Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom?

ID

In November 1993, a veteran discovers the body of a woman on a dirt road near Interstate-10 in Mobile, Alabama. She’s nude, drained of blood, and decapitated. But despite the horrific nature of the murder, it garners little sympathy in the press and detectives fail to close the case. Over the course of 8 episodes, host Sarah Cailean recounts her three-year investigation into this unsolved and perplexing murder that seems to leave more questions than answers. With the full support of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, she revisits the original investigation, digs up new evidence, and interviews new suspects - recording every step of the way. Cailean hopes to rectify the mistakes of the past and bring some answers to a family still struggling to make sense of what happened – and uncover just why it has been so hard to talk about.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Our Editor's Take

In the coastal city of Mobile, Alabama, a gruesome murder shocked residents in the 1990s. Yet, somehow, few have heard of Renee Bergeron's brutal and horrific death. Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom? is a true crime podcast seeking answers about this mysterious case. Host Sarah Cailean conducts her own thorough investigation into this cold case. Listeners will learn how authorities missed many details of this graphic crime.

The state of Bergeron's body pointed to a serial killer. The mutilation, as well as the injuries she sustained, indicate a habitual murderer. Renee was just 26 years old at the time of her death. Her complicated life also contributed to the difficulty in solving her murder. In Alabama, Renee used the alias Maria Martinez. Her involvement with sex work also dissuaded the media from covering her murder.

Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom? highlights the problematic nature of the media. Renee's life circumstances made her death less of a compelling news story. As a result, her horrific murder left the public eye before long. Host Cailean is a former police officer turned podcaster. She wants to find answers for Renee's family, including Amanda, the daughter left behind. Challenging conventional narratives, Cailean shares direct interviews with those closest to the investigation.

Fans of the podcast enjoy Cailean's concise dialogue about this fascinating case. She documents her investigation as it develops. Many decades later, the listeners experience a narrative as if told in real time. Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom? gives Renee's life and death the coverage they deserve. Cailean interviews family, friends, and law enforcement in a quest to reveal the truth. Fans of true crime may not want to miss this captivating account of Renee's untold story.

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Play Trailer

Introducing: Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom?

Introducing: Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom?

In November 1993, a veteran discovers the body of a woman on a dirt road near Interstate-10 in Mobile, Alabama. She’s nude, drained of blood, and decapitated. But despite the horrific nature of the murder, it garners little sympathy in the press and detectives fail to close the case. Over the course of 8 episodes, host Sarah Cailean recounts her three-year investigation into this unsolved and perplexing murder that seems to leave more questions than answers. With the full support of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, she revisits the original investigation, digs up new evidence, and interviews new suspects - recording every step of the way. Cailean hopes to rectify the mistakes of the past and bring some answers to a family still struggling to make sense of what happened – and uncover just why it has been so hard to talk about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

Introducing: Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom?

Introducing: Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom?

In November 1993, a veteran discovers the body of a woman on a dirt road near Interstate-10 in Mobile, Alabama. She’s nude, drained of blood, and decapitated. But despite the horrific nature of the murder, it garners little sympathy in the press and detectives fail to close the case. Over the course of 8 episodes, host Sarah Cailean recounts her three-year investigation into this unsolved and perplexing murder that seems to leave more questions than answers. With the full support of the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, she revisits the original investigation, digs up new evidence, and interviews new suspects - recording every step of the way. Cailean hopes to rectify the mistakes of the past and bring some answers to a family still struggling to make sense of what happened – and uncover just why it has been so hard to talk about. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 1993, a veteran discovers the body of a woman on a little road near Interstate-10 in Mobile, Alabama. She’s nude, drained of blood, and decapitated. But despite the horrific nature of the murder, it garners little sympathy in the press and, worse, detectives fail to understand the fundamentals of what they’re dealing with. Can a new approach to the case potentially uncover the person responsible for this gruesome beheading? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep.2: The Original Investigation

Ep.2: The Original Investigation

Sarah revisits the original 1993 investigation into the murder of Renee Bergeron and pretty quickly realizes that the detectives stumbled from the outset. Sarah tries to account for what - and who - they failed to understand in their original investigation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep.3: The Serial Killer’s Highway

Ep.3: The Serial Killer’s Highway

Interstate-10 is known as the serial killer’s highway among criminologists. Given the brutal nature of her injuries and the fact that she was found dead on a service road running parallel to the highway, Sarah investigates the possibility that a serial killer might be responsible for Renée's death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep.4: Friend or Foe?

Ep.4: Friend or Foe?

As Sarah tries to further understand the life Renée led in Mobile, she learns of a close friend of hers named David. But she doesn’t know if he is dead or alive. So, she decides to see if she can find him and talk to him. What she discovers sends her investigation hurtling in a new direction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Sheriff’s Office first processed the dead body found along Interstate-10, they identified her as Maria Martinez - not Renée Bergeron. This was not a simple clerical mistake. Turns out, Renée lived much of her life under the alter ego Maria. So who exactly is Maria? And why did Renée use her name? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep.6: Drunk Talkers

Ep.6: Drunk Talkers

Is a distressing 1993 tip made about Renée's murder merely the result of a drunk talker… or something far more sinister? Drunk talkers are dime a dozen when it comes to murder cases, but this tip looks a lot more promising to Sarah than others she’s come across. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah’s investigation has turned up two different theories of the case, and with that, two very different suspects. So, now, she’s left asking: could either of them be the culprit? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep.8: Less Dead

Ep.8: Less Dead

In any cold case, three theories circulate among the public: the victim was a snitch; there was human trafficking; or the police did it. As Sarah’s investigation heats up, she is left wondering whether all three theories might have played some role in this case… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What to Listen to Next - Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker

What to Listen to Next - Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker

If you enjoyed Why Can't We Talk About Amanda's Mom?, check out a new podcast from ID - Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker. Listen to episode 1, We Called Her Eklutna Annie here.1980s Alaska: a swirling, chaotic mix of oil workers, dancers, sex workers and old-school cops. On the seedy 4th Avenue strip in Anchorage, nicknamed the world's longest bar, women start to go missing, plucked from the street or the bars and never seen again. In this 7-part series, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the case of one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers. She'll talk to survivors, criminology experts and the police on the ground, uncovering audio tapes, police reports and old newspaper articles, all to reveal the killer's identity as it happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.