Murder Shelf Book Club Podcast · murdershelfbookclub

Episode 141 Part 3 2ndCast- "The Untangling"- A Tangled Web: A True Story by Leslie Rule

·1 hr 14 min·5 clips

Liz Golyer calls 911 after being shot, then accuses Amy Flora of the attack in a shocking turn.

This episode concludes the trilogy covering Leslie Rule's true crime book "A Tangled Web," detailing the investigation into Carrie Farver's disappearance and the stalker tormenting her loved ones. Host Jill guides listeners through the complex case, highlighting the digital forensics work that untangled a web of deception. The narrative focuses on the suspect, Shanna "Liz" Golyer, and the law enforcement officials who dedicated years to the investigation. Deputy Anthony Kava built a custom database named "Dex" to analyze tens of thousands of emails and texts, uncovering that Liz Golyer was impersonating the missing Carrie Farver. Detectives Ryan Avis and Jim Doty employed a novel strategy, with one working the case as if Farver were alive and the other as if she were deceased. A key break came when a fingerprint on a mint container in Carrie Farver's SUV was matched to Liz Golyer. In December 2015, Liz Golyer reported being shot in a park, claiming Amy Flora was the assailant, but police found Flora at home in her nightgown with a cold car. Investigators recovered deleted data from Liz Golyer's phone, revealing she used an app called Texty to send threatening messages from fake accounts. A critical moment involved detectives showing Liz Golyer an unrelated X-ray, leading her to believe Carrie Farver's remains had been found. Liz Golyer then forwarded fabricated confession emails, purportedly from Amy Flora, detailing stabbing and burning Carrie Farver. Digital evidence proved these emails originated from Liz Golyer's IP address, and one contained knowledge of Carrie Farver's private yin-yang tattoo. A search of Liz Golyer's apartment recovered Carrie Farver's camcorder and a cell phone that had called Farver's mother while using a voice modulator. Bloodstains in Carrie Farver's SUV, later confirmed by DNA to be hers with astronomical odds, indicated a violent attack. The most shocking evidence was a photo recovered from Liz Golyer's tablet showing a decomposing foot with a tattoo matching one Carrie Farver had for her mother. Forensic pathologist Dr. Michelle Eliff examined this photo. Prosecutor Brenda Beadle and her team built a case without a body, relying on this digital and circumstantial evidence. Liz Golyer was arrested for murder in December 2016 and opted for a bench trial before Judge Timothy Burns. The host draws a parallel between this case and that of Pam Hupp, who allegedly framed an innocent man. The tone is educational and deeply narrative, meticulously reconstructing a complex investigation with a focus on procedural details. The style is conversational yet detailed, with the host frequently interjecting to emphasize the case's complexity or her own reactions to the twists. True crime enthusiasts fascinated by digital forensics and intricate, long-form investigations will find this episode compelling. Listeners who prefer straightforward narratives or are uncomfortable with descriptions of digital harassment and a decomposing body might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A case-driven true crime listen that lets the evidence lead.

This episode tracks the Carrie Farver case through accusations, forged messages, and digital evidence with a steady focus on how hard it can be to separate signal from noise.

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Why you'd press play

You want a true crime deep dive built around digital evidence and shifting stories.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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