House of Mystery True Crime History

Carole Chaski is a renowned forensic linguist and Executive Director of the Institute for Linguistic Evidence, a non-profit research organization devoted to research and development in linguistic evidence. She was asked to analyse Cobain’s suicide note. Viewers watched her describe the ‘linguistically interesting’ aspects of the final lines of the note and how they appeared to be from a ‘stereotypical suicide note’ in comparison to the rest of the note. What the creators of Soaked in Bleach failed to mention however was that Chaski agreed with the official suicide verdict. When asked her opinion on the film and her involvement in it she stated, “What I did say is that the note had typical variation of real suicide notes with the top half being one kind of suicide note and the bottom one being another  (more stereotypically-conceived) kind, both real suicide notes. My results do not support the conspiracy theory that Courtney Love authored the bottom portion to make it look like a suicide note”

Carole Chaski is a renowned forensic linguist and Executive Director of the Institute for Linguistic Evidence, a non-profit research organization devoted to research and development in linguistic evidence. She was asked to analyse Cobain’s suicide note. Viewers watched her describe the ‘linguistically interesting’ aspects of the final lines of the note and how they appeared to be from a ‘stereotypical suicide note’ in comparison to the rest of the note. What the creators of Soaked in Bleach failed to mention however was that Chaski agreed with the official suicide verdict. When asked her opinion on the film and her involvement in it she stated, “What I did say is that the note had typical variation of real suicide notes with the top half being one kind of suicide note and the bottom one being another  (more stereotypically-conceived) kind, both real suicide notes. My results do not support the conspiracy theory that Courtney Love authored the bottom portion to make it look like a suicide note”

This is the remarkable story of Frank Matthews, a charismatic drug kingpin from the late 1960s and 1980s who organized a huge criminal enterprise before jumping bail and 1973 with $15 million and a beautiful woman. Nicknamed Black Caesar, Matthews has never been seen again in what has become one of organized crimes most intriguing mysteries. Black Caesaris a 2013 USA Best Book Award Winner in the True Crime: Non-Fiction category

In May 1973, Assata Olugbala Shakur was involved in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in which she was accused of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and assaulting Trooper James Harper. This resulted in her indictment of first-degree murder of Foerster and seven other felonies related to the shootout. A member of the Black Panther Party, she became a prime target of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Counterintelligence Program. When she joined the Black Liberation Army and went into hiding, between 1973 and 1977, she was placed on the FBIs Most Wanted List for three bank robberies, the kidnapping and murder of two drug dealers, and the attempted murder of two New Jersey police officers. In March 1977 Assata Shakur was convicted of murdering state trooper Werner Forrester and was imprisoned. Two years later she broke out of the maximum-security wing of Clinton Correctional Facility in New Jersey, pistol in hand, as she and three cohorts sped out of the prison grounds. In 1984 she was granted political asylum in Cuba where she has lived ever since. On May 2, 2013, the FBI added her to the Most Wanted Terrorist List, the first woman to be listed. "Assata Shakur: A 20th Century Escaped Slave" is the story of Assata Shakur, before she became a fugitive and since.

What happened to Allen? Allen’s mother clung desperately to the pages of his journal. Isolated by grief she searched frantically for answers. Seven years have passed since Meredith lost her son and she has finally begun to heal. With the support of her family and friends Meredith has found the courage to share what she can only explain as “the horror” of Allen’s descent into madness. Allen’s Journal will challenge the views of believers and skeptics alike as readers enter the darkness of Allen’s mind and journey with him to his final hours.

In the state of Wisconsin, after being exonerated for a wrongful conviction on September 11, 2003, Steven Avery became a very political name in a very political time. Two years later, when arrested for the ‘Intentional Homicide’ of Teresa Halbach during a time when he filed a $36,000,000 civil suit, Steven alleges he was ultimately “Framed” by corrupt state officials to thwart off his chances of winning the suit. However, the Wisconsin DOJ argues that it was impossible for any such “Frame Job” to ever have happened. Though, could the “Framing” be probable, “If” the MO was political? What did Netflix’s Making A Murderer miss? The political story behind Steven Avery’s saga has remained untold… …until now

In March 1997, thirty-nine people in Rancho Santa Fe, California, ritually terminated their lives. To outsiders, it was a mass suicide. To insiders, it was a graduation. This act was the culmination of over two decades of spiritual and social development for the members of Heaven’s Gate, a religious group focused on transcending humanity and the Earth, and seeking salvation in the literal heavens on board a UFO. In this fascinating overview, Benjamin Zeller not only explores the question of why the members of Heaven’s Gate committed ritual suicides, but interrogates the origin and evolution of the religion, its appeal, and its practices. By tracking the development of the history, social structure, and worldview of Heaven’s Gate, Zeller draws out the ways in which the movement was both a reflection and a microcosm of larger American culture.The group emerged out of engagement with Evangelical Christianity, the New Age movement, science fiction and UFOs, and conspiracy theories, and it evolved in response to the religious quests of baby boomers, new religions of the counterculture, and the narcissistic pessimism of the 1990s. Thus, Heaven’s Gate not only reflects the context of its environment, but also reveals how those forces interacted in the form of a single religious body. In the only book-length study of Heaven’s Gate, Zeller traces the roots of the movement, examines its beliefs and practices, and tells the captivating story of the people of Heaven’s Gate

In March 1997, thirty-nine people in Rancho Santa Fe, California, ritually terminated their lives. To outsiders, it was a mass suicide. To insiders, it was a graduation. This act was the culmination of over two decades of spiritual and social development for the members of Heaven’s Gate, a religious group focused on transcending humanity and the Earth, and seeking salvation in the literal heavens on board a UFO. In this fascinating overview, Benjamin Zeller not only explores the question of why the members of Heaven’s Gate committed ritual suicides, but interrogates the origin and evolution of the religion, its appeal, and its practices. By tracking the development of the history, social structure, and worldview of Heaven’s Gate, Zeller draws out the ways in which the movement was both a reflection and a microcosm of larger American culture.The group emerged out of engagement with Evangelical Christianity, the New Age movement, science fiction and UFOs, and conspiracy theories, and it evolved in response to the religious quests of baby boomers, new religions of the counterculture, and the narcissistic pessimism of the 1990s. Thus, Heaven’s Gate not only reflects the context of its environment, but also reveals how those forces interacted in the form of a single religious body. In the only book-length study of Heaven’s Gate, Zeller traces the roots of the movement, examines its beliefs and practices, and tells the captivating story of the people of Heaven’s Gate

Examined from both sides - the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the FBI on one hand, and David Koresh and his followers on the other - this text focuses on the events at Mt. Carmel, near Waco Texas. Dick J. Reavis contends that the government had little reason to investigate Koresh, and even less to raid the compound at Mt. Carmel. The government lied to the public about most of what happened - about who fired the first shots, about drugs allegations, and about the child abuse. The FBI was duplicitous and negligent in gassing Mt. Carmel - and that alone could have started the fire that killed 76 people.

When police in Tampa, Florida, arrested Larry Singleton in 1997 for brutally murdering prostitute Roxanne Hayes, they soon realized it wasn’t the man’s first violent attack. Back in 1978 he had gained notoriety as “the Mad Chopper” for raping and cutting off the arms of 15-year-old Mary Vincent on a patch of desolate, sun-scorched land 5 miles off the highway near Modesto, California. When Singleton was let out of prison on supervised parole after serving only 8 years for his crimes, no community in California would accept him. He eventually moved back to his home in Florida, where he killed Hayes nearly 20 years after his original crime. But his first victim, Vincent, had survived, walking nearly a mile to get help after the assault, and testified against him at his trial for murdering Hayes.

An essential guide to criminology, exploring the most infamous cases of all time, from serial killers to mob hits to war crimes and more. From Jack the Ripper to Jeffrey Dahmer, The Crime Book is a complete study of international true crime history that unpacks the shocking stories through info-graphics and in-depth research that lays out every key fact and detail. Examine the science, psychology, and sociology of criminal behavior, and read profiles of villains, victims, and detectives. See each clue and follow the investigation from start to finish, and study the police and detective work of each case. Find out how pirates, the Japanese yakuza, Chinese triads, and modern drug cartels operate around the world. Dive deep into the Black Dahlia murder investigation and follow other high-profile cases, including Lizzie Borden with her ax and the Patty Hearst kidnapping. Learn how media coverage changed through history, from the tragic assassination of President Abraham Lincoln to romanticizing Bonnie and Clyde's doomed fate to the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's baby, which is considered the first international crime tabloid story. The Crime Book is a complete compendium for crime aficionados to add to their collection

"You think you can steal my sh*t and sell it?" In 1995, NFL great and movie star, O.J. Simpson beat a murder rap for the death of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. But in 2007 his luck with avoiding Lady Justice ran out in Las Vegas. ROOM 1203 is the true story of the convoluted and bizarre events surrounding a violent armed robbery of a sports memorabilia collector in a Vegas hotel. On that night, Simpson put an exclamation mark on his spectacular fall from the height of Hollywood’s glamour and glitz to a shadowy world of scams and schemers in Sin City. Written by the lead detective assigned to the case, the book provides details, insights and facts not previously reported, as well as the investigation that pieced the crime together and landed an arrogant man who believed he was above the law in a Nevada prison. Excerpt From ROOM 1203: O.J. Simpson's Las Vegas Conviction: As we turned down the hall toward O.J.’s suite, three more surveillance detectives stood behind a pillar, visiting with each other while waiting for the two surveillance detectives who were closer to the room to signal that the target was moving. They were working with the Palms security and had a room in the same hall as Simpson’s, so the hall could be monitored without a detective just waiting for Simpson to come out of his room. As Rod, Linda and I approached Simpson’s suite, Eddie stayed back in the hall. Rod knocked on the door, and within a few moments, the door swung open and there was O.J. Simpson. This was and is a moment that is hard to reconcile in my mind. As I stood there—a detective tasked with investigating a crime and thinking I was going to conduct this interview just like any other—I was a little star struck. O.J. is not a big, imposing figure. In fact, he was smaller than I would have ever imagined a former NFL player to be. His charismatic personality came shining through the moment he opened the door. With a great big smile and animated arm movements, he invited us into his suite. Here is where that flexibility in interviews became paramount; he leaned out into the hallway and waved Eddie in also. But that wasn’t all. The surveillance detectives who take pride in their ability to work undetected—Simpson had spotted them, too, and waved them into the room. As everyone piled into the suite, I had to laugh to myself as I thought I would probably come in, too, if I were in their position. As he waved everyone in, Simpson told me his lawyer was not there yet, but he should be there shortly, so we could wait inside for him. As I walked past Simpson, I had a moment of realization that helped me to get over my feeling of being star struck. O.J. was wearing the same clothes as he was in the surveillance video from the robbery the night before: a light blue, disheveled polo shirt and blue jeans. About the author: Andy Caldwell is a retired detective from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and he is presently serving as the pastor at Mill City Christian Church in Mill City, Oregon. His distinguished law enforcement career resulted in him receiving multiple awards and having cases he worked featured on America’s Most Wanted, Dateline, and Court TV.

Dope Man follows Tim Ryan, an ex-con and former addict, who before embracing recovery, lost his son to heroin and nearly died from it himself. Now, in an era when addicts are dying faster and younger by the day, he's made it his life's mission to save others from the deadly drug. Tim's unforgiving, in-your-face approach, as well as his commitment to placing people into meaningful long-term treatment, has singled him out nationally among politicians, law enforcement officials and educators as one of the most effective experts in his field.

“That woman is evil. She is evil!” Ejaz Ahmad was handsome, charismatic, and a self-made businessman. He arrived in the United States from Pakistan determined to fulfill his mother’s dying wish: to come to America, complete his education, and make his mark in the world. Settling in Memphis, Tennessee, Ejaz became owner of several businesses, father to a handsome boy, and a devout Muslim. The only thing missing in his life was a wife, someone special to protect, honor, and love. Leah Ward was a pretty girl, but a prison parolee with a history of drug charges, petty crime, and a questionable past. She led a flotsam life, drifting from town to city to state. When she was introduced to Ejaz Ahmad, she believed she had found the ultimate answer: a place to live, someone to take care of her, and money to spend. But what began idyllic soon became abusive and then dangerous for Ejaz. His friends and family warned him. And in May of 2003 Ejaz paid the ultimate price when family members found his mutilated body in a shed. SHE IS EVIL is a story of trust, abuse, religion, and murder. Of a kind man who tried to help a troubled woman and became the victim of abuse and, eventually, a heinous murder.

Groundbreaking history and exciting investigative journalism combine in a work jam-packed with newly unearthed finds and fresh insights that pull us deeper into the world of Jack the Ripper and closer to the man himself. Wescott does not promote a suspect but instead comprehensively investigates the murders of Polly Nichols and Elizabeth Stride, bringing to light new medical evidence, crucial new material on important witnesses, and – revealed for the first time – the name of a woman who may have met Jack the Ripper and survived to tell the tale. Also discussed in this book: Charles Lechmere, recently named as a suspect in the Jack the Ripper documentary, Conspiracy: The Missing Evidence, is restored to his proper place in history as an innocent witness. Walter Sickert, the subject of Patricia Cornwell’s Jack the Ripper books, was not the Ripper, but is revealed here to have been only one of several artists and poets who may have been acquainted with victim Mary Kelly. Bruce Robinson’s Jack the Ripper book, They All Love Jack, controversially endorsed the myth that fruiterer Matthew Packer sold grapes to Liz Stride which were later found on her hand. Around this was constructed an intricate police conspiracy. In Ripper Confidential the truth is exposed and these events are proved beyond doubt to have never taken place. Was Elizabeth Stride a Ripper victim? For the first time, all the myths are cleared away and the facts are looked at in great detail. The contemporary investigators speak out from the past and tell us what they thought of one of the Ripper’s most enigmatic and controversial clues – the chalk-written message on the wall in Goulston Street. Did the Ripper write it and what might it actually have said? A comprehensive look is taken at Berner Street witness, Israel Schwartz. Why did he disappear within weeks from the written record? Was or was he not a legitimate witness? This and much more is discussed, and for the first time it’s revealed why he did not give evidence at the inquest, why the two best known versions of his story are inconsistent, and – most crucially – that he was not the last person to see Liz Stride with a man who was probably her killer