Storyteller Podcast

In this chilling Part One of Storyteller, we dive into the haunting true story of Velma Barfield—later known as “Death Row Granny,” one of America’s most notorious female serial killers. What begins as a shocking phone call to a college student quickly unravels into a dark and disturbing past. When Ronnie Burke is told his mother will be arrested for murder, he has no idea the nightmare that’s abo...

Step into the lawless frontier of 1870s Kansas, where the promise of the American dream hid something far more sinister. Along the Osage Trail, travelers seeking food, rest, and refuge unknowingly stepped into a nightmare. In this episode of Storyteller , we uncover the chilling true story of the Bloody Benders—widely believed to be America’s first serial killer family. Operating a small homestead...

In Part 2 of this chilling true crime podcast series , we uncover the brutal murder of Cheryl Keeton and the long road to justice that finally exposed her killer, Bradley Morris Cunningham. After years of domestic violence, coercive control, narcissistic abuse, and psychological manipulation , Cheryl made the decision to leave her husband—a decision she feared would cost her life. On September 19,...

In this chilling true crime podcast episode , we uncover the disturbing story of Bradley Morris Cunningham—a charming, wealthy manipulator whose pattern of abuse left a trail of broken women… and ultimately, murder.  Before the brutal killing of his fourth wife, Cheryl Keeton, there were warning signs—ignored, dismissed, or hidden behind his polished image. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Story...

In this gripping episode of Storyteller, we uncover the incredible true story of Ona Judge, the enslaved woman who made a daring escape from none other than George Washington and his household in 1796. Born into slavery at Mount Vernon, Ona Judge was raised to serve Martha Washington as a personal maid—living in close proximity to power, wealth, and the founding of a nation built on “freedom.” But...

The investigation reaches its breaking point in Part Three of our Diane Downs series . After a shocking roadside shooting leaves three children gravely wounded, investigators begin to question whether the story told that night is the truth. As the evidence starts to accumulate, detectives work to piece together what really happened on Old Mohawk Road. In this episode, the case against Diane Downs...

In Part Two of our three-part true crime series on Diane Downs , the story takes a darker and more obsessive turn. After the events of Part One, Diane’s life begins to spiral around a single obsession — a coworker named Nick Knickerbocker . What starts as a workplace affair quickly grows into something far more complicated, pulling multiple lives into a storm of manipulation, jealousy, and emotion...

A mother rushes into an emergency room screaming that someone has shot her children. But long before that night, there was another story — one shaped by control, rebellion, longing, and a lifelong search for love. In Part One of our three-part series, we examine Diane Downs’ early years. Before the investigation begins, we ask a crucial question: Who was Diane Downs? ✨References✨ Child Killer De...

Butte, Montana. The Berkeley Pit. The Copper Kings. And beneath it all — a city fueled by brothels, bribes, and backroom deals. In the 1960s, madam Beverly Snodgrass ran two of Butte’s most notorious houses of prostitution — until her affair with a powerful judge exposed a massive payoff scheme involving police officers, attorneys, and city officials. What followed was one of Montana’s biggest inv...

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔 On Valentine’s Day 2013, Denise Leuthold spent the morning the way she always did — making a special holiday breakfast for her children, exchanging cards with her husband, and heading into an ordinary afternoon. Hours later, she would be found shot inside her home. At first, investigators believed a burglary had gone wrong. But inside the house, the scene didn’t add up — and a h...

What happens when an NFL legend decides the rules don't apply to him? 🏈 In this episode, we go beyond the 299 consecutive games and the three MVP awards to uncover the dark side of Brett Favre's legacy.  Is this a story of blind hero worship, or a "win at all costs" mentality gone wrong? This is the story of the Mississippi Swindle. ✨References✨ Brett Favre and the Mississip...

🚨Trigger Warning/Disclaimer🚨 This episode discusses real events involving extreme violence, sexual assault, and crimes against children. Some material may be deeply disturbing. This story is told to examine systemic failures and honor the victims — not to glorify the perpetrator.  Please take care while listening. Arthur Shawcross—also known as the Genesee River Killer—was convicted of murdering...

What are the odds of surviving the three greatest maritime disasters of the 20th century? Meet Violet Constance Jessop, the woman history calls "Miss Unsinkable." In this episode, we explore the incredible life of a woman who was the "constant" thread between three legendary sister ships. From the luxury of the RMS Olympic and its harrowing collision with the HMS Hawke, to the...

In the final episode of Bitter Blood , the violence that has been building beneath the surface finally erupts — leaving devastation in its wake. Part 4 examines the murders that shocked the South, the investigation that unraveled years of secrecy, and the desperate final acts of Susie Lynch and Fritz Klenner as their carefully controlled world collapsed. What began as resentment, paranoia, and sha...

In Part 3 of Bitter Blood , the lines between belief and behavior begin to disappear. This episode explores the marriage between Susie Sharp and Fritz Klenner — and how two deeply ingrained worldviews fused into something far more dangerous than either could have created alone. Susie was raised inside privilege, reputation, and rigid expectations. Fritz was raised under absolute authority, ideolog...

In Part 2 of Bitter Blood , we step away from the first murders and travel backward — into the history of a powerful Southern family whose legacy would help shape one of the most disturbing true crime cases in American history. This episode introduces the Sharp family of North Carolina: respected, educated, and deeply influential. From a celebrated lawyer and politician to children who became doct...

Ready for a story that reads like a Southern Gothic crime drama...that is completely real? Welcome to Part 1 of our multi part series where we are digging deep into a real-life murder case involving interconnected, prominent Southern families that ends with the deaths of NINE people.  In Part 1, we meet Delores Lynch. To her theater friends, she was bright, funny, and curious. But to her neighbors...

In this episode of Storyteller , we unravel the incredible life of Alice Roosevelt, daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt and one of the most fascinating women of the early 20th century.  If you love stories of powerful women, political drama, historical rebellion, and sharp wit, you won’t want to miss this deep dive into one of America’s most iconic figures. INTRO Music used :  " SINISTER...

Welcome to a special BONUS episode of Storyteller with our lovely guest host- DES!!!!❤️🎄 "He sees you when you're sleeping..." and in some cultures, he's bringing a birch rod and a sack to kidnap you. ⛓️👹 This episode, Storyteller is going deep into the "Dark Side of Christmas." We’re breaking down 12 of the creepiest creatures from international folklore that make...

The darkest secret kept for the holidays... In December 1987, Ronald Gene Simmons, a decorated former U.S. military serviceman, enacted the deadliest case of familicide in American history—a horrific rampage spanning a week in rural Arkansas that claimed the lives of 16 people, including 14 members of his own immediate family. Join us as we trace the footsteps of a monster who turned the holiday s...

Christmas in Texas was supposed to be peaceful in 1927… until Santa walked into a bank and everything went to hell. What started as a harmless holiday costume turned into gunfire, chaos, and the biggest manhunt the state had ever seen. In this episode, we dig into the unbelievable true story of the Santa Claus Bank Robbery—where a gang of ex-cons, a stolen car, and one very un-jolly Santa turned a...

He killed more men than Dahmer or Gacy — yet most people have never heard his name. In this episode, we uncover the chilling true story of Herb Baumeister , the seemingly ordinary Indiana businessman, husband, and father whose idyllic suburban life hid a nightmare. While his wife Julie raised their children on an 18-acre estate straight out of Leave It to Beaver , bones were scattered just beyond...

In the final chapter of our FLDS deep-dive, we uncover what happened after Warren Jeffs seized power — the moment faith turned into fear, and a community became a controlled kingdom of silence. We break down the suffocating rules, the destruction of individuality, and the psychological warfare used to keep followers obedient and terrified.  This is a story of control, manipulation, and survival —...

Part Two is Here!! The Making of Warren Jeffs Content warning: discussion of abuse, child abuse, and spiritual coercion. Before he became the self-proclaimed Prophet of the FLDS and one of America’s most notorious cult leaders, Warren Jeffs was just a boy born into chaos — the “golden child” of a sprawling polygamist family and the son of the church’s future prophet. In this episode, we trace how...

Imagine being born into a dynasty where faith is law, obedience is survival, and a man’s word determines your destiny. In this episode, we follow the gripping true story of Carolyn Jessop , a sixth-generation member of the FLDS who defied her husband, her prophet, and her entire community to save her eight children. From her grandmother’s fairytales to the night she fled in secret with a van runni...