The Invisible Choir true crime podcast examines the most heinous murders through investigative storytelling, primary source audio, and victim testimonials. We a...
On the afternoon of March 19th, 2018, residents in Lake Wales, Florida were going about their usual day-to-day business. Adults were just getting off work, kids were returning home from school, and others were finishing up their errands. But, around 3 PM, that all changed when waves of police and paramedics made their way to a neighborhood on the south side of town, surrounding a small field near Caloosa Blvd and Lake Blvd. As public interest grew and residents watched on, they learned that just beyond that field, in a small but dense area of trees, lay the dead body of 15-year-old Giovanni Diaz. As for the suspect, 16-year-old Dillen Murray, he was already in custody, claiming that he had beaten the boy to death in self-defense. It just so happened that the community themselves had far more information than investigators initially realized, helping to piece together the puzzle of how a hang out between friends turned deadly.
***We originally covered this case in an abbreviated “Felony Friday” mini-episode back in 2020. This is a follow-up full length rewrite now that the perpetrator has been sentenced and all investigative reports have been made publicly available.***
Written by Trevor Pason, edited and engineered by Scott Ecklein, and executive produced by Michael Ojibway. View full episode source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/secretproject
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1:23:21
Strength in Numbers
The Cloud 9 nightclub in Ocala, FL was a hotspot for young people seeking an unforgettable nightlife experience. The venue had become notable in the community for its raucous crowd and the constant illegal activities that occurred within. When 19-year-old college athlete Benetria Robinson returned home from college to Ocala to celebrate her aunt’s birthday at Cloud 9, neither she nor anyone else in attendance could have anticipated the dark turn the night would take when an argument started up in the middle of the club…
Written by John Garland Wells, edited and engineered by Scott Ecklein, and executive produced by Michael Ojibway. View full episode source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/strengthnumbers
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54:42
Surprise Attack
In the spring of 2022, Ashley Bocanegra found herself in an exciting new romantic relationship with Daniel Gonzalez… despite knowing it was a mistake. She was already in a committed long-term relationship and raising a young son. Daniel, too, was involved with someone else. But what Ashley never expected was how quickly things would spiral out of control when Daniel's fiancée discovered the affair…
Written by Sam Foster, Edited and Engineered by Scott Ecklein, and Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. “Surprise Attack - Intro” written, composed and performed by Scott Ecklein. View full episode source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/surpriseattack
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1:03:54
The Perfect Storm
"Have you ever seen a dead body?" It was a haunting question that marked the beginning of a gruesome discovery inside the Smylie family home in Brandon, MS, in March of 2024. A beloved high school teacher was found shot dead, and her husband narrowly escaped with his own life. Amid the chaos that followed, Heath Smylie recognized the killer—but if not for the footage captured on a home security camera in the family’s kitchen, no one might have believed him…
Written by Sam Foster, Edited and Engineered by Scott Ecklein, and Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. All original music written, composed and performed by Scott Ecklein. View full episode source list at https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/perfectstorm
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1:05:59
Witness Execution Program
Shortly after 5 a.m. on Sept. 10, 2012, three masked men wielding guns broke into a suburban home in Ocoee, Florida. The intruders dragged roommates Alex Zaldivar, 19, Brienna Campos, 20, and her brother Remington Campos, 23, from their beds and lay them face down on the living room floor. Minutes later, bullets were fired into each of the heads. The men fled. When the ringing in their ears subsided, Remington and Brienna Campos realized they had miraculously survived, but their friend did not. Alex Zaldivar lay motionless in a widening pool of his own blood. Who were these men and why were they trying to kill everyone inside? It would later be revealed one of the intruders had been in this house, uninvited, once before. He was facing serious prison time and saw only one solution: he had to kill the witnesses.
A special thanks to Rafael Zaldivar, who shared photos, videos and personal stories about his son, as well as retired Orlando Police Detective Michael Moreschi, who investigated the murder and provided an interview and information for this episode.
Written by Gus Burns, Edited and Engineered by Scott Ecklein, and Executive Produced by Michael Ojibway. View full episode source list: View full episode source list: https://www.invisiblechoir.com/listen/witness
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The Invisible Choir true crime podcast examines the most heinous murders through investigative storytelling, primary source audio, and victim testimonials. We aim to bring voice to the voiceless, and visibility to the invisible. Independently recorded and produced by Michael Ojibway and Reach Freaks, LLC.