The Coward's Route: Ryan Borgwardt
Crime Salad
07/25/26
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From reversing a vasectomy in secret, to exploiting Western Union loopholes, to fleeing to Eastern Europe, this case proves that the truth is often stranger than fiction. We unpack the devastating financial reality of community property laws, the psychological toll of marital waste, and how a father's desperate fight-or-flight response sparked a viral international manhunt.
Ryan Borgwardt, a local cabinet maker living in Wisconsin with his wife and three kids, chooses to stage an accidental death like it’s a movie set and flee the country. His travels take him by child-sized inflatable raft, to a hidden e-bike, to a Greyhound bus, and finally onto an international flight to meet a distant connection he fell for online. Will his grand illusion work, or will his family be left absolutely devastated and heartbroken to discover he’s actually not at the bottom of Green Lake but has been planning a cowardly escape route right under their noses? Debt. Lust. Greed.
In this bizarre true crime investigation, we dive deep into the chilling timeline of the Green Lake missing kayaker. When an empty kayak and a floating life jacket trigger a massive 58-day underwater sonar search by first responders and Bruce's Legacy, a grieving community believes the worst. But a cracked laptop, a secret second passport, a $375,000 life insurance policy, and a staggering $200,000 in hidden marital debt soon reveal a mind-blowing twist.
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Previous Episode
The Empty Casket: The Bizarre Disappearance of Julie Mott
How does a body go missing from a funeral home? After defying the odds and battling cystic fibrosis for 25 years, Julie Mott passed away, only for her remains to be stolen from a San Antonio funeral home in broad daylight just hours after her service. In this episode, we explore the bizarre timeline at Mission Park Funeral Chapels, an obsessive ex-boyfriend, theories of a massive corporate cover-up, and the heartbreaking legal battle that followed.
Where is Julie Mott?
Case Resources & Tips: If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Julie Mott on August 15, 2015, please contact the San Antonio Police Department tip line at 210-225-TIPS (210-225-8477).
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At 3:13 AM automated Apple SOS crash alert from a daughter's phone would send any parent into a frantic search. This was the terrifying reality for the mother of 20-year-old Melody Hoffman. But instead of a car crash, she found Melody's shattered phone abandoned on an empty road, a discovery that raised a chilling set of questions. Hours later, a devastating find was made in a secluded area near Lily Pond.
In this episode, we untangle the heartbreaking case of Melody Hoffman, a trusting, bright young woman from Marion, Iowa, who was betrayed in a premeditated plot fueled by a volatile love triangle. We walk through the chilling digital deception used to cover the killers' tracks, the timeline of that tragic night, and the forensic evidence that ultimately brought them to justice. Melody believed in the goodness of people and just wanted to make others smile; this is her story.
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