Criminally Absurd

Episode 24 - Family Annihilation:  The Brom Family Murders   In this chilling episode, we explore a horrific crime that shook the quiet community of Rochester, Minnesota in 1988. The Brom family-parents Bernard and Paulette, along with two of their children Diane and Richard-were brutally murdered in the middle of the night in their own home. The shocking twist: The killer was their own son and br...

Episode 23-Missing: Lovely ‘Angie’ Brooks Lovely Brooks, known to her loved ones as “Angie,” was last seen on January 10, 2023, in the 1000 block of Barlen Drive in Richmond, Virginia. According to her sister, Angie had been residing with and caring for their father. He last saw her leaving their home that morning. She left behind most of her belongings, including her luggage and phone charger, bu...

Episode 22: A Mystery Still Haunting: The Murders of Mary and Susanne Reker    The episode this week is about the Reker sisters. On September 2, 1974, Mary Reker, aged 15 and Susanne Reker, aged 12, left their home  in St. Cloud, Minnesota to go shopping for last minute school supplies. Tragically, the sisters never returned.  After an agonizing 26 days, their bodies were discovered, stabbed to de...

Episode 21: Calculated Betrayal: The Murder of Toni Henthorn This episode discusses the murder of Toni Henthorn, which is a chilling case of deception and premeditation. In 2012, Toni, a 50 year-old ophthalmologist from Colorado, fell to her death during a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park with her husband, Harold Henthorn. At first, Harold claimed it was a tragic accident, but investigators so...

Episode 20-Patterns of Neglect: Emily Pike and the MMIP Epidemic    In this episode, we uncover the heartbreaking case of Emily Pike, a young Indigenous woman whose life was tragically cut short. Her story is not just about one life lost-it’s a painful reflection of the larger crisis affecting Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP.) We’ll explore who Emily was, the circumstances surrounding...

Episode 19: Toxic Friendship: The Lynn Hernan Story  In October 2018, 62 year old Lynn Hernan was found deceased in her Pewaukee, Wisconsin home. Her friend and caretaker, Jessy Kurczewski, called 911, initially suggesting that Lynn had overdosed on prescription medications. First responders suspected suicide or accidental overdose.  However, toxicology reports later reviewed a fatal dose of tetry...

18-The Gas Station Horror: The Unsolved Murder of Rhonda Knutson Rhonda Knutson was a 22 year old woman working the overnight shift at a Phillips 66 gas station in Williamstown, Iowa, when she was murdered on Labor Day of 1992. An unknown assailant attacked her inside the station’s convenience store and Rhonda died from blunt force trauma to the head.  Despite extensive investigations, no clear su...

Episode 17- Tracking the Truth: The Mo Wilson’s Story The murder of Moriah “Mo” Wilson is a tragic case that shook the cycling community and gained national attention due to its elements of love, jealousy, and a dramatic international manhunt. Moriah Wilson was a rising star in the elite gravel cycling world, known for her incredible talent and promising future. At 25 years old, she was one of the...

Episode 16- Five Years of Silence: The Disappearance of Hayden Manis  In his heartbreaking episode, we explore the mysterious and deeply troubling disappearance of Hayden Manis, a young boy from Muncie, Indiana. Though Hayden was officially reported missing in late 2024, the shocking truth soon emerged-he had not been seen by his family for over five years.  Hayden was just 4 years old when he van...

Episode 15-The Worst Halftime Show: The Flying Lawnmower Disaster of 1979 The 1979 flying lawnmower accident at Shea Stadium was a bizarre and tragic event that occurred during a halftime show for a New York Jets game. The performance featured a group of radio-controlled model aircraft enthusiasts demonstrating their flying machines. Among them was a model airplane designed to resemble a lawnmower...

Episode 14: Jealousy Turned Deadly: The Murders of Ana Abulaban and Rayburn Barron This episode tells the devastating story of Ana Abulaban, 28, and Rayburn Barron, 29, whose lives were cruelly taken by Ana's estranged husband, Ali Abulaban. Their senseless murders highlight a tragic tale of jealousy and betrayal. Their heartbreaking deaths paint a chilling picture of years of betrayal and violenc...

Episode 13-Frustration and Fatality: The Aaron Lindh Case In January 1988, Aaron Lindh entered the City-County Building in Madison, WI, armed with a gun. He fatally shot Eleanor Townsend, a sheriff's department secretary, and Clyde 'Bud' Chamberlain, the county coroner. He also seriously injured Erik Erikson, a private citizen. Lindh was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted fi...

Episode 12- Murder on the Farm: The Fremberg Family Massacre This episode explores the chilling murders of the Fremberg family in rural Sunburg, Minnesota. In November 1970, James and gloria Fremberg, along with their children Patricia (8), James (7), and Douglas (4), were tragically killed on their family farm. Neil Pladson was convicted of the crime and served just 16 years for these heinous act...

Episode 11- The Torch Extinguished: An Olympic Runner's Tragic End In this episode we discuss Rebecca Cheptegei who was a distinguished Ugandan long-distance runner, renowned for her achievements in cross country, mountain, and marathon running. She held the national record in the marathon and clinched the World champion title in mountain running. She made her Olympic debut in the women's...

Episode 10-Summertime Evil: The Tragic Murders of Angela Hyke and Ashley Lucas This week's episode, we delve into the harrowing case of Angela Hyke and her young daughter, Ashley Lucas. In 2001 the two disappeared from their home in Cresco, Iowa, sparking a frantic search. The investigation uncovered a chilling truth: Clay Thomas had brutally ended their lives to steal Angela's car and fle...

Episode 9-The Spellbound Mystery: Death at Sea Loren and Jody Edwards embarked on their lifelong dream of sailing the world in their 53-foot sailboat the Spellbound which they had lovingly built with their own hands. What was supposed to be an adventure of a lifetime turned into a chilling tale of mystery and tragedy. On a fateful weekend in 1978, the Spellbound sailed into a dark chapter of marit...

Episode 8-Behind Closed Doors: The Murder of Joyce Klindt This episode talks about the murder of Joyce Klindt. Joyce was brutally murdered and dismembered by her chiropractor husband, Jim, in Davenport, IA. The information shared in this episode is based on highly reliable sources available online, including: an articles from Justia, https://law.justia.com/cases/iowa/supreme-court/1986/85-243-0.ht...

Episode 7-Suitcase of Secrets: The Murder of Jorge Torres  The Sara Boone case centers on a shocking and tragic death of February 2020 in Winter Park, Flordia. Sarah Boone called 911 claiming her boyfriend, Jorge Torres Jr. had accidentally died after being zipped into a suitcase during a game of hide-and-seek.   Investigators quickly uncovered disturbing evidence on Boone's phone: videos show...

Episode 6: The Ice Storm of Errors: The Mysterious Death of Rena Gallardo  In this episode, we delve into the investigation-or lack thereof- surrounding the death of Rena Gallardo. Her body was found in a car wash during an ice storm in San Antonio, TX. Despite the unusual circumstances, her mysterious death was not thoroughly investigated by authorities.   The information shared in this episode i...

Episode 5-Missing in Minnesota: Nevaeh Kingbird's Story Nevaeh Kingbird, a 15-year-old Indigenous child from Bemidji, Minnesota, disappeared on October 22, 2021. She was last seen at a party with friends, but after an altercation, she reportedly left the gathering and was not heard from again. Despite extensive searches and community efforts, her wearabouts remain unknown. Nevaeh's case hi...

Episode 4-Disappearing Dad: The Story of Ryan Borgwardt Surprise!! We are releasing a new episode today, on Thanksgiving, because we are SO thankful for all of YOU-our listeners! A huge thank you to our friends and family that are supporting us by listening, following, and encouraging us on this fun adventure!! This episode includes the story of a Wisconsin dad who faked his own disappearence in A...

Episode 3-NYU Thievery This episode includes the story of Kaitlyn Fung and Aurora Agape and the thievery that took place while they were roommates at NYU in 2024. The information shared in this episode is based on highly reliable sources available online, including the New York Times article dated June 18, 2024. The photos include a photo of NYU, Kaitlyn Fung (top,) and Aurora Agapov (bottom.)

Episode 2-Murder in the Moonlight: The Villisca Nightmare This episode includes the story of the Villisca Axe Murders that took place on June 10, 1912 in Villisca, IA. Josiah and Sarah Moore, along with their children, Herman, Kathleen, Arthur, and Paul and the children's friends, Lena and Ina Stillinger, were all brutally killed by an ax murderer while they slept. This episode goes through th...

Episode 1-Evidence and Injustice: Marcellus Williams Case This episode includes the injustice of Marcellus Williams, who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 2001 after Felicia Gayle was found stabbed to death in her home in 1998. The information shared in this episode is based on highly reliable sources available online, including articles from the New York Times dated June 21, 2004 The Innocenc...