The Letter Season 2: Ripple Effect

Lemonada Media

On a winter morning in 1982, two young fathers were found shot to death in a van parked outside an upscale Utah restaurant. The killer soon confessed, but his story about what happened - and why he chose violence - would create more pain, conflict, and questions for the families left in the wake of the murders.

As the families of the men struggle to rebuild their lives, they face questions they never anticipated. Does everyone deserve a second chance? Who is forgiveness for? And if you can inherit trauma, can you also inherit forgiveness? Through their stories, we discover even the most personal decisions can unintentionally ripple through lives, through generations, even impacting the lives of people we’ve never met. From KSL Podcasts (Cold), Lemonada Media (Blind Plea) and WorkHouse Media.

Sales and Distribution by Lemonada Media https://lemonadamedia.com/

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Our Editor's Take

The Letter is an emotional true crime podcast. It explores the tragic story of Zach Snarr's death. More than the murder itself, the show reveals the journeys of those who lived on. Zach's family and friends banded together following his abrupt and premature death. Host Amy Donaldson uses statements from those closest to the promising young man. They share their memories of him and the place he holds in their hearts. They also share their surprising feelings about his murderer.

In the summer of 1996, 18-year-old Zach had a date with his longtime friend, Yvette Rodier. The two set out into the woods for a night of photography. No one knew Zach would never come home. A chance encounter with another teenager with a gun would lead to a tragic shooting. Jorge Benvenuto, a troubled 19-year-old, set out to end his own life that same night. In his unstable state of mind, he made the sudden choice to end a stranger's life instead. The Letter guides listeners through one of the most difficult experiences a person can endure.

The controversial murder trial would lead to a life sentence for Jorge. Over the course of his incarceration, he wrote letters to the Snarr family. For years, the letters went unanswered. In an unexpected moment, he finally got a response. Zach's parents made an unbelievable choice in the face of the travesty inflicted on them. They chose forgiveness over hate and rage. The Letter is a moving account of one family's triumph over grief and tragedy.

This is not a typical true crime podcast. Instead of focusing on the crime and investigation, it examines the emotion. The show's mission is to explain the emotional impact of a senseless murder. Episodes include interviews with Zach's family. It also interviews Yvette, who survived the shooting. The eight-part series covers a murderer's emotional path to redemption. Podcast listeners find an inspiring story of anger, grief, and forgiveness in The Letter.

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True CrimeTrue Crime

Season 2

Season 1

Every Parent's Nightmare
Sep 6 2022
Every Parent's Nightmare
On Zach Snarr’s last day alive, he got up early to help his father at work, he cleaned the kitchen for his mother and he made his sister laugh. But on August 28, 1996, the 18-year-old never came home from his date with Yvette Rodier at a reservoir outside of Salt Lake City. Instead, two police officers and a chaplain came to ring the bell. It was every parent’s nightmare, a devastating loss that rocked a community and shattered lives. But Zach’s mother, Sy Snarr, finds hope from a most unlikely place and it comes in the form of a weekly phone call. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy Donaldson Written by Amy Donaldson and Andrea Smardon Production and sound design by Andrea Smardon Mixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton Brown With KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl Worsley For Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs And Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Survivor
Sep 6 2022
The Survivor
Yvette Rodier was shot several times by a stranger as she and her good friend Zach set up a camera to take pictures of the moon. She describes how she survived, including dragging herself several hundred feet over rough terrain to get to a road and flag down help. That night was devastating. But even after such a terrifying experience, Yvette holds out hope for how she can reclaim her life. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy Donaldson Written by Amy Donaldson and Andrea Smardon Production and sound design by Andrea Smardon Mixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton, Dave Cawley and Ed Brass. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton Brown With KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl Worsley For Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs And Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Gun and a Death Wish
Sep 9 2022
A Gun and a Death Wish
Police begin to put the pieces together and capture the 19 year old man who shot Zach and Yvette. Detectives make discoveries about what happened in the life of Jorge Benvenuto in the weeks before he bought a gun. Friends and family tell of a depressed, angry young man who’d been a victim of crime himself. Police track him down, in part because he calls and confesses what happened to a friend. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Death Sentence Waiting to Happen
Sep 20 2022
A Death Sentence Waiting to Happen
At age 19 and just a few months older than the teens he shot, Jorge Benvenuto faces the possibility of a death sentence. As his court-appointed attorneys fight to save his life, the families of the victims struggle with what justice might look like. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Putting Down the Rocks
Sep 27 2022
Putting Down the Rocks
Life after Zach’s murder is painful and complicated, but the Snarrs find a way forward through their grief. Sy and Ron try to be the parents their other children need while his siblings build lives in which he only exists as a memory. Another tragedy strikes. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Meeting the Monster
Oct 18 2022
Meeting the Monster
When Jorge Benvenuto sat down to write a letter to the family of the boy he’d shot to death as a teenager, he had no idea the chain of events that would follow. When he penned his apology alone in a prison cell, he never imagined that it would lead to him hugging the mother of that young man. Nor did he have any inkling about the many ways the letter would reverberate through his own life - and the lives of his family members. The Letter opened a pathway for the parents of Zachary Snarr to push for his release. The Letter team will follow and update with new episodes as developments happen.Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Introducing COLD Season 3: The Search for Sheree
Feb 20 2023
Introducing COLD Season 3: The Search for Sheree
The Letter host Amy Donaldson works closely with Dave Cawley, the host of the COLD podcast. Amy has listened to every episode of COLD and calls herself not only a co-worker, but a fan of Dave’s investigative and thoughtful approach to true crime journalism. Here’s a little more about Season 3: The Search For Sheree.  When Sheree Warren left her job in Salt Lake City in 1985 she told a coworker she was headed to meet her estranged husband at a car dealership. But she never made it. Sheree vanished. Police turned suspicious eyes towards her husband. And although there was distrust around Charles Warren, he wasn’t the only suspect. She also had a boyfriend, a former cop named Cary Hartmann, who lived a sinister double life.  Season three follows two suspects– men who both raised suspicion for investigators. But with two strong persons of interest with competing facts and evidence, it muddied the murder investigation. This season, host Dave Cawley, digs into the lives of these two men, the details of the case and examines the intersections between domestic abuse and sexual violence. The COLD team seeks to answer the question: what really happened to Sheree Warren? Hey Prime Members, you can binge all 10 episodes of COLD: The Search for Sheree ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today: Wondery.fm/ColdS3_TheLetter For pictures and extra case materials visit the COLD website, thecoldpodcast.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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