Dateline NBC Talking Dateline: Running Man
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Nov 19, 2025 Andrea Canning, a Dateline correspondent, discusses her coverage of the Ashley Schwalm case, emphasizing its impact on her hometown community. She shares compelling insights about the investigation, including critical staging mistakes by the suspect and the emotional aftermath for local firefighters. Lynn Keller, a Dateline producer, joins to reveal behind-the-scenes details of filming and address audience questions. The conversation also highlights the Sunflower Fund, established in Ashley’s honor, supporting victims of domestic violence.
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Homecoming Reporting In Hometown
- Andrea Canning returned to her first TV station in Barrie, Ontario and found old colleagues and clips assembled by an editor.
- She described it as a nostalgic homecoming that added personal weight to reporting the case.
Fire Behavior Revealed Premeditation
- The burned car's fire intensity was an immediate red flag to investigators given its unusually large flames and heat.
- That mismatch between crash severity and fire behavior suggested intentional ignition rather than an accident.
Dog-Walk Route Initially Misled Investigators
- James mapped a plausible dog-walk route that initially appeared to clear him as a suspect.
- Investigators later used surveillance and experiments to show he wasn't where he claimed to be.