Stolen
Spotify Studios
Season 3: Trouble in Sweetwater
Violence. Retaliation. Disappearances. The Navajo Nation is 27,000 square miles of remote terrain with just over 200 tribal police officers. This season on Stolen, Connie Walker’s investigation into the cases of two missing women leads her on a search for justice in a place where people say you can get away with murder.
Reporting for Stolen: Trouble in Sweetwater was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s (IWMF) Fund for Indigenous Journalists reporting on issues related to Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) with a concentration on women, girls, Two-Spirit, and transgender people.
Season 2: Surviving St. Michael's
Last May, investigative journalist Connie Walker came upon a story about her late father she'd never heard before. One night back in the late 1970s while he was working as an officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, he pulled over a suspected drunk driver. He walked up to the vehicle and came face-to-face with a ghost from his past—a residential school priest. What happened on the road that night set in motion an investigation that would send Connie deep into her own past, trying to uncover the secrets of her family and the legacy of trauma passed down through the generations.
In Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's, Connie unearths how her family's story fits into one of Canada's darkest chapters: the residential school system.
Season 1: The Search for Jermain
In 2018, a young Indigenous mother named Jermain Charlo left a bar in Missoula, Montana, and was never seen again. After two years and thousands of hours of investigative work, police believe they are close to solving the mystery of what happened to her. We go inside the investigation, tracking down leads and joining search parties through the dense mountains of the Flathead Reservation. As we unravel this mystery, Stolen: The Search for Jermain examines what it means to be an Indigenous woman in America.
Stolen is hosted by Connie Walker.
Violence. Retaliation. Disappearances. The Navajo Nation is 27,000 square miles of remote terrain with just over 200 tribal police officers. This season on Stolen, Connie Walker’s investigation into the cases of two missing women leads her on a search for justice in a place where people say you can get away with murder.
Reporting for Stolen: Trouble in Sweetwater was supported by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s (IWMF) Fund for Indigenous Journalists reporting on issues related to Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) with a concentration on women, girls, Two-Spirit, and transgender people.
Season 2: Surviving St. Michael's
Last May, investigative journalist Connie Walker came upon a story about her late father she'd never heard before. One night back in the late 1970s while he was working as an officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, he pulled over a suspected drunk driver. He walked up to the vehicle and came face-to-face with a ghost from his past—a residential school priest. What happened on the road that night set in motion an investigation that would send Connie deep into her own past, trying to uncover the secrets of her family and the legacy of trauma passed down through the generations.
In Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's, Connie unearths how her family's story fits into one of Canada's darkest chapters: the residential school system.
Season 1: The Search for Jermain
In 2018, a young Indigenous mother named Jermain Charlo left a bar in Missoula, Montana, and was never seen again. After two years and thousands of hours of investigative work, police believe they are close to solving the mystery of what happened to her. We go inside the investigation, tracking down leads and joining search parties through the dense mountains of the Flathead Reservation. As we unravel this mystery, Stolen: The Search for Jermain examines what it means to be an Indigenous woman in America.
Stolen is hosted by Connie Walker.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 22, 2026 • 5min
Introducing First America
We have been told the American Revolution was fought over taxation and representation. But the last entry of the Declaration of Independence focuses on the founding fathers' contempt for the “merciless Indian savages.” America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding this year, and somehow, we’ve managed to skim right past that line. How does a whole country miss a point of its own founding document? That's the question Rebecca Nagle, an Indigenous author and the former host of Crooked’s This Land podcast, asks in her new show, First America. Alongside leading Native historians, Rebecca unveils how the founders’ treatment of Indigenous nations—and their resistance—shaped US democracy. From land expansion to human rights issues, First America reveals the real story of why the colonists rebelled, what kind of government they created, and how our current political moment was 250 years in the making. Find First America wherever you get podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 17, 2025 • 33min
Origin Stories: Connie Walker Discusses Stolen
Hear more from Connie Walker in this week’s episode of Origin Stories.
About Origin Stories
Have you ever wondered how your favorite movie, book, podcast, TV series, or documentary came to be? Each week, veteran journalist Matthew Shaer sits down with a writer or director to unpack the creation of a work close to their hearts (and ours). The conversations cover everything — the frustrations and the joys, the setbacks and the breakthroughs. Intimate and eye-opening, Origin Stories is the ultimate podcast for anyone curious about the creative process.
In this episode
Connie Walker, the award-winning Cree journalist and host of Stolen, shares the backstory of Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's — her deeply personal investigation into Canada’s Indian residential school system. Reported while she was at Gimlet, then the biggest podcast company in the world, the series earned her both a Pulitzer Prize and a Peabody Award in the same year — the first podcaster to do so.
To Connie, all great audio documentaries begin with a central question:
“It doesn't have to be the question you end up asking the whole way through,” she explains. “But initially, you have to start with that.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 18, 2024 • 37min
An Unfinished Rug
An unexpected development in Ella Mae’s case raises questions around justice and closure for families like hers, and Kristina’s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 16, 2024 • 39min
The Carrizo Mountains
As we go deeper into Kristina’s circle, a surprising connection takes us back to the start of our investigation, back to Sweetwater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 9, 2024 • 34min
The Shooting
Violence erupted at home not long before Kristina went missing. Could her disappearance be an act of retaliation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 2, 2024 • 41min
Farm Road
Jiní news, nunchucks, and a gruesome discovery near where Kristina Carrillo lived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 26, 2024 • 36sec
An Update
The Stolen team is traveling back to the Navajo Nation this week to cover some important developments. The stories of Ella Mae Begay and Kristina Carrillo are still unfolding and we are continuing to report on their cases. We will be back next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
8 snips
Mar 19, 2024 • 42min
Cheesy
Denise Carrillo, sister of the missing Christina Carrillo, shares her heart-wrenching journey to find her sister. She discusses the shocking news of another missing woman in Shiprock and the alarming lack of attention these cases receive. Denise provides insight into the disparities in media coverage and community response regarding missing persons. The conversation touches on the family's struggles with trauma and rumors, while Denise reflects on the emotional toll of navigating a community grappling with loss and violence.
7 snips
Mar 12, 2024 • 37min
Trailing Ella Mae
Ella Mae's mysterious disappearance pulls her family into a desperate search that reveals deep-rooted issues within the Navajo Nation. The resilience of the community shines through as they rally together, driven by two determined women seeking justice. Frustration mounts as law enforcement struggles to effectively handle the case. Meanwhile, the distrust in police creates further tension in Sweetwater. The narrative unravels the stories of missing women, exposing the systemic challenges Indigenous families face in their quest for answers.
8 snips
Mar 5, 2024 • 30min
Tóɫikan
In a small Navajo community, the haunting tale of Ella Mae Begay unfolds as she mysteriously vanishes. Her niece's relentless pursuit of justice shines a light on the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Emotional interviews reveal the impact of her disappearance on the family, alongside chilling evidence that amplifies their distrust in local authorities. The narrative tackles not just a personal loss but also highlights systemic issues surrounding violence against marginalized groups. Powerful stories reveal the dark realities they face.
