Murder in the Mourning

Whether you call them The Mineral Murders or The Tube Sock Killings , the deaths of 8 people consumed every person living in Washington. Between 1985 and 1987 four separate couples were hunted and killed by two or more murderers. Over the next 3 decades, investigators followed hundreds of clues–leading them to half of the answer.  The question is, has the other half already been answered?  Let’s M...

In 1980 an unknown male murdered a young woman in her Washington condo. The only evidence left behind was a microscopic amount of the killer’s DNA. 44 years later investigators would get a match. THIS TUESDAY police arrested the man responsible for a decades-long cold case!!  Let’s Mourn… Breen, K. (n.d.). 44 years after woman murdered in suburban Seattle, DNA on cigarette leads to suspect in Arka...

On a sunny August morning in 2001, Bruce Koklich dialed 911 to report his wife Jana missing. When investigators arrived they found blood in her bedroom and blood in her car, but no sign of Jana.  To this day, 20 years later, her body has yet to be recovered. But, has her true killer been brought to justice?  Let’s Mourn… Baker, K., & Acosta, N. (2024, August 7). Arrest made in killing of Detro...

Viciously attacked, mutilated, and murdered–Katie Janess never stood a chance of survival as she lay bleeding out in Piedmont Park.  In the early morning hours of July 28th, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia Katie was stabbed over fifty times in the face, neck, and torso. Investigators say this aggression hints at a familiarity between victim and killer–yet three later, no arrests have been made.  However,...

Lucas Shortreed, described as a giant, loving teddy bear by his family, was killed in a hit-and-run during a 2008 Oktoberfest celebration. For over a decade, Lucas’s case stumped investigators. Fourteen years after his death, in June of 2022, an anonymous tip broke this case wide open! Let’s Mourn… After a shocking court case, here’s how Lucas Shortreed’s family wants to remember him | CTV news. (...

Vermont, known for its impressive greenery and sweet maple syrup, holds a mysterious and sinister history. From the oddities of the Bennington Triangle to the countless unsolved vanishings, this small state captures terror of every kind.  Roland and Mara Hanel–an idyllic retired couple residing in a handmade, mountaintop chalet–were brutally murdered in 1984. The FBI is certain they knew their kil...

Melanie Ethier vanished without a trace from a remote Canadian town in September of 1996 while walking home alone. Investigators suspect foul play, however, in the twenty-five years since her disappearance, they have yet to make an arrest. Worse yet, her mother and the community genuinely believe they know who’s responsible for Melanie’s disappearance.   Let’s Mourn… AP News. (2024, June 27). Gian...

It’s no mystery that Dr. Joseph Bell’s intense observational skills inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, but ever since then, historians have continued drawing comparisons to real-life detectives. Recently, writer Dr. Angela Buckley uncovered Jerome Caminada–the true Sherlock Holmes, probably.  Plus a breakdown of the ongoing Karen Read criminal trial! Is it a cover-up?! Let’s Mourn… Ack...

William Gates overcame the death of his young wife, excelled in his career, started his own business, and found love for a second time–only to wake up on a makeshift operating table in a house designed for torture… Plus, a 30-year-old cold case has been solved!  Let’s Mourn. CBS Interactive. (n.d.). 1996 cold case killings of 2 campers at Shenandoah National Park solved, FBI says, pointing to seri...

Hundreds of thousands of people go missing each year, with few ever finding a resolution. Each case is stranger than the one before. The disappearance of Daniel Robinson is one such case.  After a string of “odd” behavior, 24-year-old Daniel disappeared into the desert in 2021—the only trace of the young man, his flipped-over jeep in a nearby ravine.  Let’s Mourn… The Daniel Robinson Investigation...

Underwater murder, rare as it may be, is quite difficult to prove. During an Australian excursion, newlyweds Gabe and Tina Watson suffered the ultimate loss under eerie circumstances. What started with a shining moment in their marriage, ended in a lasting, haunting memory. Let’s Mourn… ABC News. (n.d.-a). Gabe Watson: “Liar” or Victim of “Tragic Accident.” https://abcnews.go.com/US/honeymoon-kill...

Was an innocent man put to death?? But first! In the late 1940s women began disappearing in a German forest…a swastika-growing forest!! The wooded lands of Brandenburg hold a murderous history few others can contend with. Let’s Mourn… Sources: ABC News Network. (n.d.). Horticultural Hate: The Mystery of the Forest Swastikas . ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/International/horticultural-hate-myster...

“I hug the people I hate so I know how big to dig their hole in my backyard...” Who said chivalry was dead?! Would you like to guess what else is still alive and well?  Cannibalism.  Less than a decade ago, one man from Tennessee abducted a woman in hopes of honoring his hero–The Night Stalker. Let’s Mourn… Blanco, J. I. (n.d.). Gregory Hale: Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers . Gregory Ha...

Some would consider Hollywood itself a cult, or religion for that matter. So what do you get when you mix Hollywood, religion, and two cult leaders? The Ministry of Evil–ran by lovers and con artists Tony and Susan Alamo. This cult may have begun in the 1970s, but they have loyal followers to this day.  Let’s Mourn… CBS Interactive. (2019, June 16). Amanda Knox “traumatized” by media firestorm sur...

Kateřina of Komárova, a notorious noblewoman turned serial murderer. Amidst a beautiful Bohemian backdrop, servants of this 16th-century Katerina endured extreme torture. For her crimes, she suffered a punishment fit for a fairy tale!  Plus, an update on Chad Daybell and HERB BAUMEISTER!!!  Let’s Mourn… Karlstejn Castle - https://www.visitcentralbohemia.com/experience/karlstejn-castle/ Scavenger&#...

Arguably the first woman serial killer of all time, Locusta of Gaul was an expert in ancient poisons. From humble beginnings to skillful kingmaker, she earned her title of Imperial Poisoner after years of service to both Emperor Nero and his mother, Agrippina the Younger.  Unfortunately, poison is a deadly game no person is immune to. Let’s Mourn… Sources: Carlton, G. (2021, October 7). Meet Locus...

Spanning a mere two centuries, the LDS Church has a history as violent as some ancient religions. From the Lafferty brothers to Mark Hofmann to the countless polygamy cults, death never seems far off. The Children of Thunder are no different—a murderous trio following a false prophet searching for glory. Let’s Mourn… Cotter, H., & Downey, K. (2024, May 22). Newport evidence search related to c...

From the unsolved Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders to Kai the hatchet-wielding hitchhiker to the infamous Münsterland murders, tales of serial killers hunting the open road have gripped us for decades.  The Aachen Strangler of Germany is a lesser-known monster known for kidnapping and killing young, female hitchhikers during the 1970s and ‘80s.  Let’s Mourn… Sources: CBS Interactive. (2024, May 20)....

To be a cannibal is one thing, but to be a picky cannibal… Joachim Kroll, often described as Germany’s most sadistic serial killer, would only eat what he considered “young and tender” flesh. As in children.  What he didn’t eat would end up in the toilet. This habit of flushing human flesh would lead to Kroll’s downfall. (THIS MAN PAN-FRIED ENTIRE HANDS) Let’s Mourn… Sources: Blanco, J. I. (n.d.)....

Colorado’s history is splattered with mysteries and murders ranging from The Black Widow to Scott Lee Kimball to even Ted Bundy! However, none date as far back as the killer on Capitol Hill in Denver.  At the turn of the 20th century, a string of at least 10 women were bludgeoned in the back of the head while walking alone. Some would survive, while others wouldn’t. Welcome, Colorado's first s...

The legend of Ned Kelly is as historic as it is polarizing. A thief from the ripe young age of fourteen, Kelly robbed banks and stole horses for the men he learned from.  Quickly, he became Australia’s most revered and most wanted bushranger. Or as I like to call them, land pirates!  Plus, a bonus story about Angela Gosser–a Kentucky woman who recently went on a deadly shooting rampage.  Let’s Mou...

In the vast wilderness of British Columbia, near the Northern Rockies, three people were murdered and left for dead.  Described as ‘introverted loners’ by their grandmother, two young men went on a killing spree that led to the largest manhunt in Canadian history.  Let’s Mourn… Sources: CBC/Radio Canada. (2019, December 21). Inside Last Summer’s RCMP manhunt for admitted killers Bryer Schmegelsky...

One man’s charisma and religious fervor permanently stained Quebec’s history.  Roch Theriault–a catholic turned 7th Day Adventist turned Cult Leader –manipulated a group of vulnerable people to follow him into the densely forested mountains of Canada. There, he would perform the unspeakable. Let’s Mourn… Sources: Lyon, R. (2023, December 11). Manipulation, mutilation, and murder: The story of the...

For a history that spans centuries and has seen countless power shifts, you might think Iceland would have more serial killers. However, only one person holds this title. Axlar-Bjorn, of the 16th century, is Iceland’s only serial killer!  Let’s Mourn… Sources: Axlar-Björn, the only Icelandic serial killer, terrorized travellers on Snæfellsnes Peninsula . Icelandmag. (n.d.). https://icelandmag.is/a...

A century ago, a man condemned to death showed just how resilient the human body can be. Michael Schiller murdered his wife in cold blood and would pay the price with his own. However, his execution quickly went awry.  This is history’s most brutally botched execution you’ve never heard of.  Let’s Mourn… Sources: As lethal injection turns forty, states botch a record number of executions . Death P...