What happens when a highly trained, elite narcotics detective realizes the bad guys are having way more fun than the cops? He starts a multi-million-dollar cartel, of course.

This week on Crime Salad, Ashley and Ricky are diving headfirst into an 80s action movie. Andrew Thornton II wasn’t just a cop; he was a wealthy Kentucky blue-blood, a paratrooper, and a licensed lawyer who threw it all away to become the mastermind of a massive international drug pipeline known as "The Company." But Thornton's massive ego and extreme paranoia eventually lead to a fateful, pitch-black flight over the Georgia woods.

Join us as we untangle a tri-state crime scene featuring 75 pounds of pure Colombian cocaine falling from the sky, a deadly cartel revenge plot, a dead man wearing night-vision goggles and Gucci loafers, and the ultimate winner of the story... a 175-pound black bear who went on to inspire a Hollywood movie.

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How far would you go to try to hide the consequences of your own greed?

We're not talking about hiding your cosmic brownies in a healthy cereal box...

This guy may hold some kind of record...

Marcus Schrenker had it all: private planes, luxury sports cars, and a massive French chateau. As a trusted financial advisor, he carved out a highly exclusive niche catering to the "cream of the crop," managing the retirement portfolios of commercial Delta Air Lines pilots. But behind the facade of luxury, Schrenker was secretly draining their life savings through deceptive financial schemes and a completely fabricated foreign currency fund.

This one is action-packed! Can't wait for you to listen!!

<3 Ashley & Ricky

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In February 1991, a relaxing family vacation to Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point), Mexico, transformed into a horrific nightmare. Trish Willoughby, a highly successful business owner from Phoenix, Arizona, was found brutally attacked inside a rental condominium at Las Conchas Beach.

Her husband, Daniel Willoughby, painted the picture of an open-and-shut tragedy, claiming a random local robbery had occurred while he was visiting a nearby museum with their three young children. But back across the border, the ultimate family-man facade was already beginning to crack.

Investigators quickly uncovered a twisted web of intense greed, an unraveling multi-million-dollar empire, and Dan's secret affair with his mistress, Ysenia Patino Gonzalez. What followed was an incredibly rare cross-border investigation that pushed the boundaries of international law. When Arizona investigators finally stepped into the crime scene, forensic evidence completely dismantled Dan’s alibi.

Trish Willoughby, Patricia Willoughby, Daniel Hayden Willoughby, Dan Willoughby murder, Ysenia Patino Gonzalez, Rocky Point, Mexico, murder, Puerto Peñasco crime scene, Las Conchas beach condo, Arizona Supreme Court, true crime podcast, Crime Salad, insurance fraud murder, and cross-border investigation.

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This week, we are re-releasing an episode that has stuck with us deeply while we travel to cheer on our oldest son at his state championship track meet! Please make sure you stick around to the very end of this episode, as we have recorded a massive, brand-new segment covering explosive updates that just broke in early 2026. Coroner's findings as "fiction"?!

In May 2017, 35-year-old Heather Turner was found unresponsive in her bathroom with a gunshot wound to the head. The shower was still running, and her boyfriend Andy was the one who made the 911 call. Heather had allegedly been planning to leave the relationship the very next day. For nearly nine years, her death was officially labeled "undetermined" that is until February 2026, when the Paulding County Sheriff's Office held a press conference, abruptly closed the cold case, and ruled her death a suicide.

But for Heather's family, the official ruling only brought more questions. Thanks to Open Records Requests obtained by the family, a paper trail of unbelievable negligence has come to light. We break down the shocking 2026 updates, exploring an impossible 8-second 911 response timeline, blood-stained evidence left at a funeral home, digital evidence locking up in police custody, and internal police documents that literally label the on-scene

Support Heather's Family: Please read the Open Records documents for yourself, say her name, and help this family get the absolute transparency they deserve by visiting the Justice for Heather Turner Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForHeatherNicoleTurner

Resources: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, please know you're not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788. Free. Confidential. 24/7

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Imagine being at the height of your career when the FBI knocks on your door to deliver a terrifying message: someone has paid a dark web hitman to end your life. This week, we dive into the chilling, rapidly unfolding case involving pop singer Jack Avery of the band Why Don't We, and the mother of his child, TikTok influencer Gabbie Gonzalez.

In May 2026, Gabbie, her father (a wealthy Florida attorney), and her ex-boyfriend were all arrested in a coordinated takedown for allegedly orchestrating a $14,000 murder-for-hire plot. We break down the bitter custody battle that started it all, the undercover sting operation that intercepted the dark web hit, and the wild lengths a family allegedly went to in order to secure full custody.

Sources & Resources:

• unsealed affidavits
• Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office Press Release (May 19, 2026)
• If you or someone you know is navigating a high-conflict custody battle or experiencing domestic abuse, reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or text "START" to 88788.

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On October 6, 2011, thirty-six-year-old Joanna Hunter was found dead in her Vacaville, California home. Her husband, Pastor Mark Lewis, told police he found her after a tragic suicide. But when Solano County Sheriff's deputies cleared the scene and closed the investigation in just twenty-nine minutes, they ignored glaring forensic evidence, a packed suitcase, and a terrifying, documented history of escalating domestic violence.

In this episode of Crime Salad, Ricky and Ashley dive deep into the chilling timeline of Joanna's final hours. We expose the massive, unexplained gaps in Mark's alibi, the harrowing paper trail of restraining orders Joanna filed in her early twenties, and the psychological fortress Mark built around his wife after taking control of the Fellowship Baptist Church.

This is more than a true crime story about a botched police investigation. It is a story about a family's relentless pursuit of the truth. We discuss how Joanna's brother, Joe Hunter, and her mother, Patricia, refused to accept the official police narrative. Their fierce advocacy ultimately led to the passage of Joanna's Law (Senate Bill 989) in California, which fundamentally changes how law enforcement must investigate the suspicious deaths of domestic violence victims.

Joanna's case remains officially closed as a suicide, and her family needs your help to unlock a real homicide investigation. Tune in to hear the full timeline, the forensic red flags, and how you can take action today.

In this episode, we cover:

The timeline of Joanna’s escalating abuse and Mark Lewis's 1996 felony conviction.

The critical 45-minute gap in Mark's alibi on the night of October 6, 2011.

Why the Solano County Sheriff's Office cleared a potential homicide scene in 29 minutes.

Mark Lewis's 2015 "no contest" plea for stalking and firebombing.

The bureaucratic red tape keeping Joanna's death certificate labeled as a suicide.

How Joanna's Law (SB 989) is changing the justice system in California.

Take Action & Support Joanna’s Family:

Joanna's family is working tirelessly to have her death certificate amended from "suicide" to "homicide" or "undetermined." You can support their fight and learn more about the organizations helping victims of hidden homicides at the links below.

Alliance for HOPE International (The Justice Project): allianceforhope.com

Sacramento Regional Family Justice Center: hopethriveshere.org

Joanna’s Voice Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/p/Joannas-Voice-100068890904659/

48 Hours: Joe Hunter's Mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEZutwn6Dpo

Domestic Violence Resources:

If you or someone you know is navigating intimate partner violence, please know that you are not alone and help is available 24/7. It is completely free and confidential.

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233)

Text: Text the word "START" to 88788

Visit: thehotline.org

Shop our Memorial Day Sale: Grab your gear at crimesaladpodcast.com

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Two deaths. Same mansion. Two days apart. In Part 2, we walk through the physical evidence in Rebecca Zahau's death: the knife, the gloves, the painted message, the balcony, the knots, the head injuries, and the tape residue almost no one talks about. We get into the independent investigation into Max Shacknai's fall led by his mother Dina, the 2018 civil trial that found Adam Shacknai responsible, the verdict that was later vacated, and what Rebecca's sister Mary is still fighting for today.

Adam Shacknai has consistently maintained his innocence and was never criminally charged. The 2018 civil verdict was vacated as part of a 2019 settlement. There was never a criminal trial related to Rebecca's death. Statements about specific individuals should be understood as allegations, opinions, or attributed claims from named sources.

Books mentioned in this episode:

• Unraveling the Knots by Mary Zahau-Loehner (available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble)
• Death on Ocean Boulevard: Inside the Coronado Mansion Case by Caitlin Rother

Follow the family's fight: Justice for Rebecca M. Zahau (Facebook)

If you need support:

• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 (US)
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7
• RAINN (sexual assault): 1-800-656-4673

This episode discusses suicide, the death of a child, and allegations of sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening.

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In July 2011, two people died at the same mansion in Coronado, California within a week. First, six-year-old Max Shacknai fell from a second-floor banister while in the care of his father's girlfriend, Rebecca Zahau. Two days later, Rebecca was found hanging from a balcony at the Spreckels Mansion, naked, bound, and gagged. The San Diego Sheriff's Department called it a suicide. Rebecca's family has spent over a decade arguing it was something else entirely.

This is Part 1 of our two-part series on the death of Rebecca Zahau. Part 2 drops next week. Subscribe wherever you listen so you don't miss it.

CONTENT WARNING This episode discusses suicide, the death of a child, and allegations of sexual assault. Please take care of yourself while listening.

IF YOU NEED SUPPORT You are not alone. Help is available. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): call 1-800-656-4673

Thank you for supporting Crime Salad:

Merch: crimesaladpodcast.dashery.com

Rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Share this episode with someone who'd want to hear it!

A NOTE ON THIS CASE Adam Shacknai has consistently maintained his innocence and was never criminally charged in connection with this case. The 2018 civil verdict that found him liable for Rebecca's death was vacated as part of a 2019 settlement. Statements about specific individuals throughout this episode should be understood as allegations, opinions, or attributed claims from named sources, not as statements of fact by us.

Information in this episode is drawn from publicly available news reports, court records, autopsy reports, official statements, and books published about the case.

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