Introducing 'Where Secrets Go to Die,' a new podcast from the Detroit Free Press
Live now: Listen to all published episodes of 'Where Secrets Go To Die'
The Detroit Free Press launches "Where Secrets Go to Die: The Disappearance of Derrick Henagan," an eight-part true crime series built on long-form investigative journalism, for subscribers on Tuesday, April 2.
"Secrets" tells the story of Henagan, a downstate man who moves to Michigan’s remote Upper Peninsula in the winter of 2007-08, then vanishes. Follow along as John Wisely, a veteran Free Press reporter, investigates Henagan's case after we got a news tip on a triple murder. Wisely's reporting uncovers serious concerns about the police — and one cop in particular.
"When I figured out what this story was all about, I couldn’t walk away from it," Wisely said. "COVID almost made me drop it, but I just couldn’t.
"You’ve got this unsolved murder in the middle of nowhere that fell through the cracks. You’ve got this online mythology around the case and you’ve got some serious questions about the cops," he said. "I’ve spent a lot of time talking to the people in and around it, and I want them to be heard."
Subscribers to The Free Press get early access to all eight episodes of the series, beginning with the first three on Tuesday at freep.com/secrets. After that, a new episode drops weekly. We'll also share photographs and some of the records Wisely dug up as he was reporting this case. If you’re not yet a subscriber, join us today to get access to the show.
To know when new episodes are available, sign up for the Secrets newsletter.
Wisely has been a reporter in Michigan for more than 30 years covering government, politics, crime, courts, education and investigations. He’s a three-time recipient of the Wade H. McCree Award for the Advancement of Justice and has received two regional Emmy awards. In 2018, he received a best investigative reporting award from the Michigan Associated Press Media Editors and was part of a Free Press team that won that group’s First Amendment Award for outstanding accomplishment in pursuing the Freedom of Information. The Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists named Wisely journalist of the year in 2003 for articles that prompted the state Legislature to pass a law reopening search warrants to public scrutiny after being sealed following 9/11. Wisely is a Detroit native who graduated from Wayne State University.
"Secrets" was also made by Darcie Moran, Garrett Tiedemann, Tad Davis, Robin Chan, Adrienne Roberts, Kathy Kieliszewski, Jim Schaefer and Anjanette Delgado.
Our theme song is "Abyss," an original composition by Detroit musicians Camilla Cantu and Brian Castillo.
If you know something about the Derrick Henagan case that you'd like to share with Wisely, you can reach him through encrypted email at wiselyj@proton.me.
The Free Press has won the Michigan Press Association's "Podcast of the Year" award for four years in a row. Listen to all of our shows at freep.com/podcasts.
Anjanette Delgado is an executive editor and leads the audio team at the Detroit Free Press. Twitter: @anjdelgado. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 'Where Secrets Go to Die': A Detroit Free Press true crime podcast
