Hosts Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson guide you through the most interesting true crime stories. This is a true crime podcast that spares none of the details and delves into what makes these killers tick. Join us for a good mix of lesser known cases as well as our take on what we call the "Big Timers". We don't take ourselves too seriously but we take true crime very seriously.
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In 2003 and 2004, the DC area experienced multiple house fires with suspicious similarities. The fires resulted in two deaths and significant property destruction. An ATF-led task force identified the arsonist’s signature incendiary device, and the same DNA profile was found at several fires. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the D.C. Arsonist. Thomas Anthony Sweatt was eventually linked to the fires through DNA evidence. He divulged to police implicating him in over 300 fires and more deaths ...
In 1996, Brian Sugrim confessed to his then-girlfriend that he killed a man. In 2003, he told her he killed a woman, and even showed her where he buried the body. She waited years to tell the police out of fear for her and their children’s safety. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Brian Sugrim. This is a man who terrorized his wife and family for years, all the while holding some murderous secrets. It took years, but Brian's wife, Bernadette, mustered the courage to go to the police even thoug...
Tiffany Boyer went missing in August 2015 after she accused a well-known Albuquerque local called “Machete Bob” of rape. He disappeared shortly before Tiffany did, and investigators were tasked with figuring out the link between the two missing persons cases. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the missing persons cases of Tiffany Boyer and "Machete Bob", whose real name was Robert McGuire. As the police investigation unfolded, a series of interesting people, persons of interest, and a macabre s...
For 17 years, an unknown suspect called the Night Stalker carried out a series of burglaries and sexual attacks against the elderly in South London, Kent, and Surrey, England. In 2009, a massive surveillance operation resulted in an arrest and identification. The Night Stalker was branded one of the most prolific and depraved sex attackers in British history. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Britain's Night Stalker. Eventually, Delroy Grant was identified and charged with the crimes of the Ni...
Rodney Alcala was an American serial killer and sex offender who was sentenced to death in California for multiple murders. Alcala has been conclusively linked to eight murders, but authorities suspect he could have killed over 100 people during his travels around the country. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the infamous serial killer Rodney Alacala. In part three of the Rodney Alcala episodes, we’ll cover his subsequent murder trials and the long path to securing justice for the victims, as...
Rodney Alcala was an American serial killer and sex offender who was sentenced to death in California for multiple murders. Alcala has been conclusively linked to eight murders, but authorities suspect he could have killed over 100 people during his travels around the country. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the infamous serial killer Rodney Alacala. In part two of the Rodney Alcala episodes, we’ll cover the known crimes he committed in 1979, how he was finally apprehended, and the outcomes ...
Rodney Alcala was an American serial killer and sex offender who was sentenced to death in California for multiple murders. Alcala has been conclusively linked to eight murders, but authorities suspect he could have killed over 100 people during his travels around the country. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the infamous serial killer Rodney Alacala. In part one, we’ll cover Alcala’s early life, his known crimes in the late ‘60s and ‘70s, and how sentencing laws at the time allowed him to co...
In February 1988, 16-year-old David Brom murdered his parents and younger siblings. His defense argued that David was mentally ill, suffering from abuse, and snapped after an argument with his father. Prosecutors had evidence that David spent months planning the murders and killed his family in a cold and calculating manner. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss David Brom. There was no doubt that David murdered his family. What investigators and prosecutors had to focus on was David's mental heal...
Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons went missing in February 2010. Their bodies were found in the California desert three years later. Initially, it was believed that the family had decided to travel to Mexico, but authorities discovered evidence suggesting that someone close to Joseph was involved in their murders. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the murders of the McStay family. The family of four was thriving in California at the time that they went missing. Several t...
On the morning of September 16th, 2016, Todd Kendhammer called 911 to report that his wife, Barbara, had been seriously injured in an accident. He claimed a pipe fell off a passing truck, flew through their windshield, and hit Barbara, causing fatal injuries. Investigators didn’t think his story added up. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Todd Kendhammer and the death of his wife, Barbara. Investigators became suspicious of Todd very early on. Surveillance video captured the Kendhammer vehicle...
15-year-old Sierra LaMar left home to walk to her bus stop on a Friday morning near her California home. Although a man was convicted of murdering her five years later, Sierra has never been found. The authorities were able to narrow down the timeline of when Sierra was taken to around ten minutes. But the details that eventually emerged were shocking. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Antolin Garcia-Torres. Even as the evidence began mounting against him, Antolin maintained his innocence. His...
Angelika Graswald was accused of killing her fiancé during a 2015 kayaking trip on the Hudson River. Prosecutors argued that she wanted out of the relationship, so she intentionally removed the kayak’s drain plug, which contributed to its subsequent capsizing and her fiancé’s drowning. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the case of Angelika Graswald. She made numerous incriminating statements, even going so far as to say she wanted her fiancé dead. The trial came down to the prosecution's theor...
Steven Jones was a freshman at Northern Arizona University. In October 2015, he was involved in a confrontation that turned violent. It ended with Steven killing another NAU student and injuring three more. Steven claimed he acted in self-defense because he feared for his life, while prosecutors argued he shot the students in a premeditated rampage because his pride was hurt. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Steven Jones. There were conflicting stories on each side, which made this case very ...
In less than five years, Bill Harrison, his wife Bridget, and their son Caleb all died in the same home. The first death was ruled natural, the second suspicious, but the third was immediately declared a homicide. The police looked to Caleb’s ex-wife, Melissa Merritt, who was in the middle of a custody battle with Caleb and his parents. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Melissa Merritt. The police zeroed in not only on Melissa but also on her boyfriend, Christopher Fattore. As they untangled a...
Christa Worthington, a former fashion journalist and single mother who lived in Truro, a town on northern Cape Cod, was murdered in January 2002. Three years later, DNA evidence matched a surprising suspect, a local sanitation worker. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Christopher McCowen. McCowen told several different stories but was linked to the murder through DNA, and a jury thought the evidence proved his guilt. However, a recently discovered article of clothing may point to another perso...
In the late ‘90s, Margaret Fleming was living under the care of Edward Cairney and Avril Jones, friends of her deceased father. In October 2016, the police launched an investigation when concerns were raised about a benefits claim made by Avril on Margaret’s behalf. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Edward Cairney and Avril Jones. The police found no trace of Margaret and learned she hadn’t been seen or heard from in years. It took a very long time, but when police finally developed their theo...
Nancy Brophy is a former author who wrote romantic suspense novels. She once wrote an essay on how to get away with murder. When her husband was found murdered, Nancy quickly became the prime suspect. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Nancy Brophy. Prosecutors believed she spent months plotting the murder to cash in on more than a million dollars of life insurance money. They also think she used a crime thriller-like twist to try to get away with the perfect murder. You can help support the sh...
In March and April 2009, a man’s dismembered remains were scattered across two counties in England. The “jigsaw man,” as the media called the victim, was identified as 49-year-old Jeffrey Howe. The main suspect was his roommate and “best friend,” Stephen Marshall. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Stephen Marshall. Jeffrey Howe thought he was helping out Stephen Marshall and his girlfriend, Sarah Bush, by allowing them both to stay in his home. But Jeffrey soon realized he had made a mistake b...
Dale Bruner reported his wife Stephanie missing on November 23rd, 2010. He told the police she left the house to cool off after an argument. Throughout the investigation, the police found evidence of a troubled marriage and incidents of domestic violence that caused Stephanie to file for divorce. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Dale Bruner. It was revealed that Stephanie was emotionally involved with a man, and the two had confided in each other that they were in love. Did Dale Bruner find o...
In 1993, Joseph Wellnitz, his wife Beth, and their 20-year-old son Dennis were murdered inside their Columbia, Kentucky home. Although the police had their suspicions early on, it took nearly a decade to catch the killer. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Meg Wellnitz-Appleton and Bill Meece. For years, their alibis stood up and prevented the authorities from moving forward against them. But when Bill got a divorce from his wife, his world turned upside down. Meg and Bill told differing storie...
Melanie and Bill McGuire closed on their first home on April 28th, 2004. Two days later, Melanie filed a restraining order against her husband, claiming Bill hit her before leaving the house. Bill was missing for several days until his dismembered remains were found in three suitcases in the Chesapeake Bay. Melanie soon became the main suspect. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Melanie McGuire. The spouse is one of the first people that police have to rule out in a homicide case. They were una...
In the early ‘90s, two young women were stabbed to death on a bike trail in Phoenix, Arizona. The Phoenix Canal Murders remained unsolved until 2014, when the police identified Bryan Patrick Miller, a local celebrity known for his “Zombie Hunter” persona, as a suspect. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Bryan Patrick Miller. His crimes began as a juvenile and escalated through the years. It seemed as though everywhere he lived, women disappeared. The police believe he is responsible for a large...
Richard Merritt was a well-known, successful attorney in Smyrna, Georgia, until he was caught stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his clients. Richard pleaded guilty to the financial crimes and was given two weeks to get his affairs in order before he had to report to prison. Richard was willing to kill to avoid going to jail. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Richard Merritt in this part 2 and final episode. His mother, Shirley, supported him throughout his legal troubles and was p...
Richard Merritt was a well-known, successful attorney in Smyrna, Georgia, until he was caught stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his clients. Richard pleaded guilty to the financial crimes and was given two weeks to get his affairs in order before he had to report to prison. Richard was willing to kill to avoid going to prison Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Richard Merritt. His mother, Shirley, supported him throughout his legal troubles and was planning to drive him to prison o...
To outsiders, Aldo and Barbara Pacheco seemed like a happy family. When Barbara filed for divorce after a decade of marriage, Aldo became obsessed with winning custody of his kids and vowed that if he couldn’t have Barbara, no one else would. Join Mike and Gibby as they talk about Aldo Pacheco. What appeared to be an earlier attempt at killing Barbara caused Aldo to be charged with aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping. But he was out on bond when he initiated a standoff with police that ...
Omar Medina was a young music producer who went missing in September 2017. Days later, his body was found in a barrel in the San Diego Bay. Investigators traced the evidence back to Omar’s former landlord, Timothy John Cook. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Timothy John Cook and the murder of Omar Medina. Cook denied all involvement in Omar's murder, but the investigation of a truck and a boat led to him and also to one of his friends as a possible accomplice. Did Cook kill over a security de...
The murder of Julia Martha Thomas, also known as the Barnes Mystery or the Richmond Murder, was one of the most infamous crimes of 19th-century Britain. Julia was murdered by her servant Kate Webster, who dismembered her remains and impersonated her for two weeks before fleeing the country. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Kate Webster. Kate was 30 years old when she murdered her employer. But it's the way that the murder occurred and what Kate did afterwards that shocks so many people about ...
On November 16th, 1981, 53-year-old Priscilla Dinkel and her 7-year-old granddaughter Danelle Lietz were murdered at The Swanson Motel in Dickinson, North Dakota. The case went cold until 1991, when local law enforcement utilized an FBI profile to identify the killer. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss the Swanson motel murders. The police followed leads down into Texas and even looked at Henry Lee Lucas as a possible suspect. Then, in 1991, authorities began looking at a 48-year-old named Will...
In the early morning hours of August 16th, 1986 an intruder entered the home of 27-year-old Gary Larson and stabbed him to death before raping Gary’s fiancee. The case was unsolved for almost twenty years, until a peeping tom was arrested in 2004, when authorities noticed similarities to the suspect in the cold case. Join Mike and Gibby as they discuss Jonathan Scott Graham. Graham had a history of peeping around his neighborhood. When he was arrested on something unrelated to the murder, the au...
Mike and Gibby delve into the tragic story of Johnny Lewis, a promising actor whose life spiraled downward, culminating in the murder of his landlady and his own death. They explore his career, personal struggles, and erratic behavior following a motorcycle accident, examining potential links to head trauma and mental health issues. The episode raises questions about the factors contributing to his violent actions and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
