Episodios

  • 79: Hostel Murders

    79: Hostel Murders
    May 22 2025
    When we pack our bags and check into a hostel, we’re chasing adventure. A new city, a bunk bed, the promise of strangers who might become friends - or at least someone to split a cab with. And honestly? I love staying in hostels. I’ve stayed in them all over - tiny ones in coastal towns to big ones in the heart of cities. They’re chaotic, friendly, weird, and wonderful. And for the most part, they feel safe.But behind the cheerful welcome signs and communal kitchens, something darker can hide. A stolen passport. A missing girl. A body in a room. From Australia to France to India, some travelers checked in… but never checked out. Today, I’m taking you around the world - one hostel at a time - to revisit the chilling true stories of backpackers who vanished, were attacked, or lost their lives in places meant to be safe havens for the wandering soul. Do you have a story to share? Send your email to lasttrippodcast@gmail.com We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/ And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, A Scary State Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-scary-state/id1562755130 Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter Sources: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/apr/03/facing-my-daughters-killer-and-finding-forgiveness-its-what-mia-would-have-wanted https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-08/home-hill-backpacker-murders-smail-ayad-ayliffe-chung-jackson/100522990 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Home_Hill_stabbings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sophie_Collombet https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-26/benjamin-james-milward-sentenced-life-sophie-collombet-murder/7962676 https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/26/sophie-collombet-killer-jailed-for-at-least-20-years-for-and-of-student https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-01/police-confirm-bashed-woman-was-french-exchange-student/5360002 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Arce_Montes https://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jun/13/schooltrips.uk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/21/france.uk https://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-06-15/spaniard-jailed-for-30-years-over-dickinson-murder/1992942 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/14/goa-india-vikat-bhagat-guilty-rape-murder-danielle-mclaughlin https://apnews.com/article/india-goa-rape-irish-backpacker-danielle-mclaughlin-c510687dd25e7202d2fb85edd9ae0a94 https://www.thesun.ie/news/14732164/man-sentenced-rape-murder-irish-backpacker-india-danielle-mclaughlin/ https://www.thesun.ie/news/14735720/danielle-mclaughlin-murder-family-nightmare-over-killer-life-sentence/ https://people.com/irish-backpacker-india-beaches-found-dead-raped-murdered-paradise-11681002
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    57 m
  • 78: Bonus Episode: Dawn Barclay, "Vacations Can Be Murder"

    78: Bonus Episode: Dawn Barclay, "Vacations Can Be Murder"
    May 19 2025
    Today on The Last Trip, we’re diving into the darker side of travel with someone who knows exactly where the bodies are buried - literally and figuratively.
    Dawn Barclay is an award - winning travel journalist with a knack for uncovering the truth behind paradise. You might know her from her groundbreaking guide Traveling Different, which helps neurodiverse families navigate the chaos of vacationing with grace and strategy.
    But under the name DM Barr, she’s also a thriller writer who crafts suspense like a seasoned detective.
    And now? She’s fusing those worlds together in her series Vacations Can Be Murder: A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide - a multi-volume passport to the most chilling destinations across the globe.
    She’s part Nancy Drew, part Rick Steves, and she’s here with us to share the stories, the secrets, and maybe even a few travel warnings you won’t find in the brochures.
    So buckle up. We’re going on a trip where the souvenirs come with stories you’ll never forget.

    Do you have a story to share? Send your email to lasttrippodcast@gmail.com

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow Dawn Barclay & pick up your copy of "Vacations Can Be Murder"
    Amazon - https://a.co/d/d3TjUo6
    https://www.dawnbarclayink.com/
    https://dawnbarclay.com/
    http://www.dmbarr.com/
    https://vacationscanbemurder.weebly.com/

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter
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    27 m
  • 77: David O'Sullivan: Idyllwild, CA

    77: David O'Sullivan: Idyllwild, CA
    May 15 2025
    It was a quiet spring morning in Idyllwild, California - April 7, 2017 - when 25 year old David O’Sullivan put on his backpack, stepped onto the Pacific Crest Trail, and vanished.
    The Irish hiker had come to America chasing a dream: to walk from Mexico to Canada, alone, through some of the country’s wildest landscapes. The day before, he’d sent a brief email from the town’s small library - his last known communication.
    Since then, there’s been nothing. No calls. No confirmed sightings. No trace of him.
    How does someone disappear on one of the most traveled trails in the US?
    What happened to David O’Sullivan? And where is he now?
    Listen as we dive into the Pacific Crest Trail, the case of David O'Sullivan, and how to stay alive on vacation.

    Do you have a story to share? Send your email to lasttrippodcast@gmail.com

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, A Scary State Podcast
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-scary-state/id1562755130

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

    Sources:
    https://fofound.org/2021/06/19/david-osullivan-missing/

    https://www.pctmissing.org/david-osullivan

    https://www.pressenterprise.com/2021/05/26/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-pacific-crest-trail-hiker-david-osullivan/

    https://www.pressenterprise.com/2021/05/26/whos-looking-for-david-osullivan-at-first-almost-no-one/

    https://www.pressenterprise.com/2021/05/26/4-years-later-searchers-seek-an-answer-what-was-david-osullivans-fate/

    https://www.facebook.com/groups/140662906657636/

    https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2022/04/16/its-been-five-years-since-hiker-david-osullivan-disappeared/

    https://www.dailynews.com/2021/05/26/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-pacific-crest-trail-hiker-david-osullivan/

    https://medium.com/the-mystery-box/vanished-on-the-pct-where-is-david-osullivan-5d185b2c8f71

    https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/david-lawrence-osullivan

    https://fofound.org/
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    55 m
  • 76: Valerie De La Valdene: Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands

    76: Valerie De La Valdene: Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands
    May 8 2025
    She was known as “Shark Girl” - a fearless underwater photographer who swam with predators most of us only dare to watch on TV.
    At 48, Valerie de la Valdene had it all: a career that earned her a spot in the Women Divers Hall of Fame, features on Shark Week, a culinary education under a world-renowned chef, and the kind of wealth that came with a prestigious family name.
    But in June 2014, Valerie was found dead in the Galapagos Islands - a single gunshot wound to the left temple.
    Authorities called it a suicide. But the scene? It told a different story.
    And when you follow the trail of strange details and unanswered questions, it begins to look a lot less like self-destruction… and a lot more like murder.
    Listen as we dive into the Galápagos Islands, the case of Valerie de la Valdene, and how to stay alive on vacation.

    Do you have a story to share? Send your email to lasttrippodcast@gmail.com

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Weird True Crime
    https://weirdtruecrime.com/

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

    Sources:
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4679860/American-woman-s-family-goes-Galapagos-probe-death.html

    https://www.bradenton.com/news/state/article160395929.html

    https://www.wdhof.org/members/valerie-valdene

    https://www.sharks.org/blog/blogs/ocean-log/valerie-elaine-de-la-valdene-1966-2014

    https://wetpixel.com/articles/rip-valerie-de-la-valdene

    https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article4827450.html

    https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tallahassee/name/valerie-valdene-obituary?id=17009121

    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/in-galapagos-a-case-of-su_b_6529550

    https://www.change.org/p/rafael-correa-government-of-ecuador-who-killed-of-countess-valerie-elaine-de-la-valdene-an-american-with-usa-passport-no-442549467-and-msc-doctor-in-criminology-cameraman-submarine-aficionada-volunteer-and-philanthropist-domiciled-for-25-years-in-the

    https://shootingsportsman.com/guy-de-la-valdene-1944-2023/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuyKbZh5USQ
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    39 m
  • 75: Ray Gricar: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

    75: Ray Gricar: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
    May 1 2025
    On April 15, 2005, District Attorney Ray Gricar took the day off, got in his car, and set out on a quiet road trip—just a short drive to clear his head. But he never came home. His car was later found abandoned, his wallet and phone missing, and his laptop destroyed and dumped in a river. And then... nothing.
    In this episode, we explore the mysterious disappearance of Ray Gricar—a seasoned prosecutor who had spent decades putting criminals behind bars. Did he walk away from his life? Was he targeted? Or did he uncover something so dangerous it made him disappear?
    Listen as we dive into Pennsylvania, the case of Ray Gricar, and how to stay alive on vacation.

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Tragedy With A View
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tragedy-with-a-view/id1689392628

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

    Sources:
    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=in4xAAAAIBAJ&pg=5789,304024&dq=ray+gricar

    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jH4xAAAAIBAJ&pg=3826,3070043&dq=ray+gricar+car

    https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/missing-da-is-it-foul-play-or-did-he-commit-suicide/

    https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/missing-da-is-it-foul-play-or-did-he-commit-suicide/

    https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iZYNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5334,210533&dq=ray+gricar+laptop

    https://web.archive.org/web/20110709151400/http://www.centredaily.com/2011/07/06/2818532/family-seeks-closure.html

    https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2015/04/ten_years_later_ray_gricars_di.html

    https://www.pennlive.com/midstate/2015/04/ten_years_later_ray_gricars_di.html
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    41 m
  • 74: Lucy Schuhmann: St John, USVI

    74: Lucy Schuhmann: St John, USVI
    Apr 24 2025
    In September 2019, a yellow Jeep Wrangler was found abandoned at a remote trailhead on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Everything inside looked normal—except the woman who rented it, Lucy Schuhmann, was missing.
    The 48-year-old traveler from Louisville, Kentucky, had come to the island alone, seeking peace and nature. She checked into a rental near Coral Bay, unpacked, and then vanished.
    Her belongings were left behind. Her ID was found in her daypack at the end of a trail. Despite extensive searches, Lucy has never been seen again.
    Was it a tragic accident, a planned disappearance—or is something darker hiding beneath the island’s serene surface?
    Listen as we dive into St John, the case of Lucy Schuhmann, and how to stay alive on vacation.

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Twisted and Uncorked
    https://www.twistedanduncorked.com/

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

    Sources:
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/402880693755219/

    https://www.wlky.com/article/authorities-searching-for-louisville-woman-missing-in-virgin-islands/29180145

    https://nypost.com/2019/09/23/kentucky-woman-lucy-schuhmann-missing-for-four-days-in-us-virgin-islands/

    https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/25/us/virgin-islands-missing-woman/index.html

    https://charleyproject.org/case/lucy-evalyne-schuhmann

    https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1563/isb-viis-missing.htm

    https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2019/09/22/louisville-woman-missing-since-thursday-virgin-islands/2413233001/

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rescuers-focus-virgin-islands-cliffs-where-missing-american-s-backpack-n1059316

    https://stjohnsource.com/2019/10/02/nps-downscales-search-for-missing-kentucky-woman/

    https://stjohnsource.com/2019/09/20/240057/

    https://nypost.com/2019/09/23/kentucky-woman-lucy-schuhmann-missing-for-four-days-in-us-virgin-islands/

    https://people.com/human-interest/kentucky-woman-missing-5-days-vanished-airbnb-virgin-islands/

    https://websleuths.com/threads/usvi-lucy-schuhmann-48-tourist-from-ky-st-john-us-virgin-islands-19-sep-2019.475106/
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    38 m
  • 73: Robert Cantrell: Cancun, Mexico

    73: Robert Cantrell: Cancun, Mexico
    Apr 17 2025
    A 62-year-old man boards a plane—but his travel path makes no sense. Charlotte. Austin. Dallas. And finally… Cancun. When Robert Cantrell lands in Mexico, he clears customs—but never makes it to baggage claim.
    Days later, he reappears—shoeless, confused, and unable to remember his own name. A journalist finds him. Then he disappears again.
    Was he lost, drugged, or targeted? A voicemail, a detention center, and a suitcase returned without him—all raise more questions than answers.
    This week, we unravel the chilling mystery of Robert Cantrell, a man who vanished not once, but twice.
    Listen as we dive into Cancun, the case of Robert Cantrell, and how to stay alive on vacation.

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Pod of Terror
    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pod-of-terror/id1719369658

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

    Sources:
    https://theguadalajarareporter.net/index.php/news/news/lake-chapala/61412-ajijic-homeowner-s-puzzling-mystery-disappearance

    https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/friends-say-missing-jacksonville-man-last-seen-cancun/77-970d7c68-e202-4b2f-9311-9e70c3f05f2a

    https://ojo.chapala.com/articles-2023/september-2023/ajijic-man-still-missing/

    https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/08/04/as-familys-fears-grow-sen-rubio-now-aiding-in-search-for-jacksonville-man-missing-in-mexico/

    https://texasequusearch.org/cases/robert-cantrell-62-cancun-mexico-6-20-2023/

    https://www.instagram.com/robcan/

    https://theguadalajarareporter.net/index.php/news/news/lake-chapala/60278-reward-offered-for-location-of-missing-ajijic-resident

    https://www.tiktok.com/@hurricanechristy/video/7279992530979032363

    https://www.gofundme.com/f/find-rob-cantrell-and-bring-him-to-safety

    https://websleuths.com/threads/mexico-robert-cantrell-62-american-retired-psychologist-wanted-to-see-a-property-in-cancun-20-jun-2023.683495/page-2

    https://www.facebook.com/RobCan2

    https://mexicodailypost.com/2023/09/02/new-clues-emerge-regarding-an-american-based-in-ajijic-that-disappeared-in-cancun/
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    42 m
  • 72: Larry Hillblom: Saipan

    72: Larry Hillblom: Saipan
    Apr 10 2025
    Money, power, and mystery—three ingredients for a disappearance that still haunts the Pacific.
    Larry Hillblom, co-founder of DHL, built a shipping empire and amassed a fortune. Yet, he chose to live in secrecy on a remote Pacific island, surrounded by scandal and whispers of something darker.
    In 1995, his small plane crashed near Saipan. Wreckage was found. Bodies recovered. But Hillblom? Gone. No body. No trace. Just questions.
    Did he perish in the ocean—or stage the ultimate escape? With mounting paternity lawsuits, a cryptic will, and a fortune at stake, his disappearance ignited one of history’s most bizarre legal battles.
    Accident? Cover-up? Murder? Vanishing act?
    Today, we unravel the strange, tangled mystery of Larry Hillblom—an empire-builder whose fate remains unknown.

    We're on YouTube with full video: https://www.youtube.com/@TheLastTripPodcast

    Follow us on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/

    And join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast

    Listen to this week's podcast recommendation, Book of the Dead Pod
    https://www.botdpod.com/

    Theme Music by Roger Allen Dexter

    Sources:
    https://tiaca.org/larry-hillblom/

    https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/documents/areas/fac/dotm/bio/pdf_KM09.pdf

    https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/business/king-larry-the-bizarre-road-of-a-billionaire-review.html

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/08/23/millionaires-dna-may-solve-inheritance-flap/b6db40f3-741d-4ec0-ba7e-a03e377af96c/

    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-24-mn-5506-story.html

    https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/23/us/larry-l-hillblom-52-founder-of-dhl-worldwide-express.html

    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jan-11-mn-7237-story.html

    https://www.joc.com/article/dhl-co-founder-larry-hillblom-dies-in-plane-crash-5403850

    https://nypost.com/2012/01/15/one-man-is-an-island/

    https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/2c3du0/larry_hillblom_billionaire_and_founder_of_dhl/

    https://fortune.com/2012/02/03/king-larry-the-story-of-a-business-monster/

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB832124296163216000

    https://www.dannydutch.com/post/the-evil-story-of-larry-hillblom-the-h-from-dhl
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    45 m
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