Episodes

  • Shasta-Trinity National Forest; Gumboot Lake Hostage Crisis

    Shasta-Trinity National Forest; Gumboot Lake Hostage Crisis
    Jul 27 2026
    In the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, two USFS biologists were just doing their job conducting research at Gumboot Lake, when a man carrying an AR-15 appears and takes them hostage. The largest multi-agency response in that area occurred to bring the USFS workers to safety.

    Sources:

    UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT for the Eastern District of California, case no. 2:26-mj-0106 SCR

    https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/fbi-forest-service-hostage-22354161.php?utm_campaign=trueanthem%2B3984&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&fbclid=PAVERFWATM_GtwZG9mAmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp27BQ1k6iFum2yMyODm0qZwdtb2-anc_o2rTUsH65moeSC32xqCrIqXOlX8l_aem_tI170IFwYEGvbWk2tYCQ8A

    https://kymkemp.com/2026/07/18/gumboot-lake-kidnapping-suspect-has-documented-mental-health-concerns-prior-hate-crime-case-in-washington-state/?fbclid=IwdGRleATMyPZwZG9mBWZkaWQWUK_3w7mqFI7MZkqomhxdrnEIsrrlMGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7BqvqUveW6PDRxCqlFDwgCGnlxs71g_VXbEoOXOVZ0VEEEsI71BCyQ9gUhVw_aem_QWMgNjrQMUZrCfXbtuE8GQ

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • COTG Newsroom July 2026

    COTG Newsroom July 2026
    Jul 20 2026
    In the news for July 2026, an attempted kidnapping of a trail runner in a NC National Forest; a man charged with harassing and injuring an endangered species in Hawaii; removal of an illegal camper who literally trashed the forest; the possible foul play of a deceased young man off the coast of Mississippi on Gulf Islands National Seashore; a human consumed by a bear in Colorado; and another bison attack in South Dakota.

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    58 mins
  • Israel Keyes: The Olympic Peninsula Mystery

    Israel Keyes: The Olympic Peninsula Mystery
    Jul 13 2026
    Prolific serial killer, Israel Keyes, is often remembered for the murder that led to his capture in Alaska. But years before his arrest, he lived on Washington's remote Olympic Peninsula, worked in Neah Bay, and, according to the FBI, may have murdered several unidentified victims whose names remain unknown. In this episode of Crime Off the Grid, we explored the lesser-known chapter of the Israel Keyes story. We follow his years on the Olympic Peninsula, including the suspected victim hidden beneath Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park, and separated verified facts from internet myths. We also look at Keyes' meticulous planning, his infamous "kill kits," and the haunting blood-drawn skulls discovered after his death.Could some of Israel Keyes' victims still be hidden in America's public lands? More than a decade later, that mystery remains unsolved.

    Sources:
    Alaska Serial Killer Attended Racist Church, Knew Terrorists Israel Keyes:
    Biography, Serial Killer, Murderer, Criminal
    Israel Keyes - Wikipedia https://murderpedia.org/male.K/k/keyes-israel.htm
    Israel Keyes: Writings — FBI
    What do skulls drawn in Israel Keyes' blood mean? - CBS News


    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
  • Zion's Angels Landing: The Murder of Bernadette Vander Meer

    Zion's Angels Landing: The Murder of Bernadette Vander Meer
    Jul 6 2026
    An anniversary hike. A 1,200-foot fall. A case ruled an accident for nearly two decades. When new evidence surfaced, investigators reopened the death of Bernadette Vander Meer and charged her husband with murder. We break down the affidavit, reveal investigative details not reported in most news stories, and explain how detectives transformed an apparent accident into a homicide investigation. Plus, we share unique perspective on investigating suspicious deaths in America's national parks.


    Sources:
    FIFTH DISTRICT COURT WASHINGTON COUNTY, STATE OF UTAH
    AFFIDAVIT OF PROBABLE CAUSE IN SUPPORT OF ARREST WARRANT
    Criminal No. 261501209

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • From the Ranger Vault: Crater Lake National Park - KABOOM!

    From the Ranger Vault: Crater Lake National Park - KABOOM!
    Jun 29 2026
    Hear what happens when a ranger in an old ill-equipped patrol car is in pursuit of an international master of disguise. You can't make this stuff up!

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
  • Coconino Nat'l Forest; No Such Thing as a Routine Contact

    Coconino Nat'l Forest; No Such Thing as a Routine Contact
    Jun 22 2026
    In 2014, a routine contact in Arizona’s Blue Ridge area of the Coconino National Forest turned into a fight for survival. When a U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officer investigated a vehicle parked off a forest road, he had no idea the encounter would escalate into a violent struggle.

    Sources:

    Flag Film Productions, LLC
    In Person Account
    Reenactment of Officer Involved Shooting

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Yosemite; If I Had a Gun, I'd Shoot You Right Now

    Yosemite; If I Had a Gun, I'd Shoot You Right Now
    Jun 15 2026
    In the summer of 2024, Yosemite dispatchers became increasingly concerned about a man making repeated harassing calls to the park's 911 center. What started as an investigation into nuisance phone calls and an illegal campsite hidden near a trailhead would quickly escalate into threats, violence, and an assault on a National Park Service ranger.

    Source:
    United States District Court; Eastern District of California; Case no. 1:24-mj-00085-EPG

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • From the COTG Newsroom June 2026

    From the COTG Newsroom June 2026
    Jun 8 2026
    News stories for this week include a “fall” off the cliff incident from Tettegouche State Park on Lake Superior, In Oregon, 2 women were kidnapped from their tent off of a popular hiking trail, human remains of a missing National Laboratory employee found in a New Mexico forest; A drone harassing a grizzly sow and cubs in Yellowstone, multiple arrests made in a national forest in Georgia, and a 2:00am assault and gunshot injuring a toddler in a campsite in the Olympic National Forest.

    Support the show!

    For bonus content join our Patreon!
    patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGrid

    For a one time donation:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotg

    For more information about the podcast, check out
    https://crimeoffthegrid.com/
    Check out our Merch!! https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shop
    Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and (1) Facebook
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins