Our True Crime Podcast: October 2023

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

235. Sleep My Babies: Sandi Nieves

On July 1, 1998, at nearly 1 p.m., a call came into the 911 emergency call center to report a fire at her home on Cherry Creek Drive in Saugus, California. The woman caller had a dry, matter-of-fact tone “The house is all smoke.” The dispatcher asked if the house was still smoking and the woman said “No, not now, it’s over.” She then went on to say “We had a fire last night. I woke up and everything was black.” The dispatcher in a bit of confusion confirms what she heard. “You had a fire last night?”

Caller: “Uh-huh”
Dispatcher: “And you just woke up?”
Caller: “Yes”
Dispatcher: “You were sleeping the whole time during the fire?”
Caller: “Yeah, I assume”

When responders arrived, they found that the fire had already been extinguished for some time. Sandi Nieves, who called first responders, was covered in soot and was waiting in the living room on the couch along with her 14-year-old son, David who also had soot on him. Both of them were eating cookies and acting bizarrely. David was zoning out watching TV. Sandi told the paramedics that everything was fine and they didn’t need to be there. What authorities would discover was a grisly crime that no one could have ever imagined.

Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled ‘Sleep My Babies: Sandi Nieves.’

Listener Discretion by Edward October @octoberpodVHS

Music by our E.P. Nico @theinkypawprint

Promo by our friend at I Talk To Ghosts. https://www.italktoghosts.com/

Sources:
https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2021/s092410.html https://thecinemaholic.com/sandi-nieves-where-is-the-killer-mom-now/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9541967/Death-sentence-overturned-California-mom-murdered-four-daughters-fire.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/california-supreme-court-reverses-death-sentence-sandi-nieves-1998-murders-4-young-daughters/

https://murderpedia.org/female.N/n/nieves-sandi.htm

https://www.liveakhbar.in/2023/09/16/where-is-sandi-nieves-now-and-who-is-she/

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/women_on_death_row/s01/e05

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/mother-sandi-nieves-in-a-family-photo-with-her-son-and-four-news-photo/569159055

https://groups.google.com/d/topic/alt.true-crime/psQH1FXuaXwhttps://murderdb.com/sandi-nieves-murders-4-children/?amp=1

https://abc7.com/death-sentenced-reversed-santa-clarita-woman-sandi-dawn-nieves-children-murdered/10575971/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-may-18-me-31278-story.html

https://mycrimelibrary.com/sandi-nieves-women-on-death-row/

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

234. The Fatal Exorcism of Joan Vollmer

On February 1st, 1993, a minister was summoned to a house off Dimboola Road in the outback town of Antwerp, Australia. When he arrived, he was greeted by a man named David Klingner, who said, “It’s a long story,” as he led the pastor into the house. Inside, the minister was overcome by a foul stench. Blowflies were buzzing around the house, attracted to the putrid smell of decay. The minister was pretty confident that whoever they had called him for was beyond saving.

He made his way past a group of people who were calmly eating their lunch at the kitchen table into a bedroom where the swollen remains of 49-year-old Joan Vollmer lay fully dressed on a mattress. The minister immediately phoned the police, and a constable was sent to the house.

When Constable Michael Arnott arrived, he spoke to the dead woman’s husband, 54-year-old pig farmer Ralph Vollmer. After just a few moments, the constable understood the situation as thus: Ralph’s wife had been possessed by ten different demons, and she had died as a result of her “deliverance,” otherwise known as an exorcism.

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

233. Visions: The Murder of Tracey Schoettlin

Today, we are en route to Birmingham, Alabama, where we'll meet Tracey Schoettlin, a 26-year-old with big aspirations. In the summer of 1986, Tracey worked as a waitress at the Southpoint American Cafe while diligently preparing for the LSAT, the crucial exam for law school admission. She took the LSAT multiple times until she achieved the necessary score for acceptance into Samford Law School. Her ultimate aim was to become a lawyer and serve an underserved community. Tracey's determination and ambition indicated that she was well on her way to realizing her dreams. On the fateful evening of July 13, 1986, Tracey left the restaurant around 11 p.m. intending to head home. Tragically, she never reached her destination. As the investigation unfolded, the circumstances surrounding her murder were deeply disturbing and nearly unbelievable. This homicide case would ultimately evolve into one of the most extensive criminal investigations in Jefferson County. The perplexing question remained: What could have motivated someone to inflict harm upon this young woman?

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled ‘Visions: The Murder of Tracey Schoettlin.’

Listener Discretion by the oh-so-talented @octoberpodVHS

All Music by our EP Nico @theinkypawprint (formally known as @wetalkofdreams)

Promos from our friends at Angels’ Voices Silenced No More angelsvoicesnm.org
and @Twisted_Pod

Sources:
https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/court-of-appeals-criminal/1990/577-so-2d-541-0.html

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7846082/

https://www.facebook.com/WBRCnews/videos/who-is-tommy-bradley/589135551060/

https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/bradley-v-state-6-890015804

https://www.facebook.com/WBRCnews/videos/25-years-later-the-tracey-schoettlin-murder/2640830944248/

https://www.al.com/opinion/2013/03/alabama_justice_system_your_vi.html

https://www.newspapers.com/image/795110929/?terms=Tracey%20Schoettlin%20murder&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/795110929/?terms=Tracey%20Schoettlin%20murder&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/795087157/?terms=Tracey%20Schoettlin%20murder&match=1

https://www.wbrc.com/story/16043204/25-years-later-the-tracey-schoettlin-case/

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

232. Napa Valley Nightmare: Adriane Insogna & Leslie Mazzara

Pumpkin spice season is often people's favorite time of the year. Relief from scorching summer temperatures arrives, and with it, a glorious orange, gold, and red blanket splays across the countryside. And in October of 2004, California's Napa Valley, home of America's wine country, was amping to be a spectacular autumn.

In one of Napa's cozy neighborhoods on Dorset Street, a house was decorated for Halloween like many others. In that house lived three women, friends who decided it was wiser to pool their resources and live together than separately. And even though Napa had a low crime rate—two years since there had been a serious crime—there was safety in numbers. Or so they thought.

On November 1st, 2004, at about 2:00 in the morning, Lauren was awakened by the security light flipping on behind the garage. She didn't overthink it because sometimes the cats would often get out. But then she heard her dog give a "warning bark." Lauren quieted her dog, but within minutes, she heard someone entering the house and going up the stairs. Thinking it may be one of her roommate's boyfriends, she quieted the dog again and dozed off.

Then she heard a blood-curdling scream.

Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "Napa Valley Nightmare: Adriane Insogna & Leslie Mazzara'.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/814417675/?terms=Mazzara%20Insogna&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/814023207/?terms=Mazzara%20Insogna&match=1
https://www.newspapers.com/image/754651474/?terms=Mazzara%20Insogna&match=1
https://www.swordandscale.com/jealous-rage-to-double-murder-in-napa-valley/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36743450/adriane-michelle-insogna
https://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Homicie/dp/B078KRX8BZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DPB7K1Q2LGRZ&keywords=Leslie+Mazzara&qid=1692989502&s=instant-video&sprefix=leslie+mazzara%2Cinstant-video%2C96&sr=1-1 (Psychic Investigators Episode. Amazon Discovery+)
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=V71UlNRU2M4&ab_channel=FilmRiseTrueCrime https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/NAPA-House-invaded-2-women-killed-Third-2677208.php
https://www.visitnapavalley.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napa_County,_California

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

231. New York City Zodiac-Eddie Seda

On May 31, 1990, in New York City, a call came into the police about a 78-year-old man named Joseph "Joe" Proce, who was shot in the back outside his home by a stranger New York City has seen its share of homicides. In fact, Newsweek magazine said that 1990 was one of the worst years for homicides in the city. This shooting was different because the shooter left a note. A circle at the top of the letter is divided into sections with symbols inside each piece. It was later determined these symbols were the zodiac signs of Gemini, Scorpio, and Taurus. Below the circle is written the statement, “This is the Zodiac. The 12 sign will die when the belts in the heaven are seen.” At the end of the letter, there is yet another symbol, one that is familiar to many: a circle with a cross in it, as in gun sights. Next to the symbol is the name ‘Faust.’ Today, we will discuss the Zodiac Killer but not that Zodiac Killer. This is the New York City Zodiac, and people are wondering if the original has returned to finish what he started all those years ago.

Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled New York City Zodiac: Eddie Seda.

Listener Discretion by the oh-so-talented @octoberpodVHS

All Music by our EP Nico @theinkypawprint (formally known as @wetalkofdreams)

This episode is proudly sponsored by Bingo Bash. Download Bingo Bash Today on iOS and Android devices, and enjoy the 200 chips welcome bonus to help you kick off your Bingo adventure!

Sources:
Crowley, Keiran (2003). Sleep My Little Dead: The True Story of the Zodiac Killer. St Martin's Paperbacks

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/zodiac-killer-new-york-caught-b2368470.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/25/nyregion/3-weeks-later-a-victim-shot-by-zodiac-dies.html

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/documentaries/true-crime/new-york-zodiac-killer-heriberto-eddie-seda-now-catching-killers-netflix/

https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Heriberto_Seda

https://www.distractify.com/p/new-york-zodiac-killer-now

https://readysteadycut.com/2023/06/24/who-is-heriberto-seda-serial-killer

https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/who-was-zodiac-killer-catching-killers-netflix-b1091107.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/25/nyregion/brooklyn-man-is-guilty-in-three-zodiac-killings.html

https://www.fresherslive.com/latest/articles/is-heriberto-seda-still-alive-where-is-new-york-zodiac-killer-heriberto-seda-now-who-are-heriberto-seda-parents-1555036888

https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/crimelaw/features/n_10181/

https://thecinemaholic.com/heriberto-seda-now/