Summary

Las Vegas glows with neon, champagne, and impulsive vows — but just beyond the Strip lies a desert that remembers everything.

In this episode, Heather and Savannah explore how Las Vegas evolved from mob-financed casinos to corporate spectacle, and what that transformation means for the city’s identity. Through the stories of Herbert “Fat Herbie” Blitzstein and Ted Binion, they examine how illusion, wealth, and reinvention shaped both the city and the people inside it.

From buried silver in the Nevada desert to champagne pops under Fremont lights, this episode asks: what happens when fantasy meets consequence?

In This Episode:

• 1931 — Nevada became the first state in the country to legalize gambling
• 1946 — The Flamingo opens under Bugsy Siegel
• 1960s–1980s — The skimming era and Chicago Outfit influence
• 1986 — The murder of Anthony Spilotro
• 1989 — The Mirage opens, marking corporate takeover
• January 6, 1997 — Herbert “Fat Herbie” Blitzstein murdered
• September 17, 1998 — Ted Binion found dead
• The buried silver vault in Pahrump, Nevada
• Mob myth vs. reality
• How illusion became institutionalized
• Why geography matters in Las Vegas storytelling

Resources & Links:

Relevant articles / public records:

⁠https://news3lv.com/features/video-vault/video-vault-the-life-and-death-of-a-mob-enforcer-in-las-vegas⁠

⁠https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/25/us/gallery/las-vegas-history⁠

⁠https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/31195/⁠

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If you’re enjoying Eloped & Exposed:

• Follow the show - Instagram: @elopedandxposed, Host: @taylormade_photolv
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A romantic Vegas elopement leads to a stormy adventure in Zion National Park. When photographer Heather Taylor lifts her camera for a shot, the couple she was photographing disappears into a wall of rain and fog — setting off a tense search that ends with relief, incredible storm photos, and lessons every adventure couple needs to know.

In this episode:

• Little White Chapel elopement in Las Vegas → downtown portraits → next-day Zion session
• Sudden storm, low visibility, and a brief but terrifying disappearance
• How the search unfolded and why the photos turned out cinematic

Behind the Lens (Heather’s notes):

• Mood: rain, limited visibility, saturated canyon tones
• Photographer tip: establish visual contact cues; keep waterproof backups; respect flash-flood risk areas
• Gallery link: taylormadephotolv.pic-time.com/-brittkiff

Resources & Links:

• Zion National Park safety info: https://www.npca.org/parks/zion-national-park

Connect & Submit:

• IG: @elopedandexposed • Host: @taylormade_photolv
• Submit your story: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekYHPoLsmGCmNXXIikhZ83YVQuddHo_6q-ujljbk3_Q6_WdQ/viewform?usp=header

If you loved the episode:

Leave a review, share on IG, and tag Heather so she can say thank you. 💛

Eight days after their wedding, Cody Johnson died after falling from a cliff in Glacier National Park. His wife, Jordan Linn Graham, later admitted to pushing him during an argument.

Over time, the internet moved this story to Zion—where it never happened. This episode breaks down what actually occurred and why misplacing true crime stories changes how we understand them.

In This Episode:

• The events leading up to Cody’s death
• The investigation and legal outcome
• How and why this case became misremembered
• Why location accuracy matters

Content Notice

This episode discusses themes related to violence and real-world harm. Listener discretion is advised.

Connect & Submit:

• Instagram: @elopedandxposed
• Host: @taylormade_photolv
• TikTok: @elopedandxposed
• Submit your story: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekYHPoLsmGCmNXXIikhZ83YVQuddHo_6q-ujljbk3_Q6_WdQ/viewform?usp=header

Episode Summary

In 1978, newlyweds Richard and Judy Weese vanished while exploring Nevada’s Black Rock Desert in search of a hidden prospecting site. Days later, their bodies — along with a third victim — were discovered near a remote hot spring.

The killer was a desert hermit known as “Bristlewolf.”

This episode explores isolation, danger, and the thin line between adventure and tragedy.

In This Episode

• A honeymoon driven by curiosity
• Life on the edge of society in 1970s Nevada
• The psychology of isolation
• A triple murder in one of the most remote landscapes in the U.S.
• What this case still teaches us today

Content Warning

This episode discusses homicide, violence, and real-world harm. Listener discretion is advised.

Resources & Links:

• Gallery: https://taylormadephotolv.pic-time.com/-staceyliko
• Park / Venue info: Cherry Cloud Oasis https://www.instagram.com/cherrycloudsoasis/
• Relevant articles / public records: https://www.newspapers.com/article/reno-gazette-journal-is-lost-treasure-th/58516692/; https://findingnevadawild.com/ronald-bristlewolf-and-the-sinister-histories-of-pinto-hot-springs/; https://medium.com/@chrisbigaj/the-deserts-grizzliest-murder-f902e3b292c4

Connect & Submit:

• Instagram: @elopedandxposed
• Host: @taylormade_photolv
• TikTok: @elopedandxposed
• Submit your story: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSekYHPoLsmGCmNXXIikhZ83YVQuddHo_6q-ujljbk3_Q6_WdQ/viewform?usp=header