Michigan Monsters

On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was killed by a single shot from a high-powered sniper rifle while at the zoo with her 5-year-old daughter. What at first seemed like an open-shut case subsequently became Lansing's most notorious unsolved crime. As the 25th anniversary approaches, we revisit Bernita's story while her family continues to fight for justice. Case: Bernita White Audio production by Bil...

When a Michigander becomes the first woman in history to fly to the moon, you break protocol so you can feature her. No ghosts or gore, just magic and moon joy. This week's episode about Christina Koch and the Artemis II mission is unlike any other. Some might say it's out of this world. Case: Christina Koch, Artemis II Audio production by Bill Bee. 

When 18-year-old Amanda Davies returned from a cross-country spring break road trip in April of 1992, her parents breathed a huge sigh of relief. What no one could have predicted was that the real danger was waiting for Amanda at home, and that before she could even unpack her suitcase, she'd be gone forever. As authorities searched frantically for Amanda, and then for her murderer, her tight-knit...

Updates on some of the biggest cases covered over 100+ episodes, including serial killers on the loose, missing persons found, and more. Audio production by Bill Bee.

The 1970s saw a surge in the prominence of religious cults with groups like the Manson Family, Peoples Temple, and Heaven's Gate making headlines around the world. But smaller cults began popping up in rural communities all over the country, including right here in Michigan. In this episodes, we'll talk about two such cults- the House of Judah and the Theocratic Commune Natural Health Service- who...

A mother who didn't bother to look for her daughter after she was abducted by a violent stranger. A mother who spent years stalking and cyberbullying her own teenage daughter. A mother who stood by silently while her daughter was tormented by a monster. What do these three women have in common (besides being awful)? They're all featured in viral Netflix documentaries, and they're all from Michigan...

His name isn't likely one you've heard before, but his story should feel eerily familiar. Matthew Emmanuel Macon is well-known as Lansing, Michigan's first (and only) serial killer, a young Black man who targeted elderly women living alone in the Capital City- quite a deviation from the standard serial killer trope. But two decades before Macon, there was Michael Darnell Harris- a young Black man...

A new era begins 2/1/26. But things are going to look a bit different. How so? Listen in for more! Audio production by Bill Bertschinger.

For nearly a month, a picturesque cabin on northern Lake Michigan hid a ghastly secret. The bodies of wealthy ad executive Dick Robison, his wife Shirley, and their four children lay waiting for someone to find them following a brutal attack on a summer afternoon. From the moment a caretaker stumbled upon the murder scene while investigating reports of a foul odor coming from the property, nothing...

From haunted neighborhoods built atop cemeteries to sweet afterlife connections and more, our Halloween episode once again features listener stories. Violent Ends is sponsored by BetterHelp.  To learn more about microdosing THC, visit microdose.com and enter code violentends for free shipping and 30% off your first order.

In 1903 Chicago, a peculiar murder unfolded on the city's south side. Despite her insistence that a burglar broke in and shot her husband in bed, authorities immediately suspected Jane Quinn, who was covered from head to toe in blood. And that was BEFORE they found out about the pile of dead bodies Jane left behind when she fled Michigan years earlier. Violent Ends is sponsored by BetterHelp. 

In 1981, a 23-year-old woman was dragged kicking and screaming from her East Lansing apartment in front of an entire building full of onlookers. In 1982, a rebellious teen vanished while hitchhiking in a Detroit suburb. In 1983, almost exactly one year later, another pretty brunette teenager disappeared while hitchhiking in the same neighborhood. Three years, three murdered women, three cold cases...

On a Monday afternoon in May of 1930, the world's first set of identical quadruplets were born in Lansing, Michigan- even though nobody knew they were coming. Instant celebrities, the Morlok quads were treated like a sideshow attraction by the community that insisted on naming them and claiming them as their own. While the girls were paraded around the country in matching dresses performing adorab...

When a young boy vanished from a small Northern Michigan town, authorities believed he'd run away with the circus. As outlandish as that sounded, it was more plausible than the awful truth- that he'd fallen victim to a killer clown hiding in plain sight. 

It's been 100 years since a Lansing socialite was murdered inside the brand new manor her politician husband built for her. Was she the victim of a traveling carnival run by outlaws? Targeted by an enemy of her husband's? Or was the police department's wide-reaching witch hunt an attempt to cover up something much more diabolical?  

The only thing they had in common was their love of the ice. One was from the east coast, the other from the west coast. One was blonde haired and blue eyed, while the other resembled Snow White with her fair skin and dark features. One came from a loving family, while the other suffered horrors no child should have to endure. When their paths collided on the road to Olympic Gold, the result was o...

Since opening its doors in 1850, The University of Michigan's School of Medicine has been one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country. But not all of its pupils perfected the art of saving lives. Some of them went on to do the exact opposite. In 1882, two men with similar names and matching handlebar mustaches entered the program. One went on to become America's first serial killer,...

On March 8, 1994, residents in 42 of Michigan's 82 counties reported seeing an unidentified flying object in the night sky. One of the best-documented UFO sightings in history, a lighted chrome aircraft with capabilities beyond any technology known to man was spotted hovering over the Great Lakes by law enforcement agencies, pilots, government officials, scientists, and hundreds of frightened civi...

In honor of 100 episodes, we celebrated with a live show at The Robin Theatre. Special guests included Michigan State University's School of Criminal Justice, author Rod Sadler, and the co-host with the most, our old friend Dani Fairman.

What do America's original aviatrix, the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, a seductive government spy, and an unorthodox civil rights icon have in common? They were all trailblazing women from Michigan whose lives ended tragically. Their stories deserve to be remembered.

It was 35 below, the wind was howling, and the snow was waist-deep when three young men burst through the door of Hotel St. James in the remote town of Ironwood, Michigan during the early morning hours of Feb 1, 1959. They were inadequately dressed for the dangerous weather, disheveled, and visibly shaken from a near-death experience. Even still…there was something about them. They were handsome....

An episode I never fathomed I'd have to record, but I suppose was inevitable. Because when it comes to mass shootings, it's no longer a question of "if," but "when." This is what it's like when it happens at home. Donate to the Spartan Strong Fund HERE . Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code VIOLENT to save $50 at lomi.com/VIOLENT . Read more about what...

With a blood lust so strong no prison could hold him, a Michigan man preyed on a coastal California town still reeling from the Bundy murders. And even with the world's most infamous serial killer behind bars, pretty young girls with long, brown hair parted down the middle still weren't safe. Turn your food waste into dirt with the press of a button with Lomi. Use the code VIOLENT to save $50 at l...

Season five begins February 7th! Listen in for a big announcement.

The Vanished is a true crime podcast that explores the stories of those who have gone missing. The Vanished goes beyond conventional news reports to take a deep dive into the story of a different missing person each week.  Host Marissa Jones brings you exclusive interviews with family members, friends, law enforcement and experts on mainstream cases, as well as little known ones. Listen in to hear...