Small Town Mysteries

Send a textIn 1992, a Wyoming man opened a padlocked military footlocker left in his shed by a neighbor six years earlier. Inside, he found the skeletal remains of a man shot in the head, wrapped in a grocery bag. It would take decades to pass and a DNA breakthrough to reveal that the 'man in the box' was Joseph Mulvaney—a father who had been murdered.Sources: 1) https://www.kulr8.com/news/55-year-old-cold-case-murder-solved-in-wyoming/article_583c0f3f-1ca9-5dc8-b905-1f35d93d3f3c.html2) https://fox2now.com/news/true-crime/bones-in-a-box-mystery-of-missing-illinois-veteran-solved/3) https://www.wyomilitary.wyo.gov/19_088/4) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194722282/joseph_junior-mulvaney5) https://unsolved.com/gallery/skeleton-in-a-box/6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermopolis,_Wyoming Support the show

Send a textIn 1999, Paul Warner Powell, a 20-year-old white supremacist, murdered 16-year-old Stacie Reed and brutally assaulted her 14-year-old sister, Kristie, in a racially motivated attack after learning Stacie had a Black boyfriend.After his initial death sentence was vacated due to a legal technicality regarding capital murder requirements, Powell taunted prosecutors in a letter, believing he was protected by double jeopardy. But Powell was not as smart as he thought he was...Sources: 1) https://www.vacourts.gov/static/opinions/opnscvwp/1031421.pdf 2)https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1999/04/23/a-grim-account-of-attack-on-2-sisters/9a4c2427-ba7b-48f0-96c2-acf72d3a577f/ 3) https://www.pomc.org/murder-wall/murder-wall-stories/stacie-lynn-reed-16-years-old/4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect5) https://fija.org/library-and-resources/library/jury-nullification-faq/what-is-double-jeopardy.html6)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_murder#:~:text=Capital%20murder%20refers%20to%20a,others%20such%20as%20the%20media.7) https://vocal.media/criminal/the-most-remorseless-killer-who-bragged8) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2003/01/14/letter-boasting-of-slaying-rape-returns-man-to-va-courtroom/e2363704-1fee-4c5b-851b-0e34f7723e69/9) https://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/18/virginia.killer.letter/index.html10) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7790959/stacie_lynn-reedSupport the show

Send us a textOn the morning of March 26, 1997, Deborah was at home, getting ready for school. Her eleven-year-old cousin stopped by to walk her to class, but she wasn't quite ready yet.The last words ever known to be spoken by Deborah were: “I'll be right there. Go on ahead”. She never made it to school that day, and for the next twenty-nine years, her small hometown has been haunted by the question: Who took Deborah Palmer?Sources: 1) https://www.fox13seattle.com/washingtons-most-wanted/little-girl-doesnt-show-up-for-school-but-shows-up-days-later-dead-on-a-beach2) https://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/oak-harbor-police-renew-search-for-deborah-palmers-killer/3) https://www.timesargus.com/news/fears-grow-that-sex-offender-had-other-victims/article_9a271d2a-4aba-5c80-b7e4-5d1e8f61c5aa.html4) https://www.whidbeynewstimes.com/news/sunday-marks-20-year-anniversary-of-murdered-girls-disappearance/5) https://www.seattlepi.com/local/sound/article/Mother-of-Deborah-Palmer-holds-out-hope-that-892534.php6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Harbor,_WashingtonSupport the show

Send us a textTake a listen to Part 1 from last week if you want all the background info on this case!Before Cindy died, she reported about 100 incidents of various kinds of harassment/stalking to police...but police could never find any evidence of it.Cindy first reported instances of harassment/stalking in 1982. In the 7 years leading up to her death, Cindy reported about 100 incidents which consisted of harassment, stalking, vandalism, home invasions, and physical attacks. Cindy went missing on May 25, 1989. Two weeks later, on June 8, 1989, she was discovered deceased and in the yard of an abandoned house, with her hands and feet tied behind her back. She had been drugged and strangled. Cindy's cause of death is heavily debated. Spoiler: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) determined that Cindy had tormented herself and self orchestrated all of the incidents. She then elaborately committed suicide but staged it to look like a murder. Many strongly disagree with this theory, including her family, who believe she was murdered. This week, we wrap up some stalking incidents and discuss Cindy's disappearance, as well as theories on what the heck happened to Cindy James.Trigger warnings: stalking, abuse, and animal cruelty. Sources: 1) https://unsolved.com/gallery/cindy-james/2) https://evelazarus.com/the-bizarre-case-of-cindy-james/3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Cindy_JamesSupport the show

Send us a textBefore Cindy died, she reported about 100 incidents of various kinds of harassment/stalking to police...but police could never find any evidence of it.Cindy first reported instances of harassment/stalking in 1982. In the 7 years leading up to her death, Cindy reported about 100 incidents which consisted of harassment, stalking, vandalism, home invasions, and physical attacks. Cindy went missing on May 25, 1989. Two weeks later, on June 8, 1989, she was discovered deceased and in the yard of an abandoned house, with her hands and feet tied behind her back. She had been drugged and strangled. Cindy's cause of death is heavily debated. Spoiler: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) determined that Cindy had tormented herself and self orchestrated all of the incidents. She then elaborately committed suicide but staged it to look like a murder. Many strongly disagree with this theory, including her family, who believe she was murdered. For part 1, we are mostly covering the incidents leading up to her death. Tune in next week to part 2 to hear about her disappearance and theories on what the heck happened to Cindy James.Trigger warnings: stalking, abuse, and animal cruelty. Sources: 1) https://unsolved.com/gallery/cindy-james/2) https://evelazarus.com/the-bizarre-case-of-cindy-james/3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Cindy_JamesSupport the show

Send us a textWhen Bobby Jo Manley arrived at her sister's home on April 22, 2016 in Sunfish Township, Ohio, she expected to go in, feed the pets, give them some love, and then leave – probably see her sister, as well. Socialize a bit.What Bobby Jo found would change the trajectory of her life forever – and the lives of dozens of others. Bobby Jo first found two bodies inside the home, immediately calling 9-1-1. She then found two additional bodies in a separate trailer on the property – and after calling her brother, panicked, her brother James arrived and tried to find their sister. What he found instead was a THIRD crime scene, with three more bodies. A fourth crime scene was identified 5 hours later, in a home in nearby Pikeville. There were 8 victims in total – and one glaring connection between them. All 8 victims were either born into or married into the Rhoden family. And all 8 of them were dead.Sources: 1)https://web.archive.org/web/20161028144512/http://www.kfvs12.com/story/33446144/pike-county-drug-cartel-speculation-were-wearing-that-label-now2) https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2016/04/25/exclusive-we-aint-no-revenge-our-hearts-pike-co-family-says/83517330/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z118036u115936d00----v118036&gca-ft=249&gca-ds=sophi3) https://www.wishtv.com/news/family-tree-released-of-8-ohio-shooting-victims/4) https://www.wlwt.com/article/no-arrests-made-in-pike-county-slayings/35646985) https://www.newsweek.com/ohio-shooting-eight-family-members-killed-4513486) https://abcnews.go.com/US/ohio-family-killings-evidence-consistent-cockfighting-found-scenes/story?id=386744267) https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/jake-wagner-back-in-pike-county-court-for-sudden-hearing8) https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/04/15/what-happened-in-pike-county-in-2016/73293649007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z119036d00----v119036d--xx--b--xx--&gca-ft=195&gca-ds=sophi9) https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/state/2021/04/22/jake-wagner-rhoden-family-homicides-pike-county-ohio-pleads-guilty/7333052002/10) https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/09/10/legal-analyst-30-year-sentence-conspirator-pike-county-slayings-fair/8281747002/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z119036d00----v119036d--xx--b--xx--&gca-ft=202&gca-ds=sophi11) https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/April-2016/Pike-County-Multiple-Homicide-Investigation12) https://www.foxnews.com/us/autopsies-completed-in-shooting-massacre-that-killed-8-ohio-relativesSupport the show

Send us a textWhen a 92-year-old with dementia disappears, all clues point to her granddaughter and her granddaughter's husband. Without a body though, the case grows cold. Until, that is, an unlikely detective waddles by...Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candler,_North_Carolina2) https://disability-memorial.org/nellie-sullivan 3) https://people.com/crime/pet-duck-helps-police-find-body-woman-vanished-two-charged/4) https://katv.com/news/nation-world/pet-duck-leads-to-discovery-of-womans-body-under-home-suspects-charged-with-murder-north-carolina-investigation-disappearance5) https://wlos.com/news/local/pet-duck-leads-to-discovery-of-womans-body-under-home-suspects-charged-with-murder-candler-nellie-sullivan-angela-wamsley-mark-barnes-concealing-death-6) https://www.facebook.com/buncombesheriff/posts/358810132957797?ref=embed_post7) https://abc7ny.com/post/cold-case-solved-duck-as-a-pet-nellie-sullivan-dead-body-found/11809214/ 8) https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/04/28/duck-locates-missing-grandmother-north-carolina/9568080002/9) https://wlos.com/news/local/i-just-hope-this-is-her-woman-hopeful-human-remains-confirmed-to-be-her-missing-friend-neighbor-nellie-sullivan-mark-barnes-angela-wamsley-candler-concealing-death Support the show

Send us a textWhen one man bullies an entire town into turning a blind eye to his numerous crimes over several decades, what else can a town do but finally enact some good old vigilante justice?Sources: 1) https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/us/16bully.html2) https://www.nwmissourinews.com/news/article_ff2ddc1c-b317-11ef-ac2c-d706c09832af.html3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McElroy4) https://www.shortform.com/podcast/episode/stuff-you-should-know-2024-01-24-episode-summary-the-strange-unsolved-murder-of-ken-mcelroy-stuff-you-should-know5) https://medium.com/@darkvibestruecrime/the-ultimate-who-dun-it-who-killed-ken-mcelroy-83c1b78f8f686) https://allthatsinteresting.com/ken-mcelroySupport the show

Send us a textToday we are traveling to Tennessee, specifically to the unincorporated community of Drummonds, Tennessee. Here, the brutal murder of 36-year-old Starr Harris shook the small, tight-knit community. Sources:1) https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/spr-crt-ten-at-jac/1748758.html2) https://www.actionnews5.com/story/17296068/jury-deliberating-in-starr-harris-murder-trial/3) https://scotblog.org/2015/11/in-controversial-3-2-decision-tennessee-supreme-court-affirms-death-penalty-conviction-that-is-virtually-certain-to-be-subsequently-overturned/Nightmare Next Door, Season 8, Episode 10: Fallen Starr4) https://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/TN/Delta/Drummonds-Demographics.html#:~:text=FAQs%20about%20Drummonds%20demographics,Drummonds%20are%20U.S.%2Dborn%20citizens?5) https://www.actionnews5.com/story/13720983/frinds-of-starr-harris-remember-her-as-christmas-approaches/Support the show

Send us a textToday we're going to be talking about the murder of Shirley Ann Duguay, who went missing in 1994 and was later found dead in a shallow grave. Shirley Ann Duguay was from Canada and a 32-year-old mother of five. Most reports don't go into any sort of detail about who she was as a person or really anything about her personal life, mostly due to the nature of her death and the fact that her case marked a “first” in a legal trial.Sources: 1) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183574170/shirley_ann-duguay2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Shirley_Duguay3) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/doug-beamish-released-2025-halfway-house-1.75912264) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-doug-beamish-parole-1.7344995Support the show

Send us a textOn the morning of November 15, 2004, Peter Porco woke up as usual and carried out his typical morning routine: he packed a lunch, he filled the dishwasher, and he wrote and signed a check to his son Christopher. He even locked himself out of the house, found his spare key, and let himself back in. And then, Peter Porco fell over and died. It would seem so random – he had a completely normal morning, after all – except for the fact that Peter had been struck in the head 16 times with an axe prior to getting out of bed and somehow carried on with his day despite the horrific blood trail he left throughout his home. Sources: 1)https://web.archive.org/web/20090606011130/http://www.timesunion.com/specialreports/porco/2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pc8B9PQ0To3) https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/an-unfamiliar-face-in-a-distant-courtroom-578517.php4) https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/porco-trial-prosecutors-point-to-unusual-alarm-580228.php5) https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/porcos-son-indicted-578542.php6) https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/peter-porco-s-death-detailed-580264.php7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Peter_Porco8) https://spotlightnews.com/news/2006/07/20/jurors-see-video-of-yellow-jeep-leaving-campus/9) https://spotlightnews.com/news/2006/08/03/former-neighbor-who-saw-jeep-testifies/10) https://allthatsinteresting.com/christopher-porco11) https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/E-mails-reveal-Porco-family-rift-578537.phpSupport the show

Send us a textOn September 7, 1978, Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian defector living in London, was on his way to work. He left his car and crossed the Waterloo Bridge, which was part of his everyday routine. While waiting for the bus, Markov felt a stinging sensation in his right thigh. When he turned around, he saw a man picking up an umbrella from off the ground and running away. Not feeling well, Markov checked himself into the hospital on September 8. He was convinced there was something wrong with him. Markov was running a fever and complained of nausea and vomiting. He kept pointing to an area on his right side, stating that it was swollen and causing great pain. 4 days after the run in with the man with the umbrella, Georgi Markov was dead, at the age of 49 years old. Sources: 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsVRYhLLPCM2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgi_Markov3) https://www.usagm.gov/news-and-information/threats-to-press/georgi-markov/4) https://spyscape.com/article/spy-murder-the-poisoned-umbrella-mystery-georgi-markov5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesco_Gullino6) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/17/poison-umbrella-documentary-sheds-new-light-infamous-spy-killing-cold-war7) https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/georgi-markov-murdered-by-a-bulgarian-secret-service-assassin#:~:text=No%2Done%20was%20ever%20charged,destroyed%20to%20remove%20hard%20evidence.8) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-09-11/bulgaria-to-end-umbrella-murder-probe-after-35-years?embedded-checkout=trueSupport the show

Send us a textToday, we're going to Norway! We've got another international case on our hands this week, with some parallels to The Somerton Man, which was recently covered. This one goes back to the autumn of 1970, to a place nicknamed “The Ice Valley”.It is the story of the (still unidentified) Isdal Woman -- a woman with no name, two suitcases, and perhaps a secret.Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isdal_Woman2) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-393694293) https://www.aetv.com/articles/isdal-woman4) https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/who-was-the-isdal-woman-and-what-do-we-know-about-her-death/ Support the show

Send us a textDid this famous Brazilian television presenter and politician really murder for more views? Let's talk about it on this new episode of Small Town Mysteries.Sources: 1) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-107854942) https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna323776543) https://www.mamamia.com.au/wallace-souza/4) https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna325734675) https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/wallace-souza-the-journalist-who-orchestrated-the-murders-he-covered-6d59a01388f16) https://www.thetimes.com/world/latin-america/article/wallace-souza-and-the-incredible-true-crime-drama-behind-netflixs-killer-ratings-kkwvwd5xt7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Souza#cite_note-Times_Online-48) https://agenciacenarium.com.br/justice-dismisses-accusation-of-wallace-souzas-son-in-case-of-plot-to-kill-judge/?lang=enSupport the show

Send us a textThe murder of teenager D'Andre Green remains unsolved - and someone knows who his killer is. Sources: 1) https://www.wdel.com/news/video-7-years-on-family-of-teen-killed-in-brookside-community-center-shooting-still-seeking/article_9f234312-3f20-11eb-a652-6b6d733d7c1c.html2) https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/31/delaware-teen-killed-seeking-community-help/4262275/3) https://www.newcastlede.gov/DocumentCenter/View/60047/DAndre-Green-4) https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/baltimore/news/press-releases/fbi-offers-10-000-reward-for-information-in-murder-of-teenager-at-community-partySupport the show

Send us a textToday we're talking about The Somerton Man - a case that reads like a novel and frustrated investigators for over seventy years.Sources:1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerton_Man 2) https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/27/somerton-man-mystery-identity-solved-identified-australia3) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-enduring-mystery-somerton-man-one-of-australias-most-puzzling-cold-cases-50795611/4) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-21/somerton-manfamily-photographs-revealed-/1016435245) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-62314555Support the show

Send us a textThe 1970s and 80s was a hotbed of excellent paranormal horror films – The Exorcist, the original Amityville Horror, Halloween, Carrie, Eraserhead, Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria, Invasion of the Body Snatchers…. I could go on. It was quite the era of film – and remarkably, some of these legendary tales are based on true stories.One of the lesser known films of this era is The Entity. It's sort of your run-of-the-mill poltergeist film: single mother, claims she's being attacked and harassed physically and sexually by a ghost or demon or something…But! It was based on the true story of Doris Bither…whose case was, in fact, rather unique for an alleged haunting.Sources: 1) https://skepticalinquirer.org/2021/10/a-closer-look-at-the-entity-photographs/2) https://laghosttour.com/the-entity-house/3) https://www.themysticmedium.com/the-entity-haunting-the-doris-bither-story/4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Bither_case5) https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/paranormal-activity-ucla-haunting-storySupport the show

Send us a textToday on STM I'm taking it back to the early 1800s and the village of Hammersmith, located in foggy London. Nowadays, Hammersmith is a populated area within the Greater London area, home to almost 200,000 people . In December of 1803, However, the village only had about 5,500 inhabitants - the perfect setting for local gossip to run amok. And amok it ran! Tales of an ominous specter were spreading among the village. It was described as a white-shrouded figure that would stalk Black Lion Lane. Some said it wore calfskin clothes and had horns and large glass-like eyes. Local legend was that the spectre was actually the restless spirit of a man who'd taken his own life the year before, and who was now condemned to haunt the grounds of St. Paul's churchyard.But was the figure really a ghost?And how did this lead to a legal dilemma that would last for 200 years?Sources: 1) https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/10/the-case-of-a-ghost-haunted-england-for-over-two-hundred-years/2) https://www.historicmysteries.com/history/hammersmith-ghost/37316/ 3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammersmith_Ghost_murder_case 4) https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/the-hammersmith-ghost-londons-paranormal-murder/ Support the show

Send us a textThe Dybbuk box first gained popularity in 2003, after a man by the name of Kevin Mannis posted the Dybbuk box for sale on ebay. He claimed that the Dybbuk box was haunted and was causing a lot of strange and supernatural things to happen to both him and his family. Sources: 1) https://jewitches.com/blogs/blog/the-deal-with-the-dybbuk?srsltid=AfmBOooiwzKe-kwg8ZBK2fCzzIa10aX_7PbGLT9DV-QiFa2KlCeknEQl2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repentance_in_Judaism3) https://www.inverse.com/input/features/dybbuk-box-dibbuk-kevin-mannis-zak-bagans-haunted-hoax-revealed4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dybbuk_boxSupport the show

Send us a textHello and welcome to Small Town Mysteries, spooky season edition! This October we're bringing you some truly bizarre cases – ones that we think simply scream Supernatural…are they truly the works of ghosts and phantoms? Are these crimes caused by otherworldly beings…or are humans the most depraved creature of all? I'm Kate, here with Christine and Rachael, bringing you our the first episode of our annual Spooky Season Series, The Death of Zona Shue…also known as the Greenbrier Ghost. Sources: 1) https://appalachianmemories.org/2025/01/10/the-greenbrier-ghost-the-case-where-a-spirit-helped-convict-a-murderer/2) https://dannyechase.com/blog/greenbrier/3) https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghosthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenbrier_Ghost4) Support the show

Send us a textOn a Monday morning in February 1986, in the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles, Sherri Rasmussen's life came to a violent end. Sherri, a young nurse, was found dead in her condo. She had been brutally beaten and shot three times.Following this discovery, the Los Angeles Police Department quickly labeled the case as a botched burglary. But to Sherri's father, Nels, this felt wrong. He had a suspect in mind from the very beginning, one he had even told police about. A woman who couldn't let go of the man Sherri had just married. A woman who just happened to be an LAPD officer herself.This is the story of a cold case that went unsolved for over two decades. A story of obsession, murder, and the blue wall of silence.Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sherri_Rasmussen2) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ex-lapd-detective-hid-murder-decades-wont-paroled-reversing-earlier-de-rcna1737233) https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/stephanie-lazarus-former-lapd-detective-who-shot-ex-lovers-new-wife-has-parole-denied-again/4) https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-05-15/it-took-lapd-23-years-to-identify-police-detective-as-culprit-in-fatal-love-triangle5) https://abcnews.go.com/US/former-lapd-detective-murdered-lovers-wife-hid-crime/story?id=1139555316) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52954546/sherri_rae-rasmussen Support the show

Send us a textOn July 4, 2016, David Isaiah Goodwin (age 25)  murdered Wendy Tamagne (age 37) and then dismembered her body and shoved her remains into trashbags.Sources: 1) https://wcti12.com/news/local/deliberations-finish-jury-begins-discussion-of-sentencing-for-david-godwin2) https://www.wnct.com/news/david-godwin-sentenced-to-death-justice-has-been-served/3) https://www.jdnews.com/news/murder-suspect-to-be-returned-to-carteret-county-to-face-charges/article_3d2ca89e-a450-5cc6-9941-4f1e0c8e4aee.html4) https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/wendy-tamagne-remembered-as-caring-friendly/article_dfa05da8-d8ab-5827-8e18-e82585b744f0.html5) https://www.gofundme.com/f/welovewendyraeSupport the show

Send us a textSometimes on this podcast, or in true crime in general, there's discussion over so-called “black widows,” or women who have had multiple husbands die mysteriously, with the implication that they were responsible for those deaths. But that's not why we're here today. Today, we're going to talk about a bluebeard – yes, a man rather similar to a black widow, whose wives or partners mysteriously died. Support the show

Send us a textOver 40 years ago, on July 15th, 1984, in the rugged wilderness of the Madison Range in Montana, 22-year-old Kari Swenson went missing. Kari was a recent Montana State University graduate and rising star in the world of biathlon, a sport that combines cross country skiing and rifle shooting. One sunny morning in July, Kari went for a run on a scenic forest trail. She was actually hoping to see a grizzly bear during her run, as it was an animal she'd always wanted to see. But instead of a bear, she encountered two men. Sources: 1) https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/100/newsmakers/mountain-men-kidnap-murder-captured-world-s-attention/article_b7b40ff8-c53e-11e0-b014-001cc4c03286.html 2) https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/24/mountain-man-freed-32-years-after-kidnapping-athlete-to-be-sons-bride3) https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/28086785/30-30-podcast-how-gender-politics-tragedy-changed-kari-swenson-biathlon-generation4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kari_Swenson Support the show

Send us a textOne unhinged person murders their in-laws and the sister of her mother-in-law via death cap mushrooms. Sources: 1) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy3ngr2n3vo2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leongatha_mushroom_murders3) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-02/police-charge-erin-patterson-mushroom-poisoning-deaths/1030566944) https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/30/erin-patterson-mushroom-poisonings-murder-trial-ntwnfb5) https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/son-pays-tribute-to-extremely-thoughtful-and-generous-parents-gail-and-don-patterson-after-they-died-from-mushroom-poisoning-following-leongatha-lunch/news-story/2b5f5ad4e303390e5312c4077b7b46a96) https://www.sgst.com.au/news/memorial-service-brings-home-depth-of-korumburra-tragedy7) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-670029188) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_phalloides9) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-04/mushroom-poisoning-victim-heather-wilkinson-memorial-service/10292952610) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-10/gail-don-patterson-heather-ian-wilkinson-erin-patterson-mushroom/105513208Support the show

Send us a textOn May 13, 1998, the body of a woman was found on the side of I-85 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. On September 25 of the same year, the body of a young boy was found underneath a billboard off of I-85 in Mebane, North Carolina. The bodies were found about 3 hours away from each other – in different months, in different stages of decay, even in different states. But more than 20 years later, the truth would come out – connecting these bodies, their lives, and their deaths, once and for all. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_palynology2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope_analysis3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Bobby_Whitt_and_Myoung_Hwa_Cho4) https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article225508170.html5) https://people.com/crime/john-mebane-doe-murdered-north-carolina-new-photo/6) https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/investigations/two-decades-ago-a-10-year-old-was-killed-now-his-fathers-been-charged-with-murder/275-b4a44661-02a5-4269-a8ee-fad621c769ee7) https://local12.com/news/local/brown-co-family-says-final-goodbye-to-missing-boy-found-murdered-in-19988) https://www.wral.com/man-to-spend-rest-of-life-behind-bars-for-killing-wife-boy-whose-remains-were-found-under-mebane-billboard/18888831/9) https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article230338529.htmlSupport the show

In the summer of 2005, Melanie Metheny's family had a cookout. For Catherine Moles, it's a vivid memory of her niece, Melanie, then 20, doting on her three-year-old son, Ryan. Catherine remembers Melanie as "very, very watchful," and "very protective." The cookout was just a small glimpse into Melanie's world: her kids were everything to her. But little did Catherine know that the cookout would be one of the last times that she saw Melanie.On July 19, 2006, just a year later, Melanie Metheny, at 21 years old, vanished.Sources: 1) https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/cold-case-spotlight/melanie-metheny-missing-person-west-virginia-rcna216494 2) https://www.wvsp.gov/missing-persons/Pages/MissingPerson_Detail.aspx?personid=33) https://www.kanawhasheriff.us/Documents/MelanieMetheny.pdf 4) https://melaniemetheny.wordpress.com/ 5)https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/7wgihm/where_is_melanie_metheny_unresolved_disappearance/ 6) https://www.melanieshope.org/?page_id=16Support the show

On September 21, 1909, six members of the Meadows family were murdered and had their log cabin set on fire. George and Lydia Meadows, as well as their children: Will, Noah, and Lafayette, and Lydia's mom, Elizabeth, were all hit in the head with an axe or hatchet. Sources: 1) https://blueridgetruecrime.substack.com/p/death-rides-a-fast-train-the-laurel?open=false#%C2%A7an-unsettling-development2) https://www.oocities.org/rmbaker66/jstsmrdr.html3) https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2019/09/laurel-creek-murders-part-2.html4) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237051360/william-howard-littleSupport the show

Listen to Kate talk about how truly witless this man was!Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Wozniak_(murderer)2) https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/theater/inspired-by-true-events-true-crime-play.html3) https://abcnews.go.com/US/community-theater-actors-final-performance-chilling-confession-double/story?id=631815884) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_(musical)Support the show

Today, Christine talks about a person whose mission to complete a charitable act ended in tragedy. We are going to uncover the truth that was buried in the remote Scottish Highlands for three, long years. This is the story of Tony Parsons.Sources: 1) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66614488 2) https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-56927878 3) https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/25/drink-driver-killed-cyclist-on-remote-scottish-road-jailed-for-12-years4) https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23686444.red-bull-can-helped-find-body-missing-cyclist-tony-parsons/ 5)https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/9mgrdz/tony_parsons_set_out_on_a_170_km_bike_ride_across/Support the show

Today we are going back in time to the 1890s to talk about the murder of the Meeks Family.Sources: 1) https://www.murderbygaslight.com/2011/04/meeks-family-murder.html2) https://sullivan.mogenweb.org/meeksmurders.html3) https://www.hannibal.net/archive/article/history-in-hannibal-folktale-relates-towns-horror-over-meeks-family-murders/article_78cc9a66-7ce1-521a-a5e6-10c7363aa413.html4) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61610270/delora-meeks5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linn_County,_MissouriSupport the show

Over the course of just two days, so began a panic that ultimately led to the deaths of at least 7 people directly, and more from copycats – and borderline hysteria that would change the pharmaceutical industry forever.Sources: 1) https://www.chicagotribune.com/2022/09/30/the-tylenol-murders-40-years-ago-an-infamous-chicago-area-crime-took-these-7-lives/2) https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/tylenol-murders-19823) https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/15/us/tylenol-figure-is-convicted.html4) https://time.com/archive/6914067/a-brief-history-of-the-tylenol-poisonings/5) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1982/10/11/tylenols-maker-shows-how-to-respond-to-crisis/bc8df898-3fcf-443f-bc2f-e6fbd639a5a3/6)https://web.archive.org/web/20111030094338/http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/18703672/detail.html7) https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/tylenol-murders-40-years-later-who-have-investigators-identified-as-suspects-or-persons-of-interest/Support the show

On December 5th, 1872, about 400 miles off the coast of the Azores, crew members on the British ship Dei Gratia spotted a ship adrift in the sea. The Captain of the ship was shocked to find that the unguided ship was the Mary Celeste, which had departed from NYC eight days before him, and had been well past-due to have arrived in Genoa, Italy.A small crew was sent to the ship. Below deck, items had been tossed around, and crewmen's belongings were still in their quarters. The only lifeboat on the ship was missing, and one of the pumps was disassembled. There was a large supply of food and drink, but not a soul on the ship to consume it. So what happened to the ten people who had been on board the Mary Celeste? Sources: 1) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/abandoned-ship-the-mary-celeste-174488104/ 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Celeste 3) https://sippican.theweektoday.com/article/family-gathers-celebrate-legend-mary-celeste/58992 Support the show

This week, we talk about the murder of Patricia Richmond. This case will throw you for a loop!Sources:1) Murder in the Heartland, Season 3, episode 3: Beautiful Mess 2) https://www.yampavalleyfh.com/obituary/51512913) https://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/24/man-pleads-guilty-to-killing-cousins-fiance-in-routt-county/4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_County,_Massachusetts5) https://www.uncovercolorado.com/towns/clark/Support the show

An online connection that Vickie Edge thought was fate, turns out to be a nightmare. Sources: 1) https://www.wkrg.com/true-crime/vickie-edge-owner-of-destin-day-spa-murdered-by-man-she-met-online/2) https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/vickie-edge-allegedly-murdered-by-boyfriend-jerry-odum3) https://www.wkrg.com/video/family-remembers-murder-victim-vickie-edge/5754161/4) https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/murder-confession-video-jerry-geisler-odum-b2480750.html5) https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/08/10/srso-destin-woman-vickie-edge-killed-milton-boyfriend-jerry-odum/3340369001/6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APgSbV7BD3M7) https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/just-science-podcast-just-research-dating-apps-and-violent-sexual-assault8)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359178922000623#:~:text=A%20Pew%20Research%20survey%20of,et%20al.%2C%202020).9) https://respect.uq.edu.au/swipe-left-online-abuseSupport the show

When Bobbi Parker vanishes one day, her family is concerned. She was thought to be taken by an inmate under her care. However, over a decade later, the mystery begins to unravel, and let's just say that everything is not as it seems!Sources: 1) https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Bobbi_Parker2)https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/f6nhp0/bobbi_parker_sufferer_of_stockholm_syndrome_or/3) https://allthatsinteresting.com/bobbi-parker4) https://www.nbcnews.com/dateline/seven-years-dateline-producer-follows-devil-bobbi-parker-flna1b60350315) https://www.newson6.com/story/5e368c655c62141fdeebfcd3/bobbi-parker-sentenced-for-helping-inmate-escapeSupport the show

Often in true crime spaces we come across cases where a murder is never solved, where a murdered person's family never finds justice, where a body is never properly laid to rest. Sometimes we get one of these things, or two, and, more rarely than it SHOULD happen, sometimes we get all three. Today's case is all 3: a body found, a murder solved, and justice served. This is the case of April Tinsley.Sources: 1) https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2009/may/april-tinsley-murder-pt.-3/tinsley-killer-profile2) https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2009/april/tinsley_0403093) https://theburr.com/3058/blogs/season-of-justice/season-of-justice-april-tinsley/4) https://www.insideedition.com/april-tinsley-case-man-tied-8-year-olds-1988-murder-through-genealogy-website-dna-technology-cops5) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/07/16/i-been-watching-you-a-child-killer-taunted-little-girls-with-terrifying-notes-police-say-after-30-years-dna-led-to-an-arrest/6) https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/arrest-made-in-april-tinsley-homicide-case7) https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/tinsley-detectives-reveal-new-details-about-case-suspect/1724738759/8) https://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/04/indiana.fbi.cold.case/9) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_April_Tinsley Support the show

Do you know the expression: "The Dingo ate my baby"?Okay, but did you know that it was based on an actual case in Australia in the 1980s?This week, Christine covers the famous Australian case - and talks about how one of the most publicized cases of its decade was botched, in large part due to public pressure. Sources: 1) https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/azaria-chamberlain-inquest2) https://justice.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/205377/azaria-chantel-chamberlain.pdf 3) https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/collection/highlights/azaria-chamberlain-dress 4) https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/why-didnt-she-cry-how-lindy-chamberlain-became-the-poster-child-for-life-shattering-gender-bias/5) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Azaria_Chamberlain6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_Chamberlain-Creighton7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DingoSupport the show

Rachael walks us through the murders of Bruce and Darlene Rouse. As always, there's a niiiiice little twist in there...just to keep you all on your toes.Sources: 1) https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/william-billy-rouse-confesses-parents-murders-illinois2) https://vocal.media/criminal/the-libertyville-murders3) https://www.lhsdoi.com/3511/news/libertyvilles-own-american-horror-story/4) https://idoc.illinois.gov/offender/inmatesearch.html5) Snapped. Season 27, Episode 25, “William Rouse” Support the show

Daniel Williams was 21 years old when he was sentenced to one year in prison for non-violent drug charges. He was bounced around to multiple facilities during this year, and was set to finish out the last few weeks of his sentence at Staton Correctional Center in Elmore, Alabama. Little did Daniel know that he would die in that prison, both at the hands of someone yet to be convicted of any crime AND at the hands of the mind-boggling negligence of the entire prison facility.Get your pitchforks ready for this one, folks. Sources:1) https://abc3340.com/news/local/fathers-outrage-as-no-charges-filed-in-sons-torture-rape-death-in-prison2) https://abc3340.com/news/local/suspect-in-murder-and-rape-of-22-year-old-inmate-had-history-of-sexual-violence-according-to-adoc-documents3) https://alabamaappleseed.org/author/eddie-burkhalter/after-investigation-no-criminal-charges-in-the-torture-and-homicide-of-daniel-williams-at-staton-prison/4) https://abc3340.com/news/local/fathers-outrage-as-no-charges-filed-in-sons-torture-rape-death-in-prison5)https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrime/comments/1gx6qge/no_charges_in_22yearolds_kidnapping_torture_gang/Support the show

On the morning of September 16th, 2010, Greg Fleniken's body is found in his hotel room. Police are puzzled - they cannot find any motive for his murder and no explanation for his strange internal injuries. Greg's wife, Susie turns to a private investigator in order to crack the case...and he does, revealing a series of truly stupifying events.Sources: 1) https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/05/true-crime-elegante-hotel-texas-murder 2) https://abcnews.go.com/US/caused-mans-mysterious-death-texas-hotel-room/story?id=206568543) https://kpel965.com/greg-fleniken-death-true-crime-mystery-body-in-room-348-vanity-fair/4) https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/wife-of-man-found-dead-at-mcm-elegante-proceeds-4725451.php5) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/theadvertiser/name/gregory-fleniken-obituary?id=9169857 Support the show

Who was Julie Doe? And how did investigators identify her decades after she had been murdered, despite several roadblocks? Find out on this weeks episode of Small Town Mysteries!Sources:1)https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/1j840cn/dna_doe_project_identifies_transgender_julie_doe/ 2) https://dnadoeproject.org/case/transgender-julie-doe/ 3) https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/60304) https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/12/self-taught-sleuths-trying-solve-trans-murders/603976/5) https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2752umfl.html6) https://www.forensicmag.com/3594-All-News/615429-Meta-Rejects-DNA-Doe-Project-s-Ad-for-Transgender-Doe/Support the show

This week, Rachael talks about the tragic murder of 15-year-old Trish Autry. Sources: 1) https://casetext.com/case/state-v-nielsen-402) https://www.nelsonfuneralhome.com/obituaries/trisha-autry3)https://web.archive.org/web/20070812080555/http://www.unsolved.com:80/0109-TrishaAutry.html4) https://www.deseret.com/2001/5/16/19586566/missing-teen-is-found-dead/5) https://www.hjnews.com/alleged-rapist-a-suspect-in-trisha-autry-homicide-too/article_9444eddd-43d5-556f-9000-4d67a99d556d.html6) https://www.heraldextra.com/news/2001/jul/20/murder-charge-is-raised-to-capital-homicide/7) https://www.deseret.com/2004/1/28/19809056/autry-s-family-tells-jurors-evil-has-a-face/8) http://hardnews.ansci.usu.edu/archive/jan2004/0130_nielsen.html9) https://www.hjnews.com/news/autrys-bid-farewell-to-slain-daughter/article_86cdb878-c808-5eaa-b77e-a4272f8d24e8.html10) https://www.hjnews.com/a-leroy-autry/article_76f6e7c0-e2be-59d3-8f07-94073aa81c6f.htmlSupport the show

This week, Christine dives into the murder of Helen Jewett. Helen was a sex worker in New York City in the 1830s. Was the murderer her most recent client? You can decide...Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Jewett2) https://darkdowneast.com/helenjewett/3) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-long-island-star-murder-and-arson-t/102699744/4) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-post-trial-of-richard-p-rob/102702143/5) https://www.newspapers.com/article/bangor-daily-whig-and-courier-the-murder/102794404/6) https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-journal-the-murder-of-the-girl-in-gr/117166824/Support the show

Tune in this week to hear Kate cover one of the most badass survival stories we've covered: the unbelievable survival of 15-year-old Mary Vincent.Sources:1) https://people.com/archive/a-victims-life-sentence-vol-29-no-16/2) https://archive.vcstar.com/news/crime-survivor-speaks-ep-371969784-350886431.html/3) https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-feb-25-mn-22808-story.html4) https://www.nytimes.com/1988/09/28/us/rape-victim-gives-up-on-collecting-award.html5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Vincent_(artist)#cite_note-126) https://morbidology.com/left-for-dead-mary-vincent/7) https://keypennews.org/stories/the-heart-of-a-survivor-blood-courage-triumph,6663?8) https://www.ranker.com/list/mary-vincent-lawrence-singleton-case/laura-allanSupport the show

When three people are wrongly convicted as a result of police manipulation tactics, you have to wonder: who was actually responsible? Miscarriages of justice are rampant in this case, but most important is to remember that Lynette White's life was taken from her, and she cannot ever get that back.Sources: 1) https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-02-09/lynette-whites-murder-why-it-took-16-years-to-find-her-real-killer2) https://www.forensic-access.co.uk/cold-cases/lynette-white/3) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c079vl109x2o4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-21GVUsQcKc&t=25s5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3ltZFJ_Mng6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPTS9TZDWJU7) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lynette_WhiteSupport the show

This week, Christine covers the puzzling death of Alexander Stevens. This case was never cut and dry from the beginning, but only gets more puzzling as more details emerge. Sources:1) https://www.courts.state.md.us/sites/default/files/unreported-opinions/0993s18.pdf 2) https://www.wvnews.com/garrettrepublican/news/megan-shaffer-sentenced-to-30-years-in-prison-for-second-degree-murder/article_487d0751-30db-5b9a-a536-5d9d723f204d.html 3) https://people.com/crime/maryland-woman-charged-boyfriend-murder-throat-slash/ 4) https://kromatic.media/audio Support the show

This week, Kate dives into an unsolved mystery, and a rather perplexing one, at that. This one is a great example/reminder of why colonialism is bad. When Michael Rockefeller (yes, of THE Rockefeller Family) disappeared during an expedition in the Asmat region of southwestern Dutch New Guinea (now South Papua), no one knew what had happened to him. There's a few theories. Some are simple, and some are sinister. Support the show

This week, Rachael covers the murder of Gregory "Sky" Erickson, who was just 15 years old. And buckle up, because the cast of characters involved in this case is EXTENSIVE--there were TEN people charged in connection with his murder!Sources:1) https://law.justia.com/cases/minnesota/court-of-appeals/2012/a11-1379.html2) https://www.facebook.com/p/In-memory-of-Sky-Erickson-100069079830324/https://www.dglobe.com/news/man-serving-life-sentence-testifies-about-murder3) https://www.siouxlandproud.com/news/local-news/man-now-eligible-for-parole-for-1997-sky-erickson-killing/4) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147884681/gregory-sky-erickson5) https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp2/40/1073/2380789/6) https://casetext.com/case/us-v-lua7) https://www.change.org/p/joe-biden-my-brother-has-been-in-prison-for-over-23-years-and-deserves-a-second-chance8) https://doc-search.iowa.gov/Offender/Search9) https://www.change.org/p/clemency-for-luis-lua10) https://law.justia.com/cases/iowa/supreme-court/1999/98-1417.htmlSupport the show

Around 4:00 AM on August 23, 1987 in the tiny city of Alexander, Arkansas, a locomotive engineer noticed that there were people laying down on the train tracks. The engineer engaged the train's brakes and sounded the horn, but the train was unable to stop in time.When 16-year-old Don Henry and 17-year-old Kevin Ives were hit by this freight train, their death was initially and unsurprisingly ruled an accident. However, after researching this case, I think it's safe to say that the deaths of these teenagers were anything but accidental. Sources:1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Don_Henry_and_Kevin_Ives2) https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jun/05/mom-of-cold-case-victim-dies/3) https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/kevin-ives-and-don-henry-12289/4) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120221988/lionel_keith-mckaskle#view-photo=190741804 5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Seal 6) https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jun/05/mom-of-cold-case-victim-dies/ Support the show

Despite there being security camera footage of Missy Bever's killer, there have been frustratingly few major leads over the last 9 years. Sources: 1) https://people.com/crime/missy-bevers-murder-mother-in-law-asks-will-we-feel-like-celebrating-arrest/2) https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/internet-sleuths-muddy-waters-and-wreck-lives-in-missy-bevers-murder-investigation-91297363) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/docs-church-murder-victim-terri-missy-bevers-received-creepy-linkedin-message/4) https://people.com/crime/missy-bevers-texas-fitness-instructor-dead-one-year-later/5) https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/missy-bevers-died-from-multiple-puncture-wounds-to-head-and-chest-police/132143/6) https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/who-murdered-missy-bevers-six-years-after-killing-the-question-remains-unanswered/2943550/7) https://www.audacy.com/krld/news/local/reward-increases-to-usd150-000-dollars-in-missy-bevers-murder8) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Missy_BeversSupport the show