If the 2000s have shown us anything it is the popularity of social media "challenges." Tide Pod, Cinnamon, and 10 Year are just a few that come to mind. Does anybody else remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Ugh I'm still steamed that I was NEVER nominated. So to make up for my FOMO I have nominated myself to take part in an even more exciting ch…

Stop number one on our murderous road trip across America is Rhode Island. Summer may nearly be over but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a good old theme park! Frank Sheffield took his five year old daughter Maggie out to enjoy an afternoon at Rocky Point Amusement Park. It would be an afternoon neither would forget. Originally broadcast September…

Hey Deadtime Storians I wanted to share some sad news with all of you. Unfortunately we lost a very close friend to our personal family as well as the Deadtime Stories family this weekend. On Sunday Tracy Zales, our friend and theme song composer passed away. She was one of the kindest souls on this planet and we are absolutely devastated by the ne…

We all know I LOVE a good competition show (like Big Brother which premiered last week for those who didn't know). I also love true crime. So when the two passions meet in the middle, you get this week's episode of The Original Deadtime Stories. In honor of the Big Brother premiere, enjoy this episode about Ryan Jenkins, Megan Hauserman, and a murd…

Welcome back to a brand new episode! Join us on a tour of the Old City Jail in Charleston, South Carolina with our lovely guide, Katie. Katie's going to introduce us to John and Lavinia Fisher and their murder house complete with a cellar of spikes for their rich victims...and then I'll tell y'all the real story. Originally broadcast April 6, 2022.…

Our very first episode! Meet Little Fanny Adams and the tragic story behind a classic phrase. Plus a brief history on the mason jar, Schuyler's interests, and terrible microphone quality. Originally broadcast June 30, 2018. Written and narrated by Schuyler Fastenau-Jones. Additional voices by Shaina Hammer, Ryan Pigg, Alec Nielson, and Craig Seaver…

The name on everybody's lips is gonna be...Schustie! The world certainly beat up on Roy Schuster. After the Depression, his divorce (gasp!), and a talent vaudeville no longer wanted to recognize, navigating the US prison system should be a cake walk! Originally broadcast February 3, 2021. Written by Jordan Katcher, narrated by Schuyler Fastenau, an…

The Doodler was one of the first stories that drew me into the true crime world. Back in the 70s, a man was terrorizing The Castro District in San Francisco by luring in his victims with drawings of them on a cocktail napkin. I'd definitely be a sucker for a portrait of myself but would not want to meet the fate these men did. Originally broadcast …

How's that old COVID-19 joke go? Murder your spouse now, blame it on the corona virus later? If you're a fan of true crime memes then you probably saw this at some point last year. In Florida, it became a reality. Of course this wasn't the first time a virus was used as a weapon. Just a few years ago, Daryll Rowe harnessed HIV to attack other gay m…

It certainly wasn't easy being a young gay man in the 1980s. Running into a monster like Robert Berdella made it much worse. Originally broadcast November 18, 2020. Written by Keelan Brown, narrated by Schuyler Fastenau and executive produced by Daniel Jones. Additional voices by Tamara Perry, Marissa Pistone, Jeremy Staple, Walker Barnes, Vince Pe…

Growing up a gay man in a Mormon household probably isn't easy and when Gordon Ray Church was able to go to college, he likely became more comfortable in his skin. He met some supportive friends and even found himself a nice boyfriend. But when he stopped at the 7-Eleven to pick up cigarettes before Thanksgiving break, he met two men who would make…

Pride Month is just about here and with certain political parties and states attacking the rights of my people, I feel the need to take the time to share stories from my community during June. Angie Zapata was a brave trans woman whose life may have been cut short but that doesn't mean she couldn't do something major for the LGBTQIA+ community. Ori…

They say it's wrong to be obsessed with true crime but if you watched "Don't F**k With Cats," you'll know it can work out in your favor. Before Facebook found Luka Magnotta, a hotel manager's child became obsessed with a dead body found on their property and wouldn't rest until they found out how she died. Originally broadcast March 3, 2021. Writte…

Not so fun fact: there have been 200 mass shootings which have claimed over 11,000 lives in the United States this year. For those counting, we're at 130 days this year which means we're averaging more than one shooting a day. Those numbers ARE. NOT. O. K. Gun violence needs to end in this country and I feel something I can do is remind my listener…

On March 16, 1991, Jessica Lyn Keen took the most important run of her life. Hopefully if you ever find yourself running for your life in pitch darkness, you're in familiar territory. Originally broadcast November 20, 2019. Written by Schuyler Fastenau and executive produced by Daniel Jones. Additional voices by Jessica Buttafuoco, Jeremy Staple, M…

Blake Leibel was either a trust fund brat or a misunderstood genius. It depends on who you asked back in the early 2000s. Nowadays I think we can all agree there was something scary and twisted going on inside the comic book artist's mind. Originally broadcast April 25, 2023. Written by Schuyler Fastenau and executive produced by Daniel Jones. Addi…

Camp Scott was a place of peace, happiness, and beauty until someone snuck in the middle of the night and murdered three innocent Girl Scouts. Since the airing of this show, we learned something musical theatre dorks like me would love! The one and only Kristin Chenoweth would have been on this very trip had she not been ill. Isn't it fascinating h…

Shortly after the Burger Chef murders, another diner employee went missing after her shift and the culprit was allegedly seen at the aforementioned fast food joint. Are the crimes related? Is it possible we just solved a cold case? Conclusion. Originally broadcast October 14, 2020. Written by Daniel Jones and Chelsea Bray, narrated by Schuyler Fast…

Four employees at one popular fast food restaurant go missing on the same night. Were they just smoking weed to celebrate a birthday? One mother pleads with officers to dig deeper. Part one of two. Originally broadcast October 7, 2020. Written by Daniel Jones and Chelsea Bray, narrated by Schuyler Fastenau, and executive produced by Daniel Jones. A…

It's safe to say most people have heard about the Lewinsky-Clinton scandal and ate up the screaming headlines. Time seems to have erased the Levy-Condit scandal though. It's one blunder after another in today's story! Be sure to tune in this Friday when Stoney McBlaze covers this story on our other show, Cereal Killerz. Originally broadcast January…

Listener note: This episode contains language that may be offensive to non-neurotypical individuals. This is for the purpose of historical accuracy and does not reflect the cast or crew's opinions. Our next stop is Columbus, Ohio! After Jack Carmen, a non-neurotypical man, was accused and sent to jail for the murder of Christie Mullins in under two…

PLEASE NOTE: Today's episode includes language some may find triggering. These slurs are for the purpose of historical accuracy and do not reflect the opinions of the cast or crew at The Original Deadtime Stories. This version of the episode has these slurs bleeped out. We've seen how dangerous Amite County was for African Americans during the Civi…

Florida may ban AP African American Studies but that doesn't mean DTS can't try and teach truth to our youth. Before Black Lives Matter there was the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). During the summer of 1961, a member named Bob Moses travelled to Amite County in Mississippi and his life was forever changed. Originally broadcast Ju…

The story of the Sodder children is by far one of my favorites! What happened in that fire on Christmas Eve? Were the children kidnapped, murdered, accidentally killed, or something else entirely? BE sure to check out our next episode of Cereal Killerz to hear our guest's version of what happened that night. Originally broadcast December 16, 2020. …

The Original Deadtime Stories Murderous Road Trip Across America continues to Logan, West Virginia. In a way, Mamie Thurman was a woman way ahead of her time. She began intimate relationships with powerful men in town to get what she wanted and didn't care what the color of their skin was. Her downfall? Keeping a list of the men's names. Originally…

This week our new show Cereal Killerz explores the murder of Selena. To get pumped for that new episode on Friday, take a listen to our dramatized version of Selena's tragic story. Written by Jordan Katcher, narrated by Schuyler Fastenau and executive produced by Daniel Jones. Additional voices by Allyn Anthony Moriyon, Sophia Sassone, Marissa Pist…

Long before Hinge, Bumble, or whatever new dating app everyone uses that I've never heard of because I'm 85 years old, there was AOL Instant Messenger. Of course it wasn't specifically used to hook up but conversations could get real steamy, real quick. Michael Sandy found out the hard way that this can also lead to unintended outcomes. If you like…

To celebrate the start of the new year, I'm going to keep with tradition and share our most popular episode of 2022! Anyone as obsessed with true crime and mysteries as I am will surely know the story of the Axeman of New Orleans. He terrorized Italian immigrants in the early 1900s and introduced us to the term "jazz it." But did you know this was …

Maura Murray was 21 years old when she crashed her car and vanished. Her story left investigators and family members with countless questions as to why she disappeared and who could've killed her if she even was murdered. Today we're still trying to piece together everything that happened leading up to and after her fateful accident. Originally bro…

Happy holidays everyone! I can't believe it's already that time of year again. We're gonna celebrate the Original Deadtime Stories way by sharing our very first holiday special with three tales of murder around Christmas and, unintentionally, twelve deaths from those holiday stories. Stay safe out there! Originally broadcast December 23, 2018. Writ…

Growing up a gay man in a Mormon household probably isn't easy and when Gordon Ray Church was able to go to college, he likely became more comfortable in his skin. He met some supportive friends and even found himself a nice boyfriend. But when he stopped at the 7-Eleven to pick up cigarettes before Thanksgiving break, he met two men who would make…

A Lil' Bit Fastenau Productions is PROUD to present out brand new lineup of four shows premiering NEXT Wednesday, December 7, 2022. The Aftermath puts two former reporters into Hell where they interview the WORST talent Hell has to offer. Ryan Rivers and Jordan Jamison ask those hard hitting pop culture questions to the worst serial killers we've s…

Nothing says Thanksgiving like Puritans pretending to be kind and holy while spreading smallpox to Indigenous Americans and sinning amongst themselves. Originally broadcast November 28, 2018. Written and narrated by Schuyler Fastenau-Jones. Additional voices by Jorge Hernandez, Bronson, Brandon Maple, Juan Haro, Astrid Martin, Joe Burns, Brian Lile…

Part of our first special edition episodes for Siblings Day, today we'll explore the story of Derek and Alex King. What did their father do to deserve murder and was it all a big set-up from a family friend? Originally broadcast May 1, 2019. Written and narrated by Schuyler Fastenau-Jones. Additional voices by Keelan Brown, Erica Flores, Daniel Fas…

Did you go out and vote yesterday?! I sure hope you did because democracy is important and the future of America is in our hands! Way back in the early 2000s, a man named Gary Condit served as a US Representative. When a woman he was having an affair went suddenly vanished, all eyes turned to him. Could he have been the next Bill Clinton but took t…

Pride Month is...well it's very much over but that doesn't mean I can't do a series about crimes against the LGBTQ+ community, right? After all, with abortion being banned state by state, we all know our super Christian Supreme Court is coming after my rights as a gay man next so pardon me while I build my people up. Angie Zapata was a brave trans …

The Halloween fun continues! Let's take a journey to West Virginia for a real live (or dead...) ghost story. Is this a case of a ghost solving her own murder? Some people certainly think so. Originally broadcast October 28, 2020. Written and narrated by Schuyler Fastenau-Jones and executive produced by Daniel Fastenau-Jones. Additional voices by So…

The final trick-or-treat is here as we finish our Halloween story marathon. Make sure to check your children's candy this year. Some houses have been hiding Ronald Clark O'Bryan inside the chocolate! Or did Ronald hide razor blades in his candy...I don't know. I'm getting my stories mixed up. Originally broadcast October 27, 2021. Written and narra…

Happy Halloween! Today's episode finds us in Plainfield, Wisconsin. It seems to be a sleepy little town where everyone gets along with their neighbors...unless your neighbor happens to be the Gein family. Augusta Gein is a very religious woman and if you drink, swear, or wear clothing she deems too skimpy, you're a dirty sinner. One could say she's…

Happy Halloween! Whelp we're still stuck in Plainfield and little Eddie Gein's all grown up now. Trust me you do not want to miss the exciting conclusion to his story. Much like how Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho shocked the audience, you might be surprised by today's ending. I know I was shocked when researching it! Originally broadcast October 20, 202…

In our exciting conclusion to the Chester-Elijah-Briley-and(surprise) Darrell story, we find out what exactly landed Elijah and Briley in jail. Does Elijah really have a reason to feel sorry for his actions? Should Briley be let off scotch free after his new trial? Will we find out who the Hell Darrell is? Only one way to find out. Let's start up t…

My dreams are either super weird or super terrifying. Chester Poage had the terrifying brand of dream one night when he saw his mother and sister die in a plane crash. Was it an ominous warning? Or just a silly dream? Well Elijah Page has the answer though he's been suffering from his own real-life nightmare: a trip down memory lane to his traumati…

We all have that neighborhood weirdo we kinda hope moves off the block and sometimes, WE'RE that strange banana on the street. Even in the late 1800s and early 1900s, folks dealt with unique individuals in their town. For the folks of Niagara, North Dakota, that man was Eugene Butler. But could crazy old Eugene really have murdered five men and bur…

Growing up, I was bullied in school. Heck, I think most kids were. Some days were harder than others and I always wished it would stop. I never imagined causing harm to anyone though. Seth Bartell and John Jason McLaughlin were sorta like me and my bullies. Jason, however, would do something I could never possibly want to do let alone act upon. Ple…

And we're BACK! Hope y'all haven't missed us too much. We've been delayed in Arkansas's Clinton Airport on our DTS Roadtrip Across America but we're very excited to FINALLY have a flight to Iowa. While we're traveling, we're thinking about looking at homes for sale since we're CLEARLY rich enough to own one...Speaking of homes, I heard you need a r…

Our next stop on our murderous road trip across America is New York. It's been 21 years since two planes crashed into the World Trade Centers in New York City and forever changed the lives of Americans. Being in second grade, I didn't fully understand what the events of that day meant and I certainly never heard about a Polish immigrant named Henry…

College was a really fun part of my life but campuses can be dangerous places. I received many an e-mail from campus police about a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault on campus and the steps we can do to protect ourselves (one of the many reasons Roe V. Wade should not be overturned btw). Whenever we received those e-mails, the student body…

Whenever I listen to or read the news these days I learn a lot of things are now banned in classrooms because they make students uncomfortable. In fact, just this past week I read a quick blurb about 41% of Florida's math textbooks are going under review because they allegedly teach critical race theory. Though it's unpleasant to feel uncomfortable…

If the 2000s have shown us anything it is the popularity of social media "challenges." Tide Pod, Cinnamon, and 10 Year are just a few that come to mind. Does anybody else remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge? Ugh I'm still steamed that I was NEVER nominated. So to make up for my FOMO I have nominated myself to take part in an even more exciting ch…