Wednesday, June 4, 2025

The Buried Secrets of Peter Tobin

In 1993, MTV aired a music video for the song "Runaway Train" by Soul Asylum. In the video, names and photographs of real missing people were featured. In that music video, the picture of fifteen-year-old Vicky Hamilton is displayed just long enough to burn the image of the girl with the short bob haircut into your mind. When the video was made, Vicky had been missing from her family in Scotland for two years. A little while later in the video, there is another photograph of a girl, Dinah McNicol, an 18-year-old from Essex, in the UK, who had just finished her A-level exams. When the Soul Asylum video was made, Dinah had also been missing for two years. Aside from the fact that both girls went missing six months apart in the same year, and aside from the fact that they both appeared in the same music video, two other things connected these girls. They had both been murdered by the same man. And they both shared the same grave.

Join Jen and Cam as we discuss the chilling case of Peter Tobin, one of the UK's most depraved serial killers. We explore how his unassuming life as a handyman masked a brutal reality, leading to the murders of Angelika Kluk, Vicky Hamilton, and Dinah McNicol.

Angelika Kluk, Vicky Hamilton & Dinah McNichol

Come join Jen and Cam in Italy 2026*
We are touring Italy in 2026, and would love for you to come along! Come see Venice, Florence, and Rome with us! The dates or June 12 thru June 20.
If there is enough interest, we can add Pompeii and Capri.
Spaces are limited
Email us at ourtruecrimepodcast@gmail.com for more information
Or go to
Our True Crime Podcast Dark History Tour Italy 2026
Or call to book now 1-800-438-7672

Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AM
Executive Producer Nico & Jesse of The Inky Pawprint

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPEOtOs4eBE&ab_channel=DocumentaryCentral
https://youtu.be/LcmcpdVbb4g?si=r_NusKUlIjzIXBet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFCe57LwYjY&t=51s&ab_channel=OldStuff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOvqocYZHS0&ab_channel=OldStuff
https://stpatsanderston.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/3/7/12370892/st_pats_guide.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/may/04/ukcrime.estheraddley
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/oct/01/ukcrime.scotland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Tobin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approved_school
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/dec/16/peter-tobin-profile-wild-child-killer
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51114483
https://vocal.media/criminal/the-disappearance-of-louise-kay
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51114483

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Come Visit Italy with Jen and Cam in 2026

Our True Crime Dark History Tour:

Venice, Florence, and Rome

June 12- June 20, 2026

9 days | 11 days with Sorrento Peninsula extension

It's a trip of a lifetime!

Feel the pulse of Italy's vibrant culture with Jen & Cam

With its millennia-spanning history, comforting regional cuisine, and countless artistic treasures, it’s no wonder Italy consistently ranks at the top of travelers' wish lists. This week-long tour delves into the realm of crime, mystery, and legend, taking you from Venice's hidden conspiracies and forbidden romances, through Florence's dark tales of serial killers and superstitions, to Rome's stories of betrayal and scandal. Want to soak up even more of Italy’s epic history? Extend your tour and continue south to the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii and the coastal city of Sorrento, where la dolce vita is embraced to the nth degree.

Call to book: 800-438-7672

Your tour package includes

7 nights in handpicked hotels
Breakfast daily
3 dinners with beer or wine
6 sightseeing tour
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach

Included highlights

St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice
Rio di San Polo in Venice
The Duomo of Florence
The Ponte Vecchio in Florence
The Piazza della Repubblica in Florence
The Grand Canal of Venice
Rome's Jewish District
The Roman Colosseum
The Roman Forum
Capuchin Crypt & Museum in Rome

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

311. Pope's Cafeteria Massacre

If you listen to the podcast, you know a thing or two about crime. You may like the following questions: Why did they do it? How did they do it? Why this victim and not someone else? No matter why you listen, I bet you can recall a case from your childhood that left a lasting impression, changed how you view humanity, or made you lose your innocence. For me, this is that story. I had just turned 11 years old, and I still remember the look of shock on my mother’s face as she spoke about this.

The call came through just before dawn on Thursday, October 23, 1980. A dispatcher’s voice crackled over the radio, summoning officers and an ambulance to Pope’s Cafeteria at 12450 Manchester Road, inside West County Center in Des Peres, Missouri. If you are local, you may call it the White Dove, at least we did growing up. When officers arrived, they were met with a small crowd of employees, still in their uniforms, visibly shaken. Some clung to each other for support, their faces pale with shock as they pointed officers toward the inside of the restaurant. Whatever had happened, it was bad.

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

310. Targeted: The École Polytechnique Massacre

On December 6th, 1989, a gunman walked into an engineering classroom in Montreal's École Polytechnique and opened fire. Within twenty minutes, fourteen women were dead. Killed only because they were women.

Join Jen and Cam as we discuss what happened in the twenty minutes of Canada's deadliest mass shooting.

Top: Maryse Laganiere , Maryse Leclair, Michele Richard, Nathalie Croteau

Middle: Sonia Pelletier, Anne Marie Lemay, Anne-Marie Edwards, Annie St. Arnault, Maud Haviernick

Bottom: Annie Turcotte, Barbara Daigneault, Barbara Klucznik,Genevieve Bergeron, Helene Colgan

***Jen tried her best to pronounce the victim's names correctly.

*Come join Jen and Cam in Italy 2026*
We are touring Italy in 2026 and would love for you to come along! Come see Venice, Florence, and Rome with us! The dates are June 12 through June 20.
If there is enough interest, we can add Pompeii and Capri.
Spaces are limited
Email us at ourtruecrimepodcast@gmail.com for more information

Or go to

Our True Crime Podcast Dark History Tour Italy 2026

Or call to book now

1-800-438-7672

Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from Octoberpod AM
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Pawprint

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_Polytechnique_massacre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_L%C3%A9pine
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/04/mass-shooting-1989-montreal-14-women-killed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18d2eocYP9Y&ab_channel=GeorgiaMarie
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/polytechnique-massacre-30-years-later-loreen-pindera-pov-1.5371032
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Because_They_Were_Women/aHwpEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT18&printsec=frontcover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnyT4rXwbAc&ab_channel=100huntley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s4MAG-jOfc&ab_channel=100huntley
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Because_They_Were_Women/aHwpEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT18&printsec=frontcover
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spsAJ76rP3I&rco=1&ab_channel=CBCNews
https://globalnews.ca/news/6187845/montreal-massacre-victims/
https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/the-nightmare-of-marc-lpines-mother

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Cam & Jen are going to Italy! Come along with us!

Hey, it’s Cam and Jen!

We’re setting up an exclusive group trip to Italy in 2026 for Our True Crime Podcast listeners, and you’re officially invited.

Picture this: haunted streets, infamous crime scenes, dark history, local legends, all with a side of cocktails, laughter, and hanging out with people who love true crime as much as you do.

Think haunted alleys, crime scenes, eerie local legends — and plenty of laughs along the way.

We’ll be right there with you, exploring, storytelling, maybe getting a little spooked, and definitely making memories.
If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Italy, now’s your chance!

If you book by the end of May 2025, you will receive $100 off the price of your trip. You'll want to book now because prices may increase on June 1st, but once you're booked, you will lock in the price.

Click HERE to see the itinerary. Jen and Cam helped by picking out some incredible tours, so you won't find this tour anywhere else.

Call 1-800-438-7672 to book now. Spaces are limited!

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

309. Crossing the Thin Blue Line: Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek

Lawrencia Bembenek’s beauty was both a blessing and a curse. To some, it was a key that unlocked doors. But to others, it was the perfect tool for shaping a narrative that framed her as a modern-day femme fatale. The press depicted her as “a former Playboy bunny,” yet Laurie had worked only three weeks as a waitress at the Lake Geneva Playboy Club and never posed for the magazine in her birthday suit. The closest she came to being a centerfold was fully clothed in a Schlitz beer calendar. This story was eaten up by the public and often distorted by the media. Public rallies were cheering her on with cries of “Run, Bambi, Run,” the name the press gave her and the name she hated. People could not get enough of this case, which brings me to why I decided to cover it today, as it may sound familiar to another case in the headlines today. Take a listen and see what you think. Was Laurie set up?

Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast’s ‘Crossing the Thin Blue Line: Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek.’

Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our EP @theinkypawprintSources:https://www.nytimes.com/1991/09/06/us/murderer-s-fiance-is-guilty-of-aiding-her-prison-escape.html

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNPSRhBCVoQAIAlJRXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1748466018/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fLaurie_Bembenek/RK=2/RS=AkhxsqB51BnrkNSjGnQcq94GW4Y-

https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/crime-news/laurie-bambi-bembenek-did-she-kill-or-was-she-framed-by-cops

https://www.milwaukeemag.com/archive-obsession-ira-robins-quest-justice-laurie-bembenek/

https://www.fox6now.com/news/attorney-seeks-pardon-for-laurie-bembenek-murder-conviction

https://shepherdexpress.com/culture/milwaukee-history/shes-beautiful-shes-dangerous-and-shes-on-the-run-the-law_1/

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFDyJPBiVonJgL5AcPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1747285712/RO=10/RU=

https%3a%2f%2fwww.upi.com%2fArchives%2f1993%2f05%2f13%2fBembenek-argues-with-juror-during-interview%2f5138737265600%2f/RK=2/RS=Ze19vMx_lPU62e0go3aMzzSnaC0-

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFYG93BiVour8KgzoPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzMEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1747285752/RO=10/RU=

https%3a%2f%2fcrimelibrary.org%2fnotorious_murders%2fwomen%2fbambenek%2f8.html/RK=2/RS=flDMvoE.qGH2UUjOqCwK4J2noYU-

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNPc0iBiVoPFQLFhgPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzMEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1747285667/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fthecinemaholic.com%2flaurie-bembenek%2f/RK=2/RS=PKZLDh5bTW0wQg2UMuJD.hNFtW0-

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNPc0iBiVoPFQLIBgPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzUEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1747285667/RO=10/RU=

https%3a%2f%2fwww.jsonline.com%2fstory%2flife%2f2023%2f09%2f12%2flawrencia-laurie-bembenek-run-bambi-run-facts-murder-escape-from-prison-cause-of-death%2f70794066007%2f/RK=2/RS=1GdjKM0vWnG.dKmdAS5BcBrp2Sk-

https://www.jsonline.com/picture-gallery/life/2023/09/07/laurie-bembenek-tried-for-murder-in-1982/70791199007/

https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Trial-Lawrencia-Bembenek/dp/0061006009

https://web.archive.org/web/20141019065121/

http://www.milwaukeemag.com/article/6212011-laurieslastdays

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19900815&id=C75RAAAAIBAJ&pg=5364,3674311

http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/109696054.html

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

308. Sweet Tea & A Southern Scandal: The Murder of Fern Cowen Rodgers

Fern Cowen Rodgers was a wealthy socialite living in the quiet town of Searcy, Arkansas. But in September 1974, her life came to a shocking end when she was found shot to death in her home.

The murder stunned the people of Arkansas. As police searched for answers, they uncovered a story full of secrets: a rocky marriage, past affairs, and a husband who had more to hide than anyone expected. Fern's murder rocked a small town and led to one of Arkansas’s most talked-about trials.