The Letter

A random shooting takes one life but dramatically changes the lives of many more. This is where most stories end. This is just the beginning. Coming soon, from KSL Podcasts - the same team that brought you COLD - and Lemonada and Work House Media, The Letter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Zach Snarr’s last day alive, he got up early to help his father at work, he cleaned the kitchen for his mother and he made his sister laugh. But on August 28, 1996, the 18-year-old never came home from his date with Yvette Rodier at a reservoir outside of Salt Lake City. Instead, two police officers and a chaplain came to ring the bell. It was every parent’s nightmare, a devastating loss that rocked a community and shattered lives. But Zach’s mother, Sy Snarr, finds hope from a most unlikely place and it comes in the form of a weekly phone call. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy Donaldson Written by Amy Donaldson and Andrea Smardon Production and sound design by Andrea Smardon Mixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton Brown With KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl Worsley For Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs And Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yvette Rodier was shot several times by a stranger as she and her good friend Zach set up a camera to take pictures of the moon. She describes how she survived, including dragging herself several hundred feet over rough terrain to get to a road and flag down help. That night was devastating. But even after such a terrifying experience, Yvette holds out hope for how she can reclaim her life. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy Donaldson Written by Amy Donaldson and Andrea Smardon Production and sound design by Andrea Smardon Mixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton, Dave Cawley and Ed Brass. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton Brown With KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl Worsley For Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs And Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police begin to put the pieces together and capture the 19 year old man who shot Zach and Yvette. Detectives make discoveries about what happened in the life of Jorge Benvenuto in the weeks before he bought a gun. Friends and family tell of a depressed, angry young man who’d been a victim of crime himself. Police track him down, in part because he calls and confesses what happened to a friend. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Due to popular demand, Episode 3 was dropped early for your binging pleasure. Before we return to our regular weekly episode releases next Tuesday, this week, host Amy Donaldson explains why she pursued this case in the first place, and what can be learned by looking at the last day of an 18-year-old murder victim’s life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At age 19 and just a few months older than the teens he shot, Jorge Benvenuto faces the possibility of a death sentence. As his court-appointed attorneys fight to save his life, the families of the victims struggle with what justice might look like. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media.  Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life after Zach’s murder is painful and complicated, but the Snarrs find a way forward through their grief. Sy and Ron try to be the parents their other children need while his siblings build lives in which he only exists as a memory. Another tragedy strikes. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Surviving a barrage of bullets is just the start of what Yvette Rodier will have to do to reclaim her life. The emotional damage will take far longer to heal than the physical bullet wounds. She gets married, has a child and chooses a career that allows her to use her past to help others. Despite the looming shadow of the shooting, her life is one of beauty and generosity; of resilience and hope. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is a reminder that we’re all more connected than we realize. A woman named Lianne Bell agrees to do a favor for her mother and it ends up tying her to the Snarrs and Yvette in ways she never expected. Lianne delivers letters. Sy comes to Liane’s house. And in a room where the mother of the shooter once prayed for peace, Sy Snarr will find the miracle she’s been searching for since she lost her son. Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Jorge Benvenuto sat down to write a letter to the family of the boy he’d shot to death as a teenager, he had no idea the chain of events that would follow. When he penned his apology alone in a prison cell, he never imagined that it would lead to him hugging the mother of that young man. Nor did he have any inkling about the many ways the letter would reverberate through his own life - and the lives of his family members. The Letter opened a pathway for the parents of Zachary Snarr to push for his release. The Letter team will follow and update with new episodes as developments happen.Get more information and photos on our website, theletterpodcast.com. Researched and reported by Amy DonaldsonWritten by Amy Donaldson and Andrea SmardonProduction and sound design by Andrea SmardonMixing by Trent Sell Special thanks to Nina Earnest, Becky Bruce, KellieAnn Halvorsen, Ryan Meeks, Ben Kuebrich, Josh Tilton and Dave Cawley. Main musical score composed by Allison Leyton BrownWith KSL Podcasts Executive Producer Sheryl WorsleyFor Lemonada Media, Executive Producers Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels WachsAnd Executive Producers Paul Anderson and Nick Panella with WorkHouse Media. The Letter is produced by KSL Podcasts and Lemonada Media in association with WorkHouse Media. Sponsors:The Letter is sponsored by Hunt a Killer, immersive mystery games where you get to be the detective. Get $10 off at huntakiller.com/theletter with code THELETTER.For a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series, you can visit lemonadamedia.com/sponsorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grief is often misunderstood, even by those experiencing it. Why do we think grief is something that will end or something that can be left in the past? Is closure a myth? And why does guilt often play a role in grieving? And how can our own fear cause even more pain and isolation for those we care about most? The Letter host Amy Donaldson discusses these questions with grief therapist Claire Bidwell Smith (New Day) in a wide-ranging discussion about one of society’s most misunderstood topics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Letter host Amy Donaldson works closely with Dave Cawley, the host of the COLD podcast. Amy has listened to every episode of COLD and calls herself not only a co-worker, but a fan of Dave’s investigative and thoughtful approach to true crime journalism. Here’s a little more about Season 3: The Search For Sheree.  When Sheree Warren left her job in Salt Lake City in 1985 she told a coworker she was headed to meet her estranged husband at a car dealership. But she never made it. Sheree vanished. Police turned suspicious eyes towards her husband. And although there was distrust around Charles Warren, he wasn’t the only suspect. She also had a boyfriend, a former cop named Cary Hartmann, who lived a sinister double life.  Season three follows two suspects– men who both raised suspicion for investigators. But with two strong persons of interest with competing facts and evidence, it muddied the murder investigation. This season, host Dave Cawley, digs into the lives of these two men, the details of the case and examines the intersections between domestic abuse and sexual violence. The COLD team seeks to answer the question: what really happened to Sheree Warren? Hey Prime Members, you can binge all 10 episodes of COLD: The Search for Sheree ad-free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today: Wondery.fm/ColdS3_TheLetter For pictures and extra case materials visit the COLD website, thecoldpodcast.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impact of the Snarr family’s decision to forgive their son’s killer continues to reverberate. Since The Letter published, Sy Snarr says she’s blown away by the responses of strangers. We talk to Sy’s grandsons about the generational impacts still rippling through the family. As for Yvette Rodier, she declines an interview, but sends an email.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.