Notorious Bakersfield

Send Robert a Text! An organized crime ring burglarized the Wickersham Jewelry store in downtown Bakersfield in 1964.  This is that story. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Bakersfield website: https://www.notoriousbakersfield.com/ Email: notoriousbakers...

Send Robert a Text! An airplane carrying the Cal Poly Univesity football team crashed on takeoff from a Toldeo, OH area airport.  Eight players on that flight were from Bakersfield or had ties to Bakersfield.  Four of them perished. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit t...

Send Robert a Text! Glenda Crosley killed her husband Sam by running him down with her car. She claimed spousal abuse as justification for this crime. Victim of Domestic Violence? Visit this link: https://kernalliance.org/ If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorio...

Send Robert a Text! Tony Azevedo was murdered in 1996 while delivering pizzas for Pizzaville USA. This is his story. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Bakersfield website: https://www.notoriousbakersfield.com/ Email: notoriousbakersfield@gmail.com Suppor...

Send Robert a Text! In 1961, Spade Cooley, a Country Music star, brutally murdered his wife in Willow Springs near Tehachapi. His murder trial in Bakersfield attracted enormous public interest. It was a media spectacle, the likes of which hadn't been seen before, and wouldn't be seen again...until another celebrity...OJ Simpson...was tried for a similar crime...decades later. If you&apos...

Send Robert a Text! Tom Dertinger called his wife Barbara on the afternoon of January 10, 1986. He told Barbara he was leaving his office to run some errands. Later that afternoon, Tom called his secretary to tell her he was at the apartment of an acquaintance to buy a three-wheeled motorcycle...an ATV. He told his secretary that he wasn't sure if he'd be done in time to get back to the...

Send Robert a Text! When Jimmy and Sharon kissed their mother Patricia Leard goodbye on their way out the door for school on September 5, 1978, that was the last time they ever kissed their mom. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Bakersfield website: http...

Send Robert a Text! On May 7, 1954, a domestic dispute turned deadly at the Kern County Juvenile Court building. Two people died and two others were wounded. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Bakersfield website: https://www.notoriousbakersfield.com/ Ema...

Send Robert a Text! Jack Downing's abandoned station wagon was found near the KERN Radio station on June 4, 1975.  His body was found later that evening in a reservoir two miles away. His murder remain unsolved 47 years later. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit th...

Send Robert a Text! The California Relief Administration (SRA) was the precursor to what today we know as the Employment Development Department. In 1941, an SRA employee was murdered by a relief recipient. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Bakersfield we...

Send Robert a Text! Bill and Dorothy Gutierrez were having marital problems. The terror that took place in their Country Club Drive home on October 9, 1990, shocked the entire city of Bakersfield. Purchase the Friday The 13th Tour Here:   https://fridaythe13thtour.supercast.com/ If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation:...

Send Robert a Text! Al "The Snake Man" Robbins entertained Bakersfield area school children for nearly five decades. The magician used live snakes to captivate his audience's attention. This is his story. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious...

Send Robert a Text! Glenda Jean Hough went missing April 1, 1984. Eight months later her car-with her body inside- was discovered submerged in a canal. Kern County officials ruled her death an accident. Glenda's family doesn't agree. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notori...

Send Robert a Text! Alicia Manning was only three weeks away from graduating from CSUB when she was brutally murdered. Notorious Bakersfield takes a look back at that tragedy that shocked the entire CSUB community. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Baker...

Send Robert a Text! What was Amelia Earhart's husband doing in Bakersfield two years after she went missing? Learn all about that incident in this episode. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a donation: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Notorious Visit the Notorious Bakersfield website: https://www.notoriousbakersfield.com/...

Send Robert a Text! When the father of the leading candidate for California Attorney General is killed in 1938, it becomes a sensational news story. Matt Warren, Earl Warren's father, was brutally murdered in his home on Niles Street. This is one of Bakersfield's most mysterious puzzles. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here...

Send Robert a Text! Judge Alan Klein was in his chambers on Sunday, March 26, 1995. For someone devoted to his job like Judge Klein, it wasn't unusual to find him at the courthouse working on a weekend. But on this particular Sunday afternoon, the Judge was hoping to mix a little pleasure with his work. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee....

Send Robert a Text! On the evening of November 21, 1992, Three members of the Kammeyer family were discovered brutally murdered in their home on Gibson Street next door to the Bakersfield Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The dead were 50-year-old John Kammeyer Sr, his wife Alana Kammeyer age 49, and John Allen Kammeyer age 24. When the pieces to this murder investigation began fal...

Send Robert a Text!  Merle Haggard was probably the most well-known person born and raised in Bakersfield. His career as a Country and Western singer, songwriter, and entertainer spanned over 50 years. Notorious Bakersfield takes a look back at this Bakersfield icon's criminal past. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me a coffee. Visit here to make a...

Send Robert a Text! In 1967, A Kern County Sheriff Deputy discovered the lifeless body of Dominga "Dee" Montoya in a 24-hour laundromat. Because of the brutal nature of this crime, and the fact that the victim was a secretary for a California lawmaker, this murder mystery made headlines throughout the state. If you'd like to support the Notorious Bakersfield podcast, you can buy me...

Send Robert a Text! In the late 1980s in Bakersfield, there was a serial rapist targeting women who were alone in grocery store parking lots. This predator became known as "The Supermarket Rapist". Congratulate Elvis Barber, on winning the Notorious Bakersfield drawing of two one-day passes to this year's March Meet. These passes were generously provided by Fomoso Dragstrip If you&a...

Send Robert a Text!  The March Meet drags are Notorious not only in Bakersfield but around the world. Every year race Fans flock to the Fomoso Dragstrip to witness a legacy of racing that dates back 63 years. You'll want to listen to this episode all the way to the end to find out how you can win two one-day passes to this year's March Meet. These passes were generously donated by Fomoso...

Send Robert a Text! What makes a story rise to the notorious level? I look back to see how long a story remained in the headlines of the Bakersfield Californian. That's probably the main determining factor. The next is to see if the story made news outside of Bakersfield. The crime you'll hear about on this episode checks both of those boxes. It remained in the news for weeks and made he...

Send Robert a Text!  Late in the morning of August 15th, the coffee shop at the Ramada Inn was still busy serving breakfast. The restaurant's manager Roberta Plank was working the cash register. The Ramada Inn's general manager, Warren Bruce, popped into the coffee shop. The two were standing at the cash register having a conversation...probably about the weather...when a man dressed in...

Send Robert a Text!  There are a lot of rumors out there floating around about the historic Padre Hotel in downtown Bakersfield. Many of them are 100 percent false. Most of these stories aren't based on any evidence whatsoever. These rumors have given this iconic Bakersfield landmark an unfortunate reputation. However, this Notorious Bakersfield story you're about to hear about the Padre...