True Crime Brewery

Latest Episodes:

Boys Do Cry: The Brandon Teena Story Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

Brandon Teena was a female to male transgender person born into a homophobic culture. As we discuss Brandon’s life growing up in rural Nebraska in the 1970s and 80s, it’s difficult to conceive of the difficulties he faced. As we discuss Brandon’s story, we can see how his life spiraled out of control as he attempted to navigate relationships and he endured judgment and disapproval.

Join us at the quiet end today for what we hope will be an insightful look at the struggles of a young transgender person and the hate crime that took his life, in Boys Do Cry: The Brandon Teena Story.

Justice Denied: The Death of Nancy Sonnenfeld Mar 17, 2020

Show notes

Kurt Sonnenfeld has been in the news for nearly 18 years, both for the death of his wife Nancy and for being an outspoken 9/11 “truther.” As a videographer for FEMA, Kurt put together footage of the 9/11 disaster for media outlets around the world. On CNN, he spoke of the heroics of the recovery workers at Ground Zero. But, back at home, Kurt was a very troubled man.

Nancy Sonnenfeld died on January 1, 2002 under suspicious circumstances. When it looked like Kurt might be prosecuted for her murder, he fled the country. Since then, he has remarried and developed a new narrative about his work and Nancy’s death.

Join us at the quiet end today for Justice Denied. The death of Nancy Sonnenfeld has been determined, by scientists and investigators, to be a murder. But will her loved ones ever get a chance for justice for Nancy?

A Lovely Drink: The Disappearance of Lynette Dawson Mar 10, 2020

Show notes

It’s been nearly 40 years since young wife and mother Lynette Dawson disappeared from her New South Wales home. Lynette’s last known conversation was with her mother. On the morning of January 8, 1982, her mother called to plan an outing to a local beach. Lynette agreed, but she was nowhere to be found when her mother arrived.

Over the years, as Lynette remained missing, suspicions landed on her husband, Chris Dawson. His behavior leading up to and following his wife’s disappearance was improper and offensive. Lynette was not reported missing for six weeks and she was quickly replaced by his teen-aged lover. Still, the investigation did not lead to any arrests.

Finally, the case was reopened in 2015. Investigators gathered evidence for a case against Lynette’s husband and a true crime podcast, “Teacher’s Pet,” put together the case with witness interviews and well-supported theories.

Join us at the quiet end today for A Lovely Drink. This is a cold case, surrounded by years of deception and speculation, that may finally be approaching a conclusion.

Have a case suggestion?

truecrimebrewery@tiegrabber.com

Her Dark Plans: Stacey Castor Mar 03, 2020

Show notes

Stacey Castor was a recent widow, suspected of two murders, when her eldest daughter Ashley was hospitalized following an apparent suicide attempt. While some people looked at Stacey with sympathy, others thought she was evil, a woman who was alone responsible for the tragedies in her life.

The story of Stacey Castor’s life, her relationships, and her losses, is a complex and twisted narrative. After it all played out, she would be exposed as a heartless, calculating killer.

Join us at the quiet end today for Her Dark Plans. After getting away with one murder, Stacey Castor became comfortable with eliminating anyone who got in the way of what she wanted. Her murderous plots knew no boundaries, not even the lives of the children she claimed to love.

Searching for Summer Shipp Feb 25, 2020

Show notes

Summer Shipp reinvented herself after her divorce, but she always had a big heart and a lively, idealistic personality. When she disappeared in 2004, she was happy with her life. She had a close relationship with her adult daughter, Brandy, and she had a large group of friends. Money was tight, but she was as far from materialistic as one can be.

Summer liked her job doing market research. She had autonomy and she loved to meet new people and learn about them. But her company sent her out on her own, going door to door, sometimes in rough neighborhoods. Her friends and family worried, but she had no concerns.

Join us at the quiet end for Searching for Summer Shipp. This is a case where many of the questions have been answered, but will her loved ones ever have a true resolution?

(more…)

A Killer on the Road: The Abduction of Samantha Koenig Feb 18, 2020

Show notes

Most of our TCB episodes deal with the intricacies of family, friend, or co-worker relationships, where different personalities and vulnerabilities come together in one tragic act of murder. But what about the less common but often more perplexing cases of random killings?

American serial killer Israel Keyes was arrested in 2012 in connection with the disappearance of Alaskan woman Samantha Koenig. Samantha was a young woman much like our friends, sisters, and daughters, working as a coffee shop barista and enjoying time with her boyfriend and her friends. Needless to say, her disappearance was alarming and devastating to her community.

But after Keyes arrest down in Texas, the alarm and devastation spread to the lower United States as interviews with Keyes revealed a lengthy history of crime, along with an unknown number of victims.

Join us at the quiet end today for A Killer on the Road: The Abduction of Samantha Koenig. It was Samantha’s kidnapping which finally led to the capture of a dangerous predator, ending over a decade of grisly crimes.

Betrayed & Buried: The McStay Family Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

In February, 2010, Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their young sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr., disappeared from their Fallbrook, California home. Days later, their SUV was found abandoned in a parking lot near the Mexican border. A dark and fuzzy surveillance video was released which seemed to show a family matching their descriptions walking across the border into Mexico. The media speculated about reasons why the family would leave everything behind as McStay family and friends swore it was impossible.

Then, in 2013, the disappearance became a homicide investigation. But who would be evil enough to kill an entire family, including a 3 and a 4-year old, and what was the motive?

Join us at the quiet end today for Betrayed & Buried: The McStay Family. We’re taking you back to February 4, 2010, as we follow the McStay family’s story all the way from their mysterious disappearance to the trial of their killer.

In His Own Home: The Ted Ammon Story Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

When handsome, wealthy investment banker Ted Ammon missed a Monday morning business meeting and failed to pick up his children from school, friends were concerned. Ted was nothing if not reliable. He had spent the weekend at his East Hampton home, so his business partner took a helicopter ride to his estate to see what Ted was up to.

Ted stood out as an athletic guy who loved his kids and his three dogs. But Ted had been going through a lengthy, nasty divorce and child custody battle. His wife was universally believed to be a difficult woman and she was dating a man with a criminal history.

Join us at the quiet end today for In His Own Home: The Ted Ammon Story. This story shows us how even the most perfect-looking among us has struggles and dangers in their lives that may lead to tragic endings.

A Mother’s Love: The Death of Morgan Reid Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

Brandon Michael Reid was in and out of hospitals from infancy. His mother, Tanya, a devoted mother and part-time nurse, seemed to take her son’s illnesses in stride. But when a pattern emerged suggesting Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, Brandon Michael was put into foster care. Then, an investigation into Tanya’s past revealed a very disturbing history.

Join us at the quiet end today for A Mother’s Love as we examine a case of serial child abuse perpetrated in multiple states by an unlikely suspect.

Stolen Lives: The Skelton Brothers Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

On the day after Thanksgiving in 2010, Tanya Zuvers reported her three young sons missing from her home in Morenci, Michigan. Her husband was supposed to bring the boys back to her on Friday morning, but he never did.

The couple had been living apart and planned to divorce. Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, just 5-years old, had spent Thanksgiving Day with their father, John Skelton. When Tanya tried to get them back the next morning, John told her that they were with a friend of his. Then John turned up at a hospital following an apparent suicide attempt.

Today at the quiet end, we’re discussing the details of the Skelton case and the possibilities of what happened to these three young boys. In Stolen Lives: The Skelton Brothers, we will go over the family history and the timeline of events in an effort to better understand what happened and if anything can be done to bring these boys home.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

True Crime Brewery

Related Podcasts

1

2

3

4

5

6