40:09 1903 Fire00:44:50 Not a Doctor00:47:18 Pointillism00:49:57 Next TimeEpisode links:Amazon links could generate a small commission to us at no cost to you.Article about the 2018 Tornado: https://cbs2iowa.com/news/local/stories-of-survival-as-recovery-begins-in-marshalltownAngie Braddock on Wikitree: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Braddock-714Susan Vickers: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114996958/susan_kaye-vickersSumpter Trial info: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/863/563/336233/https://law.justia.com/cases/iowa/supreme-court/1989/88-651-0.htmlRichard Tasler: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199641120/richard_joe-taslerRoss Ingledue Found his grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61189338/ross-bromley-ingledueOliver Ingledue: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61189343/oliver_l-ingledue https://www.timesrepublican.com/news/todays-news/2025/04/a-marshalltown-road-trip-city-streets-named-after-early-movers-