Trained to Kill: The Dog Trainer, the Heiress, and the Bodyguard was created to pull listeners into a dark love triangle that challenges first impressions and asks a central question: who is the hunter and who is the hunted?
Mark Stover was a talented dog trainer, known as the dog whisperer of the Pacific Northwest. Charismatic and ambitious, he attracted the attention of wealthy blonde heiress Linda Opdyke. Together, they built a business and a marriage. But Linda said Mark also had a dark side, and when she tried to leave, he obsessively followed. She sought protection from a security expert, Michiel Oakes, who soon became the new love of her life, her knight in shining armor. Then blood was found in Mark’s home and he was reported missing, and detectives went looking for Michiel.
We set out to create a gripping six-episode series that combined investigative reporting with immersive storytelling, so audiences could follow the case as it unfolds, understand the competing narratives, and sit with the tension of what is known, what is alleged, and what remains uncertain. The goal was to deliver a serialized true-crime podcast that goes beyond the initial 48 Hours reporting, explores the latest developments in the case along with the dangerous dynamics of control and trust, and leaves listeners questioning how easily appearances can mislead.
Trained to Kill: The Dog Trainer, the Heiress, and the Bodyguard was brought to life by revisiting and reexamining the original two-part 48 Hours investigation that first introduced national audiences to the case. The podcast team returned to that foundational reporting as both a roadmap and a springboard, grounding the series in the rigor and credibility of the original coverage while creating space to go deeper.
From there, producers rebuilt the narrative from the ground up. They conducted extensive new interviews with key figures connected to the case, allowing participants to reflect with the benefit of time and perspective. These in-depth conversations added nuance, emotional context, and previously unexplored details that could not be fully captured in the constraints of a two-hour television format. Peter’s authoritative yet empathetic storytelling grounded the series, while the production team shaped the narrative through thoughtful pacing, layered sound design, and a structure that gradually revealed shifting perspectives.
Trained to Kill: The Dog Trainer, the Heiress, and the Bodyguard successfully became the second serialized installment in the Blood Is Thicker feed, strengthening the brand’s identity as a destination for stories rooted in twisted familial and intimate dynamics. The series built on the audience established by the first season and reinforced the feed’s thematic focus, helping to grow listener engagement and retention within the franchise.
Host Peter Van Sant extended the life of the series beyond the feed by moderating a featured panel at CrimeCon 2025. The live discussion brought together individuals connected to the case, deepening audience engagement and demonstrating the project’s cultural relevance within the true-crime community.
By successfully expanding an existing franchise, earning industry recognition, and generating live event programming tied directly to the series, the project met both our editorial and strategic objectives, proving its impact across platforms and within the genre.
