Our True Crime Podcast

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

263. 1 in 31 Billion: Krystal Naab

In the summer of 1991, Krystal Naab was sixteen years old. She lived in a mobile home in Ramsey, Illinois, with her mother and two siblings. She spent time with her boyfriend, whom she had plans to marry, and hung out with her friends. Everyone described Krystal as a genuinely sweet person.

July 23rd was shaping up to be a scorcher, and by 7:30 a.m., it was already warm and humid. Since one of Krystal's chores was to mow the lawn, her brother Curtis woke her up before he left for work. He reminded her that it would be hot and that she needed to cut the grass while it was still cool outside. Curtis then headed out the door to do landscaping work for his uncle, unaware of the horror he would later return to.

When Curtis arrived home at 4 p.m., he found Kyrstal lying face-down on the floor in a pool of blood just inside the entrance to the trailer. She had been stabbed 81 times with a pair of scissors the family kept in a china cabinet in the living room.

A small, white truck was seen by neighbors in Krystal's driveway that day from 10 a.m. to
3 p.m., so police thought she must have known her killer. When they asked Curtis if he knew anyone with that type of truck, he immediately came up with a name.

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Special: The Unexplained Death of Leanne Davidson Beck

*Content Warning: This episode deals with domestic violence that may be disturbing to some of our listeners.If you or someone you love needs help, please call the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or visit their website at https://www.thehotline.org/.

Thank you to Jessi and Kristin for speaking with us about their friend Leanne.

Leanne Davidson Beck was known for being fiercely independent, tenacious, and kind. She had a good heart, and she was loved by everybody who knew her. Leanne was a ‘go-getter,’ and her friends say she’d always be the one encouraging them to get up and do fun things instead of sitting around bored. She could always find the positive in bad situations, and she was always giggling. Leanne was an only child, so she made lots of friends throughout her life who she remained close to and treated like family. When Leanne met a man who Leanne fell in love with, her friends and family were excited for her as she would finally get what she had always wanted: a loving, happy family. That excitement would soon turn into concern. At 3:07 am on the 29th of August 2021, Leanne’s husband made a panicked call to 911, stating that his wife had vomited and was not breathing. When paramedics arrived, they noted that Leanne’s eyes were fixed, and they were unable to locate a pulse. Despite the lifesaving efforts carried out by the officers on the scene, Leanne Davidson Beck was pronounced dead at around 3:30 am. She was just 33 years old.

Join Jen and Cam on this Our True Crime Podcast Special “The Unexplained Death of Leanne Davidson Beck.”

Join Justice for Leanne Beck Facebook group for information and updates.

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS
Music is by our E.P. @theinkypawprint
Written by Fern @eoacrime

Sources:
https://www.azfamily.com/2023/03/09/18-months-after-her-death-family-peoria-nurse-still-looking-answers/#:~:text=PEORIA%2C%20AZ%20(3TV%2FCBS,held%20accountable%20for%20her%20death.

https://ncadv.org/statistics#:~:text=1%20in%203%20women%20and,be%20considered%20%22domestic%20violence.%22&text=1%20in%207%20women%20and,injured%20by%20an%20intimate%20partner.

https://ncadv.org/statistics#:~:text=1%20in%204%20women%20and,of%20sexually%20transmitted%20diseases%2C%20etc.

https://www.solacewomensaid.org/policy-campaigns/awareness-campaigns-awards/love-bombing-affection-today-abuse-tomorrow/

https://www.thehotline.org/resources/signs-of-love-bombing/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/why-bad-looks-good/202107/why-do-domestic-violence-victims-return-abusers https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-can-you-go-without-peeing

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

262. The Murders of Tara Sue Huffman and Christopher Meyer

On August 7, 1995, in Aroma Park, Illinois, 9-year-old Christopher Meyer approached his mom, Mika Moulton, asking for permission to visit the Aroma Park boat launch by the Kankakee River. Christopher, who spent his summers with his mother but resided with his father, Jim Meyer, in Walla Walla, Washington, during the school year, was eager to explore. Mika permitted him to go but set a curfew, instructing him to return home by 5 pm. When 5 o'clock came and went, Mika began to worry. She went out to search for Christopher but was unsuccessful so she returned home to phone the police and report Christopher missing. At the time, no one knew it but Christopher was not this person’s first victim.

Join Jen and Cam of Our True Crime Podcast on this episode entitled “The Murders of Tara Sue Huffman and Christopher Meyer.”

Listener Discretion by @octoberpodVHS
All music is by our EP @theinkypawprint

OneSkin sponsors this episode. OneSkin is the world's first skin longevity company. Focusing on the cellular aspects of aging, OneSkin keeps your skin looking and acting younger for longer. If you want 15% off use the code OTCP when you checkout at oneskin.co. This is only for a limited time. That’s 15% off oneskin.co with code OTCP. After you purchase, they’ll ask you where you heard about them, support our show, and tell them we sent you.

Sources:
https://murderpedia.org/male.B/b/buss-timothy.htm

https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/07/03/july-3-1996-buss-woes-stem-from-childhood-doctor-says/

https://casetext.com/case/people-v-buss-4

https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrime/comments/sgeb6r/in_1981_a_13_year_old_boy_named_timothy_buss/

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/jul/06/killer-sentenced-to-death-in-murder-of-10-year-old/

https://daily-journal.com/news/local/timothy-buss-asks-shorter-prison-time/article_638f3aa8-8ed8-5bd8-ac6c-d9fe8e7c3d74.html

https://www.newspapers.com/article/southern-illinoisan-tara-sue-huffman-ki/24824721/?locale=en-US

https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19960706&slug=2337897

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-09-03-mn-41912-story.html

https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/07/04/july-4-1996-buss-father-blames-himself-for-sons-behavior/

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/il-supreme-court/1008442.html

https://medium.com/@criminalmatters/13-year-old-sexually-assaulted-killed-5-year-old-12-years-later-he-killed-again-a4597417af20

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

261. Mommy Dearest: The Murder of Jerry Heimann

In April 2001, Jerry Heimann's son, Greg, had come to Washington State to visit his father. When his father didn't pick him up from the airport, he grew concerned. When he arrived at his father's home, and there was no answer, he broke into the house. Jerry wasn't there, and neither were most of Jerry's belongings. As he made his way into the dining room, he found an 89-year-old grandmother, Evelyn, and an Alzheimer's patient slumped in her wheelchair. She had been left alone, starving. Greg called 911.

When police asked the neighbors if they had seen Jerry, they said they hadn’t seen anybody at the residence after the live-in housekeeper and elder helper, Barbara Opel, had backed a U-Haul into Jerry’s driveway, packed it full of things from Jerry’s house, and left.

Soon, police knocked on Barbara Opel's hotel room door, asking her, her children, and their friends to come down to the station to answer some questions about the whereabouts of her employer, 64-year-old Jerry Heimann.

Barbara spun a story of how Jerry was dying of terminal prostate cancer, and he was just finished with this world. He’d given her all his earthly possessions, and she had no idea where he was.

Nobody else talked to the police. They did not betray Barbara.

But eleven-year-old Derek did. When the police asked him if he knew where Jerry was, he simply said, “Yes. He’s dead.”

Join Cam and Jen as they discuss. "Mommy Dearest: The Murder of Jerry Heiman"

Thank you to YA-MAN USA for sponsoring this week's episode. To experience the future of beauty, you can visit yamanusa.com and use code TCP for a 20% discount.

Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October from OctoberpodVHS
Executive Producer Nico Vitesse of The Inky Paw Print

Sources:

https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/little-girl-lost/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Opel
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/sentenced-to-50-years-in-everett-slaying-hell-get-out-after-21/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16566644/jerry_duane-heimann
https://murderpedia.org/female.O/o/opel-barbara.htm
https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/little-girl-lost/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B01DQ3K84A/ref=atv_dp_season_select_s2 Investigation Discovery: Deadly Sins Season 2 Episode 8; Mommy's Little Killers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4xtkBOfP84&ab_channel=DanielleKirsty
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1032029517/?match=1&terms=Barbara%20Opel
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1047870461/?match=1&terms=Heather%20Opel
https://www.newspapers.com/image/1048777719/?match=1&terms=Heather%20Opel
https://ivisontrust.org.uk/child-sexual-exploitation/what-is-trauma-bonding/#:~:text=The%20term%20'trauma%20bond'%20is,bo nd%20is%20damaging%20to%20them.
https://wainnocenceproject.org/marriam-oliver/
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/a-2001-killer-then -13-will-be-released-from-prison-early/
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/witness-details-teen-plot-to-kill/

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

260. The Scorecard Killer: Randy Kraft

In the early hours of May 14, 1983, two California Highway Patrol officers pulled over a suspected drunk driver on the San Diego Freeway in Mission Viejo, California. Instead of staying in his vehicle, the driver jumped out, pouring the contents of a beer bottle onto the road as he exited. His disheveled appearance caught the officers' attention as he approached their patrol car. The officers asked for the man’s driver’s license, and he readily admitted that he had been drinking beer, but he claimed to be sober. Sergeant Michael Howard approached the vehicle and noticed a man slumped in the passenger's seat, partially obscured by a jacket, with empty beer bottles strewn around his feet. A folding knife was visible on the driver's seat. Howard tapped on the window, but there was no response. The man was unconscious and had no shoes on. His pants were unzipped, with his genitals hanging out of his pants. The officer attempted to find a pulse, but there was none. A closer look at the man indicated that the man had been strangled. This standard DUI arrest just changed to murder, but this is far from the only murder this man would commit.

Join Jen and Cam of ‘Our True Crime Podcast’ as we discuss “The Scorecard Killer: Randy Kraft.”

Listener discretion is by the talented @octoberpodVHS

All music is by our executive producer @theinkypawprint

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_of_Darkness_(book)

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/the-scorecard-killer-southern-california-man-may-have-murdered-as-many-as-67-victims

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Kraft#Conviction_and_incarceration

https://randykraft.com/the-victims/

https://latimes.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-randy-kraft/138310135/?locale=en-US

https://skdb.fandom.com/wiki/KRAFT_Randy_Steven

https://inmagazine.ca/2022/03/queer-crime-was-serial-killer-randy-kraft-wrongly-convicted/

https://www.reddit.com/r/serialkillers/comments/15wby08/all_randy_krafts_victims_suspected_connected_and/

https://www.ranker.com/list/randy-kraft-facts/christinatedesco

http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc%20405/serial%20killers/Kraft,%20Randy%20_spring%202007_.pdf

https://www.foxnews.com/us/iowa-teen-identified-victim-scorecard-killer-randy-kraft-nearly-50-years

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-supreme-court/1402694.html

https://www.allgaylong.com/blog/randy-kraft-the-sadistic-scorecard-killer/

https://bonlinetr.unionjill.org/content?c=scorecard+killer&id=12

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-11-29/scorecard-killer-victim-identified-michael-ray-schlicht-orange-county-randy-kraft

https://longbeachize.com/articles/the-disturbing-creepy-history-of-long-beachs-scorecard-killer-randy-kraft/

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/11/28/after-49-years-orange-county-investigators-id-a-presumed-victim-of-serial-killer-randy-kraft/

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/serial-killer/the-scorecard-killer-southern-california-man-may-have-murdered-as-many-as-67-victims
https://randykraft.com/

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

259. Wolf in Priest's Clothing: Irene Garza

All considered twenty-five-year-old school teacher and beauty queen Irene Garza to be a “devout” Catholic. She attended daily mass at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen. There was nothing pretentious or fake about Irene, and she lived her faith. Being good to others was part of her life’s mantra. She told a friend of hers that she found strength and comfort from her daily communion, so it was only natural that she would go to confession that Saturday evening before Easter. In fact, her family said that Irene attended confession every Saturday, whether she needed to or not.

Irene arrived for confession around 7:00 p.m., entered one of the confessionals, and seemingly disappeared. Five days after she went missing, on April 21st, 1960, the body of Irene Garza was found floating in the 2nd Street irrigation canal, just three miles from the Sacred Heart church where Irene was last seen.

Police only had one suspect in mind for her murder. He was the last person to see Irene the night she left. In fact, he heard her last confession. His name? Father John Feit.

Thursday, May 2, 2024

258. Little Girl Gone: Casey Williamson

Warning: Today's episode deals with mental health struggles. If you or someone you love need help please contact 988, where resources are available to you.

On Friday, July 25, 2002, Ernie Williamson woke up to the alarm at either 6 or 6:30 AM, preparing to head to work. As he starts his day, his 6-year-old daughter, Cassandra, affectionately known as Casey, approaches him, telling him she is hungry. Ernie assures her that he'll quickly take a shower and then accompany her across the street to grab breakfast. Since Ernie and Angela had separated, the couple wanted to raise their children, Chelsea--age 12, Casey—age 6, Elizabeth—4, and little Ernie—2, in a loving co-parenting style, Angela and the kids stay with her father at on Benton Street in Valley Park; while Ernie stays right across the street.
As Ernie gets ready, he has no worries since a family friend, 24-year-old Johnny Johnson, is still asleep on the couch. Both Angela and Ernie have known Johnson since he was a child. However, upon finishing his shower and returning upstairs for Casey, he discovers that she is nowhere to be found inside the house. Casey is missing.
Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled ‘Little Girl Gone: Casey Williamson.”

Listener discretion by @octoberpodVHS
Music by our E.P. @theinkypawprint

Sources:
https://people.com/johnny-johnson-murdered-casey-williamson-executed-7569504

https://fox2now.com/news/true-crime/a-2002-st-louis-area-sleepover-ends-with-kidnapping-murder/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpIwxvWyM50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMCbX7cPEzA

newspapers.com

https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/missouri/article277306138.html

https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/casey-williamsons-mother-devastated-after-convicted-killer-given-stay-of-execution/

https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-casey-williamson-johnny-johnson-b0d87ed6e459e49cb53f9b4fa5fcd738

https://nypost.com/2023/08/02/eerie-final-words-of-vampire-who-killed-6-year-old-girl/

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