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121: Family Annihilator Neil Entwistle & a Tumor May 13, 2020

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Rachel Entwistle’s friends knew something was up. They’d had plans to get together, but Rachel wasn’t answering the door. She wasn’t answering her phone, either. Plus, earlier that day, she’d blown off lunch plans with her mom. That didn’t seem like Rachel. Her friends convinced police to enter the Entwistle’s new home, but they didn’t find anything suspicious. It was a little weird that there was food on the table and the bathtub was full, but there were no signs of foul play. Surely Rachel, her husband Neil and their infant daughter Lillian would show up any minute.
Then Kristin tells us… absolutely nothing! This week, Kristin had some medical issues (not COVID-19), so she didn’t have time to prepare a case. Instead, she shares PSA’s from her personal experience: 1. Listen to your body; 2. Get good health insurance.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
Her own shitty experience!
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Neil Entwistle: Sex, lies, and how a family man from Worksop murdered his wife and baby” by David Whitfield, The Nottingham Post
“CRIME FILES: Former York student Neil Entwistle murdered wife and baby daughter” by Mike Pryce, York Press
“Neil Entwistle” murderpedia.org
“Murders of Rachel and Lillian Entwistle” wikipedia.org

120: Pizzagate & the Seton Hall Dorm Fire May 06, 2020

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Pizzagate is a wildly stupid, debunked consipracy theory. It goes a little something like this: There’s a pizza place in Washington DC! They have a child sex ring in the basement!! Hilary Clinton and a bunch of other politicians go there to abuse kids!!!!
There’s not an ounce of truth to this story, but that didn’t stop a bunch of right wing fringe “news” outlets from running it. As a result, people believed it. And one man decided to take action.
Then Brandi tells us an infuriating story about a dorm fire at Seton Hall. It was the wee hours of the morning in January of 2000, when the fire alarm went off in Boland Hall. Smoke filled the dormitory. Students tried to get to safety, but they’d never had a fire drill. The dorm wasn’t equipped with sprinklers. The smoke was so thick that it blinded them. The fire was traumatizing. Three students died. Fifty-eight were injured. And it all started thanks to a prank.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“How the bizarre conspiracy theory behind pizzagate was spread,” by Craig Silverman for Buzzfeed
“Pizzagate Gunman Sentenced to Four Years in Prison,” by Merrit Kennedy for NPR
“The Comet Ping Pong Gunman Answers Our Reporter’s Questions,” by Adam Goldman for the New York Times
“Comet Pizza Gunman Pleads Guilty to Local and Federal Charges” Washington Post
The Affidavit in Support of the Criminal Complaint
“Is Comet Ping Pong Pizzeria Home to a Child Abuse Ring Led by Hillary Clinton?” by Kim Lacapria for Snopes.com
“Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal,” by Amanda Robb for Rolling Stone
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Seton Hall: The Worst Dormitory Fire In The US” by Seamus McGraw, The Crime Library
“Seton Hall dorm fire: A look at where some of the key people are today” by Alex Napoliello, NJ.com
“3 Killed in Fire at Seton Hall; Dozens of Students Are Hurt” by Dan Barry, The New York Times
“Sean M. Ryan v. New Jersey State Parole Board” justia.com
“Boland Hall Fire” wikipedia.org

119: Kate Middleton's Topless Photos & William Wallace Apr 29, 2020

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William Wallace was on a wild goose chase. He’d been told to go to 25 Menlove Gardens East, in Liverpool, for a business meeting. But no matter how hard he tried, or how many people he asked for directions, he couldn’t find the address. Dejected, he headed back home. But when he got home, he couldn’t get in. He complained to his neighbors, then went to the back of his house to try his key again. This time, the door opened. He went inside to discover his wife, Julia had been beaten to death. Suspicions quickly turned to William. He seemed to be the only person with a motive, but he also had a strong alibi.
Then Kristin tells us about the summer of 2012, when the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and her husband Prince William went on vacation to Provence, France. They stayed at a friend’s house on a 640-acre estate. At one point, the couple went out on their balcony in their swimsuits. Kate took off her top, to get a little sun. The couple had every reason to think they were alone. Little did they know that half a mile away, members of the paparazzi were hiding out, snapping pictures of the couple via long range lenses.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“The Watershed Significance of Kate Middleton’s Topless Photo Lawsuit,” by Elise Taylor for Vogue.com
“Duchess of Cambridge topless photo case: Closer ordered by French court to pay 91,700 in damages,” by Maya Oppenheim for The Independent
“Kate Middleton Topless Photos: Duke and Duchess Reveal Anger at ‘Grotesque’ Invasion,” Huffington Post UK
“Kate Middleton Topless Photos Lawsuit Against French Magazine Ends in Payout For Royal Couple,” by Julia Glum for Newsweek
“Death of Diana, Princess of Wales,” Wikipedia
“The Princess and the Paparazzi: How Diana’s Death Changed the British Media,” by Kate Samuelson for Time Magazine
“Diana Sues Over Gym Photos,” BBC
“Court awards Duchess of Cambridge Damages Over Topless Photos,” by Kim Willsher for The Guardian
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“The Killing of Julia Wallace: An Impossible Murder” TheUnredacted.com
“The "Impossible" 1930s Murder That Still Fascinates Crime Writers” by Deanna Cioppa, Mental Floss
“The 'impossible' murder that rocked Liverpool and remains unsolved 80 years on” by Emilia Bona, The Liverpool Echo
“William Herbert Wallace” wikipedia.org

118: The Lululemon Murder & A Woman in a Trunk Apr 22, 2020

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Mary Scott Castle was hot, rich, and well connected. But when she met a 21-year-old Porter Charlton, she was down on her luck. She’d just gotten divorced, and she’d blown her reputation to bits by shooting a man in the lobby of the Waldorf Astoria. But when Mary and Porter locked eyes, it was love at first sight. They got married a month later, and took off for a romantic European honeymoon. There was just one problem. Porter wasn’t so stable himself.
Then Brandi tells us about a horrific attack in a Lululemon store. It was March of 2011. Coworkers Brittany Norwood and Jayna Murray had just left the Lululemon Athletica store in Bethesda, Maryland, when Brittany realized that she’d left her wallet in the store. When she called Jayna to tell her what she’d done, Jayna was accommodating. She told Brittany she’d meet her back at the store. The pain re-entered the store, leaving the door unlocked behind them.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Lady in the lake” by Mara Bovsun The Daily News.
“The Murder of the Beautiful and Accomplished Mrs. Edith Woodhill, 1909,” written by Thomas Duke in 1910, posted to historicalcrimedetective.com
“Charlton Must go to Italy for Trial,” The Evening Times-Republican, June 10, 1913
“May Ask Wilson to Save Slayer,” The Washington Herald , June 11, 1913
“True Detective Tales: What is Justice? Murder at Romantic Como,” by Peter Levins for the Pittsburg Sun-Telegraph, April 24, 1940
“‘On Trial’ -- Omaha Boy in Spotlight,” The Omaha Sunday Bee, October 17, 1915
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Brittany Norwood” episode Snapped
“‘The Yoga Store Murder: The Shocking True Account of the Lululemon Athletica Killing’ by Dan Morse” by Daniel Stashower, The Washington Post
“Lululemon victim was alive through most of beating” by Andrea Noble, The Washington Times
“Brittany Norwood sentenced to life without parole” by Richard Reeve, WLJA 7 News
“Maryland Lululemon Store Gives ‘Love’ Memorial to Family of Woman Killed There” NBC4 Washington
“Lululemon Murder” wikipedia.org

117: The Murder of Skylar Neese & Dr. Ossian Sweet Apr 15, 2020

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This week, Brandi makes up for Kristin’s April Fool’s Day prank by *actually* covering the murder of Skylar Neese.
It was the summer of 2012, and Dave Neese was supposed to have lunch with his 16-year-old daughter, Skylar. But Skylar wasn’t anywhere to be found. Dave was annoyed. It wasn’t like Skylar to be so irresponsible. He called her, but got no answer. Hours passed. Skylar missed her shift at Wendy’s. Her co-workers were concerned. Skylar always showed up for work. At that point, Dave and Mary Neese called the police.
Then Kristin tells the story of Dr. Ossian Sweet. Brandi tried to tell this story for our Black History Month episode, but threw in the towel. (In case you couldn’t tell, this episode is a rough one!) In 1925, Dr. Ossian Sweet and his wife Gladys Sweet were ready to buy their first home. As a black couple, they faced incredible obstacles. Restrictive covenants barred people of color from buying houses in white neighborhoods. That spring and summer, mobs of white people harassed black families who moved into white neighborhoods. Despite their fears, the Sweets bought a house at 2905 Garland St, Detroit, Michigan, and prepared to defend their property.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“The Sweet Trials” famous-trials.com
“Ossian Sweet” wikipedia
“Sweet Trials: 1925-26” encyclopedia.com
The book, “We Return Fighting: The Civil Rights Movement in the Jazz Age” by Mark Robert Schneider
“Dr. Alexander Turner” by Mariel Watkins for the Black Bottom Archives
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Something Wicked” episode Dateline
“16-Year-Old Skylar Neese Was Stabbed To Death By Her Two Best Friends Because They Didn’t Like Her Anymore” by William DeLong, AllThatsInteresting.com
“From Best Friends to Killers: Teens Murder Friend Because They 'Didn't Like Her’” by Gail Deutsch and Alexa Valiente, ABC News
“Murder of Skylar Neese” wikipedia.org

116: The Springfield Mall Shooting & Mrs. Sherlock Holmes Apr 08, 2020

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It was February of 1917, and 18-year-old Ruth Cruger was missing. Her family panicked. They called the police. But detectives didn’t seem too concerned. They assured the family that Ruth would come back. And if she didn’t? Well, Ruth was probably… on the prowl. The Crugers were offended by the implication, and incensed that the police weren’t taking them seriously. Months went by. Despite a credible suspect, the case went cold. So the Crugers did the only thing they could think to do. They hired a courageous, tenacious attorney named Grace Humiston. By the end of the saga, Grace would be dubbed, ‘Mrs. Sherlock Holmes.’
Then Brandi tells us about a shocking event that bystanders initially wrote off as a joke. It was the day before Halloween, in 1985, at the Springfield Mall in Springfield, Pennsylvania. A woman approached the mall wearing fatigues. She carried a gun. Most people thought she was in costume. Then she fired her very real weapon.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Mrs. Sherlock Holmes Takes on the NYPD” by Karen Abbott for Smithsonian Mag
“Missing in Action” By David Krajicek for the New York Daily News
The “Mrs. Sherlock Homes” episode of Criminal, where Brad Ricca is interviewed for his book, “Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The true story of New York city’s greatest female detective and the 1917 missing girl case that captivated a nation”
“Cocchi implicated in police grafting,” New York Herald June 23, 1917
“Buried Truth,” by Joseph McNamara for The Daily News
“Cocchi says his wife killed girl,” Daily News June 26, 1919
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Sylvia Seegrist: Guilty But Insane” by Katherine Ramsland, The Crime Library
“Sylvia Seegrist went psycho and killed three innocent people at the Springfield, Pa., mall” by Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News
“Decades After Sylvia Seegrist, Mentally Ill People Are Still Murdering Innocents” by Victor Fiorillo, Philadelphia Magazine
“Sylvia Seegrist” wikipedia.org

115: Pepsi's Big Mistake & the Murder of Skylar Neese Apr 01, 2020

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It was the early 90s, and Pepsi needed to make a name for itself in the Philippines. So they came up with a brilliant idea. They dubbed it Number Fever. Under the bottle cap of each Pepsi product, consumers would find a number. If they were lucky, that number would earn them extra cash. The typical reward was roughly 100 pesos. But if a Pepsi drinker was especially lucky, they could win one million pesos. People all over the country played the game. They were eager for a shot at the life changing money. Then, Pepsi announced that night’s winning number 349. There was just one problem. For some strange reason, a lot of people had that number.
Then Kristin tells us about the murder of Skylar Neese. In the summer of 2012, Skylar was sixteen years old. She’d just gotten home from a shift at Wendy’s when her friends Rachel Shoaf and Sheila Eddy asked her to come hang out. Skylar wasn’t so sure. It was late. She’d have to sneak out of her family’s apartment. Plus, she and Rachel and Sheila had been on the outs lately. She wasn’t eager to hang out with them. But they kept pressing her. Eventually, Skylar gave in.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Trial by Twitter” by Holly Millea for Elle magazine
“Unfriended” episode of 20/20
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Pepsi’s “Number Fever” in the Philippines caused street riots, deaths, and 14 years of lawsuit” by Tijana Radeska, The Vintage News
“The Computer Error That Led to a Country Declaring War on Pepsi” by Jake Rossen, Mental Floss
“That Time Pepsi Accidentally Promised Hundreds of Thousands of People $40,000 Each” by Karl Smallwood, TodayIFoundOut.com
“Philippines: Court clears Pepsi on promo fiasco” just-drinks.com
“SC decides in finality on 'Pepsi 349' case” by Rene U. Borromeo, The Philippine Star

114: The Biggest Idiot Ever & a Woman Who Refused to Marry a Rapist Mar 25, 2020

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Picture it. Sicily. 1963.
Franca Viola was 15 years old, and engaged to a mafia member named Filippo Melodia. When Filippo went to jail for theft, Franca broke off the engagement. She moved on with her life. She became engaged to a childhood friend. Life seemed pretty good, until Filippo came back into the picture. He stalked her. He threatened her. Then, he and a band of douchebags stormed her family’s home. They beat up her mother. They kidnapped Franca, and her little brother, too. Filippo held Franca captive for eight days. He sexually assaulted her many times. He was pretty pleased with himself. After all, in those days, that meant he’d found a bride.
Then Brandi tells us a story about Paul Warner Powell, the biggest idiot to walk the planet. In January of 1999, Paul was a 20-year-old self described neo nazi who had a crush on his 16-year-old neighbor, Stacie Reed. One day when Paul was over at Stacie’s house, he became incensed to find out that her boyfriend was black. He attempted to rape Stacie, then murdered her as she fought back. Paul went on to commit more crimes against Stacie’s family that day. At one point, he thought he’d gotten away with everything. So he began bragging.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“A brave young woman fought a centuries-old cruel Sicilian tradition and won,” by E. L. Hamilton for The Vintage News
The book, “Italian Sketches: The Faces of Modern Italy,” by Deirdre Pirro
“Franca Viola says ‘No’” by Daisy Alioto for Mashable
“Franca Viola” entry on Wikipedia
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Paul Warner Powell” imsurroundedbyidiots.com
“Paul Warner Powell” clarkprosecutor.org
“Inmate Lands Back on Death Row for Taunting Letter He Sent to Prosecutors” lifedaily.com
“Death-row defense argues double jeopardy” The Washington Times
“Powell v. Kelly” findlaw.com

113: The Murder of Peter Porco & the Boorn Brothers Mar 18, 2020

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Kristin starts us off with our most old timey story ever. It was May of 1812 in Manchester, Vermont, and something was up. Russell Colvin was missing. People were pretty sure he’d come back. He had a wife. He had a child. He had obligations. Plus, he was known to wander off from time to time. But then months passed. Then years. People in town became suspicious. What if Russell hadn’t wandered off? What if he’d been murdered?
Then Brandi tells us about a November morning in 2004. Peter Porco, an Appellate Division court clerk, had always been reliable. So when he didn’t show up for work one day, a coworker went to Peter’s house to check on him. The coworker peered through the windows to discover a grizzly scene.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Then Again: A case of who done… what?” by Mark Bushnell for the Vermont Digger
“The Boorn Affair,” Cincinnati Daily Star, May 24, 1875
“First wrongful conviction: Jesse Boorn and Stephen Boorn” Bluhm Legal Clinic Center on Wrongful Convictions
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Christopher Porco” by Rachael Bell, The Crime Library
“Memory of Murder” episode 48 Hours
“Christopher Porco 15 Years Later” by Diego Cagara, Spotlight News
“Christopher Porco: The Unthinkable” ForensicFilesNow.com
“Christopher Porco 2: The Explainable” ForensicFilesNow.com
“Murder of Peter Porco” wikipedia.org

112: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis & the Caffey Family Murders Mar 11, 2020

Show notes

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In the summer of 1945, the USS Indianapolis was tasked with a top secret mission. The ship was to transport materials for the atomic bomb that the United States would later drop on Hiroshima, Japan. Under the leadership of Captain Charles B. McVay III, the ship accomplished its mission. From there, the ship headed off to Guam, and then to the Philippines. But before they left for the Philippines, Captain McVay requested a destroyer escort. The USS Indianapolis didn’t have submarine detection equipment, but destroyer escorts did. His request was denied. So, off he sailed into submarine infested waters.
Then Brandi tells us the story of the Caffey family murders. Terry Caffey woke up to a blast, riddled with bullets. Two men were in his bedroom. They had guns. One had a samurai sword. The men murdered his wife, Penny, and left Terry for dead. Soon, Terry smelled smoke. The men had set his house on fire. Nearly dead but desperate to get help, Terry found the strength to get himself to a neighbor’s house.
And now for a note about our process. For each episode, Kristin reads a bunch of articles, then spits them back out in her very limited vocabulary. Brandi copies and pastes from the best sources on the web. And sometimes Wikipedia. (No shade, Wikipedia. We love you.) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
www.ussindianapolis.org
“Captain, once a scapegoat, is absolved,” by David Stout for the New York Times
“USS Indianapolis sinking: ‘You could see sharks circling’” by Alex Last for the BBC
“USS Indianapolis,” entry on Wikipedia
“Charles B. McVay III,” entry on Wikipedia
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Flesh and Blood” by Pamela Colloff, Texas Monthly
“Father Uses Family Massacre to Help Others” by David Lohr, AOLNews
“Girl, 17, Gets 2 Life Terms In Family Slay” Associated Press, CBSNews
“Family Slaughtered for Teen Love” episode Dr. Phil
“Erin Caffey” episode Killer Women with Piers Morgan

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