Pushing Up Lillies
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  • Julie Mattson
  • January 21, 2026January 21, 2026
  • Podcast

Spence and Mo’ Tepe: The Murdered Dentist and His Wife

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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  • Julie Mattson
  • December 3, 2025December 3, 2025
  • Podcast

The Disappearance of Ana Walshe

In this episode, I’m digging into the unsettling story of Faye and Raymond Copeland—the oldest couple ever sentenced to death in the United States.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • September 10, 2025September 10, 2025
  • Podcast

Love, Lies and Embezzlement

On today’s episode, we explore the heartbreaking story of the Hart family murder-suicide. On March 26th, 2018, the family’s SUV was found at the bottom of a cliff in California, with the bodies of all eight family members inside.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • July 9, 2025July 9, 2025
  • Podcast

Suzanne Morphew: Vanished Mom and Wildlife Drugs

In this episode, I’m digging into the unsettling story of Faye and Raymond Copeland—the oldest couple ever sentenced to death in the United States.

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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
  • June 7, 2023June 7, 2023
  • Podcast

Australian Mom Pardoned for Death of Children After 20 Years

In this gripping episode, we delve into a heart-wrenching case that shocked Australia and sparked intense debates within the criminal justice system. Join us as we uncover the tragic tale of an Australian mother Kathleen Folbigg, who spent a harrowing 20 years behind bars for the mysterious deaths of her four children.

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  • Julie Mattson
  • February 22, 2023
  • Podcast

The Valentine’s Day Murder of Denise Leuthold

This week we conclude our Valentine’s Day Murders with a story about Nathan Leuthold, a 39 year old former Baptist Missionary, who shot his wife Denise Leuthold in the head on Valentine’s Day 2013, to make room for his lover, a 20-year-old Lithuanian woman the couple sponsored to study in the United States.

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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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Christa Pike: Failed Execution Mystery
byJulie Mattson

What happens when someone is sentenced to death, the execution goes forward, but the person doesn’t die?

This week on Pushing Up Lilies, I’m talking about Christa Pike, who was convicted of the brutal 1995 murder of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in Knoxville, Tennessee. Pike was just 18 years old when the murder occurred, and she has spent roughly three decades on death row.

I want to start by telling you about Colleen, what happened to her, and the evidence that ultimately led to Pike’s conviction. As a former death investigator, I look at cases like this through the physical evidence, the injuries, the witness statements, and what those findings tell us about a victim’s final moments.

But there’s another side to this story that raises some serious medical questions.

On September 30, 2026, Tennessee reportedly attempted to execute Pike using pentobarbital. According to the account discussed in this episode, she survived the procedure and was hospitalized in critical condition. As a nurse, I have a lot of questions about what happened inside that execution chamber.

We’ll look at how lethal injection is supposed to work, what could potentially go wrong, and the medical and ethical questions that arise when an execution fails.

This case is disturbing on so many levels, and while the latest developments have brought renewed attention to Christa Pike, I don’t want us to forget the young woman whose murder started this entire story.

Join me as we examine the evidence, the medicine, and the unanswered questions surrounding this case.

Christa Pike: Failed Execution Mystery
Christa Pike: Failed Execution Mystery
October 7, 2026
Julie Mattson
Tasia Fortune: The Hanging That Wasn’t The Cause of Death
September 30, 2026
Julie Mattson
Burger Avenue Mystery
September 23, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Death of Barrett Walsh: Psychosis, a Murder Charge, and the Lindsay Clancy Connection
September 16, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Death of Aria Talathi: When a Drowning Scene Tells a Different Story
September 9, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Lindsay Clancy Trial: The Case Is Now in the Jury’s Hands
September 2, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Lindsay Clancy Trial: New Testimony, New Questions
August 26, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Lindsay Clancy Trial: Psychosis, Premeditation, or Both?
August 19, 2026
Julie Mattson
The Lindsay Clancy Case: Three Children, One Unthinkable Night
August 12, 2026
Julie Mattson
Grand Haven: The Karolkiewicz Family
August 5, 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

Christa Pike: Failed Execution Mystery

Dani After Dark: Julie Mattson Guest Appearance

Tasia Fortune: The Hanging That Wasn’t The Cause of Death

Burger Avenue Mystery

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