Murder by nature

The Love Triangle of Terror: The Disappearance of Cari Farver Part 2

• Jazmin Ramirez • Season 2 • Episode 3

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In the quiet heartland of Nebraska, an ordinary man named Dave Kroupa found himself trapped in a nightmare of obsession and terror after a brief romance turned into an unimaginable descent into horror. This chilling true crime story begins with a casual date and spirals into a relentless three-year saga of harassment, deception, and paranoia. After meeting Cari Farver, a vibrant woman with a troubled past, Dave’s life quickly escalates into chaos when Cari mysteriously disappears, leaving behind a trail of unexplainable messages.

Over the next few years, Dave is bombarded with thousands of threatening texts and emails from a shadowy figure, whose identity seems to remain just out of reach. But the torment doesn’t end there. The story delves deeper into the twisted web of lies, heartbreak, and obsession that leads to a disturbing revelation, unraveling a tale of stalking, manipulation, and a tragic loss that shakes everyone involved.

Join us as we explore the haunting case of Cari Farver’s disappearance, the terrifying consequences of a broken relationship, and the lengths a disturbed individual will go to in order to remain unseen—and yet, disturbingly, always present.

This is a story of deception, danger, and the unknown that will leave you questioning how well we truly know the people in our live

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Intro: "Welcome to Murder By Nature, where the darkness of true crime, unsolved disappearances, and chilling mysteries come to life. I’m your host, Jazmin Ramirez, and if you’re brave enough to join us, prepare for a journey into the unknown.


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In the spring of 2015, the case of Cari Farver took a new direction. It had been two and a half years since anyone in Cari’s family had seen her, and her unexplained absence continued to haunt them. Investigator Ryan Avis and Sergeant Jim Doty, intrigued by the strange circumstances surrounding her disappearance, volunteered to take on the case. From the outset, Avis and Doty were struck by the peculiarities. When they visited Cari’s home, they found it eerily preserved, still full of her clothes and belongings. Her dbank records revealed two transactions the day before she vanished in November 2012, but there had been no activity since. For an adult to leave behind all their possessions, abandon their finances, and sever every connection without a trace was far from normal. It just didn’t add up. The investigators reached a chilling conclusion: they couldn’t prove that Cari was alive. With no credible evidence to suggest otherwise, they pivoted the case from a missing person to a death investigation.



To understand the complex web of harassment claims, Avis and Doty revisited the original case file. Back in 2013, during the initial investigation, both Dave Kroupa and Liz Golyar had consented to have the contents of their phones downloaded. Now, armed with this data, Avis and Doty enlisted the help of IT specialist and volunteer deputy Tony Kava to trace the origins of the relentless flood of emails and text messages hundreds of thousands of them that had plagued everyone involved. The digital footprint was a labyrinth. The sender used numerous VPNs and fake accounts, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint their origin. But Tony was determined. He realized that to crack this, he needed something beyond existing tools. So, he created his own software, coding a system to narrow down the elusive IP address. His breakthrough came when he traced the digital trail to a specific residence. The home belonged to Todd Butterbaugh, a fellow county employee who, coincidentally, worked directly under Tony. It was an unexpected twist, but the connection was about to get even stranger. When questioned, Todd revealed that his on-again, off-again girlfriend had been living with him ever since her house burned down. That girlfriend? Liz Golyar. The pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Liz, the self-proclaimed victim of years of harassment, was now directly tied to the IP address behind the harassing messages. The investigation was finally closing in on the truth, and it was becoming clear that Liz’s role in the saga was far darker than anyone had initially suspected.

In September 2010, Liz and Todd met on an online dating site, quickly starting what Todd believed to be an exclusive relationship. Over the next five years, Todd became deeply involved in Liz’s life. He supported her financially, helped her with bills, assisted in purchasing a car, welcomed her and her two children into his home, and even took on the role of caring for her children. Todd trusted Liz until the cracks began to show.

By January 2013, Todd was drawn into the bizarre saga of “Cari Farver” when he began receiving strange texts and emails. The messages purported to be from Cari herself, claiming she was a friend of Liz’s and that Liz had given her Todd’s contact information as an emergency contact. When Todd confronted Liz about this, she confirmed the story, reinforcing her connection to Cari in an unsettling and manipulative way. As Todd pieced together his experience with Liz, investigators were uncovering disturbing patterns from 2012, beginning with Cari’s sudden disappearance. On November 15, 2012, Cari’s employer received a text from her cell phone, stating that she was resigning from her job. The message included a startling twist: Cari recommended “Shanna Golyar” as her replacement. Now if you dont know Shanna was Liz’s legal name. That same day, Liz filled out an online application with Cari’s employer, making it clear that Liz had already positioned herself to step into Cari’s role. But the timeline grew darker. The day after the resignation text, on November 16, 2012, Cari’s debit card was used at two discount stores in Omaha to make purchases totaling nearly $400. Among the items purchased was a distinctive black-and-white floral shower curtain, later noted for its chilling significance. 

Then, on November 17, another text message from Cari’s phone was sent to her mother. This time, the message included a photograph of a $5,000 check supposedly made out to Cari and signed by Liz. The text claimed that Cari had sold Liz a bedroom set and asked her mother to allow Liz into the home to collect it. Suspicious of the entire scenario, Cari’s mother contacted the police instead of complying with the request. The investigation ramped up as police worked with Cari’s cell phone provider to “ping” her phone in an effort to locate it. Early on November 18, the phone’s signal placed it in an Omaha location close to Liz’s residence. Despite efforts to recover the device, it was never found. This chain of events, tied to Liz’s increasingly erratic behavior and manipulations, painted a chilling picture. From inserting herself into Cari’s job to accessing Todd’s devices and sending messages under the guise of Cari, Liz wove a complex and calculated web of deception.

Back to the present day, the investigation into Cari Farver's disappearance and Liz Golyar's disturbing behavior was finally reaching a critical point. IT specialist Tony Kava’s breakthrough analysis of the extensive electronic evidence revealed a shocking truth: Liz had been posing as Cari for years. She had created a digital smokescreen, using applications, proxies, and VPNs to obscure her IP addresses and make it nearly impossible to trace her online activity directly to her residence. But while this confirmed Liz’s deception, it still didn’t answer the most pressing question: What had happened to Cari Farver? Determined to unravel the truth, investigators revisited the data recovered from Liz’s phone. They unearthed a chilling piece of evidence a photograph of Cari’s vehicle taken on Christmas Eve 2012. This was long after Cari had last been seen alive. The discovery prompted a closer examination of the vehicle itself, and forensic analysis revealed a single fingerprint on a mint container in the car’s center console. When matched, the fingerprint belonged to Liz Golyar, placing her inside Cari’s car after her disappearance. This revelation shifted the investigation’s momentum. Investigators knew they needed to keep a closer watch on Liz. The earlier altercation with Amy Flora, during which Liz had accused Amy of shooting her, provided additional justification for surveillance. As Liz spiraled further, her desperation became more apparent. Police placed a tracker on her vehicle to monitor her movements, and it quickly revealed that Liz was circling Amy’s home on a near-daily basis. It was clear Liz wasn’t just trying to intimidate Amy—she was stalking her, driven by a need to regain control over Dave and his life.

In late January or early February 2016, Dave Kroupa made a difficult but calculated decision. He moved in with Amy Flora, the mother of his children, not just for companionship but to shield her and their kids from the unsettling chaos Liz Golyar had brought into their lives. For years, Liz’s obsession with Dave had spiraled into increasingly erratic and dangerous behavior, putting everyone he cared about at risk. Dave hoped the move would provide Amy and the children a semblance of safety while also giving the police a chance to turn the tide in their investigation.

The move was more than just a bid for protection—it was a carefully planned strategy between Dave and the investigators. Sgt. Jim Doty and Investigator Ryan Avis saw it as an opportunity to provoke Liz, to see how far her obsession with Dave would drive her and what she might reveal in her desperation to maintain control. They suspected Liz would react strongly, unable to resist the need to reassert herself in Dave’s life.

Liz didn’t disappoint. Within days of learning about Dave’s move, her behavior escalated dramatically. She began contacting the police incessantly, demanding to know why Amy hadn’t been arrested for the shooting. Liz claimed she was receiving new, more aggressive emails and texts from Amy—messages full of threats and shocking admissions. These messages, Liz claimed, included confessions to Cari Farver’s murder, the arson of Liz’s home, and even the shooting that had wounded Liz herself. The emails described the grisly details of Cari’s death with chilling specificity:

  • Cari had been stabbed in her car during a violent confrontation.
  • Her body had been wrapped in a tarp, burned, and then disposed of in the trash.
  • Her car had been meticulously cleaned, erasing any trace of the crime.
  • The killer had assumed Cari’s identity, sending emails and texts to her loved ones to create the illusion she was still alive.

One of the emails even described the interior of Cari’s home in unnerving detail—proof the sender had been there. Liz insisted these confessions were proof of Amy’s guilt, but the investigators knew better. By this point, they were certain Liz was not only behind the stalking and harassment but also Cari’s murder. These "confessions" weren’t just fabrications—they were Liz’s twisted attempt to frame Amy for crimes Liz herself had committed.

Now certain they had their smoking gun, investigators decided it was time to confront Dave with the truth. They drove to the auto shop where he worked, the weight of their revelation heavy in the air. As they explained that Liz was behind the years of harassment, stalking, and even the arson that had upended his life, Dave stood frozen, his expression shifting from confusion to disbelief.

The words felt surreal, almost like they were meant for someone else. Liz? The woman he had shared parts of his life with? The same woman who had presented herself as a victim of the same torment?

Dave excused himself and walked to the back of the shop where his toolbox sat—a sturdy, familiar anchor in a world that suddenly felt unrecognizable. Leaning heavily against it, he buried his face in his hands and let the tears come.

His mind raced, trying to fit the jagged pieces of the puzzle together. Memories flashed: Liz’s constant presence, her dramatic accounts of being harassed, the uncanny way she always seemed to know just when to show up. It was all her. She had been stalking him, weaving an intricate web of lies, and playing the victim while terrorizing everyone he cared about.

“It was Liz this whole time,” he whispered to himself, the realization hitting like a tidal wave. It wasn’t just betrayal—it was an unthinkable manipulation of his life, his trust, and his grief over Cari’s disappearance.

The investigators gave him a moment to process, standing nearby but silent, understanding the magnitude of what they had just revealed. For Dave, it wasn’t just a revelation—it was a mindfuck of epic proportions, a devastating truth that reframed years of his life in an instant.

In February 2016, armed with warrants, investigators conducted thorough searches of Liz Golyar's apartment and a residence she had previously shared with her ex-boyfriend, Butterbaugh. The searches unearthed several items of interest at Golyar's apartment, including LG cell phones, a Nikon Coolpix digital camera, a red Sony video camcorder, and memory cards. Among the discoveries was a black-and-white floral shower curtain, identical to one purchased using Cari Farver’s debit card just days after her disappearance.

In March 2016, investigators searched a storage unit containing belongings Farver’s mother had moved after her disappearance. Inside, they found receipts and owners’ manuals for the Nikon camera and Sony camcorder, proving Farver had purchased these items in October 2012, shortly before she vanished.

Meanwhile, digital evidence continued to build the case against Golyar. Data retrieved from her cell phone in January 2013 revealed six calls made to Farver's landline on November 6 and 7, 2012—mere days before Farver was last seen. 

Investigators also uncovered a photograph of Farver’s Ford Explorer taken on December 24, 2012, weeks after her disappearance but before the vehicle was found near Dave Kroupa's apartment in January 2013. Metadata tied the photo directly to Golyar’s phone. Additionally, the phone contained a video uploaded to a YouTube account under Farver’s name, depicting an apartment complex resembling Kroupa’s. The account, suspiciously created in 2014—long after Farver went missing—was accessed using an IP address linked to Butterbaugh’s residence.

Farver’s Ford Explorer itself had initially been found in Omaha in January 2013. At the time, a crime scene technician noted the vehicle was unusually clean. The only fingerprints found belonged to Golyar, identified in September 2015 from a mint container in the center cupholder. This connection, combined with the mounting evidence, solidified suspicions of Golyar’s involvement in Farver’s disappearance and murder. As the investigators turned their attention back to Cari Farver’s vehicle, where they discovered a significant clue—blood under the fabric cover of the passenger seat. Although they had not yet found Farver's body, the blood, coupled with the growing body of digital evidence, gave investigators the leverage they needed to arrest Liz Golyar. As the investigation deepened, the pressure mounted to gather evidence that would ensure the case wouldn't fall apart. Liz Golyar had positioned herself as the victim throughout the entire process, weaving a web of lies that left the investigators feeling frustrated and uncertain. They knew they needed more solid evidence to make their case ironclad. With little hope but an unyielding determination, they decided to reach out to Dave Kroupa, Farver’s former boyfriend, to see if there were any electronics that had not yet been examined.

Dave remembered an old tablet stored in a unit, and when the device was examined, forensic expert Anthony Kava discovered something pivotal: 11,000 deleted photos on its micro SD card. Among these images were numerous selfies of Liz taken around the time Farver went missing. Kava carefully sifted through the thousands of thumbnails, but it was one image that stood out above the rest. A chilling photograph of a human foot, adorned with a tattoo of a Chinese character for the word “mother.”

Raney, Cari’s mother, immediately recognized the tattoo as belonging to her daughter. Further investigation by a medical examiner confirmed that the foot in the photo belonged to a deceased individual, solidifying the growing suspicion that Farver had met a tragic end. These findings added crucial weight to the case against Liz Golyar. She had already been linked to the crime through her phone records, Farver’s car, and the search of her apartment. As the investigators pieced together the puzzle, each new revelation brought them closer to the truth—and to bringing justice for Cari Farver.

On Dec 22, 2016, Liz Golyar was initially charged with only first-degree murder in the case of Cari Farver’s disappearance. At her arraignment, Liz entered a plea of not guilty and, surprisingly, requested to waive her right to a jury trial. The court ensured she understood her constitutional right to a jury trial and explained the potential consequences of waiving it. After confirming that she had discussed her decision with her attorney and was not coerced in any way, Liz officially waived her right to a jury and chose to proceed with a bench trial.

During the trial, Liz did not testify in her defense. After the State rested, her defense team moved for a "directed motion of acquittal," which the court overruled. The defense chose not to present any evidence. In December 2017, Liz was formally charged with murder. Her defense team continued to dispute whether a murder had even occurred, citing the absence of a body. However, the judge found the evidence presented during the trial to be "overwhelming." The judge declared that it was proven "beyond a reasonable doubt" that Liz had intentionally killed Cari Farver with "deliberate and premeditated malice" on or about November 13, 2012, in Douglas County, Nebraska. As a result, Liz was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, in addition to 20 years for arson. In 2018, Liz appealed her conviction, hoping for a new trial or a reduction in her sentence. However, her appeal was rejected, and the court upheld the original verdict. 

Despite her conviction, Liz has maintained her innocence. In letters sent from prison, she continued to insist, "I will not stop fighting until I am set free and they find the right person." Leslie Rule, who wrote about the case in her 2020 book A Tangled Web, explained that Liz showed no remorse for her actions. “She obviously does not take responsibility for what happened,” Rule told ABC News.

The cold-hearted nature of Liz’s actions was evident in her manipulation of Cari's family. Jim, Cari's father, reflected on the chilling lack of remorse Liz displayed when Cari’s son, Max, reached out on Facebook to confirm if a post claiming to be from his mother was genuine. “I don't know how that doesn't break anybody's heart, but it didn't affect her one bit,“She didn’t care that she was hurting Cari’s mom, her child, or anything. Not one bit of remorse.”

Nancy, Cari’s mother, credited Jim, Ryan, and Tony for helping her maintain her sanity throughout the ordeal. “They’ll always be my boys,” she said. “They’re fantastic at what they do. If it hadn’t been for them, I’d still be in the dark, now.”

Dave Kroupa, Cari’s former boyfriend, described the lasting impact of Liz’s actions. “Liz ruined my life,” he told People “As much as you can without actually killing me.” Dave spent years believing that Cari was out to get him, only to learn that she had been dead all along and that the woman he had trusted was responsible for her murder. “It’s still hard to even process,” he said. Now 47, Dave lives with his girlfriend, in Nebraska. He’s cautious about who he trusts, stating, "It's not hard to see why I don't trust anybody anymore and keep my walls up." 

Liz has never revealed the whereabouts of Cari's body. As a result, Cari Farver’s remains have never been discovered, leaving the final chapter of her tragic story unresolved.


Outro: "And that brings us to the end of another unsettling tale. As always, thank you for listening to Murder By Nature. If you’ve enjoyed tonight’s episode, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening from—and be sure to return this Thursday for a brand new story that will keep you up at night.

Until then, I’m Jazmin Ramirez, reminding you to stay vigilant. Stay safe, and remember… don’t get murdered, and for the love of all things dark, don’t become the murderer. You’ve been warned, you beautiful, haunted souls.



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