Crime of the Truest Kind

Jolly Jane Toppin, a nurse in late 19th century Lowell, Massachusetts, became one of New England's most prolific serial killers, confessing to 31 murders and claiming responsibility for 100 deaths. Her story reveals how she used her position as a trusted caregiver to poison patients and family members while deriving sexual pleasure from watching them die.The haunting legacy of "Jolly Jane" Toppin still echoes through Massachusetts more than a century after her crimes. Born Honora Kelley to struggling Irish immigrants in 1857, Jane's transformation from abandoned child to one of America's most prolific female serial killers reveals a disturbing journey through the dark corners of New England history. Stripped of her identity at a young age, Jane became an indentured servant to the Toppan family who erased her Irish heritage, renamed her, and created a fictional past for her. This early experience of identity manipulation foreshadowed the deceptions that would later define her murderous career.As she trained to become a nurse, Jane developed not only medical skills but a disturbing fascination with death and suffering that would claim dozens of lives. What makes Jane's story particularly chilling is her methodical approach to murder. Working as a private nurse for wealthy New England families, she poisoned her victims with morphine and atropine, sometimes prolonging their suffering for her own pleasure. She confessed to killing 31 people but claimed the true number might be closer to 100. From her foster sister Elizabeth to the entire Davis family, Jane eliminated anyone who stood in her way or owed her money. The case of Jolly Jane represents a perfect storm of historical circumstances: the vulnerability of patients in early medical care, the limited forensic capabilities of the time, and the trust placed in caregivers. Her victims' deaths were typically attributed to natural causes until suspicions finally arose after the Davis family murders in 1901. Following her arrest and trial, Jane spent the remaining 37 years of her life in Taunton State Hospital, ironically developing a fear that her own food was being poisoned. This episode explores not just the crimes of a serial killer, but the societal conditions that allowed her to operate undetected for so long. Uncover the disturbing psychology behind one of New England's most notorious murderers and examine how her legacy continues to influence our understanding of female serial killers today.Join us Friday, June 20th at Memorial Field in Taunton, Massachusetts for a gathering to remember Debra Melo on the 25th anniversary of her disappearance.Follow @crimeofthetruestkindOnline: CrimeoftheTruestKind.comPatreon: patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindSupport the show: patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Veteran crime reporter Bob Ward of Boston 25 News joins me for a candid conversation about the recent online hysteria surrounding a New England serial killer after 12 people have been recovered around Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Drawing from his nearly three decades as host of "New England's Unsolved," Bob shares the profound impact of covering cases like Theresa Corley's 1978 murder—a young woman he personally knew before her death. This intimate connection frames a deeper discussion about the responsibility journalists carry when amplifying victims' stories.The conversation turns to the troubling social media frenzy claiming a serial killer is responsible for recent bodies discovered throughout New England. While acknowledging the region's history with serial predators, we agree that there is cause for concern about how unfounded speculation harms legitimate investigations and re-traumatizes families. "It's very tempting to think that one bad guy or two bad guys are responsible for all this evil, "but I just don't think life works that way."  -Bob WardWe spotlight numerous cases deserving attention—Melanie Melanson, Debra Melo, Bruce Crowley, Reina Morales Rojas—whose families continue waiting for answers while internet sleuths chase shadows.• The justice system often fails victims' families by providing few updates while requiring them to repeatedly relive trauma at parole hearings• Online speculation about a "New England serial killer" diverts resources from legitimate investigations• Internet misinformation is causing real harm, from false confessions to wrongful accusations• True crime advocacy should focus on supporting families and respecting victims rather than sensationalizing casesJoin us at Middlesex County Superior Court on Monday, May 12th at 10am for the arraignment in Charlene Rosemond's murder case, whose family has waited 16 years for justice.Other cases included: Andy Puglisi, Beth Brodie, Jeffrey Curley, Janet Downing, Colleen Ritzer, Shaun Ouillette, Miguel Oliveras, New Bedford Highway murders, Boston Strangler, Henry Bedard, Jr, Deanna Cremin, Bruce Crowley, Brittany Tee, Maura Murray, Shannan Gilbert, Lonene Rogers "Lonnie's Law"Up next, the history of serial killers in New England.More at crimeofthetruestkind.comSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

What do Auntie Em, Dropkick Murphys, Mr. Ballen, and HoJos have in common? We roll into Quincy for a look and a story. A Missing Mom Mystery. Sandra Crispo vanished from her Hanson, Massachusetts home on August 7, 2019. She left her beloved dog, Clarance, behind without food or water and her home unlocked with lights and air conditioning running. She was living her best life in her new home and spending quality hours with her young grandsons. Six years later, her case remains unsolved despite evidence suggesting foul play, including blood found throughout her house and witness reports of an argument the night she disappeared.• Sandra had recently moved to Hanson from Quincy, downsizing to a small house after her father passed away • Her father left behind a substantial estate including reported gold bars, creating significant family tension• Sandra was last seen on surveillance at Cumberland Farms buying cigarettes after her son-in-law helped her drop her car at a mechanic• Neighbors reported hearing an argument involving two men at Sandra's home the night she disappeared• Blood from Sandra and an unidentified male family associate was found in the home six weeks after her disappearance• Sandra was 54 years old when she vanished and had found new purpose in being a grandmother to her daughter's children• Despite grand jury testimony and ongoing investigation, no arrests have been made in the caseInformation is needed in Sandra Crispo's disappearance, contact Hanson Police Department at 781-293-4625 or Massachusetts State Police Detectives at 508-894-2600.More at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Justice is coming for Charline at last! News broke this week in her 16-year-old murder case. The first real hope for justice for Charline and her family. On Thursday, April 10, Middlesex County District Attorney Marion Ryan announced the arrest of Heinsky Anacreon, age 38, of Malden, Mass, who was indicted by a Middlesex County grand jury on charges of murder, willfully misleading a police officer and willfully misleading an attorney, charging him with first-degree murder in this cold case that has haunted Charline's family since the day she disappeared on April 7, 2009. The investigation revealed a heartbreaking betrayal - Charline was lured by so-called friends with the promise of a sweet deal on a car, only to be robbed and killed. Most disturbing perhaps is the evidence that after the murder, her killers celebrated with a bottle of Moet champagne and toasted their windfall. For those who've followed Crime of the Truest Kind, this case has been near to my heart. After sharing her case in a live show in 2024, and interviewing Charline's sister Rose (listen to episodes 71 and 72) last fall and advocating for this case at every opportunity, seeing this development brings joy. Nothing can bring Charline back or erase her family's 16 years of hoping and waiting for her killers to be caught. As we look toward a trial, I will continue following every development. Advocacy is key. After 16 years, there's finally been an arrest in the murder case of Charline Rosemond, a 23-year-old woman from Everett who was shot to death for $4,000 cash in 2009. Middlesex County District Attorney Marion Ryan has announced charges against Heinsky Anacreon, revealing that Charline was set up by someone she considered a close friend, Roberto Jude, who died before facing justice.• Charline disappeared April 7, 2009, she was found on April 13. • DNA evidence on the car's door handle linked Roberto Jude to the scene• Anacreon allegedly admitted to disposing of the murder weapon in a river• Charline's family will be meeting on April 13th at 3pm in Union Square, Somerville – the 16th anniversary of when she was foundMore at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comFacebook.com/justiceforcharlinerosemondSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

More from our sold out live in March. We have decades worth of unsolved mysteries and forgotten tragedies in our own backyards. In this continuation of our show at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass, in March, we plunge into the case of Beryl Atherton—a 47-year-old schoolteacher brutally murdered in her Marblehead home during a 1950 Nor'easter, her throat cut in the sign of a cross. Decades later, her killer remains unidentified and her story largely untold. Beyond the details of these chilling cases lies a deeper exploration of how society treats victims of violent crime. Too often, especially with female victims, their characters become posthumously dissected and villainized—a disturbing pattern that continues from Elizabeth Short (the Black Dahlia, who grew up just miles away in Medford) to modern cases. This victim-blaming serves as a psychological buffer, allowing us to believe such horrors only happen to people who somehow "deserve" it. Audience members are welcome to share their connections to local crimes. We know these aren't just stories; they're lived experiences that have shaped neighborhoods and families across generations. Most importantly, this episode introduces the work of a new Massachusetts-based victim advocacy coalition formed alongside documentary filmmaker Melanie McLaughlin and forensic anthropologist Dr. Anne-Marie Myers. Our mission exemplifies what I call "everyday advocacy"—sharing accurate information, supporting grieving families, and refusing to sensationalize tragedy at the expense of human dignity.We learn from these unfiltered conversations is the importance of advocacy.  The stories we tell about victims shape how we understand not just crime, but humanity itself.  • Case of Beryl Atherton, a 47-year-old Marblehead teacher murdered in her home during a Nor'easter in 1950• Discussion of how crime victims are often villainized posthumously, particularly women• Introduction of a new Massachusetts-based victim advocacy coalition with Anngelle, documentary filmmaker Melanie McLaughlin, and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ann Marie Miers (MMMPAC)• Open Q&A covering lesser known cases and the controversy around the Karen Reid murder case and its impact on our communities. More about this show at crimeofthetruestkind.com. Have a case, location for a show, ask a questiont? Reach out at crimeofthetruestkind@gmail.com and join our growing community of everyday advocates.Support the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

The North Shore presents a postcard-perfect façade of historic towns and scenic coastline, beneath this charming exterior lies a darker history of unsolved mysteries that have haunted local communities for decades. During a sold-out live show at Off Cabot in Beverly, Massachusetts, we pulled back the curtain on cold cases that continue to echo through North Shore communites, revealing how justice finally arrived for Claire Gravel, a Salem State sophomore murdered in 1986, when DNA evidence identified her killer 36 years later. This stands in stark contrast to cases like six-year-old Jesus de la Cruz, who disappeared from Lynn in 1996 after being approached by a man with a distinctively marked dog, or Lois Centifanti, whose 1974 strangulation murder remains unsolved despite her body being discovered in Lynn Harbor.What makes these cases particularly haunting is the suggestion that some killers may have escaped justice not just through clever evasion, but through protection. The murder of 15-year-old Henry Bedard, Jr. in Swampscott has become what locals describe as "an open secret" – a case where community members whisper about the perpetrator but fear or family connections have prevented justice for nearly half a century. As audience members shared their own insights and connections to these cases, it became clear that many cold cases remain unsolved not for lack of information, but because relationships, fear, and sometimes nepotism have created walls of silence. We explore cold cases that continue to haunt local communities decades later while highlighting how scientific advances and changing relationships can bring resolution to seemingly hopeless situations.• Claire Gravel's 1986 murder case was solved in 2022 after 36 years through DNA evidence• Six-year-old Jesus de la Cruz disappeared from Lynn in 1996 after a stranger with a distinctive dog approached him• Lois Centifanti was murdered in Lynn Harbor in 1974, with friends receiving threatening notes to "keep quiet"• Leanne Redden vanished in 2013 on Marathon Monday, with her boyfriend returning all her belongings days later• Joel de los Reyes was found in Rumney Marsh after taking a Lyft from Chelsea• Karen Sharpe's 2000 murder by her husband received national attention due to salacious headlines rather than domestic violence issues• Henry Bedard Jr's 1974 murder remains what locals call "an open secret" in SwampscottDo you have information about these or other North Shore crimes? Email your tips & case suggestions - more at crimeofthetruestkind.com.Support the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Elizabeth Short grew up in Medford, Massachusetts. Her story has the most brutal of endings. Elizabeth's death has been twisted and exploited for nearly eight decades, transforming a young woman searching for her place in the world into the infamous "Black Dahlia." Beyond the gruesome headlines lies a more poignant truth – Elizabeth was simply searching for belonging in post-war America when her life was brutally cut short in January 1947.Elizabeth's story begins with abandonment during the Great Depression when her father faked his suicide, leaving her mother Phoebe to raise five daughters alone. Coming of age during World War II, Elizabeth witnessed profound social transformation as women entered the workforce and Hollywood's Golden Age created dreams of opportunity that drew her westward. Her nomadic existence in Los Angeles – moving between hotels, apartments, and boarding houses – reflected her struggle for stability in a city that promised much but delivered little.The medical precision of her murder points to a killer with anatomical knowledge, possibly connected to a medical school. Her body was bisected using a surgical technique called hemicorporectomy, completely drained of blood, and meticulously cleaned – all suggesting methodical expertise rather than frenzied violence. This clinical approach connects to a disturbing pattern of unsolved murders of women in Los Angeles between 1943-1949, raising questions about a possible serial killer targeting vulnerable women.Among the numerous suspects, Dr. George Hodel emerges as particularly compelling – a well-connected physician named as a prime suspect by a 1949 grand jury. His own son, former LAPD detective Steve Hodel, believes his father responsible not only for Elizabeth's murder but potentially for other unsolved cases from that era.Elizabeth deserves to be remembered as more than just a gruesome case study. She was a young woman with hopes and dreams, searching for her place in a world recovering from war. Her story reminds us of our responsibility when exploring true crime – to honor victims by recognizing their humanity first, separating sensationalism from truth, and treating their stories with the dignity they deserve.Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Elizabeth Short in life, The Black Dahlia in death. What do people really understand about the woman before she became the poster girl for true crime curiousities? Most know her as the Black Dahlia, but few know Elizabeth Short was a young woman whose life was marked by tragedy long before her brutal 1947 murder made headlines across America.In part one, we separate fact from fiction in the life of Elizabeth Short, who was born and raised in Medford, Massachusetts. Her tragic story has been sensationalized for decades, but few know about the real woman behind the gruesome headlines.Born in Hyde Park, Boston in 1924, Elizabeth was the middle daughter of five girls. Her early years took a devastating turn when her father, Cleo Short, lost everything in the 1929 Wall Street Crash and abandoned his family, staging his own suicide by leaving his car on a bridge. For twelve years, Elizabeth's mother Phoebe believed she was a widow, struggling alone to raise five daughters during the Great Depression.The family's world was upended again in 1942 when a letter arrived from the supposedly dead Cleo, revealing he was alive and living in California. Elizabeth, seeking connection with the father she thought dead, traveled west only to find disappointment. Their reunion lasted barely a month. Her life continued on a path of heartbreak when her boyfriend, decorated WWII pilot Major Matt Gordon, died in a plane crash just weeks before Japan's surrender in 1945.Despite media portrayal of Elizabeth as a "party girl," records reveal just one minor brush with the law—an underage drinking incident. The nickname "Black Dahlia" wasn't media sensationalism but originated during her time in Long Beach, inspired by her striking appearance: dark hair, pale skin, and signature red lipstick.The cruel irony of Elizabeth Short's story lies in how she's remembered only for her brutal end, while the resilient women in her family—her mother and sisters who lived well into their 90s—carried the burden of never knowing what happened to their beloved Elizabeth. By exploring her life before the headlines, we honor the real woman who existed beyond the infamous case that still captivates America's imagination.This is part one. In the next episode, I examine Elizabeth Short's final days and the enduring mystery of how this young woman met this fate and wSend a message to the showSupport the showNext live show, Thurs 3/13 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass. Ticketrs at crimeofthetruestkind.comFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Reina Carolina Morales Rojas was last seen on Saturday, November 26, 2022 when she left her apartment in her East Boston neighborhood. She was seen getting into a vehicle that was headed to Somerville - reportedly to a friend's house. She is believed to have entered that building on Alston St. That is the extent of what we know. But we didn't know it until she was missing for 45 days. The Boston Police Department would eventually acknowledge their obvious negligence in notifying the public. There was no urgency. Critical time was lost. With insights from Marcela García, the first journalist to report on Reina's case, we navigate the emotional toll on Reina's family and the systemic shortcomings in media coverage and police responses that hinder the search for justice.The initial lack of response to her case, both from the police and the media, is a factor in why it took time for her disappearance to gain wider notice. Reina Carolina had only been in the Boston area for a short time and did not speak English, which may have presented additional challenges in her disappearance. Another missing persons case in the region had taken up the air in the room. Marcela García, Associate Editor and columnist for The Boston Globe, covers a wide range of topics, from public education and immigration policy to social inequities and the Latinx community in Boston and beyond.Marcela GarcíaBoston Globe report on her visit to El Salvador: A heartbreaking visit to the hometown of a missing Boston womanWomen's Media CenterFBIMMMPACSources list at crimeofthetruestkind.comSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Episode 78, part two of my conversation with Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, host of Open Investigation, about her missing childhood friend, Andy and what she discovered in her years researching his story.This is about missing and murdered children, and details about what led to their disappearance. Listen with care.Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, host of Open Investigation, the 9-part investigative podcast, and documentary filmmaker of "Have You Seen Andy?" shares her story of her missing childhood friend, Andy Puglisi, and the new discoveries in his almost 50-year-old unsolved case.This episode uncovers the tragic story of Andy Puglisi, who disappeared from a Lawrence, Massachusetts pool in 1976, revealing systemic failures in protecting vulnerable children. It explores classism, child exploitation, and the vital role of advocacy in creating safer communities for all children.The case of Andy Puglisi has haunted Lawrence, Massachusetts since 1976. With the invaluable insights of Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, Andy's childhood friend and relentless advocate, we explore the dark underbelly of child exploitation and systemic abuse. This episode peels back the layers of a time when trusted figures betrayed the innocence of children, and society was largely silent in the face of such horrors. Melanie's personal connection to Andy and her tireless quest for truth offer a poignant perspective on the lasting impact of these tragedies.We shine a spotlight on the institutional failures that allowed predators to thrive, from clergy abuse to the misuse of CB radios by pedophiles. Crucial legal changes, including the creation of the sex offender registry and Amber Alert System, arose from the heartbreaking cases of missing children like Jacob Wetterling and Andy Puglisi. Yet, these measures are just the beginning, as we emphasize the need for continued advocacy and legislative reforms to protect the most vulnerable among us. The haunting story of Andy's disappearance serves as a powerful reminder of the legacy we must honor and the children we must protect.This episode also delves into the systemic nature of abuse within institutions and the need for reform, focusing on real-life cases and the strength of community support. Through the voices of those affected, we call for justice and change, not only for Andy but for all who missing and murdered children. Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

This is about missing and murdered children. Listen with care. In episode 77, Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, creator and host of Open Investigation, the 8-part investigative podcast, and documentary filmmaker of "Have You Seen Andy?" shares her story of her missing childhood friend, Andy Puglisi, and the new discoveries in his almost 50-year-old unsolved case. Melanie recounts meeting Andy - the cute older boy - their blossoming friendship, and the last day she spent with him. Within hours of her leaving the pool that day, Andy was gone. Last seen in the late afternoon of Sunday, August 22, 1976 - this date is a detail that developed in Melanie's research for the podcast. It is a detail that has an impact on how law enforcement handled the investigation. It is one of the most important discoveries made during the research for the podcast. An unexpected revelation in a recorded audio tape uncovers a crucial clue, challenging previous assumptions about Andy's disappearance. As we recount childhood memories, we recognize the profound impact of childhood trauma. I believe the day Andy disappeared, marked the beginning of Melanie's advocacy journey to uncover the truth of her friend. We discuss the importance of scientific advancements DNA technology, genetic geneology, and  in identifying  solving cold cases. Massachusetts Missing & Murdered Persons Advocacy Coalition (MMMPAC), massmissingandmurdered.orgHave You Seen Andy?, streaming on MAXGedMatchAdvocacy Con, advocacycon.comPower Twins Activate! Form of family advocates using true crime for good.Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

This is about abuse, missing, and murdered children. Listen with care.In preparation for Friday's new episode with Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, a replay of Andy Puglisi's case first released in June 2023, in two parts.There are many updates to this story, despite it being a decades-long mystery. Explore the haunting case of Andy Puglisi, a young boy who vanished from a public pool in 1976, spotlighting the societal attitudes towards missing children during that time. There was no system in place, no organizations, resources or support. The discussion delves into a failed police response, and the lack of societal capital of these children.  Andy's case shines a light on the systemic failures that persist in handling missing child cases, and worse, the cold realities of child exploitation, insidious clergy sex abuse, and the loss and anger survivors of sexual abuse have been left with.The story of 10-year-old Andy Puglisi's disappearance in the summer of 1976 still echoes through those neighborhoods. We learned in shocking detail what was going on in 1970s Massachusetts from the documentary "Have You Seen Andy," that was researched, written, and produced by Melanie Perkins McLaughlin—Andy's childhood friend and neighbor in the Lawrence projects. We confront the epidemic of missing and murdered children during that time, and confront the real threat of online child exploitation. We travel the Merrimack Valley, remembering Michelle Wilson's 1969 murder in Boxford and the ripple effects of these events. Hear about the grim confessions of Charles E. Pierce and the sinister connections involving Wayne W. Chapman, a known predator whose dark legacy taints this New England community. We continue to advocate for these children and so many like them. Crime of the Truest Kind, EP 44 for photos, resources, and linksNCMEC information at missingkids.orgTipline: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)LINKSHave You Seen Andy?, streaming now on MAXby Melanie Perkins McLaughlinBoston Globe "Have You Seen Andy' series, July 4, 1999by Judith GainesSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

This is about abuse, missing, and murdered children. Listen with care.In preparation for Friday's new episode with Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, a replay of Andy Puglisi's case first released in June 2023, in two parts. There are many updates to this story, despite the  decades-long mystery.In part one, we explore the haunting case of 10-year-old Andy Puglisi, the boy who vanished from his neighborhood, spotlighting the societal attitudes towards missing children during that time. The discussion delves into the failed police response, media portrayal, and subsequent changes in child protection laws.On Sunday, August 22, 1976, (we learn this is the actual date he was last seen), Andy Puglisi disappeared from a public pool in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, Andy's childhood friend and documentary filmmaker, spent years piecing together the events of that fateful day. Her decades-long investigation, highlighted in her documentary "Have You Seen Andy" and new podcast "Open Investigation," brings fresh perspectives to his case and others like his.It doesn't stop with Andy's story. We delve into the broader narrative of missing and murdered children in the 1970s, an era marked by systemic child abuse within the Catholic Church. This period saw high-profile cases like Etan Patz and, later, Adam Walsh, which led to the creation of crucial resources like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We learn about Springfield boy, Danny Croteau, and the powerful forces that shielded his alleged killer, Father Richard R. Lavigne, a notorious child abuser who would later be convicted of molesting boys across Western Massachusetts, and the investigative work of journalists such as Kristen Lombardi, of the Boston Phoenix, whose work played a critical role in unmasking these crime against children.Crime of the Truest Kind - Episode 43 - What Happened To Andy Puglisi, Part OneSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

In episode 76, I revisit a case I previously discussed with Brandie from Evaporate the Missing. Missing in Maine, three stories - Attiin Shaw, Stefanie Damron, Erik Foote and the town of Washburn's involvement of a tragic outcome that did not have to be. This episode examines the circumstances surrounding each case and questions that continue to linger. Advances in DNA and investigative genetic genealogy is changing how we look at crime. Ancestry, 23andMe, FamilyTreeDNA, and GEDmatch have become instrumental in solving long-gone-cold cases. I revisit the case of Attiin Shaw, missing from a small Maine town since September 2021. Her family cannot  get any information about their missing daughter and sister. Her children have to face life without her, and her husband hasn't offered any insight into her disappearance. Special thanks to Kara.  Attiin Rachmawati Shaw: Please share any information about missing Washburn, Maine woman with Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit - North, 1 Darcie Dr. Houlton, Maine 04730. Call (207) 532-5400 or toll free 1-800-432-7381. You may also report information about this case using the leave a tip form.Stefanie Damron: Anyone with information about missing 14-year-old from New Sweden, please call the Maine State Police Houlton Barracks at 1-800-824-2261 or 207-532-5400, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, your local FBI office, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.more... crimeofthetruestkind.comSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

EP 75: The Vanishing of Tammy Belanger: A Dark AnniversaryThis month marks the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of 8-year-old Tammy Belanger from Exeter, New Hampshire. Tammy's story is one that many in Southern New Hampshire know all too well, but the dark truth behind her abduction is still haunting. In this episode, we explore the mystery of what happened to Tammy after she was last seen crossing the street on her usual walk to school on November 13, 1984. Tammy's case is eerily linked to another young girl—Christy Luna, an 8-year-old girl from Greenacres, Florida whose circumstances mirrored Tammy's in disturbing ways. As we dive into the details, I make the case for the main suspect in these crimes, a deviant predator who is believed to be responsible for both disappearances.Through Tammy's story, we learn of the lost hours that passed before anyone realized she was missing, and how this case helped shape new protocols in the way schools respond to student absences. In 1984, when Tammy vanished, there were no calls home for missing children, no immediate alerts or search efforts. It wasn't until hours later, when her mother Pat noticed Tammy was missing, that anyone realized she wasn't at school, and by then, critical hours were lost.This episode uncovers the haunting details of that fateful day and examines how a missing child led to critical changes in child safety protocols.Listener Warning: This episode contains sensitive content and details about child abduction, abuse, and trauma.Updating sources at crimeofthetruestkind.comNew Hampshire Missing Children - NaMUShttps://www.namus.gov/missingpersons/search#/resultsBack in two weeks. Happy Thanksgiving.Next live show is Sat, Jan 25 at Koto, Lowell, Mass.Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

North Shore Crime Cases was recorded live on October 10, 2024 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass. This bonus episode features questions from our audience in an open Q+A setting. Nothing was off limits. Episode: https://www.crimeofthetruestkind.com/post/ep74northshorecasesJoin us for a captivating journey through some of the North Shore of Massachusetts' most perplexing crime cases like that of Susan Taraskiewicz's unsolved murder and the person who found her body, the true gift that Colleen Ritzer, a dedicated math teacher at Danvers High, was to every student she touched, what stories have been told about missing Lynn boy Jesus de la Cruz, the impact of The Station Nightclub Fire, Wenham dermotologist, Richard Sharpe's history of family violence, the disappearance of Maura Murray 20 years ago and how searching for missing people has changed during that time, the tragic fate of Beryl Atherton, and the disturbing story of 16-year-old Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino, who was found dismembered along the Merrimack River in November 2016. A classmate from Lawrence High School was convicted in his case. We emphasize the essential role of community involvement in keeping these people and their stories alive, to push for justice for others like them by taking action to shed light on unresolved crimes and to advocate of the missing and murdered. The true crime genre carries with it a weighty responsibility and consideration must be paid to the families of crime victims. The converstation does not shy away from the ethical considerations involved, touching on the importance of compassion and respect when recounting real lives with the mission of empathetic storytelling. Host Anngelle Wood reaffirms her commitment to treating these stories with empathy and care. We invite you to join our community in advocating for justice, ensuring that these voices continue to be heard.Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Our live shows have become something special. We have enjoyed hosting them and plan many more in the year ahead because it is important to share empathetic storytelling, to keep these stories alive as time passes and victims of these stories are being forgotten about. Special thanks to Sean and Stephanie and the Brodie family. Episode page: https://www.crimeofthetruestkind.com/post/ep74northshorecases Join us for a captivating journey as we navigate true crime with some of the North Shore of Massachusetts' most perplexing crime cases with compassion and advocacy. In this episode, recorded live on October 10, 2024 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass, we take an emotional exploration of some of the most poignant crime stories covered by Crime of the Truest Kind, and others we are learning about. Our live events offer a sence of community, where stories and insights are shared in an intimate setting.Shedding light on the cases of Marcia Biancardi, a Beverly teenager killed by her own mother, Martha Brailsford, a talented Salem artist whose life ended in 1991, by someone she called a friend, a focus on the pressing issue of domestic violence with stories of young mother Nayeli Nieves of Salem killed and discarded by her partner, 14-year-old girl Amy Carnevale of Beverly, lured and brutally murdered by someone she thought she loved, Beth Brodie, from my hometown of Groveland, whose kindness was taken advantage of by a former classmate whose obsession turned deadly, and Kristen Gove Crowley, a beautiful young woman stalked by two men who decided they would take what they wanted from her, following her to her Peabody home and attacking her in the woods and leaving her to die. Other cases we intend to cover: Claire Gravel, Beverly. Caleigh Harrison, Rockport, Michael O'Gorman, Gloucester, Lois Centofanti, Lynn, Jesus De La Cruz, Lynn, Susan Taraskiewicz, Saugus, Dickson “Joel” De Los Reyes, Revere, Elaine Donahue, Revere, Leigh Savoie, Revere, Henry Bedard Jr, Swampscott, Leanne Redden, Lynn, Beryl Atherton, MarbleheadThese tragedies highlight the enduring impact on families in our communities and how we honor these victims, we say their names, and advocate for empathy, awareness, and change.Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

A true crime collaboration with the insightful and kind, Nina Innsted, creator and host of the Already Gone podcast. Together we explore the intricate world of missing persons cases, the truth about the rise of disturbing social media scams exploiting missing persons, grim realities faced by families of missing and murdered loved ones, and the critical need to strengthen resources and data to tell the whole story. Nina covers The Great Lakes region on Already Gone so, as I do, I learned a bit about the area and, well, it is incredible (you can find me rabbit holing aboutthe phenomenon of Great Lakes' shipwrecks).As October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, our conversation takes a close look at the intersection of domestic violence and missing persons and the risks involved for people who are fleeing abusive situations and the need for discretion to protect them and their escape. We discuss the unique challenges for individuals leading non-traditional lifestyles, who are most vulnerable. We share important resources for anyone who may experience a missing person in their family or circle. With contributions from fellow podcasters and advocates, this episode is a compelling call to action for greater understanding and support in missing persons cases. More information and resources at CrimeoftheTruestKind.com episode page, and how to follow Nina's work through the Almost Gone podcast and the Missing in Michigan Facebook group.Nina Innsted @ninainnsted@almostgonepodMissing In Michigan Facebook groupEpisode 73: Missing Person Stories, Scams & Support with Nina Innsted of Already Gone podcastSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Bonus episode! A transcontinental true crime collaboration. And it's a real whodunit. Centuries later, the most notorious murder case in Massachusetts history is explored with our friends across the pond, Nicky and Lisa, hosts of The Red Rabbit Hole podcast. In part one of two, we unravel the infamous case of the Borden murders in Fall River, Massachusetts and the main - and only - suspect, the daughter, 32-year-old Lizzie Borden. She was called many things, spinster, old maid, “bachelor girl” and "DTF" were decades away from the parlance of the day. The colloquial speech was slow to change.  Hosts Lisa and Nicky step into the shoes of the prosecution and defense as we reconstruct the courtroom drama surrounding the shocking 1892 murders of Lizzie's father, Andrew, and stepmother, Abby. As your guide and judge in this role play, we look at the evidence, possible motives, and the frenzied attention that made this case an enduring piece of Americana. Our conversation takes unexpected turns, even drawing parallels to the modern-day Karen Reed trial in Massachusetts, a spirited debate, where British TV series recommendations morph into a lively discussion about historical and contemporary crime cases. The intriguing cases of Lizzie Borden and Karen Reed reveal the powerful sway of societal perceptions and the media's narrative in shaping the public's viewpoint on guilt and innocence. And amidst our intense discussions, we even manage to sprinkle in some humor with tales of baking scones.Listen to The Red Rabbit Hole PodcastFollow The Red Rabbit Hole Podcast | @redrabbitholepodcastAbout The Borden Case:Britanica - Lizzie Borden Took An Ax...And gave her mother forty whacks, And when she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. It's fiction.  Her stepmother, Abby, was hit 18 times, and Andrew was hit 11. But that doesn't rhyme. Smithsonian Magazine - How Lizzie Borden Got Away With MurderLibrary of CongressSend a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comGive the dogs a bone tip jar: buymeacoffee.com/truestkindBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

In part two, we continue our conversation with Charline's sister, Rose, as we look closely at the events surrounding her 2009 murder in Somerville, Mass, and the suspicion among people known to her. We look at whether there was a plot to lure Charline to a familiar location under the guise of a great deal on a nice car, and rob her of the money she had for the purchase.  Anyone with information about Charline Rosemond's murder, please call the Middlesex District Attorney's Office at 781-897-6600.Follow Justice for Charline RosemondSomerville Police Anonymous TipsMassachusetts Missing and Murdered Advocacy CoalitionBoston Globe Cold Case Files story about Charline by Emily SweeneyBoston.com versionSomerville, the bustling city of arts and culture that borders Boston is a safe place to be. And the fact that Charline Rosemond was murdered, found in Union Square behind the Mid Nite Convenience Store, which is still there to this day, tells me a few things. We've established Charline was offered a car that was for sale at a crazy great deal. Let's add it up: A Lexus with a reported value around $6,000 was offered to Charline for the sum of $4,000, money Charline had and had quick access to, the sum of money Charline had with her when she left her parents' house in Everett for the last time on April 6, 2009. Charline knew the people who made her this too-good-to-be-true offer. The sum of money that was not in her pocketbook when she was found in her dad's Honda six days after she went missing. The car was found in a parking lot in a very busy area of the city. Was she there the whole time?An anonymous post about "should I snitch or mind my own business" indicates that people aren't being quiet about this crime. A crime that cannot be the only crime committed by whoever set Charline up to rob her. A local man was arrested and charged with perjury in the weeks after Charline's murder.More at crimeofthetruestkind.comSend a message to the showSupport the showLive show! Thurs 10/10 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass - Get Tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Charlene Rosemond, a vibrant 23-year-old woman who dreamed big and lived bigger. With help of her sister, Rose, we unravel the haunting details of Charlene's life and tragic end, in April 2009, and get to understand what families like the Rosemonds must face as they continue to seek justice through their grief and frustration.We explore the emotional landscape of Charlene's case, painting a vivid picture of her dreams, her last day, and the unknowing, then the unbearable agony her family faced when they learned she was dead. Murdered. Through Rose's eyes, we experience the anguish of being dismissed by authorities and the family's efforts to keep Charlene's story in the public eye for 15 years. more...Send a message to the showSupport the showLive show! Thurs 10/10 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass - Get Tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Episode 70 | This week is a bonus! The show will continue on a biweekly release schedule. This is a special episode continuing my conversation with Susanne Cleveland of Justice for Sandra Birchmore. There is a lot that needs to be said and there is much more to come in the weeks ahead for her case and the man who has been arrested and charged in her murder.Subjects discussed include sexual abuse, coercive control, self harm, homicide, police misconduct. Sometimes I swear. Listen with care.Sandra Birchmore's short life was filled with loss and disappointment, but she seemed to take it in stride, looking at the brightside, and was forging her own path in spite of it all. She was finding success on her terms. She was hired to work for the Sharon School System as a teaching aid, she was preparing the process of going to nursing school, had recently moved into her very own apartment in Canton and, what pleased her the most, she was expecting a baby.All those plans were haulted when a man, a man she had looked up to for much of her life, made a plan to end it. And he almost got away with it.Source links at crimeofthetruestkind.comJustice for Sandra Birchmore Facebook GroupThe tragic death of Sandra Birchmore has jolted a town and exposed alarming misconduct within the Stoughton Police Department. Advocate Susanne Cleveland joins me again (please listen to part one) to scrutinize the internal investigation that revealed appalling actions by former officers Matthew Farwell, William Farwell, and Robert C. Devine. Their crimes, including statutory rape by at least one of them, have spurred efforts to decertify them and fueled a wrongful death lawsuit led by Sandra's family. This episode unpacks the systemic issues in law enforcement and the crucial role public outcry plays in driving accountability and reform.This episode explores the broader implications for protecting individuals from predatory behavior within law enforcement. We reflect on the ongoing battle for legislative change, the importance of creating safe spaces for survivors, and the public's frustration with law enforcement's mishandling of critical cases. Don't miss the next live show, featuring North Shore Crime Cases and an engaging Q&A session on Thursday, Oct 10 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass.Get Tickets To The Show Here Send a message to the showSupport the showLive show! Thurs 10/10 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass - Get Tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Episode 69 | Justice For Sandra Birchmore (part one)Subjects include sexual abuse, coercive control, suicide, homicide, police misconduct and WAP by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, Listen with care.Sandra's case has been languishing for 3 and a half years (minus a decade of abuse). In August 2024, Matthew Farwell, a Stoughton, Massachusetts police officer was arrested and charged with her murder - a murder that was first deemed a suicide when she was found on February 4, 2021. Sandra's friends and family never believed she took her own life. They were right. Justice is coming.Stoughton is a small town with a few notables like superstar songwriter, Lori McKenna, and Nicola Sacco of the notorious prohibition-era anarchist crime duo of Sacco and Vanzetti (or were they?). What happens when those sworn to serve and protect become the perpetrators of unspeakable crimes? This episode of Crime of the Truest Kind unravels the harrowing story of Sandra Birchmore from Stoughton, Massachusetts, a case stained by misuse of power, child sexual abuse, and systemic failures. Season four begins with expressing our deep gratitude to our supporters and setting the stage for Sandra's tragic narrative, which has shockingly been overlooked until recently. Special guest Susanne Cleveland, a relentless advocate for Sandra, joins us to bring truth, clarity and respect to her memory.Tracing Sandra's heartbreaking journey from her introduction to her abuser, Matthew Farwell, through the Police Explorers program at just 13, to the relentless abuse she endured, culminating in her tragic death and exposing not only Farwell's predatory actions but also the complicity of other officers like Robert C.  Devine, who enabled this abuse and was a participant. The systemic failures and the betrayal by those in authority serve as a grim reminder of the broader issues within law enforcement.We confront the dismissive and misogynistic attitudes that trivialize women's experiences and the historical context of labeling women as "hysterical." The fight for justice in Sandra Birchmore's case goes on.If you are experiencing abuse of any kind, coercive control, sexual or emotional, there is help: Jane Doe Inc janedoe.org/find_helpNational Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.orgCrimeTimeLines.comJustice For Sandra BirchmoreMore at Send a message to the showSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showIn remembrance of Holly, on the 31st anniversary of her disappearance.Holly's abduction and murder remain unresolved.  .. .. .. Thirty years ago today, 10-year-old Holly Piirainen was enjoying a lazy summer day with her family at their vacation cottage in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. What should have been an innocent visit with a litter of puppies nearby turned into a decades-long nightmare for her family.Holly disappeared. The only trace of her was one red sneaker.  She would be found two and a half months later in the nearby town of Brimfield, in the next county over.As we revisit the details of Holly's case, there are a great many mysteries still. I speak to journalist and former editor of Grafton News, Holly's hometown paper, Rich Price about his journey into the intricate details of her disappearance, the potential suspects in her abduction and murder, and his relationship with the Piirainen family members. In our exploration of Holly's case, we take a moment to appreciate the distinctive beauty of Massachusetts and New England. I share details about local landmarks in the areas relative to Holly's case.Please share any information you have, overheard, or may have remembered,Your help is needed to solve her caseCall 413-505-5993or the State Police Unresolved Cases Unit at 855-627-6583OR  text the word SOLVE to 274637Reach the Hampden District Attorney in Springfield, Mass at HampdenDA.comListen: Holly's Been Takena podcast about Holly Piirainen's disappearance and murder, by Rich PriceSite developed by investigators to help solve Holly's case:HelpHolly.comVisit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comCrime of the Truest KindCreated, written, and hosted by Anngelle Wood Support the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showComing September 2024, the eight-part investigative podcast that picks up where the Emmy Award-winning documentary, Have You Seen Andy?, leaves off.Hosted by Melanie Perkins McLaughlin, whose decades-long investigation about her missing childhood friend, Andy Puglisi, who went missing in 1976 from the public pool in Lawrence, Massachusetts, includes hundreds of interviews, multiple searches, and many unanswered questions. Open Investigation PodcastSupport the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showIn this bonus episode, recorded live at Faces Brewing Co. in Malden, Mass, we explore local cold cases. With journalist Emily Sweeney, we uncover the intricate details behind some of the state's most perplexing unsolved crimes. We mark the anniversary of Debra Melo's mysterious disappearance. The case of 30-year-old Taunton mother who went missing in 2000 continues to pose questions about the people closest to her. We call for the public's involvement to keep her memory alive and push for answers. Next, we navigate three cases covered in Cold Case Files: The murder of retired Watertown police officer Gail Miles, the disappearance of Stow teenager Cathy Malcolmson, and the mystery surrounding the murder of John and Geraldine Magee in their Andover home. Despite years of investigative work, these families have few answers. Is there a connection to Gail's work as a cop to how she was killed? Why was Cathy's bicycle found on the exact route she rode to work months after she disappeared? Why would anyone want to harm the Magees? We  shine a light on the Middlesex County Cold Case Unit's work to solve these cases, like the 1971 murder of Natalie Scheublin in her Bedford home - a case finally resolved five decades later.  Delving deeper, we explore the disappearance of Jennifer Mbugua, a dedicated nurse who went missing from North Attleboro in 2014, the case of murdered by Eddie Flynn in Billerica in 1947, and Bruce Crowley who was last seen in Provincetown in late December 2022 and reported missing by a family member after his car was found in a parking lot there in early January 2023. Plus the years-old unsolved cases of Andy Puglisi, missing from Lawrence since 1976, teenagers Melanie Melanson who disappeared from Woburn in 1989 and Deanna Cremin who was found murdered in Somerville in 1995, Rita Hester, the Black Trans woman stabbed in her Allston apartment in 1998, Charline Rosemond found shot in a parking lot in Somerville in 2009, Brittany Tee, missing from Brookfield since 2023, Karina Holmer's 1996 grisly murder that still haunts Boston, and Reina Rojas who disappeared in 2022 after taking a ride from her East Boston neighborhood to Somerville. We emphasize the importance of public awareness and legislative advocacy, hoping for breakthroughs that could finally solve these mysteries.Get Emily Sweeney's Cold Case Files newsletter, sign up hereShow slides at crimeofthetrueSupport the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes & source information at CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get one or some curse words. This isn't for kids.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindMusic included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski, Dug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showLate Release!Coming in hot with the history on this one with the Corpse Flower, The Tot Finder, a Nine-Alarm Fire, and The Wizard of Oz/Darkside of The Moon, The Beaneaters, and the Great Molasses Flood of 1919. The Molassacre. A Molasstrophe. That's what happens when 2 million gallons of molasses explodes onto the narrow streets of the North End, in a bizarre and unbelievable story of Boston's dark wave of history. On January 15, 1919, a 26 million pound dark wave of stickiness surged through the North End of Boston, seemingly gaining strength as it rolled toward Boston Harbor. A massive swell toppled telephone poles, twisted metal trolley tracks, crushed freight cars, flooded basements, and ripped buildings from foundations. Chest-deep molasses warmed from the above average temperatures thinned out into a coating three feet deep that would grab people like human fly paper, animals struggled to get free of it, only sinking further.I will be at the True Crime and Paranormal Podcast Festival in Denver on July 12-14.Crime of the Truest KindMassachusetts and New England crime storiesHosted by Anngelle Wood@crimeofthetruestkindSupport the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get an f-bomb.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showEP 66 | Fifty-Year-Old Cold Case Is Solved & A History Of Murder, Bedford, MassachusettsFive murders in as many decades. How does a seemingly tranquil town like Bedford, Massachusetts, become the backdrop for some of the most chilling crimes in New England history? Travel back in time as we recount this small town's dark past. In 1970, Emily Morris, a woman suffering from debilitating pain, was killed by her own husband for what he called a mercy killing. The 1971 brutal murder of Natalie Scheublin went unsolved until a newly-formed cold case unit came together to reexam her case. Thanks to clues left behind by the killer and breakthroughs in forensic technology, her murderer was finally caught. In 1982, the grisly murder of 19-year-old Robert Crowe in his own home by a drug addict and thief left the town reeling but it was his childhood friend who help put him away. 2024: And the town was rocked just this month by a double murder that opened old wounds. A heartbreaking account of family murder perpetrated by their own daughter; Thelma Tatten and Mark Cavallaro, were a fun-loving and caring couple who were shot on the way to breakfast.Crime of the Truest Kindhosted by Anngelle Woodcrimeofthetruestkind.com @crimeofthetruestkindNAMI - National Alliance on Mental IllnessEdinburg Center, Bedford, Mass Behavioral health and mental health services in Massachusetts updating Support the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get an f-bomb.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showEP 65 | Brace For Impact: Juvenile Lifers, Parole Hearings, & The Families New FightMassachusetts families of murdered loved ones are now faced with the prospect of their killers being released. Explore how landmark rulings  Miller vs. Alabama and Diatchenko vs The Commonwealth have reshaped juvenile sentencing and removed every promise made to families that their juvenile killer would be behind bars for life. The families of Thomas Wharf, Amy Carnevale, Shaun Ouillette, Janet Downing, and Beth Brodie find it unfathomable that they will now have to face these murderers who are entitled to regular parole hearings. They are fighting every step of the way.Justice For Beth BrodieJustice for Janet Downing Justice for Amy Carnevale Massachusetts Parole Board12 Mercer RdNatick, Mass  01760Support the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get an f-bomb.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Send a message to the showA few things to remember: John O'Keefe is dead. His family hasn't been able to properly mourn (nor has Karen Read) and this is a horrible place for a family to be.There are kids involved. John O'Keefe was the guardian and main caregiver to his niece and nephew that in no way asked for or deserved to be at the center of this nightmare. There is a lot of scrutiny surrounding the John O'Keefe murder trial.Karen Read is not a stupid woman. She's a member of the faculty at Bentley, in their Finance Dept  for the last 16 years. She works (or worked) for Fidelity Investments in Equity Research and was a Financial Analyst. There has been so much pre-trial publicity that it may be impossible for her to be looked at fairly. This case is simply bananas. The more I learn about it, the more questions I have, beginning with What the hell happened at 34 Fairview in Canton in the early hours of January 29, 2022?We know eastern Massachusetts was in the grips of a major snowstorm. Turns out, it was a blizzard. Boston got 23.5 inches of snow that Saturday at Logan Airport, making January 29, 2022 the second largest January storm every recorded in the city. The seventh biggest snowstorm of all time in Boston's recorded history.The temperature dropped to 21 degrees. This had to have hampered the investigation. There were the red solo cups, the grocery bag, that leaf blower - very Tarantino. I watched some of the testimony this week and I checked in with Dubs, the True Crime Bloodhound, to help me out with this week's big happenings. --- Justice for Beth Brodie | Event linkHer killer is seeking parole, hearing is Thurs May 16 at the Massachusetts Parole Offices in Natick. Write a letter. Stand with us. Visit JusticeforBethBrodie.com - Write the parole board and tell them No Parole for Richard Baldwin, W56202.Justice for Janet Downing. Her killer is seeking parole on Tues 6/25 Friday, May 17 is Children's Advocacy Day at the State House from 11am-1pm.Join us at Great Hall | Event Link Thanks to Dubs of True Crime Bloodhound | Substack | YouTubeSupport the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get an f-bomb.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Contact the showEpisode 63 is a walk through the frenzy that is called "The Canton Cover-up" by some, others see it as a national spectacle. Canton, the small town 15 miles south of the city of Boston, is no stranger to tragedy. Three and a half decades ago, sweet, trusting 14-year-old Shawn Ouillette was lured into the woods, beaten, and left for dead. His 14-year-old schoolmate and eventual killer said no one would miss him. He wanted to know what it was like. To kill. That was 1986. Shawn is still missed by all who love him. His killer, Rod Matthews, remains in prison.  Fast forward to present day. The events surrounding John O'Keefe's death have split this same small town in two. The case of a 46-year-old surrogate father to his sister's orphaned kids and 16-year veteran of the Boston Police Department is a shit show to no fault of his own. Lost, as is always the case, is the victim themselves. John O'Keefe was so beloved that a GoFundMe fundraising page set up for his niece and nephew after he died, had raised more than $245,000 within its first 24 hours. Karen Read, 44, who was John O'Keefe's longtime girlfriend, was arrested within days of his death and charged with drunkenly backing into him in her SUV in a snowstorm and leaving him to bleed out and freeze to death. Read has amassed a group of supporters in what some locals refer to as a "frame job" against her by a bunch of dirty townie cops, staties, FBI agents, and DAs. The cases I refer to in this episode include: Jeffrey Curley, Cambridge, Mass, he was 10 when he was taken by a neighbor with the promise of a bike, abused and killed in 1997, his murderers were put away by then-prosecutor, David Yannetti, who is now defending Read.Beth Brodie, Groveland, Mass, 1992, she was 15 when a boy who demanded her affection planned an attack with a bat and killed her in a neighbor's bedroom. Visit JusticeforBethBrodie.com - her killer is up for parole, the hearing is Thurs, May 16 in Natick. Write the parole board and tell them No Parole for Richard Baldwin, W56202 Molly Bish, Warren, Mass, 2000 - she was 16 when she disappeared from her lifeguard job at Comins Pond. Her remains were found 3 years later in nearby Palmer. The Bishes began Missing Children's Day to honor Molly and other missing kids. We meet on Fri, May 17 at Massachusetts State House in Boston. Thanks to Dubs of True Crime Bloodhound | Subtack | Support the Show.Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get an f-bomb.Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math Ghosts. and Shredding by Andrew King

Case Update: Beth Brodie's story.  Beth's killer is up for parole in May. CALL TO ACTION below....I first shared Beth's story in the spring of 2021 in episode 16. I am from the small town of Groveland, Massachusetts, Beth and I went to the same school, walked those same halls. What happened to her stayed with me. I think of her every time I drive through my old hometown, about her family, and how they had to drive by the house where she took her last breath on November 18, 1992 when she was just 15 years old. Beth's killer was a teenager, someone who she had been friendly with for a short time and whose feelings she did not share. Teenage love, for lack of a better term, is fleeting. He had left Groveland and moved to Peabody. Learning that Beth did not return his affection, he decided to act in a brutal and merciless way. There was no evidence of abuse between the two teenagers. Beth's family knew of nothing that could have led to what happened to Beth that day. The boy had been around the Brodie home and acted in what was best described as shy around adults.Now, 30 years later, Beth's killer, is seeking parole with a hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 16, 2024. Once again, Beth's family is facing the prospect of this man being released. It is retraumatizing to a family who has had to live with the reality of their child being violently taken from them.Your help is needed! Call to action:Letter writing campaign: To the parole board, to Governor Healey, letters to the Editor of local publications. Let them know you support the Brodie family and oppose the release of Richard C. Baldwin, currently housed at Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, Mass. Support and follow Justice for Beth Brodie #justiceforbethbrodieShare posts about the upcoming parole hearing of Beth's murdererIn the spirit of community and advocacy, I extend an invitation to join the collective effort to honor Beth's legacy as we prepare for the upcoming parole hearing. Your voice matters, whether it's through writing heartfelt letters, amplifying our message on social media, or simply being present to stand with a family. Beth's story is not over.Support the showThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get some F-Bombs. Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

Revisiting the story of Beth Brodie, Crime of the Hometown Kind, Groveland, Massachusetts, with Beth's brother, Sean Aylward. First released on May 5, 2021. Sean, Beth's brother, and I plan a follow-up to get the status of her case this week.Expect episode 62 soon.  Her killer is up for parole! CALL TO ACTION below.... I first shared her story in the spring of 2021. I am from the small town of Groveland, Massachusetts, went to the same schools as Beth did, and what happened to her has stayed with me. I think of her ever single time I drive through my old hometown, about her family that remained in the same neighborhood where Beth was killed, and how they have to drive by the house where she took her last breath on November 18, 1992 when she was just 15 years old. This is more than about retelling the tragic events of that day, it is about the painfully intimate journey of heartbreak for a family navigating the brutality that took Beth from them. The emotional weight of juvenile sentencing laws that shift with time, and the Brodie family's advocacy efforts as they again face the potential parole of Beth's killer. Beth's killer, 16-years-old at the time of her murder, is seeking parole with a hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 16, 2024. Once again, Beth's entire family is facing the prospect of this man being released. It is retraumatizing to a family who has had to live with the reality of their child being violently taken from them. Your help is needed! Call to action:Letter writing campaign: to the parole board, to Governor Healey, letters to the Editor of local publicationsSupport and follow Justice for Beth Brodie #justiceforbethbrodieShare posts about the upcoming parole hearing of Beth's murderer. Support the showThis podcast has minimal profanity but from time to time you get some F-Bombs. Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

For the record, her name is Attiin (pronounced AhTeen) Rachmawati Shaw. This is a make good on our promise to cover Attiin's case after we first spoke about her at the live show on March 7 at Off Cabot in Beverly.  I didn't know much about her case but we are peeling that all back now. I will work on a follow up to this case as I gather more about this mysterious disappearance of a young mother of four.In episode 61, we, Brandie from Evaporate the Missing, and me, navigate the chilling waters of unknowns in the case of missing mother from Maine, Attiin R.  Shaw. Her story has been both disregarded and overlooked within her own rural community, but has new eyes now thanks to the dedication of local Maine mom and concerned citizen, Kara, who stepped up to be a voice for Attiin and her family in IndonesiaWe go over the many questions and complexities involved in Attiin's open case, the parallels her story shares with other recent cases of missing women in New England, and her family's struggle to get information and understand what her husband, Mike P. Shaw, is telling them about her last days at home and what may have happened. We'll dissect the scarce evidence, the frustrations of a family at a loss, and the unyielding efforts of a community to keep hope alive.Support the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

We mark the 60th episode of Crime of the Truest Kind with the Unsolved show recorded live at Faces Brewing in Malden. It's another long one! It's a live show afterall.  UNSOLVED New England Crime Cases Recorded live on Thursday, February 15 at Faces Brewing, MaldenWith Emily Sweeney of the Boston Globe Cold Case Files (subscribe here)We break down a number of New England cases, covered in Emily's reporting and on this podcast. Unsolved: The 1996 as of Marcie Fusillo Martini, first believed to be accidental but later ruled as homicide, in Walpole, MassUnidentified and unsolved: The 1973 case of the burned body of a Black man found in Westford, MassUnidentified and unsolved: In 2005 the body of a woman - Dorchester Jane Doe - was found entombed in an apartment building chimney in DorchesterMissing: In 2020, Mitchel Iviquel disappeared and little is known about her. She was reported missing in 2021, nearly one full after she was last seen in the Somerville area.Unsolved casesMissing and unsolved: Debra Melo of Taunton, 2000Unsolved: Charline Rosemond from Everett, found murdered in Somerville, 2009Missing and unsolved: Maura Murray - from Hanson, missing from Haverhill, NH, 2004Unsolved: Rita Hester - found dead in Allston, 1998The Charlestown 99 Murders, 1995Whitney Bulger's reign of terror in Boston Crime of the Truest Kindhosted by Anngelle WoodOnline crimeofthetruestkind.comSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

This is the follow-up to the last two episodes. When I say "stranger than fiction" I mean it's so weird that you cannot make this shit up, yet lots of info shared online is just that, made up. He's the boy in the walls. That's part of the story. But what is the story? Like most cases I research for the show, it's never what it appears on the surface. There is always more to the story, more information to find, to dig into to tell the story properly. When I started to read about the Gustafson family murders in 1987, then what happened to the Bowens of Pepperell the year before, I realized that little about the person responsible and the case - particularly the Bowen case - was factual. It is all made up rubbish.It has taken me some time to sort it all out, the case of Daniel LaPlante, the teenage boy whose crimes went from outlandish to unspeakable. The boy in the wall graduated to murder.In this episode, episode 59, we discuss graphic topics of murder, sexual assault, stalking, and something we now call phrogging. But in 1986, a teenage boy was hiding in a crawl space in someone's house for months. I speak to writer Joe Turner about the case he's been researching for years for his book about the case, The Boy In The Walls, and we go over quite a few pieces of erroneous information about the life and times of Daniel LaPlante, teenage tyrant and murderer, whose run lasted from 1986-1987 in Townsend and Pepperell, Massachusetts - two small towns on the New Hampshire border, where I have heard people say “outside Boston” when referring to the towns and their locations. Outside, yes, by about 50 miles.Joe Turner has spoken to the Bowen girls, now women, Tina, Kathy and Karen, members of the Laplante family, friends from Townsend, all of whom never discussed Daniel or these cases before. I learned about Daniel's paternity and dark things about the man he called his father, about Daniel's reported sexual abuse (and what we have blame for his very bad behavior), what really happened in the walls of the Bowen home over the course of several months in 1986, and what connection Andrew Gustafson had to Daniel Laplante before the murders of his family in 1987.  Uncover the nightmarish tale of Daniel LaPlante, as we go back  three decades of misinformation, through the depths of Daniel's troubled childhood, the psychological terror he inflicted on the Bowen family, and his grim connection to the Gustafson family's demise. The darkSupport the showNext Live Show! Join me Thurs 3/7 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass for New England Crime Stories live, we'll talk about missing person cases and advocacy | Get tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

Today is the 20th anniversary of Maura Murray's disappearance. In July, I spoke with Julie Murray, Maura's sister and dedicated advocate for her sister and the Murray family. Think of Maura and the Murray family today.Julie launched a podcast this month - Media Pressure - about Maura and her case.It is recommended listening. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. This is about Massachusetts and New England crime, regional history, about the people, places, and things that happen here.Maura Murray is still missing. She was last seen on February 9, 2004 on a snowy back road in Haverhill, New Hampshire. Her story is a crime classic, a greatest hit in the gold catalog. I say that because of the nature of Maura's case and the myths and mystery surrounding her disappearance, she has become like a character in a work of fiction. Her story has been “deep dived” and rehashed over and over again by the true crime coterie of content creators, podcasters, crime networks, reporters, show hosts, youtubers, tik tokies,  and those among this cabal who don't bother to take any time to really provide much research to do her case justice. I believe we can use true crime for good. We can do better. Julie Murray has been on the frontlines of  her sister's case, working to keep her story in the public eye. After 19 years, Maura is still missing. Never give up hope.The Murray family's official site:MauraMurrayMissing.orgJulie Murray on Tik Tok @mauramurraymissingUpdated show notes at https://bit.ly/3pPb1KCFollow @crimeofthetruestkindSupport the showTwo live shows! Join me Thurs 2/15 at Faces Brewing in Malden, Mass for UNSOLVED New England Crime Cases. I am joined by author and journalist Emily Sweeney, reporter for the Boston Globe's Cold Case Files | Get Tickets Thurs 3/7 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass for New England Crime Stories live, we'll talk about missing person cases and advocacy | Get tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A N...

Two opportunities to attend a Crime of the Truest Kind live show this winter. Thursday, February 15 and Thursday, March 7crimeofthetruestkind.com These are the only two live shows until the summer (or fall maybe). UNSOLVED New England Crime Cases on Feb 15 at Faces Brewing in Malden, Massachusetts, with guest Emily Sweeney of the Boston GlobeNew England Crime Stories Live: Missing Persons and Advocacy in the true crime spaceMarch 7 at Off Cabot in Beverly, MassachusettsSupport the showTwo live shows! Join me Thurs 2/15 at Faces Brewing in Malden, Mass for UNSOLVED New England Crime Cases. I am joined by author and journalist Emily Sweeney, reporter for the Boston Globe's Cold Case Files | Get Tickets Thurs 3/7 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass for New England Crime Stories live, we'll talk about missing person cases and advocacy | Get tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A N...

This is a bizarre case, not only for what happened to a Massachusetts family in the privacy of their home, but also how their story was reshaped and retold by urban legend and lore. This is the prequel: The Gustafson family story (EP 57) is far less known than that of the person responsible. That's part of the problem. Before Daniel LaPlante, a disturbed kid from Townsend, went on the run and was caught after a 24 hour manhunt, he was already the stuff of legend, "the boy in the wall." That is what the quiet drone of the years has done; because everybody loves a good boogeyman story, right? A creepy low budget fright. It is so much more than that. What led to the events of that day when the a family was ambushed in their home, and a mother and two children brutally killed. Well, this is truly the story of nightmares. This episode is about stalking, child abuse and child sexual abuse, mental illness, personality disorder, SA, violent crime against women and children. This is about one child destroying a family and almost destroying another. A broken boy or was he always going to be this way?The Bowens of Pepperell were scared out of their home by a menacing presence. Months passed before they learned someone had been living in a narrow space in their wall, and was watching them. Due to the nature of all involved being minors at the time, there is no documentation available to the public about the Bowen's actual nightmare living situation.  Daniel LaPlante suffered from a childhood marred by the worst kind of abuse, by the people he should have been able to trust. We go back to the beginning, before his gruesome crimes to see the making of a monster. How he developed hobbies of crime, hobbies that grew into a practice - break ins, haunting people in their homes, to stalking to stealing guns and money, to kidnapping and murder.  His crimes robbed  the community of its peace, while many wanted to forget, others could never get it out of their minds. Crime of the Truest Kindonline crimeofthetruestkind.comSupport the showTwo live shows! Join me Thurs 2/15 at Faces Brewing in Malden, Mass for UNSOLVED New England Crime Cases. I am joined by author and journalist Emily Sweeney, reporter for the Boston Globe's Cold Case Files | Get Tickets Thurs 3/7 at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass for New England Crime Stories live, we'll talk about missing person cases and advocacy | Get tickets Follow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube For show notes and source information, visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A N...

Crime of the Truest Kind is about New England crime stories and history. The Things that happen here. Crime is history and sometimes history is crime. This episode contains descriptions of violent crime against women and children. Listen with care. Episode 57

So many of you are interested in what happened to Debra. Debra Melo is missing. This year marks 24 years that she disappeared. This is an important story to tell.  She did not just leave. There was no reason to walk away from her family, her daughter, her son. This is part two of Debra's story. With Steve Demoura, Debra's brother-in-law and dedicated advocate to get justice for Debra and her family.In this episode I talk about domestic violence against women and coercive control and other Massachusetts cases where the wife, and sometimes the entire family are killed. Listen with care.Drawing parallels with other Massachusetts cases, we loo at the stark realities of intimate partner crimes with the stories of deadly domestic violence cases, Teena and Arianna Kamal, Linda and Sebastian Robinson, Breanne Pennington, Ana Walshe, Carol DiMaiti Stuart (her case was covered most recently on HBO Max's Murder In Boston). National Domestic Violence HotlineThe Hotline.orgCall 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)Do you have any kind of information about Debra Melo's disappearance, about when she went missing, if you overheard someone, if you saw something, if you know something but have been afraid to say it, you can email me. CrimeoftheTruestKind@gmail.comCrime of the Truest Kind Line: 617-903-8411Mail it: PO Box 752, Burlington, Mass 01803You can also contact the Massachusetts State Police at (781) 830-4800Support the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube Blue SkyFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

With Steve Demoura, Debra's brother-in-law and dedicated advocate to get justice for Debra and her family. In June 2000, Debra Melo was a young mother trying to navigate the end of the only relationship she knew. She'd gotten married at 16, had two kids, and found that life was very different by age 30. She was making her way out and finally taking steps to get away from the person who'd been suffocating her for so long, a controlling and domineering man. But she disappeared before she could do any of that.  On the afternoon of June 20, 2000, her husband, Luis Melo, drove her to her doctor's appointment in Weymouth, 30 miles from their home in Taunton, Massachusetts.Her husband's account of that day is all we have to go on. His claim is they had an argument on the drive home and Debra demanded he let her out of the car at a busy part of Route 18 in Weymouth.  According to Luis Melo, he went back to get her but she was gone. This is the first of many red flags in this case. Debra left her pocketbook, wallet, identification, and cell phone in the car. That by itself is suspicious. In this first part of a two-part series, I talk to Steve Demoura, brother-in-law of Debra and former husband of her sister, Patricia, who has been an integral part of her case and the investigation into her disappearance. We talk about the challenges of her disappearance and the timing of it - exactly one week before teenager Molly Bish went missing in Warren, Mass. We break down the fabric of a family and their relentless search for justice and the toll her disappearance has taken.  Plus we take a closer look at The Silver City, walking through the places that once sparkled with life in Taunton, through landmarks like the famed Silver City Galleria Mall where Richard Simmons shot one of his legendary infomercials (and meet Joanie!) and darker moments that mark its history and the weight of its memories.*Correction: Louis A. Melo Jr passed away on Dec 13, 2023 Crime of the Truest KindMassachusetts and New England true crime stories hosted by Anngelle Woodcrimeofthetruestkind.comfollow @crimeofthetruestkindSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube Blue SkyFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack's Math GhostsShredding by Andrew King

Crime is history and sometimes history is crime. One single event changed the course of history. In 1942, the world was in the throes of the Second World War. The Great Depression created a kind of desperation Americans hadn't seen and men and boys were shipping out by the droves.Two historic events intersected on Saturday, November 28, 1942, Holy Cross and Boston College played before 41,000 college football fans at Fenway Park. Underdogs Holy Cross destroyed any hopes of The Eagles going to the Sugar Bowl or any other bowl, taking the undefeated team down, 55-12. BC staff and players were so dazed by what happened, they canceled their planned celebration at the famed Cocoanut Grove. They would not know what hand fate dealt them that night. That night, the nightclub - almost double its legal capacity - went up in flames. The Cocoanut Grove was a tinderbox, given the flagrant negligence of its owner, Barnett “Barney” Welansky, self-proclaimed pal of the mob and local politicians, including Mayor Maurice J. Tobin, cut corners and ignored common sense public safety. Four hundred and ninety-two* people died as a result of the Cocoanut Grove Fire. It was due to absolute negligence by the club owner but, today, 81 years later, the actual cause of the fire remains undetermined. Boston hospitals were overwhelmed by the rate at which the injured were arriving. Doctors and nurses and medical professions were pushed to the brink on how to effectively care for the gravely injured. There is a sliver of a silver lining, a quote from Professor Barbara Poremba's recent article in The Salem (Mass) News and a member of the Cocoanut Grove Memorial Committee. We say let no one die in vain. That's difficult given that so many of the casualties were young people just beginning their adult lives, but what emerged from the ashes of the Coconut Grove Fire revolutionized medical treatments for treating burn victims and people affected by this kind of trauma. Sweeping changes to building codes and safety regulations came as a direct result of the massive loss of life at Cocoanut Grove. The 2021 documentary, Six Locked Doors, takes us inside the events of that night, accounts from survivors, and the people who played a role in the worst nightclub fire in US history.*according to the The Cocoanut Grove Memorial Committee, 490 people died in the fire.Crime of the Truest KindCreated, written and hosted by Anngelle WoodSupport the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube Blue SkyFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack MATH GHOSTSAndrew King

Chanelle Pickett and Rita Hester were murdered three years apart. Chantelle in 1995 in Watertown, Mass, and Rita Hester in 1998 in Allston. Both were brutal crimes. Neither of them got justice. The attitudes and the language around gay and transgender lifestyles were very different back then. How the media covered violence against transgender people was cruel, if they covered them all. As a result of the mistreatment they got even in death, their deaths were instrumental in the creation of the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th.Chanelle's murderer was prosecuted and used the Trans Panic Defense.Rita Hester's murder is still unsolved.  Mallery Jenna Robinson, transgender and HIV advocate and host of A Hateful Homicide podcast, joins me to talk about the violence transgender women face - then and now. We talk about the fight for justice for transgender victims, the urgent need for laws to protect the transgender community from hate crimes and the critical role empathy and compassion play in our society. A Hateful Homicide with Mallery Jenna RobinsonTransgender Day of Remembrance is Nov 20Resource Kit for JournalistsCrime of the Truest Kindhosted by Anngelle WoodOnline CrimeoftheTruestKind.comFollow @crimeofthetruestkind#ritahester #transdayofremembrance #chanellepickett #ahatefulhomicide #TDOR #malleryjennarobinson #allston #massachusetts #watertown #homicide #unsolved Support the showFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube Blue SkyFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included in episodes from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack MATH GHOSTSAndrew King

Bonus episode. This episode is about gun violence, mental health, mass murder, a terrorized community, and trauma. Listen with care. In episode 52, we go to Lewiston, Maine where a local man known to the community opened fire on two businesses in the largest mass casualty event in Maine's history that left 18 dead, 13 injured and an entire region at a loss.In the second part of this episode, I speak to Bernadette, host of the Murderfic podcast, who lives in the area of Southern Maine where the manhunt for the shooter was going on and ultimately where he was found. We talk about the crime, the impact on the close community and what we have come to learn about the man who committed the crimes.Crime of the Truest KindHosted by Anngelle WoodOnline: CrimeoftheTruestKind.comFollow @crimeofthetruestkindMurderific PodcastGovernor Mills Launches “Healing Together” Online Resource to Help Support to Lewiston Victims and FamiliesCity of Lewiston to Open Community Resiliency Center CRC to Offer Services on Mon, Nov 13City of Lewiston Families and Victims FundMaine Community FoundationLewiston-Auburn Area Response FundMass shootings, as catastrophic as they are, often shine a spotlight on the larger, hidden crisis of mental health. When the 18 shooting victims were identified by Maine State Police, there was not someone in the community around Lewiston who did not know one, some or all of them.     Ronald G. Morin, 55Peyton Brewer-Ross, 40Joshua A. Seal, 36Bryan MacFarlane, 41Joseph Lawrence Walker, 57Arthur Fred Strout, 42Maxx A. Hathaway, 35Stephen M. Vozzella, 45Thomas Ryan Conrad, 34Michael R. Deslauriers II, 51Jason Adam Walker, 51Tricia C. Asselin, 53William A. Young, 44Aaron Young, 14Robert E. Violette, 76Lucille M. Violette, 73William Frank Brackett, 48Keith D. Macneir, 64Support the showLive Event! Get tickets for our Live True Crime and Wine night at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass on Thursday, Nov 9https://bit.ly/truecrimewinenightFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube Blue SkyFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack MATH GHOSTSAndrew King

+Episode 51: Breanne Pennington, Migdalia Perez, Kathleen Daneault, Patricia Joyce & The Dark History of Murder In Gardner, MassachusettsThis is a true crime, local history, and storytelling podcast. I write about crimes, I set the scene, connect story themes, I talk about things that happened here, in Massachusetts and New England. This episode deals with gun violence, mental health, murder-suicide, stalking, terrorized communities, domestic violence, sexual assault, serial killing, murder, and society. Listen with care. We peel back the layers to decades of crimes that shook the quiet town of Gardner, Massachusetts to its core and delve into the timeline of Breanne Pennington's murder, sharing her happiest times and her most proud moments spent with her family, her faith, her love of horses and raising chickens. The young mother met a tragic end at the hands of her own husband, Aaron Pennington, who still has not been apprehened.Casting light on Gardner's dark past, a town with a rich history and the unsettling details of other women's murders dating back to the 1960s, we say the names of those Gardner women whose disappearances and deaths are far less known today.In 2020, Migdalia Perez was stalked and killed by a man she was terrified of. She got no help or protection in her final days. 25-year-old Kathleen Daneault was found murdered in 1983. More than 30 years later, we learned she was killed by a man whose notorious reputation of violence against women paints the chilling picture of a serial murderer, and the mystery of the still-unsolved case of Patricia Joyce. In the Summer of 1965, Patty was a hard-working 17-year-old preparing for her senior year in high school. Her story is hardly known today and her case was looked at closely for its similarities to The Boston Strangler murder case of the 60s.We examine the grim reality of domestic violence in its many forms and the dangers that exist behind closed doors in what could be any home, in any neighborhood.Special thanks to The Gardner News for their reporting - thegardnernews.comCrime of the Truest KindOnline: CrimeoftheTruestKind.comFollow @crimeofthetruestkindDomestic Violence does not look the same for everyone.National Coalition Against Domestic ViolenceSupport the showLive Event! Get tickets for our Live True Crime and Wine night at Off Cabot in Beverly, Mass on Thursday, Nov 9https://bit.ly/truecrimewinenightFollow Instagram | Facebook | Twitter X | TikTok | Threads | YouTube Blue SkyFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.comBecome a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind Music included from Joe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack MATH GHOSTSAndrew King

This is a true crime, local history, and storytelling podcast. I write about crimes, I set the scene, connect story themes, I talk about the things that happen here, in Massachusetts and New England. This episode is about sexuality, consent, sexual violence, murder, and defending a loved one's privacy in death. Listen with care.Episode 50, Lizzi Marriott: A Life So Bright, Dover, New HampshireLizzi Marriott would have celebrated her 30th birthday on June 10 this year. She will be forever 19. Returned to the earth and sea that she loved so much. Growing up in Westborough, Massachusetts, she went to Westborough High School, Class of 2011. Lizzi Marriott set her sights on becoming a marine biologist. She had a special love for the ocean and all of its creatures. Her college essay was about her desire to protect marine life, a passion that was sparked during a weeklong marine biology camp in ninth grade. Lizzi was passionate about a future in the field of marine science. Her love flourished as a volunteer at the New England Aquarium in Boston. She was often seen saving wildlife, whether it was a frog or a turtle, something crawling or slippery, she loved everything about it. The University of New Hampshire in Durham was her dream school So it is no surprise that Lizzi was ecstatic when she got into the marine biology program. She began her sophomore year in the fall of 2012. Tuesday, October 9, 2012, started out pretty ordinarily for Lizzi. She was a few weeks into her first year at UNH, loving her studies in marine science. She was working, making new friends. She told her aunt and uncle she'd be going out after class that night and would be home later. Lizzi went to her chemistry lab until 9:00. At 8:55 pm she sent a text saying she was going to visit a new friend, someone she met at her retail job. She had recently made friends with an 18-year-old who worked at Target, a woman named Kathryn McDonaugh who went by Kat. The two traded text messages and made a plan to meet at her Dover apartment to watch a movie. Lizzi would make the short drive from Durham to Dover, the fastest route would take 13 minutes.  Lizzi did not made it back to her aunt and uncle in Chester where she lived. While it did make them nervous, they tried to pass it off as a teenager enjoying a new friendship and staying up too late. They figured she'd just crashed at the friend's place. But when there was no sign of Lizzi on Thursday, everyone knew something was very wrong. Remember Lizzi and The Intrepid Explorer Fund  RememberLizzi.orgNew Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence nhcadsv.orgNew England Aquarium neaq.orgUniversity of New Hampshire School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering marine.unh.edu/research-centers/centersCrime of the Truest KindHosted by Anngelle WoodOnline crimeofthetruestkind.comFollow @crimeofthetruestkindSupport the showFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.com Music fromJoe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack MATH GHOSTSAndrew King Become a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind

#roxbury #massachusetts #truecrime #wrongfulconviction EP 49 | Shawn Drumgold, Roxbury, Massachusetts: The Sonoma Street AlibiPart two of the Tiffany Moore murder case. In August 1988, Tiffany Moore was shot three times in what police would call a rival gang turf war on Humboldt Ave in Roxbury. The streets were not safe, Tiffany's own mother sent her away to keep her from the violence that was taking over their neighborhood, only for it to take her back in the cruelest way possible. The city was outraged and put pressure on the Boston Police to solve her murder and do something about the violence. Her death was covered nationwide and would symbolize the disorder that ruled the streets, the kind of chaos that elicited fear among those who were outside looking in. Police targeted a low level drug dealer named Shawn Drumgold, painting him as a savage gang member. This episode is about a murdered child, drugs, gang violence, witness intimidation, police and prosecutorial misconduct, wrongful convictions, and a still-unsolved crime.There is no justice in putting innocent people in prison.The New England Innocence Project: newenglandinnocence.orgOctober 2 is International Wrongful Conviction DayLearn about the Exoneree Network: newenglandinnocence.org/exoneree-networkJusticeforSeanEllis.comTrial 4 is the Netflix documentary about Sean Ellis's wrongful convictionWatch the trailerTwo core sources (more will be listed in show note at crimeofthetruestkind.com)Doubt Cast Over Tiffany Moore Verdict by Dick Lehr, Boston Globe, May 2003Thanks to Dick and The Globe's great reporting or Shawn Drumgold might have died in prison.Coming Home by Chris Wright, Boston Phoenix, Dec 2003CrimeoftheTruestKind.comFollow @crimeofthetruestkindOperation True Crime & Wine, our live crime eventThurs, Nov 9 at Off Cabot, Beverly, MassGet tickets now!Promo from PNW Haunts & Homicides: Join Caitlyn and Cassie as they chat about true crime, the paranormal, and all kinds of spooky sh*t in the Pacific Northwest. Just two "normal-ish" friends who wanted more local, creepy stories so they never sleep or leave their houses again. Support the showFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.com Music fromJoe "onlyone" Kowalski - Joe Got A New Heart FundDug McCormack MATH GHOSTSAndrew King Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkind

Season Three. In episode 48, we head to the Boston neighborhood of Roxbury where, in the summer of 1988, the murder of 12-year-old Darlene Tiffany Moore in the area known as the H-Block (named for the streets: Humboldt, Homestead, Harold, Harrishof, and Holworthy) had a major impact on the city. She was an innocent girl with a life full of promise and just two days away from returning to her new hometown of Greenville, South Carolina to begin 7th grade. It was not to be. She was in an area known as a thoroughfare of violence and was struck with a bullet meant for another. But who? A rival gang member? Revenge for a bad drug deal? This is a story about Boston's past, the war on drugs, murdered kids, "Just So No", the violent drug trade, street gangs, an outraged community, witness intimidation, police misconduct, wrongful convictions, an unsolved crime, and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

Crime of the Truest Kind Season 3 in September. New show promo for download and sharing with other podcasts. Catch up on the first two seasons of Crime of the Truest Kind wherever you listen and be sure to subscribe so you get them as soon as they land.Visit crimeofthetruestkind.com and follow @crimeofthetruestkind.Thank you for listening.Email: crimeofthetruestkind@gmail.comFacebook | i heart true crime facebook group | Twitter X | Instagram Support the showFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.com Music included in each episode by Joe "onlyone" Kowalski and Andrew King. Joe Got A New Heart Fund.

Crime of the Truest Kind, a true crime podcast centered on Massachusetts and New England crime stories - the things that happened here - with Boston radio host,  Anngelle Wood (WFNX, WBCN, WZLX). New episodes coming September 2023. I am headed to True Crime Podcast Festival in Austin next week (Aug 25-27).Season three in September and with it comes Crime of the Truest Kind's Advocacy In Action. What does that mean? Actively supporting New England families who've been affected by crime - supporting them online and in person. Catch up on the first two seasons of Crime of the Truest Kind wherever you listen, join the Crime of the Truest Kind mailing list, and subscribe to your favorite feed to get new episodes when they land. Follow @crimeofthetruestkind on socials, with the added promise of more dog pics in the new season.Thank you for listening.Crime of the Truest KindMassachusetts & New England crime storiesHosted and created by Anngelle Wood | Anngelle Wood Mediafacebook.com/crimeofthetruestkindinstagram.com/crimeofthetruestkind (and threads)tiktok.com/@crimeofthetruestkindyoutube.com/crimeofthetruestkindtwitter.com/truestkind – errr, XEmail: crimeofthetruestkind@gmail.comOnline at CrimeoftheTruestkind.com Be a patron: Patreon.com/crimeofthetruestkindGive the dogs a bone tipjar:  buymeacoffee.com/truestkindJoe "onlyone" Kowalski GoFundMe: He got a new heart!Support the showFor show notes and source information, please visit CrimeoftheTruestKind.com Music included in each episode by Joe "onlyone" Kowalski and Andrew King