Once Upon A Crime

In this first part of a 3-part episode, I share an infamous kidnapping case that began in 1977 in northern California.  The kidnapping of Colleen Stan become famously, and chillingly, known as “The Girl in the Box” case.   It’s an incredible story of unprecedented evil but also one of faith, strength, and the courage of a young girl to survive a horrific nightmare at the hands of the worst kind of...

As we wrap up 2023, I ask the question, “What was your true crime obsession this year?”  In this episode, I’ll find out what true crime cases your favorite true crime podcasters were talking about.   You’ll hear my discussions with Tyler from Minds of Madness, Michael from True Crime Guys , Leroy from Excuse Me, That’s Illegal , Jerri from FBI Retired Case File Review , and Eric, from True Consequ...

In 1958, 19-year-old Starkweather went on a killing spree that shocked the nation. He took his 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril, with him.   The story of that crime spree has become a legend in true crime history, and Starkweather and Fugate have been portrayed as villains on par with Bonnie and Clyde.  In this episode, I revisit this case by speaking with best-selling true crime author Harry MacLean...

In this month’s episodes, I’ll wrap up 2023 by discovering what listeners, podcasters, and other true crime experts list as their “true crime obsessions” this year.  This week, I’m privileged to talk to veteran true crime journalist, correspondent, podcaster, and celebrity Erin Moriarty.  Erin has been a correspondent for 48 Hours on CBS Television for over three decades. Her award-winning true cr...

A missing person’s case in Columbus, Ohio, grows cold.  It seemed that what happened to 20-year-old Ashley Howley would remain a mystery until a psychic medium connected with the spirit of the missing girl.  Did Ashley Howley return from beyond to solve her own murder?  Resources: A Vision of Murder: Professional Psychic Medium, Shelly Stewart-Soldan, The Citizen Online, Oct 9, 2023.  Missing woma...

The family of a missing man turns to a psychic in a desperate attempt to locate him.  Rosemarie Kerr’s psychic predictions as to the fate of Andre Daigle would prove to be so accurate that she was later called to testify at his murder trial.   Resources:  “A Mysterious Murder and a Psychic Detective,” JournalOnline, March 19, 2022, https://journal.com.ph/a-mysterious-murder-and-a-psychic-detective...

Two ten-year-old girls went missing in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England in 2002.  After one of the most extensive searches in British criminal history, one of the girls’ parents consults a psychic in a desperate attempt to find them.  When the perpetrator is identified, Dennis McKenzie’s predictions about what happened to the girls will be eerily accurate.  Resources: Soham Murders, https://en.wikip...

Theresa Cross Knor was jealous, controlling, and abusive to her partners and children. After murdering one husband and getting away with it, her children became her next targets.  She would make her children complicit in the murders of two of their siblings and would almost get away with murder again. Resources:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theresa_Knorr Theresa Knorr: The Mother Who Burned Her...

..1 eerie corn maze... ...9 haunting figures... ...9 spine-tingling tales... ...Will YOU find your way out? This holiday season, step into a labyrinth of shadows and suspense with Shane Waters as your guide. In this chilling collaboration, you'll encounter the hosts of 9 acclaimed true crime podcasts, each offering a dark tale and a life lesson to send shivers down your spine. This is not just a s...

This week I’m continuing the series “A Family Affair,” detailing cases of a parent involving their children in murder plots.  This time a mother and daughter team up to murder family members for financial profit and to rid themselves of the “burden” of caring for them.  This is the case of Diane and Rachel Staudte aka “The Antifreeze Murders”.  Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a special bo...

In this month’s series “A Family Affair,” I’ll share cases in which children are manipulated into involvement in criminal offenses - even murder - at the direction of a parent. First up, lust and greed spur a man to manipulate his 14-year-old daughter into committing murder.  Later, when facing a lengthy prison sentence, loyalty to her father causes Cinnamon Brown to keep her father’s secret…at fi...

A 19-year-old college student dies as a result of a fraternity hazing incident at Pennsylvania State University in 2017. It will result in the largest criminal indictment of a fraternity in American history.  RESOURCE LINKS:  “Penn State is Still Keeping Secrets on Frat Row” - https://video.vice.com/en_us/video/penn-state-drinking/5a74f2a3f1cdb375f62d5ddd “What Happened the Night of Beta Theta Pi’...

In this month’s series, I detail crimes that happened on school campuses. In 1996, a 14-year-old walked into his 8th-grade math class and opened fire.  This early school shooting would shock his community and spark a nationwide debate about violence in the media, school bullying, mental health, and gun control.  But what was the real reason Barry Loukaitis brought terror to his classroom?  Sources...

LIVE FROM U.K. Tune in to this special bonus episode. We're pleased to offer you this special episode in collaboration with the amazing and very popular true crime podcast Minds of Madness!  Esther and Tyler co-host this episode to unravel the mysteries surrounding this gruesome case from the U.K. Links:  https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/s7-ep287-the-long-con-the-murder-of-mee-kuen-chong/   https:...

In this month’s series, I detail crimes that happened on school campuses. In this episode,  A 14-year-old high school student commits a horrific act of rape and murder in a school bathroom.  Was Philip Chism mentally ill, as his defense would later claim, or was he faking it to get away with murder?  Sources:  https://allthatsinteresting.com/philip-chism https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2015...

In this week’s episode, a successful, young entrepreneur gains a large following on Instagram by sharing her photos and videos of her life’s milestones over the years. Alexis Sharkey’s followers only saw the best times - fun with friends, professional achievements, and glamorous trips.  But, in 2020, her life quickly took a dark turn hidden behind the idyllic images posted on social media.  Source...

This week, I’ll tell you about a rising singing star who began her career on YouTube before making it to Hollywood to compete on a nationally televised talent show.  Christina Grimmie had a bright future ahead of her as an entertainer in 2016 when an obsessed fan cut her career short with an unprovoked act of violence.   Resources:  The cold-blooded murder of Christina Grimmie was Orlando's most t...

This month I’ll be detailing true crime cases that involved rising stars who made names for themselves in social media.  In this first episode, a young comedian boasts almost a million followers on TikTok alone.  But Ali Abulaban’s out-of-control jealousy and possessiveness will lead to a double murder charge instead of internet stardom.  Resources:  https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/tiktok...

Sheila Davalloo made it a habit of looking outside her relationships for passion and sex.  But she soon turned cold toward her secret lovers once these relationships became routine.  That is until she met a man who rejected her for a new love interest. That’s when her attraction turned into a deadly obsession.   Sources:  Sheila Davalloo | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Sheila Davalloo...

In this week’s episode, Lorena joins me to discuss another true crime that resulted from a love triangle. Betty Gore was brutally murdered with an axe in the summer of 1980 in her small town of Wylie, Texas.  The community would initially be terrified that a psychotic axe murderer was on the loose.  But the reality would shock them even more when it was discovered a respected and well-liked member...

In this episode, two people in committed relationships become infatuated with one another.  When one of their spouses is murdered, investigators quickly zero in on the star-crossed lovers.  However, investigators will find it challenging to prove who killed Marlene Warren due to the baffling description of the attacker.  Sources:  A Clown At The Door | A Court TV Special Michael Warren Now: Where...

In this episode we’ll revisit the Michael Peterson case aka “The Staircase Murder”.  My guest, author Tiddy Smith, will discuss an alternate theory to explain the death of Kathleen Peterson detailed in his new book Death by Talons.  Links:   Tiddy Smith’s Author Page: https://wildbluepress.com/death-by-talons-tiddy-smith-true-crime/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmithTiddy https://www.patreon.com/O...

On June 10th, 2021, an elderly woman vanished without a trace from her own home in Wembley, London. 16 agonizing days later, and a staggering 200 miles away, visitors exploring the seaside town of Salcombe stumbled across a horrific scene. There amidst the beauty of the coastal landscape, lay a headless body. Join us to unravel the mysteries surrounding this gruesome case.  We're pleased to offer...

We’re celebrating our 7th anniversary of the podcast by bringing you 7 case updates of crimes we’ve covered since 2016. Thank you all so much for making this crazy true crime ride possible! Episodes referenced: Episode 1: Lost and Found: Jaycee Dugard Date released: June 9, 2016 Link to episode:  https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-072-the-12-crimes-of-christmas-laci-peterson-part-2/   Episod...

In this series, I share true crime cases that resulted in women being sentenced to Death Row.  In 2009, a woman victimized by a childhood of abuse and violence becomes immersed in anti-immigrant vigilante groups.  Her zeal and dedication to this cause result in a home-invasion plot that results in the murders of a Hispanic man and his young daughter.    Resources: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/n...