Many of you will know this case will be simply known as the murder of ultra famous, incredibly rich, Italian Fashion designer and icon Gianni Versace, but there is ever so much more to it than that. For a case that is so widely covered we were stunned to learn that we barely knew it at all. Spree killer Andrew Cunanan killed 4 men in the two months before he made it to the lavish home of Gianni Versace that balmy July morning. He also spent an inordinate amount of time hiding from the police in ...
Jun 29, 2023•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 160
Newark NJ can be a difficult place to grow up in. The crime rate is high, the income rate is low and gun violence is not an uncommon sight. Fortunately Newark has seen improvements in the last 20 years but in in 2003, when Sakia Gunn and her friends walked the litter lined streets, Newark was one of the scariest places on the east coast. A young black lesbian like Sakia would need support in Brick city if they wanted to survive, and luckily she found it in friends, family and basketball. Sadly, ...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 159
In this campfire re-do Holly takes us back to the Regency Era and tells the very bloody story of The Ratcliff Highway Murders. It was too good not to do on a main episode! You can hear the original campfire stories over on our Patreon if you are a subscriber - if you are not a subscriber, head on over to our Patreon and become one! The date was February 7, 2021 - it was a marvelous time! Learn More: Validate Us: WWBD Merch Shop Buy us a cup of validation WWBD Official Soundtrack, Vol. 1 WWBD Off...
Jun 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 158
Nowhere will you find more opportunities for disaster, than on spring break. A place with beautiful warm weather, water, and copious amounts of alcohol that attracts thousands of young adults every year. Spring break destinations have disproportionately high rates of human trafficking , DUI deaths, and incidents of alcohol poisoning, rape and illicit drug use. They can be very dangerous especially if your guard is always down. In the United States, these trips are projected as a right of passage...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 157
Nowhere will you find more opportunities for disaster, than on spring break. A place with beautiful warm weather, water, and copious amounts of alcohol that attracts thousands of young adults every year. Spring break destinations have disproportionately high rates of human trafficking , DUI deaths, and incidents of alcohol poisoning, rape and illicit drug use. They can be very dangerous especially if your guard is always down. In the United States, these trips are projected as a right of passage...
May 18, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 156
True crime has a way of moving forward either very slowly or super fast, there is no in between. Not all the cases we cover have resolutions, and you're not going to believe this but, investigations don’t stop when we stop, thank goodness right? A lot of the cases we have covered in the past have received rather significant updates in the past three years so we decided to periodically bring you these update episodes to do our due diligence. This week we’ll give you the update rundown on the Delp...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 155
January 6th 1999 A pusher tug boat called The Elk was traveling along the Vistula River in Poland, when it came to a sudden halt just a few short feet from it's mooring. The propeller had gotten stuck and so the captain and crew went to pull out what they assumed would be tree branches or River weeds. When the opened the hatch to access the propeller they were met with a sickening smell, it wasn't tree branches, and it wasn't river vegetation, it was a large pale piece of human skin. Using brand...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 154
Sorry to leaving you hanging! We're back with the second part of Rebekah Gould's story. Here's a little refresher: On September 20th, 2004 22 year old Arkansas resident Rebekah Gould drove her friend to work at Sonic, grabbed breakfast at a local convenience store, and then disappeared never to be seen alive again. A week later her body was discovered at the bottom of an embankment on a scenic stretch of a local highway. The investigation that followed spanned years. The journey to justice for R...
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 153
This week We Would Be Dead is coming back to the present(ish) with a case that has captured the true crime corners of the internet. On September 20th, 2004 22 year old Arkansas resident Rebekah Gould drove her friend to work at Sonic, grabbed breakfast at a local convenience store, and then disappeared never to be seen alive again. A week later her body was discovered at the bottom of an embankment on a scenic stretch of a local highway. The investigation that followed spanned years. The journey...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 152
This week we are taking off to enjoy spring break and egg hunts with the kids. In lieu of a new case we are re-releasing Holly's terrifying bunny monologue from Episode 102, and our Patron Only 30 Min Horror Movie: Night of the Lepus from April 26th, 2021. Whether you observe Easter as a religious holiday or not, everyone loves bunnies, and this episode is packed with them! We will be back next week with a very heavy 2 parter! Click to learn more Rent Night of the Lepus on Amazon Prime Validate ...
Apr 05, 2023•45 min•Ep. 151
Poison artisans Giulia Tofana and Gironima Spana took all the power held hostage in their time by men and placed it in the hands of women. Join us as we go deep into the rise and fall of the world’s most infamous poison and sought after skin care line: Aqua Tofana. Last week we told Guilia's story and this week we tell Gironima's. Gironima Spana was a savvy business woman who took the recipe for Aqua Tofana and created an empire run by women for women. Empires however, have a tendency to fall. I...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 150
We wanted to end women’s history month with a bang, so we decided to deliver this much requested case in a way you’ve probably never heard it before, the way it actually happened. What was once thought to be the story of one woman, is actually that of a mother daughter dynasty. Poison artisans Giulia Tofana and Gironima Spana took all the power held hostage in their time by men and placed it in the hands of women. Join us as we go deep into the rise and fall of the world’s most infamous poison a...
Mar 22, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 149
Greetings fiends, it’s time for our 2023 St. Patrick’s Day offering! Every we find some wild Irish stories and folklore for you, so we can celebrate one of the most magical and terrifying places in folkloric history. This year we have the legend of Red Mary. Hers is a story of love, war, revenge, violence, angry ghosts and a wild stallion. Get your whiskey ready and sit yourself by a cozy fire because this story is an adventure. Sláinte fiends, we hope you enjoy! Click to learn more Red Mary Iri...
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 148
On December 2nd 1991,Costa Mesa CA police arrested 23 year old Egyptian former model Omaima Nelson for the murder of her 56 year old husband Bill. Omaima had confessed to a former boyfriend on December 1st when she showed up at his home with a suitcase of unidentifiable body parts. Investigators were immediately sent to the Nelson residence, and while they didn’t expect the scene to be neat and tidy or even easy to stomach, they couldn't possibly have prepared themselves for what they found. It ...
Mar 09, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 147
Jolly Jane Toppan was a bubbly nurse and caregiver who was know in the late 1800's Boston area for her extreme compassion and dedication to her patients. Jane was a natural fit to take care of the sick and elderly, as she was patient and always in a good mood. Her kind eyes, matronly appearance and jovial smile made Jane easy to trust and a breath of fresh air in the cold clinical light of a hospital, it was so nice to have a person as caring as Jane in their corner in what would often be the la...
Mar 02, 2023•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 146
On Sunday February 13th 2000, 9 year old Asha Degree went to church, went home, spent the day with her family and went to bed on time. The next morning her mother opened her door at 6:30 am, expecting to see her sleepy 4th grader burrowed under her covers, instead she opened the door to find an empty bed, no sign anywhere in the house of Asha, and no one ever saw or heard from her again. What tiny pieces of the story the police could uncover made little to no sense. It appeared, astonishingly, t...
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 145
Fiends! We Would Be Dead has turned 3! In honor of our first episode "Gross Love" (and Valentines Day of course), we would like to offer you a strange and unusual story swap about love affairs gone wrong. Leslie brings us the story of Penelope Jackson, a lovely British Nana who simply had enough (Do NOT insult a woman's favorite side dish, it never ends well.) and Holly tells us the story of Florida's own killer clown. One might think Florida has seen many a killer clown, but no, just one. Here'...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 144
On April 3, 2004, 23 year old Alonzo Brooks left his home in Gardner Kansas with three friends to attend a party. He said goodbye to his mother, Maria, and hopped into a friends car. This was the last time Alonzo’s mother would ever see him alive. The next day when Alonzo hadn't returned home, Maria knew something was wrong, she contacted his friends and tried to retrace his steps to see where he could be. Instead of finding her son however, Maria discovered a tangled web of disjointed. It seems...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 143
On April 3, 2004, 23 year old Alonzo Brooks left his home in Gardner Kansas with three friends to attend a party. He said goodbye to his mother, Maria, and hopped into a friends car. This was the last time Alonzo’s mother would ever see him alive. The next day when Alonzo hadn't returned home, Maria knew something was wrong, she contacted his friends and tried to retrace his steps to see where he could be. Instead of finding her son however, Maria discovered a tangled web of disjointed. It seems...
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 142
On April 18th 1943 in Worcestershire England, (yes like the sauce no one can pronounce) 4 young boys looking for birds eggs crept into Hagley Wood. Hagley wood was a mysterious place. Located on the grounds of the partially abandoned Hagley Hall, Hagley woods were dotted with neglected temples and statues, overgrown landscaping and ancient stately trees. But one tree stood out among the rest. A tree almost entirely comprised of sharp, leafless twigs jutting out at severe angles, a gnarled, menac...
Jan 26, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 141
Discord: D I S C O R D. A lack of agreement or harmony. A combination of sounds that strikes the ear harshly. Discord. 6:45 AM, on July 14th 2019. The eastern united states is beginning to wake up and scroll through their social media. The day was warm and sunny and a group of young adults in Utica New York was about to unwillingly witness a step by step account of a terrible murder. After a series of cryptic posts on Instagram from the user @yesjuliet and similar posts on Discord from the user ...
Jan 18, 2023•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 140
It's a Leslie-sode!!! Happy New Years and welcome back after our little holiday break. We have a case filled with twists and turns. So settle in, because it's going to be a wild ride. Dr. Joseph Sonnier was a well respected pathologist from Lubbock, Texas who was found shot and stabbed in his home on July 11th, 2012. Investigators quickly theorized this had not been a robbery gone wrong, but a personal attack. But who would want the doctor dead and why? With a list of family and friends to talk ...
Jan 11, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 139
Gather 'round the fire fiends and let's bring back a time honored tradition...again! Christmastime ghost stories. Another episode perfect for a chilly and festive evening. Merry Christmas, fiends! Buy the book here WWBD Merch WWBD MERCH SHOP Sponsors Shore Soaps Try Audible Plus Give the Gift of Audible! Kindle Unlimited Membership Amazon Prime Free Trial Join the Conversation...
Dec 24, 2022•1 hr 23 min
There is no phrase one can utter that draws a more visceral christmas response, than Bah, Humbug. And so it is with great joy and depth of feeling that this holiday season we bring you an exploration into this the most famous and meaningful of ghost stories. It may be decked with Holly and frosted with snow, but at it’s heart a Christmas carol is a most glorious ghost story, and we hope all the things you learn today will haunt your house pleasantly forever more. Click to learn more Washington P...
Dec 23, 2022•1 hr 53 min•Ep. 138
What do a ceramic duck, watermelon plates, an episode of 20/20 and a bunk bed have in common? It may seem like nothing, but they're are all integral turning points in one of the twistiest cases we have ever covered. Oh, and this one is extra shocking because it involves a serial killer Holly had never heard of...which doesn't happen too often. In the second part of our deep dive into serial killer Tommy Lynn Sells we tell the incredible survival story of Krystal Surles, the most bad ass little g...
Dec 14, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 137
What do a ceramic duck, watermelon plates, an episode of 20/20 and a bunk bed have in common? No guesses? Well we won't reveal everything but let's just say that they're are all integral turning points in one of the twistiest cases we have ever covered. Oh, and this one is extra shocking because it involves a serial killer Holly had never heard of...which doesn't happen too often. We begin the exploration of this long and winding road with three stories. 1. The grizzly, terrifying and unexplaine...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 136
Happy Thanksgiving fiends! We’re taking the week off to spend time with our loved ones (let’s be real, Holly’s leaving the country), but we couldn't leave you hanging on a holiday! We know a lot of you will be spending time in the car so here’s a little treat we recorded for our patrons a year ago. This is, by far the strangest, sickest, most turkey-centric film we have ever seen, and that’s saying something. Please enjoy this fast paced, incredibly chaotic fever dream! Gobble Gobble ********** ...
Nov 23, 2022•43 min•Ep. 135
This week we’re taking on a case that had a super important update recently. In 1974 while on vacation with her family in Provincetown Massachusetts, 12 year old Leslie Metcalf stumbled upon a gruesome murder sense, one that would remain a mystery for nearly fifty years. The victim was simply known as “the lady of the dunes". No one knew who she was, what happened to her, or if anyone was looking for her... But thanks to DNA analysis and modern genealogy websites this decades old cold case is on...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 134
There is much about the myth of the vampire that science will never understand. They crawl from their graves, blood running from their mouths trailing mist in search of innocent victims to join them in monstrosity. They are alluring in their terror and terrifying in their allure, and human kind will never cease to wonder if they are simply a legend, or if there is much more. This week we explore the origins of most famous and enduring vampire of all time: Count Dracula. If you're thinking this w...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 133
Happy Halloween fiends! Today we have a very very special treat for you all. A few days ago Holly got the opportunity to chat with the original face of Michael Myers, actor, legend and horror icon: Tony Moran. Now, if you’re a long time listener here you know how exciting and meaningful this was for us. We here at WWBD are huge Michael Myers fans. If you like behind the scenes stories and one of a kind insights into the meteoric rise of a little horror movie that could, well then this interview ...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 132
