306. Three Minutes: The Daniel Morcombe Abduction

 *****Warning*****

This episode contains discussions of child abduction, abuse, and violence that may be distressing for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.

In just three minutes, a quiet bus stop in Queensland became the site of one of Australia’s most haunting crimes. This episode unpacks the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe — the boy in the red shirt — and the years-long investigation that followed. Through silence, sorrow, and relentless pursuit of justice, Daniel’s story became a turning point for a nation.


Join Cam and Jen as they discuss "Three Minutes: The Daniel Morcombe Abduction."

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation provides personal child safety education to children and young people to prevent abuse and promote lifelong health and wellbeing. “We support educators, parents, and carers by providing resources and education, and also directly supporting young victims of crime.”

You can contact them and make a donation at danielmorcombe.com.au
or contact them at Daniel House, 7 Koorawatha Lane, Palmwoods QLD 4555

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:

Book:
The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer by Kate Kyriacou 
60 Minutes Australia https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4251154/
Missing Persons Unit https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5624692/
https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/608476/cif-morcombe-d-20190405.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Daniel_Morcombe
https://casefilepodcast.com/case-54-daniel-morcombe/
https://danielmorcombe.com.au/about/daniels-story/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/11/schoolboy-daniel-morecombe-died-within-hour-of-being-abducted
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-26/daniel-morcombe-timeline/4389166
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_Peter_Cowan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx5rnRtZwCw&ab_channel=7NewsSpotlight
https://youtu.be/uFfDiVWlWX8?si=UcrFFZc4l9ei5F_4

305. Genetic Justice: Unmasking Robert Brashers

 For years, Robert Brashers had managed to evade justice, slipping through the cracks repeatedly. But on January 13, 1999, his luck finally ran out in a modest motel room in Kennett, Missouri. What began as a routine police search quickly escalated into a tense, life-or-death standoff that would forever change the lives of those involved. Who was Robert Brashers? A man who his wife and children loved. What could have driven him to such a tragic end?  The entire truth would remain hidden for years, with whispers suggesting that there were more victims out there. 

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode, "Genetic Justice: Unmasking Robert Brashers.” 

Listener Discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our executive producer @theinkypawprint

Sources: 
https://www.facebook.com/InvestigationDiscovery/videos/connected-by-murder-on-the-case-with-paula-zahn/2284387901877879/

https://greenvillejournal.com/tag/robert-eugene-brashers/

https://www.kait8.com/2018/10/05/killer-linked-murders-missouri-tennessee-south-carolina-paragould/

https://www.oxygen.com/crime-time/murder-suspects-robert-brashers-body-exhumed-solve-two-1990s-cold-cases

https://archive.today/20230115112055/

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/10/05/greenville-cold-case-robert-brashers-jenny-zitricki/1534079002/

https://archive.ph/20230115112155/

https://www.kfvs12.com/2019/02/05/my-father-was-serial-killer-robert-brashers-daughter-speaks-out/#selection-811.21-1279.52

https://archive.ph/20230115112128/

https://greenvillejournal.com/news/greenville-police-murderer-in-28-year-old-cold-case-identified/#selection-937.42-937.43

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Eugene_Brashers

https://archive.today/20230115112038/

https://www.fultonsun.com/news/2020/nov/19/fulton-resident-reminisces-homicide-investigation/

https://archive.ph/20230115112159/

https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/2019/01/13/daughter-serial-killer-rapist-tied-greenville-hes-still-my-father/2481586002/#selection-529.0-851.132

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31099977/robert-brashers-mo-from-1985/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54853022/robert-brashers-florida-crime-1985/

302. The Gitchie Manitou Murders

 Thank you, Katie, for requesting this case!

On the evening of November 17th, 1973, five teenage friends decided to head to the Gitchie Manitou State Preserve, located in the far northwestern corner of Iowa. Most of the teenagers' parents knew where the kids were going that night and didn’t think much about it. It was a pretty standard hang-out spot. 

As the kids sat around a campfire enjoying the cold evening, three figures emerged from the darkness and opened fire.

Five teenagers went into the reserve on that fateful night. Only one came out alive.




Join Jen and Cam as they discuss The Gitchie Manitou Murders.

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

In this episode, Jen discusses the book "Gitchie Girl: The Survivor's Inside Story of the Mass Murders that Shocked the Heartland" by Phil Hamman & Sandy Hamman 

Sources:
https://www.newspapers.com/image/33479397/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_Gitchie_Manitou_murders
https://www.newspapers.com/image/238916630/?match=1&clipping_id=167274037
https://www.newspapers.com/image/351566342/?match=1&clipping_id=new
https://www.newspapers.com/image/239140778/?match=1&clipping_id=167275118
https://www.newspapers.com/image/351577134/?match=1&terms=Manitou%20murder
https://www.newspapers.com/image/238916994/?match=1&clipping_id=new (arrest)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/238916649/?match=1&clipping_id=167275988
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44867920/roger_norman-essem
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime/1/01/01/sole-survivor-of-brutal-1973-slayings-finds-strength-to-tell-her-story/3726397/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/345756026/?match=1&clipping_id=167279012
https://www.newspapers.com/image/887070515/?match=1&terms=Gitchie%20Manitou%20murder
https://www.newspapers.com/image/338754858/?match=1&terms=Gitchie%20Manitou%20murder
https://www.newspapers.com/image/239045447/?match=1&terms=Gitchie%20Manitou%20murder
https://play.max.com/video/watch/5bbc1c12-54db-498f-8604-a48d6ff671d4
https://www.newspapers.com/image/239044008/?match=1&terms=Gitchie%20Manitou%20murder
https://www.newspapers.com/image/351573016/?match=1&terms=Gitchie%20Manitou%20murder
https://www.newspapers.com/image/239092497/?match=1&terms=Gitchie%20Manitou%20murder
https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2021/11/16/gitchie-manitou-murders-1973-survivor-sandra-cheskey-fryer-brothers-south-dakota-iowa/8637229002/
Killer Siblings Season 2 Episode 2

301. Buried for Decades: Discovery of Midtown Jane Doe

 Today, we are going back in time; let’s rewind the clock to 1969, the year the world got slightly brighter—because Jen and I came into being. But hold on tight because we’re about to dive into the scene's heart. A place where the music’s alive, the air’s thick with good vibes, and the soul just flows. We’re talking about The Scene, man.  Now we meet Steve Paul, the cool cat that operates The Scene, and let me tell ya, this joint on West 46th Street in the Big Apple is where at. Every night, you’ll find the grooviest cats in town—hippies, musicians, artists, and just free spirits all jammin’ out together, sharing a little bit of magic, and yeah, passing around that sweet, sweet devil’s lettuce.By February 2003, the glory days of the once vibrant nightlife hub and gritty hustle had long since faded into the past. The building’s remaining tenants—sex workers, drug users, and the forgotten souls of the neighborhood kept a few apartments in the building. The storefronts, once home to The Scene, had cycled through several different faces since its closure: a pornographic video shop, a seedy dive bar, and now, a restaurant eager to convert the basement into a walk-in freezer. 

Demolition made way for a shiny new Riu Hotel, which was not completed until 2016. On February 10th, construction workers stumbled upon something strange while tearing down what was left. Behind an aging coal furnace in the basement, they noticed a raised concrete slab six feet wide, five feet long, and about a foot high. One worker took a sledgehammer and struck the slab. Once he was inside, a human skull rolled out of its resting place.


Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled ‘Buried for Decades: Discovery of Midtown Jane Doe.'

Listener Discretion is by @octoberpodVHS

All music is by our editor @theinkypawprint

Sources:
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/true-crime-mystery-murder-the-scene-new-york-1235156741/

https://people.com/midtown-jane-doe-new-york-woman-identified-patricia-kathleen-mcglone-8641422


https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=434347589384178&id=100064771266307https://nypost.com/2024/04/28/us-news/midtown-jane-doe-finally-idd-20-years-after-remains-found-cemented-in-former-nyc-hot-spot/


https://vocal.media/criminal/midtown-jane-doe-identified-after-50-years-using-dna


https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/1cfjvaq/midtown_jane_doe_2003_identified_as_16yearold/


https://www.facebook.com/FOX5NY/videos/who-was-midtown-jane-doe/3012225785594168/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/04/30/patricia-kathleen-mcglone-midtown-jane-doe-cold-case/73515200007/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/patricia-mcglone-midtown-jane-doe-murder-victim-identified-cold-case-dna-911-victim-nypd/


https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFY0w.4Npn3Gwj.gYPxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1742426302/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cnn.com%2f2024%2f05%2f01%2fus%2fmidtown-jane-doe-death-ring-cec%2findex.html/RK=2/RS=EJ_.ELaYzd69r4SyrsnD98NHxmk-


https://www.doenetwork.org/closed/articles/337UFNY_article.pdf

300. Cash for Corpses: Clifford Olson Jr

 Episode requested by Anthony W. Thank you, Anthony!

Welcome to OTCP's 300th regular episode! 

******Content Warning: Sexual assault and death of children*********

In this episode, we dive into Canada's most notorious serial killer, Clifford Olson Jr. Olson’s disturbing story is filled with horrific crimes. Honestly, I thought I knew about everything there was to know. I was wrong!  Camille and I will take you from his early life of crime to his eventual capture and conviction for the rapes murders of eleven children. 



Join Cam and Jen as we discuss- oh boy, do we discuss- "Cash for Corpses: Clifford Olson Jr."  

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
Research by Jen

In this episode, Jen discusses the book, "Predator: The Life and Crimes of Serial Killer Clifford Olson" by Peter Worthington.

Sources:
https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/d71f0bf7-0816-4be2-a7cb-30e993d440bb
https://mail.crimelibrary.org/serial_killers/predators/olson/2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford_Olsonhttps://murderpedia.org/male.O/o/olson-clifford-robert.htm
https://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Olson,%20Clifford%20Robert%20_fall,%202006_.pdf
https://www.newspapers.com/image/327941931/?match=1&terms=Christine%20Weller (Christine's first appearance in the papers)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/327924712/?match=1&terms=Christine%20Weller
https://www.newspapers.com/image/327919464/?match=1&terms=Colleen%20Daignault
https://www.newspapers.com/image/465765361/?match=1&terms=Daryn%20Johnstrude (1997 article about the killings)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/461585007/?match=1&terms=Daryn%20Johnsrude
https://www.newspapers.com/image/501459047/?match=1&terms=Daryn%20Johnsrude
https://www.newspapers.com/image/493593898/?match=1&terms=Ada%20Anita%20Court
https://www.newspapers.com/image/493882891/?match=1&terms=Simon%20Partingtonhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/493882891/?match=1&terms=Simon%20Partingtonhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/493608556/?match=1&terms=Simon%20Partingtonhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/501398181/?match=1&terms=Judy%20Kozma
https://www.newspapers.com/image/501397506/match=1&terms=%22Raymond%20King%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/560032794/match=1&terms=%22Raymond%20King%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/501407128/match=1&terms=%22Louise%20Chartrand%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/509017457/match=1&terms=%22Clifford%20Olson%22
https://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/local-news/43-years-later-friend-of-verna-susan-bjerky-says-search-for-her-still-continues-in-hope-7353295
https://www.newspapers.com/image/471944608/match=1&terms=Mary%20Ellen%20Jamieson
https://www.newspapers.com/image/493885490/match=1&terms=Mary%20Ellen%20Jamieson
https://www.newspapers.com/image/493885859/match=1&terms=Mary%20Ellen%20Jamieson
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/post_b_1923792https://www.huffpost.com/entry/serial-killer-clifford-olson_n_192074

299. Mafia's Finest: Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito

 It is November 6th, 1990. The air was crisp, the Belt Parkway humming with the usual New York traffic. Among the cars was Eddie Lino—an old-school Gambino enforcer, a man whose name carried weight in the city's underworld. He’d spent years dodging the law. But this time, the flashing red and blue lights in his rearview weren’t just another routine hassle. As the unmarked car closed in, Lino must’ve felt it—something was off. Before he could react, gunfire rang out. The ambush was clean and professional in a city where power shifts with a trigger pull; Eddie Lino’s time was up. For a man who had made a living by the gun, there were only two ways out: a prison cell or a body bag. Lino avoided the first. And he paid his dues in full on that Brooklyn highway in 1992. Dirty cops and the mob—nothing new in New York. But this case? This was different. Two high-ranking NYPD detectives weren’t just looking the other way; they worked for the Lucchese crime family, pulling jobs and covering tracks for over a decade. They didn’t just take bribes—they were on the payroll.

Join Cam and Jen on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled ‘Mafia's Finest: Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito.’


Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our editor @theinkypawprint

Sources:
Mafia Cops Interview - Louis Eppolito on the Sally Jesse Raphael show

https://www.amazon.com/Mafia-Cop-Lou-Eppolito/dp/1416517014

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/mafia-cops-louis-eppolito-stephen-caracappa-sentenced-life-prison-article-1.366777

https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nye/pr/2009/2009mar06b.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/OldSchoolCool/comments/15ygama/louis_eppolito_on_sally_jesse_raphael_1992/

https://nypost.com/2005/07/07/victims-mom-fingered-mafia-cop-from-tv-talk-show/

https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nye/pr/2005/2005mar10.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/nyregion/louis-eppolito-dead.html

https://www.silive.com/news/2017/04/report_mob_cop_with_staten_isl.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20170412190201/http://gothamist.com/2017/04/12/nypd_cop_turned_mafia_hitman_dies_i.php

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1532561.htmlhttps://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-mafia-cop-louis-eppolito-dead-20191105-55tnkoq4f5amvm5555qcp3fb34-story.html

https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/nye/pr/2009/2009mar06b.html

http://www.ipsn.org/indictments/caracappa_indictment/caracappa_indictment_newest.htm

https://web.archive.org/web/20060111191537/https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/05/60minutes/main1180833.shtml

http://www.ipsn.org/indictments/caracappa_indictment/caracappa_indictment_newest.htm

298. A Journey To Justice: The Camm Family Murders

 Thank you to Charity, who requested the episode!

In the quiet town of Georgetown, Indiana, former state trooper David Camm’s life was torn apart when he came home and found his wife, Kim, and their two children, Brad and Jill, shot to death in the garage.

The investigation that follows is fraught with errors and David Camm is convicted of murdering his family. But is he truly guilty? 



Join Cam and Jen as they discuss ‘The Journey To Justice: The Camm Family Murder.’


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://www.imdb.com/title/tt3500392/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrongful_conviction_of_David_Camm
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2022/04/27/ex-indiana-state-trooper-david-camm-reaps-millions-murder-case-settlement/9558355002/
https://www.wdrb.com/news/serving-a-225-year-sentence-charles-boney-vows-hes-a-changed-man-hes-innocent-and/article_20ce461c-701b-5bd0-b710-97077af0368a.html
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2013/09/12/david-camm-confessed-to-murders-while-getting-tattooed-former-inmate-says-/2806371/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16974874/bradley_ray_cammhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10707091/kimberly_starr-camm
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16974747/jillian_catherine_cammhttps://www.newspapers.com/image/159785985/?match=1&terms=Camm%20obituary
https://www.newspapers.com/image/976806243/https://investigatinginnocence.org/david-camm
https://idsnews.indiana.edu/news/suspended-justice/index.html
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/in-court-of-appeals/1344066.html
https://investigatinginnocenceblog.com/tag/charles-boney/ (excellent article on the blood spatter dilemma)
https://cullmantimes.com/tag/charles-boney/
https://www.wdrb.com/news/crime-reports/david-camm-awarded-3-million-in-civil-suit-against-convicted-killer-charles-boney/article_9766427a-41f0-11ee-92ae-032ebc112749.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgetown,_Floyd_County,_Indiana
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2013/09/09/charles-boney-tells-jury-he-listened-as-former-indiana-trooper-david-camm-killed-family/2788861/
https://www.wave3.com/story/4496219/camm-judge-dismisses-conspiracy-charge-witness-says-jill-camm-was-molested-earlier-than-thought/
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/in-supreme-court/1354614.html
https://casetext.com/case/camm-v-stanley-o-faith-1

297. Thrill Killers: The Murders of Jeremy Giordano and Giorgio Gallara

 The night of April 19, 1997, was like any other Saturday at Tony’s Pizza in Hardyston, New Jersey. The dinner rush had come and gone, and as the clock neared 10:45 p.m., Jeremy Giordano,  22, and Giorgio Gallara,  25, prepared to call it a night. But first, there was one last order to deliver—two pizzas bound for 196 Scott Road. A routine run. A simple transaction. They had no idea they were driving straight into an ambush. As Giordano pulled up to the curb, a car sat waiting in the darkness. Gallara, the restaurant's owner, rolled down the passenger-side window and called out, “Sixteen-fifty,” expecting a quick cash exchange. But instead of a wallet, one of the waiting men reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The first shot shattered the quiet night. Then another. And another. The gunman emptied the chamber. His accomplice, unwilling to be a spectator, drew his weapon and joined in. Shots ripped through metal and glass, through the inside of the vehicle. The car lurched forward, rolling off the road before finally coming to a stop, its frame riddled with bullet holes. But the horror wasn’t over.

Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled “Thrill Killers: The Murders of Jeremy Giordano and Giorgio Gallara.”

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music and EP by @theinkypawprint

Sources:

https://www.njherald.com/story/news/crime/2017/04/19/1997-thrill-killings-2-pizza/4127116007/

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrNP7BkJLZnNZ0g9w0PxQt.;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1740018917/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.njherald.com%2fstory%2fnews%2f2015%2f04%2f19%2fslain-son-s-memory-still%2f4043273007%2f/RK=2/RS=z03AcPdo0uYot7mkSYhG4z7H0eM-

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/22/nyregion/2-held-in-thrill-killings-of-pizza-men.html

https://www.njherald.com/story/news/crime/2019/08/09/convicted-killer-pizza-deliverymen-can/4321608007/

https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/supreme-court/2001/a-22-99-opn.html


https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/25/nyregion/mother-apologizes-to-families-of-deliverymen-slain-by-her-son.html


https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-26-mn-2826-story.html


https://www.nj.com/news/2010/07/former_sussex_county_man_convi_1.html


https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2010/a1697-07-opn.html


https://horrorobsessive.com/2022/05/13/the-pizza-murders-the-story-of-a-random-double-murder-that-shocked-a-small-town/


https://www.alamy.com/file-jason-vreeland-17-from-vernon-township-nj-is-seen-in-this-high-school-yearbook-photograph-vreeland-and-thomas-j-koskovich-18-from-franklin-were-charged-with-the-murders-of-two-pizza-delivery-men-saturday-night-in-franklin-ap-photodaniel-hulshizer-image543056317.html


https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/chilling-case-baby-faced-pizza-31912103

296. Twisted Fascination: Rachel Barber

 15-year-old Rachel Barber. a bright and promising teenager from Melbourne, Australia, disappeared after leaving class in 1999.

Rachel's boyfriend told the Barbers about his cryptic conversation with Rachel earlier in the day about her having a job lined up for that evening and how now she could buy some shoes she had wanted.  Another friend mentioned that Rachel had planned to “meet up” with an unnamed female friend. When the Barbers reported their daughter missing to the police, they got the speech, “Most missing teenagers show up within 48 hours alive and well”.

Her family, desperate for answers, launched an extensive search, unaware that the person responsible for her disappearance was someone they knew who had a deadly obsession.




Join Cam and Jen as they discuss "Twisted Fascination: Rachel Barber" on this week's episode of Our True Crime Podcast.

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

Sources:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/958866.Perfect_Victim
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/caroline-reed-robertsons-deadly-obsession-with-beautiful-dancer-rachel-barber-led-to-murder/news-story/ca370d6f83a0f9a2c37b8075cfef2913
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=HspjEK5bb2E&ab_channel=Dr.ToddGrandeqhttps://www.youtube.com/watchv=DPkDk1ay0A8&list=PLf6JoKlW9k2akQi9zQ7k7nQq62ccw_TGo&ab_channel=CasefilePresents
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/caroline-reed-robertson-who-strangled-dancer-rachel-barber-in-1999-freed-on-parole/news-story/5ce7e1bd298fbc40145f6aacf02dbfed
https://rachel barber official memorial.yourwebsitespace.com/bio.h
tmlhttps://www.penguin.com.au/authors/elizabeth-southall
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Her_Skin

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3267106/

Deadly Women Season 7, Episode 11 "Heartless Souls"
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/dancers-fixated-killer-a-real-danger-parole-rejection-bid-20120718-229nt.html
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/from-freud-to-fluoxetine/202310/pathological-jealousy-in-borderline-personality-disorder
https://www.fact.on.ca/news/news0011/th001130.htm
https://aussiecriminals.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/in-her-skin-court-transcript_opt.pdf

295. Snatched As She Slept: Rowan Ford

 Nestled in the small, unassuming town of Stella, Missouri, in the heart of the Ozarks, nine-year-old Rowan Ford lived a life like any kid would. She shared a modest home in Newton County with her mother, Colleen Munson, and her stepfather, David Spears. 25-year-old David Spears had a long-standing friendship with 32-year-old Christopher Collings, a man who wasn’t family by blood but had become close to the family over the years. Collings moved into the Spears household during the summer of 2007, living in the basement and being looked up to by the young Rowan, who fondly called him “Uncle Chris.” But by late October, Collings left the Spears home and relocated to a farm in Wheaton, Missouri, where he had a trailer parked on the property.  On the chilly evening of November 2, 2007, Nathan Mahurin, another friend of both Spears and Collings, joined the two men at the Wheaton farm. The trio stopped at a local liquor store to stock up on malt liquor before returning to Spear's home to drink and play pool. The following morning, November 3, her mother, Colleen, returned from her shift around 9:00 a.m. to find Rowan missing. At first, she assumed her daughter was somewhere in the house, but after a frantic search, she realized Rowan was gone. 

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode, ' Snatched As She Slept: Rowan Ford.’

Listener discretion is by @octoberpodVHS

Music is by our EP @theinkypawprint

Sources:
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/mo-supreme-court/1676021.html

https://casetext.com/case/collings-v-state-2

https://www.ozarksfirst.com/crimetraveler/crime-traveler-what-happened-to-rowan-ford/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/12/03/christopher-collings-execution-missouri-rowan-ford/76744499007/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christopher-collings-missouri-execution-rowan-ford-murder/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/missouri-execution-christopher-collings-rape-murder-b2658052.html

https://krcgtv.com/news/local/parson-state-of-missouri-will-execute-man-convicted-of-rape-murder-of-nine-year-old-girl

https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/breaking-death-row-inmate-christopher-838753

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna21708153

https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/videotape-confession-presented-in-rowan-ford-case/article_16eca7b2-73ee-519c-8000-2d3ed82751c9.html

https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/chris-collings-father-no-matter-what-happens-i-love-my-son/article_e10bdd91-c2d5-5fa5-ad47-fb1b9d65fd00.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christopher-collings-missouri-execution-rowan-ford-murder/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/02/missouri-execution-christopher-collings

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/12/02/christopher-collings-execution-rowan-ford-missouri/76578296007/

https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-6703.html

https://mdcp.nwaonline.com/news/2012/oct/04/murder-charge-dropped-20121004/

https://fox4kc.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-missouri-man-facing-execution-in-the-sexual-assault-and-strangling-of-a-9-year-old-girl/

https://www.fourstateshomepage.com/news/crime/murder-victims-step-father-where-is-he-now/

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2024/12/02/missouri-executing-christopher-collings-rape-murder-rowan-ford/76711350007/

https://www.ky3.com/2025/01/14/missouri-lawmakers-demand-firing-rowan-fords-step-father-public-defenders-office/

294. Revenge and Ruin: The Pearson Family

 In the early hours of December 11, 2017, the small, tight-knit community of Walkden, Salford, was thrust into the heart of a nightmare that would forever scar its residents. It was just after 5 a.m. when Michelle Pearson, a single mother of five, dialed emergency services. Desperate and trembling, her voice cut through the static as fire and rescue teams scrambled to the scene, racing against time. Flames already consumed the house. Neighbors watched helplessly as the fire raged. Inside, Michelle’s family was trapped. Michelle was a mother to five children: 17-year-old Kyle, 15-year-old Demi,8-year-old Brandon, 7-year-old Lacie, and the youngest, 3-year-old Lia. Michelle was their protector and rock. But on this fateful morning, she was about to find herself in a battle for their lives, a battle she would lose.

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled ‘Revenge and Ruin: The Pearson Family Arson.’

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music and Editing courtesy of @theinkypawprint

Promo by our own Rett MacPherson @rett1214 and her new podcast Mystery, History, and Crime. 

Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-56829229

https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2021/april/trio-jailed-for-mothers-death-following-2017-petrol-bomb-attack/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/26/michelle-pearson-mother-of-four-children-killed-in-2017-house-fire-dies-salford

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/michelle-pearson-walkden-bolland-worrall-20435550

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9495581/Judge-jails-cowardly-monsters-life-murdered-mother-four-young-children.html

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2021-03-30/walkden-fire-zak-bolland-and-david-worrall-found-guilty-of-murdering-michelle-pearson-in-fire-that-killed-four-children

https://news.sky.com/story/mum-michelle-pearson-told-all-her-four-children-died-in-december-fire-11346054

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/heartbroken-mum-spent-final-months-23954952

https://www.amazon.com/Killers-Caught-On-Camera/dp/B0DBDHM2HZ

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/24768140.inquest-deaths-michelle-pearson-four-children-go-ahead/

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/19166189.happened-son-gives-evidence-murder-trial-death-tragic-mum-michelle-pearson-died-house-fire/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9495581/Judge-jails-cowardly-monsters-life-murdered-mother-four-young-children.html

293. She'll Pay: The Stalking and Murder of Shana Grice

 Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.

-Margaret Atwood

Shana Grice was a bubbly teenager who worked as an office receptionist in Portslade in the summer of 2015. At the time, she was just 18, bright-eyed and full of promise. She was excited to be able to save money for the wedding she planned with her boyfriend of two years, Ashley.

Shana's co-worker Michael Lane, a 26-year-old mechanic, was instantly smitten with Shana. Lane was eight years older than Shana, and she was quite flattered by this older guy’s attention. So, when Shana’s and Ashley’s relationship hit a rough patch, and the couple decided to “take a break,”  her relationship with Michael Lane went from flirtatious to something more physical.

After a three-month relationship with Michael, Shana decided she wanted to be with her high school sweetheart, Ashley, and broke off the relationship with him. Michael, however, couldn’t abide by her decision and told a friend, “She’ll pay for what she’s done.”

Michael became obsessed with Shana and began stalking her. Shana was afraid and went to the police for help on five occasions. It seems her complaints fell on deaf ears.




Join us as we discuss, "She'll Pay: The Stalking and Murder of Shana Grice."

We will be in London at CrimeCon UK! Come see us! You can use our discount code OTCP10 for 10% off the ticket price!

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

Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex49297674
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Shana_Grice
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-39363003
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/08/police-told-not-to-use-fines-in-stalking-cases-after-shana-grice
https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/murder-in-slow-motion-the-shana-grice-story/umc.cmc.3omacvuai5ho5g7uzu3lq7ep4
https://www.hudgellsolicitors.co.uk/news/civil-liberties/the-murder-of-shana-grice-why-police-attitudes-must-change
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Sarah_Everardh
ttps://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/crime/sarah-everard-what-happened-wayne-couzens-report-b2504551.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/7161363/stalker-murder-the-sun-campaign-change-law/
https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/crime/domestic-abuse-police-katrina-ohara-failings-dorset-phone-taken-attacker-stuart-thomas-stalking-harassment-a8148726.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-shropshire-64161716 https://youtu.be/bXByyDziY-0?si=irkguwPmHVO6eCfm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK8NAyAHOrs&ab_channel=EvilAmongUs
https://www.justice.gov/archive/ovw/docs/bjs-stalking-rpt.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/30/shana-grice-misconduct-finding-over-harassment-case
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-46071010
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/r-v-lane-sentencing-remarks.pdfhttps://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-sussex-49297674
https://sanctuaryforfamilies.org/femicideepidemic/#:~:text=Every%20month%2C%20an%20average%20of,partner%20violence%20is%20uniquely%20American.
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/press-release/2024/11/one-woman-or-girl-is-killed-every-10-minutes-by-their-intimate-partner-or-family-member#:~:text=Globally%2C%2085%2C000%20women%20and%20girls,members%20were%20the%20primary%20perpetrators.
https://www.womankind.org.uk/resource/a-femicide-factsheet-global-stats-calls-to-action/

292. Officer Down: The Execution of Sergeant Carl D. "Dewayne" Graham

 It was a cold November evening on the 26th, 2004, in Van Buren, Missouri, when the events that would soon unravel in the small, unsuspecting town began to take shape. Two men, Lance Shockley and his sister-in-law’s fiancé, Jeffrey Bayless, embarked on an innocent enough drive in Bayless' truck. But as they made their way, something went wrong. Under Shockley’s control, the vehicle careened off the road, plunging into a ditch. But it wasn’t the crash that would raise the most questions—it was what happened afterward that would haunt everyone involved. As the investigation unfolded under Highway Patrol Sergeant Carl DeWayne Graham, Jr., the small town would see another person lose their life. Join Jen and Cam on this Our True Crime Podcast episode entitled, ‘Officer Down: The Execution of Sergeant Carl D. "Dewayne" Graham.’

Listener Discretion by @OctoberpodVHS

All Music is by our Editor @theinkypawprint

Sources: 
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/mo-supreme-court/1641767.html

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/17/17-8599/48167/20180524163117353_2018-05-23%20-%20Shockley%20BIO%20-%20FINAL.pdf

https://notes.mshp.dps.mo.gov/si01/si01p001.nsf/035631d21d12b3ca8625729800536894/f2437dc3b16326358625726d006c4fe8?OpenDocument

https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/state-v-shockley-no-899789387

https://www.kfvs12.com/story/10410825/lance-shockley-sentenced-to-death/

https://www.dexterstatesman.com/story/1993757.html

https://missouritrooper.com/sergeant_carl_d_dewayne_graha.php

https://www.kait8.com/story/10074122/prosecutions-witnesses-testify-about-guns-at-trooper-murder-trial/

https://notes.mshp.dps.mo.gov/si01/si01p001.nsf/9c752498db6706a18625729800536890/93f4fb63106cf0a1862575be00749277?OpenDocument

https://www.kansas.com/news/article1005976.html

http://crimesceneinvestigations.blogspot.com/2008/09/delay-again-in-lance-shockleys-murder.html

https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Man-who-killed-Missouri-trooper-loses-appeal-433906243.html

https://ktvo.com/news/local/conviction-upheld-for-man-convicted-of-killing-missouri-trooper

https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Missouri-Supreme-Court-upholds-conviction-for-Ozarks-man-in-death-of-trooper-508656111.html

Snapped: The Kastanis Family Murders

 Sam and Margaret Kastanis met while playing in a band and were married in 1987. When the children came along, they quit the band to focus on family. Margaret said that even after a decade of marriage, she still often had butterflies in her stomach when she looked at her husband.  The couple had three beautiful children: Melissa, 11, Clinton, 9, and Christine, 6. The neighbors described the family as idyllic.

Margaret became severely ill with the Epstein-Barr virus and had been out of commission for more than a month. Sam eventually had to take time off from work to stay home with her and the children because she had no energy to care for them. By November 17th, 1991, Sam had been off work for several weeks, and Margaret was frustrated she wasn't getting better.

The couple recently put their house up for sale and received a bid. Now, it looked like they would be moving and buying a bigger and better house during the holiday season, yet Margaret was still not fully recovered. Add to this the fact that Margaret had made friends with a mentally unstable woman in the neighborhood and that she, too, had recently shown signs of paranoia. It became evident to some that the Kastanis family was beginning to unravel.

But nobody who knew the couple could have known that four of the five members of the Kastanis family would never make it to Thanksgiving. A tragedy of epic proportions was about to unfold in the upscale suburb of Salt Lake City. 

Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "Snapped: The Kastanis Family Murders."

A HUGE shout-out to Newspapers.com! They have been our resource and we've relied on them since we started in 2018.


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

Sources:
https://murderpedia.org/female.K/k/kastanismargaret.htm 
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613665361/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613664961/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613664417/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613664128/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613666265/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/469680036/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613665851/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613665851/?match=1&terms=Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/470771883/?match=1&terms=Sam%20Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613679275/?match=1&terms=Sam%20Kastanis
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130815084404.htm
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1022&context=honorscollege_cj (page 26)
https://www.deseret.com/1993/6/17/19052136/questioning-failed-to-alter-kastanis-story/
https://www.jurispro.com/files/documents/doc-1066204696-resume.pdf
https://www.newspapers.com/image/470757772/match=1&terms=Rod%20Englert%20Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/470755669/?match=1&terms=Rod%20Englert%20Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613678190/match=1&terms=Rod%20Englert%20Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613678194/?terms=Rod%20Englert%20Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/470769718/match=1&terms=Rod%20Englert%20Kastanis
https://www.newspapers.com/image/613678006/match=1&terms=Rod%20Englert%20Kastanis
https://www.deseret.com/1991/11/20/18952786/deaths-margaret-jenkins-kastanis-melissa-missy-kastanis-clinton-clint-kastanis-christine-chrissy-kas/

https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2022/may/1/pseudoscientific-practice-blood-spatter-analysis-how-desire-convictions-drives-flawed-prosecutions/