Once Upon A Crime

A story about a teenage stalker who hides in his victim's homes to prey upon them becomes an urban legend. But, the true life and crimes of Daniel J. LaPlante would be a real-life horror story.  Resources:  "Witness describes abduction by LaPlante", Paul Langner for The Boston Globe, Oct 21, 1988. Commonwealth v. Daniel J. LaPlante , Sept 14 - Nov 16, 1993, Middlesex County Superior Court filing. ...

The mysterious murder of Fred William Oesterreich in Los Angeles in 1922 would be revealed years later as one of the strangest and most bizarre true crime cases in California history  Resources:  A Crime to Remember: Guess Who?, Season 4, Episode 6, The Investigation Discovery Channel  " The Story of Dolly Oesterreich" by Erin Kelly for  All That's Interesting , Dec 19, 2017.  See Privacy Policy a...

In 1998, a 14-year-old disappeared from Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It would be feared she had become a victim of serial killer, Leonard Fraser, but this story would end with a shocking revelation.  Resources:  60 Minutes Australia - ‘The Girl in the Cupboard’”(2003) - https://youtu.be/os_K-e_qwu8 " She had everyone fooled" in TheAge.com.au, Apr 11, 2003 "The girl who returned from death"...

A multimillionaire in a feud with his family over money and property perpetrates a bizarre hoax in order to get revenge on his children and hold on to his assets.  Resources:  "Professor Donovan's Magnificent Entanglements" by John Wolfson for  Boston Magazine , July 1, 2006 "Ex-professor found guilty of staging own shooting" by John R. Ellement for  The Boston Globe , Aug 18, 2007.  "When Hollywo...

A well-respected educator in Bakersfield, California is accused of a brutal crime - the murders of five of his family members.  Resources:  "The Mystery of the Lost Weekend", by Keith Morrison for Dateline NBC , July 24, 2009. "Vincent Brothers and murdered wife had rocky relationship say witnesses" by Jessica Logan for Bakersfield.com , March 7, 2007. "Vice Principal is still a suspect in fatal s...

In this month's series "Bad Teacher" I'll share cases of educators who committed newsworthy crimes.  First up, a 34-year-old teacher scandalizes the nation when she is convicted of child rape with one of her 6th grade students.  Resources: "Strange Love: Mary Kay Letourneau", 7 News Spotlight , July 8, 2020, retrived on YouTube.  "Mary Kay Letourneau: 15 Shocking Facts" by John Whitefoot for Crime...

We conclude this two-part episode with a young woman who comes forward claiming to be Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov. The investigation into her claim would take decades to unravel. I welcome back my sister, Yolanda, to help me discuss all the ins and outs of this intriguing mystery!  Time Stamps: 05:03 - "Miss Unknown" 22:47 - Investigating the Claim 28:06 - "Fraulein Annie" 30:20 - Anastasia Tc...

On this first part of a 2-part episode, I share the fascinating story of the disappearance of the last imperial family of Russia, the Romanovs. After their disappearance, most believed they had been executed by the Bolsheviks, but sightings of one or more of the Romanovs would continue for years. Did some of Tsar Nicholas II's family members escape? Resources: The Resurrection of the Romanovs by G...

On this second part of a two-part episode we continue the story of 9-year-old Walter Collins who went missing from Los Angeles in 1928. In part two, we discover that a serial killer, Gordon Stewart Northcott, has been preying on boys and young men in the LA area. Was Walter Collins a victim of Northcott's?  Resources:  The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, retrieved online at crime museum.org . http...

In this month's series I'll tell you stories about people who missing and then, months or years later, miraculously reappeared. But, these stories all have a twist - were they who they claimed to be or were they imposters? In this first episode, you'll hear about a young boy who goes missing in 1928. When he returns home, his mother will say he's an imposter, but her claims are dismissed. Who was...

The life and tragic death of a young socialite in the 1930s inspires an Academy Award winning movie. But, Starr Faithfull's life was far from the glamorous treatment it would receive on the big screen.  Resources: Ripped from the Headlines: The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movie's Most Memorable Crimes by Harold Schechter (Little A, 2020)  The Passing of Starr Faithfull by Jonathan Goodman (Pi...

Two women accused of murder in the Roaring 20s would become the inspiration for one of the best known and longest running shows in American musical theater history. This is the story of the real life Roxie and Velma from “Chicago". Resources: "1924 - Beulah Annan & Belva Gaertner", Newspaper articles compiled and posted on Chicagology.com .  Ripped from the Headlines by Harold Schechter, Publi...

In 1986, a beautiful young mother discovers her husband is cheating on her and files for divorce. Soon afterward, she goes missing. Discovering what happened to Helle Crafts would take an small army of detectives, forensic scientists, serologists, forensic anthropologists, a police diving team and other investigators to unravel this bizarre crime and would inspire an Academy-Award winning film. Re...

In the last chapter of "Till Death Do Us Part" a woman meets and quickly marries a man. He promises her a new life, but soon after the wedding she goes missing. It will take years of investigative and legal work to bring her killer to justice.  Sources: "Till Death Do Us Part: True Stories of Newlywed Murder Cases" by JJ Slate, RJ Parker Publishing , 2015.  "Father's Quest for Justice Ends" by Tom...

A bride sees many red flags in her relationship before walking down the aisle, but her fear of angering her fiancee would compel her to go through with the ceremony. Within hours, that decision would become fatal. #domestic violence #coercive control Resources: "Murder-Suicide claims Indiana doctor, nurse on wedding night, police say", by Janet DiGiamcomo for CNN, Oct.. 9, 2014.  "Indiana Doctor K...

A new bride decides she's made a mistake in tying the knot. The decision she makes in order to end the marriage will be a shocking act of cruelty.  Resources:  "A Murder in Glacier Park" by Justin Franz for T he Flathead Beacon, Dec 17, 2013 "Newlywed Cliff Death" by Ryan Owens for ABC News , Sept 11, 2013 "Glacier Park Murder: Friends warned Kalispell man not to marry" by Alice Miller for The Mis...

In this series, I'll share cases of newlyweds whose lives were cut short by the person who vowed to love them forever.   In this first case, a young bride is unaware that her new spouse married her to collect on a $1 million dollar life insurance policy.   Resources: 'The Other Woman' Testifies in Newlywed Murder,  CBS Miami 4,  March 25, 2014.  Several articles on Wendy Trapaga murder case from C...

This is Part 2 of "The Pelley Murders". In this episode I'll tell you about Jeff Pelley's trial, theories of the murders, and give you a strange and compelling story about who else may have been responsible for the murders of Bob Pelley and his family.  Resources: The Prom Night Murders: The True Story of a Twenty Year Mystery  by Carlton Smith, St. Martin’s Press, 2009 “A trail of broken promises...

A 17-year-old is suspected in the murder of four of his family members because he was forbidden from attending his prom. Was this a case of a homicidal teen or a rush to judgement?   Resources: The Prom Night Murders: The True Story of a Twenty-Year Mystery by Carlton Smith, St. Martin's Press, 2009 "Inconsistent with the Laws of Nature" by Mark Gribben for The Malefactor's Register   Links: Patre...

In this series, "Last Dance", I share stories of crimes that happened on prom night.  In the first episode, a teenager commits an act of parricide then attends his prom and holds a party at the crime scene.  Resources: Adam Sapikowski - crime and trial reported by WRAL.com over several articles - https://www.wral.com/news/local/asset_gallery/1066030/ "Adam Sapikowski Sentenced" - ABC 11 News , Feb...

An abusive stepfather gets his comeuppance when his stepsons turn on him resulting in a grisly murder.  Resources: "Joshua and Jerome Ellis guilty of stepfather killing", BBC News, Feb 26, 2014.  "Kids Who Kill: Responsible Child inspired by the true story of two young brothers who stabbed their stepfather", Graeme Culliford for The Sun , Dec 17, 2019.   Links: Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime - Listen...

A child, unwanted from birth and neglected by her birth parents, is hopeful that her new stepmother will love her like a daughter. It is not to be and her story will become a cautionary tale in the U.K. of how the child protective system spectacularly failed Lauren Wright.  Resources: "Tragic tale of a child unwanted from the day of her birth" by Terri Judd for The Independent, Oct 2, 2001.  "A Li...

In our new series, “StepMonsters,” I’ll share stories of bad stepparents whose actions became true crime news.  In this first episode I'll share the story of a young boy who went missing and was found in a very unlikely place.  Was he the victim of abuse as he would claim and, if so, who was the person most responsible - his stepmother, his own father or both?   Resources: "Charlie Bothuell V, Boy...

A gruesome crime would become a media sensation in Canada in 1946 when a beautiful young woman was accused of the grisly murder.  This is the case of the infamous Evelyn Dick and the Torso Murder of 1946. Link to listen to the song "Evelyn Dick" by The Forgotten Rebels - https://youtu.be/OAkxFSM_rNs   Resources: The Torso Murder by Brian Vallee published by Key Porter Books, Canada, 2001.  Evelyn...

In 1991, Kurt Cobain released a song on the album Nevermind. Titled "Polly" the song was inspired by a kidnapping and rape of a young girl in Tacoma, Washington.  This is the story of that crime. Listen to "Polly" by Nirvana here: https://youtu.be/3H0NHHKBemg Resources: "Story Behind the Song - Polly" by Hayley Selfridge on YouTube "Nirvana's Darkest Song" by The Nerdwriter on YouTube "Police susp...