Pushing Up Lillies
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  • Julie Mattson
  • January 8, 2025January 8, 2025
  • Podcast

Cold Medicine Murder: The Case of Matthew and Lauren Phelps

In this episode, I’m diving into the chilling case of Matthew Phelps, who was charged with murder on September 1st after allegedly stabbing his wife, Lauren Ashley-Nicole Phelps, to death. The shocking twist? He claimed that cold medicine caused him to commit this unspeakable act.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • January 1, 2025January 1, 2025
  • Podcast

Japan’s ‘Black Widow’ Serial Killer Chisako Kakehi 

In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m taking a trip across the globe to uncover the unsettling story of Japan’s “Black Widow,” Chisako Kakashi. This infamous serial killer has been accused of luring her victims into deadly traps—often using poison—as she pursued financial gain and control.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • December 25, 2024December 25, 2024
  • Podcast

The Tragic Murder of Rhonda Hinson

In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at the heartbreaking 1981 murder of 19-year-old Rhonda Hinson, a North Carolina teen whose life was brutally cut short just two days before Christmas.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • December 18, 2024December 18, 2024
  • Podcast

Rides That Never Return: Rideshare Nightmares

Hey y’all, it’s Julie Mattson, and on this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we’re diving into the unsettling world of deaths linked to Uber and Lyft rides.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • December 11, 2024December 11, 2024
  • Podcast

The Walls Have Eyes: The Chilling Case of Daniel LaPlante

This week, I’m taking you into one of the most unsettling cases I’ve ever researched—the story of Daniel LaPlante. Known for his bizarre and terrifying behavior, LaPlante lurked in the walls of a family’s home before brutally murdering a pregnant woman and her children.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • December 4, 2024December 4, 2024
  • Podcast

Breathless: Tragic Asphyxia and Choking Deaths

In this episode, I’m diving into a heartbreaking and often misunderstood topic—deaths caused by asphyxia and choking. Whether it’s accidental, intentional, or the result of foul play, these cases are some of the most challenging and emotional to investigate.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • November 27, 2024November 27, 2024
  • Podcast

Susan Smith: A Mother’s Betrayal

This week, we’re revisiting one of the most shocking and heartbreaking cases in true crime history—the story of Susan Smith, the mother who drove her car into a lake in 1994, drowning her two young sons. It’s a case that stunned the nation, and now, nearly 30 years later, Susan was up for parole.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • November 20, 2024November 20, 2024
  • Podcast

Deaths in Tanning Beds

In this episode, we’re diving into a chilling and often overlooked phenomenon—people found deceased in tanning beds.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • November 13, 2024November 13, 2024
  • Podcast

Eighteen Decomposed Bodies in a Funeral Home

In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we dive into the chilling case of Chris Lee Johnson, a 39-year-old funeral home owner from Douglas, Georgia, who has been arrested after authorities discovered 18 decomposing bodies in his care.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • November 5, 2024November 6, 2024
  • Podcast

Wife Murdered Over Zombie House Flipping Show

On this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, we’re delving into the twisted tale of David Tronnes, a Florida man whose obsession with home renovations and dreams of reality TV stardom ended in murder.

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Pushing Up Lilies

Pushing Up Lilies
Pushing Up Lilies

Dissect the science behind some of the most spine-tingling, unusual and terrifyingly true crime stories with Julie Mattson, a seasoned Forensic Nurse Death Investigator in this gripping weekly podcast.

Julie’s unique approach to investigations is informed by her background in nursing, which allows her to provide an in-depth analysis of the medical intricacies and physiological aspects of each case.

With her compassionate storytelling and unwavering dedication to uncovering the truth, Julie takes you on a thrilling journey into the world of forensic science, shining a light on the intersection of medicine, justice and criminal investigation.

In “Pushing Up Lilies,” Julie’s expert medical analysis will captivate your imagination and challenge your understanding of the human body’s role in solving the most complex and enigmatic criminal case.

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The Monster He Wanted to Become
byJulie Mattson

In this episode of Pushing Up Lilies, I’m covering the heartbreaking case of Rachel Castillo, a young mother whose disappearance in Southern California led investigators to a devastating discovery, and ultimately, the conviction of her estranged husband, Zarbab Ali.

Rachel vanished during what should have been a routine custody exchange involving her children. But almost immediately, investigators began uncovering signs that something was terribly wrong. What followed was an intense investigation involving surveillance footage, blood evidence, digital tracking, and a search that ended with Rachel’s body being found buried in a remote area.

As a forensic death investigator, I walk through how cases like this begin to unfold behind the scenes, how small pieces of evidence start forming a timeline, how investigators interpret behavioral patterns, and how critical those early investigative decisions become when someone suddenly disappears under suspicious circumstances.

This episode contains discussion of domestic violence, homicide, and burial concealment. 

Listener discretion is advised.

The Monster He Wanted to Become
The Monster He Wanted to Become
May 27, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Death of Spencer Irwin: Questions Left Behind
May 20, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Shocking Torture and Murder of Sonia Exelby
May 13, 2026
Julie Mattson
Inside the Crime that Shook a Community – Part Three
May 6, 2026
Julie Mattson
Inside the Crime that Shook a Community – Part Two
April 29, 2026
Julie Mattson
Inside the Crime that Shook a Community – Part One
April 22, 2026
Julie Mattson
Julie Mattson: LIVE From Beyond The Crime 2026
April 15, 2026
Julie Mattson
Pedro Rodrigues Filho: The Man Who Killed Killers
April 8, 2026
Julie Mattson
Walter Carl Kenney: Twice a John Doe
April 1, 2026
Julie Mattson
A Case That Still Hurts: Revisiting Aubreigh Wyatt’s Story
March 25, 2026
Julie Mattson
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Pushing Up Lilies is a weekly true crime podcast with spine-tingling, unusual, terrifyingly true stories with a forensic twist, hosted by Julie Mattson.

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Pushing Up Lilies is a weekly true crime podcast with spine-tingling, unusual, terrifyingly true stories with a forensic twist, hosted by Forensic Nurse Death Investigator, Julie Mattson.

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Recent Episodes

The Monster He Wanted to Become

The Death of Spencer Irwin: Questions Left Behind

The Shocking Torture and Murder of Sonia Exelby

Inside the Crime that Shook a Community – Part Three

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© 2026 Pushing Up Lilies. All Rights Reserved.