Very Scary People

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In 1974, a mass murder shook the sleepy waterfront town of Amityville, New York. One November night, police found the DeFeo family shot dead, face down in their beds. Only one survived: Ron DeFeo Jr., the eldest son with a troubled past. In this six-part series, host Donnie Wahlberg untangles the dark and complicated story of what happened that night, and unearths how these grisly murders sparked an infamous haunted tale.  

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    • Jan 9, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 28m AVG DURATION
    • 17 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Very Scary People

    What to Listen to Next - Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2024 43:34


    If you enjoyed Very Scary People, check out a new podcast from ID - Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker. Listen to episode 1, We Called Her Eklutna Annie here.1980s Alaska: a swirling, chaotic mix of oil workers, dancers, sex workers and old-school cops. On the seedy 4th Avenue strip in Anchorage, nicknamed the world's longest bar, women start to go missing, plucked from the street or the bars and never seen again. In this 7-part series, Dr. Michelle Ward investigates the case of one of the US's most prolific, but not widely known, serial killers. She'll talk to survivors, criminology experts and the police on the ground, uncovering audio tapes, police reports and old newspaper articles, all to reveal the killer's identity as it happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S2 Ep.7: Ken vs. Barbie

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2023 43:59


    Paul Bernardo finally gets his day in court and the trial becomes a national spectacle. With limited physical evidence of murder, it's Karla's word again his. Host Donnie Wahlberg takes us through the nearly 5-month trial that captivated all of Canada and the aftermath of the violent saga of the Ken and Barbie Killers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S2 Ep.6: Tammy Homolka

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 24:03


    Now that long sought-after video tapes are finally in the hands of the police. Karla has one final, shocking confession that leads investigators to revisit the night of her little sister Tammy's untimely death. It turns out, Tammy's death wasn't an accident. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S2 Ep.5: The Videotapes

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2023 27:34


    Law enforcement gain a very helpful tip. They tirelessly search Karla and Paul's little pink house for video tape evidence that would prove all of their suspicions and be enough to convict Paul of murder. As the investigation develops, it turns out that Karla isn't as innocent as she's let on.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S2 Ep.4: The DNA Sample

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2023 27:44


    A long-shelved DNA sample in the case of the Scarborough Rapist is finally tested. The sample matches Paul Bernardo. And after a physically violent dispute between Karla and Paul that sends Karla to the hospital, the police get more details about just how monstrous Paul can be. The police start to zero in on Paul for the murders of Leslie and Kristen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S2 Ep.3: Kristen French

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 23:08


    The Saint Catharine's community is rattled by a tragedy of their own. Sixteen-year-old, Kristen French, goes missing while walking home from school. The case quickly draws national attention and sparks a massive search effort.  Eerie similarities are found between Kristen's case and another teenage girl, Leslie Mahaffy, who was murdered just a year earlier. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    acast sixteen eerie kristen french leslie mahaffy
    S2 Ep.2: Call 911

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2023 25:41


    Paul Bernardo is questioned by police after receiving multiple anonymous tips in response to a composite sketch of the Scarborough Rapist published in the local newspaper. At the same time, he's falling in love with Karla Homolka and spending time with her family in the quiet town of St. Catharines. During their first holiday together, tragedy strikes close to home, her sister is found dead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    S2 Ep.1: Blond Hair Blue Eyes

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2023 24:33


    A beautiful young couple, Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo, are getting married on the shores of Lake Ontario in the suburbs of Toronto, Canada. Meanwhile, in the neighboring town of Scarborough, locals are gripped with fear and the police are at a loss: a serial rapist is at large, showing no signs of stopping. Host Donnie Wahlberg traces the perpetrator's steps, only to find them leading back to the blond-haired blue-eyed groom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Introducing Very Scary People: The Ken and Barbie Killers

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2023 2:07


    In the late-80s and early 90s, the quaint suburbs of Toronto, Canada were blind-sided by an unprecedented flurry of violent crimes: a serial rapist on the loose and young girls vanishing… only to later discover their dead bodies, dismembered. As separate investigations developed, police across the region followed leads pointing to a young, blond-haired blue-eyed duo. Over seven episodes, host Donnie Wahlberg traces the twisted path of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka – a couple from Toronto that appeared loving and wholesome but had everybody fooled. We'll explore how the boy and the girl next-door captivated Canada and became the killers known as “Ken and Barbie.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Introducing: The James Brown Mystery

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 41:43


    The Circus Singer  In 2017, CNN reporter Thomas Lake receives a phone call from a circus singer who tells a wild, hard-to-believe story: James Brown didn't die of natural causes in 2006; instead the Godfather of Soul was murdered. After months of calls from the circus singer, Lake decides to fly to Chicago to meet Jacque Hollander in person. There Jacque proves her connection to James Brown and shows Lake a videotape of a polygraph test she took in 1995 that was administered by a former FBI agent.To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Episode 6: Everyone Loves A Good Ghost Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2022 35:24


    Found guilty of killing his parents and siblings in their home, Ron DeFeo Jr. is sentenced to six counts of second-degree murder. But the convicted killer finds new fame in prison. Back in Amityville, the story of the gruesome massacre at 112 Ocean Avenue is taking on a life of its own. Host Donnie Wahlberg untangles the story of how the Dutch colonial home that was once a bloody crime scene becomes a permanent piece of horror — and pop culture — history. To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Episode 5: The People v. Ronald DeFeo Jr.

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2022 42:20


    Nearly a year after the grisly Amityville murders, Ron “Butch” DeFeo Jr.'s fate would rest in the hands of a New York jury. But even in front of a judge, Ron Jr. was a chameleon; his story continued to evolve. One conflicted juror recounts the disturbing trial while host Donnie Wahlberg considers the question: Will the inconsistencies in Ron Jr.'s story spare him from life behind bars? To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Episode 4: The Confession

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 39:19


    Amityville detectives shift all their attention to a single suspect in the murders of the DeFeo family: the oldest son, Ron DeFeo Jr. Following hours of intense interrogation, the sole surviving family member breaks. But Ron Jr.'s confession dredged up new details, complicated questions, and more secrets. To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Episode 3: Mob Ties

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2022 28:48


    As police continue their search for the killer of the DeFeos in Amityville, they discover the family's connections to organized crime. Host Donnie Wahlberg reveals how these mob ties came to light. It's a turning point in the case which brings police one step closer to their top suspect. To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Episode 2: Meet The DeFeos

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 28:00


    As the community reels from the shocking DeFeo murders, residents pack an Amityville church to mourn the loss of the family. Host Donnie Wahlberg dives deep into DeFeo history, only to find out that this picture-perfect family had very violent secrets. To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Episode 1: Small Town Murder

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2022 27:27


    After Ron DeFeo Jr. finds his parents and younger siblings dead in their Amityville, New York, home, police begin to search for the killer. Host Donnie Wahlberg and local journalist Joel Martin revisit that horrific evening in 1974, the crime scene and the investigation — all in hopes of answering a question heavy on residents' minds: “Who would murder an entire family in the dead of night?” To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

    Introducing: Very Scary People

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2022 2:11


    In 1974, a mass murder shook the sleepy waterfront town of Amityville, New York. One November night, police found the DeFeo family shot dead, face down in their beds. Only one survived: Ron DeFeo Jr., the eldest son with a troubled past. In this six-part series, host Donnie Wahlberg untangles the dark and complicated story of what happened that night, and unearths how these grisly murders sparked an infamous haunted tale. Starting March 18, 2022 To learn more about how HLN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

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