In 1991, seventeen year old Crystal Faye Todd didn't come after a night out with friends. Her mother instinctively knew something was wrong. Listen to the story of the disappearance, rape and brutal murder of an all-American girl from Conway, South Carolina. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com findagrave.com Forensic Files Southern Fri…

With the discovery of radium by the Curies in 1898, great strides were made in the scientific field. Along with the possibilities were risks not yet known. One of the inventions - luminous paint- made painting watch dials big business in the early 1900s. But within two decades the dangers were coming to light. Sources: Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Int…

In 1973 a movie opened in theaters that scared the nation - The Exorcist. But you may not be aware that it was based on true events that took place in 1949. Billy Graham urged audiences not to see it due to its depiction of evil, but audiences continued to flock to see it for its scare factor. These are the details of what happened and the truth is…

The trials began in 1692 when a group of young girls in the Puritan village of Salem, Massachusetts claimed they were being tormented by local women who were practicing witchcraft. Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music by Isaiah Hildreth Sources: Killing Witches by Bill O’Riley O'Reilly, B., & Dugard, M. (2023). Killing the Witches: The Horror of Sa…

A rocky marriage, a controlling husband, an estranged wife, and alcohol addiction; a destructive combination that led down a deadly path and ultimately ended in tragedy for several families. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-4948199 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthage_nursing_ho…

In August 1931, police were investigating the disappearances of Asta Eicher and her three children. They found love letters, which led them to a man named Harry Powers in Quiet Dell, West Virginia. Nespresso Vertuo Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/4eO75xy Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com findagrave.com wik…

To retire early and live their days sailing on a yacht is the dream of many a couple. Some actually get to live that dream. Such was the case for Tom and Jackie Hawks until the day another dream came true - a grandbaby was on the way. When the couple decided to sell their yacht and move closer to family, they thought they had found the perfect fami…

Marie Dean Arrington was a professional criminal in Florida during the 1960's. After she committed a brutal murder, Marie became the second woman to be put on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Male Narrator- Curtis Hildreth Music by Isaiah Hildreth Sources Find a Grave findagrave.com Wikipedia wikipedia.com Murderpedia Southern Mysteries Podcast Amazon P…

The murder of a mother of two in a small town in Randolph County has investigators baffled. She had no enemies to speak of. Sometimes an enemy is closer than we think though and is not someone we consider an enemy. One man is arrested and one man turns himself in. The question is did they work together or did one work alone? Narrator: Curtis Hildre…

The 1988 murder of 41 year old Peggy Carr is one of the most bizarre crimes in Polk County Florida history. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Narrator-Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com Poison Mind : The True Story of the Mensa Murderer and the Policewoman who Risked her Life to Bring Him to Justice By Jeffrey Good and Susan Goreck Justialaw The Murder …

A group of families headed west to California in the spring of 1846 during the Westward Expansion movement. They were well provisioned for the journey that was expected to take them 4-6 months. But one delay after another along with a bad leadership decision turned the trip into a nightmare. Never take a shortcut that has not been proven; it could …

In 1894, poor Ellen Smith was murdered by her ne-er do- well lover, Peter DeGraff in Winston-Salem, NC. This episode will cover a short background, the murder, trial and execution of Peter DeGraff. The story was made famous by a late nineteenth century murder ballad named Poor Ellen Smith that Peter DeGraff supposedly wrote in prison while awaiting…

Edward and Katie Gingerich lived among their people, the Amish, in the early 1990s. When Ed started having various physical ailments and then mental anguish, the church tried to step in but nothing seemed to help; not herbal supplements, prescribed medicines, or hospitalization. This is the story of how Ed became the first Amish person in the US to…

In the spring of 1856, two brothers, seven year old George and five year old Joseph wondered off together from their cabin home in the Alleghenies Mountains of Pennsylvania. Listen to hear their tragic story. Allison Krauss Music Video Jacob's Dream https://youtu.be/sUtNRK3tYgg?si=TMerX-xqoij1dUGn Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music by Isaiah Hild…

After a harrowing shipwreck at sea, Captain Julian Harvey was rescued just off the coast of the Bahamas in November 1961. He is pulled from a dinghy along with a deceased seven-year-old girl but none of the other passengers are found. Miraculously, four days later another survivor of the nightmare is rescued and she is barely alive. Her story of th…

Paul Dennis Reid also known as The Fast Food Killer is Nashville’s most notorious serial Killer. He was convicted and given seven death sentences for murdering seven people from various fast food restaurants in the Nashville area. Sources: Narrator for today’s episode Darlene Hildreth Music Isaiah Hildreth Intro Written by Sherry White Sources: Whe…

Sometimes a simple "welfare check" for someone's safety turns out to be more than investigators bargained for. For the Houston Police Department in 1965, this was the case when a man called in concerned about his elderly aunt and uncle. What they found when they got inside was a nauseating scene. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isa…

On June 1896, Ceely Rose poisoned her family with arsenic because they wouldn't let her see or speak the name of their neighbor, Guy Berry. Her father, David, died within a week of being poisoned. Walter, her brother, died within two weeks and Rebecca, her mother, lived for a month before getting a second dose and then dying. Listen to hear the who…

Since the 1840s the Stiles family had passed down a rare condition called Ectrodactyly that makes the hands look like lobster claws. Grady Stiles turned his family's condition into a lucrative business performing in the traveling carnival. The family was one of the main attractions for many years. But after years of dysfunction, the family became k…

On June 3, 1985, police cautiously pursued a Chevy Blazer with four passengers. A slow chase had persisted for several miles-- from Greensboro into Summerfield, North Carolina. Suddenly, the Blazer stopped and a bomb was detonated from within. The vehicle and four bodies exploded into pieces on NC Hwy. 150. This is the conclusion to the harrowing s…

In the years between 1984 and 1985, three intertwined families experienced the murders of close family members. The murders spanned from Louisville, Kentucky to Winston Salem and Greensboro, NC. Susie Newsome Lynch and Fritz Kenner were first cousins and lovers. They shared grandiose delusions, paranoia, bitterness and a murderous hatred for the pe…

An episode of America's Most Wanted in 1989 showcased the story of John List who killed his entire family - wife, mother, and three children - leaving them in the ballroom of their 19-room mansion. More than one viewer called in to say that John List looked strikingly like their neighbor, Bob Clark. After fingerprints prove they were one and the sa…

In December 1934, a young missionary couple, John and Betty Stam, were beheaded by Communist soldiers in Anhui Province along with a Chinese Christian brother named Chang Shushing. Listen to their story here. Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Music: Sherry White Sources: By Life or By Death: The Life and Legacy of John and Betty Stam By Andrew Montone…

As Westward expansion began in the US after the Civil War, homesteaders staked land claims across the plains. One family set up a crude store and Inn along the trail, taking advantage of the location where many a weary traveler would pass by. But many of those travelers began to disappear after stopping at the Bender's place. What searchers found o…

Reverend George Washington Carawan was charged and found guilty of the murder of a school teacher named Clement H. Lassiter . After learning the jury had found him guilty and that he would be hanged for his crime, Reverend Carawan pulled a gun and shot the prosecutor and then himself. Male Narrator- Curtis Hildreth Music- Isaiah Hildreth Sources ne…

The seaside town of Brighton, England had a string of poisonings in the late 1870's. The victims became severely sick after eating chocolate cream candies from a local sweet shop owned by J. G. Maynard. Mr. Maynard rid his shop of the chocolate inventory, but townsfolk continued getting sick and one young boy died after eating a piece of the offend…

Alma Kellner born in 1901, was the daughter of wealthy brewers in Louisville, Kentucky.On December 8, 1909, Alma disappeared on her way to attend mass at St. John's Roman Catholic Church, not far from her home. At first it was believed she had been kidnapped but no ransom demands were ever made. Approximately six months from the time she went missi…

Before there were restraining orders and women's shelters galore, domestic violence victims often suffered for years in silence. This is the story of one woman and her final desperate attempt to save herself when she realized there was nowhere else to turn. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Sources: https://www.newspa…

Today's episode is about the life and crimes of Father Hans Schmidt. He was executed in 1916 for murder. Schmidt is the only priest ever to be executed in the United States. Music- Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator- Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com murderpedia wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Schmidt_(priest)https://medium.com/lessons-…

On Mother's Day 1985, a young mother and her two little girls were found dead in their home near Ft. Bragg, NC. The youngest of her daughters was left alive, alone, crying, and dehydrated in her crib waiting for a rescue. The murders bore a striking resemblance to the 1970 killings at Ft. Bragg of the MacDonald family. Investigators had to figure o…

Martha McKay was found murdered on her family property in Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas. Her mother was found murdered on the same property twenty-four years earlier. . Travis Lewis was Martha's killer--the same person convicted in the murder of Martha's mother and cousin when he was just fifteen years old. This case is proof that sometimes lightening d…

In early 1970 Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald is awakened by the screams of his wife and daughters being attacked. He claims a group of drugged-up hippies were the intruders, but authorities quickly begin to question that claim. This conclusion to the MacDonald family murders delves into the alternative theories put forth by the defense and ends with where…

At the height of the hippie culture and "Satanic Panic" in the early 1970s, a gruesome murder is committed at Fort Bragg, NC. A pregnant mother and her two small daughters are repeatedly stabbed to death. Her husband, Captain Jeffrey MacDonald, is also injured but survives the attack. He is able to describe the four assailants who had killed his fa…

Belle Gunness also known as Hell's Princess was a pig farmer in the early 1900's. She posted help wanted and lonely hearts ads in newspapers--luring men to their deaths with promises of love and wealth. Music By Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator Curtis Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Har…

On March 5, 1873, two women were found brutally axed to death on the secluded Smuttynose Island just off the coast of Maine. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator Curtis Hildreth Sources: Mystery on the Isles of Shoals: Closing the Case on the Smuttynose Ax Murders of 1873 by J Dennis Robinson newspapers.com findagrave.com Fresh Hell Podcast foste…

Accident? Suicide? Or Murder? The question of "Z" Smith Reynolds' death is still not answered to this day more than ninety years later. The wealthy heir of the RJ Reynolds Tobacco fortune was shot on his sleeping porch after hosting his friend's 21st birthday party at his estate. The initial ruling was suicide. However, ballistic evidence cast susp…

On March 1, 1922, Tennessee sent four men ( under the age of twenty) to the electric chair to pay with their lives for the life they took. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Sources: newspapers.com The Appalachian Storyteller wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_Motor_Car knoxnews.com https://www.knoxnews.com/story/…

Georgia Tann was a social worker whose crimes spanned three decades from the 1920s to 1950. What appeared to be benevolence on her part was actually greed and downright evil that affected many families during those years. She led a secret life and was beyond scrutiny for most of those years. Sadly she was never brought to justice for her horrible d…

In 1914, Lowe Daniels lived in the Uwharrie forest. He made his living making and selling whiskey. One day he came home from a trip and out of nowhere, shot his wife, his wife's seventeen year old sister, his seventeen year old sister and a sixteen year old neighbor boy. After he'd finished his killing spree, Lowe took his banjo off the wall, sat b…

In 1966 a father in Georgia died suddenly from an apparent heart attack. He was just 39 years old. Just seven months later his 13-year-old son became sick suddenly and passed away within a short time. Mysterious deaths continued until people became suspicious of the true cause of so many deaths in one family. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Out…

A fire broke out around midnight on Christmas Eve in 1945 at the Sodder house in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Five of the Sodder family's ten children didn't make it outside with the rest of their family. George Sodder, their father tried desperately to save them but it was to no avail. At first everyone believed the children died in the fire. Howe…

During a snowstorm in early 1972, a Boone, NC family is shockingly murdered in their own home. At first, it appears to be a robbery gone bad, but upon further inspection, that theory does not seem to add up. It was a crime that went unsolved for fifty years. Narrator: Curtis Hildreth Intro and Outro Music: Isaiah Hildreth Episode Sponsor: The Table…

Lowell Lee Andrews was a bright university student, and beloved son of a Kansas farmer. On Thanksgiving day in 1958, he would shock his community by murdering his family in order to get his inheritance. Sources: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote murderpedia.com newspapers.com findagrave.com wikipedia Podcast- Fresh Hell Podcast- Once Apon a Crime http…

In the Spring of 1927, Reverend Tom 'Thunderbolt' Pardue traveled to the tobacco growing town of Reidsville, North Carolina to hold a revival in the big McCollum tobacco Warehouse. One night after the service, he was met by a beautiful young lady whose heart had been pricked by his message on the subject of confession. She had a confession to make.…

In 1981, Hollywood darling Natalie Wood invited friends to spend the after-Thanksgiving weekend with her and her husband Robert Wagner on their yacht Splendor. Most invitees declined due to bad weather but current co-star Christopher Walken joined them. The weekend was booze-filled leading to arguments among the three. Tragedy struck when Natalie d…

In 1892, in the town of Fall River, Massachusetts, a wealthy older couple was axed to death in their own home in broad daylight. Almost immediately their thirty-two-year-old daughter, Lizzie Borden, is suspected of the brutal murders. The tales surrounding this event are varied, and conspiracy theories abound. The whole gruesome crime is memorializ…

Countess Elizabeth Bathory is in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the most prolific serial killer in the western world. She is alleged to have killed more than 600 virgins in order to drink their blood and bathe in it, in order to preserve her youth. But who was Elizabeth Bathory really? Join us today as we untangle fact from fiction. S…

Beginning in 1983, a group of four nurse aides began a killing spree that lasted for over six years. It began with a "mercy killing" but soon escalated into murder. The mastermind of the group came up with horrendous methods of torture for troublesome patients and the total number of victims is estimated to possibly be in the hundreds. Narrator: Cu…

If you were a child of the 70's and 80's , did your parents ever check your Halloween candy for poison or razor blades? If so, rumors surrounding the story in today's episode might have had something to do with that. Music by Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator Curtis Hildreth Sources newspapers.com findagrave.com https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/the-man-…

On the night of November 20, 1901, Nell Cropsey vanished from her family's home in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Thirty-seven days later her body was found floating in the Pasquotank River. There was only ever one real suspect but did authorities get it right? Sources: Music by: Isaiah Hildreth Male Narrator: Curtis Hildreth newspapers.com Ella M…