True Crime Campfire

To his congregants at Crossroads First Baptist, Matt Baker was their charming, relatable young pastor. He was energetic, he was great at firing up the young people, and he was married to an equally energetic and charming young woman, Kari. They had two beautiful daughters. A picture perfect young family. But as every true crime obsessive knows, looks can be deceiving--and a mask of Christian piety...

Join us for part 2 of the Tracey Richter story. The cold case investigation heats up as Special Agent Trent Vileta and Prosecutor Ben Smith take over, and Tracey starts to sweat. And when Tracey sweats, she tends to engage in some truly bizarre behavior. Sources: Book: Beautifully Cruel by M. William PhelpsInvestigation Discovery's "Pandora's Box," Season 1, "A Murder, She Wrote"https://siouxcityj...

December 2001. The tiny town of Early, Iowa. Police respond to a 911 call from an eleven year old boy who said his mom, Tracey Richter Pitman Roberts, had just been attacked by two intruders while her husband was out of town on business. They had choked her unconscious, and when she came to she managed to get to her gun safe and take one of them down while the other fled out the back door. At firs...

Join us as we tie up some loose ends: a spot of bother for Prosecutor Rick Guida, a shocking legal development for Jay C. Smith (and our extreeeemely irate reaction to it), Bill Bradfield's Prison Daze, and our theory of how this crime happened. Season 1 ends with a bang--and we can't wait for Season 2!Follow us, campers! Patreon: https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfireFacebook: True Crime CampfireI...

For our first Halloween special episode, we tackle one of the creepiest, most confounding, most fascinating cases we've ever encountered. For six and a half years, Vancouver nurse Cindy James was the victim of stalking, threats, vandalism, physical attacks and terrifying phone calls. Several times she was discovered unconscious and bruised with a black nylon stocking tied tightly around her neck....

Bill Bradfield is in prison at last, convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Susan, Karen and Michael Reinert. Now the investigators turn their attention to "Prince of Darkness" Jay C. Smith, who is still sitting in prison for the Sears robberies. Enter two unlikely allies--the P of D's prison buddies. He's been having some VERY interesting conversations with these guys, and they...

In this episode, the investigators close in on Bill Bradfield, and he is finally arrested for conspiracy to commit murder. His arrest is one of the top 10 best-ever arrest stories, complete with night vision goggles and a cute dog. Bill goes to trial, and of COURSE insists on testifying on his own behalf. Sources available on social media. Follow us, campers! Patreon: https://patreon.com/TrueCrime...

In this episode, the investigation into Susan Reinert's murder and the disappearance of her two children continues. The investigators dig into the lives of Bill Bradfield and his entourage, and they begin to zero in on Dr. Jay Smith as well. Bill's posse begin dropping him, one by one, and Bill does NOT handle these "betrayals" well. Some key evidence surfaces. The pieces of the puzzle are startin...

In this episode, we learn about the early days of what would become the most extensive police investigation in American history. We learn a bit about the lead detectives, Joe Van Nort and Jack Holtz, and we watch as Bill Bradfield and his entourage begin to crack under the strain. Dr. Jay Smith heads to prison for the Sears robbery. And some compelling pieces of evidence begin to emerge, as the fi...

In this episode, Bill Bradfield shares more details about his private "hit man lessons" with Dr. Smith. Smith is out on bail awaiting sentencing for the Sears robbery, and Bill tells his entourage that Susan Reinert is in more danger now than ever. If Smith is going to strike, it will be before his sentencing. As for Susan herself, she was stunned when she realized that Bill had testified in Dr. S...

In this episode, we learn a LOT more about the supposed "hit man lessons" going on between Bill and Dr. Smith, and Bill tells his entourage some dark secrets about both Smith and Susan Reinert. Bill does a few very suspicious favors for Smith. Smith goes on trial for the Sears robbery, and Bill testifies on his behalf, despite his new knowledge of Smith's murderous proclivities. Upper Merion is he...

We learn what police found in "Prince of Darkness" Dr. Jay C. Smith's car and basement after his arrest for the Sears robberies. And Ezra Pound-obsessed English teacher Bill Bradfield lets his nearest and dearest in on an explosive secret. The lives of our key players are about to get much more complicated--and much more dangerous. Follow us, campers! Patreon: https://patreon.com/TrueCrimeCampfire...

Odd things are beginning to happen in and around the town of Upper Merion. First, a man dressed as a Brinks armored car courier robs one Sears store, then attempts to rob another and gets away before security can stop him. Then, "Prince of Darkness" Dr. Jay Smith's daughter Stephanie and her husband Eddie go missing under odd and suspicious circumstances. Bill Bradfield is busy romancing his vario...

In episode 1, we learn about the major players in this bizarre true story. There's William Sidney Bradfield, a.k.a. Bill--a handsome, charismatic teacher of English, Latin and Greek at Upper Merion High School. Adored by students and colleagues alike, Bill is a larger than life figure with larger than life stories that may or may not be true. And there's Dr. Jay C. Smith, retired Army Colonel and...