Morbid
SubscribeAbout
Available on
Community
748 episodes
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Californians were terrorized by multiple killers including notorious serial killers like the Zodiac Killer, the Hillside Stranglers, Herbert Mullin, and Ed Kemper. While the decade may have ended with these killers disappearing or apprehended, the threat of violence and murder simply moved north. Though less known than his contemporaries, David Carpenter was no less prolific and frightening a killer than those men mentioned above. Nicknamed “The Trailside Killer” by the press, Carpenter terrorized Point Reyes and Santa Cruz County for a decade, assaulting, kidnapping, and killing at least eight people, but he was suspected of more. Like those other killers, Carpenter had a long history of violent and antisocial behavior going back to his childhood, including multiple arrests and incarcerations. How was it that a man with such an alarming history of violence could go uncaught for a decade? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1980. "Trail Killer will strike again." , December 1: 1. Burkhardt, Bill. 1979. "Woman found murdered on Mt. Tam." , August 21: 1. Graysmith, Robert. 1990. New York, NY: Onyx. Keraghosian, Greg. 2020. "'Do not hike alone': For 21 months, the Trailside Killer terrorized Bay Area's outdoors." , October 25. Leader, Lewis. 1980. "Identification ends dad's long quest." , December 2: 2. San Francisco Examiner. 1960. "MP's shots foil attack on woman." , July 13: 1. —. 1961. "Presidio attacker gets 14 yrs." , March 10: 11. —. 1960. "Sex case insanity plea." , October 8: 5. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1970. "Boulder Creek girl attacked." , January 29: 22. —. 1970. "Grand jury indicts con." , July 17: 7. —. 1970. "SLV kidnap suspect flees Calaveras jail." , April 27: 1. 1997. S004654 (Superior Court of Los Angeles County, April 28). 1999. S006547 (Superior Court of San Diego County, November 29). Todd, John. 1980. "Tam closed in hunt for clues." , October 16: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Throughout the 1960s and 70s, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Californians were terrorized by multiple killers including notorious serial killers like the Zodiac Killer, the Hillside Stranglers, Herbert Mullin, and Ed Kemper. While the decade may have ended with these killers disappearing or apprehended, the threat of violence and murder simply moved north. Though less known than his contemporaries, David Carpenter was no less prolific and frightening a killer than those men mentioned above. Nicknamed “The Trailside Killer” by the press, Carpenter terrorized Point Reyes and Santa Cruz County for a decade, assaulting, kidnapping, and killing at least eight people, but he was suspected of more. Like those other killers, Carpenter had a long history of violent and antisocial behavior going back to his childhood, including multiple arrests and incarcerations. How was it that a man with such an alarming history of violence could go uncaught for a decade? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1980. "Trail Killer will strike again." , December 1: 1. Burkhardt, Bill. 1979. "Woman found murdered on Mt. Tam." , August 21: 1. Graysmith, Robert. 1990. New York, NY: Onyx. Keraghosian, Greg. 2020. "'Do not hike alone': For 21 months, the Trailside Killer terrorized Bay Area's outdoors." , October 25. Leader, Lewis. 1980. "Identification ends dad's long quest." , December 2: 2. San Francisco Examiner. 1960. "MP's shots foil attack on woman." , July 13: 1. —. 1961. "Presidio attacker gets 14 yrs." , March 10: 11. —. 1960. "Sex case insanity plea." , October 8: 5. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1970. "Boulder Creek girl attacked." , January 29: 22. —. 1970. "Grand jury indicts con." , July 17: 7. —. 1970. "SLV kidnap suspect flees Calaveras jail." , April 27: 1. 1997. S004654 (Superior Court of Los Angeles County, April 28). 1999. S006547 (Superior Court of San Diego County, November 29). Todd, John. 1980. "Tam closed in hunt for clues." , October 16: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In the winter of 1973, director William Friedkin released his iconic horror classic , a film that has shocked and terrified audiences for more than fifty years. Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name, tells the story of a young girl who becomes possessed by a demonic entity, and the two Catholic priests who attempt to exorcise the demon. Even more terrifying than the content of the film, however, was the fact that was supposedly based on a true story. William Peter Blatty had always stated The Exorcist was based on a supposedly true story he’d heard while at Georgetown University. According to Blatty, a Maryland boy, known as “Roland Doe,” had become possessed by a demonic entity and, among other things, underwent a negative personality change and began exhibiting impossible abilities including an ability to speak Latin. It was only through the dedication of one Jesuit priest that the boy was eventually freed of his possession and went on to live a normal life. Since the release of both the novel and the film in the 1970s, a great deal more has been learned about “Roland Doe” and the supposedly true story that inspired The Exorcist, raising many questions about the veracity of the original claims. Who was “Roland Doe,” and was he truly possessed by a demon, or just the intense emotions of an adolescent boy? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Allen, Thomas. 1993. New York, NY: Doubleday. Associated Press. 1949. "'Evil spirit' cast out of 14-yearf-old." , August 10: 8. McGuire, John M. 2005. "Priest was last of three who did 1949 exorcism." , March 3: A1. News and Observer. 1964. "Tar Heel develops space ceramics." , September 3: 27. Nickell, Joe. 2001. "Exorcism!: Driving Out the Nonsense." 20-24. Opsasnick, Mark. 1999. "The haunted boy of Cottage City, the cold hard facts behind the story that Inspired The Exorcist." Young, Maya. 2010. December 20. Accessed March 17, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/20/the-exorcist-boy-named-magazine. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Throughout the early 1970s, California’s Bay Area was in the grip of terror as multiple serial killers operated at the time same time and in more or less the same space. In time, some of these killers, like Ed Kemper, would be caught, while others, like the Zodiac Killer, would remain unidentified. Yet it was the ones who appeared to kill at random, without any preferred victim, that would prove the most terrifying and most difficult to catch. Herbert Mullin was one such killer, and while he may have been active for a very short period, he managed to do a tremendous amount of damage in such a little amount of time. Over a five-month period in late 1972 and early 1973, Herbert Mullin killed thirteen people, including a college girl, a Catholic priest, and a former high school friend and that friend’s neighbors. To investigators, Mullin’s victims appeared to be—and indeed largely were—chosen at random and the weapons used were chosen more out of convenience than pathology. Had Mullin’s final murder not been committed in full view of witnesses, there’s a very good chance he would have gone on to kill many more people before being caught, if he ever was. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1972. "Dragnet set up for Catholic priest's slayer." , November 4: 34. Dowd, Katie. 2022. "'Murder capital of the world': The terrifying years when multiple serial killers stalked Santa Cruz." , August 21. Green, Ryan. 2024. Herefordshire, UK: Independent. Honig, Tom. 1973. "Did Mullin slay fourteen." , August 10: 1. —. 1973. "Mullin enters plea: innocent, insanity." , June 13: 1. —. 1973. "Mullin explains his reason for killing." , August 15: 1. —. 1973. "Mullin is found guilty." , August 20: 1. —. 1973. "'Overtones' of drugs in five slayings." , January 28: 1. —. 1973. "Slaying suspect called a 'quiet, regular guy'." , February 15: 1. Lunde, Donald, and Jefferson Morgan. 1980. New York, NY: Norton. Santa Crus Sentinel. 1973. "Suspect charged in six shootings." , February 15: 1. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1972. "Another disturbance at SC County Jail." , September 14: 19. —. 1972. "Body of slain transient is identified." , October 16: 10. —. 1972. "Investigator hired to find Cabrillo coed." , November 26: 46. —. 1972. "Priest slain in confessional box of church." , November 3: 2. Smith, Dave. 1973. "Killer of killers? Town waiting for answer." , February 19: 3. United Press International. 1973. "Friends claim man charged with 7 deaths used drugs." , February 16: 21. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Throughout the early 1970s, California’s Bay Area was in the grip of terror as multiple serial killers operated at the time same time and in more or less the same space. In time, some of these killers, like Ed Kemper, would be caught, while others, like the Zodiac Killer, would remain unidentified. Yet it was the ones who appeared to kill at random, without any preferred victim, that would prove the most terrifying and most difficult to catch. Herbert Mullin was one such killer, and while he may have been active for a very short period, he managed to do a tremendous amount of damage in such a little amount of time. Over a five-month period in late 1972 and early 1973, Herbert Mullin killed thirteen people, including a college girl, a Catholic priest, and a former high school friend and that friend’s neighbors. To investigators, Mullin’s victims appeared to be—and indeed largely were—chosen at random and the weapons used were chosen more out of convenience than pathology. Had Mullin’s final murder not been committed in full view of witnesses, there’s a very good chance he would have gone on to kill many more people before being caught, if he ever was. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1972. "Dragnet set up for Catholic priest's slayer." , November 4: 34. Dowd, Katie. 2022. "'Murder capital of the world': The terrifying years when multiple serial killers stalked Santa Cruz." , August 21. Green, Ryan. 2024. Herefordshire, UK: Independent. Honig, Tom. 1973. "Did Mullin slay fourteen." , August 10: 1. —. 1973. "Mullin enters plea: innocent, insanity." , June 13: 1. —. 1973. "Mullin explains his reason for killing." , August 15: 1. —. 1973. "Mullin is found guilty." , August 20: 1. —. 1973. "'Overtones' of drugs in five slayings." , January 28: 1. —. 1973. "Slaying suspect called a 'quiet, regular guy'." , February 15: 1. Lunde, Donald, and Jefferson Morgan. 1980. New York, NY: Norton. Santa Crus Sentinel. 1973. "Suspect charged in six shootings." , February 15: 1. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1972. "Another disturbance at SC County Jail." , September 14: 19. —. 1972. "Body of slain transient is identified." , October 16: 10. —. 1972. "Investigator hired to find Cabrillo coed." , November 26: 46. —. 1972. "Priest slain in confessional box of church." , November 3: 2. Smith, Dave. 1973. "Killer of killers? Town waiting for answer." , February 19: 3. United Press International. 1973. "Friends claim man charged with 7 deaths used drugs." , February 16: 21. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When Luigi Mangione allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, the media called it a senseless crime. But online, a different story emerged—one of rage, reckoning, and a suspected killer turned folk hero. More than just a true crime podcast, , hosted by Jesse Weber, dares to look beyond the crime and the accused to explore a cultural tipping point in America, asking you to decide - is the status quo enough, or is it time for a cultural reckoning? Listen to Law&Crime’s exclusively on Wondery+ and follow the show page to keep up on all the latest developments. You can join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. Visit www.wondery.com/links/luigi http://www.wondery.com/shows/luigi and start your free trial now! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On the night of August 14, 1985, twenty-year-old Kristin O’Connell left a party in Ovid, NY to go for a walk. Two days later, her nude body was discovered near a cornfield along a rural county road; she had been stabbed in the chest and her throat was cut. The unsolved murder of Kristin O’Connell has baffled local New York investigators for decades. At the time of her murder, Kristin had traveled from Minnesota to New York to visit a young man she’d met a few months earlier while on Spring Break in Florida. According to witnesses, Kristin wasn’t wearing shoes when she left the party and she wasn’t carrying a purse. Several witnesses reported having seen Kristin walking that night between 11:30 pm and 12:15 am, when she was seen talking to one or possible two men in a car. Roughly ten minutes later, several people reported hearing a loud scream coming from the area where her body was discovered. In the decades since Kristin’s murder, police have interviewed dozens of witnesses and followed up on thousands of leads, yet the case remains no closer to being solved than it was in the days following the discovery of the body. Please sign the Petition to override the decision to not permit 'touch DNA' to potentially solve this cold case! visit https://www.change.org/p/family-demands-dna-testing-by-othram-labs-in-the-kristin-o-connell-cold-case Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Allen, Matha. 1985. "Slain woman's parents seek comfort from her letter." , August 18: 35. Associated Press. 1987. "Psychics seeking slues to 1985 murder in Ovid." , August 22: 12. —. 2009. "DNA may solve '85 slaying." , August 13: 1. Democrat and Chronicle . 1985. "Police ask help in Ovid murder." , August 20: 11. Democrat and Chronicle. 1985. "Lab to test items from slaying." , August 19: 7. Ebert, Alex. 2009. "A Burnsville mother won't let her daughter's murder case go cold." , August 13. Gillis, Jackie. 2023. March 2. Accessed March 2, 2025. https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/local-news/what-happened-to-kristin-oconnell/. Lighty, Todd, and John Hartsock. 1985. "Brutal slaying shakes Seneca town." , August 18: 1. Pfifer, Jim. 1996. "Police suspect imprisoned man for 1985 murder in Ovid." , January 28: 1. Pittman, Mark. 1985. "Minn. woman found dead in Seneca." , August 17: 1. Ritter, Carol. 1985. "4 deaths, few answers in Seneca." , August 22: 14. —. 1986. "Parents on pilgrimage of grief." , August 16: 1. —. 1985. "Slaying no longer the talk of Ovid, but investigation, reaction continue." , September 25: 11. Shaw, David. 2009. "Police seek help on cold case." , August 13. —. 1986. "Kristin O'Connell's murderer thwarts police." , February 21: 1. —. 1986. "Murder case takes police out of state." , January 8: 14. —. 1985. "Cops place an ad in hunt for killer." , August 29: 1. —. 1985. "Police hope TV reenactment of killing will help solve case." , September 13: 15. —. 1985. "Slaying's legacy: a bounty and fear." , August 30: 95. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Weirdos! Today we just wanted to be ourselves- and enjoy some Listener tales that are brought TO you, BY you, FOR you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! Throw on a comfy sweatshirt and join use as we talk about paranormal experiences at creepy schools! Don't forget to check out the VIDEO from this episode available on YouTube on 3/27/2025! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
January 15, 1919 was an unusually warm day in Boston, a welcome change from the typically cold temperatures Bostonians had experienced in the previous days. A little after 12:30 pm, the residents of the city’s North End neighborhood were going about their usual routines when all of the sudden they felt the ground shake, followed by a loud rumbling roar, as though the train had gone off the tracks. Then, without warning, a wave of molasses—reportedly fifty feet high—flooded the neighborhood with more than 2.5 million gallons of syrup, destroying buildings, toppling the nearby elevated train line, and killing twenty-one people. One of the lesser told and remembered stories in Boston’s history, the great molasses flood of 1919 caused untold damage to one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and injured more than 150 people, in addition to the twenty-one dead. Yet for an event so remarkable and strange, it is still unknown precisely what caused the Purity Distilling Company’s molasses storage tank to burst and dump its contents across the North End, making it one of Boston’s most bizarre pieces of folklore. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Boston Daily Globe. 1919. "Death toll from tank disaster 13." , January 18: 1. —. 1919. "Martin Clougherty awoke in a sea of sticky molasses." , January 16: 7. —. 1919. "Molasses tank explosion injures 50 and kills 11." , January 16: 1. —. 1919. "No Bill returned in tank disaster." , February 13: 3. —. 1919. "Official police report of North End disaster." , January 16: 7. —. 1919. "Scenes of anguish at relief station." , January 16: 7. Buell, Spencer. 2019. "Anarchists, horses, heroes: 12 things you didn't know about the Great Boston Molasses Flood." , Janaury 12. Daily Boston Globe. 1919. "Explosion theory favored by expert." , January 16: 1. —. 1919. "Mayor appalled, promises probe." , January 16: 1. Dwyer, Dialynn. 2019. "What people saw and felt in the first moments of Boston's dead Great Molasses Flood." , January 13. Jabr, Ferris. 2013. "The science of the Great Molasses Flood." , August 1. Park, Edwards. 1983. "Without warning, molasses surged over Boston 100 years ago." , November 1. Puleo, Stephen. 2004. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On December 18, 1994, twenty-seven-year-old Alison Botha was abducted from the parking lot of her apartment in Port Elizabeth by two men she didn’t know and had never seen. After forcing her into her car, her abductors drove her to a remote field, where she was sexually assaulted, stabbed dozens of times, nearly decapitated, and left for dead. Miraculously, Alison didn’t die in that field, but instead managed to get to a nearby road, where she found help and was transported to the nearest hospital where she received life-saving treatment. Because she remembered everything about her attackers, Alison was able to describe the men and they were quickly arrested and confessed to the assault. Since enduring her horrific attack, Alison Botha has become a symbol of endurance and for decades her story of survival has inspired and empowered young women across South Africa and around the world. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Marianne, Thamm. 2018. Cape Town, South Africa: Penguin Random House South Africa. Reddy, Tash. 2006. "Alison has life - and she truly cherishes it." , December 2. —. 2006. "Miracle survivor Alison inspires." , December 3. Sanpath, Arthi. 2010. "Will to survive triumphs incredible story of courage inspires all." , August 23. Thamm, Marianne. 2024. "Alison Botha health update — Reunited with family and fighting for recovery." , October 27. The Mercury. 2023. "Rapist pair get paroled after serving 28 years." , July 6. The Star. 2012. "Rape victim's parole shock." , January 19. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A little past midnight on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis, a US Navy cruiser, had just delivered the uranium that would be used in the first nuclear bomb dropped on Japan, and was returning to the Philippines when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo. The ship was badly damaged in the attack and within ten minutes it rolled onto its side, dumping 890 crewmen into the pitch-black ocean and dragging the remaining 300 down with the ship. Those who survived the torpedo strike did what they could to grab supplies before abandoning ship, but there were very few life boats or life jackets, so many of the sailors had to float in the water or cling to the few rafts they did manage to take before jumping from the boat. To make matters worse, their mission had been highly confidential and no one in the Navy knew where the Indianapolis was, much less that it had sank. The surviving crew thought things were about as bad as they could get, then the sharks began showing up. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1945. "Indianapolis sunk with 883 killed." , August 15: 1. Austin, Daryl. 2021. "How a WWII Japanese sub commander helped exonerate a U.S. Navy captain." , June 6. Buckley, Chris. 2017. "Wreckage of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, lost for 72 years, is found in Pacific." , August 21. Charles B. McVay, III, interview by US Naval History and Heritage Command. 2003. (April 20). Newcomb, Richard F. 1958. "Court's verdict surprises, irks public." , November 30: 22. —. 1958. "Rescue operation put in motion." , November 24: 1. —. 1958. "Survivors begin ordeal in sea." , November 22: 1. Paridon, Seth. n.d. "Surviving the sinking of the USS Indianapolis." Phillips, Kristine. 2017. "USS Indianapolis survivor recalls four days in shark-filled sea." , August 20. 1975. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Performed by Robert Shaw. US Navy Court of Inquiry. 1945. Summary, Washington, DC: United States Government. Vincent, Lynn, and Sara Vladic. 2018. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Spooky Lakes time, everyone! Alaina brings us to Big Moose lake in New York State and shares the tragic story of Grace Brown’s murder. Grace’s ghost has been seen many times at the lake since she was murdered in 1906 and at the nearby Covewood lodge. We then follow Ash across the country to Oregon, more specifically Crater Lake in Crater Lake National park. Ash shares about all the mysterious disappearing planes, a double murder from 1952 and of course she could never forget the Old Man of the Lake. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When Jean Harris met Herman Tarnower in the winter of 1966, she quickly fell in love the charming doctor. Having just come out of a disappointing twenty-year marriage, Harris was desperate to find the love and stimulating partnership she’d long dreamed of, and believed she’d finally found it in the intellectual Tarnower and the two would live happily ever after. But fourteen years later, Tarnower was dead and Harris was on trial for his murder, her fantasy of happily ever after having crumbled around her. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Alexander, Shana. 1983. Very Much a Lady: The Untold Story of Jean Harris and Dr. Herman Tarnower. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Clendinen, Dudley. 1981. "Jean Harrids as a witness: sad, humorous, cutting." New York Times, January 28: B2. Faron, James. 1980. "'Scarsdale Diet' doctor slain; headmistress charged." New York Times, March 12: A1. Feron, James. 1981. "Defiant Jean Harris sentenced to mandatory fifteen years." New York Times, March 21: 1. —. 1980. "Hard questioning is screening out Tarnower jurors." New York Times, November 13: B2. —. 1980. "Jean Harris jury told of clothing found 'slashed'." New York Times, December 3: B1. —. 1981. "Jurors in Harris trial re-enacted night of murder in deliberations." New York Times, February 26: A1. —. 1980. "Policeman tells how Mrs. Harris described fight." New York Times, December 12: B1. Haden-Guest, Anthony. 1980. "The headmistress and the diet doctor." New York Magazine, March 31. The People of the State of New York v. Jean S. Harris. 1981. 84 A.D.2d 63 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department, December 30). United Press International. 1981. "Juror says Mrs. Harris's tesimony was the key to murder." New York Times, February 25: B2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Join us for a special bonus episode with Tobias Forge, the man behind the mythos that is The Band Ghost. Hear exclusive news about their latest album, the process behind the music and some you heard it here first moments. If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the new music video for Satanized! Want more? Preorder the album 'Skeleta' which drops on 4/25/25! See Ghost LIVE in the upcoming SkeleTour World Tour! Grab the 4 issue 'Sister Imperator Comic'! You can find all things Ghost on https://ghost-official.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When Jean Harris met Herman Tarnower in the winter of 1966, she quickly fell in love the charming doctor. Having just come out of a disappointing twenty-year marriage, Harris was desperate to find the love and stimulating partnership she’d long dreamed of, and believed she’d finally found it in the intellectual Tarnower and the two would live happily ever after. But fourteen years later, Tarnower was dead and Harris was on trial for his murder, her fantasy of happily ever after having crumbled around her. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Alexander, Shana. 1983. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. Clendinen, Dudley. 1981. "Jean Harrids as a witness: sad, humorous, cutting." , January 28: B2. Faron, James. 1980. "'Scarsdale Diet' doctor slain; headmistress charged." , March 12: A1. Feron, James. 1981. "Defiant Jean Harris sentenced to mandatory fifteen years." , March 21: 1. —. 1980. "Hard questioning is screening out Tarnower jurors." , November 13: B2. —. 1980. "Jean Harris jury told of clothing found 'slashed'." , December 3: B1. —. 1981. "Jurors in Harris trial re-enacted night of murder in deliberations." , February 26: A1. —. 1980. "Policeman tells how Mrs. Harris described fight." , December 12: B1. Haden-Guest, Anthony. 1980. "The headmistress and the diet doctor." , March 31. 1981. 84 A.D.2d 63 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, Second Department, December 30). United Press International. 1981. "Juror says Mrs. Harris's tesimony was the key to murder." , February 25: B2. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Weirdos! Today we've got a special guest -Andrew McMahon of 'Something Corporate', 'Jack's Mannequin', and 'Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness'. In addition to heating about his journey as an artist, Alaina dives into some dark history and tells us about dancing plagues and other instances of hysteria. Want to check out Andrew's music, or purchase merch or tour tickets? Visit https://andrewmcmahon.com/ Don't forget to check out the 'Dear Jack Foundation' which provides impactful programs benefiting adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer and their families. For more information visit the foundation's website at https://www.dearjackfoundation.org/ . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Weirdos! Grab your sleepingbag, bags of snacks, and facemasks, and get ready for a slumber party! This month, we're giving you a fresh batch of listener tales brought TO you, BY you, FOR you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! Today we're talking dreams and astral projection! We have MULTIPLE prophetic dreams, lucid dreams, demons, and a BEAUTIFUL meetcute in a shared dreamscape that brings the entire pod lab to tears! Don't forget to check out the VIDEO from this episode available on YouTube on 2/27/2025! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line- and if you share pictures- please let us know if we can share them with fellow weirdos! :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
You know those messages that you get all the time, the ones that pop up out of nowhere? They could be real, but something about them seems fishy. You likely dismiss these texts and emails as mere annoyances, thinking you’ve stopped some random stranger from ripping you off. But the shocking truth is, the person behind that message might be trapped inside a “scam factory” on the other side of the world and forced to scam others against their will. From Wondery, comes a new series about the brutal reality behind these operations, where one family discovers a horrifying truth: the only way out is to scam their way out. Listen Now: Wondery.fm/Scam_Factory http://wondery.fm/Scam_Factory See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On the morning of January 15, 1947, a woman walking with her young daughter spotted something pale and white lying in the weeds of a vacant lot. When the woman walked closer to get a better look, she made a horrifying discovery: the bisected body of a young woman, brutally murdered and like trash in the abandoned overgrown lot. The woman in the lot would soon be identified as twenty-two-year-old aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, who the press nicknamed “The Black Dahlia.” Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1947. "Mrs. Phoebe Short can't believe slain girl hers." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 17: 2. Bartlett, Jim. 2017. The Black Dahlia: Los Angeles' most famous unsolved murder. January 8. Accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38513320. Daily News. 1947. "Body of girl mutilated by murderer." Daily News (Los Angeles, CA), January 15: 1. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1947. Correspondence, Identification Division, FBI. Letter from R.B. Hood, SAC to Director Hoover, re: Black Dahlia identification, Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice. Gilmore, John. 1994. Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia. Gardena, CA: Zanja Press. Goffard, Christopher. 2024. "The killing of Elizabeth Short, dubbed the Black Dahlia, has inspired endless theories." Los Angeles Times, October 26: B1. Hodel, Steve. 2003. Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder. New York, NY: Arcade Publishing. Lait, Matt. 1991. "Memories of murder." Los Angeles Times, June 22: B1. —. 1991. "Search fails to turn up evidence of '47 murder." Los Angeles Times, June 23: B1. Los Angeles Times. 1947. "Beth Short slaying suspect jailed after asserted admission of crime." Los Angeles Times, January 29: 2. —. 1947. "'Black Dahlia' knife braggart terroizes girl." Los Angeles Times, February 5: 7. —. 1947. "'Black Dahlia's' love life traced in search for her fiendish murderer." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 18: 3. —. 1947. "'Dahlia' clues fail; inquest conducted." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 23: 2. —. 1947. "Elizabeth Short case slayer baffles police." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 31: 2. —. 1947. "Girl victim of sex fiend found slain." Los Angeles Times, January 16: 2. —. 2004. "Janice Knowlton claimed a link to Black Dahlia murder." Los Angeles Times, December 19: B7. —. 1947. "'Killer' fails to surrender in Elizabeth Short death." Los Angeles Times, January 30: 2. —. 1947. "Mystery envelope sent in 'Dahlia' case; address book gives dozens of fresh leads." Los Angeles Times, January 25: 3. —. 1947. "Police await second 'Dahlia' letter for clue to break murder case." Los Angeles Times, January 27: 2. —. 1947. "Police free red-haired salesman as suspect in 'Black Dahlia' murder." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 21: 2. —. 1947. "Police stumped in beauty killing." Los Angeles Times, February 2: 2. —. 1947. "Soldier's 'Dahlia' date tale newest clue in slaying." Los Angeles Times, February 6: 2. —. 1947. "Soldier's leave time checked in 'Dahlia' murder." Los Angeles Times, February 7: 2. —. 1947. "Suspect detained for questioning in 'Black Dahlia' mutilation murder." Los Angeles Times, January 20: 2. —. 1947. "Tooth cavities clue checked in beauty slaying." Los Angeles Times, February 4: 2. Nightingale, Suzan. 1982. "Author claims to have found 1947 murderer." Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Janaury 17. United Press. 1947. "'Sick' veteran is booked in Dahlia death." Fresno Bee, January 29: 1. —. 1947. "Spurned lover is hunted in murder of 'Black Dahlia'." Fresno Bee, January 17: 1. —. 1947. "L.A. Police hope Dahliua murderer will surrender." Sacramento Bee, January 28: 4. Weller, Sheila. 2015. "The sins of the father." Dujour, June 01. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On the morning of January 15, 1947, a woman walking with her young daughter spotted something pale and white lying in the weeds of a vacant lot. When the woman walked closer to get a better look, she made a horrifying discovery: the bisected body of a young woman, brutally murdered and like trash in the abandoned overgrown lot. The woman in the lot would soon be identified as twenty-two-year-old aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, who the press nicknamed “The Black Dahlia.” Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1947. "Mrs. Phoebe Short can't believe slain girl hers." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 17: 2. Bartlett, Jim. 2017. The Black Dahlia: Los Angeles' most famous unsolved murder. January 8. Accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38513320. Daily News. 1947. "Body of girl mutilated by murderer." Daily News (Los Angeles, CA), January 15: 1. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 1947. Correspondence, Identification Division, FBI. Letter from R.B. Hood, SAC to Director Hoover, re: Black Dahlia identification, Washington, DC: United States Department of Justice. Gilmore, John. 1994. Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia. Gardena, CA: Zanja Press. Goffard, Christopher. 2024. "The killing of Elizabeth Short, dubbed the Black Dahlia, has inspired endless theories." Los Angeles Times, October 26: B1. Hodel, Steve. 2003. Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder. New York, NY: Arcade Publishing. Lait, Matt. 1991. "Memories of murder." Los Angeles Times, June 22: B1. —. 1991. "Search fails to turn up evidence of '47 murder." Los Angeles Times, June 23: B1. Los Angeles Times. 1947. "Beth Short slaying suspect jailed after asserted admission of crime." Los Angeles Times, January 29: 2. —. 1947. "'Black Dahlia' knife braggart terroizes girl." Los Angeles Times, February 5: 7. —. 1947. "'Black Dahlia's' love life traced in search for her fiendish murderer." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 18: 3. —. 1947. "'Dahlia' clues fail; inquest conducted." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 23: 2. —. 1947. "Elizabeth Short case slayer baffles police." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 31: 2. —. 1947. "Girl victim of sex fiend found slain." Los Angeles Times, January 16: 2. —. 2004. "Janice Knowlton claimed a link to Black Dahlia murder." Los Angeles Times, December 19: B7. —. 1947. "'Killer' fails to surrender in Elizabeth Short death." Los Angeles Times, January 30: 2. —. 1947. "Mystery envelope sent in 'Dahlia' case; address book gives dozens of fresh leads." Los Angeles Times, January 25: 3. —. 1947. "Police await second 'Dahlia' letter for clue to break murder case." Los Angeles Times, January 27: 2. —. 1947. "Police free red-haired salesman as suspect in 'Black Dahlia' murder." Los Angeles Times, Janaury 21: 2. —. 1947. "Police stumped in beauty killing." Los Angeles Times, February 2: 2. —. 1947. "Soldier's 'Dahlia' date tale newest clue in slaying." Los Angeles Times, February 6: 2. —. 1947. "Soldier's leave time checked in 'Dahlia' murder." Los Angeles Times, February 7: 2. —. 1947. "Suspect detained for questioning in 'Black Dahlia' mutilation murder." Los Angeles Times, January 20: 2. —. 1947. "Tooth cavities clue checked in beauty slaying." Los Angeles Times, February 4: 2. Nightingale, Suzan. 1982. "Author claims to have found 1947 murderer." Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Janaury 17. United Press. 1947. "'Sick' veteran is booked in Dahlia death." Fresno Bee, January 29: 1. —. 1947. "Spurned lover is hunted in murder of 'Black Dahlia'." Fresno Bee, January 17: 1. —. 1947. "L.A. Police hope Dahliua murderer will surrender." Sacramento Bee, January 28: 4. Weller, Sheila. 2015. "The sins of the father." Dujour, June 01. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On the afternoon of August 7, 1972, sixteen-year-old Jeannette DePalma left her house in Springfield, NJ and was never seen alive again. Six weeks later, Jeannette’s remains were discovered when a neighborhood dog returned to its owner at a newly built apartment complex, carrying Jeannette’s badly decomposed arm in its mouth. The news of Jeannette’s death spread quickly around the small town and the rumors about the circumstances were not far behind. According to witnesses, the girl’s body was surrounded by occult symbols and objects, and within a few weeks news outlets began reporting that Jeannette had been the victim of ritual human sacrifice. For more than five decades, the murder of Jeannette DePalma had fascinated New Jersey residents and has even captured the attention of news outlets from around the country and occasionally around the world. Yet the more coverage the case receives, the more the rumors of occult murder and Satanism seem to grow, obscuring the more relevant facts and the tragedy at the heart of the case. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1972. "Police probe death of girl." , October 3: 11. —. 1972. "Witchcraft seen possible in teen-age girl's death." , September 30: 3. —. 1972. "Was girl black magic victim?" , September 30: 1. Burks, Edward. 1971. "'Satan cult' death, drugs jolt peaceful Vineland, N.J." , July 6: 35. Chadwick, Bruce. 1972. "Priest's theory: devil's disciples killed girl." , October 4: 399. Hughes, Sarah A. 2021. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Lenehan, Arthur. 1972. "Springfield cops find girl's body." , September 21: 10. —. 1972. "'Witchcraft' implicated in DePalma murder." , October 3: 8. Muscavage, Nick. 2019. "What happened to Springfield teen found dead near Watchung Reservation in 1972?" , August 23. Pollack, Jesse, and Mark Moran. 2015. Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. Schwartz, Art. 2015. "Conspiracy or serial killer?" , January 25. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Two decades before the Lindbergh baby became America’s most famous missing child, four-year-old Bobby Dunbar, went missing in Opelousas, Louisiana, setting in motion one of the strangest kidnapping stories in the nation’s history. In the summer of 1912, the Dunbar family took a trip to Swayze Lake in St. Landry Parish, where Bobby wandered off and disappeared. The boy’s disappearance was followed by an eight-month search across the American south, until Bobby was ostensibly found in the company of William Walters, a handyman traveling through the Mississippi. Bobby’s parents were elated to have their son back after such a long absence, but the problem was, very few people seem convinced that the boy was in fact Bobby Dunbar. After extensive news coverage of the search, Walters’ trial for kidnapping, and the joyful return of Bobby to his family, interest in the case began to fade, but for the Dunbar family, questions remained about Bobby’s identity. Had the Dunbars, in their desperation to find their son, unintentionally kidnapped someone else’s child? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Crowley Post-Signal. 1913. "Charges fell to ground." , April 11: 5. Daily Advertiser. 1914. "Walters' trial at Opelousas." , April 21: 1. —. 1914. "Supreme court frees Walters." , June 30: 1. McThenia, Tal, and Ira Glass. 2008. "The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar." Chicago, IL: Chicago Public Media, March 14. New York Times. 1912. "$6,000 for missing boy." , November 10: 1. —. 1912. "Kidnapped boy murdered." , December 15: 14. Ray, S.W. 1914. "Opelousas jury hears life story of other mother." , April 23: 8. St. Landry Clarion. 1912. "No trace of lost Bob Dunbar." , September 7: 1. —. 1912. "Robert Dunbar, 4 years old, mysteriously disappears." , August 31: 4. —. 1914. "Asks that fair play be given to the accused." , April 18: 1. —. 1914. "Fair play for Walters." , April 18: 1. Times-Democrat. 1913. "Recognizes playmates." , April 26: 1. —. 1913. "Does not identify boy." , April 22: 1. —. 1913. "Dunbar boy talking." , May 20: 4. —. 1913. "Hunting for kidnappers." , April 27: 1. —. 1913. "Is not Bruce Anderson." , April 26: 1. —. 1913. "Now believes boy hers." , May 3: 1. —. 1912. "Scores search for missing lad." , August 25: 1. —. 1912. "Suspicion turns toward negroes." , September 2: 1. —. 1913. "Movements of Tinker." , May 23: 1. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we are joined by Emmy award winning film directors, Chapman & Maclain Way to discuss the wild story behind their Netflix Documentary "The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga". This documentary was expertly crafted and features the often unbelievable folklore surrounding the 2013 Presidential Ricin Attacks. Haven't watched it yet? Check it out by visiting https://www.netflix.com/title/81903247 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
After his arrest, investigators would learn that, by the time he appeared on the game show, he was also a killer. In the year that followed, Alcala would go on to murder several other women until he was finally caught and convicted for his crimes. At his trial, Rodney Alcala was found guilty of eight murders, among other crimes, but he is suspected of several other murders, perhaps as many as one hundred or more. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1980. "Forest worker tells of grisly body find, fingers defendent ." , March 23: 7. —. 1980. "Witness in Alcala trial admits lying." , March 26: 44. —. 1980. "Jury deliberate murder charge." , April 30: E3. Brown, Doug. 1980. "Jury asks for the death penalty." , May 9: 32. —. 1980. "Prosecution rests case in penalty part of Alcala trial." , May 8: 63. CBS News. 2024. "Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game." Dunn, Edward. 1977. "Oneida woman slain in L.A." , November 15: 1. Esquivel, Paloma. 2010. "Alcala gets death penalty." , March 10: 72. Falcon, Gabriel. 2010. March 10. Accessed November 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240814201903/https://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/08/dating.game.killer/index.html. Hicks, Jerry. 1986. "Alcala again given death sentence in slaying of girl, 12." , June 21: 50. —. 1986. "Alcala asks jury to spare him, insists he isn't a murderer." , June 19: 141. Jarlson, Gary. 1979. "Hunt for missing girls spreads to Oxnard." , June 28: 10. —. 1979. "In search for girl's killer, time is the principal foe." , July 14: 22. Kaye, Peter. 1981. "The long, painful path to justice." , June 18: 19. Kirkman, Edward. 1971. "Fear of a new sex killing spurs 6 on trail." , August 8: 75. Levenson , Michael, and Eduardo Medina. 2021. "'Dating Game killer,' who preyed on woman in 1970s, dies in prison." , July 26. Liff, Mark, Joseph Martin, and Paul Meskil. 1977. "Attorney urges FBI to hunt daughter." , July 31: 3. Los Angeles Times. 1980. "Alcala defense wtiness's story repeated to jury." , April 30: 42. —. 1979. "The Southland." , June 22: 30. —. 1977. "Police now see link in strangulation murders of 10 LA women." , December 1: 22. Moynihan, Colin. 2012. "Convicted killer pleads guilty to 2 New York murders." , December 15: 20. OC Weekly. 2010. January 21. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.ocweekly.com/rodney-alcalas-murderous-romp-through-polite-society-brings-him-to-an-orange-county-courtroom-again-6402172/. Pelisek, Christine. 2010. "Rodney Alcala: the fine art of killing." , January 21. Reyes, David. 1986. "Man convicted second time in murder of girl." , May 29: 43. Sands, Stella. 2011. New York, NY: St. Martin's. Secret, Mosi. 2011. "After decades, charges in 2 Manhattan murders." , January 27: 24. Smith, David. 2024. "The terrifying true story behind Woman of the Hour." , October 22. 1984. 36 Cal. 3d 605 (Supreme Court of California, August 23). Weinstein, Henry. 2003. "New trial, new charge in old cases." , June 28: 32. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
At the time of his appearance on The Dating Game in 1978, Alcala was a convicted sexual predator who had served time for sexual assault and had only avoided a charge of attempted murder on a technicality. After his arrest, investigators would learn that, by the time he appeared on the game show, he was also a killer. In the year that followed, Alcala would go on to murder several other women until he was finally caught and convicted for his crimes. At his trial, Rodney Alcala was found guilty of eight murders, among other crimes, but he is suspected of several other murders, perhaps as many as one hundred or more. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1980. "Forest worker tells of grisly body find, fingers defendent ." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), March 23: 7. —. 1980. "Witness in Alcala trial admits lying." Los Angeles Times, March 26: 44. —. 1980. "Jury deliberate murder charge." Oakland Tribune, April 30: E3. Brown, Doug. 1980. "Jury asks for the death penalty." Los Angeles Times, May 9: 32. —. 1980. "Prosecution rests case in penalty part of Alcala trial." Los Angeles Times, May 8: 63. CBS News. 2024. "Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game." 48 Hours . Dunn, Edward. 1977. "Oneida woman slain in L.A." Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY), November 15: 1. Esquivel, Paloma. 2010. "Alcala gets death penalty." Los Angeles Times, March 10: 72. Falcon, Gabriel. 2010. Convicted serial killer won on 'Dating Game'. March 10. Accessed November 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240814201903/https://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/08/dating.game.killer/index.html. Hicks, Jerry. 1986. "Alcala again given death sentence in slaying of girl, 12." Los Angeles Times, June 21: 50. —. 1986. "Alcala asks jury to spare him, insists he isn't a murderer." Los Angeles Times, June 19: 141. Jarlson, Gary. 1979. "Hunt for missing girls spreads to Oxnard." Los Angeles Times, June 28: 10. —. 1979. "In search for girl's killer, time is the principal foe." Los Angeles Times, July 14: 22. Kaye, Peter. 1981. "The long, painful path to justice." Daily Breeze (Torrence, CA), June 18: 19. Kirkman, Edward. 1971. "Fear of a new sex killing spurs 6 on trail." Daily News (New York, NY), August 8: 75. Levenson , Michael, and Eduardo Medina. 2021. "'Dating Game killer,' who preyed on woman in 1970s, dies in prison." New York Times, July 26. Liff, Mark, Joseph Martin, and Paul Meskil. 1977. "Attorney urges FBI to hunt daughter." Daily News (New York, NY), July 31: 3. Los Angeles Times. 1980. "Alcala defense wtiness's story repeated to jury." Los Angeles Times, April 30: 42. —. 1979. "The Southland." Los Angeles Times, June 22: 30. —. 1977. "Police now see link in strangulation murders of 10 LA women." Sacramento Bee, December 1: 22. Moynihan, Colin. 2012. "Convicted killer pleads guilty to 2 New York murders." New York Times, December 15: 20. OC Weekly. 2010. Rodney Alcala's murderous romp through polite society brings him to an Orange County courtroom again. January 21. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.ocweekly.com/rodney-alcalas-murderous-romp-through-polite-society-brings-him-to-an-orange-county-courtroom-again-6402172/. Pelisek, Christine. 2010. "Rodney Alcala: the fine art of killing." LA Weekly, January 21. Reyes, David. 1986. "Man convicted second time in murder of girl." Los Angeles Times, May 29: 43. Sands, Stella. 2011. The Dating Game Killer: The True Story of a TV Dating Show, a Violent Sociopath, and a Series of Brutal Murders. New York, NY: St. Martin's. Secret, Mosi. 2011. "After decades, charges in 2 Manhattan murders." New York Times, January 27: 24. Smith, David. 2024. "The terrifying true story behind Woman of the Hour." The Guardian, October 22. The People v. Rodney James Alcala. 1984. 36 Cal. 3d 605 (Supreme Court of California, August 23). Weinstein, Henry. 2003. "New trial, new charge in old cases." Los Angeles Times, June 28:32. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Weirdos! We're giving you a fresh batch of listener tales brought TO you, BY you, FOR you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! Today we have ghostly peaches, possessed dogs (question mark?), dolls in a wall, and someone who is plagued with terrible promotions! Don't forget to check out the VIDEO from this episode available on YouTube on 1/30/2025! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
When Cheryl Bradshaw appeared on the popular game show in 1978, she was charmed by bachelor number one, Rodney Alcala, and by the end of the episode, she’d chosen him to take her on a date. However, just minutes after the episode finished taping, Cheryl met bachelor number two in person backstage and was immediately uncomfortable and quickly contacted producers of the show to cancel the date. What Bradshaw didn’t know at the time was that, in doing so, she had narrowly avoided spending an evening in the company of one of America’s most notorious serial killers. At the time of his appearance on in 1978, Alcala was a convicted sexual predator who had served time for sexual assault and had only avoided a charge of attempted murder on a technicality. After his arrest, investigators would learn that, by the time he appeared on the game show, he was also a killer. In the year that followed, Alcala would go on to murder several other women until he was finally caught and convicted for his crimes. At his trial, Rodney Alcala was found guilty of eight murders, among other crimes, but he is suspected of several other murders, perhaps as many as one hundred or more. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1980. "Forest worker tells of grisly body find, fingers defendent ." , March 23: 7. —. 1980. "Witness in Alcala trial admits lying." , March 26: 44. —. 1980. "Jury deliberate murder charge." , April 30: E3. Brown, Doug. 1980. "Jury asks for the death penalty." , May 9: 32. —. 1980. "Prosecution rests case in penalty part of Alcala trial." , May 8: 63. CBS News. 2024. "Rodney Alcala: The Killing Game." Dunn, Edward. 1977. "Oneida woman slain in L.A." , November 15: 1. Esquivel, Paloma. 2010. "Alcala gets death penalty." , March 10: 72. Falcon, Gabriel. 2010. March 10. Accessed November 18, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240814201903/https://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/03/08/dating.game.killer/index.html. Hicks, Jerry. 1986. "Alcala again given death sentence in slaying of girl, 12." , June 21: 50. —. 1986. "Alcala asks jury to spare him, insists he isn't a murderer." , June 19: 141. Jarlson, Gary. 1979. "Hunt for missing girls spreads to Oxnard." , June 28: 10. —. 1979. "In search for girl's killer, time is the principal foe." , July 14: 22. Kaye, Peter. 1981. "The long, painful path to justice." , June 18: 19. Kirkman, Edward. 1971. "Fear of a new sex killing spurs 6 on trail." , August 8: 75. Levenson , Michael, and Eduardo Medina. 2021. "'Dating Game killer,' who preyed on woman in 1970s, dies in prison." , July 26. Liff, Mark, Joseph Martin, and Paul Meskil. 1977. "Attorney urges FBI to hunt daughter." , July 31: 3. Los Angeles Times. 1980. "Alcala defense wtiness's story repeated to jury." , April 30: 42. —. 1979. "The Southland." , June 22: 30. —. 1977. "Police now see link in strangulation murders of 10 LA women." , December 1: 22. Moynihan, Colin. 2012. "Convicted killer pleads guilty to 2 New York murders." , December 15: 20. OC Weekly. 2010. January 21. Accessed November 19, 2024. https://www.ocweekly.com/rodney-alcalas-murderous-romp-through-polite-society-brings-him-to-an-orange-county-courtroom-again-6402172/. Pelisek, Christine. 2010. "Rodney Alcala: the fine art of killing." , January 21. Reyes, David. 1986. "Man convicted second time in murder of girl." , May 29: 43. Sands, Stella. 2011. New York, NY: St. Martin's. Secret, Mosi. 2011. "After decades, charges in 2 Manhattan murders." , January 27: 24. Smith, David. 2024. "The terrifying true story behind Woman of the Hour." , October 22. 1984. 36 Cal. 3d 605 (Supreme Court of California, August 23). Weinstein, Henry. 2003. "New trial, new charge in old cases." , June 28: 32. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On December 1, 1994, nineteen-year-old Melissa Witt planned to meet her mother at a Fort Smith, Arkansas bowling alley, but by all appearances, she only made it as far as the parking lot. Two days later, investigators discovered Melissa’s car abandoned in the Bowling World parking lot, a trail of blood leading away from the vehicle. Six weeks later, animal trackers located Melissa’s nude body in an isolated part of the Ozark National Forest and the hunt was on to find her killer. In the thirty years since Melissa Witt’s murder, a number of strong suspects have popped up on investigators’ radars, including serial killer Charles Ray Vines, yet to this date no one has been charged with her death. After three decades of unanswered questions, Witt’s family are desperate to know, what happened to Melissa on the night she went missing, and will detectives ever be able to hold her killer responsible for her tragic death? IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION REGARDING THE MURDER OF MELISSA WITT, PLEASE CALL THE FORT SMITH POLICE DEPARTMENT AT 479-709-5116 OR EMAIL THEM AT INFO@FORTSMITHPD.ORG. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Alvey, Tina. 1995. "Fort Smith teen's body found near Turner Bend." , Janaury 19: 4. Associated Press. 1995. "Man questioned about girl; police say he's not a suspect." , June 14: 6. Cavallier, Andrea. 2024. "A teenager was snatched from the parking lot of a bowling." , August 10. Kilby, Brenda. 1996. "Long-sought man awaits questioning ." , May 6: 29. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On October 13, 1972, a chartered aircraft carrying forty-five passengers, including 19 members of the Old Christians’ Club rugby team, departed from Montevideo, Uruguay bound for Santiago, Chile. About an hour into the flight, the copilot incorrectly believed the plane had gotten off course and requested permission from air traffic control in Santiago to begin his descent and course correct. However, when the plane began descending out of the cloud cover, the copilot realized he’d been wrong about their position and were in fact dangerous close to the Andes mountains. The pilots attempted to pull the plane back up, but they were unsuccessful and the crashed directly into the mountain. Ultimately, sixteen of the forty-five passengers survived the crash of flight 571, spending seventy-two days in an isolated, untraveled part of the Andes. They endured extremely harsh conditions including sub-zero temperatures, exposure to freezing wind, and most significantly, starvation. The survivors were eventually rescued after two passengers hiked three days out of the mountains, using only materials from the wreckage to aid in the trek, where they eventually found help. In the years since the crash, the story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 has become one of the most famous tales of survival and human endurance. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Associated Press. 1972. "16 survive 2 months in Andes after crash." , December 23: 2. —. 1972. "Crash survivors resorted to cannibalism." , December 27: 2. —. 1972. "16 Air crash survivors found after 69 days in icy Andes." , December 23: 1. Benales, Carlos. 1972. "Andes survivors solved problem of food, shelter." , December 31: 9. Campbell, Matthew. 2022. "Fifty years on, 'Alive' team say eating flesh was awful but they got used to it." , October 16. Godfrey, Chris. 2023. "My plane crashed in the Andes. Only the unthinkable kept me and the other starving survivirs alive." , December 4. Lilliston, Lynn. 1974. "Andes crash survivors tell their story." , May 5: 179. Read, Piers Paul. 1974. New York, NY: J.B. Lippincott Company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In the winter of 1924, the boroughs of New York City were plagued by a series of robberies ostensibly committed by a young couple. This was not the first time a woman had been involved in armed robberies; however, rather than be a reluctant participant in the crimes, it appeared as though the traditional roles were reversed and the young woman was the mastermind behind the hold-ups. The press quickly caught on and soon the “Bobbed Haired Bandit,” as she came to be known in the papers, was grabbing headlines across the country. Starting with the robbery of grocery store in early January, the Bandit’s crimes got bigger as weeks passed, as did her personality. Not only did the criminal pair become famous for their exploits and fashion, but also for the ways in which she taunted the police with notes daring them to come after her. In time, the NYPD’s inability to catch the bandit began to reflect very poorly on Mayor Richard Enright, who was ridiculed by both the bandit and the public. Finally, in late April, the Bobbed Haired Bandit and her partner were arrested in Florida, having fled New York earlier in the month after a robbery in which someone was shot. To everyone’s surprise, the couple wasn’t quite the Jazz Age antiheros everyone was expecting, but a young newly married couple who were desperately in need of money at a time when employment was hard to come by. Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Brooklyn Daily Times. 1924. "Bob Hair Bandit and man shoot National Biscuit Co. cashier." , April 1: 3. Brooklyn Eagle. 1924. "Bobbed-haired girl held as boro bandit in crime roundup ." , February 6: 1. —. 1924. "Bobbed Haired Bandit may be a boy; cusses like sailor but has feminine feet." , February 3: 5. —. 1924. "Girls let their hair grow fearing they'll be taken for Bobbed-Hair Bandit." , February 24: 78. —. 1924. "Hold bob-haired girl as pal of alleged bandits." , February 7: 2. —. 1924. "New gunwoman defies police to catch her." , January 16: 1. Dorman, Marjorie. 1924. "The Bobbed-Hair Bandit is a revolt." , March 16: 95. Duncombe, Stephen, and Andrew Mattson. 2006. New York, NY: NYU Press. Getty, Frank. 1924. "'Fish peddling bums" victims of Bobbed-Haired Bandit." , January 24: 1. Johnson, Nunnally. 1924. "One word after another." , February 21: 16. New York Times. 1924. "2-gun girl bandit holds up a grocery." , February 24: 1. —. 1924. "Alienists to test Cooney for sanity." , April 25: 19. —. 1924. "Bobbed Bandit gets ten years in prison; warns other girls." , May 7: 1. —. 1924. "Bob-Haired Bandit attempts a murder." , April 2: 21. —. 1924. "Girl bandit proudly describes 10 crimes." , April 23: 1. —. 1924. "Hold-up girl gets $600 from grocer." , January 23: 10. Times Union. 1924. ""Bobbed Haired Bandit" annoucnes her "getaway" for neighboring state." , January 22: 1. —. 1924. "200 police fail to trap bobbed haired girl bandit." , January 27: 1. —. 1924. "Enright may try himself to nab Bobbed-Hair Bandit." , March 23: 1. —. 1924. "Ex-chorus girl arrested as chain store bandit." , January 15: 1. —. 1924. "Note writers want Helen Quigley freed." , January 22: 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
