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This podcast delves into the stories that inspired all mediums of art, with a focus on the darker aspects of it all! We’ll talk about the real-life events that influenced popular movies, books, and other pieces of art. Occasionally we’ll cover the opposite, and talk about times that art influenced life.
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Copyright: © Gabriela Ralph and Rob Reem
Silence of the Lambs is arguably one of the best psychological thrillers of all time and sadly many aspects of the movie are inspired by real people and events. Buffalo Bill in particular is based on a few different serial killers including Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Gary Heidnik. Most people are familiar with Bundy and Dahmer, but Heidnik's crimes haven't received the same amount of attention. In this episode we discuss Heidnik's life and crimes, as well as the lives of his victims. We talk at length about what he did, why he did it, and how his victims were let down by the justice system too many times. He was a sadistic man who brutally tortured his victims, so please listen with caution.
Sources
“Gary Heidnik.” Criminal Minds Wiki, criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Gary_Heidnik.
“Gary M. Heidnik.” Wikipedia, 25 Aug. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_M._Heidnik.
Janos, Adam. “Gary Heidnik’s Unspeakable Crimes: An Interview with the Serial Killer’s Attorney.” A&E, 14 Jan. 2021, www.aetv.com/real-crime/gary-heidnik.
Karimi, Faith. “His Gruesome Crimes Were a Basis for “Silence of the Lambs.” the Sister of One of His Victims Has Mixed Feelings about His Execution.” CNN, 19 Mar. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/03/19/us/gary-heidnik-pennsylvania-death-penalty-cec/index.html.
Oliver, Mark. “Serial Killer Gary Heidnik: The Real-Life Buffalo Bill Who Fed One of His Victims to His Prisoners.” All That’s Interesting, All That’s Interesting, 24 Jan. 2019, allthatsinteresting.com/gary-heidnik.
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A group of hikers was traveling down a logging road on their way to a rentable hut, located in the remote Canadian wilderness, when they stumbled upon a burnt truck with personal belongings scattered around it. Feeling as though they had discovered a crime scene, the hikers decided to take pictures before turning back, calling police as they drove. It took RCMP Officers two days to get to the scene and they noticed that things had been moved since the hikers had been there. They found that the truck belonged to a man named Marshall Iwaasa, who was nowhere to be found. His family told police that the last time they saw him was six days before his car was found at the end of the logging road. They told officers that on that night he had driven two hours from his house to his mom’s house in order to help her with something. He didn’t stay for too long and he told his mom that he planned to stop at his local storage unit before driving back to his place. He never mentioned plans to drive FOURTEEN HOURS to Pemberton, British Columbia. So how did his truck get there? And why? Nobody knows and he has not been seen since. As if the case wasn’t strange enough, evidence was uncovered that linked Marshall’s disappearance to another man, named Daniel Reoch… who had also gone missing. Despite the bizarre circumstances, the RCMP stated they do not believe any foul play occurred.
Sources:
Barely Sociable. “The Pemberton Incident - an Unsolved Mystery.” YouTube, 30 Oct. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yueni460aM. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.
Thuncher, Jennifer. “Squamish Vigil Aims to Keep Daniel Reoch’s Memory Alive.” Squamish Chief, Squamish Chief, 27 Nov. 2023, www.squamishchief.com/local-news/nov-26-squamish-vigil-aims-to-keep-daniel-reochs-memory-alive-7837653. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Disappearance of Marshal Iwaasa.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Aug. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Marshal_Iwaasa. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.
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Keishla Rodriguez Ortiz met Felix Verdejo when the two of them were very young, because they attended the same school growing up. Their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship when they were in high school. Keishla loyally supported Félix as he chased his dreams to become a professional boxer. At 18 years old Félix qualified for the 2012 olympics. He didn’t end up medaling but a professional spot was waiting for him when he got home to Puerto Rico. The beginning of his professional career was explosive. He held the WBO lightweight title for multiple years. He was expected to be the next big boxing star. Unfortunately he got in his own way and ultimately ruined his career and his life. The beginning of the end began to cheat on Kieshla with an underage girl named Elisa Maria Santiago Sierra. She was 14 and he was 18. He broke up with Kieshla to “date” Elisa, but he never actually stopped seeing Kieshla. When Elisa turned 18, Félix proposed and she said yes. I assume she was not aware of his transgressions with not only Keishla, but several women. Elisa became pregnant with Félix’s daughter and Félix took full advantage of the situation - crafting his image to make him look like a devoted husband and father. But cracks in his image started to appear to the public when Elisa found out about his cheating and threw him out of the house. She did take him back after he promised to change his ways, but it would take a lot longer to patch up his public image. When Kieshla ended up pregnant, Félix knew it was all falling apart. He tried to convince her to get an abortion, but Kieshla refused. She wanted the baby even if Félix didn’t want to step up and be a father. This caused Félix to spiral into planning the murder of his first love and their unborn child,.
Sources:
Acevedo, nicole. “An Ex-Boxer Is Convicted in Heinous Killing of His Pregnant Girlfriend.” NBC News, 31 July 2023, www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-femicide-focus-verdejo-conviction-killing-pregnant-keishla-rcna97304.
Daily, Juan. “Keishla Rodríguez’s Sister: Verdejo Expressed No Emotion When Hearing Guilty Verdict.” San Juan Daily Star, San Juan Daily Star, 31 July 2023, www.sanjuandailystar.com/post/keishla-rodr%C3%ADguez-s-sister-verdejo-expressed-no-emotion-when-hearing-guilty-verdict#:~:text=Keishla%20Rodr%C3%ADguez%20Ortiz. Accessed 14 Aug. 2024.
“District of Puerto Rico | Félix Verdejo-Sánchez Sentenced to Life in Prison for Kidnapping Resulting in Death, and Intentionally Killing an Unborn Child | United States Department of Justice.” Www.justice.gov, 3 Nov. 2023, www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/felix-verdejo-sanchez-sentenced-life-prison-kidnapping-resulting-death-and-intentionally.
Ghost of Crime. “The Double Life of Felix Verdejo - Boxing Star and Murderer || True Crime Documentary.” YouTube, 23 May 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCaimYSeaOs. Accessed 14 Aug. 2024.
https://www.facebook.com/peoplemag. “Olympic Boxer Félix Verdejo Gets Life for Throwing Girlfriend off Bridge after Pressuring Her to Get Abortion.” Peoplemag, 2021, people.com/olympic-boxer-felix-verdejo-gets-life-murdering-girlfriend-8391294. Accessed 14 Aug. 2024.
Rafael, Dan. “Felix Verdejo Named ESPN.com Prospect of the Year - ESPN.” ESPN.com, ESPN, 24 Dec. 2014, www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/12075915/felix-verdejo-named-prospect-year. Accessed 14 Aug. 2024.
Victor Torres Montalvo. “MOCION SENTENCIA LUIS CADIZ MARTINEZ.” Scribd, 2022, www.scribd.com/document/741021823/MOCION-SENTENCIA-LUIS-CADIZ-MARTINEZ. Accessed 14 Aug. 2024.
Wikipedia Contributors. “F.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 July 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.
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Dr. James Snook had accomplished a lot in his life. He not only carved out his presence as a well-respected veterinarian and professor of veterinary science, even creating a tool called the Snook Hook that vets still use today, but he also competed and won two gold medals in the 1920 Olympics as a marksman. Six years after winning gold, and despite the fact that he had a wife and a young baby, he became enamored with a young medical student named Theora Hix. She began working at the veterinary building, Dr. Snook’s place of work, in 1926 to pay for her tuition. The feeling was mutual and they began having an affair only three weeks after meeting each other. They carried on the affair for three years until Dr. Snook ended Theora’s life with a hammer to the head and a knife to her jugular, then he ironically left her body near his favorite rifle range.
Sources:
Drake, Amy. “The Strange Case of Dr. Snook and Theora Hix: A Roaring Twenties Murder.” Medium, Medium, 23 July 2021, medium.com/@draketheatrical/the-strange-case-of-dr-snook-and-theora-hix-a-roaring-twenties-murder-ad1b9e797949. Accessed 31 July 2024.
Patzer, Nancy. “Snook.” Www.shortnorth.com, July 2019, www.shortnorth.com/Snook.html. Accessed 31 July 2024.
“The Trial of Dr. Snook (1929).” The Columbus Dispatch, www.dispatch.com/picture-gallery/news/local/2012/02/27/the-trial-of-dr-snook/543866007/. Accessed 31 July 2024.
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On July 23, 2024 Wade Wilson, known for his white supremacist and joker face tattoos, will face a judge as they decide whether to sentence him to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Wilson was convicted of murdering Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz back in 2019. Both murders seemingly came out nowhere- he had just met Melton the night prior at local club before murdering her the nest morning and stealing her car. While riding around in the stolen car, he came upon Ruiz who was walking to work. After attacking Ruiz, he ran over her body 10-20 times. On this episode we discuss the case from the beginning up to where it stands today.
Sources:
Braun, Michael. “White Supremacy Gang May Have Had a Role in Escape Attempt Thwarted at Lee County Jail.” The News-Press, 7 Oct. 20AD, www.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2020/10/07/lee-jail-inmates-gang-connection-may-have-played-role-escape-attempt/5908922002/. Accessed 21 July 2024.
COURT TV. ““He Bit My Face”: Wade Wilson’s Ex-Girlfriend Describes Alarming Attack.” YouTube, 5 July 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MIX2q_vapA. Accessed 21 July 2024.
Luciani, Kim. “Will Wade Wilson Get Death Sentence? FL Killer Seeks New Trial as Death Penalty Decision Nears.” The News-Press, 10 July 2024, www.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2024/07/10/wade-wilson-florida-killer-sentence-new-trial-motion/74338462007/. Accessed 21 July 2024.
Potter, Will. “Murderer with Face Tattoos Flashes Eerie Hand Signal at Sentencing.” Mail Online, 1 July 2024, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13588033/wade-wilson-deadpool-crime-tattoo-murder-death-sentence-hand-signal.html. Accessed 21 July 2024.
Reporter, Erin Keller. “Wade Wilson’s Ex-Girlfriend Breaks Silence on TikTok: “Police Failed Me.”” Newsweek, 5 July 2024, www.newsweek.com/wade-wilson-killer-girlfriend-crimes-florida-tiktok-1921729. Accessed 21 July 2024.
Rodriguez, Kim Luciani and Tomas. “Florida Killer Wade Wilson’s Father Steven Testasecca Was Key to His Arrest.” The News-Press, 8 July 2024, www.news-press.com/story/news/crime/2024/07/08/wade-wilson-murders-florida-killer-arrest-steve-testasecca/74308734007/. Accessed 21 July 2024.
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Yoo Young Chul grew up in a poor family with little stability. The economic hardships that his family faced caused him to develop a deep-seeded hatred for wealthy individuals and he also developed an ever-growing resentment towards women. Yoo was driven by these emotions, and he couldn't seem to get ahold of them which caused him to start committing crimes at an early age. He spent many years in and out of jail, as his crimes continued to escalate. Eventually he began committing murder, targeting wealthy people initially and then redirecting his focus towards women, particularly sex workers. He killed over twenty people before he was caught, and it's likely he killed more than we know about. His crimes have been the topic of both western and eastern media. But the biggest movie to date is The Chaser, a South Korean film that was heavily inspired by his crimes. This episode covers the story from beginning to the "end" (Yoo is still alive on death row in South Korea).
Palestinian Family GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-dr-sanads-familys-urgent-evacuation?lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
Sources:
Farley, Adam. “The Grisly Story of the “Raincoat Killer” Who Murdered 20 People with a Custom-Made Hammer.” All That’s Interesting, 5 Nov. 2021, allthatsinteresting.com/yoo-young-chul.
Min-kyung, Jung. “[Korean History] in 2004, Serial Murderer with Goal to Kill 100 Was Stopped at 20.” The Korea Herald, 6 Nov. 2023, www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20231106000814.
Serial Killers Documentaries. “Serial Killer Documentary: Yoo Young-Chul (the Raincoat Killer).” YouTube, 6 Sept. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgslZ9NHhIY.
“Yoo Young-Chul.” Wikipedia, 29 Jan. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoo_Young-chul.
“Yoo Young-Chul.” Criminal Minds Wiki, criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Yoo_Young-chul.
''. “Woman-Hating Cannibal Dubbed Raincoat Killer Was Caught after Phone Blunder.” The US Sun, 2 Feb. 2024, www.the-sun.com/news/10273266/yoo-young-chul-raincoat-killer-serial-south-korea/. Accessed 9 July 2024.
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When Elyse Pahler, a teenager from Arroyo Grande, went missing, her parents reached out to the police for help. Unfortunately, they weren't able to make much headway over the course of several months until they got a tip from an unlikely source. A clergyman from a local church called in to tell investigators that a teenaged congregant told him that he and two of his friends sacrificed Elyse to gain favor with the devil and become successful metal musicians. In this episode we discuss the entire case and the aftermath of it, including a lawsuit Elyse's parents filed against the band Slayer in relation to their daughter's murder.
GoFundMe for Palestinian family mentioned in episode: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope-help-little-elen-fetch-a-brighter-future?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer
Sources:
Buccio, claudia. “Local Judge Grants Parole to Royce Casey, Man Convicted of Killing Arroyo Grande Teen.” KSBY News, 16 June 2022, www.ksby.com/news/local-news/local-judge-grants-parole-to-royce-casey-man-convicted-of-killing-arroyo-grande-teen. Accessed 27 May 2024.
fountain, Matt. “Elyse Pahler Murder Case: Here’s a Timeline of the 1995 Satanic Killing in SLO County Read More At: Https://Www.sanluisobispo.com/News/Local/Crime/Article252167488.Html#Storylink=Cpy.” The Tribune, San Luis Obispo Tribune, 18 June 2021, www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article252167488.html.
“Murder of Elyse Pahler.” Wikipedia, 11 Jan. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Elyse_Pahler.
Waxman, Sharon. “Did “Death Metal” Music Incite Murder?” Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2001, www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2001/01/23/did-death-metal-music-incite-murder/63cf6de7-fdd1-4067-a49f-9946f111e6a2/.
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Many of the diss tracks that have been released by Kendrick Lamar over the past week contain lines that clearly have dark origins. In this episode we focus on one line from Euphoria that took inspiration from the case of YNW Melly AKA Jamell Demons. We cover the allegations that Jamell shot and killed two of his best friends with the help of another friend named YNW Bortlen AKA Cortlen Henry, and we discuss the first trial that ended in a mistrial. I also detail another murder that Jamell and Cortlen are suspected to be involved in.
Sources:
Cowen, Trace William. “YNW Melly Reportedly Now a Suspect in Deputy’s Shooting Death.” Complex, 22 Feb. 2019, www.complex.com/music/a/tracewilliamcowen/ynw-melly-suspect-deputy-shooting-death. Accessed 6 May 2024.
Elibert, Mark. “Texts from Young Thug, French Montana, and More Brought up during YNW Melly Trial.” Complex, www.complex.com/music/a/markelibert/texts-from-young-thug-french-montana-ynw-melly-trial. Accessed 6 May 2024.
Holsman, Melissa E. “Double Murder Retrial of Famed Gifford Rapper Jamell Demons, Known as YNW Melly, on Hold.” Treasure Coast, 3 May 2024,
www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/indian-river-county/2024/05/03/retrial-of-gifford-rapper-jamell-demons-known-as-ynw-melly-pushed-off/73544244007/. Accessed 6 May 2024.
“Murder Trial of Rapper YNW Melly Ends in Mistrial after Jury Deadlocks; Retrial Likely.” AP News, 22 July 2023, apnews.com/article/ynw-melly-murder-trial-florida-70a72f2f6d095e89a43f65eff94536c1. Staff, Michael Saponara,Billboard, et al. “A Timeline of YNW Melly’s Career & Legal Troubles: From “Murder on My Mind” to Murder Charges.” Billboard, 15 July 2022,
www.billboard.com/lists/ynw-melly-career-legal-troubles-timeline/legal-history/.
“YNW Melly Killed Best Friends in Angry, Greed-Fueled Murder Plot, State Says in Closing Argument.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OK46bTz_lc. Accessed 6 May 2024.
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Most violence isn’t related to the moon or the sun, but the violence that took place on April 8, 2024 might have been. The 8th was the day of the total solar eclipse and two different women committed murder/attempted murder that may have been connected to the phenomena. Danielle Johnson, an astrology. Influencer, killed her partner before throwing her two daughters out of the car (killing one and injuring the other) , before taking her own life by crashing into a tree at 100 mph. Detectives aren’t sure how much of a role the eclipse played, if any, but they are seriously investigating it since Danielle wrote some conspiratorial eclipse tweets in the days leading up to the 8th. We discuss the timeline of events and what the investigation has revealed so far. We also discuss the random shooting spree carried out by Taylor Celestine after she left a hotel, telling the employees that God was telling her to go on the spree in relation to the eclipse. We discuss all of the details that have been released so far.
Sources:
“Family Dispute Turns into Double-Murder Suicide NR24117kt/Cm.” LAPD Online, 9 Apr. 24AD, www.lapdonline.org/newsroom/family-dispute-turns-into-double-murder-suicide-nr24117kt-cm/. Accessed 21 Apr. 2024.
Mayes-Osterman, Cybele. “Astrologer Suspected of Double Murder-Suicide on Eclipse Day Thought “Apocalypse Is Here.”” USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024,
www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/04/11/astrologer-murder-suicide-eclipse-danielle-johnson-jaelen-chaney/73287141007/. Accessed 21 Apr. 2024.
Neumann, sean. “Astrology Influencer Disturbed by Eclipse Posted “the APOCALYPSE IS HERE” before Killing Partner, Baby, Herself.” Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024, people.com/astrology-influencer-disturbed-by-eclipse-posted-the-apocalypse-is-here-before-killing-partner-baby-herself-8631523. Accessed 21 Apr. 2024.
Twitter, et al. “Mom Who Pushed Kids from Moving Car Was Astrology Influencer Disturbed by Eclipse.” Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2024, www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-10/woman-who-threw-child-from-car-on-405-was-controversial-astrology-influencer.
“Woman Claiming God Told Her to Go on Shooting Spree because of Solar Eclipse Shoots Drivers on Florida Interstate, Police Say - CBS News.” Www.cbsnews.com, 9 Apr. 2024, www.cbsnews.com/news/solar-eclipse-shooting-spree-taylon-celestine-shoots-drivers-claims-god-told-her-to/.
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TW: eating disorders, suicide, and child abuse. Everything we say is alleged, with the exception of the individuals found guilty of crimes.
Gwen Shamblin had a Master's Degree in Food and Nutrition, yet she still fell down the pipeline of food and wellness guru to religious cult leader pipeline. Usually this pipeline is reserved for people who don't actually have extensive educations and degrees in the things they claim to be experts of, because it requires them to ignore the science to tout some alternative science/product that usually harms more than it helps. But Gwen was able to throw away everything she learned in favor of a more religious/restrictive approach to eating, which she called The Weigh Down Program. The program was offered alongside a book, that sold over one million copies and the success of both made Gwen a millionaire. Many individuals in her program developed eating disorders and things got even worse when Gwen launched her church, called Remnant Fellowship Church- where Gwen touted herself as something akin to a prophet. The Weigh Down Program was the foundation of Remnant, but the ideology expanded to involve even more problematic rhetoric. Gwen didn't believe in mental illness, so she advised many members to get off their medications (which led some to the psych unit, and others to take their own lives). And she was a big proponent of corporal punishment for children, which caused at least one child to be murdered. We discuss all of the details in this weeks episode.
Sources:
“Georgia v. Smith.” Wikipedia, 12 Feb. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_v._Smith. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
“Gwen Shamblin Lara.” Wikipedia, 2 Oct. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwen_Shamblin_Lara.
“Joe Lara.” Wikipedia, 28 Jan. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Lara. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Pasquini, maria. “Plane Crash That Killed Christian Diet Guru Gwen Shamblin Caused by “Spatial Disorientation” of Pilot Husband.” Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023, people.com/human-interest/plane-crash-killed-diet-guru-gwen-shamblin-caused-by-spatial-disorientation-pilot-husband/. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Williams, Phil. ““What Were We Doing?” Gwen Shamblin’s Son Breaks Silence about Life inside Her Brentwood “Cult.”” News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF), 12 Feb. 2024,
www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/what-were-we-doing-gwen-shamblins-son-breaks-silence-about-life-inside-her-brentwood-cult. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Williams, phil. ““Take the Damn Filter Off.” Former Remnant Leader Says Church Needs to Admit Role in Child’s Death.” News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF), 19 Feb. 2024,
www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/take-the-damn-filter-off-former-remnant-leader-says-church-needs-to-admit-role-in-childs-death.
zenovich, Marina. The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. HBO, 28 Apr. 2022, play.max.com/show/1e47a6d6-955c-4ce4-92b0-bc170075432a, disc 1-5. TV Show.
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Sheldon Johnson was released from prison last year, after serving 25 years behind bars. Intent on turning his life around, he started working as a youth counselor and advocate for clients of the public defenders office. Successful civil rights attorney, Josh Dubin, befriended Sheldon and was impressed by the changes he was making in his life. Joe Rogan invited Josh and Sheldon onto his podcast on February 1. Unfortunately, a little over a month later Sheldon allegedly murdered an acquaintance named Collin Small. Police were called by suspicious neighbors to do a wellness check on Collin Small and they interrupted Sheldon in the middle of his effort to dismember Collin. His head was found in Sheldon's freezer. Charged with murder, manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon and concealment of a human corpse. He had plead not guilty and will remain in jail as his case progresses.
Sources:
Dhaliwal, Naveen. “Queens Youth Counselor Sheldon Johnson Charged after Dismembered Body Parts Found in Freezer - CBS New York.” Www.cbsnews.com, 8 Mar. 2024, www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/harlem-man-charged-police-find-missing-bronx-dismembered-body-parts-inside-freezer/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
Marcius, Chelsia Rose. “Man Who Became Champion of Rehabilitation Is Charged with Murder.” The New York Times, 7 Mar. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/nyregion/sheldon-johnson-queens-defenders-murder.html.
Morales, Zoe Sottile, Sabrina Souza, Mark. “Formerly Incarcerated Advocate for NYC Criminal Justice Reform Arrested for Murder.” CNN, 8 Mar. 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/us/sheldon-johnson-nyc-murder/index.html.
Neysa Alund, Natalie. “Sheldon Johnson, Joe Rogan Podcast Guest, Arrested after Body Parts Found in Freezer.” USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 24AD, www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/03/08/sheldon-johnson-collin-small-body-parts-freezer/72893473007/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
Rogan, joe. “#2096 - Josh Dubin & Sheldon Johnson.” Open.spotify.com, 1 Feb. 2024, open.spotify.com/episode/3nsOv2Bl6OVvTcjUrJ1GUa. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
''. “Eerie Images of Suspect in 3 Different Disguises as He ‘Discarded Body Parts.” The US Sun, 8 Mar. 2024, www.the-sun.com/news/10609078/images-sheldon-johnson-blond-wig-disguises-discard-body-murder/. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.
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Egypt Covington was a 27 year old woman with so much potential. She lived a life full of love, friendship, and art. Many people knew her since she was a talented singer and a friendly bartender in Ann Arbor, MI. But her life was cut short. She was found in her home with a gunshot wound to the head, and her arms bound with Christmas lights. The local PD struggled to find her killer, yet refused to hand the case over to Michigan State Police (a much larger department with more resources and experience). Egypt's family begged them to transfer her case for years. Three years into the investigation, the family's relentless fight paid off when the case was finally taken over by MSP. In the hands of the State Police, the case quickly took off... and justice finally prevailed.
Sources:
Acosta, Nicole. “2 Men Sentenced in Fatal Shooting of Mich. Singer Whose Hands Were Bound with Christmas Lights.” Peoplemag, 6 Oct. 2023, people.com/egypt-covington-2-men-sentenced-killing-8348858. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
Ainsworth, amber. ““They Deserve the Death Penalty”: Egypt Covington’s Family Delivers Powerful Statements during Sentencing.” FOX 2 Detroit, 5 Oct. 2023, www.fox2detroit.com/news/they-deserve-the-death-penalty-egypt-covingtons-family-delivers-powerful-statements-during-sentencing#:~:text=Judge%20Wanda%20Evans%20sentenced%20Groom. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
Ann, Lindsay. Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. 25 Aug. 2023, disc 90. podcast.
Clarke, Kayla. “Everything We Know about the Murder of Egypt Covington after 1 of 3 Men Plead Guilty.” WDIV, 11 Apr. 2023, www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2023/04/11/everything-we-know-about-the-murder-of-egypt-covington-after-1-of-3-men-plead-guilty/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
Hutchinson, Koco McAboy, Derick. “27-Year-Old van Buren Township Woman Killed by Gunshot to Head, Morgue Confirms.” WDIV, 27 June 2017, www.clickondetroit.com/news/2017/06/27/27-year-old-van-buren-township-woman-killed-by-gunshot-to-head-morgue-confirms/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
nclark1@mlive.com, Nathan Clark |. “NBC’s Dateline Airing New Episode on Murder of Ann Arbor Singer, Bartender Egypt Covington.” Mlive, 20 Mar. 2024, www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2024/03/nbcs-dateline-airing-new-episode-on-murder-of-ann-arbor-singer-bartender-egypt-covington.html#:~:text=After%20a%20long%20investigation%2C%20it. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
Spencer, Dave. “Guilty Plea in Egypt Covington Murder Opens Door for Suspect to Testify against Other Men Charged.” FOX 2 Detroit, 11 Apr. 2023, www.fox2detroit.com/news/guilty-plea-in-egypt-covington-murder-opens-door-for-suspect-to-testify-against-other-men-charged. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
“Two Men Sentenced in Slaying of Egypt Covington, Victim’s Dad Wishes Death Penalty Were Option.” The Detroit News, 5 Oct. 23AD, www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2023/10/05/two-men-sentenced-in-2017-slaying-of-egypt-covington/70993271007/. Accessed 25 Mar. 2024.
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Mary Alice Ellicott and Theral Carl Heldt were murdered within a week of one another and their remains found in the country of a small Michigan town. Seemingly unrelated, both murders were investigated but found themselves going cold as time passed. Mary's case was reopened a few years ago, and investigators have partnered with MSU to try to solve it. In this episode, we discuss what little is known about both murders.
Sources:
Kelly, Dane. “Michigan State Police Seek Information in 1981 Homicide of 29-Year-Old Woman.” Https://Www.wilx.com, 7 Apr. 2022,
www.wilx.com/2022/04/07/michigan-state-police-seek-information-1981-homicide-29-year-old-woman/. Accessed 15 Mar. 2024.
Longmoore, tran. “COLD CASE: MSU Students, State Police and Retired SPD Officers Investigating 41-Year-Old Murder | School of Criminal Justice | Michigan State University.” Cj.msu.edu, 8 Apr. 2022, cj.msu.edu/news/2022-cold-case-saline-post.html. Accessed 15 Mar. 24.
“Original Headline Articles from Two Homicide Cold Cases in Saline - Still Unsolved | the Sun Times News.” Thesuntimesnews.com, 7 Jan. 2023, thesuntimesnews.com/g/saline-mi/n/138381/original-headline-articles-two-homicide-cold-cases-saline-still-unsolved. Accessed 15 Mar. 2024.
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In this episode we talk about the second inspiration behind True Detective Season. 4, which is the mysterious case of the Mary Celeste Crew. When the Del Gratia came upon a ship that appeared to be sailing haphazardly, the captain put out a signal but heard nothing back. He told two of his men to go investigate, and what they found was bizarre. The entire crew was missing, but there didn't seem to be any clear indication as to why they left or what may have happened.
Sources:
sharda. “The Mystery of the Mary Celeste Ghost Ship.” Marine Insight, 4 Dec. 2018, www.marineinsight.com/maritime-history/the-mystery-of-the-mary-celeste-ghost-ship/.
Tikkanen, Amy. “Mary Celeste | Ship.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Aug. 2017, www.britannica.com/topic/Mary-Celeste.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Mary Celeste.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Celeste.
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In this episode we talk about the second inspiration behind True Detective Season. 4, which is the mysterious case of the Mary Celeste Crew. When the Del Gratia came upon a ship that appeared to be sailing haphazardly, the captain put out a signal but heard nothing back. He told two of his men to go investigate, and what they found was bizarre. The entire crew was missing, but there didn't seem to be any clear indication as to why they left or what may have happened.
Sources:
sharda. “The Mystery of the Mary Celeste Ghost Ship.” Marine Insight, 4 Dec. 2018, www.marineinsight.com/maritime-history/the-mystery-of-the-mary-celeste-ghost-ship/.
Tikkanen, Amy. “Mary Celeste | Ship.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Aug. 2017, www.britannica.com/topic/Mary-Celeste.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Mary Celeste.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Feb. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Celeste.
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This is a bonus episode that covers current events. In it we cover the sentencing of 8 Passenger's Ruby Franke and her "mentor" jodi Hildebrandt, the murder of Audrii Cunningham, and the series "Who TF Did I Marry?" by Reesa Teesa on TikTok.
Sources:
Audrey Conklin, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten. “Texas Girl Audrii Cunningham Found Dead in River as Officials Eye Capital Murder Charge for Suspect.” Fox News, 20 Feb. 2024, www.foxnews.com/us/texas-girl-audrii-cunningham-found-dead-river-officials-eye-capital-murder-charge-suspect. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
Bansinath, Bindu. “What We Know about the Mommy Vlogger Accused of Child Abuse.” The Cut, 20 Feb. 2024, www.thecut.com/article/ruby-franke-utah-mommy-vlogger-pleads-guilty-to-child-abuse.html.
Miller, jordan. “Ruby Franke, Jodi Hildebrandt Sentenced to Prison in Utah Child Abuse Case.” The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024, www.sltrib.com/news/2024/02/20/ruby-franke-jodi-hildebrandt-be/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.
Reesa Teesa on TikTok
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True Detective Season 4's show runner, Issa Lopez, said that this season was inspired by some real-life mysteries- the Dyatlov Pass incident and the Mary Celeste are the two that she named directly. In this episode we dive into the 1959 Dyatlov Pass incident, an expedition that ended with the deaths of all nine hikers involved. The hikers had clearly left their tent in a hurry, forced to cut themselves out from they inside and subsequently died throughout the wilderness of the Ural Mountains. Many of the circumstances were so strange that it created many questions that haven't been fully answered. In 2021 researchers believed they solved the mystery, so we discuss their theory alongside several other popular theories.
Sources:
Gaume, Johan, and Alexander M. Puzrin. “Mechanisms of Slab Avalanche Release and Impact in the Dyatlov Pass Incident in 1959.” Communications Earth & Environment, vol. 2, no. 1, 28 Jan. 2021, pp. 1–11, www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00081-8#ref-CR1, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-020-00081-8.
Mead, Derek. “Russia’s Dyatlov Pass Incident, the Strangest Unsolved Mystery of the Last Century.” Www.vice.com, 5 Sept. 2017, www.vice.com/en/article/wjj9yb/russias-dyatlov-pass-incident-the-strangest-unsolved-mystery-of-the-last-century.
Ouellette, Jennifer. “Confirmed: Avalanche Is Likeliest Explanation for Tragic Dyatlov Pass Incident.” Ars Technica, 31 Mar. 2022, arstechnica.com/science/2022/03/confirmed-avalanche-is-likeliest-explanation-for-tragic-dyatlov-pass-incident/.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Dyatlov Pass Incident.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident.
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This is part 2 on the case of the Sexton family. Headed by Eddie Lee Sexton and Stella Sexton, the twelve children were forced to live like a violent cult. They had to follow their father's every command, and they were routinely abused - physically, mentally, and sexually. We covered the lead-up to part of the family going on the run together in part one, and we finish the case in this episode. Unfortunately, things turn fatal in this episode,
Sources:
Cauffiel, Lowell. House of Secrets. Kensington Publishing Corp., 1 Apr. 2014.
“Eddie Lee Sexton.” Wikipedia, 15 Sept. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Lee_Sexton. Accessed 7 Feb. 2024.
Kozelek, Mark. Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes. 2014.
nowayalrightokay. “Songs about True Crime?” Reddit.com, 30 Aug. 2023,
www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimePodcasts/comments/165pg2r/songs_about_true_crime/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2024.
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Sun Kil Moon wrote the song Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes. While the song repeatedly mentions Richard Ramirez and his crimes, it also mentions many other cases. One of them being the case of the Sexton family. The patriarch of the family was a man named Eddie Lee Sexton. He ran his family like a cult - forcing them to take part in bizarre satanic rituals and sexually assaulting all of his twelve children. His wife Stella went along with all of it. She sexually assaulted some of her children even without her husband present. When one of their children spoke out, DHS put the underage children in foster homes while they began investigating the parents. This set off a series of events that lead to Eddie Lee Sexton getting some of the kids back, then holding them hostage and taking them on the run throughout the country. Chaos and crime followed the family everywhere they went, and eventually innocent lives were lost.
Sources:
Cauffiel, Lowell. House of Secrets. Kensington Publishing Corp., 1 Apr. 2014.
Kozelek, Mark. Richard Ramirez Died Today of Natural Causes. 2014.
nowayalrightokay. “Songs about True Crime?” Reddit.com, 30 Aug. 2023, www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimePodcasts/comments/165pg2r/songs_about_true_crime/. Accessed 26 Jan. 2024.
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The movie Black Christmas, a cult classic, was inspired in part by a murderer dubbed The Lipstick Killer (because of a message the killer wrote in lipstick on a wall at the crime scene). The Lipstick Killer ended up being blamed for three murders, one of which was very different than the others. And a boy named William Heirens would be accused of being the Lipstick Killer, despite any evidence that pointed to his guilt. William Heirens was a troubled young boy, who started committing burglaries and thefts at a young age. He was institutionalized at two different boys schools because of his crimes at thirteen years old, which seemed to have a positive impact on his grades and life trajectory. His grades were good enough for him to get accepted to the University of Chicago when he was only seventeen, but he really struggled to shake his bad habits. Little did he know, his crimes would land him smack dab in the middle of the multiple-murder investigation. Many people, including experts in forensics and lawyers, believe Heirens is innocent of the murders.
Sources:
Crime: Bill and George. Time Magazine, 29 July 1946, web.archive.org/web/20091208035126/www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,776927-2,00.html.
Kennedy, Foster, et al. “Psychiatric Study of William Heirens Part of the Criminal Law Commons, Criminology Commons, and the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons Recommended Citation.” Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, vol. 38, no. Four, 1948, p. 1948, scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3496&context=jclc.
Presnell, Riley. “The Chilling True Story That Inspired “Black Christmas.”” Collider, 5 Dec. 2022, collider.com/black-christmas-true-story/#:~:text=The%201974%20cult%20classic%20Black. Accessed 4 Jan. 2024.
“Wayback Machine.” Web.archive.org, Apr. 2002, web.archive.org/web/20040618085916/www.law.northwestern.edu/depts/clinic/wrongful/documents/Heirenspetition.pdf.
“William Heirens.” Wikipedia, 16 Feb. 2022, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Heirens.
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On this episode we talk about three cases that made headlines over the past year. This includes deaths of over 400 people in the Shakahola Forest Massacre in Kenya, the completion of the trial for a woman who killed her friend with eye drops in order to steal more money from her, and the tragic disappearance of Nancy Ng in Guatemala during a yoga retreat.
Sources:
Gordon, Anna. “Kenyan Doomsday Cult Survivors Refuse to Eat: Latest Updates.” Time, 15 June 2023, time.com/6287440/kenya-shakahola-mackenzie-death-cult/.
Hanley , Erik. “Jessy Kurczewski Found Guilty on All Three Charges in Waukesha Eye Drops Homicide Trial.” Journal Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2023, www.jsonline.com/story/communities/west/2023/11/14/eye-drops-verdict-jury-finds-kurczewski-guilty-of-homicide-theft/71580120007/. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Hilyard, Hannah. ““That’s a Disgusting Thing to Lie About”: Eye Drop Homicide Suspect’s Ex-Boyfriend Takes Stand.” WISN, 31 Oct. 2023, www.wisn.com/article/thats-a-disgusting-thing-to-lie-about-eye-drop-homicide-suspects-ex-boyfriend-takes-the-stand/45689159. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
“Kenya Court Jails Cult Leader Mackenzie for One and Half Years.” The East African, 1 Dec. 2023, www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/court-jails-mackenzie-for-year-and-a-half-without-fine-4451120. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Miriri, Duncan. “Inside a Kenyan Starvation Cult and Its Tragic End in a Forest of Death.” Reuters, 4 May 2023, www.reuters.com/world/africa/inside-kenyan-starvation-cult-its-tragic-end-forest-death-2023-05-04/.
Neath, amelia. “Nancy Ng Went Missing on a Guatemala Yoga Retreat. Could a Key Witness Help Find Her?” The Independent, 29 Nov. 2023, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nancy-ng-guatemala-missing-b2455781.html. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
“Paul Mackenzie Found Guilty and Jailed for One Year.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbDA-D4_dhg. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
“Shakahola Forest Incident.” Wikipedia, 17 Nov. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakahola_Forest_incident. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Thiong’o, Josphat. “Kindiki: Makenzi Hired Armed Gangs to Kill Followers Who Backed out of Starving Plan or Took Too Long to Die.” The Standard, www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001473797/kindiki-makenzi-hired-armed-gangs-to-kill-followers-who-took-too-long-to-die. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
“What Happened to Missing California Woman Nancy Ng?” Inside Edition, 28 Nov. 2023, www.insideedition.com/what-happened-to-nancy-ng-the-california-woman-who-went-missing-while-kayaking-in-guatemala-84693. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Yam, Kimmy. “Family of Woman Missing on Yoga Retreat Responds to Witness Who Broke Silence after Weeks.” NBC News, 21 Nov. 2023, www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/nancy-ng-missing-witness-yoga-retreat-rcna126262. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Lindsay Hawker was a beautiful, ambitious young woman working as an English teacher in Tokyo when she caught the eye of a deranged individual who lived in the area. He asked her to give him an English lesson, which she apprehensively agreed to. After telling her roommates she was leaving to meet him at public cafe, she vanished. She had left his name and address on a note for her roommates so police tracked him down after being called. Unfortunately the suspect was able to slip away and go on the run. He remained missing for years and when he was found, his face looked completely different. Hoping to avoid detection he had undergone multiple plastic surgeries, and even operated on himself.
Sources:
Bill Hawker: Where Is My Daughter’s Killer? The Sunday Times, 16 Nov. 2008,
archive.ph/20081120070202/www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5139609.ece#selection-479.0-479.43. Accessed 22 Dec. 2023.
Crimes, Chilling. “Lindsay Ann Hawker.” Chilling Crimes, 19 Oct. 2021, www.chillingcrimes.com/blogs/news/lindsay-ann-hawker. Accessed 22 Dec. 2023.
McCurry, Justin. “Lindsay Hawker’s Killer, Tatsuya Ichihashi, Jailed for Life.” The Guardian, 21 July 2011, www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jul/21/lindsay-hawker-killer-jailed-life.
“Murder of Lindsay Hawker.” Wikipedia, 9 Sept. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lindsay_Hawker.
Perry, richard Lloyd. “Asia Exile - Times Online - WBLG: Japanese Police Struggle to Find Lindsay’s Killer.” Web.archive.org, 28 Apr. 2007, web.archive.org/web/20070428174436/timesonline.typepad.com/times_tokyo_weblog/2007/03/japanse_police_.html. Accessed 22 Dec. 2023.
“Police Capture Japanese Master of Disguise Wanted for English Teacher’s 2007 Murder.” The Guardian, 10 Nov. 2009, www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/10/japan-murder-plastic-surgery-hawker.
“Wanted Man’s Self-Administered Plastic Surgery Story.” Stuff, 26 Jan. 2011, www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/4587607/Wanted-mans-self-administered-plastic-surgery-story. Accessed 22 Dec. 2023.
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When Alice Crimmins children went missing from their hoe in NYC, she thought her husband may have kidnapped them to spite her. He denied taking the children and offered to come help her find them, before the pair called police. Unfortunately a lack of leads and a lot of misogyny made the police focus on in on Alice almost immediately. Unfortunately, the children’s bodies would be found in different parts of the city later on and Alice would eventually have to fight for her innocence in the courtroom. This case inspired the book Little Deaths by Emma Flint, but there’s still not much known about what actually happened to the children in real life. We dive into all of it and more on this episode!
Sources
“Alicia Crimmins | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.”
Murderpedia.org, murderpedia.org/female.C/c/crimmins-alice.htm. Accessed 24 Nov. 2023.
“Little Deaths.” Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/book/show/27845924-little-deaths. Accessed 24 Nov. 2023.
WallabyGlittering634. Alice Crimmins-I Just Watched This on Investigation Discovery Give Your Opinion,I Am Gonna Put the Story in the Comments. 24 Aug. 2023,
www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrimeDiscussion/comments/160fvcx/alice_crimminsi_just_watched_this_on/. Accessed 24 Nov. 2023.
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Alisha Allen rushed over to her friend, Tynisha Ysais’, house after hearing she may have been assaulted earlier in the day. As she approached the complex she noticed a man walking around completely naked and covered in blood. Thankfully she was able to flag down a passing police officer to alert him to the strange man. Officers approached the man, who clearly had a meaty substance stuck to his facial hair, and arrested him without incident. Meanwhile Alisha continued towards her friends apartment. When she walked in she found her friend dead on her bedroom floor - she had been completely brutalized. One of her lungs and part of her intestines were pulled out of her body and piled on top of her body, and it looked as though her murderer had taken bites out of parts of her body. Tynisha was a mother of two who hoped to become a model and she was only twenty-one.
The man police arrested was her roommate, an up and coming horror core rapper named Big Lurch. Many of his songs contained lyrics about murdering and cannibalizing people, but how much does someones art say about them?
Sources:
Archives, L. A. Times. “Attorney Is Ordered to Pay $1.2 Million in Malpractice Suit.” Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2004, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jun-01-me-grimes1-story.html. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
“Big Lurch.” Wikipedia, 24 Apr. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Lurch.
“Big Lurch – I Did It to You!” Genius.com, genius.com/Big-lurch-i-did-it-to-you-lyrics. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
“BIG LURCH: “I WAS SET-up by MY LAWYER MILTON GRIMES & GANG-BANGERS.”” A 3XL ORIGINAL, 15 May 2017, 3xloriginals.wordpress.com/2017/05/15/big-lurch-i-was-set-up-by-my-lawyer-milton-grimes-gang-bangers/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
Kelleher, Jennifer Sinco. “Aspiring Texas Rapper to Stand Trial in Death of L.A. Woman.” Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2002, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-30-me-teeth30-story.html. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
“Lawsuit: “Gangsta” Image Prompted Woman’s Murder.” Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2003, www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-04-14-0304140242-story.html. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
Malnic, Eric. “Man Gets Life for Woman’s Murder.” Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov.
2003, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-08-me-rapper8-story.html. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
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The movie Candyman had many inspirations. It’s believed that one of them was the murder of a woman named Ruthie Mae McCoy - a middle aged lady who lived alone in a unit in Grace Abbott Apartments, the most dangerous building within the dilapidated ABLA housing projects. Ruthie Mae was very close to moving out of her apartment, because she was not doing well living there. She had become very isolated because she was so scared to leave since crime was rampant in the complex. Unfortunately, an architectural quirk in the building allowed for people looking to rob apartments to access them via their medicine cabinet. The medicine cabinets could be removed to reveal a tunnel that lead to the medicine cabinet next door, or sometimes the medicine cabinets on the floor above or below. The night of the murder Ruthie Mae heard the robbers breaking in and she ran to the phone. She told the dispatcher her address and then told them “they’re breaking in through the bathroom.” The dispatcher was confused what she meant by that but he understood enough to ask her to confirm that her apartment was being broken into, which she did. Instead of reporting the crime as a break-in, the dispatcher reported it as a disturbance - which was the first of many mistakes made by the people who were supposed to protect Ruthie Mae. Each mistake added up to culminate in no justice for Ruthie Mae, but her legacy lives on as her story has been told by many people in relation to the movie Candyman. She has been remembered as a tenacious woman who took care of those around her and cared deeply about others, even when she was struggling.
Sources:
“ABLA Homes.” Wikipedia, 15 Oct. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABLA_Homes. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.
Bogira, Steve. “Cause of Death.” Chicago Reader, 12 July 1990, chicagoreader.com/news-politics/cause-of-death/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.
---. “They Came in through the Bathroom Mirror.” Chicago Reader, 3 Sept. 1987, chicagoreader.com/news-politics/they-came-in-through-the-bathroom-mirror/.
“Candyman (1992 Film).” Wikipedia, 26 Oct. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candyman_(1992_film).
“Life and Death in the Projects | the Murder of Ruthie Mae McCoy.” Https://Thekillerqueenblog.com/Ruthie-Mae-Mccoy/, 25 July 2023, thekillerqueenblog.com/ruthie-mae-mccoy/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2023.
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Thank you so much for being patient with us! I'm so sorry for our unintentional break. We have been moving, and it has taken up all of our time. We should be able to get back on our regular schedule now!
Long-haul trucker, Devin Williams, left for his route from Kansas to California like usual. He was very familiar with it since he had done it so many times. He made it to California with no problems and picked up a load to drop off on his way back. But he never made it home. Instead, the responsible and diligent trucker ended up deep in the Tonto National Forest with his gigantic 18-wheeler, for no explainable reason. He was seen exhibiting incredibly strange and dangerous behavior. And then he disappeared.
Since we recorded this episode before we started moving, we talk about some old updates on the Ruby Franke case at the end of the pod - I just don't want anyone to be confused about it. I kept it in the episode in case people who haven't kept up with the case wanted to hear the older updates. Again, thank you all so much for being patient with us the past few weeks! We love and value you all.
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On this episode we discuss the inspiration behind the movie “The Afflicted."
Theresa Knorr was a newly single mother of six children who began severely abusing the five children who still lived with her. She isolated her kids and refused to let them go to school, allowing her horrendous abuse to go unseen. She focused the majority of her rage on her two oldest daughters because she was jealous of them. Over a span of years Theresa murdered them both after subjecting them to long periods of extreme abuse, starvation, and torture. She made her other kids help her abuse their siblings by threatening to kill them if they didn’t. As the surviving siblings got older, one of them was on a quest for justice. They advocated for their murdered siblings for years before anyone in a position to help would actually listen.
Sources:
Juan Ignacio Blanco. “Theresa Knorr | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Murderpedia.org, 2010, murderpedia.org/female.K/k/knorr-theresa.htm.
“Lodi News-Sentinel - Google News Archive Search.” News.google.com, 9 Nov. 1993, news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2245&dat=19931108&id=45QzAAAAIBAJ&pg=6036. Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.
Neale, Eleanor. “The Most Evil Mother in America.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSd-81xpmC8. Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.
Paddock, richard C. “The Berkshire Eagle 15 Nov 1993, Page 3.” Newspapers.com, 15 Nov. 1993, www.newspapers.com/image/534025897/?terms=Theresa%20knorr&match=1. Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.
“The Afflicted (Film).” Wikipedia, 26 Apr. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Afflicted_(film). Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.
“Theresa Knorr.” Wikipedia, 8 Sept. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theresa_Knorr#Arrests. Accessed 16 Sept. 2023.
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We've decided to do bonus episodes where we talk about current true crime news in a more informal/conversational style. In this episode we talk about the arrests Rubi Franke of 8 Passengers and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt for child abuse. We also talk about the sentencing of Lucy Letby, the British nurse who was found guilty of killing seven babies and trying to kill six other babies.
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Cindy James, a recently-divorced nurse from British Columbia, begins living alone for the first time in her adult life. About a month into her new living situation she begins receiving terrifying calls. The caller starts leaving notes for Cindy, on her car or at her house and his behavior escalates quickly. He vandalizes her property, breaks into her house, and physically attacks her several times. During the physical attacks, the stalker usually strangles Cindy with black nylon stockings by tying them tightly around her neck before leaving. Cindy seeks help from The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, but they are unable to find evidence that can lead them to the stalker. They look very closely into her ex-husband, Dr. Roy Makepeace, but there's not enough evidence to suggest it's him. Eventually, the RCMP suspect Cindy is the one responsible for her torment. Her case becomes even more confusing when she goes missing, eight years after the stalking begins. She is found dead in the yard of an abandoned home, hog-tied with black nylon stockings tied around her neck and a hole I'm her arm suggesting she had been injected with something. Despite a lengthy coroner's inquest, there is no definitive answer to what happened to Cindy James.
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Sources:
Hall, Neal. “Cindy’s Torment.” The Vancouver Sun, 31 Dec. 1990, p. 6, www.newspapers.com/article/77616793/ore-from-neal-halls-book/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
Hall, neal. “Disappearance Still a Mystery.” The Vancouver Sun, 6 June 1989, p. 60, www.newspapers.com/article/53189650/vancouver-sun890606/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
Harlowe, Stephanie. “Cindy James- Part 2: UNDER SIEGE.” Www.youtube.com, 21 Aug. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_1YIe9Z51k. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
---. “Cindy James: Part 1- the Night Stalker.” Www.youtube.com, 21 Aug. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo5R6W6KXRE. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
Horwood, Holly. The Strange Death. Of Cindy James. 11 Mar. 1990, p. 24, www.newspapers.com/image/502469238/?clipping_id=90573385&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjUwMjQ2OTIzOCwiaWF0IjoxNjkzMTY5MzAwLCJleHAiOjE2OTMyNTU3MDB9.ZhRd3WuAWVAoYIUu4fmFRM06-Zu7ROYD-9_6qn86zJk&terms=Thormanby&match=1. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
macQueen, Ken. “The Strange Case of Cindy James: Was It a Case of Murder or Suicide?” The Kingston Whig-Standard, 1 Mar. 1990, p. Page 32, www.newspapers.com/article/111953308/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
“The Mysterious Death of Cindy James.” Unsolved Mysteries, 19 June 2023, unsolved.com/gallery/cindy-james/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
thethreepennyguignol. ““Under Siege”: The Troubled Life and Debated Death of Cindy James.” The Cutprice Guignol, 18 June 2023, thethreepennyguignol.com/2023/06/18/under-siege-the-troubled-life-and-debated-death-of-cindy-james/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
Trimingham, Alayna. “Crime Scenes: Blaming the Victim.” The McHenry Messenger, 12 Mar. 2021, themchenrymessenger.com/crime-scenes-cindy-james/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2023.
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In 2000 a Polish man named Dariusz Janiszewski was kidnapped, starved, tortured, and murdered. The case quickly went cold and the murderer, Kristin Bala, almost got away with it... until he published a book about it, titled Amok. Bala changed many details in the book, but the similarities seemed too obscure to be merely coincidence. Using the book as a roadmap to murder, investigators were able to unravel his motive and piece together the inner-workings of his mind. He was a self-centered, egotistical man who wanted to control everyone around him and he ultimately let his hubris get the best of him.
Sources:
Grann, David. “A Postmodern Murder Mystery.” The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2008,
www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/02/11/true-crime.
“Krystian Bala | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Murderpedia.org, murderpedia.org/male.B/b/bala-krystian.htm#:~:text=Krystian%20Bala%20(born%201973)%20is. Accessed 24 Aug. 2023.
“Murder, He Wrote: Polish Author Convicted.” NBC News, 6 Sept. 2007, www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20611732. Accessed 24 Aug. 2023.
Traynor, ian. “Polish Author Jailed over Killing He Used as Plot.” The Guardian, 6 Sept. 2007, www.theguardian.com/world/2007/sep/06/books.booksnews.
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Sometimes life imitates dark art, leading to dire consequences. We discuss two cases of men who perpetrated crimes that imitated scenes from movies and tv shows. The first story is about a case that resembled a scene from Kill Bill Vol. II and the second is about a man who became obsessed with acting out a scene from Breaking Bad. Both cases were instances of domestic violence. They share many similarities, but they also differ in many ways. We discuss the cases, investigations, and all of the factors surrounding each case.
If you or someone you know are suffering from domestic violence, you can call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "start" to 88788.
Sources:
Higgins, dave. “Shallow Grave Man Marcin Kasprzak Found Guilty of Murder.” The Independent, 19 Dec. 2011,
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/shallow-grave-man-marcin-kasprzak-found-guilty-of-murder-6279277.html. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
Hill, Kip. “Hart Pleads Guilty to Murder in Acid Slaying | the Spokesman-Review.” Www.spokesman.com, 29 Sept. 2014,
www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/sep/29/hart-pleads-guilty-murder-acid-slaying/. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
Humphrey, Jeff. “Hart Gets 14 Years for Girlfriend’s Killing.” KXLY Kxly.com, 1 Nov. 2014, www.kxly.com/news/local-news/spokane/hart-gets-14-years-for-girlfriend-s-killing/article_63c5164d-f258-50a8-84e5-0a18c049d851.html. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
“Jason Hart | Copycat Killers | S2E03.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8lEWHwvxEs. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
“Marcin Kasprzak | Copycat Killers | S2E20.” Www.youtube.com, www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YdRIxbrUl0. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
“Marcin Kasprzak, Who Buried Girlfriend, in Explosives Sentencing.” BBC News, 18 Dec. 2012, www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-20769623. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
Moaba, Alex. ““Breaking Bad” Murder: Jason Hart Accused of Using Walter White’s Acid Technique to Dispose of Body.” HuffPost Canada, HuffPost Canada, 27 June 2013, www.huffpost.com/entry/breaking-bad-murder_n_3511285.
News, A. B. C. “Buried Alive Fiance Gets 20 Years in Prison.” ABC News, 12 Jan. 2012, abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/01/buried-alive-fiance-gets-20-years-in-prison. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
Robinson, Andrew. “The “Monstrous” Meat Factory Worker Who Buried Girlfriend Alive in Woods.” YorkshireLive, 6 June 2021,
www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/monstrous-meat-factory-worker-who-20745630. Accessed 16 Aug. 2023.
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This week we discuss a lesser known cult that brutally tortured, sexually assaulted, and killed some of it's own members. Lead by a man named Michael Ryan, the group was a white supremacist doomsday cult that stockpiled tons of property that they stole from farms throughout the midwest. Michael convinced the group that he was possessed by the Archangel Michael and that he had a direct line to God (who they referred to as Yahweh). He begins to claim that Yahweh wants the group to participate in horrifying torture, sexual assault, and murder causing things to quickly spin out of control. We cover everything from the formation of the cult through to the consequences of their actions.
Sources:
“Hate Group Expert Daniel Levitas Discusses Posse Comitatus, Christian Identity Movement and More.” Southern Poverty Law Center, 15 June 1998, www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/1998/hate-group-expert-daniel-levitas-discusses-posse-comitatus-christian-identity-movement-and.
“Killers of Rulo.” Deadly Cults, created by Matt Pizzano, season 1, episode three, Oxygen, 2019.
Nelson, robert. ““Flush Him down the Toilet” | Omaha Magazine.”
Www.omahamagazine.com, 26 May 2015, www.omahamagazine.com/2015/05/26/303437/-flush-him-down-the-toilet-. Accessed 8 Aug. 2023.
Smith, Benjamin H. “What Is the Yahweh Cult? A Sordid Tale of Slavery, Torture, Sodomy and Murder among Farmers in Nebraska.” Oxygen Official Site, 24 Feb. 2019, www.oxygen.com/deadly-cults/crime-time/yahweh-nebraska-farmers-cults-slavery-torture-sodomy-murder.
“State v. Ryan.” Justia Law, 11 Aug. 1989, law.justia.com/cases/nebraska/supreme-court/1989/946-0.html. Accessed 8 Aug. 2023.
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Folie à deux, french for "madness of two," is a condition where two or more people share the same delusions. The phenomenon usually occurs between people who are very close to one another, like tight-knit families or siblings. The Taiwanese movie Incantation is supposedly inspired by a family, the Wu family, who experienced folie à deux. They believed they were all possessed by different deities and they began acting in really strange and dangerous ways to free themselves from the possessions. This culminated in the family being put on trial for domestic abuse after one of the adult children died from starvation (her autopsy revealed that the only thing she had in her stomach was feces, because the family was feeding their feces to one another). Since there weren't a lot of sources about the Wu family in English, we also talk about two other cases of folie à deux in order to gain a better understanding of how the condition affects families.
Sources:
Works Cited
“Based on a True Story, the Case in the Horror Film Incantation Is Still a Mystery to This Day.” Indonesia Posts English, indonesia.postsen.com/live-style/95267/Based-on-a-true-story-the-case-in-the-horror-film-Incantation-is-still-a-mystery-to-this-day.html.
“Daughter Riana Tromp Speaks out about That Bizarre Family Road Trip.” Marie Claire, 16 May 2017, www.marieclaire.com.au/tromp-daughter-of-bizarre-family-road-trip-speaks-out. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.
Dziemianowicz, joe. ““It Looked like a Mummy”: Idaho Man Lived with Decomposing Remains of His Wife and Daughter for Years.” Oxygen Official Site, 18 Sept. 2021, www.oxygen.com/accident-suicide-or-murder/crime-news/david-kaneko-lived-in-idaho-with-familys-mummified-bodies. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.
Griffith, Beth. “Beth Griffith on TikTok.” TikTok, 30 May 2023, www.tiktok.com/@thebethgriffith/video/7238974788591439147?lang=en. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023. Parts 1-13.
“Idaho Man Who Lived with Mummified Bodies of Wife, Daughter Denied Request to Clear Name.” Associated Press, 20 Mar. 2015, www.foxnews.com/us/idaho-man-who-lived-with-mummified-bodies-of-wife-daughter-denied-request-to-clear-name. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.
Illustrious-bed5587. "The real life gruesome story that inspired Taiwan film incantation (2022) (trigger warning)." Reddit, 07/22/2023, https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/156mp2l/the_real_life_gruesome_story_that_inspired_taiwan/
Jepsen, Belinda. “In 2016, the Tromp Family Fled Their Home and Drove 800km North. We Still Don’t Know Why.” Mamamia, Mamamia, 17 July 2019, www.mamamia.com.au/tromp-family/.
“Man Who Let Wife, Daughter Die Sentenced | the Spokesman-Review.” Www.spokesman.com, www.spokesman.com/stories/2007/aug/22/man-who-let-wife-daughter-die-sentenced/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.
Rodriguez, Matt. “The Bizarre Tromp Family Road Trip.” Medium, 7 Oct. 2021, medium.com/@matt1199/the-bizarre-tromp-family-road-trip-8268896e0c27. Accessed 3 Aug. 2023.
“Tromp Family: The Mystery of a Tech-Free Road Trip Gone Wrong.” BBC News, 7 Sept. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-37293494.
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After John Powell's death in Drake Hospital, they send his body off for an autopsy. The law in Ohio at the time mandated autopsies for anyone who died from an accident. They thought that John had died from complications related to a motorcycle accident, but the medical examiner realized that was not the case as soon as he opened his stomach. He detected a bitter almond smell, prompting him to run extra tests to see if John had been poisoned with cyanide. After test results validated the doctor's theory, he passed the case on to detectives. By the time they finish their investigation, they realize they are dealing with one of America's most prolific serial killers.
Note: Instead of focusing on a piece of art inspired by the case, we discussed a memoir written by John Powell's daughter. The book is called "Met the End," and I will link it below.
https://www.amazon.com/Met-End-investigation-daughters-herself/dp/B0BMDPJ63J
NEW EMAIL: darkoriginspod@gmail.com
Sources:
"Donald Harvey." Wikipedia, 10 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Harvey.
"Donald Harvey Pt. 1." Open.spotify.com, 22 Sept. 2021, open.spotify.com/episode/3rRtBCiiknmtNBjjNZ8EkA. Accessed 26 July 2023.
Holly Brians Ragusa. Met the End. 7 Mar. 2023.
Juan Ignacio Blanco. "Donald Harvey | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers." Murderpedia.org, 2020, murderpedia.org/male.H/h/harvey-donald.htm.
murden, Alastair James, et al. Medical Murders. Parcast, July 21AD, disc Donald Harvey Pt. 2. Accessed 25 July 2023.
Murden, Alastair james, et al. Donald Harvey Part 1. parcast, Sept. 2021.
Scott, Jason. ""He Just Liked Killing": Donald Harvey Convicted of 37 Murders." Https://Www.fox19.com, 23 Sept. 2019, www.fox19.com/2019/09/24/he-just-liked-killing-donald-harvey-convicted-murders/.
tudor. "Serial Killer: Donald Harvey (the Painkiller)." Www.youtube.com, July 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=stB3fjlei6o. Accessed 25 July 2023.
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Tiffany Cooke was on the phone with her father when all of a sudden she heard several popping noises. She stayed on the line hoping her father would come back to the phone, but she was eventually greeted by her brother instead. He told her he had to make another call before abruptly hanging up on her. He proceeded to call 911 to tell them that he had just shot his parents. His defense wanted to use "The Matrix Defense," which is a type of insanity plea in which the defendant claims they believed they were living in a simulation. Joshua ultimately decided to take responsibility for the crime and plead guilty instead of trying to "The Matrix Defense." We discuss the murder, the movie, and the motive for the crime.
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This is not a regular episode of Dark Origins. We want to use our platform to help whenever possible, and we know our listeners would care about these cases. You've likely seen the breaking news about the disappearance of Carlethia Russell, which we briefly cover in the beginning. There isn't much information about her disappearance so far, but we cover all of the information that has been released. We also cover the separation of an indigenous baby named Chanel from her family. Chanel's mother, Kristen, was killed by her father, Eric, in 2020. Eric's parental rights were never terminated, so he was able to give custody of Chanel to a non-native family instead of allowing her maternal grandmother to care for her. Chanel's grandmother, Aana Arlene, is fighting to get custody of Chanel, but the foster parents are trying to block her efforts. So, her grandmother is asking for as much help as possible in spreading the word about this injustice. You can sign the petition and find more information about the case at BringChanelhome.com or by using the hashtag #bringchanelhome.
Petition: https://www.communityx.com/posts/ab7c5ea9-8cbf-4c90-a1b2-f681ea234c1c/?explore=true
BringChanelhome.com
Sources:
Ainsworth, Nolin. “Fair“anks Man Sentenced 50 Years for Murder.” Htt”s://Www.alaskasnewssource.com, 4 Feb. 2023, www.alaskasnewssource.com/2023/02/04/fairbanks-man-sentenced-50-years-murder/. Accessed 15 July 2023.
https://www.facebook.com/carol.robinson.129. “Sear“h Continues for Carlee Russell: Woman Vanished in Hoover after Reporting Child Walking on I-459.” Al,”14 July 2023, www.al.com/news/2023/07/woman-disappears-after-calling-911-to-report-seeing-child-alone-on-i-459-in-hoover-search-underway.html. Accessed 15 July 2023.
Reporter, KTVF Staff. “Eric“Rustad Sentenced for January 2020 Domestic Violence Murder.” Htt”s://Www.webcenterfairbanks.com, 4 Feb. 2023, www.webcenterfairbanks.com/2023/02/04/eric-rustad-sentenced-january-2020-domestic-violence-murder/. Accessed 15 July 2023.
Woody, Jamiel Lynch,Chenelle. “An A“abama Woman Is Missing after Stopping to Help a Toddler She Saw Walking on the Interstate, Police Say.” CNN” 14 July 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/07/14/us/carlee-russell-missing-alabama/index.html. Accessed 15 July 2023.
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In 1972 a plane filled with an amateur Rugby team, their friends and family, a woman on her way to her daughter’s wedding, and the flight crew got in a crash in the Andes Mountains. Some passengers passed away in the crash, but others were forced to survive for the next 72 days in the wilderness of the Andes Mountains with barely any food, water, or other necessities. They were forced to eat the bodies of their dead friends and family to survive, but there is so much more to their story. Listen to this episode to hear about the crash and how it inspired the show Yellowjackets!
List of victims that passed away:
Survivors:
Sources:
De Pecol, Cassie. Against the Odds. Wondery, 21 Sept. 2021, wondery.com/shows/against-the-odds/season/7/, disc Plane Crash In The Andes - The Crash. Accessed 10 July 2023.
---. Against the Odds. Wondery, 28 Sept. 2021, disc Plane Crash in the Andes - The Cutting.
---. Against the Odds. Wondery, 5 Oct. 2021, wondery.com/shows/against-the-odds/season/7/, disc Plane Crash in the Andes - The Choice. Accessed 10 July 2023.
---. Against the Odds. 12 Oct. 2021, wondery.com/shows/against-the-odds/season/7/, disc Plane Crash in the Andes - The Climb. Accessed 10 July 2023.
“Prisoners of the Snow: A Special Edition of 20/20 - ABC.com.” ABC, 22 May 2023, abc.com/movies-and-specials/prisoners-of-the-snow-a-special-edition-of-2020. Accessed 11 July 2023.
Tikkanen, Amy. “Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 | Crash, Rescue, & Facts.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 6 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Uruguayan-Air-Force-flight-571.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 23 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruguayan_Air_Force_Flight_571.
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On June 30, 2003, fourteen year old Jodi Jones left her house to meet up with her boyfriend, Luke. When Jodi missed her curfew, her mom figured she was still with Luke. After calling him, she found out that Jodi never showed up. They all met up to look for her, and it didn't take long before they found her. She had been brutally murdered and left behind a high wall along the path she took to get to Luke's house. After months of investigation, police felt they had enough evidence to arrest Luke, but Luke maintained his innocence. The murder of Jodi inspired the song "Where is She?" by The Killers. Luke's trial was incredibly controversial, and many people believe he was wrongly convicted. We discuss all of it and more in this episode!
Sources:
Glover, John. "Jodi Jones Murder Police Destroyed Hundreds of Items of Evidence." Scottishdailyexpress, 30 Nov. 2022, www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/jodi-jones-murder-police-destroyed-28620879.
Habel, Aaron, and Justin Evans. Generation Why Podcast. Wondery, 22 Aug. 2021, disc 434. Accessed 4 July 2023. Podcast.
McIlwraith , Gordon. "JODI JONES MURDER TRIAL: NAKED and MUTILATED; Jury See Video of Her Body. - Free Online Library." Www.thefreelibrary.com, www.thefreelibrary.com/JODI+JONES+MURDER+TRIAL%3A+NAKED+AND+MUTILATED%3B+Jury+see+video+of+her...-a0124597244. Accessed 4 July 2023.
Siddique, Haroon. "DNA Doubts over Jodi Jones Murder Verdict." The Guardian, 2 Aug. 2009, www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/aug/02/luke-mitchell-jodi-jones-appeal. Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.
Wikipedia Contributors. "Murder of Jodi Jones." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Jodi_Jones. Accessed 15 Dec. 2019.
Wilson, David. "Eminent Criminologist David Wilson Looks at One of Scotland's Most Notorious Cases." HeraldScotland, 12 Apr. 2023, www.heraldscotland.com/news/23447697.luke-mitchell-never-charged-let-alone-convicted/. Accessed 4 July 2023.
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This episode discusses the real inspiration behind the Mai Tai Killer from American Horror Story Season 11. The Last Call Killer, Richard Rogers, is thought to be responsible for the murders of at least four men in NYC, but he was only convicted of two (and he likely committed more than four). Rogers plucked men from piano bars in New York City under the cover of night and rampant homophobia. The murders did not get much press coverage until the pattern of finding dismembered bodies tied up in trash bags could no longer be ignored. Due to the diligent work of the victims' families and the queer community in NYC, Rogers was eventually caught. We talk in-depth about each victim, the perpetrator, and the investigation as a whole.
Sources:
Green, Elon. Last Call. Celadon Books, 9 Mar. 2021.
“Richard Rogers (Serial Killer).” Wikipedia, 15 June 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rogers_(serial_killer). Accessed 29 June 2023.
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When Suzanne, a kind and caring sixteen-year-old girl, befriends her old babysitter, things turn dark quickly. The babysitter introduced Suzanne to her friends, who all began bullying her. They took advantage of Suzanne's kindness and her desire for connection. After a big fight, Suzanne left to stay with her stepdad, but the group manipulated her into returning. As soon as she stepped foot inside their house, they began torturing her. Over the course of seven days, Suzanne was brutally tortured - this is when the group incorporated Chucky into their torture sessions. After a week of unimaginable pain, Suzanne was set on fire and killed by her so-called friends - but not before she got justice for herself.
Sources:
Works Cited
“Child’s Play - Movie Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes.” Www.rottentomatoes.com, www.rottentomatoes.com/m/childs_play/reviews?intcmp=rt-what-to-know_read-critics-reviews. Accessed 24 June 2023.
Harvey, Austin. “Inside the Unimaginable Torture of Suzanne Capper, the 16-Year-Old Murdered by Her “Friends.”” All That’s Interesting, 3 Nov. 2022, allthatsinteresting.com/suzanne-capper.
“Sex with “Chucky” Killer; Prison Boss Resigns over His Secret Affair. - Free Online Library.” Www.thefreelibrary.com, www.thefreelibrary.com/Sex+with+%27Chucky%27+killer%3B+Prison+boss+resigns+over+his+secret+affair.-a061168969. Accessed 24 June 2023.
“The Horrific Murder of Suzanne Capper.” Give Us Morgue, giveusmorgue.com/the-horrific-murder-of-suzanne-capper/. Accessed 24 June 2023.
Thompson, Emily G. “One Week of Sadism - the Murder of Suzanne Capper • Morbidology.” Morbidology, 1 Mar. 2019, morbidology.com/one-week-of-sadism-the-murder-of-suzanne-capper/.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Murder of Suzanne Capper.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Sept. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Suzanne_Capper.
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In this episode, we talk about the murder of Mary Rogers and how it inspired Edgar Allen Poe. Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" is widely considered to be the first modern detective novel, spawning a hugely popular genre that still stands strong today. He wrote a sequel called "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt," which Poe used as an artistic exercise in trying to solve the real-life murder of Mary Rogers. Unfortunately, he would be unsuccessful. Mary's murder remains a mystery still today.
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*I'm so sorry but we had to reupload due to technical issues. This is the new upload!*
In this episode, we dive into the story of Alferd Packer and the five men he killed and cannibalized on an expedition to find gold. We discuss his crimes, capture, and multiple confessions. We also explain the most popular theories about his motive and intent. There have been many movies and books that his story has inspired, so we try to focus on three in particular. Just a forewarning - this story is a bit gruesome!
Sources:
“Alferd Packer.” Www.museumtrail.org, www.museumtrail.org/alferd-packer.
“Alferd Packer.” Wikipedia, 30 May 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alferd_Packer. Accessed 16 June 2023.
“Alferd Packer: Notorious Cannibal.” Colorado Virtual Library, 13 July 2015, www.coloradovirtuallibrary.org/digital-colorado/colorado-histories/beginnings/alferd-packer-notorious-cannibal/.
“Alfred Packer – Colorado Cannibal – Legends of America.” Legendsofamerica.com, 2021, www.legendsofamerica.com/alfred-packer/.
Editors, History com. ““Colorado Cannibal” Alferd Packer Is Paroled.” HISTORY, 16 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cannibal-alfred-packer-is-paroled.
gschultz. “The Grisly Tale of the “Colorado Cannibal” Alfred Packer, as Seen in the Records of the Office of Indian Affairs.” The Text Message, 19 Apr. 2022, text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2022/04/19/the-grisly-tale-of-the-colorado-cannibal-alfred-packer-as-seen-in-the-records-of-the-office-of-indian-affairs/. Accessed 16 June 2023.
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In this episode, we cover the case and trial of Larry Nassar from my perspective as a survivor. There are hundreds of survivors of Nassar, so I am only one of many. Nassar's trial was the inspiration for S19E14 of Law and Order SVU, so we briefly talk about that episode.
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Since this is a bonus episode, we did something a little different than usual. Instead of diving into the inspiration behind a movie, book, etc. we talk about the brutal murders of two beautiful women. One of the women, Margarette Eby, was a music professor who started a city-wide music festival so she technically created a laswithtistic legacy. The other woman, Nancy Ludwig, was a diligent flight attendant who had a full family life. Both of their murders had gone cold, but the hard work of their families helped crack the case.
Hinterman, Peter. “Flint Crime Files: The Murder of Margarette EbyDeath in the Gatehouse.” My City Magazine, 1 May 2023, www.mycitymag.com/flint-crime-files-the-murder-of-margarette-ebydeath-in-the-gatehouse/. Accessed 7 June 2023.
“Jeffrey Wayne Gorton | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Murderpedia.org, murderpedia.org/male.G/g/gorton-jeffrey.htm. Accessed 7 June 2023.
Parmiter, Cindy. “The Eyes of the Watcher: The Horrific Rapes and Murders of Nancy Ludwig and Margarette Eby.” Medium, 22 Dec. 2022, truecrimedetective.co.uk/the-eyes-of-the-watcher-the-horrific-rapes-and-murders-of-nancy-ludwig-and-margarette-eby-b18cf1117a01. Accessed 7 June 2023.
Vanapalli, Viswa. “Nancy Ludwig and Margarette Eby Murders: Where Is Jeffrey Wayne Gorton Now?” The Cinemaholic, 1 Feb. 2022, thecinemaholic.com/nancy-ludwig-and-margarette-eby-murders-where-is-jeffrey-wayne-gorton-now/. Accessed 7 June 2023.
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In this episode, we discuss the horrific murder of a devoted father down on his luck. Gregory Biggs was walking near the road when Chante Mallard was driving while intoxicated. Chante hit Gregory, and instead of getting him medical attention, she made a series of terrible decisions that ultimately led to his death. This event has inspired many TV shows and movies, but we mainly focus on the movie Stuck.
Sources:
Ashley, Megan. “The Horrific Hit and Run Murder of Gregory Biggs.” Medium, 13 Sept. 2021, truecrimemysteries.medium.com/the-horrific-hit-and-run-murder-of-gregory-biggs-6ea6a6217201. Accessed 7 June 2023.
“Chante Mallard | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Murderpedia.org, murderpedia.org/female.M/m/mallard-chante.htm.
“Man Hit by Car Lived Only Hours, Not Days.” Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2002/03/13/man-hit-by-car-lived-only-hours-not-days/2405fde4-bb39-4b04-ab2f-0300ed4a90aa/. Accessed 7 June 2023.
Mendoza, Jean. “The Truth about the Hit and Run Murder of Gregory Glenn Biggs.” Grunge, 16 Mar. 2022, www.grunge.com/800526/the-truth-about-the-hit-and-run-murder-of-gregory-glenn-biggs/. Accessed 7 June 2023.
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In this episode, we dive into The Snowtown murders, the crimes that inspired a movie by the same moniker. We talk about each victim and the circumstances surrounding the murders committed by John Bunting, James Vlassakis, and Robert Wagner (with help from Mark Haydon).
Sources:
Anderson, Paul. ““Bodies in Barrels” Haunts Snowtown.” Heraldsun.com.au, Herald Sun, 13 May 2014, www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/true-crime-scene/how-australias-worst-serial-killers-john-bunting-and-robert-wagner-stained-snowtown-with-their-sadistic-kill-games/news-story/7a8f5f816349f60b8eeee2e06b23b2a4.
Ansley, Greg. “Reeling from a Netherworld - World News.” NZ Herald, 1 June 2023, www.nzherald.co.nz/world/reeling-from-a-netherworld/CGOF4S3I5MDP3ZXZ54NBUXTZZA/. Accessed 1 June 2023.
Barkham, Patrick. “Bodies in Barrels Case Grips Australia.” The Guardian, 13 Dec. 2000, www.theguardian.com/world/2000/dec/13/patrickbarkham.
Bean, Jamie. “Bodies in the Barrels; The Snowtown Murders.” Medium, 7 Jan. 2021, medium.com/crimebeat/bodies-in-the-barrels-the-snowtown-murders-e8bc0571ccf4.
Boston, John. “Pandora’s Vault — the Snowtown Murders — Crime Library.” Www.crimelibrary.org, www.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/weird/snowtown/vault_3.html. Accessed 1 June 2023.
“David Johnson.” Victims of Homicide Wiki, victimsofhomicide.fandom.com/wiki/David_Johnson. Accessed 1 June 2023.
Fickling, David. “Juror’s Horror Halts Bodies in Barrels Case.” The Guardian, 17 Oct. 2002, www.theguardian.com/world/2002/oct/17/australia.davidfickling. Accessed 1 June 2023.
Heckel, Jessica, et al. John Justin Bunting.
“John Bunting (Serial Killer) - Murders - Thomas Trevilyan.” Www.liquisearch.com, www.liquisearch.com/john_bunting_serial_killer/murders/thomas_trevilyan. Accessed 1 June 2023.
Juan Ignacio Blanco. “John Justin Bunting | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Murderpedia.org, 2010, murderpedia.org/male.B/b/bunting-john-justin.htm.
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This episode delves into the true story behind Wes Craven's The Serpent and the Rainbow. First, we discuss the case of Clairvius Narcisse, a man who was thought to be a zombie after he arrived in his village eighteen years after being declared dead. We also dive into the Haitian Revolution, Voodoo, Papa Doc and his Tonton Macoute, and Dr. Wade Davis' research on the phenomena of Haitian zombies.
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In this episode, we talk about Allan Menzies and his obsession with the movie Queen of the Damned. He claims the movie inspired him to kill his best friend, Thomas McKendrick. Allan told the jury that he suffered from delusions and hallucinations in which Akasha, a blood-thirsty vampire played by Aliyah, promised him immortality if he followed her commands.
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This episode takes a look at the murder of Imette St. Guillen and the song inspired by her murder, called Pioneer to the Falls by Interpol.
Sources:
Barron, James. “Killing Reminded Bar’s Manager of ‘Preppie Murder’ at His Family’s Bar.” The New York Times, 13 May 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/nyregion/13littlejohn.html. Accessed 1 May 2023.
Dziemianowicz, Joe. “‘The Body Was Ice Cold’: NYC Bar Bouncer Raped, Strangled Grad Student.” Oxygen Official Site, 19 Mar. 2022, www.oxygen.com/new-york-homicide/crime-news/bouncer-darryl-littlejohn-strangled-imette-st-guillen.
Fahim, Kareem. “Witness Tells of Escaping Kidnapping by Defendant.” The New York Times, 19 May 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/nyregion/19littlejohn.html.
“Rape Victim Takes Stand at Brooklyn Murder Trial (Published 2009).” The New York Times, 2023, www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/nyregion/27littlejohn.html.
Van Zandt, Clint. “The Gruesome Murder of Imette St. Guillen.” NBC News, 1 Mar. 2006, www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11623311.
Wilensky-Lanford, Ethan. “Ex-Bouncer Is Found Guilty in 2006 Murder.” The New York Times, 4 June 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/nyregion/04littlejohn.html. Accessed 1 May 2023.
Zraick, Karen. “Ex-Bouncer Sentenced to Life without Parole for Rape and Murder.” The New York Times, 9 July 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/nyregion/09littlejohn.html.
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