Podcast artwork thumbnail for Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

James Wolner

Booking Overview

This is an investigative true-crime series focused on unsolved murders, cold cases, and missing persons, with external guests typically drawn from victims’ families, eyewitnesses, former law-enforcement personnel, and relevant subject-matter experts. Agencies could credibly pitch relatives with firsthand knowledge, retired investigators, local witnesses, forensic specialists, and researchers with a direct connection to a case; booking difficulty is likely low because the show prioritizes accessible, case-relevant contributors over celebrity prominence.

Metrics

Episodes: 250

Frequency: Weekly

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Estimated listeners: 10,000 - 100,000

Listener location: USA

Page updated: Nov 4, 2026 · How we check this data

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

dakotaspotlight@gmail.com

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Host

James Wolner - Investigative journalist and creator of Dakota Spotlight, specializing in research-driven coverage of unsolved murders, missing persons, and cold cases in North Dakota and the Midwest.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

low
Typical Credentials:  
Direct personal knowledge of an investigated case, firsthand experience as a witness or family member, former law-enforcement involvement, or specialized expertise relevant to the evidence and investigation.
Required Achievements:  
Firsthand involvement in a missing-person or cold-case investigation, Professional law-enforcement experience, Direct family connection to a victim, Relevant local or technical expertise

Recent Guest Discussions

Jaden Woodworth - Memories Of His Mother, Growing Up Without Her, Family History, And A Later Police Interview Involving The Missing-person Case.

Tony Hulm - Shelly Woodworth’s Final Days, The Comfort Inn, Railroad Workers, And Remaining Investigative Leads.

Rob Carvell - The Original Missing-person Response And His Later Review Of Shelly Julson’s Case.

Linda Julson - Shelly’s Disappearance And The Family’s Efforts To Pursue Answers.

Wes Julson - Shelly’s Disappearance And The Family’s Efforts To Pursue Answers.

Recent Topics

True Crime, Cold Cases, Missing Persons, Criminal Investigations

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations
:

Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going

October 08, 2026

James looks back at a busy year for Dakota Spotlight and talks about what’s ahead, including plans for the podcast and YouTube, Indigenous cases, and four North Dakota cases listeners most often ask him to cover. Explore the full Dakota Spotlight catalog: https://DakotaSpotlight.com Listen early and ad-free with Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/cw/DakotaSpotlight Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https:/...

You Killed Chris Update: Linda meets with the FBI

September 24, 2026

Season 10 update: Nearly six decades after the murder of Christine Rothschild, an FBI agent and a Wisconsin Department of Justice investigator traveled to Linda Schulko to interview her over two days. Linda joins James and Dakota Spotlight research assistant Mari Zoerb Hansen to describe what investigators wanted to know—and why the long-awaited meeting didn’t go quite as she had hoped. Murder on the 56th Day: Linda Schulko. Get the Kindle version of Linda’s great book. Linda donat...

Call Me Shelly (9): Follow the Red Dirt Road

September 03, 2026

James shares new information about red scoria, or clinker, found on Shelly’s car and speaks with a North Dakota geologist about what that material could mean for the investigation. This season of Dakota Spotlight tells the full story behind Call Me Shelly, the Upper Midwest Emmy Award-winning documentary film inspired by this investigation. Watch the official trailer and learn more about the film at https://callmeshellyfilm.com Call Me Shelly is written and produced by James Wolner. Archiv...

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Frequently asked questions

Here's some frequently asked questions for
Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations
:

How do I get in touch with Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations?

Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations is hosted by James Wolner. Its publicly listed email is dakotaspotlight@gmail.com. For guest bookings, the host or producer is usually the best person to reach. Podseeker helps you find direct host and producer contacts and pitch from your own inbox.

What is the email for Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations?

The publicly listed email for Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com.

How many listeners does Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations have?

Podseeker estimates Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations reaches 10,000 to 100,000 listeners per episode. Only the publisher has exact numbers.

Who is an ideal guest for Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations?

Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations typically books working professionals with real expertise. Typical guest background: Direct personal knowledge of an investigated case, firsthand experience as a witness or family member, former law-enforcement involvement, or specialized expertise relevant to the evidence and investigation. Common among recent guests: Firsthand involvement in a missing-person or cold-case investigation; Professional law-enforcement experience; Direct family connection to a victim. Recent guests include Jaden Woodworth, Tony Hulm, and Rob Carvell.

How hard is it to get booked on Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations?

Low. A guest with relevant expertise and a clear angle for its audience has a realistic chance.

What topics does Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations cover?

Recent episodes cover True Crime, Cold Cases, Missing Persons, and Criminal Investigations. Pitch an idea tied to one of these topics and mention a recent episode.

How does Podseeker get this information?

From public sources and our own research: podcast websites, social profiles, podcast feeds, and our data team. Podcast feeds and episodes are checked daily, and details like contacts, recent guests, and booking difficulty are refreshed regularly.

I host Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations. How do I correct this page?

If something here is out of date, ask us to correct it through Podseeker's contact form at podseeker.co/contact. Our research team reviews every request and updates the listing.

Publicly listed emails

dakotaspotlight@gmail.com

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