Once Upon A Crime

A young widow opens her own restaurant in Macon, Georgia in the 1950s. Suspicions arise when the people closest to her begin falling ill and dying. Was Anjette Lyles a serial killer?  Resources:  Lyles v. The State, Supreme Court of Georgia, (1959) "Anjette Lyles, Restauranteur of Death" by Ciaran Conlittle for Headstuff.org , Sept 28, 2017.  "Criminal History: Anjette Lyles poisoned 4 family memb...

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay enters London's Brixton Prison in 2012 in an attempt to teach a group of inmates to run a successful bakery. Would he succeed or would the men return to a life of crime once the cameras stopped rolling?  Resources:  "Mad for It" by Lynn Barber for The Guardian, May 13, 2001 . "From criminal to trainee cook: 'I owe Gordon Ramsay a lot'" by Erwin James for  The Guardian...

In this series we'll take a look at the restaurant industry to ask "What happens when good cooks go bad?". In this episode, a restaurateur in Southern California is suspected of murder when his wife disappears. What detectives discover would shock and horrify the community. Resources:  "Witness: Cliff Jumper Threatened to Kill Wife", Nicole Mooradian for The Patch , Sept 14, 2012.  "Did California...

A serial killer preys on vulnerable women in Tokyo, Japan. He will meet his victims on Twitter. (Caution: This episode contains the subject of suicide.)  Resources:  "Inside the mind of the Japanese serial killer who killed 9 people" by Walter Sim for The Straits Times , Nov 5, 2017.  "Japan's 'Twitter Killer' Given Death Sentence for 9 Murders" by Ben Dooley for The New York Times , Dec 15, 2020....

Two women meet a man on Match.com . After they end the relationship, Wade Ridley vows deadly revenge.  Resources: 20/20: In an Instant - "Match Made in Hell", ABC Television, aired July 1, 2017 Dating App Horrors: The Untold Story, A&E Network , aired May 2, 2019.  "Mary Kay Beckman Sues Match.com ", The Huffington Post , Jan 24, 2013 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califor...

A Canadian man, inspired by the television show Dexter , lures his murder victims through online dating sites.  Resources:  Dateline: Deadly House of Cards, NBC Television, September 16, 2011. "Alleged First Victim Recalls His Escape" by Nahreman Issa for CTV News, April 1, 2011.  "'Dexter Killer' Mark Twitchell among members of dating site for inmates" by Scott Stevenson for CBC News, Jan 9, 2017...

In Part 3 of this miniseries, Curtis Dean Anderson confesses to a high-profile missing child case. He would be investigated for a series of abductions and murders of children in Northern California. Was he a serial killer as he claimed or was this just another manipulation by this serial predator?  Resources:  “Portrait of ‘an absolute monster’” by Kevin Fagan for The San Francisco Chronicle, July...

In part two of this miniseries the bravery of an 8-year-old girl unmasks a serial predator named Curtis Dean Anderson. He would be linked to the disappearance of Xiana Fairchild.  Resources: "Portrait of 'an absolute monster'", by Kevin Fagan for The San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 2009. "Midsi Sanchez finds purpose, peace 20 years after being kidnapped in Vallejo", by Amy Maginnis-Honey for The...

A 7-year-old goes missing from Vallejo, California in 1999. It would be some time before Xiana Fairchild would be linked to a serial predator who would ultimately be connected to several missing and murdered women and children in Northern California and beyond. This is the first part of a month-long series about serial predator Curtis Dean Anderson.  Resources: Letters from a Serial Killer: The tr...

This week my special guest is Leroy Luna from Excuse Me, That's Illegal Podcast. We discuss some bizarre crimes, the dumbest criminals and crime stories that could only have happened in 2020. Resources: https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2020/06/09/naked-florida-man-accused-of-bizarre-crime-spree-that-included-trying-to-kiss-elderly-woman/ https://www.newser.com/story/296711/guy-gets-year-in-jail-f...

In this episode I'll share three true crime cases you may not have heard of, but should have. My special guest host is Laurah from The Fall Line and One Strange Thing Podcasts.  Resources: A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story (2006), Lifetime TV. Trained in the Ways of Men (2007), directed by Michelle Prevost.  Lumbee Indians in the Jim Crow South: Race, Identity, and the Making of a Nation, Mali...

Two women thought they'd met the man of their dreams. But one of them would be found dead of mysterious circumstances and one would go missing never to be seen again. Would justice prevail to convict Drew Peterson for these crimes?  Resources: Marcia Clark Investigates the First 48: Drew Peterson, Investigation Discovery Channel, April 5, 2018 Justice Cafe, petersonstory.wordpress.com   Links: Cri...

A teenager goes missing in Morgan Hill, California never to be seen again. It would take meticulous detective work to prove she'd been the victim of a murder and bring her killer to justice. Resources: "Disappearance tests 'no-body' murder cases" by Jenna Lyons for The San Francisco Chronicle , Jan 16, 2017 Statement of Facts: Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Case #12-076-0868G, May 24, 2012 "D...

This month's series features crimes that were solved...without a body. Tom Capano thought he'd pulled off the perfect murder when his ex-girlfriend disappeared. Meticulous detective work and dogged determination would be needed to solve the crime.  Resources: And Never Let Her Go by Ann Rule, 1996, Simon & Schuster. The FBI Files: Deadly Obsession , Jan 18, 2020, retrieved on YouTube.com .  Li...

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...