Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations
James Wolner | Investigative Journalist & Creator of Dakota SpotlightDakota 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 b... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 260 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | True CrimeDocumentarySociety & Culture | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
James follows the early investigation into Shelly’s final known days, including Tony Hulm’s statements, the babysitter’s account, the two railroad workers, Rick Snell, and the missing records in Shelly’s case file.
Inspired by Dakota Spotlight Seaso... more
As investigators continue looking for Shelly, they interview friends and co-workers, follow reports of harassment, search for her Ford Thunderbird, and begin tracing the people who may have seen her before she disappeared.
Inspired by Dakota Spotlig... more
In August 1994, 26-year-old Michele "Shelly" Julson drops off her three-year-old son with his grandfather, planning to return a few hours later. She never does. As family, friends, and police begin searching, troubling details emerge about the days l... more
Leah Sottile joins Dakota Spotlight for a conversation about investigative journalism, the ethics of true crime storytelling, and the challenges of reporting on unresolved cases in overlooked rural communities. Leah discusses the making of Hush Seaso... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- Decent
This podcast is thoroughly researched and presented well. James has a calm voice that is pleasant to listen to.
Please consider not doing interviews “on the spot” as these tend to ramble and are frustrating to listen to…perhaps script out the interviews or edit them as they are by far the weakest part of the podcasts…I usually skip through them.
Also, just stick to doing the podcasts and don’t get political, as you tend to divide your listeners with your opinions. You aren’t that important to p... more
Apple Podcasts3cakewalk33
United Statesa month ago - Among the best
Great stories. Great writing. Great music. I cannot believe I only just discovered this amazing podcast. Great job!
Apple Podcasts5amb1968
Canada2 months ago The best of the best true crime. Well told and the perfect voice which reels you in. My favourite podcast.
Podcast Addict56 months agoJonzsie- The best storytelling!
I love this podcast not only for the storytelling—though it’s the best—but the host’s care and respect for each person involved is exemplary. Well done. It’s by far my favorite!
Apple Podcasts5ShelP75United States7 months ago - Master story teller
Great storytelling, goes deep into the victim’s and those who loved them lives.
Apple Podcasts5apht!United States7 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #206 |  Brazil/True Crime |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast
What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Dakota Spotlight focuses on in-depth true crime reporting with a strong regional lens on North Dakota and the Midwest. Episodes blend archival material, family memories, and exclusive interviews to illuminate unsolved murders, cold cases, and missing persons, often weaving community history and local context into the narrative. Its strength lies in careful storytelling that foregrounds victims and families, while inviting expert analysis from law enforcement, legal professionals, journalists, and community insiders. The show regularly features cross-disciplinary guests and long-form investigations, offering listeners a respectful, well-researched approach to complex cases and a sense of place that resonates with regional audiences. A stando... more
Where can I find podcast stats for this podcast?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to this podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does this podcast get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for this podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for this podcast?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for this podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does this podcast have?
To see how many followers or subscribers this podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to this podcast?
These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:
1. PRETEND
2. Midwest Murder
3. The Burden
4. The Binge Cases: U R NEXT
5. The Binge Crimes: The Poet
How many episodes of this podcast are there?
this podcast launched 7 years ago and published 260 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact this podcast?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for this podcast?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for this podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for this podcast?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of this podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on this podcast?
Recent guests on this podcast include:
1. Leah Sottile
2. Trish Jelani
3. Lois Bunce
4. Bridget Meilenberg
5. Alice Nato
6. Josh Dean
7. Derrik Dyka
8. Mike Wald
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.