Neil Strauss is a veteran journalist and New York Times best-selling author who leads the investigative true crime series To Live and Die in LA. Known for an immersive reporting style that blends field investigation with serialized audio storytelling, Strauss works alongside specialists like private investigator Jayden Brant to explore unsolved disappearances such as the cases of Adea Shabani and Elaine Park. The podcast earned a Webby Award nomination in the Documentary Podcast category, showcasing its production quality and public impact. Before venturing into audio documentaries, Strauss established himself as a music critic for Rolling Stone and the author of high-profile memoirs like The Dirt. His work is produced in collaboration with Tenderfoot TV and features sound design by Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger. By integrating real-time evidence and public tip-lines into his narrative arcs, Strauss creates a proactive media format that frequently influences the active legal investigations he covers throughout Southern California.