True Crime Brewery

Latest Episodes:

The Devil Himself: Jack Unterweger May 21, 2019

Show notes

Jack Unterweger was an evil man whose lust for violence was insatiable. His first known murder victim was Margret Schafer, an 18-year-old German girl. Unterweger would tell a jury that, at the moment of her killing, he had seen his mother reflected in her face and he acted out of a lifetime of rage. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. But in jail, Unterweger read voraciously and he began to write poetry, short stories, plays, and an autobiography.
After over 15 years in prison, Unterweger was released based on the belief that writing his life story, and the self-reflection it required, had reformed him. Not only was he a famous author, he was also Austria’s most high-profile “rehabilitated” offender.
But Unterweger had everyone fooled. As he interviewed police in the role of a journalist, he had already resumed his life as a serial killer. Unterweger sexually assaulted and brutally murdered prostitutes in Vienna, Los Angeles, and Prague as he spoke on talk shows and worked to get his books made into Hollywood movies.
Join us at the quiet end today for The Devil Himself: Jack Unterweger. It’s the shocking story of an international serial killer who was hiding in plain sight.

Murder by Nurse: The Victims of Kristen Gilbert May 14, 2019

Show notes

Apparently hard-working and intelligent mother of two and registered nurse, Kristen Gilbert, was living the life of a middle-class soccer mom. She had a good job, a loving husband, and two children. She seemed a lot like the other Massachusetts suburbanites in her neighborhood, but she held sinister secrets that would eventually bubbled to the surface.
Beneath the façade of an ordinary working mother, Kristen lived a life of duplicity. Before her 30th birthday, she was arrested on suspicion of serial murder: injecting patients at the hospital where she worked with lethal doses of epinephrine.
These were vulnerable victims and Kristen’s motives were a mystery, perhaps even to herself. It may have been as simple as a need for attention and excitement.
When a healthcare professional takes a life, it is a special kind of evil. Trained and relied upon to protect and restore health and virtually holding their patients’ lives in their hands, a nurse who kills betrays the most basic trust while preying on the sick.
Join us at the quiet end today for Murder by Nurse: The Victims of Kristen Gilbert.

The Disappearance of Helle Crafts May 07, 2019

Show notes

After suffering for years in an abusive marriage, Helle Crafts filed for divorce in the summer of 1986. Soon afterward, she disappeared. Her friends filed a missing person’s report, but her husband, Richard Crafts, gave various stories that Helle was off visiting relatives or that she just needed some time alone.
Police suspected foul play, but with no body, it was impossible to prove that a homicide had even occurred. Police did learn, however, that Richard Crafts had purchased several items, including new carpeting, bedding, and a large freezer, around the time of Helle’s disappearance. He had also rented a woodchipper.
A witness came forward, claiming that he had seen a man using a woodchipper on a bridge over a lake near the Crafts’ home. That is when the search for Helle took a very disturbing turn.
Join us at the quiet end today as we discuss a horrific crime often referred to as the “wood chipper case.” Investigators, along with Dr. Henry Lee, the Director of Connecticut’s Forensic Science Laboratory at the time, worked together to solve what Richard Crafts had considered his perfect crime. I chose this case because it serves to broaden awareness of domestic violence and because it is chock a block full of interesting forensics from a pre-DNA era.

A Secret Life: The Plot to Kill Susan Fassett Apr 13, 2019

Show notes

Middle-aged mother of two Susan Fassett was an unlikely victim in the love triangle that ended in her murder. Married to a policeman and an active member of the church choir, Susan had a reputation as an honest, upstanding person. After her death, the secrets revealed about her life came as a shock.
The biggest shock of all was that Susan was involved with a man commonly referred to as the scum of the earth. Fred Andros, a mean, homely, and amoral man, extorted money, frequented prostitutes, and somehow lured Susan into his web of corruption.
Join us at the quiet end today for a story of corruption, sex, and murder: The Plot to Kill Susan Fassett.

A Darker Shade of Blue: The Murder of Lorraine Hendricks Apr 09, 2019

Show notes

A Florida woman saw the state patrol car’s lights flashing behind her and wondered why she was being stopped. She didn’t think she was speeding, she later told investigators, but she pulled her car onto the southbound shoulder of Interstate 95 and waited as Trooper Tim Harris approached her car.
Trooper Harris asked her to get out of her car. Then he saw that she was obviously pregnant. He gave her a warning ticket for driving 6 miles over the speed limit and let her go. Police would later speculate that the woman’s pregnancy saved her life.
The next woman pulled over by Trooper Harris would not live to see another day. Lorraine Hendricks’ car was found abandoned on the highway and detectives suspected that someone she trusted was involved in her disappearance.
Trooper Harris was seen as trustworthy. He had been with the Florida Highway Patrol for eight years. Before that, he had worked for local police departments, earning several commendations. He was married with two young children. But a closer look would expose a troubled man.
Join us today for A Darker Shade of Blue, the terrifying story of a man who was called upon to serve and protect but turned into a dangerous predator.

The Seattle Cyanide Murders Apr 02, 2019

Show notes

To say that Stella Nickell had a rough upbringing would be a huge understatement. She had a childhood of poverty, neglect, and abuse. At 16, she gave birth to a daughter. In the years that followed, she had numerous failed relationships, a failed marriage, and spent time in jail. In early 1974, when she was 32, she met Bruce Nickell and they married.
One summer day in 1986, Bruce came home with a headache and took four Excedrin capsules. Stella said that her husband walked out on the back deck and suddenly collapsed. He was taken by helicopter to a Seattle hospital where he died. Doctors said Bruce died from emphysema, but Stella said that never made sense.
Almost two weeks later, Stella heard about the death of 40-year old Sue Snow. News reports said that the woman had died after swallowing cyanide-laced Excedrin. Stella immediately called the police to report that Bruce, too, had taken Excedrin right before he died.
Police initially focused on Sue Snow’s husband Paul Webking for her murder. But the call from Stella Nickell led to the conclusion that Sue Snow was not the only person killed by the poisoned headache medicine. Excedrin capsules were recalled and an investigation for murders by product tampering began.
Join us at the quiet end today for a discussion of the Seattle Cyanide Murders. There is no doubt that it is a heartless act to kill a spouse, but what kind of a person kills at random?

Over the Edge: The Murders of Lynn & Toni Henthorn Mar 26, 2019

Show notes

In 2012, Harold and Toni Henthorn celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary with a hiking trip in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Toni fell off of a 100-foot cliff and died a horrible death. Harold told police that his wife was busy taking photos and must have slipped. He didn’t see exactly what had happened, he added, because he was using his cell phone at the time.
It could have been a tragic accident. Harold was a respected member of the community, a loving husband, and a devoted father to their daughter. He worked as a fund raiser for churches, charities and non-profit groups. At least, that’s what he told everyone.
But maybe things weren’t what they appeared to be. Friends and family thought they knew him, but facts surfaced that painted a new picture of Harold Henthorn. Harold had no job and no income. He also had a shady history, including a first wife who had also died in a freak accident.
Harold’s history, along with his everchanging narrative of Toni’s death, led to a murder investigation. Life insurance, years of deceit, and inappropriate behavior were gathered to create a strong circumstantial case against him.
In today’s episode, Over the Edge, we look back at the lives of Sandra Lynn Henthorn and Toni Henthorn, two wives whose final moments were likely filled with fear and violence, murdered by the man who claimed to love them.

Taking Lives: Dr. Michael Swango Mar 19, 2019

Show notes

The case of physician Michael Swango not only exposed the dark side of a man who had taken an oath to do no harm, it also opened our eyes to a professional environment where doctors accepted the word of fellow physicians over that of nurses and patients—even as evidence of gross misbehavior piled up.

Michael grew up in Quincy, Illinois and graduated as valedictorian at the Quincy Catholic Boys High School. He served in the Marine Corps, receiving an honorable discharge in 1980. He then attended Quincy College followed by Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

His troubles were first noticed in medical school. Although he was a brilliant student, he preferred to work as an ambulance attendant rather than concentrate on studying. Even at that young age, he had an odd fascination with dying patients. Michael Swango’s patients often ended up “coding,” or suffering life-threatening emergencies. Several died unexpectedly.

Join us at the quiet end today for a true story that actually is stranger than fiction: Taking Lives: The Crimes of Dr. Michael Swango.

Ungodly: The Murder of Kari Baker Mar 12, 2019

Show notes

Baptist minister Matt Baker presented himself to the world as a man of God. But when his wife Kari was found dead in their bed of an apparent suicide, questions about who he really was emerged. Kari Baker’s mother and aunts would become the catalysts for the investigation into Matt Baker’s deceptions and lies, working with police to expose him as a narcissistic bully and a lifelong sexual predator.
What they uncovered would open up suspicions of his involvement in not only one, but two family deaths. But it took years to get justice for his wife and safety for his daughters. This story is a striking example of the power of love and determination, a victory of the truth over a carefully constructed life of hypocrisy.
Join us at the quiet end today for Ungodly: The Murder of Kari Baker.

Where is Tegan Lane? Mar 05, 2019

Show notes

Between the ages of 17 and 24, Keli Lane had two abortions and gave birth to three babies, all without the knowledge of her mother Sandra or her police officer father Robert. Not only that, but her five pregnancies occurred while Keli was playing water polo at a national level and spending most of her time in a swim suit.
Keli’s 4th child, Tegan Lane, born in 1996, went home with Keli two days after her birth. Keli was at a friend’s wedding that evening and not a word was spoken about her newborn daughter. Tegan was never seen again.
Investigators believe that Keli killed Tegan, disposing of her body before her family and friends could learn of the infant’s existence. Keli claims that she gave Tegan to her biological father and he disappeared with the baby. Keli’s supporters appear to believe her story, but what is the likelihood that this man and Tegan would not be found? More mysterious, perhaps, are the reasons for Keli’s multiple hidden pregnancies and overall strange behavior.
Today’s story is one of the oddest we have covered. There are gaping holes in Keli Lane’s story, but also, there is no physical evidence that Tegan is dead. Join us today for a true mystery from Australia: Where is Tegan Lane?

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected