State of Murder

This week we are in the bluegrass state of Kentucky and we decided to start this episode off with a pizza ranking! Don't ask why just enjoy! Then listen to Amber share about an increasing epidemic of domestic violence and how Louisville is trying to a make a change with its Domestic Violence Prevention Coordinating Council. This council was formed due to the murder of Pam Fortney by her estranged husband when it was discovered that the system did not help them. Amber also shares about Amanda Berry and how the DVPCC is still working on holding the system accountable for not helping victims of domestic violence. Finally, hear Celina tell the story of Katie Autry, a young college student that made friends with just about everyone she met. After a fun night out with her roommate and friend Danica, she would get a ride home from a young frat brother. Little did Katie know that the other passenger in the truck would change her life forever. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Join us this week as we travel to the country music capital, Tennessee! First, Amber shares the story of a country music legend Stringbean Akeman. After playing at the Grand Ole Opry, he and his wife make their way back to their small cabin and are surprised to find their front door open and two murderers inside. Then listen as Celina shares about Channon Christian and Chris Newsom, two young college students who are going out together to get some food and then meet up with their friends, when suddenly they are carjacked and kidnapped. What would happen to them during that night would lead to their bodies being discovered days apart in horrible ways. Don't forget to check out www.stateofmurder.com for bonus content after the episode! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we have traveled to the southern state of Alabama. First, Amber shares about Shae Graham and how her murder shocked the whole town, as the person they least suspected was found guilty of orchestrating her murder. Then hear Celina share the horrifying story of the Tuskegee Experiments, a 40 year “medical” study that was focused specifically on black men and the unfortunate side effects of syphilis. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Happy Labor Day from State of Murder! In honor of the holiday this week we are not in any specific state, instead we are celebrating the resiliency of the American worker. This episode is all about the crime and murder that haunted the beginnings of the labor movement. First hear Amber tell about how the mafia in Chicago has always had a hand in the Teamster Union.  When the mafia's number one assassin took out Union leader Billy Logan, we found out just how corrupt the Chicago court system was. Then listen to Celina tell all about how corruption in the United Mine Workers of America lead to the murder of Jock Yablonski and his family forever changing the union as we know it.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We've made it halfway through the USA! This week we are in Mississippi, does anyone else sing a song to make sure they spell this state name right? No? Just us? Awesome. First listen to Amber talk about the Jackson family. In 1990, Regina was home with her two daughters and 4 nieces and nephews, when there was a knock on the door. When she went to answer it, there stood her older brother. Little did she know that she would be letting a monster into her home. *Warning* Details of Amber's case include some graphic descriptions so if you would like to skip past that, the time stamp is 12:38-18:08. Then listen to Celina share about the murder of Jessica Chambers, an All-American cheerleader from Courtland, Mississippi, who went out to grab something to eat and clean her car but would never return. When volunteer firefighters received a call about a car fire that same night it would turn this whole town on its head. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we are in the state of Illinois the land of Lincoln or as Celina and Amber like to call it the wonderful state that created Michelle Obama. In Chicago in the 70's and 80's one police precinct was getting a lot of confessions from their prisoners. This area was in the south side of Chicago and specifically Area 2. When one prisoner stated that he had been tortured into confessing it, all of a sudden over 118 African American men shared very similar horror stories of what happened to them. Celina shares about Kyrian Knox a sweet two year old little boy from Rockford whose body was found dismembered in the Garfield Park Lagoon in Chicago. His mother had left him in the care of Kamel Harris who said two strangers came and picked up the little boy for Ms. Knox. With little evidence and a jail house confession, there was little justice for Kyrian. *Correction: Celina pronounces Kyrian's name incorrectly throughout the episode as Kear-e-an instead of Ky-ren and is incredibly sorry. And update will be in the next episode with the correct pronunciation. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we are in the dairy state of Wisconsin, where butter is king. Amber shares with us about the Sikh Temple Murders and how the bass player of a White Power heavy metal band, went from being stationed at Fort Bragg to murdering people at a Sikh Temple.  Halloween is such a fun time of year for children. It’s a time for trick or treating and haunted houses. Celina shares the heart breaking story of Lisa French a young 9 year old girl whose Halloween turned out to be much scarier than she would imagine.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we are traveling to the land of a thousand lakes, Minnesota. It seems that cold cases are in the news more and more. Amber shares about the murder of Nancy Daughetry, who was murdered in 1986 and her killer was just found thanks to our old friend: familial DNA. Then hear Celina tell us about the tragic events of July 15th 2017. Justine Damond would hear screaming coming from the alley behind her neighbor's house in the Fulton neighborhood of Minneapolis. She called the police twice to try and help and when they finally arrived Justine rushed out to meet them. Just one minute and 19 seconds after leaving her house, she would go from Good Samaritan to victim. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On November 17, 1973 Sandra Cheskey and her boyfriend Roger Essem, went with a group of friends to go camp out at Iowa's Gitchie Manitou nature preserve. They wanted to sing around the campfire and smoke a little pot. They had just arrived when three brothers who had been out poaching, noticed their campsite. Deciding that they would pretend to be narcotics officers they walked up on the group and opened fire. Only one of the teens would survive. Celina shares the heartbreaking story of Kedarie Johnson. As a gender fluid teen in a conservative town, he was a shining example of someone brave enough to live their life to the fullest. After some strange Facebook messages and a red car following him on the evening of March 2nd 2016, Kedarie would be found murdered in an alley way. Thanks to some google searches and missing phone calls police would be hot on the trail of his two murderers. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

For over forty years the small town of Skidmore, Missouri was terrorized by one man. Everyone knew to stay away from him, for if he ever thought you did him wrong he would harass your whole family. This one man was Ken McElroy. Over the course of 40 years, he would rape young girls, steal from farmers and just plain bully the towns people. On July 10, 1981, the town’s people had had enough and decided to do something about it. January 1991, Trudy Darby was closing the convenience store where she worked when 3 suspicious looking men caught her eye. After a phone call to her son asking him to come stay with her, the men would kidnap her at gun point and brutally attack her. After her body was found 2 days later police quickly ran out of leads. In 1993, a lead finally surfaced putting them right on the doorstep of Jessie Rush. The 17-year-old would confess but in letters uncovered by the police he may have confessed to so much more. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @sompodcast and check out our blog at www.stateofmurder.com! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The 1980's in Arkansas was an interesting time. Cowboy discos were all the rage and rumor has it the Mafia was making its way to Little Rock. After Ron Orsini is found dead under mysterious circumstances, attention turns to his wife Mary Lee, who insists that the Mafia must have done it. Mary Lee hires William "Bill" McArthur, a well liked lawyer in Little Rock to help her case and soon forms a friendship with Bill and his wife Alice. After Alice's car is hit with a car bomb, the Mafia story doesn't seem so far off. March 28th 1998, was a normal day at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas until the fire alarm went off during 5th period. As students started filing out to the field behind the school, gunshots rang out across the school. Panic set in and in the four minutes the shooting lasted 5 would end up dead and 10 more would be wounded. As police arrived they caught the shooters attempting to flee, Mitchell Johnson, 13 and Andrew Golden, 11. They would become two of the youngest school shooters in history. Don't forget to like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @sompodcast! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In 1998, pizza delivery man Jarvis Griffin was robbed and murdered. Witnesses pointed the finger at 3 young men but they pointed the finger at 16 year old Corey Williams. With a DA and a prosecutor out for blood, Williams didn't stand a chance. Hear Amber tell all about the two victims of this Caddo Parish murder.  2006 was a dark year for New Orleans. But for Addie Hall and Zack Bowen the hurricane would be a chance to find love. Riding out the storm together these two seemed to be living in paradise. When the waters receded, however, it was a different story. Fueled by trauma, drugs, and alcohol these two love birds would turn deadly. *trigger warning* What happens during the course of this story gets very graphic, Celina gives a warning during the episode but feel free to skip ahead if you need too.  *Details of the crime in Celina's case are from 56:50 to 1:05:01.   Don't forget to check out www.stateofmurder.com for any links or bonus content we mention in this and every episode! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We are traveling to the Lone Star State and this week Amber and Celina are sharing two crimes that happened decades ago but seem like they could be ripped straight from news articles today. Amber shares about the 1998 lynching of James Byrd Jr. a black man who was picked up by three white man while walking home from his parents house early one morning. His murder would help form Hate Laws and rock a county to its core. Celina shares the story of Joe Campos Torres a young Latino man, who served his country during the Vietnam War. He had big dreams that came crashing down when his path crossed 5 Houston police officers in 1977. Don't forget to check out www.stateofmurder.com after the episode for bonus content! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We made it to Kansas! Amber tells about Decoration Day in 1925, when Florence Knoblock was found murdered in her home in Coffey County Kansas. Her husband John was quick to point the finger at a black man whom he knew helped around town.  John stated that whomever murdered her surely couldn't have been a white man because it was too horrible.  However the evidence pointed closer to home.  Celina tells about the bitterly cold evening of December 8, 2000, when a group of friends was hanging out in their apartment in Wichita.  As everyone is getting ready to fall asleep, the porch light turned on at the front door.  The next thing everyone knew there were two men in the house forcing them to strip naked and sit in a closet. After hours of torture the group would be taken to an empty soccer field where the bravery of one woman would help bring them justice.  Don't forget to check out bonus content after the episode on www.stateofmurder.com!  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Surprise! It is Celina’s birthday today and we decided to shake things up! Due to current events, we are in Oklahoma this week not Kansas! Sorry Kansas but 1921 was a rough year in Oklahoma. First hear Amber tell about the Osage Indian Murders, where surprise surprise, some white men created a loophole to steal some land. Follow Amber as she tells the story of Anna Brown and her family and the unsolved deaths that seemed to plague them. Next Celina is telling about the Tulsa Race Massacre. Recently making headlines, this is known as the single worst incident of racial violence in American history. In 1921, after a black shoeshine was accused by the Tulsa Tribune of sexually assaulting a white elevator operator the town of Tulsa went on a rampage. Destroying the historic Greenwood neighborhood, also known as Black Wall Street, this is one of the biggest injustices you’ve never heard of. Don’t forget to check out our blog at www.stateofmurder.com for bonus content after the episode! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

This week we are traveling to Amber's home state of Nebraska, where she is sharing with us the first story that got her interested in true crime.  In 1957 Charles Starkweather would begin his murder spree.  Starkweather would hold a whole state in terror while he went across Nebraska killing 11 people along the way.  Celina shares about Randy Reeves, a young Native American man who after a day of drinking and ingesting peyote ends up murdering his cousin and her friend.  Did the justice system in Nebraska treat him fairly? Find out this week on State of Murder! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Amber's story this week takes place in Pierre, South Dakota, when a woman named Tami Reay decides to leave her husband. When Tami goes missing her family frantically searches for her but the mystery doesn't end when they find Tami's body. Follow the twists and turns of this case as it uncovers secret love affairs, strange set ups, and way too detailed letters. For Celina's case we start on a cold night in February 1981, when a man test driving a jeep would come across a baby frozen in the snow. Police were baffled by who could leave their child in the snow like this and quickly ran out of leads in the town of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It would take almost 40 years and our good friend familial DNA to help solve this cold case. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @sompodcast to stay up to date with every episode! Also visit us at www.stateofmurder.com for bonus content! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

One hundred years ago in a small town in North Dakota, eight people were murdered on their family farm. The community was up in arms about who could murder almost an entire family. The town wanted to know if it was one of their own that had done it. The sheriff of the county began to suspect one man, whose odd behavior put the spot light right on him. Listen as Amber shares about the Murdered Family. Celina shares this week about a young man, who was caught by the police selling small amounts of marijuana. The cops gave him two choices, go to prison or help them catch others. What happens to Andrew is tragic and shows the flaws and how unjust our justice system can be. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

26 percent of the homicides in Montana are of Native Americans despite them only making up 7 percent of the population. This week Amber tells the story of two Native American women who were unjustly murdered. Lonette was a friendly, hardworking woman who never called out sick a day in her life who was tragically taken when two white supremacists walked into her job. Hanna went out to celebrate the 4th of July with friends and was found murdered days later in a case that would be severely overlooked by authorities. What would you do if your spouse went missing? Cody Johnson and Jordan Graham were married for just 8 days when Cody went missing and Jordan had one of the strangest responses you could imagine. From hiking trails to mysterious emails the short investigation would take those searching for Cody on a wild ride. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

What would you do if a friend or even your own mother shared with you that she had killed her husband? Amber’s shares this week that for Alice Uden’s friends and family this was a question they had to find the answer to. It would take 40 years with over 15 years of investigation to finally arrest her for the murder. The story didn’t end there for this family, Alice had a lot to say after she was arrested. She was quick to point the finger at her husband and his involvement in another missing person’s story. Celina shares with us this week a story of survival and tragic loss for one family. Becky Thompson and her sister Amy Burridge, went to the store one evening in 1973. When the girls return to their car after shopping, they find that one of the tires has gone flat. Two men walk up to them and offer to help them, however the girls soon find out that they are not good samaritans at all, when they kidnap the girls and drive them to a bridge in Casper, Wyoming. What follows is horrifying and leaves one of the girls dead and the other fighting for her life. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The summer of 1998 William Lee Neal or as he would later call himself Wild Bill Cody would brutally murder 3 women with an axe. The bizarre actions of this man both before and after the murders will leave your head spinning. Have you ever felt like someone is watching you even though there is no one else around? Well for the Peters' in Denver Colorado they were not alone. Find out what happens when the Spiderman is finally exposed on this week's episode of State of Murder! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Amber's story this week heads close to home as she used to work at a Hollywood Video in the 90's! In March of 1996 the events that would take place at Albuquerque's Hollywood Video would leave the town in shock. It would take the community raising $100,000 and an ex-boyfriend to find out what had happened that night. Celina's story takes place on a hot July afternoon also in Albuquerque when Cindy Ray, a Mormon woman who was expecting her second child would cross paths with Darci Pierce. Darci was a woman who would do anything to have a baby and that afternoon she had hit her breaking point. How far would she go? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In May 2009, Raul and his wife Gina were asleep when suddenly they were awoken by a knock at the door. The three strangers they encountered would forever change their lives. In November 1966, Robert Benjamin Smith entered the Rose Mar beauty school looking to make a name for himself. Armed with a pistol he took the lives of 5 people one of which was just 3 years old. This case would spark the dawn of media's fascination with true crime. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In 1859, prostitute Julia Bulette was beloved by the town of Virginia City Nevada. She was a charitable woman who donated money to the firefighters for new equipment and supplies and also worked as a seamstress. But on January 20th, 1867, Julia would be brutally murdered leaving the town in mourning and begging the question: Who would kill this folk town hero? In 1990, Frank Allen would begin the process of selling his dream retirement home in Henderson, Nevada, to the Smith Family. When he arrived home in the early hours of October 6th to pick up some money from the Smith family patriarch Joe, Frank would be viciously attacked forcing him to jump out of a window and flee. What the police discovered when they arrived were the bodies of Judith Smith and her two daughters Kristy and Wendy. What took place that night? Who attacked Frank? Only Joe Smith would have those answers. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In December of 1990, the Tiede family heads up to the mountains of Utah to stay in their cabin for the Christmas Holiday. What was waiting at the cabin for them, however, would forever change their lives. In April of 1974, 6 men arrived at the Hi-Fi Shop in Ogden, Utah to rob it. The events that took place during this robbery would be one of the most brutal and horrific crimes in Utah's history. *Disclaimer: This segment has some graphic details that might not be suitable for everyone. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

In September 2006, Cassie Jo Stoddart was house sitting for her aunt and uncle when she was brutally murdered by two teenage boys she called friends. Their motivation? Wes Craven's meta-horror franchise, Scream. In June 1996, college student Angie Dodge was raped and murdered in her new apartment. After a confession from suspect Christopher Tapp was gathered but no match for the DNA was found the case went cold for 23 years. That is until familial DNA would lead Angie's mom Carol down a path for the truth. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On March 24, 2006 a group of friends living in the Seattle neighborhood of Capitol Hill headed out to rave, where they wanted to have fun dance and just have a good time.  Once there the guys would ended up inviting people back to their house for an after party.  One of the people they would end up inviting was Kyle Huff. This meeting would lead to one of Seattle’s biggest mass murder scenes and questions of what the motive was for this crime. In 1985, three couples would venture out towards Mt. Rainier National Park. Within days of their vacations all would be discovered murdered. Authorities have little to go on except a tube sock tied around the women's necks. Could this be the work of a serial killer or just a weird string of coincidences? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Join Amber and Celina as they travel up to Oregon with two new stories to tell and a lot of fun facts about Oregon!  In May of 1983, Diane Downs arrived at a hospital claiming her and her children were the victims of an attempted car jacking in which they had all been shot. Hospital workers and the police had their doubts about her story and she soon became suspect #1. In January of 1994 Tyrom Theis along with two accomplices robbed the Leather's Oil Company in Gresham, Oregon and murdered the three employees in the process. After his accomplices confessed Theis disappeared and has not been seen since.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

On March 12, 2004, police dispatch would receive a call requesting assistance in what they believed to be a child custody issue.  What the police would encounter is Marcus Wesson and his family.  The events that would unfold that day would leave nine people dead and Marcus Wesson sitting on death row. When police started to investigate the deaths of Sebhrenah Wesson (age 25), Lise Wesson (17), Illabelle Wesson (8), Aviv Wesson (7), Johnathan Wesson (7), Sedona Wesson (2), Marshey Wesson (2), Ethan Wesson (4), and Jeva Wesson (1); they would unravel a history of sexual abuse, incest and violence.