Morbid

When hardware store owner Bernice Worden disappeared from her store on the morning of November 16, 1957, sheriff’s deputies traced the last sale made that morning to fifty-one-year-old recluse and occasional handyman Ed Gein. During a cursory search of the Gein property, investigators quickly located Worden’s decapitated and mutilated body in a shed on Gein’s property, but that was only one of the many horrors that awaited them on the farmstead. Inside the house, deputies found one of the most shocking and horrifying scenes ever documented in the history of American crime, revealing that the mild-mannered handyman locals had always believed harmless, was in fact a profoundly psychotic killer. Thank you to the magnificent Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Associated Press. 1968. "Gein prosecution winds up murder testimony." Capital Times, November 9: 9. —. 1968. "Gein ruled fit to stand trial." Green Bay Press-Gazette, January 16: 1. Capital Times. 1958. "Bar Gein house admission fees." Capital Times, March 12: 4. —. 1957. "Claims ten skulls came from graves ." Capital Times, November 18: 1. —. 1958. "Gein insane, psychiatrist tells court." Capital Times, January 6: 3. —. 1957. "Nearly wed gein, woman reveals." Capital Times, November 20: 1. —. 1957. "Plan to open at least two." Capital Times, November 23: 1. —. 1957. "Weeping Gein joins minister in prayer." Capital Times, November 22: 1. —. 1957. "'Won't believe' graves robbed ." Capital Times, November 19: 1. Daily Tribune. 1954. "Believe Bancroft tavernkeeper was slain." Daily Tribune, December 9: 1. —. 1944. "Rites today for the man who died in Roche-a-Cri fire." Daily Tribune, May 19: 1. Engel, Dave. 2005. "Whatever happened to Mary Hogan?" Daily Tribune, December 5: 6. La Crosse Tribune. 1957. "State pushes murder charges against ." La Crosse Tribune, November 22: 1. Portage Daily Register. 1957. "New rifle in shop used in slaying storekeeper." Portage Daily Register, November 19: 1. Schechter, Harold. 1998. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho. New York, NY: Gallery Books. Stevens Point Journal. 1958. "Ed Gein's real estate sold for under $4,000." Stevens Point Journal, March 31: 1. —. 1958. "Gein farmhouse leveled by early morning blaze." Stevens Point Journal, March 20: 1. —. 1958. "Open house at Gein farm draws crowds." Stevens Point Journal, March 24: 1. —. 1957. "Results of lie test announced." Stevens Point Journal, November 20: 1. —. 1954. "Woman's disappearance hints slaying at Pine Grove tavern." Stevens Point Journal, December 9: 1. United Press. 1957. "Hospital gets ready for Gein." Capital Times, November 23: 2. United Press International. 1968. "Ed Gein found guilty of 1957 murder in Plainfield." Capital Times, November 14: 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not since Jack the Ripper or H.H. Holmes had a criminal so thoroughly shocked and captivated the public imagination; yet Gein’s crimes went far beyond what anyone imagined a person could be capable of. Indeed, he has served as the basis for some of Hollywood’s most iconic horror films including Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And, while he is only known to have killed two people during his active period, the list of crimes he is suspected of having committed is long and likely to remain a source of speculation for a long time to come. Thank you to the magical Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Associated Press. 1968. "Gein prosecution winds up murder testimony." Capital Times, November 9: 9. —. 1968. "Gein ruled fit to stand trial." Green Bay Press-Gazette, January 16: 1. Capital Times. 1958. "Bar Gein house admission fees." Capital Times, March 12: 4. —. 1957. "Claims ten skulls came from graves ." Capital Times, November 18: 1. —. 1958. "Gein insane, psychiatrist tells court." Capital Times, January 6: 3. —. 1957. "Nearly wed gein, woman reveals." Capital Times, November 20: 1. —. 1957. "Plan to open at least two." Capital Times, November 23: 1. —. 1957. "Weeping Gein joins minister in prayer." Capital Times, November 22: 1. —. 1957. "'Won't believe' graves robbed ." Capital Times, November 19: 1. Daily Tribune. 1954. "Believe Bancroft tavernkeeper was slain." Daily Tribune, December 9: 1. —. 1944. "Rites today for the man who died in Roche-a-Cri fire." Daily Tribune, May 19: 1. Engel, Dave. 2005. "Whatever happened to Mary Hogan?" Daily Tribune, December 5: 6. La Crosse Tribune. 1957. "State pushes murder charges against ." La Crosse Tribune, November 22: 1. Portage Daily Register. 1957. "New rifle in shop used in slaying storekeeper." Portage Daily Register, November 19: 1. Schechter, Harold. 1998. Deviant: The Shocking True Story of Ed Gein, the Original Psycho. New York, NY: Gallery Books. Stevens Point Journal. 1958. "Ed Gein's real estate sold for under $4,000." Stevens Point Journal, March 31: 1. —. 1958. "Gein farmhouse leveled by early morning blaze." Stevens Point Journal, March 20: 1. —. 1958. "Open house at Gein farm draws crowds." Stevens Point Journal, March 24: 1. —. 1957. "Results of lie test announced." Stevens Point Journal, November 20: 1. —. 1954. "Woman's disappearance hints slaying at Pine Grove tavern." Stevens Point Journal, December 9: 1. United Press. 1957. "Hospital gets ready for Gein." Capital Times, November 23: 2. United Press International. 1968. "Ed Gein found guilty of 1957 murder in Plainfield." Capital Times, November 14: 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When thirty-eight-year-old Steven Robards died unexpectedly in the winter of 1993, everyone including the coroner believed his death to have been the result of a heart attack—unusual for someone so young, but certainly not unheard of. It wasn’t until the following year, when Steven’s teenage daughter, Marie, was practicing for the school play, that the girl confessed the truth to her friend: Steven Robards didn’t die from a heart attack, he was murdered by his daughter with chemicals she’d stolen from the high school chemistry lab. In the United States, it’s exceedingly rare for a child to kill a parent, and rarer still for that child to be female. The truth about Steven Robards murder shocked the residents of the Fort Worth area and divided the community between those who were sympathetic to her claims of desperation and those who saw her as nothing more than a craven predator who’d do anything to get what she wanted. Indeed, Marie claimed she had only wanted to make her father sick so she could return to living with her mother, from whom she’d been separated since her parents’ divorce, and she had never wanted to kill him. Ultimately a jury didn’t buy Marie’s story and sentenced her to twenty-seven years in prison, of which she served only seven years before being paroled. Was Marie Robards really just a confused teenager who acted impulsive without regard for the consequences of her actions? Or was she really the calculating self-serving killer some believed her to be? Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance! References Blaney, Betsy. 1997. "Trial near for NRH teen accused of killing father." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 17: 1. Cochran, Mike. 1996. "Ex-UT student headed for patricide trial." Austin American-Statesman, May 6: 11. —. 1996. "Teen says she didn't mean to kill dad." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 6: 1. Hanna, Bill, and Kathy Sanders. 1994. "Daughter appears in court." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 20: 21. Hollandsworth, Skip. 1996. "Poisoning Daddy." Texas Monthly, July 01. Hood County News. 1994. "City staff's reactions mixed on poison suspect's presence." Hood County News, November 2: 1. Vozzella, Laura. 1996. "Accused dreamed of being coroner, prosecutor says." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 8: 50. —. 1996. "Chemistry student gets 28-year term in father's death." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 11: 1. —. 1996. "Teen is found guilty of poisoning her father." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 10: 15. —. 1996. "Teacher says chemical hidden from police." Fort Worth Star-Telegraph, May 9: 21. 2001. Forensic Files. Directed by David Wasser. Performed by David Wasser. Alaina's 2nd book in the Dr Wren Muller Series, THE BUTCHER GAME will be released on September 17th, 2024! To Pre-order go to (https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/) PLUS! If you preorder the book, get an autographed poster while supplies last by visiting (http://thebutchergame.com/) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of March 24, 1990, nearly one hundred patrons gathered to celebrate Carnivale at the Happy Land Social Club, a small informal night club in the Bronx that catered to a mostly Honduran clientele. The evening took a deadly turn when, around 3:30 am, an explosion of fire roared up the stairway leading to the second-floor club, blocking the only exit from the building and trapping the patrons in a room rapidly filling with toxic smoke and fire. It’s unknown how many patrons managed to escape the fire, but by the time the fire department had extinguished the blaze, eighty-seven people were dead. Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Barbanel, Josh. 1990. "Bronx social club's sublease: How a firetrap skirted the line." New York Times, March 28: B1. —. 1990. "Tracing the club's owners." New York Times, March 27: B2. Barron, James. 1990. "The living search the faces of the dead." New York Times, March 26. Blumenthal, Ralph. 1990. "Fire in the Bronx; 87 die in blaze at illegal club." New York Times, March 26. Gelman, Mitch, Alexis Jetter, and Beth Holland. 1990. "87 die in arson called act of spurned lover." Newsday, March 26: 3. Gilbert, Allison. 2020. "A faded tragedy's long shadow." New York Times, March 29. Golden, Tim. 1990. "In the saddest way, New York learns about Hondurans." New York Times, April 1. Hernandez, Raymond. 1995. "Survivors call settlement 'unjust'." New York Times, July 7. Hevesi, Dennis. 1992. "Guilty plea by landlord in fire case." New York Times, May 9. Hirsch, James. 1988. "Most social clubs run the gamut of illegality." New York Times, August 22. Kerr, Peter. 1986. "Social Clubs: Modern Mob still uses a few as offices." New York Times, April 15. Lambert, Bruce. 1991. "Confession tape on Bronx blaze is heard by jury." New York Times, August 1. Lorch, Donatella. 1991. "Ex-girlfriend recalls threat before flames." New York Times, July 31. —. 1991. "Witness tells of visit by Happy Land fire suspect." New York Times, July 31. Maykuth, Andrew. 1990. "N.Y. fire suspect described as 'down to his last hope'." Philadelphia Inquirer, 03 27: 1. McFadden, Robert. 1990. "The Knights of the Padlock Sweep Forth." New York Times, March 31. New York Times. 1990. "7 victims: their stories, struggles and dreams of better lives." New York Times, March 29. Nieves, Evelyn. 1991. "Refugee found guilty of killing 87 in Bronx Happy Land fire." New York Times, August 20. People of the State of New York v. Julio Gonzalez. 1995. 163 Misc. 2d 950 (New York Supreme Court, Bronx County, February 10). Purdy, Matthew. 1995. "More than five years after the arson fire at the Happy Land Social Club..." New York Times, July 7. Roberts, Sam. 2016. "Julio Gonzalez, arsonist who killed 87 at a nightclub in the Bronx, dies at 61." New York Times, September 15. Schanberg, Sydney. 1990. "Please, some respect for 87 who died." Newsday, April 13: 62. Stanley, Alessandra. 1991. "At Happy Land mass-murder trial, days of tears, humor and boredom." New York Times, July 28. Stanley, Allessandra. 1990. "25 years to life for the arsonist at Happy Land." New York Times, September 20. Strom, Stephanie. 1990. "Hispanic residents rally against closing of social clubs." New York Times, April 6. Terry, Don. 1990. "Social club crackdown is the latest in a series." New York Times, March 26: A1. Wichers, Christine. 1990. "Male violence the real cause of Bronx fire." New York Times, April 10. THE BUTCHER GAME will be released on September 17th, 2024! To Pre-order go to (https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/) PLUS! If you preorder the book, get an autographed poster  while supplies last by visiting (http://thebutchergame.com/) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BIG, BIG NEWS AHEAD!!!! We are SO excited to announce that The SEQUEL, yes, the 2nd book of The Dr. Wren Muller Series- THE BUTCHER GAME will be released on September 17th, 2024! To Pre-order go to https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/ (https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/) PLUS! If you preorder the book, get an autographed poster  while supplies last by visiting  thebutchergame.com (http://thebutchergame.com/)  Also-- IT'S LISTENER TALES!!!!! And this month's episode is brought to you by gut feelings! In this episode, we hear about a ghostly visitor during an awkwardly intimate moment, a run in an elderly couple near an abandoned asylum, a portal to Marrakesh in a Weirdo's room, a UFO sighting on a beach, and a weird encounter with a car in a ditch! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The brutal murders of Ross, Brown, and Degnan shocked the city of Chicago and terrified and outraged the city’s residents, who wanted only to feel safe once again. Under intense pressure from the press, the public, and city officials, investigators were desperate to catch the killer and solve the case by any means necessary, even if they had to break more than a few rules and ignore some inconvenient facts in order to do it. Thank you to the incredible Dave white of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Rental Podcast for research!References Amended Petition for Executive Clemency. 2002. C-06103 (Illinois Prisoner Review Board, April). Arizona Republic . 1946. "Defendant fails in plea to jury." Arizona Republic, June 20: 18. Banks, Joe. 1946. "Prisoner says he killed girl." Tucson Daily Citizen, June 26: 1. Chicago Tribune. 1946. "Police resift all clues in Degnan case." Chcago Tribune, January 12: 1. —. 1946. "2 rewards offered for 'execution' of girl's kidnap-slayer." Chicago Tribune, January 8: 2. —. 1946. "Call Heirens sane; today's plea in doubt." Chicago Tribune, September 4: 1. —. 1946. "Child stolen from her bed during the night." Chicago Tribune, January 8: 1. —. 1945. "Ex-WAVE slain, plea written in red on wall." Chicago Tribune, December 11: 1. —. 1946. "Handwriting similarity to killer's shown." Chicago Tribune, June 27: 1. —. 1946. "Heirens gets new grilling following 'futile' lie test." Chicago Tribune, July 1: 1. —. 1946. "Heirens made choice of plea, attorneys say." Chicago Tribune, August 7: 12. —. 1946. "Murders, assaults, thefts, shooting; Heirens' story." Chicago Tribune, August 7: 1. —. 1945. "Mystery grows in WAVE slaying." Chicago Tribune, December 12: 1. —. 1943. "Organize posse of tenants and catch prowler." Chicago Tribune, August 9: 18. —. 1946. "Repudiates his 'confession' in Degnan slaying." Chicago Tribune, June 29: 6. —. 1946. "Student held in Degnan case puzzles police." Chicago Tribune, June 29: 1. —. 1946. "Tubs in basement, saw and ax held best clews." Chicago Tribune, January 9: 1. —. 1946. "U.C. Sophomore, facing police quiz, fakes coma." Chicago Tribune, June 29: 1. —. 1946. "Use of serum in Heirens quiz still mystery." Chicago Tribune, July 1: 5. —. 1945. "Widow is found in home; suitor quizzed." Chicago Tribune, June 6: 10. Decatur Daily Review. 1946. "Chicago girl kidnapped; note demands $20,000." Decatur Daily Review, January 7: 1. —. 1946. "Janitors grilled in kidnap-death." Decatur Daily Review, January 9: 1. Decatur Herald. 1945. "Brutal WAVE slayer sought." Decatur Herald, December 12: 1. Higgins, Michael. 2007. "1940s killer denied parole." Chicago Tribune, August 3: 1. —. 2007. "Is 61 years in prison enough retribution." Chicago Tribune, July 29: 1. Kennedy, Dolores. 1991. William Heirens: His Day in Court. New York, NY: Bonus Books. New York Times. 1946. "Heirens confesses in no-chair deal." New York Times, August 7: 36. Pantagraph. 1945. "Former Wave found brutally slain in Chicago bathtub." Pantagraph, December 10: 1. People of the State of Illinois v William Heirens. 1954. 33165 (Supreme Court of Illinois, September 23). People of the State of Illinois v William Heirens. 1995. 1-90-2240 (Appellate Court of the State of Illinois, March 15). Priddy, Gladys. 1945. "Slain ex-WAVE a friend to all, roomate says." Chicago Tribune, December 14: 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BIG, BIG NEWS AHEAD!!!! We are SO excited to announce that The SEQUEL, yes, the 2nd book of The Dr. Wren Muller Series will be released on September 17th, 2024! To Pre-order go to https://zandoprojects.com/books/the-butcher-game/ PLUS! If you preorder the book, get an autographed poster while supplies last by visiting thebutchergame.com. On June 5, 1945, forty-three-year-old Josephine Ross was found stabbed to death in her Chicago apartment. Nothing had been stolen from Ross’ apartment and it appeared as though there were ritualistic aspects to the murder, but with little evidence and no suspects, the case hit a dead end almost as soon as it started. Ross’ murder came to detectives’ minds six months later, when another Chicago woman, Frances Brown, was found murdered in her apartment. This time an ominous message was scrawled on the wall in red lipstick: “For heavens sake catch me before I kill more I cannot control myself.”  The brutal nature of the two murders, and the implication that the killer would strike again, terrified the women of Chicago, and that fear was stoked by the city’s five major newspapers, who were in a daily battle for readers’ attention. The story reached a fever pitch just one month later when six-year-old Suzanne Degnan was abducted from her bedroom by someone who’d entered through an open window. Despite the presence of a ransom note demanding $20,000, investigators discovered Degnan’s dismembered body in the sewer a short time later. Thank you to the incredible Dave white of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Rental Podcast for research! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sabrina & Corinne from Two Girls One Ghost join us on this week's episode to talk about the dark histories behind childhood nursery rhymes. Fresh off of our ghost hunting experience at the Lizzie Borden house, we talk about the childhood rhyme and where it went wrong, as well as talk about others that SEEMED so innocent! Don't forget to check the episode on the Two Girls One Ghost feed where we talk about our ghost hunting experiences! It was WILD! Thank you to the wonderful Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research! References Burton-Hill, Clemency. 2015. The dark side of nursery rhymes. June 10. Accessed February 6, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20150610-the-dark-side-of-nursery-rhymes. Hazlett, Lisa A. 2009. "The use of British nursery rhymes and contemporary technology as venues for creating and expressing hidden literacies throughout time by children, adolescents, and adults." Forum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table.  Opie, Iona, and Peter Opie. 1952. The Oxofrd Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Roberts, Chris. 2005. Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme. Sheridan, WY: Gotham Books. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When millionaire Australian socialite Margaret Wales-King and her husband, Paul King, disappeared in April 2002, friends and family became concerned something serious had happened to the older couple. Those fears and concerns were confirmed a few weeks later, when park rangers discovered their bodies in a shallow grave in Marysville, Victoria. Margaret and her husband had been clubbed and strangled to death. The press dubbed the murders “the society killings” and the tragedy captured the Australian public’s attention for the ways it seemed to have been pulled right out of a classic mystery novel. Yet for all the couple’s wealth, nothing appeared to be missing from their home and their bodies were discovered still wearing jewelry and in possession of credit cards and other valuables. Under the circumstances, police looked to Wales-King’s children, who stood to gain a great deal of money in the event of Margaret’s death. Within a week the case started to come together, and a suspect was revealed. While most of the family responded to the Wales-King murders in a manner one would expect, thirty-four-year-old Matthew Wales behavior was erratic, explosive, and suspicious. Upon interviewing Matthew, investigators learned he was the last person to have seen his mother and stepfather the night they were murdered, after having dinner with Matthew and his wife, Maritza. A few weeks later, after multiple interviews, Matthew Wales confessed to murdering his parents; though why he had done it came as a shock to everyone who knew the family. References Anderson, Paul, Philip Cullen, and Mark Butler. 2002. "Bodies of missing couple in shallow grave." Advertiser, May 1. Bonney, Hilary. 2003. The Society Murders: The true story of the Wales-King murders. Crows Nest, Australia: Allen and Unwin. Clifton, Brad. 2002. "From high society to a grave in the bush." Daily Telegraph, May 4. Daily Telegraph. 2002. "Son guilty of family killing." Daily Telegraph, October 18. Green, Sue. 2002. "Crowds gather as search unfolds - son, wife charged over murders." Daily Telegraph, May 13. Medew, Julia. 2007. "Wife of 'society murderer' avoids jail on ring theft." The Age, February 21. Monroe, Ian. 2002. "The wayward youngest son." The Age, October 18. Murphy, Padric. 2002. "Couple's disappearance baffles police." The Age, April 11. Ross, Norrie, and Mark Buttler. 2003. "Death family vendetta, wife of killer brother will not profit." The Mercury, April 12. Silvester, John. 2003. "Murder in the Family." The Age, April 11. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While the tragic loss of two young lives was particularly shocking, the Career Girl Murders is better remembered as one of the most egregious cases of police coercion and abuse in the state’s history. Eight months after the murder, investigators arrested nineteen-year-old George Whitmore, an intellectually disabled day laborer from whom they elicited a false confession, not only for the murder of Hoffert and Wylie, but also for the murder of a single mother in Brooklyn. Eight more months would pass before the charges against Whitmore were dropped, and several more years before police arrested Wylie and Hoffert’s real killer, twenty-two-year-old drug addict and burglar Richard Robles.  The murders of Emily Hoffert and Janice Wylie were just two of several high-profile New York City murders that reshaped how wealthy and middle-class white people thought of urban life in the 1960s. More importantly, however, it’s more important legacy is the extent to which it shined a light on how race and class can influence a police investigation and jury verdict, and how justice can be delayed or diverted in the interest of efficiency and the illusion of safety. References Anderson, David. 1965. "Jury that convicted Whitmore to be questioned on race bias." New York Times, January 15: 19. Bigart, Homer. 1963. "Killing of 2 girls yields no clue; police question 500 in a month." New York Times, September 27: 1. Buckley, Thomas. 1964. "Youth is accused in Wylie slaying." New York Times, April 26: 1. Clark, Alfred E. 1963. "Girl got phone threats 10 days before murder." New York Times, August 30: 13. Gansberg, Martin. 1964. "East Side tenants sigh in relief at capture of slaying suspect." New York Times, April 27: 21. Johnson, Marilynn S. 2011. "The Career Girl Murders: Gender, Race, and Crime in 1960s New York." Women's Studies Quarerly (The Feminist Press at City University of New York) 244-261. Jones, Theodore. 1965. "Jury finds Robles guilty in Wylie-Hoffert killings." New York Times, December 2: 1. —. 1965. "Witness says Robles pondered murdering girls." New York Times, November 4: 40. Kihiss, Peter. 1964. "Brooklyn indicts 3-slaying suspect." New York Times, April 29: 48. Lefkowitz, Bernard, and Ken Gross. 1969. The Victims: The Wylie-Hoffert Murder Case and its Strange Aftermath. New York, NY: Putnam. National Registry of Exonerations. n.d. George Whitmore, Jr. Accessed January 17, 2024. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetailpre1989.aspx?caseid=358. New York Times. 1963. "2 girls murdered in E. 88th St. flat." New York Times, August 29: 1. —. 1975. "Max Wylie, writer, murder victim's father, is suicide." New York Times, September 23: 24. —. 1946. "Suspect in slaying of 2 career girls found sane here." New York Times, October 17: 31. —. 1964. "Whitmore guilty of rape attempt in Brooklyn case." New York Times, November 19: 43. Roth, Jack. 1965. "Trial fading out in Wylie murder." New York Times, January 22: 17. The People of the State of New York, v. Richard Robles. 1970. 27 N.Y.2d 155 (Court of Appeals of the State of New York, September 24). Tolchin, Martin. 1964. "Victim describes Brooklyn attack." New York Times, November 13: 30. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 28, 1963, Patricia Tolles returned home from work to find her New York City apartment ransacked, a bloody knife in the bathroom, and her roommates, Emily Hoffert and Janice Wylie, nowhere to be found. Patricia went to the lobby and called Janice’s father, Max Wylie, who came over immediately and searched the apartment, finding the bodies of his daughter and Hoffert in one of the bedrooms. Labeled by the press as the “Career Girl Murders,” the murders of Wylie and Hoffert shook the relatively quiet Upper East Side neighborhood and left many residents—particularly young women—feeling vulnerable and afraid.  Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research! References Anderson, David. 1965. "Jury that convicted Whitmore to be questioned on race bias." New York Times, January 15: 19. Bigart, Homer. 1963. "Killing of 2 girls yields no clue; police question 500 in a month." New York Times, September 27: 1. Buckley, Thomas. 1964. "Youth is accused in Wylie slaying." New York Times, April 26: 1. Clark, Alfred E. 1963. "Girl got phone threats 10 days before murder." New York Times, August 30: 13. Gansberg, Martin. 1964. "East Side tenants sigh in relief at capture of slaying suspect." New York Times, April 27: 21. Johnson, Marilynn S. 2011. "The Career Girl Murders: Gender, Race, and Crime in 1960s New York." Women's Studies Quarerly (The Feminist Press at City University of New York) 244-261. Jones, Theodore. 1965. "Jury finds Robles guilty in Wylie-Hoffert killings." New York Times, December 2: 1. —. 1965. "Witness says Robles pondered murdering girls." New York Times, November 4: 40. Kihiss, Peter. 1964. "Brooklyn indicts 3-slaying suspect." New York Times, April 29: 48. Lefkowitz, Bernard, and Ken Gross. 1969. The Victims: The Wylie-Hoffert Murder Case and its Strange Aftermath. New York, NY: Putnam. National Registry of Exonerations. n.d. George Whitmore, Jr. Accessed January 17, 2024. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetailpre1989.aspx?caseid=358. New York Times. 1963. "2 girls murdered in E. 88th St. flat." New York Times, August 29: 1. —. 1975. "Max Wylie, writer, murder victim's father, is suicide." New York Times, September 23: 24. —. 1946. "Suspect in slaying of 2 career girls found sane here." New York Times, October 17: 31. —. 1964. "Whitmore guilty of rape attempt in Brooklyn case." New York Times, November 19: 43. Roth, Jack. 1965. "Trial fading out in Wylie murder." New York Times, January 22: 17. The People of the State of New York, v. Richard Robles. 1970. 27 N.Y.2d 155 (Court of Appeals of the State of New York, September 24). Tolchin, Martin. 1964. "Victim describes Brooklyn attack." New York Times, November 13: 30. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alvin & Fran from Affirmative Murder Podcast join us today to tell us about the execution of Hamida Djandoubi. On September 10th, 1977, Djandoubi's execution sentence was carried out by Guillotine, and marked the last time it was used for capital punishment in the western world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdos! Get cozy and get ready to listen to our 83rd batch of Listener Tales! They're brought to you BY you, FOR you, FROM you, and ALL ABOUT YOU!  In this episode we have a family of witchy women, get visits from spirits of four-legged family who passed over the rainbow bridge, abandon a morally tainted valentine birthday cake, and get AGGRESSIVELY RSVP'd by an entity from another realm!<3 If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the morning of October 12, 1944, Lulu Atwood arrived at the El Palacio Apartments in West Hollywood, where she worked cleaning apartments for wealthy and celebrity clients. When Lulu reached the apartment of twenty-year-old Georgette Bauerdorf, she called out and when she got no reply, she entered the apartment to begin her work. Inside, Lulu could hear the water running in the bathtub upstairs, and when she made her way to the second-floor bathroom, she found the dead body of Georgette Bauerdorf half-submerged in the water. As a well-known socialite and the prominent daughter of a wealthy oil tycoon, Georgette’s untimely death surprised the Los Angeles society circles in which she moved. But when her death was officially labeled a murder, and one with sexual overtones, their surprise turned to shock and dismay—who would have wanted to kill Georgette Bauerdorf and why? As a member of Hollywood’s elite class, Georgette Bauerdorf’s murder dominated the headlines of Los Angeles papers for weeks, but when the leads dried up just a few weeks later and no new suspects were identified, the case went cold and by the end of the year the investigation was essentially shelved. Once considered alongside the Black Dahlia as one of Los Angeles’ most notorious unsolved murders, today the story of Georgette Bauerdorf has now all but faded from public memory, making it unlikely the mystery will ever be solved.  Thank you to David White, of The Bring Me the Axe Podcast, for research! References Buffalo Evening News. 1944. "Murder theory studied in death of wealthy girl." Buffalo Evening News, October 13: 1. Dowd, Katie. 2021. "A California oil heiress was strangled in her apartment. Who got away with murder?" SF Gate, November 28. Foster, Ernest. 1944. "Heiress found dead in bathtub mystery." Daily News, October 13: 224. Los Angeles Times. 1944. "Evidence shows heiress waged terrific fight." Los Angeles Times, October 15: 3. —. 1944. "Ex-soldiers tale of killing heiress here discounted." Los Angeles Times, December 29: 6. —. 1944. "Girl mystery death laid to attacker." Los Angeles Times, October 14: 1. —. 1944. "Girl mystery death laid to attacker." Los Angeles Times, October 14: 1. —. 1945. "Note professing Bauerdorf girl slaying knowledge pondered." Los Angeles Times, September 21: 2. —. 1944. "Oil heiress death clues valueless, deputies say." Los Angeles Times, October 17: 5. —. 1945. "Self-appointed sleuth held in heiress' death." Los Angeles Times, September 25: 2. —. 1944. "Tale of killing heiress here false, ex-soldier concedes." Los Angeles Times, December 30: 11. New York Times. 1944. "Miss Bauerdorf, oil man's daughter, slain by strangler in her Hollywood apartment." New York Times, October 14: 15. San Francisco Examiner . 1944. "Heiress' generosity believed to have led to her murder ." San Francisco Examiner , October 15: 3. San Francisco Examiner. 1944. "Hollywood girl believed strangled far from home." San Francisco Examiner, October 20: 3. —. 1944. "New theory in girl slaying." San Francisco Examiner, October 27: 15. —. 1944. "Police reject confession." San Francisco Examiner, December 30: 24. —. 1944. "Slaying of Oil Heiress in Hollywood confessed." San Francisco Examiner, December 29: 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of October 6, 1898, forty-eight-year-old George Saxton, brother of First Lady Ida McKinley, was riding his bike to the home of his lady friend Eva Althouse when an assailant dressed in black emerged from the shadows and fired two shots. Wounded, George crawled towards Eva’s house and had just reached the front steps when the shooter approached and fired two more shots, killing him almost instantly. Within hours of Saxton’s death, his former mistress, Anna George, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. For more than a decade, Saxton and George had been carrying on a scandalous relationship that began as an illicit affair until Saxton successfully convinced George to divorce her husband, supposedly with promises to marry her. However, once she was a single woman again, Saxton’s enthusiasm for marriage had cooled and over time his interest in Anna waned.  Anna George’s sensational arrest and trial dominated headlines for months and, as Saxton was extremely unpopular, many people sympathized with the accused woman and even reveled in Saxton’s death. After an intense and closely watched three-week trial, Anna George was acquitted of the murder and soon after she faded out of the spotlight, leaving the murder of George Saxton officially unsolved to this day. Thank you to the glorious David White, of the Bring Me The Axe Podcast, for research! References Akron Beacon Journal. 1906. "Former Akron man suicided in Ravenna." Akron Beacon Journal, July 23: 8. Bellamy, John Stark. 2011. A Woman Scorned: The Murder of George Saxton. Cleveland, OH: Independent. Boston Daily Globe. 1899. "Mintz on Saxton." Boston Daily Globe, April 23: 2. —. 1898. "Public sympathy with Mrs. George." Boston Daily Globe, October 9: 1. Cincinnati Post. 1898. "Before bar of justice." Cincinnati Post, October 10: 1. —. 1898. "Charged with murder of G.D. Saxton." Cincinnati Post, October 11: 1. Clinton County Democrat. 1898. "The good people of Canton rejoice that he has been removed." Clinton County Democrat, November 10: 1. Coe, Jonathan. 2012. Canton's Great Tragedy the Murder of George D. Saxton, Together with a History of the Arrest and Trial of Annie E. George Charged with the Murder. Detroit, MI: Gale. Dayton Daily News. 1899. "Loved to the hour of death." Dayton Daily News, April 8: 1. Dayton Herald. 1899. "Relations of Mrs. George and Saxton are told to the jury." Dayton Herald, April 8: 1. —. 1899. "Youth claims to have seen the killing of Saxton." Dayton Herald, July 25: 1. New York Times. 1899. "Belated evidence heard at Chicago against Mrs. George." New York Times, July 25: 4. Scripps-McRae Telegram. 1898. "Out of court noted alienation case was settled." Cincinnati Post, October 5: 7. Stark County Democrat. 1899. "Sterling were the remarks of the attorney by the same name." Stark County Democrat, April 27: 1. —. 1899. "Testimony being heard at a rapid and exceedingly gratifying pace." Stark County Democvrat, April 13: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(Part 3) In the spring of 2005, law enforcement officials in southern Louisiana had a growing number of murder victims they had begun to suspect were connected to an unidentified serial killer operating in the area. The victims were all men, mostly in their twenties and thirties, many had histories of drug and alcohol abuse or were known to police as sex-workers, and all had been strangled and dumped in secondary locations. Over the course of a decade, Ronald Dominique developed into one of the worst and most prolific serial killers in American history; yet his story and those of his victims remains largely unknown and ignored by the mainstream media.  Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Renal Podcasts for research! References Alford, Jeremy. 2005. New information coming soon in local murders. August 24. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2005/08/24/new-information-coming-soon-in-local-murders/27020266007/. Armstrong, Shell. 2007. Dominique pleads not guilty to 9 murders. January 17. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatimes.com/news/dominique-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-murders/. Associated Press. 2005. "Man found in Lafource Parish was from Houma area." Abberville Meridional, May 3: 2. —. 2005. "Deaths od five south Lousiana men may be linked, police say." Shreveport Times, April 25: 12. —. 1999. "La. deaths may be work of serial killer." Shreveport Times, June 23: 5B. —. 2006. "Police look for links between serial suspect, priest's death." Shreveport Times, December 9: 22. —. 2006. "Arrest made in serial-killer investigation." Town Talk, December 2: 17. —. 2006. "Serial murder suspect was average Joe, says shelter residents." Town Talk, December 3: 8. DeSantis, John. 2006. Accused lived on the fringe of two worlds. December 4. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128012212/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20061204/News/608089983/HC. Hunter, Michelle. 2006. "Serial-killer suspect confesses; Trysts led to rapes, strangling, cops told." Times-Picatune, December 6. L'observateur. 1999. Beaten teen’s body discovered in Kenner. October 26. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1998/10/26/beaten-teens-body-discovered-in-kenner/. —. 1999. Two deaths reclassified as murders in St. Charles Parish. Fdebruary 6. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1999/02/06/two-deaths-reclassified-as-murders-in-st-charles-parish/. Morris, Robert. 2006. Mother protests dead son’s link to serial killer. June 19. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131004921/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20060619/News/608089995/HC. Ramage, James. 2005. "Serial killer theory floats around cases." Shreveport Times, May 15: 1. Rosen, Fred. 2017. The Bayou Strangler. New York, NY: Open Road Media. —. 2018. Uncovering the Truth Behind One of the Bayou Strangler’s Victims. April 10. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://the-line-up.com/uncovering-the-truth-behind-one-of-the-bayou-stranglers-victims. St. Charles Heral-Guide. 2006. Mother’s tears for son killed by serial madman Dominique. 12 06. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.heraldguide.com/tragedy/mothers-tears-for-son-killed-by-serial-madman-dominique/. The Daily Review. 2002. "Houma man's body found." Daily Review, October 17: 6. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(Part 2) In the spring of 2005, law enforcement officials in southern Louisiana had a growing number of murder victims they had begun to suspect were connected to an unidentified serial killer operating in the area. The victims were all men, mostly in their twenties and thirties, many had histories of drug and alcohol abuse or were known to police as sex-workers, and all had been strangled and dumped in secondary locations. Over the course of a decade, Ronald Dominique developed into one of the worst and most prolific serial killers in American history; yet his story and those of his victims remains largely unknown and ignored by the mainstream media.  Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Renal Podcasts for research! References Alford, Jeremy. 2005. New information coming soon in local murders. August 24. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2005/08/24/new-information-coming-soon-in-local-murders/27020266007/. Armstrong, Shell. 2007. Dominique pleads not guilty to 9 murders. January 17. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatimes.com/news/dominique-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-murders/. Associated Press. 2005. "Man found in Lafource Parish was from Houma area." Abberville Meridional, May 3: 2. —. 2005. "Deaths od five south Lousiana men may be linked, police say." Shreveport Times, April 25: 12. —. 1999. "La. deaths may be work of serial killer." Shreveport Times, June 23: 5B. —. 2006. "Police look for links between serial suspect, priest's death." Shreveport Times, December 9: 22. —. 2006. "Arrest made in serial-killer investigation." Town Talk, December 2: 17. —. 2006. "Serial murder suspect was average Joe, says shelter residents." Town Talk, December 3: 8. DeSantis, John. 2006. Accused lived on the fringe of two worlds. December 4. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128012212/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20061204/News/608089983/HC. Hunter, Michelle. 2006. "Serial-killer suspect confesses; Trysts led to rapes, strangling, cops told." Times-Picatune, December 6. L'observateur. 1999. Beaten teen’s body discovered in Kenner. October 26. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1998/10/26/beaten-teens-body-discovered-in-kenner/. —. 1999. Two deaths reclassified as murders in St. Charles Parish. Fdebruary 6. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1999/02/06/two-deaths-reclassified-as-murders-in-st-charles-parish/. Morris, Robert. 2006. Mother protests dead son’s link to serial killer. June 19. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131004921/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20060619/News/608089995/HC. Ramage, James. 2005. "Serial killer theory floats around cases." Shreveport Times, May 15: 1. Rosen, Fred. 2017. The Bayou Strangler. New York, NY: Open Road Media. —. 2018. Uncovering the Truth Behind One of the Bayou Strangler’s Victims. April 10. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://the-line-up.com/uncovering-the-truth-behind-one-of-the-bayou-stranglers-victims. St. Charles Heral-Guide. 2006. Mother’s tears for son killed by serial madman Dominique. 12 06. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.heraldguide.com/tragedy/mothers-tears-for-son-killed-by-serial-madman-dominique/. The Daily Review. 2002. "Houma man's body found." Daily Review, October 17: 6. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the spring of 2005, law enforcement officials in southern Louisiana had a growing number of murder victims they had begun to suspect were connected to an unidentified serial killer operating in the area. The victims were all men, mostly in their twenties and thirties, many had histories of drug and alcohol abuse or were known to police as sex-workers, and all had been strangled and dumped in secondary locations. Over the course of a decade, Ronald Dominique developed into one of the worst and most prolific serial killers in American history; yet his story and those of his victims remains largely unknown and ignored by the mainstream media.  Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe & 99 Cent Renal Podcasts for research! References Alford, Jeremy. 2005. New information coming soon in local murders. August 24. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/2005/08/24/new-information-coming-soon-in-local-murders/27020266007/. Armstrong, Shell. 2007. Dominique pleads not guilty to 9 murders. January 17. Accessed March 29, 2023. https://www.houmatimes.com/news/dominique-pleads-not-guilty-to-9-murders/. Associated Press. 2005. "Man found in Lafource Parish was from Houma area." Abberville Meridional, May 3: 2. —. 2005. "Deaths od five south Lousiana men may be linked, police say." Shreveport Times, April 25: 12. —. 1999. "La. deaths may be work of serial killer." Shreveport Times, June 23: 5B. —. 2006. "Police look for links between serial suspect, priest's death." Shreveport Times, December 9: 22. —. 2006. "Arrest made in serial-killer investigation." Town Talk, December 2: 17. —. 2006. "Serial murder suspect was average Joe, says shelter residents." Town Talk, December 3: 8. DeSantis, John. 2006. Accused lived on the fringe of two worlds. December 4. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128012212/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20061204/News/608089983/HC. Hunter, Michelle. 2006. "Serial-killer suspect confesses; Trysts led to rapes, strangling, cops told." Times-Picatune, December 6. L'observateur. 1999. Beaten teen’s body discovered in Kenner. October 26. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1998/10/26/beaten-teens-body-discovered-in-kenner/. —. 1999. Two deaths reclassified as murders in St. Charles Parish. Fdebruary 6. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.lobservateur.com/1999/02/06/two-deaths-reclassified-as-murders-in-st-charles-parish/. Morris, Robert. 2006. Mother protests dead son’s link to serial killer. June 19. Accessed March 26, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20210131004921/https://www.houmatoday.com/article/DA/20060619/News/608089995/HC. Ramage, James. 2005. "Serial killer theory floats around cases." Shreveport Times, May 15: 1. Rosen, Fred. 2017. The Bayou Strangler. New York, NY: Open Road Media. —. 2018. Uncovering the Truth Behind One of the Bayou Strangler’s Victims. April 10. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://the-line-up.com/uncovering-the-truth-behind-one-of-the-bayou-stranglers-victims. St. Charles Heral-Guide. 2006. Mother’s tears for son killed by serial madman Dominique. 12 06. Accessed March 27, 2023. https://www.heraldguide.com/tragedy/mothers-tears-for-son-killed-by-serial-madman-dominique/. The Daily Review. 2002. "Houma man's body found." Daily Review, October 17: 6. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of November 1, 1996, Tucson, Arizona real estate developer and businessman Gary Triano got into his car at the La Paloma Country Club intending to head home, where friends and family were waiting for Gary’s surprise birthday party. However, before Gary had even put the key in the ignition, the car exploded in a ball of flame, plunging the club into panic and chaos, and killing Gary instantly.  To investigators, the car bomb planted under Gary’s car had all the hallmarks of a professional hit, and with Gary’s business dealings and financial troubles, there were at least a few people who would have benefitted from his death. However, within just a few weeks, suspicion fell to Triano’s ex-wife, Pamela, who’d taken out a life insurance policy on Gary during their marriage that would eventually pay out $2 million dollars. Despite being confident that Pamela was involved in Gary’s death, the year-long investigation failed to turn up any conclusive evidence tying her to the murder. Undeterred, investigators continued to pursue the case across the country and eventually around the world and in 2009, more than a decade after his death, the people responsible for Gary Triano’s death were finally arrested, but many years would pass before anyone was held accountable. Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research! References Bodfield, Rhonda. 1996. "Broke Triano kept optimistic ." Tucson Citizen, November 9: 1. —. 1996. "Triano threats srcutinized." Tucson Citizen, November 5: 2. CBS News. 2017. "The Hit in Arizona [transcript]." CBS News, July 11. Huicochea, Alexis, and Enric Volante. 2006. "'96 bomb slaying is getting a new look." Arizona Daily Star, September 7. Innes, Stephanie. 1996. "Gambling link eyed in Triano murder." Tucson Citizen, November 4: 1. Limberis, Chris. 2001. "Requiem for a heavyweight ." Tucson Weekly, November 1. McNamara, Patrick. 2014. "Conflictring pictures painted of Triano murder suspect." Arizona Daily Star, February 20: A2. —. 2014. "Ex-wife going on trial 17 years after bomb death." Arizona Daily Star, February 16: C1. —. 2014. "Phillips gets life for fatal bombing." Arizona Daily Star, May 23: 1. Miami Herald. 2005. "A TV 'Most Wanted' fugitive is captured." Miami Herald, November 22: 138. Pence, Angela, John Rawlinson, and Alexa Haussler. 1996. "Black powder pipe bomb killed Triano." Arizona Daily Star, November 7. Sate of Arizona v. Pamela Anne Phillips. 2018. 1 CA-CR 17-0285 (Arizona Court of Appeals, July 10). Smith, Kim. 2011. "Additional mental exams for murder suspect denied." Arizona Daily Star, March 8: A2. —. 2010. "Life, no parole for killer in Triano case." Arizona Daily Star, May 4: A2. —. 2010. "Triano case closing arguments." Arizona Daily Star, March 27: A2. State of Arizona v. Ronald Kelly Young. 2012. CR20084012 (Court of Appeals State of Arizona , February 29). Teibel, David. 1996. "Blast fragments studied ." Tucson Citizen, November 1: 1. Tucson Citizen. 1973. "Realtor seeks seat on council." Tucson Citizen, June 15: 4. Volante, Enric. 2006. "Detective: Secret recordings link Triano ex, suspected death plot." Arizona Daily Star, September 8. —. 1997. "Triano assassination task force disbanded." Arizona Daily Star, August 2. Wagner, Dennis. 1996. "Bombing death puzzles police." Arizona Republic, November 10: 33. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When twenty-year-old Walter Brooks was found dead from a bullet to the head on Valentine’s Day 1902, suspicion immediately fell on Brooks’ nineteen-year-old sometimes-girlfriend, Florence Burns. The two were known to have a tumultuous relationship and had fought violently on the morning of his death, and there was considerable evidence indicating that Burns had been in the hotel room at the time of Brooks’ murder. However, despite all the evidence indicating guilt, Florence Burns was never brought to trial for Brooks’ murder or even formally charged with a crime, and Walter Brooks murder officially remains an unsolved case in New York. While the story of Walter Brooks and Florence Burns is relatively uncomplicated in terms of the crime around which the story is built, the story is a remarkable illustration of the ways in which things like class, gender, and technological advances can influence and even shape how the law is applied in the United States. Indeed, at the time of the murder, the nation was undergoing incredibly social and cultural changes as a result of dramatically expanded transportation and communication technology, giving rise to a youth culture the likes of which had never been seen in the nation prior. That youth culture and the rebelliousness it produced in many young wealthy Americans played a direct role, not only in Walter’s life and death, but also in the socio-cultural perspectives and Victorian beliefs that allowed Florence to get away with murder. Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast & 99 Cent Rental for Research! References Evening World. 1902. "Denised she shot broker in hotel." Evening World, February 15: 1. Ferranti, Seth. 2019. The Affluenza Murder Case That Shocked America 100 Years Ago. March 15. Accessed December 11, 2023. https://www.vice.com/en/article/d3meyv/the-affluenza-murder-case-that-shocked-america-100-years-ago. McConnell, Virginia A. 2019. The Belle of Bedford Avenue: The Sensational Brooks-Burns Murder in Turn-of-the-Century New York. Kent, OH: The Kent State University Press. New York Times. 1902. "Brooks murder case ends." New York Times, May 21: 5. —. 1903. "Florence Burns on the stage." New York Times, February 15: 10. —. 1902. "Jerome on Burns case." New York Times, March 25: 7. —. 1902. "Man shot, girl arrested ." New York Times, February 16: 3. New York Tribune. 1910. "Florence Burns again in hands of police." New York Tribune, September 21: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Holly Madison joins us to give us a sneak peak at one of the cases they are covering on Season Two of the Playboy Murders. We talk about the tragic murder of Christine Schultz and the trial, conviction, and escape of Laurie Bembenek. It's a tragic story that is light on justice for anyone! She also chats with us about the second season overall of the Playboy Murders which premiers on January 22nd! You can find it on Investigation ID and stream it on MAX! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In March 1977, Arizona businessman Charles Morgan went missing from his home in Tucson, only to turn up three days later in the middle of the night, shoeless, traumatized, and with broken plastic handcuffs on his wrists and ankles. Unable to speak, Charles wrote that he had been drugged by an unnamed individual and kidnapped, but he refused to let his wife call the police or otherwise report the assault. Three months later, Charles Morgan’s body was discovered in the desert with a gunshot wound in the back of his head, one of his teeth wrapped in a handkerchief, and a two-dollar bill pinned to his underwear. From the outside, Charles Morgan appeared to live a very normal and decidedly unexciting life. Yet when investigators began digging into his background to find out who would have wanted him dead, they discovered a complicated and bizarre story of supposed government agents, mobsters, and a mystery that one would have expected from a Hollywood screenplay, not the life of a middle-aged Arizona escrow agent. The increasingly bizarre details of Morgan’s life and death comprise a fascinating mystery that remains unsolved to this day and endures as one of Arizona’s most baffling cold cases. Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance References Bassett, Edward, and David Dykes. 1977. "Mystery death a suicide?" Tucson Citizen, June 22: 1. Bassett, Edward, and Richard Wood. 1977. "Slain businessman's bank dealings probed." Tucson Citizen, June 27: 3. Flanagan, Ray. n.d. "Did 'hit-man." —. 1990. "Did 'hit-man' with ties to region figure in Arizona death case?" Tribune, September 25: 3. Heltsley, Ernie, and John Rawlinson. 1979. "1977 shooting ended Tucsonan's two lives." Arizona Daily Star, February 4: 1. Jordan, Tracy. 1990. "City residents asked to drop a dime on hit man." Times Leader, October 22: 3. Kwok, Abraham. 1992. "Phoenix death a mistaken 'hit'?" Arizona Republic, May 6: 10. Matas, Kimberly. 2010. "Strange evidence found in '77 on, near man's body." Arizona Daily Star, March 31: A08. 1990. Unsolved Mysteries. Directed by John McLaughlin. Performed by John McLaughlin. Salkowski, Joe, and Enric Volante. 2002. "Mob faded locally long before key figure died." Arizona Daily Star, May 19: 1. Svejcara, Bob. 1977. "Sheriff finds no foul play in Morgan death." Arizona Daily Star, August 11: 13. Svejcara, Bob, and Ernie Heltsley. 1977. "Slain businessman seen during 'absence'." Arizona Daily Star, June 23: 1. Tucson Citizen. 1977. "Sheriff's probe says Morgan was a sucide." Tucson Citizen, August 11: 4. Wood, Richard. 1977. "Slain Tucson executive: solid citizen... mystery man." Tucson Citizen, June 21: 2. —. 1977. "Woman says Morgan hid, trying to buy off his life." Tucson Citizen, June 21: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're closing out the month of January, and you know what THAT means- Listener Tales! It’s brought to you by you, for you, from you, and ALL ABOUT YOU! In this installment we have tales THE NINETIES! We have camping stories, late night visits from a Jesus imposter, a creepy bathroom poltergeist, and an entire community is treated to a UFO lightshow! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Sandy Bird was found dead in her wrecked car in the Cottonwood River in the summer of 1983, everyone assumed the thirty-three-year-old Kansas mother of three had misjudged the turn on the one-lane bridge and gone over the side, her death a tragic accident. Similarly, when Martin Anderson was gunned down on the side of a Kansas state road just a few months later, the residents of Emporia, KS believed he was the victim of robbery gone wrong—the kind of random violence that investigators often struggled to solve.  What no one knew at the time was that the ostensibly accidental death of Sandy Bird and the tragic murder of Martin Anderson were in fact linked by a conspiracy of Sandra’s husband, Tom Bird, and his mistress, Lorna Anderson, designed to rid themselves of their respective spouses. Unfortunately, their plot began unraveling just a few weeks after Martin’s murder and both Tom and Lorna were arrested for the murders, along with their co-conspirators, and eventually went to trial. While the murders shocked the communities in rural Kansas, the most unbelievable aspect of the case was that the killers were a Lutheran pastor and his devout secretary. Thank you to the wonderful, David White of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance! References Close, Dan. 1984. "Minister is accused of soliciting murder." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, March 22: 1. —. 1984. "Minister ordered to stand trial." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, June 1: 1. —. 1983. "Slaying victim's wife held." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, November 24: 1. —. 1983. "Unanswered questions plague K-177 tragedy." Wichita Eagle-Beacon, November 8: 1. Hayes, Jean. 1985. "Jury in bird trial begins deliberations." Wichita Eagle, July 23: 51. Hays, Jean. 1985. "Bird's wife described as unhappy." Wichita Eagle, July 12: 15. Kraft, Scott. 1986. "‘We Don’t Have These Type of People Out Here’ : Murderous Affair Shocks Kansas Town." Los Angeles Times, March 17. —. 2004. "Who Killed Sandy?" Los Angeles Times Magazine, May 2. State of Kansas v. Thomas Bird. 1986. 240 Kan. 288 (Supreme Court of Kansas, December 5). State of Kansas v. Thomas P. Bird. 1985. 708 P.2d 946 (Supreme Court of Kansas, October 25). United Press International. 1985. "At first no one paid uch attention ." United Press International: Domestic News, August 4. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it opened in 1894, the Preston School of Industry represented a change in how criminal offenders and wards of the state were treated in American society, shifting towards a more compassionate mission of reform over punishment. However, while the mission may have represented a more progressive approach to reforming young offenders, daily life for the young inmates was often as brutal as it would have been in an adult prison.  Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Ax Podcast and 99 Cent Rental for Research! References California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 2022. Cemetery Tales Preston holds remains of 18. October 24. Accessed December 22, 2023. https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/insidecdcr/2022/10/24/tales-from-the-cemetery-preston-holds-remains-of-18/. Daily News. 1950. "Boys' school housekeeper murdered." Daily News, February 23: 1. D'Souza, Karen. 2015. "Castle of shivers." Oakland Tribune, September 13: 67. Grandbois, Ruth. 1950. "Housekeep at Preston School found murdered." Stockton Daily Evening Record, February 24: 1. —. 1950. "Slaying victim 'like mother' to youths." Stockton Daily Evening Record, February 24: 1. Long Beach Press-Telegram. 1950. "3 Ione School Inmates held after slaying ." Long Beach Press-Telegram, February 24: 1. Lowery, James F. 1950. "Stained clothes of Ione suspect get blood test." Sacramento Bee, February 25: 1. McClatchy Newspaper Service. 1950. "What kind of woman was slain Anna Corbin of Preston?" Sacramento Bee, February 27: 1. McClatchy Newspapers Service. 1950. "Witness bares motive behind Preston killing." McClatchy Newspapers Service, June 15: 1. —. 1950. "Inmate tells court he saw Preston killing." Sacramento Bee, March 10: 1. McClatchy Newspapes Service. 1950. "Employees are cleared in Preston killing." Sacramento Bee, February 28: 1. McManis, Sam. 2015. Discoveries: Ione’s Preston Castle opens up about its harsh, haunting past. June 28. Accessed December 21, 2023. https://www.sacbee.com/entertainment/living/travel/sam-mcmanis/article25499146.html. Sacramento Bee. 1950. "Chief Preston killing witness changes story." Sacramento Bee, April 6: 41. —. 1950. "Murder trial of Eugene Monroe is nearing close." Sacramento Bee, April 28: 1. —. 1950. "Preston suspect was grilled in 1947 LA murder." Sacramento Bee, March 6: 1. —. 1950. "Prosecutor plans parade of witnesses in Monroe trial." Sacramento Bee, April 26: 10. —. 1950. "Youth Authority decides to free Preston inmate." Sacramento Bee, October 20: 1. Sacramento Union. 1951. "Eugene Monroe, Preston parole, confesses sex-murder in Tulsa." Sacramento Union, July 28: 1. Sacremento Daily Record-Union. 1889. "The reform school." Sacremento Daily Record-Union, February 16: 8. San Francisco Examiner. 1894. "Preston School of Industry." San Francisco Examiner, August 6: 3. Valley News Service. 1950. "State planning to reopen case against Monroe." Sacramento Union, April 30: 1. Wilson, Stanley. 1950. "LA inmate is chief suspect in Ione killing." Sacramento Bee, March 1: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of October 31, 1955, millionaire socialite Ann Woodward heard a strange noise in the hallway just beyond her bedroom door in the sprawling estate she shared with her husband, Billy, and their two children. There had been a series of robberies in the wealthy neighborhood that month, so Ann had kept a shotgun next to her bed for safety. Rising from her bed, Ann grabbed the gun and crept towards the door, slowly opening it so as not to attract any attention. Visibility was low in the darkened hallway, but she could see the vague shape of a man moving towards her and without hesitation, Ann raised the shotgun and fired in the direction, striking the figure and cutting him down. With the threat neautralized, Ann moved towards the figure on the floor only to realize she’d shot and killed her husband, Billy Woodward.  At least that’s the official version of the story. The investigation moved incredibly quickly, in the way it always seems to for the wealthiest among us, and Ann Woodward was cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of her husband—it was simply an accident. Yet there were many among Ann and Billy’s family and friends who believed Ann had intentionally shot her husband that night in order to prevent him from going forward with a messy divorce that would have brought an end to the glamorous high society lifestyle she spent her entire life working to secure. Ann Woodward was never able to escape the rumors and gossip from those she’d once counted as friends, all of which was made exponentially worse by novelist Truman Capote, whose slanderous fiction many believe drove Ann to suicide. Ann’s untimely death meant that many questions would forever go unanswered: did she really kill her husband in order to remain among America’s elite moneymakers? Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring Me the Ax Podcast for research! References Associated Press. 1955. "Mrs. Woodward stays in hospital; to miss husband's funeral." Buffalo Evening News, November 1: 10. —. 1955. "Mrs. Woodward's father dumbfounded." Buffalo Evening News, November 1: 10. —. 1956. "Woodward case burgler sentenced ." Los Angeles Times, February 5: 6. Bigart, Homer. 1955. "Woodward left trusts to 2 sons." New York Times, November 10: 36. Bracker, Milton. 1955. "Wife kills Woodward, owner of Nashua." New York Times, October 31: 1. —. 1955. "Woodward jury finds no crime after widow testifies in shooting." New York Times, November 26: 1. —. 1955. "Woodward proweler now admits being on estate at time of killing." New York Times, November 8: 1. Braudy, Susan. 1992. This Crazy Thing Called Love. New York, NY: A.A. Knopf. Kashner, Sam. 2012. "Capote's Swan Dive." Vanity Fair, November 15. Knickerbocker, Cholly. 1955. "Violent scenes marked Woodward marriage." San Francisco Examiner, November 11: 9. Montillo, Roseanne. 2022. Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century. New York, NY: Atria Books. New York Times. 1955. "Prowler dsicusses Woodward case aid." New York Times, November 9: 36. Randolph, Nancy. 1955. "N.Y. society shocked by shooting." Los Angeles Times, March 30: 7. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Priscilla Davis filed for divorce from her husband, Cullen Davis, in 1974, she had no idea that her actions would have such tragic consequences. Less than two years later, on the same day the divorce was finalized and the terms of the alimony were settled, a man wearing a disguise broke into Priscilla’s home and killed her twelve-year-old daughter, then waited for Priscilla to return. When she arrived a short time later, the intruder said hello to Priscilla and her new boyfriend before shooting them both, wounding Priscilla and killing her companion. Cullen Davis was immediately suspected of the murders and taken into custody, leading to one of the most sensational and captivating trials the country had ever seen. The wealthiest man to ever be tried for murder in the United States up to that point, Cullen Davis was said to be the primary influence for the villainous J.R. Ewing, the main antagonist on the hit television series Dallas, and he more than lived up to the role. Davis’s wealth and status allowed him to control the narrative of the trial, which quickly became an indictment of his former wife, who, despite being the victim of a horrible crime, was vilified by the press and the defense as the real villain in the case. Although it is nearly five decades in the past, the marriage of Priscilla and Cullen Davis, and the murder trial that followed, are emblematic of many of the issues that the American justice system (and the public) continues to struggle with today including who is and isn’t a victim, and how power and money can control the pursuit and application of justice. Thank you to David White, of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance References Brown, Greg. 2016. Texas Tragedy: The Story of Priscilla Davis: A True Story of Money, Murder and Survival. Dallas, TX: CreateSpace. Cartwright, Gary. 1977. "Rich Man, Dead Man." Texas Monthly, March 1. Cochran, Mike. 1977. "Davis trial: Haynes says Farr target of shooting." Denton Record-Chronicle, October 25: 5. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 1977. "DA's narration to Davis jury detailed but brief." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 21: 2. —. 1976. "Judge defends bond on Davis." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 4: 1. Guzzo, Glenn. 1977. "Davis cries tears of joy after acquittal." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 18: 1. —. 1977. "Davis' fate now in jurors' hands." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 17: 1. —. 1977. "Final arguments begin." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 16: 1. —. 1977. "His innocence avowed, Davis doubts provocation." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 7: 1. —. 1977. "Questioning nets no jurors." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 1: 1. Hollandsworth, Skip. 2001. "Survivor's gilt: convinced that it was her husband who tried to kill her, the Texas socialite devoted herself to the best revenge." New York Times Magazine, December 30. —. 2000. "Blood Will Sell." Texas Monthly, March 1. McConal, Jon, and Mark Nelson. 1977. "Few surprised by Davis verdict." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 18: 1. Moore, Dick. 1976. "Slain man was liked by fans, teammates." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 3: 1. Moore, Evan. 1976. "Davis jailed without bond." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 20: 1. —. 1977. "Picture of Priscilla, Rufner not allowed as evidence by judge." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 24: 1. Stiteler, Rowland. 1976. "Blood-spattered white foyer tells story of slayings." Fort Worth Star-Telegram , August 3: 6. —. 1976. "Davis jailed after slayings." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 3: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the afternoon of September 3, 1878, twenty-two-year-old Mary Stannard d left her home in Madison, Connecticut, telling her father she was going blackberry picking and would be back before dark. When night came and Mary hadn’t returned, her father went out to look for her and eventually found her body by a creek in the woods. The investigation into her murder was truly wild and remains TECHNICALLY unsolved. Thank you to the amazing Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research! References Bendici, Ray. 2015. "The CT files: the 'unsolved murder of Mary STAN-ard." Cennecticut Magazine, August 23. Foote, William. 1970. "Mary STAN-ard, she was murdered." Hartford Courant, March 5: 16. Hartford Courant. 1878. "Hayden re-arrested." Hartford Courant, October 9: 3. —. 1878. "Strong circumstantial evidence against a clergyman." Hartford Courant, September 7: 2. —. 1878. "The Madison murder." Hartford Courant, September 6: 3. Hayden, Herbert. 1880. The Reverend Herbert Hayden: An Autobiography. Hartford, CT: Press of the Plimptron Manufacturing Co. New York Times. 1878. "A young woman's ruin and death." New York Times, September 6: 1. —. 1878. "Is Rev. Mr. Hayden guilty." New York Times, September 14: 5. —. 1879. "Mary STAN-ard's death." New York Times, November 7: 5. —. 1878. "Mrs. Hayden's testimony." New York Times, September 21: 1. —. 1880. "The Hayden case: beginning of the closing arguments." New York Times, January 15: 5. —. 1879. "The long murder trial." New York Times, November 21: 2. Pearson, Edmund. 1927. "Mary STAN-ard and the Reverend Mr. Hayden." Vanity Fair, March 01. Unknown author. 1879. Poor Mary STAN-ard: A Full and Thrilling Story of the Circumstances Connected with Her Murder. New Haven: Stafford Printing Company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Part 2/2 - On March 19, 1969, thirty-eight-year-old Houston socialite Joan Robinson Hill died at Sharpstown General Hospital from what doctors at the time believed was flu-related symptoms. Hill’s body was quickly taken to the mortuary and embalmed before an autopsy could be performed, violating Texas law and undermining any attempts determine the cause of Joan’s death. Nevertheless, Joan’s father, a wealthy oil tycoon, believed his daughter’s death to be a homicide, used his influence to have her remains exhumed and had not one, but two additional autopsies performed to determine the cause of death.  Despite conflicting reports from the pathologists regarding a cause of death, Joan’s father was eventually successful in convincing the district attorney that her death was no accident, but was in fact murder committed by her husband, John Hill. After two unsuccessful attempts to convince a grand jury of John’s guilt, the district attorney finally convinced a third grand jury that John Hill had intentionally contributed to Joan’s death and he was charged with “murder by omission,” a first in the history of the Texas courts. John Hill was put on trial for the murder of his wife in the winter of 1971, but the jury would never get a chance to weigh in on his guilt or innocence. In September of 1972, after one mistrial and several delays leading up to a re-trial, John Hill was murdered by an intruder who’d broken into his home. Although investigators believed Hill’s murder to have been a robbery gone wrong, many in Houston suspected Joan’s father, believing his son-in-law had evaded justice, had paid to have John Hill killed, leaving the deaths of Joan and John Hill an enduring mystery. As always, thank you to the fantastic David White, of Bring Me the Axe Podcast, for research assistance  References Associated Press. 1971. "Doctor 'hated' first wife." Corpus Christi Times, February 26: 1. —. 1972. "Houston doctor slain at home." Corpus Christi Times, September 25: 13. —. 1969. "Meningitis said fatal to socialite ." Corpus Christi Times, October 11: 13. —. 1971. "Judge calls mistrial in Houston slaying." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 27: 12. —. 1970. "Panel indicts doctor in death of wife." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 23: 3. —. 1973. "District judge clamps lid on Houston doctor's murder." Odessa American, April 27: 3. —. 1971. "Testimony continues in trial of physician." Odessa American, February 23: 2. Gonzalez, J.R. 2009. 40 years later: Joan Robinson Hill. March 19. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2009/03/40-years-later-joan-robinson-hill/. New York Times. 1977. "Oilman is cleared in Houston murder of his son-in-law." New YorkTimes, October 22: 1. Thompson, Thomas. 1976. Blood and Money: A True Story of Murder, Passion, and Power. New York, NY: Doubleday. United Press International. 1980. "Heiress may have been toxic shock victim." United Press International, November 23. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On March 19, 1969, thirty-eight-year-old Houston socialite Joan Robinson Hill died at Sharpstown General Hospital from what doctors at the time believed was flu-related symptoms. Hill’s body was quickly taken to the mortuary and embalmed before an autopsy could be performed, violating Texas law and undermining any attempts determine the cause of Joan’s death. Nevertheless, Joan’s father, a wealthy oil tycoon, believed his daughter’s death to be a homicide, used his influence to have her remains exhumed and had not one, but two additional autopsies performed to determine the cause of death.  Despite conflicting reports from the pathologists regarding a cause of death, Joan’s father was eventually successful in convincing the district attorney that her death was no accident, but was in fact murder committed by her husband, John Hill. After two unsuccessful attempts to convince a grand jury of John’s guilt, the district attorney finally convinced a third grand jury that John Hill had intentionally contributed to Joan’s death and he was charged with “murder by omission,” a first in the history of the Texas courts. John Hill was put on trial for the murder of his wife in the winter of 1971, but the jury would never get a chance to weigh in on his guilt or innocence. In September of 1972, after one mistrial and several delays leading up to a re-trial, John Hill was murdered by an intruder who’d broken into his home. Although investigators believed Hill’s murder to have been a robbery gone wrong, many in Houston suspected Joan’s father, believing his son-in-law had evaded justice, had paid to have John Hill killed, leaving the deaths of Joan and John Hill an enduring mystery. As always, thank you to the fantastic David White, of Bring Me the Axe Podcast, for research assistance  References Associated Press. 1971. "Doctor 'hated' first wife." Corpus Christi Times, February 26: 1. —. 1972. "Houston doctor slain at home." Corpus Christi Times, September 25: 13. —. 1969. "Meningitis said fatal to socialite ." Corpus Christi Times, October 11: 13. —. 1971. "Judge calls mistrial in Houston slaying." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, February 27: 12. —. 1970. "Panel indicts doctor in death of wife." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 23: 3. —. 1973. "District judge clamps lid on Houston doctor's murder." Odessa American, April 27: 3. —. 1971. "Testimony continues in trial of physician." Odessa American, February 23: 2. Gonzalez, J.R. 2009. 40 years later: Joan Robinson Hill. March 19. Accessed November 7, 2023. https://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2009/03/40-years-later-joan-robinson-hill/. New York Times. 1977. "Oilman is cleared in Houston murder of his son-in-law." New YorkTimes, October 22: 1. Thompson, Thomas. 1976. Blood and Money: A True Story of Murder, Passion, and Power. New York, NY: Doubleday. United Press International. 1980. "Heiress may have been toxic shock victim." United Press International, November 23. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s Listener Tales 81 and you know the drill…..! It’s brought to you by you, for you, from you, and ALL ABOUT YOU! In this installment we have haunted clown sightings, almost run ins with the most notorious serial killers, spooky choirs& creepy men abroad. If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a fan favorite that was originally published as Episode 281… For this Holiday week, we wanted to bring you a lighter (?) episode, although it’s really not so light at all! Alaina’s kids have gotten super into the Wizard of Oz and so she decided to do dive into the dark happenings during filming. All kinds of atrocities went down and we are pretty confident that you’ll never watch this movie the same! Sorry…. we mean you’re welcome! References: -https://www.amazon.com/Making-Wizard-Oz-Aljean-Harmetz/dp/1613748329/ref=sr_1_2?crid=TWGV0EMUDT2P&amp;keywords=the+making+of+the+wizard+of+oz+book&amp;qid=1637775119&amp;sprefix=the+making+of+the+wiza%2Caps%2C161&amp;sr=8-2" target="_blank" -The Making of the Wizard of Oz By Aljean Harmetz</a> (Be wary that this book is fascinating but uses some outdated language when referencing certain people) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On May 20, 1947, decorated army veteran Jack Kettlewell and his friend Ronald Barrie barely escaped a devastating housefire at Ronald’s cabin along the Severen River in rural Ontario, Canada. One day later, Jack’s twenty-two-year-old wife, Christina Kettlewell, was discovered dead a short distance from the cabin, lying face down in a pool of shallow water and still wearing the pajamas she had on the night of the fire. During the autopsy, it was discovered that Christina’s lungs were clear of smoke and her body was free of any burns or other signs of violence; rather, as unbelievable as it seemed, the cause of death was drowning.  Christina and Jack had married in a secret ceremony held just eight days before the fire, leading many to wonder whether her new husband had something to do with her death. Was it a crime of passion? A calculated murder to cash-in on a life insurance policy? Or was it truly just a tragedy? And what of Ronald Barrie’s presence on the trip? If it was indeed a honeymoon of sorts, why had the young newlyweds brought along a friend?  In the months that followed, Christina Kettlewell’s mysterious death captivated the residents of eastern Canada. With each new day, a piece of the puzzle seemed to fall into place, indicating that the mystery might soon be solved. Yet by mid-summer, a police investigation and the coroner’s inquest had failed to provide an explanation for Christina’s death or a satisfactory conclusion to the case. Today, more than seventy-five years later, the death of Christina Kettlewell remains one of Ontario’s most enduring mysteries. Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast, for research assistance! References Isai, Vjosa. 2017. What happened to Toronto's 'eight-day bride?'. July 4. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/what-happened-to-toronto-s-eight-day-bride/article_1a09012b-13fa-5931-b512-7cc331d56ed4.html. Kingston Whig-Standard. 1947. "Coroner's jury to view place bride died." Kingston Whig-Standard, June 25: 1. North Bay Nugget. 1947. "Open verdict is returned in Kettlewell case." North Bay Nugget, June 26: 1. Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times. 1947. "Possibility of suicide in drowning of bride investigated by police." Owen Sound Daily Sun-Times, mAY 23: 1. Sun Times. 1947. "Open verdict is returned by Kettlewell case jury as no decision reached." Sun Times, June 26: 1. —. 1947. "Open verdict is returned by Kettlewell case jury as no decision reached." Sun Times, June 26: 1. Toronto Daily Star. 1947. "Police report distrubance before Christina married." Toronto Daily Star, May 28: 2. —. 1947. "Suicide notes bride's expert tells inquest." Toronto Daily Star, June 20: 1. Windsor Star. 1947. "Police hint at foul play in mystery." Windsor Star, May 22: 1. —. 1947. "Probe for missing cash in honeymoon mystery." Windsor Star, May 26: 1. —. 1947. "Statement of Ronald Barrie reveals some strange events." Windsor Star, June 21: 8. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On November 2, 1984, fifty-two-year-old Velma Barfield was executed by lethal injection at North Carolina’s Central Prison, bringing an end to years of legal appeals and emotional debates over the death penalty and how, when, and to whom it gets applied. For six years, Barfield had sat on death row following her conviction for the poisoning murder of her boyfriend Stewart Taylor in 1976; however, during her trial she confessed to killing at least four other people. Velma Barfield’s trial came at a time in the United States when Americans were just beginning to grapple with the concept of a serial killer, and the idea that a woman could commit such heinous acts seemed entirely inconceivable. Although woman had been sentenced to death for murder before in the US, none had confessed to methodically killing multiple people in such a callous way and for such a trivial reason. The debate only became more complicated following her death sentence, an already complicated subject among Americans that became exponentially so in 1984, when Barfield’s case and personal story became a major talking point for politicians running for office around the state. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research! References Associated Press. 1984. "Hunt hopes Barfield's death will be deterrent." Asheville Citizen-Times, November 3: 1. —. 1978. "Woman charged in poisoning ." Charlotte Obvserver, March 15: 1. Barfield, Velma. 1985. Woman on Death Row. Nashville, TN: Oliver-Nelson . Bledsoe, Jerry. 1998. Death Sentence: The True Story of Velma Barfield's Life, Crimes, and Punishment. Dutton: Boston, MA. Carroll, Ginny. 1978. "Confessed poisoner awaits death." News and Observer, December 10: 1. Charlotte Observer. 1984. "New Evidence: Velma Barfield's Sickness." Charlotte Observer, October 31: 12. Journal Wire. 1984. "200 gather at funeral of Velma Barfield." Winston-Salem Journal, November 4: 35. Margie Velma Barfield v. James C. Woodward, Secretary of Corrections; Nathan A. Rice,warden; Rufus Edmisten, Attorney General, Appellees. 1984. 748 F.2d 844 (US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, November 1). Maxwell, Connie. 1984. "State executes Velma Barfield." Chapel Hill Newspaper, November 2: 1. Monk, John, Sue Anne Pressley, and Gary Wright. 1984. "Velma Barfield executed by injection." Charlotte Observer, November 2: 1. Ness and Observer. 1978. "Jailed woman eyed in more deaths." News and Observer, March 15: 1. New York Times. 1984. "Relatives of murder victims urge no clemency for Carolina killer." New York Times, September 20: B15. News and Observer. 1980. "Lawyer says he coached Mrs. Barfield." News and Observer, November 18: 17. Pearsall, Chip. 1978. "Barfield jury calls for death." News and Observer, December 3: 1. Stein, George. 1978. "Arsenic trail: Lumberton asks where it will end." Charlotte News, May 27: 1. The Robesonian. 1969. "Parkton man succumbs to smoke inhalation." The Robesonian, April 22: 1. Tilley, Greta. 1980. "She doesn't want to die." News and Record, September 21: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Deep in the woods near Cornwall, Connecticut, in a valley known as the Dark Entry Forest, lie the remains of the small village of Dudleytown. Settled in the mid-eighteenth century by British colonists, Dudleytown was a thriving mining community that for provided charcoal and other minerals for the growing steel industry in and around New England. But by the late nineteenth century, the mining industry had shifted west and slowly, but surely the population of Dudleytown shrank until there, by the early twentieth century, there were only a handful of people living in the village. By 1924, the village of Dudleytown was completely abandoned and fell into the ownership of a private trust, who sought to restore the forest ecosystem to its pre-colonial health. In retrospect, historians and others familiar with the region have cited a variety of social, economic, and ecological reasons for the collapse and abandonment of Dudleytown, yet there are those who believe the abandonment of the village has a darker and more supernatural explanation. There were rumors of widespread madness among the villagers, unexplained deaths and other tragedies, and a curse that dates back to the founding of village in the 1740s. Today, the area is said to be haunted and, despite being private property, it has become a popular destination for ghost hunters and legend trippers who are determined to find out whether Dudleytown is truly a cursed village or just a victim of shifting social and economic trends. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for Research! References Barlow, Bart. 1980. &quot;A lost town populated by legends.&quot; New York Times, October 26: C2. Campos, Chris. 1976. &quot;The death of a town is the life of a curse.&quot; The Journal, May 29: 1.Cornwall Conservation Commission. 2012. The Land and People of Cornwall, Connecticut: A Conservation Perspective of Our Town&#39;s Natural Treasures. Historical evalutation, Cornwall, CT: Cornwall Conservation Commission. Cornwall Historical Society. 2014. The Truth about Dudleytown. September 29. Accessed October 29,2023. http://cornwallhistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-truth-about-dudleytown.html. Drozdowski, Ted. 1978. &quot;Old ghouls still haunt state&#39;s cliffs, villages.&quot; The Morning Record and Journal, October 28: 35. Hartford Courant. 2006. &quot;True curse haunting family&#39;s forest land was progress.&quot; Hartford Courant, October 25: B2. Hutter, David. 2008. Man pays price to spot Dudleytown ghosts. August 3. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://www.registercitizen.com/news/article/Man-pays-price-to-spot-Dudleytown-ghosts-12147138.php. New England Historical Society. n.d. The Dudleytown Curse, Connecticut&#39;s Village of the Damned. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/the-dudleytown-curse-connecticuts-village-of-the-damned/. Pallatto, John. 1980. &quot;Only the ghost hunters walk in legend-cursed Dudleytown.&quot; Hartford Courant, November 1: 9. Pettit, John. 1996. &quot;The spirits were willing, but the flesh was weak.&quot; Record Journal, October 31: 1. Revai, Cheri. 2006. Haunted Connecticut: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Constitution State. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. Rierden, Andi. 1989. &quot;A hamlet that can&#39;t get rid of its ghosts.&quot; New York Times, October 29: C2. Ryan, Bill. 1986. &quot;Dudleytown legend haunts Cornwall.&quot; Hartford Courant, April 13: 12. Siedzik, Jason. 2011. In Cornwall, Dudleytown movie makers arrested. December 8. Accessed October 3, 2023. https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/In-Cornwall-Dudley-Town-Movie-Makers-Arrested-16886230.php. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On March 19, 1960, Kansas City police were called to the home James and Sharon Kinne for what they believed was an accidental shooting. According to Sharon, she had found their two-year-old daughter lying on the couple’s bed, a gun near her hand and her father’s body next to her with a large hole in his head. Unable to find evidence to the contrary, the shooting was ruled an accident and Sharon collected on her husband’s life insurance policy. It wasn’t until a few months later, when the wife of Sharon’s new boyfriend went missing and eventually turned up dead, that investigators came to believe that James Kinne’s death was no accident. Sharon Kinne was eventually arrested and charged with the murders of her husband James and of Patricia Jones, the wife of Sharon’s boyfriend at the time of her arrest. During the course of their investigation, detectives began unraveling a lurid tale of infidelity and conspiracy that resulted in at least two murders. Ultimately, Sharon would be acquitted of her Patricia Jones’ murder, and would be tried three times for the murder of James Kinne.  Before she could be tried for a fourth time, Sharon fled to Mexico with the help of yet another boyfriend, where she killed Francisco Parades Ordoñez in what she claimed was self-defense. The Mexican authorities rejected that claim and in 1964 Sharon was tried and convicted for murder, receiving a ten-year prison sentence. However, after serving just five years of her sentence, Sharon Kinne escaped the Mexican prison and has been on the run ever since. Today, more than fifty years later, she is still considered a fugitive with active warrants out for her arrest. Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe pod, for research assistance  References Doyle, Patricia Janson. 1962. "Sharon thinks of trial, jury and jail." Kansas City Times, January 13: 1. Hays, James C. 1997. I'm Just an Ordinary Girl: The Sharon Kinne Story. Leawood, KS: Leathers Book Publishing. Kansas City Star. 1961. "Anxious in his hunt for wife." Kansas City Star, June 16: 1. —. 1961. "'Changed her story on gun'." Kansas City Star, June 15: 1. —. 1960. "Fin a woman slain in woods." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1. —. 1962. "'Fixed a price for his death'." Kansas City Star, January 9: 1. —. 1960. "Officers study life of families in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1. —. 1960. "Puzzled over a fatal shot." Kansas City Star, March 20: 1. —. 1960. "Rap coroner in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, June 2: 1. —. 1960. "Weird ties in murder probe." Kansas City Star, May 29: 1. Kansas City Times. 1962. "Boldizs views offer as jest." Kansas City Times, January 10: 1. —. 1969. "Kinne Search Widens." Kansas City Times, December 9: 1. —. 1962. "Mrs. Kinne found guilty." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1. —. 1961. "Sharon Kinne goes free." Kansas City Times, June 23: 1. —. 1962. "Somber Sharon Kinne starts jail routine." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1. Kelleghan, Kevin. 1969. "Sharon Kinne hunt eases up." Kansas City Times, December 18: 31. Maryville Daily Forum. 1961. "Testimony on death gun to KC jurors." Marysville Daily Forum, June 19: 1. Olwine, Margaret. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever, part II." Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 14. —. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever?" Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 17-19. Weber, David. 1964. "Sharon Kinne in jail." Kansas City Star, September 20: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On March 19, 1960, Kansas City police were called to the home James and Sharon Kinne for what they believed was an accidental shooting. According to Sharon, she had found their two-year-old daughter lying on the couple’s bed, a gun near her hand and her father’s body next to her with a large hole in his head. Unable to find evidence to the contrary, the shooting was ruled an accident and Sharon collected on her husband’s life insurance policy. It wasn’t until a few months later, when the wife of Sharon’s new boyfriend went missing and eventually turned up dead, that investigators came to believe that James Kinne’s death was no accident. Sharon Kinne was eventually arrested and charged with the murders of her husband James and of Patricia Jones, the wife of Sharon’s boyfriend at the time of her arrest. During the course of their investigation, detectives began unraveling a lurid tale of infidelity and conspiracy that resulted in at least two murders. Ultimately, Sharon would be acquitted of her Patricia Jones’ murder, and would be tried three times for the murder of James Kinne.  Before she could be tried for a fourth time, Sharon fled to Mexico with the help of yet another boyfriend, where she killed Francisco Parades Ordoñez in what she claimed was self-defense. The Mexican authorities rejected that claim and in 1964. Sharon was tried and convicted for murder, receiving a ten-year prison sentence. However, after serving just five years of her sentence, Sharon Kinne escaped the Mexican prison and has been on the run ever since. Today, more than fifty years later, she is still considered a fugitive with active warrants out for her arrest. Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe pod, for research assistance  References Doyle, Patricia Janson. 1962. "Sharon thinks of trial, jury and jail." Kansas City Times, January 13: 1. Hays, James C. 1997. I'm Just an Ordinary Girl: The Sharon Kinne Story. Leawood, KS: Leathers Book Publishing. Kansas City Star. 1961. "Anxious in his hunt for wife." Kansas City Star, June 16: 1. —. 1961. "'Changed her story on gun'." Kansas City Star, June 15: 1. —. 1960. "Fin a woman slain in woods." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1. —. 1962. "'Fixed a price for his death'." Kansas City Star, January 9: 1. —. 1960. "Officers study life of families in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, May 28: 1. —. 1960. "Puzzled over a fatal shot." Kansas City Star, March 20: 1. —. 1960. "Rap coroner in slaying probe." Kansas City Star, June 2: 1. —. 1960. "Weird ties in murder probe." Kansas City Star, May 29: 1. Kansas City Times. 1962. "Boldizs views offer as jest." Kansas City Times, January 10: 1. —. 1969. "Kinne Search Widens." Kansas City Times, December 9: 1. —. 1962. "Mrs. Kinne found guilty." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1. —. 1961. "Sharon Kinne goes free." Kansas City Times, June 23: 1. —. 1962. "Somber Sharon Kinne starts jail routine." Kansas City Times, January 12: 1. Kelleghan, Kevin. 1969. "Sharon Kinne hunt eases up." Kansas City Times, December 18: 31. Maryville Daily Forum. 1961. "Testimony on death gun to KC jurors." Marysville Daily Forum, June 19: 1. Olwine, Margaret. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever, part II." Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 14. —. 1974. "Sharon Kinne: Is she free forever?" Kansas City Star Magazine, February 17: 17-19. Weber, David. 1964. "Sharon Kinne in jail." Kansas City Star, September 20: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When East Orange, New Jersey police were called to the home of Virginia Wardlaw in late November 1909, they knew only that there had been an accident involving Virginia’s niece, Ocey Snead. Once they’d arrived, however, officers discovered Ocey’s body in an upstairs bathtub, dead from what appeared to be suicide by drowning. After just a few weeks of investigation, it became clear that Ocey’s death was no accident. Suspicion quickly fell on Virginia and her two sisters, who were soon charged with Ocey’s murder, which investigators believed was committed in order to collect on a large insurance policy. The murder of Ocey Snead was an undeniable tragedy, but her death was only the beginning of what would become one of the early twentieth century’s most captivating crime stories. As detectives and the press dug deeper into the background of the three women accused of starving and drowning their niece, a bizarre story emerged that sounded as though it had been pulled directly from the pages of a classic southern gothic horror novel. And like any good gothic horror story, the trial of Virginia Wardlaw and her sisters was full of unbelievable twists and culminated in a shocking conclusion. Thank you to the Wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research! References New York Times. 1910. "Alienists declare Mrs. Martin insane." New York Times, September 21: 6. —. 1909. "Bathtub mystery no murder, she says." New York Times, December 2: 2. —. 1909. "Bathtub principals are twice indicted ." New York Times, December 23: 4. —. 1910. "Miss Wardlaw dies; starved herself." New York Times, August 12: 1. —. 1911. "Mrs. Martin pleads to manslaughter ." New York Times, January 10: 2. —. 1910. "Mrs. Martin's cries halt lunacy trial." New York Times, November 8: 7. —. 1909. "Mrs. Snead's family full of fatalities." New York Times, December 9: 20. —. 1910. "Ocey Snead was drugged ." New York Times, January 21: 1. —. 1910. "Say Miss Wardlaw is dying." New York Times, August 11: 4. —. 1909. "The Snead msytery." New York Times, December 18: 12. Rife, Luanne. 2016. "The Black Sisters." Roanoke Times, December 1: 116. Roanoke Times. 1909. "Christiansburg woman is held." Roanoke Times, December 3: 1. West, Mike. 2009. "Fearless Confederate died mysteriously in NYC." Murfreesboro Post, February 15: 8. —. 2009. "'Sisters in Black' sour Ocey's domestic bliss." Murfreesboro Post, February 22: 8. Zierold, Norman. 1968. Three Sisters in Black. New York, NY: Little, Brown. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It is Listener Tales 80 and this installment is brought to you by HEROES with the spookiest of tales… A decomposing body, florescent yellow fluid, possessed toys, a baby seeing ghost, and a man in black. These are brought to you by you, for you, from you and all about you so if you have a listener tale please go ahead and send it to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with "Listener Tale" somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of December 28, 1956, fifteen-year-old Barbara Grimes and her thirteen-year-old sister, Patricia, left their home in Chicago, Illinois headed for a movie theater in Brighton Park to see the latest Elvis Presley film. When the girls failed to return home that evening as expected, their mother sent the two other siblings to wait for them at the closest bus station, but when they returned later without Barbara and Patricia, she became anxious and began calling their friends, before eventually phoning the police. Three weeks later, Barbara and Patricia’s bodies were discovered on the side of a rural road by a construction worker in Willow Springs, about an hour outside Chicago. The murder of the Grimes sisters and the investigation that followed remains one of Chicago’s most notorious cold cases and one of the most costly and labor-intensive searches in the state’s history. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for research assistance! References Chicago Tribune. 1957. "Suspect's mom says he's lazy, shiftless bum." Chcago Tribune, January 25: 3. —. 1957. "Charged with murder of Grimes girls." Chicago Tribune, January 28: 1. —. 1957. "Dsicloses how 2 girls ditched him and companion in theater." Chicago Tribune, January 27: 1. —. 1957. "High points of the news." Chicago Tribune, February 3: 8. —. 1957. "'I knew it!' sobs mother." Chicago Tribune, 01 23: 1. —. 1957. "Nude bodies thrown beside country road." Chicago Tribune, January 23: 1. —. 1957. "Rule out sex attack, strangling theories." Chicago Tribune, January 24: 1. —. 1958. "Slayer of girl, 15, hopes he gets chair." Chicago Tribune, November 19: 1. —. 1957. "Widen search for 2 young sisters missing four days." Chicago Tribune, January 1: 5. —. 1956. "Young sisters reported seen in two places." Chicago Tribune, December 31: 6. Gowran, Clay. 1957. "Re-enacts crime, and shows how he dumped two in ditch." Chicago Tribune, January 28: 1. Lowry, Shirley. 1957. "Lost girls' mother keeps brave." Chicago Tribune, January 11: 3. McGill, Nancy. 1957. "Mom denies Skid Row tale." Chicago Tribune, Janaury 28: 6. Milwaukee Journal. 1957. "Grimes case tiff costs job." Milwaukee Journal, February 16. Nix, Naomi. 2013. "1950s case gets new look from pro, amateurs." Chicago Tribune, 30 May: 1. Taylor, Troy. 2015. The Two Lost Girls: The Mystery of the Grimes Sisters. Jacksonville, IL: Whitechapel Press. United Press. 1957. "Bennie admits part in crime." Daily Chronicle, January 28: 1. —. 1957. "New suspect is arrested." Daily Chronicle, January 24: 1. —. 1957. "Two teen-aged girls killed." Daily Chronicle, Janaury 23: 1. UWIRE. 2019. "'Chicago History Cop' making headway in Grimes sisters' murder case." UWIRE, October 25. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When 39 year old Bernie Tiede confessed to the murder of his friend and companion, 81 year old Marjorie Nugent in November 1996, the revelation came as a shock to the small town of Carthage, Texas. The two had been inseparable friends since the death of Nugent’s husband in 1990 and as far as anyone in Carthage could tell, Nugent couldn’t have picked a more devoted companion than Tiede. Yet as the details of the crime began to emerge, a strange story began to take shape—Tiede’s supposed motive for the murder was to gain access to Nugent’s fortune, but what he did with that money once he had access defied the logic and expectations of greed. The story of Bernie Tiede and Marjorie Nugent should have ended with the trial and conviction of Tiede, but a few years later, Bernie’s story became the subject of a big Hollywood film, shining a spotlight on the story and raising new questions about the extent of Bernie’s responsibility for the murder. Tiede remains a rarity in the history of American crime: a sympathetic killer almost no one in town wanted to see convicted. Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring me the Axe podcast, for research assistance References Associated Press. 1997. "Man indicted in death of banker's widow." Austin American-Statesman, August 29: 91. —. 1999. "Shreveport man testifies about 'inappropriate kiss' he witnessed between murder suspect and victim." Marshall News Messenger, February 3: 6. —. 1998. "Mistrial declared in confessed widow killer case; trial moved." Odessa American, October 28: 16. Bernhardt Tiede, II v. The State of Texas. 2002. 12-99-00182-CR (Twelfth District Court of Appeals (Tyler, Texas), November 2). Cieply, Michael, and David Montgomery. 2014. "Murderer who inspired the film 'Berni' is released to the director's garage." New York Times, May 8. Grissom, Brandi. 2014. "Over 15 years, a town's stance on a convict shifts." New York Times, February 9. Halmark, Bob. 2012. Carthage residents react to Bernie movie. March 8. Accessed June 13, 2023. https://www.kltv.com/story/17106798/carthage-residents-react-to-bernie-movie/. Hollandsworth, Skip. 1998. "Midnight in the Garden of East Texas." Texas Monthly, Janaury. Jacobs, Janet. 1997. "Slaying, arrest stun town." Longview News-Journal , August 21: 1. —. 1998. "Deputy testifies about Tiede's arrest, confession." Longview News-Journal, October 29: 7. —. 1999. "Emotions run high in Tiede trial." Longview News-Journal, February 7: 1. —. 1999. "Tiede found guilty of murder." Longview News-Journal, February 10: 1. —. 1998. "Tiede returns to court." Longview News-Journal, October 29: 1. —. 1999. "Tiede sentenced to life in prison." Longview News-Journal, February 12: 1. —. 1997. "Homicide shocks Carthage residents." Marshall News Messanger, August 20: 5. —. 1997. "Tiede's troubles mount as new charge is filed." Marshall News Messanger, August 22: 1. —. 1997. "Officials freeze Tiede's finances as murder investigation continues ." Marshall News Messenger, August 24: 9. Jennings, Diane. 2012. "Austin attorney takes interest in Bernie Tiede's murder case." Dallas Morning News, August 7. Longview News-Journal. 1998. "Confession gives details into slaying." Longview News-Journal, October 29: 1. Marshall News Messenger. 1999. "Carthage man's trial set to begin in San Augustine." Marshall News Messenger, February 1: 1999. —. 1999. "Tiede sobs as photos shown in court." Marshall News Messenger, February 4: 3. —. 1999. "Videotape upsets Tiede jury." Marshall News Messenger, February 5: 2. Rhodes, Joe. 2012. "A wacky Lonestar murder mystery." New York Times, April 15: SM40. Texas Tribune. 2016. "Bernie Tiede painted as victim, calculating killer." Texas Tribune, April 6. —. 2016. "Jury sentences Bernie Tiede to 99 years or life." Texas Tribune, April 22. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On June 22, 1932, a boy picking blackberries in rural Logan, West Virginia made a hideous discovery when he happened upon the dead and brutalized body of local woman, Mamie Thurman. At first glance, Mamie’s murder resembled a gangland-style execution; she had been shot twice in the head and her throat had been slit from one side to the other, as though whoever killed her wanted to make sure she didn’t survive. The murder shocked the small town of Logan. Mamie was well-known around town as a devoted wife to her husband, Jack, a local police officer, and a good Christian who was actively involved in her church and community organizations. Yet as news of the murder spread, so too did rumors of Mamie’s infidelity and poor moral character. Ultimately, local Black handyman Charles Stephenson was arrested, tried, and convicted in a sensational trial that made national headlines. Yet many felt that conviction was obtained on questionable evidence and, in retrospect, largely the result of racial bias.  Was Mamie Thurman really just an unfortunate victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or was there a more personal element? Indeed, evidence suggests there was more going on in the case of Mamie’s death than a simple murder and that a number of powerful men conspired to cover up the true motive for Mamie’s death, allowing the true killer to walk free. Thank you to the wonderful David White, of the Bring Me the Axe pod, for research assistance References Charleston Daily Mail. 1932. "Negro was at killing scene." Charleston Daily Mail, June 27: 1. —. 1932. "Pair guarded in Logan case." Charleston Daily Mail, June 26: 1. —. 1932. "Tests show blood in Logan official's car." Charleston Daily Mail, July 28: 1. —. 1932. "Two men accused of Logan murder." Charleston Daily Mail, June 23: 1. —. 1932. "Two more questioned in Logan murder case." Charleston Daily Mail, June 24: 1. Davis, F. Keith. 2021. Secret Life and Brutal Death of Mamie Thurman. Charleston, WV: Quarrier Press. Hinton Daily News. 1932. "Large crowd at hearing of Logan men." Hinton Daily News, June 25: 1. State of West Virginia vs. Clarence Stevenson. 1933. 172 S.E. 533; 7621 (Supreme Court of West Virginia, December 16). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discovered in Utah County in 1960, Nutty Putty Cave quickly became a popular destination for amateur and professional cavers and spelunkers as a kind of bucket list cave of considerable difficulty. Despite its popularity, beginning in the late 1980s, the cave became notorious for the number of explorers who became trapped and required emergency assistance to escape its twisting, narrow, and poorly mapped passageways. In late November 2009, the inherent risk and dangers of Nutty Putty Cave made national news when twenty-six-year-old college student John Edward Jones became trapped upside-down in an uncharted and perilously narrow section of the cave.  Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring me the Axe Podcast for research assistance! References Ashton, Katie. 2006. "Nutty Putty Cave entrance getting a gate." Daily Herald, May 2: 23. Associated Press. 2006. "Utah's caves remain open one year after Provo tragedy." Daily Herald, August 14: 8. —. 2009. Man dies after day trapped upside-down in cave. November 25. Accessed October 12, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna34157005. —. 2009. Man dies after day trapped upside-down in cave. November 25. Accessed October 13, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna34157005. —. 2009. "Recovery of caver's body deemed too dangerous." Roanoke Times, November 28: 4. —. 2004. "Teen stuck in cave is rescued." Salt Lake Tribune, August 22: 20. Cabero, Alex. 2009. Nutty Putty Cave discoverer doesn't want it to be closed. November 27. Accessed October 12, 2023. https://www.ksl.com/article/8824435/nutty-putty-cave-discoverer-doesnt-want-it-to-be-closed. Canham, Matt. 2004. "BYU student freed from cave." Salt Lake Tribune, Septmber 5: 21. LaPlante, Matthew. 2009. "Popular cave draws ill-prepared adventurers." Salt Lake Tribune, November 25. Nokkentved, N.S. 2005. "State may close popular cave." Daily Herald, June 26: 21. Outside Magazine. 2002. Exploring Caving Accidents, Deaths, and Rescues in the United States. August 3. Accessed October 12, 2023. https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/exploring-caving-accidents-deaths-and-rescues-united-states/. Peterson, Chris. 2005. "Father says daughter died doing what she loved." Daily Herald, August 19: 1. Reporter-Times. 1999. "Deputies free teens from cave." Reporter-Times, July 29: 3. Tanner, Steve. 1999. "Teens spend long day in dark." Daily Herald, July 29: 1. Waqar, Jehanzeb. 2022. The Nutty Putty Cave and the untimely death of a young caver. December 15. Accessed October 12, 2023. https://interestingengineering.com/culture/nutty-putty-cave-death-young-caver. Whitehurst, Lindsay. 2018. Nutty Putty: ‘I really, really want to get out’. July 9. Accessed October 13, 2023. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/07/09/nutty-putty-i-really/. —. 2018. Nutty Putty: ‘We’re going to get you out’. July 10. Accessed October 13, 2023. https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/07/10/nutty-putty-were-going/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of June 4, 1904, New York City police were called to Lower Manhattan for what they were told was the death of Frank “Ceasar” Young from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chest. When they arrived at the scene, they found Young’s body in the back of a Hansom cab, slumped over into the lap of a young actress named Nan Patterson, with whom he’d been having an affair. Nan claimed Young had shot himself when she refused to accompany him back to England, where he was headed to meet his wife that morning, but the police believed otherwise, and Nan was arrested and charged with Young’s murder. What followed was not one, but three sensational murder trials that commanded the attention of New Yorkers across all five boroughs, and all of them had an opinion about Nan Patterson and her relationship with Caesar Young. Thank you to the fantastical David White, of Bring me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :) References Allen, Oliver. 2017. When today's Tribeca was the site of a most sensational murder. November 15. Accessed August 30, 2023. www.tribecatrib.com/content/when-todays-tribeca-was-site-most-sensational-murder. New York Times . 1904. "Nan Patterson hears the case against her." The New York Times, November 22: 6. New York Times. 1904. "Bookmaker is shot in cab with actress." New York Times, June 5: 1. —. 1904. "Actress recommitted at Jerome's insistance." The New York Times, June 7: 2. —. 1904. "Aged witness speaks for Nan Patterson." The New York Times, November 2: 16. —. 1904. "Allows Nan Patterson bail." The New York Times, September 2: 14. —. 1905. "Choose married men for Patterson case." The New York Times, April 19: 20. —. 1904. "Coroner says Nan Patterson is guilty." The New York Times, June 9: 2. —. 1905. "Disagreement in Patterson case." The New York Times, May 4: 1. —. 1905. "Indictment against Morgan Smiths quashed." The New York Times, May 6: 16. —. 1905. "Misdirected sympathy." The New York Times, January 2: 6. —. 1904. "Nan Patterson case results in mistrial." The New York Times, December 24: 14. —. 1905. "Nan Patterson Free." The New York Times, May 13: 3. —. 1905. "Nan Patterson free; Jerome blames press." The New York Times, May 13: 3. —. 1904. "Nan Patterson swears Young shot himself." The New York Times, December 20: 1. —. 1904. "Nan Patterson will not answer questions." The New York Times, June 10: 3. —. 1904. "Nan Patterson's trial to begin again Monday." The New York Times, November 29: 4. —. 1904. "New Patterson trial soon." The New York Times, December 25: 11. —. 1904. "Patterson counsel witness at trial." The New York Times, December 10: 16. —. 1904. "Rand highly praised for closing address." The New York Times, December 22: 6. —. 1904. "Rand springs surprise in Nan Patterson case." The New York Times, December 14: 16. —. 1904. "The Nan Patterson case, letter to the editor." The New York Times, December 30: 8. —. 1904. "Witness corroborates Hazelton's version." The New York Times, November 3: 16. —. 1904. "Witness ill, may halt Nan Patterson trial." The New York Times, November 19: 5. —. 1904. "Young, witness says, hit Nan Patterson." The New York Times, November 24: 4. New York Tmes. 1904. "Skeleton in court in Young case." The New York Times, November 23: 5. San Francisco Call. 1904. "'Caesar' Young, the Californian slain while riding in cab with actress." The San Francisco Call, June 5: 21. San Francisco Chronicle . 1904. "Young's death still puzzling." San Francisco Chronicle, June 6: 1. San Francisco Chronicle. 1904. "Young's death still puzzling." San Francisco Chronicle , June 6: 1. Segrave, Kerry. 2020. Death in a Hansom Cab; The 1904 Persecution of Nan Patterson. Cheltinham, UK: History Press. The Washington Times. 1904. "Nan Patterson's mother very ill." The Washington Times, June 6: 1. Woolcott, Alexander. 1930. "The mystery of the Hansom cab." The New Yorker, May 3: 36-44. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On September 11, 1982, Ken Dooley, a Youth Development Center employee in Rome, Georgia, was shot at in his home by an unseen attacker. The following day, Dooley’s coworker, Linda Adair, was also attacked when someone threw a Molotov cocktail at her house in an attempt to kill her.  Although neither Dooley nor Adair knew it at the time, these were the first attacks in the violent crime spree of Alvin and Judith Ann Neelley, a married couple whose brutality would shock in and around Georgia in the fall of 1982. Thank you the the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for Research Assistance. References Anniston Star. 1982. "Woman seeks juvenile status in slaying." Anniston Star , December 2: 28. Associated Press. 1982. "Probe covers two states in death, disappearance." Anniston Star, October 6: 10. Birmingham Post-Herald. 1982. "Jury indicts Mrs. Neelley on capital murder." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 29: 2. —. 1982. "Neelley's wife sits while he talks." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 2. —. 1982. "Suspect in canyon deaths gives details of 7 more slayings." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 1. —. 1982. "Woman killed 2, authorities charge." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 16: 1. Columbus Enquirer. 1982. "13-year-old found dead." Columbus Enquirer, October 1: 7. —. 1983. "Neelley jury suggests life without parole." Columbus Enquirer, March 23: 1. Cook, Thomas H. 1990. Early Graves: The Shocking True-Crime Story of the Yongest Woman Ever Sentenced to Death Row. Boston, MA: E.P. Dutton. Dunnavant, Bob. 1983. "Jury hears 'robot' defense." Birmingham Post-Herald, March 10: 1. Judith Ann Neelley v. State of Alabama. 1985. 494 So. 2d 669 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, March 12). Morning Press. 1983. "Neelley to get death penalty." Morning Press, April 19: 1. Neelley vs. Alabama. 1989. 88-5806 (United States Supreme Court, January 9). Thompson, Tracy. 1982. "Luck, guesswork led to suspects." Atlanta Constitution, October 16: 23. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On September 11, 1982, Ken Dooley, a Youth Development Center employee in Rome, Georgia, was shot at in his home by an unseen attacker. The following day, Dooley’s coworker, Linda Adair, was also attacked when someone threw a Molotov cocktail at her house in an attempt to kill her.  Although neither Dooley nor Adair knew it at the time, these were the first attacks in the violent crime spree of Alvin and Judith Ann Neelley, a married couple whose brutality would shock in and around Georgia in the fall of 1982. Thank you the the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for Research Assistance. References Anniston Star. 1982. "Woman seeks juvenile status in slaying." Anniston Star , December 2: 28. Associated Press. 1982. "Probe covers two states in death, disappearance." Anniston Star, October 6: 10. Birmingham Post-Herald. 1982. "Jury indicts Mrs. Neelley on capital murder." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 29: 2. —. 1982. "Neelley's wife sits while he talks." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 2. —. 1982. "Suspect in canyon deaths gives details of 7 more slayings." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 22: 1. —. 1982. "Woman killed 2, authorities charge." Birmingham Post-Herald, October 16: 1. Columbus Enquirer. 1982. "13-year-old found dead." Columbus Enquirer, October 1: 7. —. 1983. "Neelley jury suggests life without parole." Columbus Enquirer, March 23: 1. Cook, Thomas H. 1990. Early Graves: The Shocking True-Crime Story of the Yongest Woman Ever Sentenced to Death Row. Boston, MA: E.P. Dutton. Dunnavant, Bob. 1983. "Jury hears 'robot' defense." Birmingham Post-Herald, March 10: 1. Judith Ann Neelley v. State of Alabama. 1985. 494 So. 2d 669 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, March 12). Morning Press. 1983. "Neelley to get death penalty." Morning Press, April 19: 1. Neelley vs. Alabama. 1989. 88-5806 (United States Supreme Court, January 9). Thompson, Tracy. 1982. "Luck, guesswork led to suspects." Atlanta Constitution, October 16: 23. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of June 27, 1977, the bodies of millionaire Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, were discovered murdered in Congdon’s 22-acre estate in Duluth, Minnesota. From the outset, local police were baffled as to the motive for the murders; Congdon was well liked in the community, and as far as anyone could tell, nothing significant seemed to be missing from the house. In time, detectives learned that Elisabeth’s daughter Marjorie Caldwell had a long history of financial problems and debt, had been institutionalized several times for antisocial behavior, and had recently been trying to get money from Elisabeth to buy a new home. Based on the evidence collected in the investigation, Marjorie and her husband Roger were arrested; however, at trial Marjorie was acquitted and Roger’s conviction was overturned by the supreme court five years later, so no one was ever truly held responsible for Congdon and Pietila’s murders. In the decades since, the murders of Elisabeth Congdon and Velma Pietila have faded into the background of Minnesota history—another tragic end to one of America’s twentieth-century aristocratic families. Yet, while Congdon and her nurse may be long gone, the memory and legacy of the Congdon murders remains a significant curiosity, especially to those who tour Glensheen, the 39-room mansion where Elisabeth Congdon lived her entire life, before it was brought to a shocking end allegedly by her own daughter.  Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :) Sources: Feichtinger, Gail. 2002. Will to Murder: The True Story Behind the Crimes and Trials Surrounding the Glensheen Killings. Duluth, MN: X-Communication Press. Johnson, Steve. 1977. "Killer reportedly stole Congdon gems." Minneapolis Star, June 30: 1. Johnson, Steve, and Walter Middlebrook. 1977. "Caldwell faces murder charges." Minneapolis Star, July 8: 1. Johnson, Steven. 1977. "Duluth nurse changed mind, missed murders." Minneapolis Star, June 28: 1. Kimball, Joe. 1978. "Brainerd picked as Caldwell trial site." Star Tribune, March 31: 1. —. 1978. "Caldwell defense challenges attorney." Star Tribune, May 25: 1. —. 1988. "Despair caught up with Roger Caldwell." Star Tribune, May 20: 1. —. 1978. "Jury finds Caldwell guilty of 2 murders." Star Tribune, July 9: 1. —. 1978. "Marjorie Caldwell indicted in deaths." Star Tribune, August 19: 1. —. 2007. "Marjorie's out." Star Tribune, June 15: B3. —. 1978. "Money called Caldwell motive in killings." Star Tribune, May 10: 18. Kimball, Joe, and Peg Meier. 1977. "Duluth dowager was 'regal, lonely woman'." Star Tribune, June 29: 1. Meier, Peg, and Joe Kimball. 1977. "Duluth woman, nurse slain." Star Tribune, June 28: 1. —. 1979. "Marjorie Caldwell acquitted of murders." Star Tribune, July 22: 1. Meier, Peg, Joe Kimball, and Neal Gendler. 1977. "Son-in-law investigated in Duluth slayings." Star Tribune, July 6: 1. Meir, Peg. 1979. "Prosecutor: Caldwell had mother killed to get money." Star Tribune, April 27: 1. Middlebrook, Walter. 1977. "Mrs. Caldwell's claim of attack doubted." Minneapolis Star, August 11: 1. Peterson, David. 1979. "Another year, same Caldwell defense." Minneapolis Star, June 28: 20. —. 1978. "Congdon murder trial goes to jury." Minneapolis Star, July 06: 1. —. 1978. "Defense focuses on Caldwell kin." Minneapolis Star, May 29: 1. State of Minnesota vs. Marjorie C. Hagen. 1985. CX-84-340 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, January 22). Stone, Doug. 1978. "Supreme court releases data on Marjorie Caldwell." Star Tribune, July 26: 16. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to a super duper special episode of Morbid with guest host, the incredible Rachel Stavis. We are so freaking excited to be speaking with the Los Angeles–based screenwriter, novelist, and an exorcist. Yup, you read that right. She’s a full blown exorcist. How cool?!?!? It was a grand time, so please enjoy! Check out her book Sister of Darkness and find her on all socials @rhstavis.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s Listener Tales 79, and you know what that means… It’s brought to you by you, for you, from you, and ALL ABOUT YOU! This installment features a rogue silhouette ghost man, playful ghosts, spontaneous fires, bone-boiling toilet bowl water, and floating obituaries. Truly, what more could you want?! If you have a listener tale you’d like to send in, please send it to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Having lost several children to childhood illnesses, Leonarda Cianciulli was very protective of her surviving children and was willing to do anything to protect them. So, when the deeply superstitious Leonarda was warned by a fortune teller that all her children would die at a young age, the forty-six-year-old shopkeeper determined that the best way to keep her son alive was to offer human sacrifices in exchange for Giuseppe’s safety. Ove the course of a year, Leonarda murdered three local women and disposed of their bodies with caustic chemicals, using any remaining biological evidence in the creation of soaps, candles, cookies, and cakes, which she shared with others in her community. Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :) References Baltimore Sun. 1946. "Rendered her friends to wax, she says." Baltimore Sun, April 28: 3. Eddy, Cheryl. 2015. The Superstitious Murderer Who Turned Her Victims Into Cake And Soap. June 23. https://gizmodo.com/the-superstitious-murderer-who-turned-her-victims-into-1713486930. Green, Ryan. 2019. The Curse: A Shocking True Story of Superstition, Human Sacrifice and Cannibalism. Unknown: Independent. Museo Criminologico. 2006. The Correggio soap-maker. September 12. http://www.museocriminologico.it/correggio_uk.htm. Ortiz, Genoveva. 2022. The Deadly Soap-Maker of Correggio: The True Story of Leonarda Cianciulli. unknown: True Crime Seven. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Annie Campbell uprooted her daughter from their home in Donegal, Ireland and relocated to Sauchie, Scotland in 1960, the move resulted in consequences far beyond what anyone could have expected. Removed from the only home she’d ever known, eleven-year-old Virginia Campbell did her best to acclimate to the foreign environment as she and her mother settled into the home of Virginia’s aunt, but within just a few weeks of their arrival the family was under siege from an invisible entity Virginia would later name “Wee Hughie.” One of the most notorious cases of poltergeist activity in Scottish history, the case of the Sauchie poltergeist involved the usual trappings of poltergeist phenomenon—slamming doors, moving objects, and disruptive noises. Yet what set the phenomenon apart from myriad other cases of poltergeist phenomenon was that the supposedly supernatural phenomenon was witnessed by many bystanders, including Virginia’s teachers and classmates. Was the Sauchie poltergeist a genuine example of paranormal activity, or was “Wee Hughie” nothing more than an elaborate hoax perpetrated by a creative girl seeking attention in the wake of major disruption in her life and environment? Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :) References Associated Press. 1960. "Haunted Irish girl gtets aid." Windsor Star, December 3: C-8. Owen, A.R.G. 1964. Can We Explain the Poltergeist? New York, NY: Garrett Publications. Robinson, Malcom. 2020. The Sauchie Poltergeist. Scotland: Independent. Sims, Victor. 1965. "Poltergeist Terror." Sunday Mirror, June 13: 8. —. 1965. "Virginia was possessed by a wild and unknown force." Sunday Mirror, June 27: 13. United Press International. 1960. "Girl's ghost upsets school." Pittsburgh Press, December 2: 17. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it comes to the horrors of witch hunts and trials around the world, Sweden is not often cited as one of the more aggressive or egregious nations. Nevertheless, the Torsåker Witch Trials remain a shocking example of religious hysteria due to the way in which they unfolded, which included local leaders defying the Swedish Crown and taking it upon themselves to identify, try, and execute supposed witches without proper authority. Moreover, while the Torsåker case may have unfolded like most others across Europe, it remains an outlier in that those responsible for starting the hysteria weren’t just held accountable for their false accusations but were in fact murdered. Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :) References Gershon, Livia. 2022. "The Easter Witches of Sweden." JSTOR Daily, April 15. Hogman, Hans. n.d. Torsåker Witch Trials of 1674 - 1675. Accessed September 16, 2023. https://www.hhogman.se/witch-trials-sweden.htm. Jordan, Charlene Hanson. 2012. Whispers in the Church: Swedish Witch Hunt, 1672. Des Moines, IA: Abbott Press. Tiderman-Österberg, Jennie. 2021. "The Swedish Witch Trials: How to Confront Dark Heritage." Smithsonian Magazine, October 25. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Muswell Hill resident David Farrant wrote to the letters section of the Hampstead and Highgate Express in February 1970, he had hoped to find others who’d witnessed any unusual or potentially supernatural happenings in London’s Highgate Cemetery. Instead, Farrant kicked off a moral panic over vampires, ghosts, and all manner of occult activities that featured prominently in the pages of British newspapers for years.  Farrant’s letter received a few responses from others who claimed to have had their own supernatural experiences in Highgate Cemetery, but the story would likely have ended there had it not been for Sean Manchester. A self-proclaimed occultist and vampire hunter, Manchester claimed that what Farrant had seen at Highgate was in fact a vampire, and moreover, the cemetery itself was the site of ongoing black masses, vampire gatherings, and other dark practices. Soon, a rivalry developed between Farrant and Manchester over who had the power to eradicate the supernatural threat at Highgate and just weeks after Farrant sent his letter to the newspapers, Manchester led a large mob of Londoners into Highgate Cemetery intent on driving out the evil that supposedly swelled there. Throughout the early 1970s, the war of words between Farrant and Manchester frequently captured the public’s attention, thanks to the various news outlets that couldn’t resist the outrageous actions of the two men that ranged from benign and silly (a naked fire dance in an abandoned building) to gruesome and disrespectful (desecration of human remains). However, while the antics of the two men at the center of the story may elicit a smirk or an eyeroll, the public’s response to the supposed supernatural threat provides valuable insight into a phenomenon of moral panic that go on to fuel, among other things, the satanic panic that dominated the news throughout the 1980s and 90s.  To learn more about ways to save our graves, go to https://www.saveourcemeteries.org. Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Ax podcast, for research assistance References: Cambridge Evening News. 1970. "Mr. Blood in hunt for vampire." Cambridge Evening News, March 14: 21. Ellis, Bill. 1993. "The Highgate Cemetery Vampire Hunt: The Anglo-American Connection in Satanic Cult Lore." Folklore (Taylor and Francis, Ltd.) 104 (1/2): 13-39. Evening Standard. 1970. "'Black magic' man tells of threats." Evening Standard, November 4: 17. —. 1968. "Coffins broken open at a witches' sabbath." Evening Standard, November 1: 23. —. 1974. "Naked witchcraft men in fire dance." Evening Standard, January 21: 5. —. 1974. "Wife tells of 'horror photos'." Evening Standard, June 20: 5. Farrant, David. 1970. "Letters: Ghostly walks in Highgate." Hampstead and Highgate Express, February 6: 26. Guardian Journal. 1970. "Vampire hunter is cleared by court." Guardian Journal, September 30: 7. —. 1968. "'Black magic' theory after coffins raid." Guiardian Journal, November 2: 1. Hampstead and Highgate Express. 1970. "Does a wampyr walk in Highgate?" Hampstead and Highgate Express, February 27: 1. Liverpool Daily Post. 1972. "Couple fined for churchyard ritual." Liverpool Daily Post, November 23: 18. Manchester Evening News. 1973. "100 join hunt for cemetery 'vampire'." Manchester Evening News, March 14: 5. Sunday Mirror. 1973. "'Sacrifice' witches in horror." Sunday Mirror, April 8: 11. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On November 28, 1848, Isaac Jermy and his son were shot and killed in their Wymondham estate, Stanfield Hall. After a brief search, investigators located the killer, James Blomfield Rush, a tenant farmer who was leasing land from Jermy and had fallen behind on his payments. Fearing eviction and destitution, Rush concocted a plan to kill the entire Jermy family and their staff, then cast blame on Jermy’s relatives, with whom the family had been feuding over the title of the estate. However, the plan fell apart when several of the victims survived and identified Rush as the killer. Thank you to the lovely David White, of Bring Me the Ax podcast, for research assistance. References Bayne, A.D. 1849. The Stanfield Tragedy: A Complete Narrative. Norwich, England: Jarold and Sons. Bristol Mercury. 1849. &quot;Rush&#39;s trial.&quot; Bristol Mercury, April 7: 2. Caledonian Mercury. 1849. &quot;Execution of Rush.&quot; Caledonia Mercury, April 23. Liverpool Mercury. 1848. &quot;Horrible murders in Norfolk.&quot; Liverpool Mercury, December 5: 2. Royal College of Physicians of London. 1850. A Full Report of the Trial of James Blomfield Rush for the Murder of Mr. Jermy and His Son. London, England: W.M. Clark. The Times. 1848. &quot;Horrible murders at Stanfield Hall, near Wymondham.&quot; The Times, December 01: 5. —. 1848. &quot;The murders at Stanfield Hall.&quot; The Times, December 4: 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just before midnight on December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, traveling from New York to Miami, crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing nearly two thirds of the passengers on board. Crashing into the swamp softened the landing and likely saved dozens, but the remote location made rescue efforts complicated and required a cooperative effort between first responders and local civilians. The crash came at a difficult time for the airline industry, following closely on a number of several high-profile hijackings and examples of equipment malfunctions that negatively affected ticket sales. This only got worse when the investigation into Flight 401 was concluded and the cause of the crash was determined to be operator error when the flight crew became distracted and unaware that the autopilot had switched itself off. In the months and years that followed, several Eastern Air employees and survivors of Flight 401 began reporting sightings of the ghosts of crew members and passengers who died in the crash. Although Eastern Air went out of their way to deny any sightings, the stories spread and became a part of Florida folklore as the subject of books, television films, and even a public spectacle as part of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s Occult Museum in Connecticut. Thank you to the glorious David White, of Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research assistance :) References: Aguila, Grethel. 2022. "'We're down.' Flight 401 crashed in Miami 50 years ago." Miami Herald, December 21: A3. Associated Press. 1980. "Eastern still fighting ghost." Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 28: 52. Baxter, Mike. 1972. "Rescue armada mobilized within half hour." Miami Herald, December 31: 15. Fuller, John. 1976. The Ghost of Flight 401. New York, NY: Berkley Publishing Corporation. Jenkins, Greg. 2005. Florida's Ghostly Legends And Haunted Folklore: South And Central Florida (volume one). Sarasota, FL: Pineapple Press. Kay, Jennifer. 2007. "Everglades jet crash haunts hero." Rocky Mountain News, December 26. National Transportation Safety Board. 1973. Aircraft Accident Reports: Eastern Air Lines L-1011, N310EA. Aircraft accident report, Washington D.C.: National Transportation Safety Board. Orlando Evening Star. 1972. "Stewardess sings carols to survivors." Orlando Evening Star, December 30: 1. Star Services. 1972. "Many survive Everglades jet crash." Orlando Evening Star, December 30: 1. Times-News.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the fall of 1961, Betty and Barney Hill took a trip to Niagara Falls. On the drive back from Canada to their home in Portsmouth, NH, the Hills claimed their trip was interrupted when, after stopping to investigate a strange flying object hovering above the car, the couple was abducted by what Barney later described as “beings [that] were somehow not human.” Thank you to the wondrous Dave White for Research Assistance! References: Friedman, Stanton, and Kathleen Marden. 2007. Captured! The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Experience. Red Wheel : Newburyport, MA. Palmer, Barry. 1965. "Portsmouth couple wes 600 persons here." Nashua Telegraph, December 1: 3. Public Broadcasting Sysetm. 1997. Nova: Kidnapped by UFOs? Boston, MA, April 1. Robinson, J. Dennis. 1999. "The Grounding of Betty Hill." The Portsmouth Herald, February 5. —. 2008. The UFO romance of Betty and Barney Hill. Accessed August 17, 2023. http://www.seacoastnh.com/the-ufo-romance-of-betty-and-barney-hill/?showall=1. The Portsmouth Herald. 1969. "Barney Hill dies in city at age 46." The Portsmouth Herald, February 26: 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s wackadoodle time on this week’s listener tales. In this installment we have the only and only butt mountain, possible imposter police officers, attempted kidnappings, psychic friends, demon filled dorm rooms, and haunted airbnbs. If you have a tale you would like to send in please send it to morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the summer of 1974, paranormal investigators and UCLA students Barry Taff and Kerry Gaynor were approached in a bookstore by a woman who’d overheard their conversation about the supernatural and said she had a friend who needed help from someone with their expertise. The friend in question was Doris Bither, a middle-aged single mother of four who claimed she and her family were under attack from unseen entities in their Culver City, California home.  According to Doris, the attacks began several months earlier and included, among other things, objects moving on their own, the presence of inexplicable foul odors in the house, unusual noises with no point of origin, and most distressingly, multiple physical and sexual assaults that were increasing in frequency and intensity.  Thank you to the lovely David White for research assistance :) References Biddle, Kenny. 2021. "A Closer Look at the Entity Photographs." Skeptical Inquirer 45 (6). O'Keeffe, Ciaran, James Houran, Damian Houran, Neil Dagnall, Kenneth Drinkwater, Lorraine Sheridan, and Brian Laythe. 2019. "The Dr. John Hall story: a case study in putative “Haunted People Syndrome"." Mental Health, Religion & Culture 22 (9): 910-929. Ortega, Xavier. 2011. The Real Entity Case, Part II. August 6. Accessed August 23, 2023. https://www.ghosttheory.com/2011/08/06/the-real-entity-case. Radford, Benjamin. 2021. "The ‘True’ Story behind The Entity: Untangling Hollywood Horror." Skeptical Inquirer 45 (6). https://skepticalinquirer.org/2021/10/the-true-story-behind-the-entity-untangling-hollywood-horror/. 2005. The Entity Files. Directed by Perry Martin. Produced by Anchor Bay Entertainment. Performed by Barry Taff. —. 2011. The Real Entity Case. August. Accessed August 24, 2023. http://barrytaff.net/2011/08/the-real-entity-case-2/. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the depths of American history there are few examples of mass hysteria that loom larger than the Salem witch trials of 1692. As horrific as it was, it was far from the only example of witch-hunting in Massachusetts’ history. In fact, ten years before hysteria over black magic gripped the village of Salem, similar accusations of witchcraft were aimed at Mary Webster of Hadley, a small village in Western Massachusetts.   Thank you to the incredible Dave White for Research assistance. References Clancy, Hal. 1977. "In good old days, wicthes would hang for a May snow." The Boston Globe, May 14: 1. Judd, Sylvester. 1905. History of Hadley. Springfield, MA: H.R. Hunting. Manning, Alice. 1976. "Witches in the Connecticut Valley: a historical perspective." Daily Hampshire Gazette, December 15: 35. Marshall, Bridget. 2003. "Mary (Reeve) Webster, the "Witch" of Hadley." University of Massachusetts Lowell. Accessed August 28, 2023. https://faculty.uml.edu//bmarshall/Mary%20Webster.htm. Mather, Cotton. 1967. Magnalia Christi Americana. New York, NY: Russell and Russell. Perera, Lisa. 1992. "Before Salem, Valley had witch trials of its own." Daily Hampshire Gazette, May 16: 22. Smith, Anna. 2019. The Witch of Hadley: Mary Webster, the Weird, and the Wired. October 15. Accessed August 28, 2023. https://www.massreview.org/node/7575. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 6, 1978, the body of thirty-five-year-old bar owner Jack Tupper was found in a vacant lot in the Bronx, just across the street from the local firehouse. His face had been severely slashed, his head and body badly beaten, he had been shot seven times, and finally, he had been set on fire. Witnesses reported seeing a small group of men in the lot attempting to set fire to a box earlier that day, including three witnesses who identified former racehorse trainer Howard “Buddy” Jacobson as one of the men, and one who was able to provide detectives with the license plate number of the car they were driving. Buddy Jacobson was quickly arrested for Tupper’s murder and the story quickly became New York’s latest scandal: Former horse trainer murders man in love triangle. Jacobson had indeed killed Tupper because the younger man was having an affair with Jacobson’s girlfriend but, while the motive may have been a classic, the story was far more sensational and salacious than anyone could have expected, and it turned out the arrest was just the beginning. Thank you to David White for research assistance :) Resources: Allen, Joy. 1978. "Family is embittered in 'triangle' slaying." Newsday, August 9: 17. Arnett, Peter, and Jane See White. 1978. "Life and death on fast track for a model." Newsday, August 21: 4. Associated Press. 1979. "Jacobson defense alleges cocaine plot by victim." Newsday, October 11: 19. —. 1979. "'Triangle' case hearing could clear defendant." The Journal News, October 24: 4. Christine, Bill. 1988. "The odyssey of Buddy Jacobson: Horses, models and a murder sentence." Los Angeles Times, January 10. Cummings, John, and Peggy Brown. 1980. "Buddy Jacobson escapes prison." Newsday, June 01: 3. Cummings, Jophn, and Joy Allen. 1978. "'Triangle' murder probers hear horseman's ex-wife." Newsday, August 16: 17. Fried, Joseph P. 1980. "Jacobson's 'friends and relatives' said to have helped in recapture." New York Times, July 11: A1.     New York, NY: Macmillan. —. 1978. "Love and Death on the Upper East Side." New York Magazine, September 11. McFadden, Robert D. 1979. "'Gag' order covers murder trial." New York Times, October 23: B8. McFadden, Robert. 1980. "Jacobson, in calls from jail, speaks of his 'betrayal'." New York Times, 07 July: A1. New York Times. 1978. "Jacobson warned of bail revocation." New York Times, November 10: B7. Newton, Edmund, and Sheryl Kornman. 1980. "Cops hunt Buddy Jacobson around the world." Newsday, June 2: 4. The Reporter Dispatch. August. "Hunt widens in triangle slaying." The Reporter Dispatch, 10 1978: D14. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 6, 1978, the body of thirty-five-year-old bar owner Jack Tupper was found in a vacant lot in the Bronx, just across the street from the local firehouse. His face had been severely slashed, his head and body badly beaten, he had been shot seven times, and finally, he had been set on fire. Witnesses reported seeing a small group of men in the lot attempting to set fire to a box earlier that day, including three witnesses who identified former racehorse trainer Howard “Buddy” Jacobson as one of the men, and one who was able to provide detectives with the license plate number of the car they were driving. Buddy Jacobson was quickly arrested for Tupper’s murder and the story quickly became New York’s latest scandal: Former horse trainer murders man in love triangle. Jacobson had indeed killed Tupper because the younger man was having an affair with Jacobson’s girlfriend but, while the motive may have been a classic, the story was far more sensational and salacious than anyone could have expected, and it turned out the arrest was just the beginning. Thank you to David White for research assistance :) Resources: Allen, Joy. 1978. "Family is embittered in 'triangle' slaying." Newsday, August 9: 17. Arnett, Peter, and Jane See White. 1978. "Life and death on fast track for a model." Newsday, August 21: 4. Associated Press. 1979. "Jacobson defense alleges cocaine plot by victim." Newsday, October 11: 19. —. 1979. "'Triangle' case hearing could clear defendant." The Journal News, October 24: 4. Christine, Bill. 1988. "The odyssey of Buddy Jacobson: Horses, models and a murder sentence." Los Angeles Times, January 10. Cummings, John, and Peggy Brown. 1980. "Buddy Jacobson escapes prison." Newsday, June 01: 3. Cummings, Jophn, and Joy Allen. 1978. "'Triangle' murder probers hear horseman's ex-wife." Newsday, August 16: 17. Fried, Joseph P. 1980. "Jacobson's 'friends and relatives' said to have helped in recapture." New York Times, July 11: A1.     New York, NY: Macmillan. —. 1978. "Love and Death on the Upper East Side." New York Magazine, September 11. McFadden, Robert D. 1979. "'Gag' order covers murder trial." New York Times, October 23: B8. McFadden, Robert. 1980. "Jacobson, in calls from jail, speaks of his 'betrayal'." New York Times, 07 July: A1. New York Times. 1978. "Jacobson warned of bail revocation." New York Times, November 10: B7. Newton, Edmund, and Sheryl Kornman. 1980. "Cops hunt Buddy Jacobson around the world." Newsday, June 2: 4. The Reporter Dispatch. August. "Hunt widens in triangle slaying." The Reporter Dispatch, 10 1978: D14. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the morning of December 31, 1946, nineteen-year-old Pearl Lusk boarded a crowded subway train in Brooklyn. A few days earlier, she’d met a man named Allen in a bar who offered her a very strange, yet simple job: she was to follow a young woman named Olga and take a photo to determine whether she was wearing any stolen jewelry.  That morning, as Pearl and Olga exited the crowded subway train, Pearl raised the camera in Olga’s direction and pulled the wire to take a photo, but what happened next would put into motion a series of events that rivals fiction. Thank you to the wonderful Dave White for Research assistance! References Adams, Toni. 1947. "Troopers hunt and kill Alphonse Rocco." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 7: 1. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1947. "Camera-gun suspect flees in stolen car." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 6: 2. Buffalo Evening News. 1947. "'Camera' shooting victim asks N.Y. City to pay her $200,000." Buffalo Evening News, February 14: 1. —. 1953. "Court frees city of liability for not averting shooting." Buffalo Evening News, April 22: 25. —. 1947. "Police press quest for spouse of camera-gun victim." Buffalo Evening News, January 2: 9. —. 1946. "Times Square Station is scene of shooting." Buffalo Evening News, December 31: 10. International News Service. 1947. "Estranged wife and family glad Ruocco is dead." Buffalo Evening News, Janaury 7: 1. Kingston Daily Freeman. 1947. "Victim of camera shooting guarded." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 2: 18. McKelway, St. Clair. 1953. The Perils of Pearl and Olga. August 8. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1953/08/08/the-perils-of-pearl-and-olga. New York Times. 1947. "Camera-gun victim files for $200,000." New York Times, February 15: 17. —. 1947. "'Camera-gun' victim loses a leg." New York Times, Janaury 3: 1. —. 1947. "Girl, dupe in plot, shoots woman with 'camera' gun." New York Times, January 1: 1. —. 1947. "Lusk girl freed; will leave city." New York Times, Janaury 11: 20. —. 1947. "Rocco killed by the police in Catskills." New York Times, January 7: 1. Smith, Delos. 1947. "Gullible girl hoaxed into plot on life of estranged wife." Daily Boston Globe, January 1: 13. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the spring of 2009, Edwin Gonzalez and his girlfriend, Lillian Otero, fled their house in Gardner, MA, less than one year after moving into what they believed was their dream home. Later, once they were safely away from the old Victorian, Gonzalez and Otero would explain to friends and family that they had been driven out by angry ghosts who had done everything—including possessing Lillian—in order to torment them, leaving them no other options than to abandon the house that had once held such promise.  Although they didn’t know it when they moved in, Gonzalez and Otero’s home, the S.K. Pierce Mansion, had long been considered by locals to be haunted. Indeed, in its more than one-hundred-year history, the Victorian home had seen more than its fair share of tragedies, including several deaths in the house as recent as the 1960s, as well as countless other unsavory myths and legends. Thank you to Dave White for research assistance. References City of Gardner. n.d. History. Accessed August 1, 2023. https://www.gardner-ma.gov/316/History. Discovery Channel. 2013. "Haunted Victorian." A Haunting. New York, NY: Discovery Channel, October 19. Farragher, Thomas. 2022. "Want to be a ghost host? Come to Gardner." Boston Globe, August 20: B1. Fiorentino, Alyssa. 2021. How the S.K. Pierce Mansion became one of the most haunted homes in Massachusetts. October 27. Accessed July 31, 2023. https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a38046654/sk-pierce-haunted-victorian-mansion/. Fitchburg Sentinel. 1963. "Gardner man, 47, dies in room fire." Fitchburg Sentinel, April 9: 11. —. 1891. "Notes." Fitchburg Sentinel, December 8: 2. Gelinas, Brian. 2012. "Group of ghost hunting enthusiasts converge on Gardner mansion." Athol News, October 6: 1. Gershon, Livia. 2006. Ghost hunters. July 28. Accessed August 1, 2023. https://www.thegardnernews.com/story/news/2006/07/28/ghost-hunters/11341583007/. Ilinitch, Shawn. 2003. Psychic profiler detects spirits in South Gardner home. October 31. Accessed August 1, 2023. https://www.thegardnernews.com/story/news/2003/11/01/psychic-profiler-detects-spirits-in/11284159007/. Landry, Stephen. 2021. "Debunking rumors about the S.K. Pierce Mansion." Gardner News, September 22. —. 2020. "New book details history of S.K. Pierce Mansion." Gardner News, September 25. Pelletiere, Nicole. 2016. Homeowner to turn 'haunted' mansion into scary attraction. September 2. Accessed August 1, 2023. https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/homeowner-turn-haunted-mansion-scary-attraction/story?id=41769810. SK Haunted Victorian Mansion. 2023. The Mansion. Accessed August 2, 2023. https://www.skhauntedvictorianmansion.com/index.html. Stanway, Eric. 2013. The Victorian. September: Independent. —. 2013. "Gardner mansion shelters ghostly past." Worcester Telegram and Gazette, July 10. Zillow. 2023. 4 West Broadway, Gardner, MA. Accessed August 1, 2023. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4-West-Broadway-Gardner-MA-01440/57587523_zpid/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On March 15, 1895, thirty-five-year-old Michael Cleary murdered his wife, twenty-six-year-old Bridget Cleary in their home in Ballyvadlea, County Tipperary. While terrible, the murder was just the last act in a series of bizarre atrocities committed against Bridget, whom her husband would later claim had been taken by malevolent fairy folk and replaced with a changeling. More shocking, however, was that the barbaric act hadn’t been committed by one man alone, but by a group of rural men, including family.  Was Bridget Cleary really murdered out of fear of fairies? Or had Michael Cleary just convinced himself of as much in order to commit murder? References Bourke, Angela. 1999. The Burning of Bridget Cleary: A True Story. London, UK: Pimlico. Freeman's Journal. 1895. "Strange death near Clonmel." Freeman's Journal, March 25. Irish Times. 1999. "Burning Bridget." Irish Times, August 7: B24. n.a. 1917. The Tipperary Witch Case. Toronto, ON: McGill University. New York Times. 1895. "A with burner sentenced." New York Times, July 6: 5. —. 1895. "Not witches, but fairies." New York Times, April 22: 4. Ruxton, Dean. 2016. "The story of the last 'witch' bruned alive in Ireland." Irish Times, November 24. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Listener Tales 77 AND it's August so you know what that means.... It is obviously time for Halloween tales! This week we have a spook-a-dook installment filled with tales of bullet wounds that go undetected, sleep paralysis demons, deaths by elevators, and spooky nanny's. If you have a listener tale you’d like to send in please send it to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the summer of 1980, nineteen-year-old Nancy Santomero, and two friends, twenty-six-year-old Vicki Durian and nineteen-year-old Liz Johndrow, left Durian’s parents’ home in Iowa to hitchhike to West Virginia to attend a gathering of the Rainbow Family. Five days later, Santomero and Durian’s bodies were discovered in the woods in West Virginia, shot to death just hours before being found, and Johndrow was nowhere to be seen. More than a decade after their bodies were discovered, police in West Virginia had identified several suspects and eventually charged thirty-four-year-old farmer Jacob Beard, who was convicted in 1993 and sentenced to life in prison. Upon appeal, however, it was revealed that the investigation into Beard was rife with dubious circumstantial evidence, police misconduct, and perjury, which led to a new trial and Beard was exonerated.  Thank you to the lovely Dave White for research assistance References: Associated Press. 1992. "W. Va drops Rainbow charges." Roanoke Ties and World-News, July 21: 6. —. 1992. "Arrests in women's deaths 'witch hunt' attorney says." The Daily Progress , April 25: 7. —. 2000. "Jury finds man innocent in Rainbow murder trial." The Roanoke Times, June 1: 21. Behrens, David. 2000. "Too many years without answers." Newsday, February 16: B6. Daily Press. 1980. "2 murdered women in 'Rainbow Family'." Daily Press, June 27: 44. Danville Reigister and Bee. 1993. "Jury deliberating in slayings case." Danville Register and Bee, June 4: 10. Darling, Lynn. 1980. The Rainbow People. July 7. Accessed August 7, 2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/07/07/the-rainbow-people/80aadbf3-ef61-4d43-9d62-766d4d01fc56/. Horn, Dan. 1997. "Franklin's boasting may unlock convict." The Cincinnati Post, April 18. Lovegrove, Richard. 1980. "Rainbow camp still going up despite slaying of women." The Roanoke Times, June 28: 1. —. 1980. "Two women slain near 'Rainbow' camp remain unidentified." The Roanoke Times, July 10: B-8. Possley, Maurice. 2012. Jacob Beard. July 30. Accessed August 8, 2023. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=3963. State of West Virginia v. Jacob W. Beard. 1998. 24644 (Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, July 15). State of West Virginia v. Jacob W. Beard. 1995. 22504 (Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, January). The Gazette. 1983. "2 West Virginia men charged in death of Wellman woman." The Gazette, April 8: 14. —. 1992. "4 charged in Wellman woman's 1980 slaying." The Gazette, April 17: 10. United Press International. 1980. "Young woman who skipped tragic hitchhiking trip found." The Daily Progress, July 17: 7. Wallace, Terry. 1992. "Seething hostility led to killing of hitchhikers." The Daily Progress, April 20: 1. West Virginia Public Broadcasting. 2020. Two Women Murdered Traveling to Rainbow Gathering. June 25. Accessed August 8, 2023. https://wvpublic.org/june-25-1980-two-women-murdered-traveling-to-rainbow-gathering/. https://kmbllaw.com/dont-just-ask-to-suppress-the-involuntary-statement-and-the-evidence-thats-fruit-of-the-poisonous-tree-ask-for-a-full-kastigar-hearing/#:~:text=In%20other%20words%2C%20the%20Kastigar,compelled%20after%20an%20immunity%20order. https://www.upcounsel.com/legal-def-habeas-corpus#:~:text=The%20writ%20of%20habeas%20corpus%20serves%20as%20an%20important%20check,290%2D91%20(1969). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

American neurologist Walter Jackson Freeman had refined Moniz’s procedure and developed a non-surgical procedure that could be performed in a doctor’s office, which he called a transorbital lobotomy.  Freeman’s procedure involved inserting a medical instrument similar to an icepick into the patient’s orbital socket to sever the neural connections, without requiring surgery, hospital stays, and long recovery times. Touted as a quick, easy, and painless solution to everything from general malaise and occasional depression to schizophrenia and aggressive behavior, the procedure a go-to solution for the very complex psychological problems that have affected countless people for centuries. Unfortunately, while the procedure was effective for a small number of those who received a lobotomy, it was used indiscriminately, often without consideration for the increasingly disastrous outcomes. Today we talk about the tragic and disastrous lobotomy on Rosemary Kennedy and thousands more that occured after it.  References El-Hai, Jack. 2005. The Lobotomist : A Maverick Medical Genius and His Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Press. Kaye, Hugh. 2023. The dark history of gay men, lobotomies and Walter Jackson Freeman II. April 25. Accessed July 19, 2023. https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/sexuality/the-dark-gay-history-of-lobotomies-and-walter-jackson-freeman-ii-419069/. Lenz, Lyz. 2017. The Secret Lobotomy of Rosemary Kennedy. March 31. Accessed July 18, 2023. https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/a26261/secret-lobotomy-rosemary-kennedy/. National Public Radio. 2005. Frequently asked questions about lobotomies. November 16. Accessed July 18, 2023. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5014565. —. 2005. 'My Lobotomy': Howard Dully's journey. November 16. Accessed July 18, 2023. https://www.npr.org/2005/11/16/5014080/my-lobotomy-howard-dullys-journey. New York Times. 1939. "Front brain 'rules' thoughts on future." New York Times, April 8: 6. —. 1947. "Personality shift is laid to surgery." New York Times, December 14: 51. Prentice, Claire. 2021. "Lobotomy: The brain op described as ‘easier than curing a toothache’." BBC News, January 30. 2008. American Experience: The Lobotomist. Directed by Public Broadcasting System. Performed by Public Broadcasting System. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz developed the lobotomy in 1935, it was little more than a crude surgery developed as a blanket treatment for mental illness that involved drilling into the skull and scrambling the neural connections in the frontal lobe. Less than a decade later, however, American neurologist Walter Jackson Freeman had refined Moniz’s procedure and developed a non-surgical procedure that could be performed in a doctor’s office, which he called a transorbital lobotomy. What he touted as successes, quickly turned into a series of life altering failures...but he kept going. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the early morning hours of August 11, 2007, Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend, Robert Maltby, were passing through Stubbylee Park in Lancashire, UK, when they were attacked by a group of teenage boys who beat the couple savagely, resulting in Lancaster’s death two weeks later. The next day, police arrested two of the teenagers responsible for the attack, who told authorities they’d attacked the young couple for no other reason than they were dressed like “Goths.” The tragic assault on the young couple was shocking in and of itself, but the murder was made exponentially more shocking by the ages of the killers and the ostensibly terroristic motive, raising questions about the state of youth culture in the United Kingdom. thank you to the best of the best, David White for research assistance  References BBC. 2022. Sophie Lancaster murder: Killer Ryan Herbert to be freed from jail. March 12. Accessed March 1, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-60766768. Bunyan, Nigel. 2008. "Why did parents let Goth's killers roam the streets?" Daily Telegraph, March 28. Butt, Riazet. 2007. "National: 'Tragedy beyond words' for family as woman, 20, dies after park attack." The Guardian, August 25. Dunbar, Polly. 2008. "I've always tried to help young people escape crime." Mail on Sunday, March 30. Evening Courier. 2008. "Boy, 15, 'kicked woman to death for being a goth'." Evening Courier , March 12. —. 2008. "Two teenagers jailed for life for murder of Goth girl Sophie." Evening Courier, April 28. Gordon, Cathy. 2008. "Goth's killers lose appeals; Teenagers must pay for 'appalling crime'." Daily Post, October 30. Hodkinson, Mark. 2008. "United in the name of tolerance." The Guardian, August 2. Hussain, Samrana. 2007. "Couple left badly beaten in skate park." Lancashire Telegraph, August 12. Jackson, Kate. 2007. "Residents call for park patrols after woman’s death." Lancashire Telegraph, August 27. Jenkins, Russell. 2008. "Youth aged 15 'kicked a woman to death because she was a Goth'." The Times, March 13. Lancashire Telegraph. 2020. "Sophie Lancaster killer has minimum jail term cut for 'exceptional progress'." Lancashire Telegraph, February 10. Manzoor, SarFraz. 2014. "The precious afterlife of Sophie Lancaster." Sunday Telegraph, February 23. Rossendale Free Press. 2007. "Young couple fighting for their lives after vicious ‘mob attack’." Rossendale Free Press, August 16: https://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/local-news/young-couple-fighting-lives-after-1709148. Smyth, Catherine. 2020. Weirdo, Mosher, Freak: The Murder of Sophie Lancaster. Lancashire, UK: Self-published. Turner, Kate. 2007. "Skatepark youth 'may face murder charge'." This is Lancashire, September 27. Usborne, Simon. 2017. "Robert Maltby on the murder of his girlfriend Sophie Lancaster." The Guardian, June 15: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jun/15/robert-maltby-on-the-of-his-girlfriend-sophie-lancaster-the-goth-thing-was-an-oversimplification. Wainwright, Martin. 2008. "Woman died after drunken gang attacked couple dressed as." The Guardian, March 13. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Among the Pine Barrens of New Jersey (a sprawling forest ecosystem in southern New Jersey), it is said there lives an elusive creature that has haunted and delighted the residents of New Jersey and northern Pennsylvania for centuries. The Jersey Devil (sometimes referred to as the Leeds Devil) is variously described as having the features of everything from a dog and horse to a kangaroo and even the devil himself, with sightings coming in waves throughout history, including a large spike in 1909. Join us as we talk with Jodie Sweetin all about this elusive creature. And check out Jodie's new podcast: How Rude, Tanneritos!  How Rude, Tanneritos Thank you to the fantastic David White for research assistance! References Atlantic City Daily Press. 1909. "Superstition abroad." Atlantic City Daily Press, January 25: 4. Jersey City News. 1899. "Jersey sees a devil." Jersey City News, July 29: 7. McCloy, James F. 1976. The Jersey Devil. Wallingford, PA: Middle Atlantic Press. Morning Call. 1909. "Jersey Devil vampire bat." Morning Call, January 22: 1. Morning Post. 1905. "Story of the Leeds Devil." Morning Post, May 2: 5. Pinelands Preservation Society. n.a. The Jersey Devil and Folklore. Accessed July 17, 2023. https://pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/pinelands-history-and-culture/the-jersey-devil-and-folklore/. Trenton Evening Times. 1909. "'Flying Hoof' leaves proofs of visit here." Trenton Evening Times, January 21: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 19, 1986, a curious news item appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader regarding the home of West Pittston, PA family Jack and Janet Smurl. The couple claimed, for more than eighteen months their home had been a battleground of spiritual warfare that included everything from ghosts wandering the halls and tormenting the family dog to demons attacking the children and even sexually assaulting the adults in the house.The article in the Times Leader began a weeks-long fascination with the family and their ordeal, drawing reporters from all over Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, and eventually attracting the attention of self-proclaimed demonologist and psychic medium Ed and Lorraine Warren. At first, the Smurls' claims of demonic infestation were taken seriously by the church, many members of the press, and countless of the Smurls neighbors. As time wore on, however, the inability of both the Smurls and the Warren’s to produce any evidence of their supposed haunting led many to believe the claims were just a hoax perpetrated by the family for attention and fame.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 19, 1986, a curious news item appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader regarding the home of West Pittston, PA family Jack and Janet Smurl. The couple claimed, for more than eighteen months their home had been a battleground of spiritual warfare that included everything from ghosts wandering the halls and tormenting the family dog to demons attacking the children and even sexually assaulting the adults in the house.The article in the Times Leader began a weeks-long fascination with the family and their ordeal, drawing reporters from all over Pennsylvania and the surrounding states, and eventually attracting the attention of self-proclaimed demonologist and psychic medium Ed and Lorraine Warren. At first, the Smurls' claims of demonic infestation were taken seriously by the church, many members of the press, and countless of the Smurls neighbors. As time wore on, however, the inability of both the Smurls and the Warren’s to produce any evidence of their supposed haunting led many to believe the claims were just a hoax perpetrated by the family for attention and fame.  Thank you to David White for research assistance  References Citizen's Voice. 2017. John James Smurl obituary. June 23. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/citizensvoice/name/john-smurl-obituary?id=15953106. —. 1986. "Ghosdt briefing turns into shouting match." The Citizen's Voice, August 26: 5. —. 1986. "Haunted family nregotiating movie deal." The Citizen's Voice, September 6: 2. Collins, Jim. 1986. "West Pittston Mystery: Is basis murder or mishmash." Scranton Times, August 22: 3. —. 1986. "If you like sideshows, there's one close to home." Times-Tribune, August 31: 23. —. 1986. "Screen exorcist Jason Miller visits site of demonic doings." Times-Tribune, August 22: 3. Corbett, Steve. 1986. "Family: Home is under siege by evil spirits." Times Leader, August 19: 1. Curran, Robert. 1988. The Haunted: One Family's Nightmare. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. —. 1986. "Brain surgery revelation casts demon dwelling doubts." The Scrantonia, August 24: 15. —. 1986. "Smurls credit prayers of many with cleansing house of demons." The Tribune, October 27: 3. DeAndrea, Francis. 1986. "Different kind of scare job." Times-Tribune, August 30: 3. Kurtz, Paul. 1987. "A case study of the West Pittston 'haunted' house." The Skeptical Inquirer 11 (Winter): 137-146. Lancaster New Era. 1986. "Scientists, priest skeptical about 'demons' in house." Lancaster New Era, August 23: 1. Morning Call. 1986. "Demons: Exorcisms fail to end family's nightmare." The Morning Call, August 22: 3. Porter, Jill. 1986. "A demon by any other name." Philadelphia Daily News, August 29: 2. Rotstein, Gary. 1986. "Bedeviled: Town is divided over 'haunted' family." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 25: 1. Shurmaitis, Dawn. 1986. "Demonologist says family is 'under attack'." Times Leader, August 19: 12. Singleton, David. 1986. "Publicity has cost haunted family." Danville News, August 23: 1. Trosky, Pat. 1986. "Are ghosts haunting West Pittston family?" Citizen's Voice, August 20: 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The more Gwinnett County detectives dug into Bart Corbin’s life and history, the more convinced they were that the forty-year-old dentist wasn’t just responsible for the death of his wife, but also for the death of his girlfriend nearly a decade and a half earlier. For two years Corbin denied any involvement in the deaths, insisting both women had killed themselves. Then, just days before his trial was to begin, he shocked everyone by pleading guilty to both murders in exchange for two life sentences with the possibility of parole after fifteen years. Thank you so much to David White for research assistance :) References Atlanta Journal Constitution. 2006. "Timeline of events in Barton Corbin's case." The Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 17. Bentley, Rosalind. 2004. "Corbin arrest is 'hard'." The Atlanta Journal-Constituion , December 23. Bentley, Rosalind, and Lateef Mungin. 2006. "Barton Corbin case: How they nailed him." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 17. Bentley, Rosalind, Lateef Mungin, and Beth Warren. 2006. "Guilty guilty: Corbin pleads." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 16. Bruner, Tasgola Karla. 2004. "The Corbin case: Med-school girlfriend was fearful." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16. —. 2004. "Parallels revive case of Augusta tragedy." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13. —. 2004. "Similarities in 'suicides' are haunting ." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16. Bruner, Tasgola Karla, and John Ghirardini. 2004. "Dentist main 'focus'." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13. Glatt, John. 2007. The Doctor's Wife: A True Story of Marriage, Deception and Two Grusom Deaths.New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. Hansen, Jane. 2006. "Dolly's truth: To her family, her death in 1990 was never a mystery." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 15. Mungin, Lateef. 2004. "Dacula man sought after wife's shooting." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8. —. 2004. "Death called homicide, not suicide." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8. —. 2004. "Dentist's kin to testify before grand jury today." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 15. Rankin, Bill, and Bill Topry. 2005. "Corbin faces double danger." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 9. Stafford, Rob. 2006. Death and the Dentist. October 18. Accessed June 25, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15253153. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Gwinnett County sheriff’s officers responded to a call about a shooting at the home of Dr. Barton Corbin on the morning of December 4, 2004, they discovered the body of the doctor’s wife, Jennifer Corbin, dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Within a few days, however, investigators learned some things about Bart Corbin that led them to believe that the thirty-three-year-old mother of two may not have taken her own life.  Thank you so much to David White for research assistance :) References: Atlanta Journal Constitution. 2006. "Timeline of events in Barton Corbin's case." The Atlanta Journal Constitution, September 17. Bentley, Rosalind. 2004. "Corbin arrest is 'hard'." The Atlanta Journal-Constituion , December 23. Bentley, Rosalind, and Lateef Mungin. 2006. "Barton Corbin case: How they nailed him." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 17. Bentley, Rosalind, Lateef Mungin, and Beth Warren. 2006. "Guilty guilty: Corbin pleads." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 16. Bruner, Tasgola Karla. 2004. "The Corbin case: Med-school girlfriend was fearful." Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16. —. 2004. "Parallels revive case of Augusta tragedy." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13. —. 2004. "Similarities in 'suicides' are haunting ." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 16. Bruner, Tasgola Karla, and John Ghirardini. 2004. "Dentist main 'focus'." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 13. Glatt, John. 2007. The Doctor's Wife: A True Story of Marriage, Deception and Two Grusom Deaths. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. Hansen, Jane. 2006. "Dolly's truth: To her family, her death in 1990 was never a mystery." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, October 15. Mungin, Lateef. 2004. "Dacula man sought after wife's shooting." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8. —. 2004. "Death called homicide, not suicide." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 8. —. 2004. "Dentist's kin to testify before grand jury today." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 15. Rankin, Bill, and Bill Topry. 2005. "Corbin faces double danger." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, January 9. Stafford, Rob. 2006. Death and the Dentist. October 18. Accessed June 25, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna15253153 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s Listener tales 76 and guess what!?! It’s brought to you by you, for you, from you, and ALL ABOUT YOU! This installment is all about your spooky haunted demon homes. We’ve got ghosts on ghosts up in here. We don’t know which is the scariest but we do know we would like to never live in these homes. Like…. Ever. If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On October 15, 1977, seventeen-year-olds Christine Eadie and Helen Scott met some friends at the World’s End Pub in Edinburgh’s Old Town neighborhood to celebrate their new jobs and what they assumed would be the start of their adult lives. The next day, Christine’s body was discovered by hikers near Gosford Bay, while Helen’s body was discovered in a cornfield several miles away. The Lothian and Borders Police mounted a massive investigation to identify and apprehend the killer but, despite their best efforts, evidence was sparse and by the following year the case had gone cold.  The World’s End Murders, as they’d come to be known, became one of Scotland’s most notorious cold cases, until it was reactivated in 1997 in hopes that scientific and technological advances of the previous two decades could lead them to the girls’ killer. Thank you To the Fabulous Dave White for Research Assistance  References: Amos, Ilona. 2019. Scots soil experts hit paydirt in old murder cases. February 28. Accessed March 17, 2023. https://www.scotsman.com/news/scots-soil-experts-hit-paydirt-old-murder-cases-2512052. BBC News. 2007. Victim 'strangled with stocking'. August 29. Accessed March 15, 2023. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6968530.stm. —. 2007. World's End father gives evidence. August 30. Accessed March 15, 2023. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6970429.stm. Brooks, Lib. 2014. "Serial killer guilty of World's End murders." The Guardian, November 15. Carrel, Severin. 2007. Trial of World's End murders suspect collapses. September 11. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/sep/11/ukcrime.scotland\. Carrell, Severin. 2007. "Murder jury told of 'shifty' man." The Guardian, August 30. Edinburgh Evening News. 1999. "World's End killer probe is wound up." Edinburgh Evening News, March 25. Gibbons, Katie. 2014. "Accused saw murdered girls as OBJECTs, he tells World's." The Times, November 12. Howie, Michael, and John Robertson. 2007. "Thirty years ago he murdered two innocent young women." The Scotsman, September 11. Johnston, David, and Tom Wood. 2008. The World's End Murders: A Thirty-Year Quest for Justice. Edinburgh, Scotland: Birlinn Publishing . Leask, David. 2014. "Edinburgh World's End murder trial underway." The Herald, October 14. Leicester Mercury. 1977. "Douible murder hunt starts after teenage girls found dead." Leicester Mercury, October 17: 17. Macaskill, Mark. 2014. "World's End 'shows killers won't escape'." Sunday Times, November 16. Mega, Marcello. 1997. "Gangster linked to girls' murder." Sunday Times, March 23. Robertson, John. 2007. "World's End accused blames brother-in-law." The Scotsman, August 28. Rodrick, Vic, and Marcello Mega. 2014. "'One-in-billion chance DNA is not Sinclair's'." The Herald, October 25. The Herald. 2014. "Defendant touched 'most if not all' ligatures, says expert." The Herald, November 5. —. 2022. "My parents feared for me after World's End horror, says Ian." The Herald, October 17. —. 2014. Victim of World's End murder struggled as killer tied her up. October 21. Accessed March 15, 2023. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13185780.victim-worlds-end-murder-struggled-killer-tied/. The Times. 2007. "Wife of man accused in World's End murder trial agrees to speak." The Times, September 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 28, 2017, police in Corning, NY responded to a call about “suspicious circumstances” at the home of forty-six-year-old mother of three Michele Neurauter. Upon entering the home, the scene appeared to be a fairly straightforward suicide; however, investigators were immediately suspicious that Michele Neurauter had been murdered and the scene had been staged to look like suicide. Michele’s mother, Jeanne Laundy, agreed, and she had a pretty good idea of who would have wanted to kill her daughter: Michele’s ex-husband, Lloyd Neurauter. Investigators quickly learned Michele and Lloyd Neurauter had been involved in a bitter custody battle for years, and Michele had repeatedly accused her ex-husband of trying to turn their children against her. After months of investigation, Corning detectives discovered that not only had Lloyd Neurauter succeeded in turning his children against Michele, but he had also recruited his second-oldest daughter, Karrie, to help him murder her mother. Thank you to the debonair David White for research assistance  References: Kingsley, Jennifer. 2010. "Nickelodeon recognizes Corning woman's blog about parenting." Star-Gazette, June 1: 3. Moriarty, Erin. 2020. "I had to choose": Did a father brainwash his daughter to help plan her mother's murder?February 8. Accessed June 14, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michele-neurauter-murder-i-had-to-choose-did-a-father-brainwash-his-daughter-to-help-plan-to-kill-her-mother/. Murray, Jeff. 2018. "N. Brunswick man gets life, no parole, for murder." Central New Jersey Home News, December 5: A1. —. 2018. "Ex-RIT student, dad indicted in Corning slaying." Democrat and Chronicle, February 23: A2. —. 2018. "RIT student pleads not guilty to murder." Democrat and Chronicle, Janaury 27: A15. —. 2018. "DA: Murder suspect tried to bribe witness." Star-Gazette, April 13: A1. —. 2018. "Man pleads guilty to killing wife in Corning." Star-Gazette, October 13: A1. —. 2018. "Murder suspect pleads guilty." Star-Gazette, March 9: A1. —. 2018. "Two charged with murder." Star-Gazette, January 26: A1. NBC. 2019. Dateline: The Ultimatum. New York. Smith, Jeff. 2020. "Karrie Neurauter, manipulated into helping kill mother, released from prison." The Corning Leader, Janaury 30. Teurfs, Kathryne. 2020. Daughter who pleaded guilty to helping her father plan to kill her mother released from prison. February 7. Accessed June 15, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/karrie-neurauter-daughter-who-pleaded-guilty-to-helping-her-father-kill-her-mother-released-from-prison/. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of February 21, 1977, Chicago firefighters responded to a call at the Pine Grove apartment complex. Once they’d extinguished the fire, they discovered the nude body of forty-eight-year-old Teresita Basa with a kitchen knife protruding from her chest. The apartment looked as though it had been ransacked during the commission of what they assumed was a sexual assault or robbery gone wrong. With little evidence or leads to work from, Teresita’s murder investigation quickly went cold. But then five months later, it seemed like it was Teresita herself who led investigators to discover the man who murdered her. What followed was a truly sensational investigation and trial where not only murder, but belief was up for debate. References Boston Globe. 1978. "Did Voice of the Dead Name Murderer?" Boston Globe, March 6: 2. Decatur Herald. 1979. "Man Pleads Guilty; Named by 'Voice From the Grave'." Decatur Herald, February 23: 9. O'Brien , John, and Edward Baumann. 1978. "Accused of Murder By a Voice From The Grave." Ebony, June 01: 56-63. O'Brien, John. 1979. "'Voice From Grave' Case a Mistrial." Chicago Tribune, Janaury 27: 3. O'Brien, John, and Edward Baumann. 1992. Teresita: The Voice from the Grave. Los Angeles, CA: Bonus Books. Toledo Blade. 1978. "'Voice From Grave' Suspect Ordered to Trial for Murder." Toledo Blade, September 7: 38. Warden, Rob. 1978. "'Voice From the Grave' Evokes a Murder Trial." Washington Post, September 17. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When musician Bobby Mackey opened Bobby Mackey’s Music World in 1978, he had hoped for nothing more than to open a small nightclub where audiences could enjoy the traditional country music he had devoted his life to for decades. Yet before the club was even opened, it was apparent to Bobby, his wife Janet, and manager Carl that whatever the new night club was going to be, it would be anything but normal. In the decades since it opened, Bobby Mackey’s Music World has gained a reputation, not just as a one of Kentucky’s enduring country western clubs, but as one of America’s supposedly most haunted locations. Indeed, Bobby Mackey’s is said to be the home of several spirits whose lives revolved around, and in some cases ended on the property, including the ghosts of a lovesick showgirl, a headless pregnant woman, and the two Satan-worshipping men who took her head. Thank you to the glorious David White for research assistance :) References Associated Press. 1978. "State to probe fire at club near Newport." Courier-Journal, July 10: 6. —. 1993. "Legality of lawsuit blaming bar for ghost antics to be decided." Messenger-Inquirer, October 23: 17. Caraway, Robin. 2006. "Wilder nightclub site has storied past." Cincinnati Post, July 17: 14. Chicago Chronicle. 1896. "Pearl Bryan's story." Chicago Chronicle, May 10: 33. Cincinnati Enquirer. 1979. "Kentucky closes Mackey's club, citing faulty wiriing, sprinkler." Cincinnati Enquirer, December 16: 26. —. 1978. "Wilder police chief wants state to close Hard Rock Cafe." Cincinnati Enquirer, January 17: 17. Hensley, Douglas. 2005. Hell's Gate: Terror at Bobby Mackey's Music World. Denver, CO: Outskirts Press. Moores, Lew. 1993. "Court filing by club's lawyer is poetry in motion." Cincinnati Enquirer, October 22: 26. 2005. A Haunting. Television. Directed by Joe Wiecha. Performed by New Dominion Pictures. Wecker, David. 1991. "Bobby Mackey demon story: truth or bull." Cincinnati Post, July 9: 11. Wolfson, Andrew. 2022. "A twisted tale: A failed abortion, a beheading and pennies left heads up at a grave." Courier Journal, May 4. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 2, we talk through the killer’s background and troubling history with women in his life. We also go through Denise’s horrific injuries, as well as the investigation and trial that followed.  Thank you to the stupendous David White for research assistance. References Associated Press. 1994. &quot;No bail for suspect in bizarre slaying.&quot; Arizona Daily Sun, July 21: 10. Cekola, Anna. 1997. &quot;For Hubers, relief at &#39;a step in justice, anticipation of next one.&quot; Los Angeles Times, May 23: A24. Dobruck, Jeremiah. 2016. &quot;The wound that never heals.&quot; Los Angeles Times, July 1. Gomez, James. 1991. &quot;Banner used in search for woman.&quot; Los Angeles Times, July 3: 129. —. 1991. &quot;Denise Huber probably dead, investigator says.&quot; Los Angeles Times, October 10: 214. —. 1991. &quot;Hope keeps a search alive.&quot; Los Angeles Times, June 27: 224. Gomez, James, and Eric Lichtblau. 1991. &quot;Was missing woman victim of foul play.&quot; Los Angeles Times, June 6: 227. Hernandez, Greg. 1997. &quot;Famalaro defense charges witness is biased .&quot; Los Angeles Times, February 22: 309. —. 1997. &quot;Famalaro defense rests after trying to refute special circumstances.&quot; Los Angeles Times, May 21: B4. —. 1997. &quot;Famalaro judge unswayed by argument denying kidnapping.&quot; Los Angeles Times, May 15: B3. —. 1997. &quot;Famalaro jury told that the victim had drinks.&quot; Los Angeles Times, May 20: B1. —. 1997. &quot;Famalaro quickly convicted in Huber sex murder case.&quot; Los Angeles Times, May 23: 1. —. 1997. &quot;Killer who froze body sentenced to die.&quot; Los Angeles Times, September 6: A24. —. 1997. &quot;Prosecutor describes stranded motorist&#39;s last hours.&quot; Los Angeles Times, May 9: A3. —. 1997. &quot;Unraveling mysteries of Huber case.&quot; Los Angeles Times, April 21: 53. Ko, Mimi. 1992. &quot;Daughter is gone, then cancer hits.&quot; Los Angeles Times, November 7: 220. Lasseter, Don. 1998. Cold Storage: A Killer with a Heart of Ice. New York, NY: Pinnacle Books. Lindsbaum, Mark. 1991. &quot;Impasse in search from woman doesn&#39;t shake faith.&quot; Los Angeles Times, September 8: 408. Los Angeles Times. 1991. &quot;Abandoned car on freeway spurs search for Newport Beach woman.&quot; Los Angeles Times, June 5: 107. Pinsky, Mark. 1995. &quot;Famalaro trial delayed until next April.&quot; Los Angeles Times, April 11: 136. Reza, H.G., and Tammy Hyunjoo Kresta. 1994. &quot;Body is identified as Denise Huber.&quot; Los Angeles Times, July 17: 137. Tabor, Gail. 1994. &quot;Parents&#39; search ends.&quot; Arizona Republic, July 18: 1. The People vs. John Famalaro. 2011. S064306 (Supreme Court of California, July 7). The People vs. John Famalaro. 2007. S064306 (Supreme Court of the State of California, April 11). Villa, Judy, and David Schwartz. 1994. &quot;Police fear other victims in home where freezer held woman&#39;s corpse.&quot; Arizona Republic, July 18: 1. Wilgoren, Jodi. 1994. &quot;Famalaro faces sex charges in Huber slaying.&quot; Los Angeles Times, September 30: 136. Yokoi, Iris. 1992. &quot;Family of missing woman still hopeful.&quot; Los Angeles Times, June 3: 102. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of June 2, 1991, twenty-three-year-old Denise Huber went out to a concert in Inglewood, California with a friend. While driving home after the concert, Denise got a flat tire on the Corona del Mar Freeway, just a few miles from her home in Newport Beach. Two days later, the car was discovered abandoned and Denise was nowhere to be found. The disappearance of Denise Huber prompted a massive search operation in southern California and garnered considerable media attention, but their efforts turned up nothing. Years later, in 1994, a woman buying paint from a handy man in Dewey, Arizona grew suspicious of the man selling her the paint and reported her hunch to local police, including the man’s license plate number. When they ran the plate, it turned out the truck had been stolen. When they searched the vehicle a week later, investigators discovered a chest freezer in the back of the vehicle. Inside, they found the answer to a case that had stalled for years. Thank you to the talented David White for research assistance. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On January 24, 2000, sheriff’s deputies in Mentone, Alabama stopped an older model Lincoln with Ohio plates that they suspected was involved in a hit-and-run accident earlier that day. The driver was thirty-seven-year-old Hayward Bissell of Norwalk, Ohio and strapped into the seat beside him was the remains of his twenty-four-year-old girlfriend, Patricia Booher. To the deputies’ horror, Booher’s hand and leg had been severed from her body, her eyes had been gouged out, and her heart and liver had been torn out, but were still in the car. Further investigation revealed that, in addition to Booher’s murder, Bissell had also attempted to kill two other couples on what appeared to be a rampage across two states. Thank you to the ever so talented David White for research assistance :) -Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance -  Website:sczaction.org Services: Education and support groups  National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Website:nami.org   Services: General resources for mental health  Domestic Violence:  -US Hotline Number: 1(800)-799-7233 -The Battered Women's Justice Project: **We donated to them, I met with them and they are amazing** Website: BWJP.org  Services: Free legal help  -Center For Domestic Peace  Website: Centerfordomesticpeace.org   Services: Support groups References Acton, Andy. 2000. "Secret Service questions man in mutilation case." Birminghm Post-Herald, January 26: 23. Associated Press. 2002. "Mental illness plea accepted." Atlanta Constitution , February 8: D12. —. 2000. "Couple honors heroic Labrador retrievers." Birmingham Post-Herald, March 15: 16. —. 2001. "Man held in mutilation slaying to undergo more mental tests." Macon Telegraph, August 13: 12. —. 2000. "Police probe mutilation death of woman." The Anniston Star, Janaury 25: 8. —. 2000. "Suspect in mutilation death of woman to be sent to mental hsopital." The Anniston Star, January 26: 12. Bradley, Eric. 2000. "Manty native relates tale of terror." Manitowoc Herald-Times, Jul 7: 1. Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. 2000. "Mental tests urged for slaying suspect." Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Janaury 27: 14. Harper, Carol. 2000. "Dismay, disbelief follow mutilation death." Sandusky Register, January 26. Johnson, Sheila. 2013. Blood Highway. New York, NY: Pinnacle Books. Nowak, Joe. 2000. "Victim's father in prison for rape." Norwalk Reflector, January 25. Nowak, Joe, and Jonathan Rickard. 2000. "Suspect has history of violent behavior." Norfolk Reflector, January 25. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Listener Tales 75!!! This installment features a CRAY-CRAY reincarnation story, a husband turned Scooby-Doo villain and ghost turned grandma! If you have a listener tale you’d like to send in please send it to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On December 15, 1996, Baltimore police discovered the body of twenty-three-year-old Kimberly Spicer buried under a trailer on the property of a pallet factory in the city’s southwest side. Later that day, police arrested Joseph Methainy, a man who lived and worked at the factory where Spicer’s body was discovered. It didn’t take long for police to solidly connect Methainy to the murders of two additional Baltimore women as well. In his wild confessions he claimed massive victim numbers and even cannibalism.  Thanks to Dave White for research assistance! References Associated Press. 1997. "Man's trial in slaying of 2 women is postponed; change of venue sought." Baltimore Sun, July 8: 4B. —. 1996. "Accused killer called fun-loving." Daily Times, December 20: 2. —. 1997. "Mount Airy scientits finds where the bones are buried." Star-Democrat, February 5: 13. —. 1998. "Officials: Methainy attempted suicide ." Star-Democrat, March 24: 6. —. 1996. "'Practical joker' held in 3 slayings." The Capital, December 20: 14. —. 1997. "Suspected serial killer indicted." The Daily Times, January 29: 2. Hermann, Peter. 1996. "Suspect charged in 2 more slayings." Baltimore Sun, December 19: 25. —. 1996. "Suspect gives police details of 4 slayings." Baltimore Sun, December 21: 1A. —. 1996. "Suspect in slaying says he killed 2 others Police searches yield." Baltimore Sun, December 18. Higham, Scott. 1998. "Methainy found guilty of killing woman." Baltimore Sun, May 15: 8B. Hopper, Dale. 1997. "Murder suspect convicted of kidnapping, assault." Star-Democrat, November 18: 3. Investigation Discovery. 2016. Serial killer Joe 'The Cannibal' Methainy, served human burgers at his BBQ stand, dead in cell. December 19. Accessed February 27, 2023. https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/joe-the-cannibal-Methainy-the-serial-killer-with-a-penchant-for-human-flesh-burgers. Irwin, Richard. 1996. "2 men charged in woman's stabbing death." Baltimore Sun, December 16: 2B. Jacobson, Joan. 2000. "Court voids death verdict." Baltimore Sun, July 25: 11. —. 1998. "Killer given death penalty." Baltimore Sun, November 14: 1. —. 1998. "Methainy sentencing testimony begins." Baltimore Sun, November 10: 27. James, Michael. 1997. "As police sift claims, families seek solace." Baltimore Sun, January 13: 1. Methainy v. State of Maryland. 2000. 149 (Court of Appeals of Maryland, July 24). Pekkanen, Sarah. 1998. "Suspect's confession to killing played in court." Baltimore Sun, May 1: 1B. Penn, Ivan. 1997. "Slaying suspect on trial in attempted murder." Baltimore Sun, November 6: 11B. —. 1997. "Woman describes night of attack." Baltimore Sun, November 7: 7B. Prudente, Tim. 2017. "Convicted murderer dead in his cell." Baltimore Sun, August 8: A2. Shatzkin, Kate. 1997. "Death penalty to be sought in slayings of 2." Baltimore Sun, March 21. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In late November 1989, college freshman Mandy Stavik returned to her hometown of Acme, Washington to celebrate the holidays with her family. On the afternoon of November 24, the day after Thanksgiving, Mandy told her family she was going for a run. When she still hadn’t returned that evening, her mother became concerned and called around to her friends, but none had heard from her. When she still hadn’t returned the next morning, the panic set in, and the search began. For three days, the residents of Acme, Washington undertook an increasingly desperate search for Mandy Stavik and were heartbroken when her body was eventually located in the shallow water of the Nooksack River. Local police began an intense investigation, but after months of dead ends and dwindling leads, the case wound down and eventually went cold. Mandy Stavik’s death would likely have remained unsolved, were it not for a tenacious cold case detective, who in 2009 began running old DNA samples against samples collected from suspects over the last two decades. Thank you to the fantastical David White for research assistance References Associated Press. 1989. "Amanda Stavik's brother also died tragically." Lewiston Tribune, December 1. Ferm, Carol. 1989. "A flood of memories, a torrent of tears." The Bellingham Herald, December 3: 1. —. 1989. "Community's sense of peace is shattered." The Bellingham Herald, November 29: 1. —. 1989. "Family and friends keep a vigil of hope." The Bellingham Herald, November 26: 11. —. 1989. "Loss angers, saddens classmate." The Bellingham Herald, November 29: 2. —. 1989. "Reward offered." The Bellingham Herald, November 27: 1. —. 1989. "Teen presumed kidnapped." The Bellingham Herald, November 26: 1. Ferm, Carol, and Cathy Logg. 1989. "Search for missing teen continues." The Bellingham Herald, November 27: 1. —. 1989. "Stavik's body found in Nooksack." The Bellingham Herald, November 28: 1. Logg, Cathy. 1989. "Clues elusive in Stavki's death." The Bellingham Herald, November 29: 1. —. 1989. "Investigators get many tips in Stavik case." The Bellingham Herald, December 1: 13. —. 1989. "Police issue a warning about human predators." The Bellingham Herald, December 20: 11. —. 1989. "Sheriff seeks pudgy-faced man for questioning in Stavik case." The Bellingham Herald, December 3: 13. —. 1990. "Stavik case awaits tests." The Bellingham Herald, March 20: 1. —. 1992. "Stavik 'suspect' files suit." The Bellingham Herald, March 21: 1. —. 1990. "Garment ID'd tentatively as Mandy's." The Bellingham Press, January 28: 15. Mittendorf, Robert. 2017. "Arrest in 1989 killing - sheriff credits DNA." The Bellingham Herald, December 14: A1. Pratt, Denver. 2018. "Defense challenges DNA evidence in '89 slaying." The Bellingham Herald, August 11: A1. —. 2019. "Defense in murder trial opening: 'No one knows what happened to Ms. Stavik'." The Bellingham Herald, May 11: A1. —. 2017. "First-degree murder charge filed in 1989 kiling of Stavik." The Bellingham Herald, December 15: A1. —. 2019. "'I wanted to do the right thing for Mandy,' Bass' co-worker testifies." The Bellingham Herald, May 17: A1. Sirken, Alec. 2016. How two moms chatting at a water park helped crack a Thanksgiving cold case murder. July 16. Accessed May 18, 2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mandy-stavik-case-how-two-moms-chatting-at-a-water-park-helped-crack-thanksgiving-cold-case-murder/. State of Washington vs. Timothy Bass. 2021. 80156-2-I (The Court of Appeals for the State of Washington, June 1) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the morning of July 24, 1908, Delia Congdon, a deaf and non-verbal woman living alone in East Wallingford, Vermont, was found dead in her pantry—presumed to have been murdered while she prepared breakfast. At first, investigators suspected a local criminal known for his violent behavior; however, within a day, an unusual clue discovered in Congdon’s barn pointed them towards Elroy Kent, a notorious local thief and recent escapee from a nearby psychiatric hospital whose petty criminal antics had plagued police for decades. With a caveat of mental illness at stake, Kent's trial and execution came under heavy scrutiny.  Thank you to the magical and mystical Dave for research assistance.  References Bennington Banner. 1909. "Elroy Kent found guilty in the 1st degree." Bennington Banner, April 10: 1. —. 1909. "Shocking Tales in Elroy Kent murder trial." Bennington Banner, April 01: 1. Bennington Evening Banner. 1908. "Bloodhounds at East Dorset on Kent's trail." Bennington Evening Banner, August 1: 1. —. 1908. "Escaped lunatic through to be murderer ." Bennington Evening Banner, July 27: 1. —. 1909. "Evidence against Elroy Kent is increasing." Bennington Evening Banner, April 2: 1. —. 1908. "Tracing Kent by mania for name carving." Bennington Evening Banner, August 6: 1. Boston Daily Globe. 1908. "Denies killing Delia Congdon." Boston Daily Globe, October 27: 9. —. 1902. "Jumped from train." Boston Daily Globe, December 9: 3. —. 1909. "Kent "faking" says Shirres." Boston Daily Globe, April 9: 8. —. 1909. "Kent must die in 1911." Boston Daily Globe, November 3: 9. —. 1912. "State aghast at Kent mishap." Boston Daily Globe, Janaury 6: 8. Brattleboro Reformer. 1905. "Elroy Kent heard from." Brattleboro Reformer, October 6: 1. Burlington Clipper. 1902. "May do some good." Burlington Clipper, February 8: 2. Burlington Daily News. 1909. "Testimony against Kent." Burlington Daily News, April 3: 1. —. 1908. "Want $10,000 for an alleged libel." Burlington Daily News, August 25: 1. Burlington Free Press. 1908. "Foul murder in East Wallingford." Burlington Free Press, July 25: 1. —. 1909. "Grout may be called to stand." Burlington Free Press, April 5: 1. Daily Journal. 1908. "Elroy Kent under arrest ." Daily Journal, October 24: 1. Montpelier Evening Argus. 1909. "Kent pleads not guilty." Montpelier Evening Argus, March 30: 1. New York Times. 1908. "Gte insane murder suspect." New York Times, October 25: 20. Reformer, Brattleboro. 1908. "Elroy Kent a murderer?" Brattleboro Reformer, July 31: 1. Rumboldt, John. 2013. Murder on Sugar Hill. Family history, genealogy, Rutland, VT: Rutland Historical Society. Rutlad Daily Herald. 1961. "Two instances." Rutland Daily Herald, March 24: 8. Rutland Daily Herald. 1905. "Insane criminal still at large." Rutland Daily Herald, August 19: 7. —. 1908. "Murdered in E. Wallingford." Rutland Daily Herald, July 25: 1. St. Albans Daily Messenger . 1905. "Escaped last night." St. Albans Daily Messenger, August 12: 1. St. Albans Daily Messenger. 1902. "Elroy Kent back in jail." St. Albans Daily Messenger, December 8: 1. —. 1905. "Elroy Kent captured." St. Albans Daily Messenger, October 23: 1. State vs. Elroy Kent. 1909. NA (Supreme Court for the State of Vermont, October 1). Vermont Phoenix. 1902. "Burglar with record." Vermont Phoenix, January 31: 2. —. 1905. "Elroy Kent, notorious criminal arrested." Vermont Phoenix, October 27: 2. Veront Journal. 1902. "News and notes." Vermont Journal, March 8: 8. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On December 2, 2018, the parents of twenty-one-year-old Grace Millane, a British tourist on vacation in New Zealand, became concerned when the birthday wishes they sent their daughter went unacknowledged. Having completed her degree at the University of Lincoln a few months earlier, Grace had spent several weeks traveling during her gap year but had been keeping in regular contact with her parents since leaving for her trip. When they still hadn’t heard from their daughter three days later, Grace’s parents called Auckland police and reported her missing. A week later, Grace Millane’s body was discovered in a suitcase near an access road in the Waitakere Ranges, a dense wooded area about twelve miles outside Auckland. A day later, investigators arrested twenty-six-year-old Jesse Kempson, who was the last person seen with Grace on the night of the murder when the two were captured together by a CCTV camera going up to Kempson’s room at the CityLife Hotel. Please Consider Signing this Petition Thank you to our favorite David White for research assistance References BBC News. 2018. Grace Millane: Man appears in court charged with backpacker's murder. December 10. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-46502649. Creed, Rebecca. 2021. "Former flatmate of Grace Millane's killer says he was." The Echo, November 15. Critchell, Matthew. 2019. "Backpacker Grace spoke to men on bondage chat rooms,." The Echo, November 20. Emes, Toby. 2019. "Accused killer admitted Grace was dead in second interview." The Echo, November 14. Faulkner, Doug. 2019. Grace Millane murder: A trial that gripped a nation. November 22. Accessed May 2, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-50515326. Feehan, Katie. 2018. "Brother of Wickford woman missing in New Zealand says lack." The Echo, December 5. —. 2018. "Police release last known image of missing Wickford woman." The Echo, December 6. Graham-Mclay, Charlotte. 2018. "After backpacker's killing, New Zealand looks again at violence against women." New York Times, December 13. —. 2018. "New Zealand murder case leads to rebuke of Google." New York Times, December 15. —. 2018. "New Zealander accused of killing tourist." New York Times, December 9. Humphries, Will, and Bernard Lagan. 2018. "Distraught father flies to join backpacker search." The Times, December 7. Jesse Shane Kempson v. The Queen. 2021. SC 11/2021 NZSC 74 (Supreme Court of New Zealand, June 29). Kirk, Tristan. 2019. "Guilty: Fantasist who killed Grace." London Evening Standard, November 22. —. 2019. "Guilty: Grace jury takes only five hours to return verdict of murder." London Evening Standard, November 22. Kolirin, Lianne. 2020. "Grace Millane's killer attacked other women." The Times, December 22. Lagan, Bernard. 2018. "Body found in search for missing backpacker." The Times, December 10. —. 2019. "British backpacker's 'killer' lied about their Tinder date." The Times, November 13. Lagan, Bernard, and Will Humphries. 2018. "Father appeals for clues to help find missing daughter." The Times, December 8. Leask, Anna. 2020. Who is Grace Millane's murderer? Unravelling labyrinth of lies and a fatal Tinder date. February 20. Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/who-is-grace-millanes-murderer-unravelling-labyrinth-of-lies-and-a-fatal-tinder-date/PDGHMSM67MZQ5VBH4GT2XIXZ7Q/?c_id=1&objectid=12287282. MacDonald, Stuart. 2021. "'Rough sex' defence for murder could be banned." The Times, May 29. Roy, Eleanor Ainge. 2019. "Grace Millane trial: blood in hotel room likely backpacker's." The Guardian, November 8. —. 2019. "Grace Millane trial: witness says she feared she would die." The Guardian, November 11. —. 2019. "'She should have been safe here'." The Guardian, November 22. Smith, Anneka. 2020. "Grace Millane's life: far more than the details of her death." Radio New Zealand, February 21. South Wales Echo. 2020. "Grace's killer 'raped another Brit tourist'." South Wales Echo, December 23. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On May 23, 2000, teens Elizabeth "Liz" Reiser and Brandi Hicks went down to the local video store in New Philadelphia, Ohio to rent a movie. While there, they met a man who told them he had no way to get home and would pay them $20 if they would give him a ride. Both girls believed in helping their fellow human, so they agreed after a bit of hesitation. What began as a routine act of charity quickly spiraled out of control, resulting in the murder of Liz Reiser and the attempted rape and attempted murder of Brandi Hicks by the man they had intended to help, Mathew Vaca. The crimes committed against Reiser and Hicks were brutal and sent shockwaves through the small Ohio community. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the morning of December 26, 1997, police and fire services responded to a call about a structure fire at the home Bremerton, WA home of Nick and Dawn Hacheney. When they were finally able to extinguish the flames and search the home, they discovered the badly burned body of twenty-eight-year-old Dawn Hachney in her bed, where her husband had left her several hours earlier. After a brief investigation, Dawn’s death was determined to be the result of an accidental fire—a tragic end to a short life, nothing more. The case, which most had considered closed years earlier, was revived in April of 2001, when a woman went to Bremerton Police with a startling statement. She claimed to have been having an affair with Dawn’s husband Nick, at the time of Dawn’s death and that, at some point during their affair, he’d confessed to drugging his wife and setting the house on fire to cover up the murder. Investigators took the woman’s claims very seriously; however, Nick Hacheney was a former minister, which added to people's perception of the case.  Thank you to the gorgeous, vibrant and talented David White for Research assistance References:  Associated Press. 2002. "Former minister on trial in wife's death." The News Tribune, November 11: 16. Baker, Travis. 2003. "Angry words erupt at Hacheney Sentencing." Kitsap Sun, February 8: 1. —. 2002. "Defense presses woman who pointed finger." Kitsap Sun, November 27: 4. —. 2001. "Ex-minister might face life in prison without parole." Kitsap Sun, October 4: 1. —. 2001. "Ex-minister pleads innocent in wife's death." Kitsap Sun, September 18: 1. —. 2002. "Former minister guilty of murdering wife." Kitsap Sun, December 27: 1. —. 2001. "Hacheney denied reduced bail." Kitsap Sun, October 27: 4. —. 2002. "Judge: Jury will hear of alleged wife killer's affairs." Kitsap Sun, February 28: 10. —. 2002. "Pathologist testifies about changing autopsy results." Kitsap Sun, November 13: 3. —. 2002. "Sexual affairs not relevant, attorney argues." Kitsap Sun, February 9: 5. —. 2002. "Trial begins for ex-minister accused of killing wife." Kitsap Sun, November 4: 1. Kitsap Sun. 1997. "Dawn Hacheney Obituary." Kitsap Sun, December 30: 5. McCormick, Julie. 2001. "Former minister suspect in wife's death." Kitsap Sun, September 14: 1. Olsen, Gregg. 2010. A Twisted Faith: A Minister's Obsession and the Murder that Destroyed a Church. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the evening of February 16, 1981, nineteen-year-old Arne Johnson stabbed his friend and landlord Alan Bono to death during an argument, after which Johnson fled the scene and was arrested several miles away later that night. Under normal circumstances, the murder of one man by another in a small town would hardly register on the scale of national, or even regional news, but if Arne Johnson was to be believed, these weren’t ordinary circumstances. According to Arne, the devil made him do it. Thank you to Dave White for research assistance. References: Associated Press. 1986. "Man released early in 'demon murder case'." Hartford Courant, January 23: 47. Brozek, Diane. 1981. "Teen-ager charged in 'possession' case." Hartford Courant, March 20: 11. Carl Glatzel Jr. et al v. Gerald Brittle et al. 2010. DBCV-08-4008461-S (Connecticut Superior Court Judicial District of Danbury, October 25). Christoffersen, John. 2007. "Suit vs. psychic says demon murder was a hoax." Record-Journal, October 10: M3. Clendinen, Dudley. 1981. "Defendant in murder puts the devil on trial." New York Times, March 23: B1. Galup. n.d. Religion. Accessed May 10, 2023. https://news.gallup.com/poll/1690/religion.aspx. Harris, John. 1981. "Bizarre happenings surround killing in Brookfield." Hartford Courant, February 27: 2. —. 1981. "Critics bedevil demonolgist, attorney in slaying case ." Hartford Courant, June 22: B1. —. 1981. "'Demon' murder case sent to Danbury jury." Hartford Courant, November 21: 8. —. 1981. "Exorcism, demons' role argued." Hartford Courant, March 15: 1. —. 1981. "Johnson guilty in demons case." Hartford Courant, November 25: 1. —. 1981. "Judge bars demonic possession defense." Hartford Courant, October 29: 1. Healion, James. 1981. "A barmaid testified Thursday that murder suspect Arne Cheyenne..." United Press International, November 5. —. 1981. "A judge Wednesday threw out the 'demon defense'." United Press International, October 28. —. 1981. "Judge Robert J. Callahan Thursday refused to reconsider his decision." United Press International, October 29. —. 1981. "The murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson in Danbury." United Press International, November 13. Pionzio, Melissa. 2007. "'Factual' exorcism book evokes past pain." Hartford Courant, October 14: B1. Putcamp, Luise. 1981. "Supernatural episodes form prelude to killing." Buffalo Evening News, July 30: 1. —. 1981. "Suspect's alibi: He was possessed." Buffalo Evening News, August 5: 2. Stagis, Julie. 2014. "Killer's defense: He was possessed." Hartford Courant, April 22: B1. 2006. A Haunting. Directed by Stuart Taylor. Produced by Tom Naughton. United Press International. 1981. "'Demon slayer' gets 10-to-20 year sentence." United Press International, December 18. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. n.d. Exorcism. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/sacramentals-blessings/exorcism. Walzer, E.B. 1982. "Appeal dropped in 'demon' case." The Reporter Dispatch, March 19: 2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A little after 10:00 pm on the evening of May 1, 1990, Pamela Smart returned home from work to find her husband, twenty-four-year-old Gregg Smart, lying dead just beyond the front door of their condominium, a single bullet hole in his head. Detectives from the small town of Derry, NH arrived to find what appeared to be the scene of a robbery; though, very little looked to have been stolen and to investigators the scene felt staged. Two days later, Derry Police Captain Loring Jackson announced that Gregg Smart’s death wasn’t a random attacked, he’d been murdered by someone who knew him. The murder of Gregg Smart, and the trial that followed, shocked the population of New Hampshire, where it remains perhaps the most notorious criminal trial in the state’s history. As the first criminal trial to be televised from beginning to end, the case of Pamela Smart and her teenage lover captivated a national audience, leading to television and feature films, several nonfiction books, and countless television specials in the decades that followed. Special thank you to the brilliant David White for research assistance References Baker, Frank. 1990. "Smart to be jailed until trial." Concord Monitor, August 14: 1. —. 1990. "Widow charged as accomplice." Concord Monitor, August 2: 14. Carton, Barbara. 1991. "The Pamela Smart story." Boston Globe, Marcg 21. 1991. NH v. Smart: Opening Statements. Directed by Court TV. Performed by Court TV. Derry News. 1990. "Family and friends puzzle over murder." Derry News, May 4: 1. Englade, Ken. 1991. Deadly Lessons. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. Gaines, Judith, and Alexander Reid. 1991. "Jurors say tales a key to their decision." Boston Globe, March 23: 1. Hernandez, Monica. 2023. Accomplice in Smart murder asks for sentence reduction. January 10. Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.wmur.com/article/smart-murder-vance-lattime-sentence-reduction/42449265. Hohler, Bob. 1991. "3 guilty in N.H. killing." Boston Globe, January 30: 1. —. 1991. "Confidant was wired by police." Boston Globe, March 15: 21. —. 1991. "Smart is found guilty." Boston Globe, March 23: 1. —. 1991. "Smart pleaded for life, N.H. teen-ager testifies." Boston Globe, March 6: 19. —. 1991. "Tales of seduction." Boston Globe, March 12: 1. —. 1990. "Tape offered at Smart hearing." Boston Globe, August 14. —. 1991. "Witness: Smart asked for tips on reaction." Boston Globe, March 3: 27. —. 1991. "Youth says blood flowed, tears did not." Boston Globe, March 13: 35. Kilgannon, Corey. 2023. "Smart, who plotted with a teen lover to kill her husband, loses a parole bid." New York Times, March 30. Kittredge, Clare. 1991. "A verdict to take to son's grave." Boston Globe, March 23: 1. —. 1991. "Smart trial garners big TV audience." Boston Globe, March 17: 1. Richardson, Franci. 1990. "Mrs. Smart absolutely convinced husband surprised thief." Derry News, May 9: 1. Sawicki, Stephen. 1991. Teach Me to Kill: The Shocking True Story of the Pamela Smart Murder Case. New York, NY: Avon Books. Schweitzer, Sarah. 2015. "5 years later, shooter to go free: William Flynn was 16 when he was lured into murder by Pamela Smart." Boston Globe, March 13: A1. State of New Hampshire v. Pamela Smart. 1993. 622 A.2d 1197 (Supreme Court of New Hampshire, February 26). Wang, Beverley. 2005. "Pamela Smart accomplice released." Concord Monitor, June 15: 10. West, Nancy. 2016. Breaking Silence: Cecelia Pierce Speaks. October 12. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.nhmagazine.com/breaking-silence-cecelia-pierce-speaks/. West, Nancy, and David Mendelsohn. 2016. Pamela Smart: innocent of (still) guilty. October 13. Accessed April 29, 2023. https://www.nhmagazine.com/pamela-smart-innocent-or-still-guilty/   https://www.bostonherald.com/2015/03/09/brother-of-pamela-smarts-victim-killer-did-his-time/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mention the Pamela Smart case to someone in New Hampshire, and they'll know exactly what you're talking about. The case captivated the nation in the early 90's and at the center of it all, of course, was Pamela. A New Hampshire native, she had big dreams of becoming somebody and making a name for herself. She moved away from her small town and almost did, but in the name of love she moved back home and settled into her career as a School Administrator. It was via that position that she would meet young sophomore in High School, Billy Flynn. Pam groomed the boy, and had him thinking they were fully in love before she asked him a question that would change both of their lives forever: Would he murder her husband? In part one we'll cover the early life of both Pam and her husband, Gregg Smart, we'll break down how Pam and Billy became involved with each other and just how Pam got Billy to believe that murdering her husband was what it would take for them to be together forever. Special thank you to the brilliant David White for research assistance References Baker, Frank. 1990. "Smart to be jailed until trial." Concord Monitor, August 14: 1. —. 1990. "Widow charged as accomplice." Concord Monitor, August 2: 14. Carton, Barbara. 1991. "The Pamela Smart story." Boston Globe, Marcg 21. 1991. NH v. Smart: Opening Statements. Directed by Court TV. Performed by Court TV. Derry News. 1990. "Family and friends puzzle over murder." Derry News, May 4: 1. Englade, Ken. 1991. Deadly Lessons. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press. Gaines, Judith, and Alexander Reid. 1991. "Jurors say tales a key to their decision." Boston Globe, March 23: 1. Hernandez, Monica. 2023. Accomplice in Smart murder asks for sentence reduction. January 10. Accessed May 1, 2023. https://www.wmur.com/article/smart-murder-vance-lattime-sentence-reduction/42449265. Hohler, Bob. 1991. "3 guilty in N.H. killing." Boston Globe, January 30: 1. —. 1991. "Confidant was wired by police." Boston Globe, March 15: 21. —. 1991. "Smart is found guilty." Boston Globe, March 23: 1. —. 1991. "Smart pleaded for life, N.H. teen-ager testifies." Boston Globe, March 6: 19. —. 1991. "Tales of seduction." Boston Globe, March 12: 1. —. 1990. "Tape offered at Smart hearing." Boston Globe, August 14. —. 1991. "Witness: Smart asked for tips on reaction." Boston Globe, March 3: 27. —. 1991. "Youth says blood flowed, tears did not." Boston Globe, March 13: 35. Kilgannon, Corey. 2023. "Smart, who plotted with a teen lover to kill her husband, loses a parole bid." New York Times, March 30. Kittredge, Clare. 1991. "A verdict to take to son's grave." Boston Globe, March 23: 1. —. 1991. "Smart trial garners big TV audience." Boston Globe, March 17: 1. Richardson, Franci. 1990. "Mrs. Smart absolutely convinced husband surprised thief." Derry News, May 9: 1. Sawicki, Stephen. 1991. Teach Me to Kill: The Shocking True Story of the Pamela Smart Murder Case. New York, NY: Avon Books. Schweitzer, Sarah. 2015. "5 years later, shooter to go free: William Flynn was 16 when he was lured into murder by Pamela Smart." Boston Globe, March 13: A1. State of New Hampshire v. Pamela Smart. 1993. 622 A.2d 1197 (Supreme Court of New Hampshire, February 26). Wang, Beverley. 2005. "Pamela Smart accomplice released." Concord Monitor, June 15: 10. West, Nancy. 2016. Breaking Silence: Cecelia Pierce Speaks. October 12. Accessed April 24, 2023. https://www.nhmagazine.com/breaking-silence-cecelia-pierce-speaks/. West, Nancy, and David Mendelsohn. 2016. Pamela Smart: innocent of (still) guilty. October 13. Accessed April 29, 2023. https://www.nhmagazine.com/pamela-smart-innocent-or-still-guilty/   https://www.bostonherald.com/2015/03/09/brother-of-pamela-smarts-victim-killer-did-his-time/ Thanks to Care/of for being a sponsor of this episode. For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code MORBID50. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've got a listener tale up in here!! This week we are joined by Alaina's #bffAF, the one and only Jon Lee Brody. On today's installment we feature stories of spooky road adventures, badass moms, asshole friends & some demon encounters. Check out That Was Pretty Scary New episodes every Wednesday! If you have a listener tale that you would like to send in please do so and direct it to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with "Listener Tale" somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the final chapter of our coverage of H.H.Holmes, we talk about the theories connecting him to Jack the Ripper, his final days on the run and a trial and execution that has gone down in history.  Thank you to Dave White for research assistance. References Boston Daily Globe. 1895. "At Burlington." Boston Daily Globe, August 8: 7. —. 1894. "Believes husband dead." Boston Daily Globe, November 20: 1. —. 1894. "Believes husband dead." Boston Daily Globe, November 20: 1. —. 1895. "Hard and Selfish." Boston Daily Globe, August 7: 5. —. 1894. "In the toils." Boston Daily Globe, November 18: 1. —. 1895. "Mother's Love." Boston Daily Globe, August 6: 5. Chicago Chronicle. 1895. "Tells of one crime." Chicago Chronicle, July 30: 2. —. 1895. "Trail of the fiend." Chicago Chronicle, July 21: 1. Chicago Tribune. 1894. "Spins his own web." Chacgo Tribune, November 22: 1. —. 1895. "Holmes recognized in Toronto." Chcago Tribune, July 17: 12. Daily Boston Globe. 1895. "Good Fisherman." Daily Boston Globe, August 9: 4. Galveston Daily News. 1894. "Two Texas Girls." Galveston Daily News, November 22: 1. Geyer, Frank P. 1896. The Holmes-Pitezel Case: A History of the Greatest Crime of the Century and of the Search for the Missing Pitezel Children. Philadelphia, PA: Publishers' Union. Kerns, Rebecca, Tiffany Lewis, and Cailtin McClure. 2012. Herman Webster Mudgett: Dr. H.H. Holmes or Beast of Chicago. Lecture, Radford, VA: Department of Psychology, Radford University. Larson, Erik. 2003. Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America. New York, NY: Crown Publishers. Mudgett, Herman W. 1895. Holmes' Own Story. Philadelphia, PA: Burke and McFetridge Company. New York Times. 1895. "A boy Holmes' first victim." New York Times, July 31: 3. —. 1896. "Appeal of murderer Holmes." New York Times, February 4: 8. —. 1895. "Claims an alibi." New York Times, July 17: 1. —. 1896. "Holmes cool to the end." New York Times, May 8: 1. —. 1895. "Holmes enters a plea of guilty." New York Times, May 29: 1. —. 1896. "Holmes in a ton of cement." New York Times, May 9: 1. —. 1895. "Holmes sentenced to die." New York Times, December 1: 13. —. 1894. "May be charged with murder." New York Times, November 19: 2. —. 1895. "The Williams girls' fate." New York Times, July 21: 10. Philadelphia Inquirer. 1894. "Cause of death a mystery." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 6: 6. —. 1896. "Holmes' chronology." Philadelphia Inquirer, April 12: 18. —. 1896. "Holmes Confesses 27 murders." Philadelphia Inquirer, April 26: 1. Philadelphia Times. 1894. "All looking for Pitezel." Philadelphia Times, November 21: 1. —. 1894. "Perry's Peculiar Death." Philadelphia Times, September 5: 3. Selzer, Adam. 2017. H.H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil. New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1894. "Arrested Again." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 29: 8. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 4 of H.H. Holmes, it gets even wilder. This man has now headed to Texas with his 500th wife and is ready to join his partner in crime, Benjamin Pitezel to steal Minnie Williams' inherited land. He has plans. He plans to now build a Texas murder castle like the one he created in Chicago. But first, Pitezel and Holmes need to scheme their way into a payday, using an insurance scam and faking Pitezel's death. When it looks like Pitezel might back out, things go sour and Holmes goes on a murder spree that brings him to several states and even Canada. Strap in, friends. It's complicated and horrific here. Thank you to Dave White for research assistance. Resources: Philadelphia Inquirer. 1894. "Cause of death a mystery." Philadelphia Inquirer, September 6: 6. —. 1896. "Holmes' chronology." Philadelphia Inquirer, April 12: 18. —. 1896. "Holmes Confesses 27 murders." Philadelphia Inquirer, April 26: 1. Philadelphia Times. 1894. "All looking for Pitezel." Philadelphia Times, November 21: 1. —. 1894. "Perry's Peculiar Death." Philadelphia Times, September 5: 3. Selzer, Adam. 2017. H.H. Holmes: The True History of the White City Devil. New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 3 H.H. Holmes isn't done being adulterous and he's taking evil to another level. He's conning wives left and right and then takes to arson to earn a quick buck. Today, we go deeper into the design of his "murder castle" while also watching this con man/killer descend further into madness. What will be his undoing? Stay tuned... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In part 2 we talk about the infamous "Murder Castle" and begin to dive into the crimes committed there. Holmes' brutality and savagery knew no bounds and now he has a whole building to do it in. Thank you to Dave White for research assistance! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Boston police arrested Dr. Henry Howard Holmes in a West End boarding house on November 17, 1894, they assumed they had apprehended an interstate criminal guilty of defrauding the Fidelity Insurance company of $10,000 and of being a horse thief in Texas. Holmes had been tracked to New England by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, who had suspected him of other crimes in various cities across the country; yet even the most seasoned and creative detective couldn’t have imagined the horrific scope and magnitude of crimes he’d committed. Thanks Dave for this magnificent synopsis! Thanks to Care/of for being a sponsor of this episode. For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter code MORBID50. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When the body of fourteen-year-old Chris Steiner was discovered floating in the Wisconsin River on July 10, 1994, it brought a heartbreaking end to the search for the boy who had mysteriously disappeared from his Baraboo, Wisconsin home a week earlier. Officially, the cause of death was drowning. His death was a tragic accident, and nothing more. But was it? A year later, a harrowing 911 call from 14 year old Thad Phillips would bring to light a monster in the boys' own neighborhood, one that would change the ruling in Chris Steiner's death and horrify the community forever. References Associated Press. 1997. Court awards $21M in torture case. October 14. Accessed April 6, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/5ded061aa228f6b8a597557fb8724258. —. 1995. "Teen-age suspect in kidnapping-torture was taunted by peers about 1994 death." Wisconsin State Journal, August 11: 24. Chickering, Pam. 1994. "Baraboo teen-ager missing." Baraboo News Republic, July 8: 1. Clark, Anita. 1996. "Expert: Clark is a sadist, not insane." Wisconsin State Journal, September 18. Dvorak, Rich, and Troy Laack. 1994. "Clue's sought in teen's death." Baraboo News Republic, July 13: 1. —. 1994. "Missing youth's body found." Baraboo News Republic, July 12: 1. Elbow, Steven. 1997. "Expert witness denied voice at Clark trial." Baraboo News Republic, November 7: 1. —. 1996. "Formal charges filed in Steiner case." Portage Daily Register, September 26: 1. Grunig, Tara. 1995. "Clark charged as adult in Phillips case." The Daily Register, September 8: 1. Jaeger, Richard. 1995. "Autopsy discovers broken bones." Wisconsin State Journal, August 5: 1. —. 1995. "Kidnapping-torture similar to year-old case." Wisconsin State Journal, August 3: 1. —. 1995. "Teen questioned in '94 drowning." Wisconsin State Journal, August 4: 1D-2D. O'Connell, Mike. 1995. "13-year-old boy kidnapped, tortured." Baraboo News Republic, August 2: 1. —. 1996. "Clark's defense." Baraboo News Republic, September 17: 1. —. 1996. "'Do you know Chris Steiner'." Baraboo News Republic, September 17: 1. —. 1996. "Jurors bring swift decision; Clark faces 110 hard years." Baraboo News Republic, September 19: 1. —. 1995. "Report confirms incident details." Baraboo News Republic, August 2: 1. Seely, Ron. 1994. "Teen's parents left to wonder." Wisconsin State Journal, August 7: 21. State of Wisconsin v. Joseph C. Clark. 1998. 97-3584-CR (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, September 3). State of Wisconsin v. Joseph C. Clark. 1999. 98-2402-CR-NM (Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, March 25). Wisconsin State Journal. 1996. "Broken-bome assault case brings plea of no contest." Wisconsin State Journal, September 6. —. 1996. "Shooting delays murder hearing ." Wisconsin State Journal, October 11. —. 1997. "Teen killer who tortured victims gets life in prison." Wisconsin State Journal, November 21. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.