Cardinal Crimes
Cardinal Crimes
Podcast Description
At Cardinal Crimes, we want "true crime" to have a purpose. Here, we aim to raise awareness of cases, deepen understanding of various types of crime and the psychology driving them, and explore ways to prevent future crime—whether through individual actions, community efforts, societal change, or policy reform. We do this by speaking with survivors, victims, experts, policymakers, offenders, and more to learn all that we can about crime and how to stop it.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers themes such as domestic violence, unsolved murders, and the psychology of offenders, with episodes featuring topics like male victims of domestic violence, the unsolved cases of Gladys Held and Jacob Biretz, and the impact of intimate partner violence on survivors, such as in the discussions with Janine Latus and Leah Zeiger.
Cardinal Crimes is a true crime podcast that explores cold and unsolved cases, criminal behavior, and crime prevention.
The host, Becca, is a former Intelligence Analyst interested in the “why” behind crime, the systems that shape it, and the ways we can prevent it.
On July 12, 1979, a fire at the Hill Top Motel in Red Oak, Iowa, claimed the life of 3-year-old Keara Coshow. Despite known suspicions of child abuse from Keara's stepmother, Karen, and Keara being nearly blind from an injury many suspect was inflicted upon her by her stepmother, investigators ruled the fire and Keara's death a tragic accident.
The investigation was reopened in 2007 and closed in 2010 with the same conclusion: the fire and Keara's death were an accident.
But, in 2025, the Iowa Attorney General's Office released a deck of Iowa Cold Case cards, and I was surprised to find Keara's face among them, with her being labeled ”homicide victim”, and the card stating the fire was ruled arson.
I reached out to the Iowa Attorney General's Office and the Iowa Cold Case Unit to request clarification. The Iowa Cold Case Unit responded, and in this episode, I give an update on what they told me: they DON'T know why there is a discrepancy. But they are looking into this case, which I consider a win.
If you have ANY INFORMATION at all, please contact the Iowa Cold Case Unit:
Their email: [email protected]
Listen to my previous episode on Keara Coshow: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cardinal-crimes/id1781462994?i=1000695493302
Or watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/WInjK111ydE?si=YW1dTfJ0UVzArgua
Sources:
- Voicemail & phone conversation with Iowa Cold Case Investigator Chad Lovig, November 2025
- Roy Marshall, Investigation Report Case #7907361, State of Iowa Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal Division
- State of Iowa Death Certificate (certified reproduction of original record), Keara Coshow, Issued April 23, 2007.
- Jon Mathis, Closing and Disposition Record Case #0706806, Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation
- Iowa Cold Cases Playing Cards, 1st Edition, Iowa Office of the Attorney General, Department of Corrections, Sheriff's & Deputies Association, Iowa Police chiefs Association, Iowa County Attorneys Association, April 16, 2025
- Jody Ewing, Keara Coshow Case Summary, Iowa Cold Cases, https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/keara-coshow/
- Rossi, R., Lodise, M., Lancia, M., Bacci, M., De-Giorgio, F., & Cascini, F. (2014). Trigemino-cardiac reflex as lethal mechanism in a suicidal fire death case. Journal of forensic sciences, 59(3), 833–835. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.12408
If you have any information on any of the cold cases covered, you can submit a tip here:https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-crime-victims/iowa-cold-case/cold-case-tip-form
You can follow Cardinal Crimes on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube @CardinalCrimes.
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If you liked the show and are interested in supporting my work, check out my Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/CardinalCrimes?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
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Theme Song: Shrouded Lament by james.lfo, William Claeson
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