332. The Deadline: Melissa Lamesch

 It should have been a time of celebration. Melissa Lamesch, a 27-year-old EMT, was just two days away from giving birth to her baby boy. Instead, her home in Mt. Morris, Illinois, was engulfed in flames on Thanksgiving Eve. First responders treated the scene as a terrible accident, but the medical examiner soon delivered a shock: Melissa had died before the fire even began. That truth exposed a dark motive, one rooted in a secret relationship and the imminent arrival of a child the father did not want.

Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "The Deadline: Melissa Lamesch."

Thank you to our team

Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen

Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinkypawprint.com⁠⁠⁠

Sources:

⁠https://people.com/melissa-lamesch-death-people-magazine-investigates-8766788⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta0IUWG5Zss⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZVCTWFkR90⁠

⁠https://www.finchfuneral.com/obituaries/melissa-lamesch⁠

⁠https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/277013872/melissa-deanne-lamesch⁠

⁠https://www.cbsnews.com/news/melissa-lamesch-matthew-plote-illinois-firefighter-accused-of-staging-house-fire-to-cover-up-murder-48-hours/⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/696991681/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/697561140/?match=1&clipping_id=182247891⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/697561135/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/700693973/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20obituary⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/824364094/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠ (Plote arrest)

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/825964251/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/894952081/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/831529455/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/831529533/?terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/824453855/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/839290648/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/833170919/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1024379826/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/959058622/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1021227602/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1021227580/?terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1057262119/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1147080532/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1144701359/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1092816504/?match=1&terms=%22Melissa%20Lamesch%22%20⁠ (guilty)

People Magazine Investigates: Season 8 Episode 11 Inferno of Lies (I watched it on HBO)

⁠https://www.wifr.com/2024/03/22/she-said-she'd-call-me-right-back-plote-trial-gains-powerful-witness-testimonies/⁠

⁠https://thecinemaholic.com/melissa-lamesch-family/⁠ info on parents and siblings

⁠https://thecinemaholic.com/matthew-plote/⁠

.      

331. Lost in the Ashes: The Flora Fire Four

 In the summer of 2016, Gaylin Rose had moved her 4 little girls to Flora, a small town of just over 2,000 residents, seeking a fresh start. The two-story duplex cost $500 a month to rent, and by autumn, they were settling into a routine. Rose had secured a job at a nearby gas station, while her daughters threw themselves into school, cheerleading, and making new friends. On the night of November 20, Rose tucked her daughters into their bunkbeds upstairs. Rose retired to her bedroom on the lower floor.

At 3:00 a.m., silence gave way to chaos. Thick plumes of smoke curled up over East Columbia Street. By the time fire trucks left for the scene, a three-story apartment building at 103 East Columbia was already engulfed in flames.   The four sisters — Kionnie Welch, 5; Kerriele McDonald, 7; Keyara Phillips, 9; and Keyana Davis, 11  would not survive.

Join Cam and Jen on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast as we discuss ‘Lost in the Ashes: The Flora Fire Four.’ Today’s episode was a special request by Shaniece. Thanks for reaching out.

If you have any information about the Flora arson case, call the Indiana State Police at 800‑382‑4628 or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our EP @theinkypawprint

Sources: 

https://www.wishtv.com/news/i-team-8/a-chase-for-answers-questions-remain-after-flora-fire-kills-4-girls/

⁠https://fox59.com/dashboard-camera-video-reveals-rescue-attempt-in-deadly-flora-fire/⁠

⁠https://fox59.com/news/8-years-later-isp-discusses-deadly-flora-house-fire-that-left-4-girls-dead/⁠

⁠https://www.jconline.com/story/news/crime/2025/07/07/fbi-state-police-go-door-to-door-to-try-to-solve-fatal-2016-flora-fire/84494391007/⁠

⁠https://fox59.com/news/8-years-later-isp-discusses-deadly-flora-house-fire-that-left-4-girls-dead/⁠

⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK4fmbGAAmM⁠

https://www.wishtv.com/news/i-team-8/the-chase-for-answers-mom-shares-anger-heartache-7-years-after-flora-fire-killed-4-girls/

330. The Monster on Rose Avenue: Lisa French

 It was Halloween night in 1973 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Nine-year-old Lisa Ann French dressed up to go trick-or-treating, but she never came home.

Lisa's disappearance terrified the town. The desperate search lasted for days, ending with a shocking discovery that changed how families everywhere thought about letting their kids trick-or-treat.

The awful truth? The person who took Lisa was someone she knew, a neighbor who lived right nearby.

This week, join Cam and Jen as they discuss the case of Lisa French and how "The Monster on Rose Avenue" stole a child's life and changed Halloween forever.

Thank you to our team

Listener Discretion by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Edward October ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Research & Writing by Lauretta Allen

Executive Producers Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinkypawprint.com⁠⁠⁠

Sources:

⁠https://www.wisciviljusticecouncil.org/wwcms/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Thomas-M.-Hruz-Criminals-Escaping-Affliction-Gerald-Turner-and-Wisconsin%E2%80%99s-Fair-Employment-Law-Wisconsin-Interest-Winter-2000-at-7..pdf⁠

⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lisa_Ann_French⁠

⁠https://www.nbc26.com/fonddulac/judge-says-halloween-killer-will-stay-in-mental-health-facility⁠  (this article says she died of shock)

⁠https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/591494d9add7b049345c40a7⁠

⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/1abu1z6/on_halloween_1973_9yearold_lisa_ann_french_was/⁠

⁠https://people.com/lisa-french-halloween-murder-11697665⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270324881/?match=1&clipping_id=180855281⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270330493/?match=1&clipping_id=180855438⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/597646228/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/285243209/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270347812/⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/288054377/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/285223032/?match=1&clipping_id=180859221⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/285323435/?match=1&clipping_id=180859305⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/288068208/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/611573818/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/406427707/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1053173158/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder%20Halloween⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270538845/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270538845/?match=1&terms=Lisa%20French%20murder⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/290818494/⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270538317/?match=1&clipping_id=180862764⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270538375/?match=1&terms=Arlene%20Penn⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/290924434/?match=1&terms=%22Lisa%20French%22%20murder⁠ (refutes confessions, denies even seeing her)

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/1035313879/?match=1&terms=%22Lisa%20French%22%20murder⁠

⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoned_candy_myths⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/270326228/?match=1&terms=%22Lisa%20French%22%20funeral⁠

⁠https://www.newspapers.com/image/288073336/?match=1&terms=%22Lisa%20French%22%20funeral⁠

⁠http://www.apricetopay.com/blog/the-halloween-killer⁠

⁠https://www.thepetitionsite.com/713/926/478/petition-to-keep-the-quotthe-halloween-killer-gerald-m.-turner-incarcerated/⁠