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111: Chocolate Candy Murders & the Wrongful Conviction of Scott Hornoff Mar 04, 2020

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Brandi starts us off with a wrongful conviction story unlike any we’ve ever covered. When Scott Hornoff was put on trial for the murder of Victoria Cushman, he had every conceivable advantage. The prosecution didn’t rely on junk science. There were no faulty eye witnesses. He had good legal representation. He was a police officer. He is white. But that didn’t stop the jury from finding against him.
Then Kristin tells us about the infamous chocolate candy murders. Back in the late 1800’s, a married woman named Cordelia Botkin met a married man named John Preston Dunning. Cordelia was immediately smitten. John was hot, smart, a great writer, and an all-around good time. The two immediately struck up an affair. After a few years, John broke the news that he was leaving Cordelia. He wanted to go back to his candy-loving wife. Cordelia decided to stop him.
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 heinous crimes of Cordelia Botkin,” by Heather Monroe on medium.com
“Murder by mail: The story of San Francisco’s most infamous female prisoner,” by Katie Dowd for the San Francisco Chronicle
“Candy from a stranger: The Cordelia Botkin Case of 1898,” by Thomas Duke in 1910, posted on historicalcrimedetective.com
“Cordelia Botkin” entry on Wikipedia
“Mrs. Cordelia Botkin pleads with her judges for her life,” Dec. 23, 1898, The San Francisco Call
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Tangled Up in Blue: The Scott Hornoff Story” by Seamus McGraw, The Crime Library
“Jeffrey Scott Hornoff’s Murder Conviction Is Exposed As A Sham When The Real Killer Confesses” by Hans Sherrer, Justice Denied
“Killer's confession frees convicted man” by The Associated Press
“State v. Hornoff” casetext.com

110: The Murder of Emmett Till & Justice for Cyntoia Brown Feb 26, 2020

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This week, Kristin starts us off with a case that’s as awful as it is important. Emmett Till was just fourteen years old in 1955, when he traveled from his home in Chicago to visit relatives in rural Mississippi. Before he left, his mother warned Emmett that Chicago and Mississippi were two different worlds. The culture was different -- the racism more intense. He’d have to be careful. But no warning could prepare Emmett for what lay ahead of him in Mississippi.
Then Brandi tells us the infuriating, but ultimately positive story of Cyntoia Brown. From the moment she was born, Cyntoia faced incredible obstacles. By the time she was a teenager, Cyntoia had been sex trafficked by an older man. When she was 16, a 43-year-old real estate broker named Johnny Michael Allen approached her in a Sonic, looking for sex. The two went back to his house, where Cyntoia felt increasingly afraid.
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:
“Emmett Till Murder Trial” by Douglas O. Linder for famous-trials.com
“Emmett Till” entry on wikipedia
“What happened to the key figures in the Emmett Till case?” by Devery S. Anderson for the Mississippi Clarion Ledger
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“A timeline of the Cyntoia Brown case, conviction and successful bid for clemency” by Jon Garcia, The Tennessean
“Who was Cyntoia Brown convicted of killing? A look at Johnny Allen.” by Jon Garcia, The Tennessean
“Read Cyntoia Brown-Long's note to her 16-year-old self facing life in prison” by Juan Buitrago, The Tennessean
“Cyntoia Brown wasn’t a victim, stole money after killing Johnny Allen: Prosecutors” by Christal Hayes, Newsweek
“Cyntoia Brown, a trafficking victim jailed for killing a man using her for sex, was granted clemency following a social-media campaign. Here's everything you need to know.” by Benjamin Goggin, Insider
“How The Justice System Failed Cyntoia Brown” by Leah Carroll, Refinery29
“Attorneys seek new trial for teenage killer” Associated Press, The Oklahoman
“Cyntoia Denise Brown v. State of Tennessee” tncourts.gov
“Cyntoia Brown Is Getting Back The Childhood She & So Many Young Black Girls Never Had” by Clarissa Brooks, Bustle
“Cyntoia Brown” wikipedia.org
“Cyntoia Brown” episode ExpediTIously Podcast

109: An Interview With The Dog Lady of Lansing Prison Feb 19, 2020

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Get ready for a wild ride. This week, we sat down with Toby Dorr, who made international headlines in 2006 when she helped an inmate escape from Lansing Federal Prison.
Back then, her name was Toby Young, and she had what seemed like a normal life. She was married. She had two kids. She had a demanding corporate job. But the truth was that Toby felt isolated and unhappy. Following a layoff and a battle with cancer, Toby wanted to live a more meaningful life. So she created the Safe Harbor Prison Dog program, where she brought dogs in to be trained by inmates at the Lansing Correctional Facility.
But while she was there, she fell in love with an inmate named John Manard. John was serving a life sentence for felony murder, due to his role in a fatal carjacking. Despite their differences, Toby felt a bond with John that she didn’t feel in her marriage. So on February 12, 2006, she helped John escape prison in a dog crate. Toby and John were on the run for 12 days before they were caught, thanks to a high speed chase.
Toby was sentenced to 27 months in prison for her role in the escape. In the years since then, Toby has worked on herself. She doesn’t let the escape define her. She doesn’t downplay what she did, or shift the blame toward John. Instead, she tells her story in the hope that it will help other women.
Let us be the first to tell you… if you’ve read a few headlines and thought, “how the hell could anyone do that?!?” Give this episode a listen. Toby’s story is worth hearing.
If you’d like to learn more about Toby Dorr, check out her website at tobydorr.com. Be on the lookout for her forthcoming memoir, Unleashed.

108: A YouTube Lawsuit & the Disappearance of Lizabeth Wilson Feb 12, 2020

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In 2013, Matt Hoss created an exceptionally cringey YouTube video. He cast himself as the cool guy. He cast a hot young woman to act alongside him. He wrote a script where he gave himself all the good comebacks, and made the woman swoon for him. His video got millions of views. Then one day, YouTubers Ethan and Hila Klein of H3H3 productions created their own video reacting to Matt’s video. They gave him a bit of a roast, but ended on a respectful note. There was just one problem. Matt didn’t think their video was very funny.
Then Brandi tells us about a case that took place in the summer of 1974. On her way home from the pool, thirteen-year-old Lizabeth Wilson cut through the parking lot of Shawnee Mission East High School. She was never seen again. Suspicion circled around the school’s janitor, John Henry Horton, but without concrete evidence, the case grew cold.
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:
“Bold Guy vs Parkour Girl,” Matt Hoss Zone on Youtube
“WE WON THE LAWSUIT!” h3h3Productions on Youtube
“The Big, the BOLD, the Beautiful (Re-Upload)” h3h3 Productions on Youtube
Matt Hosseinzadeh v Ethan Klein and Hila Klein court docouments
“Judge sides with YouTubers Ethan and Hila Klein in copyright lawsuit,” by Anthony Ha for techcrunch.com
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“State v. Horton” findlaw.com
“Conviction is upheld in 1974 murder of Prairie Village girl” by Tony Rizzo, The Kansas City Star
“40 years later, conviction upheld on teen’s killer” by Rick Dean, The Topeka Capital-Journal
“Judge Denies New Trial In Killing Of Kansas Girl” by Kelley Hoskins, Fox2Now St. Louis
“Chloroform killer of Prairie Village girl gets chance at release from prison” by Tony Rizzo, The Kansas City Star
“Parole denied for Shawnee Mission school janitor who killed Prairie Village girl” by Tony Rizzo, The Kansas City Star

107: Fatal Attraction & the Kidnapping of Brooke Hart Feb 05, 2020

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Dave Kroupa thought he’d hit the jackpot. He’d just met Cari Farver, a beautiful, intelligent woman who wasn’t looking for a long-term commitment. The two dated casually for a little while, but all of a sudden, Cari became much less easy going. She dumped him, via text and abruptly left town, leaving her son to fend for himself. For years afterward, she sent Dave countless verbally abusive texts. But over time, Cari’s family became suspicious. Had she really up and left?
Then Kristin tells us about an old timey kidnapping that took the state of California by storm. Brooke Hart had it all. At 22 years old, he was good looking, athletic, and wealthy. Really wealthy. His family owned the beloved Hart’s Department store. He was next in line to run the family business, but that all changed on November 9, 1933.
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 book “Swift Justice” by Harry Farrell
“Bay Area mob lynched kidnappers 75 years ago,” by Carl Nolte for the San Francisco Chronicle
“Brooke Hart” entry on wikipedia.com
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Scorned” episode Dateline
“How investigators used technology to solve the mysterious disappearance, murder of a Macedonia woman” by Brian McCormack, Daily Nonpareil
“Cari Lea Farver” iowacoldcases.org
“Cari Lea Farver” charleyproject.org

106: Cases Covered by America's Most Wanted Jan 29, 2020

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This week, we’re talking about cases profiled by America’s Most Wanted.
Kristin starts us off with the story of David James Roberts -- the first fugitive featured in the pilot episode of America’s Most Wanted. Coincidentally, he was also the first fugitive ever captured thanks to America’s Most Wanted.
David James Roberts was a terrible dude. He murdered a husband and wife, set their house on fire, and left their infant to die in the home. When he was out on bond, he raped a woman twice, locked her in the trunk of her car, then set her infant son out to die in an Indiana winter. Juries were horrified by what they heard. He was ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison. But a few years later, he escaped.
Then Brandi tells us about the murder of Ashley Peoples. Ashley was just 22. She was hard working and responsible. So when she suddenly stopped returning her mother’s phone calls and didn’t show up for work, her friends and family knew something was up. Suspicion quickly turned to a man named Darryl Crenshaw. News outlets refer to him as Ashley’s boyfriend or ex-boyfriend, but her family says either term is too strong. He was just a guy she’d seen a few times, and didn’t want to see again.
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:
“Top 10 America’s Most Wanted Captures,” by Claire Suddath for Time Magazine
“Episode 1: Show About Fugitives Leads to Arrest,” by Christopher Drew, Chicago Tribune
“David James Roberts,” Murderpedia
“Gasoline can presented as murder link,” The Daily Journal
“Formidable armchair posse ropes in ‘America’s Most Wanted,” by Peter Genovese for The Central New Jersey Home News
“Angola jury convicts Roberts of murder,” The Daily Journal
“Testifies in murder-rape case: Woman identifies suspect,” The Daily Journal
“Jury finds Roberts guilty,” The Daily Journal
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“'He didn't have to kill her' Parents of Ashley Peoples talk about their ordeal and justice in the aftermath of her murder” by Laura F. Alix, Journal Inquirer
“America's Most Wanted Leads To Fugitive's Capture In Mexico” by David Owens, Hartford Courant
“Trial Underway In 2008 Slaying Of Ashley Peoples” by Christine Dempsey, Hartford Courant
“MURDER, NOT MANSLAUGHTER: Jury convicts Crenshaw of more serious charge based on evidence of intent in killing of Ashley Peoples” by Alex Wood, Journal Inquirer
“78 Years for Convicted Murderer” by Bob Connors, NBC Connecticut
“Man Resentenced In Kidnapping, Murder Of Girlfriend” by Kelly Glista, Hartford Courant
“Prisoner Doing 78 Years For Murder Charged With Having Child Porn In Prison” by David Owens, Hartford Courant
“State v. Crenshaw” casetext.com

105: The Mother from Hell & the Kidnapping of Yingying Zhang Jan 22, 2020

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In the summer of 1984, a small fire broke out along a California highway. A driver pulled off the road to get a closer look at the blaze, but that closer look brought more questions than answers. What the hell was that awful smell? Soon, another driver arrived on the scene. He used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames. Once the smoke cleared, the two drivers made a disturbing discovery -- a burnt human body. Investigators learned that the body belonged to a woman -- and that she’d sustained multiple injuries over her lifetime. But it would take them years to discover who that woman was, and who had tortured her.
Then Kristin tells us about a bright, talented young woman whose life was cut short by a total dirtbag. Yingying Zhang was beyond smart. Originally from Nanping, China, she attended one of the nation’s top universities. When it came time to earn her doctorate, she headed off to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She had only been in the United States for a few weeks when she suddenly went missing.
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:
“Undercover girlfriend” episode of 20/20
“The Kidnapping and murder of YingyingZhang” entry on wikipedia
“Prosecutor: Suspect in Chinese student’s kidnapping discussed ‘ideal victim’” by Kaylee Hartung, Janet DiGiacomo and Darran Simon for CNN.com
“In opening statement, attorney admits Brendt Christensen abducted, killed Chinese scholar at University of Illinois,” by Jamie Munks for the Chicago Tribune
“Guilty: Brendt Christensen found guilty in Yingying Zhang’s kidnapping, killing,” wandtv.com
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Mother Knows Best: The Story of Theresa Jimmie Cross” by David Lohr, Crime Library
“‘Unbelievable’ Tale Reveals Grisly Crimes” by Richard C. Paddock, Los Angeles Times
“Theresa Jimmie Knorr” murderpedia.org
“Theresa Knorr” wikipedia.org

104: The Hazing Death of Matt Carrington & a Murderer Turned Professor Jan 15, 2020

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Matt Carrington wasn’t your typical frat boy. He was reserved. He didn’t drink much. But when a friend asked him to rush the Chi Tau fraternity at Chico State University, Matt said sure. He couldn’t have guessed what he was in for. Over the course of what is commonly referred to as “hell week,” Matt endured relentless hazing. The hazing ramped up as the week progressed. On the final night of hazing, Matt died.
Then Brandi tells us about a brilliant, troubled young man named James Gordon Wolcott. James grew up in a small town in Texas. He excelled academically, but he struggled to fit in at home. His sister, Elizabeth had a Southern accent that grated on him. His father, a conservative professor at Southwestern University, disapproved of James’ more liberal politics. One day, in the summer of 1967, James had enough. He murdered his entire family.
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:
“Matt’s Law” entry on wikipedia
“The Pledge” episode of The Shadows of Death
“New ‘Matt’s Law’ toughens penalties for college hazing,” by Matt Krupnick for Contra Costa Times
“Horrifying details in hazing death,” by Cecilia Vega for the San Francisco Chronicle
“7 face trial in hazing death,” Associated Press
“4 fraternity members plead guilty in student’s death,” Associated Press
“Student dies during fraternity hazing,” Santa Maria Times
“A fraternity hazing gone wrong,” by Elaine Korry for NPR
“Hazing death at Chico State” episode of Dateline
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Innocence Lost” by Kim Janssen, Chicago Sun Times
“Esteemed Illinois professor revealed as teen killer who murdered his family — and served just six years after insanity bid” by Joe Kemp, New York Daily News
“The Family Annihilator Turned University Professor – James Gordon Wolcott” by Emily Thompson, Morbidology
“Boy who killed family turns up 46 years later as college professor” by Mike Robinson, NBC News

103: Carol Burnett v. The National Enquirer & the Seemingly Perfect Couple Jan 08, 2020

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Brandi starts us off with a story from her Johnson County, Kansas, bubble. Ed and Tyler Patton seemed like the perfect couple. In many ways, they were opposites. He was a partier, while she was more straightlaced. Their friends figured that Ed and Tyler’s differences were what made them a good match. But less than a year after they got married, Ed was murdered. Despite her many protests, Tyler seemed like the obvious culprit.
Then Kristin tells us about legendary comedian and actress Carol Burnett. Carol is well known for being a hollywood trailblazer, but she’s also a trailblazer when it comes to fighting back against tabloids. It all started with a fun night out in January of 1976. Carol was out with some colleagues. She shared her dessert with a few nearby tables. On her way out, she said hello to Henry Kissinger. A few months later, when the National Enquirer wrote about Carol’s night out, they told an entirely different tale.
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:
“Burnett v. National Enquirer, Inc.” wikipedia
“Carol Burnett sued The National Enquirer and won!” clip from John Fugelsang’s ‘Tell Me Everything’ show on SiriusXM
“Burnett Wins Enquirer Suit,” by Jay Mathews for The Washington Post
“Tabloid Law,” by Alex Beam for The Atlantic
“Carol Burnett given $1.6 million in suit against National Enquirer,” by Robert Lindsey for The New York Times
“Carol Burnett launches trial balloon,” by Vernon Scott for UPI
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Kansas Woman Brutally Beats Husband To Death With Wooden Plank” by Benjamin H. Smith, oxygen.com
“Greed led wife to kill husband, jurors told” by The Associated Press, Lawrence Journal-World
“State v. Patton” findlaw.com
“Widow found guilty of murdering husband” The Associated Press, Lawrence Journal-World

102: The Origin of Miranda Rights & an "Ugly" Anchorwoman Jan 01, 2020

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We all know that Miranda rights are important. They’re a staple in every episode of Law & Order. They’re a quick and concise way of making a person aware of their rights. But how did we get Miranda rights? Well, it’s complicated. And it all started with a world-class douchebag named Ernesto Miranda.
Then, Kristin tells us about anchorwoman Christine Craft. Christine was good at her job. By the time she was hired to co-anchor the evening news in Kansas City, she’d proven herself as a talented reporter and a hard worker. But Christine was no dummy. She knew that women news anchors get unfairly judged for their looks. So before she took the job in Kansas City, she told the station management that she wasn’t looking for a makeover. They assured her they were hiring her for her journalistic talent. They were full of shit.
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 surfing and survival of Christine Craft,” by Elisabeth Bumiller for the Washington Post
“Judging the news by appearance,” The Age
“Jury awards Christine Craft $325,000,” by Peter Kerr for The New York Times
“Once fired for appearance: Christine Craft to be anchor in Sacramento,” by Jay Sharbutt for The Los Angeles Times
The appellate court opinion on Justia.com
The book, “Waiting for Prime Time: The Women of Television News” by Marlene Sanders and Marcia Rock
“Manager: Appearance key for the TV news anchor,” United Press International
“Christine Craft” wikipedia
In this episode, Brandi pulled from:
“Miranda v. Arizona: The Crime That Changed American Justice” by Mark Gribben, The Crime Library
“Miranda v. Arizona” wikipedia.org
“Facts and Case Summary - Miranda v. Arizona” USCourts.gov
“Miranda v. Arizona” Encyclopedia Britannica

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