Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast

Some crimes are violent, some are tragic, and some are just so absurd that they make you lose a little faith in humanity. Today we're diving into lawsuits so wild, so petty, and so downright unbelievable, you'll think we made them up. First up: the Wendy's finger fraud. In March 2005, Anna Ayala claimed she found a human finger in her chili. The story made national headlines, Wendy's stock plummet...

When a friend found 58-year-old Janie Ballard stabbed over 70 times in her Little Rock, Arkansas home on September 13, 2003, investigators immediately suspected her own daughter, Leslie, and Leslie's much older husband, Mike McCool. But how did a shy, successful young woman from a prominent family become capable of such unthinkable violence? Leslie had grown up with every advantage—private school,...

Throughout history, scientists have pushed ethical boundaries in the name of progress—sometimes with horrifying consequences. From secret government programs to rogue researchers conducting experiments on unwitting subjects, these are the stories that textbooks tried to erase. This episode explores the most disturbing scientific experiments that crossed the line from innovation to inhumanity. What...

In 2016, a small South African community was rocked by a series of brutal murders orchestrated by a woman who claimed to speak directly to God. Cecilia Steyn manipulated her followers into committing unspeakable acts, all while maintaining the facade of a devout Christian. This is the story of the Krugersdorp Killings—where faith became a weapon and devotion turned deadly. What started as a church...

Major developments in one of Ohio's most shocking family annihilations. After years of investigation and legal battles, the Wagner family members have been sentenced for the brutal murders of eight members of the Rhoden family in 2016. We break down the courtroom drama, the sentences handed down, and what this means for the victims' families who have waited years for justice. Pike County, Ohio fin...

In 2010, Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen was driving home from a movie premiere when she was shot multiple times in her Mercedes. The high-profile murder sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, and the investigation took bizarre turns—including a suspect who died by suicide before he could be questioned. Was it a professional hit, a random robbery, or something else entirely? Hollywoo...

When Australian TV presenter Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies disappeared in February 2024, the investigation led to a shocking suspect: a serving NSW police officer. This case exposed the dangers of domestic violence, abuse of power, and the devastating consequences when those sworn to protect become predators. A story that gripped Australia and raised urgent questions about police account...

In 2008, Navy JAG officer Mindi Kassotis was brutally murdered and dismembered in her Virginia home. The investigation revealed a tangled web of relationships, military secrets, and a suspect who seemed to have the perfect alibi. This case highlights the challenges of prosecuting military personnel and the devastating impact of violence against women in the armed forces. Justice delayed is not jus...

Social media has created a new kind of danger: the viral murder case. From TikTok influencers documenting crimes to victims whose last moments were livestreamed, the intersection of technology and violence has created a disturbing new reality. This episode explores how platforms like TikTok have become both crime scenes and evidence vaults, and what happens when the pursuit of online fame turns de...

Thabo Bester, known as South Africa's "Facebook Rapist," was serving a life sentence when he allegedly died in a prison fire in 2022. But months later, he was discovered alive and living under a new identity—with the help of a celebrity doctor. This audacious prison escape exposed massive corruption within South Africa's correctional system and raised disturbing questions about who else helped him...

The murder of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel in 2014 seemed like a random act of violence—until investigators uncovered a murder-for-hire plot allegedly orchestrated by his ex-wife's wealthy family. In Part 2, we dive deeper into the Adelson family's alleged involvement, the trials, and the shocking revelations that continue to emerge years later. This case has everything: famil...

On July 18, 2014, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel was shot in the head in his own driveway in Tallahassee. What initially appeared to be a random act of violence soon revealed itself to be something far more sinister: an alleged murder-for-hire plot involving his ex-wife's prominent family. Part 1 explores Dan's life, the bitter custody battle that preceded his death, and the inv...

What happens when a thief isn't after cash, but the priceless cultural history locked away in our most secure institutions? This week, we dive into the world of intellectual crimes—a string of baffling thefts motivated by obsession, vanity, and a desire to possess the truly irreplaceable. Think less Ocean's 11, more "misplaced library card energy." We cover four bizarre cases that expose the shock...

In 1908, the body of 20-year-old Hazel Drew was found floating in a pond in upstate New York. Her mysterious death captivated the nation and remained unsolved for over a century. Decades later, "Twin Peaks" creator David Lynch revealed that Hazel's case inspired the iconic character of Laura Palmer. This episode explores the real-life mystery that sparked one of television's most influential shows...

Why would an innocent person confess to a crime they didn't commit? The answer is more complex—and more common—than you might think. Through five shocking cases, we explore the psychological tactics used during interrogations, the vulnerabilities that lead to false confessions, and the devastating consequences for those wrongfully convicted. This episode is a sobering look at how the justice syste...

Daniel Printz was a trusted handyman in his Florida community—until investigators discovered he was systematically targeting and murdering elderly clients. This case exposes the vulnerability of senior citizens to predators who exploit their trust, and the warning signs that were missed until it was too late. A chilling reminder that monsters don't always look like monsters. New episodes every Tue...

Michael Mastromarino was a successful dentist who fell from grace and found a new, horrifying career: stealing body parts from corpses and selling them to unsuspecting medical companies. His illegal tissue-harvesting operation violated thousands of bodies and put countless transplant recipients at risk. This is the story of greed, desecration, and a black market that thrived in the shadows of the...

In 2015, a group of elderly criminals—average age 63—pulled off one of the biggest jewelry heists in British history, stealing an estimated £14 million from the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company. Using old-school tactics and decades of criminal experience, these "bad grandpas" drilled through a concrete wall and made off with millions. But age didn't make them smarter—and their downfall was as sp...

In 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and choir singer Eleanor Mills were found under a crab apple tree in New Jersey, arranged in a macabre tableau. Their love letters were scattered around them, exposing their affair to the world. The case became a media sensation, featuring a star witness known as "The Pig Woman" and a trial that gripped the nation. Despite the evidence and public outcry,...

In 1928, Belgian millionaire Alfred Loewenstein was flying over the English Channel in his private plane when he mysteriously vanished mid-flight. His body was later found in the sea, but the circumstances of his death remain one of aviation's greatest mysteries. Did he fall? Was he pushed? Or did he jump? This case has baffled investigators for nearly a century and inspired countless theories abo...

An 18-year-old college freshman, full of creativity and ambition, walked out of her dorm room one cold February night in 2024 and never made it back. Megan Trussell was a gifted artist and bright student at Arapahoe Community College in Colorado when she disappeared on February 20th. Her family knew something was wrong immediately, but the investigation was plagued with delays and unanswered quest...

In 1954, Dr. Sam Sheppard's pregnant wife Marilyn was brutally murdered in their Ohio home. Sheppard claimed a "bushy-haired intruder" attacked them both, but prosecutors believed he was the killer. The sensational trial became a media circus, inspired the TV show "The Fugitive," and raised serious questions about how media coverage can influence justice. Decades later, the case remains controvers...

Belle Gunness was a Norwegian immigrant who turned her Indiana farm into a graveyard. Between 1884 and 1908, she lured dozens of suitors through "lonely hearts" advertisements, promising marriage and a life on her prosperous farm. Instead, her victims found death—poisoned, bludgeoned, or dismembered—and buried in her hog pen. When her farmhouse mysteriously burned down in 1908, investigators disco...

In 1980s Los Angeles, a group of wealthy young men formed an exclusive investment club that promised to make them all millionaires. Led by the charismatic Joe Hunt, the Billionaire Boys Club quickly devolved from a get-rich-quick scheme into something far more sinister. When their Ponzi scheme began to collapse, Hunt convinced his followers that murder was the solution. The club's victims included...

Before Bernie Madoff, before cryptocurrency scams, there was Charles Ponzi—the man who gave his name to one of history's most infamous fraud schemes. In 1920, the Italian immigrant promised investors a 50% return in just 45 days through an elaborate international postal reply coupon scheme. Thousands of people, from working-class immigrants to wealthy Bostonians, handed over their life savings. At...