Wednesday, May 26, 2021

124. The Carnival Mafia : The Murders of Sonny and Pauline Carpenter

 The aroma of hot dogs, churros, and fried twinkies waft over the fairgrounds.  The bright lights, some flashing, some remaining solid with brilliant color, are dazzling to the fairgoer.  The sounds of children laughing, carnival workers barking at the crowds to come play a game, bells dinging, the echo of rides spinning and rolling is what draws the people of Barton County to the annual fair.

Sonny and Pauline Carpenter had spent their retirement selling handmade jewelry and handbags at fairs across the country.  They planned to make the Barton County fair their last before hanging up their vendor life.

Little did they know a "hit" had been ordered on their lives.


Join Cam and Jen as they discuss the crazy story of The Carnival Mafia: The Murders of Sonny and Pauline Carpenter.

Promo by our bestest friend OctoberpodVHS,  Please check out his YouTube channel.  He's amazing.  https://www.youtube.com/c/octoberpodhomevideo
He's the fantastic voice of our listener discretion

The Producer that makes us sound professional with all the editing, sound, and theme music is done by Nico Vetesse of We Talk of Dreams.
https://wetalkofdreams.com/


Sources:

https://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article222942590.html
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/dec/11/5-people-held-in-state-face-charges-in--1/
https://www.wibw.com/2020/07/11/florida-man-faces-life-in-prison-for-two-wichita-murders/
https://www.gbtribune.com/news/local-news/preliminary-hearing-held-suspect-double-homicide/
https://www.kwch.com/content/news/Bodies-of-Wichita-couple-found-in-shallow-grave-in-Arkansas-488543821.html
hhttps://nypost.com/2018/07/19/carnival-workers-arrested-in-deaths-of-fair-vendors/ttps://www.kansas.com/news/local/crime/article247179789.html
https://www.kwtx.com/2020/11/16/texas-man-sentenced-for-death-of-2-carnival-vendors/
https://www.ksn.com/news/local/woman-makes-court-appearance-in-a-wichita-couples-murder/
https://www.kake.com/story/42910062/man-gets-life-in-prison-for-deaths-of-wichita-couple-at-kansas-county-fair
https://www.4029tv.com/article/woman-pleads-guilty-in-carnival-mafia-murder-case/27483173
https://www.kwch.com/content/news/Preliminary-hearing-held-for-accused-leader-in-carnival-mafia-murders-of-Wichita-couple-566287041.html
https://www.kake.com/story/40755783/another-suspect-pleads-guilty-in-kansas-carnival-vendors-deaths
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article222942590.html
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/dec/27/carnival-workers-charges-dropped-201812/?news-arkansas
https://www.kansas.com/article247179789.html


Tuesday, May 18, 2021

123. Execution of the Speed King: Mickey & Trudy Thompson

 Today we are going to a city outside of Los Angeles called Bradbury. It is a gated community of the elite where everyone has a mansion and several cars. With a small population and so close to a large city, it is a peaceful paradise for those that can afford it. The serenity was shattered when a killer came calling early one morning in 1988 leaving two people dead and a community that would have to wait over 19 years for justice.

Join Jen and Cam on this episode, ‘Beyond the Checkered Flag: Mickey and Trudy Thompson’ of Our True Crime Podcast.

Listener discretion is by the renowned Edward OctoberpodVHS @octoberpodVHS.
Our executive producer, who also does our music, is by Nico @wetalkofdreams.

Sources:
https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-conviction-upheld-mickey-thompson-20150126-story.html
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15150445/a-strange-turn-in-the-mickey-thompson-murders-case-car-news/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-thompson-murder/man-guilty-of-killing-mickey-thompson-idUSN0419959320070104#:~:text=Michael%20Goodwin%2C%20who%20had%20long,without%20the%20possibility%20of%20parole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN7duRaJEFkhttps://www.ocregister.com/2012/02/15/mickey-thompsons-killer-plugging-away/
https://www.ocregister.com/2012/02/15/mickey-thompsons-killer-plugging-away/
https://us.motorsport.com/bike/news/arrest-made-in-mickey-and-trudy-thompson-murders/1944999/
https://www.bikewriter.com/the-daily/2019/12/22/oae5g5acjhxbupwlt9qi3186xr9cae
https://www.espn.com/racing/news/story?id=2650942&seriesId=99
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/speed-king-mickey-thompson-killers-large-20-years-article-1.338885
https://motocrossactionmag.com/my-afternoon-with-mike-goodwin-the-father-of-supercross-a-convicted-killer/
https://www.mickeythompsontires.com/wheels
https://www.ocregister.com/2015/01/26/conviction-is-upheld-in-murder-for-hire-of-racing-legend-mickey-thompson-and-his-wife/
https://mynewsla.com/crime/2021/03/03/latest-appeal-denied-for-man-convicted-in-murders-of-mickey-thompson-wife/

122. Massacre at UCC

 Since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, many schools and institutions in the United States now hold active shooter drills. Per the NEA National Education Assoc, In the 2017-16 school year, over 4.1 million students had participated in at least 1 drill. Lockdowns and active shooter drills are normal now. School mass shootings only account for  .2% of the 36k or so gun deaths in the United States.
On October 1st, 2015 Nine students attending the Umpqua (Ump-Kwua) Community College would be included in that statistic and the other students on campus would know the true terror of coming close to death.



Join Cam and Jen as they discuss the Massacre At UCC

Big thank you to Kiah Gleason for her help with the research

Listener Discretion by Edward from Octoberpod VHS
https://www.youtube.com/c/octoberpodhomevideo

The Producer is Nico Vettese
https://wetalkofdreams.com/

And a huge  thank you to Emma from True Crime Witch for writing the episode.  You are a lifesaver!

https://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/01/us/oregon-college-shooting/index.html
https://www.umpqua.edu/about
https://web.archive.org/web/20151016232700/http://www.katu.com/news/local/Reports-Active-shooter-on-the-Umpqua-Community-College-campus--330285921.html
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43959201?mag=making-men-online&seq=1
https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-oregon-shooting-20151002-story.html
https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2017/09/ucc_shooting_investigation_sho.html
https://www.oregonlive.com/roseburg-oregon-school-shooting/2016/09/umpqua_community_college_shoot.html
https://www.newsweek.com/45th-mass-shooting-america-2015-378803
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46507514
https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/gun-violence/16-facts-about-gun-violence-and-school-shootings/
https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
https://www.thetrace.org/2019/08/children-teens-gun-deaths-data/
https://www.vox.com/a/mass-shootings-calendar-2015
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/2015-the-year-in-mass-shootings-34983/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xAAERl-VTc&t=338s
https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/3989824/Christopher-Sean-Harper-Mercer-My-Manifesto.pdf
https://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/02/us/oregon-umpqua-community-college-shooting-victims/index.html
https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-umpqua-community-college-shooting-investigation/
https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-school-shootings-2017-story.html
https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2017/09/umpqua_community_college_shoot_3.html
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/unannounced-active-shooter-drills-scaring-students-without
https://schoolshooters.info/sites/default/files/Christopher-Sean-Harper-Mercer-My-Manifesto.pdf
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/christopher-harper-mercer-planned-kill-witness-article-1.2384171
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/10/us/roseburg-oregon-shooting-christopher-harper-mercer.html?smid=pl-share
https://mashable.com/2015/10/04/ucc-shooter-spared-survivor/

Super cool diorama's that Jen talked about are here
https://instagram.com/stoltzkraft?igshid=11lnmnnbtggmr

121. Island of Injustice: Massie Trial

 **Special thanks to APOSTROPHE for sponsoring this episode of OTCP.

Today we venture back in time to 1931, Honolulu Hawaii. At this time, the beautiful land was home to native Hawaiians but also immigrants who traveled to Hawaii for its alluring beauty and a shot at a better life. Honolulu was also home to many US Navy Soldiers stationed there. These young men brought their families to this paradise. The serene lifestyle would be turned upside down one summertime evening when a- 20 year old young woman is found on the side of the road. Her name is Thalia Massie, wife to a naval officer named Thomas Massie.  She has scratches and bruises all over her face and body and has been beaten up. What unfolds is a severe miscarriage of justice and how privilege and prejudice are stronger than any court of law.



Join Jen and Cam as we discuss ‘Island of Injustice: Massie Trial’ on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast.

Listener discretion is by Edward OctoberpodVHS. He is a wonderful storyteller-check him out.

Our show’s music is courtesy of our executive producer Nico @wetalkofdreams.

Sources:
https://www.famous-trials.com/massie/308-commentary
https://www.enterprisenews.com/article/20120722/News/307229896
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/5239128/massie-case-revisited
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/island-murder-five-men-accused-assaulting-thalia-massie/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/massie/peopleevents/p_thalia.html
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/local/post-time-thalia-part-daughter-suicide-mother-unrepentant/baGwioS9z6GJAtjrU3W5CM/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6217390/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0771639/
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/5239128/massie-case-revisited
https://www.famous-trials.com/massie/310-rapetimeline
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/hawaii-s-scandalous-thalia-massie-trial-a7921741.html
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090749/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Stannard

120. Terror in a Texas Park: John Griffin and Tommy Lee Trimble

 What pops in your head when the state of Texas is mentioned? Cattle? Oil? Football? Music?
Texas is the 2nd largest state in the United States and Austin, Texas always makes it on the best cities to live in lists.

Another list that Texas has made isn't quite as positive. That is Rolling Stones November 2014 list of 5 Worst States for LGBT People.

In the 1980s and 90s, queer-bashing was a popular pastime for some Texas high school kids. In just 10 years, 1988 to 1998, at least 28 gay men in Texas had been killed in a hate crime.

Today Cam and Jen discuss the deaths of two of these men, John Lloyd Griffin and Tommy Lee Trimble.

This episode was written and researched by Jeremy Wayne.

Listener discretion by OctoberpodVHS
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZQk-oAsjZNG18y8bX24c6w

Theme music and editing by Nico Vettese
wetalkofdreams.com

Sources:

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/the-5-worst-states-for-lgbt-people-198931/

https://books.google.com/books?id=UWMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=gay+bashing+in+texas+since+1988&source=bl&ots=wmGoPGXlWo&sig=ACfU3U35tY34977QkdxEAwRoZxkrPtd4dg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjpqZyLh6DwAhXmMlkFHRFlBfkQ6AEwBnoECAYQAw#v=onepage&q=gay%20bashing%20in%20texas%20since%201988&f=false

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/1995/02/texas-murder-199502

https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/breaking-down-texas-hate-crime-laws/285-2bf9d3c9-6a02-4fa5-873f-084bb360ea91

https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1584549/

https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1755439/m1/1/

https://lgbt-history-archive.tumblr.com/post/153780039737/shame-on-you-judge-bednarski-drove-many-miles

https://antifadallas.wordpress.com/2019/11/07/throwback-thursday-homophobic-killings-in-1988/

http://www.texasobituaryproject.org/051588trimble-griffin.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/17/us/texas-judge-eases-sentence-for-killer-of-2-homosexuals.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1988/12/17/judges-remarks-on-gays-protested/649e6016-616e-4a72-892e-b9775fafcdd9/

https://apnews.com/article/4285a88eca4b1466b31081086ef54c93

https://apnews.com/article/39b2034e2a22e92ea6d8ce43147b6203

https://www.newspapers.com/image/624474942/?terms=john%20griffin%20tommy%20lee%20trimble&match=1

https://exhibits.library.unt.edu/resource-center-exhibit/hate-crimes/

119. Crazy In Love: Erin Caffey

 The Caffey family are resting peacefully in their beds in the Emory Texas home when all of a sudden someone bursts through the bedroom door. Shots ring out and both Terry Caffey and his wife Penny are being riddled with bullets. Terry jumps up from his bed even though he was shot and at that time, not even aware of how many times, he rushes out to go to his children. As he is attempting to get to the boys, he heard Matthew, age 13, cry out asking ‘why are you doing this? Why are you doing this?” Shots again ring out. Terry has made it into the hall and is trapped as fire is taking over the house. With nowhere else to go, Terry rushes back into his bedroom. It is at this time, he sees his wife Penny and knows it is too late for her: she is gone. When Terry was gone from the bedroom, a sword the family had on a wall for decoration, had been removed and used on Penny, nearly decapitating her. Terry, shot many times, is now running on adrenaline and knows he needs to get out, to get help because if he dies in this house, no one will know who committed this atrocity to his family. But he knows, he knows who it is and why they did it but what he doesn’t yet know will break his heart and shock the community.

Join Jen and Cam as we discuss ‘Crazy in Love: Erin Caffey’ on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast. Please note this episode was previously released on our Patreon.

Listener discretion is by the fabu Edward OctoberpodVHS @octoberpodVHS
Our executive producer and composer is none other than the multi-talented Nico from @wetalkofdreams.

Sources:
https://murderpedia.org/female.C/c/caffey-erin.htm
https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/flesh-and-blood/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9j5hy83J5s
https://www.kltv.com/story/8132265/dad-wants-daughter-in-triple-murder-to-go-home
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1287412/Haunting-rendition-Amazing-Grace-murderer-Erin-Caffey.html
https://allthatsinteresting.com/erin-caffey
https://medium.com/@michrkarr/erin-caffey-was-16-years-old-when-she-made-plans-to-kill-her-entire-family-1fd87ff818c3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yEWL55W2vg
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6189104/
https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/stories/terry-caffey/
https://www.oxygen.com/killer-couples/crime-news/erin-caffey-charlie-wilkinson-family-murder-dad-terry

118. Deceptive Love: Ed Graf

 Clare is a divorced mom of two when love walked into her life. She wasn’t expecting it but welcomed it with open arms. At first, it seemed like the couple was happy but soon Ed’s behavior was beginning to seem strange. Marrying this man would soon become not only the biggest mistake she ever made but a deadly one as well.

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast as we discuss the episode ‘Deceptive Love: Ed Graf.’

Listener discretion is by the ominous @octoberpodVHS.

The show is executive produced and edited as well as all music is by the worldly @wetalkofdreams.

Sources:
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/texas-man-burned-sons-alive-1986-parole-article-1.1983381
https://wacotrib.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/experts-to-testify-in-ed-graf-arson-murder-case-from-1980s/article_2df8e1f4-5f31-5b21-92e1-aa8f681c0e83.html
https://wacotrib.com/news/crime/judge-sets-1-5-million-bond-for-graf-while-awaiting-new-trial/article_110d8266-2adc-5d42-a60d-c7de14b7e67f.html
https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-ed-graf-now/
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/08/ed_graf_arson_trial_texas_granted_him_a_new_trial_would_modern_forensic.html
https://www.texasobserver.org/tag/ed-graf/
https://thecinemaholic.com/where-is-clare-bradburn-now/
https://dailytimes.com/promotions/article_3a094ae6-c81e-11e4-8cb0-735746c19272.html
https://wacotrib.com/news/crime/inmate-graf-admitted-killing-boys-said-he-wishes-he-had-also-killed-their-mother/article_a6bebb36-2254-5711-845b-e77e95db36d6.html
https://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2014-11-06/20307/Innocence-Project-re-trial-frees-murderer-Ed-Graf,-Jr.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2809635/Texas-man-released-prison-just-six-days-admitted-murdering-8-9-year-old-adopted-stepsons-locking-shed-setting-fire-1986.html
https://www.texasobserver.org/the-arson-files-after-serving-25-years-ed-graf-may-finally-receive-new-trial/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5489746/

117. The Life of Leasure and Murder: Bill Leasure

 Police were trying to bust a ring of thieves who were stealing yachts and then selling them. The detectives had received information that a yacht by the name of La Vita was stolen and was going to be docking nearby at Marina Bay Yacht Harbor in Richmond, just north of San Francisco.
Detectives were waiting for this yacht to pull in and when it did, they wanted to have a little chat with the crew, in particular, a man by the name of Robert Denzil Kuns who they believed was involved in this. As the yacht pulled in, a man jumped out to tie up the boat. He was not Robert Kuns but another man by the name of William Leasure, an LAPD officer.  Detectives were shocked to find one of their very on board but this was just the beginning of the end for Officer William Leasure in a shocking tale with a few surprises. 


Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast as we discuss ‘Gone Cop Gone Bad: Bill Leasure.’
Promo by our friends at The Path Went Chilly @PathWent
Listener discretion is by the ever so gracious Edward October @octoberpodVHS
All music is by Nifty Nico @wetalkofdreams -we like him so much, we made him our executive producer as well.
Sources: https://murderpedia.org/male.L/l/leasure-william.htm
https://www.amazon.com/Murderer-Badge-Secret-Rogue-Crime/dp/0451404025
https://medium.com/crimebeat/the-secret-life-of-an-veteran-officer-d896fb9b09ab
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-10-27-tm-1150-story.html
https://news.yahoo.com/william-bill-leasure-california-traffic-000110072.html
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/12/27/Veteran-cop-his-prosecutor-wife-suspects-in-crime-spree/3166567579600/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-08-04-me-623-story.html
https://oklahoman.com/article/2213235/ex-guard-guilty-in-1977-slaying
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-16-me-246-story.html
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7984222/?ref_=tt_ch
https://medium.com/crimebeat/the-secret-life-of-an-veteran-officer-d896fb9b09ab#:~:text=A%20mild%2Dmannered%20cop%20hid%20a%20big%20secret%20from%20everyone.&text=William%20married%20Betsy%20Mogul%20in,a%20law%20enforcement%20power%20couple.