We are back on the Isle of Man for Part Two of Gef, the ridiculous little wall weasel.
This week, people try to figure out what the hell is going on at Cashen’s Gap. We have alleged Gef hair, footprints, photographs, zoologists, witnesses and investigators….spoiler alert: Gef is not impressed!
Welcome back to Spooky Fuckery Month. Let’s finish this fucking mongoose.
Spooky Fuckery Month is officially here!
And we’re kicking things off on the Isle of Man, where, in 1931, the Irving family began hearing strange noises coming from inside the walls of their isolated farmhouse.
Meet Gef, the talking, swearing, gossiping, possibly supernatural mongoose who lives behind the walls, spies on the neighbors, sings songs, makes deeply questionable claims about himself and has a LOT of opinions!
The plane had crashed. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper had been laid to rest. But the story of The Day the Music Died is far from over.
In the fourth and final part of our series, we look at everything that came after February 1959: the investigation into the crash, the questions that lingered, the families and loved ones left behind, and the strange rumors and theories that started to spread around one of the most infamous tragedies in music history.
This week Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper finally come together for the Winter Dance Party…the infamous tour that was badly planned, brutally cold, and exhausting almost from the moment it began.
We follow them as the ping-pong across the frozen Midwest in a bus that could barely keep them warm, through breakdowns, illness, and a schedule that made very little geographical sense….and that makes Johanna kind of stabby!
playlist:
February 3, 1959, would become known as “The Day the Music Died”In Part Two of The Day the Music Died, we continue with Buddy Holly’s story as his career takes off, and introduce the youngest musician who would eventually join him on the Winter Dance Party tour: Ritchie Valens.
By January 1959, Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens were all headed for the same place: the Winter Dance Party, an exhausting and grueling tour through the frozen Midwest.
February 3, 1959, would become known as “The Day the Music Died”
But before we get to that frozen field, we need to know the people who ended up on that plane.
In Part One, we look at the lives and careers of Buddy Holly and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. We follow Buddy from Lubbock, Texas, to becoming one of the most influential figures in early rock and roll, and the Big Bopper from radio DJ and songwriter to larger-than-life performer.
Heinz Pohlmann has been acquitted, but Rosemarie Nitribitt’s murder is still unsolved. So in our final part, we look at Rosemarie’s famous notebook, the very real wealthy and powerful men in her life, the rumors of blackmail, missing files, a supposed murder tape, and theories ranging from jealous clients to industrial espionage.
It’ s been almost seventy years since the murder, and there are still plenty of theories about who killed Rosemarie Nitribitt.
When Rosemarie Nitribitt’s body was discovered in her Frankfurt apartment, the investigation turned into one of the biggest murder mysteries in postwar Germany. In Part 2, we look at what investigators actually knew, what they only thought they knew, why Heinz Pohlmann became their prime suspect, and why this case remains to be a mix of fact, rumor, and conspiracy theories that continues to fascinate people today.
Long before Rosemarie Nitribitt became front-page news, she was just a little girl growing up in poverty. In Part 1, we trace her childhood through orphanages, foster homes, and institutions, and follow her to Frankfurt, where she would soon become one of the most infamous women in 1950s Germany.
Is reincarnation real, and is it possible that people remember a life that ended more than 3,000 years ago?
From the time she was a small child, Dorothy Eady insisted that ancient Egypt was her home. As an adult, she left England behind, settled in Egypt, and became known as Omm Sety, earning the respect of archaeologists for her meticulous work while claiming that she had once been an Egyptian priestess at the court of Pharaoh Seti I.
In the second part we follow Mary through her years on North Brother Island, her legal fight against the city, her release, and the decision that would ultimately send her back into quarantine for the rest of her life.
Mary Mallon was simply an Irish immigrant making a living as a cook for some of New York’s wealthiest families. But wherever she worked, typhoid fever seemed to follow.
In the first part of our two-part series, we head back to New York at the turn of the twentieth century, where crowded streets, groundbreaking discoveries in public health, and one baffling outbreak after another form the backdrop for one of the most famous investigations in medical history. As sanitary engineer George Soper begins looking for the source of a mysterious typhoid outbreak at a summer home in Oyster Bay, he starts to notice a pattern everyone else had overlooked!
n the final part of our series on Starr Faithfull, the investigation begins, and this is where the mystery begins!
Why were parts of her clothing missing? Why did two autopsies reach different conclusions? What was in Starr’s diary? And what role, if any, did the powerful former mayor Andrew J. Peters play after years of abusing her?
In this final episode, we walk through the investigation, the evidence, and the theories that have been debated for more than 90 years. We also talk about how the press turned Starr into a “party girl,” and why we think that completely misses the point.
Starr Faithfull finally tells her family the secret she’s been carrying for nearly a decade: she has been sexually abused by a powerful and trusted relative since childhood.
In Part 2, we talk about what happened after that revelation, as her family struggles to help her in an era when trauma was poorly understood and the modern ideas of treatment were more than questionable.
In 1931, the body of 25-year-old Starr Faithfull washed ashore on a Long Island beach. Newspapers and the public speculated whether her death was murder, suicide, or an accident. But before we can answer that question, we need to go back to the beginning: to old Boston money, political power, and the man Starr knew as “Uncle Andrew.”
Content note: This episode contains discussions of child sexual abuse, grooming, eating disorders, addiction, suicidal ideation, and mental health struggles.
The Hitler Diaries are finally exposed as fake, and the fallout is spectacular!
In the fourth and final part of our series, we talk about the collapse of the biggest media scandal in postwar Germany. What did the BKA find? What was the so called “Folternacht” inside Stern headquarters? And what happened to the Carin II.?
Stern is now spending millions, historians are cautiously warning them, and Konrad Kujau is sitting at home frantically producing more and more volumes while simultaneously convincing everyone that this all makes perfect sense.
What could possibly go wrong?
Gerd Heidemann follows up on the supposed Hitler diaries and finally meets the man behind them. Money starts changing hands in ways that should probably raise a few questions.
This week, we start a story that begins with a boat, takes a detour through a small village in East Germany, and ends up with one of the biggest media scandals in German history.
In 1853, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria goes for one of his regular walks in Vienna. It’s something he does often enough that people know where to find him, and on that day, someone does.
A young Hungarian tailor named János Libényi steps forward and tries to stab the emperor in the neck. The attack doesn’t go as planned, the emperor survives, and within seconds, two men step in and stop it.
This week we’re in January of 1919, in Boston’s North End. People are still recovering from the First World War and the 1918 flu, the area is packed with people, noise, and a molasses tank that never should have been there in the first place.
When we first started Fresh Hell, people kept asking us to cover the Boston Molasses Flood. So…here we are. And because Annie researched this one, we’re not taking the direct route.
Part 1 is less about the disaster itself and more about everything that led up to it, because as always…none of this happened in a vacuum. We’re in Boston’s North End, one of the oldest and most crowded neighborhoods in the city, and we’re going way back. Fires, smallpox, the Salem witch trials, rum, slavery, baseball…it’s all in here!
After everything he survived as a child at Spiegelgrund, Friedrich ends up back in prison in the 1970s, where he is sent for a psychiatric evaluation. It’s hard to believe what would happen next!
This is the part of the story where things don’t resolve neatly, and where the idea of justice becomes complicated, delayed, and in many ways incomplete.
In Part 3 of Friedrich Zawrel’s story, we follow him through detention, sentencing, and a harrowing journey along the Danube as the Third Reich falls apart in its final weeks.
After multiple escape attempts, Friedrich is arrested again…this time landing in the Nazi youth justice system.
In Part 2 of Friedrich Zawrel’s story, we meet the doctors of Spiegelgrund.
Dr. Ernst Illing and Dr. Heinrich Gross were psychiatrists working inside Vienna’s infamous children’s institution during the Nazi period. Under the banner of “racial hygiene,” they helped run a system that targeted children considered disabled, difficult, or socially undesirable.
In this episode we look at their backgrounds, their roles within the Nazi medical system, and how ordinary medical careers became intertwined with one of the regime’s most disturbing programs.
Friedrich Zawrel grew up in Vienna during the Third Reich. As a child, he was labeled “difficult” and “unmanageable” by the authorities. That was enough to place him inside the Nazi welfare and psychiatric system…a system that decided which children were worth keeping alive.
In this episode, we look at Friedrich’s early life and how he ended up at Spiegelgrund, the children’s ward in Vienna where hundreds of young patients were imprisoned, abused, and murdered as part of the Nazi “child euthanasia program”.
Friedrich was one of the few who survived. This is his story!
Vienna, 1940. On the hills above the city stood a children’s psychiatric institution called Am Spiegelgrund. Officially it was a place for treatment, observation, and care. In reality though, it became part of the Nazi system that classified vulnerable children as “unfit,” subjected them to medical abuse, and in hundreds of cases sent them to their deaths.
This episode focuses on the historical background: how a modern medical system was abused as mechanism for sorting, controlling, and ultimately killing the most vulnerable children in society.
In 1660, a respected estate steward left the English market town of Chipping Campden to collect rent and never came home. His bloodstained belongings were soon found by the roadside, and suspicion quickly fell on his servant, John Perry. What followed was a chain of confessions, accusations, arrests, and a trial that ended in execution.
There was only one problem….Nearly two years later, the supposedly murdered man walked back into town alive.
BUT…where had he been?!
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In Part 3, we follow Friedrich after Küstrin.
This episode looks at what Friedrich became once he held absolute power: the military strategist, the administrator, the enlightened absolutist who read philosophy while sending tens of thousands to their deaths. We talk about Sanssouci as a deliberate retreat, his devotion to animals over people, his refusal of intimacy, and the contradictions that defined his reign.
It’s the story of a man who learned how to rule by never again allowing himself to be vulnerable.
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After being arrested and imprisoned at Küstrin, Friedrich is stripped of rank, freedom, and is forced into isolation, surveillance, and humiliation, while the fate of his closest friend, Hans Hermann von Katte, hangs over everything.
Friedrich knows exactly what’s at stake. He’s seen how this ends for other crown princes. Only a few years earlier, Peter the Great had imprisoned, tortured, and executed his own son. Will he face the same fate?
Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, Crown Prince Friedrich, Küstrin fortress, Küstrin imprisonment, Hans Hermann von Katte, Katte execution, Friedrich Wilhelm I, Prussian royal family, Prussian monarchy, 18th century Prussia, royal imprisonment, court martial Prussia, Prussian military justice, trauma of monarchy, enlightened absolutism origins, Frederick the Great childhood, Frederick the Great imprisonment, Küstrin Castle, Prussian crown prince arrest, royal punishment history, execution of Katte, Alexei Petrovich execution, Russian crown prince 1718, royal fathers and sons, authoritarian parenting history, Prussian history podcast, European monarchy trauma
Friedrich II of Prussia is remembered as “the Great.”
But before he became the most famous Prussian king, he tried to run!
In this first part of a two-episode series, we go back to the beginning: to Friedrich II von Preußen’s childhood under the rule of his father, the so-called Soldier King. We talk about Prussia before it was shaped into a European super power, a court ruled by discipline and fear, and a father whose effectiveness as a ruler did not necessarily make him a great dad.
Also: if you want the original story of the Amber Room, why it started in Prussia, why Friedrich Wilhelm gave it away, and how it became one of the most mysterious lost artworks in history, you need to listen to this episode.
Friedrich II of Prussia, Frederick the Great, Friedrich Wilhelm I, Soldier King of Prussia, Hans Hermann von Katte, Wilhelmine of Prussia, Prussian royal family, Prussian court history, Prussia 18th century, Potsdam Giants, Lange Kerls, Amber Room history, Amber Room Prussia, Amber Room Peter the Great, Prussian military culture, royal abuse history, historical escape attempt, Prussian monarchy, European royal family trauma, Fresh Hell Podcast
In 1920s Vienna, a woman calling herself Baroness Cadvé ran what appeared to be a private language school for children. Behind the polite advertisements and the respectable address in the city center was something much darker.
This episode tells the story of Edith Kadivec, the woman at the center of the 1924 Vienna “Sadist Trial,” in which she was accused of abusing children for the sexual gratification of wealthy and powerful clients. The case exposed not just one abusive teacher, but a whole network of doctors, businessmen, artists, and aristocrats who believed their status would protect them.
This episode contains discussion of child abuse and exploitation.
f this episode brought up difficult feelings for you or someone you care about, you’re not alone, and support is available. Here are some trusted organizations and hotlines where you can find help, support, and information.
If you want to watch Henry’s wonderful documentary, you can find the English version here:
https://www.henryhauck.de/en-us
and the German version here:
In this episode we speak with filmmaker Henry Hauck, a cousin of one of the “Missing Children of Pirmasens”, a series of missing person cases from the 1960s, that have never been resolved and continue to haunt the town to this day.
Decades later, Henry chose to confront this history by making a documentary, not only as a filmmaker, but as a family member living with unanswered questions.
In our conversation, Henry talks about growing up in the shadow of a disappearance, the long-term impact these cases have on families and the town of Pirmasens, and about the main suspect…Günter Justus!
On December 24th 1996, in Minneapolis, a series of escalating disturbances unfolded across the city, leading to an explosion during the city’s Christmas celebrations. What began as isolated incidents at shopping centers and local businesses quickly revealed themselves to be connected, linked by the same individuals.
In November 1995, 16-year-old Ruth Wilson vanished after leaving her home in Surrey. She didn’t go to school as planned though. Instead she ordered some flowers, and took a taxi to a quiet rural lane near Box Hill. Then…she disappeared without a trace. Thirty years later, her family and investigators are still searching for answers. Was Ruth planning to run away? Did she meet someone that day? And why did she choose that isolated spot? In this episode, Annie and Johanna take a closer look at Ruth’s life, the timeline of her last known movements, the witness statements, and the theories surrounding her disappearance.
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In the final part of our Dr. Crippen series, we’re heading into the Old Bailey for one of the most sensational trials in Edwardian history. We’ll walk you through the courtroom, the personalities, the evidence, the theatrics, the “Saul Goodman–before-Saul-Goodman” defense strategy, and the moment the jury returned in just twenty-seven minutes.
Part 4 brings the story to its end… or at least as close to an end as this case has ever gotten. Because more than a century later, Crippen’s guilt is still being argued, and the science is still being debated!
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In Part 3 of our Crippen series, we follow the case across the Atlantic and back again. After the dramatic arrest aboard the Montrose, Inspector Dew brings Crippen and Ethel to Québec, where the crowds are already waiting and the extradition machinery kicks into motion. We cover their guarded return voyage, the secrecy, and the surprisingly calm behavior of a man accused of murder.
Once back in London, Crippen and Ethel are met with angry crowds, Bow Street is overrun with reporters, and the British press enters full Crippen-mania. Ethel heads to Holloway, Crippen to Pentonville, and the city prepares for one of the most anticipated trials of the Edwardian era. Next stop: the Old Bailey.
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In Part 2 of our Crippen series, Scotland Yard finally agrees something isn’t right with Dr Crippen. Inspector Dew talks to Crippen, listens politely, and then decides he needs another look inside the house on Hilldrop Crescent. What he finds there ends any hope that Belle simply packed up and left.
At the same time, Crippen and Ethel are already gone, traveling under new names, dressed as father and son, heading for Canada. They almost make it, too. But this is the moment in history when ships begin using wireless messages, and unfortunately for them, their captain happens to be paying very close attention. Before long, newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic are breathlessly reporting the chase as it happens.
This is the episode where the Crippen case stops being a missing-person story and becomes a full-blown international manhunt!
Hawley Harvey Crippen, Dr. Crippen, Belle Elmore, Cora Crippen, Ethel Le Neve, Inspector Walter Dew, Scotland Yard, Hilldrop Crescent, Edwardian London, early forensic history, historical crime, true crime 1910, Crippen escape, SS Montrose, Captain Kendall, Marconi wireless, first wireless manhunt, transatlantic pursuit, London murder case, Fresh Hell Podcast.
London, 1910: Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen and his wife, music-hall performer Belle Elmore, seem to have built the perfect Edwardian life… a tidy house in Holloway, polite manners, and a place in London’s social circle. But behind the facade of 39 Hilldrop Crescent, the marriage is falling apart.
In this first part of the story, we look at who the Crippens really were: Hawley’s small-town upbringing in Michigan and his career in homeopathy, and Belle’s ambition to become a star of the London stage.
When Belle disappears, and Dr. Crippen’s quiet secretary, Ethel Le Neve, suddenly takes her place, friends get suspicious.
They’ve delivered love letters and war messages, carried microfilm across battlefields, worn tiny backpacks full of XTC, and been accused of international espionage! Yet somehow, pigeons have become one of the most hated animals in modern cities.
In this episode we take a closer look at the humble pigeon…a bird that’s been by our side for thousands of years.
You’ll hear about decorated pigeon war heroes like Cher Ami and G.I. Joe, White Vision or Paddy, but also about the surprising science behind their intelligence, memory, and self-awareness.
On Halloween night, 1973, nine-year-old Lisa Ann French left her home in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, dressed as a hobo and planning to trick-or-treat with a friend. She never made it back. What followed would not only shatter their community, but also forever change Halloween for American families, and spark one of the most shocking parole controversies in Wisconsin history.
In this episode, Annie and Johanna tell the heartbreaking story of Lisa’s murder, the investigation that led to her neighbor, Gerald Turner, and the decades of legal battles that followed — from his 1975 conviction to the 1992 parole, and the eventual creation of Turner’s Law.
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This week, Johanna takes us back to 18th-century Austria, when terrified villagers were convinced the dead were refusing to stay buried…and the Habsburg Empire responded the only way it knew how: with paperwork!
Hear all about Petar Blagojević and Arnold Paole, and how it lead to Maria Theresia’s no-nonsense vampire ban. This is the true story of Europe’s first documented vampire epidemic. We’ll talk superstition, bureaucracy, and why the Empress’s personal physician, Gerard van Swieten, might have been Bram Stoker’s real-life inspiration for Van Helsing.
Of course we also try to figure out the possible medical explanations behind the legend: tuberculosis, rabies, and much more
For our 300th episode, we’re boarding one of the most famous ships in the world: the RMS Queen Mary. Once the epitome of 1930s luxury and wartime resilience, she now sits permanently moored in Long Beach, California… and she’s said to be home to over 150ghosts.
We talk about the tragic story of Door 13 and the splendor of the first-class swimming pool, as well as the anger and rage in the infamous Stateroom B340. Hear all about the elegant Woman in White who never left the dance floor, explore with us the ship’s history, hauntings, and the very thin line between legend and marketing.
Join us as we celebrate 300 episodes of Fresh Hell Podcast with a deep dive into the glamour, the ghosts, and the real-life horror story of keeping the Queen Mary afloat.
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This week on Fresh Hell, we’re taking you to the heart of spooky fuckery month with a deep dive into witch lore and trials in Austria and Germany. You know Salem: twenty people, one tragic year! But compared to what happened in central Europe, Salem was just a footnote. We’ll explore the folklore that fed the fear: Walpurgisnacht on the Brocken, Frau Perchta and her terrifying entourage, witches blamed for storms and nightmares, and then the very real trials in Würzburg, Bamberg, Salzburg, and beyond. Tens of thousands of people, mostly women, were executed in brutal hunts that tore entire communities apart. And yet, centuries later, witches have gone from a death sentence to Halloween costumes, protest slogans, and pop culture icons.
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Crikey! This week we’re taking you to meet crocodiles. The largest living reptiles on Earth, creatures that inspire both awe and terror. We’ll talk about the late, great Steve Irwin, whose passion and humor showed millions of people why crocodiles deserve our respect.
We’ll also tell you the truth about the legend of the Ramree Island “crocodile massacre,” and explain the strange biological truth behind the phrase “crocodile tears.”
Crocodiles may be dangerous, but they’re also extraordinary survivors, and Irwin was right: they deserve our admiration.
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Cardinal de Rohan believes he’s secretly helping Marie Antoinette purchase the world’s most extravagant necklace, while Jeanne de la Motte and her accomplices quietly dismantle it and sell the diamonds across Europe. We’ll tell you all about the scheme, the dramatic arrest of Rohan at Versailles during the Feast of the Assumption, and the sensational public trial before the Parlement of Paris. Jeanne is punished, others are exiled, Rohan is cheered as a victim — and Marie Antoinette, though innocent, is left more despised than ever. From there, we trace how the scandal haunted her through the Revolution, the flight to Varennes, and her final days in the Conciergerie, all the way to the guillotine.
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This week we’re heading to Versailles for one of the most scandalous cons in French history. In Part 1, you’ll hear all about the glittering worlds of Versailles and Schönbrunn, the childhood and marriage of Marie Antoinette, and her already fragile reputation as “Madame Déficit.” We’ll meet the main characters in this elaborate scheme: Cardinal de Rohan, desperate for the queen’s forgiveness; Jeanne de la Motte, a schemer with royal pretensions; her husband Nicolas; the forger Rétaux de Villette; and Nicole d’Oliva, a young woman who just happened to look like the queen.
will describe to you…in detail…this gaudy piece of jewelry!
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In the 16th to 18th centuries, hundreds of people across Central Europe engineered their own executions in the hope of dying “in a state of grace.” Suicide was a mortal sin, but murder was a capital crime, and execution after confession was seen as a path to salvation. In this episode we discuss several real cases of so-called “suicide by proxy,” including Agnes Catherina Schickin in 1704, Eva Lizlfellnerin in 1762, and Ursula Waserin in 1723. We’ll look at how religion, law, and despair combined to create a tragic pattern of crimes that were all eerily similar, and ask why authorities took so long to shut down the deadly loophole.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please know you’re not alone. In the US, dial or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In Canada, call 988. In the UK & Ireland, call 116 123 for Samaritans. In Austria, dial 142, and in Germany call 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222. In Australia, call 13 11 14 for Lifeline. You can also find international resources at findahelpline.com.
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We’re still on a summer break, but you know we couldn’t stay away from the horror for long.
In this second Best of Fresh Hell special, we’ve got three more unforgettable true crime cases from the archives, all condensed for maximum dread in minimum time.
We start with the heartbreaking murder of Katharina Fellner, a young woman in 1920s Vienna whose brutal death was only kind of solved.
Then we head to Maine for the deeply disturbing case of Sarah Ware, a mother of five found decapitated in 1898, and whose skull was kept as evidence for over a century.
Finally, we revisit the 1958 murder of Malvina Krutz, who was killed in her own home while her son was just in the next room. Her killer was never found.
Three women. Three unsolved cases. And still no justice!
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We might be on a summer break, but the mystery doesn’t stop.
In this first Best of Fresh Hell special, we’re serving up three of our favorite cold cases in condensed form.
Perfect for when you want the unsettling highlights without the two-hour extra information!
First up: Owen Parfitt, a paralyzed man who vanished from his front porch in 1760s England…without a trace and without anyone seeing a thing.
Then we revisit the strange case of Nell Cropsey, a 19-year-old who disappeared from her front porch in North Carolina in 1901 and was found weeks later, floating in the river behind her house.
Finally, we cover the disappearance of New York heiress Dorothy Arnold, who went shopping on Fifth Avenue in 1910 and was never seen again.
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In the third and final part of this Hollywood murder saga, we talk about the murder scene, all the possible suspects! Who had a motive? And who may have been protected by the studio system at all costs?We’ll walk you through the possible killers — from studio insiders and jilted lovers to the ones no one saw coming — and look at how the investigation quickly fell apart under pressure from powerful forces. We also take a closer look at Margaret Gibson’s jaw-dropping deathbed confession, and what, if anything, it actually proves.And finally, we’ll tell you what happened to all the major players in the years and decades after the murder that shocked early Hollywood.
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In part two of our three-part look at the mysterious murder of William Desmond Taylor, we pick up with the powerful (and possibly romantic) figures in Taylor’s life, and trace the final days leading up to his death.
You’ll hear about his complex relationship with set designer George James Hopkins, the bond he shared with Mabel Normand, and how the evening of February 1, 1922, played out—including what Mabel saw, what the neighbors heard, and what the valet found the next morning.
We walk you through the shock of Taylor’s death, the chaos at the crime scene, and the bizarre claim that silent film sweetheart Mary Miles Minter had been secretly engaged to him.
William Desmond Taylor, Mabel Normand, Mary Miles Minter, silent film, Hollywood murder, 1920s scandal, George James Hopkins, Charlotte Shelby, unsolved case, Taylor murder, Paramount Pictures, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, silent movie stars, Hollywood history, classic Hollywood, true crime, film noir, media circus, famous unsolved murders, Fresh Hell Podcast
Before there was Hollywood scandal, there was THE Hollywood scandal.
In this first part of our series on the murder of William Desmond Taylor, we’re setting the scene: Los Angeles in the 1920s, the silent film industry at its decadent, chaotic peak, and the lives of the people who would soon be swept up in one of the most notorious unsolved murders in Hollywood history.
We’re talking about the meteoric rise of Mabel Normand — one of the first female comedy stars and directors — and the complicated, carefully controlled public image of Mary Miles Minter, America’s “sweetheart” with a stage mom from hell. And then, of course, there’s Taylor himself. Or…. should we say William Cunningham Deane-Tanner?! He was a man with more than one name, and maybe more than one secret.
This is the beginning of a mystery murder that shook early Hollywood to its core… and we’re only just getting started.
William Desmond Taylor, Mary Miles Minter, Mabel Normand, silent film era, early Hollywood, Hollywood murder, 1920s Los Angeles, Paramount Pictures, unsolved Hollywood mystery, Charlotte Shelby, Taylor murder, classic Hollywood scandal, vintage crime, forgotten Hollywood, Fresh Hell Podcast
This week’s episode covers everything from the grim legacy of racist alligator myths to actual gator attacks, pet alligators ordered through the mail, and that one time a gator rang a doorbell in Florida. You’ll learn why the myth of sewer gators exists (and how Eleanor the Nile crocodile ended up beneath Paris), what black caimans are capable of (spoiler: it’s a lot), and how to keep your pets and kids safe near freshwater.
Plus: the heartbreaking story of little Lane Graves at Disney World, a dive into crocodilian blood research, and a look at how these apex predators interact with the world around them, especially when humans get too close.
alligator attacks, black caiman, crocodilians, crocodile safety, gator myths, Lane Graves, Disney World alligator, alligator conservation, crocodilian biology, crocodile blood research, human-wildlife conflict, Amazon River predators, Melanosuchus niger, Florida Man, sewer gators, pet alligators, alligator bait myth, William Bartram, American alligator, crocodile tips, reptile attacks, wild animal safety, Fresh Hell Podcast, crocodilian deaths, gator history, Victorian racism, reptile science, apex predator, true crime nature, nature horror, survival stories
This week, we’re trading murder for mayhem of the ancient reptilian variety. We take a deep dive into the world of crocodilians—those prehistoric apex predators that have been lurking in rivers, swamps, and sometimes swimming pools for millions of years. From the surprisingly gentle Chinese alligator to the misunderstood American alligator and the unexpectedly terrifying black caiman, we explore the biology, behavior, and long history of these armored giants. You’ll learn about death rolls, gator holes, cloacal logistics, and even virgin births. Yes, really. Plus: sewer gator myths, historical attacks, and why crocodilians might just be the ultimate survivors. If you thought you knew gators, you don’t know the half of it.
This episode is sponsored by Magic Mind
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alligator, crocodile, caiman, black caiman, gharial, false gharial, crocodilian, American alligator, Chinese alligator, apex predator, prehistoric animals, brumation, estivation, gator hole, gator attack, Florida wildlife, reptiles, freshwater predators, cloaca, death roll, gator myths, sewer gators, William Bartram, John James Audubon, man-eaters, crocodilian evolution, alligator reproduction, parthenogenesis, Everglades, ecosystem, natural history, Fresh Hell Podcast
In this week’s solo episode, Johanna takes you to the picture-perfect Austrian town of Werfen — home to falcons, frozen caves, The Sound of Music, and once… a baker with a deadly secret. Johann Oberreiter was a respected businessman, a model Catholic, and even a former town leader. But behind closed doors, he was also a poisoner.
In the mid-19th century, two young women in his household died suddenly.
Join us as we follow Oberreiter’s journey from gingerbread baker to convicted murderer!
Johann Oberreiter, arsenic poisoning, Werfen, Austrian true crime, historical murder, 19th century Austria, forensic toxicology, arsenic, Sound of Music, Eisriesenwelt, Hohenwerfen Castle, Austria crime history, Fresh Hell Podcast, true crime Europe, Lebzelter, gingerbread baker murder, murder in Werfen, Salzburg crime, historical poisoner, mayor murder case
So… you almost died. Or you technically did—for a moment. And then came the tunnel, the music, the relatives made of light, the surgeons flapping like chickens, or the sudden drop into a shadowy void full of screaming.
Welcome to the Fresh Hell guide to near-death experiences.
In this episode we explore what happens when people come this close to the other side. We cover ancient NDE accounts from Plato and Native American oral histories, the groundbreaking research of Kenneth Ring and Bruce Greyson, the famous Pam Reynolds and Vicki “born blind” case studies, and even some truly baffling hellish experiences. We also take a look at the scientific theories…everything from DMT to dying brain activity! And we ask: why do people from all over the world report such similar things?
near death experiences, NDE, Pam Reynolds, Vicki blind NDE, Kenneth Ring, Bruce Greyson, veridical NDE, scientific theories NDE, DMT, tunnel of light, out of body experience, Vicki Noratuk, The Good Place, hellish NDE, positive NDE, life review, near death podcast, ancient NDE accounts, Plato NDE, Native American NDE, near death research, death and dying, Fresh Hell Podcast, what happens when you almost die, death experience science, NDE case studies, spiritual near death, brain death, cardiac arrest NDE
Congratulations—you’ve died! Now what?
In this our version of the “Handbook For the Recently Deceased” (and the morbidly curious). We take you on a cross-cultural tour of the afterlife. Whether you’re heading for a bureaucratic judgment hall, a tunnel of light, a reincarnation lottery, or just… absolute nothingness, we’ve got you covered.
This episode explores what different religions and belief systems say happens after death—from ancient Egypt and Catholic purgatory to Buddhist reincarnation.
afterlife, near death experiences, NDE, reincarnation, purgatory, heaven, hell, what happens after death, Catholic afterlife, ancient Egypt, Buddhist beliefs, Hindu afterlife, Jewish afterlife, Día de los Muertos, ancestor spirits, Chinese ghost month, soul, judgment after death, life after death, fresh hell podcast, Pam Reynolds, Doug Forcett, The Good Place, Mary Neal, cultural beliefs after death, hellish NDEs, spiritual traditions, brain death, tunnel of light, reincarnation beliefs, death rituals, funeral customs, ghost month, Mexican traditions, podcast about death
In this week’s episode, Johanna takes us deep into the shadows of pre-WWI Austria-Hungary to tell the true story of Colonel Alfred Redl, once one of the most trusted man in the Austro-Hungarian military….and also its most infamous traitor.
From his modest beginnings in Lemberg to the very top of the empire’s intelligence apparatus, Redl’s rise was as improbable as his betrayal was devastating. But was he really blackmailed for being gay, or was he simply a man who liked money and knew how to lie? We’ll follow his double life of espionage, lavish spending, and secret lovers, right up to the moment the trap was set, and he walked straight into it.
Alfred Redl, Oberst Redl, Colonel Redl, Austro-Hungarian Empire, WWI, espionage, military intelligence, Evidenzbureau, Vienna history, Lemberg, high treason, Redl scandal, Austrian history, Franz Joseph, Kaiser Franz Joseph, Russian spies, pre-WWI Europe, Redl suicide, Redl Prague, homosexual blackmail, Maximilian Ronge, Manfried Rauchensteiner, Redl betrayal, Redl affair, early 20th century espionage, Conrad von Hötzendorf, Austrian military history, Redl Vienna, Redl Lviv, Cold War before the Cold War, Egon Erwin Kisch
In part two of our deep dive into the 1982 Tylenol Murders, we pick up with the immediate aftermath of the cyanide-laced capsules that killed seven innocent people in the Chicago area. As the city and the whole nation started to panic, Johnson & Johnson faced a nightmare scenario.
We’ll walk you through the frantic investigation, the theories that didn’t pan out, the suspect who looked promising but turned out to be a dead end, and the man who wrote an extortion letter demanding money to “stop the killings.”
We’ll also talk about the wave of copycat crimes that followed, the laws that changed as a result, and the way this case rewrote the rules of product safety and public trust.
Tylenol murders, 1982, Chicago, Johnson & Johnson, cyanide poisoning, product tampering, potassium cyanide, over-the-counter drug safety, James Lewis, Roger Arnold, unsolved case, FBI investigation, tamper-evident packaging, Tylenol recall, true crime podcast, Fresh Hell podcast, public health scare, copycat crimes, crisis management, cold case, pharmaceutical safety, poisoning case
In September of 1982, a 12-year-old girl in suburban Chicago took a Tylenol for a cold—and never got back up. Within days, six more people would die the same way. The connection? A bottle of Extra Strength Tylenol and a horrifying dose of potassium cyanide.
In this first part of our two-part series, Johanna and Annie walk through the events that stunned the nation: who the victims were, how investigators started piecing it together, and how Johnson & Johnson handled the situation.
It’s a case that changed how we trust what’s in our medicine cabinets…
Tylenol murders, 1982 Chicago, Mary Kellerman, Janus family, Mary McFarland, Mary Reiner, Paula Prince, potassium cyanide, poisoned Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson, product tampering, over-the-counter safety, unsolved true crime, corporate crisis response, FDA history, cyanide cases, public health scare, 1980s murders, Fresh Hell Podcast
This week, we’re taking a peel behind the Vatican’s heaviest doors. From popes who put each other on trial…AFTER DEATH…to rumors of devilish deals and sweating tombs. We’ll also tell you about the Vatican’s key master (yes, that’s a real job), the Room of Tears (because popes cry too), and how sometimes it’s important that “they hang well”!
Vatican, Vatican Museums, Pope Sylvester II, Cadaver Synod, Room of Tears, Vatican Key Master, Clavigero, Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo ceiling, papal scandal, medieval legends, ghost stories, Vatican Archive, Pope Joan, Vatican secrets, historical Catholic Church, papal power, Fresh Hell Podcast
In the final part of our Nellie Bly series, we follow her through yet another reinvention …as wife to industrialist Robert Seaman and, after his death, one of the first female CEOs in the U.S. We look at her lesser-known interviews with a ten-year-old Helen Keller and the terrifying Lizzie Halliday, and how she returned to journalism under William Randolph Hearst after her business collapsed under fraud and bankruptcy. She exposed corruption in the adoption system, was one of the first female war correspondents during the Great War, fought for women’s legal rights, and quietly placed abandoned children with families from a room at the Hotel McAlpin.
Nellie Bly, Nellie Bly podcast, women journalists, WWI correspondent, adoption scandal, Love o’ Mike, Fresh Hell podcast, journalism history, investigative reporting, women’s rights history, Hotel McAlpin, 1920s journalism, forgotten women in history, Nellie Bly death, orphan crisis, legal rights for women
In Part 3 of our Nellie Bly series, the whole world starts to pay attention. We’ll follow her from the publication of Ten Days in a Madhouse to her globe-circling race against the fictional Phileas Fogg. Along the way, Nellie becomes a household name, fields marriage proposals from strangers, and gets immortalized on trading cards and weird ads. But fame doesn’t make her lazy. She investigates shady servant agencies, interviews America’s most notorious female killer, and keeps writing stories no one else has the nerve to touch.
Nellie Bly, Nellie Bly podcast, Around the World in 72 Days, Ten Days in a Madhouse, female journalists, Gilded Age, investigative journalism, Lizzie Halliday, New York World, Joseph Pulitzer, Phileas Fogg, servant scams, 19th century media, women in journalism, historical women, Fresh Hell podcast
In 1887, Nellie Bly got herself committed to one of the most notorious mental institutions in the country — not because she needed help, but because she wanted the truth. In Part 2, we follow Nellie through the gates of Blackwell’s Island, where the food was inedible, the baths were freezing, and silence wasn’t just expected — it was enforced. What she found wasn’t a place for healing. It was a place where sane women were driven to madness, and no one on the outside was asking questions. Until now.
Nellie Bly, Blackwell’s Island, Ten Days in a Madhouse, women’s history, asylum abuse, Victorian era, undercover journalism, 19th century mental health, Pulitzer, Women’s Lunatic Asylum, Bellevue Hospital, feminist history, true crime adjacent, Fresh Hell Podcast, Nellie Bly investigation, mental institutions, New York history, investigative journalism,J oseph Pulitzer, women journalists
Before she became one of the most daring journalists in history, Nellie Bly was Elizabeth Jane Cochran — a smart, stubborn girl from Pennsylvania with very few options and even fewer rights. In this episode, we’re going back to the beginning: the poverty, the abusive stepfather, the letter that launched her career, and the fight to be taken seriously in a newsroom that didn’t want women there at all. This is the story of how Nellie broke in — and why no one ever forgot her once she did.
Nellie Bly,Pittsburgh Dispatch,feminist history,women journalists,19th century journalism,Elizabeth Cochrane,women’s rights,Gilded Age,undercover reporting,Joseph Pulitzer,New York World,Blackwell’s Island,Fresh Hell,podcast,true crime adjacent,history podcast,women in history,muckraking,early investigative journalism
From flood panics and flaming cities to gas masks for comet poison, humanity has always had a flair for predicting the end of the world—with spectacular inaccuracy. In this special palate cleanser episode, Annie and Johanna walk us through some of the weirdest, funniest, and most deeply unserious doomsday predictions in history.
We’ll cover the Great Flood that never came in 1524, London’s fire-and-666-fueled apocalypse panic in 1666, the comet hysteria of 1910 (featuring anti-comet pills), Y2K’s spreadsheet Armageddon, and yes, that time in 2012 when everyone thought the Maya were trying to kill us with a calendar. Add in some cults, bunkers, misinterpreted prophecies, and more than a few tinfoil hats, and you’ve got a full tour of the world’s many failed finales.
Spoiler alert: we’re still here.
apocalypse, doomsday predictions, failed prophecies, end of the world, Halley’s Comet, Y2K, Mayan calendar, 2012 panic, Stöffler flood, Great Fire of London, Fifth Monarchists, cults, comet panic, Jehovah’s Witnesses 1914, doomsday cults, doomsday prepping, comet pills, planetary alignment, funny history, weird history, mass hysteria, Fresh Hell Podcast, Annie and Johanna, historical panic, end times, apocalypse myths, failed apocalypse
Between 1960 and 1967, three children disappeared without a trace from the small city of Pirmasens, in southwest Germany. Walter Broschat. Klaus-Dieter Stark. Eveline Lübbert. All of them were between 9 and 10 years old. All vanished on a Friday. And to this day, not a single clue has been found.
In this episode, we revisit one of Germany’s most haunting cold cases. We’ll examine what we know about the disappearances, the man once known as the Waldmensch, the theories that still linger, and a documentary project by Eveline’s own cousin that’s keeping the case in the public eye more than 60 years later.
This is the story of a town that never got its answers—and of three families left with nothing but silence.
Fresh Hell Podcast, True Crime Germany, Pirmasens, Walter Broschat, Klaus-Dieter Stark, Eveline Lübbert, Missing children, German cold cases, 1960s, Waldmensch, Rasterfahndung, Southwest Germany, Unsolved mysteries, Child disappearances, German true crime, Henry Hauck, Spurlos Doku, Pfalz
In this episode, we look at the brief and heartbreaking life of Dorothy Stratten—Playmate of the Month in August 1979, aspiring actress, and the victim of one of Hollywood’s most disturbing murder cases. We trace Dorothy’s rise from a Dairy Queen in Vancouver to the pages of Playboy, her toxic relationship with Paul Snider, her affair with director Peter Bogdanovich, and the events that led to her brutal murder in 1980 at just 20 years old.
We also talk about the dangerous power dynamics behind the glamour of the Playboy Mansion, Bogdanovich’s fierce criticism of Hugh Hefner, and the lasting legacy of a young woman whose life was cut short by control, obsession, and violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence (DV), it’s crucial to seek help. Below are resources available in the United States, Austria, and internationally:
United States:
Austria:
International:
Remember, reaching out is a vital step toward safety and support. These organizations are equipped to assist and guide you through the process.
Dorothy Stratten, Paul Snider, Peter Bogdanovich, Playboy, Hugh Hefner, Playmate of the Year, They All Laughed, STAR 80, femicide, domestic violence, true crime, Hollywood murder, 1980s, Playboy Mansion, Hefner criticism, Great Playmate Hunt, murder-suicide, exploitation of women, tragic celebrity deaths, Fresh Hell Podcast
In this fifth and final part of the Lizzie Halliday story, Lizzie escapes the electric chair—but not justice. She continues to lash out, nearly killing the sheriff’s wife, and ultimately stabbing a beloved young nurse more than 200 times in what would become the first recorded line-of-duty death of a female law enforcement officer in the U.S.
Along the way, Lizzie makes a claim to her murdered husband’s pension, attempts to set multiple fires, and spins wild tales of murderous gangs and poisoned whiskey. We also hear from journalist Nellie Bly, who sits face-to-face with Lizzie—and walks away unconvinced by her claims of madness.
How many people did Lizzie really kill? We may never know. But it’s clear that, even behind bars, she was never finished causing harm.
Lizzie Halliday, female serial killer, true crime, historical crime, 19th-century crime, Matteawan Asylum, Nellie Bly, Paul Halliday, Sarah Jane McQuillan, Margaret McQuillan, Nelly Wickes, first woman electric chair, American history, murder trial, criminally insane, Fresh Hell Podcast
After the discovery of two women’s bodies buried in the manure pile of the Halliday barn, the search for Paul Halliday continues. But as authorities dig deeper—literally and figuratively—they uncover even more horrors. Lizzie Halliday remains in custody, shifting between moments of eerie calm and violent outbursts, but she isn’t done hiding evidence just yet.
Meanwhile, the identities of the two murdered women are finally revealed, linking Lizzie’s crimes back to an old family connection. And as investigators follow the trail of missing persons, the question remains—just how many victims did Lizzie leave in her wake?
Lizzie Halliday, serial killer, true crime, historical crime, 19th-century crime, female killers, New York murders, Paul Halliday, Sarah Jane McQuillan, Margaret McQuillan, hidden bodies, buried secrets, mental asylum, insanity plea, arson, fraud, deception, crime history, Fresh Hell Podcast
Lizzie Halliday has left a trail of destruction behind her…arson, theft, fraud, and at least one suspicious death! But in this episode, her crimes take a truly horrifying turn. After a year in a mental institution, Lizzie is released back into the care of her much older husband, Paul Halliday. His family and neighbors are already wary of her, and with good reason. Fires, violent outbursts, and unexplained disappearances follow wherever Lizzie goes.
When Paul vanishes without a trace, his family and neighbors start asking questions. The authorities arrive at the farm to search for him, but what they uncover is far worse than anyone imagined. And Paul? He isn’t the only one missing.
Listen now on your favorite podcast app. #FreshHellPodcast
Lizzie Halliday, serial killer, true crime, historical crime, 19th-century crime, female killers, New York murders, arson, horse theft, con artist, insurance fraud, Paul Halliday, missing persons, farm murder, asylum escape, violent outbursts, hidden bodies, Fresh Hell Podcast
Lizzie Halliday is back, and somehow, she’s only getting started. In this episode, we pick up where we left off—with Lizzie abandoning another husband, scamming her way into new homes, and setting literal fires along the way. She takes her insurance fraud scheme to new levels, makes a scene at her father’s grave, and leaves a path of destruction across the Northeast. Meanwhile, a traveling peddler is found murdered in the Shawangunk Mountains, and Lizzie starts spending time with a new crowd. By the time she crosses paths with Paul Halliday, her next husband and soon-to-be victim, things are about to get much, much worse.
Lizzie Halliday, serial killer, true crime, 19th-century crime, female killers, historical murder, New York crime, arson, insurance fraud, con artist, scammer, peddler murder, Shawangunk Mountains, Romani history, Paul Halliday, Philadelphia fire, prison escape, Fresh Hell Podcast
Lizzie Halliday is often called America’s first female serial killer, but long before she made headlines, she was already leaving a trail of chaos behind her. In this episode, we look at her early years—from her family’s immigration from Ireland to her first marriages and the, let’s say, unfortunate fates of the men in her life. Lizzie had a habit of marrying quickly, fighting dirty, and possibly poisoning anyone who got in her way. With lawsuits, accusations, and more than a few suspicious deaths, it’s clear that Lizzie was not your average 19th-century housewife.
Lizzie Halliday, serial killer, true crime, 19th-century crime, historical murder, female killers, New York history, Irish immigrants, Victorian crime, marriage scams, arsenic, Nellie Bly, Fresh Hell Podcast
In this episode of Fresh Hell, we’re heading up to the remote and brutal heights of the Säntis mountain in Switzerland, where, in February 1922, Heinrich and Magdalena Haas were found murdered in their isolated weather station. Their killer? A man they knew, a man who had once wanted Heinrich’s job, and a man who decided to settle his grudge in the most violent way possible.
Säntis double murder, Gregor Kreuzpointner, Heinrich Haas, Magdalena Haas, 1922 murder, Swiss true crime, historical crime, mountain murder, jealousy and revenge, Swiss mystery, double homicide, Säntis weather station, true crime podcast, Fresh Hell, Annie and Johanna, alpine tragedy, Switzerland murder case, orphaned daughters, historical investigation, man without a grave, snow-covered secrets.
In our final episode on the world of Freak Shows, we’re closing the curtain with the incredible, tragic, and sometimes triumphant stories of the performers themselves. Meet Schlitzie, the performer who inspired Freaks (1932), a beloved and misunderstood figure of the sideshow world. Krao, the so-called “Missing Link,” whose life challenges the cruel narratives forced upon her. Myrtle Corbin, the “Four-Legged Girl from Texas,” who defied expectations and lived on her own terms. And the Two-Headed Nightingale, Millie and Christine McKoy, twin sisters who endured slavery, exploitation, and eventually reclaimed their voices—literally and figuratively.
These were real people with real lives beyond the stage. Their stories are heartbreaking, shocking, and sometimes unexpectedly uplifting. Who profited from their existence? How did they navigate a world that both exploited and celebrated them? And what became of them after the applause faded?
Step right up for the final chapter in our exploration of the history, myths, and realities of the sideshow.
Freak Shows, human oddities, sideshow history, Schlitzie, Freaks (1932), microcephaly, exploitation, circus history, Victorian sideshows, 19th-century performers, 20th-century sideshows, freak show ethics, missing link hoaxes, Krao Farini, human zoos, Myrtle Corbin, dipygus, conjoined twins, Two-Headed Nightingale, Millie and Christine McKoy, P.T. Barnum, medical anomalies, disability and entertainment, tragic lives, forgotten history, sideshow legends, circus performers, American history, human curiosity, spectacle vs. humanity.
This week, we’re bringing you two of the most fascinating and deeply unsettling stories from the world of freak shows: Chang & Eng Bunker, the original Siamese twins, and Julia Pastrana, the so-called ‘Bear Woman.’
Chang and Eng weren’t just a medical curiosity—they were brilliant businessmen, plantation owners, and, oh yeah, enslavers. Their story is full of contradictions—two men who were once paraded as human oddities but ended up profiting off of the very same system that exploited them.
And then there’s Julia Pastrana. Her story? No happy endings. Labeled “The Ugliest Woman in the World”, Julia was abused, exploited, and even put on display after her death—because apparently, 19th-century showmen didn’t believe in letting their performers stay dead.
These are the stories of three performers whose lives couldn’t have been more different—but both prove one thing: once the world decides you’re an exhibit, getting your humanity back is nearly impossible!
In this final part of our Barnum deep dive, we cover his biggest spectacle yet—The Greatest Show on Earth. From the moment he took his circus on the road to his partnership with James A. Bailey, we explore how Barnum turned entertainment into an empire. And of course, we wrap up with the ultimate Barnum move—reading his own obituary before he died. Love him or hate him, Barnum left a legacy that changed the entertainment world forever.
Barnum, The Greatest Show on Earth, James A. Bailey, circus, freak show, Tom Thumb, Jumbo, PT Barnum, Barnum & Bailey, philanthropy, widow, second marriage, politics, Bridgeport, Connecticut, obituary, showman, spectacle, entertainment history, 19th century, traveling circus, legacy
In this episode, we pick up where we left off with P.T. Barnum. We’ll talk about how he turned Scudder’s American Museum into a New York sensation, why General Tom Thumb became a global star, and the controversy around Joice Heth. There’s also the devastating fire that destroyed the museum(s), Barnum’s first steps into the circus world, and the personal losses he endured, including the death of his wife, Charity. It’s all about setbacks, scandals, and spectacle as Barnum’s story keeps surprising us.
P.T. Barnum, Scudder’s American Museum, Barnum’s American Museum, General Tom Thumb, Joice Heth, Feejee Mermaid, museum fire, Charity Hallett, Nancy Fish, traveling circus, Greatest Show on Earth, 19th-century entertainment, spectacle, scandal, personal loss, innovation, resilience
In this episode, we begin our deep dive into the fascinating and controversial life of P.T. Barnum, the man who revolutionized entertainment and gave the world The Greatest Show on Earth. But before we can fully understand Barnum’s impact, we need to explore the history that paved the way for his success: the origins of freak shows.
We trace the roots of these spectacles back to ancient and medieval times, when human oddities were displayed at royal courts, religious festivals, and marketplaces. Over time, these traditions evolved into cabinets of curiosities and traveling fairs, where both artifacts and unique individuals were presented to entertain and educate the public. By the 19th century, freak shows became commercialized, especially with the rise of permanent attractions and traveling circuses.
We also take a hard look at the more troubling aspects of this history, like human zoos and ethnological exhibitions, which exploited colonized peoples and perpetuated harmful stereotypes under the guise of science and education.
With this context, we turn our focus to Barnum, who used his talent for promotion and storytelling to capitalize on the public’s curiosity. From hoaxes like the Feejee Mermaid to genuine stars like General Tom Thumb, Barnum’s American Museum became a landmark of 19th-century entertainment. And while he was a master showman, his career also raises questions about exploitation and ethics that resonate even today.
We round out the episode with a glimpse into Barnum’s personal life, including his marriage to Charity Hallett, the woman who stood by him during his early years as he built his empire.
P.T. Barnum, freak shows, history of freak shows, cabinets of curiosities, traveling fairs, human zoos, ethnological exhibitions, Feejee Mermaid, General Tom Thumb, American Museum, exploitation, showmanship, Charity Hallett, 19th-century entertainment, spectacle, public fascination, Barnum’s personal life
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In December 1984, Kingston Falls, Pennsylvania, went from a quiet, festive town to the scene of absolute chaos, all thanks to one ill-considered Christmas gift. A set of very specific rules wasn’t followed, and the result was something no one in town could have imagined. We’ll talk about what happened that night, how things went so catastrophically wrong, and why you might want to double-check your own holiday traditions. It’s a holiday story, but definitely not the cozy kind.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas von Twin Musicom unterliegt der Lizenz Creative-Commons-Lizenz “Namensnennung 4.0”. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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In this episode, Annie takes us to the historic town of Sandwich, Massachusetts, for a chilling true crime case set against the backdrop of 19th-century Cape Cod. Learn about the Christmas night murder of 15-year-old Daniel Fogarty Jr. in 1857, the mob mentality fueled by alcohol and gambling, and the tragic events that led to his untimely death. Along the way, Annie explores the fascinating history of Sandwich, from its Puritan roots and glass-making legacy to its evolution into the charming town it is today. A poignant tale of history, tragedy, and resilience, perfect for the holiday season.
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In this episode Johanna takes us to the quiet, rural landscapes of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, to tell you about the tragic case of Robert Syrokowski. On a freezing December night in 2002, 18-year-old Robert disappeared after leaving a nightclub and was later found dead, struck by a car in the middle of a desolate road. But this was no mere accident—it was the result of a series of shocking failures by the very people meant to protect him.
We explore how Robert’s night spiraled out of control, from his disoriented wanderings, to the police officers who abandoned him miles from help, dismissing their duty of care.
This heartbreaking story covers systemic failures, police accountability, and the devastating ripple effects of a preventable tragedy. It’s a case that forces us to ask: How could so many people fail one vulnerable young man? And how do we ensure this never happens again?
Robert Syrkowski
Schleswig-Holstein
Die Ziegelei nightclub
Police negligence
Hypothermia
Paradoxical undressing
Krumesser Heide
Negligent manslaughter
Police trial
Systemic failure
Duty of care
German legal system
Fresh Hell podcast
True crime Germany
Rural tragedy
In part two, we focus on the aftermath of the Bloody Benders’ crimes and their shocking methods of murder. The gruesome discoveries at their property reveal the extent of their brutality, and we share stories of those who narrowly escaped their deadly trap. We also look at their dramatic flight from justice, the many theories surrounding their mysterious disappearance, and the possible role of vigilante groups in their fate. Finally, we explore how the Benders’ crimes shaped Kansas folklore, inspired true crime tourism, and continue to fascinate people today.
In this episode, we examine the chilling story of the Bloody Benders, America’s infamous serial killer family. Set in 1870s Kansas, we recount the Bender family’s arrival in Labette County and the dark secrets concealed behind their seemingly ordinary inn on the Osage Trail. We explore the family’s unsettling behavior, the growing rumors about disappearances along the trail, and how the mysterious vanishing of Dr. William H. York became the key to exposing a horrifying truth. Join us as we reveal the eerie setup of the Benders’ inn and the wave of fear that pushed a community to seek justice.
In this episode, we talk about the mysterious disappearances of three young men: Christopher Thompkins, Christopher Matthew Kerze, and Steven Clark. Each case is haunting and unexplained, though only Thompkins’ disappearance fits within the so-called “Missing 411” phenomenon—a term used to describe unusual and often inexplicable disappearances in wilderness areas.
Each story shines a light on the inexplicable elements surrounding their disappearances, inviting listeners to ponder how three seemingly ordinary days could end with these three men vanishing without a trace. We examine the strange circumstances, theories, and lasting impact on families desperate for answers.
In this spine-tingling episode, we dive into the haunted legacies of two military legends: Pausanias, the ancient Spartan general with a cursed afterlife, and Mad Anthony Wayne, whose restless ghost reportedly wanders to this day. From ancient Greece to post-Revolutionary War America, we explore the eerie tales that have kept these spirits alive in folklore. Is it guilt that keeps them from finding peace, or something far more sinister?
The iconic Hotel Chelsea is more than just a New York City landmark; it’s a haunting ground for some of the most legendary ghosts in history. In this episode, Johanna and Ingrid explore the eerie tales of the hotel’s past residents—some of whom never checked out. From the tragic death of punk rock icon Sid Vicious’ girlfriend Nancy Spungen to the lingering spirits of famous artists, writers, and musicians, we’ll uncover the dark side of this bohemian haven. Is the Chelsea Hotel just haunted by the memory of its past, or are there actual spirits wandering its halls?
It’s this time of the year again: Spooky Fuckery Month is upon us!
This week, we dive into a Jeopardy category that immediately caught our attention: GHOSTS! In the first part, we discuss the most famous laundry ghost in the White House, Abigail Adams. Then, we explore the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, home to the mirror ghost of Marilyn Monroe, and the eerie 2 a.m. bugle concerts of Montgomery Clift!
In the final chapter of the Elfriede Blauensteiner case, we dive into the investigation that finally brought her to justice. We’ll discuss the twists and turns of her trials, the chilling courtroom moments, and the final verdict that sealed her fate. As we follow her journey behind bars, we’ll also explore her time in prison, the media frenzy that followed, and ultimately, her death. Was justice truly served? Find out in this gripping conclusion.
In this episode, we continue the dark and twisted journey of Elfriede Blauensteiner, picking up where we left off—her meeting with second husband Rudolf Blauensteiner. From there, we look at the chilling details of her life as a serial killer, driven by greed and a deadly addiction to gambling. Discover how she preyed on her victims, manipulated wills, and used lethal doses of medications to ensure their deaths appeared natural. Join us as we delve into the sinister motives behind her crimes, and the cold, calculated methods that earned her the infamous title: The Black Widow of Vienna.
Born during the Great Depression in 1931 Vienna, Elfriede Blauensteiner’s early life was marked by hardship, a cold and distant mother, and the looming shadow of World War II. In this episode, we explore her difficult upbringing, her troubled first marriage, and her eventual meeting with Rudolf Blauensteiner, her second husband. But this is no story of redemption—Blauensteiner would later become a notorious serial killer with a dangerous addiction to gambling. These early years set the foundation for the darker chapters of her life yet to come.
Elfriede Blauensteiner, serial killer, Great Depression, Vienna 1931, World War II, difficult childhood, cold mother, first marriage, divorce, Rudolf Blauensteiner, second husband, gambling addiction, Austrian history, early life challenges.
In this heartwarming episode, we dive into the incredible world of interspecies friendships, where the laws of nature bend in the name of love, loyalty, and companionship. We explore the touching stories of Chito and Pocho, the Costa Rican fisherman and his beloved crocodile; Molly and Peggy, the unlikely duo of a rescued magpie and a playful Staffy; Jane Goodall and David Greybeard, the deep bond between a chimpanzee and her human guardian; and Sphen and Magic, the iconic gay penguin couple who showed the world that love transcends gender and species.
Discover the science, mystery, and magic behind these surprising relationships, and how they challenge what we think we know about the animal kingdom.
In part two we talk about the the mysteries surrounding Ötzi’s final days and hours. We explore what his last meal tells about the era, the harrowing details of his violent death, and the eerie curse that some believe haunts those who’ve come into contact with him. From the meticulous preservation of his body in the South Tyrol Museum to the decades-long legal battle over the finder’s reward, we cover every twist in the tale. Tune in to discover how a 5,300-year-old mummy continues to fascinate and perplex us today.
In this chilly”” episode Johanna tells Anie all about the story of Ötzi the Iceman, the world’s most fashionable mummy from the Copper Age. Discovered in the Ötztal Alps, Ötzi’s well-preserved body and unique wardrobe give us a fascinating glimpse into life over 5,000 years ago. Join us as we explore the practical yet innovative clothing Ötzi wore, from his fur coat to his grass-stuffed shoes, and learn how these ancient garments were crafted for survival in a brutal alpine environment.
Ötzi the Iceman, Copper Age, prehistoric clothing, ancient fashion, survival gear, Ötztal Alps, archaeology, mummy, fur coat, ancient textiles, Stone Age fashion, alpine survival, prehistoric tools, leather craftsmanship, ancient history, preservation, Annie and Johanna, Fresh Hell podcast, ancient innovation, ancient footwear, Ötzi discovery.
Dive into the fascinating, chaotic, and downright quirky world of the 1900 Paris Olympics in this episode! We’ll unravel the strange stories that made these Games unlike any other, from the scandalous tug-of-war showdown to the marathon madness where shortcuts and cyclists played starring roles. Discover how the British Royals set the modern marathon distance. We also touch on the roots of the Olympic tradition, tracing back to the ancient Games. Whether you’re a history buff or just love a good sports story, this episode has it all.
1900 Paris Olympics, ancient Olympics, marathon distance history, tug-of-war Olympics, British Royals marathon, Olympic controversies, Michel Théato, Olympic marathon scandal, early Olympic Games, quirky Olympic history, Olympic Games 1900, ancient Greek sports, sports history podcast, marathon origins, Olympic curiosities, early modern Olympics, Paris World’s Fair, Olympic rowing scandal, sports podcast Pierre de Coubertin
From Guyana to Tragedy – The Fall of Jonestown
In this final episode, we follow Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple from their initial move to Guyana to the harrowing events that culminated in the Jonestown massacre. Discover the challenges of life in the isolated settlement, the increasing paranoia and control exerted by Jones, and the tragic visit by Congressman Leo Ryan. This episode captures the final, tragic chapter of Jonestown and its devastating impact.
Jim Jones, Peoples Temple, Jonestown massacre, Guyana, Leo Ryan, cult tragedy, mass suicide, Jonestown settlement, final days, isolation, control, paranoia, Congressman visit, 1978 tragedy, cult leader, communal living, historical events, true crime.
The 1970s – Allegations, Media Scrutiny, and the Move to Guyana
In the 1970s, Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple faced escalating allegations of abuse and manipulation. As media scrutiny intensified, Jones leased land in Guyana to create Jonestown, a supposed utopian society. This episode explores the controversial move to South America and the beginning of life in Jonestown, setting the stage for future events.
Keywords: Jim Jones, Peoples Temple, Jonestown, 1970s, Guyana, media scrutiny, allegations, abuse, manipulation, utopian society, communal living, relocation, social justice, cult, investigative journalism, jungle settlement.
Jim Jones’ Path to Guyana:
In this episode, we continue the story of Jim Jones, focusing on the pivotal years from his meeting with his future wife, Marceline, to the scandalous sexual assault allegations in the 1970s that precipitated the move to Guyana. Discover how Jones’ marriage influenced his burgeoning ministry, his founding of the Peoples Temple, and the expansion of his influence. We’ll delve into the dark and controversial aspects of his leadership, including the manipulative tactics he used to maintain control over his followers and the allegations that threatened to unravel his carefully constructed world. Join us as we trace the rise and fall of Jim Jones, leading up to the dramatic exodus to the remote jungle of Guyana.
Jim Jones, Peoples Temple, Jonestown Massacre, Jim Jones wife Marceline, Jim Jones marriage, sexual assault allegations, move to Guyana, cult leader, charismatic preacher, religious cult, 1970s scandals, Peoples Temple history, true crime, cult manipulation, leadership tactics, Guyana exodus, Jim Jones controversy, rise and fall, cult dynamics, biography, podcast episode, religious movements, Jim Jones scandals, cult control
The Making of a Cult Leader: Jim Jones’ Early Years”
In this episode, we delve into the early life of Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple. Join us as we explore his childhood in rural Indiana, the influence of his parents, and the formative experiences that shaped his path. From his upbringing and early fascination with religion and social issues to his high school years and burgeoning leadership skills, we’ll uncover the roots of a his personality.
Tune in for an in-depth look at the childhood and upbringing of Jim Jones, shedding light on the factors that influenced his journey from a small-town boy to a charismatic and dangerous cult leader.
Jim Jones, Peoples Temple, Jonestown Massacre, Jim Jones childhood, Jim Jones upbringing, cult leader, rural Indiana, Jim Jones parents, high school, early life, charismatic leader, religious influence, social issues, 20th century history, biography, true crime, cult history, podcast episode, formative years, Jim Jones education.
In this poignant final episode, Annie chronicles the heartbreaking journey from the moment President James A. Garfield was shot at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station to his untimely death and the nation’s mourning. On July 2, 1881, Garfield was struck by an assassin’s bullet, setting off a desperate struggle for survival that captivated the nation.
Explore the medical ordeal Garfield endured, as doctors worked tirelessly to save the president amidst the era’s limited medical knowledge and practices. We delve into the emotional toll on his family, particularly First Lady Lucretia Garfield, as she stood by his side during his protracted suffering.
Listeners will gain insight into the public’s reaction and the overwhelming national support for the ailing president, highlighting the unity and compassion that emerged in a time of crisis. We also examine the legal and psychological aspects of Charles Julius Guiteau’s arrest, trial, and conviction, culminating in his execution by hanging on June 30, 1882.
The episode concludes with a solemn look at President Garfield’s funeral, reflecting on his legacy and the profound impact of his assassination on American society. We discuss the significant changes in the U.S. civil service system.
Join us as we honor the memory of James A. Garfield, a president whose brief tenure and enduring courage left an indelible mark on the nation’s history.
Join us for this emotional conclusion as we recount the final chapter of President Garfield’s life and the lasting legacy of his presidency.
This week Annie covers the dramatic events that unfolded from James A. Garfield’s election as the 20th President of the United States to the turbulent days leading up to his assassination.
We follow Charles Julius Guiteau, a disgruntled office seeker whose delusions of grandeur and failed ambitions led him to plot the assassination of President Garfield. Understand Guiteau’s obsessive behavior and misguided belief that killing the president would save the country and secure him a government position.
Listeners will gain insight into the personal and political pressures that surrounded Garfield during this period, including his efforts to unite the Republican Party and address the pressing issues of civil service reform. We also delve into the personal side of the story, highlighting the struggle of First Lady Lucretia Garfield as she battled malaria, adding to the president’s burdens.
This episode provides an in-depth look at the key events and figures during this critical juncture in American history, setting the stage for the tragic events that would soon follow. Join us as we explore the tension-filled months that shaped the Garfield administration and the nation.
Join us for an episode packed with fate, ambition, and the personal challenges faced by one of America’s most determined leaders during a critical time in the nation’s history.
In this gripping episode, we unravel the tumultuous life of Charles Julius Guiteau, the man notorious for assassinating President James A. Garfield. Born into a dysfunctional family in Freeport, Illinois, Guiteau’s early life was marked by instability and mental health struggles. Explore his erratic journey through failed ventures in law, theology, and politics, revealing the complexities of his troubled mind.
Discover Guiteau’s brief involvement with the Oneida Community, a controversial religious commune, and his subsequent expulsion due to his bizarre behavior. We delve into his delusional ambitions and relentless pursuit of political influence within the Republican Party, which ultimately led to his misguided belief that he was entitled to a government position.
Join us as we delve into the life of Charles Julius Guiteau, a man whose desperate actions and mental instability left an indelible mark on American history.
This week Annie dives deep into the fascinating life of President James A. Garfield, exploring his humble beginnings and remarkable journey to the White House. Born into poverty in a log cabin in Ohio, Garfield’s early life was marked by hardship and determination. Discover how his family’s struggles shaped his character and instilled a relentless work ethic that propelled him from a towpath boy to a college president, and eventually into the halls of Congress.
We delve into Garfield’s impressive academic achievements, including his time at Williams College, and his role as a beloved educator at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College). Learn about his courageous service in the Civil War, where he quickly rose to the rank of Major General, showcasing his leadership and strategic brilliance.
Join us as we celebrate the legacy of James A. Garfield, a true American hero whose inspiring story continues to resonate today.
This is the full interview with Kellie’s sister Amanda. She talks about her memories of her older sister, how the horrible crime impacted her whole family,and about the newest developments in the case.
This week we explore the rich tapestry of Austrian folklore with some captivating sagas and legends, steeped in history, myth, and tradition. Delve into the mystical world of ancient tales passed down through generations, offering glimpses into the soul of Austria’s cultural heritage.
You will also hear about the Basilisk in the Schönlaterngasse, Lindwurm of Klagenfurt and why Austria’s flag is “Red – White – Red”
This week we continue the fascinating tale of Eugène-François Vidocq, a notorious criminal turned pioneering crime fighter. After a life of crime, Vidocq embarks on a journey of redemption, transforming himself into one of history’s most influential figures in law enforcement. From his groundbreaking work in undercover operations to his innovative approaches in criminal investigation, Vidocq’s legacy reverberates through the annals of criminology. Explore the legacy of this enigmatic figure, whose life inspired authors like Balzac and Hugo, and whose methods laid the foundation for modern detective work. Discover the thrilling exploits, controversies, and enduring impact of Vidocq’s remarkable life in this captivating episode.
Today we are talking about the captivating life of Eugène François Vidocq, the enigmatic figure who transformed from notorious criminal to legendary detective. Join us as we delve into the shadowy alleys of 18th-century France, where Vidocq’s daring escapes, dramatic encounters, and unexpected alliances paint a portrait of resilience and redemption. From his tumultuous youth in Arras to his maritime kidnapping, discover the story of one man’s quest for redemption amidst a world of crime and intrigue. Tune in to unlock the secrets of Vidocq’s extraordinary life! 🎩🔎
This week Johanna talks about the German serial killer Karl Hopf, who poisoned several members of his family in a span of 5 years.
This week Johanna talks about the German serial killer Karl Hopf, who poisoned several members of his family in a span of 5 years.
On December 2, 1983, Kellie Jean Poppleton, just 14 years old, was found lifeless on the desolate side of Kilkare Road in Sunol, California. Now, thirty-eight years later, her tragic death remains a haunting enigma, etched in the memories of those who seek answers. We talked to her sister, Amanda, who is still looking for answers, after all those years.
If you have any information that could solve the murder of Kellie Jean Poppleton, please contact the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, call 510-272-6878 or use the Anonymous Tip Line under 510-667-3622
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans became the backdrop for a gruesome crime that shook the nation, Addie Hall’s murder by her boyfriend Zack Bowen.
This week Johanna tells you all about the story of “Zack & Addie” who met shortly before hurricane Katrina made landfall in summer of 2005.
This week we delve into the cataclysmic forces of nature, exploring the most devastating tsunamis, hurricanes, and tornadoes in recorded history. Learn all about these harrowing tales of destruction as we tell you about the real-life encounters with these monstrous phenomena, highlighting the unparalleled power they unleash upon our planet. From the infamous 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to the ferocious Hurricane Katrina and the awe-inspiring Tri-State Tornado, we dissect the worst of their kind. Join us as we provide essential insights on survival strategies, ensuring you’re armed with knowledge on what to do when faced with the wrath of nature’s most formidable storms.
In this crucial episode, we delve into indispensable safety guidelines for navigating the unpredictable realms of fire and earthquakes. We dissect emergency protocols, evacuation strategies, and essential preparedness measures, ensuring you’re armed with life-saving knowledge. Join us as we explore the critical intersection of resilience, community safety, and disaster response in the face of these potentially catastrophic events.
Vienna in the middle of the post war era, still divided into four occupational zones by the Allied Forces! A police officer finds the body of the famous Chocolate King from Alsergrund: Johann Arthold. Soon a suspect is found in the 23 year old bar girl Adrienne Eckhard.
Eckhardt presented a bizarre story involving a man named Konstantin Bertini as the true murderer. She claimed he had ties to drug trafficking, including morphine, and that he killed Arthold due to unpaid debts. Who was the real killer and what is the truth in this horrific murder case?
Today we unearth the dark origins of Valentine’s Day, an ancient tale of beheadings, forbidden romances, and the eerie echoes of the Roman festival of Lupercalia. Witness the haunting transformation from ancient rituals to the worldwide commercial embrace of modern Valentine’s Day. Also, we will tell you about the infamous Valentine’s Day Massacre, and the menacing legacy of Al “Snorky” Capone. Brace yourself for a journey through love’s twisted corridors, where passion and peril intersect in this sinister exploration of Valentine’s Day’s hidden past.
In this third and final part Johanna tells you everything about Yossi Ghinsberg’s fight for survival in the Bolivian jungle, you’ll hear all about his ordeal, his rescue and the fate of Markus Stamm and Karl Ruprechter.
This week we talk about what happened to Yossi Ghinsberg, Kevin Gale, Markus Stamm and Karl Ruprechter, after they decided to turn around and had back to Asariamas. And why the group ultimately splits up right there, in the Bolivian jungle.
In 1981 Yossi Ghinsberg, an Israeli adventurer, embarked on a perilous Amazonian expedition with companions Kevin Gale,Markus Stamm and a guide, Karl Ruprechter. The quartet navigated the dense jungle, facing challenges such as torrential rain, treacherous terrain, and wildlife encounters. Amidst the wilderness, the group aimed to discover uncharted territories, driven by a sense of exploration and adventure. As the journey unfolded, the team encountered both the beauty and brutality of the Amazon, grappling with the harsh realities of survival. Tensions rose, ultimately leading to a fateful decision!
Kate Warne, a pioneering figure in the field of private investigation, is best known as the first female detective in the United States. She was hired by Allan Pinkerton, the founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, in 1856.
This week Annie tells us about the case she and her fellow detectives solved in “Atkinson” Mississippi, involving the murder of bank teller George Gordon and a $130,000 theft. George’s body was found in the morning, the detectives are certain: the victim must have known the killer!
Learn all about the time Allan Pinkerton used a ghost to get a confession.
Annie & Johanna speak with Ingrid, from Hamburg, who shares the harrowing true story of her husband’s kidnapping
The New Years holiday is a celebration of new beginnings. With that in mind, we know this collaboration will introduce you to several amazing new true-crime podcasts that will quickly become your newest true-crime binges as we enter 2024 because, let’s face it, we know that’s exactly what you needed! With tons of episodes each, investigative curiosity, and a focus on advocacy, these podcasts will live up to the theme of our collaboration (“New Year, New Binge”) because you’ll soon find yourself falling in love with the podcasters included in these episodes. So, sit back, grab your detective caps, and let’s get this party started!
Be sure to follow all of the podcasts you enjoyed so you never miss a new episode. Podcasts are listed below in the order in which you will be introduced to them:
Crimelines https://linktr.ee/crimelines
Sirens: A Southern True Crime Podcast https://bit.ly/TheSirensNetwork
Private Dicks Podcast https://linktr.ee/privatedicks
Morning Cup of Murder www.morningcupofmurder.com
Persons Unknown https://personsunknown.buzzsprout.com
Fresh Hell Podcast https://freshhellpodcast.com/
Stories With Sapphire www.storieswithsapphire.com
Travel and True Crime https://linktr.ee/twistedtraveltruecrimepodcast
Excuse Me, That’s Illegal www.linktr.ee/excusemethatsillegal.pod
A Nefarious Nightmare www.linktr.ee/anefariousnightmarepodcast
The Trail Went Cold https://www.trailwentcold.com
Coffee and Cases Podcast https://linktr.ee/coffeeandcases
Teachers Talk Crime https://linktr.ee/teacherstalkcrime?fbclid=PAAablNVcCCe_8e_esABIA6xwBYR9wXcbACg__wuyIvH28Ai72S4wnOdqYvGg
True Crime Creepers https://linktr.ee/TrueCrimeCreepers
This week we are taking a scathing look at how White Collar Crimes affect working class families, from putting presents under the Christmas Tree to the American Dream of home ownership
This week we are talking about the suspects in the Clutter Family Murders, the arrest of the killers Richard Hickock and Perry Smith, and the involvement of Truman Capote and Harper Lee in the case that led to the book “In Cold Blood”
In the quiet town of Holcomb, Kansas, the Clutter family’s idyllic life was shattered on the fateful night of November 15, 1959. The brutal and senseless murders of Herb and Bonnie Clutter, alongside their two teenage children, shocked the nation. The killers, Perry Smith and Richard “Dick” Hickock, left behind a gruesome crime scene that would become the focal point of Truman Capote’s groundbreaking true crime novel, “In Cold Blood.” As the investigation unfolded, the small community grappled with the haunting question: What could drive two strangers to commit such a heinous act in the heartland of America?
In part 2 we conclude our coverage of the devastating explosion which destroyed Halifax, Nova Scotia in December 1917. We examine the heroic acts of survivors, why the military presence was crucial in the aftermath, and how the city coped with the growing number of dead.
Also discussed are the tremendous impact of Dr. Clement Ligoure, Dr. George Cox among others, and why Bostonians and Haligonians love each other a wicked lot.
On 6. December 1917, the busy WWI port of Halifax, Nova Scotia was devastated by the largest man made explosion the world had ever seen. We discuss the devastation and heroism in the aftermath of this tragedy.
This week we are talking about Jane, Arnna, and Grant Beaumont, three siblings who disappeared without a trace from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, Australia, on January 26, 1966. We will be discussing theories, clairvoyants and the main suspects in this case, that remains one of Australia’s most infamous unsolved mysteries.
This wee we are talking about Jane, Arnna, and Grant Beaumont, three siblings who disappeared without a trace from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, Australia, on January 26, 1966. The case remains one of Australia’s most infamous unsolved mysteries, with numerous theories and investigations over the years yielding no conclusive answers. Despite extensive efforts by law enforcement and the community, the fate of the Beaumont Children remains unknown, making their disappearance one of the most haunting cold cases in Australian history.
On Halloween 2023, convicted murderer Joran van der Sloot left the United States for his prison cell in Peru, after finally confessing to the murder of Natalee Holloway. This update will catch you up with where things stand now.
This Halloween, thirteen true crime podcasts (including Fresh Hell Podcast) come together to share dark and disturbing stories. From haunted houses to serial killers, these tales will send chills down your spine and keep you up at night. Join us for this special 2-part Halloween episode entitled “When Darkness Calls” as we explore the darkest corners of humanity. But be warned: these stories are not for the faint of heart. When darkness calls, how will YOU respond?
Listener discretion is advised.
Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance:
Part 1:
Part 2:
This Halloween, thirteen true crime podcasts (including Fresh hell Podcast) come together to share dark and disturbing stories. From haunted houses to serial killers, these tales will send chills down your spine and keep you up at night. Join us for this special 2-part Halloween episode entitled “When Darkness Calls” as we explore the darkest corners of humanity. But be warned: these stories are not for the faint of heart. When darkness calls, how will YOU respond?
Listener discretion is advised.
Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance:
Part 1:
Part 2:
It’s time for our annual Halloween episode, where we share our listener’s stories of the unexplained, the weird, the inspiring, and of course, the spooky…
This week Annie talks about El Campo Santo, the historic cemetery located in Old Town San Diego. The cemetery dates back to the early 19th century and was used for the burials of prominent figures and residents of Old Town San Diego. Is the place really haunted by it’s own past? Let’s find out
Today we talk about why we love a murder-when it’s a murder of crows! We look at the Raven & Crow through history, and shed light on the occasionally dark past of these brilliant birds. From Canada’s beloved Canuck the Crow, to the Ravens at the Tower of London, we’ll tell you everything about these dark beauties.
Today we discuss the history of the infamous A3 motorway in Croatia, where talented young Macedonian singer Todor ‘Toše’ Proeski among others were tragically killed…
We ponder the terrifying Melon Heads on Jeremy Swamp Road in Connecticut, USA
In Hong Kong, we visit Tuen Mun Road, possibly one of the most haunted roads in the world.
Finally to Northern Ireland and the Dark Hedges, made popular by Game of Thrones, what’s the true, haunting history behind this hauntingly beautiful stretch of road?
We’ll tell you everything.
This week Johanna talks about an infamous Austrian cold case, the murder of a young model…Ilona Faber, that happened on 14. April 1958. Her body was found in the center of Vienna, buried hastily in a flower bed, behind a War Memorial.
In the conclusion of this horrific case, we discuss the murder known as ‘The Plaistow Horror,’ and discuss the possible reasons for this terrible crime, and question what we know about criminal reformation.
In 1895 13 year old Robert Allen Coombes committed a crime in London’s East end that the horrified media dubbed ‘The Plaistow Horror.’ Today, in part 1, we discuss Robert’s early life, as well as the shocking murder of Florence Dennis at the hands of the ‘Southend Murderer,’ James C. Read, a case Coombes was fascinated with as a child.
Today Annie takes us to the beautiful village of Brewster on Cape Cod Bay, in the late 1800s, and tells us the terrible story of the murder of Sadie Hassard after being stalked and murdered by a rejected suitor.
Today we look back on some of the most interesting deaths in history. We discuss Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, his rule in Persia, now modern day Iran, and his violent death. We discuss the death of General John Sedgwick, Union army hero, on the battlefield at Spotsylvania. We’ll cover death by very long beard, and ponder the merits of laughing oneself to death in this macabre episode!
In today’s, we look back at two of the most infamous cats in history. Simon the Shipcat, who was the only cat in history to ever receive the Dickin Medal for his outstanding bravery and the comfort he gave the crew of the HMS Amethyst in a dire situation.
And another ship cat, The Unsinkable Sam, who survived not one, not two, but three ships sinking.
Join us as we show that cats indeed DO care!
In our final episode on the Amityville Horror we discuss the investigation by the Warrens and do our best to answer the most common questions. We also try to debunk some of the popular rumors surrounding the house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY. We’ll discuss some of the most popular skeptical views on the haunting, and of course remember the real horror – the tragic murders of the DeFeo family
Please vote for us in the People’s Choice Podcast Awards: http://www.podcastawards.com
A year after the horrible murders of the DeFeo family, George Lutz and his family purchased the beautiful home on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY. Today we tell their true story as told by Jay Anson’s 1977 book, “The Amityville Horror.”
In 1974 a terrible crime rocked the town of Amityville, NY, when Ronnie DeFeo Jr murdered 6 members of his own family. In our 2ooth episode special we talk about their story
