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282: A Mommy Blogger & a Disappearance in Alaska Jan 11, 2024

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Please enjoy this Patreon bonus episode. If you want to hear more bonus episodes, or want early access to future live shows, please consider joining our Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/lgtcpodcast
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281: The Murder of Janet Chandler Dec 20, 2023

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In the dead of winter, 1979, a man called his local police station with concerns. He’d been staying at the Blue Mill Inn and had just been on the phone with the motel’s desk clerk when he’d heard something unusual. It sounded as if someone had gotten into the office. Perhaps the person had been intent on robbing the motel? The caller heard the desk clerk, Janet Chandler, say “don’t take it all, sir.” When police arrived at the motel, they discovered money missing from the register. Janet Chandler was nowhere to be found.
A day later, a snowplow driver discovered Janet’s body by the side of the road. The murder of 22-year-old Janet Chandler shocked the small community of Holland, Michigan. Who had murdered Janet? And why? For decades, those questions went unanswered.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Gang rape, murder and justice in a small town,” by Shaun Assael for Glamour
“Conspiracy of silence,” by Victoria Corderi for NBC News
“Second man convicted in Janet Chandler murder case dies in prison,” by Peg McNichol for WHTC
“Witness provides graphic details of final hours,” by John Tunison for Michigan Live
“State court rejects appeals of Chandler killers,” by Megan Schmidt for the Holland Sentinel
“Chandlers can’t forgive killers showing no remorse,” by Lee Lup for The Muskegon Chronicle
“Witness: Guards plotted to ‘teach’ victim a lesson,” by John Tunison for Michigan Live
“Swank: ‘No excuse’ for role in Chandler death,” by John Tunison for Michigan Live
“Witness: I did not plan rival’s death,” the Press Enterprise
“Where are Jim and Glenna Chandler now?” by Sounak Sengupta for The Cinemaholic
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 53+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

280: The Pandemic Defense Dec 13, 2023

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Michelle Boat was livid. Her husband of more than 20 years, Nicholas Boat, wanted a divorce. Nicholas told Michelle that he’d found someone new – a woman named Tracy Mondabough. Michelle began stalking Tracy. She stalked Nicholas, too. She left Nicholas terrifying voicemails in which she threatened to kill Tracy. So, when Tracy was brutally murdered, investigators immediately had a top suspect.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted 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, Brandi pulled from:
“Michelle Boat” episode Sleeping With A Killer
“Tracy Mondabough” chillingcrimes.com
“IA v. Boat (2021)” courttv.com
“Trial to begin for murder of Ottumwa woman” by Kyle Ocker, Ottumwa Courier
“Woman charged in Pella homicide the estranged wife of victim's boyfriend” by KCCI 8 News, kcci.com
“Defense attorney says Boat guilty of manslaughter, not murder” by Kyle Ocker, The Oskaloosa Herald
“Jury convicts Michelle Boat of first-degree murder after 45-minute deliberation” by Laura Terrell, KCCI 8 News
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 53+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

279: The Mini Madoff Dec 06, 2023

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Darren Berg was a bit of a scammer. He scammed his fraternity brothers at the University of Oregon. He scammed a Portland bank. Following each scam, Darren received a slap on the wrist. So was it any surprise that Darren moved onto bigger scams? (No. The answer is no.) By the mid-2000s, Darren was running a $150 million dollar Ponzi scheme. He had two yachts, two private jets, and a sweet hot tub to show for it.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Seattle Roasted,” episode of American Greed
“Financial empire, luxurious lifestyle were built on a a mirage,” by Rami Grunbaum for Seattle Times
“Prison escape of Darren Berg, Washington’s ‘Mini Madoff,’ is like ‘Shawshank Redemption,’ official says,” by Mike Carter for the Seattle Times
“Darren Berg on the Run: Inside the biggest ponzi scheme in Washington State history,” by Clara O’Rourke for Seattle Met
“Escaped Ponzi scammer possibly went to Brazil,” by Michael Balsamo and Chad Day for the Associated Press
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 53+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

278: Insurance Fraud Nov 22, 2023

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Melvin Eugene Hanson was dead. The 46-year-old had apparently passed away in his doctor’s office after he’d called to complain about chest pain. Right away, investigators were suspicious. Why had Melvin’s doctor encouraged him to come into the office? Why not tell him to go to the emergency room? Dr. Richard Boggs was quick to provide an answer. He said that Melvin didn’t trust other doctors. But investigators couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted 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, Brandi pulled from:
“Blood, Sweats, and Tears” episode The Real Murders of Los Angeles
“Mistaken for Dead” episode Forensic Files
“After Doctor Claims a Man Died in His Office, Cops Uncover a Murder and $1 Million Insurance Scam” by Joe Dziemianowicz, oxygen.com
“Murder-for-insurance scam nearly eluded authorities” by The Associated Press, Lancaster Eagle Gazette
“Prosecutors Again Seek Death Sentence for Doctor” by James Quinn, The Los Angeles Times
“Doctor gets life for murder scheme” by The Associated Press, North County Times
“Killer in Fraud Case Draws Life Sentence : Courts: No chance of parole for businessman Melvin Hanson, who murdered bookkeeper in plan to fake his own death.” By Nancy Hill-Holtzman, The Los Angeles Times
“Jurors Split Verdict in Insurance Murder Case” by Nicholas Riccardi and Ann W. O’Neill, The Los Angeles Times
“Notorious Swindler Recounts Notorious ‘Just Sweats’ Case, Including His Mysterious Vanishing Act” by 10tv.com, WBNS 10 News
“Neurosurgeon Turns Into a Killer to Finance His Life” by Sabana Grande, medium.com
“Fraud, Murder, Bike Shorts: A Just Sweats Timeline” by Rebecca Reisner, forensicfilesnow.com
“’Just Sweats' fraudster seeks second chance after 2 decades in prison” by Staff Writer, The Columbus Dispatch
“People v. Hanson” casemine.com
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 52+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

277: Buried Treasure?? Nov 15, 2023

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Michael was terrified… and frankly, confused. Two masked men had just broken into his Newport Beach home. They’d beaten him mercilessly. They’d threatened him with a gun. They’d zip tied his wrists and ankles. And then, they demanded money. Michael offered them everything he had, but it wasn’t good enough. They wanted a million dollars, cash. Michael told them the truth – he didn’t have that kind of money. But they didn’t believe him. Soon, a third intruder joined in. The captors took Michael and his roommate, Mary Barnes, out to the Mojave Desert, where they demanded that he dig up the million dollars. But Michael couldn’t appease them.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“A Gruesome Mutilation. A Global Manhunt. Inside One of the Most Twisted Crimes Ever,” by Tim Dickinson for Rolling Stone
“Catch me if you can?” episode of 20/20
“O.C. pot dealer guilty in kidnap, torture plot,” by Christopher Goffard for the LA Times
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 52+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

276: A Hunting Accident Nov 08, 2023

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When Leonila Stickney died from a gunshot wound, her fiance Russell Bertram was quick to provide an explanation. The former police chief told investigators that she’d died in a hunting accident. He explained that she’d been in the passenger’s seat of his truck when he climbed into the driver’s seat. As he climbed in, he’d pointed the gun in her direction. He claimed she’d grabbed the barrel of the gun, keeping it pointed at herself, and leaned in for a kiss. Then the gun went off. He was totally innocent! Nothing to see here! Infuriatingly, investigators bought his story.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted 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, Brandi pulled from:
“The Hunter and the Hunted” episode Accident, Suicide or Murder
“Jealousy, greed marked 2016 murder trial of former South Dakota police chief Russell Bertram” by Erik Kaufman, Mitchell Republic
“Former South Dakota Police Chief Murdered Pregnant Fiancée And Blamed It On An Accident” by Joe Dziemianowicz, oxygen.com
“Leonila Stickney” podcast episode, Forensic Tales
“Ex-Police Chief Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Fiancée Years After Claiming Her 2009 Death Was an Accident” by KC Baker, people.com
“Why would a former police chief kill his young fiancee? Jealousy and greed, prosecutors allege.” By Sarah Larimer, The Washington Post
“State v. Bertram” findlaw.com
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 52+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

275: A Timber Swindler (and Obsessed Fest '23) Nov 01, 2023

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Well hello, everyone!
We recorded this episode a few days after we returned from Obsessed Fest ‘23. … Though it’s probably more accurate to say that we recorded this episode a few days after we *fled* Obsessed Fest ‘23. Eh, tomayto, tomahto.
We talk about Obsessed Fest quite a bit in this episode, but if you’d like more information about what happened, we have two recommendations:
First, we recommend listening to the latest episode of the podcast One Dry Kiss. Their episode, “Obsessed Mess, Mischief MisManagement and Amazing People and Podcasters,” is a firsthand account of what the weekend was like for attendees.
Second, we recommend listening to the latest episode of Rabia and Ellyn Solve the Case, titled, “About Damn Crime: Obsessed Fest.” In that episode, Ellyn Marsh, Rabia Chaudry, Joey Taranto, Maggie Freleng, Daisy Eagan, Amber Hunt, Harris Lane and Ashleigh Gibson share their experiences from the weekend. If you like receipts, this is the podcast for you.
By the way, if you listen closely to this episode, you might hear Kristin cover a timber swindler. It’s a troubling story about a man named Ralph Raines, who was exploited by a “psychic” named Rachel Lee. Over the course of ten years, Rachel took nearly everything Ralph had.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“Psychic Fiend’s Network” episode of American Greed
“Sweetheart Swindle” episode of 20/20
“How a psychic stole millions of dollars from an Oregon timber heir,” by ABC News
“Phony wife in sweetheart swindle, who bilked millions from Gaston tree farm heir, gets prison,” by Bryan Denson for The Oregonian
“Daughter of Oregon psychic pleads guilty to helping bilk millions from Gaston tree farm heir,” by Everton Bailey Jr. for The Oregonian
“‘The Sweetheart Swindle’: Rich older bachelor targeted by family,” True Crime Daily
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 53+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

274: A Big Bad Wolf Oct 25, 2023

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It was Halloween night. Doreen Erbert and her four-year-old daughter were cuddled up on the couch, watching a movie, when they heard a knock at the door. The knock sounded aggressive, but Doreen got up to answer it. She figured that she was about to encounter an eager trick-or-treater. Instead, she encountered a man in a wolf costume. Just before he attacked her, Doreen yelled to her daughter to hide.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Brandi copy and pasted 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, Brandi pulled from:
“William Dennis” episode Snapped
“JUSTICE STORY: Halloween horror as a masked man murders woman and baby” by Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News
“Man In Wolf Mask Hacks Pregnant Ex-Wife To Death With Machete On Halloween Night” by Benjamin H. Smith, oxygen.com
“Girl recounts grisly Halloween murders” by Michael Molinski, UPI
“Halloween killer found guilty in slaying of wife, unborn child” UPI
“Man guilty in murder of ex-wife, unborn child” by Tracie Thompson, The Peninsula Times Tribune
“Condemned inmates, victims’ families speak out” by Bay Area News Group and Jessica Calefati, Lake County Record-Bee
“People v. Dennis” findlaw.com
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 52+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

273: A Foreclosure Oct 18, 2023

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Nicholas Firkus couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It sounded like someone was downstairs, trying to break into his home. So he woke his wife, Heidi, asked her to call 911, and grabbed his shotgun. The couple moved quickly, hoping to get downstairs and out the back door before the person broke in. But they didn’t make it. To hear Nick tell it, the intruder broke in and wrestled him for control of the gun. The gun went off twice — hitting Nick and Heidi in the process. Heidi didn’t survive the shooting, so that left Nick to tell police what happened that morning.
And now for a note about our process. For this episode, Kristin read a bunch of articles, then spat them back out in her very limited vocabulary. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the real experts who covered these cases.
In this episode, Kristin pulled from:
“A Stranger in the house” episode of 20/20
“Second wife’s suspicions confirmed with ex-husband’s arrest for murder,” by Blue Browning, Brooke Strangeland, Meghan Mariani, Lexi Leib, Greta Morris, Ivan Pereira for ABC News
“Nicholas Firkus gets life sentence for wife Heidi’s murder he blamed on intruder,” by Mara H. Gottfried for the Pioneer Press
“Husband locked up for life after blowing away first wife with shotgun, blaming murder on nonexistent Black man, remarrying,” by Matt Naham for Law and Crime
“State of Minnesota vs. Nicholas James Firkus” court document
“Husband sentenced to life in prison in wife’s 13-year cold case murder,” by Brooke Strangeland for ABC7NY
“How was the Heidi Firkus case closed after so long? Meet the trio who did it.” by Mara H. Gottfried for the Pioneer Press
“Nicholas Firkus found guilty of murdering wife Heidi Firkus,” by Nick Ferraro for the Pioneer Press
YOU’RE STILL READING? My, my, my, you skeezy scunch! You must be hungry for more! We’d offer you some sausage brunch, but that gets messy. So how about you head over to our Patreon instead? (patreon.com/lgtcpodcast). At the $5 level, you’ll get 52+ full length bonus episodes, plus access to our 90’s style chat room!

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