A severed head turns up in a small rural town. While police investigate this as a crime, they look at disturbed graves, search for missing people — suspect a killer. But the forensic artist on the case has a very different theory for how the head ended up in the woods.

This story contains references to forensic material, sensitive listeners please be advised.

Thank you to Michelle Vitali & Mike O’Brien for sharing this story with Snap.

Produced by Nancy López, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Happy New Year Snap Nation -- thank you for listening in 2025! We love you!

Snap Classic - Season 16 - Episode 61

Scott Lechner is the king of Christmas trees in Manhattan, nicknamed the “Pontiff of Soho.” But when his business runs afoul of the mob, he gets an offer that he can’t refuse. And a covert operative is assigned to extract a high-level target from Russia, and it’s about to ruin his holiday plans.

STORIES

The Christmas Tree Mafia

Scott Lechner is the king of Christmas trees in Manhattan, nicknamed the “Pontiff of Soho.” But when his business runs afoul of the mob, he gets an offer that he can’t refuse. The crazy true story of the New York Christmas tree industry, full of turf wars, karate fights, and the mafia.

This story contains explicit language, sensitive listeners please be advised.

This story is dedicated to the memory of Scott Lechner, the pontiff of Soho and the emperor of New York city treemen. Thanks as well to Russ and Little Scott.

Produced by Ilana Strauss, John Fecile & Annie Nguyen, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot.

Secrets in Siberia

Mike Ramsdell is a covert operative for the federal government. He’s assigned to capture and extract a high-level target from Russia, but the mission goes horribly wrong.

Find Mike’s book here.

Produced by Anna Sussman, original score by Renzo Gorrio.

Snap Classic - Season 16 – Episode 60

German and his family are stuck behind the walls of a rusty old pencil factory in the jungle. When a Youtuber stumbles onto the scene with a camera, he may be their only hope.

Thank you, to German, Eva, and Sasha. Thanks also to Julia Neusner.

You can see more of Caya’s documentaries about tech and society on his Youtube channel “Slide Bean.”

This story will be featured on Today Explained on 12.23.25, tune in!

The Banished By Bargain project is a great resource to learn more about the Trump administration’s third-country deportations.

Produced by John Fecile and Caya, edited by Nancy Lopez, original music by Renzo Gorrio.

Season 16 - Episode 59