From the archives: Crack House Chronicles: Two locals turn podcasting into prime time
- Chuck Thompson
- 20 hours ago
- 7 min read
Originally published July 29, 2025
By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent
Editors note: This feature was originally published July 29, 2025. Since this was published during the infancy of The Shelby Independent I thought now would be a good time to share this feature again for those readers that missed it the first time. Other articles from last year will be published again from time to time, due to the large number of new readers since The Shelby Independent launched last summer.
I am planning to do a follow-up article with Dale and Donnie sometime in the next few months. To follow and listen to their podcast, and more information on where to listen, can be found near the bottom of the article.
Cleveland County – You might have heard of the Crack House Chronicles podcast, even if you haven’t listened to the show.
Every week, countless numbers of people, across every podcast platform, in all 50 states and over 80 countries tune in to listen to local Cleveland County celebrities, Donnie Peeler and Dale Champion, go through another spine-tingling murder mystery.
With 275 episodes (322 since July 16, 2026), as of the writing of this article, Crack House Chronicles has covered cases all across the nation and several right here close to home in Cleveland County, spending countless hours on the Asha Degree disappearance, Walter Vernon McCraw, and Shelby III Adult Bookstore murders; having recently published four podcast episodes on the murders at the adult bookstore that happened in 1987.
Donnie and Dale have been guests on other podcasts, even appearing on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace in 2024.
“That was an experience – it was terrifying,” they both agreed and laughed.
So, with all that fame an attention, how did Crack House Chronicles make such a name for themselves? The Shelby Independent had to ask, “If you knew you would get so much attention would you have picked a different name?”
Donnie, 59, said the name of the show came from a former co-host that was on the first few episodes, before Dale joined the podcast.
“We called where he lived – just joking around – the ‘crack house.’ The house he lived in was old and so that’s what everyone called it because of the way it looked. He would say ‘I’m going back home to the crack house’ and we just started calling the show Crack House Chronicles,” Donnie explained.
The first co-host later left the show due to differing opinions regarding several aspects of the podcast.
It was at this time when Dale, 57, joined the podcast.
“Dale has brought his own energy to the show that really helped out,” said Donnie.
Having been friends since the mid-80s, they already knew each other well and knew each other’s personalities. “We were both working at Cleveland Mall at the time,” Donnie said. “We’ve been friends ever since.”
The duo meshed well on the podcast, and with them both interested in solving Asha Degree’s disappearance, who walked away from her home in February 2000, catapulted them to local fame, and was a big reason why Crack House Chronicles spread nationwide, and across the world.
“Crack House Chronicles did one before I came on,” said Dale, “but both Donnie and I have been invested in this since day one. We both had to pass by there on our way to work and got stopped on the road when they (law enforcement) were searching vehicles.”
“Nobody was covering it when we started in 2019,” added Donnie. “It was so close to home, so many people cared about bringing Asha home and getting the family the relief and justice they deserved – we had to do what we could to help.”
Their steadfast reporting on Asha Degree’s disappearance since 2019 brought them to being guests on other podcasts, including Nancy Grace just last year.
Grace, who spent years on CNN and now hosts a show called Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, invited Donnie and Dale on her program to talk about Asha Degree’s disappearance.
“After technical issues we got pushed back,” explained Donnie. “We still had audio problems but it was an experience to talk to Nancy.”
Not only have they covered a plethora of both solved and unsolved cases, but they have also brought new details to light for the public in several instances, just like professional journalists.
Walter Vernon McCraw went missing in 2018. Crack House Chronicles said they interviewed his daughter who thought he probably hitched a ride to Canada. Donnie actually reached out to the Canadian authorities when a john Doe was found, but it turned out not to be McCraw.
They have also made many friends over the years from experts, friends and family members of missing and murdered persons they have interviewed.
“There’s so much more than just ‘thanks for the interview, see ya later’,” Dale said. “We’ve made friends with people involved in these cases and that’s the rewarding part.”
“Absolutely,” Donnie agreed. “It’s rewarding getting peoples stories out from their perspective, and speaking with the families. Police Officer Davina Jones, who was killed on Bald Head Island. Getting to know her family and staying in contact with them and others. The friendships we’ve made really matter.”
Getting to know O’Bryant Degree was probably Dale’s most favorite blessing of the show.
“He’s such a good dude, meeting him and his family,” Dale noted, adding that they both stay in touch with Asha Degree’s family. “I like to keep in touch, but without overdoing it – not to get anything out of it – just to ask how he’s doing and how his family is doing.”
Donnie added that when O’Bryant Degree was on the podcast, “Dale and O’Bryant talked football for probably an hour before we started the show that day.”
“The listeners too, are the also best part,” they both agreed.
“If one person listens to it, then I’ve done my job,” agreed Donnie.
“We don’t do it for money, we just do it – to do it; and we’re happy to know people enjoy what we’re doing,” Dale added. “We’re just two guys with a microphone.”
They also interviewed David Scott Ghant, the mastermind behind the 1997 Loomis Fargo heist in Charlotte. Ghant loaded $17.3 million into a van and then fled to Mexico with $50,000.
But with the fun and interesting parts always comes the hardest parts, which vary from the frustrating to the heartbreaking side of hosting a true crime podcast.
“We’ve been ghosted many times,” Donnie exclaimed. “Crickets!” They both laughed. “You make plans to have someone on the show and – nothing – no call or email, text, just nothing. Then, we have to scramble to fill the void that we had planned the whole show around.”
They do a lot of preparation before each episode, looking into many hours of research on each case, and while there is no script they follow, when something does go wrong, they are good at just filling the time with relevant information.
“We’re good at just feeding off each other and talking,” added Dale.
They both agreed that the subject matter is also a tough part of hosting their podcast.
“It’ll get to you,” Donnie said.
“The hardest part is definitely digging around deep into the subject matter,” added Dale. “It eats at you.”
Decompression is needed after some interviews that gnaw at their souls from time to time.
They both collect vinyl records, finding escape in music, movies and other podcasts on a variety of topics, such as Joe Rogan and also Chris Jericho’s podcast.
When asked if they have a favorite episode of their 275 shows, the answer was no, and for good reason.
“We can’t pick one because there is a jaw-dropping event in every single one we do. We learn something new each time,” replied Donnie.
Donnie and Dale’s hard work and dedication has paid off. They recently just ordered new chairs, headphones and other much needed equipment for the podcast, thanks to the sales from their merchandise, advertising and donations from loyal listeners.
They also had a bit of good advice for anyone looking to start their own podcast.
“Just do it and don’t expect a lot in the beginning,” Donnie said. “Oh my, only five people listen? That’s a win in my opinion. Run with it. Just keep doing what you’re doing, be yourself and don’t let anybody tell you what to do.”
“Just go for it,” added Dale. “Don’t look to get rich, do it because you love it; that’s what matters.”
Crack House Chronicles, a true crime podcast, is available on every podcast platform: Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Radio FM, Podbean and YouTube.
For anyone wanting Crack House Chronicles merchandise there is a store on the website, CrackHouseChronicles.com and also a PayPal link just to donate, if you don’t want to buy anything. You can also listen to episodes directly on the website.
Crack House Chronicles offers a Patreon account where listeners can get exclusive early access to episodes for just five dollars per month.
You can catch Donnie and Dale every Monday with a new episode on Crack House Chronicles. But they advise everyone to be careful, be aware of your surroundings and be safe, as their outro line states at the end of every episode, “Because the next episode could be about you.”
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This feature was republished from The Shelby Independent archives. "Crack House Chronicles: Two locals turn podcasting into prime time" originally published July 29, 2025.
Chuck Thompson is a reporter for The Shelby Independent.
The Shelby Independent.