Prank Phone Calls, Cash Windfalls & Other Strange Reasons for Banging Your Head Against Walls: The White House Farm Murders
Jan 09, 2020
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Sometime during the night of August 7, 1985, a gruesome mass murder took place within the residence located at White House Farm in Essex, England. Homeowners June and Nevill Bamber, 61, were hosting their 28-year-old daughter, Sheila, and her twin sons, Daniel and Nicolas, who were both 6 years old. Sadly, by morning, all of them will have been shot to death. Even more tragically, the crime scene appears to show the incident was a murder-suicide orchestrated by Sheila, who was troubled by severe mental illness, and seemingly on the verge of losing custody of her kids.But the police can feel something isn't right. Living nearby is the Bamber's son Jeremy, whose story appears to have some holes. Soon enough, he finds himself under suspicion, and a controversy ignites about the true identity of the killer. Was it Sheila, motivated by paranoid delusions related to her Schizophrenia, or did Jeremy Bamber have his sights set on inheriting the family estate for himself, and saw Sheila as an easy target for a scapegoat?Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological examination of this fascinating, yet horrific crime in an effort to learn the truth about what really happened that fateful night.
It’s Gotta be a Proclivity Toward Inauthenticity that Ignites the Burning Rage of Life Inside a Cage: Travis the Chimp
Dec 31, 2019
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On the afternoon of February 16, 2009, a 70-year-old woman named Sandra Herold called 911 in Stamford, CT to report her 200-lb. chimp, Travis, had gone on a rampage outside her home, and was eating her friend, 55-year-old Charla Nash. The docile primate, who had been raised by humans and socialized among the public, from starring in TV commercials and print advertisements to making special appearances, had never harmed a fly.But something changed. And Travis snapped. The question is why.Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of the evolutionary divide between humans and wild animals that leads to these tragedies.
Analytical Drivel about Subliminal Words & Actions Used to Avenge Michael Jackson: The Disappearance of Mitrice Richardson
Dec 22, 2019
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On the evening of September 16, 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson drove to the beach in Malibu, CA alone to enjoy watching the sunset, after which she stopped at a local restaurant to have a nice dinner. But while there, Mitrice's behavior went from curious to inexplicable, and she soon found herself taken to jail for failure to pay the check. Even though it was apparent to the staff she was suffering from some type of mental health issue, deputies at the scene processed her as being of sound mind. And this would have tragic consequences. Hours later, Mitrice was released from jail, and walked off into the darkness of night through some difficult and dangerous terrain. That was the last anybody saw of her ... until August of 2010, nearly a year later, when park rangers discovered her remains at the base of a steep canyon. But despite locating Mitrice, the body didn't afford the definitive answers everyone was hoping to get regarding her fate.In the aftermath, one looming question remains... Was it a tragic accident, or did Mitrice Richardson fall victim to a vicious predator lurking in the shadows? Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey into the mind of madness in an effort to unearth the secrets to the mystery surrounding her death.
That Noise in the Walls, Who’s Making this Racket, Is it a Ghost or a Man with a Hatchet: Daniel LaPlante
Dec 13, 2019
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In the mid-1980s, on the heels of suffering an abusive childhood, a troubled Townsend, MA teen named Daniel LaPlante began a crime spree that terrorized the residents of the local area where he lived. It started as a string of burglaries, but a thirst for greater thrills developed over time, and his antisocial rampage finally ended with the vicious murders of a pregnant woman and her two young children. By the time it was all said and done, LaPlante was not only serving three consecutive life sentences in prison, but had become the subject of great speculation and legend, making himself a regular topic of conversation around campfires and Ouija boards. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of Daniel LaPlante's mysterious, yet terrifying persona to trace his issues back to their roots.
Invisible Intruders, Empty-Handed Looters & The Perfect Occasion for Planning a Home Invasion: Sandy Melgar
Dec 05, 2019
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*Please enjoy this free episode from the back catalog of premium episodes available only on coldcasemurdermysteries.com. Please remember to rate/review the podcast with 5 stars, and also hit the “subscribe” button wherever you listen. Doing this allows CCMM to offer more free content.*
On the afternoon of December 23, 2012, a Houston, TX woman named Sandra Melgar was discovered bound and trapped inside her bathroom closet, while her husband Jim lay nearby in a pool of blood, the victim of a vicious stabbing. In the aftermath, what initially seemed like a home invasion became a situation where detectives zeroed in on Sandy as the prime suspect. But could this seemingly fragile woman, limited by physical ailments such as two hip replacements and arthritis, really butcher her husband in cold blood? A jury believed so, and convicted Sandy. But did she do it? Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological journey through the evolutionary implications of the crime scene and beyond in search of the truth.
The Haunting of Houses for Children Arouses a Damning Desire to Burn Ghosts in the Fire: John Wayne Gacy
Dec 04, 2019
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From 1972 to 1978, infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the "Killer Clown" murdered no fewer than 33 young men and teen boys in his ranch home located in Cook County, IL near Chicago, a truth that came to light when the remains of 29 victims were discovered buried in the crawlspace of his house and elsewhere on the property. It was an atrocity that defied words, and left the investigators, in addition to the general public, wondering how any man could be such a cruel, heartless monster. And as they searched for answers in the cold eyes of the 36-year-old predator, what was lurking beneath in his soul revealed that the story started long before the murders, back when Gacy was just a little boy living under the tyrannical wrath of his abusive, alcoholic father. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey back in time to explore John Wayne Gacy's childhood inside his father's house of horrors, and how it led to him creating his own one day.
Darkest Night, Rolling Thunder, Flashing Light, Skies of Wonder: The Oklahoma Girl Scout Murders
Nov 19, 2019
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On June 12, 1977, busloads of enthusiastic young campers arrived at rural Camp Scott in Mayes County, OK for a two-week getaway hosted by the Girl Scouts that kicked off the summer season. It should have been the time of their lives, a carefree reprieve from the long school year that preceded it. But when night fell, a predator was revealed lurking in darkness throughout the surrounding woods, stalking them like prey. By morning, three innocent girls would be found dead, victims of a vicious assault that shocked a community, and caused the facility to close its doors forever. While numerous suspects came to light in the aftermath, and one even stood trial, the crime remains unsolved to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological evaluation of the killer's action in an attempt to create an accurate profile that will, once and for all, finally put a face to this monster.
PSYCHO
Nov 12, 2019
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On the evening of November 16, 1957, Deputy Sheriff Frank Worden entered a Plainfield, WI hardware store owned by his mother, Bernice, only to discover the woman was missing. After finding blood all over the floor, his initial investigation revealed that the last customer who had purchased something that day was a local man named Ed Gein. Authorities soon learned Bernice had been shot, and her decapitated body was found inside a shed on Gein’s property. But the nightmare was just beginning. When police entered the home, what they saw was nearly unspeakable. Body parts, from bone to skin, had been repurposed for use as common household items such as lampshades, belts, and other accessories. Gein soon admitted to another murder, in addition to dozens of grave robberies intended to exhume women who looked like his deceased mother. He had also sealed off his mother’s bedroom, and turned it into a shrine dedicated to her. Disturbed by this news, local author Robert Bloch took a particular interest in trying to determine what had driven Ed Gein to commit such heinous acts, a question which, no matter how it’s answered, always leads back to the killer’s relationship with his mother. It was apparent, one way or another, that Gein was intent upon keeping his mother alive, no matter what it took physically, or what it cost him emotionally. Lurking beneath that insanity, however, is a heartbreaking story about the devastating effects of loneliness and loss. Not long after, in 1959, Robert Bloch published a book called Psycho, which indirectly examined Ed Gein’s emotional issue by way of a fictional story that shows us a man who will stop at nothing to keep his mother alive and prevent the fragile facade of his deception from coming to light. In that same year, director Alfred Hitchcock was made aware of Bloch’s novel. He quickly purchased the rights in order to adapt the story into a 1960 film. And the rest is history. Join Cold Case Murder Mysteries host Ryan Kraus for a comprehensive, in-depth psychological analysis of this cinematic masterpiece in an effort to examine the terrifying truth about our humanity lurking beneath the smile we offer the outside world.
Implicit Digits, Spontaneous Visits & The Emotional Specifics of Purchasing One-Way Tickets: Andrew Gosden
Nov 05, 2019
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On the morning of September 14, 2007, an accomplished 14-year-old student named Andrew Gosden skipped school for unknown reasons and boarded a train headed to Kings Cross Station in London, at which point he was captured alone on surveillance video exiting to the street. But that was the last confirmed sighting of the teen. He was never heard from again. Many theories about his vanishing have gained traction in the aftermath, yet his disappearance remains a mystery to this day. Join host Ryan Kraus for a psychological exploration of Andrew's actions leading up to the event in an effort to understand why he left, in addition to how he might have met his untimely demise.
Brave Little Heroes, Disaffected Teens & The Making of a Monster who Whispers with Screams: Daniel Marsh
Oct 29, 2019
Show notes
On April 14, 2013, 87-year-old Chip Northup and his 76-year-old wife, Claudia Maupin, were found brutally stabbed to death in the bedroom of the couple's Davis, CA home. Someone had broken into their house during the previous night and murdered them as they slept. But in the aftermath, investigators weren't able to identify anything missing from the home, nor could they establish any other motive. Soon enough, suspicion fell upon the shoulders of family members, including Chip's son Robert. Before long, however, the leads dried up, and the case seemed as though it might go cold. That's when a 911 operator receives a call from a local high school student who claims his best friend, 15-year-old Daniel Marsh, is the killer. Join host Ryan Kraus for a journey through the twisted mind of a sadistic psychopath in an effort to understand what drove him to commit murder.
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