Sword and Scale True Crime

On June 5th, 1994, a young woman and her dog stumbled upon a dismembered torso behind a gas station dumpster in a quiet Florida town, setting off an investigation that would span decades. As the case went cold, a dark figure remained hidden in plain sight, only to resurface years later. When a missing person's flier related to the disappearance of 16-year-old Fred Laster sparked new interest, a shocking family connection led detectives to a seemingly upstanding youth pastor with a sinister past.

On March 20, 2017, Tahirih Lua D'Angelo was found brutally murdered in her Riverview, Florida home. Investigators quickly realized this was a personal attack when they discovered she had been killed on her 39th birthday. Suspicion only deepened when a bloodied aluminum baseball bat with the word "Rampage" imprinted on the side, was located by the front door…

When 23-year-old Ellie Weik vanished from her West Chester, Ohio home on July 29, 2018, her journal entries and messages revealed a dangerous presence in her life. Over the course of a month, detectives unraveled a web of deception, catfishing, and stalking, all leading to someone she already knew.

Some men think marriage means control, a game of blackmail sealed with secrets. Mark-Eric Ponsati thought he'd silenced his wife for good. But some things refuse to stay buried. Even in death, they'd come back to haunt him.

In 1990, 11-year-old Robin Cornell and 32-year-old Lisa Story were brutally assaulted and murdered in their Cape Coral home. For over two decades, the case remained unsolved, leaving their families and community desperate for closure. Then, a single piece of evidence—a DNA match—finally brought an answer. But with that answer came an even deeper question: Are we all born free of evil, is it something that can grow within us over time?

One morning, seven-year-old Adrian woke up to a confusing and upsetting scene at home. As he tries to understand what's happening, we learn about the hidden problems and growing conflicts among the adults in his life. This child's confusion turns into a harsh reality that will have a lasting impact on his world.

When 14-year-old Alianna Defreeze didn't come home from school one January afternoon, her parents knew something terrible had happened. Police would follow clues from video surveillance to find the monster that was responsible for one of the most unjust crimes Cleveland had ever seen.

On January 11, 2018, a routine house fire revealed something much more sinister. 28-year-old Elisabeth Bell had burned to death on the second floor of her small eastside home in Buffalo. But as investigators pieced together the how, the real mystery remained as to why?

On Mother's Day weekend in 2021, a brutal crime shattered an affluent neighborhood in St. Johns, Florida. When 13-year-old Tristyn Bailey was reported missing, the community mobilized, unaware of the dark secrets lurking just beneath the surface. As investigators closed in on a suspect, it became clear that some of the most chilling betrayals came from those closest to home.

In November 2021, beloved Fairfield, Iowa, Spanish teacher Nohema Graber vanished during her routine walk in Chautauqua Park. Her body was found the next day, hidden under a tarp with signs of trauma. As investigators dug deeper, unsettling ties to students and school officials emerged, leaving the town to question who was responsible—and why.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sword-and-scale--5895676/support.

When a welfare check on Sherry Harlan led the Snohomish County police to her tattered and bloody apartment, they knew something much more sinister had happened. But an investigation would soon uncover a murder twisted up in pagan magic.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sword-and-scale--5895676/support.

It was just after Christmas in 2011, and 22-year-old college cheerleader Saleha Huuda was found dead and burning in a brush fire on the side of the Gainesville Raceway. As the police tried to figure out how this happy-go-lucky student was murdered, they uncovered a twisted story of lies and sex all revolving around one selfish person.

On the morning of June 14, 2012, 31-year-old Adam Chase stormed out of his home in Stanley, NY, following a heated argument with his wife, Rose. Hours turned into days, and Adam seemed to vanish without a trace. When former deputy-turned-private investigator Rodney Miller caught wind of the case, his instincts led him to one major suspicion- which was the possibility that Adam Chase never left his home.

21-year-old Lauren Kukla spent her life holding her family together - a Michigan household defined by chaos, addiction, and mental illness. Unlike her troubled siblings, Lauren had managed to stay grounded, becoming the caretaker and peacekeeper. While she was preoccupied with managing each crisis on the surface, the deeper issues went unnoticed. By the time Lauren realized what was happening, it was too late.

On May 8th, 2008, an intruder entered the home of 53-year-old Thomas Randolph and his wife Sharon. The masked man waited until the couple arrived home from date night in downtown Las Vegas, and shot Sharon in the head as soon as she walked through the door. When Thomas discovered the grisly scene, he shot the intruder. This case was much more complicated than anyone bargained for. 16 years later, it's still ongoing.

In June of 2014, 16-year-old Gina Burger went missing from her home in Austintown, Ohio. Two days after she was reported missing, Gina was found 50 miles away, in another state. Her lifeless body was discovered among trash, in a landfill.

Wanted to take a minute to send you a holiday message.  Take care.If you're having a tough time and need someone to talk to, please call 988.You're not bothering anyone. That's that it's for. Use it.We'll be back in January!Happy Holidays & Stay Safe,MB & S&S Staff

On a warm afternoon in Wichita Falls, TX the twisted mind of Kody Lott would be unleashed on the unsuspecting middle-schoolers walking home. Forever etched in their minds is the day that their friend Lauren Landavazo was gunned down in front of them. The reason for Kody's actions perhaps rivals the heinous act itself.

The murder of 14-year-old April Millsap in July 2014 sent the village of Armada into a frenzy. They hadn't seen a murder in years let alone the murder of a child. The police enlisted the help of the Michigan State Police and the FBI to run down over 1000 tips. They followed every path of investigation. Most were dead ends but one led to James VanCallis.

Florida fire-fighter, Derrick Dorsey came home from work to discover his wife Kim dead from an apparent suicide. Then the police declared her death a murder and began exploring connections the Dorseys' had with less than reputable people. But they quickly learn that not everyone is who they seem.

In the rare moments where love and fate converge, Reggie and Carol Sumner uncover a decades-old romance after years of being separated. Just as they begin a new life together in Florida, tragedy strikes them both, leading them to their darkest hours. When they turn up missing, their frantic daughter living in another state sets out on a quest for their return and discovers that time is running out.

Konrad Imirowicz wasn't a perfect father by any means. He was an alcoholic with a messy home, but he loved his kids, especially his eldest daughter, Megan. But when Konrad was found nearly dead on his couch, no one could have expected it was his beloved child who was to blame.

In the early morning hours of July 31st, 2022, many teens in Strongsville, Ohio were sleeping off the previous night's rowdy graduation parties. 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla, 20-year-old Dominic Russo, and 19-year-old Davion Flanagan were trapped in a mangled car wreck. When daylight finally illuminated the carnage, everyone assumed the crash had been the result of teenage drunk-driving. The more the police investigated, the more questions arose. What started off as a tragic accident quietly evolved into a murder investigation.

In April of 2015, two young women in Indiana went missing. They lived nearly 200 miles away from each other and seemed to have no connection at all. The only similarity they shared was that one was expecting to have a baby and the other had recently given birth. Tragically, after family members frantically searched for both women, their respective stories ended with only one of them being found alive.

Nancy Lewton evacuated her Florida home ahead of Hurricane Ian but a different storm was on her horizon. Not being able to contact her son Travis for days sent her all the way to Toledo, OH to check on him. When days passed and family members hadn't heard from her or her son they called the police. What the police would find was one of the more bizarre cases they had ever investigated.

When 25-year-old Whitney Hostler went missing and left her two-year-old daughter behind, everyone knew something was wrong. But they never expected that the person responsible would be one who claimed to care for her so deeply.

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Isabella Tagliarini was in bed with her new boyfriend, Nicholas Wilcox, when her former boyfriend, Eric Robinson, would get out of prison early and pay them a visit. What unfolded was an unspeakable crime and the entire case would hinge on Isabella's fragile credibility.

In April of 2009, 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for spring break. On the evening before she planned to return home, Brittanee went missing. Her disappearance remained unsolved for over a decade. Thirteen years would go by before Myrtle Beach Police and the FBI could determine that Brittanee had crossed paths with a monster.

In April of 2017, Georgia teenagers Johnny Rider and Cassie Bjorge unexpectedly arrived at a friend's apartment. The young couple appeared distraught and injured. Later, a SWAT team came to collect them. Johnny Rider and Cassie Bjorge were arrested and charged with committing a brutal double homicide.

Amber Smith and Trenton Mallory had a simple life together with two boys and a wedding in the works. Then Amber came home to find their house ransacked and Trenton dead. No one could have expected such a tragedy to hit a small snowy town and the killer only would be revealed as the ice started to melt.

In early September of 2016, two young men from Gillette, Wyoming went missing. About a month later, the local police were alerted to a strange, black pickup truck that was parked on the side of a road. This truck reportedly smelled like rotting flesh. When police arrived to investigate, they found the missing men, but they didn't find all of them. They only found a few chopped-up pieces.

Sunday, February 1, 2004 was Superbowl XXXVIII, a game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots. Sarasota Springs, a medium-sized community in Florida, was celebrating the game like most other American towns: with beer, food, and family. While the rest of Sarasota Springs indulged in the festivities with their loved ones, one family was desperately searching for one of theirs, an 11-year-old girl named Carlie Brucia.

In 2002, high school senior Stacy DeGrandchamp died after getting into a physical fight with her schoolmate, Holly Boisvert. For many, the assumption was that Holly had murdered Stacy, but the police could never figure out how she did it, if she did it at all. The case eventually went cold, and nobody would get any real answers about Stacy's death for almost twenty years.

On August 21st, 2017, the lifeless body of Nada Huranieh, a beloved fitness instructor, was discovered on the pavement just outside her expansive residence in Farmington Hills. Rather than hastily attributing her demise to a mere accidental fall from a window, law enforcement authorities refrained from jumping to conclusions. Within the confines of the house, Nada's three children stood as the sole witnesses to the incident. Thankfully, the residence boasted an impressive network of 13 security cameras, which ultimately provided the vital lead necessary for the police to uncover the truth.

Naomi Jones was an exceptional 12-year-old girl. She was caring, smart, ambitious, responsible, and mature for her age. On May 31st, 2017, Naomi went missing from her Pensacola apartment. In response, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office launched a massive search effort, but for nearly a week, nobody could find the young girl. Finally, on the 5th day of the search, a local fisherman found something that he would likely never forget, and the tragic fate of Naomi Jones was finally revealed. 

65-year-old Marilyn Gandert worked for the U.S. Postal Service for over 30 years. She was a solitary woman who lived alone and was getting ready to sell her house and retire. Tragically, Marilyn was never able to enjoy her retirement. In January of 2018, her mangled and charred remains were found on a backroad in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Someone had brutally beaten and stabbed Marilyn to death, covered her in gasoline, and burned her body.

A group of kids playing with a mysterious app called Randonautica follow its directions to Alki Beach in West Seattle. There they find a strange black suitcase on the rocks below the pier. Intrigued, they open the case to reveal a putrid smell. Responding officers would find other bags and reveal the suitcase was filled with the dismembered body parts of two people, Jessica Lewis and Austin Wenner. Seattle would be gripped in fear until their killer was caught.

When Jessica Lynn Reale was 13-years-old, she was timid and untrusting. In early October of 1997, she mustered the courage to approach her 8th grade math teacher, a woman she'd only known for a number of weeks, to tell her a huge secret she had been keeping. Jessica told her teacher that she couldn't go back home because someone had poured bleach all over her. This situation warranted a CPS report, but the involvement of the FBI or Sacramento County Law Enforcement was unexpected.

Micheal Redlick was a high-powered sports executive in his mid-sixties living with his kids and much younger wife, Danielle. To onlookers, the Redlick family seemed to have it all, but inside their gorgeous multi-million dollar home, misery had been brewing for decades and it all imploded on January 11, 2018.

Sue Taynor was worried about her 21-year-old daughter, Jessica Sacco. She was bipolar, depressed, and vulnerable, having just gotten out of a bad relationship. When Jessica moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Urbana, Ohio, she began to open her home up to people who were a negative influence on her. Soon enough, there were six people living in the small unit. By the end of March, 2012, there would only be five.

Several elderly women appear to have died of natural causes, until March of 2018 when a 91-year-old woman survives a brutal attack. As the pieces come together, police are led to a man named Billy Chemirmir—but unfortunately, they may be too late.

In August of 2014, a masked thief, dressed in black, walked away with nearly $20,000 from an American Eagle store in Fort Worth, Texas. Three months later, the assistant manager of that store was found brutally murdered inside her burning apartment. Were these completely separate crimes or were they somehow connected?This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5895676/advertisement

In February of 2017, 28-year-old aspiring cosmetologist Shannon Graves went missing. Five months later, a young married couple in Campbell, Ohio had plans to cook dinner at home. When they opened their freezer, they unexpectedly found something that horrified them. They found frozen pieces of Shannon.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5895676/advertisement

In June of 2013, the dead body of 29-year-old Melinda Schaefer was found inside the leasing office of the Harvest View apartments in Baltimore County, Maryland. The murder scene was a complete blood bath, and due to the communal nature of the office, homicide detectives were not able to rely on DNA or other forensic evidence to solve this crime. They needed to use old-fashioned police work to find out who had murdered Melinda Schaefer and why.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5895676/advertisement

In July of 2010, 15-year-old Sidnee Stephens was a troubled teen with a history of mental illness and running away from home so, no one in her immediate circle was too worried when she went missing yet again. Then, her dead body was found in the town creek. The investigation into Sidnee's murder would be long and strenuous, but most of all, it would prove just how unbelievably cruel and shortsighted teenagers can be.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5895676/advertisement

In June of 2013, 24-year-old Sarah Staudte became very ill and ended up in a hospital. Sarah's internal organs were failing, her brain was hemorrhaging blood, and her doctors expected that Sarah was going to die. Yet, nobody could figure out the cause of the problem. Eventually, police were called in to investigate. They learned that Sarah's father and brother recently had similar health complications before dying. Soon, the unbelievable and horrible truth came out. Someone was slowly, methodically, and systematically killing off everyone in the Staudte family.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5895676/advertisement