The Axeman of New Orleans terrorized the city in the 1910s, while the world was in the midst of both war and pandemic. Hear about several theories regarding who the Axeman was - are any of them convincing? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axeman_of_New_Orleans 3) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/…

The Moore family was an affluent family located in the town of Villisca, Iowa. They were well-known and well-liked in town. So when all 6 of them, along with 2 young guests, were found bludgeoned in their own home one morning in 1912, people had no idea who would have committed such a crime. Was this heinous crime committed for some financial motiv…

In this episode, Rachael covers a 1800s case in which a woman by the name of Cordelia Botkin is jealous of her lover's wife, Mary, causing her to go to great lengths to have Mary killed. Sources: 1) https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/death-by-chocolate-ab1f379e705c 2) https://billypenn.com/2023/09/17/botkin-dunning-case-murder-by-chocolate-del…

At first, when Stacey Castor's husband unexpectedly passes away, no one thinks anything of it, and his death is ruled a suicide. But when police dig deeper and search the Castor's home, what they find shocks them. And as they delve into Stacey's past with her previous husband, they begin to uncover a sinister web of lies... Sources: 1) https://en.w…

Marlene Warren answered the door to her home and was fatally shot by a mysterious clown, who then calmly walked away to their getaway car. Although there were eyewitnesses, circumstantial evidence, and a prime suspect, it would take over three decades for her killer to face any kind of justice. Sources: 1) https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/killer-cl…

On December 7, 2017, the body of Telma Boinville was discovered inside a North Shore vacation home in Pupukea, Hawaii by a pair of Australian tourists. In addition to the discovery of Telma’s remains, Makana, Telma’s 8-year-old daughter, was also found inside the home, with both her hands and feet bound. Throughout this episode, Rachael covers Telm…

This week, we take a brief break from covering cases and reflect on our favorite moments from the podcast over the last 100 episodes. We also hear from listeners and play a fun game at the end! Support the Show.By Kate, Christine, and Rachael

During a first date, 24-year-old Erin Marie Gilbert vanishes without a trace. Almost 20 years later, and there are still no answers. Could her date have anything to do with her disappearance? Or was another ill-intentioned player involved? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Erin_Marie_Gilbert 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki…

In this week's episode, Rachael talks about the decades-long mystery of the Lyon sisters, who disappeared from a local mall in Wheaton, Maryland in March of 1975. The case went cold for a whopping 38 years. Eventually, a man who was only 18-years-old at the time of the crime and who had involved himself in the investigation was found guilty of kidn…

Tune in to learn about the heartbreaking and harrowing murder of Warren Barnes by 19-year-old Brian Cohee, and about the treasured life of Warren Barnes--victimized for being homeless, because his life "didn't matter." The way the community has honored Barnes is truly moving. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Junction,_Colorado 2) htt…

This week we dive into the bizarre disappearance of Ashley Loring Heavyrunner from the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. Just 20 years old, investigators looked into some questionable relationships she may have had, substance abuse issues, and one particularly odd interaction with her father just before she disappeared. An overworked and under-fund…

This week, Rachael covers the shocking murder of Tracy Mondabough, which occurred as a result of a love-triangle gone wrong. Because the murder happened right around the start of Covid, the defense had some pretty interesting arguments for why the perpetrator might have committed the crime... Sources: 1) https://www.chillingcrimes.com/blogs/news/tr…

This is one of those cases that is solved, but justice was unfortunately never served. Today on Small Town Mysteries, hear about the murder of Cathy Sposito, which was solved 36 years (!!!) after it occurred. Support the Show.By Kate, Christine, and Rachael

Despite there being a good amount of circumstantial evidence in the murder of Jan Kruse, a mom of two who is known in town for being extremely kind and friendly, this is sadly a case that is not solved. Though many people believe they know who committed the crime - is it really that simple? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewster,_Minnes…

This week, Rachael dives into two shocking murder cases - both technically still unsolved! George Carroll Sources: 1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/12/13/he-was-told-his-father-walked-out-then-he-started-digging-up-basement/ 2) https://www.fresherslive.com/latest/articles/george-carroll-disappearance-1961-what-happened-to-george-carrol…

When a woman is found in tarp off the side of the highway in 1968, she remains unidentified for over 30 years. This was a case that took decades to get to the bottom of - and even now, there are still so many questions remaining. Sources: 1) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-barbara-ann-hackman-taylo/24013583/ 2) https://news.google…

Thirteen year old Jayme Closs witnesses her mother and father being murdered, and is then abducted by their killer, who had been carefully planning her abduction for a long time. Jayme is held in captivity for 88 days before she bravely escapes. Listen to Rachael cover this heartbreaking story this week on Small Town Mysteries. Sources: 1) https://…

Natalee Holloway is a name that many people within the true crime circle have heard of and are familiar with - but just how much do you know about Natalee and what happened surrounding her disappearance? This is sadly a case that is still not resolved, despite law enforcement and the general public having a very good idea who likely committed the c…

This week, Christine highlights the devastating story of Relisha Rudd, an 8-year-old girl who disappeared from a Washington, D.C. homeless shelter in 2014. What did her family know? Why didn't anyone report her missing for 18 DAYS? And most importantly, why was no one taking care of this vulnerable child? Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D…

A group of three young men befriend and then brutally torture 19-year-old Chester Poage, with the only motive seeming to be to rob him. This is just one of those cases that make you wonder - how do these horrible people find each other?! Sources: 1) https://medium.com/@Charlie_OBrien/the-horrifying-kidnap-and-murder-of-chester-poage-d131d77cb1f1 2)…

In this case, what was thought to be a case of religious fanaticism gone wrong might have actually just been a crime of passion. Hear about the brutal murder of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter on this episode of Small Town Mysteries. This case inspired the recent series: Under the Banner of Heaven. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…

This week, Christine talks about a horrifying case in which 2-year old DeOrr Cruz vanishes from a campground. Little information on this case exists, but what information does exist causes people to be skeptical of those who were on the camping trip with DeOrr. Sources: 1) ​https://www.eastidahonews.com/2020/07/deorr-kunz-vanished-5-years-ago-today…

The murder of 6-year-old Eli Hart by the hands of his mother was tragic and entirely preventable. There were many missteps taken by social workers assigned to the case - it's safe to say that the foster care system failed Eli Hart. Sources: 1) https://www.kare11.com/article/news/investigations/kare-11-investigates-eli-hart-child-red-protection-fail…

Micki Kanesaki and Lonnie Kocontes were seemingly working on re-igniting their former marriage, which had previously ended in divorce. As such, they booked a beautiful Mediterranean cruise for May of 2006. However, what Micki was not aware of was the fact that Lonnie had booked that particular cruise, as well as the particular room they stayed in, …

Susan Powell believes that she found the perfect opposite to her outgoing personality - Joshua Powell. They marry quickly and have children. But as their marriage progresses, Susan learns that Joshua is far from the man she thought he was. This case involves a dangerous obsession, a couple of different heart-wrenching tragedies, and a family who se…

On March 15, 1989, Tracey, only 17 at the time, was found at her job laying in a pool of her own blood. It was the first time that Tracey had closed the store on her own. After decades of leads that have never fully panned out, the case is still unsolved to this day. Who murdered Tracey Kirkpatrick? Sources: 1) https://www.intothesilentland.com/ 2)…

This week, Kate talks about the case of Ellen Rae Greenberg, which was ruled a suicide early on in the investigation. However, the physical evidence points toward homicide... Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Rae_Greenberg 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manayunk,_Philadelphia 3) https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/ellen-rae-gr…

This week, Christine talks about the mysterious deaths and disappearance of the Yuba County Five - a friend group of 5 young men. This group attended a basketball game one night in 1978, and were later found either dead or missing - in a very puzzling place. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_County_Five 2) https://www.washingtonpost.co…

It took 40 years for investigators to find out the identities of a Jane and John Doe, only to discover that they had an infant at the time of their deaths...but where was she? In this episode of Small Town Mysteries, find out what happened to Baby Holly, where she is now, and how this case involves a cult. The murder of her parents, Harold Dean Clo…

This case takes place in Napa, California, in the early morning hours of November 1, 2004, when a young woman was woken around 2AM by the sound of breaking glass and a blood-curdling, terrified scream. When she heard whoever was in the house exit, she went to investigate, and found both of her roommates lying in a pool of blood. Who did this, and w…

During the last Spooky Szn episode of October 2023, Christine talks about a haunted tunnel in Massachusetts and the story of Eunice Cole, a woman in New Hampshire who was accused of (and tried for) being a witch 3 TIMES throughout her life. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosac_Tunnel 2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida,_Massachuset…

In the first case, Rachael talks about a man who killed the woman he was seeing...over halloween candy. In the second case, we cover the murder of Timothy O’Bryan, a young boy who was killed by his father on Halloween night. Sources: 1) https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/Resources/0c5a6fb2-702d-4961-ad07-c4763daa4ea7/1161735_R23.pdf 2) https://www.nbcc…

On this spooky season episode, Kate talks about the real-life stories that The Conjuring series are based on! Sources: 1) https://allthatsinteresting.com/true-story-of-the-conjuring-perron-family-enfield-haunting 2) https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/07/22/conjuring-true-story-perron/2457209/ 3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_and_Lor…

This week, Christine takes on the heartbreaking (and still unsolved) abduction of Morgan Nick. In 1995, Morgan was a vibrant 6-year-old girl who was enjoying an evening catching fireflies with her friends at a little league baseball game. After going toward her mom's car to empty sand from her shoes, Morgan is never seen of or heard from again. The…

Spooky Szn Episode 2 is OUT! Learn about the spookiest stories from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine in this episode. We talk about a college, a couple of cemeteries, and even an Inn. At the end, we discuss a book club we will be starting up in January. Let us know @smalltownmysteriespod (on Instagram) if you have any suggestions (true crime or my…

1922 - When a family and their maid are all found dead on their farm in Germany, there are far more questions than answers. Unsolved to this day, learn about the Hinterkaifeck murders and the different theories surrounding the case. Sources: 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinterkaifeck_murders 2) https://medium.com/the-mystery-box/the-hinterkaife…

ALERT, ALERT!!! FIRST EPISODE OF SPOOKY SZN!! This Spooky Szn, we are covering cases in New England. Today, Christine talks about The Lady in Black (a famous New England Ghost story) and all about VAMPIRES. No, not the ones who sparkle in the sun. No, sadly not the ones who are brothers pining over a doppleganger of their ex-gf (hello, fans of Vamp…

In 1969, a body is discovered in the brush off of Mulholland Drive in LA California. The murder was extremely gruesome -- the woman was stabbed over 150 times. This unidentified woman became known as “Sherry Doe” or “Jane Doe 59.” It took 46 years for this woman to get her name back. Jane Doe #59 is actually a woman named Reet Jurvetson, who was mu…

Today, Kate explores the kidnapping of Carlee Russell, which recently EXPLODED on social media. Carlee was missing for about 2 days before she suddenly re-appeared. What might have led Carlee to make the choices she made? This case is still very much unfolding, and if there are any major developments, we’ll be sure to cover them! Sources: 1) https:…

This case will leave you enraged. When twin sisters Dannette Millbrook and Jeannette Millbrook go missing, nothing happens. They are labeled runaways by the primary investigator (despite clear evidence that points to the contrary) and no actual investigation is conducted until years later. If it weren't for the horrendous lack of investigation in t…

In this episode, Rachael covers the heinous crimes committed by two teenage girls, Holly Harvey and Sandra Ketchum, which includes the murder of Holly's grandmother and grandfather. What drove them to do this? Sources: 1) https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/crimefeed/murder/killer-couple-murderous-lesbian-teens-holly-harvey-sandra-ketchum 2) htt…

When Helen Wilson is murdered in her apartment on February 8th, 1985, investigators work to find a suspect. However, they soon have a total of 6 - most of whom willingly state that, yes, they were involved in the crime in some way. What do the majority of these people have in common? A psychologist they all see - who helps them uncover certain "rep…

When multiple people in Circleville, Ohio start to receive increasingly threatening letters regarding their supposed dirty laundry, everyone is questioning who this person could possibly be. Years later, after a gun from a booby trap is traced back to someone, everyone believes the case is solved. The person who had been writing the letters for the…

All four members of The Thrasher Family were found murdered in their home in Woodward, Oklahoma. The person who was eventually convicted of the murders had no obvious motive for this senseless murder. Sources: 1) https://law.justia.com/cases/oklahoma/court-of-appeals-criminal/1977/1068.html 2) https://www.oklahomahistory.net/ttphotos12a/ThrasherMur…

This week is a doozy! We are sure a lot of you are familiar with The Duggar Family, who had their own TV show, called 19 Kids and Counting, throughout the late 2000s. This run ended in 2015, when some horrifying court documents came to light regarding the Duggar's eldest son, Josh. Or, you might be familiar with the family through the new documenta…

In this case, Christine covers the case of Logan Tucker, a 6-year-old boy who is the victim of a murder in which no body has never been found. Logan Tucker was living with his mother, brother, and a roommate of his mother's at the time of his death, in a small city called Woodward (Oklahoma). The large amount of circumstantial evidence in this case…

Rachael reports on the case of Colleen Ritzer - a teacher from Massachusetts who was brutally murdered and sexually assaulted by her student. This student was only 14 years old, and was tried as an adult in court. Shortly after his prison sentence begins, more shocking details emerge. Sources: 1) https://www.masslive.com/police-fire/2022/06/family-…

In this episode, Kate discusses a murder that occurred in the 1930s and is still unsolved. Mamie Thurman was only 32 when she was brutally murdered. Small town politics is definitely at play in this one and factors heavily into the trial. Sources: 1) https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/06/unsolved-murder-of-mamie-thurman.html 2) https://en.wiki…

In 1985, in two small towns in Massachusetts, 16-year-old Cathy Malcolmson and 9-year-old Sarah Pryor go missing within 2 months of each other. When bone fragments are found, investigators are led to one person of interest. Sources: 1) https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/313dfma.html 2) https://charleyproject.org/case/catherine-ruth-malcolmson 3) http…

In today's episode, Rachael goes over the tragic murder of Alexandra "Ally" Zapp, a 30-year-old woman who was stabbed to death at a Rest Stop off of a highway in Massachusetts. Ally's murderer had a lengthy history involving violent crimes, and her family has worked (and is still working) to pass legislature today that will keep persistently violen…