Criminal Mischief

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True Crime
**Criminal Mischief**

The Murder Chronicles is now CRIMINAL MISCHIEF with Carolyn and Branden. From the creative team that brought you The Shadow Girls and The Devil Within, hosts Carolyn Ossorio and Branden Morgan team up to give you a double dose of true crime each and every week. First, Carolyn trains her investigative eye on the darkest corners of the human condition to bring you a weekly story that is terrifying and intriguing with the type of access that only a veteran journalist could achieve. Then Carolyn is joined by Branden for a weekly bonus episode to have a lively (and less professional…) discussion about the case. Criminal Mischief is sure to be your new true crime obsession. Go ahead… scratch the itch.

Latest Episodes:

E | 158 At Last... Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

🔥 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

🕵️‍♂️ AT LAST... The Arrest of Mark Anthony Russ: Justice for Tanya Frazier

🎙️ Guest: Retired Homicide Detective Cloyd Steiger

Twenty-six years ago, thirteen-year-old Tanya Frazier vanished on her walk home in Seattle’s Rainier Valley. The next morning, her body was discovered in a wooded ravine, and the case quickly became one of the region’s most agonizing unsolved murders. Leads failed, suspects drifted into dead ends, and the investigation went cold while the community carried the weight of an unanswered crime.

Last week, the story changed.

Detectives arrested Mark Anthony Russ after modern forensic testing revealed a link that never existed in 1997. This is the kind of break investigators dream of: science catching up to violence.

In this episode of Criminal Mischief, Branden Morgan sits down with retired homicide detective Cloyd Steiger. He spent decades inside interrogation rooms and crime scenes, and he understands exactly how cases like Tanya’s finally crack open. Steiger explains the role of forensic innovation, why some killers slip through for so long, and how investigators prepare for the moment a cold case suddenly heats back up.

This is the story of a heartbreaking crime, a forensic breakthrough, and a long-awaited step toward justice.

🎧 CALL TO ACTION

If this episode hit you, follow Criminal Mischief on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Rate the show, leave a review, and help others find it.

More episodes and full series at eviocreative.com.

💼 SPONSORS

🧵 Quince

Luxury essentials at honest prices.

Visit quince.com/MISCHIEF for free shipping and 365-day returns.

📱 Mint Mobile

Premium wireless for fifteen dollars a month.

Go to mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN to cut your bill today.

🔐 ExpressVPN

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🌿 MOOD

Legal THC and CBD delivered to your door.

Visit mood.com and use code DEVILWITHIN for discounted gummies.

🎬 CREDITS

Criminal Mischief is an Evio Creative production.

Hosted by Carolyn Ossorio.

Guest: Cloyd Steiger.

Produced by Branden Morgan.

Executive produced by Branden Morgan for Evio Creative.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E | 157 FEAR (Bonus) Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

🔪 Criminal Mischief

“Fear & Fire: The Byron Smith Case”

Home is supposed to be the one place where the world can’t reach us —

where we sleep, breathe, and live without fear.

But what happens when that sanctuary is violated?

And what happens after the fear curdles into something else?

This week on Criminal Mischief, Carolyn Ossorio breaks down the chilling case of Byron Smith, a Minnesota homeowner who claimed his house had become a hunting ground for burglars… and that he was simply defending what mattered most.

Smith said thieves had robbed him not just of valuables, but of peace —

that he lived in constant dread, waiting for another shadow on the stairs, another shattered window, another invasion.

So when two intruders entered his basement on Thanksgiving Day,

Smith didn’t flee.

He didn’t call ⁠911⁠.

He waited — armed, recording, and ready.

What followed would leave a community divided,

a jury horrified,

and America asking where the line lies between self-defense and premeditated vengeance.

Was this a man pushed to the brink by repeated victimization?

Or a calculating killer who used fear as justification for an ambush?

The answers — and the tape — tell a story far darker than a simple burglary gone wrong.

🎧 Listen now

For reporting that respects victims, examines motive, and never looks away from the truth — even when it’s unsettling.

🕯️ From the Evio Creative Network

• The Devil Within — possession, obsession, and true crime in the shadows

• The Devil’s Ledger — the strangest story you’ll hear this week

• The Ides of April — immersive historical storytelling by candlelight

• Taboo Treasures — forbidden history & cultural archaeology

Follow: @eviocreative • @thedevilwithinpod

🛠️ Sponsor Support

Support the partners who keep investigative storytelling alive:

• Quince — elevated essentials without luxury mark-ups

👉 ⁠quince.com/MISCHIEF⁠ for free shipping & 365-day returns

• Mint Mobile — premium wireless for just $15/month

👉 ⁠mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN⁠

• ExpressVPN — protect your data and browse privately

👉 ⁠expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN⁠ for up to four months free

• MOOD — legal THC & CBD shipped straight to your door

👉 ⁠mood.com/DEVILWITHIN⁠ for 20% off your first order

• Ollie Dog Food — fresh, human-grade nutrition for your dog

👉 ⁠ollie.com/IDES⁠ for 60% off your first box

• Monarch — the most powerful personal finance app

👉 ⁠monarch.com/IDES⁠ for 50% off your first year

📢 Rate & Review

If you appreciate thoughtful true crime that centers humanity over hype,

leave a rating and review — it helps more listeners discover Criminal Mischief.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

EP | 157 FEAR Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

🔪 Criminal Mischief

“Fear & Fire: The Byron Smith Case”

Home is supposed to be the one place where the world can’t reach us —

where we sleep, breathe, and live without fear.

But what happens when that sanctuary is violated?

And what happens after the fear curdles into something else?

Smith said thieves had robbed him not just of valuables, but of peace —

that he lived in constant dread, waiting for another shadow on the stairs, another shattered window, another invasion.

So when two intruders entered his basement on Thanksgiving Day,

Smith didn’t flee.

He didn’t call 911.

He waited — armed, recording, and ready.

What followed would leave a community divided,

a jury horrified,

and America asking where the line lies between self-defense and premeditated vengeance.

Was this a man pushed to the brink by repeated victimization?

Or a calculating killer who used fear as justification for an ambush?

The answers — and the tape — tell a story far darker than a simple burglary gone wrong.

🎧 Listen now

For reporting that respects victims, examines motive, and never looks away from the truth — even when it’s unsettling.

🕯️ From the Evio Creative Network

• The Devil Within — possession, obsession, and true crime in the shadows

• The Devil’s Ledger — the strangest story you’ll hear this week

• The Ides of April — immersive historical storytelling by candlelight

• Taboo Treasures — forbidden history & cultural archaeology

Follow: @eviocreative • @thedevilwithinpod

🛠️ Sponsor Support

Support the partners who keep investigative storytelling alive:

• Quince — elevated essentials without luxury mark-ups

👉 quince.com/MISCHIEF for free shipping & 365-day returns

• Mint Mobile — premium wireless for just $15/month

👉 mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN

• ExpressVPN — protect your data and browse privately

👉 expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN for up to four months free

• MOOD — legal THC & CBD shipped straight to your door

👉 mood.com/DEVILWITHIN for 20% off your first order

• Ollie Dog Food — fresh, human-grade nutrition for your dog

👉 ollie.com/IDES for 60% off your first box

• Monarch — the most powerful personal finance app

👉 monarch.com/IDES for 50% off your first year

📢 Rate & Review

If you appreciate thoughtful true crime that centers humanity over hype,

leave a rating and review — it helps more listeners discover Criminal Mischief.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E | 156 Amityville Horror - The Demon Spawn (BONUS) Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

🔪 Criminal Mischief — Amityville Horror - The Demon Spawn

Presented by the Evio Creative Podcast Network

It began with a scream in the dark — and ended as one of the most infamous legends in American true crime.

This week on Criminal Mischief, Carolyn Ossorio takes listeners back to Amityville, Long Island, 1974 — where 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family as they slept: his parents, two brothers, and two sisters.

The killings shocked the nation. DeFeo claimed he heard voices commanding him to act — whispers from inside the house itself. It was a defense that blurred the line between insanity and the supernatural, and launched one of the longest-running cultural debates in modern crime history: was it possession… or pathology?

Then came the Lutz family.

Just over a year after the murders, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the DeFeo home — and lasted only 28 days.

They claimed to hear the same voices. They described green slime oozing from the walls, crucifixes turning upside down, and a demonic pig with glowing red eyes watching them through the windows.

Whether hoax, haunting, or hysteria, the story became legend — spawning books, documentaries, and one of the most successful horror franchises of all time.

Carolyn investigates the evidence, the contradictions, and the chilling legacy that still clings to that Dutch Colonial house on Ocean Avenue.

🩸 In This Episode

• The night of November 13, 1974 — the DeFeo murders and the evidence that didn’t add up

• Ronnie DeFeo’s shifting claims of demonic possession

• The Lutz family’s 28-day ordeal and the birth of The Amityville Horror myth

• The psychic investigators who made the story famous — and the skeptics who called it a lie

• Why Amityville endures as the ultimate intersection of crime, fear, and faith

💀 Credits

Hosted by Carolyn Ossorio

Produced by Evio Creative

Sound design and score by [Engineer Name]

Written by Branden Morgan & Carolyn Ossorio

For media inquiries or press requests, visit ⁠eviocreative.com⁠ (⁠https://www.eviocreative.com/⁠)

🕯️ Sponsor Shoutouts

Support Criminal Mischief and every show in the Evio Creative Podcast Network by visiting our partners:

🧥 Quince — timeless essentials at honest prices. Visit ⁠https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns.

📱 Mint Mobile — premium wireless for just $15 a month. Visit ⁠https://www.mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN⁠ for unlimited talk and text.

🕵️ ExpressVPN — protect your data everywhere. Visit ⁠https://www.expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN⁠ for up to four months free.

🌿 MOOD — legal THC and CBD gummies shipped nationwide. Visit ⁠https://www.mood.com/DEVILWITHIN⁠ for 20% off your first order.

🐾 Ollie Dog Food — fresh, human-grade meals for your dog. Visit ⁠https://www.ollie.com/IDES⁠ for 60% off your welcome kit.

💰 Monarch — take control of your finances at ⁠https://www.monarch.com/IDES⁠ for 50% off your first year.

🎙️ Network CTA

Listen to more stories from the Evio Creative Podcast Network, including The Devil Within, The Ides of April, The Devil’s Ledger, and Taboo Treasures.

Follow @criminalmischiefpod, @eviocreative, and @thedevilwithinpod for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming series announcements.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E | 156 Amityville Horror - The Demon Spawn Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

🔪 Criminal Mischief — Amityville Horror - The Demon Spawn

Presented by the Evio Creative Podcast Network

It began with a scream in the dark — and ended as one of the most infamous legends in American true crime.

Then came the Lutz family.

Just over a year after the murders, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the DeFeo home — and lasted only 28 days.

They claimed to hear the same voices. They described green slime oozing from the walls, crucifixes turning upside down, and a demonic pig with glowing red eyes watching them through the windows.

Whether hoax, haunting, or hysteria, the story became legend — spawning books, documentaries, and one of the most successful horror franchises of all time.

Carolyn investigates the evidence, the contradictions, and the chilling legacy that still clings to that Dutch Colonial house on Ocean Avenue.

🩸 In This Episode

• The night of November 13, 1974 — the DeFeo murders and the evidence that didn’t add up

• Ronnie DeFeo’s shifting claims of demonic possession

• The Lutz family’s 28-day ordeal and the birth of The Amityville Horror myth

• The psychic investigators who made the story famous — and the skeptics who called it a lie

• Why Amityville endures as the ultimate intersection of crime, fear, and faith

💀 Credits

Hosted by Carolyn Ossorio

Produced by Evio Creative

Sound design and score by [Engineer Name]

Written by Branden Morgan & Carolyn Ossorio

For media inquiries or press requests, visit eviocreative.com (https://www.eviocreative.com/)

🕯️ Sponsor Shoutouts

Support Criminal Mischief and every show in the Evio Creative Podcast Network by visiting our partners:

🧥 Quince — timeless essentials at honest prices. Visit https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for free shipping and 365-day returns.

📱 Mint Mobile — premium wireless for just $15 a month. Visit https://www.mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN for unlimited talk and text.

🕵️ ExpressVPN — protect your data everywhere. Visit https://www.expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN for up to four months free.

🌿 MOOD — legal THC and CBD gummies shipped nationwide. Visit https://www.mood.com/DEVILWITHIN for 20% off your first order.

🐾 Ollie Dog Food — fresh, human-grade meals for your dog. Visit https://www.ollie.com/IDES for 60% off your welcome kit.

💰 Monarch — take control of your finances at https://www.monarch.com/IDES for 50% off your first year.

🎙️ Network CTA

Listen to more stories from the Evio Creative Podcast Network, including The Devil Within, The Ides of April, The Devil’s Ledger, and Taboo Treasures.

Follow @criminalmischiefpod, @eviocreative, and @thedevilwithinpod for episode updates, behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming series announcements.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E | 155 The Devil's Checkmate (Bonus) Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

🔪 E | 155 — The Devil's Checkmate ( BONUS)

In this bonus episode of Criminal Mischief, Carolyn Ossorio and Branden Morgan sit down to unpack the disturbing, decades-long mystery behind the disappearance and murder of Mike Williams.

They revisit the original episode and go deeper into the investigation — how a simple duck-hunting trip turned into one of Florida’s most confounding cold cases.

Carolyn reveals what shocked her most about the confession that finally broke the case open, and Branden explores the psychology behind premeditation, cover-up, and the lengths people go to for greed and control.

It’s an inside look at the making of the episode — the research, the aftermath, and the haunting truth that even in real life, evil rarely looks like what you expect.

🎧 Listen now to Criminal Mischief — available wherever you get your podcasts.

⚖️ From the Evio Network

Explore the rest of the Evio Creative slate — where truth, myth, and madness intersect:

• 👹 The Devil Within — True crime and the supernatural collide.

• 🏺 Taboo Treasures — History’s most forbidden relics.

• ⚔️ The Ides of April — Alec Baldwin narrates the turning points of history.

• 💀 The Devil’s Ledger — Your weekly wrap-up from the underworld.

• 🔪 Criminal Mischief — Because every crime starts with a plan.

Visit eviocreative.com for updates, and follow:

@thedevilwithinpod | @idesofaprilpod | @taboo_treasures | @eviocreative

🎧 SPONSORS & EXCLUSIVE OFFERS

Support Criminal Mischief and all Evio shows with these exclusive listener deals:

• 🧥 Quince — Luxury essentials without luxury markups.

➤ https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for FREE SHIPPING and 365-day returns.

• 📱 Mint Mobile — Premium wireless for only $15 a month.

➤ www.mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN for unlimited talk and text.

• 🕵️ ExpressVPN — Protect your privacy and data anywhere you go.

➤ https://www.expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN for up to 4 months FREE.

• 🌿 MOOD — Legal THC & CBD gummies shipped to your door.

➤ https://www.mood.com/DEVILWITHIN for 20% off your first order.

• 🐾 Ollie Dog Food — Fresh, human-grade meals for your dog.

➤ https://www.ollie.com/IDES for 60% off your welcome kit.

• 💰 Monarch — Manage your money with clarity and control.

➤ https://www.monarch.com/IDES for 50% off your first year.

💀 Criminal Mischief — Evil Is Never Random

Hosted by Carolyn Ossorio and Branden Morgan.

A production of Evio Creative.

Follow, rate, and share wherever you listen — because understanding the darkness is the only way to see the light.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E | 155 The Devil's Checkmate Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

The Devil's Checkmate

On December 16, 2000, 31-year-old Mike Williams vanished while duck hunting on Florida’s Lake Seminole. His truck was found. His boat was found. But Mike… was gone.

For years, authorities believed he’d drowned—dragged beneath the surface by alligators. But there was no body. No blood. No real evidence of a struggle.

What emerged instead was a story of greed, betrayal, and a staged disappearance that unraveled into one of Florida’s strangest and most calculated murders. Criminal Mischief digs into how an insurance plot became a cold-blooded crime—and how, 17 years later, the truth finally surfaced from the swamp.

🎧 Listen to Criminal Mischief wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Friday from Evio Creative.

🩸 From the Evio Network

Catch the other shows in the Evio universe of storytelling, true crime, and the paranormal:

• 👹 The Devil Within — True crime meets the supernatural.

• 🏺 Taboo Treasures — History’s darkest artifacts and the people who chase them.

• ⚔️ The Ides of April — Alec Baldwin narrates history’s bloodiest turning points.

• 💀 The Devil’s Ledger — A weekly wrap-up from the shadows.

👉 Visit eviocreative.com and follow:

@thedevilwithinpod | @taboo_treasures | @idesofaprilpod | @eviocreative

🎧 SPONSORS & OFFERS

Support Criminal Mischief and all Evio shows by checking out these exclusive sponsors:

• 🧥 Quince — Luxury essentials, responsibly made.

➤ https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for FREE SHIPPING and 365-day returns.

• 📱 Mint Mobile — Premium wireless starting at $15 a month.

➤ www.mintmobile.com/DEVILWITHIN for unlimited talk and text for $15/month.

• 🕵️ ExpressVPN — The best way to protect your data and privacy.

➤ https://www.expressvpn.com/DEVILWITHIN for up to 4 months FREE.

• 🌿 MOOD — Legal THC and CBD gummies shipped to your door.

➤ https://www.mood.com/DEVILWITHIN for 20% off your first order.

• 🐾 Ollie Dog Food — Fresh, human-grade meals for your dog.

➤ https://www.ollie.com/IDES for 60% off your welcome kit.

• 💰 Monarch — Take control of your financial life.

➤ https://www.monarch.com/IDES for 50% off your first year.

⚖️ About Criminal Mischief

From Evio Creative, Criminal Mischief exposes the twisted motives and unseen forces behind real-world crimes. It’s where the line between justice and chaos begins to blur.

Follow and rate Criminal Mischief wherever you get your podcasts — and remember:

Evil is never random. It’s methodical. It’s human.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E | 154 The Back Staircase (Bonus) Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Carolyn and Branden discuss the episode.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E|154 The Back Staircase Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

🎙️ Criminal Mischief

The Back Staircase: The Death of Kathleen Peterson

A fall, a secret, and a story that refused to stay buried.

In this episode of Criminal Mischief, host Carolyn Ossorio revisits one of the most haunting and polarizing cases in modern true crime — the death of Kathleen Peterson, and the man who claimed it was an accident: her husband, Michael Peterson.

When Kathleen’s body was found at the bottom of a staircase in their North Carolina mansion in December of 2001, the scene was catastrophic — blood spattered across the walls, head injuries so severe investigators couldn’t believe they came from a fall. What followed would become one of the most debated cases in American criminal history.

Michael Peterson’s version of events changed under scrutiny. First an accident, then a mystery, then something stranger. A novelist, a veteran, and a husband with more secrets than anyone expected. And when prosecutors unearthed the death of another woman — one connected to Peterson years earlier — the story twisted into something almost unbelievable.

Through trial transcripts, forensic reports, and archived interviews, Criminal Mischief examines the inconsistencies, the media frenzy, and the theories that still divide both experts and audiences more than two decades later.

Was Kathleen’s death the result of a tragic fall? Or was it — as some investigators believe — murder disguised as misfortune?

🕯️ Listen, Follow, and Join the Investigation

Follow Criminal Mischief for new episodes every week wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit eviocreative.com (https://www.eviocreative.com/) for more from the Evio Creative Network — including The Devil Within, The Ides of April, and Taboo Treasures.

Connect with us on social media for behind-the-scenes content, updates, and case discussions.

📧 info@eviocreative.com

📸 @criminalmischiefpod

💰 Sponsored by QUINCE

Upgrade your fall wardrobe with Quince — where luxury doesn’t come with a luxury price tag. From Mongolian cashmere to Italian leather, Quince delivers premium essentials directly to you without the designer markup.

Go to https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for FREE SHIPPING and 365-day returns.

That’s https://www.quince.com/MISCHIEF for free shipping and 365-day returns.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

E|153 A Conversation with Bobby Chacon (Bonus) Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Carolyn and Branden discuss the episode.

💼 Support Our Sponsors

🖤 Quince — Luxury without the markup.Shop high-quality essentials at ⁠www.quince.com/mischief⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns.

🐾 Ollie — Fresh, human-grade dog food delivered to your door.Go to ⁠www.ollie.com/devilwithin⁠ for 60% off your first box.

💰 Monarch Money — The smart way to manage family budgets and creative income.Visit ⁠www.monarchmoney.com⁠ and use code IDES for 50% off your first year.

📱 Mint Mobile — Premium wireless for people who hate overpaying.Go to ⁠www.mintmobile.com⁠ and use promo code DEVILWITHIN for unlimited talk and text for just $15 a month.

📣 Connect

Criminal Mischief → ⁠@criminalmischiefpod⁠
The Devil Within → ⁠@thedevilwithinpod⁠
The Ides of April → ⁠@idesofaprilpod⁠
Taboo Treasures → ⁠@taboo_treasures⁠

For press & network updates: ⁠www.eviocreative.com⁠ | ⁠info@eviocreative.com⁠

🔥 Criminal Mischief — because the truth doesn’t always make the front page.

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