It started with two dog bowls.
On the morning of October 15, 2011, in Philadelphia's quiet Tacony neighborhood, 71-year-old landlord Turgut Gozleveli descended into the basement of the brick building he helped maintain. But that morning, something felt wrong.
The basement was darker than usual. Several lightbulbs had been unscrewed, leaving the room in near darkness. Two stainless steel dog dishes sat side by side beneath a small table. Pets weren't allowed in the building. He asked the tenants if anyone was feeding a dog. Everyone said no.
Two days later, the bowls were still there. Uneasy, Gozleveli grabbed a flashlight and returned to the basement. He made his way to the building's long-abandoned furnace room. The door was wrapped in a chain. He unlooped it and pulled the door open.
The smell hit him first. His flashlight revealed a dirt floor littered with scraps of food, filthy blankets, and a bucket overflowing with human waste, and then something moved beneath one of the quilts.
When Gozleveli lifted the blanket, he recoiled. A man and a woman lay curled together, gaunt and wide-eyed.
"Get the hell out of here," he shouted, assuming they were squatters.
They weren't.
Join Cam and Jen on this episode entitled 'Philly House of Horrors: Linda Weston.’
Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS
All music and editing is by @theinkypawprint
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/file/768726/dl?inline=
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/judge-drops-one-lesser-charge-in-tacony-basement-of-horror-kidnap-case/
https://abc7.com/archive/8399941/
https://whyy.org/articles/leaders-daughter-in-tacony-dungeon-case-sentenced/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/self-described-preacher-sentenced-to-27-years-in-prison-in-basement-of-horrors-case/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/2013-in-review-feds-take-over-phila-basement-of-horrors-case/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/federal-charges-announced-in-tacony-basement-of-horrors-case/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/guilty-plea-in-tacony-basement-of-horrors-case-to-avoid-death-penalty/
https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/former-neighbor-of-linda-weston-searching-for-little-l/
https://news.sky.com/story/mum-who-starved-victims-in-dungeon-gets-life-10340529
https://oig.ssa.gov/news-releases/2015-09-10-audits-and-investigations-investigations-sept9-weston-guilty-plea/
https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/21/justice/pennsylvania-disabled-chained
https://www.courthousenews.com/new-claim-in-philadelphia-horror-case/
https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/philadelphia/news/press-releases/woman-who-held-disabled-adults-captive-in-subhuman-conditions-sentenced-to-life-plus-80-years-in-prison
https://www.aetv.com/articles/linda-ann-weston-kidnapping
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_basement_kidnapping
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