Bloomington is a city with a split identity: one part idyllic college town, another part gateway to Indiana's meth country. Each half hides the secret of what happened to two women: missing Indiana University sophomore Lauren Spierer and murdered mother of two Crystal Grubb. In part one of this two parter, Tommy lays out these mysterious disappearances and the disparities in local and national media coverage of each.
Jun 09, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 61
In the late 1980’s, Kansas City, MO, young men are going missing. One man terrorizes and takes advantage of a marginalized community for his own twisted fantasies. Robert Berdella drugs and tortures 6 young men, before one finally escapes his house of horrors. When police finally discover the extent of Berdella’s crimes, the notes, the photographs, the evidence is unbelievable. Mick and Tommy explore what drove Robert Berdella, his pathology, his personality, and his crimes.
May 26, 2022•2 hr 21 min•Ep. 60
In April 2022, genetic genealogy solved the 30 year mystery of the I-65 killer, a lesser known but prolific and ruthless murderer. But who was this man, what were his crimes, and is it possible that his death toll is higher than we know? Join Tommy as she regales Mick with the shockingly brazen case of the I-65 Killer.
May 12, 2022•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 59
To many, it is known as “The Day the 60s Died.” On May 4, 1970, 4 Kent State University students were shot dead by the Ohio National Guard during a protest against the expanding War in Vietnam. Mick tells the story of a defining cultural moment and what, if anything, we’ve learned from these events.
Apr 28, 2022•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 58
In Season 1's episodes 2 and 3, Tommy took a two-part look at the infamous Ypsilanti Ripper murders that gripped southwestern Michigan's college towns in terror in the late 1960's. Out of the many murders in the series, one always stood out as not quite fitting into the profile of the series: the death of Jane Mixer. Some 40 years later, Mixer's case took a surprising turn–one that perhaps raises as many questions as it answers, and one that warrants an in-depth revisiting.
Apr 14, 2022•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 57
This week we’ll be traveling slightly outside of the Midwest for a listener request. 1939, Canon City Colorado, a 23 year-old man is put to death for the murder of a young girl. But the story behind this young man’s trial and imprisonment is not what you might expect. The story of how Joe Arridy arrived in his cell, the story of his life and his death is nothing more than a grave injustice.
Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 56
In this short mini-sode, we, Tommy and Mick get honest about the shows hiatus. Most of all, we discuss how excited we are to be back. This Episode does not cover any particular crimes.
Mar 17, 2022•29 min•Ep. 54
Middle school life in so many ways is timeless--struggles with identity and belonging, relational drama, and extreme emotions. Most of us get to grow up and move on, but for 12 year old Shanda Sharer in 1992 suburban Indiana, all of those issues would culminate in the night of her horrific torture and murder. Join Tommy as she walks Mick through a case much more complex and nuanced than it appears on the surface.
Mar 17, 2022•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 55
Sep 23, 2021•1 min•Ep. 53
Taking a break from some tragedy to chat about one of our favorite non-true crime topics: UFOs! Mick takes us back to her hometown to chat about a long-standing myth: that Wright-Patt Air Force Base is secretly hiding UFOs and Alien creatures! Mick and Tommy talk history, conspiracies, and pancakes. And Mick gets to play debunking killjoy. Join us for this special edition episode and we’ll be back for more traditional true crime next week.
Sep 09, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 52
Still on that self-care shit. But we'll be back next week with all new episodes. Until then, ring in Spooky Season with one of our favorite throwbacks! On the night of July 3, 1929, a man enters the home of a local business man, mystic, and occult leader, Bennie Evangalista. He is shocked to see Evangalista, beheaded and surrounded by photos of his deceased infant son. Upstairs, the bodies of his wife and children are found in their beds. The scene mirrors those of Evangalista’s own visions and ...
Sep 02, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 51
We're taking a week or so off for some much needed self-care. We take that very seriously around these parts. So please, enjoy this throwback episode, one of our favorites! And we'll see you with new stuff soon! On a brisk night in November, 1973, a group of teenagers gather in the woods for a night of acoustic guitar and cuddling around the campfire. As their night goes on, they hear the rustling of branches and approaching footsteps--footsteps that would come to signal a night of horror at the...
Aug 26, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 50
Southern Indiana, 1954, a string of burglaries and murders rips across the region. A troop of teenage boys bravely hunt down information that leads to an arrest. The local media swarm the police station and courts, leaking vital information and causing a flurry around the offender, Leslie “Mad Dog” Irvin. A jail escape only brings more of a media storm, leading Irvin to appeal his case all the way to the US Supreme Court. Mick breaks down the story of the serial killer who managed to overturn hi...
Aug 19, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 49
School violence sometimes seems like a modern phenomenon, but a deeper look reveals that schools have been subject to senseless bloodshed for far longer than the 1999 Columbine shooting--especially in the United States. In this episode, Tommy takes us back to the 1920’s for an in-depth look at what remains the deadliest school mass casualty event in U.S. history: the Bath School Disaster.
Aug 12, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 48
This week's episode is a bit of a change from our typical format. Tommy and Mick review updates from past cases and provide a few "Opes!" and reflections and things to think about. Cases reviewed: Ericka Baker, The Cleveland Strangler, Sydney Loofe, Bobbie Joe Stinnet, Alyssa Bustamante, Belle Gunness, Shawn Hornback, Shaun Grate, Sister Margaret Ann Pahl
Aug 05, 2021•40 min•Ep. 47
A woman calls 911, confused and disoriented. Before the operator can understand what is going on, the woman confesses to killing her 6 children. In this week’s case, Mick tells the tale of Khoua Her, a woman with a traumatic past who does the unthinkable. We look for the “whys” and try to make sense of this tragic case. Please forgive us for the audio quality! Mick didn’t realize the mic wasn’t working until she went to edit it.
Jul 29, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 46
Kari Nunemaker was a beautiful, vibrant 16 year old girl growing up in the sleepy small town of Wakarusa, Indiana. On January 28, 1991, she was excited for a fun day of shopping and watching soccer games with close friends. When she didn't return home that night, the clock began ticking on a vicious murder that would take 14 years to see solved.
Jul 22, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 45
This week’s episode takes us back to 1980s Toledo, OH, where we explore corruption, abuse, and murder in the Catholic Church. When the accomplished and respected Sister Margaret Ann Pahl is murder, a local priest becomes the prime suspect. But the investigation is quickly shut down and any progress is stunted. Decades later, when a survivor of clerical abuse comes forward to name her abusers, that priest is back in the spotlight. In this episode, communities, cultures, and crime collide, and Tom...
Jul 15, 2021•1 hr 56 min•Ep. 44
In the 1980’s, amid the boom of up and coming suburban sprawl near Indianapolis, a serial strangler targeted gay men and male sex workers, leaving their abused bodies along the I-70 corridor. As the 80’s rolled over into the 90’s, those murders suddenly stopped, but a new series of vicious murders seemed to be an escalation of those original crimes. Join Tommy as she guides Mick through these cases and into the life of one of the Midwest’s most prolific and heartless serial killers.
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 43
Kelly Stough was a beautiful young woman living in Detroit. She had a loving family and dreams of becoming a designer. Sadly, her life was cut short. Her death triggered a nationwide conversation about trans rights and hate crime laws. Although this 2018 case is still sitting in court, Mick walks us through the known events of that day and each side of this case. We also celebrate the life and spirit of Kelly
Jul 01, 2021•55 min•Ep. 42
18 year old Anita Knutson was a vibrant, beloved college student living and preparing for a bright future in Minot, North Dakota. Known for her big, fun personality and deep sense of compassion, when she was murdered, it was both an unspeakable tragedy and a dark mystery. Who killed Anita Knutson, and why?
Jun 24, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 41
A random mass shooting takes the lives of 7 workers at the Brown's Chicken and Pasta in Palatine, IL. Despite the brutality, few clues are left behind at the scene. When police investigations turn up little but false confession after false confession, families begin to lose hope. Until 9 years later when two women finally come forward with information. What happened? What motivated such a senseless massacre? Mick shares the story of one of the bloodiest nights in Illinois history.
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 40
The weekend of March 11, 2005 started like many others for 29 year old Jason Gage. A fun night out surrounded by good friends, enjoying the nightlife in Waterloo, Iowa’s local gay bar. When his friends realized a few days later that no one had seen him since, they reported his absence to the police. Join Tommy as she guides Mick through a murder that perhaps isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
Jun 10, 2021•58 min•Ep. 39
Retired tattoo artist Gregory May says goodbye to his girlfriend after the two finish making plans to travel to Florida. When neither she nor his children can get a hold of him after several weeks and dozens of calls and texts, they all start to worry. Investigation into his disappearance reveals a level of betrayal and brutality that no one could have expected. With his former best friend as the prime suspect, Mick and Tommie feel like something is off in this case.
Jun 03, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 38
On a quiet summer morning in Raymond, Wisconsin, a father and daughter walking their dogs made the startling discovery of a young woman’s body along a row of cornfields. Upon further examination, a horrific story began to emerge: long-term torture, sexual assault, and near starvation. What was missing was an identity. The Racine area rallied around Jane Doe, making sure she had a beautiful funeral, and, crucially, that authorities would not let up on their search for her identity--and her killer...
May 27, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 37
To the outside world, John Joubert was a timid, bright, and respectable man. He presented himself as an Eagle Scout and a Military recruit. But behind this, he hid disturbing fantasies that would take the lives of at least three young boys. By the time Joubert was 22, he was sentenced to the electric chair by the state of Nebraska for murder and depravity. Mick is back on the case to give a profile of this serial killer, and presents an interesting theory to Tommy.
May 20, 2021•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 36
We never truly know what goes on behind closed doors, but that is even more pronounced when it comes to the Amish. We know the basics and certainly the stereotypes. Perhaps, like Tommy, you idealize the simple life, making it easy to forget that the lives behind those stunning white farmhouses are equally as complex as our own, and the capacity for darkness perhaps just as deep. Join Tommy as she shares the murder of Barbara Weaver, an Amish wife and mother of 5, and the tangled web of people ar...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 35
In 1871, a small family of homesteaders and spiritualists head out west to Kansas. The Bender Family sells themselves as entrepreneurs and mediums, offering supplies, rest, and mystical guidance to travelers along the Osage Trail. But it doesn’t take long for their bloodlust to show through. Join Mick as she guides Tommy through some gruesome Midwestern history and myth
May 06, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 34
The one thing we know for sure is that 32 year old Purvi Patel of Granger, Indiana was pregnant in the summer of 2013. Her story would go on to make international headlines when she was charged with feticide in the death of her preterm infant. What were Purvi Patel’s intentions? What truly happened in the course and eventual demise of her pregnancy? Join Tommy as she guides Mick through her quest for answers in this puzzling and controversial local case.
Apr 29, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 33
The little boy on the milk carton. Many people are familiar with this case, and how frustrating it can be to think about. The disappearance of Johnny Gosch was one of those cases that changed the way we think about our safety and the safety of our children. When the young paperboy disappears early one Sunday morning, the entire country is turned upside down. A small town case slowly evolves into a high level conspiracy. But how much of the story that is told is fact? And how much is conjecture? ...
Apr 22, 2021•2 hr 5 min•Ep. 32
