True Crime California

We continue with the story of one of the most infamous murderers in the history of California: Richard Ramirez! Part 2 takes us deep into the life of this maniac, and covers as many of his murders and attacks as we know about, with creepy details that show even disorganized killers eventually find their MO. We also discuss his amazing capture, touch on the crazy people who claimed to love him afte...

Sometimes, you just have to take on a big case, and very few are bigger in California True Crime History than the story of Richard Ramirez. Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker, was one of the most terriflying and prolific serial killers in California history, which is really surprising as he was also a total idiot, with no plan, no motive, no anything but rage and hatred, and a h...

And we're back! This week, we take a look at a sometimes heroine, sometimes villain, the woman, the myth, the legend - Betty Broderick! Everybody in the 90's knew her name; to some, it was mud, while to others, it was the name of a woman who finally said enough, and took matters into her own hands.  Betty Broderick was raised with money, privilege, and the expectation that she would be a housewife...

This episode, we are going back in time a bit more than usual, all the way back to the 1920's, to a case that was such an important part of history, yet is so easily forgotten (possibly on purpose) that we had to bring it back to the forefront of all true crime listener's minds: The Greystone Mansion Murders! The Greyston Mansion was built in the 1920's by a family so rich and powerful, many stree...

This week, we are looking at a case of a woman so dumb, so greedy, that her story is almost funny... almost. Had she not murdered one (maybe more) people, her craziness would be hilarious, but unfortunately, her horrible ways were focused on those she was supposed to love, and who certainly loved her, and turned from weird and silly to straight up dangerous.  Tune in now for a crazy, strange, and...

This week, we decided to not lean into the holidays, and instead do a totally random, but still completely horrifice, case of murder and mayhem. Instead of covering a Santa Slayer case, Cindy chose to cover a case out of a community close to her heart: skateboarders. This case, the story of the rise and fall of Mark "Gator" Rogowski, hits close to home for anyone who grew up in the skate community...

This episode, we are continuing with survivors stories, with the incredible, horrible, story of Mary Vincent. Mary was only 15 when she ran away from her Nevada home in hopes of finding her grandfather. While on the way, she was horrifically attacked by a merchant seaman, and despite surviving, she was left with terrible, life altering injuries.  The man, Lawrence "Larry" Singleton was given an in...

This week we're looking at a story of survival, which can be a great thing, but also has a lot of trauma related repercussions for the survivor, or in this case survivors - all 27 of them! This story, the Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping, was the biggest story - and largest mass kidnapping - California had ever seen, and to this day, there hasn't been a larger group of people kidnapped since. The worst p...

This week, we're going back in time to a horrific and little covered case: The Wineville Chicken Coop Murders. Be warned, this case is centered around horrific abuse and murder of children, so it may not be for everyone, and as always, there will be no shying away from the details of what happened, so be warned! This case may not be familiar to you, but there was actually a Hollywood movie made ab...

This week, we are diving in on one of the most horrific tales we've ever heard or spoke of: The worst mother in the world, Theresa Knorr. This absolute monster of a woman subjected her own children to more abuse than most people can even think about, and when that wasn't enough to satisfy her twisted mind, she eventually turned to murder.  Besides murdering her own children, this trash bag woman e...

This week we're kicking off spooky season with a well known Halloween Homicide that took place in Napa, California. Adriane Insogna and Leslie Mazzara were upstairs asleep in their three bedroom house, along with their downstaris roommate, when murderous villain broke into their home, with disastrous results. The thing that makes this tale so scary is the prolonged search for the killer in an othe...

This week, we're diving into a serial killer duo who were rightfully dubbed The Speed Freak Killers. These to drugged out losers assaulted and killed as many as 70 men and women in California's Central Valley betwen the years of 1984 and 1998, before the Sheriff in the area finally decided to put a stop to their reign of terror.  These two men, Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine, were both from u...

We're back this week with the conclusion of the absolutely terrible case of the murder of Kristin Smart. While the conclusion does have some very gratifying moments, unfortunately, it also continues the general vibe of this case - frustration, sadness, and a strong lack of closure. That being said, there is something wonderful and special about cold cases finally being solved, and possibly none mo...

We are BACK, finally! After a nearly five month hiatus, Cindy is back with a doozy of a case! The murder of Kristin Smart is something most Californians of a certain age at least know about, remember, and often mourn, as it was huge news in many communities, especially as it took over 20 years to solve. Cindy dives into this horrific case of a wonderful young woman murdered by a classmate and all...

This week, we take a look at a slightly lesser known but still very scary serial killer, Roger Kibbe, the I-5 Strangler. Roger had the typical serial killer upbringing - bad home life, mommy issues, and the inability to express his emotions except through trouble making and violence. The thing that makes this story so unique is just how many times Kibbe slipped through the fingers of detectives, d...

This week we conclude the terrible tale of two brothers, both wounded by their childhoods, in very different but equally horrific ways, and both with tragic endings to their adult lives (although one is still very much alive). Part two of this tale focuses on Cary's life after leaving home, and after the death of both his brother and his uncle.  Cary's life goes very sideways from here, as he fina...

This week is part 1 of a two-for-one true crime story, with two horrifying stories from the same ill fated family - the Stayners. We begin our story with the birth of the eldest son, Cary Stayner. Four years later, his younger brother, Steven would be born, causing a rift in the family that never healed. Tragedy struck this familiy time and time again, giving new meaning to the term 'generational...

Sherri Rasmussen was a super accomplished, intelligent, beautiful woman with a fantastic career and brand new marriage when she was brutally murdered inside her home. She was only 29 years old. The case went cold for many years, with virtually no viable leads. Sherri's family always felt they knew who was to blame, but unfortunately, they weren't listened to by police, until over 20 years later wh...

This week, we're taking a look at an unsolved case - one of the most famous in California, in fact! This came in as a listener request but was definitely something we wanted to do anyway, so we're glad you all asked!  This story takes place in the remote area of Keddie, California, in what can only be described as a micro community of families living in defunct vacation rental cabins known as the...

This week we're finishing our terrible tale of the Vampire of Sacramento, Richard Chase. This man was haunted by demons created in his own sick mind, and unfortunately took that out on innocent victims, killing them so he could drink their blood, eat their flesh, and mutilate their bodies. This story goes from bad to worse, so if you thought part one was weird and terrible, get ready for a horrify...

This week is another two parter (sorry friends!) This is the horrific, terrible, very sad tale of Richard Chase, otherwise known as the vampire of Sacramento. This man was one of the craziest mass/serial killers of the past 50 years, and it all could have been avoided if he had only been given the mental health care his family knew he desperately needed. Richard was failed by his family, by his do...

This week we're covering another well known and completely over the top case - the case of Colleen Stan, otherwise known as the Girl in the Box. This story is a harrowing tale of kidnapping, brainwashing, torture, abuse, and luckily, survival. When Colleen was only 19 years old, she decided to hitchhike to a friends home in Northern California. This choice led to seven and a half years of living a...

This week we're covering a slightly lesser know, yet no less horrible case - the murder of Tom and Jackie Hawks. Tom and Jackie Hawks were two fun loving, young retirees who had set sail around the world in their hard earned and "Well Deserved" yacht before deciding to come back to the main land and regular life so they could spend more time with their first grandchild. The two put their yacht up...

Part 2! This week, we are diving into a personal favorite case: the story of Dorothea Puente! This murderous granny lived a wild life before turning her petty crimes up many notches, all the way to serial murder. From humble beginnings in Redlands, CA, all the way to dancing with the Governor and rubbing elbows with California's politically elite, and all the way back down to life in a jail cell,...

This week, we are diving into a personal favorite case: the story of Dorothea Puente! This murderous granny lived a wild life before turning her petty crimes up many notches, all the way to serial murder. From humble beginnings in Redlands, CA, all the way to dancing with the Governor and rubbing elbows with California's politically elite, and all the way back down to life in a jail cell, Dorothea...