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The Tip That Made The Police Aware #truecrime #truecrimestories #crimejunkies

March 10, 2026 / 02:08

This episode discusses the disappearance of Joan and the connection to Leonard Lenny Paradiso. It features a woman who shares her terrifying encounter with Paradiso years earlier.

The episode begins with the story of a woman who, years before Joan's disappearance, had a frightening experience with Paradiso. She recalls being convinced to give him a ride, only to find herself in a dangerous situation.

She managed to escape by reminding him that others had seen them together, which could implicate him. This incident resurfaced in her mind when she heard about Joan's case on the news.

The woman felt compelled to contact the police after learning that Paradiso was reportedly driving a cab around Logan Airport, raising her concerns about his potential involvement in Joan's disappearance.

Malika Dollywall, the reporter, tracked down this tipster in 2025 to share her story, highlighting the impact of past trauma on present events.

TLDR

A woman recalls a terrifying encounter with Leonard Paradiso, linking him to Joan's disappearance.

Episode

2:08
00:00:00
So, that is what made her pick up the phone and give police the man's name. Leonard Lenny Paradiso. In January of
00:00:10
1982, a week before they found Joan's luggage, a woman had called police to tell them about this scary incident that
00:00:19
she had with a man years before. She never reported it, and admittedly, there are plenty of differences, right? Like
00:00:26
but when she heard about the circumstances of Joan's disappearance [music] on the news, she felt like she
00:00:31
needed someone to know about this thing that happened to her. Our reporter Malika Dollywall actually [music]
00:00:37
tracked this tipster down back in 2025 so we could hear her story firsthand. And this woman claimed that years before
00:00:46
Joan disappeared, [music] when she was in her 20s, she had been out at a club one night, and this guy that she knew
00:00:52
from her neighborhood was there. And when she was going to leave, he convinced her to give him a ride saying
00:00:57
that he was like sick, he needed help getting to the hospital. But once she was in the car, he told her to go
00:01:02
somewhere else, like somewhere out by the water. And when she realized that they weren't going to the hospital, she
00:01:07
pulled out a gun and tried to assault [music] her. Now, she said that she was able to talk her way out of this
00:01:12
situation, reminding him that people had seen them leave together. So, [music] like they knew she would be with him.
00:01:18
But she said this was the most terrifying moment of her life. And she just could not shake this overwhelming
00:01:24
sense when she saw Joan's story on the news. What if it was him? What if he wised up over the years? Went after
00:01:31
someone that, first of all, he wasn't as closely tied to. >> one could like confirm that he had been
00:01:36
with another person that night. [music] >> At a place, right? Though the airport
00:01:40
where so many people are coming and going, they might not remember who left with whom. And here's the real thing
00:01:46
that made her sure she had to call police. She'd heard rumors that the guy who pulled a gun on her was now driving
00:01:52
a cab around Logan Airport. Not through a company or anything, just kind of like
00:01:57
picking up rides unlicensed. So, that is what made her pick up the phone and give
00:02:03
police the man's name, Leonard Lenny Paradiso.

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  • 70
    Most shocking
  • 65
    Most intense
  • 60
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  • 60
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Episode Highlights

  • A Terrifying Encounter
    A woman recalls a frightening incident with a man who later became a suspect.
    “This was the most terrifying moment of her life.”
    @ 01m 19s
    March 10, 2026
  • The Call to Police
    Years later, the woman felt compelled to report her past encounter after hearing about Joan.
    “What if it was him?”
    @ 01m 26s
    March 10, 2026

Episode Quotes

  • This was the most terrifying moment of her life.
    The Tip That Made The Police Aware #truecrime #truecrimestories #crimejunkies
  • What if it was him?
    The Tip That Made The Police Aware #truecrime #truecrimestories #crimejunkies

Key Moments

  • Terrifying Moment01:19
  • The Call02:03

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown