Cursewords and Crayons

Episode 225: She Went In. She Never Came Out.

A locked lab. A missing bride-to-be. A keycard trail. And a case that shook Yale to its core.
This week on Cursewords and Crayons: TRUE CRIME, we’re covering the murder of Annie Le—a brilliant Yale graduate student who vanished in broad daylight just days before her wedding… after walking into her research building and never walking back out.
On the morning of September 8, 2009, Annie arrived on campus ready to work. Security footage shows her entering Yale’s Amistad Street research building shortly after 10 a.m.
But there’s one chilling detail:
🎥 She was never seen leaving.
As the investigation ramped up, the focus narrowed fast—because this wasn’t just any building. It was a high-security research facility with keycard access and heavy surveillance. And what police discovered inside was horrifying.
🔑 Keycard access meant the suspect pool was small🧽 Evidence suggested someone tried to clean and hide what happened👕 Clothing changes raised immediate alarms🩸 Blood evidence was discovered inside the lab area🐕 Cadaver dogs ultimately led investigators to Annie’s body
This case is devastating not only because of what happened to Annie—but because of where it happened: in her workplace, in a controlled environment, surrounded by people doing “normal” things.
And it’s a brutal reminder that sometimes danger doesn’t come from the shadows.
It comes from the room next door.
This episode dives into:🔍 A high-security crime scene and the evidence trail🏛️ The campus-wide search and how quickly the case turned🧠 The terrifying reality of proximity—when the call is coming from inside the lab
If you like cases with tight timelines, intense forensic detail, and that awful feeling of how did this happen here?! …this one will stick with you.
💬 Got a case suggestion? Slide into our DMs on Instagram with a 10–30 second voice note—we’re featuring your messages in upcoming episodes!💥 Like what you heard? Leave a review, follow the show, and send this ep to your best true crime bestie who loves a deep-dive with receipts.
👻 Haunt us here:Instagram: @cursewordsandcrayonsZee: @mrs.zetteAmy: @amyrehsdupinWebsite & Merch: www.cursewordsandcrayons.com

Episode 224: What happened to our dear Wanda Jean Mays?

A broken window. A bloody nightgown. A canoe. And 22 years of questions.
This week on Cursewords and Crayons: TRUE CRIME, we’re covering the eerie and heartbreaking disappearance of Wanda Jean Mays—a case that starts with a quiet overnight visit to her aunt and uncle’s house and ends with more questions than answers.
In May of 1986, Wanda—a bright, kind, 27-year-old secretary—vanished into the Alabama night after what her family described as an emotional episode. What followed was a trail of strange evidence: a locked bedroom, a shattered window, blood left behind, and an empty canoe floating in the lake.
🚪 No one heard the glass break🛶 Her nightgown was found at the dock🩸 Blood was found in a drifting canoe🦴 And decades later, her remains were found near a cliff 1.8 miles away
Her death was ruled accidental... but we’re not so sure.
Was Wanda in the midst of a mental health crisis? Possibly. Was she alone that night? Debatable. Was this a tragic accident, or is there more to the story? We’ve got theories.
This episode dives into:🔍 Cold case mystery🧠 Mental health, then vs. now🚨 What we don’t talk about enough when it comes to women in crisis
If you like Elisa Lam, locked-room mysteries, or shouting “BUT HOW?!”, this one’s for you.
💬 Got a case suggestion? Slide into our DMs on Instagram with a 10–30 second voice note—we’re featuring your messages in upcoming episodes!💥 Like what you heard? Leave a review, follow the show, and send this ep to your best true crime mom friend who lives for late-night theories.
👻 Haunt us here:Instagram: @cursewordsandcrayonsZee: @mrs.zetteAmy: @amyrehsdupinWebsite & Merch: www.cursewordsandcrayons.com

Episode 223: Top Five Cases of 2025

New year, same chaos—but make it a chaotic countdown.
We had some rough recording issues this episode so we can't wait to hear your thoughts. 
This week on Cursewords and Crayons: TRUE CRIME, we’re looking back at our top five most listened to episodes of 2025! Whether you’re a long-time weirdo or brand new here (hi, welcome!), this is the perfect refresher of the wild, the heartbreaking, and the downright unhinged cases we couldn’t stop talking about last year.
We’ve got:💀 Family annihilation with a cast iron skillet (Episode 195: Sydney Powell) 📫 A beloved mailman with enemies no one saw coming (Episode 186: Who killed Stephen Spina) 👶 A foster care system fail that still haunts us (Episode 199: The Missing Case of PAtrick Kennedy Alford Jr)🖋️ An emo king and his 13-year-old bride (Poe, we have notes) (Episode 191: Poe What Now?) 🏨 And a man who checked into Room 1046 with no luggage and all the red flags (Episode 190: Room 1046) 
No new case this week—just a solid wrap-up of everything that had us yelling into the void, side-eyeing everyone with a romantic secret, and double-checking who has our hotel info.
PLUS:✨ We’re officially retiring our Show and Tell segment (for now). It may pop up in future parenting chats, but for our weekly true crime chaos, we’re simplifying. You’ll survive. Probably.
So press play and get caught up before we drop fresh episodes for 2026. And remember: it’s January. People are going to ask you to sign up for things. No is a full sentence.
💬 Like what you hear? Rate, review, and tell a friend who also yells “WHAT” out loud while listening to podcasts.🛍️ Snag your snarky merch at www.cursewordsandcrayons.com🛒 Shop our chaos-fueled Amazon faves via our Storefront.
👻 Stay loud and weird with us:Instagram: @cursewordsandcrayonsZee: @mrs.zetteAmy: @amyrehsdupinSend us your case suggestions via IG voice messages—we’re listening!

Episode 222: What we won't be doing in 2026 (Parenting Chat)

New year, same chaos—but fewer parenting trends we hate.
This week on Cursewords and Crayons, we're doing a Parenting Chat. We kick off 2026 by talking about what we’re absolutely not doing this year when it comes to parenting. No resolutions, no toxic positivity—just a firm line drawn in the glitter-covered sand.
Because listen… we’ve tried. We’ve scrolled. We’ve watched the reels. And frankly, some things just aren’t making the cut this year.
From ditching guilt to banning ourselves from overcommitting to every theme day and snack signup, this is a judgment-free (okay, maybe slightly judgey) space where we say NOPE to the nonsense and YES to keeping our sanity intact.
🚫 No to self-sacrifice as a parenting flex🚫 No to morning routines that require a ring light🚫 No to trying to “gentle” parent our way through a tantrum while our coffee is still in the microwave
If you’re looking for real talk, lowered expectations, and two moms who are just trying to keep the tiny humans alive without losing their damn minds—this episode is for you.
💬 Like what you hear? Share it with a fellow parent, leave us a review, or yell “SAME” into the void—we’ll hear you.🛍️ Grab your anti-perfection merch at www.cursewordsandcrayons.com🛒 Browse our Amazon Storefront for practical parenting chaos tools we actually use.
👻 Follow the madness:Instagram: @cursewordsandcrayonsZee: @mrs.zetteAmy: @amyrehsdupin