Beyond Bizarre True Crime

Billionaire Zappos founder and tech CEO Tony Hsieh was obsessed with happiness and helping people achieve it. After running “the world's happiest company” for two decades, Hsieh created his experimental community — The Downtown Project — dedicated to pursuing happiness. But what do Tony's life and death reveal about Silicon Valley's obsession with re-imagining how society functions? "A gripping tale" - The Guardian Listen and follow now: https://link.chtbl.com/costofhappiness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here's your special preview episode of the new series Elizabeth the First – about the remarkable life of Elizabeth Taylor. In our preview, Elizabeth Taylor overcomes unthinkable loss and rises as the biggest movie star on the planet. She uses this power to negotiate a legendary payday for her leading role as CLEOPATRA. All eyes are now on Elizabeth, and the years ahead will be tumultuous ones. Headline News says ‘I love Elizabeth the First' and the Toronto Star says the podcast is ‘sumptuously produced'. Find out what all the buzz is about by listening to the full series right now: https://link.chtbl.com/elizabeththefirst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warsaw, Missouri, is a small, rural town of just over 2,000 people in the American Midwest. Locally it's known as the “quiet end of the Lake of the Ozarks.” Very few realize that it's the paddlefish capital of the world. But when a new group arrived driving flashy, imported cars and dropping hundreds of dollars on bait and tackle, the town became the setting for an undercover federal sting operation tasked with bringing down a suspected international caviar poaching ring.  Financial Times says Paddlefish is an "intriguing crime caper" and "a Hollywood thriller begging to be made" Listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/paddlefish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sheree Warren left her job in Salt Lake City on a mild October evening in 1985. She told a coworker she was headed to meet her estranged husband, Charles Warren, at a car dealership. But she never made it, Sheree vanished. When her car mysteriously surfaced weeks later, hundreds of miles away in Las Vegas, no one could say how it got there.   When a young mother disappears under unexplained circumstances, police always turn suspicious eyes towards the husband. And although there was distrust around Charles Warren, he wasn't the only suspect when Sheree went missing. She also had a boyfriend, a former cop named Cary Hartmann, who lived a sinister double life.   Season three follows two suspects– men who both raised suspicion for investigators. But with two strong persons of interest with competing facts and evidence, it muddied the murder investigation. This season, host Dave Cawley, digs into the lives of these two men, the details of the case and examines the intersections between domestic abuse and sexual violence. The COLD team seeks to answer the question: what really happened to Sheree Warren?   Hey Prime Members, listen to the Amazon Music exclusive podcast, COLD, in the Amazon Music App. Download the app today: www.amazon.com/COLD_us_pfd_AA_110122. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fear and hysteria grip the small town of Gilmer, Texas, when the search for missing teenager Kelly Wilson takes a series of bizarre and shocking turns. Thirty years later, journalist Wes Ferguson returns home to uncover what really happened to Kelly, who has never been found, in this wild, 10-episode true crime podcast.  Listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/deviltown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a world where “influence” equals follower counts and likes, there was one woman who, over the course of her career and half a century before, defined the meaning of influence and transformed its power.  She went the distance by living a remarkable life beyond the dazzle - breaking ground as the first true influencer. Her name?  Elizabeth Taylor. Narrated by Katy Perry, Elizabeth the First is a 10-episode podcast series exploring the life of Elizabeth Taylor as Hollywood icon, mother, wife, entrepreneur, advocate… and influencer. Listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/elizabeththefirst Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once called “the miracle on the beach,” Synanon began in the 1960s as an experimental rehab facility in Santa Monica, California with a radical claim: It could cure heroin addiction. Before long, it would make an even bolder claim: It could cure any of your problems. All you had to do was move in. What started in a house on the beach, soon spread to compounds across the country. The man who made the miracle happen, Charles E. Dederich, aka “Chuck,” would be the one to destroy it all, along with the lives of many of his followers and millions of dollars in assets. The Sunshine Place tells the mind-blowing, true-story of Synanon - one of America's most cutting edge social experiments, turned into one of its most dangerous and violent cults - as it's never been told before: by the people who lived it. Executive Produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, and Emily Barclay Ford for Team Downey and C13Originals, together with Josh McLaughlin for Wink Pictures and written, produced, and directed by Peabody-nominated C13Originals, a Cadence13 Studio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Sean Kipe and Imperative Entertainment comes the story of former Georgia police officer Michael Chapel, convicted of the 1993 robbery and brutal murder of Emogene Thompson and sentenced to life in prison. However, with the recent surfacing of new information, Chapel's story may have taken a dramatic turn – one that could potentially prove his innocence. Kipe takes a deep dive into Chapel's past to find the unbelievable truth behind a story that involves corrupt police officers, crime rings, drug trafficking, steroids, and murder. Listen to the series right now: https://link.chtbl.com/inthelandoflies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anyone can start a marathon, but not everyone crosses the finish line. Whether you're competing against other runners or perhaps a horse, while running underwater, or with a glass of wine in hand, it really doesn't matter as long as you give it your best. Some marathons are serious and proper, while others are complete madness! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Thornton II had everything. He was born into a wealthy family in the bluegrass state of Kentucky, went to the best schools, and had all the opportunities in the world ahead of him. He wanted to serve his country, so he joined the US Army. He wanted to serve his community, so he joined the police force. But when the excitement of busting bad guys became boring, he looked for it elsewhere. Andrew Thornton II found it on the other side of the law. It didn't end well for him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a car bomb kills Daphne Caruana Galizia on the beautiful Mediterranean island of Malta, the hunt for her killers exposes secrets with consequences that go far beyond its shores. In the aftermath of her death an international team of journalists comes together to continue her work. Along the way they start to uncover clues that might lead to her killers. From Wondery, comes a new story about power, corruption and one woman's fight for the truth. Hosted by investigative reporter Stephen Grey.   Listen to Who Killed Daphne? wondery.fm/TS_Daphne Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Professional surfer, glamourous jewel thief, convicted murderer, reformed evangelist. Jack “Murf the Surf” Murphy's life took on many forms. Yet, Murf the Surf was best known for his daring robbery of rare gems at the Natural Museum of History in New York City in 1964, which turned him into a folk hero. That was just a few years before he was convicted of beating, stabbing, and shooting a woman to death aboard a boat in Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During a 3-week period in October 2002, a team of snipers went on a killing spree in and around the Washington DC area. Bizarre clues were left at several crime scenes, including a tarot card with the words “Call Me God”, adding a chilling twist to an already twisted case. With 17 people already dead and almost a dozen more wounded, police were in a race against the clock to capture the DC sniper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In October 2002, residents of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC became targets for a team of snipers. The two-person group was responsible for killing 17 people and injuring almost a dozen more. The kill team was well trained and stayed well hidden, making them incredibly difficult to locate or identify. Over several months, they terrorized millions of people and were the subject of one of the largest manhunts ever in the US. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In July 1976, the small town of Chowchilla, California was rocked by the largest mass kidnapping in US history. A school bus carrying 26 students, along with its driver, was ambushed by a group of armed men. They were taken to a remote rock quarry and stripped down to their underwear. Each one was then ordered down a ladder into a container truck that had been buried 15 feet underground. They had no idea where they were, who had taken them, or why they had just been buried alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When police in the UK received a panicked phone call from a teenage boy in the summer of 2003, it seemed fairly routine. His friend had been stabbed and was in need of medical attention. Authorities were told it was a random, unprovoked attack, but that could not have been farther from the truth. In fact, the attack had been meticulously planned for months. The perpetrator was so unexpected and the whole situation was so strange, authorities almost dismissed the case entirely. England had never seen a crime like this before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing the true crime podcast Persona: The French Deception— the story of Gilbert Chikli, one of the greatest con artists of all time. What does it feel like to pick up the phone and scam someone out of $50 million? Host and award-winning journalist, Evan Ratliff, investigates how Chikli successfully duped some of the world's most powerful people into handing over their fortunes. He explores how Chikli evaded the law for years and became a Robin Hood-like hero. More than just a tale of criminal genius, this is a show about the moment we're living in right now — the golden age of scammers — and the power of seduction. But what happens when the fantasy we've been lured into finally crumbles away? For all that and more, follow “Persona: The French Deception” wherever you get your podcasts. Or you can listen early on Amazon Music or early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app: wondery.fm/TRUE_Persona Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In March 1989, when a 21-year-old student from Texas went missing while on spring break in Mexico, it sparked a federal investigation on both sides of the border. The search led authorities down a bizarre and gruesome rabbit hole of mysticism and the occult that included everything from drug running to human sacrifice. It's cases like this that make you want to sleep with the light on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a man was found dead on a South Australia beach in 1948, it kicked off one of the most bizarre cases that country's authorities had ever seen. With no identification and all the labels cut out of his clothing, police did find a torn piece of paper with two mysterious words. The words led to an unbreakable code in the back of the book. Had he committed suicide or was it murder? Why had no one come forward to identify him? That was just the beginning of what would become one of Australia's strangest cold cases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They can be high-tech or unsophisticated, but either way, the purpose of a booby trap is the same, to surprise the target. In 2002, a retired engineer in Belgium thought he would surprise his estranged family with not one, but 19 hidden traps around his house. Each one was lethal and each one was cleverly disguised. Oh yeah, and to find them, you needed to crack a series of codes. In 2018, a man in the US created what authorities would dub the Indiana Jones house. It might have something to do with the massive hot tub turned on its side rigged to roll down the steep driveway. That was just the beginning! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Fall of 1982, taking something as simple as a pill for your headache could have been fatal. That's because someone was tampering with Tylenol capsules and filling them with cyanide. When it comes to risky pain relief treatment, taking an over-the-counter pill usually doesn't rank at the top of the list. For those living in the Chicago area, however, it was gambling with death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's something both terrifying and fascinating about explosions. Basic curiosity demands that we see what's going on, while our survival instinct tells us to run. When a fireworks factory in the Netherlands went up in flames back in 2000, onlookers thought the multi-colored sparks and smoke would be the extent. They had no idea it would become one of the largest disasters in that country's history. Almost a hundred years earlier, a ship in the busy port of Halifax, Nova Scotia detonated, becoming the most powerful human-made blast prior to the atomic bomb. The thing about an accidental explosion is, you'll never see it coming! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You never really know someone…especially online. In today's world, the power of influence can be the quickest path to money and fame, and it often ends in ruin. These are the stories of the world's most insidious Scamfluencers. And we are their prey. On Wondery's new weekly series, join co-hosts Scaachi Koul and Sarah Hagi as they unpack epic stories of deception from the worlds of social media, fashion, finance, health, and wellness. These influencers claim to be everything from charismatic healers to trusted financial insiders to experts in dating. They cast spells over millions. Why do we believe them, and how does our culture allow them to thrive? From Black Swan Murder to a fake social media influencer to an audacious Hollywood Ponzi schemer, each season will take the listener along the twists and turns, the impact on victims, and what's left when the facade falls away. Listen to Scamfluencers: wondery.fm/TS_Scamfluencers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new series on the 1974 Huntsville, TX prison siege, one of the most infamous hostage crises in American history that played out in dramatic fashion over 11 days – all in front of a terrified national audience. 100 hours of newly uncovered audio containing the actual hostage negotiations and the deadly shoot-out tell the story like never before. Listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/standoff Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are accidents and then there are freak accidents. The difference is that when it comes to freak accidents, the victim will never see it coming. Whether you're lying in bed, eating a carrot, sitting on the toilet, or out for a quiet day of fishing, it doesn't matter how many safety precautions are taken or how simple the activity. In the end, there's no way to predict when or how it will happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever been mistaken for somebody else? It's one thing to share a resemblance, but what if the likeness is so uncanny that you could be a twin. In the case of three strangers in New York, it turned out they were actually identical triplets who had been separated at birth. The heart-warming reunion quickly turned to shock when the dark truth surrounding the circumstances of their separation came to light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As long as criminals have been breaking the law, authorities have been coming up with clever ways to catch them. From dressing up in ridiculous disguises to developing sophisticated technology, there's apparently nothing law enforcement won't do to get their man. What's even more incredible than the crazy sting operations conceived by police are the crooks that fall for them! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the series premiere, radio DJ Fred Heckman (Jon Hamm) receives an unexpected call from a listener that turns his life upside down. Follow American Hostage on Amazon Music, to hear all 8 episodes right now:   wondery.fm/TRUE_AmericanHostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're a fan of reading murder mysteries, you might be familiar with the concept of a ‘locked room' scenario. It's when the victim is killed under seemingly impossible circumstances, leaving the reader questioning how the perpetrator was able to get away with it. It's essentially the literary recipe for the perfect crime. Yet, stories like this are not just limited to words on a page. There are plenty of ‘stranger than fiction' cases that have left police scratching their heads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over a decade during the 1940s and 50s, an unassuming man named John Christie was quickly becoming one of Britain's most infamous serial killers. He hid the bodies behind the walls of his apartment, under the floorboards, and in the garden. But it's not just the murders that makes this one of the worst in the country's history. If you ever wondered why England doesn't have the death penalty, it's because of this horrific case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Youtubers promise their followers the secret of true love. But when some of their believers cross the line from love to obsession, the Youtubers are accused of running a cult. As they fight for their new way of life, their followers face a choice too. They have been promised a chance to find The One, but how far is too far? Listen to Twin Flames: wondery.fm/TA_TwinFlames Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It must be a strange experience to wake up one day to find out that you've been declared dead. It's something that celebrities know well. From Paul Rudd to Jeff Goldblum, it can't be pleasant to find out the news outlets have killed you off. It's not just the misinformation they have to deal with in the aftermath of such announcements, it's all the conspiracy theories that come along with it! Fun times for the famous! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It started as a military outpost in the middle of the North Sea, but the small British stronghold once called Fort Roughs would soon become the world's smallest nation – sort of. It might not be recognized as a sovereign country, but the Principality of Sealand has seen its share of international conflict over the years. From, pirate radio stations and mercenary invasions, to Guinness Records and its own royal family, this tiny territory is no stranger to excitement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the 1920s to the 1950s, nothing was more fashionable for the rich and famous than adopting a child. Unlike the Hollywood fairytale endings, thousands of children during that time were bought and sold in a real-life baby black market. For decades, the undisputed boss of that underworld was a charming and pleasant woman from Tennessee named Georgia Tann. To this day, she remains the most prolific child predator in US history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Enjoy this clip from Chameleon, Wild Boys. Subscribe and listen to Chameleon, Wild Boys wherever you get your podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When neighbors disagree, it can often be the start of some pretty serious passive aggressiveness. Anonymous notes, dirty looks, and all-around juvenile behavior often ensues. But if that's the most it escalates, consider yourself lucky. You could have a neighbor who decides to build a spite house. This is a structure designed with one purpose in mind, to annoy one's neighbor by blocking daylight, views, and access to other areas. From Boston's famous Skinny House to the Richardson Spite House in New York City, it's amazing how far some people will go to show their frustration! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn't love a good movie? Whether it's a romcom or an action adventure, sometimes there's no better escape from reality. Behind the scenes, however, the reality is that movie making is a pretty risky business. From crewmembers being eaten by sharks to actors literally losing their heads for the perfect shot, the industry is not for everyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to being in the wrong place at the wrong time, sometimes making it out in one piece comes down to good old-fashioned luck. In maritime history, the award for luckiest person goes to a woman named Violet Jessop. She not only survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, but she also survived the sinking of another famous ocean liner, Britannic, four years later. Incredibly, Violet Jessop was aboard the RMS Olympic when it almost sank years earlier after colliding with a military vessel. The Queen of Sinking Ships eventually earned the nickname Miss Unsinkable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever been in the North End of Boston on a hot day, you might have noticed the sweet smell of molasses. That's because in January 1919, over 2 million gallons of the sticky liquid burst from a massive holding tank killing 21 people and injuring more than 150 others. Over 100 years later, the smell lingers. Or how about in 1914, when a beer tsunami killed several people in London? The wave was 15 feet high and contained enough beer to fill millions of pint glasses. And then there's the burning river of whiskey that set fire to homes and businesses as it flowed through Dublin. Not all deadly floods are made of water! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sylvester Stallone brings you The Comeback: an immersive, cinematic documentary series about meteoric success, devastating falls and inspirational comebacks - all told by the people who lived them. Listen Now: https://link.chtbl.com/comeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 In this C13Features podcast movie presentation of Ghostwriter, Kate Mara and Adam Scott star in a psychological thriller about a former journalist who reluctantly accepts a job ghostwriting a new murder mystery novel for an eccentric billionaire. Kate Michaels has been living a solitary life after a traumatic experience, but after pressure from her rational agent and candid best friend, she begrudgingly concedes that she needs the work. As she collaborates with the enigmatic James Webber on the project, she finds herself growing dependent on him and starts to suspect that something is wrong…deeply wrong. Will Kate be able to trust herself with James' story, or even her own voice? Grab some popcorn, and get lost in your imagination in this gripping and suspenseful podcast movie experience, Ghostwriter, from C13Features. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2010, the body of 55 year-old Greg Fleniken was found inside a hotel room in Beaumont, Texas. It was initially assumed that he died of a heart attack. After all, he tended to enjoy life to the fullest, and there was no sign of foul play. When the medical examiner started the autopsy, he expected no surprises. So, it came as a shock that the body's internal damage was so severe that it had to be from blunt force trauma. It wasn't. A private investigator and the lead detective teamed up to uncover what really happened in the curious murder of Greg Fleniken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Olympic games have always been the ultimate competition. It showcases the very best of human athletic achievement. But what happens when scandal overshadows epic performances? From a marathon runner who rode as a passenger in a car for most of the race to a skier who made the Olympics by switching countries 3 times. Usually, legends are forged in the heat of competition, but not in these cases! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1974, police in Iceland were dealing with two separate disappearances in just the span of months. In a country where violent crime was almost unheard of, the pressure was on to solve both cases. With no bodies, eyewitnesses, or forensic evidence, authorities were getting desperate for a lead. When a suspect in an unrelated case said she had a nightmare about one of the missing people, police seized the opportunity. That nightmare turned into confessions from six people. The only problem was, none of them had any idea what they were talking about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Agent is the remarkable true story of Jack Barsky, the longest-surviving known member of the KGB illegals program operated during the height of the Cold War. Barsky hid in plain sight in America for 10 years, all the while leading dual lives on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. On one fateful day, he was confronted with an impossible choice. Narrated by Alden Ehrenreich. Listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/theagent Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was one of the largest manhunts in the history of French law enforcement. In 2011, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes vanished after murdering his wife and four children and burying them in the backyard. Authorities were confident he hadn't left the country, but after years of searching, he was nowhere to be found. When a body hanging from a tree was found in the woods, police thought they had their suspect. When human remains were found inside a cave, they were sure it was him. Each time, it turned out to be someone else. So, where could France's most infamous fugitive be hiding? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a family of 6 and their 2 dogs went missing from their home in France in April 2011, authorities were stumped. When they checked the house, there was no sign of a disturbance and everything was neat and orderly. Police thought the family had simply gone on vacation. That was until a letter arrived stating they were suddenly in the US federal witness protection program and further communication would be dangerous. Seemed odd to family. When investigators returned to the empty home and scoured for clues, they found a lot more than they expected. What followed became one of the most intriguing and infamous cases in French history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In January 2012, over 4,000 passengers and crew boarded the Costa Concordia cruise ship for a week of fun off the coast of Italy. The luxury ship was called “the Ferrari of the seas” and like any sport vehicle, you have to see what it can do every now and then. That is, of course, unless it's a 1,000 ft long, 150 ft tall floating city on water. In that case, maybe don't steer too far off course? Solid advice that, unfortunately, was not taken by the captain. The result was a disaster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like everyone else, even nuns just want to have fun. After devoting their lives to helping those in need, it's hard to blame them for wanting to let loose every now and then. Some sisters find peace along the Las Vegas strip, trading Rosary beads for casino chips. But their holy connection doesn't always pay off. To fund her gambling addiction, one nun in California is currently facing up to 40 years in prison after stealing close to $1 million from the grade school where she was principal. Across the ocean, a woman in Italy has avoided police for over 2 years by moving from convent to convent posing as a holy sister. There are tons of stories about nuns doing amazing work, but this episode is not about them. This one is all about when good nuns go bad! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to air travel, no one enjoys long layovers or flight delays. Now imagine being stuck inside an airport terminal not just for a few hours, but for years. That's exactly what happened to a traveler who ended up stuck in France's busiest airport for an incredible 18 years. Even more amazing, that's not the only person this has happened to, nor is it even close to the longest! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind the innocent jingles and delicious frozen treats, the beloved ice cream truck isn't always what it appears. In the 1980s, criminal organizations in Scotland used the friendly neighborhood vehicles to conduct drug deals and sell stolen merchandise. Like any typical gang, protecting your turf often meant resorting to violence. It's not always sunshine and smiles when it comes to serving up cones. Sometimes it can be sprinkled with arson, robbery, baseball bats, and even murder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices