Morbid (Morbid Network | Wondery)

New installment on the show!!! SPOOKY LAKES! Alaina brings us to New Hampshire to talk about Haunted Lake. It’s all in the name, this place is super ominous and a WILD phenomena happened hundreds of years ago that you just HAVE to hear about. Then Ash takes us over to Nevada to talk about Lake Mead. So many of you guys have been requesting that we cover Lake Mead simply because of all the bodies that have been washing up. We’ll discuss some of those remains and who they belong to as well as talking about what else once lurked beneath the surface.

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Listener Tales is here and it's brought to you by you, for you, from you and all about you!!! This installment features a man living in the basement walls of a home that did not belong to him, a serial killer constructing one of our listener’s new bed, and a young girl who was abducted but possibly rescued by her younger sister… who hadn’t even been born yet. If you have a listener tale please send it in to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” noted somewhere in the subject line :)

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On the morning of March 20, 1927, nine-year-old Lorraine Snyder was awakened by the sound of gentle knocking at her bedroom door and when she opened it, she found her mother bound and gagged on the floor. According to the girl’s mother, Ruth Snyder, someone had broken into the house in the middle of the night, knocked her unconscious and tied her up, then murdered her husband, Albert. Ruth claimed the motive was robbery, but investigators were immediately suspicious of her. Not only was there no sign of forced entry, but Albert’s murder had been particularly brutal and appeared personal. A day later, when police found Ruth’s supposedly stolen items hidden in the house, her story started to fall apart.

The murder of Albert Snyder had everything depression-era Americans were looking for in a media distraction—sex, extramarital affairs, fraud, and murder. From the moment Ruth and her boyfriend, Judd Gray, were arrested for the murder of her husband, they were thrust into the spotlight and would remain fixtures on the front pages of the papers across New York up to and including the final moments of their lives.

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Beckley, Zoe. 1927. "Ruth Snyder to escape chair, is Zoe Beckley's forecast." Times Union, April 19: 1.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1927. "Suspect is held after cops grill dead man's wife." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 21: 1.

Brooklyn Times Union. 1927. "Hid lover in her home, then went to party." Brooklyn Times Union, March 21: 25.

—. 1928. "Ruth and Judd die, she first, in sobs; each is forgiving." Brooklyn Times Union, Janaury 13: 1.

MacKellar, Landis. 2006. The Double Indemnity Murder: Ruth Snyder, Judd Gray, and New York's Crime of the Century. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

New York Times. 1927. "Cross-examination of Mrs. Ruth Snyder on her last day on the stand." New York Times, May 4: 16.

—. 1927. "Girl finds mother bound." New York Times, March 21: 1.

—. 1927. "Gray's first story was full of denial." New York Times, March 22: 3.

—. 1927. "Judge warned jury to avoid sympathy." New York Times, May 10: 1.

—. 1927. "Mrs. Snyder and Gray found guilty in the first degree in swift verdict; both to get death sentence Monday." New York Times, May 10: 1.

—. 1927. "Not a cruel killer, Gray writes in cell." New York Times, April 8: 25.

—. 1927. "Says Gray was hypnotized." New York Times, March 26: 9.

—. 1927. "Slayers indicted; Snyder case trial sought for April 4." New York Times, March 24: 1.

—. 1927. "Slayers of Snyder face speedy trial; racant confession." New York Times, March 23: 1.

—. 1927. "Slayers of Snyder hear doom unmoved; put hope in appeals." New York Times, May 14: 1.

—. 1927. "Snyder jury hears Gray's confession accusing woman." New York Times, April 28: 1.

—. 1927. "Snydwer was tricked into big insurance, state witness says." New York Times, April 26: 1.

—. 1927. "Widow on stand swears Gray alone killed Snyder as she tried to save him." New York Times, April 30: 1.

—. 1927. "Wife betrays paramour as murderer of Snyder, and he then confesses." New York Times, March 22: 1.

Sutherland, Sidney. 1928. "Ruth and Judd die in chair, asking for forgiveness for sin." Daily News, January 13: 1.

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The Circleville Letter writer is a case that will absolutely baffle your brain. In 1976 one of the first letters was delivered to Mary Gillespie and it accused her of being one of the many women supposedly having an affair with the superintendent of schools, Gordon Massie. The letters would continue to be sent, not only to Mary, but to most of the residents and business owners in the town. The letter writer seemed to know everything about everyone and would stop at nothing to take down the people they thought were morally wrong…. As if sending intimidating letters across a city is a moral thing to do. By the end of this a possibly innocent man would be sent to prison, another man would end up dead and Mary would survive an attempt on her life. 

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On January 12, 1983, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department received a call from a frantic driver who reported they’d just witnessed a shooting on the side of the side of the road in Fulton, California and the shooters had fled the scene a pickup truck. Deputies quickly located the truck and were led on a forty-five minute high-speed chase through Sonoma and Napa counties before finally being apprehended and identified as Michael and Suzan Carson.

The Carsons were held on a charge of murdering the truck’s original owner, Jon Charles Hellyar, but they refused to say a word to police. In time, however, Michael and Suzan Carson began to talk and eventually held a press conference during which they revealed a great deal about themselves and even went so far as to make ambiguous confessions to other recent murders in Northern California. 

In the months that followed their arrest, Michael and Suzan Carson reveled in their notoriety and the media attention their statements captured. In addition to the murder of Hellyar, they would also be convicted of two other murders, claiming themselves to be Muslim warriors on a mission to rid the world of witches and other practitioners of dark magic, earning them the nickname “The San Francisco Witch Killers.”

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1983. "Couple complains their trial didn't get enough publicity." The Californian, April 28: 29.

Brewster, Rod. 1983. "Carsons claim their killings were 'will of God'." Petaluma Argus-Courier, May 4: 1.

—. 1983. "Carson's preliminary hearing on murder stats." Petaluma Argus-Courier, March 4: 2.

Daily Beast. 2020. "Daughter of serial 'witch kiler': if he goes free, 'someone else will be dead'." Daily Beast, May 27.

—. 2015. "Witch-killers' family: Keep them in Jail." Daily Beast, December 3.

Manes, George. 1983. "Probe of suspects widens." Press Democrat, January 30: 1.

Napa Valley Register. 1983. "Chase probe continues." Napa Valley Register, January 18: 2.

Navarro, Mireya. 1984. "'Good witch' to the rescue." San Francisco Examiner, May 30: 11.

—. 1984. "Remorseless 'witch-killers' get 25 to life." San Francisco Examiner, July 2: 15.

Reynolds, Richard D. 1988. Cry for War: The Story of Suzan and Michael Carson. San Francisco, CA: Squibob Press.

Saludes, Bony. 1985. "Carson says trial unfair." Press Democrat, June 19: 2.

San Francisco Examiner. 1984. "Carson comptent for trial." San Francisco Examiner, January 9: 14.

Sharpe, Ivan. 1983. "Couple boasts to police of killing 3 'witches in holy war'." San Francisco Examiner, April 28: 24.

United Press International. 1984. "Guilty verdict in 'witch' murder." Petaluma Argus-Courier, June 5: 2.

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What drove the mild-mannered farmer to commit such hideous and depraved acts in America’s heartland, and why do people from around the world continue to find him so infamous?

Thank you to the magical Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Associated Press. 1968. "Gein prosecution winds up murder testimony." Capital Times, November 9: 9.

—. 1968. "Gein ruled fit to stand trial." Green Bay Press-Gazette, January 16: 1.

Capital Times. 1958. "Bar Gein house admission fees." Capital Times, March 12: 4.

—. 1957. "Claims ten skulls came from graves ." Capital Times, November 18: 1.

—. 1958. "Gein insane, psychiatrist tells court." Capital Times, January 6: 3.

—. 1957. "Nearly wed gein, woman reveals." Capital Times, November 20: 1.

—. 1957. "Plan to open at least two." Capital Times, November 23: 1.

—. 1957. "Weeping Gein joins minister in prayer." Capital Times, November 22: 1.

—. 1957. "'Won't believe' graves robbed ." Capital Times, November 19: 1.

Daily Tribune. 1954. "Believe Bancroft tavernkeeper was slain." Daily Tribune, December 9: 1.

—. 1944. "Rites today for the man who died in Roche-a-Cri fire." Daily Tribune, May 19: 1.

Engel, Dave. 2005. "Whatever happened to Mary Hogan?" Daily Tribune, December 5: 6.

La Crosse Tribune. 1957. "State pushes murder charges against ." La Crosse Tribune, November 22: 1.

Portage Daily Register. 1957. "New rifle in shop used in slaying storekeeper." Portage Daily Register, November 19: 1.

Schechter, Harold. 1998. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho. New York, NY: Gallery Books.

Stevens Point Journal. 1958. "Ed Gein's real estate sold for under $4,000." Stevens Point Journal, March 31: 1.

—. 1958. "Gein farmhouse leveled by early morning blaze." Stevens Point Journal, March 20: 1.

—. 1958. "Open house at Gein farm draws crowds." Stevens Point Journal, March 24: 1.

—. 1957. "Results of lie test announced." Stevens Point Journal, November 20: 1.

—. 1954. "Woman's disappearance hints slaying at Pine Grove tavern." Stevens Point Journal, December 9: 1.

United Press. 1957. "Hospital gets ready for Gein." Capital Times, November 23: 2.

United Press International. 1968. "Ed Gein found guilty of 1957 murder in Plainfield." Capital Times, November 14: 2.

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On September 11, 1982, Ken Dooley, a Youth Development Center employee in Rome, Georgia, was shot at in his home by an unseen attacker. The following day, Dooley’s coworker, Linda Adair, was also attacked when someone threw a Molotov cocktail at her house in an attempt to kill her.  Although neither Dooley nor Adair knew it at the time, these were the first attacks in the violent crime spree of Alvin and Judith Ann Neelley, a married couple whose brutality would shock in and around Georgia in the fall of 1982.

Thank you the the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for Research Assistance.

References

Anniston Star. 1982. "Woman seeks juvenile status in slaying." Anniston Star , December 2: 28.

Associated Press. 1982. "Probe covers two states in death, disappearance." Anniston Star, October 6: 10.

Birmingham Post-Herald. 1982. "Jury indicts Mrs. Neelley on capital murder." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 29: 2.

—. 1982. "Neelley's wife sits while he talks." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 2.

—. 1982. "Suspect in canyon deaths gives details of 7 more slayings." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 1.

—. 1982. "Woman killed 2, authorities charge." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 16: 1.

Columbus Enquirer. 1982. "13-year-old found dead." Columbus Enquirer, October 1: 7.

—. 1983. "Neelley jury suggests life without parole." Columbus Enquirer, March 23: 1.

Cook, Thomas H. 1990. Early Graves: The Shocking True-Crime Story of the Yongest Woman Ever Sentenced to Death Row. Boston, MA: E.P. Dutton.

Dunnavant, Bob. 1983. "Jury hears 'robot' defense." Birmingham Post-Herald, March 10: 1.

Judith Ann Neelley v. State of Alabama. 1985. 494 So. 2d 669 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, March 12).

Morning Press. 1983. "Neelley to get death penalty." Morning Press, April 19: 1.

Neelley vs. Alabama. 1989. 88-5806 (United States Supreme Court, January 9).

Thompson, Tracy. 1982. "Luck, guesswork led to suspects." Atlanta Constitution, October 16: 23.

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Urban legends for Halloween? YOU BETCHA! Alaina brings us an urban legend straight out of the Louisiana Bayou- she really can’t get enough of that place, eh? Le Feu Follet is a really pretty set of words, but don’t you go following them into the dark. Even if you are listening to Death Cab For Cutie. And while we’re on this path of warning you about things you should and shouldn’t do, let me tell ya don't mess with Queen Hannah Cranna. She’s not noble, but she is a witch and she will fuck with your ability to make a good pie. If that's a little vague press play and Ash will clear it all up for you!

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Alaina brings us something a little different this week, BOG BODIES! All across the world in different bogs, bodies have been found almost perfectly preserved. All because of a simple little landscaping tool: Peat Moss. And your peat moss might just be haunted. Alaina tells us of 9 different Bog Bodies that have been discovered throughout the years, one of which landed a murderer in prison for the rest of his life. And if you love this episode, don’t worry there are plenty more Bog Bodies to be covered in the future.

Bog Bodies Uncovered: Solving Europe's Ancient Mystery by Miranda Aldhouse-Green (Link:https://www.amazon.com/Bog-Bodies-Uncovered-Solving-Europes-ebook/dp/B012BH9DGQ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=28ZDF5XXTOXEE&keywords=bog+bodies&qid=1668630485&sprefix=%2Caps%2C51&sr=8-2))

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On March 19, 1960, Kansas City police were called to the home James and Sharon Kinne for what they believed was an accidental shooting. According to Sharon, she had found their two-year-old daughter lying on the couple’s bed, a gun near her hand and her father’s body next to her with a large hole in his head. Unable to find evidence to the contrary, the shooting was ruled an accident and Sharon collected on her husband’s life insurance policy. It wasn’t until a few months later, when the wife of Sharon’s new boyfriend went missing and eventually turned up dead, that investigators came to believe that James Kinne’s death was no accident.

Sharon Kinne was eventually arrested and charged with the murders of her husband James and of Patricia Jones, the wife of Sharon’s boyfriend at the time of her arrest. During the course of their investigation, detectives began unraveling a lurid tale of infidelity and conspiracy that resulted in at least two murders. Ultimately, Sharon would be acquitted of her Patricia Jones’ murder, and would be tried three times for the murder of James Kinne. 

Before she could be tried for a fourth time, Sharon fled to Mexico with the help of yet another boyfriend, where she killed Francisco Parades Ordoñez in what she claimed was self-defense. The Mexican authorities rejected that claim and in 1964. Sharon was tried and convicted for murder, receiving a ten-year prison sentence. However, after serving just five years of her sentence, Sharon Kinne escaped the Mexican prison and has been on the run ever since. Today, more than fifty years later, she is still considered a fugitive with active warrants out for her arrest.

Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe pod, for research assistance 

References

Doyle, Patricia Janson. 1962. "Sharon thinks of trial, jury and jail." Kansas City Times, January 13: 1.

Hays, James C. 1997. I'm Just an Ordinary Girl: The Sharon Kinne Story. Leawood, KS: Leathers Book Publishing.

Kansas City Star. 1961. "Anxious in his hunt for wife." Kansas City Star, June 16: 1.

—. 1961. "'Changed her story on gun'." Kansas City Star, June 15: 1.

—. 1960. "Fin a woman slain in woods." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1.

—. 1962. "'Fixed a price for his death'." Kansas City Star, January 9: 1.

—. 1960. "Officers study life of families in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1.

—. 1960. "Puzzled over a fatal shot." Kansas City Star, March 20: 1.

—. 1960. "Rap coroner in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, June 2: 1.

—. 1960. "Weird ties in murder probe." Kansas City Star, May 29: 1.

Kansas City Times. 1962. "Boldizs views offer as jest." Kansas City Times, January 10: 1.

—. 1969. "Kinne Search Widens." Kansas City Times, December 9: 1.

—. 1962. "Mrs. Kinne found guilty." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1.

—. 1961. "Sharon Kinne goes free." Kansas City Times, June 23: 1.

—. 1962. "Somber Sharon Kinne starts jail routine." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1.

Kelleghan, Kevin. 1969. "Sharon Kinne hunt eases up." Kansas City Times, December 18: 31.

Maryville Daily Forum. 1961. "Testimony on death gun to KC jurors." Marysville Daily Forum, June 19: 1.

Olwine, Margaret. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever, part II." Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 14.

—. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever?" Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 17-19.

Weber, David. 1964. "Sharon Kinne in jail." Kansas City Star, September 20: 1.

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When Kathryn Wombacher suspected her husband, Walter Andrew, of having an affair in the spring of 1920, she hired a private detective to follow him on one of his many “out-of-town” trips that he’d taken in their short marriage. However, rather than follow Walter out of town, the private detective tracked the man less than a mile from his home in Hollywood, where he discovered that Walter had indeed been carrying on a relationship with another woman—but that was to be the least of Kathryn’s worries.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1920. "Police search for Montana girl is commenced ." Miles City Star, April 1: 1.

—. 1920. "Alleged wife believes Huirt 'woman hater'." San Francisco Chronicle, April 15: 1.

—. 1920. "Nine 'wives' killed by Bluebeard." Saskatoon Daily Star, May 11: 7.

Cameron, Jim. 2014. "The horrifying marriage career of James "Bluebeard" Watson." Cranbrook Daily Townsman, October 31.

Dowd, Katie. 2019. "'Object, matrimony': The forgotten tale of the West Coast's first serial bride killer." SF Gate, October 4.

Hoag, Ernest, and Edward Williams. 1922. "The Case of J.P. Watson, the Modern Bluebeard." Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 348-359.

Los Angeles Evening Express. 1920. "Huirt's latest wife here to clear mystery." Los Angeles Evening Express, April 14: 1.

Los Angeles Times. 1920. ""I'm crazy!" Bluebeard cries to the public." Los Angeles Times, May 4: 15.

—. 1920. "Watson confesses four wife-murders; married nearly a score of women." Los Angeles Times, April 30: 1.

—. 1920. "Watson's real name Boyd?" Los Angeles Times, April 27: 17.

—. 1920. "Watson's story of early life." Los Angeles Times, April 30: 1.

—. 1920. "Whoesale bigamy bared." Los Angeles Times, April 11: 1.

Rasmussen, Cecelia. 1997. "Quiet man left trail of dead wives." Los Angeles Times, August 31.

Sacramento Bee. 1920. "Watson given life sentence for murder of Nina Lee Deloney." Sacramento Bee, May 10: 1.

San Francisco Chronicle. 1920. "Burying ground of 'Bluebeard' thought found." San Francisco Chronicle, April 20: 6.

Whitaker, Alma. 1930. "Bluebeard's treasure hunt blows up--bang." Los Angeles Times, November 30: 19.

Zdeb, Chris. 2014. "Serial killer, bigamist had ties to Edmonton." Edmonton Journal, May 10: 2.

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In March 1977, Arizona businessman Charles Morgan went missing from his home in Tucson, only to turn up three days later in the middle of the night, shoeless, traumatized, and with broken plastic handcuffs on his wrists and ankles. Unable to speak, Charles wrote that he had been drugged by an unnamed individual and kidnapped, but he refused to let his wife call the police or otherwise report the assault. Three months later, Charles Morgan’s body was discovered in the desert with a gunshot wound in the back of his head, one of his teeth wrapped in a handkerchief, and a two-dollar bill pinned to his underwear.

From the outside, Charles Morgan appeared to live a very normal and decidedly unexciting life. Yet when investigators began digging into his background to find out who would have wanted him dead, they discovered a complicated and bizarre story of supposed government agents, mobsters, and a mystery that one would have expected from a Hollywood screenplay, not the life of a middle-aged Arizona escrow agent. The increasingly bizarre details of Morgan’s life and death comprise a fascinating mystery that remains unsolved to this day and endures as one of Arizona’s most baffling cold cases.

Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance

References

Bassett, Edward, and David Dykes. 1977. "Mystery death a suicide?" Tucson Citizen, June 22: 1.

Bassett, Edward, and Richard Wood. 1977. "Slain businessman's bank dealings probed." Tucson Citizen, June 27: 3.

Flanagan, Ray. n.d. "Did 'hit-man."

—. 1990. "Did 'hit-man' with ties to region figure in Arizona death case?" Tribune, September 25: 3.

Heltsley, Ernie, and John Rawlinson. 1979. "1977 shooting ended Tucsonan's two lives." Arizona Daily Star, February 4: 1.

Jordan, Tracy. 1990. "City residents asked to drop a dime on hit man." Times Leader, October 22: 3.

Kwok, Abraham. 1992. "Phoenix death a mistaken 'hit'?" Arizona Republic, May 6: 10.

Matas, Kimberly. 2010. "Strange evidence found in '77 on, near man's body." Arizona Daily Star, March 31: A08.

1990. Unsolved Mysteries. Directed by John McLaughlin. Performed by John McLaughlin.

Salkowski, Joe, and Enric Volante. 2002. "Mob faded locally long before key figure died." Arizona Daily Star, May 19: 1.

Svejcara, Bob. 1977. "Sheriff finds no foul play in Morgan death." Arizona Daily Star, August 11: 13.

Svejcara, Bob, and Ernie Heltsley. 1977. "Slain businessman seen during 'absence'." Arizona Daily Star, June 23: 1.

Tucson Citizen. 1977. "Sheriff's probe says Morgan was a sucide." Tucson Citizen, August 11: 4.

Wood, Richard. 1977. "Slain Tucson executive: solid citizen... mystery man." Tucson Citizen, June 21: 2.

—. 1977. "Woman says Morgan hid, trying to buy off his life." Tucson Citizen, June 21: 1.

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On the afternoon of September 3, 1878, twenty-two-year-old Mary Stannard d left her home in Madison, Connecticut, telling her father she was going blackberry picking and would be back before dark. When night came and Mary hadn’t returned, her father went out to look for her and eventually found her body by a creek in the woods. The investigation into her murder was truly wild and remains TECHNICALLY unsolved.

Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research!

References

Bendici, Ray. 2015. "The CT files: the 'unsolved murder of Mary STAN-ard." Cennecticut Magazine, August 23.

Foote, William. 1970. "Mary STAN-ard, she was murdered." Hartford Courant, March 5: 16.

Hartford Courant. 1878. "Hayden re-arrested." Hartford Courant, October 9: 3.

—. 1878. "Strong circumstantial evidence against a clergyman." Hartford Courant, September 7: 2.

—. 1878. "The Madison murder." Hartford Courant, September 6: 3.

Hayden, Herbert. 1880. The Reverend Herbert Hayden: An Autobiography. Hartford, CT: Press of the Plimptron Manufacturing Co.

New York Times. 1878. "A young woman's ruin and death." New York Times, September 6: 1.

—. 1878. "Is Rev. Mr. Hayden guilty." New York Times, September 14: 5.

—. 1879. "Mary STAN-ard's death." New York Times, November 7: 5.

—. 1878. "Mrs. Hayden's testimony." New York Times, September 21: 1.

—. 1880. "The Hayden case: beginning of the closing arguments." New York Times, January 15: 5.

—. 1879. "The long murder trial." New York Times, November 21: 2.

Pearson, Edmund. 1927. "Mary STAN-ard and the Reverend Mr. Hayden." Vanity Fair, March 01.

Unknown author. 1879. Poor Mary STAN-ard: A Full and Thrilling Story of the Circumstances Connected with Her Murder. New Haven: Stafford Printing Company.

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When Jean Harris met Herman Tarnower in the winter of 1966, she quickly fell in love the charming doctor. Having just come out of a disappointing twenty-year marriage, Harris was desperate to find the love and stimulating partnership she’d long dreamed of, and believed she’d finally found it in the intellectual Tarnower and the two would live happily ever after. But fourteen years later, Tarnower was dead and Harris was on trial for his murder, her fantasy of happily ever after having crumbled around her.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Alexander, Shana. 1983. Very Much a Lady: The Untold Story of Jean Harris and Dr. Herman Tarnower. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Clendinen, Dudley. 1981. "Jean Harrids as a witness: sad, humorous, cutting." New York Times, January 28: B2.

Faron, James. 1980. "'Scarsdale Diet' doctor slain; headmistress charged." New York Times, March 12: A1.

Feron, James. 1981. "Defiant Jean Harris sentenced to mandatory fifteen years." New York Times, March 21: 1.

—. 1980. "Hard questioning is screening out Tarnower jurors." New York Times, November 13: B2.

—. 1980. "Jean Harris jury told of clothing found 'slashed'." New York Times, December 3: B1.

—. 1981. "Jurors in Harris trial re-enacted night of murder in deliberations." New York Times, February 26: A1.

—. 1980. "Policeman tells how Mrs. Harris described fight." New York Times, December 12: B1.

Haden-Guest, Anthony. 1980. "The headmistress and the diet doctor." New York Magazine, March 31.

The People of the State of New York v. Jean S. Harris. 1981. 84 A.D.2d 63 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department, December 30).

United Press International. 1981. "Juror says Mrs. Harris's tesimony was the key to murder." New York Times, February 25: B2.

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Weirdos! It's *ACTUALLY* Halloween!!! Join us for a fresh batch of tales brought TO you, BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you!

Today we have shadow men throwing ass, ghostly exes, sinister DIY masks, annoying kids scaring young treat or treaters, and Big Wave bringing it all home for you! AND as a special treat! Check out the VIDEO from this episode available on ALL platforms on 10/31/24!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)

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When Betty Williams’ boyfriend, Mack Herring, broke up with her during their senior year of high school, her entire world felt like it was collapsing in on her. She had been struggling with depression and anxiety for some time, all of which seemed compounded by the problems of a society and culture that in 1961 seemed steadfastly unwilling to accept her for who she was. For Betty, death seemed the only way to free herself from the losing battle she had been fighting; however, despite her commitment to ending her life, Betty simply didn’t have what she described as “the fortitude necessary” to go through with it. Instead, she begged one last thing of the young man who had just broken her heart—she wanted him to pull the trigger for her.

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On the morning of April 10, 1936, Nancy Evans Titterton, novelist and wife of NBC Radio executive Lewis Titterton, was found sexually assaulted and strangled to death in the bathtub of her apartment in Beekman Place, a prominent New York City apartment building. Upon first inspection, the crime scene yielded few clues—a fingerprint in the bathroom, a length of rope used to bind her hands, and little else. 

Within a week, detectives were no closer to solving the case than they were on day one, until a break finally came when the rope and a single horsehair was traced to a local upholstery shop, and ultimately to an apprentice upholsterer named John Fiorenza, who, along with his boss, Theodore Kruger, discovered Nancy’s body while delivering a piece of furniture. 

Eventually, Fiorenza confessed to assaulting and murdering Nancy Titterton, but claimed temporary insanity. At the trial, the jury rejected Fiorenza’s defense and he was found guilty and he was executed in January 1938. Although the case of Nancy Evans Titterton may seem rather straightforward, it stands as an early example of science and law enforcement coming together to solve a case that had previously seemed destined to remain unsolved. 

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

New York Times. 1937. "Clemency is asked for John Fiorenza." New York Times, January 12: 3.

—. 1936. "Fiorenza counsel accuses a 'fiend'." New York Times, May 21: 7.

—. 1936. "Fiorenza doomed to electric chair." New York Times, June 6: 34.

—. 1936. "Fiorenza insane, alienst swears." New York Times, May 26: 48.

—. 1936. "Fiorenza's mother sets up an alibi." New York Times, May 23: 34.

—. 1936. "Plea of insanity by Fiorenza likely." New York Times, April 23: 5.

—. 1936. "Scientists study clues to slayer of Mrs. Titterton." New York Times, April 12: 1.

—. 1937. "Titterton slayer is put to death." New York Times, January 22: 42.

—. 1936. "Upholdwerter's aide confesses murder of Mrs. Titterton." New York Times, April 22: 1.

—. 1936. "Woman writer, 34, found strangled in bathtub in home." New York Times, April 11: 1.

Schechter, Harold. 2014. The Mad Sculptor: The Maniac, the Model, and the Murder that Shook the Nation. New York, NY: Little A Publishing .

Times Union. 1936. "Countess tells of prowler knocking on door 8 hours before writer was strangled." Brooklyn Times Union, April 11: 1.

—. 1936. "Arraigned and denied bail, he then retraces flght." Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), April 22: 1.

—. 1936. "Fiorenza guilty in first degree." Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), May 28: 1.

—. 1936. "Johnnie was a good boy, sobs mother of slayer." Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), April 21: 1.

—. 1936. "Hunt mysterious prowler." Times Union (Brooklyn, NY), April 12: 1.

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Alvin & Fran from Affirmative Murder Podcast join us today to tell us about the execution of Hamida Djandoubi. On September 10th, 1977, Djandoubi's execution sentence was carried out by Guillotine, and marked the last time it was used for capital punishment in the western world.

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In the conclusion of the horrific crimes of William Burke and William Hare, we see them get somehow even more brutal. As time went on and they kept profiting off their violent tendencies, they began to get reckless and put their entire scheme and freedom at risk. In the end, only partial justice was served. Get ready, it's wild in here.

Thank you Dave White for research assistance.

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In 1959 the state of Kansas was absolutely shocked to find that one of its most prominent and well-liked families, The Clutters, had been murdered. Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, two convicts that had recently been released from prison were the ones responsible. Both had been told by a fellow inmate while incarcerated that the Clutter family had a large amount of cash stashed in a safe on their property. The two broke into the family home and searched for the safe, they then woke up the family when they couldn't find it, tortured and murdered them one by one. 

thank you to exquisite David White for research assistance 

References

Capital Wire Service. 1959. "Two Itinerant Laborers Held for Murder Quiz." Topeka Daily Capital, November 20.

Capote, Truman. 1965. "In Cold Blood." The New Yorker, September 25.

Cowan, Carole. 2005. "Persons Unknown." New York Times, Jan 23: F6.

Garden City Telegram. 1965. "Last Words Attack Capital Punishment." Garden City Telegram, April 14: 1.

Gonsalves, Antone. 1984. "25 years later, 'In Cold Blood' murders still haunt." United Press International, November 11.

Greer, Bob. 1959. "Clutter Family Murders." Garden City Telegram, November 16: 1.

Hegeman, Roxana. 2009. "The Stains of In Cold Blood Still Fresh 50 Years Later." Guelph Mercury, November 10.

Hickock, Richard. 1960. "Spectre of Noose Haunts Prisoner." Topeka Daily Capital, March 25.

Kalbfleisch, Gay. 1959. "Empty Shell Cases, Fatal Shot Found." Topeka Daily Capital, November 19: 1.

Keglovitts, Sally J. 2004. "In Cold Blood Revisited: A Look Back at an American." Federal Probation: A Journal of Correctional Philosophy and Practice 68 (1).

Kull, Ron. 1960. "Crime Plans Listed." Topeka Daily Capital, 03 24: 1.

—. 1960. "'They'll Both Get the Rope'." Topeka State Journal, March 23: 1.

—. 1960. "'Wells Was to Get Cut,' Says Hickock." Topeka State Journal, March 26.

McAvoy, Gary. 2019. And Every Word is True. Bremerton, WA: Literati Editions.

New York Times. 1959. "Wealthy Farmer, 3 of Family Slain." New York Times, November 16: 39.

State Journal News Services. 1960. "Jury Tours Clutter Farm; Death Asked." Topeka State Journal, March 23.

State of Kansas vs. Hickock & Smith. 1961. 363 P.2d 541 (Supreme Court of Kansas, July 8).

Time Magazine. 1960. "Kansas: The Killers." Time Magazine, January 18.

Topeka State Journal. 1965. "Clutter Case Reporter Finds Relief in End of Long Story." Topeka State Journal, April 14: 1.

United Press International. 1959. "Fear, Grief Follow Murder Shock." Topeka Daily Capital, November 16: 1.

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Listener tales 63 brought to you by you, for you, from you, and ALL ABOUT YOU!!!! We've got a great batch of tales as usual. This installment has kidnappings halted by pink sparkly UGGs, vibrators possessed, and a DISNEY FUCKIN' PRINCESS paranormal experience. Woah.

Send us your own listener tale!! Send them to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with Listener Tales somewhere in the subject line 

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From the summer of 1957 to the summer of ’58, the City of Los Angeles was terrorized by a truly heinous beast who was murdering women and dumping their bodies in the LA desert. The killer, thirty-year-old Harvey Glatman known as The Glamour Girl Slayer had a dark past and a seriously terrifying modus operandi. If allowed to, he would have likely continued his reign of horror forever. Luckily, one woman put an end to it.

REFERENCES:

Newton, Michael. 1998. Rope: The Twister Life and Crimes of Harvey Glatman. New York, New York: Pocket Books.

People v. Glatman. 1959. 52 Cal. 2d 283 (Supreme Court of California, June 5).

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After his arrest, investigators would learn that, by the time he appeared on the game show, he was also a killer. In the year that followed, Alcala would go on to murder several other women until he was finally caught and convicted for his crimes. At his trial, Rodney Alcala was found guilty of eight murders, among other crimes, but he is suspected of several other murders, perhaps as many as one hundred or more.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1980. "Forest worker tells of grisly body find, fingers defendent ." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), March 23: 7.

—. 1980. "Witness in Alcala trial admits lying." Los Angeles Times, March 26: 44.

—. 1980. "Jury deliberate murder charge." Oakland Tribune, April 30: E3.

Brown, Doug. 1980. "Jury asks for the death penalty." Los Angeles Times, May 9: 32.

—. 1980. "Prosecution rests case in penalty part of Alcala trial." Los Angeles Times, May 8: 63.

CBS News. 2024. "Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game." 48 Hours . 

Dunn, Edward. 1977. "Oneida woman slain in L.A." Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), November 15: 1.

Esquivel, Paloma. 2010. "Alcala gets death penalty." Los Angeles Times, March 10: 72.

Falcon, Gabriel. 2010. Convicted serial killer won on 'Dating Game'. March 10. Accessed November 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240814201903/https://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/08/dating.game.killer/index.html.

Hicks, Jerry. 1986. "Alcala again given death sentence in slaying of girl, 12." Los Angeles Times, June 21: 50.

—. 1986. "Alcala asks jury to spare him, insists he isn't a murderer." Los Angeles Times, June 19: 141.

Jarlson, Gary. 1979. "Hunt for missing girls spreads to Oxnard." Los Angeles Times, June 28: 10.

—. 1979. "In search for girl's killer, time is the principal foe." Los Angeles Times, July 14: 22.

Kaye, Peter. 1981. "The long, painful path to justice." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), June 18: 19.

Kirkman, Edward. 1971. "Fear of a new sex killing spurs 6 on trail." Daily News (New York, NY), August 8: 75.

Levenson , Michael, and Eduardo Medina. 2021. "'Dating Game killer,' who preyed on woman in 1970s, dies in prison." New York Times, July 26.

Liff, Mark, Joseph Martin, and Paul Meskil. 1977. "Attorney urges FBI to hunt daughter." Daily News (New York, NY), July 31: 3.

Los Angeles Times. 1980. "Alcala defense wtiness's story repeated to jury." Los Angeles Times, April 30: 42.

—. 1979. "The Southland." Los Angeles Times, June 22: 30.

—. 1977. "Police now see link in strangulation murders of 10 LA women." Sacramento Bee, December 1: 22.

Moynihan, Colin. 2012. "Convicted killer pleads guilty to 2 New York murders." New York Times, December 15: 20.

OC Weekly. 2010. Rodney Alcala's murderous romp through polite society brings him to an Orange County courtroom again. January 21. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.ocweekly.com/rodney-alcalas-murderous-romp-through-polite-society-brings-him-to-an-orange-county-courtroom-again-6402172/.

Pelisek, Christine. 2010. "Rodney Alcala: the fine art of killing." LA Weekly, January 21.

Reyes, David. 1986. "Man convicted second time in murder of girl." Los Angeles Times, May 29: 43.

Sands, Stella. 2011. The Dating Game Killer: The True Story of a TV Dating Show, a Violent Sociopath, and a Series of Brutal Murders. New York, NY: St. Martin's.

Secret, Mosi. 2011. "After decades, charges in 2 Manhattan murders." New York Times, January 27: 24.

Smith, David. 2024. "The terrifying true story behind Woman of the Hour." The Guardian, October 22.

The People v. Rodney James Alcala. 1984. 36 Cal. 3d 605 (Supreme Court of California, August 23).

Weinstein, Henry. 2003. "New trial, new charge in old cases." Los Angeles Times, June 28: 32.

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Join us for a Nighttime Podcast/ Morbid crossover episode with our great Canadian pal, Jordan! We have a little campfire round robin where we tell tales of spooky cryptids, treasure hunts and poltergeists! Jordan brings us Canadian tales, we bring him the American ones and it’s a grand ol’ time. Check out The Nighttime Podcast if you haven’t already and keep your eyes open for another Canadian colab soon :)

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Listener tales!!!! Brought to you by you, for you, from you and all about you!!!! This installment is absolutely wild, as usual. You guys stay out there delivering. This batch includes a crazy haunted house story, (you know like, our favorite thing ever) a listener that survived a hit and run and a listener who was pulled over by…not the cops! If you have a listener tale please feel free to send it on in to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tale” somewhere in the subject line :)

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Today we have a real treat, friends! We got to hang with Andrew from Let's Not Meet and Odd Trails and had an absolute nightmarish blast. We have some true and terrifying campfire tales to share with you including some flesh pedestrians in the woods, a demon doll and a near miss with a real killer at Summer camp. You also get some lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis chat thrown in for good measure. Happy Friday, friends! 

Check out Andew's awesome and VERY creepy pods! They are exactly what everyone is missing in their lives. 

Let's Not Meet - https://letsnotmeetpodcast.com/

Odd Trails - http://oddtrails.com 

Cryptic County Podcasts (All my shows) - https://crypticcountypodcasts.com/

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On Saturday June 2, 2018, students at the Oregon Culinary Institute (OCI) arrived at class that morning to find their instructor, sixty-three-year-old Daniel Brophy, dead from gunshot wounds to the back and chest. With more than fifty years’ experience in the culinary field, Brophy was a popular chef and instructor and, while detectives couldn’t rule out a disgruntled student, no one could imagine his killer was a member of the OCI community.

A massive thank you to Caleb for joining Ash on today's episode! Go check out Scream! and Horrorsoup anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Thank you to the incredible David White for research assistance!

References

Court TV. 2022. OR v. Crampton-Brophy: Romance Novelist Murder Trial. June 15. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.courttv.com/news/or-v-crampton-brophy-romance-novelist-murder-trial/.

Flynn, Meagan. 2018. "Novelist who wrote about 'How to Murder Your Husband' charged with murdering her husband." Washington Post, September 12.

Green, Aimee. 2019. Details of murder case against romance writer should become public in 2 weeks, judge rules. April 5. Accessed March 12, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2019/04/details-of-murder-case-against-romance-writer-should-become-public-in-2-weeks-judge-rules.html.

Karimi, Faith. 2022. "This romance novelist is on trial in her husband's killing. It's like a plot twist from one of her books." CNN Wire, April 7.

Kavanaugh, Shane Dixon. 2019. Gun parts bought online at center of Oregon romance novelist’s suspected spouse slaying. April 4. Accessed March 12, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2019/04/gun-parts-bought-online-at-center-of-oregon-romance-novelists-suspected-spouse-slaying.html.

—. 2018. "Romance novelist suspected of slaying husband." Longview Daily News, September 7: B2.

—. 2020. No coronavirus ‘guest house’ for Oregon romance writer charged with murdering husband, judge rules. April 10. Accessed March 12, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/no-coronavirus-guest-house-for-oregon-romance-writer-charged-with-murdering-husband-judge-rules.html.

NBC News. 2022. Dateline. Television, New York, NY: NBC News.

O'Rourke, Ciara. 2019. A Beloved Culinary Instructor Was Murdered. What Happened Next Was Stranger Than Fiction. May 31. Accessed March 10, 2023. https://www.pdxmonthly.com/news-and-city-life/2019/05/a-beloved-culinary-instructor-was-murdered-what-happened-next-was-stranger-than-fiction.

Paul, Maria Luisa. 2022. "'How to Murder Your Husband' writer sentenced to life for." Washington Post, June 14.

Sparling, Zane. 2022. Love vs. money: Lawyers make final arguments in Oregon romance writer’s murder trial. May 22. Accessed March 12, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/love-vs-money-lawyers-make-final-arguments-in-oregon-romance-writers-murder-trial.html.

—. 2022. Oregon romance novelist grilled on amnesia claim, missing gun barrel on crucial day in her murder trial. May 18. Accessed 2023 12, 2022. https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/oregon-romance-novelist-grilled-on-amnesia-claim-missing-gun-barrel-on-crucial-day-in-her-murder-trial.html.

—. 2022. Spotlight shines on Oregon romance novelist accused of killing chef husband. May 23. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/05/spotlight-shines-on-oregon-romance-novelist-accused-of-killing-chef-husband-who-is-nancy-crampton-brophy.html.

Voorhees, Carolyn. 2018. Former students, friends mourn loss of Oregon Culinary Institute chef killed in shooting. June 3. Accessed March 8, 2023. https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2018/06/former_students_friends_mourn.html.

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On the evening of February 21, 1977, Chicago firefighters responded to a call at the Pine Grove apartment complex. Once they’d extinguished the fire, they discovered the nude body of forty-eight-year-old Teresita Basa with a kitchen knife protruding from her chest. The apartment looked as though it had been ransacked during the commission of what they assumed was a sexual assault or robbery gone wrong. With little evidence or leads to work from, Teresita’s murder investigation quickly went cold.

But then five months later, it seemed like it was Teresita herself who led investigators to discover the man who murdered her. What followed was a truly sensational investigation and trial where not only murder, but belief was up for debate.

References

Boston Globe. 1978. "Did Voice of the Dead Name Murderer?" Boston Globe, March 6: 2.

Decatur Herald. 1979. "Man Pleads Guilty; Named by 'Voice From the Grave'." Decatur Herald, February 23: 9.

O'Brien , John, and Edward Baumann. 1978. "Accused of Murder By a Voice From The Grave." Ebony, June 01: 56-63.

O'Brien, John. 1979. "'Voice From Grave' Case a Mistrial." Chicago Tribune, Janaury 27: 3.

O'Brien, John, and Edward Baumann. 1992. Teresita: The Voice from the Grave. Los Angeles, CA: Bonus Books.

Toledo Blade. 1978. "'Voice From Grave' Suspect Ordered to Trial for Murder." Toledo Blade, September 7: 38.

Warden, Rob. 1978. "'Voice From the Grave' Evokes a Murder Trial." Washington Post, September 17.

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Weirdos! Everyone Rejoice!! September is upon us! Let's welcome the 'BER' months with the FOURTH installment of Spooky Lighthouses! Today Alaina & Ash talk about the morbid history of two lighthouses: The Cape Romain Lighthouse in South Carolina & Little Ross Lighthouse in Scotland!

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On December 15, 1997, ten-day-old Delimar Vera died in a tragic housefire when the Philadelphia home of Luz Cuevas and Pedro Vera caught fire unexpectedly. After a brief investigation, the fire department identified a faulty heater as the cause of the fire and deemed the baby’s death an accident and claimed that the girl’s remains had been completely destroyed in the blaze. Luz Cuevas was skeptical of their explanation and struggled to accept her daughter’s death.

Six years after the fire, Luz was at a party where she ran into Pedro’s cousin, whom she hadn’t seen in several years. The woman, Carolyn Correa, had with her a little girl named Aaliyah, whom she claimed was her daughter, though Luz didn’t remember her having children or being pregnant six years earlier. Even more suspicious was that six-year-old Aaliyah bore a striking resemblance to Luz herself and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Aaliyah was in fact her own supposedly dead daughter, Delimar. 

Had Luz Cuevas been right all along? Had Delimar somehow managed to survive the fire? And if so, why was she now in the custody of a strange woman she hadn’t seen in six years?

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Benson, Clea, and Rusty Pray. 1997. "10-day-old baby dies in N. Phila. fire." Philadelphia Inquirer, December 16: 38.

CBS News. 2004. New twist in baby ID case. March 9. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-twist-in-baby-id-case/.

CNN. 2004. Mom finds kidnapped daughter six years later. March 2. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/03/01/girl.found.alive/.

Cuevas v. City of Philadelphia. 2006. 05-3749 (United States District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania, August 11).

Egan, Nicole Weisensee. 2005. "Her side of the story." Philadelphia Daily News, October 13: 3.

Frisby, Mann. 1997. "Heater blamed in fire that clais infant." Philadelphia Daily News, December 16: 10.

George, Jason. 2004. "Girl found and woman held after a ruse lasting years." New York Times, March 3: A13.

Gregory, Sean. 2004. Back from the blaze. March 15. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://time.com/archive/6737931/back-from-the-blaze/.

Pompilio, Natalie. 2004. "Kidnapped girl returned to birth mother." Philadelphia Inquirer, March 8.

Pompilio, Natalie, and Joel Bewley. 2004. "Case of child once believed dead is far from over." Philadelphia Inquirer, March 6.

Pompilio, Natalie, and Thomas Gibbons. 2004. "Woman suspected of kidnapping girl 6 years ago turns." Philadelphia Inquirer, March 2.

Soteropoulos, Jacqueline. 2005. "Abductor of infant gets 9 to 30 years." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 24: 1.

Tampa Bay Times. 2004. Daughter lost in fire returns, but questions swirl in family. March 7. Accessed June 27, 2024. https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2004/03/07/daughter-lost-in-fire-returns-but-questions-swirl-in-family/.

The Record. 2004. DNA testing helps mom find only daughter. March 2. Accessed June 28, 2024. https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/2004/03/03/dna-testing-helps-mom-find/50702564007/.

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Mention the Pamela Smart case to someone in New Hampshire, and they'll know exactly what you're talking about. The case captivated the nation in the early 90's and at the center of it all, of course, was Pamela. A New Hampshire native, she had big dreams of becoming somebody and making a name for herself. She moved away from her small town and almost did, but in the name of love she moved back home and settled into her career as a School Administrator. It was via that position that she would meet young sophomore in High School, Billy Flynn. Pam groomed the boy, and had him thinking they were fully in love before she asked him a question that would change both of their lives forever: Would he murder her husband? In part one we'll cover the early life of both Pam and her husband, Gregg Smart, we'll break down how Pam and Billy became involved with each other and just how Pam got Billy to believe that murdering her husband was what it would take for them to be together forever.

Special thank you to the brilliant David White for research assistance

References

Baker, Frank. 1990. "Smart to be jailed until trial." Concord Monitor, August 14: 1.

—. 1990. "Widow charged as accomplice." Concord Monitor, August 2: 14.

Carton, Barbara. 1991. "The Pamela Smart story." Boston Globe, Marcg 21.

1991. NH v. Smart: Opening Statements. Directed by Court TV. Performed by Court TV.

Derry News. 1990. "Family and friends puzzle over murder." Derry News, May 4: 1.

Englade, Ken. 1991. Deadly Lessons. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.

Gaines, Judith, and Alexander Reid. 1991. "Jurors say tales a key to their decision." Boston Globe, March 23: 1.

Hernandez, Monica. 2023. Accomplice in Smart murder asks for sentence reduction. January 10. Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.wmur.com/article/smart-murder-vance-lattime-sentence-reduction/42449265.

Hohler, Bob. 1991. "3 guilty in N.H. killing." Boston Globe, January 30: 1.

—. 1991. "Confidant was wired by police." Boston Globe, March 15: 21.

—. 1991. "Smart is found guilty." Boston Globe, March 23: 1.

—. 1991. "Smart pleaded for life, N.H. teen-ager testifies." Boston Globe, March 6: 19.

—. 1991. "Tales of seduction." Boston Globe, March 12: 1.

—. 1990. "Tape offered at Smart hearing." Boston Globe, August 14.

—. 1991. "Witness: Smart asked for tips on reaction." Boston Globe, March 3: 27.

—. 1991. "Youth says blood flowed, tears did not." Boston Globe, March 13: 35.

Kilgannon, Corey. 2023. "Smart, who plotted with a teen lover to kill her husband, loses a parole bid." New York Times, March 30.

Kittredge, Clare. 1991. "A verdict to take to son's grave." Boston Globe, March 23: 1.

—. 1991. "Smart trial garners big TV audience." Boston Globe, March 17: 1.

Richardson, Franci. 1990. "Mrs. Smart absolutely convinced husband surprised thief." Derry News, May 9: 1.

Sawicki, Stephen. 1991. Teach Me to Kill: The Shocking True Story of the Pamela Smart Murder Case. New York, NY: Avon Books.

Schweitzer, Sarah. 2015. "5 years later, shooter to go free: William Flynn was 16 when he was lured into murder by Pamela Smart." Boston Globe, March 13: A1.

State of New Hampshire v. Pamela Smart. 1993. 622 A.2d 1197 (Supreme Court of New Hampshire, February 26).

Wang, Beverley. 2005. "Pamela Smart accomplice released." Concord Monitor, June 15: 10.

West, Nancy. 2016. Breaking Silence: Cecelia Pierce Speaks. October 12. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.nhmagazine.com/breaking-silence-cecelia-pierce-speaks/.

West, Nancy, and David Mendelsohn. 2016. Pamela Smart: innocent of (still) guilty. October 13. Accessed April 29, 2023. https://www.nhmagazine.com/pamela-smart-innocent-or-still-guilty/  

https://www.bostonherald.com/2015/03/09/brother-of-pamela-smarts-victim-killer-did-his-time/

Thanks to Care/of for being a sponsor of this episode. For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code MORBID50.

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Let's go trek through France in the late 1850's, shall we? Martin Dumollard witnessed his father's brutal torture and execution at the age of 4 and from that moment on, he became an unfeeling machine of mayhem. He robbed, assaulted and murdered his way through adulthood until finally, his terrorizing reign came to a fitting end. 

Thank you to the majestic David White for research assistance!

Caledonian Mercury. 1862. "Trial of an Extraordinary Murder in France." Caledonian Mercury, February 4.

do moy yard, Martin. 1862. do moy yard the fiend : he violates fifteen young girls, steals their clothes, and buries them alive : a full account of his trial and conviction. New York, NY: National Police Gazette.

Green, Ryan. 2022. Crimson Petticoats: The Betrayal, Brutality and Bloodshed behind the French Maid Massacres. Independently published.

Shields Daily Gazette. 1891. "Gossip of the Day." Shields Daily Gazette, August 25: 4.

The Liverpool Mercury. 1862. "Fearful Series of Murders and Outrages in France." The Liverpool Mercury, February 3: 4.

The Morning Post. 1862. "Extraordinary Trial for Murder in France." The Morning Post, February 4: 3.

The Sunday Times. 1862. "Horrible Violation and Murders in France." The Sunday Times, February 9: 2.

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Throughout the 1960s and 70s, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Californians were terrorized by multiple killers including notorious serial killers like the Zodiac Killer, the Hillside Stranglers, Herbert Mullin, and Ed Kemper. While the decade may have ended with these killers disappearing or apprehended, the threat of violence and murder simply moved north.

Though less known than his contemporaries, David Carpenter was no less prolific and frightening a killer than those men mentioned above. Nicknamed “The Trailside Killer” by the press, Carpenter terrorized Point Reyes and Santa Cruz County for a decade, assaulting, kidnapping, and killing at least eight people, but he was suspected of more. Like those other killers, Carpenter had a long history of violent and antisocial behavior going back to his childhood, including multiple arrests and incarcerations. How was it that a man with such an alarming history of violence could go uncaught for a decade?

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1980. "Trail Killer will strike again." Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 1: 1.

Burkhardt, Bill. 1979. "Woman found murdered on Mt. Tam." San Francisco Examiner, August 21: 1.

Graysmith, Robert. 1990. The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate. New York, NY: Onyx.

Keraghosian, Greg. 2020. "'Do not hike alone': For 21 months, the Trailside Killer terrorized Bay Area's outdoors." San Francisco Chronicle, October 25.

Leader, Lewis. 1980. "Identification ends dad's long quest." San Francisco Examiner, December 2: 2.

San Francisco Examiner. 1960. "MP's shots foil attack on woman." San Francisco Examiner, July 13: 1.

—. 1961. "Presidio attacker gets 14 yrs." San Francisco Examiner, March 10: 11.

—. 1960. "Sex case insanity plea." San Francisco Examiner, October 8: 5.

Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1970. "Boulder Creek girl attacked." Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 29: 22.

—. 1970. "Grand jury indicts con." Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 17: 7.

—. 1970. "SLV kidnap suspect flees Calaveras jail." Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 27: 1.

The People v. Carpenter. 1997. S004654 (Superior Court of Los Angeles County, April 28).

The People vs. David Carpenter. 1999. S006547 (Superior Court of San Diego County, November 29).

Todd, John. 1980. "Tam closed in hunt for clues." San Francisco Examiner, October 16: 1.

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When Cheryl Bradshaw appeared on the popular game show The Dating Game in 1978, she was charmed by bachelor number one, Rodney Alcala, and by the end of the episode, she’d chosen him to take her on a date. However, just minutes after the episode finished taping, Cheryl met bachelor number two in person backstage and was immediately uncomfortable and quickly contacted producers of the show to cancel the date. What Bradshaw didn’t know at the time was that, in doing so, she had narrowly avoided spending an evening in the company of one of America’s most notorious serial killers.

At the time of his appearance on The Dating Game in 1978, Alcala was a convicted sexual predator who had served time for sexual assault and had only avoided a charge of attempted murder on a technicality. After his arrest, investigators would learn that, by the time he appeared on the game show, he was also a killer. In the year that followed, Alcala would go on to murder several other women until he was finally caught and convicted for his crimes. At his trial, Rodney Alcala was found guilty of eight murders, among other crimes, but he is suspected of several other murders, perhaps as many as one hundred or more.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1980. "Forest worker tells of grisly body find, fingers defendent ." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), March 23: 7.

—. 1980. "Witness in Alcala trial admits lying." Los Angeles Times, March 26: 44.

—. 1980. "Jury deliberate murder charge." Oakland Tribune, April 30: E3.

Brown, Doug. 1980. "Jury asks for the death penalty." Los Angeles Times, May 9: 32.

—. 1980. "Prosecution rests case in penalty part of Alcala trial." Los Angeles Times, May 8: 63.

CBS News. 2024. "Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game." 48 Hours . 

Dunn, Edward. 1977. "Oneida woman slain in L.A." Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), November 15: 1.

Esquivel, Paloma. 2010. "Alcala gets death penalty." Los Angeles Times, March 10: 72.

Falcon, Gabriel. 2010. Convicted serial killer won on 'Dating Game'. March 10. Accessed November 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240814201903/https://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/08/dating.game.killer/index.html.

Hicks, Jerry. 1986. "Alcala again given death sentence in slaying of girl, 12." Los Angeles Times, June 21: 50.

—. 1986. "Alcala asks jury to spare him, insists he isn't a murderer." Los Angeles Times, June 19: 141.

Jarlson, Gary. 1979. "Hunt for missing girls spreads to Oxnard." Los Angeles Times, June 28: 10.

—. 1979. "In search for girl's killer, time is the principal foe." Los Angeles Times, July 14: 22.

Kaye, Peter. 1981. "The long, painful path to justice." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), June 18: 19.

Kirkman, Edward. 1971. "Fear of a new sex killing spurs 6 on trail." Daily News (New York, NY), August 8: 75.

Levenson , Michael, and Eduardo Medina. 2021. "'Dating Game killer,' who preyed on woman in 1970s, dies in prison." New York Times, July 26.

Liff, Mark, Joseph Martin, and Paul Meskil. 1977. "Attorney urges FBI to hunt daughter." Daily News (New York, NY), July 31: 3.

Los Angeles Times. 1980. "Alcala defense wtiness's story repeated to jury." Los Angeles Times, April 30: 42.

—. 1979. "The Southland." Los Angeles Times, June 22: 30.

—. 1977. "Police now see link in strangulation murders of 10 LA women." Sacramento Bee, December 1: 22.

Moynihan, Colin. 2012. "Convicted killer pleads guilty to 2 New York murders." New York Times, December 15: 20.

OC Weekly. 2010. Rodney Alcala's murderous romp through polite society brings him to an Orange County courtroom again. January 21. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.ocweekly.com/rodney-alcalas-murderous-romp-through-polite-society-brings-him-to-an-orange-county-courtroom-again-6402172/.

Pelisek, Christine. 2010. "Rodney Alcala: the fine art of killing." LA Weekly, January 21.

Reyes, David. 1986. "Man convicted second time in murder of girl." Los Angeles Times, May 29: 43.

Sands, Stella. 2011. The Dating Game Killer: The True Story of a TV Dating Show, a Violent Sociopath, and a Series of Brutal Murders. New York, NY: St. Martin's.

Secret, Mosi. 2011. "After decades, charges in 2 Manhattan murders." New York Times, January 27: 24.

Smith, David. 2024. "The terrifying true story behind Woman of the Hour." The Guardian, October 22.

The People v. Rodney James Alcala. 1984. 36 Cal. 3d 605 (Supreme Court of California, August 23).

Weinstein, Henry. 2003. "New trial, new charge in old cases." Los Angeles Times, June 28: 32.

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On December 1, 1994, nineteen-year-old Melissa Witt planned to meet her mother at a Fort Smith, Arkansas bowling alley, but by all appearances, she only made it as far as the parking lot. Two days later, investigators discovered Melissa’s car abandoned in the Bowling World parking lot, a trail of blood leading away from the vehicle. Six weeks later, animal trackers located Melissa’s nude body in an isolated part of the Ozark National Forest and the hunt was on to find her killer.

In the thirty years since Melissa Witt’s murder, a number of strong suspects have popped up on investigators’ radars, including serial killer Charles Ray Vines, yet to this date no one has been charged with her death. After three decades of unanswered questions, Witt’s family are desperate to know, what happened to Melissa on the night she went missing, and will detectives ever be able to hold her killer responsible for her tragic death?

If you have information regarding the murder of Melissa Witt, please call the Fort Smith Police Department at 479-709-5116 or email them at info@fortsmithpd.org.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Alvey, Tina. 1995. "Fort Smith teen's body found near Turner Bend." Madison County Record, Janaury 19: 4.

Associated Press. 1995. "Man questioned about girl; police say he's not a suspect." Batesville Guard, June 14: 6.

Cavallier, Andrea. 2024. "A teenager was snatched from the parking lot of a bowling." The Independent, August 10.

Kilby, Brenda. 1996. "Long-sought man awaits questioning ." Tulsa World , May 6: 29.

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Because you guys have been sending in SO MANY amazing listener tales and we’ve got so many to choose from we decided to theme them a bit! This installment is Listener Tales: The Time I Met a Murderer. We’ve got grocery workers wishing unknown an unknown murderer a good night, people who LIVED with a murderer and didn’t even know it and so much more. Hold on to them butts.

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On the morning of April 21st John Palmer and his wife Katie decided to start their day off with a nice walk together before the craziness of their day to day ensued. They didn’t know that one of their neighbors would also be out that morning, driving his F-250, impaired to say the least. Katie and John were both hit by that man, Cory Todd Foster. John suffered serious injuries that left him in the ICU and unfortunately, Katie was killed in the crash. Cory Todd Foster, who has a 20 year history of vehicular crimes including DWI, reckless driving and speeding faced absolutely no charges.

A huge thank you to John Palmer for speaking to us about Katie's life and the injustice surrounding her death.

There are so many injustices in this case that will leave you infuriated, but the fight is not over. There will be justice for Katie Palmer, and all of us can have a hand in helping. For more information and updates on Katie’s case these are the best links:

Katie Palmer Project

Justice For Katie Palmer Webpage

Justice For Katie Palmer Facebook Group

Justice For Katie Palmer Twitter 

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Join Alaina and Ash as we welcome Holly and Bridget from Girls Next Level (https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f4b95311-ca6d-4a7c-b8bf-d90661b5c9d4/girls-next-level) podcast! Today we talked with these two goddesses about terrifying amusement parks, cults and brain eating amoebas. It’s fun!

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On the afternoon of June 22, 1954, Agnes Ritchie was preparing ice cream for two customers in her shop when two teenage girls, Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme, burst through the front door, screaming for help and saying one of their mothers had been killed. Agnes and her husband followed the girls into the nearby wooded area, where they found the badly beaten and obviously dead body of Honorah Parker. The couple wasn’t able to get much out of either girl, only that the woman had slipped and hit her head, but their behavior was strange and something about the whole scene didn’t feel right.

Just two days later, Parker and Hulme were charged with the murder of Pauline’s mother, Honorah Parker. According to the prosecution, the girls had developed an intense bond and had created romantic fantasy in the months leading up to the murder that bordered on obsessiveness. In 1954, the girls’ relationship became threatened when Hulme’s parents divorced and began talking of relocating. Fearing they would be separated and never see one another again, Parker and Hulme killed Honorah, believing that her death would put an end to any plans to relocate.

The story of Honorah’s murder and the trial that followed quickly spread across New Zealand and Australia and eventually made its way around the globe. Among other things, the case challenged existing beliefs about young women and their capacity for violence, but just as important were the sensational and salacious mentions of insanity and homosexuality that were often more implied than explicitly stated.

Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast, for research :)

References

Brisbane Telegraph. 1954. "Conspired to Kill." Brisbane Telegraph, August 23: 1.

—. 1954. "Teenagers remanded, police blame girl's passion for horses." Brisbane Telegraph, June 24: 1.

Chun, Louise. 1995. "Slaughter by the innocents: The case of the schoolgirl killers shocked New Zealand." The Guardian, January 30.

Graham, Peter. 2011. So Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the Murder that Shocked the World. Wellington, NZ: Awa Press.

Neustatter, Angela. 2003. "‘I was guilty. I did my time’: Anne Perry, the novelist whose past caught up with her." The Guardian, November 20.

Newcastle Sun. 1954. "Girls shrugged at charge of murder." Newcastle Sun, July 16: 1.

The Age. 1954. "Girls smile at N.Z. sentence." The Age , August 30: 1.

—. 1954. "Defence says N.Z. girls insane as mother killed." The Age, August 25: 9.

—. 1954. "Description of quarrel." The Age, July 17: 3.

—. 1954. "Doctor says both girls certifiable." The Age, August 27: 5.

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Listener Tales 41 brought to you by you, for you, from you, and all about you! We’ve got a married set of cops who have to go investigate a spooky ass theater, a husband who went off to war but came back clairvoyant and a tiddie-peeking little ghost fucker. Keep it weird, but not so weird that you don't press play ASAP!

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On December 15, 1996, Baltimore police discovered the body of twenty-three-year-old Kimberly Spicer buried under a trailer on the property of a pallet factory in the city’s southwest side. Later that day, police arrested Joseph Methainy, a man who lived and worked at the factory where Spicer’s body was discovered. It didn’t take long for police to solidly connect Methainy to the murders of two additional Baltimore women as well. In his wild confessions he claimed massive victim numbers and even cannibalism. 

Thanks to Dave White for research assistance!

References

Associated Press. 1997. "Man's trial in slaying of 2 women is postponed; change of venue sought." Baltimore Sun, July 8: 4B.

—. 1996. "Accused killer called fun-loving." Daily Times, December 20: 2.

—. 1997. "Mount Airy scientits finds where the bones are buried." Star-Democrat, February 5: 13.

—. 1998. "Officials: Methainy attempted suicide ." Star-Democrat, March 24: 6.

—. 1996. "'Practical joker' held in 3 slayings." The Capital, December 20: 14.

—. 1997. "Suspected serial killer indicted." The Daily Times, January 29: 2.

Hermann, Peter. 1996. "Suspect charged in 2 more slayings." Baltimore Sun, December 19: 25.

—. 1996. "Suspect gives police details of 4 slayings." Baltimore Sun, December 21: 1A.

—. 1996. "Suspect in slaying says he killed 2 others Police searches yield." Baltimore Sun, December 18.

Higham, Scott. 1998. "Methainy found guilty of killing woman." Baltimore Sun, May 15: 8B.

Hopper, Dale. 1997. "Murder suspect convicted of kidnapping, assault." Star-Democrat, November 18: 3.

Investigation Discovery. 2016. Serial killer Joe 'The Cannibal' Methainy, served human burgers at his BBQ stand, dead in cell. December 19. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/joe-the-cannibal-Methainy-the-serial-killer-with-a-penchant-for-human-flesh-burgers.

Irwin, Richard. 1996. "2 men charged in woman's stabbing death." Baltimore Sun, December 16: 2B.

Jacobson, Joan. 2000. "Court voids death verdict." Baltimore Sun, July 25: 11.

—. 1998. "Killer given death penalty." Baltimore Sun, November 14: 1.

—. 1998. "Methainy sentencing testimony begins." Baltimore Sun, November 10: 27.

James, Michael. 1997. "As police sift claims, families seek solace." Baltimore Sun, January 13: 1.

Methainy v. State of Maryland. 2000. 149 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, July 24).

Pekkanen, Sarah. 1998. "Suspect's confession to killing played in court." Baltimore Sun, May 1: 1B.

Penn, Ivan. 1997. "Slaying suspect on trial in attempted murder." Baltimore Sun, November 6: 11B.

—. 1997. "Woman describes night of attack." Baltimore Sun, November 7: 7B.

Prudente, Tim. 2017. "Convicted murderer dead in his cell." Baltimore Sun, August 8: A2.

Shatzkin, Kate. 1997. "Death penalty to be sought in slayings of 2." Baltimore Sun, March 21.

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(Part 2) In the spring of 2005, law enforcement officials in southern Louisiana had a growing number of murder victims they had begun to suspect were connected to an unidentified serial killer operating in the area. The victims were all men, mostly in their twenties and thirties, many had histories of drug and alcohol abuse or were known to police as sex-workers, and all had been strangled and dumped in secondary locations.

Over the course of a decade, Ronald Dominique developed into one of the worst and most prolific serial killers in American history; yet his story and those of his victims remains largely unknown and ignored by the mainstream media. 

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Renal Podcasts for research!

References

Alford, Jeremy. 2005. New information coming soon in local murders. August 24. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2005/08/24/new-information-coming-soon-in-local-murders/27020266007/.

Armstrong, Shell. 2007. Dominique pleads not guilty to 9 murders. January 17. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatimes.com/news/dominique-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-murders/.

Associated Press. 2005. "Man found in Lafource Parish was from Houma area." Abberville Meridional, May 3: 2.

—. 2005. "Deaths od five south Lousiana men may be linked, police say." Shreveport Times, April 25: 12.

—. 1999. "La. deaths may be work of serial killer." Shreveport Times, June 23: 5B.

—. 2006. "Police look for links between serial suspect, priest's death." Shreveport Times, December 9: 22.

—. 2006. "Arrest made in serial-killer investigation." Town Talk, December 2: 17.

—. 2006. "Serial murder suspect was average Joe, says shelter residents." Town Talk, December 3: 8.

DeSantis, John. 2006. Accused lived on the fringe of two worlds. December 4. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128012212/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20061204/News/608089983/HC.

Hunter, Michelle. 2006. "Serial-killer suspect confesses; Trysts led to rapes, strangling, cops told." Times-Picatune, December 6.

L'observateur. 1999. Beaten teen’s body discovered in Kenner. October 26. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1998/10/26/beaten-teens-body-discovered-in-kenner/.

—. 1999. Two deaths reclassified as murders in St. Charles Parish. Fdebruary 6. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1999/02/06/two-deaths-reclassified-as-murders-in-st-charles-parish/.

Morris, Robert. 2006. Mother protests dead son’s link to serial killer. June 19. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131004921/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20060619/News/608089995/HC.

Ramage, James. 2005. "Serial killer theory floats around cases." Shreveport Times, May 15: 1.

Rosen, Fred. 2017. The Bayou Strangler. New York, NY: Open Road Media.

—. 2018. Uncovering the Truth Behind One of the Bayou Strangler’s Victims. April 10. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://the-line-up.com/uncovering-the-truth-behind-one-of-the-bayou-stranglers-victims.

St. Charles Heral-Guide. 2006. Mother’s tears for son killed by serial madman Dominique. 12 06. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.heraldguide.com/tragedy/mothers-tears-for-son-killed-by-serial-madman-dominique/.

The Daily Review. 2002. "Houma man's body found." Daily Review, October 17: 6.

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Theodore Durrant was the last person anyone would have assumed to commit a brutal murder, let alone two. He was well-known in town and well-liked. He served the town in countless ways; as the handyman for the church, the handyman to all his friends and neighbors, assistant superintendent of the church's Sunday School and all around friendly and giving man. But soon he would be linked to two absolutely horrific murders of two young women in town that he'd had relations with. Ones body would be discovered in the church that Theo seemed to love and the other? Well you'll have to wait for part two for that discovery.

Daily Inter Ocean. 1895. "Another Body Found." Daily Inter Ocean, April 15.

Dowd, Katie. 2016. "The tale of the 'Demon of the Belfry,' San Francisco's forgotten Jack the Ripper." SF Gate, October 31.

McConnell, Virginia. 2001. Sympathy for the devil: the Emmanuel Baptist murders of old San Francisco. Westport, Conn: Praeger.

New York Times. 1897. "Durrant Breaking Down." New York Times, October 18: 5.

—. 1895. "Durrant is Found Guilty." New York Times, November 2: 1.

—. 1898. "Durrant is Put to Death." New York Times, January 8.

—. 1895. "Lunatic Tries to Kill Durrant." New York Times, August 6: 1.

Peixotto, Edgar. 1899. Report of the trial of William Henry Theodore Durrant. Detroit, Michigan: The Collector Publishing Company.

San Francisco Caller. 1895. "Clews Still Lead to Theodore Durrant ." San Francisco Caller, April 18.

The Daily Picayune. 1895. "A San Francisco Jack the Ripper." The Daily Picayune, April 15.

The Morning Oregonian. 1895. "Mysteriously Missing." April 10: 3.

The Sunday Inter Ocean. 1895. "Murdered in a church." The Sunday Inter Ocean, April 14: 5.

The Sunday Oregonian. 1895. "In a Pastor's Study." The Sunday Oregonian, April 14: 6.

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Kenyon college is haunted AS FUCK, my friends. Alaina brings us the tragic tale of a fraternity rush gone wrong. Stuart Lathrop Pierson was a Delta Kapa Epsilon pledge and was anxious for initiation night, but was happy that his father would be there so he could do him proud. Unfortunately a terrible accident would take place that night and rob Stuart of the rest of his life. That's not the only tragedy on campus, Alaina also shares the tales of fires, swimming pool accidents and other nefarious happenings that led to multiple hauntings. Shoutout to our listener Elizabeth for the suggestion :)

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Not since Jack the Ripper or H.H. Holmes had a criminal so thoroughly shocked and captivated the public imagination; yet Gein’s crimes went far beyond what anyone imagined a person could be capable of. Indeed, he has served as the basis for some of Hollywood’s most iconic horror films including Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And, while he is only known to have killed two people during his active period, the list of crimes he is suspected of having committed is long and likely to remain a source of speculation for a long time to come.

Thank you to the magical Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Associated Press. 1968. "Gein prosecution winds up murder testimony." Capital Times, November 9: 9.

—. 1968. "Gein ruled fit to stand trial." Green Bay Press-Gazette, January 16: 1.

Capital Times. 1958. "Bar Gein house admission fees." Capital Times, March 12: 4.

—. 1957. "Claims ten skulls came from graves ." Capital Times, November 18: 1.

—. 1958. "Gein insane, psychiatrist tells court." Capital Times, January 6: 3.

—. 1957. "Nearly wed gein, woman reveals." Capital Times, November 20: 1.

—. 1957. "Plan to open at least two." Capital Times, November 23: 1.

—. 1957. "Weeping Gein joins minister in prayer." Capital Times, November 22: 1.

—. 1957. "'Won't believe' graves robbed ." Capital Times, November 19: 1.

Daily Tribune. 1954. "Believe Bancroft tavernkeeper was slain." Daily Tribune, December 9: 1.

—. 1944. "Rites today for the man who died in Roche-a-Cri fire." Daily Tribune, May 19: 1.

Engel, Dave. 2005. "Whatever happened to Mary Hogan?" Daily Tribune, December 5: 6.

La Crosse Tribune. 1957. "State pushes murder charges against ." La Crosse Tribune, November 22: 1.

Portage Daily Register. 1957. "New rifle in shop used in slaying storekeeper." Portage Daily Register, November 19: 1.

Schechter, Harold. 1998. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho. New York, NY: Gallery Books.

Stevens Point Journal. 1958. "Ed Gein's real estate sold for under $4,000." Stevens Point Journal, March 31: 1.

—. 1958. "Gein farmhouse leveled by early morning blaze." Stevens Point Journal, March 20: 1.

—. 1958. "Open house at Gein farm draws crowds." Stevens Point Journal, March 24: 1.

—. 1957. "Results of lie test announced." Stevens Point Journal, November 20: 1.

—. 1954. "Woman's disappearance hints slaying at Pine Grove tavern." Stevens Point Journal, December 9: 1.

United Press. 1957. "Hospital gets ready for Gein." Capital Times, November 23: 2.

United Press International. 1968. "Ed Gein found guilty of 1957 murder in Plainfield." Capital Times, November 14: 2.

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On August 28, 1963, Patricia Tolles returned home from work to find her New York City apartment ransacked, a bloody knife in the bathroom, and her roommates, Emily Hoffert and Janice Wylie, nowhere to be found. Patricia went to the lobby and called Janice’s father, Max Wylie, who came over immediately and searched the apartment, finding the bodies of his daughter and Hoffert in one of the bedrooms. Labeled by the press as the “Career Girl Murders,” the murders of Wylie and Hoffert shook the relatively quiet Upper East Side neighborhood and left many residents—particularly young women—feeling vulnerable and afraid. 

Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Anderson, David. 1965. "Jury that convicted Whitmore to be questioned on race bias." New York Times, January 15: 19.

Bigart, Homer. 1963. "Killing of 2 girls yields no clue; police question 500 in a month." New York Times, September 27: 1.

Buckley, Thomas. 1964. "Youth is accused in Wylie slaying." New York Times, April 26: 1.

Clark, Alfred E. 1963. "Girl got phone threats 10 days before murder." New York Times, August 30: 13.

Gansberg, Martin. 1964. "East Side tenants sigh in relief at capture of slaying suspect." New York Times, April 27: 21.

Johnson, Marilynn S. 2011. "The Career Girl Murders: Gender, Race, and Crime in 1960s New York." Women's Studies Quarerly (The Feminist Press at City University of New York) 244-261.

Jones, Theodore. 1965. "Jury finds Robles guilty in Wylie-Hoffert killings." New York Times, December 2: 1.

—. 1965. "Witness says Robles pondered murdering girls." New York Times, November 4: 40.

Kihiss, Peter. 1964. "Brooklyn indicts 3-slaying suspect." New York Times, April 29: 48.

Lefkowitz, Bernard, and Ken Gross. 1969. The Victims: The Wylie-Hoffert Murder Case and its Strange Aftermath. New York, NY: Putnam.

National Registry of Exonerations. n.d. George Whitmore, Jr. Accessed January 17, 2024. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetailpre1989.aspx?caseid=358.

New York Times. 1963. "2 girls murdered in E. 88th St. flat." New York Times, August 29: 1.

—. 1975. "Max Wylie, writer, murder victim's father, is suicide." New York Times, September 23: 24.

—. 1946. "Suspect in slaying of 2 career girls found sane here." New York Times, October 17: 31.

—. 1964. "Whitmore guilty of rape attempt in Brooklyn case." New York Times, November 19: 43.

Roth, Jack. 1965. "Trial fading out in Wylie murder." New York Times, January 22: 17.

The People of the State of New York, v. Richard Robles. 1970. 27 N.Y.2d 155 (Court of Appeals of the State of New York, September 24).

Tolchin, Martin. 1964. "Victim describes Brooklyn attack." New York Times, November 13: 30.

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Weirdos! Today we've got a special guest -Andrew McMahon of 'Something Corporate', 'Jack's Mannequin', and 'Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness'. In addition to heating about his journey as an artist, Alaina dives into some dark history and tells us about dancing plagues and other instances of hysteria.

Want to check out Andrew's music, or purchase merch or tour tickets? Visit https://andrewmcmahon.com/

Don't forget to check out the 'Dear Jack Foundation' which provides impactful programs benefiting adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer and their families. For more information visit the foundation's website at https://www.dearjackfoundation.org/ .

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In the early morning hours of December 17, 1968, two gunmen burst into the Atlanta motel room of Barbara Jane Mackle and her mother, Jane. After tying up and chloroforming Jane Mackle, the two kidnapped Barbara, forcing her into their car at gunpoint. Later that day, a family friend received a call at the Mackle home in Florida, instructing them to look in the northwest corner of the Mackle’s yard, where they would find a ransom note with details about how to ensure their daughter’s safe return.

Once the note was unearthed, the Mackle’s learned their daughter had been placed inside a box and buried in the ground in a remote location. She has enough food, water, and air to survive for a few days, but if the family doesn’t act quickly, there’s a good chance Barbara will die

The kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle was an elaborately planned, well-executed crime that quickly dominated local and national headlines, which was no small feat in a year of major social upheaval. By the 1960s, kidnapping for ransom was a familiar concept, but to be kidnapped and buried alive was a terrifying thought that shook Americans to their core and left everyone wondering, what kind of person could do such a thing?

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1968. "Kidnapped college girl found safe in box underground." Los Angeles Times, December 21: 1.

—. 1968. "Mackle kidnapping suspect capturted; $480,000 recovered." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1.

—. 1968. "Kidnapped girl tells of ordeal of 83 hours entombed in box." New York Times, December 29: 44.

—. 1968. "Kidnapped girl, buried alive, is freed." New York Times, December 21: 1.

Atlanta Constitution. 1968. "80-hour burial ends in rescue." Atlanta Constitution, December 21: 1.

—. 1968. "Motel coed kidnapped here spurs nationwide alert for 2." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1.

Foreman, Laura. 1968. "Campus silent about the girl." Atlanta Constitution, December 18: 1.

Gary Steven Krist v. State of Georgia. 1970. 227 Ga. 85 (Ga. 1970) (Supreme Court of Georgia, December 3).

Markowitz, Arnold. 1969. "Plea of Innocent entered for Krist." Miami Herald, March 8: 1.

Miami Herald. 1969. "Krist collapses; is being force-fed." Miami Herald, April 25: 4.

—. 1969. "'Superiority' goes to jail." Miami Herald, May 28: 3.

—. 1969. "Who's villain of kidnap case?" Miami Herald, March 9: 19.

Miller, Gene. 1969. "Krist gets life in prison avter jury grants mercy." Miami Herald, May 27: 1.

—. 1969. "'Life imprisonment worse than death'." Miami Herald, May 27: 16.

Miller, Gene, and Barbara Mackle. 1971. Eighty-Three Hours till Dawn. New York, NY: Doubleday.

Murray, Frank. 1968. "Researcher and 2 sought in kidnap." Atlanta Constitution, December 20: 1.

New York Times. 1968. "Ransom pickup inadvertently foiled by Miami police." New York Times, December 20.

Raines, Howell. 1979. "Parole of a kidnapper angers Atlanta." New York Times, May 14: A14.

Sosin, Milt. 1969. "FBI hunts Ruth's 'flight pal'." Miami News, March 6: 1.

—. 1969. "Ruth: Everyone is against me." Miami News, March 7: 1.

United Press International. 1968. "Gunman and 'boy' kidnapp 20-year-old coed, Florida millionaire's daughter." New York Times, December 18: 25.

Vissar, Steve. 2006. "The strange odyssey of Gary Krist; From kidnapper to prisoner to doctor to alleged drug smuggler." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 19.

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On October 20, 1931, baggage agents in Los Angeles received a tip that two trunks on the incoming Southern Pacific Railroad could contain contraband material. When the agents located the suspicious trunks, they opened them and were horrified to find within them the dismembered remains of Anne LeRoi and Hedvig Samuelson, two young women who had gone missing in Arizona days earlier. Both women had been shot to death. 

Railroad agents quickly traced the trunks back to twenty-six-year-old Winnie Ruth Judd, but Judd disappeared into the crowd before authorities could apprehend and question her. Two days later, Judd surrendered to the LAPD, setting off one of the decade’s most sensational murder cases and making Winnie Ruth Judd, the “Trunk Murderess,” an object of public curiosity for decades to follow. Some called her a butcher and a psychopath, yet many others found it impossible to believe that she’d acted alone or that she was anything more than an unwilling accomplice. 

Winnie Ruth Judd was ultimately found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, but her life was spared, and her sentence was overturned when psychiatrists determined her to be mentally incompetent and she was sent to a psychiatric institution. Judd spent thirty years in an Arizona mental institution, from which she escaped and was recaptured six times, before finally winning parole in 1971.  

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support!

References

Arizona Daily Star. 1932. "Testimony in Judd trial is before jurors." Arizona Daily Star, February 7: 1.

—. 1932. "Winnie Judd breaks under trial's strain." Arizona Daily Star, January 22: 1.

Associated Press. 1932. "Winnie Judd guilty, must hang for murder." Arizona Daily Star, February 9: 1.

—. 1932. "Mrs. Judd guilty of first degree murder." New York Times, February 9: 1.

—. 1939. "Mrs. Judd, slayer, escapes asylum." New York Times, October 26: 27.

Bommersbach, Jana. 1992. The Trunk Murderess: Winnie Ruth Judd. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Los Angeles Evening Express. 1931. "Youth reveals sister's story." Los Angeles Evening Express, October 20: 1.

Los Angeles Times. 1931. "Doctor wants to hunt wife." Los Angeles Times, October 21: 9.

—. 1931. "Trunk murder suspect dodges great dragnet." Los Angeles Times, October 21: 1.

—. 1931. "Trunk seeker ex-employee." Los Angeles Times, October 20: 2.

New York Times. 1932. "Alienist asserts Mrs. Judd is sane." New York Times, February 4: 9.

—. 1931. "Confession letter laid to Mrs. Judd." New York Times, October 25: 3.

—. 1931. "Mrs. Judd gives up in trunk murders." New York Times, October 24: 3.

—. 1932. "Mrs. Judd to die on scaffold May 11." New York Times, February 25: 44.

—. 1971. "Winnie Ruth Judd free on parole." New York Times, November 30: 53.

Stanley, Thiers. 1931. "Fears grip Mrs. Judd." Los Angeles Times, October 31: 1.

Tucson Citizen. 1931. "Accomplice sought." Tucson Citizen, October 20: 1.

—. 1932. "Eludes guard while mother is on stand." Tucson Citizen, January 26: 1.

—. 1931. "Student tells of trip to claim bodies of victims." Tucson Citizen, October 20: 1.

United Press International. 1982. "Trunk murderer wins big court settlement ." UPI Archive, December 31.

Winnie Ruth Judd v. State of Arizona. 1932. 41 Ariz. 176 (Ariz. 1932) (Supreme Court of Arizona, 12 December 12).

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Holy shit guys, we had a CELEB in the house today! Well not like in the house, but on the zoom. THE ONE, THE ONLY..... JVN *sound the alarm* We talk all things Bravo, True Crime and Olympics related. We also tell JVN a gnarly story out of Quincy MA since he's from Quincy IL. It was a grand time, so please enjoy!

Go check out Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness anywhere you listen to podcasts and on Netflix!

Thank you so much to David White for research excellence

References

Cowperthwaite, Wheeler. 2022. "Quincy inheritance murder case on new Investigation Discovery show." Patriot Ledger, May 18.

Difazio, Joe. 2021. "Man who plotted to kill his Quincy great-aunt for inheritance has been granted parole." Patriot Ledger, December 31.

Ellement, John R. 2002. "DA: Woman, 84, Fought Killer." Boston Globe, October 29.

—. 2006. "Former Norton Man Admits Role in Slaying of Aunt." Boston Globe, June 10.

—. 2006. "Jury Hears Details of Bludgeoning ." Boston Globe, March 4.

—. 2006. "Man Gets Life Sentence in Killing." Boston Globe, March 17.

—. 2006. "Witness Tells of Grisly Murder." Boston Globe, March 10.

Leiner, Gabriel. 2006. "First trial set in Quincy murder." Patriot Ledger, February 16.

Linton, David. 2022. "Ex-Norton man granted parole for role in 2001 murder of his elderly great-aunt." Sun Chronicle, January 3.

Quimby, Beth. 2002. "Friendship and Betrayal: Moments of terror for informant who says best friend' recounted Quincy murder." Patriot Ledger, November 2.

Sack, Jessica Van. 2002. "Police Call Fatal 'Fall' a Killing; Kin Hed." Boston Globe, October 27.

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When Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium in 1898, the chemical element was quickly adopted by manufacturers for its luminescent properties that would go on to be used in, among other things, the painting of clock faces, watches, and instrument panels, allowing them to be seen in the dark. At the time, the introduction of radioluminescent materials into manufacturing was hailed as a scientific solution to an age-old frustration, but it didn’t take long before that solution was shown to have terrible consequences.    

As a radioactive element, radium is highly toxic to humans, particularly when ingested or inhaled. While it seemed unlikely that anyone would ingest or inhale the radium used to paint a clockface, this fact posed a serious problem for the largely female factory workers whose job it was to paint the dials. These “Radium Girls,” as they would come to be known, not only spent most of their day in close proximity to the paint, but also employed a technique in which they frequently wet their paintbrushes with their mouths, consuming small amounts of radium in the process. 

Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, hundreds of young women working in at least three radium dial factories in the United States suffered deadly radiation poisoning as a result of working so closely with radium, all without any safety protocols and completely unaware of the dangers. After dozens of deaths, a group of factory workers successfully sued their employers for damages, exposing the widespread disregard for worker safety. While the suits were generally a major victory for the American labor movement, it was ultimately hard-won and little comfort to those who would die within a few years.

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Camden Courier-Post. 1928. "Woman radium victim offers living body to aid in search for cure." Courier-Post, May 29: 1.

eGov Newswire. 2021. "Menedez leads colleagues in introducing senate resolution to honor the lives and legacy of the 'Radium Girls'." eGov Newswire, June 26.

Evening Courier. 1927. "Radium poison victims want damage suit limits raised." Evening Courier, July 19: 2.

Galant, Debbie. 1996. "Living with a radium nightmare." New York Times, September 29: NJ1.

Lang, Daniel. 1959. "A most valuable accident." New Yorker, April 24: 49.

McAndrew, Tara McClellan. 2018. The Radium Girls: An Illinois Tragedy. January 25. Accessed July 8, 2024. https://www.nprillinois.org/equity-justice/2018-01-25/the-radium-girls-an-illinois-tragedy.

Moore, Kate. 2017. The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women. New York, NY: Sourcebooks.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. n.d. Radium Girls: The Story of US Radium’s Superfund Site. Environmental Preservation Snapshot, Orange, NJ: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

New York Times. 1928. "Finds no bar to suit by radium victims." New York Times, May 23: 11.

Prisco, Jacopo. 2017. "Radium Girls: The dark times of luminous watches." CNN, December 19.

United Press. 1928. "Woman, dying by degrees, tells of symptoms of radium posioning." Courier-News, May 16: 6.

—. 1928. "3 more are victims of radiun poisoning." Evening Courier, May 22: 1.

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At first glance, there wasn’t much to the mild and unassuming Jerry Brudos; however, when investigators looked into his background, they discovered several arrests for theft, prowling, and sexual assault. And the more they learned about Brudos’ life, the more certain they became that he was the man they were looking for.

Ultimately, Jerry Brudos was convicted of the murders of Jan Whitney, Karen Sprinker, and Linda Salee and given three life sentences. His capture and incarceration were a big relief to the women of Oregon, but his cooperation with law enforcement and the FBI would prove invaluable as the latter established what would eventually become the Behavioral Analysis Unit.

References

Associated Press. 1969. "Fisherman's grim discovery started search for slayer." Albany Democrat-Herald, June 30: 21.

—. 1969. "Coed provided first lead in murder case." Oregonian, June 4: 11.

Capital Journal. 1969. "Salem student, 19, feared kidnaped." Capital Journal, March 29: 1.

Carbonell, Dan De. 2006. "36 years later, killer's death relieves victims' families." Statesman Journal (Salem Oregon), March 29: 2.

Leibman, Faith H. 1989. "Serial Murderers: Four Case Histories." Federal Probation 41-45.

Long, James. 1969. "Photo found in Brudos' home shows girl hanging by rope." Oregon Daily Journal, June 7: 1.

Morrison, Allen. 1969. "Brudos tells of attacks, killings." Oregon Statesman , June 28: 1.

—. 1969. "Indicted in death of Miss Sprinkler." Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), June 5: 1.

Olmos, Robert. 1969. "Crews widen river search for clues in girls murders." Oregonian , May 15: 19.

Oregon Journal. 1968. "2 teen-age girls missing." Oregon Daily Journal, February 6: J7.

Oregonian. 1968. "Help sought in search." Oregonian, December 23: 24.

—. 1969. "Office aide disappears ." Oregonian, April 26: 14.

Painter, John. 1969. "Sudden shift in plea signals end of trial." Oregonian , June 28: 1.

—. 1969. "Tests stall state trial of Brudos." Oregonian, June 6: 1.

Roby, Larry. 1969. "Parole agency explains eligibilty of Brudos." Capital Journal (Salem, Oregon), July 2: 15.

—. 1969. "Judge discloses warrant details on Brudos." Capital Journal, June 6: 1.

Rule, Ann. 1983. Lust Killer. New York, NY: Random House.

Statesman Journal. 1969. "Brudos home alleged site of 2 slayings." Staesman Journal (Salem, Oregon), June 18: 1.

Wong, James. 1969. "Somebody probably saw Linda Salee's killer--but will the person speak up?" Oregon Daily Journal , May 15: 5.

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BIG, BIG NEWS AHEAD!!!! We are SO excited to announce that The SEQUEL, yes, the 2nd book of The Dr. Wren Muller Series- THE BUTCHER GAME will be released on September 17th, 2024! To Pre-order go to https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/ (https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/) PLUS! If you preorder the book, get an autographed poster

 while supplies last by visiting 

thebutchergame.com (http://thebutchergame.com/)

 Also-- IT'S LISTENER TALES!!!!! And this month's episode is brought to you by gut feelings! In this episode, we hear about a ghostly visitor during an awkwardly intimate moment, a run in an elderly couple near an abandoned asylum, a portal to Marrakesh in a Weirdo's room, a UFO sighting on a beach, and a weird encounter with a car in a ditch!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)

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On February 20, 1949, police in London arrested thirty-nine-year-old John George Haigh on suspicion of his connection to Olive Durand-Deacon, a wealthy widow who’d gone missing a few days earlier. Haigh had a long criminal history of fraud and theft, so when police discovered that Haigh had recently pawned several items belonging to the missing woman, they naturally believed he had robbed and possibly killed Duran-Deacon. The truth, they soon learned, was far worse.

After days of interrogation, Haigh eventually confessed to the murder of Olive Durand-Deacon, telling detectives he had drained her of her blood, which he intended to drink, then disposed of her body in a forty-five gallon barrel of acid—but she was far from the first of his victims. By the time his case went to trial, investigators had connected Haigh to six victims, all dissolved in acid, and he’d confessed to three additional murders that were unconfirmed. 

In his confession, Haigh claimed he’d murdered his victims in order to drink their blood; though, it’s far more likely his motive was primarily greed. Nevertheless, Haigh’s claim was immediately seized upon by the British tabloids, who labeled him a “vampire killer” and provided endless sensational coverage of the arrest, trial, and his eventual execution.

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Daily Record. 1949. "Haigh was a model boy." Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland), July 20: 1.

Evening Dispatch. 1949. "Haigh: Defence will plead insanity." Evening Dispatch (Birmingham, England), July 18: 1.

—. 1949. "Silence in court." Evening Dispatch (Birmingham, England), July 1: 1.

Evening Express. 1949. "Haigh for trial at Old Bailey." Evening Express (Liverpool, England), April 2: 1.

Evening Sentinel. 1949. "Dramatic developments in mystery of missing widow." Evening Sentinel (Staffordshire, England), March 1: 1.

Herald Express. 1949. "'Haigh put the body in a drum' - prosectiuon." Herald Today (Devon, England), April 1: 1.

Lincolnshire Echo. 1949. "Haigh lived to lives, says mind doctor." Lincolnshire Echo, July 19: 1.

Lowe, Gordon. 2015. The Acid Bath Murders: The Trials and Liquidations of John George Haigh. Cheltenham, UK: History Press.

Ramsland, Katherine. 2006. "John George Haigh: A Malingerer's Legacy." The Forensic Examiner 59-62.

Root, Neil. 2012. Frenzy: The First Great Tabloid Murders. New York, NY: Preface Publishing.

Sunday Dispatch. 1949. "Wide search for missing rich widow." Sunday Dispatch (London, England), February 27: 1.

The Times. 1949. "Hiagh sentenced to death." The Times (London, England), July 20: 2.

Western Daily Press. 1949. "Haigh smiles at sentence." Western Daily Press, July 20: 1.

Western Morning News. 1949. "Yard fears for fate of five people." Western Morning News, March 3: 1.

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Listener tales 67 is brought to you; by you, for you, from you and all about you!!!! This installment has another fun theme because…IYKYK. Category is: Haunted College Tales and you guys served. We’ve got tales with guinea pig pictures attached, (it meant a lot to me, okay?)  multiple haunted sorority homes and even a home invading back rubber?? Gross. If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)

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In Part 2, we talk through the killer’s background and troubling history with women in his life. We also go through Denise’s horrific injuries, as well as the investigation and trial that followed. 

Thank you to the stupendous David White for research assistance.

References

Associated Press. 1994. "No bail for suspect in bizarre slaying." Arizona Daily Sun, July 21: 10.

Cekola, Anna. 1997. "For Hubers, relief at 'a step in justice, anticipation of next one." Los Angeles Times,

May 23: A24.

Dobruck, Jeremiah. 2016. "The wound that never heals." Los Angeles Times, July 1.

Gomez, James. 1991. "Banner used in search for woman." Los Angeles Times, July 3: 129.

—. 1991. "Denise Huber probably dead, investigator says." Los Angeles Times, October 10: 214.

—. 1991. "Hope keeps a search alive." Los Angeles Times, June 27: 224.

Gomez, James, and Eric Lichtblau. 1991. "Was missing woman victim of foul play." Los Angeles Times,

June 6: 227.

Hernandez, Greg. 1997. "Famalaro defense charges witness is biased ." Los Angeles Times, February 22:

309.

—. 1997. "Famalaro defense rests after trying to refute special circumstances." Los Angeles Times, May

21: B4.

—. 1997. "Famalaro judge unswayed by argument denying kidnapping." Los Angeles Times, May 15: B3.

—. 1997. "Famalaro jury told that the victim had drinks." Los Angeles Times, May 20: B1.

—. 1997. "Famalaro quickly convicted in Huber sex murder case." Los Angeles Times, May 23: 1.

—. 1997. "Killer who froze body sentenced to die." Los Angeles Times, September 6: A24.

—. 1997. "Prosecutor describes stranded motorist's last hours." Los Angeles Times, May 9: A3.

—. 1997. "Unraveling mysteries of Huber case." Los Angeles Times, April 21: 53.

Ko, Mimi. 1992. "Daughter is gone, then cancer hits." Los Angeles Times, November 7: 220.

Lasseter, Don. 1998. Cold Storage: A Killer with a Heart of Ice. New York, NY: Pinnacle Books.

Lindsbaum, Mark. 1991. "Impasse in search from woman doesn't shake faith." Los Angeles Times,

September 8: 408.

Los Angeles Times. 1991. "Abandoned car on freeway spurs search for Newport Beach woman." Los

Angeles Times, June 5: 107.

Pinsky, Mark. 1995. "Famalaro trial delayed until next April." Los Angeles Times, April 11: 136.

Reza, H.G., and Tammy Hyunjoo Kresta. 1994. "Body is identified as Denise Huber." Los Angeles Times,

July 17: 137.

Tabor, Gail. 1994. "Parents' search ends." Arizona Republic, July 18: 1.

The People vs. John Famalaro. 2011. S064306 (Supreme Court of California, July 7).

The People vs. John Famalaro. 2007. S064306 (Supreme Court of the State of California, April 11).

Villa, Judy, and David Schwartz. 1994. "Police fear other victims in home where freezer held woman's

corpse." Arizona Republic, July 18: 1.

Wilgoren, Jodi. 1994. "Famalaro faces sex charges in Huber slaying." Los Angeles Times, September 30:

136.

Yokoi, Iris. 1992. "Family of missing woman still hopeful." Los Angeles Times, June 3: 102.

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Holly Madison joins us to give us a sneak peak at one of the cases they are covering on Season Two of the Playboy Murders. We talk about the tragic murder of Christine Schultz and the trial, conviction, and escape of Laurie Bembenek. It's a tragic story that is light on justice for anyone!

She also chats with us about the second season overall of the Playboy Murders which premiers on January 22nd! You can find it on Investigation ID and stream it on MAX!

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We’re doing something different today and sharing an exciting project we’ve been working on: our new podcast The Rewatcher: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You’ve heard Alaina talk about her Buffy obsession, and now she’s pulled Ash into the Hellmouth to finally watch the show for the first time ever! So get comfortable, grab your wooden stakes, check out our very first episode, and then subscribe to The ReWatcher to listen to more episodes now: wondery.fm/MORBID_REWATCHER!

It’s day one at Sunnydale High for those of you entering the Buffy universe with Ash, but for Alaina these halls are full of nostalgia! We’re introduced to Buffy Summers and her friends who we will come to know as “The Scooby Gang.” Episode one starts off with a bang and we quickly learn about hellmouths, creatures of the night and what these vampires are all about. Get ready to end on the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers, but have no fear: episode two is waiting, so go ahead and dig in!

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Listener Tales 65 is brought to you SAY IT WITH ME.....by you, for you, from you and all about YOU! This installment has a new fun(?) theme of NASTY NEIGHBORS. We've got tales of neighbors showing up unannounced to drop their kids off without prior plans to do so, neighbors breaking into your apartment, and neighbors punching your houseguests in the face! It's a wild ride.

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Part two of Harvey Glatman is here and it is wild! When we last left you Harvey had just murdered Ruth Mercado and was ready and absolutely set on the idea of abducting his next victim. He hit up a modeling agency to find his next victim, but little did he know, he got much more than he bargained for. The next woman Harvey abducted and attempted to murder would be the one to end his entire reign of terror.

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Listener Tales is themed this week and the theme is…. You guessed it! Home Invasions!! What, did the title give it away? You guys shared some gnarly tales about the home invasions you’ve experienced, we’ve got old men staring at you while you sleep, the ex of your nightmares showing up at your house in the middle of the night and so many more! Enjoy, and if you have a listener tale please send it to morbidpodcast@gmail.com with Listener Tale somewhere in the subject line :)

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While the tragic loss of two young lives was particularly shocking, the Career Girl Murders is better remembered as one of the most egregious cases of police coercion and abuse in the state’s history. Eight months after the murder, investigators arrested nineteen-year-old George Whitmore, an intellectually disabled day laborer from whom they elicited a false confession, not only for the murder of Hoffert and Wylie, but also for the murder of a single mother in Brooklyn. Eight more months would pass before the charges against Whitmore were dropped, and several more years before police arrested Wylie and Hoffert’s real killer, twenty-two-year-old drug addict and burglar Richard Robles. 

The murders of Emily Hoffert and Janice Wylie were just two of several high-profile New York City murders that reshaped how wealthy and middle-class white people thought of urban life in the 1960s. More importantly, however, it’s more important legacy is the extent to which it shined a light on how race and class can influence a police investigation and jury verdict, and how justice can be delayed or diverted in the interest of efficiency and the illusion of safety.

References

Anderson, David. 1965. "Jury that convicted Whitmore to be questioned on race bias." New York Times, January 15: 19.

Bigart, Homer. 1963. "Killing of 2 girls yields no clue; police question 500 in a month." New York Times, September 27: 1.

Buckley, Thomas. 1964. "Youth is accused in Wylie slaying." New York Times, April 26: 1.

Clark, Alfred E. 1963. "Girl got phone threats 10 days before murder." New York Times, August 30: 13.

Gansberg, Martin. 1964. "East Side tenants sigh in relief at capture of slaying suspect." New York Times, April 27: 21.

Johnson, Marilynn S. 2011. "The Career Girl Murders: Gender, Race, and Crime in 1960s New York." Women's Studies Quarerly (The Feminist Press at City University of New York) 244-261.

Jones, Theodore. 1965. "Jury finds Robles guilty in Wylie-Hoffert killings." New York Times, December 2: 1.

—. 1965. "Witness says Robles pondered murdering girls." New York Times, November 4: 40.

Kihiss, Peter. 1964. "Brooklyn indicts 3-slaying suspect." New York Times, April 29: 48.

Lefkowitz, Bernard, and Ken Gross. 1969. The Victims: The Wylie-Hoffert Murder Case and its Strange Aftermath. New York, NY: Putnam.

National Registry of Exonerations. n.d. George Whitmore, Jr. Accessed January 17, 2024. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetailpre1989.aspx?caseid=358.

New York Times. 1963. "2 girls murdered in E. 88th St. flat." New York Times, August 29: 1.

—. 1975. "Max Wylie, writer, murder victim's father, is suicide." New York Times, September 23: 24.

—. 1946. "Suspect in slaying of 2 career girls found sane here." New York Times, October 17: 31.

—. 1964. "Whitmore guilty of rape attempt in Brooklyn case." New York Times, November 19: 43.

Roth, Jack. 1965. "Trial fading out in Wylie murder." New York Times, January 22: 17.

The People of the State of New York, v. Richard Robles. 1970. 27 N.Y.2d 155 (Court of Appeals of the State of New York, September 24).

Tolchin, Martin. 1964. "Victim describes Brooklyn attack." New York Times, November 13: 30.

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Roseann Quinn was a young, single school teacher working at St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf and pursuing a graduate degree that would help her advance her career. She was independent and had a bright future. Then on January 2, 1973, she was brutally murdered in her New York apartment by a man she met at a neighborhood bar. Her death would become a talking point for those against the Woman’s Liberation Movement—citing her "high risk" lifestyle as the catalyst for her own demise. Of course we know that the only one to blame here is the vicious killer himself, and Roseann Quinn was merely a symbol for his rage.

Associated Press. 1973. "Murdered teacher was dedicated to her work with deaf children." Reporter Dispatch, January 5: 2.

Churcher, Sharon. 1999. "Could Sex and the City lead to murder?" Mail on Sunday, February 14.

Ebert, Roger. 1977. Looking for Mr. Goodbar. January 1. Accessed February 8, 2023. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/looking-for-mr-goodbar-1977.

Fosburgh, Lacey. 1977. Closing Time: The True Story of the "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" Murder. New York, NY: Dellacorte Press.

—. 1973. "A man seen with teacher on slaying night is sought." New York Times, January 6: 16.

—. 1973. "Suspect seized in Indiana in teacher's slaying here." New York Times, January 10: 1.

Gelb, Arthur. 2003. City Room. New York, NY: Putnam.

Kaufman, Michael. 1973. "Teacher, 28, slain in her apartment on West 72d Street." New York Times, January 5: 1.

Knight, Michael. 1973. "Suspect in killing of a teacher on West Side hangs himself." New York Times, May 6.

McFadden, Robert. 1973. "Police issue a sketch of witness they hope will identify killer of teacher." New York Times, January 7: 39.

New York Times. 1973. "Insanity defense planned in killing of teacher here." New York Times, February 2: 14.

Weisman, Steven R. 1973. "Corrections board assails city aides on Tombs suicide." New York Times, July 22: 33.

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At the time of his appearance on The Dating Game in 1978, Alcala was a convicted sexual predator who had served time for sexual assault and had only avoided a charge of attempted murder on a technicality. After his arrest, investigators would learn that, by the time he appeared on the game show, he was also a killer. In the year that followed, Alcala would go on to murder several other women until he was finally caught and convicted for his crimes. At his trial, Rodney Alcala was found guilty of eight murders, among other crimes, but he is suspected of several other murders, perhaps as many as one hundred or more.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1980. "Forest worker tells of grisly body find, fingers defendent ." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), March 23: 7.

—. 1980. "Witness in Alcala trial admits lying." Los Angeles Times, March 26: 44.

—. 1980. "Jury deliberate murder charge." Oakland Tribune, April 30: E3.

Brown, Doug. 1980. "Jury asks for the death penalty." Los Angeles Times, May 9: 32.

—. 1980. "Prosecution rests case in penalty part of Alcala trial." Los Angeles Times, May 8: 63.

CBS News. 2024. "Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game." 48 Hours . 

Dunn, Edward. 1977. "Oneida woman slain in L.A." Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), November 15: 1.

Esquivel, Paloma. 2010. "Alcala gets death penalty." Los Angeles Times, March 10: 72.

Falcon, Gabriel. 2010. Convicted serial killer won on 'Dating Game'. March 10. Accessed November 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240814201903/https://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/08/dating.game.killer/index.html.

Hicks, Jerry. 1986. "Alcala again given death sentence in slaying of girl, 12." Los Angeles Times, June 21: 50.

—. 1986. "Alcala asks jury to spare him, insists he isn't a murderer." Los Angeles Times, June 19: 141.

Jarlson, Gary. 1979. "Hunt for missing girls spreads to Oxnard." Los Angeles Times, June 28: 10.

—. 1979. "In search for girl's killer, time is the principal foe." Los Angeles Times, July 14: 22.

Kaye, Peter. 1981. "The long, painful path to justice." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), June 18: 19.

Kirkman, Edward. 1971. "Fear of a new sex killing spurs 6 on trail." Daily News (New York, NY), August 8: 75.

Levenson , Michael, and Eduardo Medina. 2021. "'Dating Game killer,' who preyed on woman in 1970s, dies in prison." New York Times, July 26.

Liff, Mark, Joseph Martin, and Paul Meskil. 1977. "Attorney urges FBI to hunt daughter." Daily News (New York, NY), July 31: 3.

Los Angeles Times. 1980. "Alcala defense wtiness's story repeated to jury." Los Angeles Times, April 30: 42.

—. 1979. "The Southland." Los Angeles Times, June 22: 30.

—. 1977. "Police now see link in strangulation murders of 10 LA women." Sacramento Bee, December 1: 22.

Moynihan, Colin. 2012. "Convicted killer pleads guilty to 2 New York murders." New York Times, December 15: 20.

OC Weekly. 2010. Rodney Alcala's murderous romp through polite society brings him to an Orange County courtroom again. January 21. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.ocweekly.com/rodney-alcalas-murderous-romp-through-polite-society-brings-him-to-an-orange-county-courtroom-again-6402172/.

Pelisek, Christine. 2010. "Rodney Alcala: the fine art of killing." LA Weekly, January 21.

Reyes, David. 1986. "Man convicted second time in murder of girl." Los Angeles Times, May 29: 43.

Sands, Stella. 2011. The Dating Game Killer: The True Story of a TV Dating Show, a Violent Sociopath, and a Series of Brutal Murders. New York, NY: St. Martin's.

Secret, Mosi. 2011. "After decades, charges in 2 Manhattan murders." New York Times, January 27: 24.

Smith, David. 2024. "The terrifying true story behind Woman of the Hour." The Guardian, October 22.

The People v. Rodney James Alcala. 1984. 36 Cal. 3d 605 (Supreme Court of California, August 23).

Weinstein, Henry. 2003. "New trial, new charge in old cases." Los Angeles Times, June 28:32.

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In late 1931, several Native trappers in Aklavik, Northwest Territories, reported to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) that a newly arrived white man, Albert Johnson, had been tampering with their traps. The RCMP dispatched two officers to Johnson’s remote cabin, but he refused to speak with them, so they left to get a warrant to search his home. When the officers returned and tried to gain entry, Johnson fired a shotgun blast through the cabin door, wounding one of the RCMP officers.

The incident quickly escalated when a posse of RCMP officers returned and tossed dynamite into the cabin, initiating a firefight in which one officer was killed, and a manhunt that would last more than month and unfold across more than 150 miles of some of the roughest terrain in the world. 

In the end, Albert Johnson would not be taken alive. And while his death may have ended the wild pursuit across the Yukon territory, it was just the beginning of another mystery that would endure into the twenty-first century.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Canadian Press. 1932. "Long chase of slayer." New York Times, February 18: 3.

Edmonton Journal. 1932. "Cornered by pursuers, wounded and fighting to last, Johnson slain." Edmonton Journal, February 18: 1.

—. 1932. "Think Mad Trapper hiding in Arctic wilderness cabin." Edmonton Journal, January 27: 1.

Journal, Edmonton. 1932. "Eyewittness tells story last desperate stand trapper Albert Johnson." Edmonston Journal, February 19: 1.

New York Times. 1932. "Mad, hunted trapper kills constable." New York Times, February 1: 38.

North, Dick. 2005. Mad Trapper of Rat River: A True Story Of Canada's Biggest Manhunt. New York, NY: Lyons Press.

Roden, Barbara. 2022. "The Mad Trapper part 3: Shootout on the Eagle River." North Thompson Times, December 8.

—. 2022. "The Mad Trapper part 5: The mystery of Albert Johnson endures to this day." North Thompson Times, December 22.

—. 2022. "The Mad Trapper part II: A tragic manhunt plays out." North Thompson Times, December 1.

—. 2022. "The Mad Trapper, Part I: a man of mystery arrives in the Arctic." North Thompson Times, November 24.

Thompson Reuters. 2021. "Scientists narrow search for mysterious Mad Trapper to Sweden." Comtex News Network, July 30.

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Weirdos! Grab your sleepingbag, bags of snacks, and facemasks, and get ready for a slumber party! This month, we're giving you a fresh batch of listener tales brought TO you, BY you, FOR you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you!

Today we're talking dreams and astral projection! We have MULTIPLE prophetic dreams, lucid dreams, demons, and a BEAUTIFUL meetcute in a shared dreamscape that brings the entire pod lab to tears!

Don't forget to check out the VIDEO from this episode available on YouTube on 2/27/2025!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :)

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When the body of fourteen-year-old Chris Steiner was discovered floating in the Wisconsin River on July 10, 1994, it brought a heartbreaking end to the search for the boy who had mysteriously disappeared from his Baraboo, Wisconsin home a week earlier. Officially, the cause of death was drowning. His death was a tragic accident, and nothing more.

But was it? A year later, a harrowing 911 call from 14 year old Thad Phillips would bring to light a monster in the boys' own neighborhood, one that would change the ruling in Chris Steiner's death and horrify the community forever.

References

Associated Press. 1997. Court awards $21M in torture case. October 14. Accessed April 6, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/5ded061aa228f6b8a597557fb8724258.

—. 1995. "Teen-age suspect in kidnapping-torture was taunted by peers about 1994 death." Wisconsin State Journal, August 11: 24.

Chickering, Pam. 1994. "Baraboo teen-ager missing." Baraboo News Republic, July 8: 1.

Clark, Anita. 1996. "Expert: Clark is a sadist, not insane." Wisconsin State Journal, September 18.

Dvorak, Rich, and Troy Laack. 1994. "Clue's sought in teen's death." Baraboo News Republic, July 13: 1.

—. 1994. "Missing youth's body found." Baraboo News Republic, July 12: 1.

Elbow, Steven. 1997. "Expert witness denied voice at Clark trial." Baraboo News Republic, November 7: 1.

—. 1996. "Formal charges filed in Steiner case." Portage Daily Register, September 26: 1.

Grunig, Tara. 1995. "Clark charged as adult in Phillips case." The Daily Register, September 8: 1.

Jaeger, Richard. 1995. "Autopsy discovers broken bones." Wisconsin State Journal, August 5: 1.

—. 1995. "Kidnapping-torture similar to year-old case." Wisconsin State Journal, August 3: 1.

—. 1995. "Teen questioned in '94 drowning." Wisconsin State Journal, August 4: 1D-2D.

O'Connell, Mike. 1995. "13-year-old boy kidnapped, tortured." Baraboo News Republic, August 2: 1.

—. 1996. "Clark's defense." Baraboo News Republic, September 17: 1.

—. 1996. "'Do you know Chris Steiner'." Baraboo News Republic, September 17: 1.

—. 1996. "Jurors bring swift decision; Clark faces 110 hard years." Baraboo News Republic, September 19: 1.

—. 1995. "Report confirms incident details." Baraboo News Republic, August 2: 1.

Seely, Ron. 1994. "Teen's parents left to wonder." Wisconsin State Journal, August 7: 21.

State of Wisconsin v. Joseph C. Clark. 1998. 97-3584-CR (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, September 3).

State of Wisconsin v. Joseph C. Clark. 1999. 98-2402-CR-NM (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, March 25).

Wisconsin State Journal. 1996. "Broken-bome assault case brings plea of no contest." Wisconsin State Journal, September 6.

—. 1996. "Shooting delays murder hearing ." Wisconsin State Journal, October 11.

—. 1997. "Teen killer who tortured victims gets life in prison." Wisconsin State Journal, November 21.

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It's Listener Tales 77 AND it's August so you know what that means.... It is obviously time for Halloween tales! This week we have a spook-a-dook installment filled with tales of bullet wounds that go undetected, sleep paralysis demons, deaths by elevators, and spooky nanny's. If you have a listener tale you’d like to send in please send it to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com

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On March 15, 1895, thirty-five-year-old Michael Cleary murdered his wife, twenty-six-year-old Bridget Cleary in their home in Ballyvadlea, County Tipperary. While terrible, the murder was just the last act in a series of bizarre atrocities committed against Bridget, whom her husband would later claim had been taken by malevolent fairy folk and replaced with a changeling.

More shocking, however, was that the barbaric act hadn’t been committed by one man alone, but by a group of rural men, including family. 

Was Bridget Cleary really murdered out of fear of fairies? Or had Michael Cleary just convinced himself of as much in order to commit murder?

References

Bourke, Angela. 1999. The Burning of Bridget Cleary: A True Story. London, UK: Pimlico.

Freeman's Journal. 1895. "Strange death near Clonmel." Freeman's Journal, March 25.

Irish Times. 1999. "Burning Bridget." Irish Times, August 7: B24.

n.a. 1917. The Tipperary Witch Case. Toronto, ON: McGill University.

New York Times. 1895. "A with burner sentenced." New York Times, July 6: 5.

—. 1895. "Not witches, but fairies." New York Times, April 22: 4.

Ruxton, Dean. 2016. "The story of the last 'witch' bruned alive in Ireland." Irish Times, November 24.

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Weirdos! It's Listener Tales, and they're brought to you BY you, FOR you, FROM you, and ALL ABOUT YOU. This week's episode is brought to you by... DREAMS! We hear about a ghostly soggy nighttime visitor, a story about getting sucked into a void by a dying relation, a dream town with the clocktower, a dream about the previous owner of a house who has passed on, and a weirdo who inadvertently astral projected!

If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)

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On December 18, 1975, George and Kathy Lutz moved their family into their new house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY, where, just one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had murdered all six members of his family. Twenty-eight days later, the Lutz family fled the home, leaving behind all their belongings and vowing never to return again. According to the Lutzes, their time in the house on Ocean Avenue was a nightmare of psychic attacks and demonic activity that put them in fear for their lives.

The supposed experience of the Lutz family served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, The Amityville Horror, and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, The Amityville Horror became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo’s criminal defense to the American public’s belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of The Amityville Horror, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America’s most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!!

References

Ansen, Jay. 1978. The Amityville Horror. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

Bartholomew, Robert, and Joe Nickell. 2016. "The Amityville Hoax at 40." Skeptic Magazine 8-12.

Carter, A.J. 1976. "DeFeo house: legal twist." Newsday, February 17: 3.

Drehsler, Alex, and Jim Scovel. 1977. "Fact or fiction." Newsday, November 17: 188.

Gelder, Lawrence Van. 1977. "A real-life horror story." New York Times, October 9: L12.

Lutz v. Hoffman et al. 1979. 77-032D-T (Southern District of California ).

Nickell, Joe. 2003. "Amityville: The Horror of it All." Skeptical Inquirer 13-14.

Nickell, Joe. 2009. "The questionable research of Hans Holzer, dean of ghost hunters (1920-2009)." Skeptical Inquirer 5-6.

Schemo, Diane Jean. 1992. "'Amityville' prisoner says movie money tained defense." New York Times, June 25: B6.

Snider, Jane. 1977. "New owners call house beautiful, not haunted ." Newsday, May 13: 23.

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You guys have seemed to enjoy the more "themed" Listener Tale installments so we've decided to do another installment! This one is Family Madness! We've got all kinds of stories brought to you by you, for you, from you and all about you and your family madness. There's accused murder, there's actual murder and even the hiring of a hitman gone wrong. You guys truly have a writing gift and we feel so lucky that you feel like you can share these stories with us. If you have a Listener Tale, send it on in to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with "Listener Tale" somewhere in the subject line.

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Kelly Ann Tinyes was at home babysitting her eight-year-old brother, Richie, on the afternoon of March 3, 1989 when the phone rang. Richie answered, talking briefly to the man on the other end of the line, before handing the phone to his sister, telling her it was someone named “John.” After a short conversation with “John,” Kelly hung up the phone and left the house around 3:15 pm, telling her brother she was going to her friend’s house down the street and would be right back. It was the last time Kelly’s family would see her alive.

Thank you to the prodigious David White for research assistance :)

References

Associated Press. 1990. "Sex motive charged in girl's slaying." The Journal News, February 16: 18.

Bessent, Alvin. 1989. "Defense lawyer thrown off LI murder case." Newsday, October 3: 47.

Danney, Micah. 2015. "Tinyes girl's killer denied parole." Long Island Herald, November 18.

Lyall, Sarah. 1990. "Blood tests link Golub to crime scene." New York Times, March 1: B2.

—. 1990. "Golub Case: Main Puzzle Is the Suspect." New York Times, March 5: B1.

—. 1990. "Marks on body not from bites, dentist testifies." New York Times, March 23: B4.

Milton, Pat. 1989. "Teen's murder transforms quiet L.I. neighborhood." The Journal News, March 26: 77.

Mulugeta, Samson. 1997. "Drug case brings echo of murder." Newsday, March 23: 29.

New York Times. 1978. "Not guilty verdict finds killer insane." New York Times, April 27: D21.

Nieves, Evelyn. 1998. "What Happened on Horton Road." New York Times, May 31.

Pearlman, Shirley, and Elizabeth Wasserman. 1989. "Tempers flare as murder hearing begins." Newsday, August 15: 61.

Pearlman, Shirley, and Phil Mintz. 1989. "What cops say Golub told them." Newsday, August 15: 3.

People v. Robert Golub. 1993. 196 A.D.2d 637 (Nassau County Appeals Court, August 23).

Watkins, Ronald J. 2000. Against Her Will: The Senseless Murder of Kelly Ann Tinyes. Syracuse, NY: Pinnacle Books.

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Part two delves into Fred's life after he met Rose, exploring the origins of the affair leading to their marriage and the beginning of the sadistic crimes that would horrify the world at large.

Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!

References

Amis, Martin. 2000. When darkness met light. May 11. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/11/features11.g2.

BBC News. 1998. Fred West 'admitted killing waitress'. March 25. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/69928.stm.

—. 2001. How many more did Fred West kill? September 27. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1567038.stm.

—. 2021. The 12 victims of Fred and Rosemary West. May 27. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57182844.

Bennett, Will. 1995. Step-daughter Charmaine was first to die. November 22. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/stepdaughter-charmaine-was-first-to-die-1583071.html.

Birmingham Evening Mail. 1974. "Missing girls theory." Birmingham Evening Mail, January 7: 1.

Birmingham Post. 1968. "Missing waitress mystery deepens." Birmingham Post, January 23: 2.

—. 1974. "Student missing for six days may return ton university-police." Birmingham Post, January 2: 2.

—. 1968. "Yard detectives join search for Gloucester girl." Birmingham Post, January 9: 1.

Campbell, Duncan. 1995. "How a string of girls came to die in depraved and appalling circumstances." The Guardian, October 7.

Duce, Richard. 1995. "West's suicide avenged killings, QC tells jurors." The Times, November 16.

Duce, Richard, and Bill Frost. 1995. "Court told of depravity at 25 Cromwell Street." The Times, October 7: 4.

Evening Post. 1968. "Helicopter joins hunt for Mary." Evening Post, January 8: 1.

Evening Standard. 1974. "Have you spotted this girl?" Evening Standard, July 4: 18.

Frost, Bill. 1995. "Cromwell Street murders case man is dead." The Times, Janaury 2.

Frost, Bill, and Richard Duce. 1995. "I'm being made a scapegoat, says West." The Times, November 2.

—. 1995. "No place for sentiment, West jurors are told." The Times, October 4.

—. 1995. "West: I fell under Fred's spell." The Times, October 31.

Gloucester Echo. 1994. "Did builder know Mary?" Gloucester Echo, March 8: 3.

—. 1994. "Graden bodies: Who were they?" Gloucester Echo, March 2: 1.

Gloucestershire Echo. 1995. "From angelic child to coldest of killers." Gloucestershire Echo 5.

—. 1995. "Fred West found dead." Gloucestershire Echo, January 2: 1.

—. 1995. "I'll see you in court, Rose." Gloucestershire Echo, January 4: 1.

Knight, Adam. 2014. Fred West's brother denies incest claims. November 7. Accessed March 17, 2024. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11587578.fred-wests-brother-denies-incest-claims/.

Lee, Adrian, Tim Jones, and Damian Whitworth. 1996. "Fred West's brother hangs himself." The Times, November 29.

Ovington, Paul. 1974. "Hunt steps up as fear grows for Lucy, 21." Western Daily Press and Times, January 4: 1.

Sounes, Howard. 1995. Fred & Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors. New York, NY: Open Road Media.

United Press International. 1995. "British jury convicts West of 10 murders." UPI Archive, November 22.

West, Mae, and Neil McKay. 2018. Love as Always, Mum: The True and Terrible Story of Surviving a Childhood with Fred and Rose West. London, UK: Seven Dials Press.

Williams, Martin. 1994. "'Our sister is still alive'." Gloucester Echo, February 26: 1.

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We’re heading on over to Salem in the middle of this fine week to bring you the case of Captain Joseph White. Captain White was simply not a good man, he owned slaves, he had improper relations with his family and he was just generally disliked. When the niece that he was having “relations” with decided to up and marry someone other than him he was PISSED and took her out of the will. That will would become one of the main reasons the man was killed, but in the end (like every murder) it would be all for naught.

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On October 13, 1972, a chartered aircraft carrying forty-five passengers, including 19 members of the Old Christians’ Club rugby team, departed from Montevideo, Uruguay bound for Santiago, Chile. About an hour into the flight, the copilot incorrectly believed the plane had gotten off course and requested permission from air traffic control in Santiago to begin his descent and course correct. However, when the plane began descending out of the cloud cover, the copilot realized he’d been wrong about their position and were in fact dangerous close to the Andes mountains. The pilots attempted to pull the plane back up, but they were unsuccessful and the crashed directly into the mountain.

Ultimately, sixteen of the forty-five passengers survived the crash of flight 571, spending seventy-two days in an isolated, untraveled part of the Andes. They endured extremely harsh conditions including sub-zero temperatures, exposure to freezing wind, and most significantly, starvation. The survivors were eventually rescued after two passengers hiked three days out of the mountains, using only materials from the wreckage to aid in the trek, where they eventually found help. 

In the years since the crash, the story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 has become one of the most famous tales of survival and human endurance.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1972. "16 survive 2 months in Andes after crash." Boston Globe, December 23: 2.

—. 1972. "Crash survivors resorted to cannibalism." Boston Globe, December 27: 2.

—. 1972. "16 Air crash survivors found after 69 days in icy Andes." Los Angeles Times, December 23: 1.

Benales, Carlos. 1972. "Andes survivors solved problem of food, shelter." Chicago Tribune, December 31: 9.

Campbell, Matthew. 2022. "Fifty years on, 'Alive' team say eating flesh was awful but they got used to it." Sunday Times, October 16.

Godfrey, Chris. 2023. "My plane crashed in the Andes. Only the unthinkable kept me and the other starving survivirs alive." The Guardian, December 4.

Lilliston, Lynn. 1974. "Andes crash survivors tell their story." Los Angeles Times, May 5: 179.

Read, Piers Paul. 1974. Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors. New York, NY: J.B. Lippincott Company.

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Weirdos! Spencer and Madison drop by to give us a SNEAK PEAK at their new show, Gossip's Bridle! Get ready to gossip about the gossips! So, pull up a chair, sit crooked, and talk straight with us!

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On July 6, 1944, an estimated 7,000 people, mostly women and children, gathered at the Barbour Street fairgrounds in Hartford, Connecticut to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Baily Circus. Inside the big top tent, the lion show had just ended, and the Flying Wallendas were getting ready to begin their performance when the tent caught fire, sending the large audience into a panic as the spectators and performers rushed to get to safety. The tent, which had been coated in paraffin wax, was quickly engulfed in flames and by the time the fire was put out, 139 people were dead and hundreds were badly injured. In the weeks that followed, another twenty-eight would die from their injuries. At the time, the Hartford circus fire was one of the worst fires in American history, and it remains one of the biggest tragedies in the state’s history.

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Cavanaugh, Jack. 1994. "The Hartford fire, 50 years later." New York Times, July 3: CN1.

Daily Boston Globe. 1945. "7 Ringling officials held responsible by coroner for Hartford circus fire." Daily Boston Globe, January 12: 12.

—. 1950. "Circus holocaust, 4 N.E. murders laid to N.H. man." Daily Boston Globe, Juky 1: 1.

—. 1950. "Psychiatrist to examine youth who thinks he set Hartford circus fire." Daily Boston Globe, May 21: C29.

Davis, John. 1944. "Circus Fire is described by witness." Hartford Courant, July 7: 3.

Ensworth, Bob. 1944. "Quick-witted show folks saved many, soldier declares." Daily Boston Globe, July 7: 1.

Glaberson, William. 1991. "Our towns." New York Times, August 2: B2.

Hartford Courant. 1944. "113 children, mothers not yet located." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.

—. 1944. "'Flying Wallendas' on high wire when flames swept through tent." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.

—. 1944. "Negligence facts found says Alcorn." Hartford Courant, July 8: 1.

—. 1944. "Panic and blaze trap hundreds." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.

—. 1944. "Thousands attracted by circus here." Hartford Courant, July 6: 1.

—. 1944. "Tossed cigarette blamed for fire by ushers, police." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.

Kelley, Robert. 1945. "The strange case of Little Miss No. 1565 still baffles police." Daily Boston Globe, July 16: 1.

Linscott, Seymour. 1944. "136 die in circus fire." Daily Boston Globe, July 7: 1.

Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. 1950. "Quiz firebug suspect in '44 circus tragedy." Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, May 19: 1.

Morning Edition. 2007. Remembering the Horror and Heroes of a Circus Fire. July 6. Accessed July 2, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2007/07/06/11768511/remembering-the-horror-and-heroes-of-a-circus-fire.

New York Times. 1950. "Arson killer sane, psychiatrists find." New York Times, November 2: 47.

—. 1950. "Arsonist imprisoned; admitted 172 deaths." New York Times, November 4: 34.

—. 1944. "Children caught in frenzied mass." New York Times, July 7: 11.

—. 1950. "Some doubts raised in arson confession." New York Times, July 2: 27.

Ross, Leonora. 1944. "Hartford tragedy leaves cricus artisits staggered." Daily Boston Globe, July 8: 2.

Skidgell, Michael. 2019. The Hartford Circus Fire. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing.

Smith, John Henry. 2024. 80 years ago, a gas-soaked roof and WWII created a perfect storm for the Hartford circus tragedy . July 1. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2024-07-01/80-years-ago-a-gas-soaked-roof-and-wwii-created-a-perfect-storm-for-the-hartford-circus-tragedy.

Tuohy, Lynne. 2004. "Back to the circus." Hartford Courant, May 16: 69.

United Press. 1942. "Scores of animals killed in $125,000 circus fire." Brooklyn Citizen, August 4: 1.

Wallenfeldt, Jeff. 2024. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. May 31. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ringling-Bros-and-Barnum-and-Bailey-Combined-Shows/Ringling-Bros-and-Barnum-Bailey-Combined-Shows.

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In Part 4 of H.H. Holmes, it gets even wilder. This man has now headed to Texas with his 500th wife and is ready to join his partner in crime, Benjamin Pitezel to steal Minnie Williams' inherited land. He has plans. He plans to now build a Texas murder castle like the one he created in Chicago. But first, Pitezel and Holmes need to scheme their way into a payday, using an insurance scam and faking Pitezel's death. When it looks like Pitezel might back out, things go sour and Holmes goes on a murder spree that brings him to several states and even Canada. Strap in, friends. It's complicated and horrific here.

Thank you to Dave White for research assistance.

Resources:

Philadelphia Inquirer. 1894. "Cause of death a mystery." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 6: 6.

—. 1896. "Holmes' chronology." Philadelphia Inquirer, April 12: 18.

—. 1896. "Holmes Confesses 27 murders." Philadelphia Inquirer, April 26: 1.

Philadelphia Times. 1894. "All looking for Pitezel." Philadelphia Times, November 21: 1.

—. 1894. "Perry's Peculiar Death." Philadelphia Times, September 5: 3.

Selzer, Adam. 2017. H.H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil. New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing.

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On November 2, 2016, thirty-four-year-old so-called “Supermom” Sherri Papini went out for a run near her home in Redding, California, and disappeared without a trace. Three weeks later, on Thanksgiving Day, Sherri was discovered on the side of the road in a nearby county, where she said her captors had released her. 

In the days that followed, Sherri claimed she had been kidnapped by two unknown Latin American women, who physically abused her, including branding her on the shoulder with the word “Exodus.” The case garnered considerable attention from the local and national media, but when it came to details on her abductors and their motives, Sherri was surprisingly tight-lipped, giving the police and FBI little to work with. 

In March 2022, more than five years after her supposed abduction, the nation was shocked to learn that federal agents had arrested Papini and charged her with faking her own kidnapping. A month later, Sherri pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to more than a year in prison. The news was stunning and left everyone wondering, why would a seemingly ordinary and ostensibly happy mother orchestrate such a bizarre hoax?

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

ABC News. 2016. "Missing California mom found alive after captor abandons her in restraints, sheriff says." ABC News, November 24.

Ayestas, Jonathan. 2024. "Sherri Papini has yet to pay $300,000 fine for faked 2016 California kidnapping." CNN Newswire, March 26.

Bella, Timothy. 2022. "A mother said she was kidnapped. Now she admits it was all a hoax." Washington Post, April 13.

Bever, Lindsey, and Kristine Guerra. 2016. "Missing California mother found alive three weeks after her apparent abduction, police say." Washington Post, November 25.

Bonvillian, Crystal. 2022. "Feds detail how missing mom branded, starved self in 2016 kidnapping hoax." Cox Media Group, March 9.

CBS News, Sacramento. 2016. "Full text of November 30 press conference about Sherri Papini's abduction." CBS News, Sacramento, November 30.

Federal Bureau of Investigation. 2022. Sherri Papini criminal complaint and affidavit. Criminal complaint, Los Angeles, CA: Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Gumbel, Andrew. 2022. "California jogger Sherri Papini staged own violent kidnapping, FBI says." The Guardian, March 4.

—. 2016. "Kidnapping, reverse ransom and a bounty: the strange case of Sherri Papini." The Guardian, December 30.

Hurley, Beven. 2022. "Why did it take five years to charge 'supermom' Sherri Papini with fabricating her own abduction?" The Independent, March 4.

Larimer, Sarah. 2016. "California mother was 'branded' and covered in bruises after apparent abduction, husband says." Washington Post, November 29.

Longoria, Sean. 2016. "Mother of 2 goes missing near Redding." Record Searchlight (Redding, CA), November 4: 1.

—. 2016. "Audio tells of Papini response." Record Searchlight, November 27: 1.

Sabalow, Ryan. 2016. "Familty of 'supermom' holds on to hope." Sacramento Bee, November 12: 1.

—. 2016. "Keep an open mind in unusual kidnap story, experts say." Sacramento Bee, December 3: B1.

—. 2016. "Relative defends husband of missing 'supermom'." Sacramento Bee, November 9: A14.

—. 2017. "Sheriff's office silent on Papini details." Sacramento Bee, January 31.

—. 2016. "'Supermom' hasn't been seen since taking a jog." Sacramento Bee, November 8: A4.

Sandhu, Amber. 2016. "Missing mom sought." Record Searchlight (Redding, CA), November 5: 1.

Serna, Joseph. 2016. "A setback in kidnapping case?" Los Angeles Times, December 1: B3.

Shulman, Alayna. 2016. "Sherriff gets help in search." Record Searchlight, November 8: 1.

—. 2017. "Will 2018 bring more Papini details?" Record Searchlight, December 28: 6.

Solis, Nathan. 2022. "Tale of abduction by Latinas fueled racial unease." Los Angeles Times, March 6: B2.

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Listener Tales 62 is quite the mish-mosh of tales! We have hauntingly beautiful tales about the paranormal predictions of bébés, a home intruder stabbed with an unlikely weapon, and ANOTHER home intruder that ruined a gal's pizza & Ghost Adventures Night. What an asshole. If you have a Listener Tale please feel free to send it in to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with "Listener Tale" somewhere in the subject line

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When Boston police arrested Dr. Henry Howard Holmes in a West End boarding house on November 17, 1894, they assumed they had apprehended an interstate criminal guilty of defrauding the Fidelity Insurance company of $10,000 and of being a horse thief in Texas. Holmes had been tracked to New England by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, who had suspected him of other crimes in various cities across the country; yet even the most seasoned and creative detective couldn’t have imagined the horrific scope and magnitude of crimes he’d committed.

Thanks Dave for this magnificent synopsis!

Thanks to Care/of for being a sponsor of this episode. For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code MORBID50.

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Listener Tales 47!!!! You guys, like are you alright? This one was so crazy! There’s carjacking, there’s Charles Manson and there’s more. Enjoy, hold onto your butts and keep it weird until the next listener tale. If you have a Listener Tale that you would like to send in, go ahead and send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tale” somewhere in the subject line :)

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Today we have the esteemed pleasure of sitting down with the insanely talented and hilarious Cameron Esposito! We did some Halloween Trivia, talked about Halloween traditions and then got into the sordid tale of the original Hellfire Club. There are a lot of ghosts, some murders and at least one questionable party theme in here. So join us and make sure you check out Cameron's comedy! You won't be disappointed!

Links:

https://www.cameronesposito.com

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This episode was that was originally published as Episode 240. We are revisiting it as a refresher before we update the case next Monday! We hope that you have a happy and safe holiday!

We’re bringing you to one of our favorite vacation spots: Provincetown Mass. Only we aren’t sunbathing and playing volleyball on the beach, we’re here to solve a cold case, y’all. The Lady of the Dunes, as she’s known, was discovered on July 26, 1974, in the tall grass at the Race Point Dunes. Throughout the past 47 years investigators have worked tirelessly following up on leads and exhuming her body every time some kind of new technology comes up. To this day they still don’t know who killed the woman, or more importantly, who the woman even is!

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Throughout the 1960s and 70s, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Californians were terrorized by multiple killers including notorious serial killers like the Zodiac Killer, the Hillside Stranglers, Herbert Mullin, and Ed Kemper. While the decade may have ended with these killers disappearing or apprehended, the threat of violence and murder simply moved north.

Though less known than his contemporaries, David Carpenter was no less prolific and frightening a killer than those men mentioned above. Nicknamed “The Trailside Killer” by the press, Carpenter terrorized Point Reyes and Santa Cruz County for a decade, assaulting, kidnapping, and killing at least eight people, but he was suspected of more. Like those other killers, Carpenter had a long history of violent and antisocial behavior going back to his childhood, including multiple arrests and incarcerations. How was it that a man with such an alarming history of violence could go uncaught for a decade?

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1980. "Trail Killer will strike again." Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 1: 1.

Burkhardt, Bill. 1979. "Woman found murdered on Mt. Tam." San Francisco Examiner, August 21: 1.

Graysmith, Robert. 1990. The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate. New York, NY: Onyx.

Keraghosian, Greg. 2020. "'Do not hike alone': For 21 months, the Trailside Killer terrorized Bay Area's outdoors." San Francisco Chronicle, October 25.

Leader, Lewis. 1980. "Identification ends dad's long quest." San Francisco Examiner, December 2: 2.

San Francisco Examiner. 1960. "MP's shots foil attack on woman." San Francisco Examiner, July 13: 1.

—. 1961. "Presidio attacker gets 14 yrs." San Francisco Examiner, March 10: 11.

—. 1960. "Sex case insanity plea." San Francisco Examiner, October 8: 5.

Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1970. "Boulder Creek girl attacked." Santa Cruz Sentinel, January 29: 22.

—. 1970. "Grand jury indicts con." Santa Cruz Sentinel, July 17: 7.

—. 1970. "SLV kidnap suspect flees Calaveras jail." Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 27: 1.

The People v. Carpenter. 1997. S004654 (Superior Court of Los Angeles County, April 28).

The People vs. David Carpenter. 1999. S006547 (Superior Court of San Diego County, November 29).

Todd, John. 1980. "Tam closed in hunt for clues." San Francisco Examiner, October 16: 1.

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On November 28, 1848, Isaac Jermy and his son were shot and killed in their Wymondham estate, Stanfield Hall. After a brief search, investigators located the killer, James Blomfield Rush, a tenant farmer who was leasing land from Jermy and had fallen behind on his payments. Fearing eviction and destitution, Rush concocted a plan to kill the entire Jermy family and their staff, then cast blame on Jermy’s relatives, with whom the family had been feuding over the title of the estate. However, the plan fell apart when several of the victims survived and identified Rush as the killer.

Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Ax podcast, for research assistance.

References

Bayne, A.D. 1849. The Stanfield Tragedy: A Complete Narrative. Norwich, England: Jarold and Sons.

Bristol Mercury. 1849. "Rush's trial." Bristol Mercury, April 7: 2.

Caledonian Mercury. 1849. "Execution of Rush." Caledonia Mercury, April 23.

Liverpool Mercury. 1848. "Horrible murders in Norfolk." Liverpool Mercury, December 5: 2.

Royal College of Physicians of London. 1850. A Full Report of the Trial of James Blomfield Rush for the

Murder of Mr. Jermy and His Son. London, England: W.M. Clark.

The Times. 1848. "Horrible murders at Stanfield Hall, near Wymondham." The Times, December 01: 5.

—. 1848. "The murders at Stanfield Hall." The Times, December 4: 3.

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6 year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered December 1996 in her home in Boulder, Colorado. Her death remains a mystery to this day with various theories and suspects floating around, but never caught. Who killed this beautiful little girl? Who wrote the staged 2.5 page ransom note found in her home? When will answers finally arrive from a crime scene that was outrageously contaminated from the start? This is Part 1 of our revisit to this case where we talk about the girl behind the pageant photos, the crime and the autopsy that followed.

Check out this book:

Foreign Faction by James Kolar

Change.org petition Justice for JonBenet to allow DNA testing from the crime scene created by John Ramsey

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We got some spooky ass woods for you guys! Alaina tells us the tale of Robinson Woods located in Illinois. This place has a pretty heavy energy as it is both a Native American burial ground and the location of a triple homicide that took place in the 50s. Ash then takes us just outside of Mexico City to talk about Isla De Las Muñecas or The Island of the Dolls. This is where Don Julian Santana Barrera dedicated his days to making the island a peaceful sanctuary for the spirit of a young girl he once encountered. If you have suggestions for any of our spooky installments please send them on in to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com

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In the fall of 1961, Betty and Barney Hill took a trip to Niagara Falls. On the drive back from Canada to their home in Portsmouth, NH, the Hills claimed their trip was interrupted when, after stopping to investigate a strange flying object hovering above the car, the couple was abducted by what Barney later described as “beings [that] were somehow not human.”

Thank you to the wondrous Dave White for Research Assistance!

References:

Friedman, Stanton, and Kathleen Marden. 2007. Captured! The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Experience. Red Wheel : Newburyport, MA.

Palmer, Barry. 1965. "Portsmouth couple wes 600 persons here." Nashua Telegraph, December 1: 3.

Public Broadcasting Sysetm. 1997. Nova: Kidnapped by UFOs? Boston, MA, April 1.

Robinson, J. Dennis. 1999. "The Grounding of Betty Hill." The Portsmouth Herald, February 5.

—. 2008. The UFO romance of Betty and Barney Hill. Accessed August 17, 2023. http://www.seacoastnh.com/the-ufo-romance-of-betty-and-barney-hill/?showall=1.

The Portsmouth Herald. 1969. "Barney Hill dies in city at age 46." The Portsmouth Herald, February 26: 3.

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On the morning of December 31, 1946, nineteen-year-old Pearl Lusk boarded a crowded subway train in Brooklyn. A few days earlier, she’d met a man named Allen in a bar who offered her a very strange, yet simple job: she was to follow a young woman named Olga and take a photo to determine whether she was wearing any stolen jewelry. 

That morning, as Pearl and Olga exited the crowded subway train, Pearl raised the camera in Olga’s direction and pulled the wire to take a photo, but what happened next would put into motion a series of events that rivals fiction.

Thank you to the wonderful Dave White for Research assistance!

References

Adams, Toni. 1947. "Troopers hunt and kill Alphonse Rocco." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 7: 1.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1947. "Camera-gun suspect flees in stolen car." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 6: 2.

Buffalo Evening News. 1947. "'Camera' shooting victim asks N.Y. City to pay her $200,000." Buffalo Evening News, February 14: 1.

—. 1953. "Court frees city of liability for not averting shooting." Buffalo Evening News, April 22: 25.

—. 1947. "Police press quest for spouse of camera-gun victim." Buffalo Evening News, January 2: 9.

—. 1946. "Times Square Station is scene of shooting." Buffalo Evening News, December 31: 10.

International News Service. 1947. "Estranged wife and family glad Ruocco is dead." Buffalo Evening News, Janaury 7: 1.

Kingston Daily Freeman. 1947. "Victim of camera shooting guarded." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 2: 18.

McKelway, St. Clair. 1953. The Perils of Pearl and Olga. August 8. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1953/08/08/the-perils-of-pearl-and-olga.

New York Times. 1947. "Camera-gun victim files for $200,000." New York Times, February 15: 17.

—. 1947. "'Camera-gun' victim loses a leg." New York Times, Janaury 3: 1.

—. 1947. "Girl, dupe in plot, shoots woman with 'camera' gun." New York Times, January 1: 1.

—. 1947. "Lusk girl freed; will leave city." New York Times, Janaury 11: 20.

—. 1947. "Rocco killed by the police in Catskills." New York Times, January 7: 1.

Smith, Delos. 1947. "Gullible girl hoaxed into plot on life of estranged wife." Daily Boston Globe, January 1: 13.

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When Chris Regan went missing and his car was found abandoned at a local park and ride, many people were concerned. Chris was supposed to be moving from Michigan to North Carolina with his son, a move that he was over the moon about, but then all of the sudden everyone in Chris's life just stopped hearing from him. When his car was searched the detectives would find directions written down that led Chris to the last place he would ever go: Kelly Cochran's home.

Where Monters Hide:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851TBNFD/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

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In Part 3 H.H. Holmes isn't done being adulterous and he's taking evil to another level. He's conning wives left and right and then takes to arson to earn a quick buck. Today, we go deeper into the design of his "murder castle" while also watching this con man/killer descend further into madness. What will be his undoing? Stay tuned...

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It is Listener Tales up in here, up in here! Do the monster mash my dudes because this is a SPOOKY HALLOWEEN edition. We’ve got tales of accidental stabbings at a Halloween birthday party, an unplanned Michael Myers Halloween meetup and a lighthouse prank caller. Oh and Ash sings Britney Spears, you’re welcome :)

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Loretta Jones was brutally murdered in her own Utah home back in 1970, all while her four year old daughter, Heidi was in the next room. Heidi knew all along who had killed her mother, she would try to tell the police herself and her grandmother would try to reiterate Heidi’s message as well but the police in the original investigation never considered Heidi a witness. Because of that and a lack of urgency, they were never able to get Tom put away for murder. Heidi never gave up on seeking out justice for her mother and 46 years later, because of Heidi and some great detective work, Loretta Jones murder would be solved.

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When eighteen-year-old recent high school graduate Tiffany Valiante was struck and killed by a train in July 2015, the news came as a shock to friends and family, who couldn’t fathom why the teenager had been out walking the tracks that night. Their shock and confusion quickly turned to outrage and disbelief when, less than twenty-four hours later, Tiffany’s death was ruled a suicide by the New Jersey Transit Police, who were tasked with investigating the incident. As far as everyone knew, Tiffany was a happy, outgoing girl with a bright future and a sports scholarship to Mercy College in the fall—they couldn’t think of a single reason why she would have wanted to end her life. 

Despite the official conclusions about her death, the Valiante family have never believed Tiffany intentionally stepped in front of the train that night, and in the months and years that have passed since her death, many other people have come to a similar conclusion. In fact, they’re confident the evidence and numerous unanswered questions suggest Tiffany had not gone into the woods voluntarily and that her death is at best suspicious, and at worst a murder. 

Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research and writing support!

References

Conklin, Eric. 2023. "Family of Tiffany Valiante marks 8 years since teen's death with 2nd docuseries in the works." Press of Atlantic City, July 24.

Daily Beast. 2022. "Was high school grad being chased before grisly train death?" Daily Beast, July 16.

D'Amato Law. 2017. "“It’s just not the Tiffany I knew,” said Allison Walker, head women’s volleyball coach at Stockton University who coached Valiante in the East Coast Crush Volleyball Club, a junior travel volleyball team. “The time of night really didn’t sit right with me." D'Amato Law. July 17. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://damatolawfirm.com/in-the-news/who-killed-tiffany-valiante-questions-persist-as-family-marks-the-third-anniversary-of-her-mysterious-death/.

—. 2022. Mishandling Key Evidence In 2015 Tiffany Valiante Suspicious Death Case Impeded Independent Forensic DNA Analysis, Reports Renowned Lab. March 29. Accessed August 20, 2024. https://damatolawfirm.com/in-the-news/mishandling-key-evidence-in-2015-tiffany-valiante-suspicious-death-case/.

DeAngelis, Martin. 2016. "Death of teen not suicide, suit says." Press of Atlantic City, July 20: 3.

DiFilippo, Dana, and Joe Hernandez. 2017. Family of N.J. teen killed by train disputes suicide ruling, sues to prove kidnap-murder plot. July 19. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://whyy.org/articles/family-of-nj-teen-killed-by-train-disputes-suicide-ruling-sues-to-prove-kidnap-murder-plot/.

Houseman, H. Louise. 2017. Investigative report submitted by H. Louise Hoiusman, Senior Medical Investigator. Investigative Report, Egg Harbor, NJ: D'Amato Law.

Huba, Nicholas. 2015. "Suicides shock, sadden teens." Press of Atlantic City, July 19: 1.

Jason, Dr. Donald. 2018. Re: Death of Tiffany Valiante. Forensic evaluation, Egg Harbor, NJ: D'Amato Law.

Low, Claire. 2018. "A walk thgrough hell." Press of Atlantic City, December 16: 1.

Morgan, Kate. 2022. Tiffany Valiante's last night. November. Accessed August 15, 2024. https://sjmagazine.net/featured/tiffany-valiantes-last-night.

Stephen F. Valiante and Diane F. Valiante v. Does et al. 2017. ATL-L-1411-17 (Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, July 18).

Sterling, Stephen, and S.P. Sullivan. 2017. Death and dysfunction: HGow N.J. fails the dead, betrays the living and is a national disgrace. December 14. Accessed August 19, 2024. https://death.nj.com/.

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On July 4th 1954 Marilyn Sheppard was brutally killed in her home while her husband was asleep on the couch downstairs. Marilyn’s husband Sam would soon be accused of the killing and would later stand multiple trials deeming his innocence or lackthereof. Ash will walk us through said trials and then some other theories about possible culprits. Unfortunately to this day Marilyn Sheppard’s murder has never been solved.

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When twenty-year-old Walter Brooks was found dead from a bullet to the head on Valentine’s Day 1902, suspicion immediately fell on Brooks’ nineteen-year-old sometimes-girlfriend, Florence Burns. The two were known to have a tumultuous relationship and had fought violently on the morning of his death, and there was considerable evidence indicating that Burns had been in the hotel room at the time of Brooks’ murder. However, despite all the evidence indicating guilt, Florence Burns was never brought to trial for Brooks’ murder or even formally charged with a crime, and Walter Brooks murder officially remains an unsolved case in New York.

While the story of Walter Brooks and Florence Burns is relatively uncomplicated in terms of the crime around which the story is built, the story is a remarkable illustration of the ways in which things like class, gender, and technological advances can influence and even shape how the law is applied in the United States. Indeed, at the time of the murder, the nation was undergoing incredibly social and cultural changes as a result of dramatically expanded transportation and communication technology, giving rise to a youth culture the likes of which had never been seen in the nation prior. That youth culture and the rebelliousness it produced in many young wealthy Americans played a direct role, not only in Walter’s life and death, but also in the socio-cultural perspectives and Victorian beliefs that allowed Florence to get away with murder.

Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast & 99 Cent Rental for Research!

References

Evening World. 1902. "Denised she shot broker in hotel." Evening World, February 15: 1.

Ferranti, Seth. 2019. The Affluenza Murder Case That Shocked America 100 Years Ago. March 15. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.vice.com/en/article/d3meyv/the-affluenza-murder-case-that-shocked-america-100-years-ago.

McConnell, Virginia A. 2019. The Belle of Bedford Avenue: The Sensational Brooks-Burns Murder in Turn-of-the-Century New York. Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press.

New York Times. 1902. "Brooks murder case ends." New York Times, May 21: 5.

—. 1903. "Florence Burns on the stage." New York Times, February 15: 10.

—. 1902. "Jerome on Burns case." New York Times, March 25: 7.

—. 1902. "Man shot, girl arrested ." New York Times, February 16: 3.

New York Tribune. 1910. "Florence Burns again in hands of police." New York Tribune, September 21: 1.

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Considered among the first (and certainly the most prolific) American female serial killers and so-called angels of mercy, Jane Toppan’s killing spree went unnoticed for more than fifteen years, as she transitioned from one hospital to another, leaving an unprecedented trail of carnage in her wake. Jane was finally arrested in 1901, after killing the entire family of a man for whom she’d been hired to provide care. The arrest and trial were a sensation, as murder and cruelty were a direct contradiction of the norms and standards long relied upon to define American womanhood. 

Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research!

References

Boston Globe. 1902. "Agree that she's insane." Boston Globe, April 6: 1.

—. 1901. "Alden P. Davis' death due to another cause." Boston Globe, November 21: 1.

—. 1901. "Hint to watch Miss Toppan." Boston Globe, October 31: 5.

—. 1901. "Inquiry is under way." Boston Globe, August 31: 1.

—. 1902. "Is Miss Toppan sane." Boston Globe, March 26: 1.

—. 1904. "Jane Toppan an imbecile." Boston Globe, July 10: 6.

—. 1902. "Jane Toppan insane, found not guilty." Boston Globe, June 24: 1.

—. 1938. "Jane Toppan, poisoner of 31, dies in hospital at age pf 81." Boston Globe, August 18: 1.

—. 1901. "Marriage and money." Boston Globe, November 1: 1.

—. 1901. "Murder by poison." Boston Globe, October 31: 1.

—. 1901. "No cause for suspicion." Boston Globe, November 4: 2.

Lowell Historical Society. 2022. Lowell’s ties to “Jolly” Jane, Massachusetts’ Female Serial Killer. October 29. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.lowellhistoricalsociety.org/lowells-ties-to-jolly-jane-massachusetts-female-serial-killer/.

New York Times. 1904. "Jane Toppan, an extraordinary case of moral insanity." New York Times, October 23: A2.

—. 1938. "Miss Jane Toppan, 84, Mass poisoner, dies." New York Times, August 18: 15.

Schechter, Harold. 2012. Fatal: The Poisonous Life of a Female Serial Killer. New York, NY: Pocket Books.

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On the morning of January 15, 1947, a woman walking with her young daughter spotted something pale and white lying in the weeds of a vacant lot. When the woman walked closer to get a better look, she made a horrifying discovery: the bisected body of a young woman, brutally murdered and like trash in the abandoned overgrown lot. The woman in the lot would soon be identified as twenty-two-year-old aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, who the press nicknamed “The Black Dahlia.” 

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Associated Press. 1947. "Mrs. Phoebe Short can't believe slain girl hers." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 17: 2.

Bartlett, Jim. 2017. The Black Dahlia: Los Angeles' most famous unsolved murder. January 8. Accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38513320.

Daily News. 1947. "Body of girl mutilated by murderer." Daily News (Los Angeles, CA), January 15: 1.

Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1947. Correspondence, Identification Division, FBI. Letter from R.B. Hood, SAC to Director Hoover, re: Black Dahlia identification, Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice.

Gilmore, John. 1994. Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia. Gardena, CA: Zanja Press.

Goffard, Christopher. 2024. "The killing of Elizabeth Short, dubbed the Black Dahlia, has inspired endless theories." Los Angeles Times, October 26: B1.

Hodel, Steve. 2003. Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder. New York, NY: Arcade Publishing.

Lait, Matt. 1991. "Memories of murder." Los Angeles Times, June 22: B1.

—. 1991. "Search fails to turn up evidence of '47 murder." Los Angeles Times, June 23: B1.

Los Angeles Times. 1947. "Beth Short slaying suspect jailed after asserted admission of crime." Los Angeles Times, January 29: 2.

—. 1947. "'Black Dahlia' knife braggart terroizes girl." Los Angeles Times, February 5: 7.

—. 1947. "'Black Dahlia's' love life traced in search for her fiendish murderer." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 18: 3.

—. 1947. "'Dahlia' clues fail; inquest conducted." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 23: 2.

—. 1947. "Elizabeth Short case slayer baffles police." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 31: 2.

—. 1947. "Girl victim of sex fiend found slain." Los Angeles Times, January 16: 2.

—. 2004. "Janice Knowlton claimed a link to Black Dahlia murder." Los Angeles Times, December 19: B7.

—. 1947. "'Killer' fails to surrender in Elizabeth Short death." Los Angeles Times, January 30: 2.

—. 1947. "Mystery envelope sent in 'Dahlia' case; address book gives dozens of fresh leads." Los Angeles Times, January 25: 3.

—. 1947. "Police await second 'Dahlia' letter for clue to break murder case." Los Angeles Times, January 27: 2.

—. 1947. "Police free red-haired salesman as suspect in 'Black Dahlia' murder." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 21: 2.

—. 1947. "Police stumped in beauty killing." Los Angeles Times, February 2: 2.

—. 1947. "Soldier's 'Dahlia' date tale newest clue in slaying." Los Angeles Times, February 6: 2.

—. 1947. "Soldier's leave time checked in 'Dahlia' murder." Los Angeles Times, February 7: 2.

—. 1947. "Suspect detained for questioning in 'Black Dahlia' mutilation murder." Los Angeles Times, January 20: 2.

—. 1947. "Tooth cavities clue checked in beauty slaying." Los Angeles Times, February 4: 2.

Nightingale, Suzan. 1982. "Author claims to have found 1947 murderer." Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Janaury 17.

United Press. 1947. "'Sick' veteran is booked in Dahlia death." Fresno Bee, January 29: 1.

—. 1947. "Spurned lover is hunted in murder of 'Black Dahlia'." Fresno Bee, January 17: 1.

—. 1947. "L.A. Police hope Dahliua murderer will surrender." Sacramento Bee, January 28: 4.

Weller, Sheila. 2015. "The sins of the father." Dujour, June 01.

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