How a Rabbit Hole Became a Mission

The truth isn't found on the surface. It's found when we're willing to get into the weeds.

"If you're looking for quick answers, you're probably in the wrong place."

Welcome.

Seriously...thank you for stopping by.

If you've watched the podcast, you already know I have a tendency to disappear down rabbit holes. What starts as, "I'll spend an hour looking into this," somehow turns into three weeks of reading court records, filing public records requests, comparing newspaper articles from the 1980s, and wondering why I have seventeen browser tabs open about one missing person's case.

This website is basically the result of that journey.

I joke about falling down rabbit holes, but the truth is, this has become much more than a hobby.

It's become a passion.

Living with PTSD and chronic pain can make your world feel incredibly small. There were days when simply making it through the day felt like enough of an accomplishment. Then Military Broadcast Radio came into my life.

MBR didn't just give me a microphone. It gave me purpose. It gave me something to focus on besides the pain. It challenged me to keep learning, keep asking questions, and keep connecting with people. Looking back, I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that this podcast became part of my healing.

So no...it's not really a hobby.

It's a passion that helped me find my footing again.

Why "Into the Weeds?"

People ask me that a lot.

The funny thing is, when I came up with the name, I had absolutely no idea what this podcast would become.

Originally, I thought we'd spend most of our time talking about faith, the Bible, and the paranormal. As a Christian, I've always found it interesting that people will say they believe every word of Scripture, but then completely ignore the parts that make them uncomfortable.

The Bible is full of strange events, mysterious beings, visions, giants, angels, demons, and things that honestly sound like they'd fit right into an episode of The Twilight Zone. I've always believed that if I say I believe the Bible, then I should be willing to wrestle with all of it, not just the parts that are easy to explain away. Otherwise, I'm doing exactly what I criticize other people for doing by picking and choosing what I want to believe.

That was the plan.

Then...life happened.

For one, I couldn't line up enough people who wanted to have those conversations. Believe it or not, finding people willing to spend an hour talking about biblical giants, the Book of Enoch, or whether angels and demons still interact with humanity isn't exactly easy.

Then I stumbled into the case of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.

I figured I'd spend a few weeks looking into it.

Yeah...that didn't happen.

Those few weeks turned into years of reviewing court records, interviewing people connected to the case, filing public records requests, and discovering that the public narrative didn't always match what I was finding in the documents.

That investigation changed everything.

It also taught me something I didn't expect.

I realized I wasn't just interested in unusual topics.

I was interested in finding the truth, wherever it led.

Whether that's a decades old cold case, an overlooked historical event, a controversial religious topic, or yes, even the occasional paranormal rabbit hole, my curiosity has always been the same.

Dig a little deeper.

Ask one more question.

Read one more document.

And don't stop just because the answer is inconvenient.

That's what Into the Weeds means to me today.

I Don't Have All the Answers

And honestly...

If someone tells you they do, I'd probably raise an eyebrow.

One thing I've learned over the years is that the deeper I investigate something, the more complicated it usually becomes.

Sometimes the evidence confirms what everyone already believes.

Sometimes it completely changes the story.

I've changed my own opinions more than once after new evidence came to light, and I'm okay admitting that. That isn't weakness. That's how an investigation is supposed to work.

The evidence doesn't care about our feelings, our favorite theories, or whatever is trending on social media.

It's just...the evidence.

This Isn't About Winning Arguments

One thing you'll notice pretty quickly is that I'm not interested in treating real tragedies like a sporting event.

Real people were murdered.

Real families are still grieving.

Real lives were changed forever.

That deserves better than turning every case into "Team A versus Team B."

I'm interested in asking better questions, finding better sources, and giving people enough information to think for themselves.

If we end up disagreeing after looking at the same evidence, that's okay.

Just don't ask me to ignore the documents because someone's favorite influencer told you otherwise.

I'm probably going to disappoint you.

None of This Happens Alone

There's something else I want people to know.

This podcast wouldn't exist without Joel Hunt and Military Broadcast Radio.

Joel took a chance on me before I was convinced I should take a chance on myself. His dedication to helping veterans and first responders find purpose, tell their stories, and build community is the reason Into the Weeds has a home.

Military Broadcast Radio didn't just give me a platform.

It gave me a second chance.

For me, it became part of my healing.

I'll never stop being grateful for that.

Meet My Favorite Rabbit Hole Partner

There's another person you need to know.

My cohost, Alaura.

She's also my daughter.

When I first started looking into the Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard case, I asked her to help me. At the time, I honestly thought she was mostly there to help me get comfortable behind the microphone.

Turns out...I was the one who had a lot to learn.

Alaura has this incredible ability to challenge me without making it feel like an argument (most of the time). She asks questions that completely change how I'm looking at the evidence, or she'll notice something I've overlooked because I've been staring at the same documents for hours.

She has challenged me to think beyond my own worldview.

She has made me a better investigator.

She's also incredibly smart, quick witted, and has an uncanny ability to make me laugh at exactly the moment I need it.

Let's face it...we spend a lot of time talking about murder, missing persons, injustice, and some of the darkest moments people will ever experience.

Without her humor and perspective, I don't think I could do this.

I'm incredibly grateful she's willing to keep falling down these rabbit holes with me.

What You'll Find Here

This isn't going to be one of those blogs where I post every Tuesday because someone on YouTube said that's what the algorithm likes.

I'd rather publish something worth reading.

Here you'll find:

• Investigative case files

• Timelines

• Victimology

• Court record analysis

• FOIA updates

• Research trips

• Historical context

• Podcast companion articles

• Behind the scenes from investigations

• Resources for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper

  
  

Why I Do This

People have asked me why I spend so much time doing this.

The answer has never really changed.

I believe victims deserve to be remembered.

Families deserve honest, thorough research.

The public deserves evidence instead of sensationalism.

And I believe every one of us has the ability to leave the world a little better than we found it.

This is simply my way of trying.

Thank You

If you've been with us from the beginning...thank you.

You've watched this show evolve in ways I never could have imagined.

Some of you joined us because of conversations about faith. Others came because of the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case. Some found us through our work on Athena Hogan, the Lawton investigations, veterans' stories, history, or one of the many rabbit holes we've wandered into over the years.

The truth is, I never had a five year plan for this podcast.

I just had a curiosity that refused to stay on the surface.

You've stayed with us through changing topics, changing perspectives, and more than a few unexpected turns. You've encouraged us, challenged us, corrected us when we've needed it, and celebrated the victories with us.

Thank you for giving us the grace to grow.

One thing, however, has never changed.

Our mission.

Whether we're discussing a decades old cold case, interviewing a veteran, exploring history, wrestling with questions of faith, or diving into the occasional paranormal rabbit hole, our goal has always been bigger than producing another podcast.

We want to leave this world a little better than we found it.

Sometimes that means helping keep a victim's story alive.

Sometimes it means encouraging someone who's struggling.

Sometimes it means asking difficult questions.

Sometimes it simply means listening.

Whatever form it takes, I hope this website becomes an extension of that mission. A place where curiosity is welcomed, evidence matters, respectful conversations can happen, and where people are reminded that one person really can make a difference.

To everyone who has watched, listened, subscribed, shared an episode, sent an encouraging message, challenged us to think differently, or simply spent part of your day with us...

Thank you.

You are every bit as much a part of this journey as we are.

The truth isn't found on the surface. It's found when we're willing to ask one more question, read one more document, and get just a little further into the weeds.

That's what this website is about.

That's what this podcast is about.

That's what our mission is about.

We're just getting started.

Until next time...

Do something good to change the world for the better today.

See you out in the weeds,

Amber Deitz & Alaura Flowers

Into the Weeds Podcast