Murder Tied to Kalamazoo and Lansing, Michigan Featured on 20/20

A bizarre murder mystery twisty true crime story that stretches from Michigan to Omaha, Nebraska gets the 20/20 treatment in a 2-hour episode, A Tangled Web.

First things first. A big thank you to Jenn Carpenter, her So Dead - A True Crime Podcast, and a post she put in the 517 Living Community Facebook group.

It's a love triangle with a deep-rooted Michigan connection but it occurs in Omaha, Nebraska.

I saw Jenn's post, watched the video, and I was instantly hooked. I needed to know more and asked about the Michigan connection.

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Now before you start in on this story, I'm going to suggest (after I spoke with Jenn about this) you wait and watch the special first. Jenn's recommendation:

...for those unfamiliar with the case, I definitely recommend watching the special first, then digging in.

It's a love triangle with a deep-rooted Michigan connection but it occurs in Omaha, Nebraska.

An almost unbelievable tale of online dating turned fatal attraction, and the tragic life of the Michigan woman at the center of the scandal.

I sincerely want to tell you more and you're welcome to follow the links I've provided. But this story has a MAJOR PLOT TWIST that I don't want to spoil for you. And it's all real.

As a matter of fact, you can read all about it in a book by Leslie Rule called A Tangled Web: A Cyberstalker, a Deadly Obsession, and the Twisting Path to Justice. Here's a taste of the book description to get you into the mystery.

It was a bleak November in 2012 when Cari Lea Farver vanished from Omaha, Nebraska. Cari, thirty-seven, was a devoted mother, reliable employee, and loyal friend—not the type to shirk responsibilities, abandon her son, and run off on an adventure while her dying father took his last breaths. Yet, the many texts from her phone indicated she had done just that.
It appeared that Cari had dumped her new boyfriend, quit her job, and relinquished custody of her son to her mother—all by text. While Cari’s boyfriend, Dave Kroupa, and her supervisor were bewildered by her abrupt disappearance, they accepted the texts at face value. Her mother, Nancy Raney, however, was alarmed and reported Cari missing...

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A love triangle, online dating, cyberstalking, and a killer from Kalamazoo.

But the Michigan ties don't end there. According to Jenn's posting on Facebook:

Next Friday's episode of ABC's 20/20 has strong Michigan (and Lansing) roots. For starters, one of the main players in the case was born and raised in Kalamazoo. Beyond that- footage for the episode was filmed at The Cadillac Room, and Good Truckin' Diner provided delicious grub for the crew. Furthermore, yours truly, a Lansing native, was interviewed for the story. (I can be heard but not seen in the preview- just listen for that Michigan accent.) Additionally, a book was written about the case by Leslie Rule, the daughter of world-famous true crime author Ann Rule, who was born in Michigan. Be sure to tune in to ABC on December 4th at 9pm EST for a Michigan-centric episode of 20/20!

I spoke with Jenn and she shed some more light on them filming at the Cadillac Room in Lansing.

We filmed seven hours worth of interviews at the Cadillac Room. LONG DAY. Good Truckin' Diner brought us food. The episode is this Friday from 9-11. So Dead is my Michigan-based true crime podcast. I covered this story earlier this year, which is why 20/20 contacted me to interview.

Watch the special Friday Night (12/4) on ABC, then take a listen to the So Dead - A True Crime Podcast. Finally, read the book A Tangled Web: A Cyberstalker, a Deadly Obsession, and the Twisting Path to Justice - Leslie Rule.