TYSONS, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) today announced the premiere of BARDSTOWN, a 10-part podcast series by TEGNA’s VAULT Studios that dives deep into a string of unsolved murders in and around a rural Kentucky town. Produced in partnership with WHAS, TEGNA’s ABC affiliate in Louisville which originally reported on the cases, BARDSTOWN tells each victim’s story, questions if the murders are linked and investigates why no charges have been filed in any of the five murders.
BARDSTOWN is the fourth production from TEGNA’s VAULT Studios this year, beginning with the acclaimed podcast BOMBER in March, which reached Number 12 on Apple’s News & Politics charts. VAULT also produces the weekly podcast series TRUE CRIME CHRONICLES, and co-produced 88 DAYS: THE JAYME CLOSS STORY, both among the top True Crime podcasts.
BARDSTOWN explores the mysterious circumstances surrounding a series of murders in and around “The Most Beautiful Small Town in America” that shocked the small Kentucky community and sparked outrage at the inability of law enforcement to solve the cases. The series investigates the murder of Bardstown police officer Jason Ellis, ambushed and murdered in May 2013; the double murder of mother and daughter Kathy and Samantha Netherland in their home in April 2014; the disappearance and presumed murder of Crystal Rogers in July 2015; and the subsequent murder of Rogers’ father, Tommy Ballard, in November 2016.
“As journalists, it is our obligation to ask the difficult questions of law enforcement and our elected officials: are these murders related, has the public been misled, and why is a killer or killers still at large,” said WHAS reporter and BARDSTOWN cohost Shay McAlister. “These are stories that must be told, and those responsible for causing so much pain and suffering in this community must be held accountable.”
“The Bardstown tragedies are magnified by the fact that this is a small community of 13,000,” said BARDSTOWN cohost and investigative journalist Jessica Noll. “We’re extremely grateful to the families and loved ones who let us into their homes and shared their lives with us, and we are honored to tell their stories.”
The first two episodes of BARDSTOWN are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean, TEGNA-owned digital sites and all major listening platforms. New episodes will be available each Wednesday.
ABOUT VAULT Studios
VAULT Studios is an in-house production and distribution studio that combines TEGNA’s vast archive of investigative reporting with modern digital storytelling to develop new, original, cross-platform content offerings. Created in 2019, VAULT’s initial slate of programming focuses on true crime, cold cases and unsolved mysteries from TEGNA’s 51 television stations in 43 markets. VAULT’s offerings are distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean, and on TEGNA’s owned-and-operated digital platforms.
About TEGNA
TEGNA Inc. (NYSE: TGNA) is an innovative media company that serves the greater good of our communities. Across platforms, TEGNA tells empowering stories, conducts impactful investigations and delivers innovative marketing solutions. With 51 television stations and four radio stations in 43 markets, TEGNA is the largest owner of top 4 affiliates in the top 25 markets, reaching over 35 percent of all television households nationwide. TEGNA also owns leading multicast networks Justice Network and Quest. TEGNA Marketing Solutions (TMS) offers innovative solutions to help businesses reach consumers across television, email, social and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, including Premion, TEGNA’s OTT advertising service. For more information, visit www.TEGNA.com.
