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.

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode, “Pope's Cafeteria Massacre.”

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS

Music by  @theinkypawprint

Sources:
Murder At Pope's Cafeteria by Ronald Martin. 


https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-thomas-selvey-an/21186652/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-byrd-guilty-of-f/16608221/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press-byrd/80560580/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-byrd-1/80560921/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-dairy-queen-murd/17396419/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/48854693/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-news-leader-maurice-osca/16349748/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-oscelious-green/20674092/

"Byrd". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 23, 1991 – via newspapers.com.

"Verdict". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 15, 1982 – via newspapers.com.


https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-shootings-recall/19116456/

 "Suspect's wife tells of money at murder trial". The Springfield News-Leader. August 12, 1982 – via newspapers.com.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/missouri-1

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/12/08/Convicted-murderer-Maurice-Oscar-Byrd-has-been-sentenced-to/2762408171600/

 "Defendant Said To Boast Of Killings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 12, 1982 – via newspapers.com.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-shootings-recall/19116456/

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

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!

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

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.



Join Cam and Jen as they discuss "Sweet Tea & A Southern Scandal."

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: A Murder in Searcy by Mike S. Allen & Deana Hamby Nall 
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Searcy-Mike-S-Allen/dp/B099FMBZ9G/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14484920/fern-rodgers
https://www.centuriespod.com/post/episode-2-30-scandal-in-arkansas-the-murder-of-fern-rodgers
https://case-law.vlex.com/vid/rodgers-v-state-no-889185361
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Rodgers_Sr._House
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10076263/porter_roland-rodgers
https://casetext.com/case/state-medical-board-v-rodgers
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1099835/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/949767446/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1095685/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1102359932/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1100114/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1100114/?match=1&terms=%22Fern%20Rodgers%22 
https://www.newspapers.com/image/949365915/?match=1&terms=%22Dr.%20Porter%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/353717930/?match=1&terms=%22Dr.%20Porter%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1101968456/?match=1&terms=%22Dr.%20Porter%20Rodgers%22
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1101968456/?match=1&terms=%22Dr.%20Porter%20Rodgers%22
https://www.centuriespod.com/post/episode-2-30----scandal-in-arkansas-the-murder-of-fern-rodgers?fbclid=IwY2xjawJOiANleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTncw6wBCKXOX9Zwl0FhZNhKGdqX8RP0LkvB41yiopEb2FkIk292FTuN2Q_aem_Ute4IZ6-hs5UCju1PKIpMg
https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1933?amount=2700   https://www.randallroberts.com/obituaries/peggy-heredos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwuUBb5C2TQ&ab_channel=HTTCrime%28Here%27sTheThing%29

Special: Rogue Transmissions: Halfway To Halloween

 

Somewhere the sun shines, somewhere the birds sing the glories of a new dawn. Somewhere … it's Spring again!  But HERE … every day is Halloween!  Rogue Transmissions, an uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts, presents  the Halfway to Halloween Hullabaloo!  Your horror host Edward October is scanning the dial for lost broadcasts, campfire tales, and weird nostalgia to bring you a hell-raising halfway to Halloween party that will chase away the springtime blues.

 

First up:  Vintage Halloween games and fortune-telling rituals, the secret of "The Ring Wraith Kid," and ghostly electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) recorded in a haunted apartment. Then: Green glowing footprints (do they belong to a ghost or an alien?), a startling steampunk re-imagining of The Tell-Tale Heart, a haunted pub, and a terrifying true missing persons case. Plus: The Tavern Haunting, and the true account of a haunted cabin in the woods.

 

Featuring Rogue Transmissions from: Karyn Raynor & Aubree Summers (Chick Lit podcast), Alecia Watson (Twisted & Uncorked and Truly Twisted), Amber & Maddie (Witches Talking Tarot), JT Hosack (Brew Crime), Emma & Becky (Spine Chillers & Serial Killers), Nikki Young (Serial Napper), Jen (Our True Crime Podcast), and Edward October (Octoberpod AM).

 

Tighten your screams, dust off your shrouds, and bring enough candy to feed a crowd ... because we're throwing a Halfway to Halloween party wild enough to wake the dead on this edition of Rogue Transmissions, the uncanny anthology of exceptional indie podcasts.