NEW EPISODE EVERY MONDAY

Episodes

Aug. 2, 2020

S5 Ep177: Familiar Strangers: Walter Collins - Part 1

In this month's series I'll tell you stories about people who missing and then, months or years later, miraculously reappeared. But, these stories all have a twist - were they who they claimed to be or were they imposters? In...

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July 27, 2020

S5 Ep176: Stranger Than Fiction: Starr Faithfull and "BUtterfield 8"

The life and tragic death of a young socialite in the 1930s inspires an Academy Award winning movie. But, Starr Faithfull's life was far from the glamorous treatment it would receive on the big screen. Resources: Ripped from ...

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July 23, 2020

Bonus Episode: "Ripped from the Headlines" with author Harold Schecht…

As a bonus for this month's theme "Stranger Than Fiction", I interview author Harold Schechter about his new book, Ripped from the Headlines: The Shocking True Stories Behind the Movies' Most Memorable Crimes, an anthology of...

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July 12, 2020

S5 Ep175: Stranger Than Fiction: Belva Gaertner & Beulah Annan and Ch…

Two women accused of murder in the Roaring 20s would become the inspiration for one of the best known and longest running shows in American musical theater history. This is the story of the real life Roxie and Velma from “Chi...

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July 9, 2020

S5 Ep174: Stranger Than Fiction: Richard Crafts and "Fargo"

In 1986, a beautiful young mother discovers her husband is cheating on her and files for divorce. Soon afterward, she goes missing. Discovering what happened to Helle Crafts would take an small army of detectives, forensic sc...

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July 9, 2020

S5 Ep173: Till Death Do Us Part: Nancy Andrade and Mark Crew

In the last chapter of "Till Death Do Us Part" a woman meets and quickly marries a man. He promises her a new life, but soon after the wedding she goes missing. It will take years of investigative and legal work to bring her ...

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June 23, 2020

S5 Ep172: Till Death Do Us Part: Kelly Ecker and Scott Samson

A bride sees many red flags in her relationship before walking down the aisle, but her fear of angering her fiancee would compel her to go through with the ceremony. Within hours, that decision would become fatal. #domestic v...

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June 9, 2020

S5 Ep171: Till Death Do Us Part - Jordan Graham and Cody Johnson

A new bride decides she's made a mistake in tying the knot. The decision she makes in order to end the marriage will be a shocking act of cruelty. Resources: "A Murder in Glacier Park" by Justin Franz for T he Flathead Beacon...

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June 2, 2020

S5 Ep170: Till Death Do Us Part: Wendy Trapaga and Michel Escoto

In this series, I'll share cases of newlyweds whose lives were cut short by the person who vowed to love them forever. In this first case, a young bride is unaware that her new spouse married her to collect on a $1 million do...

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May 19, 2020

S4 Ep169: Last Dance: The Pelley Murders - Part 2

This is Part 2 of "The Pelley Murders". In this episode I'll tell you about Jeff Pelley's trial, theories of the murders, and give you a strange and compelling story about who else may have been responsible for the murders of...

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May 11, 2020

S4 Ep168: Last Dance: The Pelley Murders - Part 1

A 17-year-old is suspected in the murder of four of his family members because he was forbidden from attending his prom. Was this a case of a homicidal teen or a rush to judgement? Resources: The Prom Night Murders: The True ...

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May 5, 2020

S4 Ep167: Last Dance: Adam Sapikowski

In this series, "Last Dance", I share stories of crimes that happened on prom night. In the first episode, a teenager commits an act of parricide then attends his prom and holds a party at the crime scene. Resources: Adam Sa...

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April 28, 2020

S4 Ep166: StepMonsters: Joshua and Jerome Ellis

An abusive stepfather gets his comeuppance when his stepsons turn on him resulting in a grisly murder. Resources: "Joshua and Jerome Ellis guilty of stepfather killing", BBC News, Feb 26, 2014. "Kids Who Kill: Responsible Chi...

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April 21, 2020

S4 Ep165: StepMonsters: Tracey Wright

A child, unwanted from birth and neglected by her birth parents, is hopeful that her new stepmother will love her like a daughter. It is not to be and her story will become a cautionary tale in the U.K. of how the child prote...

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April 7, 2020

S4 Ep164: StepMonsters: The Disappearance of Charlie Bothuell

In our new series, “StepMonsters,” I’ll share stories of bad stepparents whose actions became true crime news. In this first episode I'll share the story of a young boy who went missing and was found in a very unlikely place...

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March 31, 2020

S4 Ep163: Swan Songs: Evelyn Dick

A gruesome crime would become a media sensation in Canada in 1946 when a beautiful young woman was accused of the grisly murder. This is the case of the infamous Evelyn Dick and the Torso Murder of 1946. Link to listen to th...

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March 24, 2020

S4 Ep162: Swan Songs: Gerald Friend/"Polly"

In 1991, Kurt Cobain released a song on the album Nevermind. Titled "Polly" the song was inspired by a kidnapping and rape of a young girl in Tacoma, Washington. This is the story of that crime. Listen to "Polly" by Nirvana ...

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March 10, 2020

S4 Ep161: Swan Songs: Jennifer Levin

A young girl is brutally murdered in New York's Central Park in 1986. Her killer, Robert Chambers, would be dubbed "The Preppy Killer" in the press and his victim's name would be dragged through the mud. This is the real stor...

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March 3, 2020

S4 Ep160: Swan Songs: Katherine Korzilius

The mysterious death of a young girl inspires Jon Bon Jovi to record a song dedicated to her. This is the case of Katherine Korzilius. Resources: Unsolved Mysteries , Season 10: Episode 7 - https://unsolved.com/gallery/kathe...

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Feb. 25, 2020

S4 Ep159: Bad Seeds: Leslie Arnold

In Nebraska, in 1958, a high school junior holds animosity towards his mother and takes deadly revenge. He is caught and imprisoned and, years later, disappears for decades. Where is Leslie Arnold today? Resources "Whatever...

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Feb. 11, 2020

S4 Ep158: Bad Seeds: Lowell Lee Andrews

In Kansas in 1958, an 18-year-old kills both of his parents and his only sibling. Was it a case of greed, mental illness, or was Andrews just a "bad seed"? #parricide #InColdBlood #TheBrothersKaramazov #deathrow #familyannihi...

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Feb. 4, 2020

S4 Ep157: Bad Seeds: Marlene Olive

In 1975, a rebellious teen enlists her boyfriend to kill her parents in a small, Northern California town. The gruesome crime would be dubbed "The Barbecue Murders" in the press. Sources: "Kill My Parents: The story of Marlen...

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Jan. 28, 2020

S4 Ep156: Behind the Crime: Aileen Wuornos

In this special episode I'll do an in-depth look at the infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Time stamps: Early Life: 02:41 Teen Years: 13:25 Young Adult Life: 32:17 On the Road: 35:30 Criminal Activity: 36:12 Tyra: 47:30 T...

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Jan. 5, 2020

Happy New Year from Once Upon a Crime

On this bonus episode I share the highs and lows for 2019, list the top episodes of last year, talk about upcoming events and share the last word on the 2019 plagiarism scandal. Links: Let's Taco 'Bout True Crime - https://po...

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